Fred O. Pitts became the Pastor of Ancient City Baptist Church in July 2017. Although life in the 21st century is complex, he believes the purpose of life can be summed up more simply in the answers Jesus gave when asked the greatest of the commandments: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Pastor Fred says, “The primary call in my life is seeking first the kingdom of God through pastoring and teaching. My passion is teaching God’s word in a manner that is both understandable and relevant. Primary emphases in my ministry are compassion and encouragement.”



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The 40 Days of Learning begins Sunday, September 11, and goes through Thursday, October 20, 2022. 

Jesus gathered around him disciples—that is, those who would learn from him. He told those of us who are weary and burdened to take up his yoke—his teaching—and learn from him. But he wasn’t just talking about “book learning.” Too many of us have learned facts but haven’t really learned about life and how to truly walk with God

There is a lot of information in the 40 Days of Learning, but please recall that Jesus told us not just to teach disciples, but to teach disciples to obey. Our hope is that these 40 days will draw us closer to God himself, not just the concepts presented. 

 

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For many, faith in Jesus comes easily. It was natural for us, perhaps, in response to our faith-friendly upbringing and the gentle conviction of the Spirit of God, to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. Other people, however, for a variety of reasons, find the whole idea of God and/or faith in Jesus hard to believe. They may even want to believe, but there are barriers—whether of the head or of the heart—that stand in their way. In this series, we will consider some frequent barriers to belief. Are you interested in some of the questions—or do you know somewhat who might be open to some answers?

 

In this series, we ask a question many of us ask each other: Are you ready for Christmas?

In the last book in the Bible, Revelation, Jesus dictates a letter that commends the church in Ephesus for many good things they are doing, but he also includes a breathtaking rebuke: "But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.” Let's make sure that doesn't happen to us! Even as we hopefully use our gifts and talents to serve others, let’s ever make it our desire to rekindle our love for Jesus and our commitment to his Way. To help us in this, we are undertaking a studying of the Gospel of John, for one of the key themes is love: God’s love for us and our love for one another, both of which Jesus mentions in John 13.34-35:

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

And this Gospel of John was penned by the Apostle John, the one known as “the disciple that Jesus loved." He was perhaps the person most close to Jesus in adulthood, and he offers insights into Jesus not found in any other place in Scripture. Let's grow in love for our Lord and each other as we learn more of him through the messages from this powerful book!