July 3, 2025
Catch the Wind: Rediscovering Dependence on the Holy Spirit
This year’s Spire Conference hosted at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky on September 23-25 will focus on yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit explores the biblical teaching on the Spirit’s work in salvation, sanctification, worship, and the life of the church. Find Scripture-based articles on the Spirit’s role in new birth, assurance, spiritual gifts, guidance, prayer, and empowering believers for holy living and mission. You’ll also discover clarity on common questions and misunderstandings, with an emphasis on faithful interpretation and practical discipleship. This hub equips Christians and leaders to understand and depend on the Holy Spirit as they follow Jesus.
November 1, 2021
Restoring the Power of Pentecost
By Michael C. Mack Every day you and I face many challenges, and biggest of them all may be how we choose to perceive them. As the apostle Paul put it, we can fix our eyes on what is seen or what is unseen, on what is temporary or what is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Our perspective makes an incalculable difference in our lives and, by extension, the lives of those around us. How you view the articles in this issue will make a difference, too. A main theme for this issue is missions. One article describes how COVID-19 is
May 17, 2021
Peculiar People
From the first century up through today, many people have watched the church and noticed that something about it is different, unique, or even a little odd.
November 22, 2020
10 Foundation Stones of the Church—No. 8: Spiritual Gifts
A few years ago I had the chance to take my ministry team to the University of Notre Dame. We toured the stadium, but the highlight was going into the locker room, slapping the “PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY” sign, and running out of the tunnel and onto the field. It was all make-believe, but it pointed up man’s desire to be part of the game. Watching from the bleachers can be fun, but it’s nothing like actually playing in the game. Think about it—from the time we were young, we didn’t merely want to attend games or concerts, we
June 6, 2019
Whatever Happened to Pentecost Sunday?
All will agree that Pentecost, as described in Acts 2, is foundational to the church. Now, here is an observation (not an accusation): We don’t write or talk about Pentecost as much we used to. It’s true both for our magazine and our churches. The index for Christian Standard’s first 100 years shows there were well over 200 articles about Pentecost published during that time. W.E. Sweeney’s keynote address at the 1929 North American Christian Convention was “The Challenge of Pentecost.” A dozen articles about Pentecost were published during 1930, a year in which the 1,900th anniversary of the birth
April 8, 2016
WHAT’S NEXT?: Remember the Spirit
We asked several Christian leaders, “What should churches served by CHRISTIAN STANDARD strive to be or do or look like in the next decades?” ____ By Mandy Smith We in the Christian churches have the Cane Ridge Revival in our history, but we”re not comfortable with the Holy Spirit. We”ve seen so many abuses of the Spirit that it”s easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater. So what would it look like to rediscover a scriptural approach to the Spirit”s work in our lives? I”m still learning this, but let me share two ways I”m stepping into it: 1. Guidance “But
July 1, 2015
You Will Receive Power
By Jim Tune Luke ends his Gospel with the promise of power from on high (Luke 24:49)””a promise quickly fulfilled with an exclamation mark in the book of Acts, as the Spirit descends on Jesus” disciples at Pentecost. Mark”s Gospel, at least in its longer form, ends with a dramatic promise of signs, of poison swallowed without harm, of snake handling and tongue speaking. So you could be forgiven for harboring expectations of dramatic spiritual ecstasies when the resurrected Christ, invested with all heavenly and earthly authority, promises his presence to the end of the age. Yet the charge Jesus
March 16, 2015
Lesson for March 22, 2015: The Spirit of Peace (John 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the March 15 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone This month”s study in the Gospel of John comes full circle today. In the first text we considered, the apostle John introduced John the Baptist to his readers (John 1). Authorities from Jerusalem found him baptizing in the Jordan. He pointed them to the Messiah, Jesus, who would one day baptize people in the Holy Spirit. Today”s text focuses on the
March 9, 2015
Lesson for March 15, 2015: The Spirit of Truth (John 16:4b-15)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the March 8 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone The Holy Spirit”s role was noted on several occasions during Jesus” earthly ministry. When John the Baptist immersed Jesus in the Jordan River, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove (John 1:32). When Jesus was teaching Nicodemus, he emphasized the need for all sinners to be born of water and the Spirit (3:5). Worship of God is to be
March 2, 2015
Lesson for March 8, 2015: Another Comforter/Advocate (John 14:15-26)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the March 1 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone In his Gospel, the apostle John often focused on a central theme for an entire chapter (John 14, 15, 16, 17). The predominant note in John 14 is comfort. The setting is the night on which Jesus was betrayed. After instituting the Lord”s Supper in the upper room, Jesus and his disciples (except Judas) set out for the Garden of
July 16, 2012
Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead
By C. Robert Wetzel I am not dead. At least I wasn”t when I wrote this article. But I have come to see that Jesus was talking about people like me when he said, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” Let me explain. While reflecting on Matthew 8:19-22, which contains that quote, I remembered something that had happened about 30 years ago during our 11-year ministry in England. During that time, I would spend about a month each year visiting churches in the United States that supported or might support our ministry. On one of those trips I was
June 22, 2012
Endless Summer
By Rick Chromey Few seasons, other than Christmas, have more songs dedicated to them than summer. The soundtrack of our youth is loaded with countless odes to those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer in the city. Even when the summertime blues proved cruel, most boys of summer still favored hot fun in the summertime. After all, who doesn”t enjoy a summer breeze to make you feel fine? Perhaps the reason summer captures our imagination and inspires our soul is we”d love for it to be, as the Beach Boys” album suggested, “endless.” Summer reminds us of childhood and a
July 20, 2011
The Holy Spirit in the Early Restoration Movement
James B. North examines how Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell understood the work of the Holy Spirit, revealing different emphases but substantial agreement among two key Restoration Movement leaders.
July 19, 2011
The Holy Spirit and the First-Century Church
Jack Cottrell examines four kinds of gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit and explains why the Spirit’s salvation gifts—regeneration, sanctification, and his indwelling presence—are central to Pentecost.
July 18, 2011
The Holy Spirit Today
Chris Seidman explores the work of the Holy Spirit, showing how the Spirit empowered Jesus and his disciples—and continues to equip believers to demonstrate and proclaim Jesus in the world.
February 10, 2011
Hes Taken Up Residence
Dave Butts reflects on how “Christ in you, the hope of glory” shaped his understanding of the Holy Spirit and the daily Christian life.
April 4, 2010
When God Prompts
When God Prompts His People Ahead of Need After Northside Christian Church raised money for clean water in Haiti, the devastating January earthquake revealed how timely that effort had been. George Ross reflects on the prompting of God’s Spirit and the comfort of knowing God sees needs before they are spoken. Northside Christian Church’s One Less Gift effort raised more than $62,000 for clean water in Haiti. The church’s chosen mission was already connected to Haiti before the earthquake struck. Ross points to Scripture to show how God often prepares his people ahead of future needs. By George Ross As
September 23, 2007
NACC: It’s Time . . . to Listen Up!
God’s work isn’t finished. Alan Ahlgrim explores how God speaks, why Scripture calls believers to wait on him, and how the Holy Spirit empowers witness—often confirming God’s vision with surprising provision.
