Articles for tag: Effective Elders

January 7, 2018

Gary L. Johnson

The Solution to Our Money Problem

By Gary L. Johnson With his transmission, “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” astronaut Jack Swigert rather understatedly signaled to Mission Control on April 14, 1970, that there was an emergency. An explosion onboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft threatened the lives of three astronauts and NASA’s mission to the moon. We must declare that we also have a real problem. A serious one. It involves something that affects all of us—money. Money impacts every person every day, from putting gas in the car to food on the table. Many people struggle with money-related issues. Bills can’t be paid. Budgets go unfunded.

November 24, 2017

Christian Standard

Don”t Drop the Baton

By Gary Johnson Mission: Impossible was one of my favorite television shows as a child. At the start of each episode, agent Jim Phelps would locate a hidden reel-to-reel tape recorder and would play a message describing an “impossible” assignment for his team. Each week, Phelps had a choice to make: “Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it . . .” As elders, we have a mission that we must accept. The mission has everything to do with reaching the next generation for Christ. Most of us have children and grandchildren who need Christ. If we lead by

September 16, 2017

Christian Standard

The Engine that Powers Our Progress

The Vital Difference Between a Church that Prays and a Praying Church By Derek Dickinson I thought planting a new congregation in Fairbanks, Alaska, was a terrible idea. The winters are brutal. It occasionally hits 50 degrees below zero! In the winter, it”s a place of darkness, with only four hours of sunlight per day. This “terrible idea” wasn”t mine, thankfully, but God”s. I was so opposed to planting a congregation here that I fasted from all solid foods for 30 days on two occasions and prayed that I could plant somewhere else. But God”s answer was clear: I was to be

August 27, 2017

Jerry Harris

The NACC: Identity, Inspiration, and Ideas

By Jerry Harris Three words describe the core of the mission of the North American Christian Convention: identity, inspiration, and ideas. The convention has been crucial to the unity and vibrancy of the independent Christian church since its inception in 1927. The 2017 NACC in Kansas City, Missouri, June 27-29, was the first time I was tasked with setting up and manning a booth instead of just attending the NACC as a pastor of a local church. Even before the convention started, I was surrounded by many people critical to our fellowship. Identity As my wife and I checked in

August 26, 2017

Christian Standard

Lead a Church Worth Imitating!

By Gary L. Johnson I remember the moment as if it happened yesterday. It was December 1966 and I was in the fifth grade. My teacher announced to the class that Walt Disney had died. Little did we know that a dream of Disney had died with him. Disney dreamed of building an “experimental prototype community of tomorrow” in the swampland of central Florida. It would be an ideal urban center””with businesses, schools, city parks, factories, shopping centers, athletic venues, beautiful homes, and even churches. Disney believed urban areas could be purposefully built and developed to serve as models for

July 1, 2016

Michael C. Mack

Watching for Signs of Church Health

By Michael C. Mack The principles doctors use to diagnose health in our physical bodies are similar to those we can use in our congregations. Certain characteristics in the life of a church tell us that the church is healthy and thriving. A void of these characteristics would tell us the church needs attention and treatment. Let”™s examine a couple of church health issues that are always important. The Unity of the Congregation: The unity of a church is critical to its health. Disunity within the body brings division, strife, and risk the church won”™t fulfill its mission. If points

May 1, 2015

Christian Standard

Roadcup”s Top Five Discipleship Resources

By Michael C. Mack David Roadcup has contributed to four books on biblical eldership and speaks often on the topic (see more information about the ministry effective elders at e2elders.org). Here are five resources Roadcup recommends for anyone who is involved in discipleship: 1. As Iron Sharpens Iron: Building Character in a Mentoring Relationship, Howard and William Hendricks 2. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Richard J. Foster 3. Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald 4. Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time, Greg Ogden 5. Life to Life Discipleship: Deepening Youth through Mentoring and Accountability

June 18, 2014

Christian Standard

Interview with Gary Johnson

By Paul Boatman   Gary Johnson serves as lead pastor/elder with The Creek, formerly Indian Creek Christian Church, in Indianapolis, Indiana.   How has your approach to God been altered over the years? Growing up, I went to church week after week without ever realizing that one could have a personal walk with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. I was following a religion, not pursuing a relationship. Leah”s family introduced me to a relationship with Jesus.   And has your approach to Christian leadership changed too? About 15 years ago I went through a period of deep introspection. We

March 31, 2013

Christian Standard

Shared Secrets for Ministers, Useful Advice for Elders

By LeRoy Lawson   Open Secrets: A Memoir of Faith and Discovery Richard Lischer New York: Broadway Books, 2001 Answer His Call (2009) Reflect His Character (2009) Lead His Church (2010) Enjoy His People (2011) Jim Estep, David Roadcup, and Gary Johnson Joplin: College Press The Healthy Elder: Vital Signs of a Strong Leader Jim Estep, David Roadcup, and Gary Johnson e2 Effective Elders, 2012 Effective Elders: What Every Elder Should Know””a digital curriculum (CD/DVD combo) Jim Estep, Gary Johnson, and David Roadcup e2 Effective Elders  A colleague recently asked for recommendations for articles or books on the subject of

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