Series: Featured

November 3, 2010

Christian Standard

Small Groups . . . Foundation for a Healthy Church

By Dick Alexander For most of our adult lives my wife and I have been in a small group””not because my job requires it but because our souls do. Our small groups have laughed, cried, prayed, encouraged, and studied the Bible with us, and helped us keep our bearings through troubled times. They have been “church” to us. Usually when there”s conversation about the value of small groups in the church, it”s done on a pragmatic basis””they keep people connected, they”re important for assimilation, etc. But the main reason for small groups is this: they are foundational for a larger

November 3, 2010

Christian Standard

From the Served to the Servant

By Chuck Booher Recently, God called a very popular pastor from our staff to start a new church. When it was announced, our people responded with excitement and cheers. I was sure his departure would cause our attendance to plunge, but it didn”t. I think I know the reason why, and that”s what I want to tell you in this article. Basic Training As I came to the office today, I walked by 10 young adults on our campus picking up trash, pulling weeds, and trimming trees. I could not help but smile because they exuded joy in the midst

October 29, 2010

Christian Standard

A Resource for Readers of Books

By Mark A. Taylor “Do you publish books?” It”s a fair question for Standard Publishing, because our company is known for so much more than books: Sunday school courses for every age, a best-selling and award-winning VBS, classroom supplies, youth material, electives for children and teenagers and adults, small group resources, teacher-training materials, and much more. But amid all these Bible-teaching resources is a growing library of books that many adults have come to savor and share. Some of them are best-sellers, too. All of them inspire and entertain and teach. You”ll find many good reads among the books we”ve

October 28, 2010

Christian Standard

My Paper Friends

By Mark Atteberry My wife introduced me to my love affair with books. And now they”ve been my companion in life for decades. When you walk into my office you”ll notice a unique smell. No, I don”t have an aversion to personal hygiene. Nor do I burn incense, smoke cigars, eat junk food at my desk, or keep my clothes in mothballs. The smell is a mixture of paper, cardboard, glue, and ink. That”s because my office is full of books. Some are old and a little musty, while others have that distinctive new smell. Whatever they may smell like

October 27, 2010

Christian Standard

Read a Book!

By Matt Proctor I love books. As a kid, I read everything””westerns, science fiction, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Most kids think Disneyland is “the happiest place on earth,” but for me it was the public library. I was such a bookworm that, when I got in trouble at home, my parents would ground me . . . from reading! It wasn”t until I enrolled at Ozark Christian College that I discovered reading books could actually be a spiritual discipline. Growing up, books were entertainment””a way to feed my imagination, but I had never considered that the right books

October 25, 2010

Christian Standard

What Your Church Can Do

By Guthrie Veech and Bill Behrman Use these ideas to increase the number of students from your church who choose to attend Christian colleges. Implementing “just one” of these will multiply servant leaders for kingdom work. “¢ Start encouraging young children ages 8-10 to consider ministry. The planted seeds bloom later as those students choose to become ministers. Tell those young people you are praying for them and God has a great plan for them. “¢ Every year have at least one lesson or sermon about the importance of every student spending one year in a Christian college. The resources

October 24, 2010

Christian Standard

The Influence of Just One

By Mike Kilgallin and Clay Perkins One servant in God”s hands can truly make a difference. Consider the story of G.H. “Dean” Cachiaras, a teenage immigrant from Greece who ended up polishing shoes. One day as he polished the shoes of a doctor casually reading a newspaper, the man discovered the boy was from Greece. The doctor lowered the newspaper and spoke to him in his native language, “Young man, what do you plan to do with your life?” The doctor encouraged G.H. to attend his alma mater, Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee. The boy enrolled, began studying the

October 22, 2010

Christian Standard

The Best Preparation Possible

By Tracy Marx and Mike Sweeney Why attend a Bible college, Christian college/university, or seminary? Are we not all ministers of the church? In a movement that recognizes no distinction between clergy and laity, what”s the point of sending people on for a theological education? Does having a bachelor”s degree in Bible or a master of divinity degree make someone a better harvest worker for the kingdom of God? While no one would claim that a college degree somehow confers spiritual maturity on a person, we believe a strong biblical case can be made for Christian higher education for those

October 22, 2010

Christian Standard

Common Ground and a Common Goal

By John Derry What would it take for 30 colleges and universities ranging in size from less than 100 to more than 1,000 students, from various regions of the country, and each with unique strengths, to collaborate on a project? The institutions would need to find common ground on which they could come together in a spirit of unity, joining forces to achieve something they could not do alone. The Matthew 9:38 Just One Challenge provides this common ground. It resonates with the leadership of all schools in our fellowship, because without exception they share a common mission of equipping

October 21, 2010

Christian Standard

This is Everybody”s Job (an Interview with Bob Russell)

By Dean Collins Since Bob Russell”s retirement from Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2006 he has encouraged ministry in the local church in a variety of ways. This year, he partnered with our Christian college presidents in the Just One Challenge. Shortly after the North American Christian Convention in July, I talked with Bob about his passion for recruiting the next generation of kingdom workers. DEAN COLLINS: What role should local churches play in recruiting kingdom workers, both to our colleges and to the harvest field? BOB RUSSELL: One of my regrets, when I look back, is that

October 20, 2010

Christian Standard

The Just One Challenge

        By Kevin Ingram and Matt Proctor Bob Russell believes the Restoration Movement has a problem. The retired senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, sees a declining number of students interested in ministry. “As I talk with our Bible college presidents, I”m seeing a real drop in students who want to preach the gospel,” says Bob Russell. Why? “Various factors may contribute,” he answers. “The secularization of society, the postmodern mind-set that denigrates anything authoritative, the declining number of teens in Christian service camps, and the passive involvement of ministers in the lives of teens.”

October 20, 2010

Christian Standard

Just One Sunday (a Special Emphasis on Nov. 14)

Imagine what could happen if every church in North America began to pray for the Lord to raise up preachers, missionaries, and other harvest workers! New kingdom leaders would be recruited, mission fields would be reached, churches would be planted, God”s Word would be preached, souls would be saved, wounded hearts would be healed, and God would be praised. So join with churches across the nation November 14, the Sunday before the National Missionary Convention, to be a part of the Just One Challenge. Make Matthew 9:38 a special prayer emphasis in your worship service that day. Visit www.justonechallenge.org for

October 19, 2010

Christian Standard

Extending the Call

By Don Anderson When you finally find the minister you believe has the competence, chemistry, and character you have been praying for God to provide, you feel like breathing a sigh of relief and celebrating””but your work is far from complete. It is important to be thorough as you complete these last few steps. Doing Your Homework Before you begin searching for any candidate, create a job description and poll other churches to find out the compensation packages they provide for similar positions. The best practice is to maintain approved salary ranges with associated benefits by job classification so you

October 16, 2010

Christian Standard

The Best Pizza I Ever Had

By George Ross I grew up playing the trumpet, loving baseball, and eating too much. My heroes as a kid were Herb Alpert, Willie Mays, and Chef Boyardee (not necessarily in that order). Unfortunately the Chef and his “pizza in a box” was an all-to-frequent experience for me on lazy Saturday afternoons. In fact, I became quite a connoisseur of pizza at an early age, which prepared me for college life. After sensing God”s calling on my life during high school, I went to Bible college in Lincoln, Illinois, in the early 1970s. That big city of 17,000 (compared to

October 13, 2010

Christian Standard

Hiring Resources

By R. Paige Mathews So, you need to hire a church worker””what is your first step? Here are some books and Web sites that will be helpful in your search. Job Descriptions Creating a comprehensive job description is the place to start in any church worker search. The following books provide a framework for writing a job description unique to your situation. The Big Book of Job Descriptions for Ministry by Larry Gilbert and Cindy Spear (Gospel Light Publications, 2002). Job Descriptions and Duties for Church Members and Workers by Herbert W. Byrne (Xulon Press, 2005). Staff Your Church for

October 12, 2010

Christian Standard

The Behaviorally Based Interview

By David Limiero A good friend at church is the CEO of a growing manufacturing facility with more than 50 employees. He has advanced academic degrees and years of experience in business, but has only recently taken on the responsibility of interviewing potential employees. A few weeks ago he confided he still hasn”t figured out the secret to interviewing people for his staff. In particular, he”s had a number of people excel in the interview only to flounder on the job. Hiring the wrong people has cost him a significant amount of time, money, and productivity. If a seasoned, well-educated

October 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Let”s Get Together

By Rob Kastens Our leadership at Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland, has worked hard to create a mission-first, team-first staff culture. We work hard to facilitate, encourage, and protect this culture with existing staff, but we work extra hard to ensure prospective staff understand, buy in, and fit in with our culture. In fact, we believe selecting new staff to join our team at Mountain is one of the most important tasks of leadership. Few decisions have a longer-term impact on a church”s health and mission than the people it hires. Selecting wisely can move the mission forward and heighten

October 9, 2010

Christian Standard

Shut Up

By Janet McMahon Have you ever watched one of those dating shows on TV where two people are on their very first date? Invariably, either the guy or girl goes on and on and on talking about himself or herself. It”s painful to watch. In fact, it”s so painful you either must look away, turn the channel, or yell at the TV screen, “Just shut up already!” There is no way the chronic talker is getting a second date. Even though we hate watching someone talk too much, it”s often exactly what many of us do in our relationships. We

October 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Checking References of Ministerial Candidates

By Brent Storms In my local church ministry, and now in my position as president of a church planting organization, I have considered more than 1,000 candidates for open positions in ministry. I have screened and interviewed hundreds, and have hired more than 30 people for ministry positions. As I look back on the hiring process, I understand there are few elements more important than checking references and previous employers. Let me share three examples. Not long ago I met a candidate for the position of lead planter for a new church to be started in one of our northeastern

October 6, 2010

Christian Standard

How to Get Started Selecting a New Minister

By Thomas F. Jones Jr. Selection of a minister by a local church is an extremely important task and should not be taken lightly. We”re talking about the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and the people of God. This is not like choosing a Little League baseball coach, a hired hand, or a repairman to fix a leaky faucet. Strong and gifted leaders guide successful organizations. The church is no exception. High-quality leadership is needed to fulfill the mission of the church. This is serious business. Few decisions are equally crucial to the church, and none is more

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