First Baptist Church St. Paris

1 out of 5 adults experience “formal” anxiety. These are those who have a formal diagnosis. These are the ones where a PCP, NP, or counselor has given the diagnosis. This is based on research from 2008 roughly. Up to 50% of adults experience anxiety of some sort. This is a preliminary study form 2023.…

We come to this MOther’s Day and I hope to share this message in a way which honors the ladies of our life but also challenge us to live out the faith our world desperately needs in a counter-cultural way. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. Though this is a commentary on…

Hope during dark times. Think of the darkest times of your life and also think about where hope may or may not have been. Peter is writing to people who need reminded of hope. The same is true of us today. Hope because of WHO Jesus is! I know this is review, but on Palm Sunday this is the point, He is…

Hope is essential. Without it we are just existing. Yet hope is hard at times. There are many of us in this world walking around like the walking dead. We have no life in us. Hope must be grounded in reality. If it is not then we just have flimsy optimism which though may do us well will not create life.…

There is a lot of uncertainty in our world. I have my list of things I wish was a little more clear and “decided”. There are the “big” uncertainties dealign with our world, government and such. Then there are the personal uncertainties which rightfully so become our world. It is hard to live when you…

Maundy Thursday is counter-cultural. This day goes against much of what our culture celebrates. Power. Strength. Possessions. Individualism. Personal Freedom. We need Maundy Thursday in the Church. If we are not careful we can easily slip into the pattern of our world. We need it because I believe Maundy…

Our world is fully of bustle and hustle. Many things vie for our attention. Our world is filled with conflict. Personal and within communities. Our world is filled with expectations. Spoken and unspoken. So did the world of Jesus! This is good news. We are not that much different than them. Israel was…

What does discipleship look like? The past four weeks, finishing today, I hope I have been answering this question. But beyond that how would you answer it. What does generosity look like? How have you been on the receiving end of generosity? Relationships are key for discipleship! As our passage reminds…

Life is not always easy. We know this to be true and yet, we strive to making easier for us. I know I am always looking for ways to simplify and make things a little easier. Work smarter not harder, is a phrase we have that encompasses this. Sometimes easy is not always healthy. It is much easier to…

Change is inevitable. It is not a matter of if things will change but when and how quickly. Traditions can help teach & ground our faith. Traditions are useful in many ways. Sometimes, traditions get in the way of faith. The problem CAN, emphasis on CAN, become that tradition stops faith from growing…

Deja vu-feeling like you have already experienced something but haven’t. Today may be like that. We have a passage that is very similar to our text from last week. But please, don’t check out just yet. Jesus transforms life. The normal way for someone to follow a teacher and rabbi in those days was to…

Personal Ministry Goal: Make disciples who make disciples. Hopefully, unless you are new to our ministry in the past month this phrase is not a new one. This year I want to be intentional, more than usual, at developing disciples in our church. Walking with Jesus is a journey. It is not something that…

What is progress? Greatness? As i finished prepping this morning I read a quote by C.S. Lewis What age is someone “old”? Now be careful if you answer out loud, which I do not recommend. :) “Now I care far more how humanity lives than how long.” C.S. Lewis Genesis 4 & 5 -the blessing is seen. We see mankind…

God is… Fill that blank in to some extent. What are the “key” traits you would highlight? The way we view God will determine how we live and share Christ. It is important we understand this. When, as we will, emphasize one trait over another there are behavioral consequences to those belief. Choices…

Expectations are… How would you finish the sentence. Where do you come from? Once again another tricky question. My answer will give insight into what I thought you were asking. The Biblical world is different than 2025. I know some may want to say “Thank you Captain Obvious” but we must always remember…

Life is a journey! I know this sounds cliche’, and it is, but we must remember this. Developing disciples in 2025 As I stated a couple weeks ago this is a major theme I have this year. It is nothing flashy no edgy and trendy. Yet, it is rooted in the words of Jesus. Then Jesus came to them and said,…

What does a balanced diet look like? This is the time of year we think about diet and exercise. In fact, I believe what is known as quitters’ days as already happened, the 2nd Friday or Saturday in January. We need a healthy diet of Scripture. As we start the year this is my point this morning. But what…

What is your goal for 2025? I am not talking necessarily about new year resolutions, though it can be that, but instead what do you hope to achieve or develop this year. 2025: Developing Disciples As I have done some thinking this past couple weeks about what I am going to try and use as a measuring…

Mary & Joseph-Young, unexpected, confused, tired yet courageous. Mary had not a clue what was going to happen that first night. Shepherds-probably outcasts, nothing special, just doing “their job”. It was supposed to be a normal night. Simeon & Anna-Old and just waiting for prayers to be answered. Faithful…

Becoming a GOAT We all want greatness and our world can pressure us to be a GOAT, or Greatest Of All Time. This desire is not necessarily bad but can be confusing. Who defines greatness? If we want to be great, and I am not opposed to it, then we must ask who gets to define greatness. Christmas gives…

Simple does not equate with easy. We need to be reminded of this truth. Just because a concept is simple does not mean it is easy. Just because someone may “get it” easier does not mean only a few can understand and live it out. We are familiar with cynicism, criticalness and bitterness. These are the…

Many people need help. The needs of our community and the people in our lives is great. This can be overwhelming, trust me I know. The prophets job: comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. This is a line I read from John Goldingay in his Jeremiah for Everyone commentary. Think about this statement…

What “P” words can you think of this morning? Patience, perseverance, pitching, problems, etc. How are we to live in this world? This is a primary question I ask each week as I study the Scripture and our text for hours in order to try and answer. If we do not live out the Word of God it matters little…

How would you describe life right now? What words come to mind when you think of life? We need a word from the Lord. As we enter this week I hope this message will help you hear the Lord. I will try even more than usual to be brief and straight forward. Israel’s world was being turned upside down. The…

God still speaks today. This is, I believe, a fundamental truth we must learn. God still uses the words of old to help us live in 2024. Jeremiah gives us a “parable in action”. The phrase most likely comes form the NIV Application Commentary but when we have this framework it helps to understand the…