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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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Emphasis Preaching Journal

When a little girl's letter... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2014
When a little girl's letter to Legos went viral asking why the company did not have a line of toys f
The Christian spirit has permeated... -- John 8:31-36 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2014
The Christian spirit has permeated the Oval Office from the first day to the present.
Sermon Illustrations for Ascension of the Lord (2014) -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2014
Acts 1:1-11
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 1 (2014) -- Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11 -- Bob Ove, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of Our Lord (2015) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2014
Isaiah 60:1-6
The Cold War threatened our... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- Ron Love -- All Saints Day - A -- 2014
The Cold War threatened our security.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 (2014) -- Joshua 3:7-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13, Matthew 23:1-12 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2014
Joshua 3:7-17
President Abraham Lincoln... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ron Love -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2014
President Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war, Edward Stanton, had a hatred for one of his generals.
In the year 590... -- Romans 5:12-19 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
In the year 590, Pope Gregory I, also known as Pope Gregory the Great, established the list that is
When Dr. Kent Brantly was... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2014
When Dr.
As a nation we celebrate... -- Joshua 3:7-17 -- Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2014
As a nation we celebrate Independence Day by recognizing the deposing of the tyranny endured under K
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 5 (2014) -- Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14 -- Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
Acts 7:55-60
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 2 (2014) -- Genesis 12:1-4a, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, John 3:1-17 -- Scott A. Bryte, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
Genesis 12:1-4a
James Foley was the American... -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2014
James Foley was the American journalist from Rochester, New Hampshire, who was kidnapped on Thanksgi
To the Seven Deadly Sins... -- Matthew 23:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2014
To the Seven Deadly Sins we ought to add an eighth.
When Julius Caesar... -- 1 Peter 2:2-10 -- Ron Love -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
When Julius Caesar was provoked, he would recite to himself the entire Roman alphabet before he resp
Martin Luther... -- Genesis 12:1-4a -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
Martin Luther, the sixteenth century pastor and theologian, began the Protestant Reformation in resp
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2015) -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2014
Genesis 1:1-5
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 (2014) -- Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2014
Joshua 24:1-3a
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 7 (2014) -- Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11, John 17:1-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
Acts 1:6-14
The religion of... -- John 3:1-17 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
The religion of Hinduism understands the entrapment of living a self-centered life.
Marcus Mariota has been... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- Ron Love -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2014
Marcus Mariota has been the starting quarterback for Oregon since the 2012 season.
Dressed in rags, the South... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Ron Love -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2014
Dressed in rags, the South Carolina delegate who signed the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Heyw
Dwight Moody was... -- Acts 1:6-14 -- Ron Love -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
Dwight Moody was working as a boot salesman in his uncle's store, Holton Shoe Store, in Boston in 18
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 3 (2014) -- Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
Exodus 17:1-7

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New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play for your children and requires no additional objects.

Note: You can use this role-play with a large or very small group. You will want one child to play Thomas, one child to play Jesus, and the rest of the children to play the disciples. When I have had only had one or two children, I have “volunteered” an adult or two to help out.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For April 27, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Acts 5:27-32
The Acts of the Apostles begins with the ascension of Jesus, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit who galvanizes them to begin the spread of the Good News of Jesus the Christ. It is not long, despite signs and wonders, that the apostles find themselves facing real opposition. Arrest and threats. However, in the leadup to this passage, they ignore these threats and continue to share the Good News. The news about this comes to the religious leaders while they’re debating what to do about them.
Frank Ramirez
Sometimes movies end with the “happily ever after moment.” Finally — Hooray! Sometimes movies begin with the “happily ever after moment.” Roll up your sleeves. The real fun is just beginning.

Acts 5:27-32

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
Every eye will see him…. (v. 7)

The speed of news is not quite instantaneous. There’s this traffic cop called the speed of light that strictly enforces that 186, 242 mile per second speed limit built into our universe. If there’s a way around that limitation it remains the stuff of speculation — out of this world speculation.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Thomas had never seen his friends so excited. Peter's eyes were shining, and he could hardly contain his impatience. John was always quieter than Peter, but even he seemed full of barely suppressed eagerness. They were both tugging at Thomas, while at the same time dancing round him.

Thomas reluctantly agreed to go to the cave with them, although he continued to think they were mad. "If there was nothing there last week, how can it have changed now?" he kept asking.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Anyone can throw a party. It's easy to jump up and down and shout loud "alleluias." Pay the DJ, set out the drinks and the buffet table, and that's about it. At first, it's a blast! Whirling bodies and pulsing rhythms fill the night. Laughter and clinking glasses seem like an endless and joyful dialogue. But, by midnight it all starts to get a little old. People get tired of shouting and dancing and head home because they have to work the next day. The DJ was only hired for a few hours and he, perhaps, has another gig at an after-hours club across town.
Richard E. Zajac
... Unless I see... I will not believe...

I must credit the Reverend R. Maurice Boyd for this talk. Many of its ideas stemmed from "Consequences of Candor," a chapter in his book Corridors of Light.1

__________
David Kalas
When the curtain opens on Scene Two, we see a familiar scene. It is the austere, official chamber where the Sanhedrin hold court. The room is cold and intimidating. It feels even more so when the first characters begin to arrive on stage.

These are the members of the Sanhedrin: the leaders in the land who form the ruling council for the Jews of first-century Palestine. They are a distinguished looking group. They are well-dressed, well-manicured, and well-to-do. Their faces betray the seriousness of the purpose for which they have gathered.
Henry F. Woodruff
No cavalry rode to the rescue; this time the savior was technology. Here is how it happened. Longing for more intimate communication between preacher and congregation, the church purchased and installed a wireless microphone system. With an FM receiver in place and wearing a lapel microphone, the preacher could get out from behind the pulpit or lecturn and roam about, even into the midst of the congregation.

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