What a Gift!

Posted on: April 29, 2024
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

After 7 years serving at First Presbyterian, and 27 years of full-time ministry, the session has blessed me with a much-appreciated sabbatical. I am thankful and eager for the time to reflect, rest and prepare for the upcoming seasons of church life. Some have asked me what I’m going to do with the time. Some have asked how my responsibilities will be covered while I’m gone. To the first, I’m looking forward to vacation with family and friends, reading, reviewing my favorite subjects from seminary and doing some professional development. To the second, we have gifted church leaders who are ready to serve. For those with questions about community groups during the summer, contact Kelly Wood (kelly@fpcbr.org). For those with questions about men’s ministry or to plug into a weekly men’s group, contact Blake Fowler (blake@exitrealtybr.com). Sunday school will continue as normal for the next few months with our gifted leaders. As usual, we will not have Sunday school the month of July.

I appreciate your prayers during May and June. With our upcoming 200 year anniversary on my mind, I plan to spend a good bit of time reading about the history of the Presbyterian church. Personally, I’m looking forward to meeting with a counselor to process life and ministry. And though I will be around, I am eager to resume my responsibilities mid-July.

Posted in: Thoughts from the Staff and Leaders

Fall Discipleship

Posted on: July 29, 2023
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

We have many things to look forward to in the life of the church this fall. One thing to be excited about is the return of our Sunday school classes which resume August 13. I talk to so many in our church who long to have a growing relationship with Christ, long to know his Word better and long for deep connections within the church. Our Sunday school classes offer a perfect opportunity for all three objectives to be accomplished. Scripture tell us to “not be conformed to this world, but renew our minds” (Romans 12:2). Our teachers would love to help you do just that. Each of these returning classes would love to welcome you: Barry Phillips’ CrossRoads class, the rotation of teachers in the Tom & Jerry class, Ryan Dickerson’s Kingdom Builders class or the Journeys class led by Kyle Beall, Jeff Swarner and Shawn Wilson. For the young adults, we have The Bridge with Jade and Katherine Tomeny. In every class, you’ll find seminary-level depth taught by teachers who are loving and eager to help you get grafted in!

And, in the words of a 1980’s game show host, “But, that’s not all!” This fall we launch The Well, a brand-new class taught by Scott Graham. One of Scott’s outstanding qualities is his passion for helping Christians grow in spiritual formation. Join him in the Library for a new study on spiritual gifts. You’ll learn about the Holy Spirit and how he empowers every believer with gifts to edify and bless. Explore how God has gifted you, how you can be a part of blessing Christ’s body and make some great friends in the process!

Small Group Update

As you plan your fall calendar, don’t forget to leave room for small groups! We will follow along with Gerrit’s sermon series on Ephesians. Group discussion questions will be available starting Sunday, September 10. If you are interested in joining a group or leading a new one, connect with Kelly Wood (kelly@fpcbr.org).

Right Now Media

Do you know that our church pays for a subscription for all congregants of FPC to Right Now Media? Not sure what Right Now Media is and why we’d make this subscription complimentary to you? At First Presbyterian, we believe that God is to be worshiped in spirit and in truth. To do so, Scripture tells us to renew our minds and think about things that are pleasing to the Lord. Right Now Media is an online platform of countless videos and resources to help equip you in your journey to follow Christ. Looking for a good Bible study on a particular book of the Bible? Looking for an engaging and educational kids series for your little ones? Do you want practical Christian teaching on a topic like battling anxiety or forgiving those that have harmed you? Right Now Media has a treasure trove of content waiting for you to discover. Many have compared the entertainment section to a Christian version of Netflix, or the teaching section to an online seminary experience. Visit our church website to create your account and enjoy all that Right Now Media has to offer. We trust it will benefit you greatly in your effort to be a disciple of Christ and disciple others.

More About RNM

Posted in: Discipleship

Introduction to Psalm 29

Posted on: October 26, 2020
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

There is so much unrest in our culture these days. But God wants to give us rest. Peace. He is holy and powerful. We learn this clearly in Psalm 29.

Verses 1-2:

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

Verses 9-10:

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

Posted in: Restoring Your Soul Through Psalms

Psalms Sermon Series: 100 Days of Connection Through the Psalms

Posted on: August 7, 2020
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

Restoring Your Soul Through Psalms Begins This Sunday! Join Gerrit on livestream Sunday, August 9 at 5 pm for "How to Pray the Psalms." Connect through seminars, readings, sermons and shepherding groups.

Posted in: Restoring Your Soul Through Psalms

Right Now Media

Posted on: December 30, 2019
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

Have you ever been to a holiday party and received a gift that was a re-gift? Sometimes those gifts can be a little less desirable, but I have great news. First Presbyterian Church is giving you a gift that you are going to love receiving again! As the director for discipleship at our church, I want you to have the gift of Right Now Media (RNM). I announced two years ago that I had purchased a churchwide account for all who love FPC, but I think it is time to remind you of what a great treasure trove of godly material it is.

RNM is a lot like a Christian version of Netflix but with a much greater emphasis on teaching. There are plenty of entertaining videos for kids, such as What’s in the Bible and Adventures in Odyssey. But where RNM really stands out is its teaching for adults. Whenever I want to study a book in the Bible, I love going to RNM and watching a How to Read summary of the book. For example, type in the search bar “Psalms,” then scroll down to the customizable training section and click on Tim Mackie’s How to Read Pslams. It is a powerful 9 minute summary!

If you’re looking for Bible study content for personal or small group use, RNM has tons of content from some of the most recognizable Christian teachers today. If it’s a topic that you’re curious about, such as parenting, you will be amazed how many great videos can be found on the topic. With this announcement of a gift you already have, I did want to make you aware of a couple of things that have improved with RNM since 2017. Some new users can get overwhelmed with how much content is on the site. To help with this, I have created a FPC “Channel” that will have specific content that I think our church will enjoy including a “Staff Favorites” section. (Continue to check the FPC channel as we’ll be adding new content to it all the time.) The other greatest improvement to RNM is your ability to access it. Before you had to sign-up via the invitation that I sent to the email our church has on file for you. If you lost that email, I had to manually create another invitation for you to join. Now, all you have to do is go to our FPC website, find the RNM link, and from there you will be able to directly create an account. Now that’s a pretty easy gift to unwrap!!!

Enjoy the new year and when you have time to catch your breath, check out RNM. My hope is that the teaching found there will complement the excellent teaching we receive every Sunday from the pulpit–and that we may walk deeply with Christ together as a body!

Link to RNM

Posted in: Discipleship

A Difficult Topic

Posted on: October 30, 2018
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

“For he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

These words of Scripture from 1 John 4: 4 encourage me greatly when I think about the topic which God has prompted me to write about this month. Pornography isn’t an issue that we like to dwell on often; instead, we mention it in quick, passing statements because it’s such a monster. We know it’s out there: a recent survey revealed there are currently 4.2 million pornographic websites. We know that the problem is pervasive: among 13-17 year olds, 8% admit to daily watching pornography, 18% admit to watching weekly and 17% admit to watching once or twice a month – the percentages go even higher for 18-24 year olds. The numbers aren’t just about males. 33% of women ages 13-24 admit to seeking out porn at least once a month. We know that it wreaks havoc: pornography treats men and women as sexual commodities thus resulting in pornography playing a significant role in over 50% of all divorces. Therefore, we can sometimes feel like the battle isn’t winnable. However, I believe the Bible offers hope in the midst of this darkness. Prior to working at First Presbyterian, I served for 20 years in campus ministry. I have personally watched God deliver young men from the claws of pornography time and time again to a life that restores sexuality to its proper relational context as human beings made in God’s image for God’s glory, rather than as sexual commodities to be bought, sold and consumed.

Ultimately, it is the gospel, obedience to God’s word and quality fellowship that renews one’s mind and moves one toward freedom. Steps toward sexual wholeness also include walking in truth with trustworthy brothers and sisters in the Lord. A practical way that I have found to do this is to bring one’s internet habits into the light by using an accountability and filtering software called Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes is a trusted company whose software I personally installed on my computer over two decades ago and which can be installed on all devices including phones and tablets. As parents, Barat and I wanted to prevent the onslaught of temptation for our kids, so we signed up for a family account. Every device we have now limits access to pornography, thanks to their software. We are not naïve enough to think that the battle is won, or that we no longer need to discuss this issue with our kids, but we are thankful to have a first defense with Covenant Eyes. Seeking to shepherd our church, I have worked a partnership with Covenant Eyes to provide a discount off their monthly fee for anyone who signs up from First Presbyterian (see direct link below). Please contact me at darin@fpcbr.org for more information and additional resources to help in this battle. I pray for freedom from sin and relational wholeness as we walk in the light of God’s glory and holiness as a church body!

Darin Travis

Director of Discipleship, Men's Ministry and Young Adults

Sign up for Covenant Eyes

Posted in: Thoughts from the Staff and Leaders

God Is Love Or Love Is God?

Posted on: June 27, 2018
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

Which of these two statements is true? Our world is confused on this particular issue, but the answer is found in 1 John 4, where John says that, in fact, God is love.

Our culture, however, including our American church culture, is unfortunately lulled into the false belief that “Love is God.” Love is perceived as the ultimate ideal. Our culture screams, “Just love people!” What they mean is,“Be nice; be tolerant; don’t judge people.” But is this truly loving?

John reveals in 1 John 4 that God is love, but in chapter 1 he also says that “God is light.” In God’s character, there is no darkness. He is without blemish, perfectly pure, perfectly holy. He is pure in his character, judgments and dealings with man. As the sovereign autonomous personal being of righteousness, he is the one who gives us the law to relate to him and to others. He says, “Be holy, for I am holy. Have no other gods before me. Do not covet.” He requires obedience to his authority and stands as the judge over all those who fail to live according to his moral demands. To say that God is loving, but fail to convey that God is holy, does not do justice to the wholeness of who God is. He is loving and holy, therefore requiring justice.

As we study the Scriptures, preaching them to ourselves and those around us, we must be careful not to present a relativistic worldview and be ignorant of the revealed nature of God. Our world is full of half-truths. An old U.S. Navy advertisement said, “Join the Navy and see the world!” Everyone knows that if you join the Navy, you will indeed see different ports and different cultures, but you will not do so as a passenger on a Mediterranean cruise ship. “God is love” is a true statement, but our world needs to know that he is also holy. His holiness demands that we who have sought independence from God deserve eternal separation because he is a just God. The beautiful revealed love of God is that though we deserve judgment, he has given us opportunity to draw near because he is also loving. A.W. Tozer said, “The cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a person. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him to newness of life. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die.” The liquidation of self, the dying of self, is often a very painful death, but new life in Christ is how God’s justice is melded with God’s love. Jesus said, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, he is the one who will save it” (Luke 9: 24). Let us remember that love is not the ultimate thing; God is. God is ultimate. He is love (1 John 4: 8, 16). He is light (1 John 1: 5).

Posted in: Thoughts from the Staff and Leaders

Right Now Media

Posted on: December 21, 2017
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

As the director for discipleship at our church, I am often asked about where good content for small groups or Sunday school material can be found. Others are asking me for solid Bible studies for their personal devotional time at home. When someone is wanting to develop a deeper walk with Christ, wrestling through challenges in a marriage, seeking wisdom for raising children or simply looking for good programming for their kids' entertainment, where can they turn?

Our church would like to equip you with resources for these areas of life and more, which is why we are giving every First Presbyterian Church member a free subscription to Right Now Media (RNM). RNM is an online treasure trove of Biblical content with hundreds of videos from many of our nation’s Christian teachers. You will find series on individual books of the Bible as well as relevant topical subjects. Within the site is also a wide variety of downloadable Bible studies for personal and small group use.

One of the best things that my family has personally enjoyed about RNM is the programming for kids. Have you heard of Veggie Tales or watched an episode of What’s in the Bible? I have found that kids and adults alike love learning Biblical principles while enjoying the witty comedy of these series. Road trips in our mini-van wouldn’t be complete without watching a few episodes of Adventures in Odyssey or Bibleman. The kids’ videos on RNM are plentiful and excellent.

My desire in making all of this material available to you is that you would walk deeply with Christ. Look for an email from the church inviting you to create a login and enjoy your membership to Right Now Media!

For more information about how to get your RightNowMedia subscription, email Darin Travis.

Posted in: Thoughts from the Staff and Leaders

A Word on Discipleship

Posted on: August 31, 2017
by: Darin Travis, Associate Pastor for Discipleship

The month of September is exciting in the life of our church. As kids jump back into the rhythm of school, our church presses full speed ahead toward the goal of going deeper in Christ and further into the world. One way we go deeper in Christ is through discipleship. What exactly is discipleship? Jesus said,“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Paul said,“God is the one who brings to fruition the good work that he has begun in us.” How do these two seemingly parallel concepts of spiritual growth and discipleship take place?

The Bible has much to say about these topics, but in short, God has always dealt with his people through covenants and those covenants have always had responsibilities. When God first called Abraham, he told him, “I will make you a great nation.” In the very same paragraph God also told him, “Now, go to the place I have for you.” Abraham was specifically chosen by God to be his people by a divine act of grace; that foundation of who Abraham had become also required action.

You might not audibly hear God speak to you exact commands like he did for Abraham, but make no mistake, his directions for you and me are clear—we are to grow in being conformed to the image of Jesus. This month First Presbyterian has a few easy entry points to do just that. Every Sunday morning our Sunday school classes are an incredible place to be taught from God’s Word in an intimate environment. Gifted teachers open God’s Word in such a way that it isn’t simply an intellectual event, but a journey into community with God and others. Have you not yet attended or has it been a while since you have attended a Sunday school class? Now is a great time to graft into one of our ten different classes!

Sunday school provides an opportunity for community in our church because of its practicality; we’re already on campus for Sunday services and the class time is short—generally around 40-45 minutes. The challenge of Sunday school is that you may leave with a desire for more! More personal conversation, more time to pray together, more time to share lives with one another.

One way we seek to meet that challenge is small group ministry. This is a great way to create the space needed to go deeper with God and others. Many of our small groups are seasonal; starting in the fall, they run up to the holiday season and then pick back up during the season of Lent. Some of our small groups are active year round. I encourage you to find a group that is near you and fits with your schedule. To facilitate this, we are having a small group mixer on September 17 that will help you find the right group. Join us in the reception room immediately following 9 and 11 am worship to meet our current small group leaders.

Whether you are going deeper by attending a Sunday school class, small group, or both, the Bible exhorts us to do all things for the glory of God! He is worthy of your investment!

Posted in: Thoughts from the Staff and Leaders