Pastor Kurt's Story

Pastor Kurt Smith serves as the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church in Herington, Kansas. His heart is simple: help people know Jesus, trust the Bible, grow in grace and truth, and live out a faith that is just as real on Saturday Night and Monday morning as it is Sunday.

Kurt did not grow up in church. His background was not polished, predictable, or especially religious. Like many people, he had real questions about Christianity: Is it actually true? Can the Bible be trusted? Is following Jesus just about being “a good person,” or is there something deeper going on? Those questions eventually led him to the gospel, and in 2018 Kurt surrendered his life to Christ. Since then, the Lord has transformed his marriage, his family, his priorities, and his calling.

Because of that, Kurt is passionate about a kind of Christianity that is deeply biblical without being cold, serious about holiness without being self-righteous, and full of grace without being shallow. He believes the church should be a place where people can ask honest questions, hear the truth clearly, be challenged to grow, and find real hope in Jesus Christ.

Kurt is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Apologetics, focusing on helping believers understand what they believe, why they believe it, and how to live with conviction and compassion in a confused world. His academic background also includes graduate studies in theology and biblical interpretation, along with degrees in business, marketing, and liberal arts.

Kurt and his wife, Kristen, have five children, which means life in their house is full, loud, busy, and never boring. Outside of preaching and ministry, Kurt enjoys spending time with his family, playing basketball, lifting weights, running, hunting, cooking, smoking meats, and gathering people around good food.

At the end of the day, Pastor Kurt is not trying to present a picture of perfect religious performance. He wants people to see that Jesus is real, the Bible is true, grace is powerful, and the Christian life is worth giving everything to. Whether you have followed Christ for years, are returning after a long season away, or are just beginning to ask questions, Pastor Kurt would love to walk with you as we pursue Jesus together.