Yesterday, I attended the 2025 Texas Health Community Hope Summit, which was held at the Hurst Conference Center. The one-day experience included a gathering session, a keynote session, and three breakout sessions along with time for networking and visiting the many relevant exhibitors. Keeping Yourself Healthy The first breakout session I attended was a panel discussion titled Keeping Yourself Healthy While Serving Others: The Emotional Toll of Ministry. Expertly facilitated by Rev. Read More …
Leadership
Is Pastor the Most Fulfilling Job? (#2176)
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 …
My First Year as an Ordained UCC Minister (#2166)
One year ago today I was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ and installed as the CEO of White Rock Center of Hope through a four way covenant (for more on that experience from my experiences as a Member in Discernment to the ordination service see My Ordination and Installation). On the occasion of the first anniversary of my ordination, I decided to reflect on some of what this first year included. White Rock Center of Hope I serve as CEO of White Read More …
Who is Greg Smith & What is So What Faith? (#2148)
I recently updated the About page here at SoWhatFaith.com for the first time in several years. Now, I'm sharing the copy below as a post so that Note: I'm aware that the about content below is written in third person while my remarks above (and my general commentary here on the blog is written in first person). About Greg Greg is a follower of the Way of Jesus who is committed to doing all he can to make the world a better place for all people. He is married to Dr. Susan Read More …
I’m a Preaching Justice Fellow! (#2137)
I'm excited to share that I've been selected to be a Preaching Justice Fellow for the 2024-2025 academic year. About the Fellowship The Center for Faith and Justice, a vibrant nationwide community of spiritual formation and theological education focused on intersection of faith and justice, in partnership with San Francisco Theological Seminary, and with support from Lilly Endowment has created a year-long cohort-based experience to empower clergy to amplify justice Read More …
Returning to Parish Ministry as Interim Pastor at Advent Lutheran (#2130)
In 2015 I announced that I was leaving parish ministry. Now, almost a decade later, I'm pleased to share that I'm returning. On June 30, I'll begin a new role as Interim Pastor at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Arlington, Texas. Ministry Background For those who may be reading this post as an introduction to me and/or to So What Faith (a blog I started back in 2009), some background information is helpful. After earning an undergraduate degree in ministry and spending a few years Read More …
Back-To-Back-To-Back (#2116)
Yesterday I preached for the third time this year. It was also the first of three consecutive Sundays that I'll preach at West Fork Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Grand Prairie, Texas. And, this string of back-to-back-to-back Sundays in the pulpit will mark the first time I've preached three or more weeks in a row since 2018. (For more on how I've shifted from preaching on a weekly basis to sporadically, check out Preaching in the 2000s.) So What? While I've preached three (or more - Read More …
Preaching in the 2000s (#2114)
I preached my first sermon nearly 30 years ago in May 1994. This "mini-sermon" was delivered as part of youth led service at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas. Getting Started I did not preach again until the year 2000. By then, I'd completed an undergraduate degree in ministry and was two-thirds of the way through seminary where I was working toward a Master of Divinity degree. This time, I spoke at First Presbyterian Church in Duncanville, Texas. I had the opportunity to Read More …
Ecclesial Innovator: Best Job Ever or Unfortunate Job Title? (#2091)
A month ago Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University posted a job that has received more attention than any I've encountered this year. The job title is novel. My own research yielded 0 exact matches to the job of Ecclesial Innovator and even lacked any near matches. Broader Lived Context In my attempts to process this possibility, I was reminded of a few other occasions when I was called upon to expand my thinking about ministry opportunities, including the times Read More …
My Ordination (and Installation) #2087
Yesterday, I was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ and installed as the CEO of White Rock Center of Hope through a four way covenant. My Journey Toward Ordination I received a call to vocational ministry as a teenager and have sought to live that out ever since. That quest started with earning an undergraduate degree in ministry and then a seminary degree (M. Div.). And, it has continued in the 22 years since finishing those foundational theological studies. I've Read More …