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About Larry Smith

Biographical Information

Brother Smith was born in Kentucky on April 9, 1941, and grew up in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area under the leadership of Dr. John Rawlings.  Brother Smith was a bus captain, deacon, song leader, and superintendent of an 8th grade Sunday school class that averaged 239 in attendance and 200 baptisms a year.

Education

Brother Smith left a $1,000.00-per-week job at the age of 30 in 1970 and and went off to Bible college with his wife and two children.  The 70’s were tough times.  Brother Smith only earned $158.00 his first five months in college.  God taught him to live by faith.  He paid every bill on time and gave his faith promise every week.  Training under Dr. G. Beauchamp Vick and Dr. W.E. Dowell, as well as the upbringing under Dr. Rawlings, all men who built churches of 4,000 and 5,000, helped mold Brother Smith into a person God could use. Brother Smith earned a Bachelor’s degree at Hyles-Anderson College, and he was greatly influenced by Dr. Jack Hyles while teaching at Hyles-Anderson College for 17 years.

Ministry

While attending college, Brother Smith built a young adults’ class that averaged 150.  After graduating, he was privileged to be the associate pastor to the late Dr. W.E. Dowell.  Brother Smith hosted many great men of the past including Lester Roloff, Lee Roberson, and Carl Hatch. All of these men had a great impact on Brother Smith’s life.

Brother Smith pastored in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, for 9 ½ years, where he had a high day of 869. During that time, there were 2,854 recorded decisions for Christ, 1,489 baptisms, and 66,000 people rode the buses.  After moving to Indiana, he joined the First Baptist Church of Hammond, which was then pastored by Dr. Jack Hyles. Dr. Hyles watched Brother Smith walk many families down the aisle. Because of Brother Smith’s ardent desire to reach lost souls, Dr. Hyles invited him to teach Personal Evangelism and Bible at Hyles-Anderson College.  Brother Smith taught happily there for 17 years.

Evangelism

Brother Smith stepped out at the age of 65, totally by faith, into evangelism in June of 2005, and has had the privilege of preaching hundreds of meetings in churches.  His burden is to help pastors, missionaries, and churches in stewardship, faith promise, missions, marriage, prayer, revival, and many other areas.

Giving Testimony

Brother Smith learned about giving by faith in 1957 when he gave all he had, $5.00, to a Christmas missions offering. In 2006 Brother Smith and his wife Estelle were privileged to give to faith promise in excess of $300 per week by faith.