MDDC Men's Conference 2026 - Friday PM

Could we say [music] that name all across this place? Can we say Jesus? We love you. [music] We give you glory and honor. We thank you for your presence that we feel in this place, God. Lord, we ask that there would be a sovereign move in this house tonight. God, I pray that your spirit would move in ways that it's never moved in our lives. God, we pray that our hearts would be hearts of clay. [music] I pray when we leave this place tonight, we would have the mind of Christ. [music] Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus. Lord, we give you glory and honor. It's in Jesus' name we pray. [music] Could we clap our hands to the Lord? [applause] We love you, Jesus. Amen. Amen. [music] Amen. We love you, Jesus. You may return to your seat. It's truly a high honor to be at the Maryland DC [music] men's conference. Thank you to this incredible worship team led by Brother Titus and these incredible musicians. We honor you tonight. Thank you for leading us into the throne room. [music] You may be seated. Thank you to brother Jason Stton for the invitation. And what an incredible word today. It's my turn now.

>> If you weren't here, you [music] need to listen to that word. Thank you, as has been said for you and your team leading the men of this great district. I love you, buddy. It's honored to be your friend. [music] Appreciate the invite. And it is truly a privilege to be here with my friends, District [music] Superintendent, Brother Shawn Libby and District Secretary, Brother David Wright, along with several wonderful friends and the awesome men of this wonderful district. [music] And what a great job last night and today by my [music] friend, Brother Chris Thornon, the upper room of the Gospels and all for one. Wow. [applause] So deep. I appreciate you and your heart for men's ministry. It's an [music] honor to spend some time with you. And you know, after brother Thornton and Brother Stton have ministered, I felt like the disciples after feeding the 5000. You've already had a massive feast. And I'm here just to clean up the leftovers. After those two sermons today, we didn't just hear a word. I think I actually saw heaven open up a little bit.

>> And you got the meat and potatoes today, but I hope I can put a little gravy on top of it tonight. >> Amen. And my prayer has been that you will not only leave challenged and changed, [music] but you will leave charged to make a difference in this thing called life. All right. >> Let's be honest. We can't afford to leave one service or one event the same way we came. >> Amen. I believe somebody's destiny is going to be determined tonight. >> Amen. >> Amen. >> I believe that somebody's life is going to be changed tonight. And [music] I pray that you're going to leave changed by the power of the Holy Ghost and by the preached word of God. >> Amen. Thank you so much for serving. Let me say this. Your marriage and your family are depending on you coming home a different man.

>> So often we attend services and we attend conferences and we come and we want to receive a word. And maybe we were inspired and we do receive revelation. But we realize that there is an application part to this. I believe everybody under the sound of my voice, we have a mission to accomplish. And I have come to wake you up to the opportunity that we have to affect our world. >> Amen. Not just at our home and not just at your church, but on your job and in your neighborhood and also the world in which we live. I'm calling every man or the sound of my voice this weekend to make a commitment. The Bible tells us in Joel chapter 3 and verse 9, it says, "Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles.

>> Prepare war. Wake up the mighty men. >> Amen. >> Let all the men of the war draw near and let them come up. >> I want you to turn to your neighbor right now and say, "Wake up the mighty men." >> I've come to wake up the mighty men of the Maryland and the DC district. God is wanting you to see yourself as he sees you. >> God has called you to be a man of God. God has called you to be a child of God. >> We are living in the last days and he's looking for man to accept their rightful place in the kingdom of God. >> Wake up the mighty men. >> Can somebody say amen? >> Amen. >> In America, approximately 90% of men say that they believe in God and four out of six refer to themselves as Christians. Yet only 39% of men in the United States attend church. And only one out of every five women will have their husbands sitting behind them this coming Sunday. This is not the will of God.

>> But I believe we as apostolic men have a wide open mission field to affect this world. [applause and cheering] I've only been pastoring for nine years. I'm still wet behind the ears. These men have forgotten more than I even know. But most of the problems that I deal with as a pastor go back to one single problem most of the time and that is the lack of a male spiritual leader in the home. >> We as men must lead. >> Amen. Your family doesn't expect you to be perfect. And our families and our churches need strong and mighty men. >> Amen. >> And that means that you and I must be humble. We must be teachable. And we got to be active. And we got to be engaged in the kingdom of God. [applause] In our world today, men outnumber women in the Hindu faith. Men outnumber women in the Buddhist faith. Men outnumber women greatly in the Islamic faith. It's only in Christianity do women outnumber men. And I believe there is something that is stirring up in the hearts of men. Men, come on somebody. It's time to be a man and not put that sole responsibility on your wife. I want to see yourself tonight as God sees you. YOU ARE A MIGHTY MAN OF GOD.

