Faculty
Efrem Smith

Dr. Efrem Smith is a pastor, consultant, motivational speaker, and author. He is passionate about life transformation, racial righteousness, thriving churches, and community development.
Efrem Smith was the founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis, MN, He also co-founded and was President of The Sanctuary Community Development Corporation.  Efrem served as the Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, providing leadership to 160 churches within California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah. He also served 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, he is the Co-lead Pastor of Bayside Church Midtown, a thriving and multi-ethnic community in Sacramento, California.

As an internationally recognized preacher, he has spoken for organizations and events such as Athletes in Action, Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth Specialties, Compassion International, the Urban Youth Workers Institute, and Thrive. He is the author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, and Killing Us Softly.

Efrem is a graduate of Saint John's University and Luther Theological Seminary. He received an honorary doctor of ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. He is currently working to complete a doctor of ministry degree from Fuller Seminary. Efrem is married to Donecia and has two daughters, Jaeda and Mireya. Efrem has received many awards such as the Role Model Award from the Hennepin County Community Coalition and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Saint John's University. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.