Congregational Life
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Posted on April 17, 2012, 4:32 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Congregational Life
Officiating at wedding ceremonies is a regular, and happy, part of a pastor's ministry. In Canada, not only do officiants represent the Church, they also function with the authority of the government. In order to officiate, the minister must have a license to do so. Those from outside the province must apply for a temporary license.
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Posted on April 4, 2012, 11:20 am | 4 comments
Topics: Congregational Life
There is no greater thrill in ministry to watch a person move from death to life and put their trust in Jesus. But is conversion to Jesus and his gospel enough? What I mean is - is this the only conversion that needs to happen in the life of a Christian? Or could there be more “converting” work that needs to be done...
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Posted on March 8, 2012, 10:13 am
Topics: Congregational Life
How do we measure church health? I want to submit to you that in the Bible we have a picture of a healthy church. It comes from the Church in Antioch
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Posted on February 23, 2012, 10:41 am
Topics: Congregational Life, Leadership
He asked them the simple question, “What are your expectations for your next pastor?” Someone immediately chimed in, “We want a heroic leader who will fill our pews.” A statement like this sounds ridiculous and yet it sheds light on some of the unhealthy, unrealistic, and unbiblical expectations that churches and pastors come to expect from the role of pastor.
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Posted on February 2, 2012, 10:25 am | 2 comments
Topics: Congregational Life, Leadership
YALT, the Young Adult Leadership Taskforce, takes a look at some of the trends that have contributed to the problem of young adults leaving the CRC and sheds some light on how we might move forward into the future.
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Posted on December 22, 2011, 7:27 am
Topics: Congregational Life
It is almost here. And it would not be hard to miss it. Really! It is such a hectic time of year. Calendars are so cluttered with activity. The worship schedule is heavier than usual, and it was already heavy. The only relief this year is that the holidays fall on Sundays.
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Posted on November 17, 2011, 10:15 am | 1 comment
Topics: Congregational Life, Leadership
How about asking a second question, just as real and powerful as how to get rid of a pastor: “Are there ways we could help our pastors grow and flourish in their places of ministry?”
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Posted on October 27, 2011, 9:55 am | 1 comment
Topics: Congregational Life
On August 21, 2011 at roughly 4pm an F3 tornado struck the town of Goderich. Within a matter of 15 seconds the beautiful town was transformed. Many people I know lost their homes, businesses, and employment. The streets that had been lined with large, mature trees were empty and bare. Worst of all was the toll ...
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Posted on September 8, 2011, 9:01 am | 2 comments
Topics: Congregational Life
A few years ago I came across a cartoon that struck me as unfortunately true. In the first few panels, a pastor was engaged in various dimensions of ministry: consoling a grieving family, talking to a judge about one of his parishioners who had been arrested, encouraging a man who just got laid off. Then, in the last frame, a angry parishioner confronts the pastor in his study and says “You ministers don’t know what it’s like out there in the real world!”
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Posted on August 25, 2011, 10:37 am | 40 comments
I would like to think that I am a Reformed Charismatic but I wonder what that means. So, here’s one attempt to clarify the convictions of a Christ-follower who believes that the Holy Spirit is alive and well and that John Calvin had a pretty good understanding of the apostle Paul.
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Posted on August 11, 2011, 11:56 am | 2 comments
Topics: Congregational Life
We segment children and youth into their own programs of education, fellowship, and even mission so everyone ends up in their own little “silos.” It seems like a good thing—reach them with their peers, teach them at their own level. Let them worship in a way they can relate to. How can that be wrong?
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Posted on July 28, 2011, 9:25 am | 14 comments
Topics: Congregational Life
A question that some have asked may be worth some thought. The question, stated rather bluntly, is this: “Why are so many candidates from other denominations coming into the CRC when we have so many of our own candidates still waiting?”
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Posted on July 21, 2011, 9:07 am | 22 comments
Topics: Congregational Life
There has been a rise in Geekdom as of late from The Big Bang Theory on CBS to the recently crowned Miss America coming out and saying she’s a huge history geek and loves Star Wars. For the longest time, many of us kept our geekiness a secret lest we be found out. We are doctors, scientists, music teachers, housewives, farmers, dentists, nurses, and even (gasp) pastors...
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Posted on June 9, 2011, 9:16 am | 2 comments
Topics: Congregational Life
In working with congregational leaders, I often point out that the ultimate goal of congregational care is discipleship – helping people mature in Christ. This too is the ultimate goal for the annual home visit, even though few churches do this well consistently. For this reason, some congregations have replaced the pastoral care activities of elders with an emphasis on small group ministry.
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Posted on May 8, 2011, 2:50 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Pastors, Congregational Life
This has been quite a week for both home nations of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Two events of political and pastoral significance riveted us - the death of Osama Bin Laden and the federal election in Canada.
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