November 24, 2025
HOW OLD IS GOD?
Through the body and blood of Jesus of Nazareth, our sins are removed. They are cleansed. They are forgotten.
Articles for tag: Aging
April 23, 2024
Your Later Years Can Be Greater Years!
In his new book, "Not Too Old," Christian Standard contributing editor David Faust explains how "your later years can be greater years." In the book, David encourages readers to continue to "bear fruit in old age" (Psalm 92:14) . . .
March 15, 2021
Inmates Are First to See Church-Produced Film, ‘A Father’s Fight’
First Capital Christian Church’s first feature-length film received its world premiere last week . . . at the Harrison County Jail in Corydon, Ind. “We really wanted to have the people that we wrote the movie for be the first people to see [it],” said director Tyler Sansom.
April 25, 2019
You Can Call Me Grumpy
By Dan Schantz “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly . . .” (Leviticus 19:32). With church members in America steadily aging, we need to know how to respectfully address our elders, but the last thing we need is more politically correct gag orders. Therefore, now that my body has passed its “best by” date, I hereby give you permission to call me by any of the following terms. YOU CAN CALL ME . . . 1. Old Fogy—Meaning “old-fashioned,” or “living in the past,” the term fogy comes from the word fog, and
April 4, 2017
My Read on a Surprising Remedy
By Mark A. Taylor Readers of a certain age can”t resist a bold, red headline that says, “Live Longer!” And when the caption below it promises “50 Proven Ways to Add Years to Your Life,” an almost-retired guy like me knows he wants to know more. You could probably guess several of the live-longer tips offered by the March 2017 AARP Bulletin: get your sleep, drink water, eat whole grains, exercise. But some of it is less intuitive: get rid of throw rugs (they cause falls), find a woman doctor (statistically their patients have better results), watch your grandkids (regular
March 16, 2016
Don”t Worry about Wealth
By Jim Tune Back in 1966 the folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel released an album called Sounds of Silence. The album was a best-selling collection of reflective songs with contemplative lyrics. It has been preserved by the Library of Congress as a “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” work of art. For that album, Paul Simon penned the words to a song about a much-admired philanthropist who was envied by all. “Richard Cory,” a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, was adapted by Simon into a song that ends with the startling news of the philanthropist committing suicide. My grandmother used to
February 14, 2016
My Theology and My Approach to Aging
By Robert Hull In his brief poem “Seventy Years,” Wendell Berry writes: Well, anyhow, I am not going to die young.1 When my mother died at the age of 71, she seemed old to me. But I was only 39 at that time, and still full of vitality. Nowadays we are told “80 is the new 70,” but to someone only 39, my age of 72 is old, and it’s beginning to feel that way to me too. When my Milligan College class of 1965 got together for our 50-year reunion last fall, the list of the deceased included 19
February 9, 2016
Passing the Tests
By Mark A. Taylor Years ago, when the wife of a popular minister suffered a stroke, a mutual friend said, “If the devil can”t get him any other way, he”ll go after his family.” This minister was widely known, a sought-after speaker, and the author of several books. Never has there been a hint of scandal or impropriety in his life or ministry. Thankfully, his wife recovered and, by all appearances, her illness never swayed him from service. I thought of that time this week when I sat across the table from an aging saint whose wife died in December.
July 3, 2015
A Conversation with LeRoy Lawson
Roy Lawson, 2015 North American Christian Convention speaker, spoke with Mark Taylor about how and why the NACC has changed and prospered and how an older Christian can guard against depression, bitterness, or cynicism as he or she experiences advancing years. See our exclusive interview here.
September 10, 2014
Food Fight!
By Jim Tune I”ve been intrigued by the topic of health and fitness for years. That doesn”t mean I always lived or even pursued a healthy lifestyle, but over the past 11 months I”ve lost 60 pounds without crash dieting or riding some fad. I guess it was just time. The thing is, I”ll be 51 soon. I can no longer take my health for granted. Some effects of aging can”t be helped. Apparently I”m losing 1 percent of my testosterone a year. My bones are becoming porous and more fragile. My brain is shrinking, my arteries narrowing, and my
July 8, 2014
My Only Hope
By Jim Tune When I read the Gospels, I encounter a Jesus who proclaims peace for the fringe dwellers. Indistinct and frequently offensive, they reached for his cloak, cried out in desperation, or fell forward to make contact with real love. Convention would treat them as nonpersons, insisting they be kept barely visible and hidden behind a veil of shame. But Jesus was unconventional. Life”s losers sense this. They crash the party and find themselves not only accepted, but favored and blessed as well. With Jesus, they get the seats of honor. For someone with as many opportunities as I”ve
August 14, 2012
Just Stick with It
By Mark A. Taylor Everybody”s heard that America is getting older, a fact not lost on me since I and most of my friends now qualify for seniors discounts at movie theaters, museums, and many restaurants. But even though I”m glad to take the deals, I don”t think of myself as old. Old people are 70-something, maybe, or 80; 90-year-olds certainly qualify. But not me. I doubt my kids see it that way, though. In fact most adults, regardless of their age, define “old” as at least 10 years older than themselves. I thought about this again late this spring
July 16, 2012
Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead
By C. Robert Wetzel I am not dead. At least I wasn”t when I wrote this article. But I have come to see that Jesus was talking about people like me when he said, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” Let me explain. While reflecting on Matthew 8:19-22, which contains that quote, I remembered something that had happened about 30 years ago during our 11-year ministry in England. During that time, I would spend about a month each year visiting churches in the United States that supported or might support our ministry. On one of those trips I was
March 15, 2012
The Landing
By Tim Harlow I qualified for my AARP card this year. I”ve heard this is the point in my ministry career when I will start to slack off and stagnate. The stats tell us at age 50 most ministers will stop taking risks and become complacent””especially if they”ve been at the same post for many years. I was with Dr. John Walker of Blessing Ranch and a few other pastors recently and the discussion was about “finishing well.” The dialogue centered on being able to walk away from our ministry and say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight,
January 3, 2012
Aging, Dying, Disasters . . . and Joy
By LeRoy Lawson Emily Alone: A Novel Stewart O”Nan New York: Penguin Group, 2011 Death with Interruptions Jose Saramago Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008 A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster Rebecca Solnit New York: Penguin Books, 2009 I speak fairly often for seniors” conferences. I used to speak for youth conventions. As a wag has noted, that means I”m still talking to the same people. Last year I was on the program for two such conferences in Oregon, one at the state convention grounds in the Willamette Valley, the other at Camp WiNeMa
October 10, 2011
Lesson for Oct. 16, 2011: Growing Old with Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 11:7″“12:14)
This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 16) is written by Daniel Schantz, professor emeritus at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri. ____________ Growing Old with Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 11:7″“12:14) By Daniel Schantz Poets present October as the melancholy season, marking the death of summer. Yet, to many of us, October is the best season of all””spangled with color, rich in harvests, invigorating in weather. Old age is like October. It does indeed signal the end of life, but it is also filled with a harvest of good things: grandchildren, retirement, honors. A number
April 25, 2007
In Case You”ve Missed Our Blogs
Three excerpts from Christian Standard bloggers challenge leaders to confront reality, call the church to pray for revival, and reflect on the growing urgency to lead in ways that matter now and for eternity.
