Matt Smethurst

How does the role of deacons relate to the role of elders?
By Matt Smethurst | 01.12.2022In this video, Matt Smethurst explains how there must be a clear distinction between the offices of elder and deacon.

Episode 179: On How to Plant a Church (with Eric Bancroft & Matt Smethurst)
By E. Bancroft, J. Leeman, M. Smethurst | 09.14.2021Is being a church planter different than being a pastor? What can the book of Acts teach us about church planting?

Why Deacons are Crucial
By J. Leeman, J. Sanchez, M. Dever, M. Smethurst | 07.12.2021A conversation between Mark Dever, Jonathan Leeman, Matt Smethurst, and Juan Sanchez.

Why Deacons Are Crucial for Healthy Churches
By G. Chang, J. Leeman, J. Sanchez, M. Smethurst | 04.29.2021A panel discussion at TGC21 about the crucial role deacons play in the church.

On Deacons (with Matt Smethurst) | Pastors Talk, Ep. 167
By J. Leeman, M. Dever, M. Smethurst | 04.13.2021What does the Bible say about deacons? How are they different than elders? Should they balance the authority of the elders?

Episode 98: On Christian Journalism (with Collin Hansen & Matt Smethurst)
By C. Hansen, J. Leeman, M. Dever, M. Smethurst | 10.01.2019How can Christian websites like TGC and 9Marks serve pastors and church leaders? How can the resource rather than obstruct?

Deacons
By Matt SmethurstHow They Serve and Strengthen the Church Deacons are essential to a church’s health—yet confusion abounds regarding their biblical job description. What’s their God-given role in a local congregation and … keep reading…

9 Ways to Pastor Those Longing for Marriage
By Matt Smethurst | 9Marks Journal: Pastoring Singles | 03.20.2017As you shepherd those longing for a spouse, don’t miss the opportunity to listen, to comfort, and to speak truth in love.

20 Quotes from Jonathan Leeman’s New Book on Elder-Led Congregationalism
By Matt Smethurst | 03.28.2016Here are 20 quotes from Jonathan Leeman’s new book, Understanding the Congregation’s Authority.

50 Quotes from Bobby Jamieson’s New Book “Going Public: Why Baptism Is Required for Church Membership”
By Matt Smethurst | 07.07.2015“After trusting Christ, baptism is the first thing faith does. It’s how faith shows itself before God, the church, and the world. Baptism is where faith goes public.”

Book Review: Redeeming Church Conflicts, by Tara Barthel and David Edling
Review by Matt Smethurst | 9Marks Journal: Wanted: Apostolic Pastors | 05.08.2012Barthel and Edling have done the church a vital service in applying biblical counseling principles to the realm of congregational conflict.

Book Review: Taking Your Church to the Next Level, by Gary McIntosh
Review by Matt Smethurst | 9Marks Journal: Book Reviews on the Mission of the Church | 10.27.2010I doubt whether this book is a biblically faithful and therefore helpful book for pastors. I’d be more inclined to recommend it to a friend in business than to a pastor.