December 9, 2020
News Briefs for Dec. 9
Items from Timber Lake Christian Church (Moberly, Mo.), Choateville Christian Church (Frankfort, Ky.), Johnson University, and more.
News & Updates
News & Updates delivers timely reporting and important announcements relevant to church leaders and the Restoration Movement community. Explore articles covering ministry developments, events, organizational news, and updates that impact churches, leaders, and readers of The Christian Standard. You’ll find information on conferences, initiatives, partnerships, and significant stories shaping the life of the church today. Check back regularly to stay informed and connected to what’s happening across the movement and within The Christian Standard network.
November 30, 2020
Arson Fire Seriously Damages Illinois Church
An arson fire early Saturday morning seriously damaged Mattoon (Ill.) Christian Church. No one was injured.
November 11, 2020
California Church Mobilizes to Help Chaplain Bless Troops (Plus News Briefs)
By Jim Nieman Central Christian Church in Lancaster, Calif., is mobilizing to send Military Christmas Care Boxes to a troop of U.S. Army soldiers stationed overseas. The mobilization to fill approximately 350 shoeboxes with letters, snacks, and various necessities is in response to a request from a CCC member who serves as a U.S. Army chaplain for those male and female soldiers. “We have always done [Samaritan Purse’s] Operation Christmas Child boxes in the past,” said Autumn Rutledge, who serves with Central’s women’s ministry. “This year we were asked . . . if we would consider sending care packages to
November 4, 2020
A Strong ‘Harvest’ Despite Pandemic (Plus News Briefs)
Despite the pandemic, this year’s “Harvest of Talents for World Hunger,” a unique ministry started in 1984 by Lincoln (Ill.) Christian Church, raised more than $100,000 to combat hunger around the world. Each year, people in and around Lincoln use their talents for cooking, crafts, art—whatever—to create items that are sold at events and auctions to raise money for Harvest of Talents. All of that money is routed to International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES), which distributes those funds to mission partners that request it to feed starving people. This year’s “Harvest” raised $116,558 (equal to 388,527 meals), increasing the 37-year
November 3, 2020
Plans Announced for 2021 SCJ Conference at Lincoln Christian University
The 20th annual Stone-Campbell Journal Conference is slated for Lincoln (Ill.) Christian University next April 16-17. If necessary, due to COVID-19, the conference will function virtually. The plenary sessions (and perhaps more) will be available virtually regardless. The theme “Violence of God in the Old Testament” will be developed by featured speakers Eric Seibert, professor of Old Testament at Messiah University, Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Michelle Knight, assistant professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Ill.; and Mark Hamilton, Onstead Professor of Biblical Studies at Abilene (Texas) Christian University. Seibert will present “Solving the Problem of
October 28, 2020
OCC’s Mark Scott Planning Transition to Church Ministry (Plus News Briefs)
By Jim Nieman Mark Scott, longtime professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College, has announced he will conclude his full-time service with the school on May 31, 2021, so he can focus on ministry with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. In a memo to Ozark faculty and staff, Scott wrote, “I cannot put in words or quantify what it has meant for us to serve at OCC. When you cut us, we bleed OCC blue. How can I thank you for the privilege of serving with you for these 35 years? Thank you, OCC, for giving
October 21, 2020
Weekly Spire Huddles Cover Range of Topics (Plus News Briefs)
Compiled by Jim Nieman Spire Huddles—taking place each Wednesday—offer an online, interactive, conversational, and free way to connect with other church leaders and discuss important topics presented by expert speakers. There is a different huddle focus and host/presenter each week until February. The huddles begin at 1 p.m. Wednesdays (Eastern time) and last roughly 90 minutes. An additional 30 minutes are allotted for final questions at the end of the main presentation. More than half of the time is spent in small groups. By the time you complete a Huddle, according to Spire, “you will hear from an expert, connect
October 14, 2020
Central Christian Gives Day of Service Another Try (Plus News Briefs)
Central Christian Church of Mount Vernon, Ill., was disappointed when they had to postpone their annual Day of Service back in May due to the coronavirus. They gave it another try on Saturday, and more than 300 volunteers spread out across Jefferson County to put others first. “We know that we grow best as people when we’re serving other people,” connections pastor Jared LeCrone told WSILTV.com. “This is a church family that has come together from this community to put back into the community.” Serve Day activities included a neighborhood block party, free oil changes for anyone in need, a free
October 7, 2020
Milligan Encouraged to Revise LGBTQ+ Policies (Plus News Briefs)
News Channel 11 in Johnson City, Tenn., interviewed several people for a story last week after it learned “Milligan University had forced a gay professor to resign or renounce their lifestyle” during spring semester. A number of students and alumni sent a form letter to Milligan’s administration and trustees several months ago asking that they commit to several promises relative to sexual orientation and “anti-discrimination” policies involving LGBTQ+ individuals. The lengthy news report said Milligan president Bill Greer met with a current student and a recent alumnus about the situation over the summer. Greer declined to be interviewed for the
September 29, 2020
News Briefs for Sept. 29
Compiled by Jim Nieman Several people who serve with Ozark Christian College and Christ In Youth described the close ties between the school and ministry in a video posted on their respective Facebook pages. Bob Stacy started CIY in 1968 while serving as a professor at Ozark. Through the years, many CIY participants have been inspired to attend OCC. (Many other Christian universities also have reaped a harvest that CIY helped to plant and water.) COVID-19 hit CIY particularly hard, forcing cancellation of all of its summer conferences. The video also serves as an appeal for support for CIY. (We described the
September 23, 2020
Kentucky Church Hosts Football Watch Party for Rival Fan Bases (Plus News Briefs)
Harmony Christian Church, Georgetown, Ky., attempted to live up to its name Friday night by hosting a drive-in watch party to view a football game between crosstown rivals Scott County High School and Great Crossing High School. Fans of both teams attended. Last year the game was viewed in-person by 7,000 spectators, but attendance restrictions due to COVID-19 this year meant only two tickets were allotted per each participating student, the News-Graphic reported. The free drive-in featured livestreaming of the game projected onto a giant inflatable screen set up behind the church. Cars could tune into the local radio broadcast
September 21, 2020
Ozark Lifts ‘Self-Quarantine’ Order
Ozark Christian College has lifted a weeklong “self-quarantine” order that had asked students to remain in their dorm rooms as much as possible. In-person classes resumed today after a full-week of remote learning. In-person chapel also is slated to resume. “Our numbers of isolations and quarantines have improved,” Damien Spikereit, executive vice president of administration, wrote on OCC’s website late last week. “This is an answer to many prayers, and I’m proud of the self-discipline and wisdom you’ve shown this week.” Ozark’s “COVID Dashboard” as of noon Monday listed 6 students in isolation, meaning they are either symptomatic or have
September 16, 2020
Restoring the Neighborhood—and Lives—from the Sidewalk Up (Plus News Briefs)
Volunteers in the North Heights neighborhood of Joplin, Mo., spent the weekend “digging up brick sidewalks and working to restore them,” according to a story in the Joplin Globe. The bulk of the work occurred in the area around the Neighborhood Life House, a church-supported nonprofit that provides programs for children and adults. Volunteers with NLH and another neighborhood group provided the manpower. The sidewalks were identified as a key neighborhood concern in a survey earlier this year. “We’re restoring lives and we’re restoring the neighborhood and trying to put some life back in it,” NLH board member Neil Robinson
September 15, 2020
Ozark Students Under Weeklong Self-Quarantine Due to COVID-19
Ozark Christian College has instituted a one-week, campuswide self-quarantine of students because of a high number of COVID-19 cases. The self-quarantine runs through this Saturday. Additionally, all fall sports have been suspended for the semester. Last Wednesday, the Joplin, Mo., school reported that 10 percent of its residential student population was in quarantine or isolation. As of this 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Ozark had 12 total active cases—11 students and 1 employee—of people who are either symptomatic or had tested positive for COVID-19 (that was down from 21 active cases—18 students and 3 employees—on Monday morning.) The students are in isolation
September 14, 2020
Churches Respond to Wildfires Scorching the West
By Jim Nieman We don’t know how many churches have been impacted by the multiple wildfires that have destroyed millions of acres in California, Oregon, and Washington, but we scoured websites and Facebook pages to get an idea of what churches are going through and how they have responded. Here’s what we found: • Pursuit Christian Church, Oroville, Calif. — Last Wednesday, lead pastor Fred Wood wrote on Facebook: “Hey, Church! Check in, leave a comment and also let us know you are OK! If you’ve been evacuated and need anything, let us know and we will do our best to
September 9, 2020
First Christian Awarded $500,000 Federal Grant to Repair Tower
By Jim Nieman First Christian Church of Columbus, Ind., recently received a big boost in its ongoing effort to fund repairs to its eye-catching and architecturally significant tower. The National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures program awarded First Christian a $500,000 grant for the estimated $2.4 million project to repair the structural integrity of the 166-foot tower. “We’re thrilled for the award and for the project being recognized nationally,” said Jeff Logston, chairman of the First Christian Capital Projects Fundraising Committee. Still, he said, “we have more work to do. We’re going to need the community to help us get
September 9, 2020
GLCC Honors Chuck and Amy Emmert (Plus News Briefs)
Chuck and Amy Emmert were presented the Dr. Doty Divine Servant Award on Aug. 29 as a part of the Commencement service for the 2020 graduates at Great Lakes Christian College, Lansing, Mich. The Emmerts started ministry in the local church in 1975 while attending GLCC and served the Memorial Church of Christ (Livonia, Mich.), Novesta Church of Christ (Cass City, Mich.), and the Duplain Church of Christ (St. Johns, Mich.). Chuck and Amy graduated in 1978 and 1977, respectively. The Emmerts will conclude their ministry with the Duplain Church of Christ on Dec. 31 and retire. The Divine Servant
September 2, 2020
Empson Shares about ICOM’s Challenges During 2020 (Plus News Briefs)
The challenges and struggles Dave Empson and the International Conference on Missions (ICOM) have faced this year were the subject of the Face > Fear podcast hosted by Mike Schrage of Good News Productions International (GNPI) on Monday. And the challenges have been many—physical, financial, logistical, and organizational. GNPI wrote on their website: “The table seemed set for the International Conference on Missions’ biggest year yet. They had a popular location in Indianapolis, a talented president in Jeff Vines, and a remarkable main speaker in Ravi Zacharias. And then, a few weeks ago, they made a change. ‘We decided to switch
