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