A publication of the Renewal Fellowship
A publication of the Renewal Fellowship
By Calvin Brown. The Renewal Fellowship is a volunteer organization, committed to renewing spiritual vitality and historic biblical witness within and through the church. Renewal Fellowship activities include organizing renewal conferences, days of prayer, and workshops, and publishing Channels magazine, Renewal News and a quarterly Prayer Calendar. … Read more
By Calvin Brown. Presbyopia, blurry vision related to the aging process, bears many resemblances to the vision problems of the Presbyterian Church, experiencing a 16% decline in ten years. Like presbyopia, decline may seem to come on quickly, but the symptoms have developed slowly and gradually. … Read more
Photos by Jack Harewood. This was a jubilant gathering – Baxter Kruger (pictured on the cover) sharing God’s love with us, great fellowship, and with the Renewal Fellowship membership topping 1000 for the first time. … Read more
By Wayne Dawes. "Revival" is hard to define, but the Word of God indicates that we need it, especially when the church is cold, dead, dull, and wordly. What is required to bring revival is humility, prayer, and seeking the face of God. Christian history bears this out. … Read more
Reviewed by David Stewart. These 15 essays on “The Renewal of Theological Education,” “The Renewal of Church Life,” and “The Renewal of Presbyterianism” were collected as a tribute to Dr. Ian Rennie on the occasion of his 65th birthday, when he retired from his duties as Dean of Ontario Theological Seminary. … Read more
By Calvin Brown. There is always lots of work to be done, and as Jesus observed it seems like the fields are white unto harvest but the labourers are few. How happy we should be to be included in the Lord’s work! … Read more
Photos by Jack Harewood. Many members and friends of the Renewal Fellowship met March 8 & 9, 1996, at Bridlewood Presbyterian Church in Scarborough, Ontario. Dr. John Stackhouse, from Winnipeg, was the primary speaker and is featured on the cover. … Read more
Calvin Brown, the Executive Director, reports on his various past and future speaking engagements, including a Church Growth Workshop in Ottawa, a one-week PCC “think tank”, meetings with Knox and Presbyterian College students, and the upcoming Annual Meeting. … Read more
By George Anderson. “God specializes in graveyards.” This little church which had no Sunday School or Bible study groups and had about twenty adults attending seemed like a valley of dry bones. Humanly speaking the answer seemed to be “No” but the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Jesus said “Yes.” … Read more
By Howard & Wilma Cumming. “Well, God,” we prayed, “you called us here. If it was only to close down Calvin, your will be done. But if you really want Calvin to grow, you are going to have to do something about it. We seem to be at a dead end.” … Read more
Edward P. Mason reflects on the article, “Can we domesticate the Holy Spirit?” as a catalyst for some thoughts on (1) youth in our church life and growth, and (2) “Renewal” as a stranger in much of our church life. … Read more
A. Donald MacLeod recounts his personal involvement in convening a meeting of evangelical Presbyterians that laid the groundwork for the eventual formation of The Renewal Fellowship Within The Presbyterian Church in Canada. … Read more
By Bob Little. When Spirit-filled people move quietly into an old congregation, when dissatisfied and hungry souls cry to God for new life, or when God himself invades a group in his sovereignty. I have seen renewal begin and new life follow. … Read more
By Larry Brice. Despite the challenge to double our church membership in the decade of the 1980’s, our communicant membership grew in only one year of that decade. Revival often is said to begin with prayer, the rediscovery of the Bible, personally sharing one’s Christian faith, and Christian love and service. … Read more
By Bob Little. I am convinced that the majority of the grass roots of our church is conservative. The serious problems, especially in the realm of theology and ethics, come from small and at times influential minorities within our church. … Read more
Reviewed by Jack Charleson. The title appears to indicate the need we have within our denomination today. Truly we need to be “a people saturated with God” if the renewal we pray for is to take place. … Read more
By John Vissers. What is the nature of this postmodern world in which we are moving? How are we to understand it? What are the dynamics of the renewal of the Christian church within the context of this new world? … Read more