In Sermon Illustrations: "Pastoral Ministry"

Radical Revival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

RADICAL REVIVAL Dr. J. Edwin Orr states, "I am convinced that more work for God could be done in six months of revival than in sixty years of any other kind of effort." If we as a church begin doing the work we are appointed with a touch of the radical, we will see more done in six months of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Evangelism How To

Don't Stop Ringing The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

DON’T STOP RINGING THE BELL Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. Augustine. A man took his son to the tiny rural community where he grew up. He was disappointed to discover that the little church ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19

Tags: Revival

Roll-Up-Your-Shirt-Sleeves Christianity  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

ROLL-UP-YOUR-SHIRT-SLEEVES CHRISTIANITY When DAVE THOMAS died in early 2002, he left behind more than just thousands of Wendy’s restaurants. He also left a legacy of being a practical, hard-working man who was respected for his down-to-earth values. Among the pieces of good advice that have ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26, Luke 10:1-10, Romans 15:1-13

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Definition Of Grace

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Definition of Grace Today, we’re going to talk about another confusing church word - GRACE. If you ask a child what grace is, you might hear him say, "Grace is what we say before we eat." And that’s true. We do call that prayer before we eat "grace." But for many, that’s about as far as the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Grace

In The World Today...we Are Trying To Marry ...

Contributed by Hugh Laing on Feb 17, 2010

In the world today...we are trying to marry Christianity to all the wrong things...we are trying to marry it to prosperity...popularity...personalities...politics...and beloved...it ain't working 'cause it's broken! And yet many ministers preach a PROSPERITY DOCTRINE today because it feeds our ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Baptist

He's Just Like Jeff  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 25, 2008

The phone rang. “It’s Jimmy. I’m really sick. I’ve got a fever. Can you help me?” Jimmy was one man that the Love In Action ministry helped. He was dying from AIDS. Jeff was angry. He had already put in sixty hours and didn’t want to hear about Jimmy. However, Jeff promised to go right over ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

How Important Is The Virgin Birth Of Christ?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 6, 2022

Several years ago, Redbook Magazine took a poll of students in Protestant seminaries. They found that 56% of the students in Protestant seminaries studying for the ministry rejected the idea of the virgin birth. The Survey Research Center of the University of California at Berkeley polled the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14

Tags: Mary, Christmas, Bethlehem, Jesus, Incarnation, Virgin Birth, Deity Of Christ, Humanity Of Christ, Liberalism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Spreading The Deadly Disease Of Gossip

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 2, 2023

In 1520, one person stepped off a Spanish ship in Mexico and caused the deaths of thousands of people. The man was a soldier under the leadership of Pánfilo de Narváez, and he had smallpox. The soldier didn't know it, but wherever he went he exposed the citizens to a new disease. As a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28-30

Tags: Church, Lies, Gossip, Rumors, Division, Church Splits, Church Fights  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Protect The Purity Of Your Marriage

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 21, 2023

I admire Queen Vashti. In the midst of an unsavory "scene she was brave enough to say no to that which was blatantly wrong, and in resisting this insulting act of indignity, she took a stand against the greatest power in her universe. Good for her! Submission does not mean that a wife is a ...read more

Tags: Submission, Character, Purity, Husbands, Wives, Vashti, Beauty, Esther, Marriage  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Crowd Jumps To Its Feet. Many Clench Tissues ...  PRO

Contributed by Everette Pafford on Apr 15, 2002

The crowd jumps to its feet. Many clench tissues or wipe tears on their sleeves. The applause is thunderous, intermingled with cheers and praise to God. Who would have guessed a developmentally challenged teen could invoke such a response? For my son, Christopher Kline, from Madison ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Children

Denomination: Pentecostal

Unexpected Grace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2002

UNEXPECTED GRACE I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time right before the final in my Youth Issues class. When I got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying. The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test. We went ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 11, 2005

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: 20-23) “No one has done a better job of portraying envy than Dante, In his Purgatory . . .the envious sit like blind beggars by a wall. Their eyelids are sewn shut. the symbolism is apt, showing the reader that it is one of the blindest sins--partly ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-23

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Lutheran

Overcoming The Loss Of Hands And Feet

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008

David and Becky Guinn have been on my mind this past week. In 1997, the Lord blessed me to go with David on a mission trip to Ukraine. It was a life-changing experience for me. David and Becky deeply love the Lord. They have faithfully served the Lord for years in college ministry, mission work and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:25-30, Matthew 12:9-15, 2 Timothy 1:1-12

Tags: Faith, Perseverance, Overcome Difficulty

Denomination: Baptist

Blessed Are The Merciful

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Merciful In the Sermon on the Mount, we notice that Jesus' subject was not on how people are to be saved, but on the fruit of those who allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. One of the signs or evidences that a person has been converted is that he is now merciful. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Curse Turned Blessing

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 7, 2022

Sometimes missing a flight turns into a blessing. My older son was flying from Little Rock to Kansas City through Dallas but missed his connection because the flight was late leaving Little Rock. He called from the airport bemoaning his fate but said that there was another flight he could book ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28

Tags: Blessing, Joseph, Providence, Opportunity, Blessings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bring The Tithe To The Storehouse

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2023

When I was a young boy, I started mowing yards to make money so I could buy hundreds and hundreds of baseball cards! When I made my first money, my mother reminded me of what God says in the Bible about tithing. "Now, son, the word tithe means one-tenth. God asks us to bring 1 out of every ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Storehouse, Priests, Old Testament, Church, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keys To The Kingdom?

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Sep 29, 2009

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM? At a former church, the day I started my job as an associate pastor I was given a set of keys to the church by one of the Trustees, Bill. Bill told me, "Peter, these are not all the keys to the church, we are only giving you four keys: One key to the church building, one key ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[045] A Message From A Poem – Christianity In True Action

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[045] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIANITY IN TRUE ACTION The title of this is “CHRISTIANITY IN TRUE ACTION” for it demonstrates the Christian ethic or precept, something lacking today in practical Christianity. This poem tells a story. God bless all those who minister to the poor and are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:9, Galatians 2:10, Matthew 28:18-19

Tags: Poetry, Poem, True Christianity, Caring, Help The Poor, Outcasts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Einstein Made The Law Of Relativity Famous With ...  PRO

Contributed by James O. Davis on Dec 6, 2001

Einstein made the Law of Relativity famous with the formula: E=Mc2. E= Energy M= Mass in grams C= Velocity of Light in Centimeters per second. This simply means a small amount of mass can produce a great amount of energy. Nuclear Fusion is an example. Einstein said light is the only thing in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Apologetics General, God's Holiness, Heaven

Denomination: Assembly Of God

He Sent His Son  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Dec 10, 2001

HE SENT HIS SON Pastor Clifford S. Stewart of Louisville, Kentucky, sent his parents a microwave oven one Christmas. Here’s how he recalls the experience: “They were excited that now they, too, could be a part of the instant generation. When Dad unpacked the microwave and plugged it in, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational