Home Christian News SBC’s Willie McLaurin Practices ‘Ministry of Presence’ in Wake of Buffalo Massacre

SBC’s Willie McLaurin Practices ‘Ministry of Presence’ in Wake of Buffalo Massacre

“Several of our SBC leaders reached out to me and to others to see what they could do to help. This spoke volumes, and says that the lives of those persons who were killed matters to us all,” Williams said. “Our denomination is known for disaster relief by effectively coming into devastated communities to help them recover.

RELATED: ‘On the Business’: McLaurin Reflects on Interim EC Post Ahead of 2022 SBC

“When massacres like this happen, especially when it has the appearance of being motivated by a racist agenda, it requires disaster relief of a different kind. It begins with the kind of solidarity that Paul the apostle speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12:26, ‘and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.’”

The Southern Baptist response will continue long after the national attention dies, Flannery said.

“In about a week or so, the TV cameras, everything leaves, and then we’ll be there with an ongoing evangelical ministry, ministry to the whole person,” Flannery said. “Like we do in disaster relief, we stick around and we share the Gospel.”

Robinson, a bivocational pastor who works in education, spoke of the tragedy’s far-reaching impact.

“I would like other Southern Baptists to recognize the devastation this evil act has had on Buffalo’s Black community in particular and the city as a whole,” Robinson said. “Like other cities in the nation we have our share of gun violence. But this was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated by a disciple of White supremacy.”

McLaurin condemned the evil.

RELATED: Hiding Behind Issues of Polity, SBC Leaders Ignored, Silenced, Ostracized Sexual Abuse Victims for Years, Report Says

“Sin of any kind grieves God,” he said. “When that sin results in the killing of innocent lives, we should call it evil and do everything we can to rebuke and combat against it. When tragedy strikes any community it should break our hearts, but not break our resolve. MLK Jr. said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ When my brothers and sisters in another city are facing a crisis, then other Southern Baptists should do everything they can to demonstrate concern.”

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.