Shows
First Baptist JoplinSmart Practices John Swadley | Luke 16:11What if the way we handle our money is actually a spiritual test? This powerful message from Luke 16:11 challenges us to see that God uses our relationship with money as a measure of our spiritual maturity. When we align our financial lives with God's word, we experience not just financial freedom but spiritual breakthrough. The reminder that God is 'Mr. French Fry'—that everything we have comes from Him and belongs to Him—puts our whole relationship with money in perspective. This isn't about legalism or guilt; it's about trusting that the...
2026-02-0828 minFirst Baptist JoplinLearning To Be Content John Swadley | 1 Timothy 6:5-11We live in a culture that constantly whispers a seductive lie: just one more purchase, one more upgrade, one more happy meal will finally satisfy us. This message explores the profound wisdom found in 1 Timothy 6:6-11, where Paul presents us with two radically different paths for our financial lives. The challenge before us isn't about guilt over having nice things—God provides richly for our enjoyment—but about what we're actually pursuing. Are we chasing after the next big purchase, or are we chasing after God? This isn't just financial wisd...
2026-02-0131 minFirst Baptist JoplinBreaking the Power of Greed John Swadley | Luke 12:13-21This powerful teaching from Luke 12:13-21 challenges us to radically rethink our relationship with money and possessions. When someone asks Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, He responds not with legal advice but with a warning about greed—revealing that our real problem isn't getting our fair share, but understanding why we have what we already possess. Jesus calls us to become 'rich toward God,' storing up treasure in heaven by sharing our extra with those in need. This isn't about guilt or deprivation—it's about freedom. When we stop...
2026-01-1828 minFirst Baptist JoplinMoney Myths John Swadley | 1 Chronicles 29:10-12This powerful message confronts one of the most pervasive myths that quietly undermines our spiritual and financial well-being: the belief that we actually own anything. Drawing from King David's prayer in 1 Chronicles 29, we're invited to embrace a radical truth—everything in heaven and earth belongs to God. Not just the tithe, not just what we give to church, but literally everything. The message challenges us with a simple but transformative exercise: looking at everything we have through fresh eyes, acknowledging that this is God's house, God's income, God's possessions entrusted to...
2026-01-1127 minFirst Baptist JoplinStrapped John Swadley | Matthew 6:19-21This message confronts one of the most uncomfortable yet transformative areas of our spiritual lives: our relationship with money. Drawing from Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21, we're challenged to recognize that our financial decisions are fundamentally spiritual decisions. The call isn't to earn more money but to surrender more fully to Jesus, recognizing that everything we have belongs to Him anyway. When we track where our money goes, we discover where our hearts have wandered, and that awareness becomes the first step toward financial and spiritual freedom.
2026-01-0430 min
First Baptist JoplinWhy Jesus Came John Swadley | Mark 4:35What happens when God calls us to cross over to 'the other side'—to reach people we've been taught to fear or avoid? In Mark chapter 4, Jesus drops a bombshell on His disciples: 'Let us go over to the other side.' This wasn't just a geographical journey across the Sea of Galilee; it was a mission into enemy territory, where everything they believed about God's love would be challenged and expanded. The disciples faced storms, demons, and their own prejudices, yet Jesus remained steadfast in His mission. As we step in...
2025-12-2829 minFirst Baptist JoplinComing Home to God John Swadley | Luke 2:8-20This powerful Christmas message reminds us that the first Nativity wasn't about being home with family—it was about coming home to God. Through the familiar story in Luke 2 of shepherds in the fields, we discover three compelling reasons to return to our heavenly Father this Christmas season. We're invited to understand that Jesus left His home in heaven so we could come home to God, not just for Christmas, but forever.
2025-12-2416 minFirst Baptist JoplinThe Untold Christmas Love Story John Swadley | Matthew 1:18-25The Christmas story we think we know contains a scandal we often overlook. Matthew's account reveals Joseph as a 'sadiq'—a righteous man fully committed to God's law—facing an impossible choice. When Mary becomes pregnant before their marriage, the law demands public stoning. Yet Joseph's righteousness transcends mere rule-following. He plans to divorce her quietly, protecting her dignity even at great personal cost. When God confirms Mary's story through an angel, Joseph faces his greatest test: marry Mary and lose his reputation forever, or maintain his standing in the comm...
2025-12-2121 minFirst Baptist JoplinOvercoming Doubt John Swadley | Luke 1:5-20This powerful message takes us into the story of Zechariah from Luke chapter 1, a priest who struggled with doubt despite his faithful service to God. We encounter a man who was blameless before God yet experienced the deep pain of unanswered prayers—he and his wife Elizabeth desperately wanted children but remained childless into old age. When an angel appears to announce that Elizabeth will bear a son, Zechariah's response is telling: 'How can I be sure?' This question becomes the skeptic's motto, and it's a question many of us...
2025-12-1431 min
First Baptist JoplinWe Have Servant Leaders And Servant Followers John Swadley | 1 Peter 5:1-7This message from 1 Peter 5 challenges us to examine what makes a church truly healthy by looking at both leadership and followership through God's eyes. We're reminded that the church doesn't belong to any human leader—it belongs to God. The passage calls spiritual leaders to shepherd willingly, not for personal gain or power, but as humble examples who serve rather than dominate. What's striking is how Peter, himself an apostle, identifies as a 'fellow elder,' showing us that great leadership begins with humility. For those of us in the co...
2025-12-0730 minFirst Baptist JoplinHealthy Churches Are Gospel Centered John Swadley | Colossians 2:13-14This message takes us deep into the heart of the gospel through Colossians 2:13-14, using powerful imagery that resonates with our human experience of guilt and the desperate need for cleansing. The sermon opens with a vivid childhood memory of falling into a cesspool—a visceral metaphor for how sin makes us feel dirty on the inside, desperate to be washed clean. We're invited to confront our own guilt honestly, not to wallow in condemnation, but to experience the liberating truth that Jesus paid it all on the cross. The me...
2025-11-3026 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe Are United John Swadley | John 17:20-23Unity isn’t just a nice idea; Jesus treated it like a supernatural power source. This message digs into John 17 and the opening chapters of Acts, where Jesus prays that His people would be one just as He and the Father are one. That prayer wasn’t just for the disciples in the upper room — it’s for us right now.This isn’t about agreeing on everything. It’s about choosing the same mission and letting go of the ego battles that hold us back. The Tr...
2025-11-2330 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe Pray John Swadley | Acts 4:31-35This week’s message flips our idea of “church” upside down. From Ephesians 2:19-20, we’re reminded that church isn’t a building, a program, or a religious chore. It’s the household of God — a family built on the foundation of the apostles with Jesus as the cornerstone. Christianity was never designed to be a solo project; it’s a team sport where we actually belong to one another. The New Testament gives us over 30 commands we can’t obey alone, which means walking away from church because of hurt is like swear...
2025-11-0926 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe Are Family John Swadley | Ephesians 2:19-20What if we’ve been seeing church through the wrong lens? This message from Ephesians 2:19–20 flips the script—reminding us that the church isn’t an institution, it’s a family. We’re not just attendees or spectators; we’re brothers and sisters, citizens of God’s household, built on Christ as our cornerstone. When we treat faith like a solo mission, we miss the point—because Christianity was never meant to be done alone. Even when church gets messy or hard, we’re called to stay rooted in community, offering gladness, g...
2025-11-0228 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe Share Jesus John Swadley | Acts 16:27-31Pastor John Swadley reminds us that sharing Jesus isn’t just a duty — it’s the heartbeat of a healthy church. Through stories of a rotten tomato, a businesswoman, a fortune-teller, and a Roman jailer, he paints a vivid truth: everyone needs Jesus — the good, the bad, and the ordinary.Good people need Jesus because morality can’t erase sin. Bad people, even those who feel beyond saving, can find grace. And ordinary people — like the jailer who nearly gave up on life — can find purpose and pe...
2025-10-1928 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe Are Spirit Led John Swadley | Galatians 5:13-26A Spirit-led life isn’t about rules; it’s about relationship. When the Holy Spirit leads, freedom becomes service, not selfishness. We stop living to please ourselves and start reflecting Jesus through the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.The message calls us to stop operating on autopilot and start walking in step with the Spirit. Step where He leads, and the light comes on under your feet. The greatest decision is trusting Jesus for salvation. The second...
2025-10-1231 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe All Serve John Swadley | Ephesians 2:10In this week’s message, Pastor John challenges the church to leave the “luxury box” of comfort and get out on the field. Citing Ephesians 2:10, he reminds us that we’re not spectators—we’re God’s workmanship, created for good works that He prepared long before we were born.Through stories of real people—from a volunteer who changed a life with a donated car seat to a teacher who crawled up stairs to reach her Sunday School class—the sermon paints a clear picture: serving isn’t opti...
2025-10-0532 minFirst Baptist JoplinWe Love Jesus John Swadley | Revelation 2:1-5This week kicks off our new series, Marks of a Healthy Church, with a powerful reminder from Revelation 2:1-5. The church at Ephesus had great works, strong doctrine, and perseverance under pressure—but Jesus said they had lost their first love.Through stories about camping trips, drifting currents, and even cereal-box prizes, Pastor John reminds us that our faith can quickly grow cold if we don’t deliberately stoke the fire of our devotion. First love is marked by passion, sacrifice, and an all-consuming preoccupation with...
2025-09-2827 min
First Baptist JoplinThe Text is Powerful John Swadley | Matthew 4:1-11This week’s message dives into how God’s Word gives us the real power to change. Too often we try to fight temptation with the wrong tools—like using a tape measure to loosen a bolt—but Jesus shows us the right one: Scripture. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus didn’t argue, explain, or compromise. He simply said, “It is written.”This sermon challenges us to store up God’s Word in our hearts so we’re ready to face temptation and walk in freedo
2025-09-2126 minFirst Baptist JoplinThe Key to Continual Growth John Swadley | Matthew 7:24-29In this message from Matthew 7:24–29, we’re reminded that spiritual growth isn’t about stacking up more knowledge—it’s about putting God’s Word into action. Jesus says the wise build on rock, not sand, and the difference is obedience. Hearing His words is step one. Living them out is step two.Flat faith happens when we only listen but never apply. But when we actually obey Jesus’ commands—loving enemies, forgiving, giving generously—our faith gains strength to withstand any storm. True discipleship is less about info...
2025-09-1429 minFirst Baptist JoplinThe Text Is True John Swadley | 2 Peter 1:16Is the Bible just a cleverly made-up story, or is it the truth? In this message from 2 Peter 1:16, we’re reminded that Scripture isn’t myth—it’s eyewitness testimony backed by history, prophecy, and life-changing power. From Peter’s bold witness to fulfilled prophecies and the Bible’s raw honesty about human nature, the evidence is clear: God’s Word can be trusted. This sermon challenges us not just to believe the Bible, but to live it.
2025-09-0728 minFirst Baptist JoplinThe Purpose of the Text Message John Swadley | Luke 15:11-24In this week’s message, we dive into one of Jesus’ most unforgettable stories—the Prodigal Son. It’s more than a tale of rebellion; it’s a picture of the Father’s heart. The younger son runs wild, loses everything, and expects only rejection. Instead, his father runs to meet him, taking on the shame himself so his boy can come home. That’s the gospel: a God who doesn’t wait for us to clean up, but races toward us with compassion.But the story doesn’...
2025-08-3130 minFirst Baptist JoplinTexts from God John Swadley | Psalm 119:97-105We all drop everything to check a text message, but what if we treated God’s Word the same way? In this opening message of the Text Messages from God series, we’re reminded that Scripture isn’t just ancient words on a page—it’s God’s personal message to us.Drawing from Psalm 119, we see five life-changing truths about God’s “text”: it protects us, makes us wise, brings us closer to Him, cleans up our lives, and guides our steps. Just as David discovered...
2025-08-2431 min
First Baptist JoplinThe Joy of Baptism John Swadley | Acts 19:1-5Baptism isn’t a church ritual to check off—it’s a celebration of new life in Christ. Pastor John unpacks Acts 19, where Paul meets disciples who had only received John’s baptism of repentance. When they finally heard the truth about Jesus, they were baptized in His name.Baptism, he explains, is like a wedding ring: it doesn’t make you married, but it shows the world you belong to someone. It’s not salvation, but a public declaration of it. Jesus Himself was baptized, no...
