Love Is Moving Issue 31 - JAN/FEB 2019

ISSUE 31

CANADA’S CHRISTIAN YOUTH MAGAZINE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

IMPORTANCE OF MENTORSHIP Matthew Demitroff

GOD IN THE ACADEMICS Carly Ververs

SPOTLIGHT ON CULTURE

with Katie Pezzutto $3.95 CDN

CHURCH IS LIKE MAYONNAISE Matt McKendry

CONTENT 5

Mayonnaise

6

Spotlight

10

Mentorship

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9

Gentle

13 Losing

FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY MENTORSHIP

WORDS FROM THE EDITOR You’ve heard the saying, “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. This might unfortunately imply that you should only offer friendship to those who live up to a certain standard, but it is undeniable that our friendships have consequences.

Character is a funny thing—it is shaped slowly but surely, by what we repeatedly do and who we are repeatedly around. The Bible certainly speaks to the importance of watching who we allow to put in those long character-shaping hours, and issues a stark warning that “bad company corrupts good character” in 1 Corinthians 15:33. At the same time, Jesus shows us how beautiful it is to see sacrificial love bring out the best in someone we might not have thought to be worth our time. When it comes down to it, friendship is a powerful thing, whether it builds up through honour and love, or tears down with bitterness and gossip.

In Issue 31 of Love Is Moving, we want to dive into the topics of friendship and mentorship, and figure out how social community shapes our spiritual reality. The latest research produced from a nationwide study carried out by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and a variety of other faith-based organizations is called “Renegotiating Faith”. This study has concluded that a huge amount of young people leave the faith when they enter their university years. Surprisingly though, they also found that one of the biggest contributing factors of sticking with the faith comes down to how teenage spiritual friendships translate into young adulthood in the big pond of university campuses.

Believe it or not, mentorship and intentional friendships change lives.

This issue kicks off with a particularly insightful and practical article on this subject called “How to Make Good Friends… And Be One Too” written by Morgan Clark. We look at the influence that can come from unexpected sources in Daniel Dorman’s piece, “A List of My Dead Mentors”. Finally, we take a look at how these concepts apply directly to the ministry life in the articles “Church was Meant to Be Simple” by Curtis Hartshorn and “Church is like Mayonnaise” by Matt Mckendry.

Let’s take a look fresh look at friendship, and see how God is working in yours.

COVER MOONSONG PHOTOGRAPHY

ISSN 2561-5262 (Print) ISSN 2561-5270 (Online)

MANAGING EDITOR ILANA REIMER

ART DIRECTOR MARK STEWART

@loveismoving

EDITOR CONOR SWEETMAN

joinlovemovement

CO-FOUNDER BENJAMIN PORTER

www.loveismoving.ca

CO-FOUNDER JOEL GORDON

Contact info@loveismoving.ca including submissions and subscriptions Editorial Consultant Bill Fledderus Marketing Director Gina Waugh Circulation and Distribution Anita Kwan Publisher TheEFC.ca

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 3

Words By Morgan Clark

W

hen you hear the word “friend,” who is the first person that comes to mind?

Maybe it is a lifelong pal, perhaps it is someone that you just recently met; you might even think of a sibling. The reality is that all of us have a different understanding of the term “friend.”

As a result, navigating the waters of friendship can be difficult because each person has their own expectations.

Recently, God has been teaching me a lot about friendship, and there are four things that I have been learning that I think are helpful to the development of healthy relationships.

1. Know your own identity.

Stop for a moment and ask yourself these questions: How do I define myself? Do I define myself by how many friends I have? Is my identity based on what others think of me?

This summer, I learned a hard but important lesson. Over the course of those four months, God slowly peeled back each layer of how I defined myself.

He showed me that I had gotten it all wrong; I am not defined by what people think about me. The way that a friend responds to me does not determine my worth.

At six o’clock a.m. on a beautiful summer day, I came to the realization that my identity was rooted in other people. On that morning, I learned how to say no to the fear of being both the object and the subject of disappointment, and yes to living in freedom as a child of God. This has enabled me to be a better friend, because instead of wasting so much time worrying, I am able to invest more time in those that I care about.

Instead of trying to mold myself to the expectations of others, I am able to see how our different perspectives are unique and beneficial.

2. Invest in people who will invest back into you.

This is not a selfish perspective!

Relationships are meant to be giveand-take. Sometimes you might have a friend who is not doing well, and it may require you to give more than you receive; by no means am I saying to let go of them because they have hit a rough patch. However, constantly chasing after people who do not want to invest back into you will leave you dry and exhausted. Instead, pour

and Be One Too yourself into those who are willing to go deeper with you; whose desire it is to know your heart and not just the shell of your being.

We all have a yearning to be known, and though it is only God who fully knows us, our relationships on earth give us a glimpse of this perfect knowledge.

3. Hard conversations are necessary.

Confrontation might seem scary, but it is crucial.

Asking for forgiveness and extending it to others is far from being easy, but it heals. Over the summer, I was confronted by a friend.

“... navigating the waters of friendship can be difficult because each person has their own expectations.”

Was it awk-ward? A little bit. But as we sat in her car and talked, we were given the opportunity to open our hearts to one another. I think that both of us would agree that this did not hinder our friendship, but rather strengthened it as we learned how to be more honest about our feelings. Looking back, I am so thankful that she trusted me enough to be vulnerable. Never take that for granted.

discern when to act and when to wait. Sometimes, the best thing that you can do is give yourself time and space to process, heal, and grow. Maybe things will not change; we need to learn to be okay with that. However, you might be surprised to find that God is writing a new chapter that you never expected.

So yes, navigating the waters of friendship is not an easy task. Yet, we were made to be in community; we are relational beings. So go, do life together, grow together, and learn from one another. It is an adventure worth taking.

4. God has perfect timing.

Sometimes friendships fall apart; something happens and you do not know how to fix it. It is important to

Morgan Clark PRISCILLA DU PREEZ

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CHURCH IS LIKE MAYONNAISE

who are socially awkward, who talk too much, or who take twice as much patience. We allow ourselves to sift through these people and direct our ministry towards what is appealing to us, or what makes our church attractive to others.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40).

Jesus Himself gives us a list of the ingredients for the Church, but if we’re being totally transparent, most of the time we find ourselves looking at them and making our own judgement calls about which people we think are desirable and which are not. We want charismatic business owners, easygoing newlyweds, even-keeled parents, and trendy young adults.

Words by Matt McKendry

A

s a picky teenager, I found mayonnaise to be an off-putting concept if I ever thought about it for too long. One day while making a BLT, I made the mistake of reading the ingredients on the label. Much to my chagrin, they read as follows: egg yolk, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, canola oil.

I remember wondering who in their right mind would wake up early one morning, jump out of bed and exclaim with uninhibited jubilation, “I bet that if I mix all of these disgusting things together and make some sort of off-white congealed paste, people EVERYWHERE will want to put it on their food!” To me it made absolutely no sense how someone come up with that.

No one in their right mind goes after concentrated lemon juice for a snack all on its own, or sits down to a movie with a shot of white wine vinegar in their hand, or pours themselves a bowl of Dijon mustard for breakfast. But Matt, what about raw eggs? Didn’t Rocky Balboa eat those all by themselves? Yeah, but it was disgusting and definitely not a common snack choice.

But not only did Jesus say we need to look after the most undesirable when they find their way into our churches, He actually means for us to actively go out and pursue them. It’s easy to However, as mayonnaise begins to feed the hungry, but when they keep grow on me, I’ve realized that even a coming back to you for more, we collection of unpleasant ingredients begin to question their level of effort. can be used for something good. I It’s easy to pray for convicts, but to think about our church communities maintain support in a similar way. despite mistake We often make after mistake is the mistake of “I’ve realized that exhausting. We telling ourselves want to share that the goal is to even a collection the Gospel, but find perfection; if when someone I create a flawless of unpleasant just doesn’t stop group, a seamless peppering us with gathering of people ingredients can be questions, we that is easy to lose interest in love and get along used for something answering them with, it will appeal over time. to outsiders. But good.” when you open The Church will church doors not work as it was to everyone, intended unless it anyone is able to walk through. We has people through whom the limits pray for the broken to come to us, of our compassion, mercy, patience but subconsciously we draw the line and love are tested. Because if we can’t between someone who requires a make it work inside the church, how few meetings for encouragement and can we ever expect it to work in our someone who will require years of our communities? time, attention, and support. We’ll ask God to fill our sanctuaries with people who are eager to serve, but Matt McKendry we’ll inadvertently look past the ones OLA MISHCHENKO

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 5

COLUMN

SPOTLIGHT ON CULTURE

“You’ve given me so many talents, gifts and visions for the future. I can’t just give them up. Right?” He stayed silent. But as I sat on the floor of the bathroom, I thought about the time He saved my life from an out of control eating disorder. I thought of His unrelenting passion, unwavering love, and unconditional delight over me. Up to this point in my life, His crazy love for me has been nothing but palatable. He wanted the best for me. I knew it.

with Katie Pezzutto When Your Life Looks Different Than You Expected “When we belong to Jesus, we’re finally able to make God look glorious in our lives.” - John Piper

I

’m 26. By this point in life, I thought I would be working in a massive city centre. I wanted to be living life as a well-respected reporter and actress.

