Articles for tag: Small Group Curriculum

May 31, 2015

By Jennifer Johnson In May 2013, a representative of the Loftis Foundation contacted Lincoln (IL) Christian University with a perceived need and a solid solution. The result is Lincoln”s new “Room for Doubt” initiative. “John Loftis lost his faith when he went to college,” says Dr. Richard Knopp, professor of philosophy & Christian apologetics at Lincoln. “He returned to church as an adult but says his faith at the time was shallow. The turning point, he says, was when he came across apologetics material in his 50s and it changed his life and his commitment to Christ. He wondered if

February 17, 2014

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Teaching

HIS Story

By Matt Myers Chandler Christian Church set out to help people know Jesus like never before. Going through The Story in 2011 was a life-changing experience for our church. People who had always struggled to read anything, much less the Bible, were not only reading Scripture but sharing it with people they knew. Simply putting God”s Word into story format enabled people to overcome that “Bible intimidation factor.” Not only that, it also allowed them to finally see for themselves how the whole Bible points toward Jesus. Since The Story had such a great result, our lead pastor, Roger Storms,

April 1, 2009

Christian Standard

Christian Standard Updates News & Updates

More Than One Way to Use a Magazine

By Mark A. Taylor Since 2003 we have recruited a group of contributing editors to help us make this magazine all it can be. One way we hear from them is at a brief retreat each January. The group gathers to brainstorm ideas for the magazine, not only what it should contain but how it can influence our whole family of churches. Of course, we can”t lead where we aren”t read, and our contributing editors have ideas for making that happen too. Randy Gariss, for example, reported that his congregation buys CHRISTIAN STANDARD for every elder, deacon, and staff member.

January 13, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Youth & Children's Ministry

Defining the Win for Junior High Small Groups

By Johnny Scott Have you ever come home from a convention with great enthusiasm about your new small group master plan? You have the best volunteers ever, and you”ve communicated to parents and fellow church staff in meticulous detail how the program will be a success. The curriculum was field-tested by the leaders and chosen by the student leadership team. Everyone is excited. But somewhere between the “back-to-school kickoff” and Christmas break the impact you envisioned fizzles out. What went wrong? It just didn”t seem to add up. Let me propose you take a step backward. Ask yourself, “How did