In Sermon Illustrations: "Honoring The Pastor"

Too Often Our Gratitude Is Dependent Upon The ...  PRO

Contributed by John Roy on Jan 29, 2001

Too often our gratitude is dependent upon the circumstances of life. A beautiful hymn was written by Martin Rinkart during the thirty-year war to help us look beyond our circumstances and see the hand of God. Rinkart was a pastor in Saxony, Germany as the turbulent years of the war dragged on. For ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Joy, Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: *other

Grudges And Pride Keep Us From Reconciling With ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on May 21, 2007

Grudges and pride keep us from reconciling with each other. They destroy the thought of forgiveness. The pastor and his wife were going to give a mid-morning garden party. They invited everyone with engraved invitations. The delightful back yard of the parsonage was manicured, tables decorated ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Preacher Focuses On Baptism Regardless Of Sermon ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

Preacher Focuses On Baptism Regardless of Sermon Text The story is told of a pastor who had just starting serving a new congregation. For eight Sundays in a row he preached about baptism. Finally, the chairman of the elders approached him and said, “Preacher, we get the point about baptism and so ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-4

Tags: Baptism

Picking The Wrong Door

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

PICKING THE WRONG DOOR Stuart Briscoe, in his book Everyday Discipleship for Ordinary People, tells the story about a fellow pastor who was officiating at the funeral of a war veteran. The dead man’s military friends wanted to have a part in the service at the funeral home, so they requested that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5

Tags: Leadership General

The Dead Rat

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

A boy ran into his house to tell his mom something. He had a dead rat in his hand. But he didn't notice that the pastor of their church was talking to his mom. The boy said, “Mom, you'll never guess what! I was out behind the garage and there was this rat. I picked up a rock and threw it and hit ...read more

Tags: Excuses, Making Excuses

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Holy Spirit Had A Monopoly On Moody

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2022

Dwight L. Moody was a shoe salesman from Chicago who fell in love with Jesus and started sharing his faith with everyone he met. Even though he was never ordained or had formal training, God used him to reach thousands for Christ as an evangelist. There was a group of British pastors who were ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit, Preaching, Revival, Jealousy, Moody, Critical Spirit, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Believe: According To A Recent Newsweek Poll, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

We Believe: According to a recent Newsweek Poll, 78% of Americans believe that Jesus rose from the dead after the crucifixion, and 75% believe He was sent to earth to absolve mankind of sin. The article, From Jesus to Christ, also reports that Christianity is now the world’s largest faith, with two ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Grasping Your Place Greet One ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Grasping Your Place Greet One Another A Necessity in Corporate Worship Christians who get the most out of congregational worship services have learned the joy of greeting their brothers and sisters in Christ. At least four times in the New Testament Christians are told to “Greet one ...read more

Scripture: Romans 16:16

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A One Way Street With No Turns!" Luke 9: 49-50 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 8, 2004

“A One Way Street With No Turns!” Luke 9: 49-50 Key verse(s): 49: “‘Master,’ said John, ‘we say a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because his is not one of us.’” “For many years Sir Walter Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:49-50, Acts 16:12-19

Tags: Envy, Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

First Class Upgrade

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 8, 2008

FIRST CLASS UPGRADE Why is it, by the way, that First Class passengers board the plane first? Sure it is great to get off the plane first, but is it so great to board the plane first? Shouldn’t First Class Passengers be the last ones on the plane and the first ones off the plane? For me the idea ...read more

Tags: First Class

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Soldier Lies To Napoleon About Heroism, Israeli ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 8, 2009

Soldier Lies to Napoleon About Heroism, Israeli Woman Lies About Age Napoleon often told this story: Once, while visiting a province he came on an old soldier with one arm severed, dressed in full uniform. On his uniform the proud fighter displayed the coveted Legion of Honor. “Where did you lose ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:17

Tags: Lies

An Older Minister Recently Told Me He Spent The ...  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Aug 15, 2002

An older minister recently told me he spent the first fifteen years of his ministry answering the question “Did God create the heavens and the earth?” only to realize the people were really asking, “Why did God create me?” Source: Fenton, G. 1999. Your ministry’s next chapter. The pastor’s soul ...read more

Tags: Apologetics God, Apologetics General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

No Answer: Barna Research Phoned 3400 Randomly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

No Answer: Barna Research phoned 3400 randomly selected Protestant churches from across the U.S. during December and 55% offered no human answer. Overall: 19% had neither a person nor an answering machine responding to calls; 16% had an answering machine responding; 20% had either an answering ...read more

Tags: Church General

Bacon And Eggs

Contributed by Silas Eke on Feb 26, 2015

The story is told of the pig and the chicken that went to Church and heard the Pastor was going to do his birthday. Each offered to donate towards the birthday. The Chicken offered to donate eggs and asked the pig to give bacon so that the pastor would have a good breakfast. The pig looked at the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:24

Tags: Sacrificial Giving, Perfect Sacrifice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lee Eclov Tells The Story Of One Such Person. ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 22, 2002

Lee Eclov tells the story of one such person. “People came early one Christmas Eve for the 11:00 pm service at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, in New York City. Among them was a recovering alcoholic, six months sober, who slipped into the eleventh row. This was his first Christmas since having ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Methodist

If Jesus Is Like My Daddy, I Don't Want Him In My Life.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 1, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, I was asked by one of our AWANA leaders to come to her group and talk to a little girl who really wanted to meet her pastor. She had a question for me. So, I paused what I was doing and found my way to where her group met in our church. The little girl was so ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Divorce, Assurance, Promises Of God, Fathers, Evangelism, Fear, Children, Parents, Trust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heart Attacks  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

HEART ATTACKS Did you know that tension exhibits itself in the from of stress? And stress is not always caused by negative things; it is also caused by positive things in your life. For instance, Mike Parker was recovering from a severe heart attack, and the doctor said there should be no ...read more

Tags: Anxiety

Looking At The Light

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2012

LOOKING AT THE LIGHT A pastor told a story of a man in his congregation who had lost literally hundreds of thousands of dollars. He owed everybody. One day the pastor asked him, "How in the world are you even surviving? How can you smile? How can you be enthusiastic about Jesus and about life when ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-21

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Wanting What You Have

Contributed by Spencer Miller on Mar 10, 2013

WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE The story was told of a young preacher who was rejected by the other associate ministers of the Church he attended. They said very little to him and would often talk behind his back. One day he went to the pastor and expressed his intentions of leaving the Church and seeking ...read more

Tags: Jealousy

Denomination: Baptist

Set Free  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

SET FREE A man said to his pastor: “I am a miserable sinner and there is no help available for me. I have prayed to God, I have tried to be good and I have tried to do the right thing at the right time, but I always seem to fail.” The pastor asked him: “Do you believe in the life, the death, and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-17

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus