The FBC Durant Podcast

Serve Durant is a multi-church outreach network in Durant, Oklahoma. We are not just churches IN a city, we are the Church FOR our city. It is the desire of our heart to see the body of Christ in our city come together to not just be churches in Durant, but FOR Durant. We do this by partnering with city government, civil services, and benevolent organizations to accomplish as many service projects as we can. Serve Durant leader Larra Richardson shares about the local mission initiative with us and how you can be involved. Text ‘SERVE’ to (833)-341-0745 to receive notifications when there are opportunities to serve! Visit the Serve Durant Facebook page to stay connected with all Serve Durant updates and conversations.https://www.facebook.com/servedurantokhttps://servedurant.comWebsite:https://www.fbcdurant.orgSocial Media:https://www.instagram.com/fbcdurantpodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/fbcdurantChapters:0:00 Intro.0:52 First takes.7:35 Larra's story.13:40 What is Serve Durant?18:19 What does Scripture say about serving?27:00 How can you be involved with Serve Durant?31:58 Results of Serve Durant projects.33:24 Outro.

The Pregnancy Center of Bryan County (PCBC) Director, Hannah Searles, and Client Advocate, Pattye Green, join us to share about the PCBC located at 308 N. 2nd Ave. in Durant, OK. The PCBC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides evidence-based medical information and support to women and families navigating unexpected or unsupported pregnancies. Founded in 1999, the PCBC has been serving the community for over 25 years. The PCBC is one of our local mission partnerships at FBC which gives us the opportunity to support this ministry in various ways. Hannah and Pattye share about this ministry and how you can be a part of this misison. No matter what circumstances bring you through the PCBC doors, the staff is there to listen, answer questions, offer free and confidential services, and support you every step of the way. This episode is helpful for anyone, not just women, to become educated on pregnancy options and get the answers you need. Visit the PCBC website below to learn more or schedule a free consultation today.https://www.pregnancycenterdurant.comhttps://www.facebook.com/pregnancycenterbchttps://www.instagram.com/pcbc_durantChapters:0:00 Intro.0:45 Pattye & Hannah's stories.4:50 All about the PCBC.12:39 What drives you?16:20 How can we help the PCBC?23:32 What has God taught you through this experience?28:06 What is your approach to abortion-minded clients?32:05 Encouragement.34:15 Reaching out to the PCBC.35:56 Outro.Website:https://www.fbcdurant.orgInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/fbcduranthttps://www.instagram.com/fbcdurantpodcast?igsh=MWo1NTcxeDlienBkMw==Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/fbcdurant

In this Thanksgiving special, Garrett, Cory, and Sarah sit down for a fun and meaningful holiday catch-up. The trio dives deeply into the role of gratitude in battling anxiety, the importance of living in the present, and the powerful impact of J Groups and authentic community. We share personal stories on finding connection and navigating seasons of hardship, reminding everyone that thankfulness is more than a holiday practice—it’s a daily posture that shapes our spiritual lives.Follow our Instagram @fbcdurantpodcast for updates, extras, and a few hidden Easter eggs mentioned in this episode!www.fbcdurant.org

Trey Hedrick is the BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministry) Director at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. BCM is a ministry of Oklahoma Baptists in which ministers on local campuses encourage, mentor, disciple, equip, and coach students during their college years. Oklahoma Baptists is the organization we chose to cooperate and collaborate with for ministry impact. This partnership allows local churches and college campuses to work together to reach the next generation. Every campus, every life. Southeastern's ministry started in 1943 as the Baptist Student Union with a hope of reaching college students with the Good News of Jesus while training them to follow and obey Him with their lives. In the more than 80 years since its inception, SE BCM has reached thousands of students with the gospel and raised-up disciples serving all over the state, country, and globe. Today, SE BCM continues to advance the gospel and equip students for a life of faithful service to Christ. A new building for doing ministry was recently dedicated on campus and it is where this recording takes place. Trey has served as the Director of SE BCM since 2015. Before coming on staff he was an alum of the ministry, graduating in 2011. His passion is to see students reached for the gospel and mobilized to a life of service to Christ and his church. Trey and his wife, Paige, have been married since 2012 and have four children (Abrah, Dean, Axton, and Arlo). Trey shares his testimony with us and we talk about college ministry. SE BCM's weekly worship experience happens on Thursday evenings and bible studies are happening throughout the week. SE BCM also serves free lunch on campus every Wednesday during the semester. If you'd like to know more about how to be involved, please visit the SE BCM website or contact us and we'll be here to help.https://www.sebcm.org/Chapters0:00 Intro.0:36 First takes.2:00 Trey's testimony.7:55 What's the significance of a ministry on a college campus?16:44 Figuring life out as a college student.19:22 The BCM building campaign & how we got here.26:50 SE BCM mission, vision, & schedule.35:38 Outro.www.fbcdurant.org

In this episode we visit with Skylar Phillips who recently joined our church staff as the children's minister. Skylar shares her life with us and some details about our children's ministery, as well as insight into ministering kids.Chapters:0:00 Intro.0:44 First takes.5:16 Skylar's testimony.12:20 The significance of church for children.17:43 Understanding children today.28:50 Cory's curiosity.37:28 FBC children's ministry curriculum and other resources.39:34 FBC First Kids ministry schedule and events.40:40 Outro.www.fbcdurant.org

Meet Will Sandmann. Will has recently joined our staff as the College Ministry Assistant. Will teaches the college ministry LIFE Group and helps lead the ministry at FBC Durant. Will has also spent several years working at Southeastern’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM). We discuss ministering to young people and what our college ministry consist of. If you’re a college student or you would like to involved in our college ministry, please contact us and we’ll get you hooked up!www.fbcdurant.orgChapters:0:00 Intro.0:45 First takes.9:03 Will's testimony.15:28 Why is the church important for young people?24:02 Understanding Gen Z.38:34 College Ministry at FBC Durant.48:54 Outro.

