More Than Words...

A Morning Prayer  Help me Lord, I am but dust Renew my mind, Revive my heart Steady my hands, Direct my feet Animate Re-create Conform my will to yours Your word enfleshed, Your glory seen Through us

Not so many months ago we were happy to pay millions of dollars to see someone slam dunk a basketball but we gave little thought about how well we paid nurses or personal support workers. All that has changed now. The global response to COVID-19 is revealing how important certain types of work are; work that we’ve often taken for granted and undervalued. One of the things this pandemic has shined a spotlight on is the important work of mothers. Mothers have been thrust into managing their homes and serving their families at a whole new level during this lock-down. Mom, you are now home 24/7 with children, feeding them, caring for them, and educating them now that school has gone online. Some Moms are doing all this and are also expected to work another job from home. I can’t even imagine the burden of being a single mom with a toddler right now. To make things even worse modern-day philosophies and values marginalize the hard work associated with raising children and managing homes ...

There is still lots of information and knowledge being passed around about the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of it is very helpful but in days like this, we need more than information and knowledge. While Google might be your go-to source for more information about the current situation, it is not a good source of wisdom. Wisdom is about how we respond to information and what we do with our knowledge. Wisdom is about more than just understanding it is about living well. The Scriptures are meant to be our source of wisdom.  They may not give us all the details about specific issues but they reveal timeless truths for responding to issues and living life well.  They accurately depict human nature and reveal God's plan and purpose for humanity.  They contain encouragement, timeless principles, and compelling stories that give us real-life examples.   As things continue to change let's be careful to build our lives on the wise counsel of God.   ...

For a number of years now I have been shining a spotlight on what Roland Allen called ‘The Way of Christ and His Apostles”.   In other words, the ministry model that emerges from a fresh study of the New Testament church.  By a fresh study, I mean doing your best to set aside the ministry models and traditions we’ve come from and limit your sight to the scriptures themselves and knowledge of the historical context in which the NT was written.  The ministry model that emerges from a fresh study of Acts and the Epistles differs on many points from the typical ministry models of today which are heavily influenced by Western institutionalism and culture.   The contrast is strong enough that sometimes people give me confused or concerned looks when I point them out! However, the model that emerges in the pages of Acts and reinforced by the New Testament letters contains timeless principles that are relevant in any era.   As I consider the challe...

The current pandemic crisis has left many people struggling with anxiety and uncertainty.   It would be easy to give in to all the worry and fear that fills our media broadcasts these days.  One way to cope is to recognize that we are in this together.  Even our Prime Minister emphasizes in his daily updates that Canadians are in this together.    While this is helpful, there is still loneliness many feel as we self-isolate and practice social distancing.  Today I was reminded that there is someone who sticks closer than a brother.  Faith in Jesus isn't just faith in someone who lived 2000 years ago.  It is faith in someone who is alive and present in the lives of his followers today by the power of his Spirit.   In fact, he promised to be with his disciples to the 'end of the age.' (Matthew 28:20)   We can know his presence no matter what we are facing.  "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympat...

I was reminded today of who I am in Christ. That his Spirit gives me a desire and power to turn away from sin because his righteousness lives in me.  While I am far from perfect, I am no longer a slave to sin.  He is changing me.  As I was thinking about this I continued to read the following... Romans 8:15 (ESV): For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”    Through faith in Jesus, draw close to your true Father today.  Live like you truly are his son/daughter, and let him care for you. Let him replace your fear with his love. 

Unfortunately, much of the teaching in modern Christianity is hit-and-miss.  It includes sermons, books, and Bible studies that are often not well-connected in a way that helps Christians become “firmly rooted” (Colossians 2:6) in the faith. Whatever happened to the common practice in the early church based on the idea of training every believer in a comprehensive understanding and practice of the “the elementary principles” of the faith (see Colossians 2:8 and Hebrews 5:11-14)?  These “elementary” or first principles represent the first things that should be learned by a new disciple—a foundation upon which everything else is built.  There is a great need for this 'foundation laying' work in the lives of believers in our churches today!  Could the lack of attention to this work be a major factor in the prevalence of false teaching and embarrassing expressions of 'Evangelicalism'?   Isn't this a clear sign of a weak and immature North American Chu...