Series: Featured

Misplaced Loyalty? (A Healthy Commitment to the Restoration Movement)

By Jeff Faull Attitudes toward the Restoration Movement from within the movement are greatly varied. They range from a blind, unquestioning loyalty to the movement””its founders, champions, and slogans””to a lack of interest and an assessment that our historic plea and positions are irrelevant, all the way to an overt disdain and intentional distancing from our heritage and history.Â Myriads of articles have been written about the ongoing decline of denominational loyalty. The editors of Christianity Today even put a tombstone under the headline “Are Denominations Dead?” on their June 2010 cover, highlighting a piece on waning tribal commitment by

June 20, 2017

In Wayne”s Own Words

By Barry Cameron Wayne B. Smith is fondly remembered for many things: his humor, passion for preaching, love for fellow ministers, and hope-giving encouragement. He also is remembered for a willingness to state his position on hot-button issues. But don”t take our word for it. Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Everyone knows that name: Jesus. Almost everyone in the Christian church knows another name as well. It”s a name that evokes smiles and stories in the hearts

June 20, 2017

The Restoration Ideal Still Works

By Ben Merold The Missouri River””the “Big Muddy”””runs past the city of Omaha, Nebraska. If we wanted to get pure, unpolluted water from this river, we have two basic choices. We might, as Omaha has done, install a filter to remove the mud that has accumulated in the water during the river”s meandering path south and east. But that treats only a small portion of the water, and the great body of the river runs on as muddy as before. If, however, we go to the source, we would find pure water that comes fresh from the wellspring. Similarly, if

June 20, 2017

Tyler McKenzie

Irresistible Unity: Restoring Unity to the Restoration Movement

By Tyler McKenzie I love the principles of the Restoration Movement. I was raised in one of our churches, educated at one of our schools, and lead one of our churches. I know all the one-liners: “¢ Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent. “¢ We have no creed but Christ, no book but the Bible, no name but Christian. “¢ We”re Christians only, but not the only Christians. “¢ In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things, love. But the most compelling principle to me has always been our commitment to

June 20, 2017

The New Face of Rural Ministry

Roachdale Christian Church has been faithful to its mission for 129 years. Over that time, it has seen its share of preachers come and go, but lately the church is looking a whole lot younger!Â Since starting, the church building has been located on the same corner in Roachdale, Indiana, a sleepy little town of just over 900 in the middle of Indiana cornfields, about an hour west of Indianapolis. A circa 1888 white clapboard building was replaced in 1924 by a larger brick structure. An educational wing was added in the 1960s, and in the “90s, a worship center

June 19, 2017

Here Is the Church . . . but Where Is the Steeple?

Nontraditional approaches to building use and design From urban artists” colonies in the Southwest to suburban Tennessee, independent Christian churches are challenging””and abandoning””traditional American church design. While every church featured this monthÂ is seeking to use its facility to further the gospel, each congregation is taking a unique approach. Click on these linksÂ for a sampling of some of the most unconventional church building approaches to be found among Christian churches and churches of Christ. These profiles are written by Justin Horey and Jennifer Johnson: Bayside Church, Roseville, California CrossWinds Church, Pleasanton, California Journey Church, Three Way, Tennessee Crosspointe Church of Cary,

June 19, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE?—Area 10 Faith Community, Richmond, VA

By Justin Horey Area 10 Faith Community was established in the fall of 2008 in Richmond, Virginia—a city incorporated in 1742. (The church takes its name from the designation local Realtors have for downtown Richmond.) Not surprisingly, in a city nearly 300 years old, there is no vacant land available for new churches to buy. Since its inception, Area 10 has met for Sunday worship at The Byrd Theater, a historic, 1,300-seat movie cinema. The Byrd is a local landmark, but it lacks space for children’s ministry and other church needs like offices. One month before Area 10 held its

June 19, 2017

Large Church . . . Small Town?

By Jim Estep It”s easy to understand why small towns have small churches. We can visit a town of 3,500 and find several congregations with fewer than 100 people in each. In fact, some would say that small towns like small churches. Bristow, Iowa, for example (population 160), boasts of having “The Smallest Church in Iowa.” One can readily explain a large church being in a large city. Finding a church of 1,000 in a city of 200,000 people””that”s reasonable. Most megachurches are in “mega” cities. But, what happens when we encounter a church of 1,200 in a town with

June 19, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” Journey Christian Church, Roswell, GA

By Justin Horey For many years, Journey Christian Church met for worship in a traditional brick building with pews and a steeple. Today the congregation worships in the media room of a local high school. But Journey Christian Church isn”t dying. Journey didn”t lose its building. The congregation willingly sold its seven-acre campus so it could spend more on “ministry and mission” and less on “mortgage and maintenance.” When senior pastor Dan Garrett arrived at Journey (then First Christian Church of Roswell) in 2011, the congregation was averaging around 150 in attendance. Though Roswell has one of the highest per-capita

June 19, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” Discovery Christian Church, Broomfield, CO

