The Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute

Preaching is ushering the hearer by the Word of God into the presence of Christ, the Son of God, through the power of the Spirit of God for the purpose of transformation.—Dr. Robert Smith, Jr.

The Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute at Beeson Divinity School exists to serve and strengthen the whole person in relation to God, the church, other preachers and the world for faithful proclamation of God’s Word. It seeks to do this by increasing knowledge and understanding as a preacher, deepening formation as a Christian and preacher, and strengthening competence and skill in the practice of preaching.

The Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute began in fall 2018 and is named in honor of longtime Beeson faculty member and renowned preacher Dr. Robert Smith Jr., the former Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Divinity.

The Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute is funded by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.

The institute is part of a Christian, Protestant, evangelical and interdenominational divinity school that is founded upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the historic Christian faith. Beeson is committed to orthodoxy, the full inspiration and total truthfulness of Holy Scripture, and the theological principles characterized in the Protestant Reformation. The school is likewise interdenominational, welcoming and celebrating denominational diversity within our faculty and student body.

The institute is deeply committed to personal, face-to-face ministry and education. Therefore, it is intentional about serving pastors in person.

The institute takes a holistic approach, focusing simultaneously on both the person (preacher) and the work (preaching).

Focusing on the “way of the preacher” offers strength and encouragement to the whole person in relation to God, the church, peers and the world.—Dr. Mike Pasquarello

Spirit and Power Project

Preaching Conference

Upcoming Events

Program Manager, Spirit and Power Project

Brady Graves

bgraves1@samford.edu

205-726-2162

Programs Administrator

Victoria Graves

vbradfor@samford.edu

205-726-2337

Events

The Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute offers several events throughout the year aimed at improving the preaching of both students and members of the community.

Preaching Institute Event Archive

2025 Beeson Preaching Conference

July 15, 3 p.m. – July 17, 12 p.m.

Beeson Divinity School

Join us for the 2025 Beeson Preaching Conference, July 15-17, as we explore the theme, “Persuasive Preaching: Story, Imagination and Apologetics.” The keynote speaker will be one of Christianity’s preeminent theologians and apologists, Dr. Alister McGrath. Other contributors include Justin Bailey, Josh Chatraw, Karen Swallow Prior, Robert Smith Jr., Maurice Watson, Trevin Wax, and Douglas Webster.

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