Sermons on Sponges:

Lesson 21: The Church Sermon Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 29, 2018

Giving the annual sermon on the state of the church

Lesson Goal I hope to encourage giving an annual sermon about the local church. Lesson Intro We can easily become like the Samaritans who focused more on worshiping God in a certain place than worshiping God who rules the universe. Denominationalism and provincialism can all be forms of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 22: Innovative Preaching Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 30, 2018

Preach the timeless Gospel with modern techniques

Lesson Goal This lesson is designed to encourage preachers to be innovative and culturally relevant, to be a Greek to the Greek (1 Corinthians 9:20). Lesson Intro Jesus' preaching was innovative and different than the usual preaching in the synagogues of his day. Throughout church history art ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 23: Hermeneutical Preaching Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 30, 2018

Teaching by example how to rightly interpret Holy Scripture

Lesson Goal I hope to eradicate or greatly diminish bad biblical interpretation in churches. To arm both preacher and congregation against the shoddy Scriptural analysis of many in the Christian market place. Let's teach the church how to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Lesson ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 24: Preach Revival Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 31, 2018

Preaching for revival

Lesson Goal I hope to encourage the preaching of real revival not just a special event, a church growth campaign or a counterfeit. Lesson Intro There are many events in recent church history that have been called a revival, but not all of them were genuine revivals. Some were an apostasy. Real ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 25: Preach On A Hebrew Word Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 31, 2018

Expound a Hebrew word

Lesson Goal I hope to teach how to preach a sermon expounding a single Hebrew word. Lesson Intro The Hebrew Scriptures contain two great divisions, the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40). Christianity was originally a Jewish religion. It only separated from its Hebrew roots when Christians and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 26: Preach A Greek Word Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 2, 2018

How to preach a sermon from a Greek word.

Lesson Goal To preach a sermon explaining the ins and outs and application for us today of a Greek New Testament word. Lesson Intro The New Testament was written in Koiné Greek, the Greek of the market place, street language, not the highfalutin Classical Greek of scholars. Yet so often, the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

When Christians Sin Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 3, 2018

How judgmental are we of others? How ready are we to confess our own faults? Do we admit like St Paul, that though we desire not to sin, we still do?

Prelude How judgmental are we of others? How ready are we to confess our own faults? Do we admit like Paul, that though we desire not to sin, we still do? Purpose: Let’s examine living in the light of God’s glory and an overcoming life versus the darkness of living in habitual sin. Plan: Let’s ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 27: Preach Logically Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 3, 2018

Let's learn to apply logic to our sermons

Lesson Goal I hope to teach how to preach logical sermons. Lesson Intro How do we recognize deception? How do we avoid self-deception? How often have we heard fellow Christians say things that seem rather half-baked and irrational? How often have people in the scientific or educational community ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 28: Preach A Jewel Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 4, 2018

Learn to to preach an exciting African-American style one-point sermon

Lesson Goal Learn how to preach a one point sermon. Lesson Intro The African-American church has had a unique and interesting development in the history of American Christianity. A unique style of one-point sermon developed which can have great impact in any culture. The jewel sermon is one ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:2-12

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 29: Preach A Ladder Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 5, 2018

Learn to preach a logical sequence of connected points, a German-style chain, pyramid or ladder

Lesson Goal This lesson is designed to teach a logical sequence of connected points. Lesson Intro Central Europeans are often very detailed-minded and diligent. A style of rhetoric that is popular among Germans is connecting ideas together in a chain. This is similar to building ideas on top of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-6

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 30: Preach A Label Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 8, 2018

Labeling can be abused. But there are correct labels. Let's live up to the labels God gives us.

Lesson Goal To encourage the correct labeling of things and living up to the labels used in the churches. Lesson Intro Like it or not, we are all labeled. Some of those are false labels and some are true descriptions. Some of the labels which we may not like are true of us as well as some of the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 11:19-26

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 31: Preach A Contrast Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 9, 2018

Teach people to think by contrasting two or more sides of a theological argument.

Lesson Goal Preach a sermon that contrasts different sides. Lesson Intro When we spoke of a false dichotomy, we realized that some stories have more than two sides. However, some stories have only two options, or sides and that is not a false dichotomy, but a genuine one. Let's contrast two or ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Why Is Forgiveness So Hard

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 10, 2018

Where does repentance lead us? What does forgiveness mean for us now?

Prelude Where does repentance lead us? Repentance leads us into forgiveness. What does forgiveness mean for us now? Purpose: Let us look at the importance of knowing forgiveness as we live each day. Plan: We will look at Luke 24:36b-48; Acts 3:12-19; and 1 John 3:1-7 focusing on the topic of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-7, Acts 3:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 32: Preach A Q And A Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 10, 2018

A question and answer style sermon

Lesson Goal I hope to teach how to preach a question and answer style sermon. Lesson Intro Have you ever been interviewed or been asked a lot of questions that you had difficulty answering. Christians are encouraged to give an answer for the hope that lies within them, but so much of the time, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 26:4-5

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 33: Preach An Adventure Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 11, 2018

Preach a sermon that builds to an adventurous climax

Lesson Goal To create an adventurous kind of sermon that is like a fox hunt or a game of chase which builds towards a climax at the end. Lesson Intro In our neighborhood the old fashioned game of tag was called chasey. It was a chase, a mission and an adventure all wrapped up on one. As I grew ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Denomination: Baptist