Sermons on Generational Challenges:

Gentleness Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 2, 2008

The nine attributes of fruit of the Spirit, spelled out in Galatians 5: 22-23 are absolutely key to understanding God’s perspective of what we ought to be.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5: 22-23) We’ve been at this study of the fruit of the Spirit for eight weeks now; and we’ve got one week yet to go. Why ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Self Control Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 2, 2008

The struggle for self-control goes on entirely inside an individual, but the results of self-control, or lack of it, show up entirely on the outside of a person.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) It’s probably fitting that “self-control” is the last fruit of the Spirit in our nine week study. It may be the most ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Money Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 2, 2008

“The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.” (Proverbs 10:15 NLT)

Money Ooh boy. We could spend a while on this one. We will, as a matter of fact. We’ll be on this for a few weeks. Money isn’t a comfortable subject for Christians. Privately, we don’t have much of a problem with it at all. Who doesn’t like money? But publicly, we traverse the subject like we’re ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:31-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Money Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 2, 2008

“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor and believe me, rich is better.” My dad told me that.

“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor and believe me, rich is better.” My dad told me that. I’ve mentioned it before. He was just kidding around when he said it and he sure wasn’t rich, but the saying stuck with me. Funny how some things stick, isn’t it? Everybody’s got an opinion about money. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:48

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prophecy Conference

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 2, 2008

This was a prophecy conference. At prophecy conferences people talk about what hasn’t happened yet, but what they believe will happen based on what they think the Bible says about what will happen, held up to the light of what’s happening now.

Elaine and I were out all of last week at an “equipping the saints” conference. It wasn’t really named “equipping the saints,” but you know what I mean. It was a conference for Christians by Christians, with subject matter focused on a particular facet of the faith. This one was about “prophecy.” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Money Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 2, 2008

A “talent” is a measurement of weight.

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.” (Matthew 25: 14–15) Remember the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Courage Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 5, 2008

Fear is a part of life. I don’t believe people who say they’re not afraid of anything. Everybody’s afraid of something.

Fear is a part of life. I don’t believe people who say they’re not afraid of anything. Everybody’s afraid of something. I used to be afraid of eighth graders. They terrified me, bullied me, threatened me and laughed at me. Of course, I was a seventh grader at the time. I’ve gotten over that ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Courage Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 5, 2008

What Makes a Hero?

What Makes a Hero? Remember last week? Gideon fought the bad guys, the Midianites, and won. He was a Judge, remember? There was another Judge in old Israel, a few Judges down from Gideon; his name was Samson. In the eyes of most folks Samson was a hero; the kind of stuff Sunday school stories are ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:30

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Courage Series

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 5, 2008

“We have met the enemy, and he is us” - Pogo

“In those days Israel had no king; every one did as he saw fit.” (Judges 17:6) “We have met the enemy, and he is us” - Pogo We’re going to hang with the Judges for one more week. From last week’s letter you could tell that things were beginning to go astray in Samson’s time, but after he died life ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Timing

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 7, 2008

I heard someone say once that the definition of “luck” was “preparation meeting opportunity.”

I heard someone say once that the definition of “luck” was “preparation meeting opportunity.” The point the speaker was making was that those people we consider “lucky,” having fallen into some overnight success, are really people who quietly and diligently prepared for an opportunity they ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:24-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Road Not Taken

Contributed by Steven Spillman on May 12, 2008

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27) Hate my father and mother? Brothers and sisters? Sounds a bit harsh doesn’t it? Not much of a Mothers Days weekend topic, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:39

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Are Forgiven Series

Contributed by David Owens on Sep 15, 2008

In this lesson, we learn about the wonder of forgiveness, what it feels like to be forgiven, and witness the forgiveness of the sinful woman in Luke 7.

A. Once there was a man who carried a secret burden of a long-past sin in his heart. 1. No one knew what he had done, but he had repented and asked God for forgiveness. 2. In spite of this, he had lived with years of remorse over the incident without any sense of God’s forgiveness. 3. One day he ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Wedding Ceremony

Contributed by Eddie Nicandro on Sep 23, 2008

A FILIPINO TRADIONAL CHRISTIAN WEDDING CEREMONY

WEDDING CEREMONY September 20, 2008 PRELIMINARIES Prelude Lighting of Candles PROCESSIONAL Principal Sponsor Officiating Ministers Parents of the Groom Best Man ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-28

Denomination: Baptist

Your Internal Conflict Just Spilled Over Into The Church Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Sep 27, 2008

The disastrous reign of our own desires threatens the health of Christ’s people. James confronts us with the need to address this dreadful malady that contaminates the work of God.

JAMES 4:1-3 YOUR INTERNAL CONFLICT JUST SPILLED OVER INTO THE CHURCH “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Leading The Church Series

Contributed by Brian Matherlee on Oct 8, 2008

Part 2 in a three part series on leadership.

ON A MISSION FROM GOD Part 2-Leading The Church Daniel’s Story Sunday, October 5, 2008 Pastor Brian Matherlee An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy. He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 6:1-28

Denomination: Wesleyan