Articles for tag: August
July 1, 2021
August 18, 2020
My Counsel for Young Preachers
If I were counseling an aspiring young preacher fresh out of Bible college or seminary, champing at the bit to lead in the church, I would offer these three bits of advice.
July 15, 2020
Remembering Marshall Leggett
We asked several Christian leaders to share their memories of Marshall Leggett, a Christian minister and college administrator who served as president of Milligan College in Tennessee from 1982 to 1997. He died March 2 at the age of 90. _ _ _ In 1965 the elders of Southeast Christian approached Marshall about becoming the preacher of their new church in Louisville. They had narrowed their preference down to two men: Bob Shannon and Marshall Leggett, the two best young preachers in our brotherhood. Both men saw the potential in the new church but at the last minute both decided
July 15, 2020
Marshall Leggett: Faithful Minister in God’s Service
By Gene Wigginton Marshall Leggett will be remembered by all who knew him as a man whose ambition in life was to be a faithful minister in God’s service. That ambition was never compromised. As a preacher and Christian college administrator, he honored God and touched countless lives with the truth of God’s Word. Marshall Leggett died March 2, 2020, at age 90. Faithful in the Churches He Served I had the privilege of meeting Marshall in the early years of his ministry. While traveling on behalf of a Christian college, I visited Marshall and his wife, Jean, in their
July 15, 2020
Bob Milliken: A Focus on International Students for the Long Haul
Afzal (not his real name) found Bob Milliken by chance. In fact, he somehow stumbled upon the Facebook page for Bob’s rural church and started commenting on some of the posts. Bob, the pastor of the church, and Afzal, a musician in the Middle East, began a correspondence that led to a friendship. Before long, they were talking worship, and Afzal told Bob he is a Christian worship leader in his strict Muslim community. Afzal is passionate about helping Christian musicians learn how to lead worship in their own communities. He had been discipling a group of 10 to 15
July 15, 2020
Legacy
Like father, like son. He’s a chip off the old block. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. These well-worn phrases still impart truth. Life is lived in and through generations. From beginning to end in the Scriptures, we read of generations of people. The genealogy of Jesus is listed in both Matthew and Luke. Today, there are five living generations: builders, boomers, gen X, millennials, and gen Z. Despite the untold volumes written and conferences held about the qualities and particularities of these generations, a far greater concern is each one’s legacy. Many people think of generational legacy
July 15, 2020
Ask the Lord . . . to Send Workers!
By Michael C. Mack We planned the articles for this issue on March 20, the day the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 916 points and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the nation’s largest city was “now the epicenter of this crisis” in the U.S., with 5,151 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths at that point. We were a nation looking for some sense of hope in the midst of a crisis we didn’t even understand. People’s anxiety was palpable and pessimism itself took on pandemic proportions. On that day, publisher Jerry Harris and I talked on the phone
July 15, 2020
How Will They Hear?
8 Suggestions for Finding and Equipping More Future Preachers How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14, New American Standard Bible). “How will they hear without a preacher?” The apostle Paul asked that about his own people, the Jewish nation. But in a general sense, it applies to all who have never heard or understood the good news of the gospel of Christ. We need preachers of the gospel today. Desperately. But do we
July 15, 2020
An Online Revolution of Necessity
Is online church really church? That question has bounced around church circles for years as more of American life takes place over the internet. Churches and pastors have been all over the spectrum—from all-in to logged out. The conversation persisted right up to the COVID-19 pandemic. A couple of Christian magazine covers from March 2020 help tell the story. The central theme of Christian Standard’s March print edition featured a robust discussion about the benefits of online church. The cover featured Rusty George of Real Life Church in Valencia, California, who said, “Church is engagement . . . with the
July 15, 2020
Is There a Future for Our Colleges? (And Is There Even a Need?)
A few years ago, Christian college presidents were invited to our movement’s annual megachurch ministers’ get-together. We gathered in San Antonio, Texas, to talk about greater partnership, and one preacher stood to share his view. “To be honest, do we really need these colleges?” he asked. “So many are small and struggling, and I hire most of my people from within. Maybe it’s time to let them die.” That kinda hurt my feelings. Actually it didn’t. He asked a great question—one I’ve asked myself. After 14 years as president of Ozark Christian College, I understand why management guru Peter Drucker
July 15, 2020
How to Become an Imperfect Mentor
By Megan Rawlings I was mentoring a new believer who was struggling to make good decisions and choices. As her mentor, I knew I had to personally address this issue with her. I thought the best approach to this uncomfortable conversation was to ask her to meet for lunch. When the day arrived, she sat across from me at the table, oblivious to the reason for my invitation. Our upcoming discussion had the potential to turn negative. But, through God’s grace and intervention, by the time lunch ended my mentee had a new outlook on Christlike living. Was it difficult?
July 15, 2020
Sharon’s Vision
My wife, Sharon, always wanted to be a philanthropist and donate millions to visionary causes. Alas, she married a teacher, not a banker. Even so, she has found ways to practice philanthropy on a shoestring. Creator. Most mornings my redhead works at her sewing machine, making quilts in bright-colored patterns. She donates most of her creations to International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES), a Christian church organization that uses relief work to implement evangelism. They auction off her quilts, and the proceeds go to the relief efforts. Most of her quilts earn between $200 and $500, but some have gone for
July 15, 2020
Good News for ‘Every Nation’
After 63 years training leaders abroad, TCM is now developing effective workers for disciple-making movements through U.S. Cohorts TCM’s initials have stayed the same since its founding in 1957, even as the words those letters represent have continued to change (from “Toronto Christian Mission” to “Taking Christ to Millions” to “Training Christians for Ministry”). TCM has discipled and trained international Christian leaders primarily at and through its TCM International Institute facilities at Haus Edelweiss in Austria, a property it purchased in 1971. Making a Difference in the U.S. Until recently, TCM’s focus has exclusively been directed toward other parts of
July 15, 2020
Who Will Send Them?
Each generation has been rightly concerned about passing along their faith to the next generation. David referenced the generation-to-generation process in Psalm 145. Mary sang of how the mercy of the Savior would extend to all generations in Luke 1. Paul proclaimed that God would be glorified through the church and in Jesus “throughout all generations” in Ephesians 3. Preachers and preaching play a central role in spreading the gospel globally and generationally. As more preachers proclaim salvation through the blood of Jesus, the broader the message spreads cross-culturally and the longer the message extends cross-generationally. This underscores the key
July 15, 2020
Coaching Matters
By Kent Fillinger A lead minister serves as a sort of head coach of the church team and has a major influence on the church’s health and growth. There are many reasons for this influence, but surveys indicate much of it involves the minister’s communication skills and ability to explain Scripture. That said, a 2019 Lifeway survey found that more churchgoers say their minister preaches longer than they prefer (27 percent) than shorter than they prefer (13 percent). This article examines findings from our 2019 survey of 439 churches to explore several factors related to the lead minister’s impact on
