NAMB presentation to messengers highlights love for missionaries, evangelism resources

ORLANDO – Before hearing some of the metrics about Southern Baptist mission work in North America during the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando June 10, Kevin Ezell brought to the stage several missionaries and staff members who represent the face behind those numbers.

Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board (NAMB), opened his presentation by introducing church planting missionaries Tyler and Ashley Martin. The Martins were featured missionaries during the 2025 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) campaign after moving from Texas to Bar Nunn, Wyoming, to start a church.

During the AAEO Week of Prayer when their stories were most prominently told in Southern Baptist churches, Ashley was in the early stages of her fight with cancer.

“What you see is a church planter leading his church in reaching people while at the same time, navigating his family through an obvious crisis,” Ezell said.

Many churches heard their story, and their family received cards and other notes of encouragement and prayer while they were going through a challenging season where Ashley had to drive from Wyoming to Salt Lake City for treatments.

“I feel like everything was just perfectly God’s timing because even though we don’t know what’s going on, God knows what’s going on,” Ashley said. “We were selected to be Annie Armstrong offering missionaries, church planters, before we found out that we were going to be going through a cancer battle.”