WELCOME TO JACKSONVILLE AND THE 2026 CBF GENERAL ASSEMBLY!
We are so glad that you are here and you have brought your boldness to this place, ready to worship together, learn from ministry innovators and connect with other Baptists from across the country and around the world.
You’re invited to take advantage of all the Assembly has to offer—including a full slate of Learning Labs, worship experiences, networking opportunities, celebrations and time to connect with friends—old and new.
This week, we celebrate the boldness of the first Christ-followers, the bravery of calling and the hope that is found in being equipped with boldness in the Holy Spirit. Let our time together shake up this place, fill us with the Holy Spirit and allow us to live out our calling to be the bold type.
Boldness can be creative.
Boldness can be quiet.
Boldness can be authentic.
Boldness can be gentle.
Boldness can be passionate. Let us celebrate your boldness. Together.
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31 TABLE
DAILY SCHEDULE
Monday, June 15 – Wednesday, June 17
MONDAY, JUNE 15
1:00 –5:00 p.m.
Chaplaincy & Pastoral Counseling Ministries Training
River Terrace 2 (Third Floor)
Join us as we “Boldly Go” to increase our EQ knowledge and learn the benefits of humor and resiliency with Allison Gilmore, Chief Improv Officer of DuMore Improv in Atlanta, Ga.
Cost: $50; Pre-registration required
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m.
Chaplaincy & Pastoral Counseling Ministries Training Day 2
River Terrace 2 (Third Floor)
Training continues on Tuesday with Allison Gilmore, Chief Improv Officer of DuMore Improv in Atlanta, Ga.
Cost: $50; Pre-registration required
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
8:00 a.m. –7:30 p.m.
9:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m.
On-site Registration & Check-In
Help Hub (Second Floor)
Come to the Assembly registration area to receive your name tag, pick up an Assembly guide, and ask any questions you may have to get started!
A Leadership Conversation with Michelle Icard
River Terrace 2 (Third Floor)
What can a parenting expert teach pastors? Come find out from this NY Times best-selling author and mom, in this interactive leadership conversation about what can be learned about leadership from a parenting expert, as well as what pressures families are facing and how clergy can respond.
Cost: $150; Pre-registration required
DAILY SCHEDULE
Wednesday, June 17
4:00 –5:00 p.m.
4:00 –5:00 p.m.
4:00 –5:00 p.m.
4:30 –6:30 p.m.
4:30 –7:00 p.m.
CBF of Kentucky State Meeting
Boardroom 1 (Third Floor)
Join Cooperative Baptists from Kentucky for a time to connect and fellowship.
Cost: Free
Baptist Fellowship of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic CBF Gathering
Clearwater (Third Floor)
Meet and greet old friends and new from across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast before we join Cooperative Baptists from Virginia for dinner together.
Cost: Free
CBF Virginia Meeting
Orlando (Third Floor)
Connect with Cooperative Baptists from Virginia for business and fellowship before dinner.
Cost: Free
CBF of South Carolina Dinner
Offsite: Arepa Please
Join friends from South Carolina for food and fellowship at Arepa Please restaurant. This will be a Dutch treat meal, but you must register to attend.
Cost: Dutch Treat; Pre-registration required
CBF of Florida and Caribbean Islands Dinner
Cruise on the St. Johns River
Offsite: St. Johns River
Cruise on the St. Johns with fellow Cooperative Baptists from across Florida and the Caribbean Islands. We will meet across the street from the Hotel Front Entrance to board!
Cost: $40; Pre-registration required
5:00 –7:00 p.m.
5:00 –7:00 p.m.
5:00 –7:00 p.m.
5:00 –7:00 p.m.
5:30 –7:00 p.m.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Wednesday, June 17
CBF Oklahoma, CBF Texas, CBF West and Great Rivers Fellowship Reception
Offsite: Cowford Chophouse
Meet new friends from across our regions for a reception on the Cowford Chophouse rooftop. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available.
Cost: Free; Pre-registration preferred
CBF Heartland Dinner
Offsite: Añejo Cocina Riverside
You’re invited to meet up with friends from across the Heartland for dinner and fellowship. We’ll gather in the lobby at 4:45 p.m. to board our shuttle.
Cost: Dutch Treat; Pre-registration preferred
CBF of North Carolina State Gathering
Offsite: Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church
Join us at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church for food, fellowship and fun!
Cost: $20 adults; Children free; Pre-registration required
Tennessee
CBF Dinner
Offsite: Dorothy’s Downtown
Join friends from Tennessee for dinner and fellowship.
Cost: $35; Pre-registration required
Alabama CBF and CBF of Georgia Gathering
Offsite: River & Post
Join friends from Georgia and Alabama for dinner, fun and fellowship.
Cost: $30; Pre-registration required
5:30 –7:30 p.m.
BFN, CBFVA and MACBF Gathering
Daytona (Third Floor)
Meet up with friends from across the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast to make connections and forge friendships.
Cost: $15; Pre-registration required
DAILY SCHEDULE
Wednesday, June 17 | Thursday, June 18
7:30 –9:00 p.m.
Opening Party
The Gathering Place (Second Floor)
Join us for a bold kickoff to our Assembly with fun for the family, with steel drums, live CBF podcasts and an opportunity to connect with all of our sponsors and exhibitors.
Cost: Free
7:30 –9:00 p.m.
Age-Level Assemblies Open House
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor)
Check out where our youngest Baptists will be hanging out and get them set up for a smooth check-in and check-out process throughout the week.
Cost: Free; Pre-registered families only
9:10 –10:40 p.m.
Late Night Worship
Grand Ballroom (Second Floor)
Hosted by CBF’s Pan African Koinonia, all are welcome for the 5th annual Late Night Worship service featuring Bishop Rudolph W. McKissick, Jr. Join us for this tradition of late night services that stems from the first Watch Night service held December 31, 1862, as enslaved people gathered to worship late in the evening—watching and waiting for the news of freedom to come through the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Cost: Free
THURSDAY, JUNE 18
6:15 –7:15 a.m.
step BOLDLY for peace
Offsite
Join us for a sunrise walking meditation across the big blue bridge to Jacksonville’s Friendship Fountain. We will meet in the hotel lobby to begin our walk.
Cost: Free
7:00 a.m. –6:00 p.m.
7:30 –9:00 a.m.
7:30 –9:00 a.m.
8:00 –9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. –7:00 p.m.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 18
On-site Registration & Check-In
Help Hub (Second Floor)
Come to the Assembly registration area to receive your name tag, pick up an Assembly guide and ask any questions you may have to get started!
Gardner-Webb School of Divinity Breakfast
Hart (Fourth Floor)
Enjoy breakfast and connect with the alumni and friends of GardnerWebb School of Divinity.
CBF Advocacy Breakfast
River Terrace 2 (Third Floor)
Join us for the annual CBF Advocacy Breakfast! Gather with others as we seek to become bold advocates for our neighbors. Be inspired by Bacardi Jackson, executive director of ACLU FL, as she talks about The State of Our Union. Learn about what CBF Advocacy is doing and how you can participate!
Welcome to the Gathering Place! Return again and again throughout the Assembly to browse the bookstore with Judson Press, place bids on Silent Art Auction items, meet partners and exhibitors and catch a compelling CBF Podcast interview.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 18
9:00 –11:15 a.m.
Preschool Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
The first session of Age-Level Assemblies begins for infant through Kindergarten. Pre-registration required.
9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m.
Children’s Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
The first session of Age-Level Assemblies begins for children 1st–5th grades. Pre-registration required.
9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m.
Youth Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
The first session of Age-Level Assemblies begins for youth 6th-12th grades. Pre-registration required.
9:30 –11:00 a.m.
Plenary Session
Grand Ballroom (Second Floor)
Boldness comes not from what we bring to the unknown shore, but what we’re willing to learn. Kenda Creasy Dean invites us into conversation about where the Church is heading, what we’re going to have to toss to get there and some things we’re going to lose in the process. Come to the plenary ready to celebrate young CBF Baptists with curiosity and openness as Kenda leads with her own boldness, which has enriched the way practitioners approach their work with young adults for decades.
Cost: Free
Kenda Creasy Dean is the Mary D . Synnott Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary . She is the author of numerous books and is the co-founder of Ministry Incubators, an ecclesial innovation education and consulting group . She was named the 2024 Distinguished Leader in Innovation by Wesleyan Impact Partners .
Celebrate transformative leadership at the Emmanuel McCall Racial Justice Trailblazer Luncheon, as we honor the recipients of the Emmanuel McCall Racial Justice Trailblazer Award and hear from keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley.
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only) Preschoolers are welcomed back to their Age-Level Assembly. Pre-registration required.
1:30 –2:30 p.m.
Learning Labs Session 1
Various Locations (Third Floor)
You’re invited to learn alongside other Cooperative Baptists through workshop-style experiences exploring bold, creative and compelling topics. Find a complete list of labs on pp. 16-20 or on the 2026 General Assembly App.
Cost: Free
1:30 –2:30 p.m.
1:30 –2:30 p.m.
Business Breakout Session: 2026-2027 CBF
Ministries and Mission Budget
Boardroom 1 (Third Floor)
Ministerial Transitions Information Session
Boardroom 2 (Third Floor)
You’re invited to learn about CBF’s Ministerial Transitions process. Come with all of your search committee questions for Jay Kieve, director of Leadership Development.
Cost: Free
DAILY SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 18
1:30 –2:30 p.m.
3:15 –4:45 p.m.
Pan African Koinonia Meeting
Presidential Suite (18th Floor)
Are you interested in joining the Pan African Koinonia (PAK)? PAK is made up of Cooperative Baptists from the African diaspora including African Americans, Caribbean Africans and more. Join us to learn more.
Cost: Free
Afternoon Worship
Grand Ballroom (Second Floor)
You’re invited to worship with us this afternoon through song and praise. Together we will bless and commission our newly endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors, bring forward bold offerings, and hear a word from CBF Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley.
Cost: Free
4:45 –5:30 p.m.
Business Breakout Session: 2026 Governing Documents Amendments
Boardroom 1 (Third Floor)
5:30 –7:00 p.m.
Baptist Women in Ministry Dinner
Conference Center A & B (Third Floor)
Join BWIM for a time to celebrate progress for women in ministry, experience solidarity with ongoing challenges, and be inspired to take your next faithful steps toward gender equality among Baptists. The dinner will feature plenary speaker, Dr. Yolanda Pierce, dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School and author of The Wounds Are the Witness: Black Faith Weaving Memory into Justice and Healing and In My Grandmother’s House: Black Women, Faith, and the Stories We Inherit.
Wake Forest School of Divinity Alumni & Friends Gathering
Acosta (Fourth Floor)
All Wake Divinity alumni are welcome to join us for some light refreshments, drinks and time to connect and reconnect.
Cost: Free
DAILY SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 18 | Friday, June 19
7:30 –9:30 p.m.
McAfee
School of Theology Alumni and Friends Gathering
Offsite: Voodoo Brewing
Join McAfee School of Theology’s alumni and friends for appetizers and drinks at Voodoo Brewing!
Cost: Free
8:00 –9:30 p.m.
Young Baptists Sunset River Cruise
Offsite
Join other young Baptists for an evening on the St. Johns River for fun, fellowship and a summer sunset. We will gather in the hotel lobby at 7:45 p.m.
Cost: Free; Pre-registration required
FRIDAY, JUNE 19
7:00 a.m. –7:00 p.m.
On-site Registration & Check-In
Help Hub (Second Floor)
Come to the Assembly registration area to receive your name tag, pick up an Assembly guide and ask any questions you may have to get started!
7:00 –7:25 a.m.
breathe BOLDLY before breakfast
St. Johns (Third Floor)
A special morning meditation offering for breakfast-goers. All are welcome.
7:00 –9:00 a.m.
Cost: Free Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Baptist News Global and Good Faith Media Breakfast Conference Center A & B (Third Floor)
Come join AWAB, BNG and GFM over breakfast as we seek to remain engaged in the work of democracy for all communities with Democracy Forward’s President/CEO, Skye Perryman. We will also be led in music by Dr. Tony McNeill.
Join the CBF fAMILIA Network for a time for fellowship and celebration. Engage, share and kick off your day with the vibrant spirit of a lively network. You belong in the fAMILIA!
Únase a la Red CBF fAMILIA para un tiempo de compañerismo y celebración. Participe, comparta y comience el día con el espíritu vibrante de una red animada. ¡Perteneces a la fAMILIA!
Join us for sound immersion featuring SoundbathJAX.
Cost: Free
9:00 –11:15 a.m.
Preschool Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
Infant–Kindergarten. Pre-registration required.
9:00 a.m. –5:15 p.m.
9:00 a.m. –7:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m.
Children’s Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only) 1st–5th grades. Pre-registration required.
Youth Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only) 6th–12th grades. Pre-registration required.
The Gathering Place Open
Grand Foyer (Second Floor)
Welcome back to The Gathering Place! Return again and again throughout the Assembly to connect with partners and exhibitors and catch a compelling CBF Podcast interview.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Friday, June 19
9:30 –11:00 a.m.
Worshipful Work Session
Grand Ballroom (Second Floor)
Gather with us for a time of celebration, commemoration and business—including votes on the budget and governance nominees for 2026-2027. Hear from outgoing moderator Tanya Parks, incoming moderator Jason Callahan and leaders from across the Fellowship.
Cost: Free
11:30 a.m. –1:00 p.m.
BJC Luncheon
Conference Center A & B (Third Floor)
Join BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) for an engaging luncheon and learn what is at stake for religious freedom today and connect with work happening on the ground across the country to defend and advance religious freedom in local communities.
Come join us for lunch as we “Boldly” celebrate our endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors for their accomplishments and service. All are welcome to attend.
Cost: $50/person; Pre-registration required
1:00 –5:00 p.m.
Preschool Assembly Afternoon Session
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
Preschoolers are welcomed back to their Age-Level Assembly. Pre-registration required.
1:15 –2:45 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
Grand Ballroom (Second Floor)
The 2026 General Assembly choir will rehearse pieces before leading in the Friday evening worship service. Sign up to sing at www.cbf.net/2026choir. All are welcome!
DAILY SCHEDULE
Friday, June 19
1:30 –2:30 p.m.
Learning Labs Session 2
Various Locations (Third Floor)
You’re invited to learn alongside other Cooperative Baptists through workshop-style experiences exploring bold, creative and compelling topics. Find a complete list of labs on pp. 21-24 or on the 2026 General Assembly App.
Cost: Free
2:15 –3:15 p.m.
Snack Break
Conference Center Hallway (Third Floor)
Join us for a snack break sponsored by CBF Congregational Ministries. Fuel up for your next Learning Lab session and connect with CBF staff members to learn more about the work of Congregational Ministries and how it can help you and your church thrive.
Cost: Free
3:00 –4:00 p.m.
Learning Labs Session 3
Various Locations (Third Floor)
You’re invited to learn alongside other Cooperative Baptists through workshop-style experiences exploring bold, creative and compelling topics. Find a complete list of labs on pp. 25-28 or on the 2026 General Assembly App.
Cost: Free
4:15 –5:15 p.m.
CBF Advocacy Listening Session
Clearwater (Third Floor)
The CBF Advocacy Team wants to hear from you. Come get an update on the sensitive locations lawsuit and let’s discuss how we can partner together.
Cost: Free
4:15 –5:15 p.m.
CBF Global Missions Drop-In
Acosta (Fourth Floor)
Join us for a time of fellowship and connection with Global Missions staff and field personnel.
Cost: Free
4:15 –5:15 p.m.
4:15 –5:15 p.m.
4:15 –5:15 p.m.
4:15 –5:15 p.m.
Friday, June 19
Age-Level Ministry Networks Gathering
St. Johns (Third Floor)
Gather for a time of networking and fellowship with members of the Children’s Ministry Network, Youth Ministry Network and College & Young Adult Ministry Network.
Cost: Free
FaithWorks Film Screening: Jesus Was a Migrant
Daytona (Third Floor)
FaithWorks invites attendees of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly to a screening of Jesus Was a Migrant, inspired by Jemar Tisby’s pilgrimage with FaithWorks to the El Paso/Juárez border. The documentary explores faith and migration through the stories of asylum seekers and will include a Q&A session. Come learn how this resource can support conversations within your congregation. Space is limited and registration is required.
Join with students, alumni and friends of Baylor University’s Truett Seminary for a time of fellowship.
Cost: Free
BSK Theological Seminary Community Reception
Matthews (Fourth Floor)
BSK faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters are invited to gather and connect over light snacks.
Cost: Free
DAILY SCHEDULE
Friday, June 19
5:30 –7:00 p.m.
Together for Hope 25th Anniversary Banquet
River Terrace 1 (Third Floor)
25 YEARS OF GIFTS: Together for Hope is celebrating 25 years of walking alongside America’s poorest rural communities with a special interactive dinner experience. Discover the gifts in the room through our signature community development methodology, bid on exclusive social enterprise collections and VIP experiences, and get an inside look at what’s next for TFH. A surprise gift related to our annual meeting on October 21-23 in Jackson, Miss., will be drawn for two lucky attendees.
Cost: $55/person; Pre-registration required
7:00 –9:15 p.m.
Preschool Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
Preschoolers not attending the worship service are welcomed back for a final session of their Assembly. Pre-registration required.
7:00 –9:15 p.m.
Children’s Assembly
Main Street Rooms (Fourth Floor; ALA Access Only)
Children not attending the worship service are welcomed back for a final session of their Age-Level Assembly. Pre-registration required.
7:30 –9:00 p.m.
Evening Worship
Grand Ballroom (Second Floor)
Come together to the Lord’s Table and worship with song, testimony and a bold message from pastor Karl Johnson, Baptist World Alliance chair.
Cost: Free
9:30 –10:30 p.m.
CBB’s Night on the Terrace
River Terrace & River Deck 1 (Third Floor)
Cap off the assembly at CBB’s Night on the Terrace! Join us for a celebratory evening of fellowship. Redeem your Financial Wellness Bingo card for up to two drink tickets or enjoy our cash bar. It’s the perfect way to relax and conclude our time together this week.
Cost: Free; Cash bar will be available
LEARNING LABS
Session 1 | Thursday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
A Bold Paradox: Christian Practices Supporting Post-Traumatic Growth in Ministry Settings
Daytona (Third Floor)
Spiritual practices can serve as a profound resource for post-traumatic growth—the process through which individuals discover renewed meaning and strengthened relationships after adversity. PTG occurs in parallel to harm experienced after trauma, creating a challenging paradox. This session explores this paradox by integrating trauma-informed insights and Christian spiritual practices.
Laura Thien is a nonprofit leader, trauma therapist, advocate, facilitator and community educator at the intersection of faith, mental health and abuse prevention/response, located in Greenville, S.C.
Bold Conversations
City Terrace 10 (Third Floor)
In a polarized world where the mere mention of a hot topic can send a congregation spiraling into divided camps, this session offers some practical lessons from one congregation of ways to foster healthy, productive, bold conversations in theologically and politically diverse churches.
Melissa Fallen and Ann Carter are part of the pastoral team at Glen Allen Baptist Church, Glen Allen, Va.
Discerning Boldly: Cultivating Cultures of Calling
Orlando (Third Floor)
A practical Learning Lab for ministers and lay leaders who want to renew how calling is named and nurtured in their faith communities. Learn participatory ways to identify gifts, encourage leaders and help people respond faithfully to God’s call in congregations, campus ministries and beyond.
Barry Jones is dean of Campbell University Divinity School and Rebecca Mathis serves as executive director of its Center for Calling and Ministry, supporting churches, ministry leaders, the wider university community and denominational partners in cultivating faithful, bold cultures of calling.
LEARNING LABS
Session 1 | Thursday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
How Churches Can Help Get Out the Vote!
City Terrace 7 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab explores how voter participation answers Jeremiah’s call to “work for the welfare of the community,” offering practical, nonpartisan tools to lead get-out-the-vote efforts before and on Election Day and time to brainstorm with CBF’s 2026 Advocacy Fellows and peers on ways your congregation can increase turnout.
Jennifer Hawks is CBF’s director of advocacy, representing CBF in federal policy conversations with elected officials, Hill staffers and advocacy coalitions.
Making Your Best Ideas Bolder
River Terrace 3 (Third Floor)
Utilizing exercises that spark creativity and methods that empower, this interactive Learning Lab will equip participants with tools for getting ideas from inception to implementation.
Kenda Creasy Dean is the Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary and the co-founder of Ministry Incubators, an ecclesial innovation education and consulting group.
Practice Makes Present: Prayer and Mindfulness Resources for Your Ministry Toolkit
City Terrace 5 (Third Floor)
When your world is falling apart, you need helpers who will be present and sit by your side, undistracted by but aware of their own pain. In this learning lab, we will explore practices to cultivate a bold and compassionate presence by the side of hurting people.
Wyatt Miles is a chaplain at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, where he lives with his wife Katie and their cat Junebug.
LEARNING LABS
Session 1 | Thursday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Pastoral Courage and Public Witness in an Age of Immigration Tension
City Terrace 6 (Third Floor)
Pastors from diverse contexts explore leadership amid immigration tensions, reflecting on preaching, advocacy and care in a polarized climate. Participants will gain practical wisdom and encouragement for leading with clarity, compassion and conviction in today’s complex moment.
Wayne Weathers is a scholar and Emmanuel McCall Racial Justice Trailblazer Award recipient who pastors Vision of Hope Baptist Church, Jenkintown, Pa., advancing racial justice through faith-based community leadership.
Libby Grammer is senior minister of Lakeside Church, Rocky Mount, N.C., and a theologian and ethicist whose writing—including her book Privilege, Risk and Solidarity—explores the topic of immigration through Biblical study and Feminist Christian Ethics.
Juan García, a Puerto Rico native and former CBF moderator, pastors Primera Iglesia Bautista, Newport News, Va., leading a multicultural congregation.
Ellen Sechrest serves as director of mission engagement for CBF, bringing over 30 years of congregational ministry experience and a passion for mission-driven church work.
Elket Rodríguez serves as Global Migration advocate for CBF, equipping churches and fostering cross-cultural engagement in faith communities.
Retire Boldly: Building the Launchpad for Your Next Chapter
City Terrace 12 (Third Floor)
Retirement isn’t an ending but a transition to a new stage of leadership. Grounded in practical planning and theological reflection, this session equips ministers to manage income distribution, healthcare and taxes. Build a strong foundation to navigate these complex realities with purpose and spiritual clarity.
Amy Artiga founded The Pastor’s Wallet and is a faculty member of CBB’s Financial Wellness Education Experiences.
Rob Fox is President of Church Benefits Board and has a deep commitment to supporting clergy and faith-based organizations with their financial wellness.
LEARNING LABS
Session 1 | Thursday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The Boldness of Jesus in Anxious Systems
City Terrace 8 (Third Floor)
Anxious systems produce reactive leaders. This Learning Lab offers a different path. Through systems thinking and differentiation, participants will examine the boldness of Jesus as a model for staying steady, thinking clearly and leading with conviction—without being driven by pressure, urgency or the crowd.
Kent Michael is co-founder of the Alabama Center for Pastoral Resilience, where he equips ministry leaders through coaching, teaching and systems-based leadership development.
The Oxygen Mask of Ministry: The Vulnerable Boldness of Staying Well
City Terrace 9 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab explores resilience through clinical and spiritual lenses, differentiating empathy fatigue, compassion fatigue and burnout. It reframes self-care as preparation for sustainable ministry. Attendees will gain practical tools for renewed clarity, helping their leadership and witness flow from a place of wholeness rather than exhaustion.
Lindsay Bonebrake is a therapist and educator who equips individuals and ministry leaders with practical tools and clinical insight to strengthen mental and emotional health in meaningful, sustainable ways.
Together We Build: How Churches Boldly (Re)-Engage in God’s Housing Movement
City Terrace 11 (Third Floor)
Discover how Together We Build addresses rural housing by forging partnerships between CBF churches, state organizations, Together for Hope and the Fuller Center. Participants will learn to map and multiply their church assets to leverage innovative financial tools, joining a multi-state expansion that creates affordable homes through bold congregational collaboration.
Harold Tessendorf advises Together for Hope on its Housing and Social Enterprise pillars and serves on the missions committee of CBF of Georgia while Stacey Odom-Driggers is the vice president of U.S. Programs at the Fuller Center for Housing.
LEARNING LABS
Session 1 | Thursday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Who Can Become a National Legislation Advocate?
City Terrace 4 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab lays out a pathway for clergy and others in the church who desire to bring about change on issues about which they care deeply by engaging their legislators.
Isaac Mwase is associate pastor of University Baptist Church, Baltimore, Md.
Glen Foster is coordinator of CBF West.
Alaina Caridi is a deacon and chair of the missions committee of Bayshore Baptist Church, Tampa, Fla.
LEARNING LABS
Session 2 | Friday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Beyond Nice: It Is Time to Move Beyond Niceness and Explore Evidence-Based Strategies for Lay Leadership Development
City Terrace 4 (Third Floor)
Congregations have long defaulted to “niceness” as the qualifier for lay leadership. People are the Church’s most vital resource, and meaningful empowerment builds resilience. Put the spiritual gift test away and explore a new model to identify, empower and sustain healthy lay leadership in your congregation.
Julia Bradley is program director for youth and community engagement associate at First Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
Bold Faith, Bold Action: Engaging, Encouraging and Empowering Women in Ministry
Daytona (Third Floor)
Our Learning Lab will explore how we can nurture calling in girls and young women, what faithful steps toward God’s vision for the church look like and how to boldly affirm the gifts of women already among us. Join us for a bold, hopeful and courageous conversation.
Leslie Park’s roles in ministry have included minister to children, minister to youth, minister of music, preschool worship coordinator, birth doula, hospice chaplain, pastor and she is now executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry of North Carolina.
Virginia Taylor has served as a minister for more than 40 years in a variety of roles including college minister, children’s minister, pastor and now as Program Director for BWIMNC’s Compelling Preaching Initiative, a grant from the Lilly Endowment.
Coffee, Traffic and Prayers: How Embracing Ritual Can Add Meaning (and Sanity) to Life
City Terrace 12 (Third Floor)
Including ritual in our everyday lives and ministries draws us closer to God and each other, providing grounded presence on ordinary and overwhelming days. Combining practical methods and helpful research, we will discover how practicing ritual can enhance our lives as individuals, families and churches. Come ready for creativity, connection and chocolate!
Laurel Cluthe is a seventh-generation Baptist, loves God/people/coffee, has served in congregations for nearly two decades, and currently serves as a hospital chaplain embracing daily ritual in Houston, Texas.
LEARNING LABS
Session 2 | Friday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Fractured City: Bold Collaboration for Community Transformation
City Terrace 10 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab, sponsored by the CBF Podcast, explores redlining, food insecurity, and student homelessness in Jacksonville. Community and faith leaders will model bold collaboration and holy tenacity, equipping participants to move from awareness to action through partnerships that pursue shared mission, local transformation, and global awareness of systemic injustice.
Andy Hale is the associate executive coordinator of CBF of North Carolina and the host of the CBF Conversations podcast.
Journey to Solidarity: What Does White Christian Involvement Look Like in Racial Reconciliation and Justice?
City Terrace 11 (Third Floor)
The church’s pursuit of racial diversity has often stopped well short of the vision of the Beloved Community envisioned in the Scriptures. Diversity is a gift, but diversity without solidarity is simply theater. This Learning Lab will share how congregations can pursue a deeper sense of solidarity and belonging.
Collin Packer, Shelley Park and David Park are the leaders of LTR Ministries, a ministry that engages White Christians in the ministry of reconciliation and justice through education, inner work and community.
Public Witness from Small Groups to Communities of Bold Witness: Effective Tools for Building Justice Ministries
City Terrace 7 (Third Floor)
In a time of division and injustice, churches are called to act boldly. This Learning Lab presents the JustFaith model, equipping participants with practical tools for small-group formation, deep listening and community engagement to help congregations grow into faithful, informed and justice-driven communities.
Lewis Brogdon is the executive director and Kristin Dollar is the director of programs at JustFaith Ministries, a national nonprofit that creates life-changing programs focusing on the intersection of faith, justice and action.
LEARNING LABS
Session 2 | Friday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Pushback from the Table: Tightening the Spiritual Belt to Food Injustice
City Terrace 6 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab will provide space to evaluate the challenges facing our vulnerable families in addressing daily food needs and systemic barriers that might hamper the delivery of services to meet those needs. We will explore policy, programs and services in today’s climate that might be fruitful in dismantling food injustices through ministry.
Cora Jackson is one of the founding board members for Delta Hands for Hope and is currently serving as interim director for Delta Hands for Hope, Shaw, Miss.
Ramping Up Your Ministry: Accessibility and Universal Design in Church
City Terrace 8 (Third Floor)
We will look at the principles of universal design and apply them to ministry. We will work together to learn the process and send each participant home with a process to create greater accessibility across all ministries.
Amy Jacober is a mom, theologian, pastor and advocate in Arizona.
Safe Intergenerational Ministries
City Terrace 9 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab will address both the need for intergenerational ministry and the safety concerns involved. We will note safety priorities for church communities and with those in mind, we will then imagine what safe, meaningful intergenerational ministry can look like. We will consider programmatic and relational possibilities for a variety of church contexts.
Harrison Litzell is the program coordinator at the Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership, Atlanta, Ga.
LEARNING LABS
Session 2 | Friday, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The Bold Type: Empowering Disaster-Ready Churches
River Terrace 3 (Third Floor)
Join us for a transformative workshop that inspires leaders to act boldly in times of crisis. We will equip pastors and lay leaders with practical tools and a solid biblical foundation, fostering community collaboration to maximize impact and serve with compassion and conviction. Prepare to be part of meaningful change!
Dave Hawes is disaster response coordinator for CBF of North Carolina.
Debbie Haag is administrative assistant for CBF of South Carolina.
The Bold Type of Belonging: Worship for Every Mind
Orlando (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab equips church leaders to move from awareness to bold, Spirit-led action— creating accessible, inclusive worship practices where people of all abilities experience true belonging.
Tiffany Bennett-Cornelous is an associate pastor, scholar, author and organizational leader who bridges worship, theology and community transformation.
LaTonya McIver Penny is a founding pastor, foundation executive and inclusion advocate whose relationship-centered leadership weaves radical hospitality, racial justice and disability inclusion.
Traumatic Grief: Surviving After Unspeakable Loss
City Terrace 5 (Third Floor)
Attendees will learn the needs of people grieving a sudden, unexpected loss such as an accident, sudden health event, death of a child, suicide or murder. We’ll discuss how to minister to the survivors while managing the vicarious trauma resulting from this intense ministry.
Cathy Payne Anderson is a chaplain, widow, mom, sister, friend, part-time mystic, writer, geocacher and pet-lover.
Cindy R. Wallace is a chaplain, counselor, wife, mom, teacher, speaker, musician, trauma and grief survivor and favorite human of Molly, a spoiled beagle-corgi mix.
LEARNING LABS
Session 3 | Friday, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Before the Breaking Point: Boldly Equipping Church and Lay Leaders to Support Mental Health
City Terrace 5 (Third Floor)
Faith communities are often the first place individuals turn when experiencing emotional distress; yet many church and lay leaders feel unprepared to intervene before, during and after a crisis occurs. This Learning Lab seeks to equip participants with practical strategies needed to foster mental health-affirming spaces within their ministries.
Elizabeth Mukasa and Tiarra Pailin are both clinical social workers at a community crisis center, where their social work experience often intersects with faith as they serve clients in crisis.
Bold Enough to Partner: Rethinking Missions as Relationship
City Terrace 11 (Third Floor)
Join a conversation in which field personnel and Encourager Church leaders explore how they boldly engage in long-term, relational partnership on mission with God. Participants will hear stories of transformation both “there” and “here,” and consider how mutual, intentional relationships reshape congregations, field personnel and local communities.
Moderated by Suzanne Hooie, chair of the CBF Missions Council, and featuring two Encourager Church partnerships: First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga., represented by Jonathan Barlow and Carson Foushee (Kanazawa, Japan), and Trinity Baptist Church (Seneca, S.C.), represented by Tony Vincent and Rick Burnette (Immokalee, Fla.).
Bold Hospitality: Balancing Safety with Welcome
City Terrace 9 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab will explore the tension between being an open and inviting church and the need to offer physical and emotional safety. Participants will learn basic approaches to safety that help create a welcoming and safe atmosphere at church.
Jay Kieve, CBF’s director for leadership development, abuse prevention and church safety, is passionate about helping churches become safer places that thrive with skillful leaders.
LEARNING LABS
Session 3 | Friday, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Boldly Building Women-Centered Ministry That Transforms Communities
Orlando (Third Floor)
Learn how to design a holistic women’s ministry that integrates wellness to drive sustainable church growth and community impact. This Learning Lab equips leaders to assess needs, empower women and shift from event-based programming to transformational, impactdriven ministry with practical, actionable strategies.
Kiya Ward Shears is an influential speaker and preacher who empowers women to grow in spiritual, emotional, physical and financial wellness while equipping them to lead and create lasting impact in their communities.
Cultivating Community: Building a Young Adult Ministry for This Generation
City Terrace 4 (Third Floor)
Want to build a young adult program in your ministry but don’t know where to start? This Learning Lab will help equip ministry leaders with the right tools and resources to launch a young adult program and keep the upcoming generations involved in their local church and missions.
Anna Sample is a graduate student at Campbell University’s Divinity School with broad experience in various college and young adult ministries.
Embodied Liturgy: Spiritual Practices for All Ages to Embrace BOLD Faith Expressions
City Terrace 12 (Third Floor)
Join in an exploration of embodied spiritual practices. These practices for individuals, families and congregations can be engaged in everyday life, community and worship. Participants will connect their bodies and beings to their faith. Ministry leaders will be able to integrate these practices into their current ministry settings.
Sarah Boberg is a professor, minister, spouse and mom who seeks to engage in experiential and transformational spiritual formation.
LEARNING LABS
Session 3 | Friday, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
From Research to Responsibility: Practicing Meaningful Male Advocacy
Daytona (Third Floor)
This workshop will explore what kinds of male advocacy have been most and least helpful to women in ministry. In this interactive session, participants will hear findings from original research by Ellen Di Giosia, name pitfalls that hinder progress and explore practical ways men can practice advocacy within CBF life.
Ellen Di Giosia is the coordinator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Texas.
Nikki Hardeman is the director of Advocating for Women in Ministry at Baptist Women in Ministry.
God at Work Among Us: Community Engagement as Spiritual Formation
City Terrace 6 (Third Floor)
This Learning Lab explores how young adults can form genuine, justice-pursuing relationships with community organizations and neighbors. Drawing from the presenter’s experience guiding young adults into collaborative, community-driven partnerships, we will consider practices that nurture empathy, deepen spiritual formation and cultivate a lived understanding of God’s goodness toward all people.
Debby Haralson is passionate about connecting students, communities and global partners through service, teaching and transformative experiences.
Interfaith Engagement in Jacksonville: The Story of OneJax
River Terrace 3 (Third Floor)
In 1970, the National Conference of Christians and Jews (NCCJ) originally focused on promoting interfaith respect, acceptance and inclusion. In 2005, they formed a local organization, OneJax, Inc. Today, OneJax is dedicated to building community through respect, understanding and connections across Northeast Florida. Come hear their story. Elizabeth Andersen is CEO and Rebekah McLeod Hutto is director of Interfaith and Cultural Programs at OneJax.
LEARNING LABS
Session 3 | Friday, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Learning from Palestinian Christians
City Terrace 10 (Third Floor)
Palestinian Christians are one of the most overlooked displaced people groups in the world. Boldness is believing that peace is possible in the Middle East with a willingness to sit with Palestinian Christians and inject their stories into a narrative that is actively seeking to erase them.
Robert Wallace is pastor of McLean Baptist Church, McLean, Va., and Jennifer Hawks is CBF’s director of advocacy, representing CBF in federal policy conversations with elected officials, Hill staffers and advocacy coalitions.
Social Justice & Prophetic Activism as a Form of Healing
City Terrace 7 (Third Floor)
Explore how Christian tradition addresses issues of justice, equity and human rights through the lens of prophetic activism. Learn practical strategies for communal healing. The presenters bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in pastoral care, practical theology and contextual ministry, making this lab both informative and transformative.
D. Anthony Everett, chief advancement and partnership officer at BSK Theological Seminary, leads the Siloam Project, created to accelerate the seminary’s congregation-centered approach to theological education.
Jaye Lynn Peabody Smith, assistant professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at BSK, is a preacher, psychotherapist and pastoral care educator.
Candace Smith, visiting professor of Practical Theology and Black Church Studies at BSK, is a researcher, preacher and practical theologian who focuses on serving diverse communities.
The Bold Work of Forming Families: Practical Tools for FaithRooted Parenting in Stressful Times
City Terrace 8 (Third Floor)
In a moment when families are navigating high levels of stress, disconnection and uncertainty, churches are being called to respond. This Learning Lab introduces a faith-rooted, traumaaware parenting curriculum that equips churches with practical, accessible tools to strengthen family connection, emotional regulation and spiritual formation at home.
Emily Morrow Loachamin is the program coordinator for the CBF Global Missions Strengthening Families Program.
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YOUR GIFT TRANSFORMS LIVES
As a community and school-based counselor, it has been my honor to walk alongside women, children, couples and families as they seek wholeness and transformation in their lives . I have witnessed God heal generational trauma, repair marriages, restore dignity and self-worth, and redeem relationships . Partnerships with individuals and churches across the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, joining in God’s work in the world, make this transformation possible Alicia Lee, CBF field personnel, Skopje, North Macedonia
CELEBRATE 35 YEARS OF BEING THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST BY HELPING US REACH OUR $3.5M GOAL
Your investment in CBF’s 35th anniversary campaign helps to expand the beautiful kind of Baptist witness God is growing among us.
• Building expertise and initiatives to meet the most urgent needs of congregations
• Cultivating God’s call for a new generation of leadership
• Growing our leadership development services for clergy and lay leadership teams
• Sustaining catalytic, entrepreneurial staff presence in growth regions for CBF
• Fostering genuine racial justice, reconciliation and repair
• Expanding advocacy efforts to equip churches and their leaders
