January 1, 2026
Perhaps the greatest single benefit of succession success is that when it works, succession success honors God and results in positive momentum in the church as well as in the larger community.
July 1, 2024
In my study of our Restoration Movement heritage, it seemed leaders were more concerned with eradicating fences than erecting them. That value has been overlooked by some. . . .
March 6, 2024
ICOM offers an entire church/college family registration option. Plus, housing information is now available for the Nov. 14-16 conference in Lexington, Ky. . . . Plus briefs from Waypoint Church Planters, CMF, The Pressing On Conference (April 9-11), KCU, and more . . .
By Chris Philbeck In the 1990s, while serving a church in Oklahoma, I took all my elders to the Leadership Conference at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. During the opening session, our church was awarded a yearlong subscription to SECC’s weekly tape ministry for being the church that came the farthest with their entire board of elders. So, over the next year, I had the opportunity to listen to weekend messages delivered by Bob Russell and Dave Stone. I still remember many of those messages, including one from Dave about the urgency of reaching lost people. To illustrate the
March 21, 2023
"It’s been five years since the final NACC, [but] I still go to the North American Christian conventions. And I think you should too," writes Matt Proctor. "By 'conventions,' I mean our three biggest national gatherings that are still largely Independent Christian Church folks . . ."
Ozark Christian College created videos honoring three longtime employees who are retiring: Gerald Griffin, David McMillin, and Gary Zustiak. Also briefs from Mid-South Christian College, William Jessup University, two churches in Kansas, and more.
August 24, 2021
The Spire Network is in the final stages of preparation for its third-annual SpireConference, set for Sept. 14-16 in Nashville. Spire anticipates it may match or exceed the number of people who participated in their first in-person conference two years ago, which would be a "huge win," said board chairman Dave Stone.
August 20, 2020
The Christian Village at Mason in Ohio held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for the new Stone Worship Center and Auditorium, named in honor of former Christian Standard editor Sam E. Stone and his late wife, Gwen. The worship center will replace the existing chapel as the primary building for Sunday worship services and also will provide a place for various events, banquets, concerts, and meetings for residents of the 85-acre senior living community located north of Cincinnati. The center is expected to be completed in the fall of 2021. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the existing chapel had been seeing
April 22, 2020
Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon The COVID-19 outbreak forced the rescheduling of the 2020 Stone-Campbell Journal Conference. The event, originally set for March 20, 21, has been rescheduled for Sept. 11, 12. The location—Johnson University Tennessee in Knoxville—has not changed. The theme “Politics and the Stone-Campbell Movement” will be developed by the originally scheduled speakers: Shaun Casey, director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and Public Affairs and professor in Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service; Jess Hale, attorney with the Tennessee General Assembly; and Richard Cherok, professor of history with Ozark Christian College. Stone-Campbell Journal
December 11, 2019
Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon Central Christian College of the Bible will host a retirement reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday for William Walton, professor emeritus of Christian ministries. Walton began his service with CCCB in 1980 and has served the college in various roles, including as dean of students, vice president of student life, and athletic director. CCCB president David Fincher said he was a high schooler competing in a preaching contest when he first met Walton, and that Walton’s comments that day encouraged Fincher to pursue ministry. “A similar story can be told by thousands
May 29, 2019
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Dave Stone preached his last sermon at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Stone retired after 13 years at the helm of the megachurch. Stone handed over leadership to Kyle Idleman, passing to him the same baton he’d received from former Southeast pastor Bob Russell. The Southeast Outlook offered some insight into Stone and his ministry, including tributes from Idleman (who met Stone at a Christ In Youth conference when Idleman was 16) and other ministers inside and outside Southeast. Another article included an anecdote about the time Stone, then in college, stayed with the Russells and had to borrow a pair of dress
March 25, 2019
Reaching Out to the Community and the World By Andy Rector In 2018, Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, experienced gains in many ways. âIt truly was a year of growth,â said Dave Stone, senior pastor. Growth occurred in evangelism: âThe majority of people who were baptized in 2018 were baptized by the person who led them to the Lord,â Stone said. Growth occurred with the facilities: Construction began on the Chapel in the Woods, only a quarter mile from the main campus. The chapel is designed for weddings, funerals, and worship. There also was numeric growth: âOur attendance grew more
March 13, 2019
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan will host its inaugural Hayden Lectureship later this month honoring the legacy of former Christian Standard editor Edwin V. Hayden. The lectureship March 26-28 will feature Dr. Dwight N. Hopkins, an eminent African-American and global theologian who is Alexander Campbell Professor of Theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Hopkins’s lecture series, “Being Human: Wealth, Leadership and Values,” will include the following three presentations: “Wealth and Faith in Black American Experiences” (11 a.m. March 26), “Black Liberation Theology and Global Cross-Cultural Leadership” (7:30 p.m. March 27), and
November 10, 2018
Rumors have been flying that Dave Stone and Rick Rusaw are not actually retiring from their senior pastor positions at Southeast Christian Church and LifeBridge Christian Church, respectively, but that they have declared themselves free agents and are making their services available to the highest-bidding churches at no less than 5-year, no-cut contracts with guaranteed money up-front. (Of course, these are just rumors.) _ _ _ Former senior minister Dean Smithy of Austin, Texas, is looking for a new church to serve after elders at Yellow Rose Christian Church told him he can no longer serve at theirs. Smithy and
October 31, 2018
By Jim Nieman An auction bid of $78,750 took home the first John Deere GP tractor ever built and will help pay for renovation of a building shared by Taylorville (Ill.) Christian Church and VisionWay Christian School. “It turned out great,” lead minister James Jones said. Some church members thought the tractor might go for a little higher price, others thought it would go for less. “It was great as far as I’m concerned.” Jones did not attend the auction and did not know the name of the winning bidder. The 1928 general purpose tractor was the first of more
October 24, 2018
By Jim Nieman A new worship center being planned at the Christian Village at Mason (CVM) in Ohio will be named for former Christian Standard editor Sam E. Stone and his late wife, Gwen. The Stone Worship Center and Auditorium is necessary, in part, because of increasing attendance at CVM worship services under senior chaplain Tom Moll, who has served four-plus years at the 85-acre senior living community in Mason, located north of Cincinnati. “I don’t know that anyone thought it was possible to have a vibrant church (in a retirement community),” said Larry D. Monroe, president and CEO of
September 30, 2018
(This is a sidebar to Jerry Harris’s October 2018 Letter from the Publisher: “The NACC: Celebrating Our Wins . . . and Starting an Inspiring New Season”) By Jerry Harris Seventy-seven names. As one scans them, a history of the modern independent Christian church forms. These men strove to hold together in unity an independent movement while, at the same time, cherishing its individuality. They worked hard to inspire a movement of healthy, growing churches. They had their own ministries, but they generously gave their time, talent, and treasure to advance a tribe and cause in which they believed.
September 19, 2018
(Updated Sept. 24) Dave Stone, senior pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., has announced he will retire sometime in the next six to nine months. Teaching pastor Kyle Idleman will replace Stone in the lead role at the church. “This is a process that has been in the works for a number of years,” Stone said in a story published on the Southeast Christian Church website. “My wife, Beth, and I decided on this timing about five years ago. We felt that 2019 would be the wisest time for the transition to take place.” Stone made the announcement
December 8, 2017
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
November 25, 2017
By Dave Stone No one has any say into which family he or she is born. But someday I intend to thank the Lord for the parents he gave to my brother, Jeff, and me. Sam Stone has been known to many by a variety of titles: Preacher, Seminary Dean, Editor, Brotherhood Leader, and North American Christian Convention President. But I”ve been fortunate to just call him Dad. What a blessing! When asked why we chose to go into the ministry, Jeff and I typically give the same response: “Because our dad was the same man in the home as
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
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David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok