Series: Featured

January 24, 2016

Christian Standard

Protecting Your PK

By Angela Sanders I am a minister”s wife. I have the scars to prove it, but my children don”t. Not because they didn”t see. Not because they didn”t hear. Not because we lied to them. We didn”t. Hunter and Hope came through an enemy attack on their family by church members with their optimism, faith, and desire to serve the body intact. This was possible only because a few who had successfully waded through the murky waters of vocational ministry ahead of us were selfless enough to take us by the hand and teach us to survive and thrive””and maintain

January 23, 2016

Christian Standard

Birth Days, Death Days

By Chris Travis I”ll never forget the day my wife, Lindsay, called me at the office and told me she was pregnant. I had dreamed about this moment. She texted a photo of the pregnancy test, and seeing those two little pink lines felt like Christmas morning. It felt like being in love! I”ll never forget that first ultrasound: those tiny hands and that tiny profile and that tiny heart puffing away. It took my breath away. We had a hilarious plan for how we would surprise our parents. We live in New York City (we moved here to help

January 21, 2016

Christian Standard

Why Abortion Is Wrong

By Rubel Shelly Abortion is seriously and objectively wrong. This isn”t a political statement and has nothing to do with being a Democrat or Republican. It isn”t racist, antifeminist, or a bigoted judgment against people who have chosen to have an abortion. It is neither religious nor antireligious. It is the simple, straightforward assertion of an ethical position that squares with all we know about procreation, biology, and being human. Stated most simply, abortion is wrong because what is killed is human. If a developing, living collection of fetal cells is removed from a womb at, say, 8, 14, or

January 18, 2016

Christian Standard

Finding Favour

By Justin Horey Kirk Bolen likes to run marathons. It”s a good thing he does, because his family”s adoption journey lasted four years and required more than 15,000 miles of international travel. Kirk and his wife, Amanda, didn”t plan to adopt. Kirk is a worship leader at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland, and the couple has two biological sons: Asher, 7, and Eamon, 4. Around the time their second son was born, Kirk went to Uganda on a short-term mission trip with World Vision. While there, he took note of all the needy children he saw. Kirk recalls, “Everywhere we went,

January 17, 2016

Christian Standard

10 Ways to Support Orphans Without Adopting

By Danielle Hance We have all seen the dismal images of bellies bloated by malnourishment. We have cried at pictures of shoeless children and children who are smaller than healthy children half their age. According to UNICEF, there are more than 150 million orphans worldwide. What can we do to make a dent in such a large number? Some people respond by adopting an orphan. While that is a noble calling, not everyone can do this. But most of us can live out the call “to look after orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27). Here are 10 ways

January 16, 2016

Christian Standard

Thanks to the Parents Who Chose Me

By Dick Alexander From my earliest memories, I”ve known I was adopted, and I”ve always been grateful. When I was turning a year old, the doctor who delivered me, and who also was my adoptive family”s doctor, told my mother-to-be that he knew of a baby in foster care needing a permanent home. Otherwise the child would likely be sent to an orphanage. My father-to-be was 41 at the time, and Mom was 37″”both considered old to be starting a family back in that day. When I was old enough to understand, Mom told me with a laugh how the adoption

January 15, 2016

Christian Standard

Faithful Families of the Fatherless

By Justin Horey Hundreds of thousands of children in America are living away from their parents, desperately in need of a family to keep and care for them. Many Christians have seen the need. Here are some of their stories. Alone and afraid, seated on a chair in the unwelcoming waiting room of a government office, holding a small plastic bag filled with a few personal belongings (or, worse, holding nothing at all). This is not the picture of an international refugee; this is how life in America”s foster system begins for thousands of children every year. Tom and Peggy

January 15, 2016

Christian Standard

Reaching the Children of Immigrants

By Bill Belew Jesus was an immigrant child. His original home is not where he grew up. That fact can move us to reach and serve the children of immigrants all around us. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He was thrilled when I invited myself to watch his swearing in. None of his Persian (Iranian) family members or friends were able to make it. There were more than 1,500 new citizens from 140 to 150 different countries being sworn in that day. As the names of the countries

January 11, 2016

Christian Standard

What Does God Say About Children?

By Teresa D. Welch It is no longer necessary to convince churches of the importance of children. Children”s ministries are front and center. Ministry resources are abundant. Attractive kids” spaces are the norm. Church ministry staff now includes a children”s minister (or more than one).  Convincing people of the importance of children”s ministry is not an issue; rather the issue is whether or not our ministry to children is focused on what should be central. Before a children”s ministry switches curricular materials again, changes programs due to demographics, or hires a consultant to create an attractive environment, first consider what God says about childhood and

January 10, 2016

Christian Standard

Baptize Your Children Well

By T.R. Robertson How do we determine that a young child is ready to be baptized? There are many answers, and several of them are explained in this article.  “It”s almost like I”m talking them out of it, because I really want to see if their decision is real.” Trent Schake, senior minister at Blue Ridge Christian Church in Columbia, Missouri, is one of several ministers who talked with me about their experiences shepherding parents and children through the decision to be baptized. “I don”t want to put someone in the baptistery if they”re not really ready,” Schake continues, “but

January 9, 2016

Christian Standard

Equipping Parents to Lead Their Family

By Brian Jennings Most scholars agree that Hannah brought Samuel, her son, to the temple around the age of 3 or 4. Even though Samuel was a boy, 1 Samuel 1:28 says, “He worshiped.” Even children can worship, but is the church equipping parents to lead their children to worship? If you are a parent, the sacred responsibility of spiritually leading your children rests primarily on your shoulders. However, life wars against your ability to lead your family well. Busyness wars against you. Frustration wars against you. Stress wars against you. Self-doubt wars against you. Laziness wars against you. Past failure

January 8, 2016

Christian Standard

Parenting Resources for Christians and Their Leaders

This list of parenting resources is a sidebar to Peter Buckland’s article, “Parents Are Primary.” ________ By Peter Buckland FOR PARENTS Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality: A Biblical Approach to Prepare Them for Life, by Jim Burns (Bloomington: Bethany House, 2008) This book provides valuable information for Christian parents regarding the sexual information that children need to know and how the biblical sexual ethic may be presented to them. SOS Help for Emotions: Managing Anxiety, Anger, and Depression, by Lynn Clark (Bowling Green: SOS Programs and Parent Press, revised in 2014) Practical steps are provided that enable parents to help

January 8, 2016

Christian Standard

Parents Are Primary

Click here for a list of parenting resources ________ By Peter Buckland All too often, parents assume the church is responsible for the spiritual formation of their children. This assumption is a mistake. It is the parents” responsibility to train their children to know and love Jesus. Whether parents are biological, step, foster, grandparents, or temporary parental substitutes1, they do a better job of prompting childhood and adolescent faith in Christ than the church staff, volunteers, or programming. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 places the spiritual development of children squarely on the parents” shoulders. If we were to apply this old covenant commandment

January 1, 2016

Christian Standard

NACC 2016: Schedule of Events

MONDAY, JULY 11  TBA””ICOM Pre-Convention Event 7:30 p.m.””MOVE Evening Session TUESDAY, JULY 12  TBA””ICOM Pre-Convention Event TBA”””Velocity” Event for Leaders Under Age 40 9:15 a.m.””MOVE Morning Session 7:30 p.m.””NACC Main Session (Dave Stone speaking) 7:30 p.m.””MOVE Evening Session 9:00 p.m.””President”s Reception WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 8:00 a.m.””Ministry Networking Breakfast 8:00 a.m.””Women in Ministry Breakfast 9:00 a.m.””Bible Study with Kyle Idleman 9:15 a.m.””MOVE Morning Session 10:30 a.m.””NACC Main Session (Dudley Rutherford speaking) 12:30 p.m.””Ladies” Luncheon (featuring Christine Caine) 2:30 p.m.””Workshop Session I 4:00 p.m.””Workshop Session II 7:30 p.m.””NACC Main Session (Gene Appel and Christine Caine speaking) 7:30 p.m.””MOVE Evening Session THURSDAY, JULY

January 1, 2016

Christian Standard

Meditating on Love: January 1

By Becky Ahlberg Friday, January 1, 2016 Read Hebrews 1:1-3.  This passage brings the story of the incarnation full circle. We have come through another year to remember Jesus” birth with calls to hope, peace, joy, and love. I hope your Christmas celebration was meaningful. And now as you head into the new year, clean up the leftovers, return gifts, and put away the decorations, never forget that his coming, though a gift to you, was a sacrifice for him. I pray that the depth of that sacrifice moves you beyond the quaint story of a manger and hay. Never

December 31, 2015

Christian Standard

Meditating on Love: December 31

By Becky Ahlberg Thursday, December 31 Read Romans 8:28-39.  It”s New Year”s Eve, a time for reflection. Another year has passed by and a new one dawns tomorrow. In this passage from Romans are some important promises to contemplate as you look back at this past year and forward to the new one: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (v. 28). Can you look back and see God”s hand in the days of 2015? What do you see? What are you still looking to find? “If God is for us, who can be against

December 30, 2015

Christian Standard

Meditating on Love: December 30

By Becky Ahlberg Wednesday, December 30 Read 1 Corinthians 13 through the lens of Christmas. Verses 1-3 can sum up much of our problem with the whole Christmas season: it is filled with busyness and observances that are often void of “the real meaning of Christmas.” Why? Because they “do not have love.” How many gifts did you give out of obligation? How many parties did you attend because it wouldn”t look good to miss them? I hope you were able to do plenty of things that were filled with love. That is what keeps the season overflowing with love

December 29, 2015

Christian Standard

Meditating on Love: December 29

By Becky Ahlberg Tuesday, December 29 Read Ephesians 3:14-19.  We pray for other people all the time. How many times have you sat in your office or in a home or at a hospital bedside and prayed for someone to know the deep love of Christ? Praying for someone is an act of love and creates a bond of friendship, even kinship, as we make our requests known to the Lord. We pray, believing God hears our prayers and that prayer will offer hope and comfort to those we care about. But today, read this Scripture as a prayer for

December 28, 2015

Christian Standard

Rapper God?

By Jeff Walling Someone asked me why I like using hip-hop poetry, sometimes called “spoken word,” as sermon illustrations. I answered, simply, “Because God is a hip-hop artist.” Before you brand me a heretic, consider this: God is the original spoken word artist. From the first introduction of God in the Scriptures, the creator of all things seems to love using words to create art. He could have made the universe with a snap of his fingers or a nod of his head, but instead he spoke it into existence. And it”s not just any words he prefers, but poetic

December 28, 2015

Christian Standard

Meditating on Love: December 28

By Becky Ahlberg Monday, December 28 Perhaps the greatest Christmas text is also one of the most familiar to Christians: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16, 17). God so loved . . . so “agaped“ the world, he put his privilege, his position, and his power aside and gave. He did what was best for us, not

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