How sweet it was to be a part of worship this past Sunday at FBC! We got to witness Christian baptism, which is always a highlight. How wonderful to see the new life that Jesus provides, so clearly portrayed as new disciples were “buried in the likeness of his death” and “raised in the likeness of his resurrection!”

Praise God for the new people he is bringing into his family at First Baptist. Just this past Sunday, five more people were baptized, another couple stepped out to say they desire to be part of our family, and once again we had a fantastic group who are moving toward membership by taking “Discovering FBC.”

With new faces comes the new opportunity to provide the sweet and warm welcome that all of us would desire if we were new to a church family. One of the most frequent responses that I get when I ask our first-time guests about their experiences is, “The people were so warm and friendly.” At times this contrasted to other church experiences they had experienced, where the people were not so warm and friendly.

Shouldn’t a church be the most warm and welcoming place? Romans 15:7 says, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” God is glorified when we extend to newcomers the acceptance and welcoming warmth that our Savior has extended to us! So be proactive about looking for new faces and introducing yourself. Take an interest in new people and help them get connected in our family.

Speaking of a spiritual family, that’s one of the things we are going to be talking about this Sunday as we study Mark 3:20-35.

As you read and pray over this text, think about the following:

• In verse 22 Jesus is accused of performing his works by the power of demons. How does Jesus show that this accusation is senseless?
• What are the implications of verse 27? How does Satan enslave, and how does Jesus liberate from slavery?
• What is the so-called “unpardonable sin” or the “sin against the Holy Spirit?”
• What really makes one a part of Jesus’ family?
• Why is there no “middle ground” when it comes to responding to Jesus?

We will talk about all these things and much, much more this Sunday. See you in worship!

See you this Sunday!

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.