Dr. Criswell served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas for over 40 years. His preaching career spanned 63 years, during which time he had a tremendous impact on twentieth-century Christianity.

Dr. Criswell received the M.A. and D.D. degrees from Baylor University, and the Th.M. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to these earned degrees, he has been awarded 5 honorary doctorates.

The author of 54 books, including The Scarlet Thread, Expository Sermons on Daniel, Criswell Study Bible and Criswell's Guide for Pastors. Dr. Criswell has traveled extensively and preached on mission fields across the globe. Dr. Criswell served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1968-69.