October 2, 2026
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The first of what’s expected to be a crowd of more than 1,200 messengers began arriving in Augusta on Sunday to attend events leading up to the Georgia Baptist Convention’s annual meeting.
The early arrivals have come not just from Georgia but also several other states to attend a send-off for the newest crop of International Mission Board missionaries preparing for deployment to countries around the world.
That event serves as the kickoff to three days of festivities at Warren Baptist Church, where the annual meeting and related events are being held.
“This is where you really see the incredible work Baptists are doing,” said retired pastor Hinton Harris of Riverdale, who has attended more than 50 state-level annual meetings and some 25 national-level annual meetings. “When people come, they know we have a convention that really is reaching the world with the gospel.”
The 85-year-old Harris, now a member of First Baptist Church of Jonesboro, arrived early at Warren Baptist Church on Sunday evening to get a good seat for the missionary send-off being led by IMB President Paul Chitwood.
During the three-day gathering in Augusta, messengers will also elect a new president to replace Kevin Williams, the Villa Rica First Baptist Church pastor who is finishing up his second term, the maximum allowed in Georgia.
Fayetteville pastor Josh Saefkow, a champion of the Cooperative Program and current chairman of the Georgia Baptist Executive Committee, will be nominated to replace Williams.
Buford First Baptist Church Lead Pastor Stephen Fountain said he intends to nominate Saefkow, who has been pastor of Flat Creek Baptist Church since 2016.
Five other pastors have been announced as potential nominees for vice president. That includes Thomson First Baptist Church Pastor David Lambert, McConnell Memorial Church of Hiawasee Lead Pastor Steve Taylor, Church 180 of Hampton Pastor Anthony Wilson, Macon Korean Baptist Church Pastor Daniel Chon, and Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo of Jonesboro Pastor Rubén Torres.
The Georgia Baptist Convention, made up of 3,600 churches with 1.4 million members, holds a business meeting each November. People attend from across the state, drawn as much by the fellowship, preaching, and singing as by any business matters on the agenda.
The theme of this year’s three-day meeting is: “Forward. We’re not done yet.”
Some of Georgia’s best preachers will be on the platform this year, including two legendary Georgia pastors, Wayne Robertson of Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, and Josh Smith of Prince Avenue Baptist Church in Bogart.
Tony Evans, the familiar voice on the Urban Alternative radio program that’s carried on more than 1,400 stations, will also speak at this year’s annual meeting.
For some 40 years, Georgians have been listening to Evans on radio. Williams said he's excited that they’ll be able to hear him in person at this year’s annual meeting.
Share with others
