217 newly endorsed church planters gathered at Send Network Orientation at the North American Mission Board (NAMB) building in Alpharetta, Ga., last week. The diverse group represented 182 Sending Churches, 8 different languages, 30 U.S. states, and 4 Canadian provinces. (NAMB photo)
Two Arkansas Baptist church planters were among the more than 200 from across the nation that recently traveled to Alpharetta, Georgia, for the North American Mission Board’s Send Network Orientation.
Arkansas Baptist church planters in attendance were:
- Mike Dixon, Christ Fellowship, Walnut Ridge
- Rick Miller, Revive Church, McGehee
All planters endorsed by Send Network are strongly urged to attend at least one Send Network Orientation within their first year of planting.
Miller said he has been to countless conferences, camps, revivals and clinics, but nothing has spoken to him quite like the Send Network Orientation.
“Ministering in a rural area we can often feel left out and like a lone wolf. I now know that I am part of a vital arm of NAMB with brothers planting all over the continent,” Miller said.
Dixon said one of the most impactful parts of the orientation, which was March 4-6, was being in the room with a diverse array of planters from around North America.
“I was able to worship alongside and connect with men from all walks of life and backgrounds. In the midst of such diversity, we had much in common in our church planting journeys, and that was an encouragement to my soul. Church planting is hard, so it’s always great to connect with those who are in the trenches alongside you,” Dixon said.
Miller said he made connections with other planters that he is sure will last for eternity.
“The common denominator we share gives us grounds to lift each other and our families up in prayer. The diversity of nationalities was amazing also. It humbled me to see that God has called men from other countries to America to plant churches. I met men from India, West Africa, Guatemala, Canada and Mexico, who have been called here to spread the gospel,” he said.
According to a North American Mission Board (NAMB) news article, 217 newly endorsed church planters from 30 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico attended the Send Network Orientation. The diverse class of planters spoke at least eight languages and represented 182 Sending Churches. Fifty-six attendees were Spanish speakers, a reflection of Send Network Español’s emphasis on resourcing planters to reach Hispanic communities.
Additionally, Dixon said it was great to connect with leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention who are giving their lives to equip church planters.
“Their support means a lot to pastors like me, who are bivocational and often exhausted by the constant balance of working, planting, and leading at home. To know that we are in a convention staffed by men and women who really, really care for us is energizing,” he said.
For more information on church planting in Arkansas, click here.