First Baptist Peddie Memorial Church
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: an International, Multi-Ethnic Church in Newark, NJ
Once a month, the Pastor prepares a note for the congregation…
Dear Peddie Church Family, Please see Books on Apologetics for some of the books that have been transformational in my journey of faith, particularly for understanding the unique claims of Jesus Christ in the midst of competing claims of truth in today’s world. In the service of Christ, – Pastor James
Dear Peddie Church Family, My greatest desire for you and me is that God would be glorified as we put on the character of Christ and be the light of Christ in our homes, schools, and workplaces. More than any other prayer concerns, I pray that we might know Christ personally and be transformed into … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, Greetings of joy as we celebrate the birth of the King Jesus and anticipate the New Year! Continuing from the previous column, I would like to introduce the practical aspect of praying the Scriptures. Though there are a variety of ways the church fathers and mothers have prayed the Scriptures, I … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, I wish you a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving! In these Pastor-to-People columns, I’ve been emphasizing the centrality of the Bible as the only authoritative guide to our spiritual life. I would like to continue along the same theme as we anticipate the 500-year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, which began … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). These are some of the boldest words that our Lord Jesus spoke on prayer. In this verse, simple yet so rich in meaning, is God’s amazing willingness … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, Daily meditation on the Scripture is one of the essential spiritual disciples that we all need to be engaged in. Listening to Sunday sermons is not enough. Unless we take time to listen to the Word of God daily, we cannot expect ourselves to grow spiritually. Yet what’s important for our … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, In recent weeks, we have been shaken by the acts of appalling violence in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in St. Paul, Minnesota, in Dallas, Texas, and in Nice, France. We lament the tragic loss of the civilians, police officers, and innocent bystanders, each person bearing the image of God, and we grieve … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, I would like to follow up on my long-term goal of enabling you to abide in the Word through the daily practice of lectio continua (continuous reading). The knowledge of God and His Word is not esoteric but is available to all who earnestly seek Him. We as a church would … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, My long-term goal in teaching and preaching is to enable you to abide in the Word daily throughout the week. The Jewish philosopher Maimonides wisely said, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” … Read more
Dear Peddie Church Family, During this Holy Week, we are invited to participate in a great mystery into the heart of Christ. It is tempting to go through the Holy Week as if it’s just another week of busy activities. I encourage you to slow down, be still in the presence of the Lord, and … Read more