Articles for tag: Baptism

August 3, 2008

Christian Standard

Innovation and Invention

By Rick Chromey Few innovations and inventions have altered a civilized cultural landscape like the Internet. Just as Gutenberg”s printing press revolutionized our world and introduced a new concept of mass production, the World Wide Web has globally transformed social institutions from business to education to media. In the March 2008 edition of Fast Company“”an issue dedicated to the “world”s 50 most innovative companies”””the three giants standing at the summit were Google, Apple, and Facebook (in that order).1 Compiling the list involved studying hundreds of companies over several months, noting both fresh perspectives and historical commitments to reinvention. Consequently, it

July 13, 2008

Christian Standard

Restoration Movement Q&A 1

Answers from Gene Carter, Becky Ahlberg, and Eric Ahlberg Does the Restoration Movement Matter? Answers from Gene Carter, Becky Ahlberg, and Eric Ahlberg Gene Carter is retired in Playa del Rey, California, after 55 years of ministry, 25 in the Midwest and 30 in Southern California. Becky Ahlberg is worship and neighborhood engagement minister at Anaheim (California) First Christian Church and a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor. Eric Ahlberg is a member of Anaheim First Christian and a forensic structural engineer at Exponent Corporation in Irvine, California. Do you feel as strongly about being a part of the Restoration Movement today

July 13, 2008

Christian Standard

Restoration Movement Q&A 2

Answers from Robert Lowery Does the Restoration Movement Matter? Answers from Robert Lowery. Robert Lowery is professor of New Testament and dean at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian Seminary. Do you feel as strongly about being a part of the Restoration Movement today as you did fifteen years ago?  What, if anything, has changed? I remain committed to the principles of the Restoration Movement, yet I am not impressed with our efforts to articulate clearly and implement boldly those principles today. I have heard some say: “We have arrived! We do exactly what the earliest Christians did, no more and no less,

July 13, 2008

Christian Standard

Restoration Movement Q&A 3

Answers from Brian Lowery Does the Restoration Movement Matter? Answers from Brian Lowery. Brian Lowery works with Christianity Today International, where he serves as managing editor for Preaching Today. Do you feel as strongly about being a part of the Restoration Movement today as you did fifteen years ago?  What, if anything, has changed? Fifteen years ago I was 15 years old. I can really only recall feeling strongly about pizza, getting my driver’s license, and whether or not “that one girl in math class” liked me. The Restoration Movement wasn’t exactly on my radar yet. However, I can say that

July 13, 2008

Christian Standard

Restoration Movement Q&A 5

Answers from Ethan Magness Does the Restoration Movement Matter? Answers from EthanMagness. Ethan Magness is spiritual formation pastor at Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland. Do you feel as strongly about being a part of the Restoration Movement today as you did fifteen years ago?  What, if anything, has changed? My interest in and commitment to the Restoration movement has steadily grown.  Fifteen years ago I definitely took the Restoration movement for granted.  Having been raised inside the movement, I saw its flaws more clearly than its strengths.  I have come to be more and more committed that the Restoration movement is

May 25, 2008

Christian Standard

Spiritual Seismic Shifts Are Changing Our World

By Dave Ferguson “We don”t know exactly when, but we do know the earthquake is coming.” That is what seismologists who study our shifting earth are saying about impending catastrophic earthquakes. These experts can now tell us with absolute certainty where earthquakes will happen, but they don”t know exactly when. They have even created a list of the world”s most earthquake-vulnerable cities. At the top of the list is Kathmandu, Nepal, where they predict a 6.0-magnitude earthquake will occur and could kill approximately 69,000 people. Also on the hit list is Manila, Philippines, where a quake that will register close

May 18, 2008

Christian Standard

Unusual Conversions

By Ben Merold Those who work in evangelism rarely suffer from boredom. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit brings many surprises to the one who sets about to bring people to Jesus Christ. In my 59 years of evangelistic work, I have witnessed many unusual conversions. I will not go into great detail but I do want to tell you about several experiences that were surprising to me. Climbing a Pole I was conducting revival services in a small Midwestern city and calling on prospective converts with the local preacher. We stopped to talk to a man working on

April 13, 2008

Christian Standard

By the Numbers (Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches)

By Kent Fillinger and Ben Simms WHAT IS “AVERAGE”? The 52 megachurches” average size: 4,019 The 61 emerging megachurches” average size: 1,441 All 113 churches average size: 2,628 Total attendance of all 113 churches on an average weekend: 296,926 Total attendance for Easter 2007: 486,677 Total baptisms for all of 2007: 19,107 STATE BY STATE Number of churches reported in each state: 17″”Indiana 11″”California, Ohio 8″”Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky 6″”Florida 5″”Colorado, Texas 4″”Missouri, Nevada 3″”Idaho, Kansas, North Carolina, Washington 2″”Georgia, Oregon, Wisconsin 1″”Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia 26 states have a megachurch listed FASTEST GROWING Fastest-Growing Churches

April 9, 2008

Christian Standard

Interview with Kent Fillinger

By Brad Dupray As Kent Fillinger read the first few megachurch reports in Christian Standard years ago, he began to wonder how the success of those churches could be translated into help for smaller churches. With research partner Ben Simms, he began studying what was behind the numbers. That led to the founding of 3:STRANDS Consulting, a church coaching and consulting ministry conceived to “cultivate enduring relationships with churches and church leaders to enhance strengths and generate a better future.” Much of Kent and Ben”s assessment of this year”s megachurch list is highlighted in this issue of the Standard. Kent

January 6, 2008

Christian Standard

To Err Is Divine: “˜Pastoring” in Biblical Perspective

By Thomas Scott Caulley The other day I met a Japanese Christian who is a Protestant pastor in that country. He had heard of the Christian church. “Yes,” he said, “I know your group: baptism by immersion, Lord”s Supper every week, and no alcohol!” The stereotype made me smile, but it also reminded me of the need to move beyond outward forms. “Bible names for Bible things” is a good guide, but we must also move beyond outward forms in the area of church leadership. What about the title “pastor” for our preachers? Given the New Testament”s general lack of

June 10, 2007

Christian Standard

An Unfinished Restoration Acknowledged

By Gary Weedman I am a fifth-generation member of the Stone-Campbell fellowship of churches. My maternal grandfather”s grandfather was a founding member of a “Campbellite” church in southern Illinois. My maternal grandmother”s grandfather was a founding member of a “Stonite” church nearby. I grew up drinking deeply of the history and aims of this movement. By the time I graduated from high school, I had read much of Campbell”s seven-volume Christian Baptist, which was in our church library (my friends think this explains my lack of social life in high school!). In seminary I took every course offered by Enos

April 8, 2007

Christian Standard

What”s the Debate About?

By Mark Atteberry All Christians agree that Jesus is the only way to salvation. However, there has been much debate about the proper way to accept Christ. For many people, it”s just a matter of believing. Others would say that faith needs to be accompanied by the sinner”s prayer in order to be acknowledged and accepted by God. I must confess that I don”t feel comfortable with either of these notions. For one thing, a person can believe in God and not be obedient to him on any level. This is the point James was making when he said, “Do

February 25, 2007

Christian Standard

Should We Care About Calvinism?

By Staff According to some sources, Calvinism is making a comeback. We asked three leaders and preachers if they are concerned. Although all three preach or have preached in the Greater Indianapolis area, each of them has national influence and input. Russ Blowers has been retired for several years from his lifelong ministry at East 91st Street Christian Church. John Caldwell ministers with Kingsway Christian Church in Avon, Indiana. Howard Brammer preaches at Traders Point Christian Church, Indianapolis. Below are some of their comments. CS: Should we care about Calvinism in the Christian churches? JC: The Restoration Movement has done a

February 4, 2007

Christian Standard

Personal Journeys

By Barbara Rendel There had been no news of anything unusual when my husband and I were traveling toward the airport at 7:00 a.m. Sunday, August 27. We were rerouted around the airport with no explanations. Wally said, “Do you suppose there has been a plane crash?” We really thought it unlikely. There had not been a commercial plane crash anywhere in the United States for five years. But Comair Flight 5191 had crashed at 6:07 a.m., and this was a major event in Lexington. There probably wasn”t a person in our relatively small community who didn”t know or have

December 17, 2006

Brian Lowery

Prince of Peace

Still Unto Us

A reflection on Christmas amid a world marked by anger and violence. Through Matthew’s birth narrative and Isaiah’s promise, we remember the Prince of Peace and the steady settling-in of shalom.

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