Sermons on Shrinking Back:

Back To The Basics: The Church Series

Contributed by Brian William on Oct 25, 2007

Fourth in the "Back to the Basics" series, exploring the foundational beliefs of Christians. This sermon addresses the question, "What do Christians believe about the Body of Christ, the Church?"

This past week, someone brought to my attention a different kind of church. Travel a half-hour south of Dallas, Texas, and you’ll find the Cowboy Church of Ellis County. Based on the photographs they provide on their website, you’ve got a few choices if you want to lead worship at the Cowboy ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-21

Denomination: Methodist

Back To The Basics: The Bible Series

Contributed by Brian William on Oct 25, 2007

Fifth in the "Back to the Basics" series, exploring the foundational beliefs of Christians. This sermon addresses the question, "What do Christians believe about the Bible?"

Have you ever gone to a movie with one set of expectations and then found out the movie wasn’t at all what you expected? Somebody told you that it was going to be funny, but the movie was really quite serious. Or you read in the newspaper that the movie was scary, but you found yourself laughing ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:16-21

Denomination: Methodist

Get Back? - Never! Series

Contributed by Pat Damiani on Oct 29, 2007

33rd in a series from Ephesians. Once we’e experienced the new life in Christ, there is no way we ever want to go back to our old life.

In April 1969, the Beatles released a song with some ties to Tucson. I know that Steve Ponzo, and maybe many of the rest of us, are familiar with these lyrics: Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner But he knew it wouldn’t last. Jojo left his home in Tucson, Arizona For some California ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-19

Denomination: Baptist

Getting Back On Track Series

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Nov 7, 2007

Adapted in part from Warren Wiersbe (and others)...a look at the letters Jesus dictated to specific churches...with the ensuing question, "what would He write to us?"

GETTING BACK ON TRACK Revelation 3:19-22 * When I was young, I loved playing with electric train sets. Man it was good. If you remember, these types of trains got their power from the tracks. The electricity ran through the tracks and as long as the train was on the track it possessed the power ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:19-22

Denomination: Baptist

Taking Back The Family Series

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Nov 9, 2007

Explores David journey to Ziklag to take back his family and applies it to taking back our family today from the devil

Title: Going back to Ziklag Theme: Show the importance of taking back our families. Text: 1 Samuel 30:1-8 Introduction In chapter 30 of 1 Samuel we are coming to the end of the Davids wilderness wanderings. I know you know of Israel’s wandering in the dessert for 40 years, what you may not ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:1-8

Denomination: Church Of God

Going Back To Bethel

Contributed by Clint Shrum on Feb 28, 2008

Jacob first met God at Luzwhich means "a hard place." After his encounter with God he changed the name of that place to Bethel which means "the House of God." Years later Jacob finds himself returning to the place where he first met God.

GOING BACK TO BETHEL Genesis 35:1-7 Intro: To fully understand the message this morning it is imperative that I take you back to Genesis 27. Esau in his moment of weakness has sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob through deception and by the held of his mother has gone to Isaac and received ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 35:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Empire Strikes Back Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Mar 27, 2008

Exposition of Acts 12:1-17 regarding the attack of Herod on the church and the churches response to persecution

Text: Acts 12:1-17, Title: The Empire Strikes Back, Date/Place: NRBC, 3/30/08, AM A. Opening illustration: Ignatius Kung was ordained as a Bishop of Shanghai in 1949, shortly after the communists took over China. The Chinese government pressured him to align his loyalties to the "Chinese Catholic ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Running Back To God Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Nov 22, 2007

With Jonah’s new purpose he is about to be used mightily. Do you desire to be used by God, but feel trapped in circumstances?

We are looking at Jonah’s prayer as he prayed to God from an unlikely place, the stomach of a fish. To pray we must have faith in God. Sometimes we say there are no atheists in foxholes. Now we find out from Jonah that there are no atheists in fish bellies. Can you imagine what it would be like ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

To The Distant Country And Back

Contributed by Michael Trask on Mar 19, 2007

The Prodigal went to "a distant country". "The Distant Country" is not a foriegn state, but rather a sinful state of mind....that leads to ruin. But there is a way back.

“There was a man who had two sons. the younger one said to his father, ‘father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger Son got together all he had, set off for a distant country....” The “distant Country”. The young man ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Lutheran

Getting Back To God

Contributed by Ed Wood on Apr 4, 2007

A message on reclaiming a relationship with Christ.

GETTING BACK TO GOD John 21:1-25 INTRO: The man asked to see me privately. I agreed to see him. As soon as we were alone, he confessed, “I am a Christian, but I have gotten away from the Lord.” After a pause, he asked, “Can I come back?” What a joy to tell him out of the biblical witness and out ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-25

Denomination: Baptist

Back From The Dead

Contributed by Lynn Malone on May 18, 2005

What are the marks of a church that is alive?

Back From the Dead Acts 2:42-47 June 6, 2004 We are a church that is alive, and that excites me. We are in an enviable position in Benton. We have caught the embersI am familiar with so many little churches in our own and other denominations that are lamenting their fall upon hard times. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Methodist

Returning Back To God

Contributed by Douglas Bryan on Jun 9, 2005

It’s amazing how the message of the OT prophets ring true for today’s society. In one of God’s most unusual requests we can see an object lesson for the people of Israel, but also a call of repentance to our world today.

RETURNING BACK TO GOD Hosea 2:1-3:5 INTRODUCTION: A. EZE 18:30b Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. ILL> A few years back I had gone with Jack to a hospital in Columbus. We were sitting in a waiting area with some other veterans. Of course, Jack never ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

He's Coming Back

Contributed by Shad Comeaux on Sep 7, 2006

To show that the coming of Christ is real and is at hand.

We live in a world where most people are ignorant to the fact or have no clue about the return of Jesus Christ. If they were told that Jesus was returning one day, they would call you crazy and tell you to quit believing in fairytales. The world carries on as if this life and earth as we know it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:26-31

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Is Coming Back

Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Sep 11, 2007

How can we be sure he is coming back? - Spoken by Jesus himself - Spoken by Angels - Written by the Apostles - Demonstrated in the Lord’s Supper

PowerPoint Available Slide Transitions + New Slide > Transition In ___________________________________________________________ An 8-year-old boy, who was learning in school about the way plants grow, was intrigued when told how a tiny seed that germinates in the ground could later burst through ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:35-68

Denomination: Baptist

Back To The Basics: God Series

Contributed by Brian William on Sep 12, 2007

First in the Back to the Basics series, exploring the foundational principles of the Christian faith. This sermon addresses the question, "What do Christians believe about God?"

Several years back, N. T. Wright, who is now a world class New Testament scholar and a bishop in the Church of England, was a young chaplain at a university. His responsibility was to care for the spiritual wellbeing of all the students at the college. Pretty often, He’d encounter students that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 77:1-20

Denomination: Methodist