2026 Lecturer: Robert Smith Jr.
Theme: "The Sense of the Nonsense of Preaching"
Speaker Information
Robert Smith Jr. served as professor of Christian preaching at Beeson for more than 25 years and held the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Divinity. Previously, he served as the Carl E. Bates Associate Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Smith is the 2017 E. K. Bailey Expository Preaching Conference Living Legend. 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 New Mission Missionary Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio for 20 years. He earned his PhD while serving as a pastor. He is a contributing editor for a study of Christian ministry in the African American church, Preparing for Christian Ministry and is co-editor of . Additionally, he has served as an editor of (Mercer University Press, Macon, Georgia: 2010) and (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2018). He has written the book, (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 the 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 also has writtenThe Oasis of God: From Mourning to Morning—Biblical Insights from Psalms 42 and 43. His latest book is Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Joshua (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville). Smith has spoken at more than 135 universities, colleges and seminaries in the United States, Great Britain, the 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. Smith brought the closing message of the 22nd Baptist World Congress/Baptist World Alliance, which was 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. Smith has contributed essays and articles to various books, magazines and commentaries. He received Beeson Divinity School’s “Teacher of the Year Award” in 2005. He and his wife, Wanda Taylor-Smith, PhD, are the parents of four adult children (two in heaven).
Schedule
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
11 a.m.-12 p.m., Hodges Chapel
Chapel Sermon: "I Don't Know Where I Am Going, But I Ain't Lost," Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 22:1-14
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
11 a.m.-12 p.m., N-101
Lecture 1: "The Sense of the Nonsense of Preaching"
12:15-1:15 p.m., N-101: Spirit and Power Project Lunch and Learn: A Conversation with Robert Smith Jr.
Thursday, March 26, 2025
11 a.m.-12 p.m., N-101
Lecture 2: "Preaching Beyond Mere Words"
All events are free and open to the public.
About the Conger Preaching Lectures
Past guests include Vaughan Roberts, Jeremy Treat, Jared Alcantara, David Bebbington, James Earl Massey, William Willimon, Bryan Chapell, Richard Bewes and John Piper. Second in a series of three lectureships, the William E. Conger Lectures on Biblical Preaching are made possible through the generosity of the late Colonel William E. Conger, Jr. After a distinguished military career, Colonel Conger served for many years as a close personal advisor to Ralph Waldo Beeson, the founding benefactor of Beeson Divinity School. Colonel Conger long shared Mr. Beeson's deep commitment to the pastoral ministry of preaching. In 1991, that commitment was expressed through the endowment of a lectureship to recapture the vision of preaching ministry, furthering the cause of Christ in today's world. Preaching is the central task of Christian ministry and mission. In the Conger lectures, we affirm our commitment to this biblical reformation mandate. These lectures are presented in the fervent prayer and hope that they shall enlighten the preacher's skill, but above all, stir the preacher's soul, so God Himself may shine "in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (1 Corinthians 4:6).
