Articles for tag: Ben Cachiaras

Restoration Movement History

Our Future: with Unity?

By Mark A. Taylor If you led a workshop on the future of the Restoration Movement, you”d likely mention many positive signs about our tribe. Here are some I included when I was asked to speak on that topic: “¢ Our churches are doing dynamic ministry, trying new approaches, and succeeding with new strategies. We”re a creative bunch. “¢ Closely related to the above, our lack of hierarchy leaves our leaders free to try new ideas without needing permission from anyone. And new ideas abound among us. We”re an entrepreneurial bunch. “¢ Leaders from our group are publishing widely, with

September 10, 2016

Church & Ministry Community Outreach

“˜Everyone Wants a Cause”

How one church is facilitating the priesthood of all believers””inside and outside the church walls By Justin Horey Is a Little League coach a children”s ministry worker? Is a backyard barbecue a discipleship group? Is living out your faith as a public school teacher as important as serving in student ministries? At Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland, the answer is yes. Lead pastor Ben Cachiaras says Mountain Christian Church encourages ministry both inside and outside the church walls, because it”s essential to do both. “We legitimize ministry even if it”s not within the four walls of the church,” Cachiaras

August 27, 2016

What About Tomorrow?

By Mark A. Taylor In recognition of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s 150th birthday earlier this year, the North American Christian Convention featured a workshop led by three of the magazine”s contributing editors. We asked each of them to think about hopes and challenges they see for the future of the churches served by this magazine for a century and a half.Â The comments below are edited from the hour-long workshop. See the whole session here. Matt Proctor What will be the future of the independent Christian churches? As I considered the churches I”ve seen, I thought of three answers to that question:

August 23, 2016

Culture & Public Square Race

All We Need Is . . . Love?

By Mark A. Taylor Wisconsin state Sen. Lena Taylor offered a thoughtful evaluation of why riots erupted in Milwaukee August 13, after a policeman shot an armed black man running from a traffic stop. There”s much to consider in her perspective, but today I”m posting about a problem even bigger than America”s racial divide. At the end of Taylor”s interview, the host asked her this: “So as a leader in this community, what is your message now to the people living in Milwaukee who are experiencing this unrest, this anger, this expression of frustration that is in many cases taking

August 10, 2016

Conferences & Gatherings Organizations & Events

‘Tomorrow’ Workshop

CHRISTIAN STANDARD hosted a workshop about the future of the movement it has served for 150 years. Hear the discussion, conducted during the North American Christian Convention in Anaheim in 2016, with Matt Proctor, Jennifer Johnson, and Ben Cachiaras, hosted by editor Mark A. Taylor. Complete workshop here.

July 21, 2016

An Interview with Jerry Taylor

Contributing editor Ben Cachiaras speaks with Dr. Jerry Taylor at the 2016 North American Christian Convention about racial unity and the problem with political correctness today. In this exclusive interview, he suggests what the local church can do in troubled times like those we”re experiencing today.

July 20, 2016

An Interview with Gene Appel

Contributing editor Ben Cachiaras speaks with Gene Appel, minister with Eastside Christian Church, Anaheim, California, about next year”s North American Christian Convention (he”s president), why he loves the “tribe” of Christian churches/churches of Christ, and how to lead change in a local church. See this exclusive interview here.

July 18, 2016

An Interview with Dave Stone

Dave Stone, 2016 North American Christian Convention president, shares where this year”s theme, “A Better Story,” came from. In this exclusive interview with contributing editor Ben Cachiaras, Dave thanks California churches for the convention”s success and shares reactions to Christian churches and churches of Christ he”s receiving from Christian leaders outside that fellowship. (Click here to view the interview.)

July 7, 2016

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Preaching

The Best Sermon I”ve Ever Heard (12)

By Arron Chambers Averie Blackmore Averie Blackmore is studying worship leadership and humanities at Milligan College. She has had the honor of leading a women”s small group and helping start a young adult worship service at her home church in Johnson City, Tennessee. She is an intern in the worship arts department at Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland. Averie”s Best Sermon: The best sermon series on emotions is by Steve and Holly Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is available at http://bit.ly/1pHcUEF. Why Averie likes this sermon: “I have always heard sermons that talk about emotions, but

April 18, 2016

Restoration Movement History

Opening Doors

“You don”t have to leave the movementÂ to lead beyond it.”Â Six perspectives on a provocative statement ________ By Jennifer Johnson These leaders love the Restoration Movement and its principles, but they also work and minister “outside” of it with the churches they serve, the partnerships they pursue, and the parachurch ministries they lead.Â Here are their thoughts on what it means to go beyond the movement, why it matters, and how it can honor God. Brent Storms The biggest question for me is how does one “get in” and “get out” of our movement?Â We”re coming across planters and church

February 11, 2016

Doctrinal Issues & Debates Theology & Bible

Thinking Theologically

By Mark A. Taylor Our theology affects all our actions and decisions“”how we live and serve and react and decide. But do most Christians and Christian leaders define their decisions by their theology? Can we do this? How? Why should we try? For answers we talked with four church leaders and Bible scholars: “¢ Ben Cachiaras, senior pastor with Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland “¢ Frank Dicken, assistant professor of New Testament at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University “¢ J. K. Jones, pastor of spiritual formation with Eastside Christian Church, Normal, Illinois “¢ Jon Weatherly, dean of the School of Bible

January 26, 2016

Church Life

No Snow Day for Mountain

By Mark A. Taylor A blizzard of historic proportions is coming your way on a Saturday; so what do you do on Friday? Most local churches in the path of Winter Storm Jonas last weekend decided to call off services. And who could blame them? Record snowfalls and gale-force winds wreaked havoc from Kentucky to Cape Cod. Interstates were shut down. Residents were told to stay home and stay off snow-covered roads waiting for overwhelmed plowing crews to clear them. Churchgoers couldn”t get to church buildings, and many local municipalities had issued orders not to drive. But we heard about

December 22, 2015

Care & Counseling Grief & Suffering

We Do Not Suffer Alone

By Mark A. Taylor Death intrudes into thousands of lives every day. But to each individual losing someone close, death seems like a singular experience. I remember the comment of a good friend whose dad died decades ago. He returned to his job after several days grieving with his family and found everything there decidedly unchanged. “Everyone”s just doing what they usually do, working on their own tasks as if nothing has happened,” he said. Here he was, trying to cope with his life that had been upended. But everyone around him, it seemed, was getting along just fine. This

December 1, 2015

Culture & Public Square Race

Moving Beyond “˜Color Blind”

By Mark A. Taylor Many thoughts have threatened my internal comfort zone since I attended a daylong conference on racial unity outside Baltimore, Maryland, last month*. I came face-to-face with the reality of racism that still flourishes in my country. I came to understand the privilege that comes automatically, systemically to white people in America. And I was forced to consider how that privilege has benefitted me and hurt others. I came to see that Jesus” prayer for unity will not be answered when Christians of different races distrust or blatantly denigrate each other. (Nor will it happen when members

October 27, 2015

Church & Ministry Leadership Development

Nothing More Valuable

By Mark A. Taylor Maybe most wouldn”t suspect that loneliness, discouragement, temptation, and insecurity are companions of the person leading their church””especially growing, dynamic ministries like those led by the four guests in our most recent Beyond the Standard podcast. But each of them””Ben Cachiaras, Tim Harlow, Eddie Lowen, and Greg Nettle””admitted to at least one of these problems. And all four credited their association with each other as a key to rising above barriers to emotional and spiritual health. They”ve created a group where they”ve found the freedom to confess sins, share doubts, discuss problems and possibilities, and discern

October 12, 2015

Church Leadership

Quitting Solitaire

Four ministers. One concern: How to find a “band of brothers” for accountability, insight, and help to finish well. By Eddie Lowen I was set apart for ministry by the first church that employed me. I was only 19 when they hired me (and 20 when they ordained me), yet they took a chance. They took a chance that I would graduate a year after my ordination. They took a chance that I would mature in many ways. They also took a chance that I would find a wife! Seriously, at the time, an unmarried pastor was rare. Most of

September 4, 2015

Christian Living

Thoughts on Play

By Ben Cachiaras The words play and important don”t seem like they go together. But I think they do. Playing is important. I know that sounds funny coming from a “grown-up.” That”s because we”re conditioned to think of play as childish, a frivolous waste of time that could be better spent on something more productive and useful and, well, important. Christians especially seem attached to seriousness and hurry, both stern enemies of play. We tend to honor busy heroes who are productive for God. The result is a life that leaves little room for rest and play, imagination and creativity.

July 28, 2015

Church & Ministry Leadership Development

Aaron Wymer’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed severalÂ influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is fromÂ Aaron Wymer, senior minister with Grandview Christian Church, Johnson City, Tennessee. ________ Noticeably missing from this list are my professors from Emmanuel Christian Seminary in Johnson City, Tennessee, yet they were all instrumental in forming me and pointing me in the direction I have traveled. It seemed unfair to mention one of them and not another, so I left them off

July 11, 2015