Pastor Ricky Powell

Some Thoughts On Preaching

The pastor must recognize the priority of preaching in his ministry. Expository preaching, under the aid of the Holy Spirit, is discovering the meaning of a biblical text, and communicating that meaning to an audience through explanation, illustration, and application. The Bible, therefore, is the source of all preaching, not merely a resource in preaching. Biblical preaching is not man-centered, but Christ-centered. The preacher must preach the Word for the edification of the Church and for the evangelization of the lost. Preaching must be aimed at the transformation of people’s lives as they encounter the Word and submit to its authority. 

John 5:39; Acts 6:1-7; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:1-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17-4:2 

The Call to Pastoral Ministry

A pastor must be convinced that God has called him into the ministry. To serve without this sense of calling would be to reduce the ministry to the level of a secular career choice. Devoid of a divine calling the minister will not serve with a passion and perseverance that will see him through the challenges of ministry, nor will he serve with a sense of responsibility and accountability to God (2 Timothy 4:1-5). A man may sense God’s call on his life in a clear and dramatic moment or he may sense the call over a period of time through circumstances, opportunities, and an inner compulsion. Regardless, one should assess his call by examining his willingness and desire for the task (1 Timothy 3:1). He should also examine the spiritual qualifications of the pastor (1 Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4). He should seek the Lord’s will in prayer with confidence that God will direct him. He should also seek the counsel of godly people and the approval of his church. No man will ever feel adequate to the call (Isaiah 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15:9), but the knowledge of God’s gracious and sovereign call will keep him humble and dependent upon the Lord. In the final analysis, if a man can do anything other than the work of a pastor and find contentment in it, then he should go and do it, leaving the ministry to someone else.

The Mission and Core Values of Fort Caroline Baptist Church

Our Mission:

To glorify God by helping people Love God, Love Others, and Serve the World.

Our Core Values:

The Lordship of Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and as such He deserves first place in all things. We surrender ourselves to His will for the glory of God (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:36; Colossians 1:18).

Bible-Centered Preaching and Teaching: We believe that the primary source for all teaching and preaching is the Scriptures, which are inspired by God without error and are used in all age-areas to teach, rebuke, correct and train in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

The Family: We support the spiritual nurture of the family as one of God’s dynamic means to perpetuate the Christian faith (2 Timothy 1:5).

Praise and Worship: We strive to exalt Christ in every area of our lives by acknowledging God’s supreme worth through times of individual and corporate worship. We desire these times of worship to lead each of us to a personal encounter with God that reinforces our love for Him (Matthew 22:37-39).

Godly Leadership:  We value godly leadership. We expect both pastoral and lay-leadership to maintain a high standard of Christian living and example (James 3:1). We expect our leadership to lead others to serve in a ministry (Ephesians 4:12). We expect our leaders to continually seek to grow through on-going education and mentoring (Proverbs 27:17).

Evangelism and Missions: We value Great Commission evangelism as God's redemptive purpose through which our city, state, nation and world can be changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ (Matt 29:18-20; Acts 1:8).

Things You Need To Know About Your Pastor

I want to share my heart with you. Here are three things you need to know about me.

1. I love it when people receive the Word of God.

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NKJV)

My job is to faithfully preach and teach the word (1 Thess. 2:4; 2 Tim. 4:1-5). I consider it an absolute honor to share God's Word with you each week. But I do not just teach and preach to give out information; I aim for people's transformation! Transformation occurs when people receive the Word of God joyfully and responsively. You will never know how it thrills my heart to see your life being transformed by the Word of God (Romans 12:1-2).

2. I Long to be with the people of God.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you--even I, Paul, time and again--but Satan hindered us. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-18 (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul had founded the church in Thessalonica but had to leave them during a time of persecution. (He wanted to stay, but they insisted that he leave for his own protection.) He wanted to be with the Christians in Thessalonica during their suffering. He had tried on numerous occasions to return to them, but he was hindered by Satan. Somehow Paul was hindered in his plans to be by their side and it broke his heart. I also have a great desire in my heart to be with the people of God during their times of trouble and need. One of my greatest joys as a pastor is being with my people through personal ministry. However, it is not always possible for me to be with everyone. There are times when for various reasons it is impossible to be with the people you love. I trust that my members know that if I am not "there" with them personally that I am with them in heart.

3. I look forward to being in Heaven with the Family of God.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (NKJV)

Paul knew that even if he never made it back to the church he founded in Thessalonica that he would see the believers one day in Heaven. I look forward to the day when we will all be together in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming! My hope, my joy, my crown of rejoicing will be to see you in the presence of the One who died for you and who saved you by His grace! As the old song says:

Soon we'll come to the end of life's journey

And perhaps we'll never meet anymore

'Til we gather in heaven's bright city

Far away on that beautiful shore.

If we never meet again this side of Heaven

As we struggle through this world and its strife

There's another meeting place somewhere in Heaven

By the side of the River of life.

Where the charming roses bloom forever

And where separations come no more.

If we never meet again this side of Heaven

I will meet you on that beautiful shore.

A Powerful Prayer Meeting (Acts 4)

A Model Message (sermon video)

Concerning the Muslims Among Us

Concerning the Muslims Among Us.

Burning the Koran is a poor way to witness to Muslims about the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. The article above, as well as other resources at www.4Truth.net will be helpful to sincere believers who want to reach our neighbors with the Gospel of Christ.

Wisdom For Faithful Witnessing

I was reviewing some lecture notes from one of my undergraduate professors I had at Luther Rice University. He shared some wise words about sharing the Gospel with people who do not believe. His words were too good to keep to myself so I decided to share them with you! Dr. Mike Halsey wrote:

One either presupposes man’s autonomy or God’s sovereignty.  One either presupposes that the natural man’s reason can rightly judge religious truth or that special revelation from God is needed. The Christian presupposes the Bible is God’s Word. There are other considerations as well:

1. Christian evidences and apologetics, would, without the work of the Holy Spirit, fail because Satan dominates the mind of man and the mind itself is also fallen.  This is part of the doctrine of total depravity. Total depravity does not mean that man is as bas as he possibly can be. Total depravity means that the results of the Fall have entered every part of the human being.  His intellect is fallen, and his will is fallen.
2. The Holy Spirit uses the faithful declaration of the Word of God to convict men and then to build them up in the faith.
3. The Christian has offensive weapons for evangelism, i.e., the consistent, godly life; persistent prayer; the declaration of the gospel of faith alone in Christ alone (John 6:40)
4. The unbeliever cannot be won by logic. (I Cor. 2:6; 2:14 )
5. The basic problem of the unbeliever is spiritual, not intellectual.  (Ps. 10:4; Rom. 8:7)
6. It is impossible to present Christianity to the unbeliever in such a way as to make it pleasing to him or logical to him.  When we try to do this, we’re more tempted to modify the message.  (I Cor. 2:4-5; 2:14)
7. People are won to Christ by doing what the apostles did—declaring the gospel message in the context of prayer and a consistent life.  This is the ministry of presenting and persuading people concerning the gospel message of faith alone in Christ alone.  (I Cor. 15:1-3)
8. We are not sent to re-interpret the Bible in line with contemporary thought or to make the gospel more palatable or prestigious.
9. We are sent to present and persuade; in so doing, we cannot manipulate or control the work of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3).