In 1994, the New York Rangers were in the Conference finals with the New Jersey Devils.  They were down 3 games to 2 in a best of seven series, meaning they had to win the next two games in order to move on.  The captain of the Rangers, Mark Messier, was under criticism for underperforming in the series.  He had massive expectations on his shoulders, especially since he was one of the greatest players ever to play the game of hockey.  Then, in the morning of the big game, he said something that would be remembered forever.  He said to … Continue reading →

It only takes a spark to get a fire going. Revival and Reformation are words we don’t hear nearly enough, though when we do hear them they often sound dull and cliched. These words are weighty, and they should feel like it. Revival means bringing back to life; it means to revive, to make alive again. Reformation means restructure, to form something again; really, it’s about change. Bring back to life. Make a change. Neither word is one that you want to have to invoke when it comes to the church, because they demonstrate that something is very, very wrong in the … Continue reading →

When I was younger, my brothers and I sometimes did things to each other that we probably shouldn’t have done.  I can still remember the first time I was left home alone at night to watch my little brother.  After he went to sleep, I heard someone walking around the house, then heard someone banging on the dining room window.  I was pretty freaked out.  I ran to my parents’ room and was about to call 911.  Instead I called my grandparents who lived next door, and it was a good thing I did.  As the phone rang on the … Continue reading →

In our OWI Bible Study – the Highway – we have been reading through the book of James. James is a tremendously practical book for new Christians and older believers alike, and it poses challenges to the reader in every single chapter. In James 1:22 he says: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” In other words, don’t just study the Bible, listen to sermons, read the words of Jesus – take action! In response to this, we came up with a few challenges of our own. CHALLENGE 1: READ THE SERMON … Continue reading →

We live in a world of rapid change in terms of technological advancement.  Vinyls and eight-tracks seem, to me, like fragments of dreams from a world long past, but I’m old enough to remember and still own a number of audio cassettes. Audio cassettes and portable Walkman devices gave way to CDs and Discmans (Discmen?), of course, and now iPods and MP3 files are in the process of making even CDs obsolete.  In fact, it probably already happened without anyone bothering to tell me. Televisions keep getting bigger and bigger.  Cell phones keep getting smaller and smaller.  If there’s a way to … Continue reading →

I wrote this paper in a course on the Gospel of John in my third year of University; I’m posting it here for the benefit of my Youth Class as with whom I will be studying John chapters 3 and 4 over the next two Sunday mornings. Give it a read. A Pharisee, a ruler of the Jewish people, ventured out by night hoping to find audience with a certain rabbinic teacher; what he found was a teaching far beyond his limited understanding.  A Samaritan woman left her home by the light of day to draw water from Jacob’s well; what … Continue reading →