In Sermon Illustrations: "Member"

Story: There Was An Article In One Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

STORY: There was an article in one of the magazines where a one year old had such a serious medical condition that only an experimental medical procedure MIGHT help her. Otherwise she would die in a short time. Certain members of the family were strongly opposed to going ahead with it. The parents ...read more

Tags: Children

There Is Much Misunderstanding About What ...

Contributed by David Scudder on Jul 19, 2007

There is much misunderstanding about what forgiveness really means. Like the story about a pastor who visited a man who had been active in the church, but, due to a dispute with a fellow member, he had stopped coming to church. He reasoned with him at length about the need for forgiveness and ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

There Was An Article In One Of The Magazines ...

Contributed by Neil Partington on Jul 31, 2007

There was an article in one of the magazines where a one year old had such a serious medical condition that only an experimental medical procedure MIGHT help her. Otherwise she would die in a short time. Certain members of the family were strongly opposed to going ahead with it. The parents were ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do You Remember Me Saying That None Of Mary's ...

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Dec 17, 2007

Do you remember me saying that none of Mary’s family was there for the birth? It wasn’t that way at his death. We don’t know her name, but it doesn’t matter. Those words say a lot, “his mother’s sister.” Because of the way Mary lived her life, at least one member of her family came around. She ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Death Of Jesus Christ Is The Propitiation For ...

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on May 6, 2009

The death of Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. ‘Propitiation’ is a difficult word and isn’t in everyday use. A minister tells the story of going home with a member of his congregation who had under one arm a gift-wrapped box and in his other hand a bunch of flowers. Both of those ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Baptist

With One Accord

Contributed by Marianne Unger on May 28, 2009

WITH ONE ACCORD But notice one very important phrase that some of the translations left out: "They were all with one accord in one place." This word in the Greek, "Homothumadon" has two parts to it--a sense of coming together, but in unison, in one accord. This word in the T.R., Homothumadon, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:14

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: *other

A Few Need To ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 7, 2010

A Few Need to Die Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong. (p. 30) It is unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way a ministry can move forward is by conducting a few funerals. A pastor friend of mine pleaded with his church board to build a new educational [building] to house an exploding Sunday ...read more

Tags: Sin Punishment Of

Denomination: Baptist

Only One Happy New Year

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 29, 2010

ONLY ONE HAPPY NEW YEAR One New Year’s Eve at London’s Garrick Club, British dramatist Frederick Lonsdale was asked by Seymour Hicks to be reconciled with a fellow member. The two had quarrelled in the past and never restored their friendship. Hicks said to Lonsdale, "You must get reconciled. It ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Brethren

Whyte In Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

WHYTE IN PRAYER Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought, "The preacher certainly won’t think of anything for which to thank ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

There Was An Ot Professor Who Taught Young People ...

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jul 5, 2012

There was an OT professor who taught young people that were preparing for the ministry. At the beginning of the class he would take off his coat and bow. He would bow to the class of his students. Some of his faculty members were upset at this gesture. And he said, "I bow to them because you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-9

Tags: Humility, Luther

Denomination: *other

Christian Priesthood  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 1, 2013

From R. Paul Stevens: Christian priesthood is not a matter of being religious and Mr. Goody two shoes but of serving God and God’s purposes in the nitty gritty everydayness of life in the world, not a matter of sacred times and sacred places but ordinary times and ordinary places, not a matter ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:15-16

Tags: Everyday Life, Priestly

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Second ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

SECOND THOUGHTS An angel appeared at a faculty meeting and told the dean that in return for his unselfish service, he will be rewarded with his choice of wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects wisdom. "It is done!" the angel said, and then disappeared into a cloud of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:1-28

Tags: Wisdom

When A Nightclub Opened On Main Street, The Only ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 25, 2009

When a nightclub opened on Main Street, the only church in that small town organized an all-night prayer meeting. The members asked God to burn down the club. Within a few minutes, lightning struck the club, and it burned to the ground. The owner sued the church, which denied responsibility. ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Pentecostal

Indian Martyr

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Oct 31, 2020

Devasahayam Pillai was the first Indian martyr to be beatified. He was born in Nilakandan Pillai (1712-1752) into a Hindu family in the Kingdom of Travancore. Pillai, an upper-caste Hindu nair convert to Christianity, was a member of the royal service and was close to King Marthanda Varma, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Tags: Saints, Santihood, Santihood Lives

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Treachery Is Worse Than Betrayal By A Family ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

No treachery is worse than betrayal by a family member or friend. Julius Caesar knew such treachery. Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 B. C. was Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he had favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, ...read more

Tags: Death

George Gallup Says "North America Is The Only ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

George Gallup says “North America is the only continent where Christianity is not growing.” The American Society of Church Growth reports that in ’98, half of churches in America did not add one new member through “conversion growth.” Fuller Seminary has discovered that “It takes 3 people in a ...read more

Tags: Church General

Younger Children 800% More Likely To Receive ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 9, 2006

Younger Children 800% More Likely To Receive Christ: Barna Research reports teens between ages 14 and 18 have only a 4% likelihood of accepting Christ compared to kids ages 5 through 13 who have a 32% probability. This challenges the widely held notion that the teen-age years are a prime time for ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

A New Evangelical Movement: Rick Warren Recently ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

A New Evangelical Movement: Rick Warren recently sent an open letter to President Bush saying, “I deeply believe that if we as evangelicals remain silent and do not speak up in defense of the poor, we lose our credibility and our right to witness about God’s love for the world. Endorsed by Billy ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Conflict Resolution

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 2, 2006

Psychologist Lynne Namka writes: Recent research shows that couples break up because they do not know how to resolve their differences through communication. Hostility only breeds more hostility. Venting the negative emotions may clear the air temporarily, but it does not solve the underlying ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

No Treachery Is Worse Than Betrayal By A Family ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

No treachery is worse than betrayal by a family member or friend. Julius Caesar knew such treachery. Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 was Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he had favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-55

Tags: Crucifixion