In Sermon Illustrations: "Think Before You Speak"

Suburban Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 10, 2010

SUBURBAN OUTREACH Calvin Miller teaches in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Beeson Divinity School. He recently wrote a provocative article entitled, "Rethinking Suburban Evangelism," on the challenge taking the gospel to people who sense no need: "Suburbia: the push-button Zion of those who have made ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Evangelism How To

The Bible Is The Blueprints

Contributed by Sean Harder on Aug 5, 2011

THE BIBLE IS THE BLUEPRINTS Can you build a real house without blueprints? Sure you can throw up a square storage shed maybe without them, but do you not need to have some kind of visual plan of the dimensions, how many rooms, where the rooms go, and so on in order to start building an actual ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Anibal Sat In A Brazilian Jail Cell, Guilty Of ...

Contributed by Bret Toman on Dec 22, 2011

Anibal sat in a Brazilian jail cell, guilty of murder. He was a weightlifter, with bulging biceps, a leathery face and a tattoo of an anchor on his forearm that seemed to symbolize his personality. But he appeared to soften as the preacher talked with him about guilt, forgiveness, a God who knew ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

Is It Death Or Really Life?

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Robin Norwood in her book, “Why Me? Why This? Why Now?” writes, “A very wise old fried of mine who has just celebrated his 100th birthday said to me about a recent news broadcast he recently heard about 73 people losing their lives in a plan crash: “Don’t they know we can’t lose our lives? We can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Death, Eternal Life

Denomination: Methodist

If I Have Seen Everything....  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 23, 2016

IF I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING.... Evangelist Jack Taylor was alone in his hotel room in Houston, Texas after a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. He felt exhausted in ministry. He cried out to God in prayer, "Lord, if I have seen everything You have for me in my ministry.......then take my life ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, Total Surrender, Burnt Out

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Witness Barber

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

There was a barber that thought that he should share his faith with his customers more than he had been doing lately. So the next morning when the sun came up and the barber got up out of bed he said, "Today I am going to witness to the first man that walks through my door." Soon after ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Witness

Denomination: Methodist

Don't End Your Life --- Start It All Over Again!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 7, 2022

A student at Penn State University went out on a ledge of a tall building on campus and threatened to take her life by jumping off. The campus chaplain was called in to bring calmness while awaiting the emergency team from nearby. When the chaplain found the young woman, her threats seemed very ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-7

Tags: Counseling, Crises, Chaplains, Emergencies, Evangelism, New Life, Born Again, New Birth, Witnessing, Suicide  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He'll Find Me

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 20, 2022

Two men have ended up marooned on an island in the South Pacific. On the deserted island is one palm tree and nothing to see but the ocean. One guy is in a complete panic, pacing back and forth, ranting about how they are going to die, hungry and alone, that nobody will stumble on them until they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:2-4

Tags: Giving, Tithes, Offerings

Big Hands

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 13, 2025

A boy and his mother walked into the corner drug store to buy a few things. And right there on the counter was a big glass candy jar—one of those old-fashioned ones, filled to the brim with all the colors a child’s imagination could want. The boy froze. You know how kids get—locked in, mesmerized, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 81:10

Tags: Trust, Provision

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Pit

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 18, 2026

The Pit man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out. A subjective person came along and said: "I feel for you down there." An objective person came along and said: "It's logical that someone would fall down there." A Pharisee said: "Only bad people fall into ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-27

Tags: Jesus, Helping Others

Denomination: Methodist

When A Train Goes Through The Tunnel And It ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Householder on Sep 30, 2004

"When a train goes through the tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still ...read more

Tags: Perseverance, Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

Bruce Bickel And Stan Jantz In Their Book God Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jul 23, 2005

Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz in their book God is in the Small Stuff for Your Marriage, say, “At the wedding you say, “I do.” ...read more

Tags: Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Church Of God

Good Books Of All Sorts My Employ Your Leisure ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

Good books of all sorts my employ your leisure and enrich you with treasures more valuable than those which you ...read more

Tags: Books And Literature

The Expression Of Christian Character Is Not ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"The expression of Christian character is not good doing, but God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit Divine ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Some Lawyers Say Fast Food Is Dangerous. It Can ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Some lawyers say fast food is dangerous. It can make you fat. I say some lawyers are dangerous. They can ...read more

Tags: Law

A Good Marriage Is Like An Incredible ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"A good marriage is like an incredible retirement fund. You put everything you have into it during your productive life, and over the ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

There Is An Old Motto That Runs, If At First ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"There is an old motto that runs, If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. This is nonsense. It ought to read, If at ...read more

Tags: Workplace Success

Life Has Got To Be Lived That's All There Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Life has got to be lived that's all there is to it. At 70, I would say the advantage is that you take life more ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Worship Will Never Cease

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Apr 23, 2009

WORSHIP WILL NEVER CEASE There is coming a day when witnessing will cease; preaching will cease; in fact, praying will cease. But worship will never cease! The ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Church Of God

J. Vernon Mcgee Quote,

Contributed by Rich Cook on Aug 6, 2012

J. Vernon McGee quote, "This is God's universe and he does things his way. You may have a better ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Nazarene