News Articles by Julie Walters

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Wanda S. Lee, executive director of national WMU, thanked Southern Baptists for partnering through missions education to equip the next generation of missionaries, an endeavor she described as more critical than ever before in an increasingly postmodern world. Lee noted to messengers June 15 at the SBC annual meeting: "It is our desire to partner with every Southern Baptist church in discipling preschoolers, children, youth and adults by engaging them in meaningful missions involvement right in their own communities or on the other side of the world; to support those who go to the nations for a lifetime with our praying and giving; and to accept the mandate of the Great Commission in whatever way God calls us."

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Approximately 150 Southern Baptist leaders, family members and friends from across the country gathered in St. Louis on June 11 to honor Wanda Lee and her leadership of national WMU over the past 20 years -- 16 as executive director and four as president. Frank S. Page said he got to know Lee in 2010 when he assumed his current role as president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee. Page recited Micah 6:8, "What does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Sharing Christ by all means is the focus of this year's Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting, June 12–13. The meeting's theme -- By All Means -- is also WMU's emphasis for 2016–2018. The impetus for this theme is found in 1 Corinthians 9:22b–23: "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share in its blessings."

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- The Woman's Missionary Union has named four mission-minded teenagers with outstanding character and credentials to serve as missions influencers on the 2016 National Acteens Panel. They are Sarah Golden, a member of Eastern Hills Baptist Church in Pike Road, Ala.; Hannah Hutton of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, Texas; Jemima Louis of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and Ana Sandoval of Freeman Heights Baptist Church in Garland, Texas.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- National WMU President Linda Cooper has named the search committee for identifying the woman God would have as the missions organization's next executive director and requested prayer for the committee's work. On Jan. 11, Wanda Lee, who has served as executive director since 2000, announced to the WMU board her intention to retire, providing ample notice for a search committee to be formed and seek a new leader.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Wanda Lee announced a search committee will be appointed to seek her successor as executive director/treasurer of national Woman's Missionary Union at the group's board meeting, Jan. 9-11. During the meeting, WMU also heard mission reports and addressed ways it is assisting International Mission Board personnel who have elected to take a voluntary retirement incentive. The meeting was at Shocco Springs Conference Center in Talladega, Ala.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- As International Mission Board personnel who are eligible for the organization's voluntary retirement incentive prayerfully consider God's leading, Woman's Missionary Union leaders are calling for more intense prayer and support for Southern Baptist missionaries. "Ongoing, focused prayer for our missionaries has always been a foundational component of missions discipleship through WMU," said Wanda S. Lee, executive director of national WMU.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- Wanda Lee, executive director of WMU, highlighted the importance of missions and introduced Linda Cooper as the new president of the national auxiliary during her report to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 17.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) –– Prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Columbus, North American and international missionaries will share how God is at work around the world during the Woman's Missionary Union Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting, June 14–15.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.(BP) -- Woman's Missionary Union selected six teens to serve as 2015 National Acteens Panelists based on their commitment to missions and participation and leadership in their Acteens group, church, school and community.