There are moments in history that I will always remember learning about as a student in school. Those moments are too numerous to mention here.
Yesterday, as Barack Obama was sworn in as the President of the United States, it occurred to me that, one day, my great great grandkids will learn about this history making moment (assuming Jesus does not return before then). It remains to be seen how history will judge Barack Obama as a President, but there is no question, history will always remember the moment that he became the first African American President.
In a time with so much uncertainty, he has brought a voice of hope to America.
However, Barack Obama's rise to leadership is not the only history making moment we are living in. History is being written all around us - including in the "economic tsunami" as some like to call it. I am reminded that much of the problem in the current economic times is due to some really selfish and poor choices by many individuals all around the world.
In that sense, millions of people have contributed to history being made.
We sometimes have a hard time connecting our daily choices to making any kind of impact. None of us will ever be the President of the United States, but yet, the choices we make every day help to shape the world we live in and the world our children will inherit.
My prayer for the men of Canada during these challenging times is that we will rise up and be men. Men who will take responsibility for the personal choices we have made to contribute to our current challenges, and men who will lead the way and make choices that reflect God's desire for His sons. We live in history making times. We are helping to make history. What will the history books write about the choices we made? More importantly, what will the King of Kings say about the choices we've made when we stand before Him one day.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Friday, November 21, 2008
A Crazy Few Weeks
My apologies for the delay in updating this blog. It has been a crazy few weeks of traveling and attending PK conferences. We are so grateful for all that God has accomplished.
So far, approximately 6,000 men have attended PK Canada conferences this fall. In addition, more than 250 men are currently enrolled in Discipleship Training Unleashed - where we mentor and disciple men and then help them become prepared to mentor and disciple other men.
The coolest part of the last few weeks has been the number of men who have emailed me or who spoke with me and introduced me to a friend they brought this year to a PK Canada event. These were not just a normal introduction - these were men introducing me to their friend who became a brother in Christ during the event. Praise God! These guys get it. They understand that attending a PK event is not just about them, but it is about the thousands of men around us who either do not know Jesus or who just need to be encouraged in their life. they are living out the mentality of "Leave No Man Behind."
We were thrilled to have the men from PK New Zealand visit with us last week. What a great group of guys. They are having a significant impact in New Zealand.
At a personal level, I was really happy to have my oldest son, Carter, with me at the GPS conference this past weekend in Toronto. Ten years ago, when Carter was only two years old, I stood in the middle of the floor at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium and listened to several thousand men sing and worship God. I prayed, "Lord, let my son experience men worshiping like this." This past weekend, God answered my prayer. Carter stood and was filled with awe as he heard almost 5,000 men sing "Jesus, all for Jesus" without any instruments. As his jaw almost hit the floor, he turned and said to me, "Dad, THAT was cool!"
There is so much happening right now at PK Canada. God is moving in men's lives across this nation. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part in the cause to Leave No Man Behind in this nation.
So far, approximately 6,000 men have attended PK Canada conferences this fall. In addition, more than 250 men are currently enrolled in Discipleship Training Unleashed - where we mentor and disciple men and then help them become prepared to mentor and disciple other men.
The coolest part of the last few weeks has been the number of men who have emailed me or who spoke with me and introduced me to a friend they brought this year to a PK Canada event. These were not just a normal introduction - these were men introducing me to their friend who became a brother in Christ during the event. Praise God! These guys get it. They understand that attending a PK event is not just about them, but it is about the thousands of men around us who either do not know Jesus or who just need to be encouraged in their life. they are living out the mentality of "Leave No Man Behind."
We were thrilled to have the men from PK New Zealand visit with us last week. What a great group of guys. They are having a significant impact in New Zealand.
At a personal level, I was really happy to have my oldest son, Carter, with me at the GPS conference this past weekend in Toronto. Ten years ago, when Carter was only two years old, I stood in the middle of the floor at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium and listened to several thousand men sing and worship God. I prayed, "Lord, let my son experience men worshiping like this." This past weekend, God answered my prayer. Carter stood and was filled with awe as he heard almost 5,000 men sing "Jesus, all for Jesus" without any instruments. As his jaw almost hit the floor, he turned and said to me, "Dad, THAT was cool!"
There is so much happening right now at PK Canada. God is moving in men's lives across this nation. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part in the cause to Leave No Man Behind in this nation.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Alberta Bound
I'm in Calgary right now getting ready for the GameDay conference this weekend.
I spent all day in Edmonton yesterday, and enjoyed some really good meetings with various individuals. The common theme as I met with these men -- our communities, churches, and nation need men who are being discipled to follow Jesus.
One of my highlights was the time spent at The Park Church in Sherwood Park. The Park will be host to our GameDay event this coming April, and I had the opportunity to meet Pastor Rick Hilsden and some of his team. Pastor Rick had a stroke about a year ago, but during our time together, I really came to admire his love for God and for the church family God has called him to shepherd. Even with lingering effects of the stroke, Pastor Rick is a man on a mission. He is a glimpse of many faithful men of God serving as pastors in local churches across this nation.
The roller coaster ride known as the world economy is also having an impact in Alberta. You may not always see it, with the incredible amount of construction in this province, but it is there. I only needed to spend a little time with some men to begin hearing stories.
It is good to know that while the god of money crumbles, the one true God provides an anchor for all of us. Didn't Jesus once teach something about building a house on a rock vs. a house on sand??
It's going to be a great weekend in Calgary at GameDay. Meanwhile, other members of the PK team are in Manitoba this weekend for Discipleship Training Unleashed, and they are joined by more than 50 other men.
I'll share more stories of what God is doing in men's lives in my next post. Until then, please be in prayer for the men who will encounter God at PK events this weekend.
I spent all day in Edmonton yesterday, and enjoyed some really good meetings with various individuals. The common theme as I met with these men -- our communities, churches, and nation need men who are being discipled to follow Jesus.
One of my highlights was the time spent at The Park Church in Sherwood Park. The Park will be host to our GameDay event this coming April, and I had the opportunity to meet Pastor Rick Hilsden and some of his team. Pastor Rick had a stroke about a year ago, but during our time together, I really came to admire his love for God and for the church family God has called him to shepherd. Even with lingering effects of the stroke, Pastor Rick is a man on a mission. He is a glimpse of many faithful men of God serving as pastors in local churches across this nation.
The roller coaster ride known as the world economy is also having an impact in Alberta. You may not always see it, with the incredible amount of construction in this province, but it is there. I only needed to spend a little time with some men to begin hearing stories.
It is good to know that while the god of money crumbles, the one true God provides an anchor for all of us. Didn't Jesus once teach something about building a house on a rock vs. a house on sand??
It's going to be a great weekend in Calgary at GameDay. Meanwhile, other members of the PK team are in Manitoba this weekend for Discipleship Training Unleashed, and they are joined by more than 50 other men.
I'll share more stories of what God is doing in men's lives in my next post. Until then, please be in prayer for the men who will encounter God at PK events this weekend.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Thick of Things
Things continue to really pick up around the office and inside the ministry of PK Canada. Here are a few highlights of what is happening right now:
- This weekend, we will see our third Discipleship Training Unleashed module of this fall. There are some great stories already being told from the first couple of weekends, and we believe this weekend will be no different.
- Registrations have been pouring in for our conferences this fall. Tuesday is the early bird deadline for the Hershey Centre event in Toronto. It is great to see thousands of men committing to being part of these weekend experiences.
- Our new small group study guide - The King's Men "Walking with the Master"- has been designed and is currently being printed. We are also translating this study guide into French and will make it available through our French web site.
- Our November/December issue of Seven magazine is about to go to print. This issue will be focused on conflict and will feature an article looking at the incredible interest men have in mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
This is just a small reflection of the scope of ministry that is taking place in Canada this fall. The momentum is building and we are excited to see all that God wants to do in men's lives.
If you're at one of the conferences this fall, take a minute to connect with me. I'd love to hear from you.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Changing Times & Moving Forward
We have just returned from a couple of great days meeting with our staff, Board of Directors, and Corporation members. The Annual PK Annual General Meeting is an activity filled with plenty of legal requirements for us as a charitable organization, but more importantly, it is a time for us to pray and envision together where God wants to take the ministry of PK in the days ahead.
Times are certainly changing in our nation. There is an election called. People are facing mounting pressures in their jobs and in their families. Earlier this week, a business that has been a friend to PK over the years - R.G. Mitchell Bookstores - went into receivership. This creates an interesting dilemma as we prepare to have resources available for men at our events this fall. That said, God is already opening doors in this area. We really see books and other materials as important tools to help men continue to grow in their walk with God and their families, and we will do everything we can to have the best resources for men available. Our online store features many outstanding titles already - check it out at www.promisekeepers.ca
In the midst of these changing times, there are certainly some really exciting things happening at PK. This weekend, things kick off once again as more than 30 men from the Regina area participate in our in-depth, interactive, and personal mentoring process called Discipleship Training Unleashed. These guys are in for a great and personally stretching time this weekend.
Registrations for events continue to come in. Registrations for GPS at the Hershey Centre are particularly going well with more than 1,400 men already registered for the event this November. We are on pace to sell out early for this event, so please encourage your friends to register soon to make sure they are there. We are seeing an incredible level of excitement for the events this fall.
Our new small group study guide - part 1 of a series called "The King's Men" will soon be available. I expect to see some of the artwork for this guide sometime tomorrow, and it should be printed by early October.
Recently, we added a new member to the team at PK. Shawna Pilat is serving as National Prayer Coordinator and is committed to raising up teams of men and women across this nation to pray for the men of Canada along with the ministry of PK. We firmly believe that it is only God's power that can transform men's lives, and we want to be intentional to pray for that to happen in the coming months and years.
It is refreshing to know, that no matter how much things may change in the world, our God has invited us to continue to press on and has reminded us that His grace is sufficient. In a world searching for stability, hope, and integrity - all of these things can be found in Jesus Christ. It is our goal to make this known to the men of Canada and to see Him bring rest to the souls of men and their families.
Times are certainly changing in our nation. There is an election called. People are facing mounting pressures in their jobs and in their families. Earlier this week, a business that has been a friend to PK over the years - R.G. Mitchell Bookstores - went into receivership. This creates an interesting dilemma as we prepare to have resources available for men at our events this fall. That said, God is already opening doors in this area. We really see books and other materials as important tools to help men continue to grow in their walk with God and their families, and we will do everything we can to have the best resources for men available. Our online store features many outstanding titles already - check it out at www.promisekeepers.ca
In the midst of these changing times, there are certainly some really exciting things happening at PK. This weekend, things kick off once again as more than 30 men from the Regina area participate in our in-depth, interactive, and personal mentoring process called Discipleship Training Unleashed. These guys are in for a great and personally stretching time this weekend.
Registrations for events continue to come in. Registrations for GPS at the Hershey Centre are particularly going well with more than 1,400 men already registered for the event this November. We are on pace to sell out early for this event, so please encourage your friends to register soon to make sure they are there. We are seeing an incredible level of excitement for the events this fall.
Our new small group study guide - part 1 of a series called "The King's Men" will soon be available. I expect to see some of the artwork for this guide sometime tomorrow, and it should be printed by early October.
Recently, we added a new member to the team at PK. Shawna Pilat is serving as National Prayer Coordinator and is committed to raising up teams of men and women across this nation to pray for the men of Canada along with the ministry of PK. We firmly believe that it is only God's power that can transform men's lives, and we want to be intentional to pray for that to happen in the coming months and years.
It is refreshing to know, that no matter how much things may change in the world, our God has invited us to continue to press on and has reminded us that His grace is sufficient. In a world searching for stability, hope, and integrity - all of these things can be found in Jesus Christ. It is our goal to make this known to the men of Canada and to see Him bring rest to the souls of men and their families.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Good Busy
I was speaking with one of our Regional Coordinators - Rob Clogg from BC - the other day, and he shared with me something that his pastor shared in a sermon. The basic principle is that it's not necessarily wrong to be busy, but there is a good busy and a bad busy.
Well, the fall is here, and for PK, that means it is time for a "good busy" season to begin.
Conferences
Conference Registrations have really started to come in to our office. We are looking forward to launching a new conference city this fall in Montreal.
Registrations for the GPS National Conference in Toronto are tracking ahead of last year.
We are really looking forward to thousands of men once again filling the Hershey Centre. If you are organizing a group to attend the Hershey Centre event in Toronto, I encourage you to take advantage of the special group rate available until September 15th (only $50 per registration for a Fri/Sat ticket and a group of 20).
We continue to meet and discuss the program for the events. It is our greatest desire that the men who attend will have an encounter with God, and that we simply try to encourage and create an environment for that to happen.
Discipleship Training
Discipleship Training Unleashed continues to expand across the country, and this fall we launch in several new locations. Registrations are going really well for these intensive and personal journeys of discovering God's design for various areas of your life. Some modules are almost SOLD OUT for this fall, and the one in Toronto already is SOLD OUT. Praise God!!
PK Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting is coming up in just over a week. This is a time for the staff and Board to meet together. We fellowship, pray, and lay out the plans we believe God is calling us to in the coming year. It is always a great time.
There are so many other things happening at PK right now. I encourage you to get the men around you together and attend a PK event or participate in Discipleship Training as it comes to a community near you.
Yes, we are busy. It's a good busy. We look forward to what God wants to do in and through the lives of men in the coming months.
Keep going strong! You are not alone.
Well, the fall is here, and for PK, that means it is time for a "good busy" season to begin.
Conferences
Conference Registrations have really started to come in to our office. We are looking forward to launching a new conference city this fall in Montreal.
Registrations for the GPS National Conference in Toronto are tracking ahead of last year.
We are really looking forward to thousands of men once again filling the Hershey Centre. If you are organizing a group to attend the Hershey Centre event in Toronto, I encourage you to take advantage of the special group rate available until September 15th (only $50 per registration for a Fri/Sat ticket and a group of 20).We continue to meet and discuss the program for the events. It is our greatest desire that the men who attend will have an encounter with God, and that we simply try to encourage and create an environment for that to happen.
Discipleship Training
Discipleship Training Unleashed continues to expand across the country, and this fall we launch in several new locations. Registrations are going really well for these intensive and personal journeys of discovering God's design for various areas of your life. Some modules are almost SOLD OUT for this fall, and the one in Toronto already is SOLD OUT. Praise God!!
PK Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting is coming up in just over a week. This is a time for the staff and Board to meet together. We fellowship, pray, and lay out the plans we believe God is calling us to in the coming year. It is always a great time.
There are so many other things happening at PK right now. I encourage you to get the men around you together and attend a PK event or participate in Discipleship Training as it comes to a community near you.
Yes, we are busy. It's a good busy. We look forward to what God wants to do in and through the lives of men in the coming months.
Keep going strong! You are not alone.
Friday, August 29, 2008
A Double Life
Last week, I talked about the story of Michael Guglielmucci. Since that time, more details have come out - including an interview with his father who revealed that his son has been a porn addict since the age of 12. You can read the entire article here.
How should a Christian respond to something like this? I've been trying to think about this question all week.
First, I am reminded of the grace and mercy of God. If you have grown up in the church, it is really easy to learn how to "play the game" when you're in front of other Christians and be someone totally different in private. Beyond this reality, everyone is in need of having things brought into the light. It is only in the light that people can truly become free in the depths of their soul. Guglielmucci may be experiencing pain and embarrassment right now, but at some point, he will be free because his lie is now in the open and he does not have to carry that weight around. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ paid for the past, present, and future sins of all who believe in Him. It may not seem fair that someone who does so much damage can be forgiven, but Jesus died for Guglielmucci as much as He did for you and for me.
I am also grateful that Jesus said He is the one who builds His church. Guglielmucci is not the first, and he won't be the last Christian leader to fail in such a big way. We need to constantly remember that Jesus is the Head of the Church - not any individual. Within the Body of Christ, everyone has a part to play. Yes, some are set out as having a more public role, but according to 1 Corinthians 12, they are no more important than anyone else who follows Jesus Christ. In fact, no matter what part of the Body you are, your strengths help make the Body stronger, and your failures are felt by the entire Body (directly or indirectly). We are in this together.
As Christians, what makes us different is not that we are perfect people. To some degree, all of us are hypocrites. What makes us different is that we know we are not perfect, and that we only have peace and rest in our souls because of the grace of God.
This is a time for praying for everyone involved in a very difficult situation. There are many people who are seriously hurting right now, and they need the strength and healing that can only come from God.
The truth of the song that Guglielmucci wrote - "Healer" - has never been more appropriate. Jesus is not just the healer of our physical disease, but He also heals the brokenhearted and sets the captives free.
How should a Christian respond to something like this? I've been trying to think about this question all week.
First, I am reminded of the grace and mercy of God. If you have grown up in the church, it is really easy to learn how to "play the game" when you're in front of other Christians and be someone totally different in private. Beyond this reality, everyone is in need of having things brought into the light. It is only in the light that people can truly become free in the depths of their soul. Guglielmucci may be experiencing pain and embarrassment right now, but at some point, he will be free because his lie is now in the open and he does not have to carry that weight around. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ paid for the past, present, and future sins of all who believe in Him. It may not seem fair that someone who does so much damage can be forgiven, but Jesus died for Guglielmucci as much as He did for you and for me.
I am also grateful that Jesus said He is the one who builds His church. Guglielmucci is not the first, and he won't be the last Christian leader to fail in such a big way. We need to constantly remember that Jesus is the Head of the Church - not any individual. Within the Body of Christ, everyone has a part to play. Yes, some are set out as having a more public role, but according to 1 Corinthians 12, they are no more important than anyone else who follows Jesus Christ. In fact, no matter what part of the Body you are, your strengths help make the Body stronger, and your failures are felt by the entire Body (directly or indirectly). We are in this together.
As Christians, what makes us different is not that we are perfect people. To some degree, all of us are hypocrites. What makes us different is that we know we are not perfect, and that we only have peace and rest in our souls because of the grace of God.
This is a time for praying for everyone involved in a very difficult situation. There are many people who are seriously hurting right now, and they need the strength and healing that can only come from God.
The truth of the song that Guglielmucci wrote - "Healer" - has never been more appropriate. Jesus is not just the healer of our physical disease, but He also heals the brokenhearted and sets the captives free.
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