The list of pastors speaking at the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Pastors’ Conference (SBCPC) stretches across a variety of backgrounds, from small congregations to megachurches and a combat veteran to a former Division I college football player.
In determining the lineup, the SBCPC team listened to “hundreds upon hundreds” of sermons from nearly 500 nominations, said Pastors’ Conference president Matt Henslee.
“It truly was a joy and affirmed our belief that God has blessed Southern Baptists with some amazing pastors!” Henslee said. “But we had to narrow it down to 12.
“Still, what you will see on the platform in Anaheim is what you see on any Sunday throughout the Southern Baptist Convention – pastors from all backgrounds in churches of every style and size, remaining faithful to preach the inerrant Word of God.”
The Pastors’ Conference will be held June 12-13 prior to the SBC annual meeting. Conference preachers will join song leaders Matt Boswell and the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) Cowden Hall Band. Guest preachers will be SWBTS President Adam Greenway and motivational speaker Daniel Ritchie.
Conference speakers are:
Mathew Mueller, Valley Life Church, Peoria, Ariz. A veteran who lost his eye in combat, Mueller planted Valley Life just prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. The church currently averages 60 in attendance.
Clay Smith, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Marietta, Ga. Smith succeeded Johnson Ferry founding pastor Bryant Wright at the megachurch north of Atlanta that sees 2,500 in worship.
Marcus Hayes, Crossroads Baptist Church, The Woodlands, Texas. Hayes began as pastor at Crossroads, which averages 700 in attendance, during the COVID-19 shutdown in April 2020.
Al Jackson, recently retired. Jackson served for 42 years as pastor of Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn, Ala., and plans to continue his mentoring ministry of young pastors.
Julio Arriola, church planting coordinator. Arriola, recent executive director of Hispanic Relations and Mobilization for the SBC Executive Committee, is currently moving to Texas to serve in a role supported by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Southern Baptists of Texas Convention to assist church planting in the Lone Star State.
Mark Clifton, NAMB senior director of church replanting and rural strategy. In addition to his denominational role, Clifton is pastoring a replant effort in Linwood, Kan.
Daryl Jones, The Rock Fellowship Church, Pembroke Pines, Fla. Jones was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes while becoming the most accomplished track/football athlete in the history of the University of Miami. Today he is planting The Rock Fellowship, which averages 60 each Sunday in attendance.
Omar Johnson, Temple Hills Baptist Church, Temple Hills, Md. Saved at the church he now serves as pastor, Johnson is one of two SBCPC speakers who are former interns of Capitol Hill Baptist in Washington, D.C.
P.J. Tibayan, Bethany Baptist Church, Bellflower, Calif. The other former Capitol Hill intern, Tibayan has earned degrees from The Master’s Seminary, The Master’s University and a doctorate from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Matt Carter, Sagemont Church, Houston. Sagemont averaged more than 2,600 in attendance in 2020. Carter’s previous congregation, Austin Stone Church in Austin, Texas, began with 15 people and grew to more than 8,000.
Hanley Liu, First Chinese Baptist Church, Anaheim, Calif. Liu leads the English-speaking service at First Chinese Baptist, which averages 800 people.
Israel Villalobos, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas. Villalobos is the pastor of Spanish Ministries at Plymouth, where he leads the Spanish-speaking service that averages 50 people.
Henslee added that the speakers will preach through a book of the Bible that will be announced later.
“All are faithful men of God who love their families well, lead their churches well and handle the inerrant, infallible, sufficient Word well,” he said. “It has been a joy to get to know them, and I look forward to hearing them preach in Anaheim. You should, too.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press.)
