Convention Speakers

Rev. Smokey Gibson has served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Biloxi since March of 2015. He also served from 2004-2008 as the Student Pastor at First Baptist Church Biloxi. With over 28 years of ministry experience, Smokey has served in churches in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Smokey is a graduate of Leavell College and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Jennifer, have the incredible honor of raising their two daughters, Emma and Isabella.

Dr. Smith served as professor of Christian preaching at Beeson for more than 25 years and held the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Divinity. Previously, he served as the Carl E. Bates Associate Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Smith is the 2017 E. K. Bailey Expository Preaching Conference Living Legend. A popular teacher and preacher, he received Southern’s 1996 Findley B. Edge Award for Teaching Excellence. An ordained Baptist minister, he served as pastor of the New Mission Missionary Baptist Church in Cincinnati, OH, for twenty years. He earned his Ph.D. while serving as a pastor. His research interests include the place of passion in preaching, the literary history of African American preaching, Christological preaching and theologies of preaching. Smith has contributed essays and articles to various books, magazines and commentaries. He and his wife, Wanda Taylor-Smith, Ph.D., are the parents of four adult children (two in heaven).

Dr. David Eldridge began serving as the Senior Pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, AL, in September of 2017. David received his Ph.D. in preaching from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2010, Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School in 2004, and BA in Christian Studies from Mississippi College in 2001. David is married to the former Danielle Robertson, and together they have three boys: Hayden, Luke, and Jonathan. Danielle holds a BS in Elementary Education from Mississippi College. She has taught elementary school in both Alabama and Mississippi. Additionally, David has served as an adjunct professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Beeson Divinity School. His hobbies include spending time at the ball fields with his boys, running, reading, and rooting for the Chicago Cubs.

Dr. Hurt is the senior pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church of Columbus, Mississippi. Before coming to Pleasant Hill in 2012, he pastored churches in Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky. A native of Cleveland, Mississippi, he graduated from Mississippi College in 1983. He also earned a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, LA. Bill’s passion is preaching. He is the author of Start Here–The Beginning Point for Starting a Daily Devotional Life. He is also an avid runner. Bill and his wife, Tommi Jo, have been married since 1983. They have two daughters: Laura Jo (Grant) Ferguson and Melanie (Morgan) Brashier. Bill and Tommi Jo are the proud grandparents of Will and Miles.