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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

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 (2012) -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Cynthia E. Cowen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
Salman Khan did not set out to change the world... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Ron Love -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2012
Salman Khan did not set out to change the world, only to help his cousin who lived on the opposite c
NULL -- Luke 2:41-52 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2012
The belief of a military apocalyptic Messiah that would come from the House of David was so dominant
Peter proclaims in his sermon that Jesus is the "cornerstone"... -- Acts 4:5-12 -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
Peter proclaims in his sermon that Jesus is the "cornerstone" on which the church is built.
NULL -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Ron Love -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
In the comic strip The Born Loser, Brutus Thornapple is staring at his computer console.
George Washington was sent by the governor of Virginia... -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Ron Love -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2012
George Washington was sent by the governor of Virginia to inform the French they must leave the Alle
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 | OT 2 (2013) -- Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Cynthia E. Cowen -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2012
Isaiah 62:1-5
When Melinda Gates returned from Bangladesh... -- John 10:11-18 -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
When Melinda Gates returned from Bangladesh, she shared what she learned about the humanitarian work
NULL -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Ron Love -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
J.
A psychologist asked 3,000 people... -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13 -- Ron Love -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2012
A psychologist asked 3,000 people, "What have you to live for?" He was surprised to find that 94% we
Sermon Illustrations for Ash Wednesday (2013) -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2012
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Sid Cook, 59, is a fourth generation Wisconsin cheese maker... -- Acts 10:44-48 -- Ron Love -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
Sid Cook, 59, is a fourth generation Wisconsin cheese maker.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2012) -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 10:46-52 -- Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler, Cynthia E. Cowen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Ken and Carol Dorushka were having their morning cup of coffee... -- John 17:6-19 -- Ron Love -- 2012
Ken and Carol Dorushka were having their morning cup of coffee, when Carol mentioned she needed some
NULL -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 -- Ron Love -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2012
Martin Luther King Jr. affirmed the majesty of God in a telling speech.
John spoke to his followers -- John 15:9-17 -- Ron Love -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
John spoke to his followers as "friends" because of the love he had for them.
NULL -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Oftentimes new technology becomes so commonplace that we fail to realize its revolutionary social ch
One of the ruling bodies in France was called the Estates General... -- 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 -- Ron Love -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2012
One of the ruling bodies in France was called the Estates General.
NULL -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ron Love -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2012
Jesus never spoke of equality with God.
There is an uncompromising difference between Catholics and Protestants... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Ron Love -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2012
There is an uncompromising difference between Roman Catholics and Protestants in the interpretation
Sermon Illustrations for Reformation Day (2012) -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- Ron Love, Bob Ove, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Jeremiah 31:31-34
John Paul Jones, a captain in the U.S. Navy... -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Ron Love -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2012
John Paul Jones, a captain in the U.S.
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 2 (2013) -- Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 13:31-35 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2012
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Ken and Carol Dorushka went to Safeway that morning... -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12 -- Ron Love -- Good Friday - B -- 2012
Ken and Carol Dorushka went to Safeway that morning to get a few items for lunch and to greet their
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Alecia Beth Moore, whose stage name is Pink, wrote an essay on her admiration for the singing talent

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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