Gospel History Tour &
Baptist History Lecture Series

Join us on Wednesday, October 14, for a Gospel history tour of Charleston, followed by an afternoon of Baptist history lectures at Charleston Southern University. This day is an invitation to celebrate God’s faithfulness across generations and reflect on how He has worked through faithful leaders and churches to shape our present and future.

Gospel History Tour - 9:00 AM (Tour begins promptly)

Baptist History Lectures - 1:30 PM (Lunch at 12:30 PM)
Whitfield Leadership Center, Charleston Southern University

GOSPEL HISTORY TOUR

From the American Revolution to the Great Awakening, Charleston holds a distinguished place shaped by both favorable and challenging providences. Charleston Harbor tells a story of thousands of seafarers who have come and gone, leaving an enduring influence on both church and American history. Join Gospel-centered leaders as they explore the movement of God’s Kingdom and the influence of historic leaders throughout Charleston’s diverse history.

* Please arrive between 8:30–8:45 AM near First Baptist Church Charleston to allow time for parking. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

GOSPEL HISTORY TOUR LEADERS

Marshall Blalock

Pastor, First Baptist Church of Charleston — Charleston, SC

Alan Cross

Lead Pastor, Petaluma Valley Baptist Church — Petaluma, CA

Craig Tuck

Executive Director, Charleston Baptist Association — Charleston, SC

Register

BAPTIST HISTORY LECTURE SERIES

Following the Gospel History Tour, join us for an afternoon of Baptist history lectures at Charleston Southern University. Each lecture will include 15 minutes of Q&A and is designed to offer both remembrance of the past and application for the present and future.

History Lecture Presenters

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Wolfe

Executive Director-Treasurer, SCBaptist — Columbia, SC

Lecture:“Confession and Cooperation in the Baptist Movement: From Charleston (1682) to Orlando (2000)”

  • Dr. Tony Wolfe serves as Executive Director-Treasurer of SCBaptist and brings over 25 years of ministry experience as a pastor, denominational leader, educator, and pastoral counselor. Prior to serving SCBaptist, he served as Associate Executive Director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, where he worked alongside churches and ministry leaders across the state. Tony is passionate about strengthening churches, raising up leaders, and mobilizing Christ’s people for gospel mission through biblical teaching, cooperative ministry, and strategic evangelism.

JOSH POWELL

Lead Pastor, Taylors First Baptist Church — Taylors, SC

Lecture:“Baptist Beginnings at Charleston, SC”

  • Josh Powell has served as Lead Pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church since 2021, following previous pastoral ministry in South Carolina and Kentucky. A graduate of North Greenville University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Josh has served Southern Baptists in numerous leadership roles, including President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and Chairman of the Board for Southern Seminary and North Greenville University.

DR. ERIC C. SMITH

Associate Professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — Louisville, KY

Lecture:“Oliver Hart: Shaper of Baptist Associationalism in the American South”

  • Dr. Eric Smith serves as Associate Professor of Church History at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he joined the faculty in 2022 after several years of adjunct teaching. He has served in pastoral ministry since 2008 and brings together pastoral experience and historical scholarship to help the church understand and learn from its rich historical heritage.