In Sermon Illustrations: "Special Needs Children"

Many Years Ago Charles G. Finney Was Preaching In ...  PRO

Contributed by John Dobbs on Mar 2, 2001

Many years ago Charles G. Finney was preaching in Rochester, New York. Far up in the balcony was a brilliant and able lawyer. He was chief justice of the court of New York. As he listened to the minister, he became convicted of his need to follow Christ. "That man is speaking the truth," he said ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26, John 15:1-11

Tags: Emotions, Confession Of Sin, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Benjamin Franklin Learned That Plaster Sown In ...  PRO

Contributed by David Dewitt on Apr 1, 2001

Benjamin Franklin learned that plaster sown in the fields would make things grow. He told his neighbors, but they did not believe him and they argued with him trying to prove that plaster could be of no use at all to grass or grain. After a little while he allowed the matter to drop and said ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

Denomination: Church Of God

Are You A Risk-Taker Or A Safety-Seeker?  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on May 9, 2001

Are you a Risk-taker or a safety-seeker? Responding to the increasing destructiveness of high winds in the Midwest, one developer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, offered an optional tornado-safe room in the new homes he was selling. It cost an additional $2,500 for the room—which can also be used as a ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence, God's Provision, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

Conflict Results When We Perceive That Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2001

Conflict results when we perceive that our rights or needs are being violated in some way. Most of you probably remember the horrible tragedy that occurred in Massachusetts this past December. On the morning of December 26, 42 year old software tester, Michael McDermott, entered Edgewater ...read more

Let Me Share Story With You About Some Church ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Dubose on Feb 6, 2002

Let me share story with you about some church people… It’s about 4 people in the church whose names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody… The church had some financial responsibilities and Everybody was asked to help… Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it… Anybody could have ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:1-11

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Methodist

Time Equals Money?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 12, 2002

TIME EQUALS MONEY? In his 1970 book "The Harried Leisure Class," Staffan Linder challenged the notion that time equals money. More money, he said, means more shopping and therefore less time. More recently, Juliet Schor argued in "The Overworked American" that the American workweek has been ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Workplace

Transformation  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 18, 2002

TRANSFORMATION The motor home has allowed us to put all the conveniences of home on wheels. A camper no longer needs to contend with sleeping in a sleeping bag, cooking over a fire, or hauling water from a stream. Now he can park a fully equipped home on a cement slab in the midst of a few pine ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Go To Church  PRO

Contributed by Dean Kennedy on Aug 26, 2002

Why Go To Church A Churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I’ve gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Church General, Church Small Groups, Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

America's Sin Of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Nov 1, 2002

[America’s Sin of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: Richard Halverson, "The Question Facing Us," Preaching Today, Tape 46.] In 1863 President Lincoln designated April 30th as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. Let me read a portion of his proclamation on that occasion: "It is the duty ...read more

Tags: Christian Values, God's Provision, Political Freedom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Teenage Boy, Who Stated Openly That He Didn't ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jan 17, 2003

A teenage boy, who stated openly that he didn’t believe in God, was asked why. “Our family was going through a very hard time,” he explained, “and I prayed that God would help us—but nothing happened.” On the other hand, another family with a teenager was in great need. The father had been out of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Prayer Supplication, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Pentecostal

Worship Is A Time To Celebrate, Citation: Rod ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Apr 11, 2003

[Worship Is a Time to Celebrate, Citation: Rod Cooper, "Worship or Worry?" Preaching Today, Tape No. 108.] I used to be the chaplain for the Astros and the Oilers when I was in Houston, Texas. After I’d do a chapel, they’d give me tickets. One time in the Astrodome I watched Earl Campbell run ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During The Bosnian Conflict, Nato Forces Were ...

Contributed by Mark Mccool on Apr 21, 2003

During the Bosnian Conflict, NATO forces were sent to assist matters in protecting the Croats from Serbian aggression. During this conflict and while in faithful service, 29 year old United States Air Force pilot, Captain Scott O’Grady, was shot down on June 2, 1995, while flying his F-16 Falcon ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Denomination: Pentecostal

Finding Real Power  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Jun 3, 2003

FINDING REAL POWER Someone has wisely said what it takes to find freedom in the power of the Holy Spirit. "It costs much to obtain the power of the Spirit. It costs self-surrender and humiliation and the yielding up of the most precious things to God. It costs the perseverance of long waiting ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Holy Spirit General

Denomination: United Methodist

Do It Anyway  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Jun 7, 2003

DO IT ANYWAY While we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. ………Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Baptist

A Parable Is Told Of A Community Of Ducks ...  PRO

Contributed by George Rennau on Apr 28, 2003

A parable is told of a community of ducks waddling off to duck church one Sunday to hear their duck preacher. After they waddled into the duck sanctuary, the service began and the duck preacher spoke eloquently of how God had given the ducks wings with which to fly. He pounded the pulpit with his ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-18

Tags: Ten Commandments, Worship Purpose, Loving God

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Little Lame Boy Was Once Hurrying To Catch A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ronald Keller on Nov 24, 2003

“A little lame boy was once hurrying to catch a train. In the press of the crowd he experienced real difficulty in manipulating his crutches, especially as he was carrying a basket full of fruit and candy. As the passengers rushed along, one hit the basket by mistake, knocking oranges, apples, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37, Luke 10:29-37

Tags: Forgiveness General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Nazarene

Numbers 24:17 Had Predicted That "A Star Will ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Aug 20, 2004

Numbers 24:17 had predicted that “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” That star was a young boy by the name of Jesus - who would save His people from their sins. Every evening when you wake up you can look at the stars and depend on the fact that it will be in the ...read more

Scripture: John 4:25-26

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Lutheran

Kathy Bates Was In The Movie "Fried Green ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Sep 27, 2004

Kathy Bates was in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”, but is probably best remembered for her role as an obsessed fan in Misery that won her an Oscar. In Misery Bates plays a nurse who encounters her favorite author at an accident scene in a remote location in Colorado during a fierce snowstorm. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

Annie Howard  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Oct 28, 2004

Annie Howard In 1991 she was awarded one of President Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light” awards for her Prison Fellowship volunteer work in the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women. Holds choir practice in the prison chapel, has an evening Bible study, hosts a dinner for 6 volunteers ...read more

Tags: Sharing Your Faith, Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Wesleyan

I Am Reminded About The Story Of This Particular ...

Contributed by David Rogers on Nov 23, 2004

I am reminded about the story of this particular church. One Sunday morning the congregation arrived to find a dirty old vagrant lying beside the door. Some looked at him and said how awful that someone like that is sitting outside our beautiful church, why the pastor should make him move on we ...read more

Tags: Humility, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist