ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) — Southern Baptist leaders from across the country joined with Florida Baptists on Aug. 12 to hear how they can be a part of the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting. SBC President Clint Pressley said the theme would be “Walking Worthy.”

“It is our intent as Southern Baptist that we not only preach a gospel that saves people from hell and sends them to heaven, but it’s a gospel that shows up in our very lives, that you see it, that you feel it, that you hear it,” Pressley told the crowd of about 200 who came to a luncheon at First Baptist Church (FBC) Orlando.

He hopes the theme, drawn from Ephesians 4:1-3, permeates Southern Baptist churches and is visibly present when Southern Baptists gather next June in Orlando.

Pressley called Southern Baptists to be a witness across the city and hopes “that the people of Orlando will know there’s been a Christian at my restaurant. Why? Because we’re walking in a manner worthy of the Lord that is displayed in how we treat one another.”

More than 1 million need to hear the gospel in Orlando

FBC Orlando Pastor David Uth told the crowd he was thankful for the opportunity to join in Crossover efforts because he believes there are more than 1 million people in his region who don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Crossover is an annual Southern Baptist outreach event led by local churches, associations, the host state convention and the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in the days before each year’s SBC Pastors’ Conference and annual meeting.

Florida Baptist Convention Executive Director Stephen Rummage called on Southern Baptists to join together in prayer and service as they plan Crossover 2026.

“We need all kinds of churches to come to Orlando to make a difference for Crossover,” he said.

He also called Florida Baptist churches in and around the Orlando area to look for ways to host outreach events.

More information about the events will come from the North American Mission Board in the months ahead.

NAMB’s National Director of Personal Evangelism J.J. Washington was on the scene to tell the audience about upcoming trainings beginning as soon as October. Washington said conversations with local and state leaders are well underway to coordinate the events.

“What I get to see is the beauty of cooperation, and it’s beautiful music when the state and the national entity as well as the local association all coming alongside the local church to help them hold out the hope of the gospel,” Washington said.

Partnership vital to ministry growth

Partnerships and the need to work together were repeated themes during the two-hour meeting.

Pastors’ Conference President Aaron Burgner announced the event’s theme would be “Together,” also based on Ephesians 4.

Burgner said he chose the word for the theme because “we need to work together for the cause of the Great Commission and for the glory of God.” He said he was unaware of Pressley’s use of the same passage for the convention theme until Tuesday’s meeting.

The Florida pastor said the conference will feature mini conferences on Monday with main sessions on Sunday night and Monday night.

He encouraged lead pastors to consider bringing their entire staff or a group of leaders as they work to equip the entire group at the conference.

SBC Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg led a panel discussion on the importance of cooperation. Panelists included Pressley, Rummage, Hispanic Baptist Network Executive Director Bruno Molina and Adrian Taylor, pastor at Springhill Church in Gainesville, Fla.

Each shared how the Cooperative Program has impacted their lives and how they had been encouraged by attending previous annual meetings.

Taylor said as he works with other Florida Baptists he is reminded of the mathematics of the Christian’s work. “Satan works through division, but God works through multiplication,” he said.

Hundreds of volunteers needed for 2026 annual meeting

Hundreds of volunteers are needed every summer to carry out the annual meeting, Jonathan Howe, SBC vice president for convention administration, told the group.

Convention organizers said they estimated at least 20,000 people would attend the 2026 meeting.

“We need ushers and greeters and pages. We need people to help with information and registration,” Howe said. “Simply put, we need you.”

Church groups and individuals are invited to visit the annual meeting website to volunteer.

The kickoff celebration closed with a prayer led by Florida Baptist Convention leaders Emanuel Roque and Lito Lucas and Greater Orlando Baptist Association Executive Director Tom Cheney.

The 2026 SBC Pastors’ Conference and annual meeting is set for June 7-10 at the Orlando Convention Center.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Brandon Porter serves as vice president for communications at the SBC Executive Committee.)