When time becomes the right time
The New Testament speaks of time in two ways: there is chronos (chronology, the movement of time by clock and calendar), and there is kairos (the opportune time, the right moment). Life is full of chronos. We wake up at a certain time. We eat at certain times. We go to work, school and appointments…
Identifying, investing, installing
One of the many challenges that are common to most new churches is leadership. Those who have decided to be part of Mennonite Church Canada’s area churches are not immune. This challenge can be both an excellent opportunity and highly demanding for the welcoming area churches. It’s an excellent opportunity because one of the visions…
Readers write: September 29, 2014 issue
Reader addresses what he believes are ‘inaccuracies’ Re: “From milk and honey to a land of rubble,” Aug. 18, page 4. There are a several inaccuracies in this article that need to be addressed: 1. The author writes: “As I examine Scripture, I find three different sets of land boundaries. . . . Given this…
Bill’s dating advice for churches
It’s disturbing that the “religious industrial complex” is cashing in on the desperation of many churches today. It’s common for struggling churches to look to more “successful” churches for the answers. What’s their secret formula? Will it work for us? While it makes sense to learn from innovative churches that are effectively connecting with people,…
Generosity is in the eye of the giver
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Mrs. Potato Head understands the power of non-verbal communication. I laugh every time I remember her in the outtakes of the 1999 movie Toy Story 2 helping Mr. Potato Head pack…
Purple hair
Perhaps it was inspiration from Jenny Joseph’s poem “Warning”: “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple.” When I first heard it decades ago, I didn’t imagine it would apply to me at any stage of my life. Interestingly, Joseph wrote the poem when she was just 29 years old. Recently, though, I’ve…
Sharing the faith
“Why don’t Mennonites believe in evangelism?” asked my breakfast partner. This was the question of the appointment. With small chat out of the way, the purpose of the invitation became clear. This is not the first time I have been asked this question. It is usually asked by someone who has a heart for evangelism…
Readers write: September 15, 2014 issue
Church needs to learn to ask the ‘right questions’ I wasn’t at Assembly 2014, so I enjoyed reading the summaries in the July 28 edition (pages 4 to 17) and the sharing of the experience by members from St. Jacobs (Ont.) Mennonite Church, who attended. It seems the disciples in the boat tossed by the…
Camp is only the beginning
Is it camp that needs its staff or is it the staff that need camp? Time and time again I have heard teens tell their faith story by beginning with, “I grew up in a Christian home, but camp is where it really all started.” I have a hunch that the people who choose to…
Do you know you know God?
How do you know if you know someone? To answer that, consider what it’s like to shop for a birthday present with little kids. They see a gift not through the eyes of the recipient, but only through their own. On such an excursion, there is likely a conversation something like this: “Johnny, is that…
