In Sermon Illustrations: "God's purposes" showing 381-400 of 17,464

Erwin Mcmanus States, "Once Survival Has Become ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 26, 2008

Erwin McManus states, "Once survival has become our supreme goal, we have lost our way... the church is not called to survive history but to serve humanity. As with each individual, there is a difference between living and existing for the church...The church exists to serve as the body of Christ, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-28

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Worship As ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

WORSHIP AS MOTIVATION Several years ago, while serving in Northport, I attended a University of Alabama football game. As we were nearing the stadium a group of young men caught my attention. There were four of them walking toward the stadium. They were Alabama fans. The four young men were ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Worship Purpose

And I Have Something Else To Say It. We Share The ...

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Oct 19, 2008

And I have something else to say it. We share the same story as this crippled man did: we can’t walk and others carry us. The pastor, the elders, church board, somebody from your family… your religion is a second hand religion. Others are carrying you… You are just passive watcher, crippled ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

You Didn't Get Him From Here

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

"YOU DIDN’T GET HIM FROM HERE" One Sunday morning a stranger wandered into a small country church in the middle of the sermon. The man was unkempt and dirty. The usher tried his best to seat him off in a far corner, but instead the man walked to the very first pew and sat directly in front of the ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church Is The Rope

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

THE CHURCH IS THE ROPE Years ago at Niagara Falls two men were in a boat and found themselves caught in the current. The men jumped from their boat and swam for the shore. At last minute ropes from the shore were thrown out to them. The one man grabbed the rope and was pulled to shore. The other ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Put The King In First

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

PUT THE KING IN FIRST In the Berlin art gallery there is a painting by the famous artist Mengel that is only partially finished. It is supposed to be a painting of King Frederick of Germany talking to his generals. Mengel painstakingly painted the generals first around the outside of the painting. ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Responsible Membership  PRO

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jan 26, 2009

RESPONSIBLE MEMBERSHIP Author Jerry Bridges comments in an article on commitment, "As I have watched the parade of people through our church, and other churches, I wonder why so few commit themselves to a local body of believers in a significant way. Many sit and soak and do little else, and they ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Was Talking With The Guys Installing My ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

I was talking with the guys installing my satellite. Knowing that I was a preacher, one asked, "Can you be saved and not go to church?" I said, "Sure, the same way that you can be a soldier and not be in the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Many, I Am Afraid, Think That Being A Christian ...

Contributed by Dale Krueger on Feb 9, 2009

"Many, I am afraid, think that being a Christian is primarily just a personal individual thing, like something that will benefit me. Even a church can be a very selfish venture if it is meant only to enhance the members. A congregation is not a religious club run for the benefit of the members." ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Lutheran

Church Health Services

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

CHURCH HEALTH SERVICES Nearly 70% of U.S. churches provide direct health services and 65% provide educational health programs, according to the National Council of Churches (NCC) USA Congregational Health Survey. Only 6.4% offer no programs of any kind in health care ministries. The congregations ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Consumed With Consumerism

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 4, 2009

Consumed with Consumerism We Americans are CONSUMED with the CONSUMER mentality! We’re used to choosing whatever gives us the most "perks and bennies" at any given time. We look for a restaurant with the best price and menu and atmosphere and location. We go to the clothing store that carries ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-12

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In A Time When Christian Values Are In ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Mar 10, 2009

"In a time when Christian values are in near-total eclipse, only a countercultural expression of the church will have the spiritual and social power to speak the gospel word to a dominant ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Pentecostal

Dead Churches  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

DEAD CHURCHES In the town of Sedlec in the Czech Republic, there is a famous cemetery that dates back to the 13th century. Some 40,000 people who died from the Black Plague in the 14th century and in the Hussite wars in the beginning of the 15th century were buried there. Around 1400 a Gothic ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church Purpose Of

What Are You Supposed To Do?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2009

WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO? Frank Sosienski was a postman in Louisville, Kentucky, who didn’t want to deliver some of his mail. Perhaps he was tired of being chased by dogs. Perhaps it was the cold weather he disliked or the hot summertimes. Maybe the mail was heavy; maybe he wanted to quit his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church Is The Ekklesia: The Group Of Elders ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on May 18, 2009

"The church is the ekklesia: the group of elders who sit at the city gates, discussing how they ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Church Of God

The Church Doesn't Need Squirts

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jun 7, 2009

THE CHURCH DOESN'T NEED SQUIRTS Soren Kierkegaard once wrote about a town where a fireman lived. Everyone liked the fireman because he was a nice guy. He made it a habit to be gentle and kind, which was unusual for firemen, who were supposed to be tough. There was a fire one day, and the fireman ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

Forcing Doors Or Build Bridges

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 12, 2009

FORCING DOORS OR BUILD BRIDGES There were two unmarried sisters who had such a bitter fight that they stopped speaking to each other. Unable or unwilling to leave their small home, they continued to use the same rooms and sleep in the same bedroom. A chalk line divided the sleeping area into two ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Finding Your Fulfillment

Contributed by Donny Granberry on Oct 16, 2009

FINDING YOUR FULFILLMENT Dr. Clarke, the ENT that I use, his father was a Veterinarian and wanted him to become a Physician. He did not want to go to school for that many years so he got a degree as a Chemical Engineer. After a few years, he discovered that the plan he chose was not offering him ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Holy Huddle

Contributed by Donny Granberry on Oct 16, 2009

THE HOLY HUDDLE The job of the church is not to impact the church, but our job is to impact the world. It’s like a huddle in a football game. 70,000 people don’t pay $75.00 a ticket to watch the Texans huddle. What if you went to a Texans game and for two and a half hours you watched 11 men ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Marks Of A Healthy Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

Marks of a Healthy Church Walt Disney was a dreamer. His crowning vision was EPCOT; Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. He envisioned the perfect city of 20,000 using all of the most modern advances technology. One problem, Walt Disney died before his cream was ever realized. His dream ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of