October 1, 2026
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board is building on a record-setting year for SPARK by taking the church-strengthening conferences to six new host sites across the state in 2026.
The annual conferences are designed to give pastors, staff members, and lay leaders practical training for ministry in their local churches. This year’s gatherings will begin Aug. 16 at First Baptist Church in Thomson and continue through late September, with conferences scheduled in every region of the state.
Scott Sullivan, discipleship catalyst for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, said SPARK is built around the conviction that church health requires intentional leadership development.
“Healthy churches don’t happen by accident. They are built by leaders who never stop learning, growing, and sharpening one another. The SPARK conference is designed to equip and inspire every ministry leader, from pastors to volunteers, to walk faithfully with the Lord and make multiplying disciples.”
Last year’s SPARK conferences drew 4,111 attendees representing 535 churches and 21 associations, making 2025 the largest year in the event’s history. The total represented an increase of nearly 10% in attendance and a 39% increase in churches represented compared to 2024.
“In 2026, we hope to eclipse that number of Georgia Baptists trained and average 90+ churches at each location,” Sullivan said. “We are so excited that churches are leaning into training their people regularly!”
The 2026 schedule includes First Baptist Church in Thomson for the East Central Region on Aug. 16, Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cartersville for the Northwest Region on Aug. 23, McConnell Memorial Baptist Church in Hiawassee for the Northeast Region on Aug. 30, Central Baptist Church in Americus for the Southwest Region on Sept. 13, Flat Creek Baptist Church in Fayetteville for the West Central Region on Sept. 20, and Crossroads Baptist Church in Valdosta for the Southeast Region on Sept. 27.
The 2026 host sites reflect SPARK’s intentional effort to move training across Georgia, bringing practical equipping closer to churches in different regions and giving more congregations access to the conference.
“The beauty of the SPARK conference is the collaboration of the host church, the host association, and the George Baptist Mission Board,” said Sullivan. “When each of those bring to the table what they do well, we can see gospel impact for generations.”
This year’s keynote speakers include Thom S. Rainer, Hance Dilbeck, Jason Britt, Ken Whitten, Daniel Ritchie, and Jimmy Scroggins.
Rainer will open the 2026 SPARK schedule at First Baptist Church in Thomson. Rainer, an author, researcher and former president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, previously served at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he was founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism.
At Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cartersville, the keynote speaker will be Dilbeck, president and CEO of GuideStone. Dilbeck has led GuideStone since 2022 after 30 years of pastoral ministry in Oklahoma, including many years as pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
Britt, senior pastor of Bethlehem Church in Winder, will speak at McConnell Memorial Baptist Church in Hiawassee. Britt has served at Bethlehem since 2011 and is a frequent speaker at church growth, leadership and revitalization conferences. A graduate of Shorter University, he also attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Whitten, national director of pastoral leadership at the North American Mission Board, will deliver the keynote message at Central Baptist Church in Americus. He previously served as pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Fla.
Flat Creek Baptist Church in Fayetteville will hear from Ritchie, an evangelist and speaker from Raleigh, N.C. Born without arms, Ritchie speaks to more than 200,000 people each year, sharing the gospel and encouraging others to find their identity in Christ rather than in their circumstances or the opinions of the world.
Scroggins, lead pastor of Family Church in South Florida, will speak at Crossroads Baptist Church in Valdosta. Since 2008, he has led Family Church as a network of neighborhood churches focused on helping people discover and pursue God’s design. Scroggins also serves as professor of Christian ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and previously served as dean of Boyce College.
In addition to the keynote messages, each SPARK site will offer dozens of breakout sessions aimed at equipping leaders across the life of the church.
Breakout sessions will cover a wide range of local church needs, including evangelism, discipleship, missions, church planting, church revitalization, collegiate ministry, counseling, disaster relief, men’s ministry, ministry administration, Next Gen ministry, pastor wellness, public affairs, women’s ministry, and worship and music.
Sullivan said the sessions are designed to address the real issues churches are facing while keeping the mission of the church at the center.
“Every church is facing new challenges, but the mission has never changed,” he asserted. “SPARK brings together trusted pastors, practitioners, and ministry leaders who offer practical, biblical solutions that churches can implement immediately to reach new people and make disciples.”
Sullivan encouraged churches to bring teams rather than only one or two leaders.
“One of the greatest investments a church can make is in its leaders. A few hours of intentional training can influence the direction of a ministry for years to come. That’s why we encourage churches to bring their entire leadership team to SPARK, not just one or two representatives.”
Every SPARK registrant also receives access to the SPARK Vault, a digital library of sessions from previous years that provides ongoing training and encouragement beyond the one-day conference.
Sullivan said the goal is for leaders to leave with more than information.
“Our prayer is that every person who attends SPARK leaves encouraged, equipped, and ready to take at least one intentional next step. If stronger leaders build stronger churches, then stronger churches will reach more people with the hope of the gospel across Georgia.”
The conferences are part of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s broader effort to strengthen churches and equip leaders as they seek to reach their communities with the gospel.
Sullivan said planning is already underway beyond 2026.
“Our team is very excited that SPARK host sites are already built out for 2027! Through Thomas Hammond's vision, Mark Marshall's guidance, and an amazing team implementing the plan, lay leader training through the SPARK conference is set to help build a disciplemaking culture in local churches across Georgia for generations.”
Visit thesparkconference.com for registration and additional information about SPARK 2026.
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