Converge magazine // 3

HIGHER EDUCATION GUIDE // FALL FASHION BASICS // THEOLOGY OF FOOD // 5 BOOKS PASTORS NEED TO READ

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HELL RAISERS THE DEBATE

SEPT-OCT 2011 | Issue 3

BETWEEN CHAN, GALLI & BELL

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

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contents

38

46 6 EDITOR'S LETTER 9 FROM YOU 10 BOOK CLUB 5 Books Every Pastor Should Read 16 HOW TO Relate to God as your Father and your King 18 CULTURE How Stupid Are We? 20 HEALTH Indoor Air Pollution and Theology of Food 22 LIFE One Woman's Battle with Anorexia 24 MINISTRY Sevenly: Raising moneys one tee at a time 27 TOP 10 Songs We Wish We Could Sing at Church 28 EDUCATION SPECIAL 50

40 COVER Interview with Switchfoot 46 MC JIN 48 BURLAP TO CASHMERE 50 INTERVIEW WITH KYE KYE 52 GIRL AT THE ROCK SHOW 10

54 STYLE Fall Basics 58 BOOKS The Hell Debate between Galli, Chan & Bell 60 MARVEL MOVIES 40 62

24

62 MUSIC REVIEWS 64 LAST WORD

54

meet some of our newest contributors:

converge 03 | Sept-Oct 2011 Christian Info Society 2nd floor 107 E 3rd Ave Vancouver, BC. V5T 1C7 t: 604.638.6007 1.888.899.3777

Editor Shara Lee shara@convergemagazine.com Designer Carmen Bright carmen@convergemagazine.com Sales & Operations Jeremy Mills jeremy@convergemagazine.com Accounting Sarah Cui Contributors Craig Ketchum, Patricia Lim, Miriam Miller, Jeremy Postal, Michelle Sudduth, Grace Lau, Yvadney Davis, Jeff Wong, Jason Burtt, Cam Smith, Flyn Ritchie, Natasha Irvine, Matthew Thiessen, Stephanie Ip, Emily Wierenga, Nick Schuurman, J.J. McCullough, A.J. Pau, Janice Wu, Jacob Kownacki, Andy Chen, Tayler Bartman Opinions expressed in CONVERGE magazine are not necessarily those of the staff or board of Christian Info Society

Jason Burtt is the pastor of youth and family ministry at West Vancouver Baptist Church. Jason is also attending Regent College in Vancouver, where he is soon to complete a master's degree in Christian studies. He enjoys preaching, teaching, and leading worship with guitar. He is passionately committed to spreading the Gospel, loving people, and loving God through creative means.

Jason's hobbies include soccer, hiking, in-line skating, skiing, and reading theological and philosophical literature. Occasionally, he works under the hood of his truck and tinkers with mechanical devices.

Tayler Bartman attended The Pennsylvania State University and received a degree in Communications and Media Studies.

She was named "Student Marshall" for graduating with the highest GPA in her graduating class.

Since then, she has continued to indulge in her passion for health and fitness. Tayler started her own YouTube channel, where she reviews products and shares her favorite recipes. In addition, she also started her own blog to further help her viewers with their goals towards healthier living.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 year (6 issues) Canada: $12 US: $22 International: Please inquire.

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Guest Suites Available Year Round Church Leadership Teams Business Seminars Women’s Retreats Youth Retreats

As a child, Yvadney Davis loved helping her mum to sew dresses and drew endless designs. After graduating from the acclaimed Central Saint Martins with a fashion degree in 2004, she began a successful career in PR, moving onto fashion styling, writing and consulting working in London and New York. She is a regular contributor to fashion websites, translating the latest fashion trends from the runway to the wardrobe.

Yvadney has worked for companies such as Marks & Spencer, Smythson of Bond Street, Katayone Adeli, Julien MacDonald, Plaid Magazine, Hacid Magazine, Fashion Beans.com, Papercut, TypeF. com, Enda B, Alexander Nikolich, Moti Collection and INK Magazine. Things that excite her? Black & white stripes, New York, feathers, the British seaside, hats, and the Caribbean.

TO SUBSCRIBE subscribe@convergemagazine.com TO SUBMIT letters@convergemagazine.com GENERAL INQUIRIES info@convergemagazine.com TO ADVERTISE jeremy@convergemagazine.com

Experience your next retreat at Trinity Western University. A tranquil setting away from the hustle and bustle. Located in beautiful Langley, BC. Give us a call today! @ 604 888-7511 ext 3466 conferences@twu.ca

editor's letter

WE'VE GOT NOTHING It

seems today that every news, report, or study is decrying the decline of Christianity and, consequently, the decline of morality. The world at large sees Christians as “the crazy other” — hateful, bigoted, unnatural creatures who are selfserving, dim-witted, and judgmental. For the Christian, there are moments you feel alone, cut off from the raw realities of life, wondering why a narrow faith is better than a more obvious path.

The fact is, living like Christ is serious business and no easy thing; sacrifice, more sacrifice, virtues of selflessness, humility, and so on. Living for the kingdom requires choices that often go against the grain of society, and some of these choices really cost.

It almost seems God doesn’t want us Christians to have it easy.

Yes, we Christians vouch we live by grace alone. Yet we forget (often) that everything is a gift. I remember someone saying, “We are all charity cases. If we think we’re doing something right, that’s idolatry; but if we say, I’ve got nothing, that’s the kingdom.”

Hard as it is to understand, it is exactly at crisis moments, when we are feeling “poor, crippled, lame, and blind” that we see God’s handiwork in our lives. When we come to Him with nothing as nothing, He fills us.

In this issue MC Jin gives his powerful testimony of having everything he ever dreamed of — fame and success — and losing them all. But what a fortunate loss. In the pain he re-discovered faith and, along with that, a greater meaning and purpose for his life.

We’ve also got a story on veteran band Switchfoot. As the dark horse in the music industry, they never dreamed of the mainstream success they would eventually have. The one thing they did know was that they weren't willing to compromise their beliefs to please

the secular market. Through their honest and spiritually-charged lyrics the band not only won over the hearts of believers but have remained accessible to non-believers.

In our last word, Michelle Sudduth explains we should never fall under the mercy of our emotions. When feelings of sadness and depression creep up we should look to God. Christ, she reminds, not only knows the pain we feel but also holds the power to heal all that is within.

We don't have to feel alone. Many believers out there are persevering in their faith. Elijah thought he was the lone ranger.

He was soundly corrected, and by none other than the Lord God Almighty Himself. The truth was there were seven thousand other faithful ones in the nation of Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal.

Life is a challenge, sure. It’s messy. There are things we’d rather not confront. But if we remember the One who has us in His hands we do not have to worry. He’s got a plan for each life. He’s got a plan for entrepreneurs, for artists, for home makers, even for those who haven’t yet decided which paths to take. The road of life is not, as they say, a bed of roses. But roses there are aplenty — and much else besides — are waiting to reward those who persevere in godliness.

God comes through. He always does.

Do you believe that what you believe is really real?

Know what you believe and why you believe it. The Truth Project is coming to a city near you. Don’t miss out.

Visit Thetruthproject.ca.

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WRITE US!

from you

letters@convergemagazine.com www.facebook.com/convergemag www.twitter.com/CONVERGE_mag

summer

2011

issue

I was reading through your latest Converge magazine and enjoyed the many articles and information that you have placed in it. On page 43 you have your "Get Active" section which I think is so very important especially in our western Christian culture.

You highlighted Pilates, running, Zumba and yoga. Zumba, Pilates and running are all activities that I can support and would encourage people to try.

Yoga on the other had is not something that I think Christians should be advertising. If you strip yoga of all its Hindu philosophies and theology you would probably wind up with Pilates which is an excellent workout.

Yoga, however, does not strip away Hindu philosophies. Hinduism is the core and foundation of yoga. Yoga is not about better abs, it is about practical Hinduism and opening your mind and body to its worldview and other spiritual realities that the Bible warns against.

May I encourage you to promote other ways of getting active like biking, canoeing, and hiking; or you might look into promotional options like Curves who offer Zumba; or researching Rick Warren's "Daniel Plan".

Rev. Richard Franklin Regina SK

Our thanks to Converge magazine for highlighting important issues that Canadians need to be aware of through the article about antislavery crusader Tara Teng.

Tara is an inspiration to us and, I’m sure, to many others for how she’s used the platform of beauty pageants to highlight this often overlooked problem. We’re glad to see how God is working through her to change this hurting world.

Carina Kwok Communications Advisor Samaritan’s Purse Canada Thanks for your reflections on men in the Summer 2011 issue of Converge. I suppose I am one of a minority of men who do not watch UFC/MMA. In fact I find these events repulsive and I hope I am not judged as less of a “real man” as a result.

I disagree strongly with you that these events tap into “the instinctual and God-given urge for men to discipline themselves, conquer and win at all odds.” I believe that this urge may indeed be very deep within the male psyche, including mine, but my sense is that it is part of our sinful twisted nature and not part of our imago dei. I’m all for “standing up for the oppressed, fighting injustice, and loving your family” but I don’t see the connection with beating the crap out of a fellow human being.

PS to all at Converge: Thanks for your “edgy” publication. It is exciting to see a publication for, and especially by Christian young adults. I even enjoyed it as a 50 year old! I saw it at our church and also at the Creative World Justice Festival in the summer. All the best in this venture.

sweet tweet Auntymelly007: RT @CONVERGE_mag About to interview Steven Delopoulos from #BurlaptoCashmere // Cool! Heard some of their new stuff and really liked it captainthin: Received my copy of @ CONVERGE_mag last Friday.

Finally have some time over lunch to have a read. I must say, it looks (& feels) good so far! whistlerschool: Thanks @Converge_Mag for running our Whistler School ad! #discipleship #missional #GreatMagazine rhebaj: @CONVERGE_mag so so true!

I need to get a subscription to your mag!! Gotta read that article!! tracyleeeee: Stoked to join the @ CONVERGE_mag team! RT@ tracyleeeee so excited to have you write for our site! Can't wait to read your first piece.

Gareth Brandt Professor of Practical Theology Columbia Bible College Abbotsford, BC *Letters have been edited for length and clarity

BOOK CLUB

5

By Jason Burtt | @jasonburtt

TECH TALK

By A.J. Pau | @Kardboard

THANKO “CAR WATER COOLER SEAT”

books every pastor should read

As lifelong learners, we pastors should read books that challenge our traditional opinions, encourage prayerful introspection, and establish healthy vision. Finally, all believers need moments of spiritual refreshment. My prayer is that at the very least you are bolstered in your faith and vision in Christ and his ministry of reconciliation; at most, your life will explode into universe-altering insight.

Eugene Peterson a memoir: the pastor This world-renowned pastor, author, and scholar (translator of The Message Bible) writes an honest and compelling story of his life in ministry. He also assesses the current state of the role of “pastor,” and criticizes the churchas-business model of the Christian church.

Henri Nouwen creative ministry

All followers of Jesus are called to minister his grace to humanity. But when a follower of Jesus carries the title “pastor,” many times it takes on a sort of professionalism that veers him or her off the course of sincere faith and love in vulnerability before Christ and the congregation he or she serves. Nouwen exhorts us to know the Lord in his death and resurrection so that our preaching will flow from it.

John H. Walton the lost world of genesis one

Walton (professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College) challenges his reader to examine ancient Near Eastern language and culture in order to better understand God’s message to Israel in Genesis 1. His refreshing analysis and biblical interpretation provide insightful ways to approach the origins debate.

SOUNDMATTERS FOXLV2 HI-FI BLUETOOTH SPEAKER Bike lanes will never be the same with the foxLv2. Strap this wireless speaker to your bike and broadcast your love of Backstreet Boys from any music player that supports Bluetooth audio. Also doubles as a speakerphone so you can hold important conference calls while you pedal to work. The folks at soundmatters claim the sound from the v2 has the highest fidelity resolution for its size. A rocket scientist designed it too, and that’s actually no joke.

$199.99, available now

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HUAWEI VISION Meet the Vision. Though not the greatest thing since sliced bread, at 9.9mm thin, it probably can slice bread. Android 2.3 Gingerbread, that is. A 1 Ghz processor powers the 3.7” touchscreen, five-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording and it makes calls too!

WiFi B/G/N, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS and an FM radio round out the features, all wrapped nicely in a unibody shell.

Price TBA, available September 2011

the challenge of the disciplined life

(Previously published under Money, Sex, & Power) Foster’s famous work provokes a sense of honest reflection regarding everything from financial ethics to transparent sexuality. He takes us on an introspective journey and discerning process to uncover our use and pursuit of power. Most importantly, Foster points us to service in Christ’s love, and a way to approach all of these subjects with a touch of his grace.

Søren Kierkegaard works of love

A brother in faith from the 19th century, Kierkegaard wrote several deep philosophical works, but also some downright profound-to-the-core books about Christian living. One of them is Works of Love. He uncovers the power of God’s love at work in community, and inspires his reader to both faith and action.

10 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

Air conditioning is clearly inferior to water conditioning. Or so Thanko of Japan would like you to think. The quirky company has released their “Car Water Cooler Seat,” meant to pump soothing water to melt your rage as you sit in traffic. The benefit of this system is that you always have cooling liquid underneath you, but the drawback is that you always have liquid underneath you. Available only in Japan.

PACKLIGHT It bends, it’s magnetic, and it lasts for up to 10 hours. The Packlight is a design from Beijing that’s currently awaiting finalization.

Storage is easy as it’s built with double-coated shaping wire, so you can wrap and roll it to your heart’s content. Powered by USB, there’s also a solar charger available that charges iPhones and the thousands of other USB-powered oddities.

Modes include 15 LEDs only, the full 45, or a blinking mode. Sounds like something Mountain Equipment Coop and Atmosphere should fight for.

$45 pre-order ($60 retail)

FEELING FIT

By Tayler Bartman | @taylietot

FITNESS DVD REVIEWS

Midafternoon Stretch JILLIAN MICHAELS 30 DAY SHRED Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred is a cult classic and a best seller on Amazon.

This was Michaels’ solo debut DVD from the hit TV series The Biggest Loser.

30 Day Shred revolutionized DVD formatting. It offers three unique workouts/levels that are designed to increase endurance and performance. The workout is done in an aerobics gym setting. Two women accompany Michaels and provide a lower and higher impact version of the workout.

The different levels are comprised of three circuits. Each circuit is made up of her “3-2-1-method”: three minutes of strength, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of abdominal work. These moves do involve a lot of jump and squat/lunge-type movements, so be careful if you have any knee injuries.

Since this is intended to be a 30-day program I recommend doing level one for a week, level two for a week, and level three for two weeks. This, however, should be modified for your own fitness level.

This DVD requires three to eight pound free weights as well as a yoga mat. As you move to the next level try to increase your resistance if possible to prevent plateaus.

PILOXING Swedish born Viveca Jensen has designed a unique workout by melding together Pilates and boxing. Jensen is a celebrity favorite and stars like Hilary Duff and Heather Morris are dedicated to her program. She refers to her exercise as “sexy, sleek and powerful.”

This video is not for the faint of heart. It is approximately an hour long and combines both cardiovascular exercises as well as toning movements. Piloxing has a fast paced and high energetic feel to it. The video is filmed in a boxing gym. Jensen leads the entire workout, but there is a group of women behind her that gives the workout a sense of community that enables you to keep up with her.

While Pilates may seem dull to some, Jensen is able to take its fundamentals and twist it into a highly effective and fun workout. Pilates is a fabulous toning workout; however, when done solely on its own it often does not provide enough of a complete workout. By combining boxing, an intensive form of cardio along with Pilates, your workout is simplified and time efficient.

This video does require a mat and one-pound weighted boxing gloves.

SELF: BIKINI READY FAST Self magazine has a fascinating and effective series of workout DVDs. A personal favorite is Bikini Ready Fast.

The running time is about 45 minutes and is led by Ellen Barrett, a leading fitness instructor. Self claims that you will see results in just four weeks when doing this workout four to five times a week.

This workout does require free weights. It will depend on your current fitness level, but I recommend three to eight pound weights.

This DVD features a well-rounded workout comprised of circuits of both cardiovascular

exercises, as well as weight training.

Bikini Ready Fast is heavily influenced by ballet. Classic moves like pliés and chassés are incorporated with more mainstream plyometric moves. Despite the dance background, this video does not require serious coordination. There are no complicated moves, and there is a very nice flow from one exercise to the next.

The setting of this video is quite spectacular.

The entire workout is done on a beach. There are two girls accompanying Barrett in this workout. They provide a low and high intensity version of this workout.

Check out Tayler's YouTube channel and fitness blog where she shares fitness reviews and healthy eating tips.

Try these stretches after an extended period of sitting to release tension in your hamstrings and glutes.

1

KNEE CHEST STRETCH: difficulty: Grab knee and shin with both hands and pull towards chest.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with opposite leg.

2

PRETZEL STRETCH: difficulty: Begin cross legged. Touch one foot to opposite knee, twist body to feel stretch in glute.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Repeat with opposite side.

3

DOVE STRETCH: difficulty: Curl one leg in front of body.

Extend other leg back. Lean forward slightly. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TaylieTotGetsFIt http://taylietotgetsfit.com/ convergemagazine.com

| 11

we asked you about

INTERFAITHRELATIONSHIPS Have you ever been in a relationship with a person of a different faith? Would you consider it in the future? maybe

No, I haven’t, but I would be because I feel like if God wants you to be in that relationship then he’ll put you there for a reason and maybe that person will come to Christ or maybe you’ll learn from that somehow. I have friends and family who have done that and they have come to Christ so I’m just familiar with it.

no

No I haven’t. I probably wouldn’t.

It’s pretty important for me that somebody would support me in my faith and I could support them in their faith. I don’t think I would.

Ben Vanderpol, 22

Rae-Maryse Laljee

No. I think I would. I would try to bring her to church.

Toni Kang, 25

No, I’ve never been in an interfaith relationship. I don’t think I will because my faith has been such an important part of my life. If my partner or spouse doesn’t know what I believe in or doesn’t really understand, it would be hard in terms of communication and working towards the same goal.

Toray Zhao, 23

Yes. It was simpler, surprisingly when you’re in an intimate relationship with someone who is of the exact polar opposite faith as you (I was a Christian at the time and the person I was involved with was an atheist) you just agree to disagree. So it never really came up and we didn’t have to get into any nitty gritty arguments about what we believed in.

It was just there and whatever. I wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone that didn’t at least care to question. It’s more a matter of intelligence and the desire to ask questions rather than if we wrote down all our beliefs on a piece of paper would they match up.

No I haven’t and I don’t think that I would be because my faith is deeply personal and I would want that person to share the same value system and faith system.

Jessica Lamb, 25 Nope. Probably [wouldn’t be] just because I have a list of things and a major part of that list is someone sharing the same faith as I do. It’s pretty hard to be in a relationship that you don’t have the same kind of faith because you have two different goals in mind. My goal is to start a family and raise that family in a godly way and I can’t do that with someone who’s not a believer.

Jarod Eide, 27

Sarah Ruth, 19

an anonymous couple said:

MISTER: It’s kind of a tough question to just give a general answer to because there are different degrees of relationships. If it’s casual relationship, it would be a lot different than if it was a really serious relationship. I wouldn’t want to have a serious relationship with a non-Christian, so in that case probably no. But I guess there’s something to be said about finding someone and bringing them to Christ too.

12 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

MISS: I would say absolutely not. I don’t think there’s any reason to engage in something like that. I mean if you know it can’t go anywhere then it’s probably only going to harm you.

Laing Lectures

The Lure of Technology:

October 19–20, 2011

Understanding and Reclaiming the World

Dr. Albert Borgmann ■

“Grace and Cyberspace”

■

“Pointless Perfection and Blessed Burdens”

■

“Matter and Spirit in an Age of Science and Technology”

Dr. Albert Borgmann is a leading philosopher on issues of society and culture, with particular emphasis on technology. He is the Regents Professor of Philosophy at the University of Montana, where he has taught since 1970.

www.regent-college.edu/converge 1.800.663.8664 Vancouver

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sermons are great but they don’t make very good plays

By Natasha Irvine

theatre world. “People in the theatre community — critics, fellow artists — by and large, commend us for our mandate because it is unique.”

At only 120 seats Reed admits that Pacific Theatre looks like a small operation. “But,” he said, “There is a massive community of artists that exist and are doing their craft because of Pacific Theatre.”

Pacific Theatre doesn’t call themselv es a Chr isti a n the atr e compa n y but they do talk about the fact that Christians founded the company — a lot. “I think Christian is a very awkward adjective,” said Ron Reed the founding Artistic Director. “But, it is a great noun and I am proud to be a Christian.”

Now in their twenty-seventh year, Pacific Theatre is a well-respected fixture in the Vancouver theatre community. For their 2010-2011 season, Pacific Theatre garnered 22 Jessie Richardson Nominations and won a handful of awards, including one for the Curation and Execution of an Outstanding Season of Theatre.

Reed remembers how much Pacif ic Theatre endured early on as the company struggled to maintain its Christian roots while trying to find funding and put on shows with substance. “For a decade the arts community was very nervous about us. They thought we were doing propaganda and that it must be bad,” said Reed.

In that first decade Reed said that they were ostracized by the theatre community, had very small audiences, and were not reviewed by the local media. “People assumed that if Christians made theatre they were making theatre to preach to people or evangelize,” Reed said, “but that wasn’t what our theatre was ever about. It was just a desire to explore life.”

“It seems to me that if you label the plays as ‘Christian’, they need to be dogmatically correct or something. But plays aren’t like that. Plays are stories.

They are not there to prove things; they are not there to persuade people. They are not sermons. Sermons are great but they don’t make very good plays.”

Critical success has proved that Pacific Theatre is filling a valuable place in the

14 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

If something is important to Jesus it is going to show up on our stage.

— Ron Reed While the productions undertaken by Pacific Theatre are not proselytizing, they specifically explore Christian themes. “If something is important to Jesus it is going to show up on our stage probably,” said Reed. “[The plays we do] raise questions and they may provide a few different answers, but the answers will probably contradict each other.”

David Jennings, a corporate finance lawyer, former board member of Pacific Theatre, and life-long supporter of the arts said, “There is no Andrew Lloyd Webber here . . . at Pacific Theatre there are very few people who come to be entertained.” He thinks the space is too intimate and the questions that the plays pose are too personal for an audience to just sit back idly. Jennings thinks that the challenging content is what has helped to define Pacific Theatre and made it accessible to people of any faith system.

“When plays are willing to go to the dark places and tell the truth they are much more likely to go into someone’s soul.”

This vision for theatre as an exploration of difficult truths reflects Reed's own

Christian and artistic conversion.

Growing up in a churchgoing home, Reed says he didn’t connect with his faith until high school. At that time he was enamored with radical politics of the early 70s. One day, while reading the Sermon on the Mount, he realized that Jesus was preaching the most radical and least middle-class message he had ever heard. “I had one of those moments where the lights just went on,” said Reed.

“Lots of artists become Christians and wrestle with whether they have to give up their art because it is too important, but I didn’t really have the ability to do that because it was a part of my spiritual awakening,” he said.

After 27 years Reed can hardly imagine doing anything else. “This is my calling, this is what God put me on the planet to do,” said Reed. He has no intention of shaking Pacific Theatre’s association with faith, “We held on to things during a decade when everyone ignored us…why would we compromise now?"

2011-2012 TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE “Once you learn how to die you learn how to live.”

RE:UNION “The world doesn’t need a lot of martyrs.

But it needs a few.”

A CHRISTMAS CAROL “Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips should be buried with a stake of holly through his heart!.”

DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I shoulda shot myself in the head when I turned thirty.”

DOUBT, A PARABLE “Where’s your compassion?”

“Nowhere you can get at it.”

100 SAINTS YOU SHOULD KNOW “Then repent! Put your underwear on your head and say eleven Hail Marys.”

SUBSCRIPTIONS START AS LOW AS $59! www.pacifictheatre.org | 604.731.5518

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Part of the sales during the summer, 2011 will be donated to the earthquake and tsunami relief in Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures in Japan

how to relate to god

as your father and your king

By Jeff Wong

when i was a young teenager someone in my church How can I relate to God as fully both? This has recently belooked at the casual way i dressed to worship God and come an important pursuit for me, because I realized how I reasked, “Is that how you would dress if you were going to late to God not only greatly affects how I worship Him, but how meet the Queen?” In that moment I realized that if God was I pray, how I listen, and how I obey. my King, I ought to have respect, and it should show in the way So many of us have lived our lives with an absent or inadeI dress. I immediately went and purchased a suit and a tie. quate father, and it is easy to project that concept of flawed and In the God-inspired database of worship lyrics in the Bible undesirable fatherhood on God. On the other side of the equathat we call Psalms it is asked, “Who is the King of glory?” and tion, for those of us that were born and raised in North Amerianswered, “The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in ca, we have never fully had a King or Queen that has served as battle,” (Psalm 24:8 NLT). Another verse boldly declares that, anything more than a celebrity or figurehead. That also is by “The Lord is king forever and ever!” (Psalm 10:16 NLT). Such a default an unfamiliar concept to us.

King deserves all my honour and respect.

How do we relate to God as both Father and Months after my initial epiphany, I hoped to King simultaneously, as they seem to conflict share my valuable wisdom and experience with with each other? scriptures for a casual-dressing, close Christian friend. With I recently realized this could be best done refurther reading a wise tone in my voice I asked him the same lating to God as my spiritual Father, but knowGod as Father question that was asked of me, “Is that how ing and respecting the fact that my spiritual FaDissect how Jesus related to you would dress if you were going to meet the ther is famous and revered as the eternal King God as His Father: Queen?” He caught me off guard and answered of all creation and that at certain times I need to my question with a question of his own, as he show the same reverence. I realized my Father is John 17 - Jesus’ prayer for scanned my best Sunday suit, “Is that how you the King! I can relate to him in my pyjamas and his followers would dress to meet your father?” my suit, with casual language and formal, lying Mark 14:32-42 - Jesus’ prayer of desperation before One of many Scriptures that show us that down or bowing. his betrayal God wants to relate to us as our spiritual FaKnowing this, I speak with God differently, ther is the one about Jesus’ teaching on how to listen differently, worship differently, respond to converse with God through prayer. He provides sermons differently, read the Scriptures differGod as King a sample prayer commonly known today as The ently, value God differently, value myself differHow do these Scriptures help you understand your spiritual Lord’s Prayer, recorded in Matthew’s biograently, and submit differently. I view my relationFather’s kingship? phy (6:9 NLT) of Jesus. He teaches us to relate ship with God differently, and I live differently, to God as “Our Father in heaven." In another and so should all who would call God both FaRevelation 19:16 words, God is our good and flawless spiritual ther and King. How we relate to God as either 1 Timothy 6:15 Father, and we are to relate to Him as such.

Father or King or both affects how we see, how Psalm 97:1 Slowly I began to understand that God wants we speak, and ultimately how we live. If you lean us to relate to Him as both our Father and our more heavily towards one way than the other, King at the same time. With the previous scriptures in mind, then this season in your life, lean more the other way to live out consider how a person can simultaneously relate to God with both realities more fully in your relationship with Him. the familiar and trusting intimacy of a good Father and the respect and majestic reverence of a powerful King. That’s chal- Jeff Wong is the lead pastor of More Than 12, a developing, allenging. Most of us tend to lean heavily towards one way or an- ternative Christian community in Metro Vancouver, made up other rather than both together. of spiritual and creative people who are not afraid of different.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion Related to God As Your Father How do you even relate to God as Father when many of us have grown up without a father or with an inadequate father?

If God is a good and perfect Father what are the top five qualities (eg. loyal, wise, loving, forgiving, etc.) you would expect Him to have?

Which of those qualities do you find the most difficult to trust God with? Why?

Related to God as Your King If God is the “King of kings”, what does that literally mean? If other kings submit to and worship Him, how should you relate to God’s kingship?

16 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

If you are the fan of a contemporary human king or queen, you would seek their autograph, have pictures and posters of them, sacrifice your time to be present during their visits, etc. What does someone do when God is their king?

When you think of what it means to relate to a king with the highest reverence, what do you picture?

God as King has massive authority and dominion, words that are not commonly used in our society and culture. Why do you think that is?

Who do you ultimately submit to? God? Yourself? Someone else? If God is not the one you revere and submit to, then perhaps you are your own King and God is your sidekick or servant. If so, what needs to change?

How do you do it?

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Open Studies Theological Studies

Are you up for the challenge?

w w w. l e a r n g r o w s e r v e . c a

CULTURE

HOW STUPID

ARE WE?

w e a r e the le a ders of tomorrow, m a n, a nd don’t w e deserv e it!

We’re the first generation to grow up using the Internet and personal computers, after all, and the first generation to enjoy unparalleled access to the accumulated wealth of human knowledge through Google, online newspapers, searchable libraries, and Wikipedia. We’re also history’s most educated generation by far, with greater and greater numbers of young Canadians enrolling in university every year, as the BA becomes an obtainable milestone — if not outright expectation — of an ever-increasing percentage of high school grads. We’re richer too, and benefit from uniquely supportive and tolerant parents, themselves the heirs of the last great generation of scientific progress and intellectual advancement.

Yup, with unprecedented technological skill, above average levels of education, and thoroughly enviable networks of wealth and support, no prior generation has ever been quite so well-informed, quite so tech-savvy, or quite so . . . well, smart. Who better equipped to forge a new golden age of innovation and enlightenment?

So goes the conventional wisdom, at least. Doubtless you’ve heard similar breathless prognostications from the many self-proclaimed techies and trendspotters who crowd the world’s airways

18 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

and column spaces with their giddy youth-watching.

The only problem is it’s not true.

Far from being a bunch of brainiacleaders-in-waiting, the actual evidence, as opposed to the anecdotal wishfulthinking of a few hopeful futurists and technophiles, overwhelmingly suggests that those of us raised in the late 80s and early 90s may in fact be one of the dumbest demographics alive. Dumb to the point where we may ultimately prove ourselves incapable of sustaining civilization, let along reinventing it.

This was the argument espoused in Mark Bauerlein’s controversial 2009 exposé of the under 30 set, unsubtley titled The Dumbest Generation. Drawing on a mountain of statistics, including polls, academic investigations, and government studies, Bauerlein reached the unflattering conclusion that despite all our high hopes and fancy gizmos, our generation actually reads less, learns less, understands less, and in general just cares less about anything beyond ourselves, or our few vapid and self-indulgent pastimes.

To condense a lengthy argument, Bauerlein found that, in general, most Americans under 30 only posses the bare minimum of skills and knowledge necessary in order to sate some selfish, short-term impulse for sensory gratification, most commonly entertainment and socializing. Thus, while we’re all whizzes online,

By J.J. McCullough

past in many high schools, and the whole idea of skipping or flunking grades based on skill — an exceedingly mainstream practice in our parents’ time — is now a weird anachronism. At university, students argue without a hint of irony that plagiarism should be legal, and write essays about their favorite TV shows and video games, rather than explore history, literature, or philosophy. The cliché that many of our degrees are now “worthless” outside of the university halls isn’t just a reflection that a six-year major in Oprah Studies was not the best time investment; employers know that passing through post-secondary really reveals less than ever about a grad’s skills, competence, or professionalism.

Christianity has not escaped our generation unscathed, either. Young adults — even the nominally devout — often don’t know or care what particular denomination their family hails from, and can be hard-pressed to articulate even the basic doctrinal differences between groups as broad as Protestants and Catholics, let alone more esoteric matters, like figuring out what “covet” means. In place of any serious engagement with faith’s intellectual traditions and history, pop-culture fun like rock concerts and bowling teams have filled the void, as religion is reduced to merely one more pretext to hang out with friends and practice hobbies.

the majority overwhelmingly favors the flashy and superficial over the mature and weighty there’s now an entire website out there — failbook.com — that documents just how mind-numbingly misspelled, ignorant, and incoherent most of what we post is.

There’s a reason why the Keyboard Cat has 17 million views while the New York Times Online is struggling for funds, and it sure isn’t Grandma’s fault.

Education, likewise, has evolved in strange and permissive ways over the last few decades, and the output of more knowledgeable students has rarely been the result.

Teachers and professors want to be our friends, or at best, are petrified with fear of our friend-parents, who defensively go to war with any educator who dares imply little Jenny is anything less than brilliant. Failing has become a thing of the

Obviously these are breezy summaries, and obviously you can conjure up no shortage of impressive young adults who reject each one of these stereotypes.

Yet in a society governed by the market, it’s the tastes of the majority that matter, and if Internet page counts, TV ratings, book sales, and mall layouts are any indication, the majority overwhelmingly favors the f lashy and superficial over the mature and weighty. The question thus becomes whether the small minority of us who see a problem with our peer culture will be motivated enough to push back, or whether we too, will ultimately be content to just go with the f low.

Considering our generation seems to get the same amount of praise either way, the choice may be depressingly easy.

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HEALTH

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

i fou nd ou t a sca ry fact a few y e a rs ago: th at indoor a ir pollu tion is actua lly worse th a n ou tdoor a ir pollu tion. Put more simply, the quality of the air inside our homes is actually more toxic and worse for our health than the air outside, even in busy urban centres.

I was watching a popular talk show featuring a celebrity sharing his passion for the environment. He had brought to the show a couple who had a very sad story to tell. They had only been able to have one child (a little girl) who had a nonhereditary form of cancer when she was four years old and died. After much research, they discovered that toxins in her mother's body were the cause of her cancer. The couple courageously chose to start an organization devoted to informing families about the perils of toxin exposure to all members of the family, particularly children (healthychild.org). This was an inspirational moment for me.

Not long after, I had to buy a mattress and so I did a little research. It turns out that virtually every mattress sold in Canada is required by consumer law to be sprayed with fire retardant chemicals for our "safety". These chemicals are highly toxic and carcinogenic. So while few people will actually deal with a fire in their home in their lifetime, almost every Canadian cozies up in their bed at night to off-gassing chemicals that are polluting their bodies and potentially giving them cancer! Once I started looking into it, I discovered that it was endless: paints, carpet glues, cleaners, press board furniture, shampoo, toothpaste, scotch-guard, couches — everything off-gasses some type of toxic fume, or has chemical ingredients that are absorbed in the body and cause serious health issues, including allergies, asthma, cancer, etc.

What this challenged was my sense of "normal." Just because it is sold on a shelf in a local store or is used to make a house, does not mean that it is "safe" or normal for our bodies to be exposed to it. Going "green" is now amped up to going "non-toxic". It's a win-win situation — if it isn't good for your body, it isn't good for the environment either. The opposite of course is true: if I make purchases that prioritize my health, I can almost guarantee it is good for the environment. Like when I switched to non-toxic, biodegradable soaps and shampoos. Not only am I putting something natural and healthy on my skin, but when it goes into the water system, it isn't wreaking havoc.

this sounds overwhelming, how do i change my lifestyle?

FACTS: Canadians spend on average about 90 per cent of their time indoors (Environment Canada), especially in winter.

We sleep for 1/3 of our life (24 hours in a day, on average eight hours of sleep a night), so what we sleep in counts!

According to the American College of Allergies, 50 per cent of all illness is aggravated or caused by polluted indoor air.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) themselves declare that indoor air is anywhere from two to 10 times more hazardous than outdoor air.

ECO CORNER: ADDITIONAL TIPS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE GREEN: Opt for a potted plant over cut flowers. The flower industry heavily uses pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that harm both the workers and the environment. Plus, fresh plants clean your air!

20 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

If you can't find low VOC paints for drab walls, brighten your interior by wallpapering with one of your favourite

pieces of fabric!

By Miriam Miller

First of all, change your perspective. Do a bit of research so that a) you don't continue buying toxic substances and b) you aren't sucked into "green" marketing, but are actually buying healthy items.

what do i do about indoor air pollution?

Don't overwhelm yourself — change your lifestyle 20 per cent each year and you will find it easier, less expensive, and sustainable. Here are some suggestions: 1. Buy a mattress that has a cover made with naturally fire-retardant materials so no sprays are necessary. Natural latex or organic cotton mattresses tend to fit the bill.

2. If you can't afford a new bed, buy a mattress encasing that seals in off-gassing fumes.

3. Paint your house in only no or low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) paint.

VOCs off-gas for years and are very toxic, even if you can no longer smell the paint.

Every shade imaginable is available. This is an important choice for kids rooms especially.

4. If you are installing flooring, look into a glue free solution, or talk to a store or contractor about products that don't off-gas, or are non-toxic.

5. Think twice about buying pressboard furniture. The glues off-gas and can irritate respiratory problems.

6. Use only non-toxic household cleaners and laundry detergent. You can even make your own cleaners with white vinegar!

THEOLOGY OF FOOD

By Nick Schuurman

Part two of Nick Schuurman's farming series.

"our pr esen t ecologica l cr isis, the biggest single practical threat to our human existence in the middle to long term, has, religious people would say, a great deal to do with our failure to think of the world as existing in relation to the mystery of God, not just as a huge warehouse of stuff to be used for our convenience." - Archbishop Rowan Williams There's this old statement of faith called the Westminster Confession that answers the age old question of “what's the point of this all?” The purpose of our existence, the Confession states is to, “glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

That's it. The meaning and purpose of life is to bring God glory.

Now, what would happen if we started to think about what we put on our plate in light of that question?

You see, the idea that we are primarily consumers is so engrained in us that a question like that probably seems a little awkward at first. This meal is about filling my gut with these tacos the way I like them, right?

If getting what I want at the price I like is the point of this all, then the system we've got is great. It doesn't matter that in a world hurting with hunger, nearly one third of all produced grains are fed to animals being raised for slaughter, that by some estimates, nearly half of North America's water supply is used in food production, or that the chickens whose wings I am chewing on were crammed tail to beak in cages their entire lives. If what I want is cheap coffee, unjust wages for those who cared for the plants and harvested the beans don't mean a thing.

Trouble is, we were not designed to function as consumers. From the getgo, we were put together to care for God's creation, and the job description still stands. The shift in thinking regarding creation in which we no longer view the earth as a big blue vending machine, but rather a gift from God which

we were meant to enjoy and care for is a difficult one precisely because we live this side of Eden. We fight against this sort of me-centeredness in every area of our life, not only when it comes to food.

But the more our hearts are turned on their heads by grace, the more they beat for the love of God and neighbour. What I am suggesting is that renewal ought to spill over into all areas of life, including agriculture, production of livestock, food distribution, and preparation.

There is a lot of talk about this kind of sustainability and ethical food production, and a lot of motivations are at play. Guilt can get a lot of people to do things. I stood in front of a grocery store refrigerator today, and thinking about some of the more terrible ways some of that food is produced was enough to get me to open my wallet a little further. The same goes for pride. I was a vegetarian for a while, and I felt really good about telling people about it, because it meant that I was doing something that showed I cared in a way that others didn't. As author and activist Matthew Sleeth wrote, “Often, those on either end of the scale — people who insist on organic free range broccoli and people who salivate over pan-fried baby dolphin — care about nothing but themselves.” Not only do we need to make better choices about our food, we need to think about why we’re making these choices. God's glory as a motivator for creation care, though, is something so completely countercultural and revolutionary because it puts the focus completely outside of ourselves — outside of creation altogether — and on the Creator.

If God's glory is the point of this life, how does what you eat (which, when you think about it, constitutes a pretty huge part of living) come into play?

for further reading: “Food does not exist merely for the sake of its nutritional value . . . A man’s daily meal ought to be an exultation over the smack of desirability which lies at the roots of creation. To break real bread is to break the loveless hold of Hell upon the world, and by just that much, to set the secular free.”

— Robert Farrar Capon, The Supper of the Lamb

NURTURING DISCIPLES AND TRAINING LEADERS TO SERVE

the e c n e xperi ference! e e Com any dif Beth

LIFE

HIS SKINNY LITTLE WIFE

How I began to love myself for more than just my skin.

By Emily Wierenga It started with a friend who said to me, “You’ve put on weight.”

A friend who didn’t know the way I’d weighed my life as a child against food.

The Middle East had swallowed me with her hills and her Jesus steps. I’d come here, 23 years old and engaged, on a six-month mission.

I’d learned Arabic and taught English in Palestinian camp to children with dirty faces and wide eyes and ragged clothes, feet bare against the garbage of the ground. I’d taught rich wahlad in clean uniforms and learned what it was like to experience a teammate murdered.

I’d spent evenings in prayer, journaling, Scripture, and learning the language, dreaming at night of the land with its squat cedars, rolling gardens and earthy people.

I had forgotten to care what I looked like.

The village women would call me in for dinner. Feed me figs and fruit which grew on the roof and leaf-tea thick with sugar. They’d be insulted if you said you were full and so I ate in Jesus’ name. The mirrors were few.

I’d arrived thin, but my jeans were snug by the end of six months. When my friend said, “You’ve put on weight,” I put down my sandwich and told myself I’d never pick it up again; put on my coat and went home to Canada to marry a man who thought he knew me, his honey-haired girl.

The wedding came with its flowers

Me in Warhenieh, Lebanon, (spring 2003), prior to relapsing into anorexia

title, wife, wrapped like a noose. His lips found mine and it was, “Mr. and Mrs. Wierenga." I didn’t recognize my own name but smiled my way through.

We fought on our honeymoon in Nova Scotia in a campground filled with people because I’d suddenly decided I no longer wanted children. This came as a surprise to him. He’d always dreamed of them, and dreamed of having them with me. But it was all I could do to think of being wife, and children meant gaining weight and losing control and so, our life began, a torn union.

I’d eat nothing all day and then cook at night. The food didn’t come out right, the bread doughy in the middle, cinnamon buns black and the apple crisp fell to the f loor in its glass dish. He ate it all anyway, picking shards from oat f lakes.

I drank coffee and wore an apron be-

He stopped being able to touch me for the bony skeleton I’d become. and its dress and its big white tent in my parents’ backyard. We stood beneath the trellis looking pretty and handsome, a wreath of petals in my hair, and my heart screaming.

I looked from my dad, who stood marrying us in his clerical collar, to my husband in his tux, sweating love in July, and the long line of witnesses in silks and shiny shoes. Then it was, “I now pronounce you man and wife” and the

22 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

cause it was the only way I knew to be a wife.

He made me an easel and I began to paint. The oil color clung, and I couldn’t stop, this brush on canvas, and I wondered, maybe this is who I am. But how to be this and the other, the girl with the apron who doesn’t even like to cook? And soon I was drinking nine cups of coffee a day to keep the hunger away so I could pretend to be normal at suppertime.

I became editor of a newspaper and he, a missionary with youth. After editing all day and chewing gum and drinking coffee, I’d hang out with the girls at night, inspiring them to love a God I no longer listened to. Later Trent and I would watch a show and he wouldn’t know anything was wrong until I stopped being able to sleep and he stopped being able to touch me for the bony skeleton I’d become.

There were holes in our walls and in our hearts and we tried to fill them with pretend. Each night it got harder to sleep and each morning, harder to wake.

I would somehow pull on my track suit and run, further and further, even in minus-40 weather, this skinny little wife trying to outdistance her life.

Even though it was different than before, the problem, the anorexia, was the same. I knew what I was doing, and that made it so much worse, this starving myself. But I couldn’t stop because it had become me, and without it, I was just Mrs. Wierenga and I didn’t know if I could handle that because then I’d need to face all of my father-issues from the past so I could fully love the man in my present. I felt trapped, not wanting to forgive, and so I ran.

But the thing with not eating is, eventually, it catches up to you, and as you’re running you see your soul passing by on the other side, and you’re forced, eventually, to stop, because without yourself you have nothing, no energy or blood or oxygen.

The stopping happened in the middle

vive. So I might learn what it meant to love this new person, this Mrs. Wierenga, who wasn’t that different from the old. After all, he’d married Emily, the girl with honey-hair who dressed in thrift store clothes and sang loud in the hallways at college. I could be her again. I liked that girl.

We left Canada for Korea and became one in a tiny apartment teaching English and riding a scooter and climbing mountains and eating spicy food. We became one in a land that didn’t know us, became one in the deep of eyes and tender touch and long of laugh. Then we bought a turtle and I began to dream of children with this man who prayed with me when I still battled sleep and food and sadness.

It was the beginning of my rebirth, and I learned to have grace, to recognize my triggers and let myself fail, to pick myself up again, and this is life, no?

I am more than a physical being, and this, even as I became mother and gave birth to real life, is ever transforming the way I love myself through food. I am a spiritual person with a high of the highway on our way calling: to be an image-bearer, home from Calgary after I to walk with God in my face tried to swerve into oncomand my hands and my feet. To ing traffic. We’d been fightlet Him transform the way I see ing again, and all I wanted the world and pain and beauty. was to die. Instead he put Instead of creating my own safe his hands on mine and diplace to run and hide in, I need rected us over to the side of to find that place in Him — and the road, and then turned no matter the change: no matter to me, after three years of if I am hurt or bruised, I can rest marriage and said, “It’s me, in His ever unchanging self. or food. You choose. I’m The eating disorder was my done.” space to run to when life lost And even though I felt control. When I no longer knew I could finally breathe for who I was. When I felt threatthe choice, for him loving ened by a new name, a new idenme enough to let me go, for tity, a new role. But our calling is the chance to end this strike The summer I decided so much greater — a high callagainst hunger, it took me a to get better ing that never changes. A calling moment to decide. I knew if that whispers worth to us from I chose to serve food, I would the moment we rise to the time die, and even though I wanted to, it was so we set. final. There was more to life, I was sure of I am a woman. I have been designed to this. If I chose him, I’d die too, to myself, breathe life into children, into husband, but I’d get to experience more of life. into neighbour, into friend. Food is a gift “I choose you,” the emaciated girl whis- to be celebrated as I fulfill my calling. I pered, and he took over the wheel and can trust my body, listen to it, know what drove us home. it needs, and respect it as the temple it is.

I knew to research menus and find This is what I am learning with every healthy ways of eating and lifestyle habits, forkful, with every turn of Scripture-page, and I knew recovery was about more than with every pleading with spirit to transfood; it was a spiritual giving way, a learn- form my vision so I no longer see, but He ing to value myself for more than my skin, sees within me. a forgiving of myself as I peeled back the This, what it means to be full, in a world egg and ate it for breakfast, as I buttered of empty. toast and slathered jam and sliced knife into meat, it was a daily dying to myself so Reprinted with permission from Christian I might live. So our marriage might sur- Courier May 9, 2011

C

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EDMONTON, ALBERTA

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Education consists of both knowledge and experience, and the best way to prepare for life and ministry is to experience it while you learn. Vanguard College’s mission to develop innovative Spirit-filled leaders combines practical ministry training with building a solid theological foundation for a lifelong relationship with God. Our faculty is passionate about instilling biblical truth and our field education program is designed to provide opportunities to live what you learn.

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MINISTRY

ONE WEEK. ONE TEE. ONE CAUSE.

By Jeremy Postal

T-shirts don’t change the world, people do.

From charity, to design...

Meet serial entrepreneur Dale Partridge, CEO and partner in the start-up company Sevenly. Launching out of a living room on June 13, 2011, it was barely one week later that the Sevenly team had grown to four, five, six, and now seven full-time staff. Partridge, at just 26 years old, is a rising star in the world of business.

Spurred by a passion for suffering people and a dissatisfaction with not-for-profits’ ability to raise funds, harness social media, or raise awareness, Partridge and his partner, 19-year-old Aaron Chavez set out to change the world. With a knack for making money, a huge social media platform and a new found passion, they launched Sevenly with the dream to turn profit into social good.

“We want to inspire generosity and help people to remember what it feels like to give, get involved, and be a part of a movement for social good,” comments Partridge. "Some say that giving in business is a trend right now. I would disagree, I think giving has always been a strong component to any business model, companies are just finally learning how to market and/or

24 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

their giving in a way that makes sense to the consumer and the receiver."

Barely out of the start gate, Sevenly has worked with Mercy Ships, World Relief, International Justice Mission, and Malaria No More, and the list is growing as charitable organizations lineup out the door and down the hall to partner with Sevenly.

Each week Sevenly designs a t-shirt for a charitable organization, and for seven days only, sells the t-shirt online. After seven days the t-shirt and the design are gone forever; no re-prints. With seven dollars kicking back to that week's charity from each t-shirt sold, Sevenly DALE'S is making a mark in the world of social enterprising START-UP that some are likening to TOMS shoes.

TIPS But for Sevenly, success isn’t only about raising money, though that is a big part of it. “It’s about 1. Speak to moving people beyond awareness and into action people how they that really counts for something,” he says. This is need to hear it, not how you want the kind of metric that is hard to put a pricetag on.

His faith also plays a part in his business. " I am to say it. a big fan of faith integration in the workplace. We make it very clear over here that this business is 2. People dont God's business," says Partridge. buy what you do, In the end, Sevenly is about one thing: helping they buy why you charities help people. There is no shortage of people do it. willing to help the poor or feed the hungry, “The 3. Proverbs 15:2 problem,” Partridge says, “is that these passion driven charities are built to fulfill these needs, but they’re going out of business.” And that is what Sevenly is about — honouring God and ensuring that position charities succeed, stay in business, and change the world.

...to t-shirt to goal!

Trinity Western

university

ExpEct MorE

“I was drawn In by the Idea of combInIng reputable scholarshIp wIth sIncere chrIstIanIty. my tIme at twu showed me that It deserves Its a+’s In qualIty of educatIon, because It exemplIfIes what a unIversIty can be at Its best. trInIty western equIpped me to lead professIonally as well as personally.”

-thomas hunt, BA (Hons.) Histor y ’10

expect more from your education— more than a degree and more than a career. at twu, you’ll gain the tools you need to not only be successful, but to be successful in ways that align with your passion to make a difference in the world. you’ll interact closely with professors, become part of a close campus community, and gain the skills you need to transform your life and the lives of others. ph: 604 513 2019

t. free: 1 888 GO TO TWU

fx: 604 513 2064

e: admissions@twu.ca

Langley, British Columbia, Canada t w u . c a

Ranked in the top tier on U.S. News & World Report 2011 Best Colleges lists: • Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest: 3rd • A Strong Committment to Teaching: One of two regional colleges nationwide to make this list • A-plus Schools for B Students: One of 10 Midwest regional colleges recognized on this list • Great Schools, Great Prices: 7th

Find your place in God’s world Sioux Center, Iowa www.dordt.edu

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TOP 10

SONGS W E W ISH W E COU L D SI NG

AT CHURCH

By Matthew Thiessen 1. U2 – 40

“I waited patiently for the Lord, he inclined and heard my cry”

These lyrics are straight from the Bible. Can you guess which Psalm? Lighters and glow sticks aren’t necessary, although if your worship leader slips on Fly Shade sunglasses and pulls Mrs. Marshall from the front pew for a dance, I’d like to visit your church. Where can I buy tickets?

2. celine dion – because you lov ed me

“I’m everything I am because you loved me”

Is this song really about a guy? Could be Superman, but sounds more like God to me. “You were my strength”.

“You lifted me up”. “You gave me faith”. Nothing against Mr. Celine of course, I’m sure he’s a fine man.

3. mich a el jackson – ba d

“You know I’m bad, I’m bad, you know it” Omit the aggressive verses, and this catchy song becomes a great fit with that sermon on Repentance and Original Sin. Yes, the congregation would be singing the same chorus over and over and over again. No problem, as long as the band keeps getting louder and more emotional.

4. switchfoot - learning to breathe

"i'm l i v i ng ag a i n, awa k e a n d a l i v e . i'm dy i n t o br e a t h i n t h e s e a bu n da n t s k i e s"

One of the top songs from Switchfoot for sure. Finding a Jon Foreman song with depth and spiritual meaning is like picking a coffee shop in Vancouver. Just comes down to taste. Enjoy your Switchfoot buzz.

5. leona lew is – bleeding lov e

“You cut me open and I keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding love”

I tend to bleed anger or self pity. It’s not easy loving when we’re not being loved. Hurt begets hurt, but the church is supposed to dance to a different tune . . . like this one.

6. don henley - he art of the m atter

“But I think it’s about forgiveness . . . even if you don’t love me anymore”

For the congregation that knows no broken relationships and no pull or grapple while trying to love. For the rest of us, this song is four minutes of good counselling.

7. b o b d y l a n – e v e r y g r a i n o f s a n d

“I can see the master’s hand in every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand”

These lyrics might confuse some of the congregation, which could lead to thinking. But the words are poetic and inspired, and will settle gently on the heart, like a warm snowflake or a good sermon.

8. beatles – help

“help me get my feet back on the ground, won’t you please, please help me”

To be sung as practice for Monday mornings, when you feel like you’re stranded on a sleepy desert island with that lone palm tree and “S.O.S.” carved into the sand, waving your hands to the air for help. Friday won’t arrive for five days, but God will be right there. Sing it Sundays, pray it Mondays.

9. nor m a n greenbaum – spirit in the sk y

“Goin’ up to the spirit in the sky, that’s where I’m gonna go when I die” True dat. Feels good just thinking about it. Stand up, crank those amps, belt this one out, and believe every word you sing.

Then go out and live like it’s true.

10. da n ber n – g od s a id no

“I asked God, do one thing for me”

Never heard this song? Put down the magazine right now, go to your computer and listen to it. Then send it to your worship leader, force your friends to listen to it, sing it to your spouse, try to get it sung in church. I wish you more success than I had.

convergemagazine.com

| 27

EDUCATION SPECIAL It's time for the next chapter of your life. You may have just stepped out of high school or maybe you are just on a search for more, but the question is the same: “What comes next?”

The Converge education special includes a comprehensive selection of Christian higher education schools from across Canada and internationally. God is using them to prepare students for a life of impact. * Figures presented in the following pages are approximate averages. Please contact each institution for exact information.

pg. 29

UNIVERSITY

pg. 31

COLLEGE

pg. 35

SEMINARY

pg. 36

MINISTRY/BIBLE SCHOOLS

For a complete list of all programs and degrees offered, please visit the options for Education Page at www.convergemagazine.com

UNIVERSITY ambrose university college*

canadian mennonite university

providence university college*

WHERE: Calgary, AB STUDENT BODY: 650 AVG TUITION: $15,000 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Cafeteria & Waves ATHLETICS: MASCOT: Ambrose Lions EMAIL: jwebb@ambrose.edu WEBSITE: ambrose.edu

WHERE: Winnipeg, MB STUDENT BODY: 600+ AVG TUITION: $6,150 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Dining room ATHLETICS: EMAIL: info@cmu.ca WEBSITE: cmu.ca

WHERE: Otterburne, MB STUDENT BODY: 300-400 AVG TUITION: $7,500 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Reimer Student Life Center ATHLETICS: EMAIL: info@prov.ca WEBSITE: providencecollege.ca

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Be part of a welcoming and academically challenging community.

•Grow your faith through thinking and doing.

•Integrate a commitment to peace and justice in your studies.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Christ-centred university education •Vibrant residence community & leadership opportunities •International student body (Alumni from 100 Countries)

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Spiritual Life integral to all aspects of campus community.

•Diverse community of learners.

•One of the largest private academic libraries in western Canada.

redeemer university college*

trinity western university

WHERE: Ancaster, ON STUDENT BODY: 1000 AVG TUITION: $13,740 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: reFresh ATHLETICS: MASCOT: Leo the Lion EMAIL: recruitment@redeemer.ca WEBSITE: redeemer.ca

WHERE: Langley, BC STUDENT BODY: 2,816 AVG TUITION: $20,758 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: The Lower Café ATHLETICS: MASCOT: Sparty the Spartan EMAIL: admissions@twu.ca WEBSITE: twu.ca

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •High-quality education in a Christian environment.

•Exceptional classroom environment: 16:1 Student/Faculty ratio.

•An A+ campus atmosphere.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Received the highest ranking for “Quality of Education” five years in a row (Globe and Mail Canadian University Report).

•Lots of opportunities for research and career development.

•Scholarships available up to $7,000.

list your school here!

ARE YOU A COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY/ SEMINARY/MINISTRY/BIBLE SCHOOL THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE LISTED IN OUR BIANNUAL EDUCATION SPECIAL? SEND AN EMAIL TO: JEREMY@CONVERGEMAGAZINE.COM

* ALSO LISTED IN ANOTHER CATEGORY

convergemagazine.com

| 29

WORD TO THE WISE Some tips to help you through starting your first year of post-secondary.

EXAM SURVIVAL TIPS GO TO CLASS. And stay awake! Bring two mugs of coffee if you must.

Take detailed notes and review them after class. Much of the things you learn are forgotten right after you leave.

BACKPACK ESSENTIALS NOTES

The key to taking and studying great notes is to keep them short, precise and fun. Use highlighters to cover points and different coloured pens to emphasize different topics. Also, keep organized.

-Highlighters -Multicoloured pens -Subject dividers -Binders -Post-its or stickers -Planner

READS

Some reading that you should have on hand during your college years: -Your Bible -Blue Like Jazz by Donald Millar -Paradise Lust by Brook Wilensky-Lanford -The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald -The latest issue of Converge, of course!

Study EARLY and SLEEP. Sleep is most important. Your brain can’t think clearly if it’s hyped up on caffeine.

PLAYLISTS

Study with friends, snacks and many breaks. Test each other!

Calming for the studious:

Celebrate!

Don’t spend the day worrying about how you did. Sleep, shower and go out with friends to celebrate your exam, finals or which ever are over!

Anything by: -Tangerine Dream -Bon Iver -All The Bright Lights -Sleeping At Last -Kye Kye -Mozart Motivational to get pumped: Look into: -Jesus Culture -Bon Jovi -Civil Wars -Ascend The Hill -Kanye (yes, Kanye.

He know’s how to get pumped.)

THIS YOU MUST DO: SNACKS

Keep yourself nourished!

Nothing says ‘FAIL’ more than a hungry brain.

Skip the junk, stay healthy: -Fruits and veggies -Granola bars -Nuts/Trail mix -Cheese string or wedge -Yogurt cups -Rice snacks

JUST-IN-CASE

From coffee spills to paper cuts, you never know just what might happen.

-Band-aids -Tissue -Tide-to-Go -Hand sanitizer -Advil

COFFEE

APPS

From helpful organized: -iStudiez Pro -Your school’s own app!

-ESV Bible -Instagram -Falldown (while waiting for class to start)

Need I say more?

Keep a travel mug on you to help reduce waste.

If you’re not a coffee drinker, ginseng green tea is a good wake-up alternative.

60% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE SLEEP DEPRIVED. This can lead to unclear thinking, mood swings and overall feeling pretty bad about yourself.

BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS: You will meet many people during your years of college and some will become lifelong friends. But to move past the awkward small talk beginning phases, here’s a couple places to start: Join Bible study, or get involved with groups that appeal to your interests or take part in volunteering.

Join your school’s sports team(s)!

Short on cash? Take up a part-time job at a coffee house or book store to earn money and chat with all the students that come by.

It is not enough to have books, or to know where to read up for information when we want it.

Practical wisdom for the purposes of life must be carried about with us, and be ready for use at call.

— Samuel Smiles

COLLEGE alberta bible college WHERE: Calgary, AB STUDENT BODY: 100 AVG TUITION: $5,850 FINANCIAL AID: Yes ATHLETICS: , Adventure Sports EMAIL: admissions@abccampus.ca WEBSITE: abccampus.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Each accepted student is awarded a scholarship.

•Practical experience and classroom study deeply integrates knowledge with action.

•Each year students experience a different cross-cultural mission trip.

calvin college WHERE: Grand Rapids, Michigan STUDENT BODY: 3,991 AVG TUITION: $25,340 usd FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Johnny’s ATHLETICS: MASCOT: Joust the Knight EMAIL: admissions@calvin.edu WEBSITE: calvin.edu TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Courageous, faith-filled learning in 100+ programs.

•Excellent, accessible professors who are recognized in their fields.

•Countless local and global opportunities that make you world ready.

bethany college WHERE: Hepburn, SK STUDENT BODY: 140 AVG TUITION: $6,400 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Bethany Cafeteria ATHLETICS: MASCOT: The Eagle EMAIL: admissions@bethany.sk.ca WEBSITE: bethany.sk.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Discipleship—Individual mentorship of all students by faculty and staff.

•Community—Live in dorm, study God’s word & learn in community.

•Transformation—Through experience and service learning.

christ for the nations bible college

briercrest college & seminary* WHERE: Caronport, SK STUDENT BODY: 900 AVG TUITION: $7,920 FINANCIAL AID: Yes ATHLETICS: EMAIL: admissions@briercrest.ca WEBSITE: www.briercrest.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •University level education with the Bible college life.

•Professors with PhDs who care and interact regularly with students.

•We care about Christ and His Word.

dordt college

WHERE: Surrey, BC STUDENT BODY: Under 100 AVG TUITION: $4,000 FINANCIAL AID: Yes ATHLETICS: Intramurals EMAIL: info@cfnc.ca WEBSITE: cfnc.ca

WHERE: Sioux Center, Iowa STUDENT BODY: Over 1,350 AVG TUITION: $24, 300 USD FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: 55th Avenue ATHLETICS: EMAIL: admissions@dordt.edu WEBSITE: dordt.edu

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Intimate—Small class sizes and low student-instructor ratio.

•Location—In Metro Vancouver near mountains, ocean & more.

•Price—Among the lowest tuition in Canada, every student subsidized.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •A Dordt College education is a Christ-centred education.

•Campus is alive with activity as over 85% of students live on campus.

•With a 15:1 student/faculty ratio, faculty provide personalized attention.

* ALSO LISTED IN ANOTHER CATEGORY convergemagazine.com

| 31

Emmanuel BIBLE COLLEGE

emmanuel bible college WHERE: Kitchener, ON STUDENT BODY: 200 AVG TUITION: $9,344 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Campus Centre EMAIL: admissions@ebcollege.on.ca WEBSITE: emmanuelbiblecollege.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Academics—Small classes, hands-on learning, and approachable faculty •Community—Close-knit community, chapel services, residence life, mission trips, and community outreach.

•Accredited with ABHE and chartered with the Province of Ontario ensuring a high quality, transferable education.

eston college WHERE: Eston, SK STUDENT BODY: 80-100 AVG TUITION: $6,098 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: WAT Cafe ATHLETICS: MASCOT: Storm EMAIL: admissions@estoncollege.ca WEBSITE: estoncollege.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Discipleship in the biblical gifts of the Spirit.

heritage college & seminary* WHERE: Cambridge, ON STUDENT BODY: 350 AVG TUITION: $9,000 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Heritage Cafeteria ATHLETICS: MASCOT: Husky EMAIL: discover@heritagecollege.net WEBSITE: discoverheritage.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Holistic learning environment embracing

•World-class instructors who get deeply involved in your life.

•Tight community with other believers in Christ .

all backgrounds, ages, and cultures.

•Strong community atmosphere between Faculty & Staff, College, and Seminary.

•Opportunities for leadership on and offcampus, or through travel.

horizon college & seminary*

kawartha lakes bible college

living faith bible college

WHERE: Saskatoon, SK STUDENT BODY: 50-60 AVG TUITION: $5,890 FINANCIAL AID: Yes

WHERE: Peterborough, ON STUDENT BODY: 20-50 AVG TUITION: $5,775 FINANCIAL AID: Yes

WHERE: Caroline, AB STUDENT BODY: 30-50 AVG TUITION: $9,775 FINANCIAL AID: Yes

BEST EATS: Community kitchen ATHLETICS: University Gym EMAIL: registrar@horizon.edu WEBSITE: horizon.edu

ATHLETICS: Intramurals EMAIL: ddegeer@klbc.ca WEBSITE: klbc.ca

BEST EATS: Cafeteria EMAIL: admissions@lfbc.net WEBSITE: lfbc.net

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Be ready for what’s next.

•Be forever changed by encountering God and His Word.

•Experience growth, love & laughter with other passionate Christ-followers.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Sound teaching.

•Discipleship focus.

•Small class sizes.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Intimate Christian community with all the benefits of city life •Committed to help students grow academically, socially and spiritually •Affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan (Transferable Courses available).

32 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

living word bible college

millar college of the bible

WHERE: Swan River, MB STUDENT BODY: 30-40 AVG TUITION: $3,600 FINANCIAL AID: N/A BEST EATS: Pizza Place ATHLETICS: EMAIL: lwbc@mts.net WEBSITE: livingword.mb.ca

WHERE: Pambrun, SK STUDENT BODY: 155 AVG TUITION: $5,100 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Dining Hall ATHLETICS: EMAIL: admissions@millarcollege.ca WEBSITE: millarcollege.ca

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Great place to study the Word of God. •Tuition / room / board combined as low as $5000.

•Low teacher/student ratio.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Opportunity to study each book of the Bible in three years.

•Our size enables close community.

•Quality education at an affordable price.

pacific life bible college

peace river bible institute

WHERE: Surrey, BC STUDENT BODY: 170 AVG TUITION: $2,250 FINANCIAL AID: Yes

WHERE: Sexsmith, AB STUDENT BODY: 130 AVG TUITION: $5,700 FINANCIAL AID: Yes

BEST EATS: Clement's Coffee Bar ATHLETICS: Intramurals EMAIL: plbc@pacificlife.edu WEBSITE: pacificlife.edu

BEST EATS: The DH (Dining Hall) ATHLETICS: MASCOT: PRBI Ambassadors EMAIL: admissions@prbi.edu WEBSITE: prbi.edu

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Personable faculty, all currently active in church leadership.

•Subsidized tuition, financially-free and ministry-ready graduates.

•93% of graduates involved in church ministry.

the ontario institute of audio recording technology WHERE: London, ON STUDENT BODY: 64 AVG TUITION: $29,650 FINANCIAL AID: Yes EMAIL: inquiry@oiart.org WEBSITE: oiart.org TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Accelerated learning—focused curriculum taught in 11 months.

•600 hours of supervised practice in professionally-equipped studios.

•Mentoring and personal tutorials by our experienced full-time faculty.

prairie WHERE: Three Hills, AB STUDENT BODY: 300 AVG TUITION: $14,255 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Sanford Hanson Dining ATHLETICS: EMAIL: admissions@prairie.edu WEBSITE: prairie.edu

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Belong—Caring community that fosters healthy, genuine relationships •Grow—Christ-centred teaching and intentional life-on-life interactions •Serve—Practical experience revealing gifts, developing character, and cultivating a servant heart

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Immerse yourself in the Word.

•To know Christ and develop your relationship with Him. •To learn to effectively minister throughout the world.

* ALSO LISTED IN ANOTHER CATEGORY convergemagazine.com

| 33

CHOOSING YOUR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

rosebud school of the arts

steinbach bible college

WHERE: Rosebud, AB STUDENT BODY: 30 AVG TUITION: $6,720 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Mercantile Restaurant ATHLETICS: Theatre related activities EM: recruitment@rosebudschoolofthearts.com WEBSITE: rosebudschoolofthearts.com

WHERE: Steinbach, MB STUDENT BODY: 114 AVG TUITION: $6,400 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Cafeteria ATHLETICS: EMAIL: info@sbcollege.ca WEBSITE: sbcollege.ca

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •2:1 student-mentor ratio.

•Study trips to the West Coast, London, and New York City.

•Breathe the theatre from morning to night.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Community residence life, small groups, retreats & faculty mentoring.

•Training for Church Ministries—the Bible is the core of all classes.

•Focus on Mission—Mission Exposure, field education & internships.

DECIDE ON A STUDY FOCUS What do you like? What would you like to study?

Once you tap into your interests, find the school that suits your interest’s needs. What is their teaching style? Are there studying abroad opportunities? How about missions? Do they offer on campus residency? Clubs and groups?

What about post-grad help?

GO WHERE SUITS YOU BEST, NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING THERE This includes significant others, family and or friends. It may sound terrifying but one of the best parts of going to post-secondary are the people you will meet and the experiences that follow.

KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE What kind of learning environment do you want to be in? Do you like being just another face in a lecture hall of 200 or knowing your professor and all your classmates names?

Schools come in all shapes and sizes, from student bodies of 20 to thousands.

CHECK OUT THE CITY Do not forget about where your school is. How is the community? Do you want the natural beauty of Thetis Island, the shiny glass towers of Vancouver or the urban movement of Sydney?

HISTORY CHECK Read up on your prospective school’s reputation becuase much of the time that reputation is true. Ask alumni about their experience.

vanguard college WHERE: Edmonton, AB STUDENT BODY: 180 AVG TUITION: $6,435 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Lan’s Asian Grill ATHLETICS: EMAIL: admissions@vanguardcollege.com WEBSITE: vanguardcollege.com TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Practical Training—Biblical foundation with ministry specific experience.

•Spiritual Atmosphere—Vibrant worship, dynamic teaching, loving community.

•Certificate Options—Five programs designed for discipleship and growth.

WORD TO THE WISE

TUITION Always consider your tuition and finances.

This is a must. Be wary of student loans, you do not want to end up paying them off for the next 20 years.

AFTER YOU’VE SETTLED IN, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICE JUST HOW SMALL AND GREY YOUR DORM ROOM MAY BE.

5

WAYS TO DE-DRAB YOUR DORM ROOM

Adopt a house plant for life and colour. Make sure it’s low maintainence, like bamboo or cacti.

Opt for colourful sheets to brighten up a dreary grey room.

Get an over-the-door shoe organizer to organize shoes and other small accessories.

Chances are your dorm will be dimly lit.

Get a floor lamp from a thrift store to add both character and light.

34 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

Place a comfy shag rug on the floor to make your dorm more cozy. Plus it opens up the floor for more seating.

SEMINARY acts seminaries WHERE: Langley, BC STUDENT BODY: N/A AVG TUITION: $7,600 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Graduate Student Collegium EMAIL: liisa.polkki@twu.ca WEBSITE: acts.twu.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •A vibrant seminary community that celebrates diversity.

•Faculty from various denominations with extensive experience.

•Faculty mentors and “open door” access to senior faculty researchers.

mcmaster divinity college WHERE: Hamilton, ON STUDENT BODY: 300 AVG TUITION: $5,805 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: East Meets West ATHLETICS: Through MAC EMAIL: divadmit@mcmaster.ca WEBSITE: macdiv.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Small evangelical community with resources of a major university.

•Lowest cost evangelical accredited seminary in Canada.

•Outstanding faculty mentors with Ph.D.s and ministry experience.

carey WHERE: Vancouver, BC STUDENT BODY: 200+ AVG TUITION: Please inquire FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: Cafeteria EMAIL: info@carey-edu.ca WEBSITE: carey-edu.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Accessible—2/3 of courses online, 1/3 on campus.

•Practical—Culturally relevant, community grounded, theologically based.

•Transformational—Creates opportunities to encounter God; journey inward to find meaning for outward expressions of faith.

regent college WHERE: Vancouver, BC STUDENT BODY: 500 - 600 AVG TUITION: $13,000 FINANCIAL AID: Yes BEST EATS: UBC campus ATHLETICS: UBC Intramurals EMAIL: admissions@regent-college.edu WEBSITE: regent-college.edu TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Theological education through an inter-disciplinary approach.

•Diversity of our student body from various backgrounds.

•Located on UBC campus in Vancouver.

concordia lutheran seminary WHERE: Edmonton, AB STUDENT BODY: 24 AVG TUITION: $7,100 FINANCIAL AID: Yes EMAIL: admissions@concordiasem.ab.ca WEBSITE: learngrowserve.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Confessional Lutheran teaching in a community setting.

•Small class sizes mean personal contact with faculty.

•Synchronous Distance Education creates new opportunities.

*PREVIOUSLY LISTED BUT ALSO A SEMINARY: ambrose university college briercrest college & seminary heritage college & seminary horizon college & seminary

convergemagazine.com

| 35

MINISTRY/BIBLE SCHOOLS capernwray harbour bible centre

capernwray quebec bible centre

hillsong international leadership college

WHERE: Thetis Island, BC STUDENT BODY: 120 AVG TUITION: $10,900 BEST EATS: Main Hall Dining Rooms ATHLETICS: Intramurals EMAIL: registrar@capernwray.ca WEBSITE: capernwray.ca

WHERE: Chertsey, QC STUDENT BODY: 20-30 AVG TUITION: $10,400 BEST EATS: CQBC Dining Lounge ATHLETICS: Outdoor Activities EMAIL: bureau@cqbc.ca WEBSITE: cqbc.ca

WHERE: Sydney, Australia STUDENT BODY: 1150 AVG TUITION: $4,800 EMAIL: admissions@hillsongcollege.com WEBSITE: hillsongcollege.com

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Discovering Jesus Christ as Life throughout the Scriptures, Genesis to Revelation.

•Training for full time Christian Service regardless of occupation.

•Christ Centred Community Living in a stunningly beautiful West Coast location.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Be challenged to make your faith your own.

•International teachers, students and experience unique Quebec culture.

•Intimate Discipleship Setting.

TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Hillsong Church—A leading contemporary Christ centred church.

•Hillsong College—Training the church leaders of the future.

•Sydney, Australia—one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

word of life bible institute WHERE: Owen Sound, ON STUDENT BODY: 40 AVG TUITION: $10,000 (w/room & board) FINANCIAL AID: Yes ATHLETICS: Intramurals EMAIL: admissions@wol.ca WEBSITE: wolbi.ca TOP 3 REASONS TO ATTEND: •Identify Your Purpose.

•Intensify Your Walk.

•Amplify Your Faith.

abccampus.ca

877-542-9492

FAITH AND THE

F-WORD

By Craig Ketchum

W

omen now make up more than 50 per cent of those attending post secondary institutions, but very few are making it to the top. As The New Yorker recently pointed out in the article, "A Woman’s Place," “Among the hottest new companies— Facebook, Twitter, Zynga, Groupon, Foursquare — none . . . has a female director on its board.” This isn’t only true for Silicon Valley. In politics only thirteen per cent of seats are occupied

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LIFE!

Chertsey, Quebec Canada. Phone: (450) 882-1361

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by women while in the corporate world many women are stuck in C-level jobs.

The majority of women, it seems, fill what have been named “pink collar professions”, industries like clerical work or childcare that are often low-paying.

At the school where I teach, a female colleague shared with me that she was glad that I was taking a job in the elementary school because males carry a natural authority that women don’t have: “the boys just don’t respect women teachers as much as male teachers,” she expressed. I am the first male teacher many of my elementary students will have had thus far, and many others have expressed their satisfaction that a man will lead the incoming rambunctious male-heavy class.

Females have fought hard to gain an equal place in society. Now, in the 21st century, women appear to have equal rights (at least on paper). But how much has actually changed?

Conflicts surrounding gender challenge every society. Westerners gasp at the concept of cultures forcing women to cover themselves from head to toe or to undergo circumcision. Yet even in the perceivedly liberal West, our patriarchy is as notorious as any for diminishing women in the worst way possible: by silencing them.

Through history, there have been witch hunts, church splits over appointments of female clergy, and omissions of influential women from history books (see The Book of Women by Lynne Griffin and Kelly McCann). Yet unlike in other revolutions where rebel groups have been glorified after battle, since the women's revolution, it hasn’t really been considered cool to be an “f-word” . . . a feminist. Does the word stir up a glamorous image?

Women maintain the same basic rights as men. However, they remain constrained by our ingrained social values.

Let’s be candid here: can we celebrate equality when a strong man is seen as “powerful,” but a strong woman is seen as a “bitch”? Or conversely, a passive man is seen as “weak” and a passive woman is exactly what the pornography industry desires? If the majority of males view sexual content where the woman’s role is degrading, it’s no wonder that diminishing attitudes towards females continue to prevail, or even worsen. Reflecting back upon my elementary school anecdote, are we teaching our children to respect dad but not mum? Perhaps these deeply engrained socio-cultural ideas are presenting problems for women entering old boys’ clubs.

Listening to Vancouver radio station

The Peak, the radio ad for the 2011 census form caught my attention. First, a female voice gently reminded citizens that the deadline was drawing near.

Then an authoritative male voice came on and said, “by law, all households must complete a census form.” At first I thought nothing of it; coincidence, surely. Yet our common mental associations with females and males, respectively are motherly compassion and fatherly authority. The radio ad, knowingly or unknowingly, played to our gender identity associations.

Some social conservatives (Christian ones, at that) argue that feminism is to blame for the breakdown of marriage and society. One well-known evangelical brazenly suggested that feminism turns women into “lesbians who hate their husbands and kill their children”.

Some sects of the church, when reading into admonitions from 1 Corinthians and elsewhere in the Bible, have selectively used scripture to legitimize our culture’s own existing sexism, instead of envisioning a kingdom where, “there is no male nor female, slave nor freeman, Greek nor Jew” (Galatians 3:28). One cannot quote 1 Corinthians by disregarding context. The people of Corinth wrestled with a pagan culture whose only association of women’s involvement in religion were as temple prostitutes!

Could Paul’s admonitions, offensive in modernity, actually have safeguarded the reputation of early Christian Corinthian females, rather than instructed female disempowerment?

Both Christianity and feminism desire for fullest human flourishing, freedom from all forms of oppression and compassion for the powerless. Both involve aims of justice and self-reflection. Both involve seeing others as equals. And I would argue that Christianity and feminism can inform and empower each other.

We could claim Christ for the ranks of feminism, but tagging @Jesus #feminist is thinking too small. God is infinite, eternal, and transcendent. Humans invent schools of thought and academic fields by which we try to interact with and change the world. So instead of forcing Jesus into a box, no matter how nice it looks in the IKEA catalogue, let’s learn from him too. He promises to “make all things new.”

Let us take Jesus and the gospel seriously, and take Him and His good news into all areas of life. Are we going along with what the world says or do we look different? The gospel presents us with a cosmos that is diametrically different to what rules exist now. convergemagazine.com

| 37

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By Shara Lee

The men in Switchfoot are Christians, but Switchfoot is not a Christian band. This is a band whose mandate has always been to make honest music for real people. Their sound is rock-n'-roll with a lot of soul and you can tell they love what they do just by listening to them. Formed back in the 90s in their hometown of San Diego, Switchfoot has come a long way with both lyric and style. Although it seems they've done it all, (started a surf contest, gone doubleplatinum, acquired over 1.5 million likes on Facebook) Switchfoot has no plans of slowing down.

We do talk about honesty bein in a song. People will identify but a lot of times it's things yo

V

ogue Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia, May 29, 2011: In a tiny dressing room beneath the stage, Drew Shirley and Chad Butler of Switchfoot are all smiles. As far as rock musicians go, these guys are probably as nice as they come. It’s always interesting to meet the men behind the music. Some artists make you feel like you’re wasting their time, others are borderline zombie-like, but these guys are different. They are totally down to earth and humble despite their success.

“It's our most soulful album yet,” says Shirley of their latest record Vice Verses. “It really is a follow up of Hello Hurricane.

I know for me this was my best work. We had all these songs but [we asked ourselves] what are the songs only we can sing?

What are the ones that were kind of meant for us?”

This choosiness certainly paid off for Vice Verses. “A lot of times those things are difficult to talk [about] to a stranger but in a song you have that artistic license to explore the world and explore the issues.”

This is exactly what Switchfoot, and all good artists for that matter, have been able to do so well. They are able to turn the personal into the universal. “We do talk about honesty being the most important thing in a song,” says Shirley. “People will

42 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

identify with it because it’s honest but a lot of times it's things you wouldn't tell anyone.”

Today Switchfoot is a seasoned veteran band that is respected both in the rock world and in Christian circles. But back in the nineties, they were just your average garage band playing music that they loved. “The goal was never to make music a career. It was to play music for the love of playing music together, playing music we believe in,” says Butler.

The band was originally signed with re:Think records under the guidance of industry legend and fellow Christian Charlie Peacock. Together they hoped to market their music both inside and outside the church, all the while reflecting kingdom principles beyond the walls of contemporary Christian music.

Although the band did gain a small following, their music was not getting the reach they wanted. It was a chance encounter with Switchfoot’s music that really helped them take off. An assistant of Jon Leshay (Mandy Moore’s manager) had stumbled across one of their songs on Napster and knew instantly that they were worth bringing to Leshay’s attention.

After hearing them, Leshay decided he wanted their songs featured in the movie A Walk to Remember. He later became the band’s manager and was able to market them successfully

Q&withA CHAD BULTER and

DREW SHIRLEY

who's the goofiest guy in the band?

CB: Jerome, what a goof ball.

DS: I'm probably the goofiest guy, but everyone has their moments of goofiness because; there's some dance parties on the bus that Chad would take the cake for the goofiest. And most awesome. And when I say goofy I mean awesome.

CB: You mean awesome?

DS: I mean most awesome.

who's the messiest?

CB: The messiest. Oh, well you get five dudes living in a bus...

DS: It's hard to tell.

CB: Can't really blame any one person.

DS: That's true.

who's the cleanest?

CB: I can't say.

DS: It’s a hard one too.

CB: It's a communal mess all the time.

who spends the most time on his hair?

g the most important thing with it because it’s honest u wouldn't tell anyone

CB: Well, Drew is the most adventurous with his hair.

DS: You really think so? I just wake up [messes hair up].

CB: I said adventurous.

DS: Oh. Gotcha.

CB: Drew almost missed a show once because he was getting a haircut. And that says it all.

DS: I was getting half of my haircut and I was like "I gotta go!" But they hadn't cut the back yet! I honestly had like, half cut and half not cut.

CB: And that's how he ended up with the mullet.

DS: And I ran on stage

to the secular world. Soon they were signed to Columbia records.

The first record with Columbia, The Beautiful Letdown, ended up going double platinum.

In a 2004 interview with The Boston Globe, Foreman was very clear about the band’s purpose. “Calling us 'Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them, and that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind — and that's what we want,” he said.

That has always been the band’s mandate, to play honest songs for real people. And they do it because they love it. “As an artist if you aren't excited about what you're doing today, then you should probably go get a real job,” remarks Butler.

While their faith definitely informs the kind of music they play, unlike a lot of other Christian music, theirs doesn’t have an agenda. This honesty has proved to be a major factor in the band’s success. Not only have they won Dove awards, they also recently won a Grammy for best rock gospel album. Their lyrics have a universal quality and are written in a way that Christians identify with but also in a way that does not alienate non-believers.

Now on their eighth album, the band’s sound seems to be evolving. Vice Verses is different than anything they’ve done in the past.

It’s still rock, but it’s slightly funk infused. While previous albums

CB: And he ran on stage with half a hair cut and we're all "Where have you've been!?" "I was getting a hair cut down the street! Yea! Think its gonna work out!"

do you guys listen to christian music?

CB: Well it's an interesting thing; I've never understood the category. But I guess if I were going to qualify that, I would say I grew up listening to Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, song writers who are believers that are talking about spiritual things, really soulful song writing. Keith Green, most influential musician of his time definitely inspired me as a believer. I think that that divide is unnecessary.

DS: I think it’s going away. That divide is going away.

