IMB‘s recent structure change takes the focus off of geographical designations and places it on eight global affinity groups that encompass all of the world’s 11,000-plus known people groups. Affinity groups are defined as “large groupings of related peoples that share similar origins, languages and cultures.”
Among the most significant changes is the elimination of constraints that once confined missionaries’ work to geographical regions, freeing them to pursue the lost regardless of their location. Replacing the IMB’s regional configuration is the natural progression of the people group emphasis that now serves as the cornerstone of Southern Baptists’ church-planting strategy.
One purpose in structuring this way is to facilitate strategic partnerships between the field and churches. IMB President, Dr. Jerry Rankin comments:
“There’s a common misperception that the International Mission Board exists to do missions on behalf of Southern Baptist churches. But Christ didn’t give the Great Commission to the IMB – He gave it to the church. One of the most significant changes in our core values is moving from a strategy of sending missionareis to one of serving and facilitating churches and partners.”
Citing an example of a Hopkins, S.C. church that has adopted an unreached people group, Rankin states that forging new partnerships with individual churches is a “critical stratigic component of the mission agencies plan to restructure.” IMB recognizes the fact that there may never be enough missionaries to reach such a massive number of lost people and therefore it is looking to the potential mission force in the local churches.
This change in strategy and structure coincides with the structural changes made in the KBC Partnership Missions Department last Spring (see Change of Structure:ALL THE WORLD). Already, associations, churches and pastors across the state are catching the vision to form their own partnerships directly with the mission field in order to continue to grow in their level of involvement .
To find out more about how your church can begin the journey of becoming more directly involved in overseas missions contact me at the KBC or visit our website by clicking here.
The source of the content of this post is the Spring 2009 “To the Ends of the Earth” magazine, produced by the International Mission Board (IMB). To get a copy of this edition or subscribe to this publication offered FREE to Southern Baptists call (800) 999-3113 or e-mail imb@imb.org.
