Jackson Appointed to Lead William Jessup University

This week, William Jessup University (Rocklin, CA) announced the appointment of John Jackson as the school”s sixth president. Jackson is currently executive director of Thriving Churches International and executive pastor at Bayside Church in Granite Bay, CA. He holds a PhD in educational administration and organizational studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara and is author of several books on leadership, communication, and church ministry. Click here to learn more and watch a short video greeting from Jackson.

KCU Adds Biology Pre-Professional Degree Program

This week, Kentucky Christian University announced a new Biology Pre-Professional degree program beginning in August. The program will prepare students for further study and careers in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Like all other KCU degrees, students will double-major in Biblical Studies, equipping students to not only succeed in highly competitive career fields but to do so grounded in a strong faith. Find out more at www.kcu.edu.

Dupray Named President of CDF

On Feb. 4, Brad Dupray was named the new president of Church Development Fund (Irvine, CA). Brad has served CDF for nearly 22 years, with roles including senior vice president of ministry development, chief operating officer, and national marketing director. Brad holds a bachelor”s degree from Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University) and an MBA from National University. He is also an ordained minister and the writer of the monthly “CHRISTIAN STANDARD Interview.” You can read Brad”s blog about his new role with CDF.

Atlanta Christian College Becoming Point University

Atlanta (GA) Christian College will soon have a new name and a new location! This week ACC announced the 2012 relocation of its main campus from East Point, GA (outside of Atlanta), to the town of West Point, GA (near the Georgia-Alabama line). The school will become Point University beginning July 1, 2011. “Just as God frequently called the Old Testament heroes to new and exciting lands, he often accompanied that life transition with a symbolic changing of name,” the school writes. “Not only does “˜Point University” reflect where the school has come from and where it is going, but

Cookson Hills Adds An Equine Program

by Jennifer Taylor Cookson Hills Christian Ministries (Kansas, Oklahoma), a ministry to abused and neglected children and their families, has added an equine program””and it”s much more than just riding horses. “In counseling, horses can be used to assess a client”s current mental status, stress, emotional tolerance level, problem-solving and survival strategies, and self-concept,” the organization writes. “The human responses elicited in the first equine assisted psychotherapy session can reveal truths about a client that normally would take 20 or more “˜talk therapy” sessions.” In addition to their therapy program, Cookson Hills provides opportunities for horsemanship classes, trail rides, and

Go, You (Why You Should Attend the National Missionary Convention)

By Teresa Schantz Williams I thought it would be awkward, like showing up at a wedding rehearsal when you”re not in the wedding party. Attend the National Missionary Convention? I had no credentials: I”m not a missionary or a forwarding agent, I don”t serve on a mission committee, and I”ve never been on a mission trip outside the United States. “You should come,” my sister insisted. “Going there just . . . changes you.” I didn”t ask what about me needed changing (I”m pretty sure she”d tell me). Instead, I went. On November 18, we drove from Missouri to Lexington,

Good Call

By Jennifer Taylor This month, Christ In Youth (Joplin, Missouri) launches THE CALL BOOK, a new online registry where generations of CIY conference attendees can share their stories of how a CIY conference changed their lives or prompted a call to vocational ministry. This past summer, “dozens of individuals eagerly shared stories of their calling to ministry after being challenged at a Christ In Youth event,” writes executive director Andy Hansen. “Their stories will be the first of what will be thousands in the years to come.” CIY is making plans now for its first CIY Alumni “CALL BOOK” event

More Stories About “˜Just One” Sunday

Churches continue to share stories about their “Just One” Sunday. In addition to joining with other participating churches in praying for more laborers for the harvest, Crossroads Christian Church (Newburgh, IN) also used the three weekends before the Nov. 14 emphasis to challenge every Christ follower in the church body to identify “Just One” person with whom they would build a relationship, share Jesus, and include in some expression of Christian community. CCC plans to continue this emphasis on making disciples and raising up Christian leaders throughout 2011. During its services that Sunday, Greencastle (IN) Christian Church displayed pictures of

Interview with Cynthia Rodda

By Brad Dupray Mountain Mission School was founded in 1921 by Sam and Jane Hurley. After welcoming to their home nine children in addition to their own seven children, Sam felt convicted to fund a home where children could be cared for. He was a successful entrepreneur in Appalachian Virginia who became wealthy but used his wealth to reach out to children who reminded him of his own impoverished childhood. Now, nearly 90 years later, Sam”s great-granddaughter, Cynthia Rodda, serves as president of Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia, where the objective remains the same, to care for “the least

Churches Participate in “˜Just One Sunday”

By Jennifer Taylor Churches around the country have participated in “Just One Sunday,” a challenge from Christian college and university presidents to pray for “just one” person who might become a vocational kingdom worker and to make Matthew 9:38 a special prayer emphasis during worship services. Parkway Christian Church (Surprise, AZ) created a “Just One Challenge” card for each child at the church, from newborns to high school students. During the service, PCC members each selected a card and committed to pray for that young person at least once a day. David Doty, senior minister at Woodland Hills Church of

Sole Searching

By Jennifer Taylor Milligan College alumnus Andy Baker founded Remember the Children, a nonprofit organization committed to serving the forgotten children and families in Eastern Europe, after a trip to Romania in 1996. This fall he partnered with Milligan to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes for Romanian children. Milligan junior Rachel Severns helped spread the word on campus and collected contributions from community members. Baker will deliver the shoes to Romania this winter. www.remember-the-children.org www.milligan.edu ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of Christian Standard”s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www. christianstandard.com. Do you know of a church

What Your Church Can Do

By Guthrie Veech and Bill Behrman Use these ideas to increase the number of students from your church who choose to attend Christian colleges. Implementing “just one” of these will multiply servant leaders for kingdom work. “¢ Start encouraging young children ages 8-10 to consider ministry. The planted seeds bloom later as those students choose to become ministers. Tell those young people you are praying for them and God has a great plan for them. “¢ Every year have at least one lesson or sermon about the importance of every student spending one year in a Christian college. The resources

Friend Zones

By Jennifer Taylor Both Mid-Atlantic Christian University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina) and Hope International University (Fullerton, California) have been named “military friendly” schools by G.I. Jobs magazine and www.MilitaryFriendlySchools.com. This status is granted after research into a school”s programs and policies, tuition benefits, flexible learning options, accreditations, acceptance of the GI Bill, and more. This distinction ranks these schools in the top 15 percent of higher education institutions doing the most to embrace America”s veterans as students. Hope also participates in the Yellow Ribbon program that provides enhanced tuition assistance for military students who want to attend private schools and

Solid “˜Rock”

By Jennifer Taylor “Story” is a big idea right now. In 2009, author Donald Miller released A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, a memoir of the lessons he learned about “living a good story” while developing a movie script based on his life. Ben Arment”s STORY conference includes not only traditional big-name personalities like Chuck Swindoll but also David McFadzean (creator of the TV show Home Improvement), Richard Walter (screenwriter and UCLA film professor), and novelist Andrew Klavan. The International Storytelling Center draws thousands to its annual festival and works with the Library of Congress to collect information on

NACC “˜Beyond”: Beyond Words to Action””Holistic Global Impact

By Dick Alexander I”m a late in life convert. For many years I thought the best (and only) real good we could do in overseas mission work was to plant churches. Once the churches got up and running, the Christians there could take care of other needs in their societies. I used to worry that some mission work gave lots of cups of cold water but saved few souls and had little to show for decades of investment. Maybe I was just stupid. After all, Jesus healed and preached. And good missionaries for years have not truncated ministry. Food, medical

NACC “˜Beyond”: Beyond the Misguided Spiritual Disciplines

By Brian Jones Whenever people talk about moving beyond facilitating conversions to making disciples, someone will inevitably say that teaching and practicing the spiritual disciplines will be vital to making this happen. I couldn”t disagree more. Years ago Richard Foster released a perennially best-selling book called Celebration of Discipline. In it he outlined 12 disciplines Christians have engaged in over the last 2,000 years to help them live more spiritually abundant lives””meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. The church should be profoundly grateful for that book, and profoundly ticked off. Someone said a person”s greatest

NACC “˜Beyond”: Beyond the Desert of Ministry Fatigue

By George Ross OK, I have to be honest. When I told my wife this was the topic I”d been asked to speak on at the NACC this summer, her initial response was, “Oh boy! You”re gonna need some help with that one!” And she was right! Truth of the matter is, I have always been a subtle workaholic who struggles with boundaries and has a tendency to wear out more than rust out. Be that as it may, I am very aware of the desert and its dangers of depletion, depression, and derailment if we are left to ourselves.

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