Articles for tag: Great Commission

June 11, 2014

Christian Standard

Who Needs Apologetics?

By Chad Ragsdale While attacks abound on faith in general and Christianity in particular, some claim the time for apologetics is past.  But I say apologetics will always be relevant and essential for two reasons: the nature of our faith, and the nature of our call. “Apologetics is a wonderful thing,” the guest speaker said. “If you live in the 1950s. And in Kansas.” It was an awkward moment. And not just because the crowd included a large number of Kansas students sometimes sensitive about their home state being used as the universal standard for lameness. But also because it

March 27, 2014

Christian Standard

Evangelism & Discipleship

By Tim Harlow Imagine this scenario with me. You”re at a wedding. The idyllic young bride and groom are exchanging vows with that faraway look in their eyes, pledging their everlasting faithfulness. Warm fuzzies galore. That night, the groom returns to his bachelor pad, alone. The couple keeps separate checking accounts, independent schedules, and their own apartments. When you get a chance to speak with the mother of the groom, she defends the arrangement: “Well, he”s only 25, you know! He”s not ready to be a full-time husband. They don”t really have the same taste in food or furniture .

September 28, 2013

Michael C. Mack

How Your Small Group Can Carry Out the Great Commission

By Michael C. Mack The mere mention of “small group multiplication” makes some group members squirm. “I finally found a great group of friends,” they protest, “and now you want to split us up?” In last month”s issue, I dared to bring up the subject. I pointed out a “secret” to small group multiplication: healthy groups reproduce naturally. In fact, group multiplication happens best and more often, I”ve found, when it isn”t forced. To carry out the Great Commission, we must continually develop new groups, new churches, and new ministries. But where do we find leaders? I think the best

September 27, 2013

Christian Standard

Interview with Ken Henes

By Paul Boatman Ken Henes is in his 18th year as director of Wisconsin Christian Mission Association (WCMA)””a church planting organization for the state. Since 2008 he has also served as preaching minister of Westwood Christian Church in Madison, Wisconsin.   What are the challenges to church planting in the northland? We start with a small support base””about 40 Christian churches in Wisconsin, two-thirds of them with average attendance of less than 100. Only one church, Central Christian in Beloit, ranks as a megachurch. Historically, we followed the old style of church planting””a small nucleus that was typically many years

July 9, 2013

Christian Standard

40 Under 40: Greg Lee

GREG LEE Lead pastor,  Suncrest Christian,  St. John, Indiana Having been privileged to know and serve side-by-side with Greg from his senior year at Lincoln Christian University through 2005, I feel I know this leading servant, and I certainly value highly his many contributions to the kingdom of God. A Christian leader and lover of his family””exemplary. A son and father who invests generously in his family and keeps his priorities balanced and guardrails in place””yes. A man of consistent, godly character””solid as a rock. A pastor characterized by patience and incarnated compassion””totally. A colleague who respects his leaders and

June 20, 2013

Christian Standard

A Conversation with Jeff Faull

Meet Our Contributing Editors: This month we begin a series of interviews with CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s contributing editors. What they have to say about the church, the ministry, our fellowship of churches, and anything else on their minds will challenge and interest our readers. Their insights and questions amply illustrate why each of these volunteers is such a valuable part of the CHRISTIAN STANDARD team.   Interview by Jennifer Johnson QUESTION: You and I both sit in on these conversations about the future of the Restoration Movement, and it seems many times they rehash the same topics and complaints. Let”s go

April 1, 2013

Christian Standard

Lesson for April 7, 2013: The Lord Appears (Luke 24:36-53)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone This month”s lessons continue to emphasize the Christ-ian”s undying hope. Today we review the resurrection and next week the beginning of the church on the Day of Pentecost. The remaining lessons in April look to the future with Paul”s encouragement for the Thessalonians. The appearance of Jesus reported in Luke 24:36-43 is the same one reported in John 20:19-23. The apostles are called “the eleven” (Luke 24:33), since Judas was then gone. In his Gospel, John

March 4, 2013

Christian Standard

The Bible: Red Flag Edition on Sale Now!

By Jennifer Johnson I was pleased when Chad Entinger e-mailed to tell me about Deaf Missions” Bible translation and the new app that makes it available to even more people. I would not have been pleased to report on another new English translation. There are many good men and women working even now to bring us new translations of the ancient texts, but can we just admit we already have more than we need? An article on ReligionToday.com puts the number at 200, including the New International Version, New International Reader”s Version, New Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New

November 12, 2012

Christian Standard

Celebrating 200 Years of Mission

By Bill Weber This year is the bicentennial of the first foreign missionaries being sent out under a mission board from the United States. The first missionaries commissioned and sent included Adoniram and Ann Judson. During the subsequent 200 years, the work of taking the gospel to thousands of people groups throughout the world has been hugely successful. The modern mission movement dates back to 1792 and to William Carey, a motivator and apologist for missions in his native England. His writings and teaching were influential in bringing missions to the forefront of the church. Later, as a missionary in

November 8, 2012

Christian Standard

Very Good Indeed

By Mark A. Taylor Not every missionary expert posting at this site this month agrees with every other posting here. Readers need not find this discouraging. The point is that more missions work is happening among Christian churches and churches of Christ than ever before, and that”s good. New churches are being planted cross-culturally. Independent congregations in areas once served only by U.S.-supported missionaries are starting new churches that then send out their own missionaries. Thousands of children are receiving nourishment of body and soul because members of Christian churches are sponsoring them with monthly donations. All this is good.

November 4, 2012

Christian Standard

Future Trends in Missions

By Mike Sweeney As we look to the future of missions, we need to think in broad categories about the current trends that appear to have a future trajectory. Many strategies will rise and fall with people”s interests, technological changes, crises, and other transient issues. But, stepping back and observing the world of missions as a whole, we can see fairly clearly that there are a few major trends that will continue to push the church in new directions as we live out the Great Commission around the world. Just as recognition of the 10/40 Window made an impact on

September 13, 2012

Christian Standard

Learning to Change

By Mark A. Taylor  Last week I found an e-mail in my inbox from a fellow who didn”t like the verbiage on the cover of CHRISTIAN STANDARD”s May 20 issue. “Learning to Change” was the headline. It led to the lead article about medium-size churches: “Facing the Challenge of Change.” Throughout my ministry I”ve been advocating for change. After all, isn”t that what spiritual growth is? But this dear gentleman was upset by our praise of change. After a long rehearsal of his conversion and decision to go to Bible college in the late 1940s and a litany of his

August 5, 2012

Christian Standard

Hanging with Naughty Matt

By Tim Harlow Imagine the party when the tax collector got some friends together to meet Jesus. Matthew was a tax collector. The Jews hated tax collectors because they were usually swindlers and “sellouts” who worked for the Romans. You couldn”t get any lower than a tax collector. They even had their own category: there were “sinners,” and there were “tax collectors.” Jesus and the disciples came upon Matthew one day and Jesus said, “Why don”t you quit your job and follow me?” Matthew said “yes,” and the next thing you know Jesus was at a party at Matthew”s house.

June 26, 2012

Christian Standard

Deep Change

By Mark A. Taylor The discussion was about missions, but the topic was change. And I couldn”t stop thinking about the church”s task in a world changing faster than we may realize. Steve Moore, president of Missio Nexus (missionexus.org), was leading about 30 of us at the Cincinnati installment of Reset Tour, a 10-city event sponsored by the International Conference on Missions (ICOM). The Tour, which concluded with a West Coast swing in May, was expected to reach 250 missions-minded members and leaders of Christian churches and churches of Christ, according to David Empson, executive director of ICOM. From this

March 25, 2012

Christian Standard

Christian Church Colleges?

By Darrel Rowland More students from non-Restoration Movement churches are attending colleges and universities associated with independent Christian churches and churches of Christ. Is that good news or bad? To find out, CHRISTIAN STANDARD contacted leaders of the movement”s institutions of higher learning. Those from 15 responded, together representing about 85 percent of total enrollment. The “good news” camp points to the benefits of exposure to faithful biblical teaching, which in several cases has led to baptisms””sometimes in college swimming pools. “We view having non-Restoration Movement students as a blessed opportunity to share our message with those who might never

February 28, 2012

Christian Standard

“˜Commissioned”: NMC Becomes ICOM

By Chris DeWelt The National Missionary Convention became the International Conference on Missions at its gathering last fall. The conference seems set to continue what it does best: challenging thousands with the opportunity and needs for world missions. From the moment I heard that Wing Wong of China was the 2011 National Missionary Convention president, I knew it would be a great gathering. My anticipation grew when Wing visited Ozark Christian College a few months before the convention and immediately endeared himself to hundreds of students. Wing”s unique combination of humor, passion for Christ, and humble spirit connected with more

January 30, 2012

Christian Standard

A Preacher”s Kid”s Hopes for His Own PKs

By Shan Caldwell I was born a preacher”s son. As such, I felt it was my duty to help my dad out as much as I could. I thoughtfully provided sermon illustration fodder for the first 16 years of my life. I enlivened dull sermons by whispering or passing notes, obliging my father to interrupt his message by calling me out””by name””in front of the whole congregation. My dad may not have always appreciated my “help,” but I did (and do) appreciate growing up in a preacher”s family. My dad traveled in evangelistic work for the first six years of

November 15, 2011

Christian Standard

Every Week for 10 Years

By Kim Butts For close to 30 weeks this year, believers from Christian churches and churches of Christ have participated in “Light the Fire: 24-7-520,” part of Restoration Revolution, a 10-year collaboration to share Jesus with all peoples. “Light the Fire” began on New Year”s Eve 2010 and will continue through December 31, 2020. It is not a program or an event, but a 10-year journey of prayer for the nations. Churches in several states, the nation of Venezuela, mission organizations, and Bible colleges/universities have set up dynamic prayer rooms to invite and seek God”s presence. A “torch” of prayer

November 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Lesson for Nov. 13, 2011: Loving Unconditionally (Matthew 5:38-48)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for November 13) is written by Ron Mobley, senior minister with Northwest Christian Church in Acworth, Georgia. ____________ Loving Unconditionally (Matthew 5:38-48) By Ron Mobley The classic song from the stage play Carnival begins, “Love makes the world go round.“ If you have paid attention to world news in recent months you realize that if “love makes the world go round,” our planet has nearly come to a screeching halt! If someone asks, “Can you feel the love,” the answer for many in our world must be “NO!”   It”s Personal

October 28, 2011

Shawn McMullen

You Must Read This . . . Radical

By Shawn McMullen Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream David Platt Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2010 Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God By David Platt Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2011 Some books teach us new things. Others remind us of what we already know. David Platt”s recent books, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream and Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God, remind us of our calling in Christ””to live radical lives of service and sacrifice for the glory of God and the

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