I believe that I have a gift in preaching the word of God. Since I was a boy my grandmother spoke over me, “you should be a preacher.” When I was in High School I realized I genuinely enjoyed thinking upon biblical lessons and principles and then trying to explain them to friends in a way they might better understand. I found myself not only wanting to listen to more preaching but also to understand better how pastors went about preaching their sermons. I began making mental notes such as; “Oh it’s interesting that he went that direction with this passage.” Still not understanding much about how to write or even deliver a sermon, I went into college eager to listen to more preaching. I sat under the teaching of David Daniels my first year in college and was blown away. Every Sunday I had a pen and paper ready and w ready to record every word to come from David’s mouth. For the first time I sat under someone that I couldn’t write down his message because I simply had to listen. He is one of the greatest communicators I have ever listened to. It did not take long for me to know I wanted to be like him. I would leave church and regurgitate his message to any who would listen. It’s like I had my own little church after church. My grandmother’s words began coming back to me and the desire to preach was growing. Though the desire was present I was still unsure if it was God’s will that I do so. Many have desires without blessing and so I did not do much to act pursue this desire. Then I heard David Daniels preach on the topic: “How God speaks to us.”

            In this sermon he mentioned God using his word, the people around us, and specific insight to speak to us. Though this list is not exhaustive, it gave me a framework to discern God’s calling in my life. It was no question that God’s word calls for preaching and preacher’s but was it calling to me? I then began to listen to what others would say about me. My friends, fellow believers, and those who care most about my future kept reminding me of an “ability” I have to “explain the important things of the faith in ways that all can understand and relate.” I have heard this statement from Everyone of my closest friends. This statement has been affirmed time and again from those who love me and long to see God glorified in my life. But I still wasn’t ready to run with it! I feared (and still do) being the “eloquent, humorous, and popular preacher” who missed Jesus all along. So in David’s words, I was waiting on “specific insight.”

            It was my junior year of college that I believe God provided “specific insight.” I was on a mission trip with our college group in Matamoros, Mexico. I was given the opportunity to give my first sermon. Of course there was laughter and content but being funny means nothing in comparison to communicating divine and eternal truth. But shortly after the sermon one of the directors of our college ministry, Cheryl Fletcher, came to me and said, “Wow, James, wow! You have a gift for preaching!” and this was the clincher; she said, “You have potential, I mean David Daniels like potential.” She may never know how much her words meant. I believe it was then in that moment that God was directly and specifically affirming this notion within me to preach. She reminded me to take this gifting serious. She bought me a book on preaching and even scheduled a regular meeting with Derrick Baker, another college director and friend, who taught me how to build sermons and “handle the Word of God correctly.” Since then, I have committed to preach every chance offered to me.

            So now I am back to the original question, “Why does this website exist?”

            This website exist because I believe I have within me a gifting and calling to preach and would be doing a disservice to myself and to my Father in Heaven if I do not use it.