By Josh Read on Mar 9, 2026
The word "hope" has become church wallpaper. It's on coffee mugs in the lobby, printed across banners above the baptistry, and threaded through every worship set since 2015. Your congregation has heard it so many times it slides off them like rain off a windshield.
Here's the tension: the biblical word for hope has almost nothing in common with the sentiment we've domesticated it into. The Hebrew word "tiqvah" literally means "cord" or "rope", something you cling to when the ground gives way. The Greek "elpis" in Paul's letters is never wishful thinking. It's confident expectation aimed at a future only God can deliver.
This sermon outline is built for the Sunday you peel the bumper sticker off and show your congregation what hope actually costs and why it's the most defiant act a believer can perform.
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By Peter Mead on Nov 14, 2020
Many beloved Bible stories are familiar, yet structurally critical passages often remain neglected. Faithful preaching must strengthen the church’s grasp of Scripture’s load-bearing texts.
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By SermonCentral .com on Mar 28, 2021
based on 2 ratings
| 9,590 views
“The American church is so consumeristic!” It’s a common line uttered by the religiously fed-up, and of course, there’s a lot of truth in it. Some churches in America do tend to cater to the consumeristic mentality of our culture. But I think, on the whole, most churches don’t, and that’s actually part of the problem.
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By Larry Osborne on Jan 29, 2024
Larry Osborne explains "the Barnabas Factor" in successfully building church teams.
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By Lance Witt on Dec 28, 2023
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| 12,366 views
"In the last thirty years within the church world, there has been a subtle shifting of the spotlight. Inadvertently, in many places, it has become all about the bride (the church) rather than the groom (Jesus)."
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By Thomas J. Winters on Jan 9, 2025
based on 2 ratings
| 38,192 views
Ministry compensation specialist Tom Winters, Esq., guides pastors and church leaders through the sometimes tricky compensation analysis process.
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By Lance Witt on Nov 14, 2023
based on 2 ratings
| 11,087 views
There will be a day that feels like a normal day, but there is a devastating hurricane about to hit your team. It is the hurricane of a moral failure by one of your team members. But if you have prepared, it won’t be a “freak out” moment, it will be a “let’s execute our hurricane plan” moment.
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By Charles Stone on Nov 20, 2023
Several months ago I began something with our staff that has been a huge hit. It’s simple. Any staff can do it, whether in a church or a business application. And it boosts staff morale and excitement when we do it. I encourage you to try it with your staff. It’s called a “Blue Sky Thinking” morning.
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By Lance Witt on May 16, 2024
based on 1 rating
| 14,083 views
"In ministry, there are certain tensions that we must live with. Sometimes they seem contradictory, but they are tensions that are actually healthy for us."
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