LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Send Network Arkansas on Friday, Sept. 5, hosted a local, one-day event designed to inspire and equip planters, pastors, and followers of Jesus to join in “God’s activity of expanding God’s Kingdom through church planting.”
Through prayer, worship, learning, and collaboration, participants had the opportunity to discover practical tools and fresh vision for multiplying disciples and churches in their community.
Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Missions Team Leader Dr. Sam Roberts said, “You can’t help but notice the energy in the room and hallways as conversations are focusing on reaching more people for Christ through planting churches in Arkansas. That’s the beauty of the partnership between the ABSC and NAMB known as Send Network Arkansas. Gatherings like today reinforce the value of our partnership and give us a renewed vision for churches planting churches everywhere for everyone.”
Send Network Arkansas Director Tim Wicker said the theme of the day was “the whole family for the whole mission.” The event, which was held at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock, had a total of 133 registrants.
“Our desire is to show and to encourage churches across the state no matter how big or small that they can be involved in what God is doing in the area of church planting in Arkansas,” Wicker said. “We all can be and need to be involved.”
The main speaker of the day was Regional Director of South Send Network George Ross and worship was led by a cowboy church band. Several breakout sessions were also available, including Engaging your Community through Outreach Events; Replanting in Arkansas; Church Planting Wives; The Nations – Near and Far: People Group Discovery & Engagement; and Hispanic Church Planting.
Wicker said they tried to make sure there was something for everybody. The incoming ABSC Executive Director Dr. Mark Dance, who begins his new role Oct. 1, also made an appearance.
The event highlighted the need for collaboration among believers and churches to make a greater Gospel impact and aimed to rally God’s people around His mission through prayer, worship, learning, and strategizing.
“Everybody can be involved and should be involved. We are in this together as a family,” Wicker said, noting there were roughly 20 church planters in attendance. He said they wanted to encourage their church planters through prayer and partnerships and “make sure everybody understands the ways that they can be involved in church planting in Arkansas.”
For a church planter monthly prayer calendar, click here.
In October, Send Network Arkansas will be hosting a Sending Lab, a collaborative workshop that will help pastors and other church leadership develop a vision and plan for leading their church to becoming a sending church. It will be held Oct. 9 at Great Commission Baptist Association in Fort Smith. Additionally, a Hispanic Sending Lab will be held Feb. 21, 2026, at Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas.
For more information, email [email protected].