Mission & Evangelism

Mission & Evangelism equips Christians and churches to share the gospel and make disciples locally and globally. Explore Bible-based articles on evangelism, outreach, disciple-making, missions strategy, church planting partnerships, and engaging your community with compassion and clarity. You’ll find practical guidance for building a missional culture, telling the story of Jesus well, and reaching people across cultures and generations. Whether you’re serving in your neighborhood, supporting missionaries, or leading a church on mission, these resources help you live sent and invite others to follow Christ.

June 28, 2011

Christian Standard

The Church Is Alive in China

By Name Withheld When we arrived in China, we had no idea what to expect. Was it OK to bring a Bible into the country? Were there any churches? What if authorities found out we were Christians? My husband and I moved to China a few years ago so he could take a new job in his company. Since that time we have been blessed to meet many people and have some amazing opportunities. Although we are not part of any missionary organization, we have been privileged to work alongside some people who are. Let me tell you what we

June 28, 2011

Christian Standard

What I Learned When I Became Their Preacher in Panama

Timothy Keim We had heard Panama is a popular retirement destination for North Americans. During our trip to check out that nation we were providentially led to an English-speaking nondenominational church comprised primarily of Americans and Canadians living there. Since October 2009, my wife and I have been traveling to Panama each month so I can preach part time at the church. Here are a few things we have learned about this type of ministry.   International Living Is a Growing Trend According to various estimates, 6 to 8 million Americans live outside the United States (not counting government or

May 12, 2011

Christian Standard

More and Better Disciples

By Darrel Rowland Eyebrow waxing, dancing, and a full-fledged mariachi band. It”s not quite the holy trinity of women”s ministry at Mountain Christian Church. But it sure helps get the buzz going in the community. More important, it”s all part of bringing women closer to Jesus and making more and better disciples by helping them take a step on their journey with Jesus “We try to offer something to women on both ends of the spectrum of discipleship,” said Susan Owens, who is on staff with the small groups team at the Joppa, Maryland, church that averages about 4,500 in

May 9, 2011

Christian Standard

Reaching Their Potential?

By Darrel Rowland Women”s ministry leaders across the country””plus a token guy””were asked: “Do most Christian churches/churches of Christ you”re aware of allow women to reach their full potential in Christ?” Paul Boatman, seminary dean at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University Of course they do! The trick is to keep their full potential limited so that they are prevented from exercising any God-given talents that might impinge on our fantasies of masculine control. Some leadership roles just cannot be filled without testosterone! Having participated in at least a dozen ordinations of women to specialized ministries, I experience frustration at consistently seeing

April 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Runners Raising Money for Haiti Mission

Three Marks””Mark Graham, Mark Wilkerson and Mark Mullelly“”are working together to raise money for Haiti. The three will start “at the back of the pack” at the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon on May 7 and have asked donors to pledge a penny or more for each person they pass during the race. Every cent raised will help Northwest Haiti Christian Mission (Zionsville, IN) bring medical help, clean water, and food to the people of Haiti. Learn more (and make a pledge!) at www.runmarkrun.com.

March 16, 2011

Christian Standard

Clearing a Path to Life

By Mark A. Taylor Maybe by the time you read this, the threat of major snowfall in your community will have passed. And if you live in Derry, New Hampshire, maybe your city workers have resumed digging graves. Derry town administrator Jack Anderson told reporters February 7 the Forest Hills Cemetery would probably be closed for four weeks, its frozen acres buried under too much ice and snow to make digging new graves possible. This is because the gravediggers in Derry also drive the small town”s snowplows. And, given the onslaught of this winter”s storms, there just wasn”t manpower to

March 13, 2011

Christian Standard

Beyond Borders

By Mike Schrage Every once in awhile I read (as I am sure you do) something that stops me in my tracks! An article in the April 11/18, 2010, issue of CHRISTIAN STANDARD was just such a heart-stopper. The article was titled “Mega See, Mega Do,” by Kent Fillinger. Kent, a friend of mine, has for several years undertaken the study of megachurch growth, an American religious phenomenon that has been quite spectacularly manifested inside the Restoration Movement. How, where, and why it is occurring are very important issues, and Kent has gathered and processed tons of statistics surrounding these

March 12, 2011

Christian Standard

Sharing the Stories of Martyrs

By Jennifer Taylor Trent Renner, lead pastor at Parkway Christian Church (Surprise, Arizona), read about hundreds of Christian martyrs as part of his morning devotions in 2010. When planning for 2011, he knew these stories would inspire and challenge his church. “The accounts of persecution and the way these heroes faithfully endured it for Christ really affected me,” he says. “It changed my perspective and made me more grateful for the freedom in our country.” At the beginning of the year, Renner invited church members to share the story of one martyr in one service on one weekend. “We have

March 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Raises Funds to Send BibleSticks to Soldiers

This past Sunday, Granby (MO) Christian Church finished its fund-raising campaign to send “BibleSticks,” small digital audio players preloaded with a recording of the New Testament, to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. For $25 church members could send a BibleStick overseas, plus response cards for the servicemen and women to request Bibles for family members. The church worked with Faith Comes By Hearing (Albuquerque, NM). “Chaplains from every branch of the military have been flooding FCBH with requests . . . more than 400 chaplains themselves [are] using BibleSticks in pre-deployment briefings, counseling sessions, Bible studies, weekly chapels and other spiritual

February 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Nevada Youth Raise Funds for Residents of Nairobi Slums

The youth group at Summit Christian Church (Sparks, NV) has raised more than $50,000 to help the residents of slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The youth group, called 1-Life, partnered with Christian Missionary Fellowship (Indianapolis, IN) to assist with health care, microfinance, and more. Last week the mayor of Sparks publicly recognized the youth for their work; student ministry pastor Bryan Smith accepted the commendation on behalf of the group. Read more here!

February 2, 2011

Christian Standard

Must We Earn the Right to Share the Gospel?

By Robert Reese A chapel speaker at a Christian university stated emphatically, “I am realizing more and more that before I can share the gospel with unbelievers, I must earn the right.” He went on to explain how it is necessary in our society to establish credibility with another person before bringing up the gospel. Establishing credibility can range from being friendly to doing benevolent acts. The idea is that people will not be interested in a gospel presentation until they see an authentic expression of Christianity. With missionaries in parts of the world plagued by disease and malnutrition, the

January 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Series of Mission Trip Webinars Planned

Whether you are going across the street or around the world to serve on a short-term mission trip, the ideas and resources provided through a series of six free webinars presented by CMF International will equip you and your church as you plan, lead, and evaluate your short-term mission trips. Starting February 17, the topic will be: “Where to Go and How Best to Get There? (Tips on trip selection, scope, and travel logistics).” Future webinars will include resources on spiritual preparation, cultural intelligence, team development, development versus relief, and trip debriefing. You can register at http://cmfi.org/partner/missionsresources/tripresources/webinars.

January 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Sponsor An Evangelist In India

By Jennifer Taylor Central India Christian Mission not only offers the opportunity to sponsor children in northern India and Nepal (just $18 each month provides food, clothing, vitamins, school supplies and even extras like mosquito nets and sports equipment), but also allows groups or individuals to sponsor an evangelist. Between $200 and $400 per month (depending on the evangelist”s location) provides support for his ministry. “CICM”s evangelists faithfully serve existing churches and plant new churches in the villages, towns, and cities of central and northern India and the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal,” CICM writes. “The evangelists visit their

January 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Christian Missionary Fellowship”s Maasai Health Services

By Jennifer Taylor Christian Missionary Fellowship”s Maasai Health Services clinics recently received a grant of $516,000 from the U.S. President”s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to provide HIV/AIDS services in the Maasai area of Kenya. In 2009 these clinics saw 71,000 patients, not including a large number of children who received immunizations and women who received follow-up pregnancy visits. In recent years the clinics have been run completely by Kenyans, many of whom were encouraged in their educational and career pursuits by missionaries from CMF, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The funds will be dispersed to the clinics through September 2011.

January 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Missionary Re-Entry Fund

By Jennifer Taylor Pioneer Bible Translators (Dallas, Texas) created a Re-Entry Fund to provide help to missionaries returning home from a term of service overseas. Donations to the fund may provide help for missionary kids beginning college, missionaries needing counseling or retreat, or even missionaries who suddenly lose their support. www.pioneerbible.org ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Hope Partnership Kids Making the Grade in Kenya

This past week, Christian Missionary Fellowship (Indianapolis, IN) received word that of the 96 kids from the Hope Partnership who sat for their high school entrance exam, 93 passed””a 97 percent pass rate! This is the second consecutive year that 97 percent of Hope Partnership students passed, in a country with an average pass rate of 40 percent. “These kids are all from the slums,” says Executive Director Doug Priest. “None of them are children of privilege.” The Hope Partnership is an initiative that serves the poor in Nairobi, Kenya, with Community Health Evangelism, a microfinance program, child sponsorship, and

December 23, 2010

Christian Standard

Churches Provide Mission Opportunities at Christmas

Sherwood Oaks Christian Church (Bloomington, IN) created a Global Christmas Market catalog to provide opportunities for missional giving this season. The catalog included information about the local and global missions supported by SOCC, as well as specific “wish list” items for each ministry: food for the hungry, a week at camp for a needy child, mosquito nets, and many more. Participants could designate their financial donation toward any item and the church also provided gift acknowledgement cards for them to explain their donation to recipients. Common Ground Christian Church (Indianapolis, IN) also created a way for members to give to

December 22, 2010

Christian Standard

We Wonder Too

By Mark A. Taylor Schoolchildren in a Nairobi slum sing with gusto: Jesus, what a wonder you are! Their boisterous voices reverberate inside the corrugated tin walls of their tiny classroom: Oh my Jesus, what a wonder you are! And any visitor is struck by the wonder that Jesus has moved men and women to serve in this difficult place. A host of smiling teachers stands before thousands of children in classrooms like this one, rising above a sea of 12-by-12 lean-to huts these kids call home. Meanwhile, the school”s well-dressed social workers step over running streams of raw sewage

December 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Kyle Costello

By Brad Dupray As a sixth-generation Mormon, Kyle Costello was steeped in the faith. But when preparing for his “mission,” he began to have doubts, and ultimately entered a Christian seminary and joined the staff of Central Christian Church in Las Vegas. What better preparation could a person have to plant a Christian church in Salt Lake City? Early this year, Kyle and his wife, Joy, and 30 Christians from their church in Portland, Oregon, moved to Salt Lake City to plant a church in the center of the Mormon faith. Missio Dei Community is not a church that is

December 1, 2010

Christian Standard

God on a Mission in Salt Lake City

By Brent Storms Kyle Costello was born in Provo, Utah, while his parents were attending Brigham Young University. He was raised in a small town on the Utah/Nevada border. Because his family was Mormon, they made frequent trips to Salt Lake City. As a 19-year-old, Kyle prepared for his two-year “mission.” He began to anticipate some of the questions people might ask him when he knocked on doors. His quest for answers began innocently enough. He really wanted to know how to defend his faith. But the more he explored, and the more he raised questions with his father (now

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