IMB Archives - Page 13 of 14 - Baptist & Reflector

THE CP STILL WORKS

January 18, 2016

By Paul Chitwood
Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention

I received a letter recently from one of our International Mission Board missionaries who is taking the early retirement offer from the IMB but desires to return to the field. Without support from the IMB, the missionary is hoping to raise his own support from his network of relationships with pastors, associational directors of missions, and laypeople who might donate to his cause. Knowing all of the challenges that accompany “faith-funded” missions work, I felt great sympathy for this dear brother. Instead of remaining on the field, he is taking precious time away from the gospel work in order to raise financial support and will live with the stress of knowing his work is always in jeopardy if the pledges of support aren’t kept.

As much as my heart went out to this faithful brother, the letter also reminded me of my calling and how grateful I am for the churches and pastors who support Great Commission work through the Cooperative Program. Why am I so thankful? Four reasons rise to the top among many. [Read more…]

IMB ELIMINATES COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, WRAPS UP ‘RESET’

January 14, 2016

By Julie McGowan
IMB news office

RICHMOND — The International Mission Board is in a position, financially, where no missionaries will be required to leave the field as the organization wraps up its two-phase reset, IMB President David Platt announced Jan. 14.

The majority of the IMB’s Richmond Communications Center, however, will lose their positions, Platt also announced. The Communications Center will be eliminated, he said. [Read more…]

THE TENNESSEE BAPTIST CONVENTION – A YEAR IN REVIEW

January 4, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — A highlight for Tennessee Baptists in 2015 was the news that baptisms increased in Tennessee Baptist Convention churches for the second year in a row. In 2014, 2,603 TBC churches reported 23,499 baptisms, the largest number of baptisms recorded since 2010. In 2013 churches reported 21,979 baptisms.

The year saw leadership changes with TBC entities. Vickie Anderson began serving Jan. 1 as the executive director/treasurer of Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union. She was installed later in the year to that position during WMU’s annual meeting. Mark Anderson was elected in December to succeed Kenny Cooper as president of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes. Cooper will retire Dec. 31 after 20 years in the role while Anderson, a longtime staff member, will assume his new role on Jan. 1. Bryant Millsaps will retire Dec. 31 as president of Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes and will be succeeded by Greg McCoy who served throughout 2015 as president-elect. Several changes occurred on the TBC Executive Board staff, including the retirement of Bobby Welch as associate executive director. Welch, who served since 2011, was instrumental in helping to initiate the 1-5-1 Harvest Plants initiative geared toward sharing the gospel, starting churches, and discipling people. [Read more…]

COUPLE DECIDE TO REMAIN WITH IMB

December 4, 2015

Missionaries Ted, Beverly Holmes plan to return to “our home” in Poland

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Beverly and Ted Holmes, International Mission Board missionaries to Poland from Tennessee, visit the Tennessee Baptist Convention Baptist Center in Brentwood recently.

NASHVILLE — Instead of a “Pauline Damascus Road experience,” it was a quiet voice, the nudge toward, “This is the way. Walk in it,” said Ted Holmes of the couple’s decision to stay with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board as missionaries to Poland. He referred to Isaiah 30:21, which was used in a Bible school the Holmeses helped lead this past summer in Poland.

For Beverly it was several things, including hearing Jonasz Skrzypkowski, their recent guest from Poland, speaking to Carson-Newman University students in Polish. Though Beverly has struggled with the language, she thought as she heard Skrzypkowski speak, “That’s a beautiful language.”

The Holmeses were speaking of the staff cutting measures of the IMB in response to financial woes which included offering them early retirement. Ted and Beverly have been missionaries in Poland for seven years. Formerly Ted was associate pastor, Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville, and Beverly was a physical education teacher in Franklin.

They consider Poland their home now, they explained, though they were in their 40s when they and their youngest daughter, Megan, began serving there. [Read more…]

IMB NOTES WAYS TO SUPPORT RETURNING MISSIONARIES

December 1, 2015

Baptist Press

RICHMOND, Va. (BP) — With the International Mission Board expecting hundreds of missionaries to leave their positions in the coming months, the board has published a list of ways individuals and churches can support field personnel returning to the U.S.

According to a Q&A posted on the IMB website and updated Nov. 18, at least 600 field personnel and stateside staff members are expected to resign as a result of a voluntary retirement incentive (VRI) offered to all personnel 50 and older with five or more years of service and a subsequent “hand-raising opportunity” for all remaining personnel to indicate a call from God to pursue non-IMB ministry opportunities.

An undated document titled “Ways to Support Your Field Personnel as they Return to the U.S.” recommends that churches form “re-entry teams” to assist returning missionaries with practical services, friendship and prayer. Among the IMB’s suggestions: [Read more…]

IN PARIS, ‘DEATH, PAIN & TERROR’ MET BY PRAYER, HOPE

November 16, 2015

by Charles Braddix
Baptist Press

PARIS (BP) — Friday the 13th became a day of infamy in Paris after a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris left at least 129 people dead and 350 wounded.

“This has been the worst attack in Paris since World War II,” said Tara Chaney*, an International Mission Board worker in France. “People are in a state of shock and mourning; however, there is also a sense of resolve. Parisians are slowly going about their lives. They want to prove to the terrorists that they have not won.”

IMB officials reported all of their personnel in Paris are safe, although four were at the national stadium that was one of six locations targeted by terrorists. [Read more…]

MISSIONARIES MAKE TOUGH DECISION

November 4, 2015

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Peter & Jennie Stillman

MOUNT JULIET – Jennie and Peter Stillman, 35-year career missionaries with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, were preparing to leave for Tennessee for stateside assignment in September when they received notice in late August that the IMB was going to have to reduce its missionary/staff personnel by 600-800 people.

The first wave of cuts was slated to come from voluntary retirement incentives for missionaries/staff over the age of 50 who have been with the IMB for at least five years. [Read more…]

IMB Announces Budget Shortfall; 600 to 800 Positions to Be Eliminated

August 27, 2015

By IMB Staff

Editor’s Note: For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions released by the IMB following this article.

RICHMOND —International Mission Board 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. [Read more…]

Search Committee Member Offers Perspective

September 10, 2014

Editor’s Note: Scott Harris, missions minister at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, served on the search committee of the International Mission Board that called David Platt as president. Here is his perspective on the new IMB leader.

By Baptist and Reflector

“Our ultimate goal in the process was to find the right leader for the ultimate responsibility of the Church; bringing the gospel to all nations.

“Shortly after our committee was formed in February, we knew that we needed feedback from the field, the Richmond home office, SBC pastors, and denominational leaders. We received 2,000 opinion surveys and over 100 nominations.

“We bathed the process in prayer and prioritized the qualities and values needed in a leader of the IMB in an ever-changing world and declining denominational landscape. The stark reality is that the SBC and our mission efforts are struggling; the baptism rate for last year — 314,000 — is at a 60 year low. Our missionary force has been drawn down in the last seven years from 5,620 to 4,860 due to lack of funding. If things don’t change, this number could go down to 4,200. [Read more…]

Platt Elected to Lead IMB

September 10, 2014

Editor’s Note: David Platt was elected as president of the International Mission Board on Aug. 27. The Baptist and Reflector posted a story on the Tennessee Baptist Convention website that day. This article is a shortened version with added comments from Tennessee Baptists who are serving as IMB trustees.

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

ROCKVILLE, Va. — Alabama Baptist pastor and noted author David Platt has been elected president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.

Platt’s election took place Aug. 27 during a trustee meeting held at the IMB’s International Learning Center in Rockville, Va.

Platt, 36, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., will take office effective immediately as president of the 169-year-old Southern Baptist missions entity, the largest denominational missionary-sending body among American evangelicals. More than 4,800 Southern Baptist international missionaries serve world-wide. [Read more…]

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