Series: News

November 2, 2010

Christian Standard

Sole Searching

By Jennifer Taylor Milligan College alumnus Andy Baker founded Remember the Children, a nonprofit organization committed to serving the forgotten children and families in Eastern Europe, after a trip to Romania in 1996. This fall he partnered with Milligan to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes for Romanian children. Milligan junior Rachel Severns helped spread the word on campus and collected contributions from community members. Baker will deliver the shoes to Romania this winter. www.remember-the-children.org www.milligan.edu ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of Christian Standard”s contributing editors, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her blog at www. christianstandard.com. Do you know of a church

November 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Fun and Games

By Jennifer Taylor Sherwood Oaks Christian Church (Bloomington, Indiana) doesn”t usually offer midweek programming during the summer, but this year it tried something new””and discovered a program adaptable to any church at any time of the year. SOCC developed the approach around Tom Ellsworth”s new It”s Your Move books, which connect the fun of popular board games to Bible study and real-life application. Ellsworth, senior minister at the church, wrote the books for small group use but found the material translated well to a larger gathering. “We spent the first half hour or so playing the game together around tables;

October 30, 2010

Christian Standard

Container Transformed into Command Center

By Jennifer Taylor In our June 27 issue, we shared news about the KORE Foundation and its work providing resources and vocational training as sustainable alternatives to poverty for the chronically poor in other countries. One of the ministry”s “kore” projects is recycling metal shipping containers entering the Jacksonville, Florida, ports and stocking them with supplies so recipients can begin welding, sewing, or farming businesses. Later this year, KORE will send a stocked crate to the Christian Missionary Fellowship work in Kenya. But before the container makes the voyage, it”s helping another ministry here in the States””and it”s been housing

October 28, 2010

Christian Standard

New Spanish-Speaking Church Launched

Central Christian Church (Wichita, KS) launched a new Spanish-speaking church on Sunday evening, Oct. 24. Iglesia Cristiana Casa de Luz (House of Light Christian Church) held its first services in one of Central”s auxiliary buildings also used for the church”s community outreach ministry. Edwin Ojedis will serve as pastor.

October 28, 2010

Christian Standard

Jeanes to Retire as President of Milligan College

After 14 years of service, Donald R. Jeanes has announced he will retire as the 14th president of Milligan College on July 15, 2011. The board of trustees has asked him to serve in the role of chancellor following his retirement. In this role, Jeanes will continue to work with the college”s leadership to maintain important external relationships. He will also play a vital role in the successful completion of the college”s Forward Ever campaign. Jeanes began his presidency in 1997 and under his leadership the college has achieved record enrollments, successful fund-raising campaigns, major renovations of buildings and grounds,

October 22, 2010

Christian Standard

Starting a Church for People Who Don’t Like Church

This week Verve, a Christian church in Las Vegas, held “Vault,” a church planting lab “where current and future church planters can learn how to start a church for people who don”t like church.” The event began Monday and ends today, and included sessions on a variety of topics including “Understanding & Starting an Indigenous Church for Your Community” and “Marketing to the Unchurched.” Click here to learn more.

October 22, 2010

Christian Standard

John Russell Retires

This past weekend, John Russell retired after 40 years as senior minister of Lakeside Christian Church (Lakeside Park, KY). “While the vast majority of Lakeside Christian Church’s 100-member congregation supported hiring 23-year-old John Russell as its senior minister [in 1970], a few had reservations because of his age,” said an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer. “”They took a chance on me and decided that I’d grow and they’d grow with me,”” Russell said. Jamie Snyder will serve as the church”s new minister.

October 16, 2010

Christian Standard

A Day for Church Planting

By Jennifer Taylor Last Sunday was 10-10-10 (October 10, 2010)–and churches developed several creative ways to celebrate the day. Some encouraged inviting others to church or talking to 10 people about Jesus; others collected special offerings or suggested members begin tithing. And some planted new churches! The team behind the Exponential Conference developed the 10-10-10 Initiative to focus attention on church planting. Individuals and congregations participated by praying, adopting a church plant for encouragement and financial support, or helping a new church hold its first services. In addition, Stadia: New Church Strategies (Irvine, California) asked each of its plants and

October 15, 2010

Christian Standard

Friend Zones

By Jennifer Taylor Both Mid-Atlantic Christian University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina) and Hope International University (Fullerton, California) have been named “military friendly” schools by G.I. Jobs magazine and www.MilitaryFriendlySchools.com. This status is granted after research into a school”s programs and policies, tuition benefits, flexible learning options, accreditations, acceptance of the GI Bill, and more. This distinction ranks these schools in the top 15 percent of higher education institutions doing the most to embrace America”s veterans as students. Hope also participates in the Yellow Ribbon program that provides enhanced tuition assistance for military students who want to attend private schools and

October 14, 2010

Christian Standard

Partnering with God to Help a New Orleans Church

By Jennifer Taylor Indian Creek Christian Church (Indianapolis, Indiana) is more than halfway through “Project 52″“”a 52-day challenge to complete construction on a new church building in New Orleans with at least 5,200 hours of labor and an additional $52,000 in funding. Five years after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the city, New Orleans residents “are still rebuilding their lives, particularly spiritually,” writes Indian Creek senior minister Gary Johnson. “That”s why a group of people has formed a church called The Gathering and have established it . . . where some of the greatest destruction occurred.” The time, money, and labor

October 8, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜Give 10 for 5,000″²

Central India Christian Mission has designated October as “Give 10 for 5,000” month. It is asking supporters to give $10 each to provide 5,000 copies of the Hindi Family Pictorial Bible, which CICM first published in 1999 and which has played a vital role in sharing the good news with children and illiterate adults in India. Click here to find more information and to access bulletin inserts, posters, videos, and PowerPoint presentations!

October 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Offering Prayers after School Shooting

Our prayers are with the faculty and students at Mid-Atlantic Christian University (Elizabeth City, NC) after a Mid-Atlantic student allegedly shot and killed sophomore Jonathan Schipper on Sunday. The school has held a memorial service and many local ministers and counselors are available to staff and students. “We appreciate the outpouring of love and support we are receiving from churches, Christians, sister schools, supporters, other institutions of higher education, the community of Elizabeth City, and friends and alumni around the world,” the school said in a press release. “While our response to your offers of support, love, and prayers may

October 3, 2010

Christian Standard

235 Baptisms in One Weekend!

Congratulations to Traders Point Christian Church (Indianapolis, IN) for 235 baptisms this past weekend! Estranged spouses were baptized together. People confessed past sins. A man stepped into the tank of water and said it was his first Sunday in church in 13 years. One of the band members stopped playing mid-song so he could be baptized. “We may have different opinions on styles of worship and buildings and programs . . . but we can be unified on what Jesus has called us to do,” said Aaron Brockett, lead minister, in a follow-up video. “And that”s a beautiful, beautiful thing.”

September 28, 2010

Christian Standard

Offering More than a Meal to the Homeless

By Jennifer Taylor     “His Heart, His Hands” began with six people buying breakfast sandwiches at McDonald”s to distribute to the hungry and homeless of Chandler, Arizona. Today more than 35 volunteers serve hot breakfasts every Sunday morning to 60 homeless men and women from around the city. One reason for this rapid growth is obedience. Sharon Bouchard, a volunteer leader and a member at Chandler Christian Church, felt God leading her to the ministry. “Just a short time later, two other people told me they wanted to do something for the homeless,” she says. “I hadn”t mentioned it!

September 27, 2010

Christian Standard

“˜Dirty Little Secrets” Series Under Way

By Jennifer Taylor If the cliché is true, we are “only as sick as our secrets.” Christ”s Church of the Valley (Royersford, Pennsylvania) created a new Web site and a sermon series to help people get well. The “Dirty Little Secrets” series kicked off September 12, but CCV launched the Web site, where anyone can anonymously confess a sin or share a secret, in July. The site received thousands of hits in just the first few weeks. “A woman in our church is an alcoholic who got sober five years ago,” says Ben Foulke, director of arts. “Her openness about

September 27, 2010

Christian Standard

10,000 Pairs of Shoes for Romania

Andy Baker, an alumnus of Milligan College in Tennessee and founder of Remember the Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of Romanian families, spoke about shoes in Milligan”s chapel last Thursday. And students, faculty, and friends donated shoes to the cause. “10,000 shoes,” an initiative to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes in 10 months for Romanian children, captured the attention of Milligan students like Rachel Severns. She rallied students across the campus to meet the goal and even collected donations from the public. “Our students are excited about this campaign and combining the heart of the students

September 23, 2010

Christian Standard

Tweeting for Haitian Children

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission has partnered with a variety of organizations to raise money for a Miriam Center, a home and therapy center for Haitian children with cerebral palsy, severe autism, and other challenges. One of the partners””A Home in Haiti“”launched TwitChange last week to raise money for the cause by giving bidders the chance to have more than 150 celebrities follow them or mention them on Twitter or retweet their message. Celebrities participating include Eva Longoria, Shaquille O”Neal, Demi Moore, and many others. Read more about the project on NWHCM”s Web site or click here to visit TwitChange. The

September 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Glory Days in Kempton, Indiana

By Jennifer Taylor When Kempton, Indiana, officials donated a baseball field to Kempton Christian Church in 2004, the church renamed the site “Glory Field”Â and developed a T-ball league for some of the community”s littlest members. Each year the league welcomes dozens of 3- to 6-year-olds and outfits each one with a medallion, cap, and T-shirt. The church leads devotions and prayer before each game, invites the children to its Vacation Bible School, and hosts an award ceremony and meal after the season”s last game. Local businesses have donated money for a concession stand, new benches, and an announcer”s booth. Jennifer Taylor, one of

September 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Answering the Challenge for Bible Materials in Spanish

By Jennifer Taylor Good Books When Jon and Kathy Underwood visited Colombian Christian Mission in 2005, missionary Dale Meade asked the couple to outline a course of study for general and graduate-level Bible training. Jon created a sequence including Bible surveys, history, and theology””and received another request from Dale. “The team really wanted more challenging materials and asked us to consider translating and publishing books into Spanish,” Kathy says. “We were concerned about a conflict of interest, since Jon works at Standard Publishing. But we explained the project and received their blessing to move forward.” In 2006 the Underwoods created

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