Dr. Donald Schmidt
Donald was born in West Memphis, Arkansas, and grew up in northeast Arkansas. He came to Christ at 12 years old during a service at Providence Baptist Church in Trumann, Arkansas. He recognized his need for a Savior, and, in the best way that he knew how, knelt at the altar, repented of his sin, and trusted in Jesus. He graduated from Arkansas State University with both a B.S. in Accounting (2001) and an MBA (2002). He then graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity (2005) and a PhD in New Testament with a minor in Preaching (2014).
He was called to Lakeland in November of 2014. As Senior Pastor, Donald is entrusted with the overall spiritual leadership of Lakeland Baptist Church. He oversees and directs the church’s preaching/teaching, administrative, pastoral, and evangelistic/missional functions. Donald married his wife Melody in 2012. They have three children, Titus, Truett, and Kinsley. Donald likes to spend time with his wife, read, exercise, watch movies, duck and deer hunt, and watch football and basketball.
Donald’s prayer for Lakeland is twofold: 1) That we would be a body of believers committed to the Great Commandment—loving God supremely in all that we do and 2) That we would be a body of believers committed to the Great Commission—raising up devoted disciples of Jesus who know him in personal salvation, grow with him in continual life-transformation, and go with him on faithful mission. A genuine commitment to the Great Commandment and Great Commission will enable Lakeland to be a church of influence, reaching our neighbors and the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
