In Part 6 of our series through James Pastor Jeffrey challenges us as believers to answer the call of God to give. Give of our time, attention, finances, whatever God is impressing on each of our hearts, as an outward sign of an inward transformation.

"If your treasure never moves toward the mission of God, your heart will slowly drift from the mission of God."

Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith

Donelson First

Belonging Part 6: Give

February 22, 2026

Pastor Jeffrey continues our series through James with part 5: Decide. He lays out the necessity of deciding to obey, and how that is the true way to live freely.

"Belonging is not formed by intention. It is formed by obedience."

Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith

Donelson First

Belonging Part 5: Decide

February 15th, 2026

Pastor Jeffrey continues our series through James with part 4: Listen. He discusses the constant noise of our culture, as compared with James' call to humility and wisdom through listening.

"Sometimes your greatest ministry to someone is not what you say but how you listen."

Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith Donelson First Belonging Part 4: Listen February 8th, 2026

Pastor Jeffrey continues our series through James with part 3: Surrender. Surrendering our pain to God and trusting that He will do what He has already promised.

" Your trials are not signs of God's absence. Rather, they are tools of God's formation."

Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith Donelson First Belonging Part 3: Surrender February 1st, 2026

In this the second part of our series through James Pastor Jeffrey unpacks the importance of the believers identity as belonging to Christ and how this informs our lives as a whole.

"Exile is not the evidence of God's absence. It is often the environment of His deepest work."

Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith Donelson First Belonging Series, Part 2: Belong January 18th, 2026

This is part one of a sixteen week study through the book of James. Pastor Jeffrey begins this verse by verse study with James 1:1-12. "James is not writing as an outsider. He is not writing as an academic. He is not writing as a detached observer. He is writing as a brother who once doubted, a disciple who encountered the risen Christ, a pastor who shepherded suffering believers, and a servant who belonged wholly to Jesus! And now, believing, he speaks to us!"

"It is about discovering that before you ever do anything for God, you already belong to Him. And from this belonging flows a life of transformation."

In this the final part of Pastor Jeffrey's Advent series he teaches on the final components of God's provision and plan for Christ's birth: the magi. They recognized the star because God had been preparing them for years, through Daniel's teachings in Babylon. Every step of the advent story was a part of God's pre orchestrated plan.

"The same God who guided the Magi… The same God who warned Joseph… The same God who protected the Christ-child… …is the God who sees your tomorrow before you ever get there."

In Part 4 of our Advent series Pastor Jeffrey begins by a look into the person Luke. The one who wrote the story of Jesus's birth, without having met Jesus during His earthly ministry. The story of Jesus was related in order that all of us could hear of it and be blessed by it. It is the very promise of God fulfilled.

"The Christian faith is not built on legend nor myth. It is grounded and authenticated through carefully examined truth."