Sermons on Close Encounter:

The Mathematics Of The Christian Life

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Dec 14, 2021

Many people take great delight in trying out different restaurants in town. Sometimes you can hear folks around church saying, "Let's get together, I have found a G-R-E-A-T restaurant!”

When a RESTAURANT serves good food, the customers will keep coming back for more, even if they have to travel a long distance to get there. The same thing is true for a CHURCH. When a church preaches and teaches the Word of God, people who are hungry for God’s Word, will be there every time the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Thoughts On Public Schooling: Should Christians Homeschool Their Children?

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Mar 30, 2021

Many an average American boy or girl will be raised up in the school rooms of public education. I would like to share some thoughts from great minds on education itself, public education, and wisdom. I'd also like to share my personal experiences in the public education system.

“The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.” ? Martin Luther King Jr. Many ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Denomination: Salvation Army

Figure Out What’s True Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 30, 2021

A refresher on the subject of truth and how important it is to have that sorted out in life

How’s your bucket list? My fear is that you’ll check off “Watch the Cubs win the world series” and “Watch Donald Trump be inaugurated as President” and you’ll be done this week because nothing else in life could outdo that! We launched this new series about bucket lists, and about making sure ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-3, 2 Peter 1:16-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Angry Saints Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 31, 2021

James does not say we are to eliminate anger. He says we are to be slow to anger. James is too realistic and practical to think that the saints will never feel angry.

Near the end of the last century a group of minors in a mid-Western state became angry. They expressed that anger by igniting a carload of coal and pushing it down the mine shaft. Like most who act in anger, they could not foresee the long range consequences of their action. When the burning coal ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20

No More Gloom Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

Christmas series introduction - focusing on the role of light in the Christmas story

Intro: Light. We have a hard time even describing what it’s made out of, but we sure do depend on it. We know it’s very fast - 186,282 miles per second. We know that it’s important to our emotional and physical health. Sunshine is a source of vitamin D, and areas where the sun doesn’t shine much ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Snake Handler Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

First in a Christmas series that focuses on Old Testament foreshadowing of Jesus

Baby books. I still remember mine. Being the 6th kid, there just weren’t as many photos of me as a baby. I still remember how it fascinated me to see pictures of a little baby and to think that he became me. That’s something we’d like to have some fun with these next weeks – your baby ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Tell If Your Faith Is True. Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 31, 2021

When you think of some Christian you greatly admire, you are usually thinking of their loving kindness and Christian actions, and not their views of the trinity. It is by behavior that we impress people with our Christian faith and not by our belief.

The passage we are looking at has been greatly misunderstood. Some have thought it contradicts what Paul says about being justified by faith. James says we are justified by works. They appear to be holding opposite views, but a close study of the words reveals that they are in perfect agreement. ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

The Saint In Depression Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

It should be no surprise that God's people get depressed. It is normal for Christians to get athletes foot, tooth aches, and gray hair. It is also normal for them to get depressed.

I read a humorous story that fits the experience of Job. A man was on his roof trying to fix the TV antenna. Suddenly it began to rain, and while struggling with the guy wires he slipped. As he tumbled down the roof, he made a last ditch effort to grab the drain trough. There he was, hanging from ...read more

The Treasures Of The Snow Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

That part of nature we want to focus on is--snow. There are 25 references to snow in the Bible, and we are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and so snow is to be a part of creation that teaches us something about God.

It was one of the strangest funerals on record. Nobody was being buried, but things were being buried in a lot of little graves, and in one, the Bible was being buried. Shackleton and his men were exploring the Antarctic when they were over whelmed by the forces of nature. Their ship, Endurance, ...read more

Scripture: Job 37:1-14

Rich In Poverty Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

There are rich Christians who live in utter poverty says Jesus. But to the church in Smyrna He says, "I know your afflictions and your poverty-yet you are rich!" So you have in the judgment of Jesus your poor Christians who are rich, and your rich Christians who are poor.

One of the great paradoxes of life is the fact that the poor can be richer than the rich. Poverty is no necessary hindrance to being wealthy. Wealth, on the other hand, is no guarantee of being truly rich. Even rich Christians are often not rich just because they have wealth. Charles Schultz, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

The Road Of Repentance. Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

Change is the essence of repentance. It is to stop doing what you are doing that is not making you an effective Christ-pleasing Christian, and to start doing what does make you that kind of Christian.

For decades the American people have been lulled into complacency by hearing the Gallop Pole say that over 90% of Americans believe in God. This led to a false security that we were a godly nation. But now Gallop decided to get more specific, and he discovered that only 10% of Americans ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Established By Encouragement Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

There are disappointments in serving Jesus, that is why Paul needed the encouragement of others, and that is why we all do. The only way any Christian can be obedient over the long hall, and not get weary in well doing, is to be encouraged by other believers.

One of the greatest heroes in Minnesota history was James Root of White Bear. He was the engineer on the No. 4 Limited the day it pulled out of Duluth heading for St. Paul on Sept. 1, 1894. Before that day ended he saved the lives of nearly 400 people. Unknown to him and his passengers they were ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:11-13

Hide And Seek School Yard Games #3 Series

Contributed by Mitchell Leonard on Apr 2, 2021

A sermon about our Savior seeking us.

Easter Sunday 4/4/21 A.M. Luke 19:1-10 Well, a few weeks ago I talked about our first School Yard Game. “Red Rover” Do you all remember that? Satan looks for the WEAK LINK in our lives. And then a couple of weeks ago I talked about the second School Yard Game. “Tag, you’re ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10, John 3:1-7, Luke 24:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Control Is The Goal Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 3, 2021

The goal of the Christian is to so gain control of his emotions that all of them in their vast variety might become valuable in making him what God wants him to be. Control is the goal.

John Powell, whose books have now sold over 11 million, begins his book The Christian Vision with the request that we run a short home made movie on the screen of our minds. Imagine that you have come home on a dark night and to your horror you see a long snake on your front lawn. Your heart ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9-21

The Storm Before The Calm

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Apr 4, 2021

The storm before the calm. Normally we hear this said the other way around. Though there are times when there is the calm before the storm, in the case of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, the storm came before the calm.

THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM The storm before the calm. Normally we hear this said the other way around. Though there are times when there is the calm before the storm, in the case of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, the storm came before the calm. 1) The crucifixion-the storm. The storm ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:45-54, Psalm 83:14-16, John 20:10-20, John 14:27, Job 30:22, 1 Peter 1:3-7, 1 Corinthians 15:19-20  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