Series: News

October 14, 2020

Christian Standard

Central Christian Gives Day of Service Another Try (Plus News Briefs)

Central Christian Church of Mount Vernon, Ill., was disappointed when they had to postpone their annual Day of Service back in May due to the coronavirus. They gave it another try on Saturday, and more than 300 volunteers spread out across Jefferson County to put others first. “We know that we grow best as people when we’re serving other people,” connections pastor Jared LeCrone told WSILTV.com. “This is a church family that has come together from this community to put back into the community.” Serve Day activities included a neighborhood block party, free oil changes for anyone in need, a free

October 7, 2020

Christian Standard

Christian College Presidents Share Enrollment Numbers, Describe Challenges

By Jim Nieman Christian colleges and universities were already under significant stress even before the COVID-19 tsunami came crashing over our nation. In fact, two of them—Cincinnati Christian University and Nebraska Christian College—have closed during the past year. We decided to take the temperature of institutions across the United States by asking college presidents to share their year-over-year attendance figures and to describe the challenges they are facing. It might surprise some to learn that a handful of the 16 colleges and universities that shared their data with us actually saw their enrollment increase from fall 2019 to fall 2020.

October 7, 2020

Christian Standard

Milligan Encouraged to Revise LGBTQ+ Policies (Plus News Briefs)

News Channel 11 in Johnson City, Tenn., interviewed several people for a story last week after it learned “Milligan University had forced a gay professor to resign or renounce their lifestyle” during spring semester. A number of students and alumni sent a form letter to Milligan’s administration and trustees several months ago asking that they commit to several promises relative to sexual orientation and “anti-discrimination” policies involving LGBTQ+ individuals. The lengthy news report said Milligan president Bill Greer met with a current student and a recent alumnus about the situation over the summer. Greer declined to be interviewed for the

September 29, 2020

Christian Standard

News Briefs for Sept. 29

Compiled by Jim Nieman Several people who serve with Ozark Christian College and Christ In Youth described the close ties between the school and ministry in a video posted on their respective Facebook pages. Bob Stacy started CIY in 1968 while serving as a professor at Ozark. Through the years, many CIY participants have been inspired to attend OCC. (Many other Christian universities also have reaped a harvest that CIY helped to plant and water.) COVID-19 hit CIY particularly hard, forcing cancellation of all of its summer conferences. The video also serves as an appeal for support for CIY. (We described the

September 28, 2020

Christian Standard

Virtual Spire Conference Slated for Wednesday

It’s not too late to register for the all-virtual 2020 Spire Conference, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EDT) Wednesday. A great lineup of speakers is scheduled to participate. And as a bonus, you can forgo paying the $19.95 conference registration fee if you download Spire’s app from Apple’s App Store or from Google Play. More information is available at Spire’s website. The coronavirus impacted this year’s conference—as it seemingly has affected everything else—forcing it to transition from an in-person, three-day gathering to a virtual, one-day gathering. Spire CEO Rick Rusaw called the change in plans due

September 23, 2020

Christian Standard

Deaf Missions Completes American Sign Language Version of Bible

By Jim Nieman Deaf Missions has completed the American Sign Language Version (ASLV) of the Bible—a 38-year project that started in 1982. CEO Chad Entinger said the feeling upon completing the project was something like “a runner crossing the finish line of a marathon. We are beyond exhilarated . . . that now, finally, Deaf people have all of God’s Word in our native, heart language.” “Words in printed English cannot explain the depth of the Bible to Deaf people,” explained Renca Dunn, a Bible translator with Deaf Missions, Council Bluffs, Iowa. “For many in the Deaf community, written English

September 23, 2020

Christian Standard

Kentucky Church Hosts Football Watch Party for Rival Fan Bases (Plus News Briefs)

Harmony Christian Church, Georgetown, Ky., attempted to live up to its name Friday night by hosting a drive-in watch party to view a football game between crosstown rivals Scott County High School and Great Crossing High School. Fans of both teams attended. Last year the game was viewed in-person by 7,000 spectators, but attendance restrictions due to COVID-19 this year meant only two tickets were allotted per each participating student, the News-Graphic reported. The free drive-in featured livestreaming of the game projected onto a giant inflatable screen set up behind the church. Cars could tune into the local radio broadcast

September 21, 2020

Christian Standard

Ozark Lifts ‘Self-Quarantine’ Order

Ozark Christian College has lifted a weeklong “self-quarantine” order that had asked students to remain in their dorm rooms as much as possible. In-person classes resumed today after a full-week of remote learning. In-person chapel also is slated to resume. “Our numbers of isolations and quarantines have improved,” Damien Spikereit, executive vice president of administration, wrote on OCC’s website late last week. “This is an answer to many prayers, and I’m proud of the self-discipline and wisdom you’ve shown this week.” Ozark’s “COVID Dashboard” as of noon Monday listed 6 students in isolation, meaning they are either symptomatic or have

September 17, 2020

Christian Standard

MACU Awaits Assessment of Heritage Hall

By Jim Nieman Mid-Atlantic Christian University is awaiting a report from engineers who were on campus early this week to assess viability of Heritage Hall, which partially collapsed on Saturday, Sept. 5, as roofing work was commencing. President John Maurice said MACU’s insurance company will use the assessment to “make a determination on total demolition or partial, based on cost.” “Either way,” Maurice said, “this will be a long process.” Classes were not in session at Heritage Hall that morning—a good thing, as the collapse occurred above the school’s three largest classrooms. “If this would have occurred on [a] Friday

September 16, 2020

Christian Standard

Restoring the Neighborhood—and Lives—from the Sidewalk Up (Plus News Briefs)

Volunteers in the North Heights neighborhood of Joplin, Mo., spent the weekend “digging up brick sidewalks and working to restore them,” according to a story in the Joplin Globe. The bulk of the work occurred in the area around the Neighborhood Life House, a church-supported nonprofit that provides programs for children and adults. Volunteers with NLH and another neighborhood group provided the manpower. The sidewalks were identified as a key neighborhood concern in a survey earlier this year. “We’re restoring lives and we’re restoring the neighborhood and trying to put some life back in it,” NLH board member Neil Robinson

September 15, 2020

Christian Standard

Ozark Students Under Weeklong Self-Quarantine Due to COVID-19

Ozark Christian College has instituted a one-week, campuswide self-quarantine of students because of a high number of COVID-19 cases. The self-quarantine runs through this Saturday. Additionally, all fall sports have been suspended for the semester. Last Wednesday, the Joplin, Mo., school reported that 10 percent of its residential student population was in quarantine or isolation. As of this 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Ozark had 12 total active cases—11 students and 1 employee—of people who are either symptomatic or had tested positive for COVID-19 (that was down from 21 active cases—18 students and 3 employees—on Monday morning.) The students are in isolation

September 14, 2020

Christian Standard

Churches Respond to Wildfires Scorching the West

By Jim Nieman We don’t know how many churches have been impacted by the multiple wildfires that have destroyed millions of acres in California, Oregon, and Washington, but we scoured websites and Facebook pages to get an idea of what churches are going through and how they have responded. Here’s what we found: • Pursuit Christian Church, Oroville, Calif. — Last Wednesday, lead pastor Fred Wood wrote on Facebook: “Hey, Church! Check in, leave a comment and also let us know you are OK! If you’ve been evacuated and need anything, let us know and we will do our best to

September 9, 2020

Christian Standard

First Christian Awarded $500,000 Federal Grant to Repair Tower

By Jim Nieman First Christian Church of Columbus, Ind., recently received a big boost in its ongoing effort to fund repairs to its eye-catching and architecturally significant tower. The National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures program awarded First Christian a $500,000 grant for the estimated $2.4 million project to repair the structural integrity of the 166-foot tower. “We’re thrilled for the award and for the project being recognized nationally,” said Jeff Logston, chairman of the First Christian Capital Projects Fundraising Committee. Still, he said, “we have more work to do. We’re going to need the community to help us get

September 9, 2020

Christian Standard

GLCC Honors Chuck and Amy Emmert (Plus News Briefs)

