MEET THE 2025 PREACHERS

Our speakers all affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message and will encourage pastors through expository preaching.

MARK DEVER

  • Mark Dever is the Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, where he has served for 30 years. In addition, he serves as the President of 9Marks and has authored a number of books, including Nine Marks of a Healthy Church.

JOHN MARK HARRISON

  • Dr. John Mark Harrison is the pastor of First Baptist Concord in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he leads with a passion for inspiring people to follow Jesus. He desires to make a lasting impact for Christ by building strong families, strong churches, and strong communities. Dr. Harrison and his wife, Brigitte, met in college and have two children, Cade and Mia. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Samford University, as well as a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His ministry journey has included roles at Second Baptist Houston, Biltmore Church, and Apex Baptist Church. Additionally, Dr. Harrison serves on the board of Carson-Newman University and as a trustee of the North American Mission Board.

  • Aaron Harvie is the Senior Pastor of Highview Baptist Church, a multi-site church in Louisville, KY. He has an extensive background in pastoring and planting churches in Kentucky and Philadelphia. His heart is to lead people to know and follow Jesus, with a particular skill in communicating and casting a vision for member-led evangelism and discipleship. In God’s providence, Highview has seen a period of sustained growth since calling Pastor Aaron in June, 2016.

     

    One of Aaron’s greatest strengths and joys as a pastor is in identifying and empowering young men to pursue and hone their gifting. Prior to being called to Highview, he served as a Church Planting Mobilizer with the North American Mission Board and taught at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has the privilege of mentoring successful NAMB church planters in several SEND cities. He regularly travels both within the US and abroad to teach on cultivating a disciple-making culture in the local church.

     

    With a lengthy track record in church planting and revitalization, a number of churches in Louisville have approached Highview with the goal of merging and re-planting as a campus of Highview. Highview worships in 2 languages, counting the largest Spanish-speaking congregation in the Kentucky Baptist Convention as one of its campuses.

     

    Aaron and Allison have 5 children: John, Grace (Blake), Luke, Porter, and Claire; and the cutest granddaughter in the world, Haven. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Ouachita Baptist University and a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He loves reading, golf, tennis, and Philly sports teams.

AARON HARVIE

DAVID WOO-JOON KIM

  • David Woo-Joon Kim serves as the Senior Pastor of Good Community Church of Torrance in Torrance, California, and is an Executive Board Member of the California Southern Baptist Convention. With a strong academic foundation, he holds a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, an M.A. from Stanford University, and both an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Over the years, David has cultivated a rich ministry and teaching career, including roles as an Adjunct Professor at Gateway Baptist Seminary, Associate Pastor at Global Mission Church of Greater Washington, English Ministry Pastor at Yullin Global Mission Baptist Church, and Instructor for Public Speaking at Stanford University. He resides in Torrance with his wife, Diane, and their three daughters, Joyce, Tiffany, and Amber.

DWAYNE MILIONI

  • Dr. Dwayne Milioni serves as lead pastor of Open Door Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He recently celebrated his 25th anniversary. Open Door has sent out twenty church plants and over 100 international workers during his tenure. 

    At Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Milioni is an Associate Professor of Preaching and Coordinator of the PhD in Preaching program. He has written several books and is the general editor for the CSB Jesus Daily Bible. 

    Dwayne is also a founder and board chairman of the Pillar Church Planting Network, consisting of over 500 Southern Baptist and International Baptist churches cooperating to start and strengthen like-minded churches worldwide.

    Dwayne is blessed with 35 years of marriage to his wonderful wife Kay; he has four married children and a growing number of grandchildren—now his favorite people on earth!

  • ROBERT SMITH, JR. (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD, Honorary Doctorate), Temple Community Bible College, Cincinnati, OH; (2009) Doctor of Divinity Honoris Causa, Newburgh Theological Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana; currently serves as a Distinguished Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University where he previously served as Professor of Christian Preaching and held the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Divinity. He also served as the Carl E. Bates Associate Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Smith is the 2017 E. K. Bailey Expository Preaching Conference Living Legend and has been chosen to receive the Legacy Legend Award by Truett Seminary of Baylor University on September 28, 2022. 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 pastor. Dr. Smith is a contributing editor for a study of Christian ministry in the African American church, Preparing for Christian Ministry, and is co-editor of A Mighty Long Journey. Additionally, he has served as an editor of Our Sufficiency Is of God: Essays on Preaching in Honor of Gardner C. Taylor (Mercer University Press, Macon Georgia: 2010) and Worship, Tradition, and Engagement: Essays in Honor of Timothy George (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2018). Dr. Smith has written the book, Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville: 2008) which was selected as the winner of the 2008 Preaching Book of the Year Award by Preaching Magazine and 2009 Preaching Book of the Year Award by Christianity Today’s preaching.com. In 2010, Preaching Magazine named Doctrine That Dances one of the 25 most influential books in preaching for the last 25 years. He has written The Oasis of God: From Mourning to Morning—Biblical Insights from Psalms 42 and 43 Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Joshua by B&H Publishing Group. God blessed Dr. Smith to record the ESV Bible with Crossway which was released in January 2024 as a Chronological Bible Reading podcast and released as an audiobook in March 2024. Dr. Smith has spoken at more than 155 universities, colleges, and seminaries in the United States, Great Britain, Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean. He has taught congregations in several countries including Greece, Turkey, Rome, the Holy Land and Switzerland. Dr. Smith brought the closing message of the 22nd Baptist World Congress/Baptist World Alliance scheduled to be held in 2020 in Rio de Janeiro and transformed into a fully virtual event held on July 7-10, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His research interests include the place of passion in preaching, the literary history of African American preaching, Christological preaching, and theologies of preaching. Dr. Smith has contributed essays and articles to various books, magazines and commentaries. At Beeson, Dr. Smith teaches Christian Preaching and other electives in homiletics. He received Beeson Divinity School’s “Teacher of the Year Award” in 2005. He and his wife, Dr. Wanda Taylor-Smith, Ph.D., are the parents of four adult children (two in heaven) and eight grandchildren.

ROBERT SMITH

  • Jamie Dew is the president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College. Previously, he was the vice president for undergraduate studies and distance learning at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

    He holds an MDiv and PhD in theological studies from SEBTS, as well as a PhD in philosophy of mind and philosophy of religion from the University of Birmingham (UK). He is married to Tara, and they have two sets of twins.

JAMIE DEW

  • Josh Powell has been the Lead Pastor at Taylors First Baptist Church in Taylors, SC for the past 4 years. Over the last twenty years, he has served churches in South Carolina and Kentucky. He is a graduate of North Greenville University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A lifelong Southern Baptist, Josh has served as President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

    He is currently serving as Chairman for the Board of Trustees for his Alma Mater, North Greenville University. Josh is happily married to Allison, and they have four children.

JOSH POWELL

NATHAN LINO

  • A 4th generation African, Nathan Lino founded Northeast Houston Baptist Church, in Houston TX in 2002 and served as their Senior Pastor until June 1, 2022 when he began his tenure as First Baptist Church Forney's Senior Pastor.

    His ministry opportunities have taken him to more than 25 countries around the world. Nathan has served as President of the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention 2015-2017, First Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention and on the board of the International Mission Board.

    Nathan became a Christian while attending Pinetown Baptist Church, in Pinetown, South Africa, and was baptized and ordained at Forest Cove Baptist Church in Kingwood, TX. He graduated from Texas A&M University, and attended graduate school at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC (M.Div.).

    Nathan and Nicole have been married since 1999 and have four children, Colton, Campbell, Cassidy and Chloe.

  • Caleb M. Turner graduated from John D. Horn High School in Mesquite, TX. He received a track and field scholarship and attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Ok. Prior to graduating, Caleb enlisted in the U.S Air Force where he served in the Air Force Special Operations Command while stationed at Hurlburt Field, Fl. He also had the opportunity to serve his country while stationed at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. During his time in Florida he served as in Student Ministry at various churches. Upon completing his active-duty commitment, he attended Moody Theological Seminary inChicago, IL, and earned a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies.

    Upon graduation he returned to Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church where he served in the roles of Equipping/Teaching Pastor, Assistant Pastor and Co-Pastor. In 2023, he became the Senior Pastor of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church. Caleb has served in various roles within the Southern Baptist Convention. He is currently a trustee for the North American Mission Board and was previously the chairman of the executive board for the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention, becoming both the youngest to ever serve as chairmen as well as the first African-American. He has also established several initiatives within his ministry to reach and assist others. preached numerous revivals, spoken at FCA meetings, Student Camps, and has a heart to mentor the next generation. He is married to his high school sweetheart (Tamera) and they have three sons (Caden, Cason & Camden).

CALEB TURNER

JUAN SANCHEZ

  • Since 2005, Juan has served as senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and holds a PhD in systematic theology from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Additionally, Juan serves as a council member of The Gospel Coalition, co-founder and president of Coalición por el Evangelio, and associate professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has authored numerous books, and his latest is a parenting book with his wife, Jeanine, titled Reaching Your Child’s Heart: A Practical Guide to Faithful Parenting.

    Desde 2005, Juan se ha desempeñado como pastor principal de la High Pointe Baptist Church en Austin, Texas. Se graduó de la Universidad de Florida y tiene un doctorado en teología sistemática del Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Además, Juan se desempeña como miembro del consejo de Gospel Coalition, cofundador y presidente de Coalición por el Evangelio, y profesor asociado de teología en Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Es autor de numerosos libros. Su ultimo libro fue escrito con su esposa Jeanine y se llama, Oye, hijo mío: Una guía práctica para criar a tus hijos en el Señor.

JIMMY SCROGGINS

  • Jimmy Scroggins is the lead pastor of Family Church in South Florida, where he has served since July 2008. He and his wife, Kristin, have eight children and five grandchildren – James (Reilly, James VI, Wyatt), Daniel (Mary-Madison, Willow Kate, Haven Hope, TBD), Jeremiah (Logan), Isaac, Stephen, Anna Kate, Mary Claire, and Caleb. Under Jimmy’s leadership, Family Church has grown to a family of neighborhood churches and schools across three counties in three languages. Family Church is passionate about building families by helping them discover and pursue God’s design while carrying out their vision of taking the gospel to every person in every neighborhood in South Florida. Jimmy is the author of The Education Reformation, Full Circle Parenting, and Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations and hosts the Church for the Rest of Us podcast at familychurchnetwork.com. He also serves on the Board of Trustees at Liberty University. Dr. Scroggins is a visiting professor at Southern and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries.