In Sermon Illustrations: "Rapture Of The Church"

Parachurch Donor Revenue Growth Has Outstripped ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

Parachurch Donor Revenue growth has outstripped churches for the past 20 or more years. In 1900, parachurches received about 12.5% of religious donations. By 1970, that had increased to 28.5% and it’s estimated that in 1996 parachurches received 51.5% ($100 billion) , ...read more

Tags: Giving General

The Content Of Belief Is Important: Jonathan ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

The content of belief is important: Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, "What do you believe?" "Well, I believe the same as the church." "And what does the church believe?" "Well, they believe the same as me." Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield ...read more

Tags: Doubt

The Content Of Belief Is Important: Jonathan ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

The content of belief is important: Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, "What do you believe?" "Well, I believe the same as the church." "And what does the church believe?" "Well, they believe the same as me." Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield ...read more

Tags: Doubt

The Late Larry Burkett, A Financial Expert Said, ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on May 9, 2006

The late Larry Burkett, a financial expert said, “If every Church member in America would increase their giving to an average of 10% (current estimates are that American Christians give less than 3%), there would be an extra $69 billion for overseas missions and an additional $150 billion in income ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 27:30

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Christian Church

Billy Who Was Given 2 Quarters By His Grandma On ...

Contributed by Debra Klein on Jun 5, 2006

Billy who was given 2 quarters by his grandma on Sunday. One was for the Sunday school offering and the other for an ice cream cone on the way home from church. Billy was flipping both quarters in the air on his way to church when one of them slipped from his hand and fell into ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Church Of God

Now What Do You Think Of That? Shocking Want To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT? Shocking Want to know what happened? I was told that young preacher went into the pulpit and called for an immediate congregational meeting. He told the congregation what the man had just said to him and he asked for dismissal for that man from the board and from ...read more

Tags: Divinity Of Christ

In The Congo, Poor People Who Have Nothing To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In the Congo, poor people who have nothing to give when the Church offering is taken will dip their hand in the offering plate to symbolize the giving of themselves. There’s also a story of a little crippled girl with a crutch who came to church and saw everyone place their offerings in the ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Tony Evans Writes: "Make No Mistake About It. No ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 6, 2011

Tony Evans writes: "Make no mistake about it. No matter how big a church's staff may be, there is always a primary leader who has been invested by God with authority and responsibility. This leader is not a despot, and he is accountable to the body of elders...There has to be a place where the buck ...read more

Tags: Pastors

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Thomas Campbell And The Restoration Movement  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THOMAS CAMPBELL AND THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT Back in early 1800's there was a preacher in Western Pennsylvania named Thomas Campbell. He was a preacher for the Old-light, Anti-burger, Seceder Presbyterian Church. Each of those phrases described a political division within the Presbyterian Church ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30, John 17:17-23

Tags: Divisions

[042] A Message From A Poem – Christ In Me And I In Him

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 2, 2025

[042] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRIST IN ME AND I IN HIM I meant this to be a personal, yet touching poem. The title – Christ in me and I in Him” can be taken as a one-way dialogue between two people, the Lord and me. I am sharing with my Saviour the thoughts in my mind. (A personal chat). On ...read more

Scripture: John 12:24, Mark 6:49-50, Acts 18:9

Tags: Wheat, Prayer, Poem, Christ In Me, A Grain Of Wheat, Personal Chat  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[192]. Message From A Poem – No Contradiction Found Here

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 8, 2025

[192]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM – NO CONTRADICTION FOUND HERE I am not sure if I should explain each of these or let you work them out for yourselves. I was going to explain what seems to be contradictions, then I changed my mind. I will decide on that tomorrow! Well, I have decided to let you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:10, John 3:7, 1 Peter 1:3, Titus 2:13

Tags: Christian Poems, Born Again, The Blessed Hope, Paradoxes, Contradictions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Outward Pressure And Inward Pleasure

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Sep 12, 2025

Outward Pressure and Inward Pleasure Cross bearing is an indispensable part of a Christian’s life (Luke 9:23), so that work of molding a person into a Christ-like image which begins at the point of re-generation is completed in all respects (2 Cor 3:18) by the time of Rapture or one’s departure ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:7-8

Tags: Outward Pressure, Inward Pleasure

Denomination: *other

God Moment: Wow Impact

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 10, 2009

GOD MOMENT: WOW IMPACT Chilly Chilton is the Sr. Pastor of Real Church in the inner city of Detroit. His church people have to listen 3 times a day to the Muslims call to prayer as it is broadcasted through the air waves. Chilly founded Real Church in June 2004. His community is called Hamtramck. ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Some Time Ago An 18-Year-Old Girl From Washington ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Archer on Aug 16, 2001

Some time ago an 18-year-old girl from Washington state attended a worship service. For the first time in her life she heard the gospel message. The following Tuesday the members of the church received a letter from her. It read: Dear Church members: Last Sunday I attended your church, and I heard ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 24:11-12

Tags: Sharing Your Faith, Great Commission, Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Baptist

Flip Wilson Was A Popular Comedian Several Years ...  PRO

Contributed by Kent Lenard on Nov 18, 2002

Flip Wilson was a popular comedian several years ago, some of you are old enough to remember him, and some are not. 1. But one of his characters was a Preacher at the "What’s Happening Now Church." In a skit that he did he told about this preacher. 2. He’d yell: "IF THIS CHURCH IS GOING TO ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

Because Of Strife

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

That great ol’ preacher J.Vernon McGee writes, “I had an uncle who never came to know the Lord. My aunt used to weep and say, “Oh, he won’t listen” Do you know why? With her lived a sister, another aunt, and I used to go there sometimes on Sundays for dinner. Do you know what we had for dinner? ...read more

Tags: Patriarchs Abraham

The Visitor Experience

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 29, 2012

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE Back in the 1980s, a man visited 18 different churches of differing beliefs to find out what churches are really like. The man said that he sat near the front. After each service he walked slowly to the rear; then returned to the front; and then back to the foyer using ...read more

Tags: Outreach

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Martyrdom Of John ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

MARTYRDOM OF JOHN DENLEY One day, on the way to visit some friends, John Denley was stopped and searched by the authorities, who found his written confession of faith. Denley believed the Church was built upon the apostles and prophets, with Christ as its head, and that the present state church, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Faith, Persecution, Martyr

Spiritual Maturity

Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Feb 5, 2024

1 Timothy 3:6 - "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil." Recently, a father sat down with his four-year-old son and asked him if he would like the $10 in his right hand or the two Oreo cookies in his left hand. His son immediately chose ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:6

Tags: Talent, Maturity, Novice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Remaining Faithful  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 9, 2002

REMAINING FAITHFUL A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful. If only Dad, 55% remain faithful. If only Mom, 15%. If neither attended regularly, only 6% remain faithful. The statistics speak for themselves--the example of parents ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Faith, Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational