Missionaries established the first church in a village in northern India after nine years of ministry. Initially facing hostility, they gained access through a medical clinic and community trust. This effort led to the conversion of a local family and the growth of a congregation. A missionary notes that a new generation of children is now being raised in the faith, marking a historic shift for the community. Despite this progress, believers continue to face significant persecution, and many residents remain unreached by the gospel.
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In July, 109 volunteers from across the United States traveled to eight European countries, including Hungary, to participate in the International Mission Board’s youth labs. The five-day program, part of the Go Impact initiative, allows high school students to learn about missions alongside long-term missionaries. A team from First Baptist Church in Selma, Alabama, joined the Budapest lab, where they received training in cross-cultural evangelism and shared their faith with locals. According to the IMB, the teams conducted nearly 500 conversations and reported ten new converts. The program aims to equip young believers with practical skills for global outreach and personal accountability upon returning home.
Charles Leroy Alexander, a missionary emeritus with the International Mission Board, died on May 10, 2025, at age 91. He shared the gospel in Chile and Peru. The IMB reports he served in Chile for 26 years starting in 1966. He was born in Oklahoma and studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His wife, Betty, preceded him in death. The outlet notes his dedication to foreign mission service over domestic pastoral calls. Donations in his memory may go to the Lottie Moon Offering.
The ELM Pregnancy Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, provides support to young mothers through volunteer care teams. Founded by International Mission Board missionaries, the center aims to empower women to choose life by offering education on pregnancy, adoption, and abortion options. The program pairs two volunteers with each mother to provide emotional, physical, and spiritual guidance during pregnancy and up to two years after birth. A recent case involved teenage sisters Olive and Violet, who received counseling and resources. Olive decided to keep her baby and later committed to Christianity, demonstrating the center's focus on long-term discipleship and community integration. The initiative relies heavily on local Thai volunteers to sustain its mission.
The International Mission Board is focusing on connecting with college students and young adults to encourage involvement in international missions. Andy Pettigrew, who leads the NextGen Mobilization team, stated that the organization provides a 'stair-step' approach with options ranging from short trips to long-term residencies. This strategy was highlighted at Collegiate Week in Oklahoma, where nearly 1,900 attendees learned about these opportunities. The IMB aims to support local churches in discipling youth, noting that students are key to reaching other young people globally. The group emphasizes that these pathways help prepare individuals for lifelong service to the Great Commission.
The International Mission Board has launched its inaugural missionary training program for Latin American partners in Panama. Ten missionaries from nations including Mexico and Colombia are participating in a five-week intensive course to prepare for cross-cultural service alongside IMB teams. Held near the Panama Canal, this initiative marks a significant step in empowering Latin American churches to send their own missionaries. Representatives from various Baptist conventions and theological seminaries in Panama, Mexico, and Brazil supported the effort. The training focuses on biblical foundations, strategy, and practical preparation for service terms ranging from six months to three years.
More than 300 attendees, including 47 healthcare students, gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina, from August 21 to 23 for MedAdvance 2025. The International Mission Board organized the event to connect medical professionals with missionary opportunities. Speakers emphasized that healthcare serves as a vital entry point for sharing the gospel globally. Dr. Tom Hicks noted a growing understanding among Southern Baptists regarding medical missions. IMB President Paul Chitwood reported that 12% of the missionary workforce has a medical background. The conference highlighted strategies for reaching millions of people through clinical and community health projects across various global regions. Early reports indicated dozens of participants committed to prayer, short-term trips, or long-term service. (Source: IMB)
Missionaries from the International Mission Board worked with Indigenous communities in a region of Mexico. They assisted a local couple in understanding biblical narratives. The wife, who could not read, found deep resonance with the parable of the lost sheep. This connection led her to accept Jesus and undergo baptism. Her husband had previously been baptized. The couple now studies Scripture together and shares these stories with their family and friends in the area, strengthening their faith within their community.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a missionary and local team developed an oral Bible curriculum for children aged three to eighteen. Designed for churches in a major city with limited resources, the program uses storytelling and a holistic method to teach evangelism and discipleship. The initiative aims to equip young people as active participants in the church today rather than waiting for them to grow up. This approach helps children apply biblical truths to their lives and share the gospel immediately. The team includes local leaders who facilitate these weekly classes in various neighborhoods, ensuring accessible spiritual education for youth across the region.
IMB missionaries Kenny and Kristy Dubnick have relocated from Birmingham, England, to Dublin, Ireland, to partner with North City Baptist Church. The Republic of Ireland is described as the most unreached English-speaking nation, with only 0.3 percent evangelical Christians. Dublin has just 20 evangelical churches for its two million residents. The couple aims to share the gospel quickly due to the city's transient population. According to the IMB, they have seen rapid growth, including three recent baptisms, as they engage young people in the increasingly secular culture. This move follows 17 years of ministry in England.
