RINCON, Ga. (BP)—The North American Mission Board conducted the largest commissioning service in its history when 144 missionaries and chaplains were sent forth Feb. 22 at First Baptist Church in Rincon, Ga., about 20 miles north of Savannah.

The 136 missionaries and eight chaplains filed into the sanctuary to the tune of “Victory in Jesus” amid bright-colored flags representing the places they will serve. Most were husband-and-wife teams from 29 Southern Baptist state Conventions, the Canadian National Baptist Convention and the Convention of Southern Baptist Churches in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

With nine being commissioned, the Kentucky Baptist Convention led the way in the number of new Kentucky-based chaplains and missionaries. The Georgia Baptist Convention was second with eight, followed by the Alabama Baptist State Convention with six and the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia with five.

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