I preached three of morning services yesterday. Then I hightailed it to catch a flight to Los Angeles to meet my family. We traveled home for the weekend to celebrate the retirement of my pastor Melvin Von Wade Sr. has led the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles for forty-two years. Pastor Wade is a part of the legendary Wade family. His father, Dr. J.C. Wade Sr., pastored the Salem Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska for nearly half a century. During this pastorate, Wade Sr. developed a reputation as one of the leading African-American preachers in the country....

Tellis Chapman is the Pastor of the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where he has served for more than thirty years. He is also the President of the Pastors' and Ministers' Division of the National Baptist Convention, USA Inc. A much sought-after preacher, Chapman travels the country preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Chapman is also a friend of preachers. I have seen evidence of his kind and generous spirit since the moment I met him some years ago. [Tweet "The preacher's responsibility is not to shout the people but to give them marching orders. - Tellis Chapman"]...

Reginald C. Payne is my oldest friend. We grew up in the same congregation. We basically started preaching together. We were ordained together. My father died as I was flying home to Los Angeles from Detroit. Reginald picked me up from the airport that day. We were roommates for several years. And we served together during the beginning of my first pastorate. Reginald was also my first preaching assistant. We called him "Ready Reggie." Twenty-two years ago, Reginald was called to pastor the Full Gospel Baptist Church in Los Angeles (not affiliation with denomination). Three years ago, he was also called...