In Sermon Illustrations: "Service"

1 Corinthians 13 — Church Version  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jan 28, 2003

1 Corinthians 13 - church version “If our church could hold services in five languages or our members could speak three, but we didn’t love others, we would be all talk and no action. If our church really expressed it’s spiritual gifts with wholehearted service and we became spiritual giants, but ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1

Tags: Church General, Christian Love

Denomination: Church Of God

Before The Review Board  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 29, 2004

BEFORE THE REVIEW BOARD John the Baptist was a truly strange fellow. I can imagine his performance review from the board of clergy examiners. - - - - - - - - - Dear John ben Zechariah: The board of examiners completed their visit and frankly were concerned about several matters pertaining to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:1-12

Tags: Repentance, Christmas Advent

Recall Notice  PRO

Contributed by Joseph Bachman on Feb 24, 2005

RECALL NOTICE: The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-20

Tags: Faith, Dumb

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Lord's Supper With Grandma

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Oct 13, 2010

In 1999 the church I was serving designated a particular Sunday morning service for celebrating the lives of our shut-ins. Every effort was made to get them to the church that day. We highly encouraged their family to make arrangements but had volunteers step up where that didn’t work. After the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Lord's Supper

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Church Asks Non-Participants To Leave

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2011

CHURCH ASKS NON-PARTICIPANTS TO LEAVE Just a few years ago, Larknews.com carried the following fictional piece of satire on its website. In the form of a news release, it reported: Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to "participate in the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:15-16

Tags: Church Growth

An Unusual Baptism On The Mission Field  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2012

AN UNUSUAL BAPTISM ON THE MISSION FIELD Some time back, a retired missionary dropped by our church. She had served faithfully in Africa, and one day, she happened upon a small baptismal service. A fellow missionary took three new converts to the center of a shallow river, and dug a hole in the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:3-5, John 16:12-15

Tags: Baptism

Moody And The Filling Of The Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 27, 2012

MOODY AND THE FILLING OF THE SPIRIT One of the great preachers in U.S. history is D. L. Moody. He pastored in Chicago and there is still a wonderful Bible College there that bears his name and values. Mr. Moody was a successful minister, but by his own admission, he lacked the power in his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:1-22

Tags: Pentecost, Blessing, Esau, Isaac, Curse, Spoken Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

When To Pray For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 13, 2012

WHEN TO PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT I think about the pastor of the church that I went to couple of years in California, Pastor Chuck. A man came to him and said he wanted to make a large donation - one million dollar donation. The pastor said to that, “Wow – that is a lot of money. Let me go first and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

Paul Harvey Told The Story Of A Family On ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Sickling on Jan 1, 2008

Paul Harvey told the story of a family on Christmas Eve. For several years this family had a tradition where the Mother and children would go to the Christmas Eve service, and the Father would stay home and read the paper. Then when they got back from church, they would open their gifts. The ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

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

Not Just Another Offering

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

NOT JUST ANOTHER OFFERING I had been praying regularly with the deacons for one of our members. His wife, Pat, attended our small congregation faithfully, but John hadn’t been to church in years. So every Sunday afternoon before the evening service, we prayed for ways to communicate our commitment ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

All In

Contributed by Tom Feola on Feb 6, 2012

ALL IN The New York Giants were just a handful of days from the Week 16 game against the New York Jets, with the Giants stuck at 7-7 and their season fast slipping away. Losers of four of their previous five games, it seemed as if the Giants were destined to finish second or even third in the NFC ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-27, Matthew 16:13-20

Tags: Sports

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thoughts On The Body Of Christ

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 18, 2012

THOUGHTS ON THE BODY OF CHRIST Here are some thoughts on The Church from a few 30 on down in age individuals from the book "The Relevant Church": Quotes: Brian Kay, "It is impossible to be a follower of Christ and not be part of a local church!" "No one can have God as Father who does not also ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Misfired Twice!

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 19, 2024

Story from Bob Hostetler in Red Letter Prayer Life: Two of my dearest friends in the world, Dave and Becky, told me the amazing story of their mission trip some years ago to the mountain town of San Luis, Honduras. They traveled as part of a combined medical and evangelistic team that served the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Tags: Protection, Deliverance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Parson's Got Converted (By His Own Sermon)

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

William Haslam was a high church Anglican vicar in Cornwall in the 19th Century. In 1851, he had gone to stay with a friend, Mr, Aitken who had challenged Haslam that he wasn’t converted. During that week, Haslam was shocked that he had nothing to offer his congregation as they were dying. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:42

Tags: Revival, Corn, 19th Century

Denomination: Anglican

Carlyle Fielding Ste, How Long Will You Limp?: ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2001

Carlyle Fielding Ste, How Long Will You Limp?: "Too many churches today are devoid of the Spirit of Pentecost because they are dry and stale, where people are in a stupor; where worship services are wooden and so scripted that they are hollow; where the preaching is dull and flat; where the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13

Tags: Apathy, Lack Of Joy, Revival, Preservation, Pentecost  (view more)  (view less)

A Young Couple, Very Much In Love, Were Getting ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Mar 2, 2002

A young couple, very much in love, were getting married in church. However, Sue the wife was very nervous about the big occasion and so the vicar chose one verse that he felt would be a great encouragement to them. The verse was 1 Jn 4:18 which says: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Weddings

Denomination: Anglican

The Worship Leader Of First Church Big Was Having ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 19, 2002

The Worship leader of First Church Big was having a problem. He never had a problem of putting together a worship service together to match the Pastor’s sermon but this Sunday he had met his match. He couldn’t decide what to do. All week he prayed and thought about all the courses and hymns he ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Sexuality, Marriage General

When Napoleon's Armies Swept Across Europe, One ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Jan 14, 2003

"When Napoleon’s armies swept across Europe, one of his generals was preparing to attack the little town of Feldkirch on the Austrian border. It was Easter and the citizens gathered to decide whether to resist or surrender. The pastor told the people that they had been continuing on their own ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Prayer Answered

Denomination: United Methodist

Morris, The Loudmouth Mechanic, Was Removing The ...  PRO

Contributed by Jack Moore on Jan 21, 2003

Morris, the loudmouth mechanic, was removing the cylinder heads from the motor of a car when he spotted a famous heart surgeon who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his Mercedes. Morris shouted across the garage, "Hey Doc! Is dat you? Come on ova’ ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Pentecostal