Billy Graham Rapid Response Team – Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

WHAT WE DO

When disaster strikes, the world responds to meet the physical needs of communities and people in crisis. That’s important. But sometimes emotional and spiritual needs are the greatest. At the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we send teams of crisis-chaplains (called Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains) into areas ravaged by disaster to listen, offer direction to practical assistance, and share God’s hope to those experiencing great loss. We recruit and train the volunteer chaplains and then call on them to deploy when the need arises, often at a moment’s notice.

We are looking for Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) volunteers who want to be called when disaster strikes, to minister to people in crisis with the compassion and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you join us in this ministry? Will you answer the call?

ABOUT THE BILLY GRAHAM RAPID RESPONSE TEAM

From the ashes of 9/11, the BG-RRT ministry was developed to share Christ in the midst of crises and disasters. Since then, the Rapid Response Team has grown into an international network of hundreds of trained volunteers, men and women who have deployed to the sites of major disasters.

BGEA currently has chaplains in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These volunteer chaplains are carefully selected and trained to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ and appropriately share God’s hope through the One who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).

Since 2009, BG-RRT deployed to major disasters in countries around the world including the Munich and Christchurch shootings, COVID-19 hospitals, European terror events, Ukraine crisis, and 31 natural disaster deployments in Australia.

In 2009 a small team from the United States came to Australia during the Victoria bushfires and saw the need for pastoral care for victims of the disaster. Plans were implemented to expand the BG_RRT ministry and in July 2011, BG_RRT was established in Australia and New Zealand.

OUR AIM

To recruit, train, deploy, and manage teams of crisis-trained chaplains in response to man-made or natural disasters, to offer God’s hope and comfort through Jesus Christ.

To support the ministry of churches in equipping their members to appropriately share God’s hope in times of personal tragedy.

We work with the local church and existing state and territory chaplaincy agencies, structures, and guidelines in order to provide a Kingdom-focused approach.

GET INVOLVED

Sharing Hope in Crisis (SHIC) Seminars

SHIC seminars are held in churches around Australia, training Christians to appropriately share the Gospel with those suffering through tragedy in life. This training is for anyone and everyone in church and is great for counsellors, first responders, and church leaders who encounter suffering people on a daily basis.

Rapid Response Team Chaplains

On completion of the SHIC seminar, those interested in becoming an accredited BG_RRT chaplain also complete the Crisis Intervention and Stress Management (CISM) training. This specialised additional training is required to comply with BG_RRT international standards. The CISM training is U.N. recognised and used by many federal emergency departments in the U.S.

On completion of the CISM training, participants can apply to be an accredited Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplain and deploy to disasters.

In a state or territory where an existing chaplaincy agency is responsible for the coordination and deployment of chaplains, additional training and accreditation may be required. The BG_RRT will either provide or coordinate any additional training required.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact the Rapid Response Team manager phone 1300 799 727.

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Completed forms should be posted to:
Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Manager
P.O. Box 964
KINGS LANGLEY NSW 2147