Posted on June 13th, 2008 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Church • Cross • Culture • God • Gospel • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Missions • Northwest • Prayer • Seminary • Theology
Categories: Cultural Issues • Missiology
Jarrod Haas is a student in the Cross-cultural Leadership Training Program, CLTP @ Northwest, working towards an undergrad level diploma in preparation for cross-cultural ministry among Asians. CLTP is a one year, mentored, experienced based program that prepares the student for Master’s level seminary studies as well as equips them for ministry either internationally [...]
Posted on June 6th, 2008 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Bible • Church • Cross • Culture • God • Gospel • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Missions • Northwest • Prayer • Scripture • Seminary • Theology
Categories: Cultural Issues • Missiology
Jarrod Haas is a student in the Cross-cultural Leadership Training Program, CLTP @ Northwest, working towards an undergrad level diploma in preparation for cross-cultural ministry among Asians. CLTP is a one year, mentored, experienced based program that prepares the student for Master’s level seminary studies as well as equips them for ministry either internationally [...]
Posted on June 4th, 2008 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Church • Cross • Culture • God • Jesus • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Missions • New Testament • Northwest • Prayer • Seminary • Theology
Categories: Cultural Issues • Missiology
Jarrod Haas is a student in the Cross-cultural Leadership Training Program, CLTP @ Northwest, working towards an undergrad level diploma in preparation for cross-cultural ministry among Asians. CLTP is a one year, mentored, experienced based program that prepares the student for Master’s level seminary studies as well as equips them for ministry either internationally [...]
Posted on April 10th, 2008 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Bible • Church • Cross • Culture • Jesus • Leaders • Leadership • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Cultural Issues • Culture • Leadership • Missiology
The Power Distance Contrast
In Pakistan there is a strong tradition of "holy men" who are called Pirs. One day I had a visit from a young man who informed me that he was the Pir of his village. I was puzzled by this because he was dressed in modern clothes and did not have the [...]
Posted on April 8th, 2008 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: God • Prayer
Categories: Spiritual Formation
I’ll confess to enjoying good movie, especially ones that evoke a sense of meaning. So, when ChristianityTodayMovies came out with their top 10 Critic’s choice movies of 2007, I was intrigued by #10 on the list: Into Great Silence. Once I read the review [http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/commentaries/quiettime.html] I knew that I had to see the movie.
In 1984, [...]
Posted on March 19th, 2008 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: God • Gospel • Ministry • Prayer • Theology
Categories: Prayer
In February I wrote a posting about the book series Home To Harmony by Philip Gulley. My suspicion is that just about every pastor I know has enough material to write their own series of stories. A theological version of All Creatures Great and Small, if you will. While few of us pastors who will actually [...]
Posted on March 12th, 2008 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Church • Leaders • Missions • Northwest • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Church • Missions
Best Practices for Church Missions Workshops Photos
◄ BackNext ►
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Immanuel Abbotsford
“Thank you for the great workshop. Our missions focus is struggling and we found it to be so helpful and encouraging. The questions and exercises were well thought out and gave us good direction, as well as the prayer focus throughout. We [...]
Posted on February 12th, 2008 by Mr. Loren Warkentin
Other tags: Church • Missions • Northwest • Prayer
Categories: Internet • Website 101
WordPress is a great CMS (Content Management System) platform for a church website and web design as it is extremely flexible and very easy to use. Part of this flexibility comes from WordPress’ ability to take advantage of the programming skills of people from around the world who have designed various small add-on applications for [...]
Posted on February 8th, 2008 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Church • God • Holy Spirit • Leaders • Prayer
Categories: Prayer
When I had once mentioned that I collected prayers, a friend quickly sent me a copy of the Prayer of Jabez, a book written by Bruce Wilkinson in 2000 based on a prayer found in I Chronicles 4:9-10: And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed and [...]
Posted on January 30th, 2008 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: God • Prayer • Scripture • Thanksgiving • Theology
Categories: Prayer
I was intrigued by a comment that I overheard some time ago to the effect that “prior to the age of Sunday School, the most influential instrument used to instruct Christians was Worship.” It was through the liturgy of worship that people learned theology – as they recited the Apostle’s Creed or Nicene Creed from [...]
Posted on January 11th, 2008 by Dr. Brian Rapske
Other tags: Church • God • Marriage • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Bible Study • Discipleship • Faith • Marriage
Over the Christmas holiday, Rita and I received a long distance call from our eldest daughter Trish in Aberdeen, Scotland . With great excitement she announced, "Pete and I are engaged!"
The journey to this moment of family joy has been nothing if not exciting and a challenge to faith.
From their very earliest years, we as [...]
Posted on January 7th, 2008 by Mr. Loren Warkentin
Other tags: Bible • God • Gospel • Jesus • Prayer
Categories: 2008 Challenge • Bible Study • New Year
I would like to present you with a tough but exciting challenge for 2008 . . . but let me back up a little!
This past two months I have been somewhat restricted in my activities because of a ruptured achilles tendon. After 4 weeks in a fiberglass cast and now another almost 4 weeks in [...]
Posted on December 21st, 2007 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Church • God • Holy Spirit • Prayer
Categories: Bible Study
There seems to have been a revival of interest in ancient forms of spiritual discipline, notably in the area of prayer. From the early Church, the day was marked by regular hours. As early as the Didache in 60 A.D. Christians were encouraged to pray with regularity – the Lord’s Prayer three times a day, [...]
Posted on November 16th, 2007 by Dr. Larry Perkins
Other tags: Church • God • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: BoardTalk • Leadership
At our recent "Best Practices for Church Boards Workshop" held in Langley, one of the groups attending had also participated in the first workshop we presented two and half years ago. What was remarkable to note was that none of the members of that church board were the same. Over that short period of time [...]
Posted on November 13th, 2007 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Bible • Church • God • Jesus • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: Athiesm
In the last few months, I have encountered a number of people who seem “taken” by the current campaign to promote the message of atheism. Such books as God is Not Great, and The God Delusion seem to suggest that there is something solid to the life and belief of the unbelievers. Which is why [...]
Posted on November 7th, 2007 by Dr. Larry Perkins
Other tags: Bible • Church • God • Gospel • Holy Spirit • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Northwest • Prayer
Categories: BoardTalk • Leadership
Dr. Lyle Schrag, director of our Northwest Centre for Leadership Development, led our sixth Best Practices for Church Boards workshop this past weekend. Seven churches participated. As I gave one of the presentations and facilitated a conversation among one of the church boards, the centrality of relationships to good Church Board operations became absolutely clear. [...]
Posted on October 17th, 2007 by Mr. Loren Warkentin
Other tags: Bible • Church • Culture • God • Gospel • Leaders • New Testament • Prayer • Scripture • Translation
Categories: Bible • Bible Study • Christian Life • Culture
There is, today, a proliferation of articles, books and speakers discussing the topic of “hearing God”. Several well known evangelical preachers and leaders have weighed in with their contributions. I did a web search on the words “hearing God” and was fascinated by what came up. Page after page listing web sites, books, articles and other [...]
Posted on October 2nd, 2007 by Dr. Brian Rapske
Other tags: Church • God • Jesus • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Baptist • Conversion • Evangelism • Gospel • Salvation
This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach at Albion Church. The fellowship–an energetic, young congregation of some 70-80 believers–meets in the local community hall on the north bank of the Fraser River. Their pastor who invited me to preach is Dan Ost. My decision to say yes was a ‘no brainer.’
Dan’s emailed invitation [...]
Posted on September 14th, 2007 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Church • God • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Prayer • Thanksgiving
Categories: Church
The work we’ve been working with Church Boards over the last year has created a number of opportunities to expand our ability to help raise the levels of congregational health on a more personal level. To do that well, I have been getting trained in various Church Coaching systems. Along the way, one of my [...]
