On December 14, 2008, the Holy Spirit spoke through a vote of our congregation to extend the call to the Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Jr. to become the Senior Pastor of the Allen Temple Baptist Church. On March 15, 2009 in a very moving service of installation, our Pastor Emeritus the Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Smith Senior officially passed the mantle of pastoral leadership over to his son and mentee, the Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Jr.

Dr. Smith's education includes a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, CA; a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from the Starr King School for the Ministry (at the Graduate Theological Union) Berkeley, CA; and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Antioch University, Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Prior to being called as the Senior Pastor of the Allen Temple Baptist Church, Pastor J. Alfred Smith, Jr. served for nearly six years as the Senior Pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church of San Jose CA, a congregation organized in 1893, which serves as the first and only official African American historical landmark in the city. The congregation is a member of both, the American Baptist Churches, USA and the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. Under Smith's leadership the congregation launched several new ministries, including: the Antioch Housing & Economic Development Corporation, the "Nu- Vision" Young Adult Ministry, and a variety of outreach ministries to the local community.

Prior to his return to Allen Temple, Pastor Smith taught "Black Religion" in the Africana Studies Department at San Francisco State University, and "Theology of Ministry" in the Doctor of Ministry program at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He also served two years as a ministry consultant in Las Vegas, NV, and as an ESL instructor for the Community College of Southern Nevada.

Pastor Smith is no stranger to Allen Temple. He was licensed and ordained here by his father, Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr. He began his ministry as the church's youth minister, and following his ordination he served for two years as the Assistant Pastor of the First Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in West Oakland. He then returned to Allen Temple to serve as the Assistant in Youth and Family Ministries, and was called in 1985 to serve as the Assistant Pastor of Allen Temple before being elevated to Co-Pastor, a ministry that he carried out from 1990-2001.

Throughout the years, Pastor Smith has been a prophetic voice and an activist for social, economic, and political justice. Such advocacy has included organizing efforts with the Bay Area Free South Africa movement; the "Take the Billboards Down" campaign to abolish alcohol and tobacco billboards in Oakland, CA; and several campaigns on behalf of children, youth, seniors, the poor, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Pastor Smith currently serves the Progressive National Baptist Convention as chair of the Economic Development Committee, and has formerly served that denomination in the following capacities: Co Chair of the Civil Rights Commission; Chair of the Board of Education and Publication; Regional Vice President, presiding over the Southwest Region; and Chair of the Resolutions Committee.

Dr. Smith, Jr. co-authored with Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Basic Bible Sermons in Christian Stewardship, published in 1992 by Broadman Press. Dr. Smith's travels as a scholar and preacher have taken him to West Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, China, Israel and Palestine. He has been featured, discussed, or quoted in the news media, including: San Jose Mercury News, Detroit News, Oakland Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, and NBC's Today Show; as well as in books (i.e. Andrew Billingsley's Mighty Like a River: The Black Church and Social Reform).

His awards include: "Outstanding Man Making a Difference" by the Black Business Listings/ Black Expo (2007), "The Good Neighbor Award" by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Santa Clara County (2005), "The Gene Young Community Service Award" by Afrise Institute of San Jose (2004), Clergy of the Year by "100 Black Men " of Silicon Valley (2004), "Man of the Year" by the Black Women Organized for Political Action (1998), "The Community Service Award" by the East Bay Perinatal Council (1998); "Black Men in Motion" Award by Cal State University Stanislaus (1996), "Bill Graham Community Service Award" by the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics (1996), and "Profiles In Excellence" by KGO-TV Channel 7 (1990).

Pastor Smith is married to Elaine Henderson Smith, a public school teacher in San Jose's Alum Rock School District. Pastor and Mrs. Smith are the proud parents of five children and eight grandchildren.