One week left to register as GO Georgia prepares to kick off

Attendees at GO Georgia 2016, held at Prince Avenue Baptist Church in Bogart, peruse the displays in a hallway. This year's GO Georgia will be held Aug. 17-18 at Turning Point at Mabel White Baptist Church in Macon. GBC COMMUNICATIONS/Special

Note: an earlier version of this story inadvertently added a GO Georgia location from last year in the photo caption. 

DULUTH — With only 11 days to go before the first breakout session, church leaders are encouraged to register soon for GO Georgia.

The training event, now in its third year, will be held Aug. 17-18 at Turning Point at Mabel White Baptist Church in Macon. This year's GO Georgia returns to a singular location format as it was in 2016 in Athens. Last year it took place in both Tifton and Marietta.

Breakout sessions cover topics regarding church administration, college and young adult ministry, community missions, church planting, evangelism, technology and communications, and numerous other areas.

James Emery White, founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, N.C., and Mel Blackaby, senior pastor of First Baptist Jonesboro, will be the keynote speakers. Joining them will be approximately 100 featured and breakout leaders as well as musical guests.

Registration for the event costs $45, but ends a week from today. Those wanting to attend can still do so with a $55 walk-up fee. Check area hotels for availability.

Theme on equipping churches to reach the next generation

The theme of RE: Generation will focus on equipping churches for reaching students. Steve Parr, Georgia Baptist state missionary and VP of staff coordination and development, points to the range of topics benefiting churches wanting to stretch their training.

Steve Parr

"Time is a precious commodity," he says. "Bringing all your leaders to one event versus attending several through the year is a great opportunity."

Leaders will also receive training on encountering today's cultural challenges. Preparation, notes Parr, is no longer a choice.

"We are all having to connect the gospel with a changing culture and emerging generation. Training like this has never more important given those shifts."

Testimonies from the field have followed recent GO Georgias, Parr says.

"A church in the rural edge of the north metro Atlanta area brought their children's leaders to the Athens event. Since then they've tripled their children's ministry participation. Everyone comes away inspired or better equipped.

"Immediately following the event we always get great feedback. But, the longer lasting fruit from churches like that are what it's all about."