Articles for tag: Discipleship Process

November 1, 2011

By Matt Bortmess Why does it have to be so complicated? Because I crave simplicity in my life and my ministry, this is a question I find myself wrestling with more and more these days. My life has become so complex. Sixteen years into our marriage, now with four kids and a dog, my wife and I are finding a busy calendar crammed with appointments, ball games, birthday parties, school events, and . . . the list goes on and on. Add to that a church calendar filled with meetings, studies, and luncheons, and I”m presented with so many choices

May 31, 2009

Christian Standard

Book Reviews Reviews

Simple Church: Returning to God”s Process for Making Disciples

An Overview of “Simple Church” by David Ray “Tis the gift to be simple, Â “tis the gift to be free, Â “tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right,Â It will be in the valley of love and delight.1Â Â If today”s church leaders were to tell the truth, many would admit they arenotÂ “in the place just right,” because most churches have become anything but “simple,” and the stress in leading them is nothing like finding yourself in any “valley of love and delight.” Why? Because churches have

May 31, 2009

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Growth

Clearing the Clutter: An Honest Conversation with a Church in Process

Â By Krista Petty What”s it like to be in the middle of the Simple Church process? Matt Bortmess, senior associate minister at Rochester (Illinois) Christian Church, is reading and discussing Simple Church with staff and leaders. They are halfway through the book and already seeing that the tough work is not reading the book, but applying its principles and taking action. Â Â What is it like being in the Simple Church process? Matt: We are learning we have more focus now than five years ago. However, the focus has not been clearly refined or defined. We have a

December 7, 2008

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Church Pursues More Active Partnerships

By Janie Mehaffey READ THE MAIN ARTICLE: “Nurturing Missions Partnerships” by Janie Mehaffey Â Â Â Â Â About six years ago, First Christian Church of Canton, Ohio, dismantled its missions board. The church is passionate about pursuing active partnerships, so it wanted to shift decision making and relationship building beyond one team by taking a more universal approach to missions giving. The church now supports endeavors that allow the entire congregation to serve alongside the missionaries it financially supports. During the time of this transition, Joe Franz served as executive pastor of community impact with First Christian. He says the

July 4, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Planting

Interview with Jim Putman

By Brad Dupray Jim Putman planted Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho, nine years ago with a vision of a church whose relationships would exhibit the same passion as those of New Testament Christians. Real Life has grown to weekend attendance of 8,500, with 7,600 people involved in small groups each week””all in a town of 17,000 and a county of 120,000. Jim was a three-time All-American wrestler in college and he holds degrees from Boise State University and Boise Bible College. He and his wife, Lori, have been married 20 years and are the proud parents of three