Sermons on Causing Conflict:

Calling God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 7, 2008

Uses a cell phone to illustrate the basics of effective prayer. Addresses the tendency of people to rely on repetition and ritual to get God’s attention.

OPEN: (a deep voiced man was positioned in a side room with microphone and monitor. This opening illustration goes on for a couple of pages but worked well to set up the rest of the sermon) "Our Father who art in heaven..." "YES?" (look up and around suspiciously then bow and say) "Our Father ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Going Under: God's Call To Baptism

Contributed by Daniel Richter on May 8, 2008

God’s Call to Baptism

Going Under: God’s Call to Baptism Romans 6:1-4 April 27th, 2008 SHOW VIDEO As we’ve been announcing that we are going to have a baptismal service in a few weeks, I’ve had several people ask me questions about what that means, how we do it, who should be baptized and things like that. I wanted ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-4

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Let Go Of Worry Series

Contributed by Jason Cole on May 9, 2008

Worry is not often thought of as a sin, but worry is destructive and it needs to be let go of.

Let Go of Worry Introduction: On the slope of Longs Peak in Colorado lie the ruins of a huge tree. Naturalists say that it stood for over 400 years. It had weathered thousands of storms and had been hit with lighting 14 times. At the end, an army of beetles attacked the tree and leveled it to the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Value Of Women In The Church

Contributed by Todd Leupold on Sep 15, 2008

Addressing the question of value and roles of women in the church according to a survey of the Biblical record.

THE VALUE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH Rev. Todd G. Leupold, Perth Bible Church, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008 AM John Dawson, in his book Healing America’s Wounds, asserts: “The wounds inflicted by men and women on each other constitute the fundamental fault line running beneath all other human conflict . . . ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Denomination: Baptist

Lightening Your Load Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 28, 2008

Everybody’s overloaded. Nobody has any margin in their lives. Everybody is trying to do so much. We don’t have time to do what’s most important because every moment is packed. This is madness. It can’t be God’s will for our lives. In our Scripture toda

Lightening Your Load Matthew 11:28-30 I have a friend who tells the story of borrowing a vacation trailer from a church member and taking his family on vacation to Lake Tahoe. He hooked this rather large trailer up to his car which he had never done this before and they headed north. He didn’t ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Denomination: Methodist

Paul Of Arabia Series

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Oct 13, 2011

Our zeal and God's timing are often very different things. God knows when, where and how to make us ready for and get us started in our ministry so that we can experience our full potential.

Somewhat funny series of commercials that ask the same familiar question: ‘Do you wanna get away’. People find themselves in awkward or embarrassing situations and need to exit them as quickly as possible. Saul, soon to be Paul, was in just such a moment in his own life. One of the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:16-24

What The Country Needs Now

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Jul 4, 2010

God is to be trusted to bless our nation, even when there are problems in the world.

Scripture Introduction It might seem that nothing could be less relevant than a chapter from an ancient book, describing a transition in political power of a nation half the world away, which occurred over 3000 years ago! But the events of that day and time include: • Corrupt politicians taking ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-22

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Obey Quickly And Cheerfully Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Jul 27, 2010

God works cheerful obedience into his people.

Scripture Introduction Our text reminds me of the four-year old standing in his high chair during dinner one evening, much to his parents’ chagrin. They tried the usual antics to make him sit: begging, reasoning about the dangers of standing in a chair, fussing, and eventually threatening ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:14-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What's Your Story?

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Nov 19, 2010

We as believers in Christ, and as the church of the living God, have a story to tell. What does our story say about our relationship with Him?

A thirty-four-year-old German woman named Anna Rosmus recently told the tragic story of what happened in her hometown in Germany during World War II. Speaking at Carson-Newman College in Tennessee, she told of growing up in Passau, Germany, years after the war. As a teenager, she wrote a school ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus: Rule-Giver Or Life-Giver?

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jul 15, 2011

Being a follower of Jesus is not about adhering to a set of rules which makes your life dull, boring, and lifeless.

Jesus: Rule-giver or Life-giver? July 10, 2011 John 2:1-11 Intro: I sat down this past week with my Bible, and decided to read the Gospel of John – I planned to read the whole thing and see if I noticed any of our popular conceptions about Jesus being dumped on their heads by the actual, ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

To Judge Or Not To Judge; That Is The Question

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Aug 15, 2011

“Judge not, lest ye be judged!” This is one of the most widely misused verses quoted among non-Christians and Christians alike. Passing judgment has a completely negative connotation to it. But there is such a big misunderstanding about this subject that

TO JUDGE OR NOT TO JUDGE; THAT IS THE QUESTION INTRODUCTION: “Judge not, lest ye be judged!” This is one of the most widely misused verses quoted among non-Christians and Christians alike. It’s like our trump card. Whenever we hear someone addressing a sin in our life we want to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Identity Crisis

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Aug 19, 2011

How do we identify ourselves? By our name? By our job? By our income level? We can be accomplished and have many people admire us and gain a positive reputation. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t still wonder who we really are. Having an identity crisis

IDENTITY CRISIS INTRODUCTION: How do we identify ourselves? By our name? By our job? By our income level? We can be accomplished and have many people admire us and gain a positive reputation. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t still wonder who we really are. Take Nicole Kidman. She ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Battlefield Images Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 27, 2011

The heavenly battle ranges even as we wander in the wilderness; which is a journey, not a retreat; the movement is always forward into the promise.

Can you believe it? I’m getting tired of the news. It’s so depressing. And for a news junkie like me, that’s saying a lot. Between the Middle East and the Congo and Iraq and North Korea we hardly have time to notice the murders in the Sudan and the economic chaos in South ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Beginning Of… Confusion Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 23, 2010

God confuses the world to protect his people, while the gospel of Jesus makes all things new.

Scripture Introduction In my pastry class, a student noted that everyone liked sweets. The Chef-Instructor misheard what was said and began answering the question: “Why does everyone like sweets?” She said that when we were cavemen, we saw people eating bitter things more often became ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Beginning Of… Israel Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 24, 2010

God starts something big with very small people.

Scripture Introduction In the first eleven chapters of Genesis, Moses introduces key themes and doctrines forming the parameters of life. This prologue actually ends with chapter eleven, but like any good writer, the end of the preface is a “page-turner,” not suited to ending a ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed