First Baptist Blowing Rock

We continue looking at character traits that will help or hinder our ability to put into practice "Blessing those who persecute us, bless and do not curse" from Romans 12:14. Much like stretching before you run or exercise; the Apostle Paul gives us some traits that will help stretch us spiritually and soften our hearts to get us to the point that we can learn to bless those difficult people in our lives - those who have betrayed us, bullied us, hurt or disappointed us. Learning to do this goes against our human nature and everything we are taught in our culture, so it is not easy, but for the Christ follower, it is not an option. In this message we look at both Pride and Prejudice and how prevalent and controlling they are in our lives and how they can both become a huge barrier to our being obedient to Christ command. We also discuss the fact that our ability to "bless those who persecute us" is not as much for those we are blessing as it is for us. From Romans 12:14-16Thank you for list

We were blessed to host Pastor Mark Brumbelow and his wife Cherry from Grace Baptist Church in Brazoria Texas to share how God has used their small rural church to do some incredible things with Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. In 2015 their church of 40 members collected 5321 shoeboxes! Their goal this year was 6975 to bring their 3 year total to 15,000 shoeboxes which is an incredible amount, then Hurricane Harvey hit their area. All but one of their church families lost their homes in the flooding from the Hurricane and yet while many of them sheltered and lived at the church, they continued to collect and pack shoeboxes. Even in the midst of the devastation they were able to surpass their goal and this year packed 8031 shoeboxes to be distributed to needy children around the world. This is their testimony from our service on November 5, 2017. At the end we were able to surprise the Brumbelow's by presenting their church a gift of $5000. from the Hurricane Relief Offering we raised on Harvest Day.

As a follow up to last weeks sermon from Romans 12:14 where Paul commands Christ followers to "Bless those who persecute us, bless and no curse". Knowing that this command goes against our human nature and can be so difficult to live out; Paul follows up in verses 15-16 with some practical examples of how we might prepare our hearts to be able to bless those who have persecuted us, betrayed us or hurt us. In today's message we look at the first two; Practicing Empathy and Promoting Harmony. Join us to discover what it really means to be empathetic and how showing empathy to those who hurt us might soften your heart in your response. We also discover that promoting harmony might mean sacrificing our need to always be right, or always be heard, or to always have the last word. From Romans 12:14-16Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube pa

All of us have people in our lives who have hurt us; some intentionally, some by accident and some never even realize the pain they have caused. We have people in our lives who betray us, who bully us, who lie about us to get ahead. People who make fun of us, who talk behind our back, who spread rumors about us - just plain old fashion "Mean People". In response to these people, we spend a crazy amount of time, effort and energy planning our revenge, our retaliation or at the very least we love to dream about all the bad things we wish would happen to them. Good News! The Bible gives us a very clear and concise response on how to respond and handle these types of people in our lives. If you have even been picked on, betrayed, bullied, hurt, lied about or left out - this message is for you. From Romans 12:14-16Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our

Terms like "authentic" and "community" have become the new Christian buzzwords. You find them in purpose statements, on church signs, on our logos and in our orders of worship; but do we even know what they mean? Are we advertising something that we are not providing or even producing? Have they simply become cliché's to an outside world who finds more community at their local bars, gyms or sports fields? In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul lays out several building blocks and behaviors that can turn a religious gathering into an authentic community if we are willing to listen. In a culture with a hunger and desire to "belong" to something or somewhere; what is the local church offering? From Romans 12:9-13Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-

How do we define love? How do we define how we are supposed to love others? Sure we can describe what love looks like, or it's attributes or characteristics but can we define it? What about God's love? If Christ followers are supposed to "love others the way God does, or the way God loves us", what does that mean? The problem with coming up to an answer for that question is everyone has their own definition. In Romans chapter 12, the Apostle Paul gives a pretty good definition for not only what God's love means but also how our love for one another should be defined, but it is not as clear cut as most of us would like. When he uses the word "Hate" to define God's love it can bring some confusion. Join us as we dig deep in Romans 12:9 to discover what "True, Sincere and Genuine" love means and how it can radically transform each of us as well as the church and the culture we live inThank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe

How do we determine if we are a healthy and growing Christian? How do we determine if our church is "healthy"? Some would point to external factors; size, attendance, programs, growth - others might look at the past and determine progress made - but do those really reveal health? For years we determined a person's health by looking at their weight and height then finding on a chart how those two compared to the average. The only problem with that was that different people carry weight differently; what might be healthy for one person, might be different on another. So doctors and researchers began to factor in "body shape" to determine what was "healthy" because each person is unique. The same is true in the church and for individual Christ followers; we are all unique and different - with different gifts and talents and different "calls" on our lives. So like an individual, one of the ways we can determine our "spiritual health" is by looking at our SHAP

It had been well quoted that in the average church 10% of the people do 90% of the work and while that may not be the case in many churches, a Gallup Poll found it close to reality. Even more disturbing is that the same poll revealed that of the 85-90% of church member who are not serving or working in their churches, 50% said they could not picture any circumstances where they would get involved. Is it any wonder that churches are closing their doors across America at a record level or that our cultural is turning more secular faster than anyone could have ever imagined - half of the church is sitting on the sidelines. Jesus never intended that someone who calls themselves one of His followers would not be active in ministering and serving in His church. Join us as we look at what the Apostle Paul taught concerning how we are to be involved in ministry and why. From Romans 12:3-8 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our w

We live in a very self absorbed culture. Our social media sites are filled with "selfies" and other pictures from our day to day adventures. Our self worth seems to hinge upon how many views or likes we get from our media post on the various apps we can't help but check at every waking moment. We are eliminating grades in school for the same reason that everyone now gets a trophy for simply showing up. We have allowed the culture and popular opinion to define us according to it's subjective standards that always seem to be changing to the point that many people no longer recognize the person they see staring back at them from the mirror in the morning. The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in Romans 12 that for those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, the greatest change in our lives should first take place in our minds - the way we think, our worldview and most importantly, the way we see ourselves. The way we view ourselves is pivotal to the way we see and treat others, and founda

In a recent USA Today survey people were asked what would be the one question they could ask God. Over 80% responded that they wanted to ask God, "What is your will for my life? What is my purpose?" Even in the church, many long time Christians still struggle with the idea of "God's Will" and purposes for their life. Does He have a specific will for me and if so, How can I know it.? God's will is one of those spiritual principles that we have made a lot more complicated than it should be. The Bible is very clear and even direct when it comes to God's will, even His personal will for our lives. The problem is not in the discovery, the problem is in the application. Join us as we look at Romans 12:2 and not only discover what God's will is for each one of us, but also why it is so important that we live it out - experience it! Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship onl

We live in a rapidly changing culture and it is having a profound effect on Christians and the Church. Behavior and lifestyles that only a few years ago seemed abnormal or out of the mainstream are now not only accepted but even celebrated. The lines between how society defines good and evil and right and wrong are being blurred and it is happening at such a pace that many in the church don't know how to respond. As personal experience, circumstances and opinions are elevated over any form of absolute truth the world does not need our conformity or for us to blur the lines about what we believe and stand on as found in God's word; the darkness needs a light! So how do we respond? How do we show grace, mercy, and love to those around us as we reach out to minister and share the Gospel without compromising what we hold dear? The Apostle Paul lays out some simple principles in Romans 12:1-2 that might hold some answers. Join us as we continue our study from these foundational verses and examine our ind

As we continue looking at Romans 12:1, we examine the ideas behind individual worship and what that might look like in the church. The reason many people today struggle with worship is related more to what they are willing to give than any various worship styles. Worship must always include a sacrifice and it starts with each of us willingly giving every part of ourselves to God and everything else that we do flows from there. If we struggle with giving, if we struggle with our prayer life, if we struggle with singing in worship, if we struggle with serving; the first place to examine is the altar of our heart and see what we have sacrificed. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

If you pay attention to the media, it would be hard to miss all of the articles, books and reports declaring the decline of the Christian church in America. From falling attendance numbers, shrinking membership roles to declining conversions, it seems like there is no good news for the American Church. But are we really in a crisis or is this simply just a correction? Could it be that over the last 30 years the church has lost sight of its mission and purpose and what we are experiencing is simply God's way of calling it back to Him? We begin a new series based on Romans 12 that suggest the answers might be found in the Apostle Paul's call for believers to become "Living Sacrifices". Join us as we discover what that really means and how it has effected not only the churches in America, but individual believers and their ability to see the power and purposes of God for their lives. In the introduction to this series we examine Romans 12:1 and ask the question, are their "Too Many Empty

A recent survey found that people had greater success naming the kids on the Brady Bunch than trying to name the 10 Commandments. The second most recognized Commandment was the fourth; "Honor the Sabbath and keep it Holy" yet most people could not really explain how we are supposed to do that in today's church. It is often one of the most misunderstood or controversial commandments and it is the only commandment that is not quoted or revised in the New Testament. Nowhere in the New Testament are we asked to follow this commandment and if you study the Gospels you will find that it is the only commandment that Jesus did not keep. So what happened, and does it still apply to Christ followers? Is the Sabbath supposed to be on Saturday or Sunday or does it even matter? Join us to discover some interesting truths about this important commandment and how it is not only relevant for the church today, but it is a gift from God that can change our lives if applied correctly. From Exodus 20; Exodus 31;

While Americans gather this weekend to celebrate our Independence and Freedoms; churches on Sunday will be full of people singing and celebrating their spiritual freedoms, yet many remain in bondage. In Galatians 5, Paul reminds us that until we experience true spiritual freedom and understand what we have been set free from, we will struggle to walk out those freedoms. For many Christ followers, we simply exchange one bondage for another and never really understand how free we are; free to offer ourselves in worship, free to love our neighbors, free to honor God in our lifestyles, free to share our freedoms with others. When you have really been set free, it is not enough just to gather once a week and sing a few songs about it - we must LIVE it. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phon

If you want to make people uncomfortable in church just mention the word "change"! While we are willing to strive for some personal change, when it comes to changing how we do church, or what we do at church, or even a line on the order of service; we are much more hesitant or even resistant. Yet, for the church to reach the next generations, we must change and adapt. It is not a matter of compromising belief or standards - but rather examining our structures, our prejudices and our preconceived notions and seeing how they line up with what God is doing around us. Using the passage from 1 Samuel 16 again, we look at David and all the changes he brought to the nation of Israel for some insight into the types of changes that we need to make if we will carry the anointing and power of God into the future. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtub

In 1st Samuel 16:1, the nation of Israel and its future was at a crossroads. God has just taken His anointing away from King Saul and was moving towards the future by sending the Prophet Samuel to find and anoint the new king at the home of Jesse. But Samuel was in mourning for his friend Saul, and had no idea what God's plans for the future involved and what he might find while looking for this "new king". Join us as we look at how Samuel allowed God to use him to become a bridge between the past and the future and discover the parallels with the struggles the church is finding as it strives to reach the next generation. Samuel was willing to "Stand in the Gap" on behalf of the Nation of Israel and become a bridge from Saul (the past) to David (the future). Where are the Samuel's today that will help us move the gospel and our churches out of the past and into the future? Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with ot

People today love to take pictures, we have whole social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram built around sharing our pictures with the world. In a recent survey, high school and college students use their phones more for taking pictures than phone calls. With the explosion of picture taking, the arrival of quick self editing using "filters" has followed suit. Most of the pictures we see on social media have been edited in some way using our built in 'filters" but the problem with these filters is that they can distort reality. We start a new "min-series" of 3 messages looking at an unfiltered snapshot from 1st Samuel 16:1 and three people's lives and interactions with God. This message examines King Saul and how he went from God's man in Israel to yesterday's news. Examining what it means to have "God's anointing" and how Saul lost it, we look at our lives "unfiltered" and what that same "anointing" means to each of us, a

Depression is one of those topics you don't hear discussed much in church, yet it is said 20% of all Americans (1 in 5) will suffer from serious depression in their lifetime. Currently almost 19 million Americans suffer from some sort of clinical depression and a recent study found that 36 % of all teenage girls have suffered a significant depressive episode or consider themselves depressed. The Bible is full of examples of those who suffered from depression; from Moses, Job, Jeremiah, David and Elijah, the Bible speaks out on depression. Many of the Psalms give voice to those struggling with depression but the church has remained silent or depended on trite responses and false perceptions like; "You just need more faith" or "You need to Love Jesus more". All around us people are struggling and suffering in silence and it is time for Christians and the church to bring depression out of the shadows and deal with it. Listen in to find what really dealing with depression should look like

As we wrap up our study on the Sermon on the Mount, we ask the question, "Why does it matter?". Why is the sermon so important? Why do many consider it to be one of Jesus's greatest teachings? To help find some answers, we look at how the original listeners responded? What did they think, and what difference did it make to them? While many today try to separate Jesus from the life lessons found in these passages, to those sitting around Jesus, listening intently as he taught- Jesus was the message. It was His authority found all through these 3 chapters of Matthew that made the difference and it is His authority that makes the difference today. Listen in to discover how these verses can move from truth to transformation in every area of your life. From Matthew 7:28-29.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@fi