Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
Jeremiah is one of the major prophets of the Old Testament and is very important in the history of the Hebrew people. It is understandable that later readers would be drawn to him. One way of demonstrating this respect was to create a writing in his name. The Letter of Jeremiah is one such writing. … Read More “What is the Letter of Jeremiah?” »
I have been blogging in some form or another for ten years. Much of that has included apologetics blogging. I enjoy writing apologetics-related blog posts and hopefully I have learned something over the years. Here are a few things that I would like to offer to my fellow apologetics bloggers. Make sure to do your … Read More “5 Tips For Apologetics Bloggers” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that I came across this week. Make sure to check them out. Why Are Christians So Defensive? – Sean McDowell Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology – Don Haflich How to Respond When Someone Says, “No One Comes to Faith Through Arguments.” – Brett Kunkle Jesus Mythicism: Reflections on … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
I first had the role of a pastor in 1996 and have been ordained since 2001. I have been a youth pastor, associate pastor and solo pastor. I have been in traditional and contemporary churches, rural and downtown churches. Of course there have been some challenging times but overall I enjoy my career as a … Read More “5 Things That I Love About Being a Pastor” »
I once talked to a pastor who said that they expected pastors to work 50 hours a week. Their reasoning was that they expect each church member to volunteer ten hours a week plus a full-time job is forty hours a week. Between the pastor’s paid and volunteer time, it should be 50 hours. I … Read More “How Many Hours Should a Pastor Work?” »
In the book of Jeremiah, we find that Jeremiah was assisted by a man named Baruch. This historical figure was eventually used as a mouthpiece for later Jewish writers in a book called Baruch and later in something called 2 Baruch (which is not included in the apocrypha). Although Jeremiah concludes with Baruch in Egypt, this … Read More “What is Baruch?” »
A sermon preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction Queen Street Baptist Church has identified itself as a worshiping community. It is hardly controversial that a church would want to be active in worship, and yet worship is one of the hottest topics among congregations. There has been and continues to be something called the … Read More “What is a Worshiping Church?” »
I have had and have many roles in my life but being a dad is one of the most important. It is a tremendous responsibility and to be honest, I never feel as if I live up to the role. As I look back on my fifteen years as a father, I could never have … Read More “Good News: Father’s Day Reflections” »
Here are some leadership posts that I came across this week. Seven Secular Resources I read Every Week – Thom Rainer 7 Healthy Ways To Resolve Conflict at Church or Work – Carey Nieuwhof When You’ve Lost Your Passion For Ministry – Justin Lathrop Remember the Sabbath – Pete Wilson 5 Thoughts on Leaders and Insecurity … Read More “Weekend Leadership Roundup” »
I’m so thankful for the great number of quality apologetics-related blogs that are available. Each has their own strength and area of specialization. Here is the updated list of top ten apologetics blogs based on Alexa ratings. Make sure to check out the rest of the apologetics blogs here. Bethinking Cold-Case Christianity Cross Examined The … Read More “Top Ten Apologetics Blogs – June 2016” »
Although I’m a Baptist, I’m not a Southern Baptist. You will find that there are some differences between my Baptist tradition and the Southern Baptists on certain issues. Having said that, I have been repeatedly impressed with the response of Russell Moore on many of the hot button topics. This video is no exception. In … Read More “Russell Moore on Christians Supporting the Building of Mosques” »
One of the longest books in the apocrypha is Sirach. Actually the full name is Ecclesiasticus (not to be confused with Ecclesiastes) or the Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach. As the title suggests, it belongs to the wisdom genre, although it has other purposes as well. The book was written in Hebrew sometime before … Read More “What is Sirach?” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that I came across this week. How to Deal With Your Atheist Professor – Frank Turek Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Anthony Weber Like Attracts Like – Adrian Urias Why the Pre-Jesus Mythologies Fail to Prove That Jesus is Just a Myth – J. Warner Wallace A Christian Response … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
If you have not already, make sure to read part one of this guest post by Wesley Huff. An Embarrassment of Riches… The Number of New Testament Manuscripts In 1631, a printing of the King James Bible suffered from a bit of serious typist error. At Exodus 20:14, the word “not” in the sentence “Thou … Read More “The Reliability of the Gospels – Part Two” »
This is the first of a two part series on the reliability of the Gospels by Wesley Huff. Wesley is a Canadian apologist and student of the New Testament. You can find his blog here. When I was young, I remember watching a series of Christian video publications (that I later found out were produced … Read More “The Reliability of the Gospels – Part One” »
It is frequently claimed that Christians should have an unquestioning faith since Jesus taught us to have child-like faith. We should bury our doubts and questions and just trust as a child would. The problem is that I have yet to meet that child who does not question. Every child that I encounter is filled … Read More “Real Childlike Faith” »
There is nothing like sitting outside in the beautiful weather, enjoying the sunshine and a good book. But what are you going to read? I have shared some suggestions from some other people but I thought I would share some of my own ideas. I have read a number of books recently that I really … Read More “My Suggestions for Summer Reading” »
A sermon based on Philippians 1:3-11 preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction As a child, I was usually the smallest of any of the students in my class. This sometimes made me a bit of a target, so I was quite happy when I shot up about six inches in a year (despite the … Read More “What is a Growing Church?” »
I have heard much about the author, Neil T. Anderson, and have had his books Bondage Breaker and Victory Over Darkness recommended to me. While I haven’t read those books, I did have the opportunity to read his newest book, Becoming a Disciple Making Church. As someone very interested in discipleship, I was eager to … Read More “Becoming a Disciple Making Church” »
One of the things that I enjoy about being a pastor with the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec is attending our annual Assembly. This has looked a bit different the last number of years as I took three years off from being a pastor. The first year, we didn’t attend Assembly and it felt strange … Read More “Good News: Assembly 2016” »
Here are some leadership articles that I came across this week. How to Get People to Respect Your Leadership – Amy Simpson Seven Things Google Tells Us About Evangelism in the United States – Thom Rainer You Can’t Replicate Complexity – Tony Morgan 10 Reasons Perfectionism Will Hurt Your Ministry – Chuck Lawless 3 Surprising … Read More “Weekend Leadership Roundup” »
What would be the reaction if you mentioned at a church function that you wanted to discuss theology? How many people would roll their eyes? I have often lamented the lack of interest in theology among Christians. Recent reflections on this have made me think of the role of pastors. What are pastors doing to … Read More “A Plea for More Theological Pastors” »
Here are some apologetics-related posts that I have discovered this week. Muhammad Ali on the contrast between Islam and Christianity – Randal Rauser Which Takes Priority? Natural or Revealed/Historical Theology? – Eric Chabot Was the Process for Establishing the Canon Inspired by God? – G. Smith The Courage of Christ – Steve Hays Manual of Christian … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
It is unfortunate that Karl Barth is mostly read by only theologians. He has so much to teach the Church in practical ways. I appreciate his words on Christian prayer. Christian prayer means thanksgiving and praise, then confession and intercession, and then again thanksgiving and praise: all directed toward God; all offered to Him; all … Read More “Karl Barth on Christian Prayer” »
I sometimes hear both Christians and non-Christians talking about “proving” that God exists. I really don’t like that language and I feel it is unrealistic. As I have been going through William Lane Craig’s Reasonable Faith, I came across his position, which is the more appropriate goal for the apologetic endeavour. We needn’t claim that … Read More “William Lane Craig on Proving God Exists” »
Have you ever been in the position where your faith has come up in conversation and the person responded with, “That’s interesting, I’m spiritual but not religious”? They might make some sweeping comment about all beliefs being the same. In that moment, you have the choice of whether to let the conversation die or to challenge … Read More “Unparalleled” »
A sermon on Matthew 11:28-30 preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is true for both individuals and churches. I remember when Amanda and I first met. I have heard plenty of love at first sight stories but that was not us. I … Read More “What is a Welcoming Church?” »
Today was a day that I have been looking forward to for a long time. This morning, I had the opportunity and privilege to baptize one of my children. Emma, along with another young person from our church were baptized in response to their faith in Jesus. Emma is the first of our five children … Read More “Good News: Baptizing My Daughter” »
I have known Tim Barnett for a couple of years, first online and then through an apologetics conference that we were both at. I have watched as God has opened doors for him to expand his apologetics ministry. I see Tim as an important part of what God is doing in Canada is presenting Christianity … Read More “An Interview With Tim Barnett” »
My understanding of baptism has evolved quite a bit over the years. Obviously moving from my Anglican upbringing to my current Baptist pastoral ministry required some change. However, even that change has been complex. When I first left the Anglican church, I completely rejected infant baptism as having any spiritual significance. All it it was … Read More “Thoughts on Baptism” »
Here are some leadership resources that I found this week. Most Common Mistakes Pastors and Church Leaders Make on Social Media – Jonathan Howe 10 Reasons Every Church Should Send Their Pastor on a Mission Trip – Chuck Lawless Hey Pastors, Your Preaching Is Not in Vain! – Erik Raymond Who Are Your People? – … Read More “Weekend Leadership Roundup” »
I have a number of roles and one of them is that of a columnist for ChristianWeek. What is ChristianWeek? Here is the description from their website: ChristianWeek is uniquely positioned as Canada’s only national interdenominational news publication. Our goal is to provide practical, balanced, hope-filled perspective on national and global issues. We help Canadian … Read More “Discover ChristianWeek” »
One of my favourite series of books are the four/five views books. I love the format that allows the reader to both get a number of perspectives on a theological issue as well as to observe the conversation between the scholars. A valuable part of this series is Five Views on Apologetics, edited by Steven … Read More “Five Views on Apologetics” »
I have often heard students talk about being eager to graduate so they can stop studying and start doing. While I am eager to graduate in my own current studies, it is a mistake to look forward to a time where studying is finished. I believe that no matter what our vocation, it is important … Read More “5 Ways to Become a Lifelong Learner” »
I am a huge fan of C.S. Lewis, and so I pay attention when I hear about the authors that most influenced him. One of those authors is George MacDonald. MacDonald (1824-1905) was a Scottish author, poet and pastor. He is known for his fantasy literature and even mentored Lewis Carroll. I recently had the … Read More “The Princess and the Goblin” »
Here are some apologetics-related blog posts that I discovered this week. The Religion of Fools or the Wise – Joe Boot Is “Progressive Christianity” Christian? – Mark McGee From Jesus to the Church by Craig A. Evans – Reviewing Chapter 6 – Greg Monette Is the God of the Old Testament Different than the God of … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
We live in a time of unprecedented apologetics resources. With a few clicks on a smart phone, you can have the information that would have taken hours in a library just a decade ago. Schools and even some churches are providing apologetics training. There is so much information that is available. But it takes much … Read More “4 Steps to Becoming a Better Apologist” »
I grew up in the Anglican church and one of the parts of the service was the “passing of the peace.” It was a time during the service where you could turn to people around you, shake their hand and say, “May the peace of Christ be with you.” Some of the Baptist churches I have … Read More “Should Churches Have a Greeting Time?” »
I sometimes get teased that my relaxing reading is no different from my work reading. That does not bother me one bit! I asked some people about their reading plans and apparently I’m not unique in my tastes. Take a look at what they are reading and perhaps you will find some ideas for your … Read More “Reading Suggestions” »
My good news for this week is about our church, Queen Street Baptist Church. Today we celebrated our 183rd anniversary as a congregation. The church has changed a lot over the years but it is still a very special place. I am enjoying this congregation and ministry opportunity so much. We had a wonderful worship … Read More “Good News: Church Celebration” »
Luke records Paul’s conversion three times in the book of Acts. First in the third person in chapter 9 and then twice in the first person in Acts 22 and 26. The problem is that at first glance, Luke seems to contradict himself. Acts 9 says that those with Paul heard but did not see, … Read More “Do Acts 9:27 and Acts 22:9 Contradict Each Other?” »
It is true that Paul did not speak as much about the earthly life and ministry of Jesus as we would have liked. Rudolf Bultmann claimed, “The historical Jesus plays no role or practically none in Paul.” Such conclusions have led some to see Paul as inventing a Christianity different from that of Jesus. That … Read More “Why Didn’t Paul Speak More About the Historical Jesus?” »
Here are some of the leadership posts that I discovered this week. Seven Ways Church Outreach Has Changed in 15 Years – Thom Rainer Some Simple Practices that Will Get You Over Your Insecurity as a Leader – Carey Nieuhof Growing Leaders – Calvin Lamar Brown Five Rules About Failure – Perry Noble 4 Habits … Read More “Weekend Leadership Roundup” »
You may or may not be aware that there is some disagreement among New Testament scholars about how many of the letters Paul actually wrote. The “authentic” letters, that is the letters that they are most confident in are Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and Philemon. The rest of the letters … Read More “Did Paul Write 2 Thessalonians?” »
Here are some interesting apologetics-related blog posts that I discovered this week. Have a look and expand your knowledge. The Bible vs the Qur’an – Apologetics Canada Mining For God: a Review and Response – Daniel T. Wynne Christian Case-Makers: Don’t Allow Your Vigilance to Become Vitriol – J. Warner Wallace Morality Must be More than … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
Prayer is an extremely important part of being a Christian. Christianity is a relationship between the person and God. That means that there must be communication. That often takes place in the context of prayer. However, if I was to invite a person to pray, there are a number of things that would take … Read More “5 Myths About Prayer” »
As a pastor, an important part of my role is teaching. But just as important, if not more, is my role as a student. I need to be learning, not just more biblical and theological information, but solid leadership principles. I currently subscribe to 16 different podcasts, and I include within them three podcasts dealing directly … Read More “3 Leadership Podcasts You Should Listen To” »
Aside from being one of the superpowers of Captain Marvel (Shazam), the Wisdom of Solomon is one of the books of the apocrypha. It is a part of the genre of wisdom literature and is attributed to Solomon, although it was written many centuries later than that time. It is natural to compare Wisdom to … Read More “What is the Wisdom of Solomon?” »
A sermon based on Luke 8:1-15 preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction Relationships depend on communication. That is a basic fact. Show me any relationship that is struggling, and you will find there is something wrong with communication. It is not that words are not being spoken, it is that the needed message is … Read More “Are We Listening?” »
It has been a while since we have seen Logan and Abby at our house. Abby has missed a number of visits and our last visit was at their house. We have been looking forward to having them back but were not sure how it would go. The visit went far better than we could … Read More “Good News: Fun With the Kids” »
There is a tremendous amount of good Christian leadership content available for pastors and other leaders. Here is some of what I have found this week. 5 Signs Your Church Has Gone Too Far With Marketing – Jonathan Howe 5 Creative Ideas for Welcoming New Guests – MM Gibson 3 Ingredients for Success – David … Read More “Weekend Leadership Roundup” »
For many people, the university is seen as a place where faith goes to die. Excited youth group members graduate from high school and never return to the church. Parents fear to send their children to university because of numerous stories of students leaving the faith after being immersed in a hostile environment. Such concerns … Read More “The Need for Apologetics on the Secular University Campus” »
Today was a big day for me in that I took the first step in closing an important chapter in my life and ministry. Today I started the paperwork for my release from the army reserves. For the last four years, I have had the privilege to be the chaplain with the Lorne Scots. I … Read More “Closing a Chapter” »
The fifth volume of Hope’s Reason: A Journal of Apologetics is now completed and available. I am pleased with the variety of articles included, as well as the book reviews. The journal is available on Kindle for only $0.99. Take a look at the articles and get your copy here. “In Memory of Andrew Rozalowsky” … Read More “Hope’s Reason: A Journal of Apologetics Volume Five” »
One of the biggest challenges for pastors is preparing one sermon for a congregation that is extremely diverse in their knowledge and experience. It is impossible to design a message that will touch everyone where they are at. But it is important to have sense of where people are at, so that over the span … Read More “4 Things That Pastors Need to Remember About Their Congregation” »
There is a tremendous amount of good quality apologetics content available. Here is some of what I have found this week. Make sure to check out these posts. Why Doesn’t Archaeology Corroborate Every Detail of the New Testament Accounts? – J. Warner Wallace How Can We Be Equal Without Christianity? – Lenny Esposito Are Christians … Read More “Midweek Apologetics Roundup” »
By far the greatest influence on me, both as a Christian and as an apologist is C.S. Lewis. I was fortunate to discover him very early on in my Christian walk and he has helped to shape my thinking in many ways. I have been doing research recently on Lewis, reading both his works and … Read More “C.S. Lewis: A Life” »
I recently led a workshop at my church, Queen Street Baptist Church, on “Sects Education.” We looked at groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science and so on. I recorded the talk and you can listen to them through the links below. If you want more audio resources, make sure to check out … Read More “The Sects Talk” »
I often hear people asking about recommendations for books in the area of apologetics. There are always good and new books coming out. One place where you can look for these is the book reviews page at Hope’s Reason: A Journal of Apologetics. Another way to find what is good is to look at the … Read More “Top Ten Books in Apologetics” »
Have you ever been accused of being narrow minded? How did you respond? In this short video, Sean McDowell addresses this question and puts it in its context. There is a simple way for us to respond to this accusation. I would encourage you to check out Sean’s website, where you will find a great … Read More “Are Christians Narrow Minded?” »
A sermon based on Luke 7:36-50 and preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction People either love surprises or hate them. In many cases it depends on the nature of the surprise. I remember coming home from school with a friend and my mother telling me that I needed to cut the grass right then. I … Read More “Love and Thankfulness” »
One of the things that I appreciate about William Lane Craig is that not only does he do apologetics himself, he is interested in equipping others to do apologetics as well. In this short video, Craig offers some practical advice on how to do Christian apologetics. It is definitely worth watching. You can find plenty … Read More “William Lane Craig Offers Advice for Christian Apologetics” »
It has been five months since I have been the pastor of Queen Street Baptist Church and I am absolutely loving this ministry. The congregation is incredible and there are people who are eager to serve. I could use the church as a good news post every week, but there are a number of things … Read More “Good News: Excited About Church” »
I am currently working on my thesis for my Doctor of Ministry degree at Acadia Divinity College. But this is not my first thesis. Fifteen years ago I wrote a thesis for my Master of Theology degree at McMaster Divinity College, called “The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament: Defining the People … Read More “The Outpouring of The Holy Spirit in the New Testament” »
Today finishes off our season of birthdays for our children. Last month we had three birthdays and today is now Emma’s birthday. As I have mentioned before, our three youngest are not our biological children. We knew ahead of time that we were getting Justus, but the decision to bring Emma into our home was … Read More “Amazing (Emma) Grace” »
One of the most influential stories by any philosopher is Plato’s allegory of the cave. Anyone interested in philosophy, must know this story. I found a nicely animated version of the allegory that is worth watching. I also found some articles on Plato and Christianity that some people might find interesting. Platonism’s Influence on Christian … Read More “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave” »
I will admit that I approached David Stark’s new book, Reaching Millennials, with a bit of caution. It all came down to the subtitle: Proven Methods for Engaging a Young Generation. I am always hesitant with such grand claims that make it look like you can insert ministry into a formula and get the desired … Read More “Reaching Millennials” »
The last number of years have not been great with my health. My mid-forties hit me pretty hard. It all began with the sudden appearance of sarcoidosis, although I did not get that diagnosis until after I had been very sick for a number of months. For many people with sarcoidosis, the symptoms never appear … Read More “Health Update” »
