Track Options
Leadership & Revitalization
We are living in days of unprecedented ministry challenge. Younger pastors are inheriting older ministries with outdated ministry models, impractical facilities, and a timeless gospel message more at odds with our culture than ever before.
We are living in days of unprecedented ministry challenge. Younger pastors are inheriting older ministries with outdated ministry models, impractical facilities, and a timeless gospel message more at odds with our culture than ever before. We know our ministries must change to be effective, but what must those changes look like and how can we communicate them effectively? This workshop will focus on how to assess ministry weakness, engage in effective strategic planning, and care for, communicate to, and lead our congregations into future effectiveness.
Counseling & Discipleship
Theology is meant to be practical, and rightly understood should be the center of our church’s discipleship efforts. Biblical counseling is a part of the Great Commission of Jesus and involves teaching others to obey everything Jesus taught.
Theology is meant to be practical, and rightly understood should be the center of our church’s discipleship efforts. Biblical counseling is a part of the Great Commission of Jesus and involves teaching others to obey everything Jesus taught. The Bible is relevant for the smallest and greatest problems of humanity. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. This track will include a biblical explanation and defense of historic biblical counseling, an exploration into the methods of discipleship, and practical advice on how to deal with typical problems that arise. It is our prayer that you will walk away from this time with a total commitment to the Bible and be further equipped to help others grow in their sanctification.
Worship & Music
Today’s worship practices in the church are more varied than they seem and demonstrative of some remarkable opportunities and serious pitfalls. This Weekend Workshop will provide the opportunity to collaborate with others and inquire about better ways to navigate the YouTube-driven musical landscape in the church today.
Today’s worship practices in the church are more varied than they seem and demonstrative of some remarkable opportunities and serious pitfalls. This Weekend Workshop will provide the opportunity to collaborate with others and inquire about better ways to navigate the YouTube-driven musical landscape in the church today. Why something is done is as important as what is done, yet many worship leaders today react to the latest email or social media post with short-sighted decisions to “do” things without asking “why?”. This very special weekend will provide the privilege of joining a small worship leader cohort to engage, interact, and consider a better way to do what matters most.
Leadership
Heath Lambert
Heath (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves First Baptist Church Jacksonville as the Senior Pastor. He is the Lead Mentor for the First Baptist Center for Ministry Training track on Leadership and Revitalization.
Ernie Baker
Ernie (D.Min., Westminster Theological Seminary) has served First Baptist Church Jacksonville as the Pastor for Counseling and Discipleship, and now is the Director of Training for Biblical Counseling Ministries Worldwide. He is the Lead Mentor for the Counseling and Discipleship track of the First Baptist Center for Ministry Training.
Scott Connell
Scott (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves First Baptist Church Jacksonville as the Pastor of Worship and Music, and also as the Lead Mentor for the Worship and Music track of the First Baptist Center for Ministry Training.
Richard Lucas
Richard (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves First Baptist Church Jacksonville as the Pastor of Teaching and Reaching, and also as the Director of the First Baptist Center for Ministry Training.
Why Study With First Baptist?
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Enduring LegacyFor almost two hundred years First Baptist Church has been a gospel beacon, not only in the city of Jacksonville, but throughout the entire country and beyond…For almost two hundred years First Baptist Church has been a gospel beacon, not only in the city of Jacksonville, but throughout the entire country and beyond. The story of First Baptist Jax includes explosive growth which made it previously one of the largest churches in the country, followed by substantial decline by every metric for decades, to now a revitalized and thriving gospel witness in the heart of downtown Jacksonville and the expanding region of Northeast Florida.
We invite others to come and learn from our enduring legacy by hearing the story of our church’s past and experiencing our church’s present ministry adventures. -
Courageous LeadershipGod has providentially gathered in our church remarkable leaders in various areas of ministry. First Baptist Jacksonville is blessed with ministry pacesetters in areas such as preaching…God has providentially gathered in our church remarkable leaders in various areas of ministry. First Baptist Jax is blessed with ministry pacesetters in areas such as preaching, leadership, revitalization, counseling, worship, music, biblical theology, and more. In a world more increasingly hostile to Christianity, those in full-time ministry need the courage to lead God’s people to persevere in faithfulness to speak the truth in love.
We invite others to come and learn from our courageous leadership by experiencing firsthand how those ministries and ministry leaders work at First Baptist Church Jacksonville. -
Immersive LearningSeminaries play an important role in the education of gospel ministers, but there is no substitute for hands-on learning. First Baptist Jacksonville serves as the ministry equivalent of a teaching hospital…Seminaries play an important role in the education of gospel ministers, but there is no substitute for hands-on learning. First Baptist Jax serves as the ministry equivalent of a teaching hospital, where residents can both observe experienced leaders, and also receive intensive coaching as they begin to put into practice these ministry lessons and skills.
We invite others to come and experience immersive learning in ministry to hone their ministry convictions and practices in the setting of a vibrant local church. -
Faithful LivesThe scriptural qualifications for pastors have much more to do with their character than their competency. Arguably the most underdeveloped aspect of ministry training is the personal life…The scriptural qualifications for pastors have much more to do with their character than their competency. Arguably the most underdeveloped aspect of ministry training is the personal life of a gospel minister, which is a deficiency that is only compounded by the reality that most men leave the ministry because of moral failings, not lack of education. First Baptist Jax wants to address that gap in ministry training through life-on-life mentoring related to marriage, parenting, and personal piety.
We invite others to come and learn from the faithful lives of the men and women who serve First Baptist Church Jacksonville, so that they can run the ministry race with faithful endurance.