Speaking @ First Baptist Church on Mandarin

Dr. Gary Williams is hosting a church institute May 5-7 at the First Baptist Church of Mandarin, a suburb of Jacksonville. And he has graciously invited me to be the keynote speaker for the opening session tonight.

I am scheduled to speak at 7:30 PM. And the service is open to all.

Please remember tonight's meeting in your prayers, as I stand to preach the word. And remember this entire institute in your prayers.

Partnership in the Gospel

Here is my sermon skeleton from Sunday's message. It is the second in a yet-to-be-determined series of expositions through the book for Philippians. This message is based on an introductory section on the letter, in which Paul offers thanksgiving to God for the church at Philippi.

TITLE: “Partnership in the Gospel”

TEXT: Philippians 1:3-8

SERMON SERIES: PHILIPPIANS: PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL

THEME: Partnership in the Gospel

POINT: The church of Jesus Christ ought to be lovingly bound together in partnership in the gospel.

TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: Paul’s thanksgiving in Philippians 1:3-8 teaches us three dynamics of partnership in the gospel.

OUTLINE:

I.    The affirmation of gospel partnership (1:3-5)

     A.    Affirmation with thanksgiving (v. 3)

     B.    Affirmation in prayer (v. 4)

    C.    Affirmation because of partnership with the gospel (v. 6)

II.    The assurance of gospel partnership (1:6)

    A.    God has begun a good work in you.

    B.    God will complete what he has started in you.

III.    The affection of gospel partnership (1:7-8)

    A.    Affection rooted in Christian love (v. 7)

        1.    The place of Christian love

        2.    The basis of Christian love

        3.    The extent of Christian love

    B.    Affection rooted in Christian longing (v. 8)

Notes from Sunday - 05/03/09

Can you believe it's May already?

We had a wonderful Lord's Day celebration at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church yesterday. I believe the Lord was glorified. And I believe his people were blessed.

I am truly grateful for the many members of SMBC who serve in various ways to honor God, encourage one another, and welcome the saints. May God bless you richly for your selfless service. And may your tribe increase!

In New Members Class, I taught on the hindrances to effective or answered prayer. I listed five "prayer-busters":

    1. Prayerlessness (James 4:2b)
   
    2. Unconfessed sin (Isaiah 59:1-2; Ps. 66:18)

    3. A lack of faith (James 1:6-8; Heb. 11:6)

    4. Selfishness (James 4:3)

    5. Broken relationships (Matt. 5:23-24; 1 Peter 3:7).

Praise God for the celebration of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Table that we celebrated together in our 10 AM service.

The choir's song of preparation was a medley, "Victory in Jesus"/"O, Sweet Wonder." Praise God! I appreciate the obvious work the music department put in to prepare that number.

I continued our exposition of the book of Philippians. My text was Philippians 1:3-8. I labeled the message with the words of verse 5 - "Partnership in the Gospel."

I am strongly considering going back to preach verse 6 by its self this coming Sunday. It is one of the key verses for the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and worthy of an exposition of its own.

Of course, I could not study or preach Philippians 1:3-8 without thinking about the precious and beloved congregation in Los Angeles with which I partnered in the gospel for some 18 years of pastoral ministry.

I need to learn to focus more on what the Lord puts on my mind and heart to say during the sermon, and not worry so much about the things I studied and prepared but did not get to say.

On that same note, the fact that I am reading more than 50 commentaries and references on Philippians is probably not helping the situation. After all my reading, it is difficult to organize and edit down my thoughts for preaching. I trust that, as I press my way through Philippians, I will determine the commentaries that are most helpful and forsake those that are just rewording other people's thoughts. Ray Pritchard is right. I need to learn to learn faster.

Weekly sermon preparation is a wonderful privilege, a stimulating adventure, and a horrible burden. But I wouldn't want to do anything else in the world!

Praise God for those who were saved and added to the church in/through our worship services.

For those of you keeping score, Crystal finally won one. Hailey made it through 8 AM service. Barely.

Manny Pacquiao knocked out Richy Hatton in the second round Saturday night. Unfortunately, I didn't see it. I was still working on my sermon manuscript. But I plan to catch the replay this weekend.

Should Young Childre Receive Communion?

Like many Baptist congregations, the church I serve practices what is called open Communion, rather than closed Communion. This means that every professing believer who is present for our Lord’s Supper services is welcome to participate, whether they are a member of our local congregation or not. By extension, it also means that every true believer is welcome to participate no matter what his or her age may be. Any and every child who has received the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord and sincerely intends to follow Christ is encouraged to commune with us at the Lord’s Table. And we do not have any examination process to determine a child’s readiness for Communion, as we do with baptism. We simply leave it up to the parents to determine whether a child should receive the elements of the Supper.

That’s the issue that I want to address in this article. When should parents allow their children to receive the Lord’s Supper?

Let me preface my answer by clearly stating that when it comes to the spiritual development of children, parents (with the partnership of their local church) should be very aggressive. The flesh, the world, and the devil do not wait to corrupt our children and lead them away from God. And we should not wait to sanctify our children and lead them to Christ. So I would say to parents do not wait to teach your children the importance of regular church attendance, the priority of prayer, the blessings of generosity, and the duty of service to God and others. But I believe that the Lord’s Supper is a different matter. I think that parents should be slow, cautious, and prayerful about when and how they introduce their children to the Lord’s Supper. I believe this is the proper approach, because of the nature of the Christian ordinances.

There is no redemptive value in the ordinances. God saves sinners – both children and adults – by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, plus or minus nothing. So baptism and the Lord’s Supper have no saving power. But these Christ-instituted rituals are symbols of salvation. That is, baptism and the Lord’s Supper are divinely revealed pictures of what it means to be saved. Through these ordinances, we identify ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, along with all the redeemed saints of God. They mark us as saved people; they do not bring salvation. For this reason, it may be best that parents keep their children from participating in the Lord’s Supper until they are old enough to understand the meaning of it and can receive it with faith, repentance, and thanksgiving.

In 1 Corinthians 11:28-30, a corrective against the abuse of the Lord’s Supper, Paul says, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died” (ESV). These are stern warnings and exhortations about the importance of the Lord’s Supper. And it would be foolish to fail to factor them into your family’s deliberations about when young children should receive Communion.

Now, if you decide that your young children should participate in the Lord’s Supper with you, you are not violating the scriptures. There is no direct statement in scripture to regulate what age children should be when they receive Communion for the first time. So that decision really is left to the discretion of the parents. But I commend to you that the wisest thing for your child’s spiritual development may be to wait to receive the Lord’s Supper.

Wait until your child understands the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper symbolizes the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus. In other words, the elements of the Supper point us to the cross, where Jesus became our substitute and died to pay the penalty for our sins. So I would recommend that parents wait until their children have a basic and clear understanding of the gospel, before they give them Communion. Don’t give it to them if they are not able to relate to the elements beyond having juice and crackers in church. Wait to make sure they understand that the “juice and crackers” point to what Jesus did on the cross. And wait for them to understand more than the facts; wait for them to understand the meaning of the cross.

Wait until your child professes saving faith in Jesus Christ. The Christian ordinances are just that, Christian ordinances. So the best standard for when a person should receive the ordinances is when they have become a Christian through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t confuse your children about salvation, give them a false confidence of salvation, or lead your children to discount the value of Christ’s atoning work, by allowing them to take the Lord’s Supper before they are able to receive it in a meaningful way.

Wait until your child is mature enough to make an independent and credible decision to follow Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper bids us to live in a way that honors the great price that Christ has paid for our salvation. This is why we are commanded to examine ourselves before we receive the Supper. We play the hypocrite, dishonor Christ, and invite judgment on ourselves when we take Communion, but live in contradiction to the spiritual values that the Lord’s Supper symbolizes. And when parents allow this to happen with their children, they inadvertently teach their children how to “play church” without being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. So wait until your child is ready to live for Jesus before you allow them to take the Lord’s Supper.

Don’t be in too big a hurry to have them participate in the Supper that you don’t seriously process the spiritual implications of their participation. And if they ask you why they can’t have the juice and crackers like everyone else (and, at some point, they will), tell them why and explain to them the wonderful plan of salvation through faith in the cross of Jesus Christ. In fact, tell them about the meaning of the Supper as often as you can. Pray diligently for the salvation of your young children. Make sure that you live before them in such a way that your lifestyle does not contradict your witness. Lead them to participate in the elements of corporate worship and ministry programs in your church that are appropriate for your children. And wait with confidence for God to work.

What a Fellowship!

Here is the sermon skeleton from my message yesterday.

Title: "What a Fellowship!"

Text: Philippians 1:1-2

Sermon Series: Philippians: Partnership in the Gospel

Point: True Christianity binds believers to Christ and to one another.

Theme: The relational elements of a healthy church

Outline:

I. A healthy church is marked by servant leadership (1:1a).

    Paul teaches a lesson about servant leadership through...

    A. The omission he makes: He does not identify himself as an "Apostle"

    B. The association he shares: and Timothy

    C. The designation he embraces: servants of Christ Jesus

II. A healthy church is marked by a consecrated membership (1:b-c)

    What it means to be a saint is seen in...

    A. Our relationship to Jesus Christ: saints in Christ Jesus

    B. Our relationship to the world around us: at Philippi

    C. Our relationship to godly leadership: with the overseers and deacons

       1. Overseers serve by leading

       2. Deacons lead by serving

III. A healthy church is marked by true fellowship (1:2)

    A. The basis of true fellowship: grace

    B. The result of true fellowship: peace
   
    C. The source of true fellowship: from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Notes from Sunday - 04/26/09

As I drove to church this morning, I listened to Tunesha Crispell sing, "God Can Do Anything But Fail." My goodness, I really needed that reminder this morning. It set my mood for worship this morning. God is great!

Our youth choir led two numbers at the beginning of our 10 AM worship service. They did a wonderful job. What a great encouragement it was to have our youth leading us in praise to God.

Clifton Davis was our guest soloists this morning. He sung, "Jesus, The Center of My Joy." I  was deeply moved by the song. The congregation obviously appreciated the song as well.

In my New Members' Class, I continued to teach on the importance of prayer. I concentrated today on the conditions for an answered prayer.

Deacon Johnson rocked the house this morning!

I began a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Philippians this morning. I preached from Paul's opening salutation, recorded in Philippians 1:1-2. I entitled the message, "What a Fellowship!" I intend to post the sermon skeleton tomorrow (I also hope to soon have a way to post my full manuscripts online. Pray for that to happen).

By the time I got to the reference to "the deacons" in verse 1, I was out of time in both services. I basically skipped over it. And I summarized the greeting in verse 2 quickly. I still had a lot of material that I wanted to cover. But I know it would not be prudent to go back and pick up what I missed. God knows best.

I look forward to the day when I am able to unburden myself of the message that is on my heart, without the tyranny of the clock.

My plan is to take up Philippians 1:3-8 next Lord's Day: "Partnership in the Gospel."

Praise God for those who were saved and added to our church family in our services today.

News Flash: Hailey strikes again! As I was preaching the 10 AM service, Miss. H.B. threw up all over her mother and her big sister. I hope this was not her statement of what she thought of her father's sermon.

As I was checking the headlines this afternoon, I saw that former middle weight champion, Jermain Taylor, was knocked out last night. Unbelievable.

The Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Sorry George.

The Boston Celtics are tied with the Chicago Bulls at two games apiece. I have no predictions yet.

The Vital Statistics of Philippians

God willing, this Sunday morning I will begin a verse-by-verse exposition of the epistle of Paul to the Philippians. I am calling the series: "Philippians: Partnership in the Gospel."

Here is a summary introduction of the book of Philippians that gives abbreviated details about the contend and background of this letter. I hope you find it helpful as you read through, study, and meditate on this wonderful letter of Philippians.

Author: The Apostle Paul is clearly identified as the author of Philippians (1:1)

Intended Audience: Paul writes to the all the Christian believers in the local church of Philippi, along with the spiritual leaders of the church (1:1)

Date of Writing: Some time between 61-63 A.D.

Place of Writing: Paul is under house arrest in Rome, where he is awaiting trial. Philippians is one of the "Prison Epistles" of Paul (along with Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon)

Occasion: The church had sent Paul a gift through Epaphrotidus. While ministering to Paul, Epaphroditus became gravely sick. God healed Epaphroditus and Paul sent him back to the church. Paul sent this letter to the church through Epaphroditus.

Purpose: The letter is primarily a "thank you" note to the Philippians. Of course, because this is Paul writing, and because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it become much more. He also gave an update on his circumstances, commendations to his colleagues, and various exhortations and warnings to the church.

Theme: Partnership in the Gospel (1:5)

Key Verses: 1:5, 6, 21; 2:5, 3:1, 13-14; 4:13, 19

Special Features:

1. Philippians is called "The Epistle of Joy," as Paul speaks of joy or rejoicing at least 16 times.
2. The Hymn of Christ (2:6-11)
3. One of the Prison Epistles (along with Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon)
4. One of Paul's most personal and intimate letters.
5. This is the only letter in which Paul greets church officers (1:1)
6. Paul organized the church at Philippi during his second missionary journey (Acts 16)

Chapter Summaries:

Chapter 1 - There is joy in Christian suffering
Chapter 2 - There is joy in humble service
Chapter 3 - There is joy in being and growing in Christ
Chapter 4 - There is joy in godly contentment

Length: 4 chapters; 104 verses

Key People:

1. Paul
2. Timothy,
3. Epaphroditus
4. Euodia
5. Syntyche

Key Concepts:

1. Joy
2. Partnership in the Gospel
3. Christlikeness
4. Unity
5. Suffering

Emperor Maurice's Comfort in Psalm 119:137

There is an illustration from the life of Maurice, a Roman emperor, who found comfort from Psalm 119:137 in an unbelievable crisis. In the preaching moment last night, I passed right by this illustration. And by the time I recognized it, I was too far ahead to go back to get it. But I have been enriched and encouraged by this story and want to share it anyway.

During the 20 years he ruled the Roman Empire, he had shown virtues, marking him out to succeed Tiberius II. But the army turned against him and in 602 he fled, wit his wife and children, to Chalcedon, to escape the fury of the deformed and disfigured Phoeas. But Maurice did not long remain in safely for by order of Phoeas, he and his 5 sons were seized and executed. He was the last to die. As, one by one, the boys were murdered before his eyes, the noble father cried aloud, with each stroke of the sword, "Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and true is Thy judgment." - Herbert Lockyer, Psalms: A Devotional Commentary, p. 596

What a story! Maurice did not accuse God of wrong or deny the truthfulness of God's word, as he watched his sons die. Rather, he endured these tragic moments by reminding himself from Psalm 119:137 that at that very moment, God was still righteous and his word was still true. And so it is with whatever challenge or crisis you may face today.

Well-Intentioned Dragons

Dragons, of course, are fictional beasts - monstrous reptiles with lion's claws, a serpent's tail, bat wings, and scaly skin. They exist only in the imagination.

But there are dragons of a different sort, decidedly real. In most cases, thought not always, they do not intend to be sinister; in fact, they're usually quite friendly. But their charm belies their power to destroy.

Within the church, they are often sincere, well-meaning saints, but they leave ulcers, strained relationships, and hard feelings in their wake. They don't consider themselves difficult people. Often they are pillars in the community - talented, strong personalities, deservingly respected - but for some reason, they undermine the ministry of the church. They are not naturally rebellious or pathological; they are loyal church members, convinced they're serving God, but they wind up doing more harm than good.

They can drive pastors crazy... or out of the church.

- Well-Intentioned Dragons; Ministering to Problem People in the Church, Marshall Shelly, p. 11

Partnership in the Gospel: A Study of Paul's Letter to the Philippians

It was somewhere between A.D. 61 and 63. The place was Rome, where the Apostle Paul was under house arrest. He was there awaiting trial, uncertain as to whether he would be vindicated and released or convicted and executed. Paul is forced to wait for his trial to begin and its verdict to be rendered. But while he waits, he works.

Paul was chained to two Roman soldiers at all times. But house arrest afforded him many privileges. For instance, Paul was able to entertain guest in the house he had rented during his imprisonment. Throughout his imprisonment, various friends and colleagues came and went. But one guest came and stayed. His name was Epaphroditus, from the city of Philippi.

When the church at Philippi heard about Paul’s circumstances, they raised a love offering to send to him. Epaphroditus was selected to carry this gift to Paul. But the money was only a part of the gift. The bigger and better gift was Epaphroditus himself. Paul’s Philippian friends sent Epaphroditus to serve Paul on their behalf until Paul was released.

Epaphroditus ministered to Paul’s needs and ministered with Paul in spreading the gospel, until he became sick. Low sick. He almost died. Mercifully, God spared his life. When he was well enough to travel, Paul thought it best to send Epaphroditus home. The Philippians, who were troubled by the news of his sickness, worried about Paul and Epaphroditus. Indeed, Paul needed Epaphroditus. But he loved the church even more. So Paul sent Epaphroditus home, to relieve their concerns about him.

Before Epaphroditus’ departure, Paul prepared a gift for him to carry home to the Philippians. A letter. In this letter, Paul updated the church on his circumstances. Likewise, he thanked them for their generosity, which included a warm commendation for Epaphroditus. But most importantly, Paul wrote to the Philippians about matters related to their mutual partnership in the gospel, calling them to unity and steadfastness. All of these matters were addressed in a tone of joyfulness, which has resulted in Philippians being called, “The Epistle of Joy.”

God willing, we will begin a verse-by-verse exposition of this great letter this Sunday (4/19/09). In both of our Lord’s Day services, we will study this great letter to learn and be reminded of what it means for a local church to fellowship in the gospel. During your quiet time, read through the four chapters of Philippians in one sitting. Pray for the pastor’s preparation and presentation of the word, and ready your own heart to receive the ministry of the word. And invite someone to join us in worship as we discover the joy of Christian partnership.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

Speaking @ the 2009 OKC Simultaneous Revival

I am in Oklahoma City, preaching a revival for Dr. John A. Reed Jr. and the Fairview Missionary Baptist Church. I started Tuesday night. And I am scheduled to preach through Friday night.

My father preached this meeting for Dr. Reed for many years. After his death, Pastor Reed invited me to do this meeting for him. The year was 1990. I was 17 years old. And I have preached this meeting the week after Easter every since then, except for three years. Last year, I was unable to come because Hailey was born the day after Easter. Pop "fired" me to make sure I was home with Crystal for Hailey's birth. Good looking out.

In my absence last year, Pop invited Dr. Tom Diamond of the Abyssinia Baptist Church in Jacksonville to preach this meeting for him at Fairview. He invited Dr. Diamond again this year. He is lecturing each night before i preach. And it has been a great blessing to fellowship with him over these past two nights.

A simultaneous revival is when a group of churches hold a revival at the same time in partnership with one another. This is the 65th year this meeting has taken place in OKC. Some 25 local churches are in revival with their own guest preacher. At noon, the churches come together and one of the guests speak in this mass service. At 7 PM, each church holds their own service. Then at 10 PM, a late night service takes place, with one of the guest bring the message.

Tonight, my pastor from Los Angeles, Dr. Melvin Wade, brought the message in the Late night service. He was stellar.

By brother, Kevin Willis, is also here preaching at the Tabitha Baptist Church.

And my boyhood friend and fellow "son of Sinai," Reginald Payne, Pastor of the Full Gospel Baptist Church in Los Angeles, is here speaking as well.

There are many other great preachers here, such as L.K. Curry, Wallace Hartsfield, Stephen Thurston, C.W. Wallace, the Bailey brothers, Roscoe Bradley, Sir Walter Mack, Reginald Reid, C.J.R. Phillips, and Ricky Carter, among others.

My mom, baby sister, and other family members live here in Oklahoma City. But I have not had much time to spend with them, unfortunately, between their work schedules and my service schedule.

I have two more nights to preach. And I am also scheduled to preach the late night service this Friday night at 10 PM.

Please remember this meeting in your prayers. May the Lord send a true revival to the Oklahoma City.

Why Johnny Can't Preach

On and between flights today, I read T. David Gordon's little book, Why Johnny Can't Preach (P&R Publishers). And it was wonderfully disturbing. Playing off the titles of several classics, Why Johnny Can't Read and Why Johnny Can't Write, Gordon argues that media (in the general sense) has shaped the pulpit. Consequently, Gordon argues, many pulpits in America are filled by men who cannot preach. That is, many pastors do not know how to read texts carefully or how to communicate clearly or distinguish between the significant and the insignificant. And the pew is malnourished because of it.

I was challenged by this book. I did not agree with everything I read. Neither will you. But there is so much here that just cannot be denied and needs to be addressed by those of us who have the grave task of heralding the fitness and competence of Jesus Christ  as Savior and Lord.

Personally, reading this book has challenged me all the more to take my preaching seriously and strive to be a faithful, Christ-centered, expository preacher.

Gordon ends with good news: Johnny can learn to preach! He must simply work harder at reading the text and writing himself clear and focusing on eternal matters of creation, the Fall, and redemption. And, of course, the Lord must give Johnny utterance, and boldness to speak, so that he can say what he ought to say and make known the mystery of the gospel.

Following are a few quotes I highlighted as I was reading:

If the hearer's duty in listening to a sermon is to be willing to submit one's will to God's will, then one can only do this if the preacher does his duty of demonstrating that what he is saying is God's will. (p. 18)

Bad preaching is insufferably long, even if the chronological length is brief. (p. 30)

I realized then that sermon length is not measured in minutes; it is measured in minutes-beyond-interest, in the amount of time the minister continues to preach after he has lost the interest of his hearers (assuming he ever kindled it in the first place). (p. 31)

Anyone who reads normally assumes that you need to read a minimum of three to five books just to get a general introduction to a subject. (p. 54)

I would love to challenge the how-to preacher to preach a sermon on "How the Leopard Can Change His Spots," since, biblically, this is as easily done as a sinner's changing his ways. (p. 82)

The particular blindness of the culture warrior is that he permits himself to think God is pleased by coerced behavior; by requiring people to say "one nation, under God" even if they do not yet believe in God (which strikes me as an instance of taking the Lord's name in vain). (p. 87)

If theocracy didn't work in Israel, where God divinely instituted it, why do people insist on believing it will work in places where God manifestly has not instituted it. (p. 88)

Preaching well requires more than preparing sermons; it requires preparing oneself as the kind of human who has the sensibilities prerequisite to preaching. An individual without time to read broadly and intensely, without time to reflect on life, without time to compose (even if merely in a person journal), is not likely to be an individual who cam preach. (p. 107)

Notes from My First Easter Sunday @ Shiloh

The Lord really blessed our Easter services at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. In fact, the entire Holy Week was special - from our Palm Sunday services, to our visit to St. Thomas Baptist Church Thursday night, to our Good Friday Service, to our church-wide fast, to our 3-1-6 evangelism emphasis.

During our Bible Study Fellowship hour, our children led a program songs and recitations. It was beautiful to hear the children sing praise to God and quote from memory passages of scripture. And I was glad to see how many people came out to support our children.

The music was great! Our music did a great job leading us in musical praise to God. I was really blessed by "The Midnight Cry," which I had never heard, and "Don't Cry," were particularly moving. And a special thanks to the choir members who do not regularly attend the 8 AM service. Your sacrifice may the day extra special.

We gave a book away to all of our guests - Anchor For The Soul by Ray Pritchard. It is one of the clearest explanation of the gospel and a good read.

Thank you to every member who worked to invite or bring a guest with you to worship.

I preached a message from Acts 2:22-24 entitled, "God's Testimony About Jesus Christ." In these three verses, Peter gives three ways in which God himself testified that Jesus is both Christ and Lord:

    1. God affirmed the life of Jesus (2:22).

    2. God planned the death of Jesus (2:23).

    3. God brought about the resurrection of Jesus (2:24).

Whatever the quality of the sermon, I had a great text to preach from in which Peter declares, "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, for it was not possible for him to be held by it." (Acts 2:24)

I got a whopping one hour of sleep Saturday night. And I was wiped out Sunday morning. But by the day got into gear, the Lord gave me strength and I did not feel tired at all. God is Good.

