MEET SOUTHERN BAPTISTS Your International Mission Board n the words of William Bullein Johnson, first president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Foreign Mission Board was created with the Iformation of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845 “ . . . for the purpose of organizing an efficient and practical plan, on which the energies of the whole Baptist denomination, throughout America, may be elicited, combined and directed in one sacred effort for sending the word of life to idolatrous lands . . . .” The International Mission Board (IMB) continues in that original purpose of being part of 46,000 South- ern Baptist churches focused together in one sacred ef- fort to fulfill the Great Commission among all peoples.

One. Acting as a single unit. Undivided. Singu- How is the work funded? The Cooperative Pro- larly focused with a singular nature, a singular goal. gram helps fund ministries and missions through co- Sacred. Reverently dedicated and devoted to operating state conventions. A portion of those funds God. Holy. Not beginning in the heart or mind of is forwarded by state conventions to the national of- man. Flowing from the heart and mind of God, and fice of the Southern Baptist Convention. Slightly can be accomplished only through His leadership more than 50 percent of all Cooperative Program and empowerment. contributions received on a national level are direct- We are part Effort. An earnest and strenuous attempt. Re- ed to help the work taking place through IMB. of 46,000 quiring physical and mental exertion, dedication and The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Inter- Southern commitment. Living and working as if the outcome national Missions funds more than 50 percent of the Baptist is impacted by the commitment exerted. work accomplished through IMB. Named for a cou- churches What is this one sacred effort? According to rageous Southern Baptist missionary who served in focused our Lord, it is to make disciples of all nations (Mat- China at the turn of the 20th century, this offering is thew 28:18-20). used exclusively to help provide the day-to-day sup- together in Therefore, our mission is evangelizing, disci- port for missionaries sent around the globe by their one sacred pling and planting reproducing churches among Southern Baptist churches through IMB. effort to fulfill all peoples in fulfillment of the Great Commission. Southern Baptists determine the number of the Great And, our vision is a multitude from every language, missionaries that are sent by their churches by the Commission people, tribe and nation, knowing and worshipping level of financial support they provide through the among all our Lord, Jesus Christ. Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas peoples. As followers of Christ, we are laboring together, Offering. not to hold anything back. According to His com- These missionaries proclaim the Gospel, start mand, we are empowered by His strength and His new indigenous churches through which new believ- Spirit in His effort to advance His Gospel among all ers are baptized, disciple new and established believ- nations. ers in their faith and provide Bible-centered teaching Southern Baptists to equip local churches to make disciples. Resourc- determine the es and coaching are geared to assist churches at number of whatever their current stage of missional involve- missionaries ment and wherever in the world they are seeking that are sent by greater involvement. Recognizing the generation- their churches al, ethnic and racial diversity of Southern Baptist by the level churches and the unique opportunity that each of financial church has in engaging the nations with the Gos- support pel, IMB seeks to serve all the congregations of our convention, including our growing number of Af- they provide rican American, Hispanic, Asian, Deaf, and non- through the traditional churches. Cooperative IMB also works stateside with other Southern Program and Baptist entities. It partners with the six Southern Lottie Moon Baptist seminaries for theological consultation, edu- Christmas cational programs and extension training. It works Offering. with LifeWay Christian Resources and the Wom- an’s Missionary Union in the inclusion of training to current and future church leaders so that church- resources and stories in their materials to better in- es are making disciples in their own Jerusalem, form and equip Southern Baptists about missions, Judea, Samaria and ends of the earth. as well as in the promotion of the Cooperative Pro- An important role of IMB is training and gram and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. equipping full-time missionaries. Recognizing that Furthermore, IMB assists churches, associa- the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Mat- tions and state conventions in collaboration with thew 9:37), IMB endeavors to assist pastors and the North American Mission Board to evangelize church leaders in calling out the called from South- unreached and underserved diaspora people groups ern Baptist churches to serve among the nations. within North America. Many of the unreached Recognizing the primacy of churches in the people groups around the world also have a presence Great Commission, IMB assists pastors and church in North America. The valuable experience and leaders in leading their churches to greater personal knowledge gleaned from work overseas can better involvement in that one sacred effort. IMB assists equip churches as they endeavor to make disciples Resources churches to be involved in intercessory prayer, stra- of these people groups in North America. Such col- and coaching tegic partnership with missionaries on the field that laboration demonstrates the long history of South- are geared often results in the sending of church members on ern Baptists focusing together in one sacred effort. short-term mission trips, and in greater financial As we strive to make disciples of all peoples, to assist support of the missionaries on the field. IMB stands ready as part of our 46,000 churches churches at Beginning in 2011, a challenge was issued by to assist your church in the effort that unites us whatever their pastors and church leaders across our convention all—one sacred effort—to fulfill the Great Com- current stage for individual churches to “embrace” an unen- mission among all peoples. of missional gaged, unreached people group. These are people involvement groups with little or no access to the Gospel and in and wherever which there is no identified effort taking place— in the world and no missionaries working among them—to they are evangelize, disciple and plant churches. seeking In addition to those who God has called to serve overseas through traditional channels of missionary greater service, IMB recognizes that God is strategically involvement. placing Southern Baptist marketplace professionals in vocational roles around the globe. Through Mar- ketplace Advance initiatives, IMB seeks to assist, equip and nurture these marketplace profession- als and the churches of which they are members in their strategic role in engaging the nations. IMB hosts equipping conferences and training For more information call 1-800-999-3113, events during the year throughout North America or visit www.imb.org. 2