January 26, 2024
Ready to Harvest, which conducts denominational research, has released a 27-minute video via YouTube profiling and explaining Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. “What Are Independent Christian Churches?” was posted early this week and is being generally well received. . . .
May 1, 2022
By Wes Beavis What relevance does Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary theory, have to the Restoration Movement? A lot. As a clinical psychologist, I spend most of my time counseling RM ministry leaders. I can attest to the relevancy of Darwin’s oft-quoted phrase, “survival of the fittest.” Simply put, those organisms that can adjust favorably to their environment are the ones that survive. If they can’t adapt, they die out. Finding Support in Autonomous Churches This “survival of the fittest” concept is very much a part of our movement’s construct. Pastors who can adapt and overcome their prevailing difficulties
October 24, 2020
—This content is sponsored by The Solomon Foundation— A pastor recently shared with me that he never had a Bible college class that focused on ministering during a pandemic. I told him I never had a class in business school about how to cope with a pandemic, either. We are living in extraordinary times. When crises arise, Americans usually get to work to find solutions. This is certainly true with our church leaders; I have seen them rise to the occasion many times. Churches across our nation have been affected differently by the coronavirus. Some church buildings still are closed,
June 22, 2019
By TR Robertson David Embree has led Christian Campus House at Missouri State University in Springfield for 41 years. I talked to him about the state of campus ministry, past, present, and future. QUESTION: Why is campus ministry important? ANSWER: As Charles Malik [former president of the United Nations General Assembly] said back in the ’60s, if you want to impact the world, impact campuses. Eighty-five percent of kids from our churches go to non-church-related schools; [it] is going to be one of the most challenging intellectual and spiritual experiences of their lives. We need to be the church on
January 19, 2016
By Mark A. Taylor “Let It Go” is more than the title of a worldwide pop hit song introduced in Disney”s blockbuster film Frozen three years ago. According to Glen Elliott, “let it go” also makes a good theme for every Christian leader, indeed for every Christian. He shared his heart on the subject of humility in a moment for Bible study and prayer at this year”s annual Christian Standard contributing editors retreat last week. He reminded us that both James and Peter admonish us: “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” He quoted Proverbs 16:18 (“Pride
February 24, 2015
By Mark A. Taylor New York publishing executive Joanne Lipman wrote last year about the subtle barriers and “benevolent sexism” she”s experienced in an industry that says it”s open to women leaders. After reading her article, “Women at Work: a Guide for Men,” I couldn”t help but wonder: Do women working in my world, i.e. local churches and parachurch ministries, also feel stymied by the men who dominate their workplaces? I wrote several women church leaders to get an answer, and I reported last week all of them answered “yes.” Since then, I have heard from a couple more women
January 13, 2015
By Mark A. Taylor Today is the middle day of this year”s annual CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editors retreat. For all of us who attend it, this is a special gathering that enriches us in a unique way. Of course, personal enrichment is a byproduct of the meeting. Its stated purpose is to brainstorm topics and writers for future editions of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. And this is a purpose that has been wonderfully achieved, year after year. Many of the innovations and changes you”ve seen in the magazine through the years have come at the suggestion (or prodding!) of this group. Several
August 24, 2014
By D. Clay Perkins President, Mid-Atlantic Christian University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina After a board meeting for one of our excellent parachurch ministries, two friends, both of whom are very sound and successful in businesses, asked me what they thought was an awkward question. Both knew I had owned and managed two successful businesses and directed the business of a megachurch. “Just what were you thinking? Why did you become a Bible college president?” They went on to say things like: “Talk about a lousy business plan . . . the government subsidizes higher education student tuition with a plethora
March 27, 2012
By Mark A. Taylor The spirit of the day was one of inclusiveness. “Denominationalism is dead.” “Sectarianism is to be shunned.” “People today are more interested in Jesus than any human hierarchy or divisions.” Hear, hear for the plea to be “Christians only.” But this discussion was not just about whom to treat as Christians, but also about whom to include in one of “our” meetings. And here opinions were not as uniform. If the meeting is by and for “us,” some wondered, shouldn”t those credentialed by the meeting planners be from among “us”? Their question of “them” and “us”
January 18, 2012
By Mark A. Taylor Late last year in this space I encouraged leaders not to dote on leadership books or lists of leadership skills and techniques. “The leader should look first to God and then deep within himself before he bothers with anyone else”s list of how-to”s,” I wrote. So here we are recommending a book about leadership, and I”m compelled to insist that I”m in no way being inconsistent. This is true because the writers in this new book, Nonprofit Leadership in a For-Profit World, seem to agree that preparation for leadership begins deep within the heart and soul
August 10, 2008
By Leonard Wymore Every congregation already has in place the leadership to stimulate growth””it just needs fine-tuning! Every church, no matter the size, has a staff of associates. These will relate and serve together as a TEAM (Together Everyone Accomplishes More). The preacher is the coach and the volunteers are the associates. A TEAM OF ASSOCIATES For example, even small churches usually have a leading elder whose role is shepherding the congregation, a Bible school superintendent, a youth coach, a music leader, a missions chairperson, and a preacher. Why not give associate status to all such leaders? Each could prepare
By Mark A. Taylor One angle unreported in this week”s lead story is the unusual cooperation that made it possible. The April Indianapolis AIDS conference was jointly sponsored by two ministries headquartered in the same town and seeking (competing for?) financial support from the same fellowship of Christian churches. I suspect offerings to both ministries will increase, however, because of their shared initiatives described this week. Not only did they cosponsor a conference; now they”re working together on continuing strategies to address the needs presented by the AIDS pandemic. Their combined voice receives more attention than either of them speaking
April 16, 2008
By Mark A. Taylor Like leaders you may know, Mark Zuckerberg is struggling. Zuckerberg, 23-year-old CEO of the phenomenally popular social networking Web site Facebook, is figuring out how to cope with his own success. His brainchild began as an idea he pursued as a college dropout. Now, a little more than three years later, the site is attracting at least 101 million visitors and the dollars of investors like Microsoft (the company spent $240 million for a stake in Facebook last year). Although Facebook”s revenues reportedly reached $150 million in 2007, the company still isn”t profitable. And Zuckerberg”s efforts
January 2, 2008
By Mark A. Taylor In one November weekend, our fellowship lost two leaders who encouraged, challenged, and inspired us for decades. Our memories of Russ Blowers and Gene Dulin will last our whole lives, and their influence will be felt for generations to come. Blowers touched individual lives and influenced parachurch ministries around the world from his home base in Indianapolis. He led the East 49th Street Christian Church to become the East 91st Street Christian Church and shepherded it to greatness in 45 years of ministry there. Always quick with an encouraging word, he brought wisdom and guidance to
September 20, 2006
A 1918 issue of Christian Standard sparked a look at vintage ads—from trusses and “iron” pills to church supplies. Mark A. Taylor explains today’s updated advertising policy and who may advertise.
December 28, 2005
Christian Standard introduces the 2006 “Reflections” writers—leaders from churches, seminaries, and ministries across the continent. Meet the 12 contributors and look ahead to a year of thoughtful, timely columns.
October 23, 2005
In Joplin, Missouri, Victory in Prayer (VIP) Fellowship gathers ministry leaders to encourage one another and pray for each other’s work. What began in a crisis became a steady rhythm of unity, cooperation, and shared intercession.
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