I love first Sundays! We celebrated the Lord’s Table in both worship services. We also welcomed our new members that completed New Members Class Saturday. What a joy! By the way, I really enjoyed my time with our new members Saturday morning. They had really great questions. And I enjoy talking about Christian doctrine. I was encouraged by their eagerness to learn. It was good to have our guests in worship today, including the Raines High School class of 1977. In my Bible Study Fellowship group, I taught from 1 Timothy 1:3-8: “A Warning against False Teachers.” In typical H.B....

Today my son - H.B. Charles, III -  turns 13-years-old. I remember the night he was born, as if it were yesterday. Crystal had not been feeling well for several days. The doctor put her on bed rest. That Friday, I was scheduled to preach in Atlanta. I didn’t want to go. But Crystal and her mom urged me to go. I was only to be gone for 24 hours. Crystal’s mom was going to stay with her. And Crystal was not due for another 6-7 weeks. What’s the worst that could happen? Of course, H.B. was born that night,...

God of all good, I bless thee for the means of grace; teach me to see in them thy loving purposes and the joy and strength of my soul. Thou hast prepared for me a feast; and though I am unworthy to sit down as guest, I wholly rest on the merits of Jesus, and hide myself beneath his righteousness; when I hear his tender invitation and see his wondrous grace, I cannot hesitate, but must come to thee in love. By the Spirit enliven my faith rightly to discern and spiritually to apprehend the Savior. While I gaze upon...

Thanks for reading my blog. Shout-out to my new subscribers. You, too, can sign-up for email updates of new posts under the picture to the left. I posted my interview with Ralph Douglas West this week. Here is Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of the interview Thanks to Pastor W. Easter of the Holy Cross B.C. and Pastor D. Easter of the Bailey Chapel B.C. for the opportunity to minister to their congregations in Little Rock this week. We are continuing to pray for our Youth Pastor, Donald Lewis, whose two grandmothers were laid to rest this week....

Today was Missions Emphasis Day at Shiloh. It was a good day, which capped off a good week. Praise God for the one who was baptized today. As always, it was great to have our guests in worship with us today. I met Michael Eric Dyson today. I have read most of his books. It was cool to meet him in person. Our women’s chorus, under the leadership of M. White, did a great job today, leading us in musical praise. Dr. Hensworth W.C. Jonas was our guest speaker today. He is the leader of the East Caribbean Baptist Mission....

Thanks for read my blog. I hope you find it helpful. You can sign-up for email updates of new posts under the picture to the left. We held our Fall Church Institute at Shiloh this week. It was three good nights of Bible Study, worship, and dynamic preaching. Shelia Bailey taught our women. Lloyd Blue taught the men. And David Olford taught on Bible interpretation. Our keynote speaker, Ralph Douglas West, enriched us as he on several Gospel narratives that record powerful encounters with Christ. He called the series, "Have a Little Talk with Jesus." Shout-out to Cameron Triggs for...

Our Fall Church Institute begins tonight at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville (Sept. 26-28). These three nights will be a concentrated time of Bible study and proclamation. Each evening, at 6 pm, classes will be held on Christian discipleship. David Olford of the Olford Institute (Memphis) will teach on principles and methods of Bible interpretation. Shelia Bailey, President of Shelia B. Ministries (Dallas), will lead sessions for women. Lloyd Blue, who leads Lloyd C. Blue Ministries (Dallas), will teach the class for our men. Our Children’s Pastor, Lucious Johnson, and our Youth Pastor, Donald Lewis, will also lead...

It was a rare Sunday, in which I was away from my congregation. I missed being at Shiloh today. But I received good reports of a blessed day. I really missed my Bible Study Fellowship group today. West Wilson preached both morning services. Thanks for your ministry of the word to the saints today. Praise God for those who professed Christ and were added to the church today. I am in Chicago. I preached this morning for my friend, Romell Williams, who is celebrating 8 years of service to the Lilydale Progressive Baptist Church. I preached “Built to Last” (Matt. 7:24-27)...

In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul issues a solemn charge to Timothy: “preach the word.” This is every true preacher’s divine assignment. We must preach the word. Note that Paul did not merely charge Timothy to preach. He also instructed him what to preach. Preach the word. Paul’s specific language reminds us that the importance of preaching rests in its content, not in its function. Our preaching is not the reason the word works. The word is the reason our preaching works. So Paul tells Timothy that he must preach. But he also tells Timothy what he must preach. Preach the...

Thanks again for reading my blog. And thanks for sharing my posts with others. Remember, you can subscribe to this blog under the picture to the left to receive email updates of new posts. A big shout-out to Pastor George Hurtt and the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church of Los Angles for the opportunity to minister the word during their Church Institute this week. Mt. Sinai is my home church. I cannot describe what an honor it is to be invited home to preach again. I am grateful for their ongoing prayers, kindness, encouragement, and support. Thanks to Pastor Prentiss Lewis who...

It was a beautiful day in Jacksonville. And a wonderful day of worship at Shiloh. Our new Bible Study Fellowship group semester began yesterday. It was great to see the saints gathering for classes. I am teaching a class this semester on the Epistle of 1 Timothy. I did part 1 of an introduction to the letter. Actually, the lesson is only 1 part. But I didn’t finish it. I have never taught through 1 Timothy. I look forward to studying and teaching it. Praise God for the one brother who was baptized. I resumed my study of 1 John...

This weekend, the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles celebrated 70 years of Christian witness and ministry. The Rev. J.D. Richardson organized Mt Sinai. He led the congregation for six years. The second pastor of Mt. Sinai was my father – Dr. H.B. Charles, Sr. He led the congregation for more than forty years. He was an outstanding preacher, charismatic leader, and passionate civil rights advocate. The congregation grew tremendously under my father's leadership. It also experienced various ups-and-downs. Yet the congregation remained strong through various transitions. I was introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ during my father's...