Kingdom Cottage
When you have a cottage on an island you learn quickly never to call an expert to fix something you might be able to fix yourself.
Faith
Experiencing General Assembly
One of the best things about General Assembly is the opportunity to connect with Presbyterians from across the country.
Do We Trust God?
It’s one thing to say that we trust God; it’s another to actually live in that trust.
Days of the King
The tale of King David, Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite is the stuff soap opera is made of.
A Sign of the Times
It’s an exciting time to be the church these days. Our loquacious God is always speaking and always on the move.
Authentic Community
We all had the sense this year that we were part of the early stages of an historic moment in our church, no matter what is decided in the future.
Service and Witness
The church in Taiwan maintains the missionary zeal of its founders.
Who Wants a King?
Read the books of Samuel and make your own choices. Some things the lectionary leaves out are important.
Throwback Sundays
I’ve wondered lately whether in our leadership preparation for Christ’s Church we are in danger of creating TBS, Throwback Sundays.
Co-dependent Clergy
This is not the first time we have addressed clergy health. Six years ago our award-winning cover story, Breaking the Silence, addressed the unhealthy state of many clergy in six Canadian denominations.
Pastoring Our Leaders
As I write this, I am halfway through the 2015 Encouragement Road Trip. What a privilege and honour to be able to minister in this way.
Sharing Struggles and Joys
It was a unique gathering this January. Members of the Presbytery of Oak Ridges and the northern portion of Classis Toronto of the Christian Reformed Church in North America gathered for fellowship, a meal and common worship—just because.
Wonderful Diversity
I am pretty sure that evangelicals like myself will not be convinced they are wrong. Neither will my liberal friends. What we might all be convinced of is that there is a greater issue at play here.
Embracing Spirituality
Today, as the Angus Reid poll observes: “Canadians are more likely to self-identify as spiritual rather than religious by a margin approaching two-to-one.”
Break into Song
Exploring something new in worship can be challenging, even daunting; we need a friend to guide us through the richness of music available to us. Last year I started a project called Break into Song which aims to inspire church leaders to make friends with new music.
A Good Set of Instructions
If the love of God actually means anything to us, we will want also to show our gratitude to God. We don’t want to sink back into a warm bath of piety and do nothing for God or for others.
Kingdom Acres
Could it be that when people enter our churches they catch just a glimpse of what God in Christ is doing to redeem the world?
Saved by Faith Alone
Faith is to lead us to do good works in our interactions with others and in our engagement with the world
Wow!
Peter must have had sore eyes and an aching jaw from all the revelations he had received in just a short span of time.
The Three E’s: Effectiveness
As we look towards a future of nourishing Christian communities and making disciples in a post-Christendom Canada, part of our “leadershift” is in forming teaching and ruling elders who are evangelical, entrepreneurial and effective. But how do we know if we are effective in ministry?