Published by Mark Morris on 16 May 2015
FAQs on IMB Missionary Qualifications
There is great excitement about this week’s simplified, and clarified policy changes which pave the way for David Platt’s challenge to send limitless Christian Workers throughout the world. The following FAQs clarify some of the questions that have risen. See the IMB’s explanation below.
IMB trustees established a policy to streamline guidelines for appointing new personnel within the framework of the during their May 12-13 meeting in Louisville, Ky. Below are questions and answers which may explain the changes.
Q: What is the central idea of the new policy?
A: The revised policy approved by IMB trustees on May 13 creates a single statement of qualifications that will characterize every missionary serving through any pathway created by IMB to mobilize more Southern Baptists to go to unreached peoples and places with the gospel.
Q: Why are you changing missionary qualifications?
A: As we look toward the future and the limitless number of missionaries we want to mobilize from Southern Baptist churches, we know that this will likely involve many new pathways through which men and women might serve on missionary teams through the IMB. Each of these pathways may carry unique qualifications, involve various types of training and include different levels of support from IMB. However, we have seen a foundational need for a simple, clear statement of qualifications that not only unifies all IMB missionaries together, but also unifies IMB with the churches and entities of the SBC.
Q: Sending limitless missionary teams is a big goal. How do you plan to achieve this?
A: IMB aims to provide multiple pathways in which members of Southern Baptist churches may serve on a missionary team.
When you hear pathways, think possibilities—all the possible ways that ordinary Christians might serve overseas: as church planters, doctors, teachers, accountants, lawyers, fitness instructors, rickshaw drivers, retirees, students and the list goes on and on. God has providentially arranged a multiplicity of avenues through which His people can take the gospel around the world, and as IMB, we want to help Southern Baptists go through as many of those pathways as possible.
