WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — As Central Florida prepares to host this year’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, churches within the Ridge Baptist Association are joining together for a unified evangelism initiative they are calling “Crossover at the Ridge.”
Crossover is an annual evangelistic emphasis held in the host city of the Southern Baptist Convention, where churches engage their communities with the gospel in the days leading up to the meeting. This year, Ridge churches are not only participating—but doing so together.
“We are praying that God would do a great work in Eastern Polk County for His glory through Crossover,” said Josh Dryer, associational mission strategist (AMS) for the Ridge Baptist Association.
Dryer, who began serving with the association in late 2024, said the vision grew out of both past experience and local opportunity. He explained that the idea was shaped by his previous involvement in Crossover in New Orleans and further developed when he and several pastors attended a Crossover planning event at First Baptist Church Orlando. Following that gathering, Dryer connected with JJ Washington, national director of personal evangelism for the North American Mission Board, who supported the association’s effort to participate collectively.
Instead of operating independently, pastors across the association chose a cooperative approach.
“We felt like we would be better together and stronger if we participated as an association,” Dryer said.
Of the association’s 65 churches, 31 are participating in the effort, which began with a 90-day emphasis on prayer. Churches distributed a “90 Days of Prayer” guide written by local pastors, focusing specifically on evangelism, outreach, and a burden for the lost.
That season of prayer will culminate in a weekend of coordinated outreach, June 5–7.
The weekend will begin with a Friday night celebration service focused on worship and prayer. On Saturday, churches will host a variety of outreach events, including sports camps, block parties, door-to-door evangelism, prayer walking, and service projects in their communities.
Some congregations will also partner with mission teams coming from across the country, supported through the North American Mission Board. Dryer expressed gratitude to both the North American Mission Board and the Florida Baptist Convention for their support of the initiative.
The emphasis will culminate on Sunday with a unified “Harvest Day,” when each participating church will intentionally invite lost friends, neighbors, and coworkers to attend a gospel-centered service.
“All of our pastors will be preaching a gospel message and calling people to faith in Christ,” Dryer said.
The effort has also strengthened participation across the association, including increased involvement from bivocational pastors and several Haitian congregations.
Looking ahead, Dryer said the vision extends beyond this year’s event.
“Pastors have expressed a desire to continue this annually—setting aside time to pray for the harvest and intentionally reach our communities,” he said.
Dryer encouraged churches across Florida to pray alongside them using the prayer guide and noted that there is still a need for five additional mission teams to partner in the effort.
