The Great Outdoors (July/August 2013)

july –august, 2013

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Preaching inPrimetimethe duck dynasty story

christians and creation—why you should care

surviving family vacations

a call to action in the midst of disaster

D e u s n o b i s c u mI m p a c t L o c a l . F o c u s G l o b a l . P u r p o s e E t e r n a l .

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seven – issue thirty-one july – august, 2013 page 3

columns

5 PK PodiumEnjoy the summer1

6 Man to ManWhat are you investingyourself into?

25 Sports SceneBlue Bomber brothers talkfaith and football

26 Money Matters Make sure your money goesthe distance for you

27 Out of My DepthIs your church in need of a checkup?

30 What Women WantIt’s all in her head…

departments8 Pulse

Bits. Blips. Beats. Blurbs.

9 ReviewsWhat’s on your shelf?

28 Power PlayTools. Toys. Technology.

SEVEN is a Christian magazine for Canadianmen that exists to help men lead morefulfilling lives and leave enduring legacies.

The name reflects the seven promises that form the basis of the Promise Keepersorganization, which works with churches to minister to men across Canada.

one – A promise keeper is committed tohonouring Jesus Christ through worship,prayer, and obedience to God’s Word in the power of the Spirit.

two – A promise keeper is committed topursuing Christ-centred friendships with a few other men, connecting regularly,understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises.

three – A promise keeper is committed to practicing biblical integrity: spiritually,morally, ethically and sexually.

four – A promise keeper is committed to strengthening families and marriagesthrough love, honour, protection, and biblical values.

five – A promise keeper is committed tosupporting the mission of his church byhonouring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his time and resources.

six – A promise keeper is committed toreaching beyond racial, social, economic,generational, and denominational barriers to demonstrate that power of biblical unity.

seven – A promise keeper is committed toinfluencing the world by his fervent love forGod while loving his neighbour, seekingjustice for the poor and oppressed, andmaking disciples of Jesus Christ.

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Preaching inPrimetimethe duck dynasty story

christians and creation—why you should care

surviving family vacations

a call to action in the midst of disaster

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The PK Canada logo features a maple leaf, indicating our dedicationto serve the men of Canada. An arrowbreaks into the maple leaf symbolizingthe impact we believe God wants tosee Promise Keepers and men makingin our nation.

A special thank-you to all the pastors who continually encourage us to communicate God's truth withgrace and love.

contents july – august, 2013

Promise Keepers CanadaBox 20099 RPO Brant HillsBurlington, ON L7P 0A4

(905) [email protected]

Postmaster: Please send address changes to Box 20099 RPO Brant Hills, Burlington, ON L7P 0A4

ISSN 1916-8403Cover Photo: courtesy of A&E Network

Publisher: Brian KoldykEditorial Director: Jeff StearnsManaging Editor: Rob HorsleyCopyeditor: Kelly Rempel

advertisingJohn [email protected] 1-888-901-9700

editorial advisory boardMARC BRULE: WellSpring Community ChurchROB HORSLEY: ChristianWeekKIRK GILES: Promise Keepers CanadaJEFF STEARNS: Promise Keepers CanadaMATT BREIMER: Promise Keepers Canada

editorial204-424 Logan AvenueWinnipeg, MB R3A 0R4Phone: (204) 982-2060(800) [email protected]

Design: ’Segun Oludewww.indigoinkstudios.com

on the cover

The great outdoorsGod in the environment, responding to disaster, and of course—ducks. This month’s issue looks at all things ‘outdoorsy’ and how God is at the heart of everything.

10 Glory in the Skies | steve bell

Singer-songwriter Steve Bell’s recent flight to Montreal was the sourceof timely reflection—on creation, generosity, and the overwhelminggratitude as declared by the Psalms. A solid reminder, and a goodprimer to this month’s issue.

13 Stewards Over Creation | q+a with arthur walker-jones

Christianity. Environmentalism. They’re two words that often seem tospeak from opposite sides of the political and ideological spectrum.Whatever the reasons, the two camps have been hesitant to joinforces, something that should be cause for concern.

16 Preaching in Primetime: The Duck Dynasty Story| rob horsley

For Louisiana’s Robertson family, it’s faith—not fame and fortune—that comes first. Continuing to be outspoken about Jesus is prioritynumber one for all members of the Duck Commander empire.

19 The Real Man’s Guide to Holidaying | gary bowler

Family vacations can be a nightmare. Jerry Bowler weighs in with some handy tips for surviving your next adventure..

22 Faithful in many forms | thomas guenther

When disaster strikes—often without explanation—we’re oftentempted to respond with “Why?” But as Christian men, trying times call for faith in action.

EQ U I P

SEVEN MagazineMen. God. Life.A Christian magazine for Canadian men. Relevant, exciting and biblical.

Visit us online at www.PromiseKeepers.ca and

Visit ourPromiseKeepers.ca

for the latestinfo, videos,

audio messages,men’s articles,

books andother

resources.

Men of Integrity DevotionalEspecially written for men, personally challenging, eternally rewarding. Available in a 60 page booklet or as an email devotional.


P K P o d i u m

A couple of years ago, I had the privilegeof taking my family on a vacation toBritish Columbia and Alberta. I grew upin the Lower Mainland of B.C., and feltlike I was taking my family back to myhome. It was an amazing experience toshow them the sights and sounds of thisbeautiful area of Canada. They evensurvived days of driving seven or eighthours (without seriously hurting eachother) because the majesty of what theywere seeing was so overwhelming.

The moment that sealed the importanceof this trip came one day while we weredriving through the mountains. As weturned a corner on the highway, you couldsee the glorious, snow covered peaks of acouple of mountains directly in front of us.My daughter gasped and said, “Oh wow,Dad!” What a priceless moment that was.

All across the country, men are enjoyingthe great outdoors—and you should! Somein Canada experienced an incredibly longwinter this year. This is your time to enjoythe sunshine. We live in a beautiful landthat has so much to experience and enjoy.Whether you go kayaking down a river, goon a road trip on your motorcycle, playbaseball with your kids, or spend timerelaxing at a cottage—getting out of our

normal routine and enjoying thesplendour of God’s creation

is important physically,mentally, and spiritually.

In the midst ofenjoying the sun andmountains andwater, make surethat you are also

enjoying their Creator.It is very easy to behaving so much fun

playing in the sun that we forget toacknowledge, thank, and worship the Onewho has given these good gifts to us. As ahusband and father, your family may notnaturally connect what they are enjoyingwith the Father who gives every good andperfect gift. You need to be the man whowill initiate these conversations.

It is not difficult to thank and worshipGod in these moments. Creation is aglorious reminder of the majesty andpower of God. Thank Him when prayingtogether as a family. When you see orexperience something spectacular makestatements like “Imagine what God musthave been thinking when He created that,”or “Look at how creative God is.” Bediligent to take the lead in pointing yourfamily back to God.

Men need to care for the spiritual healthof their family, but also need to care fortheir own spiritual health. The Scripturesare filled with verses that show howpowerful and creative God is. I know menwho will just go and sit beside a river—watching the water flow and hearing thebirds chirping—while opening up God’sWord and meditating on His greatness.This is an important discipline that willrenew your mind and your spirit.

We are a blessed people to live in thisland, but we are even more blessed to beable to know the Creator of the greatoutdoors. May this summer be a timewhere you experience and are reminded ofhow our God is greater!

Kirk Giles is the president of Promise KeepersCanada. However, his most important roles as a man are husband to Shannon and father toCarter, Joshua, Sydney and Samuel.

by Kirk Giles

Enjoy the sun!Make summer a time to acknowledge God’s greatness


Gentleman, I want to ask you a simplequestion. Into whom or what are youinvesting your life? The stock market,your hobby, your favourite team, yourwork or something else? All you have todo is look at where you spend your time,treasure, and talents and you will havethe answer. I want to suggest anotheroption, and that is the investment youmake in people.

For the past 35 years, my favouriteministry verse has been 1 Thessalonians2:8 where Paul says, “We loved you somuch that we were delighted to share withyou not only the gospel of God but our livesas well, because you had become so dearto us.” The apostle Paul was not justinterested in riding into a town anddropping some gospel bombs; what hereally wanted to do was invest his life intothe life of others.

As he worked alongside these people,took walks with them and had meals withthem, he was making investments ineternity. He understood the principle that more time spent with fewer peopleresults in greater impact for Christ.

The book that has influenced me themost over the years is The Master Plan ofEvangelism by Robert Coleman. He writes,“One must decide where he wants hisministry to count—in the momentaryapplause of popular recognition or thereproduction of his life in a few chosen menwho will carry on his work after he is gone.Really it is a question of which generationwe are living for.” Every one of us has todecide in what and in whom we are goingto invest. For Paul the answer was simple,it was people.

