Sermons on Different Grounds:

What Makes The Church Run? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 12, 2020

What make a church successful? Is it lots of money? A great preacher? Great outreach programs and internal programming? Oddly enough, the early church didn't have that - and yet they turned the world upside down. What did the early church have that made the difference?

Flip Wilson was a popular black comedian several years ago, and among the routines he did were skits about a Preacher at the “What’s Happening Now Church.” One of his skits went like this: He’d shout out: "If this church is going to serve God it’s got to get down on its knees and crawl!!!” ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Insatiable Craving Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on May 20, 2024

A study of the Beatitudes. Jesus begins His sermon on the mount answering the question: "What will it take to make you happy?" His answer, however, is far different from the way most people will answer. In fact, his answers appear to bring sorrow, not happiness.

PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS: INSATIABLE CRAVING ILLUSTRATION: Can you believe that next year will mark 20-years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans? We all saw the news stories—the DESTRUCTION, the DEATH TOLL, the HUMAN AGONY and MISERY. Hurricane Katrina is the COSTLIEST natural ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Self Inflicted Wounds Of Christians Series

Contributed by Mike Fogerson on Dec 13, 2016

We are very familiar with the saying, “Same old problems, Different day.” We’ve prayed/fasted about it ...had the preacher/other Christians pray for us and we just on going back to the same sin that has tripped us up for years. (The usual defiance.)

The Self Inflicted Wounds of Christians October 30, 2016 CFBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson A We are very familiar with the saying, “Same old problems, Different day.” 1 The calendar may change but we keep facing the same opposition, defiance, sin, hang ups, habits, behavior, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:23

Denomination: Baptist

How The Holy Spirit Helps Recharge Your Emotional Batteries

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

The Holy Spirit renews emotionally us when we are using our primary spiritual gifts. Paul wrote, "We have different gifts, accoding to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him

1. The Holy Spirit renews emotionally us when we are using our primary spiritual gifts. Quote: Everyone is looking for motivation, but the Spirit is the best energizer in the world. Paul wrote, "It is God who is at work in you both to will and to do of His good purposes." (Phil. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:6-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 17, 2009

We damage ourselves as well as the others when we write off whole peoples through racism. When we see them as persons, with human faces, we discover that to write them off is to damage ourselves. Fellowship in Christ leads us to value difference.

A widow, shortly after her husband’s death, was going through his papers. She found a couple of old certificates, yellowed with age and crumbling into dust. They had been made out to her husband more than fifty years ago, and seemed to be some kind of promissory notes. Some sort of company had ...read more

Scripture: Esther 7:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

What God Has Made Clean Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 4, 2020

God told Peter in Acts 10 - "What God has made clean you must not call common." What would that have meant to the Ephesians, and what can it mean to us?

In Acts 10, we’re told the story of the first Gentiles who became Christians. God sent Peter to do preach to them and baptize them… but because Peter wouldn’t have done that on his own. God gave Him this instruction: “What God has made clean, do not call common." Acts 10:15 About 100 years ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Beautiful Letdown

Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 9, 2004

In our text today – Peter as he continues to talk to believers (who were undergoing some serious; trails, hardships, suffering and letdowns…) Is going to try to get them to see these letdowns from a different perspective. (Living God’s Way - 8)

The Beautiful Letdown Living God’s Way – part 8 1 Peter 4:12-19 One day – a tough, strong fisherman leaned up against a wall, grabbed a pen, a piece of paper and guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote the words that we as a church 2,000 years later have been studying – for 8 weeks now FRIENDS – the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Clothed In Humility - 1 Peter 5:5b Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Feb 16, 2025

Pride has a thousand faces. It's possible to think you do not struggle with pride because you don't have the kind someone else has. But you may have a different kind that flies under the radar.

1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5

The Importance Of Personal Evangelism

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 14, 2021

I want you to adopt 3 attitudes to make you a difference-maker and a life-changer. I want you to see three “I am” statements right here: I am under obligation," “I am eager," and I am not ashamed.”

What you have just seen is incredible. This is a public baptism in a nation in SE Asia where other believers have been run out of their village and their homes burned to the ground. This husband and father have recently come to know the Lord after someone personally shared the gospel with him many ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:8-17

Denomination: Baptist

Fear And Love God Series

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Aug 21, 2003

We see two completely different pictures of God at Mt. Sinai. How can we fit them into our hearts? Don’t bother reading this if you’re looking for cute stories and illustrations for your entertainment.

August 24, 2003 Exodus 19, 20, 24 How do you FEEL about that? As a Lutheran, a German, and a male that question and that focus has nearly driven me nuts throughout the past years. It just isn’t natural or easy for me or most males to be “sensitive” or “emotional”. But the fact of the ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

God's Evidence Of Truth Series

Contributed by Donald Carpenter on Jan 11, 2003

It is a well-documented truth in the Old Testament that a truth is established when two or three different witnesses present evidence. As John wraps up his treatise on the vital signs of the believer, he touches upon a foundational truth of the Gosp

God’s Evidence of The Truth 1 John 5:6-9 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:6-9

Denomination: Baptist

The Trap Of Carnality

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Apr 6, 2003

Addressing a national seminar of Southern Baptist leaders, George Gallup said, "We find there is very little difference in ethical behavior between churchgoers and those who are not active religiously...The levels of lying, cheating, and stealing are rema

Nine Marks of Worldliness - I John 2:15,16 (Preoccupations that are wrong, pride, pleasures, possessions, popularity, power obsession, position oriented, people pleasing, and privilege for selfish reasons) Illustration: That evening, the assassin John Wilks Booth stopped in a saloon near the Ford ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Persecution Is Sure To Come Series

Contributed by Bruce Landry on Jul 13, 2002

We will begin our walk with the nation of Israel through the book of Exodus. In the first chapter we will see that the persecutions of yesterday are not that different than some of our persecutions today. Hopefully you will take away a better way of wal

Persecution Sure to Come a. Reasons b. Results DBF Sunday Sermon 7/13/02 These last few weeks seems to have been ripe with what seems to be persecutions. Brother Mike Procter sent many e-mails from brothers and sisters in Christ that have had several ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 1:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Stop Playing The Blame Game

Contributed by Neal Gray on Aug 21, 2001

Purpose: We humans always look for a cause-and-effect. No surprise, because we are taught the "scientific method" in all of our schooling. But with God and His ways, things are different. The Lord arranges events that He might be glorified.

"Stop Playing the Blame Game" Author: Dr. Neal Gray Passage: John 9:1-5 Purpose: We humans always look for a cause-and-effect. No surprise, because we are taught the "scientific method" in all of our schooling. But with God and His ways, things are different. The Lord arranges events that He might ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-5

Denomination: Holiness

Coming Home With Zacchaeus

Contributed by Tammy Garrison on Sep 10, 2002

This is the 5th in a 5 part sermon series on people who encountered Christ and how their lives were changed. Zacchaeus tells us that our lives can be different and we can be changed. It also talks about home.

The crowd was thick that day. The road coming into Jericho was thick with people pressed up against one another. They were there because word had it that the man Jesus of Nazareth was coming. Jesus had earned quiet a reputation of late. People were talking about how he had healed many, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10, Luke 19:1-19

Denomination: Methodist