Dexter, Missouri - Pastor Mark Smith has been called as the new Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Dexter

He has been a pastor for over 20 year and his experience, wisdom, and passion for the Lord makes him a powerful proclaimer of God's Word.  

Pastor Mark teaches principles from the Bible that can transform the lives of people through the deepening of their faith.  He believes that we have to fully belong to Christ before we can do for Christ. His first Sunday to preach at First Baptist Dexter will be Sunday, July 23, 2017.

Pastor Mark is 58 years old and is coming from the First Baptist Church in West Jefferson, Ohio, where he currently serves as Senior Pastor.  

Prior to that, he served at the First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi from 2013 - 2015, Murdock Baptist Church in Port Charlotte, Florida from 2005 - 2013, Brookwood Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia from 2002 - 2006,  and the First Baptist Church in Aurora, Ohio from 1998 - 2002.  He also served the Lord in other full-time ministry service in Ohio and Georgia (1989-1998).

Pastor Mark was saved at the age of seven at Southside Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio and began his ministry as Minister of Music and Evangelism at Highland Baptist in Grove City, Ohio (1983-1989).

Pastor Mark was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He received his undergraduate degree in music from Ohio State University in 1987 and received a master's degree in Christian Education from Ashland Theological Seminary in 1998.

Pastor Mark's proudest accomplishments stem from his personal life. He and his wife, Toni, have been married for 38 years.  They have two sons, Keith (34) and Kyle (32).

Keith and his wife, Tasha, live in Nashville, Tennessee and are expecting their first child, so Mark and Toni will become grandparents in the upcoming months.  Kyle just got married recently and he and his wife, Katherine, live in Brandon, Mississippi.  Both sons serve full-time in different aspects of Christian music ministry; Keith as a writer/arranger/performer, and Kyle as Pastor to the Bands at Pine Lake Church in Brandon, Mississippi.

Please welcome Pastor Mark Smith and come to church on Sunday, July 23, 2017.  Services begin at 10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.