In Sermon Illustrations: "Member"

While On A Short-Term Missions Trip, Pastor Jack ...

Contributed by Richard Goble on Oct 31, 2007

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 were entirely gone. She ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Remember Years Ago A Young Woman Who Was ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 9, 2008

I remember years ago a young woman who was divorced, then “shacked up” with a man (Can we use the old term, instead of using those sanitized words, “She had an affair”?). When challenged she said, ‘It’s not like I was a virgin.” This woman was brought up in a conservative church yet implied that, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pastor Avoid The Appearance Of Evil

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 9, 2008

PASTOR AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF EVIL Personally and professionally, my wife Kendra knows that there are some things that I need to be very careful of violating as her husband and as a pastor. For example, being alone with member of the opposite sex is something I am very careful about not doing. ...read more

Tags: Adultery

Denomination: Church Of God

True Believer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

TRUE BELIEVER There was a young seminarian who was taking an oral examination for his ordination process. During the questioning, one of the examiners asked him if he believed in a personal devil. "No," he replied, "I do not believe in the devil." Hearing this, the examiners began to discuss the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

Tags: Church General

Too Good For Your Church

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

TOO GOOD FOR YOUR CHURCH A good set of clothes makes all the difference. A Methodist church tried to get a man to attend, but he never did. "Why don't you come?" the minister asked, and the man finally admitted it was because he didn't have proper clothes. So a member of the congregation took him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Tags: Church Growth

In The Last Hour, While We Were In Sunday School ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 3, 2008

In the last hour, while we were in Sunday school -- or any hour, for that matter, here is what typically happens in this world. 2,738 people died from starvation 342 people died from malaria 76 mothers died from childbirth 9,582 babies died from induced abortion 8,898 infants and children were ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Where'd She Go?

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 18, 2008

Where'd She Go? The ninety-five year old woman at the nursing home received a visit from one of her fellow church members. "How are you feeling?" the visitor asked. "Oh," said the lady, "I'm just worried sick!" "What are you worried about, dear?" her friend asked. "You look like you're in good ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Visiting Minister Was Very Long-Winded. Worse, ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Apr 20, 2009

A visiting minister was very long-winded. Worse, every time he would make a good point during his sermon and a member of the congregation responded with "Amen" or "That’s right, preacher" he would get wound up even more and launch into another lengthy discourse. Finally, the host pastor started ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Accepting This Part Of The Plan

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Apr 14, 2010

ACCEPTING THIS PART OF THE PLAN Years ago, the church I was serving did a cantata, during which one of the choir members gave a brief testimony. He was a beloved man who had been battling cancer. After acknowledging that he had asked all the questions and experienced all the emotions he simply ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Servant, Not A Celebrity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2011

A SERVANT, NOT A CELEBRITY Colonel James Irving is a former astronaut who is part of the crew that made a successful moonwalk. He experienced the thrill connected with leaving this planet and seeing it shrink in size. He watched earth rise one day and thought how privileged he was to be a member ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:24-28

Tags: Servanthood

No Faith, No Power

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

NO FAITH, NO POWER When I was growing up in Oklahoma, there was a lake my family and I frequented a lot called Keystone Lake. Keystone was not a natural lake; prior to its creation in 1962, there were towns located there, one of which gives the lake its name. The town was to be flooded to make a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Wranglers, Not Stranglers

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 3, 2011

WRANGLERS, NOT STRANGLERS Ted Engstrom tells about a literary group that once gathered at the University of Wisconsin. The members wanted to be poets, novelists, essayists and authors--and they had the talent to be successful. These young men met regularly to read and critique each other’s work. ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Harry Potter: Temptation

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jul 30, 2011

HARRY POTTER: TEMPTATION Every great story has great characters. And in truly great stories, the characters go through significant change. This change is called a character arc. For example, if you’re familiar with the Harry Potter series, you know that Harry starts off in the story as an ...read more

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Maskepetoon

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 29, 2011

MASKEPETOON When the first missionaries came to Alberta, Canada, they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree Indians named Maskepetoon. But he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly after ward, a member of the Blackfoot tribe killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

Sure You Want To Win The Lottery?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 1, 2012

SURE YOU WANT TO WIN THE LOTTERY? When William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in a 1988 lottery, one of the first things he did was try to please his family. Unfortunately, his kin was of the unfriendly sort. Post's brother hired a hit man to kill him, hoping to inherit some money. Other family ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Exxon Valdez Is An Oil Tanker That Was On Its ...

Contributed by Gaylon Clark on Nov 14, 2012

The Exxon Valdez is an oil tanker that was on its way to Long Beach, California. Instead, it crashed into a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The crash resulted in the second largest oil spill in US History. Between 25-32 million gallons of oil spilled into the Ocean. Over 250,000 members of ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-10

Tags: Good Deeds, God's Purposes, Fatigue, Rest, Commandments Sabbath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Lawyer's Invitation

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 1, 2013

THE LAWYER'S INVITATION A pastor told the true story of one of his church members, an attorney, who after meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than six months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and its biblical ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Nazarene

What Alcoholics Can Teach Us

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 31, 2014

Philip Yancey interviewed a young alcoholic who had formerly been an active church member, but had allowed Alcoholics Anonymous to replace the church. When questioned why, the young man responded, "Mainly I'm trying to survive, and AA helps me in that struggle far better than any church." ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:5

Tags: Accountability, Authenticity, Dependency, Self-Righteousness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Soap And Water!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 28, 2019

A pastor and his wife were asked to dinner by one of his church members. He knew she was a bad housekeeper, but still agreed. When he sat down at the table, he noticed that the dishes were the dirtiest he had ever seen in his life. "Were these dishes washed?" he asked his hostess, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22

Tags: Humor, Pastors, Cleanliness, Dogs

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be Found Faithful

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 31, 2025

There is a story of a choir director who was so stressed out because at least one or more members of the choir were absent at every rehearsal for a concert. Finally came the last rehearsal and he announced: “I want to personally thank the pianist for being the only person in this entire church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Tags: Faithfulness, Choir, Unfaithfulness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