LEXINGTON, Ky. — For the fifth time in the past six years, the Evangelical Press Association has recognized The Christian Chronicle with its first-place Award of Excellence for print newspapers. The professional organization also honored the Chronicle’s website with its top prize for newspaper-online news. In all, the Oklahoma City-based international newspaper for Churches of Christ earned nine awards from the EPA, which announced the winners at its annual convention in Kentucky this week. The Evangelical Press Association honored The Christian Chronicle with its top award for print newspape ..read more

Samuel Smith, president of York University in Nebraska, will become the eighth president of Mount Dora Christian Academy and Children’s Home in Florida, the academy announced last week. Both organizations are associated with Churches of Christ. Samuel Smith Smith said he hopes to fulfill Paul’s command in Ephesians 5:1 in the new role: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.” “I desire to see our entire campus committed to imitating God,” he added in a news release, “in the classroom, on the field, in the arts, in our relationships, and throughout our community to give our ..read more

PITTSBURGH — Bobby Ross Jr., editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle, received the nation’s top award for religion feature writing at a ceremony Saturday night at the Andy Warhol Museum. The Religion News Association presented Ross with the Supple Award for Feature Writing during its 75th anniversary convention in Pittsburgh. Jodi Rudoren, editor-in-chief of The Forward, a leading publication for American Jews, won second place. Ruth Graham, the Dallas-based religion reporter for the New York Times, earned third place. Bobby Ross Jr. at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, where he receiv ..read more

OKLAHOMA CITY — My parents must be so proud. I’ve finally arrived. That’s right: I’ve reached cartoon status in an international Christian newspaper. Over the past 19 years, I’ve written more than 150 Inside Story columns for The Christian Chronicle. Readers have become accustomed to seeing my mugshot on Page 3. “You look just like your picture in the paper,” I’ve heard repeatedly in my reporting travels. Bobby Ross Jr. But now my photo is gone — replaced with a professional artist’s rendering of my, um, interesting face. My first reaction was: Is that what I really look like? My wife, Tamie ..read more

OKLAHOMA CITY — Every tree has a story, said Ron Vega. But two trees that stand side by side on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University carry in their branches stories of hope after unimaginable twin tragedies. An offspring of the American Elm that survived the Oklahoma City bombing stands next to a tree that grew from a cutting of a pear tree that survived the World Trade Center attack of 9/11 on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University. The flags of Oklahoma, the U.S. and New York wave in the blustery north wind as the university’s chancellor, John deSteiguer, speaks at the groundbre ..read more

DALLAS — When five young men took the stage at this year’s North Texas Leadership Training for Christ conference, they brought the audience to its feet. The quintet delivered a powerful rendition of the spiritual “Steal Away to Jesus” and an upbeat, barbershop-style version of the classic hymn “Wonderful Grace of Jesus.” They performed in the small chorus/vocal group category on Saturday. The conference’s organizers asked them to reprise their performance during the Sunday morning talent showcase that precedes worship in the ballroom of the Hilton Anatole. For all of us in the Sunday morning ..read more

Evie is a Watcher from the room beyond reality: the Control Room. Her restlessness grows when, from the realm of humans she is observing, a young man catches her attention. From the immortal life she leads in the Control Room to walking the human realm alongside the boy, she has to make a choice that will lead her down two distinct paths. Will she do what’s asked of her? Or what is right? Sara Watterson. “This Dreamer (The Chronicles of the Marked).” Inevah Press. 2022. 354 pages. $12.99. Sara Watterson’s “This Dreamer” is a wonderful experience to live through and tells a rather daring stor ..read more

Minister O.J. Shabazz with the Harlem Church of Christ in New York City recently spoke to The Christian Chronicle Podcast about the practical wisdom he shares in his book “Excellence in Ministry: A Guide to Protocols and Etiquette for Church Leaders.” Following are excerpts of that interview from Episode 55, which have been lightly edited for clarity and style. How do you define minister for the purpose of the book and for the conversation that we’re having today? I fundamentally define “minister” as a servant, as a “doulos” (Greek for “bond-servant”), a slave to Jesus Christ. The minister is ..read more

Around the World is our monthly rundown of news briefs, links and quotes from Churches of Christ all over the globe. Got an idea for this column? Email Erik Tryggestad at erik@christianchronicle.org. CROATIA CRIKVENICA — More than 100 people met on the coast of this Central European nation for a spring camp hosted by the Varaždin Church of Christ and the Next Generation for Christ ministry.  Christians from Fairfax, Va., and Liberty, Mo., helped to coordinate the camp, as did Next Generation representatives from the United Kingdom (Mark Hill) and Eastern Europe (Joel Petty). Refugees ..read more

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY — A few years ago, a Church of Christ in this South American capital made the agonizing decision to sell its historic building and move into a smaller space. The old facility was just too large for the small, aging congregation to maintain. The El Chaná coffee building in Montevideo once was home to a growing Church of Christ. One of the missionaries instrumental in purchasing the old building was Dan Coker, a towering figure in Latin American missions with a doctorate in anthropology and a booming voice. Coker envisioned the building as the future home of a Christian uni ..read more