In Sermon Illustrations: "Worship General"

Six Kinds Of Toxic People

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

SIX KINDS OF TOXIC PEOPLE Life Coach Cheryl Robinson says there are six kinds of toxic people. There are the blamers who are always complaining about what is wrong in their life and blaming others. Then there are the drainers. They’re like vampires who will come and suck everything out of you ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Methodist

Skeletons In Our Closets

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

SKELETONS IN OUR CLOSETS The Rockefeller family is considered to be one of the most philanthropic families in the world, helping humanity globally in issues like economics, religion, education and environmental affairs. Yet the Rockefeller family tree is filled with many skeletons. William Avery ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Methodist

St. Bonaventure Says:

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 23, 2012

St. Bonaventure says: It is impossible for anyone to attain to knowledge of that truth unless he first have infused faith in Christ, which is the ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Catholic

The Importance Of Friends  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 29, 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDS One of the most thorough research projects on relationships is called the Alameda County Study. Headed by a Harvard social scientist, it tracked the lives of 7,000 people over nine years. Researchers found that the most isolated people were three times more likely to die ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-15

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Baptist

On Habits

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 7, 2012

ON HABITS Someone Once Said... * Thoughts produce acts, acts produce habits, and habits produce character.--Anonymous * If we realize the extent to which we are mere walking bundles of habits, we would give more heed to their own formation.--William James* * First we ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:2

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

I Wish I Had Known Then What I Know Now

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Mar 15, 2012

I WISH I HAD KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW Mickey Mantle’s father was right handed and his grandfather was left handed. Between them, they taught him to switch hit. He is widely regarded to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players ever. He was inducted into the ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

Cirrhosis Of The Giver

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 27, 2012

CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER The disease cirrhosis of the giver was discovered in A.D. 34 by the husband-wife team of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11). It is an acute condition that renders the patient’s hands immobile when he is called on to move them in the direction of his wallet or her purse, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

The Inner Need For Excellence

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Apr 3, 2012

THE INNER NEED FOR EXCELLENCE Years ago during a speaking engagement, I stayed in a hotel in Dallas. It was late at night, and after flipping channels for a while, I landed on ESPN, which is how I learned that tennis legend Martina Navratilova had just won a grueling match in Florida earlier that ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 1:7-8

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Baptist

Died And Rose Again

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 7, 2012

DIED AND ROSE AGAIN "The whole story of the Church is one which imitates the story of her divine Master; she dies and she rises again. She was buried in the catacombs; she rose again with Constantine. She died in the Dark Ages; she rose again with Charlemagne. She died ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Catholic

Serve Where There's A Need

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 16, 2012

SERVE WHERE THERE'S A NEED The former editor of Christianity Today, Kenneth Kantzer, commented once that he never knew what his gift was. He just served where he saw the need. If a man of this experience and caliber never knew what his gift was but ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Annie Dillard: "I Had Been My Whole Life A Bell, ...

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Apr 26, 2012

Annie Dillard: "I had been my whole life a bell, and did not realize it ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Lutheran

Prayer Is Ignored

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 30, 2012

PRAYER IS IGNORED In 2005 Barna Reports said this, "Prayer is one of three critical spiritual dimensions which most local churches essentially ignore. Prayer is said to be one of the top ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John D. Rockefeller's Transformation

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 14, 2012

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER’S TRANSFORMATION John D. Rockefeller, Sr., was strong and husky when he was a youth. He early determined to earn money and drove himself to the limit. At age 33, he earned his first million dollars. At age 43, he controlled the biggest company in the world. At age 53, he was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Tags: Giving General

He'll Always Catch You

Contributed by Bryce Thorpe on May 17, 2012

HE'LL ALWAYS CATCH YOU I love to play with my kids. Even as they have gotten older, they bring me a great deal of joy. But, I confess, it was easier when they were young. Especially my daughter, now 21, used to love it when I threw her in the air. But, as you might guess, that wasn't always ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

Almost Giving

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2012

ALMOST GIVING One of the Ad Council's most effective public service commercials is the "Don't Almost Give" campaign. One ad shows a man with crutches struggling to go up a flight of steps. The narrator says, "This man almost learned to walk at a rehab center that almost got built by people who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38, James 2:16

Tags: Giving General

How Sin Can Capture You

Contributed by John Phillip R. Pesebre on Jun 4, 2012

HOW SIN CAN CAPTURE YOU Dr. Ralph Sockman writes about an experience he had while standing on the edge of Niagra Falls one clear, cold March day. Wrapped in white winter garments, the falls glistened in the bright sun. As some birds swooped down to snatch a drink from the clear water, Sockman's ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

The Banyan Tree

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2012

THE BANYAN TREE The Banyan is native to India, but they can be found in the United States and other parts of the world, especially Asia. It grows as a young tree and then, as it gets larger, the heavy limbs put forth roots which drop to the ground to form a secondary trunk to support the large ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:31

Tags: Church General

Toy Story: Friendship

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 23, 2012

TOY STORY: FRIENDSHIP "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17) Henry Ford said, "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me." And what's true of a good church is true of a good friend; they love you and they help you aspire to grow and be whole. Have ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Nazarene

Call Sin Something Else, Please?

Contributed by Eugene Morell on Jul 1, 2012

CALL SIN SOMETHING ELSE, PLEASE? There is a story about a Methodist preacher who often spoke on the subject of sin. He defined sin as that abominable thing that God hates. One day some of the leading laymen came to urge their pastor to stop using the word sin. The laymen told their pastor that ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Faith Like That

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jul 2, 2012

FAITH LIKE THAT The bishop's car ran out of petrol. His wife, who was a passenger remembered seeing a garage half a mile back down the road. He got out the car and started to search the boot of the car for a container, but the only one he could find was his baby grandson's potty - so that had to ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Brethren