ELDER LUCAS

I was raised in my family church Swan Creek United Methodist Church, Aberdeen, MD, where I remained until the age of sixteen.  I learned of God's love for man and I was taught to be good, but never understood the Gospel.  After understanding that Jesus Christ, being God in the flesh, died on the cross for all of my sins, was buried and was raised on the third day, I received Him as my personal Savior.

     After my conversion I joined and regularly attended Shining Star Baptist Church, where I was nurtured in the Word of God.  I learned under the solid biblical teachings of my Pastor James Johnson.  I was also encouraged to listen to radio ministers such as Tony Evans, Charles Stanley, Chuck Swindol, Vernon McGee, and John McArthur.  I also began to attend Baltimore School of the Bible in an effort to learn more of the bible; I had a hunger to know the truth.  My relationship with Jesus began to take shape as I spent a lot of time in prayer and reading the bible.

     I began working with the youth in the church and community, teaching them the Word of God and many gave their lives to Jesus Christ.  I began to feel a burden to share God's Word with everyone I met.  I began writing messages that resulted from my personal study of the Word of God.  I talked to my pastor about my desire to preach the Word of God and to my surprise he was not as excited as I was.  He continued to observe my walk before the Lord and after a few years had gone by, he decided to license me to preach the Gospel.  Ironically my first sermon was delivered in the church  of my youth, Swan Creek United Methodist Church.  My first sermon topic was "I Must Be About My Father's Business".