March 2, 2025
Insight into how we might help ministry leaders in the U.S. and abroad remain faithful in their vital vocational roles, ensuring ministry leaders in the church worldwide produce deeply rooted kingdom fruit.
November 26, 2024
Does the Bible say we must always support Israel? How does the modern nation of Israel relate to the church?
October 30, 2024
Forty-four years ago, as a young missionary ministering in Kenya, Doug Priest wrote an article about "Missions in the Eighties." Now he looks at the past, present, and future of missions in the Restoration Movement.
July 1, 2024
We asked several current and emerging leaders in our movement this question: “When you think about the next 10 years for Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, what concerns you and what excites you?”
May 6, 2024
European missionaries face daunting challenges, but they have not given up hope. . . .
November 1, 2022
The Testimony of the First-Known Somali Gospel Preacher
August 2, 2021
Having called the Galatians back to the true gospel, defended his own apostleship, and having confronted Peter (i.e., Cephas), Paul begins to argue for the gospel of righteousness.
January 3, 2019
In the Arena In the arena of ideas and opinions, we offer a place for Christ-centered and Christ-honoring debate on nonessential issues. This month, Ken Idleman and Zach Spiering give us two opinions on a common hot-button issue among Christians: public drinking. Tell us what you think on this issue by leaving a comment below. (Also . . . tell us what other debatable issues we should discuss “In the Arena.”) _ _ _ By Zach Spiering During the time I taught at a Restoration Movement Bible college, I enjoyed the opportunities to work with wonderful, godly men and women
September 22, 2018
Rural areas in the U.S. may be the best places for rapid multiplication of disciples and churches! By Doug Lucas Over the past two decades, God has been working mightily through an approach commonly referred to as disciple-making movements (or DMMs. Some use the term CPM, short for church-planting movements, while others use T4T, meaning Training for Trainers. These three acronyms are, in many ways, synonymous, with only slight differences between them.) David Garrison was the first to write a book about this phenomenon, and his definition has become somewhat of the standard. In Church Planting Movements (2004), he
April 9, 2017
By Anna Batyuto In a police station, in front of a police officer, is a tiny young woman who looks almost like a child. “Your mother wants to make the trip to Mecca but can”t do it because you are a Christian. Deny Christ!” The officer says these words again and again. This is not the first time Zulfiya has been in this place. “You”ve told me that before,” she says, “and what was my answer then? It hasn”t changed.” This woman”s incredible peace and the awareness of God being near her give her words and inner core a strength
February 3, 2017
By Doug Priest Mitchell and Luis looked a little lost in the exhibition hall at the Lexington (Kentucky) Convention Center, home to the 2016 International Conference on Missions. They came from the Dominican Republic. Mitchell had come to the convention once before, eight years ago. But the convention had grown a lot in the past eight years, and there were 300 different exhibitors! It is no wonder they were amazed at all they saw. These men are pastors. They belong to Centro Cristiano, an association of Christian churches in the Dominican Republic that has 23 pastors. Four of the pastors
February 1, 2016
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the January 31 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott The driving metaphor of religious practice in the Old Testament is a party. That is rather unique. Islam has its five pillars. Buddhism strives to achieve a state of Nirvana. Hinduism pilgrimages through several Vedas. But for the people of God in Scripture the word is
November 20, 2015
By Joe Boyd I was in New York City for business meetings the Friday night of the attacks in Paris. After returning home, my wife and I began to discuss things. I wasn”t a very good conversationalist. (She”s used to that.) I was tired from a long week at work. I was also, like so many, confused about the state of the world and afraid that things would escalate. She asked me to write what I was thinking, suggesting it might help people process. (Maybe she just wanted me to process.) I quickly jotted my thoughts down in my personal
November 12, 2015
By Mike Schrage Go and make disciples. This 2,000-year-old command from Jesus is just as compelling and encompassing as ever. It”s a command for obedience. It”s a command for commitment. What must we do today to obey the command? Robert Coleman said, “Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we were called to be and do.”1 How”s the American church doing with this command to go and make disciples? Let me share a heart that”s full of concern for the bride of Christ found within our nation”s borders. We”re living in
October 1, 2015
By Name Withheld When I was getting ready to leave my home church, I shared openly with a group of women about some of the unique struggles Islamic women face. I asked these ladies to consider covering me in prayer as I entered into the world of Muslim women. One woman came up to me after the service and told me her husband once said Muslims were the one people group he felt he could never love or accept. She asked me to join her in praying that the Lord would soften (and humble) his heart. Christianity Today recently published
June 11, 2015
By T.R. Robertson For Christians who seek to chart a path down the radical center of a hostile culture, the road can be rocky. There are others navigating a parallel route, fellow travelers whose experiences are instructive. Following the July 7, 2005, terrorist bombings in the United Kingdom, anti-Muslim sentiment spiked among the British populace, just as it did among Americans in the wake of 9/11. In response, Dr. Fuad Nahdi, editor in chief of Q-News, a leading international Muslim magazine, formed an organization called Radical Middle Way (RMW). His purpose was to use modern strategic communication methods to promote
June 19, 2014
By John Castelein What does it mean that Jesus wants his disciples to be “in the world . . . not of the world” (John 17:13-19)? “In the world” involves more than merely being involved with the world or being aware of the culture. I believe it means being able to connect with people who have not committed to God”s kingdom. “Not of the world” means living out kingdom values and commitments that differ from those of worldly people. Unfortunately, as many Christians become more and more “not of the world,” they have less involvement and connection with people “in
June 13, 2014
By Donald S. Tingle The world is full of religions. If Christianity is just one of many faith traditions, what makes it so special, so distinctive from all other religious claims? The answers Christian have given to that question often fit somewhere between two extremes. But somewhere in the middle lie the answers we need to show followers of other religions why Christianity alone truly leads us to God. On the extreme right some might say, “Christianity is true; therefore all non-Christian religions are false. Non-Christians are so thoroughly blinded by Satan that nothing worthwhile can be found among their
March 22, 2014
By C. Robert Wetzel I can think of several examples where cooperation with other groups enhanced Christian witness. And my relationship with Lesslie Newbigin taught me principles that can guide all of us. Members of Christian churches and churches of Christ are heirs to a movement that attempted to hold in balance two ideals that could sometimes seem contradictory. On the one hand, there was a commitment to restore New Testament Christianity. Restoration would, in turn, be the means upon which Christians could unite. Hence, we wanted to be “Christians only.” But on the other hand, there was a desire
November 7, 2013
By Todd Nettleton “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). It”s not hard to see the truth in Jesus” words when you consider what our Christian brothers and sisters are enduring around the world. In Egypt, the “Arab Spring” was supposed to bring about more freedom and more democracy, but under the Muslim Brotherhood, persecution of Christians actually increased. While many Christians were pleased to see the recent overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi, Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) contacts say radical Muslims actually blame Christians for Morsi”s loss of power.
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok