January 1, 2026
Succession and the Church
Few churches handle lead minister succession well, but there are four steps for an effective succession PLAN (Prepare, Look Ahead, Assess, Navigate).
Articles for tag: Gary Johnson
Elders! Help Put the “Success” in Succession!
If succession is not done effectively, it may result in the loss of momentum, people, resources, and more. Fully engaged elders help put the “success” in succession.
Rhythm of Rest
In Genesis 1, God created more than earth and the expansive universe. He created measured time, and a vital element of measured time is the rhythm of rest.
The State of Elder Teams in Independent Restoration Churches
An honest assessment of where we are as a movement when it comes to elders and their leadership. . . .
March 1, 2024
Guardians of Truth
When I was a teen in the late 1960s, my church became a verbal battleground . . .
January 18, 2023
News Briefs for January 18
Traders Point Christian Church has purchased land for a new campus in Fishers, Ind. Also, 9/11 hero's father helps honor servant leaders at Milligan University, and a Church Leaders' Conference is planned at Lincoln Christian University on Feb. 18.
January 11, 2023
News Briefs for January 11
e2: effective elders is starting a podcast, #IAmAnElder. Ozark Christian College's Preaching-Teaching Convention is set for Feb. 20-22. Canton Christian Home will continue normal operations despite being sold. Plus more . . .
December 5, 2022
The Preaching Elder
e2:effective elders has created a four-part resource designed to empower elders to preach. "The Preaching Elder: Refilling the Preaching Pipeline" was created especially with elders in mind—to offer training through a book and other resources to help with a need that has developed because of a diminishing preaching pipeline.
Take Our Communion Survey (Plus News Briefs)
The Communion survey has closed; look for results Aug. 10. (Thank you to all who participated.) This file also contains briefs about e2 partnering with Crossroads Church Partners, and Kentucky Christian University planning a Minister Appreciation Luncheon.
e2: effective elders Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary (Plus News Briefs)
e2: effective elders is marking 10 years as a nonprofit parachurch ministry. During that time, e2 has trained more than 9,600 elders and church leaders. Also briefs about the Church of Christ on Lewis Street (in Little Rock), Tony Darling, Jack Cottrell, and more.
September 29, 2020
News Briefs for Sept. 29
Compiled by Jim Nieman Several people who serve with Ozark Christian College and Christ In Youth described the close ties between the school and ministry in a video posted on their respective Facebook pages. Bob Stacy started CIY in 1968 while serving as a professor at Ozark. Through the years, many CIY participants have been inspired to attend OCC. (Many other Christian universities also have reaped a harvest that CIY helped to plant and water.) COVID-19 hit CIY particularly hard, forcing cancellation of all of its summer conferences. The video also serves as an appeal for support for CIY. (We described the
August 15, 2020
Thinking Forward, Moving Forward
3 Church-Leader Challenges as We Merge onto the Virtual Highway By Gary L. Johnson Earlier this year, COVID-19 drove news reports. Every day, every media outlet reported on some aspect of the coronavirus and its impact on our lives. One news story caught my attention. It reported how teenagers had completed driver’s education training, but because of social distancing, their required road tests were waived. That story brought back memories of my driving test. After pulling out of the parking lot and into traffic, the examiner had me drive through busy streets and residential areas. I even had to parallel
July 15, 2020
Legacy
Like father, like son. He’s a chip off the old block. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. These well-worn phrases still impart truth. Life is lived in and through generations. From beginning to end in the Scriptures, we read of generations of people. The genealogy of Jesus is listed in both Matthew and Luke. Today, there are five living generations: builders, boomers, gen X, millennials, and gen Z. Despite the untold volumes written and conferences held about the qualities and particularities of these generations, a far greater concern is each one’s legacy. Many people think of generational legacy
May 13, 2020
Keeping Facility Clean an Obstacle to Reopening (Plus News Briefs)
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Churches are taking different approaches to reopening their doors as local governments begin to lift social distancing requirements. Lead pastor Glen Elliott provided insight to the Arizona Daily Star about Pantano Christian Church’s decision to remain closed at least until June. Elliott said the challenges of cleaning the Tucson church—including children’s areas—between each of its three services of more than 1,000 people each make it “near impossible to open,” he said. “Can you imagine the incredible challenges we’d have just cleaning every classroom for kids between every service? And then cleaning doors, cleaning bathrooms,”
March 15, 2020
Resurrection Sunday: A Way to Live
By Gary L. Johnson Several important American holidays are for the purpose of remembering. Memorial Day is set aside so we can remember our war dead, whereas Veterans Day is for remembering the men and women who served in our nation’s military. A grand remembrance happens every July 4 as we celebrate our nation’s independence. We have religious holidays—Christmas and Easter—to remember the birth of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead. Yet, Easter is more than a holiday marked with ham dinners and Easter egg hunts. It’s more than a day to fill baskets with candy and churches with
December 14, 2019
Children Matter . . . All Year Long
By Gary L. Johnson “Christmas is for children,” declares one song of the season. We can see the truth of that statement in society simply by observing parents and grandparents as they buy gifts to make children’s Christmas wishes come true. As elders, we understand the importance of children all year round. We have a serious problem in the church that will directly impact the next generation and can claim the spiritual lives of countless people. Elder teams must respond quickly with strength and wisdom from God so we can avert this crisis. The Problem Elders need to be keenly
May 19, 2019
What Are You Doing Now?
Compiled by Mark A. Taylor _ _ _ Alan Ahlgrim Retired: Founding pastor with Rocky Mountain Christian Church, Niwot, Colorado, March 2013 What are you doing now? Continues to encourage and mentor church leaders. Director of Covenant Groups with the Center for Church Leadership. Thoughts on retirement: âThe best is yet to be for every kingdom leader. I jokingly say if I had known this season would be so fulfilling, I would have started with this first and stuck with it! Iâ™ve traded unrelenting responsibility for a soul-enriching opportunity.â _ _ _ Dick Alexander Retired: Senior minister, LifeSpring Christian Church,
May 1, 2019
Johnson Retires from The Creek but Continuing with e2
By Chris Moon Gary Johnson has decided to have just one full-time job from now on . . . and he’s pretty excited about it. “I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve,” he said last week as he prepared for his last Sunday on the job as pastor of The Creek in Indianapolis. “I’m waiting for 8 a.m. on Monday morning to arrive when I only have to wear one hat.” Johnson retired Sunday from 30 years at the helm of The Creek, which he saw grow from 250 in attendance to more than 4,000 during his tenure—something he attributes
April 25, 2019
Three Ways Elders Must Respond to the Next-Generation Crisis
By Gary L. Johnson I hadn’t finished breakfast and had already heard of three crises facing our nation. One news commentator spoke of the growing crisis at our southern border, while other reporters spoke of global warming and opioid crises. And some commentators questioned whether these were crises at all. It caused me to think of a real crisis facing us as Christians: How does the church reach and keep the next generation for Christ? In recent years, we’ve experienced a definite decline in the number of young people coming to Christ, while increasing numbers of Christian young people have
February 2, 2019
3-D Church Finances
By Gary Johnson Most Americans welcomed in the new year by making a resolution. By far, the most popular resolution is to lose weight by exercising more and going on a diet, and most of us do not enjoy either of those. Likewise, money issues are a necessary part of church life that needs periodic attention. As elders, we enjoy dealing with church finances about as much as we enjoy diet and exercise. Like it or not, money is an everyday aspect of ministry. Bills (salaries, utilities, insurance premiums) must be paid. Missionaries need our support, and ministry programs must
