Articles for tag: Restoration Movement

March 11, 2009

Christian Standard

More Than a Matter of Percentage

By Mark A. Taylor Please notice one new bit of information in this year”s Christian college summary“”and tell us what you think about it! We”re speaking of the column headed “% Restoration Movement.” We asked the schools who contribute to this report, “What percentage of your student body has roots in Stone-Campbell congregations typically referred to as the Restoration Movement?” All of them except two, who don”t track this information, gave us a figure. What are we to conclude from the wide range of percentages reported? “¢ The percentage of Restoration Movement students enrolling in these schools is not, in

March 8, 2009

Christian Standard

What Baptism Requests

By Jon Weatherly This article is no longer available online, but all of the articles about baptism that appeared in the March 1 and 8, 2009, issues of CHRISTIAN STANDARD–plus a bonus article–are available for purchase as a single, redisigned, easy-to-read and easy-to-use downloadable resource/pdf (a fuller explanation is below).   Baptism: 7 Practical Perspectives  Item 02973  “¢Â  $2.99     What does the Bible teach about baptism? What does baptism symbolize and what does it accomplish? Why is there so much disagreement? Seven writers offer their insights on this controversial but fundamental topic in this 14-page resource that””with the exception

March 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Understanding Four Views of Baptism

By Mark S. Krause This article is no longer available online, but all of the articles about baptism that appeared in the March 1 and 8, 2009, issues of CHRISTIAN STANDARD–plus a bonus article–are available for purchase as a single, redisigned, easy-to-read and easy-to-use downloadable resource/pdf (a fuller explanation is below).   Baptism: 7 Practical Perspectives Item 02973  “¢Â  $2.99     What does the Bible teach about baptism? What does baptism symbolize and what does it accomplish? Why is there so much disagreement? Seven writers offer their insights on this controversial but fundamental topic in this 14-page resource that””with the

February 25, 2009

Christian Standard

Interview with Joe Grana

By Brad Dupray As a professor, Joe Grana has wrestled with the theology of baptism. As a minister, he has seen it worked out in the most practical sense. The combination of those points of view has brought him to a perspective on baptism that meets the spiritual challenges of real-world Christianity. Joe has served in the pulpit, leading churches in three different states as a senior minister for 27 years. Today, he is chairman of the church ministry department at Hope International University in Fullerton, California. Joe is a graduate of Lincoln (Illinois) Christian College, holds postgraduate degrees from

February 8, 2009

Christian Standard

Why I No Longer Dread Elder Meetings

by Randy Nation “I feel like a drowning man being thrown a life preserver.” I said that more than two years ago when I realized there might be an answer to the frustrations the elders and I were experiencing. Over the last 25 years, I have served as senior minister in three Restoration Movement churches. Through the years, I have worked with many good leaders who love the Lord and the churches they lead. But I have been dismayed and frustrated that these good men, myself included, have struggled with so much dysfunction in our structure and meetings. I presently

February 4, 2009

Christian Standard

Safe Streets, Saved Souls

By Mark A. Taylor This week we”re making good on our promise to keep publishing articles about elders even after our 2008 emphasis, “The Year of the Elder,” is finished. The three articles featured in this issue won”t be the last helps for elders you”ll find in our pages this year. Meanwhile, we”re continuing to develop issues around our 2009 theme, “Get Your Hands Dirty.” We”re gathering stories from around the world to show how Restoration Movement congregations and missions are redeeming broken bodies as well as lost souls. Timothy Keller, in his challenging little book, The Prodigal God, offers

February 1, 2009

Christian Standard

Is It Time to Move Beyond Truth? (Part 3)

by Robert C. Kurka In the first article in this series, we explained a nonfoundationalist approach to theology given shape by Stanley Grenz”s and John Franke”s 2001 book, Beyond Foundationalism. As we noted then, their work contributed a number of helpful insights to those committed to making an impact upon the postmodern world. But it is also fraught with a number of serious problems restorationists should consider. Last week we looked at two areas where Beyond Foundationalism encounters critical difficulties: the Bible itself and church history. We conclude this week by considering two more of these areas: philosophy, and missions

January 14, 2009

Christian Standard

Great Communion in Greater Pittsburgh

By Mark A. Taylor Christians across the country are planning community observances of the 200th anniversary of the Declaration and Address October 4. They will include unity Lord”s Supper services under the banner of “Great Communion,” the nationwide promotion of the anniversary. One of the most significant celebrations may happen in Pittsburgh. “When we first started our planning, we contracted with a local high school,” said Ed Gratton, one of the ministers at Norwin Christian Church in the Pittsburgh suburb of North Huntingdon. The school auditorium seats 1,000, “but from the response to our idea, we decided we”d better look

December 31, 2008

Christian Standard

Obituaries from 2008

(Listed alphabetically) Paul J. Banta, 80, of Holiday, FL, died Sept 7, 2008. He had Parkinson”s disease. He is survived by his widow, Jean; three children; Philip of Indianapolis, IN, Paula Hoelle of Ormond Beach, FL, and Rebecca Engel of Sylvania, OH; eight grandchildren; two stepgrandsons; four step-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Margie Fleenor of Washington, IN. He was a 1950 graduate of Cincinnati (OH) Christian University. He was ordained at First Christian Church, Washington, IN, in 1948 and retired in 1988. He served full-time ministries in Centerville, Scottsburg, and Indianapolis, IN; Lincoln Park, MI; Clearwater, FL; and with the Christian

December 7, 2008

Christian Standard

Nurturing Missions Partnerships

By Janie Mehaffey READ THE SIDEBAR: “Church Pursues More Active Partnerships” by Janie Mehaffey       A church cuts off support to a missionary after 20 years. Is it a travesty or a natural progression of ministry? Church and mission leaders are considering this and other mission-giving questions after Sam Stone stirred up the topic in his May 11 CHRISTIAN STANDARD column, “Second Thoughts About Mission Giving.” Sam”s article pondered, “What constitutes missions giving?” and “What responsibility does the church have?” Whether looking at it from the church”s perspective or through the eyes of a mission/parachurch organization, the view

November 30, 2008

Christian Standard

The Emerging Church and the Stone-Campbell Movement: Some Striking Similarities (Part 2)

By William R. Baker In part one, three surprising similarities between the Stone-Campbell and emerging church movements were observed, discussed under these headings: “Beyond Denominationalism,” “Vintage Christianity,” and “Biblical Christianity””Acts.” This week, four more similarities will be investigated. Local Church Emerging churches emphasize developing ministry and principles based on the community where they are located. This goes with their “missional” emphasis. They are “externally focused” on incarnating the gospel to the people in their community in creative and fresh ways.1 But in doing so, they also embrace an approach that mobilizes and equips every member of the believing body to

November 23, 2008

Christian Standard

The Emerging Church and the Stone-Campbell Movement: Some Striking Similarities (Part 1)

By William R. Baker See the Sidebar: “The Emerging Church: A Brief History and Helpful Resources”     "Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern cultures," say Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger.1 We might wonder, From what are these churches emerging? Simply stated, they are emerging from a modern world to a postmodern world.2    Yet, thinkers about the emerging church also want to place this mantra of “emerging” on the church generally in the past, present, and future.3 Thus, in the New Testament writings of Paul, we see the Greco-Roman church “emerge” from the

November 23, 2008

Christian Standard

Only One Life

By Charliece Fierbaugh See the Sidebar: “What Was the Congo Massacre?”   “Only one life “˜twill soon be past, Only what”s done for Christ will last.”   These words, engraved on a plaque that hung on the bedroom wall of Phyllis Rine”s Ohio home, guided her life until her death on November 24, 1964. Shot by insurgent rebels during the Congo Crisis, Rine is remembered as the first female martyr from the Restoration Movement heritage.   A COMMITTED LIFE Born August 15, 1939, Phyllis Rine grew up near Martinsburg, Ohio. In 1957 she dedicated her life to full-time mission work

November 9, 2008

Christian Standard

The Local Church Needs Scholars

By Fred Hansen   WHAT IS A SCHOLAR? According to the definitions in The Oxford English Dictionary, the word scholar can describe anyone from a person who reads or writes well to someone well acquainted with the Greek and Latin languages. In other words, scholarship is often in the eye of the beholder. And the meaning of the word has changed throughout history. In the Elizabethan period, for example, it referred to university graduates who could not find employment in a professional field but sought to make a living by writing. Our use of the word is broader than that,

October 12, 2008

Christian Standard

The National New Church Conference”s “˜Exponential” Development

By Jennifer Taylor From multisite campuses to nationwide networks, interest in church planting is at a new high. Restoration Movement leaders have been planting churches and sharing their experiences for decades, but this renewed focus on reproducing churches””plus a commitment to cross-denominational collaboration””has made the National New Church Conference the premier church planting event in the country.   Historical The National New Church Conference (NNCC) first met in 1969 as the “First National Colloquy on New Church Evangelism.” According to John Wasem”s August 2006 article in Christian Standard, 38 people attended this first event held at Great Lakes Bible College

October 8, 2008

Christian Standard

Interview with Jim Penhollow

By Brad Dupray After serving in Latin America in cross-cultural church planting with Christian Missionary Fellowship, Jim Penhollow was called as director of church multiplication for East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he has served the past 14 years. Jim and his wife of 41 years, Leslie, live in Vancouver, Washington, since East 91st actively plants churches in the Northwestern United States. Jim joined East 91st 10 years into the church”s quest to plant 20 churches in 20 years. East 91st is now 24 years into that pursuit and will soon launch its 50th church. Is there

September 24, 2008

Christian Standard

Interview with Mike Kilgallin

By Brad Dupray As the newly appointed president of Crossroads College in Rochester, Minnesota, Mike Kilgallin is crafting a vision for what Crossroads College can do for the churches of Minnesota and beyond. Mike brings a broad base of experience to his new role, having served as the senior pastor of churches in Minnesota and Illinois, as the head of the Business Department and as staff development officer at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian College, as a regional vice president with Church Development Fund, and most recently, as the vice president of church and faith-based services with Fifth Third Bank. Mike and

September 21, 2008

Christian Standard

NACC Viewpoints: It”s All About the Mission

By Justin Horey Iattended the NACC only once before joining the marketing team at Provision Ministry Group in 2002, so I have little with which to compare today”s conventions. But I have gathered, through my involvement with this high-profile “ministry partner” over the past seven years, that the convention isn”t what it used to be. Before and during the convention, I am often asked, usually in a somber tone, “How are registrations this year?” Apparently the only thing that matters about the convention””at least to those who question me””is the attendance. No one ever asks me who was there, or

September 17, 2008

Christian Standard

Should Anything Change About the NACC?

By Mark A. Taylor This year”s North American Christian Convention report offers several different perspectives with conclusions that range all the way from “We need this convention as it is” to “We should combine it with the National Missionary Convention.” We didn”t anticipate or dictate what these writers would say. We simply asked each one to comment on this year”s gathering and then to make suggestions for the future. Cost versus value is an issue mentioned or implied by many of their conclusions. Is the convention worth the price our movement invests in it? Is it worth the cost to

September 7, 2008

Christian Standard

Just Asking: Five Questions for the Restoration Movement

By Jim Tune I shouldn”t be writing this article. I”ve never seen myself as a poster boy for the Restoration Movement. I”ve never been much of a joiner of causes. My early days as a preacher were marked by zeal for the ministry but ambivalence toward the movement. I”ve changed a lot. This will sound decidedly uncool to my church planting peers, but the Restoration plea as first envisaged by men like Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, and Barton Stone actually quickens my pulse these days. I”ll be the first to admit that the vision for unity around simple

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