Member Kristen Smith (Attending Since 2009)

My story is God’s story really, and I’m delighted to share from my perspective the amazing things He’s done to keep my heart alive and anchor my soul to Him. . .

I’m 28 years old. I was born the second of four children in Sellersburg, Indiana, to God-fearing, God-loving parents. I’m fairly certain my first “outing” after being born at home (didn’t even get to see the world between hospital and home!) was to church. I was born on a Tuesday and was in church that Sunday. And every Sunday after that one, until I began wondering and wandering outside the church “box,” unsure of why I was there week in and week out.

I kicked up a lot of dust with my thought-provoking, discontented queries shared with family and friends. I was like so many others that had grown up in church: disillusioned and lost. But, I was still searching for the reality that is found only in Christ. After living three years away from my family and hometown, and outside of any church family, I discovered a teaching pastor named Matt Chandler.

I was so hungry for Truth that after tasting my first bite through one of his sermons, I couldn’t get enough. I downloaded every available sermon from the Village Church in Dallas, and listened to at least one, sometimes several a day for the next several months. I also stumbled upon the podcasted sermons of Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle. As I listened to their Bible teachings, my heart was alerted to the gospel for the first time ever. My affections were being stirred for Christ, and my heart was being transformed, resulting in the rapid dissipation of whatever residing angst I had with the “church.” I was growing eager to find myself at home in a church again.

While visiting my family last February (2009), I was invited by my friends and mentors (formerly my youth pastors at my childhood church) to attend Sojourn with them. I’d never even heard of Sojourn, but after an amazing gospel-centered conversation with these friends who’d likewise been transformed through the proper administration of God’s Word through teachers like Daniel Montgomery, John Piper, Matt Chandler and Mark Driscoll, I was heartily convinced to go!

I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO encouraged after my first visit. Finally! A place that felt like home. It didn’t matter that I didn’t look like most everyone there, or that I was showing up with a broken marriage and a disordered lifestyle in tow. I was warmly welcomed, eagerly invited to join the worship gathering and the passing of the peace, powerfully awakened by the gospel message and rightly charged to light up the world with the Truth I’d received.

I would have joined Sojourn on the spot if I hadn’t been at the start of a year-long music tour of sorts. (On January 1st, 2009, with only my car and whatever necessities it could hold, I’d set out from Brooklyn, NY where I’d been living from 2005-2008, and was headed south to Texas for the winter. . .)

Since I was already well-connected with the teaching of Matt Chandler from The Village Church, and since I was headed to Dallas for several months and unsure of where I’d finally put my roots down again, I seriously considered joining The Village. Despite living in Dallas for almost four months, I was only able to visit the Village Church once during that time. However, I’d continued listening to the podcasted sermons. The more I heard the gospel and the more I learned about this network of churches (Acts 29), the more I wanted to be a member of any of these churches.

I had the opportunity to visit Sojourn a second time in May, 2009, while home for my brother’s wedding. After this particular service, I left saying in my heart “God, if you call me back to live here for no other reason except to join this church family, I’m in. I’m all in.” I headed back to Texas for some more music events, still unsure of when and where I would finally be settled in a home. The more I prayed and sought God’s direction last summer, the more my heart was eager to come back to Louisville and join Sojourn.

When my grandfather’s passing called me back to the Louisville Metro in late July, it seemed God was clearly calling me to re-settle near my family. This was a bittersweet transition for me to make, but one thing that sweetened the deal was the possibility of joining Sojourn.

I determined to dive headfirst into what God was doing at Sojourn. I auditioned for the worship team on August 20th, attended September membership classes, signed my member covenant on October 22nd, and have been thriving in community and service opportunities since. Every day I marvel at the powerful grace of God in redeeming every part of ALL of our lives from every pit of emptiness and dejection we’d been dying in.

He pulled me out of the pit I was in. He’s faithfully kept me from falling back into it. He’s planted me in a well-watered garden; rooted me — a solitary, wayfaring soul — in a nurturing, growing family. With His gospel, He continuously and sufficiently nourishes my once-famished soul, and dramatically challenges me to gospel-centered, wisdom-living.

I know that my life is one of countless others that has been transformed through the gospel rightly taught, powerfully demonstrated through mercy and service, beautifully experienced through community . . . this world needs the Church to BE the church God has brilliantly designed us to be. I thank God for the work He’s been doing at Sojourn for the past 10 years and for letting me join in that work now.

Growing up in Southern Indiana (Sellersburg & New Albany), my roots go down deep on the north side of the Ohio. I love the legal secretary work and other activities I get to do in the heart of Louisville, but I long to see renewal in Southern Indiana. It’s a place where so many have been or are currently disillusioned by the church and are living mundane “Christian” lives. That’s why I’m eagerly anticipating the beginning of Sojourn New Albany and excited to help with this gospel-spreading however I can.

It’s so encouraging to see how God can and does link the hearts of every member of His church and unifies us by His gracious, Holy Spirit, for the continued work of His Kingdom here on earth! We are members of ONE body, whether serving in community together on the south or north side of the Ohio . . . or the other side of the world! Praise God that we belong to HIM, purchased with HIS life!

For the glory of HIS name. . .

Kristen Smith