In Sermon Illustrations: "Sleeping Church"

Believers Happier

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

BELIEVERS HAPPIER People who believe in God are happier than agnostics or atheists, claim British researchers. They become even happier the more they pray and go to church. The report found religious people were better able to cope with disappointments such as unemployment or divorce than ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Tags: Happiness

A Little Girl Asked Her Father Why Firemen ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A little girl asked her father why firemen stayed in the firehouse all day and polished their engines and other equipment. He explained that they did this to pass the time while waiting for fire calls. Many Christians likewise stay close to the familiar surroundings of the church community, ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

1) Kenneth Emerson Sauer, Pastor Of Parkview ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

(1) Kenneth Emerson Sauer, Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA tells that "At a men’s retreat a truck driver told about the change Christ had made in his life, and he was asked to think of some specific way in which he was different. After a pause, he said: “Well, when I ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Buying A New Chandelier

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Buying A New Chandelier The pastor called a special meeting of the congregation to approve the purchase of a brand new chandelier. After some discussion pro and con, an old farmer stood up and said, "Buying a new chandelier may seem like a good idea to you, but I’m against it for three ...read more

Tags: Unity

Someone Has Said That We Are In Danger Of ...

Contributed by William Hooper on Jul 12, 2007

Someone has said that we are in danger of entertaining ourselves to death. In his blog, Michael Spencer has said that "work must be entertaining. Education must be entertaining. Marriage must be entertaining. Family life must be entertaining. Children must be entertained. Our lives must be full of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Master Of Religiosity

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Jun 29, 2009

THE MASTER OF RELIGIOSITY He made free use of Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessing of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He assumed the earnestness of a man weighed down by historic responsibility. He handed out pious ...read more

Tags: Hypocrisy

Denomination: Methodist

I Have Heard The Statement Of Couples Being 'soul ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jul 10, 2009

I have heard the statement of couples being ’soul mates’, but I believe when two believers filled with the same Holy Spirit are married, it is God who has joined them together and no one, including the devil should be able to break that tie. In this outline we share a simple message around the ...read more

Tags: Marriage Commitment

A Paramedic Was Asked On A Local Dallas Tv ...

Contributed by Tim Adams on Dec 1, 2009

A paramedic was asked on a local Dallas TV talk-show program: “What was your most unusual and challenging 911 call?” “Recently,” the paramedic began, “we got a call from that big white church on 11th and Walnut. A frantic usher was very concerned that during their worship service an elderly man ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Baptist

God Shows Up In The Humblest Dwellings

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Dec 15, 2009

GOD SHOWS UP IN THE HUMBLEST DWELLINGS Tommy Welchel describes the miracles of Azusa Street: "The thought that God visited us in a barn to introduce His Son...confounds the minds of scholars a skeptics. These miracles were happening in and old, run-church that once used to house animals. By the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Pentecostal

Albert Barnes, An 19th Century Theologian, In His ...

Contributed by Jesse Roncales on Mar 12, 2010

Albert Barnes, an 19th century theologian, in his Notes on the New Testament, affirms this truth, “If a man is not influenced by the meek, pure and holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus, if he is not conformed to His image, if his life does not resemble that of the Saviour, he is a stranger to ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Assembly Of God

God And...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jul 6, 2010

"GOD AND..." The Heidelberg Catechism puts it succinctly (Q&A #95): Idolatry "…is TO IMAGINE, CLING TO, OR TRUST IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN OR IN ADDITION TO THE ONE TRUE GOD WHO HAS BEEN REVEALED IN GOD’S WORD." Notice that this definition strikes where most of us are – we like to worship 'God and…' ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Behind The Mask

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

BEHIND THE MASK In Basel, Switzerland each year the good Protestant townspeople have a festival in which they all don masks and go through the city doing things and going placed they would never consider doing/going under normal circumstances. The mask, which veiled their identity emboldened them ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

Denomination: Brethren

Fighting The Wolves

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

FIGHTING THE WOLVES There was a pastor of a local Church who was concerned about some unsavoury business outside his local school. His protests finally led to a court case and the opposing barrister tried to do everything he could to discredit the pastor. "Are you a pastor?" the lawyer ...read more

Tags: Culture

Denomination: Brethren

Whyte In Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

WHYTE IN PRAYER Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought, "The preacher certainly won’t think of anything for which to thank ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

There Was An Ot Professor Who Taught Young People ...

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jul 5, 2012

There was an OT professor who taught young people that were preparing for the ministry. At the beginning of the class he would take off his coat and bow. He would bow to the class of his students. Some of his faculty members were upset at this gesture. And he said, "I bow to them because you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-9

Tags: Humility, Luther

Denomination: *other

Christian Priesthood  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 1, 2013

From R. Paul Stevens: Christian priesthood is not a matter of being religious and Mr. Goody two shoes but of serving God and God’s purposes in the nitty gritty everydayness of life in the world, not a matter of sacred times and sacred places but ordinary times and ordinary places, not a matter ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:15-16

Tags: Everyday Life, Priestly

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Creche And The Second Coming

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Marques Silva writes, “In college I was surprised when a close friend explained her family crèche. It wasn’t the style or the model that caused me to pause. It was the addition of a figurine that I had neither seen nor considered before. This particular set included not only the baby Jesus but an ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Second Coming, Creche

Denomination: Methodist

Enthronement Of Jesus

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 5, 2026

Enthronement is foreign to us in the United States. We have discussed all the Hallmark movies featuring a reluctant prince who does not want to be enthroned. In the past and in the present, if you live in a culture where there is great political intrigue and folks are trying to take the throne by ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 110:1

Tags: Jesus, Promise, Enthronement

Denomination: Methodist

Communication Improvement

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 22, 2026

FROZEN COMMUNICATION LINES BREED DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES. DYSFUNTIONAL FAMILIES BREED SICK SOCIETIES AND WEAK CHURCHES. LET US LOOK AT HOW DO WE GAIN UNDERSTAND. HOW DO WE LEARN FROM COMMUNICATION SKILLS? ** We assume learn comes from “WORDS.” Sure this is true. Let us look at the facts: • *7% of ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Communication, Grow

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Palm Sunday Funny

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 29, 2021

It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5 year old Sammy stayed home from church with a babysitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Sammy inquired as to what they were for. 'People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by,' his father ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Tags: Palm Sunday, Seeing Jesus, Jesus The King, Jesus' Presence

Denomination: Independent/Bible