David J. Hailey has been pastor of Hayes Barton Baptist Church since 1996. Married for more than four decades, Dave and Susan are the proud parents of three adult children. Bethany is married to Jerad, and they are the parents of Betsy and Drew. They make their home in Maryland. David John lives in Chicago. He is married to Claire and they are the parents of Abigail and David John Hailey, III (John). Susanna, our youngest, is married to Cameron and lives in Raleigh. They are the parents of Millie and Louisa.

Andrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations.  His most recent books are Evangelism in an Age of Despair (Baker, 2025), The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms (Baker, 2023), Churches and the Crisis of Decline (Baker, 2022), The Congregation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2021), and The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God (Baker, 2019). In addition, he serves as theologian in residence for Youthfront.  He earned his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Rev. Kristen Tucker is a native of Durham, NC. Before being called into ministry, she received her undergraduate degree at East Carolina University and Master of Arts in college student development from Appalachian State in 2006. Kristen worked at UNC Wilmington as the assistant director of Housing and Residence Life. In 2013, Kristen graduated with a Master of Divinity from Campbell University and has had the honor of being the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Smithfield for the last four years. Kristen has two “children”: Joye, her five-year-old Bernedoodle and Tucker, her three-year-old Poodle.