Faculty, Staff & Board of Directors

Regular Faculty

President Image color

Pastor Samuel E. Waldron, Ph.D.

Professor of Systematic Theology

Dr. Sam Waldron serves as professor of Systematic Theology. He is also one of the pastors of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY. Dr. Waldron received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1977 to 2001 he was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Waldron is the author of numerous books including A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, The End Times Made Simple, Baptist Roots in America, To Be Continued?, and MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response.

Courses taught: Symbolics, Systematic Theology Overview, Systematic Theology & Apologetics, Doctrine of the Word, Doctrine of God, Doctrine of Man & Ethics, Doctrine of Christ & Salvation, Doctrine of the Church, Doctrine of Last Things, Questions in Eschatology, Hyper-Calvinism & the Free Offer of the Gospel, Life & Theology of Paul, Exposition of Romans, Historical Theology Early Church, Historical Theology Medieval/Reformation Church, Historical Theology Modern Church.

Sam Waldron Media Kit

J Ryan Davidson

Pastor J. Ryan Davidson, Ph.D.

Professor of Practical Theology

J. Ryan Davidson holds a Ph.D. from the Free University of Amsterdam, researching pastoral theology in the early church period. He is a graduate of Samford University (B.A.), The College of William & Mary (M.Ed.), and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Th.M.). He currently pastors Grace Baptist Chapel, a Reformed Baptist Church in Hampton, VA. He is married to Christie and they have four children.

Courses taught: Introduction to Pastoral Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, History of Counseling & Pastoral Care.

J Ryan Davidson

Pastor Timothy Decker, Ph.D.

Professor of Biblical Languages

Dr. Timothy Decker is one of the pastors of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church of Roanoke, VA, having joined them in 2018. He holds a B.A. and M.A. biblical studies from Carolina University (formerly Piedmont International University), a Th.M. in New Testament from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in biblical studies from Capital Seminary and Graduate School. In his dissertation research, he examined the style of biblical Hebrew poetry in the New Testament. He has presented various papers at academic society meetings and authored numerous articles in several different scholarly journals. He is a member of ETS and IBR. When he is not reading or researching, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four children.

Courses taught: Elementary Greek I, Elementary Greek II

Michael Emadi

Missionary Michael Emadi

Lecturer in Biblical Languages

Michael Emadi received his B.A. from the University of Utah before serving in the U.S. Air Force as an Intelligence Officer.  He received his M.Div from the the the Midwest Center for Theological Studies (precursor to CBTS) in joint cooperation with the Reformed Baptist Seminary and MABL degree (Master of Arts in Biblical Languages) from Houston Baptist University.  Michael has also served as the professor of biblical languages for CBTS since 2013.  He currently lives in Ireland where he works as a missionary. He is married to Ashley and they have three children, Liam, Lorelai, and Méav.

Courses taught: Intermediate Greek: Syntax & Exegetical Methodology, New Testament Exegesis, Hebrew Syntax & Exegesis. 

Chris Holmes

Pastor Chris Holmes, Ph.D.

Professor of Practical Theology

Dr. Chris Holmes is originally from near Nashville, Tennessee. He serves as the Head of School for Grace Christian Academy, a new Christian high school in Owensboro, Kentucky. He also serves on the pastoral staff of Yellow Creek Baptist Church. He is married to Beth, and they have one son, Henry. Chris pursued ministry studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. His M.Div. program focused on Christian worship and served as a platform to pursue a Th.M. in New Testament and a Ph.D. in Christian preaching and Baptist history. His dissertation centered on the published sermons of Benjamin Keach and the way he used metaphors to enhance the effectiveness of his preaching. In addition to his ministry responsibilities, Chris enjoys teaching and training pastors in other nations.

Courses taught: The Life & Theology of Benjamin Keach, History of Preaching & Preachers, Preaching II, Writing and Research.

Fred Malone

Pastor Fred Malone, Ph.D.

Professor of Pastoral Theology

Dr. Fred Malone has served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Clinton, Louisiana for the past twenty years, following eleven years as founding pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas. He holds a B.S. from Auburn University, an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Malone has served as a board member of many organizations including Founders Ministries, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Administrative Council of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches in America and the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies at Westminster Seminary in California. Dr. Malone has authored A String of Pearls Unstrung and The Baptism of Disciples Alone.

Courses taught: Reformed Baptist Covenant Theology, Pastoral Theology I, Pastoral Theology II, Law & Gospel in Pastoral Ministry, Preaching Christ from All of Scripture, Case Studies in Pastoral Counseling. 

John Miller

Pastor John Miller, Th.M.

Vice-President & Professor of Practical Theology

John Miller serves as Pastor of Redeemer Baptist Church in Macon, GA.  John received his Master of Divinity from Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2007 and received his Master of Theology degree in Biblical Studies  from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in May of 2018.  Pastor John and his wife Elizabeth have four children; Kathryn, Kristyn, Nathan and Samuel.

Courses taught: Old Testament Introduction, Introduction to Evangelism & Missions.

J Ryan Davidson

Pastor Josh Wilson, Ph.D.

Professor of Biblical Languages

Josh lives in Park Hills, MO with his wife (Sarah, married in 2002) and their eight children (Joshua, Jakob, Timothy, Caleb, Katelynne, Natalie, Luke, and Simon). He enjoys playing boardgames with his family and, when he has the time, backcountry backpacking on the Ozark Trail. Josh has been serving as the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Park Hills since 2012 and has been teaching Bible for Missouri Baptist University since 2008. He holds a B.A. in Religious Education and Biblical Languages from Missouri Baptist University as well as a M.Div. in Biblical and Theological Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Through Southern Seminary, he also earned a Ph.D. in Old Testament with an emphasis in Greek, Hebrew, and Hebrew Literature. Josh has spoken at several regional conferences and has written articles for both Answers in Genesis and the Answers Research Journal.

Courses taught: Elementary Hebrew 1, Elementary Hebrew 2. 

Visiting Faculty

Tom Aschol

Pastor Tom Ascol, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Practical Theology

Tom Hicks

Pastor Richard Barcellos, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of New Testament Studies

James White

Michael A.G. Haykin, Th.D.
Visiting Professor of Church History

Tom Hicks

Pastor Tom Hicks, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Historical Theology

Pastor Jon English Lee

Pastor Jon English Lee, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Exegetical Theology

Tom Nettles

Tom Nettles, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Historical Theology

James Renihan

Pastor James Renihan, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Historical Theology

Tom Nettles

Pastor Sam Renihan, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Historical Theology

James White

Pastor James White, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of New Testament Studies

Staff

Rex Semrad

Dr. Sam Waldron

President

Dr. Sam Waldron serves as President of CBTS. He is also one of the pastors of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY. Dr. Waldron received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1977 to 2001 he was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Waldron is the author of numerous books including A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, The End Times Made Simple, Baptist Roots in America, To Be Continued?, and MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response.

Brice Bigham

John Miller

Vice President & Academic Dean

John Miller serves as Vice President of CBTS. He also serves as Pastor of Redeemer Baptist Church in Macon, GA.  John received his Master of Divinity from Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2007 and received his Master of Theology degree in Biblical Studies  from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in May of 2018.  Pastor John and his wife Elizabeth have four children; Kathryn, Kristyn, Nathan and Samuel.

Rex Semrad

Rexford Semrad

Dean of Students

Rexford Semrad has served as an administrator at Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary since 2015. He is married to his wife of 32 years, Marion, and has 8 children. He is a member of Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Owensboro, KY where he serves as a Deacon and a Gifted Brother. Among other things, Rex particularly enjoys theology, hot sauce and Church history. 

Email: [email protected]

Pastor Jon English Lee

Dr. Jon English Lee

ThM Director

Jon English serves as Pastor of Discipleship for Morningview Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He has earned a Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University Montgomery, a Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Systematic and Historical Theology from SBTS. Jon English is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, and a fellow for the Center for Pastor Theologians.

Brice Bigham

Brice Bigham

Director of Development, Marketing, & Finance

Brice Bigham came on staff at CBTS in 2019. He serves as a Deacon at Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Owensboro, KY. He has earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Columbia International University and a Master of Divinity from CBTS (’24). He lives with his wife Alina and their four children. Brice particularly enjoys church history, homesteading, and spending time with his family. 

Blake Cassell

Blake Cassell

Assistant to the President, Director of Admissions, Registrar

Blake has been on staff at CBTS as Assistant to the President since 2020. Blake is a 2013 MATS graduate of CBTS and has served as a foreign missionary in Africa twice. Blake is a member of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY. He is married to Niki and has a son and two daughters. Blake enjoys reading, science fiction, and old houses.

Roberto Soriano

Roberto Soriano

Director of Information Technology & Operations

Roberto came on staff at CBTS in the fall of 2020 as Director of IT. He serves as a Deacon at Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Owensboro, KY. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State University and a Master of Divinity at CBTS (’24). He married Chaneirys in May of 2013. Together they have five children. 

Austin McCormick

R. Austin McCormick

Manager of Media & Communications

In 2021, Austin joined the CBTS administration as Manager of Media & Communications. He is a Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, TN. Austin received a Bachelor’s Degree from Spurgeon College and a Master of Divinity from CBTS (’24). He is married to Rachel, and together they have three children: Geneva, Benjamin, and Bristol.

Pastor Jorge Rodriguez

Jorge Rodriguez Vega

Spanish Program Director

In 2024, Jorge joined the CBTS administration as Spanish Program Director. He is a Pastor of Iglesia Bautista Reformada Gracia Soberana in Santo Domingo, Ecuador.

Roberto Soriano

Kyle Kearbey

Special Assistant to the President for Accreditation

Kyle assists CBTS as an Accreditation Specialist, leading initiatives related to academic quality and continuous improvement. Kyle serves as Pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Albion, IN.

Roberto Soriano

Michael Sullivan

Information Technology Specialist

 

Board of Directors

John Miller

Pastor Fred Malone (Ph.D.)

John Miller

Pastor Jim Savastio

Reformed Baptist Church
Louisville, KY

John Miller

Pastor Mike Waters

Pastor Ron Miller

Pastor Ronald Miller

Covenant Baptist Church
Clarksville, TN

Jorge Rodriguez

Pastor Jon Hueni

Pastor Lee McKinnon

Pastor Lee McKinnon

Pastor Jon English Lee

Pastor Jon English Lee (Ph.D.)

Daniel Wolford

Daniel Wolford

Trinity Reformed Baptist Church
Carlisle, PA

Pastor Tom Hicks

Pastor Tom Hicks (Ph.D.)

Pastor Ben Carlson

Pastor Ben Carlson

Pastor Jorge Rodriguez

Pastor Eduardo Flores Rivera

Pastor Jorge Rodriguez

Pastor Michael Villa

Pastor Tom Hicks

Pastor Justin Miller (D.Min)

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