In Sermon Illustrations: "Christianity"

Casual Christians  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Jul 27, 2009

CASUAL CHRISTIANS Barna defines these folks as those who perceive their Christianity as "faith in moderation. It allows them to feel religious without having to prioritize their faith. Christianity is a low-risk, predictable proposition..., providing a faith perspective that is not demanding. A ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christian Home

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 7, 2009

CHRISTIAN HOME A family was driving home after church and they noticed little Johnny was sitting in the back seat crying his eyes out. Mom asked him several times what was wrong, but he just kept crying. Then finally he sobbed, "The pastor said ...read more

Tags: Family

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Consistent Christians

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008

Consistent Christians I was getting ready to do some research for my weekly sermon so I entered my office and flipped the light switch to the "on" position. It seemed that as soon as I had touched the toggle there was an instantaneous burst of bright light from the light bulb for a millionth of a ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: *other

Ironman Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

Ironman Christians Have you heard of the Ironman Triathlon? It’s held every fall in the US city of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, the race encompasses three endurance events; a 2.4 mile ocean swim in Kailua-Kona Bay, a 112 mile bike ride across the Hawaiian lava desert to Hawi and back, and then to top it ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Christian Hedonism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

Christian Hedonism Charles Hodge argued that true knowledge of Christ includes delight in Christ. He said this knowledge "is not the apprehension of what He is, simply by intellect, but also involves, not merely as a consequence but as one of its elements, the corresponding feeling of adoration, ...read more

Tags: Joy

What Is Christianity?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY? A number of years ago, in preparation for a discussion period on a Christian radio program, an interviewer went into the streets of Philadelphia to ask people this question: "What is Christianity." The answers were surprising. Some said that Christianity is "the American ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Weird Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

WEIRD CHRISTIANS Unchurched Americans think Christians are weird, but it’s not for the reason you might think. Fifty-seven percent of the unchurched wonder why Christian friends and neighbors never talk with them about spiritual matters. To the majority of those outside the church, believers are ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Confined Christians

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Jan 10, 2012

CONFINED CHRISTIANS I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He told me that one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark. He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium you put it in. Sharks can ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: *other

Aristides On Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2012

ARISTIDES ON CHRISTIANS Writing in about 125 AD, a Christian philosopher by the name of Aristides looked at Christianity and said this: "They walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them, and they love one another. They despise not the widow, and grieve not the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:11-20

Tags: Christian Witness

True Christianity

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Aug 27, 2012

This past Wednesday, many across our country and others, went to their local churches to have ashes placed on their foreheads, as a sign of repentance. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period that many “give-up” something in preparation for the coming of Easter. In the ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

The Opposite Of A Christian

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Jan 29, 2013

THE OPPOSITE OF A CHRISTIAN What would you say was the opposite of a Christian people? would it be an atheist people? a pagan people? Perhaps even a hypocritical people, an unforgiving people. What would be your answer? When the novelist George bernanos was asked this question "What is the ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Anglican

Christian Priesthood  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 1, 2013

From R. Paul Stevens: Christian priesthood is not a matter of being religious and Mr. Goody two shoes but of serving God and God’s purposes in the nitty gritty everydayness of life in the world, not a matter of sacred times and sacred places but ordinary times and ordinary places, not a matter ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:15-16

Tags: Everyday Life, Priestly

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unchristian

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 21, 2014

In unChristian, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, discusses some disheartening research concerning the failure of Christians in our day to remain distinct: "In virtually every study we conduct, representing thousands of interviews every year, born again Christians (talking about people ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:18

Tags: Transform, Holiness, Distinctiveness, Moral Living

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Impersonating A Christian

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jan 16, 2015

In her recently published book “Dance with the Devil” Barbara Bentley shares her experience with former husband, John Perry, a mysterious man, whose father was supposedly portrayed by John Wayne in a World War II movie. She fell in love with him when He dazzled her and her friends with his heroic ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23

Tags: Hypocrisy, Day Of Judgment, False Believer, Imposter

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Marks Of A Christian

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

Galatians 2:1-10 THE MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN BY THEODORE EPP Four marks of a Christian are set forth in Galatians 2:20: First, a Christian is one who has the living Christ living in him. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Resurrection, Holy Spirit, Discipleship, Christian Life, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Distorted Christianity

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

Q: What does the Church think of God the Father? A: He is omnipotent and holy. He created the world and imposed on mankind conditions impossible to fulfill; he is very angry if these are not carried out. He sometimes interferes in an arbitrary way with judgments and miracles, distributed with a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6, 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-6

Tags: Slander, Misconceptions, Ignorance, Dorothy Sayers, Distortion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

37% Of Christians Shop In Christian Stores. A New ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

37% of Christians shop in Christian stores. A new CBA-Barna survey reveals that 34% of adults have shopped in a store that specializes in Christian products in the last 6months, up from 30% in ’91. Close to 4 in 10 Christians (37% or roughly 6 million people) visit a Christian store in a typical ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

80% Of Christians And 69% Of Non-Christians Feel ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

80% of Christians and 69% of non-Christians feel they “are an outstanding role model for young ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Christian Games: In Its 3rd Year, The Christian ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Christian Games: In its 3rd year, the Christian Game Developers Conference drew record attendance over July 31-August 1, reflecting growth in the $100 million/year ...read more

Tags: Entertainment

Three Kinds Of Christians  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 25, 2002

There are three kinds of Christians: (1) Row-boat Christians—struggling in their own power; stop to rest for a while, only to find that the current has taken them back where they started. (2) Sail-boat Christians—let the wind do all the work; enjoy the high moments, But what happens ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Mennonite