Articles for tag: Prayer Ministry

February 22, 2020

Brian Cook

The Power Room

By Brian Cook Three people gather quietly around a small table. Their bodies hunch forward as their lips move silently. The drone of electrical machinery whirs around them, punctuated only by the soft rustling of Bible pages and the gentle creaking of chairs. The sign on the door says “Power Room.” It is a cramped electrical closet situated on the far side of the stage in our worship center. Our church’s facilities have been updated significantly over the years, but its sturdy mid-century bones can still be seen amid the bulky circuit breakers and snaking wires that inhabit this secluded

October 15, 2018

Christian Standard

What Makes the Fastest-Growing Churches Grow?

By Jim Nieman   How do you explain your church’s tremendous growth in 2017? That’s what we asked lead ministers of the fastest-growing churches in three attendance categories from Christian Standard’s annual survey of churches: churches of 1,000 or more (megachurches and emerging megachurches profiled in May), churches of 250 to 999 (large and medium churches—June), and churches 249 and fewer (small and very small churches—July). All three churches have one thing in common—new facilities—but that wasn’t the only explanation for their growth. We spoke with and/or emailed questions to: Aaron Brockett, lead pastor of Traders Point Christian Church (Whitestown,

May 1, 2016

Michael C. Mack

Ministry Synergy

By Michael C. Mack Church ministries often find themselves working as silos, fixating on their own specific objectives and depending on their own resources. Imagine what could be achieved for God”s kingdom if different ministries learned to work together to make a difference in their towns, cities, and the world! For the body of Christ to work effectively to carry out Jesus” mission, ministry leaders must first learn to listen to the Head, that is, Christ, as well as to local church leaders who can coordinate teamwork. They must also see themselves as stewards of the ministry; they refer to

February 7, 2013

Christian Standard

Drive-through Prayer Draws Traffic

By Jennifer Johnson Since last April, Centerpointe Christian Church (Lexington, KY) has offered “drive-through prayer” one Wednesday night a month. A small team of volunteers stands on several corners and in front of the church waving signs to direct drivers to the building, while two couples wait to pray with anyone who pulls in. “We see everything, from families having trouble to people coming right from the bars,” says Rex Hughes, coordinator of the ministry. “Each month is a reminder of the burdens people around us carry every day.” The team hands out cold water in the summer and hot

August 21, 2012

Christian Standard

Ten Ways You Can Strengthen Campus Ministry

By Mark A. Taylor Every year we publish a directory of campus ministries like the one in this issue. Every year we include stories of dynamic, life-changing influence provided by these ministries. And every year I learn something new about outreach to young people forgotten or ignored by too many local churches. Obviously, many Christian churches and churches of Christ care about taking Christ to college students. Could we do more? Look at my list, and decide for yourself. 1. Choose a ministry. From our directory, find a campus ministry either (a) close to your local church, (b) on the

October 17, 2011

Christian Standard

Challenging Men to Take the Lead in Prayer

By Jennifer Taylor  When John Seitz joined the Antioch Christian Church (Marion, IA) staff in 2000, he challenged the men to join a team committed to praying for his ministry and for the church. “Prayer is so integral in seeking guidance from God and providing spiritual protection for the pastor,” Seitz says. “We have a prayer ministry open to everyone, but I wanted this to encourage strong male leadership in the church.” In addition to praying through the week, each year the team gathers for a retreat, and each Sunday morning several of the men gather at the church building

October 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Encouraging Male Prayer Leadership

By Jennifer Taylor When John Seitz joined the Antioch Christian Church (Marion, IA) staff in 2000, he challenged the men to join a team committed to praying for his ministry and for the church. “Prayer is so integral in seeking guidance from God and providing spiritual protection for the pastor,” Seitz says. “We have a prayer ministry open to everyone, but I wanted this to encourage strong male leadership in the church.” In addition to praying through the week, each year the team gathers for a retreat, and each Sunday morning several of the men gather at the church building

June 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Eubanks Institute Hosts “˜Forwarding Agents” Event

By Jennifer Taylor On May 23 and 24, the Eubanks Institute for Missions at Johnson Bible College (Knoxville, TN) hosted a gathering of forwarding agents, missionaries, and others interested in missions to discuss the agents” multifaceted and important role. Speakers at “The Work of the Forwarding Agent: Past, Present and Future” included Reggie Hundley, Ziden Nutt, Chris Templar, and Carrie Beth Lowe. Workshops and main sessions focused on finances, education, public relations, publishing, and more. The Eubanks Institute was established in 2006 and named in honor of former JBC President David Eubanks and his wife, Margaret, to recognize their significant

November 24, 2010

Christian Standard

Teaching People to Pray One at a Time

By Paul Covert In July of 2003, I nervously made a call to Cal Jernigan, the senior pastor at Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona. I had known Cal for 25 years and had always respected him. I hoped he could point me to a church that might have some interest in my passion for prayer. Thirty days later I was leading the prayer ministry at Central. When I called Cal, I didn”t know Central had just gone through an extensive season of developing their core values. One of them was, “As a community of believers, we seek God”s guidance

November 24, 2010

Christian Standard

Increase Your Church”s Passion for Prayer

By Paul Covert Getting People Started in Prayer School of Prayer””Each School of Prayer offers topics designed to teach people to pray and time to practice what they”ve learned. At least one of the three sessions is for entry-level prayers. The SOP is held once a quarter. Prayer Garden””Central has its own Prayer Garden. The garden offers a quiet place on campus for staff, members, and their friends to take a break to pray. There are six stations in the garden with inspirational thoughts for prayer at each station. The meditations are changed regularly, so the experience is always fresh.

September 17, 2010

Christian Standard

MEDIUM-SIZED CHURCHES: Walking Through the Wilderness

Walking Through the Wilderness By Kent E. Fillinger Faithfulness leads to fruitfulness, but this process requires patience. Ron Mobley and Northwest Christian Church, Acworth, Georgia, have experienced this truth over the last two decades. When Mobley arrived as senior minister in 1989, he found a very established, inwardly focused church that had alienated several ministers and many members of the community through the years. In spite of the church”s poor track record, Mobley saw potential for growth. Mobley spent his first five years establishing relationships and serving the church. There was an effort to build a family life center on the church”s

February 8, 2009

Christian Standard

How Our Church Uses Elder Governance

By Gary L. Johnson The psalmist got it right when he wrote, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). God created our bodies in remarkable ways. For example, the average heart has a cardiac output (i.e., volume per minute) of 1.1 gallons of blood. That means the heart moves more than 1,500 gallons of blood each day””that”s roughly 30 million gallons in a lifetime. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.       When I play with my grandchildren, I am also reminded that God created us to grow. My grandchildren run faster and jump higher with every week that

August 15, 2008

Christian Standard

Interview with Dale Newberry

By Brad Dupray Dale Newberry has witnessed every facet of change for Ten Mile Christian Church (formerly Cherry Lane Christian Church), seeing the congregation in Meridian, Idaho, grow from an attendance of 60 to 1,300 in his 28 years as a member. When Dale and his wife, Cherrie, moved to Meridian, he was a nominal Christian, but as he got more involved and his relationship with Christ flourished he began teaching adult Sunday school, took classes at Boise Bible College, and eventually became an elder. He has served in that role for the past 20 years, today as chairman. Dale

June 3, 2007

Christian Standard

Passion, Purpose . . . and Joy!

By Barbara Rendel Is your life driven by your passions? My life has taken so many turns, and I am in the midst of another one. My husband has completed a 40-year ministry in the local church to become director of church relations at Cincinnati (Ohio) Christian University. Who Am I? Many times, through many changes or circumstances, I have asked the question, “Who am I, now?” I have known since childhood I wanted to serve Jesus. I remember attending great revivals as a child and thinking I would love to spend my life playing piano at them. Our ministers

January 22, 2006

Brad Dupray

anointing with oil

You See It in Their Eyes

At Crossroads Christian Church, prayer during Communion grew into a shepherds ministry, and anointing with oil now draws hundreds forward. The church sees a deep hunger for spiritual connection in a post-Christian culture.

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