2025 Mississippi Baptist Convention schedule

FIRST SESSION | Tuesday, October 28

8:30 a.m.
Call to Worship – Mississippi Singing Churchmen and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church

8:35 a.m.
Call to Order – Bill Hurt 
President, Mississippi Baptist Convention 
Senior Pastor, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Columbus 
Prayer – Will Livingston 
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Mathiston 
Welcome – Josh Braddy 
Lead Pastor, Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison 
Organization of the Convention – Bill Hurt 
Recognition and Seating of Messengers 
Committee on Order of Business Report – Grant Stegall 
Chair; Senior Pastor, DeSoto Hills Baptist Church, Southaven 
Announcement of Credentials and Tellers Committees – Bill Hurt

8:55 a.m.
Report of Committee on Committees – Andrew Chesteen 
Chair; Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, New Albany

9:00 a.m.
Congregational Worship – Bobby Sanderson 
Worship Pastor, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Columbus

9:10 a.m.
Convention Board Report – David Hamilton 
President, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board 
Senior Pastor, West Heights Baptist Church, Pontotoc 

9:20 a.m.
Business Session: Election of the President – Bill Hurt

9:45 a.m.
Worship through Music – Mississippi Singing Churchmen and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church

9:50 a.m.
MBCB Report – Rick Blythe 
Team Leader, Church Support Team

10:00 a.m.
Testimony Video – North American Mission Board 
Congregational Worship – Bobby Sanderson, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church

10:15 a.m.
Bible Treasures – Robert Smith, Jr. 
Distinguished Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, AL

10:40 a.m.
Scripture Reading – Deuteronomy 7.6-9 
Matt Olson 
Senior Pastor, Sharon First Baptist Church, Laurel

10:45 a.m.
Worship Through Music – Combined Choirs 

10:50 a.m.
President’s Address – Bill Hurt 

11:35 a.m.
Benediction – Al Hurt 
Member, First Baptist Church, Clinton 

SECOND SESSION | Tuesday, October 28

1:30 p.m.
Worship through Music – Mississippi College Worship Collective

1:45 p.m.
Call to Order – David Haynes 
First Vice President, Mississippi Baptist Convention 
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Senatobia 

1:50 p.m.
Prayer, Scripture Reading (Psalm 42.5-8), and Greetings from the SBC Executive Committee – Jeff Iorg 
President & CEO, Nashville, TN

2:10 p.m.
Bible Treasures – Robert Smith, Jr.

2:35 p.m.
Concert of Praise – Mississippi College Worship Collective

2:45 p.m.
Business Session – Bill Hurt 
Presentation of 2026 Budget – Michael Barnett 
Chair, Budget Committee 
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Ocean Springs 
Results of Election of President 
Election of Convention Officers 
Miscellaneous Business 
Testimony Video – International Mission Board 

3:25 p.m.
Congregational Worship – First Baptist Church, Biloxi and Gulf Coast Baptist Association Worship Ministries 
Todd DuBose, Associate Pastor: Worship, First Baptist Church, Biloxi

3:35 p.m.
Business Session – Bill Hurt 
Election of Convention Officers 
Miscellaneous Business

3:45 p.m.
MBCB Report – Kristopher Smith 
Team Leader, Church Health Team

3:55 p.m.
Music Feature – First Baptist Church, Biloxi and Gulf Coast Baptist Association Worship Ministries

4:15 p.m.
Convention Sermon – Smokey Gibson 
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Biloxi

4:50 p.m.
Benediction – Mike Wilson 
Associate Pastor: Discipleship, First Baptist Church, Biloxi

THIRD SESSION | Tuesday, October 28

6:30 p.m.
Orchestra Prelude – William Carey University Worship Choir and Band

6:35 p.m.
Call to Order – Bill Hurt

6:40 p.m.
Congregational Praise and Worship – Kristopher Smith 
Director, Worship Ministries, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board 
Prayer – Oscar Geeslin 
Pastor, Meadow Brook Baptist Church, Byhalia 
Scripture Reading – Ephesians 4.14-19 
Israel Cox 
Lead Pastor, Crosspoint Church, Gulfport 
Testimony – Wade Stevens 
Senior Pastor, Longview Point Baptist Church, Hernando

7:20 p.m.
Message – Shawn Parker 
Executive Director-Treasurer, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board

8:00 p.m.
Benediction – Leander Bridges 
Pastor/Teacher, Springhill Missionary Baptist Church, Ellisville 

FORTH SESSION | Wednesday, October 29

8:30 a.m.
Call to Order – Shane Freeman 
Second Vice President; Pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church, Petal 
Prayer – Rolando Ortiz 
Pastor, Iglesia Hispana, Richland 
Scripture Reading – 1 John 4.7-12 
Derek Fortenberry 
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Bay St. Louis 
Memorial Service – Greg Barker 
Consultant, Bivocational Ministries, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board

8:50 a.m.
Congregational Praise – Blue Mountain Christian University Chorale and Exalt

9:00 a.m.
Bible Treasures – Robert Smith, Jr.

9:25 a.m.
Business Session – Bill Hurt 
Adoption of 2026 Budget – Michael Barnett 
Committee on Nominations Report – Will Wall 
Chair; Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Meridian 
Resolutions Committee Report – Wade Phillips 
Chair; Senior Pastor, Northcrest Baptist Church, Meridian 
Miscellaneous Business – Bill Hurt 
Time, Place, and Preacher Committee Report – Matt Powell 
Chair; Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tupelo

9:55 a.m.
Recognition of Bivocational Pastor of the Year – John Pace 
Director, Leadership, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board 
Testimony Video – Summer Missionary

10:15 a.m.
MBCB Report – Sam Ivy 
Team Leader, Church Engagement Team

10:25 a.m.
Introduction of University Presidents – Bill Hurt 

10:30 a.m.
Blue Mountain Christian University Report – Barbara McMillin, President

10:40 a.m.
Congregational Praise – Blue Mountain Christian University Chorale and Exalt

10:55 a.m.
Message – David Eldridge 
Senior Pastor, Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Homewood, AL

11:40 a.m.
Closing Remarks – Bill Hurt

11:45 a.m.
Benediction – Ivan Parke 
Member, Morrison Heights Baptist Church, Clinton