Rev. Dr. Efrem Smith is a pastor, consultant, internationally recognized speaker, and author. He is passionate about racial righteousness, thriving churches, civic engagement, and community development. He also serves as a national catalyst for African American church development, disciple making, and urban empowerment movements.

Dr. Smith founded The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multiethnic church in Minneapolis, and cofounded and was president of The Sanctuary Community Development Corporation. He served as superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, providing leadership to 160 churches within California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah, and as the president and CEO of World Impact, an urban missions organization committed to empowering urban leaders and planting churches in under-resourced communities.

Currently, Dr. Smith is the co-lead pastor of Midtown Church, a thriving and multi-ethnic congregation in Sacramento, California. He is the president of Influential Global Ministries, which focuses on equipping leaders, strengthening churches, and missions in the African American, multiethnic, and urban contexts. He is also the co-owner of Influential LLC, an organization committed to equipping faith leaders, executives, and the organizations they serve.

Dr. Smith is author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump: Into A Life of Further and Higher, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, Killing Us Softly, and his latest book, Church for Everyone. He is a graduate of Saint John’s University and Luther Theological Seminary. He completed the Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and received an honorary Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. Dr. Smith is married to Donecia and has two daughters, Jaeda and Mireya. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.