This is also the story of the Bible. Forexample:

• Moses investing in Joshua;• Ezra investing in Nehemiah;• Barnabas investing in Paul and Mark;• Paul investing in Timothy.

The greatest example is Jesus investingin the 12 disciples. Two-thirds of Hispublic ministry was with the 12. He calledthem to be with Him, and for three yearsHe invested His life in them. He was notinterested in programs to reach themultitudes, but with men whom themultitudes would follow.

Dietrich Bonheoffer, the great Germantheologian who spent much time in Naziprison camp wrote these words: “Therighteous person lives for the nextgeneration.”

Each of us is going to die at some time,and when we do we will live on in twoways: First in eternity with Jesus, andsecond, in the men and women, boys and girls we influence for Jesus.

Each one of us must decide how wewant our lives to count—is it for themomentary applause of popularrecognition or in the reproduction of your life in a few chosen people who will carry on His work after you are gone?Which generation are you living for—thisor the next?

Almost 15 years ago, Dick, apharmacist by trade, was invited by hiscollege-age daughter to attend ourChristmas Eve services. He was struck by the whole service and decided to come back a second and third time and eventually came to Christ.

Dick wanted to know what to do next. I told him he should get into our men’sdiscipleship course. He went through thefirst year with 10 other men and then thesecond year. At the completion of thistraining I encouraged him to lead a basictraining group, which he did. This went onfor several years with Dick leadingmultiple groups at a time.

Several years ago he called to tell methat he had been diagnosed with a braintumour and the prognosis was not good.After one surgery and lots of therapy the

doctors said there was not much morethey could do, and Dick went downhillfairly quickly. In the final months I askedDick if he would do something for me.

Each year we have an evangelisticbreakfast that men can bring their friendsto. At that event we give out a ServiceAward to the man we believe has servedthe men of our church in a big way thepast year. I wanted to honour Dick for allhe had done.

When the day came his family dressedhim up and we wheeled him up onto theplatform. I spoke about his ministry overthe year and had a leading from the Spirit.There were about 550 men in the room. I asked everyone who had come to Christthrough Dick or had been discipled byDick to stand. I watched in amazement as one man after another stood all overthe banquet hall. My eyes were too tear-filled to count them, but a couple of myleaders said there were more than 100men standing in the room.

All because one man decided to invest his life in others.

Dick died just a couple of months laterbut he lives on in two ways, in eternitywith Jesus and in the men in whom heinvested his life. The question you have to ask yourself is this: Who are youinvesting your life into?

Steve Sonderman is Pastor at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin and founder of No Regrets Men’s Ministries. He consults widelywith churches worldwide, sharing his passion forministry to men in every local church. He makeshis home in Borrokfield with his wife, Colleen.

By Steve Sonderman

man to man

Who are you investing in?The time we invest in others reaps eternal rewards

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IS THE GREEN BIBLE GUILTY OF BADFRUIT?

The Christian environmentalmovement is one that has gainedtraction in recent years, with many faith-driven advocates actively lobbying forgovernments care for creation andpractice better stewardship, citing theirunderstanding of Scripture as the keyreason for their concerns.

But what does the Bible really haveto say about environmentalism?According to The Green Bible—quite abit.

Published by Harper Bibles andfeaturing a foreword by former AnglicanArchbishop Desmond Tutu, The GreenBible is printed on recycled paper andwith soy-based ink for a truly‘environmentally-friendly’ experience.The New Revised Standard Versio alsofunctions as a study guide, with anumber of essays from notable leaderslike Brian McLaren, N.T. Wright, and thelate Pope John Paul II.

But most notably, The Green Biblefeatures more than 1,000 versespertaining to stewardship and care forcreation, highlighted in green, like thisverse from Numbers, for example.

“You shall not pollute the land in whichyou live…you shall not defile the landin which you live, in which I alsodwell.” (Numbers 35: 33-34)

The Green Bible is no doubt a tadgimmicky, and so it’s questionable howseriously Christians ought to take it. And while it’s good to realize that theBible does in fact have a lot to say aboutpracticing good stewardship, critics havepointed out that the greatest

commandment is still to love God with everything, and “love your

neighbour as yourself,” and so anenvironmentally-themed Bible might notbe the best resource for communicatingthe central message of the gospel.

Still, it’s hard to conceive of howChristians can be effective in “loving theirneighbours” if they don’t show care tothe “environments” that a lot of theirneighbours happen to live in.

(For more on the intersection of faith andenvironmentalism, check out Seven’s Q+A chat witheco-theologian Arthur Walker-Jones on page 13.)

BEA

TS


by Rob Horsley, PULSE Editor with special guest writer Robert White

Bits + Blips. Beats + Blurbs.


MEN OF COURAGEDr. Larry CrabbPreviously released as “The Silence of Adam” thisnew edition includes anepilogue from Dr. Crabband a study guide forindividual or group use.

MAN OF GODBy Charles F. Stanley“You don’t have to beperfect to be a man ofGod.” Stanley’s Man of Godchallenges the commonperceptions of manhoodwith examples from theBible, and includes ahelpful guide for individualor group study.

REAL VALORBy Steve FarrarFans of PK Canada speakerand noted author SteveFarrar’s will be eager to gettheir hands on the latestrelease in his series ofbooks. Real Valor (otherthan being spelt wrong)explores what it means to“nurture and protect yourfamily” based on the storyof Ruth and Boaz.

EVERY BODY MATTERS

by Gary ThomasI’m pretty cynical

when it comes to healthbooks—especiallyChristian health books.Regular health orexercise guides are badenough. Usually poorlywritten, they’re oftenvain attempts by somefitness instructor oractor to profit off ourdesire (or doctor’sorders) to lose a fewpounds. Their focusfluctuates as quickly asthe fashion trends andover the years I haveseen a long parade ofself-appointed gurusmarch by, all proudlywearing the emperor’snew clothes—or closeenough to it. Okay, so maybe I’m just a bit jaded…

Many of the Christian books take the same elements, and usually insert a few bible verses here and there to make it applicableto Christian audiences—something that often gives the impression of good marketing, rather than good Bible application. Like I said, maybe I’m just a bit jaded. Surely, it’s not all bad…is it?

When I first saw the book Every Body Matters, I almost tossed it on the pile with the others, until I saw the name of the writer.

An author of several books, Gary Thomas is a writer-in-residence at Second Baptist Church, Houston, and an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches onspiritual formation. His other books are well written and thoughtprovoking. Given his reputation as an author, I realized his bookdeserved a second look.

Every Body Matters is a serious exploration of how a healthy lifestyle can affect our ability to serve God. A pleasure to read, his points are well illustrated with compelling stories and clearchallenges. Finally—a health book I am more than happy to recommend.

If your curiosity is piqued, I would recommend first reading thearticle Gary wrote for the our recent May/June issue of SEVENmagazine (which focuses on health), entitled “Heavy Faith.” You canread past issues of SEVEN online at www.promisekeepers.ca/seven

Jesus and jumping jacks—the real deal on Christian health guidesReviews by Jeff Stearns

r e v i e w s

ALSO ON THE SHELF…


f e a t u r e s

I am currently in the skies somewherebetween Winnipeg and Montreal. Whenwe land, Dave (my manager) and I willrent a vehicle and drive down into NewYork state for a short swing of concertsthat begins in Glens Falls, New York andends in Newtown, Connecticut.

I’m quite mindful that the concert inNewtown has a certain weight to it.Newtown is the site of the horrificshooting where the lives of 20 childrenand six adults were lost. I’ll be singing ina church that held several of the funerals.

Earlier this week I was lying on myliving room sofa, wondering what I mightbe able to say in response to the tragedy,when my imagination suddenly caught aglimmer of God out of the corner of myeye. Seriously. A figure was suddenlystanding there with arms crossed, and afurrowed brow:

“Exactly what wisdom do you have tobring to the situation Steve Bell? I’mkeen to hear.”

My soul blushed in embarrassment.“Just sing and tell your stories as youalways do. If I choose to speak into thesituation, I’ll do so despite whateverwords happen to tumble out of yourmouth.”

I have no doubt. Forgive mypresumption.

Yesterday, I was back on the same sofareading a book I recently picked up:Centering Anishinaabeg Studies /Understanding the World Through Stories.

I’ve long been intrigued with howsacred stories function in Indigenouscultures. This book is a collection ofessays about just that—how stories holdand transmit deep knowledge aboutperceptions, values and worldviews.

My own faith culture has stories too.But sometimes I think that we (ofEuropean descent) have inherited aninordinate rationalism that has knockedthe stuffing out of our stories. We believethem to be true, but we don’t trust them.

We tend to want to fortify our stories withdoctrine and dogma. Indigenous peoples,it seems, don’t necessarily believe, orneed their stories to be true, but theytrust them implicitly.

Here’s one of the stories from thebook. It’s very simple, but it caught me offguard and stuck to me like glue. I’ll justtell it like I remember it, which may bedifferent than the words I actually read:

A hunter’s arrow found and downed amoose. As the hunter was gatheringwood for a fire to prepare the meat,the hunter discovered all sorts of wildvegetables and fruits as well.Overwhelmed by the bounty, the hunter didn’t know who to thank,but felt a bursting need to thanksomeone. So he simply looked around,and said thank you. This is where giving honour (religion) came from.

Glory in the

skiesWestJet Flight 318, Seat 3D:An Anishinaabeg tale and a Hebrew Psalm

Canadian Singer-songwriter Steve Bell hasmade a career out of telling stories. Whetherthrough music and lyrics, or in his between-song anecdotes, the Winnipeg-based,friendly-neighbourhood troubadour hasalways recognized the power of story as a wayof connecting audiences to the deeper themesof music, Christianity, and life in general.A recent flight to Montreal was the source oftimely reflection—on creation, generosity, and the overwhelming gratitude as declaredby the Psalms—a reflection shared with you by the master storyteller himself, Steve Bell.

By Steve Bell


f e a t u r e s

Insert another fine teller of tales.From William Shakespeare:

Such tricks hath strong imaginationThat if it would but apprehend some joyIt comprehends some bringer of that joyAh… gratitude. Someone once said that the

tragedy of the atheist is that he/shehas no one to thank. I know atheistswho would probably disagree with thisstatement, but the point is wellmade: heartfelt gratitude isfoundational to human wellbeing.

As I’ve been sitting here on theplane, thinking about the story of thehunter, I suddenly detect a voice in myspirit saying (quite distinctly), “ReadPsalm 8.”

I know I’ve read the Psalm beforeseveral times, but I can’t remember asingle word of it. The voice is veryparticular—Psalm 8. So I open myiPad, and find the Psalm.

Whoever wrote this ancient poemwas clearly experiencing somethingsimilar to the hunter in theAnishinaabeg tale. And as I read, I toobegin to tear up in gratitude for myown life—for my wife and children; forparents and grandkids; for songs anddances and poems; for cumin andcelery and carrots; for pets andneighbours and friends; for kisses andtears and the memories of such thingsto sustain us in our twilight years.

As I sit here, high above the fray, Iam not unaware of tragedy. And therewill certainly be deep disappointmentand loss to face in my future. But atthis moment, it is the weight ofgoodness I feel. And I have to respond.I have to say something to someone.

So here is my version of the Psalmas it imprinted itself on my heart:

ON READING PSALM 8 | Steve BellOh my…I can hardly breathe…Your name, oh God…There is none like you in the

whole of the cosmos!Since all creation is your creation,

nothing in creation can compare. That would be a logical impossibility.

Your glory is far beyond anythingknowable to the senses.

Yet the mere babble of infants is enough to shame your adversaries;the joy of children enough to silenceyour foes.

As reason begins to comprehend the heavens (ie: your handiwork: themoon and the stars, which you haveplaced and set like a master jeweler),imagination begins to apprehend themind behind your glimmeringcraft. And we are utterly astonished you have a mind/ heart for us at all.

We too (humankind, that is) havebeen established and crowned by your will. Not quite the same as angels,but close.

You have entrusted to us the lovingcare of your handiwork: all flocks andherds, the animals of the wild, the birdsin the sky, the fish in the sea, and allthat nourishes and sustains them.

You have invited us to be a mindfulpart of the whole. How can we respondto this unique honour? What words are adequate to voice our humbledthank you?

Oh Creator, forgive our inadequacies.Redeem our errors. Ennoble our efforts.

Again… your name… I can hardlybreathe…

Thank you.

Let me offer, as well, a song I wrotea few years ago having had a similarexperience. My friend, Heather Bishop,made her cabin available to me for aweek to retreat and write. One day Isat out in the tall-grass prairie thatsurrounds the humble hay-baleabode. I sat for hours, absorbing thethrum of creation. When the sunfinally fell, and the light retreated, thedeep cosmos became visible, and thissong (inspired in part by a RichardWilbur poem) came bubbling up withan insuppressible force:

GOOD FRIENDLyrics adapted in part from Richard Wilbur’s poem: Mayflies

On somber nightWhen shivering clouds bemoanThe aching of souls aloneThen stars appearedOne arc of their dance showed clearAnd glittering song intonedBe but your own good friendAnd be good to the otherCherish those sisters and brothersOn the roadAnd to the earth extendEvery reverence and wonderTend to the wounds of your blundersAnd honour God who formed our homeWhen sun is lowBright bands in forest glowFair fiats of love. Behold!See shimmering fliesIn their quadrillions riseWeaving a cloth of goldBe but your own good friend…

Steve Bell is one of Canada’s most loved and widely recognizedChristian musical artists, and blogs regularly at stevebell.com,on which this article originally appeared. When he’s notsharing stories all over the world, Steve resides in Winnipeg.


Curtis Hartshorn [BA 2015] grew up having a passionate heart for God. He would encourage his friends to live for Jesus—which meant he became a target for bullies. Feeling hurt and alone, Curtis started high school determined to fit in—whatever it took. For years his life revolved around partying and Curtis wanted a change.

One Sunday he went to church with his mother and begged God to help him. That day God sent help through Pastor Jon Thompson [BRS 1999, MTS 2005]. Pastor Jon prayed with Curtis, cared for him and continues to mentor him today.

Today Curtis is studying Biblical Studies and Theology at Tyndale in Toronto, ON.

He hopes to one day become an evangelist and have an impact on the lives of other people the same way Pastor Jon impacts him.

Pastor Jon was equipped to care for Curtis in his time of crisis. He was equipped because he came to Tyndale. This is what happens at Tyndale, the impact of a Tyndale education is multiplied in the lives of the people our graduates meet.

We know that this is what will happen with Curtis’ life—whatever career he is called to, he will go out equipped and prepared to serve the people in his world.

Wherever God leads you, be prepared. Come to Tyndale.

The Multiplying E�ect

www.tyndale.ca


Stewards Over CreationThinking environmentally as Christians

Christianity. Environmentalism. They’re two words that often seem tospeak from opposite sides of the political and ideological spectrum.Whether it’s for reasons of negative association, intentional indifferenceor simply being unaware of the issues, many (but not all) Christians havebeen reluctant to link themselves to environmental movements.

However, a growing number of Christian congregants, ministers, scholarsand activists have spoken in favour of being environmentally conscious,saying that Christians, perhaps more than anyone, have a divineresponsibility to be good stewards over creation.

Among those who have spoken on the topic is Arthur Walker-Jones, a Winnipeg-based biblical studies professor and author of The Green Psalter:Resources for an Ecological Spirituality, in which he explores the environmentas it relates to the Book of Psalms. Walker-Jones believes that Christianity andenvironmentalism need not only be unopposed to one another, but that faithcan inform the way we live in and care for the world that God has given us.

f e a t u r e s


f e a t u r e s

SM: Why should Christians feel inclined to care for theenvironment and practise good stewardship over Creation?

AWJ: For me, it’s a huge ethical issue. It’s a sad thing if theChurch can’t speak on major ethical issues of our age. It’sdisturbing to me that it’s been slow to respond to[environmental concerns], though in fairness there were someChristians that were among the earliest [to speak up]…in the1960s.

Whatever you think of climate change, it’s a scenario that looks at massive destruction of animal habitats, and of humankind. Some scientists think [climate change]threatens the extinction of humankind. At minimum it will cause a huge amount of suffering which will be borne mostheavily by the poor.

So for me, the ethical questions are, “What right do we have to do that kind of damage to the poor, to futuregenerations? What kind of world are we leaving for our childrenand grandchildren? Is it right to be using [so much of] the Earth’s resources that we cause that kind of suffering anddevastation in this and future generations?”

SM: Some might argue that our first and foremost concernshould be people, and that environmental concerns are atbest secondary. How do you see caring for Creation as beingintegral to helping people thrive?

AWJ: It’s actually social conditioning that’s developedthrough our language, our imagery, through the stories that we tell, through the ways we’ve interpreted Scripture that oursociety has come to see the word ‘environment’ as somethingthat’s around us and unrelated to us. People live in denial—theydon’t even think about it. They think that you can pollute the air,pollute the water, destroy habitats and somehow human beingscan be separate from all of that.

As the Bible often tells us, the Israelites lived in a very fragile ecology of preserving water and scarce resources, so theyhad a much better sense of that. Many people, especially urbanpeople in modern cultures, are detached from the many wayswe’re actually dependent on the air we breathe, the trees thatclean the air that we breathe, all the animals and plants thatprovide food for us, the ecosystems that make those possible.

I think we’re starting to get to a point where more and more people are recognizing that we have actually beendamaging ourselves and risking our future by the way we’ve been behaving.

SM: Why do you think Christians are often hesitant or evenresistant to think about the environment as something thatwe should care about?

AWJ: I think it’s a deeply frightening thing. It’s easier to be indenial than look at [the issues]. Sometimes I’ve asked people atworkshops to think of a natural place they knew when they wereyoung but that is now gone. You get a tremendous amount ofgrief. For some of us more wealthy people it’s the cottage that’sgone. For Aboriginal people it’s the whole landscape of theirchildhood that’s been flooded, or lost species, etc. So there’s ahuge grief. To start thinking seriously about the implicationsbecomes quite frightening. It’s often easier just to say, “I don’twant to worry about that—I don’t have to worry about that.”

In the West in particular, we’ve developed interpretations ofthe Bible and Christianity that legitimize our exploitation of theenvironment. For instance, we understand Christianity withhaving just to do with going to heaven and not having to do withhow we treat the Earth and Earth’s creatures. Or we hear whatthe first chapter of Genesis says about creation being good butthen we understand that as being largely negated by sin insteadof holding the two together.

SM: What’s your biggest frustration with Christianity andenvironmental ethics?

AWJ: The lack of action, personal and institutional. We havelots of nice statements by Evangelicals, by liberals…but not a lotof action by those churches as a whole. There are individualchurches and people that are exemplary and probably leadingthe way, but the message hasn’t really gotten to the grassrootsin a lot of denominations.

SM: How do you respond when you hear the environmentalcounter-arguments of “we shouldn’t be focused on worldlythings like the environment,” or “this place is not our home,so it doesn’t matter how we treat it,” or other similar points?

AWJ: I’ll give you a biblical response. I think we’ve misinterpreted the New Testament. In the Lord’s

Prayer Jesus prays, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,”not “take us to heaven.” And in the Book of Revelation, the NewJerusalem comes down from heaven to Earth, and God lives withpeople on Earth. So among New Testament scholars, there’spretty widespread agreement that the early Christianunderstanding was actually that their actions were creatingheaven on earth. It’s more of a Greek idea that the reason to bea Christian is you’re going to go to heaven, which is someplaceup there, separate from this world.

I think the reason that [the Apostle] Paul was so committed to the resurrection was because it was part of his understandingthat our bodies and the whole world was going to betransformed, not that we were some spirit that was going off somewhere.

The Christian call to care…


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SM: Some Christians have been turned off of environ-mentalism, due to the perceived links to things like evolution,Al Gore, hippies, etc, and other stereotypical “evils” that areoften a cause for disassociation. What would you say toChristians who avoid thinking environmentally for reasons of association?

AWJ: What comes to mind immediately is that they mightwant to think how culturally bound their Christianity is if it’s sotightly identified with a particular political position. And howodd, in a way, because Jesus was a homeless person wanderingaround in the hills. (laughs) I’m a child of the ‘60s and ‘70s, so Jesus as a hippie works for me. But that’s my politics too.

I’m encouraged that those kinds of things seem to bebreaking down, because to me these issues have the sort of urgency as a World War. We need to realize that it’s in all our interests, no matter what particular stripe of Christianity or political affiliation you’re associated with. Somehow we have to work out ways that we can work together and we have to do it pretty quickly.

SM: What steps can Christians take in becoming moreenvironmentally conscious? What’s needed from the Christian community at this point, in your opinion?

AWJ: There are so many ways. I think everyone has their owninterests, their own callings, so just figure out what you, withyour gifts and interests and passions, can best be involved in.Whether that’s planting trees, or working with an environmental

organization, or getting people in your church organized to getgeo-thermal heating for the church or solar panels, or whatever.There are so many things that you can do. Different people willhave different gifts and passions.

SM: Why is it important that Christians see the Earth as more than just fallen, imperfect, and set for impendingjudgment/destruction? What are the practical implications of such a mindset?

AWJ: Thinking of the Earth as sinful and set for impendingdestruction leads to attitudes towards the Earth and otherpeople and other creatures that, to me, are just violent,destructive and immoral.

If you think of the resurrection, that’s the resurrection of both your body and spirit. Your body needs to be redeemed, and the Earth needs to be redeemed, too. If the Earth is acreation and gift of God, and even if you think that Christianity is just about going to heaven, when you get there what is God going to say about the way you trashed the gift?

If this life is practice for heaven, then we should be practising care for creation—God’s creation.

Arthur Walker-Jones is a member of the University of Winnipeg Faculty of Theology and is author of The Green Psalter: Resources for an Ecological Spirituality.


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Preaching in primetime: The Duck Dynasty storyFaith and family still come first for America’s most famous outdoor family

By Rob Horsley

A modern-day, real-life, rags-to-riches story featuring theRobertson family of West Monroe, Louisiana, “Duck Dynasty”is what “The Beverly Hillbillies” might have been like if theyexisted in real life.

Since its debut in 2012, the popular reality television showhas been a smash hit, breaking ratings records for the A&ENetwork, with its recent season finale bringing in nearly 10million viewers, beating the long-running “American Idol” by 34per cent, according to a report by The Huffington Post.

The Robertsons made their fortune as proprietors of DuckCommander, founded by family patriarch Phil Robertson, acompany best known for its best-selling duck call of the samename. Originally operated in a dilapidated shed, DuckCommander eventually hit the big time thanks to business-savvyson Willie Robertson who took the family business andtransformed it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, as well asstepping into the spotlight as the lead cast member for NorthAmerica’s most popular outdoor life family.

Despite being the recipients of immense fame and financialfortune, the Robertsons have remained humble and constantlyoutspoken about the importance of their Christian faith and itsrole in their lives as a family. For all members of the Robertsonfamily, which includes father Phil and mother Marsha “Miss Kay”Robertson, sons Alan, Jase, Willie and Jep, their wives andchildren, and fan favourite, Uncle Si, faith is still the mostimportant part of their lives, and part of a set of family valuesrarely given the primetime recognition that “Duck Dynasty” hasearned for itself.

“They have been consistently evangelistic,” says Mike Kellett,minister and elder at White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ, in aninterview with The Christian Chronicle. The Robertson familycontinues to be actively involved in Kellet’s congregation, a placethey’ve attended as a family for years.

“Jase and Willie were both in my youth group years ago andwere reaching out to the lost as teens,” he adds.

As well as serving as a prime example of the family valuesthat many Christian families continue to strive for, the show’scast has also been very outspoken about the current culture ofNorth America, and specifically how far it has fallen in terms ofproviding family-friendly programming for the generalpopulation.

“What is this world coming to when we can’t even count onteddy bears to give us wholesome entertainment?” says SiRobertson. In the show’s season finale, Si accidently sees Ted, afilm rife with sex, drugs and crude language, directed by “FamilyGuy” creator Seth MacFarlane.

Phil agrees.“The Founding Fathers would be shocked that there was not

biblical instruction in our schools,” he said at a recent pressconference in Colorado. “We have a God-given right to live free…”

But despite their outspoken nature and intentions to keeptheir faith at the forefront of their public image, some havealleged that the show’s editors are often quick to downplay the

Christian aspect of their lives as a family. “They pretty much cut out most of the spiritual things,” says

Phil in the interview for The Christian Chronicle. “We say them,but they just don’t run them on the show.

Members of the Robertson family see “Duck Dynasty” as aplatform for sharing their faith with a wider audience, somethingthey’ve done a lot of. But as second-eldest son Jase points out,it’s not always easy to break through Hollywood’s tendency todownplay their Christian values.

“It’s a slippery slope when you’re holding Hollywood’s handand you’re trying to accomplish something,” he says in a speechto members of White Ferry Road church, “when deep down allyou want to do is proclaim that Jesus is Lord.”

“We don’t have godly people and followers of Jesus owningthe channel that we’re on or filming what we do,” Phil adds. “Sowhat you see [on TV] is a functional, godly family, but there’s nota whole lot of gospel and Bible verses.

Often the strongest-spoken member of the Robertson clan,Phil has been the most critical in the network’s portrayal of hisfamily and its tendency to water down the message of the gospelthat he continues to actively share to all who come to hear himspeak.

“Hollywood has run upon the Kingdom of God, and there’s arub there… we have to be as harmless as a dove and as shrewdas a snake in the way we deal with them,” he says, remarking onthe tension that has sometimes been the case between thefamily and the show’s producers, though his business-mindedson Willie says that some of the reports of “editing out Jesus”may be overblown.

“Here’s the deal,” he says in an interview with Joe Hight ofColorado’s The Gazette. “The network—they’ve been supportiveof our faith. You wouldn’t think they would [be], but they are—and 9.6 million viewers, they ain’t going to mess with that show.”

And indeed, the success of “Duck Dynasty,” as well as theDuck Commander business, has reached epic proportions,something the Robertsons chalk up to nothing but God’sblessing on their family.

In an interview for Christian Broadcasting Network’s (CBN)“The 700 Club,” Phil recalls the initial family discussions aboutlaunching a reality television series chronicling the life of thefamily, an idea that he was initially skeptical of.

“I said, ‘This won’t work. However, if God is behind it, it’ll goall the way to the top,” he says. “If He’s behind this, [there’s] notelling where it’ll go. That’s what it’s all about.”

Phil, perhaps more than anyone in the Robertson family,recognizes the value of divine influence and God’s ability to leadpeople to greater things and higher callings. Phil famously liveda hard life of “sex, drugs and rock and roll,” before eventuallyaccepting Christ at the age of 28, eight years after his marriage toKay and with three young sons at home.

At first, Phil wanted nothing to do with the Bible orChristianity, even when approached by his younger sister and afriend who also happened to be a minister.


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“I was in a beer joint, and a preacher came in with a Bible, andmy little sister’s up in the front handing out [religious] tracts,” herecalls.

“And some of the old guys drinking beer started romping onher a little bit, so I walked to the front and I said, ‘Listen. My littlesister is one of these Holy Roller types and she’s passing outtracts. Leave her alone or I’ll break your legs,’” he adds with alaugh. “When the preacher got outside, he looked at her andsaid ‘I don’t think he’s ready yet.’”

Even though Phil and Kay can laugh about some of the darkermoments of life years later, the impact of those early years oftheir marriage still sticks with their children, something thatWillie says has led to a greater appreciation of the patience hismother had during those trying times.

“He wasn’t just away from the Lord, he was just horribly awayand so he did a bunch of horrible things that were just terribleand, you know, for my mom to stick with him through all that wasincredible,” he says.

“I found myself becoming stronger because God was tellingme, ‘You gotta stand up here,’” says Kay on those difficult years.Having converted to Christianity one year prior, she says that alot of people were praying that Phil would eventually do thesame, a prayer that was answered after he hit rock bottomdecided to clean up his act for the good of the family.

And despite the sometimes-difficult transition from ‘sinner-to-saved,’ Phil says that the years since finding Jesus have been atrue blessing, one that he’s never reconsidered, even in themidst of new fame and fortune.

“When you get right down to it, you’re talking about the rarestof commodities when you come to Jesus,” he says. “[You get]Peace of mind, all your sins removed, none of your future onescounted against you if you trust God and try, and at the end, theresurrection of the dead. When you really look at it, you say, ‘Canfame or money top the ressurection of the bodies from theearth?’ [sic] I don’t think so.

“I ran without Jesus for the first 28 years, and I’ve run withJesus for the last 38. Trust me—the last 38 have been far better.”

Though he and Kay often joke that their family fortune has ledto better times in their marriage, they’re quick to recognize thatthey’ve never forgotten where they’ve been as a couple, and as afamily.

“We never forget where we came from,” says Kay. “And ifsomething happened tomorrow…and we went back to theshaggy trailer that we lived in at one time, it wouldn’t matter. Wewould just be fine.”

The A&E promotional tagline for “Duck Dynasty” reads“Money. Family. Ducks.” But at the Duck Commander store inWest Monroe, the “Money” has been scratched out with the word

“Faith” written in its place. And truly, it’s that genuine, down-to-earth Christian faith that has perhaps made the show, and theRobertson family, into household names among North Americanaudiences.

“Duck Dynasty” works because it brings Christianity into aneveryday cultural experience, says Christopher Smit, associateprofessor of media studies at Calvin College in Grand Rapids,Michigan, in an interview with Heidi Hall of The Tennessean.

“Even though these guys on Duck Dynasty have a very bizarrelife, the show does try to represent these characters as simple,real life people,” he says. “Christianity doesn’t become thespectacle of the show, it simply becomes an element ofauthenticity. And that would certainly appeal to anyone who is aChristian.”

The Duck Dynasty Story

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WARNING: The following article contains humour andtherefore should only be taken somewhat seriously.

A while back the Mormon church ran a series of adsencouraging domestic togetherness. In one of them a family,tired of being neglected by the workaholic father, lures the busyman into a camper and kidnaps him. As they drive away theygiggle at their own daring and tell Dad that he really has nochoice but to accompany them.

Though some viewers might have been left with a warm glowof appreciation for the notion of mandatory conviviality, I wasless impressed. I wanted the Mormons to show us the sequelabout the inevitable consequences of making a family traveltogether: the father cursing by the side of the road in adownpour as he tries to fix a flat tire while the rest of the clanmerrily plays cribbage in the van; the teenage daughter,wearying of her younger brother, ditching him at Canada’sWonderland so she can text her boyfriend in private. There’sMom, hours overdue for a rendezvous at the food court as she iscaught up in a frenzy of shoe-buying at the Mall of America;

Junior disappears with new friends at the beach leaving his tear-stricken parents convinced he has drowned. And finally we havethe long, sullen drive home as each family member nurses his orher grievances and vows never to do this sort of thing again.

The idea of family vacations is a relatively new one in humanhistory. There is no record of ancient Egyptian parents packingup the brood and hiking off to Giza to watch the Hebrew slaveserecting the new pyramids and boasting, “Someday, little Imen-hotep, this plateau will be packed with tourists from far-off landshaving their pockets picked and being cheated by swarms oftouts.”

When the Roman emperor Tiberius vacationed on the isle ofCapri, you may be sure that he took pains to leave the family athome—the one time he didn’t, he ended up murdered by hiskinfolk. It is worth noting that Laura Secord left her kids with herhusband when she embarked on her cross-country jaunt in 1813.

Only with the post-war Baby Boom and the affordability ofDetroit’s chrome-bedizened land yachts did it occur to familiesthat they might journey together to amusement parks, snake

The “real man’s” guide to holidayingA few helpful hints for the perfect summer vacation

By Gerry Bowler

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farms and sundry tourist traps around North America. It is withno fondness that I recall the hours of tedium in the vast backseat of a 1959 Chevrolet Biscayne, exchanging sly pokes with mylittle brother, playing license-plate Bingo and badgering myparents to stay only at motels with swimming pools and bedsthat vibrated when you inserted a 25-cent piece.

My father must have spent the entire vacation budget onthose magic beds because when, after days of driving in thesummer heat, we arrived at Mount Rushmore he refused to paythe price of admission to the car park and we had to view themonument from miles away. (Apparently there is now a highfence at that spot to prevent similarly thrifty visitors fromimitating my dad.)

With this history in mind, I offer the following tips for fathersconsidering creating the perfect family vacation:

• Always pack less than you think you need. If this meansleaving behind an extra shirt, the baby or the surly teenager, sobe it.

• If you are travelling by car, invest in a conversation mirror.Nothing induces good back-seat behaviour like the parental Eyeof Sauron monitoring every infant maneuver.

• Should noisy and quarrelsome activity continue, or shouldthe question “Are we there yet?” be repeated every two minutes,resist the desire to threaten to stop the car and leave theannoying children by the side of the road—kids know you areunlikely to do so and vain threats diminish parental authority.

• However, if you decide to carry out your ultimatum, makesure your abandoned offspring are equipped with a road map,sunscreen and enough small change to call Social Services.

• If you are travelling by airplane, remember that the quickestway to make to exciting new acquaintances is to allow yourtoddler to incessantly kick the seat the in front of him.

• Child psychologists are divided on the question of sleep-inducing drugs when travelling with small children on longflights. That old stand-by, the gin-soaked rag, has given way topatent medicines such as Gravol or Dramamine but doctorsrecommend that you not take too much or you will be unable towake at the end of the journey and deal with the damage doneby the kids during your blissful unconsciousness.

• If you are the sort of hearty chap who enjoys camping; whoyearns to abandon the blessings of indoor plumbing and air-conditioning; who considers blood-sucking insects to be all partof God’s wonderful plan for the universe; who willingly placeshimself in the path of cougars, poison ivy, skunks, lightningstrikes, rabid raccoons, rock slides, outdoor privies and thedrunken antics of the yahoos in the next campsite; in short, aman who rejects the very fabric of civilization which humanityspent centuries building—ask yourself why you are willing toinflict your unhealthy obsession with the dangers of MotherNature on your loved ones. No child ever caught Lyme Diseasefrom an afternoon at the public library; no mother ever had topluck leeches from the legs of a kid at the municipal swimmingpool; there have been no verifiable reports of grizzly bearattacks at the 7-11.

• If in a moment of loving optimism you once promised yourchildren you would treat them to a family holiday at one of NorthAmerica’s famous vacation parks, reconsider your rash gesture.The cost of a trip to Disney World is going to take at least $5,000

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The real man’s guide

out of your budget and leave you with only memories ofendless lineups, a collection of novelty straws from over-pricedtheme restaurants and a complimentary shower cap that youscarfed from the Caribbean Beach Resort.

If your children protest about your broken promise, do as Ionce did when my kids complained that I hadn’t ever takenthem to the Magic Kingdom: I reminded them that I had manyyears left to live and that I wasn’t yet through with not takingthem to Disneyland.

• A final word of advice about family holidays: grandparents.If you are lucky enough to have surviving parents or in-laws,treat them to a lengthy visit from their grandchildren. Theoldsters love nothing better than indulging the little dears intheir every unreasonable wish, ice cream at all hours of the dayand night, extended bedtimes and heart-warming tales abouthow wicked you were as a child.

This will enable you to take the best possible vacation ofyour own—time away from the kids with the woman that youlove (which is to say, your wife). Stay at home and just enjoythe peace; go to Paris unencumbered by kids who don’t yetunderstand how wonderful the place is; take a road trip toplaces from your own youth. Listen to audiobooks, hold hands,recover your equilibrium and smile. That’s what a real holidayis for.

Gerry Bowler is a cultural historian who teaches at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.


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Faithful in manyformsResponding to natural disasters

as Christian men

There are few phenomena which shake our world more than a natural disaster. Tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis,and other forces of nature ravage the land and our cities,killing people and marring lives. Recently, tornadoes ran a jagged swath through Oklahoma; the pictures online and in newspapers have been stunning. Entire neighbourhoodsbecame piles of rubble and 24 people, including children, are dead. And surely, the recent floods in Calgary, Albertahave given many of us a new perspective on how disaster can often hit close to home.

I’ve never seen a tornado or a landslide or an eruptingvolcano but I’ve been close enough to severe weather to beafraid of what nature can do. It makes me feel small and veryfragile. As I remember my experiences with major storms Iunderstand a macabre truth: all the control I think I have is pure imagination. I can no more command the weather than I can dig my way to China.

Now comes the reassurance. “God is in complete control.”“He sees and knows everything that is happening in

the world and in each one of our hearts.”“He’s in the big picture and in the details: the storm

and the response.”

By Thomas Guenther

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When I see the devastation left behind by recent floods,tornadoes and earthquakes I sometimes wonder, “Why did thishappen?” Though I am stunned and straining for answers, God has all the power and He is a good God. I know God is good because He says so and multitudes of people say so.

Consider these biblical truths:• God made the world (Genesis 1-2:2);• God stopped the Earth from rotating around the Sun

(Joshua 10:12-14);• Jesus calmed a storm by speaking to it (Matthew 8:23-27;

Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25).• God sent His Son to die for us when we wanted nothing

to do with Him (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5;8-9). Pain and trouble are inevitable and persistent realities.

And just because we suffer tribulation doesn’t mean God isn’tpresent or loving. It actually fulfills his promise to us throughChrist, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b).

It’s not God’s job to make life a bowl of glazed peaches; he’s never promised an easy, crisis-free existence. He has,however, guaranteed to be with us forever and faithfulthroughout every part of our lives: the disaster and therebuilding.

Though it's difficult to admit given the recent floods that haveoccurred in Alberta, our country is a relatively safer place to live,compared to much of the world. Many regions are commonlyimpacted by tsunamis, earthquakes, massive floods, tornadoes,and volcanos all the time. Perhaps because we in Canada doavoid most serious natural calamities we can’t really empathizewith the plethora of victims they create. If men want to beserious about Jesus’ call to clothe the naked, feed the hungry,and care for the ill we cannot ignore God’s children who sufferbecause of where they live.

Several organizations are on the ground, helping those whosurvive such calamity and are forced to McGyver their lives backto a sustainable level. Abe Kauenhofen, who volunteers withMennonite Disaster Service (MDS) says many are incapable ofrecovering their livelihood because their insurance can’t orwon’t pay enough to even rebuild their house.

“The work was good,” says Kauenhofen, who has worked as aplumber to rebuild homes in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. “But,the people we encountered were broken-hearted, they didn’tknow what they could do. We were able to give them hope.”

As men, we often want to help with this sort of practicalassistance, even if we’re not tradespeople. We want to do morethan write a cheque. God made us highly visual and I believe



we feel more comfortable and more satisfied if we can see thedifference we’re making.

MDS only works in North America, and does accept volunteers to serve at its reconstruction projects. But it’s anexception to the norm—very feworganizations let people actually getinvolved in person, especially if thedisaster or crisis is overseas.

Andrew Burditt, communicationsdirector for The Salvation Army in Canadaand Bermuda, says that often, best thingto do is send money. The Salvation Armydoes take volunteers but they havespecific requests and requirements forthe people they select. It isn’t as simpleas showing up and signing on.

John Longhurst of CanadianFoodgrains Bank (a partnership ofchurches and church-based agencieswhich work to end global hunger) agrees.

“We don’t send volunteers overseasbecause the last thing a devastated areaneeds is 20 North Americans who aren’tused to the climate, food, customs, orlanguage. They just get in the way andtake up more resources.”

Longhurst says the best thing peoplecan do is to find a solid agency and opentheir wallets. “Donate generously. CFBpartners with locals to rebuild their townsand cities themselves. The best thing wecan do is ask the locals, ‘What do youneed?’ because they will know best.”

It may seem counter-intuitive to us,that we can help the most by stayingaway. Most men want to get their handsdirty: find a problem and fix it at thesource. How can men really help if they’renot present?

If you believe God is calling you to goand help, pray about it. If not, sendingmoney is an effective way to help thoseworking directly with the suffering.Whether you are led to go or stay,connect with an organization you trust.Don’t assume you and a couple of friendscan just show up with your tool belts andsave the day. It’s more complicated thanthat.

Don’t worry, if God really wants youthere, He’ll make it happen. He is goodand He is faithful.

Thomas Guenther works, writes freelance, and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Henoc Muamba won’t say that his own coaxing might have broughtbrother Cauchy to the Winnipeg BlueBrothers from the B.C. Lions this season, but he will admit he probablymentioned something to the Bombers coaching staff.

Regardless, the Blue Bombers middlelinebacker is so happy to have hisyounger brother in town—playing on thesame team—that he looks at it more as agift from God than a series of fortunateoccurrences.

“It’s going to be exciting this season,”says Henoc. “As brothers go, we are veryclose. When Cauchy was playing in B.C.last season, we spoke on the phone everyday. We talked a little about football but,really, we talked about everything.

“This year, we can talk football all wewant together. We can talk about ourteam and our playbook. It’s the first timewe’ve played together as professionalsand it’s going to be fun.”

Henoc and Cauchy Muamba, bothborn in Kinshasa, Congo, are two of thehardest-hitting, most physicallydevastating young players in theCanadian Football League.

Cauchy, 25, was selected by B.C. in the fifth round of the 2010 CFL draft andarrived in Winnipeg as an off-season freeagent, signing this past February. A five-foot, 11-inch, 196-pound safety out of St.Francis Xavier University, he is one of the hardest-hitting defensive backs in the game.

Henoc, 24, was the first overall pick ofthe 2011 CFL draft by the Bombers. In hisrookie season in 2011, he earned theBombers starting middle linebacker’s job.At six-feet, 228-pounds, he is one of themost feared players at one of the mostviolent positions in football. Twice, hewas CFL Player of the Week in 2012 andwas named the team’s most valuable

defensive player at the end of the season.The brothers grew up in a Christian

home in Mississauga, Ontario, andattended Kingdom Covenant Church.Both take part in Blue Bombers FootballChapel with pastor Lorne Korol and aredeeply committed to their faith.

So how do two of the hardest-hittingdefensive players in the CFL come toterms with the teachings of Jesus Christand physical brutality of professionalfootball?

“It’s not that hard for me,” says Henoc,via telephone from Halifax where he wasconducting a football camp for highschool players. “I understand football is avery violent game, but it’s also a gamethat teaches us so many things aboutteamwork, loyalty, dedication andcommitment. My faith has always been apart of my life and I believe that all thegood things that come from the game

have helped me along the way.”Cauchy’s feelings aren’t

much different.“We grew up in a Christian

home and our faith has alwaysbeen a large part of our lives,”he said. “Yes, we know footballis violent, but we don’t go into agame to injure other players. Infact, we put our faith first. Wepray before and after the gameand in our prayers before thegame, we pray that no one isinjured. After the game, we givethanks for the opportunity tohave played the game. Our faithis part of us and it’s part of theway we play the game.”

There is little question thatthe brothers play the game verywell. Both are big, strong, hard-nosed, fearless and fast andthey’ve been given physical and mental skills not offered

to every person.They also believe that despite the fact

their Blue Bombers have not won a GreyCup since 1990—the CFL’s longestdrought—they just might have the teamcapable of winning it all in 2013.

