Sermons on Purpose Driven:

Where Can You Find God's Presence?

Contributed by Mike Rickman on Feb 4, 2011

You have been given an invitation to enter into God's Presence. Will you accept the invitation?

February 6, 2011 Morning Worship Text: Hebrews 10:19-25 Subject: God’s Presence Title: Where Can You Find God’s Presence? Open your bibles to Hebrews 10. While you are turning there I want to share a personal story with you. In May of 1988 on the last day of school, Charlotte and I ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Potter’s Hand Series

Contributed by Barry Edmondson on Feb 5, 2011

God – the Master Potter – knows how to take the mistakes of life and reform it into something beautiful.

Text: Jeremiah 18:1-6 God doesn’t make mistakes. In 1502, in Florence, Italy there was a large block of marble given to a church in Santa Maria, the church immediately hired who they thought was a professional to sculpt this enormously huge piece of rock. The man was a professional and soon ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6

Denomination: Pentecostal

Accepting The Challenge Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Feb 23, 2011

Will the church accept the challenge of Christ to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth?

"Accepting the Challenge" (Acts 1:1-11) INTRODUCTION Now that Christ was physically gone, he gave the disciples (and the church) their "job description." * Matthew 28:18-20 * Mark 16:15-16 * John 20:21 The perpetual message and challenge for believers is to go and transform the world. Challenge ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Kind Of Person God Uses To Transform The World Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Feb 23, 2011

What kind of person does God use to change his/her community with the Gospel?

INTRODUCTION * God has chosen to accomplish his task of redemption through the efforts of...YOU AND ME! * We have been appointed and chosen to change the world. John 15:16 1 Cor. 12:28 Eph. 4:11 * Before God can use us for this mission, we must become "usable." The kind of person God uses to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:12-26

Denomination: Baptist

The Cherubim Around The Ark Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 26, 2011

Depictions of events from the Bible in image are in no way a violation of the first commandment, but help the events transcend the passing of time and become present in our midst.

Monday of 8th Week in Course Feb 28 2011 Spirit of the Liturgy The young man arrived full of enthusiasm, and he went away sorrowful. The English can’t do proper justice to the original meaning of the Greek. The same word is used of the disciples when Jesus told them he would ultimately be ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-27

Denomination: Catholic

Doing The Impossible Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 6, 2011

This sermon explains how the disciples (and the church today) were able to do a seemingly impossible task: taking the Gospel to the world

* Assignment from Acts 1:8 is impossible in Acts 1 because the disciples have no spiritual power to help them * Explain Holy Spirit’s role, pre-Acts 2 (came upon isolated individuals or small groups for a specific purpose or on a special occasion) * Disciples know the facts about Jesus but lack the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Facts Of Church Life Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 13, 2011

Acts 4:32 - 5:11 reveals some facts about church life, both the good and the bad.

* "You take the good, you take bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life." * Scripture does not omit the "bad" aspects of various people (i.e., Noah, Moses, David, Jonah, Elijah) * The church in Acts has been all "good" so far: the Holy Spirit’s arrival; multiple conversions; ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The First Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 14, 2011

Stephen, the first Christian martyr, teaches us how we can be prepared to live and die for Christ.

* Our culture’s love of records and stats (i.e., longest hitting streak; first to land on moon; etc.) * Our culture’s love of “firsts” = they set the standard and give an example to everyone who will ever follow them * Stephen’s role as one among those who did something first...the first Christian ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Persecuted Church Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 16, 2011

(Preached on July 4th): This message focuses on the first church-wide persecution in Acts. Attention is given to the implications the Gospel has for believers as members of both God's kingdom and a country.

* The difficulty in approaching a July 4th message: - We sometimes "read" America into Scripture when we shouldn't - Bible doesn't reference America as a country of predict the events of July, 1776 * If we're not careful, we end up using today to exalt a nation instead of Christ - We do not worship ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Pride & Prejudice Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 16, 2011

Peter came to a point where he was able to overcome his prejudice. This sermon examines how he came to that point, and shares how we can get there, too.

* "The most segregated house in America is 11:00 on Sunday." * The reality/existence of prejudice in Christianity and the church... * Prejudice in the church takes many forms... * Not a new issue for the church to face: it has existed for almost as long as the church itself * The problem that ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-48

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus, The New Temple Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 13, 2010

Jesus and the early disciples preached against the Jerusalem Temple because the new Temple is the Body of the Risen Christ, and true worship is centered there.

November 15, 2010 Albert the Great The Spirit of the Liturgy Today we commemorate St. Albert the Great, known for many years as “the Universal Doctor.” He is best known as the teacher and mentor of St. Thomas Aquinas, but his studies and teaching spanned all of what was known then as ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:35-43

Denomination: Catholic

Don’t Be Confused About The Truth Series

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Nov 14, 2010

To be confused about the church begins with confusion about the truth for vice-versa.

Don’t be Confused – about the truth John 18:36-38 * The first time I heard the term was during the Bill Clinton presidency. Of course I knew it went on, but I had never heard the term (in political jargon) ‘spin.’ Does everyone know what ‘spin’ actually is? My personal definition is something ...read more

Scripture: John 18:36-40

Denomination: Baptist

God’s Kind Of Church Series

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Nov 14, 2010

what kind of church would God design? How does it match up with the 21st Century, Americanized church? Give it some thought.

God’s Kind of Church 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 * If you have ever built a house for your family, then you know a little about decisions, frustrations, and more. In the process, you may well discover that ‘what you want is beyond your ability to provide. We lived in Yazoo City, Mississippi, for a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Making A Difference Starts With Me Series

Contributed by Mariah Cook on Nov 16, 2010

We all want to make a difference in the world, but stop because we don't know where to start. It starts with me.

Making a Difference Starts With Me. BIG IDEA: God created you to TAKE ACTION God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.Ephesians 2:10 NCV Each person has a God given MISSION to accomplish. He comes ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Denomination: *other

Getting Real With God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

Authenticity before God begins with self-examination, proceeds to self-disclosure, and involves trusted advisors.

National Baptist Memorial Church, Washington, DC March 13, 2005 The issue is not an academic discussion as to whether there is a God. Relatively few doubt or debate that. The issue is not whether God is real, but whether we know how to get real with God. Let me play out a little scene with ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-42

Denomination: Baptist