In Sermon Illustrations: "Church Purpose Of"

I Want To Close By Sharing Something Gary Gunn ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 11, 2010

I want to close by sharing something Gary Gunn told us about at our last Men’s Prayer Breakfast. Several years back, Steven, a young man with AIDS started attending our church. (This was back in the time when AIDS was scary to most people and we didn’t know a lot about it.) The sickness slowly ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Obstacles To Worship

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012

OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP Don Chapman writes, "Recently I visited a church where I had to jump over a few unnecessary hurdles before I finally took my seat in their worship service. There was no sign out front. I drove to the church's location and was surprised not to see a sign. Was I in the right ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Methodist

Evil Has Arrived

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 7, 2021

I am afraid that if Paul Revere rode through our towns crying, "The evil is coming! The evil is coming" Church folks would go back to sleep instead of rising to arms and in the morning have him arrested for disturbing the peace. The same works for revival. The call may come and God ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5, Romans 13:11, Ezekiel 33:6-7

Tags: Candlestick, Awake, Hell, Soul, Sleep, Watchman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Expecting Answers To Prayer

Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Jun 25, 2024

Several years ago, there was a drought in one city and the pastor of the Church called for a prayer meeting to pray for rain. The prayer meeting was held on a hot summer evening. All the members came out dressed in cool summer clothes since they would be there for a while praying. When Sister Betsy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Prayer, Expectations, Beliefs

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Unbaptized Arm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

The Unbaptized Arm Ivan the Great was the tsar of all of Russia during the Fifteenth Century. He brought together the warring tribes into one vast empire--the Soviet Union. As a fighting man he was courageous. As a general he was brilliant. He drove out the Tartars and established peace across the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-17

Tags: Worship, Baptism, Commitment To Christ, Evangelism, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Praying In ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Praying in Revival 2 Chronicles 7:14 says: “…if my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” All true spiritual awakenings that have had a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ordinary People For Christ

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

ORDINARY PEOPLE FOR CHRIST Bud Villers was a good man. Bud was my neighbor. I grew up beside him until he died when I was in college. Bud helped my dad put a roof on our house, he assisted my dad when they poured concrete sidewalks and porches. My dad helped him put a roof on his patio. When Bud ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:5-6

Tags: Evangelism How To

Francis Chan: Radical Christian Living

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2010

FRANCIS CHAN: RADICAL CHRISTIAN LIVING Pastor Francis Chan, the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California wrote in his latest book entitled, "Crazy Love". He has already sold one million copies worldwide; a figure he says demonstrates the extent to which he is not alone in ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38

Tags: Discipleship

Thom Rainer And The Unchurched Next Door

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2011

THOM RAINER AND THE UNCHURCHED NEXT DOOR Thom S. Rainer has written a book entitled "The Unchurched Next Door". He wants people to understand the unchurched in order to better reach them. The premise is that we do not invite our neighbors for all the wrong reasons. He encourages Christians to make ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-24, Luke 14:1-14

Tags: Evangelism How To

Surface Level Fellowship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2022

Bill Hybels recalls a time when “Dr. Bilezikian said there’s life-changing fellowship in biblically functioning community. That was a far cry from the childhood experience of a lot of his audience! The only kind of fellowship that many of his listeners had witnessed revolved around the fifteen or ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Small Groups

A Name On The Bill Of Rights  PRO

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Oct 4, 2012

A NAME ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS The Black Brigade or Black Regiment were the preachers, because they wore black robes. Black preachers, white preachers — they all wore black robes. And the British specifically blamed the preachers for the American Revolution. That's where the title "Black Regiment" ...read more

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Holiness

Self Sufficiency Is The Idol Of Choice In Today's ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Stults on Aug 30, 2006

Self Sufficiency is the idol of choice in today’s ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: Baptist

Even The Angels Cannot Preach The Gospel. This ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Even the angels cannot preach the Gospel. This is reserved for the ...read more

Tags: Pastors

The Marriage Union Is Likened To The ...

Contributed by David Ibeleme on Jun 28, 2008

The marriage union is likened to the relationship between Jesus ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Three-Year-Old Girl Was Listening Intently To ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 20, 2002

A three-year-old girl was listening intently to the children’s sermon one Sunday morning at her church. The minister explained that God wants everyone to get along and love each other. “God wants us all to be one,” he said. To which the little girl replied, “But I don’t want to be one. I want ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There Is A Story About A Man Who Was Walking Down ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 27, 2003

There is a story about a man who was walking down the street. He passed a used-book store, and in the window he saw a book with the title, "How to Hug." He was taken by the title and, being of a somewhat romantic nature, went in to buy the book. To his chagrin, he discovered that it was the seventh ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

E. Rick Stedman, Minister Of The Adventure ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 10, 2004

E. Rick Stedman, minister of the Adventure Christian Church in Roseville, California, has a “no sarcasm” rule for his church staff. He says that what makes people laugh at sarcasm is that it always has a nugget of truth in it. That little bit of truth is what hurts people. So “no sarcasm” is the ...read more

The Princeton Religion Research Center Has ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

The Princeton Religion Research Center has measured the impact of religion on day-to-day work. Comparing the "churched" with the "unchurched" on a wide range of behaviors like pilfering supplies (stealing), overstating qualifications on resumes (lying), calling in sick when not sick (lying and ...read more

Tags: Character

Apologetics Hot, Thom Rainer, Dean Of Billy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Apologetics Hot, Thom Rainer, Dean of Billy Graham School of Missions says Christian apologetics is a coming hot book genre during CBA’s Independents Day event Cultural conflicts between religions, heightened by the war on terrorism, will drive churches to understand other faiths while defending ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General

A Little Boy Was Sick On Palm Sunday And Stayed ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch. The little boy was curious and asked, “Why do you have that palm branch, dad?” “You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-19

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday