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The Gospel Coalition Canada desires to renew the Canadian church by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

11/12/2026

When Pastor Appreciation Month Comes and Goes (Without the Appreciation)
by Josh Brake

I’m not one to get excited for Hallmark holidays: Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Administrative Professionals’ Day, Grandparents’ Day, or Friendship Day (did you know that was a thing?). I don’t really like any of them.

Maybe this makes you think that I’m a grinch who doesn’t like people, but it’s not that. I don’t like these days because the gift giving that almost always accompanies them is not my love language. I find receiving gifts awkward and giving them stressful. It’s not that I don’t value people or have an issue with acknowledging their importance, but when it’s imposed—as with these holidays—it feels a bit contrived, even if the sentiments shared are honest.

So, as a pastor, you can imagine how I feel about not one day, but a whole month of such acknowledgements. October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I don’t know who started it or when, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Hallmark. [Editor: I looked it up and it was started by H.B. London at Focus on the Family in 1992—but maybe he was secretly working for Hallmark.]

This is the month where churches are reminded by an email from one of many organizations (or that person who remembers these things) that they are supposed to appreciate their pastors. No pressure, right?

But what I want to consider in this article is what happens inside us, as pastors, when we don’t receive the recognition or appreciation we hope for.

What if No One Says Anything?

What if there’s no applause, no well-intentioned “surprise” card on one of the four or five Sunday mornings in October, or no special prayer thanking God for your role among the people? What if the month comes and goes and no one says anything? And then you hear about your pastor friend whose church showered him with love, appreciation, and gifts.

I imagine the feeling is like that of a mother whose family (i.e. dad) botched Mother’s Day. Maybe they just plain forgot or maybe they couldn’t really be bothered and clearly patched something clunky together at the last minute. We can all imagine the sting of that. And maybe that is what you’re feeling right now if Pastor Appreciation Month came and went without any acknowledgement.

But it’s worth digging a little deeper and asking why we might feel this way.
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11/11/2026

3 Reasons to Read Old Books, According to C.S. Lewis
by Matthew Crocker

Many cherish C.S. Lewis. They love his works of non-fiction and his works of fiction alike. He might even be the closest thing that Protestants have to a saint. Yet in a short work of his, that many haven’t read, I find one of my favourite pieces of advice from him—read old books.

This advice can be found in the preface to On the Incarnation by Athanasius (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2011). On the Incarnation is a masterpiece in itself. It has been read, studied, and loved by Christians for more than 1600 years. However, in the preface, Lewis takes the time to unpack why a book like On the Incarnation is even worth reading. Lewis gives us three reasons for reading old books.

Reading Old Books Gives us Firsthand Knowledge.

The first reason for taking the time to read old books is that it gives us firsthand knowledge. He writes,

It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than second hand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire. (9)

The argument here is simple; reading a primary source is often more enjoyable and easier than engaging with a secondary source. For example, what is the best way to learn about John Calvin? To read The Institutes or to read the innumerable PhD dissertations on The Institutes? Lewis would argue the former.

I recently experienced this while reading Nietzsche. I had read many books that speak about Nietzsche’s nihilism and his hatred for Christianity, but had never read him for myself. When I finally did...
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11/10/2026

From the Archives:
Who is Og King of Bashan?
by Wyatt Graham

Og the king of Bashan is named twenty-two times in the Bible across six different biblical books. Given how often he and his kingdom are mentioned, we should know more about who he is. The Bible also mentions other details of interest, such as how Og slept on an iron bed that was over thirteen feet long. Apparently, he was a giant of man, even bigger than Goliath.

Just who was Og and why does the Bible mention him so frequently? This article helps to answer that question by explaining what the Bible says about Bashan, Israel, Og, and the giants of old.

Where was the kingdom of Bashan?

To know who Og is, we first need to know more about his kingdom of Bashan. This kingdom, along with the Amorite kingdom, acted as gateways into the Promised Land. To enter into their rest, Israel had to defeat these two kingdoms and their kings: Sihon and Og (Num 21:33, 21).

Both lived east of the Dead Sea, although Og’s kingdom seems to have extended from the Jordan Valley up to Mount Hermon in the north and down to Gilead in the south (Deut 3:10; Josh 12:3-5). Hence, it was a significant kingdom that overlapped with the territory of what would become the nation of Israel.

Og the king of Bashan is named twenty-two times in the Bible across six different biblical books.

After spending forty years wandering in the wilderness (Num 14:34; 32:13), Israel began to reapproach the Promised Land. On their way, they met and defeated Og and Sihon.

Moses recounts the twin victories over Og and Sihon as instrumental for the next stage in Israel’s history (Deut 1:4).
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11/09/2026

3 Reasons You Should Not Date While Watching P**n
by Jacob Valk

Several years ago, Brent joined our accountability group. We liked him immediately. He was energetic, funny, and insightful, yet he was regularly watching p**n.

After a few weeks in the group, Brent cheerfully told us that he was talking to a girl and planning on asking her out. He was met with silence. After a moment or two, we told him that he was not ready to date.

Here are the three reasons we told Brent he should not date while he was still watching p**nography.

1. Dating Reveals Whether You’re Ready for Marriage

You know that no one is perfect. If you date, you date a sinner. If you marry, you marry a sinner.

Yet the purpose of dating is to get to know someone’s character, learn what they value, and figure out whether they are the kind of person you want to marry. You’re not looking for the perfect person, but you are looking for someone of integrity.

When you choose p**nography, you’re not loving the person that you are dating. You’re not cultivating joy in the Lord. You are not responding to your God-given sexuality with peace and patience. You’re not being kind or good to your future spouse. You’re not exercising self-control.

By living in a pattern of p**n use, you are demonstrating that you are not yet trustworthy enough to commit to the bonds of marriage. Dating is practising commitment; p**n is practising adultery.

What if your boyfriend or girlfriend is watching p**n? Is this a valid reason to break up with them?

Yes. You can and should find a spouse who shows integrity in this area.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t have grace. Garrett Kell once said that the Christian life is more about direction than perfection. If your boyfriend or girlfriend understands their sin, confesses quickly, and is committed to good accountability, this is evidence of change. Find a wise pastor or mature member of your church who can give you advice on the best path forward.

Yet you still need to hear the warning: Any p**n use is serious and should give you serious pause.
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11/06/2026

Faithful Leadership in a Godless Workplace: When Faith and Work Meet
by Yanick Ethier

Imagine a Christian executive getting up early, buttoning a freshly pressed shirt, and sipping a steaming cup of coffee. He has his eyes set on a promotion, a challenge to tackle, and a meeting where he needs to impress. Yet, deep down, a question haunts him: can one climb the ladder of success without leaving his soul hanging from one of its rungs?

This dilemma is nothing new; it is as old as time. Consider Joseph—a slave who became a government minister—or Daniel, a captive who rose to become a royal advisor. Far from being detached figures, they knew how to navigate a hostile world without compromising their faith. Is it possible to be both ambitious and principled?

The biblical answer goes beyond a simple “yes”. It calls for a paradoxical kind of leadership—one where excellence is not achieved through compromise, and where service comes from the highest form of authority.

1. Serve With Excellence, Regardless of the Master

The Christian who imagines that mediocrity is a form of humility has likely confused the gospel with a poor translation of a manual on idleness. Joseph did not give in to negligence simply because his boss didn’t pray three times a day. He managed Egypt with such brilliance that Pharaoh entrusted him with the destiny of an entire empire (Gen. 41:38–41).

What about Daniel? He and his friends were found to be “ten times better” than the other wise men in the kingdom (Dan. 1:20). Not just better—ten times better. The brilliance of the Christian who works as if for God.

Colossians 3:23 states the principle bluntly: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

In other words, God is a more demanding boss than your regional manager—but a better boss too.

Far from being a form of slavery, this perspective changes everything:

Work becomes a testimony. A well-written report can sometimes speak louder than a gospel tract handed out in the lunchroom.

Excellence opens doors. Proverbs 22:29 says: “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings.”

If you want to make an impact on your employer, start by becoming excellent and indispensable.
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11/06/2026

Same Label, Different Convictions: A Review of ‘Complementarianism’
by Darryl Dash

A couple of years ago, I helped to write a paper on our church’s complementarian convictions. The easy part was describing our convictions; the hard part was making decisions about various ministry roles. Can women serve as deacons? What roles can they play in public worship? What about smaller gatherings like small groups and Bible studies?

Applying complementarian convictions can be tougher than it looks. Not only do we need to seek clarity around our convictions, but we need wisdom in applying them. That’s why I was interested in reading Complementarianism: A Continuum of Perspectives on Men and Women in the Church (B&H Academic, 2026), edited by David Dockery.

The book begins with a chapter by Gregg Allison, author of the book Complementarity: Dignity, Difference, and Interdependence, outlining a foundational commitment. Allison affirms that God has designed “male and female image bearers to fill out and mutually support one another relationally and vocationally, as well as in the family and the church, for their individual and corporate flourishing” (20). Men and women are equal in dignity and yet differ in significant ways. Allison focuses less on the function or role of men and women in the church and more on the essence of what it means to be a man or a woman.

Six contributors then provide six different perspectives on what it means to be complementarian under three headings: biblical and theological considerations, practical applications, and a case study. All contributors are complementarian, and yet all disagree on key issues.
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11/04/2026

“Theo of Golden” and the Blessing of Unlikely Friendships
by Linda Seabrook

I recently read Allen Levi’s Theo of Golden (Self-published in 2023; published by Simon & Schuster in 2025). It was on a recommended reading list for a writing cohort I joined, and soon afterward, the book seemed to appear everywhere. When I finally asked about it at my neighbourhood public library—where I usually borrow fiction books—I was 200th on the waiting list. So, in a moment of weakness, I gave in and bought a copy of my own.

Theo, the story’s protagonist, is an older gentleman who mysteriously moves to the southern town of Golden. He spends the year purchasing 92 pencil portraits which hang on the walls of a local café, and one by one, he returns them to their subjects as gifts.

As conversations unfold, Theo forms bonds with several unlikely and very different people, thanks to his ability to see beyond the obvious. For example, there is Tony, the crusty bookstore owner who carries significant pain. There is Kendrick, the custodian and single dad who bears a heavy heart. There is Ellen, a brilliant, homeless woman who has buried a tragic past. There is Basil, a teacher turned street busker who has become embittered by grief and loss. As Theo spends time simply being present, residents encounter true community because of his offer of friendship.

Although not marketed as a religious book, Theo of Golden has several Christian themes throughout. One central lesson that stood out to me is this: community can be found with the most surprising people.

Following the Example of Jesus

It’s quite amazing who Jesus chose as his disciples. They were as unlikely a group as can be. None of the disciples had power or position; instead, they were ordinary fishermen, labourers, and businessmen. They were not chosen because they fit the mould, academically or spiritually.

Instead, they came from diverse backgrounds, were uneducated in the religious, formal sense, and even stood on opposite ends of the social and political spectrum. For example, Matthew, the tax collector, staunchly supported Roman rule, while Simon, the zealot, fought violently to end the Roman Empire. These men were also known for their flawed personalities. Peter was impulsive, Thomas was skeptical, and James and John (nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder”) were often volatile.

Although the disciples had no obvious advantage, they became Jesus’ closest confidants. Jesus revealed the nature of this relationship when he told them, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends” (John 15:15). Jesus intentionally selected, called, and created community with 12 diverse, unremarkable men who would go on to do remarkable things for God’s kingdom.

For Golden residents who found friendship and community, Theo was the common denominator.
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11/03/2026

Why I Am Not an Egalitarian
by Angie Velasquez Thornton

If someone were to judge me based on first impressions, they might assume that I am an egalitarian. For one, I attended seminary, where I earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv), a degree common to ordained ministers. Plus, I am a strong woman with leadership gifts and a passion to inspire and equip women for the harvest. So, naturally, I must be egalitarian, right? Wrong.

I am a complementarian because I believe it’s the position the Bible most clearly teaches. That does not mean, however, that I consider our evangelical egalitarian brothers and sisters unfaithful to Scripture. I have learned a great deal from several evangelical egalitarian scholars, and believe they love Jesus and are seeking to honour him in their handling of Scripture. This is a secondary issue, along with questions of predestination and free will, the miraculous gifts, eschatology, etc.

That having been said, even if this doctrine is secondary, my positioning significantly impacts how I exercise my spiritual gifts in the context of my public ministry. Which is why I wanted to address it in this article.

Is It a Question of Competence?
A faithful male listener to the French podcast I co-host, Chrétienne, recently made the following comment on one of our episodes on YouTube: Why do some churches teach that women should not preach? At the Salvation Army, of which I am a member, women preach and do so much better than men.

This brother’s question suggests that complementarian churches don’t allow women to preach because of a lack of competence. Some may implicitly or explicitly communicate that, but ...

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11/02/2026

Explainer: Recent Changes to Canada’s Gambling Laws

(And what the Bible has to say about gambling)

by Brian Dijkema of Cardus

On July 13, Alberta expanded its online gambling offerings, opening up commercial iGaming to private companies. Advocates argued allowing more gambling operations would curb black-market gambling while ensuring the Alberta government would receive a cut—the same argument made in Ontario when it launched private sportsbooks in 2022, after single-event sports betting was decriminalized in 2021.

Leading political parties in Quebec are also pledging to similarly expand their online gambling offerings.

Alberta’s legalization provides an opportunity to examine what the Scriptures teach on this topic, how Canada’s gambling landscape has changed, and what we have learned from Ontario’s experiment.

Gambling in the Bible?
Scripture contains several examples of casting lots, from the division of the Promised Land, to Jonah on his troubled ship, to the soldiers dividing Jesus’ clothing. But these are not examples of gambling in the modern sense. The participants are using lots to make a decision or divide property; they are not risking their possessions in the hope of winning someone else’s.

Scripture does not address modern gambling directly. It does, however, give us principles by which Christians can evaluate it.
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10/30/2026

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” C.S. Lewis

Hear Paul Vanden Brink open By Faith 2027 on Saturday, February 27, at Heritage College & Seminary in Cambridge, ON.

For young adults ages 18 to 30. Early bird $64 until December 31, 2026.

Register at ca.thegospelcoalition.org/byfaith2027 (link in bio).

Address

Hamilton, ON
L9B1V2

Website

https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/, https://mailchi.mp/eaadc5e03e32/x1xobudk8r, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tg

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