“And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23. As a Mennonite who has renounced all use of force, how can this verse apply to my attempts to share the gospel? In the 17th century Blaise … Continue reading Compel them to come in
God
Preparing the way
During the four centuries between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the new there was a dramatic transformation of that part of the world we call Bible lands. So important were these transformations that God revealed them to the prophet Daniel, centuries before they happened. The closing chapters of Daniel tell … Continue reading Preparing the way
Radical thinking from an archbishop
Liberty of thought is an impregnable fortress that no human power can force. Violence can never convince, it only makes hypocrites. When kings take it upon themselves to direct in matters of religion, instead of protecting it, they bring it into bondage. You should, therefore, grant to all a legal toleration. Not as approving everything … Continue reading Radical thinking from an archbishop
The light of the world
Image by Thomas G. from Pixabay Jesus told Christians: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." Let us then occupy ourselves in calling attention to the light, not the darkness. People around us are well aware of the darkness, we don't have to call attention … Continue reading The light of the world
Do they have the tools to do the job?
Matthew 28:19-20, which we Christian like to call the Great Commission, begins thus “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them . . . ” The words teach and baptize lead many Christians to believe that the Great Commission is fulfilled by making and baptizing converts. And we often wonder why these converts seem … Continue reading Do they have the tools to do the job?
Rambling thoughts
Today is a holiday, not a national holiday but one that is observed, under different names, in every part of Canada except Yukon, Newfoundland and Quebec. Here in Saskatchewan it is called Saskatchewan Day. A singer-songwriter released a new Saskatchewan song today. I listened to it once and wondered whatever happened to songs that everyone … Continue reading Rambling thoughts
The Dogma is the Drama
[Excerpts from Letters to a Diminished Church, Passionate Arguments for the Relevance of Christian Dogma, by Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957). © 2004 by W Publishing Group, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. ] Christ, in His divine innocence, said to the woman of Samaria, “Ye worship ye know not what” — being apparently under the impression … Continue reading The Dogma is the Drama
We need poetry
“People need poetry more than they need bread. They need that their life should be a poem. They need some light from eternity. Religion alone can be the source of such poetry.” -Simone Weil Poetry is not bound to form but can be any writing that uses language in a musical way to evoke deep … Continue reading We need poetry
What was God doing?
It appears that too many Christians read the Bible as the story of men and women bumbling around because they couldn’t quite figure out what God wanted them to do. They conceive of life as a giant stage, with no script, no director, just a mysterious set of Very Important Rules. Some people call this … Continue reading What was God doing?
Peaceable people of God
I debated with myself about whether I should use peaceful or peaceable in the title. I feel that there is a small nuance of difference in meaning and peaceable is better for describing the essential nature of followers of Jesus Christ. Of course, I wouldn’t have this trouble if I were writing in French, which … Continue reading Peaceable people of God
Flatlander Faith 