In one of my favorite books, Basic Christianity, by John Stott, one finds these words: “You can never take God by surprise. You can never anticipate him. He always makes the first move. He is always there ‘in the beginning’.…
Christmas Is Coming
Our family celebrates Christmas early. This Saturday, weather permitting, the children and grandchildren will gather at our house for a traditional Christmas meal and the exchanging of gifts. For two grandparents who can never see too much of our grandchildren…
Something Special
If you follow my blog with any regularity you probably noticed that I didn’t publish an entry for the past couple of weeks. That is because after 133 blog entries, I ran out of things to say. I suffered a…
A National Forum on the Small Church in Canada
There are approximately 8,000 small evangelical churches in Canada. They are found in every province and the three territories.All of them face very similar issues and challenges. Too often those small churches are the forgotten element in the national church…
Why I Love Small Churches
I have a passion for the small church in Canada. It is a passion that I hope is contagious so that as people come in contact with me, more and more will catch the bug. There are a number of…
Dealing With Frustration
I just finished reading a blog that every leader in a small church should read on a regular basis. I’m thinking that many of you are already registered on it so that you get reminders each time a new entry…
A Special Thank You
Kyle Rohane, editor of the Christianity Today pastors’ newsletter, used that forum to thank a number of pastors who had made a difference in his life. He summed up his column with these words. “But to these pastors and to…
Don’t Be Discouraged. Seasons Don’t Last Forever
A few weeks ago people in my part of the country received a pleasant surprise. Just as summer came to an official end, the weather turned unseasonably warm. The highs were around thirty degrees with lots of sunshine. In other…
Some Words Of Encouragement
Every once in a while I need a note of encouragement. I have filed away in my computer some quotes that often provide that encouragement for me. I try to extract from every book that I read at least one…
A Simple Faith
I have always been the type of person to ask questions. When I was a teenager, I drove my mother crazy with the questions that I used to ask about my faith. I look back now and realize that Mom…