Sermons on Close Encounter:

Joy To The World! Why God’s Glory Demands A Global Choir - Psalm 67 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 16, 2025

You pay taxes because you have to. You eat banana splits because you want to. Make it your goal to make your commitment to missions more like your commitment to banana splits than like your commitment to paying taxes.

Introduction: Making missions a delight I am on a quest in my spiritual life at this time to convert more and more of the things I do from mere discipline to the expression of or pursuit of joy. The man who can’t stand being around his wife but who forces himself to take her out on dates anyway ...read more

5 Decisions You Must Make To Excel - Genesis 39 Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Jul 25, 2021

Are you going to be like a Daniel? We need more Daniels in our lives in our world today.

…of these Bible stories and how important they are for their lives right now. They're not just things so that we could decorate our walls and have nursery rhymes before we go to bed. These stories are powerful in the lives of our children, you need to know. You need to know, son, that someday, ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

In Defense Of Jesus (John 5:1-30) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Jan 22, 2022

Jesus isn't a sinner, making himself equal to God. He's God's faithful son, doing just as his Father has shown him, doing the job the Father gave him to do.

I started this series by saying that everything in life depends on getting Jesus right. So far in the book of John, we've read about how Jesus is the lamb of God, the preexistent one, the savior of the world. He is also God. Now, how can Jesus be God, and the Father be God? Are there two ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-30

The Character Of A Healthy Church Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Oct 23, 2021

The distinguishing marks of a Healthy Church regarding 1) Older Men (Titus 2:2), 2) Older Women (Titus 2:3–4a), 3) Young Women (Titus 2:4b–5), and 4) Young Men (Titus 2:6–8).

Titus 2:1-8. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:1-8

Denomination: Other

St. Luke, The Lord's Apostle And Physician

Contributed by Revd Dr Ruwan Palapathwala on Dec 14, 2024

St. Luke—the Turk, the brother of Titus, Paul's personal physician, the historian, and the Evangelist—witnessed Jesus's miracles from a medical doctor's viewpoint and called Jesus the "physician."

Since COVID-19 gripped the world, the first responders such as paramedics, doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and emergency department personnel have been hailed as heroes and heroines. Indeed, they are. Last Tuesday, I also became somewhat of a first responder when I was called out to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:1-4, 2 Timothy 4:5-18

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Speaking The Common Truth Series

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Apr 5, 2004

How Paul spoke about the benefits of communion in the fellowship that it brought about.

April 8, 2004 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Denomination: Lutheran

Competence Series

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Apr 16, 2004

Week two in a four week series on the essentials for conquerors.

08, February 2004 Dakota Community Church The Essentials The Essential Characteristics of Conquerors WEEK TWO: COMPETENCE Introduction: None of us wants to be incompetent. We all want to succeed. In looking at the different conquerors we have studied over the last weeks one thing becomes evident – ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-6, Acts 6:1-7

Denomination: Mennonite

Are You Ready For A Miracle?

Contributed by James May on Apr 25, 2004

Miracles aren’t a problem with Jesus in your boat but they are always triggered by obedience.

Are You Ready for a Miracle? by Pastor James May Luke 5:1-11, "And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Just Wanna Be A Sheep Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on May 3, 2004

A look at the 23rd Psalm and how the Shepherd cares for us and what the condition is.

It is probably the best known psalm in the western world and possibly the best known scripture period. It has been quoted and misquoted, it’s on plaques and mugs and posters, T-shirts and tomb stones.. It’s featured in the sacred and the profane. Most of us can quote at least a portion of it from ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Wesleyan

Taming Temptation

Contributed by Erik Estep on May 18, 2004

It’s important to know the fact about temptation, because the more you know the easier it is for you to be prepared to deal with it.

“Taming Temptation” 1 Corinthians 10: 13 May 16, 2004 Intro: I love to watch baseball and one of the best baseball books is George F. Will’s book, Men at Work. In the book Will takes a close look at four baseball players. One of the players he wrote about was Orel Hershiser, who pitched the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Denomination: Baptist

Speaking Of Tongues Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 18, 2004

Greek Word Study which has convinced many open-minded that this sign gift has ceased in its Biblical form. Link included to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

SPEAKING of TONGUES I Cor. 14 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SpeakingOfTongues.html I want to make it crystal clear that our purpose tonite is not in any way to impune, insult, or attack any brother or sister in Christ. Any friend of Jesus is a friend of mine! And so, w/ no malice, no anger, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:1-37

Denomination: Baptist

Again…shall We Continue In Sin…no (P 3) Series

Contributed by Bruce Landry on May 18, 2004

Let’s Learn, Know, Remember, Do, Question and Consider a few more thoughts on our new life in Christ and how sin should be dealt with in a believers life.

Again…Shall we continue in Sin…No (P 3) Learn something: sin shall not dominate true believers (v.14-15). Know something: you can serve only one master, sin or God (v.16). Remember something: your decision—you chose righteousness (v.17-18). Do something: serve God with the same fervor you served ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:14-23

Denomination: Baptist

Against All Odds, Renewed In God Series

Contributed by Bruce Landry on May 18, 2004

He was in his late 90’s, his lovely wife was in her late 80’s, both were past the prime for child bearing and both had come to the end of any possibility of having children…apart from a very real renewal in and through God. Let’s look at our study today

Against All Odds, Renewed in God Faith in God, when all else is impossible Purpose for Record of Abraham’s Faith NCBC, 12/28/03 Three Trees Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:18-25

Denomination: Baptist

Let Me Introduce You To The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Bruce Ball on May 19, 2004

A sermon explaining who the Holy Spirit is and why we need to have a personal relationship with Him, also.

Pastor Bruce Ball CrossWinds Bible Church Sometimes I try and picture Jesus walking on the same earth that I am walking on. In historical terms, He was here just a few short years ago. I can understand that by using intelligence, but when I try to use my heart to actually understand, I just can’t ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23

Denomination: *other

Elijah's Cloak Gives Believers Hope

Contributed by Joel Pankow on May 21, 2004

Elijah’s ascension, Christ’s ascension, and our hope revolve around the promises of our ascended leaders and the cloaks they give us to have and use.

May 23, 2004 2 Kings 2:7-14 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:7-14

Denomination: Lutheran