Posts from April 2025
A History of Beliefs About Communion
As a Southern Baptist, I believe that Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper) is a symbolic act of remembrance. But not every Christian throughout history has seen it that way. In fact, beliefs about communion have shifted quite a bit over the last 2,000 years. I thought it would be helpful to take a quick walk through the history of what Christians have believed about Communion and how we got where we are today. The Early Church (1st–3rd Century) The…
Should I Get Baptized Again If I Was Baptized as a Baby?
As a pastor of a church with the word “Baptist” in the name, baptism is important. And as I talk with people about baptism, here is a common scenario that arises: Me: “Hey Frank, have you been baptized before?” Frank: “I have!” Me: “Awesome! Where at?” Frank: “I was baptized as a baby at ________ Church.” And from their perspective, they are set. But there is a problem with this way of thinking. Here at Island Pond Baptist Church, we…
Why We Don’t Use Secular Music or Movies at Church Functions
As our church continues to grow, more activities are taking place each week and more types of people are attending. Non-Christians, new Christians, and long-time Christians. And all these additional people means that the amount of events, groups, and gatherings we have is increasing. In order to make sure we remain focused on our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ, the Church Council (the group of leaders at the church composed of the pastors and deacons) made a decision…
Why we don’t celebrate Lent at our church
If you’ve been online or talked with Christian friends from different backgrounds, chances are you’ve heard people talking about Lent. But, if you have been at Island Pond for any period of time, you may have noticed that we don’t include Lent in our traditions. Why is that? Are we missing out on something? Are other churches that participate in Lent doing something wrong? I want to answer these questions. But first, what is Lent? Lent is a 40-day period…
Why We Use the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message Instead of the 1963
Why do some Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches use the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message (BFM) while others use the 2000 BFM? I want to take a deeper look at this question so we can have a better appreciation for the statement of faith we use, which is the 2000 BFM. Every generation of believers face the same challenge: stay faithful to the gospel while navigating a changing world. For Southern Baptists, the BFM serves as a guidepost to clarify…