The Record sent a handful of questions to each nominee for moderator of the 2014 General Assembly. They took some time during the busy Advent season to respond by email. Here are Rev. Calvin Brown’s responses in full.
Presbyterian Record: First, tell me a little about yourself. How did you end up in the church? How do you think you came to be where you are now?
Calvin Brown: I came to the church before I was conscious of making decisions. I am what we call a Covenant child, I was enrolled as child of God when through baptism my parents claimed the promise of adoption revealed in the scripture. I grew in faith in a Christ centred church and matured through the ministry of IVCF [Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship] during my university years. It was during a faith crisis that I realized the irrevocable call of God to a teaching ministry. The faithfulness of God in a variety of circumstances has stretched, challenged and help me to mature in the years since.
PR: Are you thinking about focusing on a particular theme if you are elected moderator?
CB: The theme that has always gripped me is Being a People of Bold Integrity. I think that is both our heritage and our destiny and it is what we most need to put into practice now to ensure a faithful future in God’s kingdom work.
PR: Each of us is called to ministry, and there are many types of ministry and many issues and people that touch our hearts. What would you say is the ministry that is closest to your heart?
CB: The ministry closest to my heart is to be an Ambassador of Christ. Although I often fail my heart’s desire is to see people reconciled to God and one another in Christ’s kingdom of Righteousness. Representing that fairly, consistently, and well is the most wonder filled and challenging task in the world.
PR: What would you say is your passion?
CB: My passion is to see the Presbyterian Church and the whole Christian church vigorous and healthy by fulfilling Christ’s mandate described in Luke 4:17-19 .
PR: During the past few assemblies, there was a lot of talk about the vision and mission of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. What would you say is your vision for the church?
CB:John Knox, our forebear, once prayed: “Give me Scotland or I die.” My vision is that each Canadian Presbyterian would pray in a similar fashion for the transformation of our nation.
PR: If you had the opportunity to say something to the church, what would you tell them?
CB: Our thriving depends not on conforming to what people think is right but in living out the abundant life Jesus in His Spirit came to give. This life draws all who want to be fully alive and will humble themselves to imitate Him. Joshua calls God’s people to be Strong and very Courageous! That is what we need to be.
PR: Anything else you’d like to add?
At the University of Chicago during his lecture tour of the U.S. in 1962 Karl Barth, during the Q & A time, was asked by a student if he could summarize his whole life’s work in theology in a sentence. Barth said something like “Yes, I can. In the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’
I also learned that song at my mother’s knee as have many who read this and most of us who have travelled through ‘many dangers , toils and snares” in life understand it not as simplistic but as the profoundest truth describing both our theology and our relationship to the Almighty. Never let anyone make you ashamed of this basic truth.
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Meet the 2014 Moderator Nominees
Meet a Moderator Nominee: Stephen Farris
Meet a Moderator Nominee: Stewart Folster
