In Sermon Illustrations: "Soul Winning Success"

The Big Question "What Things Are Important And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

The BIG question “What things are important and what things are trivial?” Illus. Christmas night 2002, Jack Whittaker had five out of five numbers in the West Virginia Power ball drawing. Jack Whittaker had just won $314 million, the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history. He took the one ...read more

Tags: Money

Perseverance And Poise In The Midst Of Pain--The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

PERSEVERANCE AND POISE IN THE MIDST OF PAIN--THE EXAMPLE OF KERRI STRUG When the Olympic Games were in Atlanta, Georgia, the whole world knew the name and fame of young Kerri Strug. Kerri became the key to the American women’s gymnastic team receiving the gold medal. If she could ace her turn to ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Endurance

Helping Others

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

Years ago, my father coached a team of eight-year-olds. He had a few excellent players, and some who just couldn't get the hang of the game. Dad's team didn't win once all season. But in the last inning of the last game, his team was only down by a run. There was one boy who had never ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2

Tags: Supporting Others, Supporting Each Other

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Finish The Race

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 11, 2025

“John Stephen Akhwari is an Olympic legend. Representing his country, Tanzania, he was a favorite to win the marathon at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Well-rested. Ready. His expectations were high. The Olympic marathon began in the afternoon of October 20, 1968. John Stephen Akhwari ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-3, 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Tags: Integrity, Finish Well, Cloud Of Witnesses, Run The Race

Denomination: Methodist

Fight Like Men  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

FIGHT LIKE MEN The hour is fast approaching, on which the Honor and Success of this army, and the safety of our bleeding Country depend. Remember officers and Soldiers, that you are Freemen, fighting for the blessings of Liberty -- that slavery will be your portion, and that of your ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Political Freedom

Let Every Nation Know, Whether It Wishes Us Well ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 4, 2002

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom, Freedom

Young & Rubicam Claim Brands Have Replaced ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

Young & Rubicam claim brands have replaced religious faith in giving meaning to people’s lives. The ad agency says that successful ’belief brands,’ such as Calvin Klein, Microsoft and Nike, work because they have fun and refuse to ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Call Center Clout: 92% Of U.s. Consumers Form ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Call Center Clout: 92% of U.S. consumers form their opinions of a company based on their experiences using that company’s call center. 65% say they’d stop using a company’s products or services if they had a negative experience ...read more

Tags: Church General

According To A Focus On The Family Study Of More ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

According to a Focus on the Family study of more than 500 family counselors, the following are the top traits of successful families: *Communicating and listening *Affirming and supporting family members *Respecting one another *Developing a sense of trust *Sharing time and responsibility ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

If I Had To Select One Quality, One Personal ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked ...read more

Tags: Endurance

I Was Once Present When An Old Mother, Who Had ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I was once present when an old mother, who had brought up a large family of children with eminent success, was asked by a young one what she would recommend in the case of some children who were too anxiously ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Take Action. Procrastination Is The Death Blow ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Take action. Procrastination is the death blow to self-motivation. I'll do it later...after I get organized is the language of the unsuccessful and the frustrated. Successful, highly motivated men and women don't put it off. They know their lives are no more than the ...read more

Tags: Productivity

The Rules Seem To Be These: If You Have Written ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"The rules seem to be these: If you have written a successful novel, everyone invites you to write short stories. If you have written some good short stories, everyone wants you to write a novel. But nobody wants anything ...read more

Tags: Books And Literature

Back In June Of 1999, Eddie Stankey Died At The ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 8, 2001

Back in June of 1999, Eddie Stankey died at the age of 83. Time Magazine carried his obituary. It seems that in his day, Stankey (nicknamed “the brat”) had been a “pugnacious pennant-winning 2nd basemen for such championship teams as the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants. ...read more

Tags: Sports, Leadership General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A. Quote From The Movie Hoosiers "Forget About ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 21, 2002

A. Quote from the movie Hoosiers "Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here, focus on the fundamentals we have gone over time and time again, and most importantly don’t get caught up thinking about winning or losing this game. If you put ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Disciplines General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Newspaper Held A Competition To Find Out How ...  PRO

Contributed by W F on Sep 26, 2004

A newspaper held a competition to find out how people would describe friendship. The winning answer was, “A friend is someone who’s walking in when everyone else is walking out.” You and I have a friend that will do that, a friend who will stick closer than a brother. Jesus said, “Surely I am ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42, Proverbs 18:24, Luke 24:13-35

Tags: Friendship New Friends, Friendship General

Denomination: *other

I Want You To Watch A Modern Day Example Of What ...

Contributed by Richard Tow on Sep 22, 2005

I want you to watch a modern day example of what we’re talking about in a clip from the movie, Simon Birch (Chapter 8). Notice particularly the contrast between how some people relate to little Simon Birch versus others. If we were looking for an example of how to not win a child to the Lord I ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Charismatic

A Father Of Three Won A Shouting Contest With A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

A father of three won a shouting contest with a roar louder than a passing train. “If you want a war, you go!” Yoshihiko Kato shouted. The sound meter registered 115.8 decibels, louder than the racket of a train passing overhead on an elevated railroad. For that winning shout, Kato won the $750 ...read more

Tags: Children

The Bridger Generation, Those Born Between ‘77 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

The Bridger Generation, those born between ‘77 and ‘94 and the second largest generation in history, is growing up in homes with no moral certainty, no absolutes, no sense of why right is right and wrong is wrong, and no certain hope for eternal life and God’s abiding presence today. Christians can ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Many Years Ago During A Knicks-Bullets Playoff ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

Many years ago during a Knicks-Bullets playoff game, one of the Bullets came up from behind the great Walt Frazier and punched him in the face. Strangely, the referee called a foul on Frazier. Frazier didn’t complain. His expression never changed. He simply called for the ball and put in seven ...read more

Tags: Anger