Sermons on Rodney Stark:

The Devil Goes To Church Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 12, 2008

Uncontrolled speech may reveal a devilish heart that has never been regenerated. James challenges us to review our heart by examining our speech to determined our relationship to the Master.

JAMES 3:5b, 6 THE DEVIL GOES TO CHURCH “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” At 9:00 p.m., ...read more

Scripture: James 3:5-6

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Schizophrenia Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 20, 2008

It is impossible to live a life characterized by blessing God while simultaneously cursing other believers. To attempt to so live is to demonstrate that one is suffering spiritual schizophrenia.

JAMES 3:7-12 SPIRITUAL SCHIZOPHRENIA “Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who ...read more

Scripture: James 3:7-12

Denomination: Baptist

Orthodoxy Of The Devil Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 18, 2008

If we believe there is a God, our faith is no better than that of the demons. They believe God is one, and they shudder. The message explores the faith of the demons, encouraging us to have the faith of saints.

JAMES 2:18-19 ORTHODOXY OF THE DEVIL “Someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” Though orthopraxy is absolutely ...read more

Scripture: James 2:18-19

Denomination: Baptist

Useless Faith Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 25, 2008

Faith is so much more than a passive agreement to a set of doctrines. Saving faith transforms the one who believes. Without this transformation, how will anyone know whether we are saved, or merely pretending to be a follower of Christ?

JAMES 2:20-26 USELESS FAITH “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ...read more

Scripture: James 2:20-26

Denomination: Baptist

Judgement Day Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 2, 2008

God calls us to judge ourselves before we worship, or face His judgement because we dishonoured Him. The judgement revolves around recognition of the Body of Christ, the people of God.

1 CORINTHIANS 11:27-32 JUDGEMENT DAY “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:27-32

Denomination: Baptist

Completing The Work

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 27, 2008

The message is intended to provide encouragement for a new congregation to remember the task before them. It is a call to see the magnitude of the labour and the greatness of God.

TITUS 1:5, 10-2:1 COMPLETING THE WORK “I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order… “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Mothers Are Made, Not Born

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 10, 2008

Young women need godly mentors in order to fulfil the will of God concerning their essential role in society. Our prayer is for God to work among us to enlist older women as godly mentors to train young women how to be godly mothers and wives.

TITUS 2:3-5 MOTHERS ARE MADE, NOT BORN “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:3-5

Denomination: Baptist

Do Two Walk Together Unless They Have Agreed To Meet? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 28, 2012

Fellowship is dependent upon doctrinal fidelity. Whether co-operation in evangelism, in missionary advance or in worship, all fellowship depends upon doctrinal fidelity.

“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?” [1] God had blessed His ancient people. However, despite His rich blessings, they chose to rebel. God makes it clear that He is left with no option except judgement. The question selected as the text for the message today, is ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Denomination: Baptist

What Shall I Do With Jesus? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 3, 2012

The preacher, the Christian and the outsider all must answer the same question--What Shall I Do With Jesus? Each of us must answer; we cannot evade. For salvation and for service, our answer reveals who we are.

“What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ” [1] Almost every message I have heard from this text was directed to lost people. That is certainly appropriate. However, in our study today, I want to consider how this question applies not only to the lost, but also to each of us who bear the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:22

Denomination: Baptist

What Good Is It For A Man To Gain The Whole World? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 11, 2012

Jesus calls disciples to assess what is truly valuable, boldly seizing that aspect of life.

“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” [1] He who dies with the most toys wins. At least, that is the sentiment expressed in contemporary bumper sticker theology. It probably sums up the contemporary worldview that esteems winning at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:25

Denomination: Baptist

What Is To Stop Me From Being Baptised? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 25, 2012

Who should be baptised? Why should one be baptised? These are questions that must be answered by each one calling himself or herself after the Name of the Son of God.

“As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?’” [1], [2] Baptism is truly the water that divides. It is an unfortunate fact of ecclesiastical history that the rite has ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:36

Denomination: Baptist

What Does Scripture Say? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 9, 2012

The study seeks to learn how Abraham was saved. If we determine the answer to this question, we will know precisely how we may be saved.

“What does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’” [1] If you have walked in the Faith for very long, you will have been challenged by some dear soul who does not believe the truths of Christ the Lord. Such benighted souls ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:3

Denomination: Baptist

What Must I Do To Be Saved? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 15, 2012

A holy life lived to the glory of God attracts outsiders to ask, "What must I do to be saved?"

“What must I do to be saved?” [1] I fear many vital, even essential words are disappearing from common usage today. Society as a whole is becoming linguistically impoverished. Some words have been misappropriated; they will never be returned to their proper place in English vocabulary. “Gay,” ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:30

Denomination: Baptist

What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 23, 2012

We are far more prone to think too highly of ourselves than to think too poorly of ourselves. Such thinking tends to divide the people of God.

“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” [1] Our contemporaries, and likely we ourselves, esteem the rugged individual. We imagine that we are distinct from everyone else. We are taught in elementary school that there ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:7

Denomination: Baptist

How Shall We Escape? Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 29, 2012

Many professing Christians treat the Faith as though it were optional; God calls us to absolute commitment.

“We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-3

Denomination: Baptist