October 27, 2025
When Tolerance Goes Too Far
This is the fourth in a series of weekly articles based on Christ’s letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. This week’s church is Thyatira.
Articles for tag: Secrets
March 2, 2025
Never the Same Again: How a Personal Encounter with the Resurrected Christ Changes Us
Because of the resurrection, the dark clouds of every sinner’s guilt, shame, and regret part making way for the bright rays of reconciliation, renewal, and restoration to burst through.
March 2, 2025
Staying Strong in Ministry Leadership
Who are those currently surrounding you and infusing you with strength? Such strengthening angels will be able to assure you that you have been called, that you are loved and that you are kept by the grace of God.
December 26, 2024
“The Opening Year”: A Christian Standard Editorial from 1875
In his editorial for the start of 1875, Christian Standard’s founding editor, Isaac Errett, offered 5 suggestions to his readers that will enable them to “consecrate” themselves anew to Christ’s service in the forthcoming year. Though Errett’s suggestions are nearly 150 years old (originally published on January 2, 1875), we believe his comments are just as valuable today as they were when they were first published.
July 2, 2024
A Listing of Restoration Movement Podcasts
Christian Standard created this listing of regularly produced podcasts loosely defined as “Restoration Movement” podcasts. The theme-driven podcasts in the top portion of this listing are produced by Christian churches and organizations. The podcasts at the bottom are individual churches’ weekly sermons/messages. . . .
July 1, 2024
A Time for Hope: A Bright Future for the Restoration Movement
In my old age, a question persists: Is there hope for the Restoration Movement? . . . Over the decades my answer hasn’t changed much. It is yes. And no.
June 3, 2024
June 9 Study | Deep and Hidden Things
The prophet Daniel believed that if God revealed the deep and hidden things, then they could be understood. . . .
March 4, 2024
March 10 Lesson | Servant Leadership
The divisions in the church at Corinth were mostly caused by pride, which ran counter to servant leadership. . . .
September 1, 2021
Reverse the Course
In the Aftermath of Several High-Profile Leadership Failures . . . 5 Strategies to Protect the Integrity of the Church
April 1, 2021
A Life-Changing Truth from Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
Who we are becoming is more important than what we are doing. This statement has been part of my spiritual formation for the last five years, and yet it is antithetical to the values of the culture and country in which I live. An aspect of the American dream is to pull yourself up from nothing to make something of yourself. Unfortunately, that noble rags-to-riches quest has become a stamp of identity. For many of us, our identity is found in what we can do, provide, give, and improve. Who are we if not a successful businessperson, parent, grandparent, or
December 3, 2018
The ‘Perfect’ Christmas Tree
By Max Lucado The Christmas tree hunt is on. Families are entering tents and patrolling sidewalks. They lift limbs and examine needles. They measure. They ponder. They consider. They barter. The tree can’t be too tall or too short. It needs to fit the room and the budget. It must be full yet not dense, mature but not dry. A noble fir for some. A Douglas fir or Virginia pine for others. The preferences are different, but the desire is the same. We want the perfect Christmas tree. And, oh, the special moment when we find it. When we lash
November 23, 2017
All in the Family
By Daniel Schantz “Seven times a day I praise you” (Psalm 119:164). It”s Thanksgiving season, the perfect time to give thanks for the family of God. The Father””We can be thankful that God, the Father, let his Son make the trip to earth. Letting go of our children when they grow up is the hardest thing a parent ever does. We know what they will have to face, but holding them back is selfish and weakens them. How did God, the Father, find the strength to stand by while the Jewish leaders slimed his Son, kicked him around, and then
March 8, 2017
The Crack in Everything
By Jim Tune In his song “Anthem,” Leonard Cohen writes that everything has a crack. He then adds, “That”s how the light gets in.” Could Philip Yancey have been listening to Cohen as he reflected on the amazing nature of grace? Yancey writes: “Imperfection is the prerequisite for grace. Light only gets in through the cracks.” It”s not easy to acknowledge one”s imperfections. Wherever the line is drawn between right and wrong, between gentle or cruel, between clean or dirty, all too often I find myself crossing over to the wrong side of the line, despite all my efforts to
Resources for Succession Planning
By Kent Fillinger Books for Church Leaders and Churches “¢ Next: Pastoral Succession that Works by William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2014) “¢ Passing the Leadership Baton: A Winning Transition Plan for Your Ministry by Tom Mullins (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2015) “¢ The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken About Pastoral Transitions by Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004) “¢ Transition Plan: 7 Secrets Every Leader Needs to Know (for Kindle) by Bob Russell and Bryan Bucher (Minneapolis: Publish Green, 2010) “¢ Before You Move: A Guide to Making Transitions in
August 7, 2015
Father Figures
I”m in the ranks of all fathers learning about fathering on the job. But I”m also a part of the church that must find ways to help solve the father crisis in so many families today. By Jack Holland “You know, this is really going to change your life.” How many times I heard these words. Our first child was on the way. I was going to be a father. Was that phrase intended to end with an exclamation point or a question mark? I”m sure they meant well, but did even good friends question my capacity to be a
August 6, 2015
Family . . . Our Sacred Cow
By Randy Gariss “Sacred cows” exist in far more places than just India; you may find them in our culture”s views about family and home. Some of our most committed believers lack a biblical view of family, hurting both themselves and the church. Jesus said some pretty shocking and “unfamily things” about family. An example might be, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters””yes, even their own life””such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Hate your family? Surely understanding the original Greek word softens this, right? No, sorry,
November 22, 2010
Lesson for Nov. 28, 2010: God Is Omniscient (Psalm 139:1-6, 13-16, 23, 24)
This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for November 28) is written by Karen Rees. She and her husband, Benjamin, have served in Hong Kong since 1975. God Is Omniscient (Psalm 139:1-6, 13-16, 23, 24) By Karen Rees Their God What is their god like? In the 35 years my husband and I have served in Hong Kong, knowing the answer to this question has helped us to share our God in a more meaningful way with the variety of people we”ve worked with. The Chinese traditionally believe that the gods can”t be known. They rely on their
November 17, 2010
The Whole Truth
By Jeff Faull It”s getting harder and harder to get the truth these days. We are constantly called to discern truth in every realm and at every level. We used to say, “Don”t believe everything you hear.” Then we said, “Just because it”s in print doesn”t make it true.” After that we said, “You found it on the Internet but that doesn”t mean you can trust it.” Now we have to say, “Seeing is not necessarily believing.” Have the photos been doctored? Am I looking at a computer-created image? There never has been such an obvious culture of spin and
September 27, 2010
“˜Dirty Little Secrets” Series Under Way
By Jennifer Taylor If the cliché is true, we are “only as sick as our secrets.” Christ”s Church of the Valley (Royersford, Pennsylvania) created a new Web site and a sermon series to help people get well. The “Dirty Little Secrets” series kicked off September 12, but CCV launched the Web site, where anyone can anonymously confess a sin or share a secret, in July. The site received thousands of hits in just the first few weeks. “A woman in our church is an alcoholic who got sober five years ago,” says Ben Foulke, director of arts. “Her openness about
August 1, 2010
When Ministers Cease to Exist
By Keith Wishum Why do ministers quit? Many do every year. And, reportedly, not enough others enter ministry to fill the vacancies. But why? The answers to that question are as varied as are the men who minister. Here, however, is one possible cause that may be universal to all discouraged ministers. Ministers quit when they cease to exist. They cease to exist as ministers after they cease to exist as individuals. Granted, that odd-sounding idea may take some explaining. It is a thought promp-ted by author Frederick Buechner in The Sacred Journey. Describing a typical child”s perspective on the
