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If you read my monthly letter to our churches and supporters back in December, you will recognize a theme here, but I think it is one that bears repeating and a bit of expounding. We have recently experienced the Christmas and New Year season. This is a time of year that presents exceptional opportunities for the Church to impact our communities. While there are likely multiple reasons, I think the heart of the issue is that there is a deep longing for renewal in our society, both within and outside the church. We must respond to that need as ambassadors of Christ. One reason the Christmas story resonates so deeply is that proclamation made by the angels in a field so long ago: “To you a Savior is born.” Now by definition, a savior is one who saves you from danger or destruction. Even those who do not believe are longing for someone to save them from the obvious destruction that is around us. People who do not believe would love to have “peace on earth.” And so, the message of Christmas resonates throughout society. Who we are and what we have is broken, and we can all feel it. Romans 8:22 (ESV) says “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” Everything and everyone on this earth has been marred by the effects of sin. Nothing is as it should be. Everyone on earth can sense that, even if they will not admit what their spirit can clearly see. Just a week after Christmas, we celebrate New Year’s Day. Everyone can agree on that holiday, because it has no religious meaning. In fact, it seems to me that it has no meaning whatsoever. We are celebrating because it is a year since the last time we celebrated it. I suppose it is a birthday party for the planet. Please don’t misunderstand. I am not saying it is bad for you to celebrate New Year’s. Put on the silly hat, blow the horn, watch the ball drop, or whatever you like to do. But I want to consider why it is a popular holiday. The focus on New Year’s is the idea that our future is bright (or at least it is what we make of it). Folks make resolutions about how they will improve themselves in the new year, they celebrate together that the new year has finally arrived. “Out with the old, in with the new” so to speak. In my opinion, this holiday highlights the effect of sin, perhaps even more strikingly than Christmas. Sin has negatively impacted every single facet of life on earth. Folks are suffering from illness, struggling to make payments, enduring the death of loved ones, going through relationship issues or divorce, doubting their self-worth, contemplating suicide, getting confused about their own gender, worrying about global wars, and so much more – because of sin. And after a year of going through all this brokenness and difficulty, people are ready for the year to end and a better one to begin. If I can just push forward, maybe find a better job or a better spouse or actually finish a couple of resolutions this year, things will be better. A new year is like a clean slate, and perhaps I can get it right this time. So, Christmas and New Year’s are a time when everyone around us is thinking about how broken things have become and how much they long for something better. They know they are stumbling around in the darkness, and they are looking for a light. And this is where we must shine. We have the light that they are looking for within us, and we must be faithful to help others see it. We know why the world is broken and we know how it will someday be fixed. But it is easy to fall into the same pattern as everyone around us. Our lives are broken and imperfect too. We must decide whether we will join in hoping next year will be better, or proclaim that even in our imperfect lives, God is at work, and he will restore all things when he returns! This is what we find in John 1:9-13 (ESV) about the Christmas story: “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world… He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” It does not get much simpler than that. The light has pierced the darkness, and if you believe in Jesus Christ, you are adopted into his kingdom of light. There is nothing to fear, and no circumstance is too horrible to face, because you are headed to a new home with no imperfections. This birth “not of blood… but of God” is the new start everyone is longing for! We are the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches. “Evangelical” because we believe that the good news of the Gospel must be shared with others, and “Bible” because that’s where the good news is found. Do you see all the people around you who are hoping the new year is better than the last, grasping for some resolution that will make life more bearable? Those people are a ripe harvest field, and God wants you to go to work. Share the truth! Share your joy! Shine his light in the darkness! Oh, and Happy New Year! The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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Connections10/31/2024 Connect24 has come and gone. In fact, it has been a few months since we gathered at Dalmeny Bible Church, but I think it is important to share a few thoughts from this event. Delegates from 24 of our churches descended on Dalmeny, SK for a truly encouraging and meaningful time. We connected, prayed, worshiped, and learned together. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Greg Carlson, brought challenging and helpful lessons regarding how we can lead like Jesus. We also enjoyed powerful breakout sessions led by FEBC leaders, pastors, and others, enjoyed insightful discussions about various areas of church life and ministry, spent time together in focused prayer, and much more. (You can watch the recordings of the keynote and breakout sessions HERE.) This year, we spent extra time highlighting our efforts to reach the world through missionary work and were excited to implement some new ways to emphasize the work that our Global Partners are doing. As always, the most important and impactful aspect of Connect was just what the name suggests – connection! So many conversations were had, and connections were made between pastors, leaders, and laypeople from our various churches. The opportunity to relate with each other, to carry one another’s burdens in prayer, and to rejoice in one another’s successes is invaluable. Whether connecting with an old friend or making a new one, each person who attends Connect benefits. The Annual General Meetings (held during Connect) affirmed the direction of our ministries, approved new terms for directors and commission members, and approved our operating budget for this fiscal year. Notably, the budget includes adequate funding to maintain the Ministries Coordinator through March 2025, but we still need more monthly supporters in order to maintain this position into the future. We made a bit of progress toward funding the Ministries Coordinator position through the Connect24 Project Offering but have not met our goal. Please consider whether God would have you contribute. The following individuals were approved for 3-year terms on our commissions:
We also announced the recipients of our scholarship funds for this year.
The Continuing Education Scholarship is for current FEBC pastors and global partners who are seeking additional education. The following individuals were awarded $1,500 each: James VanderVeen (Waldheim, SK), Herms Banico (Mountain Lake, MN) and Mikki Schmidt (Omaha, NE). The Christian Ministry Scholarship is for college students who are seeking a Biblical education. This year’s recipients of $1,000 are: William Blatz (Rapid View, SK), Peter Wiens (Mountain Lake, MN), and Barry Wolfe (Waldheim, SK). Following are alternates: Nathan Hoff (Dalmeny, SK), and Tyler Willems (Waldheim, SK). You can learn much more about what is happening in our Fellowship by reading my State of the Fellowship Address from Connect24 in a separate article. (Jump to the Fellowship Address from Connect24 by clicking HERE.) We are incredibly grateful to the staff and volunteers at Dalmeny Bible Church who worked so hard to make this event a success! From generous and hospitable hosts to fabulous meals and meaningful times of worship, DBC truly blessed our delegates. I am also grateful to those who stepped in at the last minute to help when three of our directors experienced either a loss or a family illness and could not attend Connect. At times of unexpected adjustments, it is always amazing to see how God pulls everything together through the faithfulness of his people. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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An Epidemic of Apathy?7/3/2024 I believe there is an epidemic of sorts running through the Church in North America. And this time, I am not talking about one that involves social distancing or masks. It does, however, involve some very specific symptoms. It is increasingly common for a pastor or elder to ask me: “How do we increase volunteerism?” or “What can we do to fill open leadership positions?” or “Why aren’t more attendees becoming members?” It appears that we have a problem. You could call it apathy, or disconnectedness, or any number of things. Whatever you call it, it is a struggle for local churches everywhere. I believe there are many factors contributing to this sense of apathy within our churches. For instance, folks have way more competing for their attention than they used to – with tons of events to attend and social media screaming for their time. In short, folks are worn out. Too many commitments, too many pressures – and we cannot commit to one more thing. As volunteerism has waned, the Church has responded in the most logical way: If we cannot secure adequate help from members, we hire more staff to tend to our needs. This is reasonable and generally healthy, but I believe we may unintentionally develop the mindset that it is the job of some paid person to handle ministry, and others are there to partake in or receive that ministry. I think volunteerism is also hampered by what I would call the “pressure of comparison.” We have broad access to recordings and live streams of the best preachers in the world, the best musicians in the world, etc. It is easy to feel our meager gifting is not enough. Feelings of inadequacy are deadly to volunteerism. While this may seem like an insurmountable cultural trend, I would propose a few areas in which we can proactively work to stem the tide:
Church Leaders - let’s be intentional about developing and recruiting volunteers. Church Members - God has given you gifts that he wants you to use at your church! Please look for ways to serve. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV) The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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Connecting & Changing8/1/2023 There is so much to report that I am not sure we can fit it all into this issue! We recently met together at Connect23, and there are many things that will look different as we move forward. I need to decide where to start.
First, Connect23: We had an amazing time together. Our hosts in Grunthal, MB, were well-prepared and very gracious, and our keynote speaker, Dr. Paul Nyquist, challenged us. The outings, meals, breakout sessions, and so much more were thoroughly enjoyable and deeply meaningful. We connected. But I entered the event with a mixture of excitement and sadness. To make a long story as short as I can, our financial plan that began in 2019 has suffered setbacks recently due to several factors, including COVID and the recent economic downturn. Our funds have been depleted more quickly than anticipated. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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