To whom do we listen?
The real driver of our lives—and even our churches—is whose voice we hear and obey. We make decisions to listen to and give authority somewhere. We quote, footnote and reference. We point to a source, and usually one that agrees with us. “As you have lived, so have you believed,” said philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. Our…
What keeps you up at night?
What keeps you up at night? Your kids? Your bank account? Church problems? Your fears? Your enemies? Your self-justifications? Your habits? Your faults? Other people’s faults? Your hopes and goals? “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves” (Psalm 127:2). So, does…
When everything shakes
Just before midnight on Dec. 29, with our little ones nestled snug in their beds, the earth shook. While earthquakes happen all the time—there were more than 40 in Canada in the past 30 days—this was the first we really felt while living in British Columbia. Our house popped as if one mighty gust had…
War, Christmas and Pentecost
“We’re at war.” These were the words of French President Francois Hollande after the Paris attacks. This Friday the 13th will be remembered like 9/11. Is war the new reality? Or have we just ignored the depressing thought that it’s one of humanity’s constants? Why did Islamic State target Paris? Its statement claiming responsibility declared…
A most grievous sin
One of the greatest days of Jesus’ ministry was marked by one of his greatest laments. He rides toward Jerusalem amid a worshipping throng waving palm branches and declaring Messianic praise (Luke 19:28-38). He is the humble king riding a colt—a most humorous and political cartoon-worthy image. What immediately follows, however, is a Messiah in…
Jesus in a world in upheaval
A number of weeks ago I boarded a plane in Toronto for Istanbul. It’s a long flight—more than nine hours—and I secretly hoped that the seat beside me would remain empty so I could stretch out and sleep. It wasn’t to be. A young man in his late 20s plopped down beside me. I did…
How do you pray?
“There are no atheists in foxholes.” So goes the maxim with roots in the Second World War. Caught in a pinch, surrounded by stress and fear, most human beings turn to some higher power. In fact, one must rationalize away the desire to beseech the divine from deep holes. It follows, doesn’t it, that…
Mission drift
In the last couple decades, most churches caught the mission statement bug. To revisit, renew, or finally wrestle with a reason for being is crucial for any organism. As human beings we all eventually ask the big “why” of existence, so why should it be any different for groups of human beings? Sometimes, however, these…
You must die
On our deck there sits a small pot. It has been sitting in much the same spot for over a year. My youngest son is a budding gardener, and in the pot that sits on that spot, he dropped an apple seed. Yes, one of his middle names is John. For a year that seed…
My renewed confession: Jesus Christ is Lord
I’m in a beautiful and sorrowful place. My travels have brought me to a stunning seaside within a country that significantly restricts the proclamation of Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Here, unless you were born Christian, you can’t abandon the national religion to follow Jesus. Those who change their mind in that way are not…