By Justin Horey Discovery Christian Church already has one slightly unconventional building, but its plans for future development are far more progressive and ambitious. Broomfield, Colorado, is a high-tech city with rural roots, so Discovery”s existing building””a 20,000-square-foot, multipurpose structure designed to resemble a barn””is a tribute to the city”s history. With that facility in place, lead pastor Steve Cuss said Discovery plans to use the rest of its 18 acres in radical ways “to meet the needs of our city.” Discovery”s motto is “Loving God and Serving Others,” and the master plan for the church”s site emphasizes those two

June 19, 2017

Mission & Evangelism

Our Mountaintop Mission

By Stephen Bond Here”s what I learned from our group climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa.Â January 4, 2017, is a day I will never forget. At 8:00 that morning, I stood on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Looming 19,341 feet above sea level, Kilimanjaro is called “the roof of Africa.” The views are breathtaking. Reaching the summit was an over-the-top, bucket-list experience, made even sweeter because I was part of a trekking team that raised more than $140,000 to build classrooms for impoverished children in Kenya. The vision to climb Kilimanjaro exploded into my

June 19, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” True North Church, Perth, Australia

By Jennifer Johnson Perth, Australia, is one of the most isolated major urban centers in the world, more than a thousand miles from another large city and closer to Indonesia than to Sydney. Tens of thousands of aboriginal Australians still live in the region, and their myths and legends continue to influence the area”s cultural values. More than a religion, this indigenous worldview of “the dreamtime” shapes their perspective on the creation of the world and how to live in it. True North Church includes these parts of their story in every aspect of their two campuses, which include a

June 19, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” 2|42 Community Church, Brighton, MI

By Justin Horey and Jennifer Johnson 2|42 Community Church (pronounced “Two Forty-Two”) didn”t mind being a portable church in its early years. In fact, lead pastor David Dummitt liked being portable. He found that the weekly set-up and tear-down made it easy to involve men, who sometimes struggle to find their place in a new church. Moreover, the lack of a building allowed 2|42 to invest more money into ministry and community outreach. During that time, Dummitt said, the number one question he heard from other pastors was, “When are you going to build?” Dummitt and his team didn”t want

June 19, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” Grace Place, Berthoud, CO

By Jennifer Johnson Sometimes it”s not about the church building, but how buildings can point to the grandeur of God. When Grace Place was able to get its current property fronting U.S. 287 in Berthoud, Colorado, the design team realized the buildings were less significant than the unhindered view of sunrises and sunsets over the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Today the highly-visible church property is not only the gateway to the town but also a community space with glass roll-up doors, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and an upper deck that provides “bleacher seating” for the beauty of creation.

June 18, 2017

Christian Standard Updates News & Updates

The July Issue Is Now Available Via Our App

The July issue of Christian Standard“”completely redesigned, updated, and refocused””should be arriving in our print subscribers’ mailboxes very soon and is available for download right now via our app. There is a new leadership team, featuring Publisher Jerry Harris and Editor Michael C. Mack, a new designer, and a firm commitment to (as Jerry writes this month) “capture the power that comes from our unity.” Christian Standard”s ownership has also changed in recent months. A new not-for-profit, Restoration Movement Media, now owns both Christian Standard and her sister publication, The Lookout. It is the first time in 62 years that

June 18, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” New City Church, Phoenix, AZ

By Justin Horey Downtown Phoenix, Arizona, is home to a burgeoning art scene. In the center of it all””on Central Avenue, in fact””is New City Church. Lead pastor Brian Kruckenberg describes New City as “a church in the middle of the city, for the city.” In Phoenix, being “for the city” means reaching the local artists” community. New City”s first building was a house that doubled as an art gallery. New City Church worshipped in the house on Sundays, but it was also used by local artists who stored supplies on site and even taught classes in the building. Kruckenberg

June 17, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” The Crossroads Church, Anthem, AZ

By Jennifer Johnson The developers behind Anthem, Arizona, envisioned a community that would be “heaven on earth” for its residents. Waterfalls surround the entrance and a huge park offers fishing, skating, walking trails, and train rides. In 2001, the National Association of Home Builders named this city in the rolling foothills of Gavilan Peak the “Best Master Planned Community” in the country. While Anthem”s 30,000 residents enjoy an abundance of schools, recreation centers, and greenbelts, The Crossroads Church invites its community to experience true abundant life at a “crossroads” where they can engage in a faith journey. The design concept

June 16, 2017

WHERE’S THE STEEPLE? “” Restore Church, Silver Spring, MD

By Justin Horey In the fall of 2016, Restore Church of Silver Spring, Maryland, opened “The Living Room,” a coworking space where individuals have access to open office space, a kitchen, Wi-Fi, printing, scanning, coffee, and tea for a small monthly membership fee. The Living Room is one of a growing number of shared office environments around the country tailored to freelancers and telecommuters who don”t need a full-time office but prefer not to work out of their home. “The Living Room gives us a space where we can connect in relationships,” said pastor and church planter Aaron Thomas. “By

June 15, 2017