I wanted my face on bus stops and televisions screens. I wanted people to know the name of the great, the beautiful, the talented: Katie Pezzutto.

In many ways, I was on the fast track, catapulting godspeed toward my idea of success. I had almost finished my degree in English and Education, worked with magazines, signed with a modelling agency and scored an acting agent when I came flying off the track.

It took a nasty sickness to humble me.

It was the third day of my trip to Hawaii when a gut-wrenching illness decided to smash me across the face. I had just emptied my latest glass of ginger ale and Hawaiian chips into the toilet when I heard My Father’s voice.

“Kate, I don’t want you to finish your Education degree.”

Still, letting go of the plans for my life hurt. Being a factophile, I needed to know that giving my ways up was what He wanted.

In the midst of my voracious digging, I figured something out: my life is not my own. When I dedicated my life to the Lord, I gave up my rights to decide what’s best for me. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”

Great-o. Just great-o.

To those of us who are ambitious and have our entire lives carved out, giving up your plans for your life can sound like a death sentence. It is. But it’s a death

march to a life camp. In plain English, dying to yourself is one of the most refreshing experiences on planet Earth.

Through experience, I’ve discovered there’s so much freedom in it.

Since I decided to start the day giving my plans and desires to God, I am no longer defined by my ability to plan, execute, and accomplish. I am not defined by what I manage to accomplish in this life. Instead, I am defined by God’s unconditional love for me. Romans 8:38-39, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I am learning to find deep peace in His presence alone and not look to earthly accomplishments to bring me joy. God and His presence are what fulfill the deepest longings and needs of my soul.

If you are putting your hope in a career idea, a relationship or a longing instead of clinging to Him, repent for having an idol above Him. Yeah, repent (a super unpopular word nowadays) but a powerful one nonetheless.

When you repent for holding your plans above His, the idea doesn’t hold you captive. Anxiety is replaced with peace; striving, with a sense of security and pleasure in the work you’ve been given.

Like I said earlier, freedom blossoms.

Ultimately, choose to trust that His plan is the best one for you and that He will give you a life worth living.

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make straight your paths.”

Surrendering your life to His purpose for your life is one of the most powerful things you can do. Trust me.

“Excuse me. God, what?”

I was floored. These few words flew in the face of everything I had been taught.

I mean Colossians 3:23! “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.”

Right? What the heck would my parents, husband, and friends think? I was convinced they would all see me as the laziest loser on earth. I met God’s words with apprehension, pain, and extreme distrust. I told Him to take His opinion elsewhere. Then I started asking questions.

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Katie Pezzutto FOTOGRAFIERENDE

Words by Daniel Dorman

M

ost of my mentors are dead.

They lived and died long before I was born, leaving behind something which has had a profound effect on my life: their words.

These mentors, being novelists, poets, playwrights, and philosophers, have thrown their voices across time to teach, encourage, rebuke, and enliven my life. They have brought me hope, peace, and wisdom — and most importantly, as good mentors do, they’ve shown me Christ.

Leo Tolstoy, in his novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich, created a character named Gerasim, a servant. And at one point in the story, Gerasim, in the midst of his task of helping someone into a coach, “sprang back to the porch, as if thinking about what else he might do.” Gerasim’s eagerness and humble service throughout the novella taught me something of Christ’s humility and servanthood.

A LIST OF MY DEAD MENTORS own; I see the way his pride pushes him inside himself causing horrible anxiousness and psychological instability. I even begin to see how my own pride is connected to the anxiety I experience, and yearn for Christ’s humility as a pathway to peace.

In King Lear, Shakespeare taught me the folly of despair, and in his 8th sonnet he showed me the value of family and marriage. In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen taught me the Another dead Russian mentor of mine, value of both reason and emotion in Fyodor Dostoevsky, wrote a little our lives and in relationships. In Animal book called Notes From Underground.

Farm, George Orwell taught me the The psychological novel follows the value of truth and justice. In Paradise interior life of Lost, John Milton an anonymous taught me to hate narrator through the sin of pride, his anxious and in Paradise musings. This Regained he taught anonymous me to love Christ’s I hope we don’t forget narrator has righteousness. become for me there is a great wealth In “Affliction 3”, a strange sort George Herbert of mirror, I see of wisdom hiding in reminded me to his patterns of plain sight at every take up my cross thought in my

“

“

used book store.

daily, and to not lose sight of the bliss to come in the pain of this world. In Fathers and Sons, Ivan Turgenev taught me to honour my parents. In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway taught me that life without Christ is futile. In The Lord of The Rings, Tolkien taught me to have endurance in hope. In Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton taught me to be in awe of God’s creation. In The Horse and His Boy, C.S. Lewis reminded me that God has never left my side. The list goes on…

I often hear Christians mourning over the fact they haven’t found a mentor, and at times in my life I too have felt that weight. It is good to have someone come alongside you in person.

However, I hope we don’t forget there is a great wealth of wisdom hiding in plain sight at every used book store.

I encourage you to make a long list of dead mentors for yourself.

Daniel Dorman FOTOGRAFIERENDE

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 7

a call for gentle Christians Words by Heather Mitton There is a delicate dance that Christians engage in called the Theological TwoStep—which may be real, or possibly invented for this article. Stick with me.

The Two-Step goes something like this: Christian-A meets Christian-B. Christian-A, not knowing what ‘kind’ of Christian Christian-B is, cautiously floats a theological insight into conversation.

And maybe seats.

We are in a tricky season of faith.

I’m not sure exactly where it comes from (endless op-eds? echo chambers?) but it seems that conversations about faith are either enthusiastic agreements or swift denouncements, with not much space between.

Our ability to listen generously and genuinely seek to understand the other side of the table seems to be quietly shrinking, while Twitter threads and denominational battles and academic debates bang their chests, louder.

For a religion that is so interested in being ‘in the world and not of it’ we can sound eerily similar.

The idea of creating gentle spaces for conversation has become important to me as I reflect on my own journey with Jesus.

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When I was younger I had a keen desire to be loved and agreed with, by all. I was a young adult in a church that, like many, had lost the majority of its young adults. As a result, I felt like a beacon of light; a hope for the future of the local church. And I loved that. I volunteered for all of the committees, and signed up for all the initiatives and only disagreed when it didn’t ruffle any feathers.

It made me uncomfortable to be in a different ‘camp’ than others.

It bothered me to think people might question my level of faithfulness.

Which is why my mid-twenties, fullscale rebellion came as a surprise.

It began with a Masters of Divinity, a three-year revelation that not only did everyone not believe the same thing (about heaven, hell, Jesus, the church) but that I could be released from some of the beliefs that made me increasingly uncomfortable.

I simply hadn’t known there were any other options.

And I was mad.

Mad about clichés that diminished pain.

Mad about the black and white approach to grey issues.

Mad about the ‘such a shame they lost their way’ shutdown play.

“

It made me uncomfortable to be in a different ‘camp’ than others.

“

Christian-A quickly discerns that their ‘kind’ is welcomed by Christian-B and shares a little more, or makes a mental note that Christian-B is not a safe person to engage with and changes topics.

It made some people uncomfortable.

In fairness, at times it made me uncomfortable.

In that season, I quickly learned that not everyone is a safe sounding board for talking things out. While I was the most engaged and invested I had ever been in my relationship with Jesus, I was also lonely, understanding that it was easier to keep much of it to myself.

Then I found a group of people. A small group, if you like, though it seems a noble term for church friends who like nachos and talking. These people were interested in theology and doubt and faith and church. They were committed to Jesus, but curious about—and inspired by—His great mysteries.

Each of us had come from a place of ‘do it because you’re supposed to’ and together grew into a philosophy of ‘Why do we do this? Why does it matter? How does it fit into our understanding of Jesus?’

These were the people I could ‘lay it all out there’ for. The doubts. The questions. The frustrations. The joys.

“I asked questions. I read. I asked harder

questions... I began to enjoy problems that had no apparent answers.

“

So I asked questions. I read. I asked harder questions. I experimented with concepts and theologies. I began to enjoy problems that had no apparent answers.

I hope you have those people, too.

People, it turns out, are important.

People can make or break an unfolding faith journey.

People can encourage honest conversation or shut down anything that seems different.

People can patiently wait as someone takes slow steps forward, or scold them to hurry up and get there.

People can demolish someone in a debate or become genuinely curious about what has brought them to that place.

gentle spaces for conversation and authenticity.

So let us be people who approach this big, confusing, fantastic faith with humility and an open hand. Who evaluate beliefs, not people; who never consider banishing anyone from the conversation; who make space at the table.

Christianity should never be a Theological Two-Step to determine who belongs to whom, but a gracious exchange to honour those who belong to Him.

And you are someones ‘people’.

Whether we are the closest of friends, another body on a committee or a voice on a blog, we all have a hand in creating

Heather Mitton JOSHUA NESS

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Why is Mentorship Important?

