Moses is Your Satan

Last updated on: December 7, 2022 at 6:53 am By Gregory T. Smith

In medieval artwork, Moses is hard to distinguish from the devil. Could there be a connection between the two? Artists of the Middle Ages depicted Moses with horns because of a common mistranslation that rendered the rays of light from his face as “horns.” (See Exodus 34:29-35.) Due to this translational error, countless artists depicted the prophet with golden shafts from his head, while others gave him full-blown antlers. Interestingly, artwork of the same era depicted Satan with horns. But... Read more

Chopping Down the Tree of Life: How We’re Disconnecting from the Divine

Last updated on: December 7, 2022 at 6:52 am By Gregory T. Smith

When my family left the intrusion of the city and the noise of neighbors, I traded my boyhood playground for Christopher Robin’s hundred-acre wood. My brother and I spent our magical childhood playing among the trees. We climbed in their mighty arms and built forts in their branches. We chased each other around the spreading roots of our great oak guardians. Our young friends the saplings swayed as we swung on their pliant trunks. Since that time, sacred trees continue... Read more

“The Jesus Pill: Does Getting Saved Solve All Your Problems?”

Last updated on: December 7, 2022 at 6:52 am By Gregory T. Smith

My client was in prison, addicted to drugs, and had reached out to my program for help. I met with him, and we discussed the change he wanted to see in his life. He wanted to get clean, and wanted sobriety. He wanted a new start and a new life. I told him I would join him in that vision for his future. “Only If He Receives Jesus…” Later, with the client’s permission, I spoke with his mother on the... Read more

For All Who Have Walked Out of Church

Last updated on: June 8, 2022 at 6:26 pm By Gregory T. Smith

This is for all who have walked out of the church. Some of you left for good reasons and others–not so much. Some of you should stay, and others should stay gone. Here’s what I mean… Some left because you were hurt. Christians mistreated you. Leaders abused you. People who claimed to follow Jesus neglected you in your time of need. They offered advice instead of giving you the help you needed. Instead of a listening ear, they handed... Read more

Selling Your Soul to the Creeds: When The Church Makes You Sign on the Dotted Line

Last updated on: June 4, 2022 at 7:30 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Since when did Christianity require people to sign on the dotted line? It must be in one of the lost Chapters of the Gospels that Jesus, calling his new disciples, pulled out a scroll and made them sign their adherence to the creeds. Or maybe a forgotten passage in the book of Revelation says the names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are actually the signatures of the Saints, pledging allegiance to the heavenly statement of faith. If not,... Read more

What Does Biblical Marriage REALLY Look Like?

Last updated on: June 1, 2022 at 6:56 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Not long after Marriage Equality was passed, the Baptist association of which my church was a member passed a resolution depicting biblical marriage as between one man and one woman, for life. I was the only pastor to voice opposition to this resolution. At the time, I was not free to express my affirmation of LGBTQIA folks in the church. My dissent was primarily due to the fact that Baptist churches are autonomous and that a resolution of that sort... Read more

The Bible Contains Mistakes–So Does All Great Art

Last updated on: May 30, 2022 at 7:27 pm By Gregory T. Smith

“You’re saying there are contradictions in the Bible!” screamed the irate church member after one of my sermons. I had pointed out that it’s easy to find passages that disagree with each other. Honestly, I can’t remember the examples I gave, but here are a few I’ll point out now: Biblical Contradictions Exodus says to keep the Sabbath day holy, and Romans says it’s a matter of conscience. Genesis commands believers to circumcise their children, and Galatians says it doesn’t... Read more

America is Shooting Herself

Last updated on: May 27, 2022 at 10:17 am By Gregory T. Smith

America is shooting herself. No other nation on the planet can shoot themselves as well as America does. In 2020, more guns were used for suicide than homicide. Apparently, the US has realized that guns are a great instrument for self-destruction. Jesus said, “Those who live by the AR-15 will die by the AR-15 (Matthew 26:52).” Or, something like that. America is finding this to be true. The Second Amendment How many babies have to die before we realize that... Read more

Breaking the Window to Get Outside

Last updated on: May 22, 2022 at 12:22 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Why do churches have stained glass? I joke that the reason is to let in the light but keep you from seeing outside. Of course, this isn’t true. The beautiful images were historically a way to teach illiterate people Bible stories through illumination. They celebrated the glory of saints and warned people of the horrors of hell. One particular church I served had windows that filtered the sunlight at a certain time of day, casting rainbows of color on the... Read more

Singer Walker Hayes and Pastor Craig Allen Cooper Release Book “Glad You’re Here,” a Story of Incarnational Love

Last updated on: May 22, 2022 at 4:21 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Country singer Walker Hayes stepped out on a limb with “Craig,” a love song to his best friend. The artist famous for his platinum record “Fancy Like” admits it’s strange. You don’t often hear bromance songs on the radio. Craig Allen Cooper made such a difference in his life that Hayes not only wrote a song about him, but they co-authored a book together. It’s all about the salvation that friendship can bring—in a couple of ways. A Friend... Read more