In Sermon Illustrations: "Pastor Appreciation"

Though The Nature Of God Is Exclusive, God's Love ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2008

Though the nature of God is exclusive, God’s love is excluded to ...read more

Once There Was A Church In Holland Once Which ...  PRO

Contributed by David Elvery on Nov 14, 2004

Once there was a church in Holland once which felt strictly bound to obey God’s commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. On a certain Sunday the area was threatened by high wind and ferocious waves. If the dikes were not strengthened, the people would not survive. The police notified the pastor of ...read more

Tags: Commandments Sabbath

Denomination: Baptist

I Read Of A Young Christian Artist Who Painted A ...

Contributed by Tim Parsons on Sep 17, 2006

I read of a young Christian artist who painted a depiction of hell. In the flames he painted the faces of several of his lost loved ones. He painted his lost father crying out in agony. There was also his lost brother, and a lost neighbor burning in the flames of hell. When he showed it to his ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Christmas Lights In March

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Dec 14, 2008

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN MARCH Robert Russell, pastor and author, tells a story of how about twenty years ago there was a house near the entrance of his subdivision that kept their Christmas lights burning long after the season was past. They burned through January. Even through the first of February ...read more

Tags: Holidays

Denomination: Salvation Army

Giving, Greed And Salvation

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Mar 12, 2009

GIVING, GREED AND SALVATION A very old rich skinflint in declining health finally gets serious about his eternal state. He goes to the local pastor and asks what he can do to account for the fact that he’s never given God much time or given the church a dime. The pastor just looks at him with that ...read more

Tags: Greed

Denomination: United Methodist

The Empty Chair  PRO

Contributed by Danny Thomas on May 21, 2001

The Empty Chair A man’s daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The priest assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Promises Of God, Prayer How To, Peace

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Communion Sunday, The Communion Steward ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Aug 20, 2004

One communion Sunday, the communion steward prepared communion with a twist. When it came time to uncover the elements the grape juice looked darker than usual. The pastor thought nothing of it and began to serve the communion. Promptly upon receiving the cup, each recipient’s face had a ...read more

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Methodist

Just Words

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 21, 2010

JUST WORDS Samuel Clemens (better known by his alias Mark Twain) attended a Sunday morning service. He met the pastor at the door afterward and told him that he had a book at home with every word he had preached that morning. The minister assured him that the sermon was an original. Clemens still ...read more

Tags: Words

Denomination: Brethren

Sales Vs. Management

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

SALES VS. MANAGEMENT A pastor, an avid golfer, was once taking part in a local tournament. As he was preparing to tee off, the organizer of the tournament approached him and pointed to the dark, threatening storm clouds which were gathering. "Preacher," the organizer said, "I trust you’ll see to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 1:3

Tags: Leadership General

Unlikely Substance Abuse

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

UNLIKELY SUBSTANCE ABUSE According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 3.1 million people ages 12 to 25 have gotten high using cough and cold medicine, about the same number who have used LSD and far more than have used methamphetamines. In addition, mouthwash, ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Funnnnnny Story About The Fatted Calf!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

FUNNNNNNNNNNY!! A Pastor was doing the children’s devotional in the church service one Sunday when he called all of the kids to the front and asked them this question: “Boys and girls, in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who was the saddest of all to see the younger brother come back home from the ...read more

Tags: Fattened Calf, Humor, Parables, Prodigal Son, Jokes, Older Brother, Luke 15  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Leighton Farrell Was The Minister Of Highland ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Leighton Farrell was the minister of Highland Park Church in Dallas for many years. He tells of a man in the church who once made a covenant with a former pastor to tithe ten percent of their income every year. They were both young and neither of them had much money. But things changed. The layman ...read more

Tags: Giving General

The Story Has Been Told Of A Church In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Carla Powell on Apr 20, 2002

The story has been told of a church in the Pacific Northwest, which participates in the "sharing of the peace" during worship. When they share the peace, they are exuberant and enthusiastic. They leave their pews to embrace one another. Newcomers are warmly welcomed with a kind word, a ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

I Read A Book Some Time Ago Entitled Wisdom ...  PRO

Contributed by Martin Wiles on May 8, 2002

I read a book some time ago entitled Wisdom Hunter. Randal Arthur, a missionary, wrote it. It told of a pastor who was involved in a denomination that controlled its people with traditions and their interpretations of God’s Word. He became disgusted with that and even turned away from God. Finally, ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

Leighton Farrell Was The Minister Of Highland ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Feb 14, 2005

Leighton Farrell was the minister of Highland Park Church in Dallas for many years. He tells of a man in the church who once made a covenant with a former pastor to tithe ten percent of their income every year. They were both young and neither of them had much money. But things changed. The layman ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Gifts Giving, Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

A Woman Was Diagnosed With A Terminal Illness And ...

Contributed by Sylvester Fergusson on Dec 23, 2007

A woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. As she was getting her things in order, she contacted her pastor and asked him to come to her house to discuss some of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at her funeral service, what ...read more

Denomination: Adventist

Sign Your Name Or Forget It

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

SIGN YOUR NAME OR FORGET IT J. Vernon McGee tells of an incident that happened in one of his pastorates. A man came to him and said, "I want to tell you about a certain situation." He told him about a certain man who was involved in a particular sin. The man wanted to do something about it. He ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-12

Tags: Tongue

After The Collapse Of The Berlin Wall In 1989, No ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Feb 16, 2008

After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, no person in all of East Germany was more despised than the former Communist dictator Erich Honecher. He had been stripped of all his offices. Even the Communist Party rejected him. Kicked out of his villa, the new government refused him and his wife ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:20, 1 Peter 3:9

Tags: Divisions

Denomination: Other

What God Can Do For Us  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Apr 22, 2008

WHAT GOD CAN DO FOR US A young pastor in another church told about an experience he had with a family who tended to be the "Easter and Christmas" variety of church attendees. A young woman in the family became critically ill. The prognosis was bad. In fact, doctors expected she might die within ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stranger Than Fiction: A True Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

STRANGER THAN FICTION: A TRUE STORY A young couple from another church came to one of our assistant pastors for counseling about marital problems they started having soon after their wedding. After just a few minutes of interviewing the two, he could see they were miles apart in tastes, ideas, and ...read more

Tags: Bible Study