# What was the first sermon you preached at your first or new call



## Brother John

Pastors when you received your first call or a new call in your ministry what was the first sermon you preached? What book did you start with? Or did you preach a topical sermon? Why did you choose what you did and looking back would you change your selection? What do you think is a good book for a pastor in a new call to start in? Thanks I am very interested to see the responses.


----------



## fredtgreco

I preached on Galatians 1:1-3, "Christ, His Church, and His Messenger" as I started a series on Galatians. I specifically chose Galatians for my first series because I wanted to start my new ministry on a key gospel book.


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian

I started (and am about 3 or 4 weeks from finishing) with the Prophet Amos, since Amos fits the ecclesiastical milieu of the area I am in. The church here has expressed to me that they have benefited greatly from it. We are going to 2 Peter next, then Joshua. A lot of knowing where to start is just knowing where the congregation is and what they will gain from hearing. A slightly off-topic antidote but when I started going through Amos one of my Ruling Elders came to me and said, "I am glad we are hearing from one of these Old Testament Prophets. All you Reformed guys ever want to do is preach from Paul."


----------



## Curt

I usually preach through books, but when I start a new pastoral ministry, I tend to preach on the Bereans.


----------



## KMK

My first sermon at VCC, over five years ago, was on Matt 9:13 "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Being pulpit fill, I didn't know how many opportunities I would get to preach the Gospel and figured that verse would provide as good an opportunity as any.

If you haven't preached regularly before, you probably have lots of ideas rolling around in your head. I would recommend starting with those instead of embarking on a series right away. Preach what you are passionate about and when that wears off, then start into a series.


----------



## Curt

The very first sermon I ever preached was on Ephesians 5:1-2
1 Be imitators of God,1 therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.​
That was in 1978 in a homiletics class with Dr. Robert Rayburn at Covenant Seminary.


----------



## Ask Mr. Religion

A favorite sermon of mine is from Matthew 26:36-45. It was the first sermon I delivered as a newly-ordained minister over twenty-plus years ago. The message relates the "watch and pray" from the passage and that we find here even those who knew the Lord, touched him, and were closest to him, failed to grasp the enormity of the situation. After three times returning to find these men "asleep at the wheel" we read those dreaded words, _Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners._ It seems we get so close to the physical Jesus, in the church, the "sanctuary", singing hymns of "Mama's favorite rocking chair", keeping the lights on every night, etc., that we lose sight of the commanding Lord of our lives and our mandates to be the salt and light of the world. While the church is busy with "churchiness" the world is going to hell in a handbasket all around it. Yikes! I am getting all fired up and will stop now as no one asked for a sermon.

In the past I have also used the sermon at church special engagements kicking off some week special topics, e.g., evangelism, missions, etc., as a guest speaker. I get everyone stirred up and then leave. Some of you may know how that goes. 

AMR


----------



## Ivan

This is the passage of Scripture I use as my first sermon at a new church (used three times).

1 Corinthians 2:1-5



> : And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.


----------



## kodos

Ivan said:


> This is the passage of Scripture I use as my first sermon at a new church (used three times).
> 
> 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
> 
> 
> 
> 
> : And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Click to expand...

 
What a fantastic passage to use as a new Pastor. Thank you for sharing!


----------



## sdesocio

I started with a two week examination of the the Greatest Commandment.


----------



## Jack K

Ivan said:


> This is the passage of Scripture I use as my first sermon at a new church (used three times).
> 
> 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
> 
> 
> 
> 
> : And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Click to expand...


A big  from me on that one! I've never pastored a church, but that's the theme passage I use for training Sunday School teachers.


----------



## Romans922

I preached from Revelation 12:7-12 for my first two sermons when I candidated. Because of the odd situation that I am starting in this week, I am preaching an old sermon from Psalm 3. Then I have my installation (next Friday), my friend will be preaching that following Lord's Day, and then I will be starting again on April 10th. That is the reason for my not starting my sermon series this coming Lord's Day. At that time I will be starting Genesis and Ephesians.


----------



## dannyhyde

June 18, 2000: John 1:1–18, "A New Beginning."


----------



## JonathanHunt

I was not technically 'called' until July 2008, but I began regular preaching ministry in January 2007, and on the first Sunday of that month I began an expository series in Genesis at the evening service. I preached individual texts in the morning (evangelistic) service (as has been my general practice to date save for a series in Mark which I am just finishing). The books or series I have preached so far, in order, on Sunday eves: Genesis, Galatians, Psalms of Ascent, Titus, Exodus, and coming up soon, James.


----------

