A publication of the Renewal Fellowship
A publication of the Renewal Fellowship
By Calvin Brown. As we begin a new millennium there is much speculation about what the emerging church will look like. Loren Mead and others suggest some changes (mostly to do with de-institutionalization and de-centralization) but say the jury is still out on how the church will re-configure itself to meet the needs and demands of the emerging postmodern world. … Read more
By Ian McPhee. Amid much confusing advice from friends regarding the source of his illness, Ian McPhee finds that the most helpful explanation is that illness is one of God's gracious gifts to us. Our privilege is to unwrap it and discover how good and perfect it is. … Read more
Luci Shaw is a well-known poet and author who lives in Bellingham, Washington. This poem, The Race, is from Luci's book of poetry, Angles of Light. … Read more
By Peter Olson. God is very interested in all of our children. He has moved powerfully in this little country church in Erin, Ontario, and He has affected the hearts of children, youth, and adults. Through much prayer and listening on our part, God can accomplish many wonderful things. … Read more
Reviewed by Kit Schindell. Philip Yancey shows us how we need to look for God beyond the walls of the church, in the slums and jails or watching a pod of whales. This is not a gritty book, dragging us through "sordid reality", nor is it cute and coy bedtime reading. … Read more
By Brian C. Stiller, pictured on the cover. This article is an introduction to Jesus, the healer of pain. No person can reach into our inner caves of hurt, dark with foreboding and fear, and light a lantern of truth. Only the Creator, who knows us beyond our knowing, can right the wrong and restore the broken heart. … Read more
By Kathryn Dyck. Christian youth in Manitoba have been experiencing renewal over the past few years — truly a "Fountain of Youth." God's hands have guided the work of those who have volunteered their time and talents to Manitoba's Presbyterian Youth Council (PYC) … Read more
By Bob Birse. Gently, Willard leads us into a fresh examination of sometimes all too familiar ground. In his introduction he says, "My hope is to gain a fresh hearing for Jesus, especially among those who believe they already understand him." … Read more
By Eugene Peterson. People worry about keeping Christ in Christmas, but not about keeping the tree in Christmas. In many homes, no carols are sung, no prayers offered, and no nativity story told, but few lack a Christmas tree. But I do remember a Christmas with no tree. … Read more
By John G. Stackhouse, Jr. John the Baptist's message is simple: "Repent!" It means to alter one's course, change one's mind, redirect one's life from the heart on out, to straighten up. It means to prepare for drastic change, position oneself for reorientation, and then turn. … Read more
By Stan Spavold. Beforehand, the author was in a spiritual malaise, questioning his role as a member of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. The Assembly renewed his faith in Christ, reconfirmed why he is a Presbyterian, and reassured him about the future of the denomination. … Read more
By David D. Stewart. It has taken me most of my adult life to come to the point of recognizing a bit of what was wrapped up in the words across the great arch high above the pulpit in Knox Church, Toronto, in my childhood: "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." … Read more
By Brenda Shaw. To make the Christmas story a real tangible part of our lives that we could share with our community, we realized that the "Living Nativity" and "Bethleham Walks" taking place in other towns and cities could be part of our Christmas celebration too. … Read more
Anonymous. As we look only to God to meet our needs, rather than to ministers, sermons, and programs, our churches will change from bickering, unhappy places, to homes of joy and praise. … Read more
By Bonnie Bamberry.
Alone he sits in an old brown house
Gray and bleak
His weak eyes stream
And shrink
At a sharp pain in his heart … Read more
By Eugene H. Peterson. Those who are too tired to go on, or consigned to the sidelines because of lack of stamina, or resigned to a marginal status, need to hear the inward assurance of God's affirmation through the generous verdict of David at the Brook Besor. … Read more
J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg is glad that in a world of disconnections, he belongs to a connectional church, always working on the connection between differing theologies and understandings, differing regions and constituencies – small enough to get to know each other. … Read more