Church Life

Church Life explores the shared rhythms, relationships, and practices that shape a healthy congregation. Discover Bible-based articles on worship gatherings, fellowship, unity, hospitality, discipleship in community, and caring for one another through life’s joys and challenges. You’ll find guidance for building a welcoming church culture, strengthening membership and belonging, handling conflict with grace, and encouraging spiritual growth across the body. Whether you’re a church leader or a committed member, these resources help you cultivate congregational life that reflects the love of Christ and supports faithful discipleship.

August 5, 2015

Christian Standard

Stay

By Jim Tune The great myth of this generation is that you can love Jesus but not the church, that Christ can be separated from his bride. Having served the same congregation for 15 years, I have seen a lot of people come and go. Some leave other churches to come to ours, and some leave our church to attend another. Others leave church and the faith entirely, or think they can follow Jesus without assembling with his people. Some leave because they”re under the false impression that Jesus” people down the street would be better people to follow Jesus

June 25, 2015

Christian Standard

‘Jeopardy’ Brings Generations Together

By Becky Ahlberg Back in 1995, Anaheim (California) First Christian Church made the choice to be a multigenerational congregation. That goal has been manifested in a variety of ways, including keeping our families together in worship, having a midweek family night, and seeking out multigenerational experiences. One of our most enjoyable (and rewarding) activities has been our seniors banquet. It was birthed back in 2001 when our youth sponsors were blown away by the generosity of our seniors in helping provide camp scholarships. Our seniors have always been willing givers for our children; student ministries and camps, both winter and

June 19, 2015

Christian Standard

Millennial Bridge

By Tom Ellsworth I”m not sure when it happened. I distinctly remember being a young minister just starting out who desperately wanted to bridge the gulf between the generation I so respected and my generation, which also needed to find a place in church leadership. Suddenly””at least it seems that way””I find myself moving into a different stage. I turned 60 this year and have become part of the generation to which I was trying to build that bridge years ago. I hasten to add that 60 is not old (my perspective), but neither is it young. So I want

June 18, 2015

Christian Standard

To All Generations?

See the sidebar, “Understanding and Appreciating the Four Generations“ ________ By Gary Zustiak It seems everywhere you look””from book titles to magazine articles to blog posts””there is a panicked cry about the church”s failure to reach the millennial generation. Josh McDowell is quoted as saying: “It is clear that we have all but lost our young people to a godless culture.”1 The Southern Baptist Convention Council on Family Life”s research indicated “88 percent of evangelical children are leaving the church shortly after they graduate from high school.”2 Eric Tryggestad, in an article entitled “Are We Losing Our Young People?” claims only

March 10, 2015

Mark A. Taylor

Ideas for Easter””or Anytime

By Mark A. Taylor At our annual contributing editor January retreat, someone asked, “Why do churches always make such a big thing of Christmas?” She was reflecting on the fact that Christian Standard almost always puts “Christmas” on a December cover, but sometimes we hardly mention Easter at all. Maybe we”re giving in to the culture on this. For many people, Christmas preparations begin in the summer, and we see Christmas everywhere by the end of October. Christmas concerts, Christmas parties, Christmas gift-buying””they fill the month of December. Indeed, sometimes by Christmas Day, we”re too tired to celebrate. Churches follow

January 19, 2015

Christian Standard

Carpet Splitting

By Brian Jennings As a young man still in Bible college, Chuck Thomas was invited to preach at First Christian Church in Gotebo, Oklahoma. The church was searching for a new preacher. Chuck accepted, and drove to the small town the following Sunday. Chuck noticed the church (both the building and the people) seemed split down the middle. Both sides had their own Communion table, and their own elders, who separately prayed and served their half of the congregation. This strange division bewildered Chuck and his wife, Anita. A friendly family invited them over for Sunday lunch. After eating, Chuck

January 18, 2015

Christian Standard

I Still Need the Church

By T.R. Robertson This past February, Donald Miller, best known as the author of the book Blue Like Jazz, confessed on his Storyline blog that he doesn”t go to church very often.1 I”m not sure why this surprised anyone who has read his books, but his comments kicked off a hurricane of commentary in the blogosphere and on social media. Among the reactions were a blog entry titled, “Donald Miller”s prescription for spiritual suicide” (dennyburk.com2), and this tweet, “I”m scared for the next gen of young people who will read @DonaldMiller & think they don”t even need to go to

January 17, 2015

Christian Standard

One Church, Many Nations

By John Chace Imagine a special glimpse of Heaven every time you go to church. If you worship, study, serve, or fellowship at Community Christian Church in Tamarac, Florida, you”ll do so with people from almost 80 countries. In this South Florida congregation, church members harmoniously celebrate the blessings of broad diversity. The people know diversity is there, but don”t necessarily see it. They feel good about fitting in easily and being fully accepted for who they are; they are warmly welcomed and encouraged to get involved. Most are quick to cite common bonds””acknowledgement they are sinners, in need of

January 16, 2015

Christian Standard

A Healthy Church Nourishes Fellowship

By Barney Wells From the tiniest white-frame rural chapel to the largest of megachurch campuses, church buildings seem to have two rooms in common. One is called the auditorium, sanctuary, or worship center””it is where the gospel message is proclaimed weekly through sermon, song, the Lord”s Supper, and prayer. The other room is the fellowship hall. Whether found in a dank basement room with a low ceiling or a cavernous gymnasium-like structure, the ubiquitous presence of the fellowship hall testifies to the importance of a place for fellowship. Fellowship in the Bible refers to a common task and common concern

October 31, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Men”s Ministry: Cultivating an Environment for Relationships and Spiritual Growth

By Michael C. Mack “What is the best form of men”s ministry you”ve seen and why?” asked Steve Hinton, lead minister at Cypress (Texas) Crossings Christian Church. Responses via his Facebook group ranged from getting men involved in serving together, which gives them the opportunity in that environment for fellowship and discipleship, to Texas Hold-em nights. “Success is less about programming and events than it is cultivating an environment for masculine expressions of relationship,” said Tim Ogle, teaching/preaching pastor at Litchfield (Minnesota) Christian Church. “The best men”s ministry,” he said, “is built by and upon men seeing that the relationship

September 15, 2014

Christian Standard

Obituaries for 2013

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF OBITUARIES Betty Katherine Butterworth, 85, died Jan. 11, 2013, in Santa Clara, CA. She was born March 8, 1927, in East Los Angeles, CA, to Louis and Helen Johnson and spent her early years in Montebello, CA. She married Ralph Butterworth in 1947 and moved to Santa Clara in 1953. Through the years, she kept busy raising her family and working on charitable projects. The master knitter created and donated items for a small church in Kenwood, CA, to support its annual fund-raising efforts. She also knitted afghans, baby blankets, hats, scarves, and other items to help

September 11, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Not Your Grandma”s Women”s Ministry

By Michael C. Mack What comes to mind when you think of a typical women”s ministry event? Does it involve lacy tablecloths and flowery centerpieces? A gift exchange in which women pass gifts left or right as someone reads a story? Special music? A funny speaker? Craft tables in the lobby? Author Amy Nappa has some different ideas. Here are a few of the fresh and fun approaches to women”s ministry she suggests in Today”s Christian Woman magazine: Adventure: One women”s group in Minnesota headed out for a four-day dogsledding trip. The woman who planned the trips said, “God works

July 21, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

A Conversation with Lisa Harper

  Lisa Harper talks about women’s ministry in changing times and how becoming a single parent at age 50 has taught her life-changing lessons about God and about herself. See her interview with CHRISTIAN STANDARD Editor Mark Taylor here.

May 31, 2014

Christian Standard

Country Clubs

By Jennifer Johnson I thought my years in California prevented me from developing geographical snobbery, that condition in which you assume your city/state/region has the corner on all things progressive and everywhere else is a barren wasteland. It”s a hobby along that coast; one California megachurch pastor actually told me Willow Creek grew to its current ginormity because “there”s nothing else to do out there. What”s in Illinois, yaks?” Yep, buddy, their church is way bigger than yours because Chicago”s boring. So I expected to like the Plains states when I first visited them years ago to lead workshops at

May 9, 2014

Christian Standard

Bob Russell Says, ‘I Love the Church!’

By Bob Russell A prominent ad for a new church plant reads, “Church doesn”t have to suck! Happy hour service this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.” Some might smile at that trendy message and regard it as a creative attention-getter, but the not-so-subtle implication is that most churches are boring and ineffective. Frankly, I”m tired of people bashing the church of Jesus Christ. I”m not referring to the world”s ridicule of the church””that”s expected. I”m referring to the criticism of the church from within. Popular Christian authors, convention speakers, parachurch leaders, and “cutting-edge” preachers frequently heap scorn on the bride of

March 25, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Just Enough Scaffolding

By Mark A. Taylor “We all seemed to be on the same page,” Bob Russell wrote me after last week”s Beyond the Standard BlogTalkRadio program. “Maybe that made for boring listening, but it makes for a stronger brotherhood!” His comment sowed a new thought for me. Should I be looking for opposing points of view among the guests who appear on these monthly programs? For this episode, could I have found Christian leaders to disagree with “We”re not the only Christians, but we are Christians only”? Maybe. At least one comment about CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s March issue, devoted to that centuries-old

January 30, 2014

Christian Standard

Getting Involved

By Jennifer Johnson Like many churches, West Side Christian Church (Springfield, IL) constantly needs volunteers. Unlike many churches, West Side recently focused an entire weekend on creatively and intentionally connecting people with ministry opportunities””and today 50 percent of their adults serve at church in some way. “The volunteering emphasis was part of our “˜Cannonball” initiative, which shared our vision for what God”s calling us to as a church and challenged people to go “˜all in” with their faith,” says Melissa Sandel, director of ministries. Sandel and her team focused on removing barriers and making it as easy as possible for

December 30, 2013

Christian Standard

What the Church Can Learn from My Cult

By Brian Mavis I belong to a cult. I already shave my head, so I thought, why not? (Then I discovered my cult doesn”t require that. Still, it”s cool.) I meet with other members a few times a week. I pay monthly dues. We have a special diet. We have our own lingo. We meet in a place called a box. We have a creed written on a whiteboard in our box. We talk about being part of a family. You know, just regular culty kinds of stuff. I”m not the only Christian who belongs to this cult. Scott Nickell, teaching

December 15, 2013

Christian Standard

What About the Church?

By Chris Beard John 1 is by far my favorite Christmas story. With all due respect to mangers, angels, and magi, John”s account of the Christmas event overflows with the epic proclamation and fanfare that such an earth-shattering moment deserves. Before the foundation of the world, One existed who shared in God”s presence and identity. This eternal being was the chief executor of creation; nothing was made without him. On a day that would redefine history, this all-powerful, eternal being became flesh and made his dwelling among us! This majestic juncture when God collided with human history is known as

October 28, 2013

Christian Standard

Becoming the “˜Go-To” Church

By Jennifer Johnson “We were doing missional before it was cool,” says Becky Ahlberg with a smile. In 2005, Anaheim (California) First Christian Church decided to stay in its rapidly changing neighborhood, connect with its residents, and work strategically to be part of the solution. Since then the church has elevated its community profile and even founded My Safe Harbor, a nonprofit ministry that empowers low-income single moms with relationships, life skills training, and personal development. Through its own relationship building, the church also has strong partnerships with a variety of community agencies, the school district, city government, and the

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