By Scott Brown
Pastor of First Baptist Church, Waverly 

Focal passage: James 1:2-15

Recently, on a long flight, I watched the movie “42” based on the life of Jackie Robinson. There is a line that is repeated either by him or about him many times that really gripped me. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Galatians 6:1-10, 14-15

When I think of compassion I think of Jesus first, but then I think of Job 2:11-13. Job’s friends spend most of the story trying to understand and explain God but, before they spoke foolishly they acted very wisely. They heard about Job’s misfortune and planned to come to him together.

When they got to Job they sat down in the ashes with him and silently wept with him for seven days. Job’s friends couldn’t change his situation and they couldn’t take away his sorrow but they could sit and silently hurt with him for awhile. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal passage: Galatians 5:13-26

In Galatians 5:13, Paul confronts the misunderstanding many face regarding God’s grace and our freedom in Him. Freedom is not an excuse to continue living in sin, nor is it merely a freedom from the punishment of sin, but our Christian freedom is a freedom from the power of sin over our lives.  [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Galatians 4:8-20

I met a young man a few years ago who was involved on the front lines of the battle against human trafficking. He was a part of a group that would go in to areas that were suspected brothels and, working with the local authorities, would build the case to bust the traffickers and set the women free who had been kidnapped and exploited as sex slaves.

Women and children are being kidnapped and sold all across the world into this vile, evil practice where they are forced to serve their perverse masters to purchase a freedom they can never afford. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal passage: Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-7

In our church, we have a noticeably large number of adoptive and foster families. It is always so amazing hearing the stories of how God brought them together and the challenges they’ve had to overcome. Some of them are single parents, some are much older and others are different races than their children but none of these things make them any less a family.  [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal passage: Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-7

In our church, we have a noticeably large number of adoptive and foster families. It is always so amazing hearing the stories of how God brought them together and the challenges they’ve had to overcome. Some of them are single parents, some are much older and others are different races than their children but none of these things make them any less a family. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal passage: Galatians 2:11-21

My first pastorate was in a small church in a very rural area in north Florida. We saw God do many incredible things but one will always stand out. Joe was fresh out of prison when he came to us and received Christ. When he got saved he got serious about following Jesus. He wanted to be baptized, join the church and serve God with us. He was set to be the first black church member in our history. I was excited, but also nervous how this might be received in my all white, traditional, Southern congregation. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal passage: Galatians 1:1-10

“Who do you think you are?! Do you really think that there is anything you can do that is so good that it is better than the righteousness of Jesus? Do you really think there is anything you can do that is so terrible that it is more horrible in the eyes of God than seeing His Son on that cross?” This was the verbal berating I endured which opened my eyes to the beauty of eternal security and the sureness of God’s grip. [Read more…]

By Sam Greer
Senior Pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga

Focal Passage: II Samuel 24:10-25

According to the author of Hebrews, if one is left without discipline, then he or she is liken to an illegitimate child (Hebrews 12:7-10). Parents love their children; therefore, a mom or dad disciplines their children when they are disobedient. In a similar way, God disciplines His children because He loves them. We may not understand why God doesn’t want us to do certain things or why He wants us to do other things. [Read more…]

By Sam Greer
Senior Pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga

Focal Passage: 2 Samuel 22:26-36, 50-51

One year ago this month, my wife Tonya underwent a 12-hour HIPEC surgery to treat her peritoneal carcinoma. Her surgery went well, but recovery was brutal. Months later, she underwent an additional surgery due to an intestinal blockage. Tonya’s suffering was difficult to watch; however, we are so thankful. Being brought through such a storm has taught us lessons about both suffering and thanksgiving. One must be thinkful of God in order to be thankful to God. Furthermore, in order to express thankfulness to God, one must continue to be thoughtful for God. [Read more…]