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What We Learned (Further Reflections on a Failed Effort at Reform)

Editors’ note:  This article is the second part in a two-part series reflecting on our failed efforts at reform within the CBOQ. The first article called “Why I Left And Why I Stayed” can be found here. This article builds on the stories and…

Why I left and why I Stayed: Reflections on our Failed Efforts at Reform in the CBOQ

In 2013 Marc Bertrand and I (Paul Carter) co-founded a renewal movement called CLRA (pronounced like the lady’s name “Clara”) within the CBOQ (Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec). Our goal was to call our association back to its historical…

Of Antichrist and his Ruin – A Brief Review

Image: Edwardx, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons I have long been an admirer of the Independent (Baptist?) author John Bunyan. His Pilgrim’s Progress, Grace Abounding and Holy War have been frequent companions. However, I only recently had…

a photo of a middle aged white mail standing patriotically while holding a microphone

Why I’m Grateful I Started Out as a Youth Pastor

As a 48-year-old man, I’ve reached that stage of my life where I spend a fair bit of time looking backward, attempting to discern the movement and patterns of God’s providence. I now see several key influences and a handful of critical turning points…

a black and white line drawing illustrating satan as a fallen angel

What is the Binding of Satan?

What is the binding of Satan talked about in Revelation 20? If we use Scripture to interpret Scripture, it would seem to refer to the inbreaking of Jesus’ reign and rule in his first coming. In Mark 3:27 Jesus says: “But no one can enter a strong…

open bible on a picnic table with a bright sunrise in the background

5 Surprising Things that the Bible says About Money

The Bible has a lot to say about money, which isn’t terribly surprising given how important money is within human society. Some of the things the Bible says about money are quite well known while other aspects of its teaching remain relatively…

photo of an open bible on a blanket with a window in the background

How to use the Lord’s Model Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer was intended as a model not a mantra. Given the way it is often used today, it is more than a little ironic to observe that the model was taught, at least in part, as an alternative to the mindless, repetitive nature of pagan…

What Exactly Constitutes a Lie?

I recently preached a sermon on Jesus’ teaching about truthfulness as found in the Sermon on the Mount. The message generated a surprising number of follow up questions; the most common of which was “Is it ever ok for a Christian to lie?” I addressed…

4 Opportunities for the Church on the Other Side

For the rest of our lives we will almost certainly be reckoning time in terms of “Pre” and “Post” Pandemic. Regardless of what you think about the severity of the virus itself or the wisdom and efficacy of the various health and safety measures…

Is it Ever Okay for a Christian to Lie?

This past Sunday I preached on Jesus’ teaching to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount concerning the matter of truthfulness. The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had developed a number of elaborate rules governing which oaths were to be…

Why We Named our Daughter Noa

When I was in Israel in 2011 it seemed like every waitress I had was named either Tirza or Noa. One day I asked a young lady, named Noa, to explain why her name was so incredibly popular. I explained that in Canada, generally speaking, only boys were…

The Most Important Thing (in a World Without Resurrection from The Dead)

Many people believe that the Book of Ecclesiastes is basically depicting a wise approach to life if there were no resurrection from the dead. This Easter weekend, we celebrate the fact that there is a resurrection from the dead, and of course, that…