insurethiscar.net

Articles for the ‘Spirituality & Religion’ Category

Three Marks of an Effective Short Sermon

Short sermons are in short supply. Rare is the pastor who has mastered the art of preaching shorter sermons.  I think most of us who are pastors may be guilty of thinking that a shorter message indicates we are slacking on the job. The truth is that it is much easier to preach a long sermon than it is a shorter one. Consider the following thoughts concerning the three marks of an effective short sermon:

1. It is a well prepared sermon.
Short does not mean you have to prepare less. Actually, it requires more sermon preparation time to keep it concise, on point, and moving effortlessly. A short sermon requires the same structure as a longer sermon, just less content. This means the content that is shared needs to be high quality and containing less superfluous material.

Be sure to study through your outline and notes several times. This will make it much easier for you to flow through the message. It will also keep you unchained from the pulpit if you wish to move around a bit.

2. It is a full meal sermon.
By this I mean that it leaves the people full and satisfied. A preacher has to cut a lot of fluff out of a good short sermon; hence, there is good lean meat to eat for those who are served.

For all those sermon ideas tumbling in your head, there can be a great teaching to help people. Work harder to present it in an unboring way in more palatable amount of time.

Short sermons can easily have three to five main points without sacrificing quality. Make sure your points are all explained in simplicity, illustrated with clarity, and applied with practicality. This will ensure a fulfilling experience for your audience.

3. Start and End with a Punch
A good introduction and a solid conclusion that calls people to action will help you start and stop while keeping people’s attention.

Be willing to be unorthodox in your introductions to grap people’s imaginations. Be slower, more calm, and very confident as you bring your preaching to a close. This is when you want to lead people to make the right and good decision.

These are three among many thoughts concerning a how to preach an effective short sermon. Now, you have been briefed, so be brief.

For more info like this written by Eddie Lawrence, visit Sermon Seedbed which is a dot come site that provides free sermon outlines for pastors and Bible study teachers.

THE FOUR KINDS OF DEATH

The following is a sermon on death that gives a biblical perspective on death.

1. THERE IS PHYSICAL DEATH
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

John 11:12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well. 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.

In the epistle of James, if you look carefully, you will find there the biblical definition of death:

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Romans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. THERE IS SPIRITUAL DEATH
This is the condition of the living person who does not have eternal life.

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

3. THERE IS THE SECOND DEATH
Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.’

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

4. There is a fourth death that is mentioned in Scripture as well. Visit Sermon Seedbed to learn about this fourth kind of death and see in this sermon death in its completeness.

This article written by Eddie Lawrence, D.Min. who is a pastor, author and overseer of Sermon Seedbed a free resource site for Pastors and Bible teachers. There you will find lots of sermon ideas and sermon outlines.

One integral part of that helps in reaching different people in different places and winning them for God are portable communion sets.

The Holy Communion is part of an important Christian tradition.

Normally, when you hear of Communion, it is different from Baptism wherein the latter is done once while the former is a practice done all throughout a Christian’s life.

Catholics mainly follow the Communion simply because the Lord said so. During communion, Christians are expected to remember Christ and his sacrifice and suffering for humankind.

In this holy practice, there are several essential elements. However, the top two would include the bread and wine.

There are three essential views that Christians hold regarding the bread and the wine.

One view is that there is transubstantiation that occurs and the bread and wine actually becomes the real body and blood of Christ.

Another view that is held is that the bread and the wine remain unchanged, but the Lord’s presence is made spiritually real through their faith.

The last view that most Christians hold is that the bread and wine are used as merely symbols. It represents the body and blood of the Lord and remembers the sacrifice that he has done for the people.

Anybody can go ahead and participate in a Communion. Normally, you will find this done in regular churches, but there are also priests that are assigned in remote places where there is no proper church.

People who live in these places and want to participate in a communion can now do so since there are portable communion sets available.  Hence, a priest can go ahead and conduct it to them.

Portable communion sets are necessary tools for a priest or any member of the clergy in any denomination to have especially if he is visiting a remote place or region.

There are many places that a clergy might make use of these portable sets.

For instance, it can be used in a hospital, a nursing home or even during the battlefield. This makes it easier for people to join and participate in this sacred worship without having to attend the church.

There are four main elements that make up communion sets. There is the cruet, paten, chalice, and pyx. There are small as well as large communion sets that you can use.

There will also be a carrying case for the set. Some pieces in the sets are ornate while others are simple and made of silver.

Each piece also has a specific function during the service. The cruet is a small container or bottle that is used to hold the wine during the service. The Paten is a small disk or plate that is used to hold the communion bread during the service.

Then you have the pyx, this is a small, often round, container that holds the host inside. Finally, you have the chalice. This is also known as the communion cup, where the wine is poured onto and drank from.

All of these help to make up the elements that are part of portable communion sets.

When shopping for communion sets, you may also consider customizing your own set by choosing what design of Communion plates you wanted or the style of communion cups you prefer, thus making it even more personal.

Four Suggestions on How to Preach A Sermon

Imagine it! Knees wobbling! Heart racing! Sweat popping! Mind Swirling! What has happened? Are you in love? No, you have just been asked by your pastor to preach a sermon in an upcoming worship service. Yikes! What do you do? Quickly say “No!” and make up an excuse; or, pray for courage and seize the moment? Let me encourage you to go for it. Whether you have been called to be a preacher or not, it can be a very rewarding experience for you. Here are some preaching and sermon preparation pointers for you to consider:

1. Start Praying for Wisdom and Courage

This should go without saying, but I am saying it just the same. Ask God to help you, direct you, and use you for His glory. Pray for the people who will be there when you preach. Pray for yourself to be calm and courageous. Pray for the message to be meaningful and memorable.

2. Select a Relevant and Helpful Topic

Since you are going to preach, use the opportunity to give people a message that will help them in their daily lives. By all means, avoid the temptation of trying to impress people.

You will make a greater impression by giving them instructions that will help them live their lives more fully.

You can easily select a topic that will help people by simply considering the problems they face and the struggles they have to go through in life. Everyone needs encouragement. Everyone needs to know how to handle wrong emotions. Everyone has to learn how to forgive, and on and on the list could go. The Bible is a great resource manual for life and will give you the instruction you will need to pass on to others.

3. Use Stories that Clearly Illustrate Your Points

People remember and relate to stories,especially personal stories. Don’t shy away from speaking about your own struggles or triumphs. This makes for good sermon material.

Sharing how God helped you or blessed you will encourage others as well. This is the power of testimony at work. The introduction or beginning of the sermon is a good place for a personal story.
Even a humorous event that happened to you can be very impacting. Just make sure you are able to weave the aim of your sermon into the particular story you tell.

4. Keep it Moving and Keep it Short

It will be far easier than you think to have more to say than you have time to say it. Use a clear and simple outline and flow through it in a timely manner.

If you finish with people wanting more, you have done well. Even a great start can be lost in a long tedious sermon. Try to keep it around 25-35 minutes maximum.

There are many more suggestions that could be made, but take these four simple ones I have shared and keep them in mind when you preach a sermon for people who like you, need lifting up and blessed.

This article writtenby Eddie Lawrence who is a pastor, author and overseer of Sermon Seedbed, a site that offers free sermons and sermon outlines for pastors and Bible teachers.

Your family member is now at rest and now is the time to create an everlasting tribute to them. But how do you decide which type of stone, what color lettering to use and which inscription? Memorials and headstones are available in many different materials, colors and sizes – for example marble, stone and granite memorials are all readily available. Choosing between them can be confusing and tiring.

You should start with the color. What was your loved ones favorite color? Granite headstones come in pretty much every color, so you are not restricted to choosing from just black, gray and white.

The majority of cemeteries allow various colors of headstones and memorials, unfortunately churchyards tend to be stricter. Your cemetery or churchyard should be able to provide you with a copy of the rules and regulations.

Once you have chosen your color, think about what you want the headstone or memorial to say. You should definitely include the name, date of birth and date of death of the deceased, but the rest of the epitaph is free for you to add your messages of love or favorite sayings.

You can also personalize it with a design too. Many different designs can be sandblasted or laser etched on to it. These can range from simple flowers to pictures of your loved one, or engravings of their favorite pastime or pet.

Most headstones and memorials come in set sizes, from really small to very big. Bigger is not necessarily mean better, and a smaller, better quality one can be equally as nice. Churchyards will only permit headstones or memorials up to a maximum height, whereas most cemeteries normally allow them to be any size.

You can get ideas by looking on the Internet; you will find lots of websites that have online catalogs of them. You can also take a walk around a churchyard or cemetery in your local area to see which styles look most appropriate.

Make a shortlist of details that you want, or even draw a rough sketch of how you would like it to look. Once you have done this, it is time to contact a few stores which make and memorials and headstones to ascertain if they are able to create the style and design that you have in mind.

As with everything in life, prices will vary and are negotiable, so be sure to enquire about discounts and be prepared to visit at least a few stores. Once you have placed your order, you can expect the memorial or headstone to be completed in less than a month.

This article will address the seven basic building blocks that are found in sermons. Entire books have been written on just one of these elements so please understand the few sentences I offer are just enough to head you in the right direction. Now let’s take just a peek at each of them.

1. Title
The title is much more important that you think. You want a title that will encapsulate the message in just a few words. Let me give you an example — Living On the Wrong Side of Your Hurt! This title tells a story, carries deep emotion, and offers hope, all in eight words. A title should create interest, curiosity, or longing in within a person’s heart when heard or read.

2. Introduction
A good introduction will move the audience from where they are to join you in what you want to share with them. Think of it as a bridge built to bring people out of their daily world to where you are with a desire to hear what you have to say. Be careful that it is not too long. It is just the beginning of the sermon, not the sermon itself.

3. Text
A sermon must rest on eternal truth. The Bible is the book preachers must use as the authority in their life and in their ministry. Think of it as the foundation. Everything you share should rest securely upon it without contradiction. What you say must rest upon what God has said. In this manner, you are connecting the spirits of the people with the Spirit of God.

4. Transitions
Sermon Outlines that the people are able to understand and follow will have good transitions included within it. Little is said about this, but transitions are very important. From each element to the next there should be transitions that tie them all together in a beautiful flow that enters the human heart.

5. Main Points
Without being a wisecrack, the main points are the main points. They are the main statements that you want to make. Try to keep these from three to five in number. If you go beyond that you will be pressed for time or take too much time. Word these points in such a way that they can be easily understood and remembered.

Within these main points there will be other content such as explanation, illustration and application. Some preachers enjoy alliterating their points so they can be easily remembered. Others will make each point make a statement or a question. There are many ways this can be done, so give your people a variety and it will keep you fresh.

These are five of the seven elements are the basic building blocks of a sermon. Familarize yourself with them and learn as much as you can. It will only help you to become a better preacher. The preacher who excels in the basics will soon soar in the advanced. To see the last two elements, visit this free sermons page on Sermon Seedbed.

This article written by Eddie Lawrence, D.Min. who is an author, pastor, and also oversees Sermon Seedbed which is a free resource site for pastors and Bible teachers offering free sermons and sermon outlines.

Preachers  grow to appreciate the comfort and friendship of a good sermon outline. As a pastor myself, I have discovered through the years that having a good outline is a tremendous benefit to aid in presenting your topic in an organized and educational manner. Allow me to encourage you to make writing out sermon outlines something that you work on regularly. If you do, then over a period of time you will amass a wonderful storehouse of ideas and inspiration that will always be there for you when you are searching for that “just right” message to preach. Following are four brief ideas to help you.

1. Read your Bible slowly.
Here is my preface– first and foremost read your Bible to feed your soul. But then have times when you take a section of Scripture and break it a part in a way that you could teach or preach it. Often, I simply read the verse slowly noticing each separate thought. I then begin to notice how those thoughts are connected and ask why are they connected in the way they are. It is the connectivity of the thoughts that will allow your outline to begin to form. Sequence is your friend in outlining a bible text. It also helps the audience when your thoughts flow in the order that the passage flows.

2. Observe people.
Preaching must be biblically centered, but it is delivered to people. Yes the heart of human beings is the target of the wise preacher. Some sermon topics will flow from the Bible text, others the topic will flow toward the text. Let me explain. As you observe people you will begin to amass a ton of things that need to preached about. Ask questions as you see people involved in everyday life. “What is causing him to be so angry?” may be a question that leads you to the Bible to see what it has to say about anger.

The very place and situation that birthed the question can also serve as your introduction. For example, “The other day I was at the Pharmacy and I heard a man losing his temper at the checkout. He was very irate and giving the young girl at the register as piece of his mind. I could not help but wonder what was going on his life that caused him to vent on a teenager who was just trying to earn extra money to help her family. What does the Bible say concerning why people become so angry?” As you can see, the people around you are telling you what their struggles are and the answers they are looking for, just learn to observe. Ideas for sermon outlines are all around you.

3. Think in simple terms.
One of the dangers for the preacher is that he often studies a passge very extensively and learns so much that he feels pressed to share it all. The result can be a very long sermon that is overly complicated, to analytical, and boring. A simple outline will help you greatly in delivering a more targeted sermon that will be more effective in actually helping people. Points that have sub-points with sub-points can confuse people about what the point is.

There are certainly many other suggestions that could be added to this list but I want to keep it short so I that I will practice what I just preached. I appreciate it if you check out the free sermons and sermon outlines I have posted on Sermon Seedbed which is a dot com site.

Eddie Lawrence is a pastor and oversees Sermon Seedbed, a site for pastors and Bible teachers.

Of late, we have been hearing about our beloved world coming to an end. Have you ever given a thought to it? They say that 12 21 2012 marls the last day of our earth, as per the Mayan calendar. The 2012 phenomenon, as believed to be, will comprise of a series of cataclysmic or transformative events that will occur on 21 12 2012; with this, will end a five 125-year long cycle and begin a New Era.

It is believed that post 21 12 2012, earth and her inhabitants will go through a positive transformation which might be either physical of spiritual. As per general beliefs, the world will undergo a major catastrophe as the earth will be in total alignment with the moon, the sun and the Milky Way’s black hole. 

Modern thinkers opine that then end of the current cycle will usher in global consciousness shift whereby the world will progress and foster a spiritual revolution. There are so many significances of this date and that’s what makes 21 12 2012 so talked about.

According to some, 2012 will end 26,000 year Precession of the Equinoxes cycle, whereas, some believe that it signifies the end of a 104,000 year cycle. With the end of a cycle, comes a new age. But you must not be scared; instead you must understand the prophecy which says that we all have to be more and more aware and we need to wake up and answer to the beckon call of the new era. Standing on the cross-road, we must enjoy the historical landmark that we witness and respond to it positively.

Mankind will be transformed into a complete harmony of nature and all her children. 21 12 2012 is going to bring one of the best and most significant moments we have ever seen!

For Christians, the first communion is important and equally important would be the dresses, the gifts, the communion plate and other paraphernalia needed for this important moment in your child’s life. Most of the time, children go through first communion at the age of seven.

It is a special time in your child’s spiritual life and should be shared with family and friends.

Before we delve deeper, let’s take a look at the history of the communion and how it came to be regarded as an important part of a Christian’s life.

Before anything, it is best to understand what a Communion is. This is actually a holy rite of the Christian faith.

During a communion, bread and wine are consecrated by a priest or minister and these are given to the members or the congregation of the church.

This bread and wine is representative of the blood and body of Jesus Christ. The bread is usually placed in a communion plate. It is then dipped in wine and given to the member of the congregation.

This communion plate that holds the consecrated bread is called a Paten. During earlier times, the use of real bread in the service meant that an actual and ordinary plate was used.

The use of the ordinary Paten remained the same up until the Middle Ages came, since the wafer that was used for the Eucharist or communion was  considerably bigger than what they later used  during the 12th and 13th century until today.

The communion plate is just one of the many paraphernalia that is important when someone is having their first communion.

If you have a child or know someone that is celebrating her first communion and you want to get them the perfect gift, here are some tips that you might want to keep in mind.

A first communion gift is special since a communion is a spiritual event. Since this is a spiritual event, it would be appropriate to give a gift that was also spiritual in nature. Some of it would include Bible, rosaries, religious jewelry and even dresses.

You can buy first communion gifts at Christian stores. They usually carry plenty of accessories and gift items that would be perfect for the occasion. You can go to an actual store or check out the stores online.

Some of the most popular gifts that you can buy little girls would be dolls, Angel pendants, customized bracelets, prayer beads, watches, necklaces, even photo frames. You can also get pretty much the same kinds of gifts for the little boys except for the jewelry.

Since this is a very special event and also very spiritual; you can expect to get great gift ideas through stores, online and offline, that sell these special items.

Another great idea would be to get customized gifts. With the help of technology, it is so much easier to buy gifts and personalize it so that you can make it extra special before giving it to the recipient.

If you shop online, you can even have the gift delivered and gift wrapped ahead of time.  They will then send it to the location or home of the recipient, depending on where you specify.

A person’s first communion is a special event. With everything that’s needed, from the gifts, the bread, the wine, the communion plate; everything contributes to making this event a very special one.

There are many designs of communion plates in the market, just like Christian Jewelry, you will be amazed on how beautiful they have become. Most of the stores the sells these items also offer Devotional Bible that will help you in your Christian life journey.

Getting the Most Out of Your Sermon Outlines

I once had a professor in one of my seminary classes state that every sermon ought to have at least one point, or else it is pointless. The goal of preaching is to communicate the truths of Scripture in a way that connects with people with accuracy and relevancy.  Being accurate relates to properly communicating the original message of the Scripture for the audience at the time it was written; relevancy relates to applying the Scripture in a way that it somehow helps the people that are hearing it.  A sermon should be outlined in such a way that people who listen to it can do the following:

1. They should be able to endure it.

Preacher jokes abound about long boring sermons.  The mind can only absorb what the seat can endure. Honestly, evaluate how long you stay in front of the people. They are use to sound bytes and frequent commercials in their everyday life. In addition, technology continues to make the learning process more and more interactive.

Here are some suggestions:

-When your outline becomes term paper sized, you are in trouble. Trim it down. Go over it several times making it more and more simple. You will be surprised how much more people will get out of it. If you have been preaching an hour, try aiming at 45 minutes this week. If you have been preaching 40 minutes, aim at 30 and so forth. When you land under 20 minutes consistently, you may be cutting your people a little short.  This is not the issue with any preachers I know. One Sunday I preached a 19.5 minute message. Honestly, it took a lot more prep time than it would have, had I gone 40 minutes. A good pair of scissors might help most of us preachers.

– Don’t bury your sermon in endless sub points. People will struggle keeping up with you. Using PowerPoint can help this, but honestly when you go to the second page of section three under sub point two on page six……. You get the drift. Your audience are not at a required class in order to graduate. They volunteered to come hear you preach, don’t make them regret it.

-On average keep your main points to five or less. 

-Vary the way you present your main points so that you do not become overly predictable. Always alliterating your messages can cause the people to become more interesting in the way you have built your sermon than it what it says.  Sometimes state your points in the form of principles, or in terms of analogy, or a hundred other ways.

-Work on your introduction and conclusion meticulously. A sermon with a good start and finish helps make a lasting impression upon people.

2. They should be able to enjoy it.

Please do not misunderstand me here. I am not saying the preacher’s goal is to entertain. Just as there are pastor resources for you to use, you are a resource that your people will use. So preach in a way they will remember and enjoy. I am saying that  a even a very serious topic can be presented in a way that people are engaged, challenged, and leave knowing they have been given something that can change their lives or at the least something they can chew on. It both cases, they are interacting. Their minds and hearts are participating. This is an enjoyable part of life. It is filled with adventure and agony all at the same time. It lifts us up and onward. There is nothing unspiritual in preparing a message in a way that people can receive it more easily. If the core truth presented is offensive, fine. But if it is how it was presented, that’s a shame. The truth was hindered by the truth bearer in such a case.  Think about the following ideas:

-Use stories, quotes, and anecdotes to communicate bible truths in a way the common man can understand and relate to. Ever noticed that Jesus teaching style often involved parables and short sayings that the people could really bite into?

-Under each main point, make sure you have three elements present. Explain what your main point means. Illustrate the point to people. Thirdly, make sure you apply it to their lives. Answer the question, so what difference does this make to me?

-It’s alright to laugh in church. Jesus definitely used humor in some of his teachings. You are a preacher not a comedian, but a preacher is a person and laughter is a healthy natural human emotion that God gave us.  Sometimes well placed humor can give the audience a little breather as well as giving them the opportunity to vocally interact with the message, both of which are good things.

A good outline will highlight many of these areas and give a fullness and a steady pace and direction to your sermons.  Visit my Sermon Seedbed site to check out all kinds of sermon outlines which are yours free of charge. Remembering the above ideas may help you to avoid some of those longhorn sermons. You know the kind that has two points and a bunch of bull in between!

Eddie Lawrence is a pastor and author and holds an earned Doctorate in Expository Preaching. He oversees Sermon Seedbed which offers free pastor resources for pastors and Bible teachers.