Upcoming Events
Breaking Every Stinking Chain: Understanding Trauma and God’s Path to Healing
5-Hour Training for Pastors and Ministry Leaders
(Friday night session will go from 6:30-8:30 and Saturday morning session will be from 9-12 at Lawrenceville First Baptist Church.)
Every weekend, people walk into our churches carrying wounds no one can see.
They faithfully attend worship, teach Sunday School, serve on ministry teams, lead small groups, and smile at the front door. Yet beneath the surface many are struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction, anger, broken relationships, fear, shame, grief, or spiritual confusion. Too often, these symptoms are treated without recognizing the hidden wounds that fuel them.
What if the Church could respond differently?
Join Dr. Denice Colson, Ph.D., LPC, MAC, CPCS, CCS, DAAETS, Christian counselor, author, speaker, and developer of the Strategic Trauma and Abuse Recovery System (12STR®), for an engaging and practical five-hour training designed specifically for pastors and ministry leaders.
Drawing from her books Break Every Stinking Chain! Healing for Hidden Wounds and Let God Heal Your Trauma!, Dr. Colson will introduce a biblical, research-informed understanding of trauma and explain how hidden emotional wounds often shape people’s relationships with God, themselves, and others. Participants will discover why many sincere believers remain spiritually stuck despite their love for Christ—and how the Church can become a place where healing, not just survival, begins.
This training will explore:
· Why trauma is far more common than most churches realize.
· The connection between childhood adversity, adult struggles, and spiritual formation.
· Common myths Christians believe about trauma, healing, and forgiveness.
· Why simply addressing symptoms often leaves people trapped in recurring patterns.
· The difference between behavior modification and true transformation.
· The three phases of the 12STR® model that provide a clear pathway toward healing and restoration.
· Practical ways pastors and ministry leaders can respond wisely, compassionately, and biblically to hurting people while understanding when to refer for specialized trauma care.
This is not a counseling certification course. Rather, it is an opportunity for ministry leaders to better understand the invisible wounds many people carry and to become more effective shepherds of God’s people. Participants will leave with greater confidence, practical tools, renewed hope, and a deeper appreciation for how God uses both biblical truth and His created design for healing to transform lives from the inside out.
If revival begins with healed hearts, then understanding trauma is no longer optional—it is essential.
Come discover how the Church can help break the hidden chains that keep people from experiencing the abundant life Christ promised.
GMBN Fall 2026 Annual Meeting
Join us for the Gwinnett Metro Baptist Network Annual Meeting on October 8 from 6:30–8:00 PM at Chestnut Grove Baptist Church. This will be a powerful evening as we worship together as a network, celebrate all that God has done in 2026, and look ahead with anticipation to what He has next for us as we saturate Gwinnett with the gospel in 2027. We’ll be encouraged through uplifting music and a message. A meal from Johnny's BBQ will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, with our celebration beginning at 6:30 p.m. and continuing until 8:00 pm.
Building an Evangelistic Calendar | Evening Session
Join us on Thursday, August 20, for Building an Evangelistic Calendar. Gather with fellow pastors and church leaders as we explore practical ways to intentionally plan a ministry calendar that creates consistent opportunities to share the gospel throughout the year.
6:30 PM at West Side Baptist Church in Snellville
Building an Evangelistic Calendar | Noon Session
Join us on Thursday, August 20, for Building an Evangelistic Calendar. Gather with fellow pastors and church leaders as we explore practical ways to intentionally plan a ministry calendar that creates consistent opportunities to share the gospel throughout the year. Choose the session that works best for you:
12:00 PM at North Gwinnett Baptist Church
CATHERINE/PAT LEWIS SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION | Fall Semester Deadline
We request that all scholarship applications be in the Gwinnett Metro Baptist Network office by July 1st for Fall semester and by November 15th for Spring semester. Funds are distributed by the Gwinnett Metro Baptist Network to ministerial students who attend a Georgia Baptist College and/or one of the six Southern Baptist Seminaries and are actively participating ministers in the association. Active participation is defined by both an established pattern of personal engagement by the applicant as well as consistent financial support of the Network by the applicant’s church. Funds will be distributed based upon demand, need, and availability. Awards are not guaranteed and may vary in amount.
Spring Meeting
Join us for the Gwinnett Metro Baptist Network Spring Meeting on Thursday, March 26 from 10:30 AM–12:30 PM at Vision Connexion Church with Dr. James Merritt as our guest speaker. This gathering is an opportunity to connect, be equipped, and be strengthened together.
Saturate Gwinnett Pastor + Leader Training Session (Spanish)
Saturate Gwinnett is a movement launching in 2026 with one conviction: to carry the Gospel to every street, every home, and every person in our county. With 350,000 homes and 150 churches, this is a mission we can only accomplish together. If each church reaches just 50 doors a week, we can place the Gospel at every doorstep in a single year. It takes you—pastors, leaders, and your churches—to help carry this vision. There’s still time to commit to being part of this movement. You’re invited to join us for our Pastor + Leader Training Session on January 22 at First Baptist Church Grayson. Attend either our Noon Session (12:00–1:30 PM) or Evening Session (6:30–8:00 PM). There will also be a Pastor + Leader Training Session in Spanish on January 24 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at Iglesia Bautista Hispanoamericana.
Registration closed.
Saturate Gwinnett Pastor + Leader Training Session (Evening Session)
Saturate Gwinnett is a movement launching in 2026 with one conviction: to carry the Gospel to every street, every home, and every person in our county. With 350,000 homes and 150 churches, this is a mission we can only accomplish together. If each church reaches just 50 doors a week, we can place the Gospel at every doorstep in a single year. It takes you—pastors, leaders, and your churches—to help carry this vision. There’s still time to commit to being part of this movement. You’re invited to join us for our Pastor + Leader Training Session on January 22 at First Baptist Church Grayson. Attend either our Noon Session (12:00–1:30 PM) or Evening Session (6:30–8:00 PM). There will also be a Pastor + Leader Training Session in Spanish on January 24 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at Iglesia Bautista Hispanoamericana.
Registration closed.
Saturate Gwinnett Pastor + Leader Training Session (Noon Session)
Saturate Gwinnett is a movement launching in 2026 with one conviction: to carry the Gospel to every street, every home, and every person in our county. With 350,000 homes and 150 churches, this is a mission we can only accomplish together. If each church reaches just 50 doors a week, we can place the Gospel at every doorstep in a single year. It takes you—pastors, leaders, and your churches—to help carry this vision. There’s still time to commit to being part of this movement. You’re invited to join us for our Pastor + Leader Training Session on January 22 at First Baptist Church Grayson. Attend either our Noon Session (12:00–1:30 PM) or Evening Session (6:30–8:00 PM). There will also be a Pastor + Leader Training Session in Spanish on January 24 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at Iglesia Bautista Hispanoamericana.
Registration closed.
Event Five
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Four
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Three
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Two
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event One
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.