Baptist Global Response
I'm not familiar with the Southern Baptists, but I looked up the internet and found a group called the Baptist Global Response that was formed in 2006 to try to involve the Southern Baptists in efforts to fight global poverty. In their website at http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&t..., they state:
"In the recent past, there has been a significant refocusing on human needs around the world due to acute problems such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Also, awareness about chronic problems such as poverty, AIDS, and hunger has been growing. Baptist Global Response was created to help Southern Baptists become more effective and efficient in responding to global needs created by acute and chronic situations. BGR seeks to coordinate the global resources of Southern Baptists in response to natural disasters, catastrophic crises, and chronic humanitarian needs outside the United States and Canada.
Baptist Global Response's purpose is to connect Southern Baptists with relief and development needs worldwide. BGR seeks to mobilize and involve the influence, prayer, human and financial resources of Southern Baptists for worldwide relief and development. This includes training and equipping Southern Baptists in relief and development and providing a venue for Southern Baptists to celebrate what they are doing throughout the world to help poor, needy, and suffering people. We strive to work and cooperate with Southern Baptist state conventions, local associations, churches, and individuals in order to accomplish this.
Baptist Global Response is not an official entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, but it does seek to work with all Southern Baptists to better respond to acute and chronic needs and to coordinate worldwide relief and development efforts.
Baptist Global Response's primary ministry partners are Southern Baptists in the United States and Baptist partners around the world."
The Baptist Global Response team seems to be doing good work in all regions of the world, but its most detailed work seems to be in Africa. It has a central office in Naroibi, Kenya and it is working in helping these areas: helping people with HIV/AIDS and helping the 14 million children with AIDs; providing food for the malnourished; and providing clean drinking water. Currently the Baptist Global Response is aiding with efforts in Malawi to fight drought and famine.
In reading their website, the Baptist Global Response has emphasized their efforts to involve other Southern Baptists worldwide and not so much cooperate with other denominations, but they may be willing to cooperate in interdenominational cooperation if an effort is made. In their Resources page (http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&t...) they refer to various United Nations programs as well as other poverty groups. As an interdenominational Progressive Christian group, perhaps Crossleft could reach out to the Baptist Global Response in a common cause in fighting global poverty.
Cooperative efforts with the Baptist Global Response
Although Southern Baptists tend not to join other denominations in cooperative efforts, I vote for inviting them to participate in the Progressive Christian movement.
I grew up as Southern Baptist, graduated from Mars Hill Junior College and Wake Forest University, and attended two years at Southeastern Baptist Seminary. I know first hand what marvelous work they perform all over the world. I've traveled with Baptist missionaries throughout Honduras and experienced the dedication of these missionaries. Baptist congregations can raise money when no one else can. Present a human need ... place a chart at the front of the sanctuary ... and watch the goal be reached in no time.
All churches can learn from the Southern Baptist dedication to those in each stage of life: children/youth, singles, married couples, and the elderly. Although I left the Southern Baptist in search of answers to my life questions, I am eternally grateful for the outstanding biblical education, financial and emotional support throughout my early educational career, and even for my adopted daughter from Honduras. They truly live-out their faith.