2026 SPARK CONFERENCE
The Total Church-Equipping Conference

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Mark Your Calendar

Bring Your Ministry Leaders To The Location Nearest You!

Northwest Region

Tabernacle Baptist Church
Cartersville
August 23, 2026

Southeast Region

Crossroads Baptist Church
Valdosta
September 27, 2026

Southwest Region

Central Baptist Church
Americus
September 13, 2026

Northeast Region

McConnell Memorial Baptist Church
Hiawassee
August 30, 2026

West Central Region

Flat Creek Baptist Church
Fayetteville
September 20, 2026

East Central Region

First Baptist Church
Thomson
August 16, 2026

Sunday, August 18

Wynnbrook Baptist Church, Columbus

KEYNOTE: Dr. Scott Sullivan

Scott serves as the Discipleship Catalyst for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board representing 3400 churches and 1.4 million Georgia Baptists. He is an author, thought leader, national discipleship consultant, personal disciple-maker, and speaker. He is passionate about Jesus, family, and the outdoors. Scott is married to the love of his life, Elizabeth. They have four children: Erika, Austin, Caleb, and Noah.

Saturday, August 24

Abilene Baptist Church, Augusta

KEYNOTE: Dr. Ken Whitten

Dr. Ken Whitten is the North American Mission Board National Director of Pastoral Leadership. Dr. Whitten has been privileged to serve in various local, state, and national capacities including the SBC International Mission Board, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Florida State Board of Missions, Florida Baptist Witness Board and Guidestone. Pastor Whitten served as Senior Pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church for 33 years and has served on mission with God in West Africa, China, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Romania, England, Paraguay, Panama, and Guatemala.

Sunday, August 25

Glen Haven Baptist Church, McDonough

KEYNOTE: Dr. Al Mohler

Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr. has served as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky for over 30 years. He is a theologian and an ordained minister, having served as pastor and staff minister of several Southern Baptist churches. A native of Lakeland, Florida, Dr. Mohler holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University, as well as a master of divinity degree and PhD from Southern Seminary. He and his wife, Mary, have two children, (Katie and Christopher) and are the proud grandparents of Benjamin, Henry, and Margaret.

Sunday, September 8

First Baptist Church, Brunswick

KEYNOTE: Dr. Mac Brunson

Mac Brunson serves as the senior pastor of Valleydale Church in Birmingham, AL. He is a former president of N.C. Baptists and of the SBC Pastors’ Conference. Brunson has led churches in South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida. He holds a Doctor of Ministry, a Master of Divinity and a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Sunday, September 22

West Rome Baptist Church, Rome

KEYNOTE: Dr. Thom Rainer

Thom S. Rainer is a renowned church leader, author, and consultant, currently serving as the founder and CEO of Church Answers, an online resource platform for church leaders. He previously held the positions of President and CEO at LifeWay Christian Resources and was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His expertise in church health led him to establish the Rainer Group, a consulting firm that has guided numerous churches and organizations. A prolific author, Rainer has contributed more than two dozen books to the field, including influential works such as "I Am a Church Member" and "Autopsy of a Deceased Church".

Breakouts

From Pastor Wellness to Discipleship to Church Planting and beyond, Spark Conference has a breakout session just for you.

Meet your Spark Keynote Speakers

Hance Dilbeck

Tabernacle Baptist Church,
Northwest Region

Dr. Hance Dilbeck serves as President and CEO of GuideStone, where he leads a ministry committed to serving pastors, churches, and Christian organizations with wisdom and care. Before joining GuideStone, Dr. Dilbeck served as executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists and spent 30 years pastoring churches in Oklahoma. During his 15 years at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, the church tripled in size and helped plant 32 churches.

He has also served in key denominational leadership roles with Oklahoma Baptist University, Southwestern Seminary, and the International Mission Board.

Dr. Dilbeck and his wife, Julie, have three married sons and ten grandchildren.

Jimmy Scroggins

Crossroads Baptist Church,
Southeast Region

Jimmy Scroggins serves as Lead Pastor of Family Church in South Florida, a network of neighborhood churches and schools serving communities across three counties in three languages.
Since 2008, Jimmy has helped lead Family Church with a focus on church multiplication, gospel clarity, leadership development, and reaching diverse communities with the good news of Jesus.

He is the author of several books, including The Very Good News Storybook Bible, The Education Reformation, and Full Circle Parenting. He also serves as a trustee for Palm Beach Atlantic University and Liberty University.

Jimmy and his wife, Kristin, have eight children and a growing number of grandchildren.

Ken Whitten

Central Baptist Church,
Southwest Region

Ken Whitten serves as the national director of pastoral leadership at the North American Mission Board, where he encourages and equips pastors and churches toward greater health and gospel impact.
Before joining NAMB, Ken served for 33 years as Senior Pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Florida, leading through seasons of growth, mission engagement, and church planting.

Known as a pastor to pastors and an expository Bible preacher, Ken has also served in multiple Southern Baptist leadership roles, including president of the Florida Baptist Convention and president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference.

Ken and his wife, Ginny, have four children and 14 grandchildren.

Jason Britt

McConnell Memorial Baptist Church,
Northeast Region

Jason Britt serves as Lead Pastor of Bethlehem Church in Winder, Georgia, where he and his wife, Nan, have served since 2011.
Jason is passionate about helping churches grow in health, leadership, and gospel impact. A graduate of Shorter University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, he frequently speaks at church growth, leadership, and revitalization conferences across the country.

Under his leadership, Bethlehem Church has been recognized by Outreach Magazine as one of the fastest-growing churches in America each year since 2016.

Jason and Nan have three children: Carson, Claire, and Caleb.

Daniel Ritchie

Flat Creek Baptist Church,
West Central Region

Daniel Ritchie is a speaker, author, and pastor whose life and message point powerfully to the sufficiency of Christ in weakness. Born without arms, Daniel has spent his life adapting, overcoming, and using his story to help others see God’s strength in difficult circumstances.
For more than 20 years, he has spoken to churches, schools, conferences, universities, corporations, and professional sports teams, reaching more than 200,000 people each year. In 2025, Daniel was elected Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is the author of My Affliction For His Glory and Endure.

Daniel and his wife, Heather, have two children.

Thom S. Rainer

FBC Thomson,
East Central Region

With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom S. Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of the local church and her leaders. Prior to founding Church Answers, Thom served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. 

Before coming to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

BONUS!

Registrants Get FREE Access to "The Vault"

The "Vault" is an online portal where the recorded sessions are archived for on-demand access! Watch the session you miss, or even use it to train your leaders!

Copyright 2026. Georgia Baptist Mission Board. All rights reserved.