Introduction Then Jesus came to them and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples, disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Welcome to Exploring Missions, connecting mission needs with those equipped by God to meet those needs across the world or across town. And now, the host of Exploring Missions. Bert Harper.
Bert Harper Many times on Exploring Missions, we're hearing from people who are on the field, and sometimes they've come in on what we call furlough, and we get to talk with them. But what we want to do today is talking about sending them. And there has to be some leadership that casts a vision, catches the vision, shares the vision. And so that's exciting for us to be able to do this. Nathan, when we talk about leadership in the area of missions, we're talking about people that God has called out to have some gifts that they're using, but they have a vision and a heart for those that need to know Jesus Christ.
Nathan Harper Yeah, absolutely. We're very excited, thrilled, and eager to share this conversation with you. Joining us today, we have the president of the International Mission Board, the Southern Baptist Convention. His name is Dr. Paul Chitwood. Dr. Chitwood, thank you so much for being with us today.
Dr. Paul Chitwood Well, thank you. Nathan and Bert, I appreciate your ministry and certainly your program. It's great to be on with you.
Bert Harper When we talk about missions here again, we are warning people to be informed. we usually do some areas in training and equipping, but a lot of times we are saying, here's what God is doing. And today we really want to know because of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. We want to hear about what God is doing around the world. And we're excited about our people here. But first of all, we would love to hear your story here you are president of a great mission organization, but I hear you started somewhere in Kentucky, is that right?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Well, right on the state line over the mountains. I actually went to elementary school in Tennessee and high school in Kentucky and we never moved. So our little town of well the census population said 2000, but I think you'd have to be counting some possums and stray dogs. But our little town of Jellicoe was incorporated into Tennessee. But there's a Kentucky side of town. The state line comes right through the middle of town. And that's where I got my start as a kid.
Nathan Harper Dr. Chitwood. So whether you have, and I want to talk to our listeners that they may be thinking, well, I'm not a Southern Baptist. I didn't grow up maybe with that background. Most everybody knows somebody that is Southern Baptist if you're not one yourself. But how did you connect into the Southern Baptist Convention? Was it a church you just grew up going to as a child? How did that happen for you?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, so it was actually the church connected with us. And when I say us, I'm referencing my family. The couple of men from a little church in our town there in the mountains were out knocking on doors, in the neighborhoods of the little town one night on church visitation night, just inviting people to come to church on Sunday and they knocked, on the door of a little rental house where I was living as a four year old and had a brother who was three and a older brother who was six. Our father was raising us. He was about two years past divorce and he had custody of all three of his kids. And of course we were little and had a knock at the door one night at the little rental house we were living in and went to the door. Dad told me the story, went to the door and couple men from the church were standing there and they invited him to come to church and to bring his family. So he accepted the invitation and went and that became the founder, of our family, started going on a regular basis, found, that little church, ah, welcomed us and loved us and shared the gospel with us. And fast forward a few years, we're still in that little rental house and our pastor knocked on the door. My older brother had been Asking questions about the gospel. And dad had asked our pastor if he had any time would he come by and talk to him. Brother Allen Herod was his name. And he came in, at dad's invitation and sat in a green chair in the corner of our living room and shared the gospel with my older brother. My younger brother and I, we listened in and Pastor Allen got three for one that night. We all gave our lives to the Lord. Saved and baptized together. Few weeks later, the Little First Baptist Church, Jellicoe. So when you ask the question, how do we get connected in the church? And with Southern Baptist, it was the church getting connected with us. They were out looking for lost people and they found us and they invited us to church and then they welcomed us when we got there. And I, mean looking back on it, they helped raise us really. And I was later called to ministry in that church and ordained and to ministry in that church. my wife and I were married in the church and was a member of only that church until, I, later became a pastor myself and then other ministry roles that had me move, you know, different places. But so thankful for a church in the mountains and knew why it was there. They were interested in, lost people and understood what the solution to our problem was. That solution was the gospel and they shared that gospel with us.
Bert Harper You know, I hear that and sounds like the Great Commission would be really real to your family because they came to you and now you're going to other churches and serving and then here at the International Mission Board. What a story. And let me say this to our listeners. Hey, you heard his story. A church reaching out. And I can say this, Dr. Chitwood, the same thing is true with me. Church reaching out to me. My mom and dad, they moved and came to a new area and wasn't going to church, but they reached out to us. As a 10 year old, I started going. Two years later, Jesus Christ became lord of my life. Churches making a difference. And that's what we're designed to do. And we're saying this on explored missions. You don't have to go across the world to make a difference. You can do it in your neighborhood. Well, here you are now, I know you served there in Kentucky at different churches, but then you come to the International Mission Board. Did you serve on the board before you became the president of the board yourself?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Well, that's interesting. I actually served as a board member, a trustee. I was never an overseas missionary. I, was a pastor and Then I did state mission work in Kentucky with the Kentucky Baptist Convention. And then from that role came to be the president of the IMB. But I had been a trustee from 2002 to 2010. And so I knew the IMB well and had a lot of involvement. And so when I was invited in 2018 to become president, we felt that was what the Lord's call was for us. So we left Kentucky and moved to Virginia, where the IMB has been headquartered since it started back in 1845. And I'm, the 13th president. About five of them have been overseas missionaries, but the rest of us never had overseas experience. Of course, knowing the job of the president, you know that that's not too big a stretch. I think I would better understand why that wasn't the number one qualification, although it'd be helpful, but I understand why it wasn't the number one qualification. But being connected to the board now in different role, you know, as a trustee or just as a partner, as a pastor or State Convention work. And now I'm president. So I've been connected with the IMB, ah, over 25 years, been president for eight years.
