Antioch East Baptist Church

08/25/2026

Scripture: Acts 20: 28-31
The Shepherd Who Feeds:
Paul is saying goodbye. He's at Miletus, calling the elders from Ephesus, and he knows he may never see them again. So what does he say? He doesn't talk about strategy or buildings or programs. He talks about the flock.
"Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock." That order matters. The shepherd must tend his own soul before he can tend others. You cannot feed what you haven't fed yourself. And then shepherd the church of God. Remember who it belongs to. It's not ours. It was purchased with the blood of Christ. That's the weight of this calling.
And Paul doesn't sugarcoat what's coming. Wolves will come. Some will come from outside. But the more dangerous ones? They'll rise up from the inside people who know the language, who sit in the pews, who speak with authority but twist the truth. That's why the shepherd must feed. The best defense against false teaching is a flock that knows the real thing. A well-fed sheep recognizes a stranger's voice.
Three years. Night and day. With tears. That's what faithful shepherding looks like. It's not glamorous. It's grinding, persistent, tearful work and it matters. A church that knows the Word will not be easily led astray. Faithful teaching is the shepherd's greatest gift to the flock.

08/24/2026

Scripture: 1 Peter 5: 1-4
The Chief Shepherd’s Call:
Peter doesn't begin with a job description. He begins with a relationship. He calls himself a "fellow elder" not above the ones he's writing to, but alongside them. And notice how he identifies himself further: as a witness of the sufferings of Christ. That's not a title. That's an experience. Peter saw the cross. He saw the cost. And that shaped everything about how he understood leadership in the church.
The call to shepherd is not a call to power. It's a call to serve. Peter uses three contrasts to make the point: not under compulsion, but voluntarily. Not for dishonest gain, but willingly. Not lording it over the flock, but living as an example before them. Every one of those contrasts pulls us away from self-interest and toward Christlikeness.
And here's the anchor: there is a Chief Shepherd. Jesus is the one who owns the flock, purchased it with His own blood, and will return to gather it. Pastors and leaders serve under Him. We don't build our own kingdoms. We tend His sheep, in His strength, for His glory.
Church, Leadership in the church is never about position it's about pattern. The people we serve need to see the Shepherd in us.

08/23/2026

Portrait Of A Pastor

08/22/2026

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Good morning, church. Tomorrow we're going to gather together and talk about something that matters deeply the calling and character of those God raises up to shepherd His people. But before we get there, I want you to land on this one truth today. You will receive power.

That's what Jesus said. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses." Not might. Not could. Not if you're talented enough or educated enough or brave enough. But you WILL receive power.

Church, the mission of the gospel is not dependent on your ability. It is dependent on the Holy Spirit's power. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside every single believer. That means you are not going into this week, into this mission in your own strength. You are going in the power of the living God.

Tomorrow, as we talk about the office of the overseer, remember that even the men God calls to lead His church are not called because of their own strength. They are called because the Holy Spirit equips, empowers, and sustains them. And the same is true for every one of us.

So today, rest in that truth. You are not alone. You are not underpowered. You have the Holy Spirit of the living God inside of you. And He is enough.

Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that we don't have to do this in our own strength. Fill us afresh today. Empower us for the mission ahead. And prepare our hearts for what You want to say to us tomorrow. In Jesus' name, Amen.

08/21/2026

Scripture: 1 Peter 2: 9-12

Good morning, church. We've been praying all week for laborers, for open doors, for boldness, for the lost. And today I want to shift our focus just slightly. Because evangelism is not only about what we say. It's about how we live.

Peter says that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. And the purpose of that calling? To proclaim His excellencies. To tell the world how good God is. But notice, Peter doesn't stop at proclamation. He moves to conduct. He says, "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God."

Church, people are watching. They are watching how you handle conflict. They are watching how you treat your spouse. They are watching how you respond when life doesn't go your way. They are watching how you love people who are hard to love. And your life the way you live Monday through Saturday is either pointing people toward Jesus or pushing them away.

This is what it means to be a witness. Not just a person who talks about Jesus, but a person who lives like Jesus. Your worship on Sunday morning matters. But your worship on Monday morning matters just as much.

So today, as you go about your day, remember somebody is watching, and you may be the only Bible they read. Let them see Jesus in you.

Father, let our lives proclaim Your excellencies. Let our conduct honor You. And let the people around us see something different. something that points them to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

08/20/2026

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2: 1-4

Good morning, church. Today I want to remind you of something that should fuel every single prayer you pray and every single conversation you have.

God desires all people to be saved. Not some people. Not the people who have it together (or seem to have it together). Not the people who look like they belong in church. ALL people. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

And that means the person you've been avoiding the difficult neighbor, the estranged family member, the coworker who rubs you the wrong way, the one who believes something you don't God desires their salvation too. That means the people in our communities who have never stepped foot inside a church God desires their salvation. That means the five hundred congregations across Alabama who are struggling and wondering if anyone cares God desires to fill those pulpits with faithful men.

Paul tells Timothy to make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people. That's not passive. That's active. That's intentional. That's the kind of prayer that moves heaven and earth. So today, I want you to name somebody. Name somebody specific. Somebody who doesn't know Jesus. Somebody who's far from God. And pray for them by name. Because God desires their salvation and He may use you to be the one who points them home.

Father, You desire all people to come to the knowledge of the truth. Lord, burden our hearts for the lost. Give us names and faces and conversations that matter. Use us, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

08/19/2026

08/19/2026

Scripture: Colossians 4:2-4
Good morning, church. Yesterday we prayed for laborers. Today I want us to pray for opportunity and courage.

Paul asked the Colossians to pray that God would open a door for the gospel. He didn't say, "Pray that I'll be comfortable." He said, "Pray that I'll have a clear door and that I'll walk through it with boldness." See, Paul understood something that we often forget evangelism is not just about having the right words. It's about having the courage to speak them.

Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've got a coworker, a neighbor, a family member on your heart. You know they need Jesus. But you're afraid. You're afraid of saying the wrong thing. You're afraid of being rejected. You're afraid of making it awkward.

I think about those kids at MFUGE this past summer. They were intimidated the first day. They did not want to go back. But they stepped out anyway and God gave them the words. He'll do the same for you.

So today, pray for an open door. And when God opens it walk through it. He will give you the boldness you need.

Father, open doors for the gospel in our lives today. Give us the courage to walk through them. Give us the words to say. And let us not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

08/18/2026

Scripture: Luke 10:2
We talked about the fact that every Christian is a minister. You are saved to serve. And if you remember, I told you that right now there are more than five hundred churches in Alabama without a pastor. The need is real. The harvest is plentiful.

But here's what I want you to sit with today. Jesus didn't say, "The harvest is plentiful, go figure it out." He said, "The harvest is plentiful...pray." Before we strategize, before we organize, before we do anything else, we pray. Because the laborers don't come from our effort. They come from God's hand.

So today, I want you to pray specifically. Pray for God to raise up pastors, missionaries, and church planters, maybe even from right here at Antioch East. Pray for the five hundred churches in our state that are waiting. And while you're at it, ask yourself: Could God be calling me?

Let's pray together. Father, the harvest is plentiful. The laborers are few. Lord, raise up workers from among Your people. Open our ears to hear Your voice and our hearts to answer Your call. In Jesus' name, Amen.

08/15/2026

Scripture: Romans 12:1–2
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1).
We end this week where the whole series began. Not with a song. Not with a Sunday morning. But with a life laid down. Paul says worship is presenting your body, your whole self, as a living sacrifice. That means worship is not something you do for an hour on Sunday. It's what you do with every hour of every day. It's how you treat your spouse. It's how you raise your children. It's how you handle your money. It's how you respond to conflict. It's how you use your time. All of it, ALL OF YOU, laid down on the altar.
And notice the motivation: "by the mercies of God." Not by guilt. Not by obligation. Not by fear. By mercy. You don't worship to earn God's love. You worship because you've already received it. The Christian life begins with Christ's finished work, not with your effort to be good enough. And worship is the fitting, logical response to that kind of mercy.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The world wants to press you into its mold. It wants to shape how you think, what you value, how you live. But God calls you to a different kind of transformation one that starts in the mind and works its way out.
This is the foundation. This is where we stand. Not on our own strength. Not on our own righteousness. On the mercies of God. And from that foundation, we put on the armor. We pick up the sword, we lift the shield, and we stand. What area of your life have you been holding back from the altar? What part of you have you refused to lay down as a living sacrifice?
Armor Focus for Today: The Sword of the Spirit Name the sword of the Spirit the Word of God this morning. This is the only offensive weapon in the list. Everything else is defensive. But the sword fights back. Pray: "Lord, fill my mouth with Your Word today. When the enemy speaks lies, let me answer with truth. It is written."
End of Week Challenge: By Saturday, you should have named and prayed through all six pieces of the armor of God. Take a moment today to review the week. Which piece of armor did God highlight most for you? Which one do you need to put on more intentionally? Write it down. Keep it somewhere you'll see it. And don't take it off. The battle is real but so is our God. Stand firm.