HERMIT ON THE HILL A Trappistine convent asked a hermit of another monastic community to be their chaplain. Through a process of discernment, the monastic community concluded that he should not go. "We need our…
Sermon Illustrations
THE BEST MEDICINE A wise physician once said, "I have been practicing medicine for thirty years, and I have prescribed many things. But in the long run, I have learned that for most of what…
THE REAL PROBLEM A friend of mine was driving through a school zone when a policeman pulled her over for speeding. As he was giving her the ticket, she said, "How come I always get…
CHURCH HUDDLES In its obituary the New York Times describes how in 1924 "Coach McCracken earned his spot in football lore." Aware that Penn State had scouted his Lafayette team's previous five games and had…
A FEW KIND WORDS Joe had been away from his family for two weeks and was lonely. As he sat down in a little cafe to eat, the waitress asked, "What would you like?" Joe…
KINDNESS LANGUAGE Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can read. By Mark Twain
STONEWALL JACKSON During the Battle of Bull Run things looked lost for the South as the Confederates were in retreat. However, at Henry House Hill a group of Virginians held formation. General Barnard Bee saw…
NATURAL BRIDGES TO THE UNSAVED What all this means is that you do not build a total strategy for evangelism and church growth on this kind of occasional contact on the part of older Christians.…
REACHING BABY BUSTERS How do you reach the Generation X-ers? First, listen to them describe themselves. George Barna's book, Baby Busters, has these self-descriptions of today's youth: they are outgoing, naturally curious, busy -- a…
KIERKEGAARD ON RISK To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose oneself. By Soren Kierkegaard
IMPOSED PROPOSALS "Special note to Teri: If you don't have a ring yet, it wasn't YOUR Bob proposing marriage on that billboard." Bob Bornack's proposal on a sign did the trick with his Teri --…
CARL LEWIS NEVER QUIT Carlton was shy, smaller than the other children, and lacking in athletics in his family while growing up. When he was fifteen years old, he was growing so fast the doctors…
PATH TO MENTAL HEALTH Dr. Karl Menninger, the famous psychiatrist, once gave a lecture on mental health and was answering questions from the audience. "What would you advise a person to do," asked one man,…
PAUL AND SILAS Paul Hacket is an African-American pastor in Southern California who has a unique way in which to tell the story of Paul and Silas. This is the way he tells the story…
PRESENT BUT NOT VOTING Jeremy Bentham, one of the pioneers in the field of political economy, a member of the board of directors of one of London's great hospitals, gave much time and energy to…
SUPPORT OR AGREEMENT Leadership Journal gives insight on how we can differ with each other within the church yet still support each other as they record the case of one individual who differed with his…
HELPING OR NOT? Herschel Hobbs, Samford University's Alumnus of the Year in 1993 did have one chance to be a big man on campus. In 1931, he and his wife, Frances, were sitting under "Sherman…
WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? When we recall past victories, it becomes easier to face our next challenge head-on. James Duff gave an example in his book Flashes Of Truth. He wrote: "Alexander the Great, after crossing…
A SUNSET IS NOW SHOWING A cartoon from the January 26, 1992 issue of the Chicago Tribune pictures a woman and her husband. She is enjoying a beautiful sunset; he is enjoying his television set.…
THIRD TIME ALARM When I was a kid, I was watching television in the basement one evening. My dad called down to me, "Mike! Come up for dinner!" Twice I ignored his calls. Just as…
