Focal Passage: John 10:7-14, 25-30 One of the major theological distinctives we hold as Southern Baptists is the eternal security of the believer. According to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, “All true believers endure to the end.  Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end…. they shall be kept by

Focal Passage: John 9:24-38 A few months ago, while interviewing a candidate for a children’s ministry position, our search committee asked him the question, “What are some of the biggest challenges in children’s ministry today?”  With almost no hesitation, he mentioned the difficulty of overcoming the seven most deadly words of a church: “We’ve never done it that way before.” Although he went on to mention other difficulties and obstacles,

Focal Passage: John 8:3-18 A few years ago, Emily and I made a quick trip north to visit Mammoth Cave National Park. The cave is appropriately named because at 285 miles in length it’s the longest cavern system in the world.  While we were inside, our eyes were opened to magnificent rock formations, spikey stalactites, tight passages and underground streams and waterfalls. But there was one part of our tour

Focal Passage: John 7:14-29 As Jesus was standing trial following His arrest, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, asked Him if He was “King of the Jews.”  Jesus affirmed that he was a king (not earthly, but spiritual), and concluded by saying, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of

Focal Passage: John 6:26-40 World-renowned chef and culinary expert, James Beard, once noted, “Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods.” I think this statement rings true for several reasons.  First, whether you are a bread aficionado or not, when you sense hunger there is something deeply satisfying about eating a piece of warm bread, especially covered with salty butter.  Second, not only does bread satisfy hunger, but

Focal Passage: John 5:5-16 Few difficulties in life are more dangerous than hopelessness. In 2020, Anne Case and Angus Deaton co-authored a book titled, Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, where they researched a unique rise in death rates among white, middled-aged, American men. While life expectancy had been on the rise through the 1900s, studies revealed a noticeable decline among men, ages 45-54, since 2000 — a

Focal Passage: John 4:11-26 Over the past few months, our church has been engaged in a search for two new ministry leaders. As numerous résumés have arrived and our committee has diligently considered each one, it doesn’t take long upon an initial glance to know if a candidate meets our criteria and is qualified for the role. Our team has been quick to set aside those who don’t qualify and

Focal Passage: John 3:4-18 Over the years, I’ve found New Year’s Day to be so refreshing and encouraging. Have you ever felt this way? Whether it’s psychological or practical, there is a sense in which beginning a new year offers closure to the failures and disappointments of the past, and provides hope, renewal and fresh motivation for what is ahead.  For many, this might mean a change in diet and

Focal Passage: Luke 2:1-15 “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” These are the majestic words spoken to the lowly shepherds by an angel on the night Jesus was born. On that ordinary evening none of them were expecting

Focal Passage: John 2:11-23  If you were able to travel back to the first century and meet Jesus, what would you expect Him to be like?  Most would think of Jesus in terms of the old hymn by Charles Wesley, “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild … Loving Jesus, gentle lamb …” After all, when we read the Gospels, we find a Jesus who is obedient to the Father, gracious toward