Meet Pastor Ken

Rev. Kenneth W. Smith is passionate about helping people to know God's great grace and love through knowing and following Jesus Christ. Ken first gave his life to Jesus and sensed God's call to be a pastor as a young person growing up in the Boston area. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical and Theological Studies at Gordon College, where he minored in English and also focused on philosophy and history, and earned a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry in Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. 

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Ken has family roots in Maine, and he and his wife Elisabeth are delighted to live in Gardiner and to serve with the people of the First Baptist Church of Gardiner. Ken has also served as a hospital chaplain, 
and worked in a variety of occupations to finance his studies during his education years.
 

The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts ordained Ken, and in addition to serving Jesus Christ with First Baptist Church of Gardiner Ken also served with American Baptist churches in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

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Ken truly enjoys listening to people's questions about faith in God and Jesus and enjoys discussing Christian theology. If he does not know the answer to a question he will look into it. Ken is an avid reader and has been participating in and leading book discussions and Bible studies for much of his adult life. Currently he leads a monthly public book discussion on books related to Maine and by Maine authors at the Gardiner Public Library.  

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Publications:  Ken's doctoral thesis was "Preaching the Psalms with Respect for Their Inspired Design." 
A paper for pastors "Preaching the Psalms" received the Willhite Award in 2003 from The Evangelical Homiletics Society and appeared in an edited version in an online article "Soul Sermons from Psalms" on preachingtoday.com. The paper was also published in the book Interpretation and Application, from The Preacher's Toolbox Series, Vol. 3, from Hendrickson Publishers.