Meet Our First Lady
Maria Smith
OUR FIRST LADY
Maria Smith is the First Lady of Decatur Heights Baptist Church. Born and raised in Washington, DC. Lady Smith attended Bethesda Baptist Church as a child with her great-grandmother and was baptized at the age of 13. After graduating from high school she moved to Atlanta, GA to pursue her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Spelman College. While attending college she spent a lot of time volunteering and being involved in campus activities. One of the most prolific moments in her life was when she went to gut and clean houses in New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina. She obtained her degree in 2009 and returned back to the DC area to begin her career and reunite with her family.


Her Philosophy
One of the most fulfilling joys in her life is the ability to educate, encourage and support young minds. She has a passion for youth ministry and helping students of all ages succeed biblically and academically. That passion is reflected not only in her role as Director of Children’s Ministry here at the church (“Kids Korner”), but also in her career working with several non-profit organizations that support the advancement of children and teenagers in underserved communities.
“I believe the greatest gift we have is love, it comes freely to us from God because he first loved us. So we should give it freely to others, we should inspire and encourage our children and communities, show them how to love so they can love others. That’s where we make a difference, it starts with our youth.”
Her Family
Maria Smith
OUR FIRST LADY
Lady Maria holds a M.A in Strategic Communications and Public Relations from Trinity Washington University. She is married to Pastor JJ Smith and together they have three beautiful children – Elijah, Victoria and their newest addition BoVon.

The person and the work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (John 1:1-2; John 1:14; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-8; Galatians 4:4-5).
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God-breathed. (II Timothy 3:16-1; II Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 14:25; John 16:12-13).
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14).
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