Author Archives: Alan

Meeting in Marietta, GA

The meeting at Eastwood Baptist here in Marietta, GA is going very well. The Pastor is Brother Mike Hatton. The Lord has met with us the last two nights and His Word has spoken to hearts for His glory. The folk are very responsive and engaged in the services. Please keep praying as the week progresses.

I appreciatw your prayers and your faithful visits to our web site. Pray for our various ministries and pray for Joan and me as we travel from place to place. Sometimes the flesh gets (stays) weary, but the spirit is always ready to preach and serve the Lord. God bless you all!

Alan

Emotion in Preaching

I have been listening to various preachers on the Internet, and as you know, there are all kinds of them out there. There are loud ones and quiet ones and ones that fall everywhere on the spectrum in between. I have no problem with a man being either quiet or loud, but I do have a problem with a preacher being dull and boring. Some preachers tend to deliver their sermons devoid of any emotions. I am sure they think they are trying to avoid the possibility of influencing people with the emotions. So, they deliver their exegesis of a Bible passage with no emotion. Their delivery is stiff, wooden and dry as cracker juice. Just between me and you, I have a problem with that kind of preaching. It may be a geographical thing, but I don’t call that preaching. Teaching maybe, but not preaching. Preaching screams passion!

Now, I am not in favor of manipulation. I do not believe that people should be pulled and tugged to make a decision based on some emotional gymnastics in the pulpit. However, when I read the Bible, I see the preachers in its pages preaching with intense passion. Hear what Paul said in Acts 20:31, “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Sounds like emotional preaching to me! Can you imagine Peter preaching his sermon on the Day of Pentecost without fervency and power? I can’t imagine him standing there delivering some dry lecture before those people. I personally believe that Peter was passionate in his delivery that day.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that preaching is logic on fire. He went on to say, “It is theology on fire. And a theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is a defective theology; or at least the man’s understanding of it is defective.” That is what I am talking about! There is no room in the pulpit for dead, dry rhetoric and stuffy boring delivery. The pulpit is a place for passion, fire and excitement. Charles H. Spurgeon said this, “I would say that a “dull preacher” is a contradiction in terms; if he is dull he is not a preacher. He may stand in a pulpit and talk, but he is certainly not a preacher. With the grand theme and message of the Bible dullness is impossible. This is the most interesting, most thrilling, the most absorbing subject in the universe; and the idea that this can be presented in a dull manner makes me seriously doubt whether the men who are guilty of this dullness have ever really understood the doctrine they claim to believe, and which they advocate. We often betray ourselves by our manner.”

That is a statement that modern preachers need to read and reread, until the truth of it breaks upon our hearts. We are charged with preaching the Word of God! We are charged with preaching the Gospel of God’s saving grace. We are charged with telling this world that Jesus Christ gave Himself on the cross to redeem His people from their sins. We are charged with telluing them that He rose from the dead, ascended back to Heaven and will return one day in glory and power to reign. How can we possess such a message and deliver it with anything less than “sanctified madness”?

We are called to “preach the Word“. The word “preach” translates the word “kerusso“. It refers to a herald, one who carried the king’s message to the people. That herald would stand before the people, lift up his voice and clearly and distinctly deliver the king’s message to the people. I cannot imagine one of those ancient heralds standing there delivering his message with a lackadaisical, boring, disinterested attitude. To do so would have been an affront to the king and his message to the people. That same is true when to comes to our preaching.

Preacher, preach the Word! If you are a loud preacher, preach loud. If you are a quiet preacher, then preach quiet. If you walk around or stand in your tracks, be the man God saved and called you to be. But, never, never, never, preach the Gospel with anything less than a burning passion for that message in your heart and on your lips. 

Alan

Meeting At White Plains Baptist

I have been preaching this week at White Plains Baptist Church in Taylorsville, NC. The Pastor is Brother Tony Daniels. We have been having a good meeting. I appreciate the presence of the Lord and the liberty to preach the Word of God. We have had great services each night, though I thought the response to the message last night was tepid at best. Be that as it may, I delivered my burden and that is all I can do. Please remember us as we close the meeting tonight. Next week we are off to Marietta, GA to preach at Eastwood Baptist Church where Brother Mike Hatton is the Pastor. Pray for these meetings.

Alan

Sunday Morning Is Here Again

I just finshed a great week of meeting with Pastor Randy Gibson and the good folks at Worship Point Baptist Church here in Lenoir. The Lord came by each evening and gave great liberty to preach His Word. He blessed the preaching in a wonderful way, and I am grateful. Lord willing, I will begin meeting Monday evening at White Plains Baptist Church in Taylorsville. Please pray for the meeting. Today, I get to go to Calvary Baptist to have church with our people. I miss them when I am away in meeting and I always look forward to getting back. I trust the Lord will meet with us. He always does.

I sat on an ordination council yesterday. North Laurel Baptist Church in Valdese, NC is ordaining Brother Tom Shuford of Psalm 23 Ministries this evening. Brother Tom has been given a unique ministry by the Lord. He ministers to the cronically and terminally ill. You can visit his web site here. Pray for Brother Tom and for His dear wife Terrie.

I pray that you will have a great day in the Father’s house today. God bless!

Alan

Another Week Of Meeting Underway

We finished up our week of meeting with the folks at Solid Rock Baptist in Potters Hill, NC. The Lord met with us and gave us a great week of meeting. I appreciate it when He does that for His church. 

We came home Thursday evening after service and began preparations for our services at Calvary on the Lord’s Day. God met with us in both services. He honored His Word mightily. It is always a blessing when God breaths on the preaching and touches hearts. As I preached about our Lord’s trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin, and about the cruel treatment He received at their hands, I saw grown men around our church weeping. God spoke to hearts and I praise Him for that. On Sunday evening, we observed the Lord’s Supper. It was, as it always is, a special time of worship and celebration.

Last night I began a meeting at Worship Point Baptist Church here in Lenoir. The Pastor is Brother Randy Gibson. We had a great meeting last night and I am looking forward to what the Lord will do for us the rest of this week.

Next week, Lord willing, I will be with Pastor Tony Daniels and the folks at White Plains Baptist in Taylorsville, NC. Please pray for us as we move through this buy season of meeting. If we are in your area, please join us for services. It would be a blessing to meet you at the Lord’s house for worship.

Alan

It’s Raining In Jacksonville, NC Today

We woke up to a rainy morning here in Jacksonville, NC. Joan and I had planned to ride up to Beaufort, NC to see the historical sites there. We especially wanted to tour an old cemetery there called The Burying Grounds, Looking at old cemeteries is something we like to do wherever we go. Strange huh? Anyway, I guess we will just go to Ihop for some breakfast.

We had a good service at Solid Rock Baptist last night. The Lord helped the preaching and blessed with a good move in the altar. Lord willing, we will finish up this evening and head home. Next week, we will be with Pastor Randy Gibson and the folks at Worship Point Baptist in Lenoir, NC. Home sweet home!

Let me just state for the record that I do not like hotel rooms. Especially when there is a floor above me. This morning I awoke to the sounds of someone walking back and forth above me. Let me rephrase that. I awoke to the sound of something akin to an elephant stampeding across the ceiling above my head. At any rate, my sleepy time was over way before I wanted or needed it to be. So, kids, there is a lesson in this for all of us. When you are staying in an hotel, be courteous of the little people who live beneath you. they might not want to hear your version of the Watusi at 6:00 AM. Just a thought!

Alan

It’s A New Day

We had a good service last night at Solid Rock Baptist Church in Potter’s Hill, NC. I preached about Jesus feeding the 5,000 and I felt that some folks got some help from the Lord. I did not, however, feel that my preaching was the best I had ever done. Still, we had a good service and I enjoyed great liberty to preach. Keep praying for the meeting. I will go back and try to do better tonight!

Preaching is a strange thing. If you are a preacher, I am sure you will agree with me. I mean, you pray and your prepare then you step into that pulpit and nothing is as you think it will be. When you read your text and begin to speak strange things begin to take place. It’s as if the sermon becomes a living thing. It really does take on a life of its own. It evolves and changes as you preach it. As the Spirit of God leads the mind in new directions, and gives fresh insights in the text as you preach, the sermon often ends up being something other than you thought it would be.If you are sensitive to the Spirit of God, the sermon becomes what He wants it to be, and that is always better!

Then, there is the mind of the preacher. While you are preaching, you are thinking about what you are saying, what you have already said, what you will say in a few minutes, and all the while, you are observing the goings on in the congregation while you preach. It boggles my mind that I am even able to speak a clearly articulated sentence when I preach. Preaching really is an amazing experience.

Another aspect of preaching that affects the process and the outcome is the congregational dynamic. When the people are receptive to what you are preaching, it seems to make the preaching moment easier. When they are resistant to your message, it makes things far more difficult. I am convinced that the people who are in attendance make a difference as well. When folk come to church they bring with them all the baggage of their lives. They bring their prejudices, their fears, their sins and even their demons. All of those things have an impact on the outcome of the service. Maybe I am exaggerating, but I really believe that the presence of certain people in a service can have a negative impact on that service. Maybe it’s just me.

Anyway, that’s what is on my mind this morning. Let me know what you think about it.

Alan

Greetings From Jacksonville, NC

I am preaching at Solid Rock Baptist Church in Potter’s Hill, NC this week. Actually, Joan and I are staying in a hotel in Jacksonville, NC, which is some 25 miles away from the church. Anyway, we hada good service last night. The Lord gave me great liberty to preach, and I am thankful. I was very tired when I finished. I guess driving six hours and preaching took its toll. But, I am refreshed and rested after a good night’s sleep. Please pray for the meeting this week. Lord willing, we will be here through Thursday evening. I will try to check in later, and do a little better about keeping this blog up and running. Hopefully, the Lord will lay something on my heart that will give these rambling a little more direction. I do appreciate all those who stop by from time to time. God bless!

Alan Carr

Whatcha Been Doing?

Me? Well, I’ve been to Charlotte several times this week, since my Dad was in the hospital down there. We got to bring him home yesterday and he seems to be some better than he was before. He still needs your prayers, so I would appreciate you remembering him when you pray. Besides that, I have had a funeral and some other folks who are sick in the hospital and in Hospice. But, that’s the life of a Pastor. I wouldn’t take anything for it! There is something satisfying about ministering to people. I guess it’s something that comes with the call to be a Pastor, but I also think it is an honor to minster to folks in an hour of need in their lives. to pray with them, comfort them and visit them is a privilege from the Lord. It seems to me that reaching out to the hurting is something the Lord Jesus would do if He was here. In fact, He said this: 

Matthew 25:34-46  

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. 

Now, I know the context. This is the judgment of the nations, which will take place after the Tribulation. If, that is, our eschatology is correct. Be that as it may, there is a principle in those verses that stands true across the ages. When we serve His people in His name, we are, in effect, serving Him. When you look at ministry from this perspective, you don’t mind the miles, the time and the 2:00 AM phone calls. When ministry is done for His glory, in His name, and for His people, it transforms a drudgery into a privilege. at least, that’s how I see it. So, get out there and serve others. Be a blessing by minstering in His name. He will be honored. He will get the glory. Others will be served. You will be fulfilled in your walk with, and work for, the Master. Think about it.

Alan Carr

I Thought I’d Better Check In

It’s been a while since I visited the blog. I have been busy, as usual, but that is no excuse. I come today thankful for the blessings I have in Jesus. He has been so good to me and I want to thank Him for His grace, His patience and His love. He has been working in my heart lately and I praise Him for His tender ministry in my life. Please pray for me as I continue to grow in His grace.

On another note, I found out last night that I am going to be a grandfather again. My daughter and her husband are expecting another baby in November. I am sure this baby will be as wonderful as the first. Please pray for Nikki and the child she carries. Pray for a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. Also, I would ask you to pray for my father. He is having some significant health issues and could use your prayers.

I pray the Lord will bless you in your place of worship today.

Alan