The pastor lives under a divine charge to preach the word. He does not have the right to proclaim his own message. He is a herald assigned to declare the message of the King. Every pastor has multiple responsibilities. But the pastor’s primary, central, and definitive function is to preach the word of God. A faithful pastor will not compromise the centrality of the pulpit. It is my desire and determination to be a faithful pastor. Therefore, I strive to guard the dignity of the pulpit that has been entrusted to me. How I live, study, and preach are shaped...

Happy Father's Day!  My father - H.B. Charles - passed away Father's Day weekend, 1989. I still miss him deeply. Yet, there is a sense in which he is still with me. I thank God for my Dad and continue to learn from him after all these years. (READ: Lessons My Father Taught Me) Listen to my interview about my father with Family Life Today: A Father's Legacy Grateful for Steve Wagers and Adron Robinson for speaking at the Men's Conference at the Shiloh Church this weekend. Check out this week's podcast: On Preaching with Ray Pritchard. Jesse Johnson: It...

I have just returned from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Session in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a busy but blessed week. Having preached five times Sunday (a big mistake I do not intend to repeat), I caught a flight to Phoenix through Atlanta. The flight to Atlanta was uneventful. My connection was scheduled to leave Atlanta at 9:35 PM. Because of mechanical difficulties, it did not leave until 3 AM Monday morning. As you can imagine, I spent the rest of the week trying to recover. The SBC Pastors’ Conference kicked off on Sunday evening, led by David Miller. Between...

As a boy preacher, I had many opportunities to preach, but my father did not allow me to receive an honorarium for my preaching. But it didn’t matter to me. If I had the money, I would have paid pastors to let me preach! These early opportunities taught me not to put a price-tag on my ministry. I remember one of the first times I received an honorarium; it was a couple hundred dollars, but you would have thought it was a million bucks! Not long after, I went to the mall with several friend and I spent all the money...

I landed at LAX from preaching. My cell phone rang as soon as I turned it on. When I answered, a friend chastised me about not responding to a message from the deacon chairman of the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. There were no messages on my phone. No messages at home or the office, either. Then it came to me. I rarely used the phone in my study, and didn’t even know the number. But I asked my assistant to check the phone and, sure enough, a deacon from Florida had left a message. My friend told...

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! – Psalm 115:1   Yesterday, the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church celebrated 142 years of God’s faithfulness! Many congregations do not make a big deal about church anniversaries, others ignore them outright. A church anniversary observance is often dismissed as another annual day, steeped in church tradition, and not Christian mission. I beg to differ. Statisticians report that some 4,000 churches in America close each year. Every week, multiple congregations – for one reason or another –...

This weekend, the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church celebrates 142 years of God's faithfulness. Praise the Lord for all that He has done, is doing, and will do through and for the Shiloh Church! I love my church! Today was our church picnic. Sunday, we will celebrate together in corporate worship. I am beyond excited that Dr. Fred Luter of the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, and the first African-American President of the Southern Baptist Convention, will be our guest speaker this weekend. Thank you for your prayers, notes of encouragement, and offers of support in my nomination for president...

This past week, I prayerfully agreed to be nominated for president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, which will take place in Dallas in 2018. The Pastors' Conference is held every year in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. It has been my joy to preach the pastors' conference on several occasions. It would be a privilege to lead it in 2018. I am grateful and honored that Ken Whitten of the Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa Bay has agreed to nominate me at the upcoming SBC meeting in Phoenix. I am also grateful for...

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. – Job 23:10 Trust God’s heart when you cannot trace God’s hand. Have you ever heard this statement before? Have you ever said it before? What does it mean in terms of real-world faith? Job can help us answer these questions. As he suffered, Job complained against God: “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to...

It was a joy to speak at the WorshipGod Northeast Conference this week in Philadelphia, PA. Thanks to my friend Bob Kaulflin for the invitation and opportunity! Read my latest article: God Does Not Answer Selfie Prayers!  Check out the latest episode of The On Preaching Podcast. In this episode, we'll discus "Tips for Clear Communication in Preaching." For The Church: H.B. Charles on the Pastor's Most Important Weekly Tasks  Nathan Busenitz: Ten Reminders for Preachers Justin Taylor: Where Did the "Billy Graham Rule" Come From?  Tim Challies: What We Lost When We Lost Our Hymnals Erik Raymond: The Only...

I was looking for a cord for a device I had not used in a while. And I knew exactly where to look. My wife keeps a box where she dumps gadget stuff that me and the kids inevitably lose. I rummaged through the box, never finding what I was looking for. But I did find several digital cameras. I pulled each one out of the box, remembering purchasing or using them for special events. After I repacked the box, I wondered why my family did not use these cameras any longer. It was not because there were no more...

My baby girl - Hailey Breanne - turned 9 this week (3/24). She is growing up fast. But she will always be my little girl! Happy Birthday Hailey Bug! Today is Shiloh Community Service Day! Grateful for the army of Shiloh Church volunteers who are letting their light shine in our city today! It was a joy to speak at chapel this week at the Reformation Bible College. It was also my first time on the campus of Ligonier Ministries. Grateful for this faithful gospel work! Russell Moore: Seeking Unity in the Southern Baptist Convention Kate Shellnutt: Princeton Seminary Reforms...