January 1, 2026
With careful planning, clear communication, financial foresight, and sensitivity to personalities, churches can not only survive transitions, they can thrive through them.
January 1, 2026
Few churches handle lead minister succession well, but there are four steps for an effective succession PLAN (Prepare, Look Ahead, Assess, Navigate).
January 1, 2026
Over time I learned that, while emotions shouldn’t be the dominant voice in my life, understanding them is a wise choice for my life.
November 24, 2025
We can’t literally count all our blessings, for there are too many to list. But with childlike awe, why not give it a try?
November 24, 2025
Through the body and blood of Jesus of Nazareth, our sins are removed. They are cleansed. They are forgotten.
November 5, 2025
A sermon should be long enough to adequately exegete and apply the main point of the passage, but short enough to leave mature Christians willing to listen a few minutes longer.
October 27, 2025
As we examine ourselves, we must be honest. Where we find sin, where we find disobedience to our Lord, where we find selfishness, we must change.
October 31, 2024
Illustrations and stories enhanced a message by making it more relatable and applicable to modern life, but it is the explanation of the Word of God that captured the heart.
October 23, 2023
Rusty George was welcomed as the new lead pastor of Crossroads Christian Church, Grand Prairie, Texas, on Oct. 15. He had served with Real Life Church in Valencia, Calif., for the past 20 years . . .
October 17, 2023
Tim Harlow is retiring at the end of this month after 33 years as senior pastor at Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Ill. Harlow led the suburban Chicago church as it grew from just 150 people in 1990 to well more than 8,000 at its pre-pandemic height. Harlow said retiring and moving away after so long in one place isn’t easy. . . .
September 28, 2022
Dr. Richard D. Hogan, 88, died Tuesday in Bella Vista, Ark. He was a longtime minister with First Christian Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and then with NewLife Christian Church in Bella Vista, Ark. He served as president of the 1990 North American Christian Convention and was a longtime member of the Publishing Committee at Standard Publishing.
September 2, 2022
Daniel Schantz shares memories of teaching alongside Lloyd Pelfrey and Gareth Reese at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Mo. Pelfrey and Reese both concluded 65 of service to the school in the spring.
After 23 years at the helm of Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing, Mich., Larry Carter is calling it a career. He's served in ministry nearly 50 years after intending to spend only one year attending Bible college. . . .
February 22, 2022
After 53 years of vocational ministry that included service in church, college, and mission settings, Bill Weber says, "No matter how diverse the ministry activities or the people one works with, the focus must always be on Jesus."
January 20, 2021
By Chris Moon It is not every day someone retires from 50 years as a law enforcement officer, including 20 as the local sheriff . . . and decides to devote his retirement to lay ministry in the church. But that’s exactly what Dave Phalen has planned. “Wherever the Lord leads me. He kind of can surprise us sometime,” said Phalen, who just retired as sheriff in Fairfield County, Ohio, and serves as an elder with Fairfield Christian Church in the city of Lancaster. Phalen set aside his badge after 50 years in law enforcement and he did so with
By Chris Moon Joe Grana is staying active in retirement. The former longtime professor and administrator at Hope International University in Fullerton, Calif.—who retired June 1—has taken his expansive biblical knowledge to the local church. Grana has signed on as an associate pastor at Refinery Christian Church in Goodyear, Ariz., near Phoenix. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Grana has been producing three-minute videos for the church teaching basic theological concepts, from baptism to the inspiration of Scripture. The idea for these “3-Minute Theology” videos is to better equip the Refinery church with theological truth, something Grana senses many Christians need today.
April 15, 2020
By Chris Moon Tom Ellsworth jokes that his “crystal ball” must have been broken when he announced last year his plan to retire at the end this month. Ellsworth has put in nearly 40 years of service as pastor of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington, Ind. He’s seen the church grow from an attendance of about 80 people to more than 3,000 on two campuses. But 40 years is a good biblical number, and Ellsworth had his 65th birthday earlier this year. The church began working on a retirement plan a couple of years ago, and Shawn Green was
November 27, 2019
By Chris Moon Retirement didn’t last long for David Bycroft. “That’s a little bit of a joke,” he told Christian Standard. Bycroft retired from Tyro (Kan.) Christian Church in September 2017 after a long ministry—47 years in all—that saw the church grow in average weekly attendance from 40 people to 950. And that was in a town of just 250 residents. The church attracted people from towns all around the area. Not long after preaching his last sermon in Tyro, Bycroft was contacted by the leadership at East Bartlesville Christian Church, located in Bartlesville, Okla., about 30 miles south
August 20, 2019
Tom Ellsworth plans to retire as senior minister with Sherwood Oaks Christian Church next spring after serving the church since January 1981. During his ministry, the Bloomington, Ind., congregation has grown from 80 people to nearly 3,000 people across three locations. “What a joy it has been to lead Sherwood Oaks Christian Church and to serve the Bloomington and Bedford communities,” Ellsworth said. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m excited for all that is ahead.” Ellsworth and his wife, Elsie—who will be retiring as Sherwood Oaks’ marriage coordinator and premarital counseling coordinator—say they want to take their years of
May 19, 2019
Compiled by Mark A. Taylor _ _ _ Alan Ahlgrim Retired: Founding pastor with Rocky Mountain Christian Church, Niwot, Colorado, March 2013 What are you doing now? Continues to encourage and mentor church leaders. Director of Covenant Groups with the Center for Church Leadership. Thoughts on retirement: âThe best is yet to be for every kingdom leader. I jokingly say if I had known this season would be so fulfilling, I would have started with this first and stuck with it! Iâ™ve traded unrelenting responsibility for a soul-enriching opportunity.â _ _ _ Dick Alexander Retired: Senior minister, LifeSpring Christian Church,
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok