In Sermon Illustrations: "Sleeping Church" showing 141-160 of 7,616

The Church Is Not A Dormitory For Sleepers, It ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The church is not a dormitory for sleepers, it is an institution for workers; it is not a rest ...read more

Tags: Church General

The Problem Is Not That The Churches Are Filled ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The problem is not that the churches are filled with empty pews, but that the pews ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Reclaiming Church Dropouts  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009

RECLAIMING CHURCH DROPOUTS 70% of young adults will leave the church between ages 18 and 22, yet LifeWay Research has found 39% of them will return if gently nudged by their parents or other family members. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Church Growth

Falling Asleep In Church

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Apr 22, 2009

FALLING ASLEEP IN CHURCH Please don't think I'm complaining about folks who fall asleep in church. I understand some people can’t help it. I am convinced that some people fall asleep in church during the sermon because their have a physical ailment. Some folk must have a snooze button attached at ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Denomination: Church Of God

Marks Of A Healthy Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

Marks of a Healthy Church Walt Disney was a dreamer. His crowning vision was EPCOT; Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. He envisioned the perfect city of 20,000 using all of the most modern advances technology. One problem, Walt Disney died before his cream was ever realized. His dream ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church's Greatest Troublemakers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2009

THE CHURCH'S GREATEST TROUBLEMAKERS Preacher and Bible commentator, John Stott, said this in his exposition of Paul's letter to the Galatians: "To tamper with the gospel is to trouble the church... Indeed the church's greatest troublemakers (now as then) are not those outside who oppose, ridicule ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-10

Tags: False Teaching

The Church's Identity And Purpose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2009

THE CHURCH'S IDENTITY AND PURPOSE In his book, The Family of God, Batsell Barrett Baxter says the following: "There are some who think of the church as an organization like other organizations. It is true that the church is an organization, but it is not primarily an organization. Rather, it is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 1:21-23

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Church-Hopping Stats

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 15, 2010

CHURCH-HOPPING STATS Surveys show that as much as 85 percent of church membership growth is made up of people who church-hop. Other surveys show that there has been no real growth in church membership in recent ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Importance Of Church Friendships  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2010

IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH FRIENDSHIPS A new Gallup study commissioned by Group Publishing shows that people with close friendships in their church are very satisfied with their congregation, less likely to leave their place of worship, and have a strong friendship with God. Church members who have a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

No Greater Gift To The Church

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 31, 2010

NO GREATER GIFT TO THE CHURCH Andrew Murray once said, "God has no more precious gift to a church or an age than a man who lives as an embodiment of His will, and inspires those around him with the faith of what grace can do (Andrew Murray, Leadership, Vol. 7, no. 4). Dear friends, by God's ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:10

Tags: Character

A Church Made William ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

A Church Made William Wickham King Edward of England appointed William Wickham to build a church. William Wickham performed his duty and finished by writing in one of the windows, "This work made William Wickham." When the king saw this he confronted William for assuming the honor of building the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-13

Tags: Gratitude

The Importance Of Church In The Face Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 4, 2010

The Importance of Church in the Face of Disillusionment The church has fallen on tough times. Sadly, some of the negative perceptions are the church’s fault. Stories of sexual abuse by a few ministers and avarice and greed by others have tarnished the testimony of the church. I am convinced that ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23-25

Tags: Church General

The Church: The Balm Of Healing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 4, 2010

THE CHURCH: THE BALM OF HEALING In the book, The Empowered Communicator, Calvin Miller says that most people we come in contact with are silently thinking: • I am loneliness waiting for a friend • I am weeping in want of laughter • I am a sigh in search of consolation • I am a wound in search of ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Burma Shave And The Church  PRO

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 15, 2010

BURMA-SHAVE AND THE CHURCH Dan Betzer told about the old Burma Shave commercials alongside the roadside. Some of you remember how advertisers would use several well-placed slogans on signs to promote their product. Burma Shave was famous for their billboard advertisements. For example, one ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

The Church: A Model Home  PRO

Contributed by Ciprian Luca on Jun 19, 2010

THE CHURCH: A MODEL HOME "Perhaps the best analogy to describe all this is that of a model home. We are God's demonstration community of the rule of Christ in the (unbelieving) city. On a tract of earth's land, purchased with the blood of Christ, Jesus the kingdom developer has begun building new ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Attending Church Matters

Contributed by Noel Atkinson on Jun 27, 2010

ATTENDING CHURCH MATTERS The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry in spring 1997 released an article that shows older people who base their Christian faith on TV programmes have a higher rate of depression and lower health than the general population. While those who base their Christian life ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Baptist

Elephant Fights In Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 28, 2010

ELEPHANT FIGHTS IN CHURCH An African proverb says, "When elephants fight, grass gets trampled." Elephants do not throw their weight around for nothing. The average African elephant weighs 16,534 lbs. The largest elephant on record weighed about 24,000 pounds and was 13 feet tall! Wild elephants ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Tags: Power, Divisions

Is Your Church On Fire?

Contributed by K. Simms on Nov 5, 2010

IS YOUR CHURCH ON FIRE? In a little town unknown to many, there was a small church. One night smoke and flames consumed this little church. People from all over town stood in the streets and watched the church as it burned. The local preacher drove up and noticed several people that he hadn't seen ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Methodist

Try Coming To Church

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 15, 2010

Quote: "When you were born, your mother brought you to church. When you were married, your wife brought you to church. When you die, your friends will bring you to ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Brethren

Which Church Is Yours?

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

WHICH CHURCH IS YOURS? There's a cartoon with a picture of two men rowing boats. One was wearing a dog collar and in his hands was a punting pole. Also in the boat were rows and rows of people cheering him on. In the other boat, the man rowing, also wearing a dog collar, had in his hands a ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Brethren