There is a little town in western Ontario called Chesley. It's largely a farming community and I likely would not have even heard of it except that I have relatives living just outside of it. Recently, I learned something interesting about the town. It houses a small, Presbyterian Reformed church, which would be rather inconsequential if not for one peculiar claim to fame.

If you are into Reformed theology, you will likely be familiar with the name of John Murray, the noted systematic theologian who taught at Westminster Theological Seminary for many years. Murray was good friends with William Matheson, who was the pastor of the church in Chesley around the same time Murray taught at Westminster. Their friendship had been solidified during a controversy in the Free Presbyterian Church years earlier. Murray would often travel to Chesley to visit Matheson and preached in the church on quite a number of occasions, especially after Matheson died in 1957. In fact, Murray would say of the church, “I think I feel most at home here and at Chesley of all the places I visit.” You can read more of the story of the church here.

Perhaps this is only of interest to me, but I thought it was worth sharing. My relatives might be interested to know that their little town has a small place in Reformed history.

Incidentally, the photo of the 14th concession on the Wikipedia page for Chesley is taken by my dad. My grandparents live just over the rise on the right side.

There are a number of great cities in Canada, and the city of Montréal is perhaps one of the most unique. I have not spent a great deal of time there, but the few times I have been I have really enjoyed it. If you are ever planning to visit Canada, be sure that one of the places you visit is Montréal. The video to your left here is a short two-minute clip, uniquely made, giving you a short taste of the city.

Montréal is quite possibly the most culturally-unique city in Canada. Its location and history have created a culture with multiple influences. There is an old joke in Québec that says, "We could have had French culture, British government and American know-how... but what we've really got is American culture, French government and British know-how!" Some have gone so far as to call Montréal "Amerope," as it is shaped by a very distinct blend of American and European culture.

Aside from making this an interesting city to visit, it creates a distinct challenge for church planting efforts in one of the least-churched cities in North America. The Redeemer Urban Church Planting Center has been putting out an e-newsletter for a few years now, and back in 2004 they featured one of the church planting efforts in Montréal. Here's what they had to say about the unique challenges in that city:

So, what makes Montréal unique? Well, first of all, Montréal is bilingual, boasting the second largest French-speaking population in the world. Culturally, it reflects the American life and attitudes. In addition to being geographically located in North America, Montréalers and Americans share an increasing consumer mentality where choice is imperative. Montréalers also value the ease and spontaneity commonly associated with Americans.

But Montréal is more influenced by European intellectual and social values than other Canadian cities. Like Europeans, Montréalers are less forthcoming than Americans and see a difference between 'friends' and 'acquaintances.' They are a bit more clannish and more cautious about allowing people into their lives. Typically, for church planters, this means that it takes longer for people to really open up and become a 'friend.'

In addition to these differences is Montréal's particular spiritual history. In the past, it has been heavily influenced by Roman Catholicism, which today is widely rejected and viewed as being authoritarian, intellectually confining and too ritualistic. French existentialism has also influenced the thinking of those leading the social values of Montréal. But today, this philosophy too is increasingly questioned. The gate-keepers are beginning to understand that they need consensus and community in order to build a society. Similar to the trend in Europe, Montréal is moving toward a softer humanism where unity, cooperation and community are paramount. All these things make Montréal a uniquely diverse challenge for those living the Gospel in Montréal.

On the Square, the online blog of First Things, featured a very interesting article on this changing cultural climate in Québec a few weeks ago written by Paul Allen, professor of theology at Concordia University in Montréal. Allen noted that upcoming generations are disillusioned by the cultural values and expressions of earlier generations and are looking for something more. He concluded by saying, "what we hear is a lament for culture, a dissent, a reflection on Québec’s roots, a felt desire for something solid, permanent, and life-giving."

That blows the door wide open for the Church to enter through. Church planting efforts will most certainly be a great challenge here, but when a culture is in flux as it seems to be in Montréal and in Québec, it creates a unique opportunity for the Church to renew its presence in the city to play a major role in transforming that culture. Would it be a challenge you would consider taking up?

In the spirit of changing things up a bit, I offer something of a series of "mini-posts." These are a little less serious than some of my other posts, and I thought a random compilation of different subjects would be an interesting read. So here are a number of things that have come to my attention or I have been thinking about recently.

• There will be a federal election in Canada on October 14. What is nice about the Canadian political system is that not having set election dates means there will only be two short months of campaigning, and not the year and a half we will have seen here in the US by the time the election finally comes. Although I am not currently living in Canada I am still a citizen, and because this is a fairly important election I want to vote. However, I went to the Elections Canada website and after answering a short questionnaire determining my eligibility, was informed that I could not vote. Here is why:

Based on your answer, you do not qualify to vote under the Special Voting Rules as a Canadian citizen residing outside Canada. To qualify to vote, you must intend to return to Canada to resume residence in the future.
- Reference: Paragraph 222(1)(c), Canada Elections Act

I was disappointed to read that because I cannot say with any confidence that I intend to return to Canada to resume residence there. I have learned well the futility of making such broad plans for the future, opting instead to wait for God's will to be revealed (Prov. 16:9, James 4:13-15). I have made no plans about where I will eventually find myself living. Perhaps God will lead us to a calling in Canada, but I cannot say that with certainty, and to answer the question on the website in the affirmative would not be truthful.

• I was pointed to an article in the Hamilton Spectator about a group of people that I know by extension who have decided to live together in what they are calling an "intentional community." Read the article here. It is an interesting take on how to build community. As I see it, they are seeking to model the type of community described in Acts 2:42-47. I appreciate their motives, but at the same it reminds me again of how individualistic our society has become--so much that we are looking for intentional ways to build community. It should be something natural. Nonetheless, perhaps their efforts in that neighborhood of Hamilton will produce a renewal of the biblical notion of community in that particular context (HT: David Koyzis).

• Springboarding off this and this, I have long been averse to the idea that your home is strictly a private place. Again, as I stated in my earlier posts linked to above, welcoming people into your home is to welcome them into an intimate relationship, and is an exceedingly important part of our ministry both to fellow believers and to our neighbors. Envisioning our homes as a private little shelter or domain where few people are permitted to enter or become familiar with is nothing less than a complete concession to cultural individualism and isolation. You should be free to go to a friend's house uninvited and be welcomed into that home (there are, naturally, exceptions to this). Likewise, your home should be ready and willing to receive guests. The Bible is full of examples of the importance of letting friends and strangers into your home. As God himself welcomes people freely into his house and into fellowship with him, so should our homes reflect this openness.

• I have to pay for health insurance now, something I have never had to do before. Aside from the fact that I do not like this, it makes me consistently worried that there is something physically wrong with me. While I note this with a tinge of humor, it is, in fact, something I worry about somewhat regularly.

• Some day, I would love to attend an event like the Toronto International Film Festival and catch a better glimpse of the massive international film community. I typically like non-Hollywood movies. Not to generalize, of course--I realize Hollywood has produced some excellent films, and there are a lot of very poor non-Hollywood films as well. Still, a good number of my favorite films come from more independent and international sources because these films seem to have far more authenticity, depth, and insight than your standard Hollywood film. For instance, recently I watched the film, The Italian. I thought it was excellent for a number of different reasons. A film staged in a foreign setting is best done by people from that culture and in that language. The story was also very good, as was the acting. It is also very real and invites you into the life of the lead character, something that is often lacking of Hollywood movies.

• There is something very interesting to me about national anthems. When you listen to them, especially if they are performed well, they have a very unique ability to stir up emotion and pride, even if you are not from whatever country the anthem belongs to. Recently I have listened to a number of different anthems, and found them all to be particularly powerful. The most poignant example I have come across is the national anthem of Russia (Государственный гимн Российской Федерации). I realize it is a throwback to the old Soviet anthem, but that does not change the fact that it is a powerful and dramatic song. You can see how music like that stirs up pride in one's country. Have a listen to it by clicking here. There are more excellent national hymns out there. What are some of your favorites?

Now I have said in one longer post what might have been said in four or five others short posts. I thought that I might as well get it all down while it was in my head instead of trying to compose separate posts later. Thoughts, comments, or interactions on any of these things?

When we were on our Alaska cruise in 2005, one of the ports of call was Prince Rupert, BC. I remember sitting in one of the restaurants having breakfast, and as the ship docked, I noticed a little scooter rental place just down from the port. I said to Robin that we should rent one and ride around the area. Having not ridden a motorcycle before, she was hesitant at first. But once she got on it, she loved it. I remember riding along Yellowhead Highway just outside the city limits surrounded by some beautiful scenery, looking into the little rearview mirror, and seeing a huge smile on her face. Best $65 I've ever spent, hands down.

This is worth a read:

My husband and I are agnostics, or at least we're non-practising. Recently our 10-year-old daughter has become a devout Christian. She reads the Bible and prays, and now she's been agitating for us to take her to church on Sundays. And the other day she calmly informed us that we were probably going to hell.

Click here for the rest of the article. The most interesting part of the article comes later. It's a clear illustration of the unfortunate state of Christianity in Canada, and the West as a whole.

What do you think?

Just came back yesterday from my brother's wedding (congratulations, Mark and Amy) up in the town of Petawawa, Ontario. Got to add another 600-plus mile trip to my August driving total. Had a nice weekend, acquired a sister-in-law, and enjoyed a good amount of beer, which went down very nicely with some rather warm weather. Petawawa was not at all what I expected. I thought it was a tiny little hick town up in the middle of nowhere, but combined with the town just next to it, Pembroke, there was a combined population of 30,000 people.

I also did not expect the scenery. It was just beautiful. There is a lot of hills up in that area of Ontario, and lots of little lakes. Some of the views on the drive up as well as where the wedding reception was held were incredible. The photo here is taken from CFB Petawawa, where the reception was held. This is looking out over the Ottawa River to the L'Isle-aux-Allumettes and the mainland of Québec beyond that. That being said, this is still pretty far north, and not a place I'd want to be from November to April.

Weddings are an interesting time, especially when it comes to meeting new people. My grandfather, who was born in the Netherlands, had the opportunity to meet a Canadian soldier who was part of the group that liberated the Netherlands at the end of the second World War. They talked extensively about that, and because they also were both cabinetmakers by trade. I thought that was neat.

Being up north there and also looking across at Québec, made me realize the spiritual wasteland that so much of Canada is. Most notably in rural towns and cities, churches are in rapid decline and close down one by one as the older people who make up the vast majority of the congregations die off (a bit crass, I know, but true). There's so much potential for evangelical Christians to do work in these areas, either in church revitalization or in church planting. One positive factor to note for missional churches in these communities is how close-knit they are already. If you are looking for a place to further God's Kingdom, don't look past Canada, please! Our country needs so much help. It's a great place to live, there are so many good things about this place. But spiritually it is not healthy at all. That's my sales pitch, take it as you wish.

Being my brother's best man meant I got to make a great speech, and it was recorded so you can watch it below. Also above, a family photo with my brother and new sister-in-law. Enjoy.

12 March 2010 note: If you were to talk to me today, you would never believe that I wrote this post. I chuckle as I read this now because I can't believe how much my thinking has changed over the past four years. Having lived in the US has (as I anticipated) given me a whole new perspective, and being away from Canada has allowed me to think a lot more about what I left behind, and consequently has given me a much deeper appreciation for my homeland. I almost feel like I should write a whole new post with my reflections now.

I have lived in the country of Canada for my entire twenty-three years of existence. I wanted to offer some reflections on what that has been like for me.

As a child, I remember liking Canada. I really didn't know anything else. My life was pretty centered in what went on my own life, and the realization that there was so much more to the world than the area I lived in did not really have an impact on me. I can remember at one point when I was maybe seven or eight, being somewhere watching fireworks on Canada Day (July 1), and feeling proud as the national anthem was being played.

As I grew older, my horizons expanded. I became more aware of what it meant to be one country in a world of hundreds of different one. Of course, my horizon did not expand too much farther, but became especially aware of our big, powerful neighbor to the south, the United States. It did not mean too much to me that they were there, except that they were another country that spoke the same language, had many similar elements culturally, especially in pop culture. I also knew that the two countries "fed" each other, so to speak, economically. We were each other's biggest importers and exporters.

I learned more about America as I grew older, and I liked it more and more. They had such a cool history that was so much more alive than here. And maybe part of it was influenced by the power they held in relation to any other country in the world. It was attractive. I especially loved the southern US, characterized in my mind by cool accents, warm weather, big 4x4 pickup trucks, and country music. For quite a while this occupied my mind. I was going to leave Canada and its worthless socialism, overtaxation, and useless universal healthcare system for the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I grew up. I matured and began to see things more as they are. I began to analyze my country for what it is worth. I started to piece things together and take stock in the place I lived in. I think the biggest issue that I have trouble with is the lack of a Canadian identity. There really is none. A political science professor I had a Redeemer would joke that to be Canadian meant to watch hockey games on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada while drinking Molson Canadian beer. It was meant as a joke, but I think there is some legitimacy to the statement.

One of the main things that contributes to the lack of national identity is the flood of immigrants we receive into this country every year, primarily from the Middle East and Asia. These folks come and weave themselves into the social fabric, but they do so by keeping their cultural identity intact. There is nothing "Canadian" about them. It is not uncommon to wander down a city street in a city like Toronto and perhaps not even hear a word of English, even though it is one of our official languages. A "melting pot" idea, such as accepted by convention in the United States, where upon immigrating to the country, one gradually molds themselves to the American mindset and way of life, is not in play here. We adopt what we call a "tossed salad", one where everyone can co-exist in their own cultural bubble. In my opinion, it is a system that does not work, and the multicultural idea that is characteristic of this country, is problematic at best.

That pride I felt at a young age for this country has diminished. I realize that this country falls short in many respects. The old "it's always greener on the other side" is hard to ignore. It's easy to sit here, look out at the rest of the world and think how much better it would be to live here or there. It's a pipe dream, I know. But there are things in this country that I simply cannot accept. These include as I already mentioned a problematic notion of multiculturalism, as well as socialist-bent politics, and a rejection of anything religious (specifically Christian).

I realize my perception is limited. The three places I have lived in Canada are within roughly 200 kilometers of each other. It's not a far distance. This country extends something like 5000 kilometers from coast to coast. There is a lot of variation in that distance. I have virtually no experience with the West Coast, except several hours in a little town called Prince Rupert in the province of British Columbia. I have seen none of the praries. I have not been north of Sudbury, Ontario, and though I have travelled to the east coast, I was only 9 when we did it, so I don't remember much of it either. Bottom line: I don't feel as if I can make harsh judgments on a country that I have experienced so little of.

Next year I will be moving to the United States. Am I excited? Yes. Not because I am an American diehard, but because I will come into contact with a new perspective, and way of thinking. This is what I find the most valuable about living in different places, and why I would love to live all over the world if I had the chance.

I feel as if there is much, much more I could say on this topic, but I am tired of typing, so here I stop. Do I love Canada? No, love is too strong a word. Do I hate Canada? No, hate is also too strong a word. Leaving this country will not cause me to break into tears, and if I never were to return, I don't think it would bother me a whole lot. It's a big world. When I talk with others and they criticize Canada, there will likely be points I will agree with them, but there will also be times I disagree. I have lived a good life in this country, and I don't see why I should trade it for anything else. There is something I have tried to reject before, but I no longer do: I know now that wherever I go, growing up and living in Canada for 23 years will leave its lasting impact on me. There will likely always be something about me that is "Canadian". Does this bother me?

Not in the least.