Series: Buzz

June 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Eubanks Institute Hosts “˜Forwarding Agents” Event

By Jennifer Taylor On May 23 and 24, the Eubanks Institute for Missions at Johnson Bible College (Knoxville, TN) hosted a gathering of forwarding agents, missionaries, and others interested in missions to discuss the agents” multifaceted and important role. Speakers at “The Work of the Forwarding Agent: Past, Present and Future” included Reggie Hundley, Ziden Nutt, Chris Templar, and Carrie Beth Lowe. Workshops and main sessions focused on finances, education, public relations, publishing, and more. The Eubanks Institute was established in 2006 and named in honor of former JBC President David Eubanks and his wife, Margaret, to recognize their significant

May 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Common Ground Site for Uncommon Garden

By Jennifer Taylor A few weeks ago, Common Ground Christian Church (Tampa, FL) broke ground on its new community garden. Urban Farming and Kraft Foods” Triscuit brand are sponsoring the garden, providing all the soil, plants, tools, and other supplies; the organizations are collaborating to plant 65 of these gardens around the country this year. The groups kicked off the groundbreaking with a press release and live simulcast of the event, including connections to Triscuit”s headquarters in New York and a new garden in Los Angeles. Common Ground”s “Green Team” of volunteers will care for the garden, and the church

May 25, 2011

Christian Standard

Responding to Joplin Tornado Disaster

News this week focuses on the many churches, parachurch ministries, and families affected by the tornado that struck Joplin, MO, on Sunday. Victor Knowles, president of Joplin-based Peace on Earth Ministries, shares the good news that all 37 Christian church/church of Christ parachurch organizations in Joplin came through the storm without significant damage to their buildings. However, a number of staff from these ministries did lose their homes. And one of the many people killed in the storms was Natalia Puebla, a freshman at Ozark Christian College from Carthage, MO. Doug Welch, a professor at OCC, shared yesterday, “I still had a stack

May 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Johnson Bible College Changing Name to Johnson University

Last week, Johnson Bible College also announced a new name; the school will become Johnson University. “Committing ourselves to be a Great Commission school means that we explore as many ways as possible to prepare persons for Great Commission work,” says the school”s Web site. “It also means that we must try to eliminate any barriers to that purpose. . . . This new name enables us to provide alumni greater access to “˜closed” and “˜limited access” countries, thus to most of the unreached/unevangelized world; recruit more students for Great Commission vocations by more accurately communicating our academic quality; facilitate

May 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Emmanuel’s Name to Change June 1

Emmanuel School of Religion will exist for just a few more weeks””on June 1 it will become Emmanuel Christian Seminary. President Michael Sweeney writes that the ESR name no longer communicates effectively with today”s society. “Fifty years ago, a “˜school of religion” was essentially the same as a “˜divinity school,” that is, a seminary-like institution attached to a university, with, perhaps, a somewhat broader curriculum than the average seminary,” he says. “[But] the name that worked so well in the past is now creating some confusion.” The school has completed the official documentation with the state and accrediting agencies and

May 5, 2011

Christian Standard

Operation Weatherization

By Jennifer Taylor Since February, Crossroads Christian Church (Newburgh, Indiana) has worked with Habitat for Humanity and local organizations to pilot an energy conservation project for urban housing. The “mission” included weatherizing dozens of homes to reduce energy costs for low-income families. Volunteers caulked and foamed cracks, replaced furnace filters, added attic insulation, and more. CCC coordinated serving days from February through May and provided training for all participants. www.crossroadschristian.com ________________ 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 breaking new ground or leading innovative

May 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Churches Relaunched

By Jennifer Taylor After 26 years of service, Peachtree City (Georgia) Christian Church (PTC3) was ready to expand. But instead of planting a church in a school or movie theater, the church relaunched two local congregations as thriving new campuses. Last summer, PTC3 partnered with County Line Christian Church in Brooks, Georgia, the second-oldest Christian church in the state. New signs and landscaping improved the “curb appeal” of this historic church, and campus minister Jason Pierce is excited about the renewal of energy among worshippers. In January PTC3 added East Point (Georgia) Christian Church as a third campus. Although the

May 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Shifting the Focus to Neighborhood Ministry

By Jennifer Taylor “Neighborhood Ministry has become our nerve center,” says Ashley Wooldridge, executive pastor at Christ”s Church of the Valley (Peoria, AZ). “It is the reason our church is growing.” CCV senior pastor Don Wilson created Neighborhood Ministry three years ago to more effectively accomplish the church”s mission of winning people to Christ, training them to become disciples, and sending disciples to impact the world. Each person at CCV is encouraged to join a neighborhood group””a weekly gathering of people who live in the same neighborhood or subdivision. The groups meet each week in a study based on the

April 30, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Plant Finds Bowling Alley to Its Liking

By Jennifer Taylor Dave and Marcy Rudin didn”t even have to move to launch their new church plant. After growing up in the Chicago area and serving as a pastor with Summit View Christian Church (Hoffman Estates, Illinois) for 17 years, Rudin realized his own neighborhood””20 minutes from the Summit View Campus””also needed a Christian church. The Rudins partnered with Ignite Church Planting to plant Lifeline Christian Church this February . . . in a bowling alley. “We needed a place to meet and began looking at our community through fresh eyes,” Rudin says. “The Brunswick Zone bowling alley had

April 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Runners Raising Money for Haiti Mission

Three Marks””Mark Graham, Mark Wilkerson and Mark Mullelly“”are working together to raise money for Haiti. The three will start “at the back of the pack” at the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon on May 7 and have asked donors to pledge a penny or more for each person they pass during the race. Every cent raised will help Northwest Haiti Christian Mission (Zionsville, IN) bring medical help, clean water, and food to the people of Haiti. Learn more (and make a pledge!) at www.runmarkrun.com.

April 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Ohio Churches Celebrate Easter Together

First Christian Church (Canton, OH) and RiverTree Christian Church (Massillon, OH) celebrated Easter together this past Sunday. “FCC planted RiverTree more than forty years ago!” the churches share. “We believe we share a common mission and vision from God and want to take steps to build our partnership.” Instead of one huge gathering, each congregation held its own worship services; Scott Rosen and Greg Nettle, senior pastors of the two churches, drove back and forth to “team preach” at each one. The multisite campuses of each church received the same message via video.

April 22, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Hosts ‘Homeless Connect’ Event

On April 14, Chancey Road Christian Church (Zephyrhills, FL) hosted the county”s first-ever “Homeless Connect” event. The day included opportunities for the homeless of Pasco County to receive haircuts, apply for housing and food stamps, get clothes and groceries, and seek legal advice or medical care. More than 600 people attended the event. CRCC will also be the county”s first site to offer portable showers for the homeless. Read more here!

April 13, 2011

Christian Standard

Farm Team

By Jennifer Taylor Several years ago, Jerry and Debbie Cramer, members at Tyro (Kansas) Christian Church, began Gifts for the Nations, a ministry dedicated to providing medical equipment, educational material, clothes, bedding, and other supplies locally and internationally. “They began working with missionaries in northern Africa,” says David Bycroft, Tyro Christian”s evangelist. “When they learned the farmers there were using cow bones as hoes to prepare fields for planting, they wanted to send a tractor.” Jerry and a small team restored the first tractor and partnered with FAME (Indianapolis, Indiana) to ship it to an African village. The team bought

April 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Focused Group

By Jennifer Taylor Some groups at Pantano Christian Church (Tucson, Arizona) reach the community through outreach or benevolence. PCC”s Disaster Action Team serves Tucson by working to keep its citizens safe. The team, which formed several years ago, is led by Tom Taylor, a retired lieutenant for the sheriff”s office who serves as the church”s director of security and emergency services. “We didn”t try to create something new,” he says. “We partner with existing agencies and organizations to work within their systems. That”s how you get by the yellow tape so you can help.” Because of this collaborative perspective, the

March 30, 2011

Christian Standard

Indian Creek Starts Police Ministry

Indian Creek Christian Church (Indianapolis, IN) recently launched a new ministry for police officers, their spouses, and families. The Creek developed the ministry to help this group with challenges like odd work hours and bringing difficult experiences home from the job. All active and retired police officers and their families were invited to join the ministry and share support and encouragement.

March 30, 2011

Christian Standard

New Building for Churchill Meadows

This past Sunday, Churchill Meadows Christian Church (Mississauga, Ontario) celebrated the grand opening of their new building. Senior minister Jim Tune and his wife, Claudia, planted CMCC in 2001 and the church broke ground on the building in June 2008. The project””Church Development Fund“s first international loan””will provide the first permanent facility for Churchill Meadows, which has grown to be the largest independent Christian church in Canada.

March 25, 2011

Christian Standard

Community Christian Launches Two Campuses

By Jennifer Taylor Not one but TWO new campuses of Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL) launched this past weekend! Campus pastor Dave Richa and his team rehabbed the former Shale Harbor Church in Lemont, IL. “Currently, Shale Harbor has multiple small church communities around the country,” says an article about the new site. “When Shale Harbor members felt the Lemont church wasn”t realizing its redemptive potential, they sought out the partnership with Community Christian, said Dave Ferguson, lead pastor of Community Christian Church.” The launch team included people from both Shale Harbor and CCC. Community also launched a new campus

March 25, 2011

Christian Standard

Amity Church Recognized for Helping Fire Victims

Last week, the Amity (OR) Church of Christ was recognized by Rep. Jim Weidner of the Oregon House of Representatives for “success in exemplary community involvement.” This recognition came as the result of ACC’s response to victims of a recent fire that destroyed a local apartment building, displacing several low-income residents. ACC’s outreach ministry took donations for the fire victims through “Lydia’s Closet” (ACC’s clothes closet ministry), and by setting up a fund at a local bank to help the fire victims with financial needs.

March 24, 2011

Christian Standard

Ramping Up

By Jennifer Taylor Before developing a new outreach ministry, DaySpring Christian Church (Fort Collins, Colorado) wisely asked community members about their biggest needs. Although the area is noted for an especially high incidence of multiple sclerosis, many people using wheelchairs said they did not have ramps to their front doors. Jim Stroh and other DaySpring volunteers have spent years changing that, one ramp at a time. The team created a consortium with Volunteers of America and local resource agencies for the disabled. Using a combination of his own skills, online information, and official specifications from the Americans with Disabilities Act,

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