August 2, 2023
In the weeks since an assistant football coach's death, two dozen high school players and coaches have been baptized in Florida. "God has brought beauty out of ashes," wrote New Day Christian Church lead pastor Rusty Russell, who also serves as an assistant coach. . . .
January 30, 2023
Charlie Russell’s recovery from COVID-19 and multiple attendant health challenges during weeks of hospitalization in 2021 has gone better than expected—much better. . . .
January 4, 2023
Thirteen women, including eight prisoners, received Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degrees from Lipscomb University in mid-December after taking classes for years on Wednesday nights. Also briefs about Rusty Russell, Stanley Helton, a Gallup survey about chaplains, and more.
October 22, 2022
Christian churches in Cape Coral and Port Charlotte, Fla., are scrambling to help their congregations and communities recover from Hurricane Ian.
My high school alma mater, Christian Academy of Louisville, recently was roundly criticized after a teacher asked students to write an essay imagining how they would dialogue with a fellow student who was wrestling with same-sex attraction. . . .
January 26, 2022
Not long after Charlie and Faith Russell celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary, and only days before the birth of their first child, Charlie came down with COVID-19. That was in late July 2021. Charlie was hospitalized for weeks; he calls his recovery "a miracle."
January 26, 2022
Rusty Russell thought his son, Charlie, would recover quickly when his boy was hospitalized with COVID-19 in August. That wasn't the case. Rusty, who preaches in Florida, traveled back and forth to Tennessee weekly to help during Charlie's long ordeal.
October 21, 2021
Thousands of people and scores of churches who have been praying for Charlie Russell during his two-month battle with COVID pneumonia received very encouraging reports in recent days.
June 14, 2020
(An earlier version of this article was posted at our website in April. This is the version that appeared in our July 2020 print edition.) By Rusty Russell Should we have canceled church during the COVID-19 pandemic? What if the virus rebounds and we are asked to cancel again? What if there’s a less serious pandemic in the future? Will we be asked to cancel the next time there’s a flu outbreak? I was discouraged by how many Christians—even church leaders—quickly made judgments about church closings based on whether they watch Fox News or CNN rather than what God would
April 28, 2020
Editor’s Note: This article was written for and will appear in our July issue, which will deal with politics and the church. We’ve decided the article will most benefit our readers now, however. We hope it helps you wisely plan as you make significant decisions over the next several weeks and months. _ _ _ By Rusty Russell Should we have canceled church during the COVID-19 pandemic? What if churches reopen, the virus rebounds, and we are asked to cancel again? What if there’s a less serious pandemic in the future? Will we be asked to cancel the next time
December 8, 2017
By Michael C. Mack Editors probably shouldn”t have a “favorite” issue. After all, I think every issue of Christian Standard has incredibly well-written stories. However . . . I really love this one! Perhaps it”s because the Christmas season brings out so many sentimental memories for me. Or maybe it”s because this issue has lots of awe-inspiring stories about family. Dave Stone, Kyle Idleman, and Rusty Russell tell stories of how their parents blessed them and their ministries. Joe Harvey shares how he and Val have blessed their daughter Mandy, and how she in turn is blessing them. We have
November 29, 2017
By Rusty Russell My parents, Bob and Judy Russell, raised two sons who love the church and are involved in ministry. I”ve served as lead pastor at New Day Christian Church in Port Charlotte, Florida, since 2010. My brother, Phil, is a deacon and on the worship team at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville where we grew up. My parents” seven grandkids all love the church. Their oldest grandchild””my 22-year-old son, Charlie””is a graduate of Johnson University and is in full-time ministry in Chicago. On one hand, it”s not surprising that I was drawn to ministry. I grew up in
September 20, 2017
As Hurricane Irma spun through the Caribbean, Floridians boarded up houses and businesses, filled sandbags, and prepared for the worst. Some evacuated. Many prayed. New Day Christian Church in Port Charlotte, which is on the Gulf Coast, prepared to serve their community in the name of Jesus. “We have a relationship with the county,” said Rusty Russell, lead pastor at New Day. “They basically took over our building as a shelter for oxygen-dependent patients.” Charlotte County provided a big generator so that the people who require electricity for their lives and well-being could be cared for. Russell said, “We have
April 15, 2017
Five Christian leaders tell what God did when they took a surprising step of faith. By Rusty Russell I”m living proof God can use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Why God chose me to lead a church of 1,200 people in Southwest Florida is a mystery to me. I”m not a risk-taker. I like routine. I”m not a type-A personality. On the DISC profile, “D” doesn”t show up for me. When I go to the pool, I don”t dive in. I”m a toe-in-the-water guy. I ease in. My friends think I”m boring, but at least I”m predictable. So trying to
May 9, 2010
By Victor Knowles Abraham was such a godly man that he drew the applause of Heaven. God gave him ultimate praise: “For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just” (Genesis 18:19). Dwight L. Moody said, “I believe the family was established long before the church, and my duty is to my family first. I am not to neglect my family.” Strong families produce strong leaders that produce strong churches. Perhaps the most famous father-son preaching pair in
Sponsored
Sponsored
Sponsored
April 28, 2026
Rick Cherok
April 28, 2026
David Faust
April 28, 2026
Rick Cherok