67°Good Morning
In this photo provided by Religion News Service, Pastor Clint...

In this photo provided by Religion News Service, Pastor Clint Pressley stands for a portrait in his office at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., on July 21, 2024. Credit: AP/Yonat Shimron

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (RNS) — As he stepped up into the old-fashioned wooden pulpit on a recent Sunday, Pastor Clint Pressley wasted no time.

After quickly thanking the student discipleship minister who had brought many of the church’s Camp Paradise teens to the 11 a.m. service at his church, Hickory Grove Baptist, Pressley turned to the task at hand.

“Mark chapter 14,” he intoned in his Southern drawl. “If you’re a guest with us, we read the Bible and then we just talk about the Bible. You’re gonna find it feels a lot like a Bible study. Mark 14 starting in verse one …”

After relating the first 10 verses that tell the story of the woman who anoints Jesus with a bottle of expensive perfume, he drives home the passage’s lesson with a series of questions: “You have one life to live,” he said. “Pour it out. Have you done what you could? What’s holding you back? I want your life to be all-out devotion to God.”

This was Pressley’s third sermon of the day. He preached the 8 a.m. service, drove 13 miles to the church’s second campus to preach the 10 a.m. service, and then drove back to the main campus for the 11 a.m. service.

___

This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story.

In this photo provided by Religion News Service, Pastor Clint...

In this photo provided by Religion News Service, Pastor Clint Pressley greets worshippers after a service at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., on July 21, 2024. Credit: AP/Yonat Shimron

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Credit: Newsday

      Trump's megabill passes the House ... How the 'Big Beautiful Bill' could affect LIers ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV

      Video Player is loading.
      Current Time 0:00
      Duration 0:00
      Loaded: 0%
      Stream Type LIVE
      Remaining Time 0:00
       
      1x
        • Chapters
        • descriptions off, selected
        • captions off, selected
          Credit: Newsday

          Trump's megabill passes the House ... How the 'Big Beautiful Bill' could affect LIers ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV

          4th OF JULY

          25¢

          for 6 MONTHS

          Choose your deal >>

          Cancel anytime - New subscribers only