Thanks for Attending ALASKA BAPTIST DISASTER RELIEF TRAINING SESSIONS - Regional DR training sessions are coming to locations across Alaska in 2025!
Updated March 21, 2025
Dear Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief Volunteers,
This website is primarily to update our volunteers as needed! Let me again say thank-you to you for serving with Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief. Thank you for being "beacons of light in times of darkness." Your willingness to train, prepare with a team, and then rush to the aid of those in need, often with personal sacrifice, exemplifies the true spirit of Christlike disaster relief! Each act of kindness, every hour spent cleaning up property and every smile shared with those in distress, has made a profound difference. A few Alaska DR have had the opportunity to share the message of "New Life" following a disaster and their words have made an eternal difference. Regardless of whether you have been able to deploy or not, thanks so much for your preparedness and heart for ministry.
Let me provide you with a couple of quick updates! First, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is shipping a large quantity of N95 face mask to us! If Mount Spurr Volcano does erupt and dangerous ash threatens a populated area, we will set up one or more distribution point(s) so that churches can pick up these free masks and distribute them in their community. I am suggesting that every church go online, type in "Preparing for Volcanic Ash" and follow some preparation guidelines so that your own Ready Church Team can react. Lots of help is available! Disaster relief ministry is not only something that we send teams of people to do, but also something that Alaska Baptist churches do in our communities and villages to serve and share the gospel. Because of the slight possibility that Anchorage could receive harmful ash, like the dangers that were present when Mount Spurr erupted in 1992, I have decided not to deploy a team out-of-state at this time.
That brings me to the second update. I had asked that we "STAND BY" for a deployment to Missouri following tornadoes across the Midwest and Southeast recently. I praise God that believers are ready and willing to share the love of Christ! For example, within 48 hours of the tornados affecting Rolla, Missouri, hundreds of faith-based volunteers responded. Obviously, we could not get there quickly, but I am glad others could. At this time, I am asking those who volunteered to travel in response to recent storms in the Midwest and Southeast to "STAND DOWN." As always, thank you for your willingness to pack your bags and prepare to go! I deeply appreciate those who are often "READY" to go when called upon.
Next, Alaska Baptist churches engage in disaster relief ministry to help people who have experienced trauma or are recovering from disaster to find and then grow in a relationship with Christ! We have recently empowered ten trainers to take our basic class, Introduction to Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief, often simply referred to as 101, to every church in ALASKA. Let me again urge you to schedule that training in your church. Church members can then decide to join Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief or simply serve with their church on a Ready Church Team. You can add to that three-hour session. Your class could also include READY CHURCH. This class focuses on local church and community preparedness. You might also choose to add our SPIRITUAL CARE class. This session, often 3 hours in length, will guide church members to serve as "chaplains" in any critical situation. In all disaster relief tasks and on all our disaster relief teams we always need a designated SPIRITUAL CARE SPECIALIST, but better yet, we would encourage every volunteer to be prepared to step into that role. This class is not just for pastors, it is for every team member who will meet the public following a crisis or critical time in their community.
To request any or all of the above-mentioned classes - Click on CONTACT GARY, on the front page of this website. Remember Titus 3:14, "And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful." Thanks in advance for helping us to strengthen and multiply our ministry force in 2025!
With heartfelt thanks,
Gary Bearce, ABDR Coordinator
Ready to take a closer look? Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is a Christian network bringing HELP, HOPE, and HEALING to people in crisis.
Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief, a ministry of the Alaska Baptist Resource Network, working with our national partner - Send Relief, is 1000s of local churches within 42 Southern Baptist State Conventions serving, preparing, and training collaboratively for God's glory and sharing God's great love for the good of people, especially during times of crisis when people are seeking answers! Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief offers preparation and training sessions throughout the year in local churches to enable families, church volunteers, and team members to respond in their community and throughout our state alongside FEMA, Emergency Management, and other government, private, and faith-based agencies and/or ministries.
With preparation and training within local churches and by "Calling Out" more than 95,000+ currently equipped volunteers on state disaster relief teams, we respond to most disasters in the US and 100s more across the world each year. "We envision all SBC life engaged in disaster relief preparation and training through the church, to serve the community, and for the Gospel." By God's grace, we bring Help and Hope, and the Gospel brings Healing. God started His kingdom on earth with Jesus – it is Good News! In a very troubled world, He is reconciling all things to himself (Col. 1:20).
Serving with you, Gary Bearce, Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief Coordinator
Click on CONTACT GARY to ask questions, request a contact, or volunteer!!!
