| HYMAN
APPLEMAN (1902-1983) |  |
|
| Hyman
Appleman was born in Russia to ortodox Jewish parents who moved to America in
1914, Appleman graduated from Northwestern University and from DePaul University
and was a trial lawyer in Chicago. At age twenty-eight he was converted
to Christianity. His Jewish family then living in Chicago disowned him. His father
said to him, "When your sides come together from hunger and you come crawling
to my door, I will throw you a crust of bread as I would any other dog."
Feeling a definite call to preach, he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary and became one of the greatest evangelists of his generation. His meetings
were large meetings, with hundreds and sometimes thousands of conversions taking
place. Dr. Appleman made eight or nine trips around the world and several
trips to Russia as an evangelist. It was hard to find a day in his long ministry
of fifty-three years that he was not preaching somewhere. He averaged two weeks
at home out each year and was the author of some forty books. |
 The
Failures of Jesus Matt. 13:58
A
Needed Revival Psalm 85:6 |
W.E. SANGSTER
(1900-1960) |  |
|
| William
E. Sangster was one of the great British Methodist preachers of the 20th century.
He did all he could to hold the Methodist denomination to its Biblical roots during
the tumultuous times of religious compromise. He ascended to the pulpit
of London's Westminister Central Hall in 1939, just in time to lead his congregants
through the terrors of World War II. His great sermon, What If Calamity Comes?
deals with those times. His sermons were regularly halted by bombings in the city.
Somtimes he preached through them, telling hearers, "Those of a nervous disposition
may leave now." During the five years of German bombing, Sangster virtually
lived in the great bomb shelter below the church building. In 1949, he was
elected leader of the Methodist Conference of Great Britian, ephasizing evangelism
and spiritual growth. He was a great student of the craft of sermonizing,
authoring several books on the subject of preaching, including The Craft of
Sermon Construction. He was an able student of Chrstian philosophy,
answering questions on radio and television on practical Christian ethics. He
died in 1960 of progressive muscular atrophy, an incurable neurological disease. |
The
Defeat of Defeatism I John 3:2
What
If Calamity Comes? Psalm 23:4 |
WALTER
A. MAIER (1893-1950) |  |
|
| Walter
Maier held a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard and taught at Concordia Seminary
in St. Louis, but is best known for his worldwide radio broadcast, Bringing
Christ To the Nations. He was heard in over 120 nations and by over twenty
million souls. He was a Lutheran at a time when his denomination was denying the
old time religion. He stood true, extolling the reliability of Scripture and man's
need for the sacrifice of Christ. His preaching was inspiring and direct.
Early in his ministry he won the Billings Prize in Oratory and used all of the
rhetorical tools of the good communicator. Billy Graham called him the greatest
evangelist of the 20th century. In the face of harsh opposition, he never
dipped his colors or compromised his principles. |
Thank
God Even In Dark Days! Dan. 6:10
America,
Don't Be Ashamed of Jesus! Rom. 1:16
Hold
Tight To Christmas! Luke 2:19
Tears
Over America Luke 19:41 |
///
R.G.
LEE (1886-1974) |  |
|
| R.G.
Lee was the longtime pastor of the Bellevue Baptist Church of Memphis TN.
He was a great orator and his sermons never failed to show his skill. He
pastored at Bellevue from 1927-1960. During his pastorate there, over 24,000 people
joined the church, over 7,600 of these for baptism. Lee is best known for
his sermon, Payday Someday, which he preached over 1000 times. He was born
in South Carolina and educated at Furman University in Greenville, SC. His
first pastorate was at First Baptist Church of Edgefield, SC where Senator Strom
Thurmond and his family were members. It was there that he first preached his
Payday Someday message. His style was literary but not deep biblically.
He 'painted pictures' with words and his preaching was eloquent and imaginative. |
| |
J.
