Photo gallery: Scenes from the Georgia Baptist evangelism conference at First Baptist Conyers Photos by HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index Tuesday, February 27, 2024 CONYERS, Ga. —  More than 400 pastors and other Christian leaders gathered at First Baptist Church in Conyers for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s Called to Witness evangelism conference Sunday and Monday. The state's Southern Baptist churches have seen huge gains in the area of evangelism in the past year, surpassing 20,000 baptisms for the first time since 2017.  Steve Foster, a Georgia Baptist Mission Board evangelism consultant, said the numbers released Friday represent a more than 30% increase  in baptisms in 2023 and a more than 90% increase since 2020. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20240227-131811-Thomas 21 s.jpg Caption: W. Thomas Hammond Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, preaches at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131900-Smith 3 s.jpg Caption: Robert Smith, a professor at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School, preaches during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131913-Forshee 7 s.jpg Caption: Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, preaches during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131955-Charles 26 s.jpg Caption: H.B. Charles, pastor at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., preaches at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131819-Arrivals s.jpg Caption: Attendees arrive at First Baptist Church in Conyers for the first day of an evangelism conference on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131824-Registration 3 s.jpg Caption: Registered participants receive evangelism conference materials at First Baptist Church in Conyers on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131828-Registration 1 s.jpg Caption: Jessica Purvis, with the church strengthening ministry of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, helps an evangelism conference participant at First Baptist Church in Conyers on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131832-Worship 1 s.jpg Caption: A choir and orchestra lead worship during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131836-Worshippers s.jpg Caption: Jennifer Martin worships alongside her husband Dave and son Nicholas during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131842-Worship 4 s.jpg Caption: The worship band, including a choir and orchestra, perform during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131847-Sign 2 s.jpg Caption: Barb Coffan signs as she interprets worship music during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131854-Sign 1 s.jpg Caption: A banner welcomes participants to the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131904-Smith 8 s.jpg Caption: Robert Smith, a professor at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School, preaches during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131909-Forshee monitors 1 s.jpg Caption: Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, preaches during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131917-Altar call 2 s.jpg Caption: Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, prays with a woman after an altar call during the first day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131921-Worship 8 s.jpg Caption: Attendees worship during the second day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131925-Worship 9 s.jpg Caption: From left, Sarah Lundsford, Vanessa Nealey, and Brian Lundsford sign during the second day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131929-Deaf s.jpg Caption: Deaf pastor Nathan Hill of Agape Deaf Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Ga., worships during the second day of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's evangelism conference at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131939-Thomas 24 s.jpg Caption: W. Thomas Hammond Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, preaches at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131942-Thomas 25 s.jpg Caption: W. Thomas Hammond Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, preaches at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131947-Charles 21 s.jpg Caption: H.B. Charles, pastor at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., preaches at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131951-Charles 22 s.jpg Caption: H.B. Charles, pastor at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., preaches at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-131959-Boxes 1 s.jpg Caption: Called To Witness evangelism boxes wait to be distributed to participants at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-132003-Boxes 3 s.jpg Caption: Georgia associational mission strategists distribute Called To Witness evangelism boxes to participants at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-132008-Prayer 3 s.jpg Caption: Participants pray over Called to Witness evangelism boxes that were distributed at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20240227-132013-Prayer 5 s.jpg Caption: A participants prays over a Called to Witness evangelism box he received at First Baptist Church in Conyers during the second day of an evangelism conference Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand)