Pastor’s Perspective – August 2025
AN INVITATION…
I have the pleasure to serve with some wonderful Christian men and women. Many of them are a part of my congregation which includes a great collection of people, retired pastors, newly baptized believers, and followers from many different stages of spiritual maturity. But some of my favorite co-laborers in Christ are the pastors and members of “other” local churches, some within my denomination and others outside of it.
First Baptist Church is an American Baptist Church and has a long history of association with other denominational congregations throughout the city of Toledo, the state of Ohio, and the world. These churches are eclectic and diverse, with distinct political, economic, and social views. We sometimes disagree and occasionally argue, but we maintain a love for Jesus and each other which raises the level of both expectation and outcome in most circumstances. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are a family, and while families often disagree, where there is love in Christ, there is grace offered and received. And by the grace of Jesus, we can love even those we disagree with.
First Baptist is also a part of a wonderful group of local Holland / Springfield Churches that have ministered and worshipped together for decades. This group includes Holland Free Methodist, Providence Lutheran, Second Baptist Church, The Dwelling Place, Maumee Valley, Living Grace, Compelled, and others (please forgive me if I inadvertently failed to include someone). These congregations have served the local community, partnered with the local schools and have prayed for and with the leaders of the government and civic organizations. We do prayer walks in the local schools through the Keep Watch ministry, and we buy Christmas gifts and meals for local children and families.
Most importantly we pray for each other and the people of our community. We are a resource to our schools and donate money to pay for school lunches, provide school supplies, and assist when families suffer from catastrophic crises.
And once a year we worship together at Strawberry Acres as a single entity. Some of us close our church to attend with the greater Holland family, others include the service among the constellation of services offered, but we all give our time and our people to the task of Christian unity.
Most of our pastors will take part in the worship service, our musicians will lead the singing, our congregations will cook food (thank you Dwelling Place), our children will hear a message, and our people will bring their lawn chairs to worship with people from different denominations and often perspectives. And God will be glorified!
We want to invite you to join us for worship on Sunday, August 10 at Strawberry Acres Park in Holland. Worship will begin at 10:30 and conclude at (or around) noon. It is a great way to connect with other ministries, a wonderful way to worship with other people, and most importantly a way to show the world the unity of the gospel amidst the diversity of the body of Christ.
Hope to see you there!
Pastor Dan
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