Cutting It Straight 2019 is off and running!

We off of to and blessed start Tuesday (9/17). The conference kicked-off with a challenging and encouraging message from 1 Samuel 14 by  Breonus Mitchell, who leads the Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Nashville.

General sessions on preaching, worship & arts, and women’s ministry followed. Tony Merida model gospel-centered preaching from Romans 8:31-39. Brian Croft talked to pastors and worship leaders about what it means to gather God’s people for worship. My wife, Crystal Charles, gave a talk to the ministers’ wives and women’s ministry leaders. Crystal loves to lead outreach efforts. She dreads public speaking. I am grateful she did her husband a favor to lead this session. The women were richly blessed!

During the afternoon, our first session of breakouts to place. I had the joy of leading a class on preparing biblical sermons. I believe one learns from preaching by studying preaching, preaching, and talking to preachers. During my class, I shared my process of going from text to sermon. It was encouraging to meet ministry leaders from around the country who have come to be with other students of expository preaching, rookie and seasoned.

Our evening worship service featured two of my favorite preachers. Steven J. Lawson – if you look up expository preaching in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Steve Lawson – preached on the source, exclusivity, subject, content, scope, and purpose of the gospel from Romans 1:1-6. Then Robert Smith Jr. preached on the trinitarian mystery of Psalm 23. He argued that the one who trusts in God is enabled by the Spirit of Christ to live in spiritual tranquility in all circumstances by the

It was a long, rich, great day!

As typical at Cutting It Straight, the stars of the conference are the wonderful volunteers of the Shiloh Church. Last week, one of our elders said that this conference has become a part of the “cultural identity” of our church. It did not really know what he meant. But I got it, as I watch the Shiloh volunteers refresh the church leaders on our campus this week. I love my church!

Please continue to pray for us. Wednesday is the fullest day of the conference. We will hear Daniel Henderson talk about the priority of prayer. Dany Akin will talk to us about the Christian leader’s family life. There will be several sessions of practical breakout classes.

Mac Brunson and Charlie Dates are scheduled to preach tonight. (The evening worship service will be streamed live at 7:00 PM EST at Shiloh.Church.)

Thanks for your prayers for Cutting it Straight!