NAMB President Outlines Mission Goals Through 2010

The president of the North American Mission Board outlined six major ministry goals to help it through 2010 during the board's recent trustee meeting.

By Kenneth Chan, Monday, February 14, 2005

The president of the North American Mission Board outlined six major ministry goals to help the domestic missions agency of the Southern Baptist Convention through 2010 during the board's recent trustee meeting.

"The answer to our effectiveness is focus, focus, focus," NAMB President Robert E. (Bob) Reccord told the trustees during the Feb. 9 meeting. "Our job is to make a square peg called the Gospel fit in a round hole called the culture and to make a difference in our land."

The goals outlined by Reccord include:

1. Sharing Christ: To equip 1 million believers to share the Gospel resulting in 400,000 baptisms by the end of 2005; and by 2010 to equip 1 million believers annually to share the Gospel resulting in 500,000 baptisms per year.

2. Starting Churches: To help engage 6,300 Southern Baptist churches in church planting efforts by the end of 2005; and by 2010 enlist 11,000 Southern Baptist churches in church planting efforts.

3. Volunteering in Missions: To equip and mobilize 125,000 volunteers in missions by the end of 2005; and by 2010 to equip and mobilize 750,000 volunteers annually.

4. Sending Missionaries: To enlist and equip more than 8,130 Southern Baptist missionaries and chaplains for service throughout North America by the end of 2005 and increase NAMB¡¦s missionary force to 10,000 missionaries and chaplains by 2010.

5. Impacting the Culture: To equip 20,000 believers to impact their culture for Christ in the marketplace by the end of 2005; and by the end of 2010 to reach 40 million homes for Christ through the media.

6. Equipping Leaders: To equip 30,000 leaders for ministry and enlist 6,300 Southern Baptist churches to participate in the Acts 1:8 Challenge missions strategy by the end of 2005; and by 2010 to equip 250,000 leaders and enlist 11,000 Southern Baptist churches in the Acts 1:8 Challenge. Launched in May 2004 by representatives of the International Mission Board, NAMB, state conventions and local associations, the Acts 1:8 Challenge asks churches to embrace a comprehensive, year-round strategy for reaching their local, regional, national and international mission fields in partnership with their denominational missions partners.

During the meeting, Reccord also called on the trustees to help lead Southern Baptists in their churches to participate in a missions project this summer in New York City, called "Paint the Town." Reccord said 10,000 mission volunteers are needed during a two-month period this summer to help repaint 20 public schools and share the Gospel in New York City.

"The Bronx is counting on Southern Baptists to do that," Reccord said.