In Sermon Illustrations: "Ministering"

Man From Slums Of N.y. Converted And Ordained By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

Man from Slums of N.Y. Converted and Ordained by Jim Cymbala Jim Cymbala preaches at a church in the slums of New York. He tells the following story: It was Easter Sunday and I was so tired at the end of the day that I just went to the edge of the platform, pulled down my tie and sat down and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:10-13

Tags: Compassion

Story: Excerpt From ¨loving Mercy" By Simon Ponsonby

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 12, 2012

Story: When Maddy and I were in Oxford at Wycliffe Hall, we used to go to Church in St Aldates. About 11 years after leaving Wycliffe, I was in Oxford one Sunday and so I decided to go to the evening service at St Aldates (08-07-2012). As I walked in. I looked at the bookrack in the entrance and ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-19

Tags: Forgiveness, Christian Love

Denomination: Anglican

Gethsemane

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Aug 12, 2017

Several years ago, I began to reflect on the happenings at Gethsemane. It started when I saw some movie in which an actor did an okay job of portraying Jesus, except that he failed abysmally in his attempt to show what I think Jesus' agony at Gethsemane must have been really like. I realized that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, 2 Corinthians 5:21

Tags: Agony, Sweat, Pass, Thy Will Be Done, Your Will Be Done, Garden, Gethsemane, Cup  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Parable Of Christ’s Sacrifice, Citation: ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 11, 2001

[Parable of Christ’s Sacrifice, Citation: Brad Walden, senior minister with the Tates Creek Christian Church, Lexington, KY; true story told by Mark’s grandfather at Westwood Cheviot Church of Christ, Cincinnati, OH] The mother of a nine-year-old boy named Mark received a phone call in the middle ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-16, Acts 28:23-31

Tags: Hope, Christian Disciplines, Crucifixion, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bill Wilson Pastors An Inner City Church In New ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Mar 22, 2002

Bill Wilson pastors an inner city church in New York City. His mission field is a very violent place. He himself has been stabbed twice as he ministered to the people of the community surrounding the church. Once a Puerto Rican woman became involved in the church and was led to Christ. After her ...read more

Tags: Gifts General, Servanthood

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Daniel L. Crocker, 39, Turned Himself In. As A ...  PRO

Contributed by Bart Leger on Feb 14, 2005

Daniel L. Crocker, 39, turned himself in. As a Christian, he said, it was the right thing to do. Mr. Crocker lived with his wife of 11 years, Nicolette, 36, and their two children in a quiet community near Dulles Airport in Virginia. He was a warehouse manager and his wife was a stay-at-home mom, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Thank You For The Goats In Our Lives!" 1 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 23, 2004

“Thank You for the Goats in Our Lives!” 1 Chronicles 16: 1-4 Key verse(s): 4: “He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. ” “God would surely understand if I wasn’t thankful for this!” If ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:1-4

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Lutheran

But As We Leave Today I Want You To Forget ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 16, 2010

But as we leave today I want you to forget everything I said for a minute, and think about this (hold up a bag of coins). I have two dollars in change here and I’m giving it away to the first adult that runs up here and gets it. Hey let’s not trample each other. The majority of the world, 53% of ...read more

Tags: Money, Welfare

Walt Disney's Leadership  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

WALT DISNEY'S LEADERSHIP Walt Disney was a remarkable man of vision. He never gave up. Early in his career a newspaper fired him because they thought he had "no good ideas". That just made Disney try harder. When he was starting out in Kansas City he couldn't sell his cartoons. Some hinted that he ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Tags: Faith, Vision, Perseverance, Leadership General

Seeing You For Real

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

SEEING YOU FOR REAL Just a few years ago, Leadership Journal did an interview with Saul Cruz, who along with his wife founded Armonia (Harmony) Ministries in Mexico City. They minister to hundreds of poor people all over Mexico today, but they began their ministry by planting a church on the edge ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:17-19

Tags: Servanthood

It All Started By One Man Wanting To Pray  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2011

IT ALL STARTED BY ONE MAN WANTING TO PRAY In 1857 there was a 46 year old man named Jeremiah Lamphere who lived in New York City. Jeremiah loved the Lord tremendously, but he didn’t feel that he could do much for the Lord until he began to feel a burden for the lost and accepted an invitation ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 85:1-7

Tags: Revival, Starting Over

What Would Jesus Buy?

Contributed by Ken Pell on Dec 4, 2011

WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY? Some of you are familiar with the name, Morgan Spurlock. He produced the documentary "Super-Size Me." He has produced another lesser-known production titled "What Would Jesus Buy?" Please note: I am not recommending the movie it is a bit distasteful but it makes a good point. ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Nazarene

Angels Of Reconciliation  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012

ANGELS OF RECONCILIATION With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, James 2:15-20

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Methodist

Artist, Steven Lavaggi

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile Diabetes. Then he lost his ...read more

Tags: Gifts Discernment

Denomination: Methodist

The Most Tragic War In American History Was The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The most tragic war in American History was the Civil war, sometimes referred to as the War Between the States. As you know it began in 1861 and lasted until 1865. More American’s lost their lives during the Civil War than in all of the other wars we have fought put together. And one of the real ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Author Mark Mittelberg Tells About A Man Named ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Jan 21, 2008

-Author Mark Mittelberg tells about a man named Jim who wanted to do things God’s way. Jim had a passion for God, a love for people, and a burden to share the message of God’s forgiveness with people who had not heard. The big question for Jim was, “How can I get unchurched people who are so ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Heart Of Mary: Circumcised Heart

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Heart of Mary: Circumcised Heart "A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code..." (Romans ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:28-29

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let Me Share With You The Story Of A Lesser Known ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

Let me share with you the story of a lesser known man, Rev. John Perkins. According to Philip Yancey in his book "Soul Survivor", John Perkins, a black minister in the South "lived through the worst nightmares of the civil rights movement"(Philip Yancey, Soul Survivor, p 31). Perkins started a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43, Matthew 13:14-40

Tags: Hatred

Do Not Keep On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

DO NOT KEEP ON BABBLING Dr. Clarence Bass, professor at Bethel Theological Seminary, early in his ministry preached at a church in Los Angeles. He thought he had done quite well as he stood at the door greeting people as they left the church. The remarks about his preaching were complimentary. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15

Tags: Prayer How To

Richest Man In Town

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

RICHEST MAN IN TOWN In 1972, a young Egyptian businessman named Farahat lost an $11,000 watch. He was stunned when a garbage man dressed in filthy rags found it and returned it to him. Farahat asked him why he didn’t just keep the watch. The garbage man said, "My Christ told me to be honest until ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness