Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
By Justin Randolph
Pastor, Zion Hill Baptist Church, Sevierville
Focal Passage: Acts 2:22-24, 32-33, 36-38
Are you familiar with crafting a mission statement? A mission statement is a written statement of a person or organization’s core purpose and values. It serves to guide a person or people to an expected end. Some examples of mission statements are:
By Hoyt Wilson
Pastor, Flatwoods Baptist Church, Holladay
Focal Passage: I Peter 4:1-11
When confronted with danger, both people and animals must choose flight or fight. Peter recognized there was potential for significant persecution of believers scattered in the five provinces mentioned in I Peter 1:1. He warned: “… since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves … ” (I Peter 4:1). No, He was not advocating that they prepare for physical battle, but he did want to help them be equipped to live under persecution and to glorify God in the process. Peter did not leave them hanging, but shared how they could be equipped to live in times of spiritual warfare. [Read more…]
By Justin Randolph
Pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church, Sevierville
Focal Passage: Acts 1:4-8, 12-14
“Go into all the world and make disciples everywhere …” — this is your mission if you choose to accept it. This message was not delivered to Mr. Phelps and it did not self destruct in five seconds, but it was nonetheless “mission impossible.”
As the disciples considered the great task ahead of them, they must have felt inferior to the task at hand. How would they accomplish their Lord’s will? The answer is given in these verses of Acts 1. They would not accomplish it at all, but it would be completed through them as they yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit.
John the Baptist had first announced the future baptism of the Holy Spirit and here Jesus affirms that it will shortly be fulfilled in their presence. [Read more…]
By Hoyt Wilson
Pastor, Flatwoods Baptist Church, Holladay
Focal Passage: I Peter 3:13-22
Dawson Trotman, the founder of the evangelistic organization, The Navigators, said: “Soul winners are not soul winners because of what they know, but Who they know, and how much they want others to know Him.” [Read more…]
By Justin Randolph
Pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church, Sevierville
Focal Passage: II Timothy 2:1-10
The other day my son brought home a science test with a score of 85 and a note that he could retake the exam with no penalty. However, his response was measured. He said, “I think I did good enough.” People often respond in this way to tasks in their life from the important to the mundane. Instead of making things the best they can, they often settle for making them merely good enough. Believing in excellence and seeing no downside, I encouraged my son to study and retake the exam. He did and made a perfect score. [Read more…]
By Hoyt Wilson
Pastor, Flatwoods Baptist Church, Holladay
Focal Passage: I Peter 3:1-12
We have names for the ways we are connected with other people. Father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter, boss, and many other terms express our relationships. We live connected to others. Each connection we have with others brings with it a responsibility to learn how to live in that relationship. I Peter 3:1-8 shares vital guidance for the primary family relationship of husband and wife. [Read more…]
By Justin Randolph
Pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church, Sevierville
Focal Passage: Romans 10:1-3, 8b-13
I was in the Walmart checkout line recently, impatiently waiting my turn (don’t judge me), when I glanced at the shirt of the man in front of me. It made the observation that “only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.”
While I had seen this quote before, it took on new meaning as I prepared for this Sunday School lesson. Most religions in the world, including the Jews of Paul’s day, are very zealous for their beliefs. At the core of these beliefs is the idea good works can earn one favor with God. [Read more…]
By Hoyt Wilson
Pastor, Flatwoods Baptist Church, Holladay
Focal Passage: I Peter 2:11-20
All of us begin life as strangers. When forced from our mother’s womb, we enter an environment in which we are strangers. Hopefully, bonding with parents and becoming accustomed to the strange sights, sounds, and touch to which one is subjected will soon lead to one belonging. I Peter was written to Christians who needed to know how to function as a minority people in unfamiliar surroundings. Peter reminded them that they were foreigners and exiles among pagan people. As a baby is forced from the mother’s womb, they had been forced from their homeland, thus they were exiles and strangers. The first word of I Peter 2:12 was good advice — “live.” [Read more…]
By Justin Randolph
Pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church, Sevierville
Focal Passage: Romans 5:6-11
I recently watched a team from Goodlettsville compete in the Little League World Series. They came up just short, but congratulations to them on a great season. One of the interesting things of note during the competition was the pitch count. This count restricted the young stars from pitching unnecessarily long games and perhaps injuring themselves in the process. This required a bit of strategy on the part of the coaches, because after 85 pitches, the player had to stop pitching no matter what the situation was in the game at the time. [Read more…]
By Justin Randolph
Pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church, Sevierville
Focal Passage: Romans 3:9-12,19-20, 23
It is popular today to discuss whether or not it is relevant or important to name the problem. Does not identifying the problem make solving it easier? I would argue without proper identification of a problem, a solution is nearly impossible to find.
So, why do people today seem to find it so difficult to name a problem? I believe it is because of their feelings about the problem. It is easy to armchair quarterback, or in other words to offer solutions from the outside looking in. However, when a problem hits close to home and becomes personal, by invading your life or inner circle, it becomes so much harder to name the problem and take the necessary steps to solve it. [Read more…]
