Friends, in light of his homegoing to be with the Lord on March 20, we are honored to re-release our special, in-depth conversation with Dr. Steve Gaines — former Senior Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis and a beloved voice in Southern Baptist life.
For more than 40 years, Pastor Gaines faithfully shepherded God’s people. He served as pastor of Gardendale First Baptist Church in Alabama for 14 years before answering the call to Bellevue in 2005, where he succeeded the legendary Dr. Adrian Rogers and led one of the largest churches in the Southern Baptist Convention for nearly two decades. A passionate preacher, evangelist, and man of prayer, he served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention (2016–2018), authored books on revival, and launched initiatives like Bellevue Loves Memphis that touched thousands with the Gospel through bold evangelism and community outreach.
After a courageous battle with cancer, Bro. Steve stepped into eternity fully healed in the presence of Jesus. The testimonies pouring in from across the nation have been powerful and consistent: he was an anointed preacher, a humble soul-winner, a prayer warrior, a unifier of pastors and churches, and above all, a man who loved Jesus and loved people. Leaders and church members alike remember his evangelistic zeal, his encouragement to fellow pastors, his deep theological insight paired with simple faith, and the way he always pointed people to the cross. He touched hundreds of thousands of lives, led countless to Christ, and modeled what it looks like to walk humbly with God.
In our conversation, you’ll hear his heart for pastoral ministry, revival, prayer, and preaching — wisdom that feels even more timely now.
Please keep the Gaines family — Donna, their children, and 18 grandchildren — in your prayers as they grieve and celebrate a life well-lived for the glory of God.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
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