Sermons by Pastor Toby Locke (Page 7)

I joined the staff as lead pastor at First Baptist in March 2017 after nine years of ministry in Racine, Wisconsin as an associate pastor. I grew up as the child of missionaries in South America, where I got to live among and learn from the beautiful people of Bolivia and Chile. After high school I attended Baptist Bible College of PA (now Clarks Summit University) and graduated at long last in 1998 with a Pastoral Ministries degree. After completing a two-year short term missionary assignment in Chile, I returned to Baptist Bible Seminary for my Master of Divinity, which God graciously enabled me to complete in 2007. From there it was off to Rochester, New York for a year-long internship at North Baptist Church (now Northridge Church) before jumping into full-time vocational ministry at Fellowship Baptist Church in Racine in the fall of 2007.

The Big Picture: Glorifying God Together

“If our ultimate purpose is to make sure that God is glorified in everything, we will discover very quickly that the only way we can adequately do that is together as the family of God. Join us this morning as we wrestle with Peter’s guidance of how to go about doing that.”

The Big Picture: Tug of War

“Suffering well” as Peter describes in 2:13-4:1 has an unexpected side benefit to us as followers of Jesus: it helps us to live for God’s mission instead of just for the passing pleasures of sin. It does so by changing the way we think about what’s important, which changes our behavior and better prepares us…

The Big Picture: Tying Up Some Loose Ends

When we suffer well, as Jesus did, we will accomplish God’s will. Join us today as we remind ourselves of Peter’s teaching about what it looks like to suffer well, and what good we will accomplish for God if we do.

The Big Picture: The Many Layers of Baptism

February 26, 2023
Pastor Toby Locke
Baptism
I Peter

Getting baptized announces to the watching world that we’ve been saved, teaches us that we’re connected to Jesus, and assures us of new life in God’s new world one day. Peter adds here that baptism also pictures the coming judgment, when all who have believed in Jesus and asked for His forgiveness will be rescued.

The Big Picture: Tips for Facing Persecution

Whether it’s fair or unfair, followers of Jesus can expect persecution from time to time. If they don’t give in to pressure and instead maintain their loyalty to Jesus, though, they will have the opportunity to give a gentle and logical explanation to those who persecute them, which God can use to humble the persecutors…

The Big Picture: How This All Works

January 29, 2023
Pastor Toby Locke
Conflict
I Peter

The Church (the people, not the building or the organization) is meant to be a safe place to heal from the attacks that come at us from a hostile world. In order to become that, each Christian must treat all the others in a counter-cultural way, refusing to get involved in a war of retribution…

The Big Picture: A Word to Husbands

After challenging wives to submit to their husbands so that they can win them to Christ, Peter continues his letter with some pointed instructions to husbands about how they should use the authority delegated to them by God. Join us this morning as we explore these important issues.