Series: Featured

November 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Children’s Ministry Curriculum Decisions

Our Recent Survey Reveals What Christian Churches Are Using Today to Teach Our Children . . . and How They Are Adapting Them By Kelly Carr Caring for the youngest in our churches is no small feat. There are many moving parts to manage: volunteers, lesson plans, parent communication, volunteers, safety strategies, worship services, volunteers, engaging activities, biblical instruction. And did we mention volunteers? To equip those volunteers and provide for your young churchgoers, you need the right curriculum. Yet finding resources for your children’s ministry can be a series of trial and error decisions as you seek the most

November 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Children’s Ministry Best Practices (Megachurch): Crossroads Christian Church, Grand Prairie, Texas

A Passion for Reaching More Children—and Their Families—for Christ By Pam Siddle Dwight L. Moody once said,“If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God.” We have a similar commitment at Crossroads Christian Church in Grand Prairie, Texas, and God is using our children’s ministry to attract families to worship with us and ultimately reach more children for him. Here’s how we’re doing this. Facilities Having a visually appealing, kid-friendly building is very important. Families love seeing areas designed specifically for children, and the kids are excited to be there. Our members

November 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Children’s Ministry Best Practices (Medium/Large Church): First Christian Church, Monticello, Ky.

Historic Church Serves Youth, Savors the Growth By Justin Horey Leading an effective children’s ministry is a lot like baking a cake. It’s important to have the right tools, a complete recipe, and all the necessary ingredients. Even with all of those things in place, the process can still be messy. But as First Christian Church of Monticello, Kentucky, is proving, the results can be sweet. “Raccoon” John Smith, the renowned 19th-century evangelist, started First Christian Church in the tiny frontier town of Monticello in 1831. By the time senior minister Joe Tipton arrived at the church in 2011, Monticello

November 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Children’s Ministry Best Practices (Multisite Church): Community Christian Church, Chicagoland

The Team It Takes to Help Families and Kids Find Their Way Back to God   By Kathy Ives The best thing about being part of a multisite kids’ ministry team is the built-in support and fellowship with multiple leaders. Most of our locations have their own kids’ directors, and together we make a fantastic and diverse team. Our directors are fully invested in kids and families, and they understand not only our church dynamics but the complicated nature of kids’ ministry. Together we discuss new creative ideas and solutions at regular meetings. On top of that, our newer directors

November 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Children’s Ministry Best Practices (Small Church): Versailles (Ind.) Church of Christ

‘A Love for Watching Young People Grow in Christ’ By Melissa Wuske JR and Debra Stephen have been volunteer leaders in the children’s ministry at Versailles (Indiana) Church of Christ since the mid-1980s. It’s a small congregation with “more older people than younger” right now, JR said. About 20 children regularly attend, and he described the church as “a close-knit family.” As a children’s leader, that closeness is an asset: “Everybody pretty much knows everybody, and you get to know the parents well.” The couple have been through many seasons of ministry with the church: Families have moved into town

October 7, 2019

Christian Standard

STARTING SMALL: In Praise of the Smaller Church

This is a repost of an appreciation for smaller churches from Oct. 15, 2006, written by Ben Merold, who was then serving as senior minister with Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles, Missouri. Merold, now in his early 90s, continues to serve Harvester as teaching pastor. (Read our October 2019 issue for articles about challenges facing rural and small churches . . . and possible solutions.) _ _ _ By Ben Merold, Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles, Missouri I have a great appreciation for the smaller church. I was led to accept Christ as my personal Savior in a small church.

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

Morning Glory Christian Academy (Guatemala): Catalyst for Life Change

By Reggie Hundley San Raymundo, Guatemala, is a rural village of about 26,000 people located 31 kilometers north of Guatemala City, the nation’s capital. A blend of indigenous citizens of Mayan descent and Ladinos of Spanish descent live there. The region’s illiteracy rate is extremely high. Public schools are free, but uniforms, books, and transportation are expenses the impoverished residents cannot afford. Rather than attending school, many children roll wicks for fireworks throughout the day to help with family finances. About 5 kilometers north of San Raymundo, hundreds of students study at Morning Glory Christian Academy. The school was started

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

Pioneer Bible Translators (Papua New Guinea): To the Least and the Last

By Greg Pruett When Al Hamilton was founding Pioneer Bible Translators in the early 1970s, William and Robin Butler were among the first missionaries he recruited. Al had heard William explaining a Greek assignment to a friend in the campus bookstore and, on his way out the door, tapped William on the shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Sounds like you would make a good Bible translator.” That comment planted an enduring seed. In 1975, at a snowy National Missionary Convention in St. Louis, William and his fiancée, Robin True, went forward to give their lives to the work of

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

Christ for Asia, Mission to the People (Myanmar): An Unwavering Urgency for the Mission

By Walt Wilcoxson I was sitting in a flimsy, plastic chair under a bougainvillea so large and beautiful it defies description. I looked over at Ahdee Wayezi, a short man who stands tall in the lives of pastors and teachers of the Lisu people of Myanmar, Tibet, and the China border towns. Myanmar, also known as Burma, seems an unlikely place to find a Christian mission with the outreach and effectiveness of CAMP (Christ for Asia, Mission to the People). After all, estimates of the Buddhist population of Myanmar range from 80 to 89 percent. Regardless, about 1.4 million Lisu

October 1, 2019

Laura McKillip Wood

Christian Fellowship North (Warsaw, Poland): Passion for Christ and Community

By Laura McKillip Wood I came to Christian Fellowship North soon after I moved. I was in a very difficult and dark place in my life. My relationship had just collapsed, I had moved to a new city and started a new job, leaving family and friends on the other side of the country. For the first few months I came in and out, with no energy to talk to anybody. I just talked to God. One Sunday I sat on a chair somewhere at the back of the room, immersed in my thoughts, tears pouring down my face. It

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

Christian Arabic Services (Egypt): The Best-Kept Secret in the Restoration Movement?

A Christian Standard Interview with Safaa Fahmi By John Caldwell Christian Arabic Services of Cairo, Egypt, is strategically located in the Islamic world, at the crossroads of Africa and Asia and next to the world’s only Jewish state. Safaa and Mona Fahmi lead the CAS ministry, which targets the 420 million Arabic-speaking people concentrated in northern Africa and the Middle East. The Fahmis and their dedicated team of associates have trained leaders who have helped to reopen at least 200 Egyptian village churches from Aswan to Alexandria. Through its efforts, several hundred denominational churches have embraced New Testament Christianity, as

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

BELIEVABLE LIVES: How YOU Can Make a Kingdom Difference in This World

By Dan Crum INDIA: I visited north India earlier this year and was honored to sit among leaders of one of the largest movements to Christ I’ve ever known. While there, a woman stood up and shared about her work among the transgender community. Prisha (not her real name) had approached the transgender community and requested to teach them about Christ. She was rejected initially, but soon one of the people in that community became ill and medical treatment was not helping. Some folks reached out to Prisha and told her she could come and pray for their friend. If

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

PAH!

By Chad Entinger Pah is slang for “finally!” in American Sign Language. It is what Deaf people sign when something is finally finished or when something is finally changed and improved for the better in their lives. [This is a sidebar to “Deaf Missions (U.S.): Seeing God’s Word Come to Life,” by Mary Alice Gardner.] “Pah!” is exactly what Deaf people, including myself, have been saying more lately. For a long time, Deaf people have felt ignored and overlooked. Bible-based resources have primarily been developed for hearing people. But I personally believe God is turning the tide as more resources

October 1, 2019

Christian Standard

Deaf Missions (U.S.): Seeing God’s Word Come to Life

By Mary Alice Gardner “Do not forget us, Lord; do not forget your Deaf people,” her prayer begins. She is in a huddle of a dozen people who watch her signs and nod in agreement. When the prayer concludes, each person stacks one hand in the middle of the circle. The top hand forms the sign for amen and on the count of three all hands rise, lifting the prayer to Heaven. So begins an ordinary translation day for the American Sign Language Version (ASLV) team headquartered at Deaf Missions in Council Bluffs, Iowa. While it might be an ordinary

September 20, 2019

Christian Standard

Small Churches: Responding to Some Stereotypes

In this repost of a classic article that first appeared in Christian Standard on May 20, 2012, Tom Claibourne responds to some fairly typical stereotypes about small churches. Claibourne is in his 40th year serving with Bethlehem Church of Christ, Winchester, Ohio. He recently was inducted into the Christian Village Communities Hall of Faith; his induction video celebrating his life of ministry is available at the church’s Facebook page. (Read our October 2019 issue for articles about challenges facing rural and small churches . . . and possible solutions.) _ _ _ By Tom Claibourne Small church. What is the

September 13, 2019

Christian Standard

An Urban Conversation for the Restoration Movement

Our September 2019 issue focuses on urban ministry, which is something Steve Carr wrote about in this article from 11 years ago. At that time, a few dozen urban ministers came together for an “Urban Conversation” to discuss the situation and consider solutions. Some things have changed over the last decade, but many of the elements of their conversation are still important today. (This article originally appeared online in August 2008.)  _ _ _ By Steve Carr By sometime this summer half of the world’s population will live in cities.1 For Restoration Movement churches in America this fact is problematic

September 4, 2019

Christian Standard

Spire: What It Is, What It Isn’t . . . and Why

By Chris Moon New things inevitably generate questions. “What is it?” “Why this?” “Why now?” And “why not this other thing?” It’s been no different for the organizers of Spire Network, a digital platform that has set its sights on uniting and equipping pastors within the independent Christian churches and churches of Christ. The network has been working toward its first conference—set for October 8 to 10 in Orlando—and preparing to roll out its online networking platform this fall. In the middle of all of that, organizers are fielding questions about the nature of Spire and what it hopes to

August 22, 2019

Christian Standard

The 2018 Charts: Small Churches and Very Small Churches

Our annual listing of churches is one of Christian Standard’s most popular features. This year scores of churches participated, including 78 small churches (average weekly worship attendance of 100 to 249 during 2018) and 47 very small churches (attendance of fewer than 100). In May we featured an article and statistics from 55 megachurches (2,000 or more in weekly attendance) and 70 emerging megachurches (1,000 to 1,999). In July we spotlighted 88 large churches (500 to 999 in weekly attendance) and 86 medium churches (250 to 499). Click here to view and download 2018 Charts3, with data from small churches and

August 22, 2019

Christian Standard

SPOTLIGHT: Creekside Community Church, Hot Springs, Ark.

By Melissa Wuske “The community knows who we are,” said Mark Maybrey, lead minister of Creekside Community Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas. “From day one, all of us in our core group of 18 people have had a missional heart for the community.” Starting with those 18 people in 2015, the church now averages about 90 each Sunday. The key in this busy resort town is meeting people where they are. When Maybrey moved to Hot Springs, people told him, “There’s always something to do. Your kids are going to love it.” But nothing prepared him for the shock that first

August 22, 2019

Christian Standard

2018 Fast Facts about Small and Very Small Churches

These statistics from 2018 are gleaned from small and very small church data collected by Kent Fillinger. Be sure to read Fillinger’s article, “2018 Special Church Report, Part 3: Small and Very Small Churches,” and look at the accompanying tables, “The 2018 Charts: Small and Very Small Churches.” _ _ _ AVERAGE ATTENDANCE Small churches: 163 Very Small churches: 54 Combined average weekly attendance (125 churches): 21,701 _ _ _ GROWTH RATES Small churches: 0.03 percent (up from -0.3 percent in 2017); overall, 38 percent of small churches grew (up from 36 percent in 2017) Very Small churches: 1.7 percent

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