In Sermon Illustrations: "Church General"

Where Is The Church When It Hurts?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2012

WHERE IS THE CHURCH WHEN IT HURTS? Where is God in the midst of the storm? One author answered that question with this incident: "In Washington and Chicago, as I talked about the special edition of Where Is God When It Hurts?, inevitably the interviewer would turn the question back on me. 'Well, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-36

Tags: Comfort

The Church, Therefore, Earnestly Desires That ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 26, 2013

The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Catholic

The American Church Is Big Business

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 26, 2016

A GREAT QUOTE ABOUT THE AMERICAN CHURCH Biblical Scholar, Dr. Richard Halverson once said, “When the Greeks got the Gospel, they turned it into a philosophy; when the Romans got the Gospel, they turned it into a government; when the Europeans got the Gospel, they turned it into a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-30

Tags: Church, Wealth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Painless Way To Give In Church

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2019

Having a little trouble with giving at the church? Maybe we could all learn a little lesson from the old country preacher who told everyone to stand up at the beginning of the offering. He then instructed everyone to lean forward to the person standing in front of them and grab their purse or ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9

Tags: Stewardship, Tithing, Offerings, Money, Giving  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Gather A Crowd At Church!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 25, 2021

How to Gather a Crowd at Church! A cattle rancher got saved and surrendered to preach. He went to a Bible conference which was all about how to build a crowd. Asked about it later, he said, "It was strange. In all my years as a cattle rancher, I never had to go to a conference to learn how ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Teaching, Preaching, Word Of God, Pastors, Churches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

They Keep You Quiet In Church

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 27, 2021

A 6-year-old girl was sitting in church with her very fidgety 4-year-old brother. She spoke to him with a stern voice, “You’re supposed to be quiet in church.” So her brother asked, “Whose gonna make me?” She ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:46-47

Tags: Church, Children, Worship, Quiet

Denomination: Methodist

Lazarus Churches That Are Dead And Stinketh!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

Vance Havner once commented that ministries often begin with a man who has a vision. That vision is captured by others and becomes a movement. As the movement gains followers and momentum, it becomes a machine. After a while, people forget all about the vision and what was once a movement ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Book Of Acts, Backsliding, Dying Churches, Church, Holy Spirit, Revival, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Church Without The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

David Platt in his book, Radical, has a chapter entitled, "Beginning at the End of Ourselves -- The Importance of Relying on God's Power (Subsection entitled - “Dependent on Ourselves or Desperate for His Spirit?”). This is where I am most convicted as a pastor that I am part of a system ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:11

Tags: Church, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Power, Pastors, Programs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What The Church Needs Today

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

E.M. Bounds is right when he says, "What the Church needs today is not more machinery or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use— men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come ...read more

Tags: Anointing, Pastors, Simon Peter, Acts 2, Ministry, Church, Holy Spirit, Pentecost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church Is Called To Minister In The Marketplace.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 4, 2022

Return the Cross to Golgotha I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles; But on a cross between two thieves: on a town garbage ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Gospel, Cross, Great Commission, Marketplace, Wintessing  (view more)  (view less)

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

When A Thief Was Surprised At Church!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, something strange happened one Christmas that I will never stop laughing about. Because it was a Christmas holiday, we were at home with our family taking a break from our normal ministry schedule. We did not go to the church campus for the weekend. But, while we ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10-11, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Pastors, Tithing, Robbing God, Stealing, Surprises, Church, Giving, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church That Voted God Out!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2024

The story is told about a poor woman who lived across the tracks and wanted to join a very fashionable church. She talked to the pastor about it, but he sought to discourage her. He suggested she go home and think about it carefully for a week. At the end of the week she came back. He said, “Go ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-12

Tags: Church, Revival, Favoritism, Pastors, Membership, Partiality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Pastor Of A Church That Didn't Have The ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Sickling on Feb 4, 2008

The pastor of a church that didn’t have the reputation for being very generous with their giving decided that it was time to do something drastic in order to teach the congregation the importance of giving. He contacted an electrician and had all of the pews wired. The next Sunday which was the ...read more

Tags: Faith, Worship, Trust, Giving, Prayer, Poverty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Here Are The Results From A New Gallup Survey ...  PRO

Contributed by Tj Tipton on Mar 31, 2001

Here are the results from a new Gallup survey called, The Unchurched American. Findings from the Gallup survey of 2,556 adults who were not church-goers: 1. The survey reports that 44% of U.S. adults are "unchurched", defined as neither belonging to a church nor visiting one within the last six ...read more

Tags: Church General, Sharing My Testimony, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Pentecostal

I'm Only A General, But He's A Son!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 30, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. grew up under the shadow of a large man. His father was the hero of San Juan Hill and the President of the United States. The pressure to excel often caused him problems, but Teddy, Jr. went on to be a highly decorated Brigadier General during World War II, receiving the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29

Tags: Children Of God, Authority, Sons, Mothers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Church Influence On Teens Nominal: New Barna ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Church Influence On Teens Nominal: New Barna research finds that 56% of teens say they attended church-related activities an average of two or more times per month prior to turning 13. Most likely attendees were those living in the South or Midwest. 26% received general information about God, such ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1, 1 Timothy 4:12-13

Tags: Children, Obedience

Rick Warren In "Purpose Driven Church" –"With ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Apr 21, 2007

Rick Warren in “Purpose Driven Church” –“With every new generation the rules change a little. If we always do what we’ve always ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

My First Staff Position In A Church Was As The ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jun 21, 2008

My first staff position in a church was as the Associate Pastor of The Kirk Community Church in Dunedin, Florida. I normally arrived at church early but on this particular morning my wife and I had arrived just a few minutes before the worship service was to begin. As my wife Christina unbuckled ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian Church

One Older Pastor Gave Some Great Advise To ...  PRO

Contributed by David Fox on Nov 15, 2001

One older pastor gave some great advise to younger ministers, He said, “Trust the people in your pew’s. they are smarter ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Church, Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal