I have decided. Three powerful words that will change your life. Decisions are the turning point of destiny. Deciding to follow Jesus is followed by being baptized in water. (more…)
Bob JonesOctober 30, 2019
Scot McKnight is a theologian and a storyteller, which makes for the best combo in communicating complex concepts. The theological term for his subject is "ecclesiology." The everyday term is "what-the-church-is-all-about." The kind of church Scot McKnight describes in A Fellowship of Differents isn’t your parent’s church or for that matter your grandparents’ church. It's way older than that, going all the way back to the New Testament. (more…)
Bob JonesMay 14, 2019
Stigma and shame kill more Canadians than your worst nightmares can envision. Sons. Daughters. Spouses. Grandkids. Friends. Their deaths leave anger, guilt, frustration, grief, sorrow, hopelessness. Broken dreams. Broken hearts. What’s enraging is their deaths were preventable. So that’s why I am writing this. To ensure that my granddaughters or grandson or their friends never get to a place in their lives where stigma or shame speak louder than truth and love. (more…)
Bob JonesMarch 23, 2019
"If you can be a Christian in Canada, you can be a Christian anywhere." The words got my attention. The speaker got my respect. He was new to North Pointe and relatively new to Canada. Our meeting was so Tesfaye could help me get to know him, his wife and two young daughters. His Ethiopian accent made understanding his words a challenge but there was no misunderstanding his passion. Tesfaye Debla is a pastor and a church planter in Ethiopia. Adversity's Refining Ability He knows adversity. “When you become a Christian in Ethiopia, you face opposition and alienation from your family and society. You have to think twice to be a Christian for it comes with lots of cost and life…
Bob JonesApril 28, 2016
R and M are Christian Syrian refugees who lived in Jordan from 2012 to 2016. One day they will read this post. We want them to know then that we embraced them even before we met them. We've called them "R and M" to protect their privacy and security. Faces of Damascus R and his wife M grew up in Damascus. Five years ago they left everything to flee the bombings. They made their way to Jordan where they were interned in a refugee camp. Even in these "safe havens," the lives of Christians are precarious. Because of their Christian faith they had to leave the refugee camp. They were taken in by Jordanian Christians while they awaited the opportunity…
Bob JonesApril 17, 2016
Over the years I’ve heard many stories in my travels to countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith in Jesus that defy human understanding. These ordinary people should be terrified and full of fear, but many of them aren’t. Why? I’ve come to realize it’s their faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit that causes them to respond with great courage. One such person is Saratu. This is a guest post from Greg Mussleman, the VP of Media and Domestic Ministry for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada. I've known Greg since he was a sports Broadcaster with TSN and a neighbor in St Albert. Greg travels extensively to Iran, Jordan, Ethiopia, India, North Korea and…
Bob JonesJanuary 8, 2016
A 65-year old man “became” a woman and everyone from the President of the United States to ESPN applauded this as “courageous.” Freedom of speech has its obvious liabilities but until recently, to say the least, free speech was tolerated. Anyone who expressed contrary opinions about this story were instantly demonized and dehumanized. If the commentator had any association with Christianity they were not only dismissed as deluded but derided as oppressively intolerant. Increasingly, Christianity is not tolerated because of the need for greater tolerance. Intolerance for Tolerance The word 'tolerant' as it is used today, seldom, if ever, includes opposing arguments or competing worldviews. Being tolerant used to mean, “I may disagree with you completely, but I will treat…
Bob JonesJune 3, 2015
Canadians Kevin, 54 and Julia Garratt, 53 have been detained under arrest in China since August 2014, accused of being spies disguised as "ordinary citizens." In the mid-80's I met Kevin and Julia in Montreal. They were newly married and envisioning their future. Their dream was to move to China. We've become long-distance friends since then. They are good people, now parents of four children, and looking forward to being grandparents. For three decades, the Garratts lived and worked in China. They are entrepreneurs at heart, initiating projects like, "Kingdom of Hope," which helps special needs children, and most recently operated a café they named after their son, in Dandong. They love China and have poured their energy into making…
Bob JonesJanuary 11, 2015
I will be a unifying Christian. There are times when I must take a stand for God and His Word, But I can do so in such a way that is charitable and non-combative. My tone can be helpful, And my demeanor can be Christ-like. I will be a unifying Christian. I will seek to build up before I tear down, To encourage before criticizing. I will learn that my words can be a source of great harm, Or they can be a source of encouragement and joy. I will be a unifying Christian. That means that my needs and preferences will be last. And I will seek to serve others with joy. In all that I do, I will…
Bob JonesAugust 6, 2014