Thankful Thursday Continues...

Today's thanks goes to Rev Samuel McGriff Sr. Rev McGriff was not only my first football coach, he spent much time reaching out to me as I was teenager. He is one that I can say truly saw the best in me, when many of those around either did not see it, or refused to see it. His home was always open for me when I needed a break or just to be at peace. As I have gotten older I have come to appreciate the vital role he played in my life, not just as a football coach but as a counselor and a Man of God. He is proof to me that God puts right people in our path when and where we least expect it. They guide us, instruct us and lead us whether thru secular disciplines or spiritual to a greater knowledge of God.

Always Be Ready

These words taken from Paul's writings in 2 Timothy 4:2 challenge his son in the ministry to not let a moment occur that he was not able to preach the word to those who stood in need of the word of God. Peter's writings in 1 Peter 3:15 declare we are to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

As a young preacher I was instructed by my father in the ministry to always carry three sermons with you at all times: One in your briefcase, one in your Bible and one in your heart. He told me that you may just show up to church as a guest visitor and the pastor will ask you while in the study to preach that day. You have time to get your briefcase and review. Then there would be times that the pastor will wait till you are in the pulpit and the worship service has started that they will ask you to bring the word. You don't have time to go get your briefcase but you have your Bible. And he warned there just might be that time when after the sermonic selection has been sung the pastor will get up and announce to the waiting congregation that the Lord laid on his heart that you have a Word from the Lord on that day. There is now no time for prep work or review. It is time to stand and speak what thus sayeth the Lord.

In this day when good preaching about Jesus Christ is at a premium, it seems unlikely that any of these scenarios would take place. As a pastor having been taught the importance of preparation well in advance of the coming Sunday assignment, it seems like there is little likelihood of shelving what I have been toiling with the Lord with all week in favor of someone else. Especially if that person is unknown to me personally or the congregation collectively.

However as a visiting minister I can testify that this has happened to me on more than one occasion and in each scenario my pastor has taught me about. As a younger minister you get used to being challenged by the some of the older ministers who just want to see what "this young whippersnapper can do" so to speak. As a vice moderator, moderator, state president, national board member, covenant partner, etc. you get used to host pastors giving you the pulpit sometimes in sincerity and sometimes to curry favor for themselves. As a seasoned pastor you get used to friends just being friends and swapping the pulpits back and forth freely while you silently praise God for your elevation to such a position.

But when you have nothing to offer...no other opportunity to give another, no position or assignment to help them climb their perceived ladder of ministry spoils and success. When you cannot reciprocate the kindness shown to you and they not only stand you up but they invite you back. When you have nothing more than a thank you from the bottom of your heart, do you truly appreciate when those doors open for you? When you are simply glad to be in the service one more time and God says let him/.her minister to my people today?

No matter the scenario we must recognize God's hand in every situation that allows us to stand for His glory. As servants we must understand that since we were called by Him to do His work He knows where He needs us to be, when He needs us to be there and what His people need when you get there. All we have to do is be ready. Sometimes we look so much at what man does for us and to us that we don't see God's hand for us and with us.

As I write this I wonder how many preachers still truly prepare like this? Always ready even when not scheduled to preach? Always ready even when the calendar is empty? Always ready not to give what one friend of mine calls a "May Pop" sermon. but to rightly divide the word of truth? To be ready just in case God says in that moment that you are not here visiting on accident or coincidence but this is a divine assignment to minister to my people? If we take seriously our calling to be God's servants then we should always be ready to minister effectively to His people. God deserves nothing less than that.

Thankful Thursday Continues...

Today I want to say thank you to Rev James L Barnes, Sr. It was under his leadership at the Providence Baptist Church Peterbsurg, Va (Prince George County) that I recommitted my life to Christ, joined the church and eventually was licensed to preach the gospel. In him I continued to be fascinated by the study of the Scriptures, his ability to recall Scriptures with ease n conversation and in sermons, his humility, humor and hospitality with me. The art of being kind to other ministers, especially those that were not pastoring or may have been struggling in life is a direct reflection of his impact on my life. He opened his home to me and allowed me for the first time in my life to see the life of the preacher/pastor outside of the church. I would go to his house and sit in his library and just read for hours.There were many days I did not have food to eat and he fed me and my family. Times my car broke down and he helped me get it fixed. Many of my first church suits came from his overflow as I could not afford to buy them trying to take care of a family on my one income. And although I had no problems buying them from the thrift store (still don't) apparently some church folks did! He taught me not only about the importance of tithing but the principles behind it. He sat down and taught me how to budget what little money I was making in those days and how to stretch it out.

He treated me not just like a son in the ministry but a true son. He was truly the first man in my life that I can say at the age of 24 I took on a role of a father figure for me.  Although our time together at Providence was short as I eventually took a job in North Carolina and he left the church about a year or so later, we remained very close. In this age of preachers disrespecting and disconnecting from those who were used by God to birth them into the Ministry in favor of those who have the bling and success that they want to have; I have never forgotten who it was that stood for me and with me.  Who went to the church on my behalf, who taught me how to rightly study the Scriptures, who nudged me in that first year of ministry of sermon prep but who never ever wrote the sermon for me. Who extended themselves to me when they did not have to do so. He helped me not to get something out of me, but because it was the right thing to do. As you have received, freely give. Thank you sir.

Does Anyone Serve Anymore?

It seems a relic of bygone days or perhaps I am merely romanticizing the past when I say that it seems like the word service has been disconnected from ministry. Be it in the pulpit or the pews, giving heartfelt service to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and for the benefit of His Kingdom and Church has given way to pay to play for musicians and insanely large deposits before I even get there preaching.

Yes I understand that there are those that seek to take advantage of our kingdom mindset and will (to use in the language of this day) prostitute our gifts if we don't stand up for ourselves. Yes there are places that won't treat you right or fair. That will ask you to come at your own total expense, and give you a $25.00 check like who you just won the lottery calling your forward in front of everyone and saying "we ain't trying to pay you...."

Been there, done that...and if the truth be told if I keep on living it will more than likely happen again.

Yet many have gone to the extreme of cash payment in full before some ministers will even walk into the church, what color flowers are in their room, what kind of water and woe if it is the wrong brand, how many attendants are there at beck and call, what color snacks and include all this in a rider to in order to procure their services? It is not good enough to be picked up by your host but in a stretch limo? Really...for one person? You need two rooms one for yourself and the other for your armor bearer, adjutant or assistant who just happens to be of the opposite sex, not your spouse and always has to travel with you? Not buying it.

I hear those of you that say we must dictate and demonstrate to the people how they are to honor and respect us for our calling. That we need to get there, look right, be in right voice, etc. That we are to give honor to honor is due - yet where is God's honor in your dealings? There is a difference between teaching  what is right and manipulation for personal gain. Too many are using others to do what they won't do for themselves (work and make a living) or their home church that they pastor won't do for them.

We are thinking too highly of ourselves as we have allowed the business mindset of ministry to cross the line of serving simply because Christ in His compassion saved you, called you and sent you.  Yes do things decently and in order, but keep God at the front of every discussion, invitation, and arrangement. You ain't that good or gifted, that is God opening those doors. We need to remember that we serve at His pleasure and discretion and not at our own. God can but think the thought and your every engagement will dry up and blow away like dust. Anytime you get an invitation, God has opened a door unto you. Remember that it is Him that you are serving and He must get the glory out of your going. Getting compensated should be the blessing on top of the blessing of serving Christ, doing His will and being where He needs you to be. We are in His hands so He can use us to be a blessing to His people. Stop pricing yourself out of God's demographic for your life..

Thankful Thursday.

Today I want to thank God for Rev Dr. Kelmo C Porter, pastor of the St John Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, NJ. This was our family church where the majority of my family attended after they migrated from Virginia and settled in the Jersey Land neighborhood of Scotch Plains and the Big Woods section of Westfield. This was the church that my family served in various ministry positions throughout the church. This was the legacy family church that only stood a tad shorter than the home home church of First Baptist Church Petersburg, Virginia. This was the church that Sis Jean Gaines gave me a love of studying the Bible in Sunday School. This was the mega church before mega church terminology was every really coined and became popular.

It was also the church that my father pastored.

Being born as an unwanted child (as stories have been told to me from both sides for various reasons, personal and professional) and a child with un-diagnosed special needs (Aspergers/HFA) this church, that was at times during my youth my social playground, was the source of my biggest pain. It did not matter who was right or wrong. All I knew was that I had no daddy because of this church. This church ran my daddy away. I was teased, picked on, and called bastard child by those who knew my story better than I did. I had connections to a great man that for me did not exist. I was compelled to keep public knowledge a secret and made a liar anytime anyone asked did I know who my father was. In my youthful zeal to make friends and be liked, when I spoke of those things that were done in the dark to prove I belonged, I only made things worse. As a child I was forced to fight a fight that the grownups would not fight, the right to simply be there. I was forced to be in the face of people who did not want to have anything to do with me and accept me. I did nothing wrong, but was made to feel like I did every day of my life.

