Articles for tag: Good Samaritan

September 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Getting the Most from the Gospels (Part One)

By Matt Proctor “Irresistibly drawn to Jesus.” That phrase describes many who have come to faith after reading the Gospels. Most of us love the Gospels because we love Jesus, and the Gospels bring us face to face with him. For some the Gospels are so familiar, though, that they miss truth contained there. A few helps can prevent that from happening. When he was growing up, Vince Antonucci”s parents never took him to church. Maybe it was because his mother was Jewish and his father was a professional gambler. Regardless, he knew nothing about Jesus. He says, “As far

February 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Unconditional Compassion

From Inverted, by Tom Ellsworth We love the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). It”s filled with a sense of adventure and intrigue, unexpected responses, good guys versus bad guys, and a happy ending. There”s another reason we love this story. It isn”t personal””we don”t have issues with Samaritans. Most of us have never even met a Samaritan. Jesus” audience, however, certainly had! This story wasn”t called the Parable of the Good Samaritan when Jesus first told it””in the minds of his Jewish audience there was no such thing. Those in attendance at the parable”s premier weren”t oohing and aahing with

July 12, 2009

Christian Standard

China, Congress, and the Jericho Road

  By Paul E. Boatman   An official with access to the highest levels of government in the People”s Republic of China uttered these words: “We are very pleased with what Christians are doing in our land. We want to invite you to do more. We want to facilitate a more harmonious relationship between religion and our society.” Is this for real?   A REMARKABLE MEETING We sat in a Beijing hotel meeting room with a view of historic Tiananmen Square on May Day this year. The discussion participants included Mr. Zhen,* a high-ranking government official in charge of communications;

June 21, 2009

Christian Standard

The Marvel of Metaphor in Teaching and Counseling

  By Larry W. Bailey   The talented, courageous king had sinned against God and his neighbors. He had committed adultery and schemed to assure the death of his lover”s husband who was serving in the king”s army. King David needed to be confronted, and a prophet of God was assigned the task. Nathan did not shout at the king, cite the commandments David had violated, or detail the error of his ways. Rather, he told David a simple story that included a person of power, a humble servant, and a lamb. There were two men in a certain town,

December 21, 2008

Christian Standard

The Birth That Changed the World

By Victor Knowles   In Frank Capra”s acclaimed and heartwarming 1946 film, It”s a Wonderful Life, God sends an angel named Clarence to earth to show George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) what life would be like if he had never been born. The moral of the movie (this is when movies had morals!) is that each person”s life has value and carries with it the potential of influencing many other lives for good.  In one sense, everyone”s birth somewhat changes the world in which he lives. But in a spiritual and eternal realm, only one birth has truly changed

December 21, 2008

Tom Lawson

worship questions

Questioning Worship

Worship often feels like a place to collect answers, but Scripture frequently leaves us with questions instead. Tom Lawson explores how those untidy questions can follow us home—and lead to fresh insight and changed lives.

August 17, 2008

Christian Standard

How Much Is Much?

By Mandy Smith The front page of The New York Times carried the headline “The Millionaires Who Don”t Feel Rich.” The article told of millionaires in the Silicon Valley who, because they”re surrounded by multimillionaires and billionaires, don”t consider themselves wealthy. One multimillionaire admitted, “Everyone around here looks at the people above them.” Another added, “Here, the top 1 percent chases the top one-tenth of 1 percent, and the top one-tenth of 1 percent chases the top one-one hundredth of 1 percent.”1 We may roll our eyes, but don”t we do the same? If we rank in the 50th percentile

February 27, 2008

Christian Standard

Interview with Tom Ellsworth

By Brad Dupray Standard Publishing”s Vacation Bible School has provided concentrated, “true-to-the-Bible” Christian education for young people for more than 80 years. VBS is not limited to young people, however. Standard provides correlated study for adults, as well. This year”s theme, “God”s Big Backyard,” is coupled with Tom Ellsworth”s new book, Beyond Your Backyard. Tom recently celebrated his 27th anniversary as senior pastor at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington, Indiana. He is a graduate of St. Louis Christian College and holds a MMin from Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Tom and his wife, Elsie, have been married for 30 years and

May 20, 2007

Christian Standard

Will Work for Food

By Mike Faust Jagged hair framed the haggard face of a 30-year-old woman. She wore no cosmetics. Her bulky pants matched her XXL gray sweatshirt. I stopped to take a second look. In front of her she held a cardboard sign with four words scrawled on it: “Will work for food.” As I hurried into McDonald”s for lunch, my heart pounded as if I had just witnessed a car wreck. Who can think of food at a time like this? I spoke in chopped sentences: “There”s a woman . . . and a sign . . . she”s in trouble.”

May 13, 2007

Christian Standard

Commerce Without Morality

By Francis Nash Jesus called Christians to be salt and light in the world. We have often said the body of Christ should act as the conscience of the community. We are here to bring hope for eternity and help for the present. If you surveyed the general public about issues important to Christians, they would probably list abortion, stem-cell research, pornography, and homosexual marriage. Those are the ones we hear about in the news. While there are Scripture references leading us to speak out on these social problems, Jesus never actually mentioned any of them, specifically. But Jesus did

December 17, 2006

Christian Standard

Questioning Worship

By Tom Lawson For many, worship is all about answers. Big answers. Little answers. Even ordinary answers. “Where can I find meaning for my life?” “Where can I find a place to belong and be loved?” “Where can I go when I”m broken and empty and alone?” For many, worship is all about answers. Children like answers. “What is that?” “Are we there yet?” “Is it gonna hurt?” Sometimes college students like answers. “Listen, I understand the three views you presented in class, but which one is the right one? Which one will be on the test? Which one am

May 21, 2006

Dave Smith

known by the mark

The Mark

Dave Smith reflects on how Christians can be known by the mark of love—formed through surrender, trust, and knowing God, then demonstrated in generosity, unity, and pursuing outsiders with the heart of Jesus.

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