1) Scripture: Acts 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers"

 Prayer: Praise to God, and thanksgiving, for the Gospel and for the devotion He has wrought within our church family for the Gospel and for one another.

 2) Scripture: Acts 2:43 "And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles"

 Prayer: Pray for our church leaders, ministries, as well as our individual witness where we work, live, and play, acknowledging our need of  the Spirit. Ask God that the Spirit would work among us in ways which are so evident that we would truly be in awe and could only say "God did that".

 3) Scripture: Acts 2:44-46 "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts"

 Prayer: Thank God for our fellowship and ask God to increasingly unite us as a local church through mutual care and hosptitality. Pray for specific needs of our members that you are aware of (whether it be sickness, discouragement, financial need, grief, etc.). Ask that we would be a means of those needs being met through the ways we generoulsly and gladly love and care for another.

 4) Scripture: Acts 2:47 "praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved"

Prayer: Ask God to lead us in how to love and bless our community in ways which exalt the good news of Jesus. Specifically ask that He guide us in our upcoming "Big Beautiful Saturday"/Serve Day on March 28 . Thank God for good things He has done through us, including those He has added to our number this past year - and ask Him to continue to save our lost friends, family, co-workers, and the unreached among the nations, for it is He alone that can save.

We took a few moments in our morning service on Jan. 18, 2026 to look back and rejoice in the good things the Lord has been doing in and through our church family this past year. Pictured in this video are just a few of the various ways  ways our church family has given and served on mission together to make Christ known - yet there are so many other good things that are not pictured. I'm so grateful for a church family that has sought to faithfully served Jesus through their giving, prayers, time, etc.  We're looking forward to the ways He is leading us in the coming months. 

Fasting is expected of Jesus’ disciples.

          Matthew 6:16a"And when you fast”.

  Jesus did not say if you fast, but when you fast.   This expectation is exemplified in Jesus’ own forty days of fasting in the wilderness – “And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:2). After Jesus fasted, He was hungry, so fasting involves temporarily giving up something you need or want. Normally, this means giving up food for a designated amount of time between you and God. Each time one feels the pain of hunger, they are reminded of their greater desire for God. For those with health needs and other considerations it could be something they might not need but rather want or enjoy – like a media fast. The time devoted to that activity is devoted to Scripture reading and prayer.

Fasting is a private expression to God.

Matthew 6:16-18 "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

  We see public fasts called for in the Old Testament by the nation of Israel (Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:16), and so fasting together as the church has biblical precedent. However, it does mean that even in our fasting together, we are not to call attention to ourselves for the purpose of displaying our willpower or supposed devotion to God – whether that be through moaning about how hungry we feel or posting about it on social media! To do so is to waste your fast – “they have received their reward”.

Fasting is an expression of longing for God’s kingdom.

Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

  Jesus is the bridegroom and the church is the bride. Jesus is coming for His bride. “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). We fast because we long for Jesus to come back. We also long for Jesus to work through us by His Spirit now so that we see His kingdom breaking in during this present evil age. So we pray, as Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

  So why did Jesus fast? Jesus is mission-minded. Jesus was fasting in order to prepare for what lay ahead in regard to His mission in ushering in the kingdom of God (study all of Matthew 4:1-25 carefully). The purpose of Jesus’ fast is one worth emulating by His followers. So let us also fast in order to prepare for what lies ahead in regards to our mission of going and making disciples across the street (where we live, work, and play) and around the world.

Free Resources:  If fasting is new to you, I would highly recommend you read David Mathis’ brief, excellent article “Fasting for Beginners” - https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners, or read his book, Habits of Grace at https://document.desiringgod.org/habits-of-grace-en.pdf?ts=1456697851. Also, John Piper’s A Hunger for God is well-worth the read: https://www.desiringgod.org/books/a-hunger-for-god

  FBC is an autonomous/self-governing church. We voluntarily cooperate with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to fulfill the Great Commission. This year we have once again allocated $17,000 (about 4.9% of this year's budget) to be funneled through what is known as the Cooperative Program of the SBC. Since we are also part of the Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA) we send this $17,000 to IBSA (located in Springfield, Illinois) which keeps 56.5% of CP giving from local churches (which amounts to $9,605 from FBC this year) to fund various ministry tasks throughout our state - things like church planting, campus ministries, disaster relief, and leadership training.

  Each state convention sends the remainder of the CP giving they receive from local churches to the Executive Committee of the SBC (located in Nashville, TN) which oversees the distribution of this money to fund the SBC entities listed below. As you will see below, this means that First Baptist will send $7,395 to the SBC this year:

First Baptist Church: $17,000 from FBC this year to the Cooperative Program (CP) = Close to 4.98% of our 2024-2025 budget.

Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA): IBSA keeps 56.5% to do missions work like church planting, disaster relief, and leadership training in Illinois; $9,605 from FBC this year. Watch this brief overview video to learn more.

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): $7,395 from FBC this year. This money from our church will be allocated among the following entities according to the the budget by messengers from local churches at the SBC's annual meeting:

1.  International Mission Board (IMB): 21.9% = We will give $3,723 from FBC this year.  This year FBC also gave over $10,000 through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering which goes directly to IMB which supports 3,532 missionaries.
2. North American Mission Board (NAMB): 9.9% = $1,683 from FBC this year.                                                                                            FBC also participates each spring in the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering which goes directly to NAMB.
3. Theological Training: 9.7% = $1,649 (allocated among each of the six Southern Baptist seminaries).
4. Executive Committee (Operating Budget): 1.3% = $221 from FBC this year.
5. Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC): 0.7% = $119 from FBC this year.

 There are 46,906 SBC churches fuding the SBC's CP budget of $190,250,000. Through special offerings, investments, etc. the comprehensive operating budget of the SBC is over $1 billion. The big picture of all of this is that when you give your offering at FBC it is being used to do Great Commission work not only in our community but also in the state of Illinois, North America, and throughout the world, even among unreached people groups. So, the reason for this brief summary is to remind us of the privilege and opportunity we have to partner with like-minded churches to spread the gospel through our joyful and generous giving. At the same time, the occasion for presenting this information to our church family is also to acknowledge our need for prayerful attentiveness to how those funds are being used, which I will elaborate on more in the second part of this series of posts.

Note: This post is the the summary of a portion of a presentation I shared recently with our church family regarding our ongoing voluntary cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention . I read somewhere where someone said that "the SBC  is not essential, but it is important". I agree with that statement. In recent years, valid concerns have been raised about the trajectory of the SBC - ones we do not take lightly. Yet, as I shared with our church family, we have reason to be optimistic regarding the SBC.  I will elaborate on those issues of concern as well as the reasons for optimism in future posts.

  Our members can be helpful in discerning the Lord's guidance by prayerfully recommending a prospect to our Elder Search Committee for their consideration. Elder recommendations can be submitted by completing the form at this LINK. 

Since the Lord places a premium upon the character of prospective elders, we ask that you carefully evaluate the individual(s) you recommended according to the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 and elsewhere, such as Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:1-3.  Description of elder qualifcations are available at fbcmtc.org/elders.

  Finally, please note that the apostle Paul does not intend to provide an exhaustive elder qualification list in either 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1, or in both combined. What he does list however, provides helpful indicators of a potential elder's genuine spiritual maturity and fitness to lead others. Each qualification is a standard that all believers should strive to meet. However, those who are selected for church leadership especially need to meet these character qualities. Paul guides the church to look for those who demonstrate genuineness, maturity, and depth of relationship to Jesus Christ. A person’s somewhat distant past is not the focus if he has been forgiven and has now demonstrated a consistent pattern of godly character in response to the Holy Spirit.

1. Is this man a consistent example of godliness?
2. Is this man, so far as we know, faithful to his one wife? Is he above reproach in the way he relates to women?
3. Is he acting as the spiritual leader of his family?
4. Is this man someone you trust to care for your soul?  Is he someone you can follow?
5. Does this man have the proven ability to teach?
6. Is this man willing & ready to do the work an elder?

Fasting is expected of Jesus’ disciples.

          Matthew 6:16a"And when you fast”.

  Jesus did not say if you fast, but when you fast.   This expectation is exemplified in Jesus’ own forty days of fasting in the wilderness – “And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:2). After Jesus fasted, He was hungry, so fasting involves temporarily giving up something you need or want. Normally, this means giving up food for a designated amount of time between you and God. Each time one feels the pain of hunger, they are reminded of their greater desire for God. For those with health needs and other considerations it could be something they might not need but rather want or enjoy – like a media fast. The time devoted to that activity is devoted to Scripture reading and prayer.

Fasting is a private expression to God.

Matthew 6:16-18 "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

  We see public fasts called for in the Old Testament by the nation of Israel (Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:16), and so fasting together as the church has biblical precedent. However, it does mean that even in our fasting together, we are not to call attention to ourselves for the purpose of displaying our willpower or supposed devotion to God – whether that be through moaning about how hungry we feel or posting about it on social media! To do so is to waste your fast – “they have received their reward”.

Fasting is an expression of longing for God’s kingdom.

Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

  Jesus is the bridegroom and the church is the bride. Jesus is coming for His bride. “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). We fast because we long for Jesus to come back. We also long for Jesus to work through us by His Spirit now so that we see His kingdom breaking in during this present evil age. So we pray, as Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

  So why did Jesus fast? Jesus is mission-minded. Jesus was fasting in order to prepare for what lay ahead in regard to His mission in ushering in the kingdom of God (study all of Matthew 4:1-25 carefully). The purpose of Jesus’ fast is one worth emulating by His followers. So let us also fast in order to prepare for what lies ahead in regards to our mission of going and making disciples across the street (where we live, work, and play) and around the world.

Free Resources:  If fasting is new to you, I would highly recommend you read David Mathis’ brief, excellent article “Fasting for Beginners” - https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners, or read his book, Habits of Grace at https://document.desiringgod.org/habits-of-grace-en.pdf?ts=1456697851. Also, John Piper’s A Hunger for God is well-worth the read: https://www.desiringgod.org/books/a-hunger-for-god