Series: Featured

Why Go to a Christian College?

By Dusty Rubeck This article is no academic exercise for a college president to justify his vocation. At least not totally. You see, my 17-year-old daughter is a senior in high school and wrestling through her own decision about what college to attend next fall. My son is just two years behind her. Neither one is clear about what they want to do for their life vocations. Why go to Christian college? Answering this question is not simply an intellectual exercise for me. I”ve got skin in the game. Literally. GREAT VALUE Why go to Christian college? First of all,

March 16, 2008

Why Attend Christian College? 26 Schools Give Their Answer

By Staff Alberta Bible College Calgary, Alberta, Canada It”s not for everyone, but you might consider attending Alberta Bible College if: “¢ You enjoy learning in the way that you learn! To learn to ride a bicycle, you ride a bicycle. To learn to serve Christ, you serve Christ. Experiential learning at its best . . . without academic compromise . . . that”s ABC! About one-third of ABC grads successfully complete graduate programs, others “hit the ground running” in various ministry pursuits, and still others transfer into other programs, taking their ministry formation experience with them. “¢ You don”t

March 16, 2008

The Future of Christian Church Colleges

By John Derry For the past 20 years I”ve saved the annual Christian Standard issue that highlights enrollment statistics and recent developments in the colleges and universities of the Christian church. That file shows me just how much our schools have changed. We”ve expanded programs, added facilities, relocated to new campuses, changed names, and in some cases ceased to exist. Among the accredited colleges and universities of our fellowship, enrollment has increased more than 70 percent, with some institutions more than doubling in size since 1987. The most recent data for independent Christian church colleges indicates those schools now have

March 16, 2008

Christian Colleges, 2007-08 (chart)

By Staff Our annual chart provides attendance and faculty figures, income and expenditures,Â contact information, and more for 35 colleges affiliated with Christian church and church of Christ. Click here to download the 2008 Christian College Chart

March 9, 2008

Confidentiality: Always Helpful or Not?

By Tim Woodroof and Leland Vickers You are serving as an elder (or minister, volunteer leader, Bible class teacher, or pastor) for your local congregation and you are approached on Sunday by a longtime member””let”s call her Susan””who says she would like to talk with you about a “personal problem.” You agree to meet her for coffee, but Susan prefaces her discussion with a request, “This must stay only between the two of us. Can we agree that our discussion be completely confidential?” What is your response? The current church culture leads people to assume they have the right to

March 9, 2008

Policy on Confidentiality (a Proposal)

By Tim Woodroof and Leland Vickers Policy statements are frequently viewed as imposing unnecessary structure and tending to give churches a more corporate flavor. However, developing a policy statement in an area as critical as how we interact with those who are hurting provides a method of doing much preplanning and prevents some of the mistakes made in the heat of an emergency situation. Below is the text of a brief policy statement being proposed for our home congregation. As church leaders (elders, ministers, staff, counseling volunteers), we welcome and encourage members and friends to come to us with spiritual,

March 9, 2008

Your Church”s Confidentiality Policy

By Douglas A. Spears In the early 1990s there was a startling increase in the number and intensity of lawsuits against ministers and churches. Big-city seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association on topics such as “Tort Liability of Charitable, Religious, and Nonprofit Institutions” and “Tort Liability and Religion” helped show lawyers how to successfully sue clergy and churches. Today we are not surprised when we see the church (or members) in court. In the last 25 years we have seen more court cases involving ministers, church leaders, and churches than ever before. What might be most surprising is that

March 9, 2008

Confidentiality in a Counseling Setting

By Doug McCulley As a licensed professional counselor, I know that the promise of confidentiality is important to those I am counseling””but it”s also important for legal reasons. Every new client signs a form acknowledging confidentiality will be kept except in instances where permission is received to share details, or when a client poses a danger to himself or others, or when there is a court order Counselors are required to keep records private and are vigilant to maintain confidentiality. This enables clients to be open and honest and deal with the real issues that are hindering them. At our

March 9, 2008

Christian Living

An Epidemic of Selfishness

By David Bycroft Many congregations today are being seriously damaged and sometimes even destroyed by Christians who are more led by their own desires than by the Spirit of Christ. Some Christians, both in leadership and in the pew, are becoming roadblocks to reaching our communities for Christ. Many are most concerned with their own comfort, desires, and wants. They say things like, “Well, I like small churches,” or “I think we ought to use hymns and hymnbooks,” or “I don”t think we need coffee and donuts.” This selfish talk always begins with “I think . . .” Does anyone

March 2, 2008

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

I Want to Be Like Them

By LeRoy Lawson It happens too often. Some minister, usually still fairly inexperienced, leaves the ministry because of certain elders he has worked with. My story is just the opposite. I have survived a lifetime as a pastor for the same reason””certain elders I have worked with. My appreciation for some very influential elders begins each day even before I leave home. I look at them on the wall of my study, in my ordination picture. I am there in the middle of them, a slight, kneeling, nervous youth. They are laying their hands on me as a sacred act

March 2, 2008

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

They Never Stopped Teaching Me

By C. Robert Wetzel Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you (1 Timothy 4:14). It has been more than 50 years ago since elders laid hands on three of us at the First Christian Church in Hugoton, Kansas. We were reminded at the time, and many times since, not to neglect our gifts. In 1 Timothy 4:14, the apostle Paul seems to be talking about some special gift that was given or revealed to this young preacher when the elders of his church laid

March 2, 2008

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

Talking Together, Learning Together

By Amy Norman On a bright, clear Saturday morning in October, nearly 100 men gathered at Chapel Rock Christian Church on the west side of Indianapolis, Indiana, to learn and be reinforced in their leadership roles as elders and ministers in their respective churches. The fourth annual Indianapolis Congress of Elders was conducted October 20 and brought together men from the Indianapolis area who are in leadership at Christian churches and churches of Christ. “The congress is marketed to Marion County and the eight surrounding counties, but it”s open to everyone in the state,” said Dave Soucie, senior minister with

March 2, 2008

Church & Ministry Leadership Development

Celebrating Ordination

By Chuck Sackett I finally wrote the letter I”ve been promising for 10 years to write. I know it”s been 10 years because I was going to write it for my 25th anniversary in ministry. Where does time go? It”s now 35 years and counting. I sent the letter to my ordaining congregation. A faithful (if naÃ¯ve) group of people who were willing to put their “stamp of approval” on me. I”ve been grateful for years. But I”ve never taken the opportunity to let them know I”m still involved, still faithful, still serving. I was remiss and am committed to

February 24, 2008

Southern Hospitality at This Year”s World Convention

By Phil LeMaster If you are coming to Nashville, Tennessee, for the World Convention of Churches of Christ this summer (July 30″“August 3), prepare yourself for some real Southern hospitality””and much more. “Music City U.S.A.” is in the midst of an amazing period of growth and transition. As a result, Tennessee”s capital, situated on the beautiful Cumberland River, is fast becoming an exciting place to visit and a great place to live. Don”t take my word for it, however. The “Athens of the South” is getting rave reviews from far and wide that eclipse any prejudiced judgments from this relatively

February 24, 2008

The 2008 World Convention: Program, Speakers, Registration

By Staff The 2008 World Convention is scheduled for July 30″“August 3 in Nashville, Tennessee. Here is some information about this year”s program, speakers, Bible study leaders, and how to register. THIS YEAR”S PROGRAM WEDNESDAY, JULY 30 9:30 am“”Registration opens 9 am”“noon””Half-day tour 9:30 am“”Global Leaders Forum 1″“4 pm“”Half-day tour 7″“9 pm“”Opening worship at the Nashville Convention Center (Cynthia Hale, speaker) 9:15 pm“”President”s Reception THURSDAY, JULY 31 7″“8 am“”Early worship at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel 9″“9:45 am“”Worship at the Nashville Convention Center 10:15″“11 am“”Bible study 11:15 am““5 pm“”Workshops 7″“9 pm“”Worship at the Nashville Convention Center (Bob Russell,

February 24, 2008

Church & Ministry Church Growth

The Polysite Church

By Dave Ferguson “I”m not sure I can get them to come to church with me.” I was surprised to hear Kathy say this because literally every week she brings people who are far from God to Community Christian Church (CCC). Often I will look out into the crowd during a weekend service and see a whole row of people sitting next to her and I know these are people just beginning their spiritual search. Kathy is as passionate about helping people to find their way to God as I am. So I listened intently as she described a group

February 24, 2008

The World Convention: Christmas Truce or Reclaiming a Heritage?

By C. Robert Wetzel An extraordinary event occurred in the early days of the First World War. Fighting had begun in August 1914, and by Christmas opposing armies were mired in bitter trench warfare. In a segment of the battle line, British soldiers faced their German enemies in bitter cold. Both armies were in trenches knee-deep in mud. Already there had been more loss of life than anyone could have imagined before the war. But on that Christmas Eve the impossible happened. Quietly at first, voices called out from trenches on either side of the battle line. Soon men began

February 24, 2008

An Invitation from the World Convention”s Executive Director

By Jeff Weston This summer will be the first time in 16 years the World Convention has been conducted in the United States. But what is the World Convention? I am frequently asked that question even though it has been active within our churches for more than 77 years! FOUNDATIONAL PRECEPTS Many within our churches are unaware of some of our foundational precepts. Thomas Campbell, said, “The Church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one,” while Barton W. Stone said, “Let the unity of Christians be our polar star.” These pioneers had read and reflected on the

February 17, 2008