One of the most beautiful realities of being a Southern Baptist church is that we are never serving alone. Every Sunday, churches just like Grace Maricopa gather across America to worship Christ, proclaim His Word, and advance His mission. Through our cooperation, God is using ordinary churches to accomplish extraordinary gospel work around the world.
This month, I want to focus on one of the ministries that makes that global impact possible: The International Mission Board (IMB).
WHAT IS THE IMB?
The International Mission Board exists for one purpose: to make Jesus known among the nations.
Founded in 1845, the IMB serves as the international missions sending agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. Today, thousands of Southern Baptist missionaries serve across the globe, taking the gospel to people groups who have little or no access to the truth of Jesus Christ.
Many of the places where IMB missionaries serve are difficult, restricted, and often dangerous environments. Some labor in bustling cities, others in remote villages. Some teach English, provide medical care, or support community development efforts. All of them share the same mission: making disciples and planting churches among the nations.
Their work reflects the command Jesus gave His followers in Matthew 28:19-20a,
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you..."
The IMB exists to help churches obey that command.
HOW ARE THE IMB MISSIONARIES FUNDED?
One of the most unique aspects of Southern Baptist missions is the way missionaries are supported.
Unlike many mission organizations, IMB missionaries do not spend years fundraising and seeking individual financial supporters. Instead, Southern Baptists have chosen a cooperative approach that allows missionaries to focus on ministry rather than raising money.
This happens primarily through two channels:
THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM
Every time you give to Grace Maricopa, a portion of that gift supports the Cooperative Program.
Through the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptist churches around the nation combine resources to support international missions, church planting, theological education, disaster relief, and other gospel ministries. What may seem like a small contribution from one church becomes a tremendous force for kingdom impact when joined with thousands of other churches.
Our church may never physically stand in many of the places where IMB missionaries serve, but through our giving, we participate in the work God is doing there.
THE LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING
Each year Southern Baptist churches also receive a special offering called the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Unlike Cooperative Program funds, one hundred percent of this offering goes directly to support international missionaries. These gifts help provide training, transportation, housing, ministry resources, and ongoing support for missionaries around the world.
Together, the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Offering enable Southern Baptists to maintain one of the largest missionary forces in the world.
HOW CAN WE JOIN THE MISSION?
For many years, Grace Maricopa has faithfully supported missions through prayer and giving. Those commitments remain essential. But I believe God is opening a new chapter for our church.
Last month, I began the process of connecting Grace Maricopa with international missionaries for the purpose of developing a long-term ministry partnership.
My vision is simple: Rather than merely supporting missions from a distance, we will actively participate in missions on the field.
Imagine a church where members regularly travel overseas to serve alongside missionaries we know personally. Imagine building lasting relationships with heralds of the gospel God has sent to foreign lands, encouraging them in their ministry, helping meet their practical needs, and participating directly in the work God is doing among the nations.
Our goal is to establish a partnership that would allow Grace Maricopa to send mission teams one or two times each year to support a specific missionary family and ministry location.
These trips would not be Christian tourism. They would be opportunities for meaningful evangelism, encouragement, discipleship, and kingdom partnership.
FROM REFUGE TO RESCUE
One conviction I have had this year is that our church must move from a Refuge Culture to a Rescue Culture.
A refuge culture focuses primarily on helping believers find safety, encouragement, and community within the church. Those things are important and biblical.
But a rescue culture remembers that there are still people who have never heard the gospel. There are people in our own community who are trapped in darkness and sin with no hope or light of truth in their life. There are people enslaved to evil in nations where access to Scripture is limited. There are millions who need the hope found only in Jesus Christ.
The church is not merely a place where rescued people gather.
The church is a people sent to participate in God's rescue mission.
As we pursue this international partnership, my prayer is that Grace Maricopa will increasingly see ourselves not only as supporters of missions but as participants in missions.
WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
As we continue exploring these opportunities, I would ask you to join me in three ways:
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Pray for the missionaries currently serving through the IMB.
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Give faithfully through your ongoing support of Grace Maricopa and the Cooperative Program.
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Be willing to go if God opens the door for future mission opportunities.
The nations may seem far away, but through the gospel, God has connected us to His work around the world.
Who knows? The next chapter of missions at Grace Maricopa may include members of our church standing shoulder to shoulder with missionaries overseas, serving Christ together and helping make His name known among the nations.
And what an incredible privilege and exciting moment that would be.
