DECEMBER 2018 + JANUARY 2019
I have come into the world as LIGHT so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness. JOHN 12:46
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“I have come into the world as LIGHT, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness.” JOH N 12:46
Help us reach our YEAR-END GOAL OF $427,000 and share the good news that the LIGHT OF THE WORLD has come!
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DEC 2018 + JAN 2019
What's Inside December 2018 + January 2019 PAGE 4
PAGE 8
Dr. John Neufeld
The story of the Birth
A Well-Researched Christmas
From the Bible
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Rethinking Christmas Dr. John Neufeld PAGE 10
A Crammed Christmas Phil Callaway PAGE 12
An Interview with indoubt's Ryan McCurdy Ryan McCurdy PAGE 14
Harmony's Story Harmony Strauss PAGE 16
Let's Shine The Light Ben Lowell PAGE 18
New Year. New Words. Phil Callaway
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Dr. John's Bible Reading Plan
January + February 2019
Dr. John's Corner
Dr. John Neufeld
Well known internationally for his excellence in expositional Bible teaching, Dr. Neufeld is passionate about bringing the truth of God’s Word to life across Canada and beyond.
F
or many years, I have had a love/hate relationship with Christmas. Let’s start with what I hate. I hate the idea that, even in the minds of many contemporary North American Christians, Christmas is a bigger event than Easter. I can’t understand how we have allowed it to be that – and it is wrong – for good Biblical reasons. Easter is the centerpiece of our faith, yet we treat Christmas as if it were. I can’t stand that. I also don’t like how the birth of Christ and contemporary merchandising and popular myths about a rather large man dressed in red and in a sleigh is mixed into the story of Jesus’ birth. And I really don’t like that at each Christmas, either CNN or some other news organization does research on the real Jesus by interviewing pseudo-intellectuals
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and recognize Him as “bovine caca.” I hate all of that every time we come to Christmas. There. I got it off my chest. But, here is what I love about Christmas. I do love some of the traditions. In southern British Columbia, where I live, there is rarely snow on the ground at Christmas, but it rains all December. Daylight lasts about eight hours – a gloomy cloud filled daylight – and then it is dark for 16 hours. But out come the lights, and the atmosphere is transformed to something that’s almost mystical. It really is quite lovely. I genuinely love to recount the most amazing birth in human history – and I love to retell the story. That at that moment, the people who were walking in darkness –
darkness like an overcast, gloomy, wet December where everyone becomes depressed – in such a world, a great line has shone. For me, this is something that I nurture. For two weeks this month on the broadcast, I am undertaking a study from the book of Luke and his account of the birth of Jesus. What’s fascinating about Luke’s account is that he doesn’t begin the story of the life of Jesus, with an angel appearing to Mary, or about her virgin birth. Luke begins his account by telling the story of a priest by the name of Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth and the miraculous birth of their son – a baby who is named John.
Christmas.” Join us on radio, online, podcast, mobile app, or order the CD set for $12 in our online store. However you want, let’s spend this Christmas in the truth of the birth of God's Son.
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Luke is an historian as well as a prophet. As an historian, Luke is investigating the historical background to the birth of Jesus; as a prophet, he is investigating those things that are rooted in the First Testament. The question I’m trying to answer is this: is it possible to have certainty about Jesus? Is it possible to know whether or not God entered into the world in human flesh? Is it possible to know if God is real? If He loves us? If we can know Him? I believe it is possible to get beyond the traditions and find the real Jesus and the real story of Christmas, and that’s where we’re going this Christmas with the series “A Well-Researched
VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE @ BACKTOTHEBIBLE.CA/STORE TO PURCHASE YOUR COPY!
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Dr. John's Corner
RETHINKING CHRISTMAS
Dr. John Neufeld
Well known internationally for his excellence in expositional Bible teaching, Dr. Neufeld is passionate about bringing the truth of God’s Word to life across Canada and beyond.
I
t is quite customary for both Christians and non-Christians to agree that Christmas has become too commercial. But, most of us are aware that the retail economy of Canada depends on a robust December. When Canadians are feeling positive about the economy and their future, they spend a lot at Christmas. And this fuels the economy even further, creating more jobs. And so, in spite of the fact that we might not like it, we have developed an economy that needs a materialistic Christmas. Everything from Black Friday to Boxing Day sales encourage all to get out and buy more. In the meantime, several positive things need to be said about the way Canada celebrates Christmas. First, because we live in the northern hemisphere, this time of year is dark and cold, with trees barren and lifeless. Christmas
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lights, pageants and celebrations provide an ambiance, bringing joy at a time of year that otherwise would be lacking it. Second, the emphasis on family and friends, get-togethers and parties do reinforce the importance of relationships and friendships that few other times provide. This is why, in spite of what people don't like, Christmas remains very popular. But, we have a problem. Christmas celebrations often include excess. For instance, alcohol sales and consumption rise at Christmas. Myths about magical elves and reindeer, the promotion of materialism – these are profound enemies of the Gospel that find a central place at this time of the year. And sometimes, our own Christmas pageants, grand affairs intended to attract the non-Christian
crowd, do no more than feed a consumerist mindset. These extravaganzas are just one more offering being made available for purchase during the season. And so, I think we may come to a time when thinking Christians leaders must be called upon to create a uniquely Christian approach to Christmas. We need alternative traditions, widely adopted by the greater Christian community, that offer a "uniquely Christian Christmas." Let me suggest possibilities:
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1. Rethinking our Christmas pageants and transforming them into in-depth celebrations of the mystery of the incarnation. We must think of ways to be profoundly joyful and celebratory while we enter deeply into the meaning and mystery of God entering into human flesh. Just like what Handel did in his day in his masterpiece Messiah, we need to put together musicals or even dramas that are "weighted," not "light weight." We need deeply theological celebrations that invite the non-Christian to think about the meaning of incarnation, and not just pray the "sinners prayer" afterwards. 2. Just as important as transformed pageants are, we need to make acts of charity central to this time of the year. Because God so loved us that He gave, local churches should find ways in which giving becomes a
public expression at this time of the year. Perhaps this becomes the time of the year when we sign up for a mission, or when a major project that has potential to transform lives gets front row attention. 3. There must be a sense of direction when it comes to gift buying as part of Christmas celebrations. How can our gifts be used to a) glorify God, b) highlight the Gospel and c) show concern and love for the recipient? Perhaps local churches set up a gift buying fair each year that provides direction and helps people make their giving profoundly Christian. 4. What about transforming our dinners, gatherings and parties? Perhaps we need to provide training in order to do this. This might look like every Christmas family celebration including someone who has nowhere to go. It might also include how to make worship of the God who comes to us as man an integral part of every celebration. These are just some of my thoughts. But what has inspired them is my troubled heart. We need to develop a deeply Christian celebration of Christmas that provides a legitimate witness to the world around us.
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1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. 8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Saviour — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God and saying,
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"Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
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When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
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They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. 16
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Dr. Neufeld's Daily Bible Reading Plan January 2019
February 2019
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus
1-3; Matthew 1 4-6; Matthew 2 7-9; Matthew 3 10-12; Matthew 4 13-15; Matthew 5:1-26 16-17; Matthew 5:27-48 18-19; Matthew 6:1-18 20-22; Matthew 6:19-34 23-24; Matthew 7 25-26; Matthew 8:1-17 27-28; Matthew 8:18-34 29-30; Matthew 9:1-17 31-32; Matthew 9:18-38 33-35; Matthew 10:1-20 36-38; Matthew 10:21-42 39-40; Matthew 11 41-42; Matthew 12:1-23 43-45; Matthew 12:24-50 46-48; Matthew 13:1-30 49-50; Matthew 13:31-58 1-3; Matthew 14:1-21 4-6; Matthew 14:22-36 7-8; Matthew 15:1-20 9-11; Matthew 15:21-39 12-13; Matthew 16 14-15; Matthew 17 16-18; Matthew 18:1-20 19-20; Matthew 18:21-35 21-22; Matthew 19 23-24; Matthew 20:1-16 25-26; Matthew 20:17-34
Exodus 27-28; Matthew 21:1-22 Exodus 29-30; Matthew 21:23-46 Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:1-22 Exodus 34-35; Matthew 22:23-46 Exodus 36-38; Matthew 23:1-22 Exodus 39-40; Matthew 23:23-39 Leviticus 1-3; Matthew 24:1-28 Leviticus 4-5; Matthew 24:29-51 Leviticus 6-7; Matthew 25:1-30 Leviticus 8-10; Matthew 25:31-46 Leviticus 11-12; Matthew 26:1-25 Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:26-50 Leviticus 14; Matthew 26:51-75 Leviticus 15-16; Matthew 27:1-26 Leviticus 17-18; Matthew 27:27-50 Leviticus 19-20; Matthew 27:51-66 Leviticus 21-22; Matthew 28 Leviticus 23-24; Mark 1:1-22 Leviticus 25; Mark 1:23-45 Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2 Numbers 1-2; Mark 3:1-19 Numbers 3-4; Mark 3:20-35 Numbers 5-6; Mark 4:1-20 Numbers 7-8; Mark 4:21-41 Numbers 9-11; Mark 5:1-20 Numbers 12-14; Mark 5:21-43 Numbers 15-16; Mark 6:1-29 Numbers 17-19; Mark 6:30-56
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A CRAMMED CHRISTMAS Phil Callaway
is an author and host of Laugh Again. He has five grandchildren. They wear name tags.
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ave you heard the one about the Irishman who got stuck in a McDonald’s baby chair? Actually it’s no joke. It happened. Police responded to assist the poor guy. Seems his backside was a little larger than the recommended size on the chair’s warning label. Some people like small spaces. I don’t. So when I heard that twenty cheerleaders dropped their pompoms and stretched, contorted and wedged themselves into a Smart car, I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or wince. They set
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a record. Sadly, they were unable to get out of the car, but what a way to go. I’m kidding. They were fine. My favourite account of “human Tetris” came out of North Korea in December, 1950. The Korean War had just broken out. Thousands flocked to the Hungnam docks, hoping that an allied ship would whisk them off to safety. But the only ship available was a small cargo freighter, the SS Meredith Victory, captained by Leonard LaRue.
The ship was designed to hold 59 people, but LaRue ordered 14,000 North Korean refugees to squeeze aboard. The refugees were packed so tightly they couldn’t even sit down. Yet, as gunfire from enemy ships destroyed the port, the Meredith Victory set out for Pusan, 450 sea miles away. It was freezing, and there was little water or food. The first mate only had first aid training, but he delivered five babies during the voyage. After two gruelling days at sea, the 14,000 refugees finally reached safe haven on Geoje Island on Christmas Day without a single injury. Years later, LaRue said, “I think often of that voyage. And the clear, unmistakable message comes to me that on that Christmas tide, in the bleak and bitter waters off the shores of Korea, God’s own hand was at the helm of my ship.”
for our sins. God knows our brokenness and pain. He came on a rescue mission, to die that we might live. If you need to be rescued, simply reach out and accept His grace today. Don’t worry, there’s lots of room on the boat. If you’d like to know more, give us a call at 1-800-663-2425, download our Laugh Again app, or visit us online at www.laughagain.ca. From all of us at Laugh Again, have a very merry Christmas.
Reminds me of another Christmas miracle. 2,000 years ago, God managed to squeeze Himself into a tiny human frame. I’m glad God isn’t as claustrophobic as I am. 1 Kings 8 says that even the heavens cannot contain God. And yet, as Philippians 2 says, “Though He was God... He gave up His divine privileges... and was born as a human being.” On that first Christmas, God found a way to get every drop of His divinity into a tiny baby. Why? Because He loved us. Because He came to pay the ultimate sacrifice BAC K TOT H E B I B L E .C A
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and make sense of what it meant to be a follower of Jesus and that time has greatly impacted my walk with God. In the midst of really wrestling with and trying to understand as best I could the faith that had been passed down to me from my parents was when I first felt called to pastoral ministry. I graduated from Pacific Life Bible College with a Theology Pastoral Leadership degree and began in 2014 to work at Peace Portal Alliance Church in south Surrey. I’ve been there for over 4 years work with youth and young adults and I absolutely love my job.
AN INTERVIEW WITH INDOUBT'S RYAN MCCURDY So Ryan, tell us about yourself. Where you grew up, your family and your spiritual journey and career? I grew up in the city of Surrey with my family and spent my childhood years going to a Christian school called Pacific Academy. I’m the youngest of three kids and my siblings and I all spent a lot of time going to Christian events, church on Sundays, and youth groups growing up. We belonged to a church called Christian Life Assembly which had a huge, positive impact on my life and walk with God. In high school I really had to work out my faith 12
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Why are you so passionate about reaching young adults with the Gospel? My experience of learning, relearning, and continually learning the significance of the message of Jesus in my own life has really shaped why and how I do ministry. Being a young adult today is not easy with the countless claims to truth and ways they are being taught how to live. Being able to be part of and watch young people encounter the living God, recognize their need for a Saviour and choose to walk out the life He has called them to, in the midst of cultural complexities, is what I love most. I’m passionate about reaching young adults with the Gospel because the Gospel has the answers to so many of the questions and longings that people have. I believe if young adults are transformed by the
person and work of Jesus that they have ability to positively influence and change the world. Why did you decide to take on the role here as the host of indoubt? I took this role as the host of indoubt because I believe the complexities of our world and our faith are worth exploring. Life is not simple. Following Jesus, although there are fundamental steps, is not a simple process. Jesus calls us to live a radically different life than the world around us. Following Jesus demands that we continue to pursue the truth, refine how we live, and engage meaningfully in the world around us. Hosting indoubt is an opportunity to have a conversation that will help those searching for Jesus to find Him, help those wrestling with the complexities of their beliefs to find answers, and to model what it looks like to follow Jesus even when we don’t have all the answers. What can people expect from indoubt going forward? Expect being able to engage in any conversation! A core belief of mine is that God is not intimidated by our questions, our fears, our doubts. Indoubt will be a place that recognizes that there are legitimate questions, fears, and doubts but that God did not leave us alone to those questions, fears, and doubts. Indoubt will engage
in the areas of faith that matter and impact how we understand how to follow Jesus and what it means to be fully human. People can expect listening to a conversation regarding the relevant issues of our world today and why they matter for all people whether followers of Jesus or not. Why should the older generation care about supporting indoubt, too? Young adults today are concerned with what to believe and how to live. Those two questions are uniquely tied together. Generations can bless one-another by creating space for each other to learn how to navigate what it means how to live in their current cultural context. Indoubt will package the timeless truth of the Gospel and God’s Word into a way that young people can understand amidst their cultural complexities of our time. In a world and culture where the public opinion says that truth is relative, young men and women are desperate for the truth. As the body of Christ, must find compelling ways to communicate that truth. Where can someone listen to the podcast and get all of the indoubt resources? Our website, www.indoubt.ca, has links to all of our content. We have the podcast on the site, articles, and also an app that has everything we do as well. We're also on sites like Spotify.
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the nurses began to do all their checks and we became aware that there was significant concern for the baby. We heard phrases like “placental abruption” and "loss of oxygen.” It was clear to me that our baby was no longer alive. Still, that fact didn't really seem to register as I continued to labour into the night.
Harmony's Story
BY HARMONY STRAUSS
The nurse spoke the words, “We can’t find the heartbeat,” and everything after that was a blur.
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t was the morning of October 17, 2017, and, at 38 weeks pregnant, I had gone into early labour. I recall the anticipation we felt in meeting our second-born son, Gus, later that day. Our firstborn, Theodore, had turned two earlier that summer, yet he seemed to understand there was a baby in my belly. I was so excited for him to have a sibling and for us all to delight in the newborn stage again. My husband and I both come from big, loving families, and I had dreamed of creating that same life for our children. After being admitted to triage,
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The next morning, I got to hold him for the first and last time; cold and eyes closed. Grief crashed in like a torrential flood. My baby boy, whom my body had grown and nourished for almost nine months, whose entire future I had mapped out in my mind, was gone in an instant. He had been ripped from my arms, from our lives, and I had no way to bring him back. In the months that followed, I battled with a sea of emotions and questions. I was angry at God for allowing such a tragedy in our lives. All I could think about were my empty arms. As I resumed my normal activities, things I shouldn’t have been able to do with a newborn, it seemed like everything was overshadowed with sadness. We grieved over would-be milestones as they passed, and I longingly gazed at other babies wondering why mine didn’t get to live too. I was plagued with the unanswerable question: why me? A verse I used to take comfort in was James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” What I once thought I understood was now so uncertain. How could a compassionate God allow the things we love so much to be taken away? When still in the depths of despair, I came across a few videos in my newsfeed from Back to the Bible Canada called “Dealing with Suffering” and “God’s Sovereignty.” They offered comfort and insight and helped me realize that, in the words of Dr. John Neufeld, “while we may know the larger philosophical answers, we don’t know the individual ones.” After a season of living apathetically to God’s Word, I realized that, if I wanted to move on, my perspective had to shift. I had to stop looking at it from my point of view and try to see God’s. If our understanding is that God is a loving God and, therefore, protects us from all hurt, we will never be able to come to terms with our suffering. All of us will experience suffering in our lives. The good news is that Christ Jesus chose suffering for us, so that one day we could experience an unimaginable life of eternity with Him. Now, all of this was technically stuff I already knew. Words were easy to spout off when people
asked how I was doing, but I still struggled with questioning God. I knew He loved me and would never desert me, but how did that make the loss of my son okay? It finally dawned on me that I had made an idol of the life I was living. I realized that the only things that mattered to me were my possessions and what happened to me here. But there is such a bigger picture that I can’t see. God didn’t take my son Gus away. He gave him to me. I might not have him here on earth, but I will see him again one day where there is no more pain and suffering. Since Gus went to be with the Lord, the promise of Heaven has become very real to me and I can take comfort in James 1 once again. I know that the best thing I can do now is to use what I have gained from this temporary loss to help others, whether that’s by comforting a friend or sharing it in an article for other hurting people to read and be encouraged. On a personal level, I know I need to commit to continually growing in my faith by pursuing God through His Word. Despite the suffering, I rejoice that God gave us the gift of His Son, and because of it, I am assured that when my time on earth is done, I will be reunited in Heaven with the loved ones He blessed me with. BAC K TOT H E B I B L E .C A
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LET'S SHINE THE LIGHT “Darkness has invaded the world, darkness has invaded my world.”
BEN LOWELL
is the CEO of the Good News Broadcasting Association of Canada.
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t’s difficult to wrap my mind around the overwhelming prevalence of darkness in the world around us. Media and technology have ushered the darkness of the entire world to our fingertips. The sights and sounds of evil have become far too familiar in our day. Sitting down for breakfast at a hotel restaurant in Toronto, three friends share a conversation, that quickly diverts to the daily headlines. Genocide in Myanmar, mail bombs delivered to multiple locations in the U.S., premeditated murder, opioid overdose, homelessness, violence, societal tensions... Then the conversation becomes personal: friends whose lives have been crushed by the loss of twins at childbirth, a life shaken by cancer, a crumbling marriage. You would like to think these conversations are the
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exception, but we know different. Darkness invades the entire world and darkness invades our own personal world. I commiserate, but not as one surprised. A world increasingly distancing itself from God and His word should expect such a result. And the message of Christmas? The world would have us forget its true meaning and get lost in the midst of seasonal sentimentality, holiday commercialism, feel-good acts of charity and expressions of goodwill. Darkness pervades the world in which we live, and the only message that pierces through the darkness is the message of the birth of the Saviour, the one sent into the world to save the world. This is the message of Jesus: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” J oh n 1:5 E S V
The message of the light is preeminent to the mission of Back to the Bible Canada, with Jesus at its core. His birth into a dark world is the message, a glorious reminder of God’s provision and the privilege we share to proclaim His arrival. Paul makes this mission of directing humanity to the light personal: For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? How are they to hear without someone preaching? How are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
setting the stage for ministry for the coming year. In 2019, this ministry will strive to illuminate the darkness with the light of Christ like no other time in its 60-year history. The goal to set the stage for 2019 is raising $427,000 by December 31, 2018. The task is significant, but by God’s grace, we believe it is possible as we participate from coast to coast together. May I ask that you prayerfully consider an investment in this great mission of Bible teaching and all the ministries of Back to the Bible Canada? Let’s continue to dream of a day when all people might be confronted with the light of the world!
R o m a n s 10:13 -15
Christ has come! He has come into my world — your world! But how will the world know unless God’s people testify to the light? This Christmas season, let us stand together as a beacon of His light, purposefully sharing the story of Jesus. “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness” J oh n 12:4 6
December has become a great time of blessing and celebration for the ministries of Back to the Bible Canada. It’s critical in
“ I genuinely love to recount the
most amazing birth in human history, and I love to retell the story. At that moment, the people who were walking in darkness – darkness like an overcast, gloomy, wet December – where everyone becomes depressed – in just such a world, a great light has shone.”
Dr. John Neufeld A Well-Researched Christmas
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NEW YEAR. NEW WORDS. BY PHIL CALLAWAY
It’s a New Year. It's that time when dentists celebrate with the slogan, “Out with the old teeth, in with the new.” Here are a few things I need to leave in the past: • Memories of root canals • Pop quizzes • Scoring into my own net • Pimples (I ate a jar of Clearasil each week in ninth grade. It didn’t clear those pimples up. They were large enough to use as ski jumps. So I think I’ll smile about it and leave it in the past.) I was the poster boy for short shorts. You’ll be glad to know that they were burned; they’re long gone. But, my daughter found some pictures of me in an old photo album and took a sharpie to those pictures. She blacked out the lower half of me. Then, she found photos of me when I was young and well-mustached. 18
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She said, “Ew, Dad! Look at this. A weasel is latched onto your lip.” I’m glad I left that mustache back in 1989. Of course, there are things I’ve left behind that I wish I hadn’t. I have left CDs in rental cars, phones on airplanes, and wallets in restaurants. People coming behind me were blessed with free stuff. I can be very generous — sometimes by accident. I wish I could go back to those places and “un-lose” what I lost. But, I can’t. And there’s no use dwelling on it. Of far greater significance are people I’ve loved who are gone now. My best buddy Lauren. My parents. I can’t bring them back, but I can thank God for the memories and for the fact that I haven’t really lost them. I know exactly where they are. One day I’ll see them again.
• “Forgive you? Absolutely. I’ve been forgiven so much.” • “I guess God cares after all.” • “My friend, I am sock-less. You’ve blessed them off.” • “Life could be a whole lot worse.” • “Would I like a little ice cream? No. I’d like a lot.” • And finally, “Thank you, God, for another day.” Philippians 3:13-14 says, “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Every single day this year, let’s celebrate God’s amazing grace to us. And let’s pass it on. Now, I think I’ll throw out that old jar of Clearasil and this container of mustache wax.
A New Year brings new hope. New attitudes. New shorts, maybe. And some of us need some new words. Let’s throw out some old words like, “If only.” Husbands can say goodbye to words like, “always,” “never,” and “fat.” Unless you say, “Honey, it always amazes me how you never look fat.” Here’s a short list of things I’d like to say more often this year: • “Am I blessed or what!” • “Worry about tomorrow? What good will it do?”
Phil Callaway
is an author and host of Laugh Again. He has five grandchildren. They wear name tags.
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Featuring Laugh Again’s Phil Callaway + musical guest Rika Siewert Enjoy a great week of unforgettable fun, laughter, good food, God’s Word and special music. To register, call Christian Cruises at 1.877.229.6155 or visit LAUGHAGAIN.CA. ** PRICES START FROM $1,393.04 CAD BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
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