I preached for about 10 minutes during the 8 AM service trying to block out a woman fighting with a baby in church. Woman: Crystal. Baby: Hailey. Who do you think won?

Praise God for those who were saved and added to the church in our services yesterday!

Kim and Copelia, from Mt. Sinai in Los Angeles, were in town and worshiped with us. When Crystal pointed them out, as I was giving the welcome, it absolutely made my day. I was a little homesick over the weekend, as I thought about this being my first Easter away from home. Worshiping and fellowshipping with Kim and Copelia over dinner, was a great blessing for us.

Our A.B. Coleman auditorium was set up for overflow. And at least one hundred people viewed our 10 AM service from Coleman, because we were running out of room in the main auditorium.

I understand that parking was a madhouse yesterday. Thank you to all of the brothers who served by helping people find a place to park and get to the campus. For that matter, thank you to all of the SMBC members who served in any way.

Please remember the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in your prayers this week.

Easter is the Main Event

"Anyone can be sentimental about the Nativity; any fool can feel like a Christian at Christmas. But Easter is the main event; if you don't believe in the resurrection, you're not a believer." - John Irving

Can I Tell Anyone That I am Fasting?

Last week, I taught a lesson on fasting in preparation for an upcoming church-wide fast in observance of Good Friday. But there was something I failed to discuss in detail, either in the presentation of the lesson or the manuscript I prepared. It is a common and practical question many people have about fasting: Can I tell anyone that I am fasting?

This question is raised in light of Matthew 6:16-18: “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (ESV)

In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), the Lord admonishes his disciples not to be like the hypocrites when they give to the needy (6:1-4), pray (6:5-15), and fast (6:16-18). Jesus warns them and us not to do these acts to be praised by people who see what we do for God. God is to be the subject and object of our acts of devotion. That is, what we do should be about God and for God. Our service to God is not to be “an outside show to an unfriendly world,” as they used to say in the church of my youth.

Our self-centered flesh strives to be the center of attention, even when we are doing things in the name of God. Jesus teaches us to combat this sinful tendency by praying and fasting in secret. He even instructs us to hide from ourselves when we give, working to keep the left hand from knowing what the right hand is doing, lest our good works activate our pride. Jesus speaks in such graphic terms to make it clear that our acts of service are to focus on God, not self or others. If we do good deeds to be seen, we already have our reward once others see what we do!

Jesus teaches that fasting and prayer should not be done for people to see you. But he does not teach that it is wrong for people to see that you are fasting and praying. Being seen in fasting and prayer does not cancel out the meaning of your acts or disqualify you from receiving a reward. We know this because giving, prayer, and fasting are all things that happen corporately and publicly in the New Testament. And we know that these were corporate acts because the New Testament writers reported it for all to read. It is not wrong for people to see that you are fasting or praying or giving.

Say you are fasting and someone invites you to eat. Or say someone asks why you are not eating. How should you respond? In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus clearly teaches us not to make a sad, sullen, and spiritual looking face and start explaining that you sacrificing are food for God, in a way that makes more of you than the God you supposedly are fasting for in the first place. Likewise, whatever you do, don’t lie. Do not dishonor God by not telling the truth as you are seeking to honor God by fasting and praying.

I recommend that you simply tell inquirers that you are fasting. If you are planning to fast, it may be best to talk to your spouse and close family members about what you are planning to do. You don’t want your wife to think that you are going on a hunger strike until her cooking gets better, do you? Beyond that, you should try to avoid putting yourself in situations where you will have to do a lot of talking about your fast, if at all possible.

But when and where you are directly confronted with a question, tell the truth. You don’t have to make a big fanfare about it. But be honest. You are fasting. And if this raises further questions, answer them directly and biblically. But do so in a manner that exalts the God for whom you have taken this step of faith, rather than exalting yourself for taking the step of faith.

Above all, avoid being entangled in legalistic rules when it comes to the exercises of your faith. Jesus did not say that you have broken the fast if you tell someone that you are fasting. However, you will break the spirit of the fast when you are more concerned about keeping it a secret from others than you are about feeding your hunger for God by abstaining from food for a season. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,” says 1 Corinthians 10:31, ”do all to the glory of God.”

A Picture of Hailey on Her 1st Birthday

Crystal took Hailey to take pictures on her first birthday, which was on March 24.

I saw the picture again this morning, and thought I would share.

So here it is: Crystal's second Mini-Me.

Notes from Sunday - 04/05/09

Yesterday was Palm Sunday. And we were blessed to have a great day of worship and fellowship at the Shiloh Church. We did not add any elements to our worship service. But it was a special time nonetheless.

I am blown away that it is April already. This year is speeding along.

As is our custom on first Sunday's, we observed the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper in our 10 AM service. Praise God for those who were baptized. And thank God for the opportunity to remember our baptism in Communion.

I asked the church to join me in a simple evangelistic emphasis for Holy Week: Project 3-1-6. I am encouraging each member to pray for three unsaved or unchurched people for the six days of Holy Week, with the goal of bring one guest to church with them for worship Easter Sunday morning. May the Lord smile on all who take up this challenge this week.

My New Members Class was great yesterday. I did not have much time. And it seemed that the time flew by so quickly. But it was great. I fielded questions. And although I only had time to respond to a few of them, the questions were excellent and led to good discussions.

The choir was on fire all day long. They did a great job in setting the tone of the worship services (with an assist from M. Rodgers).

During the 10 AM service, I led the pre-sermon hymn with the choir. We sung Timothy Wright's arrangement of the hymn, "My Savior's Love for Me." It is a wonderful song of praise for the love of God expressed to us in the death of our Savior on the cross.

I preached from Matthew 21:12-17, where Jesus cleanses the temple immediately after the Triumphal Entry. I labeled the message, "Is the Lord Pleased with this House?"

My argument was that the cleansing of the temple is warning for every church to consistently ask itself, "Is the Lord pleased with what he sees?" I saw in the text four tests that help a congregation examine if the Lord is pleased:

    1. The Test of Divine Authority

    2. The Test of Godly Priorities

    3. The Test of Changed Lives

       A. Lives are changed by the compassion of Christ.

       B. Lives are changed by the power of Christ.

    4. The Test of True Worship

I count it a great privilege to preach to such a great congregation each week as SMBC. And I am grateful.

Praise God for those who were saved and added to the church in our services yesterday.

I am now looking forward to our Good Friday Service, this Friday at 12 Noon.

WrestleMania 25.

Shiloh's 2009 Holy Week Schedule

Celebrating Holy Week

Holy Week is an observance of the Christian church that remembers the final week of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. It begins with Palm Sunday, which commemorates the Lord Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. During the Triumphal Entry, the crowds rejoiced as Jesus’ entrance into the city stoked the messianic hopes of Israel. In those days, the arrival of a conquering king would be typically celebrated with a royal procession. But in this impromptu triumph procession, they laid out their garments along the path. They also covered the path with palm branches, which symbolized victory and triumph. And they cried out, “Hosanna, to God in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

The main event of Holy Week is Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross as our substitute to atone for our sins. There is a sense in which Good Friday is the darkest day in human history. On that terrible day, the sinless Son of God was condemned to death and executed as a common criminal. He had done nothing wrong, except for being a religious nonconformist to the Jews and a political nuisance to the Romans. Yet our Savior died in a manner that was so painful and shameful that a new word was coined to describe death on a cross: “excruciating.” Yet while man was at his worst, God was at his best. God, in his sovereign grace and predestined will, accepted the death of his Son on the cross as the payment for the sins of all who repent and put the faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Holy Week climaxes on Easter Sunday, with the celebration of the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The resurrection is God’s stamp of approval for the redemptive work Jesus accomplished on the cross. The resurrection was of such importance that it caused the first disciples, who were all Jews, to change their day of worship from the Sabbath, which is our Saturday, to Sunday, which the New Testament calls the Lord’s Day. And since then, Christians gather every Sunday – not just once a year – to celebrate the face that Jesus lives!

