Articles for tag: Smaller Churches

March 25, 2019

Mark A. Taylor

Times of Refreshing

By Mark A. Taylor Bob Russell told his blog readers last year that his 12 years of ministry in retirement has been “much more than I could have imagined.” Soon after he retired, Bob began hosting retreats for preaching pastors “to provide encouragement, instruction, and reinforcement.” He had seen so many local church ministers “mistreated by their church leaders and beaten down by their circumstances . . . really discouraged by the constant criticism and overwhelming responsibilities they faced every day.” The response to his concern shows that the need is real. Since the spring of 2006, he has conducted

January 30, 2017

Shawn McMullen

Smaller Churches . . . Here to Stay & Making a Difference

By Shawn McMullen Encouraging stories about local congregations you may not know, but churches still having a huge impact for God. Thom Rainer, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, notes that 90 percent of all churches in America average fewer than 350 in worship attendance and that 50 percent of all American churches average fewer than 100. Smaller churches have been a part of the American landscape since our country”s inception and they”re here to stay. Across the nation, smaller churches are making disciples and impacting their communities. Here are some examples. JERUSALEM CHRISTIAN CHURCH Greenville, Pennsylvania John Canon

March 15, 2009

Christian Standard

FROM MY BOOKSHELF: For Presiders, Preachers, Prayers, and Other Leaders

By LeRoy Lawson Clinton J. Holloway, Lest We Forget: Meditations at the Meal of Remembrance (Cold Tree Press, 2008). August 2008 featured selections in Christian Standard from this collection by Clinton Holloway of meditations on the Lord”s Supper. This helpful book responds to a need many a presider feels when trying to offer a fresh thought before the worshipers partake. Some of Holloway”s offerings are refreshingly original, others more predictable, and yet others will spark your own imagination. Each focuses our attention on the reason for our worship. And, to one who has sat through””and even been guilty of presenting””sometimes

January 7, 2009

Christian Standard

Something New”“-for All Our Readers

By Mark A. Taylor You can sort most CHRISTIAN STANDARD readers into one of three categories. Some read or at least skim every page every week. Some read some of the magazine some weeks, when they have time or when they see something that particularly interests them. They don”t feel bad about what they choose to skip. Some receive a copy every week and want to read it””but they feel guilty when they fall behind. Unread issues stack up beside them in an accusing pile. We”d like to serve those in all three groups, and we”d like everyone to feel

February 3, 2008

Christian Standard

Herb Bleakney”“Unpaid, Unsung Youth Ministry

By Shawn McMullen My father-in-law, Herb Bleakney, worked for decades in a Pennsylvania steel mill. That was his day job. But in the evenings and on weekends, he was part of an elite group of men in his smaller church who took upon themselves the task of discipling the young people in their congregation. The men who helped him also worked full-time jobs, cared for their families, and served the church in many other ways. Even so, while my wife and her siblings were in their teens, these men poured themselves into the lives of the church”s youth. They planned

September 19, 2007

Christian Standard

Why Attend the North American Christian Convention?

By Mark A. Taylor CHRISTIAN STANDARD blogger Jennifer Taylor gave her answer to the question in a post this summer, excerpted below:   Every time any conversation turns to the NACC, I hear three recurring comments. The first is that other events””many of them more helpful””exist for church leaders. The second is that the NACC is too expensive for many preachers to attend, especially those from smaller churches with less money to allocate for travel and professional development. The third is that the National Missionary Convention is becoming a preferred alternative. My responses: First, it”s true church leaders have more

August 29, 2007

Christian Standard

Changing to Serve You Better

By Mark A. Taylor We”re trying something new in 2008 in an effort to serve you better. As a part of our 52-week publishing plan, we”ll offer 12 special, themed issues, appearing about once per month (see below). They will contain more than our usual 16 pages, and they will include more advertising. These special issues will have room for an unlimited number of advertisers who can place smaller as well as larger ads. We believe this will be good for readers. These thicker issues will have room for more editorial content. The themes we”ve chosen all deserve special attention.

August 1, 2007

Christian Standard

Experience the Energy

By Mark A. Taylor Small can be large when it experiences energy. That”s what we”re learning here at Standard Publishing from leaders of smaller churches across the country. Last spring we met hundreds of them at five Energizing Smaller Churches Network conferences. That experience has prepared us for six more conferences this fall, starting in just a few weeks. And we can hardly wait to meet the workers in smaller churches who will attend each one. One thing is for sure. Smaller churches don”t fit the preconceptions some may hold of them. Not all smaller churches are in rural settings.

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