Series: News

March 28, 2020

Christian Standard

Churches Make Easter Plans in Age of Social Distancing

By Chris Moon As worship life continues to change because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Restoration Movement churches now are faced with putting together one of the most significant worship services of the year—Easter Sunday, April 12. Some churches are letting the online-only worship experience drive their creativity. Others are carefully modifying their long-held Easter traditions to accommodate this time of social distancing (a relatively new but suddenly pervasive term for encouraging people to deliberately increase the space between one another to avoid spreading the virus). Journey Christian Church in Greeley, Colo., is planning a 30-minute Easter video production that

March 27, 2020

Christian Standard

Staff Member at Milligan Tests Positive for COVID-19

An unidentified female staff member at Milligan College in Tennessee has tested positive for COVID-19, the school learned Thursday. The individual, who works in Milligan’s business office, was last on campus March 20. She is “doing well,” Milligan reported earlier today. This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 directly related to the Milligan community, the school said. As of Thursday, there were 957 cases of COVID-19, or coronavirus, in Tennessee. Milligan has not had on-campus courses since March 6, when spring break started. After spring break was extended by one week, as many staff as possible began working remotely

March 25, 2020

Christian Standard

Southeast Assists Smaller Churches with Their Online Worship Services (Plus Other "Wins")

By Jim Nieman When Southeast Christian Church in Parker, Colo., learned that a nearby church was making its technical and production equipment and expertise available to some churches displaced because of COVID-19 outbreak, they realized they should do the same. In fact, “We were embarrassed we didn’t think of it first,” said Tom Fitzgerald, executive pastor with Southeast. Staff at Southeast were aware of a couple of churches meeting in school buildings that have been closed because of the outbreak. Those churches weren’t able to gather to worship or to effectively produce their worship services to share via the Internet.

March 25, 2020

Christian Standard

Mt. Pleasant’s Dollar-Giving Campaign Eclipses $1 Million (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon Earlier this month, Mount Pleasant Christian Church, Greenwood, Ind., surpassed $1 million in giving through its Change for a Dollar program, which was started in July 2015 and thus far has helped 250 individuals and families. The fund was created after pastor Chris Philbeck asked attendees to give an extra $1 weekly to help people in need. “It’s powerful, because it’s just such a simple formula,” Philbeck told the Daily Journal. “One dollar alone doesn’t go very far, but all together, it can be a big deal.” The ministry “allows ANYONE from ANYWHERE

March 25, 2020

Christian Standard

Churches Gain Attention for Adapting to COVID-19 Challenges

Numerous Christian churches were featured in newspaper stories the past few days for how they are responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of the news stories noted that the churches are not meeting in-person but are coping by sharing their worship services via the Internet. Here are some of the churches that were featured: Odon (Ind.) Christian Church (featured in the Times-Herald)—”With the restrictions, we are going to be doing our services online only,” noted pastor Micah Stephen. “Easter time we usually get much larger numbers into the church. We are kind of putting things on hold and trying to

March 24, 2020

Christian Standard

E91 Helping Members Live by Faith, Connect with God

East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis is closed until further notice, but it is continuing to serve in both expected and unexpected ways. “At times like these, we have a choice,” associate minister David Faust told theindychannel.com. “Do we live by fear, or do we live by faith? We’re choosing to live by faith.” In addition to livestreaming a Sunday morning worship service, church volunteers offered prayers for individuals in cars during a drive-through Communion kit distribution at the church’s main entrance on Saturday morning. The church has also helped produce the first of several planned devotional videos geared

March 21, 2020

Christian Standard

TSF Helping Ministers, Churches During Uncertain Times

By Jim Nieman The Solomon Foundation has begun hosting weekly Zoom meetings to help connect, encourage, and resource ministers across the country during these uncertain times. Doug Crozier, CEO of the church extension fund that works with Christian churches and churches of Christ, said TSF is seeking to be proactive during the COVID-19 outbreak and related financial unease by reminding ministry leaders that God remains in control. To that end, TSF connected with almost 120 ministers and/or ministry team callers during the first weekly Zoom meeting it hosted this past Tuesday morning. Among the speakers were former Christian college president

March 20, 2020

Christian Standard

A Megachurch Pastor's Letter to His Congregation

Editor’s Note: Jeff Vines, lead pastor of ONE&ALL Church in San Dimas, Calif., shared these thoughts concerning the COVID-19 outbreak with his church. With his permission, we have decided to share it with our readers. _ _ _ By Jeff Vines I love my church, although ONE&ALL church does not belong to me. I love the people who attend, the staff who diligently make this engine run, and the executive team and elders who give so much of themselves to the cause of Christ. During this coronavirus pandemic, our leaders and servants have stepped up to lead and serve. I’m

March 19, 2020

Christian Standard

Ohio Church’s Effort to Feed Schoolchildren Exceeds Expectations

By Chris Moon This past weekend, Christ’s Church in Mason, Ohio, gathered enough food to pack 6,400 meals for students in the local school district who are on free and reduced-price lunches. Schools are closed in the community for three weeks because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Starting Monday, families were welcomed at the church to pick up bags containing a five-day supply of food. The church collected much more food than anticipated, so it was able to pack several thousand more meals for others in need. “I think people are inherently good people,” said Trevor DeVage, the church’s lead pastor.

March 18, 2020

Christian Standard

Christian Universities Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic (UPDATED)

(This article was updated on Wednesday morning, March 18.) Johnson University is suspending face-to-face classroom instruction for one month. Hope International University has tacked on an additional week of spring break. Great Lakes Christian College will be teaching all classes remotely from March 16 through April 3. And Milligan College is extending its current spring break until March 20 and transitioning to online classes through April 5. These are just a few of the actions Christian universities have announced in response to the COVID-19 (or coronavirus) pandemic. Several of these announcements have been issued just today. Below are short excerpts

March 18, 2020

Tyler McKenzie

Pastors Focused on Serving Communities, Improving Online Abilities as Pandemic Continues

By Chris Moon After a weekend of large-scale cancellations of in-person worship services—the result of the COVID-19 pandemic—many Restoration Movement churches are spending this week plotting their next moves. Pastors say they are looking both inward at how their online programming was received and outward at how best to serve their communities in a time of need. They say they are recognizing the way in which “social distancing” recommendations are affecting vulnerable communities, from the elderly to those in poverty. Tyler McKenzie, lead pastor of Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, said his church put together both a weekend service plan

March 18, 2020

Christian Standard

Stadia Honors Tom, Debbie Jones with Award Named for Them (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon Tom and Debbie Jones recently received a new award from Stadia Church Planting that is named in their honor. The Dr. Thomas and Debbie Jones Church Planting Impact Award was presented to the Joneses at Stadia’s annual Celebration and Dessert Party at Exponential in Orlando, Fla., on March 3. In the future, the award will be presented to leaders like the Joneses who champion the cause of church planting. Together, the Joneses planted two churches, before Tom joined Stadia in 2003. He soon became executive director of the nationwide church planting organization. His

March 13, 2020

Christian Standard

Coronavirus: “A Lot Changed [Thursday] Afternoon”

By Chris Moon Rusty Carlson, lead executive pastor of Rainier View Christian Church in Tacoma, Wash., said he’ experienced a range emotions during the past few days as the church has sorted out its coronavirus plan. “It’s kind of all the ‘feels,’ as our millennials say,” he told Christian Standard. Rainier View is in the Seattle region, which is under a government-imposed ban on large gatherings. The church has announced it will hold online-only services this weekend. Initially, Carlson said, he was excited for an opportunity to do some creative things in ministry. All of the church’s ministry teams are

March 13, 2020

Christian Standard

Church Leaders Make Tough Calls as Coronavirus Spreads

(On Friday, March 13, this article was updated with information from Northshore Christian Church in Everett, Wash.) By Chris Moon The fear of COVID-19, the new coronavirus, has swept the nation during the past week, and Restoration Movement churches and organizations are working through the fallout. An array of announcements about changes at churches and Christian colleges have been rolled out during the past few days. Colleges have begun posting notices on their websites indicating their response to the coronavirus. (Click here to read “Christian Universities Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic,” which offers a rundown of steps many of our colleges

March 11, 2020

Christian Standard

William Jessup University’s Aviation Program Starting to Take Flight

By Chris Moon William Jessup University‘s new aviation program is just getting off the ground. The college in Rocklin, Calif., announced plans in January 2019 to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in aviation, starting last spring. Since then, much time and effort has gone into securing the necessary Federal Aviation Administration approvals for its flight school and curriculum. That work is nearly done, said Loo Ng, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who directs Jessup’s aviation program. Two students are working their way through the program, and Ng expects as many as 10 students to be enrolled within

March 11, 2020

Christian Standard

News Briefs for March 11

Ethan Magness, senior minister with First Christian Church in Johnson City, Tenn., gave the opening prayer on March 4 in the U.S. House of Representatives, WJHL.com reported. Magness’s prayer is available at YouTube. U.S. Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), who hosted Magness at the Capitol, called Magness “a great religious leader in our community.” “It was great to have him here in Washington to share the word of God this morning,” Roe said in a statement. _ _ _ Point University has named a music lab in its fine arts building for a local man who has donated 16 pianos to

March 9, 2020

Christian Standard

Northwest Christian University Changing Name to Honor Co-Founder

Northwest Christian University is changing its name to Bushnell University. James A. Bushnell co-founded the university and was the first chairman of its board of trustees, the university said on its website. The name change will help the school in Eugene, Ore., reach beyond the Northwest part of the country to students across the United States and internationally. The change will take effect this year, after students graduate in May. The university said its faith commitment remains unchanged. “Our mission, vision, and values are founded upon a faith in Jesus Christ. Our commitment to Christian higher education remains the same,”

March 6, 2020

Christian Standard

Several Tennessee Churches Cope with Losses Resulting from Deadly Tornadoes

(Originally posted Friday, March 6; updated Monday, March 9) Alive Nashville, a Stadia church plant that started last September, had been meeting on Sundays in a building that was “ground zero” for the tornado that struck East Nashville early Tuesday. Since the storm, the church has been working to serve one another and others in the neighborhood devastated by the tornado. According to lead pastor Brandon Jacobs‘ Facebook posts, the church has been praying, receiving aid requests, assessing needs, lending a hand and/or connecting victims with people or agencies that can help, engaging in some small-scale cleanup, and determining how

March 4, 2020

Christian Standard

Christians Team Up to Help Kenyan Become a Doctor (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon As a boy growing up in Kenya, Daniel Koitatoi wanted to become a physician, but he faced many barriers, including the cost of medical college and his obligation as the eldest son to help his siblings get through school. CMF International shared the story of how several Christians came together to help Daniel achieve his dreams, including missionaries Gary and Judy Woods and Lynn and Dori Cazier, FAME, and First Christian Church of Decatur, Ill. In the process, Daniel transitioned from helping FCC’s medical teams that served in Kenya to taking the lead

March 2, 2020

Christian Standard

Marshall Leggett, Former President of Milligan, Dies

Marshall Leggett, 90, the 13th president of Milligan College in Tennessee, passed away Monday morning, the school announced. He had suffered a recent stroke. Leggett served as Milligan’s president from 1982 to 1997. Upon stepping down as president, he served as chancellor of the college until his death. “Dr. Leggett had a profound impact upon Milligan, arriving here during a particularly challenging time for the school,” current Milligan President Bill Greer said in a release Monday. “Because of his efforts, a number of new programs were added, enrollment grew, the campus was improved, and finances were strengthened. He came to

Help Keep Christian Standard Free & Accessible with a Tax Deductible Donation

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Does Your Church Want to Support Christian Standard?

Would your church consider including support for Christian Standard in its annual missions budget? Your support would help us not only continue the 160-year legacy of this unifying ministry, but also expand the free resources, cooperative opportunities, and practical guidance we provide to strengthen churches in the U.S. and around the world.

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Secret Link