I recently read a true story about what we value in life. It was a story about a very wealthy woman on board the Titanic. She was already in a lifeboat that was soon to be lowered into the water. Suddenly, however, she wanted to return to her stateroom. The crew responsible for lowering the lifeboat into the ocean could not believe their ears. Here was someone guaranteed a seat of safety from the icy-cold waters below, and yet she wanted to go retrieve something out of her stateroom. One of the men looked at this pitiful woman and forcefully told her she had three minutes to return, or els ..read more

In a few weeks time, on Good Friday, Christians around the world will remember the horrible and bloody death of Jesus for the sins of the world. Still, others will express their disdain for the Bible's depiction of Christ’s bloody sacrifice on the cross. They see it as barbaric, horrific and totally unnecessary. Christians would agree that it was barbaric and horrific, but they see it as totally necessary. The early church faced this same repulsion over Christ's death from non believers as some express today. The Apostle Paul pointed out that “The message of the cross was foolishness to those ..read more

In the late 1960s Andy Warhol famously prophesied that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.” He seemed to unwittingly anticipate the role that social media would have in the future – as it has turned his prediction into an aspiration of the masses. In a 1996 study, Richard M. Ryan of the University of Rochester and Dr. Kasser, then at Rochester, conducted in-depth surveys of 100 adults, asking about their aspirations, guiding principles, and values, as well as administering standard measures of psychological well-being. The participants in the study who focused o ..read more

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62:5-6. As you embark on a New Year is your life centred? Are you grounded and living on a firm foundation? Finding our center is often referred to as a state of emotional and spiritual equilibrium. Finding our center is supposed to help us to be accepting of the good and the bad in life and understand that things are always changing. When troubles arise, we are supposed to be able to return to our center to help us feel more balanced and grounded ..read more

If you know a little about the birth of Jesus, it might be best for you to forget it and start all over again. We have sterilized and glamorized the Christmas story so much over the centuries that even Hollywood – as jaded a culture as can be found anywhere – always fails to capture the gritty pathos that surrounded Jesus's arrival. Even some churches are guilty of romanticizing the birth of Jesus. Yet it was anything but idyllic. The sixth century BC was a lousy time to live in Judea. Herod the Great had seized the throne of Israel through bloody intrigue and with the political support of Ro ..read more

King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 1:11, “he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Nothing lies outside the purview of God’s sovereignty, not even the current unrest in the Middle East. He will never be surprised or unsettled. No one can throw him a curve ball he cannot manage. No one could toss a monkey wrench into the “cogs” of his plans for humanity, no matter how many machinations of governments, nations, or individuals. God will always ..read more

At this time of the year, I find myself pondering Paul’s words, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God” (Phil. 1:3). Recently, the death of dear saint, at a church where I once pastored, reminded me of why it is important to be thankful. Every now and then God places individuals in our pathway that make our lives more enjoyable. This man’s ministry to me was extremely encouraging; and it continued for thirty years after I left that church. He called me often during those years, and his calls always brightened my day. His final call was about a month before his death at ninety yea ..read more

Is Your Church Experiencing Mission Drift? No greater command was ever given to the church than in Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” These were the final and departing words of Jesus to his disciples. Thankfully, the disciples, and countless others ever since, have taken this Great Commission seriously, or else I would not be writing this blog ..read more

Several years ago, Philip Yancy spoke at one of our national conferences. Philip is a prolific speaker and author. One of the many books he has authored was,The Jesus I Never Knew. In this book, Yancey presents a complex character who generates questions as well as answers – a disturbing and exhilarating Jesus who wants to radically transform people’s lives and stretch their faith. In an excerpt from his book, Yancey said this about Jesus: Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he did meet skeptics he could not conv ..read more

So, what's the big deal about the church? The “what” you ask? The church – that building you are apt to drive by on your way to work every day and where people gather on Sunday mornings. Maybe you haven't thought about that before, but it is good question; and it deserves a good answer. Something more than, “Oh I know”, “I might want to get married in one," or "It's got stunning architecture and provides for a great photo shoot." Or how about this one, "It’s a great spot for me to schmooze and make some business contacts." Maybe you’re someone who has wondered about the relevance of the churc ..read more