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 and served as an associate minister at Third Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia, under the leadership of Dr. Joe B. Fleming.
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. His passion for preaching and learning has 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. Presently Dr. Smith has returned back to school to obtain another Master degree at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana (Graduation May 2021).
Pastor Smith has pastoral experiences in Southwest Virginia, North Carolina and most recently served as Senior Pastor at New First Baptist Church, (Taylorsville) located in Portsmouth, VA. In May 2015, Pastor Smith was selected to serve God’s people at Second Missionary Baptist Church, Kokomo, Indiana. Since taking the pulpit in July 2015, by the grace of God, Second Missionary Baptist has experienced physical and spiritual growth. His passion for preaching, teaching and administration are helping to catapult the church for ministry in the future. He is committed to grow Second to be the church that raises the village (community) through the process of I.O.U. (Inreach, Outreach and Upreach)! He has a wholistic approach of ministry for the total person. Most recently, Second Baptist started a Community Development Corporation, Embracing Hope of Howard County, Indiana, and are renovating Douglass School, an historic African American School to serve as a community museum and cultural center and developing land for community transitional housing.
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. He has navigated Second Missionary Baptist Church through a worldwide pandemic increasing the church’s reach through digital technology ministry. This has grown the congregation to reach a wider audience and develop a continuous strategy for digital ministry.
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, Ivy Tech Community College Board of Trustees, Howard County Historical Society) and is leading Second Missionary Baptist Church in participation with denominational conventions and associations. 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.
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 and is employed as Executive Director of Coordinated Associated Ministries (C.A.M.), providing hope and meeting needs of the Howard County and surrounding communities.
His motto is: Forget the past but chart your future. (Philippians 3:12-14)
