Series: Columns

March 24, 2013

Christian Standard

Four Vital Signs of a Healthy Elder Team

By Gary L. Johnson Effective teams are healthy teams. But how do elder teams function well together? What does a healthy elder team look like? The best answers to those questions can be found in the leadership lessons between Jesus and his team of disciples. As Jesus neared the end of his ministry, as described in Mark 8 and 9, he had significant moments with his disciples, revealing four vital signs of a healthy team.   Vital Sign 1 A healthy elder team knows and pursues the mission. In Mark 8:31-38, Jesus explained to his disciples that he would suffer at

March 23, 2013

Christian Standard

Neighboring Churches

By Brian Mavis “From the city”s perspective, there is not a lot of difference between the way Christians neighbor and non-Christians neighbor.” The assistant city manager of Arvada, Colorado, made that statement to a group of church leaders. It left them embarrassed and convicted. But it wasn”t the first time they had heard something like that from a city leader. A month earlier a group of church leaders was meeting with Bob Frie, the mayor of Arvada. He explained that even though Arvada (population 106,000) is a great city, it has many problems typical of a city its size””delinquency, elderly

March 22, 2013

Christian Standard

The Rise of the “˜Nones”

By Tim Harlow The front page of USA Today said, “Protestants lose majority status in the US” (October 9, 2012). It just happened to catch my eye as I walked past a newsstand. I thought to myself, OK, but what could have taken its place? Catholicism is dying””is this about Mormonism? The article explained that Protestant numbers are down from 53 percent in 2007 to 48 percent today. But these Protestants didn”t switch to a new religious brand. They just let go of any faith affiliation or label. According to the Pew Forum, one in five Americans now claims no religious identity.

March 19, 2013

Christian Standard

A New Kind of Leadership?

By Mark A. Taylor Today Pope Francis, the first Pope from the Americas, will be formally installed in a mass that will headline news reports everywhere. Many nondenominational Christians will ignore the ceremony, while some will take the occasion to express their disdain for the abuses or errors of the church that claims 1.2 billion adherents worldwide. But we need not agree with Roman Catholic tradition or dogma to learn something from the unpretentious man who now heads that church. News of his unassuming humility is everywhere. Christopher M. Belitto, writing for CNN, described Francis”s first appearance to the masses

March 12, 2013

Christian Standard

Time to Change

By Mark A. Taylor I”ve been thinking this week about change. Not the pennies and nickels in my pocket, but the change that most of the country observed Sunday  at 2:00 a.m. That”s when Daylight Savings Time kicked in, leaving many of us yawning the next morning. Even though 49 of 50 U.S. states observe Daylight Savings Time (somehow most of Arizona has stayed exempt), some of us still chafe under the mandate to lose an hour of sleep each March. “The change in the spring is always hard for me,” a friend said Saturday night. We had been trying

March 7, 2013

Christian Standard

Institute a Chance to Match “˜Passion and Gift Mix”

By Jennifer Johnson For more than 35 years, Pioneer Bible Translators has offered opportunities for people from the Christian churches and churches of Christ to gain an in-depth understanding of taking God”s Word into new contexts through translation, church planting, and community development. The Pioneer Mission Institute began on the campus of Lincoln (IL) Christian College (now Lincoln Christian University) and is now held at the International Linguistics Center near Pioneer Bible”s main stateside office in Dallas, TX. This year”s weeklong event is scheduled June 9-14. In addition to the discovery program that introduces people to the ministries of Pioneer

March 5, 2013

Christian Standard

“˜Merge” Is Not a Dirty Word

By Mark A. Taylor Last month, two Christian colleges announced their intent to pursue a partnership with each other. Johnson University, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Florida Christian College, Kissimmee, Florida, hope to become one institution, perhaps as soon as this year, according to Johnson”s president, Gary Weedman. This is the second such possible merger being pursued between schools reporting in Christian Standard. It should not be the last. Last year Milligan College and Emmanuel Christian Seminary announced a similar plan to consider uniting under one administration. According to Milligan”s president, Bill Greer, and Emmanuel”s president, Michael Sweeney, those talks are continuing

March 4, 2013

Christian Standard

The Bible: Red Flag Edition on Sale Now!

By Jennifer Johnson I was pleased when Chad Entinger e-mailed to tell me about Deaf Missions” Bible translation and the new app that makes it available to even more people. I would not have been pleased to report on another new English translation. There are many good men and women working even now to bring us new translations of the ancient texts, but can we just admit we already have more than we need? An article on ReligionToday.com puts the number at 200, including the New International Version, New International Reader”s Version, New Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New

March 3, 2013

Christian Standard

ASL Version of Bible Released as Mobile App

By Jennifer Johnson Deaf Missions, producer of The Bible: American Sign Language Version, recently released this Bible translation for the deaf as a mobile application for smartphones and tablets. The free app, Deaf Bible.is ASL, was developed by Faith Comes By Hearing, a leading audio Bible ministry based in Albuquerque, NM, using the video content translated and produced by Deaf Missions. The entire New Testament and 22 books of the Old Testament currently translated into American Sign Language (ASL) are included, along with the 2001 English Standard Version text of the whole Bible. The mobile app also features the sign

March 2, 2013

Christian Standard

Wanted: Titus 2 Women

By Sheila S. Hudson When I was a rookie minister”s wife, a gentle lady named Merle took me under her wing. Merle was a retired schoolteacher “clothed with strength and dignity” who could “laugh at the days to come” (Proverbs 31:25). Her wisdom earned respect communitywide, while her “never-grow-up attitude” endeared her to believers and nonbelievers alike. Her husband was an extraordinary elder whose wisdom earned esteem in all arenas. Miss Merle modeled Titus 2:3, “Teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what

