On Nov. 9, 2026, 33 International Mission Board missionaries stood before family, friends and supporters at a Sending Celebration in Ohio. The event took place at the Sugarcreek Campus of First Baptist Church Kettering, near Dayton. The IMB says the missionaries represent 10 states, including two candidates from Ohio. Their names were not all made public, because some face security concerns.
A Gathering of Sending Churches
IMB trustees appointed the missionaries as fully supported workers. Many Southern Baptist churches committed to sending and sustaining them. The celebration kicked off the annual gathering of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.
Senior Pastor Chad Keck welcomed guests. He thanked Southern Baptist churches for working together to send and support missionaries. Jeremy Westbrook, the convention's executive director-treasurer, also greeted those gathered.
Several missionaries shared their stories before the event. One couple answered a call later in life. Another couple is returning to Albania. A third couple moved from Canada to Fiji.
A Call During a Phone Call
Rob Boss says a routine FaceTime call with his daughter, Hannah, changed everything. She was in IMB training at the time. On Dec. 5, 2025, Rob says he sensed God speaking to his heart: "You can do this too." He describes it as clear, kind and encouraging, though not an audible voice. Rob and his wife, Stephanie, had spent decades in writing, Christian education and seminary teaching. Overseas service had never been part of their plans. The next day, they contacted the IMB and began the application process.
The Bosses are a Wedgwood Baptist Church family from Fort Worth, Texas. They are heading to Colombia to serve in theological education. Rob's mother once served with the IMB in Africa after retiring. Hannah serves in South Korea. Three generations of the family have now answered the call.
Context
The IMB is the mission agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. Its missionaries are sent and supported by churches that give to the agency. The Sending Celebration showed how local congregations and state conventions work together to send workers abroad.
Jonathan and Whitney Wagner returned to the United States in 2023 after five and a half years in Albania. They say the burden for Albanian people never faded. During their first term, they lived through an earthquake, a global pandemic and health struggles. They say those hard years were also among their most meaningful. The couple is sent by Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Scott Depot, West Virginia. They will return to Albania with their three children. Their work will focus on strengthening local churches and training pastors.
What to Watch
The missionaries now begin their work in the countries where they were sent. The Wagners said their church and association continue to pray for and support them. The Bosses said they are excited to begin theological education work in Colombia. The IMB has not released further details on their deployment timelines.