Faculty and Administration

I have been part of the faculty at the College since 2005 in various capacities, although I became a member of the permanent faculty in 2010 after completing my PhD at McMaster Divinity College. My areas of specialization include the mission of the church, pastoral studies, Spirituality in ministry, and the church in culture.

Practical Ministry Experience:
I have served in pastoral ministry with the Christian and Missionary Alliance for 22 years as a lead pastor, youth pastor, associate pastor and associate teaching pastor. I continue to serve the denomination as a Minister at Large. Also, I am currently part of a new church initiative in Ancaster, Ontario.
Research Interests:
The Church in Postmodern, Post-Christian society
The Mission of the Church
Pastoral Practice in a 21st century context
Spirituality and the ministering person
Current Projects:
I am involved in a joint research project with my MDC colleague, Dr. Steve Studebaker, that is funded by a grant from the Lilly foundation on “emerging Christianity” in Canada and North America. Also I am working on a book on “exilic spirituality.” That is, the theme of God’s absence. This is an experience that most people go through and the exilic prayers of Israel offer perspective and help on these times of spiritual desolation and difficulty.

Lectures and Conference Papers:

Recent Presentations

Culture, Context and Constructing Theology for a Post-Christendom Context. Canadian Evangelical Theological Association Conference, University of Calgary, AB, May 29, 2016.

It Seems Good to the Spirit: The Authority of the Holy Spirit in the Mission of the Church. Participating in God’s Mission Conference, North Eastern Seminary, Rochester, N.Y., Mar. 19, 2016.

From Punks to Monks: Emerging Christianity in Canada (With Dr. Steven Studebaker). American Academy of Religion Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, Nov. 23, 2015.

Emerging Christianity and its Influence on Evangelical Theology (with Dr. Steven Studebaker). Evangelical Theological Society Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, Nov. 17, 2015.

Flat World, Flat Leadership: An Evangelical Theology of Leadership for the 21st Century. Canadian Evangelical Theological Association Conference, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, ON, Oct. 3, 2015.

Can I Get A Witness: Proclaiming the Good News in a Post-Everything Culture. The Bingham Colloquium, McMaster Divinity College, June 5, 2015

Field Education as Mission; Forming Leaders for the Post-Christian Church – Association of Theological Field Educators, Williamsburg, VA, Jan. 26, 2013.
New Church Movements in Canada- Conference at ACTS seminary, Langley B.C., Nov. 2, 2012.
A Spirituality of Exile: Giving Testimony from the Margins – The International Association of Mission Studies, Wycliffe College (University of Toronto), Aug. 18, 2012.

Friend or Foe: The Role of the Scholar in the Emerging Church – The Canadian Evangelical Theological Association, Wilfred Laurier University, May 27, 2012
Publications:
Recent Selected Publications

Books

The Church in Exile: Living in Hope After Christendom. Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 2015.

The Whole Gospel for the Whole World: Experiencing the Four-Fold Gospel Today. (with Dr. Franklin Pyles). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock [forthcoming]

Articles

The Minister as Artist: Bruce Springsteen and Ministry Formation.” McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry. Volume 16 (2014-2015). 131-150.
“Friend or Foe?: The Role of the scholar in the Emerging Church.” (With Dr. Steve Studebaker) Theological Education, 48.2 (2014). 43-56.
“Springing The Trap: The book of Amos as a Model for Preaching Justice and Judgment.” (With Dr. Joel Barker) Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society, 12.2 (2012). 4-10.
“What is Emerging? A Review Essay.” Cultural Encounters: A Journal for the Theology of Culture, 8.2 (2012). 97-108.
“Emerging Churches in Post Christian Canada.” (With Dr. Steve Studebaker), Religions, 3.1 (2012). 862-879. www.mdpi.com
“Exile and Hope in Post-Christian Canada: The Hopefulness and Helpfulness of an Exilic Paradigm.” Missio Dei. Vol. 4, 2011-12.
“Doing Mission without Mentioning God: A Model?” Evangelical Missions Quarterly. Vol. 48, 3 (2012). 284-289.
Book Chapters

“New Models of Ministry: The Emerging Church in Canada as a Response