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: Personal Evangelism
November 6, 2025
The Crux of Evangelism
It comes down to this: Do you care? Do you value lost people? Do you have the same compassion for them that Christ had for you (John 3:16; Romans 5:8)?
November 6, 2025
Gone Fishing Lately?
If we’re serious about trying to reach lost sinners and fish for people like Jesus told us to, then it’s essential we understand the beliefs, behavior, and belonging of those we’re fishing for so we can use the right kind of “bait.”
November 5, 2025
For the One: A Call to Radical Alignment
The Great Commission isn't a random utterance of Jesus. It's the marching orders for the church that still stand today, including you and your church.
November 5, 2025
Taking the Gospel Back to Post-Christian Europe
What if the next great move of God isn’t coming from Europe but is going back to it? At ONE&ALL Church in Southern California, we’re preparing to send hundreds of young adults to replant the gospel in the very lands that once sent it to us.
November 28, 2022
December 4 | Discovery
In these passages from Matthew 9 and 10, Jesus tells his disciples three times to “not be afraid.” Why should Jesus’ followers not be afraid to speak about him to others?
May 1, 2021
SPOTLIGHT: New Life Christian Church (Chantilly, Virginia)
Bold People Exercising Bold Faith At a church as large and well-established as New Life Christian in Chantilly, Virginia, it might be tempting to get complacent. Prior to the arrival of coronavirus early in 2020, New Life helped create the Exponential Network, planted more than 300 churches, and regularly attracted thousands of people to worship services every Sunday. Still, senior pastor Brett Andrews was convinced the church needed something else: boldness. Andrews and the leaders at New Life wanted to get better at reproducing disciples, not just reproducing churches. For the last three years, the church has striven to increase
February 11, 2021
Sam E. Stone: Words of Encouragement from a Recent Graduate (circa 1958)
In this week's "Throwback Thursday" we share the first Christian Standard article ever written by our former editor, Sam E. Stone, who died Jan. 25. The article from 1958—shortly after Sam graduated from college and married—is solid evidence that Sam was a great encourager from a young age.
February 1, 2021
When Opportunity Knocks
I noticed the wicker basket on the floor was adorned with yellow daisies and contained a variety of Bibles and Testaments. I asked my friends, “Why do you have a basket of Bibles near your front door?” “I collect those in good condition at garage sales and thrift shops,” Jim said as he opened a Bible. “I mark the Scriptures containing the plan of salvation. Then I write those references on a bookmark and insert it at the first passage.” “When we have unexpected callers, we always offer them a Bible,” Darlene added. “There’s a promise from God about the
July 13, 2020
Discovery Questions for July 19, 2020
By Leigh Mackenzie 1. Who are you thankful for in your life? 2. What challenges did you face last week? • With whom did you share the message of God’s love for us last week? How did that go? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to each read Joshua 1 (preferably from different Bible versions). Then ask the third person to retell the story from this chapter as if telling it to a small group at a middle school camp. 3. How would you describe the general mood of this passage? Why? •
May 17, 2020
This Is Why We Plant Churches
By Brent Bramer Mike and Kelly were jolted out of bed by screams and the smell of smoke. They ran to their two kids and hurried out to the street. The backside of the home next door was engulfed in flames and a crowd was gathering. The elderly woman who lived in the home was screaming for her husband who had just run back into the house to search for their dog. She feared he’d been inside for too long, and there was no sign of him. Mike and Kelly, their children, and the neighbors watched in horror as flames
October 18, 2018
How the Bible School Was Used to Build the Church at Canton, Ohio
I’ve heard anecdotes about P.H. Welshimer and how he used Sunday school to build attendance at First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio, so I was interested in this article he wrote for the October 24, 1953, Christian Standard. It’s a longish article, so without further ado . . . _ _ _ How the Bible School Was Used to Build the Church at Canton, Ohio By P.H. Welshimer WHEN I BEGAN my ministry in Canton, Ohio, Jan. 1, 1902, there were 120 persons in the Bible school that Lord’s Day morning. There was no adult class. The second Lord’s Day
November 26, 2017
The Blessing of Daily Faithfulness
By Kyle Idleman Initially I was reluctant to write this tribute. I was hesitant not because my parents are undeserving or because I”m ungrateful. I was reluctant mostly because I”ve already written to my parents most of the things I”ll write here. I”ve already expressed my appreciation to them. And this is the sort of thing that makes my parents feel awkward. If you asked them to tell you about passing on “the blessing” to the next generation, they wouldn”t point to their example, but would be quick to speak of God”s goodness. They would tell you his grace is
May 14, 2015
Evangelism Today
By Kent E. Fillinger To learn more about the state of evangelism in our churches, we asked questions of a dozen ministers from churches of all sizes: “¢ David Clark, lead pastor, Central Christian Church, Beloit, Wisconsin “¢ Scott Clevenger, lead pastor, Christ”s Church Camden, Kingsland, Georgia “¢ Doug Dykstra, lead minister, Adventure Christian Church, Tavares, Florida “¢ Tim Harlow, senior pastor, Parkview Christian Church, Orland Park, Illinois “¢ Jerry Harris, senior pastor, The Crossing, Quincy, Illinois “¢ Nathan Head, executive pastor of ministries, Southland Christian Church, Nicholasville, Kentucky “¢ Cal Jernigan, senior pastor, Central Christian Church, Mesa, Arizona “¢
November 2, 2011
What a Guide!
By Ben Merold I grew up knowing that the Bible was the Word of God. In retrospect, I consider that fact strange for several reasons. I do not recall reading the Bible in my early life, and my attendance at a Sunday school class or a church youth group meeting was limited to a few short periods of time. I heard very few sermons and remembered none of them, but in spite of these things, I really believed the Bible was the Word of God. Yet, even though I had this conviction about the Bible, it had very little influence
August 3, 2008
Questions for Servant-Leaders
By Mark Wesner Editor”s note: The following questions were distributed as a self-examination exercise at an elders and staff retreat sponsored by First Christian Church, Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. We believe they”re good for servant-leaders everywhere to consider. Spiritual Growth. In what way(s) are you more like Jesus today than you were one year ago? “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness,
July 1, 2007
Saturday Night Church: What Were We Thinking?
By Brian Jones I surveyed pastors for one full year about Saturday night services and my church decided to launch one in December 2005. We killed it April 2006. The service was reaching 150-200 people (we ran 800-plus in the other three), but 95 percent of them were Christ”s Church of the Valley transfers from Sunday morning to Saturday night. Of those people who switched services, well over one-third of them still came to Sunday morning. We cast vision for one year, recruited a massive team of volunteers to pull it off, and sunk $30,000 into direct-mail and signs to
