Photos by Jack Harewood. The theme of the 1987 Annual Meetings was “The Church’s Evangelistic Imperative.” This was ably addressed by Michael Green (pictured on the cover) and Rosemary Green, from Regent College in Vancouver. The meetings took place March 6 and 7, at St. Andrew’s Church, Humber Heights, Toronto. … Read more
And He Gave Some to Be …
By David Mills. In these days of talk about “lay education”, one is tempted to ask the question why? Should we be talking about educating the whole church? If so, how are we to educate them? We need to consider seriously the consequences of embarking on more effective and wide-spread lay education. … Read more
Church Renewal Leaders Respond to the “Re-Imagining” Conference
American and Canadian renewal leaders from mainline denominations meeting March 13-15, 1994 in Hamilton, Ontario, expressed profound concern regarding a recent feminist conference planned, funded, and attended by members and leaders of mainline denominations. … Read more
Letter to the Editor
By Jeremy Ashton. I do not believe the RFPCC intends to be primarily a clergy support organization. Yet, the intellectual tone of the contents of Channels, and the somewhat ministerially specialized nature of other presentations of the Fellowship, suggest this. … Read more
Impressions of the 117th General Assembly
Bob and Olive McBay reflect on the decisions and atmosphere of the General Assembly as first-time attenders. … Read more
Summons to Faith and Renewal: Christian Renewal in a Post-Christian World, eds. Peter Williamson and Kevin Perrotta
Reviewed by David Ley. The roots of religious secularization are found in changing standards of sexual morality, an erosion of the doctrine of Christ, and an increasingly uninformed understanding of God, but the problem is not simply unbelief, but also the dilution of standards of behaviour among Christians themselves. … Read more
General Assembly – For the First Time
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
Psalm 85: A Song
Jane Best composed this song in response to George Mallone’s talks at the R.F. Annual Meeting in Toronto in 1984, and sent the song to Bruce Robertson (a pastor at Burnaby Christian Fellowship, Burnaby, B.C.) for his constructive suggestions. Jane revised the song and submitted it to Channels. … Read more
A Call for Discipline
By William Campbell. Our reformed forefathers underscored the three distinguishing marks for the presence of Christ’s Church as being the preaching of the word of God, the proper ministry of the sacraments, and church discipline. When these are present in all their biblical realities in the Presbyterian Church in Canada, it shall be renewed! … Read more
Tithing – a Spring-board to Generosity
By Esther Mcllveen. Tithing is both the wisest investment of our money, as well as a command first given to the Children of Israel. Tithing was not just a requirement of the wealthy, for in Exodus the “poor were instructed not to give less.” Tithing was to become the norm for all the children of God. … Read more
A critique of the NCG Report – “Towards a Christian Understanding of Sexual Orientations, Lifestyles and Ministry”
By Victor Shepherd. In 1984 the highest court of The United Church of Canada, The General Council, commissioned a National Coordinating Group to prepare a report “Towards a Christian Understanding of Sexual Orientations, Lifestyles and Ministry”. Many pastors of The United Church are reacting strongly to its anti-theological bias. … Read more
Memorial: “Nick” Nicolle
By John Vissers. On Wednesday, November 28, 1990 the Renewal Fellowship lost a friend and keen supporter when Mr. E.W. “Nick” Nicolle passed away in Toronto after a brief illness. … Read more
Boldly Going Where God Goes: Kingdom Risks
By John Bowen. The kingdom of God and the work of evangelism do not progress unless Jesus' people are prepared to take risks. The book of Acts holds several examples of evangelism that involved risk-taking. We grow only through change, and change means leaving behind what is familiar and comfortable, and that is risky. … Read more
An Interview with Eugene Peterson
By Rodney Clapp. Eugene Peterson says, “My characteristic feeling at the end of the day is a sense of awe about what God is doing with these people.” … Read more
The Real Preacher
By James I. Packer. The business of preachers of the Word is to be mouthpieces for God’s message, seeing their ministry of the Word as prophecy: precisely speaking the Word of God with application, as a message to the hearers. … Read more
Younger Leaders on World Evangelization: A Canadian Agenda
As Canadian participants at Singapore ’87,we have been deeply challenged concerning the responsibilities of our generation to work for the extension of the Kingdom of God in our age. Seeking to glorify the Triune God of creation and redemption, and out of our love for humanity, we call our generation in Canada to exercise leadership humbly, strategically … Read more
Decision-Making and the Will of God, by Gary Friesen and J. Robin Maxson
Reviewed by Greg Dallimore. The working out of God’s plan for the world is God’s sovereign will alone, hidden to us. God’s “moral” will is revealed through the Bible, and man is to believe it and live by it. God also has an “individual” will for each believer. … Read more