Living out GC2, time of fellowship and unity expected at upcoming Annual Meeting

On Nov. 16-18, messengers and guests from across the Texas Baptists family will gather at the Abilene Convention Center for the 140th Texas Baptists Annual Meeting. Under the theme “Live Out GC2: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples,” attendees will join together in worship and business sessions, hear from seven keynote speakers, choose from among 32 unique ministry workshops, learn about the new, church property/liability insurance program and experience numerous times of fellowship throughout exhibit halls, meals and receptions, rallies and more.

Main sessions are scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m., Monday at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., and Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Sunday and Monday evening sessions will feature worship, and Monday and Tuesday morning sessions will combine worship and business. You can find more information on the schedule and pre-register as a guest or messenger at txb.org/am.

GC2-focused speakers, worship leaders and workshops

The Annual Meeting’s keynote speakers will include Julio Guarneri, Executive Director of Texas Baptists; Rolando Aguirre, Associate Pastor of Teaching and Spanish Language Ministries, Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas; Elijah Brown, Baptist World Alliance General Secretary; Delvin Atchison, Senior Pastor, Westside Baptist Church, Lewisville; Gregory Love, Founder of MinistrySafe; Ronny Marriott, pastor at First Baptist Church Richardson and president of Texas Baptists; and Dennis Wiles, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Arlington. 

Guarneri will deliver the executive director’s report Monday evening, and Marriott will deliver the president’s address during the Tuesday morning session.

Worship will be led by 317 Collective from First Baptist Church Arlington; Eric McElhaney and the Abilene Community Choir; Tiffany Stotts and the Hardin-Simmons Chapel Worship Band; and Jeff Wash and the First Baptist Church Midland Worship Team. 

Workshops will include topics such as church health, vision and strategy, identity, evangelism, discipleship, kingdom giving and more. Attendees are encouraged to stop by exhibit halls throughout the three-day gathering to learn more about ministry resources from Texas Baptists staff, ministry partners and other vendors, and for networking and fellowship. 

Several meals and receptions will also be hosted by Texas Baptists ministries and partners.

Rallies scheduled for Sunday evening include the Culp Legacy Sneaker Ball Banquet, held in Conference Rooms 3 & 4 at the Abilene Convention Center, and the 25th Anniversary Celebration Cowboy Church Rally, held in Conference Rooms 1 & 2 at the Abilene Convention Center. Sunday rallies will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. to allow attendees time to join the 7 p.m. Evening Worship Session at the Abilene Convention Center.

Sunday evening dinners will include the Pastor’s Common Dinner and the Baptist Student Ministry Dinner, beginning at 4:30 pm and 5 pm, respectively.

Church affiliation practices and special relationship agreement among business considered by messengers 

During business sessions, messengers will elect officers and vote on recommendations, including the 2026 proposed cooperative missions and ministries budget, the proposed 2026 allocation of worldwide missions initiatives and partnerships, and nominations for Executive Board directors, boards of affiliated ministries and committees.

Messengers will also hear and vote upon a recommendation to affirm the convention’s longstanding practice to receive into harmonious cooperation churches that affirm traditional Baptist beliefs as generally stated in either the 1963 or 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, or a similar Baptistic confessional statement.

The adoption of a special relationship agreement between Dallas Baptist University and Texas Baptists will also be considered by messengers. 

These and other business items are available online via the “Business” page of the Annual Meeting website.

Rallying around GC2 and prayers for unity

Guarneri said he is praying for unity as churches rally around the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

“I hope and pray that we will all experience a spirit of unity among our Texas Baptists family, the same spirit that brought five conventions together 140 years ago to form what is now the Baptist General Convention of Texas,” said Guarneri. 

Attendees are encouraged to access all of the information above, including the schedule, worship and business sessions, workshop titles and descriptions, rallies, meals and receptions and more, via the Texas Baptists app, which is free to download online at txb.org/app. 

To register as a messenger or guest for the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting, visit txb.org/am. Online pre-registration closes Sunday, Nov. 16.