Series: Columns

January 29, 2020

Jerry Harris

Healing the Brokenhearted

By Jerry Harris He was absolutely convinced he was doing the right thing. His indoctrination into the rightness of his position came about over many years; it was painstakingly produced through study and a network of key relationships. His animosity toward this new sect was fueled by an urgency to stamp it out quickly, before it irreparably damaged the true faith forged in a 1,500-year fire of trial and adversity. Followers of this cult didn’t deserve mercy, pity, or the benefit of due process; they didn’t deserve even a second thought because of their perversion of all things good and

January 22, 2020

David Roadcup

What Does God Want from Elders of His Church?

By David Roadcup My 23 years of coaching and consulting with churches and their leaders has led me to conclude, As go the leaders, so goes the church. Leaders set the example, tone, faith, and practice for believers in the church they serve.   So we, as leaders, need to ask ourselves, What does our Father want from us, and how do we accomplish his ultimate task? Using Scripture as our guideline, here is an overview of what the Lord wants from the primary leaders in his church. 1. A Healthy and Growing Spiritual Life God wants all church leadership

January 8, 2020

Kent E. Fillinger

Kent E. Fillinger

The Power of Invitation

By Kent E. Fillinger Jesus told the parable of a man who planned a great feast and invited many people to attend (see Luke 14:15-24). When preparations were completed, he sent his servant to tell his invited guests, “Come, for everything is now ready.” Surprisingly, the people on the guest list made multiple excuses for why they couldn’t attend. This angered the master, who told his servant to invite the poor, crippled, blind, and lame to come. After they arrived, there still was room. So, the master told the servant to invite anyone he could find to come to the

January 3, 2020

Michael C. Mack

Recapturing a 'Phenomenal' Vision for Our Churches

By Michael C. Mack January 2020 seems like an excellent time to think about vision. The articles in this issue focus on significant church strategiesfundraising, assessing, training, neighboring, church planting, and reaching men, for examplethat can help churches fulfill Jesus’ vision and carry out his mission. But I want to make sure we don’t confuse strategiesthough they may be biblical and beneficialwith the church’s vision and mission. Strategies must never supplant our mission. I did a quick topical search of the bookshelves in my office: The Five-Star Church, The Seven-Day-a-Week Church, The Emotionally Healthy Church, Becoming a Healthy Church, Building

January 2, 2020

Michael C. Mack

Matthew 25 and the Role of Christ's Church

By Michael C. Mack We’re trying something a little different this month. We have provided what amounts to a 54-page Bible study of 16 verses: Matthew 25:31-46. We begin with exposition; Jon Weatherly skillfully provides context and commentary for this passage. Of course, effectual Bible study begins with careful observation and accurate interpretation, but it means nothing without application. We must “do what it says.” And so we tell the stories of churches and other Christian organizations living out Matthew 25:34-40. They demonstrate what it looks like to feed the hungry, welcome strangers, clothe those in need, look after sick

January 2, 2020

Megan Rawlings

Megan Rawlings

'Fire and Rain': The Power of a Praying Wife

By Megan Rawlings The lyrics of James Taylor’s song “Fire and Rain” (and this verse, in particular, “I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend . . .”) echoed in my mind as I thought about the past year. I’ve received an unbelievable number of calls from disheartened wives during the past 12 months. Many of these ladies live with men who struggle with porn, constantly threaten divorce, have affairs, and/or battle alcoholism. All of these women are Christians who are married to nonbelieving husbands; they all need reassurance they are not alone. I needed a success

January 2, 2020

Halee Wood

Eternity with a Child Molester

By Halee Wood Hatred . . . Love. Despair . . . Hope. Rejection . . . Acceptance. Contradictory emotions filled me as I stood face-to-face with a child molester. Despite having been abused by a much older boyresulting in pregnancy and abortion by age 14God had provided me with a story of redemption that sparks emotion and hope, especially among those who share a similar history and for those living with a spouse who shares my experiences. When I share my testimony publicly, it is not uncommon for someone to discreetly wait around until the room is all but

January 2, 2020

Laura McKillip Wood

Laura-McKillip-Wood

River of Life

By Laura McKillip Wood “When I was 14 years old, I traveled with my father to a little town in the middle of nowhere to teach one man. This man was planting a church in his house. My dad went there every month to teach him, and when I saw this, it really touched my heart. He left the city where we lived, a classroom full of students, and a big church where he ministered to go to just one person in a small town.” Jeff Fife watched his father on that trip. He saw his father’s care for that

December 31, 2019

Jerry Harris

The Rules Have Changed

By Jerry Harris The January issue of Christian Standard focuses on the business side of church. Leaders make decisions every day about spending, staff, volunteers, fundraising, organizational structure, leader development, staff and volunteer education, debt, facility management, marketing, media, and online presence. Yet, despite all of that, it is rather amazing how little most church leaders know about business, finance, real estate, administration, or management. Many mainly rural and small churches are closing daily because they can no longer manage their own existence. Attendance and giving might be dwindling; the churches may no longer be able to pay for a

December 25, 2019

Laura McKillip Wood

Laura-McKillip-Wood

From ‘Never’ to All-In: Let’s Start Talking Trip Leads to Missions Career

By Laura McKillip Wood Melvina’s hands shook as she dialed 911. “I found my dad on the floor! I can’t wake him up!” She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself as the operator instructed her to begin CPR. Within a few minutes, paramedics arrived, but it was too late. The heart attack was fatal. They pronounced Melvina’s father dead at the scene. In many ways, this event marked the end of Melvina Brown’s childhood: “I was 17, but his death turned me into a 30-year-old.” She made decisions about the funeral and bought a casket. She began

December 25, 2019

Megan Rawlings

Megan Rawlings

The Importance of Women, and Women’s Ministry, in the Church

By Megan Rawlings As a young girl, I always wanted to be just like my mom. Whether it was cutting jeans into shorts, teasing my bangs, or thanking veterans in the grocery store, if she did it, so did I. One time, I saw Mom get eye level with a homeless man, hand him a sandwich, and say, “Jesus loves you.” That moment—the small act of telling a nameless person about the love of God—cemented the woman I wanted to be. At the age of 3, “Jesus loves you” was my mantra. I wasn’t a prodigy of the Primary Department.

