Stories of transformation and the importance of global outreach highlighted the International Mission Board dinner, June 9, at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Dallas. Close to 2,000 people attended the event that commemorated a milestone for the Journeyman program and honored many who have supported the IMB.
Todd Lafferty, IMB executive vice president, welcomes nearly 2,000 Southern Baptists to the annual IMB dinner during the SBC meeting in Dallas, celebrating what God is doing through the unified efforts of churches around the world, alumni missionaries, Journeymen, and new missionaries preparing to be sent. IMB Photo
“Tonight, we will celebrate what God is doing because of the work all of us in this room are doing together,” said Todd Lafferty, IMB executive vice president, welcoming those attending the dinner. “You will be challenged to continue to pray and to give and to go and to send because lostness is still the world’s greatest problem.”
Lafferty recognized alumni missionaries, as well as those who served as IMB Journeymen, as 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the Journeyman program.
“Today we continue to witness the eternal impact of Journeymen around the world,” Lafferty said before asking alumni and those who served as Journeymen to stand.
Dinner guests heard testimonies and watched videos about Southern Baptists involvement of sharing the gospel around the world. Speakers from the platform echoed the 180-year history of IMB’s purpose — to serve Southern Baptists in carrying out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
IMB President Paul Chitwood emphasized Southern Baptist unity in reaching the nations together.
IMB President Paul Chitwood closes the IMB dinner in Dallas with a heartfelt appeal to the 2,000 Southern Baptists gathered: “Your missionaries need your support. Pray. Go. Give. Whatever the sacrifice, whatever the gift, it will go 100% to the field to help transform lives with the gospel.” IMB Photo
“You’re here tonight because you believe in the great pursuit of lostness,” Chitwood said. “You’re partnering with IMB in God’s mission; you’re a member of the home team who shares a burden to get the gospel to every nation, tribe, people and language.”
Jacob Boss, IMB vice president of global engagement, shares how the 2024 Paris Olympics became an unprecedented opportunity to reach the nations — through on-the-ground evangelism, international partnerships, and a robust digital engagement strategy. “All these efforts led to lives transformed by the gospel,” Boss said, highlighting that more than 8 million people were reached online and 43 individuals came to faith through digital conversations. IMB Photo
Jacob Boss, IMB vice president of global engagement, highlighted the efforts of the IMB’s partnership with French Baptists to reach the nations during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The ministry included missionaries, local churches in Paris, Christians from other countries and volunteers — an example of cooperation for the sake of the gospel. Each initiative was built on prayer.
Boss also shared how innovative outreach using social media ads led to lives touched with the hope of Christ. He reported the Olympic outreach team ran 8 million ads, which drew more than 170,000 people to interact with IMB digital responders. More than 20,000 people participated in a Bible study they downloaded because of the digital ads, and more than 450 spiritual conversations were conducted with a believer prepared to engage in gospel conversations.
“Of those spiritual conversations, we saw 43 people pray to receive Christ,” Boss said. He introduced IMB missionaries Doug and Patti Irvin who shared about “a cry for help,” which came to the Olympics digital response team.
“‘It’s hard,’” Patti said, quoting the words of Sara who responded to a Facebook ad. “My hope is dying. I’m giving up now,” Sara said, who connected with Mary, a Paris Olympics volunteer digital responder living in Indiana. Sara was halfway across the world in South Africa.
“My hope is dying.” That message, sent in response to a gospel ad during the Paris Olympics, sparked a global chain of compassion. At the IMB dinner, retired missionaries Doug and Patti Irvin share how God used a digital responder in Indiana, a bag of groceries in South Africa, and even a forgotten fruitcake to show one woman she was seen, loved and never alone. “Because hundreds worked together,” Patti said, “Sara found hope again — and now shares it with others.” IMB Photo
Patti told how Sara went from being suicidal, living in a shack in a dangerous area of Johannesburg, to meeting the Irvins who helped Sara get connected to a local church. Prayer partners, digital responder volunteers, missionaries and local Christians in multiple countries affected Sara’s story.
“Because hundreds of people like you worked together, Sara, a believer who spent years in hiding has purposed to share with other women her story and the hope found in Jesus,” Patti said.
John Brady, IMB’s outgoing vice president of global engagement, shared how he appreciated Sara’s story. “My heart overflows with gratitude to the Lord, just to let my eyes see this in my day,” he said. “So much prayer and outreach and transformation; so many people involved. This is a story of the great pursuit of lostness.”
Brady emphasized that the stories of God’s work around the world include everyone.
“This is a story of us. This is a story of you.”
Chitwood encouraged dinner guests to consider a financial gift to address the growing needs of a lost world. Financial support will be needed to send more missionaries, a continued prayer for IMB. Chitwood shared the positive news of 1,606 missionary applicants beginning the steps toward missionary service. This news was met with applause from the room, as Chitwood continued his words affirming the work that God is doing through Southern Baptists.
He concluded the evening with thanks for those who partner with the IMB and asked guests to continue their commitment to reaching the nations together.
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