HAMMOND | At least 4,000 independent Baptist ministers and laymen are gathering this week at First Baptist Church for the 46th annual Pastors School.

Participants in the four-day event, which begins this evening and runs through Thursday, hail from across the United States and at least 12 foreign countries, said Dan Wolfe, spokesman for the First Baptist Church of Hammond.

Originated by Jack Hyles of Hammond's First Baptist Church in 1963, the Pastors School is the nation's largest and longest running, Wolfe said.

This year's theme, Going the Distance, focuses on growth and renewing spirit, he said. The 20 specialized tracks that offer more than 200 classes for attendees are about "very practical, nuts-and-bolts things, like how to develop a Web site and how to conduct a choir," Wolfe said.

"The broad range of topics covered is designed to offer delegates a kind of toolbox for ministry, a collection of resources to assist pastors and Christian leaders in all phases of church operation," he said.

The church's 125-voice choir and 60-piece orchestra plus other musical special and video presentations help enliven evening sessions, Wolfe said.

Hosted by First Baptist's Pastor, Jack Schaap, the main morning and evening sessions will be in the church's 7,500-seat auditorium at 473 Sibley St.

Among those speaking at the evening sessions will be Raymond Hancock, evangelist and founder of the Independent Baptist Fellowships in Georgia; Jack Trieber, pastor of North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, Calif., and chancellor of Golden State Bible College; and David Gibbs, Jr., an attorney and founder of the Christian Law Association in Seminole, Fla.

Schaap will be the main speaker at the conclusion of the conference.

"A lot of people get an education from this conference," Wolfe said. "Then they go out and do good work."