In Sermon Illustrations: "Easter Youth"

This Is An Alleged New Year’s Letter ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Fox on Dec 12, 2000

ILL: This is an alleged New Year’s letter written from a church member to the pastor. Dear Pastor: You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:24-30, Mark 7:1-8

Tags: Growth In Christ, New Year's Day, Sandra, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

The Call To Worship Had Just Been Pronounced ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

“The call to worship had just been pronounced starting Easter Sunday Morning service in an East Texas church. The choir started its processional, singing ‘Up from the Grave He Arose’ as they marched in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church. The last lady was wearing shoes ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

I ...

Contributed by Elijah Stepp on May 11, 2008

Illustration: (From Speaker’s Sourcebook II by Glenn Ven Eckeren) Perhaps you heard about the church that planned to have the “No Excuse” Sunday Service…. Their advertisement for their “No Excuse Sunday” read as follows…. Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say "Sunday is my only day ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Object Lesson: The Mop Head

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Apr 13, 2009

OBJECT LESSON: THE MOP HEAD I have here a mop head that I recently replaced at the Upper Room. This has been used to mop urine. I know, because I mopped up when this guy urinated all over himself, the couch he was sitting on, and the floor while he was asleep. It has mopped up the filth that was ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Church Of God

Furtick On Audacious Faith

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 18, 2011

FURTICK ON AUDACIOUS FAITH "We set a goal of reaching over one thousand people in our first year of ministry. Since the average church size in America is fewer than one hundred and twenty, and the first rule of goal setting is attainability, I guess we were overshooting it a bit. But we wanted to ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Communion: In Remembrance

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Aug 11, 2012

COMMUNION: IN REMEMBRANCE A man was working in his backyard one day, when his neighbor began talking to him over the fence. He said, "Yeah, my wife and I went to one of those seminars yesterday, you know, where they teach you ways to improve your memory and such." His neighbor commented, ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-21, James 1:19

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Baptist

Hope Ain't Hoping

Contributed by John Bright on May 27, 2023

I want to give you a shorthand way of remembering the difference between the hope in our Bibles and the hope out in the world. Hope ain’t hoping. Today, folks plan outside events and say, “I sure hope it doesn’t rain.” Every Sunday, some folks may show up here and say, “I sure hope PJ doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Tags: Faith, Hope, Hoping

Denomination: Methodist

Parenting Social Degeneration  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2002

PARENTING SOCIAL DEGENERATION Sheila Weller, in her book "Saint of Circumstances", reveals the untold story of Alex Kelley, who was convicted of rape in 1996. When Kelley was initially indicted he fled to Europe, spending more than eight years on the run, leading a comfortable lifestyle. ...read more

Saving The Ship, Remembering The Past  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 20, 2002

SAVING THE SHIP, REMEMBERING THE PAST "Their hair is gray, their shoulders are slumped and they walk with the shuffle of the aged. Their ship, a rusty antique, wallowed through the Atlantic, battered by a winter storm. For the elderly crew of LST-325, a creaking World War II troop ship that had ...read more

Tags: Holidays Civic, Christian Disciplines

I've Been In Long Caravans Before Where Anywhere ...

Contributed by Rick Thiessen on Oct 1, 2002

I’ve been in long caravans before where anywhere from 5 to 25 vehicles are making the same trek together - as a tree planting and a youth pastor. You know what my rule always was for the drivers? Keep up with the guy ahead of you. That was my rule. It seemed natural because you’re always ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9, 1 Corinthians 11:1

Tags: Following, Guidance, Apprenticeship, Discipleship, Leading, Leadership, Mentoring  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In 1928 A Group Of The World's Most Successful ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on Feb 15, 2003

In 1928 a group of the world’s most successful financiers met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. The following were present: The president of the largest utility company, The greatest wheat speculator, The president of the New York Stock Exchange, A member of the President’s Cabinet, The ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Baptist

Story: When I Was Younger, I Used To Wonder Why ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 10, 2004

Story: When I was younger, I used to wonder why on earth Matthew and Luke recorded the genealogies of Christ. That is until I met Gideon Miller. Gideon Miller was an extraordinary man. He was about 5’6” and had size 16 shoes. He was married to a German woman who had been a member of the Hitler ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Faith General

Denomination: Anglican

In Her Book, Living With Love, Josephine ...

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Oct 27, 2004

In her book, Living with Love, Josephine Robertson tells a story. "In 1883, a youthful clergyman, the Rev. Joe Roberts, arrived by stagecoach in a blizzard to minister to the Indians of Wyoming. This great, wild area had been assigned to the Protestant Episcopal Church by President Grant. Soon ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Baptist

The Movie "Thirteen" Retells The Life Story Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Bumble Ho on Sep 26, 2005

The movie “Thirteen” retells the life story of a typical thirteen-years-old girl in LA. In one scene, the girl was depressed, so she got into a bathroom and start getting a razor and cut her arms with it and inflicted pain on herself so that she could feel better. “What!” I was shocked and could ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Unity

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Why Me?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 27, 2005

From the 9-20-05 Daily Bread A few years ago, an unkempt, poorly adjusted youth named Tim… was converted to Christ in an evangelistic crusade. Several days later…he was sent to my home so that I could help him find a good church. And so it was that he began attending with me. Though Tim needed ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Know You've Heard The Passage Time And Time ...

Contributed by Kyle Blanton on May 14, 2007

I know you’ve heard the passage time and time again. 6 Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Psalm 22:6 My mother never missed a beat. There was a time when my dad resigned from the pastorate when we lived in Illinois that he took to the road ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

In The Spring Of 1982 Kenneth Nordvall Was The ...

Contributed by Keith Broyles on Oct 4, 2007

In the spring of 1982 Kenneth Nordvall was the speaker at a Morning Prayer group that meets in a town near Springfield Illinois. Before he spoke, a neighboring pastor shared about a recent mission trip to Mexico. While his group was returning, their van developed mechanical problems. After ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

The Tarnished Star

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on Mar 18, 2008

The Tarnished Star A half step slower than yesterday a little pain won’t go away not quite as strong not near as high a younger man has passed him by the tarnished star. He works so hard, he gives his all but new stars rise while old stars fall he was so bright, a brilliant light, but now a ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Stumbling Block Of Envy

Contributed by Jim Kane on Sep 4, 2008

Stumbling Block of Envy When I was a few months from graduation from seminary, the church I had attended during college had a position open and I was very interested in it. The pastor had become a spiritual mentor to me, and I was hopeful for the opportunity to work with him. When we met to ...read more

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Church Of God

Reconcilation Story

Contributed by Jim Kane on May 18, 2009

RECONCILATION STORY It was a conversation that has stuck with me over the years. I was not a part of the conversation, per se, but I was a part of the audience that listened. I think that it took place in 1986 but I cannot remember. It was, I remember, a Sunday night at the church where I was ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Church Of God