Into this firestorm came Rev Dr. Porter. He became the next pastor of the home church, as we called it. He never pressured me to tell him the scoop, or get knowledge about the situation that ultimately became a catalyst for him to come to the church. He treated me...as a child. He loved on me in a great way, making me feel safe from the chaos swirling around me. He welcomed me into the church, welcomed me into his office and never once said a mumbling word about the boy who looked just like the former pastor. Until the time we left that church and went elsewhere, his gracious spirit was encouragement to me.

When the Lord called me to preach (something I did not want to do  especially in light of my tumultuous upbringing and father's absence and what it had done to negatively impact my spiritual walk with God) I balked and gave every excuse in the book. One day the Lord showed me preaching at St John's, a church that at that time I had not been to in at least 10 years. Again I gave my excuses but eventually I yielded.

I met with my pastor and announced the call in 1988. I was licensed to preach in 1988. Ordained in 1991. In 1998 while attending Hampton's Ministers Conference, I ran into the daughter of Rev. Dr. Porter.We had gone to Jr High and High School together. She asked me had I seen her dad. I had not at that moment. Later in the conference we met and he said."Son we are having our Family and Friends day and I want you to come up and say something for us." Many of us in ministry know that is often just a line we use with each other to say we offered a preacher to come but not really mean it. But Rev. Dr. Porter meant it.

In 1998, 10 years after I had been licensed to preach, I stood in the pulpit of the St John's church. Hands grasping the stone pulpit my uncle had helped make, looking out over the pews where my grandfather grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins used to sit. God used Rev Dr. Kelmo C. Porter to bring closure to a very painful part of my life and confirm the vision God had given me many years ago. And what stood with me the most that day was when he introduced me to the congregation as a son of St John's. Those words broke me. It clarified to me that we have no say in how or why we got here, but we do have say in where we go from here.

Thank you Rev Dr. Porter for letting me be a child in the midst of grown up game players and by setting me free from a guilt for simply being here that I had no business carrying in the first place.

Encouraging those who encouraged me

Yesterday I had the pleasure of chatting with a dear friend Clinton Chambers. We commented how little we truly recognize those who have blessed our lives and ministry, often in favor of those we aspire to have what they have and sit where they sit. So we want to gently encourage all of us to make today a Thankful Thursday. A time to thank those who have been a true blessing in our lives and to connect, or sadly in some cases reconnect to them to tell them how how much they mean to them. Be they pastors, brothers, mentors, teachers, friends, or confidants they have positively impacted my life for the better. Hopefully do not just do it on Facebook but reach out make a call, receive a call, send a card or letter today.

As a core group I want to start today by thanking Rev Dr Miles J Austin, Rev Dr. Kelmo C Porter, Rev James L. Barnes, Rev Dr. Frank S. Harrison, Rev Kenneth N. Cudjoe, Sr., Rev Dr Vater Colbert, RevJeffrey Reaves, Rev Dr. Geoffrey Van Guns, Rev Jimmy Yarbourough, Rev Dr. Robert Earl Houston, Rev Larry McElroy, Rev DrSteve Bland Jr, Rev G L Spurlock, Bishop Herbert James, Apostle Darrell Maurice Yancey, Apostle Baker, Pastor Johnathan Stubbs, Rev Bernard Boulton, Bishop Mitchel Ford, Sr. Plus to the multitudes of ministers I never met and probably never will but read their work/books incessantly, I say thank you.


Starting today with:

I want to thank Rev Dr Miles J Austin, Sr who served as my pastor at the Bethel Baptist Church in Westfield NJ. He baptized me into the Christian Faith. He ALWAYS made time for me to hang out in the church, play the piano (although not well and banned from doing so by my mother) teach Sunday School as a youth, and just be by his side. He and his wife tolerated my nerdy crush on his daughter who definitely was not interested in me, but was always polite about it. He developed within me a genuine love and respect of being in the church and the "annoying" habit that I know gets on folks nerves about being to church early and starting on time, no matter who has not yet arrived.

No truer words...

have ever been written. While reading my morning paper, I cam across these word in an article about preaching:

"Generic and abstract homilies which obscure the directness of God's Word should be avoided, as well as useless digressions which risk drawing greater attention to the preacher than to the heart of the Gospel message." Pope Benedict XVI

These simple, clear words should be heeded by ministers of all denominations. In the words of a modern song "it's not about us; it's about Jesus."

Lets get our focus back!