First Baptist Church in Hope Valley

06/02/2026

"The Root Cause(s)"
Selected texts in Job

06/02/2026

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06/02/2026

06/01/2026

The biblical account of idolatry is rooted in the image-making dynamic that runs across the breadth of the canon. At the heart of this pattern is a “reflective” relationship rooted in the nature of worship. The imago dei (image of God) in the opening chapter of the Bible (Gen 1:26–27) refers to the theological stamp placed upon the original man and woman God created, along with their generations of their offspring. Idolatry, by contrast, is the practice that turns this imaging relationship theologically upside down. Instead of reflecting God as “images” of their creator, humans craft an idol and “reflect” it instead. In both instances, human identity is rooted in what they reflect and worship. The surprising end to this story in the NT is that the perfect Image of God (Jesus) enters into human history in visible form and restores the image in God’s people and breaks the power of the idols. - Richard Lints

06/01/2026

Blog post on C. S. Lewis' "A Grief Observed"

"Opening With The Closing"

Any search of the greatest opening lines in literature will find the following: “Call me Ishmael” (Herman Melville, Moby-Dick); “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice); “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” (Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina), and “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen” (George Orwell, 1984).

But there is another opening line, not as well-known, that should be included. Writing about the death of his wife Joy, C. S. Lewis opens his book, A Grief Observed this way,

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing.”

He goes on,

“At other times it feels like being mildly drunk, or concussed. There is a sort of invisible blanket between the world and me. I find it hard to take in what anyone says. Or perhaps, hard to want to take it in. It is so uninteresting. Yet I want the others to be about me. I dread the moments when the house is empty. If only they would talk to one another and not to me.”1

Come to think of it, this opening should not be included with the others. This isn’t fiction, it’s biography.

“I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.” – Psalm 6:6.

1. C. S. Lewis. A Grief Observed (New York: Bantam Books, 1976). 1.

06/01/2026

“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” - 1 John 5:21

When you’re bored, you can take it to God or you can switch on your “favorites” playlist. When you’re depressed, you can run to the Lord, or you can run to the refrigerator. When you’re working, you can ask Jesus for His guidance, or you can become frantic about deadlines. When you’re between flights at the airport, you can spend a few minutes in prayer, or you can get absorbed in your devices.

All of us by nature are worshipers. The question is, do we worship God or the idols of our preference? We’re doing one or the other. Eventually, we will find that idols are utterly useless when we’re facing the major issues of life.

Today’s Scripture is the closing line in the elderly Apostle John’s heartfelt letter to fellow believers: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Today, make up your mind to take full advantage of God’s favor, grace, and companionship. Find out firsthand the incomparable help that can be yours. - Joni Eareckson Tada

06/01/2026

“What to Wear. Mine was the generation to break traditional church dress codes, following on the heels of the hippies before us. It felt daring. Rebellious, even. Like we were laying aside the trappings of formal religion to uncover the heart of what it meant to follow Jesus. It wasn’t until I gained some maturity and humility though, that I recognized that in many churches, dressing up was a form of showing respect for God, not just an antiquated tradition.”

I’ve visited a lot of different churches over the years. A few have required a head scarf. Some, something nicer than jeans. Most don’t care. Mine was the generation to break traditional church dre…

06/01/2026

Christians believe they are the target of the latest amendment to the country’s foreign funding law.

06/01/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Mystery Tea! And thank you to everyone who helped with the event.

Because of your support, all proceeds from the event will go toward stocking our church library with books and resources for our church family and community.

If you weren't able to attend but would still like to sponsor a book, donations are still being accepted. Please venmo -HopeValley and include "Library Books" in the memo/tagline.

Thank you for helping us build a library that will encourage faith, learning, and growth for years to come. Every book donated is an investment in someone's spiritual journey—helping children, teens, and adults grow in their knowledge of God and His Word.

We are grateful for your support!

And....we also had lovely tea and fun with the Mystery Room.

05/31/2026

We are in the midst of the smoke and din of battle. There are days when we sit and fold our hands and say, "Where is the promise of His coming?" No Christian man has ever wailed that out but that presently there came singing back through his soul the answer of the Christ. When I face human agony, and am appalled by the suffering of humanity, the Christ in me says, "I know all the pain better than thou. I have trodden the via dolorosa alone, and as out of My cross and suffering there sprang the light and glory of the first resurrection morning, so through the suffering and sorrow of humanity at last I will lead them into the light." Then I go back and pick up my piece of work again. - G. Campbell Morgan