Articles for tag: Marriage

May 22, 2015

Christian Standard

Preventing Regret

By Tim and Denise Harlow Yes, you can start over. But why not do the work now to create a marriage you can remember with quiet joy instead of sadness or shame? My son-in-law texted me a picture of my grandson during a special moment in our service, right after I”d preached about adultery. It felt like more than a coincidence. It felt like God saying, This is why you stay in your marriage and are faithful to your wife. I”m in a stage of life where I can spend a little more time looking back, which made this Scripture

May 8, 2015

Christian Standard

A Clean Break (1 Corinthians 11:20-23)

By Neal Windham Corinth is a beautiful city. Set on an isthmus dividing the Adriatic and Aegean seas, it was frequented by mariners avoiding the more treacherous waters of the Mediterranean in Paul”s day. As a result, it was a popular destination, well populated, and with a thriving economy. Remains of its stunning temple to Apollo stand in ruins to this very day, silently testifying to a distinctively pagan past. Little wonder that Paul had such a tough time with this church. It seems they were attempting to make the break with pagan society as slight as they possibly could.

February 14, 2015

Christian Standard

You Fight for What You Love

By Ryan Rasmussen My wife and I had recently moved across the country to Boulder, Colorado, in an attempt at a new life, a new ministry, and although unspoken, a fresh start to our relationship. We”d been married three years and had very little fruit to show from our commitment other than a 6-month-old daughter, who was the light in our darkness. I had accepted a student ministry position at a church in town and was excited about what God had in store for this new pastoral adventure. In the meantime, to supplement our income, my wife took a job

February 13, 2015

Christian Standard

The Case for the Case for Marriage

By Jenny Tyree Knowles What would change if the reasoned case for marriage was examined and taught to young adults, rather than implied and “caught”? The result of millennials (Americans born between 1981 and 2000) “catching” the cultural importance of marriage is playing out right now. Polls show that the broad majority of millennials support the redefinition of marriage. When the talking heads predict the future of marriage, they point to the current opinions of millennials to tell us that the redefinition of marriage is inevitable. So how will the church respond? What is at stake? Some believe it is

February 9, 2015

Christian Standard

Secular View, Scriptural Standards

Review by Dick Alexander Unhooked Generation: The Truth about Why We”re Still Single By Jillian Straus Hyperion, 2007 Have you noticed Americans are waiting longer to marry than past generations? And have you noticed a growing number don”t marry at all? So did Jillian Straus, because she was one of them. With matchmaking websites, speed dating, and shelves of relationship books, why can”t today”s young adults find the love relationships they”re looking for, and make them last? Straus, a former producer for Oprah, interviewed more than 100 single men and women thirtysomethings, and wove their stories with her own observations into

February 2, 2015

Christian Standard

The Beauty of Sex

By Paul E. Boatman For me and most people I know, sex has always been a bit perplexing. Forming a solidly Christian perspective on sexuality seems an elusive goal.   “Sex is dirty. Save it for marriage.” This was how David Seamands once summarized the sex education he received in his Christian family. I recall a vivid moment as a 9-year-old sitting in church with some peers. Randomly skimming the Old Testament, I paused at the Song of Solomon. What I read went beyond stirring my preadolescent curiosity. Right there in the Bible I was reading about a distinctly “sexy” interaction

September 27, 2014

Christian Standard

Facing the Darkness as Children of Light

By Paul E. Boatman The words pierced even though they were not a surprise. “Mrs. Boatman, you have persistent and pervasive memory loss of an Alzheimer”s type.” Alzheimer”s! We did not want to hear the “A” word. Alzheimer”s has a dark, hopeless sound to it. My wife, Mary, had been exhibiting patterns of memory loss for a couple of years. The symptoms were occasionally amusing, frequently frustrating, and increasingly intrusive.  Our initial pursuit of answers was not taken seriously. “We all have forgetfulness as we age.” “Maybe some of your drugs are having adverse side-effects.” (With a history of surgeries

September 20, 2014

Christian Standard

Quitting Time

By Linda Ahlgrim Ever wonder if it”s quitting time? Every church volunteer has probably faced a time when they felt that way. More often than not, these frustrations arise from interpersonal conflict and should be seen as opportunities to practice humility and become more like Christ, not as reasons to quit.  But sometimes we do need to step away from our ministry. Sometimes quitting is the most unselfish choice we can make.  IT MAY BE QUITTING TIME IF . . .  You need to say “no” to a serving opportunity to make room for God”s bigger “yes” in your life.

September 15, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for September 21, 2014: Anticipation of a New Future (Jeremiah 32)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the September 14 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone  Despite all that was going on around them, the people of Israel still had reason for hope. This month”s studies in the book of Jeremiah explain why they could have such confidence that much better days were ahead. Many years before this time, God had given the land of Canaan””the promised land””to his people. The Law of Moses contained specific

July 27, 2014

Christian Standard

It Did All Work Out!

By Cam Huxford (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) When I was in college, I had dated a girl for some time but hesitated to take the relationship to the next level and ask her to marry me. I hesitated because I had concerns about a number of subtle issues related to her spiritual intensity, attitude, and aptitude for ministry. Because she was accomplished, attractive, and we seemed to get along well, many of my friends told me I should not worry about these concerns. They said, “Everyone has doubts and concerns before they get married;

July 20, 2014

Christian Standard

$hort, $imple, $ignificant

By David Eubanks (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) My deceased father-in-law, Joseph Perry of Williamston, North Carolina””farmer, church elder, Sunday school teacher, and one of the finest Christian men I have ever known””gave me my wife, Margaret, and through her to me, a piece of advice that we have tried to follow in our lives, our marriage, our home, and our work.  “Live within your income.”Â  Its shortness and simplicity belies its significance. Yet disregarding it destroys marriages, limits the spread of the gospel, corrupts and stymies government for the real benefit of the

July 18, 2014

Christian Standard

The Desire of My Heart

By Sam E. Stone (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) As a student at Ozark Bible College in the 1950s, I was facing the typical decisions of a college student: What will I do with my life? Where will I serve? Who is the right person to marry? That last question was really big! I was talking about it with Gerald Bowlin, a missionary friend from Mexico, when he was in Joplin for the National Missionary Convention. He said, “Sam, let me give you a verse of Scripture.” Then he turned to Psalm 37:4, “Take

July 11, 2014

Christian Standard

Advice to a Dad

By Dave Stone (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received was this: “The best way to be a good father is to be a good husband.” It was given to me by Chuck Lee, a former staff member, who shared it with me soon after the birth of our first child. Dave Stone serves as senior pastor with Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky.

May 29, 2014

Christian Standard

Why Jesus Wouldn”t Work for Your Church

By Eddie Lowen We both know I can”t really speak for Jesus. But you have to admit””my title makes a compelling claim, and for the moment, I stand by it. If Jesus had to suffer being an employee at many churches, there would be more than one table-throwing incident credited to him. Before you conclude I”m one of those hipster church haters, wait. I don”t hang with that crowd. People who love the church more than me are tough to find. I even loved the church during the mauve-colored pew era, but that”s a theme for another article. Do you

May 25, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Clear Desks and Clean Hearts

By Mark A. Taylor No one has ever accused me of being neat. Every year for Christmas, my college roommate (everyone knew he was neat) gave me some new device for organizing my desk or dresser. It always included compartments, cubbyholes, or drawers designed to contain the clutter that filled most of the flat spaces in my room. Later, when I moved a step or two out of young adult self-absorption, I realized how patient he had been. Pilers have no trouble living with filers. My roommate”s ordered desk and organized closet never bothered me! But the well-put-together among us

February 14, 2014

Christian Standard

Valentine Love

By Tom Claibourne   Legends abound regarding the origin of Valentine”s Day and the namesake for the holiday. At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies associated with February 14. The best-known account features a Roman priest who was martyred during the reign of Emperor Claudius for refusing to renounce his faith and for defying an edict issued by the emperor. The Roman Empire under Claudius was involved in many bloody, unpopular military campaigns. As a result, it became increasingly difficult to recruit soldiers. The emperor reasoned that the Roman men did

October 4, 2013

Christian Standard

Extra Time, Attention a Step in Right Direction

By Jennifer Johnson Raise your hand if you”ve ever felt guilty because you don”t want to be a foster parent. I firmly believe Christians should be leading the way in fostering the needy kids in our communities. In fact, one of the moments I knew I wanted to marry Matt was when he initiated a conversation, during a road trip a few months before our actual engagement, about being foster parents someday. But fostering is not for everyone, and it”s certainly not for everyone at every time. Matt and I just wrapped up a successful first year of a new

September 2, 2013

Christian Standard

Lesson for September 8, 2013: God”s Image””Male and Female (Genesis 1, 2; 5:1, 2)

By Sam E. Stone “First Things” is the theme that ties this quarter”s lessons together, using excerpts from both Genesis and Exodus. We will see not only the first days of creation, but also how God formed his people Israel as the first nation, and then how their first freedom came about. Moses wrote Genesis. Inspired by God, he recorded things that only the Creator could know. Because of this, Scripture gives the only definitive account of creation. Each day is described in Genesis 1. Today”s text provides more details about what happened on the sixth day, when the Lord

August 20, 2013

Mark A. Taylor

Collapsing Culture Brings Family Ruin?

By Mark A. Taylor The deterioration of Christian influence in our culture has caused the collapse of stable families in our society, right? Although many conservative Christians believe the above idea, at least one writer challenges it. Mary Eberstadt, in her book How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization, proposes that the collapse of family structures in our country and several others has caused the loss of religious influence, not vice versa. Quoted by Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition website, Eberstadt said: People are social beings. They learn religion the way they learn language: in

August 18, 2013

Christian Standard

Parenting: The Stewardship of Preparation

By Becky Ahlberg Parenting is not for the faint of heart””or those who can”t take the long view in life. Few things require more of a person””physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually””than parenting. Even in the best situations, parenting is stressful. It is full of emergencies, urgencies, inconsistencies, sleepless nights, second-guessing, and unending challenges! And to top it off, most people feel unprepared for the adventure! But, oh what a ride! It is thrilling, joy-filled, stretching, enriching, humbling, exhilarating, and more, so much more. But parenting is especially precarious for many today. The numbers paint an alarming picture. In 2012, 43

Help Keep Christian Standard Free & Accessible with a Tax Deductible Donation

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Does Your Church Want to Support Christian Standard?

Would your church consider including support for Christian Standard in its annual missions budget? Your support would help us not only continue the 160-year legacy of this unifying ministry, but also expand the free resources, cooperative opportunities, and practical guidance we provide to strengthen churches in the U.S. and around the world.

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Secret Link