Sermon Central
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In His Book, Building A Contagious Church, Mark ...
Contributed by Dr. George Calhoun on Oct 20, 2008 (message contributor)
In his book, Building a Contagious Church, Mark Mittleberg asks us to join him in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. As you walk up to the large arena, you see a mass of young people in line for a concert. The headline act is shock-rockeer Marilyn Manson (named after Marilyn Monroe and mass murderer Charles Manson and bills himself as the “Anti-Christ Superstar”). The crowd is noisy and energetic, ready to see a show that most, if not all of us would not even consider attending, to say the least.
As you get closer, you notice a group of people engaging the concertgoers in lively discussion. The protesters are Christians with signs expressing their disapproval of Marilyn Manson and all those who would attend the concert. These zealous protesters are yelling at the crowd, and the Manson fans are shouting back with equal intensity. Though no physical blows are exchanged across the battle lines, a steady barrage of verbal missiles and assaults are launched back and forth. Obviously there is a significant disconnect between the two groups.
Soon another group of Christians enter the mix. It’s a band of 19-29 year olds from a ministry called “the gro-ups”, sponsored by Corinth Reformed Church in Byron Center, Michigan. They unload bags of ice, coolers, and cases of Mountain Dew. They walk up to the pulsating crowd of anxious rockers and begin giving away soft drinks. No signs condemning anyone, no strings attached—just free drinks, a smile and a sincere, “Have a good evening.”
Some of the people going to the concert simply accepted the free drink and moved on. Others say thank you and asked “Why are you doing this?”
The answer was simple with not shame or guilt attached, “We love God and we love you!”
Some snickered and walked away. Others lingered and talked a bit. One young man begins to interact more deeply and even decides to throw away his ticket and help the members of “gro-ups” hand out more drinks! Out of this simple act of service, lives were touched and the love of Jesus was communicated to people who might have no other positive contact with Christians. There was an obvious connection between the two groups.
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George W. Truett, A Well-Known Texas Preacher, ... PRO
Contributed by Christian Cheong on May 4, 2004
George W. Truett, a well-known Texas preacher, was invited to dinner in the home of a very wealthy oilman. After the meal, the host led him to a place where they could get a good view of the surrounding area. Pointing to the oil wells and punctuating the landscape, he boasted, "Twenty-five ...read more
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How Deeply Do You Desire To Connect With God? ...
Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 10, 2007
How deeply do you desire to connect with God? Are you desperate to see a mighty movement of God on your campus and throughout your generation? In the first decade of recent centuries, God has moved in astonishing ways to bring spiritual awakenings through students. We are living in that time ...read more
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Students Don't Clean Their Hands Often Or Well ...
Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 10, 2007
Students don’t clean their hands often or well enough. In one study, only 58% of female and 48% of male middle and high school students washed their hands after using the bathroom. Of these, only 33% of the females and 8% of the males used soap. Adult hand cleaning behaviors also need improvement. ...read more
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2nd Law Of Thermodynamics Requires That A ...
Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 10, 2007
2nd law of thermodynamics requires that a “closed system” eventually moderates so that no more energy is being produced. Unless something is added from the outside, the system decays and dies. Without added fuel, the hot water in the ...read more
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