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

Roline preaching licensing sermon

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



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!