SCATTERED FRAGMENTS OF THE SOUL

No More of This

2011-09-20T18:30:00.003-02:00

I was going to originally write a post entitled "Be Strong and Courageous", but today I had to funeralize a young lady by the name of Ashley Brown, who was tragically killed last week at the age of 27. What makes it so heartbreaking, is that she was an innocent bystander, who was struck by a stray bullet as an assailant just shot into the crowd. This is the third tragic funeral I have had to preach within the last year. I am saddened and sickened at my generations lack of compassion when it comes to life. I shared at the funeral today the passage from Luke 22:51. It was in this passage, as they were coming to arrest Jesus, that His disciples pulled out there swords and responded with violence. Jesus exclaims, "No More of This", encourages them to put there swords away and heals the injured man. In essence, Jesus was telling us all that violence is not the proper response. No matter if we feel its right or not, violence is not the answer. Just as Jesus was telling the disciples to put the swords away, the same could be said to our young people to put the guns and knives away. Even after the put the swords were put away, there was still an injured man. Jesus puts His hands on his ear and heals the man. The profound point here is that violence will always leave someone injured, whether it is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. The only healing can truly come from Jesus. We can march, hold vigils, but true healing comes from a touch from the master. The chronicler proclaims "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, seek my face, then I will hear from heaven and HEAL their land". Let us earnestly seek God and trust that He will HEAL our land, from senseless violence. Let us declare and partner with Jesus and live out "NO MORE OF THIS!!!!"

What Do You See?

2011-09-01T16:14:00.003-02:00

Yesterday, in our staff meeting, I shared a leadership exercise. I brought an acorn to the conference room and laid it on the table. I went around the room and asked everyone what they saw. The majority said an acorn. When it was my turn, I remarked that I saw chairs, pews and a pulpit. I was teaching on the principle of Vision. The Word of God says that "without VISION, the people perish." Leaders have to have the ability to see something beyond its now. Where other people are limited by a present perception, a visionary leader has to see beyond the now and into the not yet. The tension of life is the fragile place between being and becoming. I have to acknowledge what is, while also pressing forward to what can be. Life is like that acorn. To limit it to today is to abort the potential that it has to be greater tomorrow. Be Blessed, PG

Are You Ready to Receive?

2011-08-30T17:14:00.002-02:00

I read an awesome quote during my devotional period this morning. It simply said "God gives to those who have empty hands". It got me to wondering, how many times has God wanted to give me something, but I was too full to receive. This is a sobering truth, that there have been moments that God wanted to bless me, but I was to encumbered, to saturated to receive. God is looking for empty vessels to fill. I am reminded of the story that chronicles the first miracle of Jesus. He was at a wedding in Cana when the wine ran out. He was then commissioned by His mother to do something about it. He commands the servants to bring forth some used, discarded and empty stone clay jars. It would be these forgotten but empty vessels that Jesus would have filled with water that would be changed to wine. I suggest that the only thing that mattered to Jesus was that these pots were empty, which meant they could be used for His expressed glory. You have to figure out would you rather be a shiny, brand new vessel that is too full to be filled, or a discarded, ostracized jar that is empty and ready to be filled for the use of the Master. Its your choice. PG

Being Still in His Presence

2011-08-26T16:16:00.004-02:00

I wonder what has taken me so long to really understand this. I have had an ephinany over the last few weeks. I finally realized that I am not God. I know that this might sound crazy, coming from a preacher and all, but I needed this dose of reality. God has graced me in so many awesome ways in 32 years of life. I have had my fair share of ups and downs. As a pastor, I have seen the best in people, but also the worst in people. I have been to the mountain of success but also the valley of pain and suffering. I was at a point where I could not handle everything that was coming my way. It was effecting my health, my mind, and even my spiritual walk. I was consumed with trying to figure out how to make everything right and work everything out. I had finally got to the point where I was broken, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. it was at this point, I heard a voice and it simply said, "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD". Wow. It finally hit me. I am not God. Since I am not God, it is not my job to work it out and figure it out. that is God's job. My job is to trust and seek to be close to God every single moment. I guess I had what Martin Lawrence would call a "WOOSAH" moment. I feel so much peace, joy and serenity now that I realize I am not God. PG

The Journey of Joy

2011-07-14T19:32:00.002-02:00

I have recently been meditating on the meaning of Joy. Joy is defined as an emotion evoked by well-being or success. That is a worldly definition that does not line up with the biblical view. The bible speaks of Joy as an innate assurance that remains constant regardless of circumstances. Joy is not predicated on material success or tangible attainment. Joy is simply knowing that what you depend on and trust in is not a "What" rather a "Who". That is why we can declare with the psalmist that "weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning". That is also why we can echo the sentiment of the writer James, when he says "count it all Joy, when you fall into all kinds of temptation". Perhaps it is best summed up in the song that seasoned saints at the church I grew up in, would melodiously declare, "this Joy I have, the world did not give it, and world can not take it away". I can unequivocably declare I have Joy because I am rooted and strengthened in Jesus. What is your Joy?

Embrace the Moment

2011-07-07T19:24:00.004-02:00

So many times I see people who are twiddling there thumbs and waiting for the perfect opportunity. I have seen frustrated people throughout life and especially in ministry. I want to share a tidbit I learned a long time ago from my grandfather, there is no such thing as a "perfect opportunity". Nothing is going to line up exactly the way we want it or come packaged in neat and perfectly crafted gift wrapping. Many times the greatest opportunities come masked in ugly, disheveled wrapping and oftentimes at the wrong time. I am reminded of the story of David and Goliath. I know that this story is familiar to us all, however I was blown away with how the great victory was set up. Recall that David was only at the battlefield to deliever lunch to his brother. When he showed up, the Israelites, including King Saul, were cowering as the Goliath was challenging them to a fight. The opportunity for David to fight and defeat Goliath was created by the absence of someone else to step up. David was willing to do what others would not. This victory gained for David unbelievable acclaim and notoriety and a place in the palace. All because he was ready to seize the opportunity during a lunch run to the battlefied. Always be ready, you never know when your moment will come. Peace and Blessings, DrCEGJr

Your Church is TOO BIG

2011-03-08T21:01:00.003-02:00

I was having a conversation with my sister on yesterday. She is currently living in Philadelphia, Pa for work. She is contemplating joining a wonderful church up there, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church led by a friend and big brother of mine, Pastor Alyn Waller. She told me she enjoyed the worship and the excellent teaching of Pastor Waller. I asked her what was her reservation in joining the church and she said because it was "TOO BIG". I began to ponder this because I have heard this same thing said about the church I pastor. A lot of people I have come into contact with who have enjoyed the worship experience of TAB, but have not made an official connection with our ministry because they think it is too big. With national church demographics suggesting that 90% of churches have a membership less than 90 members. This seemingly new phenomenon is what is called "Mega Church". A Mega Church has a membership of over 2000 members. I believe that there is nothing wrong with a big church. I actually believe that it is biblical. The church of Acts started out with 3000 members. When the church was alive, it grew rapidly. The church in a contemporary context, grows according to the size of the community and the receptivity of the people. I also believe that a Mega Church provides opportunities for fellowship and service on a larger scale and needs more people to get involved in order to propel the ministry forward. I also believe that the large church gives us a picture of what Heaven will be like, according to Revelation 7:9. I believe that the Mega Church has and will continue to be used by God to evangelize the lost, edify the saved, minister to the needy and be the conscience of the community. Ultimately, I believe that people should be where they are comfortable to freely worship God. If that is a small church, then by all means get planted and start serving. But do not allow the size of a church deter you if you feel that that is the place that God is calling you to be.

Seeking after God

2011-03-03T19:21:00.002-02:00

It has been a while since I have written a blog. I am going to discipline myself to be more consistent. Hopefully that means once a week. We just finished a month at our church where we had Early Morning Corporate Prayer with the Pastor. i was so encouraged through the praying for the saints. The beautiful thing is that we had a lot of people who were not members of our church join the prayer call. PSALM 5:3 says "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation". There is something humbling and powerful about seeking God early in the morning. By laying our hearts desires and petition before the Lord, we can then live in expectation that God is a faithful rewarder of them who diligently seek after him. I want to encourage someone to SEEK AFTER GOD. It is in our SEEKING that God is able to add ALL things to us. God loves to bless the sincere and authentic hearts. Let us all be seekers after God.

Dealing with Death

2010-04-09T19:01:00.002-02:00

I have just ministered at my fifth funeral of the year. Last year I did close to twenty funerals. Funerals drain me. They take alot out of me. It is difficult as a Pastor to hold the grief of a family, community on your shoulder. To make matters worse, after losing someone close to you (in my case my Grandfather), every funeral and the preparation up to it(visiting the family, securing arrangements, etc) is going through the grieving process all over again. Death is inevitable. We have to deal with the reality of it, but it is never easy. No one wants to ever truly say good bye. Many times, funerals are filled with empty phrases that are meant to comfort, but as well intentioned they might be, still makes one feel numb and hurt. I approach grief and funerals by trying to apply the love of God in our worst and painful moments. God is a great big God, who not only can handle our questions, but also our tears. Pain is part of the process and it just as real as joy is. God does not remove the pain, but God allows His love to be present and lessen the sting of it. I still think about my lost loved ones and yearn for them greatly, but I have tried to allow God's Love to immerse me and saturate me so that even in those moments, God's Love reminds me that He is still there. As a believer, Death is our transition to being with God. The truth of the matter, Death is what takes us closer to God. Jesus' death and resurrection took the sting from Death and the victory from the Grave. Death is never easy, but our God is bigger than death.

Fearless Faith

2010-04-06T19:40:00.002-02:00

A few weeks ago I crossed the most pivotal and important crossroad of my ministry. I admit that i was in a season of frustration that i could not shake. I was borderline depressed and I know that a pastor of a thriving church should not say that, but I was down in the dumps. I was going through the motions and people were being blessed, but I just could not get out of this funk. I was functioning well, but I just felt like I was in a rut. All of that changed when my friend and mentor, Pastor Arthur Jackson from Miami came and closed out our March Gladness Revival. He preached a message entitled, "Don't Miss It" out of Deuteronomy 1: 19-38. In this message, Pastor Jackson said that the Children of Israel missed the Promise Land because they valued Logic over the Lord, did not believe that Opposition could be Overcome and the voided the potential of God's Power. In the midst of hearing this message, I began to understand the source of my frustration: I had stopped trusting that it was all in God's hands. Our ministry has some awesome opportunities that can impact the Kingdom in a mighty way, but I had become so invested in what others were saying in order to bring the Vision to pass, instead of relying on God. This was so unlike me. I am a person of EXTREME Faith. I have seen God do some awesome things and the only reason that I am here is because I have trusted God every step of the way. That night I repented and gave it over to God. I realized it is not my job to figure it out, rather it is my job to simply Trust that God will make a way. It is a freeing experience to know that God loves us so much that all He requires us to do is have faith in Him. I am a better Pastor, Person and Believer, simply because I know that God has it all in control. i am so excited now because I know without a shadow of a doubt that God is going to do it. I cannot wait to provide the details in later blogs. STAY TUNED.....

PS-perhaps there is someone reading this blog that is where I was. You are frustrated by trying to figure everything out. I want you to know that it is not to late. God is just patiently waiting for you to take your hands off the situation and begin trusting him. You can do it right now. Pray this prayer, "God, forgive me for not having complete Faith in you and your Word. I apologize that I thought that it was totally up to me to figure everything out. God, I now surrender everything to you. I totally submit my will and desires to you. I know what you have spoken over my life and I believe that it shall come to pass. I praise you now in advance what has already happened through yopur Word. Amen." Bless you. Go Forth in FAITH

Falling in Love....

2010-03-24T19:10:00.002-02:00

I must admit, I am in LOVE. Crazy, I know. My nose is wiiiiiidddddeeee open. I know that someone is wondering how did I get to this place. It was a peculiar journey. I have not felt this feeling in a long time. As a matter of fact, I had almost become numb and thought I would never feel this way. Most people do not realize that I struggle with abandonment issues. This is something that was formed in me in from a young age. I had some very close people to me growing up who proved not to stand the test of time. I am a fiercely loyal person. I have always held people in suspicion because I have been hurt before. This has even been difficult in the pastoral ministry. I have had people leave without a valid reason. This has caused me to form my own shell. I never thought I would ever find someone who would always be there. I never thought I would find someone who can handle my quirks and Love me beyond my bad and moody days(don't look at me with that tone of voice. I am not the only one with "bad and moody" days). I was getting cynical that there would be no one who would understand as I struggled to articulate what was wrong. Someone who would not be mad if was too tired to talk or text before I went to bed or who would understand that life is 24/7 ministry for me. I finally found someone who does not mind when I just feel like sitting still and saying nothing or just let me take a few mins(or hours) to just unwind and slow my mind down so that i can relax. Here is the funny thing, my Love has been there the whole time. As I was looking for this love in different places and situations, my Love sat patiently on the side and waited for me. Even when i continued to dwell on ministry as my safe place, my Love just stayed right there. As I worked to try and prepare and progress myself, my Love was right there. I am so relieved to finally find this Love that I have been looking and longing for. I just want to take this time to publicly thank the one who has always been there, loving me every step of the way. I want the world to know how much I am devoted and committed to them. So here goes.....Thank you JESUS for being there. I love you so much, because you first loved me.........

Learning How To Manage The Moment

2010-02-23T20:10:00.002-02:00

As I enter into a new, different, stressful, but exciting phase of ministry, I am reminded of the need and neccessity of learning how to handle each moment that comes. I know that we have heard the phrase, "Maxmize the Moment". This is so true. We should try and do our best and place our best foot forward at every instance. However, i think that while we are trying to maximize every moment, it is paramount that we manage every moment. By "Manage the Moment", I mean that we need to learn to think beyond the moment in regards to how our actions will influence our future and others. So many times, we just think about the moment, that we fail to realize the domino effect that each moment has to other moments. The things we do today can cripple our tomorrow. Who wants to "negatively" maximize a moment. Treat people today like they are important to your future. Treat each assignment like your future depends on it. Lets us pray to "Maximize and Manage the Moment". Soli Deo Gloria

It has been awhile.....

2009-11-03T18:18:00.003-02:00

Just dropping through to let you know that I have not forgotten about my blog. I have been soooooo busy. I know that that is not a good excuse. I have really been trying to stay in the presence of God, so that I can hear clearly and discern the Will of God for my life and the Tabernacle Church. So much has happened in the last 2 months. This has truly been a year where God has EXPANDED OUR EXPECTATIONS. I promise I will fill you all in. Pray for me as I pray for you. I love you guys dearly. Soli Deo Gloria!

Forgiveness

2009-09-09T14:12:00.001-02:00

I preached a mini sermon series a few weeks ago around the theme of Forgiveness. This is a hard concept for many of us to not only comprehend but ultimately put into practice. We harbor so much pain and hurt towards people that we end up hurting ourselves. I know that this was a burden in my own life. I came to the realization in my own life that I need to "release" others and ultimately myself through forgiveness. I know that the question is being raised as you read this, why should I forgive someone who has hurt and harmed me? The reason we should forgive someone, no matter what they have done to us, is because God has forgiven us. How can we who have been forgiven, not forgive? Jesus, as he hung on the cross for our sins, made the first statement out of his mouth, "Father forgive them, for they no not what they do". My prayer for all of us today is that we take the iniative to forgive someone and walk in the freedom and blessings that come when we follow the example of Jesus.

The Heart of a Worshiper

2009-08-05T21:50:00.001-02:00

I know that it has been sometime since my last post. It is not entirely my fault. Schedule got jammed. I also began working on a blog centered around the controversy surrounding Chris Brown. I could not articulate my thoughts the way that I wanted to but it will be coming soon. During the month of July, I was led to preach a sermon series on Worship. I think it profoundly changed my congregation and myself. I admit without reservation or hesitation, that I am a Worshiper. I love being in the presence of God. Nothing gives me more joy and pleasure than to reverance God through worship. I believe that we are in the season where God is beginning to elevate willing and available, authentic and sincere vessels who worship in Spirit and in Truth. Worship is ones heart desiring and yearning after God. It is not only shouting but also sacrifice. This past month has been a refreshing revelatory reminder to me of the importance of just staying in God's presence. That is through morning morning devotions, continual prayer and fellowship with other believers. I have begun again to take my spiritual disciplines to a higher dimension, not just to manipulate God to move, but simply because I long to be closer.When was the last time you laid on your face for God? When was the last time your prayers talked about more than what you want God to do for you? I woke up this morning and simply told the Lord, "I Love You More Than Anything".....My prayer and desire for the people of God is that in this season you long and run after God like never before. God wants to be found by you. It does not have to be another conference or TV marathon, but if you want to experience the uncompromising and unconditional love of God, just want Him more than anything.

The Death of an Icon

2009-06-30T14:05:00.001-02:00

This past week Michael Jackson died. Alot of mystery and controversy is surrounding his death. It must be said that he will go down as the greatest entertainer of all times, period. When I heard the news, I was shocked and saddened. I grew up on Mike. I had the red jacket with the zippers and the white glove(fortunately I did not have a jheri curl). I remember waiting on thursday nights when his video's would premiere on primetime television. I was a fan. I stayed buying his music after his skin got lighter and nose got skinnier. I still nodded my head to his latest hits even with child molestation charges were being pursued and million dollar buy outs were being made. I respected the tremendous gift even though there were many imperfections and flaws in his life. I can only imagine the burden and strain that must have been on his shoulders to have the world's spotlight pointed brightly at every area of your life. What did we expect from MJ? Did we expect him to be perfect when none of us are? Did we expect him to be that wonderful stage persona all the time? I am saddened to hear that people have committed suicide after hearing of his death. I pray for there families as well. Why is it that we have to wait til after death to appreciate one's life and achievement? Rest in peace, Mike. May you find in death what you were never able to find in life, PEACE. I heard the other night a reporter make the statement that no other death has affected the world like MJ's death. I beg to differ, because over 2000 years ago someone died who was more than an Icon, he was a Saviour........

Slavery v. Friendship

2009-06-27T21:07:00.001-02:00

Over the last few years I have been wrestling with the concept of friendship. I have throughout my life seen people come and go. I must add here that I believe in long term friendships, which is evident by the fact that i still have tight relations with people I have known since the age of 4(big up to Skeet and Enji). I still have people in my life from all the areas of life. I enjoy connecting with them when I can, even though my schedule gets quite hectic. I wondered how have these relationships been able to last, even though time, distance, change of life and experiences, has interrupted the continuity and connective nature of the relationships. I believe it comes down to one factor, and that true friendship gives room to accept the other person for who they are. Surely we can have our opinions about what the other person should do or say or think. However, that is not friendship, that is slavery. To control another to manipulate them in the way we want them to be, robs them of the beauty of their individuality. We had a saying on line when I pledged Omega Psi Phi, and that was "the difference between a brother and a friend is that a friend is chosen". We have to choose to accept someone as a friend, even though there will be moments we do not agree or see things eye to eye. The realness of a friendship is that we love them for who they are and not what they do. Jesus echoes this when he explains our relationship to God in the Gospel of John. Jesus says "we are no longer slaves but friends". Wow, what a statement. That God is not looking for slaves who do things out of obligation, rather friends who can be appreciated for who they are and respond in real relationship. The question I pose, do you want friends or slaves?

The Secret of Success

2009-06-25T17:49:00.001-02:00

As I am now firmly settled into middle age(30), I have been bombarded with many inquiries about how I have been able to achieve success at such a young age. For the record, I don't see myself as someone very special or one who has arrived. I believe that I have not yet reached or scratched the surface of my potential as a man, preacher, pastor so I am constantly striving to be better by getting closer to God. My beginnings were less than spectacular. I was raised by my grandparents, in a very spiritually disciplined household. I would not have figured that by the age of 30, I would have pastored 2 great churches, have a Masters and Doctorate, build a Family Life Center and pastor what is categorized a "Mega" church. I must admit that I have always been a dreamer. I spent most of my youth alone, dreaming and reading. I was sociable, but I spent a majority of my youth in church. I can remember waking up in the middle of the night and having my grandparents praying over me. I can remember being prophesied to. My grandfather's favorite scripture is Matthew 6:33, and he reminded me of this daily(miss you pops). I have adopted this verse as my life's motto as well as the phrase "Soli Deo Gloria", which means "To God Alone Be the Glory". He told me to always keep God first. There have been times I did not want to or was tempted to sway, but I could not leave or desert this desire and love I have for God. The wild thing is that my life is not how I would have planned it, but I can see it no other way. I guess you have been reading this to find out the secret to success. Joshua 1:7(NLT) "Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them and you will be successful in all that you do." Now go be and live successful......

The Burden of Preaching

2009-06-11T21:28:00.001-02:00

As I sit in the Newport News Airport waiting to board my flight home(which sucks because I am missing the Lakers game tonight), I am reflecting on this week where I was ministered to at the Hampton Ministers Conference. We were challenged by the conference to continually take seriously the role of preaching. I am not sure of many things, but one of the few certainties that i am sure of is my purpose here on earth. God built and fashioned me to preach the Gospel. There is nothing on earth that gives me greater joy than to preach. I feel like every moment is a build up to the time of proclamation. Preaching to me is like breathing. I am challenged to find ways to improve the preaching gift that God has endowed with me. I tell people all the time that the best way to work on preaching must begin with an intimate relationship with God and His Word. I try to spend as much time with God as I possibly can. Sometimes, other things have to suffer, in order for me to get the required time of devotion that is needed to be a faithful proclaimer. That is time, relationships, appointments and etc. It is not easy, but very necessary. I shamedly admit I am not good at balancing, but it is what it is. As I prepare to close this blog, I am going to spend some time in the airport terminal reading my favorite book, the Bible. Sunday is coming.........

It Has Been Awhile....

2009-05-27T18:31:00.002-02:00

Whew....Time really flies. We have been shoulder deep in church stuff that I have been swamped. I am glad that this relationship series has been going pretty well. It has been a challenge preaching, but I am thankful for God's grace. We had our Relationship Seminar led by Pastor and First Lady Rogers from Triumph Church in Washington, DC. They gave incredible insight into all areas of Relationships. Even gave insight on the "dating" concept and said that it is courtship. Three biblical relationships is brother/sister, engagement and marriage. I will elaborate on this in a future blog. I have been swamped with ministry stuff and we have been having a lot of deaths in the our church this year. Pray for us. This is a short blog, I promise to get a longer one up soon. DrCEGJr

Dating vs. Marriage

2009-05-14T10:56:00.001-02:00

I had an interesting conversation with a member following last weeks service. She exclaimed that she is having a hard time dating, in which I replied "I am against dating!!". She seemed puzzled. I threw it out for conversation because I am still forming my thoughts on this subject, but the more I think about it, what is spiritual about dating in our contemporary context? Do we have the wrong premise for this ideal? What is the difference contemporarily between dating and marriage? Are expectations the same or different? Is dating a biblical prerequisite for marriage? Let me hear what you think....DrCEGJr

The Types of Love

2009-05-07T23:26:00.002-02:00

Tonight I discussed the three types of Love from the bible. They are Eros, Phileo, and Agape? What are your thoughts on the types of love? Have you ever been driven by your desires(eros)? Have you been stuck in an arrangement(phileo)? Have you experienced unconditional love(agape)? Hollah at your pastor......RevCEGJr

Relationships-Marriage and Singleness

2009-05-04T08:47:00.001-02:00

Do you believe that God intended all to be married? Is there a stigma on those who are single past a certain age? I want to read your comments. Bless ya. RevCEGJr

Reflections on Second Anniversary

2009-05-02T11:40:00.002-02:00

The week began with a blast. I had to preach revival at Carpentersville Baptist Church in North Augusta, SC. I enjoyed the fellowship immensely and the people were very receptive to the word. Tabernacle, as usual, came out to support in great numbers. i truly do have a special church family. On Thursday, I had to officiate the funeral of one of our seasoned saints. I believe that it was a comforting time for the family. That Thursday evening was the kick-off to my anniversary celebration, with my Pastor and mentor, Pastor Anthony Maclin from The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square in Maryland as the guest preacher. My pastor had a word for the house that night. It is such a great experience when I get to fellowship with my pastor. He has truly been a father, mentor, confidant to me. On Friday night, there was a dinner with a special musical guest. I was overwhelmed to see the place filled to celebrate with me. I had a good time and was presented with gifts of love from the congregation. They even presented me with a vacation(Lord, knows I need it) It was a real chill evening where I got to fellowship and enjoy the moment. On Saturday, I spent the afternoon skating with the youth and young adults. For the record, I have no problem with skating, its the falling that I do not get with. I am happy to report that I did not fall(even though some will argue that I really did not skate). Oh well..... Sunday was the climax, and my friend and brother, Pastor Philip Pointer came and rocked the house. He is one of my favorite preachers and closest friends. My family was able to come and worship. My grandma was looking fly as usual and my mom and sister with a few friends from Greensboro was in attendance. It is during moments like these that I really miss my grandfather. Shout out to all who made this 2nd anniversary a special one. I know that he would have enjoyed the festivities. I really need some prayer for the next couple of weeks. I will be preaching in five different cities over the course of two weeks and I also have graduation to prepare for. Dealing with these graduation tickets is beginning to get on my nerves and it seems as if the guest list grows everyday. I do not plan well either, so I am trying to delegate the work to others, but you know how that goes. Well I will check you out on cyberspace soon, probably from an airport somewhere. Be Blessed, RevCEGJr

PS-I recommend you see Wolverine and Obsessed. I have not heard good things about the Soloist....What new movie is coming out that you think is a must see?

The Pain of Celebration

2009-04-25T23:00:00.002-02:00

This is the weekend where we celebrate the second year of partnership of pastor and people here at Tabernacle Baptist Church. I am so blessed to be here and I am priviledged to have this wonderful divine assignment which allows me to pastor some awesome people. I must admit that I am a little uneasy with the whole celebration concept, especially with it centered around me. I have always had tough times with celebrations growing up, birthdays and holidays, because these occasions were not big in my family. The only big event that my family makes huge is graduations. I have also had some disappointing moments on days that are supposed to be joyous. I appreciate the tremendous effort that all are making to contribute to this memorable moment. I will write my reflections on the weekend next week. Please pray that I will allow myself to celebrate and enjoy the moment. Pray for safe travels for family and friends. Pray that this be a divine moment of reflection and rejoicing for what God has done and will do in my ministry and the life of the church. Peace and Blessings, RevCEGJr

PS: My father was supposed to be coming this weekend, but.............

Single or Alone

2009-04-17T11:11:00.001-02:00

Is there a difference? I am preaching a series on Relationships the month of May and this is a critical component. I welcome any comments. RevCEGJr

Living in the true meaning of RESURRECTION

2009-04-13T13:19:00.002-02:00

I am always uplifted by the story of Jesus being raised from the dead. It is the central foundational point of our faith. Without an empty tomb, our faith and our preaching is in vain (1 Corinthians 15). I heard an interesting quote on yesterday, while I was resting from our Resurrection services. The quote was, "many of us celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, but then after the moment, we allow Him to die again on Monday." I was struck by this because I do feel that often times we minimize the magnitude of the Resurrection by making it one day that we gather to worship, instead of living and walking in the Resurrection everyday of our lives. Those faithful saints who made there way to the graveyard over 2000 years ago, as told by Mark, were expecting a funeral, but when they got there, they had a stone removed, a situation reversed because of the Word of God and a friend welcomed back to the fold after denying Christ. I wonder how many of us would have the faith to go to a place of perceived disappointment, as long as Jesus is there? I know that God can give us more than we expect when we trust Him. The resurrection shows us that God oftentimes does His best work behind our back. While they were grieving, God was working the situation out for His glory. I really want God to expand my expectations this year in every area of my life. I believe that God can resurrect dead hopes, dead dreams, dead relationships and anything else that seems dead in our lives. My prayer is for all to know and experience RESURRECTION in life through the POWER of God. RevCEGJr

"Because He Lives......"

2009-04-12T07:24:00.002-02:00

My prayer for all today is that we experience RESURRECTION in all areas of our lives. There is VICTORY in Jesus. I am so thankful that He died for me, but even more grateful that ROSE three days later with ALL POWER in His hands, so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Do you know Him today?

Reflections on Palm Sunday

2009-04-06T16:17:00.001-02:00

I am still basking in the afterglow of a wonderful Palm Sunday Worship Experience. We celebrated our Lord's Supper Experience as well as baptize nearly 30 people. I preached a challenging message entitled "The Curse of being Unfruitful" from Matthew 21:18-19. It was a message that I believe challenged our entire congregation, Pastor included. I have made personal commitment to be a "fruit" believer and not just a "leaves" believer. I desire to be productive for the kingdom of God. We had 8 people join our fellowship on yesterday. I am continually amazed at the power of God, that operates in us finite beings to bring God glory. I ask and solicit your prayers that Tabernacle Baptist Church would be the body of believers that God would have us be. Peace and Blessings, RevCEGJr

Is There A Heaven For A "G"?

2009-04-01T17:42:00.002-02:00

As we are preparing to enter the "Passion" season, which commerates the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I am particulalry drawn to the story of the thief who is crucified next to Jesus. In all the pain and discomfort, he famously requests of Jesus, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom". What a powerful and provacative statement. This man, whom we know little but can assume only negative things because of his current predicament on the cross, has the audacious hope to ask for the Son of the living God to remember him. What nerve this man has. We don't know his background or his shady associations, but he surely knew. He knew the mistakes and wrong turns that had caused his life to cascade down this horrible path to destruction. I know that we all can feel this brother, because if we are truly honest with ourselves, we have not crossed every T or dotted every I. We have some things in our past that we are not proud of and if we take it even further, if it was another day or place, could have found ourselves in some unescapable situations with some reprehensible consequences. But thanks be to God, that this brother did not let his past or painful predicament stop him from receiving relief from the only one who could give him what his soul and heart really needed. Jesus looked this broke brother in the eye and said, "Today, you will be with me in paradise." Wow, there really is a heaven for a "G", even me.....Peace and Blessings, RevCEGJr

The Therapy of Rain

2009-03-30T12:57:00.001-02:00

I am sitting here listening to the rain splash against my window. There can be few more relaxing moments than listening to rain make its way from heaven to earth. Rain is a necessary nuisance. Rain can be relaxing if one is laying in bed trying to rest, but rain can be a tremendous pain if one is driving on a roadway. Rain is needed to sustain life, because sunshine alone will not stimulate and produce growth. It takes sunshine AND rain. That is how it is in the life of a believer of Jesus Christ. God never promises that trouble(rain) won't last long, God just promises that it won't last always. I have grown to the place where I have stopped trying to figure out what the rain is doing to me and think about what it is doing for me. I feel the ol song that the seasoned saints sang which melodiously declared, "Rain on me Jesus, til I walk right, Rain on me Jesus, til I talk right". Rain on me Jesus.......

Life from an Airport Terminal

2009-03-26T13:03:00.001-02:00

On the road again. I have been afforded many opportunities the last few years to spend a large amount of time in airports. I have had to travel to preach, go to school, and finish up doctoral work. I love traveling, even though it does get tiring and exhausting. I love experiencing new places and meeting new people. There is so much to learn from exposing oneself to different people and places, and in my case, churches. I enjoy sometimes just observing people in the airport. You see people scurrying from one end to the other, you see others who are obviously flying for the first time based upon there need to having to go through the metal detectors multiple times at the security checkpoint. I enjoy seeing people adjust in this place of transition from one destination to another. That is life, always in transition and us having to adjust to it. Sometimes we are delayed, other times we are early. Sometimes we have to make connections and other times we miss it or the flight is cancelled all together. Speaking of flights, I hope I don't miss mine...Peace, RevCEGJr

Faith is......

2009-03-25T11:01:00.004-02:00

I have been examining the perplexities and profundity of Faith the last three months from the pulpit of Tabernacle Baptist Church. I have been preaching through Hebrews 11, the Hall of Fame of Faith. I have been challenged personally in this study and I hope that our church has been inspired and challenged. There are so many levels and layers to Faith, and whatever it is one subscribes to as a standard of Faith, we can not argue that unless one has Faith, it is impossible to please God and God rewards those who have Faith. The reward is not something tangible, rather the reward is God and God's sustaining power. I have had many episodes in my own life where I have had to just have Faith in God. I will be completely honest, it was not easy, matter of fact, it was extremely painful. It is difficult at times to reconcile a loving God with periods of pain and hardships, however, we are required to just put our trust in God. Many would argue that this is "blind hope", with no basis of validity or substance. There are many who allow trials and tribulations to completely dry up their confidence in God. The one thing that helped me in those moments where I felt like letting go, is when I remembered that God has never let go of me. I pray that God continue to use me to help others in this constant pursuit of developing and strengthing one's Faith, not just as a Pastor/Teacher, but as someone who knows first hand what it is to lean and depend on God. Peace and Blessings, RevCEGJr

Monday Morning Blues

2009-03-23T18:07:00.001-02:00

Monday morning can be the best and worst day of the week for a preacher. It can be great because it is a day of refreshing, reflection and restoration. I try and sleep late and catch a matinee movie or whatever else requires little or no brain action. I have endeavored to take better care of myself. I used to be one of those guys who had to be in the office 7 days a week. I have learned that this is unhealthy. I am an overachiever and a workaholic. This is a bad combination, but I am nearing 30 and I want to do what I am doing for a long time. Monday can be horrible, because it is the shortest day in the week, besides Saturday. One does not feel Sunday until Monday, especially if you have to preach multiple services on Sunday. It also gets to be a drag if you have to travel and preach on a Monday. Today I missed my flight to a revival in North Carolina. I will barely have enough time to throw some water on my face, change clothes and go to church. Mondays.........

Happy Birthday PaPa(Big E).....

2009-03-20T18:44:00.003-02:00

Today would have been my grandfather's 84th Birthday. I miss him so much. Thanks for everything Grandpa.......Love Always.............

MARCH MADNESS.....

2009-03-19T12:49:00.002-02:00

I must admit this is one of my favorite times of the year. I love basketball. It is ironic that the last two places that I have pastored have been football states(Alabama and Georgia). I am rooting for Wake Forest, but I have......winning it all(got to keep somethings to myself). We have a busy weekend coming up at church. Tonight is the third installment of our "March Gladness" Revival. Pastor Delman Coates and Pastor Arthur Jackson III have already preached and it has been awesome thus far. I am excited that tonight, Pastor Jasmin Sculark is with us. I know that we are going to have a high time in the Lord. Tomorrow, we are having a Movie Night for our married and engaged couples, where we are viewing "Fireproof". On Saturday, there is a Mens Conference at Paine College and I have a wedding to officiate in the afternoon. Then it time to have worship on Sunday. Did I also mention that I am in the final leg of my doctoral work and I am trying to put the finishing touches on my project. Whew.......Needless to say, it has been a hectic time.

PS-Tomorrow also would have been my grandfather's 83rd birthday. Miss you Papa.

When God's Glory Fills the House....

2009-03-16T16:35:00.003-02:00

What happens when God shows up in a mighty way and the GLORY of God fills a place. We had one of those worship experiences that leaves a believer speechless. The 11am service at Tabernacle yesterday was simply AMAZING. This came off of what i considered a pretty substandard 8am worship. Everything that could go wrong at the early service, did go wrong. Mics were not working, instruments were not being heard, and the atmosphere was not conducive in my opinion to receive the Word. I was preaching the 10th installment of my By Faith series through Hebrews Chapter 11. I preached a message entitled "When God Crosses His Hands" from Hebrews 11:21. I hope that I was faithful to the intent of the text.
The catalyst for the spiritual outpouring was our Mime Ministry, which performs on our Youth Sunday. They ministered to the song "Say Yes" and they performed with such passion and power. Even the kids seemed to be in a different place. There was utter pandemonium, to the point where I did not know which way to take the service. We still had not done the announcements, welcome, offering. We had an altar call and many joined the church. We preached and took up an offering and went home. Many were lingering in sanctuary even after the benediction because it was such a sweet spirit in the place. I must admit that I am still on a spiritual high. I have received so many emails from people who said they have never experienced anything like that before. In the book of Exodus, it speaks about a moment in the history of Israel where after they built the Tabernacle, that the Glory of God filled the Tabernacle that even Moses could not enter. It is my prayer that my life and the life of the church will not be the same and that all of us get to be closer to God, in a more intimate and real way. Soli Deo Gloria!!

I have just figured out

2009-03-14T02:59:00.002-02:00

I have just figured out how to blog from my phone. I hope this keeps me consistently writing.

I'm BAAAAACCCCKKKK

2009-03-13T19:43:00.002-02:00

It has been a very long time since I have written a blog(almost 2 years). Finishing up my doctoral project has renewed an interest in writing for me. I hope that I stay consistent in this endeavor. I want to write a few devotionals and just some insight and perspective on life and ministry. I have been blessed the last few years to pastor the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga. I have enjoyed the assignment that God has granted me. I pastor some wonderful people who allow me to be the pastor that God has created me to be. I hope and pray that through this blog, I can minister to the masses through real and honest dialogue. Let the blogging begin.......

It is OFFICIAL...I am moving to Augusta

2006-12-15T22:43:00.000-02:00

It is official, I am the newly elected Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. I will begin my tenure at the beginning of the year. I must admit that it has been very difficult. I am leaving a church and a people that I love very much. I invested all that i had for the last three years there. As one can imagine, the news was not accepted well at first. There were many hurt people, who lashed out in anger towards me. But there has been some time lapsed and most are very happy for me. I want to continue to be in contact with these wonderful people of God and i am praying that God will take them to higher heights. i am excited for the possibilities that are present at the Tabernacle Church. it is a very historic church and have been blessed with having a lineage of tremendous preacher/pastors. I am awed and humbled to have my name mentioned among CT Walker, Charles Hamilton and Otis Moss III. I solicit everyone's prayers as I try and forge my own pastoral identity as well as continue to love and nurture the wonderful people of Tabernacle Baptist Church. I am in the middle of transitioning, so there will probably be no Christmas for me this year. Guess it will have to wait til January. Keep me lifted as i do the same with you. Peace and Blessings

SEASON OF TRANSITION

2006-11-20T19:18:00.000-02:00

Please be in prayer as I am in a season of transition.

I Am BACK

2006-10-05T12:09:00.000-02:00

Wzup Cyber World. It has been awhile. I know that I promised that I would not be so long, but a brotha got busy. I have had 4 revivals since the last blog. I celebrated 3 years of Pastoral ministry at "The View". I spoke at a Singles Conference and I am currently in Greensboro, NC for another revival. I finally got my work done for my doctorate. That was a chore, but perseverance pays off. I have got my new assignments and I am ordering the books I need. Tonight is the last night of my revival at New Zion in Greensboro. I have enjoyed myself. Don't think I have necessarily preached my best sermons, but hopefully the message the spirit wants to get across has gotten across. I go back home on Saturday, then I fly out to Baltimore early Monday to preach for my big brother mike palmer at the New Friendship Baptist Church. I finally got a good wireless card, so I can log on more. Well, let me go. I will hollah at you. Peace and Blessings.

Hello World

2006-08-07T22:03:00.000-02:00

Another Monday. Monday is the unofficial Preacher Sabbath. I am resting today. We have been having wonderful church. Last week, four people joined and this week, two joined. that is a wonderful thing what God can do. I am on my way to Charlotte tomorrow to do a Youth Conference at Macedonia Baptist Church. Pastor John Walker is a cool dude and I look forward to hanging out with him. I am trying to finish up some work and I have two services this weekend. Pray for a brother as I am in deep prayer for Gods direction. until next time......

School Work and Singles Conference

2006-07-27T19:50:00.000-02:00

I have been swamped with work. I have been working on some papers for school. Finally got them completed. At the same time, I have been working hard on the church front. We are in the process of acquiring 26 acres of land for future expansion. i am excited. God has been doing an awesome work at Pleasant View and I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of it. I am preaching a Singles Conference tonight at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Atlanta, where the pastor is Tim Flemmings. I look forward to this assignment, even though i am still unsure of what to preach. Pray for a brotha. Hollah at you later. Shalom.

I am soooooo TIRED

2006-07-22T11:14:00.000-02:00

Pray for a brotha.

Happy Fourth of July

2006-07-04T15:34:00.000-02:00

I know, I know. I promised in my last blog that I would not take so long between blogs, but what had happened was..... I just have been so busy. With preaching revivals and being the Best Man in a friends wedding, preaching at my own church and trying to broker a deal to benefit the church, not to mention work for my doctioral class, I have been swamped. I have been wearing myself too thin. I am seriously considering taking a few weeks off just to get myself together. I am serious about this. I begin another revival on tomorrow. I am recovering from a brief sickness that should have relieved me of my preaching duties on Sunday, but I pressed on anyway. Well, I have work today and hopefully I can get a hot dog for today. I promise I will be back soon. Hopefully. RevCEGJr

It has been a LONG TIME

2006-06-26T16:47:00.000-02:00

I know, I know. I have been MIA. I have been so busy. I just got back from a week in Baltimore for the National Baptist Congress. It was cool. Got to hang out with my boys, Pastor Philip Pointer from Va and Pastor Rhomel Williams from Chicago, IL. These are truly my boys. They strengthen me and help me so much. Got mad love for them and even at their ages, they are two of the profound and prolific preachers of the Gospel. They push me just being around them. I also celebrated a birthday on last week. I am now an OLD 27 years old. Father Time be creeping up on a brother. I also preached an ordination service at my home chuch on Saturday morning. Sunday, I had two services. i am still journeying through the book of 1 Peter for Sunday morning. I preached a Youth day in the afternoon. i start a revival meeting at New Jerusalem in Motts, AL 2nite. I really enjoy this revival. I have preached it the last 2 years. Pray a brotha strength and I promise, I will not be so long between post next time. Peace

Winding down from Indy

2006-06-12T12:07:00.000-02:00

I am just getting back from the weekend in Indianapolis. I did a Singles Conference for Messiahs Baptist Church and Pastor Stephen Clay. I spoke Friday Night and Saturday Morning. i enjoyed the fellowship. It was the first one for them. I was honored to be the first speaker. I hope that the information will be fruitful for those who were there. Pastor Clay extended the invitation for me to preach Sunday for his 23rd Anniversary. It was a good service. I missed home, but I know that everything went smooth at the homefront. Now I am back home for a few days and I have to go back to Pastor Goodman. I have a few things that i need to get in order at the church. We are having Vacation Bible School this week and our Annual Homecoming Week this weekend. Pray for me. Next week I am on my way to Baltimore for the National Baptist Congress.

Hamptons Ministers Conference

2006-06-07T12:32:00.000-02:00

Well, for the last few days i have been in Hampton, VA for the Annual Ministers Conference held at Hampton University. This is probably one of my favorite conferences because of the ecumenical atmosphere, it is preaching and worship driven and i get to see all my homeboys that i dod not get to see on the regular. Preachers have a sorta of fraternal bond with one another, because of the mere fact that we share the Gospel. I have had fun and learned alot. i have spent time with my pastor and other ministry friends from across the country. I have to make a confession. I have not done as much homework that I needed to get done. hopefully I can hit it hard today. Peace

When the Grind wears you down

2006-06-02T21:44:00.000-02:00

I have just completed another week of revival. This revival was a special one to me, because I was preaching at my grandparents church. My grandparents have raised me since I was 14 months old. It was just an honor to preach in front of them. The church is a nice church and have a wonderful pastor. I was just so blessed to be home. From the responses I have received, it was a good meeting. My grandfather was the MC and grandma was sitting on the second row with her hat on. I felt like a little kid who used to run up and stand by my granddad whenever he did anything for church. I was a junior deacon growing up. Now I am a Senior Pastor. look at God. However, I did not cover up like I should have this week and today I woke up sick. I am supposed to go home today, but my sickness and the bad weather is causing me to consider leaving in the morning. i am desperately trying to get back because one of my members is having her first Birthday Party. Hopefully, my body will allow me to make it.

Memorial Day Weekend

2006-05-27T15:47:00.000-02:00

Back on the Grind. The revival went very well this week. I enjoyed my time sharing with the Liberty Hill family and Pastor Sanders. I hope that I will be able to fellowship them again. The last two days I was supposed to be off, but they ended up not being. That morning I got word that a friends mother passed and another pastor friend of mine had a 15 year old member of his congregation die in a car crash. I was also sick on Thursday and after taking my friend out for his birthday (Shout out Pastor G), my tire blew on the side of the highway. I was stuck for an hour and a half. Luckily, I just bought a book on preaching, so I was cool. i spent all day friday cleaning up my house. My house was in major disarray. i am on my way to Alabama. have a church summit this evening and I have to preach at 8 in the morning at Franchise Baptist Church in Phenix City, AL, then Missioanry Day at 11 am at my church. I leave out monday for home. I begin revival in Greensboro on Tuesday and end on Thursday. I then have to rush back for a birthday party for one of my youngest members (Sydney, age 1). Then I leave out for Hampton on that Monday then Indy on Friday. Well, at least I had 2 days off.

Back in Business

2006-05-23T17:48:00.000-02:00

Sorry that it has taken me awhile to get to blogging. I promise to be better in the future. We had a very good Kingdom Living Conference this weekend. It was not as well attended as I wanted, but those who came were blessed. Each faciliator did a tremendous job. Pastor Washington did an excellent job friday and saturday night. He is one of God's best. Check him out (www.agapetemple.org). Rev. Marcus Hunter was a tremendous help to me and the congregation on Sunday morning. All in all, it was a wonderful spiritual experience. I look forward to Kingdom Living Conference 2007. I am now in revival in Phenix City, Al at Liberty Hill Baptist Church. I enjoyed last night. Pastor Sanders is great guy and has a very vibrant church. I hope that the rest of the week goes like last night. Well, let me go take a nap and get rested up. Hollah. PG

I Just Love Preaching...

2006-05-13T12:56:00.000-02:00

Getting ready to get back on a plane. I have completed the first week of this module for my doctoral classes. It was a great but long week. We all had to preach this week. There are 16 different styles of preaching in my class. I was fed everyday. I just love preaching. It does get very difficult to critique in class, because these are not novices, rather these are people who have been preaching for years. I know that the mistrust will soon, hopefully, dissipate. We are going to be together for 3 more years. I look forward to growing in my preaching. This has been a good week preaching wise. My pastor preached twice this week and tore the house down. Two major houses, Reid Temple AME and New Psalmist Baptist Church. I really enjoy hearing my pastor. Everytime that I hear him, my soul is fed. Pastor Maclin (www.atthesanctuary.org) is my mentor and example in ministry. I hope to one day be half the Pastor and Person that he is. Well, let me get packed. i am going home to preach Mother's Day at my church, then fly back on Monday Morning(eeeeaaarrrllyy) to go to class. The things I do. Congrats to the graduates, especially at my church (Shannon, Jason, Shacarol). Gods blessings upon your future. Hollah at you later, PG

Day 1 of class

2006-05-09T20:29:00.000-02:00

Well, the first day of class is over. It was a very interesting day. I had to preach for class today. I was not prepared but I had a thought and worked it out. There were four different styles of preaching on showcase today. The toughest crowd to preach in front of is preachers. Preachers can be hard and harsh on preachers. Well, this day is over. I am hopefully going to church tonight to hear my friend, Pastor Washington preach revival at me brothers church, Pastor Phillip Pointer in Virginia. Should have a good time tonight and receive a word. I am really tired because I got in late last night. Flight was delayed. I have a long, but good week ahead of me. get to hear my Pastor preach twice this week, so i know I am going to be revived.

No Rest for the Weary

2006-05-08T20:42:00.000-02:00

I am on my way to DC for classes for my doctoral degree. I really hate packing, but you would think as much as I travel that I would be used to it. Yesterday was good at my morning service. I only preached 20 mins, but the people say that they were blessed. The second service was, well, awkward. Do not know how to explain it. Just could not get into the service. i preached a message on recovering from failure, but I never felt one with the message or the people. Wish I could have it over, a redo. Oh well, just pray that the Spirit took over for my uneasiness. Let me go catch this plane. I have homework to finish on the plane. Hollah

What a Time

2006-05-05T20:31:00.000-02:00

The revival is now over and we had a wonderful time. i was extremely hoarse and tired yesterday. I know that it was evident on me when i stood to deliver the word. However, the spirit took over midway through the message. It was a wonderful revival meeting. I look forward to sharing Pastor Scovens and Smith Chapel Church again next year. Today, i have been resting. i played a round of Golf this morning and hung out with my cousin. I was supposed to go to church tonight, but I am going to rest and finish some work for church and school. I am a little sad because I will be leaving my grandparents. They raised me from a very young age and I do not get to see them as often as I would like. Dealing with various sicknesses for both of them have weighed heavily on me for the past few years. I love them so much and I do not know how I could handle anything happening to them. Well, I am on my way to rest and work (weird paradigm I know).

Revival Time

2006-05-03T18:24:00.000-02:00

We had a good time on Sunday morning. I tried to preach to make up for lost time. I hope and pray that the people were blessed. One of my members passed when I was on my pilgrimage. She was a devoted member, who was very sick since I assumed the pastorate of my church. I had opportunities to visit with her and her family before she passed and she was able to make it to church a few months ago. It was a good celebration service for a good Christian sister who will be missed. I have made it to Pelham, NC. Last night, we began our meeting. It was a real spirited worship. People came to have church. This is a wonderful church with a wonderful Pastor. It is always easier to preach in churches that have a good pastor and preacher. Pastor Scovens is one of God's best and he has really done so much in the church and community. They really love the Word. I did not feel like I was at my best, but God blessed anyhow. I am on my way to take a nap and get ready for tonight. Shalom

Finally Home

2006-04-30T05:02:00.000-02:00

I finally made it back to the States today. All in all, I have been traveling for about 16 straight hours. I am tired. Had to get a haircut and some rest. Now I am up in the middle of the night and i have to preach in the morning. Pray for a brotha. Shalom

Filling in the Blanks and getting ready to go home

2006-04-28T18:50:00.000-02:00

In less than two hours, we will be on a bus to make our trek home. i will be traveling for almost 24 hours. I must admit I am so ready to go home. Not only do I have service at my church on Sunday, but I am also in revival in Pelham, NC, with my good friend Pastor Nathan Scovens and the Smith Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Scovens is one of my dearest friends, someone I look up to. He is a tremendous preacher. I consider him my big brother. Well the trip is almost complete. It has been a good time. I have seen many sites and sights. Today was one of my best days here. I got to relax. I found a nice Messianic Jewish Bookstore and I stayed in there for hours. Truth be told, I am a big nerd. I love to read. I guess that is why I am always in school. I just have a passion for learning. Perhaps the reason is because I was told early in my academic career that I would have to be in remedial classes. I have been fighting to prove people wrong ever since then. I guess I am just an overachiever. I guess I will miss my fellow pilgrims. We have had an interesting time together. Some I clicked with, others I did not. Just the nature of the beast. I hope to stay in contact with them. I am encouraged by their love of ministry and God. One has even invited me to preach at her church. That should be an experience, one I look forward to. I was able to pick up a few things, so I hope that everyone is happy. Hope I did not forget anybody on the list. As I make one last reflection on my time in the Holy Land, i must say that I have been blessed to be here. One of the highlights was leading worship and communion at the Garden Tomb. They did not know the songs that I was singing, so now they see how I felt at our other services. Everyone remarked about how well I could sing. I cannot wait to tell my church. They give me a hard time. I think I am actually pretty good (hahahahaha). I am getting better. Pray my strength as I prepare to venture back in the states. I believe that is when the true reflection of my time here will take place. Pray for me, as I am hitting the ground running for the next 2 months, preaching and school. Stay Tuned, Shalom, PG

Updates on the Trip

2006-04-28T08:12:00.000-02:00

It has been a while since I have had access to the internet. We arrived in Jerusalem on Sunday after having worship on the Mt. of Beautitudes. We stayed in a convent attended to by seven nuns. No TV, but that is cool. I need some down time to reflect and write. I have been feeling so inspired and have written about seven sermons so far. I pray that these be uplifting to my congregation as I am eager to get to my pulpit and preach. I have not gone 2 weeks without preaching in three years, so I am going through preaching withdrawal. I almost forgot to mention that on our last night in Tiberias, I was sitting at a local pub, drinking a diet coke and writing in my journal, when three youths walked in with AKA-47's across there shoulder. At the sametime, 2pac's "Me against the World" song was blaring through the speakers. These youths were not much younger than me. Made me realize that Freedom is a luxury only a few get to experience. Jerusalem (Old City) was cool. Walked down Hosanna Road, Church commemorating where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and stopped by the Garden of Gethsemane. This was probably my favorite spot. I was so overcome with emotion here. When we went into the church and the Garden it rained, but it stopped as soon as we came out. Deep. Got to follow the 14 stations of the Cross and walk down the Via Delorosa. We finally made it to the place where they believed that jesus was crucified. The place was crowded on this day. I am not one for crowds, so I was irritated. I got to see so many places, the empty tomb, calvary's rock, stone of the annointment. It was something to be there. I have so many pictures, however, I must admit a bad taste was left in my mouth. I just feel like there was so much exploitation of Jesus by the different sects of Christianity here. They were fighting over places and rocks. The Greek Orthodox claiming this spot, the Catholics claiming this step, the Armaneans claiming this wall and so forth. I see why Jesus wept and said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." We made a few more stops the rest of the week. We got pulled over at a stop. There is so much political turmoil here, it is unbelievable. Seem like everybody got a gun. It is something to read about it and see it on TV, but it is another thing to see it live and in person. I believe that all Christians ought to be able to help the cause over here. There are many Christians who are getting persecuted in the Holy Land. I am going to try and figure out my own plan of action. I have so much more to say, but my time is quickly evaporating. I have some errands to run and I found a great bookstore. This is our free day as we leave around midnight 2nite. I will fill in some more of the blanks later. Until then, Shalom. PG

