MOVE Conference encourages students to live on mission

VALDOSTA, Ga. — More than 3,000 students and leaders gathered the first weekend of 2026 for a time of worship, teaching, and fellowship during MOVE Conference. The event is hosted annually by the Georgia Baptist Mission Board at Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta. This year,  students, staff, and volunteers enjoyed the run of the park as the facility was closed to other visitors during the conference.

Organizers said 3,395 tickets to the conference were sold, with 168 different groups bringing students to the park.

From the moment that the gates opened, there was a sense of expectancy in the air that weather could not dampen. Even as steady rain fell throughout much of Saturday, students eagerly lined up, ready to enter and experience all the weekend had to offer.

Throughout the park, groups of students worshiped, laughed, and spent intentional time together, blending moments of fun with meaningful spiritual engagement. The unique setting allowed churches to remain together throughout the weekend, maximizing time for relationship-building, conversation, and discipleship while enjoying the park’s attractions.

Across the weekend’s three main sessions, Jeff Wallace, chief strategic officer at Student Leadership University, challenged students to see their faith as something to be lived out actively rather than observed passively. In the opening session, Wallace urged students to “get off the bench and into the game,” framing the Christian life as one that requires participation, courage, and obedience. He reminded students that following Jesus was never meant to be a spectator sport and that God has uniquely designed each believer with a purpose. Wallace emphasized that “grace saves but also sends,” calling students to recognize that their everyday lives are the very places God desires to work through them.

The second session built on that call to action by shifting students’ focus outward. Titled “Rescue Mission,” Wallace highlighted God’s heart for the lost and the urgency of gospel witness. He shared that an estimated seven million people in Georgia do not have a personal relationship with Christ, underscoring the magnitude of the mission field surrounding students every day. Wallace reminded students that “lost people matter to God” and that “Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised. All you have is today.” Students were challenged to see themselves not as spectators of God’s work, but as participants in His ongoing rescue mission for the world.

During the final session, Wallace took the broad scope of that mission and made it deeply personal. Returning to the reality of the millions who remain unreached, he asked students a simple but weighty question: “Who is your one?” He emphasized that while seven million can feel overwhelming, “God often starts with one.” God often begins movements with one act of obedience, one conversation, and one faithful step. Wallace reminded students that “God honors ordinary, unseen moments of obedience” and that lasting movement begins when individuals are willing to say yes. The session concluded with a renewed call for students to live as God’s chosen messengers, faithfully responding to His call one life at a time.

For Harold Smith, youth minister at First Baptist Church Pelham and assistant director at Camp Crosspoint, MOVE Conference remains a priority. Smith has been coming to MOVE conference for well over a decade and shared that MOVE is one of only two events he budgets for each year.  “MOVE is where we have seen the Spirit move when it comes to salvations, dedications, and life-changing decisions. There is always a great response.” He added that the fruit of MOVE does not stay at the event, but returns home with students, influencing spiritual growth throughout the wider church.

That emphasis on response was evident in the spiritual fruit that emerged. Over the course of the weekend, 12 students made first-time professions of faith, and 11 recommitted their lives to Christ.

One aspect of MOVE Conference is the priority to encourage students to boldly live out their faith. As a part of that focus, there was a unique opportunity for students called to vocational ministry to respond. Fifty-three students indicated a call to ministry on their lives, allowing for youth pastors and leaders to begin intentionally discipling and mentoring these students as they navigate this calling.

Local church leaders also noted the impact of MOVE Conference. Jonathan Cannon, an adult volunteer from Dykes Creek Baptist Church, attended MOVE for the first time with his church. “One of the biggest moments for me was the encouragement of students to get off the sidelines and get involved in missions through personal, local, and larger efforts," he said. "We had a couple of students ready to take the next step in missions.”

In sharing why other youth pastors and leaders should consider adding MOVE Conference to their yearly rhythm, Cannon noted MOVE’s emphasis on diving deeper into leading and applying biblical truth in their own lives as well as it taking it to their friends. Cannon also highlighted the value of the Wild Adventures setting, noting how the centralized location allowed for deeper group connection and meaningful interaction with leaders from other churches.

The weekend concluded with a powerful moment of unified prayer. Cameron Wilkins, West Central Region NextGen representative for the GBMB, led students and leaders in praying for non-Christian friends and family members as part of Prayer 365, a statewide effort calling Georgia Baptists to pray daily for an evangelistic harvest, which was emphasized on Friday evening as well.

As students departed, soaked shoes and rain jackets told part of the story. But the deeper story was one of hearts stirred, faith strengthened, and a renewed commitment to live on mission. For many who gathered, MOVE Conference was more than a quick weekend away. It was a reminder that God often uses ordinary moments of obedience to spark extraordinary movement, both in individual lives, churches, and communities across Georgia.

To learn more about MOVE Conference, visit moveconference.com.