In Sermon Illustrations: "Worship Purpose"

A Joke To Share When Attendance In The First Service Begins To Drop

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 12, 2024

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year-old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Church, Worship, Pastors, Attending Church, Dead Churches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Out Of The Shade And Into The Light

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Feb 6, 2025

It’s been cold outside! Last week I walked into the office and commented that it's not fair that we have to suffer through the hot Texas summers AND these sub-freezing temperatures. But here in Texas the snow and ice quickly melt away—except not in some places. On my commute to church there ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:25

Tags: Worship, Revival, Melt, Revive, Sunlight, Thaw, Light  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In Football They Have A Huddle, The Goal ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Dec 11, 2000

“In football they have a huddle, the goal of the huddle is to give you thirty seconds to call the play, that is why they give you a huddle.(At a professional football game there may be ) Sixty thousand people watching you huddle, they don’t mind you taking thirty seconds to call the play. They ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6, Genesis 3:16-17

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Great Commission, What Is Evangelism?, Pure

Denomination: Baptist

A German Soldier Was Wounded. He Was Ordered To ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Trout on Jan 25, 2001

A German soldier was wounded. He was ordered to go to the military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at the large and imposing building, he saw two doors, one marked, "For the slightly wounded," and the other, "For the seriously wounded." He entered through the first door and found ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-12

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Accomplish, Church Purpose Of, Great Commission

Denomination: Baptist

A Little Girl Walking In A Garden Noticed A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Mar 26, 2001

A little girl walking in a garden noticed a particularly beautiful flower. She admired its beauty and enjoyed its fragrance. “It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed. As she gazed on it, her eyes followed the stem down to the soil in which it grew. “This flower is too pretty to be planted in such dirt!” ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Tags: Perseverance, God In The Hardships, Gods Will, Contentment, Purpose, Trial  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

What About The Foundation?, Citation: Ravi ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Sep 27, 2001

[What About the Foundation?, Citation: Ravi Zacharias, "If the Foundations Be Destroyed," Preaching Today, Tape No. 142.] A few weeks ago, I did a lectureship at Ohio State University. As I was being driven to the lecture, we passed the new Wexner Art Center. The driver said, "This is a new art ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience, God Brings Purpose, Truth Absolute

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When It Comes To Community Ministry, We Finally ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 3, 2001

When it comes to community ministry, we finally put our program where our mouth is. Instead of expecting the community to come to church, we ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Christian Disciplines, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Church Of God

Most Churches Do A Good Job Of Getting People ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 25, 2001

“Most churches do a good job of getting people to first base or maybe even second base. People will receive Christ, be baptized and join the church (that’s getting them to first base). Some churches also do an excellent job of helping believers develop the habits that lead to spiritual maturity ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Growth In Christ, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Church Of God

Sunday Morning August 31 1997 We Awoke To The ...  PRO

Contributed by David Whitten on Nov 29, 2001

Sunday Morning August 31 1997 we awoke to the news that seemed to rock the world. It was the of a Princess. Millions watched as news reporters described in great detail the events that caused the of Princess Diana. Up dates told every late breaking tid bit of information. The world sat hungrily ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Great Commission, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Greatest Use Of Life Is To Spend It For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:13

Tags: Workplace Evangelism, Finding Fulfillment, God Brings Purpose

Better To Love God And Die Unknown Than To Love ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Better to love God and die unknown than to love the world and be a hero; better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth; better to have taken some risks and lost than to ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Finding Fulfillment, Kingdom Of God

Two Great Days  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

TWO GREAT DAYS There are two great days in a person’s life -- the day we are born and the day we ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Doing God's Will, God Brings Purpose

Oh Lord, Become The Master Of Our Passions, And ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

Oh Lord, become the master of our passions, and the creator of our ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, God Brings Purpose, Christian Disciplines

The Roman Emperor Charlemagne Has An Interesting ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Feb 11, 2002

The Roman emperor Charlemagne has an interesting story surrounding his burial. This famous king asked to be entombed sitting upright in his throne. He asked that his crown be placed on his head and his scepter in his hand. He requested that the royal cape be draped around his shoulders and an ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, God Brings Purpose, Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During Wwii, When Italy Invaded Ethiopia, All ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Apr 17, 2002

During WWII, when Italy invaded Ethiopia, all Protestant missionaries were forced to leave the country. In one district there was a church of about 70. Some 5 years later when the missionaries returned, they found 60,000 Christians ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers, God's Omnipotence, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Little Boy And The Circus  PRO

Contributed by Ely Lambert on Aug 26, 2002

The Little Boy and the Circus A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Holy Spirit Attributes, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bishop Lindsey's Story  PRO

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Sep 26, 2002

Bishop Lindsey’s Story I recently had the opportunity to hear our Bishop, Lindsey Davis, speak. He is an avid golfer, so much so in fact that when we went to Augusta for the North Ga Conference meeting they gave him a green jacket – I’m not sure why – I’m kidding I do know the significance of a ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Sharing Your Faith, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: United Methodist

I'm Only A Mirror Fragment  PRO

Contributed by Matt Black on Oct 26, 2002

I’M ONLY A MIRROR FRAGMENT I want to share with you a story about a very interesting well-educated Greek philosopher whose name is Dr. Alexander Popaderos. And Dr. Popaderos every summer on the island of Crete taught a class on ethics for two weeks. And this particular summer just as he was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16

Tags: Character, Evangelism, Fulfillment, God Brings Purpose, Reflect  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Fred Smith Reminds Us That We Make Blood In ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Nov 5, 2002

Fred Smith reminds us that we make blood in order to live; we do not live in order to make blood. One of the biggest blunders human beings make is that we are ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Finding Fulfillment, God Brings Purpose

Denomination: *other

Out Of Those Missionaries Comes Another Name To ...

Contributed by Julian Silva on Jan 9, 2003

Out of those missionaries comes another name to mind, that of Jack Hetzel. Another name commonly heard throughout the Frankfurt area. Having a choice to remind in the States, or go abroad...Jack, being a man of vision, decided to go to Europe and there began a missionary ministry for our Service ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Church Purpose Of, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Baptist