D. J. Manuel My wife, Melissa, can’t pass a perfume counter without trying something new. She would spend an hour at each counter if she could. She wouldn’t just buy a perfume though. She’d buy entire sets that included matching powders, shower gels, lotions, and anything else that was available. A few times, she’s tried on multiple samples … Read more
A lesson from Niger. While on the Mission to Niger last month, we saw thousands of young men walking the streets daily. To me, there was something familiar in the way they carried themselves. After meditating on this familiarity the Lord showed me what it was: swagger. You see, the young African men in Niger … Read more
A lesson from Niger. During my recent mission trip to Niger, Africa, I noticed a startling difference from the United States. Traffic lights! After spending a week in the city of Niamey, I only saw 5 traffic lights and 4 of those weren’t even on. But, even without traffic lights, thousands of people took to … Read more
My wife is an incredible cook. I knew I had a winner the first time she made biscuits from scratch when we were dating. Over the years, she has prepared my favorite meals and she knows my appetite (my favorite ingredient is “seconds”). After eating her cooking, I’m satisfied and can’t eat any more if … Read more
A few weeks ago I posted 5 Steps to Sermon Series Planning http://wp.me/p2yUh4-8o . This week, I’d like to follow up that post by sharing my plan for the first quarter of the year. Prayerfully you’ll see how strategy and opportunity are key components of my plan. First, through prayer, God has revealed a theme … Read more
Thanks for reading these posts from Hosea 4. If you’ve missed any of them, please refer to previous posts. As we continue in this passage in Hosea, God is still speaking to the spiritual leaders of his people and reveals he’s rejecting those leaders because they stopped following God. “My people are destroyed for lack … Read more
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”Hosea 4:6 NKJV http://bible.com/114/hos.4.6.nkjv None of us want to be the leader that God rejects because we … Read more
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6 NKJV http://bible.com/114/hos.4.6.nkjv This verse makes me shudder. As a minister and leader, I would … Read more
Let’s talk a little about sermon series planning. This is the time of year when I’m seeking God’s guidance on what to preach next year. I realize that may be a new concept for some so let me explain. I typically preach in a series format that lasts anywhere from three weeks to six weeks. … Read more
This weekend, our church, Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, held our annual church conference. One of the things I get to do during the conference is share an annual address. Usually, my address will recap the year, and cast vision for the next year, but this time, the address was very introspective and focused solely … Read more