Send Relief reports ministry impact, encourages churches to pray, give, go and grow

ORLANDO — More than 60,000 people were mobilized through Send Relief last year, helping meet needs for more than 2.5 million people and creating more than 816,000 Gospel conversations through local churches around the world.

During the Send Relief presentation at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting, International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood and North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell highlighted stories behind those numbers, emphasizing that lasting compassion ministry happens through local churches serving their communities before, during and after times of crisis.

“Behind every number is a name,” Chitwood said. “And behind every story is a church that not only invested in an effort but stayed for the long haul.”

The leaders pointed to examples from Puerto Rico, Peru, Nigeria, Cuba and Jamaica as evidence of how Southern Baptists are meeting physical needs while creating opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel through ongoing ministry relationships.

“That’s what we want you to hear today,” Chitwood said. “Not what we did but what you did through the Church Christ is building.”