Pay AttentionBy Chuck WilliamsPastor, First Baptist, CovingtonFocal Passage: Hebrews 2:1-4Before the advent of GPS technology farmers learned to plow a straight furrow by picking out an object at the other end of the field. Whether they plowed with a mule or tractor, they kept their eyes focused to the object. If a rabbit popped up or a bird flew close by, the farmer could not afford to turn to lo...  Read More

WALKING WITH THE SPIRITBy Scott BrownPastor, First Baptist Church, WaverlyFocal Passage: Galatians 5:16-25Amos 3:3 asks, “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” As the people of God, we are to be walking in the Spirit and with the Spirit. But what does it mean to walk with the Spirit?First, just like Amos, we must be agreed. We must agree to be going the same direction as Him. In Experienc...  Read More

RETURNBy Dustin AllmanPastor, The Fort Church, KingsportFocal Passage: 1 Kings 15:9-22    A multi-millionaire once asked a builder to construct a house. He showed him the blueprints and gave him a large sum of money.The millionaire mentioned, “You probably won’t need all this money, but I want you to have plenty to build a solid house. When you’re finished, you can keep whatever is left over.”The ...  Read More

INTERDEPENDENT INDEPENDENCEBy Scott BrownPastor, First Baptist Church, WaverlyFocal Passage: 1 Corinthians 10:23-33The question of the Christian’s freedom is something I’ve wrestled with since I first met Jesus. My first few years as a Christian I felt little freedom. I was bound tightly by legalistic ropes which kept my conscience in a constant shame.No matter what sins I avoided and what good I ...  Read More

John 12:19So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.”...  Read More

DIVIDEDBy Dustin AllmanPastor, The Fort Church, KingsportFocal Passage: 1 Kings 12:6-19    My grandparents were teenagers in the 50s, so I grew up hearing about Elvis, Gunsmoke, RC Colas, the 1954 Ford Custom and all-night gospel singings.  They affectionately called this decade – “the glory days.” Most people have a favorite sports team and when their team is bad, they often reminisce a bit more ...  Read More

Overcome BetrayalBy Van RichmondPastor, New Life Church, NashvilleFocal Passage: Genesis 37:19-27; 39:1-2You have walked across the razor-sharp pieces of broken trust, just trying to understand why you were betrayed. The act of betrayal creates a tormenting pain that tears at every emotional fiber of your being while simultaneously wrapping you in a dulling numbness. Disbelief, shock, and denial b...  Read More

Only Jesus SavesBy Chuck WilliamsPastor, First Baptist Church, CovingtonFocal Passage: Hebrews 7:23-28One time a preacher in the middle of his sermon asked the rhetorical question, “Do you know of anyone who has lived a perfect life?” Surprisingly an older man raised his hand. The pastor asked, “Well, who is this perfect person?” The man calmly replied, “Pastor, that would be my wife’s first husba...  Read More

Connected in ChristBy Van RichmondPastor, New Life Church, NashvilleFocal Passage: Ephesians 2:17-22Nobel Peace Prize winner and theologian Albert Schweitzer once astutely noted, “We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness.” While it seems difficult to imagine anyone could possibly feel isolated on a planet inhabited by over seven billion people, the reality is the esteemed Sc...  Read More

KEEP SERVING FAITHFULLYBy Chuck WilliamsInterim Pastor, First Baptist Church, MilanFocal Passage: Matthew 24:42-51The story is told of three apprentice demons who came before Satan to report to him about their work on earth. The first demon said, “I will tell people there is no God.” Satan said, “That will not delude them for they know there is a God.” The second said, “I will tell them there is n...  Read More

Who is Jesus?By Chuck WilliamsPastor, First Baptist, CovingtonFocal Passage: Hebrews 1:1-4Very few enjoy standing in line for an extended period of time. One particular man had decided he had waited long enough in the line to purchase an airline ticket. Shoving others aside he plunged to the counter and demanded of the ticket agent, “Don’t you know who I am?” Without hesitation the agent calmly gr...  Read More

STAY PREPARED AND READYBy Chuck WilliamsInterim Pastor, First Baptist Church, MilanFocal Passage: Matthew 25:1-13Weddings are great occasions. In Jesus’ day the whole village or town would turn out for the week long event. No one wanted to miss this joyous festival.One of the exciting parts was when the groom is coming down the road with his entourage at night to ‘surprise’ his bride-to-be with hi...  Read More