The cackle of a hen is a promise that she has laid an egg. But my farm boy experience taught me that sometimes the cackle was a false promise – no egg could be found. Christians put a lot of emphasis on experiences, and rightly so. Christian life is a new life that must begin with … Continue reading The cackle or the egg?
new birth
A fading faith
[This is one of my earliest posts on this blog, dating from four and a half years ago.] For twelve years we lived in a little village in Ontario. Directly across the street from our home was the United Church manse. The minister and his wife were a pleasant older couple, professional and polished. There … Continue reading A fading faith
Keeping the faith
Most Amish trace their families back to Mennonites from the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. An Old Order Amish bishop once said to me, "There must have been a special strength of character in those Bernese Anabaptists that has enabled their descendants to keep the faith for hundreds of years." The Amish divided from the … Continue reading Keeping the faith
An abiding church
“Reader, understand what I mean; we do not dispute about whether or not there are some of the chosen one’s of God, in the before mentioned churches; for this we, at all times, humbly leave to the just and gracious judgment of God, hoping there may be many thousands who are unknown to us, as … Continue reading An abiding church
Raised eyebrow Christians
I was going to write supercilious, but that's just a fancy latin word meaning raised eyebrows. So I decided to speak plain English. There was a time in my mid-twenties when I was quite sure that everyone who claimed to be born again thought they were better than anyone else. Then there came a time … Continue reading Raised eyebrow Christians
The inward and spiritual grace
The following are statements from the Catechism found in the Book of Common Prayer, which was used for centuries by Anglicans around the world. Catechist. What do you mean by the word Sacrament? Answer. I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, given to us by Christ himself, as a … Continue reading The inward and spiritual grace
Slaying the beast within
A year and a half ago, a young man who had served a sentence for armed robbery appeared in court to explain that he had learned his lesson. He said that he had learned that he needed to stop and think before doing something and consider the consequences. "I have learned to tell the difference … Continue reading Slaying the beast within
Discipleship
A disciple is a learner. When we are born again we are babes in Christ, there is so much for us to learn. And just like a small child, most of what we learn comes from watching what others do and trying to do the same thing. Thus, just like a small child, we are … Continue reading Discipleship
Baby steps
We do not expect a newborn child to talk, to walk, or to do things to help others. A baby has the potential to learn to do all those things, but the learning comes slowly, in baby steps. When a little child begins to walk, she is very unsteady on her feet and will often … Continue reading Baby steps
True Knowledge of God
There the Holy Spirit brings rest and peace to the consciences and hearts of the believers in true Christian love and unity; there also is found the living hope, whereby the believer hopes for salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ, yea so that he is assured and certain that he is being sanctified, and … Continue reading True Knowledge of God
Flatlander Faith 