MEET THE IBF LEADERSHIP TEAM
DR. ANTHONY CARTER
IBF MODERATOR
Anthony Carter was born in Dubuque, Iowa while his father was stationed there for a temporary military duty. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida. At an early age, during family devotions, He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.
After graduating high school in 1985, he was married to his wife, Terri and enlisted to serve in the United States Army. It was while serving in the Republic of Panama that he received his call into fulltime Christian Ministry. The Lord also burdened his heart for reaching his kinsmen according to the flesh and the world. Although Pastor Carter grew up in a large city with several Independent Baptist Churches, the gospel of Christ was never sent to the neighborhood he grew up in. The burden was to go right back into his hometown and reach the forgotten people right in America.
After exiting the Army, Pastor Carter entered Gulf Coast Bible Institute and obtained his Bachelors Degree in Biblical Studies and a Master’s Degree in Christian Education from Andersonville Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate Degree in Theology. After finishing school, Pastor Carter was ordained into the Ministry and surrendered to serve with Death Unto Life Ministries as a missionary to Jacksonville, FL.
On April 16th, 2000, Pastor Carter founded the Truth Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. He and his wife have 3 children and 3 grandchildren who all worship and serve at Truth Baptist Church.
He has been affiliated with the Independent Baptist Fellowship for several years and has previously served as the Secretary/Treasurer.
DR. TONY SMART
IBF 1ST VICE MODERATOR
G. Antonio Smart was born on June 11, 1957 in Ancon, Panama. Both of his parents were employed by the US government in the Panama Canal Zone. Trained to read English and Spanish at an early age, his appetite for learning and teaching himself new truths inspired his parents to buy him a forty-seven volume Encyclopedia at age ten. After graduating from High School and attending the University of Panama Pharmacy school for two years he moved to the US intending to major in a Medical Science area of study. In 1979, at the age of twenty-one he trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior and was re-born into the family of God.
As a new Christian he found that his ambitions changed. He served in the US Air Force from 1979 until 1988. While on active duty in the military he received the call to preach the Gospel. He has earned a BA degree in Human Resources Administration from Saint Leo University, a Master of Ministry from the Covington Theological Seminary of Rossville, Georgia and a Doctor of Ministries in Theology from Landmark Baptist College in Haines City, FL. He has lived in Tampa since 1985.
G. Antonio (Tony) Smart is the founding pastor of Victory Baptist Church of Tampa; he also heads the Christian Academy there and is the Director of the Bible Institute. He has authored four books: Confronting Cultures with Scriptures, (2002) The Family Sermon (2007), One Hundred Reasons for Using the King James Bible (2011), Total Freedom in Christ (2017). He also currently serves as the First Vice- Moderator of the Independent Baptist Fellowship; a group of pastors dedicated to the faithful exposition of Scripture and the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith. He strongly supports the traditional family, religious liberty and school choice.
Pastor Smart has been married to his wife Maritza for over 37 years and they have raised two daughters.
PASTOR KEITH CUNNINGHAM
IBF 2ND VICE MODERATOR
Pastor Keith Cunningham was born and raised in Miami, FL. In 1984 after graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Army. While stationed in Corozal, Republic of Panama, he was invited to Maranatha Baptist Church, Balboa, Rep. of Panama. It was during this church service on August 3, 1986, that he heard a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He came under conviction about his sins and during that same service repented of his sins and trusted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
He was later baptized and joined Maranatha Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Al Sligh. While growing as a new convert and serving in the Bus Ministry, soul winning and married couples fellowship, God called him to surrender to full time Christian Service during a mission’s conference on May 15, 1988.
After completing his commitment to the U.S. Army, he enrolled in Bible College where he completed his Bachelor of Theology and Master of Religious Education degrees from Andersonville Baptist Seminary. He is the Founding Pastor of Victory Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Pastor Cunningham is married to his lovely wife of over 31 years, Maria, a native of the Republic of Panama, who has faithfully served along side her husband since the inception of this ministry. They have 3 adult children.
REV. JAMES SANDERS
IBF SECRETARY/TREASURER
Pastor James Sanders was born in the small rural town of Hughes, Arkansas. He graduated high school and joined the Marine Corps. It was while he was stationed on the island of Okinawa on March 5th, 1976 he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at the Maranatha Baptist Church and learned that he could never lose his salvation. Pastor Sanders became committed to studying and teaching God's word with the desire to prevent many from experiencing the same spiritual downfall he had. Six months later, after reading the Bible through and much church involvement he surrendered to the call of God to preach the gospel.
He sent a gospel track to his high school sweet heart and she accepted Christ. Two weeks after returning from Okinawa they were married on February 26th, 1977. That same year he was discharged from the Marines and entered Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible in May of 1981. He continued his education through God's divine provision and graduated from Temple Baptist Theological Seminary in May of 1988 with a Master of Divinity with a proficiency in Old Testament Theology.
After graduating college, he helped organized the New Sholar Avenue Baptist Church which he pastored for sixteen years. In June of 1996 he was lead of the Lord and moved to Kansas City, Missouri and became the Minister of Education at the Bannister Road Baptist Church with Pastor Dwight E. Scott. After leaving the Bannister Road Baptist Church, he founded and organized the Grandview Independent Baptist Church which he pastored for 12 years.
Through the miraculous healing of God, he recovered from a major stroke in January of 2013 and resigned from the pastorate and has organized the Agape Love Printing Ministry. It is through this ministry he has published a teaching series outline of the Book of Romans entitled "Empowered for Heaven and Earth." He has also developed an outline survey series study through the Bible entitled "The Approved Workman" (not published) along with some other books of the bible outline series with prayerfully many more to come. This ministry has allowed for the development of discipleship materials called "Partners in Faith a One with One Ministry." Through this ministry he is desiring to teach and train churches to teach and train new converts in "The Five Essentials of Christian Living."
Pastor Sanders and his wife Loretta have been married for forty-one years. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren.