In just a few weeks the United Church of Canada will begin its General Council meetings, held every three years. Part of the work to be done will be to elect a new moderator (spiritual leader) for the next 3 years. As part of the board for Cruxifusion, I was able to help draft some questions we sent to all the nominees. We posted their responses on our website.
I guess it seems only fitting, that since I helped draft the questions, I should provide my own answers. So here we go.
1) “Cruxifusion” means “united by the cross.” What does Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection mean to you?
Is “everything” too simple an answer?
Let’s face it, I am broken. So are you. There’s nothing I can do to fix this. I can try and be a better person, but I will always fall short. I will continue to screw up. I will fail. However, when I met the risen Christ in my life in 2001 I learned he knows my pain. He knows my challenges. Yet he still loves me and wants me to be with him. Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he shows me it’s about the abundant, never-ending love of God that sustains me and draws me close. I am who I am today because of him.
So yeah… everything.
2) Describe the God you worship.
The Word of God which we read in worship are words of challenge. These words challenge us to rethink who we are as people of God and how we live in the world. Yet through it all, there are great stories of mercy, grace and love. This is the God I worship. God who loves and forgives us, but also a strong God who doesn’t want us to just coast through life just looking out for ourselves.
3) Which Christian author has had the greatest impact on you?
There have been many. But my “comfort” authors are the ones which helped form me and my understanding of God. Those would be Philip Yancey, C.S. Lewis and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
4) What gifts and passions do you have that you believe the United Church of Canada needs today?
I have a passion for lifting up Jesus Christ to the church. Without Jesus we are nothing. Without Jesus we cannot expect to reach new generations, no matter how innovative or creative we get in our outreach. Evangelism begins with Jesus Christ, from there we can get creative in helping people experience their own relationship with him. I’m also not afraid of new ideas and I think it’s time for us to explore new approaches to ministry and church. It’s time to bring Christ back into our communities through new models of outreach.
[...] Nick Phillips, a UCC pastor in Nova Scotia has provided his own answers to the Cruxifusion questions: I have a passion for lifting up Jesus Christ to the church. Without Jesus we are nothing. Without Jesus we cannot expect to reach new generations, no matter how innovative or creative we get in our outreach. Evangelism begins with Jesus Christ, from there we can get creative in helping people experience their own relationship with him. I’m also not afraid of new ideas and I think it’s time for us to explore new approaches to ministry and church. It’s time to bring Christ back into our communities through new models of outreach. [...]
[...] Nick Phillips, a UCC pastor in Nova Scotia has provided his own answers to the Cruxifusion questions: I have a passion for lifting up Jesus Christ to the church. Without Jesus we are nothing. Without Jesus we cannot expect to reach new generations, no matter how innovative or creative we get in our outreach. Evangelism begins with Jesus Christ, from there we can get creative in helping people experience their own relationship with him. I’m also not afraid of new ideas and I think it’s time for us to explore new approaches to ministry and church. It’s time to bring Christ back into our communities through new models of outreach. [...]