Canyon Creek Christian Fellowship: Recent Episodes
Justin Bills
Our guest speaker, Sebastian Ganci, spoke about how the story of the rich young ruler shows different understandings of how to get eternal life, defies our beliefs about good deeds, exposes the spiritual dangers of wealth, reveals the cost of following Jesus, and asks us to consider what perfection means relative to our spiritual formation.
As we progress through the “Dream Disciple” series we continue to ask, “what does a Dream Disciple look like?” MCCC Leadership Team Chair Mark Fryer focused on a key practice of following The Way, as we “walk the walk” in Jesus’ footsteps. Mark used 1 John 2:6 as his scripture reference.
Associate Pastor Kara Wilfley explored 2 Timothy 2:14-19 to learn about the works and words of a disciple - both their words and The Word. The way we work at this reveals whether our words are damaging and destructive or faith-filled and foundational. We also celebrated Communion. If you would like to participate, please have your elements ready.
Associate Pastor Valerie Salkeld spoke about how certain people who have helped shape our faith journeys and the characteristics and competencies that make them that way. There are qualities that have inspired, challenged, and compelled us. Being able to walk with someone takes some leadership skills. What does this mean? Leading one another in the adventure of life requires some training and Paul shows us how in his second personal and powerful letter to Timothy. (2 Tim. 1:8-11).
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about a third phrase that Christians have added. Because hardship comes in many forms: a disease or injury, over-work stress or lack-of-work stress, injustice or lack of appreciation, rejection, isolation because of your faith, unforeseen losses, and on it goes. But Paul reminds us of another Dream Disciple characteristic… endurance. We endure to the end, because the end is worth it. Jeff used 2 Timothy 2:3-13 as his scripture reference.
Why are carry-on bags such a problem when flying? This gets in the way of getting where we are going! Pastor Jeff says a similar thing stops us from getting to our life destination. What’s thwarting our life purpose? We need to rid ourselves of excess baggage! Hebrews 12 tells us how – with a goal, a hero, and discipline. Have a pen and paper ready. Jeff gives an assignment!
We welcomed back Dennis Bunio! He spoke about how God has placed every one of us in a position to choose between two kingdoms. Living authentically as a Christ-follower means needing to choose which kingdom will have the priority in our life - the one ruled by the world or the one ruled by Christ. Dennis used John 18:28 – 19:16 as his scripture reference.
Worship Pastor Dave Chow will speak about how we have so many decisions to make this fall (and all the time!). How do we do it? Ask God! To enter into an authentic relationship with God, we need to learn to hear His voice and understand His will for our lives through Bible reading and personal interaction with the Holy Spirit. Dave will use 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as his scripture reference.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about our priorities. What would you say are your top priorities in life? Would people around you agree that you are showing those priorities? Authentic living means bringing what you say and what you show together. The bible tells us that we have a superpower at our disposal to become the people we want to be. Jeff preached from Ephesians 2:1-10.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how God loves Calgary! Did you know that? He loves this city. He is the God of this city. In the bible, the church is sometimes called a city. That’s because the church is to be an example of what our city could be with God living here. Jeff's scripture reference was Hebrews 12:18-24.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about “Back to school!” How do these words make you feel? Returning to school, ministry, or other routines can be a stressful time. What’s a healthy way to deal with current and future tensions? Your pastors suggest “authentic living”. Jeff introduced our new sermon series which suggests how to get real with God, self, and others. Jeff used Luke 19:1-9 as his scripture reference.
Pastor Jeff spoke about the Church as a Field. Christians have so many resources to grow in our faith…apps, podcasts, online courses, seminars and retreats, Christian books and media, and now AI! What more do we need? How about a church? Today’s metaphor suggests growth takes place principally in and through the local church, God’s field, the place where God’s people grow. Jeff used 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 as his scripture.
Fake news, deep fakes, truth is stranger than fiction and My Truth. It’s hard to know where we stand and what is real! Pastor Kara explored 1 John 5: 11-15 which gives us the insider’s tip on The Truth and how to be certain of reality from illusion.
Pastor Jeff Edwards asked, "What makes you truly happy? Long weekends? A new toy? Your team winning?" As we conclude the letters of John, he emphasizes the eternal-life-long happiness found in passing on Truth and Love. Jeff preached from 1 John 5:20 – 3 John 15.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how some people feel that, if Christianity is the real deal, God should just plainly tell us. Here’s the kicker… He did! Come hear about the practical testimony of God about Jesus. Jeff preached from 1 John 5:1-10.
Guest speaker Dave Chow spoke about how sometimes loving people outside our family is easier than loving those on the inside. 1 John’s message is a declaration of who God is, and therefore who His church (that’s us), is called to be. In 1 John 4:17-21, we are challenged to love our neighbours - and more specifically, our brothers and sisters (in Christ).
Associate Pastor Valerie Salkeld asked if Passover still matters. The Last Supper was, and still is, hugely significant for us as we think about Jesus' last week on earth. We will look at the elements of the Last Supper and see how, from the beginning, Scripture was pointing to Jesus and His deep love for us. Valerie focused on Mark 14:12-26.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how if you love someone, you want to believe them. But with so much information coming at us these days, can you believe all of it? In fact, there’s now a new emphasis on “fact-checking”. How do Christians fact-check? The Apostle John gives us the loving answer! Jeff used 1 John 4:1-6 as his scripture.
Intern Tyler Dobson spoke about RESPECT! Everybody wants to be respected, right? And the Bible promises that if we follow God's Word and obey His Will, then the world will respect us, right?...right? Actually, what does the Bible say that people will think about us if we follow God's Word?
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about Glory Church. We’ve been talking a little and praying a lot about a Chinese church plant at the south site. You might be wondering where this idea came from. What does it look like? When will it happen? How will it impact us/me? Jeff gave a word about planting, shared how we believe God is directing, and then had a Q&A. Jeff preached from 1 Corinthians 3:5-17.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld spoke about what it means to be a friend. Lay down your life. Lay down your opinion. Which is harder? We looked at Friendship in light of Proverbs 27.
Pastor Kara Wilfley reminded us that last Sunday we prayed for the persecuted church focusing on oppressed women in the world. Why does this happen? Why so much poverty? This Sunday, she reminded us that The Church is a catalyst for change around the world. Tearfund is our international relief agency and this Sunday we highlight an approach that impacts every area of a family's life, just like Jesus did for the woman at the well. Kara preached from John 4:1-26.
Pastor Jeff Edwards asked, "Are you a good communicator?" Healthy relationships require effective communication. Proverbs has a lot of wisdom about the art of talking and listening. This life hack is about adding filters to our mouths and removing them from our ears. Jeff used Proverbs 15:1-4 and 23-28 as his scripture reference.
Associate Pastor Valerie Salkeld looked at building our spiritual ecosystems to create a thriving environment for spiritual growth. What do we do already and what needs attention for our spiritual lives to flourish? Valerie used Proverbs 8 as her reference.
We heard from Pastor Sherry Brown of Harvest Hills Alliance Church as she spoke on "Worship in the Valley". Her own experience has brought her into the deep valley, and she spoke on questioning God, doubt, and fragile faith through the lens of Psalm 88.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about the proverbial financial advisor. Everybody gets stressed by finances. It affects young and old, individuals and families, and marriages. Jeff gave us good news on where to find invaluable, free financial advice, available at your fingertips… The Book of Proverbs! Jeff used Proverbs 22:1-9 for his text.
We heard from Intern Tyler Dobson about how our habits can determine a lot about how our lives operate. We often try to develop good habits, but why do we still develop bad ones? Why do we end up doing things we don't even want to do? Let's explore God's Word in Proverbs and Romans as He understands our habits.
Pastor Jeff Edwards looked at the key to a happy marriage. There is a principle that many Proverbs in the bible talk about. Whether you are married, or pre-married, or re-married, or single supporting friends who are married, listen to hear some life hacks about relationships.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld looked at various Proverbs about work and what the Bible says about it. But what does that look like if we're retired? Or a student? Or unemployed? She spoke about enjoying the work God has given us.
Pastor Jeff gave us some “Life Hacks!” Who couldn’t use inspiration to help improve our lives? This fall, we will have practical messages from Proverbs. First, from Proverbs 9:10-12, we see that the source of all wisdom is a good relationship with God.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about the first step to living “freely and lightly”, our theme for 2024. Jesus tells us. It's admitting the heaviness! We looked at the impacts of denial and the power of facing the truth. Jeff used Matthew 9:9-13 as his text.
Tyler Dobson spoke about how the bible says the words "worship" and "praise" hundreds of times, but what do these words actually mean? Romans 12 gives us a clear definition of how the Christian ought to worship God in our daily lives. Here's a hint; it's a lot more than just music!
Leadership team member Mark Fryer shared with us. His message reminds us to live freely and lightly. He used 1 Corinthians 7:17 as his text.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld looked at Matthew 7:13-14 to see what Jesus meant by a narrow road. She connected this as we looked at scripture from Deuteronomy.
On the August long weekend, Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about vacation! What does God think about summer vacation? He used Mark 6:30-46 as his text.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how giving is part of worship and in worship you’re honoring God by putting him in His rightful place. Through the prophet Malachi, God states His hopes for how our financial giving will reflect our faith in Him. We looked at several guidelines for giving. Jeff used Malachi 3:6-12 as his text.
Carey Wegner, the chair of our leadership team, was our speaker. He asked the question, "How good is God?" Some days Carey wonders and other days he is confident in God’s goodness. Carey invited us to ponder the question together. He used Hebrew 11:1-6, 32-40 (NLT) as his text.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld spoke about how generosity begets generosity. How is generosity good for your health and relationships? We looked at 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 to show how giving sacrificially strengthened their community.
Pastoral Intern Tyler Dobson spoke about how we all know that generosity is a good thing, but is that all it is? Or is it perhaps a greater spiritual practice than we realize? Let's look at 2 Corinthians 9 and see how generosity can be a powerful testimony for God's Kingdom!
We welcomed Todd and Krystal Wawrzyniak who minister to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the USA. They asked, "Is God's economy different from man's economy? As citizens of heaven, we are to behave in a manner worthy of the Good News of Christ. They preached from Philippians 1:27.
Pastor Jeff Edwards shared some reflections that he had from attending the BGC AGM the previous week.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld spoke about how what we think about work will lead to how we think about others and generosity. Valerie preached from Ecclesiastes 5:8-20.
Pastor Jeff Edwards asked the question, “Do you have enough to retire?” Did you know God asks the same question?! Pastor Jeff looked at everything that should be in your heavenly portfolio. Jeff will preach from 1 Timothy 6:17-19.
Dennis Gulley's message, "Generosity in Ministry Multiplication”, draws inspiration from 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, emphasizing the transformative power of sharing resources within the Christian community.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld spoke about generosity. When was the last time you were in awe of something? How do we see God's generosity to us and what is our response? Valerie preached from Psalm 8.
Using 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 as his text, Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how generosity is a key Christian character trait. However, being generous is not easy. Why is that? And what can motivate us to always be generous? We start by remembering that God owns everything and that has huge consequences.
Tyler Dobson spoke about living in a post-resurrection world. We know that Jesus is risen! But now what? As followers of Jesus, we live in a post-resurrection world; the powers of death and sin no longer have hold over us, and that changes everything! So how do we live in a post-resurrection world, when the world around us still lives under death?
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke using Luke 24:36-53 as his text. Good Friday and Easter are done. Now what? Goof around until next year? Nope. The Easter Season has two more big days… the Ascension and Pentecost. It’s now “Eastertide Renewal” with a King and a purpose. Jesus is on the throne and His Spirit empowers us to build His Church.
Pastor Valerie Salkeld spoke speak about what Psalm 22 has to do with the Easter Story. She explored some of the words that Jesus said from the Cross that speak to Life renewed in the Resurrection.
