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About Marc Smith |
1 Tim 6:11-12, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 2 Tim 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
I am known as Marc, but more properly, I am Truman Marcus Smith, Jr. I was born in the Rio Grande Valley at San Benito, in 1953. Truman Sr., my father, worked in that area during his first years as a gospel preacher. Shortly after my birth Truman and my mother, Pat, moved back to their home region of East Texas where Dad preached until I was nearly 13 and then moved the family to Akron, Ohio. The family now was complete including Deborah born in Hempstead, TX and Shawn born in Gladewater, TX. Dad preached in Ohio for about three years before returning to preach in West Texas and eventually a number of other places over the years before he retired (see * below). Deborah’s husband is Larry Roskos who serves as an elder currently and they have two sons, Alan & Derek; Shawn is also a preacher and is married to Marti (McDorman) whose father is an elder. They have three sons, Benjamin, Taylor, Marc and daughter, Kaytlin. My entire family is very blessed in that all members are faithful Christians and active in the Lord’s church.
After high school in Odessa, TX, I attended Odessa Junior College. I joined the Air Force in 1972 to enter the medical corps and become a surgical technician. But, after completing Basic Training I received an expanded background investigation that earned me a high-level security clearance, which compelled me to attend the military intelligence school in San Angelo, TX. In the meantime I married my high school sweetheart, Melodie Ann Slater, a member of the Crescent Park church of Christ in Odessa in 1972. Our first home together was in San Angelo where my training was to be an intelligence analyst of hostile communications in Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese; this job to be done while on missions in CH53 “Jolly Green Giants” helicopters and C-130s. During our time in San Angelo I worked some with the local preacher, Decker J. Sanders in converting the lost “from house to house” as a member of the old Coke & Irene St. church of Christ; many were baptized by him. My remaining time in the service I “changed gears” quite a bit as the Viet Nam War slowed to an end and I was cross-trained to be a journalist while stationed at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, TX. I wrote for two Air Force newspapers as a staff reporter and had a regular column as the entertainment editor. I was specially awarded and cited by the USO for aiding service men to be introduced to classical music performances while living in Austin.
After being honorably discharged from the Air Force we moved to Houston and I began working in a steel mill as a clerk. Later I worked a couple of years at a refinery as a pumper, and a chemical plant as an operator and at a vessel fabricating plant as steel yard foreman. While working these industrial jobs in the Houston area I attended San Jacinto College for several semesters on the GI-Bill. During this time we were members of the church where my father preached at what was then known as the Greens Bayou church of Christ and is now the East Belt church of Christ in Houston. I was a regular song leader and taught the high school/junior college age group for several years and did many home Bible studies and group meetings with the young people aided by Melodie who regularly taught young children’s classes. My first sermons were preached there in the late 1970s. We moved to East Texas and I worked a little over three years for what is now called TU Electric when I decided in October of 1982 to preach the gospel “full-time” and have been “at it” ever since. Since the summer of 1991, I have been located in Hewitt, Texas, which is a suburb of Waco, preaching for the Sun Valley Blvd. church of Christ (formerly known as the Estates Dr. church of Christ). Before coming to Hewitt, I preached for churches in Waller, TX, Texas City, TX, Logansport, LA, and Aiken, TX.
I remain with the Sun Valley Blvd. church of Christ and hold forth the word in the only faithful congregation for about 35 miles in any direction conducting home Bible studies when opportunities are afforded. The Sun Valley congregation has gone from a church that struggled for many years to a sound and peaceful congregation with an active eldership. About forty-five souls have been baptized during this time. (Please see article about history of Sun Valley Blvd. congregation for more detail)
During our time at Texas City in the mid ‘80s I studied art at the College of the Mainland and the University of Houston in Clear Lake and received training to be a potter and sculptor. We both enjoy doing studio pottery and sculpting as a hobby. As a perpetual student, I occasionally take a “continuing education” college course. As opportunity allows, I like to shoot quail and dove, target shoot with both rifle and pistol, like to fish when they are biting, and dig fossils in the Central Texas area, collecting and categorizing them. One of my great joys are walks in the country observing and appreciating God’s Creation in its great variety and splendor and I have been known to take young folks on fossil hunts and fishing trips along the Bosque River in Central Texas whenever possible.
*After more than 62 years of preaching, Dad retired from being a located preacher in 2003. Mom and he moved to Crockett, TX to a beautiful Arabian horse farm surrounded by tall pine trees, a lake, and green pastures to live in the same house Mom’s parents lived for many years until they passed away. For the next 2 ½ years he preached meetings, taught Bible classes and preached some locally, and finished his book on the non-Bible class churches of Christ, entitled, “The Great Paradox,” published by Preceptor Publishing in Beaumont, TX. To our great heartache and grief, Dad passed away after a heart attack in the fall of 2006 at the age of 76. His godly example, his affable and kind presence as well as his scholarly counsel will be missed by all of us for as long as we live, though we are certain by God’s mercy to be reunited in the after awhile. Mom moved to Hewitt and lives in her own house and is only minutes away from my sister and myself. She is a faithful member of the church where I preach.
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