Many have asked the question, "Is it possible to have an intergenerational church"? I say YES! Just come to First Baptist Little Rock and you will see a congregation of generations who are committed to the Lord and one another! 
 
I am so excited to formally announce that we have a couple of staffing changes that will help us to continue making strides in our commitment to being an intergenerational church. Our personnel team unanimously voted to make Jay Jacobs our new Pastor to Sr. Adults and Men!
 
Did you know that 10,000 people a day are turning 65! These "Senior Adults" are changing the definition of what it means to "retire" and get older. We want to be a church that engages these individuals with the Gospel and harness their love for the Lord to impact the Kingdom.
 
Pastor Jay will also be leading new efforts to engage men and assist with some areas of pastoral care at our church. I am so excited about Jay's desire to lead these two areas!
 
I am grateful for Pastor Eric Stockholm's contribution to our existing ministry to Senior Adults. Eric will remain part-time on our pastoral team. He will continue his role in the RWC and assist with Biblical Counseling. I cannot express my gratitude to him for his service to our congregation.
 
The personnel team has also extended a call to Slaton Teague as our Interim High School Student Pastor. We have been looking for the right fit for over two years and we believe Slaton is the man. 
 

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​All over the news, schools, homes, and in the lives of children (and sometimes even adults) we hear of bullying.  Bullying is something that as a children’s and middle school pastor, I have to deal with both sides of the issue: The bully and the victim.

Bullying is not an easy issue to talk about with children. According to stopbullying.gov, “about 49% of children grades 4-12 reported being bullied by other students at school at least once in the past month.” 
 
Whether your child is doing the bullying, being bullied, or you just want to know a little more about how to help, here are some tips that may prevent bullying:

• Help kids understand what bullying is. Talk to them about the different types and how to stand up to this issue safely. 
• Be sure to keep the lines of communication opened. Talk to the kids often about this subject. Be sure you know the child’s friends, ask about school, and listen intentionally when they share concerns. 
• Encourage kids to do what they love. Be sure to find their hobbies and interests that can boost their confidence. 
• Remember, you are their model. Be sure to model the behavior you want your children to have. 
• Lastly, but one of the most important things, remind children that they are a child of God and that their identity is in Christ and nothing else. A couple of good passages are Galatians 3 and 1 Peter 2. 

 
As the school year has kicked off, I am sure some of you have already been faced with this, but it is not something that you have to face alone. Bullying is something that will unfortunately always be a struggle, but it is not impossible to overcome.  Feel free to reach out to our staff and we will be more than happy to help you, pray with you, and find resources for you as we face this issue together. 
 
Mari Bednar 
Lead Children’s and Middle School Pastor