By Jonathan Dent — I had nothing to say. I felt nothing coming to mind. I was experiencing a vacuum, a void, an emptiness. Perhaps it was due to the busy-ness of the previous months. Perhaps it was because it was a lovely sunny summer day. Perhaps it was because we had just driven over 5,000 km to get where we were going. Perhaps it was the caffeine I was drinking or not drinking. In any case, I had nothing to say. Nothing to write. And upon reflection, I believe that this nothingness was the most creative … Read more
The Discipleship Project
By Doug Schonberg and David Moody. The Discipleship Project is a tool for stimulating, promoting and measuring adult spiritual education, based on the assumption that even a 10% increase in serious, intentional adult spiritual growth can offset operating deficits and increase volunteerism for children and youth ministries. … Read more
Can Spiritual Maturity Be Taught?
By Roberta Hestenes. Who leads the church in developing spiritual maturity? Presumably the pastor. And where does the pastor learn it? The churches figured it was taught at seminary; the seminaries assumed it was caught at church. … Read more
A Time for Honesty
By A. Donald MacLeod. The mental health of ministers should be on the top of the agenda for any who are seeking renewal in the church. Too often this concern has been crisis-oriented, dealing with sickness rather than prevention. … Read more
Singapore ’87 – A Canadian Presbyterian Perspective
By John A. Vissers. My time at Singapore ’87 has given me a new perspective on the church around the world, on Christian leadership, on world evangelization, on the worship of God, on prayer, on the relationship between theology and evangelism, on renewal, and on the Christian church in Canada … Read more
’99 Travel Highlights
Calvin Brown, the Executive Director of The Renewal Fellowship, presents pictures of his recent trip to Manitoba … Read more
The Wedding Program
By Rev. J. H. (Hans) Kouwenberg. The Wedding Program for the marriage of Mark Hayden Lane and Lynn Catherine Dickens is presented as a model for all those considering marriage. … Read more
Winning Through Integrity, by Cliff C. Jones
Reviewed by Jack Charleson. This book is intended to explain some of the instructions that a Christian or a Jew reads in his Bible that the test of time has proven can make the differences between failure and success in business or in any aspect of life.” … Read more
By the Renewing of Your Minds, by Ellen T. Charry
Reviewed by Stan Cox. Christian doctrine, such as the Trinity and the two natures of Jesus Christ, are meant to enable the flourishing of human excellence by promoting people's enjoyment of God. A tour of Christian theologians who taught in the tradition of classic orthodoxy bears this out. … Read more
Developing a Vision
By J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg. Before we can consider what our future vision for ministry might be, we ought to consider what our vision for ministry has been. One way of doing that may be to consider who we are when we worship. … Read more
Growing Deep in the Christian Life, by Charles R. Swindoll
Reviewed by Jack Charleson. Charles R. Swindoll is pastor of First Evangelical Free Church, Fullerton, California, a broadcaster and prolific author. Over recent years he has given Christians much to think about through his publications and radio broadcasts and in Growing Deep in the Christian Life he encourages us to look back at the root of our Christian faith. … Read more
Learn to Discern, by R.G. De Moss, Jr.
Reviewed by Jim Walton. De Moss’s goal is to teach parents how they may help their children to develop a critical, Christian mind that is able to sift through the mixed messages given by the seductive and influential power of the television, movie, advertising, and music industries. … Read more
Resolving Conflicts in the Church: Fall Renewal Day Report
By Rosanne Hislop. With a variety of stories, examples and illustrations, Richard Blackburn of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Centre led nearly 100 people at Chalmer’s Presbyterian Church, London, Ontario, in a day-long workshop on “Conflict Resolution Skills for Churches”, in November, 1993. … Read more
Family Camping
By Laurie Salmon. Preventative measures are shown to be an essential part of health and wholeness in these chronicles of the life-giving experience of healthy family activity and community-building in a camping experience. … Read more
Jesus Who?
By Paul Barnett. Although nineteen hundred and fifty-four years have passed since his death, Jesus of Nazareth remains a continuing figure of fascination, and not just to Christians. Is the Bible reliable? … Read more
Josh’s Promise (A Modern Parable of Grace)
By Ivan S. Gamble. A parable illustrating the truth that it is by grace that we have been saved, through faith … Read more
Renewable Resources: Equipping Presbyterians for the 21st Century
Ian and Linda Shaw report on the Renewal Day in Selkirk, Manitoba, on May 1st. Dr. George Shillington held up the sole key renewal resource for us now and into the century to come as being the Jesus who came to reveal the Father and his will to us. … Read more