Nathan Harper Dr. Chitwood, let me get you to answer maybe a two part question if we can. One part is for our listeners who may not be familiar with the International Mission Board or even they're not a part of a Southern Baptist church. I would imagine it's most of our listeners are not a part of a Southern Baptist church. But how does the International Mission Board partner with other denominations, other mission agencies, other Great Commission Christians? How does that work? And then I guess the second part would simply just be as a Southern Baptist. How can you explain your role? You know, maybe your role is not sending individuals to the mission field, it is partnering with other churches. So the churches will be sending the workers. So hopefully that makes sense.
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, it sure does. Sure does. And I may take those questions, and answer them in reverse order just to give a little context to the first question by answering the second question. So for those who aren't Southern babbed, it's not that they need to know about how we do things, but it may help give some context to what our organization is doing and how we are partnering maybe with their denomination or their church or missionaries they may know overseas. So the IMB was started when the Southern Baptist Convention was started. And as I mentioned, that was in 1845 and the very first time Baptist churches in the US came together to form what was called the Southern Baptist Convention at the Very first meeting, they said, we're here for missions. We want to have missionaries sending overseas, and we want to have mission work in our country, which of course United States. And so they established a board for domestic missions, which now be called North American Mission Board, and a board for foreign missions, which of course is the international mission More today, and the organization has grown. We currently have, about 35, 3600 missionaries who serve in 155 countries around the world. There's also about 3000 kids who are part of those missionary families. So we, Southern Baptist support about 6,500 adults and children who live all over the world. Our system of support is unique in that, IMB missionaries are fully funded. They don't have to raise their own money. The churches give all across Southern Baptist convention. Our 46,000 churches give to support those missionaries. They entrust that money to the IMB through a missions offering. And they send, as you said, they send their missionaries out from the local church, but then they send them through the imb. We're the support structure that makes sure those missionaries are qualified, make sure they have a good strategy, make sure they have the support they need wherever they're going to live in the world. And so that's the way our organization works. And we're partnered, every day with all 46,000 churches of Southern Baptist Convention. But we also partner with lots of other churches and denominations because, as I mentioned, we're in 155 countries around the world. And in some of the countries we're in, you know, we'd be the only Southern Baptist there. And so our missionaries will be looking for, who can we work with here to help us share the gospel. Maybe it's a city of a million people and they're the only Baptist missionaries there. Well, they'd be glad to come alongside of another evangelical Christian who believes the Bible and believes the gospel, even though some of those beliefs about whether this is the way we do church or this is the way we do the Lord's Supper, you know, there may be some distinctions, but just for basic work, like basic evangelism, getting the gospel out, or what we would call compassion ministry, maybe there's an earthquake in that city and we have the opportunity to give clean water, give meals, help people find shelter, we'll work with about anybody who work with us on that type of work. And then when it comes to sharing the gospel, we work with those who profess to believe the gospel. But when it comes to church planting, then, you know, we're going to be working with missionaries who are going to see church the way we see church. And we've got clarity on that as Baptists through what we call the Baptist faith and message and other, other ways. We've said, okay, this is the way we interpret scripture. But the reality is because we work in such different contexts and on so many different types of work, we partner with lots of different churches, lots of different missionaries who have gone out from lots of different groups. And we're proud to work with them and we have an understanding just as they would. You know, if it's compassion ministry, handing out water, we'll walk alongside anybody who's trying to save lives. And then if it's sharing the gospel, we're going to walk alongside of those Christians who are in agreement with us on the basic tenets of the gospel. And when it will come to church planting and more discipleship, matters where we're walking through the scriptures and this is the way we believe as Baptists, then we'll be partnering more closely just with our Baptist brothers and sisters. So that's the way it works at the imb. And the reality is there are a lot of groups and denominations and missionary sending agencies that we work with who are headquartered here in the United States and literally all over the world.
Bert Harper When I hear that, I could not help but think of the radio network that we're on, American Family Radio. When I started doing a Bible study program each day, Alex McFarland and I, we were both trained, raised Southern Baptist and we say, okay, if it doesn't matter in heaven, we're not going to make it a, bigger issue down here than it should. And when you talk about the mission work, you working with those individuals, Dr. Chetwood, it blesses my heart. I just want to share with you. That is there's distinctives in each one. But when it comes to Jesus Christ, we want him to be known. And I appreciate you doing that. Going back to the numbers 3600, is it couples or missionaries together?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Those would be missionaries together. And so some of them will be married, some of them be single, some of them would be out on two year assignments, some of them been out for 30 or 40 years.
Bert Harper Wow. And 155 countries. I know you can't disclose a lot of them, but a, lot of these are in very difficult locations, aren't they? Just expand on that a little bit if you would.
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, I'll be glad to expand on that. So about 70% of our missionaries are in Countries that don't welcome a missionary, they don't give a missionary visa. They would if you said, I'm just here to stay a little while. I'm going to be a missionary. They're not going to let you in. Which tells you that most of our missionaries are in very challenging places, and some of them are in extremely challenging places, because it might be that a country in Europe wouldn't welcome a missionary, but it might be that a country in the Middle east would kill you if they found out you were a missionary. And so we've got missionaries in some very challenging places. Some are in very isolated places. They're trying to get to people groups that, as far as we know, nobody's ever taken the gospel to. And so they're working in extreme conditions, deep in the mountains or deep in the river valleys, in the African bush, in the deserts. You know, some go to very extreme places, very hard to live places. But we talk about the barriers to missionary presence. You know, we're all about having missionaries present everywhere. The gospel needs to be heard, because that's the biblical model. The NewSong Testament model was to, if the gospel hadn't made it there, you send a missionary to take the gospel there. And so that's what we do. But when they're going as many places as we can possibly get them, some are going to, places where there's lots of people and it's easier to access. Some are going to places where there might be a lot of people, but it's very difficult to access. And then some are going places where there's maybe even not a lot of people. But we know there's a people group there that hasn't heard the gospel. And Revelation 7, 9 and 10 tells us that someday in heaven there'll be a big multitude that nobody could number from every nation, all tribes, all peoples and all languages. And that tells us the gospel needs to make it to every nation, all tribes, all peoples and all languages. And we're committed to doing that even though it could be costly and even though it's very difficult.
Nathan Harper Amen. So, Dr. Chitwood, would there be maybe a general location or a large group of people, maybe a religious group, or even. Even as specific as a people group that you are recently noticing a lot of movement of the gospel among. Maybe God is doing a great work sort of recently in a place that you can share about or in a, among a people that you could share about. Is there anything like that that's encouraging you recently?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, in some places, I can talk with specifics and other places, it'll be more generalities. But indeed, the Lord is on the move. People are being saved. Our missionaries shared the gospel with 2 million people last year and saw 200,000 come to faith. And so there's a lot of people being saved all around the world. Some of the places we've seen a lot of strong response in the gospel are coming in some of the most, the most recognizable places in the news. Frankly, though, we've had a missionary presence in Ukraine for many years. And while there was some strong churches we've been able to plant there and work with, it was still pretty tough soil. But I can tell you, since the Ukrainian war broke out, well, now it's been going on for years. Our missionaries report that the responsiveness to the gospel in, Ukraine has grown exponentially. They're seeing a lot more people getting saved, a lot more churches planted. And, you know, as tragic as the war has been, and there's not even words for that, we have seen the Lord use it to awaken people to their mortality and their need to have an eternal hope. Not knowing when the next missile or bomb or drone, is going to drop in your apartment or house, you know, it makes you think more about eternity. I'm sure it would be. And so we're seeing responsiveness there. we are also, seeing a lot of responsiveness in South Asia. The gospel is moving across South Asia, and we're seeing, not only the effect of our missionaries, but now as we've been able to plant churches over the last 20 years in South Asia, a lot of those churches are sending out their own missionaries. And we're seeing a lot of people respond. In the Middle east, of course, we're seeing that war and all the disruption and devastation that's been going on there now for the last couple years. And, we're seeing some pockets there of great responsiveness to the gospel. And so it's encouraging. There's countries that are just growing more and more hostile and more and more close to the gospel. Think of a country like China. And yet for the past few generations, there was a lot of missionary work that had been done in China. And so you've got a strong church. It's a persecuted church in China, but it's a strong church. And they're carrying on gospel work there and seeing the results. So again, you know, of course, the Lord's sovereign over all the affairs of men and everything that's happened in the world today, and there's A lot of travesties unfolding, whether that's war or displacement of peoples. There's more forcibly displaced peoples because of war and famine and other things in the world today than any point in human history. But we're seeing the Lord use all of that M In some cases, give people access to the gospel who didn't have any access to the gospel. But we talk about a lot of times at the imb, Nathan, that there's a lot of problems in our world. We've got hunger problems. there's 2 billion people who probably only on average get one meal a day. Global hunger is an overwhelming problem. There's war. We see the effects of that on the news every time we open up a newscast on our phone or watch a newscast on television. There's actually more slaves in the world today than any point in human history. There's 50 million people who live as forced laborers around the world. And yet, for all of the problems in the world, there's one problem that rises above every other problem, and that's the problem of lostness. It's the only problem that's eternal. All the other problems end the moment you die. But if you die lost, you'll have that problem forever. And it's the only problem that's universal. Some people go through war. Some people battle cancer. Some people go through divorce or all sorts of painful things. Every person has sinned and falls short of the glory of God. Every person is spiritually lost until they've heard and believed the gospel. So lostness is the greatest problem in the world. And. But the Lord's given us a solution for it, and that's the gospel.
