Articles for tag: Economy

September 22, 2020

Kent E. Fillinger

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

August 14, 2016

Christian Standard

Why Them?

By Jennifer Johnson In her memoir Lit, Mary Karr quotes her father speaking about the well-off: “Born on third base, . . . and they think they hit a home run.” I was born on second base, at least, and when I was a kid the game was black and white. People who don”t have jobs should get them, if you”re a responsible and hard-working person you will be able to afford a place to live, and only those with lesser character would need a hand up or a handout. I never heard things put so starkly by my parents,

May 8, 2015

Christian Standard

A Clean Break (1 Corinthians 11:20-23)

By Neal Windham Corinth is a beautiful city. Set on an isthmus dividing the Adriatic and Aegean seas, it was frequented by mariners avoiding the more treacherous waters of the Mediterranean in Paul”s day. As a result, it was a popular destination, well populated, and with a thriving economy. Remains of its stunning temple to Apollo stand in ruins to this very day, silently testifying to a distinctively pagan past. Little wonder that Paul had such a tough time with this church. It seems they were attempting to make the break with pagan society as slight as they possibly could.

July 23, 2014

Christian Standard

Hidden in a Field

By Jim Tune In 1989, the movie Field of Dreams was a blockbuster hit. Kevin Costner played Ray Kinsella, a 37-year-old man who always played it safe. He had never done a spontaneous thing in his life until hearing a voice one day that said, “If you build it, he will come.” After hearing the phrase several more times, he asked other farmers if they heard similar voices. Eventually Ray saw a vision of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson walking out of his cornfield. In the vision, Ray”s cornfield was transformed into a baseball diamond. When he actually “builds” a baseball field,

September 8, 2012

Christian Standard

Giving Up!

By Alan Ahlgrim Picture this: Your church launches a new campus with a state-of-the-art, 70,000-square-foot building on 30 acres””just before the economy implodes in the greatest recession most of us have experienced. Meanwhile you are fighting for the church”s life in a lawsuit that costs you $2 million to win. This creates a loss of momentum that results in staff reductions and the departure of many members to another congregation nearby. What do you do in such a situation? Alan Ahlgrim, pastor of Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Colorado, faced all those challenges and more. As he shares in this

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: A Year in Review

By Kent Fillinger Studies, books, and articles that examine high-performing or fast-growing churches abound, and each one seeks to uncover the reasons for their success. The same is true in the business world. Successful companies frequently are profiled in an attempt to ascertain the secrets of their greatness. Recent research from the business world demonstrates that “the “˜great” companies . . . are mostly just lucky.”1 A study of 287 high-performing companies in 13 major success studies showed “that only about one in four of those firms was likely to be remarkable; the rest were indistinguishable from mediocre firms catching

April 11, 2010

Christian Standard

Megachurches: The First 100 Days

By Kent Fillinger In business and in politics, much is made of a leader”s first 100 days in a new role. With 25 years of ministry experience, Gene Appel had a plan as he transitioned from Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago to Eastside Christian Church in Southern California on October 1, 2008. Appel”s plan was simple: focus on getting to know his new staff, their strengths, and the key influencers in the church; preach well; and prepare for a fantastic Christmas. Catalytic Appel really wanted Eastside”s Christmas services to be a catalytic energizer for the church. In those

November 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Three Sides of Community Ministry

By John Sloper It”s the economy . . . well, maybe. At Broadway Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona, three separate ministries to help the economically disadvantaged are in place, and two of them began meeting needs long before the current economic downturn. Each has been responding to real needs on the east side of the Valley of the Sun in Arizona. Food Box Begun in the 1980s (its emphasis at first was clothing exchange), the Food Box Ministry has continued to grow and assisted almost 400 families in July 2009 (almost 1,500 individuals). The need has grown dramatically in the

April 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Exciting Times, Hopeful Times, Times to Be a Blessing

By Mark A. Taylor I was visiting with a seasoned minister at a leadership meeting not long ago. As is usual these days, talk went to the difficult economy. But he quickly said, “This is really a time of great opportunity for the church,” squelching any negative comment I might have made. “Oh, yes, of course,” I answered. And then I thought about our Get Your Hands Dirty emphasis this year and all the stories we”re running about churches making a difference in their communities and with those in need around the world. I was a little sheepish he had

April 5, 2009

Christian Standard

Which “˜E” has Priority? Economy or Evangelism?

By Mike Schrage Economy or evangelism””which has our attention, and which is our priority as reflected by our calendars and checkbooks? In the past 14 months, I”ve had the opportunity to see God”s people in action in Bosnia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Mali, Uganda, and Sudan. The needs are astounding in every place, in every way. Life is difficult, and the challenge of living a godly life in some of these countries is outright dangerous! Yet Christian people are there working, serving, and evangelizing. The church is making inroads in these hard areas, but more resources are needed. And in Africa, the

March 18, 2009

Christian Standard

Our Money Can Point People to Jesus

By Mark A. Taylor In a day when physical needs are multiplying and some non-Christians ridicule or distrust the church, extravagant giving by Christians is sure to get attention. So it”s no surprise that Waterfront Community Church in Schaumburg, Illinois, has received national coverage. The church gives away each week”s offering! (See this week’s “Buzz.”) But the church didn”t begin the practice to get publicity. According to “servant of pastoral care” Jim Semradek, Waterfront”s strategy is simply to point people to Jesus. In an interview on K-LOVE radio, he said, “Money is a tremendous vehicle to help people consider God.”

September 28, 2008

Christian Standard

The Earth Is the Lord’s?

By Robert F. Hull Jr. “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it” (Psalm 24:1, New Revised Standard Version). How do we understand such an exclusive claim? What does it mean that you and I can hold title to a piece of property, when the whole earth belongs to God? What are my obligations of stewardship for the half-acre on which my house sits, and what are our common obligations to the earth that sustains all living things? COME HOME Come home with me. When native Appalachians who have

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