Richmond's First Baptist Church

Dr. Jim Somerville's "Talkback" from Sunday, June 11, 2017. In this visit with the Acts of Friendship class, discussions include whether we go to heaven immediately after we die (or only when Jesus comes back), church membership, the prophet Ezekiel, Mary and Joseph's last names, and the definition of "speaking in tongues".

Dr. Jim Somerville's "Talkback" from Sunday, June 4, 2017. In this visit with the Sojourners class, discussions include what the church of the future might look like and whatever happened to "fire and brimstone" preaching.

Jim Somerville: "On the Day of Pentecost the church was born, but in these days the church may have to be re-born. By the power of the Holy Spirit you may have to re-invent the church, you may have to make it into something as surprising and new for this generation as that church was for that generation..."

Jim Somerville: "Even in this country we are beginning to get a taste of [persecution]. A culture that used to be entirely supportive of Christianity has become more and more indifferent. ... We Christians have to stick together. If we don't learn to speak with one voice, soon we will have no voice in this culture."

Dr. Jim Somerville's sermon to the children from Sunday, May 28, 2017.

Jim Somerville: "Today's sermon is for anyone who has ever had a troubled heart. Which means that today's sermon is for everyone. So what about you? What troubles your heart?"

Dr. Jim Somerville's "Talkback" from Sunday, May 21, 2017. In this visit with the Upper Room and Gold Band classes, questions include: "How do we bring new people into our Sunday School class?" "If I don't speak in tongues, am I a real Christian?" and "What does the pastor want to see in the next decade at FBC?"

Jim Somerville: "On this Mother’s Day I’m reminded of a story I heard about a hospital chaplain who used to visit with patients in their rooms, and often, because she was a chaplain, the conversation turned to God. In one of those visits she referred to God as 'Father,' and the woman she was talking to shuddered and said, 'I can’t think of God that way...'"

Dr. Jim Somerville's "Talkback" from Sunday, May 14, 2017. In this visit with the Epiphany class, discussions include various theological views on Jesus' life and miracles, prophetic preaching from the pulpit, the pastor's experiences leading a church in a predominantly gay neighborhood, and the importance of interfaith dialogue.

Jim Somerville: "We try to make it on our own, try to get along without troubling anybody, without asking anybody for help. And we do -- most of the time. We survive. But survival is not the same thing as abundant life..."