November 6, 2025
Proclamation and Persuasion: The Invitation
When the gospel is proclaimed, and the Holy Spirit brings conviction, and people are challenged to respond, they respond.
Articles for tag: John Caldwell
October 28, 2022
Beyond Ministry: Pastors Share Stress-Relieving Hobbies
After 55 years in ministry, Bob Kastens is convinced every pastor needs a hobby. Kastens' hobby is genealogy. Bob Sartoris (pictured) enjoys woodworking. We also spoke with John Caldwell, Lee Delbridge, and Joshua Persall. (Hobbies included biking, the St. Louis Cardinals, and Hot Wheels cars—not in that order.)
January 11, 2022
In Farewell Sermon at Plainfield, Steve White Shares ‘Why I Love the Church’
Steve White preached his farewell sermon Sunday after serving with Plainfield (Ind.) Christian Church for 34 years. In that sermon, he shared the reasons he loves the church, and specifically, why he loves Plainfield Christian.
February 8, 2021
Haitian Christian Mission Co-founder Etienne Prophete Dies
Etienne Prophete, 81, who co-founded Haitian Christian Mission in 1974 with his wife, Betty, died Friday, Feb. 5. Over the years, the mission has started nearly 60 churches totaling more than 10,000 members. Many of the churches also have schools that serve a total of more than 13,000 children daily. Prophete was a 1974 graduate of Ozark Christian College, which awarded him with the Seth Wilson Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2006. “Since he came to Ozark and returned to his native land, no missionary leader has cast a longer shadow of Christ-honoring influence in Haiti,” said former OCC president Ken
December 30, 2020
Ordinary Guy
By John Caldwell (adapted from his new book) I am a pretty ordinary guy. I’m not dumb, but neither am I brilliant. While I love sports, I’m certainly not athletically gifted. I was a decent trumpet player in my high school and college days, but I was second chair, not first chair. I don’t light up a room when I enter it. Actually, I’m pretty much an introvert who, if given the choice, would sit in a chair in the corner and read a book rather than socialize. I’m not ugly, but neither would most consider handsome (my wife and
March 15, 2020
The Angels: Messengers of Hope at the Empty Tomb
By John Caldwell I have a confession to make. In well over half a century of ministry, I’ve never preached about the angels as they relate to the resurrection of Christ. I have manuscripts of all my Easter sermons, but I’ve searched in vain through scores of them for any significant focus on the angels. I fear that many of us have seen angels only as “bit players” in the Easter story. In reality, however, the angels play a major role. Angels in the Bible Angels have many roles in Scripture, and they would make for an interesting study; after
October 1, 2019
Christian Arabic Services (Egypt): The Best-Kept Secret in the Restoration Movement?
A Christian Standard Interview with Safaa Fahmi By John Caldwell Christian Arabic Services of Cairo, Egypt, is strategically located in the Islamic world, at the crossroads of Africa and Asia and next to the world’s only Jewish state. Safaa and Mona Fahmi lead the CAS ministry, which targets the 420 million Arabic-speaking people concentrated in northern Africa and the Middle East. The Fahmis and their dedicated team of associates have trained leaders who have helped to reopen at least 200 Egyptian village churches from Aswan to Alexandria. Through its efforts, several hundred denominational churches have embraced New Testament Christianity, as
We Believe Jesus Is Lord
By John Caldwell The first song I ever learned was “Jesus Loves Me.” The first Bible verse I memorized was John 3:16. I preached my first sermon on that same text; it lasted 10 minutes. When I began my ministry with the infant Kingsway Christian Church, my first sermon was simply entitled “Jesus.” When I retired from that ministry 36 years later, my sermon was “It’s Still Jesus.” If you call me a “Jesus freak,” I’ll consider it a badge of honor. But who is this Jesus? The answer to that question is more important than anything else. Jesus raised
May 19, 2019
What Are You Doing Now?
