Every year in August people from all around gather at Main Street Baptist Church for the annual Sovereign Grace Bible Conference (to some it is affectionately simply called "The Conference"). The conference has been pioneered these past 25 years by Elder D.J. Ward, pastor of Main Street Baptist Church. The conference features a variety of preachers, most from a movement of Calvinistic baptist churches known as Sovereign Grace Baptist (you can access last year messages here).If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Elder Ward, then you know what a magnanimous and gracious man he is. He has been in the pulpit ministry for many years and yet his enthusiasm for the truth of the Doctrines of Grace and God's Sovereignty in all things has not waned in the slightest. I have had the honor of sharing the pulpit with Elder Ward on a couple of occasions, and I can honestly say that he has encouraged my heart and ministry in the gospel. And don't let his slow gate and gray beard fool you. There is yet fire in his heart and power in his voice. Here is a small taste of what I mean.
One of his joys is singing of the grace and mercy of God. As you can tell from this video and the fact that he is reminded that he is "a grace case."
7 comments:
It was good to see this, and it really made my day and encouraged me.
Many Thanks and Blessings,
~Scotty
Fantastic,
I had never heard that hymn before - but my wife knew it and it's in her grandmother's old Church of God hymn book.
Oh that one day I would be able to go to churches in the UK and see that combination of worship and doctrine.
Colin Thomas
I am going this year. So many conference go on throughout the year, this will be the first conference I have ever attended. I am so excited. I listen to most of last year sermons over the last few weeks. Elder Ward's sermon made me walk out of my office and wash my face. I am still hard though! You know how we do it in the Harbor!!!
I'm "a grace case", too!
That clip did me good; the music and singing sounded to my ears like good, old-fashioned "church", if you know what I mean.
Plus, I happen to love that particular hymn, "Grace, Greater Than All Our Sin". One verse of that hymn puts it this way:
"Sin and despair, like the sea-waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater--yes, grace untold--
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross."
Thank God for Jesus, and the grace that is ours through Him.
I can't wait to check out the link to the messages from last year's conference. Thanks so much for posting this.
Wyeth Duncan
My brother, I just wanted to let you know that yesterday I listened to Elder Ward's message from last year's conference, taken from Romans 11:5,6.
My goodness, how that man preached! His message was theologically sound and solidly Calvinistic, of course, but what surprised me was how "chocolate" in flavor it was (you know what I mean?). There was not only something for my mind and soul, but these "chocolate" emotions of mine got something from it as well. I couldn't get enough! Although the message was an hour and 20 minutes long, I listened to it 3 times yesterday!
I wish black pulpits all across America were filled with that kind of preaching every week.
Thanks for posting the link.
Wyeth Duncan
Dear Bro. Carter,
I stumbled across your wonderful blog just recently. Keep up the great work! It is quite encouraging to see such wonderful reformed material presented among other Blacks. I was standing in the front row when Elder Ward sang that glorious hymn nervously preparing to preach that morning. Thanks for making those sermons available.
Eld. Mika Edmondson
Thank you for the clip of Elder Ward singing about Grace.
I was weeping with gratitude before he finished. When my husband came home, he watched and I saw the tears come to his eyes. He wants a copy to play at work for a "revival moment" when needed.
Sharon
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