Pray for a Busy Week of Preaching and Teaching

Tuesday begins a busy week of preaching in which I am scheduled to preach 11 sermons in 8 days in 3 different cities.

Tuesday: I am to preach the third week of the A.W.E. (April Word Experience) hosted by Pastor Kevin L. Pullam and the Friendship Baptist Church of Corpus Christi, Texas.

Wednesday: I will come home to preach our Midweek Service at Shiloh. I plan to continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount with a message on Matthew 5:38-42 entitled, “Radical Retaliation.”

Thursday: Our congregation will worship with Pastor Leophric Thomas and the Open Arms Christian Fellowship here in Jacksonville. I will be preaching their church anniversary and celebration of their new facilities.

Friday: I am to preach for Pastor Curtis Monroe for the closing night of the spring revival at Redeemer Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Saturday: I am to speak twice for the annual Men’s Conference sponsored by the Los Angeles Bible Training School (President Paul Felix). The service will be hosted by Pastor Carl Hargrove and the Fairview Heights Baptist Church.

Sunday: I am to preach the three morning worship services for Pastor George E. Hurtt at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

My friend, Romell Williams, Pastor of the Lilydale Baptist Church of Chicago, will be our guest speaker at Shiloh during our two morning worship services at 8 and 10 AM.

Sunday night, I am to attend the 35th pastoral anniversary for my Pastor, Dr. Melvin V. Wade, at the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles.

Monday: I am to be “the Order of the Day” (preacher) for the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Los Angeles and Vicinity. Monday evening I am to speak for the chapel service at the Los Angeles Bible Training School (President Paul Felix).

Please remember this busy week of preaching and teaching in your prayers.

Notes from Sunday - 04/18/10

We have a good day of worship at Shiloh today. For the record, each Sunday we are privileged to gather together for worship is a great blessing.

I went into our main building much earlier than usual this morning to get my Bible. But our Greeters were already gathered, preparing to greet the worshipers as they came into the doors. Thank you sisters for your service.

I enjoy my time with our new members this morning. I did not finish my lesson, however. I don’t know where the time went.

We sung “How Great Thou Art” as a congregation this morning. I love the great hymns of the church!

The choir sung a song from Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers: “Making a Way.” You can’t go wrong with the Tommies!

I was a great joy to baptize our new members this morning.

Praise God for all of our guests in worship on Sunday. I am always encouraged by the presence of guests. It means our people have been inviting their family and friends to worship.

I continued my study of the Ten Commandments with a message on Exodus 20:4-6 entitled “How to Worship God.”

I think I get really caught up with I am teaching about worship.

I worked hard to edit down my thoughts for preaching. But I still did not feel like I finished explaining the text in either service. It was a horrible feeling. May the, as always, look over my poor work and bless his people.

Random observation: People who sleep during the sermon should sit in the back of the church. Or maybe the balcony.

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

Today was the second week of our new youth service for our teens. I have received good reports that it is off to a good start. Continue to pray for Pastor Andrae Robinson and the volunteers that are working alongside of us.

Our new Director of Media, Dan Beckwith, is on his way back to Texas to bring his wife and children to Jacksonville this week. Pray for their safe travel and relocation process.

Pray for our baby girl, Hailey. She has been having stomach problems all weekend. It got worse this morning. Crystal had to stay home with her today.

My prediction for the NBA playoffs: The Cleveland Cavaliers will be your new NBA champions.

How long will it be before Nike breaks out the new Kobe and Lebron puppets commercials?

Fight fans: Kelly Pavlik lost his middleweight belt to Sergio Martinez on Saturday night in a 12-round unanimous decision.

Prediction: This will be a very long week.

Notes from Sunday - 4/11/10

We had a good day of worship yesterday at Shiloh.

I was really glad to be home after preaching in Chicago last week.

I enjoyed teaching my new member!s class yesterday. I started off with an illustration yesterday that really did not work. But I think I was able to recover. So much for trying to be clever!

