Southern Baptist Convention’s First Journeyman Class Marks 60th Anniversary

Nancy Lyons Thomas, a member of the first Journeyman class from 1965 to 1967, reflects on her experience as a Southern Baptist missionary. Her journey began after graduating from Furman University in 1962 and teaching history at Poynor Junior High in Florence, South Carolina. In 1965, she joined the International Mission Board’s new two-year mission assignment program, designed for single individuals in her age range. The program, known as the Journeyman initiative, aimed to prepare participants for service abroad.

Thomas trained at the University of Richmond’s South Hampton campus, where she and other Journeymen received comprehensive preparation for their mission work. The training involved instruction from leading minds within the Southern Baptist Convention, focusing on emotional, spiritual, and intellectual readiness for service. The program’s long-term success was seen as dependent on the participants’ preparedness and commitment.

Upon arrival in Nigeria, Thomas experienced a dramatic shift in her worldview. She traveled by Volkswagen van from Lagos to her assignment in Osogbo, where she worked at Newton Memorial School, a boarding school for Southern Baptist missionary children. The country, recently independent from British colonial rule, presented challenges and opportunities for cultural engagement and service.

Thomas’s experience highlights the impact of the Journeyman program in shaping missionaries’ understanding of global contexts. The program’s legacy continues through reunions and ongoing support among alumni, reflecting the enduring bonds formed during training. The 60th anniversary of the Journeyman class underscores the program’s historical significance within the Southern Baptist Convention’s mission efforts.

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