Compiled by Mark A. Taylor _ _ _ Alan Ahlgrim Retired: Founding pastor with Rocky Mountain Christian Church, Niwot, Colorado, March 2013 What are you doing now? Continues to encourage and mentor church leaders. Director of Covenant Groups with the Center for Church Leadership. Thoughts on retirement: âThe best is yet to be for every kingdom leader. I jokingly say if I had known this season would be so fulfilling, I would have started with this first and stuck with it! Iâ™ve traded unrelenting responsibility for a soul-enriching opportunity.â _ _ _ Dick Alexander Retired: Senior minister, LifeSpring Christian Church,
December 16, 2017
“˜And It Came to Pass in Those Days”
This Christmas essay originally appeared in the December 18/25, 2011, issue of Christian Standard. ___ By John Caldwell I love Christmas! It is without a doubt my favorite season of the year. I like almost everything about it, both secular and spiritual. I enjoy the music, the lights, the decorations, the parties, and the programs. I enjoy the hustle and the bustle, the giving and receiving of gifts. But most of all, I enjoy the Christmas story itself””the fact that God became flesh and dwelt among us; that Jesus is indeed the reason for the season. In our 46 years
October 24, 2017
The Increasing Challenge for Evangelism in India
Persecution is increasing in India. How will our churches respond?  By John Caldwell The year was 1950 and colonial India was debating its constitution as a new, independent nation. Drafters of the constitution had written an article on freedom of religion that “each individual has the right to profess, practice and propagate his faith.” The constitutional convention engaged in much debate over that word, propagate. The Hindu majority feared that word would be used by a small Christian minority as an excuse to proselytize.  Ironically it was a Hindu delegate who stood to his feet and said the word propagate
April 21, 2015
Heartfelt Leadership
By Mark A. Taylor When you go to a conference for church leaders, you expect to come home with a folder full of methods, strategies, and tactics for growing your church. This is especially true when a megachurch minister is the keynote speaker. What secrets does he know about growing a church? What”s working in today”s culture? What approaches are guaranteed to bring success? What techniques have been most effective where he serves? But when Aaron Brockett kicked off the Intentional Church Conference at First Christian Church, Decatur, Illinois, last week, he didn”t talk about methods at all. Or numbers.
January 23, 2015
What about Church Discipline?
By Lise Caldwell Recently I sat down with three remarkable men to discuss church discipline. Howard Brammer, John Samples, and John Caldwell have 150 years of preaching ministry experience between them. All three are retired from “official” full-time ministry, but continue to teach, preach, and guide. From country churches to megachurches, they have watched church discipline succeed, fail to happen, and just plain fail. When I asked them to share their experiences, I heard wonderful stories, much laughter, great humility, and tremendous wisdom. I want to share the best of that here. First, a word about their most recent ministries:
July 28, 2014
Daily Expectation
By John Caldwell (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) My first year at Ozark Bible College, Professor Don DeWelt distributed pieces of card stock to each of us in his Acts class. There were but two words printed on each piece: “PERHAPS TODAY!” He taught us to live each day in eager anticipation of the Lord”s soon return. For years I kept that piece of card stock prominently displayed in my study. Somehow it got lost in one of my moves. But his advice remains a major key to living a holy life. In the
September 1, 2013
A Serious Issue That Is a Matter of Conscience
By Jennifer Johnson As I wrote about Daron Earlewine”s Pub Theology ministry, I reread two recent Christian Standard articles on drinking. These pieces, by Tim Harlow and John Caldwell, are both available on the CS website and both worth your time. I loved Tim”s observation that the popular rationalization for Jesus turning water into wine””that the wine was watered down””would simply give it the alcohol content of beer, and I courted whiplash nodding my head vigorously at his comment that “alcohol is not the No. 1 health problem in America””it”s obesity. So it”s a tad confusing to the world when
December 1, 2012
ICOM 2012: Radical . . . Again
By Dave Butts “Radical . . . Again.” The theme for the 2012 International Conference on Missions (ICOM) November 15-18, was more than a clever title pulled from a popular Christian book. It was an apt description of a conference committed to challenging Christians to meet the needs of an increasingly desperate world in every way possible. Preaching, workshops, worship, exhibits, and service projects combined to call those thousands who attended to deeper levels of global impacting discipleship. It was appropriate the inaugural meeting of ICOM, formerly the National Missionary Convention, was in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Convention Center is always
August 11, 2012
To Drink or Not to Drink?
By John Caldwell I decided many years ago totally to abstain from alcohol, and it is my opinion that all Christians would do well to make the same decision. I believe this issue is important because it relates to a broader, and thus even more significant subject””that of the modern church”s ongoing move toward becoming more and more like the world. My Bias In the interest of full disclosure, I am biased. I hate alcohol””not the taste (although to be honest, I hate that too), but what it does to people. The first funeral of a teenager that I
August 12, 2009
Interview with John Caldwell
By Brad Dupray Now in his 36th year at Kingsway Christian Church (Avon, Indiana), John Caldwell has baptized hundreds, married couples and then later married their children, buried more than his fair share of faithful church members, and preached hundreds of sermons strategically designed to manage the growth of the Christians who make up Kingsway. John was president of the 1996 North American Christian Convention and will serve as president of the 2012 National Missionary Convention after his retirement from Kingsway. John and his wife, Jan, have been married 44 years and have two children and two grandchildren. Has it
