We are familiar with the expression “Hall of Fame,” which is a phrase that brings to mind great men and women who have been honored in a particular organization, entity or sport. Our Southern Baptist Evangelists believe in honoring the life and ministry of their peers who have “fought the fight” and “kept the faith.”

At the August 2007 SBC Evangelist Executive Committee Meeting, the officers approved a motion brought by President Brian Fossett to establish the “Evangelists’ Hall of Faith.” The inaugural inductees were recognized in the 50th Anniversary Directory. Additional deserving evangelists have been nominated and elected by the membership of Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists every other year since, and honored at the annual meetings of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The North American Mission Board graciously offered SBC Evangelists a prominent conference room at their facility in the Atlanta area to display Evangelists’ Hall of Faith memorabilia during the early days of the Evangelists’ Hall of Faith. At the request and invitation of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, the display has been moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and displayed in a prominent place in the Executive Committee buildings.

Below you will find an alphabetical listing of the Hall of Faith inductees. Each name is linked to a page where you may view a photo and brief ministry profile for that evangelist.

Gene Williams

Gene Miller Williams began preaching the Gospel in 1944. After serving as pastor of churches in…

Hyman Appelman

Hyman Jedidiah Appelman was born on the banks of the Dnieper River in White Russia of Orthodox…

Walter K. Ayers

Ayers tells the story of when he was ten he would run to the edge of the woods near his home and…

Cliff Barrows

Clifford Burton Barrows served as the music and program director for the Billy Graham Evangelistic…

Manley Beasley

This prominent Southern Baptist Evangelist was a featured speaker at the Pastor’s Conference of the…

Freddie Gage

Born in a hospital charity ward and raised by grandparents in a ghetto section of Houston, Gage was…

Mike Gilchrist

When first called into full-time evangelism, he recalled, a number of people told him he needed a…

Billy Graham

Born November 7, 1918, William F. Graham was reared on a dairy farm in Charlotte, North Carolina…

J. Harold Smith

Born in Woodruff, South Carolina in 1910, J. Harold Smith grew up in the Greenville area. He…

Jerry Spencer

The soul agony and core burden of Jerry Spencer is to see people receive The Lord Jesus Christ as…

Bill Stafford

Called to preach at the age of 19, Bill Stafford surrendered after a time of rebellion in his…

Bailey Smith

At age 34, he became pastor of the second largest church in the denomination. He became the youngest…

Wayne Bristow

When Wayne Bristow answered God’s call to preach, he immediately had a desire to go beyond the West…

Sam Cathey

In 1951, 17-year-old Sam, a high school senior, was called as Pastor of a newly established Mission…

Clyde Chiles

As a 16-year-old boy, Chiles went forward to accept Christ at a Billy Graham crusade and was…

E.J. Daniels

Elam Jackson Daniels was born in Suwannee County, Florida on November 1, 1908. His father was a…

Ronald Dunn

Ron surrendered to the ministry in 1952 at the age of fifteen at a Baptist encampment while Dr. Carl…

Vance Havner

Havner was a simple, country boy from Vale, located south of Hickory, in a community called Jugtown…

Don Womack

Dr. Don Lee Womack was born August 3, 1922 at Sage, Arkansas to John Wesley Womack and Catherine…

T.W. Wilson

Hall of Faith Class of 2008 NORTH CAROLINA Thomas Walter “T.W.” Wilson was born June 30,1918. Wilson…

Jesse Hendley

Dr. Jesse Murphy Hendley dedicated his life to the proclamation of the Gospel message to lost souls…

Rudy Hernandez

Rudy was born in San Antonio, Texas on October 19, 1927. He was the youngest of seven children and…

Junior Hill

Junior Hill began his ministry at age nineteen and served as a pastor for eleven years in Alabama…

Eddie Martin

Edward William Martin was born November 25, 1915 to Robert and Edith Martin of Philadelphia…

Angel Martinez

Martinez was converted in a Baptist mission in San Antonio in July 1935 at the age of 13 and…

Homer Martinez

Homer was converted at the age of five in his native city of San Antonio, Texas and began quoting…

George Beverly Shea

Born in Winchester, Ontario, February 1, 1909, where his father was a Wesleyan Methodist minister…

Jay Strack

Highly acclaimed as a dynamic preacher, Jay Strack has spoken to an estimated 15 million people in…

Bette Stalnecker Gibson

Dr. Stalnecker grew up in Ripley, Tennessee and after high school attended Louisiana State…

Leon Westerhouse

Leon was a native of Birmingham, Alabama where he grew up in the First Baptist Church where he was…

Mordecai Ham

Ham was the son of Tobias and Ollie (McElroy) and was born on a farm in Allen County near…

Roy Fish

Many Southern Baptists considered the name Roy Fish synonymous with “evangelism,” a…

John Bos

John is a native of The Netherlands. Entering the evangelism ministry alongside friend and mentor…

Tom Cox

Hall of Faith Class of 2012ARKANSAS Thomas Waldo Cox was born near Picayune, Mississippi on July 29…

Keith Fordham

Keith was saved October 30, 1960. A friend witnessed to him about Christ, and led him to Jesus. From…

Franklin Graham

William Franklin Graham, III, born July 14, 1952, is the fourth of five children born to evangelist…

Michael Gott

Evangelist Michael Gott takes his message of hope for people of this earth throughout the world…

Felix Snipes

Felix Snipes’ ministry was entitled “New Dimensions Evangelism,” through which he…

David Stockwell

David Stockwell’s ministry began at the age of 17, when he received Christ after attending a…

Sammy Tippit

STM has been providing inspiration and help around the world for nearly 50 years. Sammy Tippit…

Larry Walker

Larry Walker’s 66-year international ministry was focused initially in New York among other areas…

Jerry Drace

Committed to evangelism with integrity, Jerry and Becky Drace have had the joy and privilege of…

Charles Massegee

Charles and Beverly Massegee were awarded the Roy Fish Life-Time Achievement Award for vocational…

Darrell Robinson

Brother Darrell was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather. As a pastor, he was known…

Gary Bowlin

Gary M. Bowlin is a native of Amite County, Mississippi.  He was saved at his…

Ron Herrod

Information coming soon……
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