Board of Directors and Founders
Jeff Smith - President
Jeff
brings to Five Solas Ministries over thirty-three years of ministry
experience. Jeff, with his wife Jennette and four daughters spend
sixteen years as church-planting missionaries in Brazil. As a part of
their efforts in Brazil, Jeff started an orphanage there which not only
helped the staggering problem of abandoned and orphaned children in
Brazil, but gave great credence among the Brazilian people to the
message of the Gospel.
While in Brazil, Jeff planted a church
in Southern Brazil and helped found an association of Brazilian
churches while participating in the founding of other churches.
Upon
their return to the US in late 1993, the Smith's co-founded a church in
their hometown of Bend, Oregon. Discovering the "Doctrines of Grace"
while in Brazil, Jeff and Jennette's passion for the Scriptures and the
God of the Scriptures motivated them to start Sovereign Grace Church,
where the pure preaching of God's Word is primary. Jeff continues to
lead Sovereign Grace Church and has cast a vision of evangelism and
discipleship by using the tool he used in Brazil to plant a church in
Sao Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. Jeff's vision for militant evangelism
and discipleship is to use The White Horse Coffee House and Study
Center as a point of contact with the youth of Bend, while trusting the
Lord to bless the endeavor with the salvation of souls. Jeff is a published author.
Brian Bell - Staff
Brian
brings to Five Solas Ministries a Master of Divinity (Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary)
and a Bachelor's
degree (Union University) in Christian Ministries and many years of ministry involvement.
Brian has continued the family legacy where ministry is a way of life,
following his father and many other extended family members into
full-time ministry which has continued for generations.
Brian is
passionate for the ministry, especially that which involves our youth.
He recently completed his time as Youth Minister in Gosnell Baptist Church in
Blytheville, Arkansas, having served there since January of 2005. Brian
has a heart for discipleship and truly has striven to see Christ formed
in the youth under his care. However, this has not diminished his
desire for evangelism and foreign missions. Brian has led various youth
mission endeavors here in the US as well as a student group to Ecuador.
Brian
has had ministry involvement since early 1997, having started his
formal ministry as summer staff for youth camps. As his ministry
involvement grew, Brian has found himself in constant leadership roles
and recognizes God's obvious hand in his life that has precluded his
call to ministry.
Brian recently moved to Bend, Oregon where he married Allissa Smith. Allissa, having spend over 16 years on the mission field, also has a passion for ministry and
will certainly give added motivation to this dedicated couple as they
serve our glorious Lord together.
Todd Grossman - Staff
Todd grew up in the Seattle
area and after graduating from high school and completing 1 year of college he
enlisted in the United States Navy where he served for 6 years as a nuclear
reactor operator and electronics technician.
After being honorably discharged from the United States Navy
Todd accepted employment with United Airlines and moved to San Francisco arriving just in time to
experience a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. Little did he know that some 11 years
later his conversion to Christ would serve as another sort of personal
earthquake that would rock his soul, flip him upside down and change him
forever.
By God’s grace Todd was converted to Christ after having
lived in darkness for almost 38 years; not being much of a reader growing up he
found himself immediately driven to study the Bible and every theology book he
could get his hands on. One such
theological resource given to him came by way of a friend in the form of a
cassette tape by Dr. R.C. Sproul. It is
here where Todd was first introduced to the doctrines of grace, and Dr.
Sproul continues to be one of the most influential teachers
of his Christian life.
Within a year of his conversion Todd would meet Sheila, his
future wife to be, and says that he knew that he had the right woman when she
was not bored with their long discussions on theology during their frequent
hikes.
Their love of hiking and everything to do with the outdoors
brought them to Bend, Oregon in 2004 where they reside with their
two cats Sylvester and Sasha. Todd and
Sheila currently attend Sovereign Grace Church where Todd is presently involved
in the preaching rotation as well as helping lead Bible studies.