March 1, 2024
Understanding the Disciples’ Decline
Why the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have declined since opting to become a denomination . . .
March 1, 2024
Why the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have declined since opting to become a denomination . . .
March 1, 2024
By Martin Robinson and Mont Mitchell Some have claimed that Christian Churches and Churches of Christ are the first group of churches to grow up in America—as if they’re an entirely American creation. Well, there’s more to the story. Shared Understanding Churches with a broadly “Restorationist” ideal had arisen in various parts of Britain in the late 18th century. Though they varied in ideas and went by different names—Scotch Baptists, Haldane churches, Sandemanian churches—they shared a commitment to congregational autonomy, governance by elders and deacons, weekly Communion, and believers’ baptism. Some congregations could trace their origins to somewhere around the
March 1, 2024
Christian Standard will be focusing on the Restoration Movement over the next several months . . .
March 1, 2024
Recently, I made it a discipline to read a saint story every day for a year. . . .
March 1, 2024
When I was a teen in the late 1960s, my church became a verbal battleground . . .
March 1, 2024
Exploring the pivotal issues that gave rise to two major divisions (and a number of smaller ones) . . .
March 1, 2024
A 200-year-old church in the Northeast bursting with life, vibrancy, growth, and impact!
March 1, 2024
A listing of Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ started before 1860 . . .
A bottom line measured in outreach, church attendance, and baptisms . . .
March 1, 2024
We all have a story, and so do our churches and movement. . . .
February 26, 2024
"My first real attempt at contributing to the advancement of God’s kingdom in the wider world failed," James Thompson writes. But eventually, through the influence of campus ministries in Georgia, Thompson now serves with CMF's Globalscope campus ministry in Thailand. "Different environments present different challenges" . . .
February 12, 2024
People can sometimes get stuck in their spiritual growth. They start out well. They attend church, read their Bibles, and join a small group. And then they stall out. . . . Done With Stuck is a company that aims to give people tools to deal with the deep-seated issues that block their growth. . . .
February 1, 2024
Allan Dunbar, 84, who served as senior minister with Bow Valley Christian Church (formerly called Cambrian Heights Christian Church) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for 20-plus years, then served as president of Puget Sound Christian College in Seattle, and completed his professional career as executive director of the North American Christian Convention, died Jan. 28, 2024, in Kalispell, Mont., where he had resided for several years. . . .
January 26, 2024
Ready to Harvest, which conducts denominational research, has released a 27-minute video via YouTube profiling and explaining Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. “What Are Independent Christian Churches?” was posted early this week and is being generally well received. . . .
January 24, 2024
There is still time to complete Christian Standard's Annual Survey of Churches. This survey of 2023 data is designed for every Restoration Movement church (Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ)—from the largest to smallest—and takes only a few minutes to complete . . .
January 17, 2024
During 2023, NewThing was "able to start and sustain 1,059 church planting networks and helped plant 22,663 new churches!” according to the organization's annual report. . . . Also briefs about the Mid-Winter Rally for missionaries and Christians in Europe, the upcoming Preaching-Teaching Convention at Ozark Christian College, and more.
January 16, 2024
The Christian Standard Annual Survey of Churches is now available! We encourage all Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ to complete it by Friday, Jan. 26. It takes just a few minutes . . .
January 16, 2024
"Minister shortages. Closing churches. Struggling theology schools," The Christian Chronicle wrote in a recent editorial. "All are happening in Churches of Christ in the U.S., which raises the question: Is the restoration plea still valid?" . . .
January 10, 2024
MACU Rwanda has graduated its first two students. Also briefs about Johnson University Florida, ICOM, a Woman's World Conference at Manhattan Christian College, and more. . . .
January 1, 2024
By Dr. Wes Beavis The church has shown a growing openness to conversations about mental health. I have been privileged to speak on the subject “Faith and Mental Health” at many Restoration Movement churches across the United States. Recently, Clayton Hentzel of The Crossing in Quincy, Illinois, developed a teaching series called “Weeds in My Garden” that has become a tremendous resource to Restoration Movement churches across the nation. It is encouraging to see churches tackle the subject of mental health. But I am aware of an underlying concern among believers that Christian theology and doctrine are being replaced by
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