Dr. Eric Smith is the Lead Pastor at Hope City Church. Pastor Eric has twenty years of ministry and leadership experience, with ten of those years as a Senior Pastor. Dr. Eric Smith has been married to Krystal for 17 years and they have a son, Weathers. Eric holds a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University.

His senior leadership includes being the founder of Vertical Church, a church plant in Mississippi that became one of the fastest growing churches in the state and grew to include four campuses. During that same time period, Eric co-founded the 242 Network, a church-planting network that assesses, trains and coaches church planters.

After almost 7 of leadership as a church planter and 242 Network director, Eric took on the task of revitalizing Vaughn Forest Church in Montgomery, Alabama, a church that had been declining for almost 8 consecutive years. Under Eric’s leadership, the church saw the momentum change and within a year and a half, Vaughn Forest Church was named in Outreach Magazine’s list of 100 Fastest Growing Churches in America, being ranked the 55th fastest growing church in America.

During the past two years Eric has worked as a consultant serving churches and church plants around the country. His book, “Momentum: A Step-By-Step System For Growing A Healthy Church”, was release in 2019. Eric and Krystal believe God is calling their family to take a new step of faith and plant Hope City Church.