Articles for tag: Disciples of Christ

February 2, 2019

Christian Standard

The Financing of the Restoration Movement
 (Part 2 of 3)

(Part two in a three-part series)   By Steve Carr In our digital society, postage stamps seem archaic. But in Alexander Campbell’s day, they symbolized wealth. And as postmaster at Buffaloe, Virginia, he was able to wield this wealth to benefit the Restoration Movement. During the colonial era, postal service was sketchy. It was so costly and inconsistent that the United States made it an official government institution after the Revolutionary War. As the country expanded westward, mail became essential in providing access to critical information, thoughts, and ideas. As a result, postmasters became among America’s most important citizens. Campbell

January 29, 2019

Christian Standard

The Fortification of the Restoration Movement (Part 3 of 3)

By Steve Carr “What religion are you?” “Christian.” “Well I get that, but what kind of Christian?” “Um, just Christian.” Growing up on Cincinnati’s west side, where Roman Catholicism reigned supreme, I constantly had this exchange with kids at school. Raised in a Restoration Movement congregation, I was taught that our church was simply Christian—nothing more, nothing less. It wasn’t until years later in seminary that I learned another biblical name that could describe my tribe. Alexander Campbell was repulsed that some referred to his group as “Campbellites,” so he sought a more biblical description of our fellowship. Terms like

June 27, 2018

Michael C. Mack

Christian Standard Interview: Back at the NACC

Why Nathan Loewen and other gospel-believing Disciples of Christ pastors are attending the North American Christian Convention in Indianapolis this year.   By Michael C. Mack Much has changed and much has remained the same in the Restoration Movement over the past 90-plus years. The separation was set in motion, many say, over a two-year period beginning with the 1926 Disciples of Christ convention in Memphis, Tennessee, and then the response by the more biblically conservative church leaders who organized the first North American Christian Convention in 1927. Over the next 45 years or so, the two groups drifted apart

June 21, 2018

Jerry Harris

Is the Independent Christian Church Taking Ground?

By Jerry Harris Is the independent Christian church taking ground? That depends on how you measure it. One could measure it by the weekly attendance of affiliated churches, because numerical growth is probably the most common measurement of “taking ground.” By this type of measurement, independent Christian churches are advancing like never before. Our churches fill the lists of Outreach magazine’s largest and fastest-growing churches. Kent Fillinger’s study in our May issue (“Special Church Report Part 1: Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches”) indicates we are building, baptizing, and boldly dreaming like never before. Our mission efforts are also gaining ground as we

May 2, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

Our Future: What Kind of Influence?

By Mark A. Taylor Will the Restoration Movement* stay strong if its institutions continue to struggle? The question is more than academic in a time when more than one influential ministry has disappeared or is laboring to survive. And in an era characterized by massive change on every front””technology, education, media, transportation, and economic and political norms””we are no longer shocked when one of our institutions closes its doors. Change is the order of the day. Furthermore, many of our ministries still serving could not continue with support from our fellowship alone. For example, our two national conferences, while still

September 2, 2016

Christian Standard

DCHS Building Dedication Set for Sept. 10

BETHANY, WV””The Disciples of Christ Historical Society has completed its move into a new facility in historic Bethany. DCHS”s new home is located adjacent to the grounds of the Alexander Campbell study and mansion and across the street from the Campbell cemetery. The building was completed by renovating the Renner Visitor Center and adding an extensive archives room housing artifacts, portraits, institutional records, books, and journals from the early 19th century Restoration Movement to the present. A reading room, study carrels, and conference room provide space for research and meetings. Also, an outdoor hospitality area””the Peter and Lynne Morgan Gathering

August 4, 2016

Christian Standard

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

March 21, 2016

Christian Standard

The World Comes to India

By Gary Holloway “The experience changed my life.” “I saw more of what God is doing in the world.” “Our churches will never be the same.” These are statements from people who have attended a Global Gathering of the World Convention. The World Convention of Churches of Christ serves the Stone-Campbell churches (Christian, Churches of Christ, and Disciples of Christ) found in 199 countries and territories, with about 10 million total adherents worldwide. World Convention seeks to connect those churches everywhere, every day. One way it connects is through a Global Gathering every few years, with the next one scheduled

December 1, 2015

Mark A. Taylor

Moving Beyond “˜Color Blind”

By Mark A. Taylor Many thoughts have threatened my internal comfort zone since I attended a daylong conference on racial unity outside Baltimore, Maryland, last month*. I came face-to-face with the reality of racism that still flourishes in my country. I came to understand the privilege that comes automatically, systemically to white people in America. And I was forced to consider how that privilege has benefitted me and hurt others. I came to see that Jesus” prayer for unity will not be answered when Christians of different races distrust or blatantly denigrate each other. (Nor will it happen when members

November 19, 2015

Christian Standard

Race, Unity Topics at Stone-Campbell Dialogue

On Nov. 14 about 90 attended a daylong seminar titled “Addressing Race and Racism Within the Church and Society” at Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, MD. Sponsored by the Stone-Campbell Dialogue, and partnering with the Racial Unity Leadership Summit, the event shared insights on how to develop sustainable steps for greater racial unity and justice. The event was the centerpiece of this year”s annual meeting of the Stone-Campbell Dialogue. The Dialogue continued Nov. 15 with debriefing and planning among 17 members of the Dialogue”s national team, followed by a unity Communion service that evening, hosted by Westside Church of Christ, Baltimore,

December 16, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

A Moving Decision

By Mark A. Taylor The Disciples of Christ Historical Society has decided to move its archive from the T.W. Phillips Memorial Archives building in Nashville, Tennessee, to a college or seminary affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. Dr. Todd Adams, interim president, said the Society”s directors plan to choose a place in March; actually preparing the archive to move could take three years, he said. A press release distributed in November explained the move, saying, “there are insufficient funds to maintain both an archive and the T.W. Phillips Memorial Library building.” Adams, associate general minister and vice president with the Disciples,

October 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Diverse, Dynamic, and Difficult to Summarize

By Mark A. Taylor Suppose you were asked to summarize the current condition of Christian churches and churches of Christ to an interested but largely uninformed audience. That was my assignment at the Sunday-evening worship service sponsored by the Stone-Campbell Dialogue in Austin, Texas, October 5. As I reported in this space last week, I was one of three speakers, each with a similar assignment; the others spoke, respectively, about the a cappella churches of Christ and the Christian Church/Disciples of Christ. Realizing that no one in our group can represent the whole group and no one can know everything

October 14, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Sowing Seeds of Unity

By Mark A. Taylor Two weekends ago (October 5, 6, 2014) I attended the 19th annual gathering of the Stone-Campbell Dialogue, this year in Abilene, Texas. It was a wonderful gathering! I had the privilege of preaching at the Minter Lane Church of Christ before the Dialogue convened, and I enjoyed rich fellowship with members and leaders of all three “streams” of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. The goal of the Dialogue is to foster understanding, trust, and partnership among these “streams”: the Christian churches/churches of Christ (my group); the traditionally a cappella churches of Christ; and the Christian Church (Disciples

April 19, 2013

Christian Standard

Interview with Jon Keck

By Paul Boatman   Jon Keck is a staff pastor with First Christian Church, Decatur, Illinois, a once-dwindling traditional church affiliated with the Disciples of Christ that has turned around to become a thriving Evangelical congregation.   Introduce us to First Christian Church of Decatur. This is a growing church that gathers 1,000 Christians each weekend to worship Jesus. We date back to 1833 and have been historically affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. As changes evolved in the Disciples of Christ, we became an autonomous Christian church affiliated with the Disciple Heritage Fellowship. We are growing at the rate

December 9, 2012

Christian Standard

The Passion of Barton Stone

By Jim Tune Barton Warren Stone was one of the foremost leaders for religious freedom on the western frontier during the first half of the 19th century. He led a movement with goals many—including me—are still pursuing today. Barton Stone was born in Maryland in 1772 and as a boy decided to become a preacher. At age 19 he was ordained a minister in the Presbyterian church. In 1801, Stone moved to Cane Ridge, Kentucky. As he took up his preaching ministry, he discovered that some of the things he read in his Bible seemed inconsistent with the strong Calvinist

October 22, 2012

Christian Standard

Africa and Afghanistan, Ethics and Unity

By LeRoy Lawson Say You”re One of Them Uwem Akpan New York: Little Brown and Company, 2008 The Places in Between Rory Stewart Orlando: Harvest Original/Harcourt, 2004 Just Ministry: Professional Ethics for Pastoral Ministers Richard M. Gula Mahwah: Paulist Press, 2010 The History of the Open Forum on the Mission of the Church 1983″“2009 John Mills Middleburg Heights: Open Forum/Southwest Christian Church, 2011 Oprah”s Book Club is not my usual source to find a good read. Not that good books aren”t there. It”s just that my interests and her recommendations haven”t often jibed. That is, until now. Or until 2009,

August 11, 2012

Christian Standard

Thousands Meet in Brazil for World Convention

Almost 4,000 Christians from around the world met in Goiania, Brazil, for fellowship, worship, preaching, and learning at the 18th Global Gathering of the World Convention, July 25-28. Plenary speakers from Brazil, the United States, Australia, Ghana, and Portugal gave challenging lessons focused on the theme of “Sharing the Love that Unites.” Ken Young, along with singers and musicians from the United States and Brazil, led heartfelt praise to God in song. Teachers from eight countries led workshops on the Bible, Christian history, and worldwide ministries. This was the first gathering to be held in what is called the Global

November 30, 2011

Christian Standard

We Are a Worldwide Movement

By Gary Holloway The world is coming to Goiânia, Brazil, July 25-29, 2012! The churches in Goiânia, a vibrant growing city in Brazil, are hosting a global gathering of Christians in the Christian churches/churches of Christ”“Disciples of Christ family. These global gatherings occur every four years under the leadership of the World Convention. Did you know we had a World Convention? For 80 years, God has worked through the World Convention to connect Christians, Disciples, and churches of Christ globally every day. Stories of recent connections through the World Convention include: “¢ A Kenyan minister, greatly discouraged by his experiences

November 23, 2011

Christian Standard

Biblical Interpretation in the Restoration Movement

By Mark Weedman The history of the Restoration Movement is diverse and complex, and summarizing it is necessarily difficult. But some general patterns do emerge, and we can use those patterns to gain an overview of how followers of the Restoration Movement have approached biblical interpretation. Three moments in that history stand out as especially important in shaping how Thomas and Alexander Campbell and their followers would interpret the Bible. The first was the appearance of Thomas Campbell”s Declaration and Address, a seminal document that established the movement”s governing plea. The second moment was a debate between Isaac Errett and

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