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Ron Love

Ronald H. Love was called into the ordained ministry from a career as a state trooper. He has served Methodist churches in rural, inner-city and suburban settings for 20 years, and also served for four years as an Army chaplain. Dr. Love has also been a corporate librarian for a Fortune 500 company and been a university professor for ten years, teaching history and theology. His writing experience includes denominational publications, magazine articles on religion, and a newspaper devotional column. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology (Slippery Rock State College), master's degrees in library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). Dr. Love now resides in South Carolina.
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Children's sermon

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, the son of Joseph. Jesus, the carpenter.... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2013
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, the son of Joseph. Jesus, the carpenter.
In Latin the word "pastor"... -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- Ron Love -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2013
In Latin the word "pastor" means "shepherd." It came from the same base that produced pascere
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 3 (2014) -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23 -- Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 9:1-4
Sermon illustrations for Easter 2 (2013) -- Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 5:27-32
Sermon Illustrations for Reformation Day (2013) -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 31:31-34
A week after his public... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Ron Love -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2013
A week after his public confession to Oprah Winfrey acknowledging his use of performance enhancing d
Mother Teresa, in her acceptance speech for the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2013
Let us both see and believe in the message of the triumph of God.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2013) -- Amos 7:7-17, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
A builder uses a plumb line to determine true vertical from the gravitational center of the earth, n
When the typewriter... -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
When the typewriter was first developed and used in business, its use was restricted to men.
Sermon illustrations for Easter 3 (2013) -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 -- Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
Leona Helmsley was... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2013
Leona Helmsley was a real estate entrepreneur who was worth $8 billion when she was convicted in 198
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 22 | OT 27 (2013) -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
Lamentations 1:1-6
Seeing what you believe is not always the same as believing... -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2013
Seeing what you believe is not always the same as believing what you see, and it took fifty years fo
Gregg Marshall is the basketball... -- Colossians 1:1-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
Gregg Marshall is the basketball coach for the Wichita State Shockers.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 5 (2014) -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12), 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16), Matthew 5:13-20 -- Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
NULL -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Ron Love -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
When George Washington retired from public service as President of the United States, he returned to
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2013) -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2013
Joel 2:23-32
There is only a photograph... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
There is only a photograph of one person standing atop Mount Everest, and that is of Tenzing Norgay,
"Son of Man" was the most deliberately chosen title... -- Romans 10:8b-13 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
"Son of Man" was the most deliberately chosen title that Jesus selected for himself.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2013) -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2013
Amos 8:1-12
During the Crimean War... -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
During the Crimean War (1854-1856), Florence Nightingale organized a corps of nurses to tend to the
Sermon illustrations for Easter 5 (2013) -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 11:1-18
John Hancock was... -- Joel 2:23-32 -- Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2013
John Hancock was president of the Continental Congress.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | OT 28 (2013) -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
NULL -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
George Washington, the father of our country, did not appear to be a joyous father with his stern lo

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In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
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Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
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Lord, graciously hear us.

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With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

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Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

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Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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