We’ve got some big news to announce today. Our team has been working to maximize the benefit of this year’s SBC Pastors’ Conference for those of us who pastor average-sized churches. Our speakers are drawn from that demographic. The Caskey Center, our major partner for this year’s PC, specializes in equipping what they call “smaller-membership churches.” Caskey has a number of program elements designed with us in mind: Common Ground Testimonies are one example. They’re also releasing new research at the SBCPC designed to strengthen smaller church leadership and health.
While this focus has been clear from the start, we also know some pastors of average-sized churches are unable to attend the Pastors’ Conference and Annual Meeting simply because of the cost. The expenses can be out of reach for some smaller churches. Their pastors would attend if they could—but this obstacle has stood in their way in the past. Our aim is to help some of these pastors be able to attend this year by blessing them with a scholarship for travel and convention expenses.
We think this fits incredibly well with our focus and vision for this year’s Pastors’ Conference and we are thrilled to announce it today.
How Does the Scholarship Program Work?
We will be awarding scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each to be used for flight, hotel, mileage, rental car, meals, books, resources—any convention-related expenses. Applicants will be asked a series of questions to make sure they qualify for the scholarship. Those who qualify will be awarded on a first-come basis until the funds are exhausted. For those awarded the scholarship, a $1,000 check will be mailed directly to your church, with a letter explaining that the funds must be used only for convention expenses.
Who qualifies?
We’re looking for pastors of churches with less than 200 in average attendance whose churches are either unable or unwilling to fund expenses to Phoenix this summer. By “unable” we mean that the church doesn’t have enough money to feasibly fund needed expenses for a trip to Phoenix. By “unwilling” we mean the church has the funds and the pastor has asked for convention expenses to be covered, but the church has refused that request. By applying you agree to use the funds only for convention-related expenses and to return the full scholarship amount if you do not travel to Phoenix. You also agree to attend all four SBCPC sessions and all SBC Annual Meeting sessions.
How Can We Do This?
As far as we know this is the first time a scholarship program like this has been offered. We have been blessed in our fund-raising efforts by The Caskey Center and our other sponsors so the cost of the conference is fully covered. In past years, a number of large churches have given as part of the conference fund-raising efforts. Since our costs have been covered before we contacted these churches, we wrote to these churches and asked them to contribute instead to this scholarship fund so we could help pastors attend the conference. We’ll recognize the churches who contribute at the PC and in the event program. The generosity of these large churches is what is making this scholarship program possible.
How Many Scholarships Will Be Available?
We will award as many scholarships as we can with the funds donated. We don’t know yet if that will be 5, 10, or 20 scholarships, but we hope that somewhere in that range may be possible.
How Do I Apply?
We will open applications Monday, April 10 at 11am Eastern (10am Central, 9am Mountain, 8am Pacific). You can apply by online form we will post here at SBC Voices. The application will be simple: contact information for you and your church, as well as a series of questions allowing you to agree that you meet the qualifications to apply. There is no judging criteria or decision to be made on our part: those who qualify will be awarded scholarships on a first-come basis, so make sure to apply early if you want to be with us in Phoenix.
So if you want to attend this year’s SBCPC and money is what’s holding you back, our prayer is this scholarship program will make it possible for you.
You guys are outdoing yourselves on the PC. This is a super idea. Imagine that? You’re thinking about the small church pastor in concrete, measurable, beneficial terms.
If there are additional churches who would like to contribute to the scholarship fund (other than those who received the fundraising letter), we would welcome your participation as well. We will recognize churches who donate from the platform and include your church name in the PC program. You can email me at brent [at] nsfvb [dot] com for details & instructions.
Another consideration for being able to afford the trip to the annual SBC Pastor’s Conference and Southern Baptist Convention – As a kid growing up in a pastor’s home, a number of times we combined our vacation and the SBC. Plan your vacation to be on the way, or in the vicinity of the SBC. Use the week before, or the week after, the SBC for vacation. This may help a little on the expenses. Hopefully your church gives you a paid vacation and even a little convention expense. Laymen out there – if not, consider recommending this to your… Read more »
Thanks for this great program. I hope my wife and I qualify.
Blessings!
Thank you for offering this. I love going to the Pastor’s Conferences when I can. This is amazing!
Wow! I just want to offer thanks for how the Pastor’s Conference is working to include and help pastors of smaller membership churches. These guys are truly the heart of our Southern Baptist work and we should be more grateful for them. As a denomination guy I think this awesome; you are to be commended!
I have never been to the National Conference, so this is a wonderful idea and blessing. God bless you for sharing.
Billy Galloska
This is an absolutely stellar idea! I’ve always wanted to go to the annual meeting, but never had the funds to do so. Thanks much for sharing!
When will you know if you were able to obtain one of the scholarships?
We’ll be making announcements next week.
Due to some unforeseen circumstances in my day today, that is probably going to be tomorrow!
Dave, you’re disqualified from the prophecy conference for that statement.
Is it possible to still apply for a scholarship?
Thank you.
I hate to say it, but unless the floodgates of blessings begin to flow, I doubt that we will be able to fill more than about 25% of the requests that have come in.
It’s a first-come, first-served thing, so applying now might be pointless.
If someone gives us a check for a couple hundred thousand bucks I will let you know!!
I have the desire to attend the Coference, but our budget is too limited.
Our Church is currently in a Building repair program.
I had a question about the scholarships and nobody replied therefore I did not apply. I’m an intern serving under a pastor. Could I have applied? I am strongly interested in the conference.
There is no link to the form to apply. How to apply? Besides I learned of this only yesterday (April 29). How do we at small churches suppose to know of these opportunities in a timely manner? The pastors conference is looking at pastors of small or average size churches, yet very few small or average churches can afford to go unless of course they reside near Phoenix.