May 28, 2021
Churches Need to Hit ‘Play’
Every church with which I’m acquainted pushed PAUSE at the start of the pandemic in hopes of hitting PLAY after the pandemic. Sadly, many have yet to hit PLAY. Here are three steps every church can take.
Articles for tag: COVID-19
May 26, 2021
Job Prospects Strong Among Christian Churches
Despite a global pandemic that limited in-person church services for much of the past year, the job market for pastors in the Restoration Movement remains robust, say those who closely follow the trends.
The New World of Kids’ Ministry
What is the future of kids’ ministry and how can churches successfully adapt to meet the challenges?
May 24, 2021
Five Ways to Bring Families Back to Church . . . Eventually
I've discovered five healthy ways to view people who are not physically at the church building, along with ways to help bring families back.
‘A Miserable Success’: Colleges Managed Ups and Downs of COVID-19
The presidents of Lincoln Christian University, Hope International University, Kentucky Christian University, and Boise Bible College share their reflections of the most unusual school year that is just ending.
Christian Camps Anticipate Big Rebound This Summer
Christian camps are gearing up for a much more active summer season this year, hoping the waning state of the COVID-19 pandemic will allow more kids to come together for summer fun.
CICM Responds to Unprecedented Surge of COVID-19 in India
People are flocking to Central India Christian Mission’s new hospital in the city of Damoh for treatment of COVID-19. CICM founding director Ajai Lall described the challenges CICM is facing as well as some tangible ways people might help.
February 2, 2021
Documentary Highlights Christian Response to Pandemics
Southeast Christian Church's "Purpose in Pandemics" is a documentary that follows the response of the church to pandemics throughout history. The "Purpose in Pandemics" website also includes a study guide for small groups and individuals.
December 30, 2020
COVID-19 Claims Indiana Pastor, 2 Family Members (Plus News Briefs)
Jim Applegate, 54, pastor for 21 years of Westview Christian Church in Campbellsburg, Ind., died of COVID-19 on Dec. 20, followed by virus-related deaths of his mother (12 hours later), and his sister (on Christmas Eve). “The thing that’s keeping me going is . . . hope in Jesus because I know where they’re at,” Nicholas Applegate, the pastor’s son and WCC’s youth pastor, told WHAS11.com. “The first few weeks in December our community had seen a lot of COVID cases, especially here in our church family.” In addition to the death of his father, Nicholas Applegate’s grandmother, Pat Applegate,
November 25, 2020
Every Church Is Now a Church Plant
Three Significant Considerations for Every Church in the Midst of and Post-COVID-19 By Trevor DeVage As every aspect of our daily lives is being reconsidered and refashioned by the pandemic, churches are rethinking their futures, too. Or at least they should be. But I’m afraid some are anticipating the days ahead only with a vision of the years behind. And I’m convinced this just won’t work. My thinking on this was influenced by the recent mentoring retreat I attended with Cal Jernigan, lead pastor with Central Christian Church in Arizona. I get together several times a year with Cal and
November 2, 2020
CCCB Resumes In-Person Classes after COVID-19 Cases Subside
By Jim Nieman Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Mo., resumed in-person classes Monday, two weeks after switching to virtual/remote learning due to a spike in COVID-19 cases that saw nearly half of its residential student population either test positive for the virus, isolate with symptoms, or quarantine due to exposure. “We’re down to two active cases—one student and one employee—with five [people] in quarantine,” college president David Fincher reported Monday. Of the five people who remained in quarantine, four are employees. The student with COVID-19 and the quarantined student both were off-campus, he said. “Some of the
October 28, 2020
Interview: David Empson Discusses ICOM’s Roller-coaster Year
By Jim Nieman The International Conference On Missions’ executive director, staff, and this year’s president have had to overcome monumental challenges in planning this year’s event in the age of COVID-19. Work for the November conference essentially had to begin anew over the summer when ICOM announced it was switching to a hybrid format—both online and in-person. ICOM officials have promised the in-person portion will be safe and comfortable, but limited mainly to the popular exhibit area where so many friends and mission agencies connect. The virtual aspect, meanwhile, will be robust and comprehensive, so that as many as possible
October 20, 2020
Dozens of CCCB Students In Quarantine Or Isolating Due to COVID-19 Outbreak
By Jim Nieman Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Mo., has switched to online-only instruction for the next two weeks due to a spike in COVID-19 cases among residential students. The change in format will enable the school to reduce the risk of exposing more students to the virus. The school announced its decision Monday morning. After the first residential student tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, another seven students tested positive on Sunday and Monday, president David Fincher and vice president of student development Darryl Ammon said via email. As of Tuesday afternoon, about 45 percent of
Christian College Presidents Share Enrollment Numbers, Describe Challenges
By Jim Nieman Christian colleges and universities were already under significant stress even before the COVID-19 tsunami came crashing over our nation. In fact, two of them—Cincinnati Christian University and Nebraska Christian College—have closed during the past year. We decided to take the temperature of institutions across the United States by asking college presidents to share their year-over-year attendance figures and to describe the challenges they are facing. It might surprise some to learn that a handful of the 16 colleges and universities that shared their data with us actually saw their enrollment increase from fall 2019 to fall 2020.
