This past Sunday morning, I preached from Ephesians 2:11-13 – "Remember What You Were." For all the difficulties I have preparing last week (over the last weeks, for that matter), I was quite relaxed, focused, and eager about preaching Sunday morning. The passage is doctrinal in nature. But there is a practical concern that is addresses that I really felt it was important for MSMBC to hear – the danger to forget and the need to remember. Our spiritual passion is prone to grow cold when we forget how far we were from God without Christ and how God brought...

The past two Sunday afternoons, our congregation has participated in worship services at with other congregations. On May 27, we worshiped with the Paradise Baptist Church to celebrate the 22nd pastoral anniversary celebration for Pastor A.D. Iverson. Pastor Iverson has been a great source of kindness and encouragement to me over the years. And we seem to have a natural affinity toward one another – both being preacher's kids who pastor their father's church. So it was a joy to join in the celebration with other congregations of our city. I brought the message in that service. And even though...

Every year, I go through my "annual homiletical crisis" – in which I really, really struggle in my preaching. For some reason, this year "crisis" (termed this purely on the basis of how I feel going through it) is taking place much earlier - it usually takes place well into the second half of the year. And it's taking on a weird form this time around. I have been struggling to determine what to preach. When I land on a text or subject, my personal study time has been great. But I have also been struggling with turning my personal...

Today, we remember the American soldiers who have died in military service. And we pray for those who continue to serve in harm's way in different places around the world. God bless.

This past Sunday, I preached on Exodus 17:8-16. I had been studying this passage and meditating on it for several weeks. Several things attracted me to this passage. First, the theme of spiritual warfare attracted me. This battle that the Israelites fought against the Amalekites illustrates the spiritual battles we as Christ-followers face against the flesh, the world, and the devil. I feel like some of the things the members of MSMBC are going through in their personal lives is the direct result of spiritual battles that need to be fought and won. Likewise, some of the things we are...

I am writing this post from Chicago's O'Hare airport. I am waiting for my connecting flight to Dayton (OH), where I am scheduled to begin a three-night meeting at the Phillip's Temple C.M.E. Church. The pastor, James Washington, has a large vision for strategic ministry and a solid commitment to biblical preaching. This is my second time preaching at Phillip's Temple. And I can say that it is the strangest C.M.E. (Christian Methodist Episcopal) church I have ever preached in. Okay. It's the only C.M.E. congregation I have ever preached in. But from everything I hear about the denomination, this...

I had an eye exam yesterday. And I was given a new prescription. The doctor has been monitoring a potential problem with my eyes for several years now. And the situation hasn't gotten any worse. Praise God! But at the same time, the problem has not really changed. So I was told again by the people who specialize in doing glasses in about an hour that it would take 8-15 working days to get my prescription done. Go figure. There's a sermon illustration there somewhere, I just have to find it.

I am in Greensboro, North Carolina, preaching for my friend Keelan Atkinson. A little less than a year ago, Keelan organized the Word Fellowship Reformed Baptist Church. And I have the honor of preaching their first revival. This is my third time coming to Greensboro to preach for Keelan. So there is a level of familiarity with Keelan's ministry, which makes it a pretty relaxing atmosphere to preach in. The Word Fellowship congregation loves the word. And I have really enjoyed preaching to them these past two nights.The place where the meeting was to take place was unavailable Wednesday night....

I am teaching a new series on Tuesday nights. (Have I mentioned yet that our midweek service moved to Tuesday nights?) I am calling it, "Saved for Sure." And it is based on 2 Peter 1:5-7. In 2 Peter 1:3-11, Peter exhorts his readers to make their call and election sure. And in verses 5-7, Peter gives seven spiritual qualities that you should add to or supplement your faith with for assurance, growth, stability, and fruitfulness in your Christian experience. After several weeks of introduction, I have plunged into the seven qualities. We studied "virtue" last week. And last night...

Her children rise up and call 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 (ESV)

This evening, I will preach my final of three messages at the Morning Star Baptist Church in Grand Prarie (TX), where Christopher Taylor is the pastor. I have preached this meeting for Pastor Taylor a four or five times over the years. And all I can say is that Morning Star is a great place to preach. Last night, I preached a message that I really didn't intend to preach outside of my own pulpit. But I felt such freedom in preaching at Morning Star, that I took a shot at it. And I believe it was received well.There have...

This past Thursday, we observed the National Day of Prayer at MSMBC with a special prayer meeting. This is the third or fourth year we have had this service. We worship together. And we spend time in prayer specifically for the government, media, education, church, and family. Then I bring a message. I almost didn't preach this year, though. I was debating whether or not we should just keep on praying. We don't have too many meetings like this where we just pray. So I thought that maybe I should just save my sermon for another time. But I finally...