Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
I finally got around to watching Shazam: Fury of the Gods. I rather enjoyed the first Shazam movie and I am a fan of the superhero that I still call Captain Marvel. I am also aware that this sequel flopped at the theatres, just like most of the recent DCU movies. The question is: Why … Read More “Shazam: Fury of the Gods – Review” »
When battles take place today, we can easily watch it. Everyone has a phone and if that doesn’t get it, a satellite will. The Second World War was a much different story. But, some film footage does exist, including a tank battle that took place in 1945. If you want to find out more about … Read More “The Cologne Tank Battle Caught on Film” »
Our family has hit a lot of obstacles over the past couple of years. We faced some challenges that I never expected to encounter. As I think back to this chapter of our life, one of the things that I notice is the number of people who have supported and encouraged us. It really has … Read More “Good News: People in Our Life” »
John 10:1-10 Introduction One of the scariest phone calls I ever received was from my mother, when she awoke to discover someone had broken into the house while she was sleeping. My father had already died and she lived alone. It was a major panic, as at the time I was three hours away and … Read More “I Am the Gate” »
Pastors in small churches are usually generalists. For example, in addition to my regular pastoral duties, I also put together the bulletin and the PowerPoint slides for Sunday. Pastors in larger church can often specialize in certain areas. We find pastors of youth, seniors, children, music, and so on. We also see executive pastors teaching … Read More “What is Your Sweet Spot as a Pastor?” »
There has been a huge resurgence in Christian apologetics over the past couple of decades. It can be said, without exaggeration, that there is an entire Christian apologetics industry in place. The amount of books, podcasts, video channels, conferences, and theological degrees related to apologetics is greater than at any other time. Some of the … Read More “3 Shifts That Christian Apologetics Must Make” »
When Avatar came out back in 2009, it completely changed the world of science fiction. It revolutionized the use of CGI and even created a renaissance in 3D. It is now the top grossing movie of all time. We have waited a long time for the sequel but it finally came out and it looks … Read More “Avatar: The Way of the Water – Review” »
John 8:12 Introduction One of the most common fears, especially for but not limited to children, is fear of the dark. But why is that? I can understand being afraid of snakes or spiders because those are actual things and they can cause harm or at least great discomfort. But darkness isnât actually a thing. … Read More “I Am the Light of the World” »
How do you recognize a successful church? There are many ways that people would go about measuring how well a church is doing. These might include: There probably are other things that people would look for. However, biblically a church is measured by its faithfulness. Technically, a small church could be more successful than a … Read More “Church Success is Measured in Faithfulness” »
We are very thankful that we have been able to move to Nova Scotia. It has mostly been a positive experience. There has been one thing that has been a downside. Our two oldest children still live in Ontario. Logan and Abby live in group homes and have done so for a fairly long time. … Read More “Good News: Seeing My Children” »
John 6:30-40 Introduction When I go to a doctorâs office, whether a family doctor or a specialist, my eyes are often drawn to the wall that displays their degrees and certificates. Have you ever wondered why they do that? Is it because they are trying to show off and hope you will be impressed? Perhaps … Read More “I Am the Bread of Life” »
While I love C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, I must confess that I actually enjoy his Space Trilogy even more. I have always been a science fiction fan and I find the way he weaves in theology to this series to be very intriguing. I recently had an article on the final part of the … Read More “C.S. Lewis, Merlin, and Messy Apologetics” »
When people see the title of this post, they might push back and say it is not hatred. It is simply a disagreement about a lifestyle. That may be true about some but for others, by any definition it is hatred. You will find Christians on social media calling for the imprisonment and even execution … Read More “Why Do Some Christians Hate 2SLGBTQIA+ People So Much?” »
Acts 16:6-10 Introduction Over the past number of weeks we have been going over the markers of a mission edge church. Remember what we meant by a mission edge church: a church that gets onboard with the mission Jesus is already on. While we may not know what that is exactly at the beginning, we … Read More “Contextually Responsive” »
In this first chapter of the Battle of the Atlantic, we catch up with what was happening in the Atlantic Ocean. Germany was trying to cut off Britain from all outside support by targeting shipping lanes. The Allies struggled to get the convoys to their destination from German ships, planes, and especially the dreaded U-Boats. … Read More “SWWP 33 – The Battle of the Atlantic: Chapter One” »
I did not see Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in the theatres but I was looking forward to seeing it when it started streaming. I didn’t avoid it in the theatres because it did not do well in the box-office and got poor reviews. Rather, I knew my kids would want to go and that … Read More “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – Review” »
I’m thankful for quality time, in whatever way that looks. This past weekend can be included in that as I went to the cottage with one of my daughters. Part of the quality time is the drive. It is a two hours drive each way to the cottage, which gives a lot of time for … Read More “Good News: A Good Weekend” »
1 Corinthians 3:1-11 Introduction Do you like sports? Even if you are not a sports fan, I think you will get the point of the scenario that Iâm going to offer. If you were given the opportunity to be world class athlete, would you prefer to participate in an individual sport or a team sport? … Read More “Embrace Partnerships” »
There have been some discussions on social media recently around women in pastoral leadership. This is nothing new of course. But some people have been connecting those who approve of women in leadership with an abandonment of biblical authority. This is not surprising because there is a strong overlap between those who affirm only men … Read More “Women in Leadership and Biblical Authority” »
When we think of Allied cooperation during the Second World War, we often think of the Americans and the British. We might even think about the Soviets. But what about the Canadians? The United States and Canada have the longest undefended border in the world. There is a natural opportunity for cooperation and today the … Read More “The Devil’s Brigade” »
The time of the COVID-19 pandemic was a time when many churches stepped back on a number of their programs and events. While the virus is still active, many churches are getting more active with their events. This includes Brookfield Baptist Church. On Saturday, we had a games night. This was the first games night … Read More “Good News: Games Night” »
Hebrews 13:15-16 Introduction I will be honest and say I donât remember a lot about my church experience growing up. I remember being there, but a lot of the information did not stick. But one thing did stick and surprisingly it was a banner that was hanging on the wall in the sanctuary. It had … Read More “Embodies the Good News” »
One of the big items in the news lately has been the anti-homosexuality legislation that has been adopted in Uganda. Uganda has traditionally taken a hard stand against same-sex activity but this is the imposing of stricter sanctions. You can find the actual details of the law here. I noticed on social media that some … Read More “What’s Wrong With Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act?” »
I have long been interested in military history. However, much of my focus has been on the Second World War, with some reading done on the First World War. I was alive during much of the Vietnam War, and I at least got the Hollywood version of that war during the trend of Vietnam movies … Read More “The Korean War: A History – Review” »
Between my work with the church and with the army, plus all my other projects, I can get pretty busy. Add to that, the fact that Amanda is recovering from a concussion and is at the same time taking care of her mother who is recovering from a broken shoulder. Amanda gave me clear instructions: … Read More “Good News: Time With the Girls” »
Romans 10:14-17 Introduction One of the scariest experiences from me, at least in a Christian context, was something that happened to me as I was heading to Europe for a short-term mission trip with Operation Mobilization. All of the Canadians that were going were flying from Toronto. That was very exciting as this was going … Read More “Fluent in the Good News” »
I recently decided to do a series of Twitter polls pitting the various musical artists on my personal playlist to see what other people think of my music. I will admit that I have very eclectic tastes, with music ranging from Ozzy Osbourne to Keith Green. It was interesting to watch how people voted and … Read More “And the Most Popular Musical Artist on My Playlist is…” »
I recently did a Twitter poll that stated that not all Christians were evangelicals. While some people disagreed with me, there were others that misunderstood me. They asked questions such as: “How can you be a Christian and not share the gospel, i.e. do evangelism?” While I was referring to a tradition within Christianity, evangelical … Read More “What’s the Difference Between Evangelicalism and Evangelism?” »
When the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie came out, I was not sure what to expect. I was not familiar with the team or the characters and so I went into it with an open mind. I found it to be one of the freshest MCU movies at the time. I was not overly … Read More “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 – Review” »
One of the things that I really enjoy is working as a military chaplain in the army reserves. For some people, all employment is a chore but I’m thankful that I enjoy both my pastoral and chaplaincy work. Most of what I do is with my home units of 3 Intelligence Company and 3 Military … Read More “Good News: Camp Aldershot” »
Hebrews 13:1-2 Introduction I will confess that sometimes I say things from the pulpit, things that are not necessarily a part of my sermon, without thinking about how people are interpreting my words. One example is my expressing of my love for potluck meals. I really do love potlucks. But sometimes I have talked about … Read More “Radiating Hospitality” »
Colossians 3:17 Introduction We are continuing our series on what it means to be a mission edge church. While there is a definition for this term, in some ways it is easier for us to describe. What does a mission edge church look like. Six markers of mission edge churches have been identified and we … Read More “Living the Jesus Way” »
I generally enjoyed the Walking Dead television series but I never read the comics. With the main series now done, I was prepared to branch out. Instead of getting into the comics, I went for the novels. I started at the beginning with Rise of the Governor. If you are looking for the regular cast … Read More “The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor – Review” »
We have lived in Nova Scotia now for almost a year and a half. As soon as we arrived here, we were struck by the beauty of this province. While we have seen some amazing things already, we have only scratched the surface. On the weekend, Amanda and I visited a new place: Burncoat Head … Read More “Good News: Enjoying Our Province” »
One of the most popular arguments for the existence of God is the moral argument. There are a number of different versions of it. Here is one that was recently shared with me on social media: (1) If God does not exist, then objective morality does not exist.(2) Objective morality does exist.(3) Therefore, God exists. … Read More “My Problem With the Moral Argument” »
One of the parts of my childhood that my own children cannot identify with is what it was like growing up during the Cold War and feeling like a Nuclear War could happen at any time. I remember watching The Day After and having a strong emotional reaction because something like that could have happened. … Read More “The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction – Review” »
Growing up, we had pets for most of the time. We had two different dogs, one I don’t remember at all and the other I have vague memories of. However, I do remember our cats and we had a lot of them (I think we have 14 at one time because two of our females … Read More “Good News: Our Pets” »
I must confess that one of the Christian thinkers that I have wanted to learn more about have struggled to do successfully is Soren Kierkegaard. I have only read snippets of his work and I have plodded through a few short introductions. What I am much more comfortable reading is a biblical commentary, even if … Read More “Behold, My Mother and My Brethren! – Review” »
I was intrigued when I first heard about the Picard series. I really enjoyed Star Trek: The Next Generation but I was not sure what to expect from this series. Overall, I have enjoyed the series. Picard has been its best when it has drawn together various threads of the Star Trek mythos. The first … Read More “Star Trek Picard: Season Three – Review” »
Back in September, we purchased a cottage here in Nova Scotia. This has long been a dream of ours and something we can only now afford because we live in the church parsonage. At the time, we thought of it as a financial investment, as we wanted to continue to build equity. It has become … Read More “Good News: Rest at the Cottage” »
This is a great time to be a Star Wars fan, as not only do we have some new movies, there have been a number of new television series set in the Star Wars. One of the best of these is the Mandalorian. I find it interesting that a new character like the Mandalorian could … Read More “The Mandalorian: Season Three – Review” »
Some congregations have reputations for “chewing up” pastors. I have pastored at six different congregations and I have been blessed to have had only positive experiences. This includes our current congregation: Brookfield Baptist Church. I have been going through a difficult time for the past number of months and only more so the last couple … Read More “Good News: Thankful For a Supportive Church” »
John 14:8-14 Introduction This morning we begin a new series that looks at what it would mean for us to be a âMission Edge Church.â You may or may not have heard that term before. If you have not, that is what the next few weeks are about. You may have heard the term âmissionalâ … Read More “Mission Edge Churches” »
John 20:1-11 Introduction If someone was to ask you what the scariest thing to you is, what would you answer? Would it be snakes, spiders, the dark, heights? While heights would be near the TOP of my list, there is one thing that is scarier than all of those things: hope. That might surprise you … Read More “Blessed Are Those Who Hope Still” »
Autism has been a part of our lives almost from the beginning of our married life. Amanda and I were married in 2000, our son was born in 2001, and he was diagnosed with autism in 2003. Our daughter was diagnosed with autism soon after. We have had many people feel sorry for us and … Read More “Good News: Autism is Okay” »
Sadly, we usually only go a few week before hearing about another school shooting. While we should be grieving for the dead and for the loved one left behind, it usually turns into a debate about gun control. So what is the Christian view on the possession of firearms and gun control? Well, obviously the … Read More “What is the Christian View of the Possession of Firearms?” »
When you hear a pastor talk about faith, you probably think I have something specific in mind. But in this case, I’m not referring to belief but our daughter Faith. Faith is our youngest child and is pretty quiet. It can be a challenge for people to get to know her because she is so … Read More “Good News: Surprised by Faith” »
John 11:1-45 Introduction Do you remember your first experience with death? You may have had some vague sense that death was a thing but at a certain point, death became real. Iâm not talking about the death of a beloved pet or animal, not that Iâm trying to diminish the pain of such a loss. … Read More “Blessed Are Those Who Mourn” »
I have a confession to make. Despite being a huge science fiction fan, I had never watched Firefly. Until recently. Every other sci fan strongly encouraged me to fix this terrible mistake. Now, I had seen the movie Serenity when it first came out years ago. I thought it was okay but it didn’t make … Read More “Firefly and Serenity – Review” »
How did God create humanity and when did he do it? Many people wrestle with this question and I have held a number of different positions over the years. Growing up in church, this question never came up. If you had asked me back then it would probably have been something like evolution with very … Read More “What is the Christian View of Human Origins?” »
I am a bit of sucker for zombie movies and so I was looking forward to this new series, The Last of Us. I need to say up front that I am completely unfamiliar with the video game. One of the scary things about this series is that the “zombies” have a fairly realistic origin. … Read More “The Last of Us: Season One – Review” »
My Good News is good but also contains a lot of sorrow. My wife Amanda travelled back to Ontario a couple of weeks ago. This was not just for a pleasant visit but because her father was dying. Amanda had the opportunity to spend time with her father while h e was in the hospital … Read More “Good News: There and Back Again” »
Romans 5:1-11 Introduction One of the areas that I have been involved in, to one degree or another, since I came back to faith in my 20s is that of Christian apologetics. Apologetics is not about being sorry for being a Christian but rather providing reasons for why we believe Christianity to be true. Since … Read More “Blessed Are Those Who Suffer” »
If you were to ask the average person on the street what they think Christianity says about where people go when they die, they would probably respond with: “Either heaven or hell.” Is the Christian position as simple as heaven or hell? For some people, it would be that simple. But within the Christian Church, … Read More “What is the Eternal Fate of Non-Christians?” »
Way back in 2013, the Man of Steel movie was released. While it was a great (in my opinion) Superman movie, it was more than that. Man of Steel was intended to start the DCEU, DC’s answer to the Marvel shared universe. Over the past decade, numerous DC movies have been released, some Superman-related and … Read More “James Gunn and the Future of DC Movies” »
When I hear people claiming that their theological position is correct, one of the most frequent statements is something like “The Bible is clear…” The point is that since the Bible is clear, people should not be disagreeing with this theological position. But how clear is the Bible? I recently did a Twitter poll and … Read More “Is the Bible Clear?” »
Normally on Mondays, I write a Good News post-a reminder of something I am thankful for. While this post includes thankfulness, it is not good news. Yesterday, my father-in-law, Mark Peschell, died. When someone gets married, you don’t just get your spouse, you get their family as well. And you never know what you will … Read More “My Father-In-Law” »
John 3:1-17 Introduction I find it intriguing that there are certain words that can have opposing connotations depending on the context and the individual perspective. One of those words is curiosity. Is it a good thing to be curious? You might have a grandchild who seems to be curious, that is they are motivated to … Read More “Blessed Are the Curious” »
I have been a fan of The Walking Dead for about a decade. The series has had some ups and downs, with some seasons better than others. With season 11, the series comes to an end. I thought the final season was one of the stronger seasons and I’m thankful that it ends on a … Read More “The Walking Dead: Season 11 – Review” »
I have been involved in Christian apologetics pretty much since I returned to faith in my early 20s. It was a natural step as I came from being an atheist and was still looking for answers. While I would not consider myself a “professional” apologist, I think I have learned something about Christian apologetics. What … Read More “5 Things I Have learned About Christian Apologetics” »
I have a soft spot for the international offerings of Netflix. I am also interested in Norse mythology. So it was hard to pass up the Norwegian movie Troll on Netflix. So what did I think of it? Well, the word that most comes to mind is ‘derivative.’ What I mean by that is that … Read More “Troll – Review” »
A year ago, I graduated from Acadia Divinity College with a Doctor of Ministry degree. It was a great experience and one of the most meaningful educational opportunities that I have had. It was because of my appreciation for ADC that I was thankful for the opportunity to speak at their weekly chapel. My DMin … Read More “Good News: Visiting Acadia” »
Psalm 51 Introduction There are certain characteristics that are generally considered positive in most contexts. One of those characteristics is strength. If someone has been sick and they claim they are regaining strength, thatâs a good thing. If you describe a relationship as growing stronger, thatâs a good thing. If your favourite sports team has … Read More “Blessed Are the Fragile” »
There has been a huge renaissance in Christian apologetics, ranging from the scholar to the pastor to the layperson. But what is the role of the Christian apologist? What should be their goal? I discuss this in this episode based on a video I recorded. For more on Christian apologetics, visit me here. Please support this … Read More “What is the Role of Christian Apologetics?” »
Yesterday was the 23rd anniversary of when Amanda and I got married. Much has happened since that snowy day in St Catharines, Ontario. Even the building that we got married in is no longer a church. We have lived in many cities and a couple of provinces. Between us we have worked numerous jobs and … Read More “Good News: 23 Years of Marriage” »
I recently received two books in the Apologetics For Teens series written by Bethany Kaldas. They are put out by an Orthodox publisher but represent what C.S. Lewis refers to as “mere Christianity.” One is called Did Jesus Rise From the Dead? It features the basic evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, but deals with … Read More “Apologetics For Teens – Review” »
As I write this, there is a revival going on at Asbury University. This is drawing a lot of attention. This is not the first nor the last revival that has come our way. About twenty-five years ago, I lived near Toronto and I visited the Toronto Blessing numerous times. While the style is probably … Read More “Thoughts on Revival” »
So it finally happened. I tested positive for covid. This was a real concern early on in the pandemic as I have a compromised immune system. There was a real danger of what it could do to my lungs. Thankfully, I have received three doses of the vaccination. So now, when I did get it … Read More “Good News: Recovering From Covid” »
A lot has happened since Fear the Walking Dead first premiered. They have moved across the country, the cast has radically changed, and now they are dealing with two disasters: a zombie apocalypse and a nuclear explosion and it’s aftermath. One of the challenges of Fear the Walking Dead, as well as the original Walking … Read More “Fear the Walking Dead: Season Seven – Review” »
The Anglican Church is in great turmoil at the moment over how to deal with same-sex marriage. How does the head of the church, Justin Welby, fit into this? I saw an outrageous claim on Twitter. In the article attached to that tweet, there is this comment: âThis is a highly inappropriate and sinister comment … Read More “Has the Archbishop of Canterbury Threatened to Punish Those Who Support Traditional Marriage?” »
I remember when I read C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters for the first time. I thought it was both wildly entertaining and deeply profound in its insights into human nature. It was a one of a kind piece of literature. Or was it? Joshua Karras has taken on the challenge to write The Incendus Letters, a … Read More “The Incendus Letters – Review” »
Each week, I share a Good New Post which is some acknowledgment of something good that happened as a way to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness. It is an important part of maintaining my mental health. Normally I share the specifics of what happened. But not this time. There is some Good News but I’m … Read More “An Unspoken Good News” »
John 4:19-24 Introduction Change for churches is generally difficult but changes in worship style are some of the most controversial issues. Imagine if we announced that we were going to stop singing all traditional hymns. Whether we decided to replace them with only singing Psalms, as some churches do, or only singing songs that are … Read More “Worship the Right Way” »
I remember watching the 1979 version of All Quiet on the Western Front as a child, and even at that age recognizing that this was not like other war movies I had watched. So I was very interested when I saw that a new adaptation of the novel was made and was streaming on Netflix. … Read More “All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) – Review” »
There is a lot about the church that I get discouraged about and it would be normal to question why I would want to be a part of it. I have seen Christian leaders fall, not just into sin but into abuse. And not “slimy” leaders that you might suspect were up to no good, … Read More “2 Reasons I’m Still in the Church” »
In two days, Amanda and I will have been co-pastors at Brookfield Baptist Church for one year. We have been living in Brookfield, Nova Scotia for just over a year. It was a big step for us to move here for a number of reasons. One is that we had always lived in Ontario and … Read More “Good News: One Year at Brookfield Baptist Church” »
Matthew 23:23-24 Introduction Last week, as we looked at the activity of Christian disciples, we focused on the topic of prayer. That was pretty uncontroversial. I know Christians from many different traditions, from different ends of the theological spectrum, and none of them would push back against the idea that we as disciples should be … Read More “Fighting For Justice” »
One of the most provocative DC comics series and movies is the Watchmen. This story was definitely not written for young people but rather deal with very mature themes. The Watchmen movie came out in 2009 and it still holds up well. In 2019 there was a TV series based on the Watchmen. At the … Read More “The Watchmen (Series) – Review” »
Many people equate religion with belief in the afterlife and some might even expect that to be the driving force behind most religions. When it comes to the Bible, most people understand the afterlife in fairly clear categories of heaven and hell. The truth is that what most people think the Bible says about the … Read More “5 Things You Might Not Know About the Bible and the Afterlife” »
People are upset with Andy Stanley again. I suspect that this will be at least a monthly thing. People do not seem to understand what Stanley is trying to do. The most recent controversy is about some comments that Andy Stanley made about the faith of gay men and women who still choose to serve … Read More “Andy Stanley and the Gay Community” »
I have had a rough time for the past six weeks because of some lower back issues. This is not just a dull ache but sharp pain that is intense enough to make me pass out. It has been pretty rough. This has led to two emergency room visits to the hospital, as well as … Read More “Good News: Feeling Better” »
Luke 11:1-4 Introduction As you may know, in addition to being a pastor, I am also a chaplain in the army reserves. One of the things that I appreciate about the military is the emphasis on continual learning. When you think of military training, you might think primarily of how to use a weapon. While … Read More “Learning to Pray” »
You encounter a person and there is a label attached to them. It may be progressive or evangelical or charismatic or reformed. Does that label tell you everything you need to know about their beliefs? Labels are useful but limited in explanatory power. The truth is that most of the labels used by Christians today … Read More “Theology, Labels, and Making Assumptions” »
I enjoy creating YouTube videos that complement what I am blogging about. I tend toward shorter videos, usually 10-20 minutes. Some prefer longer videos but this fits more my style. I recently have started producing YouTube shorts. These are very short videos, with 15 seconds or a minute. This seems to be YouTube’s version of … Read More “Consider Using YouTube Shorts” »
I really like the premise of See. It is a post-apocalyptic world in which the majority of the world is blind. Society has gotten accustomed to life without sight and people who can see are considered witches and people to be hunted down. The series follows one family: a pair of siblings with sight, their … Read More “See: Season Two – Review” »
I have been struggling lately with extreme lower back pain. When I say extreme, I mean that it was bad enough for me to pass out last week. It is really affecting me. This could be a real problem with work. And to complicate things, I have two jobs: pastor at a church and chaplain … Read More “Good News: Thankful for Flexibility” »
Mark 1:16-20 Introduction One of the themes that repeatedly comes up in both personal reflection and my preaching is the question of: What is a Christian? For some people, being a Christian simply means belonging to a specific religion, the one we call Christianity. Others may specify that a Christian is one who holds to … Read More “Defining Discipleship” »
What role should the church play when it comes to helping the poor? In my early 20s, after time growing up in a liberal church and then away from church as an atheist, I joined a very conservative church. The view there was that helping the poor could be tolerable if it was directly related … Read More “Christians, Poverty, and What We Should Do” »
We have always known that there have been pastors who abuse their authority, and often people in their congregation. There have been crimes that have included sex, money, and other issues. For a long time, much of that was seen in the context of a “fall into sin.” That is, the concern was about how … Read More “Is the Increased Focus on Abuse by Pastors a Good Thing?” »
My Good News this week is something that has happened a little too often lately. Sunday morning, I woke up sick. While five years ago I might have pushed through, in a COVID-19 world (even without a positive test result) I am more careful with my public activity while sick. However, I was supposed to … Read More “Good News: Once Again to the Rescue” »
I would not say that this past year was the best year ever. Nor would I say that the switch from December 31 to January 1 is anything magical. But New Year is a time for new beginnings. What I am talking about is not exactly New Year’s resolutions but there might be a couple … Read More “Good News: A New Year and New Habits” »
Matthew 22:34-40 Introduction Have you ever attempted a New Yearâs resolution? How successful were you at it? Do you think these things are generally helpful? I have had mixed results in the past. There have been many that I have quickly forgotten about but there are some resolutions I have made that have actually had … Read More “Discipleship Resolutions” »
What I am about to share is not specifically about our current congregation, but rather is an observation from twenty-five years of pastoral ministry in a variety of positions. There is one thing that continues to frustrate me. It actually began when I was a youth pastor. I was doing what I thought was effective … Read More “One of My Frustrations With Church Ministry” »
As we approach the end of 2022, I naturally am reflecting on this past year, a year that has included as much change as any in our family life. The biggest change took place almost at the beginning of the year as we moved in January from Ontario to Nova Scotia. I had never thought … Read More “The Year in Review” »
As you are likely aware, if you have read anything on this blog, my rhythm is to post a Good News post every Monday. This is something that I have done for almost ten years and it actually began as a daily discipline that I eventually moved to weekly. It began during a dark time … Read More “Good News Can Be Hard to Find” »
