Christian Standard | May 2018

christian standard

may 2018

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MAY 2018

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MAY 2018

letter FROM THE

publisher Jerry Harris Publisher | Christian Standard Media

I’ve asked Christian Standard

a few fellow megachurch pastors why they no longer submit numbers to ’s annual report. The most common reason I have heard is a concern that either pride or a spirit of competition is connected with reporting average attendance and baptisms. I can understand that, but I would like to share some reasons why I think its extremely important for all churches to submit their statistics.

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No matter our location or size, we are all on the same team.

When our numbers go up, the kingdom is growing, and that is worth celebrating. We hear so many negative comments about the church today; it’s valuable to see that God is doing incredible things in our movement, even if it’s not happening at our local church right now.

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Growing churches in every category provide a network for best practices.

All sorts of models and methods are working in our movement’s churches across the country. Having a network from which to learn and adapt is a great way to help revive our local ministry and begin growing again. Our churches will be far more inclined to lean in and share those practices with others who share the same plea.

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The largest churches aren’t always the best examples.

Some smaller churches are much more influential in their communities than their larger neighbors. The smaller churches’ methods might be far more exportable than those of the larger churches. When our church was smaller, I went to a major conference at a huge church . . . and walked away discouraged.

I heard almost nothing our church could reproduce. There are prevailing churches in every demographic on this list that can provide great examples of effective ministry.

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 just need to find a way to connect it. If I found a new, innovative, and God-honoring way of doing something that would work in my congregation, why wouldn’t I want to explore that? What if I discovered a way to do something more effectively and cheaper at the same time?

Pride cuts both ways.

There may be a dark side to reporting numbers, but not reporting statistics can have a dark side too. By opting out of the survey, we might feel we are suppressing a spirit of competition or pride. In reality, however, we might be sacrificing the interdependence necessary to help us all get better. Our autonomy may be one of our most dearly held distinctives, but it can also isolate us from others to the detriment of the overarching goal of growing Christ’s kingdom.

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Anonymity does not edify the larger church.

Our largest churches have gettogethers where they share best practices and encourage one another.

I remember how isolated I felt until my church grew large enough to be invited to one of these events. The problem was, I wasn’t invited until The Crossing’s attendance climbed to almost 2,000! Networking with other churches that serve in similar circumstances can be priceless.

We need more opportunities to celebrate wins with one another.

Wins come in all shapes and sizes, and where else can we celebrate them? Trust me, most of the churches who don’t report their numbers still celebrate their wins—they just do it with an exclusive group of people. I don’t see the virtue in not celebrating, especially when we can give God the glory for it. After all, he’s the one who gives the increase!

I took on the role of publisher because I believe it’s critical to leverage the power that comes from our unity, but we can’t unite with churches we know little or nothing about. The church is the hope of the world, and we can accomplish far more together than apart!

Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard Media and senior pastor of The Crossing, a multisite church located in three states across the Midwest. @_jerryharris

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/jerrydharris

CHRISTIAN STANDARD —

FOUNDED 1866 BY ISAAC ERRETT Devoted to the restoration of New Testament Christianity, its doctrine, its ordinances, and its fruits.

The Staff Jerry Harris, Publisher Michael C. Mack, Editor Jim Nieman, Managing Editor Shawn McMullen, Contributing Editor Megan Kempf, Designer Abby Harris, Designer Renee Little, Operations On the Cover: Christ’s Church of the Valley, Phoenix, Arizona

Subscription Information To order Christian Standard for yourself, your church, or your group, visit christianstandard.com or contact Customer Service. Bulk pricing is available.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

800.543.1353 info@christianstandardmedia.com Volume CLIII. Number 5. Christian Standard (ISSN 0009-5656) is published monthly by Christian Standard Media at 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Periodicals postage paid at Parker, CO, and additional offices.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®.

Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Christian Standard Media, 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Phone: 1-800543-1353.

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Christian Standard is published by Christian Standard Media, www.christianstandardmedia.com.

Copyright ©2018 by Christian Standard Media Email: cs@christianstandardmedia.com Website: www.christianstandard.com Printed in USA

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FEA T U R E SPECIAL CHURCH REPORT PART 1: Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches

by kent fillinger

TABLE OF CONTENTS —

I N E V E RY I S S UE 2-3 | L E TTE R F RO M THE P UB L ISH E R

26

Jerry Harris

6-7 | L E TTE R F RO M THE E DITO R

CHARTS: 2017 Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches

Michael C. Mack

8-10 | MOVE ME N T

The ‘ Fa mily of Churches’ Mode l o f Chur c h Planting David Dummitt

32

11-13 | IMAG IN E

the STATE of our CHRISTIAN CHURCH today

Be y o nd Building Concepts a nd Re nova tio ns Mel McGowan

by Ken Idleman

14-17 | RE L E VANC E

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Will Chr istia nity Really Disa ppe a r in Thr ee Ge ne ra tio ns?

Haydn Shaw

HELP for HURTING MINISTERS

17-19 | HO RIZO N S

Finding Ho pe in t he Numbe r s Emily Drayne

by steve reeves

20-31 | F E ATURE ART I CL E

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Spe c ia l Chur c h Report Pa r t 1 : Me ga c hur ches and Eme r ging Me ga c hurches Kent Fillinger

planting churches in FLYOVER country

62-65 | HE ADL INE S

by kelly carr

Chris Moon

*New 66-67 | N O N DE NO MINA T I ON A L I S H Caleb Kaltenbach

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68-70 | INTE RAC T 72 | C O MMUN IO N ME D I TA T I ON

SPOTLIGHT: what 2017 looked like for 10 different churches

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A P as s o v e r M e al to Remember Rick Chromey - 5 -

MAY 2018

letter editor

Michae l c. Mack

Editor | Christian Standard

FROM THE

How you view the statistics in this and the next two issues depends on the attitude you decide to take.

I suppose you could look at the numbers with a competitive spirit, comparing your figures with those of a nearby church or one in your size category, with envy, suspicion, or snobbery. Some of us might do the same with churches of Bible college friends (and foes), churches where we used to work, or those hip, one-word-name churches—you know, like Vibe, Collage, 24|7, and TheUnpretentiousDeliberatelyIntentionalChurchofAuthenticRelevantChristianCommunity (“Unpretentious” for short).

I’d like to suggest two healthier ways to look at the numbers.

What if we looked at the list of churches—and all our churches—as one big multisite church? In a way, this is a New Testament perspective. “There is one body and one Spirit,” Paul said (Ephesians 4:4). “The church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one,” said Thomas Campbell in his Declaration and Address, “consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the Scriptures.”

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What would it look like if we as Christ’s church In healthy families, parents raise their children took on the attitude of the Three Musketeers: “All with the goal of seeing them grow up and for one and one for all, united we stand divided eventually leave home. The same should happen we fall”? I know; I have a wild imagination. But in healthy churches. In a healthy family, we what if churches on the list, especially those celebrate each other’s wins and provide support in the same communities or regions, banded and help in times of loss or failure. We should be together and worked together to grow God’s doing the same with the churches who are part of church. What if they reached out to and served our family tree—all of them! people in their communities, and carried out God’s mission, regardless of which church When attendance or baptisms rise at a church, it’s building they showed up at, whose membership my hope that other churches celebrate with them, they joined, or who got even if their own numbers credit on an annual listing? what if churches on the list, were not so good that year.

Imagine a pastor telling The priority is always Christ’s especially those in the same church. a young couple that a neighboring church was communities or regions, banded Like Ken Idleman (see his the best fit for their family. together and worked together article about “The State of Our Imagine a large church sending some of their people to grow God’s church. What if Christian Churches Today” on page 32), I am optimistic to a smaller, struggling they reached out to and served about the future, but I also church to help them carry people in their communities, see areas we must improve. out God’s mission there.

Imagine small, medium, large and carried out God’s mission, One such area concerns the struggling state of many of and mega churches working regardless of which church our ministers today, which together for God’s kingdom building they showed up at, whose Steve Reeves addresses in his and his glory. article starting on page 38. I membership they joined, or who That is what we have in mind think you’ll love reading our 10 when we publish these lists of got credit on an annual listing? “Spotlight” stories of churches churches. (By the way, for the across the country. Note that first time, we are including churches of all sizes several of these churches have gone through in our reports this year! We start this month with major leadership transitions over the last two megachurches and emerging megachurches. In years. You’ll see different methods of transition June we’ll report on large and medium churches, but some common principles for transitioning and in July we’ll report on small and very small well. churches. For more information, see “Special Christ does not have multiple brides. All the Church Report” on page 20.) churches on our lists, and those who opted not to participate this year, are one church with one Another healthy way of looking at the churches common purpose, serving together to bring glory on these lists is as a family of churches, a to our one God. We are all better together than concept I gleaned from David Dummitt’s column any of us can be alone. beginning on page 8. @michaelcmack

@michaelcmack

@michaelcmack

/AuthorMichaelCMack

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move ment

BY DAVID DUMMITT

The ‘Family of Churches’ Model of Church Planting In the last several decades, Western churches grew big. Very big. Megachurches swelled.

The multisite movement allowed churches to grow wide.

Last fall, minister and church planter Matt Chandler created a stir when he announced his plan to release all of his campuses to be autonomous churches. Pastors across the United States are beginning to ask, “What if we are boxing ourselves in? And what is next?”

David Dummitt is the lead pastor and planter of 2|42 Community Church in Michigan, one of the largest and fastestgrowing churches in the country. He is also on the lead team of NewThing, a catalyst for reproducing churches worldwide. /DavidDummitt

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I believe we are on the cusp of a shift in church-planting methodology, and I’m dreaming of new things. What if we could be more effective in raising and releasing leaders? Can we plant even more churches by approaching church planting the same way we approach building our families? Perhaps when God told us to be fruitful and multiply, it wasn’t just a familial command, but was also meant to be lived in a ministry paradigm.

The most common church-planting models over the last century have a few big pitfalls.

Parachute-model church plants are often underfunded and can be risky and isolating for leaders. Multisite models can create heavy ceilings over restless leaders who dream of leading something at the highest levels but cap out under a lead pastor. Only half of autonomous church plants make it to their fifth anniversary.

The Healthy Developmental Process I foresee a growing model of church planting that I call “Family of Churches.” This method is analogous to raising children. Living things grow. Living things reproduce. But there is a healthy developmental process to maturity.

I don’t expect my 12-year-old to be selfsufficient. While he possibly could survive on his own, it would not be in his best interest to release him from under my daily guidance and leadership yet. While he could have a child, doing so at his age would be incredibly detrimental. However, if he is still living at home when he is 40, something is wrong.

As parents, we are charged with the responsibility of nurturing and raising our children well. Eventually we release them to be autonomous while continuing to share common threads that tie us together and bring us all back to the family table. Mature, adult children reproduce themselves, grow the family, and perpetuate the healthy familial development cycle. Grandpa never retires from the family, but his role in the family shifts as he ages and as children attain maturity.

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The church is a living thing—a family.

Church planting should be treated like raising children. Raising up new leaders should be akin to a mother and father who nurture and lead their children to maturity, with the goal that someday they will thrive as autonomous church leaders themselves.

The Simple Strategy It works like this: a church leader who is leading himself and his church well raises up a leader who will become a campus pastor. As the new campus grows healthy and strong, the paternal lead pastor releases the mature campus pastor and the campus to be autonomous. But that autonomous church still shares some level of relationship with its parent church as it in turn launches new campuses that will become autonomous churches themselves, thus creating a family tree. This family will share some core DNA (e.g. ethos, name), but would operate with independent leadership.

The “Family of Churches” model could be a healthy prototype for aggressive church growth at an exponential rate. This method nurtures the health of individuals, teams, and congregations while equipping and unleashing them to reach the world through church planting. Additionally, the family church-planting method can solve many of the pitfalls faced by other models of church planting. I previously mentioned that half of church plants survive to their fifth anniversary. By contrast, 80 percent of campuses are still around after five years.

A Family of Churches model that provides developmental structure for a new church— campus to church plant—significantly increases that church’s chance of survival.

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The Pitfalls of Common Church-Planting Models A major problem church leaders face using the most common church-planting methods is what I call a ministerial hostage situation.

Many aging senior pastors cannot retire well; they cannot step away with confidence their congregation will transition in a healthy way when someone else steps in to lead. This creates a predicament for the congregation, which risks splits and division. The Family of Churches model fosters a natural leadership succession plan that would be conducive to healthy transitions in most situations.

On the other end of the spectrum, younger leaders in churches can start to feel restless and stuck in their own ministerial hostage situation. Leadership ceilings risk stunting their growth and advancement as leaders.

They might feel they cannot grow in influence and opportunity unless someone ahead of them quits, retires, or dies. The Family of Churches model provides healthy leadership-development environments for young leaders to be raised up, nurtured, and eventually released to lead autonomously.

Another pitfall of modern church-planting methods has been the inadvertent creation of Christian celebrity. One person is seen as the guy for thousands of people. We adore our celebrities. We idolize them, and sadly, we are sometimes blinded by celebrity and we lose sight of Jesus. When one of our celebrities retires, dies, experiences moral failure, or just plain burns out, it is catastrophic for the church. Congregations break. Those outside the body are given another reason to never step foot in a church. Believers become disillusioned.

By constructing a familial network with multiple leaders all working toward the development, nurture, and eventual release of younger leaders, celebrity is diffused.

The focus can be on Jesus and leadership development, with appropriate milestones for new leaders to take the reins.

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The Leadership Legacy The Family of Churches planting model allows us to raise and release church leaders without being threatened by them, while also carrying on more significant legacies than just having our name stamped on websites and ranked in magazine lists.

Some other church-planting methods inadvertently set up cultures of competition.

Some leaders can become leery of releasing other leaders to plant new churches because it might somehow hurt head counts and bragging rights.

This method creates a different culture that celebrates the successful launch of autonomous leaders. These “children” don’t threaten the “father’s” position, but rather enhance the richness of ministry by expanding the family name, maintaining healthy connections, providing safety nets of support and wisdom, and more. We should be eager for our leaders to pass us.

We should be the obnoxiously loud parents cheering as they round third base for home.

We should be our “children’s” biggest fans.

If we adjust our vision and values of church planting we will be more in line with Jesus’ prayer for unity, create stronger leadership pipelines to see exponential growth in the global church, raise ceilings for restless leaders, and create healthy succession plans for aging pastors. 

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imag ine

BY MEL MCGO WAN

Beyond Building Concepts and Renovations Mel McGowan is cofounder and chief creative principal of PlainJoe Studios. He is a leading master planner and designer of churches in America.

“Imagine the church being the community of people that it’s supposed to be, where we are choosing to connect in deep, meaningful ways with others through relationship so we can pursue life to the fullest in Jesus,” says Chris Delfs, senior pastor of LifePointe Christian Church in Elk Grove, California.

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@visioneer /visioneer

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Delfs is talking about something that goes beyond building concepts and renovations.

He desires to re-create his congregation’s current space into something that is warm and welcoming—a beautiful environment to incubate relationships. The church believes deeply in fellowship; they were searching for a way to reflect that in their meeting space when they found PlainJoe Studios.

Time and attention are priceless and precious commodities. That’s what sets LifePointe apart—the church heaps time and attention on the people of its community.

Scrolling on cell phones and passive interactions are popular in this social media age, but LifePointe wants to change that. They believe in true hospitality. The people of the church are always willing to stop for a smile, a cup of coffee, or an encouraging conversation.

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The Road to a Permanent Building Starts Here

LifePointe isn’t new to the scene. The church has been serving the local community for 14 years— most of that time setting up and tearing down weekly in schools. During those portable-church days, a small team began to search the area for a permanent building. After several years, they concluded nothing was available in the area, so they decided to disband the team.

Then, God provided.

In 2010 the church leadership identifed an old Harley-Davidson store, and at first, it seemed too expensive. They were able to sign an eight-year lease, however, while they continued to negotiate with the building’s owners. They made tenant improvements, moved into the building, and held their first services there on December 11, 2011.

As they waited for God to provide finances to purchase that building, LifePointe supported others—they donated generously to the outreach programs of neighboring churches and helped plant other churches, the way friends and family had helped them when they were just beginning.

On May 25, 2016, LifePointe was able to purchase the old store, along with about four acres of adjacent property for eventual expansion.

The building has been a blessing. But since moving in, LifePointe has been trying to make improvements so their building looks less like an old motorcycle dealership and more like a welcoming church.

A dealership space is cold, with soaring ceilings and an austere feeling. It presents design challenges because of its long, straight, narrow corridors, which make people feel as if they’re being herded. Dealerships are designed to move product and charge people a high premium— which is quite different from the the goal of good church design.

Who LifePointe is does not align with how their building looks. After walking through their church and hearing their history, we worked together to figure out how to visually bring their story to life in a three-dimensional way.

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It’s Time to Design

PlainJoe Studios wanted to create a space that encouraged flow and provided natural, conversation-friendly areas. It’s important that people move naturally and intuitively into the gathering spaces—both the sanctuary and the fellowship portals.

We designed an outdoor area with a large fire feature and plenty of seats and tables to gather around, with clear directional signage to cut down on confusion for visitors. The long corridors provided an opportunity to tell LifePointe’s story through visual imagery, with a history wall that demonstrated God’s faithfulness to LifePointe. We used the church’s motto, “Go. Grow. Give.”

To attract younger families, we are updating an entrance for kids. Once inside, signage will clearly direct parents to their children’s classrooms. The space, called Discovery Mill, will be decorated with novelty camping and exploring facades with examples of discovering Jesus in their world.

Further examination of that theme led us to use images of machinery and digging in the kids’ area to illustrate excavating God’s Word.

Discovery Mill is a nod to the history of Elk Grove, built during the gold rush, but instead of mining for gold and silver, Scriptures focus on the preciousness of mining for God’s truth.

The Camp is another area for students. The visual imagery there calls the youth to acquire light in the darkness. The student spaces have an industrial vibe that include cool fixtures and a bare-metal, stripped feel to accompany comfortable seating and a relaxed, functional place.

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It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey LifePointe wanted a space that communicated the journey we all are on with warmth and encouragement to “Go. Grow. Give.” They also wanted an outdoor feel to reflect their beautiful city, located just outside of Sacramento.

“The Greek word ekklesia [is used] in the New Testament for ‘church,’ and that is an interesting choice,” Delfs said. “They didn’t choose the word synagogue, which means a ‘building or a place.’ They used ekklesia, because it meant ‘the community of believers,’ and that’s what we are about. It’s not about the building. The building is a place to reflect what we already have—deep relationship.” And it’s true. It’s what makes what we do so rewarding.

We work with people who understand something unique: a space tells a story; and the space should help, not hinder, relationship.

When it all comes together and the project is completed, that new space can actually advance the kingdom. 

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rele vance

BY HAYDN SHAW

Haydn Shaw is a minister who speaks to and consults with churches and religious organizations to help them grow. He is founder of People Driven Results and is a leading expert on helping different generations work together.

This article is adapted from Generational IQ: Christianity Isn’t Dying, Millennials Aren’t the Problem, and the Future Is Bright, which he wrote for churches. Learn more about generations in the church and find free resources at http:// christianityisnotdying.com.

Will Christianity Really Disappear in Three Generations?

We’ve been warned this will be the last Christian generation unless we do something now. That concerns many, quite understandably.

Ten years ago, my mother-in-law, who lives with us, gave me some material on how to teach a Christian worldview to our children.

She told me she had heard someone claim that unless we do something drastic, most of

/TheHaydnShaw

@TheHaydnShaw

@HaydnShaw

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Why Christianity Won’t Disappear

our children will leave the church, and ours will be the last generation of the Christian era. She didn’t know if that was true, but she wanted to make sure we taught her grandkids everything they needed to know, just in case.

As we look at the state of the church, it’s fair to ask: Should we worry about the end of Christianity as we know it? Is the church heading toward a massive decline? Will we lose an entire generation?

I understand why people are confused— the statistics that get thrown around are complicated. We have heard that most people in the United States believe in God: about 80 percent are Christians, and 40 percent of them are born-again evangelicals. So we freak when we see outspoken atheists on the best-seller list and leading talk shows, and when we read that millennials are five times more likely than previous generations to have no religious affiliation. Everything in this paragraph is true, but it’s also misleading because it doesn’t tell the whole story. That’s why it’s helpful to walk through what the surveys show is going on with religion, Christianity, and the church.

Here’s the bottom line: It is not as bad as we’ve heard, but it was never as good as we thought. And Christianity is declining, especially with the millennials.

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(The Research Doesn’t Bear It Out) First, the good news: It isn’t as bad as we’ve heard. Christianity is not going away.

People believe in God, and most still claim to be Christian. In 1944, Gallup asked Americans if they believed in God. Ninetysix percent said they did. When Gallup asked the same question in 2011, 92 percent said they believed in God. In addition, in 2014, 75 percent told Gallup their religious preference was Christian.

People still claim to go to church. Most people know Christianity has suffered a serious decline in Europe, and so some might think that church attendance in America has dropped by half in the last two generations.

Instead, according to the General Social Survey at the University of Chicago, the percentage of people who say they go to church has been stable the past 40 years: 40 percent in 1972, and at 30 percent for the last two decades. Gallup’s numbers are even higher. In 2014, 53 percent of Protestants and 45 percent of Catholics claimed to attend church at least monthly. Eight in 10 claimed to attend occasionally.

The unchurched are less negative toward Christianity than we have heard. Many of the stereotypes Christians believe about the unchurched aren’t true. In 2014’s Churchless, the Barna Group reported on a survey that showed more than 25 percent of the unchurched are seriously interested in faith, and nearly two-thirds have generally positive perspectives on issues of faith.

Here’s more of what Barna learned about unchurched adults: • 21 percent are born-again Christians.

• 23 percent say they are “absolutely committed” to Christianity.

• 26 percent say they are currently on a quest for spiritual truth.

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• 41 percent “strongly agree” that their religious faith is very important in their life today.

• 51 percent say they are actively seeking something better spiritually than they have experienced to date.

• 62 percent consider themselves to be Christian.

• 65 percent define themselves as “spiritual” people.

We need to turn off the panic meters. When we hear scary statistics about religion, which often seem contradictory or confusing, we need to find a more accurate picture.

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Why Christian Belief and Practice Was Never as Good as We Thought (The Rest of the Story) The good news is the decline of Christianity in America is not as bad as we have heard, but there is more to the story: Christian belief and practice in America was never as good as we thought, and it’s declining, especially with millennials. To better understand what’s going on, let’s go back through the three points of good news (above) and see what else the accompanying studies tell us.

1. Most Americans believe in God and claim to be Christian—but the rest of the story is many define God differently, and millennials’ numbers are lower than that of other generations.

Most believe in God and claim to be Christian, but that never has translated into an equal number of “believers” (75 percent) following the teachings of Christ or attending church (even at Easter or Christmas).

Emerging adults have been less religious than teenagers and older adults. While 94 percent of those over age 30 told Gallup they believe in God, only 84 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said they believe. Pew Research indicates there has been little change in the last 40 years regarding how often younger adults pray (whether they believe in God or in the accuracy of the Bible) and how important they think religion is, but these statistics were not as strong as most of us thought.

2. People still claim to attend church— but the rest of the story is the number of evangelicals is much smaller than we thought, and Protestant numbers have dropped significantly.

It’s shocking to many that evangelicals are, at most, less than half of the 40 percent

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figure we have been hearing for years. More likely, we are less than a quarter of that number. That’s 22 million (7 percent) to 62 million (20 percent), rather than 124 million (40 percent). Where did the 40 percent number come from? That’s how many people throughout the years who have told Gallup they are “born again.”

How could surveys be off by that much?

Because when people who claim to be born again are asked additional questions, many of them expose that their beliefs are different from those of orthodox Christianity. Gallup acknowledges the challenge of defining “evangelical” and “born again.” Some of their surveys try to better define “evangelical” by asking whether people believe the Bible is the actual Word of God or whether they have tried to encourage someone to believe in Jesus Christ. In 2005, Gallup found when they ask those who claim to be born again those same two questions, the numbers drop to 22 percent. In other words, the label “born again” has misled us into thinking evangelicals are a much bigger group than they actually are. So when people come across the more accurate numbers, they understandably freak out.

Not only are evangelicals a smaller group than most think, but Protestant influence in the United States has also declined. In the 1950s, 71 percent claimed to be Protestant, whereas in 2014, Gallup found only 50 percent did. Moreover, young people attend church less than the previous generations did at their age because they marry and have children later.

3. The unchurched are more open than we have thought—but the rest of the story is they are less open than they were previously.

Far more people claim no religious affiliation (called the “nones”), and researchers have found there is a growing frustration that evangelicals are rigid, rule oriented, and

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++ unloving to people who think differently than they do. The nones are not spiritual “seekers.” When asked, “Are you looking for a religion that would be right for you?” 88 percent answered no. Even though churches have long focused their outreach on bringing spiritual seekers into a worship service, the unchurched don’t see the church as positive, so they won’t come in the front door.

In Lost and Found (2009), Ed Stetzer reported, “More than 70 percent of the older unchurched seemed turned off by religion compared to 60 percent of the younger set.”

He pointed out that we are racing against the clock, so to speak, before the unchurched young people lose interest in organized religion.

Because unchurched millennials aren’t spiritual seekers and aren’t as positive about the church, we can’t expect them to return to church in the same way the baby boomers did. That means if many of them do come, it will be through relationships, not through the front door. 

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hori zons

BY EMILY DRAYNE

Finding Hope in the Numbers In the six-plus years I’ve served with the International Conference on Missions (ICOM), I’ve learned that determining the total number of active missionaries is like trying to hold water in your hands. Both are difficult, slippery, and elusive, but I’ve found it’s possible to count missionaries if you do your research and find credible sources.

The biggest challenges we face as we count missionaries include these: some serve in sensitive areas and closed countries (and the sponsoring groups are less apt to publicize information about them); some are transitioning to a new location; some are leaving the mission field while others are just entering it; and some missionaries pass away each year.

Emily Drayne lives in North Carolina and has served with the International Conference on Missions since 2011. /emilydrayne @edrayne0530 @edrayne0530 www.theicom.org

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

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MAY 2018

Outstanding Progress

ACTS of the ICOM

In 2011, ICOM launched an initiative called Restoration Revolution, a 10-year, fourpronged push for world missions using the acrostic ACTS: Ask the Almighty—This is a focused prayer effort in churches or colleges.

Church Planting—We set a goal of 1,000 new churches planted in the United States by 2020. Another goal is 1,000 churchplanting movements outside the United States.

Tools, Translations, and Technology— Digging wells for clean water, releasing the gospel story on video in native languages, a radio station reaching North Korea, disaster relief projects, and finishing Bible translations all fit under this description.

Servants—We set a goal for 10,000 new fulltime Christian servants in 10 years.

Each year ICOM reports on the past year’s progress in these four areas. The 300 missionary organizations we work with help provide the information that goes into this annual report.

Since taking over the work of Missions Services Association in June 2017, ICOM now has even broader insight into the missionary world. We’re now reading stories directly from the field, hearing news of missionaries coming and going, and have gained a greater understanding of where we stand as a movement. The more resources the church is able to provide, the more success we see on the field. God is providing in more ways than we could have imagined.

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

This annual report helps to show the good that is happening—and there’s lots of it. The progress has been outstanding.

While we admittedly need to refocus and reenergize our prayer efforts, we were excited to receive reports in 2016 alone of 149 domestic church plants, 1,788 international church plants, and 16 church-planting movements.

Under the Tools, Translations, and Technology section, in 2016 we recorded the packing of more than 652,000 meals for the hungry, 218,000 multilingual gospel presentations given, more than 4,600 HIV consultations, and almost 2,000 new children sponsored. (And these are just a few of the initiatives.)

Servants is the area in which we’ve seen the greatest success, surpassing our goal of 10,000 during 2015. At the end of that year, we had reports of 10,453 new fulltime Christian servants, and in 2016, we added another 2,046, for a total of 12,499!

I hope these numbers give you as much hope as they give me. In our culture, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative, but these reports offer proof of the good that is being done in the field for Christ.

Take heart in these stats. To think we exceeded the goal of 10,000 servants in half the time we expected—that is amazing! We are seeing Christ spread throughout the world through the eyes of these organizations. We cherish the opportunity we’ve been given. We can’t wait to see where the final three years of reporting will take us! 

- 19 -

MAY 2018

SPECIAL CHURCH REPORT PART 1 : MEGACHURCHES + EMERGING MEGACHURCHES

BY KENT FILLINGER

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

- 20 -

MAY 2018

- FEATUREARTICLE -

This marks my 14th consecutive year of staying up late for weeks on end crunching numbers, looking for trends, and jotting down insights about our Restoration Movement churches to share with you.

multisite megachurches continue to add more campuses. The Crossing (Las Vegas, Nevada) and Indian Creek Christian Church (Indianapolis) are examples of two new multisite megachurches from 2017.

This year is special because it’s the first time Christian Standard opened up the annual survey to churches of every size. More than 400 churches from 39 states ranging in size from 12 to 28,216 responded to the survey, and I’m grateful for each one!

From 2012 to 2014, the percentage of multisite megachurches held steady at 48 percent. The percentage jumped to 62 percent in 2015 and 2016. It jumped again last year, when a record 71 percent of megachurches used a multisite model.

I’m going to share in-depth results from the survey and analyze the data in my next few monthly articles. This month we focus on 55 megachurches (average weekly worship attendance of more than 2,000) and 72 emerging megachurches (averaging 1,000 to 1,999 weekly). Next month, we’ll turn our attention to large churches (averaging 500 to 999 weekly) and medium-size churches (250 to 499). In July, we’ll wrap up with small churches (averaging 100 to 249 weekly) and very small churches (less than 100), which we’ve never reported on before.

There is a “multisite gap” between megachurches and emerging megachurches, and that gap grew in 2017. From 2012 to 2017, an average of only 25 percent of emerging megachurches had multiple sites, and that figure shrunk to 22 percent last year.

There is now a “gap” of 49 percent between megachurches and emerging megachurches using a multisite model: 71 percent vs. 22 percent, respectively.

The Multisite Movement Continues If there’s one factor besides attendance that distinguishes megachurches from the other church-size categories, it’s probably the high percentage that use a multisite ministry model. More megachurches continue to become multisite churches, and existing

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

The 39 multisite megachurches operated 143 different campuses last year. Two megachurches, The Crossing (Quincy, Illinois) and Community Christian Church (Naperville, Illinois) led the way with 10 campuses each. Christ’s Church of the Valley (Phoenix, Arizona) and Real Life Christian Church (Clermont, Florida) each reported eight campuses in 2017.

More than half of these multisite megachurches (54 percent) added at least one new campus in 2017, for a total of 23 new

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MAY 2018

THIS Y IS SPE BECA IT’S FIRST T CHRIS STAND OPENE THE ANN SURVE CHURCHE EVERY S

campuses. The 39 multisite megachurches now have a record number of different geographical locations, a total of 143 as of last year. This reflects a 29 percent increase in total locations in a year.

Also worth noting, 44 percent of multisite megachurches and 69 percent of multisite emerging megachurches have added a campus as a result of a merger, adoption, or strategic partnership with a previously existing church.

As multisite locations increase, the original locations of these churches continue to represent a smaller percentage of the total worship attendance. In 2010, 83 percent of worshippers at multisite megachurches attended the original campus. By last year, that had dropped to 71 percent.

percent of megachurches and 9 percent of emerging megachurches.

Mount Pleasant Christian Church (Greenwood, Indiana) said it has “fully embraced the future with regard to a highquality online presence and online campus.

This resulted in major technical upgrades and a willingness to make this a significant part of our vision and strategic plan for the future.”

RiverGlen Christian Church (Waukesha, Wisconsin) started an online campus and Crossroads Christian Church (Evansville, Indiana) noted that their Facebook Live weekend services have been streamed into 44 different countries in the last year.

There is still disagreement on whether churches should include online viewers as Multisite megachurches grew faster and worship attendees. Some contend you should baptized more people than their single- track online viewers but not count them as site counterparts. The same was true for part of your total worship attendance. But multisite emerging megachurches. Three some churches have seen physical church more megachurches and nine more emerging attendance decline since offering online megachurches have definite plans to launch a services, which is a good indicator, they multisite ministry for the first time this year. would respond, that online viewers should be counted.

The Dot-Com Church Keeps Expanding

A longtime church member who is part of my small group at our church noted that with online giving, if our church offered online church, “I’d never go back in the church building again.”

More than half of the megachurches (51 percent) and almost one-fourth (24 percent) of emerging megachurches surveyed had an Internet campus in 2017. Over a six-year Author and former dot-com executive Seth period, these numbers have grown from 22 Godin said, “Now that more and more is

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

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MAY 2018

- 2017 FAST FACTS -

megachurches

emerging megachurches

5,307 average attendance

1,366 average attendance

combined weekly attendance 390,218

5.7% growth rate (up from 3.4% in 2016)

4.1% growth rate (up from 2% in 2016)

71% of megachurches grew (up from 61% in 2016)

57% of emerging megachurches grew (down from 61% in 2016)

Traders Point Christian Church, Whitestown, IN 29.5% Compass Christian Church, Colleyville, TX 24.5% Shepherd Church, Porter Ranch, CA 22.6%

fastest growing

68% River Hills Christian Church, Loveland, OH 47.4% Eastpoint Christian Church, South Portland, ME 34.9% The Point Church of the Triangle, Cary, NC

6,080 baptisms 6 : 100 :: baptism s : attendance

22,599 baptisms 7 : 100 :: baptism s : attendance Compass Christian Church, Chandler, AZ 14.5 Pantano Christian Church, Tucson, AZ 13.8 Christ’s Church of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ 13.7

highest baptism ratio

15 Salty Church, Ormond Beach, FL 12.4 Community Christian Church, Hemet, CA 11.3 Pikes Peak Christian Church, Colorado Springs, CO

NUMBER OF BAPTISMS PER 100 PEOPLE IN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE

$32.28 average weekly per-person giving (up from $29.46 in 2016) based on general fund only 49% of total budget invested in ministry staff

$30.84 average weekly per-person giving (up from $28.81 in 2016) based on general fund only

outreach giving both Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches spent 13% on ministry “outside the walls”

48% of total budget invested in ministry staff

N 2017, 63% OF MEGACHURCHES AND 53% OF EMERGING MEGACHURCHES REPORT MINISTRY SPENDING. THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE, PERHAPS, BECAUSE 61% OF MEG 44% OF EMERGING MEGACHURCHES SAW GIVING EXCEED THEIR BUDGETED EXPECT

ordered online, or experienced online, the only trips we take are special trips. If your offering, your service or your place isn’t worth a special trip, it’s likely we won’t be coming by anytime soon.”

Emerging megachurches with an Internet campus grew 7.4 percent last year compared with a 3.2 percent growth rate for emerging megachurches without such a campus. Again, though, those churches that do not have an Internet campus baptized more people.

This year, for the first time, I asked churches to identify what percentage of total worship The lower baptism rates of the churches attendance came from online viewers. Of with an Internet campus makes sense given the churches that offer an Internet campus, that some, perhaps many, online viewers are 29 percent of megachurches and 35 percent never physically present to be baptized at the of emerging megachurches did not count church. online viewers as part of their total worship The average attendance for megachurches attendance. with an Internet campus last year was 5,431 compared with 5,178 for megachurches The 20 megachurches that did count online with no online church option. Emerging viewers said such attendees represented megachurches with an Internet campus were an average of 11 percent of total worship slightly bigger, as well, than those with no attendance. (The percentage ranged from online option.

23 percent to 1 percent.) The 11 emerging megachurches that included online viewers in the total worship attendance figures The Debt Ceiling Increases said such folks represented 13 percent One megachurch (Southland Christian of attendees. One emerging megachurch Church, Nicholasville, Kentucky) and three reported that 43 percent of its total worship emerging megachurches (Northside Christian attendance was from its online campus. Church, Springfield, Missouri; Center Megachurches with an Internet campus grew Pointe Christian Church, Liberty Township, at almost twice the rate of those without (6.9 Ohio; and Owensboro [Kentucky] Christian percent vs. 3.5 percent). And, interestingly, Church) reached financial milestones megachurches with plans to launch an last year by becoming debt-free. This is a Internet campus grew even more—7.5 significant step, as only 17 megachurches percent. But megachurches that do not have and emerging megachurches in our survey an Internet campus baptized slightly more reported being debt-free. people on average than churches that do have The average debt load for megachurches has an Internet campus (or have plans for one). increased each of the last four years, growing

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

- 24 -

MAY 2018

TED INCREASED ACHURCHES AND TATIONS.

- FEATUREARTICLE -

11 percent during that time to $9,475,931 per church. The average emerging megachurch had more than $4.4 million of debt, which was the highest reported amount since 2010.

The total reported debt for 105 megachurches and emerging megachurches was $696.6 million last year.

In 2017, 63 percent of megachurches and 53 percent of emerging megachurches reported increased ministry spending. This was made possible, perhaps, because 61 percent of megachurches and 44 percent of emerging megachurches saw giving exceed their budgeted expectations. Conversely, 22 percent of megachurches and 33 percent of emerging megachurches reported that giving fell short of projections.

The average general fund giving total for megachurches increased 19 percent to $8.9 million in 2017, the highest ever recorded. General fund giving at emerging megachurches was strong last year, as well, averaging $2.19 million per church, only $10,000 shy of the highest recorded average (in 2012).

The Baptism Numbers Didn’t Quite Add Up The total number of baptisms showed mixed results, increasing in megachurches but decreasing in emerging megachurches.

Overall, total baptisms increased by 775 baptisms to 28,679.

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

But the number of baptisms didn’t keep pace with attendance growth. The “baptism ratio”—number of baptisms per 100 people in average attendance—dropped for both megachurches and emerging megachurches.

The baptism ratio for megachurches has declined each of the last four years, from 8.2 per 100 in 2013 to 7.1 per 100 last year.

This drop equals 1,535 fewer baptisms in megachurches in 2017 than in 2013.

Emerging megachurches had a baptism ratio of 6.1 last year, the lowest number in the last eight years.

The Growth Rates Were Strong The 55 megachurches included in this year’s study grew an average of 5.7 percent last year.

This marked the best percentage growth rate in the last four years and the third best rate in the last decade (trailing only 2011 and 2013, when the growth rate was 5.8 percent).

Overall, 71 percent of megachurches grew last year, up from 61 percent in 2016; it was the highest percentage of growing megachurches since 2013.

The 72 emerging megachurches grew an average of 4.1 percent in 2017. This was more than double the 2 percent growth rates recorded in 2015 and 2016, and the best since 2014. Overall, 57 percent of emerging megachurches grew last year, which was slightly down from 61 percent in 2016. 

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MAY 2018

2 0 1 7

M E G A C H U R C H E S

M E G A C H U R C H E S

CHURCHES THAT AVERAGED 2,000+ IN WEEKLY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE

CHURCH 2

7

8

Christ’s Church of the Valley Southeast Christian Church Southland Christian Church Shepherd Church Central Christian Church, Arizona Compassion Christian Church Parkview Christian Church 1 Traders Point Christian Church The Crossing 2 Crossroads Christian Church 3 Crossroads Christian Church Real Life Christian Church Canyon Ridge Christian Church 3 2|42 Community Church Christ’s Church of the Valley Community Christian Church Real Life Christian Church 3 Eastview Christian Church Northside Christian Church Mountain Christian Church Compass Christian Church 3 The Crossing Mount Pleasant Christian Church 3 Real Life Ministries 3 Indian Creek Christian Church 5 Southeast Christian Church 3 SouthBrook Christian Church Connection Pointe Christian Church Manchester Christian Church 3 Cross City Christian Church 3 5 Pathway Church Crossroads Christian Church West Side Christian Church 3 LifeBridge Church 1 Northeast Christian Church 3 Community Christian Church 1 3 Central Christian Church 3 Tomoka Christian Chuch 1 3 Eagle Christian Church RiverTree Christian Church Sherwood Oaks Christian Church Christ’s Church of Oronogo Compass Christian Church White River Christian Church 1 2 3 First Christian Church 3 Pantano Christian Church 3 Harvester Christian Church First Church of Christ Rocky Mountain Christian Church Central Christian Church 3 Valley Real Life Journey Christian Church Summit Christian Church Central Christian Church StoneBridge Christian Church Eastside Christian Church Christ’s Church Generations Christian Church Abundant Life Church

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

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MAY 2018

AT TENDANCE

BAPTISMS

28,216 24,455 11,928 10,855 8,738 7,936 7,652 7,623 7,104 6,963 6,812 6,606 6,595 6,315 6,237 5,904 5,735 5,237 5,125 5,125 5,035 4,940 4,696 4,390 4,113 4,042 4,004 3,933 3,647 3,500 3,387 3,363 3,264 3,264 3,250 3,248 3,174 3,096 3,087 3,000 2,801 2,784 2,765 2,722 2,612 2,564 2,427 2,379 2,282 2,261 2,195 2,191 2,127 2,108 2,060 6,221 5,236 2,800 2,377

3,876 1,583 825 962 335 692 749 779 760 500 521 632 608 611 492 228 456 290 315 326 283 482 209 231 238 127 255 320 294 88 201 210 209 113 163 285 87 157 104 132 101 114 400 173 154 354 148 163 112 85 208 271 247 185 156 — — — —

L O C AT I O N Phoenix Louisville Nicholasville Porter Ranch Mesa Savannah Orland Park Whitestown Quincy Corona Grand Prairie Clermont Las Vegas Brighton San Dimas Naperville Valencia Normal New Albany Joppa Colleyville Las Vegas Greenwood Post Falls Indianapolis Parker Dayton Brownsburg Manchester Fresno Wichita Evansville Springfield Longmont Louisville Fort Lauderdale Wichita Ormond Beach Eagle Massillon Bloomington Oronogo Chandler Noblesville Huntington Beach Tucson St. Charles Burlington Niwot Mount Vernon Greenacres Apopka Sparks Beloit Omaha Anaheim Jacksonville Trinity Damascus

AZ KY KY CA AZ GA IL IN IL CA TX FL NV MI CA IL CA IL IN MD TX NV IN ID IN CO OH IN NH CA KS IN IL CO KY FL KS FL ID OH IN MO AZ IN CA AZ MO KY CO IL WA FL NV WI NE CA FL FL OR

SENIOR MINISTER Ashley Wooldridge Dave Stone Jon Weece Dudley Rutherford Cal Jernigan Cam Huxford Timothy Harlow Aaron Brockett Jerry Harris Chuck Booher Barry L. Cameron Justin Miller Kevin Odor David Dummitt Jeff Vines Dave Ferguson Rusty George Michael Baker Nate Ross Ben Cachiaras Drew Sherman Shane Philip Chris Philbeck Jim Putman Gary L. Johnson Phil Vaughan Charlie McMahan John S. Dickerson Bo Chancey David Rutherford Todd Carter Patrick Garcia Eddie Lowen Rick Rusaw Tyler McKenzie Scott Eynon Darren McClintock (interim) Joe Putting Steven A. Crane Jason Lantz Tom Ellsworth Mark Christian Brian Jobe Timothy Brock Scott Martin Glen Elliott Doyle Roth Darin Mirante Shan Moyers Jamie S. Allen Dan Shields John Hampton Steve Bond and Bryan Smith David L. Clark Mark Chitwood Gene Appel Jason Cullum Johnny Scott Jeremy Jernigan

WEBSITE ccv.church southeastchristian.org southland.church theshepherd.org centralaz.com compassionchristian.com parkviewchurch.com tpcc.org thecrossing.net crossroadschurch.com crossroadschristian.org real.life canyonridge.org 242community.com ccvsocal.com communitychristian.org reallifechurch.org eastview.church mynorthside.com mountaincc.org mycompasschurch.com thecrossinglv.com mpcc.info reallifeministries.com thecreek.org southeastcc.org southbrook.org connectionpointe.org manchesterchristian.com mycrosscity.com pathwaychurch.com cccgo.com wschurch.org lbcc.org necchurch.org communitycc.com ccc.org tomoka.cc eaglechristianchurch.com rivertreechristian.com socc.org cco.church compassaz.church wrcc.org fcchb.com pantano.church harvesterchristian.org firstchurch.me rocky.church centralnow.com vrl.church journeychristian.com summitnv.org centralwired.com sb.church ­e astside.com ­c hrists.church ­g enerationscc.com ­a lcpdx.com

YEAR S TA R T E D 1982 1962 1956 1962 1959 1963 1951 1834 1974 1892 1970 1961 1993 2005 1973 1989 2000 1955 1970 1824 1966 2000 1884 1998 1977 1972 1992 1837 1961 1958 1959 1967 1901 1890 1972 1957 1878 1971 1995 1964 1962 1953 1925 1973 1895 1963 1982 1964 1984 1853 2003 1969 1999 1907 1907 1962.

1974.

1974.

1989.

1 2 X = did not report in 2017 = includes nursing home worship service(s) = includes prison worship service(s) 4 5 = includes Internet campus = includes multisite(s) outside of the U.S. = includes church plant(s) in the U.S. or overseas x = indicates a “Spotlight” church; see pages 48-59 to read more about this church in 2017

3

2017 EMERGING MEGACHURCHES

EM ME EG RA GC I H NU GR C H E S

CHURCHES THAT AVERAGED 1,000-1,999 IN WEEKLY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE

CHURCH

3

AT TENDANCE

Maryland Community Church Ten Mile Christian Church River Hills Christian Church 3 Legacy Christian Church Redemption Christian Church New City Church Whitewater Crossing Christian Church Owensboro Christian Church 3 Northside Christian Church Calvary Christian Church 3 University Christian Church 3 Eastpoint Christian Church First Christian Church Christ’s Church of the Valley Greenford Christian Church College Heights Christian Church Journey Christian Church First Christian Church Lifepointe Church Lakeshore Christian Church 3 RiverGlen Christian Church Antioch Christian Church Broadway Christian Church Southpoint Church Salty Church 5 New Life Christian Church 3 Rolling Hills Christian Church Third City Christian Church 1 Current–A Christian Church New Day Christian Church Central Christian Church Northside Christian Church Park Chapel Christian Church Suncrest Christian Church Christ’s Church Camden Forum Christian Church 3 Cornerstone Christian Church Greenwood Christian Church First Christian Church Riverlawn Christian Church White Flag Christian Church Okolona Christian Church First Christian Church Ministries Fairmount Christian Church Madison Park Christian Church Northside Christian Church The Point Church of the Triangle First Christian Church East 91st Street Christian Church First Christian Church 1 First Christian Church Eastside Christian Church Rainier View Christian Church Westerville Christian Church Second Church of Christ Mount Gilead Church Worthington Christian Church Richwoods Christian Church Pikes Peak Christian Church - - continued on next page - -

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

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MAY 2018

1,931 1,902 1,897 1,878 1,862 1,850 1,840 1,810 1,788 1,780 1,777 1,673 1,652 1,642 1,590 1,580 1,572 1,564 1,529 1,525 1,503 1,502 1,500 1,498 1,496 1,485 1,466 1,454 1,428 1,424 1,400 1,350 1,348 1,345 1,323 1,320 1,289 1,287 1,280 1,270 1,241 1,227 1,225 1,223 1,196 1,187 1,178 1,174 1,172 1,162 1,153 1,151 1,150 1,150 1,145 1,133 1,124 1,121 1,108

BAPTISMS 42 152 89 92 160 81 188 82 78 196 187 88 171 165 84 62 86 105 139 52 87 91 38 153 224 102 85 144 88 93 53 90 79 151 48 108 107 45 25 53 76 70 45 51 30 66 99 50 37 24 41 91 92 44 55 45 52 41 125

L O C AT I O N Terre Haute Meridian Loveland Overland Park Jasper Phoenix Cleves Owensboro Spring Bellevue Manhattan South Portland North Canton Royersford Greenford Joplin Midlothian Champaign Raleigh Antioch Waukesha Marion Mesa Trenton Ormond Beach Chantilly El Dorado Hills Grand Island Katy Port Charlotte Lancaster Wadsworth Greenfield St. John Kingsland Columbia Shiloh Greenwood Springfield Wichita St. Louis Louisville Kernersville Mechanicsville Quincy Springfield Cary Decatur Indianapolis Johnson City Council Bluffs Jeffersonville Tacoma Westerville Danville Mooresville Columbus Peoria Colorado Springs

IN ID OH KS IN AZ OH KY TX NE KS ME OH PA OH MO VA IL NC TN WI IA AZ MI FL VA CA NE TX FL CA OH IN IN GA MO IL IN OH KS MO KY NC VA IL MO NC IL IN TN IA IN WA OH IL IN OH IL CO

SENIOR MINISTER Scot Longyear Stephen Moore Jeff Metzger Reggie L. Epps Darrel Land Brian Kruckenberg David Vaughan Scott Kenworthy David Garison Scott Beckenhauer Barry Park Scott Taube Ryan Rasmussen Brian Jones Sean Kelly Sy Huffer James Brummett Danny Schaffner Jr. Donnie Williams Randy Cordell Ben Davis John Seitz John Enabnit Brett Kays Robbie O’Brien Brett Andrews Jonathan Hansen Scott Jones Darren Walter Rusty Russell Matt Dumas Robin Hart Danny Curry Greg Lee Scott Clevenger Scott Sutherland Chris VandeLinde Matt Giebler Bill Geiger Jeff Isaacs Paul Wingfield (Open) Peter L. Kunkle Rick Raines Chuck Sackett, Keith Ehresman, Tyler Myers

Wayne Bushnell Chris Hankins Wayne Kent Rick Grover Ethan Magness Jed Mullenix Dave Hastings (Interim) Gregory Bondurant Drew Mentzer Jeff Faull David Roberson Jim Powell Darrin Ronde

WEBSITE mccth.org tenmilecc.com riverhillscc.com lcc.org redemptionin.com newcityphx.com whitewatercrossing.org owensboro.cc northsidechristian.com calvary.ch uccmanhattan.net eastpoint.church firstchristian.com moviechurch.com greenfordchristian.org chjoplin.org JourneyRVA.com fcc-online.org lifepointechurch.com lakeshorechristian.com riverglen.cc lifeisforliving.org bccmesa.com southpointccc.com salty.org newlife.church rollhill.church thirdcitychristian.org currentchristian.org newdaychristian.net centralchristian.org northsideweb.org parkchapel.org suncrest.org christschurchcamden.com forumchristian.org onecornerstone.org greenwoodchristian.com fcclife.me riverlawn.org whiteflag.church okolonacc.org fccministries.com fairmountchristian.org madisonparkchurch.com northsidechristianchurch.net pointchurch.com firstdecatur.org east91st.org fcc-jc.org firstchristiancb.org discovereastside.com rainierview.org wcchurch.life secondchurch.com mgchurch.org worthingtoncc.org richwoods.org pikespeakchristian.org

YEAR S TA R T E D 1925 1906 1997 1969 2000 2011 1916 1953 1972 1970 1969 2004 1855 2000 1832 1967 1995 1953 2004 1974 1996 1974 1978 1992 2005 1993 1995 1967 1985 1959 1957 1980 1986 1994 2007 1954 1923 1860 1941 1956 1969 1955 1987 1903 1910 1970 2010 1834 1923 1871 1891 1955 1955 1968 1899 1835 1975 1967 1956

1 2 X = did not report in 2017 = includes nursing home worship service(s) = includes prison worship service(s) 4 5 = includes Internet campus = includes multisite(s) outside of the U.S. = includes church plant(s) in the U.S. or overseas x = indicates a “Spotlight” church; see pages 48-59 to read more about this church in 2017

3

2017 EMERGING MEGACHURCHES (continued)

CHURCH

10

Center Pointe Christian Church Hazel Dell Christian Church Northshore Christian Church Blue Springs Christian Church First Christian Church Vibrant–A Christian Church Shelby Christian Church Pinedale Christian Church Chapel Rock Christian Church 3 Kissimmee Christian Church Discovery Christian Church Community Christian Church Mission Viejo Christian Church Christ’s Church Plainfield Christian Church Catalyst Church True North Community Church South Rock Christian Church Real Life on the Palouse First Church Mosaic Christian Church

AT TENDANCE

BAPTISMS

1,100 1,080 1,052 1,051 1,051 1,048 1,043 1,032 1,018 1,018 1,017 1,006 1,000 1,949 1,729 1,620 1,297 1,262 1,223 1,159 1,136

42 41 47 94 62 92 40 28 53 52 35 125 72 — — — — ­— ­— ­— ­—

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L O C AT I O N Liberty Township Carmel Everett Blue Springs Elizabethtown Mechanicsburg Shelbyville Winston Salem Indianapolis Kissimmee Broomfield Hemet Mission Viejo Mason.

Plainfield.

Phoenix.

Bohemia.

Derby.

Moscow.

Owasso.

Elkridge.

OH IN WA MO KY PA KY NC IN FL CO CA CA OH IN AZ NY KS ID OK MD

SENIOR MINISTER Shawn Spradling Mark Wright Kenneth Long Dave Ferneau Stuart Jones Don M. Hamilton Dave Hamlin Bill McKenzie Casey Scott James Book Steve Cuss John Scott Mike Maiolo Trevor DeVage Steve White Samson Dunn Bert Crabbe Rick Wheeler Aaron Couch Chad Broaddus Carl Kuhl IV

WEBSITE cpcc.church hdchristian.org northshorechristian.org bscc.org fccetown.com livevibrant.com shelbychristian.org pinedale.org chapelrock.org kissimmeechristianchurch.org dc2.me community.cc mvcchome.org ­o urchristschurch.com ­p lainfieldchristian.com ­c atalystaz.com truenorthchurch.net southrockchristian.com ­l iferotp.com ­fi rstchurchok.com ­m osaicchristian.org

YEAR S TA R T E D 1987 1968 1991 1981 1877 1976 1968 1913 1964 1905 1999 1981 1970 1864.

1829.

2007.

2005.

1955.

2007.

1907.

2008.

1 2 X = did not report in 2017 = includes nursing home worship service(s) = includes prison worship service(s) 4 5 = includes Internet campus = includes multisite(s) outside of the U.S. = includes church plant(s) in the U.S. or overseas x = indicates a “Spotlight” church; see pages 48-59 to read more about this church in 2017

3

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BY KEN IDLEMAN

C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

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MAY 2018

M A Y 2018 C H RI S T I A N S TA N DA RD - 33 -

In her book Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World, Tina Rosenburg sought to determine how to get people to change for the better. She concluded people don’t change simply because they desire to change, or feel guilty, or learn it would be beneficial (such as by quitting smoking).

Instead, Rosenburg argues, people grow and change best in community. She asserts that few things in life are more important in determining the kind of people we become than the group of people with whom we regularly associate.

Our Creator and Savior is the author of this undeniable truth—that life change comes through divine grace, spiritual rebirth, and communal relationships. Perpetual spiritual growth comes through Christian worship, fellowship, and service. Jesus came to earth to reclaim lost humanity by making disciples; he established the church, which is the most effective resource for growing these disciples.

If you are in Christ, you have already been added to his church. And, if you are reading these words, you are likely part of a branch called the independent Christian church.

These churches are connected to the Vine, Jesus Christ.

The independent Christian church movement is a fellowship of autonomous congregations that are aggressively moving forward to restore the New Testament church of the first century in the 21st century! So, how is this vital mission of world transformation through Christ and his church going? Where are we today?

When I was asked to write this article, I was somewhat reluctant. While I have convictions, I don’t presume to speak for the 2.5 million stateside members of our tribe. But in polling a baker’s dozen of my trusted Christian church leadership colleagues who read and think deeply and who travel broadly, I discovered our observations aligned. So, here is a collaborative “finger on the pulse” of our fellowship in several key areas.

CHURCH HEALTH My group of colleagues share a feeling of optimism about the health of our churches today compared with just four decades ago, when 50 of our brotherhood leaders retreated in St. Louis to consider the question, “What Can We Do to Get the Restoration Movement Moving Again?” That meeting resulted in the launch of a visionary new church-planting initiative and a renewed commitment to both unity and evangelism.

In more recent years, our churches have developed more of a conscience about God-honoring excellence, especially in programming, worship planning, and execution.

Also, technology has improved our communication. As a result, our leaders, churches, and ministries are more connected. We know each other better. We are helping each other grow as we share best practices and resources.

I am generally hearing better preaching today in our churches, conferences, and conventions.

I wish I could say it is better biblical preaching.

Research by Thom Rainer has revealed the positive impact of good preaching on the health and growth of the 21st-century church. And I am generally hearing better preaching today in our churches, conferences, and conventions. I wish I could say it is better biblical preaching.

I also believe the shibboleths that have helped to define us as a movement are more relevant today than ever: “We are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only.” “In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things, love.”

These representative principles are scriptural and contribute more to our church health than we might think. So, the Restoration plea has become relevant, even “cutting edge” once again.

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Independent Christian churches are growing today while many of the mainline denominations are experiencing retrenchment.

We are prominent in the list of top 100 fastest-growing churches in America. The three areas of our growth that have been most pronounced in recent years: (1) the emergence of the megachurch; (2) new church planting; and (3) multisite expansion.

In my Bible college days, our flagship church was First Christian Church of Canton, Ohio, which had average weekly attendance of 1,200.

Today, that would barely qualify it as an emerging megachurch.

(Today, FCC Canton has more than 1,600 weekly worshippers.) We now have churches that average more than 20,000 in weekend worship attendance and annually baptize about 2,000 people or more!

We are no longer an unknown people. Some of the largest and most influential churches in the country have roots in the Restoration Movement. We must be careful to strive for conversion growth, however, and not merely pursue “growth” via the migration of members from other like-minded churches. Are we reaching the lost and unchurched or are we just the next place for church “shoppers and hoppers”?

New church planting is another bright spot in our movement. Three robust church extension funds are using the stored resources of Christians and Christian churches to help our congregations find, purchase, renovate, and build facilities. These funds are helping

Church multisites and “replants” have become first cousins to the new church plants. Among megachurches, 71 percent now have one or more multisite locations.

The explosion of this franchising strategy is fairly new. Taking a long view, it may be a challenge for churches to keep their multisites tethered to the mother ship in identity and programming because of the diversity of needs and the unique cultures represented in the various communities being served.

Time will tell.

MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM The world has become a much smaller place in recent years. The increasing number of short-term mission trips has produced a more broad-based, missions-literate fellowship. More interest, more involvement, and more human and material resources are being invested internationally these days. Greater commitment to cross-cultural evangelism and growing interest in international new church planting are being shown among the emerging leaders currently preparing in our Bible colleges. An unprecedented number of students are majoring in missions, I am told.

As the heart ownership of missions has become more broad-based, holistic missions—that is, ministry focused on the physical, emotional,

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churches preserve momentum and get to the next level sooner than in the past. Training for church planters is more intentional and specialized today, ensuring a greater likelihood of effective new church plants.

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CHURCH GROWTH

environmental, spiritual, and other needs of people—is gaining traction.

Doctors, dentists, builders, and teachers are going to the third world in Jesus’ name to make the grace and love of God more real. Missionaries on the field are doing a better job of developing self-sustaining churches and of equipping and empowering indigenous leaders.

Missionaries are also more zealous today about promoting social justice and restoring human dignity, with ministries dedicated to rescuing people from generational poverty and sex trafficking as a method to win a hearing for the gospel. But we must redouble our efforts to be sure the lost hear the gospel and have an opportunity to respond to God’s grace, otherwise our efforts will be merely an exercise in the social gospel.

observed, “God hasn’t called us to blend in, but to stand out!”

Ironically, at a time when our higher view of the sacraments—baptism and Communion—is being adopted by both independent and even a few denominational churches, some of our Christian churches are publishing vague doctrinal statements online and omitting baptisms and the Lord’s Supper from their worship services. Today, we see more churches that doctrinally look like us . . . shedding denominational names, becoming autonomous, elevating the purpose and practice of immersion and Communion, training and ordaining elders, and so forth. At the same time, a few of our churches are abandoning these same doctrinal distinctives. So, some churches are passing each other going in opposite directions!

We can grow our evangelism efforts in at least one area. I hear relatively little preaching and teaching about personal evangelism. Generally, a conscience about witnessing seems to have been replaced by efforts to make church assemblies and the Christian life more attractive. That’s not bad, but we must renew our passion to help people engage in life-on-life disciple making. Our focus must be on making the love and lordship of Jesus what is most compelling.

DOCTRINE Some of our Restoration churches are forfeiting doctrinal distinctives to be more inclusive and less sectarian.

They might even say doctrine doesn’t matter. The idea behind this seems to be: Since we say we don’t have to agree on everything, let’s not argue for anything. But, as one leader

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We are no longer an unknown people.

Some of the largest and most influential churches in the country have roots in the Restoration Movement.

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This might be the area of my greatest concern. A significant number of our brotherhood preachers and leaders are going to Heaven or retiring. At the same time, several of our Bible colleges are experiencing declining enrollments and financial pressures that have influenced them to shift their primary purpose away from training vocational church leaders to educating students for secular professions in the marketplace.

But in every generation, it is the church’s responsibility to embrace the priority of raising up preachers, vocational leaders, and international evangelists. The churches will be in trouble in a decade or less, I predict, if we do not, with urgency, get back to praying for and calling out our future leaders and supporting the Bible colleges, where our leaders will be best prepared.

In addition, some of our younger emerging leaders tend to idealize their high-profile peers in the evangelical world who are hosting conferences, writing books, recording podcasts, and appearing online, while overlooking the voices that have personified and amplified the biblical convictions and values that have made us who we are.

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LEADERSHIP

My tendency is to be a “cockeyed optimist” about almost everything, including the state of our Christian churches today. As my wife has said, “Ken, don’t you ever have a bad day?” So, take my personality into consideration here. While our churches are well, there are cracks that need to be filled! As Timothy Dwight wrote about the Lord’s church in his great old hymn “I Love Your Kingdom Lord”: “For her my tears shall fall; for her my prayers ascend; to her my cares and toils be given, till toils and cares shall end.”

I am committed to living with two Christian churches: the one that is today and the one that can be tomorrow. I challenge you to join me in this commitment. 

Ken Idleman served as the fourth president of Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, was senior pastor for 10 years at Crossroads Christian Church, a megachurch in Newburgh, Indiana, and is presently mentoring pastors as vice president of leadership development with The Solomon Foundation.

hope for hurting ministers

BY STEVE REEVES A survey of Christian church/church of Christ ministers from September 2016 found that 43 percent of the 500 responders were seriously considering leaving the ministry.

In addition, Tim Wallingford with the Center for Church Leadership (CCL) says attrition among ministers in our churches might be as high as 70 percent. Here are some additional findings Wallingford shared with me when I began volunteering with the CCL:

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74 %

54 %

71 %

51 %

54 %

85 %

80 %

76 %

92 %

of ministers have debt. The school debt among many couples, upon their graduation, is as high as $75,000.

of ministers do not feel they can share their economic burdens or family challenges with their elders.

struggle to maintain a healthy balance between work and family.

of churches offer no retirement benefits; 47 percent offer no health/medical insurance. Many ministers leave full-time ministry after 10 to 20 years because they feel they must save for retirement.

of ministers cannot mobilize their staff and leadership to embrace a shared vision and ministry plan.

of ministers say they face the challenge of “feeling successful.”

of ministers feel competent to preach and teach, but do not believe they are competent to lead the church well.

of ministers feel stress.

of ministers cannot mobilize the church members to serve.

This should not be!

And while I know this is not a new problem, and that our churches are governed independently, may I suggest the pathway to a solution? The key component that most influences a minister’s working relationship is the level of connection, communication, and compassion between the minister and his elders.

I recently retired after 40 years as a minister. I concluded my ministry by serving 31 years as lead pastor with my second church, Connection Pointe Christian in Brownsburg, Indiana. Why did I have long ministries? The elders with the churches I served cared for my family and me, and we deeply loved and were committed to them. That is why I am investing in coming alongside church leaders through my involvement with CCL and also the Leadership Network. Both organizations exist to add value to churches and church leaders.

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I believe if we dream together, meet together, e at t o g e t h e r , and plan together, w e u l t i m a t e ly w i l l win together.

DREAM—Ministers, staff, and elders need to begin to dream together about what could be. They must embrace a shared vision and ministry plan. This needs to be a cooperative process, and it’s imperative because doers respond to tasks and leaders respond to vision. So, set aside time to discuss the minister-elder relationship. Discuss expectations and past frustrations. Be kind, but be honest, and listen before you respond.

Discuss why you signed on as an elder or minister. Consider what you can do to enhance the communication and respect between one another. Map out what a healthy relationship would look like. Capture the information and keep it posted where you regularly meet. You must dream it together before you can experience it together.

THE PLAN I’m hoping our elders and ministers can nurture better relationships to help curb this problem of attrition. I believe if we dream together, meet together, eat together, and plan together, we ultimately will win together.

When I arrived at Brownsburg 32 years ago, the church had a long history of dysfunctional relationships between the minister and elders. That is why my first sermon series was to study through 2 Timothy. It provided a scriptural framework for what the church can expect from their minister and elders.

In the years since, I never publicly said, “The elders have decided . . . ,” but always, “We have decided.” It consistently conveyed to the church that the leaders are united. It was a commitment we made as a result of our dream: “We will speak with one voice or not at all.” That commitment will keep you united through various ministry challenges.

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MEET—Ideally, the minister and the chairman of the elders should meet at least biweekly, but preferably every week. (An acceptable alternative is for the minister to meet regularly with a different elder with whom he has bonded.) Either way, a trusted elder needs to know how the minister and his family are really doing, how he’s growing, and what he’s thinking. The time invested in these regular meetings, perhaps over breakfast, will benefit the minister, elders, and the congregation.

It’s also a good idea for a minister to meet regularly, perhaps weekly, with a trusted minister from another church. That ministry friend can be a great sounding board for topics you might be reluctant to share with your elder friend. For 40 years, I met with at least one local minister weekly, and these folks are still some of my closest friends.

Brent Dolfo, director for leadership development with Leadership Network who has more than 30 years of experience in senior ministry leadership, agrees. “Every minister/pastoral leader needs one or two people in their life where they can receive coaching, mentorship, and friendship, or they will not grow as a person or a leader,” Dolfo said.

EAT—Our monthly elders’ meetings followed the same schedule for most of my time at Connection Pointe. When we gathered, the elders would be available for prayer with church members for one hour, and then we would eat dinner together.

I’ve heard it said, “The New Testament leaders fasted and prayed, but we meet and eat!”

While I believe we should fast and pray, I also think we should break bread together.

Praying for others, and praying together, and then eating together are indelible reminders—even before the meeting begins— that we are shepherds of the flock and a small group of friends first, while also being decision-makers for his kingdom.

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PLAN—Our meeting agenda was usually the same, with discussions categorized into four areas: pastoral, protection, policy, and prayer.

Pastoral: What needs—personal and congregational—should be known by the entire leadership team? Is an elder response needed? What should that response be and which two elders should represent the group?

Protection: What progress is the church making toward its mission and vision goals?

This is “the business side” of the church, involving objectives, goals, finances, and personnel. In short, we sought to answer, “What’s our business and how’s business?”

Policy: Are any policies (i.e., boundaries) needed that could help the staff better facilitate the work of the ministry?

Prayer: This is the final item but the first priority! (Note that the evening begins and ends with prayer.) Ideally, every person shares a prayer need and is prayed for by someone whose prayer focuses entirely on that leader’s personal need. The final prayer summarizes the main focus of that meeting’s agenda and also the health, progress, and unity of the congregation.

WIN—Statistics overwhelmingly show that healthy churches are led by healthy and long-tenured pastoral ministries. Elders and ministers win together and lose together. God’s name is glorified and his church flourishes when the minister can be honest about his personal and professional life with those who have the greatest impact on his success and fulfillment: the elders.

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THE Practice The next step is up to you, whether you are an elder or minister. Will you contact the Center for Church Leadership to come alongside you? Will you attend church leadership conferences and put into practice some of the things you learn? Will you, as an elder, take an earnest interest in how your minister is doing, in every area, and will you encourage him and address the issues that will extend his health and local ministry? And will you, as a minister, talk to someone you can trust and follow their wise counsel? Will you carry out your ministry with wisdom and integrity?

Don’t drop surprises on the eldership and then blame them because you failed to take the time to process your thinking. Instead, seek out wise counsel before proceeding with an initiative. Remember what Proverbs 15:22 says: “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success” (New Living Translation).

Wise planning must include a strategy for pastoral succession, of course. After 31 years as lead pastor with Connection Pointe Christian Church, I passed the baton of pastoral leadership to John S. Dickerson in 2017. Before leaving, I counseled John to meet weekly with the chairman of the elders and cultivate a regular connection with one minister from a church in the area. Additionally, I offered to meet with him anytime he wants to as a friend, encourager, or just to provide “a safe place.”

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While our specific succession process is outside the scope of this article, it’s important for every church to develop plans that provide the new minister, elders, and executive team an opportunity to bond as they continue to lead the church. Be sure to have a plan in place for the retiring minister as well, to help him continue in what God is calling him to do next, which certainly includes his family.

Please contact me if you’d like to learn more about our pastoral succession plan or if you would like to know how CCL, Leadership Network, or I can personally help you and your congregation care for your minister and equip your leaders. The ultimate goal is for God to be glorified in and through his church!

I can think of many reasons why we should encourage ministers, but the primary motivator for me is this: The local church is the hope of the world! We must take care of the messengers who have given their lives to “bringing good news” (Romans 10:14, 15). 

Steve Reeves serves as a coach with the Center for Church Leadership and engage pastor with Leadership Nework. He developed his new book, Restored! Our Story (College Press), for ministers and churches to study together and learn what key factors contribute to longevity in local church ministry. Contact Steve at steve.reeves@leadnet.org.

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AD C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

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BY KELLY CARR

has the restoration movement overlooked much of the heartland?

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w h o wa n t s t o go?

“Finding pastors in this region who want to move in and plant can be extremely difficult,” noted Matt Branum. “Lots of planters want to go to metro places, but who wants to go to the smalland medium-sized towns in the Northern Plains? Not too many.”

You take in the gorgeous sights— calming lake waters surrounded by verdant fields and purple mountain majesty. After a few minutes of awe, you pull down the window shade, sit back, and sleep the rest of your flight.

He speaks from experience. Matt is an NPEA board member and also the lead pastor of NPEA’s first church plant. “It’s overlooked territory,” Matt continued. “It may seem insignificant dealing with a town of 15,000 or a population base of 30,000 when towns of millions or hundreds of thousands exist everywhere else. Nobody is going to these areas, and they need Christ just as much.”

Ah yes, many of us have experienced some of God’s greatest wonders from a bird’s-eye view only. The nickname “flyover country” came out of the camaraderie of folks who felt their heartland was overlooked by those Matt understands the hesitancy. who focused only on the coasts. The first time he heard about the opportunity to plant in SpearBut, if we’re being honest, when it fish, South Dakota, he said no. comes to Restoration Movement congregations, have we adopted The year was 2003. The former a similar attitude?

Dakota Christian Ministries and Wyoming Evangelistic AssociaWhen is the last time you heard tion had merged to form NPEA people clamoring to plant a and was looking for a church church in the Dakotas or Wyo- planter. Someone had given them ming? Those states don’t have the Matt’s name, and they excitedly same allure as the ones with fa- approached him at the North mous bustling cities. But there is American Christian Convention a need, and the Northern Plains in Indianapolis that summer.

Evangelistic Association (NPEA) would be glad to have you.

Matt politely declined.

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“They asked, ‘Would you pray about it first?’” Matt recalled. So he and his wife, Becky, committed to 30 days of prayer about planting with NPEA. “I was a little reluctant. But a couple of things happened along the way that confirmed to me that we were called to do this.”

Two factors also piqued their interest—Becky’s home church in Rapid City, South Dakota, was to help the launch. And, after a visit to Spearfish, Matt felt a longing to get back to a small-town setting as he had grown up in.

Matt asked Becky’s brother, Ryan Charest, to join the staff, and NPEA had their first church planters—North Point Christian Church was born.

ming; Revive Christian Church in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Real Life Church in Sheridan, Wyoming (see their story on page 49). They’ve also partnered with plants in Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, church planter care and Nebraska and have helped a The early years of church plant few existing churches relaunch, life were challenging for Matt revision, and flourish anew. and Becky and for Ryan and his wife, Pam, in some of the typical All of those who minister in the ways all plants struggle. But as NPEA family now are joined tothese couples established North gether through the concerted Point, loneliness was their big- efforts of Matt and Becky. Matt gest hurdle. They faced isolation ensures that the ministers stay while ministering in a part of the connected throughout the year United States with wide-open with online video chats and ocspaces, small populations, and casional in-person meetings. great distance between fellow Once a year the church planters travel together to a far-off leaderchurches. ship conference. And once a year While the North Point team en- all the ministers and their spousjoyed the community of Spearfish es gather for a retreat. and its forthright, hard-working residents, gathering enough re- “I started to see the benefit in sources and committed church Matt’s life and ministry once members in the cattle town was he was networking with other problematic. With the nearest church planters,” noted Becky. “I Christian church an hour away, felt like he had ‘brothers in arms’ ministry mentors were few and fighting the same battle.” far between.

Church planting involves not Those early experiences of lone- only ministers but entire familiness are why Matt and Becky, lies. So Becky stays in contact with the NPEA’s support, now with the wives, encouraging minister to ministers and their them through calls and texts, families in what they call Church asking about their families, and being their sounding board.

Planter Care.

“Trying to be a pastor to our “I want our church planters and planters is a passion of ours,” their wives to know they are valMatt said. “NPEA is glad to part- ued, prayed for, and not alone in this,” Becky said. “No matter ner with us on that.” what, we are here to cheer them NPEA has planted four churches: on and lift them up as they serve North Point Christian Church in the kingdom in this capacity. BeSpearfish; White Water Chris- ing vulnerable myself shows that tian Church in Laramie, Wyo- none of us has all the answers.”

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a n o t he r ve n t u re

Though Ryan never imagined he’d be a part of a church plant, he’s now helped with two. So inspired by his years as associate pastor of North Point, Ryan prayed about one day planting a church of his own. He is now the lead pastor of NPEA’s most recent plant, Real Life in Sheridan. Having the network of NPEA planters and the Church Planter Care system in place gave Ryan and Pam the courage to take this next step of faith.

“They truly care about me and my family,” Ryan said. “They’re for us and want us to succeed.

They’ll do anything to help us.”

Ryan sees the difference from when North Point began 14 years ago. Now he has people to turn to, other pastors in a similar context. The fellow planters grasp the ups and downs of the region.

“You can [express] your frustrations and they understand it,” Ryan noted.

Pam remembers the early loneliness in Spearfish all those years ago, and at first she didn’t want to go through it all again in Sheridan. “I was pretty opposed.

I said, ‘I will never do this again.’

Of course, everyone knows you should never say that to God!”

“

lo t s o f p l an t e r s w a n t t o go t o m e t ro p l ac e s , but w h o w ants t o go t o the s ma l l - a nd me di u m s i z e d t owns in t h e northern p l ai n s ? n o t t oo ma n y.

But after some time and prayer and visits to Wyoming, Pam felt God calling her and their family as well, not just Ryan, into this ministry. Pam is grateful to have fellow NPEA church-planting families to turn to in this new venture.

i t t a kes t he r i g h t pe r s o n The Northern Plains region is an interesting situation. Matt and Becky as well as Ryan and Pam noted that there is no quick movement. A church gathering cannot simply swoop in and establish a large following of spiritually interested church attendees. When you arrive in town, residents need to see proof that you care about the community, that you are worthy of their trust.

Finances will always be an issue for planting churches in this area, as drawing resources from small-town, farmer/rancher churches is a hurdle. Because of that, not even NPEA exists in a vacuum—the board appreciates support from other churchplanting organizations. One trusted ministry partner is Nexus, which started in Texas. Sometimes the two organizations work together to find new planters or to support a particular church plant.

“The people here are extremely authentic; what you see is what you get,” Matt pointed out about Spearfish. “But they are independent. There is not a whole lot of need that they don’t work to meet themselves, so it’s hard to find a Currently NPEA’s prayer and way to break in.” planning has them gearing up Ryan agreed. In Sheridan, people to start a church in Aberdeen, were skeptical at first of a church South Dakota. They are searchthat met in the local community ing for a planter who is ready to arts building. come in and take the lead.

“Until you have your own place, people don’t receive that well here. They want to know you’re invested in the community before they give you a try,” Ryan said. “If you have your own place, that makes a difference, makes it more real.”

“It takes the right person,” Matt said. “If you want to do something no one else is doing—if you’re that kind of a person, then this is for you!”

Something to keep in mind the next time you’re flying over the Northern Plains: As you enjoy that beautiful view, remember those down below. Consider the people planting churches, those who are spreading the gospel.

Pray for the people living in the towns who have yet to hear Jesus’ good news.

But Matt added that once you “It’s easy to isolate yourself,” Pam prove yourself trustworthy, you said. “It’s hard to be humble and have their unchanging loyalty. reach out for prayer or encour“There’s not a lot of showboating agement.” up here. People don’t care what Ryan and Pam both attest that car you’re driving, what clothes they have found terrific support you’re wearing,” Matt said. “Can because Matt and Becky are in- you get the job done? Do you have “Open your eyes and look at the tentional with their efforts of a strong work ethic? That’s what fields! They are ripe for harvest” NPEA Church Planter Care. counts.”

(John 4:35).  Kelly Carr, former editor of The Lookout , is a writing and editing consultant in Cincinnati, Ohio (EditorOfLife.com).

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spo t light Numbers don’t tell the whole story, so we shine the spotlight on

10 churches that did something

interesting, significant, or impactful in 2017.

Read the stories behind the statistics—stories from churches of different sizes and in different parts of the country . . . but all with one thing in common:

A love of the Lord and a passion to share him with as many people as possible.

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R e a l L i f e C h u rch , S h e r i d a n , W yo min g

S U ND AY-N IGH T SERVI C E S , E VE RYDAY A C T I ON S

BY KELLY CARR

A fter a decade as associate pastor with

North Point Christian Church in Spearfish, South Dakota, Ryan Charest was inspired to become the lead planter at Real Life Church in Sheridan, Wyoming, the newest church plant of the Northern Plains Evangelistic Association (see “Planting Churches in ‘Flyover Country’” on page 44).

“I kept reading and researching . . . understanding what we did right and wrong and what we could do differently,” Charest said. “God worked in me to prepare me to have the desire to try and do it again.”

Real Life has now been ministering in Sheridan for almost three years. Last year brought positive changes and challenges to Real Life’s ministry.

A major change was a move to evening services. For two years Real Life met on Sunday mornings in a theatrical arts building downtown. The change to meeting on Sunday nights had been on the hearts of the congregation for a while. Real Life is now sharing building space with another church, and that has allowed for the evening ministry.

No other church in Sheridan is doing evening services. It fills a need, especially for Wyoming ranchers whose work must be done

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in the mornings—now entire families can attend church together at night.

Sharing space is one example of churches partnering in Sheridan. Charest and the leaders of various congregations gather weekly to pray and plan. “It’s very much a kingdom-minded community,” he said.

The Dream Team and Get It Done Team are two active ministry groups at Real Life. As their names indicate, one team brainstorms ministry ideas for the church, while the other figures out how to enact them.

These teams have helped connect with the local elementary school. Real Life took over a backpack program that provides supplies for kids in need. Through that work, parent liaisons—whose work is to connect parents with the school—have invited Real Life to participate in school events so the church can develop relationships with more families.

Real Life is establishing a presence people can count on and a reputation they can trust.

Real Life has also started a missional effort called Real Rhythms. Each week, members put colored marbles into a large communal jar. The marbles represent times they invited a friend to do something, ate a meal with someone, served a person in a small or large way, or had a spiritual conversation with someone. This helps members see that everyday actions can be used by God to show Christ’s love to their neighbors. Charest noted how exciting it was to watch the jar fill faster than anyone anticipated.

Ministering in the least populated state is not without obstacles. But Real Life shines the light of Christ by investing in its community bit by bit, one relationship at a time.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Christ’s C h u rc h of t h e Va ll e y, P h o e n i x, A r i z o n a

W EL L -PR EPAR ED F O R T RA NS I T I ON

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BY NATALEE JONES

Change isn’t easy but it’s necessary for

growth. That’s what Don Wilson kept in mind as he was deciding to retire as senior pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Phoenix, Arizona, a church he helped launch.

Wilson and his wife were meeting with three other couples in the Wilsons’ living room just over 35 years ago when they felt God calling them to start a church in the Phoenix area. CCV’s first service was in a local movie theater on April 1, 1982. Since then, CCV has grown into one of the largest Christian churches in the nation, with eight campuses and more than 25,000 in weekly attendance.

In late January 2017, Wilson announced it would be his final year as senior pastor, and Ashley Wooldridge would replace him in November.

“The hardest part is knowing when to leave,” Wilson said. “I wanted the transition to be as smooth as possible and that takes a lot of time in prayer.” Wilson listened to God for timing and guidance.

Nearing the conclusion of a very successful and spiritually impactful 2016, Wilson felt that the timing was right. The church leaders had continually challenged the congregation to invite their unchurched friends and create an environment that people would want to come back to.

The consistency of challenging their congregation to be bold in furthering the kingdom over the years paid off throughout 2017. The church had the most baptisms in its history, with more than 3,500 dedicating their lives to Christ last year. They also opened their eighth campus, in Chandler, Arizona.

“Most people that start a church stay too long,” Wilson said. “Part of that problem is that they do not have something to retire to.”

Wilson, 69, and his wife will continue to focus on helping young couples serving in ministry. They started Accelerate.Group, an organization that focuses on encouraging young leaders through the challenging parts of ministry and assisting with leadership selection and church transitions.

Wilson felt CCV was well-prepared for such a transition because a team of good, youthful individuals capable of taking over was in place. His replacement as senior pastor, Ashley Wooldridge, had been serving on staff as an executive pastor at CCV for more than 10 years and on the teaching team for three years. Wilson believes Wooldridge’s leadership skills and energy will help him to successfully lead CCV. Ultimately, Wilson knows the impact of CCV is not determined by the people in leadership positions. Any and all accomplishments are God’s handiwork. These past 35 years, Wilson said, “show you just how good God is and all of the grace that he has for us.”

Natalee Jones is a multimedia journalist who is passionate about using her abilities to bring joy to others and glorify Christ.

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N e w C i t y C h u rch , P h o e n i x, A r i z on a

T HE C HU RC H I N T HE C I T Y

BY JUSTIN HOREY

Brian Kruckenberg, lead pastor of New

City Church, compares Phoenix, Arizona, to a doughnut. Until five years ago, he says, the population was almost entirely concentrated in a circle of suburbs surrounding the region, with a “hole” in the center—the downtown area—where virtually no one lived.

Now Arizona’s capital city is making up for lost time, building apartments and condominiums on formerly vacant lots and creating brand-new residential neighborhoods in the heart of the city.

Kruckenberg said people are moving to downtown Phoenix because they want to experience an urban lifestyle—including the city’s thriving art scene.

Some new residents have come from the suburbs and others have come from other parts of the country. No matter where they come from, with each passing year more and more of the new urbanites in Phoenix’s city center are finding their way to New City Church.

Kruckenberg planted New City Church in 2011. The congregation launched with around 200 people on day one—due in part to a “mini-merger” with a nearby church that

had lost its pastor—and has only grown since then. Early on, New City grew by as much as 100 percent in a single year. Attendance recently has been increasing by about 20 percent each year, and today the church draws more than 2,000 people to worship each weekend.

“We’ve kind of become known as the church in the city,” Kruckenberg said.

Downtown Phoenix and New City Church have grown together, and the church reflects the demographic makeup of its surrounding community. Because few of the new downtown residents are families with children, a majority of the congregation at New City is made up of young adults—the average age of attendees is just 25. About 350 college students attend worship most weeks, and the church offers 11 small groups for them.

“I really do think young people want to learn,” Kruckenberg said. “They’re being taught a lot of false things in the world, but teaching the truth has helped us reach young people.”

New City is looking for ways to attract more families, but Kruckenberg is primarily interested in “trying to make it easy for prebelievers to come,” regardless of their age. To do that, the church is addressing practical concerns like seating—and parking. In 2017, New City Church expanded its auditorium, adding 200 seats and increasing the total capacity to 750.

Being landlocked in a relatively small facility has done little to curb the growth of New City Church. The congregation baptized almost 100 people in 2017, and has immersed more than 500 people in all since 2011.

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

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New Ho p e C h r i st i a n C h u rch , T h o r n t o n , C o l o r a d o

A S K I N G GOD TO D O BI G T HI NGS

1

BY CHRIS MOON

When pastor Jeff Aenk talks about the way 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

his church was able to find its new building, he often uses the word miracle.

“It was a total God story,” said Aenk, who leads New Hope Christian Church in Thornton, Colorado.

The story started in 2016 when New Hope learned its landlord was planning to double the church’s rent—from $7,550 a month to almost $15,000. The rent would continue to increase for the following five years, up to $20,000 a month.

“That was not doable for us,” Aenk said of the 20-year-old church. “We were struggling to make ends meet with our current rent.”

After securing financing from The Solomon Foundation to purchase a building, the church had just nine months to find a building and renovate it.

“In that nine months, God did a miracle,” Aenk said.

The church found almost no buildings in its price range, but it eventually came upon an old library that originally had been listed for $1.6 million. That was much too expensive.

New Hope offered $600,000. The owners wouldn’t even discuss it.

So New Hope increased its offer to $850,000.

The owners agreed.

Then the renovation process began. Only weeks remained until the church needed to be out of its old space and moved into the new.

But God was not done working, Aenk said.

A Christian architect agreed to take on the church’s project on short notice. And a Christian construction company agreed to do the same.

“With God all things are possible,” Aenk said.

But then the church faced an obstacle in getting its certificate of occupancy. A city official wasn’t ready to sign off on the project.

Another key city leader was out of town. The church was out of time; it needed to move.

Aenk said the church prayed. A high-level official that very day overrode previous decisions and signed off on the certificate of occupancy. The church moved in and conducted their first worship service last June 4.

New Hope’s leaders believe God had a plan in all of this.

The church’s new building is in a highcrime hub at the center of Thornton, which is part of the Denver metro. Shortly after the church took ownership of the building, it was burglarized. A police officer questioned Aenk about the wisdom of the move. The officer said drug deals regularly occurred behind the building.

“This community is going to kill you. You aren’t going to help anybody,” Aenk recalls the officer saying. “But he didn’t know our God.” The church is actively reaching out to new people each Sunday. Many addicts are walking through the church’s doors.

Attendance has grown from about 150 to just under 200 since the move.

“I guess the greatest thing I learned from this is we have to seek God and ask God to do big things,” Aenk said. “God’s going to make a way. God’s not . . . freaking out about what’s going to happen. God has a plan. We need to trust the sovereignty of the Lord. We know he loves the church more than we do. We can actually rest in him, in his control.”

Chris Moon is a pastor and writer living in Redstone, Colorado.

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C ro s s t h e L i n e C h u rch , L i n co l n , N e b r a s k a

GATH ER IN G A ND GOI NG A LL WE E K LON G

BY CHAD RAGSDALE

It’s 9:00 on Wednesday morning. A group of

women have gathered to enjoy some coffee and conversation at the Front Porch Coffee Café in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their children are laughing and running in the adjacent play area. Nearby, in the same building, the Super Starts Child Development Center bustles with activity as parents drop off their kids and hurry off to work. Further inside, a gym is still set up for the youth basketball practice from the night before. This former grocery store, located in a residential area in Lincoln, has become a place for the community to gather all week long.

It also happens to be a church.

Cross the Line Church was planted five years ago with a specific philosophy. The church is committed to being an active kingdom presence and blessing to their community more than just a handful of hours each week.

Senior minister Austin Brazil says that since beginning in ministry nearly 20 years ago, he has been struck by how much time large church buildings are left mostly empty.

Cross the Line is trying to better leverage building spaces and resources for kingdom expansion. Their goal is to have a church building that is full every day of the week from 7 in the morning until 9 at night.

On August 20 last year, that dream finally became a reality. With the assistance of The Solomon Foundation, Cross the Line Church was finally able to purchase and remodel the building they had been meeting in and sharing with a local business. Now the space includes a coffee shop and day care center that is open to the public every day. Their worship space doubles as a gym that is busy nearly every night hosting local youth practices and games. For most of the people who begin coming to the church, Sunday morning worship is not their first time inside the building.

God is blessing this model of ministry.

Since August the church has celebrated 30 baptisms and attendance has grown by 300 people. This dramatic increase has catapulted average weekly attendance to just over 500 people.

The church is continuing to adopt new strategies to engage and bless their community. It is not enough simply to have a space available for the community to use. The church must also go into that community. To that end, a new ministry called “Good Deeds Nebraska” is helping to connect members of the church with people who are in need in Lincoln; the church is providing services at little to no cost.

Chad Ragsdale serves as assistant academic dean at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri.

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Passi n g t he Ball

7

N o r t h s i d e C hristian C hurch, Ne w Al bany, I ndiana

N ew L ife

3

New City Church, Pho enix, Arizona p ict ured ab ov e and b e l ow

Wel c o me

10

M osai c Ch r i s t i an C hurch, Elk r i dge , M aryl and

Out rea ch

Real Life Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

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C rossro a d s C h r i s t i a n C h u rch , M a co n , M i s s o u ri

A DI FFE RE NT I DE A OF C HU RCH

BY TR ROBERTSON

When Matt Stieger was hired in 2008 as

lead minister of Crossroads Christian Church (a church formed in 1972 in Macon, Missouri, a town of 5,400), the average attendance was 200. Ten years later, as the church entered 2018, Crossroads was averaging around 550 each Sunday morning. ​ “We decided we were going to offer a different idea of what church is,” Stieger said. “We’re not a traditional country church. We choose joy and celebration. We choose new instead of what is old. We choose uncomfortable instead of traditions. If the church is the hope of the world, then that hope should be evident when we get together. We like to laugh and have fun.

In a world that seems to beat you up, people are attracted to a Jesus that is different. This passion has shaped what we do and who we are as a church.

“Our leadership gelled and focused on living out vision instead of protecting the comfortable. Our vision of ‘Connecting People to Jesus and Loving Our Community’ became our filter for ministry. We decided if we could be known for one thing, it would be loving our community.”

Crossroads has developed several programs aimed at making an impact in the community.

In small towns, Friday night football is a major community experience, so Crossroads works to connect with people there. “We show

up early and pay for families’ tickets to the game,” Stieger said. “We work the concession stand multiple times a year.”

The annual Macon County Town and Country Fair is another major event in the community. This past year, Crossroads moved their Sunday morning services out to the fairground grandstands and invited the community and everyone involved in the fair to join them.

Like many churches, Crossroads goes all out for a huge VBS every summer, but with a focus on families in the community rather than just on the membership. All volunteers undergo mandatory training.

The Agape Cafe is a mission of Crossroads that offers free meals to families in the community. Every Saturday, volunteers prepare, package, and deliver more than 250 meals throughout Macon. On the first and third Saturdays, the church hosts a free meal at the American Legion building in the middle of town.

“We started a special needs ministry,” Stieger said, “including a quarterly Respite Night for families of special-needs children. We provide trained buddies for all family and siblings for three hours. Parents are free to do anything they want for those three hours. We also have buddies on Sunday morning for any specialneeds family, so they can worship worry-free.”

“Too many churches are stuck in protecting the process of church instead of being the church,” Stieger said. “When we stopped voting on everything, got rid of Robert’s Rules and business meetings, we began to see life in the church. Don’t spend all of your time protecting what was and miss who is right in front of you.”

TR Robertson is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Missouri.

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Northsi d e C h r i st i a n C h u rc h , N e w A l b a n y, I n d i a n a

A S E A ML ESSLY UN FORC E D T RA NS I T I ON

1

BY ANDY RECTOR

In 1999, when George Ross arrived at 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Northside Christian Church in New Albany, Indiana, the congregation had been without a lead pastor for 14 months. During the interim, attendance had grown 12 percent. That fact impressed upon Ross that Northside was fertile soil.

After spending more than a decade with the church, Ross was nearing retirement age, and he knew church leaders faced an important decision. What should Northside’s next step be?

“Did Northside need something different from me?” Ross said. “I talked with the elders.

What should happen here? Did Northside need a change of culture?” The elders said they wanted only to build on Ross’s legacy: a welcoming church to first-time visitors.

The church had grown tremendously during Ross’s tenure, both spiritually and numerically.

Northside Christian, however, had a unique opportunity. Nate Ross, George’s son, had been on the church’s staff for 10 years. Nate had eventually become the associate minister, preaching frequently and overseeing ministries. “He had already been involved in creating the culture along with me,” said the elder Ross. What would Nate look like as lead pastor?

A three-year plan unfolded; the first two years were spent discussing and preparing for the transition. George Ross told the elders, “It’s OK if I need to go, especially if the next lead minister isn’t Nate. It’s OK if the church wants to go in a different direction.” George felt the elders needed to do what was best for Northside, but he was confident in his son’s qualifications.

“Nate has made most of the changes in the last five years [that] I’ve gotten credit for. And I knew Nate and I were heading in the same direction.” Dad then added with a smile, “I’ve consulted with him since he was 4 years old.”

It soon became clear Nate Ross as the senior pastor seemed the most logical, God-inspired direction.

“We hired Intentional Churches to come in and evaluate where we were,” Nate said. In May 2017 the church began implementing their suggestions: create more seats, expand the parking lot, improve the “nextsteps” program, and remind the staff and congregation of the church’s values.

To prepare himself for the change, Nate joined a group of six other ministers who have transitioned within a church. He also met regularly with Northside’s staff.

The congregation was given a year’s notice, and when 2018 arrived, Nate became lead minister and his father transitioned to teaching pastor. This dual change in roles is designed to help the final part of the threeyear transition unfold seamlessly.

“The transition doesn’t feel forced,” Nate said.

“To keep everyone focused on the church’s mission—connecting unconnected people to Jesus—we are unveiling ways to get people even more integrated into the church community, to develop ways for people to have access to get involved more quickly.”

George joked: “A lot of people may not really know the transition happened!”

Andy Rector is a writer and graphic designer from Louisville, Kentucky.

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N or t h e a st C h r i s t i a n C h u rch , L o u i s vi l l e , K e n t u c k y

A CAR EF U LLY P LA NNE D T RA NS I T I O N

BY ANDY RECTOR

Tyler McKenzie says he was “raw” when he

was hired as teaching pastor at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2012. In April 2016, McKenzie became lead pastor.

Former lead minister Bob Cherry, who helped start Northeast in 1977, saw something in McKenzie during the initial interview process. And Cherry doesn’t mince words about McKenzie’s subsequent promotion: “Tyler is the right guy” for the lead pastor role.

A year before McKenzie joined the Northeast staff, Cherry began planning for his retirement. He knew the transition to a new pastor would be a delicate process.

When a three-year strategic plan commenced in 2015, McKenzie knew he would succeed Cherry. Together, the two of them, along with the elders, documented all aspects of the move: focal points, detailed strategies, and a timeline. The church leaders all knew their roles. The plan was presented to the church that year, with the transition falling in the middle of this timeline.

The transition was “planned out, prayed out, and strategized out,” McKenzie said. “A timeline and several developmental meetings created a pathway so we could hit the next

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benchmark. It helped us cover issues [such as] Bob handing off leadership roles, staff culture issues, communication to the congregation, and skills for me to acquire.”

Cherry says the relationship between the incoming minister and outgoing minister is key. “We talked church, life, and preaching.”

“I didn’t know a lot of what I was doing,” McKenzie said, “but Bob saw to it I slowly took over the leadership roles. By the time of the transition, I was preaching more than Bob.” How else did McKenzie prepare himself to lead a large congregation like Northeast?

“I tried to listen to Bob and the elders,” McKenzie said. “I asked tons of questions and tried to have a teachable spirit. I didn’t see some of my blind spots. Bob and the elders helped me see what I did well and what I needed more experience in.”

By the time of the transition, McKenzie felt more comfortable in the leadership role. “I led an elders retreat that first year; planned the sermon series for the next year. Bob coached me, let me make mistakes. That was so vital because I got to lead in a safety net. When the transition finally happened and Bob left for a few months, it wasn’t like ripping off a bandage. Bob prepared me as much as possible so I wasn’t completely crushed.”

Having a carefully planned transition helped keep the church focused on the mission statement: “Go and tell, go and grow, go and do.” The church grew in 2017, despite being warned attendance possibly could drop 15 percent under a new pastor. “Why are we growing?” McKenzie asks. “Is it missional?

Attractional? I believe it’s unity. That’s a growth tactic according to Jesus.”

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Sunbury C h r i st i a n C h u rc h , S u n b u r y, O h i o

W H AT A WAY TO G ROW!

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BY DARREL ROWLAND

Ten years ago, Sunbury Christian Church

spent $500,000 to buy 11 acres at the edge of a village in central Ohio.

The church knew its old facility less than two miles away was inadequate, despite renovations that added a gym and got rid of the 1960s-era green paisley carpet.

Still, half-a-million dollars for a congregation of about 300 as the Great Recession struck?

“We swallowed real hard,” remembers senior minister Mike Bratten. “The need outweighed the fear.”

The parcel wasn’t just randomly selected.

The church purchased the property from a developer who planned hundreds of homes there and across the street in Sunbury, a community northeast of Columbus.

But the original developer ran into financial issues, and its successor didn’t start building the subdivision’s needed roads and utilities until years after the church had hoped to move.

As they waited for God’s timing, the Sunbury church grew more focused on prayer and involvement. Its leaders worked with Tim Wallingford at the Center for Church Leadership (CCL) to assess both the congregation and community.

“One year we focused on one outside activity per month,” Bratten said. “I knew not everyone would be involved in every activity. But if each one participated in something, and maybe a few somethings, they would begin to understand what the church is to be about: outreach—by them.

“We did things like write letters to our town leaders, take doughnuts and treats to each of our schools for teachers and administrators, pack food for the needy in Haiti, offer a free

car wash, provide free child care for a day, and on and on for 12 months.

“That really served to change our DNA as a church.”

Finally, the church was able to build a sparkling new $5.2 million home, financing much of the project through the Church Development Fund.

The 25,200-square-foot building opened in early December and growth was immediate.

Sure, some people were just checking out the new place around Christmastime, but the higher numbers have continued into 2018.

“We went from 450 to 650 in six weeks,” Bratten said.

There’s room to grow. The walls on each side of the worship center are designed to be torn out and the area expanded into what are now adjoining classrooms to seat 1,000.

Many of the new families are streaming in from the developer’s 250 new homes across the street, while others already are coming from the first few completed homes of the 450 slated for next to the church property.

The newcomers, largely upper middle-class, present new needs.

“What they need is purpose,” Bratten said.

“Significance through their job will run dry.

Their money will not satisfy.”

He has only a few more weeks to deliver that message. Bratten, 65, plans to step down this summer after 19 years with Sunbury.

“What a way to go out of ministry!” he said.

He will be joining Wallingford’s CCL group full-time.

Bratten will concentrate on an area he knows quite well: handling the changing needs of a church that grows from 200 to 600.

Darrel Rowland is a life group teacher at Worthington (Ohio) Christian Church and public affairs editor of The Columbus Dispatch .

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M osa i c C h r i s t i a n C h u rch , E l kr i d g e , M a r yl an d

I MME RS E D I N T HE GOS P EL

BY JUSTIN HOREY

Ask most any person at Mosaic Christian

Church in Elkridge, Maryland, “What is the most important thing at Mosaic,” and there’s a good chance they will tell you, “It’s when we baptize someone.”

MCC is just nine years old (the church will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall). In that brief time, Mosaic has baptized more than 500 new believers. Church planter and lead pastor Carl Kuhl said the reason is simple: “At Mosaic, a ‘win’ is baptism.”

For the past few years, Kuhl and his staff have set a goal to baptize 10 percent of the church’s average attendance every year. With weekend attendance surpassing 1,000 in 2015, that goal translates to more than 100 baptisms per year. Since Mosaic first set the 10 percent baptisms goal, Kuhl said, the church has hit its target more often than not.

At Mosaic, the staff views baptism not only as a sign of conversion, but as a mark of spiritual maturity. Kuhl said, “We often tell our people that ‘spiritual maturity is baptizing a friend.’”

Mosaic constantly challenges people to pray for their lost friends, and the staff leads by example. Every Monday morning, Mosaic’s pastors gather to pray for the hearts of specific unsaved people in their lives. Kuhl

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said, “As a staff, we consistently pray for lost friends by name. And we ask our people, ‘Who is the lost person in your life you’re praying for?’”

The results have been dramatic, but Kuhl acknowledges not every prayer is answered quickly. He admits to occasionally being discouraged about praying for “the same names over and over”—including his own neighbor, who has yet to receive Christ and is now on the verge of divorce. This honesty and openness is also a hallmark of Mosaic. But the transparency—whether from the pulpit in Kuhl’s sermons or in Mosaic’s small groups— is not a gimmick. It’s about the gospel. “There is no pretension here,” Kuhl said. “We are open about our brokenness. And we are open about how Christ is changing us.”

Late in 2017, Mosaic launched a capital campaign to raise funds for a new, larger facility. One of the campaign videos celebrated Mosaic’s first 500 baptisms; it featured some of the people who have been immersed since 2008. One of the new believers in that video is Bob, who first visited Mosaic because his son was playing in the worship band. He had been an atheist for 40 years and had a lot of questions about faith— too many questions, he thought.

Bob felt like other Christians had “given up on him” because of his questions, but Carl Kuhl did not. Mosaic Christian did not. Two years ago, after four decades of asking questions, Bob found his answers in Jesus Christ. He was Mosaic Christian Church’s 239th baptism.

See the video celebrating Mosaic’s first 500 baptisms at mosaicchristian.org/greatervideo.

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AD

AD

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HEADLINES

BY CHRIS MOON

ticker//tape Bo Chancey’s passion for Mexican food— particularly the fare served at Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill in Manchester, N.H., which is relocating—earned him some unexpected press in January. Chancey, senior pastor at Manchester Christian Church and author of Pray for One, told the New Hampshire Union Leader that he eats at the restaurant “three or four days a week” and joked that “we paid for this expansion.”

Legacy Christian Church in Senoia, Ga., put its cooks to the test with its “Taste of Legacy” cooking contest. Some members prepared hundreds of samples of appetizers, entrées, and desserts while other members served as tastetesters. Prizes were awarded to the winning chefs.

LifePointe Christian Church in Elk Grove, Calif., sent its youth on a murder mystery adventure.

The classic “whodunit” event loaded high school students into cars and sent them out to interview “suspects” in the community.

Legacy Christian Church in Overland Park, Kan., hosted a “Q&A Night” that allowed members of the congregation to ask questions about faith, the Bible, the church, and Jesus. Answers were offered by Legacy pastors Reggie Epps and Luke Wright. The event, which was streamed on Facebook, was tied into a sermon series at the church called “Reasons.”

Crosspoint Christian Church in Cape Coral, Fla., celebrated its new facility construction by inviting people to help “lay the foundation.”

Members watched as the church contractor placed a Bible in the foundation of the new church lobby—meant to be a reminder that the building was constructed on the Word of God. Dorothy Thompson, widow of the late Emmanuel Christian Seminary President Fred Thompson, died in January. The Thompsons served as president and first lady of Emmanuel from

Miamisburg (Ohio) Christian Church hosted a “Find Your Anchor” women’s event that featured speaker Kenda Moss. She spoke about women anchoring themselves in Christ, their community, and their world.

Ozark Christian College will be hosting a Creative Arts Academy for high school students in June. The weeklong camp will feature music, visual arts, and performing arts tracks.

Valley View Christian Church in Littleton, Colo., hosts a nontraditional food bank that functions like a grocery store.

Clients who come to “Valley View Cares” can shop for nonperishable food as well as fresh produce, milk, meat, and eggs. The food bank is operated in partnership with Southeast Community Outreach, a faith-based nonprofit organization.

The church says each client has the freedom to choose his or her own food.

Wentzville (Mo.) Christian Church is hosting a summer drama camp for elementary and middle school students that will culminate with a performance of Peter Pan Jr. Hikes Point Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., hosted a free “Winter Clothes Closet” that offered gently used winter clothing. The church served a pancake breakfast during the event.

Twin Oaks Christian Church in Woodhaven, Mich., hosted a pancake

KCU GRAD USES ART FOR THE KINGDOM A Kentucky Christian University graduate is putting his art to work for Jesus.

Cody Sabol always loved to paint. After his freshman year in college, he asked God how he could use his art for the kingdom.

God began to answer that prayer when one of Sabol’s friends asked him to paint during an event where the friend was performing. Sabol initially resisted, but then relented after being offered two Taco Bell tacos. (College students can be bribed.)

“The paintings turned out awful. A-WF-U-L,” Sabol wrote on his website, codysabolart.com.

They apparently got better, however.

Sabol eventually founded Revelation 5:5 Ministries and has raised more than $55,000 for charity through his art.

“If there was ever a time where I felt God’s presence the most, it was in the moments I was in front of everyone, throwing paint on a canvas,” Sabol wrote. “I am here to reach people in a much different way. I love the way art allows for conversation.

Conversation that draws people to the inner workings of your heart, and in my heart is a fiery passion for Jesus Christ.”

Sabol graduated from KCU in 2017 with a preaching and biblical studies degree. He currently serves as a youth pastor at The Bible Chapel in Robinson, Pa.

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1970 to 1984. The Thompson Center, a student housing facility on Emmanuel’s campus, is named in their honor.

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breakfast fund-raiser to benefit the Gems Girls Club, an organization with a mission to “help bring girls into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.”

MAURICE NAMED 4TH MACU PRESIDENT Mid-Atlantic Christian University has a new president.

John W. Maurice Jr. in February was selected to lead the college in Elizabeth City, N.C., after serving seven months as MACU’s interim president and three years as MACU’s vice president for institutional advancement.

Maurice is the fourth president of MACU. He replaces D. Clay Perkins, who now serves as executive vice president of Irvine, Calif.based Financial Planning Ministry.

Maurice has a long military background. He served 24 years in the U.S. Navy as a commander and chaplain.

He served on board the USS Savannah, USS Saipan, and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Roanoke Rapids, N.C., native is a graduate of MACU and Cincinnati Christian University and is seeking his doctor of ministry degree from Regent University’s School of Divinity.

Tri-Village Christian Church in Pataskala, Ohio, held a health and safety fair as part of their SOUL Series (SOUL stands for Spiritual, Outreach, Understanding, and Learning). The fair featured booths on health and safety topics, like home safety and hospice care.

South Side Christian Church in Springfield, Ill., is sending its high school students to a summer conference in Holland, Mich. To raise money, the church hosted “South Side’s Trivia Night” in which people were encouraged to gather seven friends and team up to prove their intelligence.

Nexus Church Planting teams gathered in February in Dallas to focus on eldership formation. Gary Johnson, pastor of Indian Creek Christian Church in Indianapolis and cofounder of e2: effective elders, led the group.

Members from Orrville (Ohio) Christian Church participate in the “Laundry Love Project” on the second Saturday of each month. A team from the church goes to the local laundromat to help people pay for their laundry and build relationships.

Manhattan (Kan.) Christian College has named James Johnson as associate professor of youth and family. Johnson is an Ozark Christian College graduate and the former pastor of Osage Hills Christian Church in Tulsa, Okla.

Members of Libby (Mont.) Christian Church attended “The Mystery of Marriage” retreat in Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C., Canada.

Jim Pierson, 80, an expert in disability ministry, died Jan. 4 in Tennessee. He was the founding director of the Christian Church Foundation for the Handicapped (which became Christian Churches Disability Ministry, and now Ability Ministry) in 1984 and served as its president

Andy Schroeder has been named the new senior pastor at Seymour (Ind.) Christian Church.

Hope International University has been designated a “military friendly” school by MilitaryFriendly. com, which rates schools for their efforts in recruiting and serving post-military students.

Members from Indian Hills Christian Church in Danville, Ky., have a library ministry at their local county jail. Inmates can check out two books each week, and Bibles and copies of Our Daily Bread are also distributed as requested.

Valley Center (Kan.) Christian Church has named Michael Martinez as its new associate pastor.

Johnson University Florida has received state approval for an elementary education bachelor’s degree program.

Harmony Christian Church in Georgetown, Ky., offers a “Love Matters Marriage Ministry” that strives to give spouses the tools and hope to reconcile and enrich their marriages. Classes include pre-marriage mentoring, marriage enrichment, and “Marriage 911.”  /ChristianStandardMagazine @ChrStandard @christianstandardmagazine Cs@ChristianStandardMedia.com

CHURCH CONDUCTS ‘UNFINISHED’ CAPITAL CAMPAIGN Lifepointe Church in Raleigh, N.C., is in the midst of a two-year capital campaign aimed at relocating two of its campuses and expanding a third.

The church has titled the campaign “Unfinished” and outfitted it with its own website—www.weareunfinished.com—and regular video updates from the staff on the progress of the work at each campus.

The “Unfinished” theme has become a mission for the church.

“It’s what we’re saying to each other, to God, and to the community,” pastor Donnie Williams told The News & Observer in Raleigh. “We’ve got a lot more to do here. We are going to declare ourselves unfinished, and we’re going to do something bigger than we’ve ever done before.”

“Bigger” means trying to raise $9 million during the twoyear campaign, which began in the fall of 2017.

The church is working to secure permanent homes for its Cary and Wake Forest locations. Both campuses meet in schools. Lifepointe also wants to expand its North Raleigh campus.

In one “Unfinished” video update on the church’s website, Lifepointe executive pastor Todd Fischer stands in front of a chicken coop in the snow and explains the latest news from one of the facility expansion projects. The church is looking to put community gardens at each of its locations, and an already-existing one included a chicken coop.

The church also is creating the Lifepointe Adoption Fund to help parents who are seeking to adopt.

“Adoption is something to do for the next generation,” Williams told The News & Observer. “There are so many young families that feel called to adoption, but the big obstacle is finances.” 

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until 2009. He taught at Christian universities and directed seminars and workshops on how the church can minister to persons with disabilities. (His obituary is available at christianstandard.com.)

NONDENOMINATIONALISH Headlines For Christians Who Don’t Take Themselves Too Seriously

BY CALEB KALTENBACH PASTORS INCLUDE DRIVEBYS IN WEEKEND ATTENDANCE FIGURES PARKER, CO—Independent Christian church pastors were thrilled to learn they can now count people who drive past their church during a service as part of their weekend attendance.

The decision—part of an effort to boost numbers—was made at a meeting of the NACC Board of Stewards and other leaders. The decision included two stipulations: (1) Those driving by may be counted only during the first 30 minutes of the service, and (2) If not everyone in the passing vehicle can be

counted, the vehicle counts as only 1 person.

Many excited ministers have already acted on the decision.

Pastor Ethan Smelding of Maple Drive Christian Church in Flandersville, Kentucky, transformed his greeting team into a street-counting team.

“I’m glad for the decision!”

Smelding said. “I just needed someone to sign off on what I was already thinking!”

Smelding doesn’t see subfreezing temperatures as a problem for his counters.

“Nah, they’ll be alright. They don’t mind. They’re doing this all for Jesus, know-what-Imean?”

Smelding confirmed his church

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is also considering a move to the state highway.

But not everyone is applauding the decision. Naysayer and Christian Standard Publisher Jerry Harris was troubled by the decision.

“We don’t have any group that makes decisions for our movement,” Harris said. “This is a bit suspect. One pastor reported his weekend attendance as eleventy billion. There’s no category for a number that size. I won’t record these numbers.”

Not long after the interview, Harris went missing, but was found three days later ducttaped to the front of the chapel at Cincinnati Christian University; the words eleventy billion were written on his forehead.

CHURCH MEMBER RECOVERING AFTER PASTOR THROWS CAPTAIN AMERICA SHIELD INTO THE CONGREGATION DALLAS—“I’m not sure what happened,” said pastor Billy Yates. “I guess I just got too excited.”

Yates was visibly shaken, head downcast, rubbing at the temples of his mask, after ill-advisedly hurling a Captain America shield into a crowd of people attending Open Door Church’s 11 a.m. worship service.

In an effort to connect with culture, the staff of Open Door Church plotted out an Avengers sermon series. This past Sunday, Yates preached in a spandex Captain America costume while throwing his shield up and down. Eventually, as Yates grew bolder, he sailed the metal shield into the crowd where, fortunately for people in the second row and beyond, it struck Tammy Sheldon’s head, which stopped its flight.

Sheldon was taken by SUV to General Hospital where, upon regaining consciousness and being told what had happened, she said, “My head hurts.”

Asked to elaborate, Sheldon replied, “Wait, what were we talking about?”

Longtime church member Eleanor Norbit, 77, was sitting next to Sheldon when the incident occurred.

“Billy’s costume was too tight,” she replied. “Too tight, too tight!”

When asked to describe the incident from her perspective, Norbit persisted: “I told you, his outfit was too tight. The world ain’t ready for spandex preachers!”

Out of an abundance of caution, church leaders have cancelled the remainder of the Avengers sermon series, and Yates was noticeably disappointed.

“One mistake,” he pouted. “Now I’ll never get to slam Thor’s hammer on the stage or ignite my Ironman jet pack boots.”

BOB RUSSELL AUDITIONS FOR THE ROLE OF BATMAN LOUISVILLE, KY—Move over Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck, there’s a new Caped Crusader coming to the big screen!

In a stunning turn of events, Bob Russell has taken a sabbatical from mentoring and preaching to audition for the role of a lifetime. Yes, you read that right. Bob Russell is trying out for the role of Batman.

If he’s selected to play the Dark

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Knight, he will do so in the upcoming Justice League sequel.

“You know, I’ve always thought I have a lot in common with Batman,” Bob commented as Judy, his wife, sat in the background doing a face-palm.

“We’re both men,” Bob explained. “We both have gadgets in our car, we both know Kung Fu, and we always wear black outfits.”

“I’m not really sure what to think,” said Dave Stone, Bob’s successor at Southeast Christian Church. “If anyone could pull it off, Bob could. I just hope he gets a good costume designer.”

Kyle Idleman, teaching pastor at Southeast, said he’s not a fan of the Batman movies.

“Bob needs more of an iconic role. Something like the Hulk or Baby Groot.”

The Southeast elders reportedly requested that Bob stop asking church members to dress up like the Joker and spar with him.

“Is that true, Bob?” a reporter asked, as the septuagenarian was leaving to train at the gym.

Russell’s expression turned serious, and he replied in a low and forceful tone: “I’m Batman.”  Caleb Kaltenbach is just kidding.

interact PARTNERS FOR GROWTH Thank you so much for the changes you have made. I was raised in a church that always had both The Lookout and Christian Standard available for people to pick up. When I became an adult, I ordered the Christian Standard for home delivery as the church I attended did not have either.

I recently ordered both and am so pleased with them. They are truly partners for the church and Christian growth. I am really enjoying The Lookout for my Bible study plan and hope to encourage others to use it as well.

Ruth Smith via email

I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the new Lookout—its repackaging, content, and the way it serves as a resource throughout the week. Thanks for stepping out and making the changes. Our adult Bible fellowship class decided this past June to take a break from [short-term] types of studies and switch to the Uniform Series material [in The Lookout], with both Mark Scott and Dave Faust providing insights each week. It’s very useful to me as one of the leaders of our class. Thanks much!

Rick Coyle via email

THE DOT This is interesting [“The DOT,” by Jerry Harris, p. 30, March 2018]. If you are targeting a 10-year group, which this implies, you are looking at only about 12 percent of the population. So there is a large group of unreached people you are ignoring. It also lobbies for targeting this “younger” age group at the expense of the older age group . . . so let those that did not come to Christ at an early age not be reached? But this would be about one-half of your 80 percent (based on your model).

Steve via website

I must respectfully take issue with your article entitled “The DOT.” . . . I suppose I’m sensitive to the issue at hand because I observe it so often. Since retirement I’ve preached in more than 120 different congregations ranging in size from 75 to 7,500 (some of them many times), have consulted with a number of others, and have visited yet many more. The healthiest churches I’ve observed are multigenerational churches where there is obviously something for everyone. For instance, Sunday we were . . . in a church of 3,000 or so [and] we saw millennials, baby boomers, and builders worshipping together in numbers representative of the area’s population. . . .

I share your heart for wanting to reach as many people as possible. And change will be constant in a healthy, evangelistic church. But I read nothing of targeted groups in the New Testament other than the lost outside the church and the underserved within. There are a few gifted leaders who can put into practice what you advocate in the article and make it work effectively. But . . . it is not right to destroy one healthy church in order to build another to the lead pastor’s liking. But that’s exactly what is happening all across the country. . . .

I have to mention one more thing. In our eagerness to reach the lost who are young, where is our concern for reaching the aged who are lost? Some of the most exciting conversions I’ve experienced up close and personal have been with the scores of people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s whom I’ve had the privilege of baptizing into Christ.

John Caldwell Plainfield, Indiana via email C H RIS T I AN STA N DAR D

Matt Larimer @mattlarimer, Terre Haute, Indiana

Thankfully many within the tradition are calling us back to our roots, especially @_JerryHarris with our flagship publication the @ChrStandard

Jeremy Gundling @JeremyGundling, Friendswood, Texas

Great read by @Tim_Liston about the Church doing Church things [“Beauty Out of the Storm”]. I love this man’s heart and passion for people. https://t.co/pDCtope1uG

BEAUTY OUT OF THE STORM Thanks to all the churches that gave to make this possible [“Beauty Out of the Storm,” by Tim Liston, p. 44, February 2018]. I’m sure it was a humbling experience for pastor Tim to receive the donations; but he’s such a giver, he knew it was going to help several families. I am proud to say he’s my pastor and proud of New Hope Church volunteers in their efforts to help the families affected by Hurricane Harvey.

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RACIAL RECONCILIATION AND HEALING Awesome story [“Marshall Keeble and What He Taught Me,” by Jerry Harris, p. 28, February 2018], and thank you Christian Standard for telling another side of the story. May we continue to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

David Lamar Johnson Charleston, South Carolina via Facebook Someone should look into similar efforts and results [as Keeble] by Ozark Christian College alumnus Eldon Potts. For approximately 30 years Eldon and Sue Potts’s ministry, Christ to the Nations, has supported Filipino preachers and churches resulting in Christian schools and undoubtedly thousands of people finding Christ. Eldon and Sue are extremely humble and quiet people, but their work is impressive.

By supporting Filipino pastors, the footprint of churches is much larger than it would be if it were supporting missionaries, as the locals don’t require what is needed for missionaries.

Let me make this clear, this is not a criticism of missionaries, as there are reasonable reasons it costs more to have a missionary on the ground in a foreign land.

George Williams via Facebook Let the healing begin with us! [“Leading in the Direction of Unity,” by Alan Stein, p. 22, February 2018].

Dennis Free via Facebook I have been enjoying the new look of Christian Standard and have appreciated the informative and inspirational articles about what is happening in our brotherhood.

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I have read with interest about efforts of racial reconciliation and the small percentage of churches that are multicultural [see the February issue]. Our daughter and her family attend Relentless Church, a multicultural church in Raleigh, North Carolina. . . . They are doing on earth what we have envisioned the church to be in Heaven.

John T. Hannum Anderson, Indiana via email

FINDING JOY Having been close to this family since “dating days,” I can affirm Rachel’s words [“Finding Joy in Marriage and Ministry,” by Rachel and David Dummitt, p. 7, February 2018]! It has been great to stand to the side and watch them grow. Wow! Rick Shonkwiler via website

Give us your

feedback! /ChristianStandardMagazine @ChrStandard @christianstandardmagazine Cs@ChristianStandardMedia.com 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.”

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A PA S S OVER MEAL TO R EM E MBER

BY RICK CHROMEY Rick Chromey is president of MANNA! Educational Services International (www.mannasolutions.org) in Meridian, Idaho.

It’s so easy to forget.

Most often our memory fades with time. We forget how we felt. We forget details and even reasons.

Our memory of something can become jaded, biased, foggy, or lost.

Sometimes our memory is damaged by age. It’s not that we want to forget, but rather, we simply can’t remember.

God understands the peril of human forgetfulness. Our minds sometimes need a little jogging through a metaphor, object lesson, or visual cue. Sometimes we need to re-create the experience.

The ancient Passover meal was something God used to remind the Israelites of their Egyptian exodus.

He never wanted them to forget the feelings, overlook details, or grow foggy about the reasons. In Exodus 12, God gave specific instructions for how to participate in the Passover.

It was a meal of unleavened bread, roasted lamb, and bitter herbs. No food could be left till morning. They were to dine quickly, dressed to travel with staff in hand.

The Passover commemorated the “passing over” of the death angel who intended to kill every firstborn of man and beast. The Israelites were saved from this destruction only if they swabbed their doorframes with

blood. It was a lasting ordinance, still practiced by Jews to this day. Every Jewish child still asks the question of Exodus 12:26: “What does this ceremony mean?” And to this day Jewish parents recount the story of salvation.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper during this sacred Passover meal. And to this day, we also should be prepared to explain “what this ceremony means” to our children. This bread remains unleavened, just like the Passover bread, and symbolizes the body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His blood, represented in this cup that carries the “fruit of the vine” or grape juice, covers the doorframes of our souls to deliver us from death.

From a human view, this wafer of bread and tiny glass of juice seem insignificant, but from God’s perspective it’s an everlasting memorial to remind us why we are Christians. Jesus is the firstborn of God who died. He is our lamb and his blood is our freedom from slavery to sin.

So as we participate in this memorial meal today, let us never forget the body given and the blood poured out so that we might live free and forever. 

Rick Chromey has written three more Communion Meditations specifically for use in May. See a new one posted each Tuesday at ChristianStandard.com.

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