In Sermon Illustrations: "Accepted By Grace"

My Name Is Dawn Stefanowicz. I Grew Up In A ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Kelly on Oct 21, 2008

"My name is Dawn Stefanowicz. I grew up in a homosexual household during the 60s and 70s in Toronto, exposed to many different people in Gay, Lesbian, bisexual, Transsexual subcultures and explicit sexual practices. My biggest concern is that children are not being discussed in this same-sex ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting, Homosexuality, Fatherhood

Denomination: Wesleyan

I Know This Is Going To Sound Surprising To Those ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Jan 16, 2010

I know this is going to sound surprising to those of us who live near, in, or work and/or play in the City of Chicago, but I once saw a police officer turn down free coffee and doughnuts. Yes, that’s right. I was on a “ride along” with an officer in Redondo Beach, California. It was a graveyard ...read more

Tags: Debt

Denomination: *other

Fear And The Deceits Of The Heart  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

FEAR AND THE DECEITS OF THE HEART I think Edward Welch chose brilliantly the title for his book on overcoming the fear of man: When People are Big and God is Small. Maybe you can relate to his personal awakening to this problem when he was a high-school senior: "I had always been shy and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 51:11-13, Isaiah 51:12-16

Tags: Ransom, Fear And Worry

Example Of Hospitality

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 29, 2010

EXAMPLE OF HOSPITALITY Jan and Darryl have always been openly generous people. They make you feel as if they are honoured to have you in their home and nothing is too much trouble for them. Which is just as well because they are our connect group leaders. Every fortnight people in our Connect ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:5-15

Tags: Hospitality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church Without Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE CHURCH WITHOUT OUTREACH Fred Craddock tells the story of his first church. It was a beautiful little white church on a hill in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The church was beautifully maintained. The pews had been hand-hewn from giant poplar trees that had grown nearby. Little kerosene lamps on the walls ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Who Wants To Play By The Rules?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 3, 2020

Wouldn’t life, or sporting events, be easier if there were no rules? Nobody to tell you what you can or can’t do, no restrictions, and anything goes. Easy, right? I can recall a couple of times when it sure seemed that some folks either didn’t want to play by the rules. Maybe they just plain ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:31

Tags: Wrong, Right, Rules, Self Will

Denomination: Baptist

Postman

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Dec 1, 2023

In the quiet routines of everyday life, a seemingly ordinary event unfolded – a postman knocking on a door, bearing a letter. A child-like voice responded from within the house, promising to come and receive the letter. However, minutes passed without any sign of the resident. The postman's ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:34

Tags: Mercy, Compassion

Denomination: Other

Ben Hooper

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

In Rising Above the Crowd, Brian Habour tells the story of Ben Hooper. When Ben was born in the foothills of East Tennessee, little boys and girls like Ben who were born to unwed mothers were ostracized and treated terribly. By the time he was three years old, the other children would scarcely play ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9

Tags: Christian, Encouragement

Misfired Twice!

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 19, 2024

Story from Bob Hostetler in Red Letter Prayer Life: Two of my dearest friends in the world, Dave and Becky, told me the amazing story of their mission trip some years ago to the mountain town of San Luis, Honduras. They traveled as part of a combined medical and evangelistic team that served the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Tags: Protection, Deliverance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[137]. A Message From A Poem – If There Is Despair Such As In Virus Times

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 18, 2025

[137]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IF THERE IS DESPAIR SUCH AS IN VIRUS TIMES This poem was written in the middle of the COVID virus, that terrible scourge from China. Depending on where you lived in the world, you suffered repression from governments, some not too bad, but others were draconian. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:7-8, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Rider On The Fourth Horse, Pestilence, Repression, The Pale Horse, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Covid Virus, Difficult, Hard, Hard Times, Virus, Difficult Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[157]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus On Trial (Easter)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 7, 2025

[157]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS ON TRIAL (Easter) This is a more unusual style for me as you will see. The whole poem is set at the trial of the Lord from the time He entered the judgement hall until the sentence was pronounced. In particular the poem will mention Herod, Pilate, Barabbas, ...read more

Scripture: John 10:14-18, Revelation 20:11-12, 1 Timothy 1:15

Tags: Jesus Laid Down His Life, Soldiers, Trial Of Jesus, Crucify Him, The Great White Throne, Christian Poems, Jesus On Trial, Easter, Herod, Pilate, Barabbas, Elders  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[207]. A Message From A Poem – Our Behaviour Is Not Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 21, 2025

[207]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – OUR BEHAVIOUR IS NOT OF THE WORLD If I am a fool I will act like a fool. If I care for no one, you will probably find me at parties drinking and smoking pot. You see our behaviour flows from what we are inside. James had something to say about this – {{James ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:10, Romans 12:2, Acts 4:13, James 3:11-12

Tags: Christian Poems, Grandstanding, Ambition, Definitions, Worldly Standards, Good Soldiers, The World System, Conformed To The World, Behavior, Jesus, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Welsh Revival Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 Modern world history also records times of revival due to the hearing of God’s Word undergirded with prayer. The little nation Wales once become known as “The Land of Revival.” It has its own unique spiritual heroes such as Saint David of the Celtic Church – William ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:4-7

Tags: Revival

The Window  PRO

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Jun 2, 2008

THE WINDOW Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked ...read more

Scripture: James 3:14-18

Tags: Wall, Encouragement, Barriers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cross Bearing  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Cross Bearing "The Christian's Passion" There is a powerful question that is too often avoided by preachers and church attendees alike, "Who took the rough edges off the Cross?" Modern day Christianity and the world have generally turned the cross into a nice piece of harmless jewelry, all shiny ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heaven, A Holy Place

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Heaven, A Holy Place Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Brad Hightower Shares The Following Thoughts On ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 9, 2008

Brad Hightower shares the following thoughts on proper worship from http://21stcenturyreformation.blogspot.com/2004/12/jesus-clear-theology-of-worship-part-1.html In John 4 where Jesus articulates a “Clear Theology of Worship”. In fact, Jesus as the great prophet, the one who proclaims the final ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Suspension Bridge

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2009

Robert Lewis writes, “In 1851, many of the most accomplished engineers in the country thought James Roebling was out of his mind. That year, he began to work on the unthinkable: building a bridge over the Niagara River Gorge. Disaster was nearly universally predicted. There was the sheer ...read more

Tags: Outreach

Denomination: Methodist

Biting The Hand That Feeds You  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 26, 2011

BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU The other week, Laura and I were watching the Animal Planet. On the show we were watching was a dog that was rescued from a neglectful family. The poor animal had a big chain collar embedded into its neck. It had been a long time since the large animal had ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Sacrifice, Compassion, Trust

Denomination: Other

Simon Tells The Story Of Judson Cornwall, An ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 7, 2012

Simon tells the story of Judson Cornwall, an American Pentecostal preacher who, after the war, was invited to speak at a renewal conference in Germany. But Cornwall had a deep seated grudge against the Germans and simply threw the invitation into the bin. Remarkably, when his wife emptied the ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Anglican