ABOUT REV. DAMON SMITH
Licensed Minister in the State of Illinois.
Ordained Minister in the Progressive National Baptist Convention.
Rev. Damon O. Smith is the Youth Pastor and Associate Minister of Social Justice at Liberty Baptist Church of Chicago, where Rev. Andrew D. Hunt, Jr. is Pastor. Among his responsibilities are: Youth Pastor; Baptist History Lecturer, and Multigenerational Advocacy, and Social Justice Initiatives. Rev. Smith is also an Award winner in Homiletics from McCormick Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 2019.
Rev. Smith is active in politics and other civic projects across Chicago. He has many years of experience in inter-governmental affairs, civic engagement, community organizing academic and corporate sectors of Metropolitan Chicago.
Known in some circles as "Rev. D.", Rev. Smith has taught at the collegiate level for over 15 years in the areas of computer science, economics, public relations and operated mentoring and tutoring programs for minority students, oversaw the production of student events as well as produced concerts and fashion shows and other special events, with artists such as Common, Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest, Yolanda Adams, Hugh Masekela, Eric Roberson, and honored Jazz Icons, Miles Davis, Hugh Masekela. Among his community activism efforts, Rev. Smith seasonally works for the Chicago Football Classic Scholarship Foundation, the Bud Billiken Day Parade and is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Rev. Smith is often called upon by many local and national elected officials to consult on building collaboration among diverse constituencies to achieve a common goal. He does this by taking complex technical, legislative, and procedural concepts and teaching and training stakeholders and directly impacted communities on strategies to collaborate. Rev. Smith is also a sought-after coach preparing non-profit and corporate executives in developing relationship-building work that cultivates grass-root support and community buy-in to resolve challenges. These opportunities have afforded him the luxury to engage with many of Chicago's business executives, elected officials, local school councils to international boards of directors.
Always in a bow-tie, Rev. Smith jokingly has been called "The Bow-Tie Baptist"; his sermons and lectures are known to be liberationary, motivational, full of humor, biblically sound, and most importantly, heartfelt. Previous sermon titles have included: “Jim is still Crowing”, “What to do about them snakes”, “Black to the Future”, “You are not your Yesterday”, “Believe the hype,” and “This is America? Aight Den.”
Among his awards and memberships, Rev. Smith includes:
2019 - Recipient, Ellen & James Taylor Award in Preaching
2017 – Fellow, Black Theological Leadership Institute, Princeton Theological Seminary
2017 - Recipient, Ellen & James Taylor Award in Preaching
2017 – Recipient, Kenilworth Union Church Urban Ministry Scholarship
2016 – Honoree, Chicago Defender Man Of Excellence
2015 – Recipient, Excellence in Preaching Award, Business & Professional Club
And serves as:
2018 – 2023 Outreach Director, Bud Billiken Day Parade
2016 (Present) – Chairman, 3rd Ward Pastors & Ministers Alliance
2014 - 2019 Chaplain, Chicago Area Morehouse College Alumni Association
2014 – Present – Publicity & Events Committee Chair, Xi Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
2013-2024 – Outreach Director, Chicago Football Classic
Says Rev. Smith, "I live my life following the words of my daddy, “Son, all you have to do is be a Better Black Man today than the day before. That is the definition of success".
Favorite Bible Verse
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."
Galatians 5:13
