A good day at Concord

Crystal and I had a wonderful day in worship and fellowship with the Concord Church yesterday. Actually, we have a good weekend here – greatly enjoying the time we were able to spend with Pastor Bryan and Stephanie Carter. We really appreciate and were encouraged by their warmth, kindness, and hospitality.

Even though I have been deeply influenced by the preaching and ministry of the late Dr. E.K. Bailey, this was my first time ever worshiping at Concord. And it was a great experience. Pastor’s Carter loving and focused leadership is evident in so many ways. And I learned a lot by just watching how things operate at Concord on Sunday morning.

I believe my message was well received by the congregation. And, of course, Dr. Rudolph McKissick Jr. absolutely preached the house down in the second service.

Continue to remember the family and ministry of Pastor Bryan Carter in your prayers. This is truly one of the “good guys” (And God knows we need more of these in the ministry!!!) and one of the truly great churches of our day. May their dreams be even greater than their memories!

Speaking @ Concord Dallas

Crystal and I are in Dallas. And it’s already a great trip, because Crystal is here with me. She does not (want to and/or get to) travel with me often. So it's really cool to be "on the road" with my wife.

We are here to join in the celebration of the 32nd anniversary celebration for Pastor Bryan Carter and the Concord Baptist Church. Concord Church was organized by the late Dr. E.K. Bailey - one of my "homiletical heroes." Pastor Carter has served as senior-pastor of Concord since Dr. Bailey’s death in. And the Lord is continuing to bless this great church through Pastor Carter’s ministry. I am honored to have been invited by Pastor Carter to share in this celebration.

I am scheduled to preach the 8 AM service; Pastor Rudolph McKissick Jr., of the Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, is scheduled to preach the 11 AM service. Please pray God’s blessings for these meetings here. And please cover the meetings at MSMBC in your prayers as well, as my associates John Scroggins and Charles Charthern preach the word in my absence.

The Expository Genius of John Calvin

I am a big fan of the writing and preaching of Dr. Steven J. Lawson – the senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. I was introduced to Lawson’s work more than ten years ago, when I read a book of expositions he published on the book of Job. Since then, I have followed his writing ministry closely, purchasing and reading nearly every work he has produced. And I have always been challenged and edified by Lawson’s writings – both in my personal walk with Christ and my public ministry for Christ. I have equally benefited from his preaching. Lawson regularly places full audio recordings of his messages on his website for free. And whatever I am studying, I check to see if he has posted a message on that text. And, yes, his example is one of the motivating factors behind our uploading my weekly messages for free on our church’s website.

When I recently discovered that Lawson had published a new book on preaching, I was excited and eager to pick it up. And I was all the more intrigued when I learned the subject matter of the book, “The Expository Genius of John Calvin.” John Calvin is most noted for his role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, his magnum opus, The Institutes of Christian Religions, and the doctrines of grace that are named after him. But what many do not know is that, most fundamentally and essentially, Calvin was a preacher and a pastor. Lawson’s Expository Genius introduces the reader to this important, but neglected, aspect of Calvin’s life and ministry in a clear and compelling way. From Calvin’s personal convictions about scripture, to his view of proper interpretation, to the nuts-and-bolts of his sermon delivery, Lawson indeed introduces us to the preaching genius of John Calvin.

The word “introduction” best describes this book. It is a short work, consisting of only 142 pages. And after a brief overview of Calvin’s life and ministry, the book consists of 32 “distinctives” of Calvin’s preaching. Though clearly explained and amply documented, these distinctives are not addressed in great detail. Lawson describes aspects of Calvin’s preaching that directly contradict his own. But Lawson doesn’t even pause to note the differences. This book is not meant for deep analysis. It is meant to point to Calvin as a faithful preacher and pastor, and to lift up the elements that made Calvin’s ministry so powerful – with the hopes that a new reformation will take place today as men give themselves to the pastoral task of expository preaching with greater zeal and diligence.

I do not have the words to encourage you to read this book as strongly as I desire. Any preacher – novice beginner or seasoned veteran – will be both encouraged and challenged in reading it. I would even commend it for those who are not preachers – as it will help you to better understand that prayer and the ministry of the word are your pastor’s greatest responsibilities. And it will lead to more pointed prayer on the behalf of our pastors. Enough with pastor-teachers who would rather be executives, entertainers, “life-coaches,” or whatever tasks and trends distract the man of God from the priority of biblical preaching. Our charge has not changed: Preach the word! (2 Timothy 4:2). Your calling requires it. God commands it. Our people need it. Preach the word!

If it were not for the Lord...

I try to avoid calling any passage "familiar," calling them "famous" instead. I do this because I don't think we are ever really familiar with any passage. We know the words of certain passages, but the meaning of those passages continues to deepen the more we spend time with them. I was reminded of this last week as I studied Psalm 124. Many Christians know the words, "If it were not for the Lord who was on our side..." But this is a rich passage, filled with powerful images, that calls on us to acknowledge, worship, and trust God for his favor and faithfulness. This past Sunday, I preached a message from this great text to our congregation. Homiletically, it could have been a much better sermon. But once again, I spend so much time reading and studying and meditating on this passage that I waited too late to turn the corner from personal study to sermon preparation. So I ended up going to the pulpit with a message that I felt could have been organized much better. But, from a spiritual and pastoral standpoint, I felt like I was going to the pulpit with the word that God would have been to declare to his people. How soon we forget the unwavering goodness of God when we are going through difficult circumstances. And we need to remember that having God on our side makes all the difference in the world. Without God's help, we are doomed. But with God on our side, all is well - no matter what's going on in our lives.

Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday's message:

Title: "Facing Life with a Divine Ally"

Text: Psalm 124

Theme: A song of redemption

Point: The most important issue in life is always whether or not the Lord is on your side.

Outline:

I. Remember the difference the Lord makes in your life (124:1-5)
A. God alone deserves the credit for the good things that have happened in your life (vv. 1-2).
B. God alone deserves the credit for the bad things that have not happened in your life (vv. 3-5).
1. Without God, you would have been swallowed alive (v. 3).
2. Without God, you would have been swept away (vv. 4-5).
II. Rejoice in the difference the Lord makes in your life (124:6-7)
A. Praise God for the things that he has spared you from (v. 6b).
B. Praise God for the things that he has snatched you from (v. 7)
III. Rest in the difference the Lord makes in your life (124:8)
A. God is or exclusive source of help.
B. God is our sufficient source of help.
1. The name of God is infinitely good (v. 8a).
2. The power of God is infinitely great (v. 8b).

Hanging from a Homiletical Rollercoaster

Last weekend, I read about a rollercoaster that was stuck on an upside-down turn, leaving its passengers stranded for some thirty minutes. I think I know how they feel. I am going through the same thing concerning my preaching. The struggle continues. Last week, I worked on a passage from Ephesians to preach. But I was not able to put my study into preachable form. So Saturday afternoon, I made some calls to have one of the guys preach in my place on Sunday morning. But when I woke up Sunday, a message from Hebrews took shape as I prepared for worship. And I said I would just take a shot at it in the 8 AM service. Then I took another shot at it in the second service. I will be glad when I get some point of stability in my sermon preparation. But until then, I praise God for holding me up as I continue to hang upside-down from this rollercoaster. Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday's message:

Title: "Being Fit for the Finish Line"

Text: Hebrews 12:1-2

Theme: The perseverance of the saints

Point: Stay in the race.

Outline:

1. Run with assurance
   
2. Run with discipline
   
   1. Lay aside the sins that hinder your spiritual progress
      
   2. Lay aside the weights that hinder your spiritual progress
      
3. Run with endurance
   
4. Run with focus
   
   1. Focus on Jesus because of who he is
      
   2. Focus on Jesus because of what he has done
      
   3. Focus on Jesus because of where he resides

Seeing the sights in Washington D.C.

This afternoon, Pastor Burton and my friend Chad Foster gave me a tour of some of the historic sites around Washington D.C. I am a huge history buff. And I was so excited to be able to see some of our nation's important sites and monuments. I only wish I would have had more time to tour the area - and that Crystal, H.B., and Natalie were here. Here are some of the pictures I took.

D.C. Comics

So I got to LAX Wednesday morning and begin to check-in. But the computer wouldn't recognize any of my information. That should have been a sign to me of how my day was going to go. I had missed my flight – by more than two hours. (For the record, this was absolutely not my fault – this time. But that's another story.) The standby flights they could put me on would not get me to Washington D.C. until 8:15. This, of course, would be too late for me to actually speak in the worship service I was headed to. So I sat in the airport, waiting to make contact with Pastor Burton, to find out if he still wanted me to come.

I have known Pastor Garfield Burton for some years now. We met when he was the assistant pastor at the Glendale Baptist Church (now known as "The Sanctuary) in Landover, under Pastor Anthony Maclin. Pastor Burton has led the Macedonia Church in D.C. for four years. This is my second time doing this meeting for him. Last year, I was scheduled to come. But my wife's father took ill in Texas. And the morning I was to leave and come here, I decided it would be best for me to send Crystal to check on her father, while I stayed at home with the kids. Pastor Burton – a true friend – was compassionate, encouraging, and prayerful. I will never forget it. So I was glad to be invited again. But I was disappointed that I had missed my flight. I really thought Burton would just tell me to stay home.

He didn't. So I caught standby flights to Washington D.C. With delays and weather all the other stuff that goes along with flying standby, I didn't arrive here until about a quarter to nine. Pastor instructed me to wait for my bag. This, and the lateness of the hour, confirmed for me that I would not be preaching. As we got in the car, I asked who preached the service. Pastor told me no one. He was waiting on me to get here. I think I heard that and didn't hear it. When the driver asked where he was to go, Pastor told him to go to the church. Again, I made nothing of this, thinking we were just going to pick up pastor's car. When we pulled up fifteen minutes later, several people were outside waiting on us. And the next thing I know, we are heading into the service – still in progress at 9:20! Pastor thanked the Lord for my safe arrival, and asked the choir to sing one more selection. Then he began to pour me a glass of water. I asked him what was going on. Did he really want me go for it and preach? Yep. He did. So I did. And at about ten minutes to ten, we were going back out the door, heading to check me into my hotel.

On the way from the airport, I texted Crystal and told her I had missed the service and that I would call her in a few minutes, when I got to the room. But about thirty minutes later, I texted her again and told her that I had just finished preaching. She was shocked, to say the least. So was I! This is my life. Make of it what you will. God be praised for his goodness, wisdom, and faithfulness to me in and through all of my mishaps.

So how was your day?

Thanks, MSMBC, for hanging out with me these past two Sundays

The past two Sunday afternoons, our congregation has participated in worship services at with other congregations. On May 27, we worshiped with the Paradise Baptist Church to celebrate the 22^nd pastoral anniversary celebration for Pastor A.D. Iverson. Pastor Iverson has been a great source of kindness and encouragement to me over the years. And we seem to have a natural affinity toward one another – both being preacher's kids who pastor their father's church. So it was a joy to join in the celebration with other congregations of our city. I brought the message in that service. And even though I would have rather had been sitting and listening to someone else, God was faithful to give me strength for preaching.

This past Sunday (6/3), we worshiped with the First Antioch Baptist Church to celebrate the 10^th pastoral anniversary services for Pastor Nathaniel Haley. Pastor Haley and I are, likewise, both preachers' kids. And even as his father and mine were good friends; Nate and I have become friends. I had the privilege of preaching Nate's installation service. And I have participated in his anniversary services each year, except one. In fact, we regularly go to First Antioch on the first Sunday in June. Now, it feels like I'm in church three months every Sunday. But on first Sundays, it's more like four or five months. And I would not go to another service and preach again for just anyone. But I love Nate. And I pray that our presence Sunday was an encouragement to him, his family, and the First Antioch membership.

Thanks, Mt. Sinai, for your presence and participation in these services. Our pastors, musicians, choir members, ushers, have helped lead in these services. And our congregation has been present in a great way. The Paradise service was on Memorial Day weekend. But the congregation still showed up, anyway. I am truly blessed to pastor such good people. Thank you, Mt. Sinai. I love you!

Remember What You Were

This past Sunday morning, I preached from Ephesians 2:11-13 – "Remember What You Were." For all the difficulties I have preparing last week (over the last weeks, for that matter), I was quite relaxed, focused, and eager about preaching Sunday morning. The passage is doctrinal in nature. But there is a practical concern that is addresses that I really felt it was important for MSMBC to hear – the danger to forget and the need to remember. Our spiritual passion is prone to grow cold when we forget how far we were from God without Christ and how God brought us near to him through Christ. Here is the skeleton from Sunday's message:

Title: "Remember What You Were"

Point: Ephesians 2:11-13

Theme: The need to remember

Point: Your relationships with God, other believers, and the lost people in your life will greatly benefit from you simply remember what you were before Christ saved you.

Probing Question: Have you forgotten what you were before Christ saved you?

Outline:

1. Remember how far away from God you were without Christ (2:11-12).
   

   
    

   1. You were naturally alienated from God (v. 11)
      

      
       

• You behavior was against you (Eph. 2:1-3)
  
• Your birth was against you (v. 11a)
  
• Your background was against you (v. 11a)
  

 

1. You were spiritually alienated from God (v. 12)
   

 

• You were separated from Christ
  
• You were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel
  
• You were strangers to the covenants of promise
  
• You were without hope
  
• You were without God in the world
  

 

1. Remember how God brought you near to himself through Christ (2:13).
   

Speaking @ the LACBC Men’s Retreat

This past weekend, I participated in the Los Angeles Community Bible Church's men's retreat, led by Pastor Bobby Scott. Pastor Anthony Kidd and the Westside Bible Church also partnered in this meeting. It was held at the Alpine Camp & Conference Center in Blue Jay (CA), near Big Bear/Lake Arrowhead. The theme of the retreat was, "The Making of a Godly Man." I spoke in three of the sessions – once Friday night and twice on Saturday morning. I was asked to talk about becoming a godly man, father, and husband. And I addressed these subjects from Ephesians 5 and 6, in which Paul explains and describes the Spirit-filled life. I talked about being filled with the Holy Spirit (5:18-21), why husbands need to be Spirit-filled (5:25-33), and why fathers need to be Spirit-filled (6:4). It was a good weekend. It was not a large gathering, but that just contributed to making it a special meeting. With the small group, we were able to be really informal and personal. And by the time of my last session, when we opened up for questions and answers, there seemed to be a real sense of openness and fellowship among the brothers, as we thought and talked together about the practical implications of the messages for our lives and families. This was only the second time I participated in a retreat like this. But both experiences have been enriching for me. I pray that the brothers who participated in this retreat will see much fruit from their labors towards godliness – to God be the glory!

A Strange trip from Canaan to Ephesus

Every year, I go through my "annual homiletical crisis" – in which I really, really struggle in my preaching. For some reason, this year "crisis" (termed this purely on the basis of how I feel going through it) is taking place much earlier - it usually takes place well into the second half of the year. And it's taking on a weird form this time around. I have been struggling to determine what to preach. When I land on a text or subject, my personal study time has been great. But I have also been struggling with turning my personal study and meditation into pulpit-ready messages.

Leading up to the first quarter of 2007, I was able to prayerfully produce a "sermon card" for the church, in which I was gave the title and text for every message that I was schedule to preach at MSMBC from January through March. It was a first. And I was really looking forward to it becoming a new trend in my sermon preparation. However, since April, I have not been able to focus that clearly or think that far ahead. During this same time period, we have been in a relocation process as a church. And some of the pressure related to this season of our congregation's life may be causing my homiletical clumsiness. Other than that, I don't really have an explanation.

This week, the struggle has taken an interesting turn – from Canaan to Ephesus. Since the beginning of April, I have been planning to begin an exposition of the Book of Joshua. I have given several starting dates. But I have missed them both. And this week marks the third time I have missed a planned starting date for Joshua. Last Sunday, I preached a passage out of Exodus with the intention that it would be my introduction, of sorts, to Joshua. And I have been working this week of Joshua 1:1-9. I even ordered several more commentaries this week to help my studies. And I was working on Joshua as late as yesterday afternoon. But once again, my work just came to a halt. I stopped and prayed. Then I began to read through and study a passage from Ephesians. I began preaching through Ephesians last year. But I broke the series during the summer, intending to get back to it at some later date. I guess Ephesians was on my mind this week because I am scheduled to speak at a men's retreat Friday and Saturday, and I am planning to do three expositions from Ephesians. And earlier this week, a member asked me I was going to resume Ephesians. I thought it was ironic. Well, that's what I am not working on for Sunday. Really, you can't go wrong preaching about Jesus and our salvation in him. But these twists and turns have made it difficult to prepare to preach. Please pray for my sermon preparation work and preaching schedule. And pray that I am able to come out of whatever this is I am in – soon!

God bless.

Winning Spiritual Battles

This past Sunday, I preached on Exodus 17:8-16. I had been studying this passage and meditating on it for several weeks. Several things attracted me to this passage. First, the theme of spiritual warfare attracted me. This battle that the Israelites fought against the Amalekites illustrates the spiritual battles we as Christ-followers face against the flesh, the world, and the devil. I feel like some of the things the members of MSMBC are going through in their personal lives is the direct result of spiritual battles that need to be fought and won. Likewise, some of the things we are going through as a church are spiritual battles. I wanted the church to understand this. Second, this passage calls for dependence upon and confidence in God. I believe my congregation needed to hear that. I know I do, too. There are things that we are praying for that require great faith if they are to come to pass. And I wanted to challenge the church again to trust that there is nothing too hard for God. Finally, this passage introduces us to Joshua, Moses' assistant and successor. It is my intention to begin preaching the book of Joshua this coming Sunday (Please, please pray for me!!!). And there was something I wanted to say about him out of this passage. I believe that this battle at Rephidim prepared Joshua for leadership in Canaan. And it thus warns us not to be negligent with our present responsibilities. Our present responsibilities are spiritual preparation for future opportunities. Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday's message:

Title: "Winning Spiritual Battles"

Text: Exodus 17:8-16

Theme: Divine help in spiritual warfare

Point: The Lord is able to give you the victory in every spiritual battle you face.

Outline:

I. Depend on the power of God (17:9-12).

A. The importance of prayer is seen in the effect it had on the battle battle (v. 11).

B. The importance of prayer is seen in the effect it had on Moses (v. 12).

II. Fight with confidence in God (17:10, 13).

III. Remember the faithfulness of God (17:14).

A. Remember God's faithful power in your past.

B. Remember God's faithful promises for your future.

IV. Give all the glory to God (17:15-16).

Happy Memorial Day

Today, we remember the American soldiers who have died in military service. And we pray for those who continue to serve in harm's way in different places around the world. God bless.

Speaking @ Phillip’s Temple in Dayton

I am writing this post from Chicago's O'Hare airport. I am waiting for my connecting flight to Dayton (OH), where I am scheduled to begin a three-night meeting at the Phillip's Temple C.M.E. Church. The pastor, James Washington, has a large vision for strategic ministry and a solid commitment to biblical preaching. This is my second time preaching at Phillip's Temple. And I can say that it is the strangest C.M.E. (Christian Methodist Episcopal) church I have ever preached in. Okay. It's the only C.M.E. congregation I have ever preached in. But from everything I hear about the denomination, this is not your typical C.M.E. church. From its worship style, to its ministry innovations, to its congregational structure, this church seems to break the norms of its surrounding community and denominational structures. But with its commitment to sound doctrine as its foundation, this is a thriving congregation that is touching many lives with the good news of Jesus Christ. I have good memories from the meeting I did there last year. And I trust the Lord will richly bless this meeting, as well. Please remember me and this meeting in your prayers over the next several days.

About an Hour. Not!

I had an eye exam yesterday. And I was given a new prescription. The doctor has been monitoring a potential problem with my eyes for several years now. And the situation hasn't gotten any worse. Praise God! But at the same time, the problem has not really changed. So I was told again by the people who specialize in doing glasses in about an hour that it would take 8-15 working days to get my prescription done. Go figure. There's a sermon illustration there somewhere, I just have to find it.

Speaking @ Word Fellowship

I am in Greensboro, North Carolina, preaching for my friend Keelan Atkinson. A little less than a year ago, Keelan organized the Word Fellowship Reformed Baptist Church. And I have the honor of preaching their first revival. This is my third time coming to Greensboro to preach for Keelan. So there is a level of familiarity with Keelan's ministry, which makes it a pretty relaxing atmosphere to preach in. The Word Fellowship congregation loves the word. And I have really enjoyed preaching to them these past two nights.

The place where the meeting was to take place was unavailable Wednesday night. So Pastor Jeff Smith and the Clifton Road Baptist Church family graciously opened their doors to host this meeting. And it has ended up being a joint meeting between the two congregations. Pastor Smith has only served Clifton Road for a little less than a year. But the Lord's blessings are obviously on the ministry of this congregation. Pastor Smith has been kind and gracious. And the members of Clifton Road have been hospitable and encouraging. It has been a joy to worship with and minister to these two congregations. Please pray for the final night of this meeting.

Adding Knowledge

I am teaching a new series on Tuesday nights. (Have I mentioned yet that our midweek service moved to Tuesday nights?) I am calling it, "Saved for Sure." And it is based on 2 Peter 1:5-7. In 2 Peter 1:3-11, Peter exhorts his readers to make their call and election sure. And in verses 5-7, Peter gives seven spiritual qualities that you should add to or supplement your faith with for assurance, growth, stability, and fruitfulness in your Christian experience. After several weeks of introduction, I have plunged into the seven qualities. We studied "virtue" last week. And last night we studied what it means to add "knowledge" to your faith (verses 5-6). I thought it was good work, and was really excited about teaching it. I trust that the congregation found the study beneficial.

Next Tuesday - God willing - we will study what it means to supplement your faith with "self-control." Please remember this series in your prayers.

Happy Mother's Day

Her children rise up and call blessed; her husband also, and he praises her; "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - Proverbs 31:28-30 (ESV)

Speaking @ Morning Star in Grand Prarie

This evening, I will preach my final of three messages at the Morning Star Baptist Church in Grand Prarie (TX), where Christopher Taylor is the pastor. I have preached this meeting for Pastor Taylor a four or five times over the years. And all I can say is that Morning Star is a great place to preach. Last night, I preached a message that I really didn't intend to preach outside of my own pulpit. But I felt such freedom in preaching at Morning Star, that I took a shot at it. And I believe it was received well.

There have been quite a few pastors and preachers who have shared in the services each night, which has been very encouraging. And I have had the opportunity to fellowship with Pastor Reginald Reid of Texarcana, for whom I am to preach later in the summer. It's been good getting to know him. Likewise, as I stood to preach last night, I saw a woman sitting in the congregation and I said to myself, "Wow, that lady looks just like..." - a member of our worship team and a lead singer in our choir at MSMBC. But I immediately dismissed the thought and tried not to stare at her. Come to find out, it was who I thought it was. She is in Texas for work, heard that I was in town, and came out to support her pastor. My wife, Crystal, warmed me to take this as a reminder to be on my best behavior wherever I am. She's right. It's a small world. But I thank God for familiar faces in strange places.

A Rare Two for One Sunday

Today was a rare (translated "weird") day of preaching for me. I worked all week on a message on Genesis 25:29-34. But when I went to bed last night, I was not comfortable with it. I felt (and still feel) it needed more work before I preached it. So I went to bed with plans to preach a message from Philippians 1:19-21. It was a older message from the exposition of Philippians that I did some years ago. I had been thinking about this text this week, as well - especially as we prepared for the National Day of Prayer. So it was kind of natural for me to consider preaching it, which is exactly what I did in our 8 AM service. But after the first sermon, I felt that I should preach the other message I prepared in the 11 AM service, which is exactly what I did (with some internal debate with the Lord, I must admit). But the Lord blessed both messages to be a help to our congregation, I believe. It's been more than ten years since I have preached two different messages on a Sunday morning. And barring some strange event, it may be another ten years before it happens again.

Go Spidey!

My son, H.B., and I were among the throngs who went to see Spider-Man 3 this weekend. And we officially give it two thumbs up. Go spidey!

Speaking @ Peace Chapel

This past Friday, I spoke at Peace Chapel Baptist Church here in Los Angeles. Their pastor, DeAntwan Fitts, has only served the congregation since October of last year. But the Lord is already at work in this congregation in obvious ways. The meeting was the opening night of their youth revival, which will take place each Friday night in May. I was honored to be invited by this new pastor. And I was encouraged to fellowship with this young brother who is determined to lead his congregation with sound doctrine. And I was glad to be invited to preach a "youth revival." Even though I am still a young man (I think), I don't get invited to do too many youth meetings anymore. Our music team joined me. And they were great. And the congregation was graciously patient with my preaching. I trust that the word will bear fruit in the days to come. Please remember this pastor, congregation, and meeting in your prayers. And pray for my associate pastor, George Hurtt, who is scheduled to preach this meeting on May 18.

The Ultimate Prayer Partner

This past Thursday, we observed the National Day of Prayer at MSMBC with a special prayer meeting. This is the third or fourth year we have had this service. We worship together. And we spend time in prayer specifically for the government, media, education, church, and family. Then I bring a message. I almost didn't preach this year, though. I was debating whether or not we should just keep on praying. We don't have too many meetings like this where we just pray. So I thought that maybe I should just save my sermon for another time. But I finally determined that it would be best for me to go on and preach the message that I prepared. And I am really glad I did. God used the message to comfort and encourage many people who were present. Here is the skeleton from that service.

Title: "The Ultimate Prayer Partner"

Text: Romans 8:26-27

Theme: The Intercessory Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Point: You can pray with confidence because the Holy Spirit is praying with you and for you.

Outline:

I. The Holy Spirit intercedes to help you in your weakness (8:26).

A. The Spirit helps us (v. 26a).

B. The Spirit intercedes for us (v. 26b).

II. The Spirit interceds in harmony with the will of God (8:27).

A. God the Father knows the intentions of the Spirit (v. 27a).

B. God the Father agrees with the intercession of the Spirit (v. 27b).

Confessions of a Pastor

Our Book of the Month for May is Confessions of a Pastor, by Greg Groeschel. Groeschel pastors the Life Church, a multi-campus congregation in Oklahoma. I really didn't know much about Groeschel when I purchased the book. I had seen an advertisement for Confessions in a Christian magazine. And it piqued my interest. While in a bookstore in Chicago last year, I saw it and bought it. The chapter titles were quite provocative, such as "I Can't Stand a Lot of Christians," "I Have to Work Hard to Stay Sexually Pure," and "I Hate Prayer Meetings," etc. I was really curious about how Groeschel would address these subjects. Would this be a reality-TV type treatment of a pastor's personal life? Was he serious? What was this book really about? I couldn't wait to read it. And I wasn't disappointed.

Once you get past the provocative way in which the book is presented, Confessions is a sound, clear, and helpful guide for those who want to have a more authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Groeschel does make confessions about each of the things he mentions in the various chapter titles. And he is rather candid about his spiritual struggles, which was both shocking and refreshing. But, as you dig into each chapter, you soon discover that Groeschel is not just talking about himself. He's talking about you, as well. You begin to see yourself in the discussion. And then Groeschel turns to scripture to address what the Word of God has to say about the subject. And his handling of the texts he uses is both faithful and helpful, providing both a better understanding of scripture and practical guidance for drawing closer to God.

I heartily commend this book to you. It will, as its subtitle says, help you to drop your pose and get real with God. And yourself. It's about 200 pages long. But it's very readable. Groeschel's writing is clear, thought-provoking, and even entertaining. I read a lot of theology, exegetical works, and commentaries that are written with a lot of technical language. So I like to read books like this that are, well, readable - deep thoughts packaged in fresh language. I trust that this book will be a good read and a spiritual benefit to you. Likewise, my fellow preachers and teachers will find some good illustrative material in it. Let me know.

Addressing Disappointment with God

My message yesterday addressed the subject of "disappointment with God." I first began to think about this subject years ago when I read Phil Yancey's excellent book by the same name. This is also what I called the message I preached yesterday on Matthew 11:2-6, where an imprisoned John the Baptist asks the Lord Jesus if he is really the one who is to come. This passage was heavy on my heart to preach all last week. And I couldn't wait to get to the pulpit to preach it. I just knew that the Lord would have people here who really needed a message like this. And he did. Praise God! Here is the sermon skeleton on yesterday's message:

Title: "Disappointment with God"

Text: Matthew 11:2-6

Theme: Disappointment with God

Point: Your spiritual disappointment can become blessed assurance if you continue to trust the Lord when you don't understand him.

Outline:

I. The Reality of Spiritual Disappointment

II. The Reasons for Spiritual Disappointment

A. Spiritual disappointment happens when God does not meet your personal expectations.

B. Spiritual disappointment happens when God does not meet your theological expectations.

III. The Response to Spiritual Disappointment (11:4-5)

A. John's response: He took his questions to Jesus (vv. 2-3)

B. Jesus response:

1. Jesus did not get angry with John.

2. Jesus did not deliver John.

3. Jesus did not give John a direct answer to his question.

4. Jesus pointed John to the word of God (v. 5)

IV. The Remedy for Spiritual Disappointment (11:6)

The Life of the Party

Here is the sermon skeleton for yesterday's message:

Title: "The Life of the Party"

Text: John 2:1-11

Theme: The transforming power of Jesus Christ

Point: Jesus is God who has come to transform your disappointments into joy.

Outline:

I. The Gracious Presence of Jesus (2:1-2)

A. Jesus was invited to the wedding feast.

B. Jesus accepted the invitation to the wedding feast.

II. The Sovereign Authority of Jesus (2:3-5)

A. The authority of Christ is seen in Mary's report to Jesus (v. 3)

B. The authority of Christ is seen in Jesus' response to Mary (v. 4)

C. The authority of Christ is seen in Mary's command to the servants (v. 5)

III. The Transforming Power of Jesus (2:6-10)

A. Jesus does what religion cannot do (v. 6)

B. Jesus turns water into wine (vv. 7-8)

C. Jesus saves the best until last (vv. 9-10)

Preaching @ Greater Starlight

Last night, I preached for my friend, Prentiss Lewis, who pastors the Greater Starlight Baptist Church here in Los Angeles. They are having a three night meeting, which began Tuesday and ends tonight. And Pastor Lewis graciously invited me to preach the middle night of this meeting. I have been preaching different occasions for Pastor Lewis and Greater Starlight for some time now. And it is always a sweet time of fellowship and worship with them. Last night was no different.

“Saved for Sure”

We resumed our midweek worship services last night – with a few changes. The obvious change is that we moved from Wednesdays to Tuesdays. I am excited about this change. I have a somewhat wider speaking ministry beyond my local church. And it causes me to miss our midweek service at times. However, with our meetings being on Tuesdays now, I am able to avoid scheduling conflicts better. This pleases me to no end. I richly enjoy these midweek worship services and I hate it when I miss them.

Likewise, on last night I shifted to more of a teaching format, which I intend to use for the most part on Tuesdays. I prepared printed outlines for the congregation to use during the message. And I intend to make that a regular practice on Tuesdays. And I will not be writing out full manuscripts of Bible expositions for midweek anymore. As much as I enjoyed doing Psalm 119 last year, it was brutal doing two full expositions each week. The format I plan to use on Tuesdays will allow me to adopt a different and less grueling study schedule and preparation process. This, too, pleases me to no end.

Other than that, I think most everything else stays the same in our midweek services.

Last night, I began a new series that I am calling "Saved for Sure." Over the next weeks, I want to discuss the seven spiritual qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 that supplement faith and lead to spiritual assurance, growth, and stability. Last night was the introduction, of sorts, in which I gave an overview, of sorts, of 2 Peter 1:3-11. I wanted the congregation to get a sense of the passage as a whole before we narrowed our focus to the individual qualities listed in verse 5-7. It was a good start to the series, I believe. Pray for the Lord's blessings on this study and that our lives will be changed as we learn what it means to live to the full and practice godliness in Christ.

Preaching my Meditations

I was supposed to begin an exposition of the book of Joshua this past Sunday. But it is going to take me a few more weeks to be ready to begin. However, I didn't come to terms with that until the middle of last week. And Sunday was coming with a fast and in a hurry. So I have to switch gears quickly. First, I had to determine if I was going to preach. But that was a no-brainer, as tired as I was. I couldn't wait to get home from OKC to get back into my own pulpit. I felt a burden to preach. But what would I preach? I had been meditating on Hebrews 4:14-16 all week. And at some point, meditation turned into exposition. And I was comfortable enough with it by Sunday to take it to the pulpit. I trust that it was a blessing to the congregation. Here is the sermon skeleton:

Title: "Our Great High Priest"

 

Text: Hebrews 4:14-16

 

Theme: The high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ

 

Point: Jesus Christ is our great high priest who ministers everything faith requires to live for God.

 

Outline:

 

1. The Superiority of our Great High Priest (4:14)
   

   
    

   1. Where is our high priest? (v. 14a)
      

      
       

   2. Who is our high priest? (v. 14b)
      

 

1. What is the does any of this make? (v. 14c)
   

 

1. The Sympathy of our Great High Priest (4:15)
   

 

1. Jesus cares about your struggles (v. 15a).
   

 

1. Jesus knows about your struggles (v. 15b).
   

 

1. The Sufficiency of our Great High Priest (4:16)
   

   
    

   1. The sufficiency of Jesus Christ is demonstrated in the privilege of prayer.
      

      
       

      1. We can draw near to God continually.
         

         
          

      2. We can draw near to God with confidence.
         

      
       

   2. The sufficiency of Jesus Christ is demonstrated in the power of prayer.
      

      
       

      1. God will give your mercy to cover your past sins.
         

         
          

      2. God will give you grace to help you with today's trials.
         

The 63rd OKC Simultaneous Revival

I made it to OKC a little after 7 last night, and arrived at Fairview in time to preach. It is good to be back at Fairview again and to have the opportunity to participate in the Oklahoma City Simultaneous Revival again. Dr. John A Reed Jr., whom I affectionately call, "Pop," "adopted" me after my dad past in 1989. They were dear friends. And the Lord has used Pop to fill an important void in my life over these years. And the Fairview Baptist Church family is a second home to me. I am really excited to be here and pray that the Lord will bless this meeting.

For the record, my luggage made it to town 12:30 this morning.

The mass services began today. Between today and Friday, there will be mass services at noon each day and a late-night service at 10:30 each night, along with the evening services at each local church. May the Lord use each preacher, bless guide each pastor, and bless each church. And may the Lord smile on this week and change many lives in this city as a result of this week of meetings.

Always an Adventure

After a pretty uneventful Holy Week (which is a good thing), this week has begun with a bang. I missed my flight this morning. Before I went to bed last night, I looked at the itinerary, and read that I was leaving this morning at 8:20. I later discovered that the flight actually left at 7 and was to arrive in Phoenix at 8:20. This is a perfect illustration or either how tired I was last night or how clueless I am in general (you decide). But it gets better. I discovered my flight had already left after I checked-in, which included two pieces of luggage, and went through security, and was heading for my gate. The fact that the wonderful people at _______________ Airlines checked my bags onto a flight that had been in the air for almost 30 minutes is a perfect illustration of either how unhelpful they were this morning or how clueless they are in general (again, you decide).

So the wonderful people at _____________ Airlines graciously put me on a later flight that would get me into Oklahoma City at 10:30. But with TaVon's help (my administrative assistant), I found a flight on another airlines that is scheduled to get into OKC at exactly 7 this evening. So I'll spend more time today in airports that on airplanes, trying to make it to OKC to begin a week or preaching tonight at the Fairview Baptist Church (Pastor John Reed, Jr.). It is taking all the "Good Friday" comfort and "Resurrection Day" power I can muster to maintain a good afternoon. But I won't complain. After all, at least I got it better than my luggage. I don't know where it is or where it's headed!

Preaching in Ann Arbor

I flew home from New Orleans early Monday morning. And I spent the day with Crystal and the kids. But over the course of the day, I got sick. But there was no time to rest and recover. Tuesday morning, I had to get on a plane to Ann Arbor to preach. I took medicine Monday night. It was labeled "non-drowsy." But my body doesn't know what that means. So I ended up oversleeping. I woke up at 4:47 AM. My flight was to leave LAX at 6 AM. Yet, I made my flight and my they didn't even lose my luggage. I can't believe it.

I am in Ann Arbor, preaching at the Second Baptist Church, where Mark Lyons is the pastor. I met Mark when I was sixteen years old, when I was invited to preach at his home church in Louisville. Mark has served Second Baptist Church for five years now. And the Lord is doing a great work here. Being here is another reminder that prominence and significance don't often go hand-in-hand. That is, the person in front of the line is not necessarily the most important person in the line.

Preaching @ Beacon Light(s)

Yesterday, I preached the fourth anniversary celebration of the Beacon Light Baptist Church of Houma, LA, which is about 45 minutes from New Orleans. Under the leadership of Pastor Herbert Andrew, this fast growing congregation is touching many lives in its community and beyond. The two morning services I preached (7:30 & 10 AM) were rich worship experiences. It would have been worth it to be here just to participate in the worship services. Their reverence, passion, and excellence in worship are quite uplifting. I thank God for the new friend I have in Pastor Andrew. And I pray God's continued blessings on this young but strong church.

I was hooked up to Pastor Andrew through his spiritual mentor, Bishop Daryl Brister – senior pastor of Beacon Light Church in Houston and New Orleans. In meeting Pastor Brister earlier this year, a new friendship quickly developed. And he introduced me to Pastor Andrew, who was his 1^st assistant pastor until Brister planted him in this Houma congregation four years ago. In fact, Beacon Light Houma is the first of five churches in Louisiana that Bishop Brister has planted in the past four years.

I came back to New Orleans to preach for Bishop Brister at the "mother church" in the afternoon, which meets at Greater St. Stephens' West Bank location (Bishop Paul Morton). Beacon Light's facilities was heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath, Brister began a site in Houston. At this point, Brister preaches in Houston on Sunday mornings, and then flies to New Orleans in the afternoon. He then teaches Bible Study in Houston on Tuesdays, rotates among the daughter churches on Wednesdays, does the New Orleans Bible study on Thursdays, and then heads back to Houston to start all over again the next week. That makes me tired just typing it. I preached the New Orleans service for him yesterday. And it was another great experience. Being in the service revealed to me where Pastor Andrew picked up the wisdom he has in leading worship and shepherding a congregation. God is moving this congregation from devastation to restoration. Please pray for Bishop Brister and this great congregation, as they restore their facilities and continue to changes lives in this area that so desperately needs the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Joy of Books & Reading

I am at the airport in Salt Lake, waiting for my connecting flight to New Orleans. For the record, I hate airports. And I hate layovers. So I was not too happy about my several hour layover, when I got off the plane from San Francisco. But a bookstore in this airport has made my day. Well, not the bookstore itself. I didn't really go into it. But as I passed by, I noticed these quotes about books and reading in the window display. These quotes made my day. The happiness I felt reading these quotes is indescribable. I could personally relate to each of these statements about the joy of books and reading. I jotted them down to share. Here they are. Enjoy!

"Books may be the only true magic." - Alice Hoffman

"A book is a delight to the mind." - Anonymous

"What is reading but silent conversation?" - Walter Savage Landor

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." - Chinese proverb

"You can taste a word." - Patricia Bailey

"Tis the good reader that makes the good book." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I am a part of all I read." - John Kieran

Amen!

Last Day in Town – San Francisco

Today is my last day in San Francisco. It has been a grueling week, physically – with services in both the afternoon and the evening. But it has been spiritually enriching. The afternoon services I have been preaching have been good meetings. I have heard so many stories of how the messages have helped people in specific ways. This is so encouraging. Often people just make general comments about your preaching. But when someone pinpoints the particular way God has used your preaching of the word to touch their life, it's so uplifting. The evening services have been great, as well. Dr. Nathan Johnson, who pastors the Tabernacle M.B.C. in Detroit, preached from the psalms each night. And each message was right on time for me personally (Prov. 25:11). It's been so refreshing to just spend a week sitting under such helpful and faithful biblical preaching.

I have one more sermon to preach this afternoon. Pastor Elliot Ivey, who serves the New Beginnings Church in Oakland, will close the meeting out this evening. Then it is time to go home – almost. In the morning, I am scheduled to leave here for New Orleans. I am to preach three messages there this coming Sunday before I head home Monday morning. Please continue to pray for me.

Preaching the San Francisco Citywide Revival

I am in San Francisco, preaching their citywide revival. I started yesterday and will preach through Friday. This is my third year preaching this meeting. I am the midday speaker. The evening speaker is Dr. Nathan Johnson of the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church in Detroit. Pastor Elliot "Poison" Ivey, who serves the New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church in the area, brought the opening message Sunday night and will close the meeting out Friday night.

The past two years I was here, I caught a cold and was sick the whole week. So far, all is well. Praise God! I have already preached two messages. And they have been well-received. Yesterday, I took the hand held microphone and began to preach. But I couldn't really hear anything. Neither could the congregation. And it never got any better. Come to find out that we had never turned it on. So I preached the whole sermon holding a microphone that wasn't even on. But I preached my heart out. And God graciously sustained me in preaching. I have three more messages to preach. Please keep this meeting in your prayers.

Preaching in my Old Man’s Shadow

Sunday night, I was privileged to preach for my friend Pastor Michael Ealey at the Christ Second Baptist Church in Long Beach. Pastor Ealey has been preaching me since I was a boy. And he has proven to be a faithful friend over the years. I remember when I was going through a storm in the early days of my pastorate. Many of my "friends" backed away. But one day I got a call from Pastor Ealey to let me know that he was there for me and was covering me in prayer. I will never forget that act of kindness. It encouraged me at a critical time. So whenever I can be of any service to Pastor Ealey, I'm all in.

Christ Second Baptist Church is celebrating its 100^th church anniversary this year. And one of the reasons why Ealey invited me is because my father pastured Christ Second for 10 years. My you, my father served MSMBC for forty years, and I have served there for 16 years. So that tells you how long ago this was. Yet, every time I go to Christ Second, I meet someone who was baptized, married, etc. by my father. It's amazing. One lady compared my preaching to my father's younger days. I was honored. It's one of the best compliments I've received in a long time. Plus, without me really knowing it, God used me to preach a timely message to Pastor Ealey and the congregation. I am glad to have been invited to join in this wonderful celebration. As tired as I was, I really left there renewed by the worship and the fellowship. Please remember Pastor Ealey and the Christ Second Church in your prayers.

The Relocation Meeting

We changed our Sunday schedule this past weekend in order to accommodate a special congregation meeting. We do not do "business meetings" on Sundays. But this was an exception. The pastoral leaders of our church have been praying about relocating the congregation to a new site, because of the various space challenges our congregation faces at our 1800 facility. I thank God for the blessing our church site is to us. And I thank God for how he has helped us to cope with some of the challenges. We have no parking. And our members park in a lot a block or so from the church, behind a supermarket. I know that sounds. But this free parking space has been a blessing to us. And we have some of our Sunday morning small-groups in a facility down the street from the church. It's an Usher's center that has been made available to us for a minimal cost. With God's help, we have been strategic and creative in trying to make the best use of the space we have. But it has become increasingly challenging. And I believe that it really put a strain on the congregation over the past year. We have a committed core in our church. But it is difficult to reach unsaved and unchurched people with the space issues we have. And it's also difficult to minister to the young Christians in our church and nurture them to spiritual development with these challenges. Over the past several years, we have wavered between remodeling our present space and relocation. But we are not at a point where our leadership is united in seeking to relocate.

About six weeks ago, we were introduced to a church facility in our city that has become available. It would be an ideal place for our congregation, in so many ways. In fact, it is a site where the congregation used to meet some forty years ago. It would definitely be a step of faith for our church. But we believe that it is God's will that we pursue this open door. So we met with the congregation Sunday to ask their approval to make an offer on these facilities. It was a typical MSMBC meeting – peaceful, prayerful, purposeful, and playful. I gave a brief presentation, took questions, and then we voted. Of the three motions we voted on, there was only one nay vote. The congregation seems to be both united and excited about this opportunity and willing to do what it take to take this great step of faith. Praise God! I am asking that you would join our congregation in prayer about this matter. Pray that God would give us these facilities, that he would help us to acquire these facilities in a manner that we will be able to sustain, and that our ministry would expand as a result of this move. Above all, pray that God would be glorified in and through us as we take this step of faith.

Giving to God III

Sunday morning, I delivered the third part of our month-long series on "Giving to God." Sunday's message was, "How Should I Give to God?" The bottom line of the message was the priority of pleasing God in your giving (Genesis 4:3-5). I gave seven principles for giving in a way that pleases God:

1. Give worshipfully (Prov. 3:9-10; Matt. 6:1-4).
   
2. Give willingly (2 Co. 8:7; 9:7).
   
3. Give intentionally (Prov. 27:23-24; 1 Co. 16:1-2).
   
4. Give generously (Prov. 11:24-25; 2 Co. 9:6).
   
5. Give sacrificially (2 Sam. 24:24; Mark 12:41-44).
   
6. Give joyfully (Acts 20:35; 2 Co. 9:7, 15).
   
7. Give expectantly (Eccl. 11:1-2; Luke 6:38; 2 Co. 9:10-11).
   

This Sunday, my pastoral assistant, George Hurtt, will give the concluding message of this series: "What Difference Does My Giving to God Make?"

Catching Up Posts

Howdy.

Over the next day or so, I will be doing some "catching up" posts. There have been a lot of things going on with me and mine that I want to make note of. I have just been a little busy. So I plan to catch you up with my little world as quickly as I can.

Keep reading.

Preaching @ St. Paul in Sacramento

I have been preaching at the St. Paul Baptist Church in Sacramento the past three days (Wed-Fri). Pastor Ephraim Williams is leading the congregation in a celebration of 59 years of ministry, which will conclude this Sunday. This was my second time ministering at St. Paul. It's a bit intimidating to preach at St. Paul, for various reasons. But it has been quite refreshing to worship with St. Paul and to fellowship with Pastor Williams. Dr. Ephraim Williams is a legend. His integrity, wisdom, love, vision, and courage have been used by God over the past 36 years to nurture St. Paul into an "epicenter church." I trust that the messages were a blessing to the membership of St. Paul. And I am grateful that the invitation has been extended to me to come again next year, God willing. Please keep Pastor Williams and St. Paul in your prayers.

Giving to God (Part II)

Yesterday, I continued our financial stewardship sermon series, “Giving to God.” The message was “What should I give to God?” I offered three answers to that question.

I. Give God the tithe.

A. Tithing is an expression of devotion (Gen. 14:20; 28:18-22).

B. Tithing is an act of worship (Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:6-10).

C. Tithing is a spiritual discipline (Matt. 23:23; 1 Co. 16:2).

D. Tithing is a statement of faith (Mal. 3:10).

II. Give God an offering.

A. Offerings are freewill gifts (2 Co. 9:7)

B. Offerings are declarations of thanksgiving (Ps. 50:14).

C. Offerings are investments in the work of God (Phil. 4:18).

III. Give God yourself (2 Co. 8:1-5; Rom. 12:1-2).

My Last Day at the Alamo

In spite of the fact that the San Antonio Spurs live and play here, I have really enjoyed being in San Antonio this week. This citywide revival has been refreshing, edifying, and encouraging. I have made some new friends this week. I have heard some strong preaching for Pastor Dennis Jones. And I have felt free to preach my heart in the services I that have been assigned to me. Today is our last day in town. Pastor Jones is to preach the closing midday service this afternoon. And I am scheduled to preach the closing evening service tonight. May the real revival begin after these services have ended.

For the record, I I have been here all week and have not seen the Alamo yet, which happens to be the primary thing I know about San Antonio. But who knows? I may get to drive by it before the day is over.

A thought about Greener Grass

I statement has been on my mind the past day. I don't know why. But it keeps coming to my mind: The greener grass on the other side of the fence comes with a higher water bill.

Update from the Alamo

I am in San Antonio to preach the Baptist Ministers Union’s annual citywide revival. And I am really enjoying this meeting. Citywide revivals are not what they used to be – for many reasons. But this meeting has been special. The day and night services have been well attended, with extra seats being place in the aisles. And the congregations seem to be ready for worship and eager to receive the word in every service.

Pastor Dennis Jones of the Gethsemane Baptist Church in Houston is my preaching partner this week. This is his third consecutive year doing this meeting. So the city is familiar with his preaching. And there has been a sense of great anticipation each time he has preached. It has been a joy to get to know him and fellowship with him.

But I am out of gas!!! I rarely do five-day meetings. So my mind thinks it is time to go home, even though I have two more messages to preach. Likewise, there are both day and evening services. And it’s a rotating preaching schedule – I preached last night and will preach this morning, but won’t preach again until tomorrow night. I am a little tired now. But I am looking forward to these final messages. The Lord has blessed this meeting in a great way. I cannot begin to describe it. And I cannot wait to see what the Lord is going to do in these final services. Keep us in your prayers.

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.

Giving to God

Yesterday, I began a four-part series on financial stewardship that I am simply calling, “Giving to God.” I usually do a stewardship series each year. Over the past years, it’s been in the month of May. This year I decided to do it in March. There was no deep rationale behind it, though. There are also several other differences this go-round. First, I am preaching thematic sermons, connecting passages, rather than expositions of a particular passage. Likewise, I am using printed outlines that we are distributing for the congregation to fill in as I am giving the message. Again, there was no deep rationale behind these changes. We just decided to do something different this time. And the congregation seemed to receive the message well yesterday. The message was entitled, “Why should I give to God?” Using selected scriptures I gave for reasons for giving to God:

1. What I possess, God owns.
2. What I give, God multiplies.
3. What I invest, God rewards.
4. What I need, God supplies.

There are three more messages in the series:

3/11 – What should I give to God?
3/18 – How should I give to God?
3/25 – What difference does my giving to God make?

My associate, George Hurtt, will deliver the closing message on March 25. Please pray for the remainder of these messages and that God help us to be more faithful stewards of our financial resources as our minds are renewed by the word of God.

Go, Natalie! It's Your Birthday!

Today is my daughter's birthday. Natalie Marie Charles turned 5-years-old today. Or is that 25? I'm not sure sometimes. My little girl is growing up so fast. She is such a little lady. And I am very proud of her. Crystal gave Natalie a tea party Saturday. When I arrived for the party, Natalie greeted my kind of coldly. She was upset about something. We couldn't figure out what the matter was. Finally, she told me and Crystal that the tea party was just for girls and that I was not dressed right for the party. Little girls. What are you going to do?

My ongoing prayer for Natalie, and her brother H.B., is that they would grow as Jesus grew - in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52)

Happy Birthday Princess!!!

R.A. Williams Speaking @ MSMBC

Tonight, we will conclude our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series. We have truly been blessed throughout this month of February to be challenged, confronted, convicted, converted, and comforted by the powerful preaching of the word of God. The Lord has blessed each meeting in a unique way. And the Spirit of God has empowered and directed each preacher to preach a timely word for the congregation. We are expecting no less tonight. Our guest speaker will be Dr. R.A. Williams, Jr., who pastors the McCoy Memorial Baptist Church right here in Los Angeles. Dr. Williams, who is also the president of WHW ministries, is not stranger to MSMBC. He has preached for us throughout the years. And he has always been a blessing to us. And we are looking forward to what God is going to do through him in this closing night of this series of services. Please pray for us.

Oh, by the way, if you would like tapes or CD’s of the messages, please call our church office at 323-734-1028. Or you can send your information via email to our office through our church website. Sorry that you can just order them online. We hope to fix that real soon. Thanks for your support.

God's Help for a Long Weekend

I had an unusually busy weekend of preaching and teaching. But God was good and faithful to provide strength as it was needed, as always. I do not think I stood to preach any time this weekend where I didn't feel God's presence and help with me. Praise God! Thanks for praying for me and for the notes of encouragement.

