In Sermon Illustrations: "Clergy Appreciation Month"

Teen Gambling: A Recent Annenberg Public Policy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Teen Gambling: A recent Annenberg Public Policy Center survey found 11% (almost double from last year) of high-school boys play cards for money weekly; 26% report gambling in the last month. Researcher Rachel Volberg notes one of the biggest problems with teen gambling is that hitting the jackpot ...read more

Tags: Addiction

A Survey Conducted By The American Research Group ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 27, 2010

A survey conducted by the American Research Group last month indicated that people would be spending less this Christmas season on gifts than last year. Those surveyed indicated that they would be spending $417 on Christmas gifts this year down from $431 last year. Interestingly, the total spent ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Church Of God

3 Feet From My Miracle?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 18, 2021

Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich talked about a gold miner that was three feet from finding gold. The story says a young man dug and dug and never found gold. The Colorado gold mine was a big frustration so after many months he quit. The first minner that quit was only three feet from striking ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Almost, Quitters

Denomination: Assembly Of God

There Is An Old Story About A Lighthouse Keeper ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 25, 2001

"There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast. One night, though, a woman from a nearby village came and begged him for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:1-7, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Excuses, Responsibility, Integrity

Saving Grizzly Adams  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 15, 2002

SAVING GRIZZLY ADAMS Rick Stacy, Pastor in Okemos, Michigan tells a story about Ken Bailey. Ken was a laborer on the Alaska Pipeline back in the mid 70’s. He worked up in the icy cold for a year and came back with $30,000. That was a lot of money 30 years ago! He blew it all in a month. He ...read more

Tags: Repentance, God's Forgiveness, Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

James Dobson's Experience At The Public School ...  PRO

Contributed by Martin Wiles on May 9, 2002

James Dobson’s experience at the public school system from 1960-1963 At the final year, he had to say goodbye to 25 to 30 teary-eyed kids. One young lady whom he said goodbye to in 1963 called him in 1975. Julie had grown up. James remembered her as a seventh grader with a crisis of confidence in ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

A Family In The East Was Planning A ...  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Busch on Feb 23, 2003

Illus: A family in the East was planning a month’s vacation to the West Coast. At the last minute the father’s work responsibilities prevented him from going, but Mom insisted that she was capable of driving and that she and the kids would go ahead. Dad got out the maps and planned the route and ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Woman Came To Dr. Chalmers One Day And Said: ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Mar 24, 2003

“A woman came to Dr. Chalmers one day and said: Dr. Chalmers, I cannot get my child to come to the Savior. I’ve talked and talked to her, but it’s no use.’ The doctor thought to himself … and said, ‘Let me talk with your daughter by myself, and we will see what may be done.’ One day he met with ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

Charlie Lubin Made Great Cheesecake. In Fact It ...  PRO

Contributed by James Chandler on Apr 1, 2003

Charlie Lubin made great cheesecake. In fact it was so good he decided to open a cheesecake store, which he did on the north side of Chicago. It went so well that he opened a second store in South Chicago. That store did not do so well and eventually he lost both stores as a result. He sat in ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 3:8, Matthew 4:4

Tags: Endurance, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Purpose Of The Light  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2005

THE PURPOSE OF THE LIGHT "There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast. One night, though, a woman from a nearby village ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-35

Tags: Parable General, Giving Yourself

Super Bowl Statistics  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 9, 2005

Super Bowl Statistics: Today is the day of the “Big Game” Super Bowl 39 one of the most watched programs in the world. An estimated 89.6 million people in the U.S. last year watched the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers, it was a slight increase from 2003’s game. ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

According To An Old Fable, A Man Made An Unusual ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 20, 2005

According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Death. He told the Grim Reaper that he would willingly accompany him when it came time to die, but only on one condition—that Death would send a messenger well in advance to warn him. Weeks winged away into months, and months into ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Death Nearness

Men Outspend Women On Web: While Women Generally ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Men Outspend Women On Web: While women generally represent the more sought-after gender by mainstream marketers, men are the bigger spenders online. According to new AOL research, men spent up to 15% more during the recent holidays; $326 vs. $284. Outside of the holiday season, men spend an average ...read more

Tags: Men And Women

I've Been Reading This Week About The True Story ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Oct 2, 2006

I’ve been reading this week about the true story of Juan Tomaylla (‘Tried by Fire’, ISBN in the UK 1-85424-638-0 or ISBN in USA 0-8254-6236-3). Juan was a humble Christian taxi driver in Peru and on 10 July 1993 he was falsely imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. For the first two days he was ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

In 1987, All Of America Stopped To Watch A ...

Contributed by David Dykes on Oct 9, 2006

In 1987, all of America stopped to watch a real-life drama unfolded in Midland, Texas. Eighteen month old Jessica McClure fell down an abandoned well and was trapped. Millions of Americans watched the story of Baby Jessica unfold. To the relief of everyone, Jessica came out of the well on October ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

5 Ways To Get Rid Of Your Pastor  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 9, 2007

5 WAYS TO GET RID OF YOUR PASTOR John R. Rice told of five ways to get rid of your pastor that you might should think about. 1. Sit on the front pew, smile and say AMEN real loud. Your pastor will preach himself to death. 2. Compliment your Pastor often, pat him on the back, brag on how well he ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Assembly Of God

What's Left Of Your Heart

Contributed by Gregg Barbour on Feb 8, 2010

What's Left of Your Heart Anna's wedding day was finally here. She planned for months and months, and in the small church with her family and friends, she was ready to take the vow's with her fiancé, David. He gently took her hand and they turned toward the altar. But, as the minister began to ...read more

Tags: Dating

Denomination: *other

The World's Easiest Test

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 29, 2010

THE WORLD'S EASIEST TEST 1. How long did the hundred year war last? 2. Which country makes Panama hats? 3. What is Camel's hair brush made from? 4. In what month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? 5. What was King George VI's first name? 6. What colour is a Purple Finch? 7. Where are ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Brethren

Solid Ground

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Aug 13, 2012

SOLID GROUND On May 4th, just two months ago, the Lambro family woke to find the backyard of their Windermere home gone. Overnight a sinkhole had formed that grew to more than 100 x 50 feet and swallowed a hammock and 4 trees. Last month, on June 21st, Susan Minutillo left her house to run a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

One Body To The Death

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

ONE BODY TO THE DEATH On February 19, 1945, near the end of WWII, 800 American ships amassed to assault the island of Iwo Jima with its two strategic air strips 600 miles south of Tokyo. The Marines had fought a total of 43 months in the Pacific in World War II and in this one-month assault on Iwo ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist