Articles for tag: Eddie Lowen

October 27, 2014

Christian Standard

Critics Calling

By Eddie Lowen My family keeps in touch almost exclusively by text message, so only a small percentage of our communication is by phone call. But when my wife or children do call me, I nearly always answer. If I”m in a meeting or a conversation, I excuse myself to take the call.  Years ago, I allowed those calls to go to voicemail because I wanted to be “professional” in my work. I later concluded that was a misplaced priority. I”ve decided it”s more important to be a reliable husband and dad than a perfect employee, so I always answer

August 29, 2014

Christian Standard

How Are Things at Home?

By Eddie Lowen Why are you serving on that board or with that mission? How do you decide when it”s better to say no? Have you ever heard the wife of a construction contractor brag about all the work her husband does around the house? Neither have I. Normally, Mrs. Contractor complains, “My husband does amazing improvements on other people”s houses, but it”s like pulling teeth to get him to work on our home.” Some churches have a similar dynamic. Here”s how it develops: a capable minister does good work and establishes a positive reputation. He is asked by parachurch

August 19, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Lead On, Lead Up, Lead Now

By Mark A. Taylor No group will understand or fulfill its mission without a leader sounding the charge and setting the example. Eddie Lowen and I talked about this during my Beyond the Standard interview with him July 31. Churches need to be led, he said, and led by leaders with high integrity. We could say the same for school boards, corporations, or the government of any nation. But our experience with bad leadership in all of those environments may be one reason some are suspicious of leaders in the church. Can we find a leader more interested in his

July 9, 2014

Christian Standard

Mind My Speak

By Eddie Lowen (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received.”) “Always speak your mind.” That”s the worst advice I”ve ever received. Buried beneath the rubble caused by this axiom, there is a bit of noble instruction: be honest and transparent. There are times when “a word aptly spoken” (Proverbs 25:11, NIV, 1984) is refreshing and important. A bold word of truth can turn a conversation or decision or life in the right direction.  However, people who announce, “I”m an open book,” or, “You always know where I stand,” are often belligerent people in search of justification

July 1, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Download Our New Free App Today!

By Mark A. Taylor When CHRISTIANS STANDARD”s print edition converted from weekly to monthly distribution almost two years ago, some potential subscribers said, “I”d read every issue””on my iPad.” Well, now they can. The new, free CHRISTIANS STANDARD app is available today for every smartphone and tablet, and we think you should download it today. (Search for “Christian Standard” at the Apple Newsstand, Google Play, or Amazon apps.) When you try the app, you”ll discover: “¢ A wealth of free content. The whole July issue is there! Plus a valuable compilation of “Ministry Today” columns by regular columnists Tim Harlow

June 22, 2014

Christian Standard

Confessions of a Mission Statement Cynic

By Eddie Lowen I would not trade””for anything””the experience of seeing what happened with our team when we united around the words of our vision and mission. For a long time, I was a skeptic and contrarian regarding church mission statements. To my eye, nearly all were synonymous, so why bother? Besides, isn”t the church”s mission already expressed in Scripture? Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost. He commissioned his followers to preach the good news to everyone. His words are clear and compelling. Best of all, using the words of Jesus does not require several days

May 29, 2014

Christian Standard

Why Jesus Wouldn”t Work for Your Church

By Eddie Lowen We both know I can”t really speak for Jesus. But you have to admit””my title makes a compelling claim, and for the moment, I stand by it. If Jesus had to suffer being an employee at many churches, there would be more than one table-throwing incident credited to him. Before you conclude I”m one of those hipster church haters, wait. I don”t hang with that crowd. People who love the church more than me are tough to find. I even loved the church during the mauve-colored pew era, but that”s a theme for another article. Do you

April 25, 2014

Christian Standard

Ministry Confidential

By Eddie Lowen “Can I speak to you, confidentially?” A church leader is asked some form of this question at least several times a year. Normally it comes from within the church, but it can also be voiced by nonattendees. For relationally gifted leaders with a pastoral bent, requests for confidential conversations are more frequent. The most important response to a request for confidentiality is the initial one. Many church leaders feel an ethical or pastoral obligation to grant the request without qualification. With no clue about what will be reported or confessed, many church leaders indiscriminately reply by saying,

March 14, 2014

Christian Standard

Which Do You Perceive as the Bigger Danger? . . .

By Darrel Rowland Which do you perceive as the bigger danger: Christian churches and churches of Christ being overly exclusive and thus missing out on opportunities for real service and growth available by greater interaction with other Christian groups, . . . or brotherhood churches losing their scriptural distinctive, especially on baptism and weekly observance of the Lord”s Supper, by interacting with other Christian groups? Bob Russell, Retired minister, Louisville, Kentucky Twenty-five years ago I would have answered that the greater danger was that we were too exclusive””we isolated ourselves too much. Today I think the greater danger is we

March 13, 2014

Christian Standard

The Christians Only Challenge

By Darrel Rowland Most of us love this old Restoration Movement slogan: “We are not the only Christians, but Christians only.” But Christian leaders from across the country contacted by CHRISTIAN STANDARD all wrestle with big-picture questions about what overarching principles flow from the adage. Most generally agree with Bob Russell, retired senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, about what to do when invited to attend or speak at an event outside the immediate fellowship. “I will go anywhere as long as I”m not restricted in what I can say or my presence doesn”t leave the impression

February 11, 2014

Christian Standard

Leaders Will

By Eddie Lowen   I”ve come to a surprising realization about all the churches where my friends and family lead: they all are healthy. In fact, many of these churches are outright thriving! Statistically, that reality is striking because research suggests the majority of churches are in decline, spiritually and numerically. Yet, among my close connections, I can”t think of anyone who presides over a dying or wilting church. And I think I know at least one reason why. Because we are fallen, individually and corporately, the tendency of a church is toward decline. My friends” and family”s churches defy that propensity because,

January 30, 2014

Christian Standard

Getting Involved

By Jennifer Johnson Like many churches, West Side Christian Church (Springfield, IL) constantly needs volunteers. Unlike many churches, West Side recently focused an entire weekend on creatively and intentionally connecting people with ministry opportunities””and today 50 percent of their adults serve at church in some way. “The volunteering emphasis was part of our “˜Cannonball” initiative, which shared our vision for what God”s calling us to as a church and challenged people to go “˜all in” with their faith,” says Melissa Sandel, director of ministries. Sandel and her team focused on removing barriers and making it as easy as possible for

July 14, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Melissa Sandel

MELISSA SANDEL Director of ministries, West Side Christian Church, Springfield, Illinois Five years ago, the growth of West Side Christian Church”s staff required that I expand the senior staff leadership team. I hope timing isn”t everything, because I promoted Melissa Sandel to director of ministries on April 1, 2008. Melissa jokes that her role is the world”s longest-running April Fools” Day prank! Melissa was only 26 years old when promoted from small groups director to senior staff. Her initial challenge was to supervise a diverse ministry staff, including employees whose tenures began when she was a child. While many leaders

June 17, 2013

Christian Standard

Keepers

By Eddie Lowen   When staff members demonstrate these qualities, hang on to them. “Would you hire him again?” The question was asked by the lead pastor of a faraway church who was deep into the process of hiring away one of our ministers. After I answered, there was an awkward pause, and then he asked, “Are you serious?” Hiring staff is an intimidating responsibility for senior leaders of churches. While there aren”t many horrible people in ministry, there are plenty you don”t want. They survive by knowing how to talk a good game. So, be afraid””be very afraid””afraid enough, at

April 20, 2013

Christian Standard

Lessons from a Fat Wallet

By Eddie Lowen Not long ago, removing my wallet from my pants pocket became difficult. That”s a good thing, right? On Subway restaurants” TV commercial, a thick wallet is evidence of frugal spending and increasing net worth. Dave Ramsey likes fat wallets. However, my wallet was gaining girth from items other than legal tender and dead presidents. Membership cards were to blame. Multiple membership cards. Some were plastic, others card stock. I emptied my wallet and discovered nearly a dozen membership cards to seemingly every organization in our city and beyond. A sampling of my memberships includes: Sam”s Club, which

February 24, 2013

Christian Standard

When Things Go Well

By Eddie Lowen When church leaders need to crack a code or solve a problem, help is everywhere. Books, blogs, coaches, conferences, e-zines, and webinars are so plentiful that the trick is no longer accessing information, but evaluating and organizing it. And there”s help for those tasks, too (there”s always an app for that). If you need a strategy that fits your vision, you can find it. If you face a mystery, someone can help solve it. If you need an expert who specializes in evangelizing 38.5-year-old suburban males who work in financial services and eat their cereal with tablespoons,

December 3, 2012

Christian Standard

Four Verses for Four Purses: a Teaching Outline About Giving

Fiscal health is a strength of the church I serve. A reason for this is how we challenge people to give. This article is a sample teaching outline for pastors on the theme of giving. For more help, contact me through the church website, www.wschurch.org, or via Twitter @EddieLowen. By Eddie Lowen Some contemporary innovations are nothing short of incredible: High-definition television has made football and golf so much more enjoyable to watch. GPS (global positioning system) navigation has transformed travel. When did you last see someone with a folding map? Smartphones are amazing (my iPhone 5 came today!). I

October 12, 2012

Christian Standard

Exploring Authentic Manhood: Find This Book and Read It! (Part 8)

By Eddie Lowen   Man Alive: Transforming Your Seven Primal Needs into a Powerful Spiritual Life Patrick Morley Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2012 Several people who narrowly escaped the collapse of the World Trade Center towers 11 years ago credited their safety to “a man wearing a red bandana.” The man approached several bewildered people and said, “Follow me. I can help you get out.” He carried one woman on his back down 17 flights of stairs. When the rubble was cleared from where Tower One once stood, the body of a young man wearing a red bandana was found among the bodies

August 29, 2012

Christian Standard

Surprise!

By Eddie Lowen On my 30th birthday, a sweet woman from the church I served interrupted the close of the worship service. She walked up the center aisle holding a large birthday cake decorated with my name in icing. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday.” It was a very kind gesture and, looking back, it was a harmless moment, perhaps even helpful. At the time, however, I didn”t like it. Why? I don”t like surprises””especially during the worship service! Since that birthday surprise, I”ve learned that minimizing surprises is feasible, but eliminating surprises is impossible. When you throw hundreds (or thousands) of

June 24, 2012

Christian Standard

What Would Bubba Do?

By Eddie Lowen I”m on the Bubba Bandwagon. This year”s Masters golf tournament concluded on Easter Sunday when a professional golfer named Bubba Watson hit an ultraremarkable winning shot from a grove of pine trees. “Bubba” is a surprising name for a Masters champion, but it”s better than being named “Boo.” Boo Weekley is a fellow pro who, ironically, hails from the same small Florida town as Bubba. Bubba and Boo””they sound like characters from the History Channel reality show Swamp People. But they have become to professional golf what the Blue Collar guys are to comedy. Trust me, their

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