First Southern Baptist Church

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First Southern Baptist Church Pastor: Rev. Jerry Rea In 1897 when the church was founded the name was Okolona Baptist Church.

Although the congregation was very proud of the name of the church and the memories associated with it a name change became necessary and was vote by the congregation to change the name to First Southern Baptist Church. The church and the name continues as a beacon for the community and a witness for Jesus Christ. SERVICE TIMES:
9:45 am - Sunday School
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
5:00 pm - Sunday Evening Worship
6:00 pm - Wednesday Evening Bible Study

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NIV)17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new i...
10/17/2026

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Here’s Hope by Jerry Rea, PastorTake Another StepYou don't hope down... you hope up.You don't hope near... you hope away...
10/09/2026

Here’s Hope by Jerry Rea, Pastor
Take Another Step

You don't hope down...
you hope up.
You don't hope near...
you hope away.
You don't hope in the now,
you hope for tomorrow.
You don't hope on what is,
you hope onto what could be.

By definition, hope helps us look away from ourselves and our present circumstances to something better, a brighter tomorrow - to what could be. To hope is to dare to dream, to believe, to latch onto something bigger than our present. It is like a candle... in the darkness... on the horizon. It is out there, away from us, leading us on. In the muck and the mundane we need that candle. In the trouble and angst of the moment we look away at the values that make it worth it. Most of us ask ourselves (if not out loud, in our hearts) - is it worth it? It will be. Most of us have within us a standard, a vision, or a purpose that is bigger than the moment. But to get to that horizon, to that mountain top - it is most often necessary to plod. I'm sorry if that doesn't seem very spiritual... but plodding is often a necessary component of the day to day.

Consider Peter's experience. Jesus came to him walking on the water. Without a thought Peter asks Jesus if he can come to Him. He jumps over the side of the boat - AND WALKS ON WATER... at least for a moment. When he stepped out, he was focused on Jesus - and he walked! When he looked at the wind and the water... he became focused on his peril and afraid. What is the moral of the story? Well, it's simple, keep looking up - at Jesus. Look up - across the top of your problems... not at them. Now, do you still have to plod? You betcha! But looking at Jesus, even the problems have meaning... God takes them in and makes them our stepping stones.

The writer of Hebrews said it this way... "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2)." In the race of life, in its trials and tedious turmoil - look up, look away, look at Jesus. And, looking at the one who so loves you... take another step.

It Will Be Worth It

Bro Jerry

FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH
3806 S. Wilson Dam Road
Muscle Shoals, AL

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
9:45 A.M. - Sunday School
11:00 A.M. - Sunday Morning Worship
5:00 P.M. - Sunday Evening Worship
6:00 P.M. - Wednesday Night Bible Study

Special music today by our Minister of Music, Gabe Engle. Great job on singing "Long Black Train."
10/04/2026

Special music today by our Minister of Music, Gabe Engle. Great job on singing "Long Black Train."

Here’s Hope by Jerry Rea, PastorI Have Hope We say it this way: “People never change.” Because there is so much truth i...
10/02/2026

Here’s Hope by Jerry Rea, Pastor
I Have Hope

We say it this way: “People never change.” Because there is so much truth in this we take it at face value. It’s one of those “truisms” that we come to admit again and again. Nevertheless, we do get our hopes up. We seem to cling tenaciously to the idea that people have so much good in them that it has to “come out” somewhere. We look for the best in people, and I think that is so very admirable. We want to be happy. We want people to fulfill that boundless potential that we all know is there. We even want it so bad that we begin to expect it. Sadly our hopes are often crashed like waves on the ocean shore. We can easily drift into depression like some deflated balloon. It’s worse than that. We write people off with a sad “he’ll never change.”

At Ezekiel 37 God took the prophet to the valley of dry bones. The Bible recounts that the valley was full of these bones, there were many, and they were “very dry.” All these words communicate with great force the idea that these bones were not only dead; they’d been that way for quite some time. Then, God asks Ezekiel “Can these bones live?” So He’s asking the prophet is there any hope for these bones? In my mind I think not. In my mind the situation is “hopeless.” Then, God goes further. He instructs the prophet to prophecy to the bones, and they come together. Furthermore, not only do the bones gather there as one were, but God puts life within them. Wow! What a resurrection! It is truly life from the dead, and this is the Old Testament for Heaven’s sake. God did what God always does: He gives life! He is the God of all life and here He shows what He can do, but He also shows what He commonly does.

Now let’s back up to God’s question to Ezekiel. God asks him, “Can these bones live?” We might say, “Is there any hope?” If we find the direct application, God is about to pull His dead nation (the Israelites) together and give them their life back. A secondary application is what God does in the New Testament and further what God does in 2026. God is still in the “life” business. God raised Jesus from the dead - He gave Him life. In our world, we are still so much in need of hope. We might wonder “Can this dead church live?” We think about our family members that are in desperate need of a life changing work of God. What about you? Can your bones live? You used to be full of passion for the things of God, but something happened. Dying inside is a very real dying. Your body is there but your heart is not. Perhaps you have been so disappointed or discouraged that you’ve given up. You might say (hopelessly) “People never change.”

I get it and I so much agree. It is hard for people to change. It is almost impossible. But God is in the “impossible” business. He was in that business in the days of Ezekiel. He was in that business, when they took Jesus down from the cruelest of all deaths. Jesus was truly dead, and then God did what God does. God raised Jesus from the dead. Now let’s fast forward to 2026. Can these situations live? Can people ever change? On their own the answer is a decided “no.” But we are not on our own. There is a God who gives life, even today. There’s a word for the dead coming to life in the New Testament; it’s called being “born again.” Paul took this idea a step further. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul said we are being “transformed.” God can change your life! Can Your Bones Live?

Remember, God is in the life-changing business!
Jerry Rea

FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH
3806 S. Wilson Dam Road
Muscle Shoals, AL

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
9:45 A.M. - Sunday School
11:00 A.M. - Sunday Morning Worship
5:00 P.M. - Sunday Evening Worship
6:00 P.M. - Wednesday Night Bible Study

Pastor Jerry Rea will begin a new Sermon Sermons this Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m.Please join us at 3806 S. Wilson Dam R...
10/01/2026

Pastor Jerry Rea will begin a new Sermon Sermons this Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m.
Please join us at 3806 S. Wilson Dam Road, Muscle Shoals, AL.

2 Corinthians 3:1-11 (NIV)3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of rec...
10/01/2026

2 Corinthians 3:1-11 (NIV)
3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

2 Corinthians 4:1 (NIV)
4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever...
10/01/2026

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Here’s Hope by Jerry ReaThe ThornSo, Paul had a “thorn.” He writes about it in 2 Corinthians 12. He did what we all do...
09/25/2026

Here’s Hope by Jerry Rea
The Thorn

So, Paul had a “thorn.” He writes about it in 2 Corinthians 12. He did what we all do; he prayed that it be removed (three times). The thorn was not removed. I don’t know how you see the Apostle Paul, I see him as a great “pray-er.” If anyone could pray down the stars it was him. Yet, when he prayed about this thorn, it was not removed. That’s interesting isn’t it? Why was it not removed? Well, the Lord told him two reasons.

The first reason was that Paul would not be lifted up with pride. We might say it in Alabama, “to keep him humble.” If you think about it, God had placed Paul in an important place. For all intents and purposes he was the leader of the church for quite some time. Beyond all that, for years and years his letters guided the pathway of the early church. When there were issues they often sought his guidance and his ideas. Surely over time he became “somebody.” He was often the hero of the church. That was so, especially when he was in prison. God took that time in imprisonment and turned it to the eternal good of God’s church, through his letters and guidance. Now, I know there were other “writers” who were used of God to form and relate the theology of God. Do you remember John? What about Peter? Matthew’s place is sealed in history as the writer of the first gospel. Timothy did not write a letter but his reception of two were plainly great helps to a young minister, but further their content has impacted believers for centuries. Paul wrote to his young protégée but we too are the recipient of it. Do you remember (also) that Paul said he was lifted up to heaven? That boggles my mind. All, this “leadership” is enough to make anyone proud. All these conversations with the Almighty would go to anyone’s head. So, if Paul needed something to ground him, this thorn could possibly help. I would also remind you that God resists the proud.

The second reason was so that Paul would experience grace - rather, greater grace. God said that His grace was sufficient regardless of the thorn. Just how much grace did Paul get? We don’t have a measurement, recorded but that it was “sufficient.” Now think about this. Paul had a problem but God gave him strength to carry this burden. He did not take away the problem, but He helped Paul through grace, and magnified Himself in the process. This is good news! It means that God can handle any “thorn” you and I have. Perhaps God chooses to also give us this grace.

So the thorn was not removed, but Paul received something better. Paul received grace within his problem.

Here’s a word. If you have a problem (and I know you do), God will help you carry your need/ thorn. God might give you something better than removing your thorn. Just because you have a thorn does not mean that God doesn’t care about your need. It just might mean that God will give you something better than removing it.

My God is Bigger than Your Problem,
Jerry Rea

Matthew 28:1-10 (NIV)28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went...
09/24/2026

Matthew 28:1-10 (NIV)
28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Romans 3:9-23 (NIV)9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the ch...
09/24/2026

Romans 3:9-23 (NIV)
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one.”
13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes."
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Address

3806 S. Wilson Dam Road
Muscle Shoals, AL
35661

Telephone

(256) 383-3081

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