Flashpoint Canada

This weekend I flew to Ontario, Canada to speak at a “Flashpoint” conference sponsored by Word of Life. On Saturday local church leaders from across the province met at the First Baptist Church of Waterloo for the conference. After speaking three times and leading a question-and-answer session, I came away impressed with the dedication of the leaders to reach young people for Christ.

Teaching at the Flashpoint Conference.

Canada is essentially a “post-Christian” nation in that even though there is a Christian heritage, most people are spiritually indifferent. Tolerance has become the highest conviction, to the point that evangelicals are viewed with suspicion by many of the unchurched. That makes evangelism a unique challenge.

L-R Charlie and Lindsey Lyons, Ray Pritchard, Amy and Barry Speck.

Making my point.

Barry and Amy Speck met me at the airport and made sure I get settled in my hotel room in Waterloo. And this morning Barry drove me back to the Ontario. I also got to spend time with Charlie and Lindsey Lyons and their newborn son Caleb. 

Emmnauel sponsors a ministry to the hundreds of migrant workers from the Caribbean who come to Ontario to work during harvest time. Last night a group of men (nearly all from Jamaica) came to the evening service. 

Most of these men come from Jamaica to work in the apple harvest. That’s Pastor Steve Faulkner on the right front row.

During the conference I was suddenly hit with a severe toothache. I was eating lunch when suddenly one tooth felt like someone was drilling a hole in my head. A toothache doesn’t seem like a big issue until it happens to you. I am very grateful to Pastor Steve Faulkner of Emmanuel Bible Church in Simcoe for arranging for some antibiotics. That was on Saturday night. Yesterday was a bit better and this morning I seem to be back to normal. But when I finally have some time in Tupelo, I’m going to the dentist. 

No trip to Canada is complete without a visit to Tim Hortons.

I greatly enjoyed my time at Emmanuel Bible Church. Readers of this blog know that I judge churches in large part by the quality of their congregational singing and by the love that exists between the pastor and the people. By those standards, Emmanuel strikes me as a strong and healthy congregation. Drawing 400 every Sunday, it is one of the larger evangelical churches in the area. I found it a very easy place to preach. 

At the moment I’m in the Toronto airport. Soon I’ll fly to Atlanta and then on to Tupelo. Tomorrow we drive to Chicago for the Friendship Banquet on Thursday night.