Dr. Don and Pat Smith are Missionaries with the Bible Education And Missionary Service, known as BEAMS. Their primary mission field, which began in 2012 with the State of Texas, now includes the State of Oklahoma also; thus the their origianal web site is... www.BEAMSforTexas.com . However, until GOD sends Missionaries for the surrounding States he and Mrs. Pat also have traveled to eight other States, in addtion to seven countries . They will travel to any Church/State to which they are invited.
The Smiths have been married for 56 Years and have two adult children both serving in the ministry. Their daughter Kim is married to Garris Baggett, Missionary to Compassionate Hope Ministries of Maldova. The Baggett’s have one son Josh and wife Helen (Upchurch); they have three children, TJ 5, David 2 and Lydia 11 months. Their son Marc Smith is married to Sharla (Trull) and they have seven children, Dallas 26, Aubree 23 and husband Phil Brown; they have a daughter Dillon 10 months; Killeen 22, Addison 19, Tucker15, Cash 12 and Laredo 10. Marc is the Smith’s sending Pastor.
Dr. Smith worked 35 plus years for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, retiring as Vice President of Sales Support in 1995 to pursue the ministry full time. During his business career, the company transferred them many times with their travels sending them through four States and two foreign countries. During these travels that led them to be a part of the ministries in seven different churches, GOD began to give Dr. Smith a burden to help missionaries. Two of those churches were overseas.
In 1973-1976 after living in several locations from California to Colorado, the Smiths lived in Okinawa, Japan where GOD enabled him to travel to mainland Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Then in mid-1976 GOD moved them to the company’s headquarters in Dallas. It was here they joined Brook Hollow Baptist Church the first time under Dr. Clyde Box as Pastor. In 1979-1985 their relocation took them to Munich, Germany where they helped plant the Bible Baptist Church of Munich with Missionary Wilhelm Falk.
Dr. Smith traveled extensively during the six years they lived in Germany, taking him to Austria, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Berlin (East Germany at the time), Belgium, Netherlands, England, France and Turkey. When circumstances allowed and did not take away from Dr. Smith's offical duties he visited with many Missionaries in these countries.
From Germany GOD moved them to Marina, California and Calvary Baptist Church, Pastor Tom Knauf. From California another move took them to Tucson, Arizona and New Testament Baptist Church and Dr. J.C. Joiner. Ultimately in 1990 GOD brought the Smiths back to Brook Hollow Baptist Church, DeSoto, TX, and Dr. Clyde Box. While in their Dallas Headquarters, Dr. Smith also traveled to South Korea, Hong Kong, China and back to Okinawa.
At the time of his retirement, Dr. Smith joined the staff of his home church, Brook Hollow Baptist Church, DeSoto, TX, as Assistant Pastor. He organized and started Brook Hollow Christian Academy, serving as its Administrator and organized many other ministries for the church.
In 2001 GOD called the Smiths to start Landmark Independent Baptist Church, Corsicana, TX where he pastored, training his son for the pastorate until GOD called him in March 2006 to step aside and let the Church call his son as Pastor and then start a ministry ‘I Will Build My Church…Matthew 16:18’ helping struggling churches. Through this ministry he was contacted by the pulpit committee of Garrett Baptist Church, Garrett, TX to preach and ultimately in December 2006 the church called him as Pastor where he served until October 2012 when GOD called him to serve with BEAMS.
During the Smith’s first time at Brook Hollow in the seventies Dr. Julian Pope founder of BEAMS spoke at the church introducing the BEAMS Ministry. Because of his travels and living nearly ten years in foreign countries, Dr. Smith renewed his desire to do more for missionaries, specifically in helping to send them Bibles in the language of their land. In 2002 after starting Landmark, Dr. Smith was invited by Dr. Charles Trull, Pastor Twin Cities Baptist Temple, Wake Village, TX to speak at a BEAMS Rally. At this time Dr. Smith met Mrs. Julian Pope and Dr. Rene’ Freret, President and Director of BEAMS. Again, GOD nudged Dr. Smith again to do more to help missionaries.
Then in August 2009 he and Pastor Marc Smith joined another Pastor in Corsicana to host a BEAMS Rally to raise money to send Bibles to Ghana. At the close of that meeting, Dr. Freret approached Dr. Smith and told him GOD had laid it on his heart to ask him to pray about joining the BEAMS Ministry if the time arose when GOD led him to ‘step aside’ from pastoring his current church. Dr. Smith was flattered, but did not immediately sense this was GOD leading him. But, he did pray and asked GOD to ‘keep the doors open’ if this is what HE planned for the Smith’s future.
A year later at another BEAMS Rally at Twin Cities, Dr. Freret again approached Dr. Smith asking him to pray about the BEAMS Ministry. After asking GOD to ‘keep the doors open’ if this was HIS Will, it was evident to Dr. Smith that GOD was calling him to the BEAMS Ministry.
In late 2011 as Dr. Smith, his Son, oldest Granddaughter and his Son-in law were planning a mission’s trip to Africa, GOD made it clear that HE was ready for him to pursue the BEAMS Ministry full time. In early 2012 he prepared his longtime Associate Pastor and his wife for the upcoming change and in September he ‘stepped aside’ allowing the church to call Keith Bates, Dr. Smith’s former Associate as Pastor. In October 2012 the Smith’s began visiting and calling churches to present the BEAMS Ministry.
Dr. Smith is a Bible Teacher with experience in Financial Seminars and Marriage Retreats. He is available for Mission’s Conferences and will conduct BEAMS Rally’s and Revivals in addition to single services Presenting the Ministry and Preaching about our Old Fashion King James Bible.
The Smith's are 'self supported' so their goal is simply to present the Ministry to Churches and help pastors and missionaries.