Pastor Garry and Dustin have a conversation with Dr. Tom Elliff and Dr. Elbert Smith of Oklahoma Baptist University's Tom Elliff Center for Missions. Dr. Tom Elliff served as the International Mission Board’s president from 2011–2014 and served two presidential terms with the Southern Baptist Convention. He's also spent time as a missionary in Zimbabwe as well as many years pastoring churches in Arkansas, Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma. Dr. Elbert Smith began his career as a church planter in Mexico and from 2004 to 2019 he directected the field personnel orientation with the IMB where he oversaw the orientation of more than 7,600 IMB workers. These two men take the Great Commission seriesly as we all should. We get to hear insight from them on discernment and how to be missional in our everyday life. Visit the link below to learn more about the Tom Elliff Center for Missions at OBU.Chapters:0:00 Intro.1:30 Dr. Tom Elliff's testimony.4:00 Dr. Elbert Smith's testimony.6:06 What is the Tom Elliff Center for Missions at OBU?13:03 How to discern God's calling on your life.18:11 How to leverage it all for the sake of the gospel.20:26 Encouragement to go on mission when it's hard.26:41 How can you be missional in your everyday life?30:54 Dr. Smith's favorite memory on mission.32:41 A God sized moment in Dr. Elliff's ministry.38:24 Outro.Tom Elliff Center for Missionswww.fbcdurant.org

At FBC Durant, we long to see every person grow deeper in their understanding of the Scriptures and the Savior. To achieve this, we have what we call Journey groups (J-Groups). J-Groups are designed to move believers along the pathway of discipleship in very small, gender specific groups over a specific time frame with a specific course of study. This strategy derives from a collective known as Replicate Ministries. Replicate helps pastors and churches become equipped with customizable, multiplication-focused tools to activate an all-play, everyday disciple-making movement—making Jesus’ last words our first work. Our guest for this episode, Tim LaFleur, played an integral role assisting Replicate Ministries for 15 years. Tim joins us with Chris McDaniel, Senior Pastor at Southside Baptist Church in Atoka, OK to talk about spiritual formation. As a longtime pastor and campus minister, Tim has been involved in disciple-making culture in a variety of environments. His assistance in expanding discipleship ministry where he's at is contagious and fires us up to do the same. How special is it to join the work that the Lord is doing? If you follow Jesus, be encouraged to become discipled and be a disciple-maker in the 26th episode of the FBC Durant Podcast. If you're interested in being part of a J-Group, or starting a J-Group, contact our church staff and we'll get you the necessary information and tools to be part of the movement.Tim's books:The Heart of a DisciplemakerChapters:0:00 Intro.0:48 Tim's testimony.7:33 How discipleship started in Tim's ministry.10:34 Why is a closed group important for discipleship?15:47 When did the conviction for discipleship kick in for Chris?20:56 Replicate Ministries growth.26:26 Cole's discipleship experience.29:27 Chris' pastoral perspective on discipleship.32:54 Tim's encouragement to be part of discipleship.37:12 Discipleship at FBC Durant.40:15 Outro.Website:www.fbcdurant.org

Jace Williamson, the Executive Pastor of First Baptist Church in Van Alstyne, Texas, shares his insights on the importance of connecting within church communities. He discusses the value of small groups, emphasizing how they facilitate personal growth and accountability. Jace offers practical advice for those struggling to engage beyond Sunday worship and highlights the biblical foundation for fostering genuine relationships among believers. This conversation is a treasure trove for anyone seeking deeper connections in their faith journey.

As Christ followers, what we need to know about worship is that God calls us to do this (Psm. 95:1-6, Isa. 12:5, Heb. 13:15, Rom. 12:1). So how do we do this in a God-honoring way? Especially in the midst of the good, bad, and ugly that our lives hold. Worship is the opening pillar to our pathway as we long to see every person engage in the worship of the one true God (Col. 3:16). For this episode, we meet with Charlie Hall to tackle all things worship. Charlie has spent a career leading worship ministry. His singer/songwriter discography starts in the 1990's and he began touring and boldly proclaiming Christ's name in the contemporary worship music scene in the 1990's and 2000's. He played a pivotal role in the Passion movement and is credited on many of the Passion albums. Now, Charlie is the Pastor of Worship and Liturgy at Frontline Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and we get the opportunity to hear his insight on the topic of worship. Whether you're a musician involved in worship ministry or not, this conversation shows us all how to be excellent at exalting praise to the Lord and why it's important (Isa. 25:1, Col. 3:23). We were made to commune with God so we worship Him in spirit and truth (Jn. 4:24). To learn more about Charlie Hall, visit the links below.https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Przo8VxOHYfZv9FMZWsWV?si=5oImFcQ6RLyB7-UMYcVOhQhttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO0qtPUv?si=kHSOVoDiSJuUaNAijYYqGQhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/2uxYp5lsPE9t297UIoxAJz?si=9d17rucnRFmhL-NoJSKVSAhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hall_(musician)https://www.frontlinechurch.com/our-teamChapters:0:00 Intro.1:16 First takes.4:20 Charlie's testimony.16:30 How do you make worship music?18:45 Channeling your emotions & response in worship.25:39 How do you worship God when you're really not feeling it?34:14 How to devise worship & conduct liturgy.40:18 Being part of and growing a worship team.49:09 The work of songwriting.54:49 How to rise up and come into the presence of an indwelling spirit.59:22 End statement—what to know about worship.1:02:18 Outro.www.fbcdurant.org