A big part of GOBA’s vision is to equip pastors and churches in fulfilling the Great Commission. There are a few ways in which GOBA seeks to develop leaders:

Monthly Training Opportunities: Led by experts in the ministry field on a wide range of topics, these two-hour sessions are usually held on the second Tuesday of the month from 9:00-11:00 am. These sessions are currently being held at First Baptist Winter Park (1021 N New York Avenue, Winter Park, FL).

G.O.A.L. (Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership): Monthly gatherings of a few pastors for encouragement, fellowship, and growth through various book studies for the sole purpose of developing leaders.

Mini-Seminars at Quarterly Executive Board Meetings: These meetings occur on the fourth Tuesday during January, April, July, and September from 10:00-11:30 am at Delaney Street Baptist Church (1919 Delaney Avenue, Orlando, FL). The first half of the meeting covers business matters, and the second half offers training on topics such as evangelism, discipleship, stewardship, or preaching/pastoral ministries.

One-Day Trainings: Offered once or twice per year, these full-day seminars allow for national experts to address a subject pertinent to pastors and leadership development.

To stay up-to-date with these Leadership Development offerings, contact GOBA’s administrative assistant, Ashleigh Barclay, at ashleigh@goba.org to be added to the email and texting lists.

The Merger Marriage

Led by Lead Pastor Nathan Wilder & Associate Pastor
Bill Bishop of University Baptist Church on June 23, 2026.
________

A practical conversation on navigating church mergers
with wisdom, leadership, and Gospel-centered unity.

About This Training

As churches across the country face changing seasons of ministry, many are exploring new pathways for long-term Kingdom impact. The Merger Marriage is a practical and honest conversation led by two pastors who successfully guided their churches through the merger process into one thriving church with two campuses. Through real-life experience, this training will explore how one church’s need for facilities and another church’s need for leadership became what they believe was a God-orchestrated partnership. Participants will hear the story behind the process, the challenges faced along the way, the importance of trust among leadership and congregations, and the many ways God’s hand was evident throughout the journey.

Using the framework outlined in Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work by Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird, this training will walk through the key stages of a healthy church merger: identifying “where we are,” the courtship, the engagement, the marriage, and the honeymoon. While every church situation is unique, this training is designed to provide practical insight, open dialogue, and encouragement for pastors and church leaders prayerfully considering whether a merger may be a viable option for revitalization and future ministry effectiveness. Participants will also discuss other potential pathways churches often face, including revitalization, relocation, replanting, or closure, while focusing on how strategic partnership can become a powerful tool for Kingdom advancement.