S-6A PEOPLE-FILES
- Steve Smothermon - Mike Snow - Jason Sobel - Matthew Soerns - Halie Soifer - Charles Solomon -
==steve smothermon======
Steve Smothermon is senior pastor of Legacy Church, a large and growing church in Albuquerque, New Mexico (www.legacychurchnm.com). He earned a bachelor of theological studies degree from Vision International University and is the author of Large Large Living in a Small Small World. Steve and his wife, Cynthia, have been married for almost 30 years.
Albuquerque Legacy Church pastor maintains Ronchetti will ban abortion
Albuquerque Legacy Church Pastor Steve Smothermon said for a second time that GOP candidate for governor, Mark Ronchetti, told Smothermon he would ban abortion if elected. Ronchetti’s campaign denied the allegation when Smothermon initially said he and Ronchetti had talked “for hours” and that Ronchetti had told him during an earlier part of his campaign that he would ban abortion if elected. Smothermon announced this during a church sermon in July. Ronchetti’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment regarding Smothermon’s second allegation made before his congregation in October. But Smothermon insisted to his congregants, “I assure you, he told me exactly what I said.”
(Mew Mexico Political Reporty 12/2/22) READ MORE>>>>>
Albuquerque Legacy Church Pastor Steve Smothermon said for a second time that GOP candidate for governor, Mark Ronchetti, told Smothermon he would ban abortion if elected. Ronchetti’s campaign denied the allegation when Smothermon initially said he and Ronchetti had talked “for hours” and that Ronchetti had told him during an earlier part of his campaign that he would ban abortion if elected. Smothermon announced this during a church sermon in July. Ronchetti’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment regarding Smothermon’s second allegation made before his congregation in October. But Smothermon insisted to his congregants, “I assure you, he told me exactly what I said.”
(Mew Mexico Political Reporty 12/2/22) READ MORE>>>>>
Churches are breaking the law and endorsing in elections, experts say. The IRS looks the other way.
“We’re going to fast become the No. 1 abortion place in all of America,” a pastor, Steve Smothermon, said during a July 10 sermon at Legacy Church in Albuquerque, which has an average weekly attendance of more than 10,000 people. Smotherman said the governor was “wicked and evil” and called her “a narcissist.”
“And people think, ‘Why do you say that?’ Because I truly believe it. In fact, she’s beyond evil. It’s demonic,” Smothermon said. He later added: “Folks, when are we going to get appalled? When are we going to say, ‘Enough is enough’? When are we going to stop saying, ‘Well, you know, it’s a woman’s right to choose’? That’s such a lie.” Church attendees had a stark choice in the upcoming election, Smothermon said. “We have the Wicked Witch of the North. Or you have Mark Ronchetti.” The governor’s campaign declined to comment. Neither Legacy Church, Smothermon nor Ronchetti responded to requests for comment.
(Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22) READ MORE>>>>>
“We’re going to fast become the No. 1 abortion place in all of America,” a pastor, Steve Smothermon, said during a July 10 sermon at Legacy Church in Albuquerque, which has an average weekly attendance of more than 10,000 people. Smotherman said the governor was “wicked and evil” and called her “a narcissist.”
“And people think, ‘Why do you say that?’ Because I truly believe it. In fact, she’s beyond evil. It’s demonic,” Smothermon said. He later added: “Folks, when are we going to get appalled? When are we going to say, ‘Enough is enough’? When are we going to stop saying, ‘Well, you know, it’s a woman’s right to choose’? That’s such a lie.” Church attendees had a stark choice in the upcoming election, Smothermon said. “We have the Wicked Witch of the North. Or you have Mark Ronchetti.” The governor’s campaign declined to comment. Neither Legacy Church, Smothermon nor Ronchetti responded to requests for comment.
(Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22) READ MORE>>>>>
==mike snow======
Mike Snow is the new pastor of Thomaston Baptist Church. He previously served four years as associational mission strategist of Bethel Baptist Association. He also served as pastor of Sardis Baptist Church, Thomaston. He is a graduate of New Orleans Seminary.
Feb 24, 2023: Alabama Baptist News: Thomaston Baptist calls new pastor
Mike Snow is the new pastor of Thomaston Baptist Church. He previously served four years as associational mission strategist of Bethel Baptist Association. He also served as pastor of Sardis Baptist Church, Thomaston.
He is a graduate of New Orleans Seminary. He and his wife, Allison, have one adult son.
Mike Snow is the new pastor of Thomaston Baptist Church. He previously served four years as associational mission strategist of Bethel Baptist Association. He also served as pastor of Sardis Baptist Church, Thomaston.
He is a graduate of New Orleans Seminary. He and his wife, Allison, have one adult son.
==jason sobel======
November 22, 2024: Rabbi Jason Sobel: Charisma: The Nephilim Stronghold in Gaza
==matthew Soerens======
Matthew Soerens is the US director of church mobilization and advocacy for World Relief and the national coordinator of the Evangelical Immigration Table. Previously Matthew served as a Department of Justice–accredited legal counselor with World Relief's local office in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger and Seeking Refuge.
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Southern Baptist Convention breaks with the Evangelical Immigration Table Matt Soerens, a vice president at the humanitarian aid group World Relief and national coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, said in an email that the EIT will continue its advocacy and thanked the ERLC for its past help. Immigration remains a complicated issue for evangelical leaders, especially with the Trump administration’s focus on mass deportations. While white evangelicals are among the most loyal supporters of Trump and his MAGA movement, rank-and-file evangelicals also want humane immigration policies. (Religion NewsService 9/18/25) READMORE>>>>> |
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“Should we love and welcome immigrants, or should we follow the law? Generally speaking, I would say yes. And there’s not this contradiction between those,” Soerens said. “We respect the government’s role, but it’s not the government’s role to tell the church you’re not allowed to minister to these people.” --Matthew Soerens 7.23.25
Faith-based refugee organization calls on Christians in Fort Worth to see immigration as a ‘biblical issue
Matthew Soerens, World Relief’s vice president of advocacy and policy, discussed with local church leaders how to navigate the issue with congregants. Instead of starting with immigration policy, look to Scripture first, Soerens advised. “We have, as a country, thought of immigration only as a political issue,” he said. “And even within the church, which is a lot of the people in a place like Texas, we have not thought about it as a biblical issue.” Soerens referenced Scriptures from Deuteronomy and Psalms in the Old Testament to illustrate how God “loves the foreigners” and “protects the immigrants.” (KERA 7/23/25) READMORE>>>>>
Matthew Soerens, World Relief’s vice president of advocacy and policy, discussed with local church leaders how to navigate the issue with congregants. Instead of starting with immigration policy, look to Scripture first, Soerens advised. “We have, as a country, thought of immigration only as a political issue,” he said. “And even within the church, which is a lot of the people in a place like Texas, we have not thought about it as a biblical issue.” Soerens referenced Scriptures from Deuteronomy and Psalms in the Old Testament to illustrate how God “loves the foreigners” and “protects the immigrants.” (KERA 7/23/25) READMORE>>>>>
June 1, 2023:
Women of Welcome is a collaborative partnership between the National Immigration Forum and World Relief, one of six faith-based agencies contracted with the US Government to resettle refugees in the country, aiming to help evangelical women understand immigration and refugee resettlement from a Biblical perspective.
As attention turns to the border with the end of Title 42 and with new policies restricting US entry for asylum-seekers, the head of the organisation says she believes those women are changing the conversation among evangelicals.
“This is why I am confident that this community of women is going to change the dynamic in the immigration space - I’m 100 per cent sure of it - because of the women who are in our community and the growth that has happened with the women in the community,” said Bri Stensrud, director of Women of Welcome.
The organisation was founded in 2017 after rhetoric around immigrants and refugees became “inflamed” and “dehumanising” during former President Donald Trump’s first campaign for office, Stensrud said. Previous polling by Lifeway Research showed evangelicals’ views about immigration were being shaped more by the media than by the Bible, she pointed out.
Research also showed evangelical women were more supportive than their male counterparts of policies impacting immigrants and refugees, said Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilisation for World Relief. Women also expressed more ambiguity - voicing concerns about security alongside values like hospitality and compassion, Soerens said. More at Sight Magazine
Women of Welcome is a collaborative partnership between the National Immigration Forum and World Relief, one of six faith-based agencies contracted with the US Government to resettle refugees in the country, aiming to help evangelical women understand immigration and refugee resettlement from a Biblical perspective.
As attention turns to the border with the end of Title 42 and with new policies restricting US entry for asylum-seekers, the head of the organisation says she believes those women are changing the conversation among evangelicals.
“This is why I am confident that this community of women is going to change the dynamic in the immigration space - I’m 100 per cent sure of it - because of the women who are in our community and the growth that has happened with the women in the community,” said Bri Stensrud, director of Women of Welcome.
The organisation was founded in 2017 after rhetoric around immigrants and refugees became “inflamed” and “dehumanising” during former President Donald Trump’s first campaign for office, Stensrud said. Previous polling by Lifeway Research showed evangelicals’ views about immigration were being shaped more by the media than by the Bible, she pointed out.
Research also showed evangelical women were more supportive than their male counterparts of policies impacting immigrants and refugees, said Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilisation for World Relief. Women also expressed more ambiguity - voicing concerns about security alongside values like hospitality and compassion, Soerens said. More at Sight Magazine
==halie soifer======
Netanyahu once decried ‘daylight’ with Washington, but now he tolerates Trump’s glare
Trump and his deputies have since then expressed their frustrations with Israel in language far more blunt and excoriating than Biden ever deployed. They have also put their finger on the scale in shaping the Israeli leaders’ actions and words more than Biden ever tried to. “Frankly, it’s baffling to me that somehow he continues to get away with it,” said Halie Soifer, the CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. Soifer noted that there was barely any pushback when Trump took actions that undermined Israel, including brokering a separate deal with the Houthi militia in Yemen that allowed it to continue attacking Israeli ships while allowing American ships to pass, and visiting Qatar, a backer of Hamas, but not Israel during a Middle East tour earlier this year.
She said what was striking about Trump’s actions were not necessarily the results, but the underlying assumption that he must be obeyed. (Times of Israel 11/1/25) READMORE>>>>
Trump and his deputies have since then expressed their frustrations with Israel in language far more blunt and excoriating than Biden ever deployed. They have also put their finger on the scale in shaping the Israeli leaders’ actions and words more than Biden ever tried to. “Frankly, it’s baffling to me that somehow he continues to get away with it,” said Halie Soifer, the CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. Soifer noted that there was barely any pushback when Trump took actions that undermined Israel, including brokering a separate deal with the Houthi militia in Yemen that allowed it to continue attacking Israeli ships while allowing American ships to pass, and visiting Qatar, a backer of Hamas, but not Israel during a Middle East tour earlier this year.
She said what was striking about Trump’s actions were not necessarily the results, but the underlying assumption that he must be obeyed. (Times of Israel 11/1/25) READMORE>>>>
==charles solomom======
Dr. Charles R. Solomon is the Founder & President Emeritus of Grace Fellowship International (GFI), incorporated in Colorado, USA in 1969, to implement a spiritual counseling ministry to share the power of the Cross with hurting people. The first GFI office opened on February 1, 1970, in Denver, Colorado. The first branch office opened in 1975, and the first international office was opened in Argentina in January 1981. The first training seminar was conducted in Colorado Springs in 1972.
Charles Solomon
The self centered Christian is abnormal in God's economy. When the Word speaks of a believe and his resources in Christ, it is assumed that Christ is central in the life. However, the Christian who appropriated Christ as his life today is the exception rather the rule.
--Charles Solomon; The Ins and Outs of Rejection
--Charles Solomon; The Ins and Outs of Rejection
