Daniel Overdorf shares his enthusiasm for training Christian workers and comments on how the church and the college can tap each others’ best to do a better job of equipping Christian leaders. This preaching professor also talks about how preaching has changed—not only for good—and how it needs to change.
See the exclusive interview with Mark Taylor here.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
(from left) Geoff Surratt, Ruth T. Reyes, and David Smith
Geoff Surratt has served on the leadership teams at Seacoast Church and Saddleback Church, and as managing director of Exponential. He is an author of The Multi-Site Church Revolution, The Multi-Site Church Roadtrip, and Ten Stupid Things that Keep Churches from Growing. He now serves as pastor of church planting at Southeast Christian Church in Parker, Colorado, as well as coaching churches and leaders around the country. Geoff lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife, Sherry. Geoff and Sherry have two awesome kids, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and the most beautiful granddaughters on earth.
Geoff’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on defining the basics of following Christ by Andy Stanley, senior pastor, North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia (http://northpoint.org/messages/brand-new/redefining-terms/).
Why Geoff likes this sermon: “It is amazing how much emphasis church leaders put on things Jesus would likely consider minor, and how little emphasis we place on the one thing both Paul and Jesus said is central to the Christian faith. Andy Stanley does a great job refocusing us on the main thing.”
Ruth T. Reyes is professor of music and assistant dean of the School of Communication and Creative Arts at Johnson University Florida. Ruth is a volunteer musician and teacher at Real Life Christian Church, Clermont, Florida. Ruth’s passion is studying the Word of God and investing in young people’s lives.
Ruth’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on relationships by Justin Miller of Real Life Christian Church in Clermont, Florida (http://real.life/watch/subpage/?sid=18&mid=209#.VQrwz05j0q0.mailto).
Why Ruth likes this sermon: “Justin Miller has a way with words that connect and cut right to the core. He explains Scriptures with simple honesty and reconciles its truth with practical suggestions to life. His comments on ‘wives to submit and be the yielding partner so that the husband can reflect Christ and his leadership . . . and that to willingly step down is a high calling’ resonated and convicted this stubborn heart of mine.”
David Smith is the preacher at Moreland (Kentucky) Christian Church. He grew up in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and graduated from Florida Christian College in 1989. Dave has been the preacher at MCC for 23 years. He is married to Jan (Mabry), and they have two children, Ethan and Savanna.
David’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on endurance, by Matt Proctor (www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbRhc1Mbk9w&feature=youtu.be).
Why David likes this sermon: “Matt Proctor preached a sermon . . . at the [2009] NACC (with the theme “Still Amazed”) dealing with endurance when the Christian is going through difficulties.
“I have been preaching for 23 years at a small church in Moreland, Kentucky. In 2009, I almost quit the ministry and everything else in my life. Depression took over and I was done. There were a number of factors that probably led to this state, but I couldn’t ever put my finger on what caused this illness. (I had never gone through anything like this before). Week after week I went through the motions—preaching, visiting, etc.—but I wasn’t really there. I look back and wonder how God kept me going and doing the minimum of what I could get by with, without everyone in our church giving up on me. God, in his grace, is patient and loving indeed.
“Then came the NACC, which I try to attend every year. Thursday night, Matt Proctor preached to me. I don’t think it was coincidental that he was called to preach that particular sermon on that night, in that year. This was the beginning of my healing.
“The rest of the year was not great, but I had bought Matt’s book Finish-Line Faith that had in it a lot of what he said that night. I preached through his book, chapter by chapter [in 2010], and slowly came out of my depression, and God has blessed our little church in a cow pasture and my health ever since.
“I thank you, Matt. We have never met. But someday I will thank you in person. As preachers and teachers, we sometimes never know who is in our audience, and whom we might be encouraging to press on with that finish-line faith.”
Arron Chambers serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Interestingly, this month’s submissions include two sermons delivered at the same church but by different speakers, and two sermons by fathers of the contributors. Enjoy!
Jennifer Farber
Jennifer is executive director of the KORE Foundation. She works with the Small Holder Poultry Project in Haiti and oversees stateside operations.
Jennifer’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on reaching, serving, and helping people to live better lives by Dennis Bratton (Jennifer’s father). This sermon was delivered at Journey Christian Church in Apopka, Florida, on May 15, 2015 (https://youtu.be/avkKNzoKrWA).
Why Jennifer likes this sermon: “Using Scripture, he examined the biblical principles of Christians helping the poor as part of a complete ministry strategy. During the sermon, he referred to a Peruvian proverb, ‘So you say you love the poor? Name them.’ Poverty has real faces and real names.
“He showed a picture of Elicia, one of KORE’s chicken farmers in Haiti, who had just won the ‘fat chicken’ contest. In the picture, tucked in next to Elicia, was her little girl looking up proudly at her mother.
“My dad said, ‘Not only does poverty have a face and a name, but it also has a second generation.’ I love the idea that missions can impact not only this generation but also the next if we focus on sustainable solutions to extreme poverty.”
Bob Gailey
Bob Gailey is the University of Florida Christian Campus House pastor. He is also the husband to Celeste Evans Gailey, avid reader, bicycle rider, triathlete, and servant of Jesus.
Bob’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on being a man of God by John Hampton of Journey Christian Church in Apopka, Florida (https://vimeo.com/40402404).
Why Bob likes this sermon: “This is my favorite sermon on what it means to be a man of God because it straight up challenges men today to move from what is culturally acceptable for a man to what God expects from a man of God.”
Rick Grover
Rick Grover currently serves as lead pastor of East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. E91 is impacting the Greater Indianapolis region through community outreach, discipleship, worship, and prayer. Rick has written numerous articles and is a contributing author of two books: One Church, edited by Glenn Thomas Carson, Douglas A. Foster, and Clinton J. Holloway, and Church Planting from the Ground Up, edited by Tom Jones.
Rick’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on Jesus and the church is by Francis Chan, the former teaching pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, California (http://youtu.be/havd_RVXOEM).
Why Rick likes this sermon: “This sermon spoke truth and grace to me, it was timely, and I personally needed to hear it.”
Kayla Rutherford
As the daughter of a Los Angeles megachurch pastor, Kayla Rutherford grew up witnessing firsthand the passion her father, Dudley Rutherford, has for the Lord and for the great city in which she was raised. At an early age, she too became burdened to serve her community in a way that would greatly and positively influence the culture around her.
Kayla has a heart to communicate the gospel, and has been invited to preach and speak on numerous platforms. She currently serves as campus director at Shepherd Church’s Westside location and is pursuing an MA in ministry from Hope International University.
Kayla’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on being a Christian American. Here is a link to one of my all-time favorite sermons from Pops (a.k.a. Dudley Rutherford; www.liftupjesus.com/shop/cds-and-dvds/will-the-real-america-please-stand-up/).
Why Kayla likes this sermon: “I think this qualifies as the greatest sermon to stir the hearts of Americans to passionately and relentlessly point their country BACK to the living God!”
Arron Chambers serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
____
Marie is an avid reader, running enthusiast, and a passionate pursuer and supporter of Brian Jobe, lead pastor at Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles, Missouri.
Marie’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on what it means to be a temple of the Holy Spirit by John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon (https://vimeo.com/90938239).
Why Marie likes this sermon: “I am very passionate about inspiring others to take responsibility with the temples they have been entrusted with. This sermon clearly lays out the fruitful and freeing life that is possible when we surrender our temples to God’s plan and desires for us. John Mark Comer articulates it in a way that is both convicting and encouraging . . . drawing you in with humor, authenticity, and great truth.”
____
Ian DiOrio became a Christian in his 20s after spending his younger life in the underground music scene in Los Angeles as a DJ. He has served as a teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church, Bakersfield, California, and Eastside Christian Church, Anaheim, California, and currently writes and speaks from Southern California where he is the lead pastor of Yucaipa (California) Christian Church. He was recently featured in Christian Standard as one of the top 40 leaders under 40. His first book, Trivial Pursuits, was published by Baker Books. He is thrilled to be the husband of Julia and the father of Semeia, Asha, and Zion.
Ian’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on forgiveness in an age of revenge. This sermon is by Mike Erre, senior pastor of First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton in California (https://vimeo.com/52340915).
Why Ian likes this sermon: “In the day and age where an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth reigns, Jesus’ call to love our enemies and forgive those wrongs done to us is radically needed. In this sermon, Mike Erre shows how forgiveness is one of the subversive ways we follow Jesus in an age of violence and revenge.”
Arron Chambers serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Daniel Overdorf
Stories abound of preachers and plagiarism.
Some are funny: “When Chuck Swindoll starts preaching better sermons, so will I!” Or, “If I use one source, it’s plagiarism; if I use two sources, it’s research.”
Other stories, though, are heartbreaking. Churches have fired ministers for preaching sermons downloaded from the Internet. Other preachers have kept their jobs but split their churches—half their members not wanting to serve with a leader they feel has broken a bond of trust.
Plagiarism is using someone else’s material without giving credit. And it tempts even the most faithful of us.
The temptation might stem from a lack of confidence—we worry our own creations aren’t good enough.
Or, the temptation might rise from pride—we want our listeners to think we are intelligent, thoughtful, and creative, thus our egos hesitate to credit others when we borrow insightful material.
Some preachers fail to control their schedules, and the nearer Sunday looms, the more the Internet lures with its vast storehouse of sermons.
Others simply choose laziness over diligent study and preparation.
For these reasons and more, plagiarism plagues and weakens today’s pulpit.
Before we cancel our subscriptions to PreachingToday.com, however, or empty our bookshelves of all resources other than our Bibles and notepads, we should acknowledge that the same resources that tempt us to plagiarize can provide valuable insights and guidance that improve our sermons. My spiritual journey and my understanding of Scripture have benefited from numerous others—from Augustine to A.W. Tozer, N.T. Wright, Ben Witherington, Craig Blomberg, and Walter Brueggemann. My approach to preaching—and sometimes to the preaching of particular texts—has benefited from John Chrysostom, Fred Craddock, Haddon Robinson, Timothy Keller, Tom Long, and Bob Russell.
Should I ignore these voices when I prepare a sermon? Should I disregard the insight and wisdom of others who have gone before? Does everything I say in the pulpit have to be completely original?
How do faithful preachers—those who stand before God and their congregations with homiletical integrity—navigate the tricky terrain between research and plagiarism?
Convictions
Certain convictions guide our discussion of research, plagiarism, and the pulpit.
• Convictions about preaching
Preaching involves God speaking his Word through his person to his people.
If this statement is true, then we as preachers must begin by allowing God to speak his Word. Preachers who copy sermons from the Internet or book chapters rob themselves and their listeners of Spirit-led study and saturation of Scripture.
Furthermore, God relates his truth through a particular person—the preacher. God uses the preacher’s own personality, experiences, and voice. God proclaims his truth through Andy Stanley differently than he proclaims his truth through you or me. To stand in the pulpit and simply recite what Stanley preached, therefore, circumvents how God intends to use our voices.
Moreover, we relate God’s truth to a particular people. Tom Long often says to preachers, “You are the only person in the world with one foot in this particular text and one foot in your particular congregation.” A sermon delivered by a different preacher to a different congregation will not communicate as specifically or as effectively as the sermons we prepare for the unique communities where we live, minister, and shepherd.
• Convictions about honesty
If we say something—in the pulpit or in conversation—those listening assume the words are our own unless we tell them otherwise. Therefore, if we repeat something we read or heard elsewhere without attributing that source, we mislead our listeners. We imply the words were our own when they weren’t.
This conviction has nothing to do with copyright laws (“I didn’t sell it or make money off of it”) or even getting permission from the source (“He said I could preach his sermon”). It has to do with honesty before our listeners and honoring the trust they place in us.
Solution
The solution to plagiarism is simple: if we use a direct quote, personal story, or an original idea from someone else, we need to say so. No sin lies in research or in using borrowed ideas. The lapse of integrity rests in a refusal to credit our sources.
If we use particular, uniquely stated words from someone else, we need to give credit. For example, Corrie ten Boom said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” If we use this sentence in a sermon, integrity demands that we preface them with “Corrie ten Boom said . . .”
Also, if we use someone else’s personal story, we need to attribute the story to that person. Perhaps Bill Hybels described a conversation he shared with someone at his gym, and that conversation would provide a helpful illustration for my sermon. Honesty demands that I begin the story, “Bill Hybels tells of a conversation he had . . .”
rather than “When I was at the gym the other day. . . .” Don’t say it happened to you if it didn’t.
Additionally, if we borrow an outline or particular approach to a sermon from another preacher or writer, integrity requires that we give credit. For example, we might say, “In a sermon on this same passage, John Stott offered four insights that will guide our discussion today.” Or, “In one of his books, Will Willimon applied this passage to three arenas of life.”
We do not need references for matters of common knowledge—the distance from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, for example. We do not need citations for sayings that are a part of common vernacular (“Give a man a fish, feed him for a day . . .”),
nor for observations about a text that multiple people might easily make (“The term spirit occurs 16 times in Romans 8”).
In some cases, if the borrowed idea is brief and the source not commonly known, a simple “One scholar noted . . .” can suffice. These simple words tell our listeners the idea is not our own and maintains our integrity before them. People will not think less of us for offering such acknowledgments. In fact, they will likely appreciate that we research.
Suggestions
• First, study the text.
The enticement to plagiarize magnifies when we begin our sermon preparation by reading what others wrote or preached about our text. This approach tempts us to simply use their material instead of grappling with the text ourselves. Wrestle with the text first, define what you believe the text teaches, and consider how you might preach it. Then, affirm your conclusions and spark your sermonic creativity through others’ work.
• Read widely.
Don’t let a fear of plagiarism or a desire for originality prevent you from learning from others. God has blessed the church with insightful scholars, writers, and preachers; learn from them. Let their ideas influence you and your sermons. Just credit them when you use their material.
• Cite, but briefly.
We do not need to give full bibliographic information in our sermons. Instead, a simple “Billy Graham said” or “Frances Chan wrote” usually suffices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t I just cite the source in my notes?
A sermon is an oral event, not a term paper. Therefore, the citation needs to be made orally.
If it’s all for God’s glory, why not use someone else’s material?
When we rely too much on others’ material, we circumvent the work God wants to perform in us and in our particular congregations. Beware, therefore, of overreliance on what others have written or preached. When you believe a few phrases or ideas from someone else will advance what God intends to accomplish in your particular congregation, however, use them. Just credit your sources.
What if I have permission from the preacher/writer?
Permission and citation are separate issues. Permission maintains integrity between the preacher and source. Citation maintains integrity between the preacher and source, and between the preacher and listeners. Remember, people assume our words are our own unless we tell them otherwise. When our words come from others, therefore, we either cite our sources or we deceive our listeners.
Aren’t citations in a sermon cumbersome?
A simple “John Ortberg explained” takes 0.9 seconds (I timed it, and I have a Southern drawl!). Nine-tenths of a second is a small price for trust and integrity.
Preachers, let’s jettison our egos, flush our excuses, and preach with integrity. The honor of the pulpit demands it.
Daniel Overdorf serves as dean of the School of Congregational Ministry and professor of preaching at Johnson University, Knoxville, Tennessee.
________
Jesus ministered in a culture saturated with oral storytelling. Thus, he told stories. He painted verbal pictures of kings and judges, widows and farmers, mustard seeds, wedding parties, rebellious children, and loving fathers. His stories—relevant to his culture both in content and presentation—revealed eternal truth.
Story carries the same power today that it carried in the first century and every century since. Today’s storytellers, however, have additional options for portraying stories. Most notably, they can portray truth on film. An increasing number of preachers use video illustrations in their sermons.
To use video illustrations with integrity, consider:
• We must acquire legal permission before showing clips from copyrighted productions. In other words, I cannot take a DVD of the movie Hoosiers from my shelf and show a clip in a sermon or even to a youth group unless I get legal permission.
• I might think, I bought it, it’s mine; I can show it wherever I want. The reality, however, is I did not buy “it” (e.g., Hoosiers). Hoosiers is owned by a production company. I bought a copy of the movie and the right to show that copy only in private settings, such as my home.
• Services such as Christian Video Licensing International (cvli.com) provide a blanket license that allows churches to show clips from thousands of titles from hundreds of producers. The license requires a fee based on church size. The Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (mplc.org) provides additional options.
• Websites such as wingclips.com, sermonspice.com, and bluefishtv.com provide individual clips for purchase. In these cases, with the purchase comes the legal rights to show the clip.
—Adapted from “Illustrate with Video” in One Year to Better Preaching: Fifty-Two Exercises to Hone Your Skills, by Daniel Overdorf (Kregel Publications, 2013).
By Arron Chambers
Larry and his wife, Teri, are missionaries for Open Door Libraries in Berlin, Germany. He has a Bachelor of Theology in Missions from Ozark Christian College.
Larry’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard on the identity of Jesus is “Was It a Waste?” by Dr. Roger Chambers of Florida Christian College (now Johnson University Florida), available at https://soundcloud.com/larry-lewis-46/rc-was-it-a-waste. (Roger Chambers is Larry’s uncle and this columnist’s father.)
Why Larry likes this sermon: “This sermon changed my life. I first heard it about 15 years ago while editing tape files of Uncle Roger’s old sermons. It is an exposition of John 12 and the story of Mary anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. This sermon uses a combination of deep biblical insight, real-world application and illustrations, and solid background study challenging the listener to use logic and rational thought to consider their response to the most basic and important question in history: Jesus of Nazareth, what think ye of him? I have preached this sermon in various forms in the U.S. and here in Europe.”
Gerrard Fess is originally from Selkirk, Ontario, Canada. He serves as preacher at Bonnie Brae Church of Christ in Henrico, Virginia. He is a graduate of Mid-Atlantic Christian University. He married his college sweetheart, Valerie, and is the father of Kendra, Nicole, and Brian.
Gerrard’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard on not giving up is “Why I Won’t Quit” by E.V. Hill, longtime preacher of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California, who died in 2003 (available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdMqHovP-s8).
Why Gerrard liked this sermon: “It was and is a challenge to believers not to give up in the midst of trials. We need people to carry on in the ministry.” The sermon is inspiring for those “first starting out in ministry and [is] a good reminder for those in the midst of the work in the trenches.”
Bob Blanshan is the fourth of nine kids raised just six miles from the Canadian border in Warroad, Minnesota, where his parents were planting a church. He now serves much farther south as the children and family minister at Forest Park Church of Christ in Crowley, Louisiana. He is the proud husband of Sarah, and father of two little girls, Bethel and Eden. Bob grew up listening to great preaching and knowing many faithful preachers.
Bob’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve ever heard on the church is “Why I Love the Church” by Bob Russell, former pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. The sermon is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1u8DfUFirI.
Why Bob likes this sermon: “It seems that Jesus is ‘in,’ but the church is not. In this sermon, Bob Russell calmly and candidly reminds us that Christ loves his bride, and tells us why we should too. It is a message that is both encouraging and convicting. And, as we all know, Bob Russell is always good.”
Matt Summers is lead pastor/planter of Crossroads Christian Church in Joliet, Illinois, a multiethnic, urban church that’s grown from 30 people to 850 people in weekend attendance the past eight years. Matt is married to Janice and has four kids.
Matt’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve ever heard on men’s issues/struggles is SAMSON (actually the whole series) by Craig Groeschel, pastor for LifeChurch.tv (www.lifechurch.tv/watch/samson-2012/).
Why Matt likes this sermon: “I love this series because it challenges men to be leaders in their homes, to find freedom from their failures, and to address the struggles in their lives that are common to men.”
Arron Chambers serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Jeff Walling
Someone asked me why I like using hip-hop poetry, sometimes called “spoken word,” as sermon illustrations.
I answered, simply, “Because God is a hip-hop artist.”
Before you brand me a heretic, consider this: God is the original spoken word artist. From the first introduction of God in the Scriptures, the creator of all things seems to love using words to create art.
He could have made the universe with a snap of his fingers or a nod of his head, but instead he spoke it into existence. And it’s not just any words he prefers, but poetic and rhythmic words. From the poetry of the creation account to the beauty of the Psalms, from the oracles of the prophets to the rhythm of the Beatitudes, God employed powerful, poetic language to communicate to his children.
If you were at the North American Christian Convention this year, you got to experience the power of spoken word poetry in the main sessions and the student conference. Three different spoken word artists challenged and moved us to speak out for God. For those unfamiliar with this style of poetic presentation, a little history may help.
David Bowden (pictured), along with Taylor Walling and Phil Allen, challenged and moved NACC attendees to speak out for God.
Gutsy Poetry
The mix of creative prose and passionate rhythm is not new. The Harlem Renaissance writers of the 1930s and the West Coast beatnik poets of the 1950s helped give birth to a style of poetic prose recitation that was rougher and more gutsy than the gentle poetry of prior generations. These same influences were the roots of rap and, in the last 25 years, something known as a slam—a live and engaging poetry competition that had a huge grassroots following and became a style all its own called “spoken word.”
Instead of applause, attendees at spoken word performances snap their fingers in approval as the poet performs. (Trust me, this is cool.) In the last decade, spoken word artists have performed at TED events and alongside symphonies, and even taken part in Olympic opening ceremonies.
As this art form found its way into churches and youth events in recent years, spoken word artists introduced Christians to a more prophetic and challenging kind of poetry than the soothing verses most preachers read in those “three points and a poem” moments.
Because it is performed rather than simply read, spoken word poetry tends to demonstrate a heavy use of rhythm, improvisation, free association, and word play. It’s made for the stage, not the page. This is poetry to rattle your brain and get your heart pumping. Some find it reminiscent of the preaching found in many African-American churches. Not surprisingly, it is the style of choice for many young people who feel marginalized or disenfranchised, and it is frequently heard in younger, urban churches.
Cry of Truth
But spoken word is not just an ethnic or urban artifact. It is the cry of truth being spoken to power. It is the impassioned voice of the modern prophet challenging the status quo in a style that makes the intended target smile, in spite of ourselves. It lifts our spirits even as it kicks our rear, just like a good revival sermon.
Spoken word pieces can be shared via video or performed live. They can open a worship service, set up the teaching time, or send a congregation out with a unique challenge.
From my experience, there are a couple of things you will notice if you use a spoken word piece in a service. First, people will pay attention! There is something to the power of well-presented spoken word that touches us in a different way from prose. These poems are at once calculated and off the cuff, scripted, and free flowing.
Second, your younger attenders will lean in. Spoken word is both current and ancient, and your youth will thank you for including it in a worship assembly.
Finally, it will be remembered. As a preacher, I must admit to being bothered by the fact that my 30-minute lesson, over which I labored so long, will not be remembered as much as the three-minute spoken word piece that is powerfully and passionately delivered. Spoken word poetry is like an ocean wave: you’ve got to see it in action to hear its roar and feel its force.
So take a look at these clips from the NACC (www.gotonacc.org/spoken-word) and consider bringing the prophetic voice of spoken word artistry to your congregation. And be ready to snap your amen!
Jeff Walling serves as director of the Youth Leadership Initiative at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
By Rick Chromey
Everything about church these days is different from what it was less than a generation ago. Everything but the sermon, that is. How can we change our approach to preaching in order to reach people receiving information today as never before?
“No one . . . pour[s] new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:16, 17).
Few things in life are sacred, and fewer still are eternal. Wineskins come and go, but only God’s Word is alive and active.
For the past 50 years the American church witnessed revolutionary change. Nearly every facet of church practice was rearranged in order to remain culturally relevant. Hymnals, pews, and pulpits are mostly history. The organist is a dying breed. Sunday night church, two-week VBS, cantatas, revivals, and other programming staples are largely gone.
Preaching is about the only thing that has survived.
The Sunday sermon remains a staple, though with more visual punch, thanks to PowerPoint and video clips. Nevertheless, sermons also have evolved. Sermons changed to match 60- to 75-minute service formats and shorter attention spans. Preachers routinely use relevant illustrations to build communication bridges. And yet most Bible college-trained preachers are still taught the same homiletical strategies as preachers in the 1970s and ’80s. “Expository preaching never goes out of style,” I heard one preaching professor proclaim.
And he’s probably right.
I think there’ll always be a place for solid hermeneutics and exposition of the Scriptures. But that’s nothing new. The apostle Paul exegeted and “exposed” the word to his audiences, as did great orators throughout the church age, from Tertullian to Origen to John Hus.
But Martin Luther did something different with the homily during the Reformation. Luther reimagined the Protestant worship service around a spiritual lecture rather than using the briefer homily (in Catholic and Orthodox traditions) to point to the Eucharist. As time passed, preaching evolved to reflect the Enlightenment and scientific and industrial ages, incorporating logic, reason, apologetics, hermeneutics, points, principles, time lines, and inductive/deductive methodology. My homiletics professor quipped that a good sermon was “a joke, three points, and a poem.”
And for 500 years these mechanistic models worked marvelously.
The problem is postmodern audiences (born since 1960) suggest this old sermon wineskin no longer holds water. Evidence continues to mount, both statistical and anecdotal, to prove Sunday morning worship services fail to attract younger generations. It’s more than cosmetic and cannot be fixed by changing a song or lighting schemes, adding video screens, or upgrading to a band.
In his book Church Refugees, sociologist Josh Packard reveals how a new religious demographic is emerging known as the “dones.” Largely Gen X-driven, this cohort stayed with the church through all the changes, but is now losing interest in the “church show.” Many of them are former ministry leaders. Packard also shows there’s an inner cohort known as the “almost dones,” ripe for exodus. His study concludes there are millions of American Christians who can be classified as “nones” (largely the millennial generation), “dones,” and “almost dones.”1
Essentially that leaves mostly graying (and dying) boomers to fill our church buildings.
I’ve interacted with dozens of individuals who fit Packard’s demographic. In general, I hear a postmodern generation hungry for God, attracted to the teachings of Christ and biblical theology, and yet, largely disinterested in going to church. Some have been hurt deeply. Others feel judged. Still others are bored. We can debate their spirituality and superficiality, but it changes nothing. These people are voting with their feet.
They simply find church and the overall message irrelevant.
When I ask postmodern Christians to suggest changes for their church, I’m surprised how many suggestions relate to the sermon. The preacher talks too long. It’s one man’s opinion. It’s boring. It’s too academic or too shallow. It’s not practical to me. It doesn’t relate to my world. Ironically, most complaints speak to communication style as much as substance. It’s old wine in a new wineskin world. Even politics and education now recognize lengthy speeches and professorial lectures fail to tickle postmodern ears. The times have changed.
A Starbucks Culture
I live in the great Northwest, where fewer than 10 percent of people regularly attend church. And demographers predict the same sad number will soon come to a community near you. And yet Northwesterners remain wildly interested in spiritual things, including authentic Christianity. Popular Seattle sporting goods store REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) bills itself as a “retail co-op” that inspires, educates, and outfits its “members” for a “lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship.”2
Sounds like church, doesn’t it?
Exactly.
Starbucks is another Seattle-based company with a mission “to inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” This coffee shop doesn’t sell just coffee, but conversations, community, and even courage.3 How many churches could say that?4
Perhaps the underlying problem isn’t just how we worship, but also how God’s Word is communicated. Maybe we need to brew a more culturally relevant coffee (Sunday message) that’s divine to the last drop.
Those who argue against cultural relevance miss the point. Cultural relevance isn’t sinful.5 Jesus used parables—a culturally relevant teaching strategy—to communicate. Paul visited Athenian idols and quoted pagan poets. Stained-glass windows, steeples, hymns, pianos, and foyers were all ecclesiastical attempts to be culturally relevant.
A New Wineskin
In my book Sermons Reimagined, I outline a comprehensive new paradigm for preaching in a fluid, postmodern world. I’ve now been preaching “reimagined” messages for a few years to audiences (of all ages) with great success. I believe tomorrow’s sermon will look vastly different from today’s Sunday lecture. Specifically, it’ll probably be briefer and more interactive, experiential, and image-driven.
Brief!
In a YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook culture, brevity wins. Only the fervent fan will watch longer than five minutes, read more than 500 words, or consume large chunks of information. Today’s preacher must learn to say more with less or communicate deep and fast. The postmodern’s attention span is under 10 minutes.
If you’re looking for a model, I suggest TED Talks.6 These insightful, idea-packed mini seminars are popular, and few last longer than 10 minutes! Most viral YouTube videos are shorter than 4 minutes. The micro-commercial (5-15 seconds) is common. Sermons need to abbreviate without losing substance.
Interactive!
Conversation is the missing link between modern and postmodern communication. Everybody’s talking in a cyber culture. Nobody’s talking, save a few, in church. A growing element of postmodern communication is intentional interactivity. Postmoderns want to talk about their faith. Can I get a testimony?
We witness interactivity and participation in 1 Corinthians 14:26: “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up” (author emphasis). Church was for everyone to participate, not just a few on stage.
Interactive sermons are gaining popularity, using small groups to discuss message content. Preachers are guides from the side, not sages from the stage.
Experiential!
A postmodern culture accepts experienced truth.
Faith is often pragmatic, and authentic Christianity is experiential. Ironically, many churches today overlook experiential opportunities out of convenience. The Lord’s Supper is experiential. Offering is experiential. Worship can be experiential. And the sermon can be experiential, as well.
Experiential communication simply attaches sensory strategies to the message. Jesus as the bread of life becomes dynamic with freshly baked bread. The armor of God makes sense with real soldiers. The kingdom is like a motorcycle gang. Sin feels like weights. Does your message smell or taste? That’s experiential!
Image-Driven!
If a picture communicates a thousand words, then why say a thousand words when one photo suffices? Television technology changed the rules. The world is now small. We live in a screen world. Our phones are portals to everywhere.
Many preachers think image-driven is a PowerPoint stuffed with words and a small picture. Not true! To be image-driven is to broadcast every message through a visual metaphor. Jesus pointed to pearls, soil, and nets. James pointed to rudders, fires, and bits. John pointed to seas, dragons, and horses. That’s POWER point. Metaphors speak loud.
And moving images shout louder.
I don’t use popular movie clips to be hip, but to create interest and retention. A preacher recently employed an old electronic football game to illustrate the difference between the old and new covenants. I remember little else of what he said, but I can still exegete that image and remember his point.
Starbucks understands coffee is cheap, but argues meaningful conversations that change lives (around a cup of joe) are priceless. Postmodern generations thirst for the real thing. They hunger for an authentic Christianity. They long for sermons to speak deep, create friendships, and produce life applications.
Maybe it’s time we preached . . . for a change.
Sermons Reimagined includes dozens of ideas and additional insight into crafting interactive, experiential, and image-driven messages. It’s available for order through Group Publishing, Amazon, or your local Christian bookstore.
________
1Learn more about “theDones” at www.thedones.com/.
2Learn more about REI’s philosophy at www.rei.com/about-rei/business.html.
3More information about Starbucks’ mission and values are available at www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement.
4Some churches try to act like Starbucks and fail. Check out the insightful YouTube video “What If Starbucks Marketed Like a Church? A Parable” at www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_dZTrjw9I.
5Cultural relevance is simply a communications term. What is condemned is cultural idolatry. For example, PowerPoint is merely a communications tool. It’s not an idol. Nobody is worshipping PowerPoint.
6View a TED Talk at www.ted.com.
Rick Chromey is a leadership consultant, author, and 30-year ministry veteran. His website is www.rickchromey.com.
By Al Serhal
Years ago I saw an old interview with legendary actor James Cagney. He was asked his best advice for aspiring young actors. His answer really stuck with me. He said, “Learn your lines . . . plant your feet . . . look the other
actor in the eye . . . say the words . . . mean them.”
Cagney’s advice for actors is actually good advice for preachers, too!
Learn your lines.
Know your message! Read through it and preach it aloud several times before actually bringing it to the pulpit on Sunday. Some have found it beneficial to preach through their sermon from the stage to an empty auditorium on Friday or Saturday. Billy Graham was known to preach to the trees in the woods in preparation for his sermon.
Practicing your sermon out loud helps you clarify your central theme (your message!). It allows you to hear what you are saying, enables you to clarify your proofs (points), and feel the flow and drama of your message. Sometimes words and thoughts seem organized on paper but do not not carry over to the preaching event.
Practicing your sermon allows you to cut wasted words and time, trimming the fat from the message to optimize your time. It also frees you from your notes or manuscript. You will be amazed at how much more comfortable you will be in the pulpit (and with your notes) once you have verbally run through it two or even three times.
Plant your feet.
Literally do this! Make a deliberate effort to feel the bottoms of your feet on the stage floor. You might be surprised at the difference it will make. Fidgeting and rocking back and forth on the stage is a distracting habit. Take a deep breath and firmly plant your feet!
Look the audience in the eye.
This does not come naturally for many of us. We find it less intimidating to just gaze and glaze over the heads of the congregation. However, make the effort to look them in the eye! To deny people the eyes of their preacher is to deny them the heart of their preacher.
In Between Two Worlds, John Stott instructed, “Look at your people face to face, eyeball to eyeball. Always talk to people. Never merely spray the building with words.”1
Say the Words.
Enunciate! Articulate! Project! Speak from the diaphragm! Projecting your voice requires considerable effort and energy. When executed correctly, your voice will sound natural yet powerful. Remember, “Peter stood up . . . raised his voice and addressed the crowd” (Acts 2:14). Say the words!
Mean the Words.
The two things your listeners are looking for are conviction and intensity. We all want to hear a speaker who believes what he says and says it with intensity. As Paul said, “Our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
A sermon should move from the book to the head, through the heart, and then should be proclaimed to a congregation. In this age of downloadable Internet sermons, it is easy to bypass the heart. We speak the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11), but they must be in OUR words! Mean the words! As Warren Wiersbe put it, “The faithful preacher will milk a great many cows, but he will make his own butter.”2
In his lectures on preaching, G. Campbell Morgan said, “The three essentials of a sermon are truth, clarity and passion.” Campbell went on to tell the story of the great English actor William Macready. A preacher once asked Macready how he could draw such crowds by presenting fiction, while the preacher was preaching the truth and not getting any crowd at all. “Quite simple,” replied the actor. “I can tell you the difference between us. I present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.”
If one truly believes what he does is of the utmost importance, then it is worthy of our best efforts, which includes preparation. Should we not give as much effort to the task of preaching as an actor on stage?
________
1John Stott, Between Two Worlds (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982), 252.
2Warren Wiersbe and David Wiersbe, The Elements of Preaching (Carol Stream: Tyndale House, 1986), 48.
Al Serhal serves as executive director with Hippo Valley Christian Mission in Zimbabwe. HVCM has 27 mission schools that more than 17,000 children attend.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Tim Mitchell
Tim Mitchell graduated from Central Christian College of the Bible, Moberly, Missouri, in 2006. He serves as preaching minister of Bucklin Christian Church in Bucklin, Missouri, where he lives with his wife, Jenna, and their daughters, Diana and Zelda.
Tim’s Best Sermon: The best funeral sermon I’ve ever heard is by Dr. E.V. Hill, longtime preacher of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California, who died in 2003. You can listen to the entire message at www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_CDtEERSiE&feature=youtu.be.
Why Tim likes this sermon: “When I was 17, my best friend, Josh Furnal, sat me down in my parents’ living room and told me I needed to listen to this sermon on cassette tape. I wasn’t in the habit of listening to sermons at all at that age, but Josh talked me into it.
“Dr. Hill’s sermon is heart wrenching, somber, funny at times, and ultimately challenging to my faith. He asks and answers the hardest question humanity can ask of God: When God takes away, can we still trust him and bless his name?
“Before I heard this sermon, I never seriously considered the possibility of becoming a minister. But this sermon planted a spiritual seed in me that many elders, professors, friends, and family members watered so God would grow me into the minister I am today.”
Charlie Crowe
Charlie Crowe was born into and raised in a Christian home, the son of a Christian church preacher. He has served as a church planter and preacher, and currently serves as vice president and senior consultant for Coleman Stewardship Services. His first book, Growing Up in the Shadow of the Proverbs was scheduled for release in the fall. He is married to Lorie and father of four children and two grandchildren.
Charlie’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on evil and the sovereignty of God is by Ravi Zacharias; it’s available in four parts at http://rzim.org/just-thinking-broadcasts/the-mystery-of-evil-and-the-sovereignty-of-good-part-1.
Why Charlie likes this sermon: “The church today faces tremendous challenges on a number of ethical hot-button issues. Without a solid understanding of good and evil, there is the temptation to allow the church’s moral pronouncements to pass into little more than social custom. Ravi demonstrates that in order to understand and effectively answer the challenge of evil, the church must understand the nature of good and the nature of God.”
Matthew Sullivan
Matthew grew up in a preacher’s home. His dad held ministries with GTO Evangelism, Person to Person Ministries, and served churches in Mississippi, Indiana, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Matthew is a 1994 graduate of Johnson University (formerly Johnson Bible College) in Knoxville, Tennessee. He earned his MDiv from Lincoln (Illinois) Christian Seminary in 2006. He has preached at the Shoals (Indiana) Christian Church since 2002 and was professor of preaching and New Testament at Louisville (Kentucky) Bible College for eight years.
Matthew and his wife, Tina, have been married for 23 years and have four sons: Jonathan (16), Robert (13), Isaiah (5), and Josiah (3).
Matthew’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve ever heard on overcoming consumerism is by Chuck Sackett, senior minister of Madison Park Christian Church in Quincy, Illinois. He is also professor of preaching at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian Seminary. It is available at http://sermons.madisonparkchurch.com/805-overcoming-consumerism-i-deserve-to-choose.htm.
Why Matthew likes this sermon: “This sermon challenged me at a time in my life when we were expecting our fourth child. We were talking about adding on and all the things we needed. It was also the Christmas season, so my wife, Tina, and I were saving for Christmas presents. This sermon challenged me to reevaluate how we spent our money and how to best use our resources to the glory of God and the furtherance of his kingdom. Very convicting and needed in this day and age.”
Arron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Ryland Brown
Ryland Brown serves as preaching minister with Little Rock Church in Arkansas. He is the author of three books and lives outside of Little Rock with his wife and two children. Along with his ministry in the church, he has been given opportunities to speak on death and dying to medical professionals, church groups, and has done training for a local hospice.
Ryland’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard is “The God Who Speaks” by Mark Dever, senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. The sermon is available at www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/god-who-speaks/.
Why Ryland likes this sermon: “Mark Dever explores, through the amazing visions found in Ezekiel 1, the concept that preaching is not rooted in a cultural expression of a historical context, but rather in God speaking to us, showing us who he is. One of the great gifts God has given us is to know him and to hear from him.”
Christopher Kerr
Years after becoming a Christian in his late teens, Christopher Kerr served as minister at Jackson Christian Church, a small, rural congregation south of Atlanta. A graduate of Point University (formerly Atlanta Christian College), Christopher occasionally blogs at www.semitheologian.com, sharing his thoughts on God, ministry, and everyday life.
Christopher’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on creating a gospel centered ministry is by Timothy Keller, senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. The sermon is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bEzekmL3S4.
Why Christopher likes this sermon: “Gospel sermons are traditionally evangelistic, whereas this message is much more instructional, delivered in Keller’s always thoughtful and intellectual approach. In this unique sermon delivered to a Gospel Coalition audience, Keller breaks down 1 Peter 1 and 2 to describe the gospel in seven different ways, all of which can guide us to a better understanding of the good news.”
Matt Summers
Matt Summers is lead pastor/planter of Crossroads Christian Church in Joliet, Illinois, a multiethnic, urban church that’s grown from 30 people to 850 people in weekend attendance the past eight years. Matt is married to Janice and has four kids.
Matt’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve ever heard on men’s issues and struggles is “Samson” (actually the whole series) by Craig Groeschel, pastor for LifeChurch.tv. The series of sermons is available at www.lifechurch.tv/watch/samson-2012.
Why Matt likes this sermon series: “I love this series because it challenges men to be leaders in their homes, to find freedom from their failures, and to address the struggles in their lives that are common to men.”
Cash Hunter
Cash Hunter is the children’s minister at Fayetteville (North Carolina) Christian Church. Cash is married to Kristy. He is a cat guy. The couple has two of them, but he balances his love for cats with his love for anything involving Florida State University.
Cash’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on parenting, legacy, and losing your marbles was delivered by Reggie Joiner at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. It is available at https://vimeo.com/94796864. (Reggie, by the way, is founder and CEO of reThink Group; check out its resources at www.whatisorange.org.)
Why Cash likes this sermon: “Reggie nails it with the illustration of marbles and the idea of every time a week passes one less marble is in our jar. He shares, “When you see how much time you have left, you tend to get serious about the time you have now.” Reggie reminds us that our time is limited and even men of faith from Scriptures knew this. Moses said in Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Cash says, “I think this is a message every leader and every parent needs to see, for our time with our children is limited.”
Arron Chambers, a Christian Standard contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Titus Benton
Titus Benton is a student pastor at Current—A Christian Church in Katy, Texas, as well as the executive director of The 25 Group, a nonprofit he and his wife started in 2014. His life’s mission is to preach, write, and give for the glory of Jesus.
And bacon. His life also revolves around bacon.
Titus’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on sacrifice was by David Platt, preacher at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. It is available at www.radical.net/resources/sermons/the-gospel-demands-radical-sacrifice.
Why Titus likes this sermon: “In a sermon going on eight years old, David Platt’s plea for sacrificial living is just as timely as ever. Most researchers are predicting a season where nominal American Christians will put up or shut up. This sermon challenges the status quo. It asks plainly: ‘Are you in or are you out, because the time for line-straddling is over.’ It profoundly affected my life, and is the best message on the subject of sacrificial living I’ve ever heard.”
Ross Runnels
Ross Runnels is married to Tina and they have two girls and a boy. He is a graduate of Florida Christian College. He has served as lead pastor with Canoe Creek Christian Church in St. Cloud, Florida, for the past 12 years. He is an awesome surfer (in his own mind).
Ross’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I have ever heard preached on hope is by Kyle Idleman of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. It is available at www.southeastchristian.org/sermons/this-is-where-it-s-at-a-study-of-romans/hope-or-despair/.
Why Ross likes this sermon: “We hear of so much tension, ignorance, and hurt all around us, and so it is great to remember the hope we have in Jesus. Kyle uses some simple but powerful illustrations to help the listener imagine his present sufferings as insignificant in comparison with the hope of Heaven.”
Leigh-Angela Holbrook
Leigh-Angela Holbrook has been active in women’s, youth, and worship ministries for 30 years. She’s a popular speaker, worship leader, and life coach. She’s married to Jeff, a FedEx pilot, and they live in Memphis, Tennessee, and attend Grace Crossing Church.
Leigh-Angela’s Best Sermon: My favorite online sermon is called “Why This Waste?” by the late Dr. Roger Chambers (my father). It is available at www.faithfulpreaching.com/RC1094_Why_This_Waste__3-13-1988.mp3.
Why Leigh-Angela likes this sermon: “It is the best sermon I’ve ever heard to challenge people to commit to the work of ministry. Every time I hear it, I want to walk down the aisle and commit my life to serving all over again! I don’t know about you, but I need that . . . when I grow weary in well-doing . . . when I’m asked to teach, again . . . every Saturday night . . . when ministry is so discouraging. This reminds me why I do it. Ironically, he spoke these words just a few months before he went home to be with the Lord. Awesome.”
Bobby Wallace
Bobby Wallace has served in ministry for 15 years and is amazed by what God can do with a nobody. He is concluding a time as preaching minister with Plymouth (North Carolina) Church of Christ. He has been called to plant a church in Knightdale, North Carolina, in the Greater Raleigh area. He is married to Shari and the dad of three boys and one girl.
Bobby’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on purpose and impact is “Ripples” by Mike Breaux, available at https://vimeo.com/19154506.
Why Bobby likes this sermon: “I first heard a version of this message by Mike Breaux when I was in Bible college. It helped me see clearly, maybe for the first time, what difference one life can make in the hands of the Father.”
Darrel Land
Darrel Land is a Christ follower, husband to Holli, and father of two children, Livia (12) and Jace (8). Darrel is founding and senior minister of the Christian Church of Jasper in Jasper, Indiana.
Darrel’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I have ever heard preached on raising up preachers for the next generation was by Matt Proctor, president of Ozark Christian College. Watch the sermon at www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcA7JyVliJc.
Why Darrel likes this sermon: “Anyone who hears this sermon will be inspired, moved, and motivated about doing your part in raising up kingdom workers and preachers of the Word for the next generation. Not only was this message powerful, but it also gave practical ways we could all contribute to the effort.”
Arron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Jennifer Johnson
You may be attending a Bible college, a Christian college, or a Christian university. That school may be affiliated with the Restoration Movement, with a mainline denomination, or with no particular group at all. And you may dream of someday serving as a preacher, a youth pastor, or a worship leader.
No matter where you are in school, no matter what your background, and no matter what your dream, consider this letter my virtual attempt to shove all five feet and two inches of myself in your face (or your shoulder) and demand you stop saying things like this:
• “I don’t know why I have to take an English class. I’m never going to use this.”
• “I just want to PREACH. We should only be studying the BIBLE.”
• “What is the point of writing all these essays? What a waste of time.”
You’re 20, so I get it. You know almost everything. But listen—I can think of at least five reasons why that English class may be one of the most useful classes you take.
1. You’re going to be a preacher. You’re going to be COMMUNICATING.
It’s called “writing a sermon” because before you get to stand up and preach, you must first do the hard work of sitting in a quiet room and thinking and then organizing those thoughts. That may be a manuscript or it may be an outline, but if you are going to instruct others on the Word of God, you had better get really good at working with words yourself. Studying how others have handled language well will help you handle the sword of truth more skillfully.
2. You’re not going to be a preacher. You’re still going to be communicating.
Even if you do not make your living by writing and speaking, you will do lots of both in your ministry career. From composing e-mails to designing fliers (because I know it’s unbelievable, but some of you will end up at smaller churches without a communications team), you will need to share your ideas on a daily basis. Why not improve those skills now before you look stupid in front of adults who’ve already mastered them?
3. Ministry is about people. So is literature.
We read great books, plays, and poetry because they give us new insights into the human condition, about what it means to be a person created in the image of God and broken by a fallen world. It doesn’t really matter whether the author is a Christian (unless you’re talking about Christian fiction—stay away from that stuff), what matters is choosing good books and reading them thoughtfully. Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene—these and many more will give you new insights into human nature and faith—and raise some challenging questions, as well.
4. You’re going to be leading people who read.
I know, it’s crazy, but some of the people in your church (and some of those outside your church you want to win for Christ!) will have interests beyond Netflix. They will be reading magazines, long-form online essays, old classics in leather, and new best sellers on a Kindle—and they’ll expect you to be engaging with the same types of material.
5. You’re going to need sermon illustrations.
Enough said.
I understand English may not be your favorite class, and that you won’t “like” every assignment. Get over it, and learn to appreciate every piece—if not for its own merit, then for the way reading it can develop your work ethic and spiritual formation. Stop questioning whether these classes are useful for ministry when you’ve barely done ministry, and consider that your professors—most of whom have been in the trenches for decades—might know a bit more than you about what you need.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
TRACEY D. LAWRENCE
Tracey D. Lawrence is an author and professor. She has written for Chuck Colson’s BreakPoint, the Wilberforce Forum, Promise Keepers, Sheila Walsh, Rebecca St. James, and others. She holds a BS in Christian education and an MA in church history and theology. Her book written with Eric Irivuzumugabe, My Father, Maker of the Trees, a memoir of the Rwandan genocide, was featured on The New York Times best-seller list. Tracey serves as a professor of biblical studies at Colorado Christian University. Her website is www.scribeink.net.
Tracey’s Best Sermon Series: The best sermons for leadership on pastoring and American church consumerism is a series by Eugene Peterson, retired pastor, scholar, and author best known for the modern Bible paraphrase, The Message. The sermon series is accessible at www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZS7-s6rn3I.
Why Tracey likes this sermon series: “Peterson is a pastor to pastors. He uses the story of Jonah to illustrate how church leadership often flees from the Lord’s presence, even while doing all expected status quo duties of shepherding. Jonah’s preaching was at his worst when he dutifully obeyed, but it became more sensitive to the lost in his wandering disobedience. Peterson candidly warns against wanderlust and [stresses] we need pastors to remain committed to their congregations.”
RYAN ALLCOTT
Ryan Allcott decided to enter Christian ministry while attending a Christ in Youth conference at Milligan College in Tennessee. He has served at Buffalo Valley Christian Church and Harrison Christian Church, both in Johnson City, Tennessee, and currently serves as communications and programming manager for the NACC. He is proud to be the husband of Haylie and the father of Lucy Kate.
Ryan’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I ever heard on dealing with depression in ministry was by Shawn Spradling, senior pastor of Center Pointe Christian Church, Liberty Township, Ohio. Watch the sermon at www.cpcc.church/resources/messages/the-water-walker/.
Why Ryan likes this sermon: “It can be tempting in ministry to hide your struggles and put on a good face for your church members. In this sermon, Shawn opens up about wrestling with depression in his own life; his openness showed us that it’s OK to admit you’re hurting and ask for help, something we all can get better at doing.”
WILL MULLINS
Will Mullins is executive pastor at Journey Christian Church in Irvine, California. During 20-plus years of full-time ministry, Will has served as a lead pastor, teaching pastor, and executive pastor with churches in Ohio and California. In 2001, his church was one of five to receive the Purpose Driven Church Health Award from pastor Rick Warren. He has been a church planter, led churches through major transitions, and has worked in administration in the medical field. Will is serving on the Executive Committee for the 2016 North American Christian Convention in Anaheim, California.
Will’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I have ever heard on homosexuality and gay marriage was “What’s the Big Deal About Homosexuality and Gay Marriage?” (accessible at https://vimeo.com/119706007). It was part of a series entitled “You Asked For It,” where congregants submitted questions to be addressed in a sermon.
Why Will likes this sermon: “This sermon was delivered by Gene Appel, lead pastor at Eastside Christian Church in Anaheim, California, in February 2015. Gene’s message is very clear that God loves everyone, and John 3:16 has no qualifiers on it. Gene speaks directly to the LGBT community (‘You are welcome here’) and he speaks directly to the church (‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself’). He uses the truth of the Scripture to address the sin that is present in each of us, and how we all need transformation that comes from the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Arron Chambers serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller is a graduate of Nebraska Christian College in Papillion and Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Johnson City, Tennessee. He has held youth and worship ministries in Nebraska, Colorado, and Tennessee. He lives with his wife, Dana, in eastern Tennessee, where he teaches Bible at Milligan College. They have two adult daughters, Danielle and Cassady, and one granddaughter, Claire.
Jeff’s Best Sermon: Sara Barton, chaplain at Pepperdine University, preached the best sermon I’ve heard on pride. The sermon is entitled “Arrogance Dismantled” and was preached at the May 2015 Pepperdine Bible Lectures. The sermon is available at www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sara+barton+pepperdine+bible+lectures+sermon&&view=detail&mid=5315927FCDFB2B76798A5315927FCDFB2B76798A.
Why Jeff likes this sermon: “Based on James 4:11–5:6, the sermon is a call to be done with arrogant and judgmental attitudes and instead serve others, especially the poor. The sermon came alive as a powerful confluence of logos, pathos, and ethos. It rose to a crescendo with the final appeal, ‘Instead of sitting around and asking, Who exactly is my neighbor?—In the name of God, pick one!’ James the Just himself would surely have joined in applause with the thousands in attendance that day.”
Patrick Lightfoot
Patrick Lightfoot moved to Colorado in 2002 with his wife of 18 years, Hannah, and two children, Nolan (12) and Libby (9). After working in the business world for 12 years, he felt God’s call to serve in full-time ministry. He served at Journey Christian Church in Greeley, Colorado, for four years as the adult minister until he felt God’s call again to plant Traverse Christian Church in Windsor, Colorado. Patrick has a passion for his community, discipling men, and enriching marriages. Most of all he loves seeing lives changed forever by Jesus Christ.
Patrick’s Best Sermon: “Flee Baby Flee” is the best sermon I’ve heard on why and how to put up sexual guardrails in your life. Andy Stanley is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. The sermon is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=guQG_Bq8DeU.
Why Patrick likes this sermon: “The best sermons are the ones that give clear application based on biblical truths . . . and give an action for those listening to do immediately. Today’s culture is littered with sexual immorality, and the church is not immune to the opportunities of sexual temptations. Andy Stanley gives great practical advice based on 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 for married and single people of what guardrails people need to put in place to prevent falling in the area of sexual sin. “Flee Baby Flee” is a sermon I have sent to many men and couples to help encourage them in how to set boundaries to stay sexually pure.”
Alan Ahlgrim
Alan Ahlgrim served as the founding and lead pastor of Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Longmont, Colorado, for 29 years. He now serves as pastor at large with the church and director of pastor care with Blessing Ranch Ministries in New Port Richey, Florida. His passion is to help leaders serve well despite difficult seasons and transitions.
Alan’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard on struggle and difficulty was “The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions.” Rarely can I remember any message for long, including my own; however, this is one I can’t shake. Pastor Jeff Manion really snuck up on me at the Leadership Summit in 2010 with his message. So much so I even bought the book by the same title. Both the message and the book were more than timely as I continued to lead the ministry of Rocky Mountain Christian Church during a difficult season. As that season ended, my 29-year-ministry came to a close as God’s plan finally became clear. The sermon is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBak7qYvr6c.
Why Alan likes this sermon: “Life is filled with difficult and unwanted transitions. In my case, transitioning from being ‘pastor in charge’ to ‘pastor at large’ was a happy and healthy one. The years prior were the difficult years, and Jeff Manion helped me see that struggles in ‘The Land Between’ are to be expected. That’s part of the message I now share as I encourage leaders around the country to serve well in ‘The Land Between’ and to anticipate that by God’s grace the best is yet to be!”
Arron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
In this edition of “The Best Sermon I’ve Ever Heard,” we are showcasing the opinions of students at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri.
Drake Holderman
Drake Holderman is a senior studying student ministry at Ozark Christian College. He is working part-time on the student ministry team at First Church, a multisite church in northeast Oklahoma. Drake is married to Andrea, who has an associate’s degree from Ozark and is pursuing a degree in elementary education at Missouri Southern State University.
Drake’s Best Sermon: Here is the best sermon (in seven parts) I’ve heard on God’s grace by Judah Smith, pastor of The City Church in Seattle, Washington.
Find Part 1 at bit.ly/1SwILmq, along with links to each of the remaining seven parts.
Why Drake likes this sermon: “Judah Smith does a phenomenal job of capturing the affective tone of grace without manipulating the emotions of the students he is preaching to. Judah shows that grace is more than a concept we read about in the Bible or an idea we talk about in church. As he put it, ‘Jesus is the personification of grace.’”
Kelvin Maina
Kelvin Maina was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 2005 when he was 12 years old. He has served as a co-youth minister at Hornet Christian Church, Seneca, Missouri, and now serves with College Heights Christian Church in Joplin while finishing his last semester at Ozark. He will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry with a preaching emphasis.
Kelvin’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on walking with the Spirit is by A.W. Tozer titled “How to Cultivate the Holy Spirit’s Companionship” (accessible at bit.ly/21ToJIF).
Why Kelvin likes this sermon: “I like this sermon because Tozer accurately depicts the Holy Spirit’s role as making a person holy and contrasts it with why most people want the Holy Spirit—for power, thrill, fame, or ability to accomplish a task. I also like that he acknowledges there is a price to pay and a way we must live to cultivate the Holy Spirit’s companionship.
“It is refreshing to hear a sermon that focuses on the Holy Spirit’s main purpose, which is to make man holy. For without him and the holiness that he gives us, we could not interact with the Father as intimately as we can now.”
Justin Dewell
Justin Dewell, a native of Dodge City, Kansas, is finishing his studies of the New Testament and church planting. Justin received the nickname “Pastor” Dewell at College Heights Christian Church, where he helps teach and preach as a college-age intern. Justin usually can be found drinking a Dr. Pepper while he helps grade assignments for the preaching faculty or hanging with other college students.
Justin’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard on suffering is “Why Would God Allow Tragedy and Suffering” by Dave Smith, available at bit.ly/1Yo55iv.
Why Justin likes this sermon: “This is the best sermon on suffering because Dave Smith does not try to boil down this issue to one simple answer. Instead, he points to knowing God as the way we make it through suffering. The suffering we hate and resist is how God refines our relationship with him. This sermon transformed the way I recognize God shaping my life.”
Luke Proctor
Luke Proctor is a typical preacher’s kid. He grew up working on his grandpa’s farm and spending lots of time on the campus of Ozark Christian College with his father. He is now in his fourth year at Ozark, where he is majoring in preaching and New Testament studies. He currently serves as preaching minister at Sheldon (Missouri) Christian Church, near where he spent his summers on the farm. In January, Luke married the girl of his dreams, Rebekah Moyers. Together they look forward to a life of service to the kingdom in the local church.
Luke’s Best Sermon: The best sermon is “Living in the Justice of God” by John Kehrer, a professor of Old Testament and biblical languages at Ozark. Watch the sermon at https://youtu.be/X8h8F2EI_Z0.
Why Luke likes this sermon: “I was privileged to sit under John Kehrer during his first semester teaching at OCC, after he moved his young family back from the Middle East. In this sermon, John discusses his personal experiences with the sovereign justice of God as he explores an uncomfortable text in 2 Kings. John shows us a glimpse of the kingdom of God as God unveils his power, and he challenges us to live out the kingdom of God by leaving justice in the hands of the Lord.”
Arron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Averie Blackmore
Averie Blackmore is studying worship leadership and humanities at Milligan College. She has had the honor of leading a women’s small group and helping start a young adult worship service at her home church in Johnson City, Tennessee. She is an intern in the worship arts department at Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland.
Averie’s Best Sermon: The best sermon series on emotions is by Steve and Holly Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is available at http://bit.ly/1pHcUEF.
Why Averie likes this sermon: “I have always heard sermons that talk about emotions, but I have never heard a sermon series ON emotions. Steve and Holly Furtick speak to all ages on owning your emotions, handling high-pressure situations, self-assessing your level of happiness, and beating emotional burnout. This sermon series spoke to my confusion of how to embrace my emotions as a gift from God, but not to let them control me.”
Nathan Cachiaras
Nathan Cachiaras is a senior at Milligan College, majoring in Bible with an emphasis in pastoral ministries and minors in Greek, history, and humanities. He desires to enter an MDiv program to continue his spiritual formation and pastoral preparation. He intends to eventually serve full time in the church.
Nathan’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on the Christian response to tragic events is by Tim Ross of Hopwood Christian Church in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The sermon transcript is available at http://bit.ly/1SfUVhy.
Why Nathan likes this sermon: “Tim Ross reminds us of the ways in which the Eucharist, our central act of worship, must inform our actions in a world that feels so often like it is coming apart at the seams. Delivered at a weekly ecumenical gathering of Christians from all over the Tri-Cities region, Tim’s message, although just a short homily, is a prophetic and powerful word to all of us in the church who have ever wondered on what grounds we might begin to approach the deep brokenness of our world. Indeed, the Communion meal, which we too often take for granted, teaches us profound truths about the realities the gospel brings to bear upon our own lives, politics, and Facebook posts.”
Zach Maclellan
Zach Maclellan is a 23-year-old Milligan College graduate with a degree in biblical studies. He is now in his second year of an MDiv program at Emmanuel Christian Seminary. He hopes to serve as pastor of a congregation one day.
Zach’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on homosexuality, “Are Christians Anti-Gay,” was by Ben Cachiaras (Nathan Cacharias’s father) and is available at http://apple.co/1XKsDNz.
Why Zach likes this sermon: “Ben tackles the difficult issue boldly and effectively, while not worrying about criticism he might get. He uses a ton full of compassion that is extremely important when discussing a difficult issue. He uses . . . real and authentic [stories] to communicate the struggle between homosexuality and the church. And most importantly, he gathers himself to communicate a view of homosexuality that is lathered in love. This should be heard by all believers who are struggling with what to think about homosexuality. ”
Ben Carpenter
Ben Carpenter is an MDiv student at Emmanuel Christian Seminary; his goal is to work at a campus ministry. He grew up in Mexico City, Mexico, where his parents, Steve and Kay, served as CMFI missionaries. He graduated from Milligan College in 2014 with a degree in pastoral ministries. While in college, he served as an intern at Mountain Christian Church in Maryland, and First Christian Church in Johnson City, and also as a summer intern with CMFI in Salamanca, Spain. He currently serves with an international campus ministry called World Café that ministers to students at East Tennessee State University.
Ben’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on living life on mission was by Luke Erikson, Edgewood campus pastor with Mountain Christian Church. The sermon can be viewed at http://media.mountaincc.org/4121/4122/16879.
Why Ben likes this sermon: “In his sermon, Luke demonstrates how Jesus loved the outsider. He reminds us that we must remember the stories of how Jesus loved the outsider because if we do not, we will be in danger of losing our identities in Christ. It is easy to get caught up in living our day-to-day lives and forgetting about the overarching mission of Christ. The mission of Christ is to love, and so we must love if we are to live that mission. Luke urges us to carry out the mission of Christ by being in relationship with those who are outsiders and showing them love.”
Arron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
SHAWN GRANT
Shawn Grant is a walking cliché: born on Saturday, in church on Sunday. His father, Mike Grant, has been preaching in Stone-Campbell churches for more than 35 years, and Shawn decided to follow suit. He became a follower of Christ in elementary school. He received a BA in preaching and Bible from Florida Christian College (now Johnson University Florida), an MA in church history/historical theology from Lincoln (Illinois) Christian Seminary, and a PhD in interdisciplinary humanities from Florida State University in Tallahassee. He currently teaches humanities classes at several colleges and universities, and serves as lead pastor of Crossbridge Christian Church, Tallahassee.
Shawn’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on rethinking witness is by Michael Frost; it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdzzWEtdOrU. Frost is a leader in the missional movement, cofounder of the missional training group known as Forge, and founding director of the Tinsley Institute, a mission study center located at Morling College in Sydney, Australia.
Why Shawn likes this sermon: “Many of the people who fill our church gatherings every week know of the Christian call to evangelism. Almost as many have a desire to fulfill that calling. Most people, however, simply do not know where to begin. Michael Frost draws distinction between the universal call to evangelism and the unique gifts granted to the evangelist. Frost serves as a teacher, historian, and a prophetic voice encouraging those uniquely gifted as evangelists, while simultaneously calling all followers of Christ to live such extraordinary lives that people begin to ask questions regarding the hope that we have.”
GREG MARKSBERRY
Greg Marksberry is lead planter of Thrive Church in Lake Nona, Florida, set to launch on October 16. He also directs Florida Church Partners, a church planting organization with a vision to help plant 225 new congregations in the state by 2030. As the FCP website describes him, Greg has been engaged in church planting movements since 1997 as a church planter, church planting coach and mentor, and a regional director and board member for several leading church planting organizations. He is passionate about pouring into the next generation of church planters and giving his life to a church planting movement in Florida, the third largest state in the nation.
Greg’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on church planting and children is by Greg Nettle, president of Stadia; it can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/163593991.
Why Greg likes this sermon: “This message weaves a compelling sense of urgency to reach the world’s exploding population and Christ’s genuine compassion for children into a powerful vision for church planting. It was delivered during my last mission emphasis as lead pastor of First Christian Church, Burlington, Kentucky, and influenced my decision to plant a new church focused on the 4 to 14 Window.”
SCOTT BLOYER
Scott Bloyer grew up playing football and fighting his way through high school. At age 21, when he came home from a bar fight, his mother told him he was going to end up dead or in jail if he didn’t give his life to Jesus. He got down on his knees and said, “If you are real, God, I can’t do this anymore on my own.”
Scott later became a youth pastor for 17 years. In 2008 God called him to start a church, and he moved with his family back to the neighborhood where he grew up; he started Elevation Christian Church in Aurora, Colorado, on October 10, 2010.
While working to start Elevation, Scott trained fighters to compete in mixed martial arts. Through this job, Scott has been invited to be a part of local fighting events and has worked with some of the top MMA and Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters in the world. Several have started a relationship with Jesus and attended Elevation.
Scott has a passion to see men come to know Jesus and lead in the local church, and to see churches planted all over. In the first five years of Elevation, 250 people have been baptized
Scott’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on leadership and the leader was “Dead Leader Running” by Wayne Cordeiro of New Hope in Hawaii. The sermon was presented at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit and is available at http://bit.ly/24Ag6Rl.
Why Scott likes this sermon: Many leaders are suffering in silence, Scott says. “Wayne does a great job of bringing this area of leadership to the forefront. It impacted me because of the position I hold and because of the leaders I see and meet with who are struggling.”
TERRY DAVIS
Terry Davis has been working with students for 25 years. He currently serves as the teaching/student minister at Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado, where he lives with his wife of 24 years, Tammy, and their four children. He loves Jesus, U2, the 1980s, watching his three boys run (they are all really fast), and building things out of old pallets.
Terry’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I ever heard on Jesus was by Mark Driscoll, former pastor of Mars Hill Church. The sermon, called “Why Did Jesus Come to Earth (Vintage Jesus),” is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBCwhEn3W4E.
Why Terry likes this sermon: “I grew up in the church. I went every Sunday. After graduation I went to Bible college and upon graduation went straight into ministry. I have known who Jesus is my entire life. I have heard stories and sermons, watched movies, sung songs, listened to lectures, and even taught lessons and preached sermons about Jesus, but I never really completely understood who he was and why he came to earth until hearing this sermon. It has been transformational to life and ministry.”
NICK NEWMAN
Nick Newman began his relationship with Christ at age 18 after years of battling drug addictions. He was charged as a drug dealer and was on track to spend much of his life in the prison system. However, God had other plans! On August 1, 2011, Nick had a personal encounter with Jesus and jumped straight into ministry. In September 2015 Nick and his team launched a life-giving church in the high school from which he was expelled. Nick, at 23, is the lead pastor of Propel Church in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina (www.propel.church).
Nick’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on marriage is by Chris Brown of Bayside Church in Sacramento, California. The sermon is available at www.baysideonline.com/weekend/chris-brown-until-death-do-us-part/.
Why Nick likes this sermon: “One of the most used sentences I hear in counseling married couples is ‘we just fell out of love.’ In this message, Chris lays it out for us pretty clearly: ‘We don’t fall out of love, we fall out of emotion.’ When you build the foundation of your marriage on emotion, it won’t last.”
Arron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Dane Voorhees
Dane Voorhees is a graduate of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. He has been serving as a worship pastor at Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Frederick, Colorado, for the past two years and recently married his beautiful wife, Shelby. He is passionate about leading people to worship Jesus in everything they do.
Dane’s Best Sermon: Caleb Kaltenbach, lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, California, and author of the book Messy Grace, preached the best sermon I’ve heard on living in the tension of grace and truth. In this sermon, Caleb shares his story of being raised in the LGBT community by his parents, and teaches how to love others well while staying true to biblical teaching. The sermon is available at https://vimeo.com/159968843.
Why Dane likes this sermon: “Caleb encourages the church to step outside of what is comfortable and to love people the way Jesus did. Whether I want to admit it or not, this is something I’m not always best at, and loving people well is what Jesus was all about in the Gospels! This is a challenging sermon filled with practical implications for the church in today’s culture.”
Dave Milam
Dave Milam is a gifted leader, communicator, author, and lead pastor of One Life Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is also creative director for Eggroll Studio and recently released the book Ten Count.
Dave’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on suffering I’ve ever heard was a five-minute message by Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. This was the short video he created right before surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his brain. Watch it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMerKVKssQU.
Why Dave likes this sermon: “Matt’s vulnerability still moves me. Knowing that his words are more than just hype underscores the power of his message and inspires me to more fully trust God with the struggles of my life. I’m moved when I hear someone living out what they preach, and Matt completely nailed it.”
Bud Johnson
Bud Johnson died to sin and is alive in Christ. A blessed man, with a tremendous family, Bud serves Liberty Christian Church in Mechanicsville, Virginia. He also serves on the board of directors at Liberty Christian School.
Bud’s Best Sermon: The best sermon explaining the potential you have in Christ, is by Mark Miller of Christ’s Church in Missoula, Montana. Titled “The Mechanics of Renewing the Mind,” Mark breaks down the process a disciple must take if he truly wants to walk according to the Spirit. Listen to the sermon at http://bit.ly/1U7X6Sm.
Why Bud likes this sermon: “Paul wasn’t being braggadocios when he said, ‘Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.’ God has given his people everything pertaining to life and godliness, yet many still feel shackled by defeat, sin, and death. Preparing to live a life like Paul, like Christ, starts with the honest and proper understanding of who God is willing to change you from, and into. Renewing your mind. This sermon explains how you can truly leave the old self and put on the new self.”
Wendy Childress
Wendy Childress grew up crawling between pews on Sundays as a preacher’s daughter. She gave her heart to Jesus when she was 4 and he’s kept it ever since. She enjoys leading women’s groups and speaking encouragement from God’s Word at workshops and retreats. She is currently working on her first book, slated for release later this year. Wendy has been married to Josh Childress, senior minister of Kempsville Christian Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for 17 years. Together they are blessed to raise Caleb, Tannah, and Isaac for God’s glory.
Wendy’s Best Sermon: The best sermon, “Honoring Mothers” by Josh Childress, senior minister of Kempsville Christian Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is “for mamas in the midst of the battle.” View it at http://bit.ly/25Mvtdq.
Why Wendy likes this sermon: “In our current culture, in which criticism seems to be the mother tongue, we are called to be different. This message is a cool drink of encouragement for weary mamas. Josh reminds mothers of their sacred calling and the holy help that is available at all times.”
Aaron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
By Arron Chambers
Christian leaders, some of them preachers themselves, tell us about a sermon they can’t forget—and maybe you won’t either.
Chuck Sackett
Chuck Sackett grew up outside the church and became a Christian during high school. His parents owned a bar and restaurant in a small town in Idaho. He came to Jesus through the friendship of someone willing to “cross the tracks” into his world.
He currently preaches at Madison Park Christian Church (Quincy, Illinois) and teaches at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University and for TCM International Institute. He is husband of Gail and they have three married daughters.
Chuck’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I’ve heard on patriotism and Christianity was by Brooks Wilson, the preaching minister of South Side Christian Church in Springfield, Illinois. Listen to the sermon at http://southsidechristian.com/uploads/audio/6.29.14.mp3.
Why Chuck likes this sermon: “In this sermon, Brooks courageously addresses a key topic faced by American Christians. He uses humor to disarm the listeners, yet deals biblically with the underlying issues of the idolatry of putting America ahead of Christ’s lordship.”
Scott Blount
Scott Blount became a Christian at 27 and a minister at 29. Prior to that he was in radio and television news for a decade. He currently serves as associate minister at Vero Christian Church in Vero Beach, Florida, having served there for the past 16 years. Scott and his wife, Peggy, have three grown and married children (Elliott, Ian, and Emily) and three amazing grandchildren (Micah, Eden, and Landon).
Scott’s Best Sermon: Rick Atchley’s recent sermon series titled “Life Hacks” is the best I’ve ever heard. The message that kicks off this series, titled, “Living in Babylon,” can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/161503965. Atchley is senior minister at The Hills Church in Richland Hills, Texas.
Why Scott likes this sermon: “As the American culture grows more antagonistic toward Christ followers, we need to remember how to live in such a way as to serve God, while serving the culture around us. This sermon, and this whole series, teaches us how to be a blessing from God to Babylon (our culture). The sermon series is a MUST for those who truly want to be God’s blessing to those around us.”
Angel Flores
Angel Flores is founding pastor of Mosaic Church in Greeley, Colorado. He has written two books but still hasn’t learned to properly use commas.
Angel’s Best Sermon: The best sermon I have ever heard on persistence was by Steven Furtick. Although I was unable to find that exact message, this sermon by Steven captures the essence of it: https://youtu.be/zi4XtdbiW60.
Why Angel likes this sermon: “A couple of years after planting our church, I heard Steven Furtick speak at a church planting conference. His message was based on 2 Kings 3 and described digging ditches with the expectation of God sending water to fill them. In the midst of grinding out a young church plant, it was exactly what I needed to hear: just keep digging!”
Jackie Cole
Jackie Cole grew up in Washington state, but moved to Idaho to attend Boise Bible College, where she majored in Christian education with an emphasis in children’s ministry. While attending BBC, she served on the children’s ministry staff at Foothills Christian. After graduation, Jackie moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to join Christ’s Church of Valley’s Leadership Institute and Johnson University’s Online Strategic Ministry master’s program. Jackie now lives in Greeley, Colorado, where she is interning with Journey Christian Church.
Jackie’s Best Sermon: The best sermon on knowing and being known by Christ is “Christmas at the Movies” by Todd Clark. At the time he preached the sermon, Todd was on the teaching team at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, but he has since moved to the Slingshot Group. He currently lives in Southern California. The sermon is accessible at ccv.church/watch/message?MessageId=537.
Why Jackie likes this sermon: “This is a sermon by Todd Clark during Christ’s Church of the Valley’s ‘Christmas at The Movies’ series. In this sermon, Todd reminds us we are not called to be happy, but we are called to be full of joy, and this can truly be found only in Christ.”
Aaron Chambers, a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor, serves as lead minister with Journey Christian Church, Greeley, Colorado.