We also celebrated Communion. If you would like to take Communion, please have your elements ready.
Pastor Jeff Edwards spoke about how one of the reasons people don’t pray is because they don’t understand why they need to keep asking. Doesn’t God know? Why does He delay? Fortunately, Scripture has good answers to this. Listen and be reminded why we need to persevere in our asking… and just keep praying! He used 1 Kings 18:41-45 for his message.
Also, BGCA District Pastor Dennis Gulley led us in celebrating Communion. If you would like to celebrate Communion, please have your elements ready.
Josh McAuley, camp coordinator at Camp Chestermere, shared with us. Josh spoke about how, as Christians, we can expect to encounter difficult circumstances but that they don't have to lead us to destruction and despair. Isaiah helps us navigate a better way through by reminding us of the love and faithfulness of God. Josh used Isaiah 43:1-4 as his scripture reference.
Chaplain Valerie Salkeld spoke about Epiphany. Have you had an Epiphany? What is it and why does it matter? Let's not overlook the significance of what we have just celebrated and think about it some more.
We had some sound problems which resulted in the beginning of Valerie's sermon not being recorded. Please read the introduction below before listening to the recording.
Epiphany - Introduction
Happy New Year everyone. How was the Christmas season for you? Many Christians around the world celebrate Christmas as a season - not just a day. After Advent, the Christmas season is 12 days long and the readings and focus are meant to take us deeper into commitment, understanding, faith, and perhaps most poignant of all, hope.
I noticed that as we approached New Year’s Eve, many people I chatted with did not have any plans; no parties to attend and there wasn’t the typical anticipation of what is to come in 2024. People are hesitant and cautious. There is little hope.
As one does during this season, I have been reading a lot in Isaiah and the words from Isaiah 43:18-19 come to mind as I think about our next year.
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
This passage talks about direction and nourishment in difficult places.
This will become the theme for us that Pastor Jeff introduced us to last week – “freely and lightly”.
Christmas is a time of reflection and rejoicing; joy to the world, the Lord is come! We decorate, we buy, we invite, we eat, we ring in the new year, and reflect some more, and eat some more. We may even make a list of hopes for the new year. Yet, we know this is not all there is to it. The season is meant to be filled with the awareness of the ongoing work of God within Jesus who came, but also God with - or within - us. This is the foundation of our own hope.
Jesus came and was born at a time of great oppression and turmoil, a time of great darkness. Has anything changed? The facts are different, but there is great oppression and turmoil and there is great darkness in our world today as well. Jesus is with us today. He is our light and He is our hope. Jesus came to free us and give light - Freely and Lightly.
Yesterday was Epiphany. Traditionally, it is the day many take down the tree and put away the decorations as we move into the next season on the Christian calendar. But what is it and why does it matter? Epiphany encourages us to not overlook what we have just seen - the coming of Jesus and to think about it some more.
The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation.”
Depending on the church tradition, Epiphany means different things.
- In some traditions, Christians focus on the baptism of Jesus.
- In other traditions, the Church focuses on the story when the wise men were led by the star to visit baby Jesus.
- Both focal points reveal who Jesus was/is -
- He was human and His baptism was the manifestation to the world that He was the Divine.
- And in the Magi coming to see Him, He was the Divine becoming human - coming in physical form.
- He was the Messiah for whom Israel had been waiting.
- He is the Light of the world.
This is the season of readings. We watch and listen as God is quietly revealed before us once again.
- We also listen and watch what is happening in our lives.
- Sometimes, even when we try hard to do so, we just don’t see God in our everyday lives or in the events of our world.
- Epiphany gives us the time to remember to watch, wait, listen, look, and anticipate the light, life, and truth of the Lord’s presence in our midst.
Let’s look at two stories:
First, Matthew 2: 1 – 12
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
On Sunday, August 27th, we heard from special guest speaker Connie Main Duarte who is the co-general secretary of the European Evangelical Alliance, as well as being a missionary with the Baptist General Conference.
Connie looked at Psalms 137 and 40. Both are songs of lament, but they are very different in tone. Psalm 137 is full of anger, sadness, hopelessness, and frustration. It was written by people who were in exile in Babylon. Psalm 40 was God-breathed through David. David also laments his circumstances, but he is still filled with hope in the power of a loving God. He knows that God is good and is victorious. God wants to hear about our difficult circumstances, but He also wants us to place our hope in Him. What song will you sing when the going gets tough?
On Sunday we heard from Valerie Salkeld who is on the NWCC leadership team. She spoke about the first few commandments from Exodus 20:1-20 and provided some context about these rules from our loving God.
Pastor Jeff Edwards shared a very important secret with us on Sunday. What if Jesus was with you, beside you? Well guess what? He is! If you remember this, how does it affect how we go about our daily life? Click to listen!
Carrying on in the Gospel of John we come to a point where the Jews are testing and challenging Jesus’ claims and authority. When we find ourselves challenging God's character and actions, we need to remember that ultimately God is the one who tests the heart.
Also, we celebrated Communion this Sunday. If you would like to celebrate Communion, please have your elements ready.
We welcomed Tyler Dobson, Northwest Community Church's worship and youth leader, to Canyon Creek. Tyler shared with us that God tends to know us better than we know ourselves, yet we still doubt Him sometimes. Is it our pride getting in the way of trusting the Lord? Exodus gives us three examples of pride getting in the way of us experiencing the full security of God.
This Sunday, we returned to the Gospel of John and a timely account of one of Jesus’ most famous miracles. In the moments of life when we feel powerless, we need to look up and see Power walking towards us across the water.
Pastor Jeff Edwards, along with his wife Tricia, from Northwest Community Church spoke on May 21st. His sermon was about “What’s next?” for Canyon Creek, and for Northwest. He looked at a promise King Asa made in 2 Chronicles 15:1-12 to seek the Lord. Jeff told us a little about himself, his family, and his church and he told us a lot about their prayer goals for this year. Jeff was very compelling.
We also celebrated Communion. If you would like to celebrate while listening to this message, please be sure to have the elements ready.
This weekend we honoured our moms! Mother’s Day reminds us to say thank-you for the way God shapes our souls through the powerful influence of a godly mother. We'll take a look at a passage that helps us see why and how we can express our thanks.
Are you in need of food for your soul? This week we will be studying the famous account of Jesus feeding the five thousand. For hungry souls that are starving for spiritual nourishment, this account is most helpful as it points to the divine feast we can find in Jesus Christ.
As we interact with people, we often wonder how we can help them understand who Jesus is. In today’s passage, we see Jesus defending Himself before His critics. As He does that, Jesus gives us a roadmap that we can follow to help people understand who He is (and why they should consider coming to faith in Him).
Murray Swalm came to share with us on Sunday, April 16th.
The Resurrection is the power of our hope. Jesus redeems us, restores us, and renews us!
Happy Easter!!! This is the Sunday when the greatest cry of all time erupts from the lips of believers around the world – “Christ is risen!!” Come join us as we explore what it means to walk with Jesus in the resurrection life He has made possible.
Hi Everyone! Does your life seem boring? Does it feel like it’s just the same old thing day after day? In our passage, the Gospel writer John reminds us that Jesus is the God of surprises who often gives hope, grace, mercy, and even warnings when they are least expected.
Hi Everyone! The account we will study from John’s Gospel this week reminds us that far too many people live with just a casual interest in Jesus. That level of interest will be both unsatisfying and unfruitful. Instead, we need to pursue a soul-deep belief in Jesus that knows Him as the Son of God and the Source of Abundant Life. We also celebrated Communion. Please have your elements ready so that you can partake.
For many believers, the responsibility to share one’s faith is one of the more daunting activities of the Christian walk. Many are not even sure where to start. But in the portion of John’s Gospel we look at today, Jesus’ example provides some helpful principles that just might mean the difference between saying nothing and sharing Jesus with a lost soul.
We live in a world that loves to think that anything is possible – if you just work hard enough and stay committed to your dream. But in the part of John’s Gospel that we will examine this Sunday, Jesus reminds us that there are some things that only God can do – and they are the most important things of all. We also celebrated Communion at the end of the message.
Jesus never ceases to amaze and challenge. This Sunday we bear witness to the passion of Christ as He overturns tables in the temple courts. His actions beg the question.... do we still have zeal for the things of God?
As we continue in John’s account of Jesus’ life, we come this week to the inauguration of Jesus’ public ministry. It starts off with a bang (or should we say...a miracle). That part is amazing – but looking past that miracle gives us the opportunity to see even more of the glory of God.
This week in John’s Gospel we see Jesus continuing to defy (and exceed) expectations. As He does so, key men are persuaded to become part of Jesus’ closest team of followers.
John starts His account of Jesus’ life by describing the incomparable Christ as the One who is unmatched in creative power, in the ability to give life, in the provision of grace, and in the revelation of divine truth. We celebrated Communion at the end of this sermon. If you would like to celebrate Communion in your own home, have your elements ready.
John starts His account of Jesus’ life by describing the incomparable Christ as the One who is unmatched in creative power, in the ability to give life, in the provision of grace, and in the revelation of divine truth. We celebrated Communion at the end of this sermon. If you would like to celebrate Communion in your own home, have your elements ready.
John starts His account of Jesus’ life by describing the incomparable Christ as the One who is unmatched in creative power, in the ability to give life, in the provision of grace, and in the revelation of divine truth. We celebrated Communion at the end of this sermon. If you would like to celebrate Communion in your own home, have your elements ready.
John starts His account of Jesus’ life by describing the incomparable Christ as the One who is unmatched in creative power, in the ability to give life, in the provision of grace, and in the revelation of divine truth. We celebrated Communion at the end of this sermon. If you would like to celebrate Communion in your own home, have your elements ready.
This week we are joined by Pastor Dennis Bunio (who has pastored for 27+ years in various Baptist churches in Alberta and BC. As we look forward to the promise and potential of a new year, we are faced with an ocean of possibilities. What are the new things we will experience? What new discoveries will we make about ourselves and our world? There are lots for us to look forward to. But perhaps the most thrilling expectation we can have is the possibility of learning something new and wondrous about Jesus. Come join us as we prepare our hearts to see Jesus this year in a fresh way - for He truly is "The One and Only".
On December 18th, Erin explored the depth behind a mother’s request and what it really means for the greatest among us to be a servant.
Murray Swalm was back with us this past Sunday! He shared how God turns our mourning into joy by remembering and then being with us. He also led us in celebrating Communion. If you would like to celebrate Communion in your private space, please get your elements ready!
James Wheeler was back with us this Sunday! As we take the first step into Advent 2022, we might remember that the first week focuses on hope. Hope is a funny thing, maybe even with feathers as Emily Dickinson once wrote. What does hope look like for each one of us in December 2022? And how are our hopes shaped and formed in our hearts? Certainly, consumerism and materialism want to shape our hearts! The whole Advent season is just a blur of voices and expectations at times. But what does God want to shape in us? Mary, the mother of Jesus, also had hopes and dreams and these were shaped in wild and surprising ways by God. Is Mary an exemplar of what it means to hope? Spoiler alert, the answer is yes!
James Wheeler was back with us this past Sunday! We are one week away from Advent so that means this is Christ our King Sunday in the church calendar. This is a special day set aside to recognize the kingship of Jesus. Many of us see Him as our saviour, helper, healer, and friend. But, on top of all those pastoral elements, He is also king. He is not any old king though. He is not pompous and does not look down on His servants. He is a king that walks among His subjects and serves them. The politics of this king are so strange and radical. This week, we looked into Jesus' early life and learned about what shaped Him to be such an unkingly king.
Who is first and who is last? Erin shared the parable of the vineyard workers with us. We serve a loving God!
Dennis Gulley, the district pastor from the Baptist General Conference of Alberta, shared with us about living life in the Spirit.
The current church finds itself in a challenging space. Critiques from the outside and breakdowns in community, love, and care on the inside can make us feel discouraged. However, God never leaves the community of faith to its own devices but arrives to save and help through His Son. In the familiar stories of "the lost" and "the found" in Luke 15, we find a God so good we can barely stand it. Brace yourselves!
What is forgiveness? It sounds like a great thing, the letting go of a painful past and experiencing renewal and even a wonderful reconciliation. But, depending on the level of pain and betrayal, it can be a heart-breaking space for the offended to navigate. Forgiveness as a popular topic is often characterized as a wonderful reunion of two formerly alienated parties, however, in Genesis 37 we see a story of devastating family violence that is meant to be hidden and for the victim to forever suffer. That is, until God steps into the narrative.
Thanksgiving is all about the things we are thankful for. But what do we do about the things for which we are not thankful?
Romans is perhaps the greatest book in Bible history. It has set off revolutions in spirituality and theology since it was first read in the ancient city of Rome in 57 a.d.. It was originally written by theological workhorse Paul the apostle, re-appropriated by Martin Luther as a significant impetus for the reformation, and then, in the 20th century, the great Swiss thinker Karl Barth's commentary on Romans blew a giant hole in the academic and church world.
Romans 5 takes us into the heart of God and in the heart of God is where the enemies of God become his friends. But there is even more. In the heart of God, we undergo a process Paul calls reconciliation. This is a huge idea, a place to roam and pray, it is a truth that God wants to use to change us and indeed to change the world.
Our BGCA District Pastor, Dennis Gulley, shared with us on Sunday. Here is a teaser about his message:
As followers of Christ, we are called to live out and continue His work of the incarnation by being present with and available to our neighbours. Moreover, we are called to be compelled by love in our interaction with all that Christ has called us to be a neighbour to. In this message, we will be challenged to walk with those in our sphere of influence and to invite those in need into proximity and to our table.
And, speaking of the table, Dennis led us in celebrating Communion.
Our BGCA District Pastor, Dennis Gulley, shared with us on Sunday. Here is a teaser about his message:
As followers of Christ, we are called to live out and continue His work of the incarnation by being present with and available to our neighbours. Moreover, we are called to be compelled by love in our interaction with all that Christ has called us to be a neighbour to. In this message, we will be challenged to walk with those in our sphere of influence and to invite those in need into proximity and to our table.
And, speaking of the table, Dennis led us in celebrating Communion.
Our BGCA District Pastor, Dennis Gulley, shared with us on Sunday. Here is a teaser about his message:
As followers of Christ, we are called to live out and continue His work of the incarnation by being present with and available to our neighbours. Moreover, we are called to be compelled by love in our interaction with all that Christ has called us to be a neighbour to. In this message, we will be challenged to walk with those in our sphere of influence and to invite those in need into proximity and to our table.
And, speaking of the table, Dennis led us in celebrating Communion.
Our BGCA District Pastor, Dennis Gulley, shared with us on Sunday. Here is a teaser about his message:
As followers of Christ, we are called to live out and continue His work of the incarnation by being present with and available to our neighbours. Moreover, we are called to be compelled by love in our interaction with all that Christ has called us to be a neighbour to. In this message, we will be challenged to walk with those in our sphere of influence and to invite those in need into proximity and to our table.
And, speaking of the table, Dennis led us in celebrating Communion.
Mark 5 contains a scripture story that has been often ignored. A woman has been bleeding for 12 years and she desperately reaches out to a local miracle worker named Rabbi Jesus. Jesus is passing through town on another mission of mercy when she interrupts him. If this story of her uncontrollable bleeding makes us uncomfortable, we would get along with traditional Jewish folks. They, too, found blood to be offensive and assumed it made one unclean before God and others. How will Jesus respond to this surprising situation? He will build the kingdom of God in this interaction in a way no one sees coming.
Mark 5 contains a scripture story that has been often ignored. A woman has been bleeding for 12 years and she desperately reaches out to a local miracle worker named Rabbi Jesus. Jesus is passing through town on another mission of mercy when she interrupts him. If this story of her uncontrollable bleeding makes us uncomfortable, we would get along with traditional Jewish folks. They, too, found blood to be offensive and assumed it made one unclean before God and others. How will Jesus respond to this surprising situation? He will build the kingdom of God in this interaction in a way no one sees coming.
In this passage, a group of religious leaders comes to Jesus to ask him his opinion on divorce. If I'm totally honest, this is a scripture that has made me deeply uncomfortable for a long time. In most of the stories of Jesus, he usually takes what the religious leaders of the time saw as the Law, and flips it on its head. But this time, he seems to just double down, going even further than the Law suggests. His answer, at least at first glance, seems somewhat out of character. Join me this Sunday as we take a closer look at this teaching, and grasp at the heart of Jesus' message.
We were privileged to be able to have James Wheeler share with us today. He explored what kind of leaders the Shepherd is looking for. Also, how does the Shepherd want to shape us? Click below to listen.
There have to be limits on forgiveness, right? This seems to be the question Peter puts to Jesus. And Jesus answers him the way he often does: with a parable. And just when we thought we were pretty good, good enough to look down on others anyways, Jesus has a way of standing us on our heads. How evil are we really? Pretty evil it turns out. Robin from IJM Canada will share a bit of what he’s seen in Guatemala just last week. And why that could be really good news, or really bad news depending on what we do with it. Because in this text, Jesus seems to be turning our standards back on ourselves…in a pretty scary way. Why don’t we see more forgiveness in the church? I think part of the answer lies in this text.
Jesus tells us to go and point out the sins of your brothers and sisters. That sounds nothing like "do not judge" or the parable of the weeds and the wheat. Which one is it Jesus?
Jesus gives one of the most serious consequences for those who make little ones stumble. Who are the little ones? And how do we make sure we're not making them stumble?
This story just seems strange. If Jesus was so concerned about not offending the religious, then why does he seem to offend them every other time?
And why doesn't he provide enough Drachma coins to cover all the disciple's temple taxes?
The story gets really really interesting when you ask the question: maybe this wasn't a miracle, and maybe Jesus just isn't interested in paying the temple tax at all!
I know that Jesus can heal, but why does it feel like we are so unable to do the things Jesus did?
JJ is a local pastor and friend here in Calgary. I'm such a fan of his heart and story. JJ shared with us what it means to cross borders to include more to the table of God. So spot on for us!
Ah Peter, I'm so glad you were the way you were. You show me what Jesus would've probably been like with me.
Peter goes from having the words of God to the words of Satan pretty darn quick. What was that all about?
Why does God allow so much suffering?
Where is God in suffering?
These questions may be the largest ever asked about the existence of a good and loving God.
Jon Coutts, PhD is the Assistant Professor of Christian Theology at Ambrose University. He's also one of my favourite professors I get to study under. Not only because he's brilliant, but because he is real and kind. He's always met me where I am at and joined me in my own struggles of faith. Jon practices what he preaches!
And here, Jon not only defines the problem of suffering, but also gives us the picture of how we live as Christians in the here and now, where suffering still exists. Quite frankly, this sermon reminded me why I love being a follower of Jesus. It's one I will return to often.
Of all the people in Israel during the famine, why do the eyes of God land on this one widow?
Mary Magdalene is one of the most loyal followers of Jesus. How did that happen? And what can we learn from her example?
Jesus feeds another 4,000 (and more) people. It looks like a mirror image of the last time, except for some small details. What do these details tell us about how incredible Jesus is? (see the title for the answer)
is this a performance? A test of faith? Jesus having a bad day? Jesus changing his mind about nationalism? No matter how you frame it, this story is one we have to wrestle with. But perhaps the most important question of all, is what did Matthew want his community to learn from this?
Jesus faced a lot of opposition in His life. From who primarily? The pagans? The Samaritans? Surprisingly it was the religious leaders! I'm a religious leader! We're religious! How come it is so easy to miss the point when following Jesus?
Jesus and Peter walk on water. Why? To show us we can have pretty cool powers if we follow Jesus? I don't think so. I think Jesus is teaching us about fear, and how to keep going when fear is trying to stop us.
with mask mandates and many other restrictions lifting tomorrow, we talk about how, at Canyon Creek, we might use our freedom to love and serve the vulnerable -- while also not creating divides and getting too self righteous about it.
Of all people in the gospels I think John the Baptist is the most likely to be disappointed in Jesus. As we read of his execution, did he die disappointed? Or did he discover that he was still preparing the way for Jesus?
It's hard to pray for a miracle and not see it. Why does that happen so often?
There could be a lot of answers to that question, but a very common one is because you, or your community, did not have enough faith. Is that true? Where does that come from?
Why is judgment still something Jesus talked about, when the gospel is meant to be an act of grace? What do you think Jesus wants us to take away from his judgment parables? That it isn't grace? Or is there something else?
Also, this happens to be my (Justin) longest sermon I've ever given. Sorry about that!
How can we have a Holy vision bigger than ourselves? One that even if we never see it we would say "If this ever happens, carry my bones there."
Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. If we stumbled into it, we would spend everything we had to buy the field and get the treasure.
But, do we even know what the Kingdom of Heaven is? And what's the big deal about the field? Why not just take the treasure?
The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast tell us that the Kingdom comes through the small, seemingly insignificant things. What might this mean? And what more does Jesus want us to know through these parables?
Is Christianity about being a good person? I find that when I meet people, and they hear I’m a pastor, they sometimes say, “I just try to be a good person.” I think is great of course, but I wonder if that’s what people think is the purpose? Is that what this is all about? Trying to be a good person? Maybe? Yes and no? Yes? No?
Audio from our Christmas Eve service. A reflection on Home Alone and the reconciliation of Christ.
We had our friend Jessica Jamieson join us to share about her story with surrogacy. I invited Jessica to speak with the simple question: how did surrogacy help you relate to Mary? This is her answer. It's such a gift to hear Jessica's story about how love and obedience doesn't always mean life will be easy, but it is worth it!
We dive into what it meant for God to become so vulnerable: from the perspective of biology, Alyssa shares with us what it means to be knit together in our mother's womb, and how vulnerable of a process it is. Then, we talk about our tendency to want to be anything other than vulnerable, yet it is the very way that God connects with us and shows us His strength.
We journey with John through his version of the Christmas story. The Christ of the Cosmos and the Christ of new creation, and personally what that has meant for me in a time when my faith is being tested.
This Advent we're using Scott Erickson's book "Honest Advent" as a jumping off point. To start Advent we look at Mary's divine encounter, and how we may think we want God to interrupt our lives, but do we really? It cost Mary her entire life plans, but she says yes. And that makes us wonder, would we say yes too?
Erin shares with us the parable of the Weeds and the Wheat - not an easy one by any means! Yet, Erin wrestles with what it means to leave judgement to God, in a way that doesn't leave us complacent to evil, but also never crosses the line to demean another human being as a "weed".
Jesus tells us the interpretation of the parable of the sower, which is more a parable about the soil. Some can't receive the good news, others can but the goodness is stolen away. And one soil can receive it all.
This is a parable about how the greatest gift ever given can often not be received, it's also a parable about how to receive it all.
There's a lot of different ways that Christians approach Halloween: boycott, create an alternative, or passively or intentionally join the festivities. On this Halloween Sunday, we look at the case to redeem it and find Christ on this day.
Here we read that Jesus expands His definition of family way beyond blood. Then, why in recent history has the church made being in a nuclear family the pinnacle of the Christian life? In doing so have we marginalized single individuals, divorced, gay, celibate and any others that don't fit in the mold of a traditional family? Jesus' words are a good reminder that His family table is longer and wider than we realize.
I've been all over the spectrum of being a judgemental fundamentalist, as well as a whiskey drinking, non-religous, pharisee hater. I'll share where both become the same thing and where both fall short. Jesus gives a parable that shows a better faith than what we are not.
It's not just words that Jesus really cares about, He cares that words reveal our hearts. So how do we change our hearts?
Jesus says there's a sin we can't be forgiven for. Which is terribly troubling and raises so so so so many questions. Is not his blood more powerful than all sin? Why is there one that cannot be forgiven?
As we dive into the questions we find an answer that leads us closer to Jesus, closer to grace, and closer to humility.
Jesus encounters demons and shows authority over them. The Pharisees think that Jesus is doing this through demonic powers.
We've walked through Matthew for years. I had to come to terms with why I am prone to not want to talk about spiritual warfare or demonic possession. But with this story, it's unavoidable.
How do we have a healthy understanding of spiritual warfare and of the demonic?
Dennis Gulley is a beloved former pastor and is our current BGCA district minister. Which means he looks after all the BGCA churches. Dennis has been a constant source of encouragement and direction and I'm so glad we got to hear his heart this past Sunday.
In which we talk about how our calling isn't to fame, notoriety, or recognizably. Rather, it is to serve.
Dr. Christina Conroy is a professor at Ambrose University and specializes in residential school history and the Christian response. As a church, we've been exploring how we can build friendships and restoration to our indigenous neighbours. Dr. Conroy shares her wisdom with us in what she's learned through her years of study and relationships.
This isn't one you don't want to miss!
We were privileged to hear from David Conrad, Community Engagement Manager at the Mustard Seed, about the work that the Mustard Seed is doing to alleviate homelessness and poverty. He also challenged us to be more aware of what we focus on. Click to listen!
Mark shared with us what it means to be a church that loves was God loves: reconciliation. And what it means to join God in the reconciliation of the world, particularly in our context in our relationship to indigenous people. Please check our Mark and Cheryl's new ministry called New Story at https://www.newstorycommunity.net
Is the point of Sabbath just to take a day off? Not quite. Rather, it is said in the Bible it is a day to make Holy. But how do you make a day holy?
Why do we see the Ten Commandments as 9 commandments and one suggestion?
In Deuteronomy it says to observe a Sabbath because Israel is not enslaved by Egypt anymore. A Sabbath was a reminder that you are not a commodity, you are not valuable because of what you can produce, you are free! You are a human being!
Might be time to stop thinking of a Sabbath as a suggestion. Sabbath is God reminding us we're not enslaved to work, we are more than what we can produce, we are children of God.
So So So happy to have Alyssa back speaking with us! She talked to us about finding God when life gets messy and doesn't go as we hoped or planned.
We're talking about rest, but not just an escape, something deeper and more redemptive. Something that when we return to work we see it with new eyes and new purpose.
Tom DeLonge might be wrong after all.
Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Then why are so many of us so burned out?
On Monday, June 21st we had a special gathering for Indigenous Peoples day to listen to our friend Marilyn Crowchild, to listen to recorded and written testimony by survivors of Old Sun Residential School which was an hour away from our Church. We reflected on the role that clergy and Christians played in the horrible acts committed in residential schools (and Canadian history). It was a night for us as a church to begin a process of making sure the practice of our faith never demeans, oppresses, or diminishes the image of God in Indigenous People or all people ever again.
This Father's Day we look at the story if Abraham sacrificing Isaac. God asks for Abraham's son as a sacrifice, only to intervene at the last second. Does God require we prove ourselves? Or can we read this story a different way in the light of Christ?
We've been walking through Jesus' words about how religious arrogance was stifling the ministry of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus now pivots to see who the people are that do the exact opposite. Who are they? What do they look like? And how can we be like them?
Surprisingly, Jesus says it's the little children. We need to be more like them.
For many years I really felt like something was wrong with me because I doubt sometimes, I have questions, and although I will seek Jesus my entire life there are moments when I just feel confused.
What if there's nothing wrong with that though? What if for most of my life I confused faith with certainty? And what if certainty isn't actually something we're supposed to have anyway?
What got in the way of Jesus' ministry the most?
brokenness?
Paganism?
Unbelief?
Here we see the answer might land closer to home than we like.
Erin Clarke, our Children and Youth Pastor shares with us how even when it seems like it's over, God's hope and redemption are the true end of the story.
Amen!
From the days of John the Baptist until now, unlikely people have been forcing their way into the Kingdom of God -- and that is really great news!
So excited to speak to 3 of our amazing board members, Christ followers and mothers. Check it out!
Jesus said: Blessed are those who do not stumble on account of me.
We always see Jesus as the bridge to God, so why would He ever be a stumbling block? Well, He can end up being very different from our expectations, especially if you're looking for a vengeful messiah.
Jesus really has a preference for "Little Ones" -- but who are they? And how can we make Jesus' preference our preference?
Jesus tells us He didn't come to bring peace but a sword.
Then He tells us He also would like to divide families and turn people against each other.
And it becomes a scripture that skeptics like to use as a "gotcha" for the devout to prove that Jesus isn't as great as we all think He is.
But of course, if we come to the scripture with the deep desire to understand what Jesus wanted us to learn from it, it doesn't have to be a "gotcha" it can become an invitation to work towards real peace, and not pseudo peace that depends on us accepting the status quo of injustice.
It's funny how in my own mind I can often just think of Jesus as a good teacher with good ideas and some suggestions on how to live a fulfilling life. But, Jesus wasn't a motivational speaker. In this particular passage he says that how you receive him will be equal to how God receives you! That's not the words of a good teacher! That's the words of either a dangerous person, or someone who actually is who He says He is.
When Jesus enters Jerusalem on the back of a donkey it really doesn't make a lot of sense until you understand that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy of the Jewish messiah. He comes to us not as a generic human being from heaven. He comes to us on the back of a donkey, of a people being oppressed by Rome, as a Nazarene.
What does it mean for us today that Jesus wasn't just a human being descended from heaven, but rather a man from Nazareth?
One commentary described fret like this: a mixture of anxiety and anger, resentment and frustration.
If you're like me there's been too much of that going around, but how do we get free from it all? How do we stop with all the anxiety, anger, resentment and frustration?
Remember those songs you listened to that helped you feel less alone?
I'm so grateful for Psalms like Psalm 13. They let me know that when I feel alone, depressed, and struggle that I am not alone, there's nothing wrong with me, in fact there is space for all those feelings in the hymn book of the Bible.
Psalm 13 hugs me and says "Me Too" then points me to the way out. A perfect Psalm for a difficult season.
If you're like me, you might need a little help getting through this pandemic. I want to share with you a Psalm that contains a short prayer that can create awe, wonder, trust, space, and hope.
Jesus tells us not to be afraid because 1. God is way scarier than people and 2. God loves us so much he counts the hair on our heads and we can trust him to look after us.
I'm confused? What do we do with these passages that make God out to look like two different beings?
Or, is there something we're missing?
When Jesus sends out His disciples he gives them some instructions, the last of which is what to do when they get arrested, flogged and persecuted.
It's a side to following Jesus that I feel a million miles away from. Not only that, the word "persecution" gets thrown out a lot by Christians here in North America, but is it the same thing? Does being hated equal validation that we are following Christ well? Or, is there a right and wrong way to be hated as a Christian? I wrestle with these questions as a Canadian Christian in 2021. What does it really mean to be persecuted for Christ?
There's some spicy erotic stuff in Song of Songs, there's also no mention of God in the book altogether. So, what is it doing there? And what important part does it play in our understanding of God, sexuality, ourselves and the Bible?
A special Valentines Day Sermon.
I've always seen missions/evangelism as being the one who gives. Why then does Jesus make sure the disciples not only give, but also have to receive as well? Could this be something huge we have missed about what it means to be Christians in the world? Well, yes.
Receiving and then sharing a gift is very different to selling something.
How can reclaiming the gospel as gift completely change the way we live and share our faith in the world?
It's a gift, not a commodity.
God really did something this year. Like it's kind of like a miracle. So, what are we meant to do now? How do we do this thing in 2021?
Jesus had 2 men in his group of disciples that definitely wouldn't have gotten along otherwise. So, how did Jesus create a group where two waring political identities could dwell together in unity? And how can we learn from Jesus in our time when we are becoming more divided than ever?
The harvest is plentiful, but if compassion isn't the motivation then we're just another sales pitch.
One of the hardest parts about having secrets is they make us hide. Hiding isn't a way to live. Moses once his in a place called Midian. How did he come back from Midian? How do we come back from Midian?
Christmas is a time of hope. But what happens when we've hoped for a long time, when we feel disappointment setting in?
What do you hunger for? We all hunger for something. Physical food, to be valued, significance, to be able to serve others, and adventure are only a few of the many things that humans hunger for. From His being laid in a feeding trough to Him referring to Himself as the bread of life, Jesus came to satisfy every kind of emotional and spiritual human hungering.
We often think of Advent and Christmas as a season for the young, but the reality of the Advent is that the gift of the Messiah is a gift for all generations. Young and old alike waited for the coming of the Christ, and those that had waited the longest were thrilled to see their faith come to fruition. This week, Dennis Gulley will lead us in considering the perspective of Zechariah and Elizabeth in the season of waiting.
This Sunday, we'll begin anticipating Jesus' birth; when God became flesh and moved into our neighbourhood! We are privileged to be able to hear from and get to know the BGCA's new district pastor, Dennis Gulley. It is our prayer that you will be ministered to this season and feel God's love for you in a new and profound way.
Why do some people call good things bad? and bad things good? Is "A Star Is Born" a good movie?
Is there someone that if Jesus loved and accepted them you would doubt it was really Jesus?
You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you'll get what you need - Mick Jagger - and Jesus
Matthew tells us two stories of Jesus not being afraid. First, he wasn't afraid of wind and waves, second he wasn't afraid of this town's dirty secret. Does this tell you that Jesus is also unafraid of your secrets? Of your messiness?
Hope isn't wishful thinking, or silver linings -- it's so much deeper than that. Hope starts with the truth...
I often can't sleep, so when I encountered this story about Jesus sleeping on a boat in a storm it made me wonder why he could sleep so easily.
(This is the audio from a video. You can watch the video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/c-HWyzfNNH8 )
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
- Episcopal Book of Common Prayer
What is and isn't the church? and how the answer can give us a lot of hope for the future.
Is there any hope when The Church loses its way? Well, yes of course. But it comes from Hannah and Samuel, not Hophni and Phinehas.
There's a lot of Jesus stereotypes out there. So, Pastor Tim Pippus lets us into a day in the life of Jesus to see what he was really like out on the streets.
Thanks to Tim Pippus to spending your Sunday with us and delivering such a thoughtful sermon!
We were privileged to be able to listen to what our youth pastor, Erin Clarke, shared with us this Sunday. How can we share other people's burdens to make their yokes lighter? Click below to listen!
Broken bowls that have been repaired can hold the pieces from other broken bowls. God fixes our broken souls and uses us to help other broken souls.
Jade Clarke is one of our newest Board Members and she has an incredible story to share. 20 years ago she had to raise a family, put herself through school, and somehow pay for it all on her own. We're so honoured to hear from Jade about how God got her through it, and how we can better understand what it is like for single parents.
We met Garo and Sylvie 3 years ago when we were a part of their sponsorship in moving them from Syria and Lebanon to Canada.
Now 3 years later they share with us how they're doing, what this past year has been like, and how we can continue to pray and support them.
Thanks Garo and Sylvie!
Paula Rickard sits down to share with us about racism in Canada and how the past few weeks have felt for her. We're pretty honoured to have Paula share things so personal and close to her heart. Thank you Paula!
If healing was central to Jesus' announcement of the Kingdom Of God - why do we often feel so far from it?
The centurion gives us the example of what to do with power -- use to it be an advocate.
Happy Mother's Day! My mom and I have a candid conversation about the dynamic between Mary and Jesus in John 2:1-12.