May 4, 2026
Think Relevant
What does it mean for a church to be “relevant”? Jerry Harris argues every church reaches a target—and effectiveness grows when you identify your community’s sweet spot and adapt methods without changing core teaching.
Articles for tag: The Crossing
September 3, 2025
Can You Communicate Your Vision?
When a vision is communicated effectively, people are drawn to the vision and not just the leader. In the long term, this gets far more traction for the church and for the kingdom of God.
Is There a Vision?
People need to experience purpose in their relationship with Christ and effective leaders must set goals that reflect their vision for the church in creating that purpose.
The Solomon Foundation’s Impact
A bottom line measured in outreach, church attendance, and baptisms . . .
January 1, 2024
A Recovery Ministry that Works
By Jim Dennis “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). What comes to mind when you hear the word recovery? Perhaps your first thought takes you to people with addiction issues. The alcoholic who can’t get his act together who rides a motorized bike around town because of his multiple DUI convictions. Or the emaciated drug addict with sunken eyes. These are just two of the stereotypes recovering people and recovery groups have dealt with for years. Perhaps you envision groups
August 25, 2023
Remembering Our Editor, Mike Mack (1960–2023)
"It’s very hard to put into words my feelings upon hearing of the passing of Christian Standard editor Mike Mack on Thursday, Aug. 24," publisher Jerry Harris writes. "I am grieving the sudden loss of a friend and coworker even as I rejoice in his being welcomed to glory." . . .
July 1, 2023
It’s Not About How Much Faith You Have
By Jerry Harris When I came to The Crossing in Quincy, Illinois, 25 years ago, I fashioned a mission statement of helping people find “an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” The thought that a real relationship with Jesus was even possible was a game changer for many in our church and community, and it shaped our impact on the world around us. If I understand that the “what” of my faith is defined in my relationship to Jesus, and if a relationship is what I want, then the next logical step is the “how.” I think the “how” of
March 14, 2023
New Book Addresses the Great, Grave Challenges Facing the Stone-Campbell Movement Today
"Restoration Appreciation: The Rich Legacy and Hopeful Future of the Stone-Campbell Movement," edited by John C. Nugent, invites restorationists to rise above the partisanship of our day, rally around our core commitments, and lead out in our strengths.
Transitions Are Great Times to Innovate
By Jerry Harris I’m tired of several culturally popular words. The term “new normal,” which I’ve written about previously, is one of them; it seems to carry a connotation of something “less than before” that we must reluctantly accept. I’m also tired of the overuse of the word “season”—it causes me to have “friends are friends forever” flashbacks! But the one I’m seeing more and more lately is the word “transition.” That hits close to home, as I have just “transitioned” from being senior pastor of The Crossing—a position I’d held for the last 24 years—to teaching pastor; the person
April 7, 2021
Defining Moments: Celebrating a 155-Year Anniversary that Almost Didn’t Happen
In early 2017, if The Solomon Foundation not come to the rescue, Christian Standard would not be celebrating its 155th anniversary today.
September 22, 2020
Rebuilding from the Rubble
What Will We Do If God Doesn’t Restore His Church to ‘Bigger Is Better’? By Kim Harris As I sat on the back deck on one of the cooler evenings in July, I compulsively picked up my phone for my routine post-dinner scroll through Twitter, my only connection to the world outside my COVID-19 bubble. I assumed my timeline would again be filled with petty debates about the efficacy of different mask fabrics, some sort of hashtag challenge designed to drown out the contentiousness in the world, or a friend from high school selling skin-care products. I expected to sigh
TSF Helping Ministers, Churches During Uncertain Times
By Jim Nieman The Solomon Foundation has begun hosting weekly Zoom meetings to help connect, encourage, and resource ministers across the country during these uncertain times. Doug Crozier, CEO of the church extension fund that works with Christian churches and churches of Christ, said TSF is seeking to be proactive during the COVID-19 outbreak and related financial unease by reminding ministry leaders that God remains in control. To that end, TSF connected with almost 120 ministers and/or ministry team callers during the first weekly Zoom meeting it hosted this past Tuesday morning. Among the speakers were former Christian college president
February 26, 2020
The Church App
How We Developed, Launched, and Continue to Improve Our Mobile Application In the fall of 2018, the Midwestern church I serve, The Crossing, started a new website design process and began to overhaul our web presence analytics. In doing so, we learned 54 percent of the traffic to our main website originated from mobile devices that is, cell phones. (Tablets accounted for only about 6 percent of traffic, while desktop/laptop devices made up the remaining 40 percent.) It wasn’t all that surprising. In 2017, media measurement and analytics company Comscore reported, Mobile apps account for 57 percent of all digital
January 29, 2020
The Thrift Store Ministry
This Church’s Outreach Approach Recycles Much More than Clothing and Furniture _ _ _ “I needed clothes and you clothed me.” By L. Mackenzie On December 15, 2008, leaders of The Crossing in Quincy, Illinois, were discussing possible changes to their benevolence strategy. Several of them had just visited a church in Post Falls, Idaho, where they sought out ideas for growth. Elder Bruce Freeman was among those who listened as an idea for a thrift store ministry was discussed. Freeman was head of benevolence, a man passionate about helping others. He also had 25 years of experience working in
December 25, 2019
Philippians 4:6 Is ‘Verse of the Year’ (Plus News Briefs)
Philippians 4:6 is the “2019 Verse of the Year,” as determined by YouVersion. Users of the popular Bible app engaged with that Bible verse—by bookmarking it, highlighting it, and sharing it—more than any other. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). YouVersion also reported increased use of the app during 2019, including 5.6 billion chapters listened to, 35.6 billion chapters read, and 478 million verses shared. Meanwhile, Merriam-Webster’s “word of the year” is they. Searches of that term rose 313 percent during 2019, and
December 10, 2019
The Light of a New Day
By Leigh Mackenzie December 15 is the third Sunday in Advent. The winter solstice—the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere—occurs December 21. After the solstice, days will gradually lengthen. Spring will arrive in three months, along with the return of vibrant life. Summer will be in six months. By then, our days will be swathed in bright sunshine until late in the evening. Spring and summer are a time of growth and production. The prophet wrote, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light
Training Leaders for the Future
How One Church Is Equipping Young Adults for Ministry Without the Financial Burdens of Pursuing a Four-Year Degree By Kim Harris In 2019, 45 million young adults in the United States held more than $1.5 trillion in student debt, or more than $33,000 per debt holder, Forbes.com reported. Students are graduating with four years of knowledge and many more years of debt. Seminary and Bible college students are no exception. In 2011, roughly 25 percent of individuals graduating with a master of divinity left school with more than $40,000 in student debt (according to BusinessInsider.com), but could expect to earn
December 2, 2019
Yet We Continue
By Clayton Hentzel Ministry is tough; that’s why it’s not for everyone. We minister to people who lie, overpromise, and underdeliver. It seems every time we leave the 99 to go after the one, the one says thanks, but doesn’t serve or give, and the 99 complain we didn’t visit their uncle in the hospital, even though no one told us he was there. Ministry can be especially tough in our post-Christian culture. Society is changing. Extracurricular activities are increasing while frequency of attendance is declining. Political chaos abounds. Abortion has become mainstream and people march in favor of it.
October 2, 2019
Third City Going the Distance to Launch Broken Bow Site
By Jim Nieman The first venture into multisite ministry by Third City Christian Church, Grand Island, Neb., started with a request for help more than a year ago. First Christian Church in Broken Bow, Neb., about 80 miles away, had lost its minister, and the folks who remained thought the church “wasn’t going to make it,” said Third City senior minister Scott Jones, “[so] they reached out to us.” The folks at First Christian knew Third City was a healthy, growing church. TCCC averages about 1,500 on weekends and has a strong after-school program that sees about 350 students weekly.
August 22, 2019
New Leases on Life in Rural Churches
By Jerry Harris I love rural churches and communities; I have devoted virtually my entire ministry life to them. The bulk of Restoration Movement churches have been rural over our more than 200-year history. The church I serve operates in 11 rural and micropolitan communities, but the stories of two of them—Lima and Mount Sterling, Illinois—can provide hope for many others across the country. The Federated Church of Lima, located in a town of 125 about a half hour north of Quincy, Illinois, was the beneficiary of a literal windfall. After a tornado struck the church on May 10, 2003,
