November 29, 2021
Proclaim the Savior
Angels received the privilege of announcing the birth of Jesus, but God gave the church the task of announcing to the world Jesus' sacrificial death to pay for sin.
Articles for tag: Christmas
November 1, 2021
Holidays and the Broken Promise Effect: What Every Leader Should Know
By Wes Beavis A time-zone change hijacked our Thanksgiving last year. My wife and I needed a getaway, and when we stumbled across an extraordinary holiday package, we decided to go for it. We flew east across the country enticed by thoughts of long days relaxing in the sunshine. After a few days, however, we noticed the days going by quicker than anticipated. We finally figured out why. Our holiday destination was three hours ahead of our body clocks. We were waking up at about 10 a.m. and the sun was setting at 5 p.m. Our jet lag made the
October 26, 2021
HIU Prof Seeks to Help Readers ‘Rediscover’ Jesus at Christmas
Professor of New Testament Dr. Carl N. Toney has written academic books in the past, but with "Ruining Christmas—Rediscovering Jesus," he targets a wider Christian audience.
August 2, 2021
#Faust25: ‘Jesus’ Hardest Command’
(Another classic piece celebrating David Faust's 25th anniversary of writing columns.) What is the most difficult thing Jesus ever told anyone to do? That’s the question I asked an adult Bible study group the other day. The people in the room were quick to respond. . . .
July 31, 2021
#Faust25: ‘The Big Brown Chair’
(Another classic, 25th-anniversary column from David Faust.) Even the fathers we read about in the Bible had their struggles. But like them, God calls today’s dads to be faithful—and to be present during the everyday events that shape the character of our children.
December 31, 2020
‘Have We Plans for 1921?’
"All the Standard asks is the opportunity to serve, and it yearns to render in 1921 the greatest, finest, and best service of its history. . . ."
December 24, 2020
‘If He Is with Us . . .’
For the final two Thursdays of 2020, we will share short editorials from the Christmas Day 1920 issue of Christian Standard. The first 100-year-old editorial is an homage to Christ and Christmas, while next week’s will look back at 1920 (and “forward” to 1921). George Perry Rutledge was editor during the years 1917-22, and he presumably wrote both of these editorials. _ _ _ Emmanuel An editorialDec. 25, 1920; p. 10 The soul of Christmas is revealed in one of the names of Jesus—“Emmanuel,” God with us. The world’s habit of parade, and noise, and money-getting, has obscured this great
December 23, 2020
Retired Ministry Couple Continues to Share Jesus as Mr. and Mrs. Claus
By Chris Moon After 35 years in ministry, Vernon and Ellen Landreth found a new way to share the story of Jesus Christ—as Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The couple have spent more than a decade serving their Idaho community as the jolly couple in red. They created a business to match—The Santa Couple—and typically do 60 to 70 “gigs” per year, Ellen Landreth said. They make home and business visits and join customers on carriage rides. They’ll even drop off presents wherever they are needed. And they’ll tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ “at every opportunity we
December 17, 2020
His Biography Is Not Complete
Edwin V. Hayden wrote this Christmas editorial 50 years ago. _ _ _ God Sent His Son An editorialDec. 20, 1970; p. 10 How remarkable is the biography of God’s Son! . . . God’s messengers of old spoke of a maiden conceiving, of a son being born, and of Bethlehem as the place from which a timeless ruler would come. The heart of a man named Joseph provided Matthew with the key to the mystery. . . . The explanation in Matthew 1 combines Joseph’s experience with Isaiah’s prophecy. In chapter 2, it brings Micah’s prophecy to bear on
December 16, 2020
Churches Tweak Christmas Eve Plans as COVID-19 Continues
By Chris Moon Churches are making a variety of changes to their Christmas Eve traditions to accommodate social distancing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. And pastors are doing so while wondering when life finally will return to normal. “It’s been crazy,” said Ross Frisbie, senior minister at Tonganoxie Christian Church in Kansas. “I never thought by December we still would be dealing with this, and even more so now with cases going up. It’s crazy. I’m looking forward to normal.” Frisbie said his church will have three Christmas Eve services while offering churchgoers three options by which they can attend
December 14, 2020
Lesson for Dec. 20, 2020: Fulfilled through Promise (Matthew 2:1-15)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the December 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “The Day I Visited a King’s Palace” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Dec. 20, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Let the fulfilled promise of Jesus’ birth lead you to worship. ________ By Mark Scott The Old Testament repeatedly says, “Someone is coming.” The end of the Bible says, “Someone is
December 14, 2020
Week 4: The Angels
By Stuart Powell Note: This is the final installment of a four-week series of Communion meditations in which we consider essential features to the story of the birth of God’s Son. This week we focus on the angels. Angels appeared six separate times in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth and early childhood (Matthew 1:20-21; 2:13, 19-20; Luke 1:11-20, 26-38; 2:9-15). Luke tells us the angel Gabriel spoke to Zechariah and Mary. No names were mentioned in the other four visits. Most times a single angel appeared, which is how the encounter with the shepherds began. Yet after the message
December 14, 2020
Discovery Questions for December 20, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Dec. 20, 2020: Fulfilled through Promise (Matthew 2:1-15) “The Day I Visited a King’s Palace” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What challenge did you face last week? 2. In what way did you tell others about Jesus (“the Lord saves”) and Immanuel (“God is with us”) last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 2:1-15 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story as if sharing it with a
December 7, 2020
Discovery Questions for December 13, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Dec. 13, 2020: Fulfilled through Love (Matthew 1:18-25; 22:34-40) “The Second Choice” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What from this past week would you like to thank God for? 2. In what way did you bear fruit over the last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 1:18-25 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story as if telling it to a group of high school students. Then ask
December 2, 2020
The Solomon Foundation Celebrating 10 Years (Plus News Briefs)
This coming Monday marks one of three key dates in the 10-year anniversary celebration of The Solomon Foundation, the nation’s fastest-growing church extension fund. On Dec. 7, 2010, TSF had its first board meeting in Indianapolis. Elected to that first board were Barry Cameron, Jerry Harris, Chris Philbeck, Jim Putman, Tony Burgarello, Gary Beyschau, Jim Tune, and Doug Crozier (ex officio). Crozier was appointed chief executive officer and Cameron was elected as the first chairman of the board. Two other key events in the history of TSF occurred about that same time. On Oct. 29, 2010, in the Green Room
November 30, 2020
Week 2: Bethlehem
Note: Over a four-week period leading up to Christmas, our Communion meditations are considering four essential features to the story of the birth of God’s Son. This week we highlight the town of Bethlehem. By Stuart Powell When Rome ruled the Mediterranean region, many cities rose to prominence in the empire while others lingered in obscurity. Bethlehem was an insignificant place by then, though it had been the birthplace of King David a thousand years earlier. Long before the Romans conquered much of the civilized world, the luster of Bethlehem’s importance had been forgotten. That was the situation 300 years
November 23, 2020
Week 1: The Patriarchs
Note: Over the next four weeks, we will consider four essential features to the story of the birth of God’s Son: the patriarchs, Bethlehem, the shepherds, and angels. This week we focus on the patriarchs. By Stuart Powell The four weeks before Christmas are a time for believers to make preparations for the coming celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s important to note that God began making preparations for the first Christmas generations before Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. The first book of the Bible is filled with the stories of the Jewish patriarchs—Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and his 12 sons. When
November 22, 2020
Our Powerful, Eternal Prince of Peace (A Study of Isaiah 9)
Three Timely Truths We Desperately Need Today I love Hallmark Christmas movies. I can imagine that, this year, Hallmark might air A Very COVID Christmas, where a newly single woman—who used to live in the big city and work for a huge company—moves back to her small hometown to sell the house she grew up in after the recent death of her mother . . . and then the pandemic hits! While quarantined in her childhood home, she has meals delivered from her favorite local diner by a food delivery service. The delivery guy—a recently widowed and now single father
November 22, 2020
Abiding Peace in Troubled Times
By Jessie Wells Clark It was the Christmas season in 1940, but there was no peace. England was at war, and Nazi bombers were raining death and destruction from the air. Yet, in London’s underground shelters, the people sang, seemingly oblivious of the pandemonium above: O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by;Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. What a picture that must have brought to the minds of those singers! Perhaps
September 29, 2020
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