Posted on September 10th, 2007 by Dr. Larry Perkins
Other tags: Bible • God • Jesus • Leaders • Ministry • Old Testament • Prayer • Scripture
Categories: Discipleship • MinistryTalk • Spiritual Formation
Great interest now focuses upon fostering spiritual formation within all segments of Christianity. In its best forms, Christian spiritual formation uses various exercises and disciplines to form us to be like Christ, in thought, word and deed. Jesus himself taught his followers to pray, to resist evil, to love, to serve, to pursue righteousness, to [...]
Posted on August 10th, 2007 by Dr. Larry Perkins
Other tags: Church • Culture • God • Jesus • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: Board • BoardTalk • Church
Referee? Dictator? Coordinator? Coach? Parent? The role of the chairperson in a church board gets stereotyped in many unfortunate and misleading ways. Perceptions of this role will significantly affect how people act when appointed and how individuals respond to a person in this role. As Jesus framed it, every role in his kingdom is a [...]
Posted on July 27th, 2007 by Mr. Loren Warkentin
Other tags: Bible • Culture • God • Leaders • Prayer • Religion • Seminary
Categories: Children • Leadership
As the dark years of Israel’s history, recounted for us in the book of Judges, draw to a close and we see the transition of national identity from cowering fugitives into a great kingdom - a remarkable leader is used by God to bring Israel back to Himself. That leader is the prophet and judge [...]
Posted on July 25th, 2007 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Church • God • Prayer • Religion
Categories: Godliness
One of the pleasant perks that comes from living close to the ocean is that I am able to grab my beach chair and a book and read while listening to the gentle sounds of wind and waves. My reading this summer has ranged from real-life adventure [The Long Walk, Slavomir Rawicz; Carrying the Fire, [...]
Posted on July 19th, 2007 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Bible • Cross • Culture • Discipleship • God • Jesus • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: Evangelism • Missiology
One of the primary responsibilities of the cross-cultural Christian worker is to discover how God’s revelation of himself in both the written word (the Bible) and the living Word (Jesus) resonates with the cultural group with whom she or he is developing a relationship. In our ministry among the Sindhi people, we discovered that [...]
Posted on July 18th, 2007 by Mr. Loren Warkentin
Other tags: Bible • God • Leaders • Leadership • Prayer
Categories: Children • Godliness • Leadership
Recommended reading: 1 Samuel 1-8
I am intrigued with the rise of Samuel’s leadership as described in the first few chapters of 1 Samuel. After the years of Israel’s spiritual, moral and national decline as described in the book of Judges the years of Samuel’s leadership stand sturdy and tall. Under his faithful and godly guidance [...]
Posted on June 27th, 2007 by Mr. Loren Warkentin
Other tags: Bible • Cross • God • Jesus • Ministry • Prayer • Scripture
Categories: Godliness
A friend e-mailed me a response to my June 18 article on the topic, “Godliness in Everyday Shoe Leather.†After describing the lives of Christian friends, family and acquaintances, with some of the accompanying struggles and issues that Christians can and do face, the following was the observation made and the question posed in the [...]
Posted on June 4th, 2007 by Dr. Brian Rapske
Other tags: Church • God • Gospel • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: Leadership
Our church has just emerged from a very busy weekend. Not one but two search committees have been working simultaneously through past months in pursuit of individuals to serve our church in the respective capacities of Lead Pastor and Youth Associate. The searches culminated for both committees as both the recommended candidates were invited to [...]
Posted on June 1st, 2007 by Dr. Kenton Anderson
Other tags: Church • God • Holy Spirit • Jesus • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: Preaching
I received this message from one of my former students, Shawn Barden, last week. Shawn is pastoring a great church in Fernie, BC. His message encouraged me and I thought it might encourage you as well. Hey Kent Just wanted to share a note that might make you smile and feel encouraged. On Wednesday last [...]
Posted on May 28th, 2007 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Church • Cross • God • Gospel • Leaders • Leadership • Marriage • Northwest • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Heaven
Several weeks ago, I used my assigned blog entry to muse over the death of my mentor and friend, Robert Webber. The way he prepared for death has taught me a lesson on how to prepare for life with an addition to my daily prayer: thank you, Lord, for the healing of yesterday, and [...]
Posted on May 10th, 2007 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Church • Cross • Missions • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Missiology
Just what is a church missions team expected to do? Because of the way church missions has developed in recent years this question has become increasingly important for those who desire to be effective mission mobilizers. In some churches the missions committee’s primary role consists of passing on the prayer letters of missionaries to the [...]
Posted on May 8th, 2007 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: God • Prayer
Categories: Leadership
Two days ago, I received word that my professor and friend Robert Webber finally succumbed to his long battle with pancreatic cancer late in the evening on April 27. I mourn his death. When I was a young Christian, his classes at Wheaton College taught me to think deeply about issues of faith. As the [...]
Posted on May 4th, 2007 by Dr. Brian Rapske
Other tags: Church • God • Gospel • Holy Spirit • Jesus • Prayer
Categories: Holy Spirit
A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching a course on the Book of Acts in Seoul, South Korea. When my teaching was done, a couple of the students were charged by my hosts to show me the sites of the city in the few daylight hours that remained that day. They [...]
Posted on May 2nd, 2007 by Dr. Larry Perkins
Other tags: Bible • Church • Discipleship • God • Jesus • Leaders • Leadership • Prayer • Scripture • Seminary
Categories: Board
We are in the midst of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Because the Vancouver Canucks have won the right to participate, our city is appropriately excited. What the fans hope for is a team that is ‘smart, healthy, and disciplined,’ presuming that this formula will bring them success. Of course, flashes of brilliant hockey finesse also [...]
Posted on April 25th, 2007 by Dr. Kenton Anderson
Other tags: Church • Cross • God • Jesus • Prayer
Categories: Easter
It has been interesting for me to think about spiritual formation from a different perspective spending these days in Rome. I suppose that when I arrived here I was prepared for the Coliseum, the Forum and all the vestiges of Imperial Rome. I was less prepared for the influence of the Roman Catholic experience. It [...]
Posted on April 22nd, 2007 by Mr. Mark Naylor
Other tags: Church • God • Missions • Prayer
Categories: Missiology
I have been spending some time interviewing pastors and key missions committee personnel to discover the areas they would like to improve in the area of missions One frustration that a number of people expressed is in knowing how and when they are to keep mission agencies and missionaries accountable. One pastor provided the following [...]
Posted on March 14th, 2007 by Dr. Kenton Anderson
Other tags: God • Ministry • Prayer
Categories: Preaching
Last week I was part of the examination committee for a Doctor of Ministry dissertation written by Pastor David Acree from Lethbridge, Alberta. David’s dissertation examined the matter of the preacher’s sense of readiness to preach. I’m pleased to say that he passed the exam and will graduate this spring. The question is interesting. Every [...]
Posted on February 15th, 2007 by Dr. Larry Perkins
Other tags: Church • God • Jesus • Leaders • Ministry • Northwest • Prayer • Seminary
Categories: Discipleship
In a post-Super Bowl comment, winning coach Tony Dungy is quoted as saying, ".more than anything else, Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American, but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord’s way." He doesn’t drink or rant and rave at his players or curse them. Such things are not necessary [...]
Posted on January 5th, 2005 by Dr. Lyle Schrag
Other tags: Bible • Church • Discipleship • God • Jesus • Leaders • Leadership • Ministry • Prayer • Theology
Categories: NCLD
God’s Calling - Next Step. Identifying key principles that God uses to get our attention.
In the Bible, the term "call" does not simply describe God’s invitation for an elite few who might enter full-time ministry. In the last issue of Leadership Connection, ALL BELIEVERS were identified as "called people." Calling describes the way God expresses [...]