First Person Archives - The Baptist Paper

First person: Taking the gospel where people are … YouTube?

January 22, 2026

I pastor a small church in the country — 45 minutes or so from the closest stop light. We average about 25 people in worship.

First person: Why Myanmar needs Baptists ‘to pay close attention to the suffering of Christians’

January 21, 2026

For generations, Baptists have affirmed religious freedom as a sacred gift from God — not a privilege granted by governments.

First person: Responding to hurting people

January 20, 2026

Demeaning insecurities often plague us when trials invade our lives. We wonder if God still loves us. We worry that our pain is the direct result of our sin. We grieve what we perceive to be the absence of God in our lives.

First person: Why storytelling is important — and how it needs to be done differently

January 17, 2026

We’re living in a time when people don’t automatically trust institutions — especially churches and ministries. Scandals, political polarization, social media outrage and overpromising have left many audiences skeptical before you ever open your mouth.

First person: Understanding seasons of emotional ‘winter’

January 10, 2026

“I have never felt the flames melting the skin off my veins, but I’ve been through hell in my mind. I’ve had the long sleepless nights, felt the breathless despair in the fight. I’ve laid on the ground crying for help. I’ve felt the rush of anxiety’s waves, and the guilt that won’t wash away, and the deep dread of hopeless days.”

First person: 13 pivots you should make in 2026 for congregational vitality

January 7, 2026

Less than 10% of all congregations are soaring with faith and are on a God-empowered spiritual strategic journey to live into their full Kingdom potential.

First person: Christmas in a broken world

December 24, 2025

For many, images of glowing lights, nostalgic carols, bountiful tables and family gatherings are synonymous with Christmas. Yet, amidst our celebrations is a dark underbelly that, though suppressed, competes for our attention every December.

First person: Lessons from ‘The Little Drummer Boy’

December 23, 2025

I’ll start with a confessional. Sometimes, Christmas music gets on my nerves. But before you call the grinch squad on me, I’ll explain. I will use The Little Drummer Boy as a jumping off place.

First person: Santa by calling — when a role becomes a ministry

December 19, 2025

I wasn’t supposed to be Santa. I was a school photographer — just filling in when the scheduled Santa didn’t show up. I put on the beard, told my other photographer she’d have to take all the pictures, and stepped into the role. It was meant to be temporary. But God had other plans.

First person: Holding fast to Jesus amid miscarriage

December 18, 2025

The present grace that we rest in is often constructed from the mountainous ache of years past.

First person: Taking the gospel where people are … YouTube?

First person: Why Myanmar needs Baptists ‘to pay close attention to the suffering of Christians’

First person: Responding to hurting people

First person: Why storytelling is important — and how it needs to be done differently

First person: Understanding seasons of emotional ‘winter’

First person: 13 pivots you should make in 2026 for congregational vitality

First person: Christmas in a broken world

First person: Lessons from ‘The Little Drummer Boy’

First person: Santa by calling — when a role becomes a ministry

First person: Holding fast to Jesus amid miscarriage

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