IMB’s President, Paul Chitwood, addressed Southern Baptist messengers and guests at the SBC Annual Meeting, emphasizing the importance of the Great Pursuit in Southern Baptist missions. He highlighted the growth in baptisms, new church members, and worship attendance based on the Annual Church Profile (ACP) numbers released by Lifeway.
Chitwood also shared the positive impact of the Annual Statistical Report (ASR), which showcased the work of IMB overseas missionary teams in reaching people with the gospel. The report indicated that over 451,000 people heard a complete gospel presentation, with 141,000 professing faith in Jesus Christ and 116,992 new believers baptized through the efforts of IMB missionaries.
In addition to these numbers, more than 129,000 Bibles and 157,000 Scripture portions were distributed, and over 400,000 people were impacted by human needs projects. Chitwood highlighted the importance of training 60,000 people in evangelism and appointing 266 fully funded missionaries, including 83 who participated in the Sending Celebration.
Despite the positive reports, Chitwood reminded the audience of the growing lostness in the world, with an average of 174,202 souls entering a Christless eternity each day. He urged Southern Baptists to be motivated by the urgency of reaching the lost with the gospel.
Chitwood expressed gratitude for the generous financial support received through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®, which has enabled the IMB to continue its mission of making disciples of all nations. He encouraged churches to connect with IMB missionaries through the Church Connections initiative to be directly involved in global missions.
The IMB’s Project 3000 aims to reach the remaining unengaged, unreached people groups, with a goal of sending 300 young missionaries to explore these groups by 2026. Chitwood emphasized the importance of remaining committed to the Great Commission and the Great Pursuit of reaching the lost with the gospel.
As Southern Baptists continue their mission, Chitwood concluded by reminding them of the ultimate goal – to see a Great Multitude standing before the throne and the Lamb from every nation, tribe, and language. He acknowledged that there is still much work to be done to ensure that all nations have the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond to God’s call.