October 11, 2022
SECC’s ‘More Proactive’ Ordination Process Bearing Fruit
Three years ago, Southeast Christian Church in Kentucky added more structure to its efforts to ordain people into ministry. Since then, it has ordained 90 people.
October 11, 2022
Three years ago, Southeast Christian Church in Kentucky added more structure to its efforts to ordain people into ministry. Since then, it has ordained 90 people.
Southeast Christian Church's 215 Residency program—which gives residents firsthand ministry experience along with a deep dive into biblical study and spiritual formation—has recovered and grown since COVID-19.
October 13, 2021
The Renew.org 2021 Gathering will take place Nov. 3 at in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Plus briefs from Southeast Christian Church (Louisville), ICOM, CMF International, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and more.
May 26, 2020
When the Powell quintuplets were born in 2001, all of Kentucky celebrated, including Southeast Christian Church, where the Powells are longtime members. Now the quints are 18 and are all headed to the same university.
March 11, 2020
Ethan Magness, senior minister with First Christian Church in Johnson City, Tenn., gave the opening prayer on March 4 in the U.S. House of Representatives, WJHL.com reported. Magness’s prayer is available at YouTube. U.S. Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), who hosted Magness at the Capitol, called Magness “a great religious leader in our community.” “It was great to have him here in Washington to share the word of God this morning,” Roe said in a statement. _ _ _ Point University has named a music lab in its fine arts building for a local man who has donated 16 pianos to
January 22, 2020
Megachurches in Indiana and Kentucky are starting new campuses this year. The new Midtown Campus of Traders Point Christian Church launched in a temporary space in Indianapolis this past Sunday. TPCC has purchased a former grocery store to house the Midtown Campus, with services likely to begin there in 2021. The church spent $7.6 million to purchase a 57,000-square-foot former Marsh Supermarket that sits on a 6.6-acre parcel, according to the Indianapolis Star. Planned improvements there include creation of an 800-seat auditorium. TPCC also plans to launch its new Northeast Campus in Fishers, Ind., on Feb. 23, also in a
September 11, 2019
Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon A handful of Christian church and church of Christ-affiliated colleges had strong showings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings of best colleges. William Jessup University, Rocklin, Calif., earned three No. 2 rankings: Regional Colleges West (tied with California State University—Maritime Academy), Best Colleges for Veterans, and Best Undergraduate Teaching (tied with Oral Roberts University). Milligan College in Tennessee ranked No. 4 in Best Value Schools and No. 13 in Regional Universities South (tied with Longwood University). Milligan also ranked No. 43 in Top Performers in Social Mobility for “enrolling and graduating
August 21, 2019
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., will open its eighth campus this fall. The new Chapel in the Woods Campus will be near the main Blankenbaker Campus of the megachurch, one of the largest in the Restoration Movement. Chapel in the Woods will be geared for reaching senior adults. “We’ve built a beautiful facility across the street from our Blankenbaker Campus, and everything from the architecture to the parking lot makes this an incredible facility for our senior adults to connect and worship through hymns and classic worship,” said senior pastor Kyle Idleman.
June 5, 2019
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Full-time student-athlete, wife, and mother Bailey Cossentine of William Jessup University won the marathon at the NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships at Gulf Shores, Ala., on May 25. Cossentine finished with a time of 3:07.50.64, just 13 months after having a baby. Her time was more than 30 minutes faster than the school record she set two years ago. In winning, she became WJU’s first-ever, first-place NAIA All-American. “Bailey executed a perfect race plan with her progression through the field of competitors,” coach Jeff Magley said. “She was in control all day and closed the last 10k with great
May 29, 2019
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Dave Stone preached his last sermon at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Stone retired after 13 years at the helm of the megachurch. Stone handed over leadership to Kyle Idleman, passing to him the same baton he’d received from former Southeast pastor Bob Russell. The Southeast Outlook offered some insight into Stone and his ministry, including tributes from Idleman (who met Stone at a Christ In Youth conference when Idleman was 16) and other ministers inside and outside Southeast. Another article included an anecdote about the time Stone, then in college, stayed with the Russells and had to borrow a pair of dress
March 25, 2019
Reaching Out to the Community and the World By Andy Rector In 2018, Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, experienced gains in many ways. âIt truly was a year of growth,â said Dave Stone, senior pastor. Growth occurred in evangelism: âThe majority of people who were baptized in 2018 were baptized by the person who led them to the Lord,â Stone said. Growth occurred with the facilities: Construction began on the Chapel in the Woods, only a quarter mile from the main campus. The chapel is designed for weddings, funerals, and worship. There also was numeric growth: âOur attendance grew more
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
March 13, 2017
By Matt and Jordan McGuire Early one Thursday morning, we pulled into the parking lot of an apartment complex in an area of Louisville, Kentucky, that is oftentimes overlooked. We were among a small group of folks from area churches who drove four Syrian families to Kentucky Refugee Ministries for their first orientation class. We were some of the first Americans they had met, and they were putting their trust in us to drive them an unknown distance to an unknown place. We could sense their anxiousness, as they had just arrived in America the previous night. Though it was
May 9, 2014
By Bob Russell A prominent ad for a new church plant reads, “Church doesn”t have to suck! Happy hour service this Sunday at 10:30 a.m.” Some might smile at that trendy message and regard it as a creative attention-getter, but the not-so-subtle implication is that most churches are boring and ineffective. Frankly, I”m tired of people bashing the church of Jesus Christ. I”m not referring to the world”s ridicule of the church””that”s expected. I”m referring to the criticism of the church from within. Popular Christian authors, convention speakers, parachurch leaders, and “cutting-edge” preachers frequently heap scorn on the bride of
March 13, 2014
By Darrel Rowland Most of us love this old Restoration Movement slogan: “We are not the only Christians, but Christians only.” But Christian leaders from across the country contacted by CHRISTIAN STANDARD all wrestle with big-picture questions about what overarching principles flow from the adage. Most generally agree with Bob Russell, retired senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, about what to do when invited to attend or speak at an event outside the immediate fellowship. “I will go anywhere as long as I”m not restricted in what I can say or my presence doesn”t leave the impression
February 13, 2014
By Brent Adams When one of the largest megachurches in America wanted to celebrate its 50th anniversary, leaders decided there was no better way than to point people to the message of the Bible. In summer 2011, the elders and staff at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, started planning for the church”s 50th anniversary celebration, to be held the following year. They wanted to come up with something that would deflect attention away from the rapidly growing congregation and focus, instead, on the God who has blessed the church since its humble beginnings in the basement of a tiny
July 7, 2013
KYLE IDLEMAN Teaching pastor, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky Kyle Idleman is a young man with some amazing talents. His influence is widespread both within and outside our fellowship of Christian churches. I am blessed to get to share the preaching responsibilities at Southeast Christian with Kyle. His preaching feeds and inspires. His first book, Not a Fan, became a best seller and his new release, Gods at War, is encouraging thousands of readers. Although his preaching ability along with his writing and video teachings are what most people note about Kyle, I am even more appreciative of his unswerving