Welcome to IMB Alumni Connections!

Photo of Victor Hou


As missionaries, we are sent from our church to the nations, serving the church as we carry out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. The Apostle Paul modeled the importance of connecting with the churches as part of the missionary task.

Learning from Paul’s example, we must pray for, share with, and serve our sending and supporting churches, which, in our case, includes every church in the Southern Baptist Convention because every church has a part in our support through their cooperative giving.


More than ever, we have the opportunity to help reignite the passion of Southern Baptists for the nations. We are not just looking for drive-by visits and one-time preaching opportunities at churches. We want to redefine our relationships with Southern Baptists, building sustained, ongoing relationships so that every Southern Baptist church is connected with at least one IMB missionary.


Church Connections was started to develop and implement this vision of every SBC church joining every IMB missionary to engage every people group and city. The goal of Church Connections is that every missionary connects each quarter with every church in their portfolio of churches.


The call of mission is what drew Southern Baptists to cooperate 178 years ago, and the call of mission is what will keep Southern Baptists together today.

Victor Hou, Associate Vice President, Global Advancement 

Resources and Events

Events

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Missionary Parent and IMB Alumni Gathering
10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204
May 17, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
$10 per-person 
Register: [email protected] 
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IMB Alumni Fellowship at SBC
Indiana Convention Center
June 12, 8 – 10 a.m.
IMB presence point icon Together for the Nations
In person
Various locations and times
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Church Connections

Feature Story

Church Connections

When was the last time an IMB missionary spoke at this rural North Carolina church?

Denver and Trish posed this question to the pastor, who paused, racking his brain. He’d been the pastor of the church for 25 years, and these were the first missionaries to speak at his church.

Every Sunday, the bulletin included a section calling for prayer for IMB missionaries, but the church had never had one visit.

“There are churches out there that have been praying and giving for years and haven’t heard personally from one of their IMB missionaries in decades, or maybe ever,” Denver shared. Denver and Trish serve as affinity stateside associates (ASAs), liaisons between missionaries and local Southern Baptist churches in the U.S.

“When we started looking at the number of churches that were not being connected with, the numbers were overwhelming. In essence, we were only connecting with around half of the estimated 47,000 churches in the SBC,” said Denver and Trish, who serve as missionaries among Asian peoples.

The Church Connections effort was created to foster connections and relationships between the IMB and Southern Baptist churches.

“It is when the IMB missionaries and Southern Baptist churches, pastors, leaders, and members agree that the world's greatest problem is lostness, and it is when we work together in the Great Commission to attack this problem that we are the strongest,” Doug Roberts said. Doug and his wife, Dana, serve as ASAs for the Americas.

“Our missionaries, through a relationship with a Southern Baptist church, can encourage and challenge the church in the missionary task, both in the U.S. and abroad,” Doug said.

The ASAs and several IMB departments worked together to create Church Connections, which includes a training course, resources, and a Church Connections app to measure progress and record data of each interaction.

In addition to the sending and partnering churches IMB missionaries already communicate with, missionaries were given a portfolio of 20 to 25 churches to contact.

The missionary’s goal is to try and connect with every church in their portfolio at least once a quarter, whether on the mission field or in the U.S. Missionaries write emails, make phone calls, send letters, make drop-in visits, and fulfill speaking engagements.

“We want this to be mutually beneficial — our churches praying for us and our missionaries praying for their churches,” Denver and Trish said. “We're in this together. As our IMB mission statement says, we are ‘to serve Southern Baptists in carrying out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.’”

“We can do this better by working together, praying for each other, serving each other, sharing burdens and praises, and celebrating what the Lord is doing among the nations, here and abroad,” Denver continued.

One of the ways the ASAs would love assistance is through alumni.

“For those who would be willing to be ‘boots on the ground’ to help find solid contact information for our field missionaries, we welcome the assistance,” Trish said.

If interested, alumni could go on behalf of missionaries to form a connection with churches that haven’t responded after multiple attempts. Churches may not have responded due to outdated contact information, or the church may no longer exist or is no longer affiliated with the SBC.

Being available as a ‘church connector’ is one of the ways alumni can continue to buttress the work of IMB missionaries. If you would like to know more about this and other advocate opportunities that support the vital connection between the field and the church, please use this link.

When was the last time an IMB missionary spoke at this rural North Carolina church?

Denver and Trish posed this question to the pastor, who paused, racking his brain. He’d been the pastor of the church for 25 years, and these were the first missionaries to speak at his church.

Every Sunday, the bulletin included a section calling for prayer for IMB missionaries, but the church had never had one visit.

“There are churches out there that have been praying and giving for years and haven’t heard personally from one of their IMB missionaries in decades, or maybe ever,” Denver shared. Denver and Trish serve as affinity stateside associates (ASAs), liaisons between missionaries and local Southern Baptist churches in the U.S.

“When we started looking at the number of churches that were not being connected with, the numbers were overwhelming. In essence, we were only connecting with around half of the estimated 47,000 churches in the SBC,” said Denver and Trish, who serve as missionaries among Asian peoples.

The Church Connections effort was created to foster connections and relationships between the IMB and Southern Baptist churches.

“It is when the IMB missionaries and Southern Baptist churches, pastors, leaders, and members agree that the world's greatest problem is lostness, and it is when we work together in the Great Commission to attack this problem that we are the strongest,” Doug Roberts said. Doug and his wife, Dana, serve as ASAs for the Americas.

“Our missionaries, through a relationship with a Southern Baptist church, can encourage and challenge the church in the missionary task, both in the U.S. and abroad,” Doug said.

The ASAs and several IMB departments worked together to create Church Connections, which includes a training course, resources, and a Church Connections app to measure progress and record data of each interaction.

In addition to the sending and partnering churches IMB missionaries already communicate with, missionaries were given a portfolio of 20 to 25 churches to contact.

The missionary’s goal is to try and connect with every church in their portfolio at least once a quarter, whether on the mission field or in the U.S. Missionaries write emails, make phone calls, send letters, make drop-in visits, and fulfill speaking engagements.

“We want this to be mutually beneficial — our churches praying for us and our missionaries praying for their churches,” Denver and Trish said. “We're in this together. As our IMB mission statement says, we are ‘to serve Southern Baptists in carrying out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.’”

“We can do this better by working together, praying for each other, serving each other, sharing burdens and praises, and celebrating what the Lord is doing among the nations, here and abroad,” Denver continued.

One of the ways the ASAs would love assistance is through alumni.

“For those who would be willing to be ‘boots on the ground’ to help find solid contact information for our field missionaries, we welcome the assistance,” Trish said.

If interested, alumni could go on behalf of missionaries to form a connection with churches that haven’t responded after multiple attempts. Churches may not have responded due to outdated contact information, or the church may no longer exist or is no longer affiliated with the SBC.

Being available as a ‘church connector’ is one of the ways alumni can continue to buttress the work of IMB missionaries. If you would like to know more about this and other advocate opportunities that support the vital connection between the field and the church, please use this link.

Get Involved

Our Mission is to serve Southern Baptists in carrying out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.

Connecting with churches is vital to making our mission a reality. If you would like to know more and even get involved with one of our advocate opportunities that support this connection between the field and the church, please use this link to let us know.

Affinity Highlights

Picture of Aghan Women

Church Connections helps fulfill childhood dream

Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples

This year, despite having war break out where we serve, I have seen my childhood dreams come to fruition in very tangible ways.  It was so rewarding for Hannah and me to see the first church from our Church Connections portfolio send a team to help us in our work. Shadow Mountain Community Church of El Cajon, California, sent a team to do service projects in May 2023.

At first, this team was going to pay for their stay at a local camp. But after their second day of serving, the operations manager at the camp insisted on canceling their invoice for the stay! The manager said they had already helped the maintenance team so much in their first two days of service. Soon after this, the camp hosted a festival, and this team was able to serve hundreds of people who came for worship and fellowship. For me as a Christian Camp guy, it was so worthwhile to be able to see one of my Church Connections churches be able to travel all the way to where we serve and see them serving with us in a camp setting. We were in our natural habitat that week. The trip continued to bless everyone as we led them to many biblical sites. Important decisions were made by team members who were very touched by seeing where Scripture unfolded.

It is humbling to have the opportunity to live out our calling, which includes bringing together our praying churches in the States with our ministry in Northern Africa and the Middle East.
— Ray Rosengarten

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them," Ephesians 2:10 (ESV).

Thank you, Father, for these church partners who are joining in the work you are doing in NAME. Please call out more who can pray, give, and go so that more people can hear and receive the good news of salvation.

For prayer requests unique to the affinity where you served, download the IMB Pray App below.

Picture of Afghan Women

Church Connections helps fulfill childhood dream 

Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples


This year, despite having war break out where we serve, I have seen my childhood dreams come to fruition in very tangible ways. It was so rewarding for Hannah and me to see the first church from our Church Connections portfolio send a team to help us in our work. Shadow Mountain Community Church of El Cajon, California, sent a team to do service projects in May 2023.

At first, this team was going to pay for their stay at a local camp. But after their second day of serving, the operations manager at the camp insisted on canceling their invoice for the stay! The manager said they had already helped the maintenance team so much in their first two days of service. Soon after this, the camp hosted a festival, and this team was able to serve hundreds of people who came for worship and fellowship. For me as a Christian Camp guy, it was so worthwhile to be able to see one of my Church Connections churches be able to travel all the way to where we serve and see them serving with us in a camp setting. We were in our natural habitat that week. The trip continued to bless everyone as we led them to many biblical sites. Important decisions were made by team members who were very touched by seeing where Scripture unfolded.

It is humbling to have the opportunity to live out our calling, which includes bringing together our praying churches in the States with our ministry in Northern Africa and the Middle East.
— Ray Rosengarten

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them," Ephesians 2:10 (ESV).
Thank You, Father, for these church partners who are joining in the work you are doing in NAME. Please call out more who can pray, give, and go so that more people can hear and receive the good news of salvation.

Church Connections makes monumental task manageable

Sub-Saharan African Peoples

Forty-nine unreached and unengaged people groups (UUPGs) — where do we even start? It’s an overwhelming number to even think about starting relationships with. In addition to the 49, many other UUPGs from other parts of the world live in Johannesburg, South Africa.

We’re Jonathan and Ashley, and we serve with the IMB in Johannesburg. We are tasked with reaching these UUPGs with the gospel. Thanks to the IMB’s Church Connections efforts, this monumental task is more attainable.

We dedicated time to sending emails, making calls, and writing letters to the churches we were assigned. One of those churches was Connect Church in Sevierville, Tennessee. The missions pastor responded to our email, asking to meet. The youth pastor joined, and just like that, a relationship and partnership formed.

After the initial meeting, the youth pastor came to Johannesburg on a vision trip to learn more and explore how Connect Church could become involved and invested in our work starting in the city. This involved a lot of prayer and many conversations. After the vision trip, the church committed to giving monthly to our team’s special gifts fund — above and beyond what they already give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® each year. The church is planning more trips to Johannesburg.

Before learning of our ministry, Connect Church knew they were called to somehow and somewhere adopt a UUPG. When they heard about the many UUPGs in Johannesburg, the church became eager to partner, and their call to engage lostness in Johannesburg was confirmed.

Instead of adopting just one UUPG as they had envisioned, Connect Church adopted a much bigger vision of reaching multiple UUPGs. God expanded their vision toward even farther-reaching kingdom work than they had imagined. God answered the “how” and the “where” with more clarity.

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us," 1 John 5:4 (ESV).

Thank you, Lord, for the work you are doing through Connect Church and others like them. Thank you for allowing them to hear Your voice and know Your leading as they seek to impact lostness around the world. Please raise up many others who are willing to go wherever You send them.

Church Connections makes monumental task manageable

Sub-Saharan African Peoples


Forty-nine unreached and unengaged people groups (UUPGs) — where do we even start? It’s an overwhelming number to even think about starting relationships with. In addition to the 49, many other UUPGs from other parts of the world live in Johannesburg, South Africa.

We’re Jonathan and Ashley, and we serve with the IMB in Johannesburg. We are tasked with reaching these UUPGs with the gospel. Thanks to the IMB’s Church Connections efforts, this monumental task is more attainable.

We dedicated time to sending emails, making calls, and writing letters to the churches we were assigned. One of those churches was Connect Church in Sevierville, Tennessee. The missions pastor responded to our email, asking to meet. The youth pastor joined, and just like that, a relationship and partnership formed.

After the initial meeting, the youth pastor came to Johannesburg on a vision trip to learn more and explore how Connect Church could become involved and invested in our work starting in the city. This involved a lot of prayer and many conversations. After the vision trip, the church committed to giving monthly to our team’s special gifts fund — above and beyond what they already give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® each year. The church is planning more trips to Johannesburg.

Before learning of our ministry, Connect Church knew they were called to somehow and somewhere adopt a UUPG. When they heard about the many UUPGs in Johannesburg, the church became eager to partner, and their call to engage lostness in Johannesburg was confirmed.

Instead of adopting just one UUPG as they had envisioned, Connect Church adopted a much bigger vision of reaching multiple UUPGs. God expanded their vision toward even farther-reaching kingdom work than they had imagined. God answered the “how” and the “where” with more clarity.

Thank You, Lord, for the work you are doing through Connect Church and others like them. Thank you for allowing them to hear Your voice and know Your leading as they seek to impact lostness around the world. Please raise up many others who are willing to go wherever You send them.

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us," 1 John 5:4 (ESV).

A group of men fellowshipping
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Affinity Statistics

North African & Middle Eastern Peoples:

  • The world’s major religions — Islam, Judaism, and Christianity — all have significant populations in Northern Africa and the Middle East.
  • 65% of the world's current conflicts are happening in Northern Africa and the Middle East.
  • Roughly 8 out of 10 people from Northern Africa and the Middle East use social media.
  • More refugees come from this region than any other place in the world, resulting in a large diaspora population.

Sub-Saharan African Peoples:


  • 1 person every 5 seconds enters into a hopeless eternity.
  • 1,657 unreached people groups live in sprawling cities, barren deserts, rainforests, and on tropical islands.
  • 62% of people are under the age of 25, and the region is home to the youngest population in the world.
  • About 1 out of every 3 displaced people in the world live in Africa.

Alumni Spotlight

Wayne and Barbara Myers served as IMB missionaries for 23 years in Eswatini.

Ministry to Eswatini never ended for missionary alumnus

When Wayne Myers, a retired International Mission Board missionary, returns to visit Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), he never goes alone. He wants churches in the U.S. to catch the vision he has for the Church in Eswatini. So, he always takes a short-term mission team with him.

Since his retirement in 2015, the former missionary continues to average two trips per year back to his beloved Eswatini. Returning to the field is only natural since he and his wife, Barbara, spent 23 years of their lives living among the people, sharing the gospel, planting churches, and watching them grow into healthy, evangelistic national churches.

Wayne, who is now the lead pastor of Frenchburg Baptist Church in Frenchburg, Kentucky, says not a week goes by where he’s not talking to an Eswatini believer through WhatsApp.

Barbara hasn’t been able to return to the country since they left, as she cares for her mother as her health declines. Still, she stays in close communication with nationals. She takes the information she receives from Eswatini churches and writes a weekly prayer letter on their behalf. Much like they did while they were still full-time missionaries, they distribute the newsletter to prayer partners in the U.S., leading them to pray for national churches. Barbara has rarely missed a week of this practice in over 30 years. Both Barbara and Wayne are excited that her first trip back to the country will happen in October, as a 50th wedding anniversary gift to themselves.

Mobilizing churches to do missions has long been a passion of the Myerses. While they were still on the field, First Baptist Church in Washington, North Carolina, supported their ministry through partnership overseas. Now that he’s based in the U.S., he partners with them to lead groups from that church or other churches in the U.S. on mission trips.

When asked why he continues serving the people of Eswatini, even after he retired from the IMB, Wayne simply responded, “The Lord just hasn’t let me go. Even though I’m here, my call is still there — to call out others God is raising up to go.”

“My heart is still there,” he added.

He finds the work he does fulfilling now because he can take the deep relationships he developed and fostered over the years, and he can help bridge the gap between Eswatini churches and Southern Baptist churches in the U.S.

“I love the IMB. I'm forever grateful for the support of Southern Baptists. There’s no way I would have ever even been a missionary to Eswatini, had it not been for them.”

Wayne Myers smiles for a photo with Chris Msibi, the son of the first woman the Myerses led to faith.

Ministry to Eswatini never ended for missionary alumnus

Wayne and Barbara Myers served as IMB missionaries for 23 years in Eswatini.

Wayne Myers smiles for a photo with Chris Msibi, the son of the first woman the Myerses led to faith.

Ministry to Eswatini never ended for missionary alumnus

When Wayne Myers, a retired International Mission Board missionary, returns to visit Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), he never goes alone. He wants churches in the U.S. to catch the vision he has for the Church in Eswatini. So, he always takes a short-term mission team with him.

