SEVEN
MEN / GOD / LIFE MAY/ JUNE 2019 / ISSUE 66 NEWSSTAND PRICE CDN $4.95
CHARACTER DETERMINES SUCCESS
HOW SEAN BRANDOW’S FAITH INSPIRES
TURNING TRAGEDY INTO CALLING
WHEN YOU FEEL GOD'S NUDGING "DON'T PUT IT OFF"
MEN MAKING AN
IMPACT
FEATURE
2 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
“A SPIRITUAL FATHER TO MANY” ONE MAN’S JOURNEY OUT OF FATHERLESSNESS
BY FRANK STIRK
MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 3
4 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
N
ick Helliwell has a huge burden to bring the gospel to First Nations and Indigenous men who are as he once was — men from poor, dysfunctional families whose lives have been shattered by poverty, child abandonment, chemical dependency, and sexual abuse. And he’s convinced the key to making that connection is to help them grasp what being a father is all about. “When Jesus Christ called us to pray ‘Our Father,’ if we don’t have a connection with that word, then everything else is a fog and we’re just shooting in the dark,” says Helliwell. But once they do understand it, then real healing can begin. “I really honestly believe that it’ll bear fruit — not in the immediate but in the long term. I really think it’s going to turn around a generation of men.” Helliwell himself was caught up in the so-called Sixties Scoop, the government-sanctioned practice of “scooping up” Indigenous children from their families and placing them in foster homes or adopting them out to primarily white middle-class families, beginning in the late 1950s and continuing into the 1980s. He was taken from his mother before he was one, and went through 15 different foster homes before starting school. Then his Grade One teacher adopted him. But when that broke down, he re-entered foster care at age 13. By the time Helliwell reached adulthood, he had been through 26 foster homes.
“Write down your definition of “father.” What does the word mean? When Helliwell finally met his birth family, he discovered that some of them were very heavily involved in drugs and gangs. It was then, in January 1994, that Helliwell and his wife, Vivian — who had also been abused as a child and young adult — gave their lives to Jesus. Feeling that their inner-city church was not doing enough to help them deal with their many hurtful issues, they launched Healing Hearts Ministries the following September. “The principles,” he says, “really remain the same today — meeting people where they’re at, understanding that a lot of our behaviours come out the hurts of our past, and that a lot of the hurts of our past are generational. And so, as you begin to understand that larger context, and apply the reconciliation that’s available through Jesus Christ, that brings healing into your life.” For Helliwell personally, one pivotal moment of healing came in 2006 when he attended a Promise Keepers intensive called Discipleship Training Unleashed led by PK’s Director of Spiritual Formation at the time, Dr. Steve Masterson. The focus was on what it means to be a Godly man. “He put the question to me: ‘Write down your definition of “father.” What does the word mean?’ And I didn’t have anything. I had absolutely no concept, nothing that I could draw upon, that said this is what a father does,” Helliwell recalls. “When Steve Masterson, in wanting to pray for me, said, ‘I want to take spiritual responsibility for those men in your life who have failed you,’ that was a very significant healing for me.”
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If you’re angry, hurt, living a negative lifestyle, you can’t just simply turn that off for your kids and not pass that on.
Soon after that, the disciple became a leader. “Nick was one of the first guys to take that training,” says Community Relations Manager Ian Nairn. “He then proceeded over the years that we offered it to bring other leaders and future leaders into participating in that. “Nick’s got a real fire in his heart and his spirit to see First Nations and Indigenous men capture that vision of God’s design for them as men, as husbands, as fathers, as brothers, as warriors fighting for the hearts of others. He’s a spiritual father to many.” Today, Helliwell is Healing Hearts’ pastor to men, a chaplain at the Regina Provincial Corrections Centre, and a chaplain with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health District. He also visits a half-way house that helps men released from jail transition back into the community. “I’m reaching out to the dads in the jail,” he says. “Right now, I’m teaching the Spiritual Foundations of Fathering. This’ll be the fourteenth group. Over 250 men have taken it and it continues to be really an asked-for course. I’ve got guys that have taken it multiple times just so that they can really get it firmly entrenched in their lives so then they can apply the principles.” The challenge is massive. Last June, Statistics Canada reported that in 2016-17, Indigenous adults made up 76 per cent of Saskatchewan’s prison population compared to only 14 per cent of the general population. Even worse, the proportion of Indigenous youth sent to prisons across Canada that year was 25 per cent higher than ten years earlier. And yet Helliwell is convinced that despite all the damage done to them, First Nations people still possess a deep reservoir of faith in God. “The residential schools or the Sixties Scoop really served to strip people of the inner city of that essential connection,” he says. “This is where the Church has such an incredible opportunity — to help that First Nations man reconnect in an authentic expression to Jesus Christ. The only bridge is to say, ‘Jesus Christ is the Creator’ and all else follows.”
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“I love that vision,” says Nairn. “But what their leaders continue to say to us is, ‘We don’t want you to come in and do it for us. We want relationships.’ I’m waiting for that opportunity just to come and walk together with guys like that. In Nick’s case, he’s taken that vision and he’s living it out in his own family and his own circles of influence.” But life can still be hard. In July 2017, the Helliwell’s eldest daughter died from organ failure, leaving them with seven grandchildren to raise by themselves along with a foster child. Their other daughter and her son came to help out and stayed. For Nick, the grief and stress were so great that three months later, he suffered a heart attack. Today, 14 people make up the Helliwell household — including their first great-grandson who was born in February. And when a long-time friend passed away recently, he left behind two sons. They, Helliwell says, “practically live here as well.” However, he says the challenge is also a tremendous opportunity to build into the next generation. “You can’t pass on something you don’t have — and you will pass on things that you do have. If you’re angry, hurt, living a negative lifestyle, you can’t just simply turn that off for your kids and not pass that on. We need to acknowledge the past, acknowledge the sins of the past, find reconciliation, forgiveness, so that then we can have the fruit of the Spirit — love, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — to pass on.” “We’ve never had the fruit of the Spirit passed on to us and built into our lives as kids, and so, we can’t possibly pass it on,” he adds. “And that’s the connection I’m trying to teach.” To learn more about Healing Hearts Ministries, go to www.healinghearts.ca
/ FRANK STIRK lives in North Vancouver. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Streams in the Negev: Stories of How God is Starting to Redeem Vancouver (Urban Loft).
Help us to be there for them in the future. You care for the next generation of men as much as we do. You are praying for your children and grandchildren. We are too! People who donate funds to Promise Keepers Canada are sowing seeds into men’s lives to help them become followers of Jesus and to become better husbands and fathers. Promise Keepers Canada recommends the service of Abundance Canada to offer you complimentary assistance in strategic gift planning through your will. Abundance Canada is an expert in charitable gift planning and are available to you for a no cost, confidential consult, based on a Biblical understanding of generosity.
Please contact Mark Faasse, Director of Development and Marketing, Promise Keepers Canada for more information regarding this unique service. Email mfaasse@promisekeepers.ca or call 1.888.901.9700 ext. 330 MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 7
PK PODIUM
UNSUNG HEROES
FEATURES
THE MEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE
02 “A Spiritual Father to Many”
BY KIRK GILES
14 Character Determines Success 18 Turning Tragedy Into Calling
W
hen you think about the men who have influenced your life the most, what names come
to mind? For me, there are the obvious names like my dad, friends, and pastors. But then there are also the men nobody would know about. I am forever grateful for the way two men mentored me through my teen years. They believed in me, challenged me, and helped me walk with God. I am who I am today in large part because of the influence they had on my life. What they didn’t know is how they were preparing me for this role of serving men all across Canada. It is not difficult to find the stories of men who are creating havoc in the lives of others. The public conversation on toxic masculinity and the “Me Too” movement have been great examples of this. We believe it is also very important to celebrate the good and faithful men across Canada. These men are the unsung heroes who humbly seek to be the men God has designed them to be. They are men like the two mentors who invested in my life, or the guys who every day seek to be great husbands and fathers and servants in their church and community. As I travel across the country, I am privileged to meet so many men who simply want to be faithful men. They are not looking for glory or fame — they just want to follow Jesus. When you think about the men around you who are making a difference, I want to encourage you to do a few things:
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• Encourage them. Let them know you see their faithfulness, you are inspired by them, and they have been a blessing to you. • Pray for them. Ask them how you can be praying for them because you know it can’t always be easy to pursue faithful living. • Celebrate them. Find ways to acknowledge and celebrate publicly the work of Jesus in their life and through their life. I believe one of the ways we can change the story about men in our culture is to celebrate the good men — the men whose lives have been changed by Jesus and who are living for His glory. Men are inspired when they see the life of another godly man — it gives them something to aspire towards. As you read this edition of SEVEN, join us in celebrating how God is at work in and through the lives of these men. It is my hope that all of us will recognize how we are capable of being men who leave a trail of Godhonouring, life-giving impact in every environment we are in.
24 Unemployed to Unstoppable
COLUMNS 08 // PK Podium 28 // Sports Scene 30 // Out of My Depth 31 // Lives Worth Leading 32 // No Man as an Island
DEPARTMENTS 10 // The Pulse 33 // Music Reviews 34 // Power Play
EDITORIAL Questions and comments regarding editorial can be sent to ssukkau@promisekeepers.ca, or mailed to Promise Keepers Canada at the address provided. DESIGN DEVON WAGENAAR Devon J Andrew Design Inc. djadesign.ca PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA 210-3027 Harvester Road Burlington, ON L7N 3G7
/ KIRK GILES is the president of Promise Keepers Canada. However, his most important roles as a man are husband to Shannon and father to Carter, Joshua, Sydney and Samuel.
(905) 331-1830 info@promisekeepers.ca
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LIVING CHRISTIAN VALUES
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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
THE PULSE
BITS / BLIPS / BEATS / BLURBS THE LATEST NEWS FROM PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA FATHER’S DAY PARTNERSHIP / EACH FATHER’S DAY Promise Keepers Canada partners with hundreds of churches and organizations across Canada to bless the men in their communities. See how your church can give your men a gift for their spiritual growth. This year we have two great resources:
BITS / BLIPS / BEATS / BLURBS
IMPACT DEVOTIONAL
10 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
/ EVERY ONE OF us wants to know that his life matters. Call it the search for significance, a quest for meaning or the drive to leave a legacy — we want to know our life counts. We want to know we are making a difference, that someone has noticed our efforts and that our hard work is appreciated. And yet, the horrible truth is most men lead lives that don’t have a lasting legacy. Within a few short years, their hours at work, financial savings and hard efforts are forgotten. Time sweeps away all their efforts. There is another way. A way to live a life with lasting importance. Join us in this daily devotional, as we explore timeless wisdom and uncover the truth and the way to lead a life of eternal impact. Learn how to live the full life.
SEASONS OF FATHERHOOD / EACH SEASON OF sees a different role for us in which to operate. We will explore some key practices to help us succeed in our role for that season. The lessons in this book are what God has been teaching me about fathering four, remarkable people. Fatherhood is one of the greatest blessings, privileges, responsibilities, and adventures you will ever participate in. Dad, you are important, and you are needed. Always remember that. Let’s start exploring the seasons of fatherhood." —Kirk Giles
>> Visit www.promisekeepers.ca to order these resources for your church.
PK CANADA ONLINE COLLEGE COURSE
/ IMAGINE IF YOU had men in your church who were not just attending breakfasts or events but were living out their faith every day. Imagine the impact on families, seeing their husbands and fathers living out authentic faith; imagine the impact of godly men in your church and your community. To address this need, Promise Keepers Canada is introducing a new online college course in partnership with Pathways by Rocky Mountain College. The Blueprint course explores the biblical design and role of men, and the importance of the discipleship of men in shaping healthy families and churches. Students will understand how to address the primary spiritual battles men face. Blueprint will provide a practical framework to assist church leaders to personally disciple another man, build a church culture that will impact men’s lives, and build a disciple making men’s ministry. >> Learn more at: www.promisekeepers.ca/blueprintonline
LES HOMMES. DIEU. LA VIE. / PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA has launched a new French language website! The site features information about PK Canada and articles translated from SEVEN magazine. Known in French as Hommes de Parole, meaning Men of Their Word, you can see the new website at: www.hommesdeparole.ca
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PODCASTS EVERYDAY HEROES: SEAN BRANDOW — CHAPLAIN OF THE HUMBOLDT BRONCOS
BARRY SLAUENWHITE ON STRATEGIC COMPASSION
/ SEAN WAS TEAM chaplain when sixteen members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team tragically died in a bus accident on April 6, 2018. Forced into a spotlight to help a nation make sense of what happened, Sean was used by God to be a voice of comfort and truth in heart-breaking circumstances. We sit down with Sean a year later and discuss God’s grace in trying times.
/ AS CHRIST’S CHURCH, we are called to help those in need — but we’ve let ourselves become divided on how. The complexity of poverty itself can be paralyzing for everyone — especially those called to lead others in following Jesus. Compassion Canada’s President and CEO Barry Slauenwhite discusses with Kirk the gospel-centric strategy to winning the fight against poverty. Requiring more than our relief efforts or our evangelism individually, it will require us to be strategic in our compassion, focusing on the full depth and breadth of Jesus’ good news for the poor.
DEATH AND TAXES WITH ABUNDANCE CANADA
DON’T PLAY IT SAFE / WE ALL WANT to leave a godly legacy but how can we do this with our finances? This podcast episode helps bring clarity to the often-confusing world of money management both now and in the future. Abundance Canada is founded on a biblical understanding of generosity, and their gifting solutions are guided by three principles: • God’s love is abundant. Our generosity reflects our gratitude. • God gives freely. We are thoughtful stewards of the resources we have. • God invites us to share. Giving is a joyful experience that impacts others and changes us. Abundance inspires and encourages people to be generous by providing customized gifting solutions to facilitate their generosity.
/ JAMIE SNYDER BRINGS us a message about facing our fears and stepping out in faith. Will you to take the risk, knowing there is so much at stake? Jamie Snyder is a popular PK Canada speaker and lead pastor of Lakeside Christian Church, Kentucky, where he preaches and teaches to thousands each week. Though he has many roles-husband, father, preacher, writer, bookworm, table-tennis player extraordinaire — the most significant one is child of God. He resides with his wife and three children.
>> Find these and other podcasts at: www.promisekeepers.ca/podcast 12 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
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MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 13
FEATURE
CHARACTER DETE J HOW SEAN BRANDOW’S FAITH INSPIRES BY KIRK GILES
14 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
ust over a year ago, nobody outside of the small town of Humboldt, Saskatchewan knew the name Sean Brandow. How does someone from a community with a population of 6,000 people become a spiritual guide to a nation of 37-million? Millions of people across Canada were left in a state of shock and confusion last year when tragedy struck a group of young men after their team bus collided with a truck. Sixteen members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team tragically died on April 6, 2018. The Humboldt Broncos were not known by many people outside of the communities they played in. Today, the team, community, and all families involved are in the hearts and minds of people around the world. In a moment, Brandow, the team chaplain, was forced into a spotlight to help a nation make sense of what happened.
RMINES SUCCESS During a vigil streamed around the world, the team’s pastor Sean Brandow delivered a powerful message. Brandow has been honest about the confusion he is feeling. He was not afraid to ask the question so many others are asking — “Where is God?” In the midst of his own grief, he has been a man able to bring hope.
MORE THAN A MOTTO In his speech, Brandow shared the team motto painted on their bus: “Character Determines Success.” How is a man who is thrust into the darkest moments able to withstand the pressure? How can a man who is experiencing loss at such a deep level able to have the strength to help others? Character is most often revealed in the most difficult
seasons. I believe he has shown incredible character in the midst of tragedy. His speech gives us a glimpse of where this character comes from: “I told my church this this morning, I’ve never felt so empty in my life. I needed to be reminded of Jesus, I needed to hear from God in this darkness. I didn’t have anything to give because I wasn’t full of hope myself. As the verse ends, you know, may God fill you with that. God can fill you up so that you can be a blessing to somebody else, but if you don’t have hope, you can’t be a blessing to anyone else.” Brandow’s character has been shaped through his own relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Everything
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invested in his relationship with God has prepared him for this moment.
REAL INFLUENCE Here is the thing — we all have our own sphere of influence, we've been entrusted with people in our lives that are watching and listening to what we have to say. Many Canadian Christians believe their faith is being marginalized. This is why the story of Sean Brandow is even more remarkable. I know his faith has inspired me and many other men, and gave us an example of how we should be ready to share about God's work in our lives, whether it's one person, or a thousand.
TRANSPARENCY
PRESSING IN
I admire the moments of transparency he has shared. During the vigil following the accident, he said this when describing what it was like to be at the hospital:
Mr. Brandow has consistently, boldly and graciously pointed people to Jesus. We live in a time where most Christians in Canada seem afraid to talk about Jesus in public. We fear how people will push back or attack us. Sean Brandow has stared that fear in the face. Canadians are not angry about Jesus being part of the conversation. News agencies are played his speeches without editing the parts about Jesus. It was quite incredible to witness. Thankfully, most of us will never experience the same circumstances as Sean Brandow. His transparency, courage, and boldness are a great lesson to help all of us. Everyday we are around people who need Jesus. Imagine if we all pressed in to these opportunities in the same way. Today, millions of people across Canada know that God walks with the brokenhearted. Canadians have heard the hope of Jesus Christ because one broken man cared enough to speak. I am certain this is not the type of influence he envisioned or even desired. Sean Brandow has been a faithful man of God in this moment. I pray every person who has heard this message will have their life changed by God’s grace and mercy through Jesus.
“The only part of that Psalm 23 that was just read, for about 15 hours that I heard in my head was: Even though I walk through the valley of darkness. That’s all I heard. That’s it. That’s it. That’s all that went through my head, this is it, this is the valley of death, this is the valley of darkness. And all I saw was darkness. All I saw was hurt and anguish and fear and confusion. And I had nothing. Nothing. I’m a pastor, I’m supposed to have something.” There is something very powerful in this level of transparency and honesty. It is a reminder of our human condition. There is a level of weakness we all have — even when we are supposed to have all the answers.
COURAGE I admire the courage he has shown. Ernest Hemingway once said: “Courage is grace under pressure.” While most of us have not seen the private moments of Mr. Brandow — he has been a model of grace in the public eye. This type of courage is something for every man to aspire to.
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BOLDNESS I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Brandow speak at the National Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa. It was one of the most wonderful and powerful twenty minutes I have ever experienced. In a room packed with politicians, foreign dignitaries, political advisers, and leaders from business and faith — Sean Brandow clearly explained the Good News of Jesus Christ. He spoke about the need for all of us to have a heart transplant. At the Humboldt Broncos first game of the season, he once again spoke about Jesus. This message was not only for the people in the room, but was also shared on SportsNet to millions of Canadians.
/ Listen to our interview with Sean Brandow on the PK Canada Podcast.
All of life is ministry “I think every believer is called to be in fulltime ministry whatever their life situation.” Caleb Courtney [MTS] is a husband, father of four, high school teacher, worship leader and just completed the Master of Theological Studies program. He knew he could only afford a one-year leave to complete his masters, so he began planning a few years ago. Caleb has seen God open every door along the way. A percentage of Caleb’s salary was saved to fund a leave from his teaching job, and he received scholarships and awards. He also took advantage of flexible course modes such as online, evening and one-week intensives. This made it possible for him to still put his family time first. Caleb is now returning to work and plans to take on more of a teaching role at his church. “People have this idea of full-time ministry as being full-time in a church,” he says. “I think every believer is called to be in fulltime ministry whatever their life situation.”
Tyndale offers flexible full-time and part-time study options to meet your needs. Learn more. Visit Tyndale.ca or call 1.877.TYNDALE. MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 17
FEATURE
Turning Tragedy Into Calling WHEN YOU FEEL GOD'S NUDGING "DON'T PUT IT OFF" BY STEVEN SUKKAU
18 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
E
ight months after the car accident that changed his life forever, Jerry Poelman found himself in Zambia building a school in memory of his daughter. "It was an extremely emotional trip," he says, adding while the plan was to only work on one school, after it was finished he couldn't help but ask the question, "Are we done?" "As soon as we came back we just wanted to go again." Poelman and his family soon started a foundation in honour of his daughter Kyndra which raises money and sends teams to Africa with EduDeo to support education initiatives. He explains despite the deep loss they’ve experienced, his family's been blessed greatly by God over the years. Since God gave the Poelman’s a desire for mission work almost every member of the family has participated at one time or another, including their youngest daughter Kyndra in 2009. "God had given us a foundation to fall back on through experiences in life prior to Kyndra’s accident," he says. "We had lost a child two days after birth in 1986, Kimberly Ann. This was a time when we first sought the Lord and confessed Jesus as our Lord. Kyndra had an accident in 2011 and severed her left hand. We submitted this situation to God." Miraculously her hand was reattached and over the course of almost two years she regained use of her left hand. Poelman watched as she went from being a frustrated and unhappy girl before the accident to being positive influence and began planning to go to college in the fall. Then in 2014, driving into Lethbridge to write a test, Kyndra was killed in a car accident. Kyndra’s accident was on what would have been the 28th birthday of Kimberly, the daughter they had lost before. "All our family was nearby and this knocked us back on our knees. We each had our own grief struggle but through it all God laid it on our hearts over the next few weeks to serve God our Lord and take what was a tragedy and use it for something good. Our goal from the beginning is to find ways to support the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ to children and the most vulnerable, but ultimately to all who are in need. We did it to take a negative situation but do something eternal, something life changing out of it. This is only because God laid this on our hearts. We do not do any of this on our own. Some how God can take the down and broken and use them for His good works." For the last four years, the foundation holds an annual live auction and dinner. The last event saw 250 people attend and support from local churches and the community. He hopes to remain an encouragement to the people of Zambia, and says every team member that attends their mission trips return as ambassadors to the school
construction projects. He says as long as God continues to provide energy and people who want to support the cause, they will continue. He even has a list of people who want to come along for the next trip this fall. Though it all, his journey of loss has become a testimony of God's ability "to work good things out of bad things," Poelman says. "When you lose someone you're very broken and tender going through grief... it's been the hardest time in my life but also the closest I've ever felt to God." "I could just feel Him,” he adds. In that state, Poelman says you become more open to God's work in your life. However, he never sugarcoats suffering, "it's not an easy thing to walk through," Poelman explains, but he remains thankful for the opportunity to be Christ's hands and feet. While everyone processes grief differently, personally expressing his lament with an outward focus through building schools on the other side of the world has been healing. "Tragedy gives you compassion," he says. On the first trip to Zambia four years ago, the team couldn't begin work when they arrived because the community's chief had lost his own daughter and it was considered a time of grieving in the village. "There's so much loss in the country," he says. Since his own tragedy, Poelman has seen seven groups make trips with EduDeo and the impactful experience it offers. "They go through all the emotions, being thankful for what they have, seeing the joy of those even in poverty." In the end, he says the biggest takeaway for anyone wanting to live a meaningful life that makes a dent in the universe is simply being faithful in the little things. "We may get the opportunity to do more." "We didn't ever plan for this ministry, we'd never ask for it, and without our faith it may have never happened. Instead we had a foundation already there... then when something bad happened we leaned on God and He took us somewhere we didn't expect." Along with a foundation of faith, he says the key is being sensitive to your calling. "When you get that desire and push to do something, don't put it off… God is at work.”
/ STEVEN SUKKAU is a journalist living and working in Winkler, Manitoba. He splits his time between breaking stories, changing diapers and taking his wife on movie dates.
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22 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
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MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 23
FEATURE
MILLENNIAL ENTREPRENEUR SILENCES SKEPTICS
UNEMPLOYED TO 24 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
D
arrell Keezer is a fan of hustle. It’s something he looks for in his employees, and something he’s been no stranger to throughout the course of his eventful, yet still-young career. And at just 34 years of age, his business is showing no signs of slowing down. Keezer is the CEO of Candybox Marketing and Launch48, two companies based in Mississauga, Ontario that serve clients looking to beef up their online engagement with customers and patrons. Candybox is a marketing agency that uses a variety of tools and expertise to maximize exposure between their customer and patron base, such as better advertising placements, social media strategies, and building better experiences for visitors to their websites. It’s the latter that spawned the initiative Launch48, a separate company that shares the same office space as Candybox but is comprised of a separate staff. Launch48 specializes in designing websites for small businesses and organizations in just two workdays. Keezer’s staff plans content strategies for clients, builds the website, and then trains clients how to use it themselves going forward. Past clients include several Ontario-based churches and summer camps, for-profit companies focusing on investments, wealth management, and real estate, and even ThisIsMe TV, an online video storytelling project launched in association with Promise Keepers Canada.
STRESSFUL STARTUP Keezer released his first book, Pick Up Your Freaking Phone: The New Rules for Entrepreneurs in November of last year. The book details the story of what led Keezer to step out on his own as an entrepreneur after getting his start as a project manager at a software-as-service company. “My educational background is in marketing, but I got hired on for more of an IT role—I don’t know why,” he says. “But I actually helped this small business grow quite substantially.” Even early on, Keezer showed a knack for delivering big results from small starts, growing his team to the point where bigger companies began to take notice. “I started off with managing one person and after about two years I think the team was up to about nine people, who I personally had to hire on and manage,” he says. “And that was me being straight out of school.”
Despite that early success, Keezer’s penchant for growing talent ultimately led to a major setback. “Because we grew so much...we were fit for acquisition” he says. “We got acquired by a company and shortly thereafter that company, going through the recession, laid everybody off.” The layoff left Keezer with only $8,000 in severance in his bank account, facing the reality of a slow job market and providing for a growing family. “I was literally canned in 2008, right at the beginning of the recession—and nobody was hiring. At that time I had a kid that was a year old, and another one due in two months.” Keezer admits he’d always wanted to start his own company, but notes that the timing was definitely accelerated given his family’s needs around the time of his layoff. “When you’re faced with the pressure...and you’ve got eight weeks to get a paycheque...I made it happen quickly,” he says. “Literally the next morning after I was laid off I started Candybox Marketing and got on the phone and started making calls.”
STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE Keezer’s marketing background, his prior entrepreneurial inklings, combined with the need to provide for his family is what led him to launch Candybox, something he also saw as being important in an emerging business landscape with an increased focus on reaching new online markets. “I started Candybox because I knew there was a need out there for companies to execute digital campaigns really well, and I didn’t see any companies meeting that need.” Candybox was ranked 188th in Canadian Business’ 2018 “Growth 500” issue, profiling the top 500 fastest-growing businesses in Canada. Among marketing agencies, the company ranked 16th. With business moving at such a rapid pace, it’s required Keezer to pay close attention to the details of his own job as CEO. “I would say that my day-to-day changes completely every single year,” Keezer says. “Every year I kind of have to reinvent my job and make sure I’m doing the right things and not the wrong things.” So far it seems to have paid off, with Candybox expanding by half each of the last five years.
UNSTOPPABLE BY ROB HORSLEY
MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 25
I stick to my hours to make sure that my family gets the best of me. “I really have an amazing team of creative people, and it’s their job to really deliver on that strategy and it’s got to be theirs.”
DELIVERING THE GOODS
“We grow about 50 per cent every year,” he says, though he notes that he keeps a strict schedule so as not to let work affect his commitment to home life, calling himself a “stickler” for keeping the eight-to-five workday, something he says he’s passed on to his employees. “My guys work nine to five, and that’s it,” says Keezer, noting that this is not typical for the industry, where it would be far more common to start work at 8:00 A.M. and clock out at 6:30 P.M. while at the same time only being paid for eight hours. “That’s because it’s my value.” “As soon as 5 o’clock hits, I shut my laptop lid and I go and be dad because I just don’t want to work 80, 90-hour work weeks,” he says. “I could, and I could definitely make the hours count. But I stick to my hours to make sure that my family gets the best of me.” Being a husband and father of four young children has meant establishing a strict divide between professional and personal commitments. “I just wanted to make sure that right from the beginning I set up proper barriers, so that I don’t take advantage of it later on.” Although he isn’t involved in the creative work for individual accounts to the same extent anymore, Keezer does still spend a good deal of time trying to bring new business to the company. Such a routine sometimes forces him to be creative with how his workday is structured and the location at which business takes place. “I’ve got seven to eight meetings every single day...I also speak at around 50 events per year as a keynote speaker, and so I take a lot of meetings on the go. I’m an advocate of remote working and so you never really know where I am.” While reinventing his own job has meant more of a focus on big picture company plans for Candybox and Launch48, Keezer expresses confidence in his staff to provide good work for the more than 1,000 clients both companies seek to serve.
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The bottom line for the staff at Candybox is getting results for customers and clients, and helping them be better sellers of their own products and/or services. But driving engagement isn’t just a one-step process, Keezer says. It’s more like conducting an orchestra. “There are companies out there that do web design, there are companies that do Google advertising, and there are companies out there that do social media marketing. But really you need all these things...playing like independent instruments to make one song. And that song has to attract new customers,” says Keezer. “We help [our] customers figure out their song.” Keezer points to an example of one Christian camp who was looking to increase camper registration, a goal that was greatly exceeded thanks to the work of his creative staff. Candybox was “able to increase the registrations of camp members substantially, year-over-year, without changing their advertising,” Keezer says, “by adjusting how they say stuff on their website...” “I think there were like 55,000 campers, and we helped them gain so many new campers that they actually had to purchase another facility to handle the overflow. That’s really cool for us.” Another example involved an air-conditioning company looking to make a change with how their advertising dollars were spent. “We spent 12 per cent of their previous year [advertising] budget...and we got them six times the results they had the previous year just by converting everything to digital marketing,” Keezer says. “We’re dealing with some pretty big numbers in regards to what our expectations are.” Such results have helped cement a strong loyalty among satisfied customers. “All of our customers stay with us. Our retention is 12 times that of our competition. So we’re not really looking for new business all the time. We get so many referrals of people that want to work with us that, to be honest, we do turn down business.” A big part of what makes Candybox so successful, Keezer says, is the focus on a unified direction, and a refusal to
outsource any of individual components of a customer’s overall online marketing strategy. “[With] a lot of companies it’s like your website’s being built by three developers in the Philippines, your campaigns are being managed by guys in Bangladesh, your account manager is in Toronto, and your designer’s in Utah. Do all of these people really understand what we need to accomplish here? Are they acting as a team?” asks Keezer. “When we go into organizations, we’re not about selling products, we’re about helping them grow their company or their organization with a cohesive plan.”
THE MILLENNIAL QUESTION At the age of 34, Keezer sits well within the “millennial” demographic, the age bracket (sometimes referred to as Generation Y) born roughly between 1983 to 1996, often characterized as the group who came of age at the turn of the millennium. Keezer says that it shouldn’t strike anyone as noteworthy to see his level of success coming from someone relatively young such as himself. Millennials, he says, have been and are continuing to do great things. “Ten years ago [being young] was a bit of a barrier to entry — it was actually hard to sometimes get larger clients because they just thought that I was too young to be able to do it. I had to kind of pay my dues over the years [by] proving it,” he says. “Right now, being 34, I don’t feel like any of that stuff holds me back. I feel like ‘the millennial entrepreneur’ is kind of a very-accepted thing. There are 30-year-olds running billion-dollar companies. I think it’s more [accepted] now than it ever has been.” Some estimates claim about 37 per cent of Canadian workers are from Generation Y, and those numbers are expected to rise to 50 per cent by 2020, though Keezer says that might already be true. By 2025, about 75 per cent of Canada’s workforce will be comprised of millennials. Whatever the actual number is, Keezer says the sun might
We help our customers figure out their song.
already be setting on businesses that haven’t figured out how to engage those who now make up the largest segment of Canada’s employed population. “My concern is for any business that didn’t actually build a good millennial workforce to help with the succession plan, they’re already a little late to the game,” he says. “Those companies that haven’t been marketing to millennials for customers or haven’t been embracing millennials within their organizations, they just fizzle out and [won’t] be the same as they used to be. “Things like golf courses, from both the membership and leadership...they’re dying. And they’re dying a very painful death where they just can’t find engagement—but they never tried.” Keezer doesn’t exactly lament this reality, but doesn’t celebrate the death of legacy businesses either. He is, however, encouraged by the opportunities that exist for businesses who have chosen to look ahead to its next generation of workers and customers and have built their company roadmap with shifting demographics in mind. “I think there’s a pretty dark future ahead for companies that didn’t start thinking about this five or ten years ago when the warning signs were there...but a pretty bright future for any company that had actually adapted.” “I think it’s very exciting for new companies.”
BUILDING GOOD LIVES Two of the main things millennials want are finding a purpose, and flexibility within their professional lives, Keezer says. Finding those things in outdated business models and workplaces hesitant to adapt can be challenging. As an entrepreneur, he’s given his employees more freedom than has typically been the case for young workers until recent years. “I started a company because I didn’t just want to work for a corporation,” he says, adding that being ‘the boss’ has allowed him to provide those things for his staff, something he says he loves to do. “One of my passions is to build good lives,” he says. “I’ve just been privileged enough to be able to lead a company where I set the values.” Ultimately, Keezer hopes that his employees love their jobs as much as he loves his. “It’s an absolute privilege to be able to allow people within my company the same rights to an amazing job that I built for myself.”
/ ROB HORSLEY is a freelance writer and the former managing editor of SEVEN who lives in Saskatoon with his wife, daughter, and twin sons. Despite being a millennial himself, he has never found the taste of avocado particularly satisfying.
MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 27
SPORTS SCENE
A HOCKEY SUPERSTAR ON BEING A FAITHFUL STEWARD
THE JACCOB SLAVIN STORY BY CARTER BROOKS
F
aith. For some, it’s an ecclesiastical, life-changing, Armageddon moment that turns one into a believer. Usually those storylines are the glamourous, theatrical, ‘best viewed with 3D glasses’ kind of Hollywood plots. But unbeknownst to many, some of the strongest Christians were actually born into their faith, serving in lifelong, habitual daily practice.
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JACCOB SLAVIN, 25-year-old defenceman for the Carolina Hurricanes, is one of those whose faith story may not be radical, or be a fit for the silver screen, per say. However, the Denver, CO. native is a first-pairing blueliner on a surging Hurricanes squad, and the way he lives his life is, in fact, rather radical for today’s standards. Blessed with a heavy shot, a strong playmaking ability and many characteristics of a leader, the 2012 fourth-round draft pick made good on his three-year entry level contract, picking up 84 points and just 30 penalty minutes in 227 games for Carolina from 2015-2018. That rock-solid play from the Hurricanes’ back-end earned Slavin a hefty raise, to the tune of $37.1 million. Now a veteran of over 300 professional games and sitting comfortably in his fourth season with Carolina, the former United States Hockey League stalwart is enjoying his time in Raleigh, while using childhood teachings as a way of being mindful of his newly engifted finances. “Everything that I have been given has been given to me by God,” Slavin said. “So it can be taken away just as easy as that. My wife and I really do try our hardest to be faithful with our money, and how we spend it. As best as we can, we use good discernment with the things we are doing with it, where we give it, where we tithe it, ensuring that it’s put to good use.” “It is way more money than what we need, but obviously I think God has a great plan for it,” he continued. “It’s certainly a lot of money that can be used for good; it is definitely a blessing from God to be able to have that.” In the 2018-19 NHL season, Slavin teamed up with the Hurricanes for the Assist for Hunger campaign. Every time that Slavin recorded a point or assist during the regular season, he personally donated a significant portion of funds to the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation, while also en-
couraging fans to donate by offering But now that I’m out of the house, I’ve autographed memorabilia as incendiscovered that it’s really up to me tives. Through six months, the Assist to continue building my relationship for Hunger fund has raised over $20K. with Christ and the Church.” Donation does not always have to Married for four years, Slavin and be a quantifiable monethis wife Kylie currently EVERYTHING ary thing, something that bounce between a couple Slavin does not need to of congregations regularly, THAT I HAVE look far to discover. as work, hockey and travel BEEN GIVEN “Our team Chaplain, schedules keep the two HAS BEEN Sid Graham, leads us in always on the go. But as chapel after practice for 45 the Hurricanes’ defensive GIVEN TO ME minutes or so every week,” power play goal and BY GOD. SO IT the 6-foot-3, 210-pound blocked shot leader says, CAN BE TAKEN defenceman said. “He’s “we make it work”. a wonderful guy, and he “For me, Sunday’s AWAY JUST AS and his wife Kristin have aren’t always off days in EASY AS THAT. actually kind of become which we can make it to the ‘Raleigh parents’ of my church,” Slavin reflected. wife and I, as we like to say. We go “Thankfully, with the technology that there for dinner a lot; they are such we have these days, there’s various awesome people. However, everything services that you can stream online that Sid does for our team — much any day of the week. I truly think it like the other league chaplains — is all comes down to the community and completely voluntary. So he actually the people you surround yourself has to have another regular day job. with, however. The Church isn’t But he takes that time away from it just a building right? It’s the body of for us, so that is amazing of him. He is Christ. When you surround yourself a true example of Christian service.” with those kind of people you can Slavin, who was born into Wendi always feel that fellowship and that and Robert Slavin’s non-denominacommunity.” tional Christian home in Colorado, is one of the family’s five children to lace up a pair of skates… Yes, five children — all hockey players. / CARTER BROOKS is a news writer and “All my siblings, Josiah, Jordan, sports columnist situated in Winnipeg, Justin and Jeremiah each played as Manitoba. On top of reading and writing, well,” Jaccob Slavin said. “So once all coaching hockey is his favourite five of us were playing as kids at the pastime. Carter can be reached at same time, it kind of became tough to carterbrooks1994@gmail.com. make it to church every single Sunday. Photos by Colby Spence
MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 29
OUT OF MY DEPTH
A MODERN-DAY SUPERHERO
THE GENTLE GIANT OF KWAZULU-NATAL BY PAUL CARTER
S
hadrack Khumalo is not your ordinary pastor. For one thing he stands just over 6 feet 7 inches tall, but that is just the beginning of what I’ve come to love about this very special man. He is a rare breed in South Africa: He is a Zulu who speaks Zulu and also f luent English, he pastors a church that looks like the community: 80% black, 15% white and 5% Indian, and he clearly isn’t in it for the money. The so-called “Prosperity Gospel” is ubiquitous in South Africa. Every day I meet someone who calls himself an Apostle or who knows an Apostle or who goes to such and such Apostolic Church. Most of the “Christians” I’ve met in Africa see the faith of Jesus as a short cut to wealth, power and prestige — but not Shadrack. Shadrack gave up a good job working for the government to take a position in a church that many of his friends and advisors told him not to have anything to do with. It had been a white church with a history of white leadership and no one was sure how the congregation would respond to their first ever Zulu pastor. The church went through a mass exodus of whites — but then also a mass inf lux of Zulus and Indians, as well as several whites who had been hoping for an integrated church in their area. It was painful, it was slow, but it was change in the direction of Jesus Christ; thanks be to God!
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When I look out over that and his natural understanding of congregation now, I see people Zulu culture. Many of these NGO’s coming together in genuine Gospel are run by European missionaries community. And when I look at or by white South Africans, and Shadrack, I see a man who is in it they need a person who is respected for the glory of God and not for the within the Zulu culture in order to applause or approval of men. get things done with the local tribal I also see a man who is not authorities in terms of rezoning so focused on building his own property or dealing with thieves or ministry that he cannot or will not trouble makers in the area. Pastor take the time to help other Shadrack could have younger brothers equip decided that he would have A MAN WHO IS themselves for Christian no further dealings with IN IT FOR THE service. Pastor Shadrack white people — he walks GLORY OF GOD was instrumental in with a limp because of an resurrecting the Zululand abusive encounter with AND NOT FOR School Of The Bible which the South African Defense THE APPLAUSE Force back in the days of intends to deliver lowOR APPROVAL cost theological education Apartheid, but instead, to African men interesting he chooses to forgive and OF MEN. in pursuing Christian to move forward for the ministry. He also wanted to provide glory of Christ and the good of all an accredited program for Africans his people — men, women, boys and that could lead to ordination and girls, white, black and Indian — in vocational ministry within more South Africa. established denominations, so he He is, in my estimation, a modern opened an extension campus of day hero. Mukhanyo Theological College at his May God grant this country a church in Empangeni. In addition, hundred more men just like him in he regularly drives out to the rural the days and years ahead. areas in order to encourage younger pastors in their ministry. In addition to all of this, Shadrack sits on the Board of Directors for two local orphanages. The NGO’s have recognized what a special and / To listen to Paul’s Into The Word strategic person he is, and they are devotional podcast visit the TGC Canada all eager to benefit from his expertise website; you can also find it on iTunes.
LIVES WORTH LEADING
HOLY DISCONTENT
WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO GET M.A.D BY COLIN MCCARTNEY
I
n one of the ministries we are involved in we have a program called M.A.D — Make A Difference. We tell our people they need to get M.A.D when they see something that is happening that they know is wrong. It is our way of saying that they need to get busy making a difference instead of just complaining. You see, for us M.A.D is a great acronym for “Make A Difference,” and we hope to teach our people that getting upset about things in this world is not good enough. Instead of just getting angry at the world, we need to roll up our sleeves and “Make A Difference” in our world. I suspect that in the social media world of today it’s easy for too many people to relegate their need for involvement to “Make A Difference” to that of words not actions. After all, why “Make A Difference” in addressing world hunger through the action of sponsoring a child, when you can tweet a few words of indignation? Instead of rolling up your sleeves and volunteering in your church, why not just blog about how the church has become irrelevant? Why take the time out to tutor a child when you can tweet a few words about how bad our school system is? I genuinely fear that making a difference in our world in real practical ways has now been replaced by blogging and tweeting how we feel about things. It’s as if our own pious bluster on matters makes us feel good about ourselves
DEEDS NOT and excuses us from really was sick with a flu bug. The TWEETS GET having to get involved in day after that I was very ill PEOPLE’S people’s messy lives. Thank too. To spread a virus, one ATTENTION God Twitter has increased must be in close, hands-on the character count from proximity, and it was clear AND POINT 140 to 280! Now we can say to me that by spending THEM TO GOD. more and do less. As James time with Mom and being warns us concerning the in close proximity with poor according to the Colin McCartney her that, she passed her bug on to translation of Scripture; me. If people are to catch a germ, it is because they have been in contact with “If one of you blogs; ‘Go in peace; keep someone personally. No one catches warm and well fed,’ but does nothing a virus from a tweet but they can be about their physical needs, what good impacted through touch. In this way is it? In the same way, tweets by itself, I see the Gospel as a wonderful virus if it is not accompanied by action, is that spreads through hands on action. dead. But someone will say, ‘You have As Jesus said; tweets; I have deeds. Show me your tweets without deeds, and I will show “In the same way, let your light shine you my faith by my deeds. You believe before others, that they may see your that there is one God. Good! Even the good deeds and glorify your Father in demons believe that — and shudder. You heaven.” – Matthew 5:16 foolish person, do you want evidence that tweets and blogs without deeds is Remember, deeds-not tweets-get useless…As the body without the spirit people’s attention and point them is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” to God. – James 2: 16 – 20, 26 I liken making a difference to spreading a virus. Right now, as I type these words, I am battling a flu bug. I know where I got it — it’s my mother’s fault! I had visited her and she gave me hugs and kisses like any loving mother does to someone as special as me (Yes, you can read my humility in these words). The very next day I had to take her to the hospital because she
/ COLIN MCCARTNEY is an ordained minister, speaker, and a bestselling author. He is also the founder of UrbanPromise Toronto and now leads Connect Ministries in Toronto where he, his wife Judith, and their two children reside. For information in booking Colin as a speaker, please visit www.connectministries.org.
MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 31
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
JUST GET STARTED
HOW TO MAKE YOUR DENT IN THE UNIVERSE BY NEIL JOSEPHSON
BEGIN WITH THE
I
n the fall of 2017, my wife and I went to Italy. I had promised this trip to her in 2009 as a gift for a milestone birthday, so you can safely deduce two things: I do keep my promises… but I am not always the most timely! We spent the month of September seeing incredible things, learning a lot, enjoying some great food and wine and making beautiful memories. We also visited one cathedral that changed the way I look at life. Seriously. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, or the Duomo as many people call it, is found in the city of Florence. It’s a magnificent building but it wasn’t the architecture or the art that made the biggest impact on me, it was the story of how the cathedral came to be. It began with an inspiring vision — to build the largest church in the world. The builders laid the first stone in 1296, even though there was one small problem: the design called for a dome that no one knew how to build. No one had ever built a selfsupporting dome 150 feet in diameter, let alone constructed it on top of octagonal walls 80 metres high. There wasn’t even machinery that could lift the building material to that height! Still the builders got started doing what they knew how to do and built the rest of the church. The dome remained just a dream until 1420 when goldsmith Filippo Brunelleschi devised a plan to construct the dome and finish the church. And that is just what he did, finishing the dome 16 years later. The Duomo was consecrated in 1436 and it
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RESOURCES architect, Lorenzo Ghiberti, still stands magnificently YOU DO HAVE today almost 6 centuries jealous because he was not AND DON’T BE later. Great story, isn’t chosen to build the dome, PARALYZED BY it? But there are also slandered Brunelleschi’s some great principles for WHAT YOU DON’T work and his character and me and for you and for even arranged to have him anyone who wants to make an impact briefly imprisoned in 1434. In spite of on their world. the adversity, the work continued, and the project was completed two years 1. JUST GET STARTED. Begin with the later. resources you do have, and don’t be paralyzed by what you don’t have or 4. MAKE HONOURING GOD THE ULTIMATE GOAL. the questions that are unanswered. We can easily admire Brunelleschi’s The resources and the answers often genius and his indomitable spirit, but we come once we are moving forward. shouldn’t miss the fact that 114 metres The phrase we use around FamilyLife below his magnificent dome lay the Canada is “start where you are and do what reason for his work. The altar. His dome you can”. We can’t always control the completed the church and protected the ultimate fruit of our efforts, but we can focal point of worship for all who would count on this — if we don’t start, there gather there for centuries to come. will never be any fruit. Guaranteed. It’s a magnificent cathedral. But how it 2. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE DESTINATION. came to be is even more inspiring. The Over the 140 long years of building story of the Duomo has helped me think the Duomo, they kept a model of the differently about building greatness — in original design in an alcove as a guide my marriage, my family, my community and an inspiration to keep building. and our country. I hope it does the same When change seems slow and the goal for you. looks impossible, find ways to keep coming back to that vision for your life, your marriage, your ministry, your / NEIL JOSEPHSON is the National Director community, that first inspired you. with FamilyLife Canada.Neil, together with Journal it. Share it with friends. Pray it. his wife Sharol, lead FamilyLife Canada. Neil But don’t lose sight of it. loves to learn, teach and write about anything related to marriage, family and Christian 3. EXPECT SOME DIFFICULTIES. Not everything discipleship. Married since 1978, Neil and went smoothly for Brunelleschi. Cracks Sharol have two great sons, two awesome appeared in the dome in 1429, but he daugther-in-laws and four of the sweetest found a way to repair them. A local grandchildren ever.
MUSIC REVIEWS
THE WORK, VOL. 1 ELIAS DUMMER (Integrity Music)
WHEREVER I GO DAN BREMNES (Bremnes Ventures Inc)
AUTUMN & EVE, OLD TESTAMENTS VOL. 1 CINDY MORGAN (Cindy Morgan 2019)
/ ELIAS DUMMER HAS launched his own solo project after a successful ten year run with The City Harmonic. The lauded band parted ways in 2017 after multiple well-known hits like 'Holy (Wedding Day)' and 'Manifesto'. During their tenure, the outfit took home a Juno award along with 11 Covenant Awards. Now the Ontario native and Tennessee resident has released his new album, The Work Vol. 1, a more stripped-down acoustic offering that blends folk and worship music. Dummer explores and ultimately rejects the idea that we can earn "the good life" through our own hard work. On 'Enough' he sings, "With nothing; I still have everything/Jesus, you are enough for me."
And again on the title track, "I'm not made righteous by the sweat upon my brow/So here's my fear and trembling: I will never be enough/You’ve no expectation that when all the work is done/That I'll have done it on my own." Musically, the album maintains a pleasing balance between poignant acoustic singer/ songwriter tracks like ‘Enough’ and ‘The Work (It Ain’t Easy)’ and ground-shaking worship anthems like standout ‘This is Holy Ground’. While a departure from The City Harmonic’s sound, if you’re looking for something more contemplative and intimate, look no further than The Work Vol. 1.
/ AFTER TEASING FANS for the last year by releasing a number of singles over the airwaves and online, Dan Bremnes has officially launched the long-awaited full album, Wherever I Go, essentially doubling 2018’s seven song EP. However, in the interim, Bremnes seems to have discovered a refreshing new inspiration and what we’re left with feels like two distinct albums mashed together instead of one seamless venture. The first half of the album comes with familiar singles like title track, ‘Wherever I Go’ and standout ‘The Way’. Listening closely a narrative of a restless soul being hounded by a good God starts to take shape.
However, it’s on the album’s second half that the somewhat sleepy pop sound wakes up with highenergy ‘Thunder’ and ‘Let That Go’ which takes the a hard turn thematically from simply reflecting on God’s faithfulness to rising above fear and running deeper into a God-given destiny. Dance club style ’Scars’ is a slick addition that shines brightly with personality and charisma, and really seems to hit Bremnes’s vocal sweet spot, making the first half of 2018 singles feel a little subdued by comparison. While you can’t go wrong with a good album made even better and doubling in length, one can’t help but wonder if the experience might’ve been more cohesive as two separate offerings.
/ MYSTICAL, MYSTERIOUS AND ancient, the Old Testament is an enigmatic inspiration. However, CCM legend Cindy Morgan has transfused the lifeblood of Americana into such a staggering project; putting music to the primordial Judeo-Christian narratives. The tradition of Americana folk songs pairs so perfectly here it’s startling; the genre has always carried images of a people peering at the horizon, looking for a promise land while weathering and withering in the desert, an existence many knew during the hardships of the first century American south. Even with only six tracks on the first volume, the album feels expansive because Morgan’s voice carries such emotional weight and the lyrics weave
rich narratives filled with the haunting symbolism. Banjos, acoustic guitar, Morgan’s lilting, mature voice uses lyrics to pierce and prick the listener. Standout track, ‘Weight’ conveys the crushing disappointment God might’ve felt watching a beautiful world torn and fragmented by sin, watching as evil propagates seemingly unchecked. “And bad just gets worse/and that’s where I am now/the weight of this hurts/feels like it might burst/ And if I threw it off then all might be lost/so I lift it up.” We too, as God’s creation, look around and feel what was lost, and what could still be, and Morgan so powerfully conveys these emotions here. I can’t wait for volume two. For Christian folk fans this is simply essential listening.
/ STEVEN SUKKAU works in radio on the prairies of Southern Manitoba.
MAY / JUNE 2019 SEVEN 33
POWER PLAY
TOYS / TOOLS / TECHNOLOGY FROM HERE TO THERE AND FUN ALONG THE WAY BY SANDY MCMURRAY
MARVEL ENCYCLOPEDIA, NEW EDITION // amazon.ca Have you seen the latest Avengers movie? I won't spoil it for you, but this is the end of an era, and the beginning of a new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you're wondering what's next for Earth's mightiest heroes, check out the new edition of the best-selling Marvel Encyclopedia. Updated and expanded, this epic tome is the definitive Who's Who of Marvel Comics. Explore the vital statistics and secret histories of more than 1,200 Marvel characters including the future stars of Marvel movies. Stan Lee called the Marvel Encyclopedia, "a book that mankind has been hungering for, a book that is — now and forever — a shining beacon of wonder, a titanic tribute to talent unleashed." Stan always had a gift for modesty and understatement. All this can be yours (in hardcover!) for the low, low price of $45.
34 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
PORTABLE CAMPFIRE
// radiateportablecampfire.com Are you going camping this summer? Pack your tent, your sleeping bag, and some bug spray. Oh, and don't forget to bring the portable campfire. Radiate Portable Campfire burns for hours without kindling or firewood. It's reusable, environmentally friendly, and small enough to fit in your backpack. You just light it then enjoy. Each Radiate Portable Campfire is made from recycled soy wax and 100% recycled paper briquettes. Whether you're roasting marshmallows or just spending time with friends, the portable campfire is easy to light, easy to extinguish, and requires no cleanup. Each portable campfire costs about $40.
AUTOMATIC TOOTHBRUSH
// autobrush.com Brushing your teeth is so much work. Back and forth, up and down. Don't you wish there was an easier way? Well, now there is! Introducing AutoBrush, the automatic toothbrush that cleans all your teeth at once. It's perfect for anyone who has ever thought, "This electric toothbrush is nice but I wish I had both hands free right now." AutoBrush is easy to use. Just follow these simple steps: apply the special liquid foaming toothpaste, insert the brush head into your mouth, bite down so the silicone bristles wrap around all your teeth, and press the power button. Wait 30 seconds until AutoBrush stops vibrating then remove the brush head from your mouth, spit, and rinse. After that you just have to clean the silicone bristles and place AutoBrush on its wireless charging pad. (Be sure to keep the charger away from water. Also, do not immerse AutoBrush in water.) AutoBrush sells for about $100. Monthly subscription deals are available for the liquid foaming toothpaste and additional brush heads, which sell for about $10 each. There! Isn't that better than brushing your teeth the old fashioned way?
FISH PRO
// sea-doo.ca When you think of a Sea-Doo you probably don't think of fishing. At least, not until now. The new Fish Pro from Sea-Doo is a next generation fishing machine. It's nearly a foot longer than a regular Sea-Doo, with room for three riders and extra space for boarding and fishing. Features include trolling slots, tackle and bait storage, four rod holders, and a Garmin navigation system with fish-finder. The Fish Pro has a bench seat that makes it easy to switch from driver to passenger position. Slow Mode speed control gives superior trolling control at low speeds without using the throttle — you select a preset speed then just maintain and adjust as needed. And when you start to haul in the fish, there's a 50 litre cooler specially designed for fishing with a recessed work surface. The Sea-Doo Fish Pro sells for about $25,000.
ORA ELECTRIC CAR
// electriccarsreport.com Electric vehicles may be the future, but the prices are still too high. It's not just luxury models from Tesla and BMW that are out of reach for most people; even EVs from Ford and Chevrolet are too expensive to attract a crowd. Enter the ORA R1 electric vehicle, just announced by Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motors. It goes from 0-60 (mph) in 20 seconds and can travel up to 300 km on a single charge. Designed for urban travel and occasional highway driving, the ORA R1 has a very small (35 kW) electric motor that will limit its top speed to about 100 km/h. The key feature, however, is its price tag. Great Wall is selling the ORA R1 for about $10,000 (after tax incentives) in China, and has expressed interest in bringing the ORA brand to the rest of the world. We're not there yet, but cheaper electric vehicles are coming. Stay tuned.
PEDAL BOAT
// beaulake.com If a quiet day on the lake is more your speed, consider the Runabout Pedal Boat from Beau Lake. Imagine yourself in the cockpit, enjoying the sun and the sound of the waves lapping against the hull as you gently pedal your way across the water. Delightful! Beau Lake is a luxury brand, known for their beautiful boats and paddleboards. Classic design meets modern materials in the molded fiberglass body, hand-carved wooden tiller, and stainless steel hardware trim of the Runabout. Luxury features include thick leather seat covers and your choice of maple or mahogany for the inlaid veneer deck. The Runabout Pedal Boat, in navy with mahogany deck, sells for about $25,000.
36 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
ROVER GOLF CART
// followrover.com
You're walking down the middle of the fairway, thinking about your next shot. Your clubs and your yardages are looked after, and you're focused on playing your best. This is golf with Rover, the autonomous non-human caddie. Rover is the leader in following. It carries your bag, tracks your shots, and holds your drink. You walk and it follows wherever you go. All you have to do is walk and play. To play a round with Rover just place your bag on the caddie, clip on the transmitter and start walking. There are no joysticks or remote controls, just a relaxing, invigorating round of golf with Rover right behind you. The makers of Rover are looking for upscale golf communities where members take pride in playing golf "as it was meant to be played — where walking is preferred to riding, strategy is preferred to grip-it-and-rip-it, and hats come off after the last putt drops." You care about your health and your handicap. Rover can help.
BACON COOKING ARMOUR
// jdfoods.com Bacon is delicious but preparing it can be dangerous. The sizzle and pop that goes with frying bacon also signals the moment when hot grease is jumping out of the pan. Your exposed flesh is at risk. Naturally, if you're cooking bacon naked, the risk of injury is greater. The answer, obviously, is Naked Bacon Cooking Armor. It's colourful, lightweight, comfortable, and provides maximum bacon-cooking protection where you need it most. I wouldn't describe it as fashionable, but you might also want to cover your arms. Just saying. They're probably pretty close to the stove. Naked Bacon Cooking Armor sells for about $20.
/ SANDY MCMURRAY writes about games, toys, and gadgets at funspot.ca.
NEXT ISSUE
WOMEN Men may never understand women,
but their mystery and quiet strength remain an energizing presence in every man’s life. The crescendo of God’s creation, women add beauty and life into our world. It’s no wonder after the fall our spiritual enemy has sought to distort our perspective and dehumanize women, turning them into objects for our insatiable gaze and gratification. This issue we delve deep into how we ought to relate to women and how a better understanding of our differences can make for a better human race.
38 SEVEN MAY / JUNE 2019
N
NEW FROM KIRK GILES
THE SEASONS OF FATHERHOOD WHY DADS MATTER AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE
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“...so helpful and easy to read, every dad should read it. Written from his perspective as both a father and a leader of men, Kirk shares a wealth of wisdom, anecdotes and guidance for dads and grandads. This short book will make a long impression on each one of us who engage with it.” NEIL JOSEPHSON, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF FAMILYLIFE CANADA
“...a readable, practical manual for dads of all ages and stages. I’d pass this book on to any father I know.” DR. RICK REED, PRESIDENT OF HERITAGE COLLEGE & SEMINARY
ORDER NOW
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