Our Pastor

Dr. Briant is in his 21st year as pastor of the Southside Baptist Church. During this time, more than 1,250 people have been baptized into the membership of Southside with more than 300 additions by letter.  Southside has been recognized among the leading churches in evangelism in Florida, having been recognized three times by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as being in the top one-half of one percent of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention in evangelistic effectiveness.

The pastor has served churches in Florida, the Pacific Northwest and Oklahoma. An active preacher and denominational leader, he is used widely in Sunday School Growth emphases, revivials and denominational activities. The pastor has served as the First Vice-President for the Florida Baptist Convention and is currently Vice-Chairman of the Trustees for the Baptist College of Florida Board of Trustees. He was a 2007 participant in the Oxford Round Table, Oxford, England.

Dr. Briant is known as a friend to pastors and one of the leading pulpiteers on Florida's West Coast. You are invited to hear his timely expository messages from God's Word.

Dr, Briant and his wife, Ruthi, have four adult children; Ralph, Marci Steven and Solveig and two grandchildren Atreju and Urijah.