Sermons on Cultural Adaptation:

Famous Last Words Period. Series

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 28, 2024

Outside are the dogs (Revelation 22:15); 3 points 1). Inside. 2). Outside. 3). The way inside (Material adapted from Kevin J Bidwell at: https://beta.sermonaudio.com/sermons/6517172919)

HoHum: I love dogs. Several things in this last chapter could have talked about (such as vs. 11) but this one just got under my craw. Grew up on a farm and we had outside dogs. Insisted that our dogs be outside. Had Rex and Roxie, lab mixes, who were accomplished escape artists. They found a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 22:14-15, Psalm 23:6, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, John 14:6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pray Submissively Series

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 14, 2024

Focusing on the phrase, "Lead Us Not Into Temptation" from Matthew 6:13 (Material adapted from Bob Hostetler's book, Red Letter Prayer Life; chapter 12 of the same title)

HoHum: Do we know someone who flips out if we sit on their perfectly made bed? Do we know someone who loses it because one of his pens is missing from the pen jar on his desk? Do we know someone who is so organized she would heckle Martha Stewart for being sloppy? Do we know someone who knows ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13, Luke 11:4, Numbers 21:4-9, Matthew 4:1, Luke 22:39-43  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Christian Passover Seder

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Apr 11, 2025

This Passover Seder (service) has been adapted and "Christianized," to remember and celebrate how believers have been set free from the bondage of sin and brought forth into the promised land of eternal life in Christ.

REMOVAL OF THE LEAVEN – Have Leavened Bread Hidden Leader: Welcome to our Passover Seder. Let us ready our hearts to celebrate and tell the story of deliverance, freedom, and redemption. We must all consider ourselves to be like the Hebrew slaves in Egypt, meaning we must understand ourselves to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Denomination: Baptist

Let's Forget About Ourselves And Worship

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 19, 2023

Nehemiah 12:27 gives 3 purposes in worship: Celebration, thanksgiving and dedication (Material adapted from Stephen Sizer at:https://www.stephensizer.com/2010/11/purpose-driven-worship-nehemiah-12/)

HoHum: In 1990 A woman entered an ice cream shop for an ice cream cone. While she was ordering another customer entered the store. She placed her order, turned around and found herself staring face to face with Paul Newman. He was in town filming a movie. His blue eyes made her knees buckle. ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 12:27-47, Psalm 139:1-3, Isaiah 26:3, Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 14:24-25  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It's Homecoming

Contributed by Ernie Arnold on Sep 26, 2022

This sermon is adapted to fit – Homecoming Services, Reunions and Celebration Gatherings as we 1. Embrace One Another’s Healing and Transformations 2. Practice the Grace of Forgiveness 3. Enjoy and Accept One Another’s Diversity

Sermon: Homecoming Sermon This sermon is adapted to fit – Homecoming Services, Reunions and Celebration Gatherings as we 1. Embrace One Another’s Healing and Transformations 2. Practice the Grace of Forgiveness 3. Accept and Enjoy One Another’s Diversity Scripture: Mark 5:18-19 “As Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:18-19

Denomination: Nazarene

Pity Party

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jun 16, 2022

How to stop the pity party from Psalm 77; Psalm 77 invites us to look, learn and love Adapted from Eugene Peterson's book, "Where Your Treasure Is"

HoHum: Back in the 60’s there was a singer named Lesley Gore who recorded, “It’s My Party.” The lyrics were written by Seymour Gottlieb, a freelance songwriter. The song lyrically portrays the discomfort of a teenage girl at her birthday party when her boyfriend Johnny disappears, only to return ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:30, Psalm 119:71, Psalm 136:12, 1 John 4:10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Shocking Servant Series

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 18, 2023

As we consider Jesus Christ in this passage (Isaiah 52:13-15) we see... (Title, outline and material adapted from Ray Pritchard at: https://www.keepbelieving.com/sermon/the-shocking-servant/)

HoHum: As we head into the Lenten season, the Easter season, wanted to do a sermon on Isaiah 53. I thought I had never preached on this passage so I went into my files and there at the top was a sermon by Davon Huss. I preached on Isaiah 53 during the Lenten season heading into Easter in 1996. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 52:13-15, 1 Corinthians 2:8, John 3:14-15, Revelation 19:16, Romans 15:20-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Naked Man And A Bunch Of Crazy Pigs

Contributed by W Pittendreigh on Feb 22, 2001

Jesus encounters a man with so many demons the man says his name is "Legion." Yet, the community is not afraid of this man. Like our culture, the biblical community had grown comfortable with evil.

by the Rev. Dr. W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Jr. Sunrise Presbyterian Church Miami Florida Pittendreigh@aol.com When I was in high school, there was a local legend about the Blue Ghost of Maddox Bridge Road. Some 10 or 20 years earlier, two high school students had been out on a date. They were ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:27-37

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Worldviews

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Aug 20, 2006

A look at the religious groups of Jesus day and how they were affected by their culture (as might be): 1. Zealots 2.Phariasees 3. Saduccees 4. Scribes 5. Herodians 6. Essenes

How would you like it if someone spit on you? In our cultural setting it would be a sign of disrespect, an attempt to shame and humiliate a person. But for some cultures, it has an entirely different meaning. I am reading a wonderful book entitled Christianity Rediscovered. It is written by a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:18-34

Denomination: Methodist

Spiritual Mourning Series

Contributed by Mitchell Skelton on Dec 26, 2004

As much as being "poor in spirit" is diametrically opposed to the conventional wisdom of today’s culture, so to with the thought that happiness could be connected with mourning. If there is one thing that the world tries to avoid it is mourning. Everyth

Spiritual Mourning Matthew 5:4 #2 of 8 in series INTRODUCTION Last week we started a series of sermons on the Beatitudes of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We considered poorness of spirit and the role it plays in salvation. One must first realize that he is in sin before He can come to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Gathering & Scattering

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 4, 2006

The church has many purposes or functions. These purposes hang on a two-fold mission: the Gathering of the Community for Worship, Instruction, Fellowship and Evangelism Training and the Scattering of the Community in order to fulfill both our cultural a

INTRODUCTION Opening Statement: I read the story of the little girl who was asked to describe the parts of a man. She said, "Man has three parts: the brainium, the chester, and the abominable cavity. The brainium holds the brain, the chester holds the heart, and the abominable cavity holds the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Proclaiming The Unknown God Series

Contributed by Mark Olson on Jul 17, 2007

Just as Paul had to proclaim who the true God is, because the Athenians were ignorant of Him, so we too must proclaim who the true God is to our world and culture.

Proclaiming the Unknown God Acts 17:16-34 Pastor Mark Olson The kind of God we worship, determines the kind of person we become - we become what we worship... Sad truth - great ignorance of the true, living God Athenians worshipped the “unknown god” because they did not want to leave any god out ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34

Denomination: Holiness

What About Divorce And Remarriage? Series

Contributed by Randy Hamel on Oct 27, 2008

Looks at the cultural and historical context of Jewish divorces and how Christians may have misunderstood Jesus and Paul’s intentions. Acknowledgment: Divorce and Re-marriage in the Church by David Instone-Brewer (book)

What about divorce and remarriage? Home Improvement Series A man in Dubai divorced his wife in 2001 by a totally new method – he sent her a text message on her cell phone. She failed show up on time to make his tea, so he texted her” “Your late, I divorce you.” This was the third warning that he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:1-12

The Sacred Cow

Contributed by John A. Peck on Nov 3, 2009

We don’t have high regard for cows in our culture. Even the term, sacred cow, is funny to us. However, God has given cows a special place in the Holy Scriptures.

One of my favorite Far Side cartoons shows a herd of cattle standing at a fence, facing a leader. In the background is a large urban city in flames. In the caption, the leader cow is saying, “Evidently, Agent (some number) has accomplished her mission.” Cows. Even the word is funny. We don’t ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:11

Denomination: Orthodox

The Martyr’s Cry Series

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Aug 22, 2010

Anything old is seen as negative, traditions that once served as a backbone of stability are discarded as hindrances, leadership positions are going to innovators and rebels and the voice of time tested truth is exchanged for the noise of cultural demand.

Dakota Community Church Church History Sunday - 1 August 22, 2010 The Martyrs Cry Introduction Today we will start the first of a series of messages that will be spaced out, Lord willing, over the next few years approximately once every three to four months. My goal in creating “Church History ...read more

Scripture: Judges 2:8-11

Denomination: Mennonite