Bert Harper When I hear that, two things come to mind. M It is the Book of Acts. In college and in seminary, the power of the gospel over all barriers. It rings true then. It's true today. And when you hear about China and the closed doors, yet the gospel is there in this Middle East. We're praising God for that. But I read somewhere where we're having more people to volunteer in the area of Southern Baptist than we have the money to support them to go. Is that a true statement that I've heard, or is that just a rumor that I heard? Dr. Chitwood.
Dr. Paul Chitwood So we have been through a season. Not recently, but we went through a season where that was very much the case. And the IMB shrunk quite a bit because it didn't have enough money to even keep out the missionaries we had. But I'm thankful, just in the Lord's favor and his kindness and the generosity of Southern Baptist. since I've become president, not one missionary has had to come home because we didn't have enough money to support them. Nor have we told anyone who was qualified to go as an IMB missionary. You can't go. We don't have the money. So the churches have been generous in their giving to support, of course, our two primary channels of giving. For those who are Southern Baptist, they'd recognize the co opted program and the lotting room Christmas offering. But I, will tell you, with inflation what it is right now and expenses going up for all of us, we all feel that every day. We feel it at the imb. And so it's nip and tuck. But, we live on a very thin margin at the imbalance. But the good news is, in the generosity of Southern Baptist, we have been able to send all who in this season. I've been president eight years. We've been able to send out everybody who wanted to go, and we've had to call none of them home. The money's been there. In fact, I'm waiting any minute now for our end of year report. Our fiscal year runs through September 30th, and I already know it's going to be the best giving year in IMB history. I don't have the final total yet, but it's going to be the best in our history and we're incredibly grateful for that. Amen.
Nathan Harper So we've been privileged today to speak with Dr. Paul Chitwood, the president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Chitwood, maybe with just a couple of minutes left, we want our, our, listeners to check out the [email protected] but are there maybe one or two simple ways that a church or an individual can connect with what's going on with the imb? And maybe also one or two quick brief prayers that we could be praying?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah. Thank you for that. So the best way to connect with the IMB is through our website and our social media platforms, IMB, uh.org, imb.org and you can see their opportunities to go as a missionary or volunteer with the imb. You can see opportunities there to give and support. You can see opportunities to pray. We actually have a prayer app that you can download from there on your phone. So you can get daily prayer requests for lost people groups among the world and, for missionaries. Then of course, you can find us on Facebook, you can find us on X, you can find us on Instagram. All the social media platforms, we're there and be sharing information about the work. And, certainly if you're in Southern Baptist Church and your church wants to get more involved, you can reach out to our team, just call the IMB or send a message through our website. And we, can send one of our stateside staff that connect with churches out to visit with your pastor and your church and can share with you about how to be more involved with the imbalance. we're always looking for new, you know, new people who want to go as missionaries certainly, are grateful for any who want to partner with us. And, you know, we do lots of different kind of work. And you'll see this on our website and our social media platforms. But even if you got on your heart, say you're not a Southern Baptist, but you saw the recent earthquake in Venezuela or the one in Colombia, and you say, hey, I want to help with that and I want to give it to a trustworthy organization. We have our, compassion ministry called Send Relief, and we're on the ground and all those places working the floods in Nepal recently. We're there, we're doing relief work. And so you can give to those gifts, but you can designate it to a specific cause that you want to get behind. And we've got all sorts of opportunities like that for us. Prayer requests. I ask you to pray what I pray for our missionaries every day. And that is, lord, keep them healthy so they can do the work and give them fruit. The greatest missionary in history can't save a single soul, but God can, and he can use them to do it. And so we depend on the Holy Spirit. We know we access God's spirit through our prayers. So praying that the Lord would, give fruit to those missionaries, that he keep them healthy. as I said, some of them are in some pretty tough places to stay healthy, but the Lord can keep them healthy and, and so Lord, give them health and give them fruit. And, that'd be the prayer request I'd share.
Bert Harper Amen. Dr. Chitwood, thank you for being with us. And we introduce it by saying across the street or around the world. Today we've literally went around the world, 155 countries be praying for those missionaries as, we here at explored missions join you in taking the gospel to the world. Thank you again for listening. And may God continue to use you here where God has planted you on mission for him.
Introduction Then Jesus came to them and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples, disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Welcome to Exploring Missions, connecting mission needs with those equipped by God to meet those needs across the world or across town. And now, the host of Exploring Missions. Bert Harper.
