The Pastor
Joel Smith has been the Pastor at First Baptist Church of Dillon since December of 2021. He has previously pastored in Wisconsin (2013-2021) and Alaska (2003-2012).
Joel was raised in a Christian home in the Midwest, and received Christ as his Savior at a young age. God called him to preach at the age of 17, and after graduating from Oak Forest Christian Academy near Chicago, Illinois, Joel attended Northland Baptist Bible College in Dunbar, Wisconsin, from 1993-1998. While a student at Northland, Joel met Jessica Mays from Fairbanks, Alaska, and they were married in 2001. Joel and Jessica both earned Master of Arts degrees from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Plymouth, Minnesota, in 2003.
God has blessed the Smith family with eight children.