Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Chris Anderson challenges pastors to prepare their ministries for their departure by training leaders and developing expendable leadership, drawing from his 25 years of pastoral experience. Scripture Text Acts 11:19-30, Acts 13:1-3, Acts 14:23, Acts 20:4, Ephesians 4:11-12 Main Points or Ideas The Goal of Ministry  - That minister is most successful who gets the whole body to move and renders the...

Joe Fant addresses the loss of joy in ministry that many pastors experience, using the conflict between John the Baptist's followers and Jesus's disciples to show how envy and selfish ambition destroy joy while commitment to the gospel mission restores it. Scripture Text John 3:22-30 Main Points or Ideas The Problem: Envy and Selfish Ambition  - John's disciples became angry and enviou...

Jason LaFlamme uses hockey terminology to encourage pastors to stay focused and committed in ministry, sharing personal stories of pioneer pastors and his own ministry experiences to challenge pastors about their calling and perseverance. Scripture Text Matthew 16:13-20; 1 Timothy 1:12; 1 Timothy 3:1; John 21:1-17 Main Points or Ideas You've Been Redeemed  - The foundational question "Who do you s...

Dr. Jim Tillotson addresses ministry leaders about maintaining faithfulness and endurance in ministry, using the military metaphor from 2 Timothy 2:3-4 to outline principles for long-term ministry effectiveness. Scripture Text 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Main Points or Ideas Be Strong in Grace  - Our source of strength must be in the Lord rather than our own abilities; distinguishing between those who give Go...

Dr. Dennis Wilkening uses aviation principles to illustrate spiritual navigation, emphasizing how small decisions and attitudes significantly impact our life direction. Scripture Text Proverbs 3:5-6 Main Points or Ideas Always Trust Your Instruments  - Just as pilots must trust their instruments over their feelings during disorienting flight conditions, we must trust in the Lord with all our heart...

Dr. Jim Tillotson examines Hebrews 11:32-40 to show that both those who experienced great victories and those who suffered greatly are equally commended for their faith. Scripture Text Hebrews 11:32-40 Main Points or Ideas The Winners of Faith  - Biblical heroes like Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, and Samuel who experienced great victories through faith, demonstrating that failure is never final an...

Chris Anderson explores Jesus's compassion for the multitudes in Matthew 9:35-38, demonstrating Christ's heart for the lost and His call for laborers in the harvest. Scripture Text Matthew 9:35-38, with context from Matthew 8-9 Main Points or Ideas Jesus Had Compassion on Multitudes  - Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the crowds because they were harassed and helpless like sheep...

Dr. Dennis Wilkening teaches that endurance in ministry requires both personal and corporate responsibility, with encouragement serving as a key element in keeping hearts tender toward God. Scripture Text Hebrews 3:12-13 Main Points or Ideas The Need for Daily Encouragement  - Since sin is deceitful and hardens hearts, believers must exhort one another daily to prevent spiritual decline and mainta...

Doug Brown addresses the crisis in Christianity today, noting the decline of churches and attendance across America. He emphasizes the urgent need for a new generation of godly leaders to rise up and provide leadership to the Church of God, challenging students to consider what God might be doing to prepare them to become "a few godly men." Scripture Text 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Main Points or...

Dr. Les Ollila addresses students returning for a new semester who may be facing anxiety about various challenges. Drawing from his recent travel experiences during a blizzard, he emphasizes the importance of turning to God with our anxieties and finding peace through prayer and thanksgiving. Scripture Text Philippians 4:4-9 Main Points or Ideas Rejoice in the Lord Always  - Paul wrote about rejoi...

John Leonard, a missionary to Brazil, encourages students to be missionaries wherever they are because when you're on a mission, that is where the real action is - where life and death, sin and grace happen. Scripture Text 1 Corinthians 15:58 Main Points or Ideas Leonard shares his personal mission story through images of his life and ministry, including: Growing up on the mission field in Bra...

Using Mark 8:34-38, Dr. Marty Herron challenges students to move beyond having information in their heads to activating their will to make decisions for God, emphasizing that sometimes we must give up our expectations to gain what God has planned. Scripture Text Mark 8:34-38 Main Points or Ideas The message is built around Jesus's principle of total abandonment, involving three imperatives: De...

Dr. Dan Brown challenges students to "go lower," explaining that humility is a difficult virtue and that educational institutions like colleges and seminaries are perfect greenhouses where pride likes to thrive. Scripture Text 1 Peter 5:1-6 Main Points or Ideas The Principle of Humility (verses 1-6) Context shows elders/pastors must minister in humility, serving as examples rather than l...

Dr. Jim addresses why we should be thankful to God, noting that while we are often thankful for others during Thanksgiving, sometimes the person who gets missed is God Himself. Scripture Text Psalm 100 Main Points or Ideas Why Be Thankful to God? (Based on Psalm 100:4-5) God is Good Good in creation - from harvest moons to star-studded skies, Northern Lights to babbling streams Good to those who l...

Dr. Herron speaks to students about the importance of being a person of God rather than just focusing on vocation. He shares the story of two young boys who answered "I want to be a man of God" when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, and follows their journey through their military service as Navy SEALs while maintaining their Christian testimony. Scripture Text 2 Timothy 3:...

Introduction Dr. Jim addresses the serious consequences of premarital sex and delves deeply into the distinction between true love and infatuation. He also provides practical guidance on navigating relationship decisions, including breaking up, engagement, and respectfully declining a date, all within a biblical framework. Scripture Texts Proverbs 23:7; Matthew 5:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7; Hebrews...

Introduction In part 2 of his series on dating, Dr. Jim focuses on further practical questions for evaluating a potential spouse and delving into the critical topic of moral purity in relationships. He emphasizes seeking God's wisdom and honoring Him in all relational choices, recognizing the profound impact these decisions have on one's life. Scripture Texts 1 Timothy 5:8; Hebrews 13:17; 2 Timoth...

Introduction Dr. Jim stresses that choosing a spouse is the most crucial decision people make, second only to their relationship with God. This aligns with biblical priorities of God, family, and church. Dr. Jim aims to guide students in navigating dating with the goal of finding a lifelong partner Scripture Texts Proverbs 18:22; Genesis 2:20-25; Genesis 1:28; Hebrews 13:4; Mark 10:2-9; Psalm 139:...

Dr. Jason Ormiston draws from Paul's final letter to Timothy to address how Christians should respond to the difficult times we live in. Using the backdrop of civil unrest in Minneapolis and the challenges facing urban ministry, he calls believers to be part of the solution rather than being overwhelmed by the darkness around us. Scripture Text 2 Timothy 3:1-9 Main Points or Ideas Accept the F...

The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch provides an excellent pattern for soul winning that takes the pressure off the witness and demonstrates how God orchestrates evangelistic encounters. Scripture Text Acts 8:26-40 Main Points or Ideas This passage reveals five key components of effective evangelism: A Servant Who Was Willing - Philip immediately obeyed God's call to leave successful ministr...

Dave Marriott shares how Hudson Taylor's missionary work in China demonstrates the importance of adopting a missionary mindset that prioritizes the gospel over cultural preferences and personal comfort. Scripture Text 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Main Points or Ideas If we will think like missionaries, we must have three components: A Missionary Goal - Paul's consuming passion was to "win&qu...

Sometimes God leads us in directions that seem opposite to what we expect or desire, just as He led Israel away from the direct route to the Promised Land. Scripture Text Exodus 13:17-22 Main Points or Ideas Three main points about God's leadership: God knows what's best for his people  - Even when God's direction seems wrong from our perspective, He has reasons we may not understand....

Dr. Jim Tillotson shares how Dr. Mark Lansborough's message on Exodus 33 ("Show me your glory") deeply impacted him during a missions conference, leading to personal conviction about truly needing God versus just giving Him a nod. Scripture Text Exodus 33:1-18 Main Points or Ideas The Choice Between Nodders and Needers : God offers success without His presence vs. Moses choosing God&...

Using the analogy of a father's love for his daughters, Mike Redrick explains that God wants all of us because we are purchased possessions, bought with the precious blood of Christ. Scripture Text Acts 9:11, 17; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Main Points or Ideas Four Characteristics of the Man God Uses : A Surrendered Man : Takes hands off his own life and places it in God's h...

Using the analogy of "Let's Make a Deal" and the fear of getting a "zonk," Dr. Marty Herron explains that God is not like Monty Hall - He wants to give us good things and has a plan for our lives. Scripture Text 1 Corinthians 16:5-9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 5:15-18 Main Points or Idea   Four-Part Biblical Equation for Wise Decisions : Factual Evidence : Is there legit...