Weekly Update (Page 3)

Weekly Update – November 2nd, 2023 The event that took place on October 31st, 1517, is more than simply a time in history.  It is our heritage as Christians.  We believe that we live the way that we do, because God in His grace, chose to act and bring a recovery of His gospel back to His church.  What we look back upon, more than 500 years ago, is the reformation of the church.  It all began with a young…

Weekly Update – October 26th, 2023 The atrocities that are occurring in the middle east right now have been difficult for many to process.  I know that for myself, I have been trying to wrap my mind around how certain men can be so brutal to innocent children with their actions.  War is not a new concept to us.  People and nations have been in conflict with one another since the world fell into sin.  Even in our time, war…

Weekly Update – October 19th, 2023 Let me start off with a bit of confession here.  There is something that I rarely do, but I am often pressed to start.  It is the habit of journaling.  To some of us, this may be a completely foreign concept.  Perhaps journaling causes you to think of a diary that a young adolescent girl might write down all of her private thoughts.  Or perhaps you think of someone writing an autobiography for publishing. …

Weekly Update – October 12th, 2023 At our last members’ meeting, we presented 60 names to potentially be removed from membership at our next meeting in December.  For the past several years, from time to time, there were lists like this that were presented to the church.  Typically, the names on the list are inactive members for whom we have no contact information.  That means that if someone looks at one of these names and knows how to get in…

Weekly Update – October 5th, 2023 What do we mean when we use the word worship?  Then, from there, if we understand what worship is, how are we supposed to worship?  In Romans 12:1, Paul writes, “I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”  What this verse shows us is that broadly speaking, worship is a response to the mercy…

Weekly Update – September 28th, 2023 Last Sunday we looked at 2 Samuel 5-6 in our study through 1st and 2nd Samuel.  In many ways, we saw a picture here of God’s kingdom coming, as victory is achieved, holiness is displayed and joy results for those who have been brought near to God.  It is a wonderful time for Israel as they are now united under God’s “prince” (5:2) with God leading them as their king.  But amid all the…

Weekly Update – September 21st, 2023 A little over 5 years ago now, First Baptist Church opened up a “bookstore”.  Now it’s no Barnes and Nobles, but it is a few shelves in the welcome center of key books that will help influence your Christian life.  We have books such as, The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller, which will help shape your view on marriage, or Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Don Whitney which will give you…

Weekly Update – September 14th, 2023 Over the last 9 months, we have been slowly walking through our newly adopted statement on Biblical Sexuality.  There are nine points to this statement.  This week we will look at point six.  Point one can before found HERE.  Point two, HERE.  Point three, HERE.  Point four, HERE.  Point five, HERE. Point six is as follows: “Sin distorts sexual desires by directing them away from the marriage covenant and toward sexual immorality. This distortion can include both heterosexual…

Weekly Update – September 7th, 2023 This week we will have a responsive reading in the middle of our service.  In fact, it is placed right after our prayer of confession and will serve as our reminder of the pardon we have received through Jesus Christ.  In terms of responsive readings, over the last several years, we have done everything from reading scripture together, reciting catechisms to even reading our statement of faith.  We don’t do this because we are…

Weekly Update – August 31st, 2023 Last Sunday, we celebrated our 175th anniversary as a church.  The Lord has done many things through us over the years as we have sought to not only impact Grandview, but Kansas City, Missouri and the world beyond us.  Even though the Lord has been faithful to work through us in the past, we as the people of God here at First Baptist Church, ought to long to grow in pressing forward together as…

Weekly Update – August 24th, 2023 On Monday, July 10th, 1848, with 12 charter members, First Baptist Church (United Baptist Church of Jesus Christ – then) was constituted.  Through the desire to two preachers and two deacons from West Fork Baptist Church (Connection Point Church – now) Grandview now had a Baptist Church.  Within a year, James J. Robinson became the first official pastor in 1849.  The church initially met in a one-room log school/meeting building, owned by the community,…

Weekly Update – August 17th, 2023 Last week, I wrote about a new Biblical Counseling course that we are offering on Wednesday nights, starting on September 13th. The course will run for about 30 weeks (with a few nights off here and there) from September to April. The course will be video led with discussion to follow concerning the material that was taught. In that post I also explained what Biblical Counseling is. You can find that HERE. What I…