Getting to Know the Preacher

My Church

I'm a member of New Canaan Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, GA. We are an Independent Baptist Church that loves God, and trys to live for Him the best we know how. My pastor is Michael Soop and he is a great man of God and a wonderful preacher. He is my "Paul". I love my church and can't imagine myself anywhere else. Truely it is the place God has placed me.

My School

I go to the West Lenoir School of Ministry in Lenoir, NC. It is a school for preachers. The founder and president of the school is Bro. James Lockee a great man of God. My homeletics teacher is Bro Alan Carr of Sermonnotebook.org and I can be found often times on his forums. The school is quite a blessing and a place of encouragement

My Experience of Grace and Call to Preach

I was raised in church always knowing Jesus loved me. I always figured I loved him too. But when I was about 10 due to some problems with my mother and the church I attended I had to leave. After that I stopped going to church much and it faded into never.

I knew how to be saved and that sin was wrong, but I didn't realize the exceeding sinfulness of sin. I had to clue as to how depraved I really was. I could have quoted, "for the wages of sin is death," but it never connected that I WAS A SINNER.

My Grandmother asked me to come to church with her one Sunday, and I did. I felt God calling me to preach in that service. But wait! You weren't saved yet, take that up with God. It was out of that call I started to study the scriptures. After reading Christ's Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments. As I looked into the mirror of God's Holy Law, I saw myself as a vile wretch and God as everything. I saw the awefulness of sin and how I was guilty before the thrice Holy God. Not only was I going to die, but I DESERVED TO! I fell to my knees in my upstairs bedroom and wept, asking God to save this old worm.

What the Preacher Believes (Statement of Faith)

About the Scriptures

The bible is the verbally, inspired, inerrant and complete word of God. It was authored by the Holy Ghost through human authors. Though penned by human authors, the superseding of the Holy Ghost insures that every word is the exact word that God inspired. It consists of 66 books and they all are divinely unified having not one single contradiction. As such is the sole authority for the doctrine and the duties for the believers.

I also feel that for the English-speaking world that the Authorized version (KJV) is the best translation, being the most accurate and honest. However, I would not go as far to say that during translation of the KJV that it was re-inspired, but that God overshadowed the translators.

About God

There is one God that exist in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That all are eternal, without beginning and possess the same essence and that all are equally God. God is sovereign and does all things according to the good pleasure of his will.

About Christ

Jesus is completely God, being the eternal Son of God, and completely man. Jesus Christ's birth was miraculous being that is was accomplished by the Holy Spirit overshadowing a virgin. Thus he escaped the corruption of Adam, and he became man in order to redeem his church. He lived a life that he was tempted in every way we are, yet he never sinned once. He died in our place as a substitution for us that we might be reconciled unto God. He was hung on a cross as our vicarious atoning sacrifice. Three days after he was buried he physically resurrected himself conquering death and the grave. Moreover he ascended to the right hand of the Father and now awaits for the time to come in which he will return.

About Man

Man in his state without any grace from God being put forth is as bad off as as he can possible be. He has a depraved nature that is totally contrary to God, and he has not the ability to serve God. He has a need for a new nature which is accomplished through regeneration. Also, man is completely guilty before God deserving eternal damnation.

About Salvation

Salvation is a free gift from God. Because of Man's nature, no on can be saved without a effectual working of the Holy Ghost to overcome our resistance to God. It is all of grace, and no any part is of works, deeds or acts. Salvation is was accomplished in full by Jesus Christ on the cross. It is the grace of God that enables us and grants us faith to believe.