In Sermon Illustrations: "Pastor Appreciation"

The Planting Story : A Little 8 Year Old Boy Was ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Jan 26, 2008

The planting story : A little 8 year old boy was learning in school how plants grow, he was intrigued how a tiny seed can germinates in the ground and later burst through the ground, that week he attended a funeral where the pastor talked about the final resurrection of our bodies. Several days ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What Does It Mean Well To Live With Others? As I ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 18, 2008

What does it mean well to live with others? As I thought about this question, I came across the story from Pastor John Dobbs about a little boy. According to Dobbs, he was ‘sitting on his front steps with his face cradled in his hands, looking so forlorn. His dad came home just then and asked him ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Van Gogh Was Born March 30, 1853, In ...

Contributed by Noel Atkinson on Feb 25, 2008

Van Gogh was born March 30, 1853, in Groot-Zundert, son of a Dutch Protestant pastor. Early in life he displayed a moody, restless temperament that was to thwart his every pursuit. By the age of 27 he had been, in turn, a salesman in an art gallery, a French tutor, a theological student, and an ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Win Arn, A Leading Church Consultant Conducted A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Win Arn, a leading church consultant conducted a survey: He surveyed members of nearly a thousand churches asking the question, “Why does the church exit?? The results? Of the church members surveyed, 89 percent said, “The church’s purpose is to take care of my family’s and my needs.? For many, the ...read more

The Rev. Alan Redpath Tells Of A Lady Of His ...

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Jun 26, 2008

The Rev. Alan Redpath tells of a lady of his acquaintance who has a little motto over her kitchen sink that reads as follows: “Divine service is conducted here three times daily.” This is the type of industry Christ honors. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Lutheran

Gem Collection

Contributed by Roger Miller on Apr 27, 2010

GEM COLLECTION Len Sweet, a Methodist preacher, tells how he complimented a woman in Rustin, Louisiana on her jewelry. She smiled and said, "Thank you. I collect gems." I agreed and said, "It shows." "No," she insisted. "I don't collect those gems. I collect real 'gems.' I have a gem of a ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Letter For Joe

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 8, 2010

A LETTER FOR JOE Joseph Parker was a popular preacher in London, England in the late 1800's. He was the pastor of the large City Temple. One Sunday as he was going to the pulpit a woman in the balcony tossed a piece of paper on the platform before him. He picked it up and read it. It contained ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Baptist

Are You ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 30, 2010

Are you crazy? When viewed from an earthly perspective, the man seems crazy. If we were as close to God as Ezra, it would be seen that his world was crazy. Crazy to think that one could defy God’s laws and yet escape God’s judgment! Indeed, the one pulling his hair out was one of the few sane ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Baptist

Who Did You Come To Worship?

Contributed by Jun Suyat on Apr 25, 2011

WHO DID YOU COME TO WORSHIP? Henry Ward Beecher was one of the great preachers of the 19th Century. He was ill one Sunday, so a substitute pastor walked up to the pulpit as the worship service began. Seeing that Dr. Beecher would not be speaking that day, a number of people got up and headed for ...read more

Tags: Worship Benefits

Denomination: Nazarene

Christmas Means ...

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 4, 2012

Christmas means that… He descended that we might ascend (John 14:3) He was born that we might be born again (John 3:3) He became a servant that we might become sons (Galatians 4:6-7) He was forsaken that we might not be forsaken (Matthew 28:20) He died that we might live (John 5:24) He came down ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Getting Along

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 7, 2023

I read this account from Readers Digest: To save money, I suggested to one of my grown sons that we all live together in one house. I could tell he didn’t think it would be cost-effective when he asked, Who’s going to pay the therapist? That is something to think about. We love our families, but ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:15

Tags: Conflict, Gossip, Harmony, Arguments, Bickering  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Less Important Than We Think

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 22, 2023

In his book, “Being with God,” Pastor AJ Sherrill addresses how the practices of contemplative prayer help the Believer see what’s going on inside: we are so caught up in our inner dramas that we lack the clarity to know what to pray for. Surrendering to the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27) ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26-27, Luke 14:7-14

Tags: Love, Humility, Prayer

Denomination: Methodist

A Family Stare Off Competition

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 4, 2020

During the last several months, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I have spent some quality time together. I’m assuming this is quality time, but I will have to get second opinion evidence about that. Overall, we have been enjoying our time together without any interruptions, as usually ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 26:27

Tags: Humor, Competition, Movies

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Real Mccoy

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 18, 2010

THE REAL MCCOY It was about a seventy-two-year-old Baptist preacher names Charles McCoy. McCoy was pastoring a Baptist church in Oyster Bay, New York, when at age seventy-two he was told by his denomination to retire. A lifelong bachelor, he had cared for his mother for as long as she lived. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-30

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Following Christ

Denomination: Anglican

What Did We Know Before Facebook?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 25, 2020

To paraphrase one of my favorite humorist, Will Rogers, “All I know is what I read on Facebook.” I must admit that I also get information from Facebook. I can keep up with my family and friends, know what they are doing, and know what they are saying. The information there, whether true or not, is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:14

Tags: Gossip, Secrets

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Knowledge In Ignorance!" Luke 2: 1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 12, 2004

“Knowledge in Ignorance!” Luke 2: 1-5 Key verse(s): 2: “Some of the Pharisees asked, ‘Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’” The story is told of a preacher who lived along a river in a northern clime. Sunday after Sunday throughout the year he would climb into his old Tin Lizzy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-5

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

Preparing For Death

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jan 7, 2008

Preparing For Death Several years ago, I was on staff with a fellow pastor who had been suffering with diabetes and its ill effects for most of his life. He was a single dad with two sons who were the same ages as two of my boys. His name was Mike, and we were close in age. Mike had lost an eye ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Because One Gave

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

BECAUSE ONE GAVE Former seminary and pastor, George Gaston tells the following story that speaks to the value of attitude in giving. Years ago, I pastored a church that decided to build a worship center. The old building had suffered a major fire. Even so, our decision to build a new facility ...read more

Tags: Giving General

God Uses Tragedy To Draw Couple To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2010

God Uses Tragedy to Draw Couple To Himself Cathy’s story: A few years ago a woman and a man who were living together started coming to the church I pastor. She had gotten pregnant and was expecting. Though they weren’t saved, they were beginning to seek the Lord. I was much in prayer for them. When ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:21-22

Tags: Tragedy, God's Sovereign Will

Why The Interruptions?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 27, 2020

Like many of us, I love listening to good Bible teachers on the radio. Great men of the past and great men of the present have given a great deal of time to explain and comment on the Word of God. We are truly blessed because of their efforts. My prayer is the Lord rewards them greatly when we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:8, 1 Corinthians 3:14

Tags: Interruptions, Bible Teachers

Denomination: Baptist