Sermons on Church Persecution:

Can We Fight Against God?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 15, 2009

Prophecy is coming true? Are you mad about it and trying to stop it?

Acts 5:38-39 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. KJV As I watch the various postings fly back and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:38-39

Denomination: Baptist

How Dedicated Are You To Christ?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Mar 2, 2009

The Church needs some fresh blood. Are you willing to give it?

2 Tim 3:12-13 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. KJV "It must be understod that there are no nominal, halfhearted, lukewarm Christians in Russia or China. The price ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Rooted And Grounded Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 20, 2011

To remain faithful in the face of pressure, we need to be grounded in our identity as followers of Christ, with knowledge, obedience, and love.

We spend one Sunday a year praying for persecuted Christians around the world. Of course there’s the “Martyr of the Month” column in the newsletter, and occasionally our bulletin inserts will highlight a trouble spot or a new martyr. But that’s all the time most of us spend ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christian, Come Out Of The Closet!

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jan 24, 2016

Is your light under a bushel?

We are in a time when nearly every day the headlines talk about someone coming out of the closet about their sexual identity or about some skeleton coming out of the closet. Things that were hidden for years are open for all to see and hear. Some of those things should have stayed hidden. People ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:33

Denomination: Baptist

The Scattering Series

Contributed by Troy Walliser on Nov 6, 2020

Even if the future of the church in America looks like VERSES 1-3, God can still bring about VERSE 8.

The Scattering Acts 8:1-8 My favorite movies are those with plot twists at the end. When what happens at the end of a movie, you never saw coming at the beginning. And when the ending is revealed it's kind of like, "oh, everything makes sense now." I think the first time I vividly ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Be The Church Series

Contributed by Tom Owen on Dec 7, 2010

Learning how to be the church in today's world through learning from the book of Acts.

It’s good to get a time of refreshing…What does God want for our church in 2009? You know, we’ve been going through the book of John for the last year and a half having just finished it before the holidays. And the book of John ends with Jesus preparing His disciples for His ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Denomination: Baptist

Be The Church Series

Contributed by Dean Rhine on Aug 5, 2019

Lessons from the church at Antioch

Acts 11b - The Church at Antioch - 4/23/17 Turn with me this morning to Acts chapter 11. We are going to pick up today with where we left off three weeks ago. We took the last two weeks to focus on Palm Sunday and Easter, but today we are back in the book of Acts. Remember that Acts is a ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 1, 2023

This sermon explores the role of the church as a unifying force and its responsibility as the pillar and foundation of truth in society.

Good morning, family! What a joy to be here with you all again. You know, as we gather here, week after week, I often find myself reflecting on the power of our shared faith and the strength of our community. We're not just a collection of individuals, but a church, bound together by our belief in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:15

Topics: Pillar, Foundation

We, The Church, Are The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:1-19) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Jun 18, 2023

Here, the church joins John in giving clear testimony about Jesus. We have a ministry that combines power, with suffering. Through this combo, the world turns, fears God, and gives Him glory. A no-rapture, academically rigorous reading of Revelation.

This week, we have the privilege of working our way through Revelation 11. This is a rich, complex chapter. It's also a chapter where there's a lot of debate about how to read it. A friend of mine has a study Bible, and his notes told him that the chapter should be read literally. But ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 11:1-19

Be The Church

Contributed by Francis Balla on Sep 20, 2017

We have many church shoppers and hoppers these days, who do not have full understanding of what church really is or perhaps they are looking for a perfect Church. Let me assure you, there are no perfect churches, because there are no perfect people.

BE THE CHURCH! Romans 12:3-13 Introduction: When I ask you what is a Church, you may answer in one or two ways: A church is a building where Christians go to worship. Or a group of committed believers of Christ, figuring out how best to live out their faith. When people come to church, they come ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:3-13

Denomination: Baptist

Facing Opposition, Finding Strength

Contributed by Tim Hbc on May 7, 2009

In Acts 4 we see a church alive and on fire. But it is also a church under attack. How did the first believers cope with opposition?

Introduction Once upon a time, an atheist lived in a small town. The atheist wasn’t a bad man, he just didn’t believe. He wasn’t interested in church… and there was only one in the area. It was cold and dead. More of a social club for the deceased. One day the church building caught on fire. The ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:18-31

Denomination: Baptist

For The Church

Contributed by Tim Patrick on Mar 9, 2009

This sermon examines the keys to being faithful and doing service "for" the Lord and His church.

On March 6, 1836 a famous battle occurred in San Antonio, Texas at a place called the Alamo. This battle was a turning point in the battle for Texas. A group of approximately 200 soldiers, farmers, and frontiersmen fought a valiant battle against an over-whelming Mexican army of approximately 3,000 ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Church Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 18, 2009

What is the purpose of the church? It’s 3 fold: • To magnify the Lord thru worship and the Word. • To move believers to maturity and ministry. • To make Jesus known to our neighbors and the nations. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint

Church Ephesians 3:1-5 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Church.html Now we enter the church age, the “Dispensation of Grace.” What is a dispensation? It is a time period. In the Bible it is a specific period of time during which God administers His rule over the world in a certain way. And over ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Picture Of Abuse

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Oct 9, 2012

Satan continues, once again, resorting to external methods to stop the church’s growth. The experience of Peter and John gives a clear picture of persecution. Wherever and whenever these things take place among believers, there will be persecution of on

The early church was doing well. However, last time (Acts 5:1-11) we saw the introduction and the punishment of hypocrisy as it entered the church for the first time. We saw that it was Satan’s way of trying to stop the growth of the church. Well Satan continues in tonight’s passage ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:12-25

Denomination: Baptist

Restructuring The Church For Expansion During A Pandemic Of Presecution

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on May 12, 2022

Rapid growth, constant persecution and limited resources made the Apostles rethink their future and the future of the church. They reorganized their ministry team to maximze their efficiency and effectiveness. Let;s see how!

Sermon Restructuring The Church For Expansion Acts 8:1-8 “Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-8, Acts 8:18-21

Denomination: Methodist