Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 25, 2001
based on 19 ratings
| 1,882 views
“Most churches do a good job of getting people to first base or maybe even second base. People will receive Christ, be baptized and join the church (that’s getting them to first base). Some churches also do an excellent job of helping believers develop the habits that lead to spiritual maturity
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Church Of God
Contributed by Jesse Bennett on Apr 5, 2009
based on 2 ratings
| 7,277 views
JOY-SUCKERS
A "joy sucker" is someone who is determined to create either discouragement or hardship on your ministry. "Joy suckers" take on all shapes and sizes, but most often they are negative in their outlook, disappointed with their family, in need of attention or enamored with their own
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Baptist
Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2010
DRY TRUTH OR DYNAMIC LIES?
During my first year of ministry here, I asked a hypothetical question: If you had the choice of attending a church where the pastor believed and taught the Bible but was dry and not a very good speaker, or a church where the pastor believed that the Bible contained many
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Independent/Bible
Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 7, 2010
A Few Need to Die
Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong. (p. 30)
It is unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way a ministry can move forward is by conducting a few funerals. A pastor friend of mine pleaded with his church board to build a new educational [building] to house an exploding Sunday
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Baptist
Contributed by Ken Pell on Apr 6, 2012
based on 2 ratings
| 6,215 views
HOLY JOY
Richard Foster describes holy joy like this:
"Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience. ...It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride. ...Utter abandonment to God is done freely and with celebration. And so I urge you to enjoy this ministry of self-surrender. ...The saints
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Nazarene
Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 2,179 views
I think of David Livingstone, the pioneer missionary to Africa, who walked over 29,000 miles. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren. He ministered half blind. His kind of perseverance spurs me on. As I walk, I remember the words in his diary:
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Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007
based on 3 ratings
| 1,695 views
I like the old story about the guy who came to church with his family. As they were driving home afterward he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on &
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Contributed by Don Hawks on Jun 22, 2007
The teachings of John Wesley were very instrumental in my identifying with the United Methodist approach to practicing the Christian life. Wesley of course was an 18th-century Anglican clergyman and Christian theologian who was an early leader in the Methodist movement. In addition to Wesley’s
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Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Peter Loughman on May 15, 2008
TOO IMPORTANT FOR MINISTRY
Years ago the retired church janitor had passed away and the family had asked the Senior Pastor to do the funeral services. The Senior Pastor informed me that I was to do the funeral service and not he, because, (and I am not making this up) because, “as senior pastor,
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Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 25, 2008
based on 1 rating
| 3,964 views
I read of a candidate for ordination into the ministry. He was having an interview with the bishop on the day before the ordination service. Feeling his unworthiness he said, "Bishop, if you knew how unworthy I am to be ordained by you, you would never lay hands on me."
The dear bishop replied,
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Baptist
Cymbala shares in his book, "Fresh Power":
"But just as there are people who watch from the bleachers and never know the challenge of competing on the court, we have millions of churchgoers who sit in pews every week without ever entering the game. They sacrifice nothing, strain toward no ministry
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Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by John Sloat on Apr 3, 2001
based on 168 ratings
| 3,147 views
What it means to live under grace is illustrated by the life of John Newton. Newton was born in London, half a century before the American Revolution, to a mother of superb spiritual qualities and a nondescript father. His mother died when he was six. Five years later he went to sea with his father
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Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002
based on 13 ratings
| 2,833 views
When Joseph Ton was a pastor in Romania he was arrested by the secret police for publishing a sermon calling for the churches to refuse to submit to the Communist government’s demand for control over their ministries. When an official told him he must renounce his sermon, he replied, "No, sir! I
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based on 19 ratings
| 3,967 views
Amy Biehl died a violent death in 1993. She was a 26-year-old Fulbright scholar who had gone to South Africa to help register black voters for their first free election. But even though she was seeking to help the people of South Africa, as she was driving one day, she was dragged out of her
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Methodist
Contributed by Scott Malone on Mar 1, 2005
based on 8 ratings
| 4,721 views
Jim Cymbala, in his book “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”, details the miraculous growth of the Brooklyn Tabernacle because of its dedication to prayer. In 1972 he was asked to pastor part-time a small church in a shabby two-story building on Atlantic Avenue in New York City. The location was bad. The
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Baptist
Contributed by Douglas Duvall on Nov 13, 2006
based on 1 rating
| 1,958 views
I realize there are many pastors here this afternoon that are frustrated. How do I know? I hear your sermons.
Let me share something with you that not even my wife knows about.
Sometimes in the ministry I’m sure that as a pastor you feel that things come at you from all sides.
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Denomination:
Baptist
I want to close by sharing something Gary Gunn told us about at our last Men’s Prayer Breakfast. Several years back, Steven, a young man with AIDS started attending our church. (This was back in the time when AIDS was scary to most people and we didn’t know a lot about it.) The sickness slowly
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Denomination:
Christian/Church Of Christ
Sermon Central