Evangelist Bailey Smith dies at 79

Bailey Smith, a Southwestern alumnus, pastor, evangelist, and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, died on Jan. 14 from pancreatic cancer. He was 79. 

“I know of no one who demonstrated a greater heart and commitment to personal and church evangelism than Bailey Smith,” says David Allen, dean of Southwestern’s School of Preaching. “He believed every soul on the planet was saveable because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and he labored faithfully to get the Gospel to them all.”

“Through the years, I found Bailey to be a gracious and generous Christian gentleman with a resilient spirit, deep convictions, and a love for the Lord and the lost,” says Gerald Harris, former editor of The Christian Index. “Most Baptists have known Bailey Smith as both a successful pastor and an effective evangelist for more than six decades, and his death has left a significant spiritual void in the 21st century church that seems to be struggling to keep evangelism a priority.”

Smith was born on Jan. 30, 1939. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity at Southwestern Seminary in 1966, and later completed his Doctor of Divinity at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. He pastored churches in Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico before accepting the call to pastor the First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Okla., the second largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention. 

In his 12 years at this church, membership grew from 6,600 to more than 20,000. In 1980, Smith baptized 2,000 people, the only man in SBC history to do so in a single year. 

During this pastorate, Smith also served as president of both the Oklahoma Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention, becoming a leading figure in the SBC’s Conservative Resurgence. 

In 1985, Smith sensed the call to step down from the pastorate in order to become a full-time evangelist. He founded Bailey Smith Ministries, which hosted crusades, revivals, Bible conferences, women’s retreats, and overseas ministries. The ministry’s “Real Evangelism Conferences,” based on Smith’s book of the same name, were particularly fruitful. 

“The Real Evangelism Conferences have been an incredible blessing to God’s people wherever they have been held,” says Jimmy Draper, president emeritus of LifeWay Christian Resources and chair of Southwestern’s Board of Visitors. “The encouragement, challenge and inspiration of these conferences will only fully be understood in the light of eternity. … In an age of hurting pastors, staff members and laypersons, these conferences are used of God to bring great blessing.”

Smith remained connected to Southwestern throughout his ministry, preaching in the seminary’s chapel and serving on its Board of Visitors. He is also one of the evangelists featured in Draper Auditorium in Mathena Hall. 

Smith is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sandy; three sons, Bailey, Steven, and Josh; and eight grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on what would have been Smith’s 80th birthday, Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m. at One Heart Church in Norcross, Ga.