I am preaching through the book of Ephesians. This past week, however, I chose to pause my study until the new year and preach something that directly pointed to Christmas. Seeing it was the staff’s last week in the office before the holidays, I decided to pull of file and preach an old sermon. I landed on a Christmas message that I preached five years ago. It was a seven-page manuscript. At this point, I labor to keep my manuscripts between five to six full pages. So all I had to edit the sermon down one page, set it to...

Merry Christmas!  A big shout-out to my wife, Crystal Crystal, who celebrated a special birthday this week! I love you! Happy birthday, Sunshine! Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - Proverbs 31:28-30 Praying for the family and congregations of two friends who suddenly transitioned to their heavenly reward this week: Pastor Gordon Humphrey and Pastor John Teabout. Check out the Cameron Triggs Interview....

Thanks for the kind expressions as Crystal and I celebrated 16 years of marriage this week!  The Shiloh Church of Orange Park officially launches on January 4, 2015. Please remember this new work in your prayers. World Religion News: Two Florida Pastors Confront Racial Division by Merging Congregations Check out "The Pastoral Ministry of Shaking Hands"  I am excited to be a part of the 2015 Leadership Summit hosted by The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Hope to see you there! Baptist Press: ERLC Turns to race issue for March summit  The 2015 E.K. Bailey Preaching Conference should be awesome!...

There two big days in my life. I do not remember the date of the first one. It was a Saturday night. My parents sent me to bed. Church was in the morning. But I couldn’t sleep. Throughout the night, I wrestled with the implications of the gospel my father preached and my mother sang. At some point during the night – or morning – I surrendered my life to Christ. I was only six years old. But that dateless night was real to me. I believed that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. And I knew that...

Do you feel like shaking hands? I am often asked this question when I finish preaching away from home. I always answer affirmatively. Sometimes I add, “If they can sit and listen to me preach for forty-five minutes, the least I can do is stand and shake their hands.” On occasion, I cannot hide how shocked I am to be asked the question, even though I have heard it countless times. Of course I am going to shake hands, whether I feel like it or not. Preaching is hard work. If a man takes his work seriously, sermon preparation is...

Thanks for your prayers, support, and encouragement as we prepare to launch Shiloh Church of Orange Park in January 2105. Huffington Post: Two Florida Churches Merge With Hope of Bridging a Racial Divide Check Out 31 Days of Prayer for Orange Park  I am looking forward to joining the G3 Conference | January 22-24, 2015.  Russell D. Moore: Ferguson and the Path to Peace Carolyn Tomlin: 7 Myths that Keep Pastors from Writing ProPreacher: 10 Reasons I Am Thankful To Be A Pastor  Thom Rainer: Nine Issues Regarding Pastors and Office Hours Eric Geiger: A Constant Struggle in a Growing Church...

We believe it happens after prayer! So as we approach the launch of Shiloh Church of Orange Park, we commit to 31 days of intercessory prayer for this new work. Each member of the Shiloh Church is asked to send time daily during the 31 days of December to cover Shiloh OP in believing prayer. This daily guide will enable us to pray together on one accord. 12/1 – On-Mission: Pray that Shiloh OP will make more and better disciples for Jesus Christ in the community and through the nations (Matt. 28:18-20). 12/2 – Believing Prayer: Pray our devotion to and dependence...

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks for reading my blog. Enjoy my bulletin board of links.  You should make your way to the 2015 Jacksonville Pastors' Conference hosted by Dr. Mac Brunson and the First Baptist Church. Check out The Making of Shiloh Church of Orange Park  The Call to Ministry: H.B. Charles Jr.  Benjamin Watson on Ferguson  Brian Loritts: It's Time to Listen: Feeling the Pain Despite the Pain Despite the Facts Thabiti Anyabwile: Why I Believe the Grand Jury Got It Wrong and Injustice Triumphed R. Albert Mohler: The Ferguson Moment - A Moral Test for the Nation  Kevin DeYoung: A...

The Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church is becoming one church in two locations. For several years, we have prayed about planting a church in Jacksonville. As we prayed, we were increasingly drawn to Orange Park, southwest of our downtown location. We entered 2014 with plans to plant in Orange Park. One of our pastors would lead it. We would rent a school auditorium or something to meet in. And we would send out members to join the new work. As we met with the Jacksonville Baptist Association leaders for advice; we first learned that church facilities in Orange Park might become...

Impact 180 Presents a Video Tribute to Pastor Charles "The impact of a youth ministry is directly correlated to the senior leadership in the local church. Without the consent, passion, and leadership of a caring Senior Pastor student ministries can achieve little. By the grace of God, we have a thriving ministry to teens. Our students notice the love and dedication our Pastor has for youth. In celebration of six years, Impact 180 created a tribute video to honor Pastor Charles anniversary. The video is to "Expository Preaching" by Shai Linne. We hope you enjoy and please share." Pastor Cam Triggs

Thanks for reading Saturday Shout-Outs, my online bulletin board. This weekend marks six years the Lord has blessed me to serve the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville. All praise to God for what he has done, is doing, and will do in and through the Shiloh Church! The SBTS Expositors Summit 2014 was fantastic! Click here to get access to the messages.  The Shiloh Church will host the National Conference on Preaching, May 12-14, 2015. Hope to see you there! Leadership Journal: Finding Time To Study by H.B Charles Jr.  Check out the 9Marks review of my book, On Preaching,...

My father let me preach his early worship service one Sunday. I don’t remember what I preached. But I am sure it was nothing special. I can only hope it was a boy preacher’s best effort to preach faithfully. After the service, I was passing through the church lobby, when I received an unlikely compliment. A brother stopped me and said, “Good job this morning, Junior. You are turning into a great preacher. You are going to be better than the old man in a minute.” I was just a boy. But I wasn’t crazy. I knew what this brother...