Where are you from?

I am originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Tell about your family (spouse, kids, etc.)

I’ve been married to Vickie for 40 years, and w have two grown children, Hannah Smith (Josh) and Tommy Morrison (Nia). We also have a granddaughter Frances Claire and a grandson, Cole, due in early January.

How did you get on the path of becoming a pastor?

When I was in my early 40s, God showed me that he would make me a church administrator when I retired. Of course, I was thinking around 70 years old, and he was thinking 55. After accepting the position of Church Administrator here at Smoke Rise, God began calling me for the pastor role.

How did you end up at Smoke Rise Baptist Church?

In 2011 Vickie and I felt that God was moving us from our previous place of worship to SRBC. After visiting her only 2 times, we knew that was where God wanted us to be.

Where did you go to school? What is your educational background?

I attended Jefferson State Jr College and received an Associates Degree in Business Management, as well as Bessemer Tech Jr College, where I received an Associates Degree in Applied Science (HVACR)

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling. Between my responsibilities at church along with a demanding work schedule, I don’t volunteer outside of the church at this time.

Talk a little bit about your favorite bible verse

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is from James 5: 13-16. This is many times referred to as The Prayer of Faith. This passage is important to me because God put me through a serious health issue for a specific reason.

In 2008, I discovered that my Left Anterior Descending Artery was 100% blocked. This is referred to as “the widow maker.” After learning of this news, I called the Pastor of the church we attended and asked if he would call the elders on Sunday, anoint me with oil, and pray over me as the scriptures instruct us to. He said absolutely, and that is what we did. After knowing that I was healed, I asked God for my testimony, and he gave it in 2010 when I passed out in Brookwood Hospital cardiac intensive care while visiting my father-in-law just after he’d had bypass surgery.

After 2 days of extensive testing, my doctor came into my room and asked why they ran all of the tests on me that they had performed over the last 2 days, and I told him of the blockage. He informed me that I didn’t have a blockage; the test showed all was clear! I told the doctors that I wasn’t surprised because I knew that God had healed me 2 years ago, but he had just given me my testimony.

He said whatever works for you is good with me, but I’m sending you home immediately. I told my Dad that God had healed me, and he asked if He would do the same for him. He went on the tell me that he had lung cancer. Over the next few weeks, my Dad had an encounter with the savior and accepted him as his personal Lord and Savior. All of this resulted from God putting me in the hospital and doing many other things. My Dad went to be with Jesus in 2012 as a result of following this scripture.

Hobbies/Favorite things:

Golf, hunting, fishing, traveling