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)
Monday, March 16, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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!
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!
Monday, March 09, 2009
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)
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)
Thursday, March 05, 2009
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).
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).
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
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.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
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!!!
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!!!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Lord's Day Eve
Another week has gone and I have been preserved in my going out and my coming in. Thine has been the vigilance that has turned threatened evils aside;
Thine the supplies that have nourished me;
Thine the comforts that have indulged me;
Thine the relations and friends that have delighted me;
Thine the means of grace which have edified me;
Thine the book, which, amidst all my enjoyments, has told me that is is not my rest,
that in all successes one thing alone is needful, to love my Savior.
Nothing can equal the number of thy mercies but my imperfections and sins.
These, O God, I will neither conceal or palliate,
but confess with a broken heart.
In what condition would secret reviews of my life leave me
where it not for the assurance that with thee
there is plenteous redemption
that thou art a forgiving God,
that thou mayest be feared!
While I hope for pardon through the blood of the cross,
I pray to be clothed with humility,
to be quickened in thy way,
to be more devoted to thee,
to keep the end of my life in view,
to be cured of the folly of delay and indecision,
to know how frail I am,
to number my days and apply my heart unto wisdom.
- The Valley of Vision, pp. 352-53
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Heart's Response to God's Word
I plan to begin a new series on sermons this coming Sunday on the Parable of the Sower that I am calling: "The Heart's Response to God's Word." It's recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But I will do my work from Matthew's version - Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.
I find it most difficult and exhilarating to preach the parables of Jesus. They are so simple. And yet the profundity of these simple teachings is staggering. I am looking forward to the plowing through my own soul as I prepare myself to preach these messages.
Amid growing animosity and resistance to his ministry and message, Jesus tells this parable to his disciples to say to them that there is nothing wrong with the good seed of the word. It is alive, powerful, and life-changing. But the soil of the heart is not always good ground for the word to take root and grow and bear fruit.
My intention for this series are pretty similar to what I believe Jesus was up to when he told this parable. I want to encourage the church to have confidence in the power of the word. And I want them to understand that spiritual reasons behind people's response (or lack of response) to the word of God. Ultimately, I want them to know that when the good seed falls on good ground, there is no limit to what God can do.
Here is the schedule for these upcoming message:
3/1 - The Sower, The Seed, and the Soil (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23)
3/8 - Good Seed Along the Path (Matt. 13:4, 19)
3/15 - Good Seed on Rocky Ground (Matt. 13: 5-6, 20-21)
3/22 - Good Seed Among Thorns (Matt. 13:7, 22)
3/29 - Good Seed on Good Soil (Matt. 13:8, 23)
Please remember this series of messages in your prayers. May the Lord help me to speak his word with faithfulness and clarity. And may the hearts of those who hear these messages be good soil and fertile ground to receive the implanted word that is able to save our souls.
I find it most difficult and exhilarating to preach the parables of Jesus. They are so simple. And yet the profundity of these simple teachings is staggering. I am looking forward to the plowing through my own soul as I prepare myself to preach these messages.
Amid growing animosity and resistance to his ministry and message, Jesus tells this parable to his disciples to say to them that there is nothing wrong with the good seed of the word. It is alive, powerful, and life-changing. But the soil of the heart is not always good ground for the word to take root and grow and bear fruit.
My intention for this series are pretty similar to what I believe Jesus was up to when he told this parable. I want to encourage the church to have confidence in the power of the word. And I want them to understand that spiritual reasons behind people's response (or lack of response) to the word of God. Ultimately, I want them to know that when the good seed falls on good ground, there is no limit to what God can do.
Here is the schedule for these upcoming message:
3/1 - The Sower, The Seed, and the Soil (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23)
3/8 - Good Seed Along the Path (Matt. 13:4, 19)
3/15 - Good Seed on Rocky Ground (Matt. 13: 5-6, 20-21)
3/22 - Good Seed Among Thorns (Matt. 13:7, 22)
3/29 - Good Seed on Good Soil (Matt. 13:8, 23)
Please remember this series of messages in your prayers. May the Lord help me to speak his word with faithfulness and clarity. And may the hearts of those who hear these messages be good soil and fertile ground to receive the implanted word that is able to save our souls.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Change of Plans for Tonight's Service
Dr. Ralph Douglas West of the The Church Without Walls of Houston (TX) was scheduled to be the guest speaker for the closing night of Wednesdays in the Word revival here at the Shiloh Church of Jacksonville. Unfortunately, Dr. West will not be able to be with us tonight. There were other matters that he needed to give his attention to. And he asked that we would remember him in our prayers. Of course, we do and will continue to cover in believing prayer. And we look forward to him being with us at some later day in the future, God willing.
But there is a "ram in the bush." My friend and brother, Dr. Maurice Watson of the Beulahland Church of Macon/Warner Robbins (GA) has agreed to "pinch hit" for us tonight. Dr. Watson is one of my favorite preachers. And I deeply appreciate his willingness to step in tonight to be our guest speaker. I am confident that the Lord is going to bless us richly tonight through the ministry of the word.
As always, if your congregation does not have anything scheduled tonight that you should attend, feel free to join us at Shiloh for worship tonight at 7 PM. And if you are not able to attend, you can worship with us through our internet broadcast of tonight's service through our church website or Streaming Faith.
Pray for us.
But there is a "ram in the bush." My friend and brother, Dr. Maurice Watson of the Beulahland Church of Macon/Warner Robbins (GA) has agreed to "pinch hit" for us tonight. Dr. Watson is one of my favorite preachers. And I deeply appreciate his willingness to step in tonight to be our guest speaker. I am confident that the Lord is going to bless us richly tonight through the ministry of the word.
As always, if your congregation does not have anything scheduled tonight that you should attend, feel free to join us at Shiloh for worship tonight at 7 PM. And if you are not able to attend, you can worship with us through our internet broadcast of tonight's service through our church website or Streaming Faith.
Pray for us.
Monday, February 23, 2009
On the day of judgment preachers will not be asked where they went to seminary or whether they earned any advanced degrees. They will not need to present membership statistics or submit their annual budgets. It will not matter how popular they were or whether they could make people laugh. instead, when they stand before the heavenly tribunal they will be asked, "Did you preach the word?" Those who followed their own agenda - or even worse, the world's agenda - will hang their heads in shame. But many humble preachers, who were held in little esteem, will shine in the brightness of their Father's glory. For in their proclamation of God's Word they were faithful to the very end. Their preaching was evangelical, doctrinal, and practical. Their Lord will say to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant!... Come and share your master's happiness! (Matt. 25:23). - Philip Graham Ryken, City On A Hill, pp. 52-53
An Exhortation to Hope in God
Yesterday I took a shot at one of the great texts of the Bible. In what is arguably the darkest book in the sacred scriptures, there is this great statement of faith and confidence in God.
I know that there are many people in my congregation who are facing various dangers, toils, and snares. And I have been burdened to say something that would be an encouraged over these past several weeks. This text gripped me because it is a "Big-God" text. It doesn't give any answers, explanations, or promises. It just simply points to the goodness, faithfulness, and sufficiency of God and bids us to put all of our confidence in him.
Most preachers know what it's like to have a great time with God in the study. And then to feel like the sermon you presented didn't live up to what you learned from God in private. That's where I was yesterday. But I praise God for the fact that his grace is sufficient and his strength is perfected in our weaknesses.
I cannot wait to have the opportunity to preach this sermon again.
Here is the sermon skeleton.
Title: "The Reason for My Hope"
Text: Lamentations 3:21-24
Theme: Hope in God
Point: Because God is God, there is hope - even in the midst of a seemingly hopeless situation.
Outline:
I. The Lord is good all the time (3:22-23a).
A. God's steadfast love (v. 22a)
B. God's compassionate mercies (v. 22b)
C. God's renewed favor (v. 23a)
1. The novelty of God's favor: new
2. The consistency of God's favor: every morning
II. The Lord is worthy to be praised (3:23b).
A. God is always faithful.
B. God is more than faithful.
III. The Lord is all you need (3:24).
I know that there are many people in my congregation who are facing various dangers, toils, and snares. And I have been burdened to say something that would be an encouraged over these past several weeks. This text gripped me because it is a "Big-God" text. It doesn't give any answers, explanations, or promises. It just simply points to the goodness, faithfulness, and sufficiency of God and bids us to put all of our confidence in him.
Most preachers know what it's like to have a great time with God in the study. And then to feel like the sermon you presented didn't live up to what you learned from God in private. That's where I was yesterday. But I praise God for the fact that his grace is sufficient and his strength is perfected in our weaknesses.
I cannot wait to have the opportunity to preach this sermon again.
Here is the sermon skeleton.
Title: "The Reason for My Hope"
Text: Lamentations 3:21-24
Theme: Hope in God
Point: Because God is God, there is hope - even in the midst of a seemingly hopeless situation.
Outline:
I. The Lord is good all the time (3:22-23a).
A. God's steadfast love (v. 22a)
B. God's compassionate mercies (v. 22b)
C. God's renewed favor (v. 23a)
1. The novelty of God's favor: new
2. The consistency of God's favor: every morning
II. The Lord is worthy to be praised (3:23b).
A. God is always faithful.
B. God is more than faithful.
III. The Lord is all you need (3:24).
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Notes from Sunday - 2/22/09
Today was a long, blessed day. I thank God for the opportunity to be in worship with God's people today and the privilege of ministering to the wonderful saints of the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church.
In my New Members Class, we continued discussing "The Bible - The Word of God." This week, I spent most of our time fielding questions. I enjoy discussing the meaning of the scriptures with others. And I am having big fun teaching our new members. I only wish our weekly sessions were longer.
Several children were dedicated to the Lord in our 10 AM service. May the grow as Jesus grew - in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).
The choir was great today, as usual. The music was very uplifting and set my heart on the Lord today.
Our youth choir participated in leading the 10 AM service. They went "old school" on us, singing "Say the Word." It was wonderful. I am always encouraged by the service of our young people.
I preached on Lamentations 3:21-24 - "The Reason for My Hope."
I had been meditating on this text for several weeks. But I found it quite difficult to organize my thoughts for preaching. I skipped it last week. But the Lord would not let me escape it this week, even though I still felt that I was not ready to preach it. But I felt compelled to press on. And the Lord helped me through it.
There is a passage of scripture I intended to quote during the sermon today. But I failed to do it in either service. However, I have been thinking about this passage all evening. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it." (ESV)
Praise God for the those who were saved and added to the church today.
I am grateful to God for all of the members of SMBC come to worship each week, not just to be ministered to, but also to minister to the saints. Hebrews 6:10.
I think I am going through football withdrawals on Sunday afternoons. How long do we have until pre-season begins?
Heath Ledger won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor tonight for his unforgettable role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Way cool.
In my New Members Class, we continued discussing "The Bible - The Word of God." This week, I spent most of our time fielding questions. I enjoy discussing the meaning of the scriptures with others. And I am having big fun teaching our new members. I only wish our weekly sessions were longer.
Several children were dedicated to the Lord in our 10 AM service. May the grow as Jesus grew - in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).
The choir was great today, as usual. The music was very uplifting and set my heart on the Lord today.
Our youth choir participated in leading the 10 AM service. They went "old school" on us, singing "Say the Word." It was wonderful. I am always encouraged by the service of our young people.
I preached on Lamentations 3:21-24 - "The Reason for My Hope."
I had been meditating on this text for several weeks. But I found it quite difficult to organize my thoughts for preaching. I skipped it last week. But the Lord would not let me escape it this week, even though I still felt that I was not ready to preach it. But I felt compelled to press on. And the Lord helped me through it.
There is a passage of scripture I intended to quote during the sermon today. But I failed to do it in either service. However, I have been thinking about this passage all evening. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it." (ESV)
Praise God for the those who were saved and added to the church today.
I am grateful to God for all of the members of SMBC come to worship each week, not just to be ministered to, but also to minister to the saints. Hebrews 6:10.
I think I am going through football withdrawals on Sunday afternoons. How long do we have until pre-season begins?
Heath Ledger won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor tonight for his unforgettable role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Way cool.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Wednesdays in the Word Continues - Dr. Gary Williams
Tonight, we will continue our Wednesdays in the Word Revival at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville. Dr Reginald Terry and Dr. William Curtis blessed our hearts in a great way the past two weeks.
And we are honored to have Dr. Gray Williams, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Mandarin here in Jacksonville, as our guest speaker tonight.
The service begins at 7 PM (EST). If possible, drop and join us for worship. If not, catch us online through the ShilohJax.com or Streaming Faith.
Pray for us.
God bless.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesdays in the Word Continues Tonight with Dr. William Curtis
By God's kind providence and gracious favor, our Wednesdays in the Word revival got off to a really good start last week. The Lord used Dr. Reginald Terry in a great way to minister to our congregation. His message was encouraging and faith-building - just what our congregation needed. Tonight, this special series of services will continue at 7 PM. Our guest speaker tonight will be Dr. William Curtis of the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Curtis, who is also the president of the historic Hampton's Minister's Conference, is a gifted and faithful preacher.
My own faithful walk and ministry work have been greatly blessed through this man of God's ministry. And I am honored and grateful that he will be with us tonight to minister to the SMBC family.
If your are in the Jacksonville area, and your own congregation does not have services scheduled tonight, we invite you to join us for worship tonight. If you are able to attend, you can catch the service online through the Shiloh Church website or through Streaming Faith.
Pray for us.
P.S. - Thanks for all the kind birthday wishes!
God bless.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Breaking Free from the Chokehold of Anxiety
Sunday, I took a shot at our temptation to worry. I preached from one of my favorite sections of scripture - the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). My pastoral burden was to challenge and encourage my congregation to trust God and stop worrying.
Here is the sermon skeleton:
Title: ""What Are You Worrying About?"
Text: Matthew 6:25-34
Theme: Overcoming Worry through Faith in God
Point: In order to be a full-devoted follower of Jesus Christ, you must overcome the sinful tendency to worry about the needs in your life.
Outline:
I. Do not worry about the needs in your life (6:25-30).
A. Do not worry about what you will eat (vv. 26)
B. Do not worry about how long you are going to live (v. 27)
C. Do not worry about what you are going to wear (vv. 28-30)
II. Learn to worry about the things that matter the most (6:31-33).
A. People who do not know God seek after things (v. 32).
B. People who know God seek God (v. 33).
III. Wait to worry about tomorrow (6:34).
Here is the sermon skeleton:
Title: ""What Are You Worrying About?"
Text: Matthew 6:25-34
Theme: Overcoming Worry through Faith in God
Point: In order to be a full-devoted follower of Jesus Christ, you must overcome the sinful tendency to worry about the needs in your life.
Outline:
I. Do not worry about the needs in your life (6:25-30).
A. Do not worry about what you will eat (vv. 26)
B. Do not worry about how long you are going to live (v. 27)
C. Do not worry about what you are going to wear (vv. 28-30)
II. Learn to worry about the things that matter the most (6:31-33).
A. People who do not know God seek after things (v. 32).
B. People who know God seek God (v. 33).
III. Wait to worry about tomorrow (6:34).
Monday, February 09, 2009
Notes from Sunday - 2/8/09
Sunday was a really good day of worship and fellowship.
As late as Saturday night, I was not sure if I would be able to preach Sunday morning. I had been suffering with a cold for most of last week. And it seemed to get worse Saturday. I hardly got any sleep. But when it was time for me to get up, I felt that there the Lord was not going to let me off the hook. So I got up and started my Sunday morning preparations. I had a sore throat, a stuffed up nose, congestion... the works. But, amazingly, when I stood up to preach, the Lord gave me strength to carry out my assignment. God is faithful.
Another Sunday, another wonderful session in the New Members Class. I am really enjoying teaching this class.
I preached from the Sermon on the Mount - "What Are You Worried About?" (Matthew 6:25-34).
For the record, this is the second straight week I have took a detour away from the scheduled series of messages that I had planned to preach. But these past two weeks, I have such a heavy burden to preach messages that will encourage the members of SMBC during these difficult times.
The songs of praise our choir sang ministered to me in a great way. It's a joy to partner with them in ministry and to be able to preach after they have ministered in song.
Our children's choir sung during our 10 AM service. What a blessing!
We briefly paid tribute to our Minister of Music, Dr. Roger Sears. This weekend was his birthday and the 25th anniversary of the beginning of his tenure at Shiloh Church. Over the weekend, I was saddened by some of my favorite gospel artists who really seem to be going off the deep end. So it was very encouraging to me to take a moment the highlight the ministry of Christian musician who goes about his work with sincerity, humility, and diligence. Roger Sears and our entire music team are great blessings to our congregation.
Thank God for those who were added to the church this week.
My mom made it to town Saturday night. She is here so that we can spend our birthdays together. I was glad to have her in church with us Sunday. But I was not nearly as glad as she was. She roamed around Shiloh, chatting up folk like she is a fifty-year member of Shiloh. I am glad she feels how loving the congregation is.
We had guests with in worship from the pastor's conference being hosted this week by Dr. Mac Brunson and the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville. I was glad to meet several young men who had heard me preach in Tyler, Texas, some years ago. Very encouraging.
After service, there was a reception for Roger Sears. My family and I stayed around for that and enjoyed the fellowship.
By the time I got home, my cold symptoms overtook me again. I quickly got back in the bed. I only moved to pick up medicine and buy myself some comfort food. Let the church say, "Five Guys Burgers!"
As late as Saturday night, I was not sure if I would be able to preach Sunday morning. I had been suffering with a cold for most of last week. And it seemed to get worse Saturday. I hardly got any sleep. But when it was time for me to get up, I felt that there the Lord was not going to let me off the hook. So I got up and started my Sunday morning preparations. I had a sore throat, a stuffed up nose, congestion... the works. But, amazingly, when I stood up to preach, the Lord gave me strength to carry out my assignment. God is faithful.
Another Sunday, another wonderful session in the New Members Class. I am really enjoying teaching this class.
I preached from the Sermon on the Mount - "What Are You Worried About?" (Matthew 6:25-34).
For the record, this is the second straight week I have took a detour away from the scheduled series of messages that I had planned to preach. But these past two weeks, I have such a heavy burden to preach messages that will encourage the members of SMBC during these difficult times.
The songs of praise our choir sang ministered to me in a great way. It's a joy to partner with them in ministry and to be able to preach after they have ministered in song.
Our children's choir sung during our 10 AM service. What a blessing!
We briefly paid tribute to our Minister of Music, Dr. Roger Sears. This weekend was his birthday and the 25th anniversary of the beginning of his tenure at Shiloh Church. Over the weekend, I was saddened by some of my favorite gospel artists who really seem to be going off the deep end. So it was very encouraging to me to take a moment the highlight the ministry of Christian musician who goes about his work with sincerity, humility, and diligence. Roger Sears and our entire music team are great blessings to our congregation.
Thank God for those who were added to the church this week.
My mom made it to town Saturday night. She is here so that we can spend our birthdays together. I was glad to have her in church with us Sunday. But I was not nearly as glad as she was. She roamed around Shiloh, chatting up folk like she is a fifty-year member of Shiloh. I am glad she feels how loving the congregation is.
We had guests with in worship from the pastor's conference being hosted this week by Dr. Mac Brunson and the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville. I was glad to meet several young men who had heard me preach in Tyler, Texas, some years ago. Very encouraging.
After service, there was a reception for Roger Sears. My family and I stayed around for that and enjoyed the fellowship.
By the time I got home, my cold symptoms overtook me again. I quickly got back in the bed. I only moved to pick up medicine and buy myself some comfort food. Let the church say, "Five Guys Burgers!"
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
SMBC Wednesdays in the Word 2009 Begins
Tonight, we will begin our Wednesdays in the Word (revival) at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. Each Wednesday in the month of February, we will have a guest speaker who will minister the word to us. And we are trusting God to do great things in us, through us, and among us. Our guest speaker for tonight is the Dr. Reginald D. Terry, who pastors the Antioch Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska,
If possible, join us for this special time of worship. If not, the service will be streamed on the internet. You can find us through the Shiloh Church website or through Streaming Faith.
And please remember this meeting in your prayers. God bless.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Where Does Your Help Come From?
This past Sunday, I preached from one of the great psalms of the Bible - and on of my favorite psalms - Psalm 121. My goal was to challenge the congregation to look to the Lord for help and to encourage them to know that the Lord is looking out for them.
Here is the Sermon Skeleton
Title: "Where Does You Help Come From?"
Text: Psalm 121
Theme: Sovereign help for the journey of life
Point: The Lord is the only who who is able to help you make it through the journey of life.
Outline:
I. Look to the Lord for help (121:1-2).
A. The truth you should accept: You need help (v. 1)
B. the testimony you should adopt: "My help comes from the Lord" (v. 2)
1. There is sufficient help in the Lord (v. 2a)
2. There is sovereign help in the Lord (v. 2b)
II. The Lord is looking out for you (121:3-8)
A. The Lord will keep your feet stable (vv. 3-4)
1. The Lord watches over you as you travel (v. 3)
2. The Lord watches over you when you are tired (v. 4)
B. The Lord will keep your hands strong (vv. 5-6)
1. The Lord will give you strength at the right place (v. 5)
2. The Lord will give you strength at the right time (v. 6)
C. The Lord will keep your life secure (vv. 7-8)
1. The Lord provides perfect security (v. 7)
2. The Lord provides perpetual security (v. 8)
* The Lord will keep you day by day (v 8a)
* The Lord will keep you for all eternity (v. 8b)
Here is the Sermon Skeleton
Title: "Where Does You Help Come From?"
Text: Psalm 121
Theme: Sovereign help for the journey of life
Point: The Lord is the only who who is able to help you make it through the journey of life.
Outline:
I. Look to the Lord for help (121:1-2).
A. The truth you should accept: You need help (v. 1)
B. the testimony you should adopt: "My help comes from the Lord" (v. 2)
1. There is sufficient help in the Lord (v. 2a)
2. There is sovereign help in the Lord (v. 2b)
II. The Lord is looking out for you (121:3-8)
A. The Lord will keep your feet stable (vv. 3-4)
1. The Lord watches over you as you travel (v. 3)
2. The Lord watches over you when you are tired (v. 4)
B. The Lord will keep your hands strong (vv. 5-6)
1. The Lord will give you strength at the right place (v. 5)
2. The Lord will give you strength at the right time (v. 6)
C. The Lord will keep your life secure (vv. 7-8)
1. The Lord provides perfect security (v. 7)
2. The Lord provides perpetual security (v. 8)
* The Lord will keep you day by day (v 8a)
* The Lord will keep you for all eternity (v. 8b)
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