In Sermon Illustrations: "Sacrificial Service"

God Knows

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 7, 2011

GOD KNOWS The receiving line at the memorial was very long as Jim and Steph had many family members that came from Texas and Georgia. Halfway through the line, I was introduced to Jim's sister, brother and nephew. They said "Are you the Brad Henry that wrote the devotional about my brother?" I ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Never Really Connected  PRO

Contributed by Ervin Kimrey on May 21, 2005

NEVER REALLY CONNECTED One night I saw my 7 year old daughter walking around with a cell phone. She was talking away. She would ask questions, wait for a reply, and give answers to apparent questions: "Yes...no...maybe...I’ll have to check on that..." and so on. Finally, worried about the bill ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Denomination: Baptist

God Values Our Gifts

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Jun 29, 2005

God Values Our Gifts God seeks and values the gifts we bring Him—gifts of praise, thanksgiving, service, and material offerings. In all such giving at the altar we enter into the highest experiences of fellowship. But the gift is acceptable to God in the measure to which the one who offers it is in ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Charismatic

Teen Eye View Between 1990 And 2000, The Number ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 3, 2006

Teen Eye View Between 1990 and 2000, the number of teens aged 12 to 19 soared to 32 million, an increase of nearly 4.5 million. Mediamark Research reports this 17% growth rate far outpaced the rest of the population. They’re also wielding increasing influence on household purchases. In ‘03, 47% of ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Since ‘80 U.s. Mega-Churches Have Grown From A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

Since ‘80 U.S. mega-churches have grown from a few hundred to over 20,000. Peter Drucker calls this “the most important social phenomenon in American society in the last 30 years.” They have been successful because they asked, “What is value?” to nonchurch-goers and found answers older churches ...read more

Tags: Church General

Why Disappointing Holiday Sales? Paco Underhill ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2006

Why Disappointing Holiday Sales? Paco Underhill says, First, we’re part of an aging culture, and people don’t need stuff. If you’re 35 or younger, you’re still acquiring possessions. If you’re between 35-50, you’re buying ser-vices. If you’re over 60, you’re buying experiences. The problem with ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

During World War Ii, Winston Churchill Was Forced ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

During World War II, Winston Churchill was forced to make a painful choice. The British secret service had broken the Nazi code and informed Churchill that the Germans were going to bomb Coventry. He had two alternatives: (1) evacuate the citizens and save hundreds of lives at the expense of ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

In Messy Spirituality, Mike Yaconelli Writes, "I ...

Contributed by Paul Newell on Dec 4, 2006

In Messy Spirituality, Mike Yaconelli writes, “I made hundreds of decisions to become a Christian...[or] to rededicate my rededication, to go into full-time Christian service, to treat my parents better, to give God my hormones. I meant every one of those decisions, yet I successfully acted on most ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

92% Of U.s. Adults Say They Or A Household Member ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

92% of U.S. adults say they or a household member made a financial contribution to a nonprofit organization in the past year. 49% of those who contributed gave less than $500, while 6% donated $5,000 or more. In ‘06, 50% of donors gave to churches and religious organizations, 50% to disaster relief ...read more

Tags: Giving General

John Elderidge Wrote In His Book The Journey Of ...

Contributed by Ted Mulder on Mar 24, 2007

John Elderidge wrote in his book The Journey of Desire “Nearly every Christian I have spoken with has some idea that eternity is an unending church service… He goes on to write – We have settled on an image of the never-ending sing-along in the sky, one great hymn after another, forever and ever, ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Do Not Know If You Knew This But The Number Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Aug 9, 2002

I do not know if you knew this but the number of unchurched people is growing every year. “Only 41% of Americans attend church services on a typical weekend. Each new generation becomes increasingly unchurched. Slightly over one half (51%) of the builder generation (born before 1946) attends ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Church General

Denomination: Baptist

Church Growth Expert, George Barna Found That ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Feb 7, 2003

Church growth expert, George Barna found that prayer was the foundational ministry of rapidly growing churches in America. He wrote: “The call to prayer [in these churches] was the battle cry of the congregation: it rallied the troops. These people understood the power of prayer. They actively ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Baptist

Our Seven-Year-Old Daughter Had Just Won $2 For ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 20, 2004

Our seven-year-old daughter had just won $2 for her memory work in Sunday School. After the morning service, the pastor’s wife congratulated her. Our daughter proudly announced, “And I put it all in the morning’s offering!” “My, how wonderful!” the pastor’s wife exclaimed. “I’m sure God will be ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reformed Pastor Michael Horton, In His Book, "A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 30, 2004

Reformed Pastor Michael Horton, in his book, "A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of God-Centered Worship writes: We are repeatedly told these days that music is the most important thing we do in worship. In fact, "worship" usually means singing or enjoying the singing of others. "Let’s just ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 100:1-5, Nehemiah 8:1-18, Nehemiah 8:1-18

Tags: Worship Definition, Worship Purpose

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Sue's Parents Were Very Wealthy. They Attended No ...

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Jul 30, 2004

Sue’s parents were very wealthy. They attended no church. A friend of Sue invited her to a church service. She accepted the Lord. When telling her parents, they told her if she attended this church again, she would have to leave home. Being only 16 years old, it was a hard decision. Sue went to ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Baptist

A Man On Vacation Was Strolling Along Outside ...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Carson on Mar 29, 2001

A man on vacation was strolling along outside his hotel in Acapulco, enjoying the sunny Mexican weather. Suddenly, he was attracted by the screams of a woman kneeling in front of a child. The man knew enough Spanish to determine that the boy had swallowed a coin. Seizing the child by the heels, the ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Poverty

Denomination: Baptist

: Prayer Life Of General Stonewall ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Oct 10, 2001

Illus.: Prayer Life of General Stonewall Jackson General Stonewall Jackson had in his service a man who had become so accustomed to his ways that he was able to discern whenever the General was about to start on an expedition. Someone asked him how he knew the General was about to depart without ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Way We Live  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 27, 2001

THE WAY WE LIVE Idolatry in its larger meaning is properly understood as any substitution of what is created for the creator. People may worship nature, money, mankind, power, history, or social and political systems instead of the God who created them all. The New Testament writers, in ...read more

A Guest In A Hotel In L.a. Told The Desk Clerk ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A guest in a hotel in L.A. told the desk clerk he wanted to take a walking tour of the city but was terrified by all he had heard about the traffic. He asked about the safest time to venture out. The clerk was equal to the task. He said the safest time is Sunday morning. All the Jewish folk are ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Who Came To Worship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Henry Ward Beecher knew he was going to be absent from the pulpit of Plymouth Church one Sunday, so he asked his brother to preach for him. When the worship service began, and it became apparent that the great preacher would not be speaking that particular morning, some people got up and started to ...read more

Tags: Worship Benefits