Pastor Jacob Birch and Ride for Refuge 2013

Update September 10th 2013

A big human trafficking bust this weekend in Niagara Falls. Read about it here:

I'm not, but if you want to help end human trafficking by cycling consider joining Ride for Refuge.

Human trafficking is a big issue here in Niagara Region. Just a small sample of the articles is here. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and "Church is for Girls"

Tim Wright has written a provocative article about The High Cost of Bored Boys. Not specifically for or about church - per se - but with so many overtones and implications for local parish ministry i just had to comment.

Quoting Robert Bly's Iron John "the church wants a tamed man—they are called priests (authors note—ouch!); the university wants a domesticated man—they are called tenure-track people…"

Pastor Jacob Birch and Church for Men's Garlic Video

Outstanding short analogy with - of course - even more dire stats on the Canadian point of view.

Pastor Jacob Birch and Andrew Murray's quote on Jesus as Master

From page 51 of The Secret of God's Presence...

"To take Jesus as Master, with the distinct desire and aim to be and live and act like Him--this is true Christianity. This is something far more than accepting him as Saviour and Helper."

Pastor Jacob Birch and his father's 65th birthday

Today is my father's 65th birthday.

Larry Birch is a Christ-follower who has been married to my mother Barbara Ann Sanford for 43 years.

Larry is from Cottam, ON. He is a graduate of Essex High School and played Jr. C. hockey for the Cottam Clippers.

In 1971 he completed his Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from Queens University.

My dad has had a long and storied career in manufacturing of many types in Eastern North America. He is currently the General Manager of Valmont Newmark's Hazleton, PA division.

I mean i could go on and on about my father. When i think of my dad i think of many lessons and laughs and tears that we have shared over our lives. I suppose i think most however of 2 items.

Pastor Jacob Birch and 3 Crosses Listening Centre Glengate Men's Retreat August 2013

Rev. Rey Roy of 3Crosses Listening Centre teaching on Friday night. 

The Upper Three Crosses at the Golgotha rock. 

Updated - Pastor Jacob Birch and 3Crosses Listening Centre Pictures

Here is the prayer of Jesus from Matthew at the foot of the "lower" 3 Crosses

Thistle, trail and sign to Golgotha at 3Crosses Listening Centre 

Fauna at Upper 3 Crosses 

Update August 30th 2013

Intensive, experiential, relational OR incremental, theoretical, programmatic: which was Jesus' discipleship model? http://t.co/AsAveOft59
— Jacob Birch (@JacobBirch8) August 28, 2013

Pastor Jacob Birch and are we Christ-ians or Bible-ians?

Mark Moore - a blogger my brother Rich Birch linked to - wrote a very intriguing post today that i want to interact with. The post is entitled The God Who Is Like Jesus. It's an introduction of sorts to three sermons he has preached on similar topics that i have yet to listen to, but hope to soon.

The 1 sentence observation that summarizes his message is:

Christians in all times and all places are CHRIST-ians, not BIBLE-ians.

I get it... I mean the founder of my denomination preached the same sermon over and over again so many times he turned it into a hymn entitled Jesus Only. A ramped up recent adaptation of its lyric and tune is here:

Pastor Jacob Birch and PM Harper's Northern Tour 2013

A fixture of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's summers for the last 8 years have been his tours of northern Canada: The Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut Territories. Looks like today he and Minister of National Defence MP for Niagara Falls the Honourable Rob Nicholson got a chance to squeeze off a few rounds with the Canadian Rangers. Outstanding. They are firing the Lee-Enfield .303.. a WWI vintage weapon that is reliable in all weather conditions AND can stop a polar bear with 1 shot... two operational requirements in that part of the world. Lee Enfields were made in Wallaceburg, ON at one time if memory serves.

The PM looks like a much more natural shot than POTUS Barak Obama. But you be the judge. 

Here is a picture of the Canadian Rangers posing with their Lee Enfield 4s:

Pastor Jacob Birch and the Missionary Trip Measles Outbreak

I have blogged elsewhere in this space on my suspicions and reservations about short term mission trips or Christian-poverty-tourism as they are sometimes derisively called.

To be clear i have led 3 mission trips myself (1 Japan, 2 to Mississippi) and have helped raise over $200,000 for others from my churches taking STMs to places as varied as Peru, Mexico, Cambodia and OujeBougamou, QC.

This article about a measles outbreak in Texas linked to a mission trip should give all of us leading or part of supporting STMs pause to rethink and redouble our efforts to use "best practices" when taking inexperienced North Americans overseas.


"The outbreak has been traced back to an adult, who travelled on a multi-nation mission trip through Eagle Mountain International Church. His trip included stops in Japan, China, France and Germany. Eagle Mountain Church is part of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, head-quartered in Northwest Tarrant County. The church also has offices in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe."

Pastor Jacob Birch and Biking in the Bike Lane

Just about the funniest Bicycle Public Service Announcement i have ever seen.

Cover your ears mother at 25 secs.

Pastor Jacob Birch and NRCCC's VBS

We are so glad to host Niagara Region Christian Community Church's Vacation Bible School at 6009 Valley Way this year. Pastor Alex and a team from Toronto are here working the Niagara-based volunteers of NRCCC to reach out to children from Chinese backgrounds in our community for the Glory of God.

Pastor Jacob Birch and My Hope with Billy Graham

So Glengate is participating in My Hope with Billy Graham this fall.

I am very excited about the possibilities that this outreach method has. In particular because it has proven so effective in other parts of the world. It combines Dr. Graham's skill as a preacher, new technology, people's spiritual gifts of hospitality with every believer's call to be Christ's "witnesses" in every area of the world and through every facet of their life.




My Hope is centreed around 5 "Looks":

Look Around - for people that are "down on one knee" to quote @jamesmacdonald... people who are red apples and are ready to hear the answer that their life's questions are asking. These people go on your Matthew List.

Look Up - in prayer for your Matthew List.

Look  Out - for ways to serve the folks on your Matthew List before and after November 17th

Look Forward - to the event and prepare your testimony to share after the video on November 17th.

Look After - keep caring and praying for the folks on your Matthew List whether they come or not to your event on November 17th.

Watch this space for more Glengate-specific updates about My Hope will Billy Graham.

Pastor Jacob Birch and David Jeremiah's book "I'd never thought I'd see the day."

Many thanks to one of our elders here at Glengate Russ Earl for passing along earlier this summer Dr. David Jeremiah's book I'd Never Thought I Would See the Day.

As i read it i will post passages that strike me and my comments on them in this space.

Thanks Elder Earl!

Pastor Jacob Birch and You've Changed Bro

Great video with a scriptural twist. "The sting is in the tail!" as i often say.

Pastor Jacob Birch and God's Everyday Work

I couldn't agree more with John Piper's latest blog post entitled "Will You Be a Believer Tomorrow Morning?", as far as he goes.

The blog post addresses the basis of the believer's everyday assurance of their eternal security. His argument is perhaps best summarized in the sentence commenting on Mark 13:13 "“We must” becomes “we will” because “God will.”

The centre of his argument lies in the two sentences:

     Enduring faith happens because the great physician does his sustaining work every day. We keep

     believing in Christ not because of antibodies left over from conversion, but because God does his life-

     giving, faith-preserving work every day.
And of course he is right. We endure because God's work enables us to endure.

But the question Dr. Piper does not address is perhaps the most telling one of all...

Pastor Jacob Birch and Community Garden Pictures for Week of August 19th 2013

Here are Aminah's beans. Over 10 feet tall of real bamboo bean stocks. She is a New Canadian from Turkey. The beans were planted with seeds from her homeland.

Pastor Jacob Birch and the Battle of Dieppe

71 years ago today the unit my grandfather Fred Robert Birch was part of was largely destroyed at the Raid on Dieppe, Operation Jubilee.

His regiment - the Essex Scottish Regiment - suffered grave losses in terms of deaths, soldiers wounded and/or captured. In fact by the end of the war no other Canadian regiment had suffered as many casualties as the Essex Scottish - over 2500.

The story as it came out over the years and years it took for him to share it with me and my father, was that during the Dieppe raid he was in hospital with jaundice. But for his hospitalization he would have went ashore not far behind the pipers of the Essex Scottish.

Can you imagine that? Motoring toward a heavily defended foreign beach with bagpipers playing as the shore guns blared, the machine guns chattered and the ramps lowered as your craft hit shore?

Pastor Jacob Birch and Quote from the Andrew Murray for this week

"Just as there can be no light of day except that which comes from the sun, so there can be no perfection except that which comes from God. God's perfection wrestles with man in its feeblest beginnings in the soul, so as to break through and get possession. As long as man refuses to consent, God cannot make His perfection known, for God must be to us what we are to Him: "to the pure you show yourself pure" Psalm 18:26

Pastor Jacob Birch and the Niagara Boxing Club... Welcome to 6009 Valley Way!

Well we've officially added another tenant here at 6009-6017 Valley Way.

The Niagara Falls Boxing Club. We've already got them scheduled to help in the Glengate Community Garden!

Pastor Jacob Birch and The Brantford 40

40 pythons were found in a motel room in Brantford. #sketchy

Pastor Jacob Birch and the OBC Class of '93 Reunion

Okay so it sounds like @heatherjsbirch and I are going to the Reunion at Tyndale for our graduating class of 1993 from Ontario Bible College. Who else is in? I don't want to be the only one. 

Here is the .gif of our graduation service. It was the only thing with the OBC logo on it from our year that i could find online. 

Here is the "new" logo of our replacement alma mater. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and @CURavens Football Training Camp with @wilsonbirch

So the most popular post on my blog - by far - are the posts about my son @wilsonbirch who is attending @Carleton_U and trying out for the @CURavens football team. That is why i am changing the title of my blog to WilsonWatcher.ca

Here are some pics from our recent trip to see Wilson at the Raven's 1st football training camp in 15 years. He is #13 so far.

Heather and Daisy sitting in Wilson's locker. 

The logo

Wilson's 19th birthday picnic. 

One of the cakes from the Raven's family banquet 

Pastor Jacob Birch and @sportseh 's video teaser of the Return of Ravens Football

Pastor Jacob Birch and 3 Reasons (plus 1 more) to Love the PR of the IDF

While i - and you - might not like everything the Israeli Defense Forces do... one thing i love is their PR department. Follow the @IDFSpokesperson for some of the "bossest" pictures and graphics on Twitter.

Here are my three most recent favs...

I mean carrying UZIs and Kalashnikovs under water at the ready. No more #boss than that. 

Lionel Messi praying at the Western Wall. @wilsonbirch has one of those kipas that Messi is wearing that i brought back for him. 

And of course... the world famous, obligatory, IDF female soldier pic. I like the IAF the best so....

and my PLUS 1 MORE... The IDF always wishes everyone a Shabbat Shalom every Friday before sundown with the reminder that they are always on guard. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and James MacDonald's "Dirty Laundry Blog"

I am reading through Vertical Church in the summer of 2013 with our congregation. It has been a tremendous blessing to me and to us. However James MacDonald is not God, nor is he inspired and he'd be the first to admit he isn't perfect. He is self-deprecating like all good Canadians and that is an endearing quality that keeps the shrillness of much of his writing bearable... at least it does for me.

I also read James' blog and upon reflection i often come round to his side on most things but am having trouble squaring his latest posting entitled "Why We Don't Air Dirty Laundry" with Chapter 7 Unafraid Witness in Vertical Church.

Go read that post before you continue here.

If you haven't read the post let me quote his last substantive paragraph::

Hang all the love you want on the line for the world to see, but keep the dirty laundry of disappointment with others out of sight. Too many times I have witnessed publicized conflict that was later resolved privately. That is 100% backwards. It is our love and reconciliation and mutual humility that are to be public, and our grievances and complaints with one another’s position or practice that need to be kept private. Hear me pastors: Beware when making your point misses the point that we don’t air our dirty laundry.

I found this whole blog post very irenic - peace loving - and perhaps the disconnect i am seeing between this latest blog post and his book is simply a product of his growth over the last 2 or 3 years since the book's publication. IF that is true... that he wants to basically re-write or expunge much of Chapter 7 of Vertical Church, then great. If not... then i guess I have a problem knowing which James is the real James.

Why? Because what he says above TOTALLY counters just about every page of his book Vertical Church and in particular runs contra to his attitude and message in Chapter 7 entitled "Unafraid Witness".

In that chapter every other approach to evangelism attempted in the last 60 years of evangelicalism here in North America are variously criticized and lampooned in a very biting and - contra his stated position in this latest blog post - a very public manner. The James MacDonald who wrote in his blog "keep the dirty laundry of disappointment with others out of sight" certainly cannot be the same Dr. MacDonald who:

• characterized Friendship Evangelism as "dishonest" (246)
• labelled Renown Evangelism as a "bait and switch" tactic (249) 
• Called the 4 Spiritual Laws (Bill Bright), the Roman's Road, Steps to Peace with God (Billy Graham) "formulaic... a drive-by experience... superficial"

Which is it Dr. MacDonald? Is it a situation where WE shouldn't air our grievances and disappointments with other churches, believers or brothers but you can because its your book?

