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 … More Beloved but Messy: A Review of Megan Hill’s “A Place to Belong.”
This article first appeared at Ministry Matters under the title “Habits of Devotion: Observing the season of Lent in a healthy, restorative, and biblical way.” Published February 27, 2020. Are you bored of Lent? This probably seems like an odd question to ask, considering we have yet to enter into the liturgical season. The … More Habits of Devotion
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 … More When Words Speak: 5 books that formed my faith and brought me closer to Jesus (besides the Bible).
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 … More Individualism: The scourge of the Church.
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 … More Bad Fruit and Bobble-Heads
The English poet and Anglican priest, John Donne, once penned that ‘No man [sic] is an island, entire unto itself; every man [sic] is piece of the continent.’ In this phrase, Donne is highlight an important reality for our lives; we exist amid a myriad of relationships. In fact, if we look at scripture, we … More Toward a Common Spiritual Life: Morning Prayer
Every once and while, I read a blog or article that demands I write a response. This is one of those occasions. The blog in question was posted on the MINISTRY MATTERS forum (The blog-arm of the Anglican Church of Canada), entitled ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective Churches.’ (https://medium.com/ministrymatters/the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-parishes-5dee9709fdce). Before I go further, let me … More 7 Habits of Effective Churches – A Rebuttal
When was the last time that we praised our congregations? When have we communicated that participation in our local church has been a blessing to us? How often do we thank God for the community in which we are surrounded? When was the last time that we rejoiced because we belong to this church? As … More In Praise of the Church
A few weeks back, my wife and I journeyed to BC wine country for a few days of rest and vacation. For four days we lounged by the pool, walked amidst the vineyards, and visited wineries. The highlight of our trip was a private tour of the winery where we were staying. Our guide, Sophie, … More Many grapes or healthy grapes?
