After growing up in a bartender’s home, John David Smith’s life was changed on January 31, 1973 after he accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour at Pinch Baptist Church in Sissonville, WV. In July of 1973, while working with the Department of Highways, the Lord began to deal with him about preaching. He answered the call to preach on September 1, 1973, just six months after his salvation. He began his pastorate at Leatherwood Baptist Church, in Frame, WV in 1974. He then pastored at Hurricane Baptist Church of Cleo, WV, and Southpark Baptist of Charleston, WV before being led to Teays Valley. After being called by Teays Valley Baptist Church, he felt led to go into full-time ministry, and accepted the pastorate. His first service at TVBC was held on September 1, 1978 with 89 people in attendance during the morning service, and 44 people attending in the evening.
God’s hand was surely upon Pastor John and his service at TVBC, for attendance quickly grew to over 200 during the Christmas service of 1978. The first building project, an activity building was started shortly after the New Year in 1979.
It wasn’t long before a new sanctuary was needed due to the growth of the congregation. Ground was broken for the new building in Summer of 1985.
The First Annual West Virginia Jubilee was held in June of 1987.Pastor John’s third building project was needed in 1994 as the congregation had quickly out grown the young sanctuary. Construction had already begun on a new multi-purpose building at the bottom of the hill, but due to the size of the congregation it was converted to a sanctuary, which is still being used today. The church will hold about 1,200 people, and is nearly full most Sunday mornings.
He has earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from Andersonville Theological Seminary while pastoring at full-time at Teays Valley Baptist.
He and his wife, Margurite, have been married for 39 years and have two grown children, Julie and James.
