In Sermon Illustrations: "dying churches"

The American Church Is Big Business

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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: Money, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing, Offerings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Gather A Crowd At Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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

Church Without The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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: Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Anointing, Pastors, Simon Peter, Acts 2, Ministry, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church Is Called To Minister In The Marketplace.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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: Church, Encouragement, Judgementalism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Church Is A Battleship, Not A Cruise Ship!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

Adrian Rogers said "We are in a spiritual war! And the Church is not a cruise ship with the Senior Pastor as the Master of Ceremonies! Indeed, the Church is not a showboat…...it is a battleship. We, in the Body of Christ, are called to see Satan's strongholds crumble under the ...read more

Tags: Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Revival, Victory, Demons, Strongholds  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When A Thief Was Surprised At Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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

There Were Two Churches Of Christ In The Small ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There were two Churches of Christ in the small north Texas town. The church where I ministered had split from the older church years before over some petty differences. I was beginning a sermon series on the "One-another" passages of the Bible, when Gabe, a former elder, got up and walked up to ...read more

Tags: Faith

I Have A Friend Who Works With A Church In ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Jul 26, 2005

I have a friend who works with a church in Nashville. He was telling us a few weeks ago about a lady at his church who was really convicted by what she had been reading in the scriptures and hearing at church. She felt that she has no other choice but to take the love of God out to a dying world ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Joseph Ton Was Pastor Of Second Baptist Church, ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 22, 2004

Joseph Ton was pastor of Second Baptist Church, Oradea, Rumania, until he was exiled by the Rumanian government in 1981. In Pastoral Renewal, he writes of his experience: "Years ago I ran away from my country to study theology at Oxford. In 1972, when I was ready to go back to Rumania, I ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Doubt

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In Forty Years Of Involvement In His Church's ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

In forty years of involvement in his church’s visitation program, Wilt Durant had led one person to Christ. You know what they say, if only one person comes to Christ its worth all the effort, right? When he retired in 1992, he moved to Rogers, AR and joined Immanuel Baptist Church. One Sunday, ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Baptist

A Pastor Was Called To A New Church. The First ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Heartsill on Oct 25, 2000

A pastor was called to a new church. The first Sunday the pastor was there, his message was taken from John 3:16. The message was entitled, "How to Be Born Again." The message was well received, but no decisions were made. The second Sunday, the pastor’s message was taken from John 3:16 and was ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Lordship Of Christ, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Church Conflicts Happen For Pretty Unusual ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Jan 28, 2001

Church conflicts happen for pretty unusual reasons. In the 1890s there was a small Baptist church in Mayfield County, Kentucky. The church had just two deacons, and those two men seemed to be constantly arguing and bickering with each other. On a particular Sunday, one deacon put up a small wooden ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Colossians 3:13, 1 Corinthians 16:14, Philippians 2:14

Tags: Christian Love, Unity

Denomination: Baptist

The Longer A Church Has Been In Existence, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Bob Aubuchon on Mar 2, 2001

"The longer a church has been in existence, the more its resources go toward its own preservation rather than toward outreach and evangelism. Our tendency is to design ministries that meet our own needs as opposed ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Great Commission, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

The Roof Of The Church Hall Of A Little Swiss ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 8, 2001

The roof of the church hall of a little Swiss church, at the turn of the 20th century, was falling down. So the members of the church held regular prayer meetings in the hall after the service to pray for funds to repair the roof . There was an old man, known to be very tight with his money, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-13

Tags: Church Practices, Humor, Giving General, Spiritual Warfare, Warfare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

A Lot Of People Are Leaving The Church And Going ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2001

"A lot of people are leaving the church and going back to ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Church General