December 9, 2025
Restore & Renew: Preserving the Legacy of Alexander Campbell
A major new initiative is underway to preserve one of the most significant collections in the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement: The Alexander Campbell Papers.
Articles for tag: Church History
January 22, 2024
Waers to Succeed Greer as President of Milligan University
After an extensive search, Dr. Stephen Waers was selected as Milligan University’s 16th president. Waers has been serving with Point University. He will succeed Dr. Bill Greer, Milligan's president since 2011. . . .
UKRAINE: Professor and Her Father Find Safety at Haus Edelweiss
“My whole life has been divided into two parts—before and after February 24,” says Yulia, who lived with her 84-year-old father under Russian occupation in Kherson, Ukraine, before they escaped to Haus Edelweiss (near Vienna), where she will be teaching at TCM International Institute.
February 8, 2022
Longtime Professor, Restoration Historian, James B. North Dies
Dr. James B. North, 81, longtime professor of church history at Cincinnati Christian University, frequent lecturer on church history, and a man who wrote extensively on the history of Christian churches and churches of Christ in America, died on Monday after battling cancer.
June 10, 2017
From House Churches to Church Houses
Where early Christians worshipped and why By Pat Magness and Lee Magness How have believers through the centuries used church buildings to express and extend the gospel? A simple survey can lend insight to those making church building decisions today. Where have believers worshipped God over the centuries? The Psalms picture ancient Israelites giving praise to God as individuals in a variety of settings. But the construction of the tabernacle, the building of the temple, and the development and spread of synagogues demonstrate that the use of buildings for corporate worship was also a high priority among God”s chosen people.
April 3, 2017
Holy Boldness
By Jerran Jackson and Lareesa Jackson “Eighty and six years I have served Him, and never has He done me wrong. How can I ever blaspheme my King who saved me?”1 Around AD 150, Polycarp of Smyrna gave this bold testimony of his faith before he was executed. The official who judged Polycarp”s case tried to convince the old man to swear by Caesar to avoid being burned at the stake. Polycarp could simply have said the words. He could have escaped persecution and a gruesome death. However, Polycarp would not. The reason was faithfulness””Christ had been faithful to Polycarp,
August 4, 2016
DCHS Archivist Named
Shelley L. Jacobs began serving as full-time archivist with the Disciples of Christ Historical Society, Bethany, WV, on July 25. DCHS is the repository for church files, personal papers, records, books and journals, artifacts, and memorabilia related to the three streams of the Stone-Campbell Movement. Jacobs”s primary responsibility is to organize that material so it is available for research to congregations, institutions, and individuals. Jacobs is a native of Saskatchewan, Canada, and a lifelong member of the churches of Christ. She received her BTh from Western Christian College (WCC) in Saskatchewan, and majored in church history focusing on Restoration studies
September 23, 2015
Taming the Sermon
By Jim Tune When it comes to discussions about the teachings of Jesus, especially his “hard” teachings, I”ve grown tired of the tendency to tame any revolutionary teaching that seems just too radical or too naïve or idealistic. The conversation too often goes like this: “I know that”s what Jesus said, but what he really meant was. . . .” For example, when Jesus tells us not to store up riches on earth, we repurpose it to say, “Do not get too attached to the riches that you have, in fact, stored up on earth.” We read the Sermon on
May 29, 2015
Cruciform Ministry (Romans 5:8)
By Neal Windham Garrison Keiller tells the story of how Clarence Bunson (at least, I think it was Clarence), a mainstay in Keillor”s fictional town of Lake Wobegon, lay cruciform, frozen to the roof of his Minnesota home in the thick of winter. Bunson had gone out to clean the snow off his roof and, tired from his work, had fallen asleep. Meanwhile, his wet clothing bonded to the frozen roof, rendering him immobile. Neighbors asked whether anything was wrong, and with characteristic Norwegian restraint he responded again and again, “No, I”m fine.” We know his character well, don”t we?
March 10, 2015
Ideas for Easter””or Anytime
By Mark A. Taylor At our annual contributing editor January retreat, someone asked, “Why do churches always make such a big thing of Christmas?” She was reflecting on the fact that Christian Standard almost always puts “Christmas” on a December cover, but sometimes we hardly mention Easter at all. Maybe we”re giving in to the culture on this. For many people, Christmas preparations begin in the summer, and we see Christmas everywhere by the end of October. Christmas concerts, Christmas parties, Christmas gift-buying””they fill the month of December. Indeed, sometimes by Christmas Day, we”re too tired to celebrate. Churches follow
February 1, 2015
Ideas for Easter””or Anytime
By Mark A. Taylor At our annual contributing editor January retreat, someone asked, “Why do churches always make such a big thing of Christmas?” She was reflecting on the fact that CHRISTIAN STANDARD almost always puts “Christmas” on a December cover, but sometimes we hardly mention Easter at all. Maybe we”re giving in to the culture on this. For many people, Christmas preparations begin in the summer, and we see Christmas everywhere by the end of October. Christmas concerts, Christmas parties, Christmas gift-buying””they fill the month of December. Indeed, sometimes by Christmas Day, we”re too tired to celebrate. Churches follow
October 20, 2014
So You Want to Write a Book: Writing a Book Takes Discipline and Drive
By Robert Rea Believe in the project because of its importance for the kingdom. This will sustain you over hurdles and discouragements. Consider taking your proposal to publishers who market best to your target audience. Be clear about the book”s thesis, chapter contents, and conclusions. Explain your book”s unique approach and contribution””how your book supplements others already published in your area, how it is similar to others, and how it is distinctive (do not say there is nothing like it if that isn”t true). If a publisher shows interest, answer the company”s follow-up questions, and be flexible on length, style,
Emmanuel Offers Web-based Degree Completion
By Jennifer Taylor Last month, Emmanuel Christian Seminary (Johnson City, TN) began offering a new independent study course called “Current Trends in Theological Education” to help students complete unfinished degrees. The online course is designed for previous Emmanuel students who have been absent from course work for more than five years and have completed every degree requirement except the thesis. The new course covers each of the five academic areas studied at ECS””Old Testament, New Testament, church history, doctrine, and Christian ministries. In each area students will complete about 400 pages of reading, review lectures by various faculty members, and
March 2, 2012
Sitting Pretty
By Daniel Schantz The wooden pew is a kind of symbol of the church in the past century. For a preacher”s son who grew up in the 1950s, the church pew provided me with stability, discipline, and plenty of fuel for a child”s imagination. Stability Almost everything in those old churches was made of wood. Wood was warm, smooth, pretty, and as stable as an anvil. Children sat with their parents during worship in those days before graded worship, a practice that many churches are reviving today. The first thing a child learned in church is that God is forgiving. The second
January 8, 2012
In Just One Year: Momentous Change and Possibility
Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then. * * * By Douglas A. Foster First, I think the church as a whole will continue moving toward an outward focus that seeks out and cares for the marginalized, powerless, homeless, dirty, and helpless. We, the church, will increasingly see the “least of these” as the impelling reason for our very
July 25, 2011
Innumerable! (Part 1: Starting at the Wrong Place)
By Greg Nettle In the early church, Christology (what we believe about Jesus) determined missiology (what we believe about the church”s mission), which in turn determined ecclesiology (how the church must function). And since Jesus was all about proclaiming his good news so that people could be saved (Luke 19:10), the mission of the followers of Jesus must be to proclaim the good news so that people can be saved (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, the primary function of the church should be to seek and save the lost.1 Unfortunately, around AD 325, the order of things started getting out of whack.
June 19, 2005
Bringing Believers to Maturity
A staff roundup of “Christianity 101” models that help guests and new members take next steps. See how churches use rotating sessions, newcomer meals, and multi-week classes covering beliefs, baptism, Communion, giving, gifts, and involvement.
Equipping Leaders from Within: Partnerships
David Faust reflects on how Bible college and seminary shaped his Scripture understanding, ministry skills, and lifelong learning—and why churches and schools still need to partner to equip leaders well.
