NBA at 2025 Disciples General Assembly Recap

July 29, 2025 | by NBA Cares

Earlier this month, the National Benevolent Association showed up to General Assembly 2025 with joy, bold visions, and dreams! We were so honored to celebrate and uplift the voices of our partners and programs and share the bold vision and dreams we have for today and for our future. We wanted to share highlights for those who were with us, and for those who may have missed GA, here’s a recap of what took place!

Friday: Booth Setup and Chaplains Dinner

On Friday afternoon the whole NBA team worked to unload our supplies and set up the exhibit booth to welcome attendees of 2025 General Assembly! On Friday evening, NBA partnered with Disciples Home Missions to host the Disciples Chaplains Association Pre-event Dinner. In addition to being led through a wellness exercise, attendees heard testimonials and learned more about the ways NBA is working to support the work of chaplains through our Chaplains Peer Learning & Wellness Group and the annual Mental Health Professionals Conference. We enjoyed kicking off GA with a warm and welcoming dinner for chaplains and pastoral care providers. It was a night of gratitude, connection, and shared purpose.

Saturday: NBA Luncheon

Nearly 300 attendees joined us for our annual luncheon where we celebrated the scope and impact of NBA:

  • First we heard from Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick as she gave an overview of the ways NBA is creating communities of compassion and care, and outlined the speakers.
  • Then, our imPACT Fellows spoke: Rev. Dr. Milton Keys shared insights from his work with Advocates Embassy Corp and his devotional, Finding My Place (a devotional about disability and the human experience), while Sophia M. Barnett highlighted her work with youth empowerment and social change at Making a Child Change Foundation. Both Milton and Sophia are partnering with NBA in this multi-year relationship that includes a specialized menu of resources and aims to allow Fellows to focus on growing their ministry/organization to be self-sustaining and flourishing.
  • Next, Rev. Kimberly Weir, Executive Director with Florida Senior Enrichment Center, shared about the work being done by Older Adult Ministries to create compassion and care for older adults. We celebrated with Kimberly and others the passing of the Silver Chalice Resolution at General Assembly!
  • Then, Tapehlyn Tapeh, member of Faith Christian Church in Los Angeles, introduced Seeds of Faith, a community initiative she was able to create that was funded by one of NBA’s Young Adult Leadership Grants.With the $1,500 grant support she received from NBA, Tapehlyn was able to start a garden at her church (with support from the youth and young adults). Her goals with the Seeds of Faith Garden are to provide accessible healthy food for her church and wider community, to teach young people biblical principles through gardening, and to beautify the neighborhood with a peaceful and green oasis on the corner of 98th and Normandie in Los Angeles.
  • Next, Zaemelys Ramos-Rodriguez, a member of the NBA Mental Health Equity Cohort, and the 2025 SENT Cohort, offered reflections about the support and accompaniment she has received with her partnership with NBA. Her dreams about creating and making accessible mental health resources and support for marginalized communities through her entrepreneurial enterprise, Bees and Lavender, are possible through her work with NBA.
  • Finally, NBA President & CEO Mark D.Anderson offered greetings and thanks to all who support the mission and programs of NBA. Mark offered a blessing to all those gathered for the luncheon and beyond to dream boldly and envision a caring, compassionate, and equitable world for all people.

Sunday: Wellness Hour and April Lewton’s Sermon

On Sunday, we hosted a Wellness Hour for the Body,Mind, and Spirit with Rev. Joselyn Spence and members of the Mental Health Equity Cohort. We also took the opportunity to celebrate a special champion of NBA, Rev. Dr. Mark Poindexter and the Wellness Fund that supports the ongoing work of mental health and wellness. Staff and partner ministries shared their stories and connected with GA attendees in our exhibit booth.  Then during Sunday evening worship, our own Rev. April Lewton delivered a powerful sermon on the theme of Covenant Renewal and offered encouragement for Disciples to “bear with one another” (Colossians 3:13) in solidarity and community as well as to be strengthened by models of faithful covenant.

Monday: Social Takeover + Booth Highlights

The imPACT Fellows took over our social channels! Sophia and Milton shared behind-the-scenes moments, selfies, and stories from the floor. Our booth was buzzing with energy as several current and former SENT Cohort members as well as a couple of our Incubate Partners presented an overview of their organizations. You can watch their takeover on our Instagram Highlights here.

Tuesday: Workshops That Inspired & Farewells

  • Kara Whitehouse packed the room with her session on writing impactful grants.
  • Rev. Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto and collaborators led a powerful workshop on justice and collective action.
  • Members of our Older Adult Ministries Innovative Conversations Group, lead a thoughtful session—capped off by the passing of the assembly resolution, GA-2512, supporting Disciples congregations receiving Silver Chalice designations.

Mental Health & Wellness at the Center

Led by Rev. Joselyn Spence and the Mental Health Equity Cohort, NBA’s wellness programming was a standout:

  • The Wellness Hour for Mind, Body & Spirit event featured restorative justice hand washing, sacred breath practices, and somatic storytelling.
  • Workshops and reflections focused on holistic well being, equity, theological integrity, and compassionate care.
  • Dr. Mark Poindexter shared about what inspired him to get involved with mental health and wellness work and talked about the ultramarathon race he participated in to benefit his new named fund, the Dr. Mark E. Poindexter Wellness Fund.

Thank You

We give thanks for the many new and “old” friends that we were able to connect with and see at this year’s General Assembly. For all those who made a gift and received one of our NBA t-shirts, we are grateful for the ways that you will continue to support and promote the work of Disciples health and social service ministries in your communities. To everyone who showed up, shared space, and supported our mission—thank you. None of this would be possible without your support and donations. We are excited as we continue to build towards a bold future where we make visions and dreams into reality.

While we know that the next General Assembly will not happen until 2028 (gasp!), we hope to see you along the way and please continue to like, subscribe, attend, give, and engage. See you friends!