48 sermon' topics for church growth

Introduction

Sermon Plan for 2023

16 Reasons Why a Preacher Should Have a Yearly Sunday Sermon Plan (2025 Update)

Peace to you, dear readers of the channel "World of the Bible". Well, the year has flown by unnoticed and January has come again. This is not only the time for buying gifts, New Year's mood and Christmas joy, but also the time to sum up the outgoing year. But in order to sum up, you need to look at what were the plans? What?! There were no plans? But how then can you fulfill your destiny and be happy?

So, here are 10 reasons why you need to have a sermon plan for the entire year:

1. A sermon plan for the year will allow you to see the "big picture" and will allow you to plan the correct "spiritual nutrition" and, therefore, the spiritual growth of church members.

2. Your existing archive of sermons can be divided into folders "January-December" with similar topics for each month and you can prepare more purposefully.

3. Sunday sermon should be oriented to answer the questions and needs of people, because no one fishes with sausage, but with maggots and worms, i.e. with what the fish like, not you. (Sermon plan for the Bible hour will be prepared later)

4. In preparing this plan, state and church holidays were used to “tie” people’s earthly life to the heavenly one.

5. Having a sermon plan will allow you to better track your spiritual growth and adjust your sermons to the problems and needs of the church – what is most important at the moment.

6. Having a sermon archive will allow you to spend more time preparing your sermon and to do so more purposefully.

7. You can also break up your sermon archive into topics such as "spiritual transformation" or "biblical principles of financial management" and use them as needed.

8. With a systematic approach to developing sermon topics, listeners develop systematic knowledge that is easier to apply in life.

9. If you have a sermon plan, you can distribute topics in advance among other church preachers.

10. Having a plan for your sermons for the year also helps to improve their quality and impact on people.

I would be glad if you would suggest your topics or arguments for or against making a sermon plan for the year. In the nearest future – a three-year sermon plan for the Bible hour.

Addition 2023

Thanks to everyone who reads and supports our channel.

This year, using the sermon outline was helpful for the following reasons:

1. The problem with the topic for the sermon is removed in 90% of cases.

2. The cultural and historical part of the sermon is almost ready.

3. It was possible to focus on updating the topic of the sermon, its argumentation and counter-argumentation, preparing a better premise, substantiating points and logical development.

4. It is possible to study in more depth the historical, social and cultural background of the era to which the biblical text belongs.

5. Focus on the outline of the passage and its analysis.

Addition 2024

Thank you to the preachers who use this plan or your own plans, I pray that your sermons will be more profound and transformative for you and for people.

1. It is recommended to prepare a presentation in PDF format for each sermon to understand the overall picture of the sermon.

Happy New Year to all! All the best in the new year and blessings in preaching the Gospel!

With respect, love and prayers for you

Rustam Kodash Nasyrov.

January. New Year's Sermon

The Purpose of Human Life: The Path from the Joy of Christmas to the Bliss of the Kingdom of God

And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord;

and this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (Luke 2:10-12)

Peace to all good listeners of the Gospel, readers of the site "Answers to Islam" and any person seeking meaning for their life. In this festive time, filled with the joy of the Nativity of Christ and the expectation of the renewal of your life in the new year, a person especially acutely experiences the need for joy, happiness, love and meaning in his life.

Yes, dear reader, you are on the right track. Let us reflect on what meaning is embedded in your life, and what great joy you can experience by finding this meaning, realizing the purpose of your life, and starting to move towards its implementation, you will be able not only to experience the bliss of a relationship with the Most Loving Person, but you will also be able to bring this happiness of the highest standard to your loved ones, friends,

Whether we like it or not, our happiness and finding it are outside of us, outside of our personality. Some people may find it offensive or hurt their “ego” (in the Bible it is called “pride”), but our happiness does not depend on us, as some people think. The principle “I am the architect of my own happiness” is a losing strategy. This does not mean that absolutely nothing depends on us, it would also be wrong to say so. The principle of our happiness can be illustrated by the following picture: you can fold your palms in such a way that someone will fill them with pure spring water, and you will be able to drink it and quench your thirst. It is up to you to come to the one who can give this water, it is up to you to fold your palms in such a way as not to spill this precious moisture, but we ourselves are not the sources of this life-giving substance of happiness. Next, we will consider who is the source of happiness in our lives.

Another important point is our constant development and knowledge of this Person. I think there are no parents who would want their child, no matter how wonderful and obedient he is, to remain at the level of a three-year-old child all his life. So God wants us not only to be happy, but also to develop and grow in the knowledge of Him, and this allows us to experience an even deeper state of happiness, which the Bible (the word of God) calls blessedness.

Someone might say: "But I don't agree! I want to be happy myself, on my own terms." But let's be honest with ourselves: we've already tried, we've already built "our paradise", we've already wanted to make ourselves happy, and I think we've had enough of what came out of these attempts. At least I can say to myself in these words: "I've had enough of "my happiness", I want the real thing!

So how can we experience the highest joy in our lives, and how can we move along the path of developing this joy until it reaches bliss?

If the source of our happiness is not in us, then most likely it is in the One who created us in His image and likeness, and who has a wonderful plan of happiness for our lives, and if we move in His direction, in the direction of knowing His will and obeying Him, then we can discover for ourselves an amazing world of relationships with God, which can be designated by such a term as the Kingdom of God.

Where do we begin? Where does a person begin? Of course, from birth. When we find ourselves in difficult life situations, in suffering and need, it may seem to us that everything that happens to us is a chain of accidents, and there is no one who could help us in the situation we find ourselves in. And so it is. No one can help you, no one will come to your aid until you admit that you yourself are to blame for the current situation. That your sinful nature has brought you to the place and to the circumstances in which you now find yourself. No one is to blame for them: not your parents, not your friends, not your colleagues at work, and especially not the government and the president. Admit that you made decisions and you did these terrible things, and ask God for forgiveness for what you did. I have good news: God loves you, and God wants to forgive you and wants to build a relationship with you.

Therefore, His angel came and announced to perishing humanity the birth of the Child, that God had given people a chance to start life with a clean slate, a chance to be not just happy, but more than that: blessed.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people: (Luke 2:10)

This is what we are looking for in the New Year holiday, in this Christmas time, and throughout our entire lives.

Let us look at the time when these words were spoken to the representatives of the human race: at that time they were shepherds guarding their flocks in the mountainous Judean region near Bethlehem, the city of David.

The dominant superpower of the time was the Roman Empire. It conquered many countries, and stretched its borders from Britain to India, around the Mediterranean Sea. It built roads that still exist today, it gave humanity Roman law, provided safe living for millions of its citizens, and united them with a single Greek culture and subjugated them to the pagan polytheism of a pantheon of Greek, Roman and other gods. What it could not do was make all people happy – it gave bread and circuses, it waged wars of conquest, but a person inside this empire, even invested with power, remained deeply unhappy, unsure of his life, and ignorant of the truth: this is well illustrated by the words of Pontius Pilate, the representative of this power in the territory of the kingdoms into which the territory of Israel was divided at that time: having met Jesus and talked with Him for a few minutes, he said with a sigh: “What is Truth?”, but in his concern for preserving his life, maintaining power, he made the most terrible mistake of his life, which many people make today: he passed by Jesus, by the truth that he had so passionately sought all his conscious life, and it is important for us not to repeat his mistakes.

Thus, the darkness of spiritual ignorance reigned in the Roman Empire. How were things in the spiritual life of God's chosen people: Israel. Unfortunately, it must be stated that in this nation, too, there reigned not mercy and love, but the worship of the law and the fulfillment of human commandments that pushed aside and replaced the commandments of God, and those people who should have passionately awaited the Messiah, the messenger of God, they did not recognize Him, but moreover, rejected Him, handed Him over to the Roman authorities and demanded the death penalty for Him. Thus, despite the presence of the Temple and the Law, we can also talk about the spiritual darkness in which the Jews of that time also found themselves.

And for us, believers, it is important to remember that knowing the Bible and quoting it does not make us saved people, but also fulfilling the main Law of the Bible – the Law of love, gives us confidence in our salvation.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord; (Luke 2:11)

And so the Gospel was heard – the good news of great joy – what did it consist of? In the birth of the Savior. Today we also passionately need the realization that we ourselves are not able to cope with our internal and external problems, we desperately need an external, more powerful force that can help us, lead us out of spiritual darkness into the light of God's truths. This is the joy of Christmas for us – a joy that is so strongly felt and experienced not only by children on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays, but which all people come into contact with: schoolchildren, rejoicing at the holidays, and adults, anticipating holidays and weekends, and older people expecting attention from their children and grandchildren, and if not their arrival, then at least a phone call from those to whom they have given their whole life and all their strength.

The greatest tragedy of man is to keep this joy outside himself, to not let the transforming and changing power of Christmas into his life and into his personality. God did everything for us – He gave His only begotten Son to be executed so that our sins could be forgiven, so that we could restore our fellowship with God, and so that we could become happy and begin our movement towards even greater knowledge of God and finding even greater happiness.

A good person may again object: “I believe in God!” “I even observe the rules of my religion, and perhaps God likes the way I do it, and my religion is the most correct and there is no other way to the Almighty!” (At least this is how I calm my conscience, which for some reason bothers me from time to time).

But let us not rely on our deceptive feelings, for they sometimes let us down. What we can safely rely on, and be sure that we will not fall and will not be disappointed in our faith, is to rely on the word of God, on the Bible, the most published book on earth.

The Almighty, knowing our sinful human nature, knowing our unbelief and doubts, gives us clear instructions on how to be confident in our faith, in our salvation and in our eternal presence with Him, in His presence:

12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

(Luke 2:12)

God's Word is not fruitless. It always urges man to action. It says: go, see, check and be sure: I am not deceiving you, the Savior has really been born. He came to die for your sins, but God expects us to exercise our faith – to find the Baby lying in the animal trough, we need to go there, see and be sure that God's word has really been fulfilled. Very often we stop at just hearing God's word, or as we think that what we hear is God's word, but in order to understand that it is really it, we need to go and be sure of it.

I sincerely sought the Almighty, I went to the mosque, tried to observe all the rules of Islam, but I did not find the Almighty there, He did not answer me. And only when I prayed to the Almighty and asked Him for forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ, I experienced this forgiveness – a multi-ton slab of sins fell from my soul – and I had a desire to live on, the inevitability of suicide went away, and the Almighty, instead of the grave in front of which I was already standing, gave me the joy of life, family happiness, the opportunity to hold my children in my arms, but the most important thing that He gave was the opportunity to communicate with Him, because this is the meaning of our human life, only in this is our growing happiness, and only by living with Him in our hearts can we be truly happy.

God is speaking into your life. The whole question is, will we believe Him, will we go and look into the filthy stable of our heart, in which there is nothing but the dirt of our sins, lustful thoughts and serpents of evil plans, that God has put into our heart and the Birth of His Son – the whole question is, are we ready to let Him in there.

Today, now, and during this holiday season, God is knocking at your heart. Stop! Get on your knees. Listen. You will hear the knock. Just say, “Lord, I am so tired of being alone. I ask You to forgive me for living without You. Come into my heart and into my life and be my Lord and Savior!”

There may be tears, trials, losses and difficulties that come into your life. But as long as you have faith in Jesus Christ in your heart, as long as that faith is expressed in obedience to Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God will be present in your heart – and there will always be peace, rest, God's presence and support and relief from problems.

I sincerely wish for you, and for myself, that this Kingdom be in our hearts all our lives, and that it be strengthened, and when our time comes to go to Him, He will meet us as His faithful subjects and as His beloved children. Let us be obedient to Him and let the joy of Christmas lead us to the bliss of the Kingdom of God.

With respect and prayers

Rustam Kodash Nasyrov.

Christmas

The Meaning of the Nativity of Jesus Christ

Many people think that the meaning of Christmas is a family holiday associated with family reunification, buying and giving gifts, some even attend Christmas concerts and services in churches and temples, most experience joyful feelings and emotions, but pass by the meaning of this holiday – the Birth of the Savior. You can meet and spend Christmas fifty or even seventy times, but if you do not understand the meaning of Christmas, and do not let this holiday into your mind, heart and do not change, then this holiday, unfortunately, will be for you just another holiday, a day off, which will not affect your eternal soul and its relationship with God, and its salvation, ultimately. Let's see what changes God expects from us, in our relationship with Him?

1 This is a true saying: If anyone desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.

2 But a bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, chaste, respectable, honorable, hospitable, a teacher,

3 not a drunkard, not a violent man, not quarrelsome, not greedy for filthy lucre, but gentle, peaceable, not a lover of money,

4 He who manages his own house well, keeping his children in subjection with all honesty;

5 For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?

6 He must not be a new believer, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 He must also have a good testimony from those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Deacons must also be honest, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for filthy lucre,

9 keeping the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.

10 And such must first be tested, then, if they are blameless, admitted to service.

11 Their wives must also be respectable, not slanderers, sober, faithful in everything.

12 A deacon must be the husband of one wife, managing his children and his own household well.

13 For those who have served well obtain for themselves a high degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 I write these things to you, hoping to come to you soon,

15 that if I tarry, you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Tim. 3:1-16)

Personal relationships with Christ, who came into the world through Christmas, should influence our character. The person himself and all areas of his life (family, work, church) change. The main criterion for evaluation is time. A person’s service is manifested through his deeds, his prayer life, his faith and character.

1. The Birth of the Savior: Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and his birth marked the coming of the Savior into the world. This event symbolizes the hope of salvation and forgiveness of sins for all mankind.

2. Fulfillment of Prophecies: Christmas is associated with the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. This gives the holiday special significance in the context of biblical history and its connection with all the events preceding the New Testament.

3. Symbol of love and mercy: Christmas emphasizes the idea of God's infinite love for people, which is expressed in his decision to send his Son into the world. This is the basis of the Christian teaching of love, compassion and kindness.

4. Traditions and Cultural Significance: Christmas has become an important cultural event celebrated in many countries and includes many traditions and customs that help strengthen family ties and community spirit.

5. Spiritual Renewal: The holiday of Christmas is often seen as a time to reflect on one's life's journey, an opportunity for spiritual reflection and renewal.

The holiday of Christmas has many facets and deep meanings. One of the most important facets is the opportunity to establish a personal relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the opportunity for our further change during life and service in the local church.

Why are both aspects important to a person – the presence of personal relationships and the ability to change our character?

Possible counterarguments:

Here are some counterarguments against the idea of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and character change based on that relationship:

1. Subjectivity of Experience: A personal relationship with Jesus can be perceived as a subjective experience that is not subject to objective verification. This can lead to different interpretations and understandings, making it difficult to have a general consensus on the faith.

2. Cultural Differences: Different cultures and religious traditions may have different ideas about the divine, which makes a personal relationship with Jesus less universal and may cause conflicts between different beliefs.

3. Psychological aspects: Some critics argue that such relationships may be the result of psychological mechanisms such as projecting one's own desires and needs onto the image of Jesus, which may not be conducive to true character change.

4. Ethical Dilemmas: Relationships with Jesus can lead to ethical dilemmas when personal beliefs conflict with accepted moral standards or scientific evidence.

5. Dependence on an External Source: Relying on a personal relationship with Jesus can lead to dependence on an external source for decision making, which can limit personal responsibility and independence.

6. Lack of Practical Basis: Some may feel that a personal relationship with Jesus does not provide concrete tools for solving real life problems and conflicts, such as social justice or economic hardship.

7. Division of Believers: Claiming a personal relationship with Jesus can lead to division among believers, as different people may interpret this relationship differently, creating conflicts within religious communities.

Let's look at the cultural and historical aspect of our passage to better understand the meaning of Christmas and its meaning for each person.

1 Timothy is one of the pastoral letters of the New Testament written by the Apostle Paul. It is addressed to Timothy, a young pastor serving in Ephesus. The text has important implications for both the early Christian community and modern understanding of Christian ethics and church government. Here are some key aspects of the historical and cultural analysis of this letter:

Let's look at the history of the writing of 1 Timothy.

1.1 Authorship

The authorship of 1 Timothy is traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul. The letter is part of the so-called Pastoral Epistles, which also include 2 Timothy and Titus. The main arguments for Pauline authorship include:

1.1 Internal evidence

• Style and Language: The letter is written in a style characteristic of Paul's other letters, using his typical themes and terminology.

• Personal Address: Paul addresses Timothy as his “true son” in the faith (1:2), indicating a close relationship between the author and the addressee.

1.2. Historical context

• Life of Paul: The time of writing of the letter is usually dated to the period after Paul's first imprisonment in Rome (c. 63-65 CE), when he was probably in or near Ephesus, which would fit the context of the letter.

1.3 Traditional Attribution

• Church Tradition: Early Christian writers such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others recognized Paul as the author of this letter. This consensus has persisted throughout the centuries in Christian tradition.

1.4. Authorship Debates

Despite the traditional recognition of Paul as the author, some modern scholars question his authorship on the grounds of:

• Differences in style: Some scholars note differences in language and style compared to Paul's other letters.

• Context and Content: Some aspects of the doctrine and church government expressed in the letter may reflect later practices and issues, which may indicate that it was written later.