Author Archives: ashtoncsmith

In our society today there’s a stress on democracy and majority rule. The problem with pure majority rule is that 50% plus one can suppress the “minority.” There’s also a problem with people making decisions without or in spite of proper knowledge. As a pastor there have been times when someone would ask me, whyContinue reading “Making Decisions”

As a young believer I would encounter people who would say, “My preacher says….” Now, I’ve been a preacher for a few decades. Preachers who study the Bible can give great insight and explain passages that we find in holy writ. However, preachers, like everyone else, are fallible. We can be wrong. Acts 17:11 speaksContinue reading “Read the Bible”

I’ve never been much on New Year’s resolutions. If I believe I need to change, I start immediately. I have had resolutions for my birthday, which for me is the start of a new year. I’m not formally proposing new year’s resolutions for your congregation. But we’ve seen lots of changes in our culture andContinue reading “Doing Church in 2022”

It used to be that we sent out a letter with our Christmas cards to update friends and family on what we had done during the year. So, I’m using my blog for that purpose this year…. This Christmas will be rough for Lori, since her mom passed away in January. Added to that isContinue reading “Our Christmas Letter”

I’m dealing with some disappointment. I’m not going into particulars, but it is one that has been there for quite a while. Like everyone else, I’ve had my share of disappointments, and I’m going to share what’s been helpful to me, and I’d like for it to be helpful to you, too. First, I wouldContinue reading “Dealing with Disappointment”

It’s easy for us to take what we have for granted. We’ve always had something, so we take it for granted that it’s always been that way and will always be that way. I grew up without air conditioning at home or in the car–my first two cars didn’t have ac. There were no cellContinue reading “Thanksgiving”

A big problem in the church and in culture is switching the definitions of words. In the religious world the Mormons have done this with words such as the Trinity. They say they believe in the Trinity, but it’s a different definition than that which is used by traditional Christian theology. We see it todayContinue reading “Switching Meanings”

Oct. 26, 2021 In today’s Wall Street Journal there’s an article titled, “Young People Say Disconnect Keeps Them From Church.” The disconnect includes views on race, gender, and immigration. According to the article the views on race were not treating people equally, but racial justice. Racial justice looks at people in terms of groups, notContinue reading “Imposing our Views on God”

As a lead pastor for well over 30 years, I’ve recognized the importance of fellowship, knowing people and having friends in the local congregation. Now that I’ve been retired and most recently haven’t served a church, I see how much more important relationships are for a church member. My wife and I are active churchContinue reading “The Fellowship Factor”

Mostly I’ve written about church consultation, which is very important, especially for plateaued or declining congregations. And I am a certified church consultant. I will continue to stand ready to assist church leaders and their congregations regardless of their financial situation. With future blogs, I’m going to expand more and deal with cultural, political andContinue reading “Branching Out”