The very first pastoral role that I had began twenty years ago in 1996. I began my studies at McMaster Divinity College and my field placement was as a youth pastor of a combined Pentecostal and Salvation Army youth group. Since then I have had many roles and continue to learn. Reflecting on my experiences, … Read More “20 Things I Have Learned in 20 Years of Ministry” »
One of C.S. Lewis’s most popular and influential books is Mere Christianity. Mere Christianity was published in 1952, but what many people do not know is that the book is based on a number of talks that Lewis gave on the BBC during World War Two. Unfortunately, most of those recordings have been destroyed. Thankfully, … Read More “C.S. Lewis’s Surviving BBC Radio Talks” »
One of the concerns that I have had recently is how easily people throw around the heresy label. It seems that if a Christian overemphasizes or underemphasizes something more than we do, they are a heretic. Some Christians are very uncomfortable with differences of opinions and varieties of theological interpretation. If a group is different … Read More “4 Questions to Ask When Talking About Heresy” »
Carey Nieuwhof has led more change in his church in the last 10 years than most pastors will lead in 10 lifetimes! Carey is a “must listen to” leader for church leaders wanting to understand how to lead your church through change. This episode is packed full of helpful insights and critical reflections for pastors … Read More “Leading Your Church Through Change” »
Question: What is the only book of the Bible that never mentions God? Answer: The Book of Esther. It could be argued (and I do) that God is implicit throughout the book even if he is never mentioned. But that does not mean that there is no temptation to fix what may seem as troubling … Read More “What are the Additions to Esther?” »
Mother’s Day is always a bittersweet day for me. On one hand, it is a day when I especially miss my mom. I had a pretty amazing mom (not that I told her that enough). She was one of the most loving people I ever met, not just to people in our family, but to … Read More “Good News: Thankful for Moms” »
One of the most important questions we can ask is about the nature of being human. This is particularly important when we discuss abortion. Christian ethicist Scott Rae looks at this topic in this video from Biola. I have used Scott Rae’s Moral Choices as a textbook for teaching Christian Ethics. I really appreciate his … Read More “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” »
One of my favourite books by C.S. Lewis is the Screwtape Letters. Not only are they funny, but the insight both into human nature and spiritual principles is quite deep. If you have read anything by Lewis, you know there is always more to discover. To help in this endeavour, William O’Flaherty has written a … Read More “C.S. Lewis Goes to Hell” »
The foundation of the Christian faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As important as the crucifixion is, the reason we know that was something more than a senseless death is that Jesus rose from the dead. The Apostle Paul tells us that if Jesus did not rise, our faith is in vain. One of … Read More “William Lane Craig on the Historicity of Jesus’ Resurrection” »
I am by no means a mental health professional. I have only taken a couple of counselling courses and it is definitely not my strength. But you don’t have to be a professional to know something about mental health. I think that the church has improved in its understanding of mental health to a certain … Read More “5 Things That You Need to Know About Mental Health” »
Although I have read widely in the area of apologetics, I must confess that I have not read much by Francis Schaeffer. I finally had the opportunity to read one of his classics, The God Who is There. I really did enjoy the book. Even though I’m much more of an evidentialist than a presuppositionalist, … Read More “The God Who is There” »
Bart Ehrman has made a second career out of trying to demolish confidence in the New Testament. Because he is a respected scholar and a talented writer, he is someone who must be taken seriously. Read Bart Ehrman and Richard Dawkins: Who is the Most Dangerous? I recently listened to two podcast episodes from Unbelievable? where … Read More “Bart Ehrman and Richard Bauckham on the Reliability of the Gospels” »
A sermon preached at Queen Street Baptist Church on Luke 7:18-28. Introduction Would you describe yourself as gullible or skeptical? I must confess that one of my guilty privileges is having fun with gullible people. I once convinced a lady that I had invented a solar-powered flashlight that unfortunately only worked in the daylight. I … Read More “Faith, Doubt and the Unexpected” »
Although I would not consider my recent diagnosis with diabetes good news, I must say that this week has not been without good news. I have had the shadow of diabetes over me for some time. My father had diabetes and so I have been watching my blood results with interest. There was always a … Read More “Good News: Getting Acquainted With Diabetes” »
One of the things that I appreciate about Greg Koukl is that his apologetics is focused on the practical more than the theoretical. Koukl has written one of the best books on how to communicate, a book called Tactics. I highly recommend it for all Christians, not just for those who identify as apologists. I … Read More “Tactics for Discussing Christian Convictions” »
Our month of birthdays continues. Already this month, two of my sons and my dog have had birthdays. Today is my daughter Faith’s birthday. One of the interesting things about Faith is when she came to us. I was born when my father was thirty-nine and although he was a great dad, I did not … Read More “Gotta Have Faith!” »
I believe that some knowledge of philosophy is important for everyone. It is especially important for those interested in apologetics. That is not to say you have to be a philosopher to be an apologists, but the more you know about the basic concepts, the better. I recently read a nice little introduction to philosophy … Read More “Ultimate Questions: Thinking About Philosophy – Review” »
In recent weeks, I have seen the same kinds of messages appearing on my Facebook newsfeed. There have been images after images about the controversy over transgendered people using washrooms according to the gender they identify with. I am sure that some people are legitimately concerned that a male sex offender will dress up as … Read More “Transgendered, Washrooms and Missed Opportunities” »
This advice is as applicable today as it was when Francis Schaeffer wrote it in 1968. The problem which confronts us as we approach modern man today is not how we are to change Christian teaching in order to make it more palatable, for to do that would mean throwing away any chance of giving … Read More “Francis Schaeffer on Communicating the Gospel” »
One of my favourite Christian thinkers is Ron Sider. I took a course with him during my doctoral studies and I even had the privilege of interviewing him while I was the associate editor at Faith Today. I recently finished reading his new book, co-authored with Ben Lowe, The Future of Our Faith: An Intergenerational Conversation … Read More “The Future of Our Faith – Review” »
You have probably have had Jehovah’s Witnesses knocking at your door at some point. But do you know what they believe? There is a lot that can be said about the Jehovah‘s Witnesses, but here are seven things that you should know. The Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) in the 1870s. … Read More “7 Things You Should Know About the Jehovah’s Witnesses” »
I have mentioned previously that one of my favourite books of the Apocrypha is Tobit. The same cannot be said about the next book, which is Judith. I understand that Judith has been influential in literature and art, but it does not do much for me. The book of Judith is a work of historical … Read More “What is the Book of Judith?” »
One of the books that I have heard much about and wanted to read was James George Frazer‘s Golden Bough. Although it was first published in 1890, it still is influential even if that influence has wained in recent decades. What Frazer does in this work is to look at magic and religious rituals around … Read More “James George Frazer’s Golden Bough” »
A message based on Luke 7:1-10 preached at Queen Street Baptist Church. Introduction What would it take to amaze you? Depending on your life experience, it might be difficult for you to be surprised or taken off guard. Others might be amazed on a daily basis by the things that happen. I was amazed this past … Read More “I Believe. Yes, Sir!” »
I was told that my health would go down hill once I hit my 40s. I didn’t believe them. Why should there be something dramatic about this decade? Now I believe. About three years ago, I was diagnosed with a disease called sarcoidosis. For many people, there are either no symptoms of sarcoidosis or it … Read More “Good News: Thankful for the Health I Have” »
Today is our dog’s eighth birthday (he is exactly one week older than our youngest child). Why would I bother blogging about a dog? I’m glad you asked. Halo is not just any dog. We originally received Halo as service dog from the organization National Service Dogs. There was a lot of fundraising done for … Read More “Our Halo” »
One of my current areas of study is in philosophy. I’m strong in biblical studies but never have had the chance to formally study philosophy. So I have been picking up books on philosophy to rectify this deficit. One of those books is The Great Philosophers: From Socrates to Turing. (Amazon affiliate link) Each chapter … Read More “The Great Philosophers: From Socrates to Turing” »
