INDIANAPOLIS (BP) In the latest Street to Indy video main up to the 2024 SBC Yearly Assembly in June, Worldwide Mission Board President Paul Chitwood joins SBC Executive Committee Interim President and CEO Jonathan Howe to focus on the IMBs options for the conference as well as to share updates from the entitys do the job all around the globe.
Sending Celebration
The once-a-year Sending Celebration, all through which a slate of new missionaries is formally sent out to their sites of support, has develop into a centerpiece of the SBC meeting in recent many years, Howe claimed. Chitwood agreed.
This is what Southern Baptists have been doing considering that 1845 sending those people missionaries out, Chitwood mentioned. And for us to get to celebrate that alongside one another as a denominational family members at these a large accumulating, its just these types of a shot in the arm.
Very last calendar year, the IMB recorded greetings from Southern Baptists at the assembly in New Orleans that were shared with missionaries about the planet.
It was these a elevate to them to know that they were being the concentration of the annual conference, Chitwood mentioned.
[Missions] is what brought Southern Baptists with each other, and its what will preserve us jointly.
Missionary pipeline
The two discussed the advancement in the range of probable missionaries moving into the IMBs evaluation method. When Chitwood arrived on board in late 2018, there were being several. Then the pandemic dealt a blow to development that had been made.
Past calendar year, we began to arrive at the heights that we ended up longing see, Chitwood explained. Very last yrs pipeline stood at around 1,300. That selection could improve to 1,400 this yr.
Chitwood also highlighted the start at previous many years yearly assembly of the IMBs strategy for achieving the worlds remaining unreached, unengaged people groups, indicating he would like to see much more individuals coming by way of the pipeline with that on their heart.
We have found coming out of conference past yr, a major uptick in the numbers who are applying to be a aspect of that incredibly effort and hard work, he said. Im going to be ready to appear to conference this calendar year and give an update on that.
Send out Reduction
As wars rage in Europe and the Middle East and pure disasters upend lives in many locations, Send out Aid a partnership concerning the IMB and the North American Mission Board is equipped to come together with with assist.
What a outstanding privilege Southern Baptists have to know that fundamentally in all these locations and each tale theyre looking at on the news headlines each individual day, they are there. Southern Baptists are there, Chitwood reported.
Missionaries on the area with Deliver Aid assets are producing it possible for us to lengthen a supporting hand even more than at any time just before, he said, and that goes with the extension of the Gospel to extra persons than ever ahead of.
Lottie Moon Christmas Providing
The Lottie Moon Christmas Providing 100 % of which goes straight to around the globe missions efforts has had two report several years.
Ended up just humbled and blown absent by what the Lord is doing and what Southern Baptists are accomplishing, Chitwood explained.
Nevertheless the fiscal yr is only about halfway by way of, the presenting is on report pace again, he claimed, even surpassing the last two yrs. This a long time target is $200 million.
Thats a huge aim, he claimed, but have been on the lookout actually fantastic suitable now. Chitwood explained he appears to be forward to celebrating with Southern Baptists in Indianapolis.
Prayer
Chitwood asked Southern Baptists to pray for missionaries, whose perform is bodily and spiritually demanding.
Pray the Lord would preserve them healthier bodily, spiritually, emotionally. Their family members robust and wholesome, marriages powerful and balanced so they can be productive in their get the job done.
He also requested for prayers that God would make it possible for their ministries to bear fruit.
(EDITORS Take note – Laura Erlanson is managing editor of Baptist Push.)