Series: Featured

March 3, 2017

Kelly Carr

Eleanor Daniel, ‘The Queen of Deans,’ Passes Away

Dr. Eleanor A. Daniel, 77, of Urbana, IL, referred to in a recent CHRISTIAN STANDARD article as “The Queen of Deans” because of her service as academic dean at three seminaries, died on March 2, 2017. She was born Feb. 28, 1940, near Milton, IL, to Donald W. and Bernice (Hillig) Daniel. She spent more than 40 years ministering in churches, colleges, seminaries, and overseas. She earned a BA and an MA at Lincoln (IL) Christian University, and an MEd and PhD from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She held ministries in Tuscola, IL; Buchanan, MI; Oklahoma City, OK; Lincoln,

March 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Learn More About Immigration

By Kevin Lines The Evangelical Immigration Table (www.evangelicalimmigrationtable.org) is an organization of Evangelical Christians seeking bipartisan immigration reform and who seek to love the stranger in their communities. Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion, & Truth in the Immigration Debate, by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Hwang (Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2009) This is a great primer for learning about the current immigration situation and how Evangelicals should get involved in a proactive and biblical way. This easy-to-read book is designed for beginners, but is thoroughly researched and documented. It provides a solid framework for understanding immigration. Christians at the Border: Immigration,

March 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Defining Immigration Terms

By Kevin Lines Some assume that all people who come to the United States from another country are either here illegally or have only a temporary visa. The following list explains the various categories and statuses of immigrants in the world. Migrant (immigrant, emigrant): This general term is applied to any person who lives temporarily or permanently in a country where he or she was not born. An immigrant is someone moving into a country; an emigrant is someone moving out of a country. There are an estimated 244 million international migrants worldwide; 42 million live in the United States.

March 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Immigration: What Does the Bible Say?

By Kevin Lines There are more international migrants today than at any other time in history””more than 240 million. While two out of three international migrants live in Asia and Europe, the United States hosts 19 percent of international migrants, the most in the world. It should come as no surprise that our nation, founded by immigrants and often relying on waves of new immigrants as the labor force for our economic growth, would continue to host migrants. The United States is still seen by many in the world as a land of opportunity; a place where, no matter your

March 2, 2017

Christian Standard

When Living the Good News Gets Easy

By Susan Lawrence We boil it down to the basics: Love Jesus. Help others love him too. But we have different approaches: “¢ Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words. “¢ Help people. And if you can”t help, at least don”t hurt them. “¢ Give what you can, and you will receive more. Helping others achieve their dreams will help you achieve yours. We like to boil things down to the simplest form. We like quips that affirm and encourage us. If it sounds good, we think it is good. If we can”t readily see how something

February 25, 2017

Christian Standard

The Cry of the Elderly

By Bob Mize Their needs are outpacing our resources. But the church can help. Four decades ago, Frances Schaeffer, in How Shall We Then Live?, forecast that the next throwaway segment of our society (after aborted babies) would be the elderly by euthanasia. Physician aid-in-dying, or assisted suicide, is now legal in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, and Vermont. Schaeffer”s gloomy prophecy has become reality. The elderly are becoming viewed as a dispensable segment of society. Christians should work to make sure this doesn”t occur. This devaluation of our seniors is serious, but equally concerning is that their needs

February 24, 2017

Christian Standard

We Started Slowly

How men”s ministry has grown at Northside Christian Church By Gary Olsby About 12 years ago, I took our men”s leadership team to a Man in the Mirror Conference entitled “No Man Left Behind.” We learned many principles for successful ministry to men, but the thing that stood out for many of us was a statement that building a thriving men”s ministry takes 10 years. So we started slowly””with one men”s Bible study group that studied Robert Lewis”s Men”s Fraternity video series. The group met on Wednesday mornings at 6. Since then we have added a group on Thursday evenings

February 24, 2017

Christian Standard

How to Be a “˜REAL Man”

By Gary Olsby What one church decided about how to help the men they serve in a day when most men are confused about how to be the man God wants.  I have a friend named Nick. He”s a great guy””funny, athletic, a hard worker, a good leader, and a good citizen. He”s a good husband and a great father who provides well for his family. He”s also a loyal Northside Christian Church member (NCC is where these thoughts were developed). You”d like him, too, if you ever got a chance to know him. But Nick has some issues. You

February 23, 2017

Christian Standard

Finding JOY in the Journey

By Rick Chromey How God helped me turn temptation, trouble, and trial into blessing and beauty. Life is a carnival of temptations and troubles. We all walk wounded with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We”re stuck in moments we can”t escape, desperately addicted to vices and voices we can no longer ignore, resist, or deny. I suffered with my pain for many decades. Life for most of us is tattooed by loss, tragedy, abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Maybe you”ve endured an affair or addiction. Maybe you suffered salacious ridicule, unjust criticism, and unfounded rumors. Perhaps you”ve been unexpectantly fired, forcibly retired, or unfairly

February 17, 2017

Kelly Carr

A Message of Hope and Human Flourishing

  By Patrick Nullens Anne Frank, then 13, showed astonishing wisdom when she wrote in her diary: “But feelings can”™t be ignored, no matter how unjust or ungrateful they seem.” While writing this, she was hiding from the dark powers of Nazism, a political system based on pseudoscience and strong nationalistic emotions. Anne Frank in 1940, at about age 11, while attending school in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons) Unfortunately, and rather ironically, we are masters in ignoring the vast impact of our feelings, just and unjust alike. Take, for example, certain Evangelical leaders who tirelessly argue biblical

February 17, 2017

Christian Standard

The Church of Mirrors

By T.R. Robertson Not everyone needs to look just like me. In fact, not everyone should. Gary grew up in the church but has rarely been inside a church building for the past decade. I asked him why he and many of his millennial friends are reluctant to give church another try. “We”re fairly sure if we show up at church, we won”t fit in,” he told me. “We aren”t “˜church-people” anymore. They”d make a big fuss if I showed up, but if I stayed, they”d be uncomfortable around me because I”m not like them. And I”d be uncomfortable around

February 16, 2017

Christian Standard

Coping with What Jesus Said

By Bob Mink I Wish Jesus Hadn”t Said That  Stephen Timmis Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014 The Hard Sayings of Jesus F.F. Bruce Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1983 Some book titles get your attention by implying they are about something you may not agree with. When I was a youth minister in the 1970s, I used Fritz Ridenour”s book How to be a Christian Without Being Religious, and was taken to task by a mother who misunderstood the title. Steve Timmis”s book, I Wish Jesus Hadn”t Said That (Zondervan, 2013), does the same thing. The title is his initial response to

February 16, 2017

Christian Standard

Helping the Skeptical See God

By Richard A. Knopp Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical Timothy Keller  New York: Viking, 2016 Tim Keller writes, “If you think Christianity doesn’t hold much promise of making sense to a thinking person, then this book is for you.” I would add: If you even have contact with anyone who thinks Christianity doesn’t hold much promise of making sense, then Making Sense of God is for you. Whether you are a strong skeptic, a Christian scholar, a sermonizer, a church shepherd, or a concerned saint, this book is worth your time (and your dime). Keller’s numerous

February 14, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

A Command for Valentine’s Day

By Mark A. Taylor Sweetheart dinners, couples retreats, and sermons about love are all great, as long as they move us beyond the frivolous expressions typical of our culture”s shallow take on deep issues. When it comes to marriage, God has spoken. His command comes three times in Paul”s epistles, twice within a few phrases of each other. “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” Paul tells the Ephesians. “Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies” (5:25-28). To the Colossians, the apostle puts it this way: “Husbands, love

February 13, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

New Owners for Christian Standard Media

Parker, Colorado February 13, 2017 The Solomon Foundation (TSF), a church extension fund serving the Christian churches and churches of Christ with headquarters in Parker, Colorado, has acquired Christian Standard Media, according to TSF chief executive officer Doug Crozier. Christian Standard Media consists of The Lookout and Christian Standard magazines. “Christian Standard and The Lookout, so important to the Christian churches and churches of Christ for 15 decades, are now residing where they belong,” Crozier said, “with a ministry also committed to the congregations in this fellowship.” “We’re delighted by this opportunity to grow in our service to the churches,”

February 13, 2017

Christian Standard

Surprise!

By Chad Ragsdale The Jesus of Scripture is not the safe Jesus we may seek. I was in the library the other day and stumbled across a book titled What Would Jesus Drive? My imagination was immediately captivated by the idea of Jesus and his disciples road tripping down the dusty back roads of Galilee. I was also curious how in the world the author could get an entire book from such a narrow topic, so I opened it up. It turns out each chapter placed Jesus in a different, contemporary ethical situation. “What would Jesus eat?” “What would Jesus

February 12, 2017

Christian Standard

Seeds of Doubt

By Steve Carr What I”ve learned, and what I”m still asking, after conversations with those who left the faith. “It was Santa Claus.” As Bill said it, he looked me straight in the eyes without blinking. I thought he was joking. “Are you being serious,” I asked. “Santa Claus pushed you toward atheism?” Bill nodded his head. “It sounds stupid, but that guy really did a number on me.” If you”re like me, it”s impossible to reminisce about childhood without talking about church. Faith was the priority of my family”s social life. After home and school, I spent the majority

February 11, 2017

Christian Standard

After the ‘Hot Button’ Is Pushed (Strategies for Engaging Skeptics about the Faith)

By Chris Moon Imagine the following scenario: You are sitting in the bleachers at your child”s soccer game on a Saturday morning. It”s a beautiful day, and you strike up a conversation with another parent whom you have seen at several games. You find you have a lot of things in common””but not everything. When your new friend asks what you”ll be doing the following day, you casually explain that you”ll be at church in the morning. Then you remember your pastor”s encouragement, and you offer the invitation: “You are more than welcome to come with us. We could do

February 10, 2017

Christian Standard

Reply from a Believer

Editor’s note: This piece was written as a response to another post at our sight, “Letter from a Skeptic.” The author’s insights will mean even more to the reader who has read that post first. By Dick Alexander Dear Friend, Thank you for writing. You have made a concise critique of Christianity””a large part of which I wholeheartedly agree with. And you”ve asked a serious question that deserves an equally serious response. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to do that. From your original question, “Can I be a Christian and be good?” a number of other questions followed.

February 9, 2017

Christian Standard

Letter from a Skeptic

Editor’s note: We present the following essay as an example to Christians, showing us how many skeptics think about the faith we hold dear. The thoughts and arguments here are not unique, and Christians do well to listen to them. In a separate post, Dick Alexander answers this anonymous writer. You’ll want to read his piece after you’ve read this one. By Anonymous When asked why he did not embrace Christianity, Mahatma Gandhi replied with this widely known remark: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” The sentiment resonates with

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