Sunday morning, I concluded my two-part series on prayer. Here is the skeleton from yesterday's message.

Title: “God is not a Crooked Judge”

Text: Luke 18:1-8

Theme: Persistence in prayer

Point: Men ought to always pray and not lose heart.

Outline:

I. Is God like this crooked judge?

A. Yes. God is the only one who can make things right in your life.

B. No. You do not have to beat God up in prayer to get him to do what is right for you.

1. God’s character is good.

2. God’s ways are just.

3. God’s timing is perfect.

II. Are you like this persistent widow?

A. Yes. You have an adversary (v. 3) that you cannot handle on your own.

B. No. You are God’s elect (v. 7), not some helpless widow.

C. I don’t know. Only time will tell whether you have the faith to persists in prayer (v. 8b).

An Unusually Busy Weekend

This will be an unusually busy weekend for me. I will have to teach or preach seven times over the course of the weekend. Please remember me in your prayers

Today at 11 AM I am to give the eulogy in the funeral service for Roosevelt Wideman, a longtime and devoted member of MSMBC

Tonight at 7 PM I am to close out the Spiritual Emphasis Conference at the Judson Baptist Church in Carson, where Dr. Johnny Baylor is the pastor.

In the morning at 11 AM I am to give the eulogy in the funeral service for Joe Bennett, another longtime and devoted member of MSMBC.

Tomorrow evening at 5 PM I am to bring the message in the California Baptist State Laymen’s Men’s Conference. That service will be held at Pilgrim Baptist Church here in L.A., where Dr. Albert Nicholas is the pastor.

During our Sunday morning services, I am to conclude my two-part series on prayer with a message on Luke 18:1-8, entitled, “God is not a Crooked Judge.”

Note: My small-group will not be meeting this Sunday.

And Sunday afternoon, I am to speak at New Life Christian Fellowship, for the pastoral anniversary of my boyhood friend, Barry Wilson.

Stay in the Race

Thanks for praying for our Wednesday in the Word Revival meeting last night. Our guest speaker was Dr. Ralph Douglas West of The Church Without Walls in Houston. He preached last night from the classic passage in Hebrews 12:1-2, which calls the believer to run the race of faith with determination, without impediments, and with focus on Christ alone. It was a rich, timely, and powerful message that I trust was edifying for the congregation.

I cannot begin to describe the great blessings Ralph West’s visit was to me personally. I believe that the Lord sent him to Los Angeles just for me. As much as I was richly blessed by the message West preached, our personal time of renewed fellowship was even better. I was able to glean from his pastoral wisdom and be the recipient of his encouragement. It was just what I needed when I needed it. I have been truly challenged and encouraged to run on to the completion of the goal that God has for my life, faith, and ministry.

Ralph Douglas West @ MSMBC

Tonight, we will continue our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series at Mt. Sinai. We have really been blessed so far by the preaching ministries of William Curtis and Maurice Watson. Our guest speaker tonight will be Dr. Ralph Douglas West, who pastors the Brookhollow Baptist Church in Houston – a.k.a., “The Church Without Walls.” I first met and heard Pastor West when I was in my early teens. He was one of the keynote speakers each year in the Oklahoma City Simultaneous Revival, which my father would participate in. And Pastor West’s ministry shaped my view of preaching in its early stages. And throughout the years, Dr. West has continued to be a model of Bible exposition and pastoral leadership. Dr. West was last here in 1994, when he did three for us. It was a memorable meeting. And the messages he preached continue to bless us after all this time. So we are looking forward to tonight’s service and trust that God will send us a timely and powerful word. Please remember this revival in your prayers.

The Parable of the Friend at Midnight

Sunday, I preached the first of two messages on prayer. It's a two-part series on the parables of Jesus about prayer that I am simply calling, "God Answers Prayer." Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday.

Title: “God is not a Sleepy Friend”

Text: Luke 11:1-13

Theme: Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1).

Probing Question: What is the most important lesson about prayer that you should learn?

Point: God answers prayer.

Outline:

I. Pray with reverence for God (11:2-4).

The Model Prayer teaches us three fundamental lessons about how to ray God-centered and God-exalting prayers.

A. Pray directly to God.

B. Pray about things that will bring glory to God.

C. Pray as if everything depends on God.

II. Pray with dependence upon God (11:5-8)

This Parable of the Midnight Caller raises two questions about your prayer life that reveal the nature and level of your dependence upon God.

A. Do you pray?

B. How do you pray?

III. Pray with confidence in God (11:9-13)

In verses 9-13, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with confidence that God is able and willing to answer prayer.

A. Pray with confidence that God is able (11:9-10).

B. Pray with confidence that God is willing (11:11-13).

God Answers Prayer

It happens after prayer! I truly believe that. The things we desire God to do for us – and the things that we desire God to in and through us – happen after we pray. There is much we can and should do about about situation after we pray. But there really is nothing we can about a situation that will matter, ultimately, until we pray. I believe the two primary tools God gives us for Christian life and ministry are prayer and the ministry of the word. So I want to use the ministry of the word to challenge our congregation to be more devoted to prayer.

This Sunday, I will begin a two-part series on prayer that I am simply calling, “God Answers Prayer.” The messages will come from the two parables of Jesus about prayer that are recorded in Luke’s Gospel: the Parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:1-13) and the Parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8). Between these two messages, I will ask the church to pray for themselves, another, the church, its leaders, the lost, and our community. Please pray for these two messages and the corresponding emphasis on prayer in the life of MSMBC to bear much fruit.

2/18 – God is Not a Sleepy Friend (11:1-13)

2/25 – God is Not a Crooked Judge (18:1-8)

Grace for Grown Ups

We continued our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series last night. Dr. Maurice Watson of the Beulahland Bible Church in Macon & Warner Robbins, Georgia, was our guest speaker. And Maurice Watson did what Maurice Watson does. He preached up a storm. The message was from 2 Corinthians 12:6-9, where Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh. He entitled it “The Painful Side of Grace.” It was very timely message. There are members of MSMBC who are struggling with various challenges, delays, and trials in their lives. I know those who heard that message last night left with their faith strengthened and the vision of God enlarged.

We had really good attendance last night, even though it was Valentines Day. I was hoping and praying that “Cupid” wouldn’t take precedence over Christ. And I was really proud of our congregation. It was a well-attended service. And I believe that God was glorified and the saints were edified in and through the meeting. We will not be posting the messages on our website. But they are available through our church office. Please remember the continuation of our meeting in your prayers. Dr. Ralph Douglas West of the Brookhollow Baptist Church (“The Church Without Walls”) in Houston will be our guest speaker.

Dr. Maurice Watson Speaking @ MSMBC

Tonight, we will continue our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series at Mt. Sinai. And I am really excited about tonight's speaker. One of my favorite preachers, Dr. Maurice Watson, will be bringing the message. Watson pastors the Beuhlahland Bible Church in Macon & Warner Robbins, Georgia. This is the first time Pastor Watson has been to MSMBC since he relocated from Nebraska. He really did take a great step of faith in leaving the historic Salem Baptist Church in Omaha. But the Lord has honored this step by blessing Watson's work at Beulahland in a great way. Since his arrival several years ago, the church has seen outstanding growth, going from two Sunday worship services to four - at two different locations. I have often prayed that the Lord would enlarge Pastor Watson's platform. And the Lord answered that prayer and continues to do so. Yet, in the midst of it all, Watson has not changed. He is still a good friend, a wise mentor, and a model preacher. Please pray for every aspect of tonight's service. But, most especially, pray that the Lord Jesus will be glorified as he uses Dr. Watson in a great way to proclaim the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Speaking @ New Mt. Calvary

I spoke last night at the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield, CA. The church is celebrating Dr. Claybon Lea Jr's 8th pastoral anniversary. The celebration will conclude this coming Sunday. Dr. William Curtis of the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh will bring the messages. Lea and I have mutual friends who have encouraged us to know each other. In fact, last summer a brother pastor took me by the Mt. Calvary campus to meet Dr. Lea. He was not present. But his staff was very kind. They even gave me and my family a tour of the facilities and shared some ministry resources with us. I received a book that Dr. Lea had recently published on the cross. I really appreciated it. Anyway, it was a real joy to be at Mt Calvary last night. The worship and fellowship were warm and uplifting. And it is a great preaching station, as the congregation is both attentive and receptive toward biblical preaching. I hope the congregation was as blessed in hearing the message as I was in preaching it to them.

The personal time I was able to spend with Dr. Lea was refreshing and encouraging. He is both kind and humble. And as he shared with me the story of his pastorate and all that God is doing in and through Mt. Calvary, my heart rejoiced. Mt. Calvary is one church in two locations. Several years ago, they purchased and remodeled a large office complex. Today, it is a fully resourced church campus. And after being in the new facility for several months, the Lord led the church to return to its old church facility and continue their work there, as well. And the Lord has smiled on Claybon Lea and the Mt. Calvary Church as they have striven to walk in faith and obedience. Presently, the leaders of MSMBC are prayerfully considering relocation. Our ministry space is pretty limited, with little room for growth. We severly lack both Christian education space and parking that we need. We have had these and other space problems for some time. But now it seems like the Lord is pressing us to aggressively pursue relocation. So seeing what God has done at Mt. Calvary and having Dr. Lea share the story of the church with me were timely blessings from the Lord. I am going home this morning with greater faith in the goodness, wisdom, power, and faithfulness of God to provide what is needed to grow his church.

Speaking @ LABTS

I spoke at the chapel service for the Los Angeles Bible Training School tonight. It was my third time speaking at the schook, I think. It is a honor for me to be asked to minister the word at LABTS. First or all, I have the utmost respect and admiration for President Paul Felix. His kindness to me is a great encouragement. Likewise, Felix and LABTS zre doing a great work in our city, coming alongside of pastors and local churches to train men and women in the scriptures. George Hurtt, my associate pastor at MSMBC, is also one of professors at the school. He is teaching "How to Study the Bible" this semester. And several of our leaders and members have attended classes there over the past few years. I am not sure how well known this work is in our city, even though it has been around for quite some time now. But LABTS should be broadly known and supported generously. It was a joy to fellowship with the students again in worship and the study of the word. Please remember President Paul Felix and LABTS in your prayers.

Series Stuff

Yesterday, I finished the six-part Sunday series I have been preaching, entitled, "Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning." These weeks (Doesn't time seem to just fly by!) have been an enriching study for me. However, I must admit that I really didn't expect the messages to be so hard. When we selected the passages and themes, it all seemed to fit together so smoothly. But I don't think I really considered how challenging passages would be. For instance, yesterday's text, Luke 17:1-10, was really stern. I don't mind this. But I just didn't expect it. I have been confronted and convicted quite a bit over these weeks. I think the same could also be said of the congregation that heard these messages. May God be please to bring much fruit from this study.

Likewise, I finished my series on Psalm 119 at the end of January. I preached 22 messages from the 176 verses of this "Mt. Everest of the Psalms." This was one of he most personally enriching series I have ever done. And it really stretched me as a preacher. I plan to do more work with these messages in the days to come.

This Sunday, I plan to begin a two-part series that I am calling, "God Answers Prayer!" The two messages will be on the parables about prayer that Jesus gives in Luke 11 and 18. Between these two messages, we are planning a week long emphasis on prayer for the church. Please pray for this work.

Hey! I almost forgot. Yesterday was my 34th birthday. Happy birthday to me!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My mother, Ellen Louise Charles, turns 65 years old today. And I am glad to be able to celebrate it with her. As many of you know, the Lord called my father, H.B. Charles Sr., to glory while I was in my middle teens. But the Lord has graciously given me these years with my mother. She has been able to see my development as a man, my growth as a Christian and a pastor, and my life as a husband and a father. And my mother has been my biggest cheerleader every step of the way. I praise God for the gift my mother is to me. Whenever I need a pick-me-up, all I have to do is call my mom. And she will inevitably make me feel like the most special and important person in the world. Plus, she will inevitably say something to make me bust up laughing.

The plan was for me and my siblings to all meet up in Oklahoma City this weekend, where my mother lives, to celebrate her birthday. But these plans fell through. So I sent for her to come here and spend her birthday here with us. I am glad it turned out this way. If we would have gone to OKC, I would have had to rush back tonight to be in the pulpit in the morning. But now that she is here, we get to spend our birthdays together (I turn 34 years old on Sunday). I am glad that the providence worked things out this way. I have even talked her into singing “Only What You Do for Christ Will Last” in one of our services Sunday. It should be a great weekend. The only problem is that my children will no doubt give her a long report of my “wrongdoings.” When I do something that H.B. and Natalie don’t like, they regularly threaten to tell my mom on me, so that I can get a “whipping” when she sees me. I try to tell them that I’m a grown man and that I don’t get whippings. But that only makes them laugh. They are convinced their grandmother is the great equalizer. So I guess I should brace myself for my birthday “whipping.” I am just grateful that my mom is still with me to issue it.

Happy Birthday mom! I love you.

My Spring 2007 Small-Group

This Sunday, between our two morning worship services, I will begin my spring 2007 small-group. Well, I don’t know it if is really a “small-group,” as thirty-two people have signed up for it so far. Each semester, I tell myself that I am not going to lead any Sunday school class (we call them “small-groups” or “Bible study fellowship groups”). But I end up changing my mind each time. This semester is no different. I just enjoy it too much to let it go. And I am excited about this upcoming semester. I like (and seem to need) the opportunity to pray, study, and fellowship with members of MSMBC in a more informal setting. And my spiritual growth is always nurtured by the experience, even though I am usually the one leading the group. I really do learn just as much from the other members of the group as they learn from me.

This semester, my group will be reading together He’s God and We’re Not by Ray Pritchard. Pritchard is the former pastor of the Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois. And he is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, which is his writing and speaking ministry. Ray Pritchard is one of my favorite preachers and authors. His work is consistently sound, clear, and practical. And I have been richly blessed by it through the years. By the way, for my fellow preachers, Pritchard’s sermon manuscripts are also posted on his website. They are a great resource that will benefit you both devotionally and homiletically. Likewise, Pritchard’s church website is what introduced me to the world of ministry blogs. So it is no stretch for me to use one of his books in my small group. And even though I have enjoyed and been enriched by all his books I have read, He’s God is one of my favorites. It’s about what Pritchard calls “the seven laws of the spiritual life.” These seven biblical principles will be the focus of my small-group’s study this semester. I solicit your prayers for my small-group. And I encourage you to pick up this book for yourself and be blessed by its call to spiritual growth in Christ.

Wednesdays in the Word Kick-Off

Last night, we began our Wednesday in the Word Revival series at MSMBC. Dr. William Curtis of the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittburg was our guest speaker. And he kicked off this series in a great way. The Lord really did use Pastor Curtis to deliver a timely, challenging, and uplifting message from the word of God. I don’t like to attach a lot of descriptions to the term “preaching.” I think the word ought to stand on its own – either one preached or he did not. But there are two terms that I think are appropriate to describe preaching – “faithful” and "courageous.” And both terms describe Pastor Curtis’ message last night. The message ministered to me in a personal way at an important time in my life. Praise God! Likewise, our congregation was enriched by the ministry of the word. I was somewhat disappointment that more people were not present. But I am grateful for everyone who was present – members and guest alike. And I pray that last night will be just the beginning of a great revival in and through MSMBC.

William Curtis @ MSMBC

Tonight begins our Wednesdays in the Word Revival at Mt. Sinai Church. Rather than meeting consecutive nights which we typically do, we are meeting consecutive Wednesdays in February for the first time. The idea is not original with us. But I am praying that the Lord will honor this meeting with his blessings in a special way. We are not a large congregation. And this meeting is a real step of faith for us in some ways. Yet, we are honored to have some great men of God to minister the word to us over the course of these weeks. Dr. William Curtis, who pastors the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburg, is our guest speaker tonight. Dr. Curtis is also the new president of the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference. Most importantly, this guy can just flat out preach. I have heard him on tape quite a bit over the past few years. I also watch his internet broadcasts occasionally. I had the opportunity to meet and hear him personally last October. I was enriched by both the personal fellowship and the ministry of the word he delivered. And I trust that tonight will be no different. Please pray that this revival will be a fruitful in, for and through MSMBC to the glory of God.

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Title: “The Freedom of Forgiveness” (“Resolved to Forgive Others”)

Series: “Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning”

Text: Matthew 18:21-35

Theme: Being forgiven and being forgiving

Point: You are not really free until you forgive the ones who have wronged you.

Probing Question: Why forgive?

Transitional Sentence: In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, Jesus gives three reasons why we who are Christians must forgive others from the heart.

Outline:

I. I must forgive because God has forgiven me.

A. Sin is a debt that you owe to God.

1. It is an incalculable debt.

2. It is an unpayable debt.

B. God has forgiven your sin-debt through Jesus Christ.

1. The forgiveness of God is free.

2. The forgiveness of God is full.

3. The forgiveness of God is faithful.

C. The forgiveness you have received from God is the grounds upon which you extend forgiveness to others.

II. I must forgive others because no offense is beyond my forgiveness.

A. The wrong you have suffered from others is significant.

B. The wrong you have suffered from others is insignificant in comparison to the debt you have been forgiven.

III. I must forgive others because unforgiveness is too costly.

A. Unforgiveness is wicked.

B. Unforgiveness is torture.