Contributed by Kent Wise on Nov 2, 2012
IDENTIFYING THE ONES IN POWER
It does not take one long in business to identify the power brokers in a meeting or situation. When I was at Tyson Foods, I would attend monthly cost meetings where our seating arrangements were always pre-assigned. The seating never changed for the middle table.
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
THE GIFT OF THEIR LIVES
A Dutch pastor was helping Jews escape the Nazis when he himself caught. He was loaded into a boxcar with several Jews and others to be sent to a concentration camp. It was a long, frightening journey through the night. Finally the train stopped, the doors opened, and
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
THE STORY OF OPEN TABLE
Open Table started with a chance encounter with a homeless man named Ernie who simply asked a youth group serving him a meal if he could come worship at their church. The adult youth workers were moved to agree to come the very next day to bring Ernie to their church
...read more
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile Diabetes. Then he lost his
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
During his first year of seminary, Alan Hirsch led a small group of newly converted Christians that included “gays, lesbians, Goths, drug addicts, prostitutes, and some relatively ordinary people.” After graduating, he and his wife were called to go to South Melbourne Church of Christ in 1989 where
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
Jaymalis Davis was highlighted in the Times-Picayne series entitled, “Louisiana Incarcerated.” He lives in central city surround by drugs, crime and unemployment. His mother is crack addicted and largely absent from his home and his father, who was in and out of jail for drugs and car theft and
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
based on 1 rating
| 4,246 views
WORKING HARD TO EARN SALVATION
United Methodist Bishop Reuben Job writes,
"If we are just good enough, do enough, deny ourselves enough, we will be forgiven, redeemed, and reconciled to God. Following this path brings no peace, assurance, or sense of companionship with God. Rather than asking
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
based on 2 ratings
| 7,540 views
J Vernon McGee told the story of the days before the Civil War in a city in the south. At the center of town, there is a commotion as a crowd gathers for a public auction to watch the proceedings. In the crowd is an uncouth, foulmouthed, loud, boisterous man who is the meanest, cruelest, most
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 30, 2012
Jim Buskirk was pastor of Tulsa First UMC for many years. He’s been a mentor in my ministry. I listened to his sermon tapes for years. He once told this story.
A man named Henry got off the bus near his church. As he walked up the street, he noticed a young boy sitting by a flower bed near a
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP
Don Chapman writes,
"Recently I visited a church where I had to jump over a few unnecessary hurdles before I finally took my seat in their worship service. There was no sign out front. I drove to the church's location and was surprised not to see a sign. Was I in the right
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
WHAT COMMITMENT?
When I was in my first year of ministry, I walked into our District preachers meeting at the same time as Bobbie Potter, who was pastor of Munholland UMC in Old Metairie. He asked if I preach last Sunday which I did. Then he asked, "What did you ask them to commit to?" I said I
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
COULD IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY?
Jeff Ingle tells the story of spending four days with 75 other pastors in a Pastor's Prayer Summit in Wisconsin.
He writes, "In my time I've been to many camps, conferences and retreats but never have I been to anything like this. For four days, we met together with no
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
based on 1 rating
| 2,480 views
WORSHIP: IT TAKES TIME TO WARM UP
When I was a kid in Kansas City, we lived next door to a family who owned a publishing company. They had an old 4 door Mercedes that they would let their son drive to school. He was 3 years older than me and also named Tim. On those winter mornings when the
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
ROGER WILLIAMS: WORSHIP AS A "RELIGIOUS FIX"
Roger Williams was thumbing through a magazine on a short flight from Sacramento to San Diego. He had taken his seat when two well-dressed, attractive 20-something-year-old women sat down next to him. Their conversation competed with his attention to
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Mar 30, 2012
THE CROSS OF VICTORY
John Stott is his book The Cross of Christ, wrote, "It is impossible to read the New Testament with being impressed by the atmosphere of joyful confidence which pervades it, and which stands out in relief against the rather jejune (superficial) religion that often passes for
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012
OPEN TABLE MINISTRY
Open Table started with a chance encounter with a homeless man named Ernie who simply asked a youth group serving him a meal if he could come worship at their church. The adult youth workers were moved to agree to come the very next day to bring Ernie to their church service.
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012
WHERE ARE YOU?
But to be able to get where you’re going, you first have to know where you are. I learned this over Thanksgiving when I was in Atlanta. We used our Garman to get around as we were unfamiliar with the area. Garmans are great because all you do is enter the address of where you want
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012
OBJECT LESSON: LEGO BRICKS
When you came in you received Lego building blocks of differing sizes and shapes. I’ve got a challenge for you; I want you to build something with your Lego blocks but there is one condition, you cannot use anybody else’s Lego block. Now what can you build with one Lego
...read more
Denomination:
Methodist
Sermon Central