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...

We had a great weekend at the Shiloh Church as we celebrated our 138th church anniversary! Praise God for his faithfulness in sustaining the witness and ministry of this great congregation in Jacksonville for more than a century! And our dreams are even greater than our memories! Special thanks to our church staff for organizing the events of the weekend. I am glad to have you on our team and appreciate all you do! Likewise, thanks to all of our volunteers for serving so diligently this weekend. You make it happen! Saturday, we had a church picnic on the grounds....

Thanks for reading my blog. You can sign up for email updates under the picture to the left. Thanks to all who have picked up my new book, It Happens After Prayer. May it motivate you to pray! Thanks for your comments on my post: A Wake Up Call for Gospel Artists. I hope it starts an long-overdue conversation. A shout-out to Michael Diduit for the opportunity to speak at the National Conference on Preaching 2013 in Charlotte. By the way, Don't miss the National Conference on Preaching 2014 in Atlanta. Shout-out to Pastor Alexis Thomas for the opportunity to speak...

I love Gospel Music. Traditional. Contemporary. Praise & worship. Choirs. Groups. Solo artists. Old and new. From Rev. So-and-So Presents… albums of the 80s to today’s Bishop So-and-So Presents… albums. I have even started to listen to some quartet and Christian hip-hop. I love music. And I especially love music that exalts the Lord Jesus Christ. But my true love for Gospel Music has broken my heart. In two ways… First, I am grieved by the excessive commercialism of contemporary Gospel Music. I can cite various examples of this illicit love affair with the world. But there is an explicit...

Happy Mother's Day! A Special Happy Mother's Day to my wife, Crystal, and to my mother, Ellen. We had a great day of worship at the Shiloh Church today. Grateful for all of our guests today. I even got to meet BrothaRollins' parents. Way cool. Praise God for the five persons who were baptized today. Our Genesis Choir (children) sang today. I preached "God's Graffiti" from Daniel 5, continuing my series through Daniel. I outlined the chapter in four movements:  The Foolish Celebration (Belshazzar) The Party Crasher (God) The Uninvited Guests (Daniel) The Tragic Conclusion (Dairus) I stole this sermon...