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Branches of Service: Elder
When the Plants & Pillars team approached me about writing an article on the work of elders, I focused in the importance of home visits...
Bill Brunsveld
a few seconds ago4 min read
Branches of Service: Pastor
It takes many people in many different roles in order for the church to function properly. The church needs elders and deacons, Sunday...
Rev. Jack Schoeman
Mar 44 min read
Sermon of the Month: March 2025
In our youth, we can often sympathize with the book of Ecclesiastes when it tells us “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” We are...
Rev. Ian MacLeod
Mar 11 min read
Ontario Winter Summit 2025
In the summer of 2023, then again in 2024, the FRC Youth and Education committee hosted the “Young Men’s Summit” in Grand Rapids, seeking...
plantsandpillarsap
Feb 274 min read
What If It Feels Like Christianity Isn’t Working? (Surviving Religion 101 Postscript)
Healthy plants have deep roots and strong pillars have solid foundations. If we are to be Christians who are deeply rooted in Christ and...
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Feb 257 min read
How Do I Handle Doubts? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 15)
Healthy plants have deep roots and strong pillars have solid foundations. If we are to be Christians who are deeply rooted in Christ and...
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Feb 207 min read
Ask a Pastor: How Should a Church Handle Repentant Criminals?
How should a church handle repentant criminals (including sex offenders) wanting to join a congregation?
Rev. John Koopman
Feb 142 min read
Sermon of the Month: February 2025
This month’s Sermon of the Month is from the wonderfully encouraging and strengthening chapter of James 1. Pastor Eric Moerdyk of St. Thomas
Pastor Eric Moerdyk
Feb 11 min read
Branches of Service: Sunday School Teacher
When I was first approached about teaching Sunday school, part of me felt apprehensive and intimidated. This would mean a regular time...
Martina Bruinsma
Jan 314 min read
How Can a Book Be from God If It Advocates Oppression or Genocide? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 14)
The most common attacked aimed at Scripture these days may not be a historical one but a moral one. We need to let the irony of that sink
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Jan 157 min read
Can We Be Sure We Have the Right Books of the Bible? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 13)
In 1945, the shepherd Muhammad Ali (not related to the boxer!) stumbled onto a significant archeological discovery in Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Jan 86 min read
Sermon of the Month: January 2025
This sermon is based on the text of Philippians 3:13-14 which says, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended...
Rev. Kenneth Hutton
Jan 11 min read
Jesus, the Humble Saviour
Often in the holiday season, we are reminded by pastors, teachers, parents, and grandparents that we have to remember the heart of Christmas
plantsandpillarsap
Dec 25, 20242 min read
Have the Words of Scripture Been Changed? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 12)
Can we really trust our English Bible today? Thousands of years have passed since the original texts were written and all we have are copies
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Dec 11, 20246 min read
Can I Trust the Gospels? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 11)
The four biblical gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – are some of the most loved and most scrutinized books in the history of the world
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Nov 27, 20246 min read
How Do We Know the Bible is Really from God? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 10)
As we engage in conversations on a variety of topics – salvation, morality, church, abortion and so on...
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Nov 6, 20247 min read
How Can I Believe in Miracles If I’ve Never Seen One? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 9)
As a child it’s easy to simply accept the stories of miracles in the Bible, including the resurrection of Jesus.
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Nov 6, 20247 min read
Doesn’t Science Disprove Christianity? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 8)
“There is no heaven or afterlife…; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” So wrote the late, leading scientist Stephen Hawkin
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Oct 30, 20245 min read
How Could A Good God Allow Such Evil? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 7)
Healthy plants have deep roots and strong pillars have solid foundations. If we are to be Christians who are deeply rooted in Christ and...
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Oct 23, 20248 min read
Wouldn’t a Loving God Save Everyone? (Surviving Religion 101 Chapter 6)
Your university campus is a mission field that presents you with plenty of opportunities to share the good news of Jesus.
Rev. Mark Wagenaar
Oct 9, 20247 min read
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