We all get discouraged or frustrated in our faith. Our spiritual lives rarely occur exactly as we would imagine or hope. After all, we live in an imperfect world, and we bear those imperfections within ourselves. We all struggle. We all question. We all, at times, raise our voice to the heavens and scream “why?” … Continue reading Psalm 73: A Song for the Faithfully Forlorn
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Lessons in Prayer 1: A longing for communion
Prayer is communion with God. It is an enacted relationship, a reaching out to Jesus. “Prayer is the natural outgushing of a soul in communion with Jesus”, says Charles Spurgeon.[i] One cannot pray and remain cut off from the presence of God. The intimate presence of God, understood and experienced in our lives, is the … Continue reading Lessons in Prayer 1: A longing for communion
A prophetic push: A review of Conrad Mbewe’s book “God’s design for the Church.”
When one loves to read, write, or ponder, the nature of the church, it can be tempting to remain rooted in one’s own cultural or denominational context. This would be a mistake. The church is not simply the church as it exists in Canada. Thus, ever since I found my affinity ecclesiological works, I have … Continue reading A prophetic push: A review of Conrad Mbewe’s book “God’s design for the Church.”
Beloved but Messy: A Review of Megan Hill’s “A Place to Belong.”
I never believed I would be someone who would enjoy reading books on ecclesiology. Reading about the nature of the church never once appealed to me as a viable good time option. Yet here I am, reading books on the nature of the church, and loving it! The latest addition to my reading was Megan … Continue reading Beloved but Messy: A Review of Megan Hill’s “A Place to Belong.”
When Words Speak: 5 books that formed my faith and brought me closer to Jesus (besides the Bible).
Recently, our bishop asked us clergy to provide a list of three books that we have found influential to our lives or our ministry. These books didn’t have to be necessarily theological in nature, just books that we would recommend to others. For me, this proved to be a difficult task. I love my books … Continue reading When Words Speak: 5 books that formed my faith and brought me closer to Jesus (besides the Bible).
Bonhoeffer, Statistics, and the True Focus of the Church.
Do you think Jesus feels invisible in today’s churches, like a guest at a party with whom no one chooses to converse? I mean, sure he was invited. We acknowledge his presence as a point of doctrine. We may even state that the gathering is held in his honor. However, is that where it ends? … Continue reading Bonhoeffer, Statistics, and the True Focus of the Church.
An appeal for Church unity with reflections from the Parable of the Good Samaritan: My response to General Synod.
Last week was the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is the church that I have belonged to since as long as I can remember. It is the church that I was ordained in 16 years ago, and it is the church that I love. For a good several months, however, I … Continue reading An appeal for Church unity with reflections from the Parable of the Good Samaritan: My response to General Synod.
Individualism: The scourge of the Church.
We all know that the church today is getting smaller. Denominations are dwindling; churches around the country are closing their doors; more and more people live without any discernible church connection. Sure, there is a rise of spirituality, but that rarely translates into involvement in a faith community. When someone describes themselves as ‘spiritual not … Continue reading Individualism: The scourge of the Church.
Thy Word: A light through the darkness
In my late teenage years, I spent many of my summers at our local Christian summer camp. Camp Columbia was nestled in the forests of Thetis Island. It was more run-down that rustic, but I enjoyed much of the time I spent there. One summer, my role was to help with the Leadership Training program. … Continue reading Thy Word: A light through the darkness
Bad Fruit and Bobble-Heads
One of the most engaging books I read recently was J.K Smith’s You Are What You Love. It was in reading Smith that I first came across the term “Bobble-Head Christians.” A Bobble-Head Christian is someone who has a head full of information about God but an underdeveloped body. That is, while the individual may … Continue reading Bad Fruit and Bobble-Heads
Reverend Kyle Norman 