Articles for tag: Virginia Beach

April 13, 2017

Christian Standard

My Riskiest Move for God: I Had More to Lose Than Ever

Five Christian leaders tell what God did when they took a surprising step of faith. By Vince Antonucci I”ve heard people say faith in a big God allows you to take big risks. I”d say that doesn”t go far enough. Faith doesn”t just allow you to take risks; faith requires that you take risks. In fact, faith IS risk. When I became a Christian, I had a full scholarship to a top law school. I loved law school. The average first-year salary coming out of my law school was $80,000. While attending there, I felt God calling me into the ministry.

July 21, 2016

Christian Standard

So Grateful

By Chris Garrett I”ve told my story many times over the years. Sadly, I”ve found it a common one. A young woman marries her high school sweetheart, has a baby boy, and one year later, the father doesn”t want to be married anymore and leaves. Struggling with the aftermath, mom and child live in poverty, experience years of physical and sexual abuse during a second marriage, and that boy grows up living a life full of poor choices born out of a deep struggle with self-worth. That was my story, but it didn”t end there. I love to tell people

April 21, 2016

Christian Standard

No Way to Know

By Jennifer Johnson One of the worst things you can say to a stepparent who is trying to deal with the complications and stresses of a blended family is, “You knew about the kids when you got married.” When you say this you are implying, of course, that because we knew these children existed and had spent time with them, we should also have known what it would be like to share a bathroom with them and teach them to drive and enforce deodorant-wearing rules and be the only adult home when they run over a bunny with the lawn

April 21, 2016

Christian Standard

Holy Unintentional

By Jennifer Johnson It all began with a few sandwiches back in 2002. “My wife and I became convicted about whether we really loved poor people,” says Dallas Stamper. “We decided to make sandwiches and give them away to a few people on the beach. We ended up connecting with four homeless men and talking to them for three hours””which surprised them, I think, because they were used to people giving them food and then hurrying away. We asked if we could meet them again the next week, and that was the beginning of People In Need. The second week

September 23, 2013

Christian Standard

Churches and Government: Partners in Community Development

Governments across the country have been criticized””and rightfully so””for their failings with regard to community development. Unfortunately, churches have made many of the same mistakes, but on a smaller scale. Here are some suggestions for changing this situation, and for how government and church can even work together. By Jim Herbst Basic neighborly values have declined in some places to the point that government offices have begun offering programs to reintroduce them. This is a great opportunity for churches. Jesus, after all, had a few things to say about neighbors. The post-World War II growth of the suburbs, and other

July 14, 2012

Christian Standard

Meeting Needs & Saving Souls

By Randall R. Childress A recent movement among churches is “Don”t go to church””Be the church.” The idea is that instead of gathering for worship, the church should be out in the community doing good in the name of Christ. But sometimes well-meaning Christians focus on “doing good” and forget the “in the name of Christ.” The church is not a humanitarian society so much as an evangelistic one. I thought about the church meeting needs and saving souls when I read a comment by Drew Dyck, managing editor of Leadership Journal, in the Winter 2012 issue. “My church is big

April 5, 2012

Christian Standard

Virginia Churches, Others Partner to “˜Change Who Waits”

By Jennifer Taylor  Thousands of children around the country need to be adopted, and this spring”s “Change Who Waits” initiative, coordinated by churches and organizations in Virginia, is working to make adults the ones who wait. “Our goal is to recruit so many families that are willing to foster and adopt children that there are no more (kids) waiting””there are actually families waiting for children!” says the CWW website. Dozens of churches””including Area 10 Faith Community, New Venture Christian Church, and Velocity Christian Church (all in Richmond); Fairmount Christian Church (Mechanicsville); Chester Christian Church (Chester); Forefront Christian Church and Avalon

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.

September 4, 2005

Wes Dillon

third place

Meeting Strangers

As churches seek stronger ties with their neighborhoods, “third places” like coffee shops and community centers can create everyday connection points beyond Sunday. Practical examples show how presence and service can open relational doors.

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