Articles for tag: Vince Antonucci

August 28, 2012

Christian Standard

Painful Truth with Overwhelming Love

By Mark A. Taylor More than once in recent years, Christian Standard has advocated for compassion toward homosexuals. Most recently we published Mark Moore”s plea1 that those with same-sex attraction need not identify themselves as “gay” and the church should not ostracize them. Last year we reprinted Ben Cachiaras”s advice2 to his church when the issue of same-sex marriage was before the Maryland state legislature. In a piece filled with calls for sensitivity toward gay couples, he wrote, “We must be extra careful about how we discuss this so we don”t give any reasons for Christians to be misunderstood as uncaring or

August 16, 2012

Christian Standard

Deployed

By Kavan Rogness Several months ago at University Christian Church in Manhattan, Kansas, we came up with an idea to get the church involved in the community. The bulk of the inspiration came from a staff member who attended the February 2011 Preaching and Teaching Conference at Ozark Christian College. There he heard about Vince Antonucci”s book Guerilla Lovers and the “guerilla” assignments Antonucci developed to encourage Christians to get outside their comfort zones and show God”s love through acts of kindness. We decided to challenge our congregation with the idea. The result was a military-themed sermon series called “Deployed” that not

September 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Getting the Most from the Gospels (Part One)

By Matt Proctor “Irresistibly drawn to Jesus.” That phrase describes many who have come to faith after reading the Gospels. Most of us love the Gospels because we love Jesus, and the Gospels bring us face to face with him. For some the Gospels are so familiar, though, that they miss truth contained there. A few helps can prevent that from happening. When he was growing up, Vince Antonucci”s parents never took him to church. Maybe it was because his mother was Jewish and his father was a professional gambler. Regardless, he knew nothing about Jesus. He says, “As far

September 26, 2010

Christian Standard

2010 NACC: The Why Behind Our Ministry Mistakes

By Vince Antonucci Why do we make the mistakes we make? Why does the senior minister have an affair with his secretary? Why won”t the youth pastor confront the student struggling with the not-so-secret sin? Why won”t the elder agree to the change that obviously needs to be made? Why does the preacher spend all his time counseling until the fatigue becomes too much and he leaves the ministry? Obviously, every situation is different, but in almost every case, most of the mistakes we make in ministry result from a lack of self-awareness. What do I mean by self-awareness? Well,

September 21, 2010

Christian Standard

Special for Many Reasons

By Mark A. Taylor What made the North American Christian Convention this year so special? The question has more than one answer. Certainly, the theme itself struck a chord with many. These were not self-help sermons meant to calm their hearers. Instead, “Disturb me”””President Ben Cachiaras”s prayer for months before the convention””underscored every main session. His vision was not so much to encourage us where we are as to challenge us to go someplace we”ve never been. Listeners resonated with the possibility to be and do something new for God. This substance””both in content and in spirit””permeated the convention. Workshop

November 7, 2007

Christian Standard

Interview With Vince Antonucci

By Brad Dupray Vince Antonucci found Christ very simply””by reading the Bible. Vince heard an evangelist speak two sentences on TV and thought it was so ridiculous he decided to investigate the Bible on his own. Soon Vince became a Christian and a few short years later started Forefront Christian Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, one of the most innovative churches in the United States. Vince holds a degree in political science and philosophy from the University of Buffalo, attended law school at the University of Illinois, and has a master”s degree from Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Vince”s book, I Became

August 15, 2007

Christian Standard

The Cure for Cultural Dysfunction

By Mark A. Taylor One stirring moment at this year”s North American Christian Convention was a video clip from Forefront Christian Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Vince Antonucci is the preacher there, and the video preceded his NACC message Wednesday morning. “Before I Came to Forefront” featured the testimonies of former drunks and drug abusers and other lost souls whose lives had fallen apart by the time they were young adults. But they were attracted to Forefront, introduced to Jesus, and transformed into people with hope and peace and purpose. We tend to concentrate on the spiritual victories in such

September 27, 2006

Mark A. Taylor

lobby test

The Lobby Test

Vince Antonucci’s “lobby test” reveals whether churches are reaching people who have never attended church before. His challenge invites congregations to see themselves through outsiders’ eyes and pursue Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost.

May 21, 2006

Christian Standard

Perplexed

By Vince Antonucci “Hi, I heard your radio ad and I was wondering if I can come to your church? You see, I”m gay, but you seem like a church that might welcome everyone. Thanks, Annette.” We promoted our church”s opening day with radio ads on secular rock stations. I received that question from Annette, and my in-box quickly filled with e-mails asking the same question. I am perplexed. I want to e-mail my own question to churches: Why do gay people need to ask this question? God Incarnate Recently, I received another e-mail. It was from the CHRISTIAN STANDARD:

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