Been a Long Time

2006-04-27T15:57:00.000-02:00

We made it to Jerusalem on Sunday. We stayed at a Convent all week. This is my first chance to get on the internet. I do not have long. i will write later. Just want to clarify, Pastor was not trying to fight (he fight all the time, just like Anthony Mason (Kings of Comedy)). Just a theological difference of opinion. I prefer to be a peaceful man in my old age. this was our last day of the actual tour. Tomorrow is a free day, then we go home. I have so much to catch you up on. Until then, Shalom, PG

A Holy Experience

2006-04-22T08:44:00.000-02:00

Yesterday was a pretty cool day. We went to Caesera Phillipi, Banias Falls and the Golden Heights. The Banias falls were so beautiful. Could not help but appreciate the beauty and wonder of God's creation. The next place was Ceasera Phillipi. this has major theological implications, because this is where Jesus asked his disciples "Whom do men say that I am?" It is also the home of the temple to the greek god Pan. It also is one of the sources for the Jordan River. i got some Jordan River water, because I am not sure if I am going to be able to get baptized in the water. Last stop was at the Golden Heights, the border between Israel and Syria. there is a major rift between these two countries over land. many have lost there lives. made me appreciate freedom more. Dinner was ok last night, I am just tired of eating stuff that i have no idea what it is. Spent some quality time with some on the trip. We have a unique blend of personalities and cultures on this trip. I am the only African American and that can be different. I really came on this trip for a Worship Experience, not to sight see. Some have there on agenda. i really embraced the fact that I was getting away from everything. That means that sometimes I like to get in my own world. I am moody enough without everyone invading your space. I did not come to impress anyone, just to get closer in my spiritual journey with God. A misunderstanding yesterday really got to me and i wanted to lay my religion down, but I was told it was not worth it. Well, just pray for a brotha. Today is a free day (Sabbath). I slept late and went to McDonalds by the Sea of Galilee. they are everywhere. i am about to go to the pool. i have some work to finish 2nite. We are packing up 2nite and after having service at the Mt. of Beautitudes, we are making our way to Jerusalem. I am so excited. Hopefully there i can experience more and get some shopping in. Everybody and there momma want something, but it is funny, nobody gave me any money to get anything with. Go figure. until Next Time, RevCEGJr

Second Day wore me out

2006-04-20T21:28:00.000-02:00

Today we went and visited the Mount of Beautitudes, Capernaum, Tarsi, saw the 2000 year old boat and took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. I was deeply moved at the Mount of Beautitudes. I was able to read the sermon on the mount(actually a plain, perhaps Luke got it right) and pray there. I was sorta disappointed, because they had fenced off the area where I really wanted to go, the actual spot where they believe Jesus spoke from. Our next stop took us to the place where it is believed that Jesus fed the five thousand. They have a rock right under the altar which is the supposed rock for which Jesus blessed and passed the fishes and five loaves. A beautiful mosaic depicts it right before the altar (only shows 2 fishes and 4 loaves of bread. They say that Jesus is the fifth loaf(Bread of Life)). We then went to Capernaum and saw Peter's house and the Synagouge for which Jesus did a lot of teaching from. These visits really give a great reference for texts for which i have read and studied. We had lunch and we ate St. Peter's fish. I ate the pizza, because the fish was way to bony for me. We stopped by the place where Jesus met the Demoniac and then we went to the exhibit about the 2000 year old boat. That was fascinating. To cap our day, we took a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. What a sight and ride. I was extremely wore out. I have not had a "Monday (Preachers Sabbath)" this week. I went right to bed. I slept thru dinner and morning prayers. I really needed the rest. Was able to write 2 sermons today and hopefully i can knock out some homework while I am here. Tomorrow is a new adventure and a new experience. I cannot wait until i can get these pictures on here. Until Next Time, RevCEGJr

First Day of Pilgrimage Complete

2006-04-19T17:51:00.000-02:00

Well, we finally made it to the Holy Land. It was a loooong plane ride. I slept so much. My body has yet to adjust to the time change. There was a bombing in Tel Aviv, the place where we landed the day before. There was a little apprehension, but everything was cool. Woke up this morning and had breakfast by the Sea of Galillee. What a view! Today we went out the cities of Sepphora and Nazareth. Sepphora was a great historical site. I enjoyed it immensely. When we got to nazareth, we visited two Churches, both claiming to be the place where the angel visited Mary and announced the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ . It was powerful both places. I was able to drink and wash in the spring of Nazareth. This is the samwe place many believe mary went to to, as well as Jesus. It was just awesome. I was able to get some of the water to bring home. After returning, I barely had time to lay down and collect my thoughts. We had dinner and prayers and I was able to go out on the town for a few. I am excited about our excursion tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to get online and catch everyone up. i have been journaling by hand, so hopefully I will be able to write down my reflections. i have plenty of pics as well. i do sorely miss my family and church family. My prayers are with all. RevCEGJr

Easter Sunday and Preparing to Travel

2006-04-17T11:25:00.000-02:00

This has been a long and exhausting weekend. We had our Easter play on Saturday Night. It was entitled "Salvation at Calvary". It was a tremendous job done by our Drama and Fine Arts Ministry. I was so blessed and I know that everyone in attendance was blessed as well. Easter Sunday went well. Music was good and the place was packed. I do hope and pray that the message was received. Easter is a hard time to preach, ask any preacher. I just hope that the Spirit took up the slack where I fell short. It was a long day as I made some rounds to see members and fellowship for a little while. Trying to deal with church stuff as i will be out the country for 2 weeks. I am going to desperately miss my people and family and my prayers will be with them. As usual, I am late packing. I have a few errands to run befor I go to the airport. Pray my strength in the Lord as i embark on this journey to the Holy Land. As soon as I am able to get to a computer, I will send updates pertaining to the trip. Until Next Time, Remain Steadfast in HIM, PG

Preparing for a Pilgrimage

2006-04-15T13:00:00.000-02:00

I am now trying to pack as I am leaving on Monday for a pilgrimage to Israel Palestine. I was selected to be apart of the Institute of Preaching and Pastoral Renewal program through Candler School of Theology. I am excited and nervous. I will be gone about 2 weeks. I am going to treat this as a spiritual retreat. I am going to miss my family and church family so much. I hope and pray that I have a home and a church to come back to. Packing is such a tremendous chore. On top of that I have an Easter play at the church tonight, as well as get ready for our Resurrection Service on tomorrow morning. I am preaching "Good News from the Graveyard"(Luke 24: 1-12). I pray that this message perks the heart of the people. Easter is such an uncomfortable time for a preacher. I will explain in further blogs. It stretches one to become creative. Being a Baptist preacher, if you don"t end with "EARRRRRRRLY Sunday Morning", they might vote you out the church. Pray for a brotha as I meander through a busy week. Blessings

2006-04-13T15:58:00.000-02:00

My First Post

2006-04-13T15:23:00.000-02:00

Today is my first post. I am new to cyberspace. I am interested in just expressing myself. I have been so encouraged by the blogs of others, especially another Pastor named H. B. Charles, Jr. from L. A. I pastor a wonderful church in Salem, AL, Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church(www.pleasantviewmbc.org). I love the people that God has allowed me to shepherd. There have been ups and downs, but I thank God for the love of God. I have been pastoring for about three years. I started pastoring at 23 years old. I hope to share my views of life, ministry, and other tidbits that may arise. God has favored me to travel to share the most precious thing in the world to me, and that is the Word of God. I also hope to write books in the future, as I am now a Doctoral student at Wesley Theological Seminary studying Preaching in the 21st Century. I look forward to this journey. Blessings and Peace, RevCEGJr