Oh my goodness, that looks just like...

Hey Thunder Bay people (and TB alumni), here's a picture of a poster in the Education Library computer lab at the University of Alberta. Post a comment on who you think this looks like. I'm curious to see if others are thinking what I'm thinking (click it to enlarge).

Ah! Canadian Tolerance! This is just precious ...

Do I even have to comment on these terribly ironic images gracing the walls of a prominent public school in Edmonton?

Jasper Ski Trip (Minus the Skis)…

Finally, here are the aforepromised photos of my Jasper ski trip, Family Day Long Weekend, Feb. 16-19 2007 (yes, this is a statutory holiday in Alberta… how else can you tell that Alberta is the last holdout of good’ole family values, as alluded to in my Dec. 24 entry).

The annual excursion is jointly organized by people from Capilano Christian Assembly (the mother church of Southview where I “break bread”) and Lendrum Mennonite-Brethren. Our group of 40-odd had all to ourselves the entire Athabasca Youth Hostel, surrounded by some of the most pristine mountainous scenery and countless miles of cross-country ski trails. Most people packed it all in. My own agenda meanwhile was simple: to have no agenda (how can you tell I’m one of those mildly-contradictory non-denominational types). I brought nothing but some books, a sleeping bag, and the clothes on my back. I didn’t end up skiing at all, but sprawled out in front of the chalet fireplace for much of the weekend. Other than that, I hung out in Jasper for a day, and took a small hike. And what a deal: the entire trip – sleeps, drives and eats – barely cost me $80 (I love taking trips with Mennonites)!

The locals…


















Robert and Diane, trip organizers...

Robert and Diane are involved with a number of ministries, and are a super dynamic couple. In the short time I’ve known them, they’re the kind of people that make me say, “I want to be like that when I grow up.”



All geared up for the long haul...

Next to me is Naomi, an OM missionary who gave me the name "Tree Killer"




The intimate gathering…













The teacher…

I always manage to take my work with me: giving a lesson on making smores in the great indoors.


On this note, my wish to bring a smile to kids’ faces and resourcefulness in doing so nearly got me in trouble with the enviro-cops. Being a “hey-der-from-Tunder-Bay-poika” who grew up on an 11 acre rural lot, I didn’t think anything about ripping twigs out of the ground to make marshmallow roasting sticks. That is, until I saw the look of sheer horror from Diane and others used to frequenting national parks. In keeping with the traditions of those occupying these lands from ages present and past, Naomi bestowed upon me the honourable name of “Tree-Killer”. But I have made good to use the land’s provision responsibly – I took the sticks home to have ready for next year’s event!

Apart from my archaic use of Mother Earth, probably my only regret was not managing to find a Poo-Poo Moose keychain in any of the fine souvenir shops in Jasper. I’ve wanted one ever since my sister and I spotted one in Banff back in November (our delight at such caused Mom to curtly abandon us). There instead, I got a carabiner mug and I’ve been kicking myself ever since. As I kept an eye out for a Poo-Poo Moose in Jasper, I guess I let the cat out of the bag to those accompanying me. Lyla, for my benefit, in her calm and professional manner asked a shop cashier “do you carry a Poo-Poo Moose?” (to which I myself nearly dropped a few pellets).

Hutterites: In 45 minutes, I was on the other side of the world…

... and imagine my surprise when I got called to substitute-teach at a one-room school on a Hutterite colony. First of all, it was March Break in Edmonton’s schools. Second of all, I found out that Hutterite schools are also run by the public school boards (although I guess the shock should have been diffused by the fact that many school boards in the Edmonton area run many alternative and religious schools).

It was probably the most enjoyable teaching day I have ever had. I don’t want to be a sappy emo, but my heart nearly melted when I saw all the little black hats and jackets neatly hung up by the door. I arrived during the German class they have first thing in the morning, and a number of boys were kneeling at the front, to which I thought “boy, they’re pretty pious in German class.” It turns out they were there because of mischief, and the German teacher/ minister of the colony is apparently much stricter than I am. You should see the old-school leather whip he keeps in the teacher’s desk! The teacher aides who showed it to me told me how one day the class was so out of control, that they called the German teacher to come in from the fields. The moment he stepped in the room, the students were instantly in their desks, quietly looking forward, albeit with quivering lips.

As it is, I had no such trouble with the kids. They were like angels. The teacher-aides said it’s because I’m kind of a novelty to them, being the first time they saw me and all. Apparently they can give their subs a run for their money after they get used to them. But my day at the colony was amazing, as the pictures here below can tell….

Team Plautdietschland practicing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup…

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How can you tell these kids have no TV?

And no, I’m not in the middle of telling them about Ozzy Ozbourne. You probably can’t see the skipping rope, and in the second one, I’m in the middle of doing a cross-over.

It Takes A Painted Village…To the class I read “My Painted House,” a picture book written from the perspective of a child telling the reader about their brightly-painted village and life in Africa. There were pictures of painted walls with all kinds of patterns, and so the kids were given an assignment to draw a design for a painted wall. Here is an impromptu sketch I drew to model for the kids. I explained that it symbolized my visit to their community, and the similarities and differences between my world and theirs. What do you see in my wall?

A Hutterite boy and girl drawing their designs for a “painted wall.” (Hmm, I wonder if they will be used to adorn any of the gray buildings in the colony?)

“Grandpa, what was it like teaching in a one-room school?” Well, as you can see in this picture…

Can you tell I got a real kick ringing the bell? How many teachers get to experience this???

Storytime before hometime.

At one point during the day, a little girl looked up at me and asked “Is your brother a Hutterite?” I was extremely puzzled by the question, and wondered if it was my new haircut or something. But when I was home, it dawned on me: in the morning when I introduced myself, I said: “As you can see, I’m not a Hutterite, but I consider Jakob Hutter to be my brother because of his faith in Jesus Christ, and his belief that the true church consisted of all the people who put their trust in him.” Well, I’ll have to teach these kids how to speak Christianese next time I come. I would jump at the chance to go back, even if they can be as naughty as the teacher aides report.

I kind of felt like a male version of the main characters in Chocolat and Babette’s Feast, as I splashed into the scene of a simple classroom whose kids seemed mesmerized (and maybe corrupted, some might say) by the flavour I brought that is normally inconsequential.

But I was probably the most affected. I find myself missing them alot. Life out there seems so rich in a simple and uncomplicated way. I’m not under any illusion, mind you, and as the teacher aides could surely attest, the Hutterites are just as much in need of a saviour as I am. But still, as I groan under the burden of Cain’s city, the visit to the colony felt like coming up from the deeps and breathing a huge gasp of air. Notwithstanding the conviction that God calls his people to engage with and shine the light in the world-at-large, the Hutterite life sure looks pretty inviting.

Pictorial Update (Feb., Mar. 07) and other Musings on "Social Arrangements," etc.

Coming soon.... the photos from my Feb. Jasper ski trip (where I didn't ski). In the meantime, here are other photos from the past couple of months.

Teaching...

Modelling brush strokes (oh oh, looks like I have that "eyes & ears here, in 1... 2... believe me kids, you don't want to know what happens when I hit 3" look).






Mission accomplished.





Teacher's college test question: What do you do when some students finish their masks before others do?


That's easy! Give them an extention activity, like make a comic strip of your mask's character, including conflict and plot resolution.






Legalism...
Now here is something that gets added to my list of “Yeah-Right’s”: the sticker on Homer’s head reads “for tobacco use only.” The sign in the display window – “420” – incidentally has nothing to do with tobacco. Of course even they acknowledge this: the same shop window has a button that reads “International Pot Smoker”. In other words, “I do only what the law allows me to – wink, wink – whether I’m in Alberta or in Amsterdam.”

Speaking of “Yeah-Right’s”, here’s one from memory lane (forgive me if it looks like I’m digressing): some years ago, after Joshua Harris wrote “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” provoking debate amongst church youth about godly romance, youth pastor Jeramy Clark responded with the book “I Gave Dating a Chance”. Apart from choosing a title about as poignant as “I had Cheerios for Breakfast”, Clark went on to defend dating by quoting the definition of the word "dating" from Webster’s dictionary, “to have social arrangements with”. The problem is this isn’t what people actually mean when they talk about dating. If I said, “I’m going on a date with Jim”, what will not come to the listener’s mind is, “Oh, Renny and his buddy Jim are off to shoot darts over a pint of Guinness.”

Is this not similar to imagining what a school principal would think if I took my Homer-bong under my arm, and announced that I was taking a smoke break? It wouldn’t be “Oh, law-abiding Renny is off to take 5 with his newspaper and unusual tobacco pipe before he returns to teaching our kids.”

Sometimes we in the church can give the world a pretty good run for their money.

Now here's something you never see...
For one, I'm wearing a suit (not unusual before I retired from politics, but it is now). Secondly, I am accompanied by not one, but two ladies! (Even though they are very beautiful ladies, I decided not to post their faces on the web). Thirdly, this was an extremely rare "social arrangement" :).

This was taken at St. Joseph's Basilica for their Valentine's Day dinner dance in support of their World Youth Day fund. Joanne, a teacher friend who is in St. J's choir, had an extra ticket and invited me along. Until her friend Christine's date showed up, I had the privilege of being seen accompanying both of them to the dance.

For those born before 1980 (and esp. those from Thunder Bay)...

Do you see the Telus sign at a commercial complex in Sherwood Park? What do you notice about it? Post a comment to tell me your thoughts/ observations.

Freely you have received, freely give (for a "suggested donation" of...)

I thank Paula for her comments on my previous entry. As I hoped, I’m glad that the entry is prompting examination of the issue of “selling ministry”. As I set out to answer some of her questions, I realized that the length of my response was better suited as a new entry.

I agree that people who labour in the ministry God gives them are “worthy of their wages” and those on the receiving end are responsible to support them materially. Paul upholds this (1 Cor. 9: 7-14, 1 Tim. 5:17). However, Paul never demanded payment for his services rendered in preaching the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:12, 15-18; 2 Thess. 3:8-9).

These scriptures appear to give responsibility to both the giving and receiving ends with regard to payment for ministry: 1) on the part of the minister, to follow his calling and offer freely of his gifting, trusting that the same God who raised him up to serve will also raise up his supporters; 2) on the part of those ministered to, to accord “double honour” to those who serve, and give materially to those who labour for them on behalf of the Lord and are “worthy of his wages”.

As for ministry transmitted by books, recordings, etc., this wouldn’t have been commonplace in Paul’s time, other than Paul’s letters to the churches (it’s amusing to imagine if one of Paul’s epistles ended with “the suggested donation for this papyrus is 20 drachmas”). Of course, in light of the labourer being “worthy of his wages,” it would be wholly unreasonable to demand that those transmitting their ministry through mass-media cough up their production costs (even though Keith Green did so, and prospered). So I don’t have sufficient grounds to determine that the “selling” of such ministry is unallowable. Such ministers are nonetheless accountable to seek God on what constitutes “freely giving” in accordance with the spiritual gifts they freely received from God (Matt. 10:8).

I suppose in this time and place, such “ministry” is consumer driven, and it’s the buyer who makes the choice to fork over 20 bucks for this or that item with the hopes of beefing-up his belief. But as I said in my last entry, this “consumer” has been encouraged and edified by precious little that he actually had to pay for, and greatly blessed by ministry that has been freely received and given in part.

So what does the minister do if his support dries up? In Paul’s case, he says he was “compelled to preach the gospel” no matter what. Paul had to make do with much at times, and with little at other times (Phil.4:10-13). It is also recorded that Paul sometimes worked as a tent maker to support himself in ministry (Acts 18:1-4; 2 Thess. 3:7-10). George Tabert, who I referred to in my previous entry, himself doesn’t receive a salary but is supported by those who receive from and recognize his gifting to teach. George once told me that if his support dried up to the point where he could no longer fulfill his God-given obligation to support his family, he would “go out and pump gas.”

On this note, I have long perceived a need in the church for clarification as to what actually constitutes “ministry”. There tends to be a lot of playing fast and loose with calling this, that or the other activity a “ministry” (such as the work of plumbers, doctors, musicians etc. being called their “ministry”). A distinction has to be made between the exercise of vocational skills, which is mandated in the creational commission to work and rule over creation (Gen. 1:28; 2 Thess. 3:6-10), and the exercise of spiritual gifts, which is specifically outlined and mandated for the edification of the body of Christ (1 Cor.12:7-10, 27-28; Eph. 4:11-13). The former report to earthly clients and bosses who are in turn responsible to pay for the services rendered. The latter report to God in the exercise of the gifts, and are duly provided for on account of his authority and promises to do so.

For example, my position as a school teacher is not my “ministry”; it is my vocation for which there is a contractual exchange of service for money. If God gives me a spiritual gifting (such as for teaching in the church), I am bound to freely impart it to others, and leave them accountable to God on “what they owe” for the service.

Bottom-line: it requires, on the part of both minister and ministered-to, the free exercise of faith that it is God who supplies so that they can bless others, and thus follow the command, “freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8).

Now here’s a celebrity missionary… Bono! (who, like God and Willowcreek CC, “isn’t short of cash, mister”)

Before I raise my questions of restricting/charging money for ministry materials – and how Bono even remotely fits into the mix – let me first make this statement: U2 is by far my favourite secular band. I don’t have it listed in my favourites because it goes without saying and is a class unto itself. I mean, let’s face it: Bono is the undisputed Pope of Rock’n Roll. What else, at a purely sensory level, can lift the soul higher than Bono’s high-octave peals as he existentially laments our human confines? As for Bono’s profession of faith in Jesus Christ, it is at best enigmatic and confounding. But he is a compelling poet who echoes the cries of many-a-heart, and one would be hard-pressed to find fault in his work to fight poverty and injustice. Bono is indeed one person I would very much enjoy meeting in this life – placing a close second to Joshua Harris.

Now the inspiration, followed by the point, of my entry: Bono’s (strictly copyright) interview by Bill Hybels of Willowcreek Community Church (click for a small description and interesting discussion about it).

Now without having seen the interview, or knowing who is responsible for the near-impossibility of access to it, I can’t make too many comments about it. I know that my sister's church in Thunder Bay heralded the good news of Bono speaking at Redwood Alliance (via taped interview) in a local paper. However, what greatly amused me was this email sent to my sister from a friend in Germany who tried in vain to find the video on the web:

No Bono interview on the internet. Willow Creek offers a couple of DVD’s from the leadership conference, but as for the "exclusive interview with Bono" it says "not available". Well, maybe Bono would sue them if they would sell his precious thoughts and insights.... Only to give the money to the poor, obviously....

I still laugh at much of what is done in the name of Christian ministry with a price-tag attached (I mean, even Bono seems to agree in U2’s live version of “Bullet the Blue Sky” -- delivering a stinging indictment of money-pandering preachers with the quote up above in the blog entry title). I don’t think restricting/ charging money for books, recordings etc. is completely unallowable, just worthy of calls for greater examination in light of scripture (1 Corinthians 9:18; Matthew 10:8).

I, for one, have been far greater blessed and refreshed (and far less impoverished) by ministers and their materials that “offer the Gospel free of charge” à la Paul, or who at least give free license to reproduction and distribution as such, like Ray Comfort and Keith Green (whose estate, however, has discontinued the practice). Oneplace.com has sermons that are offered freely by prominent teachers like John Macarthur and John Piper (who is by and large pretty sound, except his “Christian hedonism” kick is still pretty whacky to me – probably the topic of a future entry).

But I have not been more blessed than I have been by the ministry of George Tabert. Links to his works (freely received and freely given) are under my Favourites column. I particularly recommend his recent sermon series explaining how the Levitical sacrificial system demonstrates the great breadth and richness of our salvation in Christ (which, as you can surmise, money can’t come close to touching).

Now I finally found my gifts... I'll be a Celebrity Missionary! (look out Kirk Cameron)

Moving and breathing again in Edmonton...

I returned to Edmonton from my two-week Christmas vacation in Thunder Bay just over a week ago. I’m so glad to be back at work, which I was longing for during most of my vacation. In TBay, I was realizing how I am most satisfied when I am fruitfully engaged in my work, as the image of God engaged in creation. Don’t get me wrong, I like having the rest (for which I set aside 1day/week anyway), and it was great to see everyone home in TBay. But while I'm on vacation in my hometown, I have yet to learn how to maintain the routine, structure, and discipline that I've grown into. Back in Edmonton, I feel like I can move and breathe again.

I hope I never retire. Slow down, change vocations, retool – maybe. But I don’t see such a thing as retirement in God’s kingdom.

Something Christian-ey about those fish?

Just thought I'd publish something just in case it comes in handy some day (like my "One Pint Sermon") ....

On a walk near my mother's house, my sister asked me if I would ever put a Jesus fish on my car if I had one. I answered no, that I didn't want to look like a Christian-by-fish-only. She then said, "there's something fishy about those Christians." It was such a clever remark, that I wanted to see if anyone else ever used it. On a google search of the term, there is only one person who did so, commenting about a new Linux operating system (or "ubuntu") for Christians. In this case, however, the writer appears to not be making any intentional pun or comment about Jesus fish.

Once again, it should be emphasized that Jesus, when he called his disciples, said "follow me" (not follow ministry endeavours, programs, activities, books, gimmicks, pastors, etc.). And this was after he gave the call to repentence (that is, agreeing with God and what he says against you, and what he did for you through Jesus).

(picture credit: from http://mikemariano.com/weblog/2004/10/)

Blogging reorganization; Hi from T.Bay (home for xmas)

The other day, my friend Sandy Taddeo said something thoughtful about blogging. He said, "You have to be pretty vain to keep a daily blog. I mean, who cares if you're mad at the store clerk who gave you bad service??"

My general agreement with Sandy's sentiments explains my "lack" of blogging. For the past year and a half, I've been blogging maybe an average of once every 2 months at http://hirenny.mindsay.com.

I'm thinking of using this Blogger site as my regular blog, mostly because my friends and associates use it. Please visit my Mindsay site if you actually want to read my previous thoughts on:

• doctrinal issues (mostly the sovereignty of God and our response to him revealing himself);
• my bizarre work search experiences (like having great difficulty getting work as a substitute teacher yet having no problem getting permanent contract offers);
• living in Vancouver (holding the distinction of fusing the stifling crowds of Asia, the gross debauchery of Europe, and the excessive individualism of North America).
• moving to Edmonton (where I can breathe again for awhile anyway -- before the red-hot oil economy inflates the city to near-Vancouverian proportions. Tories rule the land, no GST, low income taxes, and the public school system even includes religious schools; even the secular schools sing Christmas carols -- including the hardcore Jesus and Mary ones. It's like running to the last conservative compartment of Canada's Titanic before the whole kaboodle sinks).

Other than that, may I encourage you to seek the purposes of the God who created you. Come Lord Jesus Come.

Back in B.C.

My one-week journey to the Old Country of my ancestors was short and sweet. I'm reminded that I have lost my sense of tourism, and am confirmed in purposeful travel. Seeing Scott and Brian was both purposeful and refreshing.

One highlight of the trip was Brian's and my visit to the Eagle and Child -- C.S. Lewis' and J.R.R. Tolkien's old watering hole in Oxford. It was here that Brian coined the phrase "One Pint Sermon": while I spoke, Brian finished his pint of Guiness. Try looking the term up on Google -- it's an original!

Maiden blog - Oxford, UK

I'm in Oxford visiting Brian my buddy during my reading break. Arrived here last night after 3 days in Cheltenham visiting Scott. What a great visit, rediscovering my roots on many different levels. What a pilgrimage!