DBC Students

Our 2026 graduated Seniors open up about their personal testimonies, sharing powerful stories of how faith and fellowship carried them through life’s darkest moments. From navigating childhood adversity and the sudden loss of a family home to surviving deep battles with mental health, depression, and the devastating grief of losing a loved one, each speaker reflects on their journey from brokennes...

Brian  Smith addresses the misconception that the Gospel is a burdensome or oppressive list of rules, noting that many people today view faith as harmful or restrictive. Drawing from Colossians 2,  Brian  explains that the true gospel is actually "good news" that offers freedom from man-made traditions, religious performance, and the weight of sin. He highlights the "glorious exchan...

In this message, Pastor Brian Smith addresses middle school students about the innate human tendency to hide our struggles, sins, and shame from those who love us. Drawing from the story of his daughter playing hide-and-seek and the biblical account of Adam and Eve in Genesis, he explains that while sin and shame naturally drive us into isolation and "church masks," this darkness only allows our p...

In this first episode of Wordsmith with Brian Smith , I sit down with Allen Jackson, a longtime pastor, professor, friend and someone who has shaped countless preachers over the years. We talk about how he studies Scripture, how he approaches sermon preparation week in and week out, and what he’s learned about preaching through decades of ministry.

In the Wednesday Night Worship with the Students, Brian begins drawing from the wisdom of Solomon in Ecclesiastes and the teachings of Jesus in Matthew, Brian explains that constantly measuring ourselves against others is as futile as "chasing the wind" and serves only to fuel anxiety and fear. He argues that comparison robs us of joy and prevents us from becoming who God created us to b...

In a heartfelt message to her middle school students,  Annoura shares her personal journey of overcoming the fear of public speaking by drawing inspiration from the biblical story of  Esther . Initially ecstatic about the opportunity to help her peers, Annoura admits she nearly quit due to intense anxiety and the pressure to say something meaningful as the deadline approached. She explains how she...

For The Collective Night, Jimmy shares his personal journey of faith, reflecting on his struggle with living a "double life" between his church community and his social circles during high school. He highlights his greatest regret: lying to a younger student of a different ethnicity who asked him to a dance because he was more concerned with his reputation among his peers than with being...

In week 4 of the "Radical Life" series,  Derrick  shares a teaching from the book of Mark, focusing on the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 to illustrate the difference between a "faith of convenience" and a "faith of necessity." He describes how Jesus and his disciples were exhausted and seeking rest, yet when faced with a large, hungry crowd, Jesus chose compassion...

Derrick reflects on a powerful weekend, celebrating the spiritual breakthroughs and life-changing moments experienced by the students. He highlights testimonies from individuals like William, who committed his life to Christ, and others who found peace, surrender, and the importance of community at the altar. Derrick passionately challenges the group to maintain their "fire" and passion...

In Session 4 of The WKND,  Brian  bridges the conclusion of The WKND with the ongoing "Life of Peter" sermon series to explore how to build a lasting spiritual legacy. Reflecting on Peter’s journey from a common fisherman to a bold apostle,  Brian  highlights that while faith often includes moments of failure and denial—much like Peter’s heartbreaking experience in the high priest's...

In Session 3 of The WKND 2026,  Derrick  challenges students to consider the lasting impact of their lives as they conclude The WKND focused on the theme of "Legacy." He emphasizes that a true legacy is not defined by mere church attendance, but by a life built on the "rock" of Jesus and an active relationship with the Holy Spirit. Using a visual metaphor of milk and chocolate...

In Session Two of The WKND, Derrick challenges his audience to move beyond a superficial faith and honestly evaluate the foundation of their lives. Drawing from the teachings of Jesus in Luke 6 , he contrasts the person who builds their life on the solid rock of obedience and true transformation with the person who builds on sand, seeking only temporary emotional highs or "feel-good moments.&...

In Session One of The WKND 2026,  Brian  explores the vital importance of remembering God's work in our lives to secure our faith for the future. Drawing on the biblical story from Joshua 4, where the Israelites built a stone memorial after miraculously crossing the Jordan River,  Brian  emphasizes that "miracles fade if we don’t remember them." He candidly shares his own struggles w...

Student Pastor Brian Smith gives a message to the middle schoolers, using the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son to explore how people respond when they "mess up" their lives. He begins with a personal anecdote about a childhood injury caused by his own unwise choices, noting that his first instinct was to run toward his father for help. Brian contrasts this with the common human tende...

Pastor Jimmy Carter shares his personal journey from being a local student-athlete to becoming the church's new senior pastor. Reflecting on his roots as a "Dunwoody Wildcat," Carter describes how his identity was once solely tied to football, leading to a period of "lukewarm" faith and personal struggle after a failed college recruitment attempt. He recounts how God unexpe...

In this second week of the "Radical Life" series, speaker Derrick Milner explores  Mark 2 , focusing on the story of the four friends who lowered a paralyzed man through a roof to reach Jesus. Derrick emphasizes that a "radical life" requires bringing our entire "mess" to the Messiah rather than trying to compartmentalize our faith. He highlights that Jesus performed...

Derrick Milner welcomes students back for the new year of 2026 and introduces a new series titled  "Radical Life,"  which will explore the entire Gospel of Mark over several months. Using the first eight verses of Mark 1, Derrick focuses on the "unexpected" nature of John the Baptist—an eccentric figure living in the wilderness who God chose to prepare the way for Jesus. He emp...

Student Pastor Brian Smith recounts the biblical story of  Zechariah and Elizabeth  from the beginning of Luke's Gospel, setting it against the backdrop of the  400 years of silence  following the Old Testament's final prophecy in Malachi. He emphasizes that during this time, God's people likely felt forgotten, a feeling many students can relate to when facing personal struggles or una...

🙏 Kate Bacon's Testimony Kate Bacon, who grew up in the church and graduated from Dunwoody High School in 2022, shared her personal testimony about finding her identity in Jesus Christ while navigating the challenges of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Although she understood the gospel from a young age and committed her life to Christ at seven, she admitted that throughout m...

Sebbi Harrison, a middle schooler, delivered a speech focusing on 1 Timothy 4:12, which says, "Never let anyone look down on you because you're young, but set an example for them." Drawing from his personal experience of feeling overlooked as the youngest brother and initially small and new to the church, Sebbi emphasized that young people, specifically middle schoolers, can and shou...

Avery's Message: Learning How to Be Still Avery's message, "Learning how to be still," encourages  middle schoolers  to find  rest and peace  in God despite their overwhelming, busy schedules of school, sports, and other activities. She shares that she herself struggled with being still, which God addressed first with a gentle reminder, then a stop sign, and finally through a  fr...

Derrick Milner wraps up "The Grave Robber" series by emphasizing that true faith requires shifting one's focus from personal efforts and religious actions to a genuine, heart-felt relationship with Jesus Christ. He opens by reflecting on powerful worship and announcing the upcoming "collective night," then recounts the series' previous themes: Jesus makes the  impossibl...

Week 2 of the "Grave Robber" message series, centers on the theme that  "No one is too far gone"  and  "Jesus makes the impossible possible."  Derrick Milner begins by sharing a personal anecdote about reluctantly trying and ultimately enjoying long-distance running, stressing that new or difficult things (like sharing faith) require a  "whatever it takes"  ...

In Week 1 of "The Grave Robber" message series, speaker Derrick Milner introduced the theme of  Jesus making the impossible possible  by focusing on his power to resurrect the dead, a concept that seems unbelievable outside of movies. Milner highlighted that everyone experiences seemingly impossible situations in life, from sports comebacks to difficult family issues, and emphasized that...

In the final part of the series on "fake faith," Brian Smith clarifies that having doubts or struggles does not make one's faith fake. He also warned against "fake friends" who might pull people away from God's plan for their lives. Brian then brought up his son, Jude Smith, to speak. Jude took the stage and began by posing the question, "What is fake faith?"...