75 sermons placed inside history. Rev. Donald Ng preached through 28 years of American life — wars, elections, natural disasters, and national reckonings. Each sermon below is paired with the world events unfolding around it when it was written.
Post-9/11 & Afghanistan
2001–2002
17 sermons
2001-09-16
The Future Isn't What It Used to Be
9/11 attacks — 5 days after
2001-09-17
Dividing Walls Must Come Down
9/11 attacks — candlelight peace service
2001-09-30
The Sea Was No More
9/11 attacks — three weeks later
2001-10-07
In Christ We Stand
Day the U.S. invaded Afghanistan
2001-10-14
Waverly Podunk Place
Afghanistan war — week two
2001-10-21
Why Worry with God
Afghanistan war — ongoing
2001-10-28
Unreasonable Grace
Afghanistan war — one month in
2001-12-02
The Thief Who Gives
First Advent after 9/11
2001-12-09
Pet Cemetery or Peaceable Kingdom?
First Christmas after 9/11
2001-12-30
Tears at Christmas
First Christmas after 9/11
2002-01-06
The Rocking Chair Church
Enron collapse
2002-01-13
Servant Superhero
Enron collapse
2002-02-10
Olympic Christians
Post-9/11 Winter Olympics
2002-03-17
What's to Be Done with Our Dying?
First Easter after 9/11
2002-03-31
Easter Earthquake
First Easter after 9/11
2002-04-06
Wearing Sackcloth in Such a Time as This
First Easter after 9/11
2002-04-28
The True Compass
Post-9/11 spring
Iraq War & SARS
2003–2004
8 sermons
2003-01-26
User-Friendly Customer Servant
Iraq War buildup
2003-03-02
It is Good for Us to be Here
Iraq War begins
2003-03-30
Saved by Grace Even at War
Iraq War — 9 days in
2003-04-06
The Good in the Bad
Iraq War / SARS outbreak
2003-04-15
Have Your Towel Ready
Iraq War / SARS outbreak
2003-05-04
Spring Cleaning
Iraq War — ongoing
2003-05-11
Loving Shepherd & Loving Mothers
Iraq War — ongoing
2004-12-26
Waiting for Danger
Indian Ocean tsunami — two days after
Tsunami, Katrina & Recovery
2005–2006
9 sermons
2005-01-16
What Are You Looking For?
Indian Ocean tsunami aftermath
2005-01-23
Is Christ Divided?
Indian Ocean tsunami aftermath
2005-09-11
50:20 World
9/11 anniversary + Katrina aftermath
2005-09-18
God's Math
Hurricane Katrina aftermath
2005-09-25
Get into the Game
Hurricane Katrina aftermath
2005-10-02
Follow the Rules
Hurricane Katrina aftermath
2005-10-07
125th Anniversary Sermons
Post-Katrina fall
2005-12-25
What We Really Want for Christmas
Christmas after Katrina
2006-03-05
Water, Water, Everywhere
Katrina recovery — six months later
Virginia Tech & Financial Crisis Begins
2007–2008
3 sermons
Financial Crisis & Obama Era
2008–2011
23 sermons
2008-09-07
Calendar Confusion
Lehman Brothers collapse
2008-09-14
Unfinished Business of Forgiveness
Financial crisis peak
2008-09-21
Getting Day Laborers Off the Street Corner
Financial crisis peak
2008-10-05
Tending Gardens
TARP bailout week
2008-10-12
Fans of Jesus Always
Financial crisis peak
2008-10-19
Minted by God
Dow historic drop — same week
2008-10-26
Footprints for Christ
Financial crisis
2008-11-02
Walk the Talk
Three days before Obama elected
2008-11-09
Running on Full
Three days after Obama elected
2008-11-23
Where's Jesus?
Obama transition / financial crisis
2008-11-30
Never Buy Green Bananas
Financial crisis / Advent
2008-12-24
The Bethlehem Wall
Christmas during financial crisis
2009-01-04
Let's Make Lemonade!
Obama inauguration week
2009-01-25
A Sermon about Sermons
Obama inauguration — 4 days prior
2009-02-15
Evil Spelled Backwards
Obama first weeks
2009-04-05
Untying Donkeys
Swine flu pandemic begins
2009-05-24
Visible Community
Swine flu pandemic
2010-01-10
The Model Church
Haiti earthquake — same week
2010-01-12
No Partiality
Haiti earthquake — same day
2010-01-31
Stirring Up Trouble
Haiti earthquake aftermath
2011-03-20
Born from Above
Japan earthquake / Fukushima
2011-05-08
Confidence in Darkness
Bin Laden killed — one week prior
2011-09-11
Time for Forgiveness
10th anniversary of 9/11
Sandy Hook & Boston Marathon
2012–2013
4 sermons
Ferguson, Charleston & Orlando
2014–2016
5 sermons
2014-09-07
Taking People Seriously
Ferguson / Michael Brown protests
2014-11-30
Get Ready
Eric Garner protests
2014-12-24
Love's True Light
Eric Garner / police violence protests
2015-06-28
Healed for the Journey
Charleston church shooting
2016-11-11
Light Shines in Darkness
Three days after Trump elected
Pandemic, George Floyd & Beyond
2019–2023
6 sermons
2019-08-05
Children of Light and Darkness
El Paso & Dayton shootings — next day
2020-03-22
Education is Light
COVID pandemic — first lockdown weekend
2020-05-24
Beloved Community
George Floyd killed — 4 days prior
2020-05-24
Resist the Roaring Lion of Racism
George Floyd — over Zoom lockdown
2022-04-24
Obey God
Russia invades Ukraine
2023-01-04
Recounting Our Days
Post-pandemic reflection