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“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

Psalm 127:4-5

Today, I celebrate the growth of our family since arriving at EBBC. When the Lord led us to serve here nearly fourteen years ago we were just a few days away from celebrating Abram’s first birthday. Since that time we have had the joy of welcoming Annabelle, Ashton, and now Anderson into our family. Words cannot express how much joy our children have brought to our lives. Admittedly life can get a bit overwhelming when trying to balance the demands of work and family but by the grace of God we are able to make it work each week. As Christian parents we recognize and accept our responsibility to make sure our children are brought up in what Ephesians 6:4 calls the “…fear and admonition of the Lord…” To borrow from the words of the Apostle John when writing about those he was personally discipling in the first-century “I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4).

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord..”

Proverbs 18:22

Today, I am reminded of Proverbs 18:22 which states “He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.” Jessica and I first met and began dating in High School. It would be some seven years later before we would actually get married. Namely, because her daddy said we had to wait until she finished college first (Yes, I plan to use that rule when Annabelle wants to get married). By that time I had answered the call to ministry and we were both ready to graduate from college. We actually got engaged during my first pastorate. That pastorate proved to be an interesting experience and that experience proved she had what it took to be a pastor’s wife. Over the years we have laughed together, cried together, and served the Lord together. With that said, I am thankful for her love and support. She is truly my love, my best friend, and my co-laborer in life and ministry.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…”

Psalm 107:2a

The arrival of November brings with it a fresh reminder to live each day with an attitude of Gratitude. Unfortunately, we need this reminder because of our tendency to subconsciously overlook God’s goodness each and every day. With that said, I want to begin this month of thanksgiving by personally and publicly thanking God for His gift of salvation. God did not have to love me but I am glad to know He loves me. God did not have to sacrifice His Son for me but I am glad He has sacrificed His Son for me. God did not have to save a sinner like me but I am glad He has gloriously saved me! Yes, I am but one of countless souls Jesus has saved by His grace and His mercy. What about you? Thank you Jesus!

Have you had trouble visualizing what our finished building project will look like? Did the black-and-white architectural drawings posted earlier this week leave much to be desired in answering that question? We just received this colorful rendering from our architect and wanted to pass it on to you. As you can see this metal building has been designed to be aesthetically pleasing. The picture below also reflects how the parking lot side of the building will be designed. With that said, you have an opportunity this weekend to invest in this building project through the “Chest of Joash” offering. Please prayerfully consider what the Lord would have you give as your “Best Gift First” through this special free-will offering this Sunday, February 2nd, 2025.

(Note: These pictures are intended to be used as a point of reference for the project. Some aspects of the picture are subject to change.)

On Sunday, December 1st, 2024 members of East Barbourville Baptist Church voted unanimously to move forward with a new building project. As presented and approved during the annual business meeting the project will involve converting the existing sanctuary into classroom space while also constructing a new sanctuary that will replace the original church building and it’s subsequent additions. 

Initially, the plan was to complete the project in two phases with the assistance of a skilled and experienced mission team based out of Georgia. After our preliminary meeting with the mission team it is apparent that God has a different timeline for our project. Basically, the mission team asked to complete both phases of the project this summer (June-July 2025). 

Typically, this team brings with them a total of 250 volunteers who will work tirelessly over a 5-6 week period during the summer. As such, we estimate that their labor will save us approximately $100 per square foot on the overall project which is a huge blessings to our overall budget for this project.

With that said, we are asking each household to prayerfully consider giving their “Best gift First” through the special “Chest of Joash Offering” we will be collecting on Sunday, February 2nd. In addition, we ask you to prayerfully consider what you might give above and beyond the tithe and offering either weekly, monthly, or annually as we work to minimize and retire the debt of this project as quickly as possible. 

East Barbourville Baptist Church is excited to serve as a host site for Crossings Day Camp this summer! Per their website Crossings Day Camp provides a way to bring their Crossings Kids Camp experience to even more kids across the state of Kentucky. During this weeklong experience kids (6 years old – 12 years old) will participate in high-energy worship, small group Bible study, various points of impact (POI), and much more. With that said, mark your calendar for Monday, June 17th-Friday, June 21st from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (On Friday Campers will need picked up between 3:15-3:45 PM). See the promo video below for a sneak peak into the Crossings Day Camp experience.

For more information or to register your child for Crossings Day Camp at East Barbourville Baptist Church please use the link below. We look forward to seeing you soon!

We are waiving the $25 registration fee for the first 100 kids (6 year olds – 12 year olds) to register. To register at the discounted rate be sure to use the discount code DC25 at checkout (A tax of $1.50) will apply.

For more information or to register click here!

Note: East Barbourville Baptist Church will offer a preschool and Middle/High School option in conjunction with the Kids Camp. The registration for these two groups will be announced at a later date. This registration is only for Kids who are between the ages of 6 and 12 years old.

At East Barbourville Baptist Church, we are excited about Easter 2024 and prayerfully expect the Lord to move mightily in our midst! Therefore, in an effort to maximize our seating capacity and expand our reach within our community we are once again adding an additional Easter Sunday morning worship service. That means on Easter Sunday you will have the option of choosing to attend one of two morning worship services. (Please note: These services will be identical. They will consist of the same songs and the same sermon.)

With that said, we are asking you to pre-register for the service you plan to attend. The registration process is simple. One person can register up to twenty people in their group at one time. Also, please note that pre-registration is not required to attend. That means “NO ONE” will be denied access to either service on Easter Sunday. The registration process is simply a tool to help us as a church know how to prepare for Easter Weekend.

Easter Sunday Service times:

• 8:30 A.M. Worship Service (Note: Those attending this worship service who also participate in our Sunday School ministry will simply reorder their Sunday morning schedule by going to Sunday school after the 8:30 A.M. worship service.)
• 10:00 A.M. Sunday School
• 11:00 A.M. Worship Service

To pre-register just click the link below, enter the information requested, and select how many people will be attending with you (best guestimate). It will take you less than sixty seconds to pre-register and it will take us a long way in knowing how many we can expect to attend each service on Easter Sunday. No matter which service you plan to attend begin now inviting family and friends to join us Sunday, March 31^st as we celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior! 

Pre-register Easter 2024! (Click Here)

First, let me say thank you for your continued generosity! Throughout my pastoral tenure the members of East Barbourville have always given cheerfully and sacrificially to any cause or initiative that we have set before them especially when the need has been clearly communicated. With that said, I want to take this opportunity to highlight why the leadership of our church feels we should invest in a future building project at this time.

1. Deterioration of the Facility:
   • The aging of carpet, appliances, commodes, and HVAC systems. (In five years or less these will have to be replaced).
   • Leaking metal roof.
   • Leaning exterior wall.
   • Electric is outdated.
   • Plumbing is outdated.
2. Navigation of the Facility:
   • The current building has been added onto several times and presents a challenge for guests who attend our church as the location of our main parking lot forces foot traffic to weave its way through our existing structure. (Note: This is a good thing as that means we have been blessed with life and growth down through the years). Nevertheless, addressing the deterioration of our current building would also allow us to eliminate the guess work for those who attend our church in the future.
3. Compartmentalization of Ministry within the Facility:
   • The ideal situation would be a facility with larger classrooms situated along exterior walls with windows.
   • In addition, the ideal facility would provide us with the ability to dedicate parts of the building solely to the use of children’s ministry (a secure location with limited access for parental peace of mind), student ministry, and adult discipleship ministry. In our current situation this is just not possible.

Obviously, we are not breaking ground on this project tomorrow. In order to do so responsibly we know we need to generate at least half of the estimated cost of this new building project. With that in mind, we have kicked off a capital campaign fund drive this year in celebration of our 60th year of ministry. Therefore, we are asking members of East Barbourville to prayerfully consider giving a $60 dollar gift each month above and beyond the tithe and offering. We realize that some may not have the ability to give that amount while others might have the abilIty to give more. This is why we have not asked for signed commitments by our members like some churches do when they plan to build. Instead, this a freewill offering where no gift is too big or too small. Thanks in advance for giving toward this goal!

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

“One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4