What questions should I be asking myself as I enter the New Year? As 2024 begins, it would be wise to examine our lives using these four key foundations and then make whatever adjustments are necessary going forward.

Do you have a special gift in your hand today? As with all gifts, they are intended to be opened, enjoyed, and shared with others. This Christmas, as you reflect, consider the gifts of our ABNWT District, all that we have to share among ourselves and others.

How can churches equip parents to disciple their children? Biblical illiteracy is rampant, and culture is dictating what people should do rather than a Spirit-led, Biblical pattern. Our kids are casualties!

What is one thing I can do to help our church board/council serve with excellence? Soon, you will be going through the nomination/selection process for new board/council members before your Annual General Meeting. Interviewing candidates is a priority task. There are steps you can take today to help yourself, new members, and the function of your Board thrive tomorrow.

How can a board help prepare their pastor to finish well? Here are four things your church can do now to help prepare your pastor for retirement.

What are some of the best ways to build a good relationship with a local school? Here is a field manual from a practitioner on how to build a healthy relationship with a public school in your community.

How should I prepare and preach during the Advent Season? Let’s be sure we offer everyone within our sphere of influence the opportunity to find real hope, real peace, and real joy.

How can I thrive through the winter - not just survive? I love a good recommendation. I would much rather hear an endorsement from someone I trust than someone on the internet. Here are four things that I recommend to you - four things that might change your life.

Have you thought about retirement? It’s been said that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today. The same is true of retirement planning. Whether you are 34 or 64, the steps you take today to prepare for tomorrow will serve you well.

What are some practical and fun things people in our congregation do to focus on the sacred aspects of Christmas? An influential pastoral role at Christmas is helping families pay attention to the sacred, spiritual dimension of the holidays. Leonard Sweet’s book, Dance the Soul Salsa, calls on people to mezuzah their lives, meaning to make mundane moments sacred.

What is the best action I can take to increase giving before the end of the year? The last 31 days of the year are usually prime time for generosity. In fact, 30% of charitable giving is done in December. Individuals and business owners are looking for ways to use their discretionary resources—one way to make the ask.

Why do I need to have consistently regulated sleep for my long-term health? Our frenzied lifestyles push us to run on sugar, caffeine and hi-octane stress during the day. Lack of sleep devastates our overall well-being and health.

On May 10, 2023, over 260 pastors and ministry leaders from across the Alberta and Northwest Territories gathered for a roundtable, family forum-styled conference to discuss what it means to “Belong, Grow, and Serve” together in the ABNWT PAOC family. Here’s what we’re learning.

Church finances can be difficult to manage. Many times it’s a cause of stress, and we think, “If only we had more”. Well, let’s start by being good stewards of what we have. Churches often make these four financial mistakes

Have you ever asked why aren't people coming back to your church? I know this seems a little opposite of how we typically view church; come here, and we’ll fill you up for the week. But, I would say we have an opportunity here to reframe what church looks like in this season and meet people where they’re at. The gospel never changes, but our methods can change constantly.

Ignoring physical health symptoms causes them to get worse. I’ve learned to see them as dashboard warning signs, like the check engine light on my car, anxiety symptoms can actually be helpful. Guest author Joel Pulako gives insights and steps to addressing mental health challenges.

What does a vitalized church in Canada actually look like? The reality is every church is on a trajectory and we can’t look at an individual month or year, but we need to look at the overall trends and characteristics of a church that is vitalized. Let’s look at 5 characteristics of a vitalized church.

How do we find rest in the rat race? Unless we deliberately balance this heightened activity with consistent rest, we can easily over-extend and be left in a deficit position emotionally.