1. Sermons

2. Methodism

3. Videos on other Christian Topics

4. Audio Recordings

5. Book me for a Talk

1. Sermons

To listen to some sermons by David Young recorded at churches in Wrexham, Hookgate and Penycae, scroll down to below the list of devotional articles on the Sermons and devotional Writing page. You can then select from a range of sermons, and click on your choice. There are also two sermons preached at Hadlow by the late Norman Parker of Borough Green (and later of Seal).

2. Talks about Methodism, on YouTube or that can be booked for your venue

I have a number of illustrated PowerPoint talks I can be booked to give. Talks are usually 40 to 50 minutes in length when given in public and may be followed by a time of questions and discussion; on YouTube they are of more varied length, as noted to the nearest minute in each listing below. Some are based on my books and articles, and a glimpse at those on the My Books page will give a further idea of the theme of those talks.

A selection of comments about this material can be read towards the bottom of this page.

The Life of John Ride

The Life of John Ride “the Apostle of Berkshire”

John Ride was a significant figure in early Primitive Methodism. As well as other ministry, he introduced the movement to North Wales from it base in Chester, took part in the remarkably vibrant expansion from Brinkworth in Wiltshire, and superintended the early mission to northern Hampshire from its base in Shefford – all this before ending his evangelistic ministry in Australia. 38 minutes

John Ride 1John Ride

 

Primitive Methodism in seven transatlantic countries

Primitive Methodism planted from England to America in 1829 and from there to other lands: church-planting, hospital, clinics, schools, radio, literacy, Bible translation, pastoral training, English, Spanish, Quiché, Ixil. Video made in 2020. 15 minutes https://youtu.be/29ftikLVHOk

1st baptisms in El Salvador

Primitive Methodist baptism, El Salvador

The Primitive Methodist Mission to North Wales

Rhosymedre MCCCXL PM

Rhosymedre second (present) chapel, built 1842

This talk traces the penetration of north-east Wales by Primitive Methodist preachers from the north (Cheshire) and the south (Shropshire) from the 1820s and the spread of the movement till the 1940s. The character of the movement, its ethos and faith, also figure significantly, with reference to some of the major personalities, and a special focus on the first thirty years or so of revival, evangelism and expansion. A video of the talk may be seen here: https://youtu.be/QU6AEBxU27Y 28 minutes

The Primitive Methodist Mission to Northern Hampshire

between Combe and Linkenholt.jpg

between Combe and Linkenholt, a route the missionaries took into Hampshire

This talk focuses on the approximate period 1830 to 1868, briefly traces the movement of the mission from its origin at Mow Cop, via Shrewsbury and Brinkworth, and then focuses in detail on the ethos, beliefs, personalities and spread of the movement throughout the area from its initial centres in Shefford and Micheldever, including its oppositions and persecutions.

An illustrated version of the talk, which looks also at the impact on my life of my encounter with Primitive Methodism in my early Christian experience, can be seen via this You Tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VdMCzXhLII&t=3s 43 minutes

Primitive Methodism 1932 to 2020

This talk is based on the book Primitive Methodism 1919 to 2019, but is continually updated with further information as the work develops. Here is the fairly recently built highest Primitive Methodist chapel in the world, at 10,000 feet, in Guatemala:

Alaska, Guatemala

The talk looks at the survival of Primitive Methodist after Methodist reunion in Britain in 1932, both as a stream with the new Methodist Church, and among congregations who never joined; it then turns its attention to the work in America, sent initially from the Hull and Tunstall Districts, and its spread from there to a number of countries in Central America and Spanish-, Quiché- and Ixil-speaking people. The chapel in the photograph is in Guatemala.

On YouTube this talk has been divided into two separate, self-contained talks, relating to England 1932-2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W19zOcxMm-A&t=17s (17 minutes) and other countries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ftikLVHOk&t=68s (15 minutes)

The Methodist Squatters of Newtown Mountain

The squatters’ hamlet which appeared on Newtown Mountain, Denbighshire, by the late 1840s was part of the tai unnos movement which spread through much of Wales: the right to build a house overnight, have smoke rising from the chimney by dawn, throw an axe as far as you could from the house, and claim the right to that dwelling and land. The hamlet continued till the early 1900s, and was missioned by the Primitive Methodists, who built a chapel there at a cost of £23 in 1861. And Welsh-speaking squatters built a Calvinistic Methodist chapel, disused by the early 1860s, known as Capel y Mynydd.

003 above Minera 23 Dec.JPG

Click here to see and listen to the talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wQ0mfzeQrk&t=44s (31 minutes)

A Methodist Story from old Blaenavon

A glimpse into the vanished world of my Wesleyan forebears from the 1880s – pubs, drunkenness, chapels, preaching. A 12½ minute YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agqeBaRM0A0&t=648s

story from old Blaenavon

HELL

The doctrine of hell, judgement and eternal punishment has been believed, preached, feared, disliked, hushed up, mocked, and done away with. This YouTube video takes a serious look at that development, starting from the early Church, and looks at the mediæval church, Dissenters, Methodists, novelists, Darwin, Richard Dawkins, a bishop, two archbishops, an abbot, revival preachers, and others, down to the present day. There is special reference to Methodism.

Click here to see the video: https://youtu.be/lJ59gN4yN8I (27 minutes)

I took the photograph below at the Necromanteio in Epirus, where people went in Classical times hoping to meet the dead. It is not, of course, intended to suggest that Hell looks in any way like this site.

Nekromanteio

 

RELENTLESS DECLINE BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL

Decades of relentless Methodist decline can be reversed if the foundations are built on once more. Parables of renewal drawn from nature can be fulfilled in grace. Hope remains and could be fulfilled. An 8-minute video. https://youtu.be/6HyLiRnVTrw

burnt Methodism

 

3. OTHER CHRISTIAN TOPICS NOT DIRECTLY OR NOT WHOLLY ABOUT METHODISM

There are about 90 videos on my YouTube channel ranging in length from about a minute and a half to about three-quarters of an hour (the words David Young Wrexham typed into the YouTube search bar will take you to the channel). Here are some of them, but there are many more:

DEVOTIONAL

VIDEOS: Guidance

Three YouTube videos on God’s guidance of the Christian’s life and service:

  • Six major principles to help the Christian recognise God’s will and guidance, including at major turning points in life’s journey. 9½ minutes https://youtu.be/UddQ6xq-eJ4
  • A parable in the Bible in which the vine is invited to be king of the trees and replies, “Should I leave my wine which cheereth God and man?” The story, its background, and how the parable can apply to us today. 9¾ minutes https://youtu.be/UDj7WDxBBIY
  • Recognising God’s guidance is something all Christians want to do for God’s will for their service and pathway through life. Here are some thoughts on different sorts of paths on which God leads his children. 10¾ minutes https://youtu.be/8jtpwPHx8xk

VIDEO: Benefiting from the Bible

  • YouTube video (18 minutes) on choosing your translation of the Bible, Greek texts and translation methods that lie behind English versions, and suggestions on benefiting from your own reading and study of the Bible. https://youtu.be/NrK7Yy1xKNE

VIDEO: Thoughts from English pubs

VIDEO: Rekindling the fire

VIDEO: The Holly and the Ivy

VIDEO: Hope and faith in sorrow

VIDEO: Lent 

VIDEO: When Christians fall or fail

VIDEO: The heavens declare

VIDEO: “See the glory of God” (Norman Parker)

VIDEO: Thoughts from old churches

  • A talk of about 15 minutes with photos of churches Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Nonconformist, in Greece, Brittany, and Britain, with devotional reflection prompted on my visits by their atmosphere and history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6uvQ2lYAt4&t=2s

VIDEO: Why I remain an Evangelical

  • Why I have remained an Evangelical Christian through nearly 60 years; not why I remain Christian – why specifically Evangelical. Some reasons for staying in the fold, as it were. 16 minutes https://youtu.be/134Z7eAh9Sk

VIDEO: Friendship

  • A brief extract (ca 2¾ minutes) from a sermon on Friendship, relating experiences of friendship I have enjoyed and benefited from. In my trouble people came significant distances (Yorkshire, Kent, Sussex, Albania) to North Wales to bring me comfort, support and encouragement. https://youtu.be/j-JyQA3eLeo

VIDEO: Thoughts from the Contemplation of Trees

  • Trees are beautiful creations and we often read of them in the Bible. Here are some thoughts from many different trees I have admired, prompted by words of God and others recorded in Scripture. (ca 13 minutes) https://youtu.be/rMfj33e4Ekg

VIDEO: Thoughts from Mountains and Hills

  • Mountains and hills have often prompted devotional thought and meditation, and this video shares with you some of mine, with some personal testimony woven into it. (20½ minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LUhr3cc99c

VIDEO: Thoughts from Sea and Stream

  • Devotional reflections prompted by sea, stream and waterfall, and by parables and metaphors drawn from them in various Bible passages about God’s work in creation, in providence (looking after us and his world), and in grace (bringing us to know him and to find everlasting life). (17½ minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgK06Cth44k&t=19s

VIDEO: The Magic of Christmas

  • I have felt Christmas to be a magical time for at least 70 years. Here are 12 minutes of thoughts on how and why. (Posted December 2020; ca 15 minutes)  https://youtu.be/UC8aFvot6bM

 VIDEO: Christmas singing + a link to the Sermon

  • Christmas singing at Bradley Road Baptist Church, Wrexham, two days before Christmas Day 2007, plus a link to the sermon preached there that morning. 10 minutes https://youtu.be/fwLSxmDMH18

VIDEO: Remembering lost blessings 

  • When times of dryness and dearth come to our walk with God it is important to remember the reality we knew in past times of more manifest felt blessings. Here is some personal testimony based on two psalms to encourage and refresh you at such times. https://youtu.be/H19ePn660FA

ALBANIAN MATTERS

VIDEO: Faith in Kosova

  • focuses on the Evangelical faith in Kosova and looks at the background of Islam, Eastern Orthodoxy, civil war, and independence since 2008, and looks briefly at the original nineteenth-century Methodist root (13 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61BLJpDrLas&t=37s

VIDEO: Albania in the 1997 Uprising

  • A short extract from a longer talk, about some experiences during the uprising in 1997 in Albania prompted by the fraudulent investment schemes. There was bloodshed, robbery, destruction on a wide scale.   Under 3 minutes https://youtu.be/GieqWIi-mM4

VIDEO: My Call to Albania

  • To watch this video talk, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtgihvUizLY&t=1s. 23 minutes. There is a small amount of overlap with the video on My Life in early Primitive Methodism (see above, under The Primitive Methodist Mission to northern Hampshire).

VIDEO: The Birth and early Decades of the Albanian Evangelical Mission

  • Covering the approximate period 1967-2013, this video looks at the genesis of the Albanian Evangelical Mission from within a prayer movement, its early ministry for the Albanian people outside Albania until 1991 (and afterwards), and its entry into Albania in 1991 when the country opened up; its initial Evangelical church ministry by invitation of the residual Albanian Evangelical community of Korçë, and its developing ministry of church-planting, aid, literature, orphanages, and other humanitarian help. Click here for the 15-minute video: https://youtu.be/_SAC3mQzU0Q?fbclid=IwAR163FmZKosn0xfY54W3huki2Y6Tdzpf2KkeQZkm5SFpOwIFx5bQOvL1eTs

VIDEO: British Christians in Albania

  • This video, beginning in the 1820s, looks at the service of British Christians in Albania prior to the Communist period https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv2kto-_XBo&t=63s. (19 minutes) Concerning Lt-Col. Oakley-Hill, I have assumed he was a Christian, from the help he gave to me, from some of his service for Albanians, and from his choice of bride, but we never spoke together about personal faith, and now, perhaps forty years later, I have been unable to locate anyone who knew him personally.

THE ANGLO-SAXON CHURCH

VIDEO: The Life and Work of Ælfric of Cerne Abbas and Eynsham

VIDEO: The Celtic Mission to England

VIDEO: Anglo-Saxon Bible translation

CHURCH

VIDEO: baptismal service at Rhosllanerchrugog

  • https://youtu.be/xHTIaFWnQAw a 17-minute extract from a service of believer’s baptism made for television in 1993 with short preaching in Welsh and in English

VIDEO: Chapel closures in England and Wales

VIDEO: How Evangelical belief was undermined in Britain before Darwin

  • From about the 1830s onwards, a number of influences worked increasingly to erode belief in biblical Christianity, preparing the way for the landslide which happened after Darwin’s Origin of the Species was published in 1859 (36 minutes) https://youtu.be/eL9bJ2lgscg 

VIDEO: Theological change after Darwin 

VIDEO: Seven Reasons to read Church History

  • Some of the benefits that come from reading Church History, learning how God works, inspiration and principles for service, remembering lest we drift away from God’s work and blessing, with examples from different denominations, from Britain and abroad, and from a range of centuries (ca 11 minutes)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEnTobRckgk&t=30s

VIDEO: What is a Baptist church?

  • Many people, Christian or otherwise, do not really know what a Baptist church is, how it differs from other Christian churches. I was brought up in Methodism, but became a Baptist minister by conviction, though always retaining a love for real Methodism. This video is not designed to make other Christians into Baptists, but describes some of the distinctives of Baptist churches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBjlzz_fogQ

VIDEO: Call to the Christian Ministry

  • God’s call to service, disobedience, struggle, second chance, restoration, lessons learnt, and much more: my story and testimony may in some way help someone wrestling with God’s call to a specific service.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUV-B_hi-Zk&t=1s

VIDEO: The Door into the Baptist Ministry

  • The practice as I understand it, and have experienced it, among British Baptists: inward and outward call, recognition as a minister, call to a pastorate: 10½ minutes https://youtu.be/ALO8IP8Ar8Q

VIDEO: Rules and Regulations: legalism in churches:

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wJlY3S9Anc&t=51s The examples of rules that are not found in the Bible which which have been imposed on Christians are taken from Primitive Methodism, but legalism was and remains prevalent in many Nonconformist churches, carrying the danger of making genuine believers feel inadequate, unacceptable, insecure, or proud, and causing chapel life to seem repellent to outsiders. (12 minutes)

VIDEO: A Plea for Honesty in Hymn-singing

  • Some popular hymns about the character of Jesus, or about Christian experience and hope, lead us to sing words that are not really true if we think closely enough about them. Here is a plea, based on some well-known hymns, for Christians to abide by the truth in private or public singing or hymns or choruses. (ca 16 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaIhQEXF4Fc

BIBLE TEACHING

VIDEO: The Canon of Scripture

VIDEO: The Resurrection of the Body

  • Other philosophies and religions believe in the survival of the soul after death, with life continuing as a disembodied spirit, but the resurrection of Christ and the promised similar resurrection of the Christian is the unique to the Christian religion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teaQA4F5Xyg&t=136s (19 minutes)

VIDEO: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and Holy Communion 

  • The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion) points forward to ‘the Marriage Supper of the Lamb’, to be enjoyed by Jesus and all his redeemed people following his return in glory to establish the eternal kingdom. This is the theme of this 3½-minute snippet from a sermon I preached at a Communion service. The complete sermon is accessible via the list of recorded sermons earlier on this page.

