About This Blog

My name is Kevin Armstrong and I pastor a church called Gospel of Grace Fellowship in Weyburn, SK. This blog is primarily aimed at the people of our church, however, if others stumble across this and find it helpful, then that is a bonus.

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If you wish to comment or write to me, please feel free to email me at kevin@weyburnchurch.com

Popular posts from this blog

Calvin on the Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven

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Photo: Google Images On Sunday I used a lengthy quote from John Calvin's commentary on the gospels. It comes as Calvin reflects on the purpose of the parables of the mustard seed and leaven. I wanted to post it here for further reflection and encouragement.   First, the parables (Luke  13:18-21)  are:  18  He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19  It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”  20  And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21  It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”  Here's what Calvin has to say: By these parables Christ encourages his disciples not to be offended and turn back on account of the mean [i.e. humble, contemptible] beginnings of the Gospel. We see how haugh...
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The Essential Church

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Let's be sure to get one thing straight: the church is essential.  I came across a news report about Alberta's plans to introduce greater restrictions while avoiding full-on lockdown. The article did, however, mentioned a few voices calling for strict lockdown. One such group is called Masks4Canada, which, judging by the name, was formed within the last several months. The article included a copy of their open letter to Premier Jason Kenney. In it they brazenly call for the closure of indoor activities, including "places of worship." However, they later concede that "every effort should be made to keep elementary schools and daycares, which are essential services , open for in-person learning" (italics added).  And here we run into just one of the many problems facing us right now: who gets to decide what is considered essential and, therefore, worthy of making "every effort" to keep open?  Masks4Canada pops up out of nowhere and, with a seeming w...
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The Looming Storm Surrounding Conversion Therapy

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There has been a storm quietly brewing for a few years in Canada. It is a storm that is now gaining considerable strength, with the clouds starting to burst very close to home. It is centred around the issue of so-called 'conversion therapy.' And with the passing of Bill C-6 in the House of Commons, it is all but assured to be a problem in coming days. [ Note: since publishing this, a new bill has since been passed, Bill C-4, which indeed criminalizes conversion therapy ] Conversion Therapy Origins Historically, conversion therapy referred to therapy that relied on pseudoscientific techniques in order to "convert" homosexuals (or bisexuals) back to heterosexuality. These techniques included things like hypnosis, castration, testicle transplants (yes, you read that correctly), electroshock, and lobotomies. Many who underwent such therapy did so against their wills. It was, of course, largely believed that homosexuality was aberrant in the 19th century, and when combine...
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