I encourage you to spend this week in grateful and prayerful reflection on the inestimable price that was paid to purchase your salvation from the eternal wrath of God against sin and to provide the gracious handout of eternal life. Likewise, pray diligently for those in your sphere of influence and around the world who have not run to the cross and called on the name of the Lord for salvation.

Following is an outline of the major events of Holy Week and corresponding scripture references for you to read as you savor the goodness of God in Christ this week:

Sunday: The Triumphal Entry (Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-1; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19)

Monday: The Cleansing of the Temple (Matt. 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48)

Tuesday: The Authority of Jesus Challenged (Matt. 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 10:1-8)

Wednesday: The Plot against Jesus (Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6)

Thursday: The Last Supper, Gethsemane, & Arrest (Matt. 26:26-56; Mark 14:22-50; Luke 22:14-53; John 13-16)

Friday: The Crucifixion (Matt. 27:32-54; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:16-37)

Saturday: In the Tomb (Matt. 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

Sunday: The Resurrection (Matt. 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10)

Notes from Sunday - 03/29/09

What a weekend!

Saturday morning, at 8 AM, members of the Shiloh Church gathered together to pray together, as we prepared to embark upon our first Make A Difference Day - a one day blitz of practical service throughout our city. After prayer, we scattered throughout Jacksonville to show the love of Christ to others, because God has loved us in Christ.

Some helped a missions agency organize and pack goods to be sent to Jamaica.
Some put in smoke detectors in the homes of the elderly.
Some installed wheel chair ramps for seniors.
Some collected food and took them to local food banks.
Some served at local rescue missions.
Some threw a baby shower for teenage mothers.
Some visited the sick and the shut-in.
Some did house work and yard work for the elderly.
Some gave free health screenings.
Some went out and shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost.

Hundreds of members of SMBC, both young and old, gave themselves to serving others. The Lord blessed us to touch a lot of lives in Jesus' name. And the Lord blessed us as we gave ourselves in service to others.

This was the first time we have done something like this as a church family. And I praise God for the cooperation and participation of the leaders and members of SMBC. To God be the glory!

I was to finish my series on the Parable of the Sower Sunday. But I was on such a high from MADD09 that I knew that I would be preaching something else before I made it home Saturday. Late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, I edited a message from one of the psalms of praise. But by the time it finished printing, I knew that I was not going to preach. I ended up preaching from a passage that I had been meditating on all week, but had no intention of preaching.

I preached a message entitled, "The Kind of Prayer God Answers" - Nehemiah 1:4-11. I believe we find four aspects of the kind of prayer God answers in Nehemiah's example of prayer:

    1. God answers sincere prayer (1:4).

    2. God answers reverent prayer (1:5).

    3. God answers honest prayer (1:6-10).

    4. God answers believing prayer (1:11).

Even though it was not the message that I had planned to preach, I believe it was the message that the Lord wanted me to preach. And it was an important word for our congregation.

A big shout out to Pastor Mike Rodgers for teaching the mass Bible Study Fellowship hour for me.

Our men's chorus led the singing in both of our morning worship services. I was a great joy to have our men leading the congregation in song's of praise. May the Lord bless each brother who served our congregation in this important way.

We had several guests in our 10 AM worship. Arthur Jones performed a saxophone solo. And Dantavies Boatright led a song with the men's chorus. I appreciated them sharing their gifts with us.

Thank God for those who were saved and added to the church in our services.

Hailey did not make it through the 8 AM service. Again.

SMBC Make A Difference Day 2009

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

In the morning, the membership of the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville will engage in a one day missionary blitz that we are calling, "Make A Difference Day." Various member districts, Bible Study Fellowship groups, and ministry teams will participate in practical acts of service to show the love of Christ throughout our city.

From helping to building low income homes, to serving at local rescue missions, to running helpful errands for the elderly, to serving in mission organizations, to serving the needy in the neighborhood around our church campus, the members of SMBC will be striving to bring glory to our Father in heaven by serving others.

Please remember this special outreach in your prayers.

Happy First Birthday!!! Hailey Breanne Charles

A year ago today, Crystal, H.B., Natalie, and I headed to an important family appointment at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

It was the day after Easter. But that Monday was the day we had been anticipating - our new baby was to be born.

Crystal craved pancakes from The Griddle, Rosco's Chicken and waffles, and KFC hot wings the whole pregnancy. Being the devoted hustband that I am, I joined her. "We" (H.B., in the Greek) are still working off the baby weight.

Unlike our first two children, we did not determine a name until days before she was born. Our niece suggested, "Why don't you just name her H.B."? We laughed. But the more we thought about it, it grew on us. We decided we liked the name, "Hailey." And over the weekend, we finally landed on "Breanne."

For some reason, my niece who helped name Hailey, insists on calling her, "Hamburger."

H.B. and Natalie could not understand why they could not be in the room with us for the surgery.

As much as I keep warning her about those two "meddlesome kids" in the house, Hailey refuses to listen and insists on loving her big brother and sister. She thinks she is one of them. They love her back.

Her first words were, "Da Da." Don't hate. Unfortunately, everything is now "Ma Ma." She has been brainwashed like the other two.

Crystal had a sleep schedule down before we left Los Angeles. Hailey has not really gotten into a sleep rhythm since we moved to Jacksonville. I have suffered the most.

H.B. broke at least five pair of my glasses as a baby. Natalie took my pens and highlighters and wrote in my books. Hailey, the new generation baby, is determined to get to my MacBook and Blackberry.

Unlike her big sister, who has only befriended our dog Lido over the past year, Hailey has no fear of the "doggy person." Their stare downs are classic. I think Lido is more scared of her than she is of him.

Haily is a little people's person, much like her big sister - so unlike her big brother.

Hailey gets confused in church. When I am preaching, she thinks I am either talking or playing with her. So she tries to talk back.  Hailey TKO'd her mother during the 8 AM service again this past Sunday. I had to work hard to keep my concentration as Crystal angrily marched down the aisle with Hailey in tow.

When I look at Hailey, I see Crystal.

On this, her first birthday, Hailey has four teeth that have emerged. And she almost has this walking thing figured out.

May the Lord grant that Hailey will grow as Jesus grew: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." - Luke 2:52 (ESV)

Speaking @ the Little Rock Simultaneous Revival

I am preparing to leave Little Rock, Arkansas. It was my great privilege to preach the opening message of the Little Rock Simultaneous Revival last night.

This is the third year of this revival. And there are at least twelve actively participating churches this year. Under the direction of Pastor Dwight Townsend and his committee, this revival is growing and is rapidly becoming one of the key events in the Little Rock church community.

Beginning tonight through Friday, each participating church will be in revival at 7 PM. At noon, all the churches will meet together and one of the guests will speak. Derrick Miles (Louisville), Tim Rogers (Blytheville, Ark), and E.F. Ledbetter (Chicago) will bring the noon day messages. And after the evening services, there will be "late night" services, where one of the guests will speak. Bertand Bailey Jr. (Mt. Pleasant, TX), Sedric Veal (Cleveland), and Tellis Chapman (Detroit) will bring the late night messages.

Last night was the kick off service. The service was held at the St. Luke Baptist Church, where Eric Alexander is the pastor. Last October, this congregation entered their new church facilities. It is a beautiful building and a wonderful accomplishment to the glory of God. The church is at the word of... don't miss this... Jacksonville, Arkansas. Way cool.

I was deeply honored to be invited by the men to be the opening speaker. And it was great to preach to people who were so eager to hear the word, even though most of them did not know me from Adam. They were just there to hear the word. That's a good place to start a revival.

My brother, Kevin Willis, who is preaching in this meeting as well, drove in early to hear me last night. It was an added treat to have a little time to fellowship with him, as I met new friends and renewed old fellowships. I was greatly encouraged by those who told me they were following our work in Jacksonville and praying God's blessings for our labors.

The world at its worst needs the church at its best. Please pray for this meeting that God would honor their desire to revival the saints, restore the fellowship, and recover the lost.

God willing, I will continue my series on Psalm 119 tonight at Shiloh: "Embracing the Wonderful Word of God" (Ps. 119:129-136).

