VBPH Sermon Podcast
No Blacksmiths, No Battle: Why the Church Is Losing the Next Generation
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🔥 Summary:The greatest threat to the church today isn’t persecution—it’s the absence of blacksmiths. In this riveting message from 1 Samuel 13, Pastor Adam Dragoon delivers a prophetic warning for today’s believers: when the church stops forging disciples, we forfeit the fight.Drawing parallels from the recommissioning of the USS Wisconsin to the spiritual battles of our time, this sermon unpacks how the church has traded spiritual training for entertainment, swapped discipleship for influencers, and surrendered our weapons to the enemy.📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 13:19–22🛠️ Theme: Discipleship, spiritual warfare, generational transfer⚔️ Main Message: You cannot win spiritual battles without forged weapons—and forged weapons require blacksmiths.⛓️ In This Message You’ll Learn: • Why spiritual weapons are missing in today’s churches • How generational discipleship secures victory • The cost of outsourcing spiritual formation to the world • What it means to be a blacksmith in the Kingdom of God • How to rise up and disciple the next generation before it’s too late👊 This message will challenge, equip, and awaken you to your role in God’s plan.🧱 The forge is open. Will you pick up the hammer?Chapters[00:00] - Welcome[01:00] - USS Wisconsin: A Lesson in Passing Down Knowledge[03:25] - The Old Salts Return: Training the Next Generation[05:26] - The Miracle of Transferred Wisdom[06:28] - The Church’s Ancient Technology[08:00] - The Strategy of Suppression: No Blacksmiths in Israel[11:21] - The Church as a Forge, Not a Museum[13:30] - Substituting the Relying on the Enemy[17:54] - The Shortage of Mentors and the Call to Discipleship[22:29] - The Cost of Failing to Train the Next Generation[25:00] - Paul’s Pattern: Four Generations of Discipleship[28:46] - The Church as Boot Camp: Multiplying Disciples[32:41] - The Power of Spiritual Fathers and Teachers[36:19] - Where Are the Blacksmiths? The Call to Invest[37:11] - The Dirty Work of Discipleship[38:10] - The Call to Salvation and Spiritual Influence[41:43] - Praying for Blacksmiths: A Church That Shapes Lives👉 Subscribe for more life-changing sermons that confront complacency and call the church back to its mission.Show NotesDid you benefit from this message? Support our ministry with a generous donation: https://give.vbph.churchKeep up with all the latest events happening at VBPH: https://vbph.org/eventsSubscribe to text updates by sending the keyword "ALERTS" to 757-785-9881Follow our YouTube channel for all the latest video content: https://www.youtube.com/PottersHouseVBSubscribe to our VBPH Sermon Podcast to never miss a message: https://podfollow.com/vbph-sermon-podcastWant to read through the Bible with us this year? Join our YouVersion Bible Reading Plan here: https://bit.ly/VBPH-BiblePlan-2025Are you in Hampton Roads and want to visit our church? Come join us IRL: 1045 Lynnhaven Pkwy., Virginia Beach, VA 23452Let us know you're coming: https://form.church/vgSQszyXdkGlOgqDFnG6