Pastor's Update

Here's a church update I shared at last Sunday's quarterly business meeting...

“Keep Up the Good Work!” These are words every worker wants to hear. Or, as Paul told the Thessalonians, “You have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing…But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more” (1 Thess. 4:9-10). So let me encourage you, First Southern Baptist, to keep excelling in ministry. Keep excelling in your love, in your growth, in your service, in your discernment, in your joy, in your attention to the Word, and in your evangelism.

Ryan Hodson and I had the privilege of attending The 40^th annual Shepherd’s Conference in Sun Valley on March 7-9, 2013. Together with 4,000 other pastors and elders, we sang, listened to the preaching of the Word, and enjoyed great times of fellowship. During our time, we were amazed at the glory of Christ and humbled at our duty to serve Him. Thank you for making this trip possible so we can come back refreshed and better equipped to minister to all of you.

Our church leaders have recently been discussing our Sunday School or “Life Groups” ministry. Currently, our attendance is hovering around 25 each week with few or no children. But we believe this ministry has great potential and could become a key component of our long-term discipleship strategy at First Southern.  With many of you traveling up to forty minutes one way to attend church, we know our weekly time together is limited. So we are looking for ways to make Life Groups a vibrant ministry that you will want to take part in. 

Details are still coming together, but we are talking and praying about moving to the “Gospel Project” curriculum produced by Lifeway. Some of the benefits of this program are its cross-centered approach to the Scriptures, excellent teacher resources, and a comprehensive, three-year lesson plan for children, youth, and adults. Stay tuned for more details in the months ahead!