Articles for tag: Doctrine

September 1, 2021

Megan Rawlings

Megan Rawlings

5 Ministry Lessons (to Save You from Heartache)

All Christians are called to ministry, and the place of that ministry is not always behind a pulpit. For example, my sister’s ministry is to serve new brides by helping them pick their wedding dress. This might seem like a silly thing to call a ministry, but it involves much more than a dress. When she works with a bride, she listens to their desires and makes them feel comfortable. More than that—my sister is helping the brides feel beautiful in their own skin. She tells them of their worth because they are created in the image of God. This

March 1, 2021

John Caldwell

What Is Truth?

We’re all familiar with Pilate’s question of Jesus, “What is truth?” He was responding to Jesus’ statement, “For this purpose I have been born . . . to testify to the truth” (John 18:37-38). In context, I believe Pilate was mostly being sarcastic, though with a shred of genuine curiosity. Pilate was raised in a pagan society that worshiped Caesar as God during a time of many opposing philosophies. In that day, people did not recognize absolute truth. In other words, it was in many regards much like today, a day when the notion of truth has become controversial. A

March 1, 2021

Michael C. Mack

‘Truth Is Something to Be Done’

Truth is personal to me. In my mid-twenties, I went on a journey seeking answers to the paramount questions, “What is truth and where can I find it?” My search took me on a logic-based study of various religions, spiritual beliefs, and systems of thought . . . and eventually led me to Jesus. In him I found the answers that nothing else in the world could provide. “What is truth?” is the foundational question for Christian faith, apologetics, and preaching. It’s especially important in today’s cultural climate in which the question has morphed to “Is there really any such

November 1, 2020

Mark Scott

Lesson for Nov. 8, 2020: Appoint Godly Leaders (Titus 1:5-11)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the November 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “Blame the Leaders?” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Nov. 8, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Consider the importance of godly leadership in the church. ________ By Mark Scott Traditionally, this past Tuesday has been the day Americans would go to the polls to vote for national and local leaders. By

September 28, 2020

Mark Scott

Lesson for Oct. 4, 2020: Teach (1 Timothy 4:6-16)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the October 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “Are We Making Progress?” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Oct. 4, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Teach, by example and word, to save people. ________ By Mark Scott When public ministry and private life are out of sync, we call that hypocrisy. Paul called Timothy to make sure these two

May 17, 2020

C. Robert Wetzel

The Boy with the Odd-Shaped Head

By C. Robert Wetzel Crew cuts were popular among boys in the late 1940s. What distinguished them from today’s short haircuts was that the closely cropped hair of the crew cut had to stand straight up. This necessitated at least two occasions of special care. It took a bit of thick hair gel to achieve vertical status, and a weekly trip to the barber to ensure the perfect shape. Hence all through high school, I made my Saturday visit to Charlie’s Barber Shop in Hugoton, Kansas, to nurture this dubious bit of fashion. I think I must have been about

May 17, 2020

Jerry Harris

10 Foundation Stones of the Church—No. 2: Authority

By Jerry Harris A 2019 Pew Research Center study reveals that Americans’ attitudes about institutional authority are dropping like a rock. People are losing their trust in government, elected officials, education, journalism, health care, business, law enforcement, science, the military, and yes, religion. The younger we are, the less trust in institutions we have. This lack of trust bleeds down into its most basic form . . . trust in each other. Interestingly, most everyone knows this needs to be reversed and believes it can be reversed—they just don’t know how. The thing is, authority is essential for anything to

March 15, 2020

Gary L. Johnson

Resurrection Sunday: A Way to Live

By Gary L. Johnson Several important American holidays are for the purpose of remembering. Memorial Day is set aside so we can remember our war dead, whereas Veterans Day is for remembering the men and women who served in our nation’s military. A grand remembrance happens every July 4 as we celebrate our nation’s independence. We have religious holidays—Christmas and Easter—to remember the birth of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead. Yet, Easter is more than a holiday marked with ham dinners and Easter egg hunts. It’s more than a day to fill baskets with candy and churches with

August 2, 2019

Michael C. Mack

Two Interviews, Two Brothers, One Passion for Making Disciples

By Michael C. Mack I had the privilege to interview Robert Coleman in his home in Wilmore, Kentucky, for our August 2019 issue. It took me back to when I interviewed his brother Lyman Coleman—founder of Serendipity House, compiler and editor of the Serendipity Bible for Groups, and widely known for being a pioneer in the small group movement in the United States—for a cover story in The Lookout in 1993. Robert described Lyman as his “best friend for all these years.” The brothers worked together many times, and each of their ministries often benefited the other’s. For instance, Robert

May 22, 2019

Christian Standard

We Believe the Bible Is True

By Johnny Pressley The B-I-B-L-E Yes, that’s the book for me I stand alone on the Word of God The B-I-B-L-E The apostle Paul encouraged his associate Timothy with a reminder of the strong faith passed on to him by his grandmother Lois and his mother, Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). “From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures” (2 Timothy 3:15). Many of us surely appreciate the godly men and women who nurtured us in the faith. They not only taught us Scripture, they inspired us with respect and trust for the Bible as the Word of God, even in

May 22, 2019

Michael C. Mack

Moving Past the Silence: How Can We Actually Restore New Testament Christianity?

By Michael C. Mack “Have we to any great extent restored New Testament Christianity?” Christian Standard editor Burris Butler asked that intriguing question 65 years ago . . .  and we’re still asking it today. Butler’s assessment of the situation in 1954 may seem harsh. He said, A big eloquent silence is the kindest answer we can give to this question. Here and there a life thoroughly committed to the Son of God has shone out like a bright light in the darkness. Now and then a local congregation has given a hint of its spiritual potentialities. But on the

May 22, 2019

Christian Standard

We Believe Jesus Is Lord

By John Caldwell The first song I ever learned was “Jesus Loves Me.” The first Bible verse I memorized was John 3:16. I preached my first sermon on that same text; it lasted 10 minutes. When I began my ministry with the infant Kingsway Christian Church, my first sermon was simply entitled “Jesus.” When I retired from that ministry 36 years later, my sermon was “It’s Still Jesus.” If you call me a “Jesus freak,” I’ll consider it a badge of honor. But who is this Jesus? The answer to that question is more important than anything else. Jesus raised

May 22, 2019

Christian Standard

We Believe in the Supernatural

By David Faust TV sportscaster Al Michaels uttered one of the most memorable lines in broadcasting history during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. As America’s young hockey team skated toward a 4-3 win over the heavily-favored Soviet squad, Michaels blurted out, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” An underdog victory in a sporting event doesn’t compare to parting the Red Sea, but if someone asks, “Do you believe in the miracles described in the Bible?” my answer is a resounding yes! Churches devoted to Restoration Movement ideals such as “where the Bible speaks, we speak,” give that same

January 29, 2019

Christian Standard

Ravi and Me

By Jack Cottrell Several years ago Ravi Zacharias and I were on the same program. Ravi accepted an invitation to speak at Cincinnati Christian University on April 29, 2014. He spoke twice, once in morning chapel and once for an evening banquet. About three weeks before the event, the school president, David Faust, sent me a request that said, in part, “As part of the program prior to Ravi’s speech in the evening, I would like to interview you briefly about the ongoing relevance of apologetics, especially as it relates to our work at CCU. . . . If you

December 6, 2018

Christian Standard

Our Plea Restated

– Dec. 12, 1903 –   In “‘Our Position’ Revisited,” from the June 2018 issue, Jerry Harris summarized Isaac Errett’s “Our Position” editorial from 1872. Harris then wrote: I have always heard the term “Restoration plea,” but outside of this work by Isaac Errett, I couldn’t find any good explanation of its meaning besides the quoting of our mottoes or references to the writings of some of the great pioneers of our movement. As Alexander Campbell’s protégé and the original publisher and editor of Christian Standard, I think it’s important to study Errett’s writings on “Our Position.” That’s one reason

November 29, 2018

Christian Standard

Remembering Hugh McDiarmid, Standard’s Second Editor

At this magazine, we speak often of Isaac Errett, our founding editor. So far as I am aware, his name has appeared in each issue of the magazine since the beginning in April 1866. Can anyone name the editor who succeeded Errett? Anyone? Anyone? Arron Chambers provided the answer—Hugh McDiarmid—in “Lifting Up Jesus,” an article about the magazine’s editors for our 150th anniversary issue (April 2016). But Arron provided only this brief description: Errett’s successor was Hugh McDiarmid (June 10, 1837—August 15, 1901); he served as editor from 1888–92. McDiarmid was born in Kent County, Ontario, Canada. Some information about

September 6, 2018

Christian Standard

‘Nothing to Offer Except the Book’

CS Archive from September 8, 1923 _ _ _ The lead article in the Sept. 8, 1923, Christian Standard—an issue from 95 years ago—was “The Mission of the Church,” and it carried the subhead, “The Annual ‘President’s Address’ Delivered before the International Convention of Disciples of Christ at Colorado Springs, Col., Sept. 4, 1923.” The article/speech was written and presented by Thomas W. Grafton, minister of Third Church, Indianapolis, Ind., who served as president of that convention. I can’t begin to recap Grafton’s presentation—which ran almost three pages—or to pinpoint nuanced wording that may (or may not) have troubled some

August 13, 2018

Shawn McMullen

The Lookout’s New Scope and Sequence: A Systematic Plan for Studying Through the Bible

By Shawn McMullen But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Paul wrote these words to his protégé Timothy after warning him to be on guard against false

Help Keep Christian Standard Free & Accessible with a Tax Deductible Donation

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Does Your Church Want to Support Christian Standard?

Would your church consider including support for Christian Standard in its annual missions budget? Your support would help us not only continue the 160-year legacy of this unifying ministry, but also expand the free resources, cooperative opportunities, and practical guidance we provide to strengthen churches in the U.S. and around the world.

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Secret Link