RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Only 2 percent of an estimated 80 million Deaf people alive today have ever been told the Gospel in their sign language, with at least 380 sign languages in use globally, according to ministry leaders. The International Mission Board (IMB) and Wycliffe Bible Translators are among more than 95 organizations and churches collaborating globally to change the dismal statistic. Since an April 2023 meeting representing more than 170 Deaf leaders and 49 countries … [Read more...]
Association aims to share gospel, plant churches among more than 2 million people in St. Louis area
ST. LOUIS – Darren Casper believes in missions. As the executive director of the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association, he leads a staff of eight full and part-time missionaries. Their task is to equip churches to reach out with the gospel to the city of over 300,000 people and a little over 2 million people living on the Missouri side of the greater St. Louis metro area. Casper led the association to sell their office building in Bridgeton a few years ago. They are putting those funds … [Read more...]
IMB’s MedAdvance leads to medical team serving migrants, refugees in Mexico
by Chris Doyle/IMB CENTRAL AMERICA (IMB) – A medical team member asked a patient about his diet. The patient responded, “I eat when I can, when somebody can give me some food. I ate today because they gave me breakfast.” This wasn’t a typical doctor’s appointment. This happened last year on the southern border of Mexico, near Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean. A medical mission team of eight went to offer care to migrants, refugees and displaced peoples. Another team member treated a young … [Read more...]
Anthem Church, Columbia, fosters church planting in Mankato, Minn.
MANKATO, Minn./COLUMBIA, Mo. – Columbia’s Anthem Church is a fairly young Missouri Baptist church that’s putting an emphasis on missions, missions training, and church planting. Though it was a church plant itself just seven years ago, it’s already starting to grow other churches and recently sent members to Mankato, Minn., to aid a new work in the hometown of Minnesota State University. A member of the Heart of Missouri Baptist Association, Anthem is also a Salt Network church. The … [Read more...]
Collegiate Week gives IMB prime opportunity to connect with NextGen
by Chris Doyle/IMB How important is Collegiate Week to the International Mission Board? It’s important enough that 25 IMB personnel attended the most recent event, with half being overseas missionaries. On August 4-8, more than 1,700 students and college ministry leaders from across the U.S. and Canada met at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, near Davis, Oklahoma. Collegiate Week is known for helping college students be equipped to live Christ-centered lives as they prepare for … [Read more...]
Hundreds saved during FBC LaBelle mission trip to Democratic Republic of the Congo
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – Three members of First Baptist Church, LaBelle, spent 12 days in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and saw God move mightily. Pastor James Renot, his wife Rhonda, and his sister Vivian Simmons, a retired teacher from Jefferson County, Mo., joined African team members June 26 – July 8. The Renots had been in the DRC before. The Power of Prayer The trip was moved up two weeks when, as LaBelle church members prayed, it was impressed on the … [Read more...]
IMB partners with French believers for Olympic follow-up
by Kristen Sosebee/IMB A French pastor was setting up for a community outreach event during the Olympics. He recalled a conversation he had overheard years ago and never been able to forget. A mother and child were walking along the street in front of his church. “What is this place, this building?” the child asked. “It’s a museum,” his mother responded. That weekend, the church was packed with people as they opened their doors to the community for a children’s festival. An … [Read more...]
Global religious freedom harmed by government-fostered lies, USCIRF reports
WASHINGTON (BP) – When Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the invasion was to “denazify” Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, is a Nazi hellbent on committing genocide against Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainians, Putin said. In Iran, the government regularly disseminates misinformation on state-linked media channels about religious minorities, including statements that Christian converts from Islam are part of a “Zionist” network … [Read more...]
One hundred years later, Olympic runner Liddell’s faith still inspires
Classic film, ‘Chariots of Fire,’ perfectly caps summer Olympics PARIS – If the Opening Ceremonies from Paris left a bitter taste in your mouth that affected your enjoyment of the Olympics, the remedy may just be reliving the athletic prowess – and courageous Christian determination – of Scottish runner, Eric Liddell, from the games 100 years prior. It’s an iconic Olympic story that almost didn’t happen. Liddell was born in China to missionary parents, returning to Scotland to play rugby … [Read more...]
Pray, give to see Scripture available in all languages
A few years ago, at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, the International Mission Board (IMB) gave Southern Baptists the opportunity to help provide Bibles for people groups across the globe—particularly, for people groups who don’t have access to Scripture in their heart languages. To mark the occasion, Southern Baptists who participated in this effort could highlight a verse from Scripture displayed in the IMB’s booth. My wife and I highlighted Revelation 5:6, which exalts … [Read more...]
Young Oklahoma prayer warrior meets St. Louis church planter
ST. LOUIS – You never know who might be praying for you. Just ask Michael Byrd, the pastor of Faith Community Bible Church in north St. Louis. Or you could ask Bethany Chapin, an 11-year-old from Oklahoma City. Byrd, his wife, Traci, and Faith Community were featured last summer as part of LifeWay’s Vacation Bible School curriculum, highlighting North American missions. Byrd said it was humbling to know people were praying for them from all over the nation. “During the time we received … [Read more...]
Seminary property transfers from IMB to Zambia Baptist Fellowship
LUSAKA, Zambia (IMB) – A Zambian pastor raised the silver plaque high in the air to the sound of applause. It was official. The International Mission Board transferred the Baptist Theological Seminary of Zambia property in Lusaka, Zambia, to the Baptist Fellowship of Zambia, on July 31. This transition of property has been in the works for almost a decade when IMB trustees voted to entrust the future of the seminary to Zambian Baptist leaders. But obstacle after obstacle hit that neither … [Read more...]
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