Published Nov 22, 2022
Whether you’re a high-school student or retiree, you can join an International Mission Board team overseas to reach the nations. Southern Baptists have been sending IMB missionaries to be steadfastly present among those who have never heard the gospel for more than 177 years. Through the generous giving of Southern Baptists to the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®, team members are financially supported and can focus their time on the core missionary task. One of the IMB’s strategic objectives is to send an additional 500 missionaries to the nations by 2025. You could be one of those 500 who provides gospel access to those who have never heard of God’s redemptive work in their lives.
There are a variety of pathways to go through the IMB. Opportunities exist to go for as short as one or two weeks or as long as a career missionary – four or more years.
A two-year pathway for young adults, 20 to 29 years old, is the Journeyman program. After graduating college, many students go with the Journeyman program and join other workers in evangelism and discipleship overseas. Previously a bachelor’s degree was required for this pathway, but that has changed.
The education requirement for those who are over 30 also has changed. You may serve overseas without a bachelor’s degree for a term that is generally two to three years and can be renewed.
Age isn’t a barrier to reaching the nations through the IMB. The ministry and work experience of retirees can be a real asset to a team. Retirees can join a traditional church planting strategy or consider field support missionary roles. These roles provide support services in an international location.
If you’re called to work overseas internationally and don’t need funding but want to join an IMB team, the team associate role is an option.
Whether on a short-term or long-term assignment, a team member’s primary purpose is to contribute to the missionary task as part of an IMB missionary team. If sharing the gospel, discipling people to come to know Him in a deeper way, or ministering in leadership development and training overseas sounds like your calling, then consider getting more information about the IMB.
There truly are multiple ways to go. For those called to GO, IMB wants to send!
For more information, contact us. If you’re interested in applying, visit imb.org/go and click ‘Apply.’ After you provide your name, email address, and phone number, someone will be excited to connect with you.
Join an organization who understands that the greatest problem in the world is lostness and that the gospel is the answer.
The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® is a registered trademark of Woman’s Missionary Union.
