Sermons on Joels Prophecy:

Twittering Ourselves To Death Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

Put on the new self by getting your mind right with God.

An article appearing in the August 11, 2007 edition of World Magazine entitled, “Sex and the evangelical teen” suggests evangelical teenagers on the whole may be more sexually immoral than non-Christians. “Christian parents and churches need to face up to a problem long hidden in the dark: ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Return The Favor Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

If you’ve received the grace of God return the favor to everyone else.

Let’s begin this morning with a little check of your vocabulary. Can someone give me a defining of the word nag? If someone accuses you of nagging them, what are they trying to tell you? Nagging is when you tell someone something that they already know. And you tell them over … and over … and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Denomination: Baptist

Going Forward With God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 24, 2009

A rather mediocre sermon about Jacob’s facinating encounter with God at the Jabbok. The so-so title tells it all.

If you take the Bible seriously, it’s quite a frustrating book. Within its pages are outrageous commands like “be holy” (1 Peter 1:16) and “offer the parts of your body to [God] as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13). Jesus laid a heavy burden on us when He said, “…be perfect, just as ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Somewhere Between Quack And Quisling Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 24, 2009

The Christian life is a balancing act between syncretism and sectarianism.

When I was a teenager, I was one of the few students at West Davidson Sr. High School who listened to heavy metal music. Although my buddies enjoyed it to some extent, they were a little bit spooked by some of the darker groups I chose. This was mainly because they were all good church-going boys ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Road To Renewal Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Feb 9, 2009

Learn the steps on the journey BACK to God.

“William Hinson, Sr. retired pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston, the largest church in American Methodism tells the story about a time when he was going to Columbia, South Carolina to preach in a revival. He had not slept well the night before and had gotten up that morning and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 35:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Funeral Sermon For Geneva Peterson: "I Can Do That!"

Contributed by Joel Smith on Feb 9, 2009

A funeral message about an exceptional woman.

I believe that everyone’s life has a theme. Patterns emerge over the years that are true of us all the time. Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out your theme, but with Geneva it’s pretty easy. When facing a challenge or a task or a new direction she was often heard to say, “I can do that.” ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31

Denomination: Baptist

Rehab For A Scoundrel

Contributed by Joel Smith on Feb 18, 2009

God has some bitter medicine that can kill or cure the scoundrel in you.

Airport security personnel have a fairly mundane job. They scan people with metal detectors, look through their bags, check their shoes, and sometimes pat them down. It’s probably not uncommon to find a knife accidentally left in someone’s pocket. On rare occasions they might find drugs or fire ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 38:1-30

Denomination: Baptist

Caution! God's Favor ... Handle With Care Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Feb 23, 2009

God’s gifts are ultimately for God’s glory. Use them well.

This week I’ve begun reading a new book by one of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, titled Outliers: The Story of Success. The premise of the book is simple: no successful person is a self-made man; everyone who gets to the top had a lot advantages, help, and luck. He devotes two chapters to ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

Total Reliance Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Mar 4, 2009

The more God can direct you, the more He can use you.

To what type of person does God give success? What kind of person is God able to empower and use in a mighty way? Is it the man or woman with the most talent or skill? Are looks or leadership ability the necessary traits? Is a high IQ essential to do great things for God? Obviously, the answer ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Playing God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Mar 8, 2009

You are God’s catalyst for change.

Several years ago a movie came out called Bruce Almighty staring Jim Carrey. It’s a good movie about a guy who is frustrated at the way his life is going, so he blames God and tells Him he could do a better job if he were in charge. God, played by Morgan Freeman, grants Bruce all of His powers. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Everything You've Heard About Christmas Is Wrong

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 18, 2008

Exposing the myths of Christmas in a lighthearted way

As you can see from the title of the sermon this morning, I’m going to attempt to overturn much of what you believed to be true about Christmas. Over the last several years I’ve become convinced that God created me to combat conventional wisdom. Why? Most of the time conventional wisdom is just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Reason For Hope On The Road Ahead Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 1, 2009

The road ahead is about to get rocky, but, we have reason for hope.

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. It’s 2009 and what makes this new year unique is there’s more reason for pessimism than optimism at what it will bring. Maybe you’ve heard some of the dire predictions about what the near future holds. A couple of weeks ago, economist and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

A Crash Course In Character Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 14, 2009

God wants to shape your soul to be just like Jesus. Will you cooperate?

John Ortberg tells of a man in a church he once pastored whom he called Denny. Denny was not a happy man. He had attended church his whole life, but he had never been happy. Even the expression on his face was perpetually negative – so much so that one day a deacon asked him, "Denny, are you ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Father Heart Of God

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jun 24, 2008

If your heart beats like the Father’s, you’ll love lost people too.

A several summers ago Laura and I witnessed every parent’s nightmare. As we soaked up the sun at Myrtle Beach, enjoying our annual vacation, watching Drake and Anna Gray, who were then still young enough to enjoy just playing in the sand, we noticed a man acting rather strangely. A barely ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

Waking The Dead

Contributed by Joel Smith on Apr 11, 2009

A resurrected Christ changes everything

Here we are gathered together on another Easter Sunday and a question arises in my mind: “Do we really get it?” A Sunday School teacher asked her class on the Sunday before Easter if they knew what happened on Easter and why it was so important. One little girl spoke up saying: "Easter is when the ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Baptist