Christian Standard

Thoughts on Leadership

One of my favorite Bible verses about church leadership is Psalm 78:70-72.

He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

These verses couple the two most important concepts pastors must possess, leadership and humility. Humble leadership is an oxymoron of sorts. It takes a certain amount of pride and confidence to believe that you would even possess a worthy vision, let alone seek to impose it on others to see it carried out. These verses point out that David’s calling never changed, he just shepherded a different flock of sheep! Moving from the shepherd’s fields to a palace in Jerusalem was only a backdrop for the same responsibility. The lions and bears were replaced with invading armies and internal uprisings, but David’s job was still to watch over and protect

the sheep. Dancing before the Lord with all of his might as the Ark of the Covenant approached Jerusalem, David chose humility instead of pomp and circumstance. David’s attitude was critical for maintaining humility while leading, especially in times of success.

The second part of the text refers to the two most important tools required to be a leader worth following, a heart of integrity and skillful hands. For a leader, these two attributes cannot exist apart from each other. We all know some incredibly skillful leaders that could preach, teach, cast vision, raise money, and motivate people, only to have imploded because of integrity problems. Let’s not forget the person these verses are talking about. No one could dispute the fact that David was a leader with skills. He was incredible at decision-making, strategy, confidence building, loyalty, surrounding himself with other great leaders, and wisdom. But his failure with Bathsheba set a course for his life that cancelled out much of his greatness. Isn’t it amazing how much skill can be cancelled out by just one major failure? That is the nature of integrity. It generates much strength but is only as strong as the first big failure. I know some pastors with great

character but little skill. People may admire them but would be hard pressed to follow them into the dangerous waters of change or opposition.

Is there a leader? There is no shortage of people who wear the badge. We have pastors, elders, deacons, trustees, superintendents, and committee chairmen. Are you ready for a moment of truth? Just how many of those spots are occupied by “true leaders”? So, what is a “true leader”?

I love leadership definitions. I once heard a great quote from an army general who said, “Leadership is taking people to a place they would have never gone to by themselves.” There’s the problem! Without a true leader, these churches aren’t going anywhere. The people wearing the badge are often dug in and defending their ground. Another author wrote a statement defining a true leader saying, “Leaders lead!” Many churches are stalled because they have plenty of people called leaders filling roles established years ago for the right reason, but remaining for one purpose—to maintain what already exists. Someone’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Churches that resist change are staring down the barrel of their own mortality. The changes so desperately needed require a “true leader” to help the church bring them to pass.

Without a leader casting a vision, a church can find itself in turbulent waters. We’ve all heard the King James Version of Proverbs 29:18 quoted in discussions of vision, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The NIV translation says, “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint.” Consider the word restraint. We usually see it as a negative word, but its use here suggests that when we forget why we’re doing something, it no longer restrains us. Restraint is a good thing when it holds us to what we’ve pledged to do. We are restrained by our Master to fulfill his Great Commandment and Great Commission. Paul embraced this concept of restraint by calling himself a doulos. It means a slave for life and a slave by choice. When our model becomes ineffective, we must remember that we are restrained to his mission. With so many years without change in the history books, we can become restrained to the wrong things and forget the reason we exist. Tradition has replaced mission in many churches in micropolitan communities. A visionary leader is critical to call attention to the changes so desperately needed to keep the mission primary. The book of Judges gives us a sobering commentary on what happens to God’s people when they don’t have an effective leader. The book ends with this passage, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.”

Visionary leaders face an uphill battle even in healthy environments. Leadership that moves the church to change is seldom comfortable. It will mean moving away from the place where you are. This is almost never easy. Policies and structures will be adjusted or abandoned.

Key positions will be established. Others will be replaced or removed. Change is best served in healthy times, but the institutional inertia and the success of years gone by prompt existing leaders to consider that if it isn’t broken, why fix it? By the time many churches find the stomach to change, they are pretty far gone. Like a terminal cancer patient, they are willing to grasp for life with experimental treatments. In his great little book, How the Mighty Fall, Jim Collins discusses the downward spiral that leads once successful businesses to capitulation and death. His research shows that in an effort to reverse the fall, companies make sweeping changes. However, by the time they do it, they are over leveraged in the opposite direction and not healthy enough to manage the massive changes.

Change is best accomplished in smaller increments. Driving even on a straight road requires constant corrections at the wheel. It may seem that you’re going straight, but careful examination reveals a long line of small corrections. By contrast, most of us have been distracted while driving only to be frantically forced into a major correction and a very dangerous situation. Big change divided up into lots of smaller, more manageable adjustments is a healthy strategy for churches. Harvard professor Marty Linsky observed, “Leadership is about disappointing people at the rate they can absorb.” What does this mean for a “true leader”? If you are already in a church that wants to change, do you have the patience for it? If you are thinking about going to one and implementing change, consider what already exists. Sometimes pastors have the same logic that a spouse does in a bad marriage. They think, “After we’re married, I’ll get him or her to change behavior.” That’s a bad thing to bet your marriage or your career on. When interviewing with a church, find out what is on and off the table. Make an assessment of what is needed before you say “yes” and have a frank discussion about specifics with existing leaders. “Can we get rid of the pews, the pulpit, the choir loft, the choir, the choir director, the organ, the organist, the order of worship, the Communion table, etc.? What about the by-laws? Existing leaders will talk a great game about their desire for growth, but when specific changes are discussed, you’ll get more honest answers.

(This is the first of four excerpts from Micropolitan Church by Jerry Harris, available at no cost in the Resources section at Christianstandard.com.) 

@_jerryharris /jerrydharris

CHURCHES

New Year, New Online Resources

As we enter the New Year, we’d like to introduce several new online resources we’re making available to our readers in 2025.

Engage Online

Tyler McKenzie’s Engage column appears in each print issue of Christian Standard. A popular column among our readers, Engage connects us with current cultural issues and challenges us to understand and respond to culture in ways that honor Christ.

If we’ve faced any challenge in publishing Engage, it’s that our production schedule requires that we receive the material several months in advance of its publication. While most of the material we print doesn’t have the same degree of time sensitivity, it’s been difficult for Tyler to share his biblical perspectives on cultural issues in a timely manner.

Here's our solution. Starting this month, Tyler will write an Engage column every month which will be

published in one of our weekly Christian Standard newsletters. Our goal is to post the column within two days of its submission, allowing Tyler to write in a more time-sensitive and relevant way. We’ll regularly republish one of Tyler’s online columns in our print edition, giving readers who prefer the print edition continued access to Engage as well.

1717 Bible Studies Online

For the past six years, Christian Standard and its sister publication, The Lookout, have produced weekly Bible studies for Sunday school classes, small groups, and personal growth. The six-year cycle, known as a “scope and sequence,” made it possible for students of Scripture to study through the entire Bible in that time period.

Each week Bible students received access to Bible commentary, application, and discussion questions. The Bible commentary was written by Mark Scott, longtime Professor of Preaching and New Testament

at Ozark Christian College (Joplin, Missouri) and minister with Park Plaza Christian Church (Joplin, Missouri). The application essays were provided by David Faust, popular author and Senior Associate Minister with East 91st Street Christian Church (Indianapolis, Indiana). Our staff wrote the Discovery small group questions each week. Christian Standard Media invested more than $100,000 in the project.

At the end of last year, the project came to an end. That raised a question, “What can we do to benefit our readers with this vast and comprehensive archive of study material? The question led to the development of a new online study series we call “1717 Bible Studies.” The “1717” reference connects students to Jesus’ words in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (New International Version).

Each month in the New Year and onward, we plan to roll out new studies online—both topical and book series—based on the material we’ve compiled over the past six years. As they become available, these studies may be downloaded, printed, and distributed at no cost.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this free resource as we continue to make the Word of God accessible, understandable, and applicable to groups and individuals.

Consider This Online: A New Weekly Essay by David Faust

Readers acquainted with The Lookout are familiar with the name David Faust. Dave began writing weekly columns for The Lookout in 1996, serving as Editor, Executive Editor, and lesson application writer. In that time, he’s written nearly 1,500 columns. His biblical background, unique writing style, and personal warmth have endeared him to thousands of readers.

Given our long history together, we were saddened to realize that the end of our scope and sequence project also meant the end of Dave’s weekly columns for Christian Standard. We softened the blow a bit when we asked Dave to serve as a contributing editor and to continue writing a column we titled Motivate for our print issue.

Now here’s the really good news. As we enter the New Year, we’ve arranged for Dave to continue writing a weekly column for Christian Standard that will be published in our online newsletter. It’s titled, Consider This.

In this new column, Dave will offer biblical insights, application of biblical truth, devotional thoughts, and perspectives on current events. For our readers who have a long history with Dave and the wisdom he shares through the written word, we hope this new column will simply be a continuation of that valuable connection. For readers who may be new to Dave’s writing, we hope this will lead to a long and fruitful relationship centered in love for God and his Word, and the desire to develop a deeper walk with Christ.

Our aim at Christian Standard Media is “to leverage the power of our unity.” We believe these new online resources will help us do just that—to grow closer together as a movement of churches as we grow closer to our God and Savior. 

@shawn.a.mcmullen

/shawn.a.mcmullen

e 2:effective elders

Healthy Churches Produce Healthy Leaders

By Jared Johnson

"That’s why no one will remember your name.”

The statement was meant to be a rebuke and challenge from the hero Achilles in the movie Troy. But for believers, it should be a non-issue. We are all interim ministers. Every one of us is “going where everyone on earth must someday go” (1 Kings 2:2, New Living Translation). Each of us—elder, staff member, and volunteer—must find someone else to “sit in our chair” someday.

Healthy things grow. This applies to the future preachers of the gospel we raise up and to the future elders we identify and equip. Jesus touched on this truth in Mark 4:28 when he said, “The earth produces the crops on its own.” A farmer creates a favorable, healthy environment for his crops, and in that healthy environment, God grants growth (see 1 Corinthians 3:6). The same happens in the local church. When we work to create a healthy church culture, the Lord grants the growth. He calls people to serve as next generation leaders.

Yet, how do we know if we’re healthy? When we go to the doctor, we first see a nurse who takes our vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and weight). These four measurements help the doctor assess our health. Similarly, leaders can evaluate four vital signs that speak to the health of the local church.

Students

Think about your next generation ministry. Are there babies in the nursery, children in kids’ church, middle schoolers filling your youth group space, and high schoolers meeting in mid-week small groups? Are young people actively ministering alongside adults in the nursery, in elementary classes, and on your music teams? Have they been challenged, empowered, and entrusted with ministry roles to whet their appetite for working in the church? From birth through 20-somethings, “take the pulse” of student ministry.

Statements

What statements are people making onsite and online about your congregation, both externally (people in the surrounding community) and internally (worshipers)? Are comments positive or negative, friendly or confrontational? Jesus said, “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say” (Matthew 12:34). What an individual thinks and feels about the local church will be expressed to others. Do people view your church as a healthy place?

Struggles

What types of struggles do you experience? Are different generations disrespecting one another? Do you have a church-defining conflict among just a few individuals, similar to Euodia and Syntyche whom Paul confronted in Philippians 4? Is the church struggling to meet budget or unable to accommodate all the ministry activities occurring on your campus because of limited space? The types of struggles we experience say much about how healthy or unhealthy we are spiritually.

Statistics

What do the numbers reveal? Do we count “nickels, noses, and notches” (i.e., offering, attendance, and immersions/transfers)? The big three are important, but our metrics should include other statistics as well. How many small groups are there and how many people participate in them? How many people have taken a spiritual gift assessment and how many people are serving as volunteers? How many people went on mission trips year-to-date?

If the doctor is concerned about one or more of our vital signs, our physician may order additional tests to help diagnose our condition more accurately. Similarly, if we’re concerned about our church vital signs, we can take a deeper dive into assessing our church health. Consider conducting a church health survey through Natural Church Development (naturalchurchdevelopment.org/). This simple and inexpensive ministry tool measures eight categories of church health and ranks them from strongest to weakest. For more information on how to use such an instrument, please contact us at e2. We’re certified by NCD to help individual congregations establish an action plan leading to increased health. After all, healthy things grow—including the church.

“One struggle we may face in onboarding younger staff and elders is that they will not be like us, and their style of leadership may differ from ours. Nobody is a carbon-copy of anyone else. Paul told his readers that he and Titus “have the same spirit and walk in each other’s steps, doing things the same way” (2 Corinthians 12:18). Yet even though Paul and Titus “did things the same way,” Paul had to give Titus 19 different directions in his pastoral letter to the younger preacher. (Email me at jared@e2elders. org for a list of them.) Paul and Titus walked in each other’s steps because both were following the same King. Their ministry styles may have been markedly different, but there is nothing wrong with that.

I don’t need anyone to remember my name. I’m not trying to leave a legacy. Rather, in the strength of the Spirit, I’m trying to add just a bit to his. 

When we work to create a healthy church culture, the Lord grants the growth. He calls people to serve as next generation leaders.

Humility is a key to the passing of the baton. The church belongs to Jesus and not to us. Jesus loves, supports, and perpetuates his church. He did so before us, he is doing so today, and he will faithfully do so in the years ahead. Do we trust him to lead his own bride, providing next generation leaders, or do we desperately need to maintain control? If we have a difficult time recruiting, equipping, and empowering younger leaders, could it be due to our pride? There comes a time when we must hand the keys to the next generation, and if we fail to do so, there will be no one younger to whom we can give them.

about

the author

Director for e2: effective elders, overseeing e2’s resource library and intellectual property.

Jared Johnson serves as Operations

Helicopter parenting is dead. Bulldozer parenting is dead. Divine-sovereignty is the new parenting style.

By Tyler McKenzie

On August 28th, 2024, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory titled, “Parents Under Pressure” (see https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/parents/index.html). Murthy reported that parents are suffering from significantly higher levels of stress:

• 33% of parents report high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults.

• 48% of parents say that most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to 26% among other adults.

The greatest tragedy is that parental stress is being passed down from parent to child, contributing to the mental health crisis among youth. Parents identified the following as acute stressors:

• Financial strain, economic instability, and poverty

• Time demands

• Worry about children’s health and safety

• Parental isolation and loneliness

• Technology and social media

• Cultural expectations on parents’ investment and children’s futures

An All-Consuming Task

Based on this list, it seems to me that parenting has become an all-consuming task in divine-like levels of control that are impossible for any human to live up to. Safety, success, significance, satisfaction; these are things for which we trust in God. But today, mom and dad are expected to take these matters into their own hands.

• We live in one of the safest, most prosperous, most technologized, most medically advanced countries in history. With modern birth control, parents can decide when and how many kids they want. Infant mortality rates have improved dramatically over the last century. Why are we so worried about money, safety, and health?

• The menu of school options, early specialization programs, and extracurriculars for kids is expansive. You can professionalize your child in just about anything before the age of 10. Why are we so anxious about their futures?

All this progress makes the future brighter than ever for kids, but it makes the present more burdensome for parents. There is a suffocating pressure to bring these opportunities to bear on our kids. No wonder we are lonely! We spend every spare moment chauffeuring our kids trying to ensure they don’t “fall behind.” It’s stressful trying to play God when you aren’t a god. If only someone would have told humans

that we aren’t omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent. Then maybe we would have more realistic expectations of our kids and ourselves.

The Illusion of Control

In her book The End of American Childhood, historian Paula Fass contends that “control is the defining illusion of our time” for parents. Helicopter parenting is dead. Bulldozer parenting is obsolete. Welcome to the era of divine-parenting where, like God himself, parents must decide the perfect moment to onboard a child into the world and then design an ideal experience of reality, hour-byhour, that maximizes growth and development. How long will it be until genetic engineering allows us to “knit them together in their mother’s womb”?

Fass calls this expectation of total control an illusion on purpose. First, it isn’t actually working out for our kids. Our assertion of control is putting expectations on our kids that are crushing them. Lisa DaMour, bestselling clinical psychologist, was asked recently about rising mental illness among teens. One of the two main causes she cited was the constantly rising achievement pressure parents put on younger and younger kids. We’re saying to our 12-year-olds, “Look, I donated my kidney to get you into the right middle school, so I need you to perform. Take these classes seriously, so you can start taking advance placement courses your freshman year, so you can get into one of those tier-one colleges, so you can get one of those internships, so you can get one of those jobs, so you can have enough money to get one of those vacation homes and really live! But it all starts with you mastering algebra in sixth grade! So, once you get home from travel ball and do your piano lessons, I need you to look at this math workbook.”

When our kids prove incapable of living up to our lofty expectations, parents struggle with disappointment in them and even more so ourselves. This is the second reason why Fass calls control an illusion. It puts selfimposed expectations on parents that crushes them. Parents aren’t gods. As life goes on, we see how much our world and our kids are out of our control. Look at the last five years. The global pandemic humbled us all.

The Right Goal

The goal for parents should be less focused on controlling reality and more focused on socializing our kids to reality. Richard Rohr has done a lot of work on the formation of youth. He suggests there are five truths we should socialize our kids toward.

1. Life is hard. “Not only will you face bad things (like pain, betrayal, sickness, disappointment, and failure),

but all the good things in life take hard work to build (like wealth, a career, mastery in a field, or a 50-year wedding anniversary).”

2. You are not that important . “There are eight billion people on earth. Within 15 years of your death, you will be mostly forgotten. How do we learn to be content with changing the world by simply loving our neighbor? How do we live in a social media age as if the size of our platform and the opinions of others is not the sum of who we are?”

3. Your life is not about you . “In ancient societies, kids didn’t pick their job, their spouse, or their religion. They were raised to serve a purpose bigger than individual fulfillment. How do we catch a vision for communal flourishing?”

4. You are going to die. “Sorry, kids . . . 100% on this one.”

5. You are not in control.

This last one is the thrust of this column. Christian parents have the spiritual resources to avoid being another stressed-out statistic today. We believe God alone is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. This is what theologians call the Creator-Creature Distinction We are not limitless, even though everything about our world is designed to make us believe we can be.

This is the root of human sin. The Garden of Eden is cursed with sweat, enmity, and thorns because humans usurp God’s role. The Tower of Babel disintegrates human community because humans reach for the heavens. The lesson of Babel is one for our time. Humans have the tools and tech to make us more like God than any generation ever, but we can’t take the burden of godhood! We. Weren’t. Made. To. Be. God. We were made to be images of God. And this is the primary role of parents. To pour in and summon out the truth of this identity in the emerging generation. This truth will lead to finite humility and infinite dignity! 

about the author

Tyler McKenzie serves as lead pastor at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

horizons

Stephen’s life was not going how he wanted it to go. Despite being raised in a ministry family, he was working two jobs and, as he put it, “was simply not in a good place.” When he heard about an organization called EnterMission, he had just enough time to give his two-week notice, pack his bags, and join a team. His year was challenging, but it transformed his life. As Stephen says, “I can’t even picture who I was back then. I was baptized at a young age, but that time at Johnson University during our learning was a conversion experience for me.” Stephen would later serve with a team of other young adults his age in Colombia. In the end, he felt God was calling him to enter vocational ministry. He has just finished his first year at Great Lakes Christian College.

Enter Life on Mission with Entermission

By Laura McKillip Wood

A Gap Year that Changes Lives

Stephen is like many other young adults today. They want to do something meaningful, but they are not sure what that is. They may be reluctant to enter college and pay the high tuition rates before knowing what they want to do with their lives. EnterMission is designed to provide these young people with an excellent gap-year experience to help them discern God’s will for their futures. EnterMission offers several options for people aged 17-25 who, according to the website, “want to learn how to live on mission in all areas of their lives, and who want to step away for a short season to learn how to live into God's vision for their lives more fully.” Their time with EnterMission serves as hands-on vocational training in ministry.

The experience begins with time together on the campus of Johnson University, during which students live in the dorms and share their lives with one another. They study the life of Jesus and learn to implement core concepts that will carry on throughout the year during their time together.

The students then begin their gap experiences. The fivemonth gap semester program lasts from mid-August to mid-December. During this time, students learn about ministry in the United States and travel the country working in inner-city ministries, children's homes and orphanages, Native American reservations, and serve at the International Conference on Missions.

For those interested in cross-cultural work, EnterMission offers a 10-month program that begins with the initial five-month American experience. After that, students pack up and travel to international destinations where they work with a local ministry for the duration of the program. Students are challenged to incarnate the values, skill sets, and experiences they've cultivated throughout the year and to use them in their new contexts.

The resident assistant program offers graduate students a chance to invest in those in the gap year programs. They also receive mentoring from staff, but they help those in the five- and 10-month programs on their journeys.

Led by Veteran Missionaries

Part of what makes EnterMission valuable comes from the experience of the lifelong missionaries who lead the ministry, Chris and Nicia Irwin. Chris was raised by a single mom in Kentucky and later moved with her to Springfield, Ohio. He eventually met Bob Stacy, who encouraged him to attend Cincinnati Christian University.

During his freshman year at CCU, Chris met Nicia, who grew up in Zimbabwe as a missionary kid. She and Chris became involved with Team Expansion during their college years, and after they married, they moved to Ecuador and began working as church planters. After 18 years, they transitioned to Europe and began working in Spain. They thought their transition to Europe would be smooth and easy. However, once they arrived, they realized that living in a post-modern, post-secular culture that had already moved past the felt need of a church proved much different. “We realized that, while God and his Word do not change, culture does, and we had to learn a new way to engage those who were not interested in coming to church,” Chris says. “We learned that the fact that people aren’t interested in coming to church doesn’t mean that they are any less spiritual.” Chris and Nicia say God used their 10 years in Spain to teach them a new way of being Christians. They learned to engage those who will not come to church and unlearned certain approaches they had used in the past. They realized that people are tired of being treated as objects to be won. “We began to see them as people and not projects,” Chris says. “While we live in the most connected age digitally, people are desperate to be seen and known.”

the things we are against—but as championing the things that are praiseworthy now.”

Potential for Growth

The Irwins are proud to have both Johnson University and Ozark Christian College recognize the value of their gap-year programs by offering college credits for those who complete the 10-month experience. They hope this will help more young people begin vocational ministry and attend a variety of Christian colleges, and that churches will learn more about the opportunities they provide and encourage their youth to participate. EnterMission dreams of continuing to provide robust opportunities for youth to participate in the work of God around the world!

To learn more about the work, contact Chris and Nicia at chris@entermission.org or visit their website at https:// www.entermission.org/. 

“Entermission is designed to provide young people with an excellent gap-year experience to help them discern God’s will for their futures.

about the author

When they returned to the United States to care for Chris’s mother, who was suffering from dementia, they learned about EnterMission. They became interested in its approach to missions and its desire to balance out an often one-sided approach to the world, which is centered on Genesis 3 and presents a world that is broken, sinful, and dangerous. EnterMission balances that with the kingdom framework that Jesus brought, focusing on all that God now desires and the potential that we all have to grow, learn, and heal. Chris says, “We want to become a people of faith who are known for more than

/laura.wood2

@woodlaura30

lauramckillipwood.com

lauramckillipwood@gmail.com

Laura McKillip Wood, former missionary to Ukraine, now serves as bereavement coordinator and palliative care chaplain at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She and her husband, Andrew, have three teenagers.

intentional

A Wheel of Emotions: Finding Balance for Lasting Growth

By Osharye Hagood

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . . a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4).

Let’s imagine our emotions on a wheel, like the wheel on Wheel of Fortune. It’s big, sturdy, and strong, but also delicate, shifting and spinning with the slightest movement. In our marriages, this emotional wheel constantly turns. Anger, sadness, frustration, joy, peace, contentment, fear, and uncertainty each take their turn as life’s circumstances spin the wheel. Just as the Wheel of Fortune feels weighty and substantial, so do the emotions in our marriages. Yet, like the wheel, emotions can also be delicate and sensitive to the smallest changes. The balance of the wheel depends on how we choose to respond to its turns, not on one emotion dominating the rest. The question we need to ask is, “Do we want to make a decision based on one emotion?”

In the early stages of marriage, couples often long for feelings of passion. It’s like standing at the wheel, waiting to spin it, hoping to land on the jackpot that promises excitement, passion, or happiness. But as anyone who has watched Wheel of Fortune knows, you don’t always land on what you want. You spin, hoping for joy, but sometimes land on frustration or uncertainty. That’s the nature of emotions in marriage—they don’t always come neatly packaged or on demand.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

For example, there may be moments when one spouse’s frustration feels like a signal of danger for the relationship. Early in our marriage, I remember my spouse, Rudy, would be frustrated if a basketball game didn’t go well. His quietness and non-communication for hours afterward led me to believe that something was wrong in our marriage. I thought that a good marriage meant being happy all the time, so I assumed his frustration was a reflection of our relationship. In reality, his emotions were tied to the game, not our marriage. Learning to allow each other space to feel without overreacting is part of the journey.

Once those signals are misread, emotions can spiral out of control. Fear and uncertainty often take over, spinning the wheel of reaction, leading to unnecessary problems. Thoughts race—“Is my spouse unhappy? Is something wrong with us?”—when in fact, their emotions may have nothing to do with the relationship. Understanding that each person’s feelings are their own, not always reflective of the marriage, is a vital lesson in emotional balance.

Early in marriage, it’s easy to believe that excitement equals happiness. Like constantly spinning the wheel, we hope to land on excitement or passion, thinking it proves our marriage is alive. When my spouse was sitting peacefully or enjoying a quiet moment, I often interpreted it as boredom. I failed to recognize peace for what it was—an essential part of stability and contentment. Because I didn’t value this peace, I would try to stir up excitement, mistakenly believing it would lead to a deeper connection.

This desire for excitement sometimes led to tension and arguments, creating a sense of intensity, but not the loving connection we truly desired. True passion, I ultimately learned, can emerge from peaceful moments, and constant excitement isn’t the only path to a healthy, happy marriage. Again, I had to ask, “Do I want to make decisions based on one emotion?”

Fear can often creep in when we don’t fully understand what’s happening in our relationship. It’s like spinning the wheel, hoping to avoid it, but finding it appears anyway. Fear creates a sense of impending danger or the need to protect ourselves, even when there’s no real threat. In marriage, fear can distort reality, making problems seem bigger than they are. But when we recognize fear as a reaction to uncertainty, we can face it without allowing it to dominate our decisions.

Uncertainty also plays a role on the emotional wheel. It arises when we don’t know what the future holds. In marriage, this can feel unsettling, as we crave stability. Yet, uncertainty can invite us to trust in God, to have faith in one another, and to believe in the strength of the relationship, even when answers aren’t clear. Learning to sit with uncertainty without rushing to resolve it shows maturity and deep trust.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19-20).

Anger burns with passion, while sadness connects us to deeper emotions. Frustration, a blend of the two, signals that something needs adjustment. On the opposite side of the wheel, we find peace, joy, and contentment. Peace is the strength that offers stability, joy sustains us, and contentment reminds us to appreciate the present. By embracing the full emotional wheel—anger, joy, fear, and uncertainty—we learn to make decisions from balance, not from one dominant emotion.

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:11-12).

Let’s approach marriage with the understanding that our emotions are part of a dynamic, ever-spinning wheel. Let’s avoid overemphasizing an isolated feeling. Instead, let’s embrace the full spectrum of how God created us, making decisions that honor the balance of all our emotions. Passion may ignite the relationship at times, but it’s peace, joy, and contentment that foster lasting growth and stability. By valuing the emotional wheel in its entirety, couples can move through life’s ups and downs with unity and resilience.

Emotions are a natural part of marriage for both spouses. Anger, sadness, frustration, peace, joy, and contentment are all part of the journey. The key to making sound decisions in marriage is to consider the whole spectrum of these emotions. None of them, individually, should be the sole driver of major decisions. True growth and stability in marriage come from recognizing that each emotion has its place, but balance among them creates a healthy and thriving relationship. Perhaps asking, “Do we want to make a decision based on one emotion?” can help keep the wheel of emotions in check for both partners. 

about the authors

Rudy and Osharye Hagood have seven children and nine grandchildren so far. Osharye is a women’s minister who is also certified as both a life coach and a health coach. Rudy is a college professor with a background in social work. They love being married and love to bless both married and engaged couples.

@rudy.hagood

@rudy_hagood_

Preach with the Wisdom God Provides

By Chris Philbeck

Recently, while reading a blog post on preaching, I came across a quote attributed to an executive who worked for Black + Decker. He said, “We’re not in the drill making business. We’re in the hole making business. People don’t come to us because they want a drill. They come to us because they need a hole.” In simple terms, “People come to us for a solution.”

Having grown up in church my entire life and having spent the last 45 years leading three different churches, I know this is true. Many people come to church out of a deep love and devotion to God and because they take seriously the instruction to “not give up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25). They understand Paul’s teaching on the God-ordained roles of prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher; as well as spiritual gifts, the body of Christ, and the believers responsibility and commitment to one another. I love these people!

But for another group of people, their needs bring them to church. And while that’s always been true, you can make the case that this is even more true in today’s modern and complicated world. This is a critical understanding when it comes to preaching.

There are many ways to connect with someone during a church service. We use music, personal stories, and video. I’ll never forget a video our church used once to promote a new marriage resource. Couples were taken to a large warehouse, told to stand backto-back, and then given instructions like, “Take a step forward for every dinner you didn’t eat together this past week,” or “If there were nights you didn’t go to bed at the same time this week, take four steps forward.” After a series of questions and corresponding instructions, the couples were told to turn around. Each couple discovered they were on completely different sides of the warehouse. I was moved to the point of tears by the way the video exposed the distance in these marriages. But regardless of how effective we might be in creating emotional responses, it’s the preaching of God’s Word that helps people make the kind of deep and meaningful connection with God that leads to life change.

Here are two ways to make sure this remains your goal from week-to-week.

First, make preaching that creates a deep connection with God your first priority. In his book, Deep Preaching: Creating Sermons that Go Beyond the Superficial, J. Ken Edwards reminds us of the old saying, “We make our priorities and then our priorities make us.” He goes on to say, “The priority you place on your preaching will determine, more than any other factor, how deep you preach.” And don’t get distracted by word deep, making it more than what it is. Paul gives

us simple guidelines for deep preaching in Colossians 1:28. “So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ” (New Living Translation).

Second, preach to real needs. We’ve heard a lot about preaching to “felt” needs. But often felt needs are just worldly problems. Preaching in a way that creates a deep connection with God exposes worldly problems and provides a biblical view of God that shows us how he works in the world and what he wants to do in our lives.

Thinking back to the video I mentioned, if there is one consistent area in the local church where people need solutions, it’s in the area of marriage. I discovered this early in my preaching ministry. Fast-forward and nothing has changed. So, make preaching about marriage a priority. To use Paul’s words in Colossians 1:28, preach about marriage by teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. Based on Genesis 2:18-25, you can preach these three truths to repair, strengthen, and build marriages.

“you can speak from God’s perspective to the needs of people’s lives in a way that creates a deep connection with God. In this case, the will of God, when it comes to marriage.

Someone said, “Want to hear God speak? Read your Bible. Want to hear God speak audibly? Read your Bible out loud!” I would add, “Want to hear God speak out loud? Preach with all the wisdom God has given us!” 

it’s the preaching of God’s Word that helps people make the kind of deep and meaningful connection with God that leads to life change.

First, view your spouse as your soulmate-literally. In Genesis 2:18-20 we see that Adam was alone in creation without a “suitable helper.” God solved that problem by creating Eve, and when he presented her to Adam, he responded with, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (2:23). Adam was saying, “I found the one!” This is how you need to view your spouse—as the partner God created for you, your soul mate.

Second, make your spouse your highest earthly priority. Genesis 2:24 gives us this instruction about marriage: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Most couples don’t have a problem with this in the beginning. But over time, children, work, etc. get in the way and it’s easy for your spouse to slip down the priority list. But you can’t let that happen.

Third, love your spouse with an unqualified love. Genesis 2:25 describes the beginning of marriage like this: “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” This verse pictures the need for transparency, acceptance, and when necessary, forgiveness in marriage.

This is a simple framework for biblical preaching on marriage. Space doesn’t allow for much detail, but beginning with clear biblical truths like this and with thorough explanation, illustration, and application,

about the author

Chris Philbeck retired as senior pastor of Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Greenwood, Indiana, at the end of June. He had served in full-time ministry since 1980.

Where Do We Go from Here?

By Kent E. Fillinger

The “Great Resignation” that many prognosticators predicted post-Covid, never materialized in the church world. Yes, ministers reported higher levels of stress and indicated they thought more about quitting following the pandemic, but most ministers stuck with it and are still leading and serving their churches today. This is a statistic to celebrate!

The “graying of the clergy” was true pre-Covid and it’s still a reality. Most pastors are in the later stages of life and career. According to a 2022 Barna report, only 16 percent of Protestant senior pastors nationally are 40 years old or younger, and the average age among pastors is 52.

These stats match exactly with the findings from our 2023 Christian Standard church survey. Additionally, our survey revealed that close to one-third (29 percent) of the lead pastors in our study were 60 years old or older and 16 percent were over the age of 65.

Everyone Is an Interim

We’re all interim leaders and at some point retirement is inevitable. Therefore, church elders and boards should be proactive to ensure a healthy, smooth pastoral transition. An emergency succession plan is akin to having an insurance policy to cover the church in case of a disaster or unexpected leadership crisis. A departure-defined succession plan should be created at least five years prior to when you anticipate your lead minister will retire.

The last year I surveyed churches about the status of their succession plans was 2018, but my hunch is that little has changed since the best predictor of future action is past action. Then, 59 percent of the 465 churches that participated in our church survey noted that they had no succession plan in place for their lead minister. Twenty-three percent said they were working to develop a succession plan. Only 16 percent said they had an emergency succession plan and 10 percent said they had a departure defined or retirement plan established.

Developing a solid succession plan or a leadership pipeline is like exercising. Everyone knows it’s a smart idea and that they should do it, but ultimately, we’re too busy to do it. The same Barna study found that 38 percent of pastors said developing a leadership pipeline is a “top personal priority” and 40 percent said they’ve thought about the need but just “have too many other ministry concerns.” Meanwhile, 14 percent of pastors say they’ve delegated the job to others.

We’re Not Building the Bench

According to our 2018 Christian Standard church survey, 78 percent of churches hired their lead minister

from another church and only 22 percent promoted their lead minister from within the church.

The “leadership bench” in most churches is lacking. Seventy-nine percent of pastors in the Barna study agreed that “churches aren’t rising to their responsibilities to train up the next generation of Christian leaders.” In short, one reason the next generation of Christians is unprepared for the challenges of leading a church may be that so few churches are preparing them.

Three-quarters of the pastors surveyed said they at least somewhat agree with the statement, “It is becoming harder to find mature young Christians who want to be pastors.”

Leading Like Jesus

By David Timms

Jesus did not come to teach us about leadership. Let’s start with that. Jesus’ mission was to proclaim the kingdom of God, to reveal the Father, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

To the best of our knowledge, he did not run leadership seminars for his followers. He did not write books or blogs on leadership. Nor did he speak at leadership conferences or start a leadership coaching business. He didn’t create or leave an organizational chart for the church. He did not appoint himself as a CEO. Nor did he insist on titles or privileges. Quite the opposite, he emptied himself of all the honor that he formerly had (Philippians 2:6-7).

Jesus didn’t set organizational numeric goals (How many of these? How much of that?) to measure success. Nor did he hire people based on fit, or fire them based on poor performance. Indeed, at his death, the “movement” had mostly fizzled. His followers were few and they were pretty much in hiding behind locked doors (John 20:19). Frankly, based on his track record, few people today would ask Jesus to speak about successful leadership.

So, when we talk about leading like Jesus we immediately find ourselves in an odd conversation. Indeed, he seemed far more interested in defining followership than leadership.

Of course, there are a few recorded moments when the disciples closest to him were vying for recognition and power—arguably a leadership grab (Mark 8:34-37; 9:33-37; 10:35-45)—and Jesus contrasted the leadership priorities of the world

with the role of leadership in the kingdom of God. He called his followers to forsake the naked ambition that they saw in “the rulers of the Gentiles who lord it over people.” Instead, he said, his followers should be servants and slaves.

Jesus’ call for us to be servants and slaves helped birth and fuel the servant-leadership model that has dominated Christian circles in recent decades. Over the past 50 years (since Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s), many Christians have taught that to lead like Jesus means to be a servant to everyone. But was Jesus actually revealing the secret sauce for authentic and God-honoring leadership? Or was he simply calling his disciples to resist the temptation to pursue power (Mark 10:42)? Have we made too much of “servant leadership”? Frankly, I think so.

In most instances, the servant-leadership model has tended to over-emphasize service and underemphasize leadership. All too often, the result has been frustrated or burned-out men and women who assume that the leader must plug any gap, serve any person, do any task, or help in any way—whenever possible and whenever called upon. What could be more detrimental to both our health and effectiveness? And yet, we have precious few options when we talk about leading like Jesus.

If we are going to lead like Jesus, we’ll need to read between the lines in the Gospels. We might search for a few verses that start with the words: “Christian leaders should . . . .” But alas, we’ll search in vain.

Of course, Jesus was a leader. I’m just saying that he had remarkably little to say about leadership. So, we’ll have to tread lightly and carefully into this territory. What might we say?

Jesus seemed far more interested in defining followership than leadership.

Fellowship Matters Most

If we are going to lead like Jesus, let’s begin with what he seemed to value most; not leadership but followership. That might be a twist in this conversation.

Interestingly, Barbara Kellerman, an expert in leadership research and education who teaches at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, has noted that the glaring gap in leadership education today is any meaningful conversation about followship (Professionalizing Leadership, 2018: 128). “There are good reasons,” she writes, “for teaching followership to those ostensibly learning leadership.” This sounds very consistent with the life and ministry of Jesus.

Many people want to lead, but relatively few people have truly explored followership in their own lives.

Can we truly lead if we have not learned to fully submit to the authority of others? This is the essence of good followership: not coerced submission, but the willing surrender of our personal desires, ambition, preferences, and convenience to serve someone else or someone else’s vision. And this act of service is not a box to check on the way to leadership. It is, rather, the ongoing posture of the leader’s heart. If we have not yet learned to truly and deeply follow, are we ready to provide leadership in the kingdom of Christ (or anywhere)?

This followership ultimately means being Spirit led. We follow the life and teaching of Jesus, as we also follow the leading and guiding of the Spirit of God.

Jesus modeled this throughout his life when he said to his parents, “I had to be in my Father’s house” (Luke 2:49). Later, “he was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Matthew 4:1). On the night before his crucifixion, he withdrew to a place alone and prayed “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:41-42). Time and again, Jesus embraced deep and sincere followership.

Later, the apostle Paul urged the Christians in Galatia (and all of us) to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) and be “led by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:18). Then he added, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

This is not an invitation to invoke the power of the Spirit, as though God is waiting for us to put him to work. We don’t learn to “use the Spirit” or “tap into the power of the Spirit.” Quite the contrary, this is learning to follow most deeply, to be increasingly surrendered in heart (our affections and desires) and mind (our thoughts and conclusions).

At the very best we are under-leaders. We don’t lead for Jesus; we lead under him. And if this followership mentality gets supplanted by pride, or shortchanged by ambition, then our leadership fails to lead like Jesus.

We become people who lead like Jesus when we become people who look like Jesus.

Commitment to Character

At its core, leadership is not about what we can do, but who we are. In our pragmatic culture we gravitate to competence. If people can do something for us, or will promise to do something for us, we are more likely to elevate them to leadership, irrespective of their character and personal values. We tend to follow strong and capable people more than good or godly people.

This was, of course, one of the challenges Jesus faced. As soon as the crowds realized that Jesus could feed them with a few loaves and fish, and heal them, and cast demons out of them, they arrived in droves. How easy it would have been for Jesus to succumb to the simple pathway to leadership—show them power. Is this not, in fact, precisely what Satan tried to tempt Jesus with, even before Jesus’ ministry got underway? “Jesus, turn these stones to bread and feed yourself. Jesus, throw yourself off the temple so people can watch God send his angels to rescue you. Jesus, here’s a shortcut to world domination” (Matthew 4:3-11). But the kingdom of God is not established by power or violence (Matthew 11:12).

Instead, the kingdom of God is established by leaders who demonstrate sacrificial love, who are motivated by empathy, and who model authenticity and integrity. These character traits, driven by our faith in Jesus and grounded in our trust in God, are the supreme qualifications for leading like Jesus. And this “model” is not just for the church but for businesses, schools, and community organizations alike.

Empathy outweighs education. Love surpasses intelligence. Integrity is greater than effort. Authenticity matters more than title and position. Indeed, to lead like Jesus frequently means that we will lead from behind or below within an organization. It is the willingness to empty ourselves for the purposes, plan, timing, and leading of God within our lives. It is to become people of increasingly Christ-like character who understand followership at deep levels.

We become people who lead like Jesus when we become people who look like Jesus.

Not at All Squishy

Of course, there are important skill sets to learn and refine when it comes to effective leadership. Effective leaders are also effective communicators. They see a way forward that perhaps others can’t see. They inspire and build the lives of their followers. They manage teams and make strategic decisions. They achieve measurable and tangible goals and produce change.

Consequently, some readers might think that this talk about followership and character as too squishy. That’s entirely understandable. It’s easier to teach skills that we can observe, measure, and implement quickly. There seems so much to do that we might understate who we are to be. Besides, formation of the heart and soul takes longer and is trickier to measure. But this is the kingdom curriculum.

However, if we are to lead like Jesus, we won’t focus first on vision, mission, communication, organizational structure, emotional intelligence, change management, project management, or a host of other possibilities. To lead like Jesus is first and foremost to make a deep commitment to personal formation. It emerges from followership and the fruit of the Spirit of God within us. We become transformational leaders only when we ourselves are being transformed from the inside out.

This is not at all squishy. It will take more time, greater discipline, deeper commitment, and stronger effort than a few short courses on leadership.

There’s a vital place for skill development and leadership enrichment seminars, but it’s always secondary to the transformation of our own hearts and lives. We reverse these two simple priorities to our peril.

What would it look like for us to embrace followership and personal transformation more seriously? That’s when we’re on the road to leading like Jesus. 

David Timms serves as Dean of the School of Theology and Leadership at William Jessup University in Rocklin, California.

T hroughout my college years, I served in parttime youth and preaching ministries, but as a new graduate I was eager to plunge headfirst into full-time ministry. So, with a freshly inked diploma in my hip pocket, I set out to change the world. It didn’t take me long to realize I was going to need help—and lots of it!

While I was familiar with the concept of a mentor, the actual word had been used sparingly in my college years. In reflection, I think we preaching majors were expected to “get out there and get the job done,” and we were happy to give it our best shot. I received a terrific education, but classroom knowledge does not always translate easily into practical application. It’s one thing to grasp ministry in a lecture hall; it’s quite another to be on the frontlines face to face with elders, deacons, staff, Sunday school teachers, volunteers, and building custodians, all of whom have differing and often conflicting views on “how to do church.”

A MENTOR TO MINISTERS

When I became senior minister of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church in Bloomington, Indiana, I knew I needed the wisdom of experience I didn’t yet have. I called several well-respected ministers and offered to buy their lunch if I could pick their brains for an hour. Each one graciously responded, and for me their collective wisdom was like gold. These preachers became mentors to me. One of those men was Bob Russell, who was leading Southeast Christian Church at the time. Despite his busy schedule, Bob took time to invest in my life and ministry. A few years later, Bob organized a small group of us preachers in churches of similar size and we continued to meet annually to swap ideas and encourage one another. That fellowship of preachers was a true gift to me. And as I was preparing to retire after 40 years with Sherwood Oaks, Bob invited me to work with him in his mentoring retreats: A Time of Refreshing

Bob’s heart has long been geared toward encouraging and mentoring men in ministry. When he retired from his stellar 40-year ministry with

Southeast Christian Church, Bob created this unique retreat to encourage those who serve as lead ministers in their congregations. I use the word “retire” loosely; most of us in ministry don’t really “retire,” we “retool.” And Bob set the bar high in his next chapter of ministry.

For the last four years I’ve had the privilege of working with him and learning from him. I’ve watched as Bob graciously invests his time and expertise. His compassion for preachers inspires all who attend; I have yet to meet anyone who returns home indifferent to the experience.

You are undoubtedly aware of the increasing need for preachers to serve in our churches. Many are stepping away from ministry to find work in the secular arena. Recently, while working with a disheartened minister, he told me, “I not only have no wind in my sails, I don’t have any sails!” Another opined, “I loved the church for what it was supposed to be; I hated the church for what it was.” Yet another minister confessed that his wife is so discouraged by the people in the church that she’s questioning whether she really wants to be a Christian any longer! That’s heartbreaking.

With fewer young folks entering the preaching ministry and with many of those already in ministry leaving for a variety of reasons, it’s imperative that our twenty-first century churches find ways to stem the tide of resignations. A Time of Refreshing is one effort to help encourage ministers to stay the course. If you’re thinking about throwing in the proverbial towel, please reconsider. Maybe a fresh look at ministry and some new-found camaraderie will encourage you to give it another try. A Time of Refreshing would be a good place to start.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Let me tell you what you can expect during this 65-hour getaway. To promote meaningful interaction, each retreat is limited to eight lead ministers. The dynamic created with the few doesn’t easily happen in a larger conference or convention setting.

We gather at the Country Lake Christian Retreat lodge, a relaxing facility nestled in the wooded hills of Southern Indiana. When arriving on Monday afternoon, each minister is greeted by wonderful volunteers who roll out the red carpet. From the moment the attendee steps across the lodge threshold, the volunteers take over. Introductions are made, luggage is carried, and cars are parked. For those who have served in ministry for years, it feels awkward to be served, but we want each man to feel valued. And, unlike staying in dorms or cabins at a Christian service camp, each minister has his own nicely appointed lodge room.

In some ways, the word “retreat” is a misnomer. Down time comes later in the evening, but the days are scheduled full. The mornings begin with devotions led by Joe Donaldson, whose unique look at Scripture sets the tone for the day. After breakfast, Bob and I share what we hope are meaningful, interactive sessions on leadership and preaching.

Additionally, each participant develops a DISC personality profile led by Elizabeth Jeffries, an executive coach from the health care industry. Elizabeth has faithfully provided this challenging two-hour seminar for 19 years. Jack Coffee and Matt Chalfant, former elders at Southeast Christian Church, conduct a session on elder-preacher relationships. As you might imagine, the questions come fast and furious in this hour. Bob’s son, Phil Russell, a retired Louisville Metro Police Lieutenant, shares important insights on “Crises Management.” And Bob’s former Administrative Assistant, Debbie Carper, sits down with the men and provides ideas about “utilizing your administrative assistant’s skills effectively.”

You may be thinking that sounds academically heavy. But wait, there’s more! One afternoon the preachers are treated to a tour of the Louisville Slugger Museum, Louisville’s number one tourist attraction. And the best part of that tour is the private session with Jack Hillerich, the retired owner, and his son-in-law, Bill Clark, a former vice president. These two leaders discuss practical business principles that easily transfer to leading an effective church. Each preacher benefits from the concept of “swimming with the fish”- staying

in touch with individuals in the congregation. I wish I had had their insights when I was first starting into ministry.

On the other afternoon, we go “bowling for dollars.” (What’s that you ask? You’ll just have to attend to find out.) This engaging activity builds a teamwork spirit and provides an abundance of laughter. Even if you’re not quite ready to join the Professional Bowlers Association, you’ll have a great time. There is no limit to the lessons that can be learned with a bowling ball, an alley full of pins, and eight less-than-skilled preachers.

On Tuesday evening, the team is treated to a delicious meal at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. I have yet to see anyone leave hungry. On Wednesday evening, we enjoy a meal and relaxed time of sharing at Bob and Judy’s home. The time around their table is a treasured moment.

The retreat concludes mid-Thursday morning, and everyone is on the road or headed to the airport with plenty of time to get home. And hopefully, plenty of encouragement to treasure their call to ministry once again.

THE MEN WHO ATTEND

I have truly enjoyed meeting men I would not know otherwise. Men who have inspired me with their potential and touched my heart with their pain. Men who have generously shared ministry ideas that are insightful and helpful. Men who have shed tears and shared laughter with us all. I’m grateful for each one I’ve met. The church’s future is brighter because of them!

Here are a few reflections from men who have attended.

Thank you for an incredible retreat. I left feeling refreshed and renewed. This week has breathed new life into my ministry.

I want to say a huge thank you for investing in me at the retreat. It changed my life.

It was refreshing, it was inspiring, and I gained so much wisdom. The practical insights shared will help me better serve the church through preaching the Word and shepherding the flock.

PERHAPS IT’S YOUR TURN

How much does A Time of Refreshing cost? For the attending minister, nothing. Each minister is asked to submit a check for $500 to reserve his spot, but the check is returned when he arrives. Through the years, godly people who desire to encourage preachers have supported Bob’s ministry and made this retreat possible. Their generous gifts have enabled us to create something special for these men who have been faithfully serving their congregations. To those whose generosity has made this retreat possible, I say, “Thank you!” Your gifts have impacted the lives and ministries of those who have attended. To date, more than 1,000 preachers have stepped through the lodge doors and heard, “Welcome to A Time of Refreshing; we’re glad you’re here. Let me take your bags.”

For those preachers who haven’t had the opportunity to attend, go to Bob’s website (bobrussell. org), click on the “mentoring” tab, and complete the application at the bottom of the page. If you are an alumnus of the retreat, I sincerely hope you are encouraging others as a result. The next time you reflect on the smiles of those volunteers who parked your vehicle and carried your luggage, take a moment to pay it forward by helping someone else.

I am now in my 50th year of preaching. This wonderful journey has been greatly enhanced by those who encouraged and mentored me along the way. I’m not sure where I would be without such wise and gracious inspiration. Take time to encourage your preacher and his family. Ministry is not always easy, but it can be rewarding when leaders are surrounded by people who truly love the Lord and love his church. 

Recently retired from full-time ministry, Tom Ellsworth continues to co-lead “A Time of Refreshing” retreats with Bob Russell.

ChurchesSteppingUp: HowLocal ChurchesAre DevelopingElders

By e2: effective elders team

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline is an engineering marvel of the twentieth century. Spanning some 800 miles from its origin at Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska to its terminus at Valdez, it carries much-needed crude oil across Alaska’s mountainous and wooded wilderness. At its peak, the pipeline had a record throughput of just over two million barrels of oil per day in 1988. Today, however, oil production and throughput has dwindled to roughly 400,000 barrels a day–an alarming decrease of 75 percent (https://www.alyeskapipe.com/historic-throughput/).

This is yet another challenge facing the energy industry, and admitting it, oil companies across the country and around the world are on a quest to find new oil reserves. Once discovered, wherever discovered, crude oil is then brought into production to help meet our ever-growing energy needs.

The local church is facing a similar challenge. The leadership pipeline has dwindled to an all-time low in that we are not producing the next generation of leaders, particularly when it comes to elders. Like the oil industry, we need to locate potential new elders, develop them, and then on-board these individuals to help meet the burgeoning needs of the local church.

GOOD NEWS

At e2: effective elders, we have a front row seat to witness how God is on the move within the local church to produce the next generation of elders. Working closely with over 100 partner churches, we can see empty leadership pipelines refill.

Bridge Christian Church in Dubuque, Iowa (bridgeontheweb.org), contacted us as they had only one elder and no lead minister. But after a few site visits and much coaching, The Bridge ordained four elders and will soon welcome a new lead minister.

Rocky Fork Fellowship in Hallsville, Missouri (rff.church), was in a similar situation. Without a lead minister and having only two elders, we helped them identify, prepare, and

set apart a robust team of six elders, and guided them in locating their new lead minister.

Palmer Christian Church in Palmer, Alaska (palmerchristianchurch.org), had no elders and no lead minister when we began to work with them, and after a two-year journey, we have had the privilege to help them onboard not only a new elder team, but also a new lead minister, who also serves as our board chair at e2.

Indian Creek Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana (thecreek.org), has used e2 resources to train and equip more than two dozen men to serve as potential elders. In baseball, a player is always “on deck” to go to the plate to bat. At The Creek, an ample number of potential elders have already been trained and are ready to “step up to the plate” to serve as elders when the need arises. It was at The Creek that e2’s earliest resources (our elder governance white paper and first five foundational books) were incubated and finetuned in the leadership context of The Creek, for which we will forever be grateful.

Additionally, e2 has been privileged to assist church plants in onboarding their initial elder teams. LifeWell Christian Church in Crown Point, Indiana (lifewell.church), invited us to help them train, select, vet, and onboard their first elder team by their third anniversary. Similarly, Current Church in Papamoa, New Zealand (currentchurch.nz), has asked us to assist them in ordaining their first elder team by their seventh anniversary in March 2025.

The Church’s leadership pipeline across these United States is suffering, but the news is not all doom and gloom. Across the country and around the world, numerous churches are refilling their leadership pipeline with next-generation elders. And every church can do the same if people are willing to make the effort.

In John 9:1-7, Jesus healed a man who had been born blind. After spitting on the ground, Jesus made some mud and put it in the man’s eyes. He commanded the man to go and wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam, after which, he returned home able to see.

Across the country and around the world, numerous churches are refilling their leadership pipeline with next-generation elders.

Similarly, in Luke 17:11-14, Jesus told 10 men with leprosy to go and show themselves to the priest, and as they did as they were commanded, they were healed. In both instances, Jesus could have healed these men on the spot with merely a thought or word; however, Jesus required them to make an effort to receive a blessing.

To enjoy the blessing of a full, robust, skilled, and spiritually-called elder pipeline, we must make an effort. And here’s how.

THREE ESSENTIALS

In each of the previously cited churches (and in others like them), we have witnessed them make an effort to refill the elder pipeline. Three essentials have always been easy to spot. In the office, we often say they’re “as easy as ABC”:A for Admit, B for Biblical, and C for Course.

First, every church must admit that it needs next-generation elders. The local church must admit that their method of recruiting and onboarding elders is not working; that it is broken and needs to be fixed. This admission flows from Christlike humility. Proverbs 16:18 reminds us that “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” When a local church humbly admits that they can and must be more effective in producing leaders, healing begins to happen.

Second, every church must strive to be biblical in its method of recruiting and onboarding next-generation elders. For far too long, we have followed two flawed examples as unquestioned models for the organizational structure in the local church: the American government and the American corporation.

Like the federal government, we nominate and elect elders, along with a host of other “officers” in the church. These individuals serve stated terms and can then be reelected. But we must remember this truth: whenever there is a vote, someone wins and

someone loses. We actually produce disunity in the church, when the Word calls us to “make every effort to maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Where is this model of voting found in the New Testament? Can we cite “book-chapterverse” for using “yeas” and “nays?”

And like the American corporation, many congregations have church boards. Corporations began to develop and flourish in America’s Gilded Age following the Civil War when our nation’s first millionaires wanted to legally protect their wealth while still controlling it by being chairman of the board of directors. Local congregations established church boards, and then filled those seats by nominating and electing elders, deacons, and trustees. Again, where is this found in the New Testament?

LEGOs©, Tinker Toys©, and Lincoln Logs© all have something in common. Each comes with instructions. If children want to enjoy the toy, they build according to the instructions. Likewise, the local church comes with instructions: the Word of God. When we choose to build according to his instructions, God blesses the local church. It becomes healthy and that which is healthy, grows.

Third, every church must establish a course to produce next-generation elders. Think of this as a pathway to a desired destination. Each of the above churches set a date in the future as to when they wanted to set apart new elders, and then each of them worked backwards on a timeline to establish the course they would follow to recruit, equip, train, vet, and ordain their new elders. Time is required to read and discuss books. Calendars need to be synced for potential elders to shadow elders who are currently serving in their local ministry context. Only then can they know, by experience, how elders minister to people in the church. It takes time to plan and establish this course. Churches sometimes contact us in crisis and ask how they can have new elders next month. Yet, onboarding next generation elders is not as simple as turning a light on and off. It takes time and effort.

Whoareyou equippingtolead?

This third essential step in the process of refilling the elder pipeline must be intentional, deliberate, and thoroughly explained to those on this journey, while being thoroughly communicated to the congregation. People must understand the extreme care that is being used to prepare elders to serve the local church, and this course of direction may be quite different from a congregation’s past methods.

To help with this third essential, e2 has produced Operation Pipeline: Four Steps to Recruit New Elders in a Church, which walks readers through the process of onboarding new elders as they “discover, drill, determine, and deliver” (i.e., the outline of the book). We are most often asked, “Where do we find new elders?” This book draws on e2’s preexisting library, combined with newly written material, to provide four straightforward, biblical, practical steps to identify and incorporate new elders into a leadership team.

TIME TO DECIDE

Moses trained Joshua to lead. Elijah mentored Elisha to lead. Jesus taught his disciples to lead. Paul prepared Timothy, Titus, and others to lead. Who are you equipping to lead? Join the increasing number of churches that are intentionally and deliberately refilling their leadership pipeline. It’s time to hand the keys of leadership to the next generation of elders and watch them accomplish more for our King’s kingdom than we ever thought possible.

Lead well. 

Founded in 2008, e2: effective elders has ministered to more than 12,000 church leaders nationwide, providing leadership coaching for elder and staff teams.

A Movement of Leaders & Leadership Development

By John D. McArthur Jr.

How were leaders developed in the early days of the Restoration Movement?

Before the 1930s, conventional wisdom held that people were simply born with the ability to lead. There wasn’t a perceived need to develop leaders because either you were born a leader, or you were not. Therefore, in the early days of the Restoration Movement, leadership development (as we know it today) was not really a concern.

The main concern the early fathers of the Restoration Movement had was whether their leaders taught correct doctrine. Most of the writing and teaching we have from the early days of the Movement focuses on correct theology and proper hermeneutics rather than leadership. However, this does not mean leadership development did not happen.

The founding fathers of the Restoration Movement would have believed what a contemporary leader and president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, said: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, do more, and become more, you are a leader!”

The practicing and teaching of the tenets of the Restoration Movement caused people to dream more, do more, and become more, so whether they knew it or not, people became leaders who led churches out of denominationalism and brought seekers into a relationship with Christ that was free from the baggage of creeds and traditions.

TEACHING THE BIBLE ONLY

A primary tenet of the Restoration Movement was to teach the Bible only. This teaching could be better labeled, “spiritual development.” So, in a very real sense, spiritual development became the process by which leaders were developed in the early years of the Restoration Movement. Fellow sojourners would spur one another on as they searched for truth.

The idea that leaders were born and not made became known as the Great Man Theory in 1927. Although there were always skeptics of the philosophy that one had no choice in being a leader, it was not until the early 20th century that social scientists began seriously studying and researching to see if leadership could actually be taught. As a set of common characteristics shared by all leaders was developed, so did the idea that one could become a leader by learning and practicing these characteristics. This study of the common characteristics shared by leaders is known as Trait Theory.

Perhaps without realizing it, the followers of Campbell were practicing Trait Theory long before social scientists developed the concept. Early on, preachers wanting to emulate Alexander Campbell began to mimic his style of preaching, which included standing still (maybe while leaning on a cane) and reading from a manuscript. Things Campbell considered important, such as education, led to the founding of many preacher-training colleges. In addition, journals and books became the “social media” churches used to further educate and bind our separate and independent minded churches together. Without realizing it, leaders were being developed as they absorbed the theology of the early Restoration founders.

Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, and other founding fathers of the Restoration Movement were also ahead of their time in rejecting the Great Man Theory. Campbell’s insistence of having no clergylaity distinction did more than break down ecclesiastical walls. Since anyone could preach, leadership roles in the church opened up and everyone who wished to lead could start leading within certain parameters.

As long as the new leaders towed the party line, everything was fine; but this adherence to orthodoxy stifled creativity and the freedom to do things differently. In a 1992 Restoration Quarterly article, John Wilson wrote, our “theology of leadership is at least influenced if not determined by ecclesiology.”

A PREACHING PRESIDENT

Much of the church polity advocated in the early days of the Restoration Movement, although not completely unique, was refreshing and freeing. It prevented any one person from becoming too powerful. And even though it prevented an authoritarian dictatorship and perhaps corruption, it also stifled congregational and leadership growth. One of the reasons James A. Garfield, the 20th president of the United States and a Restoration Movement preacher, did not go into ministry was because he did not want to rely on the “tender mercies” of churches to support him. While the primary reason was financial, Garfield also believed that his leadership skills would not be used as a preacher, and he would be at the mercy of the congregation.

In the early days of the Restoration Movement, preachers were not formally trained or ordained into ministry. Rather, if a person felt he had something to share with the church, he was encouraged to preach or teach while deriving his income from some other source. In fact, when Campbell started Bethany College, it was to teach preachers Scripture while encouraging them to earn a living through other means.

While considering if he wanted to become a full-time preacher, Garfield made a pilgrimage to Bethany College in Virginia (now West Virginia) and met with Alexander Campbell, staying with him for a couple of days while he visited the campus and considered enrolling. Although there were a few things about the atmosphere of the school he was uncomfortable with, he really wanted to sit at the feet of Campbell and learn from this great man. However, Campbell discouraged young James from enrolling because he didn’t feel Bethany could offer him more knowledge than he had.

Campbell looked at Garfield from the perspective of what he knew about Scripture, not from any leadership skills he might have or could develop. It did not matter if you could lead; it mattered whether you knew how to preach the Word of God. In fact, as recently as 1992, John Wilson wrote an article in Restoration Quarterly about the leadership crisis in the Churches of Christ, noting how the churches lacked leadership because they refused to allow anyone to have that authority.

However, the lack of a formal philosophy of leadership development does not mean leadership wasn’t developed in our churches in the early days. It just went by a different name and was more informal and less intentional.

We need leaders who will invest time and energy into people who will lead.

No matter how the tools change, the principles of leadership development as practiced in the early days are still valid and deserve another look.

PAULS AND TIMOTHIES

It was common for preachers to find and develop “Timothies” from their congregations. Based on the example of Paul taking the young Timothy under his wing to teach and guide, preachers would find one or more young men, help them learn how to preach, and teach them how congregations work. Like Paul, the preachers would give their Timothies the opportunity to teach and work with the people in a congregation. There was no graduation from this course as the Timothy would always be under the watchful eye of his mentor.

One example of a Timothy from the early days of the Restoration Movement is John Rogers, who was mentored by Barton W. Stone. As a young man, Rogers became an indentured apprentice to a cabinet maker in Kentucky. While there, he met Stone, who was much older and whom Rogers described as an “especially venerated and devoted friend and brother.”

After his baptism at the age of 18, Rogers's brother came to visit. Stone decided Rogers was ready and should return with his brother to Ohio. The church raised enough money to free him from his indenture and on the way to Ohio, he preached his first sermon. Over the next year or so, Rogers went on two “missionary journeys” preaching the gospel in small towns throughout Ohio. He then returned to Kentucky to attend school in Georgetown where he was reunited with and taught by Barton W. Stone.

After school, Rogers was ordained to the ministry and his certificate includes the signature of Stone. For the rest of his life, he continued to preach and write, becoming a well-known and respected leader in the Restoration Movement. He also edited and published the autobiography of Barton W. Stone in 1847.

Times change and methods change, so what worked in the early 19th century might not work today. Indeed, the morphing of the schools and journals of the 1800s into what they became in the 20th century was good for the times, but they are morphing again. No matter how the tools change, the principles of leadership development as practiced in the early days are still valid and deserve another look.

First, the emphasis on spiritual development or the teaching of theology and doctrine is essential. Our colleges and journals did an excellent job of this throughout the 20th century, but times are changing. Although training schools and written records will continue to be important, we need to be aware of and find new ways to do it.

Second, leadership development works well in a smaller, one-on-one setting. The “Timothy” model gives accountability to students and allows teachers to pass on the legacy they have built.

Mark Hopkins was both the president and a teacher at Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts) when the future president, James A. Garfield, was a student there. At one instance, Garfield defined an ideal college education as "Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and a student on the other.” That certainly summarizes the Timothy model of leadership development and could be a good model for us today. We need leaders who will invest time and energy into people who will lead. 

John D. McArthur Jr. is minister of Sterling Park Christian Church, Sterling, Virginia, and author of James A. Garfield: Letting His Light Shine, available at Amazon.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

THE WORLD

AROUND

LESSONS FROM CHURCHES

BY DOUG LUCAS

The Bible has a lot to say about leadership and, in the West, we've given quite a lot of attention to leadership development. In fact, sometimes we might be tempted to think we have a monopoly on the whole process. But what about the rest of the world? How do churches in the rest of the world train leaders—even in the midst of persecution? What can we learn from them?

CATCH AS CATCH CAN

One model we see quite often around the world is perhaps similar to the model we likely see most often in the West. We might refer to it as "Catch as Catch Can." Churches using this model don't really have a plan for leadership training. They seem to expect that leaders will develop organically, unintentionally, and spontaneously. Sometimes it works. But often it fails to deliver.

Perhaps the greatest lessons we can learn from this “Catch as Catch Can” model is the ability to see that “there has to be a better way.”

TRADITIONAL SERMON-BASED LEADERSHIP TRAINING MODELS

A second approach we often see internationally is, again, similar to the approach seen in lots of churches here in the West. A pastor or teacher might happen upon a series of topics and/or Scriptures which help form leadership traits among members of the church. The trouble with this model (both in the West as well as internationally) is that leadership is more than knowledge. It also consists of skills and experience. What’s more, churches utilizing this model can’t really evaluate how well their members are progressing, partly because the main assembly context is too formal or too large for any leadership behavior to manifest. Once again, we are left to conclude, “there has to be a better way” for leadership training.

SMALL-GROUP-BASED COACHING MODELS

There were definitely times that Jesus spoke to large audiences. But as we study the Gospels, it’s impossible to miss the fact that his most oftenused training model was life-on-life with the 12 disciples. He talked and walked, sat with them at campfires, and evaluated out loud what he saw around him. Our international brothers and sisters have told us that it helps them immensely to have a plan. As a result, lesson materials have proliferated. One example of such a plan was developed by George Patterson in Honduras. (Readers can hear a free webinar featuring Patterson at Unleashed for the Unreached by accessing https:// www.u4theu.com/u4theu-webinar/.) Patterson was famous for teaching two workers who, in turn, taught two workers each, creating a multiplying “tree” of dozens of new churches in fairly short order. It’s still possible to download PDFs of Patterson’s 121 training booklets for free at http:// www.paul-timothy.net/.

MOVEMENT-BASED MODELS

Kingdom movements are similar to small-groupbased training models in that they rely primarily on small-group experiences. However, their stepped-up emphasis on multiplication and “every member a trainer” probably sets them apart even more than the initial Patterson model, which focused primarily on training pastors and teachers. In movement-based approaches, every single member becomes a trainer. This kind of growth can flourish in all contexts, even those in which public, formal churches would never be allowed. Learn more about this approach using the free, web-driven, in-life training called Zume, available online at https://zume.training/.

CASE STUDIES ABOUND

In preparation for this article, I asked workers in nine different ministry contexts to share case studies that would help illustrate the possibilities. Unfortunately, we cannot openly share the names and locations for some of these workers because they serve in sensitive areas (where the growth of the church is not welcome).

1) Team Expansion workers Derik and Jen DeVries (serving in Taiwan) wrote about Taiwanese churches and their use of prayer-walking as a leadership training tool. They visit temples, homes, and universities together, praying for the sick and those wrestling with various problems in life. Using this approach, they train leaders of all ages—high schoolers, college-aged youth, and adults. They shared this story from Taiwanese churches:

There is one young lady who was the quietest little person we had ever worked with. As a college senior she was unsure of herself and her life and value. She was lost in a sea of people with no direction. She met Jesus through a friend who was just learning about Jesus herself and as the one girl learned something about Jesus she would share it with this young shy girl. The shy girl came to faith and was baptized and took very seriously her relationship with God and grew very quickly. She baptized her mom and doubled down on her efforts to share her faith, even taking a parttime job so that she would be free to work (unpaid) in sharing the gospel. It has been two years since her baptism. She has touched hundreds of students with her story and has become a leader of leaders, not because she is gifted as a leader but because her faith pushes her to lead people that she cares about.

2) Another Team Expansion couple, Bobby and Mandy Graham (serving in Ghana), are excited about the growth that’s happening there in West Africa. They shared this story:

We have a long-time friend named Obed. Bobby met with him, and he and a friend went through the Zume training. He immediately put into practice the principles in Zume and began sharing them with a small group/church as well as neighbors that he had started. He has a passion for his people to share the Word.

HOW DO CHURCHES IN THE REST OF THE WORLD TRAIN LEADERS— EVEN IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION?

3) In the movement they are witnessing in southern Tanzania, Team Expansion workers Mavuto Jambulosi and family (from Zimbabwe) and Pascal Sinkala and family (from Zambia) are seeing exponential growth using a three-pronged approach involving Bible and ministry, disciple making, and hands-on life skills. They shared this story:

Moses is a promising leader serving in a congregation in Masasi. He has been through our formal ministry training and has also attended other shortterm practical ministry training programs to enhance his ministry skills. Moses’s congregation is steadily growing in several areas of ministry. He has planted a new congregation which is now being led by Luka, whom he discipled. He has also demonstrated a depth of faith and courage in matters where faith and culture came into conflict (e.g., cultural initiation rites and ancestor veneration). He is growing in faith, and willing to learn, adapt, and assume responsibility.

4) A Team Expansion worker serving in Muslim North Africa interviewed some of the top leaders he is currently discipling. They were all thankful for help with in-depth spirituality, strategic planning, leadership structures, accountability, and more. But one leader made it clear that “the most significant influences in his spiritual development were life-on-life mentor-like relationships with other Christian men along his journey.”

5) One of Team Expansion’s most veteran workers, Wayne Meece, recounted the story of Alfred (not his real name, but a very real person, nonetheless). Wayne remembers Alfred starting out as a very shy boy when they first began investing in him. They led him through five years of lessons, helping him to relay those lessons to others along

the way, resulting in the birth of multiple new churches. None of these churches ever had to rely on Wayne. They knew Christ only through Alfred. He is truly an example of a disciple making disciples and has now learned another language so he can do so in a neighboring tribal homeland.

6) Jay Schroder is a good friend and currently serves as the Outreach Pastor of Northeast Christian Church (Louisville, KY). When asked about leadership training models he had observed while serving cross-culturally, Jay shared, “The most striking thing to me is that in the midst of hardship that is incomprehensible from my life experience, the church is thriving. I think there are three main ingredients to this: (a) a far more healthy communal Christian practice, (b) a deep theology of suffering, and (c) a more vibrant prayer life.”

7) A long-time Team Expansion worker in Asia (serving in a country where persecution abounds) observed,

As persecution has increased, large church groups have changed to house churches, which naturally encourages leadership development since more people participate in ministry in the church. When persecution is more intense, faithfulness through persecution is a sign of ministry credibility. Some churches have set up youth boot camps, one-year intensive trainings to help them decide whether to pursue full-time ministry or serve in a different career path.

8) Another Team Expansion family serves in a nation known worldwide as being one of the top three nations for the persecution of Christians. In their case, they intentionally try to spend at least five hours with each believer/leader, just doing life-on-life discipleship. They wrote of one young leader, “Although she's beaten at home for being a

Christian and sneaks out of the house to meet together weekly (she says she is grocery shopping), she has such a deep-rootedness and firm belief in Jesus as Lord that nothing can sway her. She has seen many believers come and go, yet she still praises and follows.”

9) Allan Witkowski serves as Team Expansion’s VP of Marketplace Ministry and Training. He uses the “MAWL” process with young leaders: model, assist, watch, and launch. Among the young leaders he is raising up, he feels they need more time in the “assist” phase than any other. “I try to delegate early, but they often need extra support and more clarity before they are comfortable with me moving to ‘watch.’ Some of this is cultural.” In summarizing his views on leadership training overseas, he wrote,

We need to contextualize our leadership principles just like we do our gospel message. While we push certain styles of leadership (and claim they are the biblical model), the cultural acceptance of those styles (especially in honor shame cultures) is often difficult and requires contextualization. We often don't do a good job of separating our own cultural preferences or expressions of leadership from what the Bible actually says.

In all of these examples, we can see God at work raising up a new generation of leaders. Here in the West, we sometimes get lost in political wrangling and conflict resolution. But in much of the rest of the world, God is at work raising up new layers of strong churches such that if we could truly see His work worldwide, it would be beyond anything we could have ever imagined. But then, isn’t that exactly who God is? 

Doug Lucas has been seeking to raise up leaders among the ranks of the good people of Team Expansion since the start of the organization in 1978. You can learn more about Team Expansion at www.TeamExpansion.org .

Focusing on the Future

How Our Colleges and Universities Are Developing the Next Generation of Leaders

By Justin Horey

Since Harvard University was established as the first private university in the United States almost 400 years ago, private colleges and universities have been recruiting young people—primarily high school students—to study in their halls. Recently, however, the average age of the American college student has been increasing. In 2022, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported the average age of college students in the U.S. had risen to 25. Experts only expect the changes to continue. Due to lower-than-typical birth rates in the late 2000s, college administrators are bracing for a substantial drop in the number of high school graduates—sometimes known as the looming “demographic cliff.”

These factors have combined to change the ways Bible colleges, especially smaller schools, recruit and train church leaders. Rather than focusing all their efforts on young people in their teens and early twenties, sometimes called “traditional” students, Christian colleges in 2025 are increasing their efforts with other age groups—seeking to equip and educate leaders in their thirties, forties, and beyond (the “non-traditional” students). Some of these potential students are already serving as church leaders but lack significant formal training. Others are answering a call to ministry by transitioning out of another career.

Researchers estimate that as many as 39 million Americans have some college education but no degree. Roughly a third of those people—more than 10 million—are churchgoers. So, while the workers may be few, the prospects are not. Here’s how some of our colleges and universities are responding to Jesus’ call to send workers into the harvest fields.

RECRUITING PREACHERS AND CHURCH LEADERS

Naturally, Christian colleges and universities employ different strategies for recruiting students of various ages and life stages into their ministry programs. One common theme that appeals to all students, however, is cost savings. It’s the most common method used by Christian colleges today to attract students. Eight Christian college presidents were interviewed for this article, and each one mentioned scholarships, reduced fees, or other cost-saving programs as effective recruiting tools. Johnson University, for example, offers a $10,000 minimum annual scholarship for students in its preaching program, on top of other grants and financial aid. Great Lakes Christian College recently launched its “Kingdom Worker Now” initiative: a three-course

program that allows high school students to earn college credit for as little as $150.

Christian colleges also report that local churches are a significant source of new students from all age groups. David Fincher at Central Christian College of the Bible said, “My theory is, being in a church is the best place to find new students.” By maintaining strong relationships with local congregations, colleges have the opportunity to speak with high school students about the importance and value of attending Christian college to train for full-time ministry. Those connections also allow the colleges to meet other church members who are dissatisfied with their current careers and looking for something more meaningful. Additionally, many colleges also visit young people at camps, Christian high schools, homeschool associations, and youth conferences like Christ In Youth.

On-campus events are another important recruiting tool, especially for traditional students like high-schoolers and community college transfers. Manhattan Christian College hosts campus tours every Thursday, and any high school student who attends one of these “Thunder Thursdays” is automatically awarded a $500 scholarship. Manhattan also hosts an annual high school preaching tournament called “Timothy Days.” Students must be nominated to participate in the event, which awards scholarships to one male and one female student each year. Johnson University offers scholarships at its “PreachFest” event every spring, where high school students can earn scholarships ranging from $500 to $3,000.

Though they may not seem like obvious methods for recruiting church leaders, athletic programs are surprisingly strong sources of ministry students. Frank Weller from Great Lakes Christian College said the school’s athletic programs are key for recruiting students in all fields of study, including preaching. In fact, enrollment at GLCC hit an alltime high in 2024, with an increase of roughly 20 percent, thanks in part to additional student athletes. Every coach on campus understands the responsibility for engaging players in active discipleship, a process that often leads student athletes to pursue ministry degrees.

Finally, not all new church leaders are recruited to Christian colleges from off-campus. Terry Allcorn at Kentucky Christian University said, “We recruit from within.” Many of the current ministry students at KCU had originally declared a different major but changed their focus during their college years as they sensed a call from the Lord. Allcorn called this “a long tradition at KCU.”

Formalministrytraining forpreachers andchurchespeciallyleaders—forwhendesigned youngpeople nowithlittleorexperience—practicaltheologicallymustbe sound.

TRAINING YOUNG LEADERS

Most importantly, formal ministry training for preachers and church leaders—especially when designed for young people with little or no practical experience—must be theologically sound. It’s an obvious priority. In the words of Frank Weller, “Theology is important for all our students.” At Johnson University, all students have a major in Bible/Theology, in addition to their chosen field of study. This ensures that all Johnson grads, including those specifically training for church leadership in the “Ministry Leadership” major, have a solid theological foundation. Most of the colleges surveyed for this article require far more Bible or theology classes than mandated by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). Ministry students at Mid-Atlantic Christian University, for example, must complete nearly twice as many Biblical studies hours than required by ABHE.

At the same time, traditional students participate in practical, hands-on training throughout their college years. Since most younger students still value “the traditional college experience,” many choose to live on campus. At Manhattan Christian College, the staff and faculty make it a priority to develop strong, personal connections with the students. All MCC students complete “directed field experience” in their area of study—youth ministry or preaching, for example—along with 16 hours of service work each semester. Johnson requires its ministry students to participate in “service learning” in a local church, homeless shelter, sports ministry, or other organization.

Mid-South Christian College is preparing to go one step further. Under the leadership of new president Nick Griffin, whose own life and ministry was shaped by a long-term placement at a church during his college years, Mid-South is launching a “residency” program to place students in long-term training positions with local congregations. The program will be three years long, encompassing a traditional student’s sophomore, junior, and senior years. Griffin expects this program to not only enhance student training but also create opportunities for recruiting future Mid-South students.

TRAINING SEASONED LEADERS AND CAREER CHANGERS

At Louisville Bible College, nearly everything is non-traditional. The median student age is 38, there are only two buildings on campus, and each class meets just once per week. All of this is by design, to allow students to take classes while still working in full-time ministry. President Kerry Allen said, “I believe the biggest field we need to be cultivating is middle-aged men seeking a second or third career.”

Many colleges and universities emphasize practical, topical education for non-traditional students. David Fincher said, “For existing church leaders, a little bit of knowledge—a little bit of help—can go a long way.” This practical training takes various forms, including one-day seminars on topics such as “Ministering to Blended Families.”

Since non-traditional students often have careers or family commitments that prevent them from living or even studying on campus, colleges offer shorter classes and online programs for older enrollees. Terry Allcorn said, “When people feel called to ministry, at any age, we need to be able to take education to them.” As one way to accomplish this, the School of Bible and Ministry at KCU is launching new certificate programs at just $99 per course. Allcorn hopes the program will be particularly appealing for existing leaders from small and medium churches who are looking to begin their formal ministry training.

SHIFTING—BUT STILL PREPARING AND PROVIDING MINISTERS

Changing demographics, recent low birth rates, and other cultural factors have altered the ways Christian colleges recruit and train leaders. But no matter how difficult the challenges, our colleges and universities are committed to raising up laborers for the harvest. Kentucky Christian University’s Terry Allcorn expressed a sentiment shared by all when he said, “KCU is very concerned about providing strong leadership for our churches. We use any means of targeting a student that we can.”

From scholarships to church partnerships to athletics and more, today’s Christian colleges are employing varied and creative methods to identify and recruit the next generation of church leaders. Likewise, ministry training in 2025 is far from standardized. To meet the needs of young, old, and in between, Christian colleges and universities are developing and introducing training programs intended to provide theologically sound training with practical experience—both on and off campus. It’s a significant task, inspired by the words of Jesus himself, and one that requires flexibility. As the leader of an institution with more than 130 years of history, Daniel Overdorf, president of Johnson University, captured the feeling of his fellow educators well when he said, “We’ve been preparing ministers since 1893. But we continue to shift.” 

Justin Horey is a writer, musician, and the founder of Livingstone Marketing. He lives in Southern California.

hristian higher education institutions continue to reach and train students with creative and alternative approaches that are geared to those who want to prepare for ministry in the local church. In addition to traditional four-year colleges and universities, online and non-degree options are helping to fill the ministry pipeline in local churches.

Christian Standard spoke with some of the top Christian college and university officials to find out more about the convenient, accessible, and affordable nature of these programs.

A Changing Landscape in Christian Higher Education

There are challenges facing the traditional education model, and many colleges and universities, including Christian higher education institutions, are moving toward non-traditional and online models.

“There’s a thinning of the herd going on in American higher ed that goes well beyond just Christian colleges,” said Silas McCormick, LCU’s former president and Executive Director of Lincoln Christian Institute.

Lincoln Christian University ended its operations on May 31, but its work continues through Lincoln Christian Institute and Lincoln Seminary at Ozark Christian College.

“We announced in October of 2023 that we were ceasing academic operations, so we no longer grant degrees,” McCormick said.

LCU, an 80-year-old Bible college in Illinois that was founded in 1944, gifted Lincoln Christian Seminary, its intellectual property—syllabi, programs, ideas, and some of its personal property—to Ozark Christian College, and Ozark recently launched Lincoln Seminary at OCC, he said.

The school’s legacy will also continue through Lincoln Christian Institute (lincolnchristianinstitute.org), which offers non-accredited training to pastors and Christian leaders, primarily in the Midwest, through retreats, conferences, and two certificate programs.

The Lincoln Christian Institute offers two five-course, non-accredited certificate programs—one in Bible and Theology and one in Christian Ministry.

The courses include seven weeks of reading, reflection, and on-your-own learning. On the eighth week, participants gather for a two-day, in-person retreat with fellow students, which is designed to build community. Courses are taught by experienced teachers and LCU faculty members, who are subject experts.

The cost of a Christian Ministry course is $200 for each course, and the ministry retreat occurs at a church. (Usually, there’s an additional cost for meals and housing during the retreat.) The Bible and Theology courses are $450 each, which includes the course, the retreat at a retreat center, meals, and housing.

Lincoln Christian Institute will also continue to host two of its staple programs, including the Midwest Ministers Retreat in the fall and the Church Leaders Conference in the spring.

Additionally, Lincoln Christian Institute will continue to offer pulpit supply preaching to local churches, as well as resources for practical instruction.

Going Beyond the Walls of a Classroom

Ozark Christian College’s NextLevel Online courses (occ. edu/resources) provide Christian leaders with learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom.

“When it comes to creating these non-traditional resources, that really does fit within our mission. Our mission is to train men and women for Christian service, and we do that inside and outside of the classroom,” said Jim Dalrymple, Professor of New Testament and Executive Vice President, at Ozark Christian College. “We provide both free and paid resources to help ministry leaders train in a non-traditional way.”

Ozark Christian College currently has 63 free NextLevel series available on the OCC website and through partner platforms, such as RightNow Media and Churchapps. org. The program provides over 550 free episodes of training materials for ministry leaders, all targeting Bible and ministry, which is core to Ozark’s mission.

“We have reached over 7 million views across all our platforms. Over 60,000 viewers are being trained by this content every three months on RightNow Media alone,” said Dalrymple.

Topics include “Healthy Churches: A Study in 1 Timothy,” “Navigating with the Lord’s Prayer,” “Nehemiah,” “The Wisdom Way of Life,” and many more.

NextLevel Online courses are accessible, trusted, Biblebased resources that can be used both for personal study and/or church groups or classes.

The courses are “highly adaptable” and “easily accessible,” and they can be studied at any time.

Ozark will also be launching a new initiative called OCC Academy, which will provide affordable courses designed for more intensive ministry training. Similar to a continuing education unit, these courses will be fully

online, fully on-demand, and targeted for ministry leaders seeking additional training in a non-traditional format.

“OCC Academy is designed to meet a growing need, and we fully expect it to thrive as we also continue to expand our course offerings,” Dalrymple said.

The first wave of courses that are projected to come out in 2025 include: “How to Study the Bible” with Dr. Michael DeFazio and “How to Preach the Bible” with President Matt Proctor. A shorter course for high school students interested in going into ministry will focus on God’s calling and ways to start preparing for ministry, even before college.

These courses will be affordable, but paid, and they will be intensive ministry training courses. The plan for OCC Academy is to produce and release one or two new courses a year, over the next several years.

“NextLevel Online and OCC Academy are two ways that we are trying to provide training in a non-traditional way, in addition to our undergraduate and seminary degrees,” Dalrymple said. “We see the need and demand in the church.”

Over the past few years OCC has invested in these initiatives by building a recording studio and establishing online platforms.

Ozark Christian College is devoted to training men and women for Christian service at every level, including NextLevel Online, OCC Academy, online undergraduate, and traditional undergrad, and seminary degrees.

Opportunities to Grow Enrollment

Point University has experienced growth through partnerships with local churches and businesses, while remaining true to its mission of educating students for Christ-centered service.

Formerly Atlanta Christian College, Point University (point.edu) was founded in 1937. The university rebranded to Point University in 2011, and the main campus was relocated from East Point, Georgia to West Point.

“Over the past two decades, we’ve seen more and more churches who are trying to train their own, or who are developing pastors and ministers from their own congregations, instead of sending them to Christian colleges and universities,” said Dean Collins, President of Point University.

He said one great example is Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. The church started their own college with the intention of training ministers.

There’s also an influx of those who are already working in the church, or have church leadership roles, who are seeking more Bible training

“The church in that case believes they can teach the practical skills, but they’d love the person to have more Bible knowledge, so we have partnerships with several churches, where the church member is getting a Bible certificate to deepen their understanding of God’s Word,” Collins said.

The Bible certificate program was started a few years ago, and there have been close to 30 Bible certificate graduates who are part of churches that paid for the students to participate. The certificate program can be customized, such as a Certificate in Campus Ministry or Christian Ministry.

Point University’s “Elevate” program is another success story. It’s another non-traditional option, where students can be enrolled in the program and study ministry, but they can also be in a program to study accounting or psychology.

“We think that Scripture is pretty clear, that God calls all believers to ministry; it’s not just the paid staff,” he said. “We are focused on making sure we equip all of our students to be effective Christian leaders in the world.”

“Elevate” originated with Chick-fil-A and is geared to small and mid-sized businesses. As part of the program, a business signs a contract with Point University, and they pay an annual fee that allows their employees to go to college with no additional expense, and the students’ graduate debt free.

The program is in its third year, and it has produced 110 graduates. This year, another 240 students will graduate from the program. Students work and go to school at the same time. All the instruction is available online.

“The non-traditional programs are definitely producing graduates,” Collins said.

Point University’s largest program is “Elevate,” followed by dual-credit and traditional, on-campus programs.

“Out of our Elevate program, we have what we call GAP, which stands for Generational Advocacy Program,” Collins said. “Churches make a contribution, and that allows their members to go to college without any debt. So, we negotiate the price of that donation tailored to how many people there are from that church who might come to college.”

Innovative programs like Elevate and GAP have led to enrollment increases.

The current enrollment is around 2,400 students.

Lack of a Ministry Pipeline

Crossroads Church Partners (crossroadschurchpartners.org) is a continuation of Crossroads College, a Restoration Bible college founded in 1913 in Rochester, Minnesota.

In its final year of operation in 2016, Crossroads College had about 90 students enrolled, and very few of those were pursuing ministry degrees (about 10 percent.)

Last year, Crossroads had 122 students taking classes solely in Ministry and Bible.

Dr. Curtis McGinnis, Executive Director of Crossroads Church Partners, said there’s a “lack of a ministry pipeline” and “a lack of ministers, who are actually being trained for ministry.”

Reversing the trend will require churches, Christian leaders, and higher education institutions to strengthen and rebuild the ministry pipeline by using the resources and technology that are available.

“Part of our effort is to rebuild the ministry pipeline for our churches up here, so we currently offer, in our partnership with Hope International University, four oneyear ministry certificates,” McGinnis said.

Certificates are available in Care Ministries, Bible, Practical Ministry, and Biblical Leadership.

“In this last year, we started offering a 54-credit Advanced Ministry Certificate, which includes 36 class hours of traditional coursework. It also includes one year of guided spiritual formation where a student is linked with a spiritual mentor, and two years of supervised, hands-on ministry experience,” McGinnis said.

The Advanced Ministry Certificate consists of 12 classes, taught over three years. Plus, it has the additional component of a year of spiritual formation and two years of residency.

Because the courses are offered in partnership with Hope International University, all the classes are regionally accredited, and they can roll into a four-year degree with Hope International.

He said the cost is often a significant barrier for students who want to pursue Christian higher education.

Full scholarships are available for the one-year certificates as well as the Advanced Ministry Certificate. Students can take any one of the classes, or pursue a certificate, tuition free. Last year, over $150,000 was awarded in scholarships.

“We think this is a great opportunity to invest in students, particularly those who are considering vocational ministry,” said McGinnis

Making Ministry Sustainable

4C Ministry Institute recognizes there is a deficit of Christian leaders going into ministry, and they have worked to create programs that will help fill those gaps, making ministry sustainable.

“We believe that the best hope for any community is a healthy New Testament Church, living out the Great Commission. So, that’s our foundation, but we also recognize that to achieve that vision, we need to have effective, relevant, and sustainable ministers to lead those congregations,” said Jeffrey, Derico, President and Executive Vice President of 4C Ministry Institute, and former Russell School of Ministry Dean. Students in 4C Ministry Institute’s two-year Certificate in Ministry program gain experience, skills, knowledge, networking, credentials, and financial freedom to achieve effective, relevant, and sustainable ministry goals. The Certificate in Ministry is a consecutive two-year, intensive program.

“We want to get out of the pattern where we are losing people from the ministry in the first five to seven years,” Derico said.

4C Ministry Institute also offers a Certificate of Apologetics, which is designed to equip students with the tools to confidently defend their Christian faith in an ever-changing world. The Certificate of Apologetics program is comprised of five online courses, making it accessible.

The third offering through 4C Ministry Institute has lecture content available to church volunteers who want to serve, teach, or lead.

4C Ministry Institute (www.4cministry.org) is an unaccredited educational ministry. 4C Ministry Institute doesn’t charge tuition or fees, so students can complete the certificate programs debt free.

4C Ministry Institute has partnerships with nine accredited colleges, so some units will be accepted toward undergraduate and graduate degrees. 4C Ministry Institute has plans to expand both nationally and globally.

A Vision for Training Internationally

NationsUniversity, an accredited, online Christian university associated with the Restoration Movement, will soon celebrate its 30th anniversary.

The school was founded to educate students where they are, all over the world. NationsUniversity has been offering online education since 2005.

“We have been ahead of the online curve, and I know many other universities are doing a phenomenal job to

catch up with that to serve people,” said John Baxter, President at NationsUniversity. “That’s a space we’ve been part of for a while, so we have quite a bit of experience with non-traditional students in trying to find creative ways to meet the needs of students.”

Nations (nationsu.edu) offers undergraduate certificates and degrees, including a Certificate in Biblical Studies, a Certificate in Christian Ministry, and a Bachelor of Religious Studies as well as graduate certificates and degrees, including a Graduate Certificate in Biblical Studies, Master of Theological Studies, and a Master of Divinity.

“Everything is at a local level, so students are taking what they’re learning and applying that in a local context.” said David Srygley, Chief Academic Officer at NationsUniversity.

A Certificate in Biblical Studies offers a Biblical foundation to those in ministry positions. The program is 21 hours or seven courses. Students can enroll anytime, and study at their own pace.

“Students are looking for ways to receive an education that equips them with skills that they need for ministry service. Ultimately, their goal might not be a degree at the end,” Baxter said.

Those in developing countries pay zero tuition for accredited courses. Students living in developed nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, pay a low quarterly tuition rate of $450 for as many courses as a student chooses to take. (That’s $1,800 per year.) There is a discounted rate of $1,200 annually available for those directly working in ministry. All students pay a one-time $25 registration fee. All the textbooks and reading materials are provided to students through a student learning portal. (These costs exclude the Doctor of Ministry program.)

One of the reasons NationsU can keep costs low is that they don’t operate a traditional brick and mortar campus. About 90 percent of the NationsU student body receives an accredited education at no tuition cost, because they live in a developing country.

Rooted in the a cappella Churches of Christ, NationsUniversity was founded in 1995 to provide a biblical education for international students.

In June, NationsUniversity announced a new partnership with 4C Ministry Institute to offer students a Certificate in Apologetics, which can be applied to the Bachelor of Religious Studies degree. 

Ginny McCabe is a journalist, author, and freelance writer living in Cincinnati, Ohio.

LEVERAGING THE POWER OF OURUnity

AN UPDATED DIRECTORY OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND CHURCHES OF CHRIST BY

SHAWN MCMULLEN

Six years ago, Christian Standard Media assembled a database of independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ in the U.S. from several existing sources. We understood, due to the fluid nature of the material we gathered, that much of the information we collected would be outdated. Phone numbers, websites, Facebook pages, and even physical addresses and congregation names can change over time.

Even so, we were committed to gathering as much information on our tribe as we could. We believed then and we believe now that one way to “leverage the power that comes from our unity” as a movement is to remain connected to one another.

Our team spent countless hours making phone calls and scouring the web to track down and update as many congregational profiles as we could. The result was a database known as CC ChurchLink. The CC ChurchLink website (www.ccchurchlink.com) explains its purpose:

The incredible blessing of our independence can also work against us when it

comes to learning, developing effectiveness, and fulfilling our commission to build the kingdom of Christ. Early on, we could see that unity could not be leveraged without an accurate, digital network that could be recognized and utilized. . . .

Our hope is that this database can provide a resource for both churches and individuals. Churches can use this resource for networking and partnering with one another, and individuals can use this resource to find a church home, or maybe a place to visit while away on vacation. Our power comes from our unity, and we want to empower the church.

AN UPDATED DIRECTORY OF CHURCHES

It’s been six years since we published the data for CC ChurchLink, and it’s clear that an updated directory of churches is overdue. Allison Harris, Director of Marketing and Advertising for Christian Standard Media,

has launched a new season of research to update the database and move it to a more user-friendly platform. The process is well underway, and we hope to make the database available soon.

WHY THIS INFORMATION MATTERS

In his “Letter from the Publisher” (Christian Standard, May 2018), Jerry Harris wrote about the information we gather from congregations each year for the annual Church Report. He noted that some churches were hesitant to submit their information, fearing “that either pride or a spirit of competition is connected with reporting average attendance and baptisms.” Understanding their concerns, Jerry suggested seven reasons why it’s important that every church submits their information to share with every other church in our movement. Those same principles, listed below, speak to our reasons for compiling a new directory.

1. No matter our location or size, we’re all on the same team. It’s valuable to see that God is doing incredible things in our movement, even if it’s not happening in our local church right now.

2. Growing churches in every category provide a network for best practices. Having a network from which to learn and adapt is a great way to revive our local ministry and begin growing again.

3. The largest churches aren’t always the best examples. There are prevailing churches in every demographic that can provide great examples of effective ministry.

4. The quickest way to stop growing is to stop learning. There is a nearly inexhaustible supply of creativity and wisdom in this movement, and we need to find a way to connect all our congregations to it.

5. Pride cuts both ways. By opting out we might feel we are suppressing a spirit of competition or pride, but we may also be sacrificing the interdependence necessary to help us all get better.

6. Anonymity does not edify the larger church. Networking with other churches that serve in similar circumstances can be priceless.

7. We need more opportunities to celebrate wins with one another. Wins come in all shapes and sizes. Where else can we celebrate them?

For these reasons and more, we want to collect as much accurate data as we can so that all the churches in our movement can be part of this great and growing network of congregations.

FILLING THE GAPS

The first database we produced was comprised of nearly 6,800 churches. Our current list contains about 5,200 churches. That raises the question, What has happened to the 1,600 churches we weren’t able to track down? We’ve identified several reasons why some churches remain unaccounted for.

• Some of those churches no longer exist.

• Some were absorbed by other congregations.

• Some came under the oversight of a multisite church.

• Some changed their name.

• Some changed their affiliation.

Our most recent research has yielded a list of about 1,100 churches without a traceable digital footprint. That still leaves about 500 churches completely unaccounted for.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP

In the following pages we list the name, city, and state of the churches that appeared in our previous database but have no discernable digital footprint today. If you have information about any of the congregations in the list, we would be most grateful if you would share that information with Allison Harris at aeharris@christianstandardmedia.com. We’re especially interested in updated contact information.

Together, we hope to build a database of churches that will connect us, teach us, inspire us, and equip us to do kingdom work in new and better ways. 

Shawn McMullen is editor of Christian Standard.

Active Church Redlands

Adventure Christian Church

Adventure Christian Community

Agape Christian Church

Agape Christian Fellowship

Airline Christian Church

Akers Rd Church of Christ

Alamo Christian Church

Altoona Christian Church

Alvarado St Church of Christ

Alvin Christian Church

Anderson Valley Christian Church

Anniston Christian Church

Antioch Christian Church

Antioch Church of Christ

Appalachia Christian Church

Aragona Church of Christ

Arapahoe Church of Christ

Arcata Church of Christ

Arco Christian Church

Armistead Forest Church of Christ

Asian Mission Christian Church

Augusta Christian Church

Aurora Christian Church

Austin Church of Christ

Autumn Woods Christian Church

Avalon Church of Christ

Banklick Christian Church

Barr Christian Church

Baseline Christian Church

Beaver Lick Christian Church

Belle Rive Christian Church

Bergholz Church of Christ

Berryville Christian Church

Betaw Christian Church

Bethany Church of Christ

Bethel Christian Church

Beulah Church of Christ

Beverly Hills Church of Christ

Bishopville Church of Christ

Black Oak Christian Church

Black Oak Church of Christ

Blue Bank Christian Church

Bluffton Church of Christ

Bogart Christian Church

Bohon Church of Christ

Boston Christian Church

Bozoo Christian Church

Bradfordsville Christian Church

Branch Hill Church of Christ

Brandywine Christian Church

Redlands

McMinnville

Muskateen

Taylor

Wichita

Tucson

New Marshfield

Visalia

Alamo

Altoona

Pomona

Alvin

Birdseye

Anniston

Varnville

Big Clifty

Oak Hill

Elizabeth

Coal City

Memphis

Thompson

Pittsburg

Rossville

Maysville

Appalachia

Virginia Beach

Arapahoe

Arcata

Arco

Suffolk

Pompano Beach

Mechanicstown

Benton

Austin

Dalzell

Los Angeles

Covington

Odin

Little Rock

Walton

Belle Rive

Bergholz

Calhoun

Saint Stephen

Lima

Fountain City

Owensburg

Nashville

Huntington

Glouster

Vanceburg

Gary

Flemingsburg

Bluffton

Bogart

Salvisa

Boston

Peterstown

Lebanon

Loveland

Brandywine

Brazos Christian Church

Breakthrough Covenant Church

Brentwood Christian Church

Bridge Christian Church

Bridges Church

Brighton Christian Church

Brilliant Christian Church

Bristow Church of Christ

Broadmoor Church of Christ

Brookfield Church of Christ

Bruton Road Christian Church

Buck Run Church of Christ

Buckeye Christian Church

Buechel Church of Christ

Buena Vista Christian Church

Buffalo Christian Church

Burgin Christian Church

Burnsville Christian Church

Burr Oak Christian Church

Bushton Christian Church

Butler Church of Christ

Buxton Christian Church

Byron Christian Church

Calumet City Church of Christ

Calvary Christian Church

Cambridge Christian Church

Campbell Community Church

Canarsie Christian Church

Cane Valley Christian Church

Capital Area Christian Church

Capital Church of Christ

Capital City Church of Christ

Carey's Run Church of Christ

Carmichael Christian Church

Carney Christian Church

Catoosa Hills Christian Church

Cedar Creek of Christ

Cedar Grove Christian Church

Cedar Lake Church of Christ

Celebration Christian Church

Cemetery Chapel Christian Church

Centennial Christian Chuch

Center Christian Church

Center City Church of Christ

Center Square Church of Christ

Centerton Christian Church

Centerville Church of Christ

Central Christian Church

Appleton

Pittsburgh

Chattanooga

Rural Hall

Brighton

Brilliant

Bristow

Chesapeake

Oakland

Dallas

Sistersville

Cisne

Louisville

Connersville

Bluff City

Buffalo

Burgin

Columbus

Burr Oak

Charleston

Butler

Fredonia

Amorita

Calumet City

Dayton

Edinburgh

Orville

Phoenix

Roosevelt

Cane valley

Etters

Des Moines

Phoenix

Montgomery

Portsmouth

Carmichael

Carney

Catoosa

Smithville

Inwood

Waterloo

El Paso

Foster

Watseka

Center

Syracuse

Vevay

Martinsville

Centerville

Covington Harvey

Stuttgart

Oklahoma

Central Christian Church

Central Church of Christ

Ceres Christian Church

Chamber Layne Christian Church

Chapel Church of Christ

Chicago Christian Church

Chillicothe Church of Christ

Chippenham Church of Christ

Christ Church

Christ Covenant Church

Christ's Church (St. Augustine

Christ's Christian Church

Christ's Church

Christ's Church at Cobb

Christ's Church at Eastside

Christ's Church at Lenox

Christ's Church at Monticello

Christ's Church of the Valley

Christian Church

Christian Church at Panama City

Church of Christ at Holmes Hill

Christian Church of Jacksonville

Christian Church of Tolleson

Christian Hope Church of Christ

Christian View Christian Church

Christview Christian Church

Christview Fellowship

Church of Christ

Church of Christ at Fayette

Church of Christ at Holmes Hill

Church of Christ at Lake Ellen

Church of the City

Cisne Christian Church

City Campus Church

Globe

Roswell

Truth or Consequence

Los Angeles

Kelso

Akron

Red Rock

Richmond

Montpelier

Chicago

Chillicothe

Richmond

Knoxville

McAllen

St Augustine

Archbold

Oklahoma City

Whiteland

Holton

Blackwell

Kennesaw

Butler

Muse

Monticello

Palmdale

St Mary's

Thompson Falls

LaHarpe

Clyde

Jacksonville

Belle Glade

Lucerne

Enon Valley

DeLand

Panama City

Aurora

Jacksonville

Tolleson

Plymouth

Stoneville

Bossier City

Madisonville

New Paris

Laurel

Union

Albia

Sidney

Madelia

Pleasant Plains

Oakdale

Minatare

Morrill

Dunsmuir

Boston

Glide

Fayette

Aurora

Casselberry

Hayward

Cisne

Columbus

City Christian Church

Citywalk Christian Church

Clackamas Community Christian Ch.

Clay Church of Christ

Clearmont Christian Church

Clearview Christian Church

Cleveland Ave Christian Church

Clinton Christian Church

Colchester First Christian Church

Collett St Church of Christ

Colonial Point Christian Church

Common Ground Christian Church

Commonwealth Christian Church

Community Christian Church

Community Christian Church (Anaheim)

Community Christian Church

Community Christia Church

Community Christian Church

Community Church of Christ

Community Hills Christian Church

Compass Christian Church

Comstock Church of Christ

Concerned Christian Church

Concord Christian Church

Cook Inlet Church of Christ

Corinth Christian Church

Cornerstone

Cornerstone Christian Church

Cornerstone Pontoon Beach Church

Corunna Church of Christ

Countryside Christian Church

Coventry Crossing Church of Christ

Covington Christian Church

Coyle Christian Church

Crestwood Christian Church

Menifee

San Diego

Gladstone

Lynchburg

Clearmont

Dallas

Atlanta

Clinton

Colchester

Danville

South Windsor

Tampa

South Riding

Montgomery

Yorba Linda

San Juan Capistrano

Florence

Clewiston

Morristown

New Tazewell

Bealton

New Carlisle

Casana

Racine

Madison

Waseca

Rolla

Independence

Fremont

Texarkana

New Braunfells

Perryton

Hillsboro

Stayton

Glendale

Eagle River

Fairview Heights

Hinton

Louisville

Lake City

Roanoke Rapids

San Angelo

Grapevine

Kalamazoo

DeFuniak Springs

Concord

Anchorage

Manquin

Foley

Kennewick

Alliance

Joplin

Statham

Granite City

Corunna

Bonaire

Brookfield

Akron

Covington

Coyle

Crestwood

Crestwood Christian Church

Cross Roads Christian Church

Crossmark: A Christian Church

Crossroads Christian Church

Crossview Christian Church

Crystal River Christian Church

Dark Corner Christian Church

Dayton Bellevue Christian Church

Denver Christian Church

Dewey Christian Church

Diamond Grove Christian Church

Discovery Church

Downey Ave Christian Church

Drexel Gardens Christian Church

East End Christian Church

East Mountain Church of Christ

East Pleasant Christian Church

East Point Christian Church

East Side Christian Church

Eastside Christian Church

Eastwood Christian Church

Ebenezer Christian Church

Edison Christian Church

Effingham Christian Church

Elgin Christian Church

Elizabeth City Church of Christ

Elizabeth Lake Church of Christ

Elizabethtown Christian Church

Elkton Christian Church

Elmo Christian Church

Endeavor Christian Church

Englewood Christian Church

Eskdale Church of Christ

Ethel Christian Church

Etterville Christian Church

Eunice Chapel Church of Christ

Evangelical Church of Jesus Christ

Evansville Christian Church

Ewing Church of Christ

Eylau Christian Church

Fairview Christian Church

Fairview Church of Christ

Faith Christian Church

Fall Branch Christian Church

Fall Creek Christian Church

Family of Christ

Fandon Christian Church

Farmland Christian Church

Fayette Street Church of Christ

Ferndale Christian Church

First Christian Church

Lexington

Princeton

Columbia

New Smyrna

Fort Smith

Crystal River

Dumas

Dayton

Carthage

Mountain City

Joplin

Simi Valley

Indianapolis

Bristol

Waterbury

Cincinnati

Muskogee

Pine Bluff

Renton

Louisville

Mesquite

Framingham

Edison

Effingham

Elgin

Elizbeth City

Waterford

Elizabethtown

Elkton

Elmo

Lewis Center

Portland

Eskdale

Ethel

Eldon

Scranton

Fort Lauderdale

Casper

Ewing

Texarkana

Falmouth

Linn

Mena

Fall Branch

Fall Creek

New Castle

Colchester

Farmland

Hillsdale

Ferndale

Roanoke

Demopolis

Fayette City

Paonia

Appalachia

Chase City

Spruce Pine

Florence

Beaufort

Jefferson

Cairo

First Christian Church

First Christian Chruch

First Christian Church

First Christian Churh

First Christian Church

Newnan

New Port Richey

Dunnellon

Dunedin

Frostproof

Etowah

Dyersburg

Jackson

Adamsville

Mt Washington

Catlettsburg

Benton

Burkesville

Junction City

Fostoria

Leipsic

Washington

Bicknell

Boonville

Knoxville

Glenwood

Joliet

Assumption

McLeansboro

Hurst

Rosiclare

Martinsville

Granite City

Malden

East Prairie

Waynesville

Gainsville

Humboldt

Kiowa

Sedan

Wakefield

Russell

Beebe

Ashdown

Marianna

Dewitt

Marvell

Corning

Apache

Cyril

Davis

Davenport

Hydro

Thomas

Medford

Carnargo

Laverne

Shattuck

Dewey

Barnsdall

Waynoka

Vinita

Eufaula

Tecumseh

Forgan

Royse City

Houston

First Christian Church

First Christian Church of Erie

First Christian Church of Monrovia

First Christian Church of Santa Ana

First Church of Christ

First Community Church

First Ebenezer Haitian Christian Church

First Street Christian Church

Fisherville Church of Christ

Fleming Christian Church

Flint Lake Church of Christ

Florin Rd Church of Christ

Fly Branch Church of Christ

Forest Christian Church

Forest City Christian Church

Forest Hill Christian Church

Forks of John's Creek Christian Church

Fowler Christian Church

Franklin Avenue Christian Church

Franklin Christian Church

Fountain City Church of Christ

Four Mile Run Christian Church

Fourmile Christian Church

Franklin Christian Church

Freelandville Christian Church

Fruitvale Christian Church

Furnace Christian Church

Garden Creek Church of Christ

Garden View Church of Christ

Gasconade Union Church

Gateway Christian Church

Georgetown Christian Church

Girard Church of Christ

Glade Run Church of Christ

Glasco Christian Church

Glencoe Church of Christ

Glendale Christian Church

Glensboro Christian Church

Rosenberg

Weslaco

Dimmitt

Crowell

Quanah

Colorado City

Haskell

Escondido

Brawley

Castro Valley

Marysville

Fallbrook

Aberdeen

North Bend

Falls City

Oakridge

Mill City

Nashville

DeWitt

Macclenny

Newton

Twi Falls

Erie

Monrovia

Santa Ana

Wilkes Barre

Napoleon

Colon

Hebron

Ft Lauderdale

Jesup

Fisherville

Augusta

Valparaiso

Sacramento

Vanceburg

Jacksonville

Saint James

Oklahoma City

New Castle

Fowler

Des Moines

Junction City

Fountain City

Youngstown

Jackson

Franklin

Frelandville

Oakland

Bloomfield

Oakwood

Williamsport

Gasconade

Rohnert Park

Georgetown

Girard

Mechanicstown

Glasco

Glencoe

Indianapolis

Lawrenceburg

Glenwood Avenue Church of Christ

Goodwill Missionary Christian Church

Grace Christian Fellowship

Grandview Christian Church

Granville Center Church of Christ

Grassy Spur Church of Christ

Greater First Christian Church

Greater New JEricho Christian Church

Greater Progressive Christian Church

Greensboro Christian Church

Greenwood Christian Church

Grevillea Avenue Church of Christ

Griffin Christian Church

Griggsville Church of Christ

Grove Church of Christ

Grove City Christian Church

Grover Church of Christ

Grundy Christian Church

Hacienda Heights Christian Church

Haitian Church of Christ

Halls Christian Church

Hamilton Christian Church

Hampton Christian Church

Hancock Christian Church

Hannegan Christian Church

Hansing Park Christian Church

Harlandale Christian Church

Harmony Christian Church

Harper Road Christian Church

Hartshorne Christian Church

Harvest Christian Church

Harvest Pointe Churh

Havelock Church of Christ

Haverstraw Church of Christ

Hays Creek Christian

Henderson Christian Church

Henshaw Christian Church

Heritage Christian Church

Hi-Land Christian Church

Hickory Grove Christian Church

High Shoals Christian Church

High Street Christian Church

Highland County Church of Christ

Highpoint Christian Church

Highrock Christian Church

Highview Christian Church

Hillman Street Church of Christ

Holbrook Christian Church

Holly First Christian Church

Holly Hills Christian Church

Holly Neck Church of Christ

Homer Christian Church

Homer Church of Christ

Hope Christian Church

Horicon Church of Christ

Horizon Christian Church

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Hubbard Springs Christian Church

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Iglesia de Cristo

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Impact Christian Fellowship

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Jackson Church of Christ

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Lake of Egypt Christian Church

Lakes Area Church of Christ

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Latrobe Christian Church

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Laurel Fork Church of Christ

Lawton Church of Christ

Hume

Ypsilanti

Charlotte

Atascosa

Eagle Pass

San Jose

Eagle Pass

Peru

Tampa

Cincinnati

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Clinton

New Carlisle

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Marion

Baxter

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Rocky Gap

Weir

Lead Hill Christian Church

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Legacy Christian Church

Leisure World Christian Church

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Lemon Christian Church

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Lick Creek Christian Church

Lick Prairie Christian Church

Life Bridge Church

Life Fellowship Church

LifeBridge Christian Church

Lifeline Christian Church

Lifepoint Christian Community

Lifepoint

LifePoint Church

LifeVine

Lighthouse Christian Church

Lincoln Christian Church

Lincolnton Christian Church

Linnwood Church of Christ

Liscomb Church of Christ

Little Brown Church in Valley

Little Brown Church of Blyn

Live Oak Christian Church

Lockland Christian Church

Lockwood Christian Church

Logansville Church of Christ

Lomita Christian Church

London Church of Christ

Long Grove Christian Church

Long Acre Chapel Christian Church

Lordsburg Church of Christ

Lost & Found Church

Lost Mountain Christian Church

Love Street Christian Church

Lost Mountain Christian Church

Lower Grassy Church of Christ

Lungerville Church of Christ

Main Street Christian Church

Making Timothies Christian Church

Malty Christian Church

Mamou Church of Christ

Maple Park Christian Church

Maplewood Christian Church

Marion Range Church of Christ

Mars View Christian Church

Mason Church of Christ

Mather Christian Church

Matthews Chapel Church of Christ

McBrides Church of Christ

McCormack Christian Church

McLean Christian Church

McWhorter Christian Church

Meadowview Christian Church

Lead Hill

Eden

Savonburg

Allentown

Menomonee Falls

Seal Beach

Leitchfield

Forest

Mechanicsville

Mountain City

Powell

Temple

Salisbury

Watauga

Mt Carmel

Monroe

Circle Pines

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Lockwood

DeGraff

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Mexico

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Muskegon

Malta

Mamou

Wagoner

Danville

Bucyrus

Indianapolis

Mason

Mather

Winston Salem

McBrides

Stanford

McLean

London

Selma

Medaryville Christian Church

Memorial Christian Church

Memphis Inner City Outreach Inc

Meridian St Christian Church

Metcalf Christian Church

Metro Faith Christian Church

Meyersdale Christian Church

Miami Shores Christian Church

Mid-Del Christian Church

Milburn Blvd Church of Christ

Midway Church of Christ

Miller Academy Christian Church

Miller Christian Church

Milton Christian Church

Miltonvale Christian Church

Mimosa Heights Christian Church

Mission Ridge Church

Mitchell Park Christian Churh

Moline Christian Church

Momentum Christian Church

Moncrief Christian Church

Monroe Church of Christ

Monroe Street Christian Church

Monticello Christian Church

Moran Christian Church

Moreland Christian Church

Morey Chapel Church of Christ

Morgan Ford Christian Church

Morgan Park Christian Church

Morrison Christian Church

Mosaic Christian Church

Mosaic Church

Mound Road Christian Church

Mount Carmel Christian Church

Mount Olive Christian Church

Mount Pleasant Christian Church

Mount Union Christian Church

Mountain View Christian Church

Mountain View Church of Christ

Moxham Christian Church

Mt Branson Christian Church

Mt Hebron Church of Christ

Mt Olive Christian Church

Mt Olive Church of Christ

Mt Sinai Christian Church

Murray Christian Fellowship

Naylor First Christian Church

Needles Christian Church

Neligh Church of Christ

New Antioch Christian Church

New Beginnings Christian Church

New City Church of LA

New Harmony Christian Church

New Heights, An Independent Church

New Hope Christian Church

Medaryville

Palestine

Houston

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Greentown

Metcalf

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Ridgeway

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Morrison

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Decatur

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Frazeysburg

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Ooltewah

Lick Creek

Johnstown

Branson

Scottsburg

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New Vienna

Strafford

Murray

Naylor

Needles

Nelight

Lancaster

Summerville

Carson City

Kuna

Los Angeles

Reseda

New

Trussville

Lawrenceville

New Hope Christian Church

New Horizons Christian Church

New Lexington Christian Church

New Liberty Christian Church

New Life Christian Church

New Life Church

New Paris Church of Christ

New Richmond Church of Christ

New Ross Christian Church

New Sharon First Christian Church

New Song Christian Church

New Tazewell Christian Church

New Testament Christian Church

Newville Church of Christ

Nezperce Christian Church

Nicholson Valley Christian Church

Ninth Avenue Christian Church

Norris City Christian Church

North Baltimore Church of Christ

North Danville Church of Christ

North Dekalb Christian Church

North Miami Christian Church

North Minneapolis Christian Fellowship

North Plains Christian Church

North Towne Christian Church

Northeast Christian Church

Northend Church of Christ

Northgate Church of Christ

Northpointe Christian Church

Northside Christian Church

Northside Church of Christ

Northside Christian Church (Union)

Northview Christian Church

Northwest Christian Church

Northwest Church of Christ

Northwood Christian Church

Oakley Church of Christ

Oakwood Park Christian Church

Oasis Christian Church

Oceanlake Christian Church

Ogle Christian Church

Rogersville

Seville

Killbuck

Anderson

Columbus

Great Falls

Lander

Falmouth

Ocoee

Monroe

New Lexington

Lawrenceburg

Veedersburg

Waynesburg

Lizton

Orcutt

Auburn

Columbia City

New Paris

New Richmond

New Ross

New Sharon

Folsum

New Tazewell

Osgood

Mound City

Linn Creek

Butler

Nezperce

Dubois

Stillwater

Norris City

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Danville

Atlanta

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Minneapolis

Dumas

Pomona

St Petersburg

Middletown

Hartford

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Walterboro

Englewood

West Union

Taylor

Huntington

Tampa

Champaign

Louisville

Indianapolis

Mason

Sioux Falls

Tampa

Lincoln City

Mars

Ohio Avenue Christian Church

Olathe Christian Church

Old Ripley Church of Christ

Olive Branch Christian Church

Olive Christian Church

One Church

Orchid Christian Church

Orcutt Christian Church

Oriental Missions Church

Oroville Christian Church

Osgood Christian Church

Outreach Christian Church

Owensville Church of Christ

Palmer Park Church of Christ

Palmetto Christian Church

Paris Christian Church

Parker Heights Christian Church

Parkland Christian Church

Parkrose Christian Church

Parsippany Christian Church

Paseo Christian Church

Pawnee Rock Christian Church

Payne Church of Christ

Pelton Ave Christian Church

Peninsula Christian Church

Penn Line Church of Christ

Penn Township Christian Church

Perry Church of Christ

Petersburg Church of Christ

Pettry Church of Christ

Philadephia Christian Church

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Pine Grove Church of Christ

Pinecrest Christian Church

Pinhook Christian Church

Pioneer Christian Church

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Plato Christian Church

Plaza Christian Church

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Pleasant Run Church of Christ

Pleasant Valley Church

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Plumfield Christian Church

Polk Church of Christ

Pomeroy Church of Christ

Pond Grove Christian Church

Roanoke Acres Church of Christ

Popcorn Christian Church

Poplar Creek Church

Port Jefferson Church of Christ

Prairie View Christian Church

Prospect Christian Church

Providence Christian Church

Quapaw First Christian Church

Quest Church

Rallypoint Church

Ratliff Grove Christian Church

Readstown Church of Christ

New Boston

Olathe

Pocahontas

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Martinsvillle

Ridgeland

Union Star

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Anaheim

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Paris

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Gypsy

Portland

Parsippany

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Payne

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Perry

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Princeton

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Clymer

Bluefield

Johnson City

Bedford

Ponca City

Watseka

Plato

Bakersfield

Martinsvillle

Murphysboro

Sinking Spring

Cincinnati

Indianapolis

Robards

West Frankfort

Polk

Pomeroy

Rockwood

Manteo

Springville

Bartlett

Port Jefferson

Washington

Prospect Heights

Sugar Land

Quapaw

Rolling Meadows

Sergeant Bluff

Freetown

Readstown

Real Life Christian Church (East)

Real Life Christian Church (Hunters Creek)

Real Life Christian Church (Longwood

Real Life Christian Church

Readstown Church of Christ

Reedsport Christian Church

Restoration Christian Church

Restore Christian Church

Revive Christian Church

Richland Christian Church

Richwood Christian Church

Richwoods Christian Church

Ridge Farm Church of Christ

Ridgecrest Christian Church

Rincon First Christian Church

Rocky Mount Christian Church

Rio Dell Church of Christ

Ripley Christian Church

Rise Church

Rittman Christian Church

Riverside Christian Church

RiverTree Christian Church

Roanoke Acres Church of Christ

Roberts Cover Church of Christ

Rockdale Christian Church

Ronan Christian Church

Ronneby Church of Christ

Roscoe Christian Church

Ross Point Christian Church

Row River Christian Fellowship

Rowan Christian Church

Ruddles Mills Christian Church

Ruskin Church of Christ

Rutland Church of Christ

Salem Church of Christ

Salamonia Christian Church

Salem Christian Church

Salt Christian Church

Salt Lick Christian Church

Salvage Yard

Sauk Village Christian Church

Sciota Christian Church

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Scotts Fork Christian Church

Second Church of Christ

Second Shiloh Church of Christ

Seligman Christian Church

Shady Grove Christian Church

Sharon Christian Church

Shawnee Christian Church

Shawnee Church of Christ

Shelby Church of Christ

Sheridan Rd Church of Christ

Shiloh Christian Church

Sigsbee Church of Christ

Silver Creek Christian Church

Sisters Church of Christ

Orlando

Kissimmee

Longwood

Orlando

Pine Ridge

Reedsport

Rockledge

Cape Coral

Silver Spring

Bismarck

Loveland

Richland

Richwood

Pekin

Ridge Farm

Albuquerque

Rincon

Rocky Mount

Rio Dell

Ripley

San Marcos

Rittman

Bowling Green

Iola

Milford

Manteo

Rayne

Rockdale

Ronan

Foley

Roscoe

Baxter

Dorena

Salisbury

Paris

Ruskin

Rutland

Cynthiana

Salamonia

Peru

Layton

Salt Lick

Indianapolis

Sauk Village

Sciota

Kirklin

Danville

Newark

Indianapolis

Baltimore

Washburn

Eden

Cason

West Palm Beach

Shawnee

Lima

Shelby

Muskegon

Sturgis

Spartanburg

Norton

Sisters

Sixth Avenue Church of Christ

Slavic Church of Christ

Slocum Union Christian Church

Smith Hill Church of Christ

Solid Ground Christian Fellowship

Somerset Christian Church

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Son Rise Christian Church

Sonrise Christian Church

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Sonshine Church of Christ

South Bethany Christian Church

South Christian Church

South Liberty Church of Christ

South Portsmouth Christian Church

South Raleigh Christian Church

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Southern Acres Christian Church

Soutside Christian Church

Southside Church of Christ

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Southside Church of Christ

Southwest Christian Church

Speedwell Christian Church

Spencer Union Church of Christ

Springdale Christian Church

Springhill Christian Church

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Springs Valley Christian Church

St. Paul Church of Christ

State Line Christian Church

Steger Road Christian Church

Stewartville Christian Church

Stockton Church of Christ

Stop Six Church of Christ

Sturgis Christian Church

Success Christian Church

Sugar Creek Christian Church

Summer Shade Christian Church

Summit Christian Church

Sunman Church of Christ

Sunny Isles Christian Church

Sunrise Christian Church

Superior Church of Christ

Sutter Church of Christ

Sutton Christian Church

Sweet Home Church of Christ

Sweetwater Christian Church

Switz City Christian Church

Sycamore Christian Church

Tabor Ridge Church of Christ

Tamaroa Christian Church

Tanglewood Christian Church

Tannersville Church of Christ

Taylor's Valley Church of Christ

Taylorstown Christian Church

Tell City Church of Christ

Terra Ceia Church of Christ

The Avenue Church

The Christian Church

Huntington

Baltimore

Elkhart

Piketon

Redlands

Beaverton

Norfolk

Naples

Eugene

Smith Center

Butler

Nashville

Mooreland

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Charlottesville

San Jose

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Fenton

Richmond

Swanton

Atlanta

Springhill

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French Lick

Quincy

Blanford

Matteson

Stewartville

Stockton

Fort Worth

Sturgis

Paris

Campbellsburg

Summer Shade

Dayton

Sunman

Opa Locka

Cynthiana

Turlock

Superior

Carmichael

Fairfield

Hurt

Greenvew

Switz City

Cincinnati

Stockport

Tamaroa

Versailles

Tannersville

Damascus

Taylorstown

Tell City

Pantego

Louisville

Glasco

The Christian Church of Alamogordo

The Church at Sherwood

The Gathering

The Gathering Place Christian Church

The Lord's Christian Church

The Point Church

The Red Zone Christian Church

The Ridge Church

The Vine: A Christian Church

Thomas Avenue Church of Christ

Tolleson Christian Church

Town & Country Christian Church

Town & Country Church of Christ

Town & Country Christian Church

Trenton Christian Church

Troy Christian Church

Tulelake Church of Christ

Tunas Christian Church

Turner Road Church of Christ

Tyler Christian Church

Union Chapel Church of Christ

Union Christian Church

Union Park Christian Church

United Christian Church

Unity Christian Church

University Christian Church

Upper Arlington Church of Christ

Valley Christian Church

Valley Church of Christ

Valley Fellowship

Verona Christian Church

Victory Christian Church

Ville Platte Church of Christ

Village Christian Church

Vincent Christian Church

Vista del Rey Christian Church

Wakita Christian Church

Walhonding Church of Christ

Wallins Creek Christian Church

Walton Christian Church

Water's Edge Church

Wayne Church of Christ

Wayside Christian Church

Weed Church of Christ

Welch Christian Church

Wellborn Christian Church

Wellston Christian Church

Wenona Church of Christ

Wesleyan Christian Church

West Eminence Christian Church

West Franklin Church of Christ

West Kalamazoo Christian Church

WestLebanon Christian Church

West Lima Church of Christ

West Long Prairie Christian Church

West Milford Church of Christ

West Side Christian Church

West Side

Christian Church

Alamogordo

Sherwood

Buena Vista

Mobile

Galion

Emmett

Cromwell

Derry

Woodstock

Columbus

Tolleson

Shelbyville

Ottawa

Cameron

Trenton

Troy

Tulelake

Tunas

Dayton

Tyler

Hillsboro

Clarence

Orlando

Henrico

Maryville

East Lansing

Coralville

Columbus

Fincastle

Rosemount

Berryessa

Harrisonburg

LaGrande

Tupelo

Tahlequah

Ville Platte

Dacono

Winslow

Los Angeleis

Wakita

Walhonding

Wallins Creek

Walton

Wesley Chapel

Wayne

Independence

Weed

Welch

Anniston

Capon Bridge

Covington

Eminence

Archbold

Kalamazoo

West

LaFarge

Waltonville

Hicksville

Letart

Wichita

Denver

West Side Christian Church

West Sumter Christian Church

Westgate Christian Church

Westmoor Church of Christ

Westmoreland Church of Christ

Westower Hills Christian Church

Westside Christian Church

Westview Christian Church

Wheeling Christian Church

White Oak Christian Church

White Stone Church of Christ

Wilmore Christian Church

Wind Ridge Christian Church

Winston Christian Church

Winton Road First Church of Christ

Wood Hills Christian Church

Woodland Christian Church

Yuma Street Christian Church

Hannibal

Rocky Ford

Keyser

Wedgefield

Tampa

Spokane

Kingston

Huntington

Danville

Morristown

Newnan

Wheeling

Oblong

Petoskey

Wilmore

Graysville

Winston

Fairfield

Jiplin

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THE CONGREGATIONS IN THE LIST, WE WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH ALLISON HARRIS AT AEHARRIS@CHRISTIANSTANDARDMEDIA.COM. WE’RE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN UPDATED CONTACT INFORMATION. TOGETHER, WE HOPE TO BUILD A DATABASE OF CHURCHES THAT WILL CONNECT US, TEACH US, INSPIRE US, AND EQUIP US TO DO KINGDOM WORK IN NEW AND BETTER WAYS.

BY JERRY HARRIS

What would you describe as your best investment? For a Jesus follower, that’s a pretty easy question to answer. For me, it was the day I came into an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ. After that, it might be your wedding day or the day your children were born. All of them carried a high and ongoing cost, but the return on those investments far outweighed the amount that was deposited. I’m sure you’ve invested in many things, and in many ways. We all have time to invest, talents or abilities to invest, and other resources to invest, and we make those investments for many reasons.

I’m glad I listened to my father when I was young. He told me to invest in my future by putting some of my income away and acting like I never had it in the first place. It wasn’t much. On a young minister’s salary, our family didn’t have money to spare. So, after my tithe, it was a constant temptation to refrain from setting that savings amount aside. Now, as I look back, I’m thankful that I took that advice seriously and kept putting money away, little by little, and gradually added to it as I could afford it. Proverbs 13:11 reminds us to gather our resources this way: “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it” (English Standard Version).

Scripture teaches us to save for the future, especially in Proverbs. Proverbs 6:6-11 says: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man” (New International Version).

Proverbs 21:5 encourages us to make a good plan and stick with it: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

And Proverbs 21:20 declares the wisdom in the discipline of saving: “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.”

That doesn’t mean we neglect giving our best and our first to God, because that is the ultimate investment in our future! Jesus taught us to store up treasure in heaven and we do that by following God’s prescription of tithing and generosity over the tithe. In doing so, we’re conducting ourselves as rich toward God.

But where do we put resources we save for the future? I’m sure many of us have our resources invested in places we believe will earn us the most interest so that our savings will increase. We might speculate on stocks or bonds, but they can be volatile. We might keep a savings account at a bank or invest in a certificate of deposit, but they might provide little in their rate of return. We might have a retirement plan with our employer to invest in a mutual fund or 401K, but we often have little idea what our resources are being invested in or what we might be promoting or participating in.

That’s why I’m happy to be investing my savings in The Solomon Foundation where I’m saving for the future, earning a great rate of interest, and helping churches around the country break through to the next level and reach more people for Christ.

I used to think saving and investing were different than contributing to the growth of the kingdom; that you couldn’t do both at the same time, with the same money. But when The Solomon

Foundation receives your investment and starts paying you interest on that investment, they take resources you’ve entrusted to them and partner with churches to build their influence and grow the kingdom where they’re planted. When those churches have the opportunity to get through their obstacles to growth, more people attend and hear the message that Jesus loves them and has a plan for their lives. Literally tens of thousands of people have been baptized into Christ in churches that have partnered with The Solomon Foundation.

What a blessing it is not only to give to my local church in tithes and offerings, but also to allow the investments I’m making in my own future work toward building the kingdom while I’m earning a great return on my investment!

I’ve always believed that God would do more in my life with 90 percent than I could ever do with 100 percent. That’s not only been proven true in my life, but in the life of everyone I’ve ever spoken to who has turned Lordship over to God with the tithe. I also believe that God is able to do more than I could ever imagine with my investment dollars when they’re put to work for his glory. I don’t have to wonder if my stocks or mutual-fund dollars are being used to promote things that are outside of my faith, because not a single penny of the money managed by The Solomon Foundation goes into the stock market. And I don’t need to worry about the security of the money I invest in The Solomon Foundation, because in the history of church extension funds, there has never been a single failure, which is something banks cannot say.

Investing with The Solomon Foundation is easy. With as little as $250, you can start investing. Go to TheSolomonFoundation.org and learn about all they have to offer. Scroll down the front page and read about the kingdom impact they have had. Scroll down further to view some great video stories from specific churches, and then scroll back up and look at their rates of return on your investments. Scroll down again and read The Solomon Foundation’s core values and ask yourself what other investment organization has values like that. All in all, I think you’ll be blessed in finding a ministry partner in The Solomon Foundation.

Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard.

By Jerry Harris

About seven years ago, I learned that the weekly lesson material written for The Lookout would require a new scope and sequence, a strategy through which we would approach Bible study. In addition, I learned that the scope and sequence we had been using was overseen by the National Council of Churches, an organization that is not known for an accurate interpretation of Scripture. This led me to a process of creating our own scope and sequence, and with that, a complete six-year study through the entirety of God’s Word with material written by Dr. David Faust and Dr. Mark Scott.

Now, six years later, and having completed this massive undertaking, Christian Standard Media is offering something new and exciting to our readers. We’ve named this new series 1717 Studies: Your Word Is Truth. The name comes from Jesus’ words in John 17:17. All of our biblical studies written over these last six years are being compiled into fully downloadable files from each Bible book with applications and study questions for your small group, Sunday school class, discipleship group, and for personal study and reflection.

While this has cost us over $100,000 to produce, we are offering it to you at no charge, asking only that you might consider a tax-deductible contribution to Christian Standard Media. We will be releasing each book or group of books in the coming months.

Take a journey through the Bible with two of the most renowned and trusted scholars in our movement and discover what truths God will reveal to you as you spend time immersed in his Word! 1717 Studies: Your Word is Truth is available online at Christianstandard.com.

INTERACT - IN PRINT

‘NEEDED ARTICLE’

Jackina Stark Such a needed article. Thanks, Chad. [“Honoring Christ in an Age of Outrage,” by Chad Ragsdale, September/October 2024, p. 35].

Loren C. Roberts We are warned over and over in Scripture not to look to mankind for the solutions of our problems but to God. Our last two and current presidential elections are stark examples of this sin. All that is produced is rancor, hatred, and more division. Satan is having a field day promoting his agenda and some churches and Christians are helping him in a big way. Love, mercy, and grace along with some common sense should be the order of the day.

Diane Mitchell I must keep reminding myself: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

‘SAVVY ADVICE’

D. Clay Perkins Savvy advice for our generation—and every generation! [“Rules of Engagement,” by Shawn McMullen, September/October 2024, p. 6].

Michael Bratten Too many churches are in too many battles that should never happen. . . . What we have to share with those who are not yet saved is far too important to be stuck in the conflicts within the church.

‘NOT A POLITICAL HIT PIECE’

Robb Tuttle While reading the article of what makes a good leader by Tyler McKenzie, I noticed he cited the trials of President Trump but without proper context of the “34” counts against him in a highly biased New York court. Just made me wonder why we feel free to hammer the former president who seems to at least be on the path to redemption and give the Biden administration which is the most corrupt and biblically evil of our lifetime no mention. [“Character or Results … What Makes a Good Leader?”, by Tyler McKenzie, September/October 2024, p. 52].

Tom Funk Fauci gave a judgment about what might’ve been needed in an extremely uncertain situation which was motivated by a need to persuade people to get vaccinated. That is not lying. … There are enough people denigrating Dr. Fauci on nonexistent grounds without Christian Standard joining that bandwagon.

Jeff Faull Good leadership thoughts. This was not a political article. . . . Tyler cited information about progressives and conservatives without defending any of them. And he also included church leaders. This was not a political hit piece. He did not hammer Trump. He merely cited leadership scandals.

‘GREAT ARTICLE’

Norman Darling Great article. I felt a lot of the same things transitioning from being an elder for many years in a church of about 1,000 to “just” a member of a small church of about 30. It took a while, but I am now feeling good about my service here as an elder only in age. [“Re-Becoming a Child of God,” by Jerry Harris, September/October 2024, p. 2].

INTERACT - IN PRINT

‘THANKS FOR EXPRESSING THESE THOUGHTS!’

Garry Brock Amen. Thanks for expressing these thoughts! Now the hard part is to live them out and communicate with others. [“Leading Like Jesus in a Cultural Quagmire,” by Mark Moore, September/October 2024, p. 40].

Joe Grana Well done, Mark! Informative, insightful, convicting, and very applicable to all of life!

Richard Brook This is a great article. The audio presentation is a wonderful touch for the visually limited.

‘INTERESTING AND HELPFUL’

‘TIMELY

Bryan Sands Wow! Thank you for this summary, for your loving approach, and for your call for all of us to love trans people. [“New Discoveries on Medical Care for Transgender Youth,” by Tyler McKenzie, September/ October 2024, p. 14].

Loren C. Roberts Yes, thank you. As children of God, we are to approach this and any other subject in a godly manner.

Jason Carnley One of the few benefits from socialized healthcare is there is no monetary incentive to do procedures that don’t help. In American healthcare there was massive incentive to push this harmful agenda. in the next few years, we are likely to see massive lawsuits against “gender affirmative care.” There are horrific accounts of clinics asking a couple of questions then fast-tracking young people into these disastrous procedures. The loving thing is to speak the truth even when it is not popular.

ARTICLE’

David Fish Thanks for this timely article, Rick. . . . Unity in Christ is a higher call. [“Political Engagement in the Restoration Movement: An Historical Perspective,” by Richard J. Cherok, September/October 2024, p. 46].

Melinda Johnson Wow, very fair article on the subject. . . . I personally believe that politics does matter. And it’s ok for some to be more involved than others. The sin comes in when we are possessed by it, and it becomes more important than God and family.

Michael Bratten “For the greatest good or the prevention of evil.” I resonate with that completely. I don’t vote so much for the man/woman as I do for the “greatest good” or “prevention of evil.” When I see platforms that applaud evil, I know where my duty lies.

‘AN IMPORTANT REMINDER’

Bob Stacy Such an important reminder for every Christian during this election season. Jeff is clear in bringing to our attention the words of Jesus: “Render unto God the things that are God’s and unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” [“Political Engagement that Honors Jesus and Unifies the Body,” by Jeff Faull, September/ October 2024, p. 12].

Rob Tuttle I agree, Christians need to be aware of our Christian Constitutional heritage and the Bible without using Scripture out of context to justify the invasion at our borders.

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‘EVERYTHING WE DO SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WORSHIP’

John Sarno Thanks so much for your article on Worship. . . . If worship is truly a lifestyle, then our worship is not found in the extra things we do, like, listening to Christian music, or reading the Bible more, both of which are great and should be done anyway. If it’s truly a lifestyle then it means that everything we do, our work, our play, our going out to eat, the time we spend shopping, everything we do should be considered worship. https://christianstandard.com/2024/09/september-22-application-making-worship-a-way-of-life/

Wesley Paddock Well said Bwana Mkubwa. Mazel Tov. Mazel Tov.

‘LIVING OUT THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT’

Gary Black What a great opportunity for Mike and the gospel! I appreciate his kingdom perspective on the “Waffle philosophy! [“’Be Salt and Light’: Campus Ministry Leader Served as Track-and-Field Official at Paris Olympics,” by Chris Moon, September 18, 2024, https://christianstandard.com/2024/09/be-salt-and-lightcampus-ministry-leader-served-as-track-and-field-official-at-paris-olympics/].

Mike Gillespie It does my heart good to know that I’m not alone among Christian Church ministers in attempting to represent Jesus in athletic venues!! Congratulations to Mike Armstrong and the Lord be praised!

‘WHY

DO WE HAVE TO STAND THROUGH AN ENTIRE SONG SERVICE?’

Daniel Schantz Good article, David, as always. . . . Why do we have to stand up through an entire song service? Sure, we are “free” to sit down, but if we sit down, then we look like we are being uncooperative or extremely decrepit. . . . Where did standing throughout an entire praise service come from, from rock concerts? What harm is there in everyone sitting through a few songs? Someone needs to analyze our church services to see if they are safe and friendly for seniors. I’m sure that there are many seniors who simply choose to stay home from church because it is physically and emotionally hard on them. https://christianstandard.com/2024/09/ september-29-application-bowing-down-worships-forgotten-posture/

Melinda Johnson I like how our worship minister takes out the stigma by saying this every week before the song service, “Please stand, if you are able.”. . . Ultimately, worship is from the heart.

Pilgrim Walker Blessings to those who so well expressed the challenges of being an older person trying to attend corporate worship these days. There are fewer and fewer of us, but everyone gets to this point eventually, too!

‘AWESOME

WORK BEING DONE IN HAITI’

Dug Campbell Awesome work being done in Haiti! God is most definitely in Haiti and working through His people. [“’God Hasn’t Lost an Inch of Territory to the Devil’: Restoration Movement Ministries Carry on in Haiti,” by James Thompson, September 25, 2024, https://christianstandard.com/2024/09/god-hasnt-lost-an-inch-ofterritory-to-the-devil-restoration-movement-ministries-carry-on-in-haiti/].

Stephen Collins Thank you to both ministries who continue to make a huge difference in a country I love.

Loren C. Roberts I pray for Christ’s church and my brothers and sisters in Christ in Haiti every morning. . . . We must not only pray for Haiti but also support our brothers and sisters financially.

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‘OUTSTANDING LESSON’

Victor Knowles Outstanding lesson! The need for churches today to be “faithful yet,” “faithful to,” and “faithful nevertheless” is a great need. A great Christ can still meet that great need if we are faithful to Him! [September 8 Study | Be Faithful,” by Mark Scott, September 8, 2024, https://christianstandard.com/2024/09/ september-8-study-be-faithful/].

‘VERY POIGNANT AND HELPFUL’

Roger Wever Bullseye or close to the bullseye on the target, this article is very poignant and helpful. [“Three Young Ladies Who Left the Church: An Uber Story,” by Bryan Sands, October 2, 2024, https://christianstandard. com/2024/10/three-young-ladies-who-left-the-church-an-uber-story/].

Loren C. Roberts Are we losing the youth because we attempt to entertain them rather than giving them loving and gracious biblical ears and teaching?

‘TERRIBLE PLACE!’

Norman Darling I’ve visited there a few times. Terrible place! [“October 13 Application | The Road to Stubbornville,” by David Faust, October 8, 2024, https://christianstandard.com/wp-admin/post. php?post=66357&action=edit].

Ruthetta Getchel Written with great humor as we check our GPS in today’s world.

'VERY POIGNANT AND HELPFUL'

Jason Carnley Wow! Words are not enough to describe the grace of God. [“How One Immigrant’s Life Was Changed by God,” by Rick Cherok, October 23, 2024, https://christianstandard.com/2024/10/how-oneimmigrants-life-was-changed-by-god/].

Loren C. Roberts This account brought this old man to tears. God works in mysterious ways. ‘STOP THIS WAR’

Mark Huntley We pray at breakfast every day for God to end the war in Ukraine. Perhaps others will join us as part of giving thanks at breakfast. Only God can stop this war. [“At the Border,” by Michael Wetzel, October 30, 2024, https://christianstandard.com/2024/10/at-the-border/].

Dan Cameron Thank you Michael for your courage and heart for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Please Lord, end this war.

For space, length, readability, relevance, and civility, comments sent to Interact may remain unpublished or be edited. We do read them all and prayerfully take them to heart. If we publish your comment, we will try to honestly reproduce your thoughts with those considerations in mind. Where we disagree, let’s continue to keep P.H. Welshimer’s words in mind to “disagree without being disagreeable.”

@chrstandard @christianstandardmagazine @christianstandardmagazine cs@christianstandardmedia.com

motivate

by david faust

Filling the Leadership Void

“It’s like riding a bicycle, trying to catch up with a bullet train.”

T hat’s how one missionary describes the quandary churches face in South Asia. Many new believers are responding to the gospel in that region, but churches are barely keeping up with the growth. How can they ensure these new followers of Jesus are properly shepherded? Leaders feel like they are riding bicycles, trying to catch a speeding train.

Causes of Our Predicament

The church in North America faces a leadership shortage of our own. Why are congregations hard-pressed to find enough skilled, well-equipped, high character leaders? Four unsettling observations come to mind.

1. Our motivation for evangelism has waned. If you have a strong enough WHY, you can find a WAY. The question, “Where will churches find qualified preachers?” presupposes a deeper question: “Why preach the gospel in the first place?” First-century Christians—filled with the Holy Spirit and convinced Jesus

had risen from the dead—would make any sacrifice, pay any price, and go anywhere to spread the gospel. But today, the lies of materialism, relativism, and universalism have dampened the church’s passion for evangelism. Where are the believers eager to pursue ministry training because they are compelled to say, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)? This driving motivation is rare among American Christians today.

2. We have overlooked potential leaders. A large pool of workers already exists, but too many churches overrely on professional staffers while capable but underutilized members watch passively from the sidelines. New Testament texts like 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, Ephesians 4:12, and 1 Peter 4:10-11 indicate that the church has a sufficient workforce if we equip all of God’s people to deploy their spiritual gifts. In your congregation, is anyone urging young people to devote their lives to Christian service? Are senior adults engaged in ministry, or are they being “put out to pasture”?

3. We have formalized what God intends to personalize “Sick churches,” a seminary professor used to say,

“are afflicted with the disease of institutionitis.” The American church tends to view leadership development as an academic program (relegated to colleges, seminaries, and expert consultants) rather than a personal responsibility. Books, conferences, and podcasts can teach us a lot about leadership; but never underestimate the impact of parents, grandparents, and youth ministers who invest in the next generation and give kids a chance to spread their wings.

4. We are paying the price for leadership failures and negative attitudes in the body of Christ. In a low-trust society where respect for authority is already at a low ebb, moral breakdowns and bullyish behavior in the church discourage potential leaders. Why would anyone aspire to be an elder or staff member in a congregation filled with negative, graceless attitudes? Demoralized leaders burn out in toxic environments, but they thrive when members “hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” and “live in peace with each other” (1 Thessalonians 5:13).

Learning from Others

Churches aren’t the only ones wrestling with workforce scarcity. For example, the pandemic intensified the aviation industry’s pilot shortage. Airlines responded by increasing pay, incentivizing experienced pilots to work longer before retirement, creating new flight schools that attract young people to aviation careers, and reducing the number of less-profitable regional flights.

In recent years, public safety officers have been resigning and retiring at high rates. Police departments are trying to close the gap through new recruitment efforts and by adjusting the academic and physical requirements for enlistment—but there is considerable risk if they set admission standards too low. Likewise, education experts are trying to address a worrisome teacher shortage by offering better pay, improving troubled school environments, and providing more support and recognition for teachers.

In addition to praying for harvest workers (Matthew 9:38), how can we address the church’s leadership shortage? Here are a few ideas.

• Our church’s lead minister invites 12 young men to his home one Saturday morning each month for leadership training.

• E2 (www.e2elders.org) provides print and video curricula and coaching for prospective and active elders.

• Many Christian colleges and seminaries offer accessible, affordable leadership classes in person and on-line.

• Many churches and missionary teams are re-examining their recruitment and hiring policies to

improve the way they select, ordain, and support ministry leaders.

• Congregations are finding ways to honor and encourage experienced leaders instead of taking them for granted and wearing them down until they have nothing left to give.

Learning from the Greatest Leader

Robert Coleman’s classic book, The Master Plan of Evangelism, explains how Jesus developed leaders through an intentional, relational approach that can be summarized in eight basic principles.

1. Selection: Jesus intentionally chose and invested deeply in a small group of followers who would carry on his work.

2. Association: He spent time with his disciples so they could learn through day-to-day interaction with him.

3. Consecration: Jesus expected high levels of commitment, teaching his disciples to count the cost and prioritize the kingdom of God above all else.

4. Impartation: He imparted his Spirit to the disciples, equipping them with power and authority to carry on his work.

5. Demonstration: Jesus set an example, showing his followers how to speak, act, and serve.

6. Delegation: He gave them responsibilities and sent them out to practice what they had learned.

7. Supervision: Jesus monitored their progress, offering feedback and correction.

8. Reproduction: His followers taught, baptized, and equipped others in their own relational networks, perpetuating the cycle of evangelism and discipleship.

In your own circles of influence, are you personally investing in children, teens, and young adults who need to be mentored and mobilized as disciple-makers? What older, experienced church leaders are you encouraging to persevere?

Yes, there is a leadership shortage in the church. What if the main instrument God will use to recruit, equip, and support more leaders . . . is you? 

Dave Faust serves as contributing editor of Christian Standard. He has written a weekly lesson application for our Bible study material for several years. Previously, he was editor of The Lookout magazine. Dave presently serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Christian Standard | January/February 2025

Thoughts on Leadership