Early life

Judah Smith is the son of Wendell and Gini Smith, who founded The City Church in 1992. He and his sister, Wendy Perez, who is married toBenny Perez, the senior pastor of the Church at South Las Vegas, are seventh generation pastors. During his high school sophomore year, Judah left Bellevue Christian School to go to Issaquah High School, where he received his high school diploma and played for their varsity basketball team. Judah once played in a tournament with future NBA star Tracy McGrady in Las Vegas.

Ministry

As the pastor of Generation Church, Judah Smith, preached to Junior High, High School and University students weekly. Judah's leadership in Generation Church was highlighted by Ministry Today as one of five of the "most dynamic" youth groups in the United States.

In January 2009, Judah was named the Preaching Pastor of The City Church, and assumed the role of speaking to the whole of the church congregation every weekend, including Saturday nights to the church's Young Professionals group. His father, Wendell Smith, previously preached every week.

Wendell Smith, father of Judah and founder of the City Church, a church listed sixty-second on a list of the 101 fastest growing churches in America. Judah Smith ranked high on the list of pastors with the most contemporary hair, a list made by outreach magazine in 2007. Judah and Chelsea Smith were named as the senior pastors of The City Church.

Judah and Chelsea Smith assumed the role September 2009. Although he was limited in his ministry involvement towards the end of 2008 because of cancer treatments, Wendell Smith, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, continues to serve as the founding pastor of the church and overseer of The City Church's network of churches.

He has spoken in conferences such as Phenomania, the Hillsong Conference, and the Youth Conference in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, and he will be speaking at Jentezen Franklin’s and the 220 Conference pastor Joel Stockstill (Bethany World Prayer Center)Conference this year.

Media

Judah Smith can be heard on various podcasts that can be downloaded from iTunes, including the GCTV, The City Church (Young Professionals) and the City Church (Sunday messages) podcasts. GCTV, which is no longer airing, was a weekly television show from Generation Church that was hosted by Judah Smith where he spoke about the Bible, and other trends. Judah Smith claimed to reach an estimated audience of 30,000 people with his podcasts.

Judah Smith is married to Chelsea Smith. He is a father to two boys, Zion and Elliot, and a girl, Grace.