News Briefs for May 25
News briefs from the 2022 Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, ICOM, the Russell School of Ministry, and more.
Articles for tag: Bob Russell
March 21, 2022
March 27 | Living and Holy Sacrifice
After 11 chapters of doctrine in Romans, Paul shifted his focus to duty in this chapter. . . .
March 20, 2022
UKRAINE: Christian Ministries in Poland Organize Relief
Ministries across Poland are opening their doors to the flood of refugees fleeing the fighting in Ukraine. Said one, “We want to create a space where all our refugees can come [and] take whatever they need, so they don’t have to worry about it.”
News Briefs for March 16
A Florida church helped the Tavriski Christian Institute in Ukraine purchase a bus that enabled many to flee advancing Russing troops. Also, briefs about an upcoming leadership summit, a women's retreat, and more.
News Briefs for March 2
News from the Preaching-Teaching Convention at Ozark Christian College, CMF International, IDES, Waypoint Church Partners, St. Louis Christian College, and more.
January 26, 2022
Charlie and Faith Russell Share Their COVID-19 Journey
Not long after Charlie and Faith Russell celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary, and only days before the birth of their first child, Charlie came down with COVID-19. That was in late July 2021. Charlie was hospitalized for weeks; he calls his recovery "a miracle."
January 26, 2022
Rusty Russell: Preaching the Gospel While Helping Care for an Ailing Son
Rusty Russell thought his son, Charlie, would recover quickly when his boy was hospitalized with COVID-19 in August. That wasn't the case. Rusty, who preaches in Florida, traveled back and forth to Tennessee weekly to help during Charlie's long ordeal.
The Preacher Pipeline Problem
A ministry friend recently worked with the Slingshot Group, a church staffing firm, to find a new ministry, and they told him he was one of 19,000 candidates they were helping. I imagine this represents people from a multitude of denominations and backgrounds, as well as those seeking a variety of church ministry roles. Either way, it’s clear there’s a sizable number of people currently in ministry who are looking for something different or somewhere new to serve. But what does the future “preacher pipeline” look like based on who’s leading our Christian churches today? A Long-Term Look at Lead
December 20, 2021
A Christmas Gift That Warmed My Heart
When Bob Russell accepted an invitation to a Christmas brunch, he didn't expect one of the most heartwarming and inspirational Christmas presents he's ever received. (Check back every day this week for another Christmas memory.)
October 21, 2021
Charlie Russell’s Condition Greatly Improved
Thousands of people and scores of churches who have been praying for Charlie Russell during his two-month battle with COVID pneumonia received very encouraging reports in recent days.
50 Years of Leadership Lessons
In over 50 years in ministry, here are some things I have learned about leading a church or any other organization.
April 1, 2021
What Judas Can Teach Us About Jesus
By Ryan Rasmussen You might be surprised that the name Judas means “let God be praised.” I find it incredibly ironic that the man who betrayed Jesus would carry a name of such reverence. Sometimes, though, things aren’t what they seem. For example, the fact that Judas Iscariot was a disciple at all must have baffled those who spent time with Jesus. While Jesus welcomed misfits and the marginalized into his friend group, Judas must have seemed “next level” in this regard. The Gospels documented that Judas, the band’s treasurer, would regularly skim money from the group’s funds (John 12:6).
KCU Plans Cane Ridge Tour (Plus News Briefs)
Kentucky Christian University plans to host a celebration at Cane Ridge (near Paris, Ky.) on the 220th anniversary of the Cane Ridge Revival this August.
March 1, 2021
Truth + Love: The Balancing Act
My wife, Beth, and I had just met a young couple as we were leaving church. After visiting with these strangers for a few minutes, we invited them to go eat lunch with our family. We found ourselves laughing and devouring sandwiches and getting to know them. And that’s when it got awkward. After asking Matt what part of town he lived in, I innocently proceeded to ask the same question of Stacie. In between bites, in matter-of-fact fashion, she replied that they lived together. Two voices in my subconscious immediately began whispering to me. One unwavering, firm voice said,
December 30, 2020
COVID-19 Claims Indiana Pastor, 2 Family Members (Plus News Briefs)
Jim Applegate, 54, pastor for 21 years of Westview Christian Church in Campbellsburg, Ind., died of COVID-19 on Dec. 20, followed by virus-related deaths of his mother (12 hours later), and his sister (on Christmas Eve). “The thing that’s keeping me going is . . . hope in Jesus because I know where they’re at,” Nicholas Applegate, the pastor’s son and WCC’s youth pastor, told WHAS11.com. “The first few weeks in December our community had seen a lot of COVID cases, especially here in our church family.” In addition to the death of his father, Nicholas Applegate’s grandmother, Pat Applegate,
October 28, 2020
OCC’s Mark Scott Planning Transition to Church Ministry (Plus News Briefs)
By Jim Nieman Mark Scott, longtime professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College, has announced he will conclude his full-time service with the school on May 31, 2021, so he can focus on ministry with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. In a memo to Ozark faculty and staff, Scott wrote, “I cannot put in words or quantify what it has meant for us to serve at OCC. When you cut us, we bleed OCC blue. How can I thank you for the privilege of serving with you for these 35 years? Thank you, OCC, for giving
Milligan’s Mailing Address Changed with Name (Plus News Briefs)
When Milligan College changed its name to Milligan University on June 1, it had to make one switch that wouldn’t have been necessary for most schools in its situation—it had to change part of its mailing address. You see, correspondence and packages mailed to the school for the past several decades have been sent to “Milligan College, TN 37682.” An article from the Milligan Stampede from 2018 explains how the school came to have its own Zip code and, for a long time, its own post office. It all goes back to the 1800s when the school was known as
Longtime University President Bryce Jessup Dies (Plus News Briefs)
Bryce Jessup, 85, who served as president of William Jessup University in California for 25 years— until his retirement in 2010—died of a heart attack July 30 during a fishing trip to Yosemite with his son Jim. Bryce Jessup was the son of the university’s founder, William Jessup. The school started in 1939 as San Jose Bible College, was subsequently renamed San Jose Christian College, became William Jessup University in 2003, and moved from San Jose to a much larger campus in Rocklin, Calif., in 2004. “During his presidency,” WJU shared, “the university substantially improved its financial position, achieved regional
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
Church & State: Our Relationship with Governing Authorities and How We Respond to Their Commands
(An earlier version of this article was posted at our website in April. This is the version that appeared in our July 2020 print edition.) By Rusty Russell Should we have canceled church during the COVID-19 pandemic? What if the virus rebounds and we are asked to cancel again? What if there’s a less serious pandemic in the future? Will we be asked to cancel the next time there’s a flu outbreak? I was discouraged by how many Christians—even church leaders—quickly made judgments about church closings based on whether they watch Fox News or CNN rather than what God would
