About Us

We provide strategic information and analysis for making disciples and multiplying churches among all peoples and places.
The heart of the Global Research Department is the provision of accurate, relevant, and strategic information for Southern Baptists and partners around the world. Our stewardship is one of advocacy for the least reached. Our confidence is in God who will one day gather a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one can number. It is our prayer that what we provide will contribute to this vision for His glory.

The Global Research Department consists of the following teams:

• Analysis and Geospatial Services – ​​Performs spatial analysis to address critical strategic and operational issues through the integration of internal and external data.  Collects and analyzes people group data (peoplegroups.org) and missional metrics to determine global lostness.​
• Research, Analysis, and Visualization – Gathers and organizes a variety of strategic information from field and external sources. Analyzes global information that impacts IMB’s mission and provides clarified, actionable, visualizations and reports for prayerful data-driven decision making.
• Jenkins Research Library – Provides expertise in research services and assistance for field personnel, IMB staff, trustees, SBC constituents, and the general public as well as country and people-group materials and reference services for missionaries and missionary candidates.
• International Learning Center Libraries – Provide research services and assistance for field personnel, children of field personnel and IMB staff. An important function of the libraries is to design and conduct age-appropriate research training and library orientations for adults and children.
• Archives and Records Management – The mission of the archives and records service is to identify, organize, and preserve information that details the SB international missions experience. We seek to inspire future generations by sharing the rich history of SB ministry among the nations.
  • We collect, preserve, and make available resource materials that document SB field personnel and missions history.
  • We collect, preserve, and provide access to company organizational records.
  • We network with denominational entities on research requests, records management practices, information sharing, and special projects.