To air or not to air... that is the question.

Pastor Jacob Birch and Andrew Murray on Faith

On page 35 of The Secret of God's Presence Murray writes simply "Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation."

Pastor Jacob Birch and Chromosonal Adam and Mitochondrial Eve were contemporaries

Interesting NY Times article that puts our first genetic parents alive at the same time not that long ago. Interesting. 

Some verses to meditate on this "new" scientific backing for the general Biblical worldview...

1 Corinthians 15:22

Proverbs 20:27

Pastor Jacob Birch and Hornblower's New NiagaraFalls site-seeing boats

Here is a picture tweeted out by friend Nate Veltkamp about the new boats being built for Hornblower that are replacing the Maid of Mist boats in a couple years. They are being built in Wheatley, Ontario by Hike Metal i assume as they are only shipbuilders in Wheatley that i am aware of. Good "Made in Canada" and "Made in Chatham-Kent" story.... those are few and far between those days.

Here is their shop in Wheatley today. My mom is somehow related or went to school with someone associated with this company's history. But as a Sanford/Rogers that can be said of just about everyone in Essex county i suppose. 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Yet One More Reason to Visit Israel!

The Knight's Hospitaller built what has been recently called the largest Medieval hospital in the Middle East in the 12th century. It has been painstakingly unearthed, studied and preserved over the last 13 years by the Isareli Antiquities Authority. It is being opened to the public soon and part of it will be converted into a restaurant. I can't wait to visit it! 

Pastor Jacob Birch and today's quote from Andrew Murray

I am reading through his The Secret of God's Presence. Today's quote is: 

"God works His grace in us by stirring us to work. So the desire to listen to God's command, and to serve Him with a perfect heart, is a beginning that God looks to , and that He will Himself strengthen and perfect." (page 30) 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Truth in My Days Conference Registration Information

I have been asked for better off-line registration information for the Truth in My Days Apologetics Conference.

To register please call:

Katherine Kaissi, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Operations Manager, 416-551-5775

Event Schedule

Saturday, August 17/2013

9:00 – 10:00 AM	REGISTRATION
10:00 – 11:00 AM	Introductory Lecture with John Tors
11:15 – 12:15 PM	Six Muslim Beliefs (Iman) And A Christian’s Response with Jay Smith
12:15 –  1:15 PM	LUNCH
1:15 – 2:15 PM	Historical Criticism I  with John Tors
2:30 – 3:30 PM	Historical Criticism II with John Tors
3:45 -4:45 PM	Defending Genesis in a Scientific Age with Richard Fangrad
5:00 – 6:00 PM	What The Bible And Science Say About The Age Of The Earth with Richard Fangrad

Sunday, August 18/2013

9:00 – 10:00 AM	The Historical Critique of the Qur’an with Jay Smith
10:15 – 11:15 AM	Textual  Criticism I  with John Tors
11:30 – 12:30 PM	Textual  Criticism II with John Tors
12:30 – 1:30 PM	LUNCH
1:30 – 2:30 PM	Islamic Questions and Answers with Jay Smith
2:45 – 3:45 PM	Codes and Creation with Calvin Smith
4:00 – 5:00 PM	The Attraction of Islam and a Christian’s Response with Jay Smith
5:00 – 6:00 PM	Q & A with our panel of speakers

Pastor Jacob Birch and Leadership Quote from Harvard Business School via Sheryl Sandberg

I read this quote over @heatherjsbirch 's shoulder who was reading Lean In: 

"Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence & making sure that impact lasts in your absence." 

from Harvard Business School via @sherylsandberg

Pastor Jacob Birch and Community Gardens Lesson #2

The 2nd lesson i have learned from being involved in serving our community through a Community Garden is that gardens attract people. 

And i am not just talking about "foot traffic" which is so true. Every day i am in the garden seniors wander through with their dogs... kids come and play between the plots... families stop and hang out together... the garden shows that this "space" is a habited, playable and public space in a way that an imposingly manicured and looked after lawn never does. Furthermore look at the businesses and other partners that our community garden here at Glengate has attracted: 

Lots of business people and community members are trying - in their own way - to make their city/town/county more liveable and enjoyable by all. Giving them a visible, positive, active roll in planning and executing something like a Community Garden can have nothing but upside. 

So stop cutting the lawn and intimidating your potential attendees. Rip up the lawn and start connecting with your community! 

Pastor Jacob Birch and Community Gardens Week of August 10th 2013