Harrison Litzell
Program Director, Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership
Rev. Harrison Litzell is the Program Coordinator at the Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership. He earned his MDiv with a Certificate in Christian Social Ethics from Mercer University McAfee School of Theology in 2020 BA in Religion from Carson-Newman University in 2017.
Harrison’s career has been one of response to the needs of community. He began his work in ministry as an intern at a church in Jefferson City, Tennessee and quickly found his place in the needs of that congregation in caring for children and youth in the congregation. Then, when moving to Atlanta in order to attend Mercer, he answered a call to Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, GA. There, he began as the Children’s Ministry Intern before becoming the Co-Director of the Weekday School from 2019-2022. During this time he served the congregation and community and worked to make sure each child and family was supported and cared for.
At the end of his tenure at Smoke Rise, Harrison began conversations with the Baugh Center at Mercer in order to partner with their work in supporting lay leaders in local churches. Beginning in 2021, Harrison worked to expand this mission to the calling of those in children and family ministry. He has spent his time at the Baugh Center making the theological education accessible for lay leaders within their faith communities, and supporting churches in their inclusion of children in worship and formation. He has specifically spend time researching and teaching on the topics of neurodivergence and disability inclusion in children’s ministry.
Harrison was assessed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in 2024 and continues his work from this professional and personal experience. He lives in Gwinnett County in a multi-generational home that includes his parents, partner, and two children. He is originally from Florida and is a rare 7th generation Floridian, though he continues to find beauty and build a sense of home in the state of Georgia.
Rev. Harrison Litzell has over 10 years of experience in children’s ministry and is available for trainings, consultations,workshops, or conversations. He specializes in inclusive worship, pedagogy, and classroom management.
Education
- B.A., Carson-Newman College
- M.Div., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University