Series: Columns

February 17, 2011

Christian Standard

“˜Inside Out & Upside Down” VBS Ranked No. 1

Standard Publishing”s 2011 Vacation Bible School curriculum, “Inside Out & Upside Down on Main Street,” was ranked this year’s No. 1 VBS by About the Children’s Department, a popular blog with authoritative reviews of children”s curriculum based on standardized criteria. “Standard Publishing is known for providing quality VBS resources that teach God’s Word in every station and activity; this year they have done a tremendous job!” said the blog”s editor, Lynda Freeman. Standard Publishing is the original publisher of Vacation Bible School and has served Christian churches in America for 145 years. Every summer, more than 1.3 million kids and volunteers are touched

February 11, 2011

Christian Standard

Dupray Named President of CDF

On Feb. 4, Brad Dupray was named the new president of Church Development Fund (Irvine, CA). Brad has served CDF for nearly 22 years, with roles including senior vice president of ministry development, chief operating officer, and national marketing director. Brad holds a bachelor”s degree from Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University) and an MBA from National University. He is also an ordained minister and the writer of the monthly “CHRISTIAN STANDARD Interview.” You can read Brad”s blog about his new role with CDF.

February 10, 2011

Christian Standard

He”s Taken Up Residence

By Dave Butts I”ll never forget that Thursday night in April 1983. I had been struggling for months to understand what it meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That night at a conference in Nashville, Tennessee, I heard Argentinean evangelist Juan Carlos Ortiz speak these simple words, “To be filled with the Spirit is to be continually conscious of Christ in you.” From that point on, I had a life verse that has shaped my life and ministry: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Before that time, I certainly had understood biblically, theologically, and intellectually

February 10, 2011

Christian Standard

Story of Abuse, Rescue Featured on “˜Oprah”

On Tuesday, Oprah Winfrey devoted her show to the story of Kathie and Kellie Henderson, sisters who were molested and abused by their father and brothers for years””and the family from Countryside Christian Church (Wichita, KS) who rescued them. Jim Vasey, an elder at Countryside and a member of the board of trustees at Ozark Christian College (Joplin, MO), and his wife, Shelly, lived in the same neighborhood as the girls but never suspected the abuse. When the sisters finally confided in them, the Vaseys contacted the police and walked with the girls through the difficult days that followed. Shelly

February 10, 2011

Christian Standard

Atlanta Christian College Becoming Point University

Atlanta (GA) Christian College will soon have a new name and a new location! This week ACC announced the 2012 relocation of its main campus from East Point, GA (outside of Atlanta), to the town of West Point, GA (near the Georgia-Alabama line). The school will become Point University beginning July 1, 2011. “Just as God frequently called the Old Testament heroes to new and exciting lands, he often accompanied that life transition with a symbolic changing of name,” the school writes. “Not only does “˜Point University” reflect where the school has come from and where it is going, but

February 9, 2011

Christian Standard

For Valentine”s Day . . . a Command

By Mark A. Taylor As churches everywhere capitalize on Valentine”s Day, all of us can ponder a biblical mandate more serious than hearts and flowers. Sweetheart dinners, couples retreats, and sermons about love are all great, as long as they move us beyond the frivolous expressions typical of our culture”s shallow take on deep issues. When it comes to marriage, God has spoken. His command comes three times in Paul”s epistles, twice within a few phrases of each other. “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” Paul tells the Ephesians. “Husbands

February 8, 2011

Christian Standard

Jail Call

By Jennifer Taylor You know about multisites. You may even be familiar with online campuses. But how about church planting in a jail? “As a leadership team, we felt a burden to serve the forgotten people in our prison system,” says Kurt Ervin, church expansion leader at Central Christian Church (Henderson, Nevada). “But we didn”t want to start another prison ministry. Instead, we wanted to launch a church in a prison.” Central first created a separate nonprofit organization””God Behind Bars””and met with the chaplain of a local women”s prison. “We realized we could use the “˜video venue” strategy and the

February 8, 2011

Christian Standard

Free for All

By Jennifer Taylor Each year, thousands of people in the Peoria, Arizona, area experience the death of a family member””but only 13 percent attend any kind of church. Christ”s Church of the Valley extends the love of Christ by providing funerals for these unchurched people””at no cost to grieving families. CCV senior pastor Don Wilson began the program and lead neighborhood pastor Bob Fesmire leads it. “For many people, a death is their first experience with church, and it can involve a lot of expenses,” Fesmire says. “We have space dedicated to the services and provide the pastor, the music,

February 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Nevada Youth Raise Funds for Residents of Nairobi Slums

The youth group at Summit Christian Church (Sparks, NV) has raised more than $50,000 to help the residents of slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The youth group, called 1-Life, partnered with Christian Missionary Fellowship (Indianapolis, IN) to assist with health care, microfinance, and more. Last week the mayor of Sparks publicly recognized the youth for their work; student ministry pastor Bryan Smith accepted the commendation on behalf of the group. Read more here!

February 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Clear the Snow, Clear the Snow . . .

“February in Cleveland means snow,” says Momentum Christian Church (Garfield Heights, OH), “and snow means annual competition for Mo Groups!” This month Momentum encourages its small groups to clear snow from as many driveways in the community as possible; the activity blesses neighbors, builds friendships within the small group, AND offers bragging rights for the winning group. Stay warm up there, guys . . .

February 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Nancy Meets God in Isaiah

By Nancy Karpenske It”s just a purple spiral notebook, well-worn and nondescript. But it contains my personal history with the book of Isaiah. All I really knew about Isaiah was that it held precious prophecies””a virgin shall conceive, unto us a child is born, despised and rejected, a man of sorrows. And the famous vision of God”s throne room that resulted in Isaiah crying out, “Here am I, Lord, send me!” I set my sights on becoming more familiar with Isaiah””not the facts and time lines and interpretations; I intended to look for God in the pages. I decided to

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

A Light for the Way

By Larry Travis When I was a young boy in Mount Vernon, Kentucky, my Sunday school teacher, Joe Henderson, taught our class a song and a pledge . . . to the Bible. The song went like this: “The B-I-B-L-E, yes, that”s the book for me, I stand alone on the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E.” The pledge to the Bible was spoken in unison and with open hands . . . palms up. With all our hearts we would all proclaim, “I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God”s Holy Word . . . a lamp unto my feet and

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

The Leadership Institute Offers College-level Courses

By Jennifer Taylor The Leadership Institute at Christ”s Church of the Valley (Peoria, Arizona) offers college-level courses from Hope International University (Fullerton, California) plus an internship program. Interns work with CCV staff pastors, attend weekly training sessions, and receive one-on-one mentoring. Participants may choose a one- or two-year internship; the two-year program allows students to earn their master”s degree from HIU. www.ccvonline.com www.hiu.edu ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

New Church Plant in Brazilian Community of Toronto

By Jennifer Taylor Impact Canada is working with Jose and Regina Fernandes to plant a church in the Brazilian community in Toronto. As reported in the August 22 Buzz, Impact Canada continues to work toward a merge with Global Missionary Ministries and is pursuing approval of its new name, Impact Ministry Group. www.impactcanada.org ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 31, 2011

Christian Standard

Cookson Hills Adds An Equine Program

by Jennifer Taylor Cookson Hills Christian Ministries (Kansas, Oklahoma), a ministry to abused and neglected children and their families, has added an equine program””and it”s much more than just riding horses. “In counseling, horses can be used to assess a client”s current mental status, stress, emotional tolerance level, problem-solving and survival strategies, and self-concept,” the organization writes. “The human responses elicited in the first equine assisted psychotherapy session can reveal truths about a client that normally would take 20 or more “˜talk therapy” sessions.” In addition to their therapy program, Cookson Hills provides opportunities for horsemanship classes, trail rides, and

January 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Series of Mission Trip Webinars Planned

Whether you are going across the street or around the world to serve on a short-term mission trip, the ideas and resources provided through a series of six free webinars presented by CMF International will equip you and your church as you plan, lead, and evaluate your short-term mission trips. Starting February 17, the topic will be: “Where to Go and How Best to Get There? (Tips on trip selection, scope, and travel logistics).” Future webinars will include resources on spiritual preparation, cultural intelligence, team development, development versus relief, and trip debriefing. You can register at http://cmfi.org/partner/missionsresources/tripresources/webinars.

January 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Sponsor An Evangelist In India

By Jennifer Taylor Central India Christian Mission not only offers the opportunity to sponsor children in northern India and Nepal (just $18 each month provides food, clothing, vitamins, school supplies and even extras like mosquito nets and sports equipment), but also allows groups or individuals to sponsor an evangelist. Between $200 and $400 per month (depending on the evangelist”s location) provides support for his ministry. “CICM”s evangelists faithfully serve existing churches and plant new churches in the villages, towns, and cities of central and northern India and the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal,” CICM writes. “The evangelists visit their

January 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Christian Missionary Fellowship”s Maasai Health Services

By Jennifer Taylor Christian Missionary Fellowship”s Maasai Health Services clinics recently received a grant of $516,000 from the U.S. President”s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to provide HIV/AIDS services in the Maasai area of Kenya. In 2009 these clinics saw 71,000 patients, not including a large number of children who received immunizations and women who received follow-up pregnancy visits. In recent years the clinics have been run completely by Kenyans, many of whom were encouraged in their educational and career pursuits by missionaries from CMF, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The funds will be dispersed to the clinics through September 2011.

January 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Missionary Re-Entry Fund

By Jennifer Taylor Pioneer Bible Translators (Dallas, Texas) created a Re-Entry Fund to provide help to missionaries returning home from a term of service overseas. Donations to the fund may provide help for missionary kids beginning college, missionaries needing counseling or retreat, or even missionaries who suddenly lose their support. www.pioneerbible.org ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.

January 26, 2011

Christian Standard

Calculating Our Generosity

By Mark A. Taylor David Campbell and Robert Putnam got it right when they commented on the generosity of Evangelical churches. “Local congregations are often on the front lines of providing charitable services to the poor and needy through food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters,” they wrote in the December 10 Wall Street Journal. “Many congregations also sponsor missionaries overseas.” A visit to the National Missionary Convention underscores the truth of their conclusion, especially among Christian churches and churches of Christ. This week”s NMC review article mentions that at least 300 missionaries and other ministries brought displays to the convention

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