Calgary Church – Join a movement….

I had to update this because iMonk's post (the articles referred to in this post) were combined and placed on some of the most popular web sites online (including the Drudge Report). You can find the summation of his articles here, and of course the Canadian version I wrote at another web site here. Back to the original article.

-- For most evangelicals the return of Christ could happen at any moment. We don't know exactly when (well some think it's tied to the state of Israel, I don't,) but what we do know is that it's imminent. There is a growing sentiment that what's even more imminent is the collapse of the evangelical church (and related denominations in Calgary including Christian & Missionary Alliance, Associated Gospel Churches, non-denominations like Center Street, various Baptist churches, etc.) Continue reading »

A handful of Calgary Transit buses now sport supposedly 'witty' remarks attacking religion. The ads have been cropping up in major cities worldwide and now Calgary gets to enter the debate. The ads certainly spark discussion but what are they trying to accomplish?

Are atheists trying to point out the futility of religion with remarks such as: "there probably is no God so stop worrying and enjoy your life"?

I don't get it, although admittedly I'm on the 'inside' looking out. But since when is God the source of worry? Firstly, the vast majority of Canadians--something like over 90%--are in some way spiritual in nature. I suppose you can be atheist and spiritual, actually no, that would make you agnostic. Secondly, the notion of God and the community that exists on earth (many religions for that matter) tends to reduce worry not increase it. Continue reading »

It snowed yesterday in Calgary which was a bit weird. Not the face it snowed, but because I was out until mid-evening and the weather was calm. Shutting the blinds around 9PM to bare streets, then peaking through at 10:30, I was shocked to see 5 cms of snow blowing on my deck. In the morning I took a pic.

Being Sunday I got to thinking, "I wonder how many people skipped church on the account of a bit of snow?" I thought about it some more and then I decided to put down some ideas on how snow describes how most people 'do' church today. Continue reading »

There are two types of churches operating in our current economic climate. One boasts in their increase of weekly attendees, you know the ones, people scared pantless because they've lost 50% of their equity. The second remembers that in economic downturns the poor get poorer, and they opt to provide help to those in need and make a point to remind us about the remaining and emerging social injustices.

The first boasts new recruits, people they've re-attracted who used to attend church 'x' amount of years ago but dropped out because things got boring. The second continues to scrap and claw at the seemingly growing gap between rich and poor while mobilizing their own to attend to these causes.

Which community are you a part of? Continue reading »

Tell me if I'm wrong, but I've sensed a growing discontent in the whole church scene. I can't really pinpoint what it is, but something seems to be amiss. For regular churchgoers, consuming church is a craving, perhaps even a necessity to be taken in every week. There is solitude in the building, calm in the pew/chair, trust in the programs and events, and also a chance to have a brief encounter God.

But for others, all of this seems tiresome, uninteresting, potentially confusing, dare I say fake, and most definitely boring. Don't get me wrong, I'm not proposing a solution that includes more flash and dash so boredom does not race through the pew, far from it. But if our regimented system of church has become as desirable as a slow dance in an old folks home shouldn't we at least ask the question: are we doing the right things?

Continue reading »

A popular pastor in the US offered his take on the eight crucial characteristics of a true church. I'm going to use his examples/model to give readers an impression of what Calgary Church might look like in an official capacity. The context of this pastor is a conservative right-wing message to a left-wing city (Seattle) all packaged in new blue jeans. In his context it's working. Here are my thoughts on his list (his point in bold my comments after): Continue reading »

Missio Dei. It's Latin for 'mission of God'. I've written this piece curious for your ideas and thoughts on how you frame the entirety of your faith. You see, everyone has a particular lens that they view the world through. Some with rose colored, some with intolerant ones, some with cranky lenses. What's your lens?

The lens I use to approach how I live my life and represent my faith is through a lens of missio dei. That means everything is filtered through a fundamental understanding of God's mission which I believe to be rooted in an eternal purpose to redeem and rescue humanity.

God is eternally interested in connecting with you and I no matter our circumstances.

I think this is his primary purpose for us and we should in turn adopt it--use it as our lens--for everything we do be it work, play, or church. Continue reading »

This is part two of an article written earlier called "We serve like we consume". The article discusses the issues of social justice in Calgary from a Christian perspective. In this second article I wish to assert that social justice can only be adequately communicated outwardly by a community that has experience/willingness to address social justice from within first. Both of these articles were part of a talk I shared at a recent Winter Conference in Calgary over the Christmas holidays. Continue reading »

Christians in Calgary, in fact, 95% of evangelicals across the country get 95% of their materials from the evangelical-right in America. You know the ones, they're on TV, they think America is God's chosen nation, they hate rum and egg nog....Anyways, I was interested to read that some of the major players are starting to rethink their position. Why you say? Simply because they've noticed what we've been living all along, culture is changing.... The 'Moral Majority' is no longer a majority, their opinions are no longer status quo for regular Joe. So what's one to do? Condemn culture? Critique it? Continue reading »