Sermons on Side Roads:

Spiritual Sleepiness: Shallowing Theology And The Church Growth Movement Series

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Jul 16, 2025

We live in an age where worship teams rival pop bands, and the Sunday sermon has been carefully distilled into a 28-minute TED Talk with a side of Scripture. But beneath the gloss of production and the metrics lurks a growing hollowness.

Spiritual Sleepiness: Shallowing Theology and the Church Growth Movement July 13, 2025 Dr. Bradford Reaves Crossway Christian Fellowship 2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Revelation 3:14-16, 2 Peter 1:5-8 Introduction: Navigating The Fog of Modern Faith On September 1, 1983, Korean Air Flight 007 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Revelation 3:14-16, 2 Peter 1:5-8

Denomination: Brethren

Choices

Contributed by Troy Campbell on Oct 6, 2011

The Bible tells us that there are two masters. But in Luke 16 it tells us that you cannot serve two masters. You must choose to serve the Lord with all your heart, or you choose to serve the devil. The Bible also tells us that there are two roads, but

Title: Choices Text: Matthew 6:24 This portion of Scripture talks about the valley of decision. Every person enters a time in their life when they must make a decision. Sooner or later a person must make a choice – the way he should go and the life that he should live. The Bible tells ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24

Denomination: Pentecostal

Jerusalem Looms Ahead Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Feb 23, 2015

If we try to be great in some other way than by becoming a servant, we'll lose whatever greatness we achieve. Only by becoming a slave of all, will we achieve greatness in God's Kingdom. The result is a life of following Jesus along the road to the cross

I got a new pair of glasses this week. Not my everyday glasses. These are ones that are made so I can see what's on my computer screen without ending up with a cricked neck. They're fantastic. They make the characters on the screen look perfectly in focus. They just have one drawback. If I forget ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:32-52

Denomination: Anglican

The Return Of Our God (Isaiah 40:1-11) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Jan 24, 2024

God calls on his divine council (simplified: angels) to build a road for Him, because He is very shortly returning to Jerusalem, leading/carrying his exiled people. All Israel is invited to keep their eyes open for God's return.

Last week, I introduced a new series we are beginning that covers Isaiah 40-55. If you missed last week, I think today will still mostly make sense, but you might want to get a copy of last week's sermon from me. Today, then, we are just going to dive in to Isaiah 40. This chapter opens by ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11

David Gathers A Band Of Outcasts In The Cave Stronghold Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Feb 27, 2023

Two houses are being built, one is solid, the other is brittle, and caving in on itself. These are the two paths, one of David, the man of God, and Saul, the man in rebellion.

Two roads are beginning to form, two roads in two starkly different directions. We’ve both been on these roads. Maybe not to this extreme, but we have. We’ve seen where God’s path leads, to hope, to challenges, to victory, and yes, the valley of the shadow of death too, dark times, but, we’ve also ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Source Of Our Strength

Contributed by David Henderson on Aug 6, 2018

The Joy of the Lord is our strength. In this message we look at how to find it again.

“The Source of our Strength” Nehemiah 8:1-10 So we come to our final message in this 7 week series on Biblical leadership. And I hope that you have gained some new insights on this topic. For me, in these 7 weeks God has shown me at least 7 big truths and I want to briefly remind you of these as ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Another Essential Christmas

Contributed by John Huyser on Jan 3, 2023

Compared to the other Gospels, John's version of the Christmas story is far more cosmic in scope and captures much of the Old Testament anticipation.

Building the day after Thanksgiving, more than any other holiday, the pending arrival of Christmas marks the start of a marathon. By the time December 25, Christmas Day, rolls around, Christmas Day, the finish line is in sight. Except this year, a well-timed blizzard forced us to pause. The ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Watch Your Mouth (Pt 1) Series

Contributed by Delray Lentz on Oct 13, 2025

Did you see something new in God’s word this past week? See a familiar passage with new eyes? See the same passage more than once in last week, from different sources?

Superbowl 37 FedEx commercial spoof of Castaway. If you recall, Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert for years. The commercial portrayed a frazzled Hanks in the movie. The FedEx employee goes to door of suburban home, package in hand. Lady answers ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 11:13, James 3:1-12

Backsliding, How Does One Become A Backslider?

Contributed by Tony Abram on Oct 14, 2017

In this outline we list a few of the many things that can hinder our spiritual growth and put us on the road to sliding back away from the Lord, His Will and Purpose for our lives. The Lord wants up to live in victory, being an over comer and to bring

BACKSLIDING, HOW DOES ONE BECOME A BACKSLIDER? In this outline we list a few of the many things that can hinder our spiritual growth and put us on the road to sliding back away from the Lord, His Will and Purpose for our lives. The Lord wants up to live in victory, being an over comer ...read more

Render To Caesar What Is Caesar's

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 18, 2014

Seemingly a Catch 22 position, yet Jesus wonderfully side steps the controversary. By using the Gk word "apodote" Jesus challenges us even today: "The coin bore Caesar's image: give it back to him. You bear God's image: so give yourself back to Him."

Sermon: Render to Caesar what is Caesars’s Story: A man came to an Anglican Church and asked to see the Vicar. “Vicar,” he said, “My dog died and I would like a Christian burial for him.” The Vicar said, “I’m sorry to hear about your dog, but we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22

Denomination: Anglican

What Manner Of Man Is This?

Contributed by Val Black on Apr 11, 2022

Life is like crossing a sea. One of the things we learn as we cross the sea of life is that it's not always smooth sailing. But every born-again Christian has Someone in the boat Who will calm the storm and guarantee they will get to the other side.

(I cannot in full honesty claim credit for this message. Of course, the Holy Spirit should always be credited but the main idea and most of the passages are from a message I came across many years ago. I do not remember where or who it was from except it spoke to me and I knew it was anointed. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:23-25, Colossians 1:3-4, Ephesians 2:5-6

Denomination: Charismatic

Abner Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Oct 2, 2022

The only engagement between the rival factions, told at length, is noteworthy since it was preceded by an encounter at Gibeon between 12 chosen men from each side, in which all 24 seem to have perished. Abner was defeated and put to flight in the general engagement that followed.

Abner In the Hebrew Bible, Abner was the cousin of King Saul and the commander-in-chief of his army. His name also appears as “Abiner son of Ner,” whereas the more extended form Abiner means “my father is Ner.” Abner is initially mentioned incidentally in Saul’s history, first appearing as the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 49:27

Denomination: Baptist

Overcoming Demonic Powers

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Sep 7, 2004

Multitudes who start down the road of permissiveness are soon trapped in a lifestyle of enslaving addictions and shameless practices that rob them of self-respect, satisfaction, and hope. Essentially, Satan has them in his power, just as he had the maniac

Overcoming Demonic Powers (Mark 5:1-5:20) Jesus knew that some of the greatest battles are fought with demonic powers. The Bible promises us victory in advance if we appropriate Christ’s truth. "Greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world." (I John 4:4) When Jesus healed the demon ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Meets Ronald Mcdonald (A Sermon On Luke 24)

Contributed by David Smith on Apr 25, 2008

The passsage is Luke 24:13-35 - the story of the diciples who meet Jesus on the road to Emmaus. The occassion was the 4th Sunday in Easter. The connection with Ronald McDonald was an article that had recently been published by a Diocesan heavyweight, enti

I’ve made it a rule over the years never to discuss church politics stuff in a sermon. Indeed, I try to avoid bringing up issues that are specifically churchy altogether, in a sermon especially - partly because I don’t think it’s appropriate to try to polarise people over issues that are ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Real Faith For Real Life (Part 3) Series

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Aug 24, 2013

This five part sermon series explores the book of James, which is all about where the rubber meets the road, and discovers what real faith looks like in real life. Each sermon is expository and alliterated. Power point is available.

Real Faith for Real Life: James Three Scott Bayles, pastor Blooming Grove Christian Church: 10/14/2012 How many of you have ever said something and, the moment the words left your mouth, you knew you shouldn’t have said it? If I had a nickel for every time I said something stupid… ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-12

Denomination: Christian Church