Sermons on Closed Communion:

Re-Finding Your First Love Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 12, 2017

Ephesus had been a great church, but now it had lost it's first love for Jesus. If it happened to them, how can we make sure it doesn't happen to us?

OPEN: Someone once asked a bunch of elementary aged children what they thought about love. Glenn, age 7: If falling love is anything like learning how to spell, I don’t want to do it. It takes too long. Regina, age 10 agrees: I’m not rushing into love. I’m finding fourth grade ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A "Come To Jesus" Moment Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 5, 2017

A grieving father comes to Jesus to ask him to heal his dying son, and yet Jesus rebukes him. Why? What possible reason could Jesus have to be so harsh with this man?

OPEN: An instructor was conducting a seminar for executives and focusing on the topic of decision making. So he started out telling the story of 5 frogs sitting on a log. “Four of the frogs decide to jump into the water. How many frogs are there left on the log?” The class almost unanimously ...read more

Scripture: John 4:43-54

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Made Them "babel" Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 18, 2019

Is this a true story? (Hint: yes) And why did God include it in the Bible?

OPEN: Several years ago, there was a tiny village in Scotland called “Lost.” It’s a quaint name for a quaint little village… but they had a problem. Lost kept losing their sign. A local official explained, "For many years now, the sign has continually been taken because all it says on it is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Preparing For The Adventure Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 15, 2016

Within 3 years of its launch, the early church faced persecution and death. And yet the church not only continued to survive, but thrive. How did it manage to do that?

OPEN: April 11, 1970, 3 men set off on an adventure. They were the Apollo 13 crew, and their adventure was to be the 3rd manned moon-landing. Their spacecraft look like this artists drawing (We put a picture of the spacecraft on the screen). • The main module (the Odyssey) was designed to be ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:36-42

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Noise Of War Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 22, 2017

Joshua heard the commotion in the camp and thought it was the "noise of war". He was partly right and partly wrong. Do you know what Israel was doing and why... and do you understand why God and Moses were so furious with the people?

At the turn of the century, there was an Iowa singing group named the Cherry Sisters. Following one of their concerts a reporter for The Des Moines Register ran a scathing review He wrote that "Their long skinny arms, equipped with talons at the extremities... waved frantically at the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:15-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Getting Down And Dirty Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 16, 2015

How do you fight to win against sin? There are at least 4 principles we need to know if we're going to overcome sin in our lives.

OPEN: One man told about the time, when he was a boy, that a bully used to demand his lunch money every day. He wrote: “Since I was smaller, I would give it to him. But then I decided to fight back. I started taking karate lessons, but the instructor wanted $5 a lesson. That was a lot of ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Change In Religion Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 12, 2020

What did Jesus mean when He told Nicodemus "You must be born again"? And what does His comment about being "born of the water and the Spirit" mean to us today?

OPEN: A man was obviously lost. He saw a little boy was standing by the side of a road and a and pulled up beside him. “Sonny,” he said, “do you know how to get to town?” The kid said, “No sir, I don’t.” Then the man said, “Well do you know the way to route 20?” The little boy said, “No.” And the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Noah Part 1 – The Faithful Preacher Of Righteousness In A Perverse Generation - - Genesis 6&7 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 28, 2022

The account of Noah is ridiculed, but it is filled with interesting facts, some problems, but much challenging teaching. This message, Part 1 of 3, examines the times of Noah with reference to our times and even beyond that. Who were the Nephilim?

NOAH PART 1 – THE FAITHFUL PREACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN A PERVERSE GENERATION There is much to learn in the study of Noah, and we draw some lessons from this factual account in God’s word. Let us look at the opening verses of Genesis chapter 6: {{Genesis 6:1-4 Now it came about, when men began ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-4, Numbers 13:33, Genesis 6:5-7, Isaiah 5:4, Isaiah 5:5-6, Matthew 24:37-39, Genesis 6:17, Hebrews 2:2-3, Genesis 7:5, Matthew 25:23, Genesis 7:1, Genesis 7:16, 2 Corinthians 6:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Church As An Icu Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 6, 2020

Jesus came to heal those sick with sin. That means the church is meant to be a hospital for those weighed down with guilt. But what can a church do better heal those lost in their shame?

A Russian soldier was wounded and was ordered to go to military hospital for treatment. When he arrived he found two doors: One was marked, ‘For the slightly wounded,’ and the other, ‘For the seriously wounded’. Well, he wasn’t seriously wounded so he entered through the first door and found ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:16-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sin - Whose Fault Is It? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 6, 2014

Whose fault was it that Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden? Was it all THEIR fault? Did Satan influence Eve's choice? Was God at fault for their failure?

OPEN: One of the most popular Christian Hymns of all time was written in the 1700’s by a man named John Newton. Does anybody know the name of that hymn? (Amazing Grace) It’s such a popular hymn that it has been sung by numerous singers down through the years including such artists as ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Ministry Of Maturity

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Aug 2, 2019

To establish that the church must grow in grace and knowledge in all things. That mature men and women of the congregation; can teach, coach and mentor the younger members in the faith. This is a faithful ministry to the youth, teaching both spiritual and social graces.

INTRODUCTION Outline. 1. Ministry of Maturity 2. Mature Men Teachers 3. Mature Women Teachers Remarks. 1. In this study we will discuss the obligation of the older members of the church’s responsibilities: to teach the young members of the congregation, in both spiritual and social graces. This ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:1-8, Titus 1:5-11, 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Psalm 26 – "Listen, Linger, Lounge” Will Fail The Test And It Is All Over Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 5, 2022

One must be on guard in the Christian life. The slide downwards begins with listening or taking note, then standing to observe more, and then sitting in the place of that sin. The message examines the first five verses of Psalm 26. A heart before God is what we must have.

PSALM 26 – “LISTEN, LINGER, LOUNGE” WILL FAIL THE TEST AND IT IS ALL OVER Today we will be looking at the first 5 verses of Psalm 26, one of the Lectionary readings for today. (This message was given one Sunday morning in Boston, England, where I had been invited to share in a teaching ministry ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 26:1, Psalm 141:10, Psalm 139:23-24, Psalm 119:67-71, Psalm 26:1-6, Psalm 1:1-2, Romans 12:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ephesians Chapter 1 Series

Contributed by Luther Sexton on Nov 8, 2022

This is a detailed study verse by verse of Ephesians Chapter 1. You will need to analyze, synthesize, and then summarize to fit your need.

Ephesians Chapter 1 Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: (KJV) 1:1 Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-23

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Sound Of Cherub Wings Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 8, 2017

Ezekiel says the sound of Cherub wings was like the voice of the Almighty. Do you know the role Cherubim played in Scripture? And do you know the message they ultimately protected for God?

During the offering time we played this version of “Ezekiel Saw De Wheel” by The “Vocal Union Quartet” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceDdAeKIo4E) OPEN: How many of you have ever heard that song before? It was written back in the 1940s by a popular folk singer named Woody Guthrie and has been ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 10:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hope: Lost And Found Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 3, 2016

The dead don't come back. That's what the world believes, and that was what the men on the road to Emmaus thought. But is that true?

OPEN: Years ago the producers of Sesame Street faced a dilemma. Will Lee, the actor who played Mr. Hooper, passed away, and the producers were faced with how to communicate the concept of death to the 10 million children (most of whom are under 6 years of age) who watched the show. Child ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:9-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