Series: Featured

August 18, 2010

Christian Standard

Prophetic Lessons for the 21st-Century Christian Leader (Part 2)

(This is part 2 of a 2-part article.) By Edward Sanders The calling of Christian leaders today is different and more general than Jeremiah”s prophetic call recorded in Jeremiah 1. But themes reflected in Jeremiah”s call should apply to commitments today”s Christian leaders make, because these commitments came from God. The first commitment asked of leaders appears in the first paragraph of the book of Jeremiah. This paragraph records a superscription, a biographical form of literature that often gives some historical, theological, and religious context for the prophet in reference. Jeremiah”s superscription is the longest of the writing prophets1 and

August 18, 2010

Christian Standard

A Vision to Feed Families

By Ron Martin Across the country, people in local churches are struggling to stay ahead of the economic downturn and slow recovery. In particular, having enough food for families is a growing concern. One church in southwest Colorado has decided to do something about it. Southwest Colorado is one of God”s most beautiful gifts in terms of scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. It is home to Mesa Verde National Park, and the area boasts a rich history in the settlement of the West. The town of Bayfield, Colorado, rests just east of Durango, a wonderful resort town with attractions like

August 18, 2010

Christian Standard

Breathtaking Servanthood

By Wynne Gillis It was a new church in a midsized Montana city””a seeker”s church””dedicated to taking the gospel to outsiders who have never heard it or who are not even sure they want to hear it. Like many such churches, it was meeting in temporary quarters””a school auditorium or a vacant storefront. But as it grew and strained the capacity of its meeting place, the church dreamed of a building all its own. A good deal of money had been carefully saved and dedicated toward that end. Then the community around the church got into a big fight. Most

August 11, 2010

Christian Standard

The Pastoral Call of Corporate Leaders

BY J. ANDREW KEITH (WITH CHRIS KEITH) Tertullian once famously asked, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” By this, the early church father (ca. 160″“ca. 225 ad) was implying the church had no need for Greek philosophy. In these perilous economic times, it may be pertinent to ask, “What has Wall Street””or better, Main Street””to do with Jerusalem?” Unlike Tertullian, the implied answer of this question is much. Several recent situations in corporate America””some of which are unprecedented””have demonstrated the need and/or opportunity awaiting Christian leaders in this arena of service: “¢ Wall Street”s fall and the subprime mortgage

August 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Myth Busting

By Terry O”Casey I have a pedigree. It”s not quite as good as our yellow Lab”s. Still, it”s a great starting point for this article prior to my stoning. My greatest mentor, my father, John Casey, was mentored in the 1940s by Cincinnati (Ohio) Bible Seminary”s R.C. Foster, who was mentored by Robert Milligan, who was mentored by Alexander Campbell. Therefore, I am “AKC-certified” with near apostolic succession. (Of course, Paul had something to say about my boasting in 2 Corinthians 11:17.) Near my home sits a congregation and her forlorn building beside a bustling interstate. The church advertises its

August 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Prophetic Lessons for the 21st-Century Christian Leader (Part 1)

By Edward Sanders He walked a familiar dusty road. He had traveled this way numerous times throughout his life. But this trip was different, for it would end with turmoil and trouble. The prophet Jeremiah was trying to remain faithful as a prophet of God in the seventh century bc. He had the arduous task of proclaiming warning and judgment to God”s unfaithful people in Judah. I wonder if Jeremiah walked to the temple more slowly than normal that day in 608 bc.1 Or did he take the longer route? Like a nervous young boy walking home from school carrying

August 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Children and Baptism: In Search of a New Model (Part 2)

By Teresa D. Welch (Click here to read Part 1) I was in the church office when I received a somewhat frantic phone call from the parents of a 6-year-old. Anna had returned from attending Vacation Bible School with her neighbor and announced to her parents that she had “prayed Jesus into her heart.” Her parents knew this was not the practice of our church and were concerned that this indicated Anna was now accountable and needed to be baptized immediately. After discussing the situation, the parents realized their young daughter had not acted on her own volition. Instead, Anna had

August 8, 2010

Christian Standard

Dying to Self

By Nicholas Schonlau Since I became a follower of Christ, I”ve been enthralled with what it means to follow him. One of my favorite passages on this subject is, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). That has always been the challenge, for me and for many other Christians I”ve known over the years. What does it mean to deny myself? It means I must die. I think back to when I was buried with Christ through baptism. According to Paul, I died that day and

August 8, 2010

Christian Standard

Safe, to Lost, to Saved? (A Response)

This article is a response to John Mark Hicks’s “Safe, to Lost, to Saved?” __________ By Jeff Faull John Mark Hicks”s thought-provoking article in this week”s “Reflections” column leads me to sympathize with him about the ambiguity that appears to exist in regard to the process of our children coming to Christ and the timing of their baptisms. His line of reasoning questions our historically accepted assertions about the entrance of children into the kingdom of God. He questions “the theological underpinnings of the notion that our children move from safe to lost to saved (once baptized).” I respect and admire brother Hicks,

August 8, 2010

Christian Standard

Safe, to Lost, to Saved?

