International Mission Board trustees approved 48 fully supported missionaries for appointment during their Sept. 16-17 meeting at the International Learning Center in Rockville, Virginia. The missionaries approved for appointment were recognized during a Sending Celebration on Wednesday evening at The Heights Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Virginia. Three missionaries were appointed in partnership with the Canadian National Baptist Convention.  

Sacha Hasenyager, recording secretary, opened Thursday’s plenary session in prayer. This meeting concluded the two-day gathering of trustees during which the board appointed missionaries and welcomed new trustees. Carol Pfeiffer, chair, presided over the meeting. 

The plenary session included the approval of a total balanced budget for 2026-27 of $318,510,000. 

New IMB trustees, who were elected at the SBC annual meeting in June, participated in orientation before Wednesday’s meeting. Trustees beginning their terms of service and representing their states or regional conventions include: Josh Bonner, Dakotas; Ryan Mason, Florida; David Rau, Florida; Mary Cox, Georgia; Cathy Stafford, Kentucky; Tim Williams, Louisiana; Daniel Edney, Mississippi; Kyle Stevens, New Mexico; Ray Foreman, Oklahoma; D.J. Horton, South Carolina; Ben Shoun, Tennessee; Jonathan Coleman, Texas; and Jesse Payne, Texas.  

Special guests included Carolyn Fountain, president of Woman’s Missionary Union; Jonathan Jarboe, President and CEO of The Baptist Foundation of California; and Marc Tempesta, CFO of the California Southern Baptist Convention. Jarboe and Tempesta presented a gift of $300,000 for approved renovations of the International Learning Center. 

President’s Report 

IMB President Paul Chitwood, who will soon begin his ninth year leading the organization, encouraged trustees to reflect on noteworthy achievements over the past five years that add strategic value for IMB’s long-term strength and mission effectiveness. 

Regarding financial strength and total resources, Chitwood reported: 

• Five years ago, the IMB surpassed $200 million in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® for the first time. The organization has now surpassed $200 million for five straight years and could be on pace for 2026 to be the best giving year in IMB’s history.  
• IMB developed a digital marketing and online giving strategy for the first time in its history. 
• Direct giving, estate planned giving and investment income are at all-time highs. 
• IMB now has a total-resources strategy that includes a customized dashboard tracking daily revenue.  
• IMB is undertaking a monetary valuation and strategy evaluation of all IMB properties. 

“While these wins do not replace our need as an organization to raise almost a million dollars a day, every day, to keep our support promises to our missionaries around the world,” Chitwood said, “they do ensure that we are raising money from a strong financial position as an organization, not from a place of desperation or decline.”  

Regarding organizational resilience, risk and infrastructure: 

• IMB completed a device-provisioning program — a multimillion-dollar annual investment — to give every IMB team member around the world access to technology for secure communications.  
• Other organization-wide strategies implemented include internal communications, leadership development, risk management and information security.  

Regarding constituent engagement and field partnership, Chitwood reported the success of initiatives such as Church Connections, missionary team strategy sites, the alumni network and Send Relief.  

Chitwood stressed the importance of restoring trust and strengthening relationships with Southern Baptist individuals, churches, state conventions and associations. These relationships have led to a volunteer pipeline that is now sending 15,000 volunteers annually and a contact database that now stands at over 850,000.  

The missionary application pipeline and sending pathways have also expanded in the last five years. Numbers of those serving overseas have grown among NextGen participantsand among retirees who serve with the Masters 55+ program. Missionary applications have increased 500% since 2018, and close to 400 global missionary partners have joined IMB teams. These strategic partners shared the gospel with more than 200,000 people last year.  

Chitwood also noted the growing partnership with the Canadian National Baptist Convention. During Wednesday’s meeting, trustees appointed three Canadians, and 30 candidates from CNBC are currently in the application process.  

Chitwood referenced ILC renovations and noted that 15 state conventions have contributed to renovate missionary housing.  

“When our trustees gather here again next spring,” he said, “the major renovation of all missionary housing will be well underway, followed by a reinvestment in our buildings devoted to the care and education of our missionary kids, and a building for missionary member care and our missionary medical clinic.”  

He continued, “This campus has been the Great Commission launch pad to send generations of Southern Baptist missionaries to the nations. What a privilege to have the opportunity to ensure it remains that for generations to come.” 

Missionary family care and support remain a top priority for the IMB, as evidenced by developments in abuse prevention and member care. Chitwood explained the 24/7 Global Security Operations Center from which trained team members can view real-time threats all over the world. Chitwood paused at this point in his report to reflect on the reaction of parents and grandparents who visit the security center and observe the extent the organization takes to protect their families serving overseas.  

“I get more hugs and more handshakes and more tears flow when they observe in real time how aware we are and ready to respond to danger, anywhere in the world,” he said.  

“None of these achievements matter unless they are helping Southern Baptists get the gospel to more lost people,” Chitwood said. “The good news is that each of these achievements contributes to that vital mission. I thank God for every evidence of His favor upon the IMB.”  

In closing, Chitwood reported progress toward the global realignment of IMB teams in the Moving Forward Together initiative.  

“Our overseas structures are the primary avenue for addressing lostness as the world’s greatest problem with the only solution — the gospel. This is the biblical model:missionary presence.”  

He acknowledged global shifts leading to necessary realignments. “In the providence of God, many of those changes are giving us, in 2026, unprecedented opportunities to get the gospel to the remaining unengaged peoples and see many unreached peoples become reached,” he said.  

“The burning question is, ‘How can we leverage our missionary personnel and resources to take full advantage of these opportunities?’ We can and we will by moving forward together.”  

Continued business 

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

The Human Resources Committee presented a resolution of appreciation for a missionary who passed away in service this year: THAT the following Resolution of Appreciation be adopted: The International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, expresses deep appreciation for the faithful service of one who died July 16, 2026, while in service to God through this board and pledges special prayer support for the family during the days ahead.    

At the end of the meeting, Pfeiffer commented that the meeting’s Send Relief report of earthquakes and flooding made her more aware “that the ground is groaning” and the importance of the task ahead. 

“We have a job to do,” she challenged the board. “We don’t have time to put it off or wait for a better time. As trustees, we have work to do. We have a window of time, and every day we’re one day closer to the Lord coming back.” 

Willie Smith, second vice chair, closed the meeting in prayer. The next trustee meeting will be Jan. 27-28 in Marietta, Georgia.   

 

The work of the IMB is sustained through faithful giving to the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®. 

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® is a registered trademark of Woman’s Missionary Union.