Sermons on The Local Congregation:

Country Club To Church: The Mission

Contributed by Matthew Morine on Mar 3, 2008

Tired of the church being more like a Country Club than the Body of Christ. Here is a 1st century conflict that parallels a 21st Century conflict. This sermon will help the congregation break the mold of this false vision for a Church.

COUNTRY CLUB TO CHURCH: THE MISSION THEME: FUNCTIONING AS A CHURCH WITH THE OUTSIDER IN MIND. TEXT: ACTS 15:1-11 While I was at Hartsville Pike church of Christ, one of the church members invited me along on a weekday morning to pay golf at the private Gaylord Springs Country club. Rick ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Meeting The Challenge: Part One Series

Contributed by Michael Luke on Jan 21, 2008

As our congregation faced the new year of 2008, each person was asked to participate in a 10 week spiritual challenge so that we could grow more like Christ. This is an introduction to the first four spiritual disciplines involved in the challenge

(a copy of the 10 Week Spiritual Challenge can be obtained by emailing Michael Luke) TEXT: SELECTED TITLE: “MEETING THE CHALLENGE: Part One” OPEN: A. Being a Christian is not easy --there are some common misconceptions concerning the Christian life 1. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-29

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Finding The Lost Series

Contributed by Tom Shepard on Oct 9, 2007

This is the fourth sermon in a series of five to help my congregation become more outward focused. It is based on the church outreach program titled - "Outflow". God wants us to seek the lost, rejoice when the lost are found, and keep looking.

Finding The Lost – Overflowing Outreach Over the past few weeks we have been looking at how God wants to give us an overflowing life – an abundant life. A life so full of His joy, His peace, and His love – that it spills over into the lives of those who are around us. In John ten – ten it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Christ - Yesterday, Today And Forever

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on May 20, 2007

Jesus Christ - Yesterday, Today and Forever. What does this mean when we face difficulties, when loss and change happen to us? Our congregation just learned of the resignation of its Senior Pastor. This sermon was written for that Sunday.

"God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" 7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Great Is Thy Faitfulness

Contributed by Tony Earl on Nov 23, 2006

This sermon came after I had resigned from my church. It was helpful for the congregation and myself to realized that God is faithful and would bless all as we went our separate ways as long as those ways were HIS!

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS Lam. 3 Intro: Of course this book of 5 laments takes place just after the Fall of Jerusalem [587] and the destruction of the temple. Surely there was something to cry about. More so than anything else was not just what had happened rather why it happened. These ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:17-26

Denomination: Baptist

How Can I Say Thanks

Contributed by Curtis Emerson on Dec 18, 2009

This evening I would like to thank God not only for the things he has given, which we should all be grateful for, but I would like to thank God for those people that He uses to bless this congregation.

How Can I Say Thanks Rudyard Kipling’s writings not only made him famous but also brought him a fortune. A newspaper reporter came up to him once and said, "Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over one hundred dollars a word.” He ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:17

Denomination: Lutheran

The Seed And The Sower - Part 2

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Mar 1, 2016

The parable of the seed and the Sower is a snapshot of any society and most likely any congregation. How a person responds to the Word of God indicates what type of soil they are. The seed is perfect. The Sower is generous. What type of soil are you?

Please take your Bibles and turn to Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 NIV When I was a young teenager I actually did some broadcast sowing of seed. We were renting a field which was only a couple of acres and my Dad had plowed and dragged the field but we did not have a broadcast planter so we filled up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Nazarene

The Great Commission Convolution Of Same Sex Marriage

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Feb 22, 2019

Does the Bible teach that the only way it can help all people face tomorrow in the power of God’s love is by becoming a diverse and inclusive congregation – multiracial, multigenerational and multicultural – offering a warm, non-threatening environment to all?

The enemy has been very successful seducing churches to choose a different path to fulfill the Great Commission by becoming “Open and Affirming / Welcoming” rather than becoming places of supernatural transformation. Many churches see themselves as a place that, no matter where one is on their ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2, Galatians 3:28-29, Romans 1:26-27

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The First Church Of The Hatfields And Mccoys Series

Contributed by Donald Mcculley on Mar 18, 2019

In the church at Corinth they were feudin’ and fightin’, stewin’ and suein’. So much so that Paul wrote a letter telling the congregation how to deal with their “family feud”. What do you say to the first church of the Hatfields and McCoys?

THE FIRST CHURCH OF THE HATFIELDS AND McCOYS 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-2:5 Introduction: You remember the Hatfields and McCoys don’t you? In 2002 they went back to a Pikeville, KY courtroom. This time it was to settle a dispute over a cemetery plot and property rights. Some “feudin” seems to never ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Being Led Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Aug 2, 2019

The author of Hebrews commands the congregation to remember, imitate, have confidence in and submit to godly leaders. The godly leaders who should be imitated are those who have a consistency in their relationship with Jesus, are biblically wise, and who equip the church to be distinct.

Message Hebrews 13:7-17 Being Led When you read through your Bible, especially the New Testament, you will regularly come across headings. The purpose of the headings is to give guidance on the different sections of Scripture that part of the same topic or section. The technical term for this is ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-17

Denomination: Baptist

Disabling Jesus-3

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Feb 13, 2013

3 of 4. The congregation at Nazareth would not believe Jesus’ ability to fulfill Scripture’s mandate for the Messiah. Religiosity thinks it absurd that Jesus can save, &/or is Messiah. But what results from such a stance? Disabling Jesus produces...

DISABLING JESUS-III—Luke 4:22-30 Attention: ‘Back in the day’ when I was an arrogant atheistic teenager I would occasionaly pick up a copy of the magazine National Lampoon. It was a spin-off of The Harvard Lampoon, a magazine giving birth to much of the trashy-immoral ‘comedy’ which is so prevalent ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:22-30

Denomination: Baptist

Eulogy For Victoria Anne Todd Homegoing Service Funeral

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on May 31, 2021

Summary: Victoria was an elderly woman who grew up in the church and served as an elder in the congregation at one point. She was greatly loved by her family and had the gift of hospitality. She loved her family and was a very elegant person.

Victoria Anne Scott Todd By Rick Gillespie- Mobley Psalm 139:1-18 John 14:1-6 May 22, 2021 When the year 2020 started, very few people knew just how dramatic of a year it was going to be. I hope that one thing you realized is that it did not catch God off guard. God still had a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Church Is Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Aug 13, 2019

This is the first message in a series about becoming the church Jesus intended and we will begin by looking at several the church is statements. In this message we will unpack the truths that the church is - Christ's; The Called Out Ones; Maple Grove; The Body Of Christ

The Church Is… Video – This Is Church (sermon spice) Good Morning Maple Grove! NOW THIS MORNING - we are kicking off a brand new series called, “Becoming The Church He Intended.” AND – that makes sense, right? THAT - seems like a logical and worthy pursuit for us, wouldn’t you agree? I MEAN ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:13-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Teaching About Christ Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jan 29, 2012

The distinguishing doctrine for the Christian Faith is the teaching about Christ. Identifying that doctrine and understanding its meaning is vital to the Faith.

“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk ...read more

Scripture: 2 John 1:4-11

Denomination: Baptist

Following Jesus Without Denominationalism Series

Contributed by Sam Baker on Mar 25, 2012

There were a lot of questions that came in from the last message, so hopefully in this message; I will be able to answer some of them . . .

Following Jesus without Denominationalism Part 7: ‘Further Thoughts Related to Authority in Religion’ I never would have thought I would have gotten so many responses to the last message, but I thank GOD that so many of you have taken such an active interest to this Email Ministry, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:38

Denomination: Pentecostal