Series: Featured

January 26, 2013

Christian Standard

Sticky Conversations: Homosexuality

THIS IS THE FOURTH IN A SERIES OF FIVE “STICKY CONVERSATIONS”   By Casey Tygrett The kingdom of God has an open invitation. Paul talks about it freely, saying that in Christ the distinctions that set up boundaries between us melt into a mist and simply fade away (see Galatians 3:28). The brilliance of Jesus shines brighter than the different tones of our culture, gender, and reputation. I was thinking about this as I talked with a man who had recently started attending our church and had taken all the preliminary steps to get to know us as a church.

January 22, 2013

Christian Standard

My Greatest Leadership Challenge

By Arron Chambers Have you ever played the trust game? You know, the one where you fall back and someone catches you? If you ever belonged to a church youth group and had a youth minister who didn”t always prepare, and occasionally needed a time “filler,” you”ve certainly played it. Yeah, I hate that game too. When I was younger, I hung out with the kids in the youth group who thought it was funny to let the preacher”s kid keep falling till he hit the ground. Yeah, that was a fun game . . . for the kids with

January 21, 2013

Christian Standard

When the Minister Leaves

By Jeff Chitwood I reached two milestones in my life at about the same time: turning 50 and being at the same church for 25 years. Those milestones began a journey that would last a couple of years. A nagging question had settled in my heart and mind that would not go away: Does God have somewhere else he wants me to serve? Things were going well at the church, and I had no yearning desire to follow what some perceive as the ultimate success in ministry””go to a bigger church. But that burning question caused me to seek God in

January 20, 2013

Christian Standard

The Birth of a Ministry Meltdown

By John Hampton The birth of a baby usually is one of the happiest life experiences a family can have. Usually. However, I witnessed firsthand what happens when the circumstances around the birth of a child take bizarre twists and scary turns down an unfamiliar road you don”t know if you”re ever coming back from. My wife, Melinda, and I are the parents of two daughters, Anna and Rachel. Both are beautiful, grown-up, married young women. We are so blessed to be their parents and the in-laws of two young men who we proudly call “our sons.” Our oldest daughter,

January 15, 2013

Christian Standard

Developing the Youngest Disciples

By Teresa Welch Discipleship””following after Christ””is an expectation for every believer. But sometimes we forget that discipleship can””and often should””begin during childhood. I recently enjoyed spending time with “my kids,” who were part of the children”s ministry I led prior to joining the faculty at Emmanuel Christian Seminary. As with all of my former kids, I was curious to find out about their lives, as I felt responsibility for their continued spiritual formation. During my visit with them, it became apparent what I see in their lives now is directly connected to the time I was with them and their

January 14, 2013

Christian Standard

Advice for Rookie Pastors

By Josh Tandy You don”t have to be 22 and just walking away from the welcome potluck to read this article. Here”s how I define Rookie Pastor: someone who is brand new to ministry, or someone who just took on a new role, or one of those veterans who refuses to stop growing, learning, and adapting. As I wrote my e-book 30 in 30: How to Start or Restart Well*, I realized I did some of my 30 pointers in my first 30 days, and some I have yet to do. My goal is to help the recent graduate who

January 11, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Tony Twist

By Tony Twist Ah, leadership! Do we even have a prayer? Lately I”ve been thinking there is much to be said for “muddling through and keeping your nose clean.” I know that”s not very profound. But not “muddling through” has certainly short-circuited many with much greater leadership skills and potential than I. So, first things first: stay on the path and out of the dirt. Joe Dampier, one of my mentors at what is now Emmanuel Christian Seminary, used to tell us: “Boys, you”ve got to sink your wells deep so you don”t wind up sucking mud.” We would all

January 11, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Brent Storms

By Brent Storms When I started playing soccer, it was hard to find shin guards that didn”t come up past my knees. I didn”t get very good until about the time my voice changed. I played three years on the varsity team in high school (we were terrible) and four years in college (we were pretty good). I stopped playing in adult leagues a few years ago when most games ended with an injury of some kind. I”ve always been a forward, an offensive player. Of course, every forward loves to score goals, and I”m no exception. But there”s something else

January 11, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Melissa Sandel

By Melissa Sandel My role is to serve as the chief architect of staff culture. I find high-capacity leaders who are determined to grow, and equip them to hit the ball out of the park in their respective roles. Crafting the environment in which this process unfolds is one of my most vital assignments. Several principles define our staff culture and have shaped the way I lead. Require development. We don”t believe anyone is so sharp or devoted that he or she can play a productive role on our team without growing. To model this, I invite our lead pastor

January 8, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Keith H. Ray

By Keith H. Ray Leadership is a divine mystery where the science of management, art of creative thinking, humility of servanthood, and prompting of the Holy Spirit meet to do the unimaginable for the kingdom of God. Perhaps most delightful of all is watching God transform the simple acts of servitude into influential initiatives that bring about timely and fruitful change. This servitude is also accompanied by the sometimes difficult realities of truth. I call this “truthship,” where we speak the truth in love in order to bring God”s reality to bear on our ever-changing circumstances. Wishful thinking and notions

January 8, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Natalie Puljung

By Natalie Puljung My leadership is defined by whom I follow. It is easy to become consumed by leadership books and talks, and forget that Jesus is the ultimate example of leadership. Every leader needs to follow someone, and it would be foolish to think I can be the sole leader of myself. I define my leadership by following Christ. If I find myself reading more leadership books than the Word of God, then who am I actually following? If I claim to be a follower of Jesus, yet use his words only to supplement my leadership, then am I

January 8, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Matt Proctor

By Matt Proctor As a leader, I wear many hats: team builder, decision maker, fund-raiser, and problem solver. But my favorite leadership hat””and perhaps the most important””is storyteller. A leader”s primary job is not to fulfill a mission, but to create a mission-fulfilling community. A leader”s task is not simply to get a job done, but to mobilize and inspire a group of followers to get the job done. Of course, forging a hodgepodge group of individuals into an effective team with common values and a shared mission isn”t easy. So how do we get people “on the same page”?

January 7, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Tom Plank

By Tom Plank Fifty years ago, when I began my ministry, no one was talking about leadership, so everything I have learned has been by trial and error. One thing I have learned is that leadership begins at the top with the minister. People will not follow what you say so much as what you do. Set the example. All too often I have been around ministers who expected to be first in line for a carry-in dinner and the first to receive a compliment. These are the ministers who lose their effectiveness because they leave the impression it is

January 7, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Lisa Jernigan

By Lisa Jernigan “They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8, New Living Translation). Living in the desert of Arizona, I understand dryness and I understand drought. Sometimes it is hard for life to survive and thrive in these conditions. Our lives in leadership can also go through times of dryness and drought. How do we stay green and fertile? As leaders, how do we

January 7, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Jeff Faull

By Jeff Faull Defining your leadership style is a difficult assignment. There is what you think you would say, what you could say, and what you should say. I am certainly not a typical type A leader, and do not possess some of the traditional leadership gifts seen in strong leaders. However, when pressed by commitment, deadline, and the work of honest self-assessment, I believe I can reduce my leadership definition to two concepts. There is the power of following and the power of standing. Simply put, the extent of my capacity to lead anything or anybody is directly related

January 6, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Mike Crull

By Mike Crull The nature and style of my leadership is best described as service and goal oriented. I strive to lead by clarifying and modeling the stated mission, values, and objectives of the Christian faith and practices seen in the life of Jesus Christ and prescribed in Scripture. In so doing, I first and foremost try to lead by example, modeling the essential expectations of the Christian faith, but also the mission and purpose of the organization, ministry, and community of people I serve and live within. My leadership strengths include being direct, focused, grounded, stable, and someone who

January 6, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Tom Claibourne

I know I am leading when . . . “¢ I inspire people to dream more, learn more, and become more. “¢ I see ahead what others can”t see. “¢ people thank me for taking a risk. “¢ not everyone agrees, most people follow, and some of the doubters later understand. “¢ I see people and love them (Mark 10:21). “¢ I help produce a healthy atmosphere in the church. “¢ I communicate well, verbally and in writing. “¢ I speak biblical truth boldly and in love to a confused, politically correct culture. “¢ I take advantage of all teachable

January 6, 2013

Christian Standard

How Do You Define Your Leadership? Gene Appel

By Gene Appel Others tell me that I”m a visionary pastor whose personal leadership style is collaborative, empowering, and team-oriented. I love to get the right people and right systems working right. I believe that with God”s touch, great things can happen. Several years ago a leadership consultant studied me and defined me as a “catalyzing leader.” I am motivated by problems and love to build teams, cast vision, and solve problems that have kingdom implications. I like to pull key leaders and influencers together to prayerfully dream and consider what God is calling our church to do and be.

January 4, 2013

Christian Standard

Ages 50 to 75: The Minister”s Sweet Spot

By Brian Jones I believe pastors don”t hit their ministry “sweet spot” until they”re in their mid-50s. And if they stay engaged and growing, that sweet spot will last into their mid- to late-70s. Anyone who has ever led a church, or been led by a pastor in a church, knows this. Put another way, I believe a pastor”s personal ministry effectiveness, as defined both biblically and experientially, doesn”t reach its full potential until a pastor has grandkids and starts to get AARP letters in his mailbox. You can understand my great disappointment, then, when I read my friend Kent

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