Alabama Baptists are joining South Carolina Baptists in donating $1 million to the International Mission Board to be used for renovation of missionary housing at the International Learning Center. The ILC is IMB’s campus in Rockville, Virginia, where new missionaries are trained and where missionaries return during stateside assignments.
The money is coming from the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions’ capital improvement fund and was approved by SBOM trustees May 14 during their regularly scheduled quarterly meeting.
Rick Lance, SBOM executive director, said, “IMB’s work is at the heart of what we do. … We have 400-plus missionaries who claim Alabama as home … and $1 million should cover the cost of one full dormitory.”
The dorm covered by Alabama Baptists will be marked in memory of Alabama’s own Martha Myers, who was martyred in Yemen in 2002. “She was one of a kind,” Lance said.
“I happened to be on IMB’s board when the ILC was built, and it hasn’t been touched since it was built in 1985,” he added.
Other state conventions are assisting financially with the quad housing upgrades ($300,000). The IMB is seeking commitments from as many state conventions as possible. Read more from the recent IMB board meeting here.
2027 CP budget goal
Also approved during the SBOM trustee meeting May 14 is a 2027 Cooperative Program allocation budget goal of $38.5 million, which is $1 million over the 2026 budget and slightly under the nearly $40 million received in 2025.
“It’s reachable and responsible,” Lance said, noting SBOM staff anticipates a 3% decrease in receipts from 2025 to 2026, so they wanted to find the appropriate mark for 2027, especially with a new executive director taking the helm after the budget is set.
Education Commission deactivated
In other news, the longstanding state convention education commission was deactivated by vote of the trustees since CP funds only go to one institute of higher learning now (University of Mobile). It’s main role was to monitor the allocations of CP funds to the original three schools (which included Judson College and Samford University until recent years) along with the A. Earl Potts Scholarship.
The workload has decreased substantially and it can be handled by the SBOM staff, Lance said.
Latest from search team
Trustees also heard a report from the executive director transition and search team.
Buddy Champion, chair of the team, said, “The stable is full of some really good thoroughbreds. We realized we are not lacking for talent but of God’s direction.”
Asking for continued prayer, specifically each Thursday at 2:30 p.m. when the team meets together virtually to work through the next steps, Champion shared the weight of the pressure he and the others feel as they seek God’s direction for the next executive director.
“We pray God will lead us and guide us and direct us, and we are so appreciative of all your prayers.”
Champion also noted the team seeks to stay on the initial schedule outlined if all falls into place. The steps in front of them are to make their selection and launch a thorough investigative phase on the person’s background and credentials. If all continues going well, the team would then present a candidate to the SBOM trustees in August. And if approved by trustees, the candidate would have several months to work alongside Lance, who is set to retire Jan. 31, 2027.
“There will be a lot of work that needs to take place, especially when we find that person, to make this transition so seamless and smooth and God-honoring and that’s our prayer.”
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