Brigance's Outlines by E. Claude Gardner

Brigance's Outlines by E. Claude Gardner

Several factors go into the success of any book, and books of sermon outlines are no exception. Some have differing attitudes toward sermon outline books. Some naively think that all a preacher needs is a book of sermon outlines, while others find very little use for them. Incidentally, L. L. Brigance himself was reported to have the opinion that sermon outlines by others were of very little value to his preparation. So what would make these sermon outlines unique?

L. L. Brigance was a humble man. In fact, many today know very little about him, which is sad. The fact that E. Claude Gardner would edit these sermons himself for DeHoff Publications so others could have them at their fingertips shows that Brigance’s contributions were viewed greater by those who were recipients of his scholarship. Some may not realize that L. L. Brigance prepared some of the sermons that were preached by N. B. Hardeman in his famed Hardeman Tabernacle Sermons. Never seeking to take anything away from the contributions of others, he would comment when asked, “I cannot preach like brother Hardeman, but I did help load his gun.”

L. L. Brigance was born in Scotts Hill, TN. He attended what was then Georgie Robertson Christian College, which would eventually become Freed-Hardeman University (the change of an institution once operated by the Christian Church to one operated by churches of Christ is a story of interest all by itself.) A. G. Freed was the President of the school. Brigance’s teachers included A. G. Freed, N. B. Hardeman and others. He earned both the B. A. and M. A. degrees there, was valedictorian of his undergraduate class, and received the oratory medal. He was baptized by the same man who baptized

N. B. Hardeman, who was R. P. Meeks. He was a restoration history student, scholar and teacher and wrote an excellent series of articles for The Gospel Advocate back in the 1930s and 1940s which has been reprinted in book form by Hester Publication. Brigance spent the vast majority of his work teaching at Freed-Hardeman College (now University) and preaching on appointment basis. Some of his students included E. Claude Gardner, Hugo McCord, George W. DeHoff and others. His students urged him to publish his outlines which he intended to complete but failing health and other pressing demands prohibited him from completing the task. Brother Gardner described Brigance’s outlines as “…Scriptural, fundamental, simple, logical and usable. For decades the small and great have preached effectively his outlines.” (Preface). Leonard Lee Brigance passed away February 4, 1950. His body lies in Henderson Cemetery with other great men and women of the past. As a student at Freed-Hardeman University, I lived most of my dorm life in Brigance Hall which was named in his honor in 1971.

The book contains a brief biographical sketch written by Brigance at some point in his life and a Preface written by E. Claude Gardner. Brother Gardner wrote the Preface on February 23, 1951, which was just over a year from Brigance’s passing. These outlines were ones that Brigance freely shared with his students and others. Thankfully, brother Gardner compiled these and preserved them for future generations. If you are looking for an excellent book of sermon outlines to help a young preacher, then you should give serious consideration to this book. It is filled with 100 scriptural sermons, the type which we need to have preached in our brotherhood today. 

Originally printed in the West Virginia Christian, Vol. 21, No. 7, July 2014, p. 8. Reprinted by permission.