First Baptist Church of Ashville

05/18/2026

Dear church,

My trip to the Philippines is in its final stretch, as I'll be leaving back for Ohio on Sunday May 24th. What a blessing it has been to be used by God! I consider myself to be just a humble small-church preacher in Ashville, Ohio, focusing on the local issues and needs of the church. But God has shown me the church universal, and that there is a far greater need for the gospel around the world than I had previously thought!

Yesterday I was privileged to preside over twelve baptisms of Filipino people who were previously trapped within a false belief system! Roman Catholicism had taught them that they must work to earn God's favor, that they must strive for His salvation through self-righteous effort, as in their observance of the Seven Sacraments. But God tells us in Isaiah 64:6 that any attempts to offer Him our own works or efforts is seen as filthy rags...God turns His face from them!

Roman Catholicism never provided them with the comfort and assurance of salvation that Jesus provides. John wrote in 1st John 5:11-13; 11 "And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." And Jesus Himself said in John 10:28-30; "I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will sn**ch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to sn**ch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."

Praise be to God that He is still in the business of savings souls, one lost sinner at a time, all around the world!!

05/05/2026

Dear church and friends, attached are some photos and videos of when I met up with missionaries Jhomari and Cara Jane Morales from day 2 of my trip to Calambas City, Philippines. It was an incredibly humbling experience to see such abject poverty, yet my spirit rejoiced in seeing the smiles on their faces in spite of their circumstances. There is no government relief or financial safety net in the Philippines, and many of the poor get by selling duck eggs, bananas, or corn, while children sell trinkets or candies to tourists for a few cents here and there.

I am humbled to pastor a church which has embraced the Morales family with their prayers and financial support. God is moving in the Philippines and in the Rivers of Joy Baptist Mission!

05/02/2026

Please join our Worship Service at 10:45 a.m. tomorrow.

04/30/2026

04/26/2026

Dear church, tomorrow's message is titled "Back to the Future" and will focus on Revelation 1:1-6. I pray you are all able to make it for this worship service as it will also serve as a sendoff for myself and the Pagulayan family as we head to the Philippines on a mission trip Saturday May 2nd, returning May 19th. Elder Dennis Brown and John Stebelton will be handling pastoral and teaching duties during our time away.

Secondly, during the announcements portion of the service, we will be handing out voting slips to the members of the church to confirm the emergency appointments of Lori Williams as Treasurer and Don Smith as co-Trustee. Per our constitution, the elder board can make emergency 90-day appointments, but they must be confirmed by majority vote by our voting members.

Finally, tomorrow will be the last day to make a love offering to the Rivers of Joy Baptist Mission in the Philippines. Please bring your cash offerings or you may write a check to FBC Ashville with 'Rivers of Joy' in the memo section. Thank you!!

04/17/2026

Dear church, over my five years with FBC Ashville, we have had the privilege of studying through the Gospel of John and the Book of Acts, chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse. Expository preaching, in my estimation, is the best way to understand the mind and will of God and draws us closer to the person of Jesus Christ.

I am excited to announce that this Sunday--April 19th--we will begin a new journey through the Book of Revelation! While many view Revelation as frightening, with its apocalyptic imagery and descriptions of suffering, pain, persecutions, and judgments, it is actually the most comforting book in the entire Bible, because it describes IN DETAIL the events of the world before the return of the King, Jesus Christ. While most people fear the uncertainty of the future, those who belong to Christ take peace in knowing EXACTLY how God will intervene in the lives of His saints, protecting and securing us for a glorious future in His kingdom.

I would encourage you to invite your friends and family for worship and to join us in reading, studying, and understanding God's plan for our future. Your homework assignment is to read the first chapter of Revelation in advance of Sunday. I will see you then!

04/03/2026

Please join us beginning tonight at 7pm in observance of Good Friday. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the service. Resurrection Sunday service begins at 10:45am.

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

03/22/2026

Dear church, we hope to see you tomorrow for Sunday School and worship, as we'll be holding a communion service and teaching from Acts 28:1-31, From Malta to Rome. This teaching will conclude a 2 1/2-year journey through the Book of Acts!

May God bless you and yours.

03/15/2026

Dear church, join us tomorrow for worship through song, prayer, and the rendering of God's word from Acts 27:27-44, The Shipwreck of Promise. Sunday School begins at 9:30am with worship following at 10:45am.

03/01/2026

Dear church,

Please join us tomorrow at 10:45am as we pray, sing songs of worship, and faithfully render the word of God from Acts 27:13-26, When God is in the Storm.

Sunday School (Small Groups) begins at 9:30am with coffee and donuts provided. We hope to see you then!!