Tentative Vision Casting Page
Preliminary Interest Phase
Pastors Conference 2026
A regional gathering being prayerfully considered to encourage, strengthen, and equip pastors, ministry leaders, lay leaders, and churches through biblical preaching, prayer, fellowship, pastoral care, and practical conversations for church health.
Tentative Dates
September 10–12, 2026
Proposed Location
Washington Heights Baptist Church
Thomson, Georgia Presented Through Kilpatrick Baptist Association Cost to Pastors No Registration Fee Planned
Thomson, Georgia Presented Through Kilpatrick Baptist Association Cost to Pastors No Registration Fee Planned
The Heart Behind This Gathering
Pastors spend much of their lives pouring into others. This conference is being prayerfully considered as a way to pour back into them. The desire is to create a setting where pastors can be refreshed by the Word of God, strengthened through fellowship, encouraged through prayer, and helped through practical ministry conversations.
With Pastor Appreciation Month coming in October, this gathering may also provide a timely opportunity to help church leaders and lay servants think more intentionally about cultivating a healthy, biblical culture of pastoral support, encouragement, and care.
Launching by Faith
The desire is to make this conference available to pastors and ministry leaders with no registration fee. We are estimating a per-pastor cost for meals, materials, hospitality, and conference needs, then inviting churches, individuals, and Christian business owners to help sponsor the meeting.
Several major pieces are already available or being prayerfully developed, including a willing host location, trusted speakers, music ministry, and willing sponsors on standby. This vision page and interest survey will help determine the final scope, schedule, and level of regional invitation.
Any funds not needed for the conference itself would be reserved for future pastoral care and encouragement initiatives through the association.
Encourage Pastors
Provide preaching, prayer, music, and fellowship that speaks to the heart of those who carry the burden of shepherding churches.
Equip Churches
Offer meaningful discussion around church health, revitalization, pastoral care, evangelism, faithful leadership, and healthy ministry culture.
Engage the Region
Invite KBA churches and surrounding Baptist associations to participate, serve, and help bless pastors together for greater Kingdom impact for Christ.
Current Speakers & Ministry Participants
These are current ministry leaders being considered, invited, or involved in the conference planning. Final details remain tentative and may be adjusted based on survey response, speaker availability, and the final scope of the gathering.
Bro. Ken Cloud
Keynote Speaker • Tentative
Bro. Ken Cloud is being invited to bring messages of biblical encouragement, perseverance, and confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness. His tentative emphases include staying in the will of God no matter the adversary and trusting God to make a way when hope seems gone.
Revival
Encouragement
Faithfulness
Bro. Mason Davis
Keynote Speaker • Tentative
Bro. Mason Davis brings decades of pastoral, associational, interim, and church health experience. His ministry has included pastoral leadership, associational missions, church revitalization, and helping churches pursue healthy development for the glory of God.
Church Health
Revitalization
Leadership
Jeff Gongwer
Pastor Wellness Catalyst • Pending Confirmation
Jeff Gongwer serves with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board in Pastor Wellness. Pending confirmation and availability, his possible contribution would focus on pastor care, ministry wellness, and helping churches think intentionally about encouraging pastors and their families.
Pending Confirmation
Pastor Wellness
Church Care Culture
Tim Batchelor
Associational Missionary • Kilpatrick Baptist Association
Bro. Tim Batchelor serves as Associational Missionary for Kilpatrick Baptist Association. His support and leadership are important as this conference is prayerfully considered as an association-wide ministry of encouragement and care for pastors and churches.
Gary Caudill
Event Director • Host Pastor • KBA Evangelism Committee
Pastor Gary Caudill serves as Pastor of Washington Heights Baptist Church and as a member of the KBA Evangelism Committee. With the blessing of Bro. Tim Batchelor, Gary is serving as director of this tentative event, and WHBC is willing to host the gathering in Thomson, Georgia.
Daniel Adkins
Assistant Event Director • Pastor of Raysville Baptist Church
Pastor Daniel Adkins serves as Pastor of Raysville Baptist Church in Thomson, Georgia. He is assisting in the organization of this meeting and helping support the planning, communication, and ministry coordination needed to move the conference forward.
Jimmy Caudill
Worship Leader / Special Music • Tentative
Jimmy Caudill is planned to help lead the conference in song and worship. Known as a gifted singer and gospel songwriter, his ministry would help set the tone for worship, encouragement, and spiritual reflection throughout the gathering.
Event Leadership Summary
This tentative event is being developed through the Kilpatrick Baptist Association with the blessing of Bro. Tim Batchelor. Pastor Gary Caudill is serving as event director, Pastor Daniel Adkins is serving as assistant director, and Washington Heights Baptist Church is willing to host the gathering.
The goal is not simply to hold another meeting, but to help launch a meaningful pastoral care and encouragement initiative that can strengthen pastors, churches, and associations throughout the region.
Tentative Conference Schedule
This schedule is tentative and subject to adjustment based on survey response, speaker availability, pastor interest, church involvement, lay leader interest, and final event scope.
Each full weekday is currently being shaped around two simple gathering windows: a morning service followed by provided lunch, and an evening service followed by provided supper. Pastors, ministry leaders, and church leaders will be encouraged to participate as much as possible while still being welcomed to come as they can.
Specific times, session order, discussion rooms, and ministry participants remain subject to final confirmation. Jeff Gongwer is listed as a possible Pastor Wellness contributor pending confirmation and availability.
Thursday, September 10
Morning Gathering Main Start Time
9:30 AM
Fellowship / Check-In Begins
10:00 AM
Morning Worship Service
10:15 AM
Mason Davis – Morning Session
10:55 AM
Pastor Wellness Moment —Pending Confirmation
11:05 AM
Ken Cloud – Morning Session
11:45 AM
Guided Discussion Rooms for Pastors and Lay Leaders
12:30 PM
Provided Lunch
Time between gatherings is intentionally left open for local travel, rest, errands, and personal needs.
Evening Gathering Main Start Time
6:00 PM
Evening Worship Service
6:15 PM
Ken Cloud – Evening Session
6:50 PM
Pastor Wellness Moment — Pending Confirmation
7:00 PM
Mason Davis – Evening Session
7:45 PM
Provided Fellowship Supper
Friday, September 11
Morning Gathering Main Start Time
9:30 AM
Fellowship / Check-In Begins
10:00 AM
Morning Worship Service
10:15 AM
Ken Cloud – Morning Session
10:55 AM
Pastor Wellness Moment — Pending Confirmation
11:05 AM
Mason Davis – Morning Session
11:45 AM
Guided Discussion Rooms for Pastors and Lay Leaders
12:30 PM
Provided Lunch
Time between gatherings is intentionally left open for local travel, rest, errands, and personal needs.
Evening Gathering Main Start Time
6:00 PM
Evening Worship Service
6:15 PM
Mason Davis – Evening Session
6:50 PM
Pastor Wellness Moment — Pending Confirmation
7:00 PM
Ken Cloud – Evening Session
7:45 PM
Provided Fellowship Supper
Saturday, September 12
Closing Morning Prayer & Sending
9:00 AM
Prayer Breakfast
10:00 AM
Move to Sanctuary / Fellowship Transition
10:15 AM
Closing Worship Service
10:30 AM
Gary Caudill – “Doorkeepers: Serving Gladly at the Threshold of God’s House”
11:10 AM
Season of Prayer for Pastors, Churches, Families, and Associations
11:30 AM
Closing Remarks / Dismissal
Tentative Discussion Rooms
Rather than overbuilding traditional breakout sessions too early, the current idea is to make room for guided conversations with trusted ministry leaders. These discussion rooms are tentative and may be adjusted based on survey response, pastor needs, lay leader interest, and available facilitators.
Church Health & Revitalization
A pastor-focused discussion around the heart of Christ for His church, revitalization, healthy leadership, and helping churches move forward with faithfulness, wisdom, and grace.
Pastor Track
Church Health
Staying Faithful in the Battle
A pastor-focused discussion around perseverance, spiritual warfare, discouragement, and staying in the will of God when ministry is difficult.
Pastor Track
Encouragement
Pastoral Support & Care Culture
A guided conversation for pastors, deacons, ministry leaders, and lay leaders about cultivating a healthier culture of pastoral encouragement, support, and appreciation, especially as churches prepare for Pastor Appreciation Month in October.
Lay Leader Friendly
Pastor Care
Come Ready for Real Conversation
The discussion-room format is intended to give pastors and church leaders space to ask honest questions, share real burdens, and receive practical encouragement. Final room topics and facilitators will be shaped by survey response and confirmed availability.
How Churches Can Help
This gathering will be strongest if churches join together to serve those who serve. We are currently measuring interest from pastors, churches, associations, lay leaders, and potential sponsors before finalizing the scope of the event.
Provide Meals
Churches may be invited to help provide Thursday lunch, Thursday supper, Friday lunch, Friday supper, or Saturday prayer breakfast.
Sponsor Pastors
Christian business owners, individuals, and churches may help sponsor the estimated per-pastor cost so pastors and ministry leaders can attend with no registration fee.
Encourage Pastors
Churches and lay leaders may be invited to help with prayer support, hospitality, door prizes, appreciation efforts, and follow-up encouragement for pastors and their families.
Important Lodging Note
There is no registration cost planned for pastors and ministry leaders. Meals and conference materials are intended to be provided. Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and lodging. Speaker lodging and hospitality will be handled separately as part of the conference planning.
What We Need to Determine Next
Before this conference is fully launched, we need to measure interest from pastors, churches, ministry leaders, lay leaders, and potential partners. The next step is a simple interest questionnaire being shared with pastors and churches through the KBA and, if approved, surrounding Baptist associations.
This questionnaire is not a final registration form. It will help determine whether there is enough interest and support to move forward with confidence, and it will help shape the final schedule, discussion rooms, meals, materials, and serving opportunities.
Pastor Interest
- Likelihood of attending
- Which gathering blocks they may attend
- Whether they may bring staff, deacons, spouses, or church leaders
- Topics or needs they would like addressed
- Interest in receiving a future registration link
Church Partnership
- Churches willing to help provide meals
- Volunteers available to serve
- Door prize or gift donations
- Churches, businesses, or individuals willing to sponsor pastors
- Lay leaders interested in pastoral care and support resources
Once this preliminary response is received, the schedule, meal plan, sponsorship needs, discussion rooms, and invitation scope can be adjusted accordingly.
Suggested Questionnaire Items
This tentative vision page is designed to support a short interest questionnaire that helps measure the real needs, availability, and serving potential among pastors and churches.
Pastor / Church Interest
- Name, church, role, email, and phone number
- General interest in the gathering
- Which gathering blocks could realistically work
- Whether they may bring staff, deacons, church leaders, or a spouse
- Which topics would be most helpful
- Whether pastoral care and support culture would be useful heading into October
Church Partnership
- Whether church members may want more information about serving
- Possible help with meals, hospitality, setup, cleanup, or parking
- Possible sponsorship for pastors and ministry leaders
- Door prize, gift card, or practical gift donations
- Prayer support and follow-up encouragement for pastors
- Lay leader interest in preparing for Pastor Appreciation Month