Series: Featured

August 8, 2014

Christian Standard

From College-Bound to “˜I GO Bound”

By T.R. Robertson “Behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city” (Acts 20:22, 23, King James Version). Corey Courtwright is a country boy at heart. He grew up with a love of fishing and farming, like most of his fellow college of agriculture students. Now he makes his living constructing integrated fish farming systems and training people from all over the world how to use aquaculture and agriculture technology to develop sustainable farms. It”s the sort of education-to-career path most parents

August 7, 2014

Christian Standard

Now You Can Read Christian Standard on Your Smartphone or Tablet!

Have you downloaded the new Christian Standard app? It”s free for you today. “¢ Be the first to see Christian Standard”s commentary, how-to help, and news, before it appears on the web or the printed magazine. “¢ Enjoy content and graphics that appear only in the print magazine””some of the best material we publish! “¢ Discover everything you can do with these digital editions””share content, clip and save articles forfuture reference, dig deep into articles and see related posts and videos. After you”ve explored all the possibilities in the free preview issue, subscribefor only $14.99 annually or $9.99 for six months””plus your

July 28, 2014

Christian Standard

A Conversation with Jennifer Johnson

Meet Our Contributing Editors: In this final interview of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors, we talk with the writer who interviewed all the others. This worker and watcher of the church talks about small churches, megachurches, and the failings and future possibilities of our movement. Tell us who you are””not a recitation of your résumé, but what makes you tick. My parents like to tell the story of coming to pick me up from the toddler”s room at church one Sunday morning and discovering me hiding under a crib, calmly looking out at everybody. That kind of sums it up””I”m an

July 28, 2014

Christian Standard

Daily Expectation

By John Caldwell (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) My first year at Ozark Bible College, Professor Don DeWelt distributed pieces of card stock to each of us in his Acts class. There were but two words printed on each piece: “PERHAPS TODAY!” He taught us to live each day in eager anticipation of the Lord”s soon return. For years I kept that piece of card stock prominently displayed in my study. Somehow it got lost in one of my moves. But his advice remains a major key to living a holy life. In the

July 27, 2014

Christian Standard

It Did All Work Out!

By Cam Huxford (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) When I was in college, I had dated a girl for some time but hesitated to take the relationship to the next level and ask her to marry me. I hesitated because I had concerns about a number of subtle issues related to her spiritual intensity, attitude, and aptitude for ministry. Because she was accomplished, attractive, and we seemed to get along well, many of my friends told me I should not worry about these concerns. They said, “Everyone has doubts and concerns before they get married;

July 27, 2014

Christian Standard

Intimacy and Influence

By Vince Antonucci (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I”ve received is from one of my spiritual mentors, Dean Trune. In fact, you can find this advice in every e-mail Dean sends out. The advice is that the most essential thing I can do today is spend quality time with God. Jesus said we can accomplish nothing apart from him. He said as we stay connected to him, we will produce much fruit. Intimacy with God leads to influence in the world. Dean lives that, and I want to. Vince Antonucci serves

July 26, 2014

Christian Standard

Two Kinds of Churches

By Gary Johnson (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) As the lead servant at Indian Creek Christian Church (The Creek) in Indianapolis, I will be forever indebted to the late Dr. Joe Ellis, one of my favorite professors at Cincinnati Christian University. Dr. Ellis told me there are two types of churches: member driven and mission driven.  Member-driven churches account for roughly three out of four churches across America, and the desires of the members drive these congregations.  However, only one of four churches in our nation is on mission to seek and to save

July 26, 2014

Christian Standard

Against the Current

By Steve Reeves (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) I have been very fortunate to have Max Hickerson as my mentor in ministry. He has given me much practical advice over the years. While in seminary, he gave these “Notes to Help You Immerse Others into Christ: If you are ever called on to baptize in a creek or river, always have the candidate lie back in the water against the current. Let the current help raise the candidate from the water. Always go into the water of rivers, creeks, or lakes by yourself first

July 25, 2014

Christian Standard

Right Here, Right Now

By Rick Rusaw (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) I had moved to Fort Myers, Florida, to begin my first ministry in a local church. I was a young man, and I was filled with aspirations, not only for this opportunity, but for other places with other opportunities. It wasn”t that I considered this church to be merely a stepping stone, something to endure until a better situation arose. No, it was a wonderful place with plenty of opportunity. But I also knew that those who do their ministries well are usually offered leadership positions

July 25, 2014

Christian Standard

Persecution Preparation

By Ziden Nutt (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The date: October 24, 1952. The place: East Gary, Indiana. I was sitting in the front row, in the third chair from the right side. A very frail gentleman stood on the platform speaking. He had just spent 15 months in a Communist China prison, from March 22, 1951, to June 20, 1952. Among the torture methods used was a giant nutcracker, large enough to apply pressure to a human head. He said the only thing to help him keep his sanity was quoting Scripture over

July 24, 2014

Christian Standard

Thanks, but No Thanks?

By Marsha Relyea Miles (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from Walter Birney, longtime coordinator for the National Missionary Convention (now known as the International Conference on Missions). During the year I served as president of the NMC (2007), many people contacted me with creative suggestions about how they thought the convention should unfold. Of course, in designing such a convention, broad involvement and teamwork is a great thing. The ideas of some folks were extremely insightful, but some others, less so! Now and

July 24, 2014

Christian Standard

Big Buildings, Big Holes

By Howard R. Brammer (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) A few weeks into my new ministry with Traders Point Christian Church, it became clear we weren”t growing as quickly as anticipated. We told no stories in the church newsletter of rapid growth and large worship service crowds””there were no such stories. Actually there were unprinted accounts of a few people who were leaving. My concern increased to the point that I brought the matter to the attention of church leaders. I didn”t anticipate I would receive timely advice I have applied to many ministry

July 24, 2014

Christian Standard

Hire, Fire, Decide, Defer

By Gary Weedman (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) I have received three pieces of advice that have been of equal value to me in the latter part of my professional career.  When I went to Milligan College, Dave Rose, a retired insurance executive and alumnus of Milligan, said to me in his cantankerous way, “Weedman, if you”re going to be a successful administrator, you need to learn what I had to learn”””˜hire slowly and fire fast.”” Take your time, attend to due diligence with the first; when you”ve made a mistake, don”t let it

July 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Put It in Print

By Rick Jett (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received was from Alan Ahlgrim, former senior minister of Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Colorado. About 20 years ago, Alan was teaching one of the graduate classes I was taking at Cincinnati Christian University. One lesson was about personal growth of a leader. He said good leaders are constantly growing. They will read, take classes, attend conferences, and interview other leaders. He explained that growing leaders will set goals. He walked us through an exercise of writing goals and action steps

July 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Service Reminder

By Doug Priest (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) During my final year of high school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, our school newspaper wanted to run an article where the seniors (there were 20 of us) would state the profession they wanted to go into. I wrote that I wanted to be either a psychologist or a missionary. My school was a boarding school, so I did not see my parents for months at a time. The next time my father was in town, I was telling him how hard it was to decide which

July 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Small Vision

By Bob Russell (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) In 1983, when we began planning our first relocation project, I asked Jack Coffee, the building committee chairman, to limit the size of the new auditorium to 1,500 seats. “We have 1,000 in attendance now in a building that seats 500,” I said. “If we have 1,500 seats in the new auditorium, we can accommodate 3,000 people in two services, and we”ll never get any larger than that. But if the room is bigger than 1,500 seats, it will be too spacious for meaningful meetings on

July 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Be More

By LeRoy Lawson (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received? An almost impossible question! When you”ve lived as long as I have, and have sought as much counsel as I have needed, how do you highlight just one bit of advice? I could write a book on the extrabiblical proverbs (from unlicensed, insightful masters of living) that have guided me. Here”s one that would receive a whole chapter of its own in that book: Be more than you seem. When I”m tempted to boast about this or that achievement or

July 20, 2014

Christian Standard

$hort, $imple, $ignificant

By David Eubanks (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) My deceased father-in-law, Joseph Perry of Williamston, North Carolina””farmer, church elder, Sunday school teacher, and one of the finest Christian men I have ever known””gave me my wife, Margaret, and through her to me, a piece of advice that we have tried to follow in our lives, our marriage, our home, and our work.  “Live within your income.”Â  Its shortness and simplicity belies its significance. Yet disregarding it destroys marriages, limits the spread of the gospel, corrupts and stymies government for the real benefit of the

July 20, 2014

Christian Standard

A Simple Charge

By Rick Atchley (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) When I was a student at Abilene (Texas) Christian University, one of my favorite professors was Dr. Neil Lightfoot. He loved the Bible, and he taught us to love it too. His one charge to all his students was simple, “Preach the Word!” Anything else in his eyes was a betrayal of our calling. For years after this, whenever I returned to the campus and crossed his path, I knew what Dr. Lightfoot would say. He never asked, “How large is your church?” or “How many

July 20, 2014

Christian Standard

Time Pout

By Janet McMahon (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) Some of the best advice I ever received was from my friend, mentor, and then boss, Jon Ferguson, one of the founding pastors of Community Christian Church in Naperville, Illinois. As one of the kids” ministry directors, I remember complaining to Jon that there was not enough time in the day to do all the urgent things that needed to be done. I never had enough time to strategically plan, pray, and think about the future of the ministry I was entrusted with. (Sigh . .

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