Sermon Illustrations

Category: Ted Cunningham

  • Opening doors

    Kids who know and follow Jesus understand that they are ministers called to serve. There is no better antidote to entitlement than serving. We must teach our children to seek out relationships and then seek to give to those people rather than to receive from them. For my son, it was simple and started early…

  • Differentiation and separation

    Differentiation and separation begin around ages ten to thirteen. You can spot it when you start to see or sense active and passive resistance. Active resistance is vocal and argumentative: “I already cleaned my room this week and don’t feel like doing it again.” Passive resistance is nonverbal and dismisses or delays on requests. Kids…

  • My load and my limit

    Margin is the space between my load and my limit. As a young dad and pastor, I often allow my load to exceed my limit, saying yes to every request for counseling, every party, and every meal invite. It wasn’t until a much older and wiser pastor asked me, “Who is holding a gun to…

  • never make life decisions or solve conflicts while tired

    never make life decisions or solve conflicts while tired. Good advice. Ted CunninghamClick to TweetFrom the book “Trophy Child” Available on amazon.co.uk*Available on amazon.com*

  • Parent Gut Check

    Parent Gut Check Vanity Parenting Have you ever disciplined your children to meet the expectations of someone watching? In what ways do you see your children as extensions of yourself? Perfection Parenting Is the bar set too high in your home? What are some expectations that need to be lowered? Competitive Parenting Can you think…

  • How are the kids

    “How are the kids?” Every parent knows this question. It seems innocent and caring, but there are only two ways to answer that question. Depending on the depth of the relationship with the asker, we can either give a laundry list of successes and achievements, or we can venture into a more vulnerable, authentic answer.…

  • What does the dog teach us in the Bible

    “Corynn, what does the dog teach us in the Bible?” I asked. “Don’t make me say it,” she said with a slight scream and smile. “Say it, say it, say it,” I humorously demanded. She refused to say Proverbs 26:11 , so I said the verse for her: “As a dog returns to its vomit,…

  • Vanity parenting

    “What is vanity parenting? When parents look to their child to bring them credit in the eyes of the world, when they push their child to reflect well on themselves, they are at risk of ‘vanity parenting,’ of using the child’s performance to embellish their own.” Ted CunninghamClick to TweetFrom the book “Trophy Child” Available…

  • Don’t prioritise the kids

    Loving parents who prioritize their children over their marriage give all of their time, energy, money, and words to the kids and give each other the leftovers. This is an unloving act for everyone involved. The greatest gift you can give your children is a mom and dad who love and enjoy each other. It…