Over the years God has inspired and moved me to develop many different techniques of presenting the gospel and the message from His Word. The uniqueness can be described by monologues of biblical characters, drama (acting), props (some stationary and others animated by mechanical performance), and acting involving the youth and adults in your church. We are now using more Power-Point presentations in some of these sermons and other sermons are illustrated solely with the help of Power-Point presentations.
I find that we respond to visual stimulation much more quickly in our society than to auditory stimulation. Please Note: I still do many sermons without any visual helps. I attempt to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in what to preach each service. Most individuals respond well to the unique presentations, but very infrequently, I will find someone that does not relate totally with them. Sometimes, it may be me that they do not relate well to. We have to live with this fact at times.
“Drop Those Stones” (Mt. 11:28-29)
After the worship through song I come walking in carrying a burlap bag over my shoulder with 5 stones in it. There is 45 to 50 pounds of weight. I am on a journey to find somewhere to get rid of my stones. Most people enjoy this sermon enough to call it their “favorite.”
“The Messenger from Hell” (Acts 20:31)
I explode into the auditorium dressed in coveralls, a wig and an old cap, costume makeup, shackles and chains from my wrist and ankles, and a ball on my right ankle. I escape from hell just long enough to let the congregants know some things about where I reside. I depart and redress while the song is played, “People need the Lord.” I come back in and challenge the church and make a heartfelt appeal to the lost.
“Man, Receiving Sight” (Mk 10:46-52)
A Monologue of Blind Bartimeus. This is a first person monologue of Blind Bartimeus written by Kevin Hendrix; I use it by permission with several adaptations and changes. This is one of Millie’s favorites.
“From Victim to Victor” (John 8:31-36, 10:10) &
“God’s Healing for the Wounded” (Lk 4:18)
Millie gives her testimony, which is currently helping so many ladies to be set free from bondage and brokenness. After her testimony, I come walking in with a vest on with pieces of arrows sticking out of it. I talk about the fact that the enemy drew his bow back and hit the mark at different ages and periods of our life. We then examine how to be set free from the arrows and wounds we have. Since Millie and I both experienced abuse growing up, we are beginning to work on a book that we will co-author as husband and wife.
“The Harvest Awaits Us” (James 5:7-8)
I must admit that this is the most disjointed sermon that the Lord has given me. At the end the message comes through clearly. I have the ushers make sure that every person present has a grain of corn. I have a full ear of corn. We discuss early and latter rains using a couple of Power Point slides. Then I hand out six crowns to different ones in the congregation. After this, we return to the corn challenging each person to plant their lives in the Lord so as to experience latter rains after death. This is the sermon that is most difficult to describe. You have to see it to fully understand.
“The Courtroom” (Rev. 20:10-15)
This is a courtroom drama of the White Throne Judgment. Jesus is the Judge, there are 3 defendants, Paul is the prosecuting attorney, and the identity of the defending attorney is not disclosed until toward the end of the sermon. I role- play the defendants after examination, pleading for mercy, and then role-play them in hell. It is a very graphic sermon.
“Meeting Mephibosheth” (I Sam 18-20, focus on 18:1-4 and 20:14-17, II Sam 4:1-4, 9:1-13)
A Monologue of Mephibosheth. I drag myself up the isle as though crippled and have an internal struggle with whether to go to the King’s palace or not. Upon arriving, the servants clean me up and change my clothes (as I slide into the chair behind the table, I slip out of the dirty robe and turban and am seated at the table in a white turtleneck), thus I am dining with the king. After I finish the monologue, I then preach the message doing the analogies between King David and the King of Kings who invites us to dine with Him.
“The Brevity of Life” (James 4:14 with Job & Ec. 12 as sub-text)
This is a Power Point sermon with many photos and other elements that includes a great deal of humor. These elements open the soul to get individuals to realize that we need to commit it all to the Lord while we are living here for a brief period of time. This is a probing sermon to the innermost being of man.
“Carpenters for Christ” (I Cor. 3:9-15)
Note: 2 Services. A small set of wooden men (cut outs in the shape of individuals; painted and decorated) are used to probe the minds of believers on how we need to be building up the kingdom of God. The question is, “How are we building upon the foundation?” The amazing thing about this sermon is the fact that it is directed to Christians, but the Lord often uses it to bring lost to Himself. Again, the law works as the schoolmaster in this sermon.
"Lazarus; Get Up and Run” (John 11)
Note: 2 Services. The first night of this sermon has a bit more teaching. I use a bouquet of flowers to drive a point home and everyone thinks that this is the object lesson, but then to their surprise a six foot mannequin engineered with shocks and springs pops up in the baptistery. This figure is of course Lazarus. The first half of the sermon speaks more explicitly to the lost, while the second half deals with the grave clothes that we as Christians wear.
“God’s Road Signs for Man” (Many Texts)
This sermon incorporates both Power Point and youth carrying in the actual road signs (no I didn’t get them from our state highways; I purchased them from a company – just having a little fun). I used three of the road signs to give an invitation at my dad’s funeral. God uses this to speak to the youth. I am now using it sometimes on youth night.
“The Light’s Revelation - A Jar Speaks” (I John 1:5 – 2:2)
I have some fun with the children (I have them come forward to examine my jar) who are 10 or 12 down by asking them if my jar is clean or dirty. Dust particles are captured inside the jar which are not seen until the light is turned on. There is a light on the outside of the jar with a dimmer and brightener on it, one inside the jar that has a dimmer and brightener, and then another large spotlight outside the jar that is used at the conclusion of the sermon. The LIGHT reveals the sin in our life.
“Four Tragic Statements I Find in the Word of God” (Acts & Exodus)
I have a tombstone with “Birth” – “Death” on it. I normally ask teenage girls when they were born; then I press them to tell me the date of their death. Of course they can’t. I then deal with the 4 tragic statements a person can make and never speak them verbally. I challenge people to not make any of these tragic statements.
“The Early Funeral for Everyone Present” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
During this sermon, I have the pianist playing “The Old Rugged Cross” while pallbearers carry the casket in (the lid remains closed). Note: There is quite a bit of humor, yet there is great seriousness as we examine what could honestly be said at your funeral. The challenge is to know the Lord, love Him, live for Him, and labor for Him.
“The Cross Veiled or Victorious” (2 Corinthians 4:1-7)
There is more building and mechanical detail in this sermon than all the others. I have a table that is 4’ x 6’ with a cross on the back side which is visible to the congregation. There is a frame over the cross. To both sides of the cross, there are 6 framed sliders with material in the frames. We deal with some of the items Satan uses to veil (hide and blind) the cross from the mind of man. At this point the cross is not visible. After we have examined these items, then a motor raises the cross above all the sliders and magnets hold it up above all the veils. Christ must be lifted up for the hardened hearts of man to see the redemption He offers.
“Reporting Live from Bethlehem” (Luke 2, Phil. 2:6-8; Gal. 4:4)
I am inside an older large-screen TV cabinet with all the workings out of it. After the song service, I pop a blind up and start reporting live about the events occurring in Bethlehem in 4 BC. This is a different method of presenting the message of the birth of Christ.
“Your Conscience: What Kind Do You Have?” (Rom. 2:14-16)
The only object that I use in this sermon is an old pair of jogging pants to drive one of the points home about the conscience. We examine the 5 different kinds of conscience I find in the Word of God.
“Finishing Well” (1 Cor. 15:9-10 and 3 other Text)
Note: I have duel outlines for this sermon: one to the congregation, and another when I preach to preachers. This is a Power Point sermon with photos and other elements and also has three objects; a partially dried up paint can, a compass, and a fishing reel to deal with Paul’s 3 metaphors to keep us in the Christian walk. We conclude by examining what it takes to keep us in the race.
“Getting Out of Debt” (Col. 2:14)
I have teenage girls pass out a ledger sheet to everyone in the pew shortly after I start the introduction. We challenge them to think as though they have received a bill from heaven with all the charges against their account. We then look at man’s futile attempts to settle their debt and conclude that there is only one way for their debt to be paid; through Christ and Him alone.
“The Enemies Who Never Quit Fighting” (Gal. 5:16-18)
This is a sermon using two puppets. A complete script is written involving two excellent speaking guys portraying the voices of the two puppets; one representing the flesh and the other representing the Spirit. We also use several other cast members from the congregation and role-play myself in different scenarios having to decide who I will listen to in each setting: the flesh or the Spirit. The two puppets pop up attempting to influence my decisions. There are several places where this one solicits a laugh. I find that good humor opens the soul to drive the spiritual point home.
“The Commissioner of the Devil” (2 Cor. 11:13-15)
I am dressed in a yellow robe (appearing as an angel of light) over a gray robe. I am on assignment at a mall by orders from my boss. I am attempting to get people to sign their soul over to me (an emissary of the devil). The first contracts that I present them are always declined because they are ludicrous. I am not accomplishing my task, so I pull out the clincher. I get individuals coming in to sign my petition that they will accept Christ, but delay their decision, 30, 20, or 10 years. As they are leaving the mall, I have slipped out of the yellow robe and am standing in my gray robe, making fun of them because they have signed their soul away by delaying. I use teens and adults to help me with this one.
“The Surgery Every Person Needs” (Luke 5:30-32)
I wear a doctor’s smock, stethoscope, and also use an x-ray, a scalpel, a needle & thread, a crown of thorns and a cat-of-nine-tails to let those who are unregenerate know that they need a new spiritual heart. As in the sermon with the stones, the law is used as the schoolmaster to bring a person to the cross.
“The Trial of Jesus” (Mt. 27:22)
This sermon is not original with me. I have heard others use it. I do not know who to give the original credit to. This is a sermon where Jesus’ enemies and his allies are called to the stand. This is also a courtroom setting. At the end a person must decide their view and position of who Jesus really is for them.
“A Sick Man Looking for Help” (Mark 5:25-34)
I am a man with a terminal disease and I am looking for help. I seek out Dr. Religion, Dr. Preacher, Dr. Law, and Dr. Pharisee, all to no avail. Finally someone points me in the direction of Dr. Grace. A dear friend and my spiritual dad originally gave me the idea for this sermon.
“How Satan Imbeds Negatives in Our Subconscious Which Impacts Our Conscious Without Us Being Aware of It.” (Mark 8:22-26)
This message is more teaching in nature. With our past (mine and Millie’s), we see so much how Satan entices, entangles, and entraps people in their mind and soul. We want to see them set free. This sermon is in Power Point with outline, photos, animation and several other aspects of conveying the truth of God’s Word. Some of our first presentations of this teaching will be to family and extended family.
As you can see, God has brought these sermons to me in many and varied ways. I am grateful to be able to preach them for His glory, the up build of the church, and the calling of the lost home to Him. I am working on others, so I earnestly desire that you pray for me as the Holy Spirit directs. The unique sermons usually take a great deal of time to prepare and develop.
