Articles for tag: Evangelism

January 22, 2016

Christian Standard

Evangelical Warning, Improbable Convert, Uncommon Ministry

By LeRoy Lawson The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash the American Church . . . and How to Prepare John S. Dickerson Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013 Good God, Lousy World, and Me: The Improbable Journey of a Human Rights Activist from Unbelief to Faith Holly Burkhalter New York: Convergent Books, 2013 The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected Nik Ripken Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2013 John Dickerson”s The Great Evangelical Recession is depressing reading. Being told the truth isn”t always an “upper.” This book tells the truth. At least it tells the truth as things stand

December 17, 2015

Christian Standard

Heaven on Earth

By Tim Harlow God has promised us overflowing abundance, immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. And that”s now””we don”t have to wait for Heaven. My life”s mantra is “Heaven to Earth, Earth to Heaven.” I have it tattooed on my arm. I would have a longer mantra, but my arm is rather limited. That our mission is to bring Earth to Heaven is a given. That”s why we”re here. The gospel. Anyone who knows me realizes if I get to talk about one thing, it”s going to be the Great Commission. However, Heaven to Earth is a big part of why God

December 17, 2015

Christian Standard

Pursuing Unity, Revisiting Assumptions, Winning with Winsomeness

By LeRoy Lawson Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart Christena Cleveland Downers Grove: IVP Books/Intervarsity Press, 2013   Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible”s View of Women Sarah Bessey New York: Howard Books, 2013   The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission: Promoting the Gospel with More Than Our Lips John Dickson Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013   Hearing Her Voice: A Biblical Invitation for Women to Preach (Revised Edition) John Dickson Grand Rapids: Zondervan 2012, 2014 I like introducing people to authors I”ve just met. Recently I read three books that made me want to become better

November 12, 2015

Christian Standard

Mobilize and Accelerate

By Mike Schrage Go and make disciples. This 2,000-year-old command from Jesus is just as compelling and encompassing as ever. It”s a command for obedience. It”s a command for commitment. What must we do today to obey the command? Robert Coleman said, “Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we were called to be and do.”1 How”s the American church doing with this command to go and make disciples? Let me share a heart that”s full of concern for the bride of Christ found within our nation”s borders. We”re living in

November 4, 2015

Christian Standard

Listen

By Jim Tune Earlier in my ministry, I viewed evangelism as almost entirely an act of proclamation. Evangelism meant “telling.” It was shaped by modernism and was largely “proof” oriented in its content and approach. A logical argument would be presented following defined lines of traditional apologetic thought. Equipped with the facts and bolstered by books such as Josh McDowell”s Evidence that Demands a Verdict, I could boldly offer “five arguments for the existence of God” or “seven reasons why we can believe that Jesus really did rise from the dead.” The problem with this approach is its reliance on

September 5, 2015

Christian Standard

How Millennials View Work

By Gary Zustiak Did you hear about the young college graduate who was interviewing for his first job? When the HR director asked him what he was looking for, the young man explained that he wished to start at a salary of $100K, be placed in a corner office, and have his own secretary. The HR guy responded by offering to add a matching dollar for dollar to his 401K as well an automobile of his choice, preferably a BMW. He looked at the young man and asked how that sounded. He replied, “Are you kidding me?” The HR guy

August 2, 2015

Christian Standard

Following Jesus on Campus

By Greg Swinney Richard Nixon was president, a first-class postage stamp cost 6 cents, Neil Armstrong said, “That”s one small step for man,” and Gary Hawes began as campus minister at Michigan State University in East Lansing. It was 1969. We spoke with Gary earlier this year, after his 45 years of fruitful labors and nearly 4,000 university students baptized into Christ. How did you decide to enter campus ministry? Who influenced you? It was late in the 1960s and it was a wonderful time to get started in campus ministry. The Jesus movement was really moving. They held an entirely different

July 16, 2015

Mark A. Taylor

A Conversation with Sean Palmer

  Sean Palmer talks about his church, The Vine, in Temple, Texas, and reacts to the predominantly white complexion of the North American Christian Convention. When asked about race relations in America, he answers, “The racial problem is a gospel problem.” In this exclusive interview with Mark A. Taylor, he shares his views on the major obstacle to racial reconciliation in the United States and shares his congregation”s strategy for evangelism: “Spend some time with people who are not like you.” See the interview here.

June 8, 2015

Christian Standard

How to Cope in the Radical Middle

By Ian DiOrio Gone are the days in our society when Christians could hope to occupy a “moral majority.” But two biblical qualities, modeled by Jesus and taught by the apostles, offer us strategies for relating to those unlike ourselves. “United” has become an ironic descriptor for America, for if the United States is anything during the 21st century, it is divided. Divided over power. Who should have it and how should they wield it? Is the shape of society better molded by the masses, or does history show us it best moves forward if a select few wield tremendous influence? Divided over ethics. Are moral truths merely personal restrictions of human activity, like

May 18, 2015

Mark A. Taylor

Finding Your Way Back to God

Interview by Mark A. Taylor Dave Ferguson founded Community Christian Church, Naperville, Illinois, with his brother, Jon, 25 years ago. Finding Your Way Back to God was released March 3, and we talked with them shortly before that about the purpose and their dreams for their new book. (The book is now available at Amazon.com.)   Why write Finding Your Way Back to God? Jon: As many as 92 percent of people who live in the United States would say they believe in God, but research also tells us the majority of those people feel distant or disconnected from God. We sense a

