By Elizabeth Birnie. Scripture Union provides daily spiritual nourishment in its pocket-sized quarterly publication, Daily Bread. Its pattern of Bible exploration is prepare, read, explore, and respond. … Read more
General Assembly 1994
Olive Regina Anstice asks whether we are a confessional church that is rooted in Scripture, committed to pray, and believes in the necessity of personal redemption. … Read more
The Next Assembly
By Mariano Di Gangi. Some ecclesiastical conventions commence with invocation but conclude with provocation. Each General Assembly has its own character. At times, there is a prevailing calm. At others, vigorous debate and proliferating dissent. Much depends on the issues before the court … Read more
The Gamble of Faith: A Christian Response to the “Question of God”, by Lawrence Brice
Reviewed by Jack Charleson. The book seeks to assist the reader to a deeper understanding of the Christian religion. This, with the assurance of faith, can assist in the strengthening of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a commitment to serving him under the power of the Holy Spirit. … Read more
Pastors (Off the Record): Straight Talk About Life in the Ministry, by Stefan Ulstein
Reviewed by Kit Schindell. Ulstein hopes that these stories of everyday pastors will help pastors and their congregations to break through the walls of professional expectation, careerism, and petty politics that keep the Church from being all that it can be in Christ. … 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
Did Jesus Christ Really Rise From the Dead?
Alan Reynolds presents evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead from the witness of history, the witness of Scripture, and the witness of His Spirit in our lives. … Read more
Presbyterianism and Renewal
By Ian Rennie. With each major movement of renewal, the Presbyterian Church has been thrust into new areas and dimensions of ministry, beginning with Calvin and Knox, and continuing in Canada through men like Robert Burns and James Robertson, to current examples. … Read more
Ministering to Those with Life-Threatening Diseases
By Kenneth Oakes. Do we have the answers to all this suffering? – No! But we know we have One who is forever with us, through our suffering; the Lord. Surely that is “good news” for us to share with those who are suffering with a terminal illness! … Read more
A Brother’s Impressions
By Mark Dickens. The marriage of Mark Hayden Lane and Lynn Catherine Dickens, whose relationship was centred around their devotion to Jesus as Lord of their lives, was a wedding which whetted guests’ appetites for the marriage supper of the Lamb … Read more
Reflections On The Events Of September 11, 2001
By Calvin Brown. Several excerpts from Calvin's Institutes serve to highlight, amid the innumerable evils that beset human life, the fact that without certainty about God's providence, life would be unbearable. Certainty about God's providence shouts joyous trust towards God in our hearts. … Read more
The Renewal Fellowship and Our Theological Colleges
By Lincoln G. Bryant. At the 1986 Annual Meeting, discussion identified six areas through which members of the Renewal Fellowship Within The Presbyterian Church In Canada can work for the renewal of our theological colleges. … Read more
Stories of Faith
By Calvin Brown. This issue of Channels deals with stories of faith. As I travel around the country one of the greatest blessings of all is to hear the stories of the communities of faith at work – not only in spectacular ways but in everyday faithful ways … Read more
Missing Persons: Ministry with Persons Who Have Special Needs, by Oliver Ohsberg
Reviewed by Herman de Jong. The author describes various disabilities such as: intellectual impairment, communication impairment, visual impairment, physical impairment, chronic medical problems, and social and emotional disorders, suggests a number of practical ways in which we can help these persons feel welcome and comfortable in our faith communities. … Read more
The Prayer Life of C.S. Lewis
By James M. Houston. To try to enter into the understanding of Lewis’ prayer-life is an attempt to penetrate his very mind and spirit, in the most intimate way. … Read more
Reformation of the Church
By James I. Packer. We should not think of reformation as something distinct from the renewal of spiritual life. Every reformation of theology came with personal renewal. Reformation is a divine visitation that begins with personal repentance, prayer, and preparation. … Read more
Inclusive Language and Modern Worship
By Ian McPhee. If the issue was simply a matter of changing hymns to avoid an appearance of exclusive male reference at the human level only, there could be little objection. But language about God cannot be changed without severing ties to Christian tradition. … Read more