Truth and Nails

How would you define the glory of God? Tough right?! In his book "Your Glory" Dr. Powers develops a biblical understanding of the glory of God that is both insightful and helpful.  Dr. Powers shows that not only is this an important theological concept to understand, but it also has practical implications for the life of the believer.

Phil has  served as a pastor and seminary professor and now is the Assistant director of the graduate program at Millar College of the Bible. 

Find "Your Glory" on Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Glory-Biblical-Philip-Powers/dp/1486620639

For more information on Millar College of the Bible
https://www.millarcollege.ca/

For More information on the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches:
http://www.fellowshipforward.org

Kids ask some great questions, and have short windows of teachable time. You ever got to the end of the day and feel you just blew an opportunity? I sure have. I’ve either spoken to much and too complicated or I’ve completely missed the chance altogether. Being a bit prepared and beginning to think more intentionally about both the quiet and chaos time yo spend with your kids can really help us seize those teachable moments where we get to tackle the subject that our children are wrestling with. 
Leah and her husband Ryan serve on staff at the Millar Sunnybrae campus near Salmon Arm, BC. 
Leah and Ryan  have 2 boys at home which has likely contributed to Leah's heart to launch her podcast. “Questions in Chaos” is aimed at giving parents some help in answering those tough questions that kids ask at just the most inopportune time. Questions about death, or heaven and hell, why do we go o church? or What is prayer? Why and how do we do it?

Find Leah and Christina’s Podcast “Questions in Chaos” on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or on their website:

 https://questionsinchaos.com/

For more information about The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches visit: 
http://www.fellowshipforward.org

We all have a liturgy, a pattern of worship. Have you thought about what yours includes, or why you follow that pattern?  Having the privilege to sit down with Dr. Lorn Gieck for this conversation helped incline my heart in a new way towards worship. Lorn has a deep love for the Lord, for the church and for the Word. I‘m praying you’ll have some real practical take-aways from this episode. .  

Lorn has served as a worship pastor in the local church and is presently on staff at Millar College of the Bible as the fine arts director. 

for more information on Millar college of the bible goto:
https://www.millarcollege.ca/

For more information on The fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches goto:
http://www.fellowshipforward.org

Art is one of a kind.  his passion for the lost and his passion to train and equip young people to minister the gospel of  Jesus is both humbling and contagious. Art and his family have spent the lions share of their life in Bible School (MIllar College of the BIboe) and camp (Turtle Mountain, Manitou Lake, Dallas Valley) ministries.
Both of these ministries have been massively influential in my own spiritual formation and likely many of yours and I believe they can help mould the faith of our young people today. \giving it firmness and purpose.

For more information on Millar College of the Bible  go to:
https://www.millarcollege.ca/

or The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches:
https://www.fellowshipforward.org/

Pastor Trevor has been celebrating a season of great fruit being borne in some of the young men in his church. You will hear the deep joy and thankfulness for this season of ministry. The Lord was working long before Trevor started this season of very intentional and intense teaching. He was working and stirring in Trevor's heart and in the heart of each of the young men who hungered for not just the content but the intent of learning to study, apply and present the Word of God to others.

Trevor Kirsch is a great friend and co-labourer for the gospel as the pastor of Compass Immanuel church in Rapid View Saskatchewan. He and his wife Twila have served there for over 20 years in both the youth and now lead pastoral  role.
As you will hear, Trevor has a heart for the Scriptures, to study and to preach in such a way that others lives would be shaped by it.

For more information on the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches go to:
http://www.fellowshipforward.org

Just what does the ascension of Christ mean to us? What is Christ doing now while seated at the right hand of the Father?
Darren and I will use Psalm 110 to launch us into a discussion on why the ascension matters and why it is a critical part of the gospel we proclaim.

Darren Holland is a great friend, co-labourer and brother. Darren  has faithfully shepherded the Philadelphia MB Church in Watrous Sk. for 20+ years, and his passion for the Word will be obvious as you listen.

Books referenced:
"The Ascension of of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine" - by Patrick Schreiner
ISBN#:  9781683593973

For more information on the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (FEBC)
go to: www.fellowshipforward.org 

So after some discussion after our last episode on Spiritual gifts I thought I would revisit it with a pastor friend of mine. Kim Worthington is a new pastor in Waldheim Saskatchewan and has been wrestling with many of the same questions I have been and it was fun to sit down with him to chat about how we see this playing out in our midst.

Resources I found helpful:

Blog Post By Randy Alcorn: https://www.epm.org/blog/2020/Oct/12/spiritual-gifts

Sermon by John Piper:  https://youtu.be/EPIHO1nnXSQ

Moo, Douglas J. The Letter of James. The Pillar New Testament commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Leicester, England: Eerdmans ; Apollos, 2000.

Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament 6. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 1998.

"Missions Shift or Church Drift"
In this interview with David Ruten  we wanted to tackle the shift in how our churches view missions. Are we still sending as many missionaries? Is the work done? Is sending money  all the North American church is to be doing?
How can we engage our people in the call of all Christians to "go and make disciples of all nations"?

David Ruten is the member and pastoral care rep. for SIM. David  grew up in Burkina Faso and later returned with his family to serve as missionaries with SIM. He and his wife Marianne Now live in Langham Sk. and are seeking to re-engage churches for a heart of mission.

Show Notes:
Without a doubt, there have been ethnocentric missionaries who obscured the goodness of the gospel for the world, regardless of their intentions. But such examples are far from the norm. In fact, the opposite is often the case.

At the end of a decade-long statistical analysis of the health and development of nations, sociologist Robert Woodberry (PhD, UNC-Chapel Hill) and his fifty-person research team published a shocking discovery: missionaries are actually the greatest catalyst in the development and stability of nations.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/january-february/world-missionaries-made.html - The Surprising Discovery About Those Colonialist, Proselytizing Missionaries

Yet not just any missionaries.

Woodberry’s observations only held true for “conversionary Protestants” (244). 
That is, missionaries (1) who preached the gospel with the intent of converting others and forming churches, (2) who encouraged everyone to read the Bible in the local language, and (3) who taught that salvation comes by grace through faith.

“Missionaries are the greatest catalyst in the development and stability of nations.”

...Woodberry summarized the positive effect of Protestant missionary work: “Areas where Protestant missionaries had a significant presence in the past are, on average, more economically developed today, with comparatively better health, lower infant mortality, lower corruption, greater literacy, higher educational attainment (especially for women), and more robust membership in nongovernmental associations.”

Far from being some kind of repressive imperialists, missionaries have historically been the most vital source of a nation’s social development. These findings yield two important conclusions about the work of Protestant missionaries. https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/gospel-worship/excerpts/is-christianity-good-for-the-world As John Piper observed of Woodberry’s findings, “[T]he missionaries who focused least on political transformation and most on personal conversion through the preaching of the gospel have brought about the greatest democratic reforms and social welfare.”

In other words, most missionaries were not deliberate social reformers. That was not their chief aim. The society-benefitting effects of their work, therefore, were essentially by products of their mission to make disciples.

“Making disciples is still the most effective way to improve the world.”

To be sure, gospel-driven social action is absolutely necessary ...However, focusing on good works as the primary way to achieve societal change is both theologically misguided and statistically discredited.

Working for societal transformation is vitally important and biblically commanded (Gen. 1:28; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 29:7; Jas. 1:27; Rev. 21:5). But the best way to achieve that goal is emphasizing evangelism and church planting—not exclusively, but primarily, “as of first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3 ESV).

This conclusion runs counter to the prevailing narrative today, even among some Christians. Yet the statistical data strongly confirms the point, and it is vital that we heed it. Making disciples is still the most effective way to improve the world.

"Saddle Sores"

For 40+ years, Francis Asbury ministered during the fledgling period of American History. Logging close to 480 000 km's/300 000 miles in the saddle to establish the work of the Methodist missionary movement in the late 1700's and early 1800's. His determination and dedication are inspiring and helpful. 

What can we learn from him?
1. To Serve the Lord with Zeal and determination. (Rom. 12:6-8) how the Lord has gifted you. 
2. Be organised - Francis Asbury ordained over 4000 ministers to do the work in his stead. We ought to be making and equiping disciples for works of service. 
3. let "I Preached..." be a daily journal entry as you speak the Word of God into the lives of others. 
4. Get in the Saddle and go to the lost and hurting world around you...this may mean some saddle sores. 

Book Mentioned: 
"Francis Asbury"  - by L.C Rudolph
ISBN# 978-0687134618

“Spiritual Gifts” - Dr. Paul Nyquist

Where do I fit? What if I don’t seem to have the talents and abilities of all the other people I see in the Church? I can’t sing, I don’t teach, I don’t have a lot of money and I’m sure not gonna get up and preach! What’s my role? 

On this episode we will look at Spiritual Gifts. While natural talent and ability may be easy to spot and point out sometimes Spiritual gifts are not, but their necessity to healthy body life is critical 

Dr. J. Paul Nyquist serves as the Vice President of Discipleship and Special Assistant to the President at the College of Biblical Studies in Houston, TX. 

Prior to coming to the College of Biblical Studies, Dr. Nyquist served as the President of the Moody Bible Institute, President of Avant Ministries, Dean of the Graduate Program and Professor at The Bible Seminary, Adjunct Professor at Phoenix Seminary and Grace University, and Senior Pastor at two different churches in the Midwest.

Dr. Nyquist earned his Th.M and Ph.D degrees in Systematic Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and his B.S in Architectural Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Dr. Nyquist has been married for 40 years to his wife, Cheryl, and they have been blessed with four children (Natalie, Taylor, Carson, and Sawyer) and eight grandchildren.

 Dr. Nyquist is the author of four different books: “Is Justice Possible? The Elusive Pursuit of What is Right” (Moody- 2017), “Prepare: Living your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture” (Moody- 2015), “The Post-Church Christian: Dealing with the Generational Baggage of our Faith” (co-authored with his son, Carson—Moody-2013), and “There is No Time: A Missionary Fable” (Avant- 2009).