We had a good day of worship and fellowship at Shiloh today. Yesterday was Hailey’s birthday. She turned four-years-old. You would think she turned twenty-five. In my Bible Study Fellowship class, I continued my study of the attributes of God with a lesson “The Sovereignty of God.” The lesson argues the truth and scope of divine sovereignty. I was not able to finish the lesson today. But I really had a great time study this important subject with my “class.” I am grateful for all the guests who were in worship with us today. Praise God for those who were...

Long weekend. Really long weekend. But I am grateful for God’s strengthening grace. Weekends like this past one make me respect my father all the more. My dad was the best. I count it a privilege to serve the Shiloh Church. The maturity of this congregation has been most evident of the past weeks. God is faithful. And the best is yet to come! I had a great time teaching my Sunday school class. We are studying the attributes of God. I taught on the holiness of God. I only made it halfway through the lesson. I am eager to...

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...

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...

We have a great day of worship this past Lord’s Day atthe Shiloh Church. I love my congregation! It is encouraging that our members were blessed by ourWednesdays in the Word kick-off this past week. Saturday morning, I taught our New Members Class. It wasthe first time being on Saturday. I think the first time around went prettywell. I am enjoying teaching my new Sunday school class. Ifinished my lesson this morning on the nature of God that I called, “Who isGod?” As always, I am grateful for all of the guests who werein worship with us. Our Fighter Verse(s)...

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Yesterday ended our 2012 Prayer Emphasis Week. It hasbeen a powerful week of prayer. The week climaxed with our first All-Night PrayerMeeting. It started Friday night at 10 PM and went through Saturday morning at6 AM. What a time! Thanks to all of our staff and volunteers. It was a longweek. But you made it happen! Saturday afternoon, I spoke at the Christian EducationsConference for the Progressive National Baptist Convention. I spoke on thePersonal Develop of the Christian Educator. Thanks to Pastor Streeter for theinvitation and opportunity. We held a rally during out Bible...

Yesterday began Prayer Emphasis Week 2012 at the ShilohMetropolitan Baptist Church. What better way is there to start a new year than in prayer?This week we give ourselves to pray as a church family,seeking God’s face, submitting ourselves to God, and petitions God’s blessingson our disciple-making efforts. Our congregation will pray through prayer guides this weekthat will enable us to be praying about the same things throughout this week. There will be prayer meetings each day this week at thechurch from 12-1 PM. Pastor Carison Adams of the St. Paul Baptist Church inMarion, Indiana, will be our guest speaker Wednesday....

I am in Los Angeles.I flew in to attend the annual Prayer Bowl, hosted by Pastor Melvin Wade and the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles. The Prayer Bowl is a daylong service of preaching – one sermon after another that Mt. Moriah has hosted at the beginning of the year for almost 30 years. I have attended it since I was a boy. And I preached in it every year until I moved to Jacksonville.I am not here to preach. I just want to attend and be preached to. But Pastor Wade warned me that I need to...