In 1919 a weekly Methodist paper announced a contest for the best new Christmas Carol. The winning entry was the following poem from Joseph Simpson Cook, a Methodist minister in south-western Ontario. The tune is Tempus Adest Floridum, composed in 1582 for a Latin hymn, adapted by John Mason Neale for an English hymn in … Continue reading Gentle Mary laid her Child
Saviour
Therefore choose light
God has given us freedom of choice: the freedom to choose good or evil, light or darkness, life or death. We grieve when someone who has known the light chooses to walk in darkness. But let us beware lest that grief diminish the joy we should experience with those who have once known only darkness … Continue reading Therefore choose light
The return of the light
The Israelites had light when the Egyptians were in darkness. The light went with them to show the way when the waters stood aside to let them cross the Red Sea. The light stayed with them for forty years through the wilderness, then led them through the Jordan into the promised land, while the waters … Continue reading The return of the light
Questions of life and eternity
What is the most important factor in making a person want to be a Christian? Is it the fear of hell, or the longing for heaven? Have you ever been in a discussion like that? What was the conclusion? I think both factors have some motivational influence, but I do not believe that either is … Continue reading Questions of life and eternity
To be a disciple
The Great Commission tells Christians to make disciples from all nations. In practice though, it seems many evangelical efforts have thought it sufficient to get a profession of faith from new believers, to make converts. That’s only a beginning. If I stop at being converted, I am not sufficiently rooted and grounded in the faith … Continue reading To be a disciple
Introduction to the New Testament – 1
The Gospels Matthew - The writer calls himself Levi; the other gospels call him Matthew, perhaps a name given to him when he became a disciple of Jesus. He was a publican before his call, a man who collected taxes on all merchandise transported along the road where he was stationed near Capernaum. This was … Continue reading Introduction to the New Testament – 1
Intriguing book titles
These are two of my recent reads, with titles that seem to need a little explanation. Randy Newman's book, Questioning Evangelism, is not about questioning the value of evangelism, which might be your first impression. Rather, he is advocating asking questions as a means of evangelism. Forty-five years ago, Tom Skinner published a book entitled … Continue reading Intriguing book titles
Hail the King of glory
Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger; There He lay, the undefiled, to the world a stranger: Such a babe in such a place, can He be the Saviour? Ask the saved of all the race who have found His favour. Angels sang about His birth; wise men sought and found Him; … Continue reading Hail the King of glory
The Mennonite view of the Sabbath
They keep and sanctify the Sabbath which is not the literal, but the spiritual Sabbath, which never ends with true Christians, not by wearing fine clothes, not by carousing, vanity and idleness, as the reckless world do, but by the true fear of God, by a clear conscience and unblamable life, in love to God … Continue reading The Mennonite view of the Sabbath
Still looking for an entry level church
We still appreciated the people at the Lowe Farm church, but decided we needed to go shopping for another church. We wouldn’t have been able to put it into words, but we were looking for an entry level church, one that wouldn’t cost us too much in the way of commitment. Nevertheless, we had been … Continue reading Still looking for an entry level church
Flatlander Faith 