In Sermon Illustrations: "Missed Opportunity"

Greg Laurie, Pastor Of Harvest Church In ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jun 13, 2005

Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Church in Riverside, California, was having lunch with Billy Graham. Ruth, Billy’s wife, had made a classic southern lunch of fried chicken, collard greens, and the works. It was Greg’s first time to meet Billy Graham; he was nervous. Greg says, “I had many questions ...read more

Tags: Mind, Cross Agony, Renewing The Mind

Denomination: Pentecostal

Have You Ever Cleaned Your Living Room And ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Jul 28, 2002

Have you ever cleaned your living room and thought that it was clean only to have the sun shine in through the window and reveal all the dust that was left behind? Ruth Graham tells of the time that the TV news wanted to interview she and her husband Billy at their home. They got the house all ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Someone Took The Time To Do The Research For Us. ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Someone took the time to do the research for us. If we live to 75… We will spend 3 years in school (24 hours a day) 7 years eating 14 years working 5 years driving/riding in airplane 5 years talking 1 year recovering from sickness 24 years sleeping 15 years amusing ourselves Now what if you spent ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Before World War Ii, Nora Waln Wrote A Book ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 9, 2007

Before World War II, Nora Waln wrote a book exposing Hitler and his Nazi plotters. The book, Reaching for the Stars, was intercepted in the German mails on its way to an American publisher. She fled to London, rewrote the book from memory and sent copies to Heinrich Himmler, the Nazi hangman. He ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

History Gives Us A Rather Interesting Account On ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Jones on Sep 16, 2007

History gives us a rather interesting account on resolution of conflict. French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas once had a heated quarrel with a rising young politician. The argument became so intense that a duel was inevitable. Since both men were superb shots they decided to draw lots, ...read more

Tags: Death, Dealing With Conflicts, Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

Nobody Knew He Was Gone

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jun 15, 2009

NOBODY KNEW HE WAS GONE The rent hadn’t been paid, so the landlord came knocking. For years, the rent was paid automatically from the tenant’s bank account. But suddenly, there were no funds available and no response from the tenant. When he didn’t come to the door, the landlord let himself in to ...read more

Tags: Church Small Groups

Denomination: Baptist

In December 1903, After Many Attempts, The Wright ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 21, 2009

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." • Katherine hurried to the editor of the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Unselfish Osu ...

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Aug 27, 2008

Unselfish OSU Linebackers COLUMBUS (AP) - Marcus Freeman doesn’t mind staying in the background while All-American James Laurinaitis gets all the attention. Freeman and the third starting linebacker, Ross Homan, along with Spitler, might be stars at another Top 25 program. But at Ohio State, ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Wesleyan

From Refuge To Valedictorian

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

2 Chronicles 15:7 God tells King Asa, "But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." It is like the following story from the Dallas Morning News: When Albana Gllareva met her high school counselor, the Dallas freshman said bluntly, “I want to be ...read more

Tags: Goals, Focus, Ambition, Determination, Tenacity, Overcoming, Perseverance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Strong Small Churches - The Bigger A Church ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

Strong Small Churches - The bigger a church grows, the worse it becomes both in quality and in its capability to reach new people. This surprising finding comes out of a Germany -based Institute of Church Development study of churches worldwide. In churches with attendance of less than 100, 31% of ...read more

One Young Life At A Time  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2002

ONE YOUNG LIFE AT A TIME Ken Canfield, Founder and President of the National Center for Fathering, once asked a stadium full of men: "Are fathers necessary or optional? Do dads have a unique and important contribution to make in the lives of their children?" The crowd grew quiet. He sensed ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Father's Day, Children

Gene Getz Once Said Of God's Plan For Joseph ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Jul 15, 2003

Gene Getz once said of God’s plan for Joseph that: At age thirty, Joseph could never have handled this world-class task without an intensive and experience oriented course in management. It began in Potiphar’s house, where he managed all of his affairs. It continued in prison where he was ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Larry Crabb, In His Book "Shattered Dreams," ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 9, 2004

Larry Crabb, in his book “Shattered Dreams,” (another way of saying letdowns) “Our shattered dreams are never random. They are always a piece in a larger puzzle, a chapter in a larger story. Pain is a tragedy. But it’s never only a tragedy. For the Christian it’s always a necessary mile on the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15, John 10:10

Tags: God In The Hardships, Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dr. W.a. Criswell Wrote In His Book, Standing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

. DR. W.A. CRISWELL WROTE IN HIS BOOK, STANDING ON THE PROMISES: HOW YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LIVE AND DEAD CHURCH, “LIVE CHURCHES ARE FILLED WITH FOLKS WITH BIBLES IN THEIR HANDS. DEAD CHURCHES ARE NOT LIVE CHURCHES HAVE NOISY CHILDREN AND YOUTH. DEAD CHURCHES DO NOT LIVE CHURCHES ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Church Raided, Literature Confiscated In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Church raided, literature confiscated in Uzbekistan posted March 5, 2007 The Voice of the Martyrs has received photographs of police officers interrogating believers in and around a church in Qarshi (“Karshy”), Uzbekistan. According to VOM sources police burst into the service on February 25, ...read more

Tags: Faith

George Washington Carver Said, "Ninety-Nine ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 5, 2007

George Washington Carver said, "Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." Carver was no stranger to adversity and could have easily made excuses for not succeeding. But that wasn’t his way. Despite being born into slavery, he rose above his ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Cussing ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 9, 2008

ILLUSTRATION: THE CUSSING DEACON A Preacher was made aware that he had a Deacon in his church who was from time to time known to cuss. In his attempt to help the Deacon overcome this terrible habit, the Preacher decided he should spend some personal time with the Deacon so they could have a long ...read more

Tags: Tongue

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evangelism: Aquariums And Fires

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

EVANGELISM: AQUARIUMS AND FIRES The late Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopalian bishop, summed up the situation this way: "In the Great Commission, the Lord has called us to be--like Peter--fishers of men. We’ve turned the commission around so that we have become merely keepers of the aquarium. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

A Young Ensign, After Nearly Completing His ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 9, 2010

A young Ensign, after nearly completing his first overseas cruise, was given an opportunity to display his capabilities at getting the ship underway. With a stream of commands he had the decks buzzing with men, and soon his ship was steaming out of the channel en route to the states. His ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

On Anger

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 7, 2010

ON ANGER "As a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of angry men, I’ve seen many of my patients lose jobs, wives, and opportunities because they were simply not able to handle the normal frustrations and disappointments in life. They argue, they insult, and they sulk. They come to ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational