Upstate pastor publishes ‘Five First Words of Jesus’

In a new book, “Five First Words of Jesus,” Schuyler Peterson examines the earliest statements on record from the Savior of the world.

“In these phrases, we discover the keys to understanding his mission as well as our own place and destiny in the world,” said Peterson, senior pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Spartanburg.

“In the spirit of the many works that have examined Jesus’ last seven words on the cross, this book dissects the first five phrases Jesus uttered that we have on record in the Gospels,” said the author. “With one exception of a very old book, I have never come across a book that deals with Jesus’ life between the nativity event and the beginning of his public ministry.”

Peterson has been published by several magazines and newspapers, including a series of devotional messages for Open Windows magazine. He has been in the ministry for 20 years and has spent the last 14 as a pastor. He earned a doctor of ministry degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and has taught as an adjunct professor at three colleges.

“Five First Words of Jesus” is available for $7.99 at Amazon.com ($2.99 for the Kindle version).