When the COVID-19 crisis first arrived on the scene in Canada, the Board of Trustees was very concerned about the effects of the economic downturn on Church and Conference giving. However, in the first nine months of 2020, EMC expenses are down, revenues are up, and we have a surplus at the three-quarters mark of the year. Praise God for this wonderful news! Part of the reason for the surplus in October is due to receiving a major gift earlier this year, but the overall picture is still very positive.
Did you know that according to Jesus, unless you feed the poor you can’t be saved? Actually, it’s even stronger. Jesus says you are saved by caring for the poor.
As I’ve been sharing my faith lately, I’ve noticed my conversations have been focused on the profound peace of an all-knowing, powerful God and the assuring hope of my future with Christ. That’s attractive truth in a culture where insecurity about one’s identity and fear of disaster weighs heavy. However, I’ve started to wonder if marketing Christianity as attractive to unbelievers can result in tickling ears rather than delivering truth (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Have I made the by-products of salvation the primary focus because it’s easier to explain than the theology of repentance and faith in Christ? Continue reading Thoughts on Salvation →
Blumenort, Man. How do you celebrate a lifetime of service in cross-cultural ministry? What is an appropriate response to those who have sacrificed so much in service to the mission of the Church? This September, EMC Missions attempted to do just this, as we recognized Paul and Lois Thiessen for their ministry of Church Planting through Bible Translation for the Siamou people in Burkina Faso. Continue reading Missionary Fellowship and Recognition Banquet→
“MASKS REQUIRED TO ENTER THIS STORE,” read the sign taped to the window of a mall shop. This was not surprising to either my wife or myself. We put on our masks and walked in to look around.
What was mildly surprising was how inconsistently the rule was applied. Some stores required masks while others suggested it would be best to wear one. On a national scope, a major chain has announced that no shoppers will enter unless they wear a mask. Others may yet follow suit. Continue reading Masks Required→
Blumenort, Man. We took affordable air travel for granted. Each year for decades, the number of passengers traveling by air has increased significantly. Many of us in Canada have benefited from this affordable and available travel for work or vacation. But the applecart has been upset by the arrival of the coronavirus. Continue reading Barbeque Celebration for Missionaries→
I knew about the book The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King long before it ended up in my house through no initiative on my part, and when it did show up, it sat there on the coffee table even longer before I had the courage to read it. I dreaded finding out about the things I and my people-group had done to cause harm. I was sure I would be defensive. I was sure it would be an angry book. But I also knew it was the right thing for me to do because some of the people I love most are First Nations. It turns out the book was much gentler than I had feared, I was able to submit my guilt to Jesus, and what I learned was very valuable. Continue reading Flight, Fight, or Freeze→
West Asia-Kings are not loved by the Mountain people. Until the early 1970s, they lived under a monarchy. The kings were not kind. They taxed the people heavily and forced them into labour building roads, canals, and terraced fields. In one village, an elder reported to me that each year he had to pay the king seven or eight goats, bushels of wheat and potatoes, and large quantities of butter. Whatever the people produced, that was taken, so that they were only left with what they could hide in secret holes and caves in the mountains. When the monarchy was dissolved and the area was folded into the rest of the country, the people rejoiced. “All of that is finished now,” he told me. “Now things are easier, praise God!” Continue reading Kings and The King→
