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History of the Journeyman Program

The name journeyman was given to the program with reference to the model of the apprentice and craftsman. An apprentice is a beginner who is learning a trade under the direction of a skilled craftsman because of his/her advanced abilities and expertise. The journeyman, who falls somewhere between the apprentice and the craftsman, sharpens and hones skills that will someday allow him/her to assume a greater responsibility. The intent is to allow the master craftsman an avenue to pass along the tools of the trade to a young learner. The selection of this term forms the foundation of what was originally expected from the Journeyman Program.

Conceived in the shadow of President Kennedy’s new Peace Corps, the International Mission Board wanted to provide a means for Southern Baptists’ recent college graduates to serve in missions with career missionaries, learning the tools of their trade. The Journeyman Program has provided a seedbed for developing the future of career missions. Since the start of the program, literally hundreds of returned journeymen have been appointed as career and/or associate missionaries. That number continues to grow.

In recent years, 30 percent of all IMB career and/or associate appointees had previous journeyman or ISC experience. God is really moving in the hearts of this generation in recent years!