Pictured above: Host Churches from the Greater Orlando gathered at First Orlando for a training on March 24, 2026 (Photo by Tanner Cade)
More than 90 churches that have committed to hosting ministry opportunities during the 2026 Crossover initiative gathered in Orlando on March 24 for training.
The long-anticipated training was led by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in partnership with the Florida Baptist Convention.
Host churches are strategically positioned across five Central Florida associations: the Greater Orlando Baptist Association, Ridge Baptist Association, Lake County Baptist Association, Brevard Baptist Association, and the East Central Baptist Network.
The training also included separate breakout sessions for Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English-speaking churches.
NAMB’s portion of the training focused on encouraging intentional gospel engagement at each host location. JJ Washington, NAMB’s national director of personal evangelism, led group discussions that challenged churches to think through specific plans—how they will invite people to attend, clearly share the gospel, and provide opportunities for response.
Host churches like Church at the Cross in Orlando are finalizing their plans while remaining open to expanding ministry opportunities. What began as a simple car wash has grown into a broader outreach effort, now including a first responder appreciation initiative and a volleyball-based ministry event.
“When we found out that Crossover was coming to Orlando, we immediately began asking, ‘How can we be part of this?’ since we’re located within the city,” said Kyle McCracken, student pastor at Church at the Cross.
“We never expected it to turn into a volleyball tournament, but God has worked it out. We have the facilities, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes.”
During the training, each host site was encouraged to remove barriers that might prevent people from attending. These barriers can include cost, location, or event timing. In the past, some outreach efforts were held at inconvenient times or required a fee, limiting participation. Churches were challenged to make every event as accessible as possible, including offering them free of charge.
Tracy Glidden, elementary ministry director at Church at Viera, shared plans to strengthen their Vacation Bible School outreach with a greater emphasis on gospel conversations.
“In my volunteer training, I’m going to give every volunteer a card with three key questions and space to write their personal responses,” Glidden said, referring to a training idea about sharing one’s testimony. “If they’re in a conversation with a child or another leader, they can pull out that card and share their testimony right there. I think equipping them this way will build confidence and open doors for conversations that might not happen otherwise.”
In the months leading up to Crossover, Washington has consistently emphasized that the focus remains on the local church. NAMB’s role is to support and coordinate, but it is the church that leads in reaching its community.
With host locations now established, the focus is shifting toward mobilizing volunteers to serve at each site.
Florida Baptist churches are encouraged to register to serve at flbaptist.org/crossover. NAMB has also developed a streamlined registration process to help onboard participating groups and ensure volunteers can quickly engage in ministry opportunities.
Through hosting, serving, and praying, Florida Baptists are working toward ambitious goals for Crossover Orlando: 1,000 participating churches, 10,000 gospel engagements, and 1,000 decisions for Christ.
