Sermons on Raise The Bar:

Be Contagious: Week 1 Series

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Nov 16, 2010

This is the first of a 4 part series adapted from Willow Creek's Contagious Christian Evangelism Training course.

BE CONTAGIOUS: WEEK 1 Scott Bayles, pastor Adapted from “Motivations for Evangelism” by Bill Hybels Several weeks back we distributed a Congregational Questionnaire that asked questions about your attitudes toward church growth, worship, and our education program among other things. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Denomination: Christian Church

Believing Is Seeing

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Aug 7, 2011

A skeptical reporter talks to the once-blind Bartimaeus about his encounter with the itinerant preacher Yeshua of Nazareth.

Good morning. This is The News Hour with Gaius Petronius, bringing you a special report from the Imperial Province of Judea in Palestine on Tuesday, April 9th, in the 16th year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Today we have a newsmaker interview from Jericho, where the notorious Galilean ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:46-48

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

False Identification Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 28, 2011

The only person whose heart you really know is yourself, and you don't need to identify the Beast if Jesus can identify you.

I’m in the process of refinancing my house. I’ve done it all over the telephone. And midway through the process, I started getting nervous. The web page they gave me had their name but a different address, long distance information gave me a different number for that name in NJ, I ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Suffering For The Master

Contributed by Clint Meade on Jun 3, 2007

Suffering for Christ

Colossians 1: 24-25 Cornerstone Baptist Church May 20, 2007 A bar of steel is worth just a few dollars. When it is forged into a set of wrenches, it is worth approximately $100. If that same bar of steel is made into many needles, it can be worth several hundred ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:24-25

Denomination: Baptist

A Mind Fixed On Jesus

Contributed by David Hicks on Nov 16, 2006

Consider Jesus who is greater than the prophets and angels and who was appointed by God. Fix your minds upon Him.

A MIND FIXED ON JESUS Have you ever found yourself fixated on a project, a person, a hobby or an idea? I tend to be the type of person that can easily become fixated on something. For example, this week we were doing some restructuring of the basement facilities. I found myself moving ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6

Denomination: Holiness

Understanding The Gates Of Life

Contributed by Bode Ayodele on Sep 5, 2007

Understanding the gates of Life points out the significance of openings. Just as you have to be careful of those who come into you home, you must guard against what you watch, read or listen to if you do not want to introduce spirits of sin into your life

By Bode Ayodele Gates and doors are very significant in the life of human beings. A city without a gate is open to various unwanted things and personalities. Just as in the physical, there are also spiritual gates and doors. Throughout the bible, roles played by gates, provide an important ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 45:1-3

Denomination: Pentecostal

Finding Our Native Tongue Series

Contributed by Eldon Reich on Aug 24, 2007

This sermon deals with the lost language of the Christian. We have become a part of the world so much that we no longer have a distintive language.

FINDING OUR NATIVE TONGUE John 8:42-44 Friends, did you know that there are 6000 languages in the world One is said to disappear every fortnight—2 weeks. 200 years ago the German explorer Alexander von Humboldt stumbled upon a village in what is now Venezuela. While there he heard a parrot ...read more

Scripture: John 8:42-44

Denomination: Methodist

Enemies Of The Family

Contributed by John Lowe on Feb 18, 2015

We are the Church which will be presented to Christ without spot or blemish. We have learned that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, but when we fail in our Christian walk we can grieve the Holy Spirit.

Title: Enemies of the Family Text: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16). Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:1-6:4 9-12-03 Introduction How do Christians walk? We walk in love, as ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Worship God Selflessly Series

Contributed by Rick Burdette on Jul 1, 2013

The throne, worship, God's Glory

WORSHIP GOD SELFLESSLY Revelation 4 & 5 (p863-864) June 30, 2013 INTRODUCTION: [A man named Bill Crockett was delivering a motivational lecture to a group of young Navy Corpsmen…He says, “I spoke in great detail about my love for our country and about why joining the military meant ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Theology At Midnight

Contributed by John Gaston on Oct 29, 2015

We never really know how strong our relationship with God is until we face a severe trial. The darkest times -- our midnights --are the times when our faith is proven. Paul & Silas discovered God was enough at midnight.

THEOLOGY AT MIDNIGHT Acts 16:22-32 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: IF ONLY 4 WEEKS TO LIVE 1. A Bible study group was discussing the possibility of sudden death. The Group Leader asked, "What would you do if you knew you only had 4 weeks of life remaining before your death, and your Judgment Day?" 2. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:22-32

Denomination: Assembly Of God

S.a.i.n.t!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Sep 9, 2016

Expanding the acronym "S.A.I.N.T" at a time the Sainthood of Mother Teresa (her recent posthumous canonization) is the talk of the "Christian" town!!!

S.A.I.N.T First and foremost, Mother Teresa’s works of charity in the mold of Tabitha of yore (Acts 9:36) are at once inspirational, to say the least. Indian media in the last week (at the time of this writing) ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:2

Denomination: *other

Armed & Dangerous

Contributed by John Gaston on Sep 16, 2016

God has given Christians four principle weapons, these weapons make us dangerous to the devil, and it's urgent that we begin using our weapons.

ARMED & DANGEROUS 2 Cor. 10:4 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: DIVORCE BECAUSE 2-STORY HOUSE 1. Vicky asked for a divorce and appeared before the judge. The judge asked, "So tell me in your own words, Mrs. Franks, why are you seeking a divorce?" 2. "I'm seeking a divorce, your Honor, because I feel I can ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:4

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Turning Complaints Into A Celebration

Contributed by Paul Sizemore on Oct 10, 2016

Jesus was often judged harshly by the religious authorities in his day. The Pharisees and the scribes believed wrongly that he was condoning the sins of people whose company he shared. Instead Christ came to make of them "new creations" (2 Cor. 5:17).

“Turning Complaints into a Celebration” Luke 15:1-10, Proper 19-C September 11, 2016 “Grumble”: It’s an interesting word isn’t it? And here we find it in the second verse of our Gospel lesson today. “And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying: ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Denomination: Lutheran

Scariest Story Of All

Contributed by Larry Turner on Oct 28, 2016

With all the horror stories played out at Halloween, the scariest story of all is found in the Bible.

Did you enjoy the music that was playing when you came in? Were you looking over your shoulders for Jason or Michael Myers? Was Freddy Krugger stalking you? All of these of course were characters from famous horror films. We love to be frightened. Last week we went to Scarowinds on Friday night. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31

Denomination: Foursquare

Your Destiny Awaits Your Arrival

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Feb 14, 2020

Every Christian needs to declare the good things of God over their life on a daily basis, like the song says “He’ll do it again!” God will do it again for you, and again, and again, and again and again and again!

Your Destiny Awaits Your Arrival Illustration by Ken Miller GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS A gallery owner tells one of his artists that heÍs got some good new and bad news. The artist asks for the good news first. "Well," he replies, "the good news is that a man came in here today asking ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:1-2, 1 Peter 5:8, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 11:28-30, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 81:10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational