Posts by Craig Smee

In our journey of exploring what it means to be a follower of Jesus, we’ve come to understand that following Him is not a one-time decision but a continuous, daily practice. It’s about engaging in a rhythm of life that draws us closer to Him, despite the challenges and tribulations we face. Jesus calls us to become more like Him every day, knowing that we will never be perfect but encouraging us to strive for spiritual growth through daily practices…

Watch the Latest Message From Dr. Craig Smee here… In today’s session of “The Follower” series, we explored the profound journey of discipleship, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond mere salvation to truly following Jesus. The analogy of a trellis was used to illustrate how our thoughts and lives need to be structured and supported by Jesus’ teachings. Just as a vine needs a trellis to grow and bear fruit, we need the framework of Jesus’ teachings to thrive spiritually.…

Today’s reflection centers on the true essence of the church, emphasizing that the church is not a building or a set of religious rules but a community of believers reflecting God’s character. The church should embody Jesus’ love, grace, and forgiveness rather than judgment and alienation. We are called to be like Jesus, who associated with those different from Him and showed love and compassion. The church has caused pain, and it’s crucial to seek forgiveness and release any resentment…

This week, I had the pleasure of being a tour guide for my visiting family from South Africa, which led me to reflect on the nature of change. I love roller coasters, but only when I can see where they are going. This week, I experienced a ride that changed its direction, making me nauseous and uncomfortable. This unexpected change served as a metaphor for the church’s current state. We are about to embark on a transformative journey that will…

Here is the second post in the Focused Disciple Series. In the first post, we looked at the WHO we are focused on, and in this post, we will study the WHAT. We are called to make a radical shift in our thinking. We often find ourselves overwhelmed, thinking it’s time to sit down and rest. However, Scripture never instructs us to sit down and fight our battles from a place of comfort. We are called to be active in…

Let’s explore what it means to be a disciple and how strong disciples build a strong church. In this post, we will focus on who we are following, and next post, we will delve into what we are focused on. Our theme scripture for these two posts is 1 Peter 2:21, which reminds us that Christ left us an example to follow. Discipleship is not about comfort; it involves stepping out of our comfort zones, just as Jesus did. Jesus…

In a recent message, we delved into the profound theme of spiritual warfare, focusing on the unseen battles that rage around us and within us. We began by acknowledging the aggressive atmosphere of the world today, where ideologies clash and everyone seems to be asserting their version of truth. This external chaos mirrors our internal battles daily, where doubts and decisions vie for our attention. We explored the scriptural foundation in 2 Corinthians 4:18, which instructs us not to focus…

I was on a mission this morning, eagerly preparing for a ministry event, when suddenly, a nail in my tire disrupted my plans. It was not something I caused or could have prevented. At that moment, my Monday went from passion to deflation. There is so much happening in our world and circumstances that deflate our spirits, especially when things seem to go against our mission or passion. It can be disheartening when external factors hinder our progress. Prices are…