ENGLAND – In March 2020, Sophia Roberts* was scheduled to fly to Southeast Asia to begin her term with IMB’s Journeyman program. As she was signing the contract on the sale of her car, her phone lit up with the news that her next day flights were cancelled. “What do I do, Lord?” Sophia prayed. She got an instant response. “Continue with My last instructions until I tell you otherwise,” she understood the Lord to say. And that is exactly what Sophia has done. After leaving her job … [Read more...]
Timing proves critical to sharing gospel with refugees
GREECE (IMB) – Time is never a guarantee when Christians meet a refugee in Greece. They may have years, months, weeks or just hours to share the hope that is found in Jesus. This is why International Mission Board missionaries and ministry partners who serve in Athens, Greece, developed an eight-hour, eight-day and eight-week ministry strategy to share the gospel and disciple refugees based on the time available. “You never know how long you are going to have with someone,” Derrick … [Read more...]
Mississippi doctor uses specific skills overseas, realizes continuing volunteer opportunities
NEW ALBANY, Miss. – Dr. Justin Lohmeier, M.D., had no idea how valuable his skills as a healthcare professional could be, when he was first presented the opportunity to volunteer overseas with the International Mission Board. Growing up, Lohmeier said he loved reading and hearing stories about IMB missionaries in church, especially during the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® season. While he admired IMB missionaries, he never thought of himself as someone who would serve in that … [Read more...]
IMB missionary on the brink of death from COVID healed in answer to prayer
UGANDA – George Smith’s COVID-19 test came back positive. The diagnosis began a months-long battle of prayer and physical challenges for Smith and his wife Geraldine, IMB missionaries in Uganda. George contracted the virus in January 2021 while attending a training event in a small Ugandan village. A week after he returned from the training, he received a call from friends at the training letting him know that they had COVID. Since George had a small cough, he decided to get tested just to … [Read more...]
Southern Baptists appoint 64 missionaries in Sending Celebration
Four missionary families with ties to Missouri commissioned NASHVILLE (BP) – International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood made a confession to the thousands gathered in the Music City Center on Monday (June 14). As 2020 dragged on, he said, challenge after challenge made the IMB’s goals seem further and further beyond reach. “I questioned at times if we would be able to do everything that is necessary to appoint, train and deploy new missionaries in the midst of a global … [Read more...]
IMB missionary Jim Flora dies at age 63
MT. VERNON (IMB) – Jim Flora, an IMB missionary from Missouri who served faithfully among the Basotho people of Lesotho in Sub-Saharan Africa, died from cancer Friday, May 8, 2021. He was 63. “From the pulpits of Missouri to the mountains of Lesotho, Jim was passionate about sharing the gospel and loved to preach the good news of Jesus Christ,” Paul Chitwood, IMB president, said. “While he will be missed around the world, we know that many will stand before the throne of the Lamb one day … [Read more...]
Women strengthen one another in missionary partnership
SOUTH ASIA – Missionary Liz Karwood* reports that in the area of South Asia where she serves, the lostness can feel staggering. She understands that her team can’t even begin to reach the 25 million Muslims in her region without involving other believers. She also understands that “God is working and is bigger than the task in front of us.” Faced with multitudes of people who do not know Jesus, her team has intentionally focused on evangelism training and building partnerships with South … [Read more...]
One family, three generations, 100 years of missions in Brazil
BRAZIL (IMB) – Is passion genetic? Can one love burn for three generations? Do children pick up Great Commission tendencies from parents, along with mannerisms or voice inflection? The Lord calls whom He will. Ears well-tuned to God’s call run in the Cowsert family. For 100 consecutive years, three generations of Cowserts have served as Southern Baptist missionaries to Brazil. Each has “served God’s purpose in his [or her] own generation” (Acts 13:36). J.J. and Grace In 1921, Jack … [Read more...]
IMB trustees appoint 68 missionaries, announce new affinity
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Trustees of the International Mission Board (IMB) approved 68 new fully funded missionaries for appointment during their May 11-12 meeting in Richmond, Va. This is the first in-person meeting trustees have had since Jan. 2020, before restrictions from COVID-19 necessitated virtual meetings. Missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration held June 14 in conjunction with the Send Conference in Nashville before the 2021 SBC Annual … [Read more...]
FIRST PERSON: Darkness is powerful reminder to missionary
CENTRAL ASIA – Last night at sunset the electricity in our neighborhood flickered off. I stalled my dinner prep in hopes that the lights would return quickly, but in the end we enjoyed a candlelit meal and reminisced about our early days on the mission field, when the electricity didn’t go out for hours at a time, but more like days and weeks. In the late 1990s the newly independent Soviet Central Asian countries were still learning how to work together to share resources—kind of like … [Read more...]
Three lives restored in East Asia: Physical healing was just the beginning
EAST ASIA – I recently witnessed God work powerfully through the prayers and faithful obedience of a local East Asian church. One Sunday while Mei*, a faithful believer, led worship for the church’s online meeting, she suffered a serious stroke. After weeks in the ICU, she could not speak intelligibly, could not move her hand well enough to use her phone to text, and because of Covid protocols, her church family wasn’t able to visit. The doctor warned her loved ones that the stroke was … [Read more...]
Prepare yourself and your churches for the missionary task
RICHMOND, Va. (IMB) – We might not know what to expect for 2021, but we do know that God is still moving and Southern Baptists need to be prepared to answer the call to reach the nations. At the IMB, we’ve been so grateful to hear from individuals and churches who remain committed to using their gifts, skills and experiences to share the gospel, make disciples and plant churches. We’re thankful for each of you because there will never be enough missionaries from any country to complete the … [Read more...]
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