Steve Pettit, was born in Georgia and raised in South Carolina. He attended The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, earning a B.S. in Business Administration. Feeling called to the ministry after graduation, he pursued an M.A. in Pastoral Studies at Bob Jones University. In recognition of his contributions, Bob Jones University, Northland Baptist Bible College, and Ambassador Baptist College all awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1997.

Steve served as an assistant pastor before becoming president of the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Association for over 20 years. In 2014, Steve assumed the role of the fifth president of Bob Jones University until 2023.  Presently, Dr. Pettit utilizes his gifts as a compelling communicator and expositor of Scripture with a focus on leadership. He travels as an itinerant evangelist with a gospel bluegrass musical team. Steve and his wife, Terry, have four adult children and five grandchildren