In Sermon Illustrations: "Studying The Word"

Missions

Contributed by Tony Abram on Aug 22, 2009

Missions While churches concern themselves with missions abroad, many miss the opportunity afforded by the 400,000 international students who study in the U.S.A. each year. Many of them are open to new ideas and would be responsive to the gospel. We ...read more

Tags: Missions

Our Thoughts About God

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD A.W. Tozer said this, "Whatever comes to our mind when we think of God is the most important thing about us." We are all theologians, because theology is really simply the study of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 48:9-10

Tags: Thought

Unexpected Grace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2002

UNEXPECTED GRACE I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time right before the final in my Youth Issues class. When I got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying. The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test. We went ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

For Many Years Dr. Frances Schaeffer And His Wife ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 7, 2002

For many years Dr. Frances Schaeffer and his wife Edith ran a house of Christian hospitality and study in Switzerland called L’Abri. They opened their hearts and homes to hundreds of people seeking Biblical answers to life’s challenges. In her book What is a Family? ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Christian Disciplines, Servanthood

Denomination: Congregational

Addiction: The Existence Of Gamblers Anonymous ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Mcclain on Jan 22, 2003

ADDICTION: The existence of Gamblers Anonymous implies that gambling can be addictive! - Current estimates list approximately 2.5 million people as pathological gamblers, another 3 million as problem gamblers, and another 15 million people as at risk to become problem or ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

And Unless You're An Expert In Denial, Living ...

Contributed by Juan Lane on Nov 26, 2005

And unless you’re an expert in denial, living within your means is essential to your mental health. According to a survey by credit counseling firm Myvesta.org, about 40 percent of people with problem debt reported symptoms of severe depression. (By contrast, ...read more

Tags: Disappointment, Money

Denomination: Pentecostal

At Least Half Of The Men And Women Entering ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 9, 2006

At least half of the men and women entering seminaries today to become pastors, priests and rabbis are over 35, reports a Parade magazine study. Seminary enrollments are up 10% and students 35 and older are up 5% since ’91. Many have left ...read more

Tags: Church General

Small Groups Grow Participation In Small Groups ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Small Groups Grow Participation in small groups that meet during the week for prayer, Bible study or spiritual fellowship (excluding Sunday school or other church classes) increased from 12% in ’94 to 20% today. Men’s participation ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Child Care: A New National Alliance For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Child Care: A new National Alliance for Caregiving study says 1.3 million to 1.4 million children (ages 8-18) in the U.S. care for sick or disabled relatives. At least 75% get some help, but half spend a ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Americans With Disabilities And Other Chronic ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

Americans with Disabilities and other chronic conditions are less likely to use the Internet, but those who are online are among the most avid consumers of health-related information, a new study finds. 50% of those with chronic conditions use the Internet, compared with ...read more

Tags: Disability

Some Jewish Rabbis Write Up Isaac And Jacob And ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 24, 2008

Some Jewish rabbis write up Isaac and Jacob and Rebekah as saintly and filled with good intentions. For example, one Rabbi writes, "…we read of Isaac’s plan to give his son Esau the material blessings, so that he could protect and support ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Screen ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

SCREEN TIME A Canadian study reveals some teens spend as much time in front of a screen as it would take to work a full-time job. 52% of boys and 26% of girls report average total screen time of more than 42 hours ...read more

Tags: Youth

The First Mongolian ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

THE FIRST MONGOLIAN CHURCH The Christian authors, Bill and Amy Stearns, in their book entitled "20/20 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God Is Doing Around the World," describe how the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ, came to Mongolia. "In the 1870’s Swedish missionaries arrived in Mongolia - what was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Missions

Affectionate Writing Can Reduce Cholesterol

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2008

Affectionate Writing Can Reduce Cholesterol According to new research, writing down affectionate thoughts about close friends and family can reduce your cholesterol levels. Floyd et al. (2007) randomly assigned participants to one of two groups: one experimental and one control. The experimental ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Temptation Doesn't Always End In Failure

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 7, 2011

TEMPTATION DOESN'T ALWAYS END IN FAILURE The same Spirit that came down from heaven like a dove now led Jesus into the desert so He could be tempted by Satan. Why? Have you ever felt that you have been unjustly persecuted? Have you ever felt passed over, left behind, cast away or just can't seem ...read more

Tags: Temptation Of Christ

Chris Seay, A Us Pastor Writing In Leadership ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Oct 25, 2002

Chris Seay, a US pastor writing in Leadership magazine – a journal for pastors, says “One of our greatest obstacles is that the people we refer to as "the lost" may be more spiritual than most of us pastors. It is difficult to teach spiritual disciplines of prayer, study, and ...read more

Tags: Cults, Disciplines General, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In His Book I Surrender, Patrick Morley Writes ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception "that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior." He goes on to say, "It is revival without ...read more

Tags: Faith General, Repentance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In His Book I Surrender, Patrick Morley Writes ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior.” He goes on to say, “It is revival without ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Fewer Churchgoers Since ‘91, The Adult Population ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Fewer Churchgoers Since ‘91, the adult population in the U.S. has grown by 15%. But during that same period, according to a new Barna Group study, the number of adults who do not attend church has nearly doubled, rising from 39 ...read more

Tags: Church General

Survey Respondents Noted Temptations Were More ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 ...read more

Tags: Discipleship