Our Pastor
Reverend Doctor William J. Smith, Jr.
Reverend Doctor William J. Smith, Jr., is a native of Mathews County, Virginia. His early exposure to the Word of God led him to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior and obey the call of God on his life for service to the Body of Christ. He was licensed and ordained at the Lebanon Baptist Church in Urbanna, Virginia.
Pastor Smith has matriculated through the Mathews County Public Schools System obtaining an Advanced High School Diploma. He has completed his undergraduate education obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Leadership and furthered his education graduating with a Master of Arts degree at Virginia University and Seminary of Lynchburg, Virginia and a Master of Divinity degree at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. His passion for preaching and learning led him to obtain Doctorate of Ministry degree at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Reverend Doctor Smith also holds certificates in Proposals and Grant Writing, Church Administration, and Counseling.
Pastor Smith has pastoral experiences in Virginia and North Carolina. Most recently, he served as Pastor at Second Missionary Baptist Church, Kokomo, Indiana, where the church experienced physical and spiritual growth. Second Baptist started a Community Development Corporation, Embracing Hope of Howard County, Indiana, and began a renovation project for Douglass School, an historic African American School to serve as a community museum and cultural center and developed land for community transitional housing. Grants and Donations in the amount of over 1 million dollars were realized.
Rev. Dr. William J. Smith, Jr. began his leadership as the 8th pastor of the historic Wheat Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA on Sunday, September 1, 2024 and already the church is experiencing revival as Pastor and People MOVE FORWARD: Forward in Faith, Forward as a Family, and Forward to a Promised Future. The best is yet to come!
Reverend Doctor Smith is a faithful and committed leader, who displays a loving spirit for the Lord and the congregation he serves. He is passionate about proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, making the Word of God relevant in the lives of believers, and building the kingdom of God in the congregation and community.
Pastor Smith has been recognized by Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC, Calvin College, Morehouse College (the Martin Luther King, Jr. International College of Pastoral Leadership), and Wabash College Pastoral Leadership Program. As a faithful steward of his life and gifts, Reverend Doctor Smith has served on several denominational (General Secretary/Treasurer, Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention), ecumenical, and community boards (Mayor’s Council for Substance Abuse, Human Rights Commission, Christian Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, Ivy Tech Community College Board of Trustees, Howard County Historical Society Board). He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his writings surrounding intergenerational ministry being invited to speak in England, Australia, and Japan. Dr. Smith published his first book Under One Roof: Building an Intergenerational Church. God has unusually gifted him for such as a time as this.
In addition to pastoring, Dr. Smith has served as an Adjunct Professor at Christian Theological Seminary and Associate Director at Wabash College’s Pastoral Leadership Program. He is very active in the lives of preparing pastors and congregational leaders for ministry in and with the changing culture. He firmly believes in the church having a wholistic approach to ministry to reach all generations.
Pastor Smith’s life and ministry are strengthened and supported by his wife, the former Dennine Johnice Jordan a native of Prince Edward County, Virginia, who holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.
His motto is: Forget the past but chart your future. (Philippians 3:12-14)
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