Faith Facts

• More than 5,000 Christians from across the nation gathered in Sevierville, Tennessee for the annual Polishing the Pulpit conference, with an additional 2,300 attending a sister event in Branson, Missouri
• The weeklong event featured Bible teaching sessions for all ages, from toddlers to grandparents, with keynote messages exploring Jesus Christ’s role as the Great Physician healing every aspect of life
• Families from military communities and across the country described the conference as a vital opportunity for spiritual renewal, fellowship, and strengthening faith in the next generation

In the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, thousands of Christian families converged for a powerful week of worship, Bible study, and spiritual renewal. The Polishing the Pulpit conference in Sevierville, Tennessee drew believers from as far as Hawaii, Maine, and even Australia for intensive Christian education that strengthened faith across generations.

Dan Winkler, minister for the Spring Meadows Church of Christ in Spring Hill, Tennessee, delivered a compelling message about Jesus as the Great Physician during the keynote series.

“He went to the university of hard knocks. He majored in humanity, not humanities. He graduated summa cum laude because he never made anything but A-plus. And he stepped into his post-grad work to become the Great Physician, not doing classes online but on the front line — healing the leper, giving sight to the blind, making whole the lame. And he can make a difference in your life.”

The conference’s family-focused approach sets it apart from typical religious gatherings. From toddlers to grandparents, attendees found age-appropriate biblical instruction throughout the week. Popular sessions filled to capacity, with many standing at room edges or sitting on floors to hear teachings on theology, Christian living, and scriptural truth.

Ellis Thorne, a 43-year-old member of the U.S. Coast Guard who worships with the North Hamilton Church of Christ in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, brought three generations of his family to the event.

“One of the great things about Polishing the Pulpit is there’s something for the entire family,” said Thorne, who attended with his parents, wife, and three children ages 6 to 12. “And, you know, it’s extremely important to us to make our family as strong as possible in Christ.”

For military families like the Thornes who relocate frequently, the annual gathering provides crucial continuity. “It’s not just our physical family, but I’m in the military, and we have to move around a lot, and so there’s a lot of people that we get to see here that (are) part of our Christian family from various congregations — as far away as Hawaii, Maine, South Carolina, Alabama.”

“We get to reunite with our family here and many people that my kids were very close to when they were growing up,” he added. “It’s just a great experience to be around and show them how many people that there are that love the Lord and want to do his will.”

Chanel Smith, 41, made the journey from New Orleans with her husband, children, and in-laws for her fourth time attending. The Smith family worships with the Degaulle Drive Church of Christ.

“It’s been really great because there’s classes for the kids, and it’s just a really good time for my husband and I to recharge because we both work,” she said. “It gives us time to recharge and really focus in on God.”

From Small Beginnings to National Movement

The conference’s humble origins stand in stark contrast to its current scope. In 1994, three preachers and alumni of Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama — Allen Webster, Mark Howell, and Floyd Bailey — began meeting to workshop sermon plans, rotating among their offices in different states.

As word spread, the gathering expanded to include other preachers, then church elders, deacons, youth ministers, and eventually all church members. The first Sevierville conference in 2008 drew just under 1,000 attendees. Growth necessitated adding a second location in Branson in 2024.

Allen Webster, now 60 and director of Polishing the Pulpit, reflected on the conference’s remarkable expansion.

“You look back on it, and you see the hand of God in it. We always wanted it to glorify God, and we wanted it to be good for his kingdom. … It’s amazing what God has done with this.”

Webster, who also founded the House to House, Heart to Heart ministry, emphasized the conference’s multigenerational impact. “When you’re a parent … it really helps to broaden the educational experience with others who reinforce what you’re teaching. So that helps them to see a wider spectrum of the brotherhood and reinforce the Scriptural teaching.”

This year’s keynote series explored lesser-discussed aspects of Jesus Christ, examining how the Savior heals and transforms every part of a Christian’s life as physician, counselor, and redeemer.

“Let’s bring Jesus back into the focus,” Webster said. “What does the church need now? We need to be close to him. You know, we need to understand him. … So it’s just a new way to look at some old truths.”

Worship and Fellowship Draw Thousands

Beyond the teaching sessions covering theology, doctrine, Scripture, Christian lifestyle, culture, and law, the conference featured extensive a cappella congregational singing. Evening singing sessions in the convention center atrium drew over 1,000 voices in traditional hymns and worship songs.

Tiffany Bryan, a 19-year-old first-time attendee from the West Metro Church of Christ in Yukon, Oklahoma, found the worship particularly moving.

“The singing was really, really good. Like, it was tear jerking.”

Bryan attended after encouragement from her sister Zoey, who had experienced the Branson conference. The young woman emphasized the importance of Christians understanding their beliefs more deeply.

“Sometimes we just trust everything the preacher says, you know,” she explained after attending a session on “The Myth of Neutrality.” “And sometimes we just walk along not doing anything … not doing our part.”

The conference’s reach extends internationally. Andrew Young traveled from Queensland, Australia, where he serves as a missionary preacher for the Gipps Street Church of Christ in Toowoomba. The former salesman and father of three first attended while studying at the Southeastern Institute of Biblical Studies in Knoxville, Tennessee.

“In the entire country of Australia, there are 1,700 members of the Church of Christ, which basically means there are more Christians in this room than there are in the entire country of Australia,” Young said from his exhibitor space, where he was raising funds for a 12-seat church bus to transport workers to rural congregations across Queensland, a region nearly three times the size of Texas.

“It’s insane to think that you get this many people who are like-minded Christians, like-minded in our belief. … It was just unbelievable to have that many people together singing, praising God. It was just amazing.”

The conference continues to serve as a vital gathering point for Christian families seeking to strengthen their faith, educate their children in biblical truth, and connect with fellow believers committed to living according to Scripture. As American culture increasingly challenges traditional Christian values, events like Polishing the Pulpit provide essential community and spiritual fortification for families determined to raise the next generation in the faith.

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