Stephen Davis Pettit, Sr. (born November 27, 1955) is an American

Christian evangelist Evangelism, or witnessing, is the act of sharing the Christian gospel, the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is typically done with the intention of converting others to Christianity. Evangelism can take several forms, such as personal ...

who served as the fifth president of

Bob Jones University Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. It is known for its Conservatism in the United States, conservative and Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical cultural and religious posit ...

from 2014 to 2023.

Early life and education

Steve Pettit was born in

Quitman, Georgia Quitman is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Georgia, Brooks County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The population was 4,064 in 2020. The Quitman Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places ...

, but his parents, who had met in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

, moved to Columbia,

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

, when he was three. Pettit spent his childhood in Columbia, performing in a workshop theater founded by his mother and playing the tuba in his high school band. He was the captain of the soccer team and was elected class president at his high school three years in a row.BJU website
Pettit attended

The Citadel The Citadel Military College of South Carolina (simply known as The Citadel) is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Established in 1842, it is the third oldest of the six senior military colleges ...

, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1978. A teammate on The Citadel's soccer team, a devout Christian, witnessed to Pettit; and on Easter Sunday 1975, in response to a radio sermon, Pettit "called on the Lord, and He saved me by His grace.” Believing he was called to preach, Pettit enrolled in Bob Jones University Seminary and Graduate School of Religion, where he graduated with a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies in 1980.

Career

He served as an assistant pastor at the First Baptist Church,

Bridgeport, Michigan Bridgeport is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The CDP had a population of 6,571 at the 2020 census. The community is located within Bridgeport Township. As an u ...

, from 1980 until 1985 and then formed his own Steve Pettit Evangelistic Association with headquarters in

Pembine, Wisconsin Pembine is a town in Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 877 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Kremlin is located in the town, The census-designated place of Pembine is also located in the town. Geog ...

. He and his evangelistic teams of young people in their 20s conducted more than 800 evangelistic campaigns throughout the United States and in more than 21 countries. Pettit also served as staff evangelist (1985–2002) and camp director (2002–2011) at Northland Camp and Conference Center in

Dunbar, Wisconsin Dunbar is a town in Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,303 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of Dunbar is located in the town. History The town was founded in 1888 during a period of thriving loggin ...

. In 2011, he became national director of Cross Impact Ministries. Pettit has been featured in a number of recordings playing the

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

, and he has written several devotional books. The BJU Board of Trustees named Pettit president on May 8, 2014, after the resignation of Stephen Jones, great-grandson of the founder,

Bob Jones, Sr. Robert Reynolds Jones Sr. (October 30, 1883 – January 16, 1968) was an American evangelist, pioneer religious broadcaster, and the founder and first president of Bob Jones University. Early years Bob Davis Reynolds Jones was the elevent ...

Pettit thus became the first president of the university not related to the Jones family. During Pettit's first seven years as BJU president, the University gained regional accreditation from the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...

Commission on Colleges, the University regained its tax exempt status, it launched a new School of Health Professions, and it added eight new intercollegiate sports and gained provisional membership in

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...

. During the

Covid pandemic Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fev ...

, Pettit opted to open the University for in-person classes in the fall of 2020 and organized several task forces to make the necessary adjustments work successfully. On March 30, 2023, Pettit announced his resignation effective May 5, citing his inability to work with John Lewis, the chairman of the Board of Trustees. Pettit then reentered evangelism and traveled with a gospel

bluegrass band Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Bluegrass has roots in African American ...

. In April 2024, the

Palmetto Family Council Palmetto Family Council is a nonprofit public policy organization focused upon implementing conservative Christian ideas in South Carolina state law, especially concerning sexual morality. It opposes same-sex marriage, sex education, and vaccin ...

named Pettit as its president.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pettit, Steve American evangelists Presidents of Bob Jones University 1955 births People from Greenville, South Carolina People from Columbia, South Carolina Living people The Citadel Bulldogs men's soccer players Bob Jones University alumni People from Quitman, Georgia People from Bridgeport, Michigan Men's association football players not categorized by position Association football players not categorized by nationality