Seven volunteers from a German church traveled to Athens, Greece, to work alongside the Breath of Life Community Center. Led by IMB missionaries Adrian and Christie Nielsen, the team engaged in park outreach activities such as face painting and games to connect with locals and refugees. Pastor Erikos Petrou guided the group, explaining local cultural norms regarding evangelism. The initiative aims to teach European congregations about cross-cultural ministry and establish long-term partnerships. The volunteers reported gaining practical insights into sharing their faith in diverse environments.
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Joseph Hazen, an International Mission Board missionary in a major European city, assisted a friend in following up with a law student named Andrew. Andrew had previously received an evangelistic tract and was suffering from severe depression and sleeplessness due to a difficult home life. Hazen engaged Andrew in daily conversations, sharing the Christian gospel. Andrew’s mental health improved, and he eventually joined the ministry team in public. He boldly defended his new faith to a skeptic and was baptized alongside a friend. The IMB reports this as a significant spiritual transformation for the young man. Names were changed for security.
Ross and Dianna Evans, missionaries with the International Mission Board, have spent over three years in Central Asia connecting with an unreached people group where less than 2% identify as Christian. They primarily engage men in workplaces and markets, using language learning and acts of kindness to build trust. While women are harder to reach, home visits offer opportunities for dialogue. Despite over a century of missionary presence, only about 100 believers exist globally in this group. Many Christians face severe persecution, including ostracization or death, which prevents open community gathering. The Evanses continue their efforts to share the gospel and establish churches in this challenging environment.
IMB missionaries Ernest and Elizabeth Melting are sharing the Christian gospel with nomadic tribes in northern Africa. They have spent 15 years studying the region, which spans an area comparable to the eastern United States. The couple uses a local tea ceremony to explain biblical concepts such as faith, baptism, and forgiveness. According to the article, the nomadic people respond positively to these stories. The Meltings emphasize the importance of living among the community to build relationships, particularly with women, whom they believe will influence their families. Leslie Peacock Caldwell reported on their work for the IMB.
A church in Illinois has partnered with the International Mission Board to mentor a small Christian congregation in South Asia facing persecution. A pastor and a missionary facilitated training for local believers, including a bricklayer who serves as a pastor. Despite threats and violence from community members, the South Asian group continued evangelism, planting five new churches within six months. The Illinois congregation, which has fewer than 200 members, has made nine trips to provide discipleship and evangelism training. This partnership has strengthened both groups, with the South Asian church expanding to nearly 35 new congregations and the Illinois church adopting similar methods for local outreach. The IMB reports that this model allows missionaries to focus on less developed areas while fostering boldness in global believers.
Missionaries in a southern Mexican region recently baptized two local women, marking the first public confessions of faith in the community in over a decade. The missionary team spent twelve years in the area, facing slow progress and personal doubts. The breakthrough followed a long-term relationship with one woman, who began sharing the gospel with another. The second woman accepted Christ and was baptized, followed shortly by the first. This event highlights the long-term nature of cross-cultural ministry in the region, demonstrating perseverance despite challenges and the eventual fruit of sustained evangelistic efforts among the Zoque people.
The International Mission Board emphasizes the importance of its preparation programs for long-term service. In a European city, missionary John Everett used his training to share his faith with a group of North African men, leading one to convert. Rosie Collins, another trainee, plans to serve North African and Middle Eastern communities. IMB President Paul Chitwood and Vice President Brian Trapnell state that robust orientation, security, and cultural training equip missionaries for effective cross-cultural engagement. The organization notes that these resources help missionaries reach people who have not previously heard the gospel. Names were changed for security in some accounts.
A church plant in Magdalena, Lima, Peru, experienced significant growth after hosting a medical clinic organized by the International Mission Board. Volunteer medical professionals from the United States treated 561 patients over four days, providing care to locals and Venezuelan refugees. The initiative resulted in 17 professions of faith during the event and led to additional conversions among visitors to the clinic. Missionaries Mary Sell and Ginni Grimes coordinated the effort, which also faced a temporary shutdown in the Jesus Maria neighborhood due to local complaints. Despite this setback, interest in the church increased, with many residents traveling to Magdalena for treatment and spiritual engagement.
David Englehart, campus director of New Mexico State University’s Christian Challenge, is retiring after four decades of mobilizing students for overseas missions. A pivotal moment in Central Asia inspired his long-term partnership with the International Mission Board. Since 1993, the university has sent 470 students to serve abroad, with 20 becoming career missionaries. Englehart emphasizes the value of these sustained relationships in reaching unreached populations. The ministry is now transitioning leadership to a new director as Englehart looks back on his impact on global evangelism efforts in the United States and Asia.
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