* * *

4. Audio Talks

J R R Tolkien: a Christian appreciation

  • This talk (not illustrated with PowerPoint) was given to a group of ministers at a church in Strood. It looks at Tolkien’s life, character, and faith, and then focuses on the rich Christian concepts and ethos of his fiction, especially The Lord of the Rings. Click here to hear the talk: 

Tolkien flickr.com

[Photo from flickr.com]

Among the Albanians of Montenegro and Kosova

Albania in the 1997 uprising

Two thousand years of spiritual battle for Albania

5. Book me for a talk

If you are interested in booking me to speak within about a 30-mile radius of Wrexham, please get in touch via my contact page and I will get back to you with details.

Note: Talks can be adjusted in length and style according to the level of knowledge and interest of each audience.

Comments about material on this website received by email, YouTube, Facebook, or a forum :

I know you’re a “serious” kind of guy but you also have a great sense of humour and … on your About Me page I think it does come over a bit that your talks are solely academic whereas they are very informative and you have a presentation style which is a lot lighter than the website infers. – Mike Norbury, Community Church, Wrexham.

Thank you so much for the lecture today, popular demand will ensure that I invite you again. – Christian Heritage Centre, Rowley Regis.

Thank you so much, David! E shikova videon, e mrekullueshme gjithe historia duke filluar nga takimet e lutjet. U inkurajova shume! Lavdi Perendise!! – Hilki Berisha

Very good. Very informative. What a blessing Primitive Methodism has been to the whole world and is still a blessing to many as through its endeavors it is continuing to reach people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Only in eternity will we know how many people, directly and indirectly, the Primitive Methodist movement won to Christ.
– Rev. Fred Perkins, President of Conference, Primitive Methodist Church (USA)

This is a fascinating story, researched and told by David, he is an expert on this vanished Settlement. His creative skills are shown here, and the technical skills of merging sound with slides keep getting better. – Dr David Collins, Gresford

I was aware of much of the history of Albania and our evangelical Christian faith in the land. In this enjoyable and informative presentation David fills in some of the gaps in my knowledge, understanding and indeed memory of God’s work in this little country.
– Tony Treasure, former missionary in Berat, Albania

Dankie Dawid. Very good excellent. – Andries Theunissen, Marchwiel

Reverend, your video is a delight. – Alpha60 (forum user name) (Orthodox)

Thank you for the video. I very much enjoyed watching it.
– Noahzarc1 (forum user name) (Catholic)

I have also been watching your videos very good.
– Earl Crowder, Cleethorpes, sent whilst waiting for a quadruple heart bypass.

Beautiful YouTube presentation and reflection.
– Fr Michael Heningham (Orthodox)

Past Speaking Engagements

Since 2012 I have given part or all of one or more of the above talks at the following places:

Englesea Brook Chapel and Museum
Silchester Methodist Chapel
Hookgate Providence Chapel
Crewe-by-Farndon Methodist Chapel
Denbigh Wesley Historical Society (Wales branch)
Dudley, ministers’ fraternal meeting at Dudley Baptist Church
Wrexham Bradley Road Baptist Church
Wrexham Chester Street Baptist Church
Wrexham Area Civic Society
Wrexham U3A
Wrexham Community Church “History Makers” group
Wrexham, Wesley Historical Society (Wales branch)
Wrexham, Regent Street Methodist Church
Penycae Zion Baptist Church
Llay Bethel Baptist Chapel
Wem, Wesley Historical Society (Shropshire Branch)
Cefn Mawr Local Historical Society
Warwick, Myton Church
Brynteg (Rockwood Mission, now Brynteg Village Church)
Talwrn Green Methodist chapel
Gwersyllt, Congregational Church
Didsbury, Nazarene Training College
Rowley Regis, Christian Heritage Centre
       (www.christianheritagecentre.org.uk)
Oswestry, St Oswald’s parish church
Rhosymedre Methodist chapel
Didsbury, Nazarene Training College
Milton-under-Wychwood, village hall