Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is losing 1,132 personnel from its workforce through voluntary retirement or to opt out of current financial support, according to an update from International Mission Board (IMB).
Ronnie Floyd, SBC president, told the Baptist Press that the new development was "disappointing" to them.
"This reset is not regress or retreat. Southern Baptist churches must see this as a fresh calling to reaching the world for Christ. Now is the time to go forward with a clear vision and an aggressive strategy to make disciples of all the nations for Christ," he said.
Last year, the IMB had announced its decision to cut about 600 to 800 missionaries and staff to reset the finances to a sustainable budget for 2017. Even after the initial count of expected layoffs, the organization was in a $23 million deficit. …show more content…
"The stage is now set financially, organizationally and spiritually for IMB to work with Southern Baptist churches to create exponentially more opportunities for disciple making and church planting among unreached peoples around the world. IMB is committed to a future marked by faithful stewardship, operational excellence, wise evaluation, ongoing innovation and joyful devotion to making disciples and multiplying churches among the unreached."
Speaking at a recent press conference, Platt said: "When it comes down to it, we're hopeful and fairly confident that in the end, our budget projections are going to be fine, in light of all the variables at play."
About 702 missionaries and 109 staff opted to take Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI), while 281 frontline preachers and 40 other members of the SBC team took Hand Raising Opportunity (HRO) to opt out of IMB.
IMB plans to care for the needs of the missionaries so that they are not adversely affected by laying-off of the
Ronnie Floyd, SBC president, told the Baptist Press that the new development was "disappointing" to them.
"This reset is not regress or retreat. Southern Baptist churches must see this as a fresh calling to reaching the world for Christ. Now is the time to go forward with a clear vision and an aggressive strategy to make disciples of all the nations for Christ," he said.
Last year, the IMB had announced its decision to cut about 600 to 800 missionaries and staff to reset the finances to a sustainable budget for 2017. Even after the initial count of expected layoffs, the organization was in a $23 million deficit. …show more content…
"The stage is now set financially, organizationally and spiritually for IMB to work with Southern Baptist churches to create exponentially more opportunities for disciple making and church planting among unreached peoples around the world. IMB is committed to a future marked by faithful stewardship, operational excellence, wise evaluation, ongoing innovation and joyful devotion to making disciples and multiplying churches among the unreached."
Speaking at a recent press conference, Platt said: "When it comes down to it, we're hopeful and fairly confident that in the end, our budget projections are going to be fine, in light of all the variables at play."
About 702 missionaries and 109 staff opted to take Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI), while 281 frontline preachers and 40 other members of the SBC team took Hand Raising Opportunity (HRO) to opt out of IMB.
IMB plans to care for the needs of the missionaries so that they are not adversely affected by laying-off of the