In Sermon Illustrations: "Purpose Of Giving"

I Want It All

Contributed by John Boquist on Jul 19, 2008

I WANT IT ALL Some time ago, our daughter had just turned 15½ and received her learner’s permit. Once she did that, I actually handed her the keys to my car and let her in the driver’s seat. Suppose she had said something like, “Now that I have the keys, I’m going to drive the way I want to. ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

More Than The Sum Of Their Parts

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

MORE THAN THE SUM OF THEIR PARTS I once read the story is told of a horse pulling contest in Canada. The winning horse in the contest pulled 9,000 pounds The runner up pulled 8,000. Together you’d expect them to pull 17,000 lbs. but not so! When teamed together, they pulled 30,000 lbs – nearly ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church Is Not A Place Where The Perfect ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

"The church is not a place where the perfect dwell, but rather a hospital where sick sinners get well." (SOURCE: St. Augustine. From a sermon by Monty Newton, ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

We Never Know What He'll Do Next

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

WE NEVER KNOW WHAT HE'LL DO NEXT I read about an airplane that had been hijacked somewhere in Europe. As the hijacker made his demands to the pilot, something amazing happened: the pilot realized that the hijacker did not speak French. The pilot did speak French and knew that most of the ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Reasons We ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Reasons We Congregate Psalm 122:1, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’" We are told that this verse can be translated as, “I rejoice whenever they say to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’”. (The Expositors Bible Commentary) Our key text ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 122:1

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are Not Your ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

You are Not Your Own Purchased at the Highest Price Corporate Worship The first step to enjoying public worship services is to understand that Christians are not their own. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grasping Your Place Greet One ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Grasping Your Place Greet One Another A Necessity in Corporate Worship Christians who get the most out of congregational worship services have learned the joy of greeting their brothers and sisters in Christ. At least four times in the New Testament Christians are told to “Greet one ...read more

Scripture: Romans 16:16

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Proclaiming ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Proclaiming God’s Word A Necessity in Corporate Worship Congregational worship opens the door for the Holy Spirit gift of proclaiming God’s Word. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) Knowing exactly what the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:4

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sometimes It Concerns Me, The Number Of People ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Aug 21, 2008

"Sometimes it concerns me, the number of people who can quote my songs… but they can't quote the scriptures ... I mean, if entertainment is what you want, I suggest Christian entertainment … because I think it is good. But if what you want is spiritual nourishment, I suggest you go to church or ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Erwin Mcmanus States, "Once Survival Has Become ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 26, 2008

Erwin McManus states, "Once survival has become our supreme goal, we have lost our way... the church is not called to survive history but to serve humanity. As with each individual, there is a difference between living and existing for the church...The church exists to serve as the body of Christ, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-28

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

And I Have Something Else To Say It. We Share The ...

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Oct 19, 2008

And I have something else to say it. We share the same story as this crippled man did: we can’t walk and others carry us. The pastor, the elders, church board, somebody from your family… your religion is a second hand religion. Others are carrying you… You are just passive watcher, crippled ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

You Didn't Get Him From Here

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

"YOU DIDN’T GET HIM FROM HERE" One Sunday morning a stranger wandered into a small country church in the middle of the sermon. The man was unkempt and dirty. The usher tried his best to seat him off in a far corner, but instead the man walked to the very first pew and sat directly in front of the ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church Is The Rope

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

THE CHURCH IS THE ROPE Years ago at Niagara Falls two men were in a boat and found themselves caught in the current. The men jumped from their boat and swam for the shore. At last minute ropes from the shore were thrown out to them. The one man grabbed the rope and was pulled to shore. The other ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Put The King In First

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

PUT THE KING IN FIRST In the Berlin art gallery there is a painting by the famous artist Mengel that is only partially finished. It is supposed to be a painting of King Frederick of Germany talking to his generals. Mengel painstakingly painted the generals first around the outside of the painting. ...read more

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I Was Talking With The Guys Installing My ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

I was talking with the guys installing my satellite. Knowing that I was a preacher, one asked, "Can you be saved and not go to church?" I said, "Sure, the same way that you can be a soldier and not be in the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Many, I Am Afraid, Think That Being A Christian ...

Contributed by Dale Krueger on Feb 9, 2009

"Many, I am afraid, think that being a Christian is primarily just a personal individual thing, like something that will benefit me. Even a church can be a very selfish venture if it is meant only to enhance the members. A congregation is not a religious club run for the benefit of the members." ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Lutheran

Church Health Services

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

CHURCH HEALTH SERVICES Nearly 70% of U.S. churches provide direct health services and 65% provide educational health programs, according to the National Council of Churches (NCC) USA Congregational Health Survey. Only 6.4% offer no programs of any kind in health care ministries. The congregations ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Keith Getty, Who Wrote The Hymn "In Christ Alone" ...

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 10, 2009

Keith Getty, who wrote the hymn "In Christ Alone" says there are three signs of the church on decline: 1. The church becomes decreasingly knowledgeable of God. 2. The church becomes increasing obsessed with itself. 3. The ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Methodist

In A Time When Christian Values Are In ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Mar 10, 2009

"In a time when Christian values are in near-total eclipse, only a countercultural expression of the church will have the spiritual and social power to speak the gospel word to a dominant ...read more

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Denomination: Pentecostal

Rick Warren Simply Defines A Servant As One ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Sep 16, 2006

Rick Warren simply defines a servant as one “always on the lookout for ways to help others.” He continues with the definition. “Real servants maintain a low profile. Servants don’t promote or call attention to themselves. Instead of acting to impress and dressing for success, they “put on the apron ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Salvation Army