Sermons on Church Decline:

Establishing A Church Series

Contributed by Jimmy Chapman on Jul 10, 2008

how to establish a church

ESTABLISHING A CHURCH Acts 19: 1-10 Our text records the establishing of the church in Ephesus. In Paul’s day, it was a city of about 200,000. Every Christian longs for God’s church to be established and extended as His word spreads ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

A Spiritual Church

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jul 12, 2008

One of Jesus’ last challenges to the Disciples/Church before the day of Pentecost.

A SPIRITUAL CHURCH Luke 24:49 INTRO: The text is part of Christ’s last commission to His disciples before the Church was organized after Pentecost. All candidates for God’s Church must have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. If our Church is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49

Denomination: Baptist

Unifying The Church

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jul 15, 2008

A message looking at today’s church in comparison to the Jerusalem church.

UNIFYING THE CHURCH Acts 2:41-47 INTRO: The church at Jerusalem was a perfect example for any local church to pattern after. Any local church that will pay the same price may have the same victory. The church at Jerusalem lost all interest in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:41-47

Denomination: Baptist

This Is Church Not Theatre

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Jul 22, 2008

The Corinthians had made the mistake of approaching worship like a smorgasbord. They were taking what they thought was the best and walking by what they really needed on their plates.

This is Church not Theatre 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 Today’s scripture passage is meant as a loving correction from a father to his children. St. Paul is writing to his spiritual children in Corinth a church that he planted and now he goes about watering it. Just like the parable of (The Sower) ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Lukewarm Church

Contributed by Charles Scott on Aug 2, 2008

The deceitfulness of riches and the feeling of self-sufficiency are threats to Christian faith and life. Jesus warns against worldliness and the lukewarm attitude of Christians in Laodicea. Christians must return to their first love of Christ to avoid

Revelation 3__4-22 the Lukewarm Church "Blessed are the Lukewarm." Jesus never said that, but from the lackadaisical attitude of many of his followers, you would think that was one of his beatitudes. That is the attitude of our Western Civilization and cultural Christians. That was the attitude ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:4-22

Denomination: Anglican

The Dying Church

Contributed by Rev. Ryan Peters on Aug 5, 2008

The Church needs to realize it’s God given calling!

Rev. Ryan Peters East Aurora AG Title: “The Dying Church…” Text: Ephesians 4:1-16 Introduction: • Speaking today on The Dying Church… o Christians without leadership o Christians without ownership o Christians without action... o Christians without recognition to their calling. o When we realize ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Denomination: Pentecostal

Commended Church

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 26, 2009

Of all 7 churches of Asia Minor, here’s the one we want to emulate -- Philadelphia: 1. Highly commended 2. Deeply challenged 3. Greatly compensated - Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL PHILADELPHIA, the Commended Church Revelation 3:7-13   http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Philadelphia.html Yazoo, MS…in the 1930’s…the Great Depression.  People didn’t have extra money / children especially had no extra money for candy / people would go to general store and ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13

Denomination: Baptist

Description Of The Church

Contributed by Kevin Jones on Jul 18, 2009

Paul tells us how the church should look, behave and operate.

Paul’s Instructions Today I want to look at the church as Paul instructed it to be. You see it is easy to get caught up trying to grow a large church when it is reality we should be growing a strong church. A church that is lined up with the plan of God as He intended it to be. This is what I ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:6-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Church?

Contributed by Kyle Gray on May 20, 2009

How God can use the local church to change the world.

100 million in U.S. don’t go to church at all. 2050 – 10% will attend! My grandkids generation… Instead of spending our time on what the church has become, let’s look at what it’s supposed to be. What it was designed to be. The early Christian church was heavily persecuted, but they stuck ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Corrupt Church

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 23, 2009

Thyatira is a corrupt church. They do many great works, but God does not even address them as His children. It’s still here today and is key to the end of the world. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL Thyatira: The Corrupt Church Rev. 2:18-29 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Corrupt.html [map] In the 1700’s there lived a mighty evangelist that was greatly used of God to shake this country…his name was George Whitfield. Years before, at the age of 16, he came under ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Denomination: Baptist

Crippled Church

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 13, 2009

Sardis is the dying or dead church. It could be our church. The problem and the prescription to fix it and make it once again the Lord’s Church. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL Sardis: The Crippled Church Rev. 3:1-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Sardis.html Take your next vacation in London, and you could visit the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The tour guide would tell you that this is the place that the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

The Praying Church

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 19, 2009

Jesus called the temple a "House of Prayer". Is the church a house of prayer today? Do we believe prayer is still powerful? Nothing is more powerful than a church that prays together.

“A Praying Church” Acts 4:23-31 May 17, 2009 Today I would like to share with you about what is probably the most important activity of each Christian and the church as whole, prayer. I know for a fact that some Christians only pray at meal times and it’s often a repetitive, shallow one. Maybe ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-31

Counsel For The Church

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 28, 2008

The people of God’s church must be on guard against the ploys of Satan to discourage, divide, and defile, and thereby to hinder or halt the work of God.

Counsel For The Church Text: 1 Cor.15: 58 Intro: In the 15th chapter of First Corinthians, Paul is seeking to prove the resurrection of the saints, using the resurrection of Christ as the foundation of proof. He points out that just as Christ arose from the grave with a glorified body, even ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Denomination: Baptist

A Troubled Church Series

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on May 28, 2008

Paul begins dealing with the many problems in the carnal Corinthian church

Someone: “The church is like Noah’s Ark: If it were not for the storm on the outside, no one could stand the stench on the inside.” The message of First Corinthians is written to a troubled church. Corinth was full of problems. Paul is writing to that church in order to deal with all of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Nice Church

Contributed by Karl Ingersoll on Jun 19, 2008

There is more to the faith and to the work of the church than trying to raise a "nice" army. There are those things that are actually of greater importance.

Ever have a bad day? That’s a bit of a rhetorical question actually. All of us have. One mother writes: It was one of the worst days of my life: The washing machine broke down, the telephone kept ringing, my head ached, and the mail carrier brought a bill I had no money to pay. Almost to the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-28

Denomination: Methodist