Speakers and Presenters
REVEREND STEPHEN JOHN THURSTON was born July 20, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois. The second child of the late Rev. John and Ruth Hall Thurston, his ministry represents the third generation of Thurston men to not only preach the gospel, but to also pastor the great New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church.
The Reverend Stephen John Thurston was elected in September of 2003 as the 14th President of the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated. Prior to his election, he served as 3rd Vice President for fifteen (15) years. At the age of 37, he was appointed as 3rd Vice-President by then President E. Edward Jones, Sr. President Thurston holds the blessed distinction of being the youngest Vice President and now the youngest president in the history of NBCA, Inc.
He is a product of the Chicago Public School system. The educational pursuits of Pastor Thurston led him to Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, where his college matriculation culminated in a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion in 1975. His post-graduate studies have included coursework at Wheaton Christian College in Wheaton, Illinois.
Possessing strong family values, Rev. Thurston married the former Joyce D. Hand in the summer of 1977. To this union, four children were born: Stephen John II, Nicole D’Vaughn, Teniece Rael, and Christon Avery Elijah. On Easter Sunday in 1971, he preached his initial sermon after having acknowledged his calling by God. On Easter Sunday in 1974, he was ordained and appointed as Assistant Pastor of New Covenant. On Easter Sunday in 1975, he was appointed Co-Pastor. Upon the death of his father in 1979, he became Pastor of the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church.
Pastor Thurston is a very active and dedicated preacher. He is a renowned and much sought after revivalist. His ministry has impacted lives of people as far away as Africa, the Holy Land, and the Caribbean.
Prior to being elected president, Rev. Thurston served as 3rd Vice President of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.; President of the Illinois National Baptist State Convention; Chairman of Finance for the Chicago Baptist Institute; and member of the Broadcast Ministers Alliance of Chicago and Vicinity. President Stephen John Thurston’s testimony remains “God Has Done Great Things”.
E. DEWEY SMITH, JR. is the Senior Pastor/Teacher of The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church ~ The House of Hope, located in Decatur, Georgia. Prior to moving to Metro Atlanta, Pastor Smith served the Beulahland Bible Church in Macon, Georgia as Senior Pastor/Teacher.
A native of Macon, Georgia, Pastor Smith received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion from Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia and has done graduate studies at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse School of Religion, Atlanta, Georgia. Smith graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Christian University (Montgomery, Alabama) with a Master of Science Degree. He received a Doctor of Divinity Degree from The United Theological Seminary and Bible College, Monroe, Louisiana, and has completed postgraduate studies at the Historic Oxford University in Great Britain.
E. Dewey Smith, Jr. commenced his preaching ministry at the tender age of seventeen and Pastoral ministry at nineteen. God has favored him by allowing tremendous and explosive growth to accompany his ministry. His first congregation grew from forty-eight to over 3000 members in thirteen years. After faithfully serving at Beulahland, God elevated Pastor Smith to become Pastor/Teacher of The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church ~ The House of Hope in December 2003. In just a short time, the church's membership has quadrupled and now exceeds 4000. As the Under-Shepherd of The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church ~ The House of Hope, Smith is proud to follow in the footsteps of great Pastors and Preachers who preceded him, men such as: Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., Dr. Sandy F. Ray, and Dr. Hubert Floyd Shepherd.
Pastor Smith's television broadcasts are viewed by millions around the world weekly. He was selected the "Up and Coming Broadcaster of 2006" and "Most Inspirational Person of 2007" on the Streaming Faith Network. Smith's works have been published in "The African American Pulpit Journal" and he proudly serves on the Board of Directors of The Morehouse School of Religion (ITC), Atlanta, Georgia and The United Theological Seminary and Bible College, Monroe, Louisiana.
He is married to the lovely, Andrea F. Smith, who is his best friend and most influential person in his life. They have been blessed with two sons: Kamari Elijah and Kylen Isaiah.
DR. LANCE WATSON is a three time Summa Cum Laude graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan from which he holds the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and the Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling.
He is a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University from which he holds a Master of Divinity and a Summa Cum Laude Graduate of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He is also a doctoral candidate at United Theological Seminary as well as an adjunct professor there and Samuel DeWitt Proctor Theological Seminary.
His achievements and recognitions are noteworthy. He has been honored as an Outstanding Contributor to Education, an Outstanding Communicator and Minister of the Year, as well as an African American Role Model by several organizations. He is listed in Who's Who in Religion and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
He serves as Senior Pastor of the Saint Paul's Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia and chief visionary for its corporate affiliates, “Destiny Child Development Center, Destiny Center for the Performing Arts, Charisma Books and Gifts, NIA, Inc. of Greater Richmond, Positive Power Media Group” and soon to be launched “Destiny Christian Academy” serving children in grades 1-8.
He is also the host of the telecast “Positive Power” seen locally on WTVR – Channel 6 and nationally on TV ONE Network. Saint Paul’s has been noted by the Virginia General Baptist Association as one of the fastest growing churches in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
This young, progressive and forward-looking congregation for "People On the Grow" serves as the spiritual home for more than 9,000 persons and supports mission and ministry causes around the globe. To keep pace with its rapid growth, Saint Paul's has acquired and constructed a 120,000+ square foot campus on 47 flowing acres of land to house its expanded ministry, mission and media operations.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, he is married to Rosemary Wilder, a noted and world traveled singer and together they parent three children, Lance, Rachel and Damon. A gifted communicator, teacher and author; his works include, "Being Healthy From Now On," "Maximize Your Edge: Navigating Life’s Challenges” and the soon to be released, “That Was Then, This is NOW!” available through all major bookstores and www.lancewatson.com.
DR. H. BEECHER HICKS, JR., is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of the late Reverend Dr. H. Beecher, Sr. and Mrs. Eleanor Frazier Hicks. He was licensed and ordained to the Gospel Ministry by the Mount Olivet Baptist Church of Columbus, Ohio.
He is an honor graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and a recipient of the Rockefeller Protestant Fellowship, graduating from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in May 1967. Selected as one of the original Martin Luther King Fellows at the Colgate Rochester Divinity School in 1972, Doctor Hicks earned the Doctor of Ministry in Theology degree in 1975. In 1994 Doctor Hicks received the coveted Merrill Fellowship for post-graduate study at the Harvard Divinity School, and in 1999 he received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the George Washington University.
Doctor Hicks served as Senior Minister of Second Baptist Church, Mumford, New York; Mount Ararat Baptist Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and the Antioch Missionary Church of Christ in Houston, Texas. Since June 1977, Doctor Hicks has served as the fifth minister in the 141-year history of the Metropolitan Baptist Church, the membership of which exceeds 6,000. He is widely published in religious publications and has authored seven books; the two most popular volumes of which are Preaching Through a Storm [1987, 12th printing] and My Soul’s Been Anchored [1998]. His most recent writing is entitled On Jordan’s Stormy Banks, published in 2004, featuring a series of writings on Leading Your Congregation through the Wilderness of Change. In November 1993, Ebony Magazine honored Doctor Hicks with his selection as one of America’s Fifteen Greatest Black Preachers.
In January 2000, Doctor Hicks was selected to be the keynote preacher for the prestigious Baptist World Alliance in Melbourne, Australia. Most recently Dr. Hicks was honored by the Howard University School of Medicine for his leadership in and promotion of the connection between spirituality and medicine. The leadership of Doctor Hicks in the Metropolitan Church has produced the founding of the Metropolitan Day School, and Afro-centric/Christian elementary school, grades pre-K through 6, the Metropolitan Community Development Corporation and IAMA, Inc., a non-profit Christian Counseling ministry.
Doctor Hicks served a vital role in the creation of the Metropolitan/Delta Adult Literacy program that provides literacy training for adults and families throughout the greater Washington, D.C. community. The Metropolitan Church, under the leadership of Doctor Hicks, is currently engaged in an effort to erect a $30 million dollar sanctuary and related facilities on a 34-acre campus in Largo, Maryland.
Doctor Hicks is married to the former Elizabeth Harrison of Selma, Alabama. They are the parents of H. Beecher Hicks, III, the Reverend Dr. Ivan Douglas Hicks, and Kristin Elizabeth Hicks. They are also the proud grandparents of twin granddaughters, Austynn and Ashley Hicks, and grandsons, Henry, IV and Harrison Patton Hicks.
Co-sponsored by Urban Ministries, Inc.