27 A Mobilization Conversation with Dr. Elliff & Dr. Smith—OBU Elliff Center for Missions

Sep 26, 2025    Garry McNeill, Dustin Searles

Pastor Garry and Dustin have a conversation with Dr. Tom Elliff and Dr. Elbert Smith of Oklahoma Baptist University's Tom Elliff Center for Missions. Dr. Tom Elliff served as the International Mission Board’s president from 2011–2014 and served two presidential terms with the Southern Baptist Convention. He's also spent time as a missionary in Zimbabwe as well as many years pastoring churches in Arkansas, Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma. Dr. Elbert Smith began his career as a church planter in Mexico and from 2004 to 2019 he directected the field personnel orientation with the IMB where he oversaw the orientation of more than 7,600 IMB workers. These two men take the Great Commission seriesly as we all should. We get to hear insight from them on discernment and how to be missional in our everyday life. Visit the link below to learn more about the Tom Elliff Center for Missions at OBU.


Chapters:

0:00 Intro.

1:30 Dr. Tom Elliff's testimony.

4:00 Dr. Elbert Smith's testimony.

6:06 What is the Tom Elliff Center for Missions at OBU?

13:03 How to discern God's calling on your life.

18:11 How to leverage it all for the sake of the gospel.

20:26 Encouragement to go on mission when it's hard.

26:41 How can you be missional in your everyday life?

30:54 Dr. Smith's favorite memory on mission.

32:41 A God sized moment in Dr. Elliff's ministry.

38:24 Outro.


Tom Elliff Center for Missions


www.fbcdurant.org