KANSAS CITY (BP) – Merging the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board is a key question Southern Baptists must address if a much-prayed-for spiritual awakening comes to their network of churches. SBC President Ronnie Floyd raised the question during his address at a symposium on “The SBC & the 21st Century: Reflection, Renewal & Recommitment” Sept. 28-29 at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. “Spiritual renewal leads to strategic … [Read more...]
Floyd calls for awakening, ponders IMB/NAMB merger
KANSAS CITY (BP) – Merging the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board is a key question Southern Baptists must address if a much-prayed-for spiritual awakening comes to their network of churches. SBC President Ronnie Floyd raised the question during his address at a symposium on “The SBC & the 21st Century: Reflection, Renewal & Recommitment” Sept. 28-29 at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. “Spiritual renewal leads to strategic … [Read more...]
Churches work to overcome challenges in South Africa
DIPHAGANE, South Africa (BP) –Early one Saturday morning, a mission group from two Baptist churches in Virginia attended a funeral in the yard of a deceased South African’s home. Hundreds of Pedi villagers poured in for the funeral. Some were close friends or family members, while others barely knew her, but because of their sense of community they all felt compelled to go. A procession of family, friends, other villagers and the Americans made their way to the gravesite. Later that day, … [Read more...]
In West Africa, clinic rescues starving babies
WEST AFRICA (BP) – Whipping desert winds fill the air with dust, which settles on the clinic’s metal gate, muting its deep maroon color. A clinic worker opens the gate, and two grandparents step into the clinic with their 2-month-old grandson. Untying the wrap that holds the baby on her back, the grandmother slides him around in front and cradles him as she sits down. The baby’s grandfather pulls up a chair and sits next to them. The emaciated baby lies motionless on his grandmother’s lap. … [Read more...]
Support world missions
Many Southern Baptists have heard about the impending reduction of our missionary force by the International Mission Board. After years of unprecedented advancement in numbers, there will be a large reduction of somewhere around 600-800. Our missionary count will be well below 4,000. My heart is saddened to hear the necessity of this move. All of us want the gospel to reach the unengaged peoples of the world. We have open doors that could shut at any time. Now is the time to be ramping up … [Read more...]
IMB announces transition team for missionaries leaving the field
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – International Mission Board President David Platt has announced a transition team that will focus on the practical needs of missionaries who accept the voluntary retirement incentive recently offered to personnel who are at least 50 years of age with five years of service. The retirement incentive is the first phase to reduce IMB staff and field personnel by 600 to 800 people in response to revenue shortfalls. See related story. The goal of the plan, IMB leaders … [Read more...]
42 IMB missionaries appointed; Platt addresses trustees
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (BP) – Growing up in Brazil, Thiago Montanher de Queiroz came to know Christ at 10 years old and early on felt God calling’s to follow Him into international missions. As an adult while attending a local seminary, Montanher had a professor of missions and church planting – an International Mission Board missionary – who helped confirm and encourage his calling. “[The missionary’s] love for the nations was contagious, and I have never seen anyone so passionate about the … [Read more...]
Q&A with IMB President David Platt on organizational reset
Editor’s note: International Mission Board (IMB) leaders have outlined a plan to address IMB’s revenue shortfalls and complete a reset of the organization in order to move forward into the future with innovative vision, wise stewardship and high accountability. The plan was presented by senior IMB leadership, including President David Platt, during an Aug. 27 town hall meeting including missionaries and staff, who collectively attended either in person or through digital communication. IMB … [Read more...]
Support, sadness mark reactions to IMB plan
JEFFERSON CITY – Southern Baptists may vary in their opinions about the International Mission Board’s (IMB) recent decision to cut 600-800 staff and field personnel in order to address revenue shortfalls. But John Edie, chairman for the IMB board of trustees and a member of Second Baptist Church, Springfield, said that many people are responding with both sadness and support. “The reaction has been, needless to say, mixed,” Edie told The Pathway. “But if you had to put it on a scale of … [Read more...]
Hope in a backpack for hungry children
MORIARTY, N.M. – For most school-age children, weekends are a highly anticipated time of fun and freedom. But for others, there’s another expectation – hunger. These kids live in a survival cycle, taking multiple trips through the cafeteria line at school – stocking-up at lunch on Friday and catching up at breakfast on Monday –to compensate for the food that is in short supply (or even unavailable) on the days in between. Pastor Dennis Garcia of The People Church in Moriarty, N.M., knows … [Read more...]
An open letter from IMB President Platt on personnel reductions
Dear SBC Family, By now many of you may have heard that last week, IMB announced a plan to reduce the total number of our personnel (both here and overseas) by 600-800 people over the next six months. Since the moment this announcement was made, we have sought to communicate the details of this decision as clearly as possible to churches, state conventions, and national entities across the SBC (see this article and this FAQ document, in particular). In the middle of it all, though, I … [Read more...]
‘To the ends of the earth’: Riverview carries gospel to Thailand
THAILAND – As soon as the mission team from Riverview Baptist Church in Osage Beach finished their presentation in the school, a line of children eager for autographs formed. “The only other Americans these children had ever seen are on TV, so they were excited,” said Spencer Plumlee, pastor at Riverview. “Each guy on our team had at least 30 students lining up around him. It was a great time to connect and encourage them.” During their recent mission trip, Riverview’s team and Paissons … [Read more...]
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