Allow me to share a small joy we are experiencing in my congregation. It’s the process of choosing music for our kid’s message. For years, we didn’t have wee ones or young parents but they’re starting to show up and we have enough regulars to warrant Sunday School and a weekly kids message. My music … Continue reading Jesus bids us shine
Author: Andy Cornell
Encouraging words are heard
We love feedback. Here are some recent comments and statements received by Renewal Fellowship. "If you have 1/3 of the denomination that holds to an orthodox theology you are still very well situated to be a positive force for missional change in the PCC. The odds have been far worse at various points in church … Continue reading Encouraging words are heard
Thank God for Holy Spirit revival
You’ve probably seen the news of what’s going on at Asbury University, a private Christian college in Kentucky. It started during a regular chapel service on February 8 – but didn’t stop. “After the benediction, the gospel choir began to sing a final chorus—and then something began to happen that defies easy description. Students did … Continue reading Thank God for Holy Spirit revival
The Joy of Orthodoxy
There are fewer things more joyful than talking about our faith. It’s the stuff which keeps us together. Traditional, historic, evangelical, Christ-centred faith – preservation of orthodoxy, for want of a better name – is why Renewal Fellowship exists. What exactly is orthodoxy? In the view of the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s “belief in or … Continue reading The Joy of Orthodoxy
Let’s be “inclusive” of orthodoxy
Has “liberty of conscience and action” replaced “no divisive course” as the touchstone phrase in our polity? Ministers, elders and deacons promise in our ordination vows to “follow no divisive course but to seek the peace and unity of Christ among your people” and the wider church. It’s widely quoted and tacitly accepted, even though … Continue reading Let’s be “inclusive” of orthodoxy
Orthodoxy in the PCC
No matter what the flavour of our congregation, we are the Stay ‘n Pray group. But we are only part of the family. Among those who adhere to Reformed orthodoxy are those who are Planning to Depart. A few have a plan in place while most are still figuring out a way. Some who have already found New Pasture. And a final group, Discerning, isn’t completely sure where they will be in five years. … Read more
On the road again
RF Executive Director Andy Cornell, right, talks with Rev. Trevor Payton, Executive Director of Dunamis Fellowship Canada during their fall gathering at Kortright Presbyterian Church in Guelph on Oct. 15. Andy joined the DFC board of directors earlier this year. There's a natural connection between RF and Dunamis as we are all united in reformed … Continue reading On the road again
Is Revival a Lost Dream?
Is the evangelical revival of The Presbyterian Church in Canada a lost dream? Not necessarily. The PCC may be officially affirming. It’s entirely possible that “liberty of conscience and action” regarding participation in ordinations and adherence to traditional definition of marriage may just be short-term accommodations. And it’s disheartening to see a majority of commissioners … Continue reading Is Revival a Lost Dream?
Does it Matter in the Long Run?
The denial of “balance and respect for both definitions of marriage” appeared to be a watershed moment at General Assembly 2022.[i] It revealed what many in orthodoxy have suspected – or feared: That The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) is officially “affirming” in accordance with the adoption of Pathway ‘B’-- “inclusion” – in 2019. The … Continue reading Does it Matter in the Long Run?
Stand Our Ground
Good news! The church is growing! The latest annual statistics from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary indicate that there are fewer atheists around the world today (147 million) than in 1970 (165 million) and the report expects the number to continue to decline into 2050. Almost 2.56 billion … Continue reading Stand Our Ground
Prayer and Care
In recent weeks, many Canadian provinces have ended their mask mandates. For the first time in almost two years, we see each other’s faces in grocery stores and perhaps also in church. And yet for the most part there is no feeling of liberation or great cry of joy. To be sure, we like it. … Continue reading Prayer and Care
Prayer and Care in a Divided World
As we work towards the renewal and revival of the church in accordance with Biblical orthodoxy, The Renewal Fellowship is focusing on two priorities in 2022: prayer and pastoral care. To be effective in those two things, we need to understand our church and the world in which we exist. The following essay is intended … Continue reading Prayer and Care in a Divided World
No Middle Ground
A recent survey from Renewal Fellowship asked readers where their minds were at four months after the historic change in doctrine of the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC). It was hardly a scientific survey, but the responses mirrored what we’ve been hearing in conversations: In general, “We are staying in the PCC for now, while … Read more
Anglican Renewal
Renewal groups can be found in many denominations. From time to time, we will take a look at others who adhere to the authority of scripture and resist bringing secular values into theology. “Gone by 2040?” The stark headline in the January 2020 Anglican Journal was an attention grabber, pointing to the grim conclusion of … Continue reading Anglican Renewal
How Now Do We Talk?
The 2021 federal election marked a new low for civil discourse in postmodern times. Leaders being confronted by protesters from other parties is par for the course but hurling eggs and handfuls of gravel at them was something new. We should not be surprised. It was the logical next step from the online anger which … Continue reading How Now Do We Talk?
Fresh Focus for a New Season
I read a frightening statistic recently. "Only 29 per cent of Christians believe that reaching unreached people around the world is 'very urgent.' " It's a quote from the Barna Group, the American research firm which specializes in faith and culture. I don't believe that it's far from the truth. (It could be even worse in Canada.) It holds up against recent research. In 2017, Barna asked churchgoers … Read more
Departure Gate, Destination Unknown
Precisely 60 seconds after the adoption of Remit ‘C’ by General Assembly, which allowed the call, election and ordination of those in same-sex partnerships, a motion was made to investigate the establishment of a separate theological synod for those who adhere to traditional standards. The timing spoke volumes. … Read more
Tales From GA, In Their Words
Was there a defining moment from General Assembly 2021? Often with a major story we’re able to point to an image or remark which sums it up or at least puts it into perspective. Sometimes, it’s an iconic photo – an exhausted, soot-covered first responder. Or a pithy quote – “Say it ain’t so!” or … Continue reading Tales From GA, In Their Words
God Is Still In Charge
At 4:37 p.m. Eastern time on June 8, 2021, the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada made official what many had believed for years. The approval of Remit ‘B’, with two parallel definitions of marriage, provided legitimacy for those who interpret and apply Scripture through human eyes rather than submitting to the unfathomable, … Continue reading God Is Still In Charge
Renewal AGM – a Snapshot
Approximately 60 members remained online for the AGM, which was chaired by Ian Shaw. Report of the Chair Over the past 18-24 months we have been wrestling with the thought, “Do we still have a mission in the Presbyterian Church in Canada?” The board has concluded that yes, we do. We offer authentic Biblical thinking, … Continue reading Renewal AGM – a Snapshot