In Sermon Illustrations: "Attending Church"

A Peacemaking Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

A PEACEMAKING CHURCH I can tell this story because one neighbor has died and the other neighbor no longer lives across the street from our church. Our neighbors endured the disruption of their lives as we built on to our church. I'm sure that contributed to their lack of patience with us. We put ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9, Exodus 32:1-14, Isaiah 32:15-20

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Church Fights

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Church Fights I’m told that there is a church in Texas that debated over the issue of telling a lie. Some felt that there were some occasions in which a little white lie was acceptable. The others felt that there was never an occasion in which a lie of any kind was acceptable. The discussion got so ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

The Ship Of The Church

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 9, 2012

THE SHIP OF THE CHURCH In Wheat That Springeth Green, author J.F. Powers has one of his characters say, "This is a big old ship. She creaks, she rocks, she rolls, and at times she makes you want to throw up. But she gets where she’s going. Always has, always ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Division In The Church

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 6, 2014

Daniel Overdorf- A few years ago I visited a couple in their home. Both husband and wife had lived most of their lives apart from Christ and His church. Their marriage- a second marriage for both- had grown rocky. The 50 year old husband faced a frightening battle with cancer, and neither ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-23

Tags: Argue, Church Unity, Disunity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Dying Church

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2019

John MacArthur tells this awesome story: There once was an old church in England. A sign on the front of the building read, ''We preach Christ crucified.'' After a time, ivy grew up and obscured the last word and it read, 'We preach Christ.'' The ivy grew some ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-10

Tags: Church, Revival, Repentance, Mission

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sleeping Church

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Sep 26, 2020

Martin Luther once dreamed that the devil was listening to reports from his agents on the progress they were making against the Kingdom of God. One reported, "A company of Christians were crossing the desert, and I loosen the lions on them, and all were lost." The devil replied, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:5

Tags: Against The Kingdom Of God, Sleeping Church

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be Quiet In Church

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 27, 2021

One Sunday School teacher asked her class, “Why do we have to be quiet in church?’ A little boy quickly ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:46-47

Tags: Church, Children, Worship

Denomination: Methodist

The Perfect Church

Contributed by David Parks on Sep 19, 2022

If you should find the perfect church Without one spot or sore For goodness sake! Don’t join that church! For it won’t be perfect anymore. If you should find the perfect church Where all anxieties cease. Then pass it by, lest you join it, And mar the masterpiece. But since no perfect church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7, Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 13:1-10

Tags: Faith, Love, Church, Hope

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Church Matters

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 1, 2024

Why do people in churches seem like cheerful, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute? The tourists are having coffee and doughnuts on Deck C. Presumably someone is minding the ship, correcting the course, avoiding icebergs and shoals, fueling the engines, watching the radar screen, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 4:11-13

Tags: Eternity, Church, Mission

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mockery Of The Church

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

New Zealand, Feb. 26 [2016] (UPI) -- Members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, otherwise known as Pastafarians, registered their first official marriage celebrant in New Zealand. The group announced the news on its Facebook page, although the first couple that was set to be married by ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7, 1 Timothy 3:15

Tags: Mocking The Church, Mocking Christianity, Ridiculous, Religion, Mockers, Mocking  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Cycles Of Dying Churches

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 16, 2022

Almost all churches go through “lifecycles” - they start with a MAN, a visionary leader has a passion to to accomplish a God-given Vision -- then they become a MOVEMENT. At this stage the people are nearly 100% committed. They spend time together at each other’s homes and in Bible studies. Then ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Dying Churches, Church, Revival, Seven Churches

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Study Once Disclosed That If Both Mom And Dad ...  PRO

Contributed by Norman Lawrence on Jul 11, 2002

A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful. If only Dad, 55% remain faithful. If only Mom, 15%. If neither attended regularly, only 6% remain faithful. The statistics speak for themselves - the example ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Tags: Evangelism How To, Parenting

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Last Year, Ken Griffey, Jr. Chose Not To Attend ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

Last year, Ken Griffey, Jr. chose not to attend "The Players Choice Awards" to receive the "Player of the Decade" award. Junior beat out three time MVP winner Barry Bonds and four time Cy Young Award winner, Greg Maddux for the honor. The award is a big deal. He joins the ranks of baseball ...read more

Tags: Overachievment, Neglect, Parenting, Children, Favoritism, Protection  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

When I Attended Urbana In 1976 Margaret Clarkson ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 19, 2002

When I attended Urbana in 1976 Margaret Clarkson wrote our theme song from this song, Where we sang with 18,000 in the Illinois University gym, Declare His glory, Among the nations, Throughout creation, His triumph sing. Till all earth’s people bow in adoration and Jesus Christ be everlasting ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Were 49.6 Million Children Attending Public ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

There were 49.6 million children attending public and private schools in the U.S. in ’03, the highest number ever. (Foster ...read more

Tags: Children

Pricey Proms Almost 20 Million Students Attended ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Pricey Proms Almost 20 million students attended proms this year, with the average 17-year old spending $638, or more than $1,200 per couple, according to research by Conde Nast, which publishes Your Prom and Modern Bride ...read more

Tags: Children

Teens Who Attend Religious Services At Least Once ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Teens who attend religious services at least once a week are at significantly lower risk of substance abuse. (Foster ...read more

Tags: Children

Attendance At U.s. Megachurches Is Up 57% In Five ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 19, 2007

Attendance at U.S. megachurches is up 57% in five years. ...read more

Pain Insists On Being Attended To. God Whispers ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Pain insists on being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Clothes Make A Church  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Apr 27, 2001

[Clothes Make a Church] A Methodist church tried to get a man to attend, but he never did. "Why don’t you come?" the minister asked, and the man finally admitted it was because he didn’t have proper clothes. So a member of the congregation took him to a clothing store and got him a nice suit, ...read more

Tags: Church General, Misconceptions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational