It seemed like churches were closing all around him and many more were just hanging on by a thread. This became a burden as he observed the lack of biblical teaching in the many pulpits and in turn the lack of biblical understanding in the pews.

This burden turned to bitterness as he began to realize just how unhealthy the churches in his area really were. He foolishly began to blame God because, after all, it is the Lord's church. While bear hunting in the Ouachita Mountains, he drove past his wife's grandparents old church building. The once thriving church, established in 1800's and was now falling into disrepair as the congregation dwindled without a pastor. He thought in his mind "God, why don't you send them a pastor? This community will die as well without a healthy church. Don't you care about the health out your churches?" No sooner had that contemptible thought left his mind, another thought thundered back to him. "Why don't you go pastor the church?" This thought put him on his heels. "I can't! I am not a pastor!" God continued to shift the responsibility deeply into Harold's heart. Every time he tried to dismiss these thoughts or push them off on God the thought came back "Does God not use men to accomplish His purposes? Who are you to tell God no?" After a few months combing through the Bible looking for excuses, Harold gave up and surrendered to preach in the Spring of 2006.

By November he was serving as pastor at Vine Prairie Baptist Church in Mulberry, AR. With no formal training and zero pastoral experience he set out to fix every problem he saw. He failed miserably. The sweet people of Vine Prairie were gracious and the Lord blessed his short ministry there. You might say he learned what not to do. He learned about church politics, business meetings, traditions, and sentimental attachments, all things that they don't teach in school. The Lord increased his knowledge by ten years during that first year as a pastor. Bro Harold still speaks highly of that congregation and remains friends with many of them today.

In 2007 he became the sixth pastor of the thirteen year old Lee Creek Baptist Church. Armed with the lessons he learned Vine Prairie, he was determined to move slow and beg God to break revolving door of pastors that had cycled through this church. About two years into his ministry, a couple long time members asked him to resign. The church was thriving by all accounts and he refused to quit as he felt he had done nothing wrong. This led them to call for a church wide vote to remove him as pastor. They fell way short of the needed votes. Rather than apologize and be reconciled to the church this group left. Harold was in new waters again, opposition to healthy change was all he had known. Now he was in a church where everyone agreed and wanted to move on toward a biblically healthy church.

Pastor Harold began to lead the church to change some of her practices to prevent the problems he had seen plaguing the churches that were dying around them. The church made expositional preaching and teaching a priority. They all agreed on the same doctrinal statement as a summary of their faith. The membership process was updated to deal with differences before they entered the church. The church role was cleaned up and reflected those who were truly a part of the body. Missions giving became an emphasis again. Fellowship among the people was common both in and out of the church building. True unity was being experienced.

As the years went by the church grew, not just in number but in knowledge and holiness. Lee Creek wasn't perfect but they truly were functioning like one healthy body. This led to other pastors contacting pastor Harold for advice on their church's situation. Lee Creek began hosting an annual pastor's conference to encourage and equip them to seek this kind of change in their churches. Harold was soon speaking in conferences on the topic of a healthy churches. His ministry to pastors gave way to churches contacting him for help finding pastors. While Lee Creek was happy, healthy, and growing, Harold was being swamped with outside ministry demands.

In 2021 Harold answered to call to go back where his heart was in the beginning, the small struggling church. He loved Lee Creek but he could not give them the attention they deserved and also provide leadership and direction to other pastors and churches at the same time. Since stepping down as pastor of Lee Creek, Harold devotes his time to churches in times of need. He preaches in meetings, consults with lay leaders, serves as interim pastor, gives away Christian books, and seeks to encourage pastors.

If pastor Harold Smith can be of assistance to you and your church body, contact him at:

pastorharold@att.net