Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Terry Kirby
Senior Pastor of Alpha Baptist Church, Morristown
Focal Passage: Luke 11:5-13
With names like: bag, brick, flip, slide, and smart, cellular phones have come a long way in a few short years. Today’s smart phones are handheld computers that can do just about anything. Besides talking, smart phones are our calendars, cameras, flashlights, photo albums, to-do lists, maps, internet access and constant companions. [Read more…]
By Derek Westmoreland
Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah
Focal Passage: Genesis 3:1-7, 14-19
I. Temptation. In verse 1a the serpent tempted Eve. As the devil (Revelation 12:9, 20:2) tempted Eve, he began in verse 1 by addressing her intellect when he said “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The devil implied that if God really loved Eve, He would be more generous. The devil took God’s remarkable provision and generosity by perverting Eve’s view of God’s goodness. How did Eve respond? She altered God’s Word. When comparing Genesis 2:16-17 with Genesis 3:2-3 you can see that she omitted the word “freely.” [Read more…]
By Terry Kirby
Senior Pastor of Alpha Baptist Church, Morristown
Focal Passage: Psalm 34:4-14
When I was in middle school my parents, my twin sister, and I traveled, with our church, to Brookings, S.D., on a missions trip. Our team stayed in the dorms at South Dakota State University. We worked with the local Baptist Student Union. The BSU building was off campus. The BSU was an easy walk on the flat and straight streets of town. We had permission to walk from campus to the BSU building. One day I decided to walk to the BSU by myself. It didn’t take long for an East Tennessee boy to get lost in this strange place. I couldn’t remember the building’s address and I began to hopelessly wander the streets looking for my destination. After several hours of walking and ready to give up, I saw a familiar car turn the corner and drive in my direction. It was my father’s black Ford. Never in my life have I felt more helpless before being found and happy after being found. I knew that God had provided for my rescue. [Read more…]
Derek Westmoreland
Senior Pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah
Focal Passage: Genesis 2:4-9, 5-18
In Genesis 2:4 we find a new reference to “God.” In Genesis 1:1 – 2:3 we find the word “Elohim” in the Hebrew which is translated “God.” The word refers to God as the Creator. In Genesis 2:4, we find the phrase “LORD God.” “God” is the Hebrew word Elohim, while “LORD” in all capitals comes from the Hebrew word known as Yahweh or Jehovah. Yahweh speaks of the redeeming covenantal God; the God who is to be known. [Read more…]
By Terry Kirby
Senior Pastor of Alpha Baptist Church, Morristown
Focal Passage: I John 5:6-13
It is believed that the purchase of the first life insurance policy can be traced back to London in 1583. The buyer’s name was William Gybbon. The seller’s name is not known but the beneficiary was Richard Martin. When Mr. Gybbon died, his claim was paid after a dispute was settled in court. [Read more…]
By Derek Westmoreland
Senior Pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church, Savannah
Focal Passage: Genesis 1:1-5, 6-31; 2:1-3
I. God did the creating. God was not created in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). God was in the beginning creating all that we read in Genesis 1 (John 1:1-1:3, Hebrews 1:2-3). The word translated “God” throughout Genesis 1 is the Hebrew word “Elohim.” It means “Creator.” It is not until 2:4b that the name Yahweh (“LORD”) occurs. El is the singular form for the name “God.” Elohim is the plural form. Therefore, right away, in the very first verse of the Bible, God is revealed as a multi-person God. In Genesis 1:26a it reads, Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” There the plurality of the Godhead is presented. [Read more…]
By Terry Kirby
Senior Pastor, Alpha Baptist Church, Morristown
Focal Passage: Psalm 89:1-2, 5-8, 15-18
The Bible says in II Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” What does that mean? It means that every word of The Word of God is from God. God wants us to hide every word of it in our hearts. Most of God’s Word is God speaking to His called ones. He gave His people instructions, warnings, and prophesies among many other timeless words. Although written thousands of years ago, this truth continues to speak to us today. Among all of the books of the Bible Psalms is special and unique. Some people say that Psalms is a hymn book. In this study, we will take it a step further; it is God’s instructions on how His people are to praise Him. [Read more…]
Troy Styer
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Junction
Focal Passage: Revelation 21:1-7
John moves from a vision of doom and gloom in chapter 20 to a vision of glory in chapter 21. I don’t take great pleasure in attending weddings. I usually only attend if I am forced to or there is the promise of good food. One wedding that I have already made sure I will be attending is the marriage supper with the Lamb. John describes this union in chapter 21. [Read more…]
By Randy Harmon
Pastor, Rock Springs Baptist Church, Greenbrier
Focal Passage: Luke 14:12-24
In Luke 14, Jesus participates in a conversation that had begun over 700 years earlier (Isaiah 25:6-9). While the religious elite are refusing to accept Jesus’ preaching of the Kingdom, spiritual outsiders are responding with faith and acceptance. To the Jews, this story would be inconceivable. [Read more…]
Troy Styer
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Junction
Focal Passage: Revelation 9:1-12
John opens up chapter nine by sharing with us what is found when the fifth trumpet is blown. He shows an army of locusts, the actions of the locusts, the appearance of the locusts, and the angel of the locusts. Yet, these are no ordinary locusts but rather demons on a mission. As John describes these various things, one thing stands out. It is that God is in control. He determines when it happens, why it happens, how it happens, and how long it happens. There is great comfort in knowing everything that happens in this world, both now and in the future, are controlled by God the Father. [Read more…]