D. J. Manuel 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
For last few weeks I’ve been wanting a standing desk. What is that, you ask? It’s literally a desk tall enough for a person to stand and work rather than sitting all day. So, last week I visited a few furniture stores and office furniture stores looking to price a standing desk. I found two … Read more
Recently, our church held a Clergy Appreciation Service and personally, it marked eight years for me as a pastor. Eight years! That got me thinking. So, I’ve “Googled” average pastor tenure and several sites say the average is three to four years. Think about that. On average, in less than five years, the pastor and … Read more
Have you ever travel to another country? I’m traveling to Niger, Africa in January 2016 on a mission. It will be my first time traveling out of the country so I’ve decided to let you in on my journey. Let’s be clear; I’m talking about Niger, not Nigeria. Niger is one of the top five … Read more
Lord, You are the creator of the universe. You have made all things according to the counsel of your own will. You are worthy of glory, honor, and praise. We acknowledge your sovereignty as we submit to your authority. Today, God, we plead for mercy. We ask that you hear our cry and have mercy … Read more
I’m jumping right in today because I want people to be aware of the dangers associated with the “Charlie Charlie Challenge” #CharlieCharlieChallenge. According to the Huffington Post, “Charlie Charlie Challenge is a social media attempt to summon a Mexican demon.” http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7439434 This activity is popular with students and teens who are posting videos of their challenges … Read more
In the movie “Last Holiday”, Queen Latifah plays the role of Georgia Bird, a woman who works in a department store. Her character had a scrap book called Possibilities where she had placed photos of the places she wanted to see in her life. It had photos of things she would like to do … Read more
The movie “Hairspray” opens with the song “Good Morning Baltimore”. It’s a happy song about the finer points of the city. But as the movie progresses, the very serious issues of body image discrimination and racial segregation take front stage. In the end, it takes a galvanizing leader and a courageous teenager to open the … Read more
The world is in danger and needs a hero. There is a person or group who wants to rule the world. So someone is on a quest to find the chosen one or an unlikely hero emerges on the scene. The hero is trained, empowered, or equipped to perform a task against all odds to stop … Read more