April 25, 2024
A fifth person has been arrested on charges in the deaths of two women from Hugoton, Kan. Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, a minister’s wife, went missing March 30 and were found dead on an Oklahoma farm April 14. . . .
March 4, 2024
The divisions in the church at Corinth were mostly caused by pride, which ran counter to servant leadership. . . .
March 4, 2024
These Discovery Questions are for use with this week’s Lookout Bible Lesson, "Servant Leadership" (1 Corinthians 3:5-15; 4:1-5), by Mark Scott.
January 22, 2024
These Discovery Questions are for use with this week’s Lookout Bible Lesson, “I AM the Vine” (John 15:1-20, 26-27), by Mark Scott.
August 23, 2023
Briefs from churches in Tennessee, Texas, and Iowa, along with items about an opportunity for high schoolers to take a Biblical Interpretation course for college credit (at a discount), and the passing of a retired Kentucky Christian University educator.
November 1, 2021
A Christian Psychologist’s Perspective on Happiness
November 19, 2019
By Jon Wren French journalist and author Alphonse Karr was widely known throughout Europe in the 19th century as chief editor of Paris’ famous Le Figaro. Yet despite his fame in journalism, Karr’s passion in life was gardening. Karr described his life’s philosophy this way: “Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.” Karr’s words are a perfect illustration of the thanksgiving and gratitude Christ followers should have. The apostle Paul encouraged the church in Colossae to see their lives and circumstances through the perspective of gratitude for Christ and his work in their
April 25, 2019
This teenager who started a nonprofit ministry at age 8 continues to make a difference in the world By Kelly Carr “God’s teaching me that we’re not promised tomorrow, so we have to put forth our best today, every single chance we get. I need to listen to him and follow through what I’m being called to do, no matter what.” These wise words come from Kendall Grace Kemerly, who has been following the Lord in ministry since she first dreamed of making a difference at age 8. Now 16, she has spent 8 years overseeing Kendi’s Cows of Grace,
March 25, 2018
(This article originally appeared in the April 2013 issue of Christian Standard) By Daniel Schantz To a child, a cemetery is the perfect playground. It has a hundred hiding places, and if you fall down, the grass is very forgiving. I was 7 years old, playing hide-and-seek in the cemetery next to the country church, just outside of New Antioch, Ohio, where my father preached. “Don’t play on the graves,” my mother warned. “It’s disrespectful.” “OK,” I said, but I didn’t see it her way. I thought that if I were buried in the ground I would get really
November 22, 2014
By Gary Armes We trained for five Saturdays to spend four days behind bars with prisoners who discovered new ways to reconnect with God. Seven men from Hickory Valley Christian Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, joined 40 men from other area churches March 6, 2014, all of them seeking to be obedient to Jesus” call in Matthew 25 to visit those in prison. Our ministry was sponsored by Kairos, an ecumenical, faith-based prison ministry. We trained for five Saturdays, previewing various talks and reviewing practical suggestions about how we should deal with the prisoners (whom we called “residents”). After many hours
February 3, 2013
By Casey Tygrett I remember the first time I planted seeds to make a garden. I tilled. I prepared the soil. I planted. I watered. I waited. Eventually, things began to grow, and I had a chance to watch the plants mature each day. It was a series of holy moments. I cannot think of a better metaphor to help describe Christian spiritual formation. The planting of the seed of the kingdom of God in our hearts through salvation, and cultivating that seed through habits and disciplines produces spiritual fruit. This is a great way of explaining Christian spiritual formation.
February 15, 2012
By Doug Redford Last summer our local newspaper featured an article about urban farming in the Cincinnati area. It described how people began growing gardens in various locations throughout the city, not only as a hobby but also as a way to provide additional food. One man was rather philosophical about gardening. “I started seeing how gardening made people happy,” he said, “how it started changing the whole community, and it just took my heart.” Then he added, “In a garden, you control your own destiny.” That last statement, to use gardening language, deserves some cultivation. It brings to mind
October 10, 2011
This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 16) is written by Daniel Schantz, professor emeritus at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri. ____________ Growing Old with Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 11:7″“12:14) By Daniel Schantz Poets present October as the melancholy season, marking the death of summer. Yet, to many of us, October is the best season of all””spangled with color, rich in harvests, invigorating in weather. Old age is like October. It does indeed signal the end of life, but it is also filled with a harvest of good things: grandchildren, retirement, honors. A number
August 25, 2010
A reflective look at the last week of summer—why seasonal change feels bittersweet, how school-year rhythms reshape time, and how fall invites renewed purpose for families and churches.
August 18, 2010
By Ron Martin Across the country, people in local churches are struggling to stay ahead of the economic downturn and slow recovery. In particular, having enough food for families is a growing concern. One church in southwest Colorado has decided to do something about it. Southwest Colorado is one of God”s most beautiful gifts in terms of scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. It is home to Mesa Verde National Park, and the area boasts a rich history in the settlement of the West. The town of Bayfield, Colorado, rests just east of Durango, a wonderful resort town with attractions like
May 13, 2009
By Mark A. Taylor Every sports fan knows the importance of ending well. We remember games won in the ninth inning, come-from-behind victories cinched in overtime, runners prevailing only in the final lap. All the game was important, but victory was sure only in the final seconds. Every gardener knows a successful harvest is the point of planting. Neat rows of new sprouts are attractive, and beautiful blooms on healthy vegetable vines are encouraging. But if by summer”s end the plants dry up, rot away, or become the food of garden pests, what real good is a garden? So it
July 29, 2007
By Brian Lowery When I was very young, I tried my hand at gardening. My parents “rented” a little plot of land behind a row of houses down the street from us. We would load our station wagon with whatever tools we needed, and off we went with visions of sweet corn and vine-ripened tomatoes dancing in our heads. At first I was thrilled. There was nothing more exhilarating than seeing a splash of green in a spot that was once ruddy, clotted dirt. I did whatever I could to get the little plants reaching even higher out of the
August 24, 2005
By Mark A. Taylor The last week of summer. The words have a melancholy ring. Are we really ready to put away lawn chairs and citronella candles, beach balls and squirt guns, flip flops and Bermuda shorts? Can we muster any enthusiasm for the sweaters and coats on display in the stores? Is it possible even to face the first Christmas catalogs? (The holiday is exactly 17 weeks from today.) My life in the Midwest has given me a comfort with the changing seasons. I would not want an endless summer. I love the chilly nights of autumn and the
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok