First Baptist Blowing Rock

It had been well quoted that in the average church 10% of the people do 90% of the work and while that may not be the case in many churches, a Gallup Poll found it close to reality. Even more disturbing is that the same poll revealed that of the 85-90% of church member who are not serving or working in their churches, 50% said they could not picture any circumstances where they would get involved....

We live in a very self absorbed culture. Our social media sites are filled with "selfies" and other pictures from our day to day adventures. Our self worth seems to hinge upon how many views or likes we get from our media post on the various apps we can't help but check at every waking moment. We are eliminating grades in school for the same reason that everyone now gets a trophy fo...

In a recent USA Today survey people were asked what would be the one question they could ask God. Over 80% responded that they wanted to ask God, "What is your will for my life? What is my purpose?" Even in the church, many long time Christians still struggle with the idea of "God's Will" and purposes for their life. Does He have a specific will for me and if so, How can I...

We live in a rapidly changing culture and it is having a profound effect on Christians and the Church. Behavior and lifestyles that only a few years ago seemed abnormal or out of the mainstream are now not only accepted but even celebrated. The lines between how society defines good and evil and right and wrong are being blurred and it is happening at such a pace that many in the church don't...

As we continue looking at Romans 12:1, we examine the ideas behind individual worship and what that might look like in the church. The reason many people today struggle with worship is related more to what they are willing to give than any various worship styles. Worship must always include a sacrifice and it starts with each of us willingly giving every part of ourselves to God and everything els...

If you pay attention to the media, it would be hard to miss all of the articles, books and reports declaring the decline of the Christian church in America. From falling attendance numbers, shrinking membership roles to declining conversions, it seems like there is no good news for the American Church. But are we really in a crisis or is this simply just a correction? Could it be that over the las...

A recent survey found that people had greater success naming the kids on the Brady Bunch than trying to name the 10 Commandments. The second most recognized Commandment was the fourth; "Honor the Sabbath and keep it Holy" yet most people could not really explain how we are supposed to do that in today's church. It is often one of the most misunderstood or controversial commandments...

While Americans gather this weekend to celebrate our Independence and Freedoms; churches on Sunday will be full of people singing and celebrating their spiritual freedoms, yet many remain in bondage. In Galatians 5, Paul reminds us that until we experience true spiritual freedom and understand what we have been set free from, we will struggle to walk out those freedoms. For many Christ followers,...

If you want to make people uncomfortable in church just mention the word "change"! While we are willing to strive for some personal change, when it comes to changing how we do church, or what we do at church, or even a line on the order of service; we are much more hesitant or even resistant. Yet, for the church to reach the next generations, we must change and adapt. It is not a matter...

In 1st Samuel 16:1, the nation of Israel and its future was at a crossroads. God has just taken His anointing away from King Saul and was moving towards the future by sending the Prophet Samuel to find and anoint the new king at the home of Jesse. But Samuel was in mourning for his friend Saul, and had no idea what God's plans for the future involved and what he might find while looking for t...

People today love to take pictures, we have whole social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram built around sharing our pictures with the world. In a recent survey, high school and college students use their phones more for taking pictures than phone calls. With the explosion of picture taking, the arrival of quick self editing using "filters" has followed suit. Most of the picture...

Depression is one of those topics you don't hear discussed much in church, yet it is said 20% of all Americans (1 in 5) will suffer from serious depression in their lifetime. Currently almost 19 million Americans suffer from some sort of clinical depression and a recent study found that 36 % of all teenage girls have suffered a significant depressive episode or consider themselves depressed....

As we wrap up our study on the Sermon on the Mount, we ask the question, "Why does it matter?". Why is the sermon so important? Why do many consider it to be one of Jesus's greatest teachings? To help find some answers, we look at how the original listeners responded? What did they think, and what difference did it make to them? While many today try to separate Jesus from the life l...

Join us as we learn some important lessons about the influence of a Mother's Passion. We hope to redeem a Mother who has received a bad rap in the New Testament as well as gaining a few examples for all parents to follow when it comes to our children's spiritual future. From Matthew 20:20-28 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and sha...

In every letter that the Apostle Paul writes to the various churches he warns them about false teachers. Numerous times throughout the Gospels, Jesus warns about false teachers but none clearer and more direct than what is found at the end of his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7. He is very pointed in calling out those He calls "wolves in sheep" clothing whose intent is to build up their...

While many consider Jesus words in Matthew 7:21-23 to be the most shocking or heartbreaking of the entire New Testament, others would love to bypass, overlook or rationalize them away. After warning about false teachers or "wolves in sheep's clothing", Jesus now confronts the end results for those who fall into the trap or are lured away by those teachings. What makes the teaching s...

People have been using and blaming God for their own profit and gain, to build their own kingdoms and to justify their sinful actions and behavior since the garden of Eden. False prophets and false teachers claiming to speak for God are scattered all through the Old Testament, but as Jesus establishes His church he knew it would only get worse. In every letter/epistle the Apostle Paul wrote to his...

The Apostle Paul encourages the Church at Philippi to "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" in Philippians 2:12 as an encouragement for them to never stop examining their own hearts and motives. Jesus spends the better part of the end of his Sermon on the Mount on the same topic giving several metaphors and illustrations calling for self-examination. Yet you will not hear it...

Many love to quote Matthew 7:1, "judge not least you be judged" yet that passage is found in a section of Jesus' teaching from the Sermon on the Mount that puts a spotlight on what could be defined as "judging". We are told not to be self-righteous or hypercritical in how we respond or treat others and we are warned to never try to take God's role and authority as the...

In our current culture, it doesn't take long for anyone who states a conviction or belief that might runs counter to modern PC group think to receive the admonition, "Judge Not least You Be Judged". It seems that is the "go-to" response on Facebook, Social Media, Blogs, Websites and sometimes even in person anytime we might express a biblical conviction about sin or sinful...

Worry is not only something that can affect your health, your sleep patterns and stress levels but according to Jesus IT IS A SIN. We don't like to think of it in those terms, but God does. Worry and Anxiety rob your joy, diminish your worship, corrupt your faith and reveal that you really don't trust God according to Matthew 6. Jesus unpacks a convicting illustration to his earlier teac...

In Luke 18 when Jesus is asked by the "rich young ruler" what it takes to "inherit eternal life" Jesus responds by calling him to "sell all you have and give the proceeds to those in need". Was this a specific command for this one person or is it something He expects from every follower? In our series from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus seems to be encouraging his fol...

Is it possible for God to be moving in our midst and we not know it? Could He be opening doors and providing opportunities and yet we are unaware? What did Jesus mean when he warned "He who has eyes to see, let him see"? As Jesus continues to encourage his followers from his Sermon on the Mount to invest their time/talent and treasure in things that have eternal value, he also warns that...

We make investments every day; we invest our time, we invest our talents and we invest our treasure on those things that we think are important. As Jesus continues his teaching from the Sermon on the Mount aimed at calling his followers to a higher standard; he warns that while we may pay lip service about what is important to us - the true devotion of our heart is always revealed in where we have...

In James 5:16, The King James Version translates James' promises that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much". In a more modern translation it is given as "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective", another says "The effective and passionate prayer of the righteous works" yet most followers of Christ would not honestly descri...