International Mission Board trustees appoint 41 missionaries, adopt strategic priorities

ROGERS, Ark. — International Mission Board trustees approved the appointment of 41 new full-time, fully funded missionaries during their meeting in Rogers on Feb. 4-5. Trustees met in conjunction with a Sending Celebration for new appointees hosted by First Baptist Rogers on Feb. 4.

IMB trustee Wes George, who is senior pastor of First Baptist Rogers, opened Thursday’s plenary session with a welcome to guests and prayer. George recognized national Woman's Missionary Union President Connie Dixon and other guests who participated in meetings with the board. Carol Pfeiffer, trustee chair, presided over the meeting.

IMB President Paul Chitwood focused his report to the board of trustees on how God has worked through the IMB in the past five years and presented the vision for the next five years.

“Psalm 126:3 says, ‘The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy,’” he began. “We can celebrate what the Lord has done for the IMB.”

Reported highlights from the past five years include:

• 2,243 new missionaries have been sent, an average of 448 each year;
• The missionary candidate pipeline has grown to average between 1,500-1,600 applicants;
• Improved missionary care has resulted in the average tenure for career missionaries going up from 9 years to 14 years;
• 304 Global Missionary Partners now serve on IMB overseas teams, with 149 more currently in the pipeline;
• City teams in the largest urban centers around the world have completed comprehensive gospel-engagement plans for 69 cities and will reach 77 cities by this summer;
• Through the Church Connections program, missionaries have contacted 44,915 churches or 96% of all Southern Baptist churches, resulting in new or renewed relationships with the IMB;
• 43,171 volunteers have served alongside missionary teams;
• Send Relief, Southern Baptists’ only global compassion ministry, launched in partnership with the North American Mission Board; and
• Southern Baptists gave more than $1 billion through the Lottie Moon offering and sent nearly $500 million through the Cooperative Program.

“The most important part of our stewardship is the stewardship of IMB’s mission to serve Southern Baptists in carrying out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations,” Chitwood said. “On that all-important assignment, I’m pleased share with you that, over the past five years, our missionaries and their close partners logged over 4.5 million gospel shares, witnessed more than 785,000 professions of faith, baptized 482,325 new believers, and engaged 649 previously unengaged people groups.”

Chitwood directed his report to the next five years by quoting Philippians 1:6.

“We press forward, ‘being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’”

He announced the IMB’s five strategic priorities for the next five years:

• Strategic Priority 1 is to develop and deepen relationships with Southern Baptists;
• Strategic Priority 2 is to equip and encourage Southern Baptists to pray for a lost world;
• Strategic Priority 3 is to send and sustain Southern Baptist missionaries;
• Strategic Priority 4 is to mobilize and multiply global Baptists to carry out the Great Commission;
• Strategic Priority 5 is to pursue the lost and proclaim the gospel among unreached peoples and places.

“Though we endeavor to constantly improve missionary care and solve problems related to things like strategic access in closed countries and Cooperative Program decline, lostness remains the world’s greatest problem,” he said. “The IMB exists to serve Southern Baptists in addressing that problem. Be assured, we will not lose that focus.”

Chitwood continued, “Over the past five years, God has steadied us. Over the next five years, we intend to move forward with clarity and conviction. Thank you for your faithful governance and shared stewardship of this mission.”

Referencing the 2025 audit report presented to trustees, Chitwood emphasized that the IMB received an unmodified opinion by the auditors, which is the highest level of assurance available.  The report included that no property sales were used for operations. Reserves were funded at appropriate levels, including commitments to retiring missionaries. Per IMB’s commitment, 100% of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering^® proceeds were spent on the field, enabling gospel transformation among the unreached.

“We’re thankful for the generosity of Southern Baptists and their faithful giving through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions,” he concluded, thanking Jim Madison, IMB’s chief financial officer, and the finance team.

“We are blessed to work with many men and women of integrity who love the Lord and desire to see the gospel proclaimed to the ends of the earth.”

Thursday’s meeting included reports from standing committees: Administration, Global Engagement, Human Resources, Global Business Services, and U.S Engagement.

Following committee reports, Sacha Hasenyager, trustee secretary, closed the meeting with prayer. The next board of trustees meeting will be May 13-14 in Richmond, Virginia.