Bert Harper Many times on Exploring Missions, we're hearing from people who are on the field, and sometimes they've come in on what we call furlough, and we get to talk with them. But what we want to do today is talking about sending them. And there has to be some leadership that casts a vision, catches the vision, shares the vision. And so that's exciting for us to be able to do this. Nathan, when we talk about leadership in the area of missions, we're talking about people that God has called out to have some gifts that they're using, but they have a vision and a heart for those that need to know Jesus Christ.
Nathan Harper Yeah, absolutely. We're very excited, thrilled, and eager to share this conversation with you. Joining us today, we have the president of the International Mission Board, the Southern Baptist Convention. His name is Dr. Paul Chitwood. Dr. Chitwood, thank you so much for being with us today.
Dr. Paul Chitwood Well, thank you. Nathan and Bert, I appreciate your ministry and certainly your program. It's great to be on with you.
Bert Harper When we talk about missions here again, we are warning people to be informed. we usually do some areas in training and equipping, but a lot of times we are saying, here's what God is doing. And today we really want to know because of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. We want to hear about what God is doing around the world. And we're excited about our people here. But first of all, we would love to hear your story here you are president of a great mission organization, but I hear you started somewhere in Kentucky, is that right?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Well, right on the state line over the mountains. I actually went to elementary school in Tennessee and high school in Kentucky and we never moved. So our little town of well the census population said 2000, but I think you'd have to be counting some possums and stray dogs. But our little town of Jellicoe was incorporated into Tennessee. But there's a Kentucky side of town. The state line comes right through the middle of town. And that's where I got my start as a kid.
Nathan Harper Dr. Chitwood. So whether you have, and I want to talk to our listeners that they may be thinking, well, I'm not a Southern Baptist. I didn't grow up maybe with that background. Most everybody knows somebody that is Southern Baptist if you're not one yourself. But how did you connect into the Southern Baptist Convention? Was it a church you just grew up going to as a child? How did that happen for you?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, so it was actually the church connected with us. And when I say us, I'm referencing my family. The couple of men from a little church in our town there in the mountains were out knocking on doors, in the neighborhoods of the little town one night on church visitation night, just inviting people to come to church on Sunday and they knocked, on the door of a little rental house where I was living as a four year old and had a brother who was three and a older brother who was six. Our father was raising us. He was about two years past divorce and he had custody of all three of his kids. And of course we were little and had a knock at the door one night at the little rental house we were living in and went to the door. Dad told me the story, went to the door and couple men from the church were standing there and they invited him to come to church and to bring his family. So he accepted the invitation and went and that became the founder, of our family, started going on a regular basis, found, that little church, ah, welcomed us and loved us and shared the gospel with us. And fast forward a few years, we're still in that little rental house and our pastor knocked on the door. My older brother had been Asking questions about the gospel. And dad had asked our pastor if he had any time would he come by and talk to him. Brother Allen Herod was his name. And he came in, at dad's invitation and sat in a green chair in the corner of our living room and shared the gospel with my older brother. My younger brother and I, we listened in and Pastor Allen got three for one that night. We all gave our lives to the Lord. Saved and baptized together. Few weeks later, the Little First Baptist Church, Jellicoe. So when you ask the question, how do we get connected in the church? And with Southern Baptist, it was the church getting connected with us. They were out looking for lost people and they found us and they invited us to church and then they welcomed us when we got there. And I, mean looking back on it, they helped raise us really. And I was later called to ministry in that church and ordained and to ministry in that church. my wife and I were married in the church and was a member of only that church until, I, later became a pastor myself and then other ministry roles that had me move, you know, different places. But so thankful for a church in the mountains and knew why it was there. They were interested in, lost people and understood what the solution to our problem was. That solution was the gospel and they shared that gospel with us.
Bert Harper You know, I hear that and sounds like the Great Commission would be really real to your family because they came to you and now you're going to other churches and serving and then here at the International Mission Board. What a story. And let me say this to our listeners. Hey, you heard his story. A church reaching out. And I can say this, Dr. Chitwood, the same thing is true with me. Church reaching out to me. My mom and dad, they moved and came to a new area and wasn't going to church, but they reached out to us. As a 10 year old, I started going. Two years later, Jesus Christ became lord of my life. Churches making a difference. And that's what we're designed to do. And we're saying this on explored missions. You don't have to go across the world to make a difference. You can do it in your neighborhood. Well, here you are now, I know you served there in Kentucky at different churches, but then you come to the International Mission Board. Did you serve on the board before you became the president of the board yourself?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Well, that's interesting. I actually served as a board member, a trustee. I was never an overseas missionary. I, was a pastor and Then I did state mission work in Kentucky with the Kentucky Baptist Convention. And then from that role came to be the president of the IMB. But I had been a trustee from 2002 to 2010. And so I knew the IMB well and had a lot of involvement. And so when I was invited in 2018 to become president, we felt that was what the Lord's call was for us. So we left Kentucky and moved to Virginia, where the IMB has been headquartered since it started back in 1845. And I'm, the 13th president. About five of them have been overseas missionaries, but the rest of us never had overseas experience. Of course, knowing the job of the president, you know that that's not too big a stretch. I think I would better understand why that wasn't the number one qualification, although it'd be helpful, but I understand why it wasn't the number one qualification. But being connected to the board now in different role, you know, as a trustee or just as a partner, as a pastor or State Convention work. And now I'm president. So I've been connected with the IMB, ah, over 25 years, been president for eight years.
Nathan Harper Dr. Chitwood, let me get you to answer maybe a two part question if we can. One part is for our listeners who may not be familiar with the International Mission Board or even they're not a part of a Southern Baptist church. I would imagine it's most of our listeners are not a part of a Southern Baptist church. But how does the International Mission Board partner with other denominations, other mission agencies, other Great Commission Christians? How does that work? And then I guess the second part would simply just be as a Southern Baptist. How can you explain your role? You know, maybe your role is not sending individuals to the mission field, it is partnering with other churches. So the churches will be sending the workers. So hopefully that makes sense.
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, it sure does. Sure does. And I may take those questions, and answer them in reverse order just to give a little context to the first question by answering the second question. So for those who aren't Southern babbed, it's not that they need to know about how we do things, but it may help give some context to what our organization is doing and how we are partnering maybe with their denomination or their church or missionaries they may know overseas. So the IMB was started when the Southern Baptist Convention was started. And as I mentioned, that was in 1845 and the very first time Baptist churches in the US came together to form what was called the Southern Baptist Convention at the Very first meeting, they said, we're here for missions. We want to have missionaries sending overseas, and we want to have mission work in our country, which of course United States. And so they established a board for domestic missions, which now be called North American Mission Board, and a board for foreign missions, which of course is the international mission More today, and the organization has grown. We currently have, about 35, 3600 missionaries who serve in 155 countries around the world. There's also about 3000 kids who are part of those missionary families. So we, Southern Baptist support about 6,500 adults and children who live all over the world. Our system of support is unique in that, IMB missionaries are fully funded. They don't have to raise their own money. The churches give all across Southern Baptist convention. Our 46,000 churches give to support those missionaries. They entrust that money to the IMB through a missions offering. And they send, as you said, they send their missionaries out from the local church, but then they send them through the imb. We're the support structure that makes sure those missionaries are qualified, make sure they have a good strategy, make sure they have the support they need wherever they're going to live in the world. And so that's the way our organization works. And we're partnered, every day with all 46,000 churches of Southern Baptist Convention. But we also partner with lots of other churches and denominations because, as I mentioned, we're in 155 countries around the world. And in some of the countries we're in, you know, we'd be the only Southern Baptist there. And so our missionaries will be looking for, who can we work with here to help us share the gospel. Maybe it's a city of a million people and they're the only Baptist missionaries there. Well, they'd be glad to come alongside of another evangelical Christian who believes the Bible and believes the gospel, even though some of those beliefs about whether this is the way we do church or this is the way we do the Lord's Supper, you know, there may be some distinctions, but just for basic work, like basic evangelism, getting the gospel out, or what we would call compassion ministry, maybe there's an earthquake in that city and we have the opportunity to give clean water, give meals, help people find shelter, we'll work with about anybody who work with us on that type of work. And then when it comes to sharing the gospel, we work with those who profess to believe the gospel. But when it comes to church planting, then, you know, we're going to be working with missionaries who are going to see church the way we see church. And we've got clarity on that as Baptists through what we call the Baptist faith and message and other, other ways. We've said, okay, this is the way we interpret scripture. But the reality is because we work in such different contexts and on so many different types of work, we partner with lots of different churches, lots of different missionaries who have gone out from lots of different groups. And we're proud to work with them and we have an understanding just as they would. You know, if it's compassion ministry, handing out water, we'll walk alongside anybody who's trying to save lives. And then if it's sharing the gospel, we're going to walk alongside of those Christians who are in agreement with us on the basic tenets of the gospel. And when it will come to church planting and more discipleship, matters where we're walking through the scriptures and this is the way we believe as Baptists, then we'll be partnering more closely just with our Baptist brothers and sisters. So that's the way it works at the imb. And the reality is there are a lot of groups and denominations and missionary sending agencies that we work with who are headquartered here in the United States and literally all over the world.
Bert Harper When I hear that, I could not help but think of the radio network that we're on, American Family Radio. When I started doing a Bible study program each day, Alex McFarland and I, we were both trained, raised Southern Baptist and we say, okay, if it doesn't matter in heaven, we're not going to make it a, bigger issue down here than it should. And when you talk about the mission work, you working with those individuals, Dr. Chetwood, it blesses my heart. I just want to share with you. That is there's distinctives in each one. But when it comes to Jesus Christ, we want him to be known. And I appreciate you doing that. Going back to the numbers 3600, is it couples or missionaries together?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Those would be missionaries together. And so some of them will be married, some of them be single, some of them would be out on two year assignments, some of them been out for 30 or 40 years.
Bert Harper Wow. And 155 countries. I know you can't disclose a lot of them, but a, lot of these are in very difficult locations, aren't they? Just expand on that a little bit if you would.
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, I'll be glad to expand on that. So about 70% of our missionaries are in Countries that don't welcome a missionary, they don't give a missionary visa. They would if you said, I'm just here to stay a little while. I'm going to be a missionary. They're not going to let you in. Which tells you that most of our missionaries are in very challenging places, and some of them are in extremely challenging places, because it might be that a country in Europe wouldn't welcome a missionary, but it might be that a country in the Middle east would kill you if they found out you were a missionary. And so we've got missionaries in some very challenging places. Some are in very isolated places. They're trying to get to people groups that, as far as we know, nobody's ever taken the gospel to. And so they're working in extreme conditions, deep in the mountains or deep in the river valleys, in the African bush, in the deserts. You know, some go to very extreme places, very hard to live places. But we talk about the barriers to missionary presence. You know, we're all about having missionaries present everywhere. The gospel needs to be heard, because that's the biblical model. The NewSong Testament model was to, if the gospel hadn't made it there, you send a missionary to take the gospel there. And so that's what we do. But when they're going as many places as we can possibly get them, some are going to, places where there's lots of people and it's easier to access. Some are going to places where there might be a lot of people, but it's very difficult to access. And then some are going places where there's maybe even not a lot of people. But we know there's a people group there that hasn't heard the gospel. And Revelation 7, 9 and 10 tells us that someday in heaven there'll be a big multitude that nobody could number from every nation, all tribes, all peoples and all languages. And that tells us the gospel needs to make it to every nation, all tribes, all peoples and all languages. And we're committed to doing that even though it could be costly and even though it's very difficult.
Nathan Harper Amen. So, Dr. Chitwood, would there be maybe a general location or a large group of people, maybe a religious group, or even. Even as specific as a people group that you are recently noticing a lot of movement of the gospel among. Maybe God is doing a great work sort of recently in a place that you can share about or in a, among a people that you could share about. Is there anything like that that's encouraging you recently?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah, in some places, I can talk with specifics and other places, it'll be more generalities. But indeed, the Lord is on the move. People are being saved. Our missionaries shared the gospel with 2 million people last year and saw 200,000 come to faith. And so there's a lot of people being saved all around the world. Some of the places we've seen a lot of strong response in the gospel are coming in some of the most, the most recognizable places in the news. Frankly, though, we've had a missionary presence in Ukraine for many years. And while there was some strong churches we've been able to plant there and work with, it was still pretty tough soil. But I can tell you, since the Ukrainian war broke out, well, now it's been going on for years. Our missionaries report that the responsiveness to the gospel in, Ukraine has grown exponentially. They're seeing a lot more people getting saved, a lot more churches planted. And, you know, as tragic as the war has been, and there's not even words for that, we have seen the Lord use it to awaken people to their mortality and their need to have an eternal hope. Not knowing when the next missile or bomb or drone, is going to drop in your apartment or house, you know, it makes you think more about eternity. I'm sure it would be. And so we're seeing responsiveness there. we are also, seeing a lot of responsiveness in South Asia. The gospel is moving across South Asia, and we're seeing, not only the effect of our missionaries, but now as we've been able to plant churches over the last 20 years in South Asia, a lot of those churches are sending out their own missionaries. And we're seeing a lot of people respond. In the Middle east, of course, we're seeing that war and all the disruption and devastation that's been going on there now for the last couple years. And, we're seeing some pockets there of great responsiveness to the gospel. And so it's encouraging. There's countries that are just growing more and more hostile and more and more close to the gospel. Think of a country like China. And yet for the past few generations, there was a lot of missionary work that had been done in China. And so you've got a strong church. It's a persecuted church in China, but it's a strong church. And they're carrying on gospel work there and seeing the results. So again, you know, of course, the Lord's sovereign over all the affairs of men and everything that's happened in the world today, and there's A lot of travesties unfolding, whether that's war or displacement of peoples. There's more forcibly displaced peoples because of war and famine and other things in the world today than any point in human history. But we're seeing the Lord use all of that M In some cases, give people access to the gospel who didn't have any access to the gospel. But we talk about a lot of times at the imb, Nathan, that there's a lot of problems in our world. We've got hunger problems. there's 2 billion people who probably only on average get one meal a day. Global hunger is an overwhelming problem. There's war. We see the effects of that on the news every time we open up a newscast on our phone or watch a newscast on television. There's actually more slaves in the world today than any point in human history. There's 50 million people who live as forced laborers around the world. And yet, for all of the problems in the world, there's one problem that rises above every other problem, and that's the problem of lostness. It's the only problem that's eternal. All the other problems end the moment you die. But if you die lost, you'll have that problem forever. And it's the only problem that's universal. Some people go through war. Some people battle cancer. Some people go through divorce or all sorts of painful things. Every person has sinned and falls short of the glory of God. Every person is spiritually lost until they've heard and believed the gospel. So lostness is the greatest problem in the world. And. But the Lord's given us a solution for it, and that's the gospel.
Bert Harper When I hear that, two things come to mind. M It is the Book of Acts. In college and in seminary, the power of the gospel over all barriers. It rings true then. It's true today. And when you hear about China and the closed doors, yet the gospel is there in this Middle East. We're praising God for that. But I read somewhere where we're having more people to volunteer in the area of Southern Baptist than we have the money to support them to go. Is that a true statement that I've heard, or is that just a rumor that I heard? Dr. Chitwood.
Dr. Paul Chitwood So we have been through a season. Not recently, but we went through a season where that was very much the case. And the IMB shrunk quite a bit because it didn't have enough money to even keep out the missionaries we had. But I'm thankful, just in the Lord's favor and his kindness and the generosity of Southern Baptist. since I've become president, not one missionary has had to come home because we didn't have enough money to support them. Nor have we told anyone who was qualified to go as an IMB missionary. You can't go. We don't have the money. So the churches have been generous in their giving to support, of course, our two primary channels of giving. For those who are Southern Baptist, they'd recognize the co opted program and the lotting room Christmas offering. But I, will tell you, with inflation what it is right now and expenses going up for all of us, we all feel that every day. We feel it at the imb. And so it's nip and tuck. But, we live on a very thin margin at the imbalance. But the good news is, in the generosity of Southern Baptist, we have been able to send all who in this season. I've been president eight years. We've been able to send out everybody who wanted to go, and we've had to call none of them home. The money's been there. In fact, I'm waiting any minute now for our end of year report. Our fiscal year runs through September 30th, and I already know it's going to be the best giving year in IMB history. I don't have the final total yet, but it's going to be the best in our history and we're incredibly grateful for that. Amen.
Nathan Harper So we've been privileged today to speak with Dr. Paul Chitwood, the president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Chitwood, maybe with just a couple of minutes left, we want our, our, listeners to check out the [email protected] but are there maybe one or two simple ways that a church or an individual can connect with what's going on with the imb? And maybe also one or two quick brief prayers that we could be praying?
Dr. Paul Chitwood Yeah. Thank you for that. So the best way to connect with the IMB is through our website and our social media platforms, IMB, uh.org, imb.org and you can see their opportunities to go as a missionary or volunteer with the imb. You can see opportunities there to give and support. You can see opportunities to pray. We actually have a prayer app that you can download from there on your phone. So you can get daily prayer requests for lost people groups among the world and, for missionaries. Then of course, you can find us on Facebook, you can find us on X, you can find us on Instagram. All the social media platforms, we're there and be sharing information about the work. And, certainly if you're in Southern Baptist Church and your church wants to get more involved, you can reach out to our team, just call the IMB or send a message through our website. And we, can send one of our stateside staff that connect with churches out to visit with your pastor and your church and can share with you about how to be more involved with the imbalance. we're always looking for new, you know, new people who want to go as missionaries certainly, are grateful for any who want to partner with us. And, you know, we do lots of different kind of work. And you'll see this on our website and our social media platforms. But even if you got on your heart, say you're not a Southern Baptist, but you saw the recent earthquake in Venezuela or the one in Colombia, and you say, hey, I want to help with that and I want to give it to a trustworthy organization. We have our, compassion ministry called Send Relief, and we're on the ground and all those places working the floods in Nepal recently. We're there, we're doing relief work. And so you can give to those gifts, but you can designate it to a specific cause that you want to get behind. And we've got all sorts of opportunities like that for us. Prayer requests. I ask you to pray what I pray for our missionaries every day. And that is, lord, keep them healthy so they can do the work and give them fruit. The greatest missionary in history can't save a single soul, but God can, and he can use them to do it. And so we depend on the Holy Spirit. We know we access God's spirit through our prayers. So praying that the Lord would, give fruit to those missionaries, that he keep them healthy. as I said, some of them are in some pretty tough places to stay healthy, but the Lord can keep them healthy and, and so Lord, give them health and give them fruit. And, that'd be the prayer request I'd share.
Bert Harper Amen. Dr. Chitwood, thank you for being with us. And we introduce it by saying across the street or around the world. Today we've literally went around the world, 155 countries be praying for those missionaries as, we here at explored missions join you in taking the gospel to the world. Thank you again for listening. And may God continue to use you here where God has planted you on mission for him.
In this episode, we explore the vital role of leadership in missions with Dr. Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Join us as we discuss the importance of casting a vision for mission work, the impact of local churches in reaching out to communities, and the incredible stories of what God is doing around the world through missionaries. Discover how you can get involved and support this crucial work of spreading the gospel!
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