Over 2,000 focus on Living Out GC2, hear about GC2 Discovery Process at Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in Abilene

2,007 messengers and visitors gathered in Abilene Nov. 16-18 to take part in the 140th Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), focusing on the theme, “Live Out GC2: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples."

Rallies kick off three-day fellowship

The Annual Meeting started on Sunday, Nov. 16, with worship rallies of the African American Fellowship of Texas, Texas Baptists en Español and Texas Baptists Western Heritage. 

Each rally encouraged attendees to live out GC2 and celebrated and honored ministries and individuals who have faithfully done so. 

Messages focus on the presence of the kingdom, clarified calling

Speakers in worship sessions and worship and business sessions brought messages centered around loving God, loving people and making disciples.

During the Sunday worship session, Dennis Wiles, lead pastor at First Baptist Church Arlington, told attendees a person who loves God can be recognized by the way they behave, what they believe and who that person becomes.

During the Monday morning worship session, Gregory Love, founder of MinistrySafe, spoke about loving our neighbors by protecting children and reminded attendees that “they will not accidentally get their protection policies right; it will require priority, intentionality and training.” 

Rolando Aguirre, associate pastor of teaching and Spanish language ministries at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, concluded the session with a message on loving our neighbors with justice, mercy and humility. Referencing Micah 6:8, he shared the three dimensions of God’s justice — making wrong things right, making mercy your way and making humility your practice.

Monday evening, Julio Guarneri, executive director of Texas Baptists, gave his report during the third worship session. He shared about the GC2 Strong initiative and the GC2 Discovery Process, which allows churches to learn, pray, assess and pursue a pathway to focus on strengthening their churches, missions and leaders in the Great Commandment and Great Commission.

“It is church focused. GC2 Strong is geared toward serving and resourcing our existing local churches,” Guarneri said. “We believe that when churches choose to do so, there will be church multiplication, missions advancement and kingdom expansion.”

Guarneri encouraged attendees to download the Bless App and participate in praying for their neighbors by name. Texas Baptists has purchased a one-year subscription for every Texas Baptists church that participates. 

Concluding the Monday evening worship session, Elijah Brown, Baptist World Alliance general secretary, shared a message titled "The Great Commandment meets the Great Commission.” Referencing Acts 2:41-47, he shared that there are five possible pathways to be involved in collaborative global missions: the witness path, the Bible path, the care path, the freedom and justice path and the neighbor path.

Tuesday morning, Delvin Atchison, senior pastor of Westside Baptist Church in Lewisville and president of the African American Fellowship, delivered a message on making disciples. Referencing John 13:1–17, he encouraged attendees that leaders need the humility to serve, the vulnerability to suffer, the tenacity to stand and have the certainty of success.

Following Atchison’s message on Tuesday morning, Ronny Marriott, Convention president and pastor of First Baptist Church Richardson, delivered his address to close out the final worship and business session of the Annual Meeting.

He spoke from John 17:20-23, encouraging attendees that Texas Baptists’ have an “opportunity to show an unbelieving world how a diverse people can be unified” and challenged churches to “show the world the strength of unity amid diversity for the glory of God.”

Worship was led by Eric McElhaney and the Abilene Community Choir; Tiffany Stotts and the Hardin-Simmons Chapel Worship Band; Jeff Wash and the FBC Midland Worship Team; and 317 Collective.

Officers elected, special relationship agreement and other business considered

Messengers elected new officers to serve for the 2025-2026 term during the Monday morning and Tuesday morning business sessions. 

Debbie Potter, children’s pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, was elected to a one-year term as president. Joseph Adams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, was elected first vice president. Ariel Martinez, pastor of Del Sol Church in El Paso, was elected second vice president.

Adams and Martinez ran unopposed, and Potter was elected over Kevin Burrow, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Eastland, by a vote of 430 to 320.

Heath Kirkwood, chair of the Executive Board, gave an update on three major actions taken by the Board since the previous Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in November 2024 and other recommendations from the Convention’s Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Task Force, and recommendations related to institutional relations and the cooperation of churches.

Ward Hayes, treasurer and CFO for Texas Baptists, provided a financial report. 

Outlining the 2026 proposed budget, Hayes pointed to a total budgeted revenue of $47.9 million, which is 105% of the 2025 budget. Per Hayes, a new budget design has been implemented to incorporate the GC2 Strong initiative of strengthening churches, leaders and missions.

Messengers also adopted a recommendation related to the special relationship agreement between Dallas Baptist University and Texas Baptists.  

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, was adopted.

Read the full recap of the Monday business session here.

In the Tuesday morning business session, messengers considered two motions and three resolutions and filled the remaining Convention officer positions. 

The first motion to “evaluate the Special Relationship Agreement with Baylor University, specifically with respect to Baylor’s endorsements of and partnerships and affiliations with any organizations that advocate for or affirm the LGBTQ lifestyle and agent and report back any findings, actions or recommendations to the messengers to the BGCT 2026 Annual Meeting,” was defeated after extended discussion.

The second motion to examine all BGCT-affiliated educational institutions for alignment with the GC2 Summary of Faith, and to require that all professors in religion and theology departments sign and affirmation of the GC2 Summary of Faith as a content addition of continued cooperation and BGCT Funding, was ruled out of order by the Committee on Annual Meeting because it circumvented the authority of the Executive Board and required a constitutional amendment.

Messengers passed two resolutions that expressed appreciation to the city of Abilene, the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, Abilene Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, the members of the Committee on Annual Meeting, Guarneri and the men and women who work on the BGCT staff “for their faithful labor on behalf of Texas Baptists.” 

Messengers passed one final resolution on the pervasive harm of pornography in the digital age that stated in part, “Texas Baptists commit to leading out in opposing the plague of pornography, recognizing that this is an issue of the heart that demands a repentant, biblical, compassionate, prophetic, pastoral and redemptive response.”

Bill Arnold, former president of Texas Baptist Mission Foundation, was elected secretary of the corporation, and Michael Evans, Sr., pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, was elected registration secretary.

Read the full recap of the Tuesday business session here.

Workshops and panel discussion

Participants had the opportunity to choose from 31 workshops over four sessions Monday and Tuesday, and a lunch and learn session discussing the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program. 

The “GC2 Awakening” workshop led by the GC2 Design team: Sergio Ramos, senior director of relationship development, Joshua Minatrea, senior director of resource development, Jonathan Smith, associate director for the Center for Church Health, Clinton Lowin, associate director for the Center for Missional Engagement, and Noe Treviño, director of the Center for Missional Engagement, informed attendees on the 3-step GC2 Discovery Process and how to get involved. 

Jonathan Smith, director of Church Health and Growth for Texas Baptists, led a workshop titled “Principles for Growing Your Healthy Church to the Next Level” that gave attendees six strategic steps: teach the gospel, define their Acts 1:8, better define their Jerusalem, display kingdom momentum and change their pastoral ministry from chief chaplain to lead missionary and evangelist.

The “Gen Z and Millennials: How They Lead and Follow” workshop, led by David Foster, director of Millennial/Gen Z Network at Texas Baptists, Cameron Strange, lead pastor of Impact City Church in Schertz, Israel Mendez, pastor of Alamo Community Church in San Antonio, and Kyle Jackson, lead pastor of 3rd Coast Church in Texas City, gave attendees three different pathways to consider when leading and raising up leaders among Gen Z and Millennials: collaboration, leadership development and vision.

Meals and receptions

Messengers and guests also participated in several meals and receptions, including the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering (TBHO) annual luncheon, Texas Baptists Missions Foundation (TBMF) luncheon and the Minister Spouse Fellowship.

The annual Hunger Offering luncheon celebrated 30 years of fruitful giving and honored “Legacy Churches” who have given to the Hunger Offering for 24 years or more of the last 30 years. Jeremy Everett, founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, gave the keynote address at the luncheon. He told attendees that “the kingdom of God is here, and there is room at the table for everyone, but only when we make space for those in need.” 

TBMF celebrated 40 years of supporting God’s work and heard a testimony from Drayton McLane, Jr., chairman of the McLane Group and a longtime Baptist churchman, who is “one of the earliest and most generous supporters [of TBMF].” 

Jerry Carlisle, TBMF president, shared about a partnership with FreeWill to provide an opportunity for every Texas Baptists and told attendees about recently completed projects of TBMF include funds for a new Baptist Students Ministries center at Baylor University and one at Texas Tech University, and a new facility at West Texas A&M is in the works.

The Minister Spouse Fellowship, hosted by Monica Guarneri, wife of Texas Baptists Executive Director Julio Guarneri, Tracy Christina, wife of Associate Executive Director Craig Christina, and Jenna Hayes, wife of Treasurer/CFO Ward Hayes, was a chance for the spouses of pastors and ministers to meet, bond over shared experiences and learn together.

Robin Marriott, wife of Texas Baptists President Ronny Marriott and first lady of the BGCT, and Lindsey Mayberry, a minister's spouse and church planter in New York City, provided encouragement to attendees.

The 2026 Texas Baptists Annual Meeting is scheduled for November 15-17, 2026, in Waco.