Prior to joining the faculty at Samford, J. D. served as an Associate Professor of Church Planting and Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also taught as an adjunct professor at Crossroads Bible College (Indianapolis), Boyce College (Louisville), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest), and Beeson Divinity School (Birmingham). He has published thirteen books and numerous articles on missions and evangelism, and contributed chapters to other publications.

J.D. is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, American Society of Missiology, Great Commission Research Network, and the Evangelical Missiological Society, where he held executive leadership roles. He also served as a national missionary with the North American Mission Board, provided leadership on church planting teams in Kentucky and Indiana, and for nineteen years, pastored churches in Kentucky, Indiana, and Alabama, most recently as the pastor of church multiplication with The Church at Brook Hills. He writes frequently for his blog (jdpayne.org) and hosts a podcast (Strike the Match). He is married to Sarah, a physician at Christ Health Center in Birmingham. They have three children: Hannah, Rachel, and Joel.

Degrees and Certifications       

• PhD, Evangelism and Church Growth, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2001
• MDiv, Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1998
• BA, Sociology, University of Kentucky, 1995
• Additional graduate studies in Sociology, University of Louisville

Awards and Honors

• 2020 Catalyst Distinguished Faculty Address, School of the Arts, Samford University
• Great Commission Research Network Donald A. McGavran Award

Books Published

• Theology of Mission: A Concise Biblical Theology. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. Forthcoming 2022.
• Apostolic Imagination: Recovering a Biblical Vision for the Church’s Mission Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. Forthcoming 2022.
•  Roland Allen’s The Ministry of Expansion: The Priesthood of the Laity. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2017. Editor.
•  Apostolic Church Planting: Birthing New Churches from New Believers. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015.
•  To the Edge: Reflections on Kingdom Leadership, Mission, and Innovation. N.p.: CreateSpace, 2015.
•  Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2013.
•  Developing a Strategy for Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Cultural Introduction. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013. Co-authored with John Mark Terry for Encountering Mission series.
•  Missionary Methods: Research, Reflections, and Realities. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2013. Co-edited with Craig Ott for Evangelical Missiological Society series.
•  Strangers Next Door: Immigration, Migration, and Mission. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012.
•  Kingdom Expressions: Trends Influencing the Advancement of the Gospel. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2012.
•  Roland Allen: Pioneer of Spontaneous Expansion. N.p.: CreateSpace, 2012.
•  Evangelism: A Biblical Response to Today’s Questions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011.
•  Discovering Church Planting: An Introduction to the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Global Church Planting. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009.
•  Missional House Churches: Reaching Our Communities with the Gospel. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008.
• The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members. Smyrna, DE: Missional Press, 2008.