Becoming A People of Purpose

As we see 2007 in the rearview mirror and embark on a brand new year, the Lord allowed me to look not in retrospect as to where we are in 2007, but rather take a futuristic look at where the Lord desires us to be. So we took a lnew look at a familiar story housed in Mark 4:35-40 where Jesus was in the boat with his disciples as they encountered a storm of hurricane-like proportions while they were on the Sea of Galilee. For Jesus was teaching the multitudes about the Kingdom of God with a method known as a parable, which is nothing but a ficitious story with a spiritual meaning. Jesus weary from his day of teaching, listened as his disciples wanted to go do their own thing, but Jesus knew they had a greater purpose in this life, and their purpose was found in chapter 5 and beyond.

In Mark 5, Jesus knew that the disciples had to minister to a demon-possessed man in a cemetary, Jairus' sick daughter and the woman with an issue of blood. This suggests to us that our purpose in this life is to minister to the hurting, the despondant and the depressessed . Our purpose and destiny is tied into our ministering to this world as we embark on the next world. Here is the sermon outline.

Thesis: when your lifetime purpose outweighs your immediate desires, you will become a people of destiny

I. Go Wherever Jesus Tells You to Go
-verse 35

II. Take Jesus With You
-verses 36

a. Unlimited Reach - verse 36...and other boats were with him
b. Unlikely Rest - verse 37-38...a great storm arose...Jesus was asleep on a pillow
c. Unusual Request - verse 38...master carest thou not if we perish

III. Have Enough Faith That Jesus is Always in Control
.verse 39-40

Calm in the Midst of Chaos

Yesterday I was fortunate to preach at my home church, The New Hope Baptist Church, Newark, NJ at their 8 AM Worship Service because my Pastor, Joe A. Carter is dealing with a serious bout of stress and anxiety attacks that have left him absent from the pulpit for the last couple of months and he wanted me to cover for him at a few services. I was honored at the invitation and didn't have to think twice about standing up to deliver my convictions about the coming of the Messiah to both New Hope and the First Mount Zion congregations. I concluded my series on three prophecies of the coming king found in the book of Isaiah with an exposition out of Isaiah 11:10 entitled Calm in the Midst of Chaos. The first 10 chapters of Isaiah deals with God's judgment on Judah for their sinfulness and rebellion against God. He allowed their enemy the Assyrians to discipline Judah but they desired to destroy them, this caused God to bring judgment not only to Judah but also to Assyria. In all of this war and destruction going on, chaos ruled all over the land, and Judah, a once great place was now a mere shell of what they were. But God tells them through Isaiah that he will allow them to rise out of the ashes to become a great people once again, through the sending of his promised Messiah who will bring calm in the midst of chaos. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: when our world is filled with the chaotic, this prophecy proves to us that Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to bring into our lives the peace that we need.

I. Supremacy of His Lineage

-verse 10...in that day the root of Jesse
-Jesse's lineage is royal because of his son David
a. Earthly Presence - Jesus is known as the Son of David
b. Eternal Past - in eternity past Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father who sat on the throne
c. Eschatalogical Position - this Prophecy refers not only to Jesus' first coming but also his second coming during the 1000 Millenial Rule found in Revelation 20

II. Standard of His Lifestyle
-verse 10...shall stand as a signal for his people...of him shall the nations inquire
-Jesus is the standard bearer by which all actions shall be held up against
a. Assemble the Righteous - stand as a signal for his people
b. Attract the Unrighteous - of shall the nations inquire

III. Splendor of His Legacy
-verse 10...and his resting place shall be glorious
-the resting place of Jesus is within his church

Coming of the Messiah

We began a quick 3 sermon series on 3 prophecies of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ that were recorded in that great prophetical book of Isaiah, which I tagged the series the Coming of the Messiah. The first such prophecy that we looked at today was an exposition on chapter 7, verse 14 which says therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. For the people of Judah was in a terrible crisis. The king of Aram and the king of Ephraim had joined forces to wage war against Jerusalem. God sent the prophet Isaiah to bring a word of deliverence to the wicked king of Judah named Ahaz. The word was to trust that the Lord will give you what you need to make it through this crisis situation, but Ahaz refused to trust in God. God sent a word of prophecy that he will provide for Judah a vessel to deliver his people from their sins. I thank God that in this season called Christmas, we can truly understand that Jesus was not born to provide us gifts under a tree, songs sung in the streets, snowflakes on the ground, but that he came to save us and deliver us in times of crisis. Here is the sermon outline:

Title: The Necessity of the Virgin Birth

Thesis: in times of a great crisis, God offers his people a great hope with a great prophecy that their sufficient savior is on the way

I. Promise of God's Prophecy

-verse 14...therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign

II. Power of God's Prophecy

-verse 14...behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son

III. Presence of God's Prophecy

-verse 14...and they shall call his name Immanuel

Closing Out the Series

I have had a difficult time making a post entry in the last couple of weeks, because our church is in the home stretch of selling our present building and purchasing a new building at a better location that will afford us the great opportunity of reaching a different demographic of non-Christians (more about this in a later post entry).

But the Lord allowed us to conclude the series on the I AM statements of Jesus Christ that are housed in the Gospel According to John. The final two statements are different but they were born out of the same situation.

In Chapter 13, Jesus was in the Upper Room on the night of the last supper that Jesus would have with his followers. It was at the last meal during the Passover Feast that Jesus got down on his knees to wash the feet of his disciples in order to teach them a great lesson on service and humility. It was here that Jesus told them that he would be betrayed, Peter would deny Him, and the rest of them would also reject Him.

This did damage to their incorrect idea as to who Jesus really was, for they were of Jewish origin, and the Jews believed that the Messiah would come as a political leader and warrior who would save the Jews from their enemies. Because Jesus destroyed their image of Jesus, it caused them to have troubled hearts. This word troubled means to be in a state of confusion, and because they were in a state of confusion, Jesus makes this claim in verse 1 of chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled, believe in God believe also in me. He then makes a great claim in response to the doubts of Thomas in verse 6, I AM the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me. Here is the sermon outline:

Title: Cure For A Troubled Heart

Thesis: When our world is mired in a state of confusion, our survival is based solely because of our complete trust that Jesus Christ is our exclusive access to having certainty in an uncertain world

I. Trust The Certainty of His Reconciliation - the way

II. Trust the Certainty of His Reliability - the truth

III. Trust the Certainty of His Resurrection - the life

After Jesus cures their troubled hearts, and Judas leaves to betray Him, Jesus tells his disciples let us arise and go down from here. As they were making their way towards the Mount of Olives, little did they know they were also heading towards the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Jesus. They pass by a vineyard, which affords Jesus a classroom to teach them their role in the Kingdom of God on earth while he is no longer with them, he stoops down and picks up the branch of a grape, and he tells them in chapter 15:1, I AM the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Here is the sermon outline:

Title: Just Be A Branch

Thesis: We are able to be fruitful servants in the vineyard of God, because of our total confidence that Jesus Christ has offered himself to us as the source of our lives

I. Our Relationship in Him - verse 5 - I am the vine, you are the branches

II. Our Responsibility to Him - verse 5 - whoever abides in me, and I in him

III. Our Reward From Him - verse 7 - if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you

Please keep our church in your prayers as we go through this transition.

Speaking @ New Salem Baptist Church, Hammond, IN

This weekend I was fortunate and blessed to be the guest preacher for the morning worship service of Rev. Dr. Charles D. Hudson, Pastor of the New Salem Baptist Church, Hammond, IN as the church celebrated his and his lovely wife Carla's 8th Pastoral Anniversary. Dr. Hudson became the pastor of New Salem after the untimely demise of his father Charles Sr., and the church has been growing under his leadership. Hudson is a young pastor who has made himself totally accessible to his congregation. That quality is rare in this profession as many so-called mega preachers have surrounded themselves with armor-bearers and security details, so much so that the members of those churches are unable to even shake their Pastor's hand. Dr. Hudson has presented himself as a pastor among the people and his church has taken on the personality of their pastor. This weekend, while it was a celebration, it was also done with a heavy heart. The musician of the church, a 25 yr old man named Maverick, was found dead in his apartment on Saturday, which caused a cloud of grief to hang over the church as many of the young people were very close to Maverick. The Lord directed me to preach a message not for a pastoral anniversary, but rather a message of encouragement and hope, found in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 entitled Handling the Hard Times...the story of Paul dealing with the thorn in his flesh. I argued this statement that once you change your perception of hard times, you will be able to experience all of the benefits that hard times will bring. Please pray for Pastor Hudson and the New Salem Church Family as they get ready to have Maverick's homegoing service this weekend.

Confidence in a Comeback

On yesterday the Lord allowed us to continue our series on the seven I AM statements of Jesus Christ housed in the Gospel According to John entitled He's All We Need, with our look at the fifth I AM statement I AM the resurrection and the life found in the very familiar miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave in John 11:25-26. Jesus received a message from Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus that the one that Jesus loves is sick, even unto death. Jesus sends word back to her that this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God and that the Son of God will be glorified thereby. Lazarus dies the same day that Jesus gets the message, but Jesus doesn't arrive to the tomb of Lazarus until he has been dead for four days. Martha comes to Jesus and tells him that if he would have been here, her brother would not have died. Jesus responds that her brother shall rise again, in which she replies that he will rise again at the resurrection and the last day. This causes Jesus to make the claim that Lazarus is primed and ready for a comeback. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: our ability to survive in the midst of our dead situations, totally hinders on our unwavering conviction that Jesus can turn our situations around

I. Confidence in the Person of the Resurrection

-I am the resurrection and the life

II. Confidence in the Portrayal of the Resurrection

-Martha says I know Lazarus will rise again at the resurrection on the last day
-Jesus says I am the resurrection...not a futuristic idea but a present reality

III. Confidence in the Permanence of the Resurrection

-and everyone who lives and believes shall never die

IV. Confidence in the Power of the Resurrection

-Jesus called Lazarus by name and he came forth from tomb bound in grave clothes
-Jesus says loose him and let him go

Speaking @ Paradise Baptist Church

This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of being the guest celebrant forthe 64th Church Anniversary for my good friend and brother Rev. Dr. Jethro C. James who is the Pastor of the Paradise Baptist Church of Newark, NJ. Dr. James has been used by God to grow a great church in the central ward of Newark, that is second to none. When he arrived at the church, they were housed close to our church in the Ironbound section of the city, and some years ago, the Lord led him to move God's people to the central ward with only 40 people and no complete building to worship in. Some 15+ years later, they have well over 500 members who are active in ministry and they worship God with power and veracity that is not common in many baptist churches. He also has one of the preachingest (I know that's not a word) women for a wife in Rev. Kim Yancy James, who is presently a student at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH working on her Doctorate of Ministry degree, which should be completed by May 08. They are a powerful couple in ministry and their friendship with Penny and myself is treasured by us. I am grateful that I have been able to preach many special days at Paradise and I look forward to a long lasting fellowship with Paradise and First Mount Zion. Please keep Paradise in your prayers as they continue to be a model ministry in our city.

What's Good About The Shepherd

We continued our exposition on the seven I AM statements of Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel according to John chapter 10:11-18 when Jesus said to the Pharisees I am the good shepherd. Contextually speaking, Jesus makes this claim in light of his healing of a blind man in chapter 9, who was taken to the Pharisees and was kicked out of the city because of his perceived sin which supposedly caused his condition. Jesus tells the people that the Pharisees are not the entrance way to eternal life, but rather in an illustrative manner, he compares the actions of a shepherd with his sheep. He says that the question as to what's good about the shepherd is answered in that whenever the sheep gets in precarious and dangerous situations, the shepherd will always be there for the sheep. Here is the sermon outline, I pray that this is a much a blessing as it was for First Mount Zion.

Thesis: in the most critical moments of our existence, our good shepherd proves to us that he is always on our side

I. Redemption of the Shepherd's Life

-verse 11--I am the good shepherd...the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep
a. good shepherd is not fearful of his rivals - verse 12
b. good shepherd won't flee from his responsibility - verse 13

II. Relationship of the Shepherd's Lamb

-verse 14--I am the good shepherd...I know my own and my own know me
-verse 15--just as the father knows me and I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep

III. Results of the Shepherd's Love

-verse 17--for this reason the father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again
a. voluntarily
b. vicariously

The Open Door

Yesterday we were able to continue our series on the I AM's of Christ entitled He's All We Need, with an exposition of the fourth expression of Jesus in John 10:1-10 when Jesus said to the Pharisees I AM the door. For this statement from Jesus was birthed in chapter 9 of this book, for he has just healed a blind man who had been taken to the Pharisees who condemned the man and excommunicated him the city because they believed that his condition is caused by a sin on his part. Jesus tells the people that the Pharisees are not their masters nor should they allow themselves to fall under their influence. In order for them to understand what he is trying to say, Jesus uses the imagery of shepherds and sheep to get them to grasp this concept. In verses 7-10, Jesus deals with illustration that when shepherds wanted to a place to keep their sheep at night, they would put them in a low walled enclosure that had a small entrance and in order to keep thieves and robbers out and the sheep from wandering, the shepherd would lay across the entrance and literally become the gate for the sheepfold. That's what Jesus has done for us, he has literally become our gate that keeps us protected in and keeps the robbers out. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: in a world that is spiraling into darkness and degradation, and we as believers are looking for a way out, Jesus Christ offers himself as our entrance into a better life.

I. Gate of Salvation - verse 9

a. Exclusive Declaration
b. Inclusive Invitation

II. Gate of Security - verse 9

III. Gate of Satisfaction - verse 10

Speaking @ Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church

On yesterday, I was fortunate to be able to preach the morning message for the 23rd Pastoral Anniversary of Dr. W. Louis McDowell who is the founder and Pastor of the Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Passaic, NJ. Mt. Pilgrim is a wonderful church that Dr. McDowell organized 23 years ago in an old, dilapidated church that had only 9 pews inside of it. Dr. McDowell and the few members that he began with, paid $10,000 for the downpayment of the building, and presently they have over 500 members, with ownership of most of the buildings in the general area that surrounds the church. Dr. McDowell has an awesome view on ministry, which is expressed in the participation of the members in the ministries of the church. Their youth ministry is second to none, with numerous praise dance teams and their choirs are incredible. Going to this church was just as much a benefit for me as it was for them with the exposition that the Lord gave me to deliver to them. I was inspired in the fact that God is able to move a small people into the blessings of being a great people, and with our church in the process of moving to a newer location, we need the Lord to do for us what he has done for Mt. Pilgrim and Dr. McDowell. I am praying for the continued growth and development for the ministry of Mt. Pilgrim and Dr. McDowell.

Light in the Midst of Darkness

We continued our series on the seven I AM's of Christ, which is our study of those accounts housed in the book of John. We examined the second I AM that is found in John 8:12, when Jesus said I AM the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of fire. For the Israel people were in celebration during what is called the Feast of the Tabernacles, which was a celebration of their exodus out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. They would take four Jewish candelabras and place them upon the four corners at the highest point on the walls, and this would illuminate the entire temple. At the end of the celebration, they would turn out the lights which made the temple dark because they were still awaiting the coming of the messiah. The next morning Jesus was teaching in the temple, and the scribes and pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in the very act of adultery. Jesus rebukes them by saying he that is without sin let them cast the first stone. It was this that Jesus tells them that they highlighted this woman's sins and neglected their own sins, and just like the darkness of the temple without light, so is this world dark without the light of Christ. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: in a world stumbling in darkness, Jesus Christ offers himself to us as our guiding light

I. Ransom of the Light

-whoever follows me

II. Reason of the Light

-will not walk in darkness

III. Reward of the Light

-but will have the light of life

Preaching @ New Hope Baptist Church

On last night, I had the expressed privilege to preach the opening service for my Pastor, Joe A. Carter's 14th Pastoral Anniversary at The New Hope Church, Newark, NJ. This was an honor of the highest magnitude for me, as I am his first son in the ministry, and for me to finally preach during this grand celebration is without a doubt a great highlight in my ministry. Having said that, this was also the most nervous that I have ever been since my initial sermon almost 10 years ago. I had to really talk to the Lord for direction as I wondered what do I say to the man whom the Lord has used to pour into me to develop my preaching and pastoral ministry? The answer is that I didn't say anything to him, but I attempted to let the Word of God say something about him. The Lord showed up and showered his power on that place. Here is the outline:

Title: Approved By God
Text: I Thessalonians 2:4

Thesis: Whenever God calls a leader, he sends them through a series of tests to prove that their faithfulness is genuine

I. Faithful in His Message - verse 4

-entrusted with the gospel

a. confidence in the face of discord - verse 2
b. did not compromise in the ferver of his declaration - verse 3

II. Faithful in His Methods - verse 4

-not to please men

III. Faithful in His Motivation - verse 4

-rather to please God

a. did not propogate his fame - verse 5 - words of flattery
b. did not perpetuate his fortune - pretext of greed
c. please the father - verse 4

The Living Bread

We continued our series on the 7 I AM's of Jesus Christ this past Sunday during our 10:00 AM worship service as we looked at the first I AM that our Lord's Gospel According to John records in John 5:35-40 when Jesus says that I AM the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. We dealt with the fact that the Jews challenges Jesus to provide them manna from heaven just as Moses did in the wilderness. Jesus replies to them that manna is not a food but it is a person, the same person who provides life to humanity. His name is Jesus. For he is our living bread. Here is the sermon outline, I pray that it is as much a blessing to you as it was to our church.

Thesis: Jesus Christ is the universal and fundamental source that sustains us day by day in our spiritual lives.

I. Desires Will Be Satisfied - verse 35

II. Destiny Will Be Secured - verse 37

III. Deity's Will is Supreme - verses 38-40

a. Origin of His Will - verse 38
b. Objective of His Will - verse 39
c. Outcome of His Will - verse 40

He's All We Need

I began a new sermon series on the I AM's of Jesus Christ yesterday entitled He's All We Need. I was led to begin this series because our church is at a point in our history where many of our members have begun to let our present condition get them to the point where they feel that it doesn't matter what they do, it will never be enough for us to make it up the rough side of the mountain. They have begun to act as if nobody cares about us and nobody will come to our rescue. Well the Lord has instructed me to tell the people through this series of sermons that we don't need people to show up to help us, for in our times of distress, God is all that we need. So in us knowing that he is all we need, I began this series on the I AM's of Christ found in the Lord's Gospel according to John. However, before I could deal with the book of John, I needed to introduce this series with the first time we see the words I AM in scripture, found in Exodus 3:14. Here is my sermon outline:

Title: Remedy For Our Inadequacy

Text: Exodus 3:13-15

Thesis: when we recognize our shortcomings as his servants, our success as his servants rests solely in our complete trust that God will make up the difference

I. Trust in the Evidence of God's Existence

-verse 14 - I AM
-means the self-existent one
a. scripture states it
b. scenery suggests it
c. sprit senses it

II. Trust in the Presence of God's Personality

-verse 14 - I AM WHO
-God's personality comes not from anyone
-we as humans are a combination of our parents
-God's personality comes from himself
-his personality to different things to different people

III. Trust in the Awesomeness of God's Authority

-verse 14 - I AM WHO I AM
-because of his sovereignty he has power to do anything and everything
-and his authority rests in who is is

A Visit To Yale Divinity School

On yesterday I had the honor of visiting one of the great divinity schools in this county, Yale Divinity in New Haven, CT. This institution, which sits on the great hill in New Haven, is a pastor's delight, in that everything you could ever want to have in a divinity school can be found at YDS. Great reputation, check. World recognized professors, check. Beautiful campus and community, check. Diverse students, check. I literally fell in love with this place during my time there.

I was able to meet with an admissions recruiter named Melissa Pucci, who herself is a recent graduate of YDS, and she answered all of our questions with seemingly unrehearsed confidence that made me feel very comfortable and impressed with her passion for YDS. We then went to their chapel hour, which is scheduled during the day so that there are no classes at this time in order for every student and professor and staff member can be available to attend chapel. Although the style of worship was not what I am used to experiencing, I did feel the presence of the Lord in that place. The music was great and the speakers showed that most of all they loved the Lord Jesus with all of their hearts.

I attended a wonderful class lecture taught by Professor Harry Stout entitled History in American Society. This class deals with the church's role in establishing our society during the inception of America, and how it's role has changed in the century's since. Yesterday's lecture centered around the Geneva Bible Translation and how the Puritans used this bible and the formation of the church in their migration to the New England states, and how the community was developed around the church, not the church developed around the community.

They had an interesting practice of stating that the only men who could purchase land were those who were members of the church, and the only men who could vote in the election of officers would be land owners. So this ensured that all land owners and voters were members of the church. Everybody went to church, but not everybody were members of the church. If you didn't go to church, you were in danger of being looked down upon. I wonder how our communities would be if everybody in our community went to church.

The best part of my visit was the manner in which the students, especially the Black students gravitated to me and made me feel very welcome. As a matter of fact, they all were encouraging in that they hoped that I would present my application for acceptance as early as possible to ensure that I was in a better position to receive scholarship monies that are available. They were so helpful to even offer their assistance in my process, which is greatly appreciated and welcomed. I can't wait to get there.

All this has done is to give me something else to pray for, because I believe that God will give us the desire of our hearts and I am praying that the Lord will open this door for me at YDS. An Ivy League Divinity degree is without a doubt something that is important to me. To God Be the Glory!

Pastors in Politics

I was on the plane last night flying home from a wonderful fellowshipping experience with my brother Pastor Keith Witherspoon in South Bend, Indiana, and I picked up this week's edition of Newsweek. Inside of it was an interesting article regarding the Democratic National Convention's impending courtship of conservative evangelicals who have traditionally since 1979, been at the forefront of helping Republican candidates get elected to the office of President of the United States. It was said that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have made serious overtures to the Evangelicals in order to at least get to the discussion table, which is especially significant because in the past, evangelicals would never even accept calls from Democarats because of their liberal views on homosexuality and abortion. Newsweek had a very telling picture of Pastor Rick Warren, author of the best selling book Purpose Driven Church, holding hands with Obama in a corporate prayer at his church.

This led me to ask myself an important question, where do Pastors fit in the grand scheme of politics. Throughout history of this country, there have been many pastors who have run, even successfully for various offices, but I have to give my own views on it out of the book of Lance Mann, chapter 7 verse 14, which states that I don't prescribe to the idea that Pastors should be politicians. For if that Pastor is a true Pastor, then that Pastor should have the well-being, growth and development of his congregation at the forefront of his heart, and if that's the case, then he probably does not have enough time to handle a secular position. Now I know that somebody will suggest that at mega-churches, most of those Pastors have full-time staff to handle the day to day operations of that church, they should have time for a political career. But I want to suggest that with consistent study of the bible for both exposition on Sundays, bible class during the week, evangelism efforts, expansion meetings, their weeks should still be full to the capacity.

I also feel that when you are a Pastor who gets into politics, he opens himself up to criticism and scrutiny that secular politicians don't have to face. Such as a prominent Pastor in New Jersey was under investigation for who he gave consulting jobs to, secular politicians have been known to do the same things, yet those deeds are ignorned when it comes them, but magnified when it pertains to a Pastor.

I believe that politicians must come to a Pastor in order to become elected as Pastors ought to have influence with politicians, as they come for counsel and guidance, but we have enough to do with the preaching of the Gospel that is designed to change the lives of humanity to become involved that intently with the world's government.

A Little Rant

While I'm in the writing mood, let me vent something else from the fellowship of young Pastors on last night. There is a serious problem, an infectous disease that has infiltrated our churches and stifled the development of many of our ministries. There is a serious lack of gospel preaching that comes from our pulpits today, so much so that even the people who sit in the congregations are so numb to Gospel preaching that when it is presented to them, they don't know how to respond because it is not apart of their steady, consistent diet at their local church.

In this day and age, people want to be pacified, coddled and made to feel good, so much so that it seems that the only churches that are filled these days are filled with people who come to hear a word of prosperity and acceptance of sin, only to leave that service the same way that they came in. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not designed to make us feel better, but it was given to us as a free gift from the Lord to make us live better.

True biblical preaching needs to be viewed as vital to the growth of the church, but more preachers are concerned with having people in their pews instead of developing disciples in their ministries. As long as they have a packed house, then they feel that their ministry is successful, but I want to suggest that what's the point of having a swollen church and not a saved church.

I have decided that if my attempts at biblical exposition is not enough to grow my church to thousands of people, then I will keep what I have, because I will never compromise the principles of preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God that he has blessed me with the ability to preach the Gospel both in season and out of season, when the people wants to hear it or not...when it is popular or not.

If enough of young Pastors and preachers forge through the hard work of exposition, we can preserve what we all know to be true, that exposition of the Gospel of Christ is paramount to the salvation of sinners, for it is only through the Word of God whereby men shall be saved.

Supporting A Friend

I am still in Indiana until my flight leaves later tonight and I am ready to get home to my family and my church. Last night, Rev. Witherspoon and myself traveled to Maywood, Illinois to support one of my real good friends, Rev. Romell Williams who is the Pastor of the Lilydale Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, as he preached at the Rock of Ages Baptist Church, for an ordination service. Rev. Williams and I first met last year, but recently we have began what I feel will be a great and productive friendship in that we talk about preaching and pastoring with every conversation, which is welcomed by me, because I need my steel to be sharpened by the steel of another pastor who understands the plight of the journey.

Rev. Williams preached an awesome exposition from 2 Timothy 4:16-18 which he called "When God Stands Up For You", it was timely and relevant for the occasion, and most of all he hit a home run on last night. I love preaching and I love someone who shows that he has put his time into the preparation of his attempt at biblical exposition. Hearing him "say it" and the fellowship afterwards, made me want to get right back to work for this week for Sunday morning at First Mount Zion.

I believe, in this day and age when preachers are more concerned with talking to each other about their tailors, how many members they lie about having, how much money they raise and are paid from their churches, how much their shoes cost...etc, it is refreshing for young Pastors to just get together and talk about the preaching of the Gospel. I was helped and encouraged by our conversation and the future of our friendships. I can't wait to see what God has in store for all of us that were present together on last night. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

Speaking @ Bethlehem Baptist Church

I had the privilege of preaching the First Anniversary Celebration of my best friend, Rev. Keith D. Witherspoon, Pastor of the Bethelehem Missionary Baptist Church, South Bend, Indiana, and the Lord showed up in a magnanimous way in that place. The people of Bethlehem have a wonderful spirit about them, in which they love the Lord, His Word, their Pastor, singing and the preaching of the Gospel. It is a testament of the teaching that they received from their former Pastor that has continued during the administration of Pastor Witherspoon. Pastor Witherspoon is one of the young giants in preaching across this country. For he has a deep seeded commitment to biblical exposition that has afforded him the opportunities to preach in varous venues across this country, including preaching at this year's National Baptist Convention in Philadephia for the Moderator's Division. He is my brother and my friend and I was honored that he asked me to stand in his pulpit once again to share the unsearchable riches of the Holy Writ. God bless you Spoon and your entire family as the Lord continues to open great doors for you in this life, awaiting the eternal blessing of everlasting joy in the next life.

Speaking @ Metropolitan Baptist Church

Last night I began a three night revival at the Metropolitan Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, NJ where Rev. Clement F. Griffin is the Pastor. I have been blessed to preach this fall revival at Metropolitan since 2003. They took a year off from the revival in 2006 because they were doing some extensive renovations in the fellowship hall and offices, which by the way makes the church look wonderful. I am excited about this revival because this was one of the first revivals that I got in our state that was on an annual basis, and because of that, I will always make myself available to this church and this Pastor. Rev. Griffin has always been very kind to me and the church has been very receptive of my attempts at biblical exposition. Last night the Lord showed up in a great way, and I am anticipating him doing the same the rest of the week. Please pray for the meeting and pray for the revivalist.

75th Church Anniversary

Today, I had the immense pleasure of preaching the opening services for Community Baptist Church of Englewood, NJ, 75th Church Anniversary Celebration during their 11:30 AM service, where Rev. Dr. Lester W. Taylor is the pastor. This church is without a doubt a model ministry in our state, as their commitment to Christ and the greatness of their ministries have made them the premier ministry in North Jersey. They are in the process of building a $13 Million edifice that will be a sight to behold. I am honored that Dr. Taylor would ask me to be a part of this celebration, as he has access to a plethora of pastors all over this country to invite, but I am grateful for the invitation. Because of the greatness of this ministry, the Lord gave me a wonderful message born out of the book of Revelation 3:7-13, as the Lord instructed the Apostle John to write a letter to the church of Philadelphia entitled "The Church That God Brags On". Here is the sermon skeleton...I hope that you are as blessed as the people of God were today.

Thesis: any church that is faithful to the Lord no matter the consequences, will be a church that God will brag on.

I. Condition of the Church - v. 8

A. Privilege They Enjoyed
1. Open door by the Lord
2. No man can close

B. Power They Exhibited
1. small in strength
2. large in trust

II. Challenges of the Church - v. 9-11

A. Challenge of Persecution - v. 9
B. Challenge of Perseverance - v. 10-11a
C. Challenge of Protection - v. 11

III. Comfort of the Church - v. 12-13

A. Comfort of His Stability - v. 12
B. Comfort of His Safety - V. 12
C. Comfort of His Security - V. 12

Farewell Willie Lee Jordan

Tonight the Pastor Community will join Pastor M.J. Jordan at the Mount Olive Baptist Church, as he has to say so long to his wonderful mother, Sis. Willie Lee Jordan. He is her youngest son, who has, ever since his father passed, taken real good care of his mother. I am understanding of what he is dealing with, as it was only 1 year ago last march that the Lord took my own mother, Hattie Louise Mann home to be with him. I had a rough year dealing with the emotions of not having my mother with me. All of my life, whenever something good happened to me, I would call mommy and tell her about it. Now I can't and it hurts badly, but I am comforted by the fact that I love her but God loves her best.

This is what I will try to tell MJ on tonight...He may love his momma, but she is in a better place than any of us are.

Facing Your Giants

Today the Lord allowed me to do a biblical exposition of a wonderful Old Testament story that is very familiar, but one that I have never looked at to preach, however one that is greatly needed in the fabric of our church right now. For we are in a "crossroads" situation where we are in dire need of moving to a new location that is better suited for us to reach the community for Jesus Christ, and in doing this, we have acquired some "old guard" members, who because of their large personalities within the church, have become giant-like fixtures of what used to be. So the Lord placed on my heart to preach a message about how to face the giants in your life. I believe that it was a great blessing to the people of God at First Mount Zion Baptist Church.

Thesis: you are able to face your giants when you know that you are not facing your giants alone

I. Don't Be Afraid - v. 32

a. stand up to your detractors - v.33-36
b. stand up for your deliverer - v. 37
c. sway your detractor's demeanor - v. 37

II. Deny the World's Armor - v. 38-19

a. consider the giant's mockery - v. 41-44
b. confidence in God's mastery - v. 45-47

III. Deploy the Lord's Artillery - v. 48

a. complete your assignment - v. 49
b. conquer your adversary - v. 50
c. cast them away - v. 51

Happy Birthday Penny!!!!!

Today, my wonderful wife celebrated her birthday, and I am grateful that the Lord has allowed us to be not only partners in life, but also in ministry. Marriage is not an easy way, nor is it something that should be taken for granted, and I will be the first to admit, that our journey together has not been easy, but what I am thankful for mostly is that God has done whatever he needed to do to keep us together. The vows that were taken on June 17, 2000, said that marriages ought to stay together through good times and bad times, and I have tried my best to give her good times, but sometimes those bad times creep back in. But I am grateful that she is a true Woman of God who prays for her husband and asks the Lord to keep me when the enemy tries to ensnare me. So Happy Birthday Baby!!!! Love You Much!!!

Vacation Bible School

We began our nightly VBS for adults on tonight and runs through friday, and the turnout was very encouraging with the promise that it will get better and better. The book that we are studying this week is entitled The Power of One Another, which suggests that building better relationships in your church will foster a growing church. The first lesson tonight dealt with Romans 12:9-10 entitled Love One Another. The Lord blessed tonight and I am anticipating him meeting us there every night this week, to the praise of his glory.

Quick Series on Jonah

The Lord led me to halt our exposition on the Book of Ephesians because at the point our church is at right now, there were some more pressing needs that the church had to have. For we are at a serious point in the life of this ministry, and the next decision that we make will determine whether or not we walk into our destiny that the Lord has designed for us.

Jonah's story is something that I believe needs to be dealt with at our church, as here is a man who is dealing with his reluctance to follow the call of God, and his reluctance to forgive his enemies. And the truth of the matter is that's where we are as a ministry. We need to focus on going where the Lord has told us to go. This is a two-part series, for if I was going to deal with Jonah's disobedience from God in chapter 1, then I need to deal with some good news in chapter 2.

Title: The Danger of Running Away From God
Text: Jonah 1:-17

Thesis: running from God will cause you to take a trip that is destined to destroy your life.

I. Downward Trip

II. Costly Trip - v. 3

III. Foolish Trip - v. 3

IV. Dangerous Trip - v. 4-17

Be Filled With the Spirit

We continued our look at the book of Ephesians entitled The Church: United Body of Christ, as we look at one of my favorite scriptures in the bible chapter 5:18-21, where we looked at what it means to be filled with the Spirit. We as members of the body of Christ have perfected how to dress like church members, talk like dress members but we have not mastered the ability to be filled with the Spirit. This phrase be filled with the spirit in the original language of the text is in the perfect imperative which suggests that we are to be constantly filled with the spirit. Day by day we are to ask the Lord to fill us because nobody is filled with the spirit all of the time. Here is my sermon outline. I hope it will be a blessing to you as it was to our church:

Thesis: being filled with the spirit is essential of every child of God who has a desire to walk with God

I. Speaking to Other Believers - v. 19a

a. Psalms - written songs of the Old Testament
b. Hymns - written expressions of joy for the coming Messiah of New Testament
c. Spiritual Songs - songs inspired by the spirit; songs of testimony

II. Singing to the Lord - v. 19b

a. singing - gift of vocal expression
b. making melody - gift of instrumental expression

III. Show an Appreciation to the Lord - v. 20

a. When should we be thankful - always
b. What should we be thankful for - everything
c. Whom should we be thankful to - God the Father
d. How Should we be thankful - in the name of Jesus Christ

IV. Submission to One Another - v. 21

Flipping the Switch

We continued our series on the book of Ephesians with chapter 5:8-14. This phrase continues Paul's lessons to the Jews and Gentiles regarding their unity in the church by walking in the light as opposed to walking in darkness. The truth of the matter is that this war is still being raged inside the modern day church. For all of us have an issue with the conflict in our existence of whether we as Children of God would walk in the light or continue in the darkness of this world. Here is the sermon outline for this message:

Thesis: in order to be a great church for the Lord, we must be willing to walk in the light and not in the darkness

I. Fruit of Our Walk in the Light - v. 9

a. fruit of goodness - v. 9a
b. fruit of righteousness - v. 9b
c. fruit of truthfulness - v. 9c

II. Fellowship of Our Walk in the Light - vs. 10-13

a. fellowship in separation - v. 11
b. fellowship in silence - v. 12
c. fellowship in shining - v. 13

III. Future of Our Walk in the Light - v. 14

a. notice the people addressed - v. 14a
b. notice the plea announced - v. 14b
c. notice the promise assured - v. 14c

Walking Like God

We continued our biblical exposition on the book of Ephesians with our look at chapter 5:1-7. There are many types of walks in our society, race walkers, those who walk for sport...power walkers, those who get up early in the morning and go to their local park in an attempt to lose weight. Those types of walks may be good for a man's physical condition, but they will not help the condition of a man's spirituality. But there is another type of walk, that if done properly, will ensure that a man will live a glorious life both in this world and in the world to come.

Sermon Outline

Thesis: every church should be identified by their desire to walk just like God

I. Direction of Your Walk

-verse 1

II. Definition of Your Walk

-verse 2

III. Description of Your Walk

-verses 3-4

IV. Danger of a Wrong Walk

-verses 5-7

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

My prayer to the Lord is that each and every one of you have a blessed and safe holiday. May the Lord bless you...may he keep you...may he make his face to shine upon you...may he be gracious unto you...may he lift his countenance upon you...may he give you peace...and let this peace be with you until we all meet again.

How To Survive Conflict

We continued our series on the Book of Ephesians entitled The Church: The United Body of Christ, as we concluded chapter 4 with verses 25-32. Throughout churches in this day and age, conflict will arise all the time. Conflict comes, as James tells us in the book named after him, that conflict comes from two parties with different views, clashing one with another. This will cause conflict to come to church, which will cause a great divide amoung the people. Paul says that this conflict can be survived by our attitude and response to the conflict in church.

Thesis: it is our attitude during conflict that will determine whether we survive conflict or not.

I. Speak the Truth in Love

-verse 25

II. Express Anger Appropriately

-verses 26-28

III. Watch Your Words

-verses 29-30

IV. Put Away The Past

-verses 31-32

Our Boys Are Here!!!!

Penny and I have two sons that live in a town in the Suburbs of Orlando called Clermont, Fl, named Marquis (13) and Devante (12) and they just got off the plane today and I can't be more happier than I am today. For we have not seen them in a year, and they have begun to grow up to be fine young men in the Lord. They are both Christians who totally believe in the word, will and ways of the Lord, and as a Pastor, nothing makes me prouder than to know that they may follow in my footsteps into the preaching ministry. Please keep them in your prayers as they grow up as young black men in America, trying to live a life loving the Lord with all of their hearts and their souls.

Worship in the Word 07

We continued our Worship in the Word Fellowships for 2007, with Pastor Andre L. Coffee & the First Timothy Baptist Church, Newark, NJ. Pastor Coffee and I have been friends for well over 10 years, and He has just received his appointment as Pastor of First Timothy in 2006 after 15 years of preaching. The former Pastor Rev. James Batts went home to be with the Lord and the church followed the voice of the Lord in calling Pastor Coffee as the God-sent successor to Pastor Batts. Pastor Coffee is an excellent preacher, dynamic worshipper and just one of the nicest, truest people that you can find anywhere. He and his wife Crystal just welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Destiny, who was born premature, but we are praying for her continued growth and development. Pastor Coffee preached a real good sermon tonight from a familiar passage of scripture in Romans 8:28 called And We Know. Our church was blessed tonight, and we will keep Pastor Coffee and the First Timothy Church in our prayers as God continues to advance that Branch of Zion.

Living On Another Level

We continued our series on the book of Ephesians entitled The Church: United Body of Christ, with a biblical exposition on chapter 4:17-24, which I called Living On Another Level. For one of the ills and diseases that have gripped and stifled the growth and development of the Church of Jesus Christ is that of complacency. Many churches, after they have accomplished something as a ministry in their past, tend to rest on their laurels and cease to strive for advancement in their life. God did not call or set apart his church to become stagnant in its approach to their work as a church, but God called his church to make every effort to become better as a ministry day after day. Here is the sermon outline:

Title: Living On Another Level

Thesis: In order to live on another level, we must be willing to walk like a brand new man in Christ Jesus

I. Brand New Man Thinks Better

-verses 17-18

II. Brand New Man Feels Better

-verse 19

III. Brand New Man Acts Better

-verses 20-22

IV. Brand New Man Becomes Better

-verses 23-24

Speaking @ Providence Missionary Baptist Church

I have been invited to preach at the Providence Missionary Baptist Church where my good friend and brother J. Vincent Grove is the Pastor for their Church's Anniversary on tomorrow. Pastor Grove and I have been preaching and personal friends for more than 10 years and I am proud of the work that he has been attempting to do at Providence since their relocation to another section of the city of Newark. He is a great preacher of the Gospel who is making his mark on the Christian Community throughout this city. I have been blessed to preach at Providence many times before, but this is special because it is the first time I am preaching there as the Pastor of First Mount Zion, where there are members of both churches that are related. So I am equally exicited and nervous for another opportunity to preach the Gospel to help set the captives free. Please keep me in your prayers as God gives me the strength to tell the story of Jesus the Christ.

Breaking The Series

On yesterday, I was led to break our attempt at biblical exposition of the book of Ephesians, which is something that I detest doing, because I believe that if the Lord leads me to preach an exposition of a theme or an entire book, he gives it to me so that the people of God will receive the entire message that God wants them to get. But because of our very important church meeting on Saturday, I felt led to preach a message of hope to our church. He led me to a sermon that I have preached before but never at First Mount Zion from the book of Jeremiah, 18th Chapter. Here is my sermon outline:

Title: Clay Under Construction
Text: Jeremiah 18:1-6

Thesis: As long as we stay in the presence of the Master Potter, there is still a chance for a changed life

I. Progress of the Clay

a. verses 1-2

b. arise and go down to the Potter's House

c. God commands Israel to move from their down condition to hear God's
Word for their life

II. Problem of the Clay

a. verses 3-4

b. clay was marred in the hand of the potter

c. marred means we are responsible for our own problems

III. Potential of the Clay

a. verse 4

b. the potter cares enough about the clay that he will make it over again

God's Plan For A Healthy Church

We continued our series on the book of Ephesians called The Church: The United Body of Christ with Chapter 4:7-16. The Lord allowed his Word to be a blessing to his people in order to keep our focus on becoming a more unified church in times like these. Here is my sermon outline:

Title: God's Plan For A Healthy Church

Thesis: For a healthy church is that the people of God will become thankful for the grace of God to establish a great ministry for God

I. Foundation of Our Ministry

-verse 11

-foundation has three aspects

a. Proclaimers - the apostles, the prophets
b. Promoters - the evangelists
c. Positioners - the pastors and teachers

II. Focus of Our Ministry

-verse 12

-two characteristics of our focus - verse 13

a. unity
b. maturity

III. Finality of Our Ministry

-verses 14-16

-God desires that the church no longer be filled with spiritual babies but those who have grown into spiritual maturity

Speaking @ Pleasant Grove Baptist Church

This Friday evening, I have the privilege of preaching at the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where my friend and brother Rev. Vincent M. Rouse is the Pastor, for their Fire-Filled Friday Service given by their Youth Department. Pastor Rouse and I go back to our days as members of the full-time staff of the New Hope Baptist Church. I have had the pleasure of watching this young giant in the ministry, blossom and grow into a dynamic preacher and a caring Pastor for the people that God has given him. This is my first time preaching at Pleasant Grove since Pastor Rouse was called their almost one year ago, and I am excited about the preaching moment. Please keep this service and the Pleasant Grove Church in your prayers as God takes them to heights never imagined in the hearts of the people.

Perfect Unity

The Lord allowed us to continue our exposition on the book of Ephesians with Chapter 4 verses 4-6. This was an enjoyable experience with both the study and the preaching of this text as the Lord blessed the entire congregation with the Word of God. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: if we focus on our differences,then our focus is on us, but if we focus on unity, then our focus is on God

I. We Share A Common Spirit

-verse 4

II. We Share A Common Lord

-verse 5

III. We Share A Common Father

-verse 6

United We Stand

This past Sunday, the Lord allowed us to continue our exposition of the book of Ephesians entitled The Church: The United Body of Christ. The Lord led us to look at Chapter 4 verses 1-3 entitled United We Stand. Here is an outline of the message that God gave us to be a blessing to the people of God:

Title: United We Stand

Thesis: A people that will allow themselves to be arrested by the Lord will become a people that will maintain the body of Christ through a spirit of peace

I. Unity Requires a Worthy Walk

a. verse 1 - I therefore a prisoner of the Lord, urge you that you walk in a manner that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called

b. worthy in the Greek means to bring up the other beam of a scale. It carries the idea of a balancing scale where on one side you have your profession of faith, and on the other side you have you walk as a Christian. The point is that your walk ought to match up with your profession that Jesus is the source of your salvation.

II. Unity Requires a Humble Heart

a. verse 2 - with all humility and gentleness

b. humility means to think lowly of yourself. It is used in secular writings of Ancient Greece to describe the status of the Nile River as it runs in its lowest point. The point is that after a sincere self examination, you will act like you truly are, meek and lowly

III. Unity Requires A Patient Personality

a. verse 2 - with patience

b. patience means to have a personality that will endure discomfort without fighting back. It carries the idea of a person who can face trials and tribulations and never loose courage

IV. Unity Requires A Loving Lifestyle

a. verse 2 - bearing one another with love

b. this type of love is agape love which is unconditional love, love that is undeserved yet it is given because as Peter said in I Peter 4:8 that love covers a multitude of sins

Worship in the Word 07

I have been led, in accordance to our church's slogan for this year, "Speak Life" 07, on the last Wednesday of every month, to invite a Pastor and his congregation to a fellowship service in which every sermon is geared to a word of encouragement to me and our entire church. On last evening we were blessed to have in our church Pastor Dana Owens and the Messiah Baptist Church of East Orange, NJ.

Pastor Owens preached a wonderful exposition from Judges 6:1-17 entitled "Show Me A Sign". Both I and the congregation were extremely blessed by the message and we will apply the principles of the message to help enhance our ministry and enlarge our church, through our faithfulness in the word, will and ways of our Lord Jesus the Christ.

Next month our guest will be Pastor Allen Potts and the Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church of Newark. Look forward to seeing you there. Be Blessed!

47th Simultaneous Revival of Gary, Indiana

This week I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Simultaneous Revival of Gary, Indiana, which has been a joy to attend through the years. This is an awesome concept as 30 churches are in revival at the same time. They have breakfast mass services at 8:00 AM, noon day services and each church goes to their respective churches at 7:00 PM for their individual revial. As a matter of fact, it was at this meeting in 2002, where I received my first exposure at a national revival, when Dr. Charles Emory, Pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church, gave me a wonderful opportunity to preach at the late night services.

This year was the first year I have been able to attend in about 3 years, and the fellowship of the brethren was great. It is always great to see many preachers who live in other parts of the country as we tend to catch up with what's going on in our ministries. I didn't get to Gary until Thursday morning, and I immediately went to the noon day service held at New Friendship Baptist Church, where Rev. Michael McConnell of Peoria, IL was the preacher and the worship was high and the church was blessed.

The highlight of my visit was that I was fortunate to preach at the great Zion Missionary Baptist Church of East Chicago, Indiana, where the one and only Dr. J.C. Wade Jr. is the Pastor for the kick-off of his 42nd Anniversary as Pastor. I preached an exposition from a series I am preaching at First Mount Zion on the book of Ephesians.

A New Relationship in Christ
Ephesians 2:11-22

I am thankful that the Lord blessed the message and the hearers of the message. While I love traveling around this country, I often get a little tired of sleeping in hotel beds, when like my momma used to tell me, boy, there ain't nothing like your own bed.

Guess Who's Got A Blog????

Grace and Peace from the Lord Jesus Christ. In an effort to expand the length and breath of my ministry, I have decided to set up this blog that will allow me to share my passions, thoughts and significant events that occur in my personal life with the entire world. I would like to thank one of my heroes in the faith, Rev. H.B. Charles Jr, Pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, LA, who through his own blog, has inspired me to take this step in my ministry. H.B. is without a doubt, along with my own Pastor Joe A. Carter, New Hope Baptist Church, Newark, NJ, the two greatest preachers in this country. Bar None! Thanks for everything H.B. I pray that you who would read this blog will be blessed by it. In Him I live. Peace.