RIDGECREST, N.C. (BP)–Southern Baptist young people can help “B.E.A.T. Hunger.”
A new weekend retreat targeting world hunger was unveiled during the Oct. 9-11 World Hunger Consultation at Ridgecrest (N.C.) Conference Center.
The youth- and college age-oriented retreat materials give Southern Baptists a program comparable to those of various para-church organizations, said Steve Nelson, director of hunger concerns with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
But in this case, the retreat will undergird the Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund, which allocates 100 percent of gifts received to an array of ministries relieving hunger across the world as well as North America.
The retreat’s name, “B.E.A.T. Hunger,” stands for “Believers Everywhere Attack Hunger.”
“The idea is not simply to hold an event, but to develop a lifestyle of compassion in Jesus’ name … a passion for compassion,” Nelson said.
A fast-paced 20-minute video is included in the “B.E.A.T. Hunger” resource kit, now available from the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in Nashville, Tenn., at (615) 244-2495.
A “B.E.A.T. Hunger” retreat, according to the resource kit, can entail:
— an experience of hunger over an extended time period, such as a 24-hour period of prayer & fasting when holding the retreat from a Friday evening through Saturday evening.
— participation in a service project, such as delivering food to needy families or a homeless shelter.
— Bible study about what Jesus did when he encountered the needy.
— a meal sponsored by young people for their parents and church members to illustrate the plight of the poor in a world of plenty.
— young people raising money for the World Hunger Fund through sponsorships.
— various group games and activities.
The “B.E.A.T. Hunger” materials, which include a leader’s manual, reproducible student handouts and promotional posters, were developed by the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and the International Mission Board.
