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Pastor's Blog - Entries written by Ian Hales
WedWednesdayDecDecember21st2011
The Centrality of the Church
in the Christian Life
Recently, I was reading a book and came across this provocative question: “What exactly are you doing when you go to church on Sundays?” I appreciate this question because for most of my Christian life, I had the wrong answer. In fact, I would... More
WedWednesdayDecDecember14th2011
Hope and Prayer
This morning I planned to write a blog on a book I just read. The book deals with perhaps the most neglected and most difficult discipline in the Christian life, prayer. I never anticipated that this book was exactly what I needed at this exact... More
WedWednesdayDecDecember7th2011
Reading about Reading
I really do enjoy reading. There is nothing quite like sitting down with a good book, becoming immersed in the storyline, wrestling with the propositions, being stretched by great insights or ideas. It’s amazing to me that more people don’t enjoy... More
WedWednesdayNovNovember30th2011
The Power of Passion
Passion is a powerful motivator. Arguably, passion is the greatest motivator and is responsible for almost every decision we make. By passion, I mean the single most important or overwhelming desire of our heart at any given moment. It sometimes... More
ThuThursdayNovNovember24th2011
What is the Mission
of the Church?
It’s been said that if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time. Aside from being an old cliché, it’s actually one of the most important truths for success in any and all areas of life. Regardless of your career or vocation, your age or gender... More
WedWednesdayNovNovember16th2011
Why God Took A Shepherd
Boy and Made Him A King.
I was sitting in my office last week thinking about a wide array of things I’m sure. A little book sitting on my bookshelf was practically staring me in the face. I remember the day I purchased the book. I was working at a pastor’s conference in... More
WedWednesdayNovNovember9th2011
Are We Too Healthy?
I love to read biographies. I find history and particularly the lives of those who have walked before us fascinating. One of the things I cherish most about a good biography is learning valuable lessons from another’s experience. It’s important to... More
WedWednesdayNovNovember2nd2011
The Glory of Christ
I recently picked up and began to re-read John Owen’s , “ The Glory of Christ .” I can recall the first time I read this book and John Owen 1616 – 24 August 1683 was taken back by the depth of truth it contained. Owen is a puritan author who wrote... More
FriFridayOctOctober15th2010
Are You in a Small Group?
Are you in a small group? That’s the question we are asking around our church. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the question. While it may appear fairly general and almost ambiguous, it is loaded with theological, practical and life transforming... More
ThuThursdayJunJune17th2010
The Power of Influence
I thought about entitling this post, “what I’ve learned from my friends.” That is after all, what this post is all about. However, I think the word that I am stuck on is “influence.” God has been so gracious in so many area’s of my life. I have been... More
FriFridayJunJune11th2010
Biblical Love Pt. 1
What’s Love Got to Do with It? Love is an interesting concept. A milieu of thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions come to mind when I consider the word. It is a word that is tossed around rather frequently and loosely in our culture and perhaps even... More
MonMondayMarMarch22nd2010
Fighting for Life
Living the Christian life is hard. One week you’re on fire for the Lord, the next week you struggle to open your Bible. One week you’re sharing your faith with boldness, the next week your fear of man keeps you from admitting you’re even a... More
ThuThursdayFebFebruary11th2010
Shaken to the Core
Yesterday I had my world rocked. I mean it was really shaken. Not just because we had a 4.3 earthquake with the epicenter just 6 miles from our home. My apartment was shaking at 4:00am, but by noon, my heart was shaken. I have the privilege of... More
MonMondayDecDecember21st2009
The Cross at Christmas
This past weekend, I had the privilege to shadow James Macdonald during all three services that he preached. It was a tremendous blessing and a great learning experience. James is a gracious man and has a strong desire to teach and train men, such... More
MonMondayDecDecember14th2009
I Want to Change! Part 1
A few weeks ago, I wrote about idols of the heart . The basic gist of the post was that we all worship something, if it's not God, it's something else. If you haven't read that post, I'd suggest you take some time and read through it. If we're going... More
WedWednesdayNovNovember25th2009
What God Can Do!
This past weekend, all of the families involved in the Harvest Training Center had the opportunity to visit a church plant in Davenport, Iowa. The leadership there invited us to come so that they could pour their lives and experience into us as we... More
MonMondayNovNovember23rd2009
Heart Surgery
Tylenol is a great thing. I spent years beating up my body so every now and then my old injuries flare up on me. Whether it's my shoulder, my back, my knee or just a plain old headache, Tylenol seems to give me the temporary relief I need. Did you... More
MonMondayNovNovember16th2009
Time to Grow
Yesterday, Sarah turned the TV on to discover that there was sound coming from the large gray box but no picture. We unplugged it and turned it back on... NOTHING! It's official, our TV is dead and today we will not have a funeral. Now, I watch very... More
MonMondayNovNovember9th2009
What Should I Look for in a Church?
So, I’m sitting in the airport unwinding from a busy weekend back in the Toronto area. We hosted our first official “Open House” and I preached at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region. The “open house” was a great experience and it especially impacted... More
MonMondayNovNovember2nd2009
Who Needs Church? Part 2
I woke up this morning craving a western omelet. To make a western omelet I need eggs, ham, cheese, onions and green peppers. It's been about a week since we last went grocery shopping so when I went to the fridge I wasn't surprised to find that I... More
MonMondayOctOctober26th2009
Who Needs Church? Part 1
Have you ever heard a Christian say something like, "I don't need to go to church, my relationship with God is my own." Or maybe something like this, "my church is whenever I'm hanging out with other people who love Jesus." If you've never heard... More
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