The following is a guest post by Cameron Triggs, Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. “Well done my good and faithful party planner.” That is one phrase I am positive Jesus will not say to Youth Pastors at the culmination of human history. I am also sure that no genuine Youth Pastor worth a slice of pizza wants to hear those words. Still the pressure to entertain is inevitable in youth ministry. It does not matter if it is a room of six faithful “church kids” or an auditorium full of...

I am looking forward to the 2013 E.K. Bailey Preaching Conference in Dallas, July 8-11. This conference was the vision of the late, E.K. Bailey, founding pastor of the Concord Church. Dr. Bailey is the "godfather" of expository preaching among African Americans. Outside of Dr. A. Louis Patterson, Jr., I do not know of any Black pastor/preacher that has pointed more brothers toward Bible exposition than Dr. Bailey. The Bailey Conference is now in the capable hands of Pastor Bryan L Carter, who also leads Concord. Under Carter's capable leadership, the Concord Church is alive and well, and so is...

Thanks for reading my blog. You can sign up under the picture to the left to receive free email updates of future posts. H.B. Charles Jr.: Summer Vacation for Fulltime Christians Pick up my new book, It Happens After Prayer. I started doing radio interviews for the book this week. This is new for me. But I am grateful for the opportunities. The 2013 E.K. Bailey Preaching Conference is fast approaching. Hope to see you there. Check out Thriving Summit Conference hosted by Eric Mason. And pick up his new book, Manhood Restored. Sign up for the Expositors Summit at...

Summer is a needed time of rest and relaxation for many people. This break from the various responsibilities of home, work, or school is a good thing. However, there is no such thing as a vacation, leave-of-absence, or sabbatical from your responsibilities as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus told his disciples, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). This call also applies to present-day disciples. Even though your life in Christ is supernatural; it's not superhuman. If you do not ever come apart, you will eventually fall apart. All of...

So learn about Jesus! Follow the sacred counsel of Ezekiel and eat the scroll. Learn about Jesus for His word is a lamp unto our feet (or for our present moments) and a light unto our paths (that is, for our future) amidst moral blackouts and human power failures. Learn about Jesus for what a tragic mindset in the church that many will go here and there to be bigger, better teachers, lawyers, doctors, but when it comes to Christian education, many choose to be mental moral midgets, spiritual shrimps and shorties, religious runts, whose inner growth is stunted by the...

The bottom line of Christian stewardship can be succinctly summarized in four words: God owns it all! The psalmist rightfully audited God’s assets: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). Everything we possess is a grace gift from God that we must manage faithfully. Paul explained, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10). Mark it down: stewardship is about much more...

It was a really long weekend. Saturday, I led our Kingdom Man Bible class, led our prayer meeting, and then taught our New Members Class. Still recovering. We extended the right-hand-of-fellowship to our new members Sunday morning. We celebrated the Lord’s Table in both worship services. It was nice to meet several of our guests in worship today. I am glad to have friends who recommend our church to their members who are visiting Jacksonville. Our Bible Study Fellowship groups began their summer semester. I resumed my class a lesson on the importance of studying the word with other believers....

Continue to pray for those in Oklahoma and the other midwestern states that have been in the path of tornadoes. Praise God for my mother and family is safe! Shout out to Pastor Carlos Kelley for the opportunity to preach to the New Hope Baptist Church of Little Rock this week. My friend, Ray Pritchard, wrote the foreword for my new book. And he has graciously written a review of It Happens After Prayer. In our New Members Class today, we are giving away copies of Thom Rainer's new book, I Am A Church Member. Make plans to attend the...

O Lord, We commune with thee every day, but week days are worldly days, and secular concerns reduce heavenly impressions. We bless thee therefore for the day sacred to our souls when we can wait upon thee and be refreshed; We thank thee for the institutions of religion by use of which we draw near to thee and thou to us; We rejoice in another Lord’s Day when we call off our minds from the cares of the world and attend upon thee without distraction; Let our retirement be devout, our conversation edifying, our reading pious, our hearing profitable, that...

The following is a guest post written by my friend, Charlie E. Dates, who serves as the Senior-Pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, Il. God willing, I will celebrate the second anniversary of my installation as pastor of Progressive Baptist Church a month from now. In most historic black Baptist churches, the installation is the official start of the pastor’s tenure. It’s something like the president’s inauguration. I am fortunate to serve as the senior leader of one of Chicago’s historic churches. I am also fortunate – or some would say unfortunate – to do so as a...

Happy Memorial Day! May the Lord grant you a blessed and safe holiday. Let's remember today those who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. Memorial Day weekend is an anniversary, of sorts, for me. I preached at the Shiloh Church for the first time Memorial Day weekend five years ago (2008). I was only invited to preach. Before my trip, however, I was asked to do several meetings. Worst interviews ever! I preached two sermons and flew home Sunday afternoon. I thought the services were warm and the people were kind. And the message was received well. But...

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Shout-out to Pastor Reginald Jones for the opportunity to speak at the Sharon Baptist Church in Augusta this week. I attended the 2013 Moody Pastors Conference in Chicago this week. It was great. I especially appreciate the messages I heard from Alistair Begg and Voddie Baucham. Looking forward to speaking at this conference next year! Thanks Shiloh for praying for my meetings this week. Can't wait to tell you about what the Lord is up to! Be sure to pick up my new book, "It Happens After Prayer."  The 2013 E.K. Bailey Preaching Conference is fast...