Sermons on Formation:

Reaching Your Full Potential Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 6, 2008

There are 3 people sitting in your seat right now. [not a fat joke!] 1-The person you are today. 2-The person you could be for evil. 3-The complete person you could be for God. Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, Powerpoint.

Reaching Your Full Potential Joshua 17:12-18 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ReachingFullPotential.html There are 3 people sitting in your seat right now. [not a fat joke!] There’s the person you are today. Then there’s the person you could be for evil. And then there is the complete person you ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 17:12-18

Denomination: Baptist

How Big Is Your God? Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 11, 2008

We must not only worship the right God, but we must worship Him in the right way. Accept no substitutes. Don’t try to reduce God to a material object. Don’t try to localize the One Who is infinite! Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

How Big is Your God? Exodus 20:4-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/HowBigYourGod.html One day a little girl was drawing a picture, and even skipped recess because she was so focused upon it. Her teacher asked what she was doing and she said she was drawing a picture of God. “Oh honey, you can’t ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:4-6

Denomination: Baptist

Consenting Adultery Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 1, 2008

Don’t just roll over on this one and say w/ the masses, “Just be safe.” Or, “If you can’t be good, then be careful!” There is no sex safer than sex within God’s plan, marriage! Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint.

Consenting Adultery Exodus 20:14 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ConsentingAdultery.html The 1631 edition of the KJV had a misprint. Some would call it minor...just one little word accidentally missed by the typesetter. He left out the word ‘not’ in our text today, reading “Thou shalt commit ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:14

Denomination: Baptist

When You've Lost Your Cutting Edge

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 4, 2007

We are quick to ‘fly off the handle’. But God has a way of sharpening dull Christians…and good things ‘surface’ when we return to where we lost our cutting edge and reclaim it! Link included to formatted text, audio & video, & PowerPoint Presentation.

When You’ve Lost Your Cutting Edge II Kings 6:1-7 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/CuttingEdge.html We are so quick to ‘fly off the handle’ these days. But God has a way of sharpening dull Christians…and good things will ‘surface’ if we will return to where we lost our cutting edge and reach out ...read more

Scripture: Judges 6:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

God Still Speaks Today

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Jan 22, 2008

Prayer is as much about listening as it is about talking to God. This message encourges members of the congregation to participate in small prayer groups.

God Still Speaks Today I Samuel 3:1-10 In First Samuel we find the people of Israel have gone back to their old ways of being indifferent toward their Creator. Their leader at the time was the high priest, Eli, an old man whose eyesight has begun to go bad. Unless something changes Eli will ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Denomination: Free Methodist

The Proper Response To God's Word Series

Contributed by Paul Apple on Jun 30, 2001

OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD IS THE PATHWAY TO BLESSING

BIG IDEA: OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD IS THE PATHWAY TO BLESSING INTRODUCTION: Each of these 8-verse stanzas is focused around a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet = an acrostic format. This is the ALEPH stanza with each verse beginning with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This stanza is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:1-8

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Building Up The Body

Contributed by Eddie Peros on Oct 18, 2000

Scripture: Ephesians 4: 1<sum><sum>‰As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Scripture: Ephesians 4: 1<sum><sum>‰As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of ...read more

Racing Is Life

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Aug 9, 2016

The Bible uses many sports related images. In this classic text, the writer to the Hebrews explores the image of a race to reflect upon the nature of a disciple's life.

I am a sports fan, and the big news for me most recently is that the New Orleans Saints opened training camp on July 28th, about ten days ago, and they’re first pre-season game is only a mere thirteen days away. Not only that, but I know the local high schools are gearing up for the new ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Denomination: Methodist

Valuable Lessons From Geese

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 31, 2022

We can learn from many things in life. I am satisfied that God put a lot of things on earth just to teach us some of the valuable lessons we need to learn.

Illus: Dr. Odell Belger’s wife is a cat lover. They have a big beautiful white cat that has taught them a lot of things about cats. • Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods; cats have never forgotten this • In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats • Every cat owner knows, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Denomination: Baptist

Dealing With Issues Part 3 Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Feb 2, 2024

we can avoid issues within the church if we live our lives according to the Bible.

DEALING WITH ISSUES: PART 3 Text: Acts 15:22-35 Introduction 1. Illustration: “I firmly determined that my mannerisms and speech in public would always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory – that any pessimism and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pillow... I adopted a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:22-35

Denomination: Methodist

Vanities, Poverty And Destitution Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 22, 2018

We must find in our heart the vast chasm, the infinite need that only Infinite Goodness and Truth and Beauty can fill.

Thursday of the 24th Week in Course 2018 St. Vincent de Paul The book we call Ecclesiastes is often referred to as Qoheleth, for the Hebrew name of the author, here called “the Preacher.” The first words form one of the major themes of theology, that all things human are perishable, that even what ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Psalm 90:3-17, Luke 9:7-9

Denomination: Catholic

Christianity Is Not A Spectator Sport Series

Contributed by Pat Damiani on Oct 6, 2007

30th in a series from Ephesians. Every believer is to be a minister.

Last Saturday, Mary and I went to the U of A football game. And as we watched that game, it reminded me of how someone once described a football game: Eleven men down on the field, desperately in need of rest, and fifty thousand people in the stands desperately in need of exercise. Unfortunately, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Last Harvest Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Feb 14, 2008

How could this be? A river of blood 4’ deep for 200 miles? Because you reap WHAT you sow, you reap LATER than you sow, & you reap MORE than you sow. Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, and PowerPoint Presentation.

The Last Harvest Rev. 14:9-20 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/LastHarvest.html v. 9-13 These are among the most graphic of verses in the Bible about life after death. The Lamb who came as a sheep to the slaughter is coming back as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. …let’s have a preview of the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 14:9-20

Denomination: Baptist

Dead Hypocrites: Ananias And Sapphira [halloween] Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 6, 2006

Have you ever lied to God? Made Him a promise you didn’t keep? Cared more about what others think than what God knows? The Problem, the Purging, the Punishment. Link included to parts 1 & 2 in formatted text w/ PowerPoint Presentation.

Dead Hypocrites Acts 5:1-11 Begin w/ 4:36, then read 5:1-10 [the ushers that day had a hard job…no wonder old churches put their cemeteries so close!] v. 11 Great Fear? I guess so! The early church in our text is in great revival w/ thousands getting saved…and the devil didn’t like it! He had ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11, Acts 4:26

Denomination: Baptist

Sacrificial Love Of God - Evening Service For Feb 18

Contributed by Michael Brown on Feb 17, 2024

This is the service I will be sharing at the evening Bible study tomorrow. It is about love & shows the great love God has for us & works its way to the love shown at the Cross at Easter. I used this formate because Easter is next month. It flows to the love we see at Easter.

We’re going to talk about LOVE again. • What are some characteristics of love? • Do you recall the first moment you felt that deep love for someone else? • What will we do for someone we love? • What did God do for the ones He loved? • Do we ever sacrifice things for loved ones? Put their ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, 1 John 4:10

Denomination: Baptist