The increasing paucity of SBC males who will serve overseas

Almost nine years ago, I wrote an article about how two-thirds of the young college graduates who serve overseas through our International Mission Board’s Journeyman program were females. This is one of the SBC’s best opportunities to serve the Lord in places far more needy than affluent U.S. of A.

IMB Journeymen are young adults, age 21-30, who are sent by their churches as missionaries for a 2-year term through the IMB. A Journeyman’s primary responsibility is to engage in the missionary task by sharing the gospel, making disciples and helping plant churches.

In 2012 we were in, as we still are, the white hot atmosphere of complementarianism (a made-up term that I don’t particularly care to employ but which is essentially the adopted language understood by most SBCers) I observed that young, single, male SBC college graduates either were not answering God’s calling but that young, single, female SBC college grads were doing so. I was surprised by the proportions.

But here’s the news on this splendid program:

Paul Chitwood

@DrPaulChitwood

Current makeup of @IMB_SBCJourneyman @Go2Years missionaries is 76% female & 24% male. I thank God for every person serving and hope to see as many young men as young women answer God’s call to the nations.

Along with Dr. Chitwood, I thank God for every person serving and hope to see the proportions more equalized as young men answer God’s call to the nations.

A humble caveat: I do not know how God decides to call people to this work, nor do I know the gender proportions of the same. And, being nine years older, I would probably rewrite some of that article.

Back then, I believe I recall that IMB just stopped publishing the gender figures for the program. No need to deal with data that no one knows, right? There are some reasons for the gender proportions in this, some are positive and some are negative.

But, we’ve gone from around two-thirds female to three-fourths. What will reverse the trend? Perhaps some young men will be more sensitive to God’s call to the nations.

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SBC news has of late been dominated by what many think are more important, more pressing matters. I think this is a more pressing matter.