December 17, 2019

Kent E. Fillinger

Kent E. Fillinger

‘I’ll Be (Living at) Home for Christmas’

By Kent E. Fillinger This Christmas, you might be looking forward to your adult children returning home. Or maybe they’re home already. A Pew Research Center report found that 15 percent of millennials (ages 25 to 37) were living at home in 2018, nearly double the rate of older baby boomers when they were in that age range. In fact, a smaller percentage of people in the rising generations are checking off the four major life events that historically have signified “adulthood”: leaving home, getting married, becoming a parent, and getting a job. And the percentage of adults in the

December 16, 2019

Daniel Schantz

The Jewel Tree

By Daniel Schantz “Don’t bother to buy a Christmas tree,” my wife, Sharon, said as she peered out the window at our neighbors who were struggling to get an oversized tree through their front door. “No one is coming to see us this season, so what’s the point?” She sounded disappointed. “Yeah, you’re right,” I agreed. “I think this is going to be the Christmas that wasn’t.” This Christmas would be a special trial for me—my first since I retired after training student-leaders for world service for 43 years. All that time, I “lived” in the classrooms of Central Christian

December 14, 2019

Gary L. Johnson

Children Matter . . . All Year Long

By Gary L. Johnson  “Christmas is for children,” declares one song of the season. We can see the truth of that statement in society simply by observing parents and grandparents as they buy gifts to make children’s Christmas wishes come true. As elders, we understand the importance of children all year round. We have a serious problem in the church that will directly impact the next generation and can claim the spiritual lives of countless people. Elder teams must respond quickly with strength and wisdom from God so we can avert this crisis. The Problem Elders need to be keenly

December 9, 2019

Mark A. Taylor

Reflections on CCU’s Final Chapel Service

By Mark A. Taylor Thursday morning, at the last chapel service of Cincinnati Christian University, I remembered Cincinnati Bible Seminary chapel services at the old church building in Price Hill 50 years ago when I was a student. Inside, the stone walls and wooden pillars would reverberate with chatter as we gathered twice each week. Then E. Wayne Berry would take his place and the room would fall silent as he called us to worship with a melody played on the room’s majestic pipe organ. Then we would stand to sing. And, oh how we sang! Our voices raised a

December 2, 2019

Gary L. Johnson

The Threefold Trust Given to Elders

By Gary L. Johnson Long before I went to seminary, I earned a degree in finance and worked as a commercial loan officer. I enjoyed everything about the banking environment, from the people to the processes to the policies. Many banks use the word trust in their names, such as First National Bank & Trust. It should be no surprise, then, that one of the many services banks provide is the management of trust accounts. Banks typically have a trust department where workers oversee assets entrusted to the bank. A trust department can manage thousands of trust accounts worth hundreds

December 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Yet We Continue

By Clayton Hentzel Ministry is tough; that’s why it’s not for everyone. We minister to people who lie, overpromise, and underdeliver. It seems every time we leave the 99 to go after the one, the one says thanks, but doesn’t serve or give, and the 99 complain we didn’t visit their uncle in the hospital, even though no one told us he was there. Ministry can be especially tough in our post-Christian culture. Society is changing. Extracurricular activities are increasing while frequency of attendance is declining. Political chaos abounds. Abortion has become mainstream and people march in favor of it.

November 2, 2019

Laura McKillip Wood

Laura-McKillip-Wood

Innovative Disciple-Making Using Social Media

By Laura McKillip Wood The smell of fresh bread and pastries wafted around Eugene* as he stepped through the bakery door in Banja Luka, Bosnia. Shelves of baked goods lined one wall, and people quietly spoke with the cashier as they made their purchases. Eugene noticed two young men his age standing near him. One man wore a jacket with the name of a band on it. “I like that band,” Eugene said. After chatting for a moment, Eugene sat down with David and Petar. They drank coffee and talked about their shared love of music. As they prepared to

November 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Dying Mall Becoming Marketplace for Church to Serve Community

By Mel McGowan Grand Cities Mall was nearly dead. It’s a typical story in a small city. Online retail has caused local stores to shut down. Even big retailers have left the mall in Grand Forks, North Dakota. But the owner of the mall, Land of Hope—the managing group serving Hope Church in relationship to the Grand Cities Mall—wants to change that story. Hope Church originally rented a storefront space in the mall in 1996. It was supposed to be only temporary because the church owned seven acres on the south side of town where it planned to construct a

November 2, 2019

Michael C. Mack

The Profound Impact of Parents Who Seek God

By Michael C. Mack I woke up one chilly, December morning, the excitement of Christmas, still several days away, already percolating in my 8-year-old brain like the coffee brewing in the kitchen. It was still dark outside, but the kitchen light was on. In my footy pajamas, I wandered inconspicuously toward it. As I peered around the corner, first I saw the wall clock; it was only 4:30 a.m. Then I saw my mom, sitting at the kitchen table, head down, a small journal sitting in front of her. She was silently praying.  That memory is still etched on my

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