Sermons on Conscience Formation:

Will You Pray For Me?

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 3, 2007

New year message to encourage the people of God to hold up the hands of the man of God as he lifts high the Word of God. Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Presentation.

Will You Pray for Me? Exodus 17:9-13 [general outline only…please see sermon audio for many illustrations and other content that make this message tick] http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/WillYouPrayForMe.html Moses is the man of God. He delivered God’s people from Egypt, led them thru the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Mustard Seed Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 17, 2007

Oh the power of the little seed which became the greatest plant...but then comes the aberration into a tree for the devil’s dirty birds! Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

Parable of the Mustard Seed Matthew 13:31-32 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/MustardSeed.html Apostate churches are made up of people who have turned away from the fundamentals of the faith. Constant diligence must be given to keep the church true to the Bible and its teachings. Just as God’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-32

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Drag-Net Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 25, 2007

We live in the days of ’invitation’, but there is coming a day of ’separation’ as God examines all those pulled up in the net. Link included to entire series with formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Templates.

Parable of the Drag-Net Matthew 13:47-50 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/DragNet.html Of all of Jesus’ parables He has now given to His disciples, I’m sure this is the one they could relate to the best because it uses an illustration from the fishing world, and most of these guys had backgrounds ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:47-50

Denomination: Baptist

The Bible And Numbers

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 28, 2007

God is a God of order, and created a universe of precise mathematical design. And He gave special significance to many numbers throughout the Bible. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

The Bible and Numbers http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Numbers.html The digital age has taken technology to new heights...it’s amazing how much can be done so quickly, and how huge blocks of information can be stored on smaller and smaller chips. And digital info. is basically just 2 numbers: 0 ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:20

Denomination: Baptist

Married, But Not Best Friends, Pt. 2 Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 20, 2006

Deals with conversation and communication. Biblical principles to help couples grow their friendship and relationship. Link included to entire series in formatted text, handouts, and PowerPoint Presentation. From ’Desperate Households’ Series.

Married, But Not Best Friends, pt. 2 Song of Solomon 5:16 The symbolism of Song of Solomon has to do w/ our relationship w/ Christ as His bride. Now, marriage is the highest level of relationship created by God…so, friendship ought to reach it’s very zenith in the context of the marriage ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 5:16

Denomination: Baptist

The Greatest Physician

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Feb 1, 2006

A balanced understanding of God’s healing power, and the different ways He has used it in the lives of His children thru the ages. Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Template.

The Greatest Physician Psalm 103:3 Does God still heal? Is it always God’s will to heal a Christian? Why do Christians get sick? What about the faith healers? These are not simple questions to answer. This is not a simple subject…it’s complicated. It’s impossible to put into one basket all ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:3

Denomination: Baptist

The Greatest Of All Miracles Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Sep 7, 2006

The whole place went thru the roof after this man was let down thru it and met Jesus! The PARDON, the POWER, and the PRAISE. Link included to formatted MS Word text and PowerPoint Presentation.

The Greatest of All Miracles Matthew 9:1-8 In Matthew chapters 1-4 we see the PERSON of Jesus Christ. We are told of His virgin birth, childhood [Luke 2], baptism, and temptation. And it’s a blessing that Christ truly put on human flesh, becoming a real person, to do for all us other people what ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Three Homes

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Feb 16, 2007

Everyone needs a Heavenly Home, a Christian Home, and a Church Home. How to have a Happy Heart, a Harmonious Household, and a Healthy Church. Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Presentation.

Three Homes http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/3Homes.html 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Every person ought to have: • A Heavenly Home • A Christian Home • A ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Let The Walls Come Down Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 25, 2008

From a human perspective it was an unconquerable city. Improbable? No, impossible! Impregnable. And each of us have a walled city in our lives. Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint.

Let the Walls Come Down Joshua 5:13-6:20 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/LetTheWalls.html The children of Israel have moved: • From the wilderness of worry to the promised land of peace. • From the wilderness of wandering to the promised land of progress. • From the wilderness of despondency to the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Know A Secret

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 2, 2013

Paul reveals the mystery: "A divine, sacred secret that is hidden in the heart of God, and cannot be understood unless God chooses to reveal it to man." Link included to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

I Know a Secret Ephesians 3:1-13 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/130505pm.mp3 "Paul, you keep calling yourself a prisoner of Jesus and this is confusing to us," said the Ephesians. Is it confusing to you as well? Of course, he was literally a prisoner in many jails and prison cells, and yet he ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Samson: The High Cost Of Low Living

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 9, 2010

He dishonored his parents, deserted his promise, distorted his purpose, defiled his purity, and deluded his power. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

The High Cost of Low Living Judges 13-16 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/HighCostLowLiving.html Some are born to privilege, w/ many advantages, and can't seem to succeed, and then others are the opposite, born to nothing, and rise above it all to great success. Samson was an example of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Hoop Of History

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 30, 2010

The hoop of history is a picture of human nature, the sin nature, and sinful man's history repeats itself. Israel's history is America's present! Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

The Hoop of History Judges 18-21 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/HoopOfHistory.html The hoop of history has always been rolling, and it is still rolling. As a kid, I liked to play with hula hoops. And not just around my waist, but I would roll them. I would put a spin on them outside and throw ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Crippled Church

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 13, 2009

Sardis is the dying or dead church. It could be our church. The problem and the prescription to fix it and make it once again the Lord’s Church. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL Sardis: The Crippled Church Rev. 3:1-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Sardis.html Take your next vacation in London, and you could visit the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The tour guide would tell you that this is the place that the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

A New Vision Of Christ

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Feb 26, 2017

A commitment to spiritual formation leads to a new vision of Christ, that allows us to say with absolute conviction, “I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled at me. He is at the helm. All is well.”

Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a ship, tossed by a violent storm, which threatened to drive it and its passengers to destruction along a rocky coast. In the midst of the terror, one daring man, contrary to orders, went to the main deck, making a dangerous passage to the pilothouse. He looked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Denomination: Other

Nehemiah - Just An Ordinary Guy

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 4, 2010

In every church there are 3 kinds of people: 1. Destructionists 2. Obstructionists 3. Constructionists ... Nehemiah is the perfect example of how to be the latter. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Nehemiah-Just An Ordinary Guy Nehemiah 1:1-4 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/NehemiahOrdinaryGuy.html The Bible sometimes compares the building of a work of God [church] with the building of a building. Acts 9:31 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-4

Denomination: Baptist