Articles for tag: Christmas

October 6, 2018

Christian Standard

Niche Churches Are Popping Up All Over

Niche churches are starting up across the country to satisfy the needs of worshippers who aren’t happy in a traditional setting. Here are some of the more interesting variants we’ve recently heard about: Mighty Oak Christian Fellowship: This service-oriented church focuses on raking and removing leaves for elderly homeowners every fall and delivering garden compost in the spring. It’s a God-centered “circle-of-life” church. The “Big Three” evangelistic outreaches—Christmas, Easter, and Arbor Day. Second Amendment Church of Christ: Don’t miss the weekly potluck dinner (“bring a critter to share”) and midweek target practice. Supreme Bean Christian Church: There are 23.2 baristas

June 5, 2018

Christian Standard

Blood Relatives

By Gene Shelburne The son born to Robert and Suzanne Massie was a normal baby in most respects. He had the correct number of fingers, toes, eyes, and ears. He was intelligent, probably a brighter-than-usual child. He cried, sucked, yowled, and wet his diaper just like other babies. Only one thing made Bobby Massie different. He was a hemophiliac. A bleeder. Little did Bobby’s parents suspect how crushingly cruel that difference would be—the abuse they would suffer from doctors, the fear that caused schools to refuse to educate Bobby and made the couple’s friends forbid their children to play with

December 23, 2017

Christian Standard

What Can I Give Him?

This Christmas essay originally appeared in the December 18/25, 2011, issue of Christian Standard. ___ By Caleb Kaltenbach Every Christmas I struggle with the same thing: what in the world do I give my wife? Do I get her shoes, clothes, jewelry, a massage, or what? Maybe this is a better question: what gift will I give Jesus this season? In Luke 1, we see the birth of a child who would be a gift to Jesus. In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his

December 22, 2017

Doug Redford

Keeping Down Appearances

By Doug Redford Some years ago an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer featured this headline: “Appearance Counts When Wrapping Holiday Gifts.” Said one employee at a luxury goods store in San Antonio, Texas, “The biggest thing I”ve seen through the years is that the wrapping is just as important as what”s on the inside. You can take a $5 item and make it look like a million bucks.” Another person quoted in the article noted, “Packaging will make a whole lot of difference, and it will make the gift special.” On the other hand, there are occasions when the lack

December 21, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

The Truth About Christmas

This Christmas editorial from December 25, 2005, was written by Mark A. Taylor, who served as editor of Christian Standard from 2003 until earlier this year. ___ By Mark A. Taylor Because I’m a romantic, I love all the traditions and fun of Christmastime. But this year some national magazine editors don’t seem to share my nostalgic attachment to the holiday. In fact, I wonder if they enjoy Christmas at all, since they’ve printed so much about how simply to survive it. For example, here are warnings contained in just one of my December magazines: “¢ If you don”t handle leftovers properly,

December 20, 2017

Christian Standard

In Season, Out of Season

This Christmas editorial from December 20, 1969, was written by Edwin V. Hayden, who served as editor of Christian Standard from 1957 to 1977. ___ By Edwin V. Hayden We observe, without being greatly disturbed by it, a growing tendency for Christmas to be observed as a season rather than as a day. For many it is a season of merchandising and merriment, merely extending what they have always done with the day. For Christians it is a season for becoming acquainted with Christ, and the more greatly that is extended, the better! It is hard to pinpoint Christmas, even as a

December 17, 2017

Christian Standard

The Merry Makeover

This essay originally appeared in the December 2012 issue of Christian Standard. ___ By Daniel Schantz It was the worst of times for children. Charles Dickens, a handsome man of 31, trudged up the steps of Number One Downing Terrace, a tall brick house surrounded by flower beds. He was returning from his morning walk. Often he walked 10 to 20 miles a day around London. One day he would walk through the rich neighborhoods. The next day he would pass through the rookeries, or slums, where as many as 30 children lived in one room, with no bathing facilities. The

December 16, 2017

Christian Standard

“˜And It Came to Pass in Those Days”

This Christmas essay originally appeared in the December 18/25, 2011, issue of Christian Standard. ___ By John Caldwell I love Christmas! It is without a doubt my favorite season of the year. I like almost everything about it, both secular and spiritual. I enjoy the music, the lights, the decorations, the parties, and the programs. I enjoy the hustle and the bustle, the giving and receiving of gifts. But most of all, I enjoy the Christmas story itself””the fact that God became flesh and dwelt among us; that Jesus is indeed the reason for the season. In our 46 years

December 14, 2017

Doug Redford

Irreplaceable

By Doug Redford Every Christmas season a funeral home not far from where I live sets up a nativity scene in the front of its property. Live animals are part of the scene, and the people are represented by wax figurines made by the director of the funeral home. Each includes glass eyes and real hair, and a few (including the baby Jesus) have been sculpted after the likeness of the director”s family members. Just a few days after Christmas in 2002, someone vandalized the nativity set, stealing the Christ child figurine and replacing it with a stuffed monkey. The

December 13, 2017

Christian Standard

Christmas””Miracle or Fairy Tale?

Is Our Concept of God Big Enough to Believe the Christmas Narrative Is Literally True and Historically Accurate? By Bob Russell Several years ago, my granddaughter Corrie started asking probing questions about Santa Claus. Since she was 8 years old, her parents decided it was time to come clean about fairy tales and make believe. My son Phil went into her room, sat down by her bed, and tenderly explained, “The story of Jesus is real but Santa is just pretend.” He told her how the legend started from a generous man named St. Nicholas and then explained that there is no

December 10, 2017

Christian Standard

Bethlehem: Big Dreams in a Little Town

(This article originally appeared in the December 23, 2007, issue of The Lookout, and subsequently was published in the December 18/25 issue of Christian Standard.)   By David Faust The first time Bethlehem is mentioned in the Bible, it”s not a birthplace but a burial place. According to Genesis 35:17-19, Jacob”s beloved wife Rachel died while giving birth to their son Benjamin, “and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” For Jacob, Bethlehem was a place of tears. For Ruth, it was a place of new beginnings. She and her mother-in-law, Naomi. moved to Bethlehem after their

December 9, 2017

Christian Standard

You Can Cope with Holiday Stress

(This article originally appeared in the December 19/26, 2010, issue of Christian Standard.)   By Larry W. Bailey How”s your holiday going? For many, it”s more stress than celebration. At Christmastime, the laughter of the “Ho, Ho, Ho” may give way to the pressure of the “Go, Go, Go.” Fantasies of a “silent night” turn into the noisy bustle of crowded department stores. For some, the jingling of Christmas bells yields to the jangling of nerves. We may find ourselves moving from holiday dreams to horrible nightmares, from anticipation to aggravation, from sugar plums to sour grapes, from happiness to

December 8, 2017

Michael C. Mack

The Christmas Story Is Our Story

By Michael C. Mack Editors probably shouldn”t have a “favorite” issue. After all, I think every issue of Christian Standard has incredibly well-written stories. However . . . I really love this one! Perhaps it”s because the Christmas season brings out so many sentimental memories for me. Or maybe it”s because this issue has lots of awe-inspiring stories about family. Dave Stone, Kyle Idleman, and Rusty Russell tell stories of how their parents blessed them and their ministries. Joe Harvey shares how he and Val have blessed their daughter Mandy, and how she in turn is blessing them. We have

December 7, 2017

Doug Redford

The Other “˜Silent Night’

By Doug Redford “Silent Night” remains one of the most beloved of the traditional Christmas carols. The words, the tune, the message are all so simple yet so unforgettable (which is true of the Christmas message itself). The picture of the Christ child sleeping “in heavenly peace” amid less than ideal surroundings is one that beckons us during a season when crowds and commotion are all too common. “Silent night” also describes an evening that took place, ironically, near the end of Jesus” earthly life. That was the night of his betrayal and so-called trial””the series of events that led

November 22, 2017

Christian Standard

The Night Before Christmas

By Kelly Carr  “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through church houses, every creature was stirring, all the staff and some spouses. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, but peek inside the church building””you”ll find everyone there. While others are restful, sugar-plums in their heads, on Christmas Eve church leaders are busy instead. Ministers across the country confirm what you already know: Christmas Eve is one of the best attended services of the year. Large and small congregations, suburban, rural, and city locations all welcome folks who rarely darken the doorway of a church building other

November 18, 2017

Michael C. Mack

Stand: When You Did Not Receive Your Father”s Blessing

By Michael C. Mack “Stand up if you grew up without a father . . . if you never knew him . . . if he was abusive or inept or spiritually vacant and unavailable . . . even if he was around, but not really there . . . if you knew him but weren”t known by him . . .” I and six other members of my men”s group had traveled to the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for the Promise Keepers conference, joining some 62,000 other men worshipping God and being inspired to live godly lives. On the

November 17, 2017

Jerry Harris

Letter from the Publisher

By Jerry Harris I was at the same Promise Keepers event in Indianapolis that Mike Mack describes in his article, “Stand: When You Did Not Receive Your Father”s Blessing,” in this issue. I remember evaluating the blessing I had received, while men to my immediate left and right, as well as all around the stadium, stood and admitted that they had never received a blessing. As I scanned tens of thousands of men standing at that Christ-centered men”s event, the grave implications began to sink in. I wondered how many husbands and fathers were left to wing it in their

November 16, 2017

Christian Standard

Incarnation and Resurrection

By Teresa D. Welch Strips of cloth, angels, a man named Joseph, a bed, spices, an angel”s “do not be afraid” message, and a group rushing to tell others the good news. In the context of December, with decorated trees and carolers singing “fa-la-la-la-la,” you most likely associated those items with the story found in Luke 2: “And she [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed in him a manager” (v. 7). But these elements of the Christmas story also appear in a different story about Christ. The story of Christmas reminds

October 11, 2017

Christian Standard

Ordinary Sacredness

By Mandy Smith We know Jesus instituted the Lord”s Supper during the Passover feast, which Jews have celebrated for generations. Passover is an annual festival remembering God”s salvation of his people from slavery in Egypt. Like all celebrations of annual holidays, it takes much preparation and is a turning point of the calendar. So, as good Jews, Jesus and his disciples prepared and celebrated this feast together. But Jesus knew this Passover would be different from all he”d celebrated before, because he knew his death was imminent. The food is a central part of the Passover feast, but so are

June 16, 2017

Christian Standard

Let Us Celebrate

By Rick Chromey Every culture has holidays, but few sanctify more special days than Americans. Perhaps it”s because we embrace our past as good and godly. Perhaps it”s because we hunger for any reason to party or get a day off. Or perhaps it”s because we need another special day to capitalize on our consumerism. Regardless of the reason, Americans celebrate famous people like Martin Luther King Jr., St. Patrick, and Columbus. We memorialize Mondays into three-day weekends to rest from our labor. We throw parties on July 4, October 31, and December 31. We love to give thanks around

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