Sermons on Church Growth And Development:

A Failed Church?

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 17, 2003

God’s view of "failure" vs. the world’s view.

This morning, I’d like to offer some thoughts on where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we go from here. I don’t claim that this is a comprehensive summary of our history as a church; nor do I present this as the final, authoritative word on what we’ve suffered and accomplished. For one ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Denomination: Baptist

How The Church Must Live According To The Gospel Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 7, 2008

We’re to please God, not ourselves and we’re to love one another; to seek their welfare above our own. The Christian life is always one of growth, of ongoing training, as we press on towards the goal of eternal life.

I think Christians often struggle with knowing how to respond to the pressures we feel to lower our standards of behaviour. And there are two extremes that we come across among Christians. One extreme thinks we should forget those old fashioned mores and get with the times: after all, this is a new ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Denomination: Anglican

Profit, A Means, Not An End Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 26, 2009

The attitude of a child is the attitude of knowing you are incomplete, and need to grow, to change, to take the risk to be wrong.

September 28, 2009 Caritas in Veritate The emphasis Jesus constantly puts on being childlike puzzled me until I read Carol Dweck’s great book Mindset. A child knows–perhaps without being able to articulate it–that she needs to change, learn and grow. A child knows his own incompleteness. As we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:46-50

Denomination: Catholic

Apostasy Of The Church

Contributed by Mike Fogerson on Jul 26, 2016

There is an absence of sound biblical teaching in the modern church. People who are hungry for strong preaching from God’s Word are often left wanting for old-fashioned preaching that stirs your bones.

Apostasy of the Church 1/20/2016 CFBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker A There is an absence of sound biblical teaching in the modern church. 1 People who are hungry for strong preaching from God’s Word are often left wanting for old-fashioned preaching that stirs your ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

A Vibrant Church Series

Contributed by John Mann on Feb 12, 2009

The type of lives we live dictate the impact we have on the unchurched.

FOCAL POINT: A VIBRANT CHURCH ME: So, I am really not a fan of bland food. When I eat food, I want it to taste good. I want it to wake up my senses, I want to be like, yeah this is awesome. And there are just some foods that need to be seasoned so that they wake up your senses. You know, like ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13

Denomination: Free Methodist

Church With Purpose PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 2, 2023

Encourages Christians to grow spiritually through purposeful prayer, proclaiming the Gospel, and active participation in fellowship.

Good morning, beloved family of God. It is with a heart brimming with joy that I stand before you today, ready to share God's word. We are gathered here, not by chance, but by divine appointment. God has a message for us today, a message that will stir our hearts and nourish our souls. Today, we ...read more

Topics: Church

Spiritual Atrophy - #2 Series

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Jul 9, 2009

The characteristics, consequences, and cure for Spiritual Atrophy? (Thanks to Dr. Brunson & Dr. Caner for their book, "Why Churches Die")

The Local Church Is it Dead, Dying, or Dynamic? Part 2 – “Spiritual Atrophy” Amos 6:1 * Let’s begin with a story. While it has been true dozens of times, the names have been deleted to protect the guilty. * There was once a visionary pastor who developed a visionary group of believers. This ...read more

Scripture: Amos 6:1

Denomination: Baptist

The Valley Of The Unclaimed?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 24, 2005

God has a beautiful plan for individuals and for churches, and often we let the opportunity slip unfulfilled through our hands. Claim the double portion!

THE VALLEY OF THE UNCLAIMED DEVELOP A MINDSET TO BE BLESSED! By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com This is a three part lesson. I. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE? Do we have a generational mindset of leaving God’s plan and purpose? A. HAVE YOU DEVELOPED PLANS THAT WILL ACCOMPLISH ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:6-7

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The First Church

Contributed by Lee Henry on Jul 31, 2006

The first church as described in Acts 2:42 and following is held up as an example for the church today to emulate.

The First Church Acts 2:42-47 It is the expressed goal of those of us in the restoration movement to restore the church as it was in the first century. In terms of doctrine I feel we have, for the most part, reached that goal. But have we restored the spirit of the first century church? ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Leadership For The Church

Contributed by Rich O' Toole on Jan 10, 2024

How the Lord appoints leaders for His body

Leadership for the Church Ephesians 4:11-16, Acts 20:17-31 A Christian is someone who responds to Jesus and His invitation to receive the free gift of Eternal Life from Him. 1 John 5:11 this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1 John 5:12 He who has ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16, Acts 20:17-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Back To The Basics

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Jun 28, 2010

Inspired by a message from Andy Stanley at the 2010 SBC Pastors conference, this message helps us examine the state of the church in AMERICA today.

BACK TO THE BASICS Deut. 1:19-46 / Acts 15 * Most all of us remember the story of the Children of Israel and their Exodus from Egyptian Captivity. We recall that God had ‘given’ them a land flowing with milk and honey. Additionally, we know that because of unbelief, disobedience, and employing ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:19-46

Denomination: Baptist

Perfect Harmony

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Mar 29, 2009

. The church is called by God as a body of different members of every size, shade, shape, and temperament to blend together in perfect harmony to deliver the beautiful music of the Divine Composer.

PERFECT HARMONY ROMANS 12:16 Introduction: In music harmony is the blending of simultaneous sounds of different pitch or quality, making chords pleasing to the ear. Harmony is a pleasing or congruent combination of elements in a whole. Harmony is not the playing of a singular note but of different ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:16

Denomination: Baptist

No Matter How You Slice It - It Is Still Bologna

Contributed by Ralf Bergmann on Sep 8, 2004

It simply amazes me how much ridiculously unimportant stuff gets in the way of the churches fulfilling “The Great Commission”. If sin in our lives isn’t enough of a stumbling block, the politics and some of the outdated traditions of some of the churches

Sermon Title: No matter how you slice it - it is still Bologna Text: I Timothy 2:9-15 Date: August 10, 2003 Introduction of Scripture: For those of you that have been following the direction that this series on Paul’s first letter to Timothy has been taken you will know that this morning we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:9-15

Denomination: *other

The Humility Of Christ

Contributed by J. Yeargin on Nov 30, 2006

Paul listed all of the things the church was doing wrong. How embarrassing that must have been for anyone else who read this letter from the Apostle Paul. But this is what happens when someone gets to read the mail of our church.

THE HUMILITY OF CHRIST Question: In the life of the believer, what does humility look like? Text: Philippians 2:1 thru 11 (NIV) We found this morning the importance of our having the JOY of the Holy Spirit. In that Jesus died for our sins, and has since sent to us the Holy Spirit, we know ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11, Philippians 2:1

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Portrait Of The Church

Contributed by Bledar Valca on Dec 24, 2008

How does Paul portait the Church in Ephesians

The Portrait of the Church (Seen in Ephesians) Christ’s Church is not an after-thought of God. It is not a plan “B” for something that He planned but just didn’t turn out as God had wished or hoped for. Being planned from eternity, "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