Read Jeff Faull’s response to this article _______________ By John Mark Hicks What is the relationship of our children to the kingdom of God? Within the Restoration Movement we have historically held that children are safe (without sin) until they reach the “age of accountability,” at which time they own their sin and become sinners (guilty). At that point, as I generally understand the theology, children are not only unsafe but also outside the grace of God. They do not belong to the kingdom. Consequently, children (ranging from ages 9-13 generally) are instructed about baptism, their sin, and their need

August 8, 2010

Christian Standard

Children and Baptism: In Search of a New Model (Part 1)

By Teresa D. Welch Susan and Kevin approached me after church and asked a series of questions I had heard before. “Could you talk to our son, Nathan, for us? He told us he wants to be baptized, and we don”t know if he is ready. What do you think?” Hearing questions about children and baptism was not uncommon in my role as a children”s minister, I regularly was asked by parents of elementary-aged children about matters of their child”s faith and readiness for baptism. However, the longer I served as a children”s minister, the more these questions concerned me.

August 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Time for a Name Change?

By Jeff Faull Have you ever thought much about the name we have been given as followers of Jesus? Christians. We wear a name that signifies our devotion to our Lord and Savior. Scripture reveals believers were first called Christians at Antioch. But there”s talk on the street these days about a name change for Christians, And at first glance, I can understand why. CHRISTIANS? Let me introduce you to Fred Phelps and his congregation. He and his tiny group of followers journey across the country and spew a message of hatred. His latest stunt is to show up at

August 1, 2010

Christian Standard

When Ministers Cease to Exist

By Keith Wishum Why do ministers quit? Many do every year. And, reportedly, not enough others enter ministry to fill the vacancies. But why? The answers to that question are as varied as are the men who minister. Here, however, is one possible cause that may be universal to all discouraged ministers. Ministers quit when they cease to exist. They cease to exist as ministers after they cease to exist as individuals. Granted, that odd-sounding idea may take some explaining. It is a thought promp-ted by author Frederick Buechner in The Sacred Journey. Describing a typical child”s perspective on the

August 1, 2010

Christian Standard

I Was the Big, Dead Tree

By Tim Harlow When I was a youth pastor, one of my favorite stories to reenact at church camp was from 1 Kings 18 when Elijah and the priests of Baal had a god-duel. The trick was to have someone with a roll of toilet paper soaked in lighter fluid in a nearby tree. At the right moment, he would light the toilet paper and let it slide down a wire into the altar””it was a great effect! I”m sure the real thing was even better. I can”t imagine how great Elijah must have felt knowing he was on the

August 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Burnout in Ministry

By Ryan Conner Jim had trouble sleeping. He lay in bed most of the night tossing and turning. His mind kept repeating the same list of tasks. Getting ready for his day of ministry duties seemed to require extra effort. He dreaded going into the church office and dealing with the phone messages, e-mails, and the handful of people who can”t seem to leave him alone. The same ministry tasks that used to bring Jim so much joy and fulfillment””visitation, leading small groups, even preaching””now brought only stress and frustration. Thoughts popped into his mind throughout the day””perhaps he should

July 18, 2010

Christian Standard

The Tyranny of the Paradigm (Part 1)

By Jack Cottrell In 1986 Michael Denton wrote Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (Adler & Adler, 1996), in which he is severely critical of evolutionary theory. He presented compelling arguments for intelligent design, especially from the living cell, before most of us ever heard of Michael Behe. This is significant because Denton is a respected molecular biologist and medical doctor””and a complete agnostic. Though he argues for design, he professes ignorance as to who or what the designer might be. Nevertheless, throughout this large volume, Denton offers many examples of scientific evidence that the phenomena of nature could not have

July 18, 2010

Christian Standard

They Trust Me, They Trust Me Not

By Dave Ping Richard had been on the staff of a rapidly growing church for six months, and things were going great. “Some of the small groups I”d started were thriving and some were just getting off the ground when suddenly we discovered that our perfect church wasn”t as perfect as we thought. Our senior pastor, a dynamic preacher who”d befriended me and mentored me in ministry, was caught having an affair with a female staff member. “Suddenly the church I loved was engulfed in a storm of hurt, betrayal, and distrust. And I was just as grieved and stunned

July 18, 2010

Christian Standard

Solid “˜Rock”

By Jennifer Taylor “Story” is a big idea right now. In 2009, author Donald Miller released A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, a memoir of the lessons he learned about “living a good story” while developing a movie script based on his life. Ben Arment”s STORY conference includes not only traditional big-name personalities like Chuck Swindoll but also David McFadzean (creator of the TV show Home Improvement), Richard Walter (screenwriter and UCLA film professor), and novelist Andrew Klavan. The International Storytelling Center draws thousands to its annual festival and works with the Library of Congress to collect information on

July 18, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC “˜Beyond”: Beyond Words to Action””Holistic Global Impact

By Dick Alexander I”m a late in life convert. For many years I thought the best (and only) real good we could do in overseas mission work was to plant churches. Once the churches got up and running, the Christians there could take care of other needs in their societies. I used to worry that some mission work gave lots of cups of cold water but saved few souls and had little to show for decades of investment. Maybe I was just stupid. After all, Jesus healed and preached. And good missionaries for years have not truncated ministry. Food, medical

July 18, 2010

Christian Standard

NACC “˜Beyond”: Beyond the Misguided Spiritual Disciplines

By Brian Jones Whenever people talk about moving beyond facilitating conversions to making disciples, someone will inevitably say that teaching and practicing the spiritual disciplines will be vital to making this happen. I couldn”t disagree more. Years ago Richard Foster released a perennially best-selling book called Celebration of Discipline. In it he outlined 12 disciplines Christians have engaged in over the last 2,000 years to help them live more spiritually abundant lives””meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. The church should be profoundly grateful for that book, and profoundly ticked off. Someone said a person”s greatest

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