Merry Christmas, church family! We will gather for our Christmas Eve Communion services at 4 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, December 24. Beginning December 28, we will begin a new sermon series through the book of James entitled “Genuine Faith.” In preparation for this series, please read James 1 this week. Merry Christmas, church family! We will gather for our Christmas Eve Communion services at 4 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, December 24. and send out by mail and email the week of December 29. We will have no activities at the church on Wednesday, December 31. Our mission at WBC is to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating. Our Journey Outcomes flow out of our mission and reflect a life of following Jesus. Three of those outcomes that address our devotional life are: 1) Listen to God daily through Scripture and personal worship. 2) Record what God is speaking to share with group/community. 3) Be accountable to a person or group. The New Year is a great time to evaluate your devotional life of following Jesus and begin practicing Journey Outcomes if you are not already. If you do not have a Bible reading plan (listening to God daily), January 1 is a great time to start. The main thing is consistency in reading/listening to God’s Word. Here’s a link to a number of Bible reading plan options. You can also download a Bible app (like the ESV Bible app) and discover Bible reading plans in the app. https://www.ligonier.org/posts/bible-reading-plans?srsltid=AfmBOorZ75bY0nTNflSpdYPeOlhSSj9HCDyNVq4_7pCLNQG279RzO71_

Church family, what musical celebration yesterday! I want to say a special thank you to Brian Price, the praise team, choir, and audio/video technicians for leading us in musical worship for all three services. The music was moving and elevated Christ our King. It was a great day of Advent celebration. Over the past two weeks, we’ve approved our 2026 budget, baptized 5 new members, celebrated with a great musical program, and reflected on the gifts that Jesus gives to us at Advent. Keep inviting friends, family, and neighbors to worship with us. We love seeing new faces and getting an opportunity to introduce people to Jesus. I was speaking with a visitor who came to faith in Christ last week. He told me something beautiful. He and his family were invited by a church member, but he kept coming back because he felt like this was “home.” He felt welcomed and named specific people who made him feel welcome. Thank you church family! Keep looking for people you don’t know on Sundays and introducing yourself to them. Grace and Peace! Pastor Chris

Church family, In the busyness of this Christmas season, let’s take advantage of our access to the Father through prayer and the privilege of pausing for worship gatherings. Thank you for all the ways you are serving others this season and enjoying worship and community at WBC! Grace and peace to you all this holiday season. Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, you overwhelmingly approved Bruce Nisley to serve as a lay elder at Wilkesboro Baptist with your vote nearing 92% approval. Our elders serving into 2026 are as follows: Chris Hefner and Tad Craig (staff elders); Steve Melton (beginning his second three year term January 2026); Steve Robinson (beginning his final year of his first term beginning January 2026); Tam Hutchinson (beginning his second year of his first term in January 2026); Dustin Deal (beginning his first year of first term November 2025); Bruce Nisley (beginning his first year of first term December 2025); Marsh Lyall (completing his three year term December 2025). Deacon ballots have been mailed to the congregation and are due on December 7. Please turn them into the church office or bring them with you to worship on December 7. Also on December 7, we will vote on the proposed 2026 church budget as a part of the Sunday morning worship services. Please pray for your church staff, elders, and deacons as we lead and serve the church in the coming months. On Wednesday, December 10 during the adult Bible study time, we will have an ordination service for Dustin Deal as elder as well as an installation service for Bruce Nisley. This will be in the Fellowship Hall at 6:15 pm. Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, thank you for your generosity! On the first Sunday in October, you gave $45,000 for our annual mission offering. On the first Sunday in November, you gave $ for the Gideon offering. Also, in the last month, you filled up well over 200 Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes, have taken all the Angel Tree angels, and are bringing pumpkin pies for His Light Ministries.  This is all in addition to the handful of Sunday school classes that regularly provide a meal for His Light and the other local mission partners served. Many of you have provided meals for members in the hospital or at situations of grief. Thank you for being the body of Christ--his hands and his feet to serve our neighbors and the nations! Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, thank you for inviting people to visit with us at WBC. Parents, thank you for bringing your children to church/Awana and for talking with them about faith. The vast majority of our baptisms this year have come from children whose parents have shared their faith with them and from church members who have invited friends and family to WBC. When you invite others to worship, and they come to faith in Christ, that’s replicating. That’s what it means to lead our neighbors to follow Jesus. Keep it up! Thank you for participating in our Member Meeting and 2026 budget presentation on Nov. 16. Your faithfulness to give, participate, and grow is an inspiration and encouragement to others. Grace and Peace to you this week! Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, Thank you for your prayers, support, and participation in church decisions. Your vote regarding Dustin Deal as an elder was overwhelming: 97% approved of Dustin serving as an elder. Here are several other opportunities for engagement by church members in the coming weeks: Member Meeting Nov. 16 at 5:30 (Committee/Ministry Updates; Strategic Planning Committee Update; 2026 Budget Review); Elder vote on Bruce Nisley Nov. 30; Deacon ballots due on Dec. 7; 2026 Budget vote on Dec. 7. Thank you for your faithfulness in giving and serving during this fall season. As we move into the holiday season, keep praying for unbelievers, inviting them to church, and sharing Christ with them. Grace and Peace, Pastor Chris

Church family, Thank you for your participation and donations for our fall activities over the past week. We had a great celebration of baptism at our 11 am service on Sunday. It is a beautiful thing to see God at work. We were able to baptize an eight year old whose parents have done an excellent job building a framework for the gospel, a converted Buddhist Chinese national who came to faith more than 20 years ago, and a converted Mormon. God is a work! Keep praying. Keep inviting. Keep sharing. Over the next few Wednesday nights, we’ll work through the short pastoral epistle to Titus. Hope you can join us on Wednesdays for this study.

Church family, thank you for your generosity for pastor appreciation month. Our pastoral staff and leaders feel loved and blessed! One of the best things you can do for your church leaders is to participate in the life of the church in two specific ways. First, thank you for joining our mission to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating. Second, thank you for participating in the life of the church through votes and nominations (elders, deacons, and Member Meetings). We’ve linked a blog post for you with the two elder testimonies for Dustin Deal and Bruce Nisley . The post also details the vetting and interview process for elder candidates. Please be prayerful this season with upcoming elder votes (Nov. 9, Dustin Deal, and Nov. 30, Bruce Nisley), Member Meeting (Nov. 16), deacon ballots due (Dec. 7), and 2026 church budget vote (Dec. 7). Grace and Peace, Dr. Hefner