Missionaries lead time of prayer together in a small group.

Asa Watson, newly appointed missionary to Germany, prays in German during the IMB’s Sending Celebration, June 11. He and three other missionaries closed the ceremony by praying in different languages. IMB Photo

Standing behind a screen to protect their identity, newly appointment missionaries share their testimony using American Sign Language. The couple will work among the Deaf. IMB Photo

Micheal and Liz Davis are joining the great pursuit to reach those in Europe who are living in darkness. They are being sent by Trinity Baptist Church, Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma. IMB Photo

Messengers and guests at the Southern Baptist Convention applaud IMB missionaries who will serve in countries where it is either illegal to share the gospel or Christians are strongly persecuted. Eighty-three newly appointed missionaries, plus two previously appointed missionaries participating with spouses, were part of a Sending Celebration in the first session of the annual meeting on June 11 in Indianapolis. IMB Photo

Newly appointed missionaries share a little of their testimony and work they will do with more than 13,000 Southern Baptist messengers and their guests on June 11. This large group of missionaries, 85, sent out during the 2024 SBC annual meeting will serve in every affinity in the world where IMB currently works. IMB Photo

Danny and Eunice (Park) Kwack share greetings at the Sending Celebration on Feb. 14 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Kwacks will be serving in São Paulo, Brazil. They are sent from Global Mission Church of Greater Washington, Silver Springs, Maryland. The Kwacks are an example of how God is moving among the nations to call people across cultures. From Korea to the U.S. to Brazil, God is mobilizing His Church to spread the gospel. IMB Photo

Todd and Michele Linn are being appointed as missionaries to serve among Sub-Saharan African Peoples. They are being sent from Oakhill Baptist Church in Evansville, Indiana. IMB Photo

Priscila (in yellow) and Cheyenne Solis (center) greeted attenders in Spanish before sharing that they will be serving among Southeast Asians. They are being sent by Stonegate Fellowship in Midland, Texas. IMB Photo

Chad and Miriam Pumpelly are returning to Africa where they first met and became high school sweethearts. This is their second appointment as career IMB missionaries. IMB Photo

This single man is heading to an area of the world that cannot be publicly named. Counting the cost and finding Christ worthy, IMB missionaries face the edge of lostness and people often hostile to the gospel. IMB Photo

IMB President Paul Chitwood spent time talking with missionaries and praying with them before they took the stage at the Sending Celebration held on Feb. 14 at North Phoenix Baptist Church. IMB Photo

Wang and Hyeonah Lee, along with their children, Immanuel (11), Irene (7), and Isaac (5), are being sent by New Song Church in Carrolton, Texas, to join the team in São Paulo, Brazil, and provide sound theological education there. IMB Photo

Patrick and Kathryn Thompson surrounded by friends and family during the prayer time at the IMB’s Sending Celebration. Jeff Gin, IMB’s vice president of mobilization, led attendees in prayer. He asked them to “hold the ropes” as William Carey, the father of modern missions, requested of the church in his day. IMB Photo

A missionary gives her testimony to attendees at the Sending Celebration, held in conjunction with the Florida Baptist Convention annual meeting. She is obscured from the crowd by a partition because she is called to a people group that may be hostile toward the gospel. For her safety and those she serves among, she is not publicly connected with IMB. In her country of service, she will generally be known by her real name or maybe by a nickname given to her by local friends. IMB Photo

Patrick and Kathryn Thompson are excited about taking what they learned as New York City church planters to Nice, France, to reach the post-Christian society there. They participated in the November 2023 Sending Celebration in Tampa, Florida. IMB Photo

Tim and Iracema Kunkel gathered with others to pray with their son, Steven, at the missionary Sending Celebration on Sept. 27. Kunkel will use his gifts of art, languages and evangelism to share the gospel in Japan. IMB Photo

Some missionaries were not shown online for security reasons. Three of the couples were presented on stage but could not speak publicly because they are going to areas so secure that voice recognition could pose a risk. IMB Photo

Peter and Tina Kim greet their pastor, Chul Yoo, and his wife, Lauri, from Christ Community Church, Ashton, Maryland. The Kims are being sent to reach Asians in Brazil with their three children. IMB Photo

Newly appointed IMB missionaries Steven Kunkel (left), Peter and Tina Kim are pictured together following the IMB Sending Celebration at Swift Creek Baptist Church in Midlothian, Virginia. Kunkel, who grew up as a missionary kid in Brazil, is now heading to Japan, while the Kims are set to serve Asians in Brazil. IMB Photo