Chuck and Amy Emmert were presented the Dr. Doty Divine Servant Award on Aug. 29 as a part of the Commencement service for the 2020 graduates at Great Lakes Christian College, Lansing, Mich. The Emmerts started ministry in the local church in 1975 while attending GLCC and served the Memorial Church of Christ (Livonia, Mich.), Novesta Church of Christ (Cass City, Mich.), and the Duplain Church of Christ (St. Johns, Mich.). Chuck and Amy graduated in 1978 and 1977, respectively. The Emmerts will conclude their ministry with the Duplain Church of Christ on Dec. 31 and retire. The Divine Servant

September 8, 2020

Christian Standard

Heritage Hall Partially Collapses at MACU

At about 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Heritage Hall, the primary classroom building at Mid-Atlantic Christian University, partially collapsed while it was undergoing roofing work. No one was injured or killed. “God’s protection of human life made this a good day,” the university wrote at its website. “The roof was being reshingled and they were here beginning work that morning,” John Maurice, president of the university in Elizabeth City, N.C., told 13newsnow.com. “The neighbors basically said they started to hear the building shifting. Fortunately the roofers were able to get on the ends where it was safe.” “The collapse is believed to

September 2, 2020

Christian Standard

Johnson Opens New Center for Minority, International Students

Johnson University has opened a Multicultural Student Affairs center on its Knoxville, Tenn., campus to serve as a gathering space for minority and international students, as well as provide office and/or meeting space for the Urban Alliance, Future of Hope, and Students Promoting Social Unity. “We’re trying to create space for students on campus to feel comfortable and to be able to pursue God, and pursue their calling, and pursue their ministry, and to do it while fully being themselves,” Matthew Best said via Facebook during a video tour of the new center at 7903 Brown Drive. Best is director

September 2, 2020

Christian Standard

Empson Shares about ICOM’s Challenges During 2020 (Plus News Briefs)

The challenges and struggles Dave Empson and the International Conference on Missions (ICOM) have faced this year were the subject of the Face > Fear podcast hosted by Mike Schrage of Good News Productions International (GNPI) on Monday. And the challenges have been many—physical, financial, logistical, and organizational. GNPI wrote on their website: “The table seemed set for the International Conference on Missions’ biggest year yet. They had a popular location in Indianapolis, a talented president in Jeff Vines, and a remarkable main speaker in Ravi Zacharias. And then, a few weeks ago, they made a change. ‘We decided to switch

September 2, 2020

Christian Standard

Tornado Sends Church on Twisty Path to New Home

By Jim Nieman A small, rural, eastern Indiana church that faced multiple challenges after its 1850s-era building was destroyed by a tornado in June 2019 is on the cusp of a deal that would see it move into another historic church building about 6 miles away. For most of the past two months, Bentonville (Ind.) Christian Church has been meeting at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lewisville, Ind., in a building that is “old, stately . . . a lot like our old building,” said Bentonville minister Don Miller. The Ebenezer congregation ceased meeting at the end of June, and BCC has

August 26, 2020

Christian Standard

Police Chaplains Struggle Alongside Officers During Pandemic, Protests

By Chris Moon These are not easy days to be a police officer—or a police chaplain. The effects of COVID-19 and the racial tensions that have swept the country have made the jobs of those who try to keep the peace and those who minister to them difficult. “It has affected us quite a bit,” said Bob Heath, a chaplain with the Joplin (Mo.) Police Department. Heath has served as a police chaplain for 28 years. He also is the bookstore manager and purchasing agent at Ozark Christian College and the pastor of Diamond Grove Christian Church. He also serves

August 26, 2020

Christian Standard

Milligan’s Mailing Address Changed with Name (Plus News Briefs)

When Milligan College changed its name to Milligan University on June 1, it had to make one switch that wouldn’t have been necessary for most schools in its situation—it had to change part of its mailing address. You see, correspondence and packages mailed to the school for the past several decades have been sent to “Milligan College, TN 37682.” An article from the Milligan Stampede from 2018 explains how the school came to have its own Zip code and, for a long time, its own post office. It all goes back to the 1800s when the school was known as

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