Series: Featured

May 16, 2010

Christian Standard

Embracing Our Questioners

By John Castelein Christians ask two kinds of questions: (1) safe questions, conceived and answered from within the faith; and (2) difficult questions about the entire faith enterprise itself. In many churches, small groups, and adult Bible school classes, persistent questioners can feel ostracized because difficult questions are not pursued. Willow Creek Community Church led many churches to respect the questions of seekers outside the church. However, in spite of such openness at the front door, church membership and attendance appear to be on the decline in the United States, especially among those 30 and younger (this follows the pattern

May 16, 2010

Christian Standard

Journey to Hope

By Mike and Kari MacKenzie JOHN I don”t want to be here! I don”t want to be here! I don”t want to be here! That was the only thought going through my mind as my wife and I silently drove up the long, twisting mountain road to the counseling retreat for pastors. Yeah, I admit things had been a little rough lately with conflict in the church and declining attendance. It had been a little harder to find that old passion for prayer, preparation, and preaching. I hadn”t been getting sleep lately, but God said in his Word it wouldn”t

May 16, 2010

Christian Standard

Leading People Toward Redemption and Restoration (Part 1)

By Ken Swatman As ministers and church leaders, we see sin every day in our communities, congregations, families, and in ourselves. We are called by God to recognize sin, confront it, and bring it into the light of Jesus. We are no more on the front line of sin”s personal battle than anyone else, but as servant-leaders in Christ”s body, we often must assume the roles of confrontational authority and navigator of the deep waters of redemption, repentance, and restoration. In this three-part series, I will look at some practical issues we face as we lead people down this path.

May 16, 2010

Christian Standard

The Credibility Factor

By Ken Swatman Read the main article, “Leading People Toward Redemption and Restoration (Part 1),” by Ken Swatman Although we may bristle at the idea, pastors are seen as leaders and given the positional authority of leadership in most local churches. We may attach “servant” or “visionary” to our pastoral titles to lessen the authoritative stigma and add an air of humility, but it doesn”t change the fact that, as pastors, we are biblically, socially, and spiritually in a position of leadership. As pastors, we are called by God and our congregations to shepherd, feed, and protect the flock, and

May 9, 2010

Christian Standard

Enrolling Our Kids in the Jesus Mission

By Janet McMahon A look of disappointment, frustration, and surprise came over his face. He cried. We had just told our 13-year-old son we were leaving the only town he had ever known to move to another city and begin a brand-new church. The days and weeks that followed were full of questions, not just from our 13-year-old, but all three of our children. “Why?” “When?” “How?” “Are you sure?” At the time our kids were 16, 13, and 7, and moving kids attending high school and middle school seemed less than ideal. No doubt my children are the No.

May 9, 2010

Christian Standard

How Churches Can Help Families

By Paul Alexander I”ve heard hundreds of sermons on marriage and family living. But one stands above the rest. Thirteen years ago the pastor of the largest Christian church in our area came to Hope International University and spoke at our chapel service. He had been asked to speak on the most important thing he could think of to prepare people to go out and serve the church and impact the world for Christ. He told us he had considered talking about ministry, trials, devotion to God, and other topics. But ultimately, he said, the most important thing he could

May 9, 2010

Christian Standard

Like Father, Like Son

By Victor Knowles Abraham was such a godly man that he drew the applause of Heaven. God gave him ultimate praise: “For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just” (Genesis 18:19). Dwight L. Moody said, “I believe the family was established long before the church, and my duty is to my family first. I am not to neglect my family.” Strong families produce strong leaders that produce strong churches. Perhaps the most famous father-son preaching pair in

May 9, 2010

Christian Standard

Generation to Generation: An Interview with Wayne Rice

By Joni Sullivan Baker “I think if you are working with teenagers, you have the most important job in the church.”””Wayne Rice, in a phone interview, March 2010 In the late 1960s, churches didn”t have youth ministers. The Christian Endeavor meetings for youth that some folks remember were pretty staid affairs, possibly highlighted by a rousing rendition of “Deep and Wide,” or some other camp chorus. Meanwhile, a youth culture was starting to emerge in a changing society experiencing the generation gap. Outside the church, organizations like Youth for Christ experimented with new ways of reaching teens through large events

May 2, 2010

Christian Standard

Why Do Christians Serve? Guilt or Gratitude?

By Larry W. Bailey Lady Macbeth compulsively washed her hands in a vain attempt to cleanse herself from feelings of guilt. She and her husband had conspired in the murder of King Duncan, and the “spot of blood” on her hands seemed to resist removal. Her repeated attempts to cleanse herself of blood (guilt) proved futile. She wondered aloud, “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (Macbeth, act 5, scene 1). Physical actions could not relieve her guilty conscience. We all can identify with Lady Macbeth to some extent, because all

May 2, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜God, I Hate You!”

By John Mark Hicks Dear God, I hate you. Love, Madeleine. I meditated on this brief prayer (in Madeleine L”Engle”s The Weather of the Heart) for months after I read it. Initially, I was horrified by how much I identified with the prayer. My first reaction was, “I get the point.” And so did Mack in William Young”s bestseller, The Shack. Mack had become “sick of God” in the years since Missy”s death. But at God”s invitation, he went to the shack where Missy was murdered, doubting whether it really was God who invited him. As he entered the shack for the

May 2, 2010

Christian Standard

You”re Not as Bad as You Think You Are

By Mark Atteberry IS GUILT WEIGHING YOU DOWN? Christians everywhere beat themselves up over sins their heavenly Father has long since forgiven and forgotten. In Let It Go, seasoned author Mark Atteberry, with his customary mix of humor and heart, leads us to let go of inferiority, perfectionism, criticism, and shame””and hold on to abundance, grace, salvation, and joy. This article is an excerpt from this helpful, enjoyable new book. Price: $12.99 “¢ Item 021530610 “¢ Available May 2010 athttp://www.standardpub.com/detail.aspx?ID=4504 or your local Christian bookstore. You may not be as bad as you think you are! I know your natural

April 25, 2010

Christian Standard

The Integrity Mirror

By Chuck Booher Once upon a time there was a pastor on staff at a church who became disheartened by the behavior of the senior pastor and the leadership team. The senior leader demeaned his employees, led by intimidation, and lacked integrity. The staff followed his example and also treated one another disrespectfully. While standing in front of the congregation, these leaders were loving and kind, but among themselves, they were mean and malicious. The disheartened pastor finally confronted the senior pastor and told him his behavior and the staff”s behavior were not Christlike. But instead of improving things, this

April 25, 2010

Christian Standard

The Arts–A Perfect Opportunity to Invite

By Shockley Flick Steve and Rhonda, Darlies and Shannon, and Susy and Roger are active in ministry here at East 91st Street Christian Church because of our orchestra. Janet, T.J., Erica, and Stephanie are here because of our dance ministry. Todd and Lisa, Chet, Jennifer, and Lisa attend because of our fine arts school. John and Adrienne have been attending for a year and play in the Restoration Brass ensemble. Our contemporary services use a fine rock band and creative graphics and attract more than 2,000 people each Sunday morning. Some who attend have little or no church background or

April 25, 2010

Christian Standard

Literature as a Tool for Spiritual Growth

By Marvin D. Hinten I was led to Christ by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Most people are led to Christ by someone they know””a friend or relative””not an individual who”s been dead for a hundred years. And, for obvious reasons, most people are led to Christ by a Christian. But I became a Christian through reading a poem by Emerson in a high school English class. So I have experienced firsthand the power of literature to connect readers with God. Most Christian leaders, when thinking of books they “ought to read,” think of nonfiction. One should read theology and church management

April 25, 2010

Christian Standard

God in the Cinema

By Joseph C. D’Alessandro Slow fade up from black. We hear the shuffling of feet and hushed whispers interrupted by the voice of a lecturer discussing the frescoes on the wall depicting the life and death of John the Baptist. The camera pulls back to reveal a group of exchange students looking up at the image of John”s head on a platter. The sight is familiar, yet also wonderful, dramatic, inspirational, and mysterious. This was the scene when I began my journey toward God. Much like the illiterate masses of the 15th century, I was ushered into a relationship with

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: The 2009 List

Our annual megachurch chart is one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s most popular features. This year there are 114 churches listed as megachurches (those with 2,000 or more in weekly attendance) or emerging megachurches (those with average attendance of 1,000 to 1,999). The chart/pdf that is accessible below contains the entire, 114-church listing. Click here to look at this chart of the 2009 Megachurches.

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Register Today for Our Reports on Medium and Large Churches

By Staff Something New! We”re looking for churches of several sizes! What was your church”s average weekend attendance in 2009? If you averaged between 250 and 999, we want to hear from you. We”ll send you a survey to participate in one of two research projects this year, one for Medium-Sized Churches (250-499 average) and another for Large Churches (500-999). We plan two issues for later this year, each of them much like this one, to report on the growth and ministry of congregations in each of these categories. But we can”t do this without you! We”re seeking as many

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: The Church of the Decade Is Real Life Ministries (Web-only Feature)

By Kent Fillinger Real Life Ministries is currently the sixth-largest Christian church/church of Christ in the country. Started by Jim Putman with only four families in 1998 in Post Falls, Idaho, Real Life has grown to an average worship attendance of 8,500. Real Life first appeared on CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s megachurch list in 2001 with an average attendance of 1,497. Real Life has remained focused on “making disciples in relational environments” and resisted chasing fads or shooting for “the big show” like some other churches. “The church should not be a gathering place, but a launching pad,” said Putman, who believes the

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: Mega See, Mega Do

By Kent Fillinger What do “kiddie” pools, black T-shirts, towels, plastic trash bags, preaching, and prayer all have in common? Each of these items was a key part of a recent trend among 50 megachurches and emerging megachurches that resulted in 7,705 baptisms in 2009. Our churches are often referred to as the independent Christian churches, but it is also fitting to describe them as interdependent Christian churches. For years now, the megachurches and emerging megachurches have networked with one another to share resources and assist one another through various levels of growth. Many of these megachurches have also served as sounding

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Whatever Happened to False Doctrine?

By Jeff Faull OK, I might as well admit it. I”m a peacemaker by nature, an off-the-charts shower of mercy. A lover and not a fighter. I tend to look for commonality over differences””I despise legalism. Unity is not a bad word to me. I”m a Psalm 133/John 17 guy and glad to be one. Quickly skim over the New Testament with that mind-set. It only takes a few minutes. With a cursory glance at Acts 2 and beyond””you can see it. It”s beautiful to trace the harmony that existed when the church began. Christians were doctrinally aligned””all of one mind.

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