Bakos Missiology Institute stimulates missiological insight and mission from within the LGBTQ community, as well as fosters LGBTQ-affirming mission work. The group is a think tank that includes both LGBTQ and allied scholars and practitioners. The initiative was created by 2024 Bakos Fellow, Andrew Herbek, who serves as the BMI Coordinator.
In spearheading the effort, Andrew writes, “Though there is continued need to advocate for the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life and leadership of the church, we are sensing a call to move beyond the apologetic debates. Rather than spend our time justifying our existence in the church, we seek to carry out our calling from God to serve and lead . . . I invite you to pray and seek the Lord together for how God might raise up LGBTQ missiologists and missionaries for God’s global purpose.”
Andrew spent nearly two decades working in international mission or mission mobilization and has a deep desire to see the gospel reach all people. He has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, as well as a Master’s degree in Intercultural Studies, and recently enrolled in the DMin program at Moravian Seminary to study missiology from a LGBTQ-affirming perspective.
As a working group, Bakos Missiology Institute aims to produce papers, presentations, and publications with practical implications. The group began meeting online in the fall of 2025 and hosted a webinar series in spring 2026. BMI will present its inaugural institute in October during the 2026 CenterPeace Conference in Dallas, Texas.
The hope is BMI will continue to grow in its membership and influence. Too often churches that value mission work do not affirm LGBTQ people, while inclusive churches have lost interest in mission and evangelism. The goal is to learn from past mistakes in the field and foster new missiological inquiry. BMI is open to new members who have missiological training or mission experience, who want to explore the topic from both a creedally orthodox and affirming viewpoint.
For more information on Bakos Missiology Institute, contact BMI Coordinator Andrew Herbek at herbeka@moravian.edu