Sermons on Offenses:

Pray For These Guys

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 30, 2012

A sermon on the congregation's responsibilities to their elders (Much material taken from BIBLICAL ELDERSHIP by Alexander Strauch, Chapter 9 Paul's Instruction to Timothy)

HoHum: Lao Tzu said this of a leader: A leader is best when people barely know that he exists. He is not so good when people obey and acclaim him. He is worse when they despise him. Do something that will make them uncomfortable but elders stand and recognize them. WBTU: Except for last ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 5:17-22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Face To Face With God!

Contributed by Jan Oosthuizen on Oct 7, 2017

I believe the best way to communicate is meeting face to face. Yet we try to substitute this most ancient and proven way with technology and social Media and have become terribly disconnected as a result.

A face-to-face request is 34 times more successful than an email In research Mahdi Roghanizad of Western University and I conducted, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, we have found that people tend to overestimate the power of their persuasiveness via text-based ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Manipulation By Guilt Vs. Straightforward Requests Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 26, 2016

Manipulation is a dishonest method to control others, get our way, or make others think an idea was theirs; it stands in contrast to making honest straightforward requests. Manipulation by guilt is perhaps the most common form of manipulation.

Manipulation by Guilt Vs. Straightforward Requests (topical) 1. A lot of persuasion — even in church — can be based upon emotion and a lack of logic. “Pastor Smith was winding up his sermon about the dangers of alcohol and the need for temperance. He shouted, 'If I had all the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:11-13

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Weep With Those Who Weep

Contributed by Jason Jones on Mar 27, 2018

This is our foundation for handling tragedy biblically

A. Opening illustration: “Our God who is omnipotent is also weak in that God has imposed limitations on God’s omnipotence to give us the space to have a real autonomy” – Bishop Tutu, “The only answer Christianity has is that God is a sadist” –Blogger, “God had nothing to do with the shootings.” Why ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Just The Right Person For The Job!

Contributed by Nickolas Kooi on Jun 13, 2017

We often can feel inadequate and ill-prepared to witness our faith, and to share God's Word with others. However, like the prophet Isaiah, God has prepared us through our life experiences and His Word. He has forgiven us, and He has sent us.

“I know just the right person for the job!” This is a phrase that we can be very familiar with in our lives. It is one that we heard with the elections, as people told us whom they taught were the best candidates. It is a phrase we may hear at work as we suggest people for vacant positions. It ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Denomination: Lutheran

Change Your Thinking

Contributed by David Leach on Jan 5, 2014

What or whose thoughts have you been thinking? Your thoughts are the food that you feed your spirit, and your spirit is who you really are – what have you been feeding on?

1 Change your thinking Col 3:2 Set your mind (purpose to think) on things above, not on things on the earth. The continuing battle for your and my soul deciding our fate now and forever, is between: EVIL (which has three sources) and GOOD (which has one source) The world – ruled the Bible ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Do You Really Think Of Jesus? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Mar 12, 2012

So what do you think of Jesus? You've heard about Him from the culture and even from the church but is that really Jesus? Some people are afraid of sharing their faith knowing the possible rejection they'll receive - so is it worth it?

Isn’t it great to go home? You get to see family and old friends—visit old haunts and places you played as a child. Well, not everyone likes going home. For some, memories of the past are bleak and painful. For others, it isn’t the past only but the present which brings pain and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-31

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Civil Wars - Pt. 4 - War And Peace Series

Contributed by Steve Ely on Aug 28, 2015

Brother against brother. Father against son. Son against father. It was a war that was anything but "civil". Wars are inevitable. What if we could learn to fight fair? What if we could wage civil wars?

Civil Wars 
Pt. 4 - War and Peace I. Introduction
 The Civil War is an incredibly painful moment in the history of our country. The name is misleading. The war was not civil. It was bloody. It was brutal. Sons and fathers and brothers killed their own family members as battle lines ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:17-19

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Only Thing That Matters Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 6, 2014

If we try to be justified by keeping the Law, we’ve abandoned grace as our means of salvation. And having been set free, liberated by Christ, what will we do with our freedom? Jesus grants us an opportunity to live and love like never before!

Introduction: According to news reports, criminal gangs have tried to infiltrate the ranks of Scotland's police force, to obtain information and undermine law enforcement. You can just imagine the awful consequences. Paul was also dealing with infiltrators--in the church--people who insisted ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1-15

Denomination: Congregational

The Axe Is Laid To The Roots

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Dec 8, 2018

What does it mean to repent?

The Axe is Laid to the Roots Luke 3:7-18 As we come to the third Sunday of Advent, we continue in the third chapter of Luke. Last week, we saw who John the Baptist was, what God had called Him to do, and where he performed his mission. This week we will look at how this mission was carried ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:7-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Exiles #1: Elect Exiles: Wait...what?

Contributed by James Jackson on Aug 29, 2018

Part 1 of Exiles: Sustained by Hope in a Hostile World (1 Peter)

If you are a fan of Georgia Tech football, you might consider October 7, 1916 as one of the greatest daysin history. If you are a fan of offense in general, you might feel the same way. Because on October 7, 1916, Georgia Tech delivered the most stunning beatdown in football history to Cumberland ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Looking Toward Healing

Contributed by Pablo Catala on Feb 18, 2020

Gods will to heal

Luke 9:51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, Forgiveness is a choice, it is something that we will decide to do when we come to the conclusion that the past doesn’t change, but how we process life right now ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51

Denomination: Pentecostal

Armored: Geared Up For Life Series

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Aug 21, 2021

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B August 22, 2021, this is the Armor, the gear we have been “gearing up for life” throughout the series. So, what are these tools and how do we employ them in our daily lives?

INTRODUCTION As Hitler’s appetite for power and territory grew, his army began to march across Europe. In some cases, the fight could hardly be called a battle. The Evil German Nazi army advanced, with its tanks and with technologically advanced weapons. In some of the underdeveloped nations, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Denomination: United Methodist

A Child Is Born Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Oct 29, 2022

Isaiah tells us of the greatness of this child, with the best that can be done given the restraint of human understanding. This passage is the theme for Handel’s Messiah.

My friend wrote about the birth of Jesus and put it in a way to look like a birth announcement for Jesus. It was designed to look like it was clipped from a newspaper. Birth Announcement The Nazareth Daily News in the year 1 A.D. Joseph and Mary from Nazareth are pleased to announce the birth ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7

Denomination: Baptist

Sin Is Sin: Murder Or Telling A Lie

Contributed by Jenny Franklin on Jan 17, 2023

Many struggle with the concept that sin is sin. Murder, stealing, telling a lie…they are all sin. But how can telling a lie be just as bad as murder?

******************* A lot of us struggle with the concept that sin is sin. Murder, stealing, telling a lie… we can all agree that those are sins. But we tend to rate sins and say one sin is worse than another. How can telling a lie be just as bad as murder? There’s a verse in the Bible that ...read more

Scripture: James 2:10, 1 John 2:1, Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 3:16-17, Romans 8:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist