First Baptist Church Longview

Why is contentment so elusive, even when life seems to be going well? In Psalm 16, Pastor Collin points to David’s confidence in God even in the shadow of death, revealing that true peace is not found in circumstances or possessions. God Himself is the refuge, the source, and the ultimate good that gives meaning to everything else. Seen through Christ’s resurrection, that confidence holds firm — G...

Have you ever wished you could just stop thinking about money altogether? Looking at 1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Corinthians 8–9, Pastor Collin lays out a practical approach to generosity rooted in grace, not obligation. Because Jesus gave everything for us, generosity becomes a response of worship rather than duty. Pastor Bullard encourages listeners to develop a thoughtful, intentional plan for givin...

What would you do if Jesus personally invited you to follow Him — and the only thing standing in the way was your stuff? In Mark 10, Pastor Collin walks through the encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler, who approaches with sincerity but walks away unwilling to let go. Few things compete more fiercely for our loyalty to Christ than wealth. Rather than only calling for detachment, Pastor...

What would it look like if your church was known more for its generosity than its theology? Drawing from Acts 20, Pastor Collin reflects on Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders, where sacrificial generosity was inseparable from authentic faith. Generosity is not accidental or reserved for a few — it is a deliberate way of life that must be practiced. Take a step today toward surrendering your fi...

Why would God allow suffering — and why doesn't He just stop it? In John 9, Pastor Collin points to a man born blind and shows how Jesus rejects the assumption that suffering is always punishment, instead revealing Himself as the light entering darkness. You don't have to understand everything to believe in Someone who is at work. If you're struggling with what you cannot explain, let what you do...

Have you ever drifted so far from where you started that the only way forward is to go back to the beginning? In Galatians 3, Pastor Collin highlights Paul’s warning to believers who had traded grace for performance, forgetting how their faith first began. The Christian life continues the same way it starts — not by doing more, but through faith that expresses itself in love. Pastor Bullard invite...

What if you reached the end of your life only to discover the prize you'd been chasing was worth nothing? In Philippians 3, Pastor Collin points to Paul, writing from prison, who counts every achievement and credential as loss compared to knowing Christ. The one pursuit that defines his life is pressing forward because Christ first took hold of him. Wherever you are in the race — stumbling, coasti...

What is the one thing your life is truly built around — and have the demands of daily living quietly pushed it out of first place? Opening a new series on the "one things" of the New Testament, Pastor Collin anchors the focus in Luke 10:38–42, where Jesus gently redirects Martha’s attention to what matters most. Everything in life finds its proper order only when staying near to the Lord who has c...

What do you do when God asks you to surrender the very thing His own promises are wrapped up in? In Genesis 22, Pastor Collin walks through Abraham’s call to offer Isaac, revealing that God is not only after obedience but the deeper loyalty of the heart. The things we cling to most tightly are often substitutes for what we were truly made to desire. Wherever the Spirit is asking you to trust Him t...

Have you ever looked at the chaos of your life and wondered where God is in all of it? Through the book of Esther — where God is never mentioned by name — Pastor Collin highlights how His sovereign hand is present in every “coincidence,” sleepless night, and unlikely turn of events. What appears random is actually purposeful, woven together for something far greater than any one life. You have not...

Do you ever feel like you're living in the "land of no thing," carrying shame and unworthiness you can't seem to set down? Through the story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Collin draws a picture of undeserved grace extended to the overlooked and broken. Just as David sought out Jonathan’s son to bring him to the king’s table, God pursues us not because we have earned it, but because of His...

What do you cling to when life feels marked by loss, bitterness, or uncertainty? Walking through Ruth 1–2, Katie Yoder highlights how Ruth’s decision to remain loyal in suffering places her within God’s unfolding plan of redemption. Even in pain, God works through ordinary faithfulness to bring about purpose and hope. This calls us to trust His provision, stay faithful in the present moment, and c...

Have you ever been asked to do something that made absolutely no sense — and yet everything depended on whether you obeyed? In 2 Kings 5, Pastor Collin recounts Naaman’s journey from powerful commander to humbled seeker, where simple obedience became the turning point. When pride resisted what seemed beneath him, it was the quiet wisdom of servants that led him forward. Obedience to God is not abo...

Have you ever spent your life chasing something you thought would finally make you feel secure, only to find it slipping through your fingers? Tracing Jacob’s story in Genesis 27–32, Pastor Collin shows how his relentless pursuit of blessing left him grasping for things that could never satisfy. All along, God was offering something greater. The truth that emerges is that God’s blessing was never...

Have you ever felt the sting of rejection — passed over, overlooked, or simply not chosen? Opening *Unlikely Heroes* in Genesis 29, Pastor Collin brings attention to Leah’s story — unseen by her father, unwanted by her husband, and overshadowed by her sister. Yet the defining moment comes when God sees what others ignore. His grace runs deepest where rejection cuts the hardest, and the one dismiss...

What do you do when pain and suffering push you to cry out, "God, why?" and "God, when?" Drawing from James 5:7–11, Pastor Collin points to the farmer, the prophets, and Job as examples of patient endurance grounded in trust rather than resignation. The ultimate answer to suffering is not found in this world, but in the return of Christ. Stand firm, establish your heart in hope, and continue the w...

How much of the control you feel over your life is actually real? In James 4:13–17, Pastor Collin exposes the illusion of self-reliance by reminding us that our knowledge is limited, our lives are fleeting, and every breath depends on God's sustaining grace. The wisest way to live is not simply avoiding wrongdoing, but cultivating daily dependence on God in every plan and decision. Surrender your...

Do you ever wonder why knowing more about the Bible doesn't automatically make you a better, more loving person? Looking at James 3:13–18, Pastor Collin contrasts earthly wisdom — driven by envy and selfish ambition — with the kind of wisdom that reflects Christ through purity, peace, and mercy. True wisdom isn't measured by how much you know, but by how deeply you love. Pastor Bullard calls you t...

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" — but who actually believes that? In James 3:1–12, Pastor Collin highlights how the tongue can guide a life like a rudder or destroy it like a spark that ignites a fire. The sobering reality is that no one can tame the tongue apart from God, because the problem runs deeper than speech — it begins in the heart. Respond this week b...

Is your faith real, or is it just talk? In James 2:14–26, Pastor Collin uses the story of Harry Colcord stepping onto a tightrope walker's back over Niagara Falls to illustrate that genuine faith goes beyond intellectual agreement — it takes hold with full trust. True saving faith will always produce visible fruit: love, holiness, and obedience rooted in confidence that God will keep His promises....

Have you ever sized someone up the moment they walked into the room — and acted on it? Addressing James 2:1–8, Pastor Collin confronts the early church’s tendency to show favoritism based on outward appearances and status. Faith in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ cannot coexist with partiality. Drawing on the moment Jesus stopped for the overlooked woman in the crowd, Pastor Bullard calls believers...

Have you ever walked away from a church service feeling like you'd done something meaningful — simply because you showed up and listened? In James 1:22, Pastor Collin unpacks the warning that hearing God's Word without acting on it leads to self-deception. Using the image of someone who looks in a mirror and immediately forgets what they saw, Pastor Bullard emphasizes that faith must move beyond h...

What do you do when life falls apart and someone tells you to rejoice? Looking at James 1:2–8, Pastor Collin begins a series by showing how trials are not obstacles to faith but the very means through which faith is refined and strengthened. Tested faith carries a depth and endurance that easy circumstances can never produce. Rather than avoiding hardship, Pastor Bullard invites listeners to ask G...

What would it take to convince you that someone you knew was actually the Son of God? In 1 Corinthians 15, Pastor Collin points to the earliest recorded Christian message, showing that it centered not on ideas but on eyewitness testimony to the risen Christ. The resurrection of Jesus is the one historical event that explains how a movement that died with its leader not only survived but transforme...