April 30, 2024
After two years of strong growth, First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio, is expanding. The historic church—once led by P. H. Welshimer—hopes to open its first campus location this fall. The church in November spent $2.1 million on a 33,000-square-foot building on 5 acres on the southwest side of Canton. . . .
October 3, 2022
What will be your survival strategy when you face a spiritual drought? How can you hydrate a dried-up soul? Psalm 42 offers help. . . .
July 1, 2022
By Ben Cachiaras We have a problem. Emotional well-being is in serious decline. It’s a palpable crisis that was bad before the pandemic. The isolation, social upheaval, polarization, and massive changes with work, school, and life have exacerbated the crisis, creating an extended ambiguity and heightened stress that’s a perfect cocktail for burnout and emotional struggle. (I first heard it put that way by Paul Alexander, president of Hope International University.) No wonder the World Health Organization’s recent scientific brief states that the global prevalence of anxiety and depression has increased 25 percent since the pandemic’s arrival in early 2020.
April 1, 2021
I had always assumed suicide rates were higher in the winter months. Cold winds, icy streets, gray skies, and more time alone indoors were all things I equated with sadness and depression. This most recent winter brought an even colder chill—a storm in the form of a pandemic that shut down activities, closed stores, and stopped people from gathering. And with this storm came the gusty wind of political tension. People bundled themselves up with fear, worry, and a deep sadness in what had been lost over the past 12 months. Save.org—a website operated by Suicide Awareness Voices of Education—shares
November 22, 2020
How You Can Begin 2021 with Courage and Understanding This year-end article was written in mid-September. Due to the magazine’s production schedule, I simply don’t have the luxury of knowing if we’ve made strides toward loving each other well, who won the election, the state of the economy, or whether there is a coronavirus vaccine. As I type these words, my mother is suffering from COVID-19. She’s older, in poor health, and already fighting cancer, so I have no clue whether she will survive or go to be with the Lord. Remember the old saying, “hindsight is 20-20”? If
September 8, 2014
By Becky Ahlberg There is no one in the world you can change but yourself. No one. That is the consistent””some would say incessant””mantra at My Safe Harbor, a ministry begun by Anaheim (California) First Christian Church that helps single mothers break the dysfunctional cycle of broken homes. You can manipulate, coerce, or even try persuasion, but in the end, a person must want to change, and she must do it herself. And yet, so much of our emotional energy is spent both believing in and pursuing change in others. We think if we could change the people around us,
June 18, 2012
By Paul Boatman Kent Paris, author of Means of Grace: A Primer for the Understanding and Care of Souls Affected by Homosexuality, is a Christian counselor in Champaign, Illinois, specializing in gender confusion issues. Can you summarize how your unique ministry calling developed? I didn”t seek it out. It was not how I envisioned my life or vocation. As a new Christian in the 1970s, I was working with a street ministry. I attended a conference of the newly formed organization Exodus, attended by about 100 people who had come out of the gay life. Having struggled with homosexuality growing
August 1, 2010
By Ryan Conner Jim had trouble sleeping. He lay in bed most of the night tossing and turning. His mind kept repeating the same list of tasks. Getting ready for his day of ministry duties seemed to require extra effort. He dreaded going into the church office and dealing with the phone messages, e-mails, and the handful of people who can”t seem to leave him alone. The same ministry tasks that used to bring Jim so much joy and fulfillment””visitation, leading small groups, even preaching””now brought only stress and frustration. Thoughts popped into his mind throughout the day””perhaps he should
May 16, 2010
By Mike and Kari MacKenzie JOHN I don”t want to be here! I don”t want to be here! I don”t want to be here! That was the only thought going through my mind as my wife and I silently drove up the long, twisting mountain road to the counseling retreat for pastors. Yeah, I admit things had been a little rough lately with conflict in the church and declining attendance. It had been a little harder to find that old passion for prayer, preparation, and preaching. I hadn”t been getting sleep lately, but God said in his Word it wouldn”t
June 21, 2009
 By Larry W. Bailey  The talented, courageous king had sinned against God and his neighbors. He had committed adultery and schemed to assure the death of his lover”s husband who was serving in the king”s army. King David needed to be confronted, and a prophet of God was assigned the task. Nathan did not shout at the king, cite the commandments David had violated, or detail the error of his ways. Rather, he told David a simple story that included a person of power, a humble servant, and a lamb. There were two men in a certain town,
March 9, 2008
By Tim Woodroof and Leland Vickers Policy statements are frequently viewed as imposing unnecessary structure and tending to give churches a more corporate flavor. However, developing a policy statement in an area as critical as how we interact with those who are hurting provides a method of doing much preplanning and prevents some of the mistakes made in the heat of an emergency situation. Below is the text of a brief policy statement being proposed for our home congregation. As church leaders (elders, ministers, staff, counseling volunteers), we welcome and encourage members and friends to come to us with spiritual,
December 3, 2006
Marital counseling can be “free” for couples but costly for ministers. Phil LeMaster outlines the risks and offers wise limits—preaching the Word, referring when needed, counseling couples together, and guarding one’s own marriage.
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