'christian' Tagged Posts (Page 7)
HERE ARE THE COMMON STRUGGLES EVERY AUDIENCE SHARES.
Standing in front of people to deliver a message can be a daunting experience. We wonder if what we have to say will connect with people in real and practical ways. This is especially true in the context of the church, where the messages are vehicles of bringing hope and meaning into people’s lives. In this post, I outline the common struggles that exist in every crowd, regardless of size. Knowing these will help you engage your audience in meaningful and effective ways.
Discerning Truth: A Follow Up to a Sermon on Truth (Oct 27, 2019)
While into the series on “We Are The Church,” we presented a message on truth, a hallmark of our Christian faith. I presented the 4 areas where ‘truth’ questions resonate most, in the areas of Origins, Meaning, Morality, and Destiny. I also mentioned that the Christian faith is the only one that satisfies their truth claims through the filters of correspondence and coherence.
The 5 Signs of Persecution and Why Canadian Christians Should Be Concerned
When we think of persecution, we think it’s something that exists elsewhere, but what if the seeds of persecution have already been sown in Canada?
What We Learned in the First Year of Live Streaming Our Services
Our church began live streaming our services a year ago this month. It was a decision that took some time in the making but we had become convinced it was a natural progression for our church. After a year of live streaming, this is what we’ve learned.
In Praise of Every Day Heroes
I’m surrounded by heroes. Not the DC Comic or Marvel versions we see in the comics or at the movie theatres. As entertaining as they may be, they don’t really inspire me in meaningful ways.
I’m also not talking about those courageous people who serve the general public by potentially putting themselves in harm’s way. Police, firemen, military, disaster-relief workers, or the like.The heroes I’m talking about rarely get the recognition they deserve.
The Biggest Hurdle We Face When We Feel Stuck
In this post, I talk about one mental exercise that is often the hurdle to moving forward out of the darkness. The hurdle is natural, and even promoted by the world around us, yet is a contributing factor to people feeling stuck.
How Leaders Affect the Future
I once served on a church planting committee for a large denomination. As a group, we were responsible for interviewing potential planters and gauging whether they would be able to successfully start a new congregation. We had a myriad of assessment tools that we used but one in particular stood out. It dealt specifically with measuring the visioning capacity of the person. It would evaluate the person’s ability to not only formulate a vision, but execute it as well. The…
The 3 Reasons People Leave a Church
As a leader, you long to see your ministry grow and thrive. So when people leave, it can leave you deflated and discouraged, especially if they were contributing members of the congregation. Here are 3 reasons people leave a church and why it should matter to you as a leader.
Podcast – 9:31 Growing the Church in Canada
Pastor Jon has been featured in the latest instalment of Heritage College and Seminary’s podcast: 9:31 Growing the Church in Canada. it is a 2-part interview with each lasting a little over 20 minutes. You can catch them on iTunes here.
What it Takes to Stand Strong in Today’s World – 3 Key Questions
Ever read something that left you inspired? Something so profound that it lifted you in unexpected ways. Happened to me recently, though I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit it. You see, as a pastor, I should not be taken aback by reading a book of the Bible, after-all, it’s profound teaching should be a continual source of inspiration. But recently I was especially struck by the book of 1 Peter. I was moved by the power of Peter’s arguments, especially in the…
The Main Reasons People Seek Out a Church
I continue to hear and read about the decline in church attendance. Even among the demographic of committed members, they are showing up less. It’s troublesome to say the least. Especially when church has a lot to offer. Considering the state of affairs I wondered, What would make a person or a family seek out a church? After-all, do we really have any idea what would drive a person to the doors of a church? Seekers are few and far…
The Enduring Power of Love
A lot has been written since the wedding of Prince Harry and Meagan Markle. Yes, I was one of the many who rose early in the day to watch the royal extravaganza. Whatever your reason for watching, the ceremony produced a number of surprises. The biggest surprise for me should not have been a surprise at all. It was the significant role that love played. This sounds strange considering it was a wedding after-all. If anything, love is the main…