Church & Ministry

Church & Ministry equips leaders and everyday believers to build healthy, gospel-centered congregations. Explore biblically grounded articles on church leadership, preaching and teaching, eldership, staff and volunteer development, discipleship systems, small groups, church planting, church growth, and ministry strategy. You’ll also find practical guidance for navigating transitions, cultivating congregational health, and serving your community with wisdom and compassion. Whether you’re a pastor, elder, ministry staff member, volunteer leader, or church member who wants to help your church thrive, this hub brings together resources to strengthen the local church and advance Christ’s mission.

May 17, 2014

Christian Standard

How BIG Is Your Small Church?

By Ryland Brown I struggled with numbers for quite a while. But I”m serving more effectively now that I”ve gained a better perspective on size. I preach for a church that averages 65 people, and most days I like it. We are a small church with the typical small church problems. We struggle with getting the nursery staffed. If a couple of families are out of town on any given Sunday, we miss them. Until recently, we had no one to run the soundboard and would hope for the best during Sunday services. When someone comes to our congregation who

May 16, 2014

Christian Standard

The Measure of a Church

By Will Thomas All churches count “noses” and “nickels.” That”s a good thing. Most of the time, attendance and finances provide a helpful barometer of what”s happening. But other factors also matter. Churches count what they do because they can. The harder-to-measure goals may too often remain hidden beneath the surface. Some churches look beyond the obvious. All churches could. In fact, looking beyond the obvious is probably one of the common characteristics of larger, growing churches. They know numbers for the sake of numbers seldom lead anywhere. Their leaders know a big church needs a big foundation. Churches that

May 14, 2014

Christian Standard

Five Things Every Bible Teacher Must Do

By Jim Eichenberger Tell“”At a very basic level, the teacher is called to deliver information precisely and accurately. In doing that, leaders often ask themselves certain questions: Am I pronouncing that name correctly? Do I understand the point of this Bible book? How accurate are the resources I am using? Only when those questions are answered can a teacher speak with confidence. Explain“”After delivering content, the teacher is called to ensure that learners understand it. The lesson material a teacher uses will have good content, but what if learners ask questions not “in the script”? Teachers need to have reliable information at

May 14, 2014

Christian Standard

A Bible for Teachers: Introducing the ‘Standard Lesson Teacher’s Study Bible’

By Jim Eichenberger There are many study Bibles for individual and devotional use. But what about the special needs of a teacher or Bible study group leader? Standard Publishing has addressed that question by releasing the unique Standard Lesson Teacher”s Study Bible (SLTSB). The SLTSB complements lesson materials by putting tools at the fingertips of teachers while they are leading lessons. Here are some features that do just that:   Enhanced Introductions Bible book introductions abound to help the reader understand the book. But our introductions are designed to help the leader teach that book. What to review””Some issues addressed

May 10, 2014

Christian Standard

Large Churches and Medium Churches: The 2013 List

Our annual megachurch chart is one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s most popular features. This year we are breaking the chart into two parts for our website postings; this particular chart lists 103 large churches (those averaging 500 to 999 in weekly attendance) and 109 medium-sized megachurches (those that averaged 250 to 499 during 2013). This is not an exhaustive listing; instead, it is a listing of churches that voluntarily participated in our survey. Click here to look at the chart of the 2013 Large Churches and Medium Churches.

May 8, 2014

Christian Standard

A Closer Look at the Numbers*

By Kent Fillinger   AVERAGE SIZE Megachurches: 4,810 Emerging Megachurches: 1,354 Combined average weekly attendance: 382,144 The three largest megachurches account for more than 20 percent of all megachurch attendees.   GROWTH RATES Megachurches: 5.6 percent (up from 3 percent in 2012); overall, 73 percent of megachurches grew. Emerging Megachurches: 2.4 percent (down from 4 percent in 2012); overall, 52 percent of emerging megachurches grew.   FASTEST-GROWING CHURCHES 2|42 Community Church, Brighton, MI, 112% Third City Christian Church, Grand Island, NE, 31.6% Eastside Christian Church, Anaheim, CA, 26.3% Current””A Christian Church, Katy, TX, 22.1% Ten Mile Christian Church, Meridian, ID,

May 7, 2014

Christian Standard

Megachurches Break New Ground

By Kent Fillinger The annual survey of attendance and trends in the fellowship of Christian churches and churches of Christ always yields interesting facts, but our study for calendar year 2013 also identified three notable “firsts”: “¢ For the first time, three churches averaged more than 20,000 in weekly worship attendance. Joining Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky, and Central Christian Church, Henderson, Nevada, both of which surpassed 20,000 for the third consecutive year, was Christ”s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona. “¢ For the first time in the 18-year history of this list, Southeast Christian did not have the highest

May 5, 2014

Christian Standard

Interview with Darryl Bolen

By Paul Boatman Darryl Bolen recently celebrated 40 years as a minister at Greenville (Illinois) First Christian Church. Forty years? How did that happen? I never would have guessed. I was a Bible college student at Lincoln Christian College when my baseball coach, Dr. Marion Henderson, told me about a youth ministry opportunity at this church two hours away. Tom Van Meter, the preacher, and the elders talked with me. On October 1, 1973, I began a relationship that is still going. Big doors swing on small hinges.   You transitioned from the youth ministry fairly soon. In 1977 the

May 4, 2014

Christian Standard

Helping the Hidden

By Jennifer Johnson There are so many “least of these.” We devote countless hours and dollars to serving the homeless, the fatherless, and the hungry. We do everything we can for single moms (soapbox alert: when was the last time you saw a ministry to single dads?). We rally around ending poverty in Haiti and AIDS in Africa and contaminated water everywhere. But stories like the ones featured this month from First Christian Church (Canton, OH) and Kentucky Christian University remind us there are other groups who need our help, “hidden” communities that may be surviving but not thriving, and

May 2, 2014

Christian Standard

Showing God”s Love for the Disabled Community

By Jennifer Johnson “The disability community is often a hidden community,” says Ryan Wolfe, developmental disabilities pastor at First Christian Church (Canton, OH). “In every city, they largely take care of themselves. But you don”t have to read much beyond the parable of the great banquet in Luke 14 to realize this group is close to God”s heart.” Wolfe and his wife began serving the disabled in their area by volunteer coaching in the local Challenger Baseball league. “We were outsiders,” he says. “We were the only coaches who didn”t have a kid playing, so we got a lot of

April 28, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Does Worship Belong in Small Groups?

By Michael C. Mack QUESTION: Should we worship in our small group?  ANSWER: Does a heart belong in the human body? Does an operating system belong on a computer? Does peanut butter go well with jelly? Does chocolate belong in a chocolate chip cookie? Worship makes a small group run. It”s what holds it together. It”s what makes a sweet aroma, pleasing to God. The question about whether worship belongs in a small group usually comes from Christians who believe for some reason, and with no biblical support, that worship should be reserved for a certain place (the church building)

April 26, 2014

Christian Standard

The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Deacon

By J. Michael Shannon They used to be found in large numbers. In some cases, they were the first church officers a visitor would meet. They were visible in church services and activities. Now they seem to be almost an endangered species. Who are they? They are deacons. I have the opportunity to visit all kinds of churches in various contexts. In an increasing number of those churches, it is extremely difficult to find a deacon. In churches where they do have them, it is difficult to figure out where they are. Why are they disappearing? Sometimes the disappearance can be explained by the

April 4, 2014

Christian Standard

Strengthening the Foundation of Faith

By Jennifer Johnson Tired of seeing teenagers head off to college and never return to church? Bob Hall has created a Sunday school class for 12th-graders. “There just seemed to be a weak foundation for their faith,” he says. As a nuclear engineer, he could answer many of the students” questions about science, and together they dug into the Bible. He taught the class for seven years. Now, at Velocity Christian Church (Glen Allen, VA), Hall has a bigger vision for a broader age group. “I read science articles and I read the comments,” he says. “We live in a

March 31, 2014

Christian Standard

Elders: Men Churches Can Count On

By Chuck Sackett What kind of church do elders need? Three stories illustrate the answer. Men of Character Sally”s question was wise beyond her years, “What can I expect from you (elders)?” Bill”s answer took the form of an explanation. “When someone approaches us with a complaint, our response will always be, “˜Have you talked with Sally? If not, we have nothing to discuss. If she doesn”t respond to you in a professional or Christian manner, come back and see me. Then we”ll have something to talk about.” Sally, we promise you we will never accept criticism about your ministry

March 30, 2014

Christian Standard

Reclaiming Preaching

By Brian Jennings I recently sat down, opened a magazine, and read the following quotes: “If you could change people”s minds about something, what would it be?” “Until you know the truth you”re trying to convey to an audience, your work isn”t finished.” You could probably find similar statements in a dusty book on preaching, but I found them in the January/February 2008 issue of Creative Screenwriting. I did not start reading this magazine to search for sermon tips (at least, not at first). I read it because I love video production. My love for video production started with a comedic,

March 28, 2014

Christian Standard

A Conversation with Glen Elliott

Meet Our Contributing Editors: Glen Elliott, minister with Pantano Christian Church in Tucson, Arizona, talks about the fruit of faithfulness in a city with stagnant growth and a culture oriented toward “success.” Interview by Jennifer Johnson Your life motto is “Faithfulness, not success.” What do you mean? Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states, but after the recession, our county experienced almost zero growth. That affected our church. There weren”t any huge problems with me or my staff, but for a couple years our church didn”t grow. Pretty soon, a few elders started asking questions, and critics became more critical.

March 20, 2014

Michael C. Mack

What Should We Study Next?

By Michael C. Mack If you”ve been in a small group for more than a few months, you”ve probably heard the question, perhaps many times: “What are we going to study next?” It”s usually asked as you turn to the last lesson in your current study guide. This question tells a lot about your group. Here are a few possibilities: “¢ The group is focused on content rather than Christ and community. “¢ The group has no long-range plans. “¢ The leader is not shepherding the group. “¢ The group has no mission or has forgotten it. I”ve often compared

March 11, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Staying Connected”“It”s to Our Benefit!

By Mark A. Taylor The following column first appeared at this site in 2008, but it strikes me, with a couple of tweaks,  as remarkably current still today. So while I’m on vacation this week, let me offer it for your consideration. I’m guessing many readers have forgotten it or missed it when it first appeared! Christ followers outside our movement are often intrigued when they get to know us better. They”re impressed first with the accomplishments of Christian churches and churches of Christ: “¢ Dynamic missions work “¢ World-class church planting initiatives “¢ Creative leadership of new approaches like

March 2, 2014

Christian Standard

Still Shaping Young Hearts in a Digital Age

“Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14, 15, English Standard Version).   By Diane Stortz   Like many grandparents, I pray frequently for my three young grandchildren. I pray for protection, good health, and good relationships. I pray for them to know and choose to follow Jesus at an early age, and to be faithful. To that end, I pray for them

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