Sermons on Ministry Struggles:

How To Disciple Leaders In A New Church

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 13, 2001

Some Christian researchers have said that at least 30% of new churches that start fail to grow qualitatively or quantitatively due to the ineffectiveness of leadership. Most of Christ’s three years of ministry were given to the training of His disciples.

How To Disciple Leaders in a New Church Learning Objectives 1. The students will explain why it is important to train, disciple, and equip leaders in a new church. 2. The students will write a short paper on how Christ discipled His followers so that the church would grow qualitatively and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Legacy Of Spiritual Leadership

Contributed by Joel Santos on Sep 23, 2004

The body of Christ is made up of great leaders that are gifted in every area of the ministry. The Holy Spirit had given them so much talents and gifts that every one will become useful and contributor to the growth and success in the body of Christ.

(I Shared this message during Philippine Missionary Fellowship,Inc. National Bi-Annual Conference in Cavite City, Philippines) A STRONG ORGANIZATION FOUNDED BY GOD Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. is a mission-organization founded in 1957. It is now 46 years old. Members, workers, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:3-5, Acts 6:3-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Healing That Costs Series

Contributed by David Flowers on Dec 29, 2006

Part 4 in series Jesus in Isaiah. This message looks at the healing ministry of Jesus, and how there is usually a price associated with healing. It asks if we’re willing to pay that price, and gives people an opportunity to come forward to receive heali

Healing that Costs Jesus in Isaiah, part 4 Wildwind Community Church David Flowers December 31, 2006 In late October a former student of mine – Malorie Ward, age 20 – was involved in a terrible car accident when a horse walked out onto the road where she was riding as a passenger in a vehicle. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-8

Denomination: Free Methodist

0600 Ascension Series

Contributed by Mark Woolsey on Aug 16, 2005

This is in some sense the zenith of His ministry, the high point and culmination of all His work on earth. All that’s recorded in the gospels, His teaching, miracles, suffering, death, and resurrection are simply preparation, a means to an end, that lead

Sermon: Ascension Text: Luke 24:49-53, Acts 1:1-11 Occasion: Sunday after Ascension Who: Mark Woolsey Where: Arbor House When: Sunday, May 23, 2004 Where: TI, morning prayer When: Friday, May 13, 2005 Where: Providence REC When: Sunday, May 15, 2005 May the words of my mouth and the meditation ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49-53

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Beatitude #1: Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit Series

Contributed by Vernon L Caruthers on Jun 13, 2006

JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY PREACHING THE FAMOUS SERMON ON THE MOUNT. SOME SUGGEST THAT THIS WAS NOT ONE LONG SERMON BUT RATHER SEVERAL SERMONS. WHICHEVER THE CASE, THIS SERMON WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING MANKIND HAD EVER HEARD BEFO

SERMON SERIES: THE BEATITUDES SERMON #2: THE 1ST BEATITUDE: "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT" SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: MATTHEW 5:3 "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIR’S IS THE KINGDOM OF ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3

The Busy Church Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Dec 12, 2005

How does busyness hurt our ability to witness for Jesus? How does ministry sometimes change our focus from loving the Messiah? Learn how to avoid the trap of busyness from Jesus’ critique of the Ephesian church.

I do some writing professionally. I haven’t had much published - but it’s a craft I care about and work on seriously. One of the best tools a writer has is not spell check - but gut check. By that I mean a critique group. A critique group reads what you’ve written - gives you some things they like ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Graduation Day Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jun 11, 2007

There comes a time when you are ready to graduate, fly solo, go out and do a ministry apart from the nurturing Christian environment in which you grew. Joshua gives us some help on prospering and remaining faithful.

We had a very exciting and very emotion filled spring. My daughter Beth, my baby, graduated from college. I remember very well when she was about to start classes four years before. She openly wondered if she could actually do college level work. Well, she did indeed and now has a college diploma ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 22:1-34

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Where There Is No Vision The People Will Perish

Contributed by Levi Wright on Jun 16, 2007

We need to rise up to the high calling of God and stand on the tower and write our vision together and build up the kingdom of God..... When people become settled in their lives and in their ministry, they tend to become complacent. Where there is no vis

Banner of Praise Ministries Rev. Dr. Levi Howard Wright, Pastor & Founder “Where There Is No Vision The People Will Perish” Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”. INTRODUCTION When people become settled in their lives ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Signs Of The Second Coming Part 2

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Mar 16, 2012

I. EXORDIUM: Maranathai, the LORD is coming soon II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: General believers with ministry involvement III. OBJECTIVES: To show the sign of the LORD's coming IV. TEXT: Matthew 24:30-31 30 And then at last, the sign that

I. EXORDIUM: Maranathai, the LORD is coming soon II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: General believers with ministry involvement III. OBJECTIVES: To show the sign of the LORD's coming IV. TEXT: Matthew 24:30-31 30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:30-31

Denomination: Pentecostal

Rebuilding Faith - Leading Through Commitment Series

Contributed by Michael R. Hodge on Apr 10, 2012

This series focuses on seven steps to experiencing a renewal of faith based upon the life and ministry of Nehemiah. The series uses the acrostic R.E.B.U.I.L.D. to build each week towards the final session.

Session Six: “Leading through Commitment” Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 10 Opening Dialogue As you begin this session with your group, consider opening this session with a discussion of things that people in your group have signed up for…and soon wanted out of! The idea here is ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 10:28-39

Denomination: Baptist

First Christmas Risk-Takers

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Dec 21, 2011

Risk taking at times needs to be bold and calculated. Other times require spontaneity. Risk taking is taking on something that causes fear and has the possibility of failure. Risk taking is an essential ingredient in ministry in the Kingdom of God. Most B

Opening illustration: Three pastors have been called Monday to report to prison in Shiraz, a city in southwestern Iran, within the next 30 days in what is estimated to be an act of religious persecution. The pastors were essentially being sentenced for having meetings at home, making the government ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:40-42

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thick Skinned And Tender-Hearted

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 21, 2011

This message from my youth ministry days was my attempt to explain the reasons some churches were unfriendly and some individuals were thoughtless with regards to the feelings of others in the church. The text is 1 Peter 3:8-18

Thick Skinned and Tender-hearted TEXT: I Peter 3:8-18 INTRODUCTION: “I was a stranger in the city. The church sign read, ‘Welcome‘, so I went in. I smiled at the Sunday school children as they rushed to their classes. Neither they nor their parents greeted me. After I sat ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Skirmish With The Status Quo Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Feb 2, 2012

Jesus begins his ministry and immediately clashes with the understanding of the people and the forces of evil. Jesus confronts the status quo of our live seeking to free us from the chains that bind us and to enable us to experience true freedom.

Mark 1:21-28 “Skirmish with the Status Quo” INTRODUCTION The beginning of Mark’s gospel is in stark contrast to those of the other gospel writers. You do not find a boring list of Jesus’ ancestors, as you do in Matthew, nor the heartwarming story of Jesus’ birth ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:21-28

Denomination: Lutheran

John The Baptist: An Almost Familiar Story

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Nov 28, 2010

A heavenly messenger, a miraculous birth, a normal childhood a short ministry preaching to people who loved his message and hated his message and then an untimely death at the hands of the authorities he had offended. Not the story you are thinking of.

It is a familiar story for this time of year. A heavenly messenger, a miraculous birth, a normal childhood a short ministry preaching to people who loved his message and hated his message and then an untimely death at the hands of the authorities he had offended. Most people could fill in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:57-66

Denomination: Wesleyan

Paul Of Arabia Series

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Oct 13, 2011

Our zeal and God's timing are often very different things. God knows when, where and how to make us ready for and get us started in our ministry so that we can experience our full potential.

Somewhat funny series of commercials that ask the same familiar question: ‘Do you wanna get away’. People find themselves in awkward or embarrassing situations and need to exit them as quickly as possible. Saul, soon to be Paul, was in just such a moment in his own life. One of the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:16-24