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The following 56 entries are posted in the "Odds and Ends" category.
July 19, 2008 14:01
This week marked my return to the office from a six-month sabbatical. Sabbaticals are one of the benefits afforded to people who work in the academic world. Of course they come with expectations. In may case, along with a few long-term administrative projects, I h...
July 12, 2008 17:28
Pronouncing the benediction at the end of a sermon or service of worship is a lost art. For some it might seem a little too liturgical. For others it might seem a little old-fashioned. I’d like to suggest that the practice ought to be resurrected. There is s...
June 13, 2008 16:00
Upon leaving England, my wife and I caught a cheap flight on Ryan Air to Salzburg and are now spending a week in Austria. Yesterday we toured the Mozart birthplace and heard his Requium performed in the great Kollegiumkirche just across the plaza from his childhoo...
June 08, 2008 15:58
I’ve just spent the past week at St. John’s College at the University of Durham in Northern England (which explains the lack of activity on this space over the last while). My reason for being there was to connect with an emerging new center that is developing fo...
May 20, 2008 19:55
Forgive me for being a little more intermittent with my postings these days. Following my preaching/teaching opportunity in Toronto last week, my son Kirk flew out to meet me and we have been spending the week traveling around the east coast. We spent a day in Phi...
May 14, 2008 21:32
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first day of participation at the annual Refresh conference of Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. My sermon was well received. I had a very fine meeting and lunch with Paul Scott Wilson, author of The Practice ...
May 11, 2008 15:08
It is my privilege to participate as a preacher for the Refresh conference at Wycliffe College in Toronto this week. I will be joining Marva Dawn, Graham Kendrick, Christopher Seitz, and Brian Walsh as featured presenters at the conference.
My role will ...
May 04, 2008 16:55
A few days ago I spoke to my denomination’s annual convention with respect to the importance of academic preparation. If you want to practice law there isn’t much question but that you’re going to have to go to law school. Med school is essential...
April 22, 2008 18:51
I’m currently attending the annual convention of my denomination, The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in British Columbia. I have always enjoyed these events for relational reasons and tolerated them for administrative purposes. Every now and then...
March 03, 2008 14:31
This morning I was listening to Larry Norman’s Stranded in Babylon, a favorite album of mine, when I heard that the singer had died last week. Norman, the pioneer of contemporary Christian music and the original “Jesus Freak” had been il...
February 18, 2008 13:56
My wife gave me a turntable for my birthday a few months ago. That’s fancy talk for “record player,” of course you’d have to be almost as old as I am to know what that means. Years ago, I came close to throwing out my old record albums. Now...
January 08, 2008 14:35
Yesterday, Karen and I attended a memorial service for a past teacher and mentor of ours, Wayne Reese, who passed to the presence of the Lord on New Year’s Eve. Wayne was well known in these parts as a worship leader, pastor, and musician. He and his wife, G...
December 21, 2007 12:15
It’s amazing how mistaken information can take the form of truth for people who don’t know any better. Those of us who address public audiences (ie. preachers) are particular purveyors of such mis_information. Just in time for Christmas, the _Briti...
December 18, 2007 01:28
Last night my family and I watched The Nativity Story , the most recent full length feature film version of the story of the birth of our Lord. I highly recommend it. My kids are all teenagers. Not only were they entertained by the movie (my wife and I as well), b...
November 11, 2007 07:45
November 11 is Remembrance Day in Canada, the day we set aside to remember the contribution made by those who have died in battle to preserve our way of life at home and abroad. This year, as the death toll in Afghanistan grows, Canadians are particularly aware of...
October 08, 2007 07:00
Today is Thanksgiving Monday here in Canada. Of course, as a Christ-follower, everyday is thanksgiving for me. I often hear people giving thanks at times like these, but I often wonder who exactly they think that they are thanking. Thanksgiving requires an object....
October 01, 2007 12:44
I just returned from a fruitful trip to Toronto where I had the privilege of providing the first set of lectures in what is to be an annual series on preaching and practical ministry at Tyndale University College and Seminary. Next year’s conference will fea...
September 17, 2007 15:52
A couple of years ago, Christianity Today surveyed North Americans and asked them who might be the best-known Christian. I might have thought of Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or perhaps someone like Bono from U2. In fact, according to these survey responde...
September 12, 2007 11:33
I recently registered for this year’s Evangelical Homiletics Society conference meetings to be held at Talbot Seminary in Southern California, October 11 through 13. Our host will be Don Sunujkian. I attend these meetings every year and have found them to b...
August 28, 2007 16:51
Yesterday I heard Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons apologize for his cruelty to animals and for lying to the owner of his team. It struck me as one of the better public apologies I have heard. Vick seemed to accept responsibility for his actions. This wasn̵...
July 27, 2007 22:21
This morning I attended the memorial service for Nathan Toews, the 24 year old son of my friend and colleage, Ron Toews. Ron and I have taught together at ACTS Seminaries for several years. While I have always loved him, my appreciation f...
July 04, 2007 12:12
July is a month when many of us get away a little and spend more time with our families. Certainly, that is what I have planned, some my comments may be a little more sporadic over the next few weeks.
Last night I returned from having spent a few days at...
June 25, 2007 14:47
Have you noticed how nobody wants to use last names anymore. It’s fast becoming one of my pet peeves. I introduced myself to someone last week and asked their name. “Mike” he tells me. “Okay, Mike,” I said, “you’re going t...
May 18, 2007 21:59
I just got back from a fantastic trip to Northern Alberta where I was able to offer seminars in integrative preaching to two different groups of pastors. The first seminar was held at Peace River Bible Institute in Sexsmith, AB. The next day I worked with another ...
April 27, 2007 10:52
Last night I was interviewed live by a popular local radio program, called “Automotive Intelligence.” It was a little odd for me, speaking to an audience of about 200,000 car enthusiasts about preaching, but sometimes you do what you have to do.
...April 18, 2007 15:41
Some more highlights from the International Congress on Preaching…
Dave Stone is a great communicator. He offered a pretty good example of how a person can be both entertaining and biblically insightful.
I found myself resonating with Tim...
April 17, 2007 15:16
Having spent a delightful number of days on vacation with my wife in Rome and London we have now arrived in Cambridge for the International Congress on Preaching. About 500 pastors and homileticians have gathered in the historic St. Stephens Avenue Baptist Church ...
April 12, 2007 14:17
It has been interesting for me to think about spiritual formation from a different perspective spending these days in Rome. I suppose that when I arrived here I was prepared for the Coliseum, the Forum and all the vestiges of Imperial Rome. I was less prepared for...
March 26, 2007 19:21
I heard some good news about theological education over the weekend at the Chief Academic Officer’s Meetings of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). It seems that people are happier with seminary education than we may have thought. Barbara Wheeler o...
March 09, 2007 13:04
It has been my pleasure to participate in the publication of a small book written by our faculty at Northwest Baptist Seminary. The book, Being Church: Exploration in Christian Community was recently published in honor of the former Regional Director of t...
February 22, 2007 17:11
This week’s issue of Macleans’ magazine offers quotes from yours truly in Dafna Izenberg’s article on faith-based marketing (“Come to church. Buy yourself a car: It started with Christian movies, but faith-based marketing is hitting a whole...
February 15, 2007 18:01
It’s sad to say but I’ve learned to lean on my teenage children to keep me up on music these days. My son recently told me about The Fray, a group of avowed Christians from Denver who match up thoughtful, redeeming lyrics with a catchy, contem...
February 14, 2007 12:16
This being Valentine’s Day, I thought I would share the results of a nationwide “love poll” published in this week’s issue of Macleans magazine. The poll addresses questions on love and relationships among Canadians. Some of the highlights ...
February 05, 2007 13:09
It’s Monday morning and I’m thinking about several things. Among them…
-My oldest daughter came to visit in my office this morning and we spent some time trying to figure out some financial issues. Let me just say that she is great. I r...
January 31, 2007 11:26
Over the years I’ve learned to be a little suspicious of statistics – or at least the way that numbers can be manipulated. I don’t imagine many preachers would deliberately misrepresent their case by manipulating statistics. Nonetheless, it happe...
January 30, 2007 11:31
I just returned from Minneapolis where I was privileged to be the keynote speaker at an “On-Target Seminar” for the Minnesota Church Ministries Association. You can find what I had to say here: Sunday Worship: Coming Together in a Place Beyond Boredom....
January 10, 2007 12:31
This week I discovered someone had stolen my bicycle. They walked right up my rather lengthy driveway and into our carport while we were in the house, used a set of bolt-cutters to break the high-quality lock and made off with our bike.
Now, I’m aw...
January 02, 2007 13:33
Most of us take a few days after Christmas to slow down, recharge, and prepare for the responsibilities of the new year. For me, that usually includes some long walks for prayer, contemplation, and personal planning. I spent three hours walking one day last week,...
December 04, 2006 12:52
Yesterday was an important day for us at Parkland Fellowship. This was the first Sunday after the leaving of our Senior Pastor. I, like many, wondered what the day might feel like, how many would attend, and whether I would be able to preach in such a way that peo...
November 29, 2006 19:10
I’m preaching this Sunday from Luke 2:10 on the announcement by the angels of “good news of great joy which is for all people.” It strikes me that one of the reasons the gospel no longer seems good news to us is that it is no longer news for us. ...
November 28, 2006 14:50
I’ve been snowed in these last couple of days. That has never happened before in this part of the world in November. We’ve had deluge rainfall in the early part of the month along with severe windstorms which has led to flooding, homelessness and long...
November 23, 2006 11:38
Today I would like to wish a happy thanksgiving to all my friends and readers south of the border. Here in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving in October, but we all understand that the giving of thanks cannot be confined to any particular day on the calendar. We all...
October 30, 2006 12:52
I’m pleased to now be able to upload images to this blog. I’ve always made a big deal with students about the power of “word plus image” so now I’m able to practice what I teach.
This image was taken during my recent teaching opportunity in Honduras. I c...
October 24, 2006 17:45
I’ve just returned home from my adventure in Honduras, though it wasn’t easy. My American Airlines flight out of San Pedro Sula was delayed three hours due to mechanical difficulties. Apparently, the mechanic was on vacation and it took them almost an ...
October 20, 2006 16:36
Last night the brothers here in Honduras gave me one of the greatest birthday celebrations I have ever had. Wow do these guys know how to celebrate. The cheering – it was like the Canucks had just won the Stanley Cup! I am very grateful for the warmth of the...
October 19, 2006 16:33
I’m thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to work with the pastors and leaders of the Great Commission Latin America, here in Honduras, but wow is it hot! Imagine 320 men crowded in a small hotel conference room in 100+ degree heat (plus humidity) with the air...
October 11, 2006 11:43
My next dispatch will be from the tenth annual meetings of the Evangelical Homiletics Society, meeting at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary near Boston, MA. These meetings bring together those people who are interested in the study of preaching from an evangelic...
October 04, 2006 12:21
Christianity Today has published a fascinating study on the future of evangelicalism. CT editors interviewed 111 leaders from 14 different spheres of ministry asking for their sense of what the priorities for ministry ought to be over the next 50 years. A...
October 03, 2006 12:42
Have you seen those creepy trailers for the award-winning new movie Jesus Camp? The movie follows three pre-teens to a Pentecostal Bible Camp in North Dakota. The portrayal is not flattering Jesus Camp.
I support Bible camps for children. I̵...
September 28, 2006 18:18
Just got back last night from a fundraising “desert night” in Victoria. Asking for money from people probably wouldn’t be most people’s favorite thing to do. It helps when you believe in the cause.
I’m more convinced than ev...
September 27, 2006 12:54
Yesterday I learned that a key leader in my home denomination has resigned. Bruce Christensen has served as Regional Director for the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in British Columbia and the Yukon for something like 13 years. I was on the search comm...
September 26, 2006 12:10
I inadvertently deleted my previous post regarding the Pope’s difficulty over his comments on Islam. I have no hope of being able to quickly recreate my previous eloquence. Perhaps just a brief comment will suffice.
For many, the issue has to do wi...
September 15, 2006 10:47
I have been recently commissioned to write a piece for preachingtoday.com tentatively titled, Loving Your Library. The idea is to help pastors and preachers think about how to maximize access to the information in their personal libraries and files.
...September 13, 2006 12:07
I’d like to give a special greeting to my new Homiletics I students who are starting with me this morning. This is always a little bit like Christmas eve for me as I look forward to getting together with a fresh group of preaching students. It’s a wond...
September 05, 2006 13:13
This weekend we helped my eldest daughter, Kelsey, move out of our home and into the dormitory at Trinity Western University. It is only ten minutes from home and her room is now just across the lawn from my office, so it isn’t too traumatic. Still, it marks...
August 23, 2006 13:33
I’m sitting at the annual faculty retreat for the university where I teach. Every year we gather to build relationship and to think about areas of mutual interest in the fulfillment of our mission to develop godly Christian leaders. Of particular interest th...