In Sermon Illustrations: "Dead Churches"

A Bad Business Meeting

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

A church called a special business meeting of all of its members to vote on a very heated issue. Things got out of hand so badly that one elderly woman of the congregation stood up and said, "I am so ashamed of every one of you here tonight. This is a disgrace! If Jesus knew about this......He ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:1-33

Tags: Jesus, Church, Theology

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why No Revival In America?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

WHY NO REVIVAL IN AMERICA? A wise old evangelist was once asked, “Why don’t we see revival happening in the Church in the United States today?” The old preacher scratched his chin and thought for a moment. Then he said, “The reason why ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:18-32

Tags: Church, Revival, Apathy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Miss America And Elephants

Contributed by Pastor Jeff Hughes on Feb 1, 2014

Matt 24:24-25 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. Back years ago, I heard a well known salesman that regularly competed with the number one company in his industry. Those ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:24-25

Tags: Size, Church Size

Denomination: Bible Church

When The Gospel Came To America

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 4, 2014

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 culture........ and when ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:15-16

Tags: Church, America, Gospel

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stephen King On Religion

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 7, 2014

Horror writer Stephen King says this: "Organized religion ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:1-36

Tags: Religion, Church Community

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Relationship We Share

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jun 2, 2014

While many people hunger for family closeness, we often miss the opportunities that stand immediately before us. Tammy Harris of Roanoke, Virginia, began searching for her biological mother when she turned 21. A year of searching proved fruitless. Tammy did not realize, however, that her ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:34-35

Tags: Family, Church Family

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sow Indiscriminately

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 15, 2017

In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13) Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven being like an indiscriminate sower. This contradicts theories surrounding church growth of targeting certain statistically measurable demographics. There is no such target audience in this parable. The seed of the kingdom ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Sower, Church Growth

Denomination: Baptist

Lego Theology

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 23, 2019

Matt Proctor- Several years ago, two of my nephews accompanied their mom on a visit to a friend’s house. Ben was 8, Brian was 6. Their mother’s friend was a very neat lady- a place for everything and everything in its place. Though childless, she did have a few toys and handed Ben and Brian a ...read more

Tags: Church, Relationships, Synergy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Eat Twinkies Together

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 23, 2019

A Harvard study of 7,000 people found that the most isolated people were 3 times more likely to die than those with strong relationships. Reporting on the study, John Ortberg writes that “people who had bad health habits (such as smoking, poor eating habits, or alcohol use) but strong social ties ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Tags: Church, Relationships, Synergy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Power Of Singing

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 14, 2020

Its been observed that Singing Together Shapes Community. ***Songs are one way that a community has its identity and one way that individuals find their identity within a community. (therefore old songs –passed on to the next generation- help create community bonds) Baseball has a song – during ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Community, Church, Worship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Facts About Persecution Of Christians

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 18, 2020

FACTS ABOUT PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS: * More Christians were martyred in the 20th century than in all other centuries combined. * Currently over 200 million Christians are being persecuted worldwide. * 70 percent of the world's population lives in a religiously intolerant environment. * Every ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Church, Persecution, Beatitudes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Minister Should Have Access To A Good ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The minister should have access to a good personal library or to a convenient source for good study materials. There are those who object to commentaries or information available from sources other than the Bible. It was Spurgeon who appropriately said, "Me thinks it rather ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Six Hundred Students At A University Were Asked ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

"Six hundred students at a university were asked to write on a piece of paper the most beautiful word in the English language: 112 wrote the word home." Probably the most popular place for families to gather is the table. One thing you learn very quickly from Italians is that sitting around the ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

The Powerhouse

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

“The memory of Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been cherished among evangelical Christians for over the past 100 years. Many Christian leaders consider him to be the greatest preacher England ever produced. He is commonly hailed as the "Prince of Preachers". Over 63 volumes of published sermons still ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Dr. Vance Havner Used To Tell The Story About ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

. DR. VANCE HAVNER USED TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT THE OLD GEORGIA FARMER WHO, AS HE SLEPT ONE EVENING, HEARD HIS GRANDFATHER CLOCK STRIKE MIDNIGHT. C. THE GONG SOUNDED 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 TIMES, BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE MECHANISM AND IT KEPT ON STRIKING 13, 14, 15 TIMES ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

I Remember As A Boy Going With My Grand Dad To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

. I REMEMBER AS A BOY GOING WITH MY GRAND DAD TO AN OLD GRIST MILL ON THEN SALADO CREEK, WITH A BIG WATERWHEEL THAT TURNED WITH THE WATER FROM THE CREEK. I. GRAND DAD WENT THERE TO HAVE HIS CORN GROUND INTO CORN MEAL AND ONE MORNING WE DROVE TO THE MILL AND THE WATERWHEEL WAS NOT TURNING BECAUSE ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

When A Surgeon Enters An Operating Theater, He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

WHEN A SURGEON ENTERS AN OPERATING THEATER, HE IS CAREFUL TO WORK IN A STERILE ENVIRONMENT, BY SCRUBBING HIS HANDS; WEARING A STERILIZED GOWN AND MASK TO PROTECT THE PATIENT AND HIMSELF, FROM ANY GERMS OR BACTERIA. L. THE THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATION IS THAT WE SHOULD HATE SIN, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY WE ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

I Close A Letter Emailed To Me. It Is From A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

. I CLOSE A LETTER EMAILED TO ME. IT IS FROM A SOLDIER IN IRAQ, WHO WROTE HIS MOTHER ABOUT HIS SEARCH FOR SALVATION: “DEAR MOM, I AM FINE, BUT I LOST MY BEST FRIEND TODAY IN AN AMBUSH AND THE ONLY WAY I CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME, IS TO TELL YOU THIS STORY: IMAGINE YOU ARE CRAWLING, ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

There Are Those That You Can Count On To Attend ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There are those that you can count on to attend every service they are called “the Core”. One choir director was upset because the choir members were not dedicated to choir practice but the piano player had attended every practice. So he bragged on him in front of the choir for being their every ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Have You Ever Gone To Some Of The Older Members ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Have you ever gone to some of the OLDER MEMBERS and ask them why TRADITION is so important to them? Have you ever asked what is of UTMOST important to them in their WORSHIP? Have you ever asked them why they so enjoy some of the OLDER SONGS that you can hardly bear singing? Ask one of the WIDOWS ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