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.

August 12, 2013

Christian Standard

What about the Preacher”s Family?

By Dennis Bratton Fifty percent of preachers” marriages will end in divorce. Eighty percent of preachers believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Thirty-three percent say being in the ministry is an outright hazard to their family. Local churches can change this picture. Here are some simple ideas any congregation can follow to make sure their preacher”s family is an example for every family. Preachers live in a continuum of unfinished tasks. At the end of nearly every day, the preacher can think of calls he needs to return, a sermon or lesson he needs to write, someone who requires a personal visit,

August 3, 2013

Christian Standard

Indianapolis Church Receives Boost to Enrich Garden

By Jennifer Johnson Englewood Christian Church and the Englewood Community Development Corporation (Indianapolis, IN) planted a community garden years before such projects became trendy, but this year State Farm is giving them $25,000 to take it to another level. “A woman in our congregation keeps an eye out for potential grants, and [she] submitted an application to State Farm Neighborhood Assist on our behalf,” says Chris Smith, a member of Englewood Christian Church and editor of The Englewood Review of Books. “The 3,000 entries were eventually narrowed down to 40 winners, chosen in part by voting on Facebook. We were

August 2, 2013

Christian Standard

Church-City Revitalization

By Jennifer Johnson When I was 2, my mom was able to finagle free time by setting me in my crib with a pile of books. I”d sit there, chubby hands happily flipping pages I couldn”t yet read, for half an hour or more. To say I”m an introvert is like saying the Kardashians are trashy. But although I tend to prefer solitude and processing the world in my head, I”ve learned the importance of connecting to others. Conversation and discussion remind me my strong opinions aren”t infallible, and my perspective isn”t the only one. Englewood Christian Church“s story is

July 26, 2013

Christian Standard

We Carry a Heavy Load

Healthy, active churches need healthy, active leaders. Only a balanced life equips a person to handle the burdens of leadership. By Aaron Wymer “I don”t think so, Elzie. It”s just easier to be a Christian when I”m not an elder.” With these words, or words very much like them, Wayne told my father he wasn”t willing to become an elder at my home church. My dad”s eyes twinkled a little when he told me what Wayne said, but the rest of his face frowned. I could tell dad agreed with him, but couldn”t bring himself to refuse his call to be

June 29, 2013

Michael C. Mack

Five Ways to Make July the Best Month Ever for Your Small Group

By Michael C. Mack July is the most important month of the year for the health and development of your small group. You may think I”ve spent too much time in the sun: Some groups are not even meeting through the summer; attendance is down in other groups; weekly meetings have been bumped by trips to the beach and baseball games. I”m not as crazy as you might think, however. Over the years, I”ve noticed groups that are growing and making an impact are involved in at least five vital practices during July.   Pray Research has shown the most

June 24, 2013

Christian Standard

The “˜Up-frontness” of Eldership

By Chuck Sackett Sam compassionately shepherded a congregation I”ll call Countryside Church, but a massive heart attack cut short his ministry, forcing him into an extended rehabilitation, and ultimately, retirement. The elders, assessing the situation, determined that Sam”s wife could live in the parsonage until he was released from the hospital. However, the church would begin searching for a minister immediately, so she needed to vacate the parsonage upon his release. On the other side of the state, Doris served the children of a congregation I”ll call Community Fellowship. Her ministry was exploding with children. Tragically, her husband found her

June 20, 2013

Christian Standard

A Conversation with Jeff Faull

Meet Our Contributing Editors: This month we begin a series of interviews with CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors. What they have to say about the church, the ministry, our fellowship of churches, and anything else on their minds will challenge and interest our readers. Their insights and questions amply illustrate why each of these volunteers is such a valuable part of the CHRISTIAN STANDARD team.   Interview by Jennifer Johnson QUESTION: You and I both sit in on these conversations about the future of the Restoration Movement, and it seems many times they rehash the same topics and complaints. Let”s go

June 17, 2013

Christian Standard

Keepers

By Eddie Lowen   When staff members demonstrate these qualities, hang on to them. “Would you hire him again?” The question was asked by the lead pastor of a faraway church who was deep into the process of hiring away one of our ministers. After I answered, there was an awkward pause, and then he asked, “Are you serious?” Hiring staff is an intimidating responsibility for senior leaders of churches. While there aren”t many horrible people in ministry, there are plenty you don”t want. They survive by knowing how to talk a good game. So, be afraid””be very afraid””afraid enough, at

June 16, 2013

Michael C. Mack

What Is a Small Group?

By Michael C. Mack The question keeps popping up. At conferences, in Internet discussion groups, whenever small group leaders get together, the question is asked, discussed, and sometimes even argued. You”d think we”d know the answer by now. A small group minister asked, “What exactly is a small group? There is a crucial advantage to having groups that are highly intentional about spiritual growth, external ministry, and living missionally””that is, reproducing both disciples and groups. At the same time, many people in the church are not ready to be part of such a group. Some people are just looking to

June 15, 2013

Christian Standard

Grassroots Group Works to “˜Feed the Street”

By Jennifer Johnson It started slowly. Seven years ago, Jeff Wedge, a member at Churchill Meadows Christian Church in Ontario, Canada, wanted to recruit a team to deliver food and other necessities to the homeless. He approached CMCC senior minister Jim Tune about developing the outreach as a ministry of the church. Tune said no. “Hey, we”re totally supportive of feeding hungry people,” Tune says with a smile. “We encouraged Jeff to start his ministry, but as a church we focus on a few major community projects around the holidays.” Today “Feed the Street” reaches hundreds of homeless people throughout

June 6, 2013

Christian Standard

Missional Plant

By Chris Travis “I think this is what church is supposed to be like,” a young actor said to me. Between us were two empty bowls of chili. I smiled. We cracked jokes about the diversity of our group of 20 people. It looked like we had hired models to make our group look as perfectly diverse as possible. There was a white couple with three daughters; a Dominican single mother with two young children; a couple in their 60s who had been married for decades; an African-American woman; a Korean woman and her New York-native husband who was a

May 24, 2013

Christian Standard

“˜Do Unto Others”

By Barney Wells After four decades of church leadership as a minister, elder, and lately as a church consultant, I have come to see the importance of a simple rule that is too often overlooked. But if it were followed, it would make life for elders, church staff, and congregations more harmonious. And very likely it would lead the watching world to take a higher view of the church. That rule is twice mentioned in Scripture (Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31), children memorize it in Sunday school, and it is stamped on pencils and cross-stitched on samplers. We call it

May 23, 2013

Michael C. Mack

Should Our Small Group Take a Summer Break?

By Michael C. Mack   QUESTION: Some members of our group want to keep meeting as usual through the summer, while others want to take a break. What do you think? ANSWER: Most groups do one of two things over the summer, stop meeting until September or keep going even if attendance is inconsistent. But perhaps these aren”t the only options! Before discussing various other possibilities, let”s look first at the pros and cons of meeting over the summer:   Pros A great small group is like family. A family does not stop being a family over the summer. I

May 20, 2013

Christian Standard

Interview with George Ross

By Paul Boatman George Ross is in his 13th year as senior pastor of Northside Christian Church in New Albany, Indiana. The church has grown from 1,200 to 5,000 during his ministry. His previous ministries have been directed to children, youth, small groups, music, and preaching. We spoke with him about reaching sinners, watching repentance, and creating a culture of redemption. We would like to hear you reflect on how you minister in the face of cultural challenges. Why me?   I”ve watched your ministry. In both Las Vegas and metropolitan Louisville, you have focused on leading non-Christians to be

May 18, 2013

Christian Standard

A Defining Moment for a New Downtown Church

By Kent E. Fillinger 9/11/11 was the 10-year anniversary of the tragic day when terrorists attacked our nation, but it also marked the launch of Discovery Church at a YMCA in downtown Bristol, Tennessee. Discovery Church witnessed its own tragedy four months later when a well-known, well-loved, 16-year-old student who served as a church greeter and children”s ministry volunteer died in a car accident. Tony Marr, lead pastor, said this tragic event was a defining moment for his new, small church. Marr said the church had to determine how to minister to this key family in the congregation and help

May 18, 2013

Christian Standard

New Home Brings New Growth

By Kent E. Fillinger What a difference a new home makes! Legacy Christian Church of Senoia, Georgia, started in March 2009 with a core group of 59 believers. Legacy met in an inconveniently located elementary school for three and one-half years. The church desired a permanent home and looked for an existing warehouse or storefront to meet its needs. The church”s leaders looked at 66 different properties but couldn”t find one with the right combination of space and parking. Eventually God opened the door to a great 20-acre property two counties away. The new location had excellent visibility from a

May 16, 2013

Christian Standard

Growing in the Cape

By Kent E. Fillinger A mother church and a legacy church provided a great foundation for the birth of Crosspoint Christian Church in Cape Coral, Florida, in January 2006. Jeff Swearingen, lead pastor at Crosspoint, was on staff at First Christian Church in Fort Myers when discussions about a church plant started. He initially resisted the idea of planting a church, but God eventually changed his mind. About 150 people from First Christian committed to help birth Crosspoint. The church also benefited financially from a local Christian church that closed, sold its property, and then invested a significant amount into

May 12, 2013

Christian Standard

“˜If You Build It . . .”

By Kent E. Fillinger “If you build it, they will come” is an adaptation of the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams. This adage doesn”t always apply to churches, but in the case of Academy Christian Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, its dreams did come true. Academy completed its fourth building expansion project on April 1, 2012, doubling its facility”s square footage and increasing the church”s visibility from the main road. Since then, the average number of weekly guests has increased from four to eight, and average attendance during 2012 increased from 415 to 529 (27 percent). Academy

May 11, 2013

Christian Standard

One Life at a Time

By Kent E. Fillinger Ralph Mehrens served as senior minister at Calvary Christian Church in Bellevue, Nebraska, for 25 years. Mehrens wanted to transition well, so he planned a 15-month succession process and laid a strong foundation to help the congregation follow the next minister. Scott Beckenhauer transitioned from an eight-year youth ministry with the church to the lead minister position in 2008. “I knew the church family and they knew me, so the trust was already built,” said Beckenhauer, who became only the third lead minister in Calvary”s 42-year history. Attendance declined slightly as Beckenhauer gained his footing the

May 10, 2013

Christian Standard

Growing Over the Long Haul

By Kent E. Fillinger John Scott is a longtimer. He started as youth minister of Community Christian Church in Hemet, California, in 1987, and became the lead pastor in 1990. In 2012, CCC grew to an average worship attendance of 1,126, a 22 percent increase over the previous year. “The momentum has been building, but we busted loose last year,” Scott said. “Our staff and elders are simply amazing,” he said. “Truly gifted and big-hearted servants who have totally bought into what we”re trying to do here. The cohesiveness of this team has allowed us to stretch and risk and

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