Efrem Smith is the senior pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, with the vision to be an urban, multi-ethnic, relevant, holistic, and Christ-centered community. He has held leadership positions in organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of America and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and is the author of numerous articles and books, including The Hip-Hop Church.
Posts By This Author
Pastors: God Calls us to Cross-Cultural Ministry
11-10-2010
As we continue to live within the ever-increasing multi-ethnic and multicultural reality, it is more and more obvious that the "black and white" matrix of the American Christian church is outdated.
Women in Ministry: Following Christ's Example
09-17-2010
I recently spoke to a pastor who made his case for not supporting women as senior pastors. "I've asked many men this question," he said.
Why Glenn Beck is a Danger to True Evangelical Theology
05-19-2010
I watched the Glenn Beck show on Fox News yesterday. His topic was how churches that are using the term, "social justice" are misinterpreting scripture in order to spread Marxism.
Audio: For God So Loved the World
11-04-2009
In this clip, Pastor Efrem expands on the very familiar verse John 3:16.
Confronting Urban Violence with Jesus' Nonviolence
10-27-2009
This morning as I was running on the treadmill, I was also watching CNN. A story came on about a shooting in Washington, D.C. The police chief was speaking, with the mayor of D.C looking on.
Audio: Remember Your Immigrant Roots
10-19-2009
In this short clip from a recent sermon, Pastor Efrem encourages European Americans to remember their own immigrant heritage and history in order to inform their current attitudes toward immigratio
Growing the Beloved Community in Spite of Sinful Soil
10-12-2009
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke often of something he called the beloved community. This was the title given to describe a reality in which freedom, love, justice, and reconciliation would reign.
Health Care, Race, and the Role of Government
10-01-2009
I was recently talking with a European-American friend of mine who is also an evangelical. I am African-American and evangelical.
Audio: 'If You Don't Do Compassion, Mercy, and Justice, You Will Catch Hell'
09-22-2009
It's always hard to narrow down Pastor Efrem's sermons to a few key minutes, and this one was no exception. Preaching from Matthew 25, he puts some extended focus on the health-care debate.
Audio: Earmarked for Kingdom Justice
04-30-2009
In this clip, Pastor Efrem preaches from the book of Proverbs, specifically chapters 10-18, in which there is a contrast made between the righteous person and the wicked person.
Audio: The Beloved Community, the Kingdom of God, and Candy Bar Christianity
04-14-2009
In this sermon, Pastor Efrem discusses the focus in April on Martin Luther King's death and the Easter Season, and proclaims that there is no separation between proclaiming the gospel and advancing
Audio: Who is in Control? Wealth and Wisdom
03-12-2009
Audio: The Right Relationships to Fight Physical and Spiritual Poverty
02-26-2009
Preaching from the story of Ezekiel and the dry bones, Pastor Efrem describes the "right relationships" that God wants to bring about for both physical and spiritual change in our lives.
Audio: Improving Our Party Invitations
02-18-2009
In this clip, with Acts 2:36ff as his text, Pastor Efrem describes the church as the expression of the invitation to the party of God's kingdom -- and questions why so few are saying yes.
Audio: Shifting How We 'Have Church'
02-04-2009
In this clip, Pastor Efrem talks about how the church has constantly changed throughout history to get closer to God's heart.
Audio: Taking 'Change We Can Believe In' to the Next Level
01-15-2009
It was hard to narrow this sermon down to a short clip -- it makes so many good points!
Audio: Change We Can Believe In
12-11-2008
In this clip Pastor Efrem talks about how, in order to be change agents in society, we need to change a church divided by race, class, and culture.
Audio: Biblical Redistribution of Wealth -- What You Think You Own is Not Yours
11-20-2008
In this clip, taken from a Nov. 2 sermon, Pastor Efrem talks about the implications of the commandment not to covet, and a biblical approach to wealth and ownership.