Rev. Roger Smith

Roger Smith is a born again Christian and ordained minister. After decades as a worship leader as well as a Bible student and teacher, he is a seasoned preacher, and brings experience from both the professional marketing industry as well as public and private philanthropy. Recently healed from a long depression, Roger has been infused with the Holy Spirit and given the vision of a ministry that can wake up the Church, beginning in small communities and spreading throughout the nations.

In 1977, at age 26, Roger became a born again believer in Jesus Christ, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit. He served as a counselor at The 700 Club’s office in Milwaukee, WI, before attending the Shiloh Training Institute in 1980, where he was licensed as a reverend. In 1982, he travelled to Nigeria on an evangelistic mission before entering full-time ministry, traveling and preaching to different groups, which also included further international mission work in Jamaica.

In 1985, Roger joined the family business at A.O. Smith Corporation. Over a 32-year career, he worked in marketing, was a federal lobbyist, and spent nearly a decade managing the company’s nonprofit A.O. Smith Foundation, while leading public relations in the Milwaukee community. During his professional career, Roger also served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations in Wisconsin, including the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the Wisconsin Council on Economic Education, and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Roger retired from full-time work in 2018 but maintains his own business as an artist selling watercolor landscapes. He has served for seven years on the board at Midwest Bible College, currently as Chairman, where he also teaches. He serves on the Board of Directors at A.O. Smith Foundation as well as Discovery World, and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Roger enjoys his role as a Bible teacher for the Faithwalker Men’s Bible Study Group in Milwaukee.

Roger and his wife, Judy, are longtime members at Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee. Over their 40+ years of membership, they have more than half of that time ministering and serving as worship leaders for the community as well as leading worship at various community retreats. They also served at St. James Catholic Church’s Charismatic Prayer Group for more than 10 years, and additionally attend Spanish River Church in Boca Raton, FL.

In 2023, the Lord called Roger back into full-time ministry, to wake up the Church. After struggling with depression for 53 years, he was healed through Christ and given deep revelations and insight into his faith. This experience has lit a fire beneath him, and that spark has grown into this vision of The Builders Ministry.