Dr. Reginald Smith

Board of director

Rev. Dr. Reginald Smith was born and raised on Chicago’s West Side in the North Lawndale neighborhood. He was very active in his home church, Unity Fellowship Missionary Baptist. He was educated in the Chicago Public Schools. He was the first in his family to go to college where he earned a Bachelors degree from Culver-Stockton College in History and Political Science in 1984. After working at Kirkland & Ellis law firm and Spiegel’s in Chicago, he felt the Lord calling him into ministry. He moved to Grand Rapids to attend Calvin Theological Seminary and earned his Masters of Divinity degree in 1992. He was ordained into the Christian Reformed ministry on March 14, 1994. Dr. Smith served churches in Chicago, IL and Paterson, NJ. He was the Senior Pastor of Roosevelt Park Community Christian Reformed Church from 1994 to 2015. In 2004, he obtained his Doctor of Ministry degree from Western Theological Seminary. The first African American achieved it. He has been an adjunct professor and instructor at Western Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and Calvin Theological Seminary. In addition, he has served on numerous denominational boards, committees, and task forces.

In February 2020, Dr. Smith was appointed to the new position as Director of Diversity where he works with 300 multiracial and multiethnic churches and leaders to grow and thrive. Dr. Smith has pastored and worked in the urban environment for over 25 years. As a community leader, he has led and witnessed the changes that happen in transitional communities where the church often could not adapt to the new reality

 Dr. Smith and his wife Sharon have been married for 30 wonderful years. Together, they are committed to modeling a life of racial reconciliation in a cross-cultural urban setting. He is the proud father of three beautiful daughters including teenaged twins Katrina and Mariah and their older sister Janelle. They attend Madison Square Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids.