In Sermon Illustrations: "Sing Praises"

I Can Remember Two Separate Mornings In My Life, ...  PRO

Contributed by Brad Froese on Oct 6, 2004

I can remember two separate mornings in my life, when I woke up early because I couldn’t breathe. When I woke, my lungs had stopped breathing and I realized they weren’t taking commands from my brain. So I darted out of bed, standing in the middle of the room with my mouth wide open, prompting my ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Assembly Of God

10 Things You Never Hear In Church  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 12, 2005

10 Things You Never Hear in Church 1. Hey! It’s my turn to sit in the front pew! 2. I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon went 25 minutes over time. 3. Personally I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf. 4. I’ve decided to give our church the $500 a month I used to send to TV ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Devil Is A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 16, 2009

The Devil Is A Liar A well-paid, recently-promoted young executive dreamed he died and stood at the Pearly Gates. Peter asks: "Do you want to go to heaven or to hell?" "Let me know my options," he says. "Show me hell." Up pops a giant screen with a video playing. Girls in bikinis and well-built ...read more

Scripture: John 8:44

Tags: Satan

Vance Havner On How To Reach The Masses  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2010

VANCE HAVNER ON HOW TO REACH THE MASSES Preacher Vance Havner used to tell this story: Years ago a convention met in Indianapolis to discuss "How to Reach the Masses." One day during that convention a young man stood on a box on a corner and began to preach. A crowd gathered, mostly workingmen ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:14-15

Tags: Evangelism How To

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

Are You Ready To Rescue The Perishing?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2012

ARE YOU READY TO RESCUE THE PERISHING? I read a story of a man that got saved as a young, adult. He was so excited about Christ for the first couple of weeks, he told everybody the difference Jesus had made in his life. One Sunday night he was at his church and they sang this song, "Rescue the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Bertoldo De Giovanni Is A Name Even The Most ...

Contributed by Perry Greene on Aug 2, 2012

Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

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

Offer Up Your Gift — Antonio Stradivarius  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Aug 30, 2007

Offer up Your Gift - Antonio Stradivarius A young boy Antonio loves music, but his voice was high and squeaky, and so he did not make the tryouts for the Cremona Boy’s Choir. When he took violin lessons, the neighbours persuaded his parents to make him stop. Yet Antonio still wanted to make ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

My Child

Contributed by Andy Beech on Mar 29, 2008

My Child I would like to rejoice with the rest, Lord, But there’s a great big ache in my heart - For someone I love is suffering, Lord, And I don’t know how to start. Will you help me sing carols again, Lord? And make all my fears depart? Will you lead me safely to Bethlehem To worship with all my ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Twas Battered And Scarred, And The Auctioneer ...

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 4, 2008

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin. But he held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks?" he cried. "Who’ll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only two? Two dollars, and who’ll ...read more

Tags: Music

If There Is One Thing God Wants Of Us Very ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jul 13, 2008

If there is one thing God wants of us very desperately in these days, that one thing is RELATIONSHIP. I sincerely believe God wants to renew our relationship with him and is looking to bridge the distance between us. For some, the first step of bridging the distance is having a relationship with ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Salvation Army

Augustine And The Bible  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 3, 2009

AUGUSTINE AND THE BIBLE For 2,000 years the Bible, often unaided by any human intervention, has transformed the lives of those who read it, many times dramatically so. St. Augustine is a good example. For most of his life he was a famed academic in the Roman Empire. He was very successful in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:8-19

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Pentecostal

Max Lucado And God's Grace

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Mar 12, 2009

MAX LUCADO AND GOD'S GRACE Max Lucado - Despite having sold 15 million books, a one-minute radio show in 900 markets, and a church of over 3,000 in weekly attendance, Lucado has not always been so "angelic." From his sophomore to senior year in high school, in his words, he "walked the path of the ...read more

Tags: Grace

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

Even Back Then I Was Searching For Hard Evidence ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 14, 2001

Even back then I was searching for hard evidence of God as an alternative to faith. And one day found it-on television, of all places. While randomly flipping a dial, I came across a mass healing service being conducted by Kathryn Kuhlman. I watched for a few minutes as she brought various people ...read more

Bob Russell Shared That Several Months Before ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Demastus on Oct 22, 2001

*Bob Russell shared that several months before they moved into their new church building in 1998, their ministry staff met at the new site for a special staff meeting. Most of the building still wasn’t carpeted, and some of the rooms still had no drywall. They handed out hard hats, magic markers, ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-11

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

While I Was Working In The V Corps Chaplain's ...  PRO

Contributed by Julian Silva on Jan 9, 2003

While I was working in the V Corps Chaplain’s office in Frankfurt, Germany; I came in contact with many wonderful Christian individuals. One of the most inspiring was a German by the name of Carl Scholz. In speaking to him one day, he related to me of how that during the Second World War he served ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God In The Hardships, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

In The Midst Of Chaos

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS The Late Show with David Letterman, as you may well know, is produced in the heart of New York City. It was Monday the 17th before the show was back on the air and Letterman said that the only reason he was back was due to the strength of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In his ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Endurance, Christian Disciplines

Unsatisfied  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2002

UNSATISFIED French author, Guy de Maupassant was one of the greatest writers of short stories the world has ever known. Within ten years he rose from relative obscurity to fame. Just what he thought he’d always wanted. His material possessions showed a life of affluence…a yacht in the ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day, Peace, Finding Fulfillment