Jan 15, 2023 | Sunday Evening
In the past, I have joined thousands of others, preaching this chapter as a gospel message. But that is not my intention this afternoon. We are in the midst of a series of lessons entitled: “Practical Faith.” If you are like me, we need to learn to take what we know...
Jan 12, 2023 | This Sunday in Baptist History
On this day in 1549 a woman we know only as Elizabeth was arrested for possessing a Latin New Testament. For some reason, her trial was recorded and preserved. Many questions related to Catholicism were asked, such as, “What do you think of the most holy sacrament?...
Jan 12, 2023 | Wednesday
What is your definition of faith? Google defines it as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” Does that summarize your definition? It’s not bad, but now consider what Noah Webster says. Two hundred years ago, faith was: “Belief; the assent of the mind...
Jan 9, 2023 | Sunday Evening
As Christians we have been taught by God’s grace to put our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Perhaps there was a period of time when we knew that Jesus’ death was the means of salvation, but that knowledge had not yet been translated into true faith...
Jan 8, 2023 | Sunday Morning
Something of which we need to remind ourselves is that the Bible is permeated with historical facts. The events of which we read in the Old Testament actually occurred. They are not religious fables. Yes, we read of miracles and many other things hard to believe or...
Jan 5, 2023 | This Sunday in Baptist History
Jesse Vawter was born to Anglican parents in Culpepper County, Virginia in 1755. When he was nineteen he heard Thomas Ammon preach the gospel, and the Lord regenerated his soul. Jesse then joined the hated and persecuted Baptists through whom he met his Saviour. There...
Jan 5, 2023 | Wednesday
Evidence suggests that during our Lord’s earthly ministry, Peter, James and John were His foremost disciples. They certainly got the most face time with the Saviour – the most ink; the most personal counseling and the most rebuke. In the first part of this chapter,...
Jan 4, 2023 | Timothy Parrow
Dear Pastor and Brethren: Thanksgiving Gratitude Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year because the practice of it seems to be more in line with the graces of God’s Word and holy living. We are so blessed by all the good things that come from...
Jan 1, 2023 | Sunday Morning
When I was a kid, we didn’t have a television, but radios had been around for a few years, and we had one of those. My mother let it play throughout the day to give her some company while my dad was at work. There were days when she would be happy, and she’d sing...
Jan 1, 2023 | Wednesday
What was the first thing you did when you came into the auditorium today? For most of us it was a smile followed by a few handshakes. You used your right hand, not your left, didn’t you? You may have modified your handshake depending on the people you greeted. For...
Dec 29, 2022 | This Sunday in Baptist History
I have told parts of this story several times, so I won’t go into any great deal of detail on this occasion. A few years ago, when our son and his family were living in Akin, South Carolina, my wife, Judy, and I drove a few miles across the Savanna River into Georgia,...
Dec 25, 2022 | Sunday Morning
As we all know, this is the day that Christianity recognizes the birth of Christ. Sadly, from there, the day, and many of the celebrations, fall apart. By that I mean, much of the world celebrates Christmas while rejecting Jesus. Look at Japan for example. And much of...
Dec 22, 2022 | This Sunday in Baptist History
Rueben Hill was born in a humble Kentucky home in 1808. Disciplining himself, he studied hard to become a physician. When he was twenty-five, two momentous blessings fell upon him: he was born again and he married. He joined the Knob Creek Baptist Church in Maury...
Dec 22, 2022 | Wednesday
I have been trying really hard to develop this lesson into a sermon, so that I could have something to preach. But with the material before us, this will be little more than a Bible lesson with some teachable material. And yet, I did manage to find three points to...
Dec 18, 2022 | Sunday Evening
Paul, the other apostle, tells us in Ephesians that God has given to His people, and His churches, a number of different kinds of ministers. “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the...
Dec 15, 2022 | This Sunday in Baptist History
During the first half of the 18th century, the Lord brought spiritual enlightenment to Sweden, creating a polarizing effect in that country. While many souls were saved, even more became incensed, defending their Lutheran religion by persecuting the new converts to...
Dec 15, 2022 | Wednesday
There are people who like to read the Bible as if it was some mystical collection of allegories. To them very little is black and white. To them just about every other statement must mean something other than what it clearly says. The word “Israel,” for example,...
Dec 12, 2022 | Sunday Evening
Peter, while in the midst of some practical exhortations, uses a simile to punctuate his lesson. “Your adversary the devil, AS a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” We will get back to the illustration of the lion in a moment, but first… As...
Dec 11, 2022 | Sunday Morning
I have a two part message for you today. We will finish up in tonight’s service. This isn’t one long lesson that I’m dividing for convenience’s sake. It has two distinct sections, but they are obviously tied together. Our subject throughout the day will be Peter’s...
Dec 8, 2022 | This Sunday in Baptist History
I often describe the persecution against the Baptists during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries here in America, as well as in Britain and a few other places. Going a little astray with this vignette, I turn to Russia and a much more recent date – December 11, 1985....
Dec 8, 2022 | Wednesday
Twenty to twenty-five years ago, Judy and I began to set aside a few dollars every month in the hopes of leaving it to our children should the Lord not take us away together at some point. We established an account with a well-known investment company, and other than...
Dec 4, 2022 | Sunday Morning
A lot of people are very interested in the appearance of their bodies, but they don’t care a penny’s worth about the condition or appearance of their souls. They spend thousands of dollars on beauty creams and treatments – injections of gels and poisons. They may even...
Dec 1, 2022 | This Sunday in Baptist History
Nathaniel Chambles was born in 1762 in Sussex, Virginia. Even though his parents were faithful and godly Baptists, Nathaniel didn’t see himself as an unworthy sinner and in need of Christ until he was twenty-six. After his conversion he was received into the...
Nov 28, 2022 | Sunday Evening
In Acts 7 Stephen was being called to defend his faith in Christ as he stood before Israel’s high council. Someone had said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.” His blasphemy was in declaring that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of...
Nov 27, 2022 | Sunday Morning
“The more things change, the more things stay the same.” It is fun to research the history and origins of common phrases like this. That research can be done today on the computer. But years before the internet, I used a book called: “Morris’ Dictionary of...
Nov 24, 2022 | This Sunday in Baptist History
Lee Compere and his wife were British missionaries in Jamaica before the climate drove them out and up to Charleston, S.C., where they met Richard Furman. After some time in the Carolinas they moved to Alabama to work among the Creek Indians. It was there that their...
Nov 24, 2022 | Wednesday
Peter reminded the pastors of the churches in Galatia, Cappadocia and Bithynia that their primary duty was to feed God’s sheep. Then he concluded his thought by saying there is a reward for faithfully carrying out that duty. “When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye...
Nov 20, 2022 | Sunday Evening
Luke 24 describes Jesus’ first visit with His church after the resurrection. He had already revealed Himself to Mary at the tomb, and He had met the 2 disciples on the Emmaus Road. But this was His first appearance before the assembled church. The members were...
Nov 19, 2022 | Scott Silvers
Greetings in Jesus’ Name, Fall has finally arrived for us here in Smithville, Oklahoma. It was an extremely hot, dry summer but the winds have changed and as I write this letter it is much cooler and the Lord has sent us some much needed rain. Our God displays...
Nov 19, 2022 | Frank Tottingham
Dear Pastor and Church The Lord gives the increase! In August I received the following text from a Pastor in the Philippines. “Hello, Pastor Tottingham! This Bro. Javier of Bible Way Baptist Church, Cubao, Metro Manila, Philippines. I send this message just to...
