Hundreds of women recently gathered at First Baptist Church Benton for the Arkansas Baptist Women Conference. The Conference kicked off with a welcome by Andrea Lennon, former women’s ministry specialist at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC). Lennon and the leadership team had prayed over every seat in the worship center the night before the conference.
Those prayers were felt as the women raised their hands in praise and worship led by Cory and Stephanie Epps, worship leaders from Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro.
“One of the things I love the most is being in a large group of women worshipping God together,” Patti Snowden of FBC Benton said of the Sept. 21 event. “I think we always get this every time we come to one of these conferences … I get to fellowship with people I’ve known in the past and see them again, here. It’s very much fun to be here and I get to worship God with fellow believers,” said.
Filled
Felicia Toler of FBC Crossett said she attended conference for the first time in 2023 and fell in love with it.
“I fell in love with the way it fills you up and the people and just everything about it,” she said. Immediately, Toler decided she wanted to be involved. She talked to Lennon and soon joined the leadership team.
“I am just excited about what God is doing for the women of Arkansas in our churches, in our ministries and just being able to tell others about Jesus,” Toler said.
The theme this year was “More of Jesus and less of me!” The key verse was John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The keynote speaker was Rachel Lovingood, who has been doing ministry with her husband, Jeff, for 30 years. Her passion is to see lives transformed by the Word of God.
Additionally, during the hour before lunch and during, Woman’s Ministry Union members held their annual meeting and missions’ celebration, which included hearing words of encouragement from Eddie Gibson, a product of Southern Baptist missions work in Liberia, and his wife, Charlesetta.
All the groups reunited after lunch for a second session led by Lovingood.
Embracing new opportunities
Lennon closed out the day, announcing to the women present that after 10 years with the ABSC she accepted a new job with Lifeway, where she will serve as director of women.
“It has been my joy to love you and to serve you. … Today is my last day. I am so glad I got to go out worshipping the Lord with all of you,” she told those in attendance.
The 2025 Arkansas Baptist Women Conference will be held Sept. 20 at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mary Alford and originally published by Arkansas Baptist News.
