Series: Featured

February 16, 2015

Christian Standard

Sex Offenders in the Church

By J. Robert Ross The minister at my church recently refused to allow Sam (not his real name), a convicted sex offender in my treatment program, to attend services at our church. I understood his fear, but I cannot agree with his decision to turn Sam away. I suspect his reaction, and the reaction of many others, is motivated by anxiety rooted in several misconceptions about sex offenders, their offenses, and their victims. A common misconception, aided and abetted by the media, puts all offenders in the same boat. Anyone convicted of a sex offense is automatically labeled a “sexual

February 14, 2015

Christian Standard

You Fight for What You Love

By Ryan Rasmussen My wife and I had recently moved across the country to Boulder, Colorado, in an attempt at a new life, a new ministry, and although unspoken, a fresh start to our relationship. We”d been married three years and had very little fruit to show from our commitment other than a 6-month-old daughter, who was the light in our darkness. I had accepted a student ministry position at a church in town and was excited about what God had in store for this new pastoral adventure. In the meantime, to supplement our income, my wife took a job

February 13, 2015

Christian Standard

The Case for the Case for Marriage

By Jenny Tyree Knowles What would change if the reasoned case for marriage was examined and taught to young adults, rather than implied and “caught”? The result of millennials (Americans born between 1981 and 2000) “catching” the cultural importance of marriage is playing out right now. Polls show that the broad majority of millennials support the redefinition of marriage. When the talking heads predict the future of marriage, they point to the current opinions of millennials to tell us that the redefinition of marriage is inevitable. So how will the church respond? What is at stake? Some believe it is

February 12, 2015

Christian Standard

Solving Sexuality

By Jason Yeatts We, as a society and a church, have unconsciously adopted an understanding of sexuality that does more harm than good. I”m not talking about our culture”s growing acceptance of homosexuality, but our acceptance of the idea of homosexuality. The two are quite different. We have picked up a language about sex that both perpetuates a wrong view of human identity and hinders the path of Christian discipleship. To understand how this has happened, we must first look at the human heart. When Scriptures declare, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10) and

February 9, 2015

Christian Standard

Secular View, Scriptural Standards

Review by Dick Alexander Unhooked Generation: The Truth about Why We”re Still Single By Jillian Straus Hyperion, 2007 Have you noticed Americans are waiting longer to marry than past generations? And have you noticed a growing number don”t marry at all? So did Jillian Straus, because she was one of them. With matchmaking websites, speed dating, and shelves of relationship books, why can”t today”s young adults find the love relationships they”re looking for, and make them last? Straus, a former producer for Oprah, interviewed more than 100 single men and women thirtysomethings, and wove their stories with her own observations into

February 9, 2015

Christian Standard

True Love and the Hookup Culture

By T.R. Robertson You”re drunk. You”re at a party, sitting on the couch. It”s three in the morning. You”re looking around. You don”t know where your roommates went. You”re tired. You don”t know how you”re getting home. You look next to you, at this person. They look at you. You say to yourself, “All right . . . “ You won”t find lines like that in your average romance novel. They”re a college student”s description of a typical college hookup situation, quoted at the 2014 Q Conference by sociology and religious studies scholar Donna Freitas. Freitas is the author of

February 8, 2015

Christian Standard

What Would Jesus Do (with My Sex Life)?

By Casey Tygrett Some won”t at first be comfortable with the question. But those who want to live more like Jesus will always think about Jesus at the same time they think about sex. It is something that”s enjoyable, even when it”s difficult or awkward. It can be enjoyed on every continent, in every country, in any place and””with a few exceptions””at any time. It involves all the senses, exploding into brilliant concert together at just the right moment. Some would say it is a God-given right, and discourage efforts to prevent it or regulate it. Some, of course, take

February 7, 2015

Christian Standard

Your Church and Homosexuals: Rethinking Our Pat Answers

By Brian Jones On an episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart defined “the gay agenda” as . . .  “Gay marriage, civil rights protection, Fleet Week expanded to Fleet Year, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for when it”s raining men, Kathy Griffin to host everything, and a nationwide ban on pleated pants.” I would add one more: to simply be treated with respect by Christians. Last year I did a series of blog posts on the topic of homosexuality. It was the most read, discussed, and shared topic I”ve blogged about in recent memory. What surprised me, however,

February 6, 2015

Christian Standard

Pondering the Future of Marriage

By Jon Weatherly “The Gospel, Homosexuality, and the Future of Marriage” was the title of the conference convened by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention, October 27″“29, 2014, in Nashville, Tennessee. Around 1,300 people attended, hearing speakers and panels from the SBC and beyond discuss the church”s response to contentious issues raised by the widespread legalization and popular approval of same-sex marriage. I attended all sessions of the conference. My aim was to listen as someone outside the Southern Baptist Convention, learn what I could from an event organized by a leading Christian organization

February 5, 2015

Christian Standard

The Struggles of Henri

By J.K. Jones I admit I am no authority on Henri Nouwen, though I’ve read his writings extensively and prayerfully. The one aspect I want to talk about in this article is Nouwen’s struggle with same-sex attraction. I believe he offers help and hope for anyone struggling with their sexual identity. A brief biographical sketch is a good starting place. Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen was born January 24, 1932, in Nijkerk, Netherlands. The oldest of four children, his earliest memories were those of wanting to become a Catholic priest. His educational journey included the study of theology and psychology. He

February 2, 2015

Christian Standard

The Beauty of Sex

By Paul E. Boatman For me and most people I know, sex has always been a bit perplexing. Forming a solidly Christian perspective on sexuality seems an elusive goal.   “Sex is dirty. Save it for marriage.” This was how David Seamands once summarized the sex education he received in his Christian family. I recall a vivid moment as a 9-year-old sitting in church with some peers. Randomly skimming the Old Testament, I paused at the Song of Solomon. What I read went beyond stirring my preadolescent curiosity. Right there in the Bible I was reading about a distinctly “sexy” interaction

January 31, 2015

Christian Standard

Escape from Alcatraz

By Stephen Bond A long swim was made better because we were a team. Five years ago when I first heard about the Alcatraz swim, I put it on my bucket list. It sounded like a thrilling challenge . . . swimming 1.5 miles from the former penitentiary across the San Francisco Bay to the mainland. From the movies I had seen, no one had ever “escaped from Alcatraz,” and this would be my chance! However, when I heard the water was a brisk 55 degrees, I decided to wait until the year I turned 60 years old. I wanted to show

January 29, 2015

Christian Standard

Playing Your Cards Right

By Jeff Faull We do not always handle theological conflict fairly. Have you heard””or used””any of these arguments? Since the days of the O.J. Simpson trial, the phrase “playing the race card” has become commonplace. Accusing someone of arbitrarily “playing the race card” usually means they have bypassed the true merits of either position and trumped the validity of everything else with an accusation of racism, whether legitimate or not. To be certain, racism still exists and sometimes it”s fair to display the “race card,” but other times it is unfairly used to silence an exploration of the real issues

January 26, 2015

Christian Standard

Dying to Self and Discovering Much More

By Jan Johnson Would I or wouldn”t I say it? My friend had just bought a new specialty Bible (one with notes) and was showing me what she liked about it. But I couldn”t hear her because my mind was jammed with thoughts of telling her that I had written many of that Bible”s notes and introductory articles. When she asked me a question, I realized I was too busy listening to the argument in my mind to hear my friend. So I looked directly into her eyes, knowing she wanted my attention. Loving her meant letting go of my

January 25, 2015

Christian Standard

What Makes a Church Healthy?

By Casey Tygrett If you go to Amazon”s website and type “church health” into the search field, I guarantee it will generate more results than you have time to explore. Church health is more than a topic; it is a market, because in many places churches are in crisis. Writing this article has required me to do some honest digging and soul-searching, because at the core of the question “What makes a church healthy?” is this reality: I am the church . . . you are the church . . . and we are unhealthy.  And I have a harsh

January 24, 2015

Christian Standard

My Experience Working for a Verbally Abusive Pastor

By P.J. Bierma At first we couldn”t believe what we were hearing, and seeing. And then we struggled to decide how to cope with an ongoing pattern that threatened to undo us. A true story. All names and places have been changed. “Well, ladies, the big conference is next week.”Â  Trudy, head of the women”s ministry was talking to my wife, Annie, and another volunteer helping plan the annual women”s conference. “Since there will be a lot of women coming in from out of town,” Trudy continued, “it would be nice to have someone who could greet all the newcomers.

January 23, 2015

Christian Standard

What about Church Discipline?

By Lise Caldwell Recently I sat down with three remarkable men to discuss church discipline. Howard Brammer, John Samples, and John Caldwell have 150 years of preaching ministry experience between them. All three are retired from “official” full-time ministry, but continue to teach, preach, and guide. From country churches to megachurches, they have watched church discipline succeed, fail to happen, and just plain fail. When I asked them to share their experiences, I heard wonderful stories, much laughter, great humility, and tremendous wisdom. I want to share the best of that here.  First, a word about their most recent ministries:

January 22, 2015

Christian Standard

What I Learned When I Asked about Healthy Churches

By Brad Walden A longtime friend reported on the latest developments in the church where he had invested years of service. He seemed excited, but also concerned about the changes. So I asked, “Do you think your church is healthy?” He answered, “Oh, yes. We are healthy. We have the largest bank balance in our history.” So that”s it? A healthy church has a healthy cash reserve?  That got me to thinking. How would I define a healthy church? Is your church healthy? Can you invite new neighbors to attend your church with total confidence they will find a healthy environment? Will involvement

January 19, 2015

Christian Standard

Carpet Splitting

By Brian Jennings As a young man still in Bible college, Chuck Thomas was invited to preach at First Christian Church in Gotebo, Oklahoma. The church was searching for a new preacher. Chuck accepted, and drove to the small town the following Sunday. Chuck noticed the church (both the building and the people) seemed split down the middle. Both sides had their own Communion table, and their own elders, who separately prayed and served their half of the congregation. This strange division bewildered Chuck and his wife, Anita. A friendly family invited them over for Sunday lunch. After eating, Chuck

January 18, 2015

Christian Standard

I Still Need the Church

By T.R. Robertson This past February, Donald Miller, best known as the author of the book Blue Like Jazz, confessed on his Storyline blog that he doesn”t go to church very often.1 I”m not sure why this surprised anyone who has read his books, but his comments kicked off a hurricane of commentary in the blogosphere and on social media. Among the reactions were a blog entry titled, “Donald Miller”s prescription for spiritual suicide” (dennyburk.com2), and this tweet, “I”m scared for the next gen of young people who will read @DonaldMiller & think they don”t even need to go to

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