Words by Matthew Demitroff

A

t the age of 13, my spirit was stretching and I longed to grow deeper with God. I grew up in the church and it was apparent that the desire to serve God was present in my life. Youth group became a stepping stone where I could learn more about who God was outside of service on Sunday, bringing my spirituality to a deeper level.

At youth group, I experienced what my heart was desperately seeking, solidifying my faith. Youth group was not just a place where I gathered every Monday and Wednesday — it was a place that changed my life, spearheaded by the work of Matt Ferguson. Matt came into my life when I began high school and helped develop my talents and abilities.

He helped me through every situation of abuse and difficulty that I faced in my past and present, and he brought me back to Jesus in the midst of confusion and uncertainty. As a teenager, I had many passions and it was Matt who helped guide those desires into avenues that would take my relationship with God to a new frontier. He challenged me and I wanted to be just like him, as he was like Jesus. Because of this, I asked Matt for his perspective on youth ministry.

What inspired you to become involved in youth ministry?

Matt: I never had a youth leader growing up who was a mentor to me.

I went through a phase of my life in Grade 12 and through college where I went to parties and experimented with drugs and alcohol. It is a time of my life I wish I didn’t go through, as I was distant from God. I hoped I could 10 | LOVEISMOVING.CA

offer the youth some insight from my experiences so they would hopefully learn from my mistakes and avoid the same ones I made.

Why is youth leadership/ mentorship important?

Matt: It’s important youth have people they can trust and relate with, and who can offer wisdom and be a sounding board for them when they need to vent.

As a youth leader, I always try my best to point them to God and help them look for Him in whatever they are going

on them. I speak the Word of God into their lives and continually point them to seek God themselves through spending time with Him, by reading the Bible, worshipping, praying, and spending time with other Christians.

It’s making sure youth can count on you to be there for them and that you will be honest with them and hold them accountable to the Word of God. Often, opportunities to show God’s love comes from various activities and outings and conversations they enjoy being part of.

Following up with the youth all the way into college or university is also very important to keep the communication and relationship going.

What are some qualities of a good youth leader?

“I experienced what my heart was desperately seeking, solidifying my faith.”

through. There are many sources for kids nowadays to find answers to their problems, so it’s very important they have a person in their life they can turn to who will share with them Scripture to help them live by.

Matt: Qualities of a good youth leader are the fruits of the Spirit, and the best way to possess and grow the fruits of the Spirit is to spend time in God’s Word daily and to pray frequently with thanksgiving and praise, asking the Holy Spirit to lead and speak through you. It comes down to wanting more of God coming through and less of ourselves.

What do you think youth mentorship looks like?

Matt: Youth mentorship is a relationship built on trust and care where I try to show them that they are important and loved by an awesome Creator who will never turn His back

Matthew Demitroff ZACHARY NELSON

Words by Sarah Rhodes

I

’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise when I say that the heart takes longer to recover from conflict than the mind. We are more quick to understand that we should forgive someone with our mind than to truly forgive them from the heart — never to feel that familiar pang when visiting an unpleasant memory again. We all grow up with different lenses of what love should look like. Even against our better judgement, our hearts still beat to the drums of our childhood hurts and triumphs. Thankfully, Jesus provides His Spirit to fill in all the cracks with wisdom so we can stop the poisonous cycle of broken relationships.

This makes it all the more important to know how to deal with conflict in a healthy way and to watch our behaviour. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” A negative word or harsh action can literally affect how someone is lives their daily life.

By ignoring boundaries, we can open the door to damage that will affect how we treat others in the future and disrupt unity within the Body of Christ.

Sometimes, this can be unintentional.

That is why David prayed in the Psalms, “Save me from my unknown sin.”

He knew the effects of sin are deep, whether we are aware of it or not.

This prayer illustrates the desire for sanctification.

We are to be more like Christ — the same Christ who reconciled himself to His Church; the same Christ who distributes unconditional love and grace. Love does not keep record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:4-5), which means we must strive to hold the same standard for ourselves during times

WHEN CONFLICT STRIKES

must rule over it,” (Genesis 4:7). This can be applied to our behaviour towards others as well. We will be tempted to strike, to yell, to argue for our own way.

But we must rule over this, for the sake of the Church and for the sake of the world.

It’s important to remember “True healing is not found when we run... that the Lord is the only one who can bring [God] will visit the darkest places of your true healing.

His holy work inside of us is heart and turn them into light.” necessary. Jesus commands us to forgive, so if it is His will for us to of conflict with other people. It’s not forgive others, then He will equip us about us. to do so (Hebrews 13:20-21). We need When the Lord is speaking to Cain to be reminded of this. If we don’t about his conflict with his brother Abel, have this prayerful mindset, we often He states, “Sin is crouching at your attempt to heal ourselves through rash door; it desires to have you, but you

decisions that end up driving the stake in deeper. Only the Holy Spirit can reach our spirits; only the supernatural can heal something that is not physical.

True healing is not found when we run away from it. When we come to Jesus He will take our hurt and turn it into something that produces fruit. He will visit the darkest places of your heart and turn them into light. So, my prayer today is that you cease striving! Keep praying in surrender and allow Him to do what only He can do in every relationship you may have and in every circumstance you may experience.

Sarah Rhodes JON TYSON

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Words by Will Brown

I

love giving presents on Christmas morning. There’s an undeniable joy in watching someone’s face light up with excitement as they tear

be worried. Other times I tremble at the thought of what happens once I reach the 491st sin.

Many times throughout Scripture, Jesus uses a quantifiable measurement

comes back to Father Rodrigues for confession and to ask forgiveness for his sins. I won’t lie to you, Kichijro was like a villain to me. He was selfish, unreliable, and cowardly. He prayed the prayers, said the right things but when it came down to it, he jumped ship. One of the reasons why I disliked Kichijiro’s character so much is that I see a lot of myself in him. I can’t imagine the number of times I have come to the Lord, repeatedly asking for His forgiveness for the same sins.

(For)Giving Until There’s Nothing Left

Since I am His child, I am loved and accepted by Him. I belong to Him. I am forgiven. Good deeds will never earn me a place in Heaven. The only thing that washes me white as snow is the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross.

through the wrapping paper and open up something they’ve been wanting for months. Major holidays or life events have a way of invoking this kind of generosity, but it can be a daunting task to carry out a similar heart attitude in everyday life. Whether it’s paying for a stranger’s coffee, dropping someone off at a bus stop outside of your normal route, or lending a friend your phone charger when you’re both hanging on to the last five per cent of life — there are times when it’s harder to give freely and generously. This is especially true, in my opinion, when it comes to forgiveness.

True forgiveness is highlighted in Matthew 18:21-22: “Then Peter came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him, up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you, not seven times but seventy times seven!’” For those of you who didn’t just pull out your calculator (or drop out of Grade 12 math like I did), seven times 70 equals 490. Sometimes I see this number and sometimes think, Hmm, almost 500 strikes before I need to 12 | LOVEISMOVING.CA

to illustrate something immeasurable.

We are given a number so that our brains can attempt to understand the beauty and greatness of His grace.

I’m the first to admit that if we were keeping score, my 490 sins would add up relatively quickly. However, we serve a God who keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

I recently watched Silence, starring Andrew Garfield and Liam Neeson.

Andrew Garfield plays Father Sebastian Rodrigues, a Catholic priest who voyages to Japan to find his missing mentor, Father Cristóvão Ferreira (Liam Neeson), and continue his ministry, which has been outlawed in other Asian countries. As Father Rodrigues travels through Japan, he is guided by Kichijiro, a Japanese smuggler who was once a Christian but renounced his faith to escape execution. On several occasions, Kichijiro is captured

by Japanese dictators. To avoid punishment, he renounces his faith by stomping and spitting on an image of Jesus.

“Forgiveness is meant to draw us closer to the Father, not further apart.”

Despite his failings, Kichijiro

Forgiveness is meant to draw us closer to the Father. Similarly, it is meant to draw us closer to each other. I mentioned earlier how sometimes it’s easy to give and other times it is more difficult. Easiness is always attractive, but that’s not what God promises us or calls us to. If we truly desire to be more like God, chasing after His heart and living the life He has called us to, we must learn to forgive as freely and frequently as He does.

When we are sinned against, it hurts.

However, as Christians, we take refuge in knowing we have a Father who protects us and comforts us in times of trial. How can we understand the significance and beauty of Christ’s sacrifice if we do not share in His sufferings? How can we begin to comprehend the magnitude and significance of the forgiveness of our sins if we don’t recognize what He endured for us? If Jesus is our model, forgiveness should be the foundation of our faith.

We are put on this earth to love. To be unloving or unforgiving is to fail at the very thing we were created for.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,” Ephesians 4:32. When we choose forgiveness, we choose the way forward. The veil has been torn, the tomb has been emptied, the debt has been paid. All that is left is learning to receive and give the same love He showed for us.

Will Brown EVAN KIRBY

LOSING MY RELIGION Words by Sarah Evangeline

W

hen Jesus walked the earth, He cared more about relationships than rules.

Yet sometimes I feel like my religion has become a list of standards I must follow. For years, I lived trapped in the belief that I had to live for the approval of others. Some days I didn’t even recognize myself in the mirror. However, I have begun losing that idea of religion. I’ve begun critically thinking about the rules written on the walls of my box. I’ve asked myself: are these scripturally based rules or are they man-made?

