First Baptist Church Big Spring Podcast

We’re back in the Old Testament Survey series, and this time we’re tackling the first two books of the Bible: Genesis and Exodus! Brandon is joined by special guest James as they dig into the authorship, major themes, key stories, and why these two books are so important for understanding the rest of Scripture.

From creation and the fall to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—and then from slavery in Egypt to Moses, the Exodus, and the giving of the Law—Genesis and Exodus lay the foundation for so much of the biblical story. If you want to understand the Old Testament, you have to start here.

And because of Brandon's Whataburger addiction, this episode was recorded on location at Whataburger in Midland because the Big Spring location is STILL closed.

Oh, and somehow these guys managed to turn Genesis and Exodus into a very, very long podcast episode. Two books, several thousand years of history, one Whataburger, and absolutely no concern for the length of the episode.

Grab your Bible, grab some Whataburger, and settle in. We’ve got a lot to cover.

As we wrap up our journey through Romans 8:37-39, Pastor Mark Lindsey brings us to one of the most powerful truths in all of Scripture: nothing can separate those who are in Christ from the love of God.

Paul reminds us that no circumstance, power, or force in all creation can break the relationship God has established with His people through Jesus Christ. Our salvation is not dependent on our ability to hold on to God—it rests in His faithfulness to hold on to us.

In Christ, we are secure. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

In Part 3 of the “God Is For You” series, Pastor Mark takes us through Romans 8:31–37 and asks five powerful questions from the passage:

Who can oppose us?

Who can withhold from us?

Who can accuse us?

Who can condemn us?

Who can separate us?

The answer is the same every time: nothing and no one.

When we are in Christ, God is for us, and there is nothing that can ultimately stand between us and His love. Our security isn't found in our circumstances, our strength, or our ability to hold everything together—it is found in Jesus Christ.

If you are in Christ, you are His. And nothing can separate you from Him.

Welcome to our brand-new series, Old Testament Survey! In this series, we’re going to take a journey through the Old Testament—looking at its books, major sections, themes, people, stories, and, of course, how it all fits together in the bigger story of Scripture.

But before we start working our way through all 39 books, we need to answer an important question: Why should Christians read the Old Testament? It can sometimes feel confusing, intimidating, or like a collection of really old stories that don't seem to have much to do with us today. But the Old Testament is an essential part of God’s Word and helps us understand who God is, His plan of redemption, and the story that ultimately leads us to Jesus.

So grab your Bible and join us as we begin our journey through the Old Testament. 39 books, thousands of years of history, plenty of names we’re going to struggle to pronounce—and a whole lot of God's story to discover. Welcome to Old Testament Survey. Let’s get started!

Article - Ten Reasons the Old Testament Matters for Christians

In tonight’s sermon, Pastor Mark Lindsey takes us back to Romans 8, where we continue the look at this wonderful chapter by examining verses 12–17 and explores what it means to be joint heirs with Christ. Through Jesus, we are no longer defined by the flesh or bound to our old way of life—we have been welcomed into the family of God.

Being a follower of Christ means more than simply receiving salvation. We have been adopted as God’s children, given His Spirit, and made heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

Our identity has changed, our future has changed, and because we belong to Christ, we have a place in God’s family and a hope that lasts forever.

In today’s sermon, Pastor Mark takes us through Romans 8:1–11 and reminds us of a simple truth: by ourselves we fail, but God is faithful. Our sin and weakness do not change the fact that God is for us and has made a way for us through Jesus Christ.

Through the power of Christ, we can experience forgiveness, faith, salvation, and a new way of living. We don’t have to live defined by our failures—we can take in Christ and live in God’s grace.

And the cross is God’s ultimate proof of His love for us. Jesus has already done what we could never do for ourselves.

We may fail, but God’s grace never does.

In today’s sermon, Pastor Mark takes us to Luke 5:1–11 and the calling of Jesus’ first disciples. Through this powerful encounter, we are reminded that following Jesus requires us to step out in faith, trust His direction, and be willing to leave behind what is comfortable to follow where He leads.

