Organizations & Events

Organizations & Events covers the ministries, institutions, and gatherings that shape church life and the Restoration Movement. Explore articles on conferences, training opportunities, church networks, and the work of organizations serving local congregations. You’ll find news, highlights, interviews, and event coverage—along with updates that help leaders stay connected and informed. Whether you’re looking for what’s happening across the movement or learning about trusted partners and key initiatives, this hub brings together stories and information related to organizations and events that support the mission of the church.

July 18, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC “˜Beyond”: A Sermon Series and BEYOND

By Ethan Magness In our own congregation, the BEYOND theme has been a channel for change. When we see what has happened here, we have great hope for what God will do through our convention. All of us want to be a part of churches that are moving beyond. We want to be always following Jesus to a place we have never been before. Certainly this desire to move beyond is a central value of Mountain Christian Church, where I serve on staff and where NACC President Ben Cachiaras is senior minister. One of the reasons we are excited to be

May 12, 2010

Christian Standard

A New Reason to Register

By Mark A. Taylor Why register for the North American Christian Convention? Well, for all the same reasons you ought to attend the North American Christian Convention, July 6-9 in Indianapolis. This year”s program promises encouragement, information, new experiences, and the chance to be challenged by nationally known church leaders. And the registration fees are a fraction of the costs you”d pay to attend other similar conferences. Of course, you could say there”s nothing else quite like the NACC. Nowhere else will you find as many friends and influencers from other Christian churches and churches of Christ all together in one place.

March 14, 2010

Christian Standard

Here”s What”s Happening at Our Christian Colleges

By Staff We asked colleges and seminaries associated with Christian churches and churches of Christ to provide updates on what”s happening at their institutions. Here”s what they had to say (these are listed alphabetically): Alberta Bible College The Rock is a new first-year program designed to ignite a new generation! While it provides students with classical foundational knowledge and practical ministry experiences, a new ingredient is various types of coaching designed to help students discern where “their deep gladness meets the world”s deep need” (Frederick Buechner). In other words, the goal is to help students discern who and where God

February 28, 2010

Christian Standard

Honor Where It”s Due: A Report on the 2009 National Missionary Convention

By John Caldwell My first experience with the National Missionary Convention was when it came to Joplin, Missouri, in 1965 while I was a student at Ozark Bible College. A few hundred people met at Memorial Hall with Woodrow Phillips, Ozark”s missions professor, serving as president. The halls were lined with displays, mostly homemade. Quite honestly, there is little else I can remember except that I felt honored to be in the presence of missionaries from all around the world whom I considered to be heroes of the faith. It would be many years before I would attend the convention

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC: The Week’s Schedule

TUESDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 6 Exhibit Hall Standard Publishing Lunch LOGOS Bible Software Training “The Zone,” Student Area TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 6 Exhibit Hall Evening Main Session with Ben Cachiaras NACC President”s Reception College Fair (for students and parents) WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 7 Exhibit Hall Ministers” Networking Breakfast Bible Study Exhibitor Workshops Morning Main Session with Brian Jones Student Main Session with Todd Clark Featured Guest Speaker, Efrem Smith WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 7 Exhibit Hall Seniors” Luncheon with Ben Merold Workshops Bible Studies WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 7 Exhibit Hall President”s Banquet””Open to All Evening Main Session with Dick Alexander THURSDAY MORNING,

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

The NACC Is for Students Too!

By Phyllis Fox Youth in Ministry (YiM) is excited to go BEYOND with the North American Christian Convention”s Student Convention in Indianapolis this summer. Our goal is to encourage students to go BEYOND ordinary worship and BEYOND radical discipleship. We have several familiar program elements plus new features that will excite students and their parents. What’s New We are encouraged by the many churches enjoying intergenerational worship, so we are trying something new in the 2010 Student Convention by having the students join the adults for the evening sessions. When students are in high school it is critical that they

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC: The Rock & The Rabbi

By Phyllis Fox So, you want to hear about the Rabbi. Good. You”ll get your chance at the Thursday-evening session of the North American Christian Convention. I should warn you, though, it”s challenging to find the right words that will take you BEYOND your imaginations and BEYOND your previous theater experiences, because The Rock & The Rabbi is so much more. Beyond the synagogues and shorelines, beyond the church walls and workplaces””the Rabbi says, “Follow Me. I”ll make you fishers of men.” It all begins with a name-changing encounter and a miraculous catch of fish for Peter, the Rock, when

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

Testimony of an NACC Newcomer

By Daryl Reed I serve as lead minister of DC Regional Christian Church in metropolitan Washington. Our church was reorganized and relaunched as a congregation in 2003. For the past five years or so, our young congregation has been encouraged by new connections we”ve made with new ministry friends, especially our friendship with Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland. I have a rich history within the Restoration Movement. I consider myself blessed to have been raised in the mainline a cappella churches of Christ in Wisconsin. My grandparents on both sides and my parents are longtime church of Christ members

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC Women”s Conference Will Help You “˜Survive and Thrive”

By Karla McElroy Believing that faithfulness to one”s kingdom call requires welcoming all of life”s experiences as gifts from God, this year”s NACC Women”s Conference leadership team chose the theme “Survive and Thrive” to help guide the choices for speakers and topics. Here are some highlights: Thursday Main Event“”This special session for women has been expanded to include lunch, worship, and testimonies. Carol Kent, founder of Speak Up With Confidence and also a best-selling author, will be the guest speaker. Carol knows what it means to live with an unthinkable circumstance that will never change””and still to make hope-filled choices.

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

Two Conventions in One: The NACC and FACC

By Karla McElroy The NACC welcomes the Filipino & American Christian Convention to Indianapolis, Indiana. Since its first gathering in Santa Cruz, California, in 1982, the FACC has been held biannually in cities across the United States, Hawaii, Canada, Guam, and the Philippines. Al Dimaano is president of this year”s convention. It seems particularly fitting for him to be a leader in this new NACC-FACC partnership since he is the founding chairman of the FACC. Registration will cover events for both conventions. FACC-focused events will be held in the Hyatt Regency, which is attached by skywalk to the Indiana Convention

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

The Rest of the Story

By George Ross There”s a couple in our church named Brian and Amy. Since the spring of 2000 I”ve used their experience to help explain the joy of coming to faith in the Lord. Their story is moving to me and sometimes to others if I do it justice by telling it properly. But just two weeks ago their journey with Christ became even more special to me. Anxious to Dive In Brian and Amy”s baptism a decade ago wasn”t during a service; most everyone had already left the building, but the angels were celebrating. After our last service of

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC: BEYOND

By Ben Cachiaras When visiting Capernaum last summer, I paused on the rocky shoreline looking out at the Sea of Galilee. Knowing it could be the very stretch of beach Jesus walked when he called those first fishermen gave it a surreal sense of being holy ground. What struck me is that Jesus” call to them was abrupt and demanding: “Follow me!” Doing so would mean a life of perpetual movement and adventure, risk and change. It meant dropping familiar nets, leaving cherished family, and abandoning well-worn paths in pursuit of a leader who wanted to take them BEYOND any

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC: Jesus Calls Us to Go BEYOND

By Ben Cachiaras Here are some of the sessions planned for this summer’s North American Christian Convention in Indianapolis, July 6-9: “BEYOND the Great Omission” is about making more and better disciples””with Jesus-like passion for both. Instead of omitting one-half of the Great Commission, God wants to stir a passion in us for reaching those far from him””and an equal passion for growing mature disciples. “BEYOND Racial Zones” is about moving past our sectors of separation until our churches reflect the complexion we find in Christ”s church in Acts and Revelation. It is not about affirmative action or being politically

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC: A Blend of the Fresh and Familiar

By Ben Cachiaras Special Guests A trademark of the convention will be great preaching at our main sessions, anchored by some of our movement”s strong speakers, like Brian Jones, Dick Alexander with Mary Kamau, George Ross, and Gene Appel. In addition, we will welcome some special friends as guests; Christian brothers we have invited to share with us, and from whom we can benefit, include Efrem Smith, Francis Chan, Rick Warren, and others. Added to that will be rich worship experiences led by Eric Olson and the team from Mountain Christian Church of Joppa, Mary-land; Bible studies led by John-ny

February 14, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC: Hmmm . . . Let Us Think

By Rob Kastens Recently I was given a complete original set of The Millennial Harbinger. As I read through the discolored, fragile pages of several issues from the 1800s, I was struck by the discourse and exchange around all sorts of issues. Positions were stated and confronted by Alexander Campbell as he responded to writings published elsewhere and letters he received. This exchange of views through the Harbinger and other publications, in addition to public debates and discussions, helped shape and hone our movement in its early days. In these pages, I found Christians who were committed to Scripture and

February 10, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Ben Cachiaras

Ben Cachiaras By Brad Dupray As the president of the 2010 North American Christian Convention, Ben Cachiaras has led the planning of a convention that goes “beyond” the ordinary. “What if we didn”t have a North American? What would we wish we did have? What would we need? Let”s plan that convention,” he says. Ben and his wife, Karla, met in the food court of the 1987 North American Christian Convention and this year will be celebrating their 20th year of marriage. For the last 12 years, Ben has served as senior pastor of Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland.

February 10, 2010

Christian Standard

A New Look at What We Need

By Mark A. Taylor Read carefully, and you”ll see there”s something different about this summer”s North American Christian Convention. President Ben Cachiaras has done more than plan a meeting of substance with excellent content””although he has certainly done that. He has done more than inject some creative and fresh elements into a program that may seem the same from year to year””although this year”s new touches give everyone a reason to attend. No, Ben hasn”t sought to polish an existing template. Instead he”s asked, “Suppose we had no North American Christian Convention? What do we need that a weeklong conference

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