Teaching Moments

How to be Happy

2011-01-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

Jesus answered our question in the "Beatitudes." Each Beatitude begins with "Blessed are those who." Jesus makes it clear that God wants to bless us! But he also makes it clear that the life of being blessed by God is not what you think.
We want wealth, happiness, popularity, success, and rewards for doing good, and of course we do, it's natural to want things to go well in our lives, but these are not the deep soul blessings that God most wants to give us.

"O God, you are my God. my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Because your love is better than life. I will praise you as long as I live. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods." (Psalm 63:1-5)

Jesus is offering us the supreme blessing of God's presence right now, right here, whatever we're going through, whatever problems or pains are afflicting us, whatever failures or frustrations we're up against so let's look up to heaven and open up our hearts to God. God alone fills the deep hunger of our souls.

"Blessed are those...who delights in the law of the Lord, and on His law they meditate day and night. They will be like trees planted by streams of water, which yield fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. Whatever they do will prosper." Psalm 1:2-3

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. What Jesus is saying here, is this: Happy is the person whose primary motivation is not sex, or power, or money, or fame, or control; Happy is the person who is motivated to delight in the law of God.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Get motivated. Discover satisfaction today. Discover Jesus and His attitudes, and you will discover how to Be Happy!

Current Bible Study Series

2011-01-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

The Essentials of the Christian Faith - A Handbook of basic information for Christian Growth

o The Authority and Inerrancy of the Scriptures
o The Nature of God
o The Trinity
o The Holy Spirit
o Jesus Christ
o Christ's Life, Death, Burial & Resurrection
o Salvation

Without a proper foundation, buildings don't stand, civilizations don't last, and Christians don't witness well. The foundation I am talking about is the foundation of Essential Doctrines of Christianity.

The Bible itself reveals those doctrines that are essential to the Christian faith. They are 1) the Deity of Christ, 2) Salvation by Grace, and 3) Resurrection of Christ, and 4) the gospel. These are the doctrines the Bible says are necessary. Though there are many other important doctrines, these four are the only ones that are declared by Scripture to be essential. Please note that there are other foundational doctrines of scripture that become necessary also, God, the Trinity, The Holy Spirit, and the Bible . Doctrine is important because it defines who you put your trust in. It is not simply that you have faith; it's who you put your faith in.

You cannot study the Bible very long before you understand the importance of faith. A sinner cannot be saved apart from faith. Ephesians 2:8-9. “The gospel of Christ…is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written the just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17. Therefore, it is important that we should find out what this word means.

WHAT IS FAITH?

Faith comprises three things: knowledge, belief and trust. Faith is personal confidence in God. It means that we believe what He says, and trust Him to save us and to keep us. The source of faith, In a very real sense, this faith is a gift of God. John 3:27. God gives men the power to believe on Him. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17. Therefore, if a man does not have faith in God, he should read the Bible. God has promised that any man, who wishes to do His will, will come to “a knowledge of the truth.” John 7:17.

The Bible sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the true object of faith. Acts 20:21. The important thing is not how much faith a man has, or what kind of faith he has, but that the object of his faith must be Jesus Christ if he wants to be saved. So you may believe that Christ was born in Bethlehem, born of a virgin, died on Calvary, rose again and ascended into heaven. You may even believe the Bible is God’s Word. But you have not really put your faith in Him until you trust Him to save you from your sins and take you to heaven.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men; the man Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 2:5)

Laying down with the Shepherd

2011-01-03T06:10:00.000-08:00

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (KJV). Ps 23

David had walked with the Lord for many years, and in a time of reflection and contemplation he saw a flock of sheep being led through the valley by a faithful and loving shepherd. He began to reflect upon his walk with God, and, As that shepherd is to those sheep, so has the Lord been to me. David said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (KJV). He is the Lord Jehovah Ra'ah. He is the God of gods, and He is my shepherd.

God blesses us even in the valley

Though you're walking through the valley, God has a blessing in the valley. "Yea, though I walk through the valley…I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.", verse 5, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."

The flow of the text says that God does something unique in the valley that even with the shadows lurking around me; God brings something into my life. He prepares "a table before me." The challenge of the sheep was simply to follow the shepherd

Maybe you don't see where God is leading you. You can't see your way out of this valley. Yet God has prepared a table before you get there. It's ready. God has called you here to lie down in this pasture of revelation that you might prepare to move on and walk with him to the place of your next blessing. Your challenge is to not stop where you are. Your challenge is to keep walking. Your challenge is to recognize that God the Shepherd has gone on before you to prepare your blessing. No matter how dark it may be in that valley, you have the protecting hand of God and the protective presence of the Spirit of God. The enemy does all he can to stop you, and yet you are still blessed.

In spite of all the challenges God, has still blessed you. In spite of all the opposition, God has still blessed you. In spite of all the problems and failures, God has still blessed you. God has His hand on you, anoints you and brings you through every trial you face, because He prepares a table before you with the enemy looking on.

He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He anoints my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

The Bible says surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, which means I'm still going somewhere. Because this thing is not over yet The psalm does not end in the valley. The psalm does not end in end in the shadow. The psalm does not end in discouragement.

In the midst of your circumstances…
In the midst of your confusion…
In the midst of your crisis…

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors." Praise him by faith that he's already prepared a table for you. Praise him by faith that he'll make a way. Praise him by faith that he already has a blessing for you.

And he is so committed to the call that's on your life; Your Valleys may have been a day of defeat, But Help cometh and there is a victory. Whatever your situation is- I know He'll make everything all right. "The Lord is my shepherd”; you ought to declare it in Jesus' name.

How….. “Living like you mean it”

2010-12-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

A Christian lifestyle should never become a list of rules. We must take our attention off mandates and focus on the LORD. To paraphrase, “What did Jesus do?”

• Communicated continually with God (Matthew 11:25-26; Mark 6:46, 14:32)
• Acknowledged the significance of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26)
• Obeyed the will of His Heavenly Father (Luke 22:42; John 6:38-39)
• Resisted temptation by steadfastness to the Word of God (Luke 4:1-13)
• Reached out to those considered hopeless and sinners (Mark 2:15-16; Luke 19:5-9)
• Served others, humbling Himself before His Heavenly Father (John 13:3-5, 12-15)
• Persevered in faith and love (John 4:34, John 9:4; John 17:23)

You can present an outward appearance of holiness daily and still serve as a poor Christian witness (Matthew 23:27-28). To live as a Christian requires having the character of Christ. A transformation must occur, as a result of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling (Galatians 5:24-25).

When we truly practice a Christian lifestyle, the inward evidence becomes obvious. God’s glory and power pours out upon all those around us. Our faith in the midst of trouble flows from a heart given to a loving Father. Every breath carries words of compassion and affirmation to a hurting world. Those who live the Christian lifestyle live a confident life on the inside and outside.

“This High Priest [Jesus Christ] of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” Hebrews 4:15

A New Year with No Limitations

2010-12-27T05:33:00.000-08:00

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” 2 Cor. 6:1-2

Tired of just getting by?
Tired of barely making it?
Tired of borrowing and begging?
Tired of being the tail and not the head?

God wants you to have life and have it more abundantly. No, you don’t just have to exist.The good news of the Gospel is: Be not dismayed whatever betides you. In this New Year, God will take care of you. My brothers and sisters its time we dwell abundantly.

Perhaps things are still going well. Sure, you’ve made some mistakes, you’ve messed up a little, but you’re still living with the hope that you will be able to start over, that this New Year presents you with the perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf—to drop some bad habits and pick up some good ones.

Perhaps things are falling apart. You’ve tried the starting over bit—over and over and over—and you’ve come to realise it’s just a futile attempt at making yourself feel better for a while. You’ve lost all hope in any real new beginning.

Perhaps you’ve met the Messiah. You’ve gone through the ups and downs. You’ve tried it all—you know what it’s like to promise yourself a new start, you know what it’s like to reach that point of hopelessness, of just giving up. But now you’ve met the Messiah. And suddenly you know what it is to really start over—to be a new creation.

Perhaps you’ve become His ambassador. You’ve been liberated, set free from you trust in yourself, your loss of hope. And now you can’t help but carry a message—the message that it’s okay. That God has made things right between you and Him, everyone and Him!

It doesn’t really matter where you are today, because today is a new day. Paul writes further:

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors… (2 Cor 5:17-20a; NIV)

Bring in the New Year with jubilation, praise, praying, shouting, and thanking God.
I see a better day.
I see a better life.
He's giving me more than I ever had before.
No more am I limited by limitations.
I serve a God who has no limitations.

New Year's Eve (Watch Night) Service
Friday, Dec 31
Refreshments and Fellowship: 8:30pm
Service: 10:00pm to Saturday, Jan 1 (2011) 12:00am

Come and join us at:
Scotts Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
511 Tulip Grove Road, Hermitage, TN 37076

This Christmas, I say Rejoice!

2010-12-24T06:35:00.000-08:00

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

Sometimes it is not easy to rejoice or to give praise to the Lord, but that does not change the command. It is God’s will that we find joy in prayer in Christ Jesus in every condition of life. God works everything together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). “Rejoice . . . pray . . . give thanks” is God’s will for every believer in every situation regardless of the chances, changes and circumstances that come in your life.

Is your hope fixed on Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him! Are you a partaker of the life that is in Him? Rejoice in Christ! Have you been born to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him!
Have you been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ? Rejoice in Him!
Do you know the grace of the Father that has given you eternal life? Rejoice in the Lord!
Have you experienced the forgiveness of all your sins? Rejoice in Christ!
Has the Holy Spirit spread abroad in your heart the love of God? Rejoice in Him!
Do you delight in knowing Jesus Christ died as your substitute on the cross? Rejoice in the Lord!

If you have been saved the Holy Spirit has taken up permanent residence in you. Rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in His dwelling in you, quickening you, comforting you, and the illuminating His Word. Rejoice in Him! Rejoice and be glad, what God has done in Christ, should make you rejoice and keep on rejoicing.

This Christmas, as I think about the many gifts the Father has given us, one is the privilege of rejoicing. Thank you, LORD for being so faithful. May He bless you abundantly, and may you and your family have a very Merry Christmas! Selah!

God’s Greatest Gift

2010-12-21T18:38:00.000-08:00

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)

Christmas is a time of giving. Ever since the wise men from the east showed up at the stable carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh, people have been exchanging gifts at Christmas.

But there’s one gift that meets everyone’s need, one gift that will never wear out, never break or need repairing. A gift that is appropriate for a small child, or a teenager, or an adult, or a senior. Boy or girl, man or woman.

The gift we all need, the most valuable gift of all, is the Love of God. No one could give a greater gift than God has already given. We celebrate the fact that God gave us the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, so that through faith in Him we could be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)

In the gift of Jesus Christ provided by God we have been given love in abundance. Love to save. Love to heal. Love to deliver. Love that will bring you peace with God and peace with mankind.

1. The Gift is Jesus Christ Himself

The gift God offers us is to know Christ.; To know Him as a friend, to have fellowship with Him, to have a relationship with Him. The gift God offers us is to be known and loved by Christ.

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3 (NIV)

2. The Gift Has Great Value

Knowing Christ is worth more than anything else in this world; in fact, knowing Christ is worth more than everything else in this world. We will never be disappointed by Him. He is that treasure; He’s that pearl of great value.

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

3. The Gift must be Received

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12 (NIV)

Christmas is about love. A God who so loved that He gave His only Son Jesus, the sinless Son of God, born in Bethlehem as a sacrifice for man. God is expressing his love to us and wants us to come, receive and accept and respond to it.

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

“It is What it Is”.. Faith and deeds

2009-09-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

James 2:14-26

James asks the question "what good is it for a person to claim to have faith when their actions do nothing to show it"; "Can such faith save?" James goes on to answer the question, arguing that a faith without works is not authentic, it is dead.

The passage
v14-17. James contends that a faith which claims to look to the mercy of God, but does not show itself in acts of mercy, is a fraud. Such religious faith cannot save since it has no substance; it is nothing more than an expression of religious piety. Such faith is dead and means nothing; it is false, futile and barren. The fruit of this "dead" faith is a cold, hard, callous disregard for the needs of others. In simple terms, "faith without deeds is a dead thing."

1. He points out that a "faith" which is little more that a verbal profession is next to useless. The demons believe that God exists and shudder at the thought of their coming judgment. So, just saying "I have faith" means nothing in itself.
2. James now shows that deeds do indeed evidence genuine faith, so proving his point that "faith without deeds is a dead thing." He illustrates this fact in the life of Abraham and Rahab:
 v21-24. First, from the life of Abraham. James makes the point that both Abraham's deeds and faith are integrally linked to his justification. In the life of a justified person, a person set-right with God, their faith is evidenced in their deeds. a genuine faith in the mercy of God will show itself in deeds of mercy.
 v25-26. Second, from the life of Rahab. Again, James shows from scripture that Rahab's deeds and faith are integrally linked to her justification. As a justified person, the quality of her faith is evidenced in her deeds - she did all that she could to protect God's servants in Jericho.

The Fruits of Faith
At first sight, it seems to be an exhortation to obedience. It is certainly surrounded by passages encouraging us to obey - don't show favoritism, tame the tongue. If we took it that way it would be saying something like.... "demonstrate your faith through obedience". In this letter, James is not so much encouraging his readers toward deeds of love, as to genuine faith. He makes the point that if we are unwilling to walk before the Lord in deeds of love, then we really have no claim on him. If we have faith we will automatically tend to act in a loving way. We need to be reminded to allow the motivating love of Christ to shape our lives.

There is no value in trying to find security in religious faith while our lives are lived out in rebellion, for a genuine faith will show itself in good deeds. So the passage removes the false security of an intellectual faith, and forces the reader to see their rebellion for what it is. If we are unwilling to listen to exhortations to do good, then such unwillingness only shows we have not come to a saving faith in Christ. James is driving us back to the cross to seek forgiveness. Just as there is no security in law-obedience, so there is no security in an intellectualized religious faith. Our only security lies in the mercy of a loving God whose mercy makes us more merciful.

 Jesus, when referring to those who would believe on Him said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29).

 "You were marked in Him with a seal."When we first believed something happened that we could not see or feel--we were marked as a Child of God. ". . .you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14). Christians are marked with the Holy Spirit, who is the "down payment". A deposit is the "earnest money" that guarantees that the purchase will be completed at a time yet future. God guarantees us that we are His possession, and the indwelling Spirit is His proof.

 "He who began a good work. . ."God had planned from eternity past to save us and our salvation was a partial fulfillment of His overall plan. The Apostle Paul assures us that what God begins--God finishes, ". . .He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6). Note it is God who "carries on the good work." He is the one sanctifying us and we merely try to co-operate with Him. We continually will fall short of the glory of God, but will keep confessing our sins and receiving His precious grace.

The Fruit of True Christianity:
• Love for God: Psalm 42:1ff; 73:25; Luke 10:27; Romans 8:7
• Repentance from Sin: Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; Romans 7:14ff; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 1:8-10
• Genuine Humility: Psalm 51:17; Matthew 5:1-12; James 4:6, 9ff.
• Devotion to God's Glory: Psalm 105:3; 115:1; Isaiah 43:7, 48:10ff.; Jeremiah 9:23, 24; 1 Corinthians 10:31
• Continual Prayer: Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18ff.; Philippians 4:6ff.; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; James 5:16-18
• Selfless Love: 1 John 2:9ff, 3:14; 4:7ff.
• Separation from World: 1 Corinthians 2:12; James 4:4ff.; 1 John 2:15-17, 5:5
• Spiritual Growth: Luke 8:15; John 15:1-6; Ephesians 4:12-16
• Obedient Living: Matthew 7:21; John 15:14ff.; Romans 16:26; 1 Peter 1:2, 22; 1 John 2:3-5; A Desire And A Willingness To Be Obedient We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, " I know Him," what does not do what he commands is a liar first John 2:3-4.
• An Appetite For The Word Of God. " As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby; so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious" 1 Peter 2:2, 3.
• A Friendship With Other Believers. God's plan for Christianity involves the church. A growing Christian will naturally desire to be around others who have a similar love for God.

Commitment to a Holy Life

2009-06-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

The words “obedience” and “submission” are a constant reminder of our indwelling sin. But whether we like them or not, they get to the heart of our problem of living a holy life.

Jesus said, “If you love Me you will obey Me.” It is our responsibility to obey Him. We cannot obey Him unless we submit to His sovereignty. There can be no holiness in our lives if we do not obey Him. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him,” said Jesus in John 14:21.

Obedience is the road to holiness. Over the years we have developed habitual patterns of disobedience. We have patterns of sin in our lives. Every time we sin we make it easier to keep on sinning. We reinforce these patterns, or habits, until we make a commitment to make a new habit not to sin. Have you made it your aim, goal, passion, not to sin? Have you made it a commitment to live a holy life?

The only way to break old habits is to make a commitment to start forming new ones. God cannot do that for us. It is our responsibility. In Romans 8:13 the apostle Paul brought out the contrast between a habitually dominated pattern of living according to the flesh, and an obligation to habitually, under the power of the Holy Spirit, be “putting to death the deeds of the body.”

The responsibility of the Christian is to yield to and cooperate with the Holy Spirit in putting to death or destroying the strength and vitality of sin as it tries to reign in our bodies. The only way we can put to death sin in our lives is by submission to the presence of the Holy Spirit inside us. It is our responsibility to obey Him. The Spirit alone is sufficient and He is the One who gives life and strength to our efforts.

How do we break these old habits of sin? How do we destroy the powerful grip of sin?
Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). It is in the heart that the changes must take place.
That is where the commitment to an obedient life must begin.
If I love the Lord God I will obey Him.
Commit every day to the Lord. Begin your day with a renewed commitment to live God’s kind of life. “Lord, I want to please You today in everything I do. I give You this day, come and live Your life in and through me.”
Keep your heart sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Spend some time in God’s Word so you will know what God’s will is for the Christian.

Living the Christian life will not come automatically. It is your responsibility to love and obey your Master.

First Understandings

2009-03-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

Jesus said, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3 NET).

There is absolutely nothing that man can do to contribute to his spiritual birth. This is made very clear in John 1:13, “who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” No amount of human activity, religious cultivation, or moral teaching can change the essential nature of man. You do not become a child of God by anything you say or do. You do not become a child of God by being a member of a church. You do not become a child of God by being sincere. Therefore, you must be born again.

The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and not of works. It is the free gift of God. “What must I do to be saved?” The Bible says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).
You must believe in Jesus alone; You must trust Him alone.

John 3:16 & 17 are clear. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

There is a simple and free way to be reconciled with God made possible by God's only son Jesus. A blood sacrifice was needed to pay for your sins and Jesus was sent to become that sacrifice. He was nailed to a Roman cross to shed His blood in payment for your sin. Then three days after His death, He rose from the dead, validating once and for all His qualification to be our only Savior. Placing your complete trust in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection is God's one and only means of reaching Heaven.

The Bible clearly tells us how to be saved: Romans 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This is a free gift from God because He loves you.

Romans 6:23b "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Bible teaches us that we become a child of God only through the new birth.
Those who believe on Jesus Christ become God’s children. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).

It is not a physical birth, but a spiritual birth, and it is something that is received by the person who believes in Him (1 Pet. 1:23). The initiative in the new birth is with God.
It is the teaching throughout the New Testament (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10).
Without Christ we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1-3).
We need divine life, and that is what God provides through the new birth.

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36, 16).
He has it right now (1 John 5:13).

The First “Yes We Did” Inauguration

2009-01-20T21:59:00.000-08:00

An inauguration is a formal induction into office. It is a formal beginning or introduction.
It is a consecration— the act of setting apart, or dedicating, something or someone for God’s use. In the Old Testament, the Temple and its trappings were the most important objects consecrated to God (2 Chr. 7:5–9; Ezra 6:16–17); and Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priesthood (Exodus 29; Leviticus 8). In the New Testament, the supreme example of consecration is Christ himself (John 17:19; Heb. 7:28; 10:10).

But believers are also consecrated by Christ (John 17:17; 1 Pet. 2:9), and are urged to consecrate themselves as well (Rom. 12:1; 2 Tim. 2:21). One of the results of our consecration by Christ is that we are now a priesthood of believers (1 Pet. 2:9) with direct access to our heavenly Father (Eph. 3:11–12).

Today the United States of America has inaugurated its 44th President. Regardless of who or what Barak Obama is to you, he is, nevertheless, the President of the United States of America, with the blessings of our God to rule over this country with compassion, decisively and justly.