Notes from Sunday - 03/15/09

Sunday was a long, good day.

I continued my lesson on personal Bible study tips in my new members class. I went over time in the 8 AM service. And it caused me to have a very limited amount of time in my class session. But as always, I really enjoyed teaching the new members.

Our new young adult ensemble helped lead the singing in the 10 AM service for the first time. They did a great joy. And I am expecting great things from this group.

I continued my series on the parable of the sower - "The Heart's Response to God's Word" (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23). I preached on "Good Seed on Rocky Ground" (Matt. 13:5-6, 20-21).

In the message, I attempted to show how the picture of good seed on rocky places warns us of the futility of superficial faith:

    1. Rocky ground appears to be fertile.

    2. Rocky ground has no roots.

    3. Rocky ground will face the heat.

    4. Rocky ground cannot sustain life.

Praise God for those who were saved and added to our church family this past Sunday.

I am sensing a growing excitement about our upcoming "Make A Difference Day" on March 28. I pray the Lord will richly bless us and greatly use us as we blitz the city of Jacksonville with practical acts of service to demonstrate the love of Christ.

Sunday afternoon, we worshiped with the St. John Baptist Church of Middleburg.  It was the 128th church anniversary and the 19th pastoral anniversary for Pastor C.E. Preston. I trust our presence and ministry was an encouragement to this pastor and congregation.

I preached from the 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Sunday afternoon - "The Life God Blesses."

Thank you, Shiloh for your prayers, attendance, and support.

Wednesday's Sermon: "Embracing the Wonderful of God's Word" (Psalm 119:128-138)

Speaking @ the African American Leadership Workshop in Houston

I am in Houston, Texas. I arrived yesterday to speak for the African American Leadership Workshop, sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Dr. Charlie Singleton is the coordinator.

There are classes on various aspects of local church ministry, like children and youth ministry, Sunday school, prayer, worship and arts, women's ministry, and technology ministry.

Last night, I attended the workshop for pastors and preachers, led by Dr. Cleophus LaRue. He was excellent. I arrived late. But as soon as I sat down, I was engrossed with the lecture. It took me twenty minutes to identify that their were handouts. I was too busy catching the pearls of wisdom he kept dropping along the way.

Unfortunately, I had to preach after Dr. LaRue's lecture. I felt like I needed to work on my sermon another month, after his challenge to excellence in preaching. But the Lord helped me to preach.

The conference is being held on the campus of Houston Baptist University. It's my first time visiting the campus, even though I have been to Houston quite a few times.

I am scheduled to speak at the closing session, around noon. A couple of hours later, I will be headed back to Jacksonville.

Tomorrow's sermon: "Good Seed on Rocky Ground" (Matt. 12:5-6, 20-21)

Thanks for your prayers.

On Church Hopping

A certain woman who jumped from church to church decided that she was not at the right place. She informed her pastor, “Well, I believe it’s time for me to move again.” Mustering a rare forthrightness, he replied, “That’s okay. It does not matter that much when you change labels on an empty bottle.”

Of course, there are legitimate times and reasons to move your membership from one church to another. Conscience and conviction may require you to leave a church. In most instances, relocation results in the need to find a new church home. And there is a list of other situations in which it is appropriate and acceptable to transfer your membership. Let’s face it. We live in a mobile society. It is normal for people to change residences, jobs, cities, and churches. It is what it is. But it is wrong and irresponsible to accept this reality without scrutinizing it in light of the Lordship of Jesus Christ over the church.

Our failure to diligently pursue New Testament Christianity in congregational life has resulted in a phenomenon that would have been totally foreign to the early church – church hopping. You know what church hopping is, don’t you? It is when a person habitually jumps from one church to another.

Some do it in search of that elusive perfect church. Some do it to avoid accountability and responsibility. Some do it because they are bandwagon Christians, following whatever is considered new, exciting, or successful. Some do it because they view church to be like a buffet restaurant. In their selfishness, they design their own multi-site membership to satisfy their tastes. “I like the preaching here,” they say. “And I like the music over there. But I think that the other has a better youth program than all of them.” Still others do it because… Well, I think some people do it without really knowing why they do it. It is like a disease. Let’s call it CHS – Church Hopping Syndrome.

For the record, I am not talking about people who attend events or participate in worship services at different churches. I actually think it is beneficial to be exposed to what God is doing in other Christ-exalting, Bible believing churches. As long as it does not interfere with your commitment to your church, there is nothing wrong with visiting other churches. But it is wrong to be a resident visitor at several churches. For that matter, it is wrong to be a member of more than one congregation at a time. That is congregational polygamy. And it is wrong to jump from one church to another, just because you don’t like some things about our present church or you have found some things you like better at another church. This is serial monogamy. And it cheapens the bride of Christ.

How should we respond to the pervasive and spiritually counterproductive reality of church hopping?

The primacy of the pulpit. The number one reason people give for leaving a church is (insert drum roll): “I am just not being fed.” I could say the same thing about my wife’s cooking. But if I said that to Crystal, she would tell me, “I cooked a healthy meal. If you do not want what I cooked, you are on your own.” This should be how we respond to those who give this spiritual sounding excuse for church hopping. I accept the fact that there will be people who leave my congregation. But with God’s help, I am determined that they will not be able to legitimately say they left because they were not being fed. They will have to come up with some other excuse… uh… I mean reason. A strong pulpit has a way of anchoring a church and holding a congregation together. So by all means, preach!

There is another side of this coin. While biblical preaching will draw and keep people, it also has a way of driving people away. In 2 Timothy 4:3, Paul warns, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (ESV). If you are committed to sound doctrine and biblical exposition, be prepared for some people to avoid or leave your church. They will find themselves a place where the preacher is saying what they want to hear, rather than what the word of God teaches. But play the man and stay the course. 2 Timothy 4:5 says, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” In short, be faithful. And the Lord will reward your faithfulness.

Pastoral ethics. There was a time when it was harder for a person to jump church from church to church, because there was a certain code of conduct among local pastors. If you left my church and went to a church across town, the pastor over there would call to inform me and ask some questions about you. You could not cause trouble in one church and then pop up somewhere else without the pastor asking why you left your previous church. In fact, when I was boy, it was customary to hear pastors say during the invitational period, “You can come as a candidate for baptism, by your Christian experience, or by letter.”

That’s right. If you were joining from another church, many churches would require that you have a letter of recommendation from the church you left. That may sound like some crazy tradition. But it was the practice of the New Testament church. But now pastors are so busy competing with one another that we do not care where people come from or why. We only care about whether people are coming down the aisles and the membership roster is increasing. But if we as pastors would be more intentional about how we receive new members and more careful about how our policies demonstrate respect for other churches, it would disassemble the launching pad for many church hoppers.

Membership matters. We can discourage unnecessary church hopping by striving to make membership more meaning in our local churches. It begins with the new members class. First of all, we should make sure that we have one. Then we should make sure it clearly presents the gospel, affirms a biblical statement of faith, explains the church’s mission, clarifies local church dynamics and distinctives, and clearly states what new members can expect from your church, as well as what your church expects of them.

We also need to make sure that our congregations are governed by a plurality of godly men. Call them what you will – elders, associate pastors, or whatever. But a healthy church needs a team of godly men who are keeping watch over the souls of the membership (Heb. 13:17). This is not the biblical responsibility of deacons. And with all due respect, trustees don’t actually have any biblical responsibilities. Churches have them to render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Even when trustees are charged with the administration of church finances and facilities, they should not be considered the board that runs the church. The gospel mission, disciple making work, and spiritual health of the church must be the unmolested priorities – not church business. Without a doubt, people are more prone to stay at a church where there is not political infighting over who is in charge.

Since I am wading into controversial waters, let me dive in and add that meaningful church membership also requires that we practice church discipline (Matt. 18:15-20). I know that our natural inclination is to avoid joining a church that will try to hold us accountable for our actions. But you really shouldn’t be a part of a church that does not love you enough to kick you out if you are unrepentant and stubborn about your sinful lifestyle! This is not religious legalism. It is New Testament fellowship. And church hoppers would have few places to hop to if more churches would strive to nurture biblical community where mutual submission to one another is expected and practiced.

Our churches also need to develop vital ministry programs that draw people closer to Christ and to another. No, I do not think we should facilitate the consumer mindset many people have by treating them as if the church exists for them. But we should be about meeting needs, not just doing church. More specifically, we should help people for Jesus’ sake. This means that the church should not be a charity, social club, political action group. There are plenty of organizations that are not Christ-centered to do these things. Let the church be the church! We should be our exalting Christ, reaching the lost, and nurturing disciples. This is all the more true when it comes to our children, youth, and young adults. We are rapidly losing the next generation. So it is essential that we cultivate ministry in a way that is meaningful to young people and that assists families in bringing up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Sheep Stealing. All statistics report that the Christian church is in decline in America. For the first time since the birth and early development of this nation, the trend is that more missionaries are being sent to American than from America. The condition of the contemporary church in the states can be best described as a falling away. But you would not get this indication by watching Christian TV or reading Christian magazines. Just look at all the popular Christian performing artists, large conferences being convened, and so-called megachurches sprouting up all over the place. You would think that a true revival is sweeping across America. But the reality is a lot of churches are growing through transfer growth, rather than conversion growth. Many have abandoned the disciple making process and think they are fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) through the circulation of the saints. Sheep stealing has become our church growth strategy.

I sometimes hear pastors say, “If you are not growing where you are going, you should not be going there.” I agree, in principle. But I do not think the question of whether you are growing where you are going should be emphasized in our appeals for membership. It sends the wrong message and assumes that if a person is not growing where they are going, it must be the fault of the pastor or the church. Could it be that you are not growing where you are going because of your own selfish and sinful behavior? 1 Peter 2:1-3 says: “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation – if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Maybe you are not growing where you are going because there are some attitudes and habits you need to put away.

Get over it. People leave churches all the time. Some have legitimate understandable reasons for why the leave. Others leave for silly reasons. But don’t let it stress you out. You are not the only show in town. Praise God for that! We are not in this by ourselves. God has seven thousand knees that have not bowed to Baal and tongues that do not sing his praises. You are not in this thing alone. God raises up all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.

The church I serve is surrounded by many other strong and stable churches in town that do ministry differently than my congregation. That’s a good thing. We have no reason to be jealous of any church. We should be very careful about criticizing other churches that the Lord is using to exalt Christ, teach scripture, and reach people. And we should learn to celebrate what God is doing in other congregations. After all, we are all on the same team. And the Lord Jesus Christ has already won the victory. Let us rejoice together whenever we are claiming territory for the kingdom, even if it is not my brigade that claims the hill.

25 Random Things About HBC2

There is a note circulating on Facebook, in which friends ask one another to list twenty-five random things about themselves. I have been “tagged” with these notes. And I have enjoyed reading them. But I had no intention of writing a list myself. But without much deliberation, I opened a new Word document and began to type. Soon a list emerged. Here are twenty-five random things about me:

1.    H.B. is not my initials. That’s my name. For real. My name is H.B. Charles Jr. It’s on my birth certificate, driver’s license, and everything else. My father did it to me. And I did it to my son.

2.    I was born about an hour and a half after her my mother’s birthday. Her birthday is February 10. My birthday is February 11.

3.    Virtually every day, I notice something new about my wife or am reminded of something I already knew about her, that causes me to fall in love with Crystal all over again.

4.    I am absolutely nervous every time I stand to teach or preach the Bible. But I usually calm down right after I finish praying over the message before I begin.

5.    I really wish I knew how to play the piano and the organ.

6.    I love music. But I am paranoid about it. My father used to speak of singing preachers as if it was a bad word. He was convinced that preachers would sing to filibuster, because they didn’t have anything to say.

7.    I pretend to be a realist. But I am a closet idealist. In my world, things are black and white – not gray.

8.    I would rather have a few, meaningful relationships than to have large group of acquaintances that I only know on a superficial level.

9.    I believe in spiritual warfare through long naps.

10.    I did not learn to drive or get my driver’s license until I was 19 years old. Mind you, I began my first pastorate when I was 17. And for about two years, I hitched rides with others everywhere I needed to go.

11.    I bought my first car on April 29, 1992 – The day the Rodney King riots began. That afternoon, I went to the church office to prepare for prayer meeting and a later speaking engagement. I saw the news and the uprising on Florence and Normandy. I encourage the members not to come out to the revival I was preaching. When I got on the freeway to go home after preaching, it looked like the whole city was on fire.

12.    I think I have RLS – Restless Leg Syndrome.

13.    God has blessed me to have a short memory when I have been wronged or hurt. For some reason, forgiveness comes easy for me. I think it is because I know that I need it so from God and others.

14.    I try not to use slang, because most of the slang I am comfortable with is from the 60’s and 70’s. Can you dig it?

15.    I am convinced that “The Nature Boy,” Ric Flair, is one of the all-time great athletes. No, not wrestlers. Athletes. Woooo!!!

16.    I am afraid of heights. Really afraid of heights.

17.    There are very few things in this world that bring me as much pure joy as writing does.

18.    I become emotional whenever I go into a bookstore. This is one of the reasons why, on most occasions, I prefer to go to bookstores alone. I love books! 

19.    I have absolutely no sense of fashion. I would be content if my entire work wardrobe consisted of black suits, white shirts, black ties, black socks, and black shoes.

20.    I have nightmares about Word of Faith preachers kidnapping me and taking me to WoF concentration camps to torture and convert me.

21.    I may seem to be very serious most of the time. But I actually have a great sense of humor. Believe me, I know funny.

22.    I wore a Jheri Curl most of my teenage years, hoping it would keep me from going bald like my father. It did not work.

23.    I remember a large chunk of everything I read. I forget a large chunk of everything people tell me. I need to work at being a better listener.

24.    I am deeply amused whenever I hear anyone pronounce the word “specific” as “Pacific.” I always want to ask, “What does the ocean have to do with this?” I don’t actually do it. But the thought cracks me up on the inside every time.

25.    I love passionately. So I bruise easily. But I heal quickly.

One more for free: I hate lists!

Notes from Sunday - 03/08/09

It was around midnight before I went to bed on Saturday night. I thought I would get about three hours sleep. But thanks to Daylight Savings Time, my plans went awry. Thank God for his strength!

In new members class, I began a lesson on how to study the Bible for yourself. I love teaching on personal Bible study. I think it is vital for the development of every Christian. I didn't even get through the introduction of what I wanted to say. It will take me another two weeks to finish this lesson. I really enjoy teaching the new members class.

Our children's choir sang in our 10 AM service. As always, it was a wonderful blessing to have our children participating in our corporate worship.

I continued my series on the parable of the sower: "The Heart's Response to God's Word" (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23).

I focused on Matthew 13:4 and 9, preaching a message I labeled, "Good Seed Along The Path." I endeavored to explain three factors that harden the heart against the word of God:

    1. Unrepentant Sin

    2. Worldly Influences

    3. Spiritual Warfare

Until about 3:30 AM Sunday morning, my sermon had four points. I became uncomfortable with my final point some time Saturday. and I wrestled with it all day log. I finally decided to abandon the final point, and incorporate the heart of what I wanted to say into an earlier point. I know this sounds like an explanation on how to make sausage. But it is a regular part of the mystery and mechanics of preaching for most pastors. The joy of this is, as we struggle to be clear and faithful, God has a way of honoring our labor in the study and getting overseeing the entire process for his glory.

For some reason, the chorus, "Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart," has been in my system the past few weeks.

Praise God for those who were saved and added to the church yesterday.

I was this close to calling security to kick Hailey out of church during the the first fifteen minutes of my sermon in the 8 AM service. Thirty minutes in, "Hailey the Hurricane" TKO'd Crystal. Crystal had to finally take her out. Then Hailey slept through my sermon at 10 AM.

After the services, my family and I joined Deacon Henry Williams and District #30 for lunch at a local restaurant. The food was good. The fellowship was even better.

The weather was absolutely beautiful here yesterday. After a brief post-church nap, I took a swim with the kids. The last time we did that was when we were visiting Jacksonville together in July, 2008.

