ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2025 ADVANCE NATIONAL COVERAGE: Mississippi Pastor John D. Lockett Sr.’s authorship debut comes amid his wife’s disheartening July 4 death in 2013
Andre Johnson 
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33/NIV)
GOD IS LOVE
For John D. Lockett Sr., it all began to unfold approximately three decades ago.
“God inspired me to write this book over 30 years ago,” Lockett Sr., during an interview with Making Headline News, said, recalling, the memorable developments surrounding his authorship debut. “However, it was only a seed in my spirit.
“At that time, I was a young energetic preacher with a loving wife, just getting started on this journey of discovering true love in its essence. So, this book has evolved over the years. The seed that was planted has become a forest of experiential love that only God can keep you in.”
The book to which Lockett Sr. is alluding is Love Will Cost You Everything, his highly-anticipated written work that, much to his delight, has set off a fervent buzz on various message boards and social media platforms.
BUY AUTHOR LOCKETT’S BOOK: https://www.johndlockett.com/
Lockett Sr.’s Love Will Cost You Everything is scheduled to make its ceremonious release July 31 and is currently available for presale orders via his website at https://www.johndlockett.com/.
As part of Making Headline News’ 2025 Essence Music Festival advance national coverage for “the party with a purpose” event July 3-7 in New Orleans, Lockett Sr. — the Senior Pastor of the BridgePointe Baptist Church in Magee, Mississippi — was rather forthright when explaining why he felt greatly inspired to compose his forthcoming new book.
“The simple answer to why I wrote this book is because I believe the world lied to us,” Lockett Sr. said without hesitation. “The love I discovered in the gospels is not the same as the one I was taught by the world. The love of the gospel is cruciform. It will strip you of your pride, your plan, and your preference for control. It will challenge and change your character, your courage and commitment. But the beauty of the love of the gospel is that it will not leave you the way it finds you. That’s why this book is important.”
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A riveting, spiritually-empowering book that had been in the works for a considerable amount of time, Lockett Sr. said it was after his wife’s passing in 2013 that he began to devote more time to completing his published document, one that figures to be as good as advertised upon his late-July release — or approximately four weeks after the 11th anniversary of his companion’s demise.
“Her death on July 4, 2013 affected me in ways I didn’t understand until many years later,” Lockett Sr. told MHN. “I got married and started a new family. That’s when I began to understand a new version of love that was totally different from what I had previously known. So, I don’t really have a date that I can say I started writing, but I finished it this year.”
Weeks before the official release of Love Will Cost You Everything, Lockett Sr., to his credit, has already become the beneficiary of his share of favorable feedback.
“So far, the feedback has been great,” Lockett Sr. said. “The book has not been released yet. So, we will see how the response will be once it’s released. But judging by the response to the title, I expect something good.”
DISPLAYING AGAPE LOVE
When asked what divine message he aspires to send to his reading audience by way of his new book, Lockett Sr. said:
“The divine message of the book is simple. The genuine love of God is free,” Lockett said. “It comes with no strings attached, and it’s unconditional. However, in order to share that love with others, it will cost us everything. God requires love to carry a cross. He said, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends’ (John15:13). If we want to love in the earth the way God loves, we must be ready to lose everything in the process.”
Lockett’s sophomore written work, he said, is currently in the works.
“I am actually writing my second book as we speak,” Lockett Sr. told MHN. “I discovered that God has a lot to say with my voice, so I’m committed to letting Him us it. I’m sent to lead the hearts of fathers back to their children. Without a doubt, I am called to lead men. But not just lead them anywhere, I’m called to lead men to be vulnerable enough to break, yet strong enough to surrender. When we break and surrender, we discover the love of the gospel.”
BUY AUTHOR LOCKETT’S BOOK: https://www.johndlockett.com/
Continued Lockett Sr.:
“For most of us, love is captivating until it demands a sacrifice. We crave a love that lifts us, but we resist the one that calms us down into humility, surrender, and sacrifice. Genuine love will cost you everything that cannot last but will give you what cannot be lost.”
Well, that’ll surely preach.
For more information on Magee, Mississippi Faith Leader/Author John D. Lockett Sr., to order his book, inquire about a book signing, to schedule him for a public appearance or speaking engagement, call 601-517-0535 or connect with him via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.lockett.525032; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlock2770; Send email to: johnlockett42@icloud.com.
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Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to makingheadlinenews@gmail.com or to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews.
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