— Event Recap —
Published Date: May 1, 2023
This past month several of our ministers had the opportunity to visit the International Mission Board (IMB) headquarters and training center in Richmond, VA. This was a great opportunity to learn more about the incredible impact that is being made on the world through the cooperative effort of Southern Baptists. The IMB currently has 3,506 missionaries who are literally serving all over the world. In addition to these missionaries, who are all from Southern Baptist churches in the USA, the IMB is forging partnerships with like-minded churches from other nations to send missionaries to join IMB teams. We call these missionaries Global Missionary Partners (GMP). Currently there are 78 serving, with a goal of sending a total of 500 GMPs by 2025. The Lord is answering our prayers for more laborers and is raising them up from unlikely places. Praise the Lord!
During our visit to IMB headquarters, Pastor Josh had the opportunity to preach a message during their weekly chapel time. He brought a powerful Word from Acts 28, reminding everyone that the book of Acts closes with a declaration of the fact that despite opposition, the Gospel continued to go forward, “with all boldness and without hindrance.”May this Word remind us all of the priority that we must make of continuing to proclaim the Good News until all have had the opportunity to hear! May it also remind us of the power of God that will bring fulfillment to John’s vision as recorded in Revelation 7:9, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Most Recent Report from IMB (2021)
- New Believers – 176,795
- New Churches Formed – 22,744
- Baptisms – 107,701
- Received Pastoral Training – 29,632
- Received Advanced Theological Training – 67,187
- Received Church Planting Training – 85,293
- People Groups Globally – 11,948
- Unengaged, Unreached People Groups – 3,175
