Speakers

Matthew Smith

Conference Worship Leader - Indelible Grace Music, Nashville, TN

Matthew Smith is an East Nashville singer-songwriter who writes brand new music to centuries-old hymn texts. He is a founding member of the Indelible Grace community, whose work has drawn acclaim across denominational lines and is used in churches around the world. Born out of a college ministry, the reimagined hymns have found wide acceptance both among college students and the church at large, joining people who desire to honor tradition with those who want a modern musical approach. His latest album, All I Owe, focuses on how Jesus sets people free from the burden of both God’s law and self-imposed laws, by crediting his perfect life and death to those who trust in him.

Dr. Frank Page

Pastor - First Baptist Church, Taylors, SC & President, Southern Baptist Convention

Topic: The Role of the Small Church in the SBC

Dr. Frank S. Page, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Taylors and President of the Southern Baptist Convention, is a native of Robbins, North Carolina. He is married to the former Dayle Gibson of Huntersville, North Carolina, and is the father of three daughters. He has been pastor of First Baptist Church of Taylors, South Carolina since 2001.

Dr. Page holds the Ph.D. degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. This degree, received at age 28, is in the field of Christian Ethics focusing on moral, social, and ethical issues. Prior to that, he received the Master of Divinity degree, also from Southwestern Seminary. He also received the Bachelor of Science degree with honors from Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina, with a major in Psychology and minors in Sociology and Greek.

Dr. Page’s speaking experience includes revivals, Bible conferences, family life conferences, lecture series at colleges and seminary chapels, and evangelism training conferences across the nation and overseas. His speaking engagements have taken him around the world to such places as Germany, Norway, Mexico, Israel, Ecuador, Australia, Nigeria, Brazil, Canada, and Africa. He has also taught adjunctively for both Southeastern and Southwestern seminaries.

Dr. Page is the author of several books and many articles. Among his books, Trouble with the Tulip, an examination of the five points of Calvinism, and Jonah, written for the Broadman and Holman Press release, The New American Commentary. He wrote the Commentary on Mark for the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as a booklet for the Stewardship Commission entitled, The Witnessing and Giving Life. He is the lead writer for the Advanced Continuing Witness Training material. Dr. Page has also written articles for several magazines, theological journals, etc.

As pastor of the 4,300+ member First Baptist Church of Taylors, located in suburban Greenville County, Dr. Page has seen tremendous growth, reaching an average worship attendance exceeding 2,400 and over 1,800 in Sunday School attendance. Taylors First has dramatically increased its ministries and outreach to the surrounding community as well as national and international missions. The church’s purpose is to, “love the Lord as we lead others to the same love.” Taylors First has become a leader in the state of South Carolina in missions involvement as well as in missions giving. Its innovative community ministries are truly touching the Greenville area for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Dr. Brad Wagonner

Vice president, research and ministry development division - LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, TN

Topic: Critical Issues and Solutions for the Small Church

Brad Waggoner oversees LifeWay Research, E.C. Dargan Research Library, LifeWay missions, ministry development, and strategic projects as the vice president of LifeWay’s research and ministry development division. He also functions as LifeWay’s theologian in residence and academic liaison.

Waggoner came to LifeWay in 2006 as the inaugural director of LifeWay Research. Prior to coming to LifeWay, Waggoner served as dean of the School of Leadership & Church Ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He joined Southern’s teaching faculty in 1999 and assumed the deanship in 2001. During his time as dean, Waggoner developed and taught several classes on leadership and discipleship in addition to his administrative responsibilities. Waggoner also served as a lead consultant in the Rainer Group, a research organization Thom Rainer once headed that assists churches in assessing and promoting church health and effectiveness.

He received a Master of Religious Education degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, a Master of Arts from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago and a Ph.D. from Southwestern.The research for Waggoner’s doctoral dissertation, conducted in conjunction with the research department of the International Mission Board (IMB), involved the development of The Discipleship Inventory designed to measure the degree to which churches are developing biblical disciples. This instrument was used in several research projects overseas where the IMB was seeking to determine the quality of church work. This inventory is also included in LifeWay’s MasterLife discipleship training curriculum.Waggoner and his wife, Patti, have two sons, Brandt and Blake.

Dr. Alvin Reid

Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism - Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC

Topic: God’s Call on the Small Church Pastor

Alvin L. Reid (born 1959) serves as Associate Dean for Proclamation Studies and Professor of Evangelism at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is also the founding Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism, the first fully funded chair at the seminary. Alvin and his wife Michelle have two children: Joshua, a freshman at Southeastern College, and Hannah, a freshman in high school.

Alvin holds the Ph.D with a major in evangelism from Southwestern Seminary, where he also received the M.Div. He graduated from Samford University with the B.A. in 1981. He has spoken at a variety of conferences in over forty states and several nations, and in over fifteen hundred churches across the United States. Currently he speaks for the most part at youth or college events with the band Finding Madison (findingmadisonband.com).

Reid has written over two hundred publications including books and articles on evangelism, spiritual awakening, and church growth. His most recent book is Join the Movement: God Is Calling You to Change the World (Kregel, 2007). Others include Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium (Kregel, 2004), Radically Unchurched: Who They Are and How to Reach Them (Kregel, 2002), Light the Fire: Raising Up a Generation to Live Radically for Jesus (Emunclaw, Washington: Winepress Publishing, 2001; Introduction to Evangelism (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1998). Firefall: How God Has Shaped History Through Revivals (co-authored with Malcolm McDow, Broadman and Holman, 1997); Evangelism for a Changing World (Harold Shaw, 1995–co-edited with Tim Beougher), and Revival: Brownwood, Fort Worth, Wheaton and Beyond (Broadman and Holman, 1996). Alvin contributed chapters in several books including Here I Stand; Being, Doing, and Telling the Gospel; Before Revival Begins; and a sermon entitled “Witnessing without Fear” in Fifty Motivational Soul-Winning Sermons. He also contributed to Baptist History and Heritage, First Priority Emagazine, Biblical Illustrator, Criswell Theological Review, Equipping Evangelists, Evangelism Today, Faith and Mission, Growing Churches, Home Life, Search, Inquest, SBC Life, A Single Pursuit, Sunday School Leadership, and others.

Reid is a member of the Academy of Evangelism in Theological Education, the American Society for Church Growth, the Evangelical Theological Society, and the Evangelical Missiological Society. He recently received the Excellence in Teaching Award at Southeastern Seminary and was recently selected to Who’s Who among America’s Teachers. He was formerly a trustee of the Stewardship Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. His hobbies include a collection of pet snakes and playing the bass guitar.

Dr. Tom Elliff

Senior Vice President for Spiritual Nurture and Church Relations - International Mission Board, Richmond, VA

Topic: Small Church and International Missions: Partnering Locally to Reach Internationally

Bio Coming Soon!

Les Puryear

Senior Pastor - Lewisville Baptist Church, Lewisville, NC

Topic: A Convention of Small Churches

Les Puryear is the Senior Pastor of Lewisville Baptist Church in Lewisville, NC. He has degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Trinity Seminary. Les spent twenty-five years as an executive in the telecommunications industry before answering God’s call to vocational ministry in 1996. His pastorates have included churches in Texas and North Carolina. Les has two boys, Jon and Rob, who live in Raleigh, NC. Les has been married to his wife, Debbie for thirty-seven years. His interests are studies in small church culture, golf, filmmaking, and NFL football.

Kevin Bussey

Associate Pastor - North Point Community Church, Charlotte, NC

Topic: How the Small Church Can Be Involved in Church Planting

Kevin is a follower of Jesus Christ. He has been married to Cassandra Frazier of Scottsboro, AL since 1988 and they have 2 children, Jacob and Hope. Cassandra is a vital part of the ministry God has given Kevin. She is a former Social Worker who is now a Homeschooling mom.In order to have meaningful discussions with people, Kevin hangs out @ Starbucks every morning. He loves BAMA sports especially football (can you say 12 National Championships!) Kevin grew up in a para-church family (YFC/Campus Life) in Tuscaloosa, AL. He attended Samford University, University of Alabama @ Birmingham and Southwestern Seminary. He is a former High School Football Coach and businessman. He is currently the Associate Pastor at North Point Community Church in Charlotte, NC. His passion in life is to reach the “lost generation.”(Judges 2:10) He is obsessed with making disciples and not just believers. Kevin wants to see the church “being” the church rather than just “doing” church.

Micah Fries

Senior Pastor - Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church, St. Joseph, MO

Topic: Affordable Technology for the Small Church

Micah is Senior Pastor of an exciting, growing church in northwest Missouri. Micah grew up the child of the Air Force and then, after his father’s retirement, became the child of a pastor. As such he has spent his life moving and has now moved 26 times and been a member of 7 SBC churches. Micah has a B.A. in Theology from The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville, FL and is currently a student at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, MO.Micah is married to Tracy Fries and together they have two daughters, Grace and Kessed. Micah is an avid computer geek who loves to blog (micahfries.com) and play with webdesign. Micah has a passion for using technology to reach younger generations.

C.B. Scott

Pastor - Westmont Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama

Topic: How God Is At Work In The Small Church

Brother Scott served Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary as the Special Projects and Housing Manager. Other responsibilities at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary included serving as adjunct faculty in Southeastern College at Wake Forest, wherein he taught Christian Education. He also served SEBTS as an instructor of Supervised Ministries.

Brother Scott holds a M.A.C.E. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition he received a B.R.E. and Th.B from Clear Creek Baptist Bible College. He is a Doctoral Candidate at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a native to the state of Alabama. He is married to the former Karen Phillips of Riverside, Alabama. They have two sons: Joseph is a graduate of UNC working as a journalist. He and his wife Rachel make their home in Greensboro, NC. Benjamin is a graduate of Vance Granville Community College working at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC. He and his wife Holly makes their home in Youngsville, North Carolina. They have one son, Brodie.

Brother Scott received the Lewis Lynch Outstanding Achievement Award from Clear Creek Baptist Bible College and the Southern Baptist Religious Education Association Award for outstanding academic performance.

Brother Scott serves on the Board of Directors of the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association of Jacksonville, Florida and has served on the Board of Directors of Bethel Ministries of Wise, Virginia. He served two terms as a trustee of the Baptist Sunday School Board (Now LifeWay Christian Resources) in Nashville, Tennessee. He is certified by LifeWay Christian Resources as a Deacon Ministry Trainer. He also is certified as a Sunday School Growth Consultant. While serving as a trustee of the Baptist Sunday School Board, Brother Scott introduced a motion requiring Sanctity of Human Life lessons to be printed in all Sunday School Literature published by the Board. In addition to this he made the motion that ultimately led to the True Love Waits program. He also served on the committee that produced the New American Commentary.

Brother Scott has planted five churches in the Philippines, Korea, and Nigeria in addition to church plants in the United States.Brother Scott has served as pastor to churches in Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama. He is also a frequent speaker for the Gideons International and Sunday School growth seminars and banquets.

Dr. Greg Lawson

Professor of Christian Education - Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC

Topic: Financial Considerations in the Small Church

Dr. Lawson serves as Professor of Christian Education at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and also as Pastor of Union Chapel Baptist Church in Zebulon.

David McEachern

Pastor - Bat Cave Baptist Church, Bat Cave, NC

Topic: How Success Should Be Measured in the Small Church

David Joseph MacEachern was born April 26, 1958 in Detroit, Michigan, the oldest of 5 boys and 1 girl. His family moved to Gastonia, N.C. when Bro. David was 7 years old.David and his wife Marline have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of Allan, Heather, and Chelsea. They also enjoy their 4 grandchildren too much to write about in this brief biographical piece.

David owned and operated a remodeling company for 13 years in Gastonia, N.C., before surrendering to God’s call on his life in 1991. He was licensed and ordained to the gospel ministry by the West Cramerton Baptist Church in the Greater Gaston Baptist Association in Gaston County, N.C.

David and Marline moved their family to Hendersonville, N.C. in 1992 to attend the Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute (1994 graduate).On Father’s Day 1994, Brother David was asked to supply the pulpit of Fruitland Baptist Church in Hendersonville, N.C. It was on this Sunday that a pulpit committee from Bat Cave first introduced themselves to David and Marline. David was asked to preach at Bat Cave the next Sunday. In the providence of God, David has been the pastor of the Bat Cave Baptist Church since July 7, 1994.

God has truly been blessing the Bat Cave Baptist Church. They are very active in ministry and missions opportunities locally and around the world. The church has been involved in home missions throughout the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of America. Several trips have been undertaken to Russia, Romania, Honduras, and most recently, a three week trip to minister God’s grace to the underground church in Vietnam. Due to their faithful obedience to the Lord’s leading, God has provided Bat Cave Baptist Church with a new $2.5 million building for worship, education, and fellowship. Their prayer is that God will continue to guide them for His glory in the days ahead.

In addition to leading God’s church at Bat Cave to fulfill her purpose, Brother David has been very active in the ministry of the Carolina Baptist Association. At present, he serves as Moderator of the Carolina Baptist Association. He has served in many other roles in the past. Some of these include President of C.B.A. Pastor’s Conference, Missions and Ministry Director, Evangelism Committee, and New Work Committee. In 2005, he also served as Vice-President of the North Carolina Pastor’s Conference. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.