The Bruised Pastor – Part Two
It's been 13 years since that night I sat with my back to the elm tree. At times it's hard to imagine that many years have passed; and yet, I can still feel every detail of the bark pressed up against my back. There are days when it feels like I never left that spot, like my life has been one long season of bruising since then. That's not entirely true. I've had three sons...
Skydiving with Jesus
Lessons from a Young Church Planter By Josiah SmithOriginally published October 2019 in Evangel Magazine Free falling at over 120 mph isn’t for the faint of heart, but I thought I’d give it a try. It was a sunny day in May of 2014. My friends and I had arrived in front of the small, arched building overlooking a nearby field, and just a few hours later found ourselves stuffed in a tiny prop plane...
Healthy for the Long Haul
“How is swimming in the ocean different than swimming in a pool?” It was my kids’ first time ever seeing the ocean. As I stared at the immensity of it, the dangers it presented flashed like a terrible powerpoint in my mind’s eye. I realized I had done a poor job preparing my kids for what they were about to experience. They had no concept of the dangers or the resources that would protect them from those dangers. I had not taught them how to successfully navigate the yellow and purple flags (moderate surf and...
A Tale of Two Pastors
As I have written before, during my high school and college years, I was blessed to have three true pastors, three shepherds in heart and action ( You can read about them here). Each of these men embodied the promise of God communicated through the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 3.15: “Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you knowledge and understanding.” Each of them was a shepherd after God’s...
Rediscovering Jesus’ Recipe for Discipleship
Let’s be clear: I am not a baker. However, my wife is a phenomenal cook AND baker. One thing I’ve learned about baking is that ingredients and instructions REALLY matter. While cooking can be a bit forgiving and leaves room for creative reimagining of flavors and textures as you go, baking is more precise. It’s essentially chemistry applied in the kitchen. Yale’s curriculum on the Chemistry of Cooking calls baking “the art of precision.” One...
Pastoring Like Jesus
Less "-ing" & more "pastor-" Three years ago, I had a heart “event,” one that required a 5-day stay in the hospital. Over those five days, I met a parade of cardiologists and nurses. All of these medical practitioners were excellent: professional and personable. Except one: the nurse who woke me in the middle of the night every night to draw blood. Where other nurses were gracious and gentle each time they drew blood or...
The Bruised Pastor
He who is the Lord of life… came to bind up, not to break; to heal, not to destroy. (Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed) I sat alone with my back to a big elm tree, looking out over the Des Moines River valley, North toward the Kate Shelley bridge. The 16” of snow on the ground around me was actually warm compared to the cold, midnight air that stung my exposed face. But that didn’t...
I Found God in a Coffee Shop in Athens
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46.10. As Missionaries in Europe, we were privileged to travel the continent and UK, visiting many beautiful historic cities. Living in Europe, travel wasn’t that expensive, so we used our vacation time to experience the rich history of the land: from Barcelona to Strasbourg, Rome to Edinburgh, Dresden to Monte Carlo, and...
Fighting Fear
Joshua was terrified. No, the Bible doesn’t expressly state this. However, the phrase “be strong and courageous” is used four times in Joshua chapter 1. FOUR TIMES! When a phrase is put on repeat, it’s because you desperately need to focus in on that one truth. Not only that, but we hear it used from two sources –God and the people. We aren’t privy to Joshua’s thoughts, words, responses, or feelings regarding his new role....© [2015] — Journey Pastoral Coaching