This Wednesday's sermon: "Praying Your Way Through Mistreatment" (Psalm 119:121-128)

On Formal Seminary Training

Over the years, I have been most embarrassed about the fact that I have not completed my formal ministry and theological training. I began my first pastorate during my senior year in high school. By the time I graduated, I was immersed in my pastoral work. It was not until a year or so later that I continued my studies.

I found a new Christian college in Anaheim (CA) that I attended. During my time there, I learned the principles of inductive Bible study and expository preaching. I studied biblical theology, pastoral leadership, and Christian counseling. It really did lay a good foundation for me. And my professors continued to disciple me outside of class for many years.

I had to quit school when my congregation entered a season of conflict. It lasted for more than four years! But although I did not have the opportunity to attend school during this period, I was still studying. I would even go to local seminaries and pick up the textbooks from the various classes and read them. And little did I know that the beat down I was taking in my church was actually my very own, God-designed seminary training! 

When the conflict finally ended, it was my task to lead the congregation through a period of healing and recovery. I married Crystal about the same time. A year later, our son was born. Plus, at this point I had also developed a larger speaking ministry. And my biblical convictions had begun to harden. So I could not attend any school that wavered in its commitment to the Bible.

I later attended The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley (CA). This was a remarkably enriching time in my life. But I made the big mistake of trying to do a full load of work, along with all of my other responsibilities. At the time, I may have been one of the only men at the school who was trying to study full time and pastor a church full time at the same time. I know others have done it. But it was a struggle for me. Then Crystal became pregnant with our daughter. The work at the church began to pick up. And I fell off the wagon and starting traveling to preach again! I had to push pause on my studies again.

One of my goals for 2008 was to resume my studies. But by midyear, I was engaged in the pastoral vacancy here at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. And by the fall, I was moving to Jacksonville. So here I am again. One of my goals for 2009 is to resume my studies. I am enrolling in a school here that I am very excited about. I am also advising the men here at Shiloh, who are considering formal training for ministry. Moreover, it is important to Crystal and I that we both finish school to set an example for our children.

So I have been thinking a lot about seminary training and Christian ministry lately. Here are some of my thoughts about the matter. Of course, this is not expert analysis. Consider the following to be practical advice about formal training to those who in the ministry or considering the ministry. 

If you have the opportunity to go to seminary, by all means, take it. No, this is not a word from on high. And I understand that you must factor in your present family, work, and ministry responsibilities – not to mention the money. But if there seems to be green lights at these intersections, I would encourage you to prayerfully go forward and begin school.

There are some men who are very disciplined Bible students. And they are equipped for ministry through self-education. But most of us need the accountability and experience of actually being in a class, with all that requires. When you go into the pastorate, you become the resident theologian of your local church. You need to be a man of the Book to be a faithful pastor. And you need to learn how to exegete scripture accurately to be a faithful preacher. So by all means, go if you can go. And do it before life, family, and ministry catches up to you.

Remember that seminary does not make pastors and preachers. My father used to say that seminary just shines shoes. Guys who shine shoes do not make shoes. They just shine them. And if you don’t bring a pair of shoes, they don’t have anything to work with. Likewise, seminary does not make preachers. It doesn’t make pastors. School can teach a man the languages, systematic theology, church history, and even principles of Christian ministry. But if the Lord has not call you into his service, these things will not make you a pastor or a preacher.

Make sure you have a clear sense about the call of God on your life first. Get input from your pastor, congregation, family, and godly people you trust. If you not clear about your call, wait. I would not advise you to go to figure out God’s call. You may spend four years and end up even more confused! But if you have clarity about the Lord’s call, go to school and prepare yourself the best you can be for God (2 Timothy 2:15).

Do not go to a school that does not believe and teach the Bible. I know this may be hard for some of you to believe. Unfortunately, it’s true. Some so-called Christian professors and schools do not believe the Bible. They spend more time trying to undermine its authority than teaching its message. So do your homework. And do not waste your time on any school that it not totally committed to the Bible. I don’t care how famous or prestigious that school is. It is better to attend a small school where you will learn the Bible, than to have a degree from some major institution that teaches liberal theology.

On that same note, I would not recommend that a pastor go to school to major in business, economics, computers, or something like that. Of course, this is between you and the Lord. But if the Lord has called you to be a herald of the word, or to shepherd the souls that he has purchased with his own blood, you should use the opportunity you get to study to focus on “the Queen of the sciences” – theology!

Be a student – whether or not you are in school. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, did not have formal training. In fact, he was not even formally ordained. He considered ordination to be empty hands laying hands on empty heads. Yet you would be hard pressed to find anyone who could name a person who could match Spurgeon’s mind for truth, preaching prowess, and pastoral vision.

True leaders are learners. Even if school is not for you now, keep studying. We really have no excuses these days for ignorance. For my father to learn the languages, systematic theology, and the other disciplines, he had to go to school. But we live in a day where there are so many resources available through various means. One of my favorite Bible teachers and authors admits that he is not a scholar in the languages, but he does know how to use the tools. And that would be my advice to you. You master a trade my learning how to use the tools. Remember, there are no better minds, just better libraries. Study hard and take every opportunity you are given to continue learning.

Do not go to school just because you want to pastor. Many churches require at least a Master’s degree in their pastoral search process. And the priority on having a prepared man is important and commendable. But it cal also be misguided. A degree from a school does not tell you if a man has a godly character, a pastor’s heart, or a gifting to preach and teach. I know men who have finished their formal training, but have been unable to find an opportunity for pastoral ministry. And I know men who have not finished their formal training, but have given opportunities to serve in the pastoral role.

I do not have any academic degrees. But the Lord has opened many great doors of opportunity for me to serve him and minister to others. Some people assume that I have finished my studies. And I take that as a compliment. But I have not. I do not say that as something to be proud of. I do not want to be a poster boy for skipping school. However, my story is a testimony to the fact that the Lord is the sovereign “Booking Agent” for pastors and preachers. He opens doors that no one can close and closes doors that no one can open. Trust the Lord to assign you where he wants you to be at the right time (Isaiah 40:28-31).

Happy Birthday Natalie!!!

Today is my daughter's - Natalie Marie Charles - 7th birthday.

I woke up this morning thinking about the moment Natalie was born. And the first time I got to hold her, seeing for the first time the baby I had been singing to for the past six months. If I only knew what I was starting. Now, she is daddy's living "Juke Box" that makes up a song for everything.

I am grateful for the privilege of watching Natalie growing up. She is very bright, full of personality, very talented, and extremely beautiful. Crystal and I are very proud of her and thankful for the gift she is to us and our family.

May the Lord bless her to grow as Jesus grew: ""And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52, ESV).

Happy birthday, Lee! Daddy loves you.

Notes from Sunday - 3/1/09

Today is both the first day and the first Sunday of March, 2009. Can you believe it? Time really does seem to fly by?

When Trey and I drove in to church this morning, it felt like the weather was going to be nice. By the time the 8 AM service was over, it was raining pretty good. Then when the 10 AM service was over, the rain had stopped. But it was winds were blowing really hard. Don't you just love this Florida weather?

I love teaching the New Members Class.

We were blessed to baptize about ten new believers this morning. Praise the Lord!

Dr. James Abbington of Emory University, was our special guest this morning. His accompaniment on the organ was a great compliment to our music department. The worship music was very uplifting.

I began a new series of sermons from the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23). I am calling the series, "The Heart's Response to God's Word."

My opening message in the series was an overview of the parable, which I called, "The Sower, The Seed, and the Soil."

I sought to explain how the kingdom of God grows by explaining how a harvest grows in a field:

    1. The sower does his work.

    2. The seed does its work.

    3. The soil does its work.

The tyranny of the clock...

For some reason, today was one of those days when I wished I was a manuscript preacher.

Thank God for those who were saved and added to our church fellowship today.

As always, the celebration of the Lord's Table was a wonderful reminder of the price the Lord Jesus paid for our salvation and the bond we share together in Christ.

My favorite NBA team won today - whoever is playing the Lakers!!!