>> AND GOD HAS CALLED YOU FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. [applause] And you may be saying just like Gideon said, "Who me?" Yes, you. Who me? Yes, you. Because if you look at the men in the Bible that were used by God, one of my favorite examples was Peter. He preached the message that we're still preaching 2,000 years later. But Peter was a cusser and he denied Jesus Christ. I tell our church, you get six a year. Cuss words, that is. Just kidding. [laughter] On my computer or on my desk at the church. I have a saying says, "Progress not perfection." I was talking to the number one soul winner in all of Pentecost this afternoon eating lunch and he told me he came to Christ and God saved him but he still smoked a little bit. He said he went from two packs to one pack to a half a pack and finally got down to one. Listen, I don't care where you're at. Just head in the right direction. YOU MIGHT HAVE DRANK A SIX-PACK LAST NIGHT, DRINK FIVE TODAY, FOUR TOMORROW. HEAD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. GOD CAN TRANSFORM YOU. GOD CAN MOLD YOU. GOD CAN MAKE YOU INTO THE MAN THAT HE'S CALLED YOU TO BE. [applause]

>> Paul, he persecuted Christians. And the Bible says that when he wanted to do right, he did wrong. But let me remind you, Peter and Paul's failures did not detour them from being a man for God. >> These men were sinners just like you and me. But when they humbled themselves before God, he gave them a heart of clay and they became men OF GOD WHO DID A WORK FOR GOD. AND IF we will humble ourselves IN THIS ALTAR TONIGHT, I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SOVEREIGN move of his spirit. I BELIEVE GOD IS GOING TO HELP YOU TO BECOME A MAN OF GOD THAT DOES A WORK FOR GOD. >> If you believe that, clap your hands to the Lord. [applause] [applause] Please listen to me tonight. I don't care what sins you have committed before today. God [laughter] is able to forgive you. He's able to put your past behind you so that you can be the man of God that he has called you to become.

>> The men that were used by God were real men. Everybody say real men. >> Real issues. >> They also had real issues. Everybody say real issues. >> Real issues. >> This is the atmosphere that I feel building in the church. Not only will we be changed, but we as men will become magnets for the children in our home and for the men in our workplaces and to the men in our communities and in our cities in which we live. Because I believe that men are hungry and they're thirsty for Christ and what God is going to do. They're hungry and Christ is going to draw them into the kingdom of God. Amen.

>> I moved to Tupelo, Mississippi to pastor January the 1st, 2017. And my wife and I ran into this gentleman by the name of Mr. Charles Scrugs every couple of weeks when we were out to eat. I would take him out for coffee. I would take him for breakfast. I started sharing the word of God with him. I I just kept loving on him. Bishop St. He never came to church. It was over a year. At the end of of 2017, he called me and he asked when I baptized him. I said, "When would you like to do that?" He said, "Today." I think it was on a Tuesday, November the 14th, 2017. I I filled the baptistry up and I baptized him at the age of of 74. When he came out of the water, God filled him with a baptism of the Holy Ghost. He's now 83 and he never misses A SERVICE AND HE TAKES CARE OF CLEANING OUR BAPTISTRY EVERY SINGLE WEEK. I shared with the church Wednesday night, he's been very busy this week. We have baptized four since Sunday this week. Listen, men are being drawn into the kingdom of God. HE'S CALLING YOU. ARE YOU WILLING to be a vessel OF HONOR? ARE YOU WILLING TO BE A VESSEL THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS GOING TO FLOW through you? I believe and I speak this IN THE HOLY GHOST. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME DIVINE GOD MOMENTS TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY AND TO SHARE your faith.

>> Can somebody say amen? >> Look at the very beginning of the gospels when Jesus started his earthly ministry. One of the first things he did was find 12 men. Jesus, he took those 12 men. And it looks like we have about 200 250 men in this building tonight. But Jesus took those 12 men and he turned the world upside down. What can happen in the Maryland and the DC district. If I can get 12 men to get a hold of what I'm saying tonight, I believe this part of the country, the capital and Maryland, God can turn it upside down if we can get a hold of what the word of God IS SAYING TONIGHT. GOD, WAKE UP THE MIGHTY MEN.

>> [applause] >> Jesus was a carpenter by trade, but he chose fishermen and business leaders and tax collectors and doctors and even men involved in religious and political groups. And we find oh, brother Jason got all over my messes today. But we find in in 1st Samuel chapter number 30, David and his men face a battle that no one wants to face. The verse in 1st Samuel 30 and6 is David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him. He preached that today but this was already in my nose. Can I speak to you from my heart?

>> One of the biggest things the enemy has attacked our generation with is loneliness. >> Everybody say loneliness. Because the enemy knows that if he can get us isolated that it can lead to anxiety and depression. I come from Mississippi, but I find out down there that the only banana that gets peeled is the one that broke away from the bunch. >> You better stay in the church. You better support your pastor. You better catch a hold of his vision. [applause] You got to say, "Pastor, you can't preach it hard enough. PASTOR, I'M WITH YOU. There's nothing that's going to offend me. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. I'M HERE TO BACK YOU. I'M GOING TO HAVE YOUR BACK, BUT IT'S NOT WITH a knife. It's going to be holding your arms up and saying, "PREACH IT, PREACHER. WHERE YOU LEAD, I WILL FOLLOW. AS YOU FOLLOW CHRIST, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW YOU. But let me tell you something. There's a difference between isolation and solitude. The enemy wants to isolate you. And isolation is is being alone by yourself. I tell you again in the Holy Ghost, do not isolate yourself. But solitude is is being alone with God. Some of the best prayers you can pray tonight is this. Hey God, it's me and I just need to speak to you. When you say that, it gets silent. It got quiet in here. Somebody shared this with me recently. You might want to write this down. It's two words. It's a Hebrew word. It's a Greek word. You combine them and it's called shut up. Just be quiet. Anybody bring one of these with you tonight? We talk too much >> and we got too many distractions. for God to talk to us. >> Come on, somebody. You got to get along with God. You got to get on your knees. You got to fall on YOUR FACE. SAY, "GOD, I NEED YOU.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK THIS SITUATION OUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THROUGH THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT I GOT A GOD THAT WILL BE WITH YOU." HE SAID, "I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU. I'LL NEVER FORSAKE YOU. I WILL GO [screaming] WITH YOU ALL THE WAY, EVEN UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD." YOU GOT TO BELIEVE THAT WITH EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING. [applause] >> It's a still small voice that will speak to you, but you got to get in his presence. >> You got TO CUT YOUR PHONE OFF AND ASK GOD TO SPEAK to you. >> If you're praying and your phone rings, what's more important? That phone call or talking to God? I'm preaching to you tonight. You know, even the prophet Elijah after a victory where he defeated the 450 prophets of Baal, Bible says that even the prophet, the preacher, he got depressed and he ran for his life and it was under a tree that that the Bible says he actually wanted to die. You know what God did then? The Bible says God sent him to a cave by himself. And in that cave, HE ASKED THIS QUESTION, "WHAT AM I DOING HERE?" Somebody here is in a season tonight. You're wondering, "What am I doing here?" But sometimes God creates an opportunity for us to get along with him and say, "God, here I am. It's me again, Margaret." And when Elijah asked God WHY HE WAS THERE, GOD TOLD HIM. HE SAID, "I BROUGHT YOU TO THIS CAVE." GOD, he prepared Elijah in the cave for his next assignment. He said, "Elijah, you have an assignment to do." And I was reminded today, this is in my notes, but when David got alone by himself, Brother Stton, he looked at God, look what happened in verse 6 of 1st Samuel 30. But David encouraged himself in the Lord. Many times we wonder why GOD DOESN'T DO SOMETHING in my life. And God is wondering why we aren't doing something.

>> And our prayer this weekend is that you are being encouraged in the Lord. >> Come on, somebody. The Lord must have wanted you to hear this portion. Verse 8 of 1st Samuel 30 says, "And David inquired if the Lord saying, shall I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them?" And he answered him, "Pursue, for thou shalt surely overtake them and will recover all." And I'm sure some of the women and the children were thinking in their mind that these Amalocites do not realize what they have done. And what was going on in the women's mind? Those wives and those children, they were thinking this. Just wait till the men get home. AND I'M SPEAKING THAT OVER EVERY MAN HERE. YOU JUST WAIT TILL THE MEN OF THE MARYLAND AND THE DC DISTRICT GET HOME. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TURN YOUR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN. I BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BE SPIRITUAL MEN WHEN WE GO HOME. WE'RE GOING TO BE MEN THAT'S going to keep SAYING YES TO GOD WHEN WE GO HOME. WE'RE GOING TO MEN THAT'S GOING TO BE HUMBLE WHEN WE GO HOME. WE'RE GOING TO BE MEN THAT'S going to be teachable when we go home.

>> If you're willing to do that, clap your hands to the Lord. [applause] You may be seated. Look at verse 19 of 1st Samuel 30. It says, "There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken them. David recovered all. You are going to recover all. I speak this in the Holy Ghost." Listen, you may have a weward son and a weward daughter, but the prodals are coming home in Jesus name. What the enemy meant for evil in your family, God is going to turn it around. He's going to bring something good out of it. The Bible says in Romans 8 AND28, "FOR WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THEM THAT LOVE THE LORD AND ARE THE CALLED according to his purpose."

>> Can somebody say amen? >> Amen. >> Let me remind you this tonight that David, he didn't buy his bear coat from a market. That lionclaw necklace hanging around David's neck was not purchased with money but with blood. >> I came to remind somebody tonight. You always will gain spiritually when you win a battle. >> And you got to be very careful and examine what you're struggling with. Give it to God and God can deliver you. >> I speak this in the Holy Ghost right now. God just laid this on my heart. You know, we got a lot of people, I believe, that are going to heaven because they've obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. Listen, if you obey the gospel, it's the death, it's the burial, it's the resurrection. If you repent of your sins and you are buried in the name of Jesus Christ and you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, I believe you can receive heaven as your reward. Can someone say amen?

>> But we got a lot of people in our churches that I believe that they are going to heaven because they've obeyed the gospel, but they are not well. The Bible tells us in James that you have to confess, brother Dean, your faults one to another so that ye may be healed. Listen, whatever you're struggling with, you need a man of God that you can confine in and say, "Brother, I'm dealing with anxiety. I'm dealing with depression. I'm dealing with doubt. I'm dealing with pornography. God, I want you to heal me. Will you pray WITH ME THAT GOD CAN HEAL ME FROM THAT?" LISTEN, I BELIEVE GOD'S GOING TO SWEEP over this Maryland district and we're going to have men that are GOING TO BE HEALED FROM YOUR PAST, HEALED FROM YOUR PAIN, HEALED FROM YOUR SINS. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, CLAP YOUR HANDS TO THE LORD. LET A HEALING BOMB OF GILEAD COVER THIS PLACE. [applause] Because what Saul refused to destroy, it wound up destroying him. I came to encourage somebody. Don't quit. DON'T THROW IN THE TOWEL. YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER. I speak it. You're GOING TO GET YOUR JOY BACK. YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR PEACE BACK. YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR HOME BACK. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE WHAT THE ENEMY HAS STOLEN from you. What was possibly some of the worst days of David's life wound up being some of the best days of his life because it's all a matter of perspective. Just after I became pastor in 2017, 46 years of age, I went for a checkup and a colonoscopy. I actually played raetball the day before. I was feeling pretty good. I was feeling good coming out from under that medicine they give you at the hospital. My wife and I were smiling. We were laughing. the doctor. He walked into the room and he looked me in the eye at 46 years of age and he said, "Jay, you have a mass. It's malignant and we have to begin treatment immediately." Like David, that was not the news I expected to hear. But it was during this time that I came face to face with my creator. All of us when you go to Patmas you have to go alone BUT IT'S ON PATMAS IF YOU REMEMBER THE WORD OF GOD THAT'S WHERE JOHN THE THE beloved became John the revelator let me remind you that John did not die in Patmas but many times it's a place that you have to pass through cancer it it changed my life for the better and I determined that I would rather BE IN A HARD PLACE WITH God >> than an easy place far from him. [applause]

>> They put a port in my upper left hand body and they begin treatment immediately. I did 30 straight days of chemo. I did 28 straight days of radiation. And then basically they told me something that I always wanted my wife to tell me. The doctor looked at me and he said, "Your body is hot." He was not referring in the way that I wished he would have been. Basically, all the chemo and the radiation was in my body, those chemicals, and they had to let it cool off before they would do surgery. And basically, they went in and they did surgery about 60 days later. They took out most of my colon, most of my rectum, and pieced it together. The doctor came out after that surgery and he looked at my wife and I and he said, "Need?" I said, 'N Ned, I said, 'I don't know a Ned.' She said, 'n no evidence of disease. I stand before you tonight to let somebody in this place know THAT GOD IS STILL THE HEALER OF CANCER. God can take a situation and he can TURN IT AROUND. [screaming] GOD IS ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. God is able to do anything IN THIS HOUSE TONIGHT. WHATEVER YOU HAVE NEED OF, WHATEVER YOU ASK IN FAITH BELIEVING, I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE it in this house tonight. Clap your hands to the Lord if you have faith to believe that. >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [applause] Hallelujah.

>> I had a temporary ilostomy bag and then they did chemo for six more months and I think I lost about 60 lbs. And after 6 months, I said, "That's enough. I'm done. Either God has healed me or chemo has taken care of it." Listen, it shall be well. I've got a checkup coming up pretty soon, but I'm still believing in the Holy Ghost. It shall be well. I SPEAK THAT OVER SOMEBODY IN THIS HOUSE TONIGHT. IT IS WELL WITH YOU. IT IS WELL WITH YOUR CHILDREN. IT IS WELL WITH YOUR MARRIAGE. IT IS WELL WITH YOUR FINANCES. IT SHALL BE WELL. I'M ASK THE LORD before I preach tonight to heal every troubled relationship. I ask the Lord to heal every wounded heart. I ask the Lord to let your union be fruitful and blessed and strong in the name of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that one week after David encouraged himself in the Lord that he was crowned king because many times it's a home victory that set him up for a throne victory because a victory in his private life set him up for a public victory. Can I address something real quick that I feel the Lord laid on my heart this afternoon? Men, you don't have to move out of your home to be an absentee father.

>> Because if we're not careful, we can be guilty of living at home but not really being there. Statistics tell us that the average dad spends about two minutes. One, two, two minutes of meaningful conversation with his children per day. Men, you cannot disciple your children with only two minutes a day. I challenge every one of you men to make a commitment to your kids and your grandkids when you get back home that you are not going to be disengaged in their life. Get your kids and your [clears throat] grandkids at the kitchen table and teach them a Bible study. The devil wants to silence your voice in the lives of your kids and your grandkids. But godly men produce godly children. [applause] You're going to need the help of God to keep your marriage together and raise godly children. You can be a man that not only HAS THE SPIRIT, BUT YOU WALK in the fruit of the spirit. You can be loving and you can be kind and you can be a real man.

>> Can somebody said amen? >> Brother Libby, you got all over my notes as well. Y'all just preached my sermon. But Joshua 24 and 15 says, "Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will do what?

>> So I came to ask you this question like, what about your house? I'm thankful for my family. I have three kids. My two oldests are married. My oldest is Jada. She's married to Austin. She's 27. My son is 26. Married to Meline. and and my youngest daughter. And then three weeks ago yesterday, we welcomed our newest grandchild, Eleanor Gray. [applause] That was my wife there, as you can see out punting my coverage, but that is our complete family with my father there. My father, my dad passed away five years ago. I realized that when it's all said and done, all you have is your faith and your family and your friends, you're a wealthy man. [applause]

>> When my dad died, my mother, people handle grief differently. She cleaned out his closet. She gave us us boys. I have one brother Jiren that I love very much. Pastors in Columbia, Mississippi. She she basically we got all of his guns. And for you pastors in the building, I'll [snorts] give you a little advice. My dad, he was a hunter. He was not avid, but certainly um when somebody in the church wanted to come borrow $200 or $500 or $1,000, he'd always ask him one question. I'd be happy to give it to you, but what do you have of any value? when Mississippi most men have a gun. And so he would give them the money and they would bring him a gun. And out of 27 years of pastoring, one man came back for his gun. >> He was wise beyond his years. My brother and I inherited those. And you know, we both have a gun case of peace full of guns. I haven't even shot him since he died. But tonight, I preached to you out of the most prized possession that my father left me. And that's the word of God.

>> Men, all that stuff doesn't really matter. But what matters is this. If you can put this in the hearts of your kids and your grandkids, you're going to give them something that'll get out of this world. You're going to give them something that'll help them to be successful in this thing called life. You're going to give them something that is of eternal value. AS FOR ME IN MY HOUSE, [applause] that is the most important sentence you will ever finish. As for me in my house, let me hurry. Joshua calls them to focus their wondering minds and decide whom they will serve. According to the verse of scripture, it appears, let me give you three quick points. Three things to know about this decision. Number one, it was a personal decision. Everybody say personal. >> It was an active voluntary commitment to say yes to Jesus Christ. And let me remind you tonight that to not make a decision is to make a decision. >> You don't have to clean up. You don't have to have IT ALL TOGETHER TO SAY YES to Jesus. You just have TO GET SICK AND TIRED OF DOING IT YOUR WAY. AND make up in your mind that YOU ARE GOING TO FOLLOW JESUS COME HELL OR HIGH WATER. I'M GOING TO SAY YES TO HIM. AS FOR me in MY HOUSE, FROM THIS NIGHT FORWARD, WE ARE GOING to serve the Lord.

>> Can somebody say amen? >> Not only was it a personal decision, number two, it was a paternal decision. Say paternal. >> It's important for the man of the house to make a decision. I've heard it said so many times. I'm not going to make my children go to church. I will let them decide. >> Oh my goodness. That's like saying, "I'm not going to make my child take a bath because I don't want to them turn them against water and taking a bath." Well, let them just smell like a billy goat if you want. We teach them how to walk. We teach them how to talk. We teach them how to swim. We teach them how to drive. We teach them how to work or WE SHOULD. WHY CAN'T we teach them how to serve God? >> WAKE UP THE MIGHTY MEN. WE GOT TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO SERVE GOD. [applause] There were some decisions my parents didn't let me make. >> Every once in a while, my parents may let us decide what to eat. Every once in a while, they may let us decide what to wear. once a year or so, but we never had a choice when it came to serving God. >> My mother and my father made that choice for us. Let me tell you something. 79% of those addicted to drugs started taking them to fill the void that was created from a fatherless home. I had a drug problem. When I was young as well, I don't like to talk about it very much, but I was drugged to church every Sunday morning. I was drugged to church every Sunday night. I was drugged to church every Wednesday night. I was drugged to church every prayer meeting. I was drugged to church every time the doors were open. I know we in Maryland and DC. I was drugged to the woodshed when I acted up and my daddy whipped my honey. But it was those drugs that got in my veins. And listen, those drugs are stronger than marijuana. Those drugs are stronger than meth. It's those drugs that have me standing before you tonight that my father PUT INTO ME. I WANT TO WAKE UP THE MIGHTY MAN.

>> Can somebody say amen? [applause and cheering] >> You may be seated. It was a personal decision. It was a paternal decision. >> But if I read the word of God correctly, it was a public decision. >> In verse two of Joshua 24, he said to all the people because there's a difference between a private decision and a personal decision, a public decision. >> Because when you make a private decision, you can privately rescend it. But when you make a public decision, you make yourself accountable to your fellow brethren. And I want to know if anybody's going to be accountable to their fellow brethren tonight and make a public decision. Come on, somebody. [applause] The Bible tells us Genesis 2 and 7. Let me say this. I'm thankful we have our district officials here. We most probably have children's ministry here. I love children's ministry. Thank you. It's a great ministry. But the first ministry created was not children's ministry. It was men's ministry. The Bible tells in Genesis 2 and 7, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And man became a living soul." The first thing that God created was a man. God put Adam in the Garden of Eden. He put him there to commune with him and to have a relationship with him and to dress the garden and to keep the garden because Jesus knew from the very beginning that I if I can reach the man, I can reach the family.

>> And I know you've heard this before most probably, but hear me again, men. You are the key. In places where a child comes to Christ first, 3.5% of the time the family will follow. When a lady leads her family to church, 17% of the time the family will follow. But when the man leads his family to church, 93% of the time the families will follow. Man of God, I'm asking you to wake up and give your family a greater chance of seeing Jesus one day and give them a greater chance of making heaven their home. Start leading. You don't have to be perfect TO LEAD, BUT YOU GOT TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO. >> I wish there would be a SPIRIT THAT WOULD RISE UP IN YOU AND SAY, "PASTOR JAY, you can count on me >> from this night forward." >> Amen. Pastor Jay, you don't have to worry about me, but from me in my house, we will serve the Lord. >> Man, it's time to man up. It's time to rise up. Please come to the music. You may remain standing. Turn to the man next to you and ask him, "Are you awake yet?"

