In Sermon Illustrations: "Christian Fathers"

Minister The Word  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Nov 27, 2010

MINISTER THE WORD There are valid ministries which are pleasing to the Lord such as, missions, youth ministries, local church services and ministerial alliances. However, there are two ministries that are often set on the back burner. The ministry of truly preaching the whole council of God's ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:4

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Leads His Dear Children Along

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

GOD LEADS HIS DEAR CHILDREN ALONG Haldor Lillenas, founder of a noted music-publishing company, made his way to the United States from Scandinavia. His first years in this country were hard, but a kind lady befriended him and taught him the English language. More importantly, perhaps, she told ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: *other

The Craigslist Murder

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 29, 2011

THE CRAIGSLIST MURDER When Charlene Sanders drove home from a routine day of work April 28, the last thing she expected was that she would be telling family of her husband's death later that night. At about 9 p.m. on April 28, Jim Sanders invited a young man and women into his home to view a ring ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: Heroism

My Supreme Weapon Is Dying.

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 30, 2011

"MY SUPREME WEAPON IS DYING." Joseph Ton was pastor of Second Baptist Church, Oradea, Romania, until he was exiled by the Romanian government in 1981. In Pastoral Renewal, he writes of his experience: "Years ago I ran away from my country to study theology at Oxford. In 1972, when I was ready to ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Walt Disney's Leadership  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

WALT DISNEY'S LEADERSHIP Walt Disney was a remarkable man of vision. He never gave up. Early in his career a newspaper fired him because they thought he had "no good ideas". That just made Disney try harder. When he was starting out in Kansas City he couldn't sell his cartoons. Some hinted that he ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Tags: Faith, Vision, Perseverance, Leadership General

The Risk Of Fishing For Souls  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

THE RISK OF FISHING FOR SOULS A little more than 10 years ago (2000), a movie called The Perfect Storm was released, which graphically portrayed the dangers of the fishing industry even in modern times. The movie is about the crew of the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat out of Gloucester, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:14-39

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Face Your Fears, Don't Run From Them

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

FACE YOUR FEARS, DON'T RUN FROM THEM A few years ago, a canoeing friend of mine and I went to a talk one evening at the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Center. I could hardly wait to hear the couple that was to speak. It was Verlen and Valerie Kruger. They had recently completed a 21,000 mile ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Fear And Worry

What Is Needed For Joy?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR JOY? Max Lucado tells the following story about Robert Reed: "I have everything I need for joy!" Robert Reed said. His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can't bathe himself. He can't feed himself. He can't brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-24

Tags: Joy

Angels Of Reconciliation  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012

ANGELS OF RECONCILIATION With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, James 2:15-20

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Methodist

Spiritual Redwoods

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

SPIRITUAL REDWOODS Can you imagine a redwood tree saying, "I’d just rather remain a little bush"? That would seem insane, right? I want to put up on the screen some pictures of redwood trees. They are truly magnificent. My oldest daughter and her husband were married at the foot of redwood that ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:3-14

Tags: Growth In Christ

The Holy Spirit In The Movies—the Apostle

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2012

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE MOVIES--THE APOSTLE In 1983 Robert Duvall wanted to make The Apostle because he felt that the motion picture industry had mostly ignored the work of the Holy Spirit. According to Duvall, filmmakers hardly ever made a movie that would actually show the truth about the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Sacrifice On The Mission ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

SACRIFICE ON THE MISSION FIELD Let me leave you with this true story I read about two faithful women, who were cross-bearers for Christ. Irene Ferrel graduated from the Bible Institute of Los Angeles with a burden for overseas missions. She found her place in the Congo, where for 10 years she ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:19-23

Tags: Missions

Artist, Steven Lavaggi

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile Diabetes. Then he lost his ...read more

Tags: Gifts Discernment

Denomination: Methodist

Strength Through Humility

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Jul 7, 2014

And I must say here, this does not come automatically, we have to work at it and develop it, and many times we grit our teeth as we think we fail every now and again, but I will end with this analogy, it is the best I can up with, it is crude … but think of yourself when you give your offering, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:16-30

Tags: Humility, Strength

Denomination: Episcopal

Suffering & The Riches Of His Glory

Contributed by Michael Grant on Sep 3, 2016

What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,  even us whom He called, not ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:22-24

Tags: God's Glory

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Faith Of Stonewall Jackson

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2021

There is a scene in the Civil War motion picture Gods and Generals that is telling. The movie follows the rise and fall of Civil War hero General Thomas Jackson, and does not try to hide his Christianity. Throughout the picture, Jackson's dependence on God is shown, but never more strikingly ...read more

Tags: Courage, Will Of God, Civil War, Sovereignty Of God, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deams And Visions

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 30, 2023

God is speaking to millions of Muslims through Deams and Visions. Throughout the Muslim world, there is a tremendous underground move to Christianity. Hassan was a part of that underground church in Cairo, one of Islam's spiritual capitals. And so, Hassan, a former Muslim wakes up in the middle ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Muslim, Dreams, Visions

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Bottle That Didn’t Take The Heat!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 5, 2024

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, KJV: 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Tags: Rewards, Tests, Plastic Bottles

Denomination: Baptist

A Sovereign God Has Fixed The Time For My Death

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 10, 2024

There is a scene in the Civil War motion picture, "Gods and Generals", that is telling. The movie follows the rise and fall of Civil War hero General Thomas Jackson, and does not try to hide his Christianity. Throughout the picture, Jackson's dependence on God is shown, but never ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:1

Tags: Death, Chosen, Election, Free Will, Calling, Sovereignty Of God, Man's Choice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Fragments Of Our Lives - Good Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

Hear God's Word in John's telling: BIBLE "And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those ...read more

Scripture: John 6:12-13, Matthew 14:19, Mark 6:41, Luke 9:16, John 6:5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Brokenness, Leftovers, Fragments, Gathering, Problems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican