We love hearing about the mercy and love of God. But we start squirming when we hear that God judges. Why is that? When it comes down to it, we would never really want a God who doesn't judge. In fact, Judgement and mercy go hand in hand.
Read MoreWe all like to belong to something. And so often we have criteria to determine who is in or out. But is it supposed to be that way with faith too?
Read MoreLast Monday I got the chance to hear Senator Murray Sinclair address a packed house at Canadian Mennonite University. He told powerful stories of history and reconciliation. And his advice was unexpected because it was so simple: be kind.
Read MoreWe all struggle with something. Being tempted to follow unwholesome or destructive desires is something we can all relate to, and God know this. In fact, we will never face something we cannot bear, and when we are tempted, God will provide a way out for us.
Read MoreI love Missionfest. But for some reason this year was extremely awkward. Not only did I have to put up with all the Moses jokes, but someone singled me out to take their two minute challenge.
Read MoreA major Anabaptist value is that the church provides not only a counter-narrative to the world, but also an alternative community. This applies to us now, and to Medical Assistance in Dying. Part 3 of 3.
Read MoreWhen it comes to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), we must ask how we could ever ethically justify MAID as a legitimate way to end a life. To do that, we must enter the conversation and debate to understand where both sides are coming from. Part 2 of 3.
Read MoreI remember countless theoretical conversations about euthanasia growing up, but when one of the personal care homes our church supports released a statement in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling, it really hit me. Medical Assistance in Dying is here. Part 1 or 3.
Read MoreI was in Germany, working at a Bible School when I started feeling angry at God. I wondered why I felt empty and down all the time. I was giving up six months of my life to learn more about God but I felt terrible. Where was my reward for doing this work? I didn’t know what else to do. So I decided to take a walk.
Read MoreDo you ever get called judgemental as a Christian? Does that ever get on your nerves? For me it does, especially because I like to see myself as acceptive, loving, and non-judgemental. But in some cases, for good reasons, we are called to judge.
Read MoreAt some point when thinking about the Christian faith we must ask the question: What is it that saves us? Over the centuries different parts of the church have either emphasized good deeds or strong faith, but perhaps these two things hang together more than we think. Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions.
Read MoreAs we move into 2018, I know that the same God who brought us through 2017 longs to draw us closer to Himself and deeper into His love. And so I offer this prayer as we get ready to take on another year, full of excitement, faith, hopefulness, but maybe also some hesitation and fear. May God be your light in 2018.
Read MoreWhen you flip open the Bible to read the Christmas story, where do you turn? Perhaps to Luke 2? This year I would encourage you to read the story from Revelation 12. It's different, difficult, but beautiful.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered what to get someone who seems to have everything they need or want, because you feel obligated to get them something? You think if you don't they might get you something, and that would mean they showed you love and you didn’t do the same. It's quite the pickle.
Read MoreThere’s a funny dynamic among Christians when we see our fellow believers become successful. We quickly claim them for our side and use them as a display of our power and correctness. But God is God. He doesn’t conform to our plans. Rather, He invites us to join His.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered why Christians believe Jesus is the only way? What about others who don't know about Jesus? What about other ways to get to God? Even though these questions are hard to answer, there is something fundamentally different with Jesus.
Read MoreI believe our church needs a licence to dream. Jesus doesn't call us to give up or keep business as usual when things get tough. In fact, He tells a parable that calls us to be shrewd for the Kingdom of God.
Read MoreMennonites often have a hard time around Remembrance Day. The feelings of duty or guilt can sometimes stop us from simply remembering; an act which, in and of itself, brings us to lament and action. I suggest, we need to remember.
Read MoreThis past week, on October 31, we marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. This was a historic event. The legacy of Martin Luther can teach us a lot about faith, trust, conscience, and belief. But we can also learn something about tolerance, or the lack thereof.
Read MoreDo you ever wonder how some ideologies or beliefs can still exist in our society? Do you ever ask why some things still happen when it seems we have moved passed that? Although changing the laws and actions of a society is an important place to start, we can't forget that real change takes place in the heart.
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