Pathways by Pastor Bill Smith

Introduction

In the second century the great Latin church father, Tertullian, famously wrote: Christians are made, not born. It's virtually impossible to become a well formed follower of Jesus Christ without being the recipient of mature mentoring at the hands of another trusted person with significant spiritual insight authentically expressed in a well lived life deserving of emulation.

In my mid teens in the 1960's, through the providential kindness of God, Rev. William J. Smith (1936-1997) of the First Missionary Church in Pembroke Ontario came into my life as a result of some traumatic circumstances that affected my family, requiring us to change churches. Known affectionately by many as 'Pastor Bill', he became my first spiritual mentor, a relationship that lasted into my early 20's. He was a man of the Scriptures, a man of the Spirit, and a man of the church, all of which were woven into his life in a winsome manner that inspired others to see following Jesus as a pilgrimage that needed these three elements if one was genuinely to grow 'in Christ'. The kind of spirituality he modelled, ever conscious of one's eternal destiny and the need to prepare for it, was life shaping for me at a time when I was making crucial decisions that would dictate the direction of the decades that would follow. His passionate seeking of God, love of people and deep desire to live a Spirit-filled life left a lasting mark on my life. He died too soon and I still miss him.

I often reflect on the many formative experiences we shared as a result of his openhearted and generous willingness to draw near when I needed help and the countless hours he gave to conversation prompted by my relentless flow of questions. He was an inspired preacher and teacher, an avid reader, an enthusiastic thinker, an adventurous risk taker and innovator in ministry, and a committed husband and father who befriended many for the sake of their wellbeing, even taking them into his home on occasions.

Fortunately he also wrote candidly about his spiritual journey so that others could know about the blessings he experienced, the challenges and difficulties he faced, the conventional religious boundaries he crossed and the changes required of him as he pressed forward in the direction he sensed the Holy Spirit was leading him. It's fitting that the impact of his life and ministry be extended beyond his lifetime by making these unpublished writings that he distributed to his congregation, available to interested persons in an online format.

With treasured memories of Bill,

Charles Nienkirchen, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Christian History and Spirituality
Ambrose University
Calgary AB

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