October 2, 2026
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Georgia Baptist community has grown over the past two centuries into state’s largest religious organization with more than 1.3 million members.
“God did that,” said Thomas Hammond, executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, speaking to a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday at Warren Baptist Church.
Georgia Baptists now have 3,400 churches in every city, town, and community across the state.
“God did that,” Hammond repeated.
Hammond, in a bicentennial address, gave messengers to the Georgia Baptist Convention’s annual meeting a look back through history, provided a comprehensive look at the present, and offered hope for a bright future.
“We have seen times of growth and losses, seasons of success and heartbreaking failures, widespread revival and moments of spiritual drought,” he said. “We have united to reach the world and divided over differences. We have seen God-sized victories and committed serious wrongs. For those wrongs, we have repented of those wrongs and are now moving forward to the glory of God.”
That was a reference to slavery.
“When you think about the fact the start of the Southern Baptist Convention was primarily over racial tensions and because of slavery and differences of opinion in those areas, and now the Southern Baptist Convention is now the most ethnically diverse denomination in the world, God did that,” Hammond said to the applause of messengers.
Hammond then addressed the future, saying that Georgia Baptists must remember that their work is not finished.
“We have heard many times that we study our past so that we may learn from it and not repeat the mistakes that we made in the past, but that we will build upon our past to create a brighter future,” he said.
Hammond, in celebrating the bicentennial, shared the stage with former state Mission Board Executive Director Bob White.
“If we were going to have a hall of fame of Georgia Baptists, he would be a first name on the ballot,” Hammond said of White. “If we had a Mount Rushmore, he would be one of the heads on it.”
White received a standing ovation from messengers when he walked onto the platform.
“I want to thank you for the spirit that is filling this room and filling the hearts of Georgia Baptists,” White said. “God is here. God is at work. All this comes down from the leadership of the convention. I attribute this to your spiritual leadership.”
Hammond had several other people join him on the platform as well, including Baptist Collegiate Ministry staffers, church leaders, and heads of organizations doing frontline ministry in Georgia.
White, who served as executive director during more than 10 percent of the Georgia Baptist Convention’s history, cited the creation of the Georgia Baptist Healthcare Foundation as one of the most consequential decisions during his years at the helm. The foundation was funded by the sale of the denomination’s hospitals and medical facilities.
“Those funds are helping to undergird and support the ministry of this Mission Board,” White said. “You say, well how does that happen? Because the foundation we established was to be a supporting organization of the Georgia Baptist Executive Committee.”
White said he never expected to lead a state Baptist convention, saying his calling was to be a pastor.
“I struggled with it,” he said, speaking of the decision to lead Georgia Baptists. “I looked up at the heavens and I said, ‘Lord, you called me to be a pastor, and I don’t want to be anything else.’ And He said, “That’s what I need in Georgia right now. I need a pastor.’”
White said the convention was split right down the middle between moderate and conservatives when he arrived.
“Those were terrible days for Southern Baptists,” he said. “We were at each other’s throats. Moderates despised the conservatives, called them fundamentalists. Conservatives despised the moderates, called them liberals. All kinds of different names were flying around.”
White said he pulled together representatives from both sides to get them to talk and pray together.
“Staying together is always the key, the spirit that I feel in this room, the oneness of the body of Christ,” he said. “When we’re one in Christ, we can not be defeated by the efforts of Satan. And I thank God for Georgia Baptists who pulled together during the tough theological times and the tough financial times and blessed God’s kingdom work by joining hands together.”
Hammond challenged Georgia Baptist to keep sharing the gospel as their top priority, using a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to make his point.
“When there is a changing of the guard and orders are delivered, the message that is shared every time is: ‘Orders remain Unchanged.’ If soldiers who are guarding the occupied tomb of the unknown soldier are reminded every day that their orders remain unchanged, shouldn’t the soldiers of the known King of all Kings who has an empty tomb be reminded everyday their orders will never change no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in? Our orders will never change. We are to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
Hammond also pointed to Nehemiah’s task of leading the Jewish people in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem.
“The Jews experienced all kinds of obstacles and challenges but remained faithful to the task,” he said. “Each one built and repaired the part of the wall they were responsible for. Each did their part. And the wall was completed.”
Hammond said he’s “extremely excited” about the future of Georgia Baptists as they work cooperatively through the state Mission Board’s two main rails: church strengthening and pastor wellness.
Church strengthening includes the Mission Board’s work in the areas of discipleship, evangelism, missions, worship and music, and ministry to the next generation. That includes Baptist Collegiate Ministries, which he said is “a huge part” of raising up the next generation of leaders.
“Right now we are on 36 campuses,” Hammond said. “But we have 110 campuses in Georgia. We want to be on all 110. To do that we cannot hire more staff. We must partner with churches who are willing to start a BCM on a campus that is in their Jerusalem. You might say, ‘We don’t know how to do something like that.’ We certainly understand, and we are here to help.”
Hammond said the state Mission Board exists to serve churches to advance the gospel, and its staff is working hard to fulfill that responsibility.
“This past year, church strengthening consultants have traveled their regions helping churches to become stronger,” he said. “Many of you have experienced what it means to have the Mission Board walk alongside you in ministry.”
So far this year, Hammond said, 3,500 church staff members have been trained areas of church strengthening, 1,600 church staff members and lay people have been trained during an in-person Spark Conference event, 1,500 attended the Mission Board’s evangelism conferences, 1,000 churches have been visited by church strengthening consultants, some 3,000 middle and high school students participated in the Mission Board’s Next Gen camps or events, 1,600 church staff and volunteers have been trained in Next Gen ministry, 400 people went on mission trips with mission partners, and 1,200 people attended a worship and music camp, roundtable, or training.
Hammond also talked about the importance of the Mission Board’s work in the area of pastor wellness.
“We know pastors are hurting,” he said. “According to a report from a recent Barna study, 41% of pastors are considering leaving the ministry today. Here are the reasons why: 56% named stress, 43% named loneliness, 29% named the toll it takes on their families.”
The Mission Board has been busy ministering to hurting pastors. In fact, Hammond said, 461 pastors and their wives have attended retreats or gatherings this year, 318 have received health care, and 556 have undergone counseling. Some 400 others have attended Re:Tool or Re:Charge events that are intended to inspire them to press on.
“If you only remember one thing from this convention, please remember we are here for you and your family,” Hammond said.
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