Introduction to the Kerux 2010 Database

KERUX SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS January 2019

[These instructions are for the Access version of the Kerux database only . SID users should use the help file included with that program.]

To learn how to use the database, explore the help file (just click the F1 key). Many fields have specific help information that will pop up if you click the F1 key in that field. The help file also contains a step-by-step tutorial so you can learn the basics.

The full Kerux database contains over 60,000 sermons and illustrations of various types, gathered in almost three decades of ministry. Some of them have meaning only to me but most of them are valuable for any pastor or Christian worker. My website will offer regular supplements. The greatest strength of this database is in the careful categorizing and Bible references for each record, especially the most recent ones. Most illustration databases give one or two topical headings and maybe three verses; I often give ten or more of each. This database is especially designed for pastors and church workers who prepare messages from the Bible.

EDITING AND ADDING ILLUSTRATIONS

Any changes you make to a record become permanent when you move to another record. It is a good idea to make a copy of this database in case you really mess up.

It is important to keep track of the illustrations and sermons you use from the database. It is easy to do this – on any record, just click the Details tab at the top of the record and enter the location and date in the Resources Usage area. You can add notes there as well.

New illustrations or sermons can be added by clicking Add New on the blue menu bar. After you indicate whether it is a sermon or illustration, you will be presented with a blank record that you can fill in with your data.

Several features of entering records are automated . You can enter lower-case words in the fields Category, Bible text, Source, Title, and Author and the first letter of each of the words will be automatically capitalized. New records also add their own unique number (look up “numbers” in the help file) and the date it was entered.

Speed keys are very helpful. If you are entering several illustrations from the same source where the title and author are identical, on each new record go to the TITLE and AUTHOR field and hit the CTRL key and the quotation key (CTRL “) and the fields will be duplicated.

I include all of my sermons in the database in a short outline format and a full outline format; the outlines are also available at my website and in a single executable file archive at http://www.holwick.com/sermons/sermzip.html .

PECULIARITIES

A few aspects of this database require explanation. The data in a field may run past the space allowed – just put your cursor in that field and arrows will appear. This explains why some illustrations appear to be cut off in mid-sentence. Many of them continue on for some length. Some of the sermons or records will have an unusual format with “carriage returns” cutting off lines. This is due to their original format and they are being updated as time goes on.

LEARNING CURVE

I am fairly new at Access 2010 and in the future I hope to add more macros and ease-of-use functions. A little practice will show it is an easy system. Just remember you can hit “F1” to enter an Access help screen at any time. If you are really messed up, call me at 973-584-2677. I am in the Eastern time zone.

=========================================================================

DISCLAIMERS:

Many of my illustrations come from copyrighted sources such as Christianity Today and Discipleship Journal, as well as the Internet and popular books. The illustrations should be used for your personal sermons only and not for profit. I do not charge for the database and hope it is used for the Glory of God. The value of the database resides in my addition of topics and Bible references. I’m not a lawyer so if this isn’t adequate please let me know. My e-mail address is dholwick@gmail.com

ABOUT THE COMPILER

My name is David Holwick and I am an ordained American Baptist Pastor who is serving the First Baptist Church of Ledgewood, New Jersey. We are affiliated with the conservative renewal movement within the denomination. I graduated from Wheaton College in 1974 with a major in Biblical studies, and from Gordon-Conwell Seminary in 1982 with a Master of Divinity. My wife and I have homeschooled each of our four children whose names you will undoubtedly find scattered throughout these illustrations and sermons. I am an avid amateur astronomer with a ten-inch Dobsonian telescope and an eight-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain and I specialize in observing galaxies and asteroids. I also make reproduction Tiffany lamps.

=========================================================================

BIBLE ABBREVIATIONS

Below are the Bible abbreviations I use throughout the database. Kerux 2010 is very forgiving and allows you to use a variety of abbreviations, or the full name of the reference. Use “1” and “2”, not I or II. Consistency is very important.

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT
============= =============

All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the WORD OF THE LORD stands forever.
1 Peter 1:24-25, NIV

————————————————————————-

Rev. David Holwick
Ledgewood Baptist Church
231 Main Street, Ledgewood, New Jersey 07852
(973)584-2677
Email: dholwick@gmail.com
Web page with sermons: http://www.holwick.com
Web page with illustrations: http://www.holwick.com/database.html