A sold-out crowd of more than 1,200 women gathered for the fifth annual Abide Women’s Conference at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Jan. 30-31 to explore the theme “Women of Worship.”
The conference, started by Tara Dew and the NOBTS Prepare Her team in 2021, has sold out each of its five years. This year’s event, which sold out in less than one month, drew women of all ages from 18 states and more than 150 churches.
Tara Dew, wife of NOBTS President Jamie Dew, adjunct professor of ministry to women and director of New Orleans Seminary’s Thrive program, said the Abide conference is one of her favorite events of the year.
"What a blessing it is to host this conference each year, allowing women to gather, learn rich theological truths, worship and fellowship with one another,” Dew said.
“The Abide Conference is truly one of my favorite weekends on campus each year, as God’s Spirit and favor is always so present with us.”
NOBTS President Jamie Dew addressed the sold-out crowd of ladies during the conference and challenged them to genuinely engage during this special event.
“I’m delighted to have you here with us,” Dew said.
“Sometimes we think that we’ve gone to an event like this so many times and we can mentally go on autopilot by going through the motions. I want to encourage you not to do that.
“Really take advantage of this opportunity to listen to the Word of God as someone who desperately needs it, because you do. Lean into these moments and let the Lord speak to you.”
Worship at the conference was led by the seminary’s Crescent City Worship and Jaleesa McCreary (senior director for content for The Worship Initiative), with a special appearance from Dove award-winning recording artist Al Denson. Additionally, a choir of more than 25 women joined the band on stage during the event.
The conference’s theme verse was Revelation 1:8, which reads “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’” says the Lord God, ‘the One who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
Tara Dew began the conference Friday night (Jan. 30) by explaining more about the conference’s theme.
“We were created to worship, but the problem is that so often we worship the wrong things,” Dew said. “If we’re not careful, we can begin to worship all the other idols that this world seeks to put before us. They are shiny and flashy, but they are not God.
“This entire weekend you are going to be learning about who your God is. Every plenary and breakout is going focus on who your God is.
“We want you to know who your God is so you can truly love him with your whole heart and out of that love comes a life of worship.”
Each of the event’s plenary sessions focused on one of the three descriptions of God mentioned in the theme verse and why that description of God leads believers to worship Him.
Kandi Gallaty (author and wife of Long Hollow Church Senior Pastor Robby Gallaty), offered Friday’s plenary message about the Holy Spirit as an ever-present helper to represent “the One who is.”
“Jesus promises to send his presence to us in the Holy Spirit,” Gallaty said. “We are never going to be left alone.”
Susie Hawkins (speaker and wife of GuideStone President Emeritus O.S. Hawkins), delivered the message for the second plenary session about God’s presence throughout all of time in order to depict “the One who was."
“For the One who was, my text is basically the whole Bible,” Hawkins jokingly said.
Hawkins examined several different passages of Scripture all pointing out how Jesus has always been present in creation and among his people.
“We have the advantage of seeing the entire story of Jesus through the whole Bible,” Hawkins said. “We are left with the assurance of the eternal Christ.”
In addition to the plenary sessions, women at the conference attended more than 10 different breakout sessions.
Breakout session topics included: 
Many of the breakout sessions were led by NOBTS faculty or faculty wives including Rebekah Callahan, Emily Dean, Kim Grubbs, Jessica McMillan, Emily Jones, Amy Williams, Lisa Ray and DeeDee Williams.
Tara Dew closed the conference with the last plenary session about the return of Christ and what this will mean for believers.
She outlined four key points about the return of Christ:
“The best thing for you and me about the return of Jesus is that we get to be with him,” Dew said. “Being with Him forever is the best thing we could ever have. We get to know and worship forever. What a glorious state.”
Next year’s Abide Women’s Conference will take place Feb. 16-17, 2027.
Keynote speakers include Dew, Amy Williams (director of the NOBTS Museum of the Bible and Archaeology and teacher for the Thrive program), Rachel Lovingood (author and speaker) and Amy Peterson (Bible teacher and host of the Ministry Wives Podcast from NAMB).
The theme for the conference will be “Women of Hope.”
