Sermon Resources on Church Members

liturgy

To the church of God in this place

Author

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 3:2-3

Inspired by 1 Corinthians 1:2–3 Leader: To the church of God in this place, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints: People: We come together with all those in every place wh...

illustration

A Field of Chaff & Wheat Growing up Together

Author

John F. X. Harriott

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 32:1–14 , 1 Kings 19:9–18, Isaiah 6:1–8, Matthew 13:24–30 , 1 Corinthians 1:26–29 , Psalm 51:17

The Church is not a clean, well-lit place where everything runs smoothly and actions automatically match ideals. It is, in the words of the Gospel, a field of chaff and wheat growing up together and b...

illustration

The Two Marooned Men

Author

David Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

Malachi 3:10, Deuteronomy 8:18, Matthew 13:45-46, Isaiah 55:1-2, Haggai 2:8

Two men were marooned on a deserted island. One man was pacing back and forth, terrified that no one would ever rescue them. The other man was sitting against a tree, shading himself comfortably and r...

illustration

40 Million People Dechurched in 25 Years

Author

Ian Harber

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 24:12, Hebrews 10:25, John 6:66, Proverbs 18:1, Isaiah 53:6

[R]eliable quantitative research around this has brought some helpful insights to light. Jim Davis, Michael Graham, and Ryan Burge have released the largest study ever done on dechurching in America i...

Quote

Author

Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:, Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:11-16, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 5:30, John 13:34-35

God put the body together in such a way that those who experience honor in this life and those who do not are to astound the world by their unity and their concern for one another.

lectionary

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Eunice McGarrahan

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

The Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a The Body as Metaphor The text from 1 Corinthians is one of several in which the apostle Paul uses the imagery of the body to describe both the unity and diversity o...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Author

Eunice McGarrahan

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

The Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a The Body as Metaphor The text from 1 Corinthians is one of several in which the apostle Paul uses the imagery of the body to describe both the unity and diversity o...

illustration

Ekklesia: The Work of the People

Author

Mike Cosper

Keywords

The Greek word for the gathered church offers some insight into how the apostles saw their gatherings. Though the language offered a variety of options for words to describe the gathering church, the ...

Quote

Author

Christianity Today

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 , Proverbs 22:6, Joshua 24:15, Matthew 19:13-14 , Ephesians 6:4, Psalm 78:4-7

About 2 out of 3 American adults who regularly attend church or other religious services say they go for their kids.

Quote

Author

Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson

Keywords

It's ironic that most evangelical churches are filled with people who live very much like the world but look different from it. It should be exactly the opposite. We should look similar to those i...

Quote

Author

Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson

Keywords

The majority of church members need to be involved in the change or it will soon produce resistance.

illustration

Christians & The Church

Author

Eugene Peterson

Keywords

Whether we like it or not, the moment we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that is, from the time we become a Christian, we are at the same time a member of the Christian church … Our membe...

Quote

Author

Erwin W. Lutzer

Keywords

Church growth experts tell us that most people seeking a new church care little about its doctrines. They're mostly interested in the facilities of the church, its nursery, and opportunities for f...

illustration

Why People Don’t Go to Church

Author

Ed Stetzer

Keywords

Rick Warren, perhaps the most famous missional code breaker, surveyed his community and found why people in his community did not go to church. He found that there were four primary complaints about c...

illustration

Never an Only Child

Author

Eugene Peterson

Keywords

Whether we like it or not, the moment we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that is, from the time we become a Christian, we are at the same time a member of the Christian church … Our membe...

illustration

Christian Persecution & The Real Power

Author

John Dickson

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:10-12, John 15:18-20, 2 Timothy 3:12, Acts 14:22, Romans 8:35-37, 1 Peter 4:12-14, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:11, Isaiah 41:10

What is the witness of the church in times of persecution? The historical record demonstrates that persecutions of Christians were regular and prolific in the first centuries of the church, especially...

illustration

Gathering & Scattering

Author

John R. W. Stott

Keywords

The Missional Church

I sometimes wonder (although I exaggerate in order to make my point) if it would not be very healthy for church members to meet only on Sundays (for worship, fellowship and teaching) and not at all mi...

blog

Older Adults Hunger for Purpose (And How You Can Help)

Author

Mark D. Roberts

Keywords

Last fall, I was asked to lead a workshop at a church by their men's ministry. The topic was so popular that the women in the church threatened to dress up like men to crash the course. The course...

blog

The Silent Crisis in Church Attendance: Why Older Adults Are Leaving

Author

Mark D. Roberts

Wait, There's Good News About Church Attendance? For most of my life, studies of church participation in the U.S. have featured bad news. Church attendance and church membership have steadily d...

blog

Pastoral Success: It's Not About Budgets, Butts, and Buildings

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

In Part 1 of this series ( Climbing the Pastor's Ladder: Holy Ambition and Escaping the Comparison Trap ), we looked at the ladder of pastoral advancement and the trap of comparing ourselves t...

blog

Finding the Right Pastoral Work–Life Balance: A Few Unbalanced Thoughts

Author

Dan Baumgartner

Keywords

Scripture

John 15:null

I might not be the best person to be writing this. After an eleven-year career in business in my twenties and early thirties, I’ve been an ordained pastor now for nearly twenty-seven years. There are...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Psalm 133 (Guide A)

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Scripture

Psalm 133:null, Psalm 132:null, Exodus 29:7, Exodus 29:21

Summary of the Text Songs of Ascent Psalm 133 is part of the Psalter’s collection of the Songs of Ascent, Psalms 120-134. The Songs of Ascent were sung by the throng of pilgrims making their way to ...

lectionary

Second Sunday of Easter

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Scripture

Psalm 133:, Psalm 132:null, Exodus 29:7, Exodus 29:21

Preaching Commentary Summary of the Text Songs of Ascent Psalm 133 is part of the Psalter’s collection of the Songs of Ascent, Psalms 120-134. The Songs of Ascent were sung by the throng of pilgri...

illustration

Walking Towards Unity

Author

Mark Buchanan

Keywords

Some marches are not against anyone or anything. They are marches for something or someone. Jesus. Peace. Hope. Unity. In a town where I lived for many years, a few of us organized an annual Walk of t...

illustration

A Rough Start to Ministry

Author

Craig Groeschel

Keywords

Pastor Craig Groeschel shares the true story of his “less than promising” career as a pastor. It should serve as a reminder that rejection and criticism are never final, unless we allow them to be: ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, 1 Peter 3:13-22

Author

Eunice McGarrahan

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 3:13-22

Summary The Text: 1 Peter 3:13-22 In the first chapter of this letter, Peter sets out the reason for writing. He affirms the eternal state of the believer: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lo...

lectionary

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Author

Eunice McGarrahan

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 3:13-22

Summary The Text: 1 Peter 3:13-22 In the first chapter of this letter, Peter sets out the reason for writing. He affirms the eternal state of the believer: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lo...

blog

The Ministry of Presence: Pastoral Care Lessons from the Book of Job

Author

William Rowley

Scripture

Job 38:, Matthew 10:29-31, Matthew 6:25-34

People who are suffering often turn to their pastors, hoping to understand their experiences and seeking help with the feeling that God has abandoned them. Sometimes their faith is firm, but their sou...

blog

Pastoring Folks in the Third Third of Life: What I’m Learning

Author

Mark Roberts

Keywords

Third Third of Life

Scripture

Psalm 92:12-14

In last month’s article for The Pastor’s Workshop blog, I asked if the growing population of older adults in our world is a dangerous “silver tsunami” or a providential “silver opportunity.” I chose...

illustration

Taking Confession on an Airplane

Author

Annemarie S. Kidder

Keywords

Locked into captivity by an airplane seat, a kindly disposition of keeping a friend company, or a telephone connection, we become ex officio confessors to those with troubled consciences and traces, o...

liturgy

illustration

illustration

illustration

lectionary

scripture guide

illustration

illustration

illustration

illustration

illustration

illustration

blog

blog

blog

blog

scripture guide

lectionary

illustration

illustration

scripture guide

lectionary

blog

blog

illustration

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalm

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah