Coronavirus Update - Bradfordville First Baptist Church

Re-Gathering Volunteer Form

June 13, 2020

Hello, Bradfordville!

I hope your weekend is going well, and you’re overcoming the heat and humidity of June. To my surprise, when I stepped outside this morning to feed our hungry deer, it actually felt nice. Too bad it won’t stay this way.

We’re praying for a great morning of worship tomorrow. You can join us online at 10:30 am. From Malachi 3:6-12, I plan to preach a message entitled, “Going Deep: A Truth That’s Hard to Hear.” We’ll sing the following songs: Come Thou Fount Come Thou King, This Is Amazing Grace, Run To The Father, and Just As I Am.

Bradfordville’s Task Force met on Monday night. The decision was made to keep our Sunday School classes and Wednesday night ministries online until further notice. The Task Force meets again on Monday, June 22. Task force members plan to evaluate the church’s regathering process on Sunday, June 21. As a reminder, the following people serve on the Task Force: Emily Young, Kathryn Gay, Mary Ann Moore, Bart Gunter, Keith Berry, Bryan Hudson, and Jim Overall. I always encourage you to pray for them.

We’re one week away from our first regathering service on Sunday, June 21. We’re planning to offer two identical worship services. The first service will begin at 9:00 am, and the second service will begin at 11:00 am. We plan to Livestream both worship services. If you have underlying medical issues or lack comfort gathering in crowds, we welcome you to continue worshiping with us online. Your presence and involvement online are important to us.

Here are a few insights about our regathering process:

No childcare is being offered (family worship time only)
Masks (face coverings) are encouraged, but not required
Please arrive 30 minutes before the service starts
Parking lot greeters will welcome you
Three clearly marked entrances will be available for you to use
Health-screening questions will be asked by greeters before you enter the facility
Ushers will help you find a seat in the Sanctuary (allowing social distancing)
Sanitation stations will be available at all three entrances
Surfaces (pews, doorknobs, restrooms, etc.) will be sanitized between worship services
Restrooms will be open in the Lobby and beside the Choir Room
Offering boxes will be at each entrance for the collection of tithes and offerings (no offering plates passed; no envelopes available)

Here are the three health-screening questions each person is being asked to answer upon entering the church facility:

In the past 14 days…

1. Have you had a fever of 100.4 or higher or experienced any cold or flu-like symptoms?
2. Have you traveled outside the US or to an area that has been heavily impacted by COVID-19?
3. Have you worked with or been exposed to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19?

I encourage you to pray for VBS TLH that begins on Monday. We have children from sixteen states and four countries committed to participate. Those numbers continue to increase, too. I appreciate Jenny and the VBS team for praying, thinking, and leading in creative ways. May many children trust Jesus next week as their Savior and follow Him as their Lord!

I’m excited to worship online with you in the morning.

He Saves Those Who Call on His Name,
Pastor Ronny
Romans 10:13

June 6, 2020

Bradfordville,

I hope your weekend is going well. As we anticipate rain the next few days, let’s pray for folks who live along the Gulf Coast west of us. Cristobal continues to move closer to them.

I pray you’re planning to worship online with us in the morning at 10:30 am. I’m preaching from Malachi 2:17-3:5. The message is entitled, “Going Deep: A Sermon Seldom Shared.” We’ll sing, “Sing To The King, Your Grace Is Enough, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), and Refiner’s Fire.” Let’s continue to give our tithes and offering online at bradfordville.org, by mail, or through our local banks. May this summer be a strong season of generosity for our church!

As members of Bradfordville, if we can help you during these challenging days, please contact us. Financial help may be needed, or you may need a listening ear and godly wisdom to navigate the highs and lows of this storm. You’re not alone. Your church family is available to love and serve.

You may see people in the Sanctuary in the morning. Ninety-two members have agreed to serve and help us regather as a church. Training is scheduled to take place the next two Sundays, following the worship services. Our goal is to be prepared and ready when you return on-campus on Sunday, June 21. It’s Father’s Day weekend, too!

Starting on Sunday, June 21, we’ll offer two, morning worship services. The first service will start at 9:00 am, and the second service will start at 11:00 am. We plan to Livestream both services for those who aren’t comfortable being in-person yet and for the many guests who worship with us in other places.

Bradfordville’s Task Force is scheduled to meet again on Monday night. I appreciate their dedication and wisdom. Our prayer is to foster an environment that is safe and worshipful. As our church regathers on June 21, we want to glorify God, exalt Jesus, and fellowship together. Let me give you several pointers about Sunday, June 21:

No childcare is being offered (family worship time only)
Masks (face coverings) are encouraged, but not required
Please arrive 30 minutes before the service starts
Parking lot greeters will welcome you
Three clearly marked entrances will be available for you to use
Health-screening questions will be asked by greeters before you enter the facility
Ushers will help you find a seat in the Sanctuary (allowing social distancing)
Sanitation stations will be available at all three entrances
Surfaces (pews, doorknobs, restrooms, etc.) will be sanitized between worship services
Restrooms will be open in the Lobby and beside the Choir Room
Offering boxes will be at each entrance for the collection of tithes and offerings (no offering plates passed; no envelopes available)

I appreciate the grace and patience of our Sunday School teachers and classes. Classes are adjusting their meeting times to accommodate the two worship services. If you’re unsure when your class is meeting, please contact your Sunday School teacher. He or she is eager to connect and help you.

All Sunday School classes and Wednesday night ministries will continue to meet online until further notice. If you have any additional questions, please call us in the Church Office or email us. We’re ready to serve you as needed.

As you and I pray today, let’s ask our heavenly Father to move greatly tomorrow in worship and Bible study

His Grace is Amazing,
Pastor Ronny
Ephesians 2:8-10

May 30, 2020

Blessings, Bradfordville!

As we gather online tomorrow for worship, it’s going to be a special Lord’s Day. We’ll sing incredible songs, preach God’s Word, worship through giving, and remember Jesus’ sacrifice. During the service, we’ll observe the Lord’s Supper together. We ask that you prepare the bread and juice before the service starts. That way you’re ready when we take the two elements together as a church family.

I’m preaching from Malachi 2:10-16. The message is entitled, “Going Deep: A Word about Broken Relationships.” We’re planning to sing “Because He Lives (Amen), Jesus Messiah, Waiting Here For You, and Jesus Paid It All.” I challenge you to invite others to join you in worship tomorrow. God uses personal invitations to change people’s lives.

We’re excited to regather for worship on Sunday, June 21. It’ll be a special day for many reasons. And yes, it’s Father’s Day. As we remember and honor our earthly fathers, we desire to honor and worship our heavenly Father. As our church family regathers, we plan to offer two identical services. The first service will begin at 9:00 am, and the second service will begin at 11:00 am. We encourage you to arrive early. We’ll have safety procedures in place that will require extra time to enter the Sanctuary. Our prayer is for the place (environment) to be safe and worshipful. We want to exalt and encounter the One who gave His life and overcame the grave for you and me, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please know, we’ll continue to broadcast our worship services. If you’re not comfortable being in-person on Sunday, June 21, we understand. We want you to be safe, remain healthy, and stay connected to your church.

I’ll update you soon about specific procedures and expectations for Sunday, June 21. We’re training volunteers on Sunday, June 7 and Sunday, June 14. Volunteers only have been invited to join us in worship these two Sundays. Training will take place immediately after the worship services. Volunteers will be serving in parking lots, greeting our members and guests, ushering worshipers to their seats, and sanitizing the church facility between worship services. If you’d like to serve, you can still volunteer. You may call the Church Office or complete the volunteer form by clicking this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVnG-nRlj17xcfPx0zTWAhwXd7EbDZkvT7bJwpHrjDK9MYjQ/viewform.

Have a great Saturday! I can’t wait to worship online with you in the morning.

As your ministry team and pastor, we love you!

See You Soon,
Pastor Ronny
1 Thessalonians 2:17

May 23, 2020

Good morning, Bradfordville!

I hope your holiday weekend is safe and restful. What an honor to remember the many men and women who sacrificed it all!

I hope you’re planning to join your Sunday School class for Bible study and our church family for worship this weekend. If you’re not connected to a Bible study class, please contact us, we’d love to help you. You can always call or email us. Our online worship gathering starts at 10:30 am. You can find us at bradfordville.org or on the church’s Facebook page. We plan to sing amazing songs, celebrate our high school and college graduates, give tithes and offerings, preach God’s Word, and invite people to make spiritual decisions. Tomorrow’s message is entitled, “Going Deep: A Spiritual Leadership Review” from Malachi 2:1-9.

In worship on Sunday, May 31, we’ll observe the Lord’s Supper together. Like you did on Resurrection Sunday, we ask that you and your family prepare the two elements, bread and juice. You’ll be prompted during the worship service when to eat the bread and drink the juice. Our prayer is “to do this in remembrance of me,” as Jesus commanded in the Bible. Thank you for being flexible and patient during our “new normal.”

Our In-Person Gathering Task Force met on Thursday night. We plan to meet again on Thursday, May 28. I respect their honest discussions and unified decisions. I’m thrilled to announce that our targeted date for the entire church to regather is on Sunday, June 21 (subject to change). We’ll start with two worship services, and reservations will be taken to allow social distancing. Our Livestream will continue, allowing people to worship online with us. Our Sunday School classes and Wednesday night activities will remain online at this time. I’ll share more important regathering details in the near future. Here’s what we’re currently working on:

Sanitation Supplies
Trained Volunteers

We need 35-50 volunteers each Sunday to regather in a safe, orderly way. Therefore, we need a pool of 75-100 volunteers who are enlisted and trained. We need you to serve (if you’re comfortable and physically able). You can find our Regathering Volunteer Form by clicking this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVnG-nRlj17xcfPx0zTWAhwXd7EbDZkvT7bJwpHrjDK9MYjQ/viewform

We’ve made the decision to re-open the Church Office to in-person visits on Monday, June 1 (subject to change). Even though our offices have been closed, our staff has been serving. If we can help and serve you, we strongly encourage you to call or email us.

During COVID-19, we’re still making disciples who love upward, inward, and outward. You’ll receive an email next week from Amy Walker and our WMU Team about a local mission outreach. Brenda Garner and our Manna Team served on Tuesday. Many local families received food for them and their loved ones. Our next Manna outreach is Tuesday, June 2.

Registration is underway for VBS TLH. You’ll find key information (dates and registration) on the church’s website. I’m proud of Jenny and the many other local children’s ministry leaders partnering for kingdom ministry. This is healthy for our churches and the city!

May you and your family enjoy a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend! We love you and thank the Lord for you!

I’m excited to worship online with you tomorrow.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ronny
John 15:13

May 13, 2020

Good afternoon, Bradfordville!

I hope your week is going well. We’re praying for you to stay healthy and well.

Tonight’s Bible study starts at 5:00 pm. You’ll find us at bradfordville.org or on the church’s Facebook page. The service will be archived, too. You’ll find the study under the Pastor’s Mid-Week Bible Study tab at https://bradfordville.org/pastors-mid-week-bible-study/ on Bradfordville’s website. Please open the attachment for tonight’s Bible Study outline.

In my devotion time, the Lord led me to read and study Philippians. Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus lived unselfish lives. Those godly men put the needs of others before their own. As we move to the next phase of Coronavirus, may the Lord help us put the needs of others before our own! Different opinions and perspectives exist among us about what needs to happen next as the church re-gathers. I pray for God’s people to stay united in upcoming plans and procedures. Our enemy is looking for an opportune time to cause division and chaos. Let’s fellowship and serve in ways that don’t allow the enemy to celebrate any victories at Bradfordville.

Our In-Person Gathering Task Force met on Monday night. Our meeting was productive. Thank you for praying for our task force members. Their insights are wonderful. We’re listening to national, state, and local leaders. A unified decision was made to stay online only for the remainder of May. Bible study classes and other ministries will continue to offer their studies and fellowship times online as well. Our task force is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, May 21^st.

When will in-person worship services begin again? Task force members discussed that question at length earlier this week. Even though a date can’t be given in this update, plans are in the works to resume our worship gatherings. We studied the survey results and plan to implement many of your suggestions. Efforts started this week to purchase proper sanitation supplies. In addition to that need, we began enlisting and training selected volunteers to serve on Sundays. In order to keep members and guests safe, and to sanitize occupied spaces, we need a sizeable number of workers. If you’re willing to serve and feel comfortable doing so, please complete the form provided in this link https://forms.gle/Vy3TNjhNXHFBjeos9 or contact us in the Church Office (850-893-0893). We’d love to add your name to the list. I promise you that we’re moving closer to being back together on campus. Our gatherings may look different, but we’ll be worshiping in-person soon.

I hope you’re planning to join us this Sunday for our drive-thru event. It starts at 1:00 pm and ends at 3:00 pm. You’ll need to enter and exit at the South Campus. We’ll have many workers present to help you know where to drive once you’re on Bradfordville’s campus. It’s going to be special seeing you from a safe distance. We’re asking everyone to please stay in their vehicles. We want this to be a fun and safe event for our church family. You’ll be able to give your tithes and offerings, celebrate with our high school and college graduates, and see members of our ministry team. We can’t wait to see you on Sunday afternoon!

I hope you’ll join us online this Sunday at 10:30 am. Our sermon series on Malachi continues. I’ll preach a message entitled “Going Deep: A Costly Shutdown” from Malachi 1:6-14. We’ll sing many songs for the glory of God. Here are links for this Sunday’s songs:

Is He Worthy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkRiYsTN7KY
Nothing Else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAZd3EWu8tg
Take My Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHeEytocJVY

Thank you for your consistent and faithful giving! You’re an amazing church! Bradfordville is a blessed fellowship!

Even though the Church Office remains closed to in-person visits, we’re ready and willing to serve you. If you have a need, please call or email us. We’d love to hear from you.

I look forward to studying and worshiping with you online tonight and Sunday morning and then seeing you in your vehicles on Sunday afternoon.

We love and miss you!
He is Worthy,
Pastor Ronny

Pastor’s Wednesday Bible Study – May 6, 2020

May 2, 2020

Hello, Bradfordville!

I can’t believe it’s already May. Let’s pray for a great month at Bradfordville!

We finish the “I AM” sermon series tomorrow. I plan to preach from John 15:1-11. Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” I hope you’ll join us in the morning online at 10:30 am. You can find us at bradfordville.org or on Bradfordville’s Facebook page. It’s a great weekend to invite other people to join us for worship.

Let’s pray for the many ministries and studies that will meet online this weekend. We have the best teachers and leaders on the planet. God is using them to make disciples who love upward, inward, and outward.

Our Church Office is closed again next week to in-person visits. As I’ve shared every week, you can call or email us. We’re ready to love and serve you as we can. Thank you for your prayers, patience, and perseverance.

Our In-Person Gathering Task Force plans to meet again on Monday, May 11. As of now, we’ll be online Sunday, May 3 and Sunday, May 10. Thank you for taking the time to complete and submit the In-Person Gathering Survey. Your response has been fantastic. We value your insights. Rest assured, our task force will review and discuss the survey results as plans are made to re-open our church facilities.

