T-Minus 2

You’ve got until Monday!

If you are planning on coming to the Toronto Pastors Conference on June 1,2,3, then don’t forget to register by Monday. That’s when we close off registrations.

In fact, here it is, a lovely Saturday, where you have lots of free time… why not take the 2 minutes to register now!

Calvin on Why it is Okay to Remedy Sickness (Sometimes)

Calvin takes a moment in his commentary on John 18:11 (“...shall I not drink the cup that Father has given me?”) to remark on the appropriateness of seeking medicinal help to our physical afflictions. It seems to me the same principle applies in some measure to how we handle persecution, especially of the physically abusive sort.

“...fanatics should not be heeded, who assert that we must not seek remedies for sicknesses or any other kinds of affliction, lest we reject the cup which God holds out. We know that we must die once and we must be prepared for death. But because the time of our death is unknown to us, the Lord allows us to defend our life by the aids which He Himself has appointed. Diseases must be patiently borne, however grievous they be to our flesh; but while they are not yet certainly fatal we should seek alleviation of them. Only we must be careful not to attempt anything but what God’s Word permits. In short, provided it remains always fixed in our hearts that the Lord’s will be done, we are not failing to drink the cup which He has given us, even when we seek deliverance from the evils which press upon us.”

Evangelizing Children (Part 1)

Evangelizing Children (Part 1)

The Shepherd's Fellowship blog has a great article detailing how we ought to evangelize our children.

The process of evangelizing one’s children, however, can be a daunting task. For many parents, the questions are as practical as they are disconcerting: How should I present the gospel to my children? What’s the best approach to take? How do I know if I’m doing it right?

Pitfalls, both real and imagined, intimidate virtually every parent who contemplates this responsibility. On one hand, there’s the danger of leading children to think they are saved when they are not. On the other, there’s the risk of discouraging children who express a genuine desire to follow Christ.

How, then, should we evangelize our children?

The elders of Grace Community Church began to answer this question by noting what child evangelism should NOT be... that list includes

1. Oversimplifying the Gospel of Christ

2. Coercing a Profession of Faith

3. Assuming the Reality of Regeneration

4. Assuring the Child of Salvation

5. Rushing the Ordinance of Baptism

Everyone should read the whole article since the application extends beyond our own families into the life of the church and our evangelism of adults.

Toronto Pastors Conference (June 1,2,3) - Registration About To CLOSE!

There are only a few more days left to register for this year’s Toronto Pastors Conference! Registration CLOSES on May 25… and space may fill up before then. I guess I am not the only one who tends to register for things last minute!

Anyway, you would be wise to drop what you are doing and get yourself registered right now! No guarantees we will have a spot for you on Monday. And it is going to be, Lord willing, an excellent time.

Nancy Gall on the appalling lack of coverage given Canada's March for Life

Nancy Gall: March for Life coverage conspicuously absent - Holy Post

Let me get this straight: 5,000 Tamils block a few lanes of Toronto traffic and it’s all over the news. Heck, a mere 50 Tamils demonstrate in front of the American Consulate in Calgary and we hear about it.

But when 12,000 people showed up Thursday on Parliament Hill to demonstrate their support for life from conception to natural death -- something that affects us all -- it’s not worth a picture? Twenty seconds of airtime? A paragraph at the bottom of Page J20?

You’ve got to wonder how many people have to show up before the annual March for Life is deemed coverage-worthy by the mainstream media.

36 Hours in Toronto - NYTimes.com

36 Hours in Toronto - NYTimes.com

The NYT did a little profile of my city. I learned some things...

AS one of the planet’s most diverse cities, Toronto is oddly clean and orderly. Sidewalks are spotless, trolleys run like clockwork, and the locals are polite almost to a fault. That’s not to say that Torontonians are dull. Far from it. With a population that is now half foreign-born — fueled by growing numbers of East Indians, Chinese and Sri Lankans — the lakeside city offers a kaleidoscope of world cultures. Sing karaoke in a Vietnamese bar, sip espresso in Little Italy and catch a new Bollywood release, all in one night. The art and design scenes are thriving, too, and not just on the bedazzled red carpets of the Toronto International Film Festival, held every September. Industrial zones have been reborn into gallery districts, and dark alleys now lead to designer studios, giving Canada’s financial capital an almost disheveled mien.

51% identify as 'pro-life' in U.S. - Los Angeles Times

51% identify as 'pro-life' in U.S. - Los Angeles Times:

"For the first time since it began asking the question in 1995, Gallup reported Friday, a majority of adults questioned for its annual survey on values and beliefs -- 51% -- said that when it comes to abortion, they consider themselves 'pro-life'; 42% consider themselves 'pro-choice.' (The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.)"

Mohler on the Ministry

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory:

"Jesus Christ calls his ministers from the ranks of the incompetent, so that He will show his singular competence through them. He uses earthen vessels to demonstrate his own life in us. He confounds the wisdom of the wise by using the unworthy to demonstrate his worth."

And... We Have a Winner!

Julian and I are pleased to announce the winner to our FREE REGISTRATION contest for the Toronto Pastors Conference. First, you can read his winning entry!

Years ago, the leaders of the church of which I was a member were fasting (I do not remember what the issue was that had caused the fast to be called). At a meeting of the church a set of scales was placed on the platform and the leaders took their turns being weighed to see who had lost the most weight and was therefore “best faster.” Each weigh-in was accompanied by appropriate boos or cheers depending on the result. Didn’t Jesus say something about how we should fast? (Matthew 6:16-18)

Yikes!

Thanks to all of you submitted entries. It was quite remarkable to read them.

As our winner, Ken Davis receives a full registration to the conference and the thrill of knowing that he experienced the strangest church business meeting known to man.

Carey Registration Open and Contest About to Close!

Great news! The Carey Family Conference has opened their online registration site. It takes less than 3 minutes and you are in like Flynn!

Also, don't forget to send me your stories of strange things from church business meetings. We have some doozies already, but no sure winner yet. Winners will be announced on Monday if I can get to a computer.