New Opportunities

June 22-23, 2020 a group of pastors, missionaries, staff, lay leaders and invited guests from the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America met for a Journeys Into Friendship virtual consultation. During these two days together, we heard stories from those who have built intentional, authentic friendships with people in their communities. Friendships that bridge differences in race, religion and migration status. Friendships that have been a mutual blessing to both parties and a faithful response to following Christ.

Let’s think about Saul.  He was on his way to Damascus, acting as a leader in the movement for his people. For his God.

In Canada, we tend to mark the beginning of good weather with the May long weekend. The long weekend usually sparks visions of opening cottages with extended family, seeing friends, or the first warm weather festivals. In most Canadian provinces in 2020 however, we are still practicing strict social distancing and many of us did not enjoy our usual May long weekend.

I was recently invited to join an online prayer group of ministers and elders and was asked to offer a prayer of comfort during our time together in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course I said yes--my Midwest U.S. upbringing would not allow me to decline such an offer--but my heart started racing and my mouth became dry even as I was accepting this invitation.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:22-25

Christians talk about our calling to be "good stewards of God's creation," but often we don't carry that commitment into the details of political policies. In today's world, there are urgent matters that demand our active stewardship.

My friend Bush is a kind man with intense focus, only broken by the odd joke and corresponding side laugh. He is Indigenous, a survivor of residential schools, and has a history of homelessness. I first met Bush and his partner at a permanent supportive housing apartment where I was working night-shift. His intense focus made interactions awkward at times, only because I was an awkward young punk to begin with. He later joined a bible study I was hosting. This gave us lots to talk about as he was serious about his faith in God. 

I recently attended a lecture at Redeemer University College, Albert Mohler discussed ‘Living Conviction in an Age of Unbelief.’ And he gave us his airplane questions. You know, the questions that Christians like to ask their seatmates when conversations turn deep. I would think there’s no way of avoiding these questions when you’re the president of a seminary. Mohler’s questions are, “What are you living for?” and “How is it working for you?” The questions seem particularly relevant as I sit in an airport waiting for a delayed flight. 

I’ve just returned from my first trip to the Holy Land, and I’m now entering the season of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with a new outlook on the land where Jesus was born. The trip was a collaboration among the Reformed Church in America (RCA) Women’s Transformation and Leadership, RCA missionaries Sally and Josh Vis, and PhD candidate and RCA minister Dustyn Keepers. We climbed Mt. Arbel and walked the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.

1) The church in the Middle East has been persecuted for thousands of years. 

Right now, I am sitting in the Logos Center at the Saint Bishoy Monastery of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Wadi El-Natron, Egypt. Coptic and Egyptian Christians have suffered persecution for thousands of years. The Coptic (Egyptian) Church began with the martyrdom of Saint Mark in the streets of Alexandria in the first century. The persecution of Christians in the Middle East continues to persist to this day.