September 22, 2020
The Pandemic’s Leadership Lessons
By Michael C. Mack Great leaders have a blend of humility—they know that they don’t know everything—and a curiosity to discover answers. They are constantly learning from a variety of sources, beginning with God’s Word, but also through books, mentors, failures, crises, and personal struggles, to name just a few. Perhaps John F. Kennedy summarized it best: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” The pandemic and all of its interconnected effects have provided a wellspring of important learning opportunities for us. In this issue, our writers highlight many of these. Here are four I believe are especially worth
September 22, 2020
Different Environments, Different Approaches (Ministering in the Midst of COVID-19)
Urban, Suburban, and Rural Church Leaders Share Their Experiences of Leading Through a Pandemic By Chris Moon No two churches are the same, even in how they have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, the virus has left a mark on Restoration Movement congregations and pastors across the country. For some churches and pastors, especially in rural, conservative areas of the country, the pandemic seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. The major difficulty was figuring out how to get the internet to cooperate during a brief closure. “There’s a lot of things you face like that
September 22, 2020
5 Lessons from a Flea
By Megan Rawlings The Black Death was caused by bacterium and was initially spread by fleas. Starting in Asia (most likely), it spread to Eurasia and North Africa in the mid-1300s, and eventually the plague killed up to one-quarter of the world’s population in about four years. At least 100 million people died. And to think, it was spread by a pest barely visible to the eye. I will spare you the details, but the symptoms of this virus were devastating, and death usually occurred only weeks, sometimes days, after the first symptoms. It was not uncommon for the ill
September 22, 2020
What COVID-19 Taught Rural Churches
By Jim Estep State by state, county by county, the COVID-19 pandemic led to limitations, shelter-in-place orders, and essentially a shutdown of “normal.” In rural congregations—which are often smaller, singular in focus (worship), and fairly stable in ministry programming—this became an impetus for reflection, reevaluation, renewal, and a reenvisioning of ministries across the country. Theology of the Church We all know the church is made up of people—it’s not the building or the worship service—but our everyday theology would say otherwise. Whether we like it or not, our default theology turns church into a place or time. (“We are going
September 22, 2020
Four Opportunities for Every Church in the New Reality
By Dave Ferguson On March 12, 2020, I made two different versions of a video, knowing only one of them would be sent to our entire church. In the first video, I said we would stick to our normal schedule with 26 services at 11 locations across Chicagoland. In the second video, I introduced a new reality by telling everyone our church facilities were closing and we were moving everything online. After I finished recording the videos, my wife and I headed to O’Hare International Airport to fly to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We were planning to see our youngest son,
September 22, 2020
The Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Christian Churches
By Kent E. Fillinger As I write this in late June, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to morph daily as it impacts the world, economy, and church in innumerable ways. During the week of June 7, I conducted a COVID-19 Church Impact Survey to take a “snapshot” of how churches fared during the initial three months of quarantine (March to May) and what they anticipated would be happening over the next three months (June to August) as many started to regather for in-person worship services. A total of 334 church leaders from 39 states responded, providing a balanced cross-section of all-sized
