S.D. Smith

My teenage daughter recently told me of a Christian leader who spoke to a group in which she attended. She was moved by his insight regarding the Lord’s will for them, but there was a certain statement that particularly drew her attention. The guest speaker confided toward his audience that he had not intended to talk about God’s will regarding these young people; rather, he had prepared a different topic of speech that he now set aside because God’s spirit was leading him in

Before long, the time will come for our farmers to gather their crops. To everything there is a season, and the reaping of many vegetables comes in autumn. Jesus uses horticultural themes several times in his parables to convey God’s nature and plan. Likewise, Paul teaches that every person will reap what they sow. Farming is excellent imagery for understanding several spiritual concepts, but I have become quite confused regarding the idea of harvesting unbelievers. My curios

“Don’t believe everything you read,” is a common phrase that is not commonly followed, especially among Christians. It is my observation that if a Christian reads an article or book written by a Christian author, hears a sermon from a pastor, or learns theology from a Pure Flix film, then they likely believe that it is biblical and trustworthy. The following blog represents one Christian who represents how living a life of blind faith instead of reasonable faith has diverted

I read the entire Bible before turning thirteen years old. However, I understood very little of it because my motivations consisted of earning a Royal Ranger badge, feeling good about checking it off a list, and avoiding guilt if I did not read it every day. The church also pushed the idea that reading anything in the Bible bears fruit because God's word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11, NKJV), reinforcing my apathy toward understanding the content. Thus, it was not until m

If you are familiar with the Jane Austin classic, Pride and Prejudice , you will remember a tense moment when the characters are discussing which traits define an accomplished woman . Mr. Bingley, a jovial bachelor who sees the good in everyone, insists that women who bare the marks of education by evidence of their ability to “paint tables, cover screens, and net purses” are accomplished. Bingley’s sister, plainly considering herself to be accomplished (if not superior to ot

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in C

Today was Sunday, and I attended morning service. Bob Bell, Senior Minister of Bethany Christian Church , was preaching about following Jesus. Before telling a personal story to illustrate the point he was making, he emphasized that the story was about JESUS. “It’s not about Bob,” he firmly attested. This got me thinking about what it ( life ) is not about. We have all heard the saying, “It’s not about you!” Many of us would like to use that response from time to time with

Are you a Daddy’s Girl? Do you remember Daddy treating you to ice cream and letting you stay up late when Mom left the house? Was Daddy a chaperone at your school field trip? Maybe that unforgettable day when Daddy walked you down the aisle was the saddest yet proudest moment of your wedding. Or perhaps you are the Proud Father of a Daddy’s Girl. Do you remember those trusting eyes and that bright smile that your baby girl gave you from the crib? Was there anything better th

Think about the times when people told you that God led them to make certain life choices? Did you readily accept their decisions because God told them ? Perhaps you had reservations but kept silent because you did not wish to discourage them from listening to God. Maybe their successful outcomes made it easier to believe that God guided them. Regardless of your response, did the additional detail of God driving that person toward a decision increase your faith in God? Ther

A disturbing story was reported this month by RTV6 out of Indianapolis . The news station shared that an elementary teacher from Indiana had warned a group of students not to use the words, "God, Jesus, and Devil" at school. After overhearing the group discuss these topics on a subsequent day, the teacher sent a letter home with the students informing the parents that their children were not to use these words at school. The teacher's letter communicates a belief that convers