Sermons on Challenges Are Positive:

Are You An Encourager Or A Discourager?

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Aug 3, 2006

Encouragement has a two-fold emphasis: to comfort or reassure and to challenge or admonish. Discouragement tears down; Encouragement builds up. The question is "Are you an encourager or a discourager?"

ARE YOU AN ENCOURAGER OR A DISCOURAGER? HEBREWS 10:24-25 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting (encouraging) one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Denomination: Baptist

Just Tenting Series

Contributed by Vance Elzinga on Jun 22, 2007

Also drawing from 2Cor5.1-5, this Fathers Day sermon challenges us to let others see that we regard this life as "tenting."

HOOK Story of an influential teacher... and the legacy that we all might leave. Post-exile emerging generation… What kind of legacy would they leave? Question for every generation. YOU The desire to leave an impact on kids, have them turn out, etc... Identify with the desire to see kids thrive ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lessons For The Disciples

Contributed by Joel Santos on Jul 18, 2007

Jesus is still travelling towards Jerusalem. Along the way He gives instruction to the crowd and to the disciples. Luke 17: 1-10 contains four challenges to the disciples.

Lessons for Disciples Luke 17: 1-10 Jesus is still travelling towards Jerusalem. Along the way He gives instruction to the crowd and to the disciples. Luke 17: 1-10 contains four challenges to the disciples. 1. A disciple must avoid putting stumbling blocks in front of others (17: 1-3a). ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Adopted Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Jan 15, 2009

Like Jesus, God calls us into ministry through our baptism and gives us the things that we need to meet everyone of the challenges we may face.

Mark 1: 4-11 “Adopted” INTRODUCTION We have our challenges cut out for us this year. All of us have been affected by the economic recession. In 2009 we face a depressed housing market, depleted savings, curtailed income and the increased tension of living a hand to mouth existence. We know ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:4-11

Denomination: Lutheran

Test Me In This

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Jan 1, 2008

I felt challenged to preach this because of the un-biblical approach to giving in my largest Church, & try to explain that our giving either honours or dishonours God.

Proverbs 3:1-18 Malachi 3:6-12 Texts: Proverbs 3:9 -10 ‘Honour the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. ’ Malachi 3:10 ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-18

Denomination: Methodist

God Is In Control Series

Contributed by Stuart Blount on Jan 4, 2008

Though in captivity Daniel’s story is a clarion call to us to THRIVE in the challenges of our cultural setting, and in so doing draw attention to our sovereign God.

Daniel is an inspiring book that brings both a challenge and hope to all those who recognize that we are living in an environment that is alien to the lives we have been called to. This was Daniel’s experience. The book records the experiences of 4 Hebrew men taken into captivity by an evil ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-21

Denomination: Pentecostal

Portrait Of A Seasoned Mother

Contributed by Dan Santiago on Jan 11, 2008

We honor mothers for being their best based on their family context. The criterion is how they respond to the challenges surrounding them – the attitude and character they demonstrate in specific family context.

Hannah: A Portrait of a Seasoned Mother 1 Samuel 1:1-28 ILLUSTRATION Based on the study made by Salary.com, if the typical stay-at-home mother in the U.S. were paid for her work as housekeeper, cook, daycare center teacher, laundry machine operator, van driver, facilities manager, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Denomination: Baptist

Change_chances_choices

Contributed by David Gant on Jan 20, 2006

A New Year Sermon, but can be used any time to challenge people to CHOOSE to change actions or activities in their lives that keep us from God’s will.

2005: Change – Chances – Choices Last Monday a Survey Appeared in the Online Version of the Daily Oklahoman. The optional answers to the simple question “How was 2004 for you?” were these: 1. Good 2. Bad 3. Just Another Year I’ve been thinking about that subject a lot this week. Not only ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Principle Of One Thing

Contributed by Ronnie Knight on Nov 10, 2006

The one thing needful for every human is a personal, passionate, and purposful relationship with Jesus Christ. This sermon should challenge each hearer to reach for this one needful thing.

Have you ever noticed how much stuff we accumulate in our life time. it doesn’t take us very long to collect a lot of stuff. A few Saturdays ago I was driving down Highway 63 past Warren and Karen’s place and noticed that they were cleaning out their garage. They had stuff strung out every where. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Denomination: Baptist

Embracing And Extending The Good News Series

Contributed by David Asch on Oct 18, 2004

In this text we discover what exactly the Good News of Jesus entails. We will be challenged to embrace fully the good news and to commit to extending the good news to others.

EMBRACING AND EXTENDING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS Mark 3:7-19 In this text we discover what exactly the Good News of Jesus entails. We will be challenged to embrace fully the good news and to commit to extending the good news to others. A. Jesus returns to the lake to reaffirm his mission Read Mark ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:7-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do We Meet The First Century Standard?

Contributed by Keith Crouch on Jul 26, 2005

This is another message that follows our recent revival that challenges our church corporately and individually to examine ourselves and see if we are meeting the biblical standard for church health.

Do We Meet the First Century Standard? Acts 9:31 I. A Healthy Church is a Church at Peace “…the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace…” v. 31 A. External peace B. Internal peace (Acts 2:44-47, Acts 4:32-35) 1. They had great fellowship 2. They did not quarrel over petty ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:31

Denomination: Baptist

This Is A Bible

Contributed by Ronnie Knight on May 9, 2008

God has called every Christian to the same basic purpose.This sermon should challenge every Christian to focus on the basic principles of our Christian purpose.

Subject: Christian Basics Scripture: Matthew 22.37-40; Matthew 28.18-20 Sermon: This is a Bible Scope: This sermon should challenge every Christian to focus on the basic principles of our Christian purpose. Summary: God has called every Christian to the same basic purpose. Segue: With in these ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:37-40

Denomination: Baptist

Nothing But The Blood

Contributed by Ronnie Knight on May 9, 2008

Christianity teaches that redemption comes only through the shedding of innocent blood and Jesus did just that. Every hearer should be challenged to examine their relationship with God.

Subject: Salvation through the blood Scripture: Lev. 17.11 Sermon: “Nothing but the Blood” Scope: Every hearer should be challenged to examine their relationship with God. Summary: Christianity teaches that redemption comes only through the shedding of innocent blood and Jesus did just that. ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 17:11

Denomination: Baptist

Narnia: Begin The Adventure Series

Contributed by Jill Richardson on Dec 20, 2005

This sermon begins a series explaining the links between Advent and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe movie, challenging Christians to live the Christian life as the adventure God intended it to be.

Next weekend, Disney Studios will release a film that they believe will be their most widely-watched film in history. The story is a compelling one. Disney studios are betting over $180,000,000 that it will become their best-selling movie of all time. “It’s an expensive bet—but a bet worth ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-8

Denomination: Holiness

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Apr 23, 2008

God is not only a fortress and a refuge. God is the only effective fortress and refuge for us as we face the challenges of life and take seriously the call to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 46:1-11 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” INTRODUCTION One of the most popular reformation hymns was based on the words of this psalm. Martin Luther combined the thoughts of this psalm with a popular beer drinking song and wrote the powerful hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” The hymn ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-11

Denomination: Lutheran