Our mission: To inform, An international inspire and unite newspaper Vol. 68, No. 2 | February 2011 for Churches of Christ TRENDS IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Rising enrollments fueled by graduates BY BOBBY ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE northeast of Little Rock. In the past 25 years, though, SEARCY, Ark. — In a tough job graduate programs have market, Ashton Reely decided helped fuel hefty enrollment to give herself an edge. increases at Harding, Lipscomb After earning a bachelor’s University in Nashville, Tenn., degree in journalism, Reely and a number of other Christian stayed at Harding universities, a survey by The University to pur- Christian Chronicle found. sue a master of “Part of it is the need. The business adminis- market has indicated that there’s tration degree. a need for those programs,” While her said Jim Carr, Harding’s execu- graduate work tive vice president, interviewed ELLIOT JONES did not require in the university’s American Bible classes Heritage Center, an educational In Michigan, students put the semester on ice Reely or daily chapel and dining facility that has Blaze Leszczynski and David Ciciora, students at Rochester College in Michigan, take a break from finals week and play attendance, the faith-based undergone millions of dollars hockey on frozen Lake Norcentra. The Rochester Hills, Mich., college is associated with Churches of Christ. nature of Harding still played a in renovations to keep up with significant role, she said. growth. “But secondly, we’re “Business ethics were taught almost at current capacity at the with a foundation in Christ’s undergraduate level.” For trailer park ministry, God’s love is double-wide teachings, and servant leader- In 1985, few higher-education ship in the workplace was institutions associated with BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE Instead, he wears jeans and a blue knit emphasized,” said Reely, 24, Churches of Christ awarded shirt as he works in a converted double- who grew up in the Seventh master’s degrees, much less GEORGETOWN, Texas — Jonathan Holland wide trailer known as the Riverside and Mueller Church of Christ in doctorates. knew he wanted to do mission work. Resource Center, launched as an outreach Paragould, Ark. Notable exceptions included “But I didn’t realize it was going to be of the Georgetown Church of Christ. A quarter-century ago, Pepperdine University in here in Georgetown and that I was going Holland’s mission field is a trailer park. Harding drew primarily under- Malibu, Calif., and Abilene to live in my house and not have to run “Adios! Hasta luego! Be nice!” the graduate students to its small- Christian University in Texas. around the backwoods in a loincloth,” he former children’s minister for the town campus about 45 miles See GRADUATES, Page 12 says with a laugh. See COMMUNITY CENTER, Page 15 Holland BOX 11000 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73136-1100 INDEX CALENDAR .....................29 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG. CURRENTS .....................17 U.S. POSTAGE PAID INSIGHT .........................34 OKLAHOMA CITY OK INTERNATIONAL ..............9 PERMIT # 276 NATIONAL ........................5 Book learning LETTERS ........................31 Razorback OPINION ........................30 redemption Spills and thrills Steven Yeakley on the vital PARTNERS .....................25 The faith of Arkansas football Motocross champion uses his role of education ministry PEOPLE ..........................28 standout D.J. Williams. 18 talents for God’s glory. 17 in churches. 23 REVIEWS .......................32 Winner of eight ‘Best of the Christian Press’ awards, 2010 | Breaking news, exclusives at www.christianchronicle.org | (405) 425-5070 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 2011 The Bible Deliveries Have Begun! We asked Churches of Christ and interested individuals to Eastern Europe, continue to have a hunger and acceptance provide $1,000,000 collectively to put Bibles and Biblical for the Bible, and we will continue to provide Bibles and literature in 1,063 schools in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and Ivano- Biblical literature to them, free of charge. We want to be Frankivsk, Ukraine. The $1,000,000 Sunday, for this effort, was faithful to this calling and can only do this with your help. If held on October 31, 2010, and we are glad to announce that you’d like to participate in other efforts, please contact us for our goal has been met and the Bible deliveries have begun. more information. Thank you. In fact “thanks a million” for your trust and October 31, 2010 support in partnering with us in these efforts. It is because of your active support that we are able to confidently say “yes” to these incredible opportunities and respond quickly, as in the Saki region in Crimea, Ukraine, chronicled last month. Word of our efforts has spread and others are already asking for Bibles for their schools. As such, we are in discussion with additional regions to place Bibles and Biblical literature in their public schools. The people of Ukraine, Russia and 1-800-486-1818 · www.milliondollarsunday.org FEBRUARY 2011 THE SECOND FRONT THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 Secularized In flood-ravaged Canada faces Panama, churches challenges struggle to give aid ver roasted chicken at BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE Swiss Chalet, a popular OCanadian eatery, a group Record rainfall in the Central American of young Christians and I nation of Panama claimed at least 10 lives, discussed taking the church destroyed more than 2,500 homes and outside its comfortable, air- ruined crops, according to news reports. conditioned walls. Among the hardest-hit regions is The tasty Darien, an impoverished province in Inside Story lunch — eastern Panama that borders Colombia. and meaty Floodwaters completely submerged villages, discussion said Jose Calderon, minister — occurred for a Church of Christ in during a 2009 Sanson, a town in Darien. reporting trip Lisa Carter and other that I made to church members are over- the Toronto seeing food distribution area. in the eastern jungles of One of Darien, said Kim Rowell of Bobby Ross Jr. the young PHOTOS PROVIDED BY GRANBUry INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Panamis, a church-supported Calderon Christians Leta Andrews speaks after setting the national record for wins by a high school basketball coach. nonprofit. The church mem- gathered around the table bers had to travel to some of was Nathan Pickard, the affected areas by pirogue preaching minister of the — 40-foot long, dug-out Newmarket Church of canoes, Rowell said. Christ, north of Toronto. Four church members Pickard talked about how A Lady Pirate’s life with Panama Missions, a his congregation’s mindset ministry of the Childersberg had changed. TEXAS CHURCH MEMBER is the winningest basketball coach in U.S. history. Church of Christ in “When I went there five Alabama, were in Darien Brady years ago, it was very much GRANBURY, Texas Andrews and her husband, David, are distributing gift boxes to a church where we kind of hen the final seconds ticked off the dedicated members of the Granbury children through the ministry’s annual sat there and said, ‘Let the scoreboard, the Granbury Pirates lifted church, minister John Knox told The Operation Christmas Joy program. world come to us,’” he said. Wtheir coach, Leta Andrews, in celebra- Christian Chronicle. “Instead of smiling faces of eager chil- But one day at Tim tion and carried her to midcourt. “Leta is an amazing Christian lady, whom dren, we found ... a desperate situation,” Hortons — Canada’s version Though the team’s 62-43 win over we hold in very high esteem,” Knox said. said Larry Brady, the ministry’s founder of Starbucks, only with better Midlothian was impressive, the reason for Andrews, 72, is known as a no-nonsense and director. “In fact, it was the worst doughnuts — it struck the the celebration was another number — coach who makes her players say “yes, situation I have experienced in my 26 years 20-something minister that 1,334 career victories for Andrews. ma’am” and “no, ma’am” and scolds them in Panama.” no one knew his name or The coach already held the record for if she thinks they’re too distracted with The team went to the nearest town and anything about the church. most high school girls coaching wins in the boyfriends, The Associated Press reported. bought food and water for about 70 families. The church was in the nation, according to the National Federation And after each game, she washes the Heavy rains followed the church members neighborhood but not of State High School Associations. team’s uniforms. to Torti, just west of Darien. The team was engaged with it. Pickard and With her 1,334th win, Andrews — a trapped in Torti as the floodwaters rose. other church members set member of the Granbury Church of Christ “As people affected by the flooding out to change that. — passed the overall mark for most high poured into Torti, we worked with the local I thought about Pickard — school wins set by boys coach Robert church to provide as much water, food and and our other precious broth- Hughes in nearby Fort Worth. clothing as we could,” Brady said. ers and sisters north of the After the game, Andrews told the The Panamanian government evacuated 49th parallel — when I read cheering crowd that she has “the best job the church members and some Peace a recent series on Canada’s of anybody in the world,” the Fort Worth Corps workers by boat, returning them rapid march to secularization. Star-Telegram reported. Andrews has to the capital, Panama City. Brady plans to The Globe and Mail, a lead- coached basketball for nearly 50 years and return to Panama with more aid. ing national newspaper, paint- once played for the Lady Pirates. ed a stark portrait of declining “Being a Lady Pirate myself, I appreciate Leta Andrews and her team stand in front of a TO contribUTE, contact the Childersburg church at (256) 378- See CANADA, Page 4 the town and the people,” she said.