When Faith Stops Making Sense “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” John 16:13 Many people today still love the Word, yet when faith stops making sense, they find it increasingly difficult to read it without pretending. They no longer experience Scripture primarily as a set of future events or literal images, and…

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The Beauty of Diversity in Heaven and the Church A common misconception, in both secular and religious circles, is that unity requires uniformity, that for people to be truly “one,” they must be alike in character, background, or belief. Yet the teachings of the New Church reveal a profoundly different reality: Spiritual unity is not…

Love the purpose, not the method. It is natural for church communities to reflect carefully on changes to worship methods, i.e., the order of service, music style, the building, etc., especially when it involves introducing something new, like a television screen, on the chancel. As ministers and congregants strive to foster deeper engagement with the…

Why We Feel Stuck We feel stuck because we believe what our senses and our self-made stories tell us. Our senses present us with appearances of reality. These appearances are powerful; they feel immediate, concrete, and undeniable. Add to this the stories our mind creates, stories of who we are, what we need, what others…

This week, I was asked a question by a church member who is unable to attend a New Church congregation: “Is it possible to meaningfully participate in Holy Supper at a local church that doesn’t offer traditional elements of bread and wine?” To answer that question, it is useful to ask yourself what matters more:…

If your reading of the WORD is not radically transforming your Life, you’re reading it wrong! A core principle of reading God’s revelation is recognising that the images and representatives, whether men and women, places, objects, or other biblical figures, are not the final reality, but tools pointing us to spiritual truths. When we become…

Barriers to Self-Improvement Self-improvement is at the heart of spiritual life in the New Christian tradition. The Lord’s call is not simply to adopt outwardly moral behaviours, but to engage in real inner work, examining ourselves through the light of the Word, humbly acknowledging our errors, and turning to Him for regeneration. Yet, anyone who…

There is no requirement to make yourself “better,” reach a certain standard of behaviour or attain a supposed worthiness before you come to the Lord. Within the church, the concept of “act precedes and willing follows” is used as a way of expecting conformity to a standard of behaviour in order to be acceptable or…

As Canada Day approaches, we have the perfect moment to reflect on the deeper meaning of loving our country. The New Church views true love for one’s country as much more than outward celebrations or blind allegiance. Real patriotism, from this perspective, is fundamentally spiritual: it involves loving our neighbour, setting aside selfishness, and infusing…