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Two big surprises, two big questions
Recently, a Kubota utility vehicle pulled into my driveway where my sons and their friends were playing hockey. Out popped Tim Taylor, a former NHL player and two-time Stanley Cup champion, holding the Stanley Cup. He put it in the middle of our driveway where we all took turns touching it, kissing it and drinking…
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Reaching out requires letting in
A recent CBC news article projected that 9,000 Canadian churches will close over the next 10 years. That’s approximately one-third of Canadian churches gone in a decade. It’s not news that the church in Canada is dying, but it is shocking how fast it’s happening. Many denominations are responding to this current crisis by adopting…
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Healthy interpersonal confession
As the saying goes, “Confession is good for the soul but bad for the reputation.” Have you ever wondered what Jesus thought about his reputation? Word around town alleged he was an illegitimate child, a glutton, traitor, blasphemer and drunkard who hung out with debauchees and was probably demon possessed. His unorthodox behaviour, controversial teachings…
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What ‘confessing your sins to one another’ isn’t
Confession is primarily between the individual and God, as I wrote about last month. Yet Scripture encourages us to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16). Why is this important, and how do we do this in healthy and helpful ways? For starters, confession should be a free choice on the part of the…
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Confession as a personal spiritual practice
This Lenten season I find myself reflecting on the spiritual discipline of confession. What does a healthy practice of confession look like both individually and collectively? Confession played a huge part in my childhood faith. I was taught that you couldn’t pray or be right with God if you had unconfessed sin in your life,…
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Worship as an act of loving God
I’ve run into a number of people who are “spiritual but not religious,” who have recently started attending church. They told me they skip the opening worship and just show up to hear the message. When I asked why, one person said, “The music doesn’t resonate with me or the world I live in. It…
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Sharing life with your tribe
In 2013, I embarked on an ancestral pilgrimage to Scotland. The first site I visited was Lochmaben Castle, where, according to my Aunt Faye’s genealogical research, one of our ancestors was born. Lochmaben Castle was a major defensive stronghold for both the Scottish and the English through the 13th to 17th centuries. Possession of the…
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The clarity of divine call
I believe every human being has a divine call. This divine call is more explicit than the generic “call to ministry” associated with the clergy. It’s a specific expectation God has given each person to fulfill. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote: “Over and above the din of desires there is a calling, a demanding, a waiting,…
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‘What’s next, God?’
Advent means arrival. During Advent we contemplate and celebrate the arrival of our Messiah. However, the purpose of Advent for Spirit-filled followers of Christ is not to pretend to long for the coming of Christ, whose presence we are already intimately familiar with. For us, Advent is an opportunity to cultivate a deeper longing for…
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Why do I need to be part of a church?
“Why should I participate in church? What does the church offer that I can’t find elsewhere?” Before I could respond, my friend proceeded to explain how he has experienced God, Jesus, Spirit, worship, purpose, spiritual growth, healing, community and opportunities to serve others in meaningful ways outside of the church. By the end of our…
