Preaching the San Antonio Citwide Revival

Last night, I preach the first of five messages I am scheduled to deliver in the San Antonio Citywide Revival. The meeting began on Sunday night. And Henry Batson III of the Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas (Pastor Freddie Haynes) was the speaker. And in the opening midday service yesterday, my preaching partner for the week, Pastor Dennis Jones of the Gethsemane Baptist Church in Houston, brought the message. Pastor Rudolph McKissick Jr of the Bethel Baptist Church in Jacksonville was my scheduled partner. But I was informed that he took ill last week and was unable to make the trip (please remember him in your prayers). So the brothers called Pastor Jones Friday and asked him to come. Pastor Jones has preached this meeting the past two years, so he was an obvious choice for the brothers. He had preached the meeting the past two years with Pastor John Adolph of the Antioch Baptist Church in Beaumont. And it was my friend, John Adolph, who recommended me to the brothers here. I am truly grateful for his continued kindness to me and for the fact that the pastors of this community consented to extend this invitation to me.

The brothers told me it was a light house last night (this is preacher-talk for the attendance was less that expected). But it was still a well-attended service. I am expecting it to be a good week of worship and fellowship. The evening services are being held at the Antioch Baptist Church, where E. Thurman Walker is the pastor. And the day sessions are being held at the Calvary Baptist Church, where Kevin L. Nelson is the pastor. Pastor L.A. Williams is the General Chairman of the revival. And Pastor Joshua Joubert is the President of the Baptist Ministers Union

I was more nervous than usual last night, not knowing anybody in San Antonio. And to my knowledge, none of the brothers had ever heard me preach – in person or via recording. But a couple of my friends from Corpus Christi were present, Pastors Lane and Pullum. So that helped me to relax a bit. And the brothers were so kind and welcoming to me. Likewise, the congregation was receptive to the ministry of the word. Sometimes you can feel that people are just “smoking you over” the first night. But I did not get that feeling last night. It was a warm service and congregation seemed just as eager to hear the word as I was to preach it. I will be preaching the midday service today and Pastor Jones will be preaching the evening service. Please pray that many lives will be changed in the remaining days of this revival series.