Dr. Kyler Smith and his wife and daughter, Lauren and Eliza, stand in front of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little rock. The Pastor Search Committee over the weekend announced that Smith was unanimously approved by the Immanuel Baptist Church family to serve as the church’s 18th senior pastor in its 133-year history. (Submitted)
A new pastor has been called to the pulpit at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock.
The Pastor Search Committee over the weekend announced that Dr. Kyler Smith has been unanimously approved by the Immanuel Baptist Church family to serve as the church’s 18th senior pastor in its 133-year history.
Smith preached in view of a call on Sunday, Dec. 7. He comes to Immanuel from Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has served as senior associate pastor under Clint Pressley, senior pastor and current president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Prior to joining Hickory Grove’s staff in 2012, Smith faithfully served congregations in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
“Only a clear sense of God’s calling could take us from Hickory Grove, a church we love and have served for nearly 14 years. We firmly believe He has led us to Immanuel and are in awe of His evidenthand throughout this process. We head to Little Rock humbled by their confidence, and eager to love, serve, and shepherd this historic church as we face the future with God,” Smith said.
For his view of call sermon, Smith preached from 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” He said this was the scripture God laid on his heart 20 years ago when he was called to the ministry.
“He taught me from this particular passage that my life, my ministry, and my future are not in my hands. They’re in His. And I want to preach this text to you today because, Immanuel, I pray God will grant you the grace to grip with me that the truth is your life, this church’s ministry, this church’s future is not in our hands. It’s in His,” Smith said. “Our future is in God’s hands.”
The full sermon can be found here.
Following his sermon, Immanuel had a special church family business meeting during which the congregation voted in favor of Smith as the next senior pastor. The news received a standing ovation.
In a recommendation video from the pastor search committee shared prior to Sunday on the church’s website, Gary Johnson, a member of the committee, said they prayed that the Lord would lead them to their pastor and that God’s chosen pastor would be willing to answer His call.
“We carefully considered more than 67 candidates but always came back to the one candidate who stood apart from the others,” Johnson said. “We believe that the Lord has brought this man to serve at Immanuel as the church gets back to work and seeks God’s will for the future.”
Pastor Search Committee Member Kathy Thomas said it was clear as they began their research that Smith has a special gift of communicating the Word from the pulpit and connecting with people.
“I know as I reviewed the other names and resumes, and we did look at every name and resume that we received, the spirit kept relentlessly bringing my focus back to Kyler and when we began to share with each other, it was obvious we were all having the same experience,” Thomas said. “Then, as we began having direct contact with Kyler and Lauren, it was clear that God was confirming His call in their lives as well. I am so excited for the entire church to get to know Kyler, Lauren, and Eliza. I know you will love them as much as we already do.”
The full recommendation video can be found here. The video also includes words from Pressley, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr. Jason Allen, GuideStone President Dr. Hance Dilbeck, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr. Danny Akin, and others.
A native of Oklahoma City, Smith holds a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas; an M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky; and both a Th.M. and a Ph.D. in Preaching from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. Having previously spent time in Arkansas, Smith noted he knows “how to call the hogs.”
Smith also commented on the church’s storied history, and how it has a long legacy of faithful expository preaching.
“That is why I asked the church to put this historic pulpit back out,” he said, referring to the aged, wooden pulpit he preached behind. “For me, it’s a symbol of what’s made this church great for decades in our Southern Baptist Convention. And by God’s grace, I intend, Lord willing, to carry on that legacy by doing nothing else but preaching the inerrant Word of God.”
Smith is married to Lauren. They have a daughter, Eliza, and are expecting their second child in May 2026. His first Sunday as Immanuel’s new pastor is expected to be Jan. 11.