By Caroline Anderson Writer, International Mission Board The International Mission Board celebrated the appointment of 79 new missionaries on Nov. 18 in a virtual Sending Celebration streamed on Facebook and through the IMB: Advance the Kingdom app. The missionaries were previously approved by IMB trustees. The missionaries come from 21 states and will serve in eight of IMB’s nine affinities. The Sending Celebration was scheduled to be held in Alabama

By Leslie Peacock Caldwell Baptist Press RICHMOND, Va. — The International Mission Board is reporting a 2019-20 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering total of $159.5 million, the second highest offering in history. This total exceeds by $4.5 million the 175-year-old organization’s budgeted goal of $155 million. IMB also received $97.2 million from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program for 2019-20. “I’m thrilled to report that the Lottie offering is growing again,”

Baptist Press RICHMOND — International Mission Board trustees unanimously approved the appointment of 80 full-time, fully funded personnel and approved a balanced budget for 2020-2021 of $255.3 million during their Sept. 29-30 meeting. The budget reflects a 4.5 percent reduction from the 2019-2020 budget of $267.4 million. But IMB President Paul Chitwood credited Southern Baptists’ faithful giving for the IMB’s successful navigation of the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19

IMB news office Shirley Clark and her husband, Charles, served as missionaries in Venezuela for more than 30 years. They were appointed in 1951, studied the Spanish language in Costa Rica for one year, then moved to Venezuela as church planters. For more than three decades, they served among the Venezuelans. Charles served in roles including pastor, Executive Director of the Venezuela Baptist Convention, and professor at the Venezuela Baptist Seminary.

Baptist Press staff  RICHMOND, Va. — During a virtual meeting May 13-14, trustees of the International Mission Board approved the appointment of 59 new missionaries and received an update on the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which has contributed directly to a shortfall of about $4 million in the IMB’s budget and necessitated spending cuts and a hiring freeze. Trustees also elected Christy Roberson as vice president of human

By Ann Lovell IMB editorial design manager  On average, eight Christians died every day for their faith in 2019. That equals more than 2,920 people killed for the cause of Christ last year, according to the 2020 annual report from Open Doors’ World Watch List. In addition, 9,488 churches or Christian buildings were attacked, and 3,711 Christians were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned.  Overall, 260 million Christians experienced