Ohio Brigade Camp at Stony Glen · 2026
The Pulpits That Built a Nation
Five days. Five preachers. Five sermons that shaped the American founding — and still speak to men who want to lead well.
Introduction
Before there was a Declaration of Independence, before there was a Constitution, before there was a United States of America — there were pulpits. Men stood in them and told the truth. They preached from the Scriptures about sin, about sovereignty, about liberty, about covenant, and about the God who governs nations. What they said shaped what the founders believed. What the founders believed shaped what they built.
This week, you are going to meet five of those preachers.
"We shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us."
— John Winthrop, aboard the Arbella, 1630John Winthrop said those words 146 years before anyone signed anything. He said them to a group of Puritan settlers crossing the Atlantic — no land in sight, no guarantee of survival, no army, no government. He issued a charge before they had built a single thing: live in covenant with God and with each other. Love your neighbor. Bear one another's burdens. The world is watching.
That is where the American story actually begins. Not in Philadelphia in 1776. In a sermon on a ship in 1630. And it begins not with a political idea but with a biblical one — that God is sovereign, that He calls His people to live differently, and that how they live is a testimony to a watching world.
The four preachers who follow Winthrop each take that foundation and build on it. Jonathan Edwards will show you what sin actually is and why it matters. George Whitefield will show you what genuine conversion looks like — and how to tell the difference between religion and relationship. Jonathan Mayhew will show you that liberty is not a political invention but a gift from God, and that His authority stands over every king and government. And John Witherspoon — the only active minister to sign the Declaration of Independence — will show you that even in the worst moments of history, God has not lost control.
These are not history lessons. These are charges. Each of these men was speaking to people who needed to wake up, stand up, and live like they meant it. The same charge comes to you this week.
You are the next generation of men who can be a city on a hill. Light your torch. Don't hide it. The world still needs to see it burn.
Full leader resource guides for each day — sermon background, coaching notes, and discussion questions with guidance.
Understand what your camper is studying this week. Continue the conversation at home with the same Scripture and themes.
These sermons helped shape a nation. They are as relevant today as when they were first preached. Read them. Teach them.
This Week's Series
People · Pulpits · Principles
Five Sermons · Five Days · One Calling
Bible X Reference Materials
God designed us to need one another. We are stewards of His gifts — and the world is watching how we use them.
Matthew 5:14–16 · 1 John 3:16–18 · Galatians 6:2
Sin is not a mistake — it is rebellion. And God's mercy is the only thing holding us up.
Luke 12:1–7 · Romans 3:23 · John 3:16–18
True conversion changes the inside, not just the outside. Being good is a religion. God wants a relationship.
Matthew 7:21–23 · 2 Corinthians 5:17 · Ephesians 2:1–10
God's authority stands over all human authority. Liberty is His gift — and righteous resistance is not the same as rebellion.
Romans 13:1–7 · Acts 5:27–32 · 2 Samuel 23:1–4
God is sovereign. Even the wrath of man praises Him. Nothing in history — or in your life — falls outside His purpose.
Psalm 76:10 · Romans 8:28 · Matthew 5:14–16
Go Deeper
Books, sermon collections, and reading for leaders, families, and students who want to dig further.
Founding Sermons
Political Sermons of the American Founding Era, 1730-1805
The early political culture of the American republic was so deeply influenced by the religious consciousness of the New England preachers that it was often through the political sermon that the political rhetoric of the period was formed, refined, and transmitted.
View on AmazonJonathan Edwards
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God — Full Text
The complete original sermon. Several editions available. Look for annotated versions with historical context.
View on AmazonGeorge Whitefield
George Whitefield: America's Spiritual Founding Father
The definitive modern biography of Whitefield. Readable and well-sourced, excellent background for Day 3 leaders who want to understand the man behind the sermon.
View on AmazonAmerican Founding
The Bulletproof George Washington
A short, accessible account of God's providential hand in Washington's life. Ideal supplementary reading for families and campers connecting Days 4 and 5 to the broader founding story.
View on AmazonAmerican Founding
The American Story: The Beginnings
A historical overview that explores the founding era of the United States, focusing on the ideas, conflicts, and key figures that shaped the birth of the nation. It provides a narrative account of the social, political, and economic forces that led to the American Revolution and the establishment of the early republic.
View on AmazonAmerican Founding
Samuel Adams: Father of the American Revolution
An award-winning biography that traces Adams's transformation from a struggling Boston businessman into a master propagandist and political organizer who helped ignite the American Revolution. The book highlights his pivotal roles in events like the Boston Tea Party and his behind-the-scenes influence in shaping the ideological and institutional foundations of the new nation.
View on AmazonAmerican Founding
Sacred Honor: The Lives of the Fifty-Six Signers of the Declaration of Independence
a biographical collection that chronicles the personal stories, sacrifices, and legacies of the men who dared to sign the nation's founding document. By weaving together individual narratives with the broader historical context, the book highlights the courage, conviction, and varied backgrounds of these signers, many of whom risked, and in some cases lost, their lives, fortunes, and Sacred Honor for the cause of American independence.
View on AmazonCivic Education
The Sacred Rights of Conscience
a compelling exploration of the foundational American principle of religious liberty and freedom of belief as articulated by the nation’s early leaders and thinkers. The book delves into historical documents, speeches, and writings to illustrate how the right to follow one’s conscience in matters of faith was viewed as essential to both individual dignity and the health of the republic.
View on AmazonCivic Education
The 5000 Year Leap
Twenty-eight foundational principles the Founders used to build America — rooted in natural law and Scripture. Strong pairing with Days 4 and 5 for leaders and parents who want the full civics context.
View on Amazon
