Articles for tag: Church Unity

December 10, 2011

Christian Standard

The Joy of My Heart

By Karla McElroy The Spirit brought to mind the lyrics of “You Are My All in All,” by Dennis Jernigan, this morning, specifically the line about Jesus being “the treasure that I seek.” The lyrics led me straight to Jeremiah”s thoughts about treasure. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16, King James Version). Though I rarely””OK, never””read the KJV anymore, this verse always comes to me in this grand old translation

June 12, 2011

Christian Standard

Large, Healthy Churches Merge in Phoenix Area

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

February 19, 2011

Christian Standard

Why I Participate

By Herb Botts “If you build it, he will come!” You might remember that line from the movie Field of Dreams, a mystical presentation about a novice Midwestern farmer who loves baseball so much he builds an actual ball field in the midst of his cornstalks and watches the “greats” of the past gather and play. I believe I can honestly say the folks of the North American Christian Convention are in a similar building process, creating something wonderful and inviting all of us to come. The NACC is offering a program that mirrors God”s Holy Word, to draw “people

November 19, 2010

Christian Standard

A New Way to Train Workers

By Ron Holland As demographics and strategies for the mission of God change and shift, we find that old methods and ideas need to be rethought. The globalization and urbanization of the world”s populations present major challenges and opportunities in the church”s efforts to participate in the mission of God. Meanwhile, Christians today are realizing anew that God wants the church to be an instrument of social justice in the world. This sends us back to the drawing board in most of our endeavors. LivingStone International University (LIU), a joint project of Christian churches and churches of Christ, in Mbale,

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: Repentance Leads to Real Life

By Kent Fillinger At age 28, when Justin Miller transitioned from the role of youth minister to senior minister at Real Life Christian Church (Clermont, Florida), the church was in the midst of a nine-month spending freeze. It was 2002, the church had no money, and Miller”s paychecks often came with a note attached: “Do not cash until . . . “ The elders hired him to be the solution to the church”s problems; they told him, “We”re putting our hope in you.” But Miller quickly realized God didn”t choose him for this position for any of the reasons the

March 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Our Ministry to Gays and Lesbians

By James C. Donovan “I am so glad you are doing this Bible study. The churches who teach the Bible as God”s Word don”t want me there and the churches who welcome me don”t teach the Bible as God”s Word.” Those words will be a lasting memory from my effort in ministering to gays and lesbians. The man who uttered those words at a Bible study in a home was a delightful person who called himself a believer and openly admitted his homosexuality. He had only recently come out of the closet and was genuinely struggling with his lifestyle and

July 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Remembering, Renewal, and Celebration

By Mark A. Taylor Once in awhile an article actually brings us to tears while we”re preparing it for print. Not often, mind you. But it does happen. It happened this week as one of our staff was formatting Ethan Magness”s articles about the Lord”s Supper. His insights are among several powerful pieces in this issue to help readers think afresh about Communion. He challenges us to lift our weekly observance above thoughtless routine. “The danger posed by meaningless ritual is no reason to stop the ritual,” he says. And he suggests how to keep our Communion celebrations alive. Another

March 29, 2009

Christian Standard

What Is the Glue?

  By David Faust In a 1910 lecture at Yale, Charles E. Jefferson described the difference between a church and an audience, It is to be regretted that we have come to . . . judge preachers by the number of persons who listen to their sermons. A superficial man is consequently tempted to work, not for a church, but for an audience. An audience, however, is not worth working for. An audience is a group of unrelated people drawn together by a short-lived attraction. . . . It is a fortuitous concourse of human atoms, scattering as soon as

February 25, 2009

Christian Standard

Preventing Spiritual Desertion

By Mark A. Taylor Many would characterize the church”s work in the world as spiritual warfare. Our enemy is Satan, and our tools are “the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11-17). But not all soldiers in this war persevere until it”s won. Some grow weary of the enemy”s clever schemes and effective tactics. They wear out, give up, and decide to walk away. Why do some continue while others leave the battle? The Bible suggests several answers, one of them underscored by findings from contemporary students of American history. Heroes and Cowards, written by husband-and-wife team Dora L. Costa and

August 13, 2008

Christian Standard

Both Sides and a Strong Conclusion

By Mark A. Taylor Some readers will remember Paul Williams”s wry column (March 2 issue) that mentioned his friend who always saw both sides of an issue. “On the Other Hand” was Paul”s title and the mantra of the friend he mentioned. “I am drawn to reflective people,” Paul wrote. “They know what they don”t know and are not inclined to speak until they thoroughly understand an issue.” Actually, I would have been pleased for Paul to tell you I”m the friend he described. But maybe what followed the above sentences is the reason he didn”t mention my name. (It”s

July 30, 2008

Christian Standard

First Steps Toward Mending Broken Relationships

By Mark A. Taylor When I”m convinced I”m right and you”re wrong, I can find many justifications for refusing to give you a call. The first step toward mending a broken relationship is sometimes the most difficult. This is especially true when it comes to religion. It”s not just that I feel those folks in the church building down the street are mixed up. I”ve got chapter and verse to prove it. Unfortunately, nowhere has this been more evident than between some in each of the three “streams” of the Restoration Movement. But would it be possible to focus on

January 3, 2008

Christian Standard

Three Incentives for Joining the Movement

By Brandon Smith _____ Read the main article: “Provoking Change: A Review of Catalyst Atlanta”     The Catalyst conference, true to its name, has kindled motion. It has invited the next generation of Christian leaders to become change agents in the ever-evolving church. In the last decade, more than 100,000 young leaders accepted that invitation by attending a Catalyst conference. They come from every corner of this country, representing every major denomination. It”s clear that Catalyst is having incredible influence upon churches and Christians everywhere. We in the Restoration Movement have also been summoned to engage in the action.

September 30, 2007

Christian Standard

You Can Manage Conflict

By Barney Wells To live above With the saints we love, Ah, that will be glory.     To live below With the ones we know, That”s a different story.     Many preachers have quoted that little poem over the years, and most of us understand its sentiment. While it certainly is pleasant for brothers to “live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1), it seems inevitable they will sometimes live in conflict. This article shares some of what one smaller rural church has learned about preventing, intervening in, and resolving conflict. Since 1889, the Walnut Grove Christian Church has met

June 24, 2007

Christian Standard

Traveling the Unity Road

By Victor Knowles A year ago, June 27-30, 2006, a historic “family reunion” between churches of Christ and Christian churches/churches of Christ took place at the North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The two groups, whose combined membership is about 2.6 million, were acknowledging a sad division that had taken place in 1906. The intentional coming together again saw more than 10,000 people from all over the United States welcoming and accepting one another in Christ. Last Summer Those who attended the groundbreaking event were effusive in their praise. Thomas E. Mackey of Granville, Ohio, said, “I”ve never felt

October 1, 2006

Kent Williams

Why I Left the Christian Church

By Kent Williams I have spent my entire life in the Christian church. I graduated from a Christian church college, as did my wife. Both of my sons attended that same college. I ministered for 25 years in Christian churches. In my family and my wife”s family there are ministers and missionaries serving in Christian churches. I have led revivals, spoken at conventions, served on boards, and written articles almost exclusively with organizations associated with Christian churches. Almost all of my friends in ministry serve Christian churches. But a couple of years ago I left the Christian church. I was

September 17, 2006

Milton Jones

A cappella and instrumental worship

NACC Viewpoint 2: A Good Fit

A simple handshake in Louisville became a powerful sign of unity as a cappella and instrumental worship leaders sang together. Shared meals, shared preaching, and exchanged Bibles reinforced a “good fit” across long-standing divides.

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