Why we need young men in children’s ministry
Inviting Faith, Column Ruth Konrad Inviting Faith, Column Ruth Konrad

Why we need young men in children’s ministry

♪ ALEX IS THE boy nobody wants in their class. He’s in grade two and has seemingly limitless energy and zero attention span. His comments and questions are never on topic, and everybody is convinced that he is learning nothing. He’s usually facing away from the teacher, making faces or jokes as they try to teach, and the end of the year is a relief because he is finally somebody else’s problem.

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The church has no “leadership” crisis
Further In and Higher Up, Column Layton Friesen Further In and Higher Up, Column Layton Friesen

The church has no “leadership” crisis

♪ WHEN I ENTERED the academic world recently, I noticed changes in Christian education I had not been aware of. I had not realized education had become so focused on leadership development. Across Canada’s Christian colleges there are now academic degrees in leadership, reams of Christian books written on leadership, and faculty whose sole role is to teach leadership development.

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The Grace of Vocation
Column, The Journey of Christian Vocation Calvin Tiessen Column, The Journey of Christian Vocation Calvin Tiessen

The Grace of Vocation

“Stand back,” the guide told me. “Just a little bit further.” I was carefully examining a rich blue shard of stained glass as the midday sun lit up the walls of the magnificent 18th-century manor. We had spent that morning in the workshop of a local artist who explained the nuances of colouring which went into the creation of each piece of glass. I was now looking closely to appreciate the unique tones of this particular piece.

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The zeal of the Lord
His Light to My Path Karla Hein His Light to My Path Karla Hein

The zeal of the Lord

When Phineas witnessed an Israelite blatantly transgressing God’s law for holiness, he acted with righteous passion. God said, “He was as zealous for my honor among [the Israelites] as I am” (Numbers 25:11). And God promised, “He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God” (v. 13).

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The Power of Vocation
The Journey of Christian Vocation, Column Calvin Tiessen The Journey of Christian Vocation, Column Calvin Tiessen

The Power of Vocation

It was a moment of simple joy. You have likely experienced similar moments. Sitting on the grass in the cool shade of a tree, I bit into a fresh peach. It was perfectly ripe. I could smell its rich, fragrant aroma already, before I brought it to my mouth. What a beautiful picture of the way God has designed every aspect of his creation.

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A Bird’s View
His Light to My Path Karla Hein His Light to My Path Karla Hein

A Bird’s View

Confession: I’m suspicious of most rodents and fowl. I know that my bird-watching friends will be exasperated that I lumped the predator with the prey. I’m not an ornithologist (that’s someone who studies birds … I looked it up), but I do find both species rather erratic. They silently stare at you, then start darting or fluttering at an alarming, instinctual rate.

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