• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Sermons
  • About
  • Contact

So What Faith

Greg Smith

  • Books
  • Discipleship
  • Social Media
  • Leadership
  • Trends
  • Prayer

Greg

Newsflash! A Savior is Born (#2183)

2024/12/24 By Greg

Merry Christmas Eve from Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Arlington, Texas. Sermon My message, “Newsflash! A Savior is Born” is based on Isaiah 9:2-7 and Luke 2:1-20. You can watch the message below or read the manuscript. Excerpt In Luke’s birth narrative he shifts quickly, telling us in one verse  about Jesus being born before shifting in the next to deliver a birth announcement. And this is where the angels and shepherds appear.[1] Let’s travel there now. Read More …

Is This On Your Christmas Playlist? (#2182)

2024/12/22 By Greg

This morning we continued the: Advent at Advent – Waiting and Wondering series. at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA). Sermon My message, “An Unexpected Song" is based on Luke 1:39-55. You can watch the message below or read the manuscript. Excerpt The last two Sundays, we’ve talked a lot about God choosing John. John the less than qualified. John the Prophet. John the eccentric wilderness preacher. And, now we find God has chosen Mary. Mary the young woman, likely a Read More …

15th Annual Top 10 Books of the Year (#2181)

2024/12/18 By Greg

Welcome to the 15th annual So What Faith’s Top 10 Books of the Year. This year I read 84 books published in 2024. The top ten are listed below in alphabetical order by author’s last name: Top Two The two books on this year’s top ten that had the greatest impact on me are Prior Lists There are so many great books published in recent years.  Past editions of So What Faith’s Top 10 Books of the Year are available below. Notably just one author on this Read More …

Joy! Do What?!?!? (#2180)

2024/12/15 By Greg

This morning we continued the: Advent at Advent – Waiting and Wondering series. at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) Sermon My message, “Do What?!?!? is based on Philippians 4:4-7 and Luke 3:7-18. You can watch the message below or read the manuscript Excerpt John’s message begins with a fiery introduction but is carried along by questions.  Those in the audience interrupt him again and again with the ancient equivalent of the modern day “do what?!?” This questioning Read More …

5 Star Books Published in 2024 (#2179)

2024/12/11 By Greg

Welcome to the sixth annual edition of So What Faith’s 5 Star Books of the Year! This list is comprised of books rated 5 or 5+ on a scale of 1 to 5. To be eligible the book must have been published in 2024 and I must have read and rated it this year. This year, just 15.4% of all books rated received a rating of 5 or 5+ to earn this honor (in prior years the percentage has ranged from 15% to 17%). Bruce Reyes Chow. Everything Good About God is True: Choosing Faith. Mark Elsdon, Read More …

Prepare the Way! (#2178)

2024/12/08 By Greg

This morning we continued the: Advent at Advent – Waiting and Wondering series. at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) Sermon My message, “Pay Attention is based on Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 3:1-6. You can watch the message below or read the manuscript. Excerpt The word of God came to John. And the word of God comes to us. So, in the final days of the Presidency of Joseph R. Biden, Jr. when Gregory W. Abbot was governor of Texas, when Jim Ross was the mayor of Arlington Read More …

Great New Books for December 2024 (#2177)

2024/12/05 By Greg

The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Welcome Back One author on this month's list has appeared previously on So What Faith. David Gushee appeared in 2020 when his then new book After Evangelicalism: The Path to a New Christianity by David P. Gushee (Westminster John Knox Press, 2020) was rated 5.0. He was also featured in 2014 when I shared his definition of vital Christianity. Read More …

Is Pastor the Most Fulfilling Job? (#2176)

2024/12/03 By Greg

There is more than enough bad news about clergy. ranging from stories about the stress of leading a parish through a pandemic to concerns about clergy health and wellbeing to accounts of clergy misconduct. In recent days, I've seen content on social media again and again about how many clergy are choosing to exit ministry all together. In contrast, there is good news. According to a recently published Washington Post article by Andrew Van Dam, clergy are more fulfilled in their work than Read More …

Pay Attention! (#2175)

2024/12/01 By Greg

This morning on the occasion of the start of a new church year and the first Sunday of Advent, Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA).started a new series: Advent at Advent - Waiting and Wondering. It is the first series I'll be preaching in this community of faith that is guided by the lectionary. Sermon My message, “Pay Attention is based on Jeremiah 33:14-16 & Luke 21:25-36. You can watch the message below or read the manuscript. Excerpt in both the Old Testament reading and in Read More …

Giving Thanks: Remembering the 10 Congregations I’ve Served (#2174)

2024/11/30 By Greg

A little over a year ago I reflected on the first 9 congregations I served and on the 10 denominations that have shaped my theology. Today, on the final day of the month of thankfulness, I pause to give thanks for the 10 congregations I've served (I started serving #10 in June 2024). In chronological order: Denominations I've served congregations affiliated with five denominations: Location These communities of faith are located in the Dallas - Arlington - Fort Worth area Read More …

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Go to page 6
  • Go to page 7
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 223
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Greg Smith

Greg is a follower of the Way of Jesus who strives to make the world a better place for all people. Currently, he serves as Chief Executive Officer of White Rock Center of Hope and as Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church. He has served ten congregations, taught religion to undergraduates for eight years, and helped three organizations provide quality healthcare to underserved populations. (Read More)

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Are You Part of the 42%? (#2223)
  • Growing for the Future (#2222)
  • Great New Books for May 2025 (#2221)
  • Living with Eyes Wide Open (#2220)
  • Leading Well Starts Here (#2219)

Tags

Advent Lutheran Church Bible blogging Catholic change Christian Christianity church COVID-19 Dallas decline Diana Butler Bass discipleship education ELCA Episcopal Evangelical facebook faith Jesus Leadership love mainline Mainline Protestant marcus borg membership Ministry Naples United Church of Christ ordination pastor PCUSA Pew Research Center Prayer preaching Presbyterian Protestant religion Scot McKnight social media technology theology twitter United Church of Christ United Methodist worship

Copyright © 2025 · So What Faith, a member of The Faith Growth Digital Ministry Network