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This issue of Channels focuses on the theme of Evangelism.
As Living Faith reminds us:
As God sent Christ to us,
So Christ sends us into the world.
We are here to proclaim Christ in word and deed.
Mission is evangelism.
Peter Bush’s article reports on a seminar sponsored by the Committee on History and Colleges and held at Knox College using the theme: Active Evangelism: The Canadian Presbyterian Story. The seminar not only tried to define evangelism in a way that was meaningful for the full biblical witness of evangelism but also to reflect that being evangelical is (and throughout our history has been) an essential aspect of being Presbyterian. David and Helga Stewart have gathered a number of good news stories from across the country which tell of personal conversions and changed lives and also how effective the Alpha program has been in our denomination. It has been estimated that over 10% of all our congregations have run the Alpha program which is proving to be the most effective evangelism program our denomination has participated in for years. Alpha is not the only effective effort to draw people to our congregations; and we tell the story of a Culture College outreach for children and their parents that has proved an amazing tool to draw community attention to Waterloo North congregation. The feature article is an excerpt from John Bowen’s newly released book Evangelism for Normal People (Augsburg, 2002). He challenges us to realize that we need to go with God and that sometimes goes against the grain. As he puts it: The disciples are looking for comfort and resolution, Jesus is pushing for risk and ambiguity.”
Liz Birnie’s article “Wait Training” may prove to be the first in a regular column so be sure and give us feedback. Her observations on the life of devotion relate well not only as preparation for evangelism but also as an outline for doing it as well.
Gail Reid has provided us with an account of the exciting Renewal Network Conference with theme speakers Dr. Tony Campolo and Dr. George Sumner speaking on Christ our Life. Indeed the focus of evangelism is not primarily about church growth, or finances, or larger worship services. It is about living and sharing so all the world can see that Christ is our Life.
Brown, MacLeod, Young
Ellen Charry
This year is the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the Renewal Fellowship and although an Anniversary edition of Channels is in the works, which will cover this in greater detail, we thought we’d share a few highlights of the year since the focus was not only in looking back but even more so to looking ahead in faithfulness and reaching out to others. At our Annual meeting we had the Anniversary cake cut by Don MacLeod, the Anniversary Committee Chair, who also served as the first chair of the Renewal Board and Helen Young, one of the longest serving Board members. The Conference, held at St. Andrews, Whitby, was led in stimulating lectures and discussions by Dr. Ellen Charry of Princeton who spoke of the theme of Human Flourishing and who challenged us in the conflict around human sexuality to come at the question from a new perspective relating to human flourishing. What kind of sexuality makes humans most alive?
In the May 3–5 weekend we had a wonderful Friday evening in Toronto in which many friends old and new met to celebrate and give God thanks for the life and work of the Renewal Fellowship. Sunday evening a former part-time Executive Director, Principal John Vissers of Presbyterian College spoke at Knox Church Spadina on God’s Renewal work. Other celebrations organized by the Regional Renewal Teams were held in Vancouver and in Ottawa.
It is our prayer that as you read these stories God’s Spirit will encourage you to do active evangelism so that the Flames of faith may continue to burn brightly through our church and nation.
Calvin Brown
Photos by Jack Harewood