This Lord's Day (September 1, 2024) at Rainsville First Baptist Church

This Sunday we will return to the Gospel of Luke as I have a purpose to preach through this gospel over an eight-to-nine-year period.  In fact, it was 2017 when I first started preaching through Luke and with great expectation I return to where we left off in late 2023.

This Sunday we will pick up in Luke 16.  Let's be reminded of what Dr. Luke is doing in this section of his gospel.

Luke 14 has given us the mandate of a disciple of Jesus...to follow Jesus completely and without reservation.

Luke 15 reveals the type of Father we have...one who receives sinners and rejoices over their salvation.

Luke 16 deals more intimately with following Jesus by speaking about the disciples' relationship with our money and material possessions.  All of the material in Luke 16 is unique to Luke except for verses 13-18.

It is interesting to note one-third of all the parables of Jesus deal with the relationship of his followers with money and their material possessions.

It is in the context of the love of money Jesus addresses the Pharisees in verses 14-18 and at the end of his talk, he mentions divorce. 

This caused me to think about the issue of marriage and divorce and I want to do a short series of messages on "Marriage:  The Gospel Reflected" beginning this Sunday.

This Lord's Day (August 25, 2024) at Rainsville First Baptist Church

I have planned and attempted to preach from Ezekiel 37: 1-14 twice this year (May and August) and both times the Spirit of God moved in the service in a different way.  Well, this week the Lord brought a new look at Ezekiel 37 and I want to share this message on Sunday, "God is Building An Army:  The Church."

Join us in person at 233 Church Avene in Rainsville, AL or online at rfbc.sermon.net.  

"Times of Spiritual Renewal" at Rainsville First Baptist Church August 18-20, 2024

This Sunday we begin "Times of Spiritual Renewal" here at Rainsville First Baptist Church.  Our schedule:

This Sunday, 10:15 AM and 6:30 PM

Monday and Tuesday: 6:30 PM nightly

We welcome Dr. Jeff LaBorg to our pulpit for these days of renewal.  Dr. LaBorg is Pastor of the Fairview Knox Church in Corryton, Tennessee since 2015.  The church has experienced record growth, baptisms, and in 2020 purchased over 80 acres for ministry and future relocation.

Just this year he completed his Ph.D. in Advanced Prophetics/Eschatology.  He has done post-graduate studies through Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel and leads teaching tours to Israel.  He has earned four academic degrees from Liberty University, Liberty Theological Seminary, and Louisiana Baptist University.

He and his wife, Kristi, have two children and four granddaughters.

You are invited to join us in person at 223 Church Avenue, Rainsville, AL for these services or watch online at www.rfbc.sermon.net. 

This Lord's Day (August 11, 2024) at Rainsville First Baptist Church

The question of all questions is, can a person really change?  This sobering question is at the heart of Christianity because if the answer is no, then we have no gospel.  But we do have the good news that a person can become a new person and that the same person can continually change becoming more like Jesus.

So how?  Well, there is a pattern in the Word of God how God works to bring about change.  Ezekiel 37 will be our text of when God used the Word of God and the Spirit of God to bring dead bones to become a living strong army.

It is no different today.  God uses His Word and the Spirit coordinating with our obedient response to the Word and Spirit.  We will examine this wonderful truth this Sunday at Rainsville First Baptist Church in the 10:15 worship service.

Also, this Sunday Isaiah Craig will baptize his son, Zakobi.  We will hear another video of Dr. Jeff LaBorg preaching as we introduce him to our congregation in anticipation of his preaching on August 18-20 in four services.  Then at the close of the service, we will pray for all our college students.

This Lord's Day (August 4, 2024) at Rainsville First Baptist Church

I'm back from Sabbatical.  What an unusual experience for a pastor who is accustomed to being deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of the church and people's lives.  But God provided both physical and mental rest.  

I'm not sure how much I will continue to blog.  I have blogged three times a week for several months now.  I will continue to blog on the weekend about the Lord's Day at Rainsville First and I'll see in the coming days whatever I will do.

Tomorrow we gather for worship at Rainsville First Baptist Church.  Roxanne and I look forward to being back with the Rainsville First Family.  

I announced to the church in June I felt compelled to preach this message when I returned and I still do.  So tomorrow I will share "Leading Your Child to Christ."  This is not a new message. In fact, the first time I preached it at RFBC was August 16, 2015, and tomorrow will be the fifth time.  I believe it is that important.

This is the premise the Lord gave me several years ago.  If the parents are followers of Jesus Christ and He did not bypass them to bring their children into the world physically, then He doesn't want to bypass them to bring their children into their spiritual world.

God wants to use the parents to lead their children to Christ.  I look forward to sharing this message again.

Also tomorrow I will begin the "heavy" preparation for our 'Times of Spiritual Renewal" services coming up August 18-20 with Dr. Jeff LaBorg.  We will also pray over all our teachers, staff, bus drivers, coaches, lunchroom personnel and administrators as another school year begins.

On Wednesday, August 7 several of our members who have been on missions this summer will be sharing in the 6:00 service.  All the youth and adults will be meeting together in the Auditorium.