Sermons on The Refuge Cities:

Smyrna: Riches Within Poverty

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Jan 12, 2020

The second church Jesus instructed John to pen a letter was the church in Smyrna. It was situated within a city of great wealth and affluence, and yet many believers lived in poverty. They were not rich by the world's standards, but they were rich in grace.

Smyrna: Riches within Poverty Revelation 2: 8-11 Today we come to Smyrna, the second church within the series of letters John was instructed to write in the Revelation. It is interesting to note, that of the seven churches, only two received all praise and encouragement from the Lord, with no ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Baptist

Dedication-6

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Jan 21, 2020

6 of ? The children of Israel were to dedicate the city of Jericho to the LORD. God’s people are to wholly devote themselves & their world to the Lord. But how are we to do that? Dedicating you & your world to the Lord recalls/demands...

DEDICATING/DEDICATION-VI—Joshua 6:15-27 The Task Of Dedication Attention: That Fellow from Morton: The merchandising manager of a large food chain was on his vacation. While driving through rural Arkansas, he developed a bad headache & decided to stop in the next town & buy some ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 6:15-27

Denomination: Baptist

Imagine-Forgiveness

Contributed by John Oscar on Jul 15, 2018

Note: This sermon is inspired and provided by "City On A Hill" which owns the rights to the movie, "I Can Only Imagine". Much of the sermon structure is theirs, and it's been edited toward my personal preaching style as well as the personal illustrations

IMAGINE Forgiveness LUKE 15:11-24 WEEK 2 As Christian’s, forgiveness is a topic that we often talk about, but struggle living out. Jesus knew that forgiveness was not easy. -He lived his adult life in a place where a lake was the dividing line between two people groups who deeply hated each ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Challenges For The Cretian Church Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Aug 21, 2019

Immediately following his instruction for ordaining elders in each city, Paul revealed the great need to have elders in place within the churches - false doctrine, immorality, and idolatry. It was imperative the church be able to deal with the many challenges she faced.

Challenges for the Cretian Church Titus 1: 10-16 Following the charge to ordain elders in every city, and providing detailed instruction regarding the qualifications needed for an elder, Paul revealed the great need within Crete. The challenges facing the church there were many – thus affirming ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:10-16

Denomination: Baptist

Dedication-5

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Aug 27, 2019

5 of ? The children of Israel were to dedicate the city of Jericho to the LORD. God’s people are to wholly devote themselves & their world to the Lord. But how are we to do that? Dedicating you & your world to the Lord recalls/demands...

DEDICATING/DEDICATION-V—Joshua 6:15-27 The Task Of Dedication Attention: Pastor Bob on summer vacation & visited a small country church—Congregation hot, sleepy, dozing largely because they had no air conditioning. Their preacher says, “The best years of my life have been spent in the arms of ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 6:15-27

Denomination: Baptist

"The Heart Of Christmas Is Hope, Peace & Joy” Series

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Dec 14, 2022

People want “hope”. The “λόγος”, the Intelligent Designer of the Universe pitched His tent in our midst. Christmas is the radical celebration that reminds us that the DNA of the Creator is found in the arms of a teenage girl in the city of Bethlehem. Quote from Max Lucado

In Jesus Holy Name December 11, 2022 Advent III Philippians 4:4 Redeemer “The Heart of Christmas is Hope, Peace & Joy” Christmas can be a crazy time. People want “hope” for a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4, Hebrews 6:9

Denomination: Lutheran

God’s Purpose In Our Pain Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 1 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

One of our pastors shared a story with me Thursday about a bittersweet moment that he experienced on Wednesday as he attended the funeral visitation of the mother-in-law of one of our former staff members. I wasn’t able to travel to the visitation myself but I have genuinely been praying for his ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pushing Through The Pain Of Relationships Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 2 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

I want to start off this morning by directing your minds to an encouraging place. I want you to think about the worst smell you have ever smelled. That’s an exciting thought, isn’t it? For me, I don’t even have to think about it. Growing up, I was a dockhand at a marina on Lake Michigan and we had ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Heart Wide Open Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 7 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

On February 24, 1948, one of the most unusual operations in medical history took place at the Ohio State University Department of Surgery Research. A 30-year-old named Harry Besharra was arrested for armed robbery and during his intake it was observed that something was wrong with him physically. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:2-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Perfect Substitute Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 6 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

Nearly two years after the start of the Civil War, the United States Congress passed the Enrollment Act of 1863 as a way of providing fresh manpower for the Union Army. The law required every male citizen between the ages of 20 and 45 to enroll in the Army. But the law was not received well by ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Better Way To Live, Part 1 Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 3 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

Most of you know that I grew up as a pastor’s kid (for some of you, that explains everything). And my dad became an expert over the years at helping wounded churches become healthy…today we call that revitalization. And during the time that I lived at home, he pastored three different churches…and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:7-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Better Way To Live, Part 2 Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 4 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

How many of you have been following what’s happening down at Asbury University in KY? If you haven’t heard, last Wednesday (February 8) there was a normal chapel service that took place just like any other week. Normal music, normal prayer, normal message. I watched the sermon that was preached and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don’t Believe Everything You See Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 5 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

Let me open up today by offering a little pastoral wisdom. If you ever get to the place where you start thinking things like, “I just have too much joy in my life,” OR, “I don’t know what to do with all this happiness inside of me,” here is a pro-tip. Get on Christian Twitter. Because Christian ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Choices That Change Us Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 16, 2023

Message 8 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

The Brule River, which is on the border between Michigan and Wisconsin, flows for roughly 44 miles with clear, sparkling water. It is inhabited by an abundant population of speckled, rainbow, and brown trout. At one point the Iron River, muddy and thick with sediment of ore and clay, merges with ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God’s Promise To Prodigals Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 25, 2023

Message 9 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

Finish this sentence for me: “This is going to hurt me… (more than its going to hurt you).” That is a lie that parents have been telling since the beginning of time. I grew up in the age of corporal punishment (i.e. paddling at home and at school). And while I’ll admit to having doled out a few ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:2-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational