In Sermon Illustrations: "Leadership"

The Next Billy Graham

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Feb 7, 2012

THE NEXT BILLY GRAHAM Baptist author and leader Russell Moore said recently: "The next Jonathan Edwards might be the man driving in front of you with the Darwin Fish bumper decal. The next Charles Wesley might be a ... profanity-spewing hip-hop artist right now. The next Billy Graham might be ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Lutheran

There Are 2 Ways Of Handling Pressure

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 6, 2012

There are 2 ways of handling pressure: One is illustrated by a bathysphere, the miniature submarine used to explore the ocean in places so deep that the water pressure would crush a conventional submarine like an aluminum can. Bathyspheres compensate with plate steel several inches thick, which ...read more

Tags: Stress, Temptation Resisting

Denomination: Baptist

Pastors Perceptions: Barna Research Has Recently ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Pastors Perceptions: Barna Research has recently completed an extensive survey of Senior Pastors in America. 83% describe themselves as "evangelical Protestant and 81% say they are "theologically conservative." 37% claimed to be Wesleyan or Arminian and 32% are Reformed or Calvinist in their ...read more

Tags: Church General

The Author Will Make Things Clear  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 18, 2001

THE AUTHOR WILL MAKE THINGS CLEAR Author Marshall Shelley, who suffered the deaths of two of his children, writes in Leadership: "Even as I child, I loved to read, and I quickly learned that I would most likely be confused during the opening chapters of a novel. New characters were introduced. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-29

Tags: Faith, God In The Hardships, Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Dale Hays Tells Of A Haitian Pastor Who Told His ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Sep 24, 2001

Dale Hays tells of a Haitian pastor who told his congregation this gruesome parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Holiness, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

Being Still  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 25, 2002

BEING STILL Before refrigerators, people used icehouses to preserve their food. Icehouses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of ice were cut, hauled to the icehouses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Mennonite

I Was Talking To A Pastor Friend On The Phone ...

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Oct 26, 2002

I was talking to a pastor friend on the phone recently and he said listen to this – ‘who is this denomination? See if you can guess. I am a newly formed denomination that has been in existence for a few decades. We came out of the mainstream church because we didn’t believe there was enough ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Many Cry, "Peace, Peace" When There Is No Peace  PRO

Contributed by Curtis Rowe on Dec 11, 2007

Many cry, “Peace, peace when there is no peace.” Ill. Old First Church in the Court Square of Springfield is the oldest Church in the City. But, they have long ago departed from the Gospel and the Prince of Peace. For the last several year they have held a vigil to defend a woman’s right to choose ...read more

Tags: Misrepresenting

Denomination: Baptist

Not Location But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2009

NOT LOCATION BUT LOYALTY John Hess Yoder writes in Leadership magazine: While serving as a missionary in Laos, I discovered an illustration of the kingdom of God. Before the colonialists imposed national boundaries, the kings of Laos and Vietnam reached an agreement on taxation in the border ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 2:1-24

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Ask Questions Before Making Decisions

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jun 22, 2010

ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS Author Bobb Biehl said he decided about twenty years ago to make a hobby of asking questions. He began collecting them and included an entire chapter of questions in his book, Increasing Your Leadership Confidence, in the chapter "Decision-Making." He urged ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Pentecostal

Not Raising Grass But Kids

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2010

NOT RAISING GRASS BUT KIDS Dr. Tony Evans talks about a major league baseball superstar's recollection of his boyhood home. He, his friends, and his father played baseball quite often in their backyard. As a result, the grass had really taken a beating. It didn't look good anymore, unless you were ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Tags: Father's Day

Capture And Control  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 7, 2011

CAPTURE AND CONTROL Craig Larson talks about being at a lunch party on a warm, Chicago day in early September with a dozen of his fellow workers. The windows were left open, and soon a bee found its way in. After buzzing around for a while, it landed on some food on the table. Then someone took an ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:26, John 8:1-11

Tags: Satan

Fortified Within

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

FORTIFIED WITHIN There are two ways of handling pressure. One is illustrated by a bathysphere, the miniature submarine used to explore the ocean in places so deep that the water pressure would crush a conventional submarine like an aluminum can. Bathyspheres compensate with plate steel several ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Tags: Stress

What's Really Wrong With Me

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on May 20, 2011

WHAT'S REALLY WRONG WITH ME These are the words of a bloke who grew up in the Salvation Army, "The year 1950 found us, my wife and I and three small children, living in our new bungalow in the seaside city of Timaru. Success had come in business and academic life, musical compositions were being ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Salvation Army

Going Beyond Our Teachers  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 9, 2013

A well-known Bible teacher gives this insight: "Someone on our staff informed me several months ago that a woman had called the ministry office to find out what my 'official position' was on a biblically gray area. When she was told that it's not my policy to make 'official' public statements ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Tags: Legalism, Opinion, Spiritual Growth, Debatable

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If Ii Were Satan...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

IF I WERE SATAN… I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-9

Tags: America, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. James Engel Gives Some Prophetic Advice On ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 22, 2009

Dr. James Engel gives some prophetic advice on building bridges from one generation to the next - the following insights are from the website (www.ChristianLeadershipAlliance.org): i. Don’t oppose this new generation! Don’t oppose each other’s generation. 1. They are not the enemy they are God’s ...read more

Tags: Stewardship, Future Generations

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What's Your Dream?

Contributed by Grant Van Boeschoten on Apr 22, 2008

WHAT'S YOUR DREAM? Mathew Barnett, at the young age of 20, was asked by his father Tommy Barnett to pastor an Inner City Church in Los Angeles. The first day that Mathew was at the Church it had a congregation of forty people. But instead of growing under his young and enthusiastic leadership, ...read more

Tags: Dreams

On Monday, September 15, 2008, A Very Interesting ...

Contributed by Mark Hiehle on Sep 24, 2008

On Monday, September 15, 2008, a very interesting panel of men was assembled and interviewed as a PBS special. The program aired on Friday night, September 19th. The gathering was of past and current White House Chief of Staff. One of the questions that was posed to the men was, “In your ...read more

Tags: Politics

Denomination: Nazarene

On Monday, September 15, 2008, A Very Interesting ...

Contributed by Mark Hiehle on Sep 25, 2008

On Monday, September 15, 2008, a very interesting panel of men was assembled and interviewed as a PBS special. The program aired on Friday night, September 19th. The gathering was of past and current White House Chief of Staff. One of the questions that was posed to the men was, “In your ...read more

Tags: Politics

Denomination: Nazarene