Keep Your Eyes on the Light

 I recently underwent cataract surgery for both my eyes.  I wasn't nervous about the procedure-at least until I was being prepped.  Then I started thinking about how I was putting my faith in someone who I didn't know.  Someone who could have a hangover, a nasty fight with a colleague or who simply was unskilled.  

When everything was ready, I was given the simple instruction to 'keep looking at the light'.  As I was concentrating on that, I relaxed and was able to marvel at how wonderous it was that I lived in a time and a when my failing eye sight could be restored.

Life has a lot of challenges; cost of food and other living expenses, poor health, ailing family members, and much more.  I have learnt through the years that God will always bring me through.  The challenge doesn't disappear but the peace that can only come from my Heavenly Father gives me the faith to trust Him.

Keep your eyes on the light, the Light of God should be our daily mantra.

In His Name.

Church and Covid 19

 Chetwynd Community Church continues to be open as we follow the guidelines set out by the government.

Currently, we are restricted to ten people so we are holding two services:10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.  We would love to have you worship with us but please let us know so we can  add another service, if necessary.  

We are also offering our services on line with Zoom at 11:00 a.m..  Please look for the link on our Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/Chetwynd-Community-Church-112606505576693

If you have questions, need spiritual support or there is any other way we can help, please phone or text Pastor Aaron Oliveira at 705-380-5022.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble.  Psalm 46, verse 1

Seven Lies Modern Churches Need to Stop Believing

 s, let’s look at seven common lies which churches may swallow.

Lie #1: You need to see results or you’re not doing God’s will.

As humans who don’t see the grand scheme of reality God does, it can be easy for us to judge our ministries’ value based only on what we can see—results. We might suspect that if we don’t see our efforts drawing massive crowds (or any crowds), changing countless lives (or any lives), or making a major difference (or any difference), we must not be doing God’s will. 

True, a seeming lack of results may signal that we need to prayerfully re-evaluate whether we’re best stewarding the time and resources God has given us. But if we already know we’re performing the task God has called us to, and if we’re fulfilling it to the best of our abilities with the strength He provides, then our perceptions of the results are irrelevant. 

Think about the prophet Jeremiah. When God tasked Jeremiah to warn Israel of coming judgement, God told Jeremiah that the people would not repent (Jeremiah 7:27). Like Jeremiah, our job is not to “see results,” but to obey God. Our success does not lie in our impact, but in our faithfulness. And our worth does not rest in the world’s response to us, but in our Creator’s love for us. 

Lie #2: Age is proportionate to relevance.

Driven by the desire to see results, some churches may try sporting a youthful appearance in hopes of seeming “relevant.” We may believe that to look attractive to culture, we must appear modern. To appear modern, we must cater to the youthful and stylish. And to cater to the youthful, we must marginalize seniors. 

Two questions. First, where does Scripture say the church’s priority is to look attractive to culture? Granted, we don’t want to perpetuate the image that belief in God is outdated and irrelevant. But ask people why they might think belief in God is outdated, and you probably won’t hear them answer, “because churches occasionally play old hymns and may include elderly congregants.” 

More likely, you’ll hear people suggest that biblical teachings (and morals) are outdated because “the Bible is a bunch of myths” or “science has disproven Scripture.” Those are lies for another discussion. The point for now is that to show Christianity is relevant, we must demonstrate that its foundation is true—not that its followers are young.

Second, where does Scripture say seniors are less “relevant” than younger people? That’s a message we get from individualistic Western cultures, not from the Bible. If anything, Scripture teaches the significance of godly older adults in the Body of Christ, with elders playing central roles in both ancient Israel (Numbers 11:16) and the early church (1 Timothy 5:17). 

Lie #3: People of different ages and stages must be kept segregated.

Believing that age is proportionate to relevance, some congregations might relegate seniors to their own circles and services peripheral to those of the “real” church. Kids, teens, and young adults may also be shuttled away to their separate containers, abridging the Body of Christ into a careful selection of 31-59-year-olds. 

I’m absolutely all for offering churchgoers opportunities to access age-specific teaching and to connect with like-minded peers. Those are fantastic, invaluable aspects of belonging to a church—but they’re not the only aspects. If we’re solely learning from and interacting with our peers, then we’re selling ourselves far short. 

Personally, I began to deeply appreciate the need for intergenerational relationships within the church when I traveled asking Christian students what helped them keep their faith at university. Across the four continents I visited, students expressed the importance of having both like-minded peers and godly older mentors. Mentorship emerged as one of the top themes from my research!

But age segregation cuts Christians off from so much mentorship. It prevents generations from worshiping together, serving together, and learning from each other. How can we expect the Body of Christ to thrive if we’re disconnecting its members from one another? 

Lie #4: Cater to the individual’s comfort.

One reason why churchgoers may expect age-exclusive teaching is because Western churches have long been promoting a culture of Christian consumerism. The message goes, “You deserve a church that suits your tastes, fits your life, makes you comfortable, and keeps you happy.”

This brand of Churchianity teaches Christians to choose a church not by considering, “Does this community teach, believe, and live out the Bible? If so, how can I join in their mission?” Instead, it teaches people to come to church asking, “What’s in it for me?” 

Imagine if the early church adopted this same mindset. In that case, Paul may have encouraged believers in Philippians 2:3-8, “Do everything from selfish ambition and conceit, counting yourself more significant than others. Let each of you look only to his own interests. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who came to earth as royalty, demanding the treatment he rightly deserved.” 

If that sounds like the exact opposite of what Philippians 2:3-8 actually teaches—that’s because it is. In other words, promoting me-centered Christianity means advancing a message which runs contrary to the gospel.

Lie #5: Tell people what they want to hear.

One particularly deadly symptom of me-centered Christianity emerges when churches only communicate the kinds of messages which people want to hear. This happens when churchgoers become so conditioned to believe the church exists to make them ‘feel good’ that they refuse to tolerate any message which strikes them as offensive—including the gospel. 

At best, delivering only messages which people want to hear reduces the church to a self-help society or a social club. Church becomes a place where people can meet with friends, take in a concert, and experience a motivational message. In such churches, average people learn how to lead better existences—but dead souls do not learn Who can make them come alive. 

At worst, delivering the messages which people want to hear means spreading false doctrines. Paul warned about such situations in 2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV), explaining, “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”

Lie #6: If you ignore tough topics, they will go away.

Only teaching messages which people want to hear likely means avoiding difficult topics in hopes that the related issues will somehow disappear. Maybe this means dismissing parts of the Bible that are unpopular, uncomfortable, or controversial. Maybe it means silencing tough questions rather than seeking scriptural, logical answers.

Or maybe, it means refusing to take biblical action in the face of adversity, as did the many churchgoers who remained silent in Nazi-occupied Europe. 

Unfortunately, difficult issues don’t melt with neglect like ice cream dropped on a sidewalk. Instead, undiscussed topics, unanswered questions, and untaken actions only tend to fester over time, like a deep untreated wound. Cursory references, pat answers, and token responses likely won’t alleviate the situation any more than a band-aid will mitigate gangrene. 

Major issues demand major attention. They demand biblical discussion, biblical answers, and biblical responses. These responses, in turn, require immense amounts of wisdom and gentleness (Matthew 10:16), backed with prayer.

Lie #7: If culture and Scripture disagree, side with culture.

When the Bible contradicts our culture, we may be tempted to try adjusting the Scriptures themselves in response. Tweak a verse here, explain away a passage there. Just like that, we can dodge controversy, avoid looking weird, and—above all—stay “relevant.” Easy, right?

Easy…and disastrous. 

If we reinterpret, delete, or otherwise interfere with clear teachings from Scripture to accommodate human ideas from outside Scripture, then we’re treating the wisdom of error-prone humans as superior to the word of our infallible God. This elevates humans to illusionary godhood, essentially saying that truth is up to us—that the Bible can mean anything we want it to mean. Such a Bible means nothing whatsoever.

That’s how, by deeming humans right and God wrong, we make our faith irrelevant in our attempts to appear relevant.

Even reinterpreting seemingly minor teachings from Scripture can lead to major consequences. For instance, I’ve seen a professing Christian writer try to accommodate evolutionary teachings by removing a literal Adam from Genesis. But 1 Corinthians 15 affirms that an actual Adam committed actual sin leading to actual death for all humans, which is why Jesus had to die an actual death to pay for human sin.

Rejecting these teachings obligated the writer to conclude that Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was not to die for our sins, contrary to Scripture’s core salvation message. Ultimately, reinterpreting one teaching in Genesis meant eviscerating historic Christianity. 

No room for compromise

In the end, we see that one attempt to mesh Scripture with culture can undermine the gospel.  One lie can incapacitate a church. 

If only we had a way to recognize lies before they consume us.

We do. 

God’s word is our ultimate standard for truth. It’s the paramount litmus test for recognizing lies, the weapon for destroying lies, and the reality for replacing lies. By constantly filling ourselves up with God’s word, we can resist swallowing lies that would destroy us. We can grow strong on the truth which sustains us. And we can take wing in fulfilling our God-given purposes.

Patricia Engler is a Christian apologetics speaker, writer and Youth Outreach Coordinator for Answers in Genesis Canada. After 12 years of homeschool and a B.Sc. degree, she backpacked 360°around the world documenting how Christian students keep their faith at university. You can follow her stories and get connected at www.patriciaengler.com or answersingenesis.org.

Is Going to Church Important.

 Is being at church important to you?  With many services cancelled because of virus restrictions, it can be challenging to find a church that is open.  Some Christians are watching services on television, zoom or similar sources.

All those solutions are better than nothing but, personally, I don't think anything can truly take the place of getting together-in person, with your church family and worshipping our Lord.

In Ontario at least, church's are still allowed to be open if certain guidelines are followed.  Others are not so fortunate.  They are faced with having to decide between staying home and disobeying Provincial restrictions that may result in having to paying hefty fines.

When I was young (many decades ago) it was taken for granted the majority of people would be in church on Sunday.  Sunday was an important and sacred day even if you didn't attend services.  Salespeople wouldn't phone or knock on your door,  stores were closed and children were instructed to play quietly.

Now, Sunday is just another day of the weekend and those who do go church are considered to be religious fanatics or out of touch with the 'real' world.

Sunday is the day I set aside to go to church and as long as I am able, that is what I will do.  

Why Go to Church

Why do you go to church?  Some might say it is just what we do on Sunday's or, in other words, it is a habit.  To see my friends, might be another answer.
The Bible says that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25)  For the early church, that might not have been in a building designed for that purpose.  It was probably in a home or perhaps a field.  Jesus often did his teaching outside which would accommodate a large number of people as well as allowing women to participate.
Going to church when I was young, was quite a formal event.  Women and girls wore hats, gloves and skirts or dresses.  Men wore suits.  Nowadays, parishioners wear just about anything.  I confess I haven't quite adjusted to that although I no longer don a hat and matching gloves.
Church, I believe is the place where we gather to worship God, to receive encouragement, teaching and enjoy the fellowship of like minded people.  The most important of these reasons is to worship God.  He deserves our praise and while we can and should do that all the time , there is a special blessing when you do it with others.  Even if you go to a small country church, as I do, those few voice raised in singing praises bring peace and contentment.  I also believe it blesses the Lord.
We may not be able to devote vast amounts of money or time to the Lord.  We might not serve Him in foreign countries or as a full time pastor but we can be faithful in our church attendance.
When our neighbours are doing their shopping, laundry or playing golf, we go to church and we go because we want to gather with others to offer our Praise to our Lord.

How the Disciples Died.

An interesting read.

HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.

1. Matthew. Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia when he was killed by a sword wound.

2. Mark. Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.

3. Luke. Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

4. John. Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death.
John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully

5. Peter. He was crucified upside down on an x shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6. James. The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7. James the Son of Zebedee was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry.

As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial.

Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8. Bartholomew-also known as Nathaniel. He was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9. Andrew. He was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony.

His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words, "I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it". He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

10. Thomas. He was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Subcontinent.

11. Jude. He was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

12. Matthias was apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot. He was stoned and then beheaded.

13. Paul. He was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

Glad Sounds Choir.

Glad Sounds Choir will be bringing their voices and faith to Chetwynd Community Church on Nov. 24th.  A Fellowship Lunch will follow the service.  Please bring your favourite dessert, salad and/or dessert to share with others.  This yearly event is always greatly enjoyed by those in attendance and starts the Christmas season with a time of praise and peace.
Service starts at 10.45 as usual.