FBC Independence Podcast

Even when you get just what you ask for, it may not be what you thought!             A few weeks ago, I walked out of a store into a large, car-filled parking lot, and my eyes immediately fixated upon a small, bright-red sports car. It was beautiful! I walked up to the car, looked it over, and then realized that someone was sitting in the driver's seat. Just as I caught his eye, he opened the door...

God brings the good out of bad situations.   The best way to support our Ministry is by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.   We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here http...

If there are no ‘newborns,’ things cease to exist, don’t they? This goes for plants, animals, people, and people of faith!     Many years ago, there was a religious group who were fervent in their Christian faith and lived isolated from the world as much as they could.    They were called ‘Shakers’ because one of their religious rituals involved a sort of dancing that involved a very rhythmic shak...

Several years ago, I purchased several ducks for my small farm with the hope of watching them raise baby ducks. I thought this might be interesting and a source of delight for my grandchildren. Unfortunately, my ducks were not interested in laying on their eggs and hatching them, so for the first couple of years, none of their eggs hatched. But then, something happened that really surprised me! A...

Many years ago, I found myself lost while on a family vacation!  Instead of a map, I had been using an early version of what was then called a Garmin, which served as a high-tech electronic map. My Garmin developed a glitch in its software, and I found myself and my family lost at the end of a dirt road in the mountains of Arkansas. Out of desperation, we turned off the Garmin, backtracked to a ga...

Faith in Jesus isn't just another religion – it is a life-changing relationship with the Living God!    I recently came across a story of an individual who left his home in India as a young man and moved to London, where the opportunities for a good income were much better. He soon purchased a business, and he and his young wife invested their lives in this new venture. The years passed, and one s...

Several years ago, after a move to a new community, I started doing business at a different bank.  After establishing my accounts, I began using the ‘drive-through’ facility, which was faster and closer to my house.  I soon began to dread my trips through this drive-through because I felt like the woman working there was cold, rude, and unprofessional.  I continued to feel this way for over a year...

We all remember the old Army promotional campaign – "Be all you can be."  Pictures of young soldiers, accompanied by a snappy song in the background, with the words of the campaign sung with great joy.  It was a tremendous success in its day!  Interestingly, the Army leadership has recently decided to use the same slogan and approach with its new enlistment campaign.  Today's younger generations n...

Changing your life is hard; it is so hard that many never even try!             That is a sad truth, isn’t it? We all know someone who needs to make changes in their life to keep their job, family, or health – yet, it is so complex they often give up and lose some of the essential things in their lives!                 In the Bible, there is a story of a man who wanted to change his life but could...

Years ago, I lived in a small Ozark town that featured a university with an engineering emphasis. The ‘engineering’ students came from all over the world, and I loved how they approached everything in their lives. They were logical thinkers and liked to develop and live by rules. Whenever they created a machine or worked on a project, they developed ‘design parameters.’ A ‘design parameter’ was a...

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”             That’s a very simple statement and easy to understand, but when you think about it, it is probably one of the most important things you can believe!             Here are my reasons for thinking this easy, first-verse-in-the-Bible statement is so important.             First, if you take this to heart, you accept the idea that G...

Many years ago, my wife and I purchased a special gift for our daughters: an electric piano! They told us they wanted it and promised to practice every day – so we gave them a quality instrument, just like they wanted. At first, they practiced several times a week without complaint and went to their lessons regularly. After a little over a year, though, we noticed that their attitudes toward their...

Have you ever whispered to yourself or someone else, “Control Yourself?” I know I have! It can make the difference between disaster and success! We sometimes find ourselves in situations where our emotions are in turmoil, and we find ourselves upset and confused; if you’ve been taught how to act in challenging situations, you find yourself thinking, “I’ve got to keep it under control.”   Learning...

"Oh yeah, then 'put your money where your mouth is!'" My brother used to say this when we were growing up, particularly when we disagreed on something important –He was trying to cut through the nonsense of our arguments and force us to act out on what we said. His logic was clear – if you really believed something, then you would act on it and even 'bet on it!'   We may often find ourselves sayin...

The child had just fallen down the stairs and sobbed into her mother’s arms.  Mom hugged her child, soothing and comforting her, and said, “Everything’s going to be ok; I love you.” Soon the drama ended.  The child wiped her tears away from her face, hugged her mama one more time, and then climbed down to the floor and ran off with her older brother.  Everything was fine!   “Everything’s going to...

Many years ago, I made a huge mistake – I was making homemade ice cream for a family gathering, and I failed to clear the drain hole of the freezer during the freezing process. A little bit of salt water made its way into the ice cream mix, and when I took the first delicious bite, it was apparent that I had messed up – the salt had flavored the entire mix! No amount of brown sugar and vanilla cou...

Jan told an all-too-familiar story: she had grown up in church, been baptized as a child, and when she got into her 20’s, she decided to leave her childhood faith behind and go ‘the way of the world’ so that she could find herself. It wasn’t long, though, when ‘the ways of the world’ began to hurt her.    She ended up pregnant by a man she hardly knew. Because she wanted to do the right thing, she...

Happy New Year! Today, we started our 2023 with an update from Rob Van Wey.   About Rob and Julie Van Wey   Jesus acknowledged years ago the same problem we face today, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harve...

The comedian’s routine was funny, well-delivered, and “predictable.” He wanted to make fun of Christians and anyone who believed in a loving God, so he pointed out the flaws and mistakes preachers and other believers had made in their ministries. The conclusion was that only stupid people could believe in God because the God of the Bible was angry and did nothing other than punish people for being...

Imagine the childhood conversation between two young boys: “My dad is bigger than your dad.” “No, my dad is bigger than yours.” “Uh uh, mine could beat yours in a fight!” Not ever – my dad could beat yours into the ground!” And on and on it goes, of course! I wish I could say this was only an imaginary disagreement. Still, I remember arguing with one of my childhood friends in first or second grad...

Every year on the first Sunday of December, our congregations reads interpretations of common Christmas decorations. Enjoy this special service.   The best way to support our Ministry is by sharing these videos with your friends and family.   We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/gi...

Have you ever noticed “the beautiful people?” I went down to the local Dentistry College to meet a friend a few years ago, and I was confronted with a building full of “the beautiful people.” The young female dental students were all gorgeous and had beautiful smiles, and the male students were tall and good-looking, with broad shoulders and square jaws. I felt so out of place! Interestingly, the...

The best way to support our Ministry is by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.   We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by L...

Years ago, I started taking guitar lessons – visions of greatness danced in my head! I went to lessons, spent money on multiple guitars and all sorts of equipment, and practiced every day, sometimes for over an hour! I was going to ‘do it’ this time – I would not quit, slack off, or let anything keep me from mastering this instrument as I had in the past – it was that important!   Over time, thoug...

In churches, you will occasionally hear a success story of the Gospel:   Occasionally you hear a success story of a radical transformation by Jesus.   I recently talked with a good friend who works in a crisis pregnancy center run by a local church. A young pregnant drug addict came in seeking an abortion; they could not help her with that but tried to get her into a drug treatment program. She le...