God of it All! An All-Saints Day Reflection
By Tony Tench Struggle! Oh, how the people of Israel struggled! The books of 1 and 2 Kings in the Hebrew Scripture are all about the struggles the Israelites had to face largely because the kings who led them struggled to be obedient to God and chart a godly course for the nation. So, yes, […]
VBS at Home
We had a great week of VBS at Home during the week of June 14-18. However, if you missed it, you still have a chance to participate in the lessons and encourage the children in your life to engage in the study of God’s Word. Below you will find the memory verse for the week […]
Continue in the Rhythm: Growing in this Life of Faith
By Dr. Sophia Steibel About two Sundays ago our lesson text, Acts 2:37-47, led us to consider how First Baptist Church Shelby could be a true community of God. The reading underscored the celebration of Pentecost in which persons from all over received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter then preached an eye-opening sermon, a “cut […]
“What is it? — a VBS Reflection
By Tony Tench Community Vacation Bible School has been a great time of learning for children, as well as a timely reminder for all of us as we have served together. This year’s theme has brought us to an African game preserve where being in the presence of “wild life” has taught us to “roar” […]
I Will: Nine Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian
Session 1: I Will: 9 Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian Introduction “Here is the church…here is the steeple…open the door and see all the people!” That little hand gesture describes WHAT WE DO in the church, viz. what we do, we do TOGETHER and this study, entitled “I Will,” is going to help us […]
September 21, 2017
Day 19: Young Adults God is calling! “Come. Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…” (Isaiah 55:1 ESV). The call to “come” in Isaiah happened 45 years after the Babylonians took the Israelites into exile. At the outset, it seems clear that this verse is describing the importance of coming into a relationship with God […]
September 20, 2017
Day 18: Adults Washing our hearts “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7 NIV). While shopping recently I, for some unknown reason, paid close attention to all the various varieties of laundry detergents and stain removers. Then, I moved on to the […]
September 19, 2017
Day 17: Adults Abound in Optimism “Submit it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8 MSG). One day a schoolboy brought home […]
September 18, 2017
Day 16: Adults Keeping It Joyful “God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy” (Romans 14:17-18 MSG). A question that we often ask is, “How do we maintain […]
September 15, 2017
Day 15: Adults Return to God “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart” (Jeremiah 24:7 NIV). A favorite book of the Bible for many believers is the […]