Let’s be led’s

A true Christian should be a light emitting disciple (led). Our purpose as a light emitting disciple is not to dazzle folks with our brilliance, but to shed light on their path. We don't want to be a cold light, there needs to be some warmth, but no one should ever get burned from coming … Continue reading Let’s be led’s

Is there an antidote for extremism?

First a little background for those who may not be up on the news from Canada. There have been two incidents this week of what one newspaper writer calls “microterrrorism.” On Monday in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec an automobile driver struck two uniformed soldiers, killing one and injuring the other. Wednesday in Ottawa, a man shot a … Continue reading Is there an antidote for extremism?

The threefold purpose of the church

As I see it, there is a threefold purpose for the existence of the church of God. Each of these purposes is connected to and dependent upon the other two. Perhaps we could call this a three-legged stool and whenever one of the legs is shorter than the others it creates an unstable situation. The … Continue reading The threefold purpose of the church

Harvest Home

Here in Saskatchewan the trees are bare, the flowers have died, geese are migrating and most of the combines are parked. Garden produce has been gathered in and the long, plump, white grain bags lying in many fields are silent evidence of a bountiful harvest. Monday will be Thanksgiving. The custom of giving thanks for … Continue reading Harvest Home

How adaptable can a flatlander be?

I am a flatlander, a native of Saskatchewan. The nickname refers to the flatness of our landscape, but there are other aspects of our character where the term applies too. I like people to just say what they have to say, with no long descriptive or flowery preambles. Sir or Ma'am sound artificial and phony … Continue reading How adaptable can a flatlander be?

A theology of suffering

Henry Funk, whom I’ve been quoting the past few days, was only a generation of two removed from the persecution of the Mennonites in Switzerland. The reality of the possibility of suffering for the faith was real to him, and he did not shrink from it. A few centuries have passed and Mennonites in North … Continue reading A theology of suffering

Unreached peoples

Unreached peoples! How can it be that there are still people groups in our modern world who have never heard about the Saviour, who do not have even a portion of the Bible in their language? Mission and Bible translation and distribution agencies tell us with considerable urgency that many such groups still remain on … Continue reading Unreached peoples

Charles de Gaulle and Christian apologetics

Why do I think that talking about Charles de Gaulle will help us understand the purpose of Christian apologetics? Follow me as I try to explain. The First World War was mostly fought on French soil, meaning that the people of France bore the greatest share of the war’s death, destruction and despair. After that … Continue reading Charles de Gaulle and Christian apologetics

Wicked women of the Bible

One was a Canaanite woman who disguised herself as a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law. Another Canaanite woman was a prostitute. A Moabite woman crawled under the covers with a man while he was sleeping to hint that she wanted to marry him. The fourth was an Israelite woman who bathed on the roof of … Continue reading Wicked women of the Bible

Giving an answer

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). The three highlighted words: “give an answer” are a translation of a single Greek word: apologia. The … Continue reading Giving an answer