The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dave Adams

Dr. Dave Adams is the executive director for the International Center for Youth & Family Ministry at Southern Seminary and Boyce College. He is an international consultant to ministers, denominational leaders, and educational administrators.

Dr. Adams brings a passion for youth ministry to Boyce College and serves as the executive director of Boyce’s first research unit, the International Center for Youth & Family Ministry. He is the founder of Youth Ministry Development, organizations for equipping and empowering God directed leaders through the local church.

Gary Almon

Dr. Gary Almon comes to Southern Seminary with over 20 years experience as pastor, youth pastor, children’s minister, and educational pastor in Oklahoma and Kentucky. He has designed and led several of the largest high school youth camps in Oklahoma and has directed statewide spiritual formation retreats, which included adults and youth.

Jeff Borton

Jeff Borton is the Pastor of Students at Christ Fellowship, a growing and culturally diverse, multi-site church in Miami, FL. Jeff is the co-author of the book Simple Student Ministry and is passionate about equipping student ministry leaders to disciple teenagers. Borton also has extensive experience in missions and loves seeing teenagers mobilized to impact the world for Christ. He and his wife, Jen, have one son, Micah, and like spending time on the ocean.

Chad Brand

Dr. Chad Brand is gifted as a scholar, apologist, pastor, and student of contemporary culture and religion. Before serving at Southern Seminary, he taught at North Greenville College and was Adjunct Professor at Southern. Dr. Brand has served as pastor of two churches in Texas and interim pastor of eight churches in South Carolina, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Daniel Broyles

Dr. Daniel Broyles has been faithfully ministering to teenagers and their families through local church youth ministry since 1998.  He is presently the Executive Pastor of Youth and Family Ministry at Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort.  Dr. Broyles is an Adjunct Professor of Youth Ministry at Boyce College, in Louisville, Kentucky.  Additionally, Dr. Broyles’ teaches youth ministry internationally as a partnering professor with Youth Ministry International.

Mark DeVries

Mark DeVries has served as the associate pastor for youth and their families at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1986. He continues to oversee the youth ministry on a part-time basis and in 2002, Mark founded Youth Ministry Architects, which has become the nation’s leading provider of youth ministry consulting. YMA partners with churches and youth ministers, working alongside key stakeholders to customize strategic plans for building successful and sustainable youth ministries. Mark is the author of a number of books, including recent 2011 releases, Before You Hire a Youth Pastor and The Indispensable Youth Pastor (Group Publishing), both co-authored with YMA Vice-President, Jeff Dunn-Rankin.

Dan DeWitt

Dr. Dan DeWitt is the dean of Boyce College. DeWitt’s previous pastoral experience includes serving as the lead pastor of Highview Baptist Church’s University of Louisville Campus Church, minister to students at Judson Baptist Church in Nashville and associate minister to students at Highview Baptist Church.

Kelly Knouse

Kelly Knouse is the student pastor at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida.  He has been on staff at Idlewild for 9 years working with students, parents and adult leaders. He has been married to his wife Tara for 10 years and they have five children.

Matt Lawson

Matt Lawson has served as the high school pastor at First Baptist Woodstock (Woodstock, Georgia) since March 2006 where he trains and equips hundreds of youth ministry volunteers on a yearly basis. Matt speaks to students, youth pastors, and adult leaders every year believing that students can love Jesus with all of their heart and can change the world for Him.  He is the founder of Revolution Speaks, a ministry providing resources and training to the student ministry world.

Alvin Reid

Dr. Alvin Reid serves as professor of evangelism and student ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and as the young professionals director at Richland Creek Community Church. He has spoken at a variety of conferences in almost every state and continent, and in over 2000 churches, colleges, conferences and events across the United States and has written extensively on evangelism, missional Christianity, spiritual awakening, and student ministry. Alvin has a passion to equip leaders for the coming generation who will change the world for the glory of God and the sake of the gospel.

Phil Rice

Phil Rice is the minister of youth at Shively Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Phil has been in youth ministry since 1998, and began serving at Shively Baptist Church in 2003. He is a graduate of Boyce College and  obtained an MA in Missiology from Southern Seminary in 2011.  Phil has a passion to see students come to Christ, grow in their faith, and use their gifts in service to go reach the world.

Randy Smith

Randy Smith is a 40 year veteran student ministry pastor, teacher, and international trainer. He has been student ministry pastor in three churches over 30 years. Randy is president/founder of Youth Ministry International (YMI) which is a missions organization that trains youth leaders around the world. Randy is currently an adjunct professor at Boyce College and at eight international seminaries. Given his vast experience and his commitment to the Great Commission, Smith is uniquely qualified to share with the next generation of church leaders the vital importance of Christian missions in the life of the Church.

Randy Stinson

Dr. Randy Stinson is the dean of the School of Church Ministries at Southern Seminary. He also serves as the president of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Dr. Stinson is a renowned authority on the subject of biblical manhood and womanhood. He has served as a senior pastor as well as other church staff positions.

Rick Young

Rick Young has been blessed to be in full-time student ministry for the past 18 years, and has had the privilege of serving alongside Pastor Johnny Hunt at First Baptist Church Woodstock for the past 15 years. Rick has a passion for seeing students lead lives of obedience to God in every aspect of their walk. Since being at FBCW, Rick has had a front row seat to seeing God grow the middle school ministry.