You spent days walking convention halls, listening to reports, participating in votes, visiting exhibitors, reconnecting with friends and meeting new ministry leaders. The Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting is an investment of time, money and energy.
Now you’re home.
Unfortunately, this is where many attendees lose most of the value. The huge event ends, ministry responsibilities pile up and within a few weeks the lessons, conversations and opportunities begin to fade.
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Don’t let that happen. Here are five things every SBC Annual Meeting attendee should do after returning home.
1. Process before you proceed.
Before diving back into your normal routine, take an hour to review your notes, photos, emails and conversations. It’s just 60 minutes. And worth it!
Ask yourself:
- What were the most significant decisions?
- What trends did I notice?
- What excited me?
- What concerned me?
- What might impact our church in the future?
Your goal isn’t to remember everything. It’s to identify the few things that matter most.
2. Communicate what happened.
Most people in your church weren’t in the big room.
They didn’t hear the discussions. They didn’t see the voting. They didn’t experience the conversations happening in hallways and meeting rooms.
Take time to communicate back to your staff, leadership team or congregation. Focus less on reporting facts and more on providing perspective. Help people understand not only what happened, but why it matters to them.
Good communication turns information into understanding. Learning becomes more valuable when shared.
3. Follow up with new relationships.
SBC is one of the few places where pastors, ministry leaders, missionaries, seminary representatives and church communicators all gather in one place. What a special place!
Don’t let those connections disappear. Send a quick email. Connect on LinkedIn. Schedule a coffee call. Thank people for their time.
The annual meeting may have introduced the relationship, but the real value comes from nurturing it afterward.
4. Revisit the exhibit hall from home.
You probably collected brochures, business cards and resources from organizations serving churches across the country. Now is the time to sort through them.
Which ministries (or businesses) deserve a second conversation? Which resources could help your church? Which organizations align with your goals?
The exhibit hall isn’t just a place to collect information. It’s a place to discover solutions.
5. Rest, reflect and refocus.
Let’s be honest. SBC Annual Meeting is exciting, but it’s also exhausting.
Before making major decisions, give yourself a little space to process. Some of your best insights won’t come from the convention floor. They’ll come a few days later when you’ve had time to think, pray and reflect.
The goal of attending SBC isn’t simply to be present and participate.
The goal is to return home with greater clarity, stronger relationships and a better understanding of how Southern Baptists can work together to reach more people for Christ. Cooperation is everything!
That’s when the investment truly pays off.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Mark MacDonald is a communication pastor, speaker, consultant, bestselling author and church branding strategist for BeKnownforSomething.com.
