News &amp; Updates

Salty Church Rescue Station a ‘Symbol of Hope’ (Plus News Briefs)

Salty Church in Ormond Beach, Fla., has opened a “rescue station” in the historic Ormond Beach firehouse that is a place where people in the community can receive a helping hand. “Ultimately, this place is a symbol of hope and help for the city,” said lead pastor Robbie O’Brien during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the rescue station, the Ormond Beach Observer reported. The church is hoping the rescue station will help prevent people from becoming homeless, entering the foster system, or landing in jail. The ministry helps people connect with governmental services and local ministries. The church renovated an old

September 19, 2018

Jerry Harris

Raiders of the (Almost) Lost Artifacts

History preserved at new Christian Standard Media Library in Quincy, Illinois By Jerry Harris I lacked only a fedora and bullwhip as I channeled Indiana Jones during the excavation of a deep, dark storage-facility locker in a suburb of Cincinnati. Three others joined this expedition: Mike Mack, Shawn McMullen, and Jim Nieman. And no, we didn’t discover the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail that day. In fact, upon first glance, the room seemed filled only with stacks of boxes on pallets, along with totes and other various objects, some wrapped in paper. But we soon began to

September 17, 2018

Carolina Churches Cope with Hurricane

Hurricane Florence made landfall in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., on Friday and it continues to drop a massive amount of rain in the Eastern United States. Millions of people and thousands of churches have been affected. We encourage church leaders to share news about their churches and how they are coping with the effects of the hurricane. Most importantly, please share how Christian churches and churches of Christ across the county can help. Comment below or send the information to **@********************ia.com. _ _ _ Two Rivers Church of Christ in New Bern, N.C., offers folks a way to contribute to hurricane

September 12, 2018

Race Studies Center at ACU to Open (Plus News Briefs)

The Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action at Moody Coliseum on the campus of Abilene (Texas) Christian University will open next Tuesday (Sept. 18) with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m., a luncheon at noon, and sessions throughout the day. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr. Jerry Taylor will speak on “God Imagines Our Future: Being Filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:1-21).” There will also be a 6 p.m. reception in the Williams Performing Arts Center, followed at 7 p.m. by a performance of The Mountaintop, depicting the last night of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life. Carl Spain Center

September 8, 2018

October 2018 Table of Contents

September 5, 2018

Louisville Bible College Rebounds after Rough Patch

By Jim Nieman Contrary to what you might have heard, Louisville Bible College continues to train preachers and ministers for church ministry. “Some people think we closed,” said Jason Anderson, registrar and assistant professor of Bible at LBC. “We never closed, but for one school year we didn’t offer classes.” The college went through a rough patch in 2015-16, and decided to forgo classroom instruction after “we let our debt get out of hand,” Anderson said. The next school year, LBC resumed offering classes under the guidance of Tom Mobley—who returned as president in 2016, after previously serving LBC in

September 5, 2018

Ozark Switches to Full Week of Classes (Plus News Briefs)

Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Mo., has departed from a longstanding tradition of not holding classes on Monday. Starting this semester, the Bible college is holding classes five days per week. “As an OCC student, I learned a proverb, ‘Methods are many, principles are few. Methods always change, principles never do,’” Ozark President Matt Proctor said in a post on the OCC website. “For over 75 years, Ozark has stayed true to one unchanging mission—training men and women for Christian service—but our methods have often changed.” Proctor said 98 percent of Ozark’s students are involved in some kind of ministry.

September 2, 2018

Michael C. Mack

Urban Ministry, Disagreement, Changes

By Michael C. Mack This month we focus on the urban church. This topic may bring about disagreement among readers. Our cities, after all, often serve as the stage for highly charged emotional issues in our culture. In addition, we also tackle the contentious question of online church; is it really church? And how do we even discuss debatable issues in a sane and unifying manner? (We cover that too.) Finally, I want you to know about a few changes we’re making to serve you better. What Urban Ministry Means to You As several writers point out, the New

September 1, 2018

September 2018

August 30, 2018

Christian Standard Interview with Francis Nash

On August 12, Sugar Grove Christian Church, a country church between Owingsville and Mount Sterling, Kentucky, honored Francis Nash, 70, of Grayson, for 50 years of service as minister (see photo of Francis and Pam Nash, above). Nash started at Sugar Grove in 1968 while still a student at Kentucky Christian College (now Kentucky Christian University). He has since earned three postgraduate degrees and authored three regional history books. Simultaneously, he served 50 years in broadcasting, retiring in 2016. Nash is the son of the late Donald Nash, a longtime professor of Greek and New Testament at KCU. He married

August 30, 2018

Publishing Committee Insights

We selected the second—and shorter—editorial from p. 3 of the September 3, 1978, issue to share today. “Fifteen Gifted Men,” written by Sam E. Stone during his first year as editor, describes the arrangement for editorial oversight that was in place during the 50 or so years Standex International owned Standard Publishing, the former parent company of Christian Standard and The Lookout. To set the stage: The first edition of Christian Standard was published in April 1866, with Isaac Errett serving as editor. Standard Publishing “grew up around it”—it’s often been said—and was incorporated in 1872. Additional publications were created,

August 29, 2018

Hazel Dell Christian Church Changing Name to Venture (Plus News Briefs)

Hazel Dell Christian Church, Carmel, Ind., will become Venture Christian Church on Sept. 9. “God often changes his people’s names when he sends them into a new direction,” the church noted via a Facebook post. “The leadership is sensing a new direction for this congregation. A sense that we need to do more for the community that surrounds us and for people afar,” the post continued. “With this new endeavor and name, we will be encouraged to take risks outside these big safe walls! . . . Venture: To go forward with courage even at great cost!” The church is

August 23, 2018

What The Christian Standard Will Be . . .

#ThrowbackThursday The Restoration Movement Archive—August 24, 1878 ___ Selecting items to share with you for this new “Throwback Thursday” feature is like trying to sip water from a fire hose. There’s quite a lot to look at in Christian Standard’s archives, as you might imagine—tens of thousands of pages of issues going back to 1866. Making matters more difficult is that issues from before 2005 are not yet easily searchable. That said, I came upon p. 4 of the August 24, 1878, edition—the issue that dates from 140 years ago tomorrow. It is what we consider to be the editorial

August 22, 2018

Fire Destroys Oklahoma Church (Plus News Briefs)

A fire likely started by lightning destroyed Guthrie (Okla.) Christian Church last week. The blaze started just before midnight on Aug. 14. No one was hurt. “We lost 49 years of books, pictures, sermons, memories and even my college books,” pastor Don Riepe told the Guthrie News Leader. Riepe is an alum of Ozark Christian College. Guthrie Fire Chief Eric Harlow said the building was a “total loss.” The church was still smoldering the next morning—last Wednesday. Later that day, there was a special prayer meeting near the site, with many people offering support. “We want to thank everyone for

August 15, 2018

Christian Standard Web-Only Interview: Previewing ‘What’s Next’ with Gary Johnson (Plus News Briefs)

Great leaders constantly ask themselves a two-word question: “What’s next?” That’s the name of a new event presented by e2: effective elders and hosted by the Center for Church Leadership at Cincinnati Christian University on Saturday, September 8. The event will focus on helping leaders look into the future, as far ahead as they can, and lead God’s people ahead on their journey. Gary Johnson, along with David Roadcup and Jim Estep, will present at the all-day event. We asked Johnson three questions about what elders will learn at the event. QUESTION: As part of the “Next Step” seminar, you’re

August 9, 2018

October 2018 – Table of Contents

August 9, 2018

Ozark Christian College Receives $1 Million Gift

Ozark Christian College has received a $1 million gift from Rick Bronson, a longtime friend of the college, that will be used to begin renovation of its oldest residence hall. Bronson, his wife, Kat, and his son, Chad—a 2011 graduate of OCC—believe deeply in Ozark’s mission, and they trust that God will use their gift to inspire others to give. “This is just our five loaves and two fishes,” Bronson said. “Like that little boy with his lunch, we’re putting it in God’s hands to multiply it.” The Bronsons’ gift—the largest from a living donor in the Joplin, Mo., college’s

August 8, 2018

Madeline Hansen, Bear Creek Team Win at Bible Bowl (Plus News Briefs)

By Jim Nieman There were at least two “firsts” at this year’s Bible Bowl National Tournament: It was the first time the national event was hosted by a college—in this case, Johnson University Tennessee in Knoxville—and the Individual Written Test saw its first three-time winner: Madeline Hansen of Bear Creek Christian Church, Rochester, Minnesota. And the bad news for the other test takers? Madeline has three more years of eligibility. “What she has done is incredible,” said Josiah Gorman, executive director of Bible Bowl. “She is a very knowledgeable young lady.” Madeline has competed on the Individual Written Test for

August 1, 2018

August 2018

August 1, 2018

Shawn McMullen