November Update

Here’s what transpired in November with Forcing Change and inside the Teichrib household.

Professionally:

– A little known aspect of Forcing Change is our research assistance to Bible college students. Each year we have students who contact us as they seek information and guidance on major school projects. In the past we’ve had students access our library to do research on Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, interfaithism, social and spiritual trends, and cults and world religions. In November we had a student from a Bible college in Western Canada utilize the Forcing Change holdings on Mormonism, and in the process, stayed around to learn about the rise of transformational festivals and evolutionary culture. This type of research assistance and mentoring has happened enough times to cause us to consider an additional approach to our work; To establish a recognized institution with the goal of supporting and equipping Christian college students in research, educational, and publishing goals. At this point we’re not sure how this would look and whether it would be a viable endeavor – but it’s worth considering. Keep us in prayer as we contemplate and explore possibilities.

– Facilitated the Q&A session at the Westman Bible Conference in Boissevain, Manitoba. The speakers this year were Cathi Lynn Dyck, host of the Scita>Scienda blog, freelance writer, and professional editor from rural Manitoba; Marc Schooley, a Houston-area pastor and author who works in the genre of Christian speculative fiction; and Dr. Stewart Kelly, a philosophy professor from Minot State University, author of Truth Considered and Applied, and member of the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Overall it was a great day, packed with a lot of thinking-points and challenges to ponder. For those who may not be aware, the Westman Bible Conference has been an ongoing event for the past five years, and has hosted a variety of excellent speakers and authors with the intent of equipping, encouraging, and challenging the Christian community in Western Manitoba. This year, unfortunately, was the last year for the conference – unless, of course, someone from Western Manitoba re-introduces the event (hint, hint, nudge, nudge Western Manitoba…). And a big thank you! goes out to Dave and Cathi Dyck of Scita>Scienda for the energy, time, and hard work they put into organizing and hosting this conference series.

– Spoke at the St. Laurent, Lakeside Gospel Chapel in the beginning of the month. St. Laurent is a small community on the east side of Lake Manitoba, two hours from my part of the province. The group that meets at the Chapel is very small, only a handful of families, but their warmth and keen interest in studying the Bible always makes it a pleasure to drive the distance and spend time with them.

– Gave an afternoon workshop to a homeschool group, comprising both students and parents. The topics: Comparing and contrasting Christianity to other world religions and belief systems, and exploring deep ecology and the countering Biblical worldview. It was a fantastic afternoon with plenty of questions, probing comments, and great discussions.

– Hosted an awareness night for my home church on the topic of Mormonism. In the process, we viewed a section of the video documentary “Jesus Christ vs. Joseph Smith” (see below for the video). We then skyped in our friends, Shane and Kim Jones, from Trigrace in central Utah. Shane and Kim are Christian missionaries working within the Mormon community in the town of Ephrium and the Sanpete Valley region, and were thus able to offer personal insights and help explain the fundamental differences between Christianity and Mormonism.

Personally:

– This was a month of blessings as we connected with dear friends from across Manitoba. To those who touched our lives in November, thank you! Thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, and your support in the work being done through Forcing Change.

– Two of our friends were involved in a catastrophic trucking accident that involved three rigs in western Ontario. The driver, a young man from our community (I’ll withhold his name for privacy sake), has suffered multiple injuries; a broken right leg, 5 broken ribs, 3 broken or crushed vertebrae, a lung separated from its liner, a broken shoulder blade, sever cuts (has staples in his head), and cuts and bruises from his face to his feet. I’ve seen some private pictures of the wrecked truck, and there’s no way our friend should be alive – he experienced a miracle. Pray for his physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.

The co-driver, Ben Bueckert, passed away due to his injuries. He was 57. Ben’s faith was alive, and he had a way of communicating that would inevitably bring the conversation around to Jesus Christ – whether he knew you or not. As a long time, long-haul trucker who continually showed concern for others, he was well-known in the hauling network from Toronto to Vancouver, particularly in the FedEx community. Wherever he went, from loading docks to truck stops to mechanic’s shops, Ben was known for his smile, his genuine concern for others, and his integrity. Pray for Ben’s family, that they would be strengthened and comforted during this time.

There are many people impacted by this accident: The owner of the trucking company was not just their employer, but personal friends and neighbors with both drivers and their extended families. Pray for the owner and his family that they would be strengthened during this very hard time. And of course, as both drivers are from our part of rural Manitoba, as is the trucking company, this accident has touched our district in a powerful way.

– Attended the Gladstone, Manitoba, Remembrance Day ceremony, where our son, Scott, along with two other Air Cadet officers, laid the Government of Canada wreath. For those outside of Canada: Remembrance Day is a time set aside to remember the sacrifice of my country’s men and women who served in the armed forces. It’s a sobering national holiday during which time government offices and private businesses close to show respect, and in communities across the land – from big cities to tiny villages – ceremonies are held to remember those who served and continue-to-serve in Canada’s military.

– We tried, as a family, to take “family pictures.” We tried…

 

Books Read:

– Chuck Black, Kingdom’s Dawn (Multnomah, 2006).

– Isaac Asimov, Robert Dreams (Ace Books, 190).