Sermon Topics

[mike]

In our church, the ministers recently put out a suggestion box for sermon topics.

What are some topics you think should be addressed more often than they are (at your own church or anywhere)?

[Soloist]

Despite it being a “core” belief, I feel non-resistance is very shaky at best and it’s a very passive belief that hasn’t been prepared for testing.

[Sudsy]

Loving others as we love ourselves.

[Grace]

Loving others as we love ourselves.

Agreed. Yesterday our Sunday School lesson contained the text out of Philippians 2: 3& 4.

" Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others".

I fear that the world's voices on making oneself the center, instead of others, have infiltrated the Anabaptist churches. We need sermon topics on how to flesh that out.

Another sermon topic, would be the sin of pride and how to live a life of humility.

[MaxPC]

Loving others as we love ourselves.

Agreed. Yesterday our Sunday School lesson contained the text out of Philippians 2: 3& 4.

" Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others".

I fear that the world's voices on making oneself the center, instead of others, have infiltrated the Anabaptist churches. We need sermon topics on how to flesh that out.

Another sermon topic, would be the sin of pride and how to live a life of humility.

Indeed and agreed.

[mike]

This isn't a sermon topic per se, but I'd like to see more expository sermons that take on a text and then go at whatever the topics are that are contained in it. There is probably too much cherry-picking that occurs when looking for a sermon topic. Instead of following a liturgy, which I don't really think is all that necessary, a lot of Protestant churches and Anabaptist churches basically have a random assortment of topics. Other than around holidays which might inform the material somewhat.

[Szdfan]

Taking risks and going out of our comfort zones. Sometimes God works in those uncomfortable spaces.

[HondurasKeiser]

This isn't a sermon topic per se, but I'd like to see more expository sermons that take on a text and then go at whatever the topics are that are contained in it. There is probably too much cherry-picking that occurs when looking for a sermon topic. Instead of following a liturgy, which I don't really think is all that necessary, a lot of Protestant churches and Anabaptist churches basically have a random assortment of topics. Other than around holidays which might inform the material somewhat.

I recently did this with the 3 temptations of Jesus by Satan - tying Jesus’ rejections of Satan’s offers to his rejection of worldly systems/thinking more broadly and thus laying the groundwork for the establishment of His alternative Kingdom/way of being.

[mike]

This isn't a sermon topic per se, but I'd like to see more expository sermons that take on a text and then go at whatever the topics are that are contained in it. There is probably too much cherry-picking that occurs when looking for a sermon topic. Instead of following a liturgy, which I don't really think is all that necessary, a lot of Protestant churches and Anabaptist churches basically have a random assortment of topics. Other than around holidays which might inform the material somewhat.

I recently did this with the 3 temptations of Jesus by Satan - tying Jesus’ rejections of Satan’s offers to his rejection of worldly systems/thinking more broadly and thus laying the groundwork for the establishment of His alternative Kingdom/way of being.

Sounds great. I think it's helpful to intentionally hit worldview issues, foundational topics about the mindset and systems that basically underlie all other ideas. It's well and good to talk about the topics where the rubber meets the road also, but I think we hear lots of sermons at that level.

As an example, nonresistance is that sort of ground level topic. A topic that underlies this idea is the concept of the kingdom of God. Both are important. As Mennonites we're used to the idea that we live or look differently from others, and we talk about those areas frequently. We may be lacking in talking about the foundation or basis for some of this.

[Valerie]

Loving others as we love ourselves.

Agreed. Yesterday our Sunday School lesson contained the text out of Philippians 2: 3& 4.

" Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others".

I fear that the world's voices on making oneself the center, instead of others, have infiltrated the Anabaptist churches. We need sermon topics on how to flesh that out.

Another sermon topic, would be the sin of pride and how to live a life of humility.

Indeed and agreed.

I just watched a Pastor who spoke at our Church (at the Basics Conference which actually was for Pastors but made available to us on youtube) and his topic was "Spiritual Pride". It was such an enlightening message which he gave 4 behaviors to be aware of that can indicate spiritual pride in a person (was for pastors but I found enlisting to it that any of us as Christians can have this infection and not realize it so it was beneficial to have those red flags areas pointed out)

Spiritual Pride