First Thoughts | Blog Ministry | First Baptist Church

Cultivating Affection in Your Marriage

Written by Ryan Trzeciak on February 13, 2023. Posted in First Thoughts.

I am not a gardener, and the only thing that I seem to be able to grow in my yard consistently is weeds. Part of my problem is that I do not take the time to prepare the soil so that plants have a chance of growing. Behind every beautiful garden are hours of hard work. Beautiful gardens do not just happen, they are made to happen. We can say the same thing about marriage. Movies and books lead us to believe that affection and romance just spontaneously erupt between two people who will then live happily ever after in a constant state of marital bliss. However, reality tells a different story. Behind every good marriage are years of faithful effort that produces the sweetness of affection. Good marriages do not just happen, they are made to happen. In the early days of a relationship, affection...

Questions and Answers Regarding the Sexuality Statement

Written by Sean Perron on February 6, 2023. Posted in First Thoughts.

Since First Baptist approved the statement on biblical sexuality, we have received many questions about what the Bible teaches concerning sexuality and marriage. In response to this, we have put together numerous videos and a resource webpage. On this page, you will find resources on LGBTQ+ issues, the Sexuality Statement, and biblical wisdom for living in a world confused about gender and sexuality. Below are several video clips for you to watch and share with family and friends who have questions. Is First Baptist Church Jacksonville Targeting the LGBTQ+ Community? What is the Truth About First Baptist Church Jacksonville and the Sexuality Statement? Is First Baptist Church Jacksonville Judgmental? Is First Baptist Church Jacksonville Discriminating? Who...

Common Myths About Our Sexuality Statement

Written by Heath Lambert on February 6, 2023. Posted in Marked By Grace.

We’re talking this week about the First Baptist Statement on Biblical Sexuality. And if you’re listening to this, you probably have heard the explosion of media coverage that has come with the statement, the release of the First Baptist Statement on Biblical Sexuality out to the media. This is not, in any sense, news. The Church of Jesus Christ has believed what is articulated in our statement for over 2000 years; our church has believed what’s articulated in that statement for 184 years. In fact, our church passed the statement last fall. So in every sense, this is not news. And yet, when the media got a hold of it, it was making a massive splash. One of the amazing things about that splash is how mischaracterized the statement has become. And so what I want to do this...

Four Kinds of LGBTQ+ Churches

Written by Heath Lambert on February 2, 2023. Posted in First Thoughts.

Mitigating the Shock Since the media began publicizing the First Baptist Statement on Biblical Sexuality, one of the most common reactions we have received is shock. Some have expressed shock that a Christian church would describe any biblical limits on sexual expression. Others are shocked that, believing such limits exist, we would say so. A response of shock comes to someone caught off guard. Likewise, shock at our statement comes from people who do not really understand what is going on regarding the church’s interaction with issues of sexuality. Every church out there has a position regarding LGBTQ+ issues. I want to make clear what the positions of those churches are in an effort to minimize the sense of shock that many feel. Every church out there fits into one of our options available. Open...

What is the Problem with Legalism?

Written by Heath Lambert on January 30, 2023. Posted in Marked By Grace.

A few weeks ago, I was with a group of people out and about. I got talking with a dear and precious Christian couple who lives in my city of Jacksonville. They were familiar with me and my ministry. And we got talking about the ministry here at First Baptist and about my ministry. At one wonderful point in the conversation, this dear sweet Christian woman said, well, I’m just going to ask you a question because I heard something about you. And you’re standing here, and I’m just going to ask you if it’s true. I heard you’re a legalist. Are you a legalist? I laughed because I thought that was a great question to ask. I loved the directness of the question, and I laughed with her. I said, well, first of all, I have been called a lot of things in my ministry. And...

First Baptist Church Hosts Open Mic Event to Address Community Concerns

Written by Heath Lambert on January 27, 2023. Posted in First Thoughts.

First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida will host an open mic event on Sunday evening, January 29, at 6:00 PM. This event will provide an opportunity for members of the community to come and publicly voice their concerns and questions to Pastor Heath regarding a recent action of the church to require their membership to sign a statement on biblical sexuality. “First Baptist Church of Jacksonville recently approved a statement on biblical sexuality that is required of all their members. Christian communities typically require statements of faith for membership, and this statement expresses a view of sexuality that is old as the Bible. Nevertheless, when word of this action became known in our community it inspired concern, questions, and anger. First Baptist Church desires to love our...

Praying for Revival

Written by Heath Lambert on January 23, 2023. Posted in Marked By Grace.

We are living in dark days. I think if there’s anything Christians know and agree about, it is that we are living in dark days. Just everywhere you look, you see it, you look at global politics, and you see regression and pain and conflict and moving in the wrong direction. You look at American national politics for American Christians, and you see politics are moving in the wrong way. You get some victories every now and then. But the broad scope of history over the last couple of decades seems like a slide in the wrong direction. And then you look at churches, oh, my goodness, you look at churches, and you see churches in decline. Everybody I know is trying to figure out how to do ministry in an environment that is harder to do ministry than it was even just a decade ago. Even our...

Books on Revival

Written by Heath Lambert on January 23, 2023. Posted in First Thoughts.

I am desperate to see a mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God in our day. I am desperate for revival. A mighty and great work of God is the only thing that can solve the overwhelming problems Christians are currently facing. It is the only reality that can stem the tide of cultural decline currently pulling our world into full-scale collapse. The Spirit of God alone can do what all our programs, politics, and striving have failed to accomplish. On Sunday mornings in 2023 at First Baptist, we will be preaching through the book of Acts. Each week we will examine how the story proceeds and pay attention to the relevant biblical and theological principles, but our emphasis each week will be to evaluate God’s work in the revival that was the creation of the early church. The series is called...

Does First Baptist Church Fight About Calvinism?

Written by Heath Lambert on January 16, 2023. Posted in Marked By Grace.

One of the most common questions I’ve received over my years of serving First Baptist Church is something like, what is the church’s commitment or position or standpoint regarding Calvinism? Now, there are a lot of reasons why that’s been a frequent question that has been asked of me. But the most important reason, I think, why that’s been asked of me at First Baptist Church has to do with a family who used to attend our church who was very committed to the issue of Calvinism and was very upset about the issue of Calvinism. This family was very upset, and over a long period of my ministry, they just demanded that I declare war on Calvinism in our church. They said they knew people who were Calvinists. They said they knew people who were spreading Calvinism. I never...

Connecting Scripture with Students

Written by RJ Lago on January 16, 2023. Posted in First Thoughts.

I am old, at least that is what the local teenager tells me. In my earliest days of youth ministry, I could easily skip my way past the generation gap. I was married, but I did not have kids, so I was seemingly closer in age and more relatable to a teenager. But now I am just plain old compared to these youngsters. I will not lie to you; it hurt the first time a teenager in my youth ministry made fun of me for my age. I was a newly married twenty-five-year-old, and one of my students said I looked like I was a forty-five-year-old. That strangely stung. I told the teen that I have a great eye doctor, and they should call him because he is taking new patients right now. We laughed, and then I told them to get off my lawn and go home. If you are any older than me (I am 28 years old), you know...