By Paul McLean. On Thursday, May 27, members of the Renewal Fellowship were asked to pray for the publication of the Hakka New Testament and Psalms on the exact day when missing verses were found and had to be corrected hurriedly to meet a deadline. … Read more
Editorial & Letters
Editor J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg reflects on the Lay Revolution, a phenomenon changing the face of North American Christianity, and reflected in the skill of a layman in the layout and production of Channels and a laywoman as Book Editor. … Read more
Editorial: Alpha and Theological Education
Calvin Brown introduces the Alpha Course and calls for the appointment to PCC theological colleges of principals who are committed to classical biblical Christianity and who will train pastors who will be clear about their convictions. … Read more
Renewing the Church: A Place to Begin
Jack Mills reports on Eugene Peterson’s talk at a recent Renewal Day. If God’s Church can become God-centered instead of man-centered, the opportunities in his ever-changing world will be obvious. … Read more
Top Ten Reasons Why I Think That the New Revised Book of Praise (1997) Deserves a Place Among Your Resources for Worship
By J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg. Several reasons commend the 1997 Book of Praise for use, including frequently sung hymns, favourite gospel songs, new praise choruses that some folk used to think weren't Presbyterian, and prayers, poems, creeds, and words of hymns without music. … Read more
Working the Angles: the Shape of Pastoral Integrity, by Eugene Peterson
Reviewed by David Sherbino. The three pastoral disciplines are a triangle composed of preaching, teaching, and administration. The angles are prayer, Scripture, and spiritual direction. The need of ministry is to “work the angles.” … Read more
Renewal Through Alpha
By Issa A. Saliba. Nicky Gumbel, who was a barrister, has become an advocate of grace. His testimony shines through much of his presentation, further enhanced by precise diction and a distinctly English accent, which easily grabs one's attention for 40 minutes. … Read more
Who Are We Listening To?
By Bryn MacPhail. If The Presbyterian Church in Canada is to have any hope of resolution on the issue of homosexuality, the discussions must aim to bridge the gap between the differing approaches to Scripture, as opposed to focusing on the contrary conclusions reached by each side. … Read more
Strength
By Bill Steele. Lord make me strong as steel spiritually and morally in a muddy swampy world. Lord make me mellow as the melody of a holy Hebrew psalm sung by sinners saved by your mercy. Lord make me faithful as a follower of You Father Yahweh Who will be Who You are. Lord make me gentle as the growing grass stretching sunward. Lord make me wholly human as the Holy Human God the Son. … Read more
And the Angels were Silent, by Max Lucado
Reviewed by Roma E. Bryant. Max Lucado has a most extraordinary gift, to bring the mighty events of the final week of Jesus’ life and death into sharp focus as they relate to our every day lives. … Read more
Worship Workshop: A Draft Order for the Lord’s Supper
By Brian J. Fraser et al. In conversations with ecumenical partners, Presbyterian students at the Vancouver School of Theology have a proposed service which they use in weekly worship. … Read more
Your Work Matters to God, by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks
Reviewed by Jack Charleson. If we start with the certainty that our work matters to God, we will be able to connect what we do all day with what we think matters to God, and we will find meaning in our work and our relationship to God. … Read more
Assembly ’91
Addressing the 117th General Assembly the Moderator, John Allan, identifies the challenges within and without the church, and Christ’s answer to those challenges. Our society is no less pluralistic than the society of Paul’s day, in which Christianity flourished. … Read more
The General Assembly of the PCUSA
By Judy MacLeod. A Canadian Presbyterian is immediately struck by the size of the gathering, the sophistication of its procedures and administration, and the complexity of the issues facing this representation of some two and three quarter million congregants. … Read more
Living Churches feature: Kortright Church
Bob Bettridge describes how Kortright has grown as a result of its emphasis on purpose, stewardship, Christian education, evangelism, and the priesthood of all believers. … Read more
The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man, by Abraham Heschel
Reviewed by J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg. Heschel’s concept of spirituality and of the holiness of the sabbath day is a broad, open-ended one, parallelling Christ’s view of the sabbath. It is not merely a day of abstention but of affirmation. … Read more