Pilgrim Rest Church
Jackson, Tennessee 38301
[731] 616-3481

• Education: I am a 1998 honors graduate of North Side High School; I attended Middle Tennessee State University and Union University and am currently one semester from receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I am a 2007 honors graduate of American Baptist College Satellite in Jackson TN; I intend to go forth and receive my Bachelor’s in Homiletics and / or Divinity Studies.
• Experience: Come the second Sunday in April, I will have been preaching five [5] years. I do not currently possess any pastoral experience, but I have been chief armor bearer to my father ever since I was called into the Gospel ministry.
• Comment to those looking at my sermons: It is my prayer that you will find inspiration and enlightenment in what the Lord has given me to share with you. I am not a professional; sometimes, I don’t even know what it is that I’m doing. All I know is that the Lord has given me the gift of preaching and I want all that would be done to give Him the glory. God bless, and much love!
• Sermon or series that made a difference: I’m not sure; my father’s preaching and counsel have always been invaluable to me. T.D. Jakes’ series, "The Tabernacle Series" and "That’s Just Life" have blessed me both theologically and existentially.
• One of my favorite illustrations: The illustration about the world being torn apart: a rich older man had a son who had died in a car accident. There was to be an estate auction because the son was the father’s only child. The father was so grieved by his son’s death that he died soon after, so everything the father owned was going to the auction block. It was heavily promoted in the papers, and people from all over the countryside came to the auction...if you’ve never heard this story, e-mail me and I’ll be glad to send you the rest of it...it’s very profound to me...
• Family: I am married to the former Angela Diggs Morris and we are the proud parents of three children: Kenneth, Ivry, and Dominique. I have been married for two years and three months. My parents are the Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Rainer of Jackson TN; my father has 28 years of pastoral experience and has been at Pilgrim Rest for 20 years. My mother is the minister of music and we have a wonderful church family at Pilgrim Rest. I have a wonderful baby brother [who is 25 years old] who is one of the "coldest" drummers in Tennessee. My family is one of those you would probably see on television because of the closeness and the love we share for one another.
• What my parents think of my sermons: My dad is a preacher, so he NATURALLY will give me the thumbs up. He’s one of my most staunch supporters just like I’m one of his most staunch supporters. My mom is more objective, but she still is really supportive. I think my mom looks at me really weird because the Lord gave me the gift of preaching, but I haven’t finished college yet...so I guess the look is in amazement because "where is all of this coming from?"
• What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: She doesn’t really talk to me about them. There were two that she commented on that she said that she really liked: "Where WAS Adam?" [Genesis 3], and "Taking A Second Look" [John 20:11-16] I guess I remember those so well because she said that she REALLY ENJOYED them. Other than that, she will tell me how long I stayed up, but that’s about it.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: I was preaching a sermon at my father’s pastorate one day: "How To Make It Through Your Night Seasons", and I received some advice that was less than encouraging [about how I should leave lessons and sermons of that nature to our pastor]. I relayed that information to my father, and he told me honestly: "If it’s in the Word, son, preach it. It doesn’t matter who likes it or who approves of it; if it’s in the Word, preach it." That has to be the best advice I’ve EVER received pertaining to preaching.
• Books that have had an impact: The Word of God, "How To Live Successfully with Screwed Up People" [a must read], and "Preaching Through A Storm".
• Hobbies: Bowling, spending time with family, reading, and listening to Gospel music.
• If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but [He did it] that the world through Him might be saved.
• What I want on my tombstone: "He loved God and his family..."