Sundays

Sunday School - 9:45am
Morning Worship - 11:00am
Disciple Training - 5:00pm
Evening Worship - 6:00pm

Wednesdays

AWANA - 6:30pm
Teaching & Prayer - 7:00pm

Welcome!

We, at West Main Baptist Church, are astounded by the grace of God found in Christ Jesus and are convinced that He is our only hope. We are by no means a perfect people, but we strive together to glorify our perfect God. We're praying this site will help do just that!

Fallen Pastor: A Book Review

There are few topics that evoke as much widespread and intense emotion as that of a pastor falling into moral failure, especially adultery.  The “man of God” stands as an under-shepherd over Jesus’ flock, who is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4).  He is the primary representative of the church to the community.  He is [...]

 

Biblical Worship 12: Redemption-Motivated

We now turn to our final essential of biblical worship, which is redemption-motivated. Worship is to be motivated by redemption, and here are some signs worship has redemption in its ministry…

 

Biblical Worship 11: Lifestyle-Oriented

A few years ago, the band Casting Crowns released an anthem that really gets to the heart of worship.  It was called “Lifesong” and part of the lyrics said this: Empty hands held high, Such small sacrifice; If not joined with my life, I sing in vain tonight. May the words I say, And the [...]

 

Bethlehem’s King and Bread

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie; Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by. Every year the city of Bethlehem plays center-stage again to the most wonderful story ever told.  We read in Luke 2 that a census was being taken of the entire Roman Empire of [...]

 

Biblical Worship 10: God-Glorifying

Worship is a multifaceted thing. As we continue our look at the essentials of biblical worship, another essential is that it is to be God-Glorifying in all it does. Worship is God-Glorifying when it…

 

How Long, O Lord? – Love

This week we continue the season of Advent by lighting the 4th candle, the candle of love.  Our 2011 Advent theme is “How Long, O Lord?” and each week we’ll be looking at a passage of Scripture that focuses on the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our text this week comes from Revelation [...]

 

Biblical Worship 09: Self-Humbling

We’ve looked at several essentials to biblical worship so far, but one that cannot be overlooked is that biblical worship must be self-humbling. Why is it crucial worship be filled with humility? First of all, humility is crucial because of our…

 

How Long, O Lord? – Joy

This week we continue the season of Advent by lighting the 3rd candle, the pink candle of peace.  Our 2011 Advent theme is “How Long, O Lord?” and each week we’ll be looking at a passage of Scripture that focuses on the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our text this week comes from [...]

 

Biblical Worship 08: Heart-Felt

In my last article on “mind-provoking worship” I pointed you to Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:37.  Let me point you there again, YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.  Last time I focused on the mind.  This time I want to [...]

 

Biblical Worship 07: Spirit-Driven

Today I want to look at the biblical worship essential of being Spirit-driven. In Acts 1 the apostles were commanded to wait and not proceed until prompted by the Spirit of God. The early leaders of the Church in Acts 6 were to be men “filled with the Holy Spirit.” The written revelation of God forming the canon was written by “holy men moved by the Holy Spirit.”…

 

Biblical Worship 06: Mind-Provoking

As we look at this essential to biblical worship, I want to use Jesus’ words from Matthew 22:37 as the basis.  In Matthew 22:34-38, we see that the Pharisees are questioning Jesus, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus doesn’t hesitate in His answer, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, “ ‘YOU SHALL [...]

 

How Long, O Lord? – Peace

This week we continue the season of Advent by lighting the 2nd candle, the purple candle of peace.  Our 2011 Advent theme is “How Long, O Lord?” and each week we’ll be looking at a passage of Scripture that focuses on the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our text this week comes from [...]

 

Biblical Worship 05: Word-Based

The Thessalonian congregation was given a most prestigious commendation from the apostle, “you are an example to all those in Macedonia and Achaia.” They had become the “pattern” to follow in church life. What “pattern” was established by the Thessalonian church? What traps are lurking near the foundations of the church? How can the contemporary church follow this example? Answering this question involves taking a closer look at some of the essentials of biblical worship in the Church. One of the essentials of biblical worship is the priority of the Word of God…

 

Biblical Worship 04: Sin-Forsaking

It’s countercultural today to talk about sin.  Let’s face it:  the topic of sin is offensive.  In fact, we were ministering in Canada in October through a dramatic presentation of the Roman Road, which of course includes Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  A mother of one [...]

 

How Long, O Lord? – Hope

This week, we begin our season of Advent.  “Advent” is from the Latin word for “coming” — translated from the Greek word parousia. Speaking of the second coming of Christ, we find parousia translated in the following passages: Matthew 24:3,27,37,39; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 3:13, 4:15, 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1,8; James 5:7,8; 2 [...]

 

Biblical Worship 03: Life-Transforming

In case you haven’t heard, God has a plan for your life.  Have you wondered exactly what that is?  Although the Bible doesn’t give us individual specifics for our lives other than His revealed will contained in the commandments, we can say one thing for sure:  if you are in Christ, God’s ultimate plan for [...]

 

Expansion Without Exception

Does it ever seem to you like the Kingdom of God is losing ground here on the earth?  Does it appear that lostness is growing and sin is increasing?  Does it feel like nation after nation is openly turning against God? Indeed, the situation does look bleak from our perspective, but I pray that you [...]

 

Biblical Worship 02: Christ-Centered

Biblical worship is Christ-centered.  The person of Jesus Christ and God the Father’s work through Jesus Christ is to be focus of our worship because it’s only through Jesus that we have redemption. Peter preached this truth by the power of the Holy Spirit in Acts 4:8-12: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said [...]

 

Biblical Worship 01: Definitions

Worship is an essential part of our relationship with God.  In fact, we are created, chosen, called, and commanded to worship God.  Perhaps you are familiar with the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  In it, the writers ask, “What is the chief end of man?”  And they answer, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to [...]

 

Canada Mission Video

Canada Trip 2011 from Ben Simpson on Vimeo. From October 22-28, a team of nine short-term missionaries from West Main Baptist Church joined four churches from Texas to come alongside the Johnsons, who are NAMB missionaries to Saskatchewan, Canada.  We pray this video will share just a glimpse of all the joy we had in [...]

 

I Hope You’re Left Behind

There’s a lot of talk in the church world about being “left behind.”  There have been books, both fictional and nonfictional, written on the subject.  Add to them the movies, the computer games, the sermons, and the articles, and you’ve got a topic that people like to think, talk, and hear about.  Preachers especially love [...]

 

Successful but Not Satisfied

In my last post, I declared according to scriptural principle that even though nobody was saved through our evangelistic efforts last week, we were still successful in God’s eyes because we were faithful to do everything that He has called us to do.  In this article, I want to answer the question:  am I satisfied [...]

 

Was Our Evangelistic Rally a Success?

Last week, West Main Baptist and the other churches in the Alexandria/Dowelltown/Liberty cluster of the Salem Baptist Association came together for an evangelistic rally.  We had it in the open air grandstands of our fairground, giving it that old tent revival feel.  Our expressed goal was to preach the gospel so that people would turn [...]

 

The Bible v/s Nature

What are the comparisons and contrasts between the Bible and its authority and general revelation and its authority? When comparing and contrasting the Bible and its authority to general revelation and its authority, it is important to understand that the Bible is in the category of special revelation.  The nature of special revelation is such [...]

 

Frustrate the Devil

How would you like to ruin the devil’s day?  Want to see him with shoulders drooped, face all scrunched up in a frown of disappointment, and sitting on a bench pouting?  That sounds awesome, doesn’t it?  Okay then, here’s the game plan:  rejoice in your suffering. No seriously.  God has ordained suffering for your life [...]