The National Missionary Baptist Convention is meeting in Los Angeles this week. My pastor, Dr. Melvin V. Wade, is the president of this convention. The meeting was kicked off today with the S.M. Lockridge Gospel Bowl, an all-day meeting of prayer, praise, and preaching. Even though I am not a part of this convention, I was asked to speak in this service today. I was scheduled to be on of the early speakers. So I expected that I would get there in time to hear one sermon, give my message, then go home to lay my burden down and recover...

This weekend, we began our month-long ministry involvement emphasis at MSMBC. As we celebrate our 64th church anniversary this month, we will challenge every member to join a Bible study fellowship group and getting involved in a place of service. Biblical community is one of the clearest evidences of authentic Christianity (John 13:34-35). So throughout this month, we will use various means to encourage the membership of Mt. Sinai to get connected to one another and the body-life of the church. I began this emphasis month today with a sermon on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Here is the sermon skeleton:Title: "Two are...

I'm on vacation!!!

I preached my second sermon in the Vallejo citywide revival last night. It was the fifth night of meeting. But the congregation was warm attentive, and receptive. I still don't think I was at my best. In fact, I struggled about what to preach all afternoon. I wasn't even sure what I would preach until I sat down in the worship service. But the Lord helped me to preach. I am convinced that I said what he wanted me to say. May the Lord give the increase. Today, Crystal and I are going to take the kids to a local...

Tuesday night, I had the privilege of preaching at the Three Oaks Baptist Church in Los Angeles for Pastor Raymond Chandler. Pastor Chandler and I kind of grew up together as young preachers in the Los Angeles area. And he is now in his third year at Three Oaks, where he is doing a fine work. This is the second year I have been invited to be a part of their summer revival series. It was a good meeting. Members of our congregation were present. And the Lord helped me to preach. Afterwards, we had to pack to get ready...

I didn't really take Jerry Jenkins seriously when I first heard of him. It was a rush to judgment. All I knew about him was that he was the co-author (he would say "author," no "co-") of the Left Behind series (It was Tim LaHaye's idea; but Jenkins' writing). But then I read Jenkins' book Hedges. It was good reading and spiritually enriching. But I did not expect that I would end of reading another book by Jenkins. Ever. Primarily, he writes inspirational novels and contemporary biography. I don't read much of either one of the genres. So while I...

My sermon preparation was in limbo the whole week. Last Sunday, I preached Ephesians 1:15-19, intending to follow it up with a message on the final part of the passage (vv. 19-23). But I was not sure if I would get to do it today. Months ago, I preached for Dr. "Fill-in-the-Blank," who was scheduled to be in town this weekend. And we discussed him coming to preach for me today. And when I saw him again not too long ago, we confirmed that he would preach for me today. However, we didn't talk again until yesterday. So I wasn't...

I have had a weird feeling all day long. And I think I am just putting my finger on what it is. It's midweek - Wednesday - and we are not having Midweek Service at Mt. Sinai. We have "gone dark" for the month of August. And we are to resume our regular schedule at the beginning of September. I intend to continue my exposition of Psalm 119 then. But today there is no service. And it feels downright strange. There are weeks when there is midweek service here and I am not here. But that's the point. If I...

Last night, I began the first of three nights of preaching (8/8-10) at the Mt. Gilead Missionary Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas. Pastor Terrance Floyd is the organizing pastor of this young congregation, which is about four years old. This is my third time here for Mt. Gilead, I think. I was invited several years ago to preach for them during the Simultaneous Revival here in Wichita. It was a great experience and a wonderful honor to minister the word to this infant congregation, which may have been about a year old. I was truly grateful for the privilege and...

Yesterday, I concluded our study of the "Hymn of Grace," recorded in Ephesians 1:3-14. I closed the mini-series with a message on Ephesians 1:11-14, entitled "Our Inheritance in Christ." Originally, I intended to do this extensive passage in four messages. However, it ended up taking me six messages over a 7 or 8 week period to finish. This has been an enriching study fore me. And I hope the congregation has been blessed by the messages that I have preached. I was concerned that I would spend to much time explaining doctrine that I would miss the heartbeat of the...

In an interview published in the Summer 2006 edition of Leadership, United Method Church bishop and noted author William H. Willimon makes the following comment about ministering to "felt-needs" in preaching: "Jesus doesn't meet our needs; he rearranges them. He cares very little about most things that I assume are my needs, and he gives me needs that I would've never had it I hadn't met Jesus." Wow!!!

Last week, I participated in a conference for pastors and other spiritual leaders that dealt with the spiritual "storms" ministers experience in Christian service. I was assigned this topic to address: "The Healing after the Storm." Early in my pastoral ministry at MSMBC, I went through an extended period of congregational conflict. Of course, my experience does not make me an expert on the subject. However, I am still serving the congregation where it all took place. That a least makes me a "survivor," whose story may be of some value to others who are in the storm. So I...