February 28, 2013

Christian Standard

‘Trust Completely’

By Mark A. Taylor Months ago Matt Proctor chose the topic for the sermon he preached Monday evening (February 25) to kick off Ozark Christian College”s annual Preaching Teaching Convention. But he had no idea then how personal his message, titled “Trust Completely,” would become. The challenge to trust came into sharper focus for Matt when his wife, Katie, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer two weeks ago. “Not exactly the news a 44-year-old mother of six kids was hoping to hear,” Matt said, according to last week”s e-newsletter from the North American Christian Convention. The NACC made the announcement as

February 25, 2013

Christian Standard

Failing, Fathering, and Falling Toward Maturity

By LeRoy Lawson   The Damnation of Theron Ware Harold Frederic Various editions; first published in 1896 Gilead Marilynne Robinson New York: Picador, 2004 Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life Richard Rohr San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011 Pastoral ministry can be among the hardest jobs there are””or the easiest. Since pastors are granted freedom to set their own schedules and priorities, the conscientious minister tends to work too hard and the indolent one finds every excuse to take it easy. What this means is ministry attracts””or creates””the finest of characters or the worst. I”m exaggerating of course,

February 24, 2013

Christian Standard

When Things Go Well

By Eddie Lowen When church leaders need to crack a code or solve a problem, help is everywhere. Books, blogs, coaches, conferences, e-zines, and webinars are so plentiful that the trick is no longer accessing information, but evaluating and organizing it. And there”s help for those tasks, too (there”s always an app for that). If you need a strategy that fits your vision, you can find it. If you face a mystery, someone can help solve it. If you need an expert who specializes in evangelizing 38.5-year-old suburban males who work in financial services and eat their cereal with tablespoons,

February 23, 2013

Michael C. Mack

Ten Tips for Making Your Groups Less Scary

By Michael C. Mack The first time I attended a small group meeting, I drove around the block several times before finally getting up the nerve to walk up to the door of the host home. This was one of the scariest experiences of my life! I didn”t know what to expect and wondered if I”d fit in. Over the years, I”ve loosened up, and I”ve also learned how to make groups more inviting and accepting for new people. Here are 10 ideas.   1. Pay attention to the timing. When is the best time to invite a friend to

February 22, 2013

Christian Standard

Want a Better Church? Ask Better Questions

“You are a Christian only so long as you constantly pose critical questions to the society you live in . . . so long as you stay unsatisfied with the status quo and keep saying that a new world is yet to come.” “”Henri Nouwen By Brian Mavis If your spouse calls and says, “I”ve just been in a car accident,” the first question out of your mouth will show what you really care about (and it will also have a direct bearing on your marital relationship). Asking, “Are you OK?” reveals love for your spouse and results in compassion and healing.

February 21, 2013

Christian Standard

Cocooning Instead of Congregating?

By Mark A. Taylor Even though I”m an extrovert by nature, I love a weekend evening at home with my wife, sharing the couch and something fun to eat, and watching a program or movie we both enjoy on TV. This is especially nice at the end of a busy week, with several nights away from home, and workdays filled with multiple obligations. It”s great to settle in, put away the to-do lists, and just enjoy good food and good entertainment with my best friend. Several decades ago, trend forecaster Faith Popcorn coined a term for a pastime like this.

February 14, 2013

Christian Standard

Real Love, Real Joy

By Mark A. Taylor My preacher had advice for married folks in his sermon last Sunday: “As long as you”re going to be married the rest of your life, you might as well enjoy it.” His list of strategies for pursuing and discovering joy in marriage was a thought-provoking challenge even for an oldster like me (anticipating my 40th wedding anniversary in just a few months). But I was even more interested in a Wall Street Journal feature Tuesday that quoted scientific research to underscore a fact about marriage that Jesus himself might have offered. “People who put their mates” needs

February 7, 2013

Christian Standard

Drive-through Prayer Draws Traffic

By Jennifer Johnson Since last April, Centerpointe Christian Church (Lexington, KY) has offered “drive-through prayer” one Wednesday night a month. A small team of volunteers stands on several corners and in front of the church waving signs to direct drivers to the building, while two couples wait to pray with anyone who pulls in. “We see everything, from families having trouble to people coming right from the bars,” says Rex Hughes, coordinator of the ministry. “Each month is a reminder of the burdens people around us carry every day.” The team hands out cold water in the summer and hot

February 7, 2013

Christian Standard

Seeking God

By Mark A. Taylor Throughout the month of February, you’ll find many articles on this site around the theme of spiritual formation. And you may wonder why. Barney Wells, a professor at Lincoln Christian University, says there”s a widespread “recognition that we need to go deeper in our preaching, teaching, and community life.” Jody Owens, professor of Bible and pastoral ministries at Johnson University, adds, “All ministers are aware this is a pressing need,” but “they”re finding little time to dedicate to intentional discipleship.” Those Christian college teachers, as well as several others included in Jennifer Johnson”s report, are giving their

February 2, 2013

Christian Standard

College Listened to Its Community

“My Take” by Jennifer Johnson I love many things about Lipscomb”s new Spark center, including the school”s willingness to put down roots in a new part of town and its multifaceted approach to professional development. But I think the best part of this new initiative””and the reason it”s been wildly successful even in its opening months””is its attention to the felt needs of a specific demographic. Executive Director John Lowry says the center”s design and its services reflect current research on how adults learn and work together, and the idea for Spark developed after Lipscomb saw the need for more

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