The good news of the gospel is not simply that Christ’s redeeming work is gloriously accomplished and Christ’s person is gloriously awesome. It’s that his whole person and his entire work are ours through faith. The greatest benefit of what he’s done is that we can bask in who he is – eternally. He is ours forevermore. Throughout 2026, Small Town Summits will gather small-place New England churches, pastors, and laypeople to exult in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In our Spring Summits, we’ll focus on 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul summarizes the saving gospel by saying ‘Christ died for our sins’ and ‘he was raised on the third day.’ At the beginning of the letter, he says ‘I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (2:2). At the end of the letter, he devotes an entire chapter to Christ’s resurrection, concluding, ‘Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain’ (15:58). 1 Corinthians shows that the cross and resurrection are the focus and fuel of gospel ministry. They give us something glorious to proclaim and the indomitable resolve to proclaim it.

Schedule

• 8.30 – 9am - Arrival and registration

• 9 – 10am - Welcome, Singing, STS Vision, Introductions

• 10 – 10:45am - Session #1: The Cross of Christ as the Focus of Gospel Ministry and group discussion

• 10:45 – 11am - Coffee break

• 11am – Noon - Session #2: The Resurrection of Christ as the fuel of Gospel Ministry and group discussion

• Noon – 1pm - Lunch

• 1 – 2pm - Breakout sessions

• 2 – 2.15pm - Break

• 2.15 – 3pm - Session #3: Panel Discussion and Q&A: What does it look like in practice to ground gospel ministry in the cross and resurrection?

• 3 – 3.30pm - Prayer

Main Sessions

In our first two main sessions, Zach Vaughn and one other TBD plenary speaker will speak to the focus and the fuel of gospel ministry in the cross and resurrection of Christ. Our last main session will be a panel giving Summit participants opportunity to ask specific counseling questions for discussion among the panelists and fellow Summit attendees.

Micah Lang

Micah is a pastor at Redemption Hill Community in Lewiston, Maine and has a passion to see healthy, gospel-centered churches multiply and flourish in New England. He received his Master's of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Felicia are parents to three beautiful children: Ada, Judah, and Lily. He regularly writes at Gospel Matters.

Justin Frank

Justin Frank is originally from Portland, Oregon. He came to New England in 2001 to study at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While there he met and then married a girl from Maine, and he’s been in New England ever since. He and his wife Kellie have been married for almost 20 years and have four kids. After pastoring in Gloucester, Massachusetts, he was called to be the pastor of Penney Memorial in 2014. He lives in Augusta and is the chaplain for the Augusta Police Department.

Zach Vaughn

Zach joined Machias Valley Baptist Church in January 2021 as the Senior Pastor. He previously served as the Associate Pastor of Students &  Education at First Baptist Church of Lovington, New Mexico. He received his M.A. in Christian Studies from Criswell College. Zach and his wife, Mari, are both from New Mexico and have been married since 2014. They have three children: Jeremiah, Amelia, and Julia. Zach loves reading, baseball (Boston Red Sox fans!), fishing, hunting, and coaching his kids in sports. He and Mari have sensed the Lord calling them to New England for some time now, and God has sovereignly placed them here. Zach has a desire to see Christ glorified and New England reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.