Jan-Dec 2020
Apr-Dec '18
UnShackled
for Life
Freedom to Go 'n Grow Together in Christ
UnShackled for Life
First Baptist Church of Black Forest (FBCBF) has a number of small groups, or LIFE Groups as we call them (Learning, Interacting, Fellowship, Engaging). LIFE Groups meet during either one of our two Sunday morning services. UnShackled for Life currently meets every Sunday 10:45 am-12:00 noon at FBCBF, after the 9:00 am Blended Service and during the 10:45 am Contemporary Service. We are currently Studying 1 & 2 Peter - hopefully I'll update this when we move on. Unshackled tends to gravitate towards the older set (near and post retirement) though all ages are welcome.
As evangelical Christians, we believe in spreading the gospel. Gospel means “good news,” and the good news is that God will pardon all our sins and grant us eternal life in heaven if we turn away from our sin and accept Jesus Christ, God's Son, as our Lord and Savior.
Salvation comes from God, not man. "A person who willingly, humbly, repents of sin and turns towards the cross, trusting Christ as their Savior, will be saved (Acts 16:31; John 6:37; John 14:6). That salvation is once and for all, eternal, and secure. Those who truly trust in Christ are saved once, and saved always."
It is by God's grace we are saved; nothing we can do merits salvation:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
For more on salvation, go here.
See sub-pages for more information about why we created this website, more on LIFE Groups at FBCBF, Why Become a Christian? (and How), Evangelical Christianity, the Southern Baptist Convention, our motivation page and personal testimonies as well as information about the missionaries we support.
"Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
John 8:32 (NIV)
Everyone seems to know John 8:32, but what is this 'truth' we need to know to unshackle us and set us free? Many have taken 'the truth will set you free' and combined it with other non-Biblical text. Psychology Today even devotes an entire article explaining why the truth will NOT set us free, and never once mentions the source of the quote.
Of course, the answer lies in the previous verse. Taken as a whole, it all makes sense:
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Trivia: did you know the Statue of Liberty has broken chains and shackles at her feet?