Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) was America’s most prolific hymn writer. She wrote more than 6,000 hymns. Because of a doctor’s mistake, she became blind at an early age. In her physical darkness, God gave her light to write these hymns. She wrote in her autobiography, “I do believe that the Lord permitted me to be blind when that affliction had been put upon me by a doctor’s blundering, and I believe that the way has been shown to make my blindness a blessing.” At the age of eighty, she moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she is buried. My wife, Susan, and I had a special moment with God after we found her tombstone when walking in that Connecticut cemetery. We have been back other times and
PRESIDENT
Dr. William Michael "Mike" Smith has been involved in church ministry and ministry to churches since God saved him and called him to preach through the ministry of Pastor Alvis Bell and First Baptist Church of Bellville, Texas. Since that time, he has been active in every area of Baptist life, from ministry to local churches to service at associational, state, and national levels. He is frequently asked to serve as guest preacher, Bible teacher, and conflict mediator.
Dr. Smith pastored churches for 17 years in Texas at Gatesville, Frost, Valley View, Edom, and Terrell. He has worked with the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention as a church planter in Illinois, and has served as 2nd Vice Chairman of the International Mission Board for the SBC. From 1995 to 2008, Smith was Director of Missions of the Dogwood Trails Baptist Area in Jacksonville. Prior to that, he was Director of Missions at Double Mountain Baptist Area in Stamford, Texas for eight years. He served as Director of the Minister/Church Relations Department for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention for three years before becoming president of Jacksonville College in 2011.
Dr. Smith holds several academic degrees, including an Associate of Arts from Blinn College, a Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University, and a Master of Divinity and a Master of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He has an earned doctorate from Luther Rice Seminary, as well as a Doctor of Ministry degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Smith has taught courses as Adjunct Professor at the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, and for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He has served on the Jacksonville College Board of Visitors, and has also been a member of the Board of Trustees for the college.
He and his wife, Susan Springer Smith, formerly of Terrell, Texas, have been married since 1974 and have two children and five grandchildren. His son, Lance, is a graduate of Jacksonville College.
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