By July 1996, Promise Keepers hosted a conference that brought various evangelical denominations and organizations together to develop a strategy to address both the immediate needs of the burned churches, and the more daunting, long-term need for racial reconciliation. The Joint Task Force works with 20 denominations and church organizations in rebuilding efforts. World Relief assists with some of the logistical aspects of the projects, such as the coordination of volunteers. Pastor Clarence Hilliard, a member of the Joint Task Force, became the representative to the local churches. Arne Bergstrom, Vice President of World Relief International Ministries, who is overseeing the rebuilding projects, said the joint effort enhanced the partnership relationship between the local church and large international organizations.
Local communities come together to help in any way they can.
Plans are then uniquely developed based on the church's situation. At a time in our nation's history when racial intolerance and social indifference are on the rise, Christians have an obligation and an opportunity to show that Christ's love is more than equal to these challenges. And nowhere is that opportunity more obvious than onthe scorched ground of a burned church. One of the first teams to work through World Relief traveled to Millen, Georgia, in January 1997 to help rebuild Gay's Hill Baptist Church. Milton Clark of World Relief's Chicago office led the interracial team of 17 volunteers, the second work group to assist the Gay's Hill Church.