Since his retirement in 2015, the former missionary continues to average two trips per year back to his beloved Eswatini. Returning to the field is only natural since he and his wife, Barbara, spent 23 years of their lives living among the people, sharing the gospel, planting churches, and watching them grow into healthy, evangelistic national churches.

Wayne, who is now the lead pastor of Frenchburg Baptist Church in Frenchburg, Kentucky, says not a week goes by where he’s not talking to an Eswatini believer through WhatsApp.

Barbara hasn’t been able to return to the country since they left, as she cares for her mother as her health declines. Still, she stays in close communication with nationals. She takes the information she receives from Eswatini churches and writes a weekly prayer letter on their behalf. Much like they did while they were still full-time missionaries, they distribute the newsletter to prayer partners in the U.S., leading them to pray for national churches. Barbara has rarely missed a week of this practice in over 30 years. Both Barbara and Wayne are excited that her first trip back to the country will happen in October, as a 50th wedding anniversary gift to themselves.

Mobilizing churches to do missions has long been a passion of the Myerses. While they were still on the field, First Baptist Church in Washington, North Carolina, supported their ministry through partnership overseas. Now that he’s based in the U.S., he partners with them to lead groups from that church or other churches in the U.S. on mission trips.

When asked why he continues serving the people of Eswatini, even after he retired from the IMB, Wayne simply responded, “The Lord just hasn’t let me go. Even though I’m here, my call is still there — to call out others God is raising up to go.”

“My heart is still there,” he added.

He finds the work he does fulfilling now because he can take the deep relationships he developed and fostered over the years, and he can help bridge the gap between Eswatini churches and Southern Baptist churches in the U.S.

“I love the IMB. I'm forever grateful for the support of Southern Baptists. There’s no way I would have ever even been a missionary to Eswatini, had it not been for them.” 

TCK Corner

We want to hear from you!

Adult TCKs are part of our IMB alumni network. We want them to hear from us, and we want to hear their stories! We collect their email addresses via the “Update your contact information” link below.

If you know an adult TCK we should feature, please tell us more by using the “Send us a message” form at the footer of this page. Help us build our adult TCK base by spreading the word!

Meanwhile, a volunteer opportunity from our Young Adult TCK Advocate, Claire Pablo

"We recently launched an online community platform for TCKs and are looking for young adult TCKs to help as we foster connections, share opportunities, and provide support."

If you are interested in volunteering 2-3 hours per week within this online community, please contact Claire Pablo at [email protected] to learn more!

Save the date for our TCK Thanksgiving Retreat at ILC: November 27-30, 2024.
This event is open to all Young Adult TCKs ages 18-23. Enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, worship, time in the Word, and plenty of time to relax and hang out with other TCKs. Email Claire at [email protected] for more information.

 

Home Office Staff

Pat Lawson


Pat Lawson stands with her former supervisor, Larry Cox, at an event.

Pat Lawson started working at what was formerly the Foreign Mission Board, now the International Mission Board, in 1963. Her tenure included stints in many departments, including education, medical, public relations, development, and mobilization. Pat says hearing her coworkers’ stories of serving on the field and seeing the love they showed for others strengthened her faith and gave her a broader worldview.

Shortly after she retired in 2006, Pat started sending an alumni email at the request of other retirees. She and her friends missed getting the AM Advisor, a former daily communication, and wanted to keep up with the birthdays and prayer concerns of their IMB family. She started with a very small, and what she calls “very unofficial”, distribution list that has grown to almost 400 people.

Besides keeping up with her IMB friends, Pat organizes the prayer list for her Sunday School class at Richmond’s First Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. She has recently moved to Avery Point and is looking forward to getting involved with the community there.

Thank you, Pat, for your continued faithful service to the IMB family.

Three ways to stay engaged

Update your contact information

The best way to stay connected and ensure you learn about special opportunities in your area is to update your contact information. 

Get in touch with us

Send us feedback, tell us about upcoming alumni gatherings, share about your ministry, request prayer, ask questions — we want to hear from you! 

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Your Alumni Team

Laura Harrell, Director Alumni & Advocate Engagement
Sharon Pumpelly, WMU, Alumni & Parent Networks Associate
Marlo Salamy, Alumni Engagement Coordinator

 [email protected]
 +1 (804) 353-0151

3806 Monument Ave. Richmond, VA, 23230

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