Rev. Rod Smith has been the Commissioned Ruling Elder (CRE) of First Presbyterian Church New Castle (FPNC) in New Castle, Indiana since late in July of 2018. In prior years he served at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church (1990 to 1997) and as one of several pastors at the Church of the Good Shepherd (COGS) in Durban, South Africa (1986-1989).  He worked at St. Richard’s Episcopal School (SRES) in Indianapolis for 14 years, first as an English teacher and then as Dean of Students. Rev. Smith has taught family therapy for various institutions around the world but mostly for Youth With A Mission (YWAM). He writes regularly for the The New Castle Courier-Times while maintaining his daily newspaper column in The Mercury, a South African morning newspaper where his column has appeared since March 2001.

He has two sons: Thulani and Nate.

Education: Masters in Family Therapy, Butler University (1994), Indianapolis; Higher Diploma in Education (HDE in School Counseling and English); Bachelor Degree in Psychology and English Literature.