By Evelyn M. Forsyth. There is a significant "paradigm shift" in all institutions in our society which is profoundly affecting the way we do things in our churches: the challenge to authority structures and traditional notions of professional relationships. … Read more
The Christian Faith and Homosexuality, by David F. Wright
Reviewed by John Vaudry. This booklet attempts to answer two objections to the conservative position on homosexuality. … Read more
Not All Glitz and Glamour – A Canadian Church Leadership Conference
J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg reports on the principles and core values underlying the growth and success of Northview Church in Abbotsford BC, presented at a leadership conference attended by over 170 pastors and lay people … Read more
Christian Ethics
By Dennis Stoutenburg. Christians should become more concerned about not just presenting the message of Jesus to a lost world but of presenting him in a manner that is practically effective and socially persuasive. Should not every investigation of sacred Scripture ring ethically and morally true? … Read more
Annual General Meeting 2003
The Annual General Meeting and March Renewal Day was hosted by Paris Presbyterian Church on March 8 with enthusiasm and evident joy that set the tone for the whole event. It was a wonderful day and many commented that it was the best Renewal Day they had been to in years. Photos by Jack Harewood and David Stewart. … Read more
The Culture of Disbelief, by Stephen L. Carter
Reviewed by David Jennings. Until Christians start speaking in the public square, they cannot criticize anyone for not listening. … Read more
Worship Workshop: House Blessing
By Calvin Brown. Praying for God’s presence and protection in homes whose occupants had been frightened by strange noises at night, led to many requests for a house blessing. … Read more
One to One: How to Share Your Faith, by Michael Green
Reviewed by Calvin Brown. Unlike many How To books, especially about evangelism, Green doesn’t promote a set of pre-packaged approaches but rather deals with the root of evangelism, which is sharing good news with people we should care about: relational evangelism … Read more
The Race: Discipleship for The Long Run, by John White
Reviewed by David Stewart. Although this is a collection of some of John White’s contributions to Christian periodicals over twenty years, the author has skillfully edited and arranged these earlier pieces, with a result that is surprisingly unified under four broad headings: Christian Beliefs; Christian Witness; Christian Discipleship; and Problems of Christian Discipleship. … Read more
Connections in a Disconnected World
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
Teen Trends: A Nation in Motion, by R. W. Bibby & D. C. Posterski
Reviewed by Jim Walton. The book outlines the extent of the change that has taken place in what was once familiar in our culture, and gives parents, educators, pastors, people in the media, and other significant adults practical advice and steps to take in responding to the trends. … Read more
Advent: Giving, Fasting, Praying while you wait . . .
By Martha G. Zimmerman. Regularly, by our actions, we tell our children what we think is important. We are living proof of what our hearts desire. There is no better example of this than in our celebrations. Our actions speak so loudly we can easily make it difficult for our children to hear what we are saying. What do you really believe about Christmas? Based on what you believe are you willing … Read more
Editorial – Education Edition
By Calvin Brown – The Presbyterian approach to education has led to the creation of the worldview that now governs civilization. The danger of glorying in education, however, is that like all creations it can easily be changed from a gift of God to a form of idolatry. … Read more
Looking Back Over Twenty Years of Channels
A. Donald MacLeod, the first Chair of the Renewal Fellowship Within The Presbyterian Church in Canada when it was founded in 1982, looks through the issues of Channels over those twenty years and hits some of the highlights and lowlights covered in the pages of Channels, our organization's magazine. … Read more
Please Come Home. It Must Hurt a Lot. Don’t Look at Me. I Can’t Talk About It, by Doris Sanford
Reviewed by Elizabeth Zook. Multnomah Press has released four children’s books which attempt to deal sensitively with areas of potential childhood pain. … Read more
A Summer’s Travels
By Ian Rennie. Observations of spiritual growth and strength in Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands, especially in relationship with changes in leadership at the Presbyterian College in Montreal, and Presbyterian participation in Regent College, Vancouver. … Read more
The Place of Healing in the Contemporary Church
Jack Mills discusses the place that healing ministry should have in today’s church. Some in the Reformed tradition hold that the spiritual gifts of healing ended with the apostolic age, while others believe that they are for today. Mills contends that the elders have a place in the healing ministry. … Read more