By Jim Lyon
Embracing the gospel of the kingdom has often been reduced to a simple and straightforward decision—a climactic choice “to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.” To be “saved” (and persuade others to become so) has pervasively been the focused target of much of American Christianity. Sometimes, this ambition has emphasized “church membership,” baptism, or an “altar call” as the end game. Continue reading
Comments Off on Regional Conventions 2020: The Way of Jesus
Posted in All Church of God, Church of God Convention
Tagged California, Church of God Regional Convention, Indiana, Jim Lyon, New York, Regional Conventions 2020, regionals, The Way of Jesus
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has awarded accreditation for both electrical engineering and computer engineering at Anderson University. ABET marked that the programs have no deficiencies or weaknesses. AU is now the only school within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) in the Midwest to have ABET-accredited programs in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. Continue reading
Comments Off on AU Becomes Only Midwest CCCU School with Accredited Engineering Programs
Posted in All Church of God, Colleges & Universities
Tagged accreditation, accredited, Anderson, Anderson University, AU, CCCU, Chad Wallace, Christian higher education, computer enginerring, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, distinction, engineering, higher education, IN, Indiana, John Millis, Midwest
Dwight L. Dye
By Carl Stagner
Christians Broadcasting Hope makes it possible for the hope of Jesus to be heard in Arabic, Creole, English, French, Portuguese, Hindi and Odia, Spanish, and Swahili. Today the Church of God owes a debt of gratitude to Dwight L. Dye, for it was under his executive leadership of CBH from 1984 to 1995 that the ministry swelled to include a total of eight different languages among its broadcasts. Dwight’s global reach was matched only by his local impact, though, through his service as a highly influential pastor of Church of God congregations in Oklahoma and Indiana. Though he passed away this year, his legacy of love calls us to exhibit Christ in like manner—whether over the airwaves, online, or face to face. Continue reading
Comments Off on A Tribute to Dwight L. Dye
Posted in All Church of God, CBH: Christians Broadcasting Hope
Tagged Anderson, Anderson University, broadcast, CBH, Christian Brotherhood Hour, Christians Broadcasting Hope, church, Crossings Community Church, Dwight Dye, Dwight L. Dye, East Side Church of God, funeral, global, IN, Indiana, Jim Lyon, John Walters, local, memorial, memorial service, memorial tree, missions, obituary, OK, OKC, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, pastor, pastoral, radio, reach, tribute, Warner University, Westridge Hills Church of God
Josh Wagner (left); Keith Spencer (right).
By Carl Stagner
Two are better than one, especially when it comes to church planting. Perhaps nowhere is this more abundantly clear than at United City Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Josh Wagner and Keith Spencer share the pastoral responsibility. Yes, one pastor is white and one is black, and this is intentional—they’ve set out to be a diverse congregation; leadership must reflect the congregation they want to be. But it’s not a forced partnership. A common mission binds the dynamic duo, and they don’t just love each other with the love of Christ—they like each other! By learning each other’s strengths, passions, and gifts, they’ve discovered how to maximize their unusual but effective leadership for the glory of God and the betterment of their city. Continue reading
Comments Off on Pastors Partner to Plant Urban Church, Reach Diverse Demographic
Posted in All Church of God
Tagged Anderson University Chorale, Ann Brandon, Camp Warren, church multiplication, church plant, church planter, church planters, church planting, dechurched, demographics, diverse, diversity, friendship, IL, Illinois, IN, Indiana, Indiana Ministries, Indianapolis, Josh Wagner, Keith Spencer, multi-ethnic, multicultural, multiethnic, multiplication, Nonni Wagner, partnership, serve groups, social groups, soul groups, team, unchurched, United City Church, unity
Back-to-school haircut at Bedford First Church of God.
By Carl Stagner
Teachers making final preparations for their classes, students dreading the end of summer, parents adjusting to new routines, and school buses on the streets again (drivers, be careful!)—it can only mean one thing: it’s that time of year again! School is back in session or will begin again soon across much of the country, signaling a community-wide shift from one season to the next. Sometimes that shift can be anything but smooth for families, just as it can be for teachers, administrators, and staff. We celebrate the Church of God congregations across the country that recognize the need and do what they can to meet the need. School supply drives, special prayer gatherings, and “back-to-school bashes” are just a few of the ways numerous congregations are coming alongside schools and families as the fall semester dawns. Continue reading
Comments Off on Churches Bless Schools, Families as Fall Semester Dawns
Posted in All Church of God, Give Life
Tagged Arizona, AZ, Back to School, Back to School bash, Bedford, Bedford First Church of God, Clayton, Clio, community, Community Church of God, creative, Dayton, education, faculty, families, family, Greg Battle, haircuts, Hopeland Church, IN, Indiana, innovative, MI, Michigan, Mountain Park Church, Mountain Park Community Church, OH, Ohio, outreach, Pendleton, Pendleton Community Church of God, Phoenix, prayer, Ryan Kellam, Salem Church of God, school, schools, service projects, summer, supplies, teachers, vacation
As First Church grows, they don’t forget to have fun together!
In the summer of 2016, First Church of God in Marion, Indiana, found themselves without a pastor. With only forty folks on average in attendance on Sunday mornings, they weren’t sure how to move forward. Determined not to give up on the mission they believed God was calling them to in their community, they sought a bi-vocational minister who could lead them in a restart. By September, they found just the pastor God had intended for them. Continue reading
Comments Off on Unstuck and Unleashed: Small Indiana Church Thinks Big
Posted in All Church of God, Great Lakes
Tagged associate pastor, bivocational, church growth, church health, community, direction, elder board, feature, First Church of God, IN, Indiana, Jonathan Secrest, lead pastor, Marion, ministry experience, ministry journey, mission, New Life, purpose, renewal, restart, revival, Scott Depot, senior pastor, story, team leadership, Teays Valley Church of God, turnaround, vision, West Virginia, WV, youth leader, youth ministry, youth pastor
Dayton-area home damaged by tornado (photo courtesy Chris Hall).
By Carl Stagner
UPDATE, as of May 31, 11:15 AM EDT: As floodwaters continue to devastate parts of Oklahoma, Church of God Ministries has authorized $5,000 in relief funds to be sent to aid relief efforts in coordination with Crossings Community Church (Oklahoma City) and First Church of God (Nowata, Oklahoma). Wendell Abbott, pastor in Nowata, reports that the need is great and most homeowners do not have flood insurance. The emergency manager for the county is also a part of the Nowata congregation and the church has become a staging facility for the Red Cross. In Muskogee, also inundated, Pastor Gary Underwood of Eastside Community Church is helping flood victims in a variety of ways, including gathering hay for farm animals. While the story continues to develop, we rejoice that great things are happening through the Church of God in Oklahoma in the name of Jesus! To continue to distribute disaster relief funds, we need your financial support: www.jesusisthesubject.org/disaster-relief.
UPDATE, as of May 30, 3:55 PM EDT: Kevin Clouse, of Oklahoma Church of God Ministries, has reported that no Church of God buildings have been damaged from recent storms and flooding. One pastor’s rented house sustained some roof damage, and some churches are hard to reach due to flooded roads. Of course, numerous homes and churches beyond the Movement have been damaged or destroyed, and we continue to lift in prayer those affected, including Church of God congregations engaging in relief efforts for their communities.
ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT: It’s been a rough few weeks from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania and states in between. While weather records reveal an average of 276 tornadoes nationwide during the month of May, as of May 29, more than 460 tornadoes had been reported. While much of the media has focused its attention on the dramatic destruction of structures due to recent tornadic activity, parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri remain underwater. Church of God congregations near and far from the affected regions have already mobilized work teams, supply drives, and represented Jesus in tangible ways, but there is so much more to be done. Church of God Disaster Relief continues to gather information and determine the scope of the affect of such severe weather on our churches and congregants. Continue reading
Comments Off on Tornadoes, Flooding Wreak Havoc Across Plains, Midwest
Posted in All Church of God, Disaster Relief, Give Life
Tagged aid, assistance, community, Craig, Dayton, Disaster Relief, Disaster Relief Team, DRC, flood, flooding, floods, Gary Underwood, Give Life, help, humanitarian, IN, Indiana, Jefferson City, Jesus B., JesusB, John Johnson, Kansas, Kentucky, KS, KY, Midwest, Missouri, MO, Muskogee, OH, Ohio, OK, Oklahoma, outreach, PA, Pendleton, Pennsylvania, relief, severe, storm, tornado, tornadoes, volunteer, weather
Victory Lane Camp is about building community in Jesus’ name.
By Carl Stagner
“No family should have to raise their children facing disabilities alone.” That’s the premise of Victory Lane Camp, a parachurch ministry in New Castle, Indiana, founded by Brett Fischer. Brett and his family, who have called South Memorial Drive Church of God their home church since 1999, have experienced life’s ups and downs while brothers and sisters in Christ came alongside. When Brett felt God call him to start a camp ministry that would reach the whole family of children with disabilities, the church was there to provide prayerful and financial support—support which continues to this day. Victory Lane Camp didn’t just drop out of thin air; a series of dots had to connect to bring to life one of the most life-giving parachurch ministries anywhere. Behind the life change, the baptisms, the marriages restored, and the children transformed is a God who has called and equipped Christ-centered laypeople for the task. Continue reading
Comments Off on Layperson Launches, Leads Ministry for Families of Children with Disabilities
Posted in All Church of God, Great Lakes
Tagged Brett Fischer, children, community, disabilities, disability, disabled, families, Give Life, IN, Indiana, kids, lay leaders, layman, laypeople, layperson, New Castle, South Memorial Drive Church of God, special needs, Victory Lane Camp, VLC
Tom Planck leading a CHOG conference at Exponential 2019.
By Carl Stagner
We’re simply not keeping up. Statistics show 4,000 churches are planted each year in the United States and 3,700 churches close. That leaves a gain of only three hundred churches. The overall population continues to rise, while the number of churches to reach people with the gospel lags behind. Perhaps now, more than ever, it’s time to change the conversation on church planting. That’s precisely what Tom Planck and Healthy Growing Churches are doing. The Church of God pastor and church planter is now actively pouring into the hearts of churches and regions to reverse a trend through basic math—multiplication. The numbers are starting to turn in their favor, as multiplication in the Midwest has captured fresh interest and mobilized existing churches like never before. Continue reading
Comments Off on Multiplication in the Midwest Changing the Conversation on Church Planting
Posted in All Church of God
Tagged church growth, church multiplication, church planter, church planting, coaching, Crossroads 37, disciple-making, discipleship, discipling, evangelism, expansion, Greg Weins, Healthy Growing Churches, HGC, Indiana, Indiana Ministries, mentoring, Michigan, Midwest, multi-site, multiplication, Ohio, partnership, regional pastors, relaunch, reproduction, Tom Planck
By Tom Planck and Israel Munguia
The story of the community surrounding Westlake Church of God on the west side of Indianapolis, Indiana, is familiar to many churches across the state. The culture has vastly changed over the past several years. A once mostly Caucasian community has now shifted to include a large population of African American and Hispanic people. Continue reading
Comments Off on Hispanic Church Coming Soon to West Side of Indianapolis
Posted in All Church of God, Great Lakes
Tagged church planters, church planting, Concilio Hispano, cross-cultural, discipleship, Healthy Growing Churches, Hispanic, Hispanic church, Hispanic Council, IN, Indiana, Indiana Ministries, Indianapolis, Israel Munguia, language, Midwest, multicultural, multiplication, Robin Munguia, Tom Planck, West Side, Westlake Church of God
The crowded entryway of County Line’s new campus church.
By Carl Stagner
Nate Tatman had no idea how pivotal that moment would be. He’d been in the office of Indiana Ministries when something caught his attention. The map of the state on the wall wasn’t anything new; he remembered seeing it before. But what he hadn’t noticed was the distribution of push pins on the map, which indicated counties that did not have a Church of God congregation. In particular, he noticed this time that there were thirty-seven counties in total with no Church of God congregation. And that’s when things began to get interesting. Continue reading
Comments Off on At the Crossroads: Indiana Churches Initiate Plan to Multiply
Posted in All Church of God, Give Life, Great Lakes
Tagged advancement, Auburn, campus church, church multiplication, church planting, County Line Church of God, Crossroads 37, discipleship, Doug Talley, Europe X, evangelism, Garrett, Global Strategy, grassroots, Great Commission, Healthy Growing Churches, IN, Indiana, Indiana Ministries, Marcia Weller, Midwest, mission, missional, multiply, Nate Tatman, Nathan Tatman, satellite campus, Stu Kruse, Stuart Kruse, Three Worlds, vision
By Phyllis Kardatzke Miller
When a person is confronted with the claims of Jesus on his life, he makes a choice—he either accepts or rejects. There is no gray area in between of “tabling for future reference.” After seeing there is one way (and a very narrow way it is!), the person who understands that God is calling him to repentance and consciously takes the truth “under advisement” is choosing not to believe, and seeking his own approach to God. Continue reading
Comments Off on From the Archives: Now I Am Truly Free
Posted in All Church of God
Tagged Anderson, conversion, editorial, freedom, From the Archives, history, IN, Indiana, intellect, intellectual, liberty, library, Park Place Church of God, Phyllis Kardatzke Miller, rational, reasoning, salvation, searching, seeker, seeking, testimony, thinking, Vital Christianity
Students worshiping the Lord at 3SLI.
By Carl Stagner
IYC and state youth conventions do a tremendous job inspiring students to come to Christ, to rededicate their lives to the Lord, and to accept the unique call God has placed on their lives. Most of the students leave these mountain-top experiences having experienced life change to one degree or another, but some also leave recognizing God has called them to lead. Just after the turn of the new century, several youth pastors from the Midwest came together to identify the best way to prepare such students for lifelong Christ-centered leadership. In 2003, 3SLI (then the Tri-State Student Leadership Institute, now Tri-Level) was launched to serve students in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. When West Virginia was added, the name 3SLI didn’t change—and neither did its resolve to come alongside emerging leaders. Continue reading
Comments Off on Youth Pastors, Regions Unite to Prepare Students for Christ-Centered Leadership
Posted in All Church of God, Leadership Development, Youth Ministries
Tagged 3SLI, Cincinnati, discipleship, emerging leaders, high school, IN, Indiana, Indiana Ministries, IYC, Kentucky, KY, leadership development, mentoring, OH, Ohio, students, Tami Byrd, Tim Jones, Tri-Level Student Leadership Institute, West Virginia, WV, youth conventions, youth ministries
Handel Smith with Paul, sub-contractor for the church’s affordable homes ministry.
By Carl Stagner
Church of God Ministries staff are known for their roles they play in the collective work of the Movement. But among those who report to “base camp” day after day are individuals who are very active in their local churches. Some are Sunday school teachers, board members, worship leaders, associate pastors, and senior pastors. Others are laypeople who volunteer and get involved in numerous initiatives and projects at the local church level. When Handel Smith accepted the call to fill an executive leadership position at Church of God Ministries in Anderson, Indiana, he accepted a massive portfolio—oversight of the Movement’s influence and impact in the United States and Canada. His ministry Monday through Saturday—and countless Sundays, too—is extensive and expansive. Though a faithful attender of one of the Anderson-area churches when at home, it soon became apparent that he’d received a special leadership assignment that would both bring God glory and give life to a life-giving soul. Continue reading
Comments Off on Church Pastored by CHOG Ministries’ Handel Smith Celebrates Urban Ministry Renewal
Posted in All Church of God, Give Life, Great Lakes
Tagged addictions, Anderson, base camp, blight, Celebration Church at Arrow Heights, CHOG Ministries, Church of God Ministries, city, community, decline, deliverance, evangelism, Handel Smith, IN, Indiana, metropolitan, Micah Merritt, multicultural, multiethnic, Nancy Jordan, outreach, salvation, Sharon Montgomery, staff, strategy, testimony, transformation, turnaround, urban ministry, urban missions, vision
Zealand leading students in worship at IYC2018.
By Carl Stagner
For the first time since 1980, Indianapolis, Indiana, was home to the International Youth Convention of the Church of God. Reflecting the local racing culture, the 51st pinnacle of youth ministry experiences capitalized on its proximity to the iconic motor speedway, with four days designed to put students on track for the race of a lifetime. Inspiring worship, top-notch speakers, dozens of breakout sessions, a 5K to support the fight against trafficking, and a day devoted to community service combined to create moments of lasting life change. Those moments may have passed, but eternity—brighter than ever before—lies ahead. The life change continues as four thousand students and youth leaders, who embraced life at IYC2018, return home to give life to their families, schools, churches, and across their communities. Continue reading
Comments Off on IYC2018 Puts Students On Track for Life
Posted in All Church of God, IYC: International Youth Convention, Youth Ministries
Tagged 5K For Freedom, 5K4Freedom, CHOG TraffickLight, Impact Indianapolis, Impact Indy, IN, Indiana, Indianapolis, International Youth Convention of the Church of God, IYC, IYC Indy, IYC2018, IYCindy, life change, Spread the Word, student ministries, students, teenagers, younger generation, youth, youth ministry
