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.

October 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Retired Minister Hires Special-Needs Workers for Venture (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman A retired pastor at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., is opening a coffee shop that employs people with special needs. Brewster McLeod served Southland for 40 years before retiring last year. Now he is preparing to open McLeod’s Coffee House early this month at 376 Southland Drive. He has hired 50 employees, all of them with special needs, faithwire.com reports. “If Down syndrome or special needs make you nervous, you probably need to come in here and relax and just treat them like anyone else,” he told WKYT News. McLeod said he

September 25, 2019

Christian Standard

Nunes Filming Free Comedy Shows at Lincoln Christian Church

By Jim Nieman Jeremy Nunes, known for his “front porch” brand of stand-up comedy—humor that’s “clean enough that you don’t have to take it to the back porch”—will perform free shows at 5 and 7 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 28, at Lincoln (Ill.) Christian Church. The shows will be filmed and then shopped to three TV networks that have expressed interest. “My first special, 17 years into comedy!” says Nunes, who has appeared on NBC, Fox, PBS, and Comcast, among other networks. He explains that Funny & Amen Productions will produce and film the show and create a master file.

September 24, 2019

Christian Standard

Former Standard Publishing Employees Meet for Reunion

On Friday, September 20, about 70 former employees of Standard Publishing and their spouses met to renew friendships and share memories, recalling the years they served together in Christian publishing. The gathering—organized by Sheryl Overstreet, Joann Van Meter, and Elaina Meyers—was held in the Community Room at the Christian Village at Mt. Healthy in Cincinnati, Ohio. The site was selected because of its proximity to the former Standard Publishing plant on Hamilton Avenue in Mt. Healthy. Standard Publishing, in fact, donated the property upon which the village was built in the early 1960s. “What a great evening!” one attendee wrote.

September 18, 2019

Christian Standard

Kelly Clarkson Announces Food Pantry Moving to Oregon Church (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Beaverton Christian Church in Oregon is the new home for a significant local food pantry—and it made quite a splash in becoming so. The announcement that Sunshine Pantry is relocating to the church was made Sept. 9 on the inaugural episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, a syndicated talk show. On the show, Clarkson interviewed Sharon Straus, the founder of the Sunshine Pantry—which started as a Cub Scout canned food drive that continued for years in Straus’s garage before moving into its own warehouse more than a decade ago. Straus told how her

September 4, 2019

Christian Standard

Key Lay Leaders of First Christian, Evansville, Die in Plane Crash

First Christian Church in Evansville, Ind., suffered the loss of three key lay leaders in a plane crash last week in Montana. Tim Arnold, Grant Weythman, and Allen Eicher were flying in a small plane toward Pinehaven Christian Children’s Ranch in Montana as part of a volunteer missions team when they struck a power line and crashed. According to the Courier & Press, Weythman and Eicher were elders at First Christian, and Arnold was a former elder. They were headed to the children’s ranch to repair broken machinery. “They were very much what we call shepherds—trying to make sure everybody

August 28, 2019

Christian Standard

Disciples See Deep Drop in Attendance

If its current rate of decline continues, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination could lose half its membership over the next 10 years, according to an Institute on Religion and Democracy blog post by Jeffrey Walton. Numbers provided by the DOC’s Office of General Minister and President show that total membership declined 7 percent from 2017 to 2018, from about 411,000 to around 382,248. Likewise, average worship attendance declined 11 percent, from 140,000 to 124,000, Walton wrote on IRD’s blog, Juicy Ecumenism. Also, baptisms dropped from 4,344 to 3,782, down 13 percent, while other additions (including transfers in) declined

August 28, 2019

Christian Standard

Ohio Church Celebrates 175 Years (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman First Christian Church of New Philadelphia, Ohio, is celebrating its 175th anniversary in August and September by welcoming back four young ministers whose faith was formed at the church and who now serve churches elsewhere in Ohio. The Times Reporter said ministers Josh Davis, Brandon Schwartz, Luke Borton, and Maddie Miller will be speaking or performing music at the church on three successive Sundays. The same newspaper also published an interesting article about the history of First Christian. “We are extremely thankful for the six generations of Christ followers that established this vibrant

July 26, 2019

Christian Standard

HLC Warns It Might Pull Cincinnati Christian University’s Accreditation

Cincinnati Christian University’s accrediting organization, the Higher Learning Commission, has issued a “Show-Cause Order” giving CCU one year to “demonstrate why its accreditation should not be withdrawn.” During the one-year period, which began June 27, credits and degrees earned at CCU will be fully accredited by HLC, though the accrediting body, in its order, cautioned that “all colleges and universities define their own transfer and admission guidelines” and advised current students of CCU to “contact any institution they plan to attend in the future” to better understand their institutional policies. According to a July 22 statement by CCU’s board of

July 17, 2019

Christian Standard

DeWelt to Lead College Press as Company Turns 60 (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Chris DeWelt, who has served with College Press Publishing for many years, became president and publisher of the company on July 1. DeWelt is the son of Don DeWelt, who started College Press in 1959. The Joplin, Mo.-based company is marking its 60th anniversary providing Bible-based material to Christian leaders and students. Chris DeWelt served eight years on the mission field in Chile before returning to the United States and working with his father until Don DeWelt’s death in 1991. Since that time, Chris DeWelt has served with College Press in various capacities,

July 10, 2019

Christian Standard

Friend of WJU Named Top CEO in America (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Jim Nieman Pat Gelsinger, whose association with William Jessup University, Rocklin, Calif., goes back many years, recently was named “Best CEO in America.” Bloomberg reported that Gelsinger, chief executive officer of Silicon Valley software maker VMware Inc., was ranked the top boss in employment website Glassdoor’s annual survey. A brief article at Jessup.com describes Gelsinger as “a longtime partner, supporter and friend.” Gelsinger previously served on Jessup’s board of trustees, and in 2008, Jessup awarded him an honorary doctorate of letters. A story in Business Insider from 2015 says Gelsinger and his wife give away about half of

July 3, 2019

Christian Standard

Ozark Student Killed, 4 Other CIY Workers Injured in Accident

(This story was updated July 3 with funeral arrangements for Jace Smothers.) An Ozark Christian College student working with Christ In Youth this summer was killed Friday when a CIY van he was riding in was rear-ended as part of a multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 24 east of Paducah, Ky. The van carried four other CIY MOVE summer event staff members; all were injured. Jace Smothers, 19, who had just completed his first year as a youth ministry major at Ozark, died at the scene. His funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) at Norton (Kan.) Christian

June 19, 2019

Christian Standard

Jarvis to Direct Ministry Resource Center at Emmanuel (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Beth Jarvis has been named director of the newly created Ministry Resource Center at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan. The seminary last year received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to start a Ministry Resource Center to help place and mentor Emmanuel’s ministry students in local churches. Jarvis is an ordained Christian church minister with years of nonprofit experience. She most recently served as care team coordinator with Christian Missionary Fellowship International in Indianapolis, coordinating pastoral care for 220 missionaries in 25 countries. “We’re delighted to have someone with Jarvis’s depth

June 12, 2019

Christian Standard

Northeast Dominates ‘Most Post-Christian Cities’ List (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Barna Group has released its list of “The Most Post-Christian Cities in America: 2019.” Eight of the cities and/or metropolitan areas are in the Northeast, while two are in the far West. The top three “Most Post-Christian Cities” are Springfield-Holyoke, Mass., followed by Portland-Auburn, Maine, and Providence, R.I./New Bedford, Mass. The Friendly Atheist website celebrated the news and referred to the list this way: “These are the cities where religion is most likely to be considered an afterthought.” _ _ _ News Briefs Two of our universities recently made Niche.com’s list of the

June 5, 2019

Christian Standard

WJU Student-Athlete, Mom Wins NAIA Marathon (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Full-time student-athlete, wife, and mother Bailey Cossentine of William Jessup University won the marathon at the NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships at Gulf Shores, Ala., on May 25. Cossentine finished with a time of 3:07.50.64, just 13 months after having a baby. Her time was more than 30 minutes faster than the school record she set two years ago. In winning, she became WJU’s first-ever, first-place NAIA All-American. “Bailey executed a perfect race plan with her progression through the field of competitors,” coach Jeff Magley said. “She was in control all day and closed the last 10k with great

May 29, 2019

Christian Standard

Stone Hands Off SECC Leadership to Idleman (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Dave Stone preached his last sermon at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Stone retired after 13 years at the helm of the megachurch. Stone handed over leadership to Kyle Idleman, passing to him the same baton he’d received from former Southeast pastor Bob Russell. The Southeast Outlook offered some insight into Stone and his ministry, including tributes from Idleman (who met Stone at a Christ In Youth conference when Idleman was 16) and other ministers inside and outside Southeast. Another article included an anecdote about the time Stone, then in college, stayed with the Russells and had to borrow a pair of dress

May 23, 2019

Christian Standard

Ozark Christian College Weathers Storm that Kills 3 in Missouri

By Jim Nieman News outlets are reporting that storms and tornadoes injured several people in Carl Junction, Mo., and killed three people in Golden City on Wednesday. Carl Junction is just a few miles north of Joplin, Mo., where Ozark Christian College is located. The storms occurred on the eighth anniversary of tornadoes that killed 161 people in Joplin. Matt Proctor, president of OCC, said, “At the moment, we know of one student’s house in nearby Carl Junction that experienced storm damage (roof damage and blown-out window), but no one was hurt, for which we’re grateful.” Proctor said there is

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