The COVID-19 pandemic has touched a lot of church people in a lot of ways. It continues to poke and prod and forces us to examine and re-examine who we are and how we do church. Even why. In all the busyness of doing church and worship differently since March, I’ve become a tech ... Read more
Author Archives: Andy Cornell
Renewal Fellowship: Behind the Scenes
The work of renewal is evident for all to see and digest on our website: renewal-fellowship, ca. Equally important is what goes on outside the public eyes. The board of directors meets 4-5 times a year and the executive puts its heads together about a half dozen occasions — all online these days — to prayerfully discuss and discern ... Read more
Unmasking the Essential Issue
I don’t like wearing a mask. I don’t like the fog produced on eyeglass lenses. Fiddling with elastic straps is a pain. I hate how the straps sometimes get into a battle with my precious (and pricey) hearing devices, causing them to come loose. I don’t need yet another impediment to the effective enunciation of ... Read more
Renewal Tools
When repairs are required – or if we need to build something new – we go to our toolbox. Ministry is no different. Trouble is, fixing or starting a new ministry isn’t as easy as tightening a few bolts or opening a box and following assembly instructions.
While we appreciate the hearts and minds of godly folks who offer handy step-by-step guides – which may indeed accomplish the task – we at Renewal Fellowship believe that the first step in renewal is right thinking: we have to have the mind of Christ before we act. The articles in this section are entitled Primers and Issues. ... Read more
Primers
Our mission to encourage authentic Biblical thinking begins with our willingness to accept and understand the fundamentals. A primer is an elementary textbook. It’s also a word for a pump which adds fuel to an engine, a base upon which to apply paint and a molecule which serves as starter in the formation of polymers.
With that in mind, take a look at Matthew Ruttan’s The Gospel video, then go to The New City Catechism. For a deeper understanding, there’s A Catechism for Today.
Together, we pray that these resources provide the solid foundation we need as we find our purpose and grow in faith.
The Gospel
Here’s the basic truth in two-and-a-half minutes.
The New City Catechism
The core doctrines of the church in 52 questions and answers are right here. Press “Get started.”
A Catechism for Today
This official Presbyterian Church in Canada document covers the same essential questions as The New City Catechism but in an expanded form, with 141 questions and answers.”
Issues
We live in a broken world. Until we join Christ in the kingdom of heaven, how does a true believer deal with matters which plague the human condition? Here are some issues to start – with more to come.
Orthodoxy
The Enemy wants us to disregard our faith or at least water it down. Our culture openly doubts Jesus’ claim that He is the only way to God. In a misguided attempt to be loving, many churches have bought into this lie and have turned from orthodoxy – the acceptance of the fundamentals of the faith (as described in the Primers section).
- Theology matters – more than you might think. In 2016, a study comparing growing mainline Protestant churches in southern Ontario with those of declining churches from the same area and the same denominations. Traditional or evangelical theology was a driver of growth, while liberal or progressive theology was a driver of decline. Click here to view the PowerPoint slides of David Haskell's presentation at the Thriving in Babylon conference, while you listen to the audio recording. Click here to see the study.
Some people are naturally attracted to the same gender in a physical/sexual way. Yet Scripture states clearly that we are not to act on those feelings. At the same time, God loves us unconditionally and wants us to enjoy life to the full. Here are some useful resources to understand more about this complex and emotional issue.
Idols In Every Church
As statues come down and teams change their names during this summer of unrest, I wonder about the monuments and memorials in our own churches. It’s good that people are noticing the names and histories behind all those centrepieces in our public squares. Until now, it was only history buffs who paid any attention ... Read more
They Don’t Know What They’re Missing
It was the first time in more than three months that I’d been in a sanctuary with other people on a Sunday morning. I was filled with unspeakable joy. I sat in the first available row and was swaying with the music, hands raised, grinning like a crazy man. It felt good. For the first ... Read more
The Real Battle Is Local
“The world has a mission – to capture and assimilate the church,” said apologist R.C. Sproul. “If the church becomes an echo of the world, the mission of the world is accomplished.” In the minds of many who adhere to orthodoxy in The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC), the battle is lost on a denominational ... Read more
Safe Space to Sow the Seed
I'm a young-enough Christ follower to remember my seeker days. I was a believer in something. God for sure. Jesus, yes. But was He the actual Son of God, the only way to connect to the Creator? I had my doubts. That despite having been raised in church, knowing the Anglican liturgy by heart, having ... Read more