Due to a forecasted weather system expected to impair travel across Arkansas, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Statewide Evangelism Conference (ECON) scheduled for January 26-27.
STATEWIDE EVANGELISM CONFERENCE
Due to a forecasted weather system expected to impair travel across Arkansas, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Statewide Evangelism Conference (ECON) scheduled for January 26-27.
Coming Together to be Sent Out.
Join us January 26–27, 2026 at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock for the Statewide Evangelism Conference (ECON). This free, two-day gathering will feature powerful worship, dynamic speakers, and practical breakout sessions designed for a variety of ministries. No registration is needed to attend ECON, but workshops do require advance registration.
Meet the Speakers.
Mark Hallock
Lead Pastor of Calvary Church | Englewood, Colorado
Mark Hallock serves as the lead pastor of Calvary Church in Englewood, Colorado. He also serves as president of the Calvary Family of Churches, a group committed to planting and replanting churches for the glory of God (thecalvary.org). His great desire is to see the gospel transform lives and neighborhoods through the planting of new congregations, along with the revitalization of declining congregations, throughout the city of Denver and beyond. Mark’s favorite hobby is hanging out with his wife, Jenna, and their two kids, Zoe and Eli.
Dr. Ben Mandrell
Lead Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN
Dr. Ben Mandrell has devoted his life to preaching the gospel, developing leaders, and strengthening the local church. Beginning ministry in his mid-20s as a college pastor in Jackson, Tennessee, he was soon entrusted with greater leadership and, by age 29, became senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church, where he served for seven years. In 2011, Ben and his wife, Lynley, followed God’s call to plant a church in Denver—launching with 11 people in their living room and growing into a thriving congregation. In 2019, Ben became president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, leading the organization through a season of significant transition. Most recently, he returned to pastoral ministry as senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Ben is a graduate of Anderson University, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Union University, and he has authored multiple Bible studies with Lifeway.
Mark Mittleberg
Bestselling Author, International Speaker, and Leading Strategist in Apologetics-Oriented Outreach
Mark Mittelberg is a bestselling author, international speaker, and the Executive Director of The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University, where he helps equip believers through accredited degree programs and training resources. He is the author of Contagious Faith: Discover Your Natural Style for Sharing Jesus with Others and co-creator of the widely used Becoming a Contagious Christian course, which has equipped nearly two million people worldwide. His other works include Becoming a Contagious Church, Confident Faith (Outreach Magazine’s apologetics book of the year), The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask, The Reason Why Faith Makes Sense, and several collaborative projects with Lee Strobel, with whom he has partnered in ministry for more than thirty years. Formerly the evangelism director at Willow Creek Community Church and Executive Vice President of the Willow Creek Association, Mark holds an MA in Philosophy of Religion from Trinity International University and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Southern Evangelical Seminary. He and his wife, Heidi, live near Denver and are the parents of Emma Jean and Matthew, both serving in ministry.
Dr. Levi Skipper
Pastor of Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas
Dr. Levi Skipper serves as the Pastor of Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas. He is deeply committed to equipping believers to live on mission, raising up leaders at every level of ministry, and advancing the gospel through the local church.
Prior to his role at Sagemont, Dr. Skipper served as the Vice-President of Church Strengthening for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, where he developed strategies to mobilize churches in evangelism and leadership development. He also spent more than a decade as a Lead Pastor, shepherding congregations toward spiritual growth, community impact, and global mission engagement.
With a Doctor of Ministry degree and years of hands-on pastoral experience, Dr. Skipper combines theological depth with practical application. He is widely respected for his ability to communicate biblical truth with clarity, passion, and relevance, making him a trusted voice in both church and denominational leadership circles.
Beyond his ministry roles, Dr. Skipper treasures his family life. He and his wife have been married for 25 years and are the proud parents of four children. Together, they seek to model a Christ-centered home and to invest in the next generation of disciples and leaders.
Church Revitalization: A Pre-Conference Workshop with Mark Hallock
Leading a struggling or plateaued church back to health is one of the most challenging, and yet rewarding, tasks in ministry. In this breakout, we’ll explore seven biblical and practical priorities that every pastor or ministry leader must embrace when guiding a congregation toward renewed vitality. These priorities will help to provide a roadmap for long-term spiritual renewal rather than quick fixes. Whether you’re in the early stages of revitalization or deep in the trenches, this session will offer encouragement, clarity, and practical tools to help you lead with hope, humility, and endurance.
Join us Monday at 10 AM for this Pre-Conference Workshop! Registration is not required for the pre-conference workshop.
Tuesday Workshops
Below you'll find all the workshops we have available at ECON. While registration isn't required for the conference, it is required for workshops. Be sure to register if you plan to join us!
Church Administration | Led by Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry | Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer, Arkansas Baptist State Convention
Patrick Henry serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, where he provides financial leadership, administrative oversight, and strategic guidance to churches and ministry partners across Arkansas. In addition to his statewide responsibilities, Patrick helps lead this administrative ministry workshop in partnership with the Arkansas Baptist Foundation. He serves as the primary host and contributes to key teaching areas, offering practical insight drawn from his experience in church finance, compliance, and stewardship.
Patrick holds a Business Administration degree from Dallas Baptist University and an MBA from Ouachita Baptist University. He and his wife, Sarah, live in Conway and have two children, Max and Molly.
Kids Ministry | Led by Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson | Chief Executive Officer of Kids Ministry Circle
Lauren Jackson has served in Kids & Family Ministry for 15 years and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Kids Ministry Circle, a community for Kids Ministry leaders to be encouraged and equipped to love and serve the local church. She is also the Kids Minister at Proclamation Church, a brand-new church plant, in Littleton, Colorado. Lauren and her husband, Luke, live in Colorado with their two kids, Ruby & Noah.
Pastoral Ministry | Led by Mark Mittelberg
Mark Mittleberg | Executive Director of The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University
Mark Mittelberg is a bestselling author, international speaker, and the Executive Director of The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University, where he helps equip believers through accredited degree programs and training resources. He is the author of Contagious Faith: Discover Your Natural Style for Sharing Jesus with Others and co-creator of the widely used Becoming a Contagious Christian course, which has equipped nearly two million people worldwide. His other works include Becoming a Contagious Church, Confident Faith (Outreach Magazine’s apologetics book of the year), The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask, The Reason Why Faith Makes Sense, and several collaborative projects with Lee Strobel, with whom he has partnered in ministry for more than thirty years. Formerly the evangelism director at Willow Creek Community Church and Executive Vice President of the Willow Creek Association, Mark holds an MA in Philosophy of Religion from Trinity International University and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Southern Evangelical Seminary. He and his wife, Heidi, live near Denver and are the parents of Emma Jean and Matthew, both serving in ministry.
Student Ministry | Led by Richard Ross
Richard Ross | Professor, Southwestern Seminary
Richard Ross, PhD, is husband to LaJuana, who has joined him in a lifetime of loving teenagers. Richard served as student pastor for thirty years and now is a volunteer with teenagers and parents at Wedgewood Baptist in Fort Worth. Richard is professor to the next generation of student pastors at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. He has written over 25 books and speaks in over 40 conferences and churches each year.
Women in Ministry | Led by Amy Ruth Petersen
Amy Ruth Petersen | Host of the Ministry Wives Podcast
Amy Ruth Petersen is the host of the Ministry Wives Podcast (production of NAMB). She served for 20 years as a ministry wife, stepped away for a seven-year season, and is now a ministry wife again at Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, SC, where her husband Brandon is the Executive Pastor of Ministries. Amy Ruth has a heart for ministry and investing in women. For fun, she enjoys beach vacations and watching movies while sipping on a Diet Dr. Pepper. They have 3 boys and a new daughter-in-love.
Worship Ministry | Led by Kenny Lamm
Kenny Lamm | Senior Consultant for Worship and Music, North Carolina Baptist State Convention
Kenny Lamm, Senior Consultant for Worship and Music for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, served 23 years as worship pastor of a Baptist church in NC. The church experienced worship renewal under his leadership and became a model for many churches seeking to transform and improve their worship services. Kenny is a frequent worship clinician and guest worship leader. His heart for the nations has also taken him to international fields of service. He and NC Baptist worship teams have led worship conferences and outreach events throughout Malaysia, Singapore, and two other countries in Asia. Kenny also spent a summer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia working with churches in worship renewal. Revisions of the curriculum developed for these events continue to be used extensively in equipping worship leaders in churches today around the world and are currently published in English and Chinese.
Come Worship with Us.
David McKinney, Lead Worship Pastor at Cross Church since 2011, will join with the Cross Church Worship team to lead us in a powerful time of praise.
Conference Schedule
MONDAY
9 AM | Check-in Begins
10 AM | Revitalization Workshop with Mark Hallock
1 PM | Session 1 with Dr. Levi Skipper, Dr. Ben Mandrell, & Mark Hallock
7 PM | Session 2 with Mark Mittelberg
TUESDAY
9 AM | Breakfast Snacks, Coffee, Fellowship
9:30 AM | Interview Between Dr. Mark Dance + Dr. Ben Mandrell
10AM-11:30AM | Breakout Sessions
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is ECON happening?
ECON takes place at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock.
Who can attend ECON?
Any Arkansas Baptist, no matter the age is welcome to attend! However, ECON is geared for ages 14+.
How much does ECON cost?
ECON is a FREE conference. There is no fee to attend.
Do I have to register for ECON?
Registration is not required for ECON or PRE-CON, but is required for workshops.
Where should I stay?
That's up to you, but we have a few options listed below that are near the conference!
- Tru by Hilton Little Rock West (1 mile away)
- Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Little Rock SW (2.8 miles away)
- Best Western Southwest Little Rock (4.8 miles away)
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Little Rock-West (4.8 miles away)
- La Quinta Inn & Suites (4.9 miles away)
Registration is no longer available.
Due to a forecasted weather system expected to impair travel across Arkansas, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Statewide Evangelism Conference (ECON) scheduled for January 26-27.
This decision was not made lightly. Considering the aftermath of the winter storm, the safety of attendees, and the travel of speakers and volunteers, we believe this to be the most responsible course of action. While we are disappointed not to gather, we are committed to the well-being of our churches.
Additional information regarding future equipping opportunities will be shared as details are finalized. Thank you for your understanding and continued partnership in gospel ministry. Let's continue to pray and work toward the advancement of the gospel together.