Each week in my own sermon preparation I try to listen to two or three sermons on the passage at hand. This is often made difficult by the fact that preachers are not uniform in how they divide up each book of the Bible into passages. One may choose verses 1-7 for example, while another preacher may choose verses 2-5. I also find that many times my favorite preachers won’t have a sermon on the passage I’m studying, so I’ll search and listen to preachers unknown to me. This has given me a wide set of preachers that I’ve listened to, perhaps a 100 or so. In general I find sermons on sermonaudio.com, but also listen to some on Youtube and on the PRCA (Protestant Reformed Church) website.
So I wanted to note some of the preachers I’ve listened to and perhaps some comments about them. And I encourage my readers to suggest to me other preachers I might benefit from and the reasons why.
Where to start?
Charles H. Roberts – one of the first places I look for sermon study is to my good friend and Bible Presbyterian minister Charles Roberts. I find Dr. Roberts’ sermons to be uniformly interesting and Biblical. They are on the shorter side, usually 25 minutes or so. I appreciate that length and generally preach the same, anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes. (Some other Bible Presbyterian ministers I’ve benefitted from the sermons of include G. W. Fisher and Jason Hutchinson)
Joel Ellis – among the pastors of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, I have found most benefit from the sermons of Joel Ellis. Some of his audio recordings are lessons rather than sermons. He tends to be very didactic. I’ve learn much from him though wonder if he sometimes might give too much information for his audience.
Carl Robbins – for studying a passage one can hardly do better than Carl Robbins of Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church. He is very detailed and gives great explanations.
Richard Hicks – my mentor and former pastor Richard Hicks is a solid preacher. He has that professorial way about him providing solid knowledge. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible.
Gregory N. Barkman – not a Reformed preacher I don’t believe, but Barkman has singularly the most sermons on sermon audio and often they are short enough to keep one’s attention.
J. Vernon McGee – another non-Reformed man, McGee’s recordings are more lessons than sermons but never fail to give excellent examples and applications.
Voddie Baucham – I listened to all of Baucham’s sermons on the Exodus during my study and preaching through that book.
PRCA pastors. Among Protestant Reformed pastors I have most benefitted from the sermons of David Engelsma and Brian Huizenga. You’ll find much uniformity in preaching style across their denomination. In a traditional Reformed way they tend to be longer sermons, closing in on one hour each.
Kevin DeYoung – probably my favorite preacher. Kevin grew up in the town next to mine. I don’t know that puts him on my wavelength or not, but I do know that his sermons are excellent and with some of the best applications. One point of disagreement I’ve found is that he doesn’t like the Majority Text as much as I do.
There are other preachers I listen to but these are the ones that come to mind.
Who’s sermons do you listen to?
Can’t do better than Patrick Hines on Justification by faith alone.
I have benefited a lot from Paul M Elliott’s sermons and radio broadcasts. Martin Lloyd-Jones is another one that is helpful. A Presbyterian I listen to is David Stark, who sticks to the received text.
I have listened to a couple good sermons on Genesis from Richard Smit of the PRCA that I found on sermon audio.
Sonny Hernandez is good too.