>> Thank you, The Bible tells us in 1st Samuel 10:26 and it says, "And there went with him a band of men whose heart not Jay had touched or pastor Stton or Pastor Libby or Pastor Wright whose [music] heart God had touched." a band of men. May we leave the Maryland and the DC conference as a band of men. A band of men committed to being a better husband and [music] a a better father. A band of men committed to being a better leader. A band of men committed to be a better provider. May we wake up the mighty men. You know during the Civil War the Civil War General William Sherman he was with the Union Army. He was marching to the sea and he came to Hotlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. There he came across an old grandmother. She was [music] standing up with a broomstick as the troops approached. And let me tell somebody in the Holy Ghost, you might want to sweep around your own door first tonight. She was sweeping on the porch and General William Sherman asked her, "What are you going to do with a broom in this war that we are fighting?" This wise grandmother responded, "I probably can't do much, but I just want you to know whose side I'm on." Tonight I'm asking you in closing, whose side are you on? I hope you can say at the end of this sermon tonight, I am on the Lord's [music] side. Life is going to happen. Storms may rise and winds will blow and enemies may assail. My health may fail. But I want the enemy to know tonight, I am on the Lord's side. And when the devil comes, I want him to know that I am on the Lord's side. [music] Whatever you do tonight, make a decision. The Bible says, "Today is the day of salvation." [music] My prayer is there will be a sovereign move of the Holy Ghost in this place tonight. I believe that the gifts of the spirit [music] are going to be in operation. I wonder if we got men that are willing to step out and come to this front and repent of their sins. Say, "Father, forgive me. Help me to be the man from this [music] night forward. Father, I commit my life into your hands. I pray tonight that God will wake up the mighty men of this great district. God's hand [music] is on your life. HE'S CALLING YOU FOR SUCH A time as this tonight. Will you make that decision in the HOLY GHOST? EVERYBODY HERE has a story. Everybody here has been through [music] something. But God wants to use your story and your testimony to impact the family that you live in to [music] impact the world that you participate in right now all across this place [music] standing, kneeling, sitting. Would you say, "God, use me. [music] God, I surrender my life to you. Help me [music] to see myself as you see me. No, I'm not perfect. No, I don't have it all together. But God, [music] I DESIRE TO BE a body man. I DESIRE to be the spiritual leader of my home. Come [music] on. Would you surrender your life to him tonight? Would you lift up your hands and say, "Father, [music] I give it to you. I give you my family. I give [music] you my faith. I GIVE YOU MY FINANCES. I give you my future. It's in your hands, Lord. Take my life and use [music] as you will. I desire to be a man after God's own heart.

>> [music] >> Come on. [music] Let the Holy Ghost speak to you. Lord, I [music] will bring my desire. [music] Use me, Jesus. When I'm hungry, Lord, I'll do whatever you [music and singing] want me to do. That's where I'll be. I'll go wherever you want me to go. I [music] will be on me to be. He's looking for MEN THAT ARE SURRENDERED TO my [music] hunger high for you to use me. [music] I'm tired of going through the motions. [music] I need to be help. [music] Hallelujah. [music] Let there be a man of fear. If you feel sad, pray for your brother. [music] Let the Holy Ghost lead you right now. PRAY FOR YOUR BROTHER. WE'RE BETTER TOGETHER. Is to be what [music] you [singing] env. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] [singing] [music] to be what you [singing] [music] [music] will be what you will say [music] [music] I desire [music] to be what you want me to be. [music] That's what I [singing] [music] say. I'll say yes. [music] I'll say yes. I agree. [music and singing] I say yes. I say [music] I say yes. [singing] I agree. I agree. I agree. [music] I see. >> [music] >> I see. [music] I see. I see. >> [music] [music] >> I will be what you want me to be. [music] >> [music] >> I deserve [singing] [music] to be [music] [singing] [music] I will be [music and singing] I'll be I'll >> [music] [music] >> is to be what you need to [music] be. That's what I'll be. [music] Oh yeah. I commit to you, Jesus. I'm going to be [music] I'm going to be what you call me to be. [music] [music] Yeah. Heat. [music and singing] [music] >> [singing] [music] >> I see. I [music] [music] [singing] [music] am free. Heat. Heat. [music] Hey, [music] [singing] I [music] [music] see you. [music] Whatever you [music] feel here. [music] [singing] [music] [music] Heat. Heat. >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] [music] Heat. Heat. [singing] [music] I desire my desire [music] [singing] is to be what you are. [music] That's what I [music] Heat. [music] [music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. Let's Let's thank the Lord. [music] Hallelujah. Let's thank the Lord. Amen. And growing up, [music] when I would play baseball or whatever sport, I didn't get offended when my coach would look me in the eye and call more out of me. When he'd reprimand me because maybe he didn't feel like I gave it my best. It didn't offend me because [music] I felt like if he was asking for more of me, it meant he saw more in me. And I believe tonight that God used brother Carney to ask [music] and to tell us that God sees more in us. I want you to think right now about your sphere of influence. The most important one that we have is our home. It's our children and our wives. But you need to know on your job. There's men that are watching you. In your neighborhood, there's children that don't know what it's like to have a father in their home and they're watching you. We need to know that God can use this room literally to change our region. He took 12 men and changed the world. How much more could he do with this room [music] if we responded to the preaching tonight and made up in our minds, as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. I just want to do one last thing before we dismiss for dinner. I feel this. How many of you know we need our elders? All right, four of [music] you knew that. The rest of you didn't know it. We need our elders. We need our elders. And I know it's a little bit of a fragile thing for a man to admit he's become an elder. [music] Amen. Paul was pretty clear in his writing to Timothy that his intention was that anointing and ministry would be passed down from the elders to the younger. And I know I feel like in this day we celebrate the youth as we should. That's where the seedbed [music] of talent is at and ability. But I don't want to do that at the cost of forgetting our elders. I don't want our elders to feel like they're silent in our churches. I don't want our elders to feel like they're silent in in our men's ministry. We need our elders. Amen. And I know some of them aren't able to be here tonight. Many of the elders that have impacted my life in our district, [music] their health is not good right now. But I want us to pray right now for our elders in our local churches as well. God, raise up our elders in this hour. Don't let our elders become There's a price we pay when our elders become silent. We have to repeat mistakes when we don't hear the voice of our elders. The next generation repeats mistakes that the elder generation made. [music] If the voice of our elders is silent, but if we can allow the wisdom of our elders to speak, we don't have to repeat the same mistakes. Amen. We're able to [music] gain the wisdom that they had. So I would Would you pray that with me right now? God, Lord, bless our elders. God, I pray tonight that you would touch Lord, Brother Libby. I pray that you would touch him, God. Lord, Brother Libby impacted my life as a young minister [music] in so many ways. God, I pray that you would touch Bishop Wright. I thank you, Lord, for the leadership that Bishop [music] Wright provided, God, to this district for so many years. God, I pray for Brother Reynolds tonight. Lord, I thank you, [music] oh God, for the example that Brother Reynolds was to so many of us young ministers. I pray, God, that you would touch him in the name of Jesus, God. [music] I pray for Brother Eie, Lord, for these aging elders, God. Lord, for my father, God, some that [music] are here tonight and some that are not. But I pray for their Lord for our elders tonight [music] in our local churches. God, I pray Lord, let us learn from the wisdom of our elders. Let the voice of the elder be elevated in this hour [music] in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, I wonder [music] could you stretch out your hand over there, Brother Livby, Brother Wright. [music] Amen. Their fathers played such a vital role in this generation rather in this district. Amen. And I know they're aging and I know Amen. I just last week I was praying for brother Libby. I know his health is not well and I just pray God I know it might seem impossible but Lord you could do a miracle. Yes God I pray it in Jesus name. [music] Yes Lord. Yeah. Brother Reynolds is well. Brother Reynolds health is not well. But I'm just telling you we would not be where we are without these men. the pioneering spirit of these [music] men and what they did for our district. I know they're not here tonight. They would be if they could. And I wonder, [music] can we just lift up our prayers right now for these men? Come on, in the name of Jesus. [music] God, would you do a miracle, Lord, for brother Riddles and his health? God, would you do a miracle, Lord, for brother Libby and his health? God, touch Bishop [music] Bryant and strengthen him, Lord, in the name of Jesus. God, touch my father. Hallelujah. In the name of Jesus. [music] In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [music] In Jesus name. And I'll just say this. It would do every [music] young man well to find you an elder. I know you may not, they may not relate to all of your 67 and all your vocab. I don't even know what that means. Somebody said it's demonic. I don't know. I just think it's foolish. But we may not relate to the ling. They may not relate to your lingo. They may not relate to your [music] stories. But it would do every young man well to find you an elder. Take him out to lunch and just listen. Gain I [music] think he gave us a Greek and a Hebrew word tonight for what we could do. Shut up. [music] Get a pen and a and a notebook and just let the elder talk [music] and give you wisdom. Amen. I don't know about you, but if I could avoid an accident, I'd rather steer around it than go head on into it. [music] Amen. Hallelujah. Can we just raise our hands one more time and thank the Lord for that word tonight? [music] That that public statement right now that it was private. >> It was paternal and it was public. And right now with every hand raised around this room, I'm not perfect. I'm not perfect. I've got flaws and faults. I've got more failures than I can count. But I'm going to do my very best to be a mighty man. I'm not going to be absent for my children. I'm going to be a better husband for my wife. I'm going to be an example for my community.