Author Archives: ashtoncsmith

One big advantage of having a church consultant is a pair of fresh eyes looking at your congregation. There are two primary issues. First, when we see something all the time, we tend to overlook what’s in plain sight. A church consultant doing a walk through of your facility will pick up on what youContinue reading “Fresh Eyes”

A mistake I made as a pastor was making the plan too complicated. Now detail is needed. But if your plan for a ministry is too complicated, people can’t understand it, and you may get lost in the details yourself. Having too many variables can cause failure with all types of organizations. David Leonhardt, writingContinue reading “K.I.S.S.”

On January 23 of this year my mother-in-law, Eleanor Charlotte McConaghy, went to be with the Lord. She was the last of our parents. The 23 year stretch of losing our parents started with my dad in 1998. For Lori and me, it’s the passing of a generation. Charlotte was an excellent mother-in-law, and itContinue reading “We Need Each Other”

Many people thought that Covid 19 would be short-lived. The wish was probably the father of the thought. We all like quick fixes rather than having to deal with long-term issues that continue day in and day out. Many congregations have resumed in person worship services along with online viewing. But numbers are lower, andContinue reading “The Long Haul”

I have to confess: I’m addicted to the easy life. Let me explain…. A person who had a big influence on me was my maternal grandmother. My grandfathers both died before I was born, and my dad’s mom died when I was four. My mother’s mother, “Mam-ma” as I called her, left her farm toContinue reading “Addicted to the Easy Life”

In every era, believers and churches are tempted to compromise their faith. And many do. I read an account of a mainline pastor who served a congregation in a northern city. His attendance is meager. The only way the congregation survives financially is by renting its facility to a an ethnic congregation that has aContinue reading “Staying True to the Faith”

“Happy New Year” is a very popular greeting. And this year we are really hoping for a happy new year with vaccines for Covid 19 and a return to some normalcy. Yet Covid will have some long-term effects. We can’t predict them all. I met a man recently who is new to my neighborhood, andContinue reading “Happy New Year”

This happened back in the 1990s. We had the standard Sunday evening service, and in a few months “Super Bowl Sunday” was coming. Now you ought to know, I’m not a football fan. In my marriage, we have a lot of role reversal: I’m the cook, and Lori loves the Green Bay Packers. When sheContinue reading “Overcoming our Preferences”

So this is Christmas And what have you done? Another year over And a new one just begun. (John Lennon) Actually, I’m not a fan of John Lennon. His song “Imagine” demonstrates one of the worst philosophies I an imagine. No God…no afterlife…and everyone living in peace? I imagine if there were no God andContinue reading “So This is Christmas”

Mask wearing has become a divisive issue in many congregations. There are congregants who strongly believe that having to wear a mask interferes with their (constitutional) freedom, and others deem wearing a mask as a way of protecting others and showing respect. The issue is especially difficult for pastors and church leaders who want toContinue reading “Mask Wearing”