The work of Jesus calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things—not because of what we can accomplish on our own, but because of what He can accomplish through us.

Listen in and be challenged to trust Jesus, follow His leading, and step out in faith.

We made it. Somehow.

After an entire series of questioning church traditions, challenging assumptions, and repeatedly asking the dangerous question, “Where exactly is that in the Bible?”, Jonathan and Brandon have arrived at the final episode of That Ain’t in the Bible.

In Part 2 of our wrap-up, the guys continue their rapid-fire discussion of those smaller sayings, traditions, practices, and assumptions that Christians sometimes treat like Scripture—even though you won't actually find them in Scripture.

There are more hot takes. More theological rabbit trails. More opportunities for Jonathan and Brandon to make people uncomfortable. And, naturally, more reasons for them to check their phones after recording to see whether they've received a text from anyone on the personnel committee.

At this point, we're not saying job security was a recurring theme of the series... but if you've listened to the whole thing, you probably understand why we're putting the phrase “available for ministry” on both of their résumés.

So grab your Bible, leave your sacred cows at the door, and join us for one last round of “That's not in the Bible.”

And if Jonathan and Brandon are still employed after this episode, we can officially declare the series a success.

If they're not... well, at least they went out quoting Scripture.

Thanks for listening to That Ain't in the Bible. Now go check your favorite church tradition against the actual Bible. You might be surprised by what you find.

In today’s sermon, God Looks at the Heart, Pastor Mark reminds us of a truth that can be easy to overlook: God is not impressed by appearances. We can do all the right things on the outside, say the right words, and look like we have everything together—but God sees what is happening beneath the surface.

Drawing from 2 Chronicles 16:9, Pastor Mark challenges us to examine our hearts and how they are connected to the Father. What matters most isn't simply what people see in us, but what God sees in us.

Pastor Mark walks us through five tests of the heart:

The Treasure Test — What do we value most?

The Thought Test — What occupies our minds?

The Word Test — What comes out of our mouths?

The Listening Test — Whose voice are we willing to hear and obey?

The Worship Test — What—or who—has our heart?

These tests challenge us to move beyond outward religion and toward a genuine relationship with God. Because we can fool other people, and we can even fool ourselves, but we cannot fool God.

This message is a powerful reminder that God isn't simply looking at what we do—He is looking at our hearts. And when our hearts are truly surrendered to Him, our outward lives will naturally begin to reflect what is happening on the inside.

We’re nearing the end of That Ain’t in the Bible, and Jonathan and Brandon apparently decided that one final episode of controversy wasn't enough. So they're wrapping up the series with a two-part rapid-fire discussion of some of the smaller things Christians and churches commonly assume are in the Bible… but aren't.

In Part 1, the guys go back and forth tackling a whole collection of topics, traditions, sayings, assumptions, and practices that have somehow worked their way into Christian culture despite Scripture never actually commanding them.

Some are serious. Some are surprisingly funny. Some are going to make you say, “Wait… that's NOT in the Bible?” And yes, there are still a few hot takes thrown in for good measure.

At this point, Jonathan and Brandon have spent an entire series questioning Southern Baptist traditions, church practices, personal preferences, and sacred cows. So naturally, the big question isn't “What does the Bible say?” anymore.

It's “Will they still have jobs after this?”

Assuming neither one gets fired, Part 2 will be released next week. Of course, if the Rapture happens before then, we'll never know whether they actually finished recording it—and depending on your interpretation of the end times, you may be listening to this episode with a very different theological opinion about what just happened.

So buckle up for one or two more rounds of “That's not in the Bible,” and see how many traditions Jonathan and Brandon can challenge before somebody schedules a special-called business meeting.

Because apparently, this is how we're ending the series: With a list of things that ain't in the Bible... and hopefully two employed podcast hosts.