Articles for tag: Grace

January 24, 2010

Christian Standard

Children”s Ministry Leadership GOLD!

By Rick Chromey Children”s ministry in the smaller church has the same amazing potential to grow and thrive as a mustard seed. It”s all in how you cultivate it. This practical guide provides insights that will encourage you in your children”s ministry, along with ready-to-use tools for evaluation, budgeting, and teacher training. Energize your children”s ministry! Use these innovative strategies for mega-impact with limited resources, people, and money. Energizing Children”s Ministry in the Smaller Church (item 42311) is available from your local supplier or at www.standardpub.com. To lead a children”s ministry in the 21st century””regardless of church size and shape””requires

January 6, 2010

Christian Standard

Interview with Chris Travis

By Brad Dupray In his new book Unnamed, Chris Travis explores the stories of eight biblical heroes who went without much recognition. In fact, the Bible doesn”t even mention their names. Based on Standard Publishing”s 2010 Vacation Bible School theme, his book combines stories of these Bible personalities with incredible accounts of modern-day unnamed heroes. Readers will discover solid biblical insight to consider what it means to live a heroic life for God in our day. Last year, Chris and his wife, Lindsay, left a staff position with LifeSpring Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, to move to New York City

November 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Loving Those Who Annoy You

By Jan Johnson A confession: I have not always loved my neighbor””especially the one next door. At first, I was annoyed by how the husband parked cars on his lawn””oops, there was no lawn, just dirt and weeds. How would this affect the resale value of my home? Add the wild parties and loud fights. We tried to be friendly, but our encounters were always awkward. Take, for instance, one day when my husband was frustrated as he changed the oil in our car. The wife next door observed his frustration and prodded: “Go ahead and cuss like the rest

November 8, 2009

Christian Standard

God”s Pleasure Principle

By Karen Diefendorf I have a practice of concentrating on one of the shorter epistles or books of prophecy when I”m away from home and its usual routines. I can read through a whole book in one sitting each day or I can thoroughly concentrate on smaller sections of the smaller book each day while still completing the whole book by the end of the stay. Recently I decided to concentrate on Paul”s letter to the Ephesians. However, this time I found myself somewhat bored with what should have been a stimulating text. Perhaps you”ve had similar dry spells in

October 25, 2009

Christian Standard

The Wide Road Is Still the Wrong Road

  by David Faust What do you get when you cross a Jehovah”s Witness with a universalist? A knock on the door for no apparent reason. Actually, universalism is no joke. It”s a widely accepted philosophy imbedded in the psyche of our generation. The idea that one must believe in Jesus Christ to be saved sounds antiquated, judgmental, and narrow beyond belief to postmodern ears. The church isn”t immune to this trend. In 1985 I wrote an article for Christian Standard called “Taking the Wide Road: The Subtle Menace of Universalism.” Nearly a quarter-century later my concern about this issue

September 27, 2009

Christian Standard

A Look at This Year”s NACC: Grace Week

  by Steve Reeves See D. Clay Perkins”s assessment of the 2009 NACC See Thomas F. Jones”s assessment of the 2009 NACC       The North American Convention has been a part of my summers for more than four decades. The first decade, as a child and student, I was inspired and mentored by church leaders. For the last 33 years, I have enjoyed being with former classmates, coleaders, and family. Honestly, those connections alone have been worth my time. Now that I have become one of the veterans, I find myself learning even more than I did as an

September 27, 2009

Christian Standard

A Look at This Year’s NACC: I”m Glad I Was There!

  by Clay D. Perkins See Steve Reeves’s assessment of the 2009 NACC   See Thomas F. Jones”s assessment of the 2009 NACC           As a new college president, with my wife I attended the North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, this summer. And I”m glad I was there!   I Attended Meetings Meetings. I attended a lot of meetings. And they were great! The Bible College/Christian Uni-versity President”s Association is a wonderful group. The spirit of cooperation among our colleges and universities is strong. We shared openly about the future of higher biblical education;

August 23, 2009

Christian Standard

Baptizing Grace

by Bill Hallsted I was recently asked (again) why the Bible says, in Matthew 28:19, to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” but on the day the church began, Simon Peter said, “be baptized . . . in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). The questioner asked, “If the wrong words are said, is the baptism valid?” Behind the question is failure to understand a vital, underlying tenet of Christianity, so important that God spent thousands of years teaching it. The lesson is this: Rules and regulations won”t help

August 23, 2009

Christian Standard

My Grace Journey

  by Brian Giese I was born during World War II. Like many in my generation, I grew up in the church when guilt trips from the pulpit were still both frequent and quite effective. Most Christians hoped they would be “good enough” to make it into Heaven. If someone said, “I”m saved,” we knew he was not one of us. I attended Bible college and seminary and had worked seven years in the paid ministry before I began to understand the meaning of grace. My awakening started when a Christian lady said to me one day, “Brian, you really

August 23, 2009

Christian Standard

To the Best of My Ability

  by Glen Elliott We are a people obsessed with success. We long for A”s in the classroom and the bonus or promotion at work. We want to be a starter on the team. Yet, the reality of the very system we live in is that we can”t all get A”s (that”s called grade inflation). Not everyone can get a bonus or promotion, and not everyone gets to start. The normal response to this reality is we encourage folks to just “do the best you can.” It sounds good. I like it. While most of us accept this as conventional

August 2, 2009

Christian Standard

Walking with My Expatriate Catholic Friends

 by Don. M. Hamilton “I grew up Catholic so this is all new to me.” I”ve heard this statement, or ones like it, many times over the past 27 years. Capital Area Christian Church is in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area, where Catholicism is strong. A significant portion of our church family traces its spiritual roots to the Catholic church. Dozens from this background show up in our services and small groups. I”ve found these folks to be some of the most enjoyable and eager souls to walk through our doors. Having worked with so many from this faith background through

July 26, 2009

Christian Standard

A Place of Quiet Rest

By Kelly Kastens In the fall of 2004 we moved into a long-awaited, brand-new worship center. It was an awesome time in the life of our church. And, for a while, it was an awesome time in my life. As worship programming director, I was insanely busy, but it was fun and it felt like we were doing something that mattered. God was showing up every week and new people were showing up every week and life change was happening. While all these good things were going on, I was getting busier and busier. There was always more to do,

July 12, 2009

Christian Standard

The Lord”s Supper: The Power of Memory, the Power of Presence

  By Paul Blowers    This article is no longer available online, but articles about the Lord’s Supper that appeared in the July 12/19, 2009, and June 10, 2007, issues of CHRISTIAN STANDARD–plus more–are available for purchase as a single, redisigned, easy-to-read and easy-to-use downloadable resource/pdf (a fuller explanation is below).   The Lord’s Supper: A Memory and More Item D021535209  “¢Â  $2.99 If you keep doing something often enough, long enough, it will change you. Take, for example, the Lord”s Supper. If we practice the Lord”s Supper in a meaningful way, week after week, it will change us for the better by

July 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Interview with David Clark

By Brad Dupray David Clark”s July 1 message at the North American Christian Convention was, “Grace that Heals,” a sermon aiming to help those who are carrying scars and pain of unresolved conflicts. At the end of his message, he invited people to bring their brokenness before God in a time of prayer for healing. In his 28 years as lead pastor of Central Christian Church in Beloit, Wisconsin, Clark has seen his church grow, not just in numbers, but in amazing outreach to the community. He and his wife of 35 years, Deby, have been blessed with four children,

June 14, 2009

Christian Standard

Leaders Are the Key

  By Larry Travis and Tim Wallingford Why are 75 to 85 percent of the churches in America plateaued or declining? Why are 74 percent of those in their 20s not going to a church of any kind? We can find a clue in the ministry of Jesus. Before he launched his ministry, preached the Sermon on the Mount, confronted the Pharisees, taught in synagogues, and performed most of his miracles, Jesus selected leaders. He prayed all night before his decision. Jesus then invested the next three years equipping 12 men who, after being trained and empowered by God, turned

June 7, 2009

Christian Standard

What I”ve Learned While Serving Single Moms

  By Nancy Karpenske It”s what the church is supposed to be doing. It takes longer than you think. Their backgrounds and situations are not all similar. Their problems are large and expensive. Their hurts are deep. Their children are their priority. Many have little knowledge of God”s plans for marriage and family. Many have little grasp of God”s love and grace. Many have been turned away from their church, either because the small church can”t meet their financial needs or because that church punishes those who get divorced. Many have a hard exterior that covers a wounded heart. Many

March 1, 2009

Christian Standard

Remember Your Baptism

By Bruce E. Shields   This article is no longer available online, but all of the articles about baptism that appeared in the March 1 and 8, 2009, issues of CHRISTIAN STANDARD–plus a bonus article–are available for purchase as a single, redisigned, easy-to-read and easy-to-use downloadable resource/pdf (a fuller explanation is below).   Baptism: 7 Practical Perspectives Item 02973  “¢Â  $2.99 What does the Bible teach about baptism? What does baptism symbolize and what does it accomplish? Why is there so much disagreement? Seven writers offer their insights on this controversial but fundamental topic in this 14-page resource that””with the exception

March 1, 2009

Christian Standard

Not the Only Christians

  by Robert O. Fife This article is no longer available online, but all of the articles about baptism that appeared in the March 1 and 8, 2009, issues of CHRISTIAN STANDARD–plus this bonus article–are available for purchase as a single, redisigned, easy-to-read and easy-to-use downloadable resource/pdf (a fuller explanation is below).   Baptism: 7 Practical Perspectives  Item 02973  “¢Â  $2.99   What does the Bible teach about baptism? What does baptism symbolize and what does it accomplish? Why is there so much disagreement? Seven writers offer their insights on this controversial but fundamental topic in this 14-page resource that””with the exception

February 15, 2009

Christian Standard

Still Amazed! The 2009 North American Christian Convention

By Jeff Stone A few years ago I was returning with a carload of ministers from another minister”s funeral. We stopped for lunch at a Ponderosa. As I opened the back door to climb out of my friend”s car, I accidentally clipped the truck beside it. I surveyed the damage. The door had left a white mark on the gleaming pickup. I winced, in part, because I am a truck lover. I determined I needed to locate the truck”s owner and offer to pay to have it buffed out at a body shop. As we ate, from my window seat,

February 11, 2009

Christian Standard

Interview with Jeff Stone

By Brad Dupray Jeff Stone, president of the 2009 North American Christian Convention, is in his 17th year as senior minister of Discover Christian Church in Dublin, Ohio. Jeff has served on the executive committee of the convention twice before and has been a lifelong attender and supporter of the convention. Jeff and his wife of 28 years, Johnnie, are the proud parents of Jason, Jennifer, and Justin. Why do you go to the North American Christian Convention? I go to the North American to spiritually recharge, to reconnect with friends, and to recalibrate priorities of ministry. Are there any

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