Kevin Seguin10 minute read  Recently, my home province’s government signed a resolution which for a short time was believed to be a “Resolution to not recognize gender identity.” The policy was later clarified to be a “Resolution to debate recognition of gender identity” at next year’s convention. I suppose that’s at least a bit better? In any case, by then the damage had been done, so to speak. The pros and cons of the internet had woken up and begun to sling mud at one another yet again. To be completely transparent, I’m not writing about gender identity, not really at least. I’m also not talking about the Affordable Care Act, the Alt-right, the radical left, Confederate/John A. McDonald memorials, DACA, Dreamers, Immigration, the Environmental Protection Agency, Betsy DeVos, Supreme Court judge appointments, Gerrymandering, or the US mid-term elections. I’m not talking about Hate speech, Health insurance, Single-payer healthcare, Fracking, Legalizing marijuana, the racism of the word “marijuana” itself over “cannabis”, Mass shootings, gun control, police brutality, taking a knee, white nationalism, or institutional racism. I’m not going to mention the Me Too movement, toxic masculinity, toxic femininity, workplace sexual mores, the patriarchy, white privilege, black lives matter, racial profiling, rape culture, virtue signalling or victim blaming. Nor will I discuss the minimum wage, income inequality, Net neutrality, Political activism, affirmative action, artificial intelligence, assisted suicide, capital punishment, forced sterilization, Censorship, climate change, factory farming, genetic engineering, abortion, sex education, sweatshops, vaccinations, or zero tolerance policies. The reason I won’t be talking about these things is because they are not the problem. Certainly, they ARE problems, but they are not THE problem. THE problem, if I may be blunt, is Christians who don’t have a damn clue what they’re talking about. And yet they continue to talk. Let me be crystal clear for a change, the world needs only one thing from Christ’s image-bearing, trumpet blaring representatives: that thing is the Gospel. Period. Jesus never told his followers to build a more perfect political union, never told us to be involved in politics, He never told us to use political muscle and policy in our secondary objective of helping and serving the poor and the least of these. He told us to tell the world about Him, and about what He did in the cross. End of story, end of list. The best description I’ve ever heard, I heard in Bible College: “People suck; Jesus came to fix that.” Amen and amen, people do suck. We suck so much. We suck because we think our problems can possibly have any resolution, any true fix outside of the grace of God. We suck because like the Israelites of old, Pharisees, and Sadducees, many of us believe that conformity to the Christian moral code must come before belonging to the community of faith. We try (desperately) to (needlessly) legislate our moral code into law to the absolute tragic detriment of our mission, and the disdain of our audience. What do I even mean by that? Let’s say we convince gluttons to stop being gluttons because, I don’t know, let’s say it becomes a capital offence. Do you know what we’ve done? Created a society of skinny people who are still going to end up in Hell. Behaviour modification doesn’t earn you salvation. Living the “right way” and doing the right things do never and can never outweigh a single speck of the fallen nature of humanity (not that that would even begin to be enough if it were even possible in the first place, which it isn’t). The church is divided enough when it comes to theological issues that actually matter we ought not divide over such comparatively trivial and worldly issues. Remember the commissioning Jesus gave us: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you.” Notice the order of operations there? The BEDMAS of Evangelism?
Obedience comes after belief. We don’t believe, we don’t submit to the moral code of the Bible until after we receive the gift of salvation; until after it becomes joy and freedom to us. Imposing the moral code of Christianity on people who don’t believe does nothing but add weight to the millstone that is already dragging them down. The only thing Christians ought to be soapboxing about is the Good News, the Gospel, the always-still-and-forever-free gift of salvation. Everything else is window dressing and debatable, yes, everything. Am I saying that if it's not a Gospel issue it's not important? Kinda, yeah. Perhaps I don’t know jack about the litany of issues I described above, perhaps I’m upside down in all my thinking on judicial, cultural, and social issues. Perhaps not. I may not really know much, but this I do know. Jesus alone gives us the only life that matters, and my job, our job is to make him known. Period. Am I advocating that believers completely disengage from public discourse, politics, discussion and debate? Far from it, if I were, I’d have nothing to do when I get together with my friends. It is imperative that believers are present and behaving like servants in the community they are in. (there’s something in the book of Jeremiah about that if memory serves) Our primary reason for that though, is not to force conformity or build some kind of ideal Christian world, there is no such thing until the Lord returns after all. Our primary driving force is to show the unconditional love of God in all things, even the mundane, and the boring. John Piper once wrote that there was a way to drink orange juice that brought glory to God and another that was sin. Orange juice. We live in an era when everyone wants to have their mic-drop moment. Everyone wants to win the argument even if they lose the person in the effort. And why not? Dropping a mic is badass, rendering someone speechless with our own rhetoric is empowering. It makes you, makes us all feel powerful, and truthfully, I’m just as guilty as the next guy, but does it really do any good? Does it afford us the opportunity to speak truth and life into a soul that desperately needs it? Probably not am I right? So why do we bother? Why not rather be wrong or be wronged if it leads to the repentance and salvation of another? Let us resolve to do this. To stop dropping our mics and instead, handing them over to our neighbours so that we can learn about their experience from them. So that we can learn from their lives, understand why they believe what they do and why, and know how to lead them to the truth that will truly set them free.  As a Biblical conservative, a cultural Liberal, a husband, a dad, an ex barista, and a pastor, I want to see the church act differently in the world. My big passion in ministry is to see how believers can bring the Gospel into the world around them while pursuing the lost art of winsomeness. It is what fuels me and drives me to write. Engaging culture with the truth of the Gospel in a way that is winsome, wise, and as Colossians 4:6 directs us: “seasoned with salt.” It’s my hope that what I say here helps you not only in your own faith, but helps you share it more effectively and fruitfully.
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Kevin Seguin2 minute read  To make aIt happens about once a month or so; either myself or someone on the team gets an email with a title to the effect: "I'd love to write for you!" "Great!" I inevitable think to myself! "We're always looking for great writers!" But then I open the email and my heart usually sinks because the author makes the same error most do. They think Bold Cup of Coffee is a coffee blog. I mean, we love coffee, and I am even a former barista myself, but as our readers know, we're no coffee blog. BCoC is all about the conversations about faith that we have over cups of coffee with good friends. We're a Christian blog, that loves coffee, but we don't write about it. Until today. At the risk of opening ourselves up to more budding barista bloggers let me tell you all a story about Bold Cup Coffee, with no "of". I was tolling around on Facebook a few weeks back when I stumbled across this facebook page that kinda looked familiar. I mean, even our logos are similar:
I mean, that's just uncanny. To make a long story short, I reached out to say: "Hey name neighbour! Small world!" And they reached back saying: "Would you like a sample of our coffee?" I told them we're not a coffee blog, I promise I told them, but the prospect of free coffee is just too strong. So I agreed to give them an honest review of whatever they sent me. I little while later I had three small bags of freshly roasted Guatemalan coffee with hand drawn art bags. Wicked little Porsche 911s So I did what any ex-barista would do. I tried all three of them with some barista friends as soon as I could. In a word, they were fantastic. Full bodies, but mild and smooth at the same time. I hadn't had coffee this good in a long time. I promise they didn't pay me to say that! An honest review is all they asked for and an honest review is what they got. It's great coffee, and I'm sorry I love so far away from it. But if YOU find yourself in Viera Florida, drop in on the Bold Cup Coffee team and tell them their friends at Bold Cup OF Coffee sent you! Amazing the different two letters makes right?  As a Biblical conservative, a cultural Liberal, a husband, a dad, an ex barista, and a pastor, I want to see the church act differently in the world. My big passion in ministry is to see how believers can bring the Gospel into the world around them while pursuing the lost art of winsomeness. It is what fuels me and drives me to write. Engaging culture with the truth of the Gospel in a way that is winsome, wise, and as Colossians 4:6 directs us: “seasoned with salt.” It’s my hope that what I say here helps you not only in your own faith, but helps you share it more effectively and fruitfully.
Kevin Seguin5 minute read  This isn't the post I was expecting to be writing this week, but when things crop up, surprise you, and shake you to your core you gotta write. Let me explain. Have you ever had one of those quirky social interactions that, in the moment, just feel like a silly little thing but a few moments later end up just crushing you to your core? I had one of those a couple weeks ago. Let me share the story with you. I'm super-blessed to be a part of a really healthy church. It's not perfect, but my family and I love it. Recently, our church planted a daughter church. There was no split, no conflict that precipitated the plant. We just recognized that at 35 years old, it was time for our church to have kids, so we did. Got a prayer team, prayed, cast a vision, gathered a launch team, found a pastor, and just a couple weeks ago, Q50 Community launched their first services. A handful of families from the home church went with them. One of them, a lighting tech who serves with me on Sunday mornings came to me on his last Sunday and said that he really appreciated working with me and that he'd miss me. These are the things you just say, culturally. Then he went a step further and talked about how he always appreciated how calm I was. How I didn't let things get to me and how I was able to roll with the punches when things went pear-shaped. It was really nice of him to say, and because I, like many people, am not good at accepting praise, I redirected: "You say that, but you haven't seen me with my kids!" We laughed, as you do, and went back to work. But I didn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the morning. I almost broke down in tears more than once during the service. Here's the truth about what he said: He's right. Anyone who knows me professionally knows this about me. I am hard to rattle, I do take things in stride, and I don't freak out. Professionally at least. That thing I said about not seeing me with my kids? I said it as a joke, and we laughed like it was a joke, but I wasn't kidding; not really. That realization crushed me. I'm not as cool and collected at home as I am at work. Some of my closest friends have never seen me genuinely angry, but my wife has, my kids sure have. That ain't right. I recognize that things aren't really equal, work, church, and home are three different things, with three different dynamics, and the challenges I face at work, for example, are far different than dealing with an obstinate 7-year-old, whiny 4-year-old, or non-stop 3-year-old. But that doesn't excuse it. My wife and kids deserve the best version of me, the coolest, calmest, most collected-est version of me; not the leftovers from a long, stressful day. I don't share this because I want anything, I'm not being vulnerable because I'll get something out of it in the end. I'm doing it because I want to encourage you to do something. Be mindful of those little social moments, because sometimes, God uses them to crush you with the weight of a thousand bricks, or your own sin. But He's doing it for your good, and His glory, so listen up.  As a Biblical conservative, a cultural Liberal, a husband, a dad, and a pastor, I want to see the church act differently in the world. My big passion in ministry is to see how believers can bring the Gospel into the world around them while pursuing the lost art of winsomeness. It is what fuels me and drives me to write. Engaging culture with the truth of the Gospel in a way that is winsome, wise, and as Colossians 4:6 directs us: “seasoned with salt.” It’s my hope that what I say here helps you not only in your own faith, but helps you share it more effectively and fruitfully.
Drake De long-Farmer5 minute read  “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT) It is not by beating ourselves to nothing that we glorify God, but being made into what God created us to be--that we shine and reflect who God is, giving witness to His greatness and goodness as redeemed image bearers of God. This image may be distorted by the disease of sin, but our worth is still found in the reality that God's fingerprint is found in us all. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that we are gods in ruin. We still reflect God but in shards. Like a mirror we are made to reflect who God is as whole humans, as Christ did perfectly. Remember, God wishes to form you and transform you back into the great masterpiece He created you to be. You are not junk. To deny ourselves and take up our cross does not mean denying who God created us to be, but denying the dead weight (Hebrews 12:1) and find our true form and worth in Him. Our relationship with God is meant to be just that… a relationship. The transforming work we find in this experience with God and how it forms us into the person we are meant to be is ultimately found in the actual intimate relationship with have with Him. Dale and Janolyn Fincher drive this idea home: "The meaning of glory shows us that God doesn't merely want obedient servants; he wants friends who uniquely reflect the weightiness of God's reputation [glory] throughout their own lives [with whatever gifts, talents and tasks God has called us up]." We have an infinitely complex God who has infinitely created us in His image. Through our relationship with Him we can also glorify Him, make Him look good, reflect Him to the world and shine the path towards Christ in the unique and creative ways God has formed us, which gives us life and gives Him praise and glory. It is in this state that we will be alive and living in God's calling for our lives. "[Jesus] offers the only way for us to be fully human" (Coffee Shop Conversations by Dale and Janolyn Fincher) Imagine someone one gives you an iPad, as a gift, and unfamiliar of its true purpose you started using it as a cutting board. The glass top allows for a smooth cutting surface and allows you to cut and meal prep quite well but that isn’t what the iPad was made for. Not only that you are completely unaware of the true purpose and capability of that iPad. If I loved one reveals our serious blunder and misuse of their gift we don’t simply stop using the iPad or throw it out because we have been misusing it we power it up, unlock it and use it to it’s full potential. Ultimately, it is not about denying our humanity that we become dedicated followers of Christ but it is discovering our true humanity by becoming complete in the image of Christ (who was perfectly human) that we can become what God meant us to be from the foundation of time.  Drake is the Founder of boldcupofcoffee.com and serves as Executive Pastor at gateway.ac as well as being an avid speaker, writer and leadership coach/consultant.
Drake is passionate about seeing people thrive and come alive. To BELONG, wrestle with what they BELIEVE and BECOME people FULL OF LOVE, FUELLED BY FAITH, and ADDICTED TO HOPE. Drake is also a life learner and loves being challenged to think deeper and grow further. One of his favorite things to do is spend a good amount of time in a good café or coffee shop with a good book or engaging conversation. To be able to share in someone else's journey and experience is always a pleasure and honor. You can also connect with him at your personal page at drakedelongfarmer.com. To read more articles by Drake, simply click here. Troy Nevitt9 minute read  My previous article attempted to show theology is not just head knowledge. Theology is practical because knowing God is practical. Theology always intends to show how to live in God’s world. You can find theological truth in everyday events. This article is an example of seeing the culture, its trends, and how a Christian could think through how to live in accordance to God’s word. There is a disturbing trend that has appeared in online Christian communities. I fear that this is just as true in real life as it is online. Christian doctrine is the standard that measures and guides Christians to be in line with what scripture is teaching. Christian communities have this tendency to fall over on one side or the other in relation to doctrine. Though there are many theological balance beams to walk across, the one that I wish to focus on today is legalism and free grace. “Antinomians” (people who are against the law, using God’s grace as a license to sin) and “legalists” (those who believe following the law saves you) both make crucial errors of missing what is commanded in scripture. Where legalists err in taking commands in scripture as a litmus test for salvation, antinomians err by totally ignoring the law because they have been given grace through Christ. It is true that all who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, have been given grace, but this goes against the teaching Paul gives in Romans 6. To best understand Romans 6, we must look at Romans 5 (and the other chapters as well: Context always matters). Paul explains that all men have sinned. “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12 ESV). All were born through Adam’s lineage and have been infected with the disease of sin. Sin is the demise that separated us from God. In this sense, a legalist would proclaim: “See! If you do not sin, you will be saved.” Though this is true, everyone has sinned (See Isaiah 53:6, and Romans 3:23 for just two of many examples of fallenness) and we cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we try. Legalists tend to fail to see their own sin and need for Jesus, their saviour. Paul then explains that Christ is a greater solution to the big problem we had created for ourselves. “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5: 18-19 ESV). This is when those against the Law start to pipe up; the next few verses say, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21 ESV). It seems pretty obvious at that point that sinful lives give even more glory to Jesus for his atoning death. He, at the cross, experienced the most excruciating torture imaginable, and the sins have been paid for. So why not sin? So then, where the legalists tend to err too far on the side of law, this camp tends to err too far the other way into excessive freedom. This question has been asked in the past, but Christians should be careful not to start thinking this way. The apostle, Paul, had no intention of teaching this. In fact, that is exactly what he says in Romans 6: “By no means” (vv. 2, 16 ESV). Paul first goes on in verses 1-14 to say that we are not to willfully commit sins. Sin is slavery. Romans 6:2 even says, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Why would any Christian desire to be bound to sin again? Christians have been baptized into his death. Christians also “shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5 ESV). Verses 15-23 again echo this fact that we are no longer slaves to sin if we place our faith in Christ for our salvation. If we cannot be legalists, and we cannot be antinomians, what can we be? We can be Christians. Those who have been given the good news (gospel) of Christ crucified, buried, and resurrected will indeed have a transformed heart to follow the law as Paul states. Though works do not save you, we are to follow the laws God has given us out of love for him and what he has done. Grace is more than we can ever know. To believe we have a license to sin or to believe that we are saved by our deeds tread on dangerous grounds that no one should dare go. Believe the gospel; do good works. It’s a tension that we should walk and live in. Works do not save you, but your love for Christ should compel you to do them for his sake.  As a Bible college student, I have a passion for people to take theology seriously. I see a trend towards apathy in the church culturally, but a deep passion growing in the lives of young believers. My desire is to help inform all believers, young, old, and in-between, to think through why they believe what they believe. I believe a faith founded on reason is a faith rarely shaken.
Though I’m going to Bible college right now, doesn’t make me a super-believer. I like playing games with friends, chatting around the table, cooking, and wasting time when I could do something more productive. If someone like me can view the world as God tells me to, so can anyone. I’m passionate, and really hope you are too. Like everyone, I have topics that get me excited. How do we navigate Christianity in this post-modern era? How do we engage gender issues both inside and outside of the church? How do the songs we sing effect how we think? I love and encourage people to get excited and talk about what they love. Conversations are much more engaging when you talk about these things rather than the weather. Charlotte O8 minute read  We become like the God we believe in. This is something I’ve heard once or twice from leaders and it’s always stuck with me. It’s important for us to know the God we believe in, and that how we live reveals so much about what we truly think his character is. In the recent immigration debate, I saw some point out that people could avoid unnecessary suffering by simply following the rules. Rules which, are far from simple to follow, even by the best-intentioned. I’ve personally seen several friends work VERY hard to follow the process: couples who have a well-established marriage and even children together needing to be separated for a time because of bureaucracy. Those who are legally working in the country still pouring money into green card applications, renewals and extra fees for YEARS. The system itself is extremely flawed and inefficient, though that’s not an excuse to say then: let’s just burn it all down. People make the argument that getting into heaven is the same: we come to God on HIS terms, not our own. My bible-educated brain dearly understands the logic of this argument, but I still can’t help but thinking that this really reveals so much about a certain view of God who has space for the “good, worthy people” and delights in the intense suffering of those outside the fold. Our rhetoric of eschatology (end-times) and Hell are so clearly linked to the way we live here on Earth today. Jesus has done everything, sacrificed everything, to remove the barrier between us and God. He came to seek and save the lost and when people are found, and loved, and safe, then they recognize home. They see who they were created to be. I think the message of the gospel is that we were all created to be in relationship to God. When that relationship is restored, transformation occurs. Lives are changed, and the desire to do good comes not from earning a place in heaven, or making sure our good deeds outweigh the bad. It stops being a competition of whether we have been better than those around us, and becomes a family where we are all working toward the same goal. As God’s love transforms us, we are more concerned about loving our neighbor than trying to define who our neighbor should be. We don’t uphold our rules for fear of the whole system being corrupted, but instead obey out of love for the God who has given us perfect principles to live by. In our modern day, we have boiled salvation down to something very simple – pray a prayer and you’re in. Say some words and believe them in your heart. In my context, people are not considered true Christians until they have been baptized. In other circles, there are those who would doubt your salvation if you haven’t started speaking in tongues. What does it mean to be a Christian? To follow Christ? Even in the Bible itself it seems there is no direct formula.
And this leaves so many questions about people in the Bible itself, what about the thief on the cross? The wise men at Jesus’ birth? That curious story in Acts of people who were preaching Jesus but hadn’t yet received the Holy Spirit? That problematic parable of the guest who wasn’t wearing the right clothes and got kicked out of the wedding banquet? My point is, there are scriptures that, when taken alone, can be used to back up almost any point of view. However I’d like to challenge and invite us to a more robust openness to the scripture as a whole story of God’s work in the world. Look at the narrative behind the views we hold and look at the fruit it’s bearing. Is your doctrine of Grace leading to large-scale carelessness, harm and waste? Does your emphasis on holiness create robots who follow the rules without knowing the God who made them? Does the way we live out our faith create life and light in the world? Or does it create more bureaucracy for those wishing to enter into a living relationship with God? That’s the question I ask myself today.  Charlotte is on the Editorial team at boldcupofcoffee.com and currently works with a non-profit organization in Taiwan where she teaches, leads English Bible studies, writes educational materials, trains teachers, poses for pictures, and a bunch of other stuff too. She is originally from Canada, spending significant amounts of time in all three westernmost provinces and the idea of home has become quite fluid. She has learned that life overseas is not as exotic as people may think, but life with God is a daily adventure.
Troy Nevitt8 minute read  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart. – Psalm 119:2 ESV The Bible is a storybook of a people who were chosen by God to deliver the message of deliverance from sin, which we had entangled ourselves. God is more than anything we could ever hope to know and he has delivered to us a book that explains what he wants us to know. Our job is to see what He wants to tell us. Our next job is to listen to what He has told us. Theology is a topic that may scare many off but if that is you: do not be alarmed. I promise that theology is nothing to be scared of; it’s simply the study of God. Only a few minutes a day will greatly improve how you interact with the world in a Christian fashion. About three years ago, I had no theological experience and could not tell you one side or the other of any view people had concerning issues like the spiritual gifts, baptism, or the way God saves. Fast forward to today, and not only can I explain the different positions, I have confidence to share my own views among other believers. I believe that you all are able to be great theologians. R.C. Sproul once said: “Everyone is a theologian” . Even though everybody is a theologian, to be a good theologian you’ll need to put in some work. May I encourage you? You can be good theologians. Learning theology helps to understand God and what he has done better. Simple steps like reading scripture or discussing concepts with friends are great places to start. If you don’t already, you can learn words like “imputation” or “justification” that help you understand what God has done better. One example I can give to show how theology helps is the concept of God’s jealousy. People often step back and proclaim things like “God can’t be jealous. Jealousy is a negative emotion.” For the most sense, they are right. What happens, however, when you run into passages that say God is jealous? “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:5, which is part of the Ten Commandments). This is where theology helps. Theologians will look to see in life when there are times that jealousy is a good thing. Husbands and wives should be jealous for their spouses. If they are married, no one else should experience the privileges which come from that marriage. There is a healthy level of jealousy because that is something that belongs to them and their spouse alone. Noting this, we can look at God’s relation to his people. They are a people who are set apart for Him. We belong to Him. No wonder God is a jealous God when we stray away and do things against his will. But there is also a benefit of jealousy. God keeps us for Himself. Christians often ask this question: Can I be possessed by a demon? It’s a scary thing to consider that. Fear not! The concept of jealousy is yet again a good thing that God possesses. If God is a jealous God, He will not share you with anyone. Not some false god. Not a demon. Not even Satan himself. God is a jealous God that has almighty power on his side (the doctrine of God’s omnipotence if you wish to research that further). Since God is all-powerful, and He is jealous, you can be assure that no demons can possess a child of God. Theology is making sense of God and the world he has made. It does not take degrees or special skills to be a theologian. All it takes is a desire to know God and to pursue Him with your heart, and your mind. Theology will help you see clearly and with more grandeur. Let me challenge you to take time this week to learn one concept of God better. It will be worth the time you put in.  As a Bible college student, I have a passion for people to take theology seriously. I see a trend towards apathy in the church culturally, but a deep passion growing in the lives of young believers. My desire is to help inform all believers, young, old, and in-between, to think through why they believe what they believe. I believe a faith founded on reason is a faith rarely shaken.
Though I’m going to Bible college right now, doesn’t make me a super-believer. I like playing games with friends, chatting around the table, cooking, and wasting time when I could do something more productive. If someone like me can view the world as God tells me to, so can anyone. I’m passionate, and really hope you are too. Like everyone, I have topics that get me excited. How do we navigate Christianity in this post-modern era? How do we engage gender issues both inside and outside of the church? How do the songs we sing effect how we think? I love and encourage people to get excited and talk about what they love. Conversations are much more engaging when you talk about these things rather than the weather. Kevin Seguin8 minute read  There was big news recently for both Canadian and American Christians alike. As it happens, both the Supreme Court of Canada and the United States Supreme Court released decisions recently with big implications on religious freedom in both countries. I thought it would be a good idea to comment on these things this week as both countries are celebrating independence, and we have so much else in common. First, our American brothers and sisters have heard from their highest court on the subject of bakers and wedding cakes. In a not-so-landmark ruling, the court has affirmed, 7-2, that baker, Jack Phillips, is under no legal obligation to bake a cake for an event which he deems to be in conflict with his religious beliefs. For the record, this includes things like obscene cakes and Halloween cakes etc... If you're looking to get totally caught up check out Ed Stetzer's coverage of the ruling here. Second, we come home to Canada. In late May, only a couple of days before the cake ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a ruling in Wall v. Judicial Committee of the Highwood Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Canadian readers may remember the case of the Alberta Jehovah's Witnesses congregation who excommunicated one of their members who then sued the group and claimed that the JW's decision to "disfellowship" him would cause him to lose most of his business. The case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada while churches, especially those who practice some form of church discipline, looked on with great interest. When the decision came out, a unanimous rejection of the court's jurisdiction to meddle in church affairs when it comes to discipline, churches rejoiced. Not only was this the best outcome for our cause, it was unanimous. For the interested, Joshua Tong wrote a great piece for TGC Canada explaining the decision in greater detail. Though many of my fellow theological conservatives were surprised by these decisions, I have to admit I wasn't. (I was surprised the Canadian one was unanimous, but not of the result in general) I wasn't surprised because *Spoiler Alert* as much as some within evangelicalism want to believe it, we aren't being persecuted, and we aren't being oppressed. While I was writing this, the SCC also rendered judgement on Trinity Western’s case where the decision was that the BC and Ontario Law Societies indeed have the power to deny approval to Trinity Western’s law school that would have required students to follow a code of conduct which restricts, among other things, all premarital sexual behaviour. So what about now Kevin!? Are we being oppressed now? Still no. I must admit, I wasn’t tremendously surprised by any of these results. I’ve written before on how Christians ought behave when they are working in the secular sphere and encounter these situations. I believe Christians ought simply perform their duties and allow other people to live their lives while looking for opportunities to share the gospel and being ready to give an answer and Peter instructed us in his letter to believers. We are living in a post-Christian, highly polarized, post-truth culture. That's just the reality at this point. I'm not saying that many Christian truths, beliefs and convictions aren't being challenged, of course they are, Christians value things that many of our friends and neighbours see as quaint and “old fashioned” at best and bigoted and horrible at worst. The difference being found, I believe, in how we express those values. What I am saying is that while we are seeing a loss of cultural prestige and influence, none of this amounts to persecution or oppression. Rather, we are at a critical juncture and our opportunities to preach Christ crucified have only increased. Here’s why: In the Old Testament, Israel, God’s people, were “set apart”. However, this means so much more that simply acknowledging that they were God’s chosen people and other nations were not. This also means that Israel was ‘different’ than its neighbours. They had practices and followed rules that were often wildly different than their neighbours'. Israel also often found itself occupied and at the mercy of some of these neighbours who found their practices somewhere within that “quaint-horrible” spectrum I mentioned earlier. When these things happened, did the Lord tell Israel to complain that their rights were being infringed upon? Far from it! Rather, He said through the prophet Jeremiah: “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” -Jer 29:5-7 We have the same imperative. Live and do good in the place we are, be set apart, live our own lives as exiles away from home in a culture different than our own. Praying for and hoping for its good, yes, but above all, sharing the gospel with people, and see them saved, rather than wasting time trying to shape a culture into our image of Christianity.  As a Biblical conservative, a cultural Liberal, a husband, a dad, and a pastor, I want to see the church act differently in the world. My big passion in ministry is to see how believers can bring the Gospel into the world around them while pursuing the lost art of winsomeness. It is what fuels me and drives me to write. Engaging culture with the truth of the Gospel in a way that is winsome, wise, and as Colossians 4:6 directs us: “seasoned with salt.” It’s my hope that what I say here helps you not only in your own faith, but helps you share it more effectively and fruitfully.
Kevin SeguinTen minute read.  Three years ago, my family and I moved back to the Niagara Region in Ontario. Among other things, this means that I was able to go back to good coffee shops, 24-hour grocery stores, and decent pubs. It also meant my wife and I had a chance to do something that we don't get to do a lot of: Church Shop. In general, I'm not a fan of church shopping. After all, churches are not buildings or even organizations, churches are local gatherings of people. Churches are people. And so because churches are people, leaving a church simply because "my needs aren't being met" or "I'm just not being fed anymore" can be devastating, both to the community you're leaving behind AND to your own spirit. The longer you've been a part of a church, the deeper those roots run, and the more intertwined with other people you are. Ripping that those roots up does damage. I've always said that for the vast majority of cases, there are two good reasons to leave a church: Theology and Geography. Theology Leaving a church over theological differences makes a certain amount of sense. Now, of course, I'm not talking about minor issues of theology, little things that don't make a lot of difference in our day to day lives. I'm talking about the big things, infant baptism or adult baptism; complementarianism or egalitarianism; how much authority does Scripture have? If you are attending a church that doesn't line up with your core convictions, or if your core convictions change, it's important to find a church you agree with. Even if a church changes its core beliefs. That could be a good reason to church shop. I say "could" because you also need to check your own motives here. Why have your core convictions changed? Is it only a whim or have you been convinced by scripture? (Some of my own convictions are showing here.) The point is, this is a big deal. Are you giving it the consideration it deserves? Decisions like these need to be bathed in prayer and wise counsel. from people you trust and respect. Geography This one's pretty obvious, and far more common. If you move away from your church family because of work, or any other reason really, you'll want to find a church close to your new home. This is the category I found myself in. Church Shopping 101 The most important thing to realize when shopping for a new church is that it's not about you. It really isn't. When you're visiting a church, think about JFK and "Ask not what this church can do for you, ask what you can do for this church." Churches rise and fall on the gifting of their members. Maybe you're asking: "What can I do to serve a church? I have no Biblical training. I can't speak, lead or teach. I hate being around kids, and besides, I've only been a Christian since last Thursday!" I'll say this as clearly as I can: there is a place for you. God has gifted you to be a productive member of a local church. Finding your place may take time, but if you pray, meet with your pastor and be intentional about finding it, you'll find it. (And if you know anything about web design or online community management, start there; unless you're attending a mega church, the online life of your church needs the help, I guarantee it.) Look for a place to serve, to produce, don't just consume, that'll only lead to feeling "unfulfilled here too" eventually. The second most important thing to realize when shopping for a new church is that we truly have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to churches. The first church I pastored was in a town of thirteen hundred; there were seven other churches in town. Seven! Be aware that when looking for a new church (or a first church) you have options, lots of them. So here are some quick guidelines if you're looking for a church in an area where there are many churches and you want to narrow down the field. Find a church that you agree with theologically. If you've been a Christian for a while, you know what to look for. If you're new, look for words like: missional, reformed, reforming, Christ (or Gospel) centred. I admit I'm biased, that's what I look for. If you're new to church, keep going to the church you're at (because chances are a friend brought you to it to begin with) until you figure out where you land theologically, and then re-evaluate if necessary. Keep in mind that unless you start your own (That's called 'church planting') you won't find a church that agrees with EVERYTHING you believe, but look for a good fit, agree on the big things, be generous on the little things. Find a church that is nearby. Within walking distance is best, but that's uncommon and a great blessing when it happens. Ideally, the church you settle on will want to serve the neighbourhood it's in. If you live in that neighbourhood, you'll find it easier to join in on initiatives that serve the neighbours you see all the time, and you're less likely to skip church services if the weather is crummy or you sleep in. Meet with the Pastor(s). Seriously. Don't just sit in the back row and leave before the closing song is over. Sit down with the pastor over coffee (They love that.) and ask them about themselves, ask them about the church, ask them where you might fit in. If they're any good at what they do, they'll know or they’ll know what questions to ask to find out. Take your time. Choosing a church to join and belong to is an important decision and a big commitment if it's done like I suggest. Take your time doing it, don't rush. Come back to a church more than once or twice before ruling them out completely, much more than once or twice if you're thinking of committing. We moved back to the city we lived in before my wife and I got married. We eventually ended up back at our old church, but it wasn’t the default. We looked around. So take your time. Finding a church is an important decision. We test-drive cars before we buy them, if we take the time, our churches will last longer than our Subarus. What about you? What do you look for in a church? Answer in the comments!  As a Biblical conservative, a cultural Liberal, a husband, a dad, and a pastor, I want to see the church act differently in the world. My big passion in ministry is to see how believers can bring the Gospel into the world around them while pursuing the lost art of winsomeness. It is what fuels me and drives me to write. Engaging culture with the truth of the Gospel in a way that is winsome, wise, and as Colossians 4:6 directs us: “seasoned with salt.” It’s my hope that what I say here helps you not only in your own faith, but helps you share it more effectively and fruitfully.
Kevin Seguin6 minute read  I had a conversation with a family member, she was talking about the difficulty she was having finding a new rental home for her Girl Guide troop. The problem she was having was that some of the churches she was approaching were asking so much money that the troop couldn't afford to rent any of them. One church even asked for a cut of the Girl Guide cookie money. That’s right, they wanted a cut of the cookie dough. I was flabbergasted by this. I mean, are you kidding me? A cut of the dough? A piece of the action? This is not the kind of language traditionally associated with churches. Now, of course, I understand that churches have operating costs when it comes to owning and managing a building, particularly a building that would be large enough to host a scout or girl guide troop. However, I really have a problem with churches who see this as an income stream for them as opposed to an opportunity to love and serve their community. My own policy is to charge some nominal fee or a donation, the amount of which can be determined by the organization. Churches: you aren't here to make money, you are here to love and serve your neighbours, even the ones you disagree with. Especially the ones you disagree with. I understand that there are considerations when a group asks to use church facilities. The Girl Guides in Canada have been linked by some within the Evangelical right to pro-choice groups and I can understand the discomfort that churches might feel in indirectly supporting a group that might, organizationally, hold to a pro-choice position. Two things about that discomfort: first, it should exist in far more than just the abortion debate. As Christians, most of what the secular world does ought to be at least a little bit discomforting. Matt Chandler uses the phrase “holy discontentment” Essentially, this is the idea that there's a base-level discontentment that we should have with the world, with the way the world is because it is not yet the way it ought to be. Sin still exists and permeates everything around us, death still exists, and people chase happiness rather than Jesus. If you really want to shelter yourself from the reality of moral issues like abortion in North America, you're going to have to find a pretty big rock and it's really hard to be salt and light to an outside world from inside a cave. Sheltering ourselves from those with whom we disagree is actually the opposite of the mission Jesus put us on. We are called to be salt, light, and good witnesses for Jesus in a world that has rejected him and his mission and values. We can't do that if we say no, if we disengage from people who hold views that are in opposition to ours. I'm not saying that we ought to open our doors and invite in groups that are in direct opposition to Christ, but really, the Girl Guides? Scouts Canada? Ultimate Frisbee leagues? Indoor Quidditch teams? This isn't about income for churches, this isn't about standing up for what we believe in, this is about the mission we are on, and how we are perceived by those we are called to love. Churches, love your neighbours; let them use your space.  As a Biblical conservative, a cultural Liberal, a husband, a dad, and a pastor, I want to see the church act differently in the world. My big passion in ministry is to see how believers can bring the Gospel into the world around them while pursuing the lost art of winsomeness. It is what fuels me and drives me to write. Engaging culture with the truth of the Gospel in a way that is winsome, wise, and as Colossians 4:6 directs us: “seasoned with salt.” It’s my hope that what I say here helps you not only in your own faith, but helps you share it more effectively and fruitfully.
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