For God Alone

Most protestant evangelicals love the Fanny Crosby hymn, To God Be the Glory, and for good reason! We have sung it with our brothers and sisters gathered in houses of worship as long as we can remember. Sing along as you read the words: To God be the glory, great things He hath done; So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, And opened the life-gate that all may go in. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus, the Son, And give Him the glory, great things He hath done. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, To every believer the promise of God; The vilest offender who truly believes That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;  But purer, and higher, and greater will be O...

One of my favorite scripture verses - and there are many - is Psalm 115:1. I have heard many preachers quote this verse throughout my nearly forty years of ministry, but none as frequently as Duane Brooks during our shared years of ministry at Tallowood Baptist in Houston. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,  for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! I often sign my correspondence with this verse, not so much to point my readers to its truth, though that is true; but more as a personal reminder that my singular purpose in this life is to give God’s name glory, for the sake of His steadfast love and faithfulness. For the sake of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. In August of 2013, I participated in a mission project in Dublin, Ireland with a small team from our church, Central Baptist Bearden in Knoxville, Tennessee. We were there as guests of a Romanian Baptist congregation to partner with them in their first Vacatio...

A New Day: Connected for a Purpose For God Alone Yesterday, via social media, I worshipped with a number of congregations around the country: New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and all over Texas. (Additionally, it was my joy to study God’s word with Dennis Parrott and the Bridge Builders Sunday School Class.) Each congregation employed whatever resources they could to effectively proclaim God’s glory through music, scripture, liturgy, and prayer, and preach the gospel with clarity and conviction. I was moved by the vast array of talent, and the meaningful ways each congregation conveyed the timeless message of Jesus to all who listened and watched. Praise God for the gifts He has bestowed on His Church. To God alone be all the glory! The Church is connected by One Lord, One Fatih, and One Baptism. Even through the myriad of expressions within the Christian faith, Christ-followers are connected through our singular confession in the Person of Jesus, who i...