STUART HOLDEN (1874-1934) |  |
|
| One
of the great 'Keswick' preachers of England was John Stuart Holden. He was
a contemporary of F.B. Meyer and G. Campbell Morgan, but was more popular in many
circles of his day. He studied under H.G.C. Moule at Cambridge and became
an Anglican preacher. He succeeded William H. Griffith-Thomas at St. and
ministered there for 30 years. He was a very popular preacher in North America
and made many trips to the U.S. and Canada. He and his wife were booked
on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, but were providentially hindered from making
the trip. Holden was active in missionary causes like the China Inland Mission.
His preaching was vibrant and imaginative. His sermon titles were especially
well thought out. in 1914, he preached a message on Daniel 3:18 entitled
"But If Not..." which was described as profound and prophectic concerning England's
place in the upcoming World War I. |
| The
Intolerant Christ Matt.
12:30 |
|
///
GEORGE
W. TRUETT (1867-1944) |  |
|
| The
"devout dogmatist," George W. Truett pastored the famous First Baptist Church
of Dallas, Texas for 44 years. When he took the pastorate there were 715
members; when he left there were over 7,000. His preaching was powerful,
but seldom expository. He preached extemporaneously, following a very limited
outline written on the backs of envelopes. His application and illustrations were
especially strong, and his delivery was powerful. He was adroit at evangelistic
preaching and revivals. In a hunting accident, he killed his best friend
and the sheriff of Dallas County. The pain of this event almost drove him
from the ministry. It is said that his preaching was "like a cavalry charge."
One biographer said, "He was gifted with access to the human heart." |
The
Passing of Religious Opportunity Luke 19:41-42
The
Ministry of Suffering Isaiah 50:10 |
///
A.T.
ROBERTSON (1863-1934) |  |
|
| Archibald
T. Robertson was a scholar and an expositor. As the author of more than
40 books and a professor at Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, he
influenced hundreds of thousands in their Christian life and service. His
books are still on the shelves of preachers and teachers today, especially the
great Word Pictures of the New Testament and his commentaries. He
was sometimes severe in his preaching style as he was blunt and direct, but he
also possessed a good sense of humor and delighted audiences with references to
Deacon Skinflint, Sister Sharptounge, and Dr. Dry-as-dust. The Greek language
was his specialty; he preached with a Greek New Testament in his hands.
He was born in Virginia and grew up in North Carolina. As a youth, he had
a speech impediment, which he overcame by preaching. |
Realizing
God's Plan In Life Phil. 2:12-18
Democracy's
Day John 8:32 |
/
JOHN
HENRY JOWETT (1863-1923) |  |
|
| John
Henry Jowett was ab English preacher who became known as the "greatest practitioner
of the homiletic art of his time." He grew up in a Christian home and always
gave credit to his parents for what he became. He also credited his childhood
Sunday School teacher as a great influence. His teacher's vivid lessons
made a great impression. He pastored numerous great churches in England
and crossed the Atlantic to preach in America many times. He was a stylist
of preachers who cared greatly for words, so much so that he studied the dictionary
as a textbook. His sermons were well studied, but not bookish, always committed
to the grand themes of the Christian faith. He was a voluminous writer,
with many of his works still in print today. |
The
Thankfulness of Jesus Luke 24:30-31
The
Energy of Faith Matt. 27:20 |
/
BILLY
SUNDAY (1862-1935) |  |
|
| Billy
Sunday was a colorful and powerful preacher who preached to hundreds of thousands
at the turn of the 20th century. He got his start in preaching by helping
J. Wilbur Chapman (see his bio below) in his revival campaigns. Chapman
schooled him in doctrine and homiletics. In 1898, he set out on his own to preach.
His crusades became regional events, with thousands turning out to hear him. He
became as well known as any man in America, including the president. He
had been a baseball player before his conversion, and was known in his early ministry
as "the baseball evangelist." His preaching against "booze" was one
of the main influences for prohibition. He was a conservative and a fundamentalist.
Because he was direct in his style and often uncouth, he was accused of being
somewhat of a buffoon. Though he used homey illustrations and backyard metaphors,
his preaching was filled with the Bible. Many old line preachers despised
his aggressiveness and his know-it-all demeanor. It was easy to take shots
at a man like Sunday, but no one could gainsay the thousands who accepted Christ
after his preaching. |
| |
///
CHARLES
E. JEFFERSON (1860-1937) |  |
|
| Charles
Jefferson was a gifted preacher and scholar from Ohio who taught at Ohio Wesleyan
and Ohio State University. He pastored the Broadway Tabernacle in Manhattan
for more than 30 years, where Charles Finney had labored before him. He
was called the "greatest American preacher" by some and was profoundly influenced
by Phillips Brooks. He was simple and direct in his style and was penetratingly
serious about the ministry and the craft of preaching. His sermons lasted
around an hour and were extemporaneous. As the theological wars raged between
liberalism and the historic Christian faith, Jefferson found himself in the middle
and tried to be a peacemaker. As he aged, his compromise became more and
more evident. He began with a sentimental attachment to the old paths, but
gradually drifted from complete orthodoxy. |
| |
///
J.
WILBUR CHAPMAN (1859-1917) |  |
|
| John
Wilbur Chapman was born to Christian parents who raised him in preparation for
the ministry. He publically professed Christ at seventeen and entered college
and then the seminary. He pastored several Presbyterian churches before
entering evangelism in 1893. He preached with D. L. Moody, Billy Sunday and "Praying"
Hyde. He believed in the imminent return of Christ and the inerrancy of Scripture,
once advocating his denomination recall all foreign missionaries from the field
who did not hold to inerrancy. He possessed a deep and musical voice in
the pulpit and a good sense of humor. His sermons were well illustrated
and fully applied, and serve as excellent models for today's preacher. |
| |
///
LOUIS
ALBERT BANKS (1855-1933) |  |
|
| Louis
Albert Banks was a Methodist preacher from the state of Oregon. He pastored
churches in Boston, Kansas City, Denver and Cleveland. He was widely known
and published in his time, but, until now, few of his sermons can be found online.
He was a dynamic speaker, eloquent and illustrative. Like all great preachers,
he took the common truths of scripture and dressed them in direct and vibrant
language. The First Methodist Church of Cleveland, Ohio was the scene of
his greatest ministry as real revival was seen there for a time. While pastoring
in Boston, he ran for governor of Massachusetts on the Prohibition Party ticket.
He was a child prodigy who entered college at the age of eleven. The Methodist
denomination has declined dramatically in the years since this great man preached,
but Banks was true to the Scripture and his Savior. |
A
Preacher's Second Chance I Tim. 4:11
A
Crown For the Man Who Fails Luke 7:28 Mark 6:24
The
Sword That Cuts Both Ways Heb. 4:13
The
Problem With Man-Flight Isaiah 40:31 |
| DAVID
JAMES BURRELL (1844-1926) | /.
/ | |
| David
J. Burrell was pastor of the Marble Collegiate Church in New York City.
The church, still active, is the oldest continuing congregation of Protestants
in the USA. Of the Dutch Reformed denomination, later Presbyterian,
the church started in 1628. Burrell was pastor, professor and preacher to
many of New York's highest citizens. He was saved as a young preacher trying
to comfort an old Scottish backslider at death. The old man interrogated
Burrell until he had to admit his lost condition. He came to Christ beside
the dying man's bed. Burrell was a prolific writer and many of his sermons
still exist. He is so unknown today that his church does not
even mention him in its online history, instead extolling Norman Vincent Peale,
who pastored there a generation later. Burrell delivered original, highly
entertaining sermons that are still beneficial for us today. |
King
Saul At the Witch's Cave I Sam. 28:7
The
Treasures of the Snow Job 38:22
The
Christ Child and the Emperor Mat 2:7-8 |
///
B.H.
