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Arizona Mission Network of Southern Baptists — September 9, 2026

Executive Director Monty Patton talks with Will Bray and Hudson Garcia, two new church planters. Giving to the Arizona Mission Offering is one of the ways we can help support church planters around the state.

In August and September, Arizona Mission Network churches are partnering to receive the Arizona Mission Offering (AMO).

Together, we aim to raise $225,000 to support seven ministries that make a big impact in our state. They are:

• Disaster Relief
• Planting Churches
• Zona Youth Camp
• Christian Challenge
• Hispanic Ministries
• Ministers in Crisis
• Associational Collaborations

We have lots of resources you can utilize as you promote the offering at your church. You can find a social media kit, a promotional video, bulletin inserts, posters and more at azmn.org/amo-resources.

Give through your church or online at azmn.org/amo. 

Thanks for supporting these impactful ministries!

Associations can dream big thanks to the Arizona Mission Offering

Associations are where local collaboration happens.

And that’s why this year a portion of Arizona Mission Offering funds will go toward resourcing associations. 

“Our associations don’t have enough resources to fulfill the vision that God has given them,” said Monty Patton, the executive director of the Arizona Mission Network. “And our associations are a valuable partner in ministry.” 

Associational collaborations are one of seven ministry areas that will receive support from the 2026 Arizona Mission Offering. The goal for this year’s offering is $225,000 with $32,142 going to each area of ministry. The theme for 2026 is We Connect, based on Galatians 6:2.

“This will provide resources to help associations engage their churches in collaborative opportunities addressing the four questions of the Arizona Mission Network in their region,” said Don Vickers, associational mission strategist for the Yuma Mission Network. Vickers is also the state representative for the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders. 

Read the full story

Rural Evangelism and Discipleship Summit encourages Arizona church leaders

After Larry Whitney, pastor of Mustang Mountain Cowboy Church, and Mike Bishop, pastor of Harvest Church Anthem, attended a rural ministry conference in Montana, they immediately agreed Arizona needed something similar. 

That was in 2023, when they attended the conference along with Eddy Pearson, the Arizona Mission Network’s evangelism and discipleship director. 

In 2024, Pearson and Mike Stallcup, associational mission strategist for the Cochise Baptist Association, met with Kyle Bueermann, rural specialist of the North American Mission Board. 

And then this August 20-21, after two years of planning, 62 church leaders from 21 churches finally gathered at Mustang Mountain Cowboy Church in Huachuca City for Arizona’s first Rural Evangelism and Discipleship Summit. 

Funded by the Arizona Mission Network and supplied by NAMB, attendees were greatly encouraged by seminars, breakout sessions and free materials. While speakers fed the soul, Whitney’s church fed the body with plates heaped with mouth-watering barbecue.  

Read the full story

What Next? Conference

Queen Creek, Sept. 24

If you’re a church looking for practical next steps to help your church grow, this conversation is for you. This is not a lecture but rather a conversation with peers and with those who have led through growth barriers on how to lead to the next stage.

Register here

Women's Ministry Essentials

Phoenix, Oct. 8

This free, one-day event hosted by Lifeway Women's training team is for women's ministry leaders. Leaders will be equipped to develop a ministry vision, assess their current ministry plan and understand what a healthy women's ministry looks like.

Register here

Workshop on Biblical Exposition

Paradise Valley, Oct. 14-16

This three-day training will encourage and equip pastors in the skills needed to read, understand and proclaim the Word of God. This year's workshop will focus on Preaching Wisdom Literature.

Register here

Send Network One Day

Queen Creek, Nov. 11

To help answer the Four Questions — Who’s Your One?, Who’s Your Next?, Where’s Your Next? and How Can You Help? — we are partnering with Send Network for a Send Network One Day event the Wednesday before our annual convention. Send Network One Day is a local, one-day event designed to inspire and equip believers to take the next step in God’s mission.

Register here

ASBC Annual Meeting

Queen Creek, Nov. 12

Join the Arizona Mission Network family for the annual meeting. The ministry fair and business session will be the morning of Thursday, Nov. 12. The Connect Conference will take place in the afternoon and will feature a message from Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board.

Get more details here

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Baptist Press website

Learn More and Share

These prayer profiles are excerpted from the 2026 Missions Prayer Guide, which features Arizonans whose ministries in our state and overseas are supported by your church's gifts through the Cooperative Program. Read more about the individuals and share with your church by downloading bulletin inserts and presentation slides here. Download the 2026 Missions Prayer Guide or request printed copies for you or your church here.