For many, including myself, this inauguration is the most important one of my lifetime thus far, because it is The First Inauguration of an African American President of the United States of America. What does this mean for us? It is a:

• Call to consecration, 1 Chronicles 29:5. Judges 5:2.
• A Dual responsibility between a nation and its people, Acts 6:1–4.
• To God, each other, 2 Corinthians 8:5.
• National commitment, 2 Kings 23:3; 2 Chronicles 15:15.
• Volunteer service, 2 Chronicles 17:16.
• Give heart to God, Psalm 40:7–8.
• Take cross, follow, Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23.
• Dying daily, 1 Corinthians 15:31.
• Abandoning all for Christ, Philippians 3:8.

There is hope for liberty. There is hope for equality and opportunity. Hope is what saves us. Keep on hoping; keep on praying. God does hear and answer prayer.
God can always be trusted to deliver us. Our faithlessness cannot nullify His faithfulness. Or as Paul said, “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself.”
Isaiah knows and believes God's promises: “I will give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak” and “even though youths grow tired and weary, and young people stumble and fall I will renew their strength and they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 29-31

God is able to help.
God is good. God is reliable.
God is in it for the long haul.
What is it that He requires of us? Hope.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, today I praise your Holy name, for you have brought to pass an event which many thought we would never see. I pray, God, you allow our hearts and minds to be calmed and ready us for the days to come. Help us, Lord, to honor you in all we do. We seek your protection and guidance over our new leader, his family, his staff, and this nation. God Bless America, In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!

My Purpose

2009-01-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

The principal focus of my ministry is helping people to discover God's purpose for their lives and to find meaning for living an abundant Christ centered lifestyle. To Serve, to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ utilizing strong leadership and management abilities whose mission and philosophy are consistent with dedication, commitment, and service.

I am committed to maintaining a strong biblical-based faith in God, while experiencing Spiritual Growth and Development. It is God’s desire that every believer study His Word, grow spiritually and “make disciples”. A disciple of Christ is a “learner”—one who not only learns but one who also “follows” Christ. To follow Christ, one must know and understand the principles by which one must live
.
The call to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an individual. It is a divine encounter with God, when at some point in your life he has intervenes in the affairs and sovereignty calls you to some realm of service, in which we must realize and accept. God will confirm your calling in the church.

God has called me into his great service in many ways from serving as, a loving husband and father to preaching and teaching the gospel, and serving the community through business endeavors, teaching God’s word in bible study, and to administer all the provisions of the disciplines to the spiritual, emotional, evangelistic, financial, episcopal needs of the people in my pastoral charge.

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, may the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory, and the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power in Christ.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Jenkins

What is Our Salvation?

2009-01-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." 1 Cor. 15:1-4,

Salvation is the forgiveness of sins. Salvation is being saved from the righteous judgment of God. It is only accomplished through faith in Jesus as Savior. Salvation is found in Jesus, and only in Jesus, who is God in flesh (John 1: 1,14), and who died for our sins and rose from the dead.

The Bible says that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). This means that we have all broken His law. Therefore, we are guilty of having sinned. Because of this, we are separated from God (Isaiah 59:2), are dead in our sins (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:3), cannot please God (Rom. 3:10-11), and will suffer damnation (2 Thess. 1:9).

Since we are sinners, we are incapable of removing the guilt of our sinfulness through our own efforts. Gal. 2:21 says, "...if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." In other words, we can’t become righteous by what we do. Why? Because we are dead in our sins (Eph. 2:3). This means that since we cannot remove our own sins, God must do it. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9, NIV). The only way to escape this judgment is by receiving and trusting in what Jesus did on the cross (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:24).

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin" (Rom. 3:20).

"Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law" (Gal. 3:21).

Jesus, who is God in flesh (John 1:1,14; 8:58; Col. 2:9), bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24). He died in our place.
He paid the penalty of breaking the Law of God which should that should have fallen upon us. "However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Rom. 4:5).
He satisfied the law of God the Father by dying on the cross.
"You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace" (Gal. 5:4).
This verse and its context teach that if you believe that you are saved by faith and works then you are not saved at all. (Read Rom. 3-5 and Gal. 3-5). You cannot add to the work of God. Gal. 2:21 says, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (NIV)

It is only through Jesus that we can escape the penalty that God will execute upon all who have broken his holy and perfect law. To become a Christian and follow God, then you must realize that you have sinned against God, and are under his judgment. You must look to Jesus who died on the cross and trust what he did in order to be forgiven of your sentence and be saved from the judgment of God. This is accomplished by faith alone in what Jesus has done. You cannot add your sincerity nor can you add any human works to add to what Jesus is done.

What does it mean to be a Christian?
Being a Christian means that you are changed on the inside, not controlled from the outside. It means that your heart has been changed by the presence of God. It does not mean that you are required to go to church, required to pay tithes, required to be good, required to do anything in order to stay a Christian. It means you desire to do those things because you've been changed.

To be a Christian means to follow Christ, to desire Him, to fellowship with Him, to be indwelt by Him, and to bring glory to Him in your life.

"Salvation is from the LORD" (Jonah 2:9)

Paul declares that God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

Some of the principal blessings of salvation include:

Regeneration, which is an instantaneous work of the Holy Spirit with a new nature, so as to transform the believer from a state of spiritual death to spiritual life (cf. John 3:5, 10:10,28; 1 John 5:11-12)
Justification, God declares the believer righteous and gives the righteousness of Christ (Romans 3:21-26)
Freed from the domain and dominion of sin (Romans 6:2-14)
Given as a gift from the Father to the Son (John 17:2-24)
Placed as a member in the spiritual body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13)

A Christians Belief (Basic)

• Believes that there is a moral, loving, personal all powerful Being who has created the whole universe and cares for humanity.
• Recognizes that they have ignored God, either intentionally or unintentionally, and so has turned away from him. They are a rebel.
• Believes that Jesus, God's Son, by his death on the cross, has bridged the separation between God and man. He has taken the punishment our rebellion deserves. Also, Jesus, by his resurrection, has guaranteed our new life now and in the age to come.
• Has responded to God's call to repent and so has turned from rebelling and submitted to his Son.
• Has asked Jesus to be accepted as God's friend forever.
• Has put their complete trust in Jesus for forgiveness, direction in life and fulfillment of all God promises. Rests wholly in Jesus.
• Has found in Jesus friendship with God, a purposeful life, freedom, a new community of friends (a Church fellowship) and a place in God's future new world.
• Sees their life being changed by the indwelling presence of Jesus. They grow in love.

How does a person become a Christian? Believe

God has given us a clear word and promised a certain hope. From the Bible, read the words of 1 John 5:13: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

The whole process of becoming a Child of God is completely a work of God. Being born again (becoming a new person, “in Christ Jesus” and no longer self) is a miraculous creation of God, something we cannot do by ourselves. Salvation is a free gift of God (Rom. 6:23). You must acknowledge that there is nothing you can do to earn forgiveness. You need to trust in Jesus. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9, NIV).

Repentance: You must turn away from your sin
"...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9,10

If we repent of our sin, then confess and trust Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be saved from our sins! "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13

The Bible tells us that the first step in deciding to follow Jesus is repentance. The word simply means a change in mind, attitude, outlook and direction - a turning around. Repentance is a turning from sin and self to God in Jesus 1Thes.1:9, 1Peter 2:25. For sin to be forgiven, and therefore for a person to gain eternal life, it is necessary first and foremost to turn away from the old life and turn toward a new life in Jesus Christ. Lk.24:47, Act.2:38, 3:19, 5:31, 11:2, 2Cor.7:10.

You must ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins because Jesus has the authority to forgive you of your sins: "Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me'" (Matt. 28:18, NIV)

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:14, NIV)

"In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30, NIV)

"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....'He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home"'" (Mark 2:10-11, NIV).

John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (NIV).

Faith

The Bible tells us that the second step in deciding to follow Jesus is faith. Faith means abandoning all trust in one's own resources and casting oneself unconditionally on God - particularly on his promised mercy for all who seek it. Faith is an act of trust at conversion and an attitude of trust throughout life. It is, in simple terms, a trust or resting on the promises of God and His Word.

Definition: FAITH - a belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life. Faith is holding firm to the promises of God, such that our actions and convictions align with our acceptance of God's revealed truth. Faith is “what we believe with legs on it”, “a belief that moves to action”. Faith is personal confidence in God. Faith comprises three things: knowledge, belief and trust. It means that we believe what He says, and trust Him to save us and to keep us.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son

Saving faith involves personally depending on the finished work of Christ’s sacrifice as the only basis for forgiveness of sin and entrance into heaven. But saving faith is also a personal commitment of one’s life to following Christ in obedience to His commands: "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day" (2 Tim. 1:12).
Faith is part of the Christian life from beginning to end. As the instrument by which the gift of salvation is received (Eph. 2:8-9), The apostle Paul declared that salvation is through faith, not through keeping the law (Gal. 2:16). Faith is a continuing attitude. From the moment we give our life to Jesus, we are to "live by faith".
You must believe that Jesus is the only way to God: "I am the way, the truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).

You must believe that God Loves You!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

You must believe that God has a wonderful plan for your life!
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10b

You must believe that Because of our sin, we are separated from God.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

You must believe that The Penalty for our sin is death.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

You must believe that The penalty for our sin was paid by Jesus Christ!
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

You must Pray and ask Him to forgive you. Seek Him; He will save you.

How can you be sure of your salvation?

First, God keeps his promises. He can be trusted. Jesus says, "Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find." Have you asked? Then that settles it. Check out these verses in the Bible. John.3:16, 1John.5:12-13, John.10:27-29, Ephesians.1:7, John.5:24, Romans.8:38,39. You can be sure because God says it.

Second, There is first of all an objective test, which asks, "Do I believe?" Ask yourself if you affirm the Scripture's record of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Do you believe that He is God manifest in the flesh? Do you believe that God saves sinners solely through the merits of Jesus Christ's obedient life and substitutionary death on the cross?