CB: It's really hard to have this categorization in music based on someone's faith. Never quite wrapped my head around that I think it's more of a terminology created by suits and ties that are marketing the music as opposed to the authentic artistry of someone being real in their music about what they believe in, and having a worldview expressed in their art.

DS: I like Christians and I like music. convergemagazine.com

| 43

Whether we're on stage or off it you'll know we'll be playing music. I think that’s a passion, something you do outside a career. had somewhat of a pop-friendly quality, this one is different. The guys seem to be exploring different genres but also growing and searching out life’s big questions. It is an album that really goes deep in terms of spiritual themes.

The reason for the band’s long lasting success could be the fact that they’re willing to be so open with their fans. With many artists, there’s a wall that is built, but not this band. Switchfoot has always been open with the people they make their music for. “The goal in the beginning, the idea of success was playing in a living room for 10 of your friends and that was totally fulfilling and still is in many ways. The big stages are not the goal,” states Butler. “Communication has always been the goal and that interaction and that energy and that dialogue.”

That dialogue has been essential to them. Butler recalls lead singer Jon Foreman handwriting replies to all the letters they got in their earlier days. Today they do a lot of communication over Facebook and Twitter. The medium may have changed, but their efforts haven’t. “Bands we grew up listening to, the shows we went to, there was no barrier between the band and the crowd,” says Butler. This intimacy is what has kept the band so popular all these years. They know how to connect with people and to remove the blockade between artist and fan.

Along with performers, they are also students of their craft. Collectively Switchfoot has cited musical influences as varied as Keith Green and Dave Grohl. According to Shirley, the band’s resident DJ, as far as artists go today, it all boils down to talent. “I'm glad Arcade Fire won a Grammy this year. Finally a band that’s a real band acknowledged with a real record and with a real award. I'm glad the pop industry is trying to look for some talent,” says Shirley bringing the example of U.K. singer Adele to the discussion.

Shirley also thinks that we shouldn’t discount talent even if it does come from some unorthodox places or from people we don’t completely agree with. Although many believers may have an issue with Lady Gaga’s lyrics and presentation, Shirley says that maybe Christian artists could learn a thing or two from her. “She purposefully tries to do shocking things,” comments Shirley. He thinks that artists should be pushing the boundaries in the things that are true, right, righteous, and beautiful. “If you are taking that same attitude and applying it to the direction that you want to apply it, that could be a really cool thing,” he says.

Unlike their pop music contemporaries who seem to grace the stage for a while then disappear completely, Switchfoot seems to have outlasted their fifteen minutes of fame. Over the years they have gotten more candid with their music and as a band their chemistry has grown stronger.

When asked where they think they’ll be in ten years Butler says, “Whether we on stage or off it you'll know we'll be playing music. I think that’s a passion, something you do outside a career. But we have no plans to stop. Right now we feel like we've really gained a feeling, a momentum, a confidence with the last record.”

To see the band live is an experience like no other. You can almost hear the years of practice in Foreman’s voice, it’s strong with a slightly raspy quality that’s achingly beautiful. The band together is like a well-oiled machine — striking perfect chords that come at you fiercely with power and purpose. It’s almost as if they’re playing for something greater, something bigger — perhaps someone bigger.

44 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

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IN JIN'S WORDS:

By Shara Lee Photos by Grace Lau

on fame:

As thrilling as it was, as fulfilling as it was, as amazing as it was, as happy as those times were . . . all of that was false. It was a very false sense of fulfillment, a false sense of joy, a false sense of happiness, false sense of accomplishment and not to discredit what I did, because I put a lot of effort into it, but I got sucked into that world.

So how does God work in our lives? He humbles us. Cause basically everything that I got there God gave to me. God giveth, God taketh. I was given a lot in a very short time. By that same token, it was all taken back from me.

MC Jin is not your typical rapper. He doesn’t have the low and commanding delivery of Jay-Z. He is not big like Notorious, nor is he tall like Snoop.

He doesn’t wear a scowl, or Kanye’s perpetual look of dissatisfaction.

I

nstead, his default facial expression seems to be a smile. His demeanor is warm, his gesticulations are inviting, his voice has a slight boyish quality.

Another thing he has is an undeniable talent for freestyle rapping. At a recent concert in Vancouver I was able to catch the man in action as he rhymed his way to roars from the crowd. Jin radiates charisma. The rapper comes across as someone who has lived a million experiences and can’t wait to tell you about every one of them.

His story is the American dream with a twist — son of immigrant parents has quick success, but a quicker fall. As a young boy Jin says he would lie in bed at night saying, “I wanna be a rap star, I wanna be a rap star.” Those dreams came true when as a young rapper Jin won seven BET freestyle Friday competitions in a row. “I spent many years with that as my goal, as my dream, as my primary target. And to watch that actually come to fruition was amazing. I was like wow,” Jin recalls.

He quickly gained recognition for his obvious talent and became known as a young Asian rapper with a lot of potential. In 2001, shortly after being inducted into the BET hall of fame, Jin was signed to the major record label Ruff Ryders.

Soon Jin was seen as the next big thing. Too big, he says for his own good. “I was set up to fail because people had these super high expectations,” he tells

on god:

At a very young age I do believe that God was planting certain seeds in my life. I do remember one year I did accept Christ as my saviour.

Even though I stopped going to Vacation Bible School, I always did believe after those years that God was watching over me. It’s not that I never prayed. But when would I pray? Only when there were problems.

on marriage:

If she makes you a better man then that’s it, then that’s her.

So that’s what I would say to a friend or whoever the young man is that’s asking me. When I say make better there’s a lot of things. [It could be] through encouragement or simply because I don’t want to disappoint her, it can be just as simple as that. I think God is the foundation of our marriage. This marriage is not just me and her coming together.

on hip hop:

You can’t hold it against the 12 year old because in his mind, the greatest rapper to ever live is Soulja boy. Why is Soulja Boy able to do what he does? It all traces back to this 1973, this one guy DJ cool hurt was like, “Yo, we gotta do something about this crime rate, we gotta throw these events and have people come in a dollar for attendance. I’m gonna take two turn tables and scratch ‘em like this.” At least know where it started. I think hip-hop is just forever. It’s forever been a culture that is generated for the youth. It was something created for the youth as something they could call their own.

us. “Every single platform was already setting me up to be like the biggest thing ever and . . . I fed into it.” When his record came out and he failed to do all that he was projected to do, the record label was far from pleased.

Within hip-hop culture there is a certain code of behaviour. Everybody seems to have this cocky hip-hop swagger. You have to talk the talk even before you walk the walk. Jin followed suit. “Especially from the rap MC standpoint, you’ve gotta come off as that,” recalls Jin. He remembers saying things along the lines of “Yeah, you know. Ya’ll know who’s the dopest rapper ever. Yeah when I drop my album I’m gonna sell a billion records, what are you talking about? Of course.”

When the opposite of that ended up happening, it was a true lesson in humility for him. “At a point it even spiraled out of control and I was just so down about it all,” says Jin. “It’s something that I have to constantly pray for.” He was completely deflated of any and all arrogance.

Jin took a lot of time off and laid low for a couple of years. He left the country he had called home all his life and moved to Hong Kong, the birthplace of his parents.

He wanted to get away from everything he had known and take a little time to figure out what he was going to do with himself.

This move was good for Jin. He ended up recording a couple of songs in Chinese and gained some popularity in Hong Kong, appearing in television sitcoms and advertising campaigns there.

Today the cocky BET-renowned MC seems to be gone, but this isn’t to say he’s lost his swagger. Recently Jin released an EP called Sincerely Yours to which his fans really took to. After a long absence in North America, they were eager to hear from Jin. “That’s humbling and encouraging but I have a quick instant to be like the credit is to God it’s not to me. It’s just God using me to share these messages and share these words,” he says.

As a child his aunt had taken him to vacation bible school. He had liked the songs and the camaraderie he felt among the friends that he made. One summer he even accepted Christ into his life. “At a very

Even though I was lost, I made it out.

And I made it out only because of God.

young age I do believe that God was planting certain seeds in my life,” Jin recalls. As he grew older he began to take the term Christian more loosely. He said he would justify his actions because his actions never hurt anyone. He would think, “I’m not out there killin’ no one. I’m not robbin, I’m not stealing, I’m not doin’ drugs, I’m doin’ okay.” It wasn’t till later when he realized that harming himself was just as bad as if he were to go out and harm other people.

It’s hip-hop pastor Jaeson Ma that Jin credits for bringing him back to Christ.

His manager Carl Choi had introduced the two over fettucini alfredo at a restaurant in LA. “Little by little he started to get into some really personal stuff. He started telling me about these emotions of mine that quite honestly I was feeling all the time but I never shared with anyone,” remembers Jin. Slowly Ma began to prophesy over him telling him that the little bit of success he had would be nothing compared to what was to come if only he was willing to serve the kingdom. “What Jason was doing at that moment, oh my gosh let me tell you, it was a type of connection that I’ve never felt,” says Jin. After that revelation, tears, and a goodbye, Jin says he felt a sense of peace like never before. Later that night, Ma felt compelled to baptize Jin a few hours before Ma was to get on a plane en route to Korea. He baptized Jin later that night.

“I guess the biggest thing about my testimony and my journey is that, even though I was lost, I made it out. And I made it out only because of God,” reflects Jin. “My transformation and my salvation came from knowing that God heard my cries.

And then not only knowing that he heard my cries but then literally watching him transform my life, a complete 180.” Jin now has a renewed sense of purpose. While in his youth he might have wanted to be a rap star for fame and money, he is now focused on using his craft for the kingdom.

BURLAP TO CASHMERE T

hink back to the 90s. It was the decade when Doc Martins, Tamagochi’s, and Pogs were the respective TOMS, iPhones, and Call of Duty Black Ops of the day. For Christian music enthusiasts, this was the decade dominated by acts such as DC Talk, Newsboys, and Point of Grace. But somewhere nestled in between Jars of Clay and the Dave Matthews Band there was Burlap to Cashmere, a lesser known melodic folk rock group comprised of cousins Steven Delopoulos, John Philippidis, and their friend Theodore Pagano.

Delopoulos tells us that the group formed while he was in acting school. “I had to do a show and I called my cousin Johnny to come down and we had opera singers and belly dancers and it was kinda a cool little circus act. My roommate said, "why don't you call the show burlap to cashmere?" It seemed suiting at the time but it stuck with us 13 years later,” he says.

Burlap grew a steady following. They hit a perfect niche market for those wanting to listen to cool music without a big fat Christian label slapped on top of it. Along with a modest following, they also claimed two Dove awards. It was then, at the height of their popularity, that the band decided to go their separate ways.

In the decade or so that they were apart, lead singer Stephen Delopoulos did some solo work while drummer Theodore Pagano enjoyed a successful career in interior design, working for such brands as National Geographic, Apple, and Ikea. Things were also going well for Philippidis until one night when he was unexpectedly beaten up by two ex-marines and one female accomplice during a freak road rage incident near his home in Brooklyn.

“I remember getting the call and me and my mother drove down.

I think the scary part was we didn't know if he would live or die,” recalls Delopoulos. The former Burlap guitarist spent a month in coma and had to go through an intensive facial reconstructive surgery. Although it was a difficult time for Philippidis and Delopoulos, it was also a time to bond.

48 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

“Once in a while we would break out the guitars. Because you know that’s all Johnny can do, if he can't play guitar then his world is gone . . . I had written a song called "Orchestrated Love Song" and Johnny had put a piece over my chords, a guitar piece, and I think that’s when he felt dignified again. Really it was me and Johnny just sort of connecting and having him heal up,” he says.

Delopoulos insists that it wasn’t his cousin’s recovery that sparked the band’s reunion, but you can’t help but feel that it was what brought them back together.

Burlap to Cashmere’s latest work is refined but familiar — a melding of folky-greek sounds paired with many biblical references which no doubt ref lect the faith and spiritual journey of band members.

Having been brought up with Greek Orthodox Christian traditions, Delopoulos maintains his faith to this day. “I did leave the church in my early 20s and went into the evangelical circuit for a while and it was good for that season of my life but eventually I went back to the Orthodox church and the Orthodox faith,” he says.

Delopoulos, who wrote all the tracks on the latest record, says that his inf luences are still classics like Van Morrison, Cat Stevens, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, and even Igor Stravinsky.

As for new artists, he’s a bit more choosy. “There is one guy I really enjoyed called Iron and Wine. That’s it; I don't really get out much, to be honest,” he jokes.

Some say Burlap was way ahead of its time. They were never manufactured pop or classic rock. They had an authentic sound that found no place in the mainstream music scene. Since that time, folk acts such as Mumford and Sons, Fleet Foxes, and Sufjan Stevens have come to dominate indie charts. Perhaps now people can embrace Burlap’s folky sound. This just may be the perfect time for Burlap to make a comeback. — Shara Lee

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an interview with Interview by Craig Ketchum Kye Kye plays a genre that’s definitely not a typical sound for the "Christian music industry" CK: You used to be called “Paper Rings” and released an album under that name. Why the name change?

Yes, our former name was Paper Rings under which we released our first official record. We recorded it in our basement about two and a half years ago by ourselves and did it on a small budget. "Kye" is our phonetic spelling of the word "Chi," which is part of a Greek symbol the early church used that represented Christ. And we just say it twice for emphasis. Christ is who we want the world to see, whether we are on stage, on your radio, or in your iPod, or if we get to interact with you on a personal level.

You're all family here. Who is the elder sibling? Describe the growth and changes you’ve seen in each other as the years have passed.

Tim is the old goose, Alex is youngest and I'm (Olga) third to last. Alex and I were closest in age so I have most of my childhood memories with him. Tim and I got a lot closer a little later in my late teen years.

I think our whole family is a bit musically/artistically inclined. our grandpa wrote poetry, my parents wrote songs for church and actually tracked a record in their native language. Tim played the violin since an early age but when he started writing music it was really intriguing to me . . . I was like, “Wow, my brother is cool!” So I think a lot of the motivation behind my music writing was Tim and wanting to impress him!

What brought you to perform together?

It wasn't until some time later that we started collaborating.

Tim had gotten into programming with some new software and we started experimenting. It was just the two of us for some time. Then before we tracked our first album in '08, Alex joined us on the keys . . . as for Tommy, my husband; he came in the picture a little later. Actually what’s funny is he was always kind of there. We even played a few shows together in opposite bands. Tommy eventually stopped performing with the other band and we had him audition for us and were all stoked on having him become part of the band.

50 | CONVERGE. september-october 2011

We definitely want our music to apply to all people. While our words and lyrics are about God and our relationship with him, this does not limit who can listen or appreciate our music. We play to both the secular, mainstream crowd and secular venues.

Our mission is giving everyone what has been freely given to us from our Father. We have seen great reactions throughout the Christian industry as well as in the secular crowds and we love that all people find value and enjoyment in our music.

What is your genre?

We definitely have that electronic feel to our music. It is apparent hearing all the synths, electronic drums mixed with real drums, spacey guitar, and soft melodic vocals that many people place us into electro category. We are not category-specific in that we do not want to limit where we place ourselves, but really want a listener to put us into his or her own category. We have really found that nearly all listeners can appreciate our music, from the hipsters down the street, to the grandparents at church. We love our sound and our feel to our music and really appreciate all the genres that we have been placed in by listeners.

What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned? How have these impacted your songwriting and musicianship?

We have a tendency to think our calling is our purpose. A person can get the idea that their whole life's purpose is to save people through preaching the gospel, but one of the greatest truths that God has revealed to us is that this is not our purpose. When Adam and Eve were created, their purpose their original purpose was to relate to God, to talk to him, to know him - to live with him. I believe that this is also our purpose today. When you realize this and walk in this truth then spreading the gospel becomes a natural overflow of everything you do.

I think this is why the early church spread like wildfire.

This truth has changed our lives, and, as a result, changed how we write. With "Young Love," our approach to writing has really been more about listening, getting to know who God is and expressing what we personally experience along the way.

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Theological College

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5920 Iona Drive Vancouver, BC V6T 1 J6 604.224.4308 www.carey-edu.ca 7/5/2011 9:23:46 AM

GIRL AT THE

ROCK SHOW what i learned at sasquatch 2011

By STEPHANIE IP

I

n May 2011, I went to Sasquatch, my first big music festival. I know some of you are thinking, “A four-day drinking spree soundtracked by noisy rock music in the middle of a field? No, thanks. Not for me.”

But I beg to differ.

Rock and roll culture has always had a mixed reputation in Christian circles, teetering between the “secular” and “nonsecular.” But if we truly believe God created this world and everything in it, why wouldn’t that include rock and roll?

Therein lies the problem: the institution of “church” often gets in the way and we end up condemning aspects of mainstream culture that can actually teach us a lesson.

Sasquatch Music Festival takes place in the Gorge, a breathtakingly beautiful campsite and festival venue in the middle of Washington state. When we arrived on a Friday in the late afternoon, a tent city had already been created. There were countless makeshift rows of campsites nestled in the dry, uncut grass. Every person I passed seemed as if they had stepped off a page from Urban Outfitters’ summer catalogue, complete with Pabst Blue Ribbon in hand.

When we began unloading our gear, I wondered about the couple setting up camp next door. I found myself asking why they were at the festival – they weren’t nearly hip or stylish enough. It wasn’t their scene. But as we set up side-by-side, they put out a small boom box and began playing a band that would be performing later that weekend, one that I had been eagerly anticipating.

The couple struck up a conversation and talk quickly turned to the

band. They apologized sheepishly for playing the same songs repeatedly. I said I didn’t mind and that I was just as excited to see the band later on. Over the next few days, the couple lent us supplies we had forgotten and even invited us to join them for beers in the evening. It wasn’t long before I felt guilty about how quickly I had initially written them off.

One evening, as I was heading back to the festival from my campsite, I stopped and looked over the rolling fields. Hundreds — if not thousands — of tents stretched out before me, completely quiet and deserted.

I thought of the girl I’d chatted with during Major Lazer’s set while sitting on the grass on the outskirts of the crowd.

We had ranted about our ex-boyfriends and their new girlfriends. I thought of the drunken dude who walked alongside us on the dirt path between the campsite and the festival grounds. As it turns out, his parents owned a skate shop not far from where my friend lived in Kelowna, BC. I thought of the two friends who had accompanied me to Sasquatch. They’d met each other for the first time at the beginning of the weekend but connected almost instantly.

Every person I’d met at Sasquatch had offered a smile and shaken my hand warmly. It didn’t matter where we were from or what our history held. We had all made the trek to the middle of Washington State, to set up for four days in a field with no running water and no

electricity. We’d all gathered for the same reason: We wanted to hear some rock and roll.

I was ashamed when I thought of how I’d acted in the past, how I’d let gossip and judgment into my church community and I’d done nothing to stop it. Meanwhile, these complete strangers from the other side of the country had somehow ended up in the campsite next to me, and were perfectly willing to offer help and kind greetings. We’d connected over the common love of rock and roll.

Even with the bad reputation that sometimes plagues the rock music community, I’ve seen more unpretentious openness in the mosh pit of a concert than at some churches. Fans in a crowd quickly become friends after a few minutes of singing along to the same song. That type of acceptance is what we Christians need to practice much more often. It would do us well to remember that we’re all here for a common purpose.

There’s a big show happening and you and I have front-row seats for the headliner.

Stephanie Ip is a journalist and freelance writer from Vancouver, BC. When she was a teen, she thought she was a “punk” so she dyed her hair pink, wore studded belts and Converse sneakers. Thankfully, her hair is

now back to its natural colour. You can follow her on Twitter at @axeguitar.

Want to go deeper in your understanding of God’s Word and make a difference in your world?

Prairie can equip you for a lifetime of learning and purposeful service no matter what field God leads you into.

We offer programs in Bible, a variety of ministries, healthcare, business, mission aviation, and more.

Scan this code with your mobile device to find out more about Prairie’s programs and opportunities to visit our campus.

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Box 4000 Three Hills AB T0M 2N0 1.800.661.2425

IN HER CLOSET

FALL BASICS

By Yvadney Davis

COZY CHIC Here's a fashion trend you can cosy up to this fall.

Bringing all the colours and textures of the great outdoors into your closet, embrace the very best of prairie-inspired fashion. This is about pieces you can snuggle up in by day and turn heads with at night.

Rich fall colours are mixed with refined neutrals and pops of vibrant pumpkin, russet and mustard. The key is layers, so mix chunky knits with softer layers of jersey, faux fur, and velvet to face the elements.

Psssst.....Converge beauty tip The ballerina-inspired messy top knot has been doing the hipster rounds for a while now. Those in the know have moved onto the, wait for it...ponytail. Wear this classic look low and messy or sleek and straight to complete your stylish fall look.

H&M Suede Boots $79.95 Asos Premium Invertel Lapel Coat $212.46 H&M Blouse $19.95 H&M Jeans $59.95 Asos Alexa Boot $106.23

H&M Blazer $59.95 H&M Skirt $49.95 H&M Hat $19.95 H&M Bag $19.95

FALL HITLIST When fashion and function collide, the results are fall-fabulous. As much as shorts and a tan feels good, comforting sweaters feel even better. As the ever-revolving fashion wheel turns... polka dots are the new stripes!

Leather the new denim!, there's nothing like going back to basics. For fall, there are a few key pieces no girl can get through the season without. These pieces offer all the versatility you need to get you through work, study, and play year after year.

It's about working your fall capsule wardrobe until it's threadbare. Just remember to keep it practical, neutral, and timeless. Now to grab a toasty cup of apple cider and layer up.

TOASTY KNITWEAR Straight in at number one, cosy knits are the epitome of fall fashion. From cropped shrugs and turtle-necks to jackets replacing long and chunky styles, knitwear makes for essential cover ups. Save the novelty patterns for the Christmas stocking and consider investing in wool or even cashmere for longevity.

VERSATILE JEANS Whether you're on the skinny camp or adore retro flares, make sure you have a trusted pair of jeans.

They work with any look (dress up with heels and a blazer or down under a dress and biker boots).

Just don't let the jeans wear you, choose a style and colour wash that compliments your body shape.

Photography by Grace Lau www.gracelauphoto.com Styling by Yvadney Davis www.yvadney.com Model: Janice Wu Assistant: Esther Lai

H&M Top $19.95 WINNERS Vest $16.95 H&M Shorts $39.95 H&M Scarf $5.95

EASY TEE Fall is known for it's sporadic weather. Enter layers, the base of which should be a slouchy t-shirt.

Avoid man-made fibres and stick to insulating cotton which will keep you both cool and warm.

CLASSIC COAT As the temperature falls, wrap up in a solid coat.

Belted, loose, brightly coloured or padded, whatever your style, make sure it's warm and roomy enough to introduce extra layers to during winter.

Be warned, you get what you pay for, so consider investing in something that will at least see you into the new year.

STYLISH SHIRT For those days you need to make a smart style statement, a crisp blouse is perfect for those dressy and professional fall occasions. Go austere with a belted dress-shirt or choose oversized ruffles and sheer fabrics for a more feminine look.

SASSY JACKET Denim, biker, blazer or boyish tweed, a good jacket is a must-have transitional piece. Again, it is all in the layering, with the versatility a jacket will add to your wardrobe an added bonus.

BEAUTIFUL BOOTS No girl wants soggy leaves between her toes. For fall you want to put down the sandals (unless you fancy a geek-chic socks and sandals combo) and say hello to you new best friend, boots. Go for tough, durable styles with a chunky heel if any.

ACCESSORIES OK, now complete your looks with fall-icious hats, gloves, scarves . . . oh and a carry-all purse.

Not only will these keep you warm, but you can rewrite the style rules and add much-needed wow factor to your fall wardrobe. Play with colour and pattern with wild abandon.

DON'T FORGET

H&M Hooded Jacket $79.95 WINNERS Scarf $14.99 WINNERS Top $24.99

The change of weather can play havoc on your skin. Time to swap the bronzing lotion for a moisture-rich skin regime. Look out for creamy and hydrating body washes and day cream and make like Mum with a rich overnight treatment.

to see more, go to our website at www.convergemagazine.com

convergemagazine.com

| 55

IN HIS CLOSET

FALL BASICS

FALL HITLIST

By Yvadney Davis

THE COSY EDIT

Time to embrace your softer side, as the cosy trend introduces your wardrobe to all things snuggly. Chunky cable knits are mixed with plaids, soft cottons and corduroys to give you an easy to wear look for fall. Cosy comes in many shades, but the best are biscuit, camel, mustard and chocolate (that's light,

Guys, granted your fashion sphere is not as liberated as the girls, but that doesn't mean you can't add a bit of something special to your look. Here are the classic essentials all men should have in their fall wardrobe.

Pieces that will add gravitas and practicality to your looks.

darker, darker still, and very dark brown to be straightforward) neutralised with greys and denim. By day stay casual in super-soft layers and at night swap the cardigans with a blazer for a more sartorial look.

to see more, go to our website at www.convergemagazine.com

Photography by Grace Lau www.gracelauphoto.com Styling by Andy Chen Model: Jacob Kownacki Assistant: Stephanie Ng

H&M jacket $120 H&M Scarf $19.95 GAP T-shirt $19.95 H&M Button down $29.95 H&M Pants $29.95

Fred Perry Sweater $100 Zara Button down $39.95 G-star Tie $70

H&M Blazer $69.95 Banana Republic $100 Alexander Wang T-shirt $100

H&M Scarf $12.95 Asos Bobble Hat $17.71 H&M Plaid Shirt $49.95 Asos Shawl Collar Cardigan $56.66 H&M Blazer $79.95 Asos Military Blazer $155.15

PREPPY KNITWEAR Give in to the cooler weather with cosy knitwear. If you go for school boy cardigans and sweaters, as an alternative to your standard jacket, you're guaranteed to induce squeals of affection from women of all ages.

Call it the adorable hipster-nerd effect.

HEAVY JACKET Keep the chill-factor to a minimum and ensure your jacket is heavy-duty and tailored. That's wool, corduroy, denim or leather, a thick and weighted fabric, perfectly sleek and practical for fall. Go for darker colours for added style versatility.

TOUGH BOOTS Footwear makes all the difference to a stylish man's wardrobe. For fall you want sturdy and anklewarming boots to mark the transition between seasons. It's about combining style, comfort, and durability. Look out for shades of brown to blend in with the leafy colour palette.

PLAID SHIRT A plaid shirt is fall wear to perfection. What's more, it is every Canadian man's duty to have one in his wardrobe. Spot on for layering over a t-shirt, under a cardigan or if the weather's mild enough, on it's own.

Get ready to embrace rugged masculinity.

CLASSIC CHINOS The fundamentals of fall dressing centre on keeping warm without being swamped in too heavy winterstyle layers. Chinos are the perfect leg cover-up being lightweight all the while protecting you from the chill.

What's more they have the sartorial sass to keep you looking as smart as you want to be.

DIRECTIONAL ACCESSORIES Don't let the girls have all the fun, the right accessories on guys can look phenomenal. Avoid the chill-factor this fall. If you're a man on the town you can add that extra warming layer and style personality with cotton scarves, leather gloves, and felt hats.

STURDY SKINCARE The new season can wreak havoc on your skin, so be prepared with a "fall-proof" grooming regime. Not only do you need to up the moisturising levels in your face cream, but you should also swap your zesty fragrances for something spicier to complement the cosy season.

Urban Outfitters Hat $9.95 H&M Scarf $19.95 Alexander Wang T-shirt $95 Zara Shirt $39.95 Zara Jeans $69.95 Aldo Boots $120

Emmanuel Davis, Technical Director at Dare Digital shares his technology wish list 1. The Samsung HD3 Games Console may look like any other portable console, but here's the difference . . . Android. This sets it miles apart from anything ever created, it even has stress sensors to adjust the games' difficulty levels and make them harder.

2. One day language won't be a barrier, but for now, I’m loving the new Transducer Mobile Phone. It's really sleek and compact, but most importantly translates incoming global calls into your chosen language.

3. Over the past few years we've seen the body integrating with technology. The latest development is the Evo Mouse which declutters desk work and allows your fingers to become the mouse using laser and bluetooth technology.

convergemagazine.com

| 57

WHO WINS? THE DEBATE ABOUT HELL BETWEEN GALLI CHAN & BELL

By Flyn Ritchie

B

loggers have blogged, academics have pontificated and authors have rushed to judgment in print since the release of Rob Bell's Love Wins this spring.

Bell, pastor of the 10,000-member Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is responding to the fact that "A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better.

"That's how it is — because that's what God is like, correct?

God is loving and kind and full of grace and mercy — unless there isn't confession and repentance and salvation in this lifetime, at which point God punishes us forever. That's the Christian story, right?"

Not according to Bell. In the end, one is left with the strong impression, not stated categorically, that Bell endorses universalism, the view that everyone will one day be saved.

He does believe in hell, but argues that the freedom of choice granted us by God means we can still repent after death. And that is scandal, or at least threatening, to most theologically conservative Christians.

Francis Chan, like Bell a popular pastor/author, has responded to Love Wins in Erasing Hell. Like Bell, he's at his best empathizing with people in the pew as they grapple, or avoid grappling, with the idea of hell.

"Based on what I hear at funerals," he says, everyone is going to heaven. Before settling down to determine what the Bible says on the matter, though, he asks a key question: "Do you want to believe in a God who shows His power by punishing non-Christians and who magnifies his mercy by blessing Christians forever? . . . Here's my gut-level honest answer: No." Chan says Erasing Hell opens up old wounds. "The saddest day of my life was the day I watched my grandmother die.

When that EKG monitor f latlined, I freaked out. I absolutely lost it! According to what I knew of the Bible, she was headed for a life of never-ending suffering. I thought I would go crazy.

I have never cried harder, and I don't ever want to feel like that again . . . Even as I write that paragraph, I feel sick. I would

love to erase hell from the pages of scripture."

He says he reached a point where he could no longer brush the idea of hell aside ­— "I had to figure out if the Bible actually taught the existence of a literal hell. How great it would be if it didn't. Then I would be able to embrace my grandmother again someday."

So his starting point is not too far from Bell's. But though they survey the same Bible, they end up at very different places.

Put simply, Bell hopes for the best, while Chan fears the worst.

Or, to put it another way, Bell says God's goodness and desire for our salvation will not allow hell to prevail in anyone's life, while Chan says God's goodness is larger than our understanding, and stresses the Bible is very clear that some people are headed for eternal punishment in hell (though he concedes annihilation is a possibility).

Bell says the traditional depiction of hell is a "misguided, toxic" view which "ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus's message of love, peace, forgiveness and joy that our world desperately needs to hear."

He is at his most effective when asking questions or telling stories. One of the most effective examples in Love Wins starts with an art show at his church, displaying paintings, poems, and sculptures reflecting their creators' understanding of what it means to be a peacemaker.

One woman included a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. Many appreciated the quote, but one person attached a note which read, "Reality check: He's in hell."

Bell's response illustrates his punchy style: "Really?

Gandhi's in hell?

He is?

We have confirmation of this?

Somebody knows this?

Without a doubt?

And that somebody decided to take on the responsibility of letting the rest of us know about it?"

Put simply, Bell hopes for the best, while Chan fears the worst.

from Mark Galli. His "rapid response" book God Wins is a good tool to grapple with the issues raised by Bell. Galli is smack dab in the centre of the evangelical establishment, with 22 years as an editor with the Christianity Today group — Bell is a brilliant speaker, and he remains effective in print. But the voice of moderate, reasonable, educated evangelicalism. he is better at asking leading questions and offering rhetorical Key to Galli's approach is to situate the debate in a historical flourishes than he is at providing convincing answers. context. For years he edited Christian History magazine. With Take the Gandhi story for example. Many Christians will be C.S. Lewis, he warns against 'chronological snobbery' or the very sympathetic with Bell's questions. How can we know? Who assumption that modern viewpoints are preferable to older ones. are we to judge? Gandhi was after all a good person responding He points out that "universalism . . . has been a belief ascribed to to the inequities of an imperialist "Christian" Britain. by only a miniscule number of Christians and has been rejected However — and this is a key problem with the book as a whole time and time again by the church."

— one could also ask virtually the same questions of any claim In God Wins, Galli argues that God doesn't need to explain that Gandhi will end up in heaven: "Really? Gandhi's in heaven? himself; after all, he is the creator of the universe. "In the Bible, He is? We have confirmation of this? . . ." whenever God is asked a question that throws into doubt his As far as Bell's view that the traditional toxic view of hell kindness or justice, he more or less refuses to answer. In some "subverts the contagious spread of Jesus's message," the fact instances he says, 'You have no idea what you are talking about.' is that the gospel has spread like wildfire all around the world Or he says, 'You'll get an answer in my good time.'" over the past couple of centuries while aligned, for the most part Galli and Chan are in agreement on this point. Chan says, anyway, with a traditional view of the fate of human beings after for example, "Our God is not a person who is slightly more death. intelligent: His thoughts are infinitely higher than ours . . . It is "I'm scared because so much is at stake," natural — no it is expected — that there will Chan says. "If I say there is no hell, and it turns some excellent canadian be times, many times, when you won't figure out that there is a hell, I may lead people into resources on hell: Him out." the very place I convinced them did not exist!

Fans and many others have complained If I say there is a hell, and I'm wrong, I may An excellent and free 89 minute about the attacks on Bell and his theology. persuade people to spend their lives frantically MP3 on ‘Hell and the Goodness of Mickey Maudlin, Bell's editor at HarperOne, warning loved ones about a terrifying place God’ (http://www.regentaudio.com/ and an evangelical himself, asked, "Why that isn't real! When it comes to hell, we can't RGDL4102K) by Regent College's John such hostility? Why would leaders attack as afford to be wrong." a threat and an enemy someone who shares Stackhouse. It certainly doesn't cover Erasing Hell looks at what Jesus, his fellow the whole debate, but he puts it in their views of scripture, Jesus, and the Jews and his followers believed about hell.

Trinity? What prevented leaders from saying, perspective and models how such a In short, according to Chan, Jesus and other discussion should be carried out.

'Thanks, Rob, interesting views, but here is Jews of his time believed: where we disagree'?"

"1. Hell is a place of punishment after For real keeners, Terrance Tiessen of Maudlin is right, of course, though Bell’s judgment. comments about toxic theology, and others, Providence Theological Seminary in 2. Hell is described in imagery of fire and Manitoba wrote the impressive Who were hardly words of peace. darkness, where people lament.

One of the best things about God Wins is Can Be Saved? (IVP, 2004), which 3. Hell is a place of annihilation or never- comprehensively covers the issue of Galli's conciliatory spirit: "I am glad for the ending punishment." conversation that Love Wins has started. salvation.

As well, "Jesus chose strong and terrifying It is a conversation that is prompting us to language when he spoke of hell . . . I was a Brad Jersak, probably best known for think more fully and deeply about God . . . bit surprised at how many harsh statements his book on the practice of listening As we engage one another fairly and frankly, Jesus made about hell. It probably caught prayer, Can You Hear Me?, has also though, grounding all we say in the revelation me off guard because I am so used to people written Her Gates Will Never Be Shut, of God's word, it is the Holy Spirit and not any emphasizing his words of blessing, not His which questions traditional fire and one of us who will continue to lead the church words of warning." into all truth (see John 16:13) and thus into a brimstone images of hell.

In the end, Chan summarizes, "No passage deeper knowledge of God." in the Bible says that there will be a second One of Jersak's partners at Clarion The term "generous orthodoxy" was coined chance after death to turn to Jesus. And Journal is Kevin Miller. Best known for for just this kind of situation. If you have the that's frightening. It's frightening because the Expelled movie, he is now working time, read all three books; together they provide the idea of an after-death conversion is the on Hellbound?, a documentary which a good sense of current Christian thinking most important ingredient for the universalist will bring the hell debate to the big about heaven, hell, and who will be saved. position. It makes or breaks this view."

Sure, they're not the last word in scholarship, screen next year.

Another useful response to Love Wins comes but then, most of us aren't scholars.

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how to make safe movies the marvel way by cam smith

T

he most remarkable moment in this summer's Captain America: First Avenger arrives at the film's halfway point. It's a dazzling Busby Berkeley-style dance number, featuring star Chris Evans and a chorus of dancing girls, that breathlessly charts the character's journey from clumsy promotional stunt to national icon and hero to children everywhere. Exuberant and inventive, it brilliantly captures the pure bubblegum joy that can be generated by imaginative silver screen superhero myth-making. A shame, then, that this great sequence occupies an otherwise merely good film that clings timidly to the same tried-and-true formula perfected

by Sam Raimi's Spider-Man almost a decade ago.

This criticism can be levelled at any one of Marvel's pictures. Since becoming independent overseer of their properties — following years of licensing favourites like Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and X-Men to power-players like Sony and 20th Century Fox — the studio has been on a mission to transform its stable of B-list superheroes into A-list movie stars. While 2008's Iron Man rocketed its titanium-plated protagonist to mass popularity, they also turned toughsells Thor and Captain America into financial success stories and reinvigorated the Hulk.

Next year they'll unleash their long-gestating superhero team-up project The Avengers.

Marvel has become a trustworthy brand that can be depended on to deliver pleasant, conventional entertainment that never tries to reinvent the web shooter.

As a lifelong Marvel fan, it's perplexing to see so little creative spark in their cinematic endeavours. After all, they're celebrated for rewriting the rules of comic book storytelling.

In the 1960s, Stan Lee and his team of artists invented the fallible, emotionally conflicted superhero, and freed teenagers from the sidekick role. Their colourful collection of costumed crusaders had doubts and insecurities, and often bickered with one another. Because they felt human, readers instantly identified with them.

Marvel's writers skilfully laced their deceptively simple morality action tales with timely themes. The X-Men, largely inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, examined prejudice and alienation from society. Silver Surfer offered philosophical musings on the human condition and the purpose of life. Antiheroes like Punisher and Wolverine spoke to the rising disenchantment in 1970s America. The company introduced the first

mainstream black superhero (Black Panther) and the first openly gay hero (Northstar), and tackled serious issues like alcoholism, drug abuse, and AIDS. There's a sense of gutsiness and unpredictability to Marvel's comics that's absent from their filmmaking. By focussing all of their ambition on creating a shared cinematic universe that mirrors their comic book world — where characters from one series seamlessly flow into another — the studio has short-changed audiences on stories that genuinely move and excite them.

The best superhero pictures, such as SpiderMan 2, The Dark Knight and X-Men: First Class, toyed with genre conventions and pushed boundaries when necessary. Unlike Marvel Studios' films, they aimed not to meet expectations, but to exceed them.

The studio's approach to movies echoes that of Eon Pictures, keepers of the Bond franchise, with producer-dictated quality control trumping directorial authorship. They have no qualms about replacing “difficult” actors (Terrence Howard and Edward Norton), assemble screenplays by committee, and choose talented directors who suit the material yet don't have enough clout to rock the boat. Whereas Marvel Comics has always stayed relevant by letting virtuoso artists like Todd MacFarlane, Frank Miller, and Brian Michael Bendis run wild with their creations, the studio seems terrified to put similar trust in their helmers. A Kenneth Branagh film shouldn't feel indistinguishable from a movie by the director of The Transporter.

After five years of anticipation, the bar for The Avengers is spectacularly high. It isn't enough to see these characters hang out, or watch them engage in CG battles with cackling evildoers. Given that Marvel operates under the Disney umbrella, they should follow the shining example set by their colleagues at Pixar and recognize story and character comes first and foremost. Craft a picture that surprises and dares to think outside the panel. Writer-director Joss Whedon is a quirky, innovative artist with a knack for rich characterizations; trust in his ability to spin a compelling yarn.

Marvel has long had a fun tradition of prefacing their superheroes' names with gleefully exaggerated descriptors like “Astonishing”, “Amazing” and “Uncanny.” Isn't it time they made a movie that lived up to those words? Maybe then movie-goers would have a stronger reason to declare “Make mine Marvel!” at the multiplex.

have you seen?

have you gone?

September 2, 2011

SEPT 17

Rock the River Winnipeg, MB

Through Apollo 17 was launched in 1972 as the last manned mission to the moon, two American astronauts were sent back one year later. Captured footage from the moon shows a (questionable) terrifying "reason" of why we never went back.

SEPT 24

Why Everything Must Change Vancouver, BC

SEPT

The Global Leadership Summit Various locations in Canada

Apollo 18

29-30

billygraham.ca

ychange.ca

willowcreekglobalsummit.com

Main Street September 9, 2011 The lives in a small Southern city are changed forever by the arrival of a stranger with a controversial plan to save their decaying hometown.

Like Crazy October 28, 2011 Experience (perhaps again) first real love beautifully illustrated through a British college student and her American classmate as they go through the bliss and devastation, and the real life challenges of being together and of being apart.

Happy Feet Two

OCT 2

Casting Crowns with Sanctus Real and The Afters Langley, BC

OCT 5-17

Toby Mac in Concert See locations at:

OCT 8-10

YC Newfoundland & Labrador Newfoundland & Labrador

OCT 14-15

Trauma and Transformation Montreal, QC

OCT 14-15

Change Conference Keswick, ON

OCT

Gospel Music Association Canada Week Calgary, AB

lmgconcerts.com

uniteinworship.com

ycnl.ca

traumaandtransformation.org

changeconference.com

November 18, 2011 These tappy toed penguins are bringing fluffy back in with the sequal to the Academy Award winning animated hit.

24-25

OCT 28-29

gmacanada.ca

Church & Affordable Housing Forum Vancouver, BC cityinfocus.ca

have you heard? by craig ketchum

Listener Wooden Heart Talk Music/Rock/Punk, Atlanta, GA Sheepdogs Five Easy Pieces Rock, Saskatoon, SK

The first unsigned band to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, Saskatchewan vintage rock band The Sheepdogs were in the right place at the right time. What better time for “an old-school rock revival” (their words) than in an age where the young urban crowd warmly embraces all things retro?

Five Easy Pieces is a five-track EP that makes a good introduction to these Canadian rockers. They have also released 3 full length albums. Casual listeners might assume their releases to be pre-1980 due to the sounds emanating from their vintage equipment. Just like in the good ol’ days of rock ‘n’ roll, the Sheepdogs master melody-driven rock standards complete with three-part harmonies, and they do it comfortably. The music isn’t exactly groundbreaking, nor is it exceptionally complex; however rock aficionados young and old are raving about how these underdogs beat out their competitors to clinch a record deal with Atlantic — the label of classic rock godfathers the likes of Led Zeppelin, Cream, and The Rolling Stones. A true honour.

LEARN

CONNECT

Profound writing simultaneously triggers a response with its power and escapes full comprehension since its layered meanings can’t be grasped so trivially. Poetry, folk tale, and scripture possess this kind of force. Dan Smith captures paradoxes with lines like, “Whispering poems to themselves about nonsense and existence . . . I don’t wanna die” and, “We all sing songs about life, we just sing them different. You sing the words, but you don’t know the song”.

If you desire something deep, spare some time to explore Listener’s album Wooden Heart. Smith speaks and shouts pleadingly and searchingly in his southern drawl while Chris Nelson creates soundscapes with all kinds of stringed, percussive, and wind instruments. Listener sets itself apart from other music with its uncommon lyric/music blend using spoken word. Making no understatement, this album’s lyrics and music are powerful. Wooden Heart is different, refreshing, thoughtful, and brilliant. The image speaks to our tendency to become hard-hearted or even splinter, and yet reflects our vitality and potential for new growth. Listener points out our brokenness, describing us all as “shipwrecks” and yet reminds us to “wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief . . . If we hold on tight, we’ll hold each other together, and wash up on the shore.”

ACT

Register today CITYINFOCUS.CA

OCT 28th & 29th Author Dr. Brian Walsh along with Metro Vancouver Experts Sessions

. Workshops . Networking Lunch . Ethical Marketplace & Booths

Venue: Tenth Church 11 West 10th Avenue Vancouver BC

Cost $70 Students $35

604-484-8629

info@cglf.ca

Blue Scholars Cinémetropolis Hip-Hop, Seattle, WA

Sleeping At Last Yearbook EP Folk-Rock, Wheaton, IL

Rend Collective Experiment Organic Family Hymnal Liturgical Post-Rock, Northern Ireland

At the turn of the millennium, Blue Scholars pioneered hiphop in Seattle, a city known for grunge and indie rock. After more than a decade of their melodic stylistics and honest verse, Geo (rapper) and Sabzi (DJ) have a veteran’s perspective on Seattle’s now-fruitful hip-hop culture and mix in plenty of pithy local nostalgia. Cinémetropolis is noteworthy for unconventional and creative backing tracks that are a far cry from your standard mainstream beats. Marketing this album largely independently via Bandcamp, Blue Scholars continue to evolve with the times and are currently working on side projects in New York, California, and elsewhere. Embracing the concept of “reverse soundtracks,” Geo and Sabzi encourage you to make music videos inspired by tracks on this album.

Ryan O’Neil has completed his incredibly ambitious Yearbook EP project — a three song EP for every month of the year. The September EP will conclude the year long project, which began in October 2010.

Special guest musicians each month, including Jon Foreman (Switchfoot), Jacob Marshall (drummer of Mae), Brooke Waggoner and Laura Musten (toured with Owl City this year), made the project possible for O'Neil to complement his ukulele/guitar/piano-driven singersongwriter core. Imaginably, this project contains a year of diversity in textures, topics, themes, and moods. The lyrics of December EP bridge thematically into January. July brought on a tense week for O’Neil as he got over a flu virus which threatened to delay the release. The year has been a great adventure as O'Neil has learned the joys and challenges of creating a steady flow of music fitted to months and seasons. With plenty of decisions made on the fly, he has called people to help out who have literally created accompaniment parts within hours.

With each EP coming with a beautiful watercolour digital booklet, listeners can purchase EPs from a particular month or get the whole set at a discounted price via the website.

The Rend Collective Experiment began with about six spiritually searching 20-somethings curious about how to live out Christian faith and has now surpassed sixteen such members. Forming an intentional community based around biblical concepts, the Rend Collective is passionate about social justice, family, and worship.

The Organic Family Hymnal is the sonic expression of this community.

Organic Family Hymnal is about resolve and intention, faithfully reflecting the very core of the Collective. Upbeat, chiming track "Movements" resolves to run towards God and continue making movements towards Him no matter what happens. Likewise, ‘Broken Bread’ states, “I will not fight you; take me past the line that my heart draws.” The album contains some beautiful meditations upon the closeness of God: “No one really knows what it is to be alone, since you’ve never left our side,” as well as confessions such as “in suffering or joy, we will confide in your perfect love.” The album forms a beautiful musical liturgy. The music is part rock, part folk, and part post-rock, reminiscent of The Rock N’ Roll Worship Circus, David Crowder, Phil Wickham, and at times Future of Forestry and Gungor. If you like what you hear, Organic Family Hymnal Parts two and three are also available.

Stay on Track!

Visit us online at:

emmanuelbiblecollege.ca 100 Fergus Ave. Kitchener, ON, Canada N2A 2H2 T: 519.894.8900 F: 519.894.5331

last word I just got off the phone with one of my best friends who now lives a few thousand miles away. She is struggling with a substantially altered “normal” after a recent major life change. Although this change is good, she feels at the mercy of the depression that has wrapped its heavy arms around her every day. Furthermore, she feels ashamed and guilty for feeling depressed. Not a good combination! Many of us have been there — I know I have. I have experienced sadness and at times deep depression when I’ve moved far from the people I love, when I’ve taken on more than I could handle, when I’ve acknowledged the pain of a past relationship that is easier to ignore, or when I’ve been hurt by miscommunication with a good friend. Like my friend, depression has also been accompanied by feelings of shame that I’m not stronger, I don’t believe more in God’s power, I lack courage, or I don’t know what to do in the face of pain. I assume that if I was better at these, I wouldn’t experience the depth of grief, the confusion, or the doubts about the goodness and sovereignty of God that I do when faced with difficulties.

We are often in a fight with the ways we emotionally respond to life’s crises. Why are we ashamed or guilt-ridden that our lives are often shockingly painful and feel so out of control?

Negative feelings can be attacks from the enemy or our own destructive thought patterns. However, sometimes these feelings are appropriately placed red flags in our emotional and spiritual landscapes, exposing our truest convictions about ourselves, the world, and God. Do you discount that this broken world will bring hardship in your life? Do you expect yourself to be impenetrably strong and to always know what to do? Do you think that God doesn’t see you, doesn’t care about you, or isn’t generous with goodness in your life?

Suffering was one of Jesus’ most loyal companions, yet Jesus did not feel ashamed or guilty about these feelings. Jesus knew that the battle was not with suffering but rather with the cause of all suffering: evil. Instead of battling within, he befriended his righteous grief and put it to work. He acknowledged his suffering, prayerfully wept, and let his pain fuel the passionate fire within.

When you come to Christ in prayer, you come to a person who knows with his very body, mind, and soul the great pain of the world in which we live.

The truth is, you can’t pull off life on your own! You are human, and that means you have limits to what you can understand and control. You are broken, in pain, sinful, incomplete, and fragile, even while in Christ you are also strong, beautiful, courageous, righteous, and complete. How complex the mystery! As the Creator of the universe, God is sovereign, abounds in goodness, and knows everything. God is the power in all redemption and healing in the world, and our lives are the stories that tell and retell how God is reclaiming the beauty of Eden.

This is what I will tell my friend: It is ok to feel down. God knows you are weak, and knows you are sad. Your desire to become someone who has it all together will lead you to imprisonment. In the freedom of God’s love, you can allow these painful feelings to instruct you, trusting that redemption is already at work in your life. In our limited strength and perspective we must continually open ourselves to the God of all power who wants to provide, heal, protect, and guide.

­— Michelle Sudduth

These are your missionaries.

Their mission is right here in Canada, helping people discover Jesus in your city.

Hear their stories. Be a part of the revolution: powertochange.org/revolution

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