The Bible speaks of three types of baptism: the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of believers by water and the baptism of suffering. Of the three, the most important is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as it is a precondition for the other two. There is evidence of this Holy Spirit baptism … Continue reading The baptism of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
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
Paradigms – effective and defective
Paradigm (pronounced pair-a-dime) means model, pattern, example. The word was first popluarized by Thomas S Kuhn to describe a framework for scientific research. He wrote: "Men whose research is based on shared paradigms are committed to the same rules and standards for scientific practice." ¹ Paradigm then escaped from this narrowly scientific application to become … Continue reading Paradigms – effective and defective
Jezebel
These things saith the Son of God, . . . I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to … Continue reading Jezebel
The strait way or the straightaway
Which road are you on? The straightaway is a wide, smooth road with gentle curves and gradual slopes. Multitudes are travelling down this road, pedal to the metal, hellbent on getting to . . . well — hell. Where else would you expect to get to on this road? Jesus tells us that a lot of … Continue reading The strait way or the straightaway
The path to Christian unity
Believers today are troubled – perhaps frustrated would be a better word – by the divisions among Christians. It was certainly never God’s plan for there to be these kinds of divisions (“there should be no schism in the body” 1 Corinthians 12:25). Yet schisms have been part of Christian history since shortly after the beginning. … Continue reading The path to Christian unity
Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism
Moralistic, therapeutic deism, a term first used by Christian Smith, seems a fitting description of much of what passes for Christianity in North America. The followers of this religion believe in a God who wants them to be good, wants them to feel good about themselves, doesn’t need to be consulted except in case of … Continue reading Moralistic, Therapeutic Deism
Full of joy
[An excerpt from The True Knowledge of God by Dirk Philips, a co-worker of Menno Simons, written in 1558.] Where this love exists, there all that is good is found. Yea, there God is, who himself is love (1 John 4:8); there Christ dwells, there the Holy Spirit abides, there is the lovely gathering of … Continue reading Full of joy
What is wrong with this picture?
We send missionaries all over the world from our North American congregations. We rejoice when reports come back of the faith taking root in countries where the prevailing belief is animism, Hinduism, Buddhism or Islam. Then we go into Tim Horton's and the person behind the counter is a recent immigrant from one of those … Continue reading What is wrong with this picture?
What is our heritage?
One day, about twenty-five years ago, my wife and I were visiting in the home of an Old Order Amish couple. The husband was not ordained at the time, but is now the bishop of his Old Order Amish community. He is a fine man with many admirable qualities, kind, warmhearted, industrious, knowledgeable about many … Continue reading What is our heritage?
