October 1, 2026
DALTON, Ga. —The first three rounds of Engage 6 gatherings have been marked by strong attendance as Georgia Baptists continue a statewide evangelism effort aimed at reaching the more than 7 million lost people in the state.
Through January, February, and April, the regional evangelism training events have drawn a combined 1,015 attendees. The gatherings are part of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s evangelism emphasis, designed to give pastors and ministry leaders practical tools they can put to use immediately in their own churches and communities.
At Salem Baptist Church in Dalton, pastor Jim Perdue of Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins challenged attendees to think intentionally not only about drawing guests to “high-profile” Sundays, but also about how to follow up effectively after those events end.
“High-profile Sundays are incredible opportunities to connect with new people,” Perdue said, emphasizing the importance of prayer. "If prayer is not a part of our preparation, we're going to miss out on what God wants to do," he said. "So we've got to pray as we prepare, and teach our teams and volunteers that prayer is the foundation."
He went on to explain that "the real ministry happens after the event through systematic and intentional follow-up.”
Perdue urged pastors and church leaders to prepare for follow-up before a special Sunday ever arrives. He said churches need clear plans for gathering contact information, assigning responsibility, praying for guests, and providing next steps.
The goal, Perdue explained, is to move people from first-time attendance toward a deeper connection to the life of the church. "We say our discipleship process has three steps. If we're gonna make disciples, we wanna connect, grow, and serve."
He encouraged churches to treat follow-up as a ministry of personal connection rather than mass communication. A handwritten note, a thoughtful text, or a personal invitation, he said, often does more than generic announcements or broad email blasts.
That is why, at Second Baptist Church, Perdue involves the whole ministry team in follow-up. "Every Monday at our staff meeting," he said, "I'm asking, 'Who's reaching out to this person? Who's reaching out to this person? Who's reaching out to this person?' And we talk about how to reach out to this person."
Intentionally assigning responsibility ensures that no one is forgotten. "If no one is responsible, it's not going to get done," Perdue said. "Assign volunteers, small group leaders, and pastoral staff to specific follow-up roles ahead of time so no one is scrambling afterwards. If you don't plan ahead, you are already behind."
Perdue also urged churches not to mistake a large attendance day for lasting fruit. Easter, Christmas Eve, Mother’s Day, friend days, and other special Sundays can create natural opportunities for people to come. But he said pastors must make sure to keep the focus on preaching Jesus.
“If you’re not sharing the gospel, why?” Perdue asked. “Why are we having these big Sundays? Why do we gather together in the first place?”
He argued that churches should make their special Sundays as normal as possible, so guests who return the following week find a church that feels familiar rather than fundamentally different.
At the end of the session, Georgia Baptist Convention President Steve Browning, lead pastor of First Baptist Alpharetta, prayed that churches would apply what they had heard in ways that would have a meaningful and long-lasting impact in their communities.
“This conversation that we’ve had today is not just theory,” Browning said. “Lord, there are real people in our communities that You intend for us as ministry leaders, as pastors, as lay leaders to be able to reach with the hope of the gospel.”
Browning also pointed attendees toward the annual meeting at Second Baptist in Warner Robins this fall, noting that the Monday before the convention will include a full-day evangelism conference. The theme of the annual meeting, he said, will be “Wide Open,” reflecting what he described as the wide-open door God has given Georgia Baptists for effective ministry.
Attendees in Dalton said they appreciated Perdue's practical guidance.
Stephen Fraser, student pastor at Dykes Creek Baptist Church in Rome, said he came looking for help as his church thinks through guest retention and follow-up.
“I’m really thinking intentionally of how we can get more people involved strategically in follow-up and personal connection outside of staff,” Fraser said, “and really getting lay leaders involved.”
Billy Carver, pastor of Floyd Springs Baptist Church, said his church has seen encouraging growth, but that growth has forced him to think differently as a leader.
Carver said Perdue’s emphasis on personal connection was especially helpful, as well as the encouragement that the pastor doesn’t have to do it all. “Find people to help you with it,” he said.
Darrell Cooper, lead pastor of White Oak Baptist Church in Trenton, agreed. “We’re a revitalization church, and we’re about two and a half years into a revitalization,” Cooper said. “Right now, we have a need for leadership to be able to share the burden of the load.”
Cooper said he has now attended all of the Engage 6 sessions so far and came hoping to find ideas that would help his church step outside its normal patterns.
The personal connection remains central, Cooper added. “Making sure that I, as a pastor or other leaders, don't forget that we're the face of Jesus.”
The attendance totals through the first half of the year show that Georgia Baptist pastors and leaders are responding to the practical format of Engage 6. Those numbers reflect a shared desire among Georgia Baptists to become more intentional in evangelism.
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A complete schedule of remaining dates and locations is available at gbmbevangelismresources.com/engage-six.
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