Third, from the moment you give your life to Jesus you start to change. You slowly become more like Jesus. You begin to hate evil and love good. You reach out to God, you just want to live for him. You may fail, in fact, you will fail, but he forgives you and you know it. As the years go by, you will see the evidence of a changed life. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt. 3:8, NIV)

Fourth, By the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, we have received eternal life (Titus 3:5).
When we trusted Christ, the Holy Spirit began an eternal indwelling ministry in us (John 14:17).
Also He was the seal placed on us by the Father to guarantee our future inheritance (Ephesians 4:30). And He baptized us into union with Christ and into the body of believers (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Fifth, is the experiential test of assurance in which you ask yourself, "Is my faith real?" The Apostle John's epistle of 1 John was to give true believers assurance of their salvation (1 John 5:13).
• Believers walk in the light (1 John 1:6-7). The light here means both intellectual and moral truth. Ask, "Do I affirm the truths of Scripture, and desire to obey them?"
• Believers confess their sin (1:8-2:1) Confess means to agree with God about our sin. That means that true believers hate their sins; They acknowledge they are sinful, and yet they know they are forgiven.
• Believers keep His commandments (2:3-4; 5:2-3). The term here refers to a watchful, observant obedience. Here the believer desires to obey truths he deems precious. It is a proactive approach to obedience-the Christian studies Scripture in order to understand and obey it.
• Believers love the brethren (2:9-11; 3:10, 14-15; 5:2). Ask yourself the question, "Do I love God's people and desire to be around them?"
• Believers affirm sound doctrine (2:20-23; 4:2, 6). John here teaches that no true believer will fall into any serious, Christ-denying error or heresy.
• Believers follow after holiness (2:29; 3:3-4, 6-9). These verses certainly aren't talking about sinless perfection, or even the frequency or duration of sin. The term sin in these verses describes one who lives an immoral, ungodly, unrighteous life as a matter of continual practice, and carries the attitude of hardened hate for God's righteousness.
• Believers have the Holy Spirit (4:13; 5:10-11). This is an over-arching test summing up all the others. Is there evidence that the fruit of the Spirit is present in your life (Galatians 5:22-23)? "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt. 3:8, NIV)

Our assurance of salvation does not need to be based on a past decision or an experience. It should rest first of all on one's faith in the objective truth of God's Word, Jesus Christ, and the gospel. Secondly, it should rest on the reality of a changed life marked by obedience, a love for Christ and His righteousness, and a hatred for sin. Take heart if these things are true in your life, and trust God to continue to work out His salvation in your life.

Now that you are a "new creation" in Jesus Christ; Grow in knowledge and understanding of the Bible and your Christian walk with God is essential for your spiritual growth. Here are some ways that you can grow as a Christian

Be baptized. Baptism identifies you with Christ. Acts 8:35-40

Make prayer a part of your daily life. Luke 11:2-4

Study the Bible. The Bible will guide you through life and answer life's questions.

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

"Be diligent to present yourself to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15.

Share your faith. "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord." 2 Timothy 1:8
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witness to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8

Tell others about your commitment to Jesus.
The Bible says, "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation"
(Rom. 10:9-10).
Be part of a local church. Fellowship with other Christians.
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24,25

More
Isaiah 59:2, "Your sins have caused a separation between you and your God...."
John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 8:58, "Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."
John 14:6, "Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
Romans 3:10-11, "as it is written,’ There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God...’"
Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 10:9-10, "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
Ephesians 2:3, "Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."
Colossians 2:9, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,"
2 Thess. 1:9, "And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,"
1 Pet. 2:24, "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

IN REMEMBRANCE OF REVEREND CHARLES EDWARD JENKINS, SR.

2008-11-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

The following was taken from the Obituary written by Mrs. Charliese Jenkins King, the Jenkins' oldest daughter of the late Reverend Charles Edward Jenkins
A retired African Methodist Episcopal pastor and Presiding Elder Emeritus. Charles Edward Jenkins’ light shined with a passionate glow along with an overwhelming quest to do good works throughout the 79 years of his full and complete life in service of the Lord.

On August 24, 1928, Charles Edward Jenkins was born to Charles Atkins Jenkins and Louise George Jenkins. Charles was the first child born into the third generation of a family legacy of those who built and loved the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Both his maternal and paternal grandfathers were officers in their local church, Quinn Chapel AME Church, Paris, Tennessee. Charles Atkins Jenkins, the paternal grandfather, has his name engraved in the cornerstone of Quinn Chapel Church. Both Charles and Louise were members of the choir until they became ill and could no longer serve.
His only sibling, Jacqueline Jenkins Williams, was also a faithful member of the choir and played piano from time to time. His mother, father and sister predeceased him.

From the beginning, Charles had a voracious love of books and learning. He was educated in the public schools of Paris, Tennessee attending Henry County Training School. He went on to Central High School where he became an outstanding student athlete excelling in both sports and academics. It was at Central High School that Charles caught his first glimpse of a beautiful and graceful girl in his class who was known to be a great dancer (Charles had no dancing skills!). Her name was Lula Mae Reynolds. He decided that she would be the special person in his life. Charles and Lula graduated together from Central High School. He was Salutatorian of the Great Class of 1947.

Charles continued his quest for knowledge throughout his life. There was never enough money to do all the things he wanted to do for himself or his family, but he persevered and did what he could. And “what he could” was phenomenal. He took classes at Lane College, Jackson, Tenn.; Alabama A & M College, Normal, Ala.; and LeMoyne College, Memphis, Tenn. He later received a Diploma from Union Bible Seminary in Westfield, Indiana and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1958 from Zion College, which later became the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Charles didn’t stop learning until he became too ill to read. He believed in continuing education all his life both formally and independently. He took classes in Evangelism at Southern Theological Seminary as well as in Communication at Presbyterian Theological Seminary both located in Louisville, Kentucky. He also regularly attended the Billy Graham School of Evangelism in Birmingham, Ala. Charles Edward Jenkins was awarded honorary Divinity Degrees from Monrovia College, Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa; East Tennessee School of Religion, Chattanooga, Tenn.; B.F. Lee Theological Seminary, Jacksonville, Fla.; Union Baptist Seminary, Birmingham, Ala. and Monrovian Institute, Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa.

After living the legacy of the AME Church all of his life and having excellent role models in both his grandfathers who were servants of the Church, Charles developed a strong interest in serving at Quinn Chapel. His pastor, the Reverend H.W. Henning had watched him grow over the years and admired his character and leadership qualities. Rev. Henning began to mentor Charles and became his “Father in the Ministry.”

At nineteen, Charles had a clear path for his life, he would become an AME minister and he would spend his life with Lula Mae Reynolds. On March 18, 1949, Charles Edward Jenkins was ordained a minister in the AME Church and he also married Lula Mae that same day. All through his life and ministry, Charles and Lula were an inseparable couple who grew stronger in love, faith and commitment to the AME Church. They started a family with the birth of Charliese Lunelle, and later, Mary Louise; Charles Edward, Jr. (Butch) and Frederick (Smokey).

As their family grew, so did Charles’ ministry. “Rev. Jenkins” began his service in 1949 in the Lexington Circuit in Tennessee as pastor of two churches, Lewis Chapel in Lexington and St. Mark in Parsons. In 1951, he was appointed to Ebenezer in Clarksville as well as two missions, St. Matthew’s in Rossview and Lucy Memorial in Kelso. In 1955, he was appointed to St. Paul, Fayetteville followed by St. Paul, Chattanooga in 1960. In 1965, “C.E. Jenkins” was transferred to Asbury Chapel in Louisville, KY. His ministry would expand over five decades with appointments to Warren Chapel, Chattanooga (1971); Avery Chapel, Memphis (1979); and his last pastorate at St. John, Nashville (1980). In 1991, he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Louisville-Paducah District of the West Kentucky Conference and in 1993, Presiding Elder of the North Nashville District in the Tennessee Conference. As dictated by the laws of the AME Church, Charles Edward Jenkins retired and became Presiding Elder Emeritus in October, 2004.

All of us knew that Charles Jenkins loved to talk but he took his ministry of communications out into the world at large as an outstanding writer, broadcast talent, and engineer. He launched his radio ministry in 1949 in Paris, Tenn. and later in Clarksville. He produced a weekly program called Moments of Inspiration in Fayetteville, Tenn. in 1955. He continued to broadcast at WN00 in Chattanooga with his weekly program Moments with God in Louisville at WFIA. At WNOO, he developed a love for the technical side of broadcasting and the engineers there trained in him on the equipment. The Federal Communication Commission in Radio Operation licensed him in 1979. He founded Jenkins Production Company producing and creating recorded albums for clients through Nashville record companies. Later, he became a prolific writer and public relations specialist in service to the AME Church. In 1952, he became a Connectional Writer for The Christian Recorder. In 1976, he developed the 13th District Directory and later was assigned by Bishops Howard Thomas Primm, W.F. Ball, C.E. Thomas, Vernon R. Byrd, and H.H. Brookings to write and publish the minutes for the Annual Conferences.

His love for writing expanded over the years leading him to write and publish five books: Moments with God (1970); Evangelism in the Modern World (1973); The Centrality of Preaching (1973); When a Man Sees God (1984); Reach Out and Touch Him (1990); Keeping Sane in a Crazy World, (2002) and What Time Is It? (2004). He received twenty-five honors and citations over his fifty-four year career. He was so proud of the fact that he was elected delegate to the General Conferences thirteen times beginning in 1956 and ending in his retirement year at the 2004 General Conference.

Charles Edward Jenkins deeply loved the AME Church and it equaled his love for his family, friends, colleagues, and members. You not only felt that love, he would show you and would tell you… often. Our love and gratitude for this good man with a good heart who had an undying commitment to his God, his church and his family continues in those who are left behind which include his loving wife and partner in the ministry, Lula Mae Reynolds Jenkins; Daughters, Charliese King (George N. King, Jr.) Bethlehem, PA; Mary Louise Jenkins, Nashville, TN;
Sons, Charles Edward Jenkins, Sr. (Katrina Gaither Jenkins), Rochester, NY and Rev. Frederick LaVorne Jenkins, Sr. (Adrienne Cummings Jenkins), Mt. Juliet, TN; Grandchildren, Charles (Trey) Edward Jenkins, III, Orlando, FL; Frederick (Von) LaVorne Jenkins, Jr.; Sean Christopher Jenkins; Jonathan Alexander Jenkins and Ashlee Renee Jenkins, Mt. Juliet, TN; Great Aunt, Willie Dee Jenkins, Canton, Ohio; Brother-in-Law, L.B. Reynolds (Ruberta Reynolds), Puryear, Tenn.; nine nieces, and four nephews.

Charles Edward Jenkins, Sr. departed this life on Saturday, December 15, 2007 at Alive Hospice in Madison, TN.

The legacy of Reverend Charles Edward Jenkins, Sr. lives on through all those whose lives he touched in some way. The legacy of his ministry is alive and well. The torch has been passed on to several of his sons in the ministry, which includes another Jenkins man who is willing to serve the AME Church for the fourth generation. The Reverend Frederick L. Jenkins, Sr. serves as pastor of Scott’s Chapel AME Church in Hermitage, Tenn.