Associational leaders from across the nation gathered March 3–5 in Tennessee for the first Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders retreat.
Ray Gentry, president and CEO of SBCAL, said the three-day retreat was geared toward training and continuing education but also designed to help associational leaders “make friends and deepen friendships” and enjoy times of “inspiration, networking and equipping.”
Held at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort in Pigeon Forge and centered on the theme “Next Level Leadership,” the three-day retreat featured speakers from Southern Baptist Convention entities, breakout sessions and times for fellowship and networking.
More than 225 leaders and spouses were in attendance, and attendees included current associational leaders as well as prospective leaders recommended by current mission strategists.
Plenary session speakers were Jeff Iorg, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee; Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board; Ben Mandrell, president of Lifeway Christian Resources; Brent Leatherwood, president of the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; Mark Dance, director of pastor wellness for Guidestone Financial Resources; and Gordon Fort, senior ambassador for the president at the International Mission Board.
For the first time, development pathways workshops were offered, organized in three tracks based on the number of churches partnering with the association: normative-size (under 40 churches), mid-size (40–89 churches) and large (90+ churches). New and prospective associational leaders also had the opportunity to attend an orientation track, and two sessions for leaders’ wives were held.
First mid-year retreat
This is the first time SBCAL has offered a mid-year retreat, Gentry said, and the reception to the event was very positive.
“We had great SBC leaders to challenge us and to inform us about their ministries,” Gentry said. “And then our first time ever having breakouts based on different sizes of associations has been very well received. We had teams that planned each of those pathways, and the response has confirmed that we’re headed in the right direction.”
SBCAL meets annually ahead of the SBC Annual Meeting. The next conference will be June 8–9 in Dallas and will mark the 65th anniversary of SBCAL. This year’s theme is “The Fruitful Mission Strategist” based on Titus 3:14.
This year’s summer conference will be organized like the retreat, Gentry said, with development pathways for leaders based on the number of churches served by the association plus networking opportunities and a ministry fair featuring resources for equipping leaders and churches. For the first time, an AMS of the Year Award will be presented June 9 in Dallas. Nominations are open through March 31. SBCAL also is conducting a compensation study for associational leaders through March 20.
In addition to the annual conference, SBCAL also offers a number of resources for associations and leaders at its website, sbcal.org. Gentry also blogs at drraygentry.com and hosts a weekly podcast, SBCAL Podcast with Ray Gentry.
For more information, visit sbcal.org.