2025-08-1731 min
First Baptist JoplinHistory is His-story John Swadley | 1 Samuel 17:32-37This week, Pastor John dives into the story of David and Goliath—not as a tale of human courage, but as a divine interruption where God shows up to rewrite history for His glory. While most of us see ourselves as David facing our giants, the truth is we often resemble the fearful Israelites—forgetting who our God is.David didn’t defeat Goliath with size or skill, but with faith in a God who had already delivered him before. Pastor John challenges us to embrac...
2025-08-0330 minFirst Baptist JoplinBirth, Death, Resurrection John Swadley | John 11:1-5In this powerful message from John 11, we unpack the story of Lazarus and the pattern God often uses to shape our faith: the birth of a vision, the death of a vision, and a supernatural fulfillment.We’re reminded that God is always at work—especially behind the scenes. When dreams die, when healing delays, when prayers seem unanswered, it’s not the end—it’s an invitation to trust deeper. Jesus didn’t just heal Lazarus—He revealed Himself as the Resurrection and the Life, showing...
2025-07-2731 minFirst Baptist JoplinNavigating the Storm John Swadley | Matthew 14:22-33In this week’s message, Pastor John dives into the story of Jesus walking on water and the disciples caught in a terrifying storm. The big takeaway? Being in the middle of God’s will doesn’t mean life will be easy—sometimes, He leads us right into the storm to build our faith.This message reminds us: storms aren’t a sign of God’s absence. They’re often His invitation to experience His presence and power more deeply.
2025-07-2028 minFirst Baptist JoplinThe Bigger Story John Swadley | Genesis 50:20In this kickoff message of Divine Interruptions, we explore how God often interrupts our plans not to harm us—but to work something greater. Pastor John dives into the life of Joseph, who went from favored son to slave to prisoner, only to be elevated to second-in-command in Egypt. The twist? What others meant for evil, God meant for good.Like Joseph, we face real struggles, but God is working behind the scenes—often long before we know we need help. Whether you’re in a pit or...
2025-07-0626 min
First Baptist JoplinThe Core Idea John Swadley | 1 John 2:1-2What’s the core idea of the Bible? In this powerful message, Pastor John takes us to the heart of the gospel: substitutionary atonement.We all understand justice—when something is broken, it must be paid for. But the beauty of the Christian faith is that Jesus paid the debt we owed. He didn’t wait for us to climb our way up to God. He came down to us. He took our place.The gospel isn’t about “do,” it’s about “...
2025-06-2929 min
First Baptist JoplinLeaving a Legacy John Swadley | 2 Kings 13:20-21Even after Elisha died, God used his bones to bring a man back to life. Why? Because legacy lives on.In this message, we’re reminded that faith is meant to be passed down. Like a torch in a relay, your influence can outlast your life—if you choose to invest in others, give generously, and live in a way that proves God is real.Don’t settle for titles—live for testimonies. Pass the torch. Leave a legacy.
2025-06-0832 min
First Baptist JoplinImagine More John Swadley | Deuteronomy 1:2–8An 11-day journey took 40 years—and the same can happen to us when we settle for less than God’s best. In this message, we’re challenged to stop wandering, break camp, and step into the life God has already prepared.Declare it:I’m tired of living with less.I’m ready to imagine more.I will take what God has given me.Don’t wait 40 years for what God wants to do now.
2025-06-0126 min
Lone Oak First Baptist ChurchComing Home - Coming HomeMessage from Dr. John Swadley on July 28, 2024
2024-07-2800 min
This Week in Oklahoma PoliticsSwadley's Bar-B-Q, nonbinary birth certificates, "The Patriot" and moreThis Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Tourism Department canceling its contract with Swadley's Bar-B-Q to run restaurants in state parks, Governor Stitt signing a contract to remove nonbinary designations from birth certificates and Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman and Congressional candidate John Bennett calling for the execution of Anthony Fauci by firing squad.The trio also discusses the decision by the State Election Board to order State Representative Sean Roberts to remove "The Patriot" from his name on the ballot for...
2022-04-2827 min