Articles for tag: Baptism

June 3, 2018

Jerry Harris

The North American Christian Convention: What’s Next?

 By Jerry Harris Some of us have heard a massive shift is coming to the North American Christian Convention that will make it unrecognizable compared to gatherings of years past. While the 2019 convention will see some changes, in many ways it will focus on the fundamentals upon which the NACC was founded. I was at a meeting to help plan the NACC’s 92nd-year gathering. I was surrounded by committed leaders of our movement from churches, organizations, and missions. What I heard renewed my excitement for a great future. The mission of the NACC is “. . . to encourage

June 1, 2018

Jerry Harris

‘Our Position’ Revisited

By Jerry Harris When Isaac Errett wrote “Our Position,” a need existed within the Restoration Movement to define in succinct terms the soaring rhetoric of Barton W. Stone’s The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery, Thomas Campbell’s The Declaration and Address, and Alexander Campbell’s “Sermon on the Law,” which had so eloquently defined the position of a movement intent on the restoration of first-century Christianity. Errett argued that while creeds are sectarian and create division, and therefore are sinful, we are free to identify those areas where we find ourselves in agreement with the larger evangelical framework, those areas

May 12, 2018

Christian Standard

SPOTLIGHT: Mosaic Christian Church, Elkridge, Maryland

“Spiritual maturity is baptizing a friend.”   By Justin Horey Ask most any person at Mosaic Christian Church in Elkridge, Maryland, “What is the most important thing at Mosaic,” and there’s a good chance they will tell you, “It’s when we baptize someone.” MCC is just nine years old (the church will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall). In that brief time, Mosaic has baptized more than 500 new believers. Church planter and lead pastor Carl Kuhl said the reason is simple: “At Mosaic, a ‘win’ is baptism.” For the past few years, Kuhl and his staff have set a

April 20, 2018

Christian Standard

The State of Our Christian Churches Today

Where We’ve Come From, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going By Ken Idleman In her book Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World, Tina Rosenburg sought to determine how to get people to change for the better. She concluded people don’t change simply because they desire to change, or feel guilty, or learn it would be beneficial (such as by quitting smoking). Instead, Rosenburg argues, people grow and change best in community. She asserts that few things in life are more important in determining the kind of people we become than the group of people with

April 6, 2018

Christian Standard

‘Soul Winning’ Made Simple

By Dudley Rutherford The word evangelism can conjure up images and thoughts ranging from world missions to flashy televangelists. Of course, many faithful church members might say, “Evangelism? Oh, that’s something our preacher does on Sunday morning.” Well, yes . . . and no. Many years ago, I heard one of the greatest definitions of evangelism, and it has stuck with me: “Evangelism is nothing more than mouth-to-ear resuscitation!” What a great yet simple description. The gospel of Jesus comes from your mouth to someone else’s ear—and brings life to a spirit who, without Christ, is dead in sin (Ephesians

April 1, 2018

Christian Standard

‘If Christ Be Not Raised . . .’

By Mark E. Moore The resurrection is the bedrock of Christianity. If it is not true, everything crumbles. Paul testified to this, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14*). Thus the question, Did Jesus rise from the dead? is one we must answer to determine if faith in Christ is well-founded or a farce. To that end we will address two profoundly important questions: Why should I believe Jesus rose from the dead? And if this is true, then why does it matter?   WHY SHOULD

March 15, 2018

Michael C. Mack

Go and Tell

By Michael C. Mack I have learned some of the most vital lessons from some of the most unlikely people in Scripture. Mary Magdalene is one of them. A most pivotal day in her life started “while it was still dark” (John 20:1). As she went to the tomb, her life epitomized what our lives would look like without knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection—dark and hopeless. But the resurrection changes everything. A day that began in darkness ended with her radiant proclamation, “I have seen the Lord!” (v. 18). Mary was the first to view the empty

January 23, 2018

Christian Standard

Living Together in Sweet Unity

By Victor Knowles   “How truly wonderful and delightful to see brothers and sisters living together in sweet unity!” (Psalm 133:1, The Passion Translation).   The year 1906 is memorable to me for a number of reasons—even though I wasn’t born until 1945. It was the year of the great San Francisco earthquake; the year one of my heroes, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was born; and a year the Chicago Cubs went to the World Series (and lost). Finally, 1906 is the year a division occurred in the American Restoration Movement. “Conventional wisdom” today is that David Lipscomb, editor of the Gospel Advocate,

November 2, 2017

Christian Standard

A Light in the Darkness: StreetLightUSA 

By L. Mackenzie  How one church reached out to God and founded a mission helping victims of domestic child prostitution. ******  The underground sex economy is a multimillion-dollar industry in the United States; pimps and traffickers can make more than $30,000 a week in major cities, according to a research study reported in 2014 at urban.org.   Information on child prostitution and rape is difficult to source due to the heinous nature of the crime. According to the FBI, children and teens living on the streets engaging in prostitution is at epidemic proportions and life expectancy of a child in trafficking

September 7, 2017

Christian Standard

A Heart for Our City

By Aaron Brockett Six years ago, I wasn”t sure how I felt about multisite. I wanted to believe the best about all the hype I had heard about becoming one church meeting in multiple locations, but I didn”t want to throw my support behind it prematurely. I especially didn”t want to lead Traders Point Christian Church in this direction if we hadn”t clearly established the “why” behind it. I believe God calls every church to multiply (Acts 2), however I don”t think this means every church should become a multisite church. (The many reasons for this lie outside the focus of

August 7, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for August 13, 2017: Called to Break Down Barriers (Acts 8)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the August 6, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  When it comes to evangelism it is far better to build bridges than erect barriers. God called his church in the book of Acts to intentionally break down barriers. God”s ultimate plan is to unite all things (people especially) under the headship of Christ (Ephesians 1:9, 10). Some people are geographically close to us but

June 20, 2017

Christian Standard

The Restoration Ideal Still Works

By Ben Merold The Missouri River””the “Big Muddy”””runs past the city of Omaha, Nebraska. If we wanted to get pure, unpolluted water from this river, we have two basic choices. We might, as Omaha has done, install a filter to remove the mud that has accumulated in the water during the river”s meandering path south and east. But that treats only a small portion of the water, and the great body of the river runs on as muddy as before. If, however, we go to the source, we would find pure water that comes fresh from the wellspring. Similarly, if

May 22, 2017

Christian Standard

When Modern Ministry Gets Messy

By Jessie Clemence “Messy” is the only choice for a ministry that opens the door for God”s power to change lives. Here”s a frank look at our situation today, with a challenge to demonstrate attitudes and actions worthy of Christ. What would you do if you walked into church on Sunday and found a new couple sitting in your usual pew, holding hands and envisioning how lovely their wedding ceremony would look in the room? What if they were both men, or both women? How would you feel if a transgender person handed you the Communion tray or a bulletin?

April 25, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

Our Future: as Evangelicals?

By Mark A. Taylor Are members of Christian churches and churches of Christ properly categorized as Evangelicals? We addressed this topic in the first year I served as editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD*, and now as I close my tenure, I wonder if anyone is still asking the question. The two who answered in 2003 wrote passionately and convincingly and came to completely opposite conclusions. William R. Baker described James DeForest Murch”s decision to boldly identify himself with the growing Evangelical movement in the 1940s and afterwards. “Not since Isaac Errett, founding editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD, had anyone from the Restoration

April 17, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for April 23, 2017: Reconciling Love (Romans 5:1-11; 8:31-39)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 16, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  How did the facts of Jesus” death on the cross and his empty tomb set things right between God and humanity? How to articulate the atonement is of great debate among scholars today. Twelve different New Testament words and at least six different models have to be examined. Many of those are in Romans. Romans

April 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for April 9, 2017: Saving Love (John 3:1-21)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 2, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  This famous text contains the teachings of Jesus, the questions of Nicodemus, and the saving love of God. This late-night conversation between Jesus and this Pharisee led to a bright sunrise of teaching concerning saving love. Birth | John 3:1-5 In each section of our text there is a rhetorical device (verses 3, 5, and 11).

March 31, 2017

Christian Standard

In Remembrance of Me

By Becky Ahlberg Do you remember your first Communion? The first time you held the bread and cup and accepted the invitation to this table offered by the Lord himself upon your baptism and commitment to him? How old were you? Where were you? Who else was there? For some of us, that moment was decades ago; for some others, it might be this very day. For all of us, it is a call to remembrance. We”re called to remember our commitment. We”re called to remember our community here in this place and to remember Christians around the world. And

January 30, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for February 5, 2017: Re-Created to Live in Harmony (Galatians 3:26″“4:7)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the January 29, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  Someone has rightly said, “You cannot be “˜revived” if you have never first been “˜vived.”” In last month”s lessons we focused on God creating the universe. This month”s lessons focus on God recreating the universe through redeeming his people for freedom to live in holiness. Our study takes us to Galatians, that Magna Carta of

January 7, 2017

Christian Standard

I Love the Church . . . Because the Church Loved Me, and Still Loves Others

By Rick Chromey I love the church. I love going to church. I love hanging around church people. I love experiencing church stuff””from camps to conferences to cantatas. I love that I grew up in church within earshot of the saints and under the watchful eyes of the “brethren,” many of them little old ladies with blue hair, quaint dresses, and perfect attendance pins. I love the smell of a hardwood pew, the taste of church coffee, and the sound of steeple bells. I can still sing the first and last stanza of many hymns, including favorites like “Revive Us

October 11, 2016

Mark A. Taylor

Real Patriots

By Mark A. Taylor Why devote so many pages, words, and ink to a question that can be answered with just one word? Can a Christian be a patriot? Yes! With two more words, let us be clear: of course! Readers of articles this month should not see any anti-Americanism here. But these articles offer a plea for us to put our patriotism in perspective: To thank God for America without assuming America is at the center of his will for the world. To ask God to bless America without believing that America”s interests are always God”s purposes. To respect

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