The staff and I are meeting on Monday to measure and study our Sanctuary to see how many people we can accommodate with strict social distancing. We’ll keep you posted. As you know, this is a fluid health situation. Plans often change several times throughout the day.

On Sunday, May 17, we’re planning a “drive-thru” at the church facility. This will take place from 1:00pm-3:00pm. You’ll be able to give your tithes and offerings; you’ll be able to see and congratulate our upcoming high school and college graduates; you’ll be able to see your ministry team. This is going to be fun! We’ll be sharing more details with you during our upcoming worship services. We can’t wait to see you on Sunday afternoon, May 17.

Our giving for April was amazing! Thank you for giving and supporting the many ministries and missions of Bradfordville. I’ve bragged on you again and again in meetings with national ministry leaders.

On Tuesday, May 5 at 2:00 pm, I’m meeting with many local pastors. We’re meeting at Tekesta Park. And yes, we’ll practice social distancing. The purpose of the meeting is to talk about in-person gatherings. I strongly appeal to you to pray for that meeting. It’s vital that we learn from one another. As gospel-centered churches, we’re better together.

Have a blessed Saturday! We look forward to seeing you online in the morning.

The Lord is Good,
Pastor Ronny
Nahum 1:7

April 25, 2020

Good afternoon, Bradfordville!

We’re pressing forward as a church. You guys have been amazing! What a joy to serve as your pastor!

I love seeing that you’re engaged in online Bible studies and fellowships. You’re staying faithful in giving tithes and offerings. More and more of you are using our online platform to give. You’re connecting with us on Sundays and Wednesdays for worship and Bible study. As you know, it takes a team of people to make online services a reality. If you’d like to serve on our Audio/Video Team, or if you’d like to know more about what’s involved, please contact our worship pastor, Eddie Turner (eturner@bradfordville.org). He’d love to help you connect and serve. You’re needed in that ministry! Our online presence isn’t going away after Coronavirus is over.

When will in-person worship gatherings begin again? That’s a great question. We don’t know the answer as of today. However, we’re praying for God’s leadership and for upcoming recommendations. In the meantime, we’ve selected an In-Person Gathering Task Force. These folks are church members, parents, law enforcement leaders, and medical personnel. Our first meeting is this Monday night. The goal of the task force is to help the staff and I think through the re-opening of our church facility. We know that behaviors and expectations will be different moving forward. We want to develop a plan and be prepared when doors are unlocked and lights are turned on. You’ll hear more details soon about what’s happening in May.

Our ministry to area bi-vocational pastors has been special. We identified eighteen pastors and have sent most of them a $100 gift card. Funds for this ministry were left-over from Christmas. We’ve heard precious testimonies from many of them. As Jesus said, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Let’s keep loving inward! Many people in our church family are dealing with the passing of loved ones and their own health complications. God is using you to love them in their time of need.

The Church Office is closed next week to in-person visits. If you have a need, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone (850-893-0893) or by email. Our deacons, lay leaders, staff, and I are ready to love and serve our Bradfordville family.

Thank you for your prayers and support. In many ways, these days and weeks have been challenging for the staff and me. Our staff has put in more hours during the pandemic than before. I thank the Lord for their devotion and willingness to serve faithfully and go the extra mile.

We look forward to worshiping online in the morning at 10:30 am. I encourage you to invite other folks to join you for our worship gathering.

Have a blessed day and weekend! We love you!

Seeking Jesus First,
Pastor Ronny
Matthew 6:33

April 22, 2020

April 18, 2020

Greetings, Bradfordville!

I pray you’re having a great weekend. Thank you for taking to time to read today’s update.

Our online worship service tomorrow is going to be evangelistic. We plan to share the gospel and invite people to trust Jesus as their Savior. I’ll preach a message from John 14:1-6. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Will you join me in praying for people to turn from their sin and trust Jesus? If you know someone (family member, friend, neighbor, coworker, or classmate) who doesn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, I appeal for you to invite him or her to join us online tomorrow. People can find us here online or on our church’s Facebook page. Our worship gathering starts at 10:30 am.

The Church Office will be closed again next week for in-person visits. If you need help, please contact us by phone (850-893-0893) or email. As your staff team and senior pastor, even though ministry is different during this season, we’re serving the Lord, equipping you for ministry, and making disciples who love upward, inward, and outward.

Your faithfulness in giving is inspiring. We’ve met (and exceeded) budget the first two Sundays of April. All the praise goes to Jesus! As you and I prepare to worship tomorrow, let’s prepare to give our tithes and offerings. Angie and I are excited and prepared to give to the Lord and to His church. God uses our giving to change lives in our city, state, nation, and world. The gospel is being shared. You can give one of three ways:

Give tithes and offerings online
Mail tithes and offerings to the Church Office (6524 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, Florida 32312)
Send tithes and offerings, using “bill pay” at our local bank

During the week, I strongly encourage you to connect online with our many devoted ministry leaders. You can contact the Church Office, or follow our social media platforms, to find meeting times and ways to receive a link and secure password. Tom Cooney and Jenny Whitaker are leading many excellent ministries during the week. Eddie Turner is coordinating a virtual gathering of our worship choir soon. The majority of our Sunday School classes are gathering online. Those classes are meeting at different times. If you’ll contact your Sunday School teacher, he or she can help you. If you’re not involved in a Sunday School class, but you’d like to connect, please contact us in the Church Office. We’ll help you find a class.

I have two important announcements in the morning. (1) It’s about this Wednesday night’s online Bible study. We invite you to participate with us on Wednesday night at 5:00 pm. (2) I’ll share details about a ministry we’re doing next week with local bi-vocational pastors. What a blessing to love outward! Tune in tomorrow for more details.

Let’s pray for our state’s governor and selected people around him. He has many decisions to make. We hope to update you soon and what the month of May looks like for our church. Our ministry team and I are meeting on Monday afternoon to pray and evaluate the next steps. Our monthly deacons’ meeting is taking place online Monday night, too. May the Lord give us the wisdom to lead well and for His glory!

I look forward to worshiping with you in the morning!

Have a glorious day!
Pastor Ronny
Psalm 118:24

April 15, 2020

Hello, Bradfordville!

Sunday is coming! Tomorrow is Resurrection Day! Our Lord has overcome death and the grave! We have victory in Jesus, and that’s worth shouting!

I loved your many testimonies/messages of how the Lord used prayer and fasting in your lives on Good Friday.

I hope you’re planning to worship with us online in the morning at 10:30 am. You can connect here online or on the church’s Facebook page. I challenge you to invite your family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or classmates to join us online, too. God may use your invitation to change a person’s eternal destiny. We’ll observe the Lord’s Supper together. I encourage you to prepare your heart and spirit by reading God’s Word, praying to the Father, confessing any sins, and listening to worship music. It’s also vital for you to prepare the elements. You’ll need juice and bread (crackers). The Lord’s Supper is only for believers in Jesus Christ. As parents, this is a divine teachable moment with your kids. It’s also a redemptive time to share the gospel (Jesus’ sinless life, His sacrificial death, and His glorious resurrection) with them. We’d love to hear stories of how the Lord used you and changed their lives. May the Lord save many boys and girls on Resurrection Sunday! You can email us at decision@bradfordville.org. We’ll give all the glory and praise to Jesus.

Thank you for your generous giving last week. It was one of the largest offerings we’ve ever received at Bradfordville. As a reminder, giving isn’t a money issue; it’s a discipleship issue. As we worship tomorrow, we’ll have a time for us to give. We can give our tithes and offerings online, mail our tithes and offerings to the Church Office (6524 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, Florida 32312, or send our tithes and offerings by using “bill pay” at our local bank. Our giving allows us to pay the mortgage and salaries. However, it positions us to offer ministries and support missionaries. Our giving is making an eternal difference in our city, state, nation, and world.

Our Church Office will be closed next week for in-person visits. If we can serve you, please don’t hesitate to call or email us.

I’d like to share my heart with you. You’ll be missed tomorrow in the Sanctuary. Online worship is great. However, it’s not the same as our in-person gatherings. As God heals and protects, we’ll be back together again soon.

I invite you to spend time tonight and in the morning reading and praying John 11. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” The story of Lazarus is fascinating and relevant to our lives.

Bradfordville, we’re praying for you, we miss you, and we love you!

Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!
Pastor Ronny
John 11:25

April 8, 2020

April 4, 2020

We’re excited about online worship the next two Sundays. This Sunday, Palm Sunday, our focus is on the cross of Jesus Christ. The Good Shepherd gave His life for you and me. Next Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, our focus is on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has defeated death and the grave. Our hearts are sad that we can’t gather in-person. However, we still believe the Lord is going to show us His glory in powerful ways. On Resurrection Sunday, we’re planning to observe the Lord’s Supper together. You and your family need to prepare beforehand. First, I appeal for you to prepare spiritually. You can read the Word, pray, or listen to worship music. Second, I ask for you to prepare physically. You need to secure grape juice, bread/crackers, and cups before the worship service starts. I’ll prompt you during the service when to eat the bread and drink the juice. This worship experience is going to be amazing!

Our Church Office is closed to in-person visits again next week (April 6-10). If you need help, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone (850-893-0893) or email. You’ll find our emails on Bradfordville’s website under the staff page. We’re ready to serve the Lord and you as we can.

During this global pandemic, and as we adjust to online worship, I appeal for us to be faithful and generous givers. Our giving is more than paying salaries and mortgage payments. Our vision is to make disciples who love upward, inward, and outward. Phase one of this crisis has been for us to love one another. As God opens doors, we want to love outward and serve people in our city and region. It takes financial resources to serve at times. In relationship to budget requirements the past three Sundays (March 15, March 22, and March 29), our giving has been at 53%. That’s 47% below our weekly budget requirements. As you might expect, we’ve halted any unnecessary spending. I’m meeting with our Personnel and Finance Committees in the coming days to discuss a strategy moving forward.

Here are three ways for you to give:

You can give your tithes and offerings online. You’ll see the online giving tab at the top of the page.
You can mail your tithes and offerings to the Church Office (6524 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312).
You can connect with your local bank and use bill pay to give your tithes and offerings.

You’re a generous church. Let’s give so Bradfordville can stay ministry-driven.

During this season of not meeting on-campus, I encourage you to connect online with Sunday School classes, IGNITE Student Ministry, and Bradfordville KidzMin. Throughout the week, many fellowship and study opportunities are being offered. You can find those times on the church’s social media platforms or by emailing Student Pastor, Tom Cooney (tcooney@bradfordville.org) or Children & Family Ministry Director, Jenny Whitaker (jwhitaker@bradfordville.org).

On Friday, April 10, our Southern Baptist family is joining together for a Good Friday Online Prayer Gathering. I encourage Bradfordville to connect and participate. The event begins at 1:00 pm (EST). You can connect by going to www.sbc.net. God moves when His people pray and seek His face.

As you and I know, these are unusual days. Let’s continue to follow the advice of health officials and flatten the curve. We need to be a part of the solution, not the problem.

I look forward to worshiping with you online in the morning at 10:30. Today is a great time to invite family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or classmates to join you. I invited two people from New York on Friday to worship with us in the morning.

Bradfordville, as we gather online in worship, we’ll continue our sermon series, “I AM.” Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.”

I Love Our Church,
Pastor Ronny
John 10:10-18

April 3, 2020

April 1, 2020

March 28, 2020

Hello, Bradfordville!

You mean the world to our staff team and me! As hours turn into days, and days turn into weeks, we’re praying for you! I’m thankful for the many ways Bradfordville’s staff and leaders are serving during this unprecedented season of life and ministry. God is using you!

Our heavenly Father allowed this global pandemic to happen for a reason. Let’s keep our eyes on the Lord and trust Him. I wanted to send you another printed update to keep you current about what’s happening at Bradfordville.

Sunday School

Many classes are using Zoom to connect and teach God’s Word. Please contact your teacher for a date and time when your Sunday School class is gathering online. I hope to drop in on a few classes tomorrow and say hello. I miss seeing you on Sunday mornings.

Worship Services

Sunday, March 29 – Online Only
Sunday, April 5 – Online Only
Sunday, April 12 (Resurrection Sunday) – Still Praying and Considering All Options

I strongly encourage you to invite your family members, friends, coworkers, classmates, or neighbors to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:30 for online worship. We’re praying for the Lord to use our online worship gatherings to reach many new people in our community and around the world. You can watch at bradfordville.org or on the church’s Facebook page. If you’re watching and the Holy Spirit leads you to make a spiritual decision, please email us at decision@bradfordville.org. We’d love to hear from you!

IGNITE Student Ministry

Tom is leading and ministering to students and their families. Here are several ways for you and your family to connect with him:

Tom is teaching the IGNITE Sunday School gathering on Sundays at 6:00 pm. You can email him (tcooney@bradfordville.org) for a link to connect. He and Jenny are hosting a parents’ prayer time on Sundays at 8:00 pm. You can contact him or Jenny for a link to connect. Tom is connecting with students and their families during the week, too.

KidzMin Children’s Ministry

Jenny is serving and ministering to children and their families. Here are several ways for you and your family to connect with her:

Jenny is teaching the KidzMin Sunday School gathering and leading a devotional on Wednesdays at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm. You can email her (jwhitaker@bradfordville.org) for a link to connect. Jenny and Tom are hosting a parents’ prayer time on Sundays at 8:00 pm. You can email her or Tom for a link to connect. Jenny is reaching out to children and their families during the week, too.

Church Office

Our Church Office will remain closed next week (March 30-April 3) for in-person visits. You can always contact us by phone (850-893-0893) or by email. You’ll find our email addresses on the staff page. I plan to meet with our staff on Monday and Wednesday. We’ll use Zoom to connect and stay safe. If you have a need, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to serve you and pray for you!

Tithes and Offerings

Bradfordville’s mission continues to move forward. We’re making disciples who love upward, inward, and outward. Therefore, our consistent giving is important. Here are three ways for you to give:

Give online at bradfordville.org and click on the giving tab in the top right-hand corner
Send your tithes and offerings to the Church Office (6524 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, Florida 32312)
Give tithes and offerings through bill pay at your local bank

You’re a generous church! I rejoice as you and I give to the Lord in and through His church.

I really miss seeing your faces on Sundays and Wednesdays. My heart resonates with Paul today. He said to the believers at Philippi, and I say to you, “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:8).

As each day passes, it’s a day closer that we can gather together again. That’s going to be an amazing day!

I love you! See you online tomorrow!
Pastor Ronny
Philippians 1:3-11

March 25, 2020

March 20, 2020

In my devotion this morning, I read Psalm 46. I rejoice that “the Great I AM is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” I want to thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. In these uncertain days, you have been a model church family. Our staff and I have sought to lead with two objectives in mind:

Follow the recommendations of our governing authorities
Keep you and your family safe and protected

I’ve been on several Zoom video sessions lately with other pastors and leaders. We’re all dealing with the same concerns and emotions. We miss having in-person worship gatherings and Bible study classes. We’re making decisions with heavy hearts, but with clear minds.

