Blog

God in Us

by Steven Smith on December 31, 2014 in Preaching

As we settle into the new year the inevitability of new year’s resolutions looms over us. Personally, I like goals built around a birthday rather than a new year. Still, a new year forces us to consider a new personal era of a life lived for God. So as we consider the New Year,... Read More »

Eat. Fast. How does a Christian relate to food?

by Steven Smith on December 15, 2014 in Christian Life, Culture, Virtues

Self-orientation, in any form is spiritually devastating. The desire to orient all of life around myself is encouraged by a culture that tempts us to rip the governor off any pursuit of pleasure. In this way a good gift like food becomes a hedonist entitlement; my right to have m... Read More »

Reflections on December Graduation

by Steven Smith on December 12, 2014 in Christian Life, Education

Very fine people will walk across a stage today to receive diplomas from Southwestern Seminary. So much goodness here. Some students I knew from their first course in the seminary, some employees of mine, some doing fine doctoral work, and there’s even one cousin! Really, this ... Read More »

One Race

by Steven Smith on December 5, 2014 in Christian Life, Culture, Current Events, Ethics

Recently I called two friends who pastor in NYC: one in the Upper West Side of Manhattan and the other in the Bronx. My questions are about the spiritual climate in NYC in light of the non-indictment in the Eric Garner case. My phone call itself is telling. It assumes that I need... Read More »

The Invisibility of Progress

by Steven Smith on December 2, 2014 in Christian Life, Prayer

Most days we are not breaking the tape of a finish line, walking across the stage at graduation, or standing to receive ovations for a job well done. Generally those moments are the rare capstones of greater accomplishments: keep running and you can finish the race, persevere in ... Read More »

Recapturing the Voice of God

by Steven Smith on November 26, 2014 in Education, Pastors, Preaching

This past week I had the opportunity to interact with colleagues at a gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society in San Diego, CA. I presented a paper entitled, “Recapturing the Voice of God: Sermons Shaped by Reanimation of the Genre of the Text,” where I argued simply... Read More »

The Predicable Surprise of State Conventions

by Steven Smith on November 13, 2014 in Southern Baptist Convention

This week, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention met on the campus of Southwestern Seminary. Earlier this month, I was able to participate in the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists. These experiences have got me thinking: what is the purpose of the state convention... Read More »

Preaching When You Don’t Feel Like It

by Steven Smith on November 10, 2014 in Preaching

There are times when preaching is, from the start to finish, a joy. The text is clear, and the sermon just bubbles up from the Bible, making the structure clear; illustrations and applications emerge from hidden places and drop graciously into place. This happens, but it’s rare... Read More »

The Future of Evangelical Homiletics

by Steven Smith on November 6, 2014 in Preaching

I believe in homiletics. But not much. A thousand sorrows teaches a man to preach.[1] – John Piper In a very real way I agree with John Piper. There is no pedagogical homiletic experience that can create a man that has been so long on the anvil of God that his life bleeds t... Read More »

Defined by Debt

by Steven Smith on November 3, 2014 in Christian Life, Education, Southern Baptist Convention

“Seventy-five thousand dollars.” The words rolled easily off his tongue, landing on my desk with a thud. “My wife and I have $75,000 dollars in student loan debt.” This young man now realized that while the very call of God rested on his life, he was now defined by debt. ... Read More »