The Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, where Dr. Melvin V. Wade pastors, hosts their annual “Prayer Bowl” each year on New Year’s Day. This is an all-day worship service with preaching, prayer, and praise. If I am correct, Pastor Wade has been hosting this event every year since he has been pastor of Mt. Moriah, which would be more the thirty years now. I remember attending this meeting when I was a boy preacher. I would be squeezed into one of the back rows with my other young preacher buddies. And we would stay the whole day listening to some of the best preachers of Los Angeles. I first preached this event more than ten years ago. And Dr. Wade has graciously invited me to speak in this meeting each year since then.

There were five other speakers besides me this year. I had the opportunity to hear three of them. I was encouraged by each of them. There are different styles and backgrounds represented. And this is a great reminder that God has a lot of different tools at his disposal to use to minister his word. I was the final speaker. And the Lord helped me to preach the message he had laid on my heart, even though I wasn’t feeling well. The Prayer Bowl is always special, uplifting, and edifying. This year was no exception. Praise God for Pastor Wade and the Mt. Moriah for being so gracious as to open their doors each year to invite the city to join this in this great celebration of God’s gracious gift of a new year. Praise God for each of the preachers who gave themselves to the Lord so freely, and for the saints who gathered to hear the word proclaimed. And I praise God for the privilege of proclaiming the word of God to the greater Los Angeles church community once again. May much fruit come from this meeting to the glory of God.