As always, I am glad and grateful for all the guests who were in the worship yesterday.

Where were the rest off the saints yesterday?

Our children's choir led us in musical praise during out 10 AM service. I was so excited to hear the adapted hymns they sung that I did not know what to say.

For the record, I love hymns. The older the better!

Yesterday, our youth pastor, Andrae Robinson, begin a new worship service for our middle and high schoolers. I understand that the first meeting went well. Please pray for God's blessings on this section.

I began my new series on the 10 Commandments with a message on Exodus 29:1-3 called "No Competition."

I think my 8 AM sermon sounded very different from my 10 AM sermon. But I enjoyed preaching both times.

Next week's sermon: "How to Worship God" (Exodus 20:4-6).

Praise God for those who were saved and added to the church in our 8 AM worship service yesterday.

Texas Stadium, former home of the Dallas Cowboys was demolished yesterday morning. Precious memories, how they linger!

Are you ready for the NBA playoffs?

Heading Home from the Biblical Exposition Conference of Chicago

I preached my final sermon this morning at the Biblical Exposition Conference of Chicago this morning. This has been a great week of worship, study, and fellowship. And it has been a joy to minister to the word of God to this eager minds and hearts this week.

I really do believe that pastors, Sunday school teachers, and counselors are on the front line of Christian ministry. They are the unsung heroes of the church. I praise God for the opportunity to minister to them this week.

The meeting ends this evening with a closing service. Pray God's blessings for this final time together and for all the delegates who will be heading home in the morning.

Most years I have been in Oklahoma City the week after Easter. I have had the privilege of speaking for Dr. John Reed, Jr. at the Fairview Baptist Church.

Because of the schedule conflict, I was not able to attend this year. But Fairview and OKC are on my mind this week. I am praying that the Lord will send revival to and through the OKC churches through this unique week of spiritual renewal.

Speaking @ the Biblical Expositional Conference in Chicago

I am in Chicago. I preached the opening message of the Biblical Expositional Conference. Dr. George Waddles, Pastor of the Zion Hill Baptist Church, is the host.

I preached from 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

The rest of the conference will consist of classes that Bible study techniques like observation, context, culture, and grammar.

I am to preach at 8 AM each morning to begin the dat of classes.

Outside of my own pulpit, it is my greatest joy to have the opportunity to minister to pastors, teachers, and Christian educators.

Please pray God's blessings on this conference this week.

Notes from Easter Sunday 2010

The choir did a song from Walter Hawkins' "Love Alive IV" called. This one of my favorite Gospel albums. But I have never heard this song performed in a worship service before.

The ensemble really did set the stage for preaching with their selection.

I preached on "Seeing and Believing" from John 20:24-29.

Praise God for all who were saved and added to the church in our worship services today. To God be the glory!

Thank you to all of our volunteers. You make it happen at Shiloh? And I am glad to have you on our team.

An open appeal to Roy Jones, Jr. Please retire. Please.

My friends asked if a was doing a bracket. I told them no. All that mattered to me was that Duke was going to win it all. They should listen to the Mand of Gawd!

One word: iPad!

I have a flight to Chicago in the morning to bring the opening message at an expository preaching conference tomorrow night. Remember me in your prayers.

Because of Easter

Because of Good Friday you can look back and not be afraid.

Because of Easter you can look ahead and not be afraid.

Because of Ascension Day you can look up and not be afraid.

Because of Pentecost you can look inward and not be afraid.

Speaking @ St. Thomas in Jacksonville

I am speaking tonight for Pastor Ernie Murray at the St. Thomas Baptist Church tonight. This will be my second year participating in their Holy Week Revival. We had a great time of worship last year. And I am looking forward to tonight's service.

The service starts at 7 PM at 5863 Moncrief Road. Our mass choir will lead the musical praise. And I am to bring the message.

Please pray God's blessings in this service tonight.

And remember Shiloh's Good Friday Service is scheduled for tomorrow at 12 PM. Join us or watch online at www.smbcjax.com.