Tag: church
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The Health of the Minister (A follow up to my talk to the General Assembly)
The health and well-being of leaders is hugely important to the vitality of congregations but it is very rarely talked about. (Pause) A few months ago I was invited to speak to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. (It’s kind of like a national AGM). In light of some of the good things…
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How to Not Worship the Bible
The biggest “issue” in the church is how to interpret the Bible. That’s how I see it. Think of conversations about the environment, or homosexuality, or how science intersects with faith, or evil happening to good people, or human rights, or the church or whatever. At the heart of it all is what the Bible “says”…
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How Can I Support The Minister?
This is a short and simple blog. Most of you know I’m a minister (or ‘pastor.’) The vocation involves a lot of things. Many joy-filled, many challenging, many exciting things. I learn every day in the river of God’s mysteries. I heard Herb Gale speak at a conference today and he said: “I encourage you…
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Helping Our Kids Have Faith
Will our kids believe? Do they? This is a big question. Even before I had kids I was reading about our own homes being mission fields, especially in an age of scepticism. Faith is vital. Many of us are passionate about cultivating faith in our children, especially in a faith-phobic time. According to studies, religious experience/education…
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Got Doubt? Doubt Faithfully
Ever feel like an outsider because you have had some doubts? In your faith? As if everyone else has seen Jesus personally and therefore exudes a thick confidence—an invisible wall that separates the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’? Will Ingram pointed out someone who said, “As the island of human knowledge expands, so too does…
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Huh? Pancakes, Ashes, 40 Days, Rebirth
Why do people eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? Why do people put ashes on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday? What is Lent and why do people “give something up” for it? Every year these things starting happening and I often get a bunch of questions about their meaning and history. So I thought I’d blog…
