Several weeks ago, I completed a verse-by-verse exposition of the Epistle of James for my congregation at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. My faith was enriched by this personal study. And I trust my congregation was built up in their faith, as a result of hearing these messages. I have been thinking about this series over the past several days - not necessarily the spiritual experience of studying James, but the practicalities of preaching through it. Here are some of my reflections. Why James? I love the Epistle of James. I think it is James’ “in your face” style of...

What a great day of worship at Shiloh today! We began the service this morning with several praise choruses that I really like to sing. One of them had I had been singing to myself all week. It was great to sing it together in worship with the saints. As always, I am grateful for all of our guests in worship today. As I sat in our second service today, I began to give thanks to God for all of the volunteers who serve in our congregation. The service of so many others make what I do possible. And I...

I had a great time teaching on the good news of Jesus Christ in my new members class. We had many guests in worship yesterday. Grateful for it. We had several families, celebrating their family reunions, in worship with us yesterday. It was good to host these guests. Hope they were blessed by the service. Dr. William Lawson, founding pastor of the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston (where Dr. Marcus Cosby now serves as pastor) was in worship with us yesterday. His family was one of our special guests. It was an honor to have him worship with us....

Last week, I participated in the National Baptist Convention USA Inc.’s Congress of Christian Education in Indianapolis. It was the first time I have participated in the meeting for the full week. I had the opportunity to teach in the Laymen’s Department each day and to speak in the general session Wednesday afternoon. I was an exhausting but enriching week. Grateful to Harold Simmons, president of the Laymen, for all his kindness. Our new Car Care Ministry began this past Saturday! More than twenty men will volunteer their services to do free basic car repairs for seniors and single mothers...

Great day of worship at Shiloh yesterday. God be praised for all of our volunteers who serve in various ways during our Lord’s Day services. You make it happen. Thank you. We celebrated the Lord’s Table in both of our worship services, which is always a special time in the life of our congregation. Grateful for the guests who joined us for worship. Our choir sung a song called, “I Never Lost My Praise,” before I preached. It blessed us in both services. I am convinced that if you can praise God in the midst of whatever you are going...

This Sunday, God willing, I will resume my verse-by-verse exposition of the Epistle of James. This past week was Prayer Emphasis Week here at Shiloh. And I have preached on prayer the past two Sundays. I am now heading back to James. This Sunday’s message will be on James 2:1-13 – The Sin of Partiality. It will be the first of two sermons on James chapter 2, the second will be on verses 14-26. Interestingly, it took me nine sermons to get through chapter 1. But I plan to get through chapter 2 in two sermons. The two passages in...

We had a good day of worship yesterday at Shiloh. The choir sung my “anniversary” song: “The Joy of the Lord.” It is one of my favorite choir songs. And I was blessed beyond words to hear it in worship. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV) Grateful for all of our guests who were in worship...

It was coooooold yesterday!!! We had a good day of worship at Shiloh. Thanks for your continued prayers and many expressions of kindness as Crystal recovers from her surgery. Please continue to cover her with your prayers. Throughout the day, I was praying for three pastors I know of around the country who were beginning officially started new churches yesterday. I was also praying for the Diamond family and the Abyssinia Church, who funeralized their long time pastor, Dr. Tom Diamond, Saturday morning. I really enjoyed my time with the New Members Class yesterday. We discussed the good news of...

CRYSTAL UPDATE: Thanks for your ongoing prayers for Crystal. She still cannot move around much. But there have been no complications from her surgery. And her recovery is coming along as scheduled. Praise God. Good day of worship at Shiloh yesterday. Our youth and young adults led the music yesterday. Good job. Thankful for all of our guests yesterday. God bless the families who participated in our parent-child dedication yesterday. I began a new series on the Epistle of James yesterday. I preached from James 1:1-4 and called the message, “Taking Advantage of your Trials.” I have been looking forward...