Yesterday was my daughter’s – Natalie Marie Charles – tenth birthday. I thank God for my little princess. Last year, I had the privilege of baptizing my daughter as a follower of Jesus Christ. This was a step of faith that has been on Natalie's heart for some time. I intentionally made her wait. But I am glad to see evidence of the Lord's work in her heart. Natalie is multi-talented. She is a bookworm, like her dad. And, by the mercy of God, she got her looks from her mother, Crystal. She is growing up into a beautiful young...

O Christ, All thy ways of mercy tend to and end in my delight. Thou didst weep, sorrow, suffer that I might rejoice. For my joy thou hast sent the Comforter, multiplied thy promises, shown me my future happiness, given me a living fountain. Thou art preparing joy for me and me for joy; I pray for joy, wait for joy, long for joy; give me more than I can hold, desire, or think of. Measure out to me my times and degrees of joy, at my work, business, duties. If I weep at night, give me joy in the...

Oh, well. All good things must come to an end at some point. Tonight will conclude our Wednesdays in the Word 2012 series of services. W But I trust we will end with a bang tonight. Mr. Preacher, Dr. Maurice Watson – Senior-Pastor of the Beulahland Bible Church of Macon/Warner Robbins (GA) – is our guest speaker tonight. Maurice Watson has preached at Shiloh several times over the past threes. We were challenged and encouraged by his past visits. I expect that tonight will be no different. Pastor Watson is one of my favorite preachers. His life and ministry have...

A new friend sent me a text yesterday, “Do you have any advice for voice control in and out of the pulpit?” he asked. I should have responded, “You are asking the wrong person.” Instead, I ventured a brief answer. I doubt it was helpful. This post is my fuller answer to the question I should not be answering in the first place. My father had a big, preaching voice. And many of my early preaching heroes sounded like preachers, whatever that means. However, I do not have a preacher’s voice. I sounded like Simba practicing his roar in the...

The scribble to my left are the preaching notes from my sermon this past Sunday. Typically, I write out a complete sermon manuscript for preaching. I usually do not have to bring any notes to the pulpit. But I am not neurotic about it. If I need the entire manuscript, I take it (having an iPad has made this easier for me). Or if I need an outline or specific notes, that is what I created. I do not really set the entire sermon to memory. I basically internalize it over the course of writing and editing the manuscript. But I...

A veteran pastor took me to lunch yesterday. As preachers tend to do, we spent most of the lunch talkingabout preaching and preachers. The conversation continued as he drove me back to my office. The last preacher he brought up, as we were turning ontoBeaver Street, was the late Dr. S.M. Lockridge. Dr. Lockridge was the pastor ofthe historic Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego, a well-respected preacher,and noted denominational leader. The veteran pastor recalled the first time he heard Dr. Lockridgepreach. It was at a Southern Baptist Convention event. He said it was thegreatest sermon on the Lordship of...

Good morning heavenly Father, good morning Lord Jesus, goodmorning Holy Spirit. Heavenly Father I worship you as the creator and sustainerof the universe. Lord Jesus, I worship you, Savior and Lord of the world. HolySpirit I worship you, sanctifier of the people of God. Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Heavenly Father I pray that I may live this day in yourpresence and please you more and more. Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I maytake up my cross and follow you. Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you willfill me...

Our Wednesdays in the Word series continues tonight at theShiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. Over the past three weeks, we have been greatly enriched bythe ministry of the word from Marcus Cosby, Kerwin Lee, and Arthur Jackson III.Tonight, we are privileged to have as our guest speaker, Dr.Mac Brunson, Senior Pastor of the historic First Baptist Church ofJacksonville, Florida. We are neighbors with First Baptist, with only six blocksseparating us. And Pastor Brunson has been both kind and encouraging to me,since my arrival in Jacksonville. I am honored to have him as our guest tonight. Dr. Brunsonis a sound, faithful, and...

Happy President’s Day! Great day of worship yesterday at the Shiloh Church! I really enjoyed teaching my Sunday school class. We arestudying the attributes of God. Yesterday’s lesson was on the glory of God. As always, I was encouraged by the presence of those whowere guests in worship with us yesterday. During the 8 AM service, the song of preparation was “Beamsof Heaven.” I love that song. My mom used to sing it a lot when I was a boy. I havenot heard it in a long time. Praise God for those who were baptized yesterday! I continued my study...

A national Gospel Music conference begins here inJacksonville today. It will meet for the next several days.I have not been invited to speak at this conference. Infact, it would be a safe bet that virtually no one who will attend thisconference even knows that something called H.B. Charles, Jr. exists. But I have something important to say to the hundreds, maybethousands of Gospel music artists and attendees who are influenced by theirrecordings. I have a message to deliver. I have a class to teach. I have a wordto give.Here it is: Please, please, just sing! I say this in the...

Wednesdays in the Word continues at the Shiloh MetropolitanBaptist Church of Jacksonville tonight at 7 PM.We have been richly blessed the past two weeks by MarcusCosby of the Wheeler Avenue Church (Houston) and Kerwin Lee of Berean ChristianChurch (Lithonia, GA). Pastor Terry K. Anderson of the Lilygrove Baptist Churchin Houston was scheduled to be our guest speaker tonight. However, he will notbe able to attend. We are praying for Pastor Anderson’s full recovery. And welook forward to him ministering to us some time down the road. But there is a ram in the bush! Pastor Arthur Jackson, Senior-Pastor of the...

Several months ago, one of our staff pastors shared with me how an older pastor had offended him with unkind words. I tried to encourage him. I don’t remember exactly what I said. But it went something like this: “Don’t worry about it. Older preachers have a way of… us younger preachers.” Staff member’s response: “Did you say, ‘Us young preachers?’” Ouch. He was right. I am not young anymore. Today is my 39th birthday. I have been a pastor for more than 21 years. I have been married to my wife, Crystal, whom I met in high school, for...