Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

I was talking with a preacher one day, and he mentioned the bucket committee. I said, “The bucket committee? I’ve been in Baptist churches for 25 years. I think we’ve got every committee you could possibly have. We’ve got 28 standing committees, three sitting committees, two lying committees, and one dead committee. Surely there are not anymore...

Last week I read A Short History of the Baptists by H. C. Vedder. In the book he told of a pioneer Baptist preacher who came into the wilderness of East Texas down around Nacogdoches before this land was ever settled country. Here is what that pioneer said about his life: “Every day I travel, I have to swim through creeks or swamps, and I am wet from head to fee...

One of the tragedies of people being cold and indifferent spiritually is that they spread their spirit everywhere and to everyone. Let me illustrate. I was talking with a fellow pastor one day and he mentioned a “bucket committee” in his church. I replied, “Bucket committee? I have never heard of such a thing. I thought our church had every committe...

There are many people who see no need of going to church. They say, “I can be just as good a Christian by staying home, so why attend? This question deserves an answer and I have it.  First: We should go to church to worship God. This is by far is the most important reason for church attendance. We do not go to church just to hear a sermon or to see o...

Years ago, Milton Jowers, Athletic Director of Texas State University and one of the winningest football and basketball coaches in America became a Christian. When he came forward to confess his faith in Christ he said to me, “Preacher, don’t put me on the bench. I want to get in the game.” Some Christians have been sitting on the bench so long that...

You are one in a million so why bother to vote, to speak up, to get involved, or to commit yourself? The German author Hans Habe tells us why. He said, “The world is one percent good, one percent bad, and 98 percent neutral. That’s why what individuals do is so important.” The tragedy of our world is neutrality. Most people want to play it safe. The...

The outstanding Christian author, John Powell, related this account of his father’s death. He was weeping in the hospital and one of the nurses tried to console him. He explained to her, “I’m not weeping because my father died (the man was in great pain and death was a release). I cry because he never told me he loved me.” It’s too late...

Dan Bagby, a fellow pastor, once asked his seven-year-old daughter what she wanted to be when she grew up. That’s a hard question for a seven-year-old to answer. Her answer was even more surprising. She said, “I want to be like my brother.”  He was fourteen at the time. Then she added a word that Bagby didn't even know she knew: “...medioc...

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures mor...