COMPELLING PREACHING
CONFERENCE
CONFERENCE
A collaboration between the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina
and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina
Join us on October 27
The Compelling Preaching Conference will bring together exemplary preachers, professors of homiletics, theologians and thought leaders to teach, educate and inspire participants. Preachers and pastors from the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina will also lead participants through roundtable conversations.
The conference will serve as a platform for sharing effective, creative and faithful preachers from North Carolina congregations. The conference will also address the many challenges facing pastors who seek to preach and interpret faith for diverse and often divided audiences. Preaching that confronts social, cultural and political realities that divide congregations and communities will also be modeled and encouraged.
The conference will serve as a platform for sharing effective, creative and faithful preachers from North Carolina congregations. The conference will also address the many challenges facing pastors who seek to preach and interpret faith for diverse and often divided audiences. Preaching that confronts social, cultural and political realities that divide congregations and communities will also be modeled and encouraged.
Location
Benton Convention Center
301 W. 5th Street
Winston Salem, NC 27101
301 W. 5th Street
Winston Salem, NC 27101
Date & Time
October 27, 2025, 9:00 AM - October 28, 2025 - 7:00 PM
Sponsors
Daily Schedule
Monday Afternoon, October 27th
1:00 pM-2:15pm
Opening Session
The Rev. Dr. Haywood T. Gray Preaching Series
Dr. Phillip L. Pointer, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Saint Mark Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas
Location: Winston Ballroom
Dr. Phillip L. Pointer, Sr.
Senior Pastor, Saint Mark Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas
Location: Winston Ballroom
The Rev. Dr. Haywood T. Gray Lecture Series
2:30 pM-3:30pm
Afternoon Plenary I -The Rev. Dr. Haywood T. Gray Lecture Series
A Theological Approach & Understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Dr. Justin R. Lester, The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Teach Pastor
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Teach Pastor
Senior Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church, Vallejo, California
Location: Winston Ballroom
Part 2: Practical Application of AI for clergy & churches (Bring a laptop or tablet)
3:40 PM-4:40 PM
Location: Winston Room A
Dr. Justin R. Lester, The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Teach Pastor
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Teach Pastor
Senior Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church, Vallejo, California
Location: Winston Ballroom
Part 2: Practical Application of AI for clergy & churches (Bring a laptop or tablet)
3:40 PM-4:40 PM
Location: Winston Room A
3:40 pM-4:40pm
Afternoon Plenary II
Soul Shop for Black Churches - Suicide Prevention Training for Faith Community Leaders
Michelle Synder, Executive Director
Soul Shop Movement
Location: Winston Ballroom
Michelle Synder, Executive Director
Soul Shop Movement
Location: Winston Ballroom
4:45 pM-6:00pm
Dinner On Your Own
Monday Evening, October 27
6:00 pM
Welcome Program
Rowan Missionary Baptist Association, Dr. Roy L. Dennis, Moderator
Location: Winston Ballroom
Location: Winston Ballroom
7:00 pM
Evening Worship
The Rev. Dr. Haywood T. Gray Preaching Series
Dr. George L. Parks, Jr.
Senior Pastor, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Washington, DC
Location: Winston Ballroom
Dr. George L. Parks, Jr.
Senior Pastor, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Washington, DC
Location: Winston Ballroom
Tuesday Morning, October 28
9:00 AM-10:00AM
Morning Worship Experience
The Rev. Dr. Haywood T. Gray Preaching Series
Dr. Willie D. Francois, III
Senior Pastor, Fountain Baptist Church, Summit, NJ
Location: Winston Ballroom
Dr. Willie D. Francois, III
Senior Pastor, Fountain Baptist Church, Summit, NJ
Location: Winston Ballroom
10:10AM-10:55AM
Morning Plenary - Session One (Please attend one class)
Workshop A - Medicaid Legislation Changes
Rev. Walter L. Bowers, Jr., Esq., Director
Office of North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, Charlotte, NC
Location: Winston Room 1B
Workshop B - World Vision, USA
Mrs. Shannon Harris, Senior Church Advisor for North Carolina & South Carolina
World Vision, USA, Charlotte, NC
Location: Winston Room 1A
Workshop C - Black Theology
Dr. Corey D. B. Walker, Dean and Wake Forest Professor of Humanities
Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Winston-Salem, NC
Location: Winston Ballroom
Workshop D - Alzheimer’s Awareness and Resources
Dr. Goldie Smith Byrd, PhD, Director
Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC
Location: Winston Room 3B
Workshop E - Pout or Prepare: A Millennial, Black Woman's Journey to Ministry in the Deep South
Rev. Krystal Berry, Associate Director of the Office of Black Church Studies
Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC
Location: Winston Room 3A
Workshop F – Clergy Self-Care
Rev. Dr. Tobias LaGrone, Community Outreach & Faith-Based Coordinator and Senior Pastor
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Raleigh, NC
Sunny Home Missionary Baptist Church, Eden, NC
Location: Winston Room 3C
Rev. Walter L. Bowers, Jr., Esq., Director
Office of North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, Charlotte, NC
Location: Winston Room 1B
Workshop B - World Vision, USA
Mrs. Shannon Harris, Senior Church Advisor for North Carolina & South Carolina
World Vision, USA, Charlotte, NC
Location: Winston Room 1A
Workshop C - Black Theology
Dr. Corey D. B. Walker, Dean and Wake Forest Professor of Humanities
Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Winston-Salem, NC
Location: Winston Ballroom
Workshop D - Alzheimer’s Awareness and Resources
Dr. Goldie Smith Byrd, PhD, Director
Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC
Location: Winston Room 3B
Workshop E - Pout or Prepare: A Millennial, Black Woman's Journey to Ministry in the Deep South
Rev. Krystal Berry, Associate Director of the Office of Black Church Studies
Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC
Location: Winston Room 3A
Workshop F – Clergy Self-Care
Rev. Dr. Tobias LaGrone, Community Outreach & Faith-Based Coordinator and Senior Pastor
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Raleigh, NC
Sunny Home Missionary Baptist Church, Eden, NC
Location: Winston Room 3C
11:00AM-11:45AM
Morning Plenary - Session Two (Please attend one class)
Workshop G – Faith at the Crossroads: Building Bridges of Justice in Divided Times
Rev. Dr. Willie D. Francois, III, Senior Pastor and Associate Professor of Theology
Fountain Baptist Church, Summit, NJ
Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY
Location: Winston Ballroom
Workshop H – Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Project Grant
Dr. Vanessa Lovelace, Executive Director
Louisville Institute, Louisville, KY
Location: Winston Room 3A
Workshop I - World Vision, USA
Mrs. Shannon Harris, Senior Church Advisor for North Carolina & South Carolina
World Vision, USA, Charlotte, NC
Location: Winston Room 1A
Workshop J – Soul Shop for Black Churches - Suicide Prevention Training for Faith Community Leaders
Michelle Snyder, Executive Director
Soul Shop Movement
Location: Winston Room 1B
Workshop K - Security: Keeping Your Data Safe
David Richardson, Senior Vice President
Pinnacle Financial Partners, Piedmont Triad, NC
Location: Winston Room 3B
Rev. Dr. Willie D. Francois, III, Senior Pastor and Associate Professor of Theology
Fountain Baptist Church, Summit, NJ
Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY
Location: Winston Ballroom
Workshop H – Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Project Grant
Dr. Vanessa Lovelace, Executive Director
Louisville Institute, Louisville, KY
Location: Winston Room 3A
Workshop I - World Vision, USA
Mrs. Shannon Harris, Senior Church Advisor for North Carolina & South Carolina
World Vision, USA, Charlotte, NC
Location: Winston Room 1A
Workshop J – Soul Shop for Black Churches - Suicide Prevention Training for Faith Community Leaders
Michelle Snyder, Executive Director
Soul Shop Movement
Location: Winston Room 1B
Workshop K - Security: Keeping Your Data Safe
David Richardson, Senior Vice President
Pinnacle Financial Partners, Piedmont Triad, NC
Location: Winston Room 3B
12:00 PM
- 7:00 PM
- 7:00 PM
Free Time
7:00 PM
Evening Worship
The Rev. Dr. Haywood T. Gray Preaching Series
Dr. Allison Henderson-Brooks
Senior Pastor, Hill First Baptist Church, Athens, GA
Location: Winston Ballroom
Dr. Allison Henderson-Brooks
Senior Pastor, Hill First Baptist Church, Athens, GA
Location: Winston Ballroom