Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
John 17:1-11 Introduction In the beginning… was the militia, and then the navy, and then the air force. Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Three separate organizations, although cooperating together for the defence of Canada. In1968, all three were merged into the Canadian Armed Forces. As we go through modernization … Read More “Answering Jesus’ Prayer” »
Ephesians 3:1-13 Introduction Do you enjoy either reading or watching murder mysteries? Growing up, our family always watched shows like Matlock and Murder She Wrote. To be honest, I never really liked those shows, but my parents insisted. I think what bothered me was that ultimately, the mystery was not really solvable for the audience. … Read More “Solving the Mystery” »
You are a part of a Christian congregation. You are united by a common faith in Jesus Christ. But what happens if there are disagreements in other areas? How much diversity is acceptable? I remember talking to another Baptist pastor in our former association. He was concerned that some of the other pastors were not … Read More “How Important is Theological Uniformity?” »
I have been attending churches for most of my life. I have been a part of three denominations, have attended nine congregations, and pastored at six of those. I think of learned something about healthy churches. The one thing that stands out for me is that of unity in diversity. Some people mistake this for … Read More “The Church: Unity in Diversity” »
Acts 4:23-37 Introduction I remember being at a ministerial and I pointed out that John had been a Baptist. The Nazarene pastor reminded me that John may have been a Baptist but Jesus was a Nazarene. That’s when another pastor stated in heaven, we would all be the United Church. I’m not suggesting that any … Read More “Becoming the United Church” »
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 have heard many skeptics say that the different traditions and denominations within Christianity are evidence that Christianity is false. If Christianity was true, we would all agree on everything. I see no reason why this should be so. As human beings, we are going to interpret things differently. The unity of the Christian Church … Read More “John Wesley on Divisions Among Christians” »
Romans 14 Introduction In John 17, Jesus prays a prayer for the future church, a prayer that is aimed at us. In his prayer, Jesus prays for something very specific. It is not for beautiful buildings or healthy budgets. Jesus prays that the church would be one as the Father and Son are one. Jesus … Read More “How to Disagree” »
Romans 15:5-7 Introduction Who a person is affects how they pray. The mother of a sick child will pray a certain way. A student nervous about an exam will pray a certain way. An evangelist about to speak before a stadium full of people will pray a certain way. A child hoping for a new … Read More “A Prayer For Unity” »
