FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (ABP)—Initial reports about the 13 Southern Baptist international missionaries fired May 7 did not include a full list of the missionaries involved.
The 13 veteran missionaries, who collectively have served overseas more than 150 years, were fired by trustees of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board because they refused to sign an affirmation of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.
IMB officials declined to release the names of the missionaries who were terminated. “That’s up to the missionaries to decide if they want their names known or not,” said IMB spokesman Mark Kelly.
All 13 missionaries have released their names. Their names, ministry fields and terms of service are:
- Larry and Sarah Ballew, Macao, 1985-87 as journeymen and 1996-2003 as career missionaries.
- Mary Katherine Campbell, 1968-70 as a journeyman in the Philippines and 1989-2003 as a career missionary in Liberia and Togo.
- Rick and Nancy Dill, Germany, 1981-2003.
- David and Susie Dixon, Spain, 1988-2003.
- Ron Hankins and Lydia Barrow-Hankins, Japan, 1975-77 as journeymen and 1981-2003 as career missionaries.
- Leon and Kathy Johnson, Mozambique, 1981-2003.
- Ted and Frances York, Benin, 1982-2003.
Another 30 missionaries resigned or took early retirement in recent days rather than sign the affirmation. They join 34 other missionaries who resigned last year over the same issue.
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