Top 11 most requested Bridge sermons

Posted by Josh Howerton on Dec 7, 2011 | Comments Off

Over the last few months the number of emails we’ve gotten requesting direction to a specific sermon or preaching on a specific issue has DRAMATICALLY increased. I don’t know if that’s as a result of our podcast growing, the church’s growth, or if – by God’s incredible grace – there’s a growing love for The Word and preaching in our church body.  I’m crossing my fingers for the last one!

Whatever the reason, here are “The Greatest Hits” – some of the “most requested” sermons I’ve preached in the last couple years. The titles are links to the sermon downloads…

• The Gospel and Homosexuality: From our 1 Spring-Hillians series, this sermon deals with the emotionally sensitive and culturally complex issue of Christianity and homosexuality.

• Does God predestine some people to heaven and not others?: As entitled, this sermon answers the question, “Does God predestine some people to heaven and not others?” and in doing so reveals the invincible nature of God’s love for his children.

• Citizenship: The Authentic Christian: A stand-alone sermon I preached last year. For everyone who’s asked “How can I know if I’ve truly been born again?”, this sermon is for you. It’s from Jesus’ teaching at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.

• Navigating moral grey areas: This sermon has become known around The Bridge as “The Beer Sermon”. From our “Following Jesus in a Jacked Up Church” series through 1 Corinthians, this sermon deals with Paul’s teaching from 1 Corinthians 8 about how Christians should navigate moral grey areas.

• The Gospel and race relations: From the “24K Gospel” series we preached through Galatians, this sermon addresses exactly what it says – how does the gospel shape how we view and relate to people from different cultures and of different races?

• Darkness: hurting from depression: From our “Hurt” series, this is probably the most requested sermon I’ve ever preached. Looking at David’s depression in the Psalms, this sermon deals with the present reality of depression and the hope the depressed have in Jesus.

• 2011: The Killing of Osama Bin Laden: Preached just a few weeks ago, this sermon kicked off our “2011″ series and looked back at the killing of Osama bin Laden. How should Christians think about and feel toward extreme injustice and terrorism?

• Gifts that freak people out: Also from our “Following Jesus in a Jacked Up Church” series, this sermon is from 1 Corinthians 14. It deals with the controversial and very practical questions surrounding gifts of the Spirit such as “speaking in tongues”.

• Idolatry: money as security: You might be surprised to find a “money sermon” on this list, but this one is a front-runner for “most requested sermon”. This sermon examines Jesus’ teaching about money and offers true hope for people who are financially stressed and worried.

• Doubting your Doubts: there can’t be just one true religion: From the “Doubting your Doubts” series a couple years ago, this sermon addresses the increasing objection to the gospel, “There can’t be just one true religion!”.  What does the Bible have to say about religious pluralism?

• Valuing Correction: Of all the sermons on this list, this one shocks me the most.  This was a stand-alone sermon I preached as the Holy Spirit burdened me with a weakness I saw in our church body earlier this year.  From Proverbs 9, it looks at one of THE characteristics of true spiritual maturity: the ability to value correction instead of hating it.