November 8, 2021
Pastor and teacher Mark E. Moore is releasing a follow-up to his popular "Core 52" books next week. "Quest 52: A Fifteen-Minute-a-Day Yearlong Pursuit of Jesus" will be released Nov. 16, along with a “Student Edition” version of the book.
May 19, 2019
Compiled by Mark A. Taylor _ _ _ Alan Ahlgrim Retired: Founding pastor with Rocky Mountain Christian Church, Niwot, Colorado, March 2013 What are you doing now? Continues to encourage and mentor church leaders. Director of Covenant Groups with the Center for Church Leadership. Thoughts on retirement: âThe best is yet to be for every kingdom leader. I jokingly say if I had known this season would be so fulfilling, I would have started with this first and stuck with it! Iâ™ve traded unrelenting responsibility for a soul-enriching opportunity.â _ _ _ Dick Alexander Retired: Senior minister, LifeSpring Christian Church,
September 21, 2015
By Jennifer Johnson For more than 30 years, a group in Australia has led a three-stage program to help teenage boys transition from boyhood to adulthood. Last year Christ”s Church of the Valley (San Dimas, CA) launched the program for its own young men. Leadership USA is designed in one-week stages spread out over three years, with boys starting stage one at age 15 and completing stage three at 17. “THIS IS NOT SUMMER CAMP” the church”s webpage explains; instead, it is an intense and challenging experience designed to help the participants grow spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially. “When I
February 7, 2015
By Brian Jones On an episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart defined “the gay agenda” as . . . “Gay marriage, civil rights protection, Fleet Week expanded to Fleet Year, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for when it”s raining men, Kathy Griffin to host everything, and a nationwide ban on pleated pants.” I would add one more: to simply be treated with respect by Christians. Last year I did a series of blog posts on the topic of homosexuality. It was the most read, discussed, and shared topic I”ve blogged about in recent memory. What surprised me, however,
By John Derry President, Hope International University, Fullerton, California In 2008, I wrote an article for CHRISTIAN STANDARD called “The Future of Christian Church Colleges.” At that time, I anticipated challenges for our schools as they responded to changing demographics, new technology, and increasing accountability demands from government regulation and accreditation agencies. Shortly after the article appeared that March, our country entered the Great Recession. Virtually every industry was affected: banking, automotive, manufacturing, housing, retail, construction, health care, social services, and many others, including higher education. It created a new pressure point exacerbating financial challenges that were already severe. A 2012
May 20, 2014
By Mark A. Taylor Everyone serving the Lord struggles sometimes with tension between external actions and internal motives. Am I singing or preaching or teaching because I love to be in front of people, or because I love to communicate God”s Word? Do I give out of guilt or out of gratitude? Do I approach Bible study, prayer, or weekly worship solely out of duty, or are they a delight to me? And when it comes to ministers who lead growing churches, the tensions multiply. Am I seeking church growth to build the kingdom or to build my ego? Am
July 13, 2013
DANIEL OVERDORF Dean of the School of Congregational Ministry and professor of preaching, Johnson University, Knoxville, Tennessee I have known Daniel Overdorf since helping his family move to Knoxville decades ago when his father became minister of the Woodlawn Christian Church. Daniel was a preschooler then, and many remember him as a mischievous little boy. That might surprise many who know him now as gentle, kind, and always with a welcoming smile. As dean of the School of Congregational Ministry and professor of preaching, he exercises leadership through his commitment to the centrality of preaching in the life of the
By Jennifer Taylor The Solomon Foundation, a new church extension fund for the Christian churches and churches of Christ, launched several months ago with headquarters in Englewood, CO. Doug Crozier, formerly president of Church Development Fund (Irvine, CA), serves as chief executive officer of the new organization. Crossroads Christian Church (Grand Prairie, TX) and Christ”s Church of the Valley (Peoria, AZ) worked with Crozier and his team to fund the development and launch of the foundation. Leaders from Mount Pleasant Christian Church (Greenwood, IN), Real Life Ministries (Post Falls, ID), The Crossing (Quincy, IL), and Churchill Meadows Christian Church (Toronto,
June 12, 2011
By Jennifer Taylor What if thousands of people drove past one another on the highway to worship at churches that weren”t located too far apart? What if both churches coordinated hundreds of small groups in their communities””groups studying different material and never working together to reach the city? When Christ”s Church of the Valley (Peoria, AZ) and Parkway Christian Church (Surprise, AZ) saw this scenario playing out in their shared mission field, they made a surprising decision””to merge both churches and do more together than they could apart. The two churches, both located in suburbs of Phoenix, officially merged in
By Jennifer Taylor The Leadership Institute at Christ”s Church of the Valley (Peoria, Arizona) offers college-level courses from Hope International University (Fullerton, California) plus an internship program. Interns work with CCV staff pastors, attend weekly training sessions, and receive one-on-one mentoring. Participants may choose a one- or two-year internship; the two-year program allows students to earn their master”s degree from HIU. www.ccvonline.com www.hiu.edu ________________ Jennifer Taylor, one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors and bloggers, lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you know of a church breaking new ground or leading innovative ministry? Contact bu**@*********ub.com.
April 11, 2010
By Kent Fillinger What do “kiddie” pools, black T-shirts, towels, plastic trash bags, preaching, and prayer all have in common? Each of these items was a key part of a recent trend among 50 megachurches and emerging megachurches that resulted in 7,705 baptisms in 2009. Our churches are often referred to as the independent Christian churches, but it is also fitting to describe them as interdependent Christian churches. For years now, the megachurches and emerging megachurches have networked with one another to share resources and assist one another through various levels of growth. Many of these megachurches have also served as sounding
April 19, 2009
 By Kent E. Fillinger and Ben Simms  Fastest-Growing Churches in 2008:  “¢ The Crossing, Quincy, IL, 27% “¢ Crosspointe, Cary, NC, 22% “¢ Compass Christian, Colleyville, TX, 22% “¢ Central Christian, Mesa, AZ, 22% Fastest-Growing since 2003: “¢ Parkview Christian Church, Orland Park, IL, 183%  “¢ Real Life Ministries, Post Falls, ID, 172% “¢ Crossroads Christian Church, Grand Prairie, TX, 101% Fastest-Growing since 1997:  “¢ Christ”s Church of the Valley, Peoria, AZ, 477% “¢ Northside Christian Church, New Albany, IN, 371% “¢ Central Christian Church, Henderson, NV, 307% What  is “AVERAGE”? The 54 megachurches” average size: 4,116  The
March 25, 2009
By Brad Dupray On a weekend in January, with a gospel message and three baptisteries filled and ready to go, Jeff Vines, senior pastor of Christ”s Church of the Valley (CCV) in San Dimas, California, challenged people to follow Christ”s call to be baptized. Right then, in the clothes they were wearing, 482 people responded and were immersed into Christ. The church saw another 119 baptisms the following weekend. Jeff calls himself “a missionary at heart,” having served on mission fields in Zimbabwe and New Zealand. He and his wife, Robin, moved from a teaching ministry at Savannah (Georgia) Christian
August 10, 2008
By Phil Alspaw For the most part I love Sundays. I love coming to church. I love seeing the familiar faces of people that make up our extended family. I love seeing the new faces of those who are joining our family. I love the confused look on the faces of seekers as they try to figure out how to join in, and I love the look of believers as they reach out in opportunities to welcome these innocent new ones. I love the songs of worship, and I love that the Lord”s Supper is a part of our time
October 7, 2007
Church leadership internships: How internships can help churches raise up leaders from within As churches grow, leadership gaps can stall momentum. This article explains how one church developed a practical, step-by-step approach to identify potential leaders, disciple them, and progressively increase responsibility through internships. The goal is to cultivate gifts and build a healthy leadership pipeline from within the congregation. Identify leaders early and build intentional pathways for development. Use internships to formalize responsibility and increase accountability. Create a clear process that moves people from volunteer roles toward staff roles. By Kevin Stone As Christ’s Church of the Valley’s executive
April 15, 2007
Parkway Christian Church in Surprise, Arizona, grew through counterintuitive service decisions, multiple worship styles, and a strong small-group follow-up system—planning new venues while keeping worship environments intentionally intimate.
April 11, 2007
Sue Wilson shares candid insight on marriage, ministry partnership, and the pressures of being a pastor’s wife at a large church. She reflects on criticism, communication, church growth, and practical advice for younger ministers’ wives.
October 29, 2006
Leaders from two churches named Christ’s Church of the Valley discuss why they target men ages 25 to 45, how challenge and adventure shape their approach, and practical ways churches can better connect with unchurched men.
August 27, 2006
Jeff Vines answers a skeptic’s hardest question: How could a loving God send anyone to Hell? He explains Jesus’ use of gehenna and argues the deepest horror of Hell is separation from God.
March 15, 2006
In this interview, pastor and author Brian Jones discusses trials, doubt, and spiritual growth as he reflects on his book Second Guessing God and why honest questions can deepen faith.
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