It was a long, busy, and wonderful weekend of ministry.
Friday evening, I had the privilege of speaking at the Jacksonville Pastors’ Conference hosted by Dr. Mac Brunson and the First Baptist Church. It was a privilege and an honor. Dr. Brunson has been a friend to me since I arrived in Jacksonville. And the Lord is doing a great work at First Baptist.
Ligon Duncan’s conference message on 1 Kings 19 Thursday evening was stellar. I needed that message more than I can say.
The combined choirs of the Shiloh Church and the First Baptist Church sang together before I preached. It was glorious!
Thanks to the members of Shiloh who attended. Your presence was a great encouragement!
Saturday morning, I flew to Chicago to speak at a minister’s conference on the campus of Northern Seminary. It was so cold I wanted to cry!
Dr. Cleophus LaRue, a preaching professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, lectured before I spoke. It was outstanding! His counsel about preparing for Sunday and making preparation a priority challenged me to work harder on my preaching.
I met Dr. LaRue years ago, preaching together in northern California. My interaction with him that week is a primary reason I started wearing black suits on a regular basis. He also gave me my first opportunity to publish my work, contributing to his work, “Power in the Pulpit”
While in Chicago, I had lunch with my friends, Pastors Romell Williams and Adron Robinson. Our brief time together was worth the trip!
It was almost midnight when I made it home from Chicago Saturday night.
I am grateful, as always, for all of the guests we had in worship Sunday morning. It was especially good to have guests who were in town for the Pastors’ Conference.
Our music team did a great job!
I was to teach mass Bible study between services. But I was wiped out after the 7:45 service. A big shout-out to Donald Lewis, our Pastor of Christian Education, for teaching the lesson for me.
Praise God for the one sister who was baptized yesterday!
Sunday morning, I began a new series on the book of Ephesians. I preached an introductory message from the opening salutation (1:1-2) that I called, “What it Means to be in Christ.” In the message, I gave three reasons why you should study Ephesians:
- The divine revelation of Ephesians (1:1a)
- The Christian message of Ephesians (1:1b)
- The spiritual benefits of Ephesians (1:2)
Next Lord’s Day, I plan to begin a study of the Hymn of Grace in Ephesians 1:3-14. Can’t wait!
Praise God for the one who was added to the church!
I did not watch the Grammys. And I did not watch the NFL Pro Bowl. I did watch a little bit of the Royal Rumble with HBC3. Hacksaw Jim Duggan co-hosted. HBC3 did not know who he was. He doesn’t know real wrestling (oxymoron intended).
How was your weekend?