Articles for tag: Brad Dupray

January 12, 2018

Christian Standard

Open Your Eyes to Manage the Finances of the Church

By Brad Dupray We lived in fear. It could happen at any time. We stood with our freshly shined shoes on the edge of the carpet scanning the mall. Waiting. Watching. Our shoe store’s district manager would show up only about once a month, but when he did, we knew we were in for it. He had a knack for finding those things we didn’t see. We were “store blind.” Store blindness happens when the proprietor or employees of a retail store walk into the environment so many times that they simply don’t perceive the little things—the crooked table, the

December 24, 2017

Christian Standard

Obituaries for 2017

The most recently received obituaries are listed first. An alphabetical listing of all 2017 obituaries begins further down. Ione Etta McEathron Williams, 99, died on Nov. 23, 2017. She was the last remaining child of Alexander and Ida McEathron, pioneer missionaries and church planters to the Flambeau Hills of northern Wisconsin. She was born Sept. 14, 1918, in Hillsdale, Barron County, WI. The family moved to the Mud Brook Valley west of Holcombe, WI, when she was 2. She was baptized at age 10 in the Chippewa River by her father. At an early age she began teaching children”s Sunday

December 12, 2013

Christian Standard

Church Development Fund Announces Presidential Transition

IRVINE, California ““ Provision Ministry Group CEO Larry Winger, along with the PMG and Church Development Fund boards, announced today a transition in the presidency of CDF from Brad Dupray to Dusty Rubeck. The news follows several months of reassessment related to the ministry”s current status and needs, which resulted in the identification of a directional shift in the essential leadership qualities needed for future growth. “Brad Dupray stepped in at a critical moment in the history of CDF to assume the role of president and provide much-needed stability during the worst economic recession we have experienced in years,” said

September 9, 2012

Christian Standard

Spreading the Gospel, Unleashing Compassion

By Justin Horey This summer, as Eastside Christian Church celebrated five decades of dynamic ministry in Southern California, senior pastor Gene Appel emphasized “Eastside”s second 50 years” as much as its first. Later this year, Eastside is scheduled to complete one of the largest, most expensive, and most ambitious relocation projects ever undertaken by a Christian church””with a total project cost of more than $50 million. The church”s leaders believe the project will “carry forward the congregation”s spiritual passion by positioning Eastside for exponential impact in its second 50 years.” Shortly after Eastside Christian Church began meeting in 1962, the

January 4, 2012

Christian Standard

Interview with Don Hamilton

By Brad Dupray Capital Area Christian Church in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has connected with its community in a far deeper way than most churches. In addition to its heavy involvement with community organizations, the church recently raised more than $600,000 in donations from local businesses, organizations, and individuals for construction of a large playground that continues the church”s efforts at making its campus a key part of its community. From the start, the church has worked at using its 53-acre campus to benefit the community and connect people to Christ. Don Hamilton ministers with Capital Area Christian, the only congregation he

December 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Beth Guckenberger

A mission trip to Mexico in 1996 helped change the lives of Beth and Todd Guckenberger. As Beth tells the story, “We were painting a wall from blue to green and I said, “˜Didn”t we paint this from green to blue last year?”” After that, the Guckenbergers sought out more compelling opportunities of service, and were moved with compassion for the abandoned children of Monterrey, Mexico. One year later, they moved to Monterrey. This was the initial step in founding the international arm of Back2Back Ministries, which provides orphan care in Africa, India, and Latin America. Through this experience, Beth

November 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Mark Atteberry

By Brad Dupray Mark Atteberry”s enthusiasm for reading has shaped his life and improved his preaching. He has been in the preaching ministry for 37 years, beginning while he was a student at St. Louis Christian College. For the past 22 years Mark has served as senior minister with Poinciana Christian Church in Kissimmee, Florida. He has written eight published books, including Free Refill, Let It Go, and So Much More Than Sexy, all available from Standard Publishing. Two more in the works include his first novel, a romantic thriller. Read more about Mark and his books at www.MarkAtteberry.net.  

October 26, 2011

Christian Standard

You Must Read This . . . Beyond Easy Legalism

By Brad Dupray Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy By Eric Metaxas Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010 German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer had a wanderlust that carried him throughout pre-World War II Europe, across the Atlantic to the United States, and even as far south as Mexico City. It was not the sights he saw that shaped Bonhoeffer”s worldview, so much as the people he met. In this thorough biographical account of a Christian martyr, Eric Metaxas reviews the tapestry of relationships Bonhoeffer used to understand basic human rights, all in the context of one who also had a deep understanding of Scripture. But

September 12, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Jim Phegley

By Brad Dupray Jim Phegley was sitting in the barber”s chair when he heard that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers in New York City. With half-shorn hair, he saw another airliner strike the second tower and went right to work doing what he does best, ministering to people in his church. Jim has been senior minister of Glen Cove (New York) Christian Church for 27 years. The church on Long Island became a place of solace on the evening of September 11, 2001, and continued as a place of ministry outreach after that. Jim”s heart

August 18, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Keith Poletiek

By Brad Dupray As a boy, Keith Poletiek lived the life of “Johnny Lazarus,” the namesake character in a book series Keith devised to encourage young people toward evangelism. As a popular children”s conference speaker and author, Keith has also connected with children through Project316 (pronounced three-one-six) to motivate, train, and encourage young believers to take the message of John 3:16 to the world. Keith grew up at First Christian Church of Huntington Beach where he learned the beach culture of Southern California; he now uses that as a means of telling the message of Christ. In addition to his

July 21, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Rick Atchley

By Brad Dupray As minister of the Word at The Hills Church of Christ, Rick Atchley leads a congregation that has expanded to three campuses in the Greater Fort Worth, Texas, area and ministers to 5,000 people each weekend. The Hills has a background as an a cappella church of Christ, but has transitioned over the past few years to include instrumental worship in most services. Since graduating from Abilene (Texas) Christian University, Atchley has been in the preaching ministry for 33 years and has served The Hills for the past 22 years. He has written several books, including Together

May 13, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Lisa Jernigan and Patty Wyatt

Patty Wyatt was reeling. A college roommate had been shot and killed at Wedgewood Baptist Church and just seven months later a man walked into her parents” homeowners” association meeting and randomly shot and killed Patty”s mother. About the same time, Lisa Jernigan”s mother passed away after a tough fight with cancer, and Lisa”s husband, Cal, had been asked to serve as the new senior pastor at Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona. But the move from Central”s youth ministry to “big church” left Lisa feeling very alone. A mutual friend saw these two women””both with grieving fathers and hearts

April 17, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Justin Miller

By Brad Dupray At an annual growth rate of 65 percent, Real Life Christian Church of Clermont, Florida, was the fastest-growing megachurch in Christian Standard”s survey a year ago. Justin Miller came to Christ at age 9 at First Christian Church, as Real Life was formerly known. As Justin describes it, he came into ministry “through the “˜doggie door” of church leadership.” Asked to serve the youth of the church as a volunteer, he eventually was called to serve as senior pastor in 2002. Since that time the church has grown from about 200 to its current attendance of about

February 21, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Dudley Rutherford

By Brad Dupray Dudley Rutherford is a third-generation minister who has attended the North American Christian Convention for more than 40 years. He is in a family that produces ministers: both brothers, both brothers-in-law, both uncles, and his cousins are also ministers. His ministry of 24 years at Shepherd of the Hills Church in suburban Los Angeles has challenged him to think creatively and diversely. The church has benefited, having grown from 300 to more than 8,000 during his tenure with an ethnic mix that goes beyond just reflecting his community. Dudley earned his undergraduate degree at Ozark Christian College,

February 11, 2011

Christian Standard

Dupray Named President of CDF

On Feb. 4, Brad Dupray was named the new president of Church Development Fund (Irvine, CA). Brad has served CDF for nearly 22 years, with roles including senior vice president of ministry development, chief operating officer, and national marketing director. Brad holds a bachelor”s degree from Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University) and an MBA from National University. He is also an ordained minister and the writer of the monthly “CHRISTIAN STANDARD Interview.” You can read Brad”s blog about his new role with CDF.

January 9, 2011

Christian Standard

Interview with Jim Eichenberger

Having taught junior high and high school and served as a school principal, Jim Eichenberger has a passion for education. He holds a master”s degree in educational administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield and an undergraduate degree in Christian education from Lincoln (Illinois) Christian College. As a Christian educator, Jim has been a contributor to Standard Publishing since the 1970s and has been employed by Standard full-time since 1995. Thirteen years ago Jim began developing the concept of a chronological treatment of the Bible that would have broad appeal to Christians of all maturity levels. That concept has

December 19, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Jeff Cox

By Brad Dupray The city of Bell, California, has experienced significant demographic change over the past three decades, transitioning from the post-World War II baby boom of middle-class Anglo families to being a city primarily comprised of Hispanic immigrants. As a means of connecting to its culture, Southland Christian Church conducts Las Posadas, a celebration of Mary and Joseph”s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. This observance resonates within the Hispanic culture and has served as a means of evangelizing Southland”s community. Jeff Cox came to Christ at Southland as a teen, was hired as youth pastor in

December 1, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Kyle Costello

By Brad Dupray As a sixth-generation Mormon, Kyle Costello was steeped in the faith. But when preparing for his “mission,” he began to have doubts, and ultimately entered a Christian seminary and joined the staff of Central Christian Church in Las Vegas. What better preparation could a person have to plant a Christian church in Salt Lake City? Early this year, Kyle and his wife, Joy, and 30 Christians from their church in Portland, Oregon, moved to Salt Lake City to plant a church in the center of the Mormon faith. Missio Dei Community is not a church that is

November 21, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Cynthia Rodda

By Brad Dupray Mountain Mission School was founded in 1921 by Sam and Jane Hurley. After welcoming to their home nine children in addition to their own seven children, Sam felt convicted to fund a home where children could be cared for. He was a successful entrepreneur in Appalachian Virginia who became wealthy but used his wealth to reach out to children who reminded him of his own impoverished childhood. Now, nearly 90 years later, Sam”s great-granddaughter, Cynthia Rodda, serves as president of Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia, where the objective remains the same, to care for “the least

November 6, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Mel McGowan

By Brad Dupray Mel McGowan grew up with a passion for great storytelling. Whether at a Disney-inspired theme park or in the art of film, he saw the life-changing value a story could bring. Mel has converted that passion into what has been called “architectural evangelism,” using the design of church meeting spaces to preach the gospel to people in ways that meet the eye. As president of Visioneering Studios, which he founded in 2002, Mel has provided architectural insight to ministries across the United States and around the world, including Southeast Christian Church (Louisville, Kentucky), Christ”s Church of the

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