October 1, 2026
MACON, Ga. — New Providence Baptist Church partnered with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s Pastor Wellness team to give pastors, ministry leaders, and their families an evening set aside for rest, fellowship, and encouragement on the Ocmulgee River.
The free kayak trip late last month was designed to help ministry families step away from the demands of church leadership and spend time together in a relaxed setting. Participants met at Encounter Church in Macon, shuttled to Amerson Park, floated the Ocmulgee River, and returned for barbecue.
Jeff Gongwer, Pastor Wellness catalyst for the GBMB, said the event reflected the heart of the ministry.
“Pastor Wellness seeks to advance the gospel by investing in pastors, ministry leaders, and their families,” Gongwer said. “The kayak event was a great opportunity for us to work with a local church to create a wonderful experience for them.”
Gongwer said Pastor Wellness worked side by side with Pastor Brian Moore of New Providence Baptist Church of Smarr to plan the event. Moore and New Providence provided the local knowledge, equipment, transportation, and volunteers needed to make the outing possible.
Moore said this was the second kayak event New Providence has helped host with Pastor Wellness. “I said if y’all ever wanted to try to pull off a kayak trip, we could help with the logistics because we have a bunch of kayaks, we have the trailer to haul them, and we know the Ocmulgee River pretty well,” Moore said.
New Providence supplied more than 20 kayaks for the event. Moore said he and other church leaders have accumulated equipment through the years because the church has men’s, women’s, and Trail Life groups that kayak regularly.
“It’s growing, and now we branched out and offered our services and resources to Pastor Wellness,” Moore said.
Moore said kayaking works well for pastor wellness because it gets ministry leaders outside their normal routines.
“I think it’s good to get outside of the norm of the busyness of every day. Anything you can do out in the margin that takes your mind off of the stress of ministry is helpful,” Moore said. “And outdoors is an easy way to accomplish that.”
The event was not a whitewater trip, Moore said, but a relaxing float on a calm section of the river. “It’s something for all ages that you can relax and enjoy with your family.”
About 25 people kayaked, including pastors, ministry leaders, wives, and children. New Providence used church buses to transport participants and a church kayak trailer to haul the kayaks.
Adam Bertram, a layman at New Providence, pulled a grill to Encounter Church and cooked hamburgers for the group. Moore said Craig Walden, pastor of Encounter Church, allowed the group to use the church’s parking lot, kitchen, and fellowship hall because the church is located near the kayak launch.
“We met there, shuttled them to the river,” Moore said. “We came back there and Adam had dinner ready in their fellowship hall.”
Moore said he wanted the evening to communicate two things to pastors.
“One is don’t do ministry on an island by yourself,” he said. “You need relationships. I’ve noticed that the guys who last are the ones that connect with other ministers.”
He also wanted pastors and ministry leaders to know they do not need to feel guilty for taking time away.
“A lot of guys feel too busy or they feel guilty,” Moore said. “But I think it’s essential for personal and spiritual health for the long haul.”
Moore said much of the answer to ministry longevity is found in the margin.
“What are you doing for soul care and for self-care and to care for your family?” he said. “What are you doing in the margin to stay in the game?”
Jeff Powell, pastor of Safe Harbor Baptist Church in Macon, attended with his wife, and said the evening was “very, very refreshing.” His wife kayaked by herself for the first time, and Powell said the calm river made it a beautiful experience.
For pastors, Powell said, the outing provided needed time away from ministry pressures.
“You get away for a little bit,” Powell said. “You unwind. You talk with others who have similar issues and struggles, and you can bounce ideas back and forth. But most of the time, it’s just the fellowship where you’re not even thinking about the ministerial part. You’re just enjoying one another’s company.”
Powell said pastors need time to be still and step away.
“The verse that comes to mind may not relate directly to kayaking, but it’s ‘Be still and know I’m God,’” Powell said. “Even Jesus had to get away from the disciples.”
Bill Barnes, pastor of Byron Baptist Church, brought his wife and children, ages 12 and 9, for their first time kayaking in a river setting. His associate pastor, Ryan Maddox, and his children also attended.
Barnes said the event gave ministry families an opportunity to enjoy time together without adding another responsibility to their schedules.
“It’s just fun to be able to take our two families to do something we didn’t have to plan or pay for or worry about,” Barnes said. “We’re all busy, but having something that is relaxing without any additional stress was very much appreciated.”
Jon Brothers, pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Warner Robins, attended with his wife and four daughters. Brothers, who has been at Green Acres since March 15, said the outing helped him connect with other pastors in the area.
“The only people I knew there was actually Jeff Gongwer, who I had just had lunch with one time,” Brothers said. “All the pastors were new connections to me.”
Brothers said the outing came the week after his church’s Vacation Bible School, when his family was drained.
“It was really refreshing and probably more needed than I anticipated,” he said. “It was really nice to be able to go somewhere and be a part of something, but not have to do the planning and the cleanup.”
For Brothers, the event was a reminder that pastors must make room for what matters most, even when ministry brings a never-ending list of urgent needs.
“It’s always hard to choose the important over the urgent,” Brothers said. “But making real relationships with other pastors and spending time with your family and allowing other people to minister to you creates longevity and ongoing health.”
Moore said he watched pastors and their wives fellowshipping across the water and enjoying the float together. Afterward, participants told him how grateful they were for the time away.
“I think it pointed out something to them of how much they needed it even if they didn’t realize that when they signed up,” Moore said.
Moore said New Providence is open to helping other churches and ministries host similar outings, and that pastors who are interested should reach out directly to him.
“We’d love to bless other ministries with that opportunity,” he said.
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