Series: Columns

April 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Under Conviction

By Tony Twist Recently married and fresh from seminary, Suzanne and I began our ministry with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1979. It so happened that the Billy Graham Crusade came to Indianapolis in 1980, and Suzanne was tapped to work in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association office. One thing she learned from the crusade team was to pray over everything. So, she determined to bring this practice home. The evening we decided to have devotions together, rather than at separate times, was a beginning for us. And a disaster. As we knelt beside the bed

April 24, 2011

Christian Standard

After an Earthquake Bedrock Faith

By Mark A. Taylor Internet news sites always provide a ready distraction from a deadline. But when those posts contain a dozen stark videos of the unprecedented Japanese earthquake and tsunami, perhaps the procrastination can be forgiven. Each new harsh scene of ships and cars tossed together like bathtub toys, each new account of surprising survivors and shocking destruction, contributes to the jumble washing through my thoughts. Responsibility””what should I do with my plenty to help a population reduced to a struggle for survival? Reevaluation””how can I believe all my attention to what I own and what I earn will

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 16, 2011

Christian Standard

I Bought It with Tip Money

By Chris Travis I bought the Bible that changed my life while working as a delivery driver for Papa John”s pizza””literally, while working. I stopped at a local bookstore during a shift. I bought it with tip money. I can”t remember whose generosity financed that pivotal purchase, but it”s fun to imagine how my customers might have felt about it. Would they have been thrilled? Appalled? I doubt they had any idea what God would do with the couple bucks they gave me. As the door to the bookstore swung shut behind me, a bell jingled against the glass, sounding

April 15, 2011

Christian Standard

Trying to Keep Up with Books by “˜Us”

By LeRoy Lawson Superman on Earth: Reflections of a Fan Gary D. Robinson / Baltimore: PublishAmerica, 2010 Thoughtprints: Poems En Route Wilma Curtis Buckner / ©Wilma Buckner, 2009 Daily Disciple: A One-Year Devotional Guide Gary Holloway / Abilene: Leafwood Publishers, 2008 Steppes of Faith: Discovering God”s Goodness in Ukraine Janice Lemke / Purpose Press, 2010 Eyes of Integrity: The Porn Pandemic and How It Affects You Craig Gross and Jason Harper / Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2010 I remember grumbling with some fellow Christian church ministers many years ago that we did not seem to be a publishing fellowship. We

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 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Counter Culture

By Mark A. Taylor “I”m an editor. I work with words.” I”ve used that excuse more than once when I”ve miscalculated or misunderstood or misapplied some list of numbers. (My wife says she hopes I don”t die before her, because it would take her a month to figure out what”s going on with our checkbook!) So if you prefer ideas and expressing them over numbers and analyzing them, I understand. But I urge you not to ignore all the facts and figures in posts we”re planning for the next few weeks. Here”s why: We serve a God who keeps track

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

April 4, 2011

Christian Standard

The Sheep I Count

By Jackina Stark As I think about the articles and books I”ve written in the last 30 years, certain themes emerge””themes that are part of my spiritual DNA. No theme is more prevalent in my writings, or more beloved, than the wonder of the abiding presence of God in our lives. I saw God transform my parents” lives when I was 9 years old. But I believe the wonder began a year or two before that when I walked to a nearby church on Sunday mornings with my younger sister and, I think, even my baby brother in tow. As

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 28, 2011

Christian Standard

My Journey from “˜Need” to “˜Should” to “˜Want”

By Robert Mink During my four decades of ministry, my motivation for reading the Bible has progressed through four stages. Not that these stages are distinct with no overlap, but looking in the rearview mirror and assessing my Bible reading today, I see growth. I was in Bible college and serving as a part-time youth minister when I first got serious about reading the Bible. And I got serious because I had to. Many of my classes required me to read the Bible; and teaching the Bible in my youth ministry forced me to read. As a minister, teaching and

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,

March 23, 2011

Christian Standard

Soul Food

By Jennifer Taylor   Every Thursday, White River Christian Church (Noblesville, Indiana) gives away free bread””and points hundreds of people to the Bread of Life. A few years ago, the church opened a food pantry”””a storage closet, really,” says senior pastor Tim Brock””staffed by 10 volunteers. Today the “pantry” operates from a huge bowling-alley-turned-warehouse next door and feeds hundreds of people each week. “This is now one of the largest food distribution centers in central Indiana,” Brock says. “And we really value the dignity of the people who come for help, so we created a “˜grocery store” environment that allows

March 22, 2011

Christian Standard

Another Statement About What”s at Stake

By Mark A. Taylor A longtime reader of CHRISTIAN STANDARD paid us a wonderful compliment earlier this year. “Thank you for giving us a magazine that makes us think,” he said. This likely would have seemed a small achievement just a generation or two ago. There was a day when many in the Christian churches and churches of Christ spent more energy defining orthodoxy than questioning tradition. But fresh winds are blowing today””new churches, growing congregations, multisites and multimedia and external focus””all of it energized by a crop of younger leaders sold out to finding new ways to evangelize. “It”s

March 22, 2011

Christian Standard

Milligan Names Greer Next President

Bill Greer has been selected to serve as the next president of Milligan College in Tennessee. Greer was appointed Milligan”s next president by the college”s board of trustees. He will assume leadership on July 15, following the retirement of current president Donald R. Jeanes. Greer, a 1985 Milligan College graduate, currently serves as the college”s vice president for institutional advancement. He will become the 15th president in the college”s 145-year history. Greer has more than 25 years of experience as an academic and business leader, fund-raiser, community volunteer, and church elder. At Milligan, he is the J. Henry Kegley professor

March 18, 2011

Christian Standard

How the Bible Changed My Life

By Doug Lucas What did the Bible change about my life? Everything. I grew up in a small town. My first exposure to crowds was a trip to Indianapolis 500 Qualifying with my friend and his family. At midday, in the middle of a cloud-bursting rain, we became separated. I was lost in a storm. Suddenly, a Scripture verse popped into my head. It was Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” I looked up into

March 16, 2011

Christian Standard

Clearing a Path to Life

By Mark A. Taylor Maybe by the time you read this, the threat of major snowfall in your community will have passed. And if you live in Derry, New Hampshire, maybe your city workers have resumed digging graves. Derry town administrator Jack Anderson told reporters February 7 the Forest Hills Cemetery would probably be closed for four weeks, its frozen acres buried under too much ice and snow to make digging new graves possible. This is because the gravediggers in Derry also drive the small town”s snowplows. And, given the onslaught of this winter”s storms, there just wasn”t manpower to

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