March 2, 2025
How anger is handled can either damage or strengthen intimacy in marriage. Thoughtfully and prayerfully approaching anger leads us to deeper understanding, trust, and connection.
November 11, 2024
The dress code of Heaven for the wedding feast of the Lamb is good deeds. The church (bride) makes herself ready for that feast by righteous acts. John gave this interpretation of the fine linen (19:8).
An honest assessment of where we are as a movement when it comes to elders and their leadership. . . .
November 6, 2023
"Why would anyone voluntarily leave their native culture and move to a different land?' David Faust asks. "Why would anyone choose to give up the conveniences of home and adjust to unfamiliar languages, climates, customs, and foods—and raise their own financial support to pay for these inconveniences?" . . .
September 18, 2023
Some say love is blind—but I disagree. Real love can see quite well, but it chooses to accept (or graciously overlook) the loved one’s imperfections. . . .
July 3, 2023
The death of Jesus appeared to be hopelessly bad news to his disciples. . . .
September 1, 2022
By Tokishia Dockery-Ragland What part should one’s ethnicity play in their faith? Or should it play any role at all? These are huge resounding questions for me, especially over the past 20 years, during which I’ve served or been a part of three multiethnic churches (and been part of multiethnic ministry staffs). But these questions certainly are not new. If we’re honest, these questions, this discussion, predates us all. How Does Ethnicity Affect Faith? I believe ethnicity should be acknowledged and that ethnicity does play a part in our faith. Merriam-Webster defines ethnicity as “ethnic quality or affiliation” and ethnic
June 27, 2022
How do you view the church? Unbelievers mock it or view it as a relic . . . Consumer Christians treat the church like a retail store . . . Celebrity-focused believers view the church as an entertainment venue . . .
January 11, 2022
Steve White preached his farewell sermon Sunday after serving with Plainfield (Ind.) Christian Church for 34 years. In that sermon, he shared the reasons he loves the church, and specifically, why he loves Plainfield Christian.
July 1, 2021
In this July/August issue we celebrate seven women who certainly qualify as heroes, and all of us, women and men, can learn from them.
October 24, 2020
The chairman of the elders of our church called to invite me to join the elder team of our congregation. At the time, I was vice president for student services at Cincinnati Christian University and an active member at Mason Church of Christ (now Christ’s Church) in Mason, Ohio. I wound up accepting his invitation, which started an interesting chapter in my journey during which I was able to see the work of an elder from an altogether different viewpoint. For the previous 13 years, I had been in leadership ministry in the church or teaching at one of our
December 2, 2019
By Gary L. Johnson Long before I went to seminary, I earned a degree in finance and worked as a commercial loan officer. I enjoyed everything about the banking environment, from the people to the processes to the policies. Many banks use the word trust in their names, such as First National Bank & Trust. It should be no surprise, then, that one of the many services banks provide is the management of trust accounts. Banks typically have a trust department where workers oversee assets entrusted to the bank. A trust department can manage thousands of trust accounts worth hundreds
February 3, 2017
By Doug Priest Mitchell and Luis looked a little lost in the exhibition hall at the Lexington (Kentucky) Convention Center, home to the 2016 International Conference on Missions. They came from the Dominican Republic. Mitchell had come to the convention once before, eight years ago. But the convention had grown a lot in the past eight years, and there were 300 different exhibitors! It is no wonder they were amazed at all they saw. These men are pastors. They belong to Centro Cristiano, an association of Christian churches in the Dominican Republic that has 23 pastors. Four of the pastors
January 16, 2017
By Mark Scott Ask people on the street, and they”ll come up with many inadequate answers. But what would Christians say? A survey of Bible definitions gives us a clear answer. In the mid-1990s, a few doctor of ministry students from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary hit the streets of Boston, Massachusetts, to interview people. One of the 10 questions they asked was, “What does church bring to mind?” Here are some of the answers: “¢ guilt “¢ obligation “¢ uncomfortable “¢ stuffy “¢ one and one-half hours of complete boredom. Does the church need a better press agent? Did the church
January 10, 2017
By Mark A. Taylor Like one writer this month (Rick Chromey in “Why I Love the Church”), many readers have lived in the embrace of the church since birth. They know what the church is, because they see what the church is accomplishing. They can”t imagine what life would be like without the nurture, community, and accountability uniquely provided by God”s people. They”ve seen the parade of meals carried to the ill and the shut-in. They”ve experienced hours and days of quiet companionship from Jesus followers who walked with them through sickness, disappointment, or the death of someone close. They”ve
January 18, 2015
By T.R. Robertson This past February, Donald Miller, best known as the author of the book Blue Like Jazz, confessed on his Storyline blog that he doesn”t go to church very often.1 I”m not sure why this surprised anyone who has read his books, but his comments kicked off a hurricane of commentary in the blogosphere and on social media. Among the reactions were a blog entry titled, “Donald Miller”s prescription for spiritual suicide” (dennyburk.com2), and this tweet, “I”m scared for the next gen of young people who will read @DonaldMiller & think they don”t even need to go to
May 17, 2014
By Ryland Brown I struggled with numbers for quite a while. But I”m serving more effectively now that I”ve gained a better perspective on size. I preach for a church that averages 65 people, and most days I like it. We are a small church with the typical small church problems. We struggle with getting the nursery staffed. If a couple of families are out of town on any given Sunday, we miss them. Until recently, we had no one to run the soundboard and would hope for the best during Sunday services. When someone comes to our congregation who
May 13, 2014
By Mark A. Taylor Don”t count CHRISTIAN STANDARD among today”s crop of church bashers. Even when we don”t headline our cover with “I love the church,” we make a point of encouraging the local church and its leaders. But posts at our site this month give special reasons to feel positive. For example, we couldn”t agree more with Bob Russell”s local-church cheerleading. Think of all the dysfunction and distress our world would face without the healing and help the church has extended through the centuries. Then there”s Kent Fillinger”s annual update on the state of megachurches and other churches among
July 7, 2012
By Rick Chromey As a man and woman exchange vows of commitment, to love for better or worse, in sickness or health, for richer or poorer, “until death” separates them, two people become one. In their physical relationship, they are one flesh. In their personal choices, they are one mind-set. In their seasons of loss, trouble, or crisis, they are one spirit. A divine thread is woven within the Christian wedding. What God has joined together, no one on earth can separate. A marriage is rock solid when God ties the knot. The bride”s white dress represents virginal purity. The
October 3, 2011
By Steve Reeves My wife and I spent Cinco de Mayo in a Midwestern city watching a wide variety of Americans dancing and celebrating. The event commemorates the Mexican army”s defeat of the French on May 5, 1862. I noticed that, generally, it took two to tango, but there were a few who tried to do the tango by themselves. So, understanding that there are two sides to every story, and it usually takes two to tango, I want to discuss a disturbing pattern among churches of all sizes. Here”s how it works . . . A preacher goes on
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok