Pastor Lucious W. Smith has pastored Friendship Pasadena Church since 1996. “The Jewel of Old Pasadena” stands as a glowing reminder of the African American presence in this part of the city. While remaining true to the church’s historical roots, Pastor Smith has sought to keep the ministries of the church relevant with contemporary application of the Gospel message. Having been raised in Friendship Pasadena Church since birth, the relationship he has with the church is very personal. His love for his work is only surpassed by his love for the people whom he shepherds. Pastor Smith is committed to a biblical expository ministry and delivers sermons that prove to be “portable”, enabling those who hear them to take what they have heard and apply the principles to their everyday lives.

Pastor Smith is the Past President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Greater Pasadena (IMA) where his desire was to create an atmosphere of unity and fellowship among Christian Clergy, resulting in a unified presence in the cities in which they serve. He believes that there are no “Big I’s” or “Little You’s”, and that every ministry ordained by God has value, whatever the size. He believes that “There are no small churches. Everything God creates is intended to thrive and grow.”

Additionally, Pastor Smith served as the Vice President of the Clergy Community Coalition (C.C.C.), a non-profit organization which seeks to address the issues of spiritual enrichment and community reconciliation in the City of Pasadena and surrounding areas. Community partnerships with local church bodies have produced proven methods of addressing the issues which can arise and create undo hardships in areas where such partnerships are absent.

Pastor Lucious Smith has been married to his wife Genine for 35+ years. They have a daughter, Camille, and a son, Jordan. They believe that a strong sense of family responsibility is essential. “God created the family before He created the Church” is something Pastor Smith constantly affirms. “Caring for your family should not supersede your love of the Lord. It does, however, demonstrate it.”

Writing the Vision

We are on course to begin a new era in our history as a church. With the vision of being “A People Prepared for Christ and His Kingdom”, we can now see what the end result of “Equipping the Saints and Empowering the Believers to Engage our Community, Enlarge our Territory and Ensure Excellence” looks like! God’s Word tells us that Vision is so important that without it we can never achieve what He has in store for us. But once we have received the direction given by The Holy Spirit through an inspired vision, then we know that wherever He leads will result in the blessing of His people! Like a shepherd leading his sheep, so The Lord is leading us to become more like Him every day as we conform to the image of Jesus in our daily lives. Christ-like character is the result of abiding in God’s presence through Praise and discerning His Will through the study of His Word. Without these two key ingredients we will constantly struggle against things that should have lost their power over us long ago!

Vision leads the way to God’s preferred future for us. When we find out where The Lord would have us to go, He also provides the strength that we need to get there. It has been said that “When The Lord gives Vision, He also makes Provision.” As Minister Derrell Pratt has said “The Will of God will not lead you where The Grace of God won’t keep you.” (Thanks for that word my friend!) The Lord always wants to lead His sheep to greener pastures than the ones that they are enjoying at the time. Through this He teaches them that they must trust Him to do what is in our best interest, even when we don’t understand why.

Vision also requires faith for the journey. Because it may take a while to reach the next place of blessing for your life, it means that we have to be patient and let God have His way even when the going seems rough. Joseph received the vision of becoming a great leader but it took twenty years for it to come to pass! Even if you are in a place that does not vaguely resemble anywhere that you might want to be at the time, as long as you are walking in God’s Will you can rest assured that everything will be alright! You know, “Trust in The Lord and don’t lean on your own understanding!”

Vision always delivers on God’s Promises! When we move beyond mere imagination and learn to overcome our weaknesses and fears we will quickly remember that The Lord has NEVER failed us, not even once! And if we should doubt, then we should remember the words of the poem “Footprints In The Sand.” Because when we thought that we were all alone, it will become evident that our loving Heavenly Father was not only with us, He was carrying us!

So even for your own life, write the vision of your preferred future, take it to The Lord in earnest prayer and see if He won’t graciously reward you when you remain faithful to His Perfect Will for your life! I pray that we are in agreement today that the direction of Friendship is one that will allow The Father to do even greater things with us than ever before, and that each one of us will continue to press towards the mark for the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus!

“Write down The Revelation (The Vision) and make it plain upon tablet so that a herald may run with it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)