Thursday, November 18, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Thoughts About My Licensing Sermon
Commemorating the 2nd year anniversary of my licensing service, I thought I'd repost my thoughts from that day:
Originally written: November 13th, 2008
Min. R. Thomas
My church, St. Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR under the leadership of Bishop Steven Arnold held its annual Associate Minister’s Revival, Monday, Nov. 10th – Wednesday, Nov. 12th at 7:00 p.m. each night. For the first time in the history of St. Mark, nine women preached. All nine were licensed on the culminating night as ministers of the Gospel.
As my preaching date approached I reflected on the Little Rock 9. Back in 1957, nine courageous youth attended Central High School as the first and only black students willing to integrate. They were met with much opposition. Because of their perseverance, they became the catalyst of educational equality for all races in school. The Little Rock 9 didn’t realize the magnitude of what they were doing. They didn’t set out to make history, but indeed they did.
I and the other eight female ministers who were licensed on last night did not begin our journey setting out to make history. I then tagged my own personal name to our group of nine—we are the “St. Mark 9″. We were selected by God to be the history makers for such a time as this. And as history is continually being written each day, we have yet to realize the magnitude of what we have done. But as I look at my fellow female ministers, some who were previously licensed by other churches/organizations, I also celebrated that we all shared in this historical moment, this glorious day of change and shifting.
The St. Mark 9 with Pastor Thomas
One of the congregants sent me an email which read:
You were off the chain..You truly blessed my heart Sis Roline last night, and about your sister-”I just ain’t feeling it..” and especially about the Jonah and the fish spewing him out while in the sea and placing him on solid ground to redirect him to where he should have been all the time…Thank you so much for inspiring me to be a woman of god, thanks for being a Titus 2 woman in my life..setting an example for those women in your area of influence. I know we don’t get to talk alot but I love and respect you dearly, you are so open, entreatable and for being real..and lady–FUNNY!! You are a true gem-truly..If you ever need anything, holla….. be blessed my sista and that you are..gone’ with your bad self.
While I was preaching, my condition weakened me and distracted me. However, only one lady, a person who I mentor, said she thought something may have been wrong. She said she could tell by the way I had moved my legs at one point, something was happening to me. However, she said by the way I preached, you would have never thought that I was going through what I was going through.
I was somewhat down after I finished preaching, because I know I didn’t preach it like I “could” have. However, after getting a flood of calls and emails which carried the same sentiments as the one I shared, all I can say is God is good!! The Word did what it do!
I did make an appointment with a doctor for next Tuesday. Maybe that’s why God allowed me to be distracted by this illness while I was standing. I don’t think I would have made the appointment without having been afflicted on last night.
My topic last night was “It Doesn’t Look Good, but I’m Coming Out”. I preached about Jonah who God placed in a dark, messy, nasty fish because he “wasn’t feelin’ “ God’s command. Jonah’s fish experience was his own fault because he “wasn’t feelin’ it”. But even though Jonah did it to himself, and his situation didn’t look good, Jonah came out of the fish.
I have neglected going to the doctor because I “wasn’t feelin’ it”. As a result, I got swallowed up by my own God prepared fish. Last night was my fish experience. In terms of my condition, it doesn’t look good but I’m coming out!
Originally written: November 13th, 2008
Min. R. Thomas
 |
| Roline preaching licensing sermon |
As my preaching date approached I reflected on the Little Rock 9. Back in 1957, nine courageous youth attended Central High School as the first and only black students willing to integrate. They were met with much opposition. Because of their perseverance, they became the catalyst of educational equality for all races in school. The Little Rock 9 didn’t realize the magnitude of what they were doing. They didn’t set out to make history, but indeed they did.
I and the other eight female ministers who were licensed on last night did not begin our journey setting out to make history. I then tagged my own personal name to our group of nine—we are the “St. Mark 9″. We were selected by God to be the history makers for such a time as this. And as history is continually being written each day, we have yet to realize the magnitude of what we have done. But as I look at my fellow female ministers, some who were previously licensed by other churches/organizations, I also celebrated that we all shared in this historical moment, this glorious day of change and shifting.
The St. Mark 9 with Pastor Thomas
 |
| My License |
In Matthew 19:30, Jesus says, “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Although I was the last preacher to speak for the week’s revival, I was the first woman out of the nine to be issued an official license to preach. Although we were all “line sisters” who crossed over together, I can’t help but acknowledge that I, the last to preach, became the first woman to receive a license in the 117 year history of St. Mark Baptist Church.
And so you may think preaching is easy. My night to preach was truly amazing, yet challenging. I had been ignoring an illness for quite some time. As soon as I got up to preach, my condition reached the point where it caused me great difficulty to stand. I began to preach and was greatly distracted by what afflicted me. I wanted to stop the message to sit down but, I pressed on. I’ve preached many times, and never have this happened to me. WHY NOW! Although it was paining me, I pressed on. God was gracious. One of the congregants sent me an email which read:
You were off the chain..You truly blessed my heart Sis Roline last night, and about your sister-”I just ain’t feeling it..” and especially about the Jonah and the fish spewing him out while in the sea and placing him on solid ground to redirect him to where he should have been all the time…Thank you so much for inspiring me to be a woman of god, thanks for being a Titus 2 woman in my life..setting an example for those women in your area of influence. I know we don’t get to talk alot but I love and respect you dearly, you are so open, entreatable and for being real..and lady–FUNNY!! You are a true gem-truly..If you ever need anything, holla….. be blessed my sista and that you are..gone’ with your bad self.
While I was preaching, my condition weakened me and distracted me. However, only one lady, a person who I mentor, said she thought something may have been wrong. She said she could tell by the way I had moved my legs at one point, something was happening to me. However, she said by the way I preached, you would have never thought that I was going through what I was going through.
I was somewhat down after I finished preaching, because I know I didn’t preach it like I “could” have. However, after getting a flood of calls and emails which carried the same sentiments as the one I shared, all I can say is God is good!! The Word did what it do!
I did make an appointment with a doctor for next Tuesday. Maybe that’s why God allowed me to be distracted by this illness while I was standing. I don’t think I would have made the appointment without having been afflicted on last night.
My topic last night was “It Doesn’t Look Good, but I’m Coming Out”. I preached about Jonah who God placed in a dark, messy, nasty fish because he “wasn’t feelin’ “ God’s command. Jonah’s fish experience was his own fault because he “wasn’t feelin’ it”. But even though Jonah did it to himself, and his situation didn’t look good, Jonah came out of the fish.
I have neglected going to the doctor because I “wasn’t feelin’ it”. As a result, I got swallowed up by my own God prepared fish. Last night was my fish experience. In terms of my condition, it doesn’t look good but I’m coming out!
Godly GALS: Where art thou Godly Gal?
Godly GALS: Where art thou Godly Gal?: "The chains has been broken! We’re back….well somewhat back. When I started this ministry, I was almost immediately issued a test. I believe..."
Sunday, October 31, 2010
What Do You Have a Taste For?
By Roline Thomas
Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled
You know how it is when you got to have a certain food. You want it so bad that you do whatever it takes to get it. In the movie “Life” with Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence, the character Claude Banks is serving a life sentence in a Mississippi prison. When Claude first arrives, the head officer tells the inmates they will be shot if they ever cross over the “gun line”, which is the boundary of the prison. In a scene, Claude is standing at the gun line, craving a fresh baked pie that is cooling on the window ledge of the warden’s house located several yards beyond the prison boundary. Claude has a strong desire for the pie and risks his life and looking ridiculous to get what he craves.
When you come to a place of desperation nothing or no one will stop you from getting what you need. The Christian must be desperate for righteousness and willing to take risks to get what is needed; risk being ridiculed, risk being ostracized, risk being persecuted. Jesus understands these risks because He went through all of the same for you.
The word “hunger” in this passage is not speaking of a desire for just anything. When you settle for anything, you take in the toxins and filth of this world. “Hunger” speaks of a focused hunger. Anything just won’t do. A spiritual hunger is focused on what God has to dish out. A spiritual hunger craves to sit at the table of Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness.
What are you consuming? Are you the picture of a healthy Christian or a malnourished Christian? Glorifying God, having healthy relationships, living right, talking right and walking right can only come from a healthy spiritual diet. Reading and studying God’s Word, praying to God, listening to God, and living according to God’s Word are all a part of a healthy spiritual diet plan. Make sure you feed yourself daily. Just as force feeding and rush eating can be detrimental to one’s physical life, the same can be detrimental to one’s spiritual life. It’s not always the diet that cause you to starve, it’s how you digest.
O, taste and see that the Lord is good! Pull up to the table of the Most High God.
Nobody can satisfy you like God can. Matthew 5: 6 in the Message Bible reads “You are blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.” What do you have a taste for?
Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled
You know how it is when you got to have a certain food. You want it so bad that you do whatever it takes to get it. In the movie “Life” with Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence, the character Claude Banks is serving a life sentence in a Mississippi prison. When Claude first arrives, the head officer tells the inmates they will be shot if they ever cross over the “gun line”, which is the boundary of the prison. In a scene, Claude is standing at the gun line, craving a fresh baked pie that is cooling on the window ledge of the warden’s house located several yards beyond the prison boundary. Claude has a strong desire for the pie and risks his life and looking ridiculous to get what he craves.
When you come to a place of desperation nothing or no one will stop you from getting what you need. The Christian must be desperate for righteousness and willing to take risks to get what is needed; risk being ridiculed, risk being ostracized, risk being persecuted. Jesus understands these risks because He went through all of the same for you.
The word “hunger” in this passage is not speaking of a desire for just anything. When you settle for anything, you take in the toxins and filth of this world. “Hunger” speaks of a focused hunger. Anything just won’t do. A spiritual hunger is focused on what God has to dish out. A spiritual hunger craves to sit at the table of Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness.
What are you consuming? Are you the picture of a healthy Christian or a malnourished Christian? Glorifying God, having healthy relationships, living right, talking right and walking right can only come from a healthy spiritual diet. Reading and studying God’s Word, praying to God, listening to God, and living according to God’s Word are all a part of a healthy spiritual diet plan. Make sure you feed yourself daily. Just as force feeding and rush eating can be detrimental to one’s physical life, the same can be detrimental to one’s spiritual life. It’s not always the diet that cause you to starve, it’s how you digest.
O, taste and see that the Lord is good! Pull up to the table of the Most High God.
Nobody can satisfy you like God can. Matthew 5: 6 in the Message Bible reads “You are blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.” What do you have a taste for?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
School of Ministry - Open to the Public
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)