Series: Featured

March 15, 2020

John Caldwell

The Angels: Messengers of Hope at the Empty Tomb

By John Caldwell I have a confession to make. In well over half a century of ministry, I’ve never preached about the angels as they relate to the resurrection of Christ. I have manuscripts of all my Easter sermons, but I’ve searched in vain through scores of them for any significant focus on the angels. I fear that many of us have seen angels only as “bit players” in the Easter story. In reality, however, the angels play a major role. Angels in the Bible Angels have many roles in Scripture, and they would make for an interesting study; after

March 15, 2020

Glen Elliott

Cleopas: The Journey That Forever Changed Us

(An eyewitness’ account*) By Glen Elliott To Luke, my brother in the Lord, from Cleopas. I understand you’ve been collecting eyewitness accounts about the life of Jesus. Here is mine.   I live in a small town called Emmaus. I have made the journey to and from Jerusalem many times in my life. But one such journey forever changed me. Here’s what happened that Sunday. Passover Week in Jerusalem A friend and I had been in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration with others who were following one who was clearly a prophet. God had not sent a prophet to his

March 15, 2020

Dale Reeves

Simon Peter: A Betrayer Is Restored

(An eyewitness’ account*) By Dale Reeves We were just minding our own business, washing and mending our nets on the lakeshore, when we first met Jesus face-to-face. He stepped into my boat to use it as a sort of floating speaker’s platform. After he talked to the people about what he called “the kingdom of Heaven,” he told us to move the boat into deeper water and then cast our nets off the right side. Andrew and I looked at each other and laughed; we had been out there all night without sleep and without fish.   I’m not sure

March 15, 2020

Bob Russell

Judas: The Traitor’s Biggest Mistake

By Bob Russell Judas was greedy. That’s a common temptation for most of us, but it’s especially enticing for those with easy access to money that doesn’t belong to them. When Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume, Judas protested the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor. A fellow disciple observed, “He [Judas] did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6). Judas was the treasurer for Jesus’

March 15, 2020

John Whittaker

Thomas: Testimony . . . and Why Seeing Doesn’t Contradict Believing

By John Whittaker It was evening of the Sunday Jesus rose from the dead, and the frightened disciples were holed up behind locked doors. Emotions, excitement, and tensions soared. Suddenly, though the doors were locked, Jesus stood among them. “Shalom,” he greeted them. And then he showed them his hands and his side, scars and all, evidence that it was indeed him. After that encounter, the euphoric disciples couldn’t wait to tell Thomas, who wasn’t with them that night. But upon hearing the news, Thomas was hesitant, uncertain. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to believe. He just needed more

February 26, 2020

Sam Oss

The Church App

How We Developed, Launched, and Continue to Improve Our Mobile Application In the fall of 2018, the Midwestern church I serve, The Crossing, started a new website design process and began to overhaul our web presence analytics. In doing so, we learned 54 percent of the traffic to our main website originated from mobile devices that is, cell phones. (Tablets accounted for only about 6 percent of traffic, while desktop/laptop devices made up the remaining 40 percent.) It wasn’t all that surprising. In 2017, media measurement and analytics company Comscore reported, Mobile apps account for 57 percent of all digital

February 22, 2020

Chris Jefferson

Ministry Intelligence: Using the Power of Information to Reach Your Community for Christ

By Chris Jefferson Nehemiah’s transition from king’s cupbearer to rebuilder of Jerusalem provides valuable lessons for how modern churches can set goals, define objectives, strategize methods, and incorporate tactics to help them move beyond self-preservation and begin to lead movements in their congregations and communities. At the start of the Old Testament book, Nehemiah asked his brothers from Judah about his homeland. He specifically asked for information about two things: the people and the city. He gathered intelligence from trusted, knowledgeable sources. Upon learning that the remnant was in “great trouble and disgrace” and that the wall of Jerusalem was

February 22, 2020

Mark Kitts

If You Lead Alone, You're Doing It Wrong

A Cutting-Edge Way to Find New Ministry Partners Online . . . and in Person By Mark Kitts I’m still smarting from the recent closing of my alma mater, once known as “the Flagship College” of the independent Christian churches (ICC). Our schools, publications, and national gatherings have historically been unifying bastions of the Restoration Movement. But these institutions have been losing influence as people have voted with their feet and their wallets. Is it because Restoration ideals have lost their relevance? I don’t think so. I see these ideals being adopted as never before. Denominationalism is declining at an

February 22, 2020

Jon Weatherly

How Paul Used the Social Media of His Time

By Jon Weatherly Would the apostle Paul use today’s social media? After all, it is filled with triviality, gossip, cruelty, divisiveness, indecency, blasphemy, and “fake news.” When videos of cats wearing shark suits and riding Roombas may be the least evil thing on social media, how can we imagine Christ’s apostle engaging in such an environment? When a person uses social media for what they consider a noble purpose, still it can backfire. Consider the case of Adam Smith in 2012 in Tucson, Arizona. One particular day, Smith filmed his interaction with a fast-food employee. Smith wanted to make a

February 22, 2020

Tina Wilson

How to Use Social Media Well in Your Church

By Tina Wilson If your church isn’t using social media—and using it well—you’re likely missing a great opportunity. Social media is the widest form of advertising available—and it costs little to nothing. Early on, social media may have been used mostly by younger people, but these platforms have expanded so much that most people across generations now get their information from them. The reach of social media is broad with regard to age and target audience. Social media speaks to church members and seekers alike, while most communication from the church—bulletins, email blasts, billboards—target one or the other. Beyond the

February 22, 2020

David Dummitt

Six Reasons Your Church Needs a Mobile-Giving Option

By David Dummitt IBM created the first smartphone in the early 1990s, but it was Apple’s release of the first iPhone in 2007 that effectively changed the world at large. Fast-forward to today and approximately 81 percent of people in America own a smartphone. The world has literally moved into the palms of people’s hands. The advent of smartphones over the past quarter century has revolutionized the way people prefer to learn, shop, and, yes, give. While many churches are embracing financial technology in new ways and are experiencing the positive impact on congregational generosity, many churches in America continue

February 22, 2020

Rusty George

How to Develop an Online Church Campus

By Rusty George “Church online isn’t church.” Yep, that’s what I used to say. Of course, I also thought texting would never last and Facebook was a fad. But hey, what do I know? I guess you might call me a late adopter. Needless to say, starting an online campus wasn’t at the top of my list. But six years ago we decided to add an online option at our church, and I’ve changed my mind about its importance. The First Question: Why Mess with It? It sounds like a lot of work when a simple website with service times

February 22, 2020

Justin Horey

Can Online Churches Create Offline Connections?

Three Churches Share Stories from the “Wild West”of Worship on the World Wide Web By Justin Horey From smartphones to social media, Facebook to FaceTime, the Internet and the tools we use to access it are often advertised as ways to help people relate to one another. Dating apps and websites aim to bring people together in person, while social media platforms and videoconferencing were created to help people stay in touch when they can’t be together in the same room. Technology experts and ordinary people alike love to debate the effectiveness of relating with online tools, but these tools

February 22, 2020

Tim Cole

Your Digital Screen Door: 6 Common Church Website Mistakes and How to Fix Them

By Tim Cole The Internet is the most disruptive force in church communication since the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in 1439. Your church’s front door may be located on your property, but in many ways the church’s website serves as the new digital screen door through which your potential guests will decide beforehand if they will venture to and through the physical front door. Recently I consulted with an older church overseas about why they weren’t attracting and keeping enough visitors to spur consistent growth. My onsite visit revealed several potential problems, but one stood out. The urban church

February 19, 2020

Rusty George

How to Develop an Online Church Campus

By Rusty George “Church online isn’t church.” Yep, that’s what I used to say. Of course, I also thought texting would never last and Facebook was a fad. But hey, what do I know? I guess you might call me a late adopter. Needless to say, starting an online campus wasn’t at the top of my list. But six years ago we decided to add an online option at our church, and I’ve changed my mind about its importance. The First Question: Why Mess with It? It sounds like a lot of work when a simple website with service times

February 19, 2020

Justin Horey

Can Online Churches Create Offline Connections?

Three Churches Share Stories from the “Wild West” of Worship on the World Wide Web By Justin Horey From smartphones to social media, Facebook to FaceTime, the Internet and the tools we use to access it are often advertised as ways to help people relate to one another. Dating apps and websites aim to bring people together in person, while social media platforms and videoconferencing were created to help people stay in touch when they can’t be together in the same room. Technology experts and ordinary people alike love to debate the effectiveness of relating with online tools, but these

February 19, 2020

Mark Kitts

If You Lead Alone, You're Doing It Wrong

A Cutting-Edge Way to Find New Ministry Partners Online . . . and in Person By Mark Kitts I’m still smarting from the recent closing of my alma mater, once known as “the Flagship College” of the independent Christian churches (ICC). Our schools, publications, and national gatherings have historically been unifying bastions of the Restoration Movement. But these institutions have been losing influence as people have voted with their feet and their wallets. Is it because Restoration ideals have lost their relevance? I don’t think so. I see these ideals being adopted as never before. Denominationalism is declining at an

February 2, 2020

David Dummitt

Six Reasons Your Church Needs a Mobile-Giving Option

By David Dummitt IBM created the first smartphone in the early 1990s, but it was Apple’s release of the first iPhone in 2007 that effectively changed the world at large. Fast-forward to today and approximately 81 percent of people in America own a smartphone. The world has literally moved into the palms of people’s hands. The advent of smartphones over the past quarter century has revolutionized the way people prefer to learn, shop, and, yes, give. While many churches are embracing financial technology in new ways and are experiencing the positive impact on congregational generosity, many churches in America continue

January 29, 2020

Tyler McKenzie

Solving the American Church's PR Problem

How Northeast Christian Is Seeking to Redefine Church Around the Cross-Shaped Love of Jesus _ _ _ I was a stranger and you invited me in. _ _ _ By Tyler McKenzie Outsiders consider people inside the church to be extreme and irrelevant. That’s according to recent research about perceptions of Christianity in America conducted by Barna Group and its president David Kinnaman. You may disagree with these descriptors of churchgoersextreme and irrelevantbut perception is reality to some degree. Outsiders either despise us or don’t care about us. We clearly have a PR problem on our hands. The extremist label

January 29, 2020

Christian Standard

The Thrift Store Ministry

This Church’s Outreach Approach Recycles Much More than Clothing and Furniture _ _ _ “I needed clothes and you clothed me.” By L. Mackenzie On December 15, 2008, leaders of The Crossing in Quincy, Illinois, were discussing possible changes to their benevolence strategy. Several of them had just visited a church in Post Falls, Idaho, where they sought out ideas for growth. Elder Bruce Freeman was among those who listened as an idea for a thrift store ministry was discussed. Freeman was head of benevolence, a man passionate about helping others. He also had 25 years of experience working in

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