In Sermon Illustrations: "Changed Life"

Cycles Of Dying Churches

Contributed by Garris Hudson 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

Ten Rules For Improving The Church

Contributed by David Parks on Jun 3, 2022

TEN RULES FOR IMPROVING THE CHURCH 1. Tell yourself over and over that since you are not perfect you would not fit into a perfect congregation, if one existed. 2. Instead of picking out the worldly members to point to, pick out the sincere, dedicated, spiritual members and thank God for them. You ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2, 1 Peter 4:8, Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Encouragement, Judgementalism, Church

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Orders Remain Unchanged!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 10, 2023

There is a tomb of unknown soldiers in America which has a guard 24 hours a day. Every hour on the hour, 365 days a year, a new soldier reports for duty. When the new guard arrives, he receives his orders from the one who is leaving. The words are always the same: “Orders Remain Unchanged.” The ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Holy Spirit, Missions, Revival, Witnessing, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Incredible Damage Of Gossip

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 6, 2024

There was a woman in a village who maliciously gossiped about another lady and her family in the village. One day she found out that she was wrong about this lady and her family and had a change of heart. She went to the village’s wise man and asked how she could take back all the wrong she had ...read more

Tags: Mouth, Words, Tongue, Gossip, Division, Wisdom  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gossip Is Like Scattering Feathers

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 18, 2024

There was a woman in a village who maliciously gossiped about another lady and her family in the village. One day she found out that she was wrong about this lady and her family and had a change of heart. She went to the village’s wise man and asked how she could take back all the wrong she had ...read more

Tags: Words, Speech, Tongue, Gossip, Division, Mouth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contact With Another World

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

A group of scientists are directing their thoughts and needs into the heavens, but not to the God of the Bible. They have calculated that as many as fifty million civilizations may exist somewhere in space, and they believe that some of them may have found methods to improve our lives and control ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24

Tags: Faith, Prayer, Intercession, Believing, Asking, Scientists  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Get Rid Of Your Preacher

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 26, 2025

How to Get Rid of Your Preacher I heard the tale of a preacher Who was boring and out of touch. Most of his sermons were dry or dead, And he spoke softly way too much. He had heard an awful rumor, From church gossip it had been told, “The church was going to fire him, Hire a young one, handsome ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 3:15

Tags: Preaching, Pastor, Appreciation, Preachers, Pastor's Appreciation Day, Honor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Basketball Theology

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 18, 2026

Basketball theology Center/forward — Where nobody usually sits on Sunday mornings. Free throw — A toddler's toss of toys. Timeout A sermon gone too long. On the bench — The organist (pia- nist). Three-point play The structure of any good sermon. Offensive foul — A newly discov- ered baby's ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship, Sermon

Denomination: Methodist

Footprints  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Sep 26, 2001

Footprints One night a man had a dream. He dreamed that he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, ...read more

Tags: Faith, God's Provision, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: United Methodist

Sexual Addiction Is From The Dark Side And Those ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 25, 2005

Sexual Addiction is from the dark side and those who struggle with it need deliverance. This is only possible by surrendering your life over to the Lord Jesus Christ – Lets look at the symptoms of a sex addict: 1. Sexual acting out despite serious consequences and repeated attempts at ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Other Gods  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

OTHER GODS J.I. Packer described the propensity to Other Gods: "What other gods could we have besides the Lord? Plenty. For Israel there were the Canaanite Baals, those jolly nature gods whose worship was a rampage of gluttony, drunkenness, and ritual prostitution. For us there are still the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:3

Tags: Idolatry

The Guilt Of Their Deaths

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 17, 2011

THE GUILT OF THEIR DEATHS The movie "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) is a movie that many of us have seen and is quite a memorable movie because of its portrayal of the D Day invasion of Normandy in World War II. The movie begins and ends with an elderly man visiting the Normandy memorial. The ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Savior Or Judge?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 14, 2014

A young man was drinking heavily and decided to go for a swim at a California beach. Fortunately, an older man was watching the young man as he entered the water and did not come back up for air. The older man ran to the struggling young man and saved his life. A few years later, that same ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-18

Tags: Evangelism, Christ, Decision, Judgment Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Great Example Of Leadership

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 14, 2022

One of the best leaders and models of loving leadership was Dawson Trotman, who died after helping to rescue two drowning girls. Trotman died in Schroon Lake, New York. He died in an area that he was an expert in — he drowned. He was an expert swimmer. The last few moments of his life, he ...read more

Tags: Leadership, Mentoring, Love, Sacrifice, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Are Two Kinds Of People: Those Who Say To ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 21, 2003

“There are two kinds of people: those who say to God ’Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then have it your way.’ Tragically, many people will have to endure eternity without God because they chose to live without him here on earth.” Warren adds “When you fully comprehend that ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Perhaps You Are Like Charley Brown  PRO

Contributed by Larry Jacobs on Jul 18, 2005

PERHAPS YOU ARE LIKE CHARLEY BROWN: In a peanuts comic strip showed a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

Living Longer: In 1900, A Newborn American Could ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Living Longer: In 1900, a newborn American could expect to live 47.3 years; in ‘50, life expectancy was 68.2. Overall life expectancy in the U.S. in ‘01, however, was 77.2 years, up 4 months from ‘00, when it was 76.9. In ’01 women had a life expectancy of more than 5 years longer than men—79.8 ...read more

Tags: Death

Many Years Ago The Great Preacher Harry Emerson ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Jul 25, 2006

Many years ago the great preacher Harry Emerson Fosdick told of a teenage girl stricken with polio. As he visited with her, she told him about a conversation she’d had with one of her friends, who told her, "Affliction does so color life." To which this courageous young girl agreed, but said that ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deistic Teens- Researchers With The National ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

Deistic Teens- Researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion have concluded American teens believe in a combination of works based righteousness, religion as psychological well-being, and a distant, non-interfering god. With no place for sin, judgment, salvation, or Christ; their creed ...read more

Tags: Children