2026 BSK Graduation Weekend
Homecoming and Graduate Celebration
Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2026
Location: Central Baptist Church, 110 Wilson Downing Road, Lexington, KY
Spend time in person with your fellow students and professors. BSK has funding to help students attend our expanded graduation events. Please make a priority of joining us!
BSK Graduation Weekend Events
Friday, May 15
Gathering of Graduates and the BSK Community (students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends)
3:30 PM –BSK Family Fellowship (a time to meet and greet over snacks).
(Attendees of the BSK Family Fellowship may stay onsite until the banquet.)
5:30 PM – Banquet for Graduates and BSK Community (students eat free).
Saturday, May 16
Celebrating our Graduates and Cosby Scholars
9:00 AM – Cosby Scholars’ Breakfast
Featuring Dr. Darvin Adams, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Simmons College of Kentucky, as speaker. Read Dr. Adams’ bio below.
1:00 PM – Commencement Ceremony and Reception
Featuring Dr. Jaye Peabody Smith, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at BSK, as speaker. Read Dr. Peabody Smith’s bio below.
Plan to Participate!
Travel assistance available for students
Connect with faculty, staff and students in person
You are invited to the BSK Twenty-Second Annual Commencement Banquet and Ceremony on Friday and Saturday, May 15, and May 16, respectively. Join us at Central Baptist Church, 110 Wilson Downing Road, Lexington, KY to fellowship with our academic community and celebrate our graduates’ achievements.
The Siloam Project will underwrite a one-night hotel stay in Lexington for a limited number of students traveling from outside the Lexington area.
RSVP no later than Friday, May 1, to reserve your room on a first-come, first-served basis. Breakfast is included at the hotel, and your Friday night Commencement Banquet is also included.
Sign Up Today
Register below to save your spot for this special weekend. Act by May 1.
Click to Register for Graduation Weekend!
Dr. Darvin Adams
Cosby Scholars Breakfast Speaker
Dr. Adams completed his Master of Divinity degree from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2009 where he studied Theology, Culture, and Black religious experiences. In 2018, he completed the PhD in Theology and Ethics (Economic Theory was his research tool) at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. His dissertation, ‘Cause De Spirit Spoke to Me: Robertsian Conversations on Black Liberation Theology Amidst Economic Deprivation,’ received distinctive marks for the completion of the terminal degree.
In addition to pastoring 22 years in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Dr. Adams has published 3 full-length books: The Mythology of Kobe Bryant: Theology and the Culture of Sport (2022), the best-selling Inner-City Blues: Black Theology and Black Poverty in the United States (2023), and What’s Going On? The Holy Spirit in Christian History, Black Theology, and the Economy of God’s Love (2024). All 3 books have done very well on the academic market. Dr. Adams‘ 4th book entitled Safe Spaces in Jim Crow: The Chitlin’ Circuit and the Emergence of a Black Cultural Theology will be published nationally and internationally in early August 2026.
Dr. Adams teaches Theology and Religious Studies at Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville and the Turner Theological Seminary in Atlanta, GA. In the Fall 2026, he will also be teaching a course on Theology and Culture here at BSK.
Dr. Jaye Peabody Smith
Commencement Speaker
Dr. Jaye Lynn Peabody Smith is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at the BSK Theological Seminary.
Dr. Peabody Smith is a professor, preacher, psychotherapist, and pastoral care educator. A licensed professional counselor and a certified professional counseling supervisor, she provides individual, group, and couples counseling from a faith-based perspective.
Dr. Peabody Smith earned a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling, a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Counseling, and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health from Mercer University. She also earned a Master of Public Administration from New York University. Dr. Smith has a wealth of training in Clinical Pastoral Education.
Dr. Peabody Smith has presented inspiring and engaging workshops on a diverse array of topics. State and national conferences include the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Licensed Professional Counseling Association of Georgia, and the American Mental Health Counselors Association.
Dr. Peabody Smith has served in ministry for over 20 years, having been licensed to preach in 2001 and ordained in 2004. She has served as a Youth Pastor and Associate Pastor in churches and currently is the Executive Pastor at Redemptive Life Christian Fellowship in Conyers, Georgia. She also enjoys guest preaching and teaching for congregations of all faiths.
Dr. Peabody Smith is passionate about abiding with people on their journey to emotional wholeness.