Organizations &amp; Events

Crossroads College Will Transform into HIU-Minnesota

By Jim Nieman After suspending classroom instruction in August 2016, Crossroads College in Rochester, Minn., seemed to be an educational institution in name only, but work has been going on behind the scenes and two significant steps forward have occurred this summer. The college sold its 37-acre campus to Bear Creek Christian Church at the end of June (click here to read that story), and on Sept. 8, Crossroads’ representatives signed a memorandum of understanding with Hope International University, Fullerton, Calif., to establish HIU–Minnesota. The next goal, according to Curtis McGinnis, chief operating officer of Crossroads College, is to begin

July 8, 2018

Mountain House

This architectural plan reflects the personality and mission of Summit Christian Church in Sparks, Nevada. By Mel McGowan Just north of Reno, between the flash of casinos and the vast Nevada wilderness, you’ll find a community where economic booms and busts come with the territory, and people are desperate for a higher view and solid ground. Summit Christian Church of Sparks, Nevada, endeavors to provide these things. Desert Roots Nineteen years ago, a determined group of people in love with Jesus put down roots in the Truckee Meadows. They weathered the region’s economic growth and collapse in the same

May 20, 2018

Grace City Church: Building a Seven-Day-a-Week Community

By Mel McGowan Imagine if, instead of building a church campus, a church developed the new town center for its community—a place that would serve people both inside and outside the church seven days a week, drawing the community together for generations to come. This is the vision of Grace City Church in Wenatchee, Washington, a church in the heart of an agricultural community more than two hours east of Seattle. Located just east of the majestic Cascade Range, Wenatchee sits on the shore of the Columbia River and is home to a unique, entrepreneurial-minded community. Lead pastor Josh McPherson

May 12, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Mosaic Christian Church, Elkridge, Maryland

“Spiritual maturity is baptizing a friend.” By Justin Horey Ask most any person at Mosaic Christian Church in Elkridge, Maryland, “What is the most important thing at Mosaic,” and there’s a good chance they will tell you, “It’s when we baptize someone.” MCC is just nine years old (the church will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall). In that brief time, Mosaic has baptized more than 500 new believers. Church planter and lead pastor Carl Kuhl said the reason is simple: “At Mosaic, a ‘win’ is baptism.” For the past few years, Kuhl and his staff have set a

May 11, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Northside Christian Church, New Albany, Indiana

Former senior pastor George Ross and his son, Nate Ross, switch roles. By Andy Rector In 1999, when George Ross arrived at Northside Christian Church in New Albany, Indiana, the congregation had been without a lead pastor for 14 months. During the interim, attendance had grown 12 percent. That fact impressed upon Ross that Northside was fertile soil. After spending more than a decade with the church, Ross was nearing retirement age, and he knew church leaders faced an important decision. What should Northside’s next step be? “Did Northside need something different from me?” Ross said. “I talked with

May 10, 2018

Tyler McKenzie

SPOTLIGHT: Northeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky

The church grew in 2017, despite being warned attendance possibly could drop 15 percent under a new pastor. By Andy Rector Tyler McKenzie says he was “raw” when he was hired as teaching pastor at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2012. In April 2016, McKenzie became lead pastor. Former lead minister Bob Cherry, who helped start Northeast in 1977, saw something in McKenzie during the initial interview process. And Cherry doesn’t mince words about McKenzie’s subsequent promotion: “Tyler is the right guy” for the lead pastor role. A year before McKenzie joined the Northeast staff, Cherry began

May 6, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Sunbury (Ohio) Christian Church

Church changes its DNA through service projects and grows, with room to expand. By Darrel Rowland Ten years ago, Sunbury Christian Church spent $500,000 to buy 11 acres at the edge of a village in central Ohio. The church knew its old facility less than two miles away was inadequate, despite renovations that added a gym and got rid of the 1960s-era green paisley carpet. Still, half-a-million dollars for a congregation of about 300 as the Great Recession struck? “We swallowed real hard,” remembers senior minister Mike Bratten. “The need outweighed the fear.” The parcel wasn’t just randomly selected.

May 5, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Real Life Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

Three-year-old church in least populated state overcomes obstacles. By Kelly Carr After a decade as associate pastor with North Point Christian Church in Spearfish, South Dakota, Ryan Charest was inspired to become the lead planter at Real Life Church in Sheridan, Wyoming, the newest church plant of the Northern Plains Evangelistic Association (see “Planting Churches in ‘Flyover Country”). “I kept reading and researching . . . understanding what we did right and wrong and what we could do differently,” Charest said. “God worked in me to prepare me to have the desire to try and do it again.” Real

May 2, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: New City Church, Phoenix, Arizona

“Teaching the truth has helped us reach young people.” By Justin Horey Brian Kruckenberg, lead pastor of New City Church, compares Phoenix, Arizona, to a doughnut. Until five years ago, he says, the population was almost entirely concentrated in a circle of suburbs surrounding the region, with a “hole” in the center—the downtown area—where virtually no one lived. Now Arizona’s capital city is making up for lost time, building apartments and condominiums on formerly vacant lots and creating brand-new residential neighborhoods in the heart of the city. Kruckenberg said people are moving to downtown Phoenix because they want to

April 29, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Christ’s Church of the Valley, Phoenix, Arizona

The consistency of challenging their congregation to be bold in furthering the kingdom over the years paid off throughout 2017. By Natalee Jones Change isn’t easy but it’s necessary for growth. That’s what Don Wilson kept in mind as he was deciding to retire as senior pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Phoenix, Arizona, a church he helped launch. Wilson and his wife were meeting with three other couples in the Wilsons’ living room just over 35 years ago when they felt God calling them to start a church in the Phoenix area. CCV’s first service

April 25, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Cross the Line Church, Lincoln, Nebraska

Cross the Line is trying to better leverage building spaces and resources for kingdom expansion. By Chad Ragsdale It’s 9:00 on Wednesday morning. A group of women have gathered to enjoy some coffee and conversation at the Front Porch Coffee Café in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their children are laughing and running in the adjacent play area. Nearby, in the same building, the Super Starts Child Development Center bustles with activity as parents drop off their kids and hurry off to work. Further inside, a gym is still set up for the youth basketball practice from the night before. This former

April 22, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: New Hope Christian Church, Thornton, Colorado

“God had a plan” in helping this congregation find a new building in a high-crime hub of metro Denver. By Chris Moon When pastor Jeff Aenk talks about the way his church was able to find its new building, he often uses the word miracle. “It was a total God story,” said Aenk, who leads New Hope Christian Church in Thornton, Colorado. The story started in 2016 when New Hope learned its landlord was planning to double the church’s rent—from $7,550 a month to almost $15,000. The rent would continue to increase for the following five years, up to

April 18, 2018

SPOTLIGHT: Crossroads Christian Church, Macon, Missouri

“We’re not a traditional country church. . . . We choose uncomfortable instead of traditions.” By TR Robertson When Matt Stieger was hired in 2008 as lead minister of Crossroads Christian Church (a church formed in 1972 in Macon, Missouri, a town of 5,400), the average attendance was 200. Ten years later, as the church entered 2018, Crossroads was averaging around 550 each Sunday morning. “We decided we were going to offer a different idea of what church is,” Stieger said. “We’re not a traditional country church. We choose joy and celebration. We choose new instead of what is old. We

August 11, 2017

Conferences & Gatherings Organizations & Events

Plans Announced for 2018 SCJ ConferenceÂ

For the first time, Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan College will host the 2018 Stone-Campbell Journal (SCJ) Conference on April 6 and 7 on its Johnson City, TN, campus. The theme “Theology of Others: Judaism, Islam, and “˜None-of-the-Aboves,”” will be developed by Ellen Charry, Margaret W. Harmon Professor of Theology, Princeton (NJ) Theological Seminary; Evertt Huffard, dean, Harding School of Theology (Memphis, TN); and Richard Knopp, professor of philosophy and Christian apologetics, Lincoln (IL) Christian University. Charry will present “”˜The Wall of Hostility Has Come Down”: Reconstructing the Theological Relationship Between Judaism and Christianity”; Huffard will present “Allah Is God:

July 14, 2017

Mid-Atlantic Christian University Founder Dies

ELIZABETH CITY, NC “” The founder and first president of Mid-Atlantic Christian University, George W. BonDurant, died July 11 at the age of 101. He grew up in Mt. Rainer, MD, the son of William W. and Helen Lawrence BonDurant, who were committed leaders in the Restoration Movement.Â He received a four-year scholarship to Columbia University, New York City, but his mother, concerned about his faith in a hostile atmosphere, sent him to Erieside Christian Service Camp. After one year at Columbia, he transferred to the Cincinnati (OH) Bible Seminary. There he met and married Sarah Lou Presley. The couple helped

June 2, 2017

Ministries & Nonprofits Organizations & Events

CIY Uses Social Media to Take Message to Teens

By Jennifer Johnson Christ In Youth (CIY) is well known among the Christian churches””and beyond””for high-quality programs specifically geared to teens and preteens. Many of these events take place during the summer months, but last November CIY launched a new program””and it was all online. “We”re constantly trying to keep a pulse on the next generation so we can speak to them with the gospel message,” says Chris Roberts, communications director. “They are digital natives. They don”t know a world without social media or mobile phones. So, we began talking about how we can use those tools to point them

May 9, 2017

Ministries & Nonprofits Organizations & Events

Johnson University’s President Planning to Retire

Dr. Gary Weedman, president of Johnson University, has announced he will be retiring, effective June 30, 2018. During Weedman”s tenure as president, Johnson University experienced tremendous growth in enrollment, academic programs, and facilities. Next year will mark his 11th year as president, 18th year at Johnson, 50th year in Christian higher education, and his 75th birthday. “The words “˜thank you” hardly seem adequate for the 11 years Gary and Janis have faithfully served Johnson University, nor do the words “˜you”ve done a great job” convey sufficiently the praise they are due,” wrote L.D. Campbell, chairman of Johnson”s board of trustees.

April 30, 2017

Jerry Harris

Securing a Future

By Jerry Harris What”s going on with the CHRISTIAN STANDARD and The Lookout? As a pastor of a church and a founding board member of The Solomon Foundation, I was interested in the answer to that question. Both magazines have been staples of the Restoration Movement from early on, and I, like many, had assumed they would always be there. When I heard in our board meeting the CHRISTIAN STANDARD and The Lookout could be shut down because their owners had found no buyers for them, I was deeply troubled. The chairman of the Publishing Committee had informed Doug Crozier,

March 20, 2017