At some point, I have lost track of how many SOAR conferences I have attended. I think my first was back in 1993 when I was serving at Antioch Baptist Church in Conway. My wife’s claim to fame is that she was one of the first musical guests at the first SOAR in 1991. She was a part of Donny Parrish’s Youth Choir. While things have changed over the years, there are some constants that I am so thankful for.
• The SOAR Team desires to provide excellence at the conference. There is never a doubt about the level of energy and effort that is put into the conference. The team puts together an event that has high quality written all over it. From the signage to the hosts to the breakout sessions, everything is done with excellence.
• The SOAR Team truly cares about the spiritual well-being of students. The event is designed with students in mind. They care about helping young people follow Jesus. They want students to have moments with Jesus and their groups.
• The SOAR Team seeks to send students on mission. Every year, the team pulls in a missionary to share their heart. This year was no exception. Gavin Roberts, missionary to Utah, did an outstanding job sharing the Word. Angela Rice from BMA Global and her team help students understand what a short-term mission trip might look like and how they can be involved.
• The SOAR Team provides a venue for BMA students from across the country to gather. We are not a large association of churches. However, when students can meet others from different states, they realize they are not alone. SOAR remains one of the largest gatherings of BMA Baptists each year.
I am also appreciative of organizations that go and spend time at the conference. Central Baptist College of Conway, the BMA Seminary and Jacksonville College of Jacksonville, Texas, all showed up to encourage students to consider Christian education. The new president at Central Baptist College, Dr. Jeremy Langley, and his team leaned into the Texas theme with western shirts and cowboy hats. It was great.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Donny Parrish and Bobby Tucker for setting this crazy thing in motion all those years ago. They took their love of students and turned it into something that has impacted multiple generations. I would love to hear what you thought of SOAR 2025 and the memories that you carry from previous conferences. Join the conversation at facebook.com/groups/StudentMinistryMattersCommunity.
