Tag: Congregation

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Is Canada Socialist?

Why is Canada known as a Dominion and not a Kingdom? Did the Social Gospel movement ruin Canadian Christianity? In this video, James Tyler Robertson briefly discusses such questions from the vantage point of Canadian Protestantism at the dawn of the twentieth century. In a time when the church was vital in forming the policies and ideas that would define the nation during that century, Dr. Robertson explores whether or not such concerns validate present-day claims that Canada has become too socialist for its own good.

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Hope For the Future: The 2021 Canadian Census

I am an editor for the journal Post Christendom Studies. In the most recent issue we asked a number of scholars to reflect on the 2021 Canadian census with a view to understanding the implications of religious trends in Canada on the church today. The 2021 Canadian census confirmed trends in religious habits that are now cemented into the Canadian identity. It offered a picture of the reality that Canadians are increasingly less inclined toward participating in structured religious activities and are less inclined to belief in God. While there may not have been any great surprises in the latest census data it depicts some sobering realities for anyone engaged in church leadership. The diverse group of scholars, from Canada and elsewhere, came up with a number of thoughts that have implications for ministry in Canada and North America today. Here is a sampling of them.

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The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing Forward Webinar 

This is a recording of a webinar related to our book, The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing in the Face of Transition and Change. This webinar includes two of the authors, Arch Wong and Joel Thiessen, and three practitioners including Sarah Han, Linda Nicholls, and Father James Mallon. This webinar was originally hosted on April 1st, 2025.

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Three Practices to Unlock Hidden Potential in Preaching 

This video, hosted by Rev. Dr. Sara Han, explores how preaching can ignite a transformational spark by helping listeners actualize their eternal identity in Christ. Drawing from coaching principles like unlocking potential, looking forward, and co-active journeying, this talk equips leaders to disciple others into deeper spiritual growth and lasting transformation. 

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A female pastor holding a Bible leads a choir in red robes during a church service.

Gender Light Bulb Moments in Ministry: Canadian Women Pastors’ Experiences of Gender Inequality

This is a recording of the fourth webinar in our four-part Flourishing Forward webinar series. Hosted by Dr. Katie Steeves, this webinar contains recent findings from qualitative interviews of Canadian women pastors on the topic of how gender interacts with their call and leadership. If you view this webinar recording, you will learn how women religious leaders experience certain comments, actions, and interactions as “gender light bulb moments” – instances where they become aware they are being treated differently because of their gender.

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Not Dead Yet: Is the Decline of the Canadian Church a Myth?

There is increasing handwringing about the decline of the Canadian Church, but an analysis of our reconciled Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) dataset suggests the story is less bleak and more complex. This blog charts a decade of pre-Covid changes in net churches and charitable giving in eleven major Christian traditions. We find stories of decline, stability, and growth; and discover evidence that losses in congregations may not lead to equivalent losses in denominational engagement.

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New Congregations in Canada

This video, hosted by Dr. James Watson, offers an overview of the creativity of God in calling new congregations into being within Canada. Models, expressions of worship, and cultural implications for our multicultural society are described. Implications for all churches within Canada are explored from a pastoral and missional perspective.

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