In Sermon Illustrations: "Church Health"

Baptism Long Ago

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 23, 2012

BAPTISM LONG AGO Centuries ago the circumstances of one's baptism would come on Easter eve at midnight. In the semidarkness, he or she would disrobe and descend into the waters to be immersed three times, in the name of the Father, then the Son, and finally the Holy Spirit. The newly baptized ...read more

Tags: Baptism

The Real Story Of Unequally Yoked.  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 31, 2015

David Slagle, a minister at a small church in Atlanta, tells the story of a woman in her late 20’s. The woman had befriended a man living in her apartment complex. Slagle and his wife asked whether the two were dating. The man in question was a known atheist. The young woman answered, “No, I’m ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Marriage, Premarital, Unequally Yoked, Pre-Marital Counsel

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Broken Heart

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

In Fox’s Book of Martyrs, there is the story of a 26 year old mother named Perpetua. The early church was growing dramatically and she came to faith in Jesus. The Roman government was trying to get her to renounce her faith but she refused. They threw her in prison. Her father came and begged her ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Tags: Grief

Denomination: Methodist

Commitment

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Kenneth Bailey tells the story of teaching some short courses at the Lutheran Church of Latvia. While there, he observed the interviewing of prospective students and inquired of the interviews what questions they asked. They said, “The most important question is ‘When were you baptized?’ And he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:11-27

Tags: Risk, Boldness

Denomination: Methodist

Pigs Don't Say Thanks!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 21, 2019

An old farmer who was a loyal, church-going Christian was spending the day in a large city. He entered a restaurant and sat down at the table near a group of young men from the city. When his meal was brought to the table, the farmer quietly bowed his head and said grace. One of the smart-aleck ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving, Prayer, Gratitude, Jokes, Meal Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Billy Graham's Great Regret

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

Billy Graham was once asked, "If you had to live your life over again, what would you do differently?" He answered: “One of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough, I wish I had studied more and preached less. People have pressured me into speaking to groups when I should ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Bible Study, Word Of God, Pastors, Sermon Preparation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Anxiety And Relationships

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 27, 2020

Anxiety can be the ruin or the salvation of our relationships. It is an alarm mechanism. It alerts us to potential danger. But sometimes it goes off too often or quickly. Sometimes we do not seem able to regulate it. Shocked, we lash out, hold our ground, or retreat. However, anxiety can be our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Anxiety, Relationships

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Maturity

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 27, 2020

Automatic behaviour is the hallmark of immature people bent on survival, they accept few challenges and experience little growth. Immature people react with a small part of themselves to a small part of the world. They limit themselves by paying attention only to what is close-up, by focusing on ...read more

Scripture: John 12:24

Tags: Maturity, Immaturity

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seven Stanzas At Easter

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

John Updike put it in his wonderful poem : Make no mistake: if he rose at all it was as his body; If the cells dissolution did not reverse, the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle, the church will fall. Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence; Making ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:14, Matthew 28:1-10

Tags: Resurrection, Tomb, John Updike

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Sin Is Sin It Leads To Death No Matter How It Isillustrated.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 25, 2024

We the Church need to be aware of the danger there is from those who prophecy falsely, there is a great push within Christian circles to accept people's immorality in the name of God’s love, and grace. Sin remains sin, those of us who have repented of our sins know the release and joy that ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:1-41, 2 Corinthians 5:15

Tags: Grace, Acceptance, Salvation, Joy, Power, Redemption, Denial, Punishment, Repentence, Recrucifying Christ, Immorality, Danger, False Teachers, Release, Sanctification, Regeneration  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Heart Transplant

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Feb 3, 2026

A heart transplant doesn’t make a sick heart healthier. It removes the failing heart completely and replaces it with a living one. After surgery, the patient doesn’t just act alive— they are alive. They don’t breathe because they’re disciplined. They breathe because they have a new source of life ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: New Creation, Faith

Denomination: Other

Children’s Prayers

Contributed by David Dunn on Feb 24, 2026

A mother was teaching her three-year-old the Lord’s Prayer. Night after night they practiced, and one evening the little girl said, “Mommy, I can do it myself.” So she folded her tiny hands and prayed, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some e-mail.” Another Sunday a family’s little boy ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-25, Matthew 6:9-13

Tags: Sanctification, Temptation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Noted Author, John Killinger, Tells A ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 10, 2004

The noted author, John Killinger, tells a powerful story about a man who is all-alone in a hotel room in Canada. The man is in a state of deep depression. He is so depressed that he can’t even bring himself to go downstairs to the restaurant to eat. He is a powerful man usually the chairman of a ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Repentance, Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Isn't Fair

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

IT ISN'T FAIR Have you ever had something happen to you which caused you to think, "This isn't fair!"? Ken Wyniemko sure has. Just like Paul, he was locked away for a crime that he did not commit. In 1994, he was convicted by a jury based of a horrible crime against a young woman on the basis of a ...read more

Tags: Anger

T ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Thanksgiving First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” On Thanksgiving Day, families gather around their televisions to watch football games ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Message Of The Straight Jacket

Contributed by Christopher Roberts (Barrister) on Jan 22, 2013

THE MESSAGE OF THE STRAIGHT JACKET Satan employs a number of tactics against us, which most often God uses for our greater good. One of those tactics is to place a straight jacket of circumstance upon us, something that we are unable to deal with ourselves. Such a straight jacket might relate to a ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Christian Church

Giving Out Of Need

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Hunger also changes the world when eating can’t be a habit, then neither can seeing.” - Maxine Hong Kingston It had been a tough year and it didn’t appear to be getting any easier. She wasn’t working and he wasn’t working much. They had two teenage children to feed and bills to pay. The car ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Compassion, Poverty, Generosity, Giving Out Of Need

Denomination: Charismatic

Mastering Fatherhood

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Jun 12, 2017

In 2001, I was serving as the youth pastor of Destiny Church and sitting at my office desk when I received a phone call from my mother. She called with sad news! My grandmother’s health had declined significantly and she was near death. She’d been suffering with Alzheimer’s for over seven years up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:2

Tags: Parenting, Legacy, Fatherhood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Epitome Of Boredom

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 25, 2021

I have never considered myself to be boring. I may be boring to other people but not to myself. As you get older, you find out that there are many boring things in this world. When younger, I can't ever remember being bored except when my father was lecturing me on how I should behave. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:15

Tags: Technology, Boredom, Generational

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

One Of The Most Incredible Stories Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Mar 13, 2001

ILL. One of the most incredible stories of forgiveness I’ve ever heard came out of Tulsa, OK, a couple of years ago. Tom McGee was a young man who went out for a night of partying & revelry. He got drunk & ran head-on into a car driven by a young man by the name of Ted Morris. He killed Ted ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48, Leviticus 19:17-18, Romans 12:17-21, Matthew 18:21-22, Jonah 4:1-10, Matthew 18:23-35  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Cross Agony, Forgiveness General, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