May 17, 2015

Christian Standard

Catch “Em Like a Salmon

By Cathy Mogus When I married Allen, fishing came with the territory. Not only would I enjoy the thrill of hooking salmon off Canada”s west coast, but I would also experience “fishing for people” in ways I never expected. After a dramatic conversion to Christ in 1993, my fisherman husband had a new passion: “catching people” for Jesus. Together we discovered similar rules held true for both kinds of fishing. Here they are. Rule 1: Go Where the Fish Are Allen and his buddies fished for salmon in one area for more than 20 years. But as the fish became

May 15, 2015

Christian Standard

Evangelism for Introverts

By T.R. Robertson Believers want to share their faith. According to a 2013 study by the Barna Group, 73 percent of born-again Christians say it is their personal duty to share their faith. The bad news is, only 52 percent said they had actually done so at least once in the past year.1 Experience tells me many of those Christians don”t share their faith frequently or regularly. That same study breaks down the results by age group, socioeconomic group, and denominational affiliation. I”ve yet to see a study, though, of the frequency of evangelism as it breaks down by personality

May 14, 2015

Jerry Harris

Evangelism Today

By Kent E. Fillinger To learn more about the state of evangelism in our churches, we asked questions of a dozen ministers from churches of all sizes: “¢ David Clark, lead pastor, Central Christian Church, Beloit, Wisconsin “¢ Scott Clevenger, lead pastor, Christ”s Church Camden, Kingsland, Georgia “¢ Doug Dykstra, lead minister, Adventure Christian Church, Tavares, Florida “¢ Tim Harlow, senior pastor, Parkview Christian Church, Orland Park, Illinois “¢ Jerry Harris, senior pastor, The Crossing, Quincy, Illinois “¢ Nathan Head, executive pastor of ministries, Southland Christian Church, Nicholasville, Kentucky “¢ Cal Jernigan, senior pastor, Central Christian Church, Mesa, Arizona “¢

April 24, 2015

Christian Standard

Released to Report

By Cathy Mogus I feel honored to know Stefan Petelycky. The first time I saw the elderly man he was wearing a white apron. I remember thinking he looked a bit out of place as he helped set the tables for an evangelism outreach dinner. Was it because I thought he was too old””or too good? I had heard bits of his unbelievable story. He wasn”t a big man, but there was something about the way he carried himself, the way his eyes sparkled when he spoke, that gave him stature. Maybe it was the tattoo on his left arm.

March 23, 2015

Christian Standard

Living in Captivity

By Cathy Mogus The divided nation of Israel was in political, moral, and spiritual decline when God called Jeremiah to become its prophet. The priest wasn”t happy with his new role. Apparently writing letters””not-so-nice letters””to the captives in Babylon was part of his job description. But there was an upside. Jeremiah had the privilege of informing his displaced countrymen, especially their spiritual leaders, that God had a plan. It boiled down to something like this: “Like it or not, you”re not leaving Babylon for 70 years. So quit dreaming of going home and get on with your lives.” He then

March 21, 2015

Christian Standard

Jesus Killed a Tree

By Tim Harlow I don”t fancy myself an extreme environmentalist. I”m not a “tree hugger,” but I do respect nature. I have cut down a few trees that were past their prime, and I once accidently killed a small one with a golf cart, but I do love trees. Where I live, the only trees are ones someone planted. So the story of Jesus “zapping” a tree is fascinating to me. Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it

March 19, 2015

Christian Standard

Feet to Faith

By Peggy Park Brad Johnson and his sons, Matthew, 19, and Niklas, 15, of Tates Creek Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky, are living out James 2:17: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” They put feet to their faith for three-plus hours every Sunday afternoon. About two years ago the three started volunteering with Church Under the Bridge, which began its Lexington ministry in May 2003. The church was started by four people from four Lexington churches that had a vision and passion for the needs of street people. The church for indigent/homeless individuals has now

March 13, 2015

Christian Standard

Safety or Security?

By David Ray When Jim Elliot was in high school, he studied architectural drawing, played on the football team, got elected president of his senior class, and was such a talented actor that several of his teachers urged him to consider a professional career in theater. I guess you could say he was on a fast track to “success” in life. Growing up in a religious home, though, Elliot headed off to a Christian college and eventually sensed a calling to work with a remote tribe of Auca Indians in the jungles of Ecuador. They were a people who not

March 5, 2015

Christian Standard

Getting Ready for Easter: West Side Christian Church, Springfield, IL

Jesus Is for Everyone By Melissa Sandel, director of ministries, West Side Christian Church, Springfield, Illinois In early 2014, West Side”s leaders began to sense our community needed a refreshing message from the church””that Jesus is, in fact, for EVERYONE””without qualifiers. We launched a six-week emphasis entitled “EVERYONE,” based on Jesus” words in John 11:25, 26, with renewed conviction that Jesus offers new life and hope to everyone who chooses to follow him. The first step was a Sunday morning message describing what it would mean to extend the hope of Jesus to everyone in our community. Next, we equipped

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