In Sermon Illustrations: "Broken Family"

Not Much Of A Man...?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 11, 2011

NOT MUCH OF A MAN...? A weary truck driver who pulled his rig into an all-night truck stop late one summer evening in Broken Bow, NE. He was tired and hungry. The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, leather-jacketed bikers of the Hell's Angels type decided to give him a hard ...read more

Tags: Justice

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Russell Herman's Last Will And Testament

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

RUSSELL HERMAN'S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT In 1994, a 67-year-old carpenter named Russell Herman died in Marion, Illinois. In his last will and testament he bequeathed the following: • $2.4 billion to the town of Cave-In-Rock • $2.4 billion to the city of East St. Louis • $1.5 billion for projects ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 21:45

Tags: Promises Of God

Fixing The Fence At The White House  PRO

Contributed by J.d. Tutell on Jan 23, 2012

FIXING THE FENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE Three contractors were on a tour of the White House. One is from Minnesota, another is from Tennessee, and the third is from Chicago. As they are walking through they notice a broken fence and ask if it would be possible to submit a bid to fix it. They are ...read more

Tags: Money, Separation, Salvation, Bribery, Thief  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Master's Hand

Contributed by James Kelly on Aug 11, 2012

THE MASTER'S HAND An auctioneer was taking bids on household items. He was tired and wanted to go home. There was only one item left an old violin. It wasn’t much to look at and no sound came from it. It was a seemingly worthless instrument. The auctioneer started the bid who will give me one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Pastor In Disguise

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 9, 2013

A Pastor in Disguise A few years ago at a Methodist Church in North Wales, as worshippers arrived at the church, they were distressed to see a dirty, drunk, smelly homeless man on the front steps. They didn't realize this bum was actually their pastor, Derek Rigby, who had disguised himself as a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Compassion, Homeless

Is Evangelism Too Hard?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

Jenn Hopkins writes of attending a funeral several years ago. "There he lay, dead. He was gone and unsaved. Lived a life and then, in the flash of an eye, he was in Hell. Someone I loved and respected was gone and so was my opportunity to share the Gospel with him. His funeral was in a church, one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-13

Tags: Evangelism, Hell

Denomination: Methodist

A Close Encounter

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

A Close Encounter As the great hunter stalks his prey thru the sultry jungle of Africa, the prey is running for his life; but to no avail because nothing escapes the skills of the great white hunter. The prey is trembling with fear as the hunter closes in. Can you see the evil leer in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-13

Tags: Grace, Mercy

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Fixer-Preacher - Pastor Appreciation Help

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Jun 24, 2025

Proverbs 17:22, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. The Fixer-Preacher Helping the church with Pastor Appreciation Day I was recently invited to preach for the Sunday morning service. Ice Breaker: For an introduction, I stated the following: This is ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Romans 13:7, Hebrews 13:7, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Ephesians 4:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humor, Laughter, Pastor Appreciation, Introductions, Ice Breaker, Pastor Humor, Icebreakers, Sermon Starters  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Jokes And Potato Salad  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 22, 2005

JOKES AND POTATO SALAD Tony Campolo said, "If you ever start to feel proud, just remember that soon after your body has been lowered into the grave, your family & friends will ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:33-37

Tags: Humility

Percentage Of Women Who Chose An Abortion Because ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

Percentage of women who chose an abortion because having a baby “would; change their life (job, school)”: 76 percent. Percentage who chose an abortion because of rape or incest, 1. ...read more

Tags: Abortion

Cost Of Raising A Child According To Usa Today A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

Cost of Raising a Child According to USA Today a family earning more than $64,000 a year can expect to spend $241,770 to raise a child over the next 17 ...read more

Tags: Children

Children Whose Parents Read To Them Become Better ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Children Whose Parents Read to them become better readers and perform better in school. Other family activities, such as telling stories and singing songs, also encourage children’s acquisition ...read more

Tags: Children

The Parents Television Council Says Children ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

The Parents Television Council says children watching TV during the first hour of primetime, once dubbed the family hour, now encounter violence, profanity or sexual content ...read more

Tags: Television And Movies

Whom Does A Mother Serve?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

WHOM DOES A MOTHER SERVE? Mother...a quiet servant of necessity...doing the work no on would notice or thank her for--no one, that is, except Him to whom it could be offered as a daily sacrifice of ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day

This Is An Alleged New Year’s Letter ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Fox on Dec 12, 2000

ILL: This is an alleged New Year’s letter written from a church member to the pastor. Dear Pastor: You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:24-30, Mark 7:1-8

Tags: New Year's Day, Growth In Christ, Faith, Sandra

Denomination: Baptist

The Gift Of Us

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The Gift of Us Marjorie Tallcott was married and had one child during the Great Depression. The family managed to scrape their way through, but as Christmas approached one year Marjorie and her husband were disappointed that they would not be able to buy any presents. A week before Christmas they ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Jesus Said In John 13: 35, "Your Love For One ...

Contributed by Jerry Blaxton on Aug 3, 2008

Jesus said in John 13: 35, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” A great New Testament example of this being done is in the early church. As Jews began to put their faith in Christ as the Messiah, they began to feel the effects of hostility toward them. They ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist

Dave's Peace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

DAVE'S PEACE Dave Dravecky: After he underwent surgery to remove his arm up to his collarbone. His cancerous left arm had been amputated. As he looked in the mirror he said "Okay God. This is what I have got to live with. Put this behind me; lets go forward." A couple of days later he was walking ...read more

Scripture: John 14:23-27

Tags: Peace, If My People

Converted By Dreams And Visions

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

CONVERTED BY DREAMS AND VISIONS Do you know that many Muslims are recently becoming Christians because of dreams and visions? According to Wendell Evans of the Billy Graham Center’s Institute for Muslim Studies, "More and more stories are coming out of closed countries, of God supernaturally ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:28

Tags: Dreams

Work For The Glory Of God

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 20, 2010

Mark is a young businessman who does business in China. Each time he has gone to China, he has asked God to reveal to him whom he might speak to on behalf of Jesus. What might happen if every one of you went to work praying for God to reveal to him whom he might speak to on behalf of Jesus. You’re ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Methodist