The 2025 SBC Pastors’ Conference took place in Dallas, Texas, on June 8-9. Led by conference president, SCBaptist pastor Dr. D.J. Horton, the central theme was “Worth Following,” coming from 2 Timothy. 

Several SCBaptists played a key role in the conference. As conference president, Horton was able to shape the vision of the annual gathering. “We are thankful to have the opportunity to love, encourage, and bless pastors, their families, and the men and women who love and serve Southern Baptists,” Horton said. His home church, Church at The Mill, in Spartanburg, SC, brought volunteers and led worship. 

Horton, saying he was “a proud son of a bi-vocational pastor,” led a moment of prayer for bi-vocational pastors. Recognizing the unique challenges these leaders face, Horton reminded attendees, “There’s no such thing as a part-time pastor.” He called on state conventions to sponsor bi-vocational pastors to attend future conferences, many of whom are often unable to come because of weekday job obligations.

SCBaptists Represent at Pastors’ Conference

Horton invited all of the sponsored pastors, including Ashby Pruitt of Iron City Church in Blacksburg, SC, to the stage. In a surprise moment of encouragement, Pruitt and other bi-vocational pastors present were gifted a fully paid trip, courtesy of Signature Tours, as a tangible way to refresh and honor their ministry.

Josh Powell, lead pastor at Taylors First Baptist Church, was one of the main session speakers. Powell served as SCBaptist Convention president and is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees for his Alma Mater, North Greenville University.

On the Same Team

North Greenville University (NGU) also played a role in sponsoring the event and by bringing Joyful Sound, the school’s traveling worship ministry team. NGU’s President, Dr. Gene Fant, said, “South Carolina Baptists are doing incredible things for the Kingdom. We have the spirit of purpose, the spirit that we’re all on the same team.” Also represented as a sponsor was Upward Sports. Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, the sports ministry nonprofit aims to serve communities and leverage the power of sports to reach people with the Gospel.

From the platform to the pews, from worship to sponsorship, SCBaptists played a vital role in encouraging and equipping pastors from across the nation through the 2025 Pastors’ Conference. Their unified presence reflected the heart of the conference’s theme—demonstrating lives, churches, and ministries truly “worth following.”