Articles for tag: Christ In Youth

October 24, 2020

Doug Crozier

We Must Not Forget the Mission Field

—This content is sponsored by The Solomon Foundation— A pastor recently shared with me that he never had a Bible college class that focused on ministering during a pandemic. I told him I never had a class in business school about how to cope with a pandemic, either. We are living in extraordinary times. When crises arise, Americans usually get to work to find solutions. This is certainly true with our church leaders; I have seen them rise to the occasion many times. Churches across our nation have been affected differently by the coronavirus. Some church buildings still are closed,

October 16, 2020

Christian Standard

Church Preserves City’s Apple Butter Makin’ Tradition

By Jim Nieman The annual Apple Butter Makin’ Days festival in Mount Vernon, Mo., was canceled—yet another casualty of COVID-19—but then Mount Vernon Christian Church stepped up. The church participates in the festival each year. In fact, MVCC is one of three organizations that actually makes apple butter on-site during the three-day event at the Lawrence County Courthouse square located downtown. “Our recipe is the best,” MVCC lead pastor Jeff Kruger confided. (It’s the old Stotts City Union Church apple butter recipe that has been passed down through family members.) So, upon learning the three-day event was canceled, MVCC—a church

September 29, 2020

Christian Standard

News Briefs for Sept. 29

Compiled by Jim Nieman Several people who serve with Ozark Christian College and Christ In Youth described the close ties between the school and ministry in a video posted on their respective Facebook pages. Bob Stacy started CIY in 1968 while serving as a professor at Ozark. Through the years, many CIY participants have been inspired to attend OCC. (Many other Christian universities also have reaped a harvest that CIY helped to plant and water.) COVID-19 hit CIY particularly hard, forcing cancellation of all of its summer conferences. The video also serves as an appeal for support for CIY. (We described the

July 1, 2020

Christian Standard

Point University Appoints Chief Diversity Officer (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon Leonard Phillips has been appointed chief diversity officer at Point University, West Point, Ga. In this newly created position, Phillips will report to university president Dean C. Collins and lead all of Point’s diversity initiatives. He will also work to facilitate racial unity through the church in the various communities Point serves. Phillips has served the past two years as vice president of church and business partnerships with Point. “Leonard’s extensive background in the Atlanta business community and as a lay pastor in various churches makes him immensely qualified for this important role,”

June 10, 2020

Christian Standard

CIY ‘Rocked Financially’ by Coronavirus Pandemic

By Chris Moon The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a major financial blow to Joplin, Mo.-based Christ In Youth, which hosts dozens of popular student ministry conferences across the country each year. CIY has canceled all of its high school MOVE and middle school MIX conferences this summer—56 events in all—because of the impossibility of holding those large events during the pandemic. The organization also had to cancel dozens of weekend events in March and April because of the outbreak. Those events represented virtually all of CIY’s revenue stream for the year. Ninety percent of CIY’s revenue comes from fees churches pay

August 21, 2019

Christian Standard

Southeast Christian Launching Campus for Senior Adults (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., will open its eighth campus this fall. The new Chapel in the Woods Campus will be near the main Blankenbaker Campus of the megachurch, one of the largest in the Restoration Movement. Chapel in the Woods will be geared for reaching senior adults. “We’ve built a beautiful facility across the street from our Blankenbaker Campus, and everything from the architecture to the parking lot makes this an incredible facility for our senior adults to connect and worship through hymns and classic worship,” said senior pastor Kyle Idleman.

August 14, 2019

Christian Standard

Ozark Profs Share the Bible ‘On Demand’ Via NextLevel

By Jim Nieman In 2016, Ozark Christian College began producing free online teaching videos featuring professors such as Chad Ragsdale, Michael DeFazio, Shane Wood, and Mark Scott. Since that time, the project—known as NextLevel Online—has grown to include 25 different biblical teaching series and 198 free online videos that have been viewed more than 100,000 times by church classes, small groups, student ministries, and individuals in all 50 states and 35 countries. Ozark’s mission is to “train men and women for Christian service,” said Jim Dalrymple, Ozark’s vice president of advancement. “We do this in the classroom every day, and

August 12, 2019

Christian Standard

Who Will Fill Their Shoes?

By Jeff Green His size 9½, wingtip leather shoes sit in a glass case in the library named for him. L. Palmer Young, the third president of Kentucky Christian University, was a preacher first. He followed in his dad’s footsteps, preaching for more than 69 years. The shoes serve as a reminder of the need for more preachers. Wally Rendel, who preached Palmer’s funeral, asked, “Who’s going to fill his shoes?” Where will the next generation of preachers come from? The Situation The church has constantly been challenged to find replacements in vocational ministry, especially in preaching. A forensic expert

July 31, 2019

Christian Standard

Milligan Mourns Passing of Communications Professor Carrie Swanay (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon Milligan College is mourning the death of Dr. Carrie Beth Swanay, 55, longtime professor of communications. Swanay died July 24 after a lengthy battle with cancer. A memorial service was Sunday. Swanay served the Tennessee college for 29 years, starting there when the communication major was still just emerging. For 10 years, she was area chair for performing, visual and communicative arts, Milligan reported. During her tenure, she led the faculty and the arts program through several curriculum changes, and she was instrumental in the creation of several recent majors, including graphic design

July 3, 2019

Christian Standard

Ozark Student Killed, 4 Other CIY Workers Injured in Accident

(This story was updated July 3 with funeral arrangements for Jace Smothers.) An Ozark Christian College student working with Christ In Youth this summer was killed Friday when a CIY van he was riding in was rear-ended as part of a multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 24 east of Paducah, Ky. The van carried four other CIY MOVE summer event staff members; all were injured. Jace Smothers, 19, who had just completed his first year as a youth ministry major at Ozark, died at the scene. His funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) at Norton (Kan.) Christian

February 2, 2019

Christian Standard

Can Creatives Be Effective Lead Pastors?

By Ryan Rasmussen When I was a kid, I had a notepad that traveled most places with me. Hidden inside were doodles of, well, a little bit of everything. Floor plans of my dream house were wedged between drawings of my favorite comic book characters and sketches of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I know it seems odd to think of a 13-year-old boy drawing princesses, but my dream at the time was to become an artist for Disney and I was trying to sharpen my craft. Don’t judge me. Eventually my notepad and I grew apart and I found

January 2, 2019

Tyler McKenzie

Rise City Church Helps Student Buy New Prosthetic Foot (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon As part of its annual Christmas offering, Rise City Church in Lakeside, Calif., is helping a college student struggling with bone cancer to buy a prosthetic foot. According to NBC 7 News, the church—pastored by Brandon and Jamie Grant—presented a gift in person to Sam Bodger, a first-year UCLA student. Bodger had some of her left leg amputated as part of her treatment for osteosarcoma. Insurance, however, wasn’t sufficient to provide a quality prosthetic. Rise City Church takes up a Christmas offering—this year totaling $260,000—that it spreads to worthy causes in the community. Bodger was nominated

August 25, 2018

Christian Standard

Freshmen Shocked: Bible College Nothing Like CIY

By Caleb Kaltenbach JOPLIN, MO—Record numbers of incoming freshmen are dismayed that Bible college isn’t another Christ in Youth experience. “There’s no morning encounter speaker at Hope International University,” reported Charlie Bowdrey. “I listen to my church history professor every morning, but he doesn’t help me encounter anything other than this angry dude named Martin Luther.” Bowdrey wasn’t the only surprised student this year. For Manhattan Christian College freshman Jessica West, the disappointment started almost immediately. “When I got to my dorm, I was ready to go to the evening session and stay up late, but the other students were

August 22, 2018

Christian Standard

Fire Destroys Oklahoma Church (Plus News Briefs)

A fire likely started by lightning destroyed Guthrie (Okla.) Christian Church last week. The blaze started just before midnight on Aug. 14. No one was hurt. “We lost 49 years of books, pictures, sermons, memories and even my college books,” pastor Don Riepe told the Guthrie News Leader. Riepe is an alum of Ozark Christian College. Guthrie Fire Chief Eric Harlow said the building was a “total loss.” The church was still smoldering the next morning—last Wednesday. Later that day, there was a special prayer meeting near the site, with many people offering support. “We want to thank everyone for

August 9, 2018

Christian Standard

A Massive Movement of Kingdom Workers

By Andy Hansen The shockwave of the mass shooting that killed 14 and injured 17 in February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, rippled through every high school in the United States. Not even small-town Linton, Indiana, was spared from the emotional and psychological trauma. Students felt the effects of the attack and rumors of a walkout circulated. However, a small group of young people who attend a Bible study group during the lunch period at Linton-Stockton High School prayed over and discussed this devastating situation . . . and came up with a unique and very

July 27, 2018

Jerry Harris

Youth Ministry 180

By Jerry Harris I remember the way youth ministry used to be. (Yes, I’m one of those guys.) It was a time when adults wanted to create a space for young people so they wouldn’t be bored in the adult service. Back then, church services didn’t connect to students. The deacons, wearing suits and ties, marched in and sat in the front row while the preacher took his place behind the pulpit. The organ would drone an instrumental call to worship until the song leader instructed the congregation to stand, then he would beat out 3/4 or 4/4 time with

July 12, 2018

Michael C. Mack

A Continuing Commitment to Discipling Our Children

By Michael C. Mack The Standard Publishing Company that I worked for many years ago had an obvious commitment to children’s and youth ministry. We produced top-selling VBS materials, children’s and youth Sunday school curriculum, take-home papers for middle and high school students, and more. We trained teachers and leaders in our Teacher-Leader Conferences (known as TLCs) across the country. Today, Christian Standard Media has that same DNA, that same commitment to and passion for children and youth, though it may not seem so obvious at first glance. The Lookout and Christian Standard work in tandem to play a vital

June 14, 2018

Christian Standard

Why I Love the Restoration Movement

By Rick Chromey   “I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am, I did not make it, no it is making me.” Rich Mullins, “Creed” I grew up in a small independent Christian church in remote central Montana. I cut my teeth in a wooden pew, sandwiched between my grandmother and brother, listening to sermons, learning hymns, and loving the saints. I washed Communion cups as a preschooler, passed offering plates as a child, and led song services and served Communion to shut-ins as a teen. I loved my church family. They made me who I

March 21, 2018

Christian Standard

HEADLINES: April 2018

By Chris Moon   5-Year-Old Signs Basketball National Letter of Intent Milligan College’s latest basketball recruit is young—very young. The Tennessee school last fall brought 5-year-old Eli Roberts to campus to sign a National Letter of Intent to play on the school’s basketball team. Eli, who was diagnosed with cancer at birth, is the son of a Milligan College graduate. “Eli signed a letter of intent, which means he’s part of our program,” said Milligan basketball coach Bill Robinson in a story published in the college’s alumni magazine. “It’s the coolest signing I’ve been a part of, that’s for sure.”

June 3, 2017

Christian Standard

“˜Social” Event

By Jennifer Johnson Gather any group of people over age 40 and you”ll hear frustration about how much time younger people spend on their phones. “I”m at a restaurant watching a couple,” a friend told me recently. “They are obviously on a date, and yet they are both staring at their phones instead of talking to each other.” The friend texted me this information from her own phone. It”s true that smartphone use is out of control for many of us. One study found the average user checks his phone upwards of 150 times a day. Allowing a generous eight

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