Sermons on Close Encounter:

Tested By Suffering Series

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Nov 12, 2025

Peter instructs us to regard suffering as a test of our faith, one that we can pass by rejoicing in suffering.

This morning, we resume our study of a letter written by the apostle Peter, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, sometime around 62-64 A.D. This is a general epistle, a letter written to believers scattered throughout five Roman provinces in northern Asia Minor; in what is today the country of Turkey. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

The Heart Of A Shepherd Series

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Nov 19, 2025

Peter gives us a description of how elders should carry out their work. They are shepherds, not administrators.

As most of you know, my personal biography includes many years as a manager in a large organization, and part of my job was to interview and hire people. Over the years, as the jobs that I was responsible to fill got higher up in the organization, the job descriptions expanded. The years of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

The Fragrance Of Love Series

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Apr 4, 2025

Is our worship "bland blah-de-blah" or "love untamed, worship unashamed"

If you enter St Barnabas Church in Jehricho North Oxford you may be struck by the beautiful cut-glass mural on the left (north) side of the nave. It depicts many important saints, martyrs and angels of the Christian tradition, with the words of the Te Deum Laudamus underneath. It is absolutely ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-8, Isaiah 43:16-21, Genesis 28:17

Denomination: Anglican

From Bad To Worse Series

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Apr 6, 2025

Moses tells Pharaoh to let his people go and then his day goes from bad to worse

The Story of Moses: From Bad to Worse Exodus 5-6 (Part 1) Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church 04-06-2025 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Have you ever had a bad day? Probably not as bad as Alexander! In the course of one day, he wakes up with ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Finish What You Started

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Oct 2, 2023

Haggai encourages the people to finish the work on the Temple

Haggai: The Best is Yet To Come Haggai: 1:1-15 Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church 10-01-2023 Finish What You Started Do you have trouble finishing things? Most of us do. In 2013, Jon Acuff, one of my favorite authors, published a book called, “Start: Punch Fear in the ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

The War In Israel Our Duty And Responsibility

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Oct 15, 2023

We should pray for the peace of Israel as Psalms 122:-6-7 says We should pray that the hostages are safe and returned to their families without harm. Pray that both the Palestinians and the Jews can stop fighting and try to live in harmony. Pray that the fighting stops.

The War in Israel Our Duty and Responsibility By Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr. OPENING: - The Bible says, Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge”. No doubt last Sunday Morning and for sure this Sunday churches all over will be saying “Let’s pray for Israel”, because on last ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:16, Joshua 21:41-45

Denomination: Apostolic

How To Walk By The Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Nov 27, 2023

To walk by the Spirit, we must keep in step with the Spirit.

How to Walk by the Holy Spirit Galatians 5:16-25 Rev. Brian Bill November 25-26, 2023 I have the joy of being married to my best friend. I’ve been crazy about Beth from the first day we met and am always amped up when I get the chance to be around her. This is a bit embarrassing to admit, but in ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25

Denomination: Baptist

No Sleepwalking Allowed Series

Contributed by James Wallace on Nov 28, 2023

Sleepwalking is a dangerous practice, because those who practice it are unconscious, unaware of the dangers around them. In the same way, spiritual sleepwalking is dangerous, but moreso, because those who casually sleepwalk their way through life, expose themselves to deadly deceptions.

Has anyone here ever been afflicted with somnambulism? Okay, does anyone even know what somnambulism is? Well, it's a technical term for sleepwalking. So, back to the original question--has anyone here ever had a sleepwalking experience? How did it go? Did anyone get hurt? The reason I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:14-23, John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Jude 1:3-4  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Bible Church

A Prayer For Spirit Enlightenment (Ephesians 1:15-23) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Sep 3, 2025

Enlightenment about God's cosmic plan is something God will give, if we ask. God's plan is far bigger-- cosmic-- than we often realize, and we have been empowered, potentially, more than we think.

Let's start today by reading part of last week's passage. I'll read from my translation, but feel free to follow along however you'd like. Let's turn to Ephesians 1:7, and we'll read through verse 10: (7) In him (=Jesus) we have the freedom/release through his blood-- ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Jars Of Clay - By Design

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Sep 7, 2025

When we think we aren’t enough, we’re right! We’re not supposed to be.

Recently, something very strange happened to me. Something that I always knew was theoretically possible, but which still came as a shock. A couple of weeks ago, I woke up one morning and realized that I was now — wait for it — a “Grandpa”. Now, the event which brought about this transformation ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Denomination: Baptist

Are You A Fan Or A Follower?

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Sep 11, 2025

The Lord loves fishermen

• He saw in them in a trade that He liked and could use. • At least four of the twelve disciples were commercial fishermen. • That means one-third of His disciples were fishermen. (1) Peter and Andrew were fishermen. Look at Matthew 4:18-19, we read, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of ...read more

Scripture: John 1:35-42

Denomination: Baptist

Blessed Forever In Him

Contributed by Mike Hullah on Sep 22, 2025

God wants to bless those who believe in him, eternally and naturally.

A People Blessed Forever Deuteronomy 28 Deuteronomy is the third most often quoted book in the New Testament - it is a covenant document which discloses to us the Lord’s desire to bless his people as they live in relationship with him - the heart of this covenant of grace is God’s declaration: “I ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sustained By The Faithfulness Of God

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Sep 25, 2025

Oliver Cromwell asked for a portrait “warts and all.” Paul writes 1 Corinthians the same way—seeing the flaws but starting with grace. In 1:1–9 we’ll see our called identity and God’s faithfulness to sustain us.

Today we’re going to be in the first 9 verses of 1 Corinthians. While studying these verses, I came across a story that I’d like to share with all of you. Oliver Cromwell It’s a story of Oliver Cromwell. If you’re unaware of who he is, I’ll give you an extremely brief summary: he was a political ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-11, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 6:1

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Set Time Has Come

Contributed by Jeff Taylor on Dec 30, 2022

Today we open the Word of God and take a look at the world tomorrow. God has a set time to deal with the nations of the world. And Israel is God's prophetic clock.

Today we open the Word of God and take a look at the world tomorrow. The world is fascinated about the future of planet earth. The rich and the powerful are digging underground cities, looking over their shoulders at the possibility of a nuclear mushroom cloud forming on the horizon. Will Russia ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 102:13

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Greatest Invitation We Will Ever Receive Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jan 2, 2023

What should we do with God's great invitation? 1. Appreciate God's preparation (vs. 1-4). 2. Avoid rejecting God's invitation (vs. 2-7). 3. Invite more people to come (vs. 8-10). 4. Accept God's invitation (vs. 10-14).

The Greatest Invitation We Will Ever Receive The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 22:1-14 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared January 2, 2023) BACKGROUND: *Please open your Bibles to Matthew 22. Today we will study another of the Lord's parables. By this time, Jesus was less than a week away from ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Baptist