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
1984 Annual Meeting
By A. Donald MacLeod. The bottom line in renewal is suffering. We crave renewal for its byproducts – filled churches, expanded programs, meaningful relationships – but are we prepared for that cost? … Read more
Renewal: When Church Growth is not Enough
By Harvie M. Conn. Reformation in the church has been reduced to the recovery of proper doctrinal formulations for use by Christians in the church, but no longer is the church at issue with community or society over worldview dimensions … Read more
The Gravedigger File: Papers on the Subversion of the Modern Church, by Os Guinness
Reviewed by Alan Hartley. The revelation that the Director of Darkness, with minimal effort, has duped the church into digging its own grave, comes in The Gravedigger File, a series of classified memoranda turned over to the church by a defecting Satanic secret agent. By being uncritically identified with the modern world, the church has subverted itself from within. … Read more
1993 Annual Meeting
Photos by Jack Harewood. The 1993 Annual Meeting took place Feb. 26-27 at St. Paul’s, Nobleton, Ontario, attended by 180 people. Dr. Mel Steinbron, pictured on the cover, is the founder of the Lay Pastors Ministry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and spoke three times on “Giving the Ministry to the People.” … Read more
Letters to the Editor
A letter from Russell Sutherland appreciating an article on Family Worship and letters from Ellen Holmwood and Edward P. Mason appreciating the Editor’s contributions to The Presbyterian Record. … Read more
Editorial – Fences
By Calvin Brown. Theological fences (creeds and confessions) are useful to help people understand their faith, but they can also be used to persecute people. The temptation is to tear down all fences rather than develop the maturity to discern which fences are good and which ones are not. … Read more
Worship Workshop – Can These Dry Bones Live?
Calvin Brown presents this new song by the Rev. Roland Wells Jr. of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. … Read more
Building Relationships
By David Sherbino. The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, and to love and be loved … Read more
We Are Not Alone
J. Barry Forsyth represented the Renewal Fellowship at a meeting of renewal leaders in Washington D.C. With representatives of so many organizations present, it was evident that we are not alone in the Renewal Fellowship Within The Presbyterian Church in Canada. … Read more
College Leaders Respond to Some Questions
The questions are about the most important thing that graduates will take away with them, how colleges are addressing the matter of the church in decline, assumptions about the level of Christian formation that entering students have, the biggest challenge facing the colleges, and new initiatives at the colleges. … Read more
The Glory of Jesus and the Report of the Theology of Mission Committee of the Board of World Mission
By John Vissers. The statement represents at best a softening of our confessional position and at worst an outright denial of the uniqueness and glory of Jesus Christ and his saving grace. … Read more
Marriage
By Ian Rennie. God has prepared us for marriage by creating us with gender. And He has given us instructions for successful marriage in the Bible. We need to believe God, rather than the experts. Matthew 19:1-9 is very specific about leaving our parents and becoming one with our spouse. … Read more
A Heart for God, by Sinclair B. Ferguson
Reviewed by Jack C. Whytock. Ferguson has tackled the most profound pursuit we are to be engaged upon – to have our hearts yearning ever more to know the richness of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and hence to have an obedient heart. … Read more
Canadian Presbyterians Engage the Political Principalities and Powers
By Peter Bush. Presbyterians believe that the church is to be free from state interference, but how involved can a Presbyterian be in the political scene and remain free to act as the conscience of the state? This article explores some of the ways Canadian Presbyterians have been involved in the Canadian political sphere. … 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
Go to Church? Why Bother?
By Ed Smith. Although some people consider church services to be boring, we go above all to worship God – to show that we love Him, and to thank Him for all the wonderful things He does for us – one of the easiest things and also one of the hardest. … Read more