[This was written 33 years ago, as you will note by the reference to the IRA hunger strikers.] "But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat" (Matt. 14:16). Jesus was out in the hills of Galilee, and the multitudes came there to him to be healed and to learn … Continue reading Spiritual starvtion and suicide
ministers
Blessings can’t be bought
(My wife unearthed this a few days ago. It is a letter to the editor that appeared in the London (Ontario) Free Press on May 28, 1987, at the height of the foofaraw over the extravagant lifestyle of Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker. We were living in Fullarton, Ontario, about 20 minutes north of London … Continue reading Blessings can’t be bought
There is a famine – part one
Small town churches across Canada are rapidly disappearing. Fifty years ago, the town where I grew up had five churches. Only two remain, and they are the churches where one is least likely to ever hear sound Bible-based preaching. Smaller towns nearby have no churches at all. This is more than a demographic curiosity. It … Continue reading There is a famine – part one
Voices of darkness
I had to be at work a little before 11:00 P.M. that Sunday night. The factory work week began at 11:00 and as Quality Assurance Inspector I had to check the equipment before startup. Although I interacted with the supervisors and workers on the factory floor, I worked alone, covering all that was happening. This … Continue reading Voices of darkness
Too big to be of use to God
A group of ministers met with a fellow minister who had been highly respected and useful in the service of our Lord. They had a disturbing message for him: he had lost the spiritual vitality and clarity that he once had. They advised him to cease preaching for a time and earnestly seek a renewal … Continue reading Too big to be of use to God
Leadership in the church
The church needs leaders to guide and teach the members and to be examples to them. Yet the ministers are servants of the church. Minister, bishop, elder, pastor and evangelist are not different offices in the church but describe the various responsibilities of a minister. The responsibility of deacons lies more in the area of … Continue reading Leadership in the church
Ministers, money, and Mennonites
Quote from Menno Simons: O my faithful reader, ponder this. As long as the world distributes splendid houses and such large incomes to their preachers, the false prophets and deceivers will be there by droves. I admit that this seems a little unjust when I think of preachers I have known in small towns and … Continue reading Ministers, money, and Mennonites
Flatlander Faith 