The Neighborhood Church | 2025 Leadership Conference
Antioch, TN — Two hundred Free Will Baptist pastors and ministry leaders from 25 states gathered December 8-9, at Sonesta Nashville Airport in Nashville, Tennessee, for the annual Free Will Baptist Leadership Conference.
Keynote speaker Dr. Sam Rainer explored the theme, “The Neighborhood Church,” identifying strategies to develop a church that is loved and valued by its community. “Your church is not at its address by accident,” he challenged listeners during his opening session. “If God can save any person, then He can save any church….This should be the heart of our ministry.”
The president of Church Answers and the lead pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Bradenton, Florida, Rainer writes, teaches, speaks, and consults on many issues surrounding church health. The author of nine books and hundreds of articles, he is a frequent speaker and co-hosts the podcast Rainer on Leadership. Rainer spoke five times during the conference, twice during Monday and Tuesday evening keynote sessions, and three sessions Tuesday.
- Session 1: The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church
- Session 2: The Trends That Can Make or Break Your Next 10 Years
- Session 3: Proven Approaches From Churches Reaching Young Families
- Session 4: Why Churches Are Targets (Keeping Your Congregation Safe)
- Session 5: How to Get Everyone in Your Church Inviting Someone
Washington Pastor Brent Nix shared his thoughts regarding both the conference and what he heard during keynote sessions. “The Leadership Conference has been a source of encouragement and inspiration for me every year I’ve attended. This year’s sessions with Sam Rainer’s insightful, practical, and passionate teaching have been a wonderful blessing to me and, hopefully, to my church when I get home.”
Tuesday afternoon, additional seminars offered practical instruction on building and maintaining a healthy church.
- From Hello to Home: Dynamic First Impressions Ministry, Shiloh Hackett (TN)
- Ministering to People Who Didn’t Plant Their Own Olive Trees, Jon Forrest (TN)
- Revitalization: Lessons From a Water Bottle and the Bible, Travis Alexander (AR)
- Small Groups Make Big Steps, Kevin Barnett (AR)
As always, the Leadership Conference featured more than sessions and training. Attendees enjoyed conversations over meals, explored resources from national ministries, and talked long after sessions reached a conclusion. This year, the Leadership Conference also hosted a Funding Summit that explored ways to address the challenges of financing crucial denominational ministry without overburdening Free Will Baptists.
Various boards and committees met in conjunction with the conference, including the Executive Committee; D6 Family Ministry; FWB Foundation; IM, Inc.; North American Ministries; Richland Ave Financial; Welch College; the Historical Commission; and state leaders and promotional directors.
“I left this year’s leadership conference with a lot of hope for our local churches,” noted Florida pastor John Howell. “We received practical tools and resources to help us reach our communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ!”
As the conference concluded, Executive Director Eddie Moody challenged attendees to set four specific goals for their states, associations, and churches: 1) pray for neighbors (nafwb.org/bless); 2) increase the number of churches using The Hope Initiative; 3) refocus on Sunday School and discipling others in the faith; and 4) pray for the harvest and harvesters.
“We must be outward focused to reach the community,” Moody concluded. “However, we must be inward focused as we pray for and look for harvesters. Who within your church can teach a class? Who meets the criteria to be a pastor, and who might God be calling?”
Moody announced December 7-8, 2026, as the dates for next year’s meeting, when the conference will explore the theme, “Church Tools: Basics for Effective Ministry.”
Visit this webpage throughout the year for updates regarding the 2026 conference.
Notes From Keynote Sessions With Dr. Sam Rainer
- Session 1 – The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church
- Session 2 – The Trends the Can Make or Break Your Next 10 Years
- Session 3 – Five Proven Approaches From Churches Reaching Young Families
- Session 4 – Why Churches Are Targets (Keeping Your Congregation Safe)
- Session 5 – How to Get Everyone in Your Church Inviting Someone
Recap and recordings from the 2024 Leadership Conference