Dear First Baptist Family,In early 2025, a 67-year-old hiker named Grant Gunderson fell into a steep ravine on Mount Tamalpais in California. With no way out and darkness closing in, he faced the kind...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family,Jen and I sat on the porch yesterday and noticed the budding trees and emerging colorful flowers. Warmer weather and outdoor fun are just around the corner. I love the way th...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family, While on a night safari in Kruger National Park in South Africa, I had an elephant encounter I will never forget.About 30 of us loaded up in an open air vehicle. Sitting in ...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family,As a follower of Jesus Christ, you’re a bringer of good news to others. Sometimes you bring good news just by being who you are. The Bible says, “We loved you so much that we...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family,When Hernán Cortés landed in Mexico in 1519 with 11 ships, 13 horses, and 553 soldiers, he did something legendary: he ordered the ships burned. His crew watched their only w...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family, In the early part of World War II, a Navy submarine was stuck on the bottom of the harbor in New York City. It seemed that all was lost. There was no electricity and the oxy...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family,I recently ran across a fascinating, true story regarding the USS Titanic that I had never heard before. On that fateful April night in 1912, the British SS Californian sat m...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family, When God called you and gave you salvation, you were “born again” (see John 3:3). It was your second birth, and the image is a dynamic one. A baby needs milk to grow — basic...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family,Over the holiday, Jen and I were reflecting about some of our early years. We met and fell in love in college, then began to navigate next steps. At the time, Jen was studyin...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family, One of my heroes of the faith early in ministry was a youth consultant named Mike Yanconelli. He was a passionate, tireless advocate for a vibrant, risky faith. His speaking...  Read More

Dear First Baptist Family,Six young people boarded a bus in New York, bound for Florida's beaches, when they noticed a quiet passenger named Vingo. He sat motionless in his ill-fitting brown suit, los...  Read More

Dear FBC Family,Happy Thanksgiving week to you! I hope you have a restful, gratitude-filled holiday. Jen and I will have our daughter Emily in town for a few days, and we will head to Alabama during t...  Read More