A Word From the Executive Director

Nearly 190 years ago Missouri Baptists sensed the urgency of the gospel and the value of working together to carry out the Great Commission. As a result, they formed the “Central Association,” a forerunner of the Missouri Baptist Convention, to promote the preaching of the gospel within the state’s boundaries.

It was a simple, compelling mission that still matters today, especially when it bumps up against the well-intentioned busyness of “doing ministry.” Your MBC missionary staff has wrestled with the rediscovery of our historic roots and pioneer mission. As a result, we have restated our vision and mission.

The vision of the MBC staff is both simple and compelling: Transforming lives and communities with the gospel. The mission of the MBC staff explains how your state missionaries strive toward this preferred future: Cooperating with Missouri Baptists to make disciples, multiply churches, and develop leaders.

That’s the reason the MBC was founded in 1835. And it’s the reason Missouri Baptists labor together for this moment in Kingdom history – for our communities, the heartland, and the ends of the earth.

Dr. John Yeats
Executive Director

Our Vision

Transforming lives and communities with the gospel.

This vision statement describes why the MBC exists as an organization and what the missionary staff desires for the Lord to accomplish through them. They are committed to working strategically with Missouri Baptists to be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth until He returns as King.

Our Mission

The MBC’s mission is simple and grounded in the convention’s history:

All MBC staff members are missionaries, cooperating with Missouri Baptists to make disciples, multiply churches, and develop leaders.

The mission statement describes who the state missionaries are, what they do, how they do it, and the value they bring to Missouri Baptists.

The opening words of the mission statement define who the MBC staff members are: Missionaries – called by God to devote their spiritual gifts and talents vocationally to the gospel ministry in Missouri.

Their mission is to cooperate with Missouri Baptists, using the financial, ministry, and human resources entrusted to the MBC staff to foster a cooperative spirit among the people. They are firmly convinced that Missouri Baptists can accomplish more together than any single believer or local church could accomplish alone.

An Executive Board, elected by Missouri Baptists, governs the MBC staff and has endorsed the strategic direction of the convention team. While the vision and mission apply solely to your state missionaries, they believe the vision and mission reflect the heart of all Missouri Baptists.

Our Mission Strategy

L - Leading People to Christ
I - Identifying with Christ
F - Firmly established in Christ
E - Equipped in the commission of Christ

One Team

The MBC missionary staff is one team with six strategic emphases to carry out its vision and mission. A strategic leader, or director, is responsible for each strategic emphasis.

Making Disciples. Ministries include evangelism and discipleship strategies for church leaders and families that assist in producing disciples who make disciples; and age-graded training events and conferences to equip Missouri Baptists to transform lives and communities with the gospel.
 
Multiplying Churches. Ministries include the discovery of multiplying churches, sending churches, and church multipliers; training sending churches; mentoring, assessing, and training church multipliers; deploying church multipliers throughout Missouri, across the U.S., and around the world; and partnership missions.
 
Developing Leaders. Ministries include a statewide network of local church leaders, associational leaders, and convention staff members who work together to provide pastoral leader development and care; church revitalization; transitional pastor training; and disaster relief training and deployment.
 
Collegiate Ministries. These include ministries on 26 Missouri campuses; training events for collegiate leaders; a summer missions and mentoring initiative; international student ministry; equipping churches to reach out to nearby campuses; developing leaders to serve on new campuses; and coordinating mission experiences for students.
 
Executive Office. Ministries include the office of the Executive Director, who leads the state missionary staff, administers Cooperative Program and Missouri Missions Offering funds, and sets the state’s cooperative strategy; The Pathway, the official news journal of Missouri Baptists; business services; and property management.
 
Ministry Support. Ministries include creative services (graphic design, web and social media, and video); live-event support; technology; and Christian apologetics.