In Sermon Illustrations: "Purpose"

Anna's Stories

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2011

ANNA'S STORIES A thirty-four-year-old German woman named Anna Rosmus recently told the tragic story of what happened in her hometown in Germany during World War II. Speaking at Carson-Newman College in Tennessee, she told of growing up in Passau, Germany, years after the war. As a teenager, she ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church As A China Cabinet

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2011

THE CHURCH AS A CHINA CABINET Bryan Wilkerson talks about a sterling silver tea set that a family member gave him and his wife as a reminder of her love for them. It’s quite old and beautifully made, and it sits on a stand in their dining room. There's only one problem: they can’t use it. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:14-15

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Wahlstrom's Wonder  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

WAHLSTROM'S WONDER I once read about a certain Mr. Wahlstrom who purchased an old bombsight and took it apart to see what made it work. As he began to put it back together, he decided to add to it some spare parts he had from other projects. Over time, friends and neighbors took an interest in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20, John 1:14-18, Jonah 3:1-10

Tags: Church Purpose Of

De-Sanctified Churches

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

DE-SANCTIFIED CHURCHES Not too long ago, a real estate listing in Dallas had the simple headline: "Converted Church." In other words, what had once been a church facility is now somebody's house. The listing under the heading had this description: "The altar has been adapted for use as a granite ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church Without Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE CHURCH WITHOUT OUTREACH Fred Craddock tells the story of his first church. It was a beautiful little white church on a hill in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The church was beautifully maintained. The pews had been hand-hewn from giant poplar trees that had grown nearby. Little kerosene lamps on the walls ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

For Some Strange Reason We Think That The ...

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 2, 2011

For some strange reason we think that the righteous go to church. That is Pharisee thinking. The Pharisees were the teachers and rulers of the law. They felt that they knew more than anyone else and were also above everyone else. The church should be viewed as a hospital and not a place ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Missions Is Not The Ultimate Goal Of The Church. ...

Contributed by Tim Spear on Sep 6, 2011

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. Worship...is the fuel and goal of missions. ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Baptist

Kingdom Infrastructure

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 10, 2011

KINGDOM INFRASTRUCTURE America’s economic health is partly dependent upon infrastructure: speedy roads, bridges, trains, electrical capacity, usable water, high speed internet, trained or skilled workers, etc. Healthy churches are foundational to getting God’s work done: they support the ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Mortal Work Of Art

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 16, 2012

THE MORTAL WORK OF ART Shelley Jackson is a writer. Yet, you cannot read anything she's written in a magazine, book or screen. Instead, you have to look at people. Her story is written on human skin. Her story is called "Skin." Jackson calls it "a mortal work of art." It is a fictional piece ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Storage Wars. ...

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 6, 2012

I enjoy watching a TV show called Storage Wars. In this reality show people bid on storage units that have been abandoned after having five minutes to look at them from the doorway. I enjoy watching because many times they find some great treasures worth a lot of money buried in all the other ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

We Are Here! We Are Here!

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 23, 2013

WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE! From movie, "Horton Hears a Who!" Clip from movie about 5 minutes. The "Who" people with the help of Horton shouted, proclaimed, cried out and made themselves heard -- it was life and death by the way -- they did this to let the rest of the world around them know that ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church, Therefore, Earnestly Desires That ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 26, 2013

The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Catholic

True Worship

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 19, 2013

"True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how their worship looks to other people. Focusing on these things misses the point. Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Room Giving?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 26, 2022

NO ROOM… THE SAD STORY CONTINUES… In the early 70’s Linda and I were at my Mom and Dad’s for Christmas. We had no children. My Dad pastored 65 years, 42 in Frankfort, Ky. There were 5 of us children. We had a traditional spot where we all sat around the tree. Mom, my wife and my sister distributed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:33, 2 Corinthians 9:6

Tags: Giving, Purpose

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Are The Only Person On Earth Who Can Use Your ...  PRO

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Oct 23, 2000

You are the only person on earth who can use your ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Wesleyan

Slowly, Through All The Universe The ...  PRO

Contributed by Pat Herlitz on Jul 24, 2001

“Slowly, through all the universe the temple of God is being built. And whenever, in any place, a soul by freewilled obedience, catches the fire of God’s likeness, it is set ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Pentecostal

Christian Football!!  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 9, 2005

Humor Illustration: CHRISTIAN FOOTBALL!! Quarterback Sneak - Church members quietly leaving during the invitation. Draw Play - What many children do with the bulletin during worship. Half-time - The period between Sunday school and worship when many choose to leave. Benchwarmer - Those who do ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

10. Is It Really Possible To Introduce ...  PRO

Contributed by Chip Monck on Feb 15, 2005

10. Is it really possible to introduce pyrotechnics gradually? 9. Do rhinestones and choir gowns ever make a positive statement? 8. Never enlist a Worship Leader with a Marilyn Manson tattoo! 7. While drums can be a welcome addition to any worship service, is it really necessary to have them ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Wesleyan

Rach And I Have A Friend Who Is A Source Of Grief ...  PRO

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Feb 17, 2005

Rach and I have a friend who is a source of grief for us. It is not that he has done anything to us – he is quite dear to us actually. Rather it is what he has done to himself, what he has chosen to believe. About ten years ago, this friend began absenting himself from church. He was getting ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Heart Of Worship  PRO

Contributed by Robert Garrett on Apr 11, 2005

“HEART OF WORSHIP” There’s a recent song that was written by a young man who lead the worship at church. He was an extremely talented singer, but the preacher there took him aside and told him that he could not lead the singing at church until things changed because he saw that he was more ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Baptist