This article was originally written by Leslie Peacock Caldwell and published to BaptistPress.com. Feature image courtesy of IMB.

RICHMOND, Va. – International Mission Board trustees appointed 71 fully supported missionaries during their May 13-14 meeting near Richmond. Missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration Tuesday, June 9, at 10:30 a.m. EDT during the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando. The event will be livestreamed on sbcannualmeeting.net.

John McCullough, trustee from Texas, called Thursday’s plenary session to order and opened in prayer.

McCullough recognized guests Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and Jon Jeffries of Woman’s Missionary Union. Wolfe presented a check for $1 million to IMB President Paul Chitwood to be used for renovation of missionary housing at the International Learning Center, the IMB’s campus in Rockville, Va., where new missionaries are trained and where missionaries return during stateside assignments.

“The decision is one of the easiest we’ve made,” Wolfe said of the vote to give the large gift to the IMB.

“South Carolina is a sending state,” he continued. “We have full confidence in the IMB’s vision, leadership and missional strategies. We’re honored to invest in future Southern Baptist missionaries and their families in this way.”

Thursday’s plenary session concluded the two-day gathering of trustees during which the board elected officers, met in standing committees, recognized trustees completing terms of service, and honored retired staff and missionaries who died in 2025.

President’s Report

IMB President Paul Chitwood drew attention to celebrations and highlights as he recognized the 181-year legacy of the IMB. Chitwood celebrated points of impact presented to the trustees in the newly released Annual Statistical Report.

“With the public release today of IMB’s Annual Statistical Report,” Chitwood said, “we celebrate the reach of every Southern Baptist church that partners with IMB in praying, giving, sending and going.”

For the ministry year 2025, the overseas missionary work of Southern Baptists resulted in the following:

  • Gospel witness to more than 2 million people spread across 1,815 people groups.
  • More than 1.3 million of those Gospel shares were among unreached people groups.
  • 196,497 professed faith in Christ.
  • 31 people groups moved from unengaged to engaged.
  • 7,697 new churches were planted, the biblical faithfulness of which is being measured against the 12 Characteristics of a Healthy Church, described in IMB’s Foundations document.
  • More than 88,000 people were trained in evangelism.
  • 68,000 disciples received leadership training.

The full 2025 ASR is available on the IMB website.

“Work as expansive and impactful as the work that Southern Baptists steward through their IMB takes resources,” Chitwood said. “While we still have a long way to go in meeting our annual revenue goals, we celebrate that Southern Baptists’ generosity this year is keeping us just ahead of last year’s giving.”

While acknowledging the financial health of the IMB, Chitwood noted the ongoing impact of inflation and the decline of Cooperative Program giving that keeps the company looking at greater efficiency and more effective ways to communicate opportunities for churches and individuals to offer financial support.

“Regarding efficiency, I’m pleased to report that since I began as IMB president in 2018, we have increased spending on the U.S. side of our operations only 0.6 percent,” Chitwood told the board.

“When accounting for the impact of inflation, that means we have reduced administrative support spending by 30 percent over the past seven years. During that same time period, we have increased overseas spending by 30.5 percent, which means we have protected our overseas work from the impact of inflation.”

Chitwood referred to a report given to trustees by Don Barger, IMB director of innovation and artificial intelligence. Barger’s report included how the IMB is building AI tools to extend the reach and impact of missionaries.

Four tools available to the public include:

  • FaithBot.io – a Gospel sharing tool available in more than 40 languages;
  • Engage Lostness – a tool for sharing personal faith with people who hold a different worldview;
  • Bible Pics – which illustrates Bible passages and Bible studies;
  • Missions Games – a teaching tool to help people of all ages learn about missions.

All tools can be accessed at www.faithbot.tools.

Chitwood emphasized that AI tools are not a replacement for missionaries. “Our AI tools are built on a theological framework consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message and are designed to be used ethically and responsibly,” he said.

The president also highlighted estate giving, a topic explained to trustees by Chris Kennedy, IMB’s chief advancement officer. Chitwood said the IMB encourages every Southern Baptist to consider estate planning.

“Thoughtful and timely estate planning can set in motion one final act of stewardship that extends our Gospel witness beyond our lifetime and helps sustain a missionary presence among the nations,” Chitwood said. “When you choose to remember the IMB in your estate plans, you ensure that the most important work in the universe, the work of getting the Gospel to those who have yet to hear, can continue on even after your race has been run.”

Anyone with interest in discussing gift planning options can contact IMB team members at generosity@imb.org.

Chitwood turned attention to global engagement strategies and the continuing growth and shifts needed to reach the lost amidst current world trends.

“We began a process two years ago of our field leaders examining the global harvest fields to find any gaps in our work or any opportunities for greater effectiveness,” Chitwood reported. “That process now has us surveying more than 1,000 of our overseas missionaries to get their perspective. We’re simply asking the question: Are our structures and strategies keeping up with growing lostness around the world?”

Chitwood participated in a similar effort nearly 20 years ago, when he served as IMB trustee chair. Since that time, world population has grown by close to 2 billion people and seen increasing migration of people groups. The IMB has significantly increased a focus on the remaining unengaged, unreached people groups.

Chitwood said, “A review of our structures, to ensure we are best positioned to have the maximum impact possible upon the global harvest fields, is in order. To be clear, this process is ultimately about one thing – getting the Gospel to the lost.”

Foundational commitments, theology and missiology that guides IMB’s work remains firmly in place, according to Chitwood. These commitments are detailed in IMB’s Foundations document.

“The Core Missionary Task remains IMB’s core task,” Chitwood said.

He concluded his report with an overview of upcoming renovations at the International Learning Center, affirmed by trustees.

“For nearly half a century, this campus has been a tremendous resource for preparing missionaries heading to their overseas fields of service and receiving them back upon their return,” Chitwood said. “For Southern Baptists, this is holy ground. And it is ours to steward. That stewardship demands a renewed investment, and we have the privilege of making it.”

Phase 1 of the investment will include renovations and updates to missionary housing, as well as the construction of a pavilion in each of three housing villages. Phase 2 will be an updated and expanded child education center and the construction and relocation of IMB’s warehouse operations from Richmond to the ILC campus.

Chitwood reported that the combined estimated cost of the two phases is $23.8 million.

“Already, many of our state convention partners have committed to assist with the funding of missionary housing renovation, pledging gifts of more than $4 million with several more states considering the opportunity,” he said. “With today’s gift, Tony Wolfe and the South Carolina Baptist Convention is leading the way with the most generous gift to date. I look forward to seeing how others will be inspired by the generosity of South Carolina Baptists.”

Continued business

Chitwood and trustee chair Carol Pfeiffer thanked trustees completing their terms of service. Trustees recognized included: Marshall Blalock, South Carolina; Alan Brumback, Florida; Joyce Chambers, Georgia; John Hinze, New Mexico; Justin Lohmeirer, Mississippi; John McCullough, Texas; Tommy Turner, Texas; and Chris Wall, Oklahoma.

Three trustee officers were elected for a second term, with one new officer joining the slate. Glenn Steen of South Carolina was elected as first vice chair. Returning officers, voted to a second term, include Carol Pfeiffer of Texas as chair, Willie Smith of Oklahoma as second vice chair, and Sacha Hasenyager of Montana as recording secretary.

Thursday’s meeting included reports from standing committees: Administration, Global Engagement, Human Resources, Global Business Services and U.S Engagement.

In memoriam

IMB Executive Vice President Todd Lafferty led a time of remembrance for the lives of emeritus and active colleagues who died in 2025. Two field personnel and one missionary kid passed away last year. For security reasons, they were not publicly named.

Seventy-five retired missionaries were remembered in the tribute. Their years of service totaled 2,093, with an average of 28 years. The average age at time of death was 88 years.

Among others who served faithfully, the following were recognized as having served for 35 or more years: Joyce Wyatt, age 97, served in Colombia, Chile and Spain for 40 years; Ruth Harris, age 101, served in Bermuda for 39 years; Rose Mary Register, age 86, served in Israel for 38 years; Will and Frances Marie Roberts, both age 90, served in Tanzania for 38 years; Evelyn Moss, age 93, served in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi for 37 years; Les Hill, age 93, served in the Philippines and Singapore for 37 years; Sharon Peddicord, age 75, served in Brazil for 37 years; Nettie Gammage, age 96, served 36 years in Korea and the Philippines for 36 years; Jerry Stanley Key, age 92, served in Brazil for 36 years; Pratt Dean, age 91, served in Japan for 36 years; Hubert Fox, age 92, served in Thailand for 35 years; Sistie Givens Riley, age 93, served in Brazil for 35 years; Mary Swedenburg, age 82, served in Japan for 35 years; Ed Jolley, age 95, served in Argentina for 35 years; and Joyce Watson, age 91, served in the Philippines for 35 years.

Twelve retired staff whose lives were remembered included: Keith Parks, who served for 38 years in Indonesia and as IMB president; Lloyd Atkinson, who served for 31 years in Chile and as vice president for the office of mission personnel; Bob Shoemake, who served for 33 years as associate vice president for stateside logistics; Robert Ethridge who served for 11 years as associate vice president for communications strategy and marketing; Ritchie Lipscomb, who served for 47 years in receipts and disbursements; Judi Bell, who served for 33 years in event coordination; Bill Peacock, who served for 30 years in Korea and in volunteers in missions; Pat Moneymaker, who served for 27 years in development; Ann Markey, who served for 25 years in personnel selection; Shirley Norris, who served for 23 years in the IMB resource center; Carolyn Price, who served 19 years in global research; and Jeannette Stone, who served for 16 years in student and candidate guidance.

Chris Wall closed the meeting in prayer. The next trustee meeting will be Sept. 16-17 in Virginia.