Purpose
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Admiration of someone is a fascinating behaviour. It is almost always blind. We turn people into idols and then try to be like them. For example, I have long admired Eugene Peterson as a pastor, theologian, and writer. He was a brilliant thinker and phenomenal with words. I nearly turned him into an idol, something…
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The following is an essay I wrote for a course in the Master of Arts in Leadership, Theology and Society (MALTS) at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. I have edited it for an online audience. Introduction It is an elusive struggle to capture and retain a biblical concept of vocation, particularly as it relates to…
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The concept of congruency has intrigued me for years. The word congruent is actually quite an old word and comes from the Latin congruus which means “to come together” or “to agree.” This is a great word to use when evaluating goals and direction in life. I do this by asking myself one simple question.…
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Historically, there has always been some form of differentiation between that which is sacred and that which is secular. The terms may have changed over time and contexts, but the idea is similar: there is the world which we can experience with our senses and then there is some sort of other world which is…
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If you are fortunate enough to have a strong sense of personal calling or talent or giftedness, one of the great temptations will be pride. It is common for great leaders to think of themselves and what they are doing as a gift to the world. Os Guinness writes, One of the most common, subtle,…
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When you are alone, and there is no one holding you responsible for your actions, what motivates you to behave “properly”? Your answer to this question points to your foundation for morality. To whom, or for what, are you responsible? You may say something like “the Bible” or “God.” Or, you may say that you…
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We all have a default mode of operation. It’s how we operate in the moments when nothing is expected of us. When we are alone, on vacation, on a Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon. These are times when the demands have slowed to the point at which we may consider it to be “down…
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Historically, adversity is a familiar experience for the church. It has come in many forms, yet the church remains strong and growing. This is due to the eternal purpose given to us by Jesus: to know His ways, and to always be discipling until every tribe, tongue and nation has heard the gospel. In the…
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This teaching is a continuation of an ongoing theme that seeks to set a foundation for discovering your purpose. It may sound repetitive, but it is meant to reinforce a very elusive concept that followers of Jesus tend to forget constantly. “Calling is not only a matter of being and doing what we are but…
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God speaks to us in words, and our responsibility as his creatures is to listen, to trust, and to obey those words… [this] is missing among many followers of Christ today. The result is a casualness in faith and a slackness in behavior that show no sign of having listened to any call from Sinai…
William Knelsen 