Articles for tag: Body of Christ

August 22, 2011

Christian Standard

A Memorial

By Ben Merold I walked up Kill Devil Hill near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to get a view of the path of the first flights made by the Wright brothers. They gave proof to the world that a heavier-than-air flying machine could lift off under its own power, fly, and make a safe landing. This was the place of first flight, and a large monument marks the site. I found myself thinking that the entire area is, in one sense, a memorial. However, everything seems to focus on four large stones that mark the distance of their first flights. On

December 6, 2010

Christian Standard

Leading Beyond Your Ability

By Rick Grover I recently told our staff, “We are now at a place where I have never been. I have no experience in leading beyond where we currently are. We have surpassed where I believe my education, skills, abilities, and experience can take us. So where do we go from here? How are we going to get to the next level in our ministry and go where God wants us to go?” I paused, not for dramatic effect, but because I wasn”t sure what to say next! So much for leaders having all the right words to say at

November 8, 2010

Christian Standard

Teams Function Like Teams

By Stephen Bond I played water polo in high school. Water polo is a team sport. Each player in the pool has a distinct role, and each one depends on the other if the team is to be successful. On my high school team we had Mike Moore, a scoring machine, “in the hole” on the offensive end of the pool and Guy Antley on the defensive end as our goalie. Both men received All-American awards but both played very different roles on our team. We needed both Mike and Guy (and several more of us non-All-American players) to win. The

September 15, 2010

Christian Standard

Sad Because She Left Us

By Mark A. Taylor My wife and I discovered something wonderful when we returned to our church after three vacation Sundays away: people there missed us. Amid all the friendly pats and hearty greetings”””Welcome back!” “We loved your pictures on Facebook!” “Was your trip wonderful?”””I thought about this column I promised to write when we returned. This continues a discussion begun in last week”s issue. There I reported on and reacted to author Anne Rice”s public announcement of her decision to walk away from Christianity. She said her faith in Christ is “central” to her life, but “following Christ does

May 23, 2010

Christian Standard

The Revolutionary Relevance of Christian Hope in Communion

By Ash Baker Last October 17, I shared Communion in Klong Prem prison (aka “The Bangkok Hilton”) for the first time. I now visit each week with Chris McCartney, a member of our team who has been going there for more than a year. It”s become a high point in my weekly routine, though not without challenges. When Chris first asked me to accompany him, I was outwardly thrilled, but quietly uncertain about how to meaningfully share Communion with these guys. Francis, for example, is in his 60s and has been in jail more than 40 years. What could we

February 10, 2010

Christian Standard

A New Look at What We Need

By Mark A. Taylor Read carefully, and you”ll see there”s something different about this summer”s North American Christian Convention. President Ben Cachiaras has done more than plan a meeting of substance with excellent content””although he has certainly done that. He has done more than inject some creative and fresh elements into a program that may seem the same from year to year””although this year”s new touches give everyone a reason to attend. No, Ben hasn”t sought to polish an existing template. Instead he”s asked, “Suppose we had no North American Christian Convention? What do we need that a weeklong conference

January 3, 2010

Christian Standard

Local Church Membership”“Who Needs It?

By John Castelein I am pleased with the turnout. Chatting in our living room are two elders from our local church, George and Henry, and four seminary students. Jim is an intelligent MDiv student with a noninstrumental background. He can be somewhat argumentative. Diane is a new counseling major. The other students do not know she is a divorced mother who faithfully attends her church without any support from her boyfriend, the father of her little girl. Cole is single and wonders whether he belongs in seminary. Larry wants to be a church planter and has a great passion to

October 19, 2008

Christian Standard

Hunting or Hunted?

By Don Wilson Climbing the corporate ladder is the American way. For most employees, no matter what their position, the ultimate goal is to get ahead in their career. The better an employee performs, the greater his chance of advancing, either in his current company or at another company. His advancement may come in the form of a job offer from within or without, or from his own inclination to seek another position. Whatever the case, there is potential for misunderstanding and hard feelings between the employee and his current employer. As in the corporate world, church employees who do

July 27, 2008

Christian Standard

Lessons Learned from Christ”s Church

By Bruce E. Shields It bothers and often mystifies me to hear people talk about their faith in God and Jesus Christ and, in the next breath, their lack of interest in the church. Perhaps we professor types share some responsibility for this, since we so often deal with the Bible, church history, and Christian doctrine””yes, and even Christian ministries””as though they have little connection with real people in real congregations. We present the ideal Christian community and then send students out into real””that is, messy””congregations. I recall reading once that the church is a little like Noah”s ark. If

July 27, 2008

Christian Standard

The Christ, the Church, and the Christian

By Knofel Staton Is “Christ yes, but the church no” viable? How about, “I”ll support Christ, but not the church?” Is that really possible? The Korean War was in full swing when I graduated from high school, so I enlisted in the Air Force. During boot camp, the military career counselor told me, “Your aptitude test reveals you would make a good control tower operator; may I request that for you?” There were several things about his statement I didn”t understand: (1) I did not know I had taken an aptitude test; (2) I had no idea what the word

June 8, 2008

Christian Standard

Reimagining Youth Ministry

By Curtis Booher and Phyllis Fox It”s time to reimagine youth ministry in our churches. An increasing number of church leaders recognize the need to go beyond a youth ministry based on forming relationships with teens as the model of success. We propose a new movement using an old model of getting teens fully integrated into the life of the church. One reason for this growing need for change is the large number of students who disconnect from the church after graduating from high school. In the best-case scenarios, many of these students found their church”s youth ministry to be

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

May 27, 2007

Christian Standard

Do Some Missions Committees Interpret Their Strategies Too Narrowly?

By Michael Sweeney There are times I think being on a missions committee is even tougher than being a missionary. Just how do you decide where to put the church”s money when you are so inundated with requests? Some people think of a missionary”s handshake as one with the palm up, waiting for a donation. And it”s true. We missionaries seem to ask for money a lot; there never seems to be enough to meet all the needs we see. So I apologize in advance for trying to make your job even harder. Because of the constant demand on the

October 19, 2005

Mark A. Taylor

biblical unity

Poorest of All

Using David Hilfiker’s observations about urban poverty, this editorial challenges Christians to confront a different poverty—life without unity. It urges believers to begin with relationship, prayer, and shared fellowship across divisions.

Help Keep Christian Standard Free & Accessible with a Tax Deductible Donation

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Does Your Church Want to Support Christian Standard?

Would your church consider including support for Christian Standard in its annual missions budget? Your support would help us not only continue the 160-year legacy of this unifying ministry, but also expand the free resources, cooperative opportunities, and practical guidance we provide to strengthen churches in the U.S. and around the world.

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Secret Link