Each week I write an article for First Baptist Church, Covington, Louisiana, entitled “Lagniappe” (“a little extra). This is my submission for this last weekend of 2017.

We’ve had a wonderful time of worship and celebration in December.

Now it’s time to get ready for the opening of our new building (we anticipate late February – early March for our first service). To do this we need to get ready spiritually for what God is giving to us.

My new sermon series for January through February is titled “Getting Ready.”

We will look at what we need to do individually and as God’s family to get ready for the ministry God has prepared us for. We want to make sure we are pleasing God in all that we do and using our new opportunities to make a difference in our own lives and in our region.

One thing we can do to get ready is to get started in our opportunities for growth and discipleship. Next weekend (January 6-7) will kick off our new Equip classes and our Wednesday suppers. That same week (January 9) we will restart our Tuesday Men’s Breakfast and the Wednesday Women’s Bible study (January 10).

All of these ministries and many more give us the opportunity to learn, grow, and minister in the name of Christ.

I hope you will be ready to go next weekend as we meet for Bible study and worship and all of the other Sunday activities.