Articles for tag: Gifts

December 22, 2017

Doug Redford

Keeping Down Appearances

By Doug Redford Some years ago an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer featured this headline: “Appearance Counts When Wrapping Holiday Gifts.” Said one employee at a luxury goods store in San Antonio, Texas, “The biggest thing I”ve seen through the years is that the wrapping is just as important as what”s on the inside. You can take a $5 item and make it look like a million bucks.” Another person quoted in the article noted, “Packaging will make a whole lot of difference, and it will make the gift special.” On the other hand, there are occasions when the lack

May 20, 2017

Christian Standard

Don’t Designate . . . Release Leaders!

By Chuck Dennie Leadership in worship is not about you. It”s about the leaders around you. I spent many of my early years as a worship leader learning this lesson the hard way. I was the front man for a Christian band called By the Tree for about 10 years. In 2005, I felt God calling me to the local church. It”s a calling I have loved! I started leading worship at a church in Oklahoma City called LifeChurch.tv (now Life.Church) about 12 years ago. At that time, about 8,000 people attended every Sunday. I went in as a 27-year-old

June 8, 2016

Christian Standard

“˜American Idol” Comes to Church

By Jim Tune The tension was almost unbearable. Fourteen anxious people awaited their turn to perform. The audition would be rigorous. Most of them had been through tryouts before. Nearly all of them were young, fit, and attractive. Every single one of them could sing or play an instrument proficiently, but only one would make the cut. After all, this was the church and only the exceptionally gifted would be chosen to perform on Sundays with the worship team. I think our contemporary culture has developed an unhealthy obsession with discovering talent. From youth sports to spectacular TV shows like

March 10, 2016

Christian Standard

Lessons from Limestone

By LeAnne Blackmore For the past 16 years my husband, Ron, and I have led, taught, cast vision, and ministered to many in our city megachurch, First Christian Church, Johnson City, Tennessee. From college ministry to missions, greeter to elder, we have stepped into roles as variegated as the fall foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway. By man”s standards, we experienced great successes and toyed with the temptation to take the credit. But God, in his grace, also allowed us to face colossal failures. In merging the two extremes, and through immersing ourselves in the Word, a mutual mind-set surfaced.

February 22, 2016

Christian Standard

An Interview with Mike Prior

By Jennifer Johnson The president of Financial Planning Ministry since 1994 explains what FPM does and why it”s important.  So let”s start with an overview of what Financial Planning Ministry is all about. Ultimately FPM is about helping people be better stewards. We accomplish this by educating people about their estate planning options and providing an estate planning solution called a living trust that allows them to easily avoid huge costs in probate and pass that “saved” money along to family members and ministries they care about. What”s a living trust? How is it different from a will? A will

December 24, 2015

Christian Standard

Meditating on Joy: December 24

By Becky Ahlberg Thursday, December 24 Having grandchildren is a particular joy. I am constantly amazed at their humor, insight, and ability to live with joyous abandon. They make me laugh and watch in wonder as they encounter their world. “Christmas is for children” is a common phrase this time of year. Decorations, extra “goodies” to eat, and, of course, gifts are some of their favorite things. We love to see them squeal with delight. But is that what brings them joy? The older I get the more I realize that children are elated with just about anything if they

November 27, 2015

Christian Standard

The Cardboard Lamb

By Victor Knowles When I was a little boy my parents bought a Christmas manger set. On the box were these words: “The Christmas story in beautiful cutout scenes and lifelike figures . . . It tells the Christmas story . . . Fascinates young and old.” I remember how special it was to assemble the cardboard set on Christmas Eve. I would lie on the living room floor, face in hands, and gaze at those familiar figures for hours. In the background was the little town of Bethlehem. To the left were the shepherds, with one little “adoring child”

July 30, 2015

Michael C. Mack

10 Ways to Get Out of the Way of God Building His Church

By Will Mancini Nearly 30 years ago, Joe Ellis wrote in The Church on Target: “Sometimes the voice of Jesus saying, “˜I will build my church,” can hardly be heard amid the babble of human voices affirming, “˜We will build the church. Our plans, our organizations, our resources will accomplish it, and we will have it the way we want it.”” More recently, “clarity evangelist” Will Mancini wrote similar words, describing 10 ways we often get in the way of God building his church, and what we can do about it. 1. Rely on God”s wisdom, not human wisdom by

May 22, 2015

Christian Standard

To Comfort All Who Mourn (Isaiah 61:1-3)

By Neal Windham The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners . . . to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion (Isaiah 61:1-3). Jesus loved Isaiah. Again and again, our Lord turned to the trusted old prophet to help orient his disciples in the compassionate ways of the kingdom. For example, he began the Sermon on the Mount

May 8, 2015

Christian Standard

A Clean Break (1 Corinthians 11:20-23)

By Neal Windham Corinth is a beautiful city. Set on an isthmus dividing the Adriatic and Aegean seas, it was frequented by mariners avoiding the more treacherous waters of the Mediterranean in Paul”s day. As a result, it was a popular destination, well populated, and with a thriving economy. Remains of its stunning temple to Apollo stand in ruins to this very day, silently testifying to a distinctively pagan past. Little wonder that Paul had such a tough time with this church. It seems they were attempting to make the break with pagan society as slight as they possibly could.

May 5, 2015

Mark A. Taylor

Age-old

By Mark A. Taylor Let me tell you about my new best friend, Bob. Bob”s the guy from the other end of the office who paused last week beside my cubicle, festooned with “Happy Birthday” banners and a big, red “65” in the middle of the display. Bob said, “Hey, wait a minute!” I looked up from my desk and smiled. “This isn”t real, right? This is a joke, right?” He was completely sincere. This fine man couldn”t believe I was celebrating the welcome-to-Medicare birthday. I”m not sure his reaction is due principally to the fact that he doesn”t wear

April 10, 2015

Christian Standard

Remember Your Baptism

By Robert F. Hull Jr. Sometimes we do not see the wealth of our own church practices until we worship with people whose practices differ from ours. From Easter to Pentecost you will hear in many churches, especially those in the Anglican, Lutheran, and Catholic traditions, the words “remember your baptism.” If you were to worship in some of these churches, you would even see a large vessel of water brought in as a visual reminder of baptism. It is especially during the season when we focus on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that the baptistery and the table

April 8, 2015

Christian Standard

Measure Up?

By Jim Tune In church circles, we talk about the three B”s: budgets, butts, and buildings. I get it. These are standard ways of determining success in most ministries because they are tangible and easy to measure. I”d like to suggest some additional metrics we might apply to our effectiveness. Let me pose them as a series of questions: “¢ Are people”s gifts and talents being drawn out of them and used to extend grace and encouragement to others? “¢ Are we pursuing justice and standing on the side of the oppressed? “¢ Are we increasingly willing to give a

April 1, 2015

Christian Standard

Advice for Emerging Leaders

In a recent address, leadership expert and author Jim Collins provided advice to young, aspiring leaders to help them become great leaders. It”s interesting to see how this secular business leader”s advice lines up with God”s wisdom. 1. Build a personal board of directors selected for their character, not their accomplishments (see Proverbs 15:22). 2. Turn off your electronic gadgets. Effective people take time to think. Begin the discipline of putting white space into your calendar. Like Jesus, make time for solitude (Luke 5:16). 3. Work on your three intersecting circles, what Collins calls the “Hedgehog Concept”: (1) what you

February 23, 2015

Christian Standard

By Women, For Women (Previewing the 2015 NACC)

By Linda Hutchinson Excitement is building for the 2015 NACC Women”s Conference. It won”t be long before women of all ages and color descend on Cincinnati”s Duke Energy Convention Center for four days of worship, learning, and fellowship. It”s a conference within the conference designed by women for women. Many exciting things are planned to grow and minister to ladies in all seasons of life. If you”ve never been to the North American Christian Convention or its Women”s Conference, 2015 is the year to give it a try. You can drive in for the day or bring your family and

January 27, 2015

Mark A. Taylor

It”s Not Just a Woman”s Issue

By Mark A. Taylor It”s time to broaden our discussion about women”s roles in the church. And before you click to the next article, let me assure you I”m not interested here in debating whether to ordain a woman staff member, add a woman to the preaching team, or name a woman as deacon (or elder). You”ve likely already decided about those questions, and I”m not going to change your mind with 600 more words. Instead, I think we need to back up and look at a bigger picture. While debating and discussing specifics like those above, maybe we”ve been

January 11, 2015

Christian Standard

A Healthy Church Is a Giving Church

By Joe Putting “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “˜Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15, 16). When I was growing up in the late 1960s, my dad exposed me to every western movie available. There was nothing quite like the drive-in theater experience. At some point in nearly every film, the good guys would circle the wagons to ward off the bad guys. Though this might sometimes be necessary, a group that

December 24, 2014

Christian Standard

Starting at the Bottom

By Jim Tune  Most religions begin “at the top,” but Christianity begins “at the bottom.” The mystery of the incarnation should stir our hearts every day. Much of what we learn about the incarnation we learn as children and revisit annually during the Christmas season. I wonder if we are ever guilty of treating the incarnation as a beginner”s doctrine: a nice opportunity to do something for the children and invite our friends to church. The remarkable union of God and man in the incarnation is no minor point of theology. God the Son took on flesh and dwelt among

December 15, 2014

Christian Standard

Following Jesus Together in the Inner City

By Stephen Lawson I live in an intentional Christian community called the Lotus House in north St. Louis. When people hear this, sometimes I”m sure they imagine me as an orange-clad Tibetan monk, running a rake through sand making intricate designs. But our name has nothing to do with New Age philosophy or Buddhist-inspired practices. Our house is named after our street, Lotus Avenue. Quite simply, the Lotus House is a community of Christians who are seeking to follow Jesus together by being a faithful presence and a witness to God”s peace in a part of the city known for

December 1, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Five Ways for Youth to Serve This Christmas Season

By Michael C. Mack Remind your youth that Jesus came into the world to serve (Mark 10:45). Here are five ideas you can use to serve others together: 1. Give the Gift of Cookies. Youth expert Bill Nance (billnance.org) shares this idea: Set aside three hours one evening. Tell all your teens to bring in some homemade Christmas cookies. Sort them into plastic bags and label each one with something like, “Merry Christmas from the First Christian Church youth!” Divide up a nearby neighborhood (or apartment complex or nursing home, for instance) and have the students go two-by-two to the

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