First Baptist Blowing Rock

Have you ever felt like you did not belong? Like you did not fit in? Ever walked into a room and everyone stopped talking? All of us have been on the outside looking in at one time or another but the Apostle Paul explains that for God's children that is no longer a reality! We belong! We are now a part of a family that we don't have to try to impress or be something we are not to get acc...

We all have walls in our lives; barriers that we create to either keep people out, or to help keep parts of us in. We build them in our marriages and our relationship, we build them at work and in our community; we even build them at church! The Bible is pretty clear that Jesus came to break down barriers and walls. He destroyed the wall that separated man from God but he also destroyed any reason...

Have you ever tried your best at something and it was still not good enough? Maybe at a job or in a relationship or trying to make a life change? You give it everything you have and yet you still feel inadequate? The good news is that the first step in overcoming your inadequacies is recognizing that you have them - recognizing that for some things in life and in certain circumstances; your best w...

What is the best "before and after" picture that you have ever seen? Was it a weight loss miracle? A makeup makeover? What about a house that someone flipped or a car that was completely overhauled? We love to hear and see "before and after" pictures and stories. They encourage us with potential and hope, but what if someone was doing a "before and after" about your l...

This message from our Harvest Day service tackles the issue of what happened to the Church at Ephesus from the time of Paul's prayer in Chapter one to the conclusions we hear about in Revelation 2. How did they go from redeemed Saints, exploring their inheritance in Christ, to 'loosing their first love"? It remains a problem today in both churches and individuals. We lose our passio...

What does it really mean to be a "child of God"? Should it make a difference in how I live? worship? interact with others? As a child of God, a "joint -heir" with Jesus, and a part of the family; does that mean I get an inheritance? We have heard hymns and choruses proclaim these themes, probably even sung or said the words ourselves - but what does it really mean? and does it...

We sing songs and hymns about being "redeemed", we read about it in scripture, and sometimes a Pastor or teacher may throw it out there; but what does it really mean? It is not a common word we use today so for many Christians the real meaning is never fully grasped. Since many fail to understand it, we fail to realize just what the Bible is saying when it calls us "The Redeemed&quo...

There are video clips flooding the internet of a prominent Pastor's wife proclaiming to the church, "We don't come to worship for God - we do it for ourselves - we do it to make us happy and God's greatest desire is for our happiness". Through all the controversy and opinion being thrown around about this quote - what does the Bible say? Here in Ephesians 1, the Apostle Pa...

When did God decide to send Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of man and a means for man's salvation? Why did he do it? Was it so we could go to heaven? be forgiven? have a relationship with Him? The answers to these questions take us into the deeper waters of scripture, into some of the central truths of the New Testament and leave many believers breathless. While the answer is simple; the i...

The Apostle Paul starts this wonderful letter by reminding Christ followers that not only are they a "totally new creation" but also that they have been given the most incredible blessings available. You don't have to wait for them, your don't have to earn them, you don't have to pray for them; they are already yours! The question is not what more can God give you - the qu...

What do you call those that identify themselves as a follower of Jesus Christ? What do you call yourself? "Christian" "Christ Follower" "Sinner saved by Grace" ? Does it really matter? The Apostle Paul thought so and rightly identified the faithful believers in Ephesus as "Saints" . Do you think of yourself as a "Saint"? If not; it could be the rea...

What does a healthy looking church look like? What makes it effective? Jesus gives us some hints when he visits the temple and has a run-in with the religious leaders and over turns some tables. Is he still in the table turning business? Join us as we examine Matthew 21 and this famous incident and how it relates to the modern church and each of us as individuals. Thank you for listening to our po...

Church bashing is all the rage - everyone wants to "follow Jesus" just not be a part of the "church". The only problem with that is, following Jesus MAKES you a part of the church - you don't have a choice. The church is the means by which Jesus chose to change and empower the world and trying to "follow Jesus" apart from the church is like being a suited up and...

Many church leaders would say that one of the greatest problems they face in the church today is the lack of commitment from the members and those involved. Everyone likes to sign up to help, or shows up for the planning rally or even come to the first meeting but as time goes by; they drop out, wander away or just plain quit. The problem is that the Bible never calls us to give it our "best...

All you seem to hear about today is how much trouble the church is in. Denominations are shrinking, baptisms down, church attendance slacking off, losing a generation; everyone has an opinion. Online blogs, magazine articles, even whole sermons relegated to listing everything that is wrong about the church; but what about all that is right? This hand wringing and finger pointing about the church b...

What makes a true servant serve? If it is not for the recognition or the fame, if it is not because they feel guilty or convicted or that they are somehow trying to pay God back; then what is it? Jesus tells us in Matthew 20 that the greatest in his kingdom will be the one who serve others - so what makes a servant tick? Join us for this message as we dissect and examine the heart of the Apostle P...

What does a "healthy church" look like? How do you know it is healthy, and how did it get that way? Doctors will encourage us that the quickest way to better health is through exercise - but what about the church? How does it "exercise"? Join us as we look with the Apostle Paul and his diagnosis of a healthy church and the promises that come with good health. From Ephesians 4:1...

Can a Christian have a "spiritual" mid-life crisis? Is it possible for our faith, walk and worship to become routine? Have you ever found yourself going through the motions spiritually or felt like you were in a rut? All of us from time to time, regardless of age or how long you have been a Christ follower, go through seasons of our faith when what was once Awesome has now become ordinar...

It has become a worldwide blockbuster, making over a billion dollars before ever being released on video. It has spawned countless number one musical hits; earned an Academy Award for it's signature song "Let it Go" and has been the "go to" soundtrack for children and preteens all winter and spring. It is a fun and entertaining movie but did you know it was based on a Chri...

Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others.  Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page .  Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

Wouldn't it be great if the heroes of faith from the Bible could speak to us and give us some practical advice for living a faith filled life. What do you think they would say? How did they do it? While we don't have actual words of advice from many of the characters we have studied in this series; the writer of Hebrews does end the great "roll call of faith" chapter with some...

Most of us can think of someone from our past whose influence on our lives has been significant. A coach, a teacher, an older teenager, a relative, someone from church, a co-worker. Someone who took the time to encourage, believe and speak into your life and yet they probably don't even realize the difference they made. Even the Apostle Paul had someone that found him at a very vulnerable tim...

Who were the two men that took Jesus off the cross and buried him? Why them? Where were the disciples? What motivated these two Pharisees, members of the Sanhedrin, the very council that condemned him to death, to risk everything to make sure Jesus was buried in a tomb? Join us for this Easter message about faith coming out of the shadows and how it affected that first resurrection Sunday. From Jo...

Are deathbed coversions real? If so; why are we so bothered by it? Could it be we misunderstand grace? Could it be we misunderstand what really saves us? Find the answers in Jesus' last conversation on the Cross. Palm Sunday from Luke 23:38-43 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others.  Join us for our weekly worship online...

If you had to describe what real, genuine, worship looked like; what words would you use? kneeling? standing? hands raised? crying? reverent? shouting? singing? It is a trick question. Worship is not about the expressions we use but rather a matter of the heart. Those words describe the ways we express our worship and really don't indicate the heart of the worshiper. Too often, we get caught...