March 1, 2009
Brian Jones reflects on the pastoral challenge of teaching about baptism, introducing Christian Standard’s Baptism: 7 Practical Perspectives resource and the questions surrounding baptism’s meaning and importance.
November 9, 2008
Brian Jones reflects on an early ministry internship and explains why local church leaders need both practical effectiveness and serious theological depth.
Mark A. Taylor reflects on growth, nourishment, and the essential role of reading in keeping the soul, mind, and leadership effectiveness alive.
August 27, 2008
Mark A. Taylor considers concerns from Brian Jones and Mike Mack about small group ministry, asking whether churches are creating meaningful connections and maturing disciples.
October 7, 2007
Church leadership internships: How internships can help churches raise up leaders from within As churches grow, leadership gaps can stall momentum. This article explains how one church developed a practical, step-by-step approach to identify potential leaders, disciple them, and progressively increase responsibility through internships. The goal is to cultivate gifts and build a healthy leadership pipeline from within the congregation. Identify leaders early and build intentional pathways for development. Use internships to formalize responsibility and increase accountability. Create a clear process that moves people from volunteer roles toward staff roles. By Kevin Stone As Christ’s Church of the Valley’s executive
July 1, 2007
After launching a Saturday night service with major volunteer effort and advertising spend, this church found most attendees were transfers from Sunday. The added service strained staff, programming, and family life—so they ended it within four months.
April 25, 2007
Three excerpts from Christian Standard bloggers challenge leaders to confront reality, call the church to pray for revival, and reflect on the growing urgency to lead in ways that matter now and for eternity.
February 14, 2007
A look back at a unity-charged North American Christian Convention—and a call to pursue unity’s intended outcome: evangelism. When churches move beyond fellowship to mission, the fruit of unity can be a harvest of new believers.
As Standard Publishing prepares to relocate, Mark A. Taylor reflects on how office order mirrors spiritual order. Real growth requires discipline and inconvenient change—and confession of sin, though never fun, leads to a more beautiful life.
The Christian Standard introduces two new weekly blogs and highlights a third at PreachingStandard.com—fresh voices, thoughtful perspective, and an open invitation for readers to join the conversation.
March 19, 2006
Why does God allow terrible things to happen? Brian Jones tackles that question with grace, humor, and transparency in a book that speaks to anyone who has faced trouble of any kind. “From the first paragraph I was captured by his open and engaging style,” Gene Appel said. “Brian Jones . . . expresses the heart”s disappointment and longing with a directness that somehow always ends up leading us toward God,” wrote John Ortberg. “This book was written by, for, and in the midst of people with bruised souls,” Jones says in his introduction. “My goal has been to write
March 15, 2006
Mark A. Taylor reviews Brian Jones’s Second Guessing God, a story-filled book that faces doubt honestly, avoids pat answers, and points readers to God’s Word with hope, humor, and tears.
March 15, 2006
In this interview, pastor and author Brian Jones discusses trials, doubt, and spiritual growth as he reflects on his book Second Guessing God and why honest questions can deepen faith.
November 30, 2005
A two-issue focus on baptism offers fresh perspectives, interviews, and a classic essay—available now as one convenient download: “Baptism: 7 Practical Perspectives.”
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