“We have a very good young team andwe’re looking forward to what this seasonwill bring,” Cauchy says. “Our goal is towin a championship. We have faith inthat.”

That’s another wonderful thing aboutfaith. Having it also includes the positiveoutlook that makes handling the ups anddowns of a game like professionalfootball a whole lot easier. It doesn’t hurtto have your brother by your side, either.

Scott Taylor is a Winnipeg-based sportswriter and broadcaster.

By Scott Taylor

Blub Bomber brothers talk faith and footballPrayer plays a part in hard-hitting playing style

sports scene


Does your money keep going and going? Careful budgeting keeps you on track for saving—and giving—more and spending less

So where is the money going? In arecent study, Statistics Canada statedthat Canadian households are spendingmore and saving less. According to theBank of Canada, we are piling on debtmore than twice as fast as our income isgrowing.

How do Christians avoid the influencesof a materialistic society that encouragesus to live beyond our means? There mustbe a way to enjoy what we’ve earnedwhile preparing for the future and stillmeeting our day-to-day financialresponsibilities. And let’s not forget aboutour desire to also be generous givers—faithfully supporting God’s work.

Budgeting will help YOU keep going:Determine your available monthly

household income. “Available” incomemeans your after-tax income, not yourgross salary or earnings. You can find thisnumber on your pay stub. If you operateon a non-fixed monthly income, use ayearly average divided by months.

List monthly expenses:Determine your actual spending by•recording all your expenses—yes, eventhose $2 trips to Tim Hortons.Separate expenses into the categories•of fixed or variable expenses.Fixed expenses are items that don’t•

change much from month to month,such as your mortgage payment, yourinsurance premiums andcontributions to your church.

Variable expenses are items that•fluctuate over time. But they areexpenses that you have morecontrol over such as food, newclothing and entertainment.

Make an income vs. expensescomparison:

If your income is greater than your•total expenses, then you have apositive net household income. Youonly have to continue to monitor yourexpenses to ensure you effectivelymanage what God has given you bycontinuing to live within your means.Now you can work toward retirementand charitable giving goals.If your expenses are greater then your•income, you will need to bring yourspending into line with a budget.

Stop money from going to the wrong places:

Identify the problem areas that drain•your money.Find out why you overspend in these•particular areas. (i.e. peer pressure,too much dining out, clothes shopping etc.)

Work with a financial representative to•create a financial plan to preventoverspending.Be determined to stick to your budget.•The first two months won’t be easy but by month three, things will getmuch easier.Watch for good patterns to form by the•third month. The difficulty ofdetermining actual expenses in eachcategory will melt away.In Proverbs 27:23-24 we are reminded

to take stock of what we own and to carefor it, “Know well the condition of yourflocks, and give attention to your herds,for riches do not last forever…”

God provides us with the tools to builda good life. These include a job, skills andthe knowledge and ability to learn. Ourjob is to make the most of the resourcesthat He has provided—not only for ourown benefit, but also to further God’swork on the earth by giving to others.Budgeting will help you become moreorganized, gain financial control and grow your resources so you can keepgoing, growing and giving!

Karen Bjerland is the president and CEO ofFaithLife Financial.

by Karen Bjerland

money matters

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Out of my depth

The Earth is the Lord’sThree key ways to appreciate what He has made

So we’re watching some animatedmovie when a dancing deer amazes mykids. One blurts, “That is soooo cool!”Their older brother, having movedbeyond such immaturity yet unable toturn his eyes away, corrects, “It’s aCARTOON! Animals can’t really do that.”Thanks, Einstein.

A few weeks later we’ve graduatedfrom the Disneyfication of the world andare watching that stunning documentary,Planet Earth. The amazing cinema-tography follows a chase to the death. A wolf pursues a young caribou calfacross the rugged tundra, eventuallyovertaking the vulnerable one in adisturbing image of the brutality of life.

Our youngest son watches silentlythen declares, “He got him.” He is neithercelebratory nor sad. This just is andsomeone needed to say it. Uncommonfamilial silence follows and a strangewonder hangs in the air. The momentsurpasses the giddy detachment fromreality stirred by that other cuddly façadeof talking critters.

It seems to me this second experienceis closer to what ought to be the humanresponse to the vastness and wildness of the created world. Our First Nationsneighbours and friends have much toteach about living in the unavoidable and codependent relationship that existsbetween we bipeds and the flora, fauna,and cosmos. While many of us can’tavoid drooling over technology—theworld created by human hands—wewould do well to take a long walk in theunpredictable wilderness where there isno cell coverage, animals don’t play fair,

the wind can blow us into submission,and we find our place beside Job as he hears from the Lord, “Where were youwhen I laid the foundation of the earth?Tell me if you have understanding” (Job 38:4).

So, this leads me to consider threepositions of the heart and hands as Iconsider my relationship to the worldaround me as a follower of Jesus.

First, awe. I have the privilege ofdriving a road every day that provides a stunning and knee-bending view ofBritish Columbia’s coastal mountains.Occasionally a Bald Eagle stares down on me from a broken tree branch. And,when there’s a full moon on a clear nightover all this, well, it leads to awe.

“When I look at your heavens, the workof your fingers…” (Psalm 8:3) croonedKing David. Everywhere we look there isreason for awe. Science is a daughter of faith because awe leads not only toworship, but discovery and query. We seek to understand what amazes us.The fact that we’ve taught our kids tolaugh at rather than wonder at whatsurrounds us cannot bode well for thefuture of humility or true knowledge of theHoly One.

Second, respect. Milking cows andshoveling other bovine products taughtme more than appreciation for where myfood comes from, it taught me respect.You don’t know respect until you’ve beencornered by a 600-pound bull who thinksyou’re his play toy. “Is the wild ox willingto serve you?”(Job 39:9) asked the Lord.It’s a fair question. There’s no guaranteehe will. At the same time, the ox can be

brought in line more easily than amosquito! Isn’t it amazing how thesmallest bug can control you?

Respect must be added to awe. Couldit be that our abuse of the earth that isthe locale of the resurrection is rooted ina lack of respect for what we have beengiven dominion over, yet can bethoroughly dominated by?

Which leads to a third position:concern. Awe and respect are nice butincomplete without active concern. This isnot about sentimentality, but dirty-hands.“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullnessthereof…” (Psalm 24:1). It’s all His and ifwe know Him we should share Hisconcern.

Paul quotes Psalm 24 in 1 Corinthiansto justify the eating of meat sacrificed toidols. He’s not defending rabidconsumption of steak (though I amsuddenly hungry), but pointing out thatavoiding something because it wasdeemed belonging to an idol is not aChrist-centered position. The earth andeverything in it belongs to the Creator. No idol, demon, or even human can claim ownership.

And so, we receive all withthanksgiving and never approach theworld as consumers. We becomeconcerned enough to care well, stewardwell, use well, and live in that tenuous,but glorious space God has placed us inas the crown of His creation.

Phil Wagler is a pastor, husband, father andformer farm hand living in Surrey, BC.

By Phil Wagler

HAVE A BALLthinkgeek.com

Warm weather means fun in the sun,including swimming, surfing, playing inthe sand, and tossing around the oldbeach ball.

What could be more fun? Try tossingaround a GIANT beach ball!

The Giant Inflatable Beach Ball fromThink Geek is big. Reallly big! It weighsabout 14 pounds and measures 10 feet indiameter when fully inflated.

Recommended for ages six and up(because it could crush a smaller person),the Giant Inflatable Beach Ball is bestenjoyed in large groups, in wide openspaces, on calm waters during quiet dayswhen the weather forecast does notmention high winds.

Pump not included, but highlyrecommended. Do not attempt to inflatewith just your own hot air.

BOATPACKboatpack.com.au

Is it a roof rack or a boat? It’s both!BoatPack is a high capacity travel storagebox that can also be used as a boat.

BoatPack comes with a wooden seat,folding oars, and rowlocks. When youreach your destination, you can flip it overand take it out on the lake. BoatPack canbe used as a rowboat or fitted with astandard electric motor.

BoatPack can also be used for secureand watertight storage on land. Justremove the base unit from your vehicleand lock it on the boat as a lid.

“A boat upside down so your gear’ssafe and sound!” That’s BoatPack.

COLON CLEANER HOT SAUCEamazon.com

Some hot sauces sell because theyhave funny names. Other are popularbecause of their extreme heat. Still othershave a unique flavour.

Introducing Professor PhardtpoundersColon Cleaner hot sauce. Funny name?Check. Carribbean mustard flavor? Check.Scotch Bell Peppers with heat level 8?Yow!

Fans of hot peppers and mustardrecommend adding Colon Cleaner toburgers, eggs, and potato salad. Enjoythis elixir of capsaicin extremusresponsibly.

HOT SAUCE COOKBOOKrobbwalsh.com

If you want to know about hot sauces,the guy to ask is Robb Walsh. He’s theformer editor-in-chief of Chile PepperMagazine and the founder of the AustinChronicle Hot Sauce Festival. He’s alsothe author of several books includingTexas Eats and the Tex Mex Cookbook.

Robb’s latest book, The Hot SauceCookbook, contains instructions forfermenting your own pepper mash, plus dozens of recipes for homemadepepper sauces and salsas, includingvariations on popular brands like Frank’s RedHot and Sriracha.

MAKE YOUR OWN BACONbaconkit.com

Charcuterie is the branch of cookingdevoted to prepared meat such as bacon,sausage, ham, terrines, and confit. Itusually involves adding salt and otherpreservatives to pork. It’s less necessarynow, thanks to modern refrigeration, butit’s still practiced today because we stillenjoy the flavours created by the processof preserving meat.

Baconkit brings the experience ofcharcuterie home. This handy kit includescure (salt and spices), a curing bag,maple sugar, a meat thermometer, andinstructions. All you need is pork bellyand Baconkit and you can make five


p o w e r p l a y

Reviews by Sandy McMurray

Great games. Great toys.Great gadgets.

Boat Pack Colon Cleaner Hot Sauce Hot Sauce Cookbook

pounds of bacon at home. Don’t fret ifyou don’t have a fancy smoker at home.You can cook your bacon in the oven ifyou like.

The makers of Baconkit promise thatthe finished product will taste better thanstore bought bacon, and it won’t shrivel,shrink, or release water when you cook it.Yum!

BALCONY GRILLconnox.com

If you don’t have a patio or a backyard,you might think you don’t have a spacefor a grill. You would be wrong.

The Bruce Handrail Grill is perfect forsmall spaces like apartment balconies.It’s shaped like a flower box, and it’sdesigned to mount wherever flower boxes can go. With proper ventilation(and permission from your building) you can now enjoy summer grillingwithout bumping into your guests (or the bicycles, snow tires, etc.) every time you turn around.

S’MORE TO LOVEamazon.com

It’s fun to roast marshmallows over anopen fire. No one minds if the first fewcatch fire or drop in the dirt. As long asone or two make it to your mouth.

S’mores, on the other hand, can getreally messy. Melted chocolate is great inyour mouth, but not on the ground.

The S’More to Love s’more makerprovides a neat and tidy way to preparehalf a dozen s’mores at once. Just prepareyour ingredients, stack ‘em, lock, andplace on the grill or in the oven.

WATER PISTOLShasbro.com, buzzbeetoys.com

When I was a kid, water pistols weretiny, useless little things with zero rangeand triggers that broke soon after youstarted pumping. Not today. SuperSoakers and Water Warriors now offer awide range of wet weaponry designed forkids of all ages who love to get wet.

The Gorgon is a popular choice for

water warriors who want the power todrench an opponent with just a few shots.This pump action gun uses pressurizedair to launch short bursts containing largestreams of water. It’s big and heavy tocarry because the water reservoir isdesigned to hold a lot of water.

The Super Soaker Thunderstorm is a better choice for younger kids who lack the strength or patience to pump.The combination of battery power andremovable clips makes it easy to soak an opponent then retreat to safely reload.Although the Thunderstorm lacks power,it can fire a steady stream of water thatlasts longer than many pump-actionwater guns.

On a hot day, what could be betterthan a good soaking?

Enjoy the summer!

Sandy McMurray writes about games, toys, and gadgets at funspot.ca


p o w e r p l a y

Make Your Own Bacon Balcony Grill S’more to Love Water Pistols


Your beloved is at the sink, arms elbow-deep in suds, scrubbing a pot. Her bodyis shaking in all the right places. Shelooks luscious. As you walk by you graba bit, just to let her know how sexy sheis.

If you’re lucky, all that gets bitten off isyour head. Why can’t she just appreciatea compliment?

When it comes to sex, your wife mayhave the same reaction to arousal as acolour blind guy does to the colour green.The vast majority of time, it makes nosense to her. With sex, many women areoften incapable of feeling, or evenwanting to feel, aroused. It’s a foreignconcept.

Most women have two distinct states:“Sex? What’s that? Leave me alone,” and“Come and get me, baby.” In about 30per cent of marriages the wife actuallyhas the higher sex drive, but in mostmarriages the big tension is that hewants to make love more frequently thanshe does. And he can’t figure out whyshe isn’t more interested, especially ifshe has a good time when she doessurrender. Can’t she hold on to that?

Nope. When women are in the “no”state, we can’t imagine what it feels liketo be in the “yes” state. It doesn’tcompute. It’s like we know intellectuallythat at one point we were in raptures, butour bodies forget. Our bodies are colourblind—or at least sex blind.

Often, everything a woman loveswhen she’s in the “yes” state are totalturn-offs if she’s in the “no” state. Whenwe’re doing dishes, and you walk by and

grab a bit of flesh south of the neckline,that’s not sexy. That’s annoying. Tellingher she’s hot? Demeaning. Whispering “Iknow what I’d love to do to you”? Pesky.“Let’s get it on!” Presumptuous.

While you may enjoy certain parts ofyour body being touched whenever weget the itch, we don’t return thesentiment. The parts of our bodies thatwe enjoy being touched when we say“yes” are the very parts that, should youreach out to them when we’re in the “no”state, will rebel and erect a chain linkfence, with barbed wire to boot.

Yet isn’t touching exactly what issupposed to get us aroused? Actually, no.A man’s body parts may be hardwiredinto his arousal process, but a woman’saren’t. Her arousal process has agatekeeper, and she’s more vicious thana secretary trying to protect her doctoremployer from new patients. She doesn’twant to let anything through. And thatgatekeeper is her brain.

A woman’s sex drive is ruled by herbrain; a man’s is ruled by something alittle farther south. If the brain is notengaged, her body won’t follow. Touchthe body before the brain says yes, andeverything snaps, like a giant mousetrap.

But it’s not that we never like thesethings. On the contrary, they workwonderfully well—if we’re already in the“yes” state. But don’t treat her like allengines are revved when they’re not.

That leaves guys with a bit of adilemma. You want to move her from“no” to “yes”, but you’re not allowed totouch anything or say anything that

screams of sex. What do you do?Remember the key to passion isn’t a

body part; it’s intimacy. Don’t grab herbody; touch her heart. There’s a reasonmake-up sex is often so passionate;you’ve had a fight, and you’ve made up,and so you’ve both shared veryemotional things. You feel heard. You feelvalidated. You’ve been intimate, even ifit’s been through a difficult experience.And it’s that intimacy, even more thanthe reconciliation, that she’s reacting to.

God designed sex to be a man’sdoorway to intimacy, but He designedintimacy to be woman’s doorway intosex. Marriage unites two people with verydifferent drives, and in order to createreal harmony, we have to becomeunselfish and reach out to meet eachother’s needs. She’s not weird or strangeor frigid. She just needs to feel like she’sone with you before she physicallybecomes one with you.

What do you do if you turn to mushand she’s still a “no”? Talk to her about it.Ask her what would help her to feel moreintimate. Certainly explain yourfrustration. But also spend more timewith her away from a screen just havingfun. Nurture your relationship. Love thewhole person. And whatever you do,keep your hands to yourself.

Sheila is the author of seven books, includingThe Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex and 31 Daysto Great Sex, a fun challenge couples can taketogether. You can find her atwww.SheilaWrayGregoire.com.

by Sheila Wray Gregoire

The colour of a woman’s libidoDon’t grab her body—touch her heart

What women want

Join men from all across Canada for

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“Nehemiah’s life is a testament to courage. God is looking for leaderslike Nehemiah to fight moral, physical, political, and spiritual battles. He is looking for those who possess the spiritual courage to trust Himand take their faith in him into the daily battles of life.” – A LEADER AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART, AUTHOR JIM GEORGE

“The man who claims he’s never done anything courageous doesn’t understandwhat courage really is – or how often he faces decisions that require courage.” – STEPPING UP, AUTHOR DENNIS RAINEY

“A real man rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously,and expects God’s greater reward.” – MEN’S FRATERNITY CURRICULUM, AUTHOR ROBERT LEWIS

“There comes into the life of every man a task for which he and he alone is uniquely suited. What a shame if that moment finds him either unwilling or unprepared for that which would become his finest hour.” – WINSTON CHURCHILL

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“Be strong and courageous.” Joshua 1:9

FOR INFORMATION ON PK CANADA’S ISRAEL TRIP ON FEB 19 – MAR 1, 2014

visit: www.PromiseKeepers.ca/JourneyToIsrael

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Documents

The Great Outdoors (July/August 2013)