Here are several upcoming plans and events:

As you know, this Sunday, March 22 and next Sunday, March 29, our worship services will be online only at 10:30 am. Sunday School classes will NOT meet on-campus. Our student pastor, Tom Cooney, is filling the pulpit for me this Sunday. He continues our “I AM” sermon series. Tom is preaching John 8:12. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” I appreciate Tom praying, studying, and sharing God’s truth with us. Eddie and I talked this week about our upcoming online services. These services will be simpler and shorter. That’s not something we should get used to. 😊

We had an online meeting this week with our Sunday School leaders. Many classes are planning to use Zoom to connect with their classes. This platform allows people to see one another. We have the best teachers in the world. Our teachers love God’s Word and God’s people.

I’m meeting with our staff on Monday to pray and talk about Resurrection Sunday. Many of you have sent me creative ideas. We’re looking at all the options. If possible and feasible, we pray to offer a format for our church family to be together on Sunday, April 12. Please know, that’s a goal, not a guarantee.

As of now, the Church Office remains open as normal. If we need to adjust our hours or have staff work remotely, we’ll keep you informed in another update. Our staff team has been amazing and flexible. I love seeing them use digital platforms to connect with individuals and families in their ministry areas.

Our heavenly Father is generous. Even though we’re not having in-person services, our church depends on our financial generosity. You can give tithes and offerings online at bradfordville.org, you can mail them to the church’s address, or you can drop them off in the Church Office.

As days pass during this global pandemic, we pray for our leaders, medical personnel, people impacted by and with the Coronavirus, other churches, IMB missionaries, and our church family. Our mission hasn’t changed; we’re still making disciples who love upward, inward, and outward.

We love you!
Pastor Ronny
Psalm 46

March 17, 2020

I’ve asked our staff to meet in-person more often during the Coronavirus pandemic. In a recent meeting, we discussed many procedures and events. Here are several things to note:

Being that most of our church activities and events have been cancelled or postponed, we’ll suspend sending out a weekly newsletter until further notice. We plan to stop printing weekly bulletins until the in-person worship services resume. As you might imagine, we long for the day when our in-person worship gatherings begin again. We miss being together.

We’re monitoring our weekly giving. Our Finance Committee is aware of the church’s financial situation. We’re seeking to be wise stewards. As I said on Sunday, you’re a very generous church. Thank you for your faithful and sacrificial financial support. You can give online, send your offering by mail, or drop off your offering in the Church Office.

We had our monthly deacons’ meeting last night. And yes, we did practice social distancing. Our goal was to talk about ways to “love inward.” Our senior adults need to know that their church cares. I love that our deacons are servants and ministry partners. Our church is blessed by their hearts to serve. If you’re unable to leave your house, and you need groceries or other urgent necessities, we’re ready to help you. Please call our Church Office (850-893-0893) and let us know your needs. In a safe and protective way, we’ll love and serve you.

We’re working on ways to keep people engaged relationally. Sunday School is a foundational ministry for us at Bradfordville. However, the CDC issued new recommendations about attendance on Monday. Our leaders and I desire to submit to the governing authorities who lead our nation, state, and city (Romans 13:1-7), and we pray to love one another, especially anyone who suffers from a preexisting medical condition (Matthew 22:37-39).

We’re discussing office hours and procedures. As of today, the Church Office is operating as normal. In the event that changes need to be made, we’ll keep you posted in our periodic updates. If you need help or pastoral care, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can reach us by phone, email, or in-person.

As of today, we only plan to offer online worship services for March 22 and March 29. No Sunday School classes will meet. We’re even reducing the number of people involved on-campus these two Sundays. We’ve postponed the Lord’s Supper for March 29. We’ll reschedule that worship experience when it’s safe for us to do so.

Church family, as you know, we’re seeking to lead for God’s glory and for your health and well-being. May the Lord bless us with His peace and safety!

Pastor Ronny
Psalm 4:8

March 15, 2020 – 3:08 pm

We missed in-person worship today at Bradfordville. However, what a blessing to have an online platform to worship together! Our tech team served the Lord and us with dedication and excellence. To the team, thank you for a job well done! If you missed today’s live worship service, you can view the archived service at bradfordville.org or on the church’s Facebook page. As you know, and as you often say, we have a devoted ministry team, including staff members and volunteers. They’re the best!

As for tithes and offering, we mentioned three ways for you to give.

You can give online at bradfordville.org and click on the “Giving” tab
You can mail your offering to Bradfordville First Baptist Church, 6524 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, Florida 32312
You can bring your offering to the Church Office during regular office hours

You’re a generous church family!

Our plan is to meet on Monday and assess the Coronavirus pandemic and how it affects our upcoming worship services and ministries. We’re looking at ways to help Sunday School classes stay connected, too. We’ll keep you posted on our three primary information platforms about the latest news and decisions:

Church Website
Social Media Platforms
Your Email Inbox

Thank you for your kind words and support. We have an amazing church family!

We’re praying and planning for you and your family members to stay healthy and well. As another reminder, let’s practice the recommendations of the CDC and our national, state, and local government leaders. This is a time for our nation to be united, not divided.

We love you! May the Lord teach us the value of slowing down and spending quality time with loved ones and friends. Even though we’ve been asked to stay socially distant, we can still be spiritually close!

Church family, may you have a wonderful Sunday afternoon and evening!

Pastor Ronny
John 3:30

March 14, 2020 – 11:34 am

Leadership requires making hard decisions. I’ve prayed and agonized over this decision. My love is to gather in person with God’s people and worship our risen Lord. As I’ve preached for decades, the church isn’t a building. Therefore, staying true to biblical truths, His people can still gather online and worship the Lord together.

After consulting with many leaders and pastors, I believe the wise decision is for Bradfordville to offer an online service only tomorrow. This service will start at 10:30 am, our normal time. You can watch from our website here or the church’s Facebook page to connect with us live. We’ll sing worship songs, seek the Lord in prayer for our nation, talk about ways to give tithes and offerings, preach the truth of God’s Word, and call people to make spiritual decisions. As I’ve said before, these are unprecedented days in our lives and ministry.

I encourage you to invite family members and friends to join us online tomorrow. We pray our online worship experience is what the Lord uses to connect many new people to our church family.

As your pastor, I love you!

I always want God’s best for our church. I, along with you, want to protect our church family, too. Let’s remember in prayer our many leaders, all medical professionals and personnel, people dealing with the Coronavirus, and the health and well-being of every individual.

We’ll keep you posted about future in person worship gatherings. Thank you for your many messages and prayers. You’re a blessing in ways that I can’t express in words.

Here is a word from the Lord: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

I look forward to worshipping with you tomorrow online.

Asking the Lord to show us His glory!

Pastor Ronny

Friday, March 13 – 12:12 pm

Responding to the latest news around the coronavirus is a daily, and in many ways, an hourly decision.

As of today, we’re still planning to have Sunday School and worship on Sunday morning. As we’ve talked with medical professionals and authorities, there are no known active cases of the coronavirus in Tallahassee and Leon County. Therefore, as we move closer to Sunday, we ask that if you’ve traveled to an area that’s high-risk or have been exposed to the virus, if you’re showing symptoms of not feeling well, or if you’re uncomfortable gathering in a crowd, we encourage you to worship with us by live stream. You can watch at bradfordville.org or on the church’s Facebook page.

If circumstances change before Sunday, we’ll issue another statement with new decisions and directions. As for next Sunday, we’ll make that decision in the days ahead.

This is a time for us to pray for wisdom, follow recommendations of local and national health professionals, and protect our health and the health of people around us.

Thank you for your prayers and support. These are unprecedented days. We believe our God is in control.

We’re praying for wisdom and protection!

Pastor Ronny
Psalm 46:1

Thursday, March 12 – 2:20 pm

As your senior pastor and ministry team, we’re watching the latest details on the Coronavirus. We’re praying for God’s protection. Our desire is to stay alert and prepared.

As you know, we’re taking many steps to be preventive and wise.

We’ve eliminated handshaking during the meet and greet time.
We’re consulting with doctors and medical personnel.
We’ve placed bottles of hand sanitizer throughout the church facility.
We’re following our children’s policies to ensure health in that area of ministry.
We’re talking with authorities and leaders about our upcoming summer mission trip to Brazil and camps for children and students.
We’ve decided to postpone our mission trip to Cuba.
We’re asking people to read and act on the latest health recommendations from the CDC.
We’re evaluating the way we prepare and serve the Lord’s Supper.
We’re changing the way we collect tithes and offerings on Sunday mornings.
We’ve asked our cleaning company to sanitize touched surfaces (doors, handles, water fountains, sinks, bathrooms, etc.) before Sundays, Wednesdays, and special events.

We do plan to continue meeting for Sunday School and Worship at this time. Additionally, Kay Hall’s Coed Adult Bible Study will continue to meet Tuesdays at 10:00 am. However, the following activities have been cancelled or postponed:

Cancelled Events:

Sunday Kidz Church (VPK and up) until further notice
Manna scheduled for March 17
All Wednesday evening activities scheduled for March 18
All Wednesday evening activities scheduled for March 25
Giant Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for April 11

Event postponed until further notice:

Women’s Ministry Bible Study scheduled to begin March 25

We are committed to communicating with you any changes, concerns, or needs in the days ahead. We encourage you to check back often for timely updates and alerts.

Here are other ways for you to respond and stay connected to Bradfordville in these changing days:

If you’re not feeling well or uncomfortable being in larger crowds, you can watch Bradfordville’s live stream at bradfordville.org or on our church’s Facebook page.
You can give online at bradfordville.org. You’ll see the “Giving” tab on the front page of our website. Once you click on that tab, you can follow the instructions.
You can communicate with us at (850) 893-0893 if you need pastoral care and help.

As we trust in God’s amazing grace, may we respond to this pandemic with worship, not worry, faith, not fear, and prayer, not panic!

Our God is able!

Praying!

Pastor Ronny
2 Timothy 1:7