Mike and Debbie Baker: Marriage and Missions

Mike and Debbie Baker met at North Greenville University, later married, and began a journey together that has been characterized by marital longevity and missions involvement. The couple has been married for more than 50 years. She is a retired schoolteacher, and he has served on church staffs, was one of the founders of Joyful […]

S.C. team serves refugees on Ukrainian border

A six-member team of South Carolina Baptists returned June 11 after assisting with humanitarian relief efforts in a Romanian town on the Ukraine border. The team’s purpose was “to serve the precious people of Ukraine who have found themselves displaced from their homeland, forced to leave their homes and families,” said team leader Wil Bradham, […]

South Carolina teenager lives as gospel catalyst

Eden Benton, a 16-year-old high school student from South Carolina, is proof of the adage, “God can use you no matter your age.” She’ll be the first to tell you that she has had a great upbringing. Eden grew up in a Christian home and was raised in a healthy church. She surrendered her life […]

Southern Baptists celebrate sending 79 new missionaries

The International Mission Board recently celebrated the appointment of 79 new missionaries in a virtual Sending Celebration streamed on Facebook and through the IMB: Advance the Kingdom app. The missionaries, who were previously approved by IMB trustees, come from 21 states and will serve in eight of IMB’s nine affinities. The Sending Celebration was scheduled […]

IMB missionaries, staff give more than $800,000 to Lottie Moon offering

IMB missionaries and staff pledged $802,700 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering through an internal campaign that began Sept. 23 and ended Nov. 30. “Our IMB missionaries around the world, and our stateside support staff, wanted to lead by example as we asked Southern Baptists to give more generously than ever before to get the […]

IMB missionary families: ‘Thank you, Southern Baptists,’ for generosity

Every day is appropriate to say “thank you” to Southern Baptists who give generously so that the gospel spreads to all nations. This year, missionaries, like everyone else, have met unique challenges caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. In March 2020, IMB missionary Reid Karr’s church was unable to meet as the Italian government had […]

Ezell: ‘Greatest Annie offering ever’ despite steep decline

The North American Mission Board has announced the 2020 total for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions: Southern Baptists gave $49.3 million in a year when the COVID-19 pandemic created numerous challenges for churches across the nation. The amount was $20 million short of the $70 million goal and fell below last […]

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering total exceeds goal at $159.5M

The International Mission Board is reporting a 2019-20 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering total of $159.5 million, the second highest offering in history. This total exceeds by $4.5 million the 175-year-old organization’s budgeted goal of $155 million. IMB also received $97.2 million from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program for 2019-20. “I’m thrilled to report that […]

Kathleen Mallory: A ‘Lingering Fragrance’ in Missions History

Over the last 20 years, when Rosalie Hall Hunt wrote books about missions trailblazers like Fannie E.S. Heck, Ann Judson and Hephzibah Jenkins Townsend, a name that kept coming up in her research was Kathleen Mallory. Hunt said that Mallory, the longest-serving executive leader in the history of Woman’s Missionary Union, remains a “steady echo” […]