first baptist church decatur

In preparation for Palm Sunday and Holy Week, we experience a fascinating story of Jesus’ encounter with a man in a tree. Humility is hard. Hypocrisy is easy and common. Tough love might not be what we want, but it is often what we need. From this passage that many of us heard about as children, Dr. Jordan offers some new and valuable insights about Jesus and the different kind of love he shares when necessary.

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FBC Decatur is a vibrant and progressive community of faith located in the heart of Decatur, GA. Here you will find people who are:

• learning to follow Jesus in everyday life;
• encountering community through authentic relationships;
• finding meaning by learning how to believe not just what to believe; and in learning how to believe
• discovering purpose through making intentional, impactful contributions to the world around them

It’s our hope that your story intersects with our story at FBCD, and that with God’s help, we might write something new and meaningful together.

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In this message, Dr. David Jordan shares with us the first part of a two-part series on Luke 12:13-21. It is the story of the rich man who stores up his success for himself. But there's a danger involved in success that David warns us against.

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FBC Decatur is a vibrant and progressive community of faith located in the heart of Decatur, GA. Here you will find people who are:

• learning to follow Jesus in everyday life;
• encountering community through authentic relationships;
• finding meaning by learning how to believe not just what to believe; and in learning how to believe
• discovering purpose through making intentional, impactful contributions to the world around them

It’s our hope that your story intersects with our story at FBCD, and that with God’s help, we might write something new and meaningful together.

Visit our website
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

In this message, Dr. David Jordan shares with us from Philippians 1:3-11 about ways we can cultivate happiness in our lives, but primarily by becoming a community in the gospel, a fellowship of grace, and a people overflowing with love.

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FBC Decatur is a vibrant and progressive community of faith located in the heart of Decatur, GA. Here you will find people who are:

• learning to follow Jesus in everyday life;
• encountering community through authentic relationships;
• finding meaning by learning how to believe not just what to believe; and in learning how to believe
• discovering purpose through making intentional, impactful contributions to the world around them

It’s our hope that your story intersects with our story at FBCD, and that with God’s help, we might write something new and meaningful together.

Visit our website
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

In this message, Dr. David Jordan walks us through key points within scripture where God makes a covenant with humans, what covenants are, and how they evolved to ultimately liberate us.

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FBC Decatur is a vibrant and progressive community of faith located in the heart of Decatur, GA. Here you will find people who are:

• learning to follow Jesus in everyday life;
• encountering community through authentic relationships;
• finding meaning by learning how to believe not just what to believe; and in learning how to believe
• discovering purpose through making intentional, impactful contributions to the world around them

It’s our hope that your story intersects with our story at FBCD, and that with God’s help, we might write something new and meaningful together.

Visit our website
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

In this message, Dr. David Jordan shares a powerful word from the story of the first gentile convert to Christianity in Acts 8:26-39. It's a message about overflowing joy, passion, and becoming vessels of good news! Do yourself a favor and listen to this one!

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FBC Decatur is a vibrant and progressive community of faith located in the heart of Decatur, GA. Here you will find people who are:

• learning to follow Jesus in everyday life;
• encountering community through authentic relationships;
• finding meaning by learning how to believe not just what to believe; and in learning how to believe
• discovering purpose through making intentional, impactful contributions to the world around them

It’s our hope that your story intersects with our story at FBCD, and that with God’s help, we might write something new and meaningful together.

Visit our website
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Dr. David Gushee shares with us from John 8:31-59 and looks at the discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning "fathers" and "identity." What does this conversation actually have to do with us? What does it imply for us in today's world?

Scripture Reference:

Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.” (John 8:34-38). Read the rest of the passage here.

Dr. David Gushee shares with us from John 7:53-8:11 about the story of the woman caught in adultery. But what about the man who was with her? What is it about the Old Testament laws that seem to favor men over women? How is Jesus different? Dr. Gushee gives us a thought-provoking glimpse.

Scripture Reference:

Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir." And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

Devita Parnell shares with us from Luke 14:15-24, continuing our series on Parables from the Gospel of Luke.

Scripture Reference:
"Then the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled.'" – Luke 14:23

Rev. Dr. David Gushee continues our sermon series on the Parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. This one's from Luke 12:35-48.

Scripture:
"'Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.'" (Luke 12:35-36).

Rev. Dr. David Gushee kicks off our new sermon series on the Parables of Jesus as they are found in the Gospel of Luke. This one's about the Parable of the Sower.

Scripture References:
Luke 8:4-15

"When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 'A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.' As he said this, he called out, 'Let anyone with ears to hear listen!'" -- Luke 8:4-8

Guest preacher, Linsey Addington, shares about the complicated nature of the Trinity. Linsey is a graduate of McAfee School of Theology and gifted teacher.

Scripture References:
Genesis 1:26-31, Matthew 16:13-17

“He said to them ‘But who do you say that I am?’ "
—Matthew 16:15

The third sermon in our 2017 Lenten Series as we explore the multiple meanings of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

The first of our 2017 Lenten Preaching Series on the various meanings of the Cross of Jesus Christ.