In Sermon Illustrations: "Honoring The Pastor"

Missionary Martyred In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2010

Missionary Martyred in India That reminds me of a story I read about a missionary in India last month who was constructing a new church when he was killed by an extremist anti-Christian group. He had gone to a nearby town to purchase materials for the final phase of construction but never returned. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-27

Tags: Persecution

What We Really Want

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 22, 2011

WHAT WE REALLY WANT A woman lay in a hospital bed, her body ravaged by cancer. Day after day her pastor and others prayed for her healing. Each day they could see her silent disappointment that she was not being healed. Then one day she said, "Let's not pray that I'll be healed. God knows that I ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Higher Ground

Contributed by John Putty on Apr 5, 2011

HIGHER GROUND The old hymn, “Higher Ground” is a spiritual declaration of one determined man Johnson Oatman, Jr. put to music! While some refuse to believe that our personal faith plays any real role in our spiritual growth and in experiencing Christian victory, in all my 20 years of preaching ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Lack Of Evangelism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

THE LACK OF EVANGELISM (Evangelism Statistics from Michael Parrot, Acts Evangelism, Spokane, WA, 1993, pp. 9-11.) • Ninety-five percent of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ. • Eighty percent of all Christians do not consistently witness for Christ. • Less than two percent are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

The Reverend And The Rose

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

THE REVEREND AND THE ROSE Rev. Jerry Parnell, pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church of Anderson, South Carolina, will often conclude one of his sermons with an illustration using a live rose. He tells how that God gives us a fresh flowing in life, but that over the course of time we make bad ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

Count Your Many Blessings  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Feb 16, 2012

COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS While on a short-term missions trip, Pastor Jack Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around. "It was the most hideous face I had ever seen," Hinton said. "The woman's nose and ears ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1

Tags: Encouragement

Conformity

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Feb 29, 2016

I first noticed this in leading people to Christ. They were beautiful before they were “church broke.” Great young converts often start out as radiant Christians and end up only as carbon-copy Baptists. Great young ministers start out as adorable mavericks, but after a business meeting or two and a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Romans 12:2-5

Tags: Conformity, Accepting

Denomination: Baptist

Commitment

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Kenneth Bailey tells the story of teaching some short courses at the Lutheran Church of Latvia. While there, he observed the interviewing of prospective students and inquired of the interviews what questions they asked. They said, “The most important question is ‘When were you baptized?’ And he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:11-27

Tags: Boldness, Risk

Denomination: Methodist

The Cookie-Jar

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 7, 2025

A pastor was teaching the Ten Commandments to a group of children. When he came to “Thou shalt not steal,” he leaned forward and said, “Now, children, what would the cookie jar say to you if it could talk?” A little girl lifted her hand and said, “It would say, ‘Suffer the little children to come ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:7, Romans 7:19, Galatians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 10:13, James 1:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Temptation, Desire, Choice, Grace, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Giant Steps  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 10, 2002

Giant steps Marathon the latest goal in a life of challenges. Katie Lynch, 26, practicing for Monday’s Boston Marathon with a special Walker. (Globe Staff Photo / JohnTlumacki) By John Vellante, Globe Staff, 4/14/01 WAYLAND Her life -- all 26-plus years of it -- has been one challenge after ...read more

Tags: Human Body, Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Last Week I Read In The Advice Column In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Larry Thompson on Jun 6, 2002

Last week I read in the advice column in the paper about a couple who was celebrating 50 years of marriage. The husband wrote that someone commented, ¡§Ken, 50 years is a long time.¡¨ He immediately responded: ¡§Not nearly as long as it would have been without her.¡¨ I couldn¡¦t get the man¡¦s ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Baptist

Birds Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Birds of Feather Flock Together Many in America will tell you that they are Christians because they believe in Jesus Christ. Others attempt to proclaim their faith in Him by becoming members of a local church that they may or may not regularly attend. They have convinced themselves as long as ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:10

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let Me Close With A True Story Of A Humble Black ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Let me close with a true story of a humble black pastor in the inner city of Chicago who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. “He was in his late sixties and had been a minister throughout his adult life. His love for the Lord was so profound that it was reflected in everything he said. When he ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Which Reminds Me Of Something I Heard About A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Which reminds me of something I heard about a famous preacher by the name of Peter Cartwright, who by the way, was converted during a camp meeting in Logan County in 1801. He surrendered to the ministry in 1802 and became one of the leaders of what we now refer to as the 2nd Great Awakening. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Transcending Tradition

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

TRANSCENDING TRADITION During these tough economic times, churches all across the country are seeing a sharp drop in their offerings. Thankfully, we haven’t seen that here, yet, but a lot of churches have, one of them being the Cross Timbers Community Church in Argyle, Texas. Their drop in income ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5

Tags: God Brings Hope

What If There Was No Christmas?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 5, 2012

WHAT IF THERE WAS NO CHRISTMAS? Lets ponder the what if - say- the antichrist powers would have defeated Christ at birth and therefore eliminated Christianity? what would have been lost? i. There would be no Christmas joy ii. There would be no kids smiles iii. There would be no Merry Christmas ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. R. G. Lee's Mother Told Of Happiest Day And Gave Taste Of Heaven

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 23, 2012

*Dr. R.G. Lee was the much loved pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis from 1927-1960. One day when R.G was a little boy, he asked his mother what was the happiest day of her life. Her name was Elizabeth. And she thought back to the time of the Civil War when she was a little ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 20:1-5, Hebrews 11:30-40

Tags: Heaven, Restoration, Reunion, Joy And Celebration

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Was Being Made Real In The Back Of His Church

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Pastor Thomas Tewell tells the story of getting ready for their 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service. As the people were gathering, a man named Jim came in. Jim was a recovering alcoholic, sober just 6 months, but his disease had cost him his family, his job, just about everything. He went in to the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Christmas, Grace, Ministry, The Word Made Flesh

Denomination: Methodist

During The War In Vietnam, A Young West Point ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Feb 12, 2001

During the war in Vietnam, a young West Point graduate was sent over to lead a group of new recruits into battle. He did his job well, trying his best to keep his from ambush and death. But one night when they had been under attack, he was unable to get just one of his men to safety. The soldier ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness In Jesus, Lord's Supper

Denomination: Baptist

One Winters Night In 1935. Laguardia - - The ...  PRO

Contributed by George Rennau on Feb 21, 2001

One winters night in 1935. LaGuardia - - the mayor of New York city showed up at a night court in the poorest ward in the city. He dismissed the judge and took over the bench. That night a tattered old women was brought before him for stealing a loaf of bread. She defended herself by saying “my ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Poverty, Giving General

Denomination: Assembly Of God