CARROLL (1843-1914) |  |
|
| Benajah
Harvey Carroll was born in Mississippi and raised in Texas. He was a soldier
for the Confederate army and later a general in God's army as pastor of the First
Baptist Church of Waco and the founder of the Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary, still the largest seminary in the world. Carroll was a genuine
student of Scripture and a prolific writer. His 13 volume Interpretation
of the English Bible is still used by Bible students today. He believed that
preaching was the essence of the pastor's duty; he was an expositor in the truest
sense. He believed in the authority and the inspiration of the Bible first
and foremost. He criticized and chided the "Higher Criticism" teachers as
being false brethren. |
| |
//
C.I.
SCOFIELD (1842-1921) |  |
|
| Cyrus
Ingersoll Scofield will forever be known as the editor of The Scofield Reference
Bible, a study Bible still being used by conservative Christians to this day.
But many do not know that he was a soldier for Robert E. Lee in the Civil War,
and later a lawyer. Born in Michigan and raised in Tennessee, he was active
in politcs after the war in the state of Kansas. Saved at 36 years old, he left
behind a life of drunkeness and debauchary. He successfully pastored churches
and preached as an evangelist. A serious Bible student, he wrote study courses,
phamplets and books. His study Bible was his crowning acheivement.
His preaching was practical and memorable. Many of the great preachers of
his day gravitated to him such as Moody and Torrey. Scofield's life was
a testament to the grace and power of God. |
| The
Deity of Christ John 1:1 |
///
ALEXANDER
WHYTE (1836-1921) |  |
|
| Alexander
Whyte rose from humble beginnings to become one of Scotland's greatest preachers.
His mother and father were unmarried at his birth. His father was unsaved
and his Christian mother refused to compound her sin by marrying an unbeliever.
Later his father would be saved as a soldier for the Union army in the American
Civil War. He was killed at Bull Run. His mother took him to many
church meetings as a child and as a young man he was a shoemaker's apprentice.
Always a careful student, he seemingly came out of nowhere by preaching in revival
meetings of 1859. His preaching caught the eye of educators and he was taught
theology by Robert Candlish and others. A shy person by nature, he was like
a lion in the pulpit. He preached hard on the depravity of man and the need
of salvation. His messages are described as "imaginative, arresting, and
awakening." He was very knowledgeable on a variety of subjects and used
that knowledge in his sermons. It is said that he studied with Roget's Thesaurus
at his elbow. His written sermons stand the test of time and are valuable
for the Christian to study today. |
| |
///
PHILLIPS
BROOKS (1835-1893) |  |
|
| By
the end of the 19th century there was an undertow of unbelief and liberalism in
some church movements and preachers. Phillips Brooks was on the edge of
this phenomenon. He was from the old Puritan stock and educated at Harvard.
His preaching often centered more on self-help than on the fundamental truths
of doctrine. Though not a denier of those truths, his preaching had a humanistic
and idealistic flavor. Brooks is a forerunner of new-evangelicals
like Joel Osteen and Billy Graham, men whose sermons are somewhat Biblical, but
emasculated. We include some of his sermons here because of his oratorical skill,
the artistry of his words and as an example of the period in which he lived.
He was also the author of the Christmas hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem. |
The
Dangers of Success Matt. 6:2
New
Starts In Life Matt. 20:2
The
Power of an Uncertain Future Matt. 25:13
The
Beauty of a Life of Service John 8:31-36 |
/
CHARLES
H. SPURGEON (1834-1892) |  |
|
| Spurgeon
was a one-of-a-kind preacher. There was never a preacher like him before
or since. His story is truly unique in the history of preaching. He started
preaching at sixteen and had preached over 1000 times by the time he was 21 years
old. Almost immediately, he was a master with word pictures and illustrations.
His delivery was like music or poetry and his written word remains as powerful
today as it was during his life. Spurgeon's sermons are still printed today
and sell as well or better than any contemporary preacher. Though not an
expositor in the style of Maclaren, he was thoroughly Biblical in his messages.
His thought process was deep, but his preaching was understandable to even the
most simple minds. It has been said that his hearers listened as one who
was hearing a will read or hearing his sentence given by a judge. Three hundred
million copies of his printed works have been in circulation, mostly his sermons.
His book on preaching, Lectures to My Students, has had over 500,000 copies
printed. His two-volume commentary on Psalms, the Treasury of David,
is sitting on the shelves of over 150,000 libraries. During his ministry,
he edited a periodical, The Sword and the Trowel, in which he dealt with both
theology and politics. Many more of his sermons are available at www.spurgeon.org
and other good sites. |
| |
T.
DEWITT TALMAGE (1832-1902) |  |
|
| Known
as the American Spurgeon, Talmage was born in New Jersey. Converted at eighteen
years old in a revival meeting, he pastored in Brooklyn and was known as an emotional
and passionate preacher. When warned that his gospel message might deny him the
best pulpits, he said, "If I cannot preach in America, I will go to the heathen
lands and preach." He was aggressive, not concerned with the feelings of
his hearers. His central message was the Christ, His love and sacrifice.
He once said, "I shall take all of the Bible, or none." Many criticized
his theatrical pulpit style, but not his results. He was not a true expositor,
as many on this page, but he was full of zeal and passion, and thousands responded.
He was orthodox in his doctrine, never wavering from historic Christianity, and
his sermons still touch people today. |
|
|
| JOSEPH
PARKER (1830-1902) |  |
|
| Joseph
Parker was a pastor, preacher and author from England. Saved at the age
of twelve, he preached his first sermon at eighteen. He pastored in London
for over 30 years and saw many converted. Parker was committed to the importance
of preaching, defining it as "dignified converstation." He was once asked
by a reporter what his hobbies were, and explained simply, "preaching."
Parker's creativity sparkled in his sermons, along with a dramatic flair.
He was somewht ecumenical, but stood firmly with the conservatives in the great
controversy over higher criticism. Parker's great work, The People's Bible,
was a collection of sermons on the entire Bible. Some of those messages
will be featured here. |
Back
To God Mark 10:6
The
Revival of Religion Psalm 85:6 |
|
| HENRY
P. LIDDON (1829-1890) |  |
|
| Henry
Parry Liddon was a contemporary of Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker, but was
heard gladly by thousands every week at St. Paul's Church in London. An
able scholar he served on the faculty of Oxford and other schools throughout his
life. Liddon's sermons and writings took on the errors of his day like the
higher criticism and Unitarianism. He stood against compromising ministers
and exposed them, refusing to preach in their churches. He never married and considered
the ministry his 'wife.' He loved preaching from the Old Testament and extolled
its trustworthiness for Christian doctrine. Those who heard him preach described
his style as "striking, penetrating and magnetic." Those who knew him personally
said that his personal devotion to Christ is what made his preaching so powerful.
His sermon manuscripts are unique and still worthy of study. |
| sermons coming soon |
///
JOHN A.
BROADUS (1827-1895) |  |
|
| John
A. Broadus is called by some the father of American expository preaching. He was
a great scholar and academic, fluent in eleven languages, and versed in the classics
and in Greek. He was a personal friend of both Stonewall Jackson and Robert
E. Lee, and ministered to the Southern troops in the War Between the States.
He founded Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky for the training of
preachers. His book on preaching, On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons,
is still in print over 100 years after his death. His pulpit style was direct
and conversational. He believed in a classical style of oratory, always
expounding on a text and preached extemporaneously. |
| |
ALEXANDER
MACLAREN (1826-1910) |  |
|
| This
Scottish preacher was known as the 'Prince of Expositors' and "the supreme example
of the Protestant expository preacher." His emphasis on exegeting the text
was a lifelong hallmark. He refused many preaching engagements in order
to further his studies in the Word. He was fundamental is his doctrine, and never
veered off the path of the historic truths. He usually preached about 40
minutes, his voice strong and diction clear, his Scottish brogue making his words
musical and penetrating. Almost always dividing his text into three parts, Robertson
Nicoll said he served the Bread of Life "on a three pronged fork." Along with
Spurgeon, his sermons are the most read of the 19th century. He was truly
a man that today's preacher would do well to study and emulate. |
| |
///
CHARLES
KINGSLEY (1819-1875) |  |
|
| England's
Charles Kingsley preached his first sermon at four years old. The son of a preacher
himself, he was a prodigy. He was robust in his studies and his preaching.
He was a writer of poetry, drama and novels; his novel Westward Ho is still
considered a classic even today. He once wrote that false religion was "the
opiate of the people." Karl Marx seized upon the phrase and famously labeled
all religion by the title. Kingsley ministered in poor areas and identified
with his people's needs. He was a champion for social change in England.
Kingsley had a love for the Bible and loved to expound it. He fought against
the compromise and error of the day, but did embrace Darwin's theory of evolution
and corresponded with Darwin regularly. His success in writing led him to
friendships with with great authors of the day, like Whittier, Harriet Beecher
Stowe and William Cullen Bryant. He was considered a good and godly father
and husband, traits not as plentiful among preachers as they should be.
Kingsley is not well known in our day, but deserves to be read. |
| |
///
ROBERT
MURRAY MCCHEYNE (1813-1843) |  |
|
| McCheyne
was another Scottish divine who soared high in the spiritual realm of preaching
in only 30 years of living. He was a gifted child, learning the Greek alphabet
at four years old and graduating from University of Edinburgh at fourteen.
He pastored over 1000 people at St. Peter's of Dundee and preached in many extended
meetings. His ministry stressed missions, and it was on a mission trip to
Palestine that he became extremely sick. His health was frail all his life.
One of his nuggets of wisdom, "Live so as to be missed" is an appropriate description
of his life, as his preaching is still blessing others to this day. |
| |
THOMAS
CHALMERS (1780-1847) |  |
|
| From
Fifeshire, Scotland, this great preacher was know as the 'solar man.' In the pulpit
he was like the sun in prominence and power. He led over 400 fellow preachers
out of the state church and formed the Free Church in 1843. He was friends
with Sir Walter Scott, William Gladstone and Thomas Carlyle, among others.
He was thoroughly a Puritan preacher, stressing man's sin and God's grace.
He was convinced of the authority of scripture, always honoring the Word.
His vocabulary is from a different age and difficult for some to follow, but blessings
await the reader who tackles his sermons. |
The
Doctrine of Predestination Acts 27:22, 31
The
Expulsive Power of a New Affection I John 2:15
On
the Paternal Character of God Matt. 7:11 |
GEORGE
WHITEFIELD (1714-1770) |  |
|
| George
Whitefield was one of the most original preachers in the history of the church.
With a powerful and dramatic style, this Englishman has been called the
greatest preacher since the Apostle Paul and the Demosthenes of the pulpit.
His preaching in the US was a main cause of the Great Awakening. A
master of imagination, metaphor, and drama, it is said that his delivery was like
that of a a great actor. He was a protégé of the Wesleys and Methodism,
but moved away from their theology toward a more Calvinist position. Though
he died at 56 years old, the world is still feeling the impact of his life.
His sermons are available on many internet sites and all are worthy. The
fourteen messages below are representitive of his ministry. |
| |
JONATHAN
EDWARDS (1703-1758) |  |
|
| Some
say that Jonathan Edwards was the most powerful and most effective preacher ever
heard on the American continent. He is generally regarded as America's first "great
mind." He was a scientist, philosopher, author, educator, and preacher.
Edwards embodies puritanism to most people today and his sermons are still published
and read widely. His belief in the holiness of God and the depravity of
man caused many to abhor his preaching. Oliver Wendell Holmes described
his sermons as "barbaric." Mark Twain called him "a drunken lunatic." D.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones contended that "Puritanism reached its fullest bloom"
in Edwards, saying, "He preached sermons...he did not deliver lectures."
Search the internet for many more of Edward's sermons online. |
| |
