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Articles for the ‘Spirituality & Religion’ Category

Pastor Resources for Preachers and Bible Teachers

Time is a precious commodity for everyone. As a minister who has been preaching the Bible for over 25 years, study time is extremely important. It is no different for the business man or woman who teaches a bible class at their local church. It is easy to spend hours studying a bible passage, reading commentaries, and going deeper in Bible dictionaries and word study books.

The internet offers tremendous opportunities, insights, and time saving helps. These pastor resources are great! I have had my eyes opened wide to this in the past year after I decided to begin offering my bible studies and sermon outlines to people over the web. I build a site called Sermon Seedbed for pastors and Bible teachers to visit and enjoy. I have been amazed at the response and the encouragement I have recieved from users of the site from over 120 different nations. What a way to expand what you do!

Another benefit I have gained is added knowledge of other great sites on the web for students of the Bible. Sites like Bible Gateway, The Blue Letter Bible, and Sermon Central are amazing and very helpful. Sure there are sites that are too far left and too far right for a lot of us, but don’t allow a bone here or there to keep you from eating fish. There are tons of sites for people who desire to grown in their knowledge of the Bible and hopefully as a result, in their lives.

This article addresses people who have a formal preaching position or those who lead small group bible studies. Let me share with you three tips on making your study time more productive for you and those whom you teach.

1. Don’t bury your audience with endless details.

You purpose should be to open up the Word so it becomes relevant to their everyday life. When someone is struggling with their marriage, fighting an addiction, or coping with anxiety, knowing what those winged beings in Ezekiel’s vision may not be as helpful as knowing how David dealt with being deeply discouraged.

2. Keep it moving and engaging

Similar to the above tip, we preachers and teachers after spending hours studying a verse are tempted to share everything we have mined out of a verse. As a result, we can become bogged down and people begin feeling that it will take forever to cross the finish line. Overcome the temptation to stay at a place too long and keep a steady pace moving toward the end. By keeping it engaging, I suggest that you make a concerted effort in your presentation to connect with the people. Afterall, that is the purpose of it all, to transform lives through sharing God’s Word. Engage them with a story or illustration or question.

3. Be enthusiastic about what you are sharing.

Wow, if you don’t seem to care, then why should they? Notice I said, “If you don’t seem to care…” The actual words you share with people are important but there is so much non-verbal communication that takes place when preaching or teaching. Your listeners are looking at the whole package. Being excited about what you are doing will be contagious. I am not saying overhyped or ramped to explode. Just be yourself with a smile on your face, a spring in your step, and a song in your heart and it will shine through.

You can check out my pastor resources and sermons site at www.sermonseedbed.com.

Billy Graham once said that some people will miss heaven by eighteen inches, the distance between their head and their heart.” We all get the point. If God is after the heart, then we need to preach sermons from the heart and sermons that aim at the heart. Consider the following comparisons.

1. The Head Preacher
This is the cranial preacher who is intellectually well prepared and who has a keen mind for theology and its accompanying terminology. Deep truths are mined out and served up that are wonderful to hear. Every preacher should strive to have such a mind and knowledge. It is not to be criticized in and of itself.

2. The Heart Preacher
I will call this the cardiac preacher. His heart is totally in what he is doing. He is enthusiastic and his emotions are engaged in his preaching.

3. The Head and Heart Preacher
This is the preacher we should desire to be. He loves God with all his heart and mind, just as we have been commanded to do. He studies and his mind engages the Word and is renewed by it. As his mind discerns and discovers truth, his heart is moved.

When he preaches, he feeds the congregation the deep truths of God’s Word. As he shares, his heart is poured out in concern and compassion. the spirit and the truth are both at work in a powerful way. His heart is moved and so are the hearts in the path of his heartfelt message. God help us all to utililize our hearts and our minds when we preach from the Bible the truths of God.

It behooves us all to do inventory on our preaching. We should ask of  ourself, “Is my preaching more from the head for the head or from the heart for the heart?” Be a man of the heart going after hearts.

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

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.

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.

I love the quote, “The journey of a thousand begins with one step.  Likewise, the preaching of a great sermon begins with one thought. In this article I will share with you three simple methods of getting ideas for your sermon starters folder. These are not meant to replace your Bible study at all, but just ways to lead you into the Bible for a relevant preaching idea. Having a seedbed of starters is a great resource for any preacher or Bible teacher.

Idea Number 1: Record That Thought!
I wish I had all the great ideas for those sermons that never got preached because I failed to record the inspiration that whizzed through my mind. These are the big fish that got away because I did not set the hook. Writing down that inspired thought is the way the preacher sets the hook to reel in a good sermon.

Keep a little notebook with you, record it into your cell phone, send yourself a text message….just get a record of the thought some way. Have you ever awakened in the middle of a night having had a dream that was very vivid. You thought of getting up and writing down the details, but you thought it was so vivid and clear that you could never forget it. The next morning when you got up, you could not remember it to save your life. Where did the dream go? It went to the same place those great sermon starting ideas go that you didn’t write down.

Idea Number 2: Read That Title!
I have been amazed at the times I have read the title or headline of a newspaper article, an internet news story, the title of a book, and of course, the titles of other people’s sermons and gotten an idea that started me on a quick jog into sermon building paradise. Just the title which is the leader board of a story to follow can set your imagination in motion. With the idea that a title pops in your mind, you will often begin imagining what it is about before you ever read further. Your mind will begin building your own sermon just from the title. Notice these things and consciously think about them as sermon starters. Even billboards can stuff a sermon starter into your cranial cavity form time to time.

Idea Number 3: Research that Question!
This one will unleash an avalanche of sermon ideas for you. Think of questions that people ask about life, love, and problems and then research them. You will be swamped in an hour with a mountain of sermon ideas, sermon illustrations, and starting points for topics that people are hungry to hear about. Then you can add what the Bible teaches on that subject and you are on your way to helping others through a relevant heart touching Bible based sermon.

Now that you have three simple ideas for sermon starters, all that is left for you to do is to get started. That great sermon is just waiting to be thought of, inspired with creativity, and launched to waiting ears. God bless you as you get going.

Written by Eddie Lawrence, who is an author, pastor, and overseer of Sermon Seedbed a resource site for pastors and Bible teachers which provides free sermons and sermon outlines.

A memorial is a deeply felt and everlasting tribute to your loved one. Choosing the perfect memorial will need time and consideration, but at Granite Memorials we’re able to assist you with every part of this process.

Laws governing the type of memorial you could select

As a general rule graveyards will allow any form or colour of headstone and plaques, but there could be restrictions limiting the height and wording allowed. Church grounds are more restrictive and regulations can change depending on the area that the churchyard is in, but a general law is only grey granite and natural stone headstones under 2′6′ in overall height are permitted, with silver letters and a small motif which shows the departed’s hobbies or way of life. In Granite Memorials, our National Associations of Memorial Masons (NAMM) approved memorial masons will talk you through the regulations for your cemetery or churchyard, helping you to choose a memorial that suits the environment as well as what you require.

Obtaining Permission

Before any memorial may be installed inside a graveyard or cemetery, permission must be obtained from its management. An application document should be filled out with the kind of headstone, material, font, inscription, number of vases, size of the memorial; plus a sketch of what memorial is desired must be attached. Most churchyards or graveyards can charge an application for approval charge, which varies from place to place. Our experienced staff will be able to take this bother out from your hands and finish the application process on your behalf.

Choosing the shape

In these times headstone and memorial plaques come in a wide selection of shapes and sizes, from the classic to the modern and everything in between. Go to our web address and look through our brochure to view the large range we have available, or call in to the showroom to view our display.

Deciding on the inscription

Selecting the wording to be on the headstone is the most challenging part of the process. It has to be formal, providing the vital information on the departed, but it should also be a farewell, a tribute to who the person was and the things people loved most about them. The wording can be divided in to three parts:

The initial inscription. This is a message on top of your headstone, the lead in to the person’s name. In Loving Memory or Treasured Memories are the most popular, but there are a number of verses that can be selected. The individual details. These are the deceased’s full name, date of death, day of birth and/or age. Some individuals prefer to add here if they were a loving grandmother/father, mother or father, sister/brother and/or include a nick name which the departed may have often been called.

A verse. Selections from poetry, bible verses or words from a song could all be viewed on headstones throughout England. The verse is the oppurtunity to put something meaningful about the departed, to ask God to watch over them, or you can thank them and say goodbye. No matter what you want to say, there will be a lyric or poem that says it for you. We have a range of suggested inscriptions available to get from our internet address for guidance.

Choosing the motif

Some individuals like to decorate the departed’s headstone with a small symbol that shows an activity or displays the life style of the departed. It’s not a pre-requisite and there are plenty who let the message speak for itself. However if you would like to add a picture, or etching to the memorial there are a huge range to choose from. Bibles or crosses, to dogs and footballs, whatever you would like to have on the headstone we can create a design to match.

Selecting the type and style of the lettering

The lettering on a headstone can be made in 3 ways: Handcut. Our memorial masons are very experienced in manually shaping the granite and natural stone to make bespoke, unique letters and numbers to suit your requirements.

Sandblasted. Sandblasted letters can be made in virtually any font which you could see on a word processor and make a nice, even finish. Our experienced designers will look at the kind of lettering you are looking for and offer a range of options. If you want it all in capitals, or flowing and scripted we have the font to suit you.

Machine Cut. Machine cut letters are somewhere between the manually cut and sandblasted lettering. Cut in the stone with devices, machine cut lettering can appear like handcut type, but with more uniformity and choice of fonts available.

Choosing the colour

Whatever style you select for the cutting of the letters, you will have a choice over the colour of the lettering:

Gold Leaf. This is hand crafted on to the previously made letters and wears extremely well.

Leaded Letters. Lead is beaten into the handcut letters and when finished stands nicely on the headstone. Leaded letters are hand crafted.

Painted Letters. We offer painted letters in a range of colours including, silver, gold, grey and bronze. The letters are painted during a few days leaving the paint to completely dry between coats.

Every future has its roots. This is why people say that what is happening right now has already been seen from past foresights and predictions. As the ancient wisdom has taught us about superstitions and beliefs, predictions and foresights are also from them. However, we all should understand that whatever prediction some people have to say may or may not come true. Therefore, it is not right to rely on these beliefs. Let us live each day the normal way without too much worries and anxieties because of what the prediction said.

There have been predictions as to the end of day and life. It was predicted to happen in the year 2012. So what made them choose this year? As with the Mayans, an ancient civilization, basing on the complete eclipse of the sun, lots of dates and different data, it boils down to the date December 21, 2012. It may require lots of understanding of their culture to understand why this date was chosen. Other ancient civilizations say that the date of end is actually November 13, 2012.

A lot of prediction has come up from different groups, religions and citizens. Some depended on what the Holy Bible says that there will be pain, suffering, war and famine to happen in the near future. They say that all signs are slowly showing up. Another prediction is that global wars will arise and will soon bring suffering to many people. Well, these are all alarming and frightening, but the best hope there is, is to pray to the one who created us all.

If you are not a Christian or just vaguely familiar with the religion, then you might have wondered what communion wafers are and what it’s for.

To let you know, these wafers are used during the Holy Communion to represent the body of Christ. Even though the symbolism is a bit complicated, the ingredients for the piece are actually quite simple.

It has hardly any taste at all, but it is this lack of taste that makes it such a great ritual piece. Since it hardly has any taste, you are allowed to focus on the meaning when you consume the wafer.

There are plenty of manufacturers for the communion wafer. Each of them have special ways of creating the wafer, however, most of them use the same basic ingredients.

These two common ingredients include water and pure wheat flour. Of course, as mentioned, other communion breads are created with more complex ingredients than the two, but this depends on the manufacturer.

Some of the other ingredients used in these recipes could include yeast or salt so that it can have a small hint of flavor.

However, there is one very special ingredient that is sometimes added when making these holy wafers and that is holy water.  

There are instances when makers would sprinkle a small amount of holy water on the dough. It is incorporated into the dough and then made into the holy wafers that we know and use today.

Most Christians are familiar with communion wafers, however, not everyone knows where or who makes them.

However, this isn’t very surprising since back in the day, the work of creating these wafers fell only to a select few.

History dictates that churches used to pick out only one baker that was tasked to create the wafer. Apart from that, there was a special oven designated for this purpose only so that the ritual of making the wafers was kept sacred.

As time passed, traditions changed and so did the secrecy to creating the wafers.

Today, there are several large manufacturers that create these wafers. They are no longer exclusively created by nuns or special bakers from the church.

Although there are plenty of manufacturers in this industry, there are still companies that hold a monopoly when it comes to being a supplier for these church wafers.

In fact, there is one company that is said to be the primary supplier for over three quarters of the churches in the US.

The history and significance of these holy wafers cannot be underestimated. Even though most non Christians might not be familiar with them, there is no doubt that it is an essential part of the faith as well as the ceremony of these churches.

If you are a Christian, taking part of the Holy Communion and taking in communion wafers should signify something far beyond the bland taste of this sacramental bread, it should symbolize and signify your faith in the Lord and his undying love for you as his child.

Now that you are aware of the importance of communion wafer, you may also consider the benefit and importance of having your personal communion cup or perhaps you may want to own a portable communion set.

Many people are quite familiar with the communion chalice, but most have no idea why it is important in the Christian faith as well as it’s meaning.

The chalice is also more commonly known as the communion cup.  It is considered to be one of the most popular among the sacred vessels. Essentially, a chalice is used in most Christian ceremonies and masses as a cup that holds the wine.

Some of the churches that use this vessel include Catholics, Eastern Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Lutherans and other Christian sects.

Most of the time, a chalice is made from either gold or silver and decorated in various stones. Back in the day, the gold goblet was something that symbolized family.

Moreover, the chalices back then looked like a goblet with two handles at either side. Throughout the centuries, however, the look of the chalice has changed although its main significance remained the same.

The chalice as a vessel was treated with great reverence and often kept in a sacred place. Most of the time, when people hear of the word chalice or communion cup they automatically think ‘holy grail’ or the cup that Christ used in the Last Supper.

This came about when pilgrims back in the 6th and 7th century believed that there was a sect that still held the original cup that Christ used. However, this turned out to be unfounded.

Nevertheless, it showed just how important the cup was and how far those who believe in the Christian faith would go for it.

The communion chalice is one of the most important vessel used in many Christian ceremonies. You can find plenty of types of chalices and their uses depending on the church denomination or religion that’s using them.

The design is different for each church that used them as well. For instance, in western Christianity the cups had a small node where the stem met the cup. This allowed the cup to be easily picked up.

In Catholicism, before the Vatican II, the cups were created with a tulip shape and were generally quite slim since only the priests were the only ones that used them.

Today, however, all people who are to take communion can drink from the chalice or any form of cup to also partake of the blood of Christ.

On the other hand, in Eastern Christianity, which includes the Orthodox churches; the chalices were often decorated with icons and even the cross. All of the people that took the communion were also able to drink from the chalice itself.

As you can see, the chalice has had many facets and even today, variations of its looks are still present.

These cups are still seen as an important part of the sacrament and the faith. They are essentially used to symbolically hold the blood of Christ.

The sanctity is still being revered and in fact, in the Catholic Church, whenever the communion chalice is used, it is actually blessed first and anointed.

While some think that Christian Bookstore only sell christian fiction books and christian music, they also offer various communion supplies

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.