by The Baptist Paper

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Virginia Baptists spent three days building on their long foundation of ministry during the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) annual meeting Nov. 10–12 at Highlands Fellowship Church, Abingdon.

They elected new officers, approved a new budget, and experienced a new Learning Lab format for exploring topics relevant to local churches.

They also literally got to work, building out the inside of a tiny house in shifts as part of a new effort by Impact Missions Disaster Response.

New budget

The 2026 budget approved by messengers matched the 2025 budget based on anticipated giving of $17,357,836. Highlights of the budget proposal include a 2026 Cooperative Missions budget allocation of $7,193,750, to be allocated between Virginia missions and ministries ($4,750,000), world mission causes ($2,014,250) and BGAV partners in Virginia ($429,500).

The 2026 goal for the Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions is $800,000.

New officers

Messengers elected Chief Stephen R. Adkins, a layperson from Samaria Baptist Church, Providence Forge, to serve as the next president of BGAV.

The election of Adkins, principal chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, was historic, as he will be the first Native American to serve as BGAV president, outgoing BGAV President Shelton Miles said following the ballot.

Also elected to serve:

• First vice president: Mark Mofield, senior pastor of Melrose Baptist Church, Roanoke
• Second vice president: Jim Bunce, pastor of Marlow Heights Baptist Church, Front Royal
• Clerk: Tim Madison, pastor of Emmaus Baptist Church, Providence Forge, (re-elected).

Mission Forward theme

During his report, BGAV Executive Director Wayne Faison encouraged Virginia Baptists to become “greater agents of mission.”

“As I think about Mission Forward and where God is leading us, I’m reminded of the vision that God has given us over the last year or two,” Faison said. “That vision is becoming greater agents of mission, together with our networks of churches, partners, and leaders, impacting the kingdom locally, nationally and globally with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Learning Labs

This year, the annual meeting moved from including breakout sessions to a Learning Lab format.

“The gist of it is really simple — our previous breakout model always had a bunch of things that were important to our churches but not foundational,”  said Gary Long, BGAV’s chief marketing officer. “We really wanted to change that to feature things that would help our churches and answer the questions they were asking.”

Topics included using AI in productive yet ethical ways, transforming a church hunger ministry into a collaborative community, discipleship, religious liberty, navigating uncertain times and talking to children about death. Some labs were offered in person, and others were hosted online.

Tiny house build

Volunteers also worked in shifts during the meeting to finish the drywall work on the inside of Tiny 2, the second tiny house put together by Impact Disaster Response.

The idea to build tiny houses came about after Hurricane Helene as disaster relief volunteers encountered homeowners whose homes were a total loss.

After some conversations, they came to an arrangement with a local manufacturer who began building the shell of a tiny house that IDR volunteers would then work to complete.

“This is something we could build five or six of and keep offsite until a disaster happens, so we can get people in those homes more quickly if we see that their home is a total loss,” said Glenn Maddox, BGAV national missions director.

It also could provide a missions project at home that churches could host in their parking lot, Maddox said.

The Wednesday evening missions offering for the tiny house project totaled a little more than $2,400, Maddox reported.

Theme interpretations

Four speakers developed the conference theme, Mission Forward, based on Philippians 3:14.

On Monday night, host church pastor Tim Brown encouraged Virginia Baptist pastors and leaders to “press on” as the Church in the mission God has given them.

He stressed, “No matter where you are in the race, the call is the same. Press on toward the goal that’s Christ Himself.”

While churches and ministry leaders can sometimes feel like their best days are behind them, Brown noted that as long as “God gives us breath … he’s not through with us.”

On Tuesday morning, Cindy Wiles, executive director of Restore Hope, challenged churches to “press toward” their communities.

To accomplish this, churches must know the needs, understand, and study the culture, she said. “This is really about people, knowing them, spending time with them, listening to them, inviting them in, eating a meal with them, going to their homes. In all of this, God creates opportunity.”

During Tuesday night’s worship session, Karl Johson, chair of Baptist World Alliance and pastor of Phillippo Baptist Church in Spanish Town, Jamaica, addressed the importance of “pressing toward the world” through global missions, emphasizing that the church does not merely “do” missions, “the church is missions.”

The missional call is for everyone, regardless of poverty or wealth, and it is a lifelong call, Johnson said.

Johnson also accepted a check for $50,000 from BGAV to help with relief efforts in his country following Hurricane Melissa in October.

Concluding the theme interpretation during Wednesday’s final session, BGAV Executive Director Wayne Faison said Jesus provides a great picture of what pressing on looks like. Speaking on Luke 4, Faison told believers that while the admonitions of scripture to “preach the gospel to the poor … heal the brokenhearted … preach deliverance to the captives … help recover the sight of the blind … set at liberty them that are bruised … preach the acceptable year of the Lord” are important, they are not the end.

Drawing attention to Luke 4:20, Faison pointed out that Jesus gives the book (scroll) back to the minister (attendant).

As ministers, if Virginia Baptists are to press on to the high calling of Christ, they must prioritize scripture, Faison said. They must find the book, favor the book, and forward the book.

“Someone needs to know that it is in Christ that they can have eternal life,” he said. “When it comes to Mission Forward, the question you have to ask yourself is, ‘What have you done with the book?’”

Worship and art

Other highlights of this year’s annual meeting included worship through music with Appalachian string band Chosen Road and worship through dramas presented by Charles Reese and Rebecca McCoy-Reese of Bluefield University.

Alan Miller, pastor of Orange Baptist Church in Orange, Virginia, also shared that next year’s annual meeting will be held November 9-11, 2026 in Virginia Beach, and BGAV leaders are encouraging Virginia Baptists to submit artwork for an art exhibit on site as well as digital graffiti that will be projected on the walls.

“We think it might look something like all the colors and beauty and sounds and sights and diversity and eclectic displays of God’s gifts expressed altogether in one place,” he said.

Those who wish to submit art for the exhibit — called Art for the Not Yet — can find more information here. The deadline to submit is April 15, 2026.

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