Arkansas Baptist State Convention

July 14-18
Registration opens March 1

PraiseWorks is a worship arts-focused camp for students who have completed grades 7–12. JoyWorks is a worship arts-focused camp for kids who have completed grades 3–6. Campers at both camps have an opportunity to gather to worship, learn about worship, and gain skills for leading and participating in worship.

PraiseWorks information and registration

JoyWorks information and registration

March 8, 2025

Lead Defend and Lead Defend Foundations are apologetics conferences that equip the next generation to defend their faith. Both provide powerful worship, engaging messages, and practical breakout sessions with speakers Drs. Jamie and Tara Dew, Lee Strobel, and Sean Emory. Cost is $45 per person.

Lead Defend is geared for high school and college students. It is held at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock.

Lead Defend Foundations is geared for students in 6th-9th grade. It is held in the City Center down the hill from Immanuel Baptist Church.
Information and registration

April 3, 6, or 10

Vacation Bible School (VBS) has a huge impact on churches, children, and families. Our VBS trainings are an incredible opportunity to hear from experienced kids ministry leaders and receive valuable resources for your church.
 

April 3 | Cross Church, Fayetteville | 6:00–8:30 p.m.

April 6 | First Baptist Church, El Dorado |  3:00–5:30 p.m.

April 10 | Collective Church, Bryant |6:00–8:30 p.m. 

April 4–5

Heart & Four Fields is an effective evangelism and disciple-making strategy equipping everyday believers, church leaders, and church planters. This event is being led by experienced pastors and missionaries involved in church planting in numerous contexts.

Information and registration 

March 15

Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers go to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ. Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are trained and credentialed. They are often provided immediate access into areas of crisis where we can meet people at their points of need. You, too, can become a trained, credentialed Disaster Relief volunteer by attending regional training. Please prayerfully consider if Disaster Relief is a ministry in which the Lord is calling you to serve. The next training will be on March 15 at Nettleton Baptist Church in Jonesboro starting at 8:00 a.m. You can register online for this training or one of the other three offered this year.

April 11–13

Looking for a student missions experience? Join us for a week-long missions trip experience packaged into a single weekend. CONNECT helps to engage students in and equip them for the mission by connecting them to Christ, to other Arkansas students, and introducing them to various ministries provided through the Dixie Jackson State Missions Offering and the Cooperative Program. Deadline to register is March 31. 

Information and registration 

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training has been rescheduled from February. Two separate two-day courses will be offered on April 11–12: Emotional and Spiritual Care in Disasters and Assisting Individuals in Crisis. For more information and to register, go to absc.org/cism

First Responder Chaplain/Peer Support Training will be held on April 24–25. This is for chaplains (or future chaplains), pastors and church leaders, Law Enforcement/Fire/EMS Peer Support Team Members and other emergency responders, anyone desiring to minister to and support first responders. Also great information for hospice and hospital workers.

May 1

The Arkansas Baptist State Convention is here to help your church. Protecting minors and those vulnerable from sexual abuse remains a top priority. Join us for the Abuse Prevention + Response Conference as we walk through the essentials to actively assist and encourage Arkansas Baptist churches to train, screen, protect, report, and care when it comes to abuse prevention and response.

Explore Your Call seeks to minister to students who are feeling God’s call as well as the pastors who are investing in them. Join us for the regional Explore Your Call meeting in your area. This will be a time to learn and hear from church staff and pastors about serving in ministry, partnering together in ministry, and growing in your call to ministry.

Find upcoming dates and locations and register to attend one of three upcoming meetings on March 3 or 18 or April 1

Join us for the Worship Leaders' Roundtable that will be gathering in your area. These events held throughout the year are great opportunities to enjoy the fellowship of other worship leaders as we challenge, sharpen, and encourage one another. Please click on the links below to register for the Worship Leaders' Roundtable near you to be sure you are provided a meal. Contact jdaniel@absc.org for more information and later dates and locations.

March 20, First Baptist Church, Greenwood

April 3, Wynne Baptist Church

April 10, First Baptist Church, Nashville

April 24, First Baptist Church, Monticello

March 2–9

The Week of Prayer for North American missions is observed annually by SBC churches to pray for missionaries, their ministries and their families. Prayer is the fuel for spiritually sustaining missionaries in places where the Gospel is greatly needed but often opposed. The official date is the first Sunday in March through the second Sunday—March 2–9, 2025. Your church can choose this date or another time during the Easter season to participate. Online resources can be found at anniearmstrong.com/resources.

The Sending Lab is a one-day workshop that will help you develop a vision and plan for leading your church to send. It’s a collaborative experience that will connect you with other pastors on the same journey, while guiding you to identify your next steps for finding, developing, and sending church planters. Lunch and snacks provided.

April 14, Nettleton Baptist Church, Jonesboro

April 15, Connect Church, Little Rock

Springtime is a great time to share the Good News throughout Arkansas. In this episode, Clint and Dr. Sam discuss the four different stages of the Spring Outreach Strategy. Join us this year as Arkansas Baptists preach the message of John 3:16 on 3/16, serve our communities, gather on Easter Sunday, and celebrate with baptism.

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How would you know if God was calling you? In this episode of Lead Defend, special guest Jeff Iorg helps us unpack God's call for our lives by sharing his own experience of God's initial call to ministry and how he later revisited it throughout his life.

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