I have decided to choose a personal, intimate relationship with my Saviour Jesus Christ instead of following a list of rules or traditions that I thought were expected of me. I have escaped the box I was once trapped in, and I am living out the true freedom I believe God designed for all of us.

them set us free. For instance, when God told Adam and Eve they could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden, except for the tree of knowledge, He was doing it out of love not bondage.

When God warns us against vanity and lust in the book of Proverbs, He is doing so because He knows we are better off living out a life of peace and joy.

What if these stories in the Bible were for our protection? What if God gave them to us as a warning because He wants us to liberate us? I’m losing my false religion because we were not Our God always operates out of a place of freedom. The Bible is full of many life created to live confined to a four-wall box, like the one lesson and I had for many “rules” for years. Have how to live you been living this life, but “I have escaped the box I was caged in too? If sometimes so, time’s up. we let these once trapped in and I am living lessons We have heard out the true freedom I believe restrict us the Jesus story instead so many times, God designed for all of us.” of letting

but it’s not just a story. It is the deepest example of God’s radical love He so desperately wants everyone to receive.

The gift of Jesus is the reason we can live in true freedom. As Jesus carried the cross that was meant for you and me, He was mocked, spat on and tormented. He had thorns digging deep into His head and blood gushing down His body. They whipped His body and the crowds cheered, “Crucify Him!” Yet, while He was on that cross, barely able to breathe, I believe He was still free. How? Because He lived out God’s truth and purpose, outside the four walls of false religion. Jesus broke many of the rules laid out by religious leaders of the time; He spent time with the prostitutes, healed the blind on the Sabbath and sat with the ceremonially unclean. And in doing so, He was fulfilling God’s will.

John 8:36 says, “So if the Son of Man has set you free, you are free indeed.”

Did you catch that last phrase? You are free indeed. The only one who keeps you trapped in a four-wall box is you.

Losing our false religion allows us to be real, both in our walk with Christ and for the sake of the people we see every day. We can choose grace and freedom over chains. That is why I’m letting go of my false religion.

Sarah Evangeline DIANA VARGAS

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 13

IT’S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY Words by Dagmar Morgan Dear Friends, It’s OKAY not to be okay.

On the days when it feels like you could use a field guide just to help you navigate life on this spinning globe hurtling through space and time, look no further than Sheila Walsh’s book of the same title.

It’s Okay Not to be Okay is filled with insights, stories, and hands-on ways that we can access Jesus and His teachings — and use the Bible for its intended purpose. As Sheila says, “the Bible is not a just book but a living letter, alive and able to change our lives.” In IONTBO, Sheila Walsh points us keenly to Jesus and the Bible as a tool and gift that transforms us.

Especially in this confusing modern world, Walsh helps us to dive deeper into God’s Word in a way that is not only meaningful but also intensely relevant.

Sitting beside her at a table in a 100 Huntley Street board room, her Bible perched between us, I had what I can only describe as a life-changing moment. We had a long conversation about her book and the personal journey it is based on. Many of us are trying to figure this all out: how to follow Jesus and find our way in the world. Though it is no easy feat, Walsh reminds us of the importance of putting Jesus at the front our lives and not thrown in the back.

As we chatted, I asked her to unpack what it means to only have Jesus as an afterthought or “hashtag” in our life.

In response, she told me the story of a specific time she spoke into a young man’s life about how God needs to be the centre of it all, even in our struggles and insecurities. She explained, “My son is twenty-one, and because he’s an only child, my husband and I determined early that our house would 14 | LOVEISMOVING.CA

“Walsh reminds us of the importance of putting Jesus at the front our lives and not thrown in the back.” be the place where everyone would hang out. So, we’ve had this awesome privilege of having conversations and getting to know many of the friends in our son’s life. One of these conversations happened not so long ago with a group of four of them who had a house and went on to college and university together. I was up visiting and one of the boys said, ‘Can you help me with this? I’m struggling with online pornography.”

And my thing was that if Jesus is just a hashtag in your life, everything that comes before the hashtag is up to you and you alone. He had tried everything to help with this—they had even taken off the door to his bedroom.

But when we sat down to really talk it through I told them, here’s the deal guys, you are all trying to do this by yourself. It’s like, I can stop this… I can stop this on my own and Jesus is a just a hashtag; “Oh, by the way, Lord, help me with this?” What if we shift this whole conversation so that it begins with, “Jesus, I struggle with pornography and I don’t want to. Can you help me?”

We came up with all these ideas of how my son and his friend could start their days together. For a whole year each morning, they shared what they were struggling with and laid it out on the table. Then asked the Lord to help them with it.

This is just one of the many ways that Walsh’s book brings us right back to the heart of Jesus. He is not a background player or an afterthought, but a key player in our future and present.

If we connect with him authentically there can be healing, love, hope and direction. We are not alone spinning out of control in this world. Instead, we are invited to dance through both hard times and good ones with an everloving God who wants to be there with us in every moment. It’s Okay Not to be Okay is a must read for youth-leaders, young adults and the people that love them. Find it where books are sold.

Dagmar Morgan BAKER BOOKS

COMPASSION This series is about youth who strive to develop this generation into one of compassion. They are responding to the brokenness in the world by taking action with Compassion Canada. We hope these stories inspire and encourage you.

HOW

Partner Spotlight

FRIENDSHIP CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Recognizing the power of connection in a broken world Friendship—it can be a minefield. Like any relationship, it can cause hurt and pain. But friendship is also one of the most powerful tools we have as Jesus followers.

2. Rally your friends and link arms to increase your impact.

You share everything with your friends—why not share your favourite cause with them?

Whether you need help running a fundraiser or event, or simply want to get people around you as passionate as you are about an issue or organization, your friends would probably love to learn about something you care so much about.

Host a movie screening themed around a specific issue, or celebrate your birthday by raising funds and awareness for your favourite organization!

It can be easy to feel alone and helpless when fighting things like poverty and injustice. By linking arms with friends, you can pool your efforts and resources to multiply your impact!

I regularly see the power of cross-cultural A great example of this is the many teens who friendship in the relationships built between choose to sponsor a Compassion child children and their Compassion together—splitting the amount 50-50, sponsors. While the direct care that or a third or quarter each. Alone, “good things children receive from their local they might not have the resources to church is central to the Compassion often require sponsor a child yet, but together they program, the love they receive are able to change the world of a child! us to step from someone on the other side of the world can be that extra encouragement and motivation when life gets tough.

outside our 3. Build a friendship with a comfort zone!” child in poverty.

It got me thinking—can friendship change the world? So much of Jesus’ ministry was built on simple friendship (see John 15:15)—and the beautiful discipleship opportunities that flowed from it. What could that look like for us?

Here are three ways friendship in your life can change the world:

1. Befriend someone different than you.

We could end so much conflict if we took the time to intentionally seek out friends who are different than us. It takes effort and might be a little awkward or uncomfortable at times—but good things often require us to step outside our comfort zone! Genuinely seek out relationships with people who disagree with you on certain issues. Seek out friends who are new to Canada.

Try to learn a new language from a native speaker.

Befriend someone much older or much younger than you.

Sponsoring with Compassion isn’t just about a monthly transaction—it’s an amazing way to befriend and learn from someone who lives in a totally different context than you. It’s about discipleship, both in your own life and in the life of the child you sponsor.

Maria (Peru) hugs an armful of letters from her sponsor.

Sienna and Praise in Kenya.

For Maria in Peru, the friendship she had with her sponsors through letter writing was the encouragement she needed when her parents separated. For Sienna and Praise—two girls from opposite sides of the world—the deep friendship they built through letters was evident when they had the opportunity to meet in person and make lasting memories together. It might seem old fashioned to make friends through letters, but Sienna and Praise show us otherwise! Sponsorship is so much more than a transaction, it’s about a relationship more powerful than poverty.

In a world that is fractured and broken, let’s be the kind of people who build beautiful connections—like Jesus did!

To become a Compassion sponsor, visit compassion.ca/sponsor-a-child.

Compassion Canada is an affiliate of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada Alyssa Esparaz

16 | LOVEISMOVING.CA

The Problem with Gifted Leadership

Words by Robbie Down “Don’t lead because you’re gifted, lead because you’re anointed,” Dave Jonsson told me at Catalyst Conference. That was an exhortation I have clung to much longer than I might have anticipated.

A group of about 15 youth from my church in BC were a part of a new leadership group that kicked off in 2016. Once a month, we would meet and drink from a firehose of information on how to grow deeper in our own faith, and then how to strategically lead others along that same path. The primary reason many of us joined was for the big trip. We were going to Cincinnati, Ohio for the biggest conference any of us had ever been to.

Fast forward to May 2017, we arrived in humid Cincinnati, feeling and looking (and probably smelling) like zombies after our delayed flights, which had deprived us of much needed sleep. We also lost our luggage on the way and

so made a stop at Target to have fresh clothes for the day. All in all, we made it, and oh was it worth it.

We quickly became immersed in the largest Christian atmosphere we had ever experienced. The hosts, the speakers, the worship—it was all engineered to engage.

While I was at the front worshipping with my peers, I saw Dave Jonsson, who was a speaker at the Bible camp I had worked at. I couldn’t

Although the conference itself was memorable, the most impactful time was our leadership group debriefing about our personal experiences at the conference. The leaders and students sat in a circle as we cried and laughed, sharing how we had been changed so much in one week. In those five hours, we shared more vulnerable things than ever before, even ivOnce those secrets were released into safe and loving hands, we were free to live the life God wants us to.

believe the odds of this coincidence, so So I shared. I shared how inauthentic I went over to say hello. After briefly I felt leading worship, and leading catching up, he said he wanted to pray conversations about Jesus out of my an exhortation over me. Between the own selfish desires to be seen. I was worship I was hearing and the words met with profound acceptance from Dave was praying the group. I later over me, I learned that this started to cry (or was an Ebenezer “I was met with profound sweat out of my moment, like in 1 eyes, as us guys 7, this was acceptance from the group.” Samuel call it) as I was a milestone on a overwhelmed by victory that God has God’s presence. won.

Dave prayed something that was parallel to my current place in faith and in my worship leading. I had been struggling with my pride getting in the way of my authenticity and the Spirit leading through me. But of course, he had no idea of that. “God, I pray that Robbie leads not because he is gifted, but because he is anointed by You.” That hit me like a wall, a wall of understanding and encouragement that it’s not about what we have, but about Who gives. I continue to remind myself of this truth day by day.

God is never done with you, even when you think there is too much going wrong (Isaiah 30:18). He moves in ways that we won’t always understand, and only sometimes get the joy of seeing it all in the light after the fact. My prayer for all who desire to bring Jesus to those around them, is that you lead not because you’re gifted, but because you’re anointed.

Robbie Down RAWPIXEL LOVEISMOVING.CA | 17

The Spines of Books & Cadavers

Encountering God in Different Academic Disciplines

criticism, I’m learning about OT theory, the anatomy of the human body (hello cadaver lab), and psychosocial determinants of occupation. It’s incredibly different.

Studying English was very deep, even holy, for me. I encountered God in novels like Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, which confronted me with my own idol worship, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, which reminded me of the braided beauty and sorrow of the Incarnation. I encountered God in literary theory too. What a privilege it is to be a creator imitating the Creator (which is part of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s literary theory). I encountered Him in the actual act of creation imitation; I wrote poems about seeing the face of God in the United Kingdom and creative nonfiction pieces exploring forgiveness as snow or the lack thereof.

Studying English has made me a better, deeper Christian, and I was worried I might lose that in switching disciplines.

Would I meet God in OT the way I met Him in English? I think the answer to that question is no – I won’t encounter Him in the same way, but I will encounter Him. In fact, I have already encountered him there. Remember what I said about cadavers, about seeing the intricacy of the human body firsthand? It adds a new dimension to thinking about people being fearfully and wonderfully made, to thinking about God wrenching Jacob’s hip out of place with just a touch.

Words by Carly Ververs I spent my undergraduate degree reading: I pitched a tent across the folds of books and climbed inside the pages. And now, as part of my graduate degree, I learn human anatomy on cadaveric specimens – touching muscles that look like brown turkey, pulling on tendons to see which movements the corresponding muscles cause, putting my fingers through the various openings of the heart, and palpating the boney peaks and dips of vertebrae.

Please don’t take that as me being disrespectful with the cadavers – I’m deeply grateful to those who have donated their bodies so that my classmates and I can learn. For me, studying the intricacy of the human body and seeing it firsthand has been a way I’ve seen God.

Jesus is present in all areas of life and, I don’t spend all my time in graduate more specifically, all areas of study. school with cadavers, but I wanted to In Matthew 28:20, Jesus tells His give you a mental picture that shows disciples, “And behold, I am with you how different my new area of study always, to the end of the age.” He is is from my old one. I completed my with us not only to undergrad in English the ends of the earth, at a small Christian but also in different university and now I’m disciplines and careers. studying occupational “Studying English was Now, I’m not so therapy at Queen’s very deep, even holy, for worried about what I University. might lose in switching me.

I encountered God academic disciplines; OT is a form of instead, I’m excited healthcare that helps in novels...” about what I’ll find enable people to do in studying OT that I the things they want didn’t find in English. and need to but are I might not have my currently having trouble doing, like nose pressed to the spine of a book self-care (e.g., getting dressed, eating), anymore, but I know I will encounter being productive (e.g., going to work God as I study the spine of a cadaver. or school), and leisure activities (e.g., sports, reading). In sharp contrast to my courses on creative writing, Carly Ververs Shakespeare, or the history of literary NICOLE HONEYWILL

18 | LOVEISMOVING.CA

Partner Spotlight

THE HEART OF AWANA Words by Kerry Provost

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John 13:35

I

n a recent conversation with a distant relative, I found myself explaining the heart of Awana.

What do we do? This isn’t difficult to answer — but as I reflect, I am realizing that it’s a good question to keep asking because it brings us to the core of who we are.

For almost 70 years, Awana has

that develops their understanding of who God is and how their faith applies to their lives. We don’t want kids to stop learning at David and Goliath. The material is designed to draw them into a deeper understanding of the Bible each year. Our goal runs deeper than head knowledge. We want kids to love the One who authored the words of Scripture.

“We want kids to love the One who authored the words of Scripture.”

partnered with churches to share the gospel and engage in long-term discipleship with children and youth.

This is the foundation of all of our curriculum from Puggles all the way to Journey; the gospel truth is woven through all of it. In fact, over 32,000 kids in Canada heard the Good News from Awana leaders during club time last year alone. However, our relationship with children and youth doesn’t end after a presentation of the Good News.

We strive to make

At Awana, children and youth have an

teach kids the gospel and engage in long-term discipleship with them.

Through this, they will learn what it means to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ. For us, this is the core of Awana.

opportunity to know Jesus through the Bible, but also through relationships with committed leaders and friends.

Each year the journey continues through age-appropriate curriculum

our ministry fun and engaging — merely memorizing verses has never been our approach.

Awana leaders work with kids to help them understand how to apply and live out the verses they are learning. What starts as an act of discipline translates into passion for a relationship with Jesus.

Along with our partner churches, we

Awana International Canada is an affiliate of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada MI PHAM LOVEISMOVING.CA | 19

THE BROKEN BEAUTY OF THE TABLE

moment, he offered them not only an invitation but instructions to remember him in his sacrifice. Of course the world has changed immeasurably since the Last Supper, so how do we know which form of remembrance is right and which one isn’t so right… especially when two churches literally say opposite things about it?

Words by Laura Puiras Today I got to take communion twice; partake in the Lord’s Supper; gather at the table; carry out the Eucharist. Call it what you will, I got to do that two times, at two different services!

And it really got me thinking.

From century to century, country to country, congregation to congregation, the ways his people take time to remember his death look different.

When we engage with the Last Supper narratives in the Gospels, we are led us not to a rigid formula, rather, to a gathering of disciples remembering the brokenness of his body and his blood poured out for us. All of us!

In the other service, while bringing us to a place of preparing our hearts for the Lord’s Supper, the person specifically said the words, “It’s not magic”. Ironically, it was a magician who was leading us in this service.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I had never heard of someone comparing communion to magic nor had I heard someone specifically comment on how communion is not magic. Yet back-toback, in one day… I had heard both.

In one service, the person leading us began by sharing a unique perspective they had recently learned from Peter Rollins. He shares about the three parts of the traditional vanishing act: And it really got me thinking. the pledge, the turn and the prestige.

Unfortunately for us, Jesus never “What if the magicians were took a chunk out of his earthcorrect? …What if Christianity walking and life-changing to actually is a magic trick, a slight specifically give a shout out “... all of hand, something that we’re to his 21 century followers all invited to participate in, that been breaking bread/serving wafers is wondrous and ultimately and drinking wine/wine + transformative.” She went on to invited water/grape juice to let us share his example of how this is to join know which analogies work expressed in the Eucharist: the and which do not. Fortunately pledge being the presentation Jesus for them, what he did do, was of the object, in our case, the at the remain entirely present in his elements; the turn taking place while remembering the when we consume the bread table.” context faithfulness of his Father. In and the wine and “make the fact, the Gospels tell us he had object disappear”; the prestige, really been looking forward to the magic, happening when we become celebrating the Passover feast with his the body of Christ extended to those disciples! around us through our love lived out.

Although much of what Jesus said to We prayed, we reflected and we his disciples was lost on them in the partook.

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Today, it was during the second time of gathering to remember Christ crucified that I finally slowed down long enough to hold the bread in my hands and turn it over before eating it in little bites; considering Jesus’ broken body.

I made my mini cup of wine last me two sips rather than a quick gulp and I contemplated every drop of precious blood that was shed for me, for us, on that day.

And so I’m thinking…

Maybe it’s not as important for all of us to say the exact same things about communion as it is that we partake in it together. Perhaps part of the beauty and excitement is that all of us, in our brokenness, with our different imaginations and experiences; theologies, names and analogies for this Sacrament of Remembering, have all been invited to join Jesus at the table.

Maybe Jesus wanted his disciples and what would become the Early Church and us and all of his followers of all time, to look forward to eating together and remembering him as much as he had been looking forward to his last supper with the original twelve.

Maybe it’s about even more than the action of eating and drinking together… Maybe it’s about looking forward to every chance we get to remember the one who died for us together, the one who forged an irrevocable connection with us and his Father.

That’s what I’m thinking.

Laura Puiras JOHANNA DAHLBERG

Losing It as I Get Older Words by Mike Gordon Do you remember who you always sat beside at church growing up? How about your little group of church friends — can you still remember their names? When was the last time you talked to them?

Ecclesiastes 4:11 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

I don’t think I understood the power of this verse until I started working in the post-secondary community ten years ago, and then onto the post-university and college stage of life. Personally, I don’t think I truly understood the significance of this verse until I found myself in this stage of life of myself.

Community and friendships matter.

In Canada, statistics show that around two out of three people who are raised in the church are no longer in the church by the time they are 22 years old. So what does this mean? The people who sat to the left and right of you on those gross youth group couches growing up may no longer be sitting next to you in this stage of life. When you hear this, and when you experience this, you begin to understand how important these strands were.

Do you have a Christian friend in your stage of life who you are intentionally

following Jesus with?

If something tragic happened in your life today, do you have two Christians in your stage of life you can text right way?

If you’re getting married, can you fill up your wedding party with other believers you are close to?

If we are being honest, many of us have not talked to the people who were in that “seat” over the years. As I have gotten older, I have noticed how much we start losing these connections, and more so, how much we are lacking these kinds of friendships and communities to help us in many areas of our spiritual walk.

Three things to help us as we get older

33%

About a third of people raised in the church are still there and are still walking with Christ. Are there ways to be more intentional to connect yourself with that community? Maybe you need to talk to someone different on a Sunday morning, or understand that “weird” guy from junior high isn’t as weird anymore. The reality is that there are people around you to create a new community with Christian friendships.

Maybe it starts with you putting yourself out there.

them somewhere on social media? The bond and memories you have through all those senior high all-nighters and those weekend retreats don’t completely go away - maybe they’re just waiting for someone to invite them back into this community. Are there two people you can intentionally reach out to after you read this?

0%

There are a lot of people we do life with at school or at work who have never been in a church community before.

I think it’s very easy to assume they will reject this, but the reality is you may be able to connect them with what they are deeply looking for. Could you imagine them sitting with you in church? Invite them out — You never know what God can do.

You have the power to build a community around you, and to create new friendships as you get older. This is vital to your Christian walk, and every other area of your life. My prayer for you is that you can seek this — be intentional and realize there are many people around you. Maybe it simply takes you being more intentional about community and friendships to rebuild these strands around you.

66%

About two-thirds have walked away and disconnected from Church. Do you still have their phone number? Do you have

Mike Gordon

Youth for Christ Canada www.mike-gordon.ca KARL FREDRICKSON LOVEISMOVING.CA | 12F

How to Plant a Church Words by Shawn LaVie It’s been an honour being involved with an expanding church in Prince Edward Island. Led by Pastor Howie MacMaster, Center Point Church is re-launching a second church located in Charlottetown – PEI’s historic capitol, at the Cineplex theatre, making Center Point PEI’s first church to meet at a Cineplex. From its humble beginnings in 2010, located in Montague, it’s been on Pastor Howie’s heart to expand and grow the church in Charlottetown.

goal. I felt encouraged by the other members – as well as extremely grateful to be involved. I slowly was able to see what God was doing in their lives, and how God had gifted them to propel us forward. I sat down with Pastor Howie to ask a few questions and discuss his thoughts.

compliment each other—that way all areas are covered. When assembled, place people where their passions are, and things start to come together.

Shawn: Can you tell me what the experience has been like relaunching Center Point Church?

Pastor Howie My church planting advice: 1) Make sure God has called you to it 100%, because it is challenging, and if He hasn’t led you to it… you will quit. 2) Make sure people affirm that you are a church planter. There are many tests with organizations to see if that is you. 3) Don’t go at it alone.

Have people involved with praying and keeping you accountable 4) Remember this is not about you–so don’t build the church on you and your personality, build it on Jesus, because He has said He will build His church and the gates of Hades will not prevail. 5) Learn from those who have done it before and get their advice; that way you can avoid major mistakes and pitfalls. 6) Gather people together who love Jesus and the Church and let them own the mission of planting, listen to their ideas and what God has put on their heart. 7) Give God the glory in all things! Keep on persevering because the enemy is real and he will send many challenges your way, so be prepared to get some battle scars.

Pastor Howie It has been one filled with prayer, excitement and at the same time a bit of fear and a ton of work. Prayer is vital. Bringing it to God at all times, asking Him to give wisdom and clarity and discernment, is so important. There is joy in obeying God, but also a bit of fear. The key is to allow God to dim the fear with a confidence in Him. After working through that, and making sure this is what God is leading, then it’s time to get to work for His glory! People do not realize that starting a church is a ton of work, and there are so many details that need to be planned and fall into place. Overall, the experience has been joyful as we grow confident in God’s leading.

Shawn: Tell us about the experience assembling a team of church members to help grow God’s kingdom.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Mathew 18:20

“

Part of his plan to accomplish this mission was to assemble a group of church members who also shared Pastor Howie’s passion to grow the church. I just happened to be one of those members with a passion to see the church grow. It was an absolutely extraordinary experience for me, coming together with other members of the church with a common

There is joy in obeying God, but also a bit of fear. The key is to allow God to dim the fear with a confidence in Him.

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“

Pastor Howie Assembling a team is so vital and should not be rushed into or taken lightly. There is a difference between a launch team and a core group. A launch team is initially started first, and then a core group grows later. Sometimes what can ruin a launch is not having the right people in the right places. So the key is to gather a launch team that is diverse in their gifts and abilities.

Get a team gathered that will

Shawn: Can you give the Love Is Moving readers advice on planting or relaunching a church – if God has placed this on their heart?

Shawn LaVie

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 10F

Three Shifting Priorities of Ministry Why aiming at mission creates authentic community and refined theology.

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Words by Andrew Wood “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” – Jesus, Mark 1:17 You know that feeling when Facebook reminds you of a post you made six years ago, and all you want to do is roll up in the fetal position? But instead, you start to investigate whether it was just that one post; you need to see if everything you said back then was just as cringeworthy.

The more you look, the more you regret.

Then you start looking at pictures, thinking, “Maybe at least I had some swag back then.” But you’re let down once again. You want to erase every picture you took and filter you used that you thought was cool, and every comment you made that you thought was profound.

Sometimes, looking back on my life journey can be a bit like revisiting my awkward, pre-puberty Instagram posts. I can see the seasons where I put in hard work and accomplished something meaningful, and the seasons where I was extremely lazy and had nothing going for me. I can look back and see seasons where I had some mad game with my romantic interests, and

theology happen best while on mission, and strong communities are built in the midst of shared mission.

seasons where my mom would have had a hard time lying to me about how handsome I was.

When you start seeing your past with some level of awareness, you also gain the ability to look forward on your life with that same awareness. You can start to see the seasons you are heading into and understand that they are only a season, even in the midst of one. You begin to trust the process of ups and downs.

I didn’t always think like that. When I first started to take Jesus seriously for myself I made it a priority to know and understand my own theology and philosophy. I felt as though step one in my discipleship to Jesus was to know what I thought about Jesus.

The goal was to have a strong defence for my reasons for following Jesus. I figured that if I started there I could find or build a community around that common goal. It was only then that I would “Go” (Matthew 28:18-20) and reach my neighbours and friends with the hope I’ve found in Jesus. I would categorize that season as fruitful, but not necessarily kingdom-building kind of fruitful. That season had its benefits, and I think God has used it to bless what he’s called me to today. But I felt that there was a lot missing.

My next season was prioritized by community. Diversity in theology didn’t matter as much, as long as we had community. I thought mission would be a by-product of community, that if we built a strong and healthy enough community, then people would be attracted to it. I believed peoples’ attraction to our healthy community would give us the chance to share the love of Jesus with them.

I’ve had a run at that for a few years, and have seen some fruitfulness from it. But I’ve also seen how easy it is to

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I say all this to suggest that I’m on the verge of a new season in my life, particularly as a follower of Jesus. In this new season the mission of God—to share the gospel of Jesus Christ through word and deed—is the primary target I’m trying to hit. That may appear elementary, so let me explain.

The community that God builds around me as a result of mission, will be the community that God uses to build his Kingdom.

Throughout my life so far, I’ve often separated ministry into three separate priorities: theology, community and mission. At different times, I pursued these priorities in different orders and in different ways. Of course, each one is important and closely intertwined with the others. However, I have come to believe that my primary focus should be on mission. Depth in discipleship and

get comfortable with your community.

I’ve found that when community is primary, you end up being surrounded by people who look and think a lot like you. We tend to organize around commonalities—I think that’s human

nature—and that’s okay. But I think there’s more to the mission of God. I read Mark 1:17 a little while back, and something dawned on me. When Jesus called his disciples to follow Him, He promised to make them into fishers of men. But he didn’t just promise that he would eventually make them into fishers of men after he trained them in theology, and built a solid community around himself. He told them he would make them fishers of men and then immediately took them to start fishing for men. The disciples said yes to Jesus and were immediately thrown into the game. Now, I don’t want to minimize the importance of equipping the disciples to make disciples, and their fruitfulness by doing so in community.

However, it is clear that Jesus highly prioritizes mission and taught his disciples to do the same.

I’m heading into a new season where I’ve committed to mission determining my community, and my theology being refined in the process. This is a season where sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through love and deed takes priority over my selfish attempts at community, and where the depth of my theological understanding will come from necessity on mission. I will no longer consider myself, or anyone else who has chosen to follow Jesus as ill-equipped to participate on mission, and instead suggest that it’s on mission where you will grow the most in your theology. I will no longer assume that the community that I build around myself will be attractive to people around me, just because I think it is.

Rather I’ll assume that the community that God builds around me as a result of mission, will be the community that God uses to build his Kingdom.

I can’t say how long this season will last, but I’m giving it a shot and praying all the way through it. I’m fully aware that in a few years from now, I may look back on this season of my life and cringe. My future self will consider my present self as immature and uninformed. My future self will likely have answers my present self doesn’t have and wisdom that will only be gained by living out this new season— and I’m surprisingly comfortable with that.

Andrew Wood FAHRUL AZMI

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 8F

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Words by Curtis Hartshorn

If someone had told me five years ago that I would be planting churches, I wouldn’t have believed them. The thought of starting a new church would have overwhelmed me to the core! If God told me to plant a church back then, I might have declined, justifying it by saying “I’m just not ready” or “It’s too hard.”

Church Was Meant To Be Simple

In 2016, my wife Sylvia and I travelled to Malawi, Africa through an internship program at Tyndale University and while there, I was given the opportunity to teach at a local seminary.

God used the students at this school to break our ministry box wide open, and bring us back to the Scriptures in a way that has left a lasting mark on our lives. One conversation in particular had a powerful influence on us; we listened to a student as he told us “They devoted themselves to the about his simple strategy for church apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, planting: he and his wife would save to the breaking of bread and to prayer. up enough money to travel to a village Everyone was filled with awe at the that didn’t have an established church, many wonders and signs performed they would call the neighbours out of by the apostles. All the believers their homes, share a meal with them, were together and had everything in and share the gospel with every single common.” (Acts 2:42-44) person in the village. Some people When I observed how the lifestyle of would respond, get saved, and he would the Malawian Christians lined up with baptize them and begin discipling them Acts 2 I had a profound realization so they could become the leaders of this about church: it was always meant to new local church. Being stripped away be simple. The Malawians didn’t have from our cultural context any of the requirements and seeing the strength or resources that were of the Malawians’ faith expected in my Canadian “I began to see a brought us back to the context, and yet they were Bible with fresh eyes, chasm between bearing significantly more ready to rediscover what fruit. Why? I believe it was the Church was meant to my life and my because they had a simple look like. understanding of but strong faith. They would For the remainder of my simply open the Bible and church and what I do what it said, trusting time in Malawi, I decided to go back to the Gospels to bless them as they saw in the Bible.” God and Acts. As I did this, did. And he has indeed I began to see a chasm blessed them immensely. between my life and my Currently, the church in understanding of church and what I Canada is facing a serious crisis. The saw in the Bible. Sylvia and I recognized statistics are clear that there are more how off-the-mark we were, and we churches closing their doors every year resolved to leave behind the shallow than there are new churches being walk with God that we had, and decided planted. We can’t keep up. I believe that to start planting churches like what we one of the largest underlying reasons saw in Acts 2. for this crisis is that we have made 7F | LOVEISMOVING.CA

church complicated, when it was always meant to be simple and easily reproducible.

A good friend and mentor of mine Troy Cooper calls this the problem of “Saul’s armour.” When David was about to fight Goliath, the leaders of Israel insisted that he put on King Saul’s armour for the fight. They thought that it would be the “wise” thing to do. The problem was that David had never put armour on, and he wasn’t a trained swordsman, so the effort meant to help him only hindered his ability to fight.

The rest of the story tells us that David decided to cast off the armour and approach Goliath with only a sling and stones, coming against his enemy with a simple, but powerful faith in who God is. I believe that in Canada, we too are at a point in time where God is calling His Church to cast off all of the extrabiblical requirements we have invented, and return to His simple commandment, “go and make disciples,” (Matthew 28:19).

Since our return from Africa, Sylvia and I have returned to the foundation of the church in Acts 2; we have been engaged in tons of evangelism, we’ve been baptizing new believers in our bathtub, meeting in our homes for teaching, worship and communion, sharing our possessions and helping each other financially, witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit as He heals people and sets them free from demons. We are continually growing in making our homes places of daily prayer where we cry out for revival.

In order to reach out to our neighbours and build a strong community of believers, we all decided to move into a high-rise apartment complex together.

As we have pressed on into this vision of simple church, our whole community would agree that it has brought a revival in our lives. We are sharing the gospel more than ever, praying with greater expectation, worshipping in greater freedom and enjoying life with God more than ever before.

Curtis Hartshorn PRISCILLA DU PREEZ

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40 We often use this passage in Scripture as a call to help those in our society who live in poverty. While this is a good, worthy, and biblical thing to do, I actually think that when Jesus is talking about His “brothers and sisters” in this passage, He is talking about the Church.

WHO ARE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS?

In Matthew 10, when Jesus sends his disciples out to go preach the Gospel, He tells them to live minimalist lives; to live literally as “little ones.” He tells them that when they go out into the world, “anyone who welcomes” them “welcomes [Him]”. He tells them that anyone who “gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:40-42). Matthew 25 repeats this theme by referring to his “brothers and sisters” as “the least” and describing these acts of kindness as offered to Jesus himself. The greek word for “brothers and sisters” in this context is adelphos, which most often points toward a specific group, not a universal humanity.

Words by Jesse Hove

Satan has thwarted our unity by convincing us that either God’s justice or God’s Word is at stake, and we must go to war with each other to protect it. On one side, if we show care and love toward the LGBTQ community, we threaten the authority of Scripture; on the other side, Evangelicals are mocked for what is perceived to be an archaic and draconian belief system.

We attack each other first because we don’t fit into each other’s political system, and think of each other as “brothers and sisters” in Christ second.

In the midst of our political confusion and hostile words, Jesus is trying to tell us that the answer is always Him, all the way down. Even if we don’t know exactly how it all plays out, the only chance we have to remove “the veil” from our hearts is to focus on Christ.

Now, I want to be clear, I am not in anyway saying we shouldn’t help those suffering and in poverty around us.

There is plenty of Scripture that teaches us to care for and love those in need.

We are made new in Christ, not to James 1:27 tells us, fall back into the same “Religion that God our old game of blame and Father accepts as pure Jesus comes We are made new shame. and faultless is this: to to the defense of the look after orphans and in Christ, not to fall woman “caught in widows in their distress.” back into the same adultery” in John 8 when My point is that Jesus the Pharisees attempt seems to also have old game of blame to stone her, but he also specific concern for how comes to the defense we treat each other—the and shame.” of the Mary who pours Church, His very body expensive perfume over (John 13:35; 1 John his head as an act of 3:17; John 4:20-21 narrow down to 1 devotion to him. Jesus’ own disciples reference). become “indignant” vat this act. They talk harshly about how the money could It is a good time to bring Matthew 25 have been “given to the poor” and was into its proper context, because the Church today is as divided as it has ever the equivalent of a “year’s wages.” Jesus rebukes them, tells them she has done been. Our current political climate, a beautiful thing, and that she will be caused in part by social media and remembered throughout the world. He the like, has Christians at each other’s then gives us the rather uncomfortable throats. Instead of focusing on Christ,

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words that “the poor you will always have with you” but “you will not always have me” (Mark 14:3-12, Matthew 26:6-13, Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-8 narrow down to 1 reference). Once again, Jesus is not saying we shouldn’t love and care for the poor; Jesus spent a large portion of his earthly ministry feeding and healing those in need. But Jesus knows that in the end, only He is the one who can “wipe every tear” from our eyes, and will end “death”, “mourning”, and “pain” (Revelation 21:4). We follow Jesus’ example of loving others and serving “the least” not to solve the injustice of this world, but because He is the deeper mystery that will ultimately solve it.

At the last supper, John’s Gospel tells us the “Devil had already prompted Judas” to “betray Jesus” (John 13:2).

Jesus knew Judas is set on his dark path, yet he still invites him to the table and washes his feet. In that moment, Jesus is not concerned with what is just or unjust, he is not concerned that Judas really doesn’t understand what it means to be His follower. Judas is a “brother” and He loves him. As we learn to love those beside us in the pews, may we reflect that final hope of Christ who died “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Jesse Hove HELENA LOPES

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 6F

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Column

Learning in Leadership with Shawn Naylor DON’T GET COMFORTABLE

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ver the years, I have run into people who are not doing what I saw them last doing.

Before I proceed, let me be clear: I am not opposed to change. Change is necessary, it is one of the key ingredients in innovation. What I’m hoping to dig at now is our commitment to a cause despite our circumstances. Back to the original thought; I am perplexed by those would-be leaders who leave their convictions behind for the sake of comfort. All great leaders, no matter the type, have always found or discovered a solution to the next phase in there leadership, even when things get hard.

leaders, not only in word but in action.

If we never meet in person, the fact that you are reading this article is an example of commitment over circumstances. Let me briefly explain: while attending a Canadian Youth Worker’s Conference, I brought my school bag along, which contained many of my day-to-day items. One of those items happened to be my laptop.

My laptop is the thing that I do almost ALL of my writing on. Now, in the commitment to my conviction (What I believe that I’m meant to do) I agreed to write on a regular basis in order to provide some insight to leaders.

Yet, at some point, David let his circumstances override his commitment to his cause, and one I needed my laptop, but by the time spring he stayed home for that I will need to hand the sake of comfort. “In this in, I will not have my the spring of the year, the laptop back. So, I could “I am perplexed time when kings go out to take the easy way out and battle, David sent Joab, retreat to the comforts by those would-be and his servants with him, of quitting, yielding and all Israel. And they leaders who leave their to my unfortunate ravaged the Ammonites and circumstances. Or, I could convictions behind for besieged Rabbah. But David rise up to the conviction remained at Jerusalem.” (2 of the cause and find a the sake of comfort.”

Samuel 11:1 ESV) solution. In this case, that solution is a 3.5 Things don’t get better inch screen and built-in for David. Because he keyboard: my smartphone. “A person stayed home, David, a man after cannot receive even one thing unless it God’s own heart, breaks 9 of the 10 is given him from heaven.” (John 3:27) commandments. When we leave our

Yet, many leaders abandon their posts because they are not living by conviction, but by the comfort of their circumstances. Some leaders leave because they don’t have a lot of followers (that is article for a later date), or maybe they don’t have a great youth band, or the latest stage and sound equipment or technological ministry innovation. Whatever the superficial lack may be, they decide to leave their post.

In theory, I myself have even done this. The person that comes to mind is David, the King of Israel. He was man who was called and anointed to be the earthly leader of Israel. David was a great leader; He was a king of action, a king who went off to war without hesitation.

commitment before God releases us, our actions have an incredible effect on the environment that we are in.

When it’s “spring time” it’s time to go battle—not to remain comfortable or quitting when it gets tough.

As I write this, I feel a deep conviction to raise up the next generation of

I was not given a laptop but was given a smartphone. What have you been given in your cause?

Blessings, Shawn Naylor

Shawn Naylor HELENA LOPES

5F | LOVEISMOVING.CA

SQUATTING IN FREEDOM Words by Erin Ford

S

weat dripped from my arms as I picked up the 27-pound weightlifting bar. The instructor’s voice, muted by the music in the gym, told me to bend deeper into my squat as I raised the bar over my head. I stared in front of me. I didn’t want to look in the mirror beside me and see the extra fat around my hips or notice my lack of muscle. I didn’t want to feel the shame of not being enough, looking good enough, or trying enough.

Instead, I fixed my eyes on the woman in front of me.

Easily four sizes smaller, she looked like she went to the gym every day.

Or maybe she was one of those girls who were skinny without even trying.

I watched her do the moves over and over. Maybe, I thought, if I did it the same way I would look just like her.

I’ve struggled with self-criticism and comparison my whole life. Perhaps it was rooted in feeling unsettled at home with my parents’ divorce. Perhaps it was because I always assessed my identity and performance in comparison with the people around me.

Was that supposed to change immediately when I started to follow Jesus? I wish it had. I wish I intrinsically believed that my body was an amazing gift and blessing. But instead, there are many days when I wished it looked like someone else’s body.

Why do I feel like my place in the world is related to how I view myself and how I think others view me? Being told by an elementary school bully that I was stupid and ugly hurt me to my core. It led me to believe that I was not enough.

Unwanted. Just like when my dad chose alcohol over me. The pain and the shame of it led to years of hidden

emotional eating. I drowned my stress and anxiety in late night cracker-eating sessions in bed — escaping into the world of Netflix.

has begun to challenge the deep-seated negative beliefs I had in myself. It exposed my fears, comparison, and critical self-thinking that thrived in secret and lurked in the depths of my heart.

Bringing them into the light helped me identify the root of those beliefs as sin.

I was able to confess and surrender them to Jesus in order to be cleansed and made new (1 John 1:7).

The gospel tells me that God created my body with purpose and pleasure. He shaped my waist and hips and no number of squats or lunges will change the eternal value or worth of who I am in Christ.

He invites me to tend to my body like a garden — feeding it good food and nourishing its growth and development. I am to also treat my body like a temple, the place where God dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Its beauty is magnified by the status and beauty of my heart.

Jesus invites me to steward my body because He died for it. My body was worth tears in the garden of Gethsemane. Even in those moments of comparison and discontent, He stands beside me, inviting me to follow Him once again.

Then, a season-of-life change launched me onto the journey of both physical and emotional healing. The idea of exercise had previously felt too overwhelming, but after a transition in Now, when I catch my reflection in the work and a move back to my university mirror, I smile. I’m there in freedom town, my life felt more emotionally because of Jesus. I can and spiritually stable. celebrate as I squat I started to assess my to the glory of God. I physical health and “Jesus invited me remind myself of the began attending the power in just showing to come to him to gym down the street up. I do my best to from where I lived. My encounter a heart steward my health and relationship with food honour the body God slowly changed as I transformation.” has gifted me. identified the triggers that led to emotional And I’m in it for the eating. I also changed my diet after long haul. One day, I want to have realizing I had a dairy allergy, and arms that are strong enough to carry placed healthy boundaries about when my children. I want to have hands I ate food. to pray for and comfort the grieving As I pursued a physical transformation, in my church. I want legs that are strong and capable of running with Jesus invited me to come to him to encounter a heart transformation. Each my grandchildren. I want feet that are willing to take the Gospel wherever step in the process was a step of faith, Jesus invites me to follow Him. trusting that because God loved and created my body, I needed to love it as well (Psalm 139:13-16). Committing to Erin Ford attend a local gym on a regular basis

ROBERTO DELGADO WEBB

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 4F

Love

Risks

Takes Words by Joel Erhardt

“If fear is the great enemy of intimacy, love is its true friend.”

Henri Nouwen Too often in our relationships, we trade honest vulnerability for a locked-up self. Sometimes, so the logic goes, it’s easier and less risky to interact with others without being fully vulnerable and honest with ourselves and with how we project ourselves to others.

The risk of being vulnerable and then being rejected is too high. To a lot of us (myself included), it seems like the risk is not worth reward, but is this true? As C.S Lewis notes, “to love at all is to be vulnerable” and this is the hardest but most beautiful part of life.

Sure, all these mottos sound nice, but it’s always easier said than done (cliche intended). It’s much more comfortable to simply believe that we ought to love one another but it’s much harder to actually love people. Like our relationships with people, theology can’t just be abstract head knowledge, it needs to be practical as well. We can’t simply be stuck in intellectual thoughts that ring true in our ears, we need to act on our beliefs—otherwise what good are they?

If we are stuck in trying to have all the right answers or to live the right kind of life, we will miss out on the whole point—it’s not about us. Love is never about us; it has everything to do with letting go of ourselves, our

expectations, and fears for the sake of someone else. It’s simply not enough to have your own private judgements that are only formulated by information content. Instead, our formation should involve love; for love is not just an emotion, value, or right way of thinking, it is an action directed toward the well-being of someone else. So, how do we do that? Well, it’s risky.

“Love is never about us; it has everything to do with letting go of ourselves, our expectations, and fears for the sake of someone else.”

In my own life, the most formational place to practice love was on a campground. At camp, terms like “community” and “discipleship” were common Christianese words that we would use. Sure, they were good to

hear, but these words contained more truth when I saw them being acted out. In particular, one person that I looked up to, who happened to be my direct supervisor, was helping me out while I was completing a difficult task.

Upon thanking him for his help he mentioned, “I would never make you do something that I wasn’t willing to do myself.” To this day those words have stuck with me, for whenever I’m interacting with friends, I try to act on that advice. In doing so, how I relate to others is not coercive or authoritative, but vulnerable, self-sacrificing, and others-centred. The same can be said not in just doing menial tasks at work but also in community and friendship with others.

In your communities and friendships, how can you act out a vulnerable love?

It’s risky… but that’s the whole point.

“We don’t believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true.” - Dallas Willard

Joel Erhardt BANTER SNAPS

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FLIPSIDE For leaders, by leaders. Flipside offers resources, articles and devotional tools for you to use personally or in your youth group or specific ministry context.

4F

Freedom

5F

Comfortable

9F

Shifting

7F Simple

13F The Table

Cover Thomas Cumberbatch

LOVEISMOVING.CA | 2F

ISSUE 31

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

CANADA’S CHRISTIAN YOUTH MAGAZINE

FLIPSIDE FOR LEADERS

Learning in Leadership with Shawn Naylor