Series: Featured

January 16, 2012

Christian Standard

What Makes a Culture Good?

By Steve Hayner Cultures that work, and that ultimately help people accomplish a community”s mission, are ones in which people flourish. In healthy cultures, people become more of what God intended for them to be. They grow in being more like Jesus in character. And their gifts and abilities are intentionally developed, mobilized, and honored. One of the best ways to discover what healthy cultures look and feel like is to ask people about their own experiences. Almost anyone who has thought about what helps him or her to flourish as one of God”s beloved is able to point to

January 15, 2012

Christian Standard

Nurturing Your Organization”s Culture

By Steve Hayner Research shows that no single force has greater impact on the character and quality (in essence, the culture) of an organization than the person who assumes the primary leadership role of that organization. Two popular witticisms pointedly illustrate this influence: “No stream rises higher than its source” and “Fish rot from the head first.” This week, with excerpts from a new book available from Standard Publishing, we give every leader the chance to consider, “Do people in my spheres of influence blossom or wither””do they flourish or flounder? How am I creating a culture that nurtures relationships

January 13, 2012

Christian Standard

Counting Sheep

By Steve Carr “Of course God cares about numbers. There”s a book in the Bible called Numbers!” “Each number represents a soul, and God desires every one of them.” These statements are simplistic but serve as an apologetic for both tracking congregational size and aiming for larger attendance numbers. They affirm what we seem to know innately””that bigger is obviously better when it comes to the church. It makes perfect sense, doesn”t it? The more people in the pews, the more ministry being accomplished, and the better off the kingdom of God. As a student of the church growth movement,

January 10, 2012

Christian Standard

In Just One Year: Love Your City

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.  * * * By Jon Ferguson Last fall my family moved to the north side of Chicago””we love this city. We love Chicago for its sports teams, architecture, and history, but most of all, we love Chicago for its people: hard-working, unpretentious, and good-natured””as long as you don”t take their parking space

January 9, 2012

Christian Standard

In Just One Year: I Pray I’m Wrong

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.  * * * By Rob Kastens While I pray that I am wrong, my sense is that as the year 2012 draws to a close in the United States, we will be increasingly aware that God”s marvelous church is losing sight of her prime purpose of knowing him, growing in him, and

January 8, 2012

Christian Standard

In Just One Year: Momentous Change and Possibility

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.  * * * By Douglas A. Foster First, I think the church as a whole will continue moving toward an outward focus that seeks out and cares for the marginalized, powerless, homeless, dirty, and helpless. We, the church, will increasingly see the “least of these” as the impelling reason for our very

January 7, 2012

Christian Standard

In Just One Year: Tell Me It’s Not Just a Dream!

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.  * * * By Eleanor Daniel It is so vivid””identifiable people and places, actions, colors, and sounds. The year is somewhere beyond 2012. I see a church that intrigues me. The people include those of all colors, ethnic backgrounds, and languages. Names like Gomez and Vegas, Wong and Hasmani, as well as

January 6, 2012

Christian Standard

In Just One Year: Pundit Predictions

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.  * * * By Paul Boatman To predict what we”ll be saying about the church one year from now is difficult, and it”s easy to see why: The January 2013 evaluators of our predictions will have the benefit of hindsight. With information that was simply not available to us at the dawn

December 29, 2011

Christian Standard

I Have a Family

By Jim Tune My father died just a few months ago. It hasn”t been easy, and I feel the loss keenly. His death has prompted a desire to know more about my dad, his extended family, and his heritage. As a godly father and a devoted worker for Christ, he has also marked me with a legacy””one I intend to celebrate, embrace, and pass on. No one would expect any less.   The Family I Chose From a faith perspective, I also have a family. I didn”t join it as the result of a father”s will or by accident. I

December 28, 2011

Christian Standard

Getting the Most from Revelation (Part Two)

By Matt Proctor Part One of this article examined four hermeneutical keys to help you unlock the meaning of the book of Revelation. But, what about the book”s significance? Even if I understand how to read Revelation, an important question remains: why should I read it? How will it help me devotionally? In what ways will it make me a better follower of Jesus? Another way of asking this: We know God has promised a blessing to those who take hold of the words of Revelation (1:3). But what kind of blessings should our people expect? Here are seven ways

December 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Why New Testament Christians Should Study the Old Testament

By Steve Hooks The Stone-Campbell Movement has served Christendom well through its invitation of all believers to practice “New Testament Christianity.” An unintended and unfortunate consequence of this plea, however, has been the historical neglect of the Old Testament in the preaching and teaching of many Restoration churches. Regarding the New Testament as the “only rule of faith and practice,” some in our fellowship have come to view the Old Testament as no longer relevant for the believer. The Old Testament, it is argued, was for the Jews. Having brought us to Christ it has now served its intended purpose

December 26, 2011

Christian Standard

The Bible vs. Culture: What Shapes Our Christianity?

By Karen Rees I almost got into an argument at a Christmas party. The party was an activity of a local Evangelical women”s Bible study. The group includes women from a number of different, mostly Asian, countries. On this particular occasion we had a visiting woman speaker fresh from the United States. She had a good talk, but her Scripture application was from an American worldview. I was the only other American there. In the discussion time, I said that different cultures emphasize the verses that best match their cultural values. As an example, I mentioned that, with regard to

December 23, 2011

Christian Standard

Surprise to Surrender

By Tony Wood Many traditions have been lost these days, but the timeless story of the nativity is still treasured by many of us. It offers a complex mixture of humility and hope, robes and ridicule, mangers and majesty. And in this story, one theme seems to bind all its characters together””from a recently engaged servant girl to royals traveling from Persia. That theme is surprise to surrender. Young Mary sat at home, excited at the prospect of marriage, and then fell back in instant shock as an angel exploded through the door of her kitchen. The pots clattered to

December 21, 2011

Christian Standard

Bethlehem: Inspired by a Preacher”s Renewal

By Bob Russell Phillips Brooks was nearly burned out. The man many regarded as the most inspirational preacher of his time had lost his fervor and couldn”t seem to recover. He requested and was granted a sabbatical from the church and took a trip to the Holy Land. On Christmas Eve in Jerusalem, he and a couple of friends mounted horses and took off riding. It was a wonderful, life-changing afternoon for him. He prayed and spent time alone with God. At dusk, when the first stars came out, he rode into the tiny village of Bethlehem. The town had

December 18, 2011

Christian Standard

One Holiday, So Many Ways to Celebrate

By Linda Mirante What about Christmas? Do we embrace it, ignore it, celebrate it, or protest against it? There are as many opinions as there are people. Just ask them. I think of Christmas as a season rather than a day. A season with the opportunity to share and show Christ to the world. A season of celebrating the birth of Jesus””who would bring us the gifts of peace, hope, joy, forgiveness, and redemption. A season filled with wonderment and anticipation. A season of love. The Christmas story as recorded in Luke 2 has been told through the years via

December 18, 2011

Christian Standard

Getting the Most from Revelation (Part One)

By Matt Proctor At first I steered clear of this perplexing book. But then a seminary class showed me that no Bible book offers greater help or relevance for Christians today. When I interviewed for my first preaching ministry at age 23, I told the pulpit committee I absolutely believed in the power of God”s Word to transform lives. I told them I was convinced “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). I affirmed for them my commitment to proclaim “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, English Standard

December 15, 2011

Christian Standard

The New Old: Are We Ignoring One of America”s Largest Generations?

By Amy Hanson Question: What do NPR, USA Today, Chico”s clothing store, CVS pharmacy, Whole Foods Market, CNN, and the Obama administration all have in common? Answer: They are all investing significant amounts of time, money, and research into one of the biggest demographic shifts ever to occur in America””the aging population. Specifically, these entities, as well as hundreds of others, are studying baby boomers and the impact this huge group will have on society. The baby boom generation (whom I like to refer to as “the new old”) includes 78 million people born between 1946 and 1964. Pew Research

December 12, 2011

Christian Standard

Your Journey with the Word

By Kelly Carr Have you ever thought about how amazing it is to have daily access to the Word of God””a privilege unknown for centuries? We can have the Bible on our bookshelf, our e-book reader, our car stereo, MP3 player, computer, tablet, and our phone””all at the same time! If you”re looking for a new plan to jump-start your Bible-reading habit, this article is for you. We”ve compiled a variety of Bible reading plans, including some recommendations by Christian Standard readers. Whether you”re just beginning to read on a regular basis or you have read the Bible daily for

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