Staff Directory

Jeff Herring

Executive Director - editor@baptisttrumpet.com

Jeff joined the Baptist Trumpet staff in May of 2019 as Assistant Editor. He previously served for over 22 years as a full-time associate pastor in Arkansas. He was unanimously elected to serve as Executive Editor on Nov. 5, 2020, at the BMA of Ark. meeting at Central Baptist College.

He has been married to Kristin, the Head Career Academy Coach for Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD), for over 25 years. They have three children: Abigail, a recent graduate of Central Baptist College in Conway, who is now working on her Master of Health Administration at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS); Autumn, a junior at Central Baptist College majoring in Health Science with a minor in kinesiology; and Austin, an 8th-grade student at Baptist Prep in Little Rock.

Jeff is a graduate of Central Baptist College with a BA in Religious Education and BMA Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Religion. He is an ordained minister and an active member at Antioch Baptist Church in Conway serving in many different roles.

Jeff and Kristin love to cook and have people over to their home. They also love to travel and have had the opportunity to travel on educational trips to Europe, including trips to London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, and Athens. Jeff has also been on mission trips to Guatemala, Honduras, Bolivia, Peru, and multiple times to the Philippines. He hopes to one day be able to travel to the Holy Land with his family.

"God will always lead us where He wants us to go. Sometimes the doors He opens are not what we expect, but you must be obedient just the same. I am excited to serve the state of Arkansas as the Executive Editor and will do my best to help make the Baptist Trumpet successful as we seek to spread the word to the people of the BMA effectively."

Allan Eakin

Associate Editor - associateeditor@baptisttrumpet.com

Allan joined the Baptist Trumpet staff on Oct. 5, 2020. He works in all aspects of the Trumpet ministry, including advertising, circulation management, billing, payroll, website, and writing/editing.

Allan also serves as pastor at Celebration Baptist Church in Haskell. He has served Celebration Baptist Church for over ten years. Prior to Celebration Baptist Church, Allan served churches in Texas and Arkansas in many staff roles including Youth Pastor, Education, Outreach Director, Assistant Pastor, and Lead Pastor.

He has been married to Charissa for over forty years. Charissa is a career classroom teacher and currently teaches at Collegeville Elementary in Bryant, Arkansas. Allan and Charissa have two children, Courtney and Jared. Both kids are married and raising their own children. Allan and Charissa have eight grandchildren.

Allan is a graduate of Central Baptist College with a BA in Bible. He also attended Mid-American Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee.

He is a die-hard baseball fan (St. Louis Cardinals), a BBQ aficionado, and a consumer of anything APPLE.

The Bible character with whom he most identifies is the Old Testament character of Joseph. Proverbs 3:5-7 is a special passage to him and the text of his first sermon in 1981. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6) think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. 7) Don't consider yourself to be wise; fear the Lord and turn away from evil." Proverbs 3:5-7, HCSB.

Dianne Spriggs

Editor Emeritus - r.dianne.spriggs@gmail.com

Diane joined the Baptist Trumpet staff on Jan. 2, 1980, as a "temporary, part-time typesetter" and was named editor/business manager by the BMA of Arkansas on Nov. 3, 2005. "I had no idea what an adventure awaited me when God brought me to the Trumpet so many years ago," said Diane. "I am truly blessed to serve my Lord in the best job a girl can have in the BMA!"

She was saved in October 1959 at Park Place Baptist Church and is now a member of Oak Park Baptist Church in Little Rock, where she is part of the sanctuary choir and the Pairs & Spares Sunday School class.

On April 14, 1967, Diane married “the love of her life,” Pat, and they have two children and two children-in-love: Robert Patrick “Bobby” & Jennifer (Mollette) Spriggs of Sherwood, and Trina Michelle & Keith Medlock of Cabot. The “lights of her life” are her grandchildren: Baleigh Ann (Garrett) Spriggs, Hunter Wayne Medlock, and Savana Michelle Medlock; and her great-grandson, Lincoln David Barham.

Diane retired on Nov. 5, 2020, after serving almost 41 years on the Trumpet staff, the last 15 as editor. As the first official action of Executive Editor Jeff Herring, she was named Editor Emeritus to honor her time with the ministry she truly loves and will continue to serve and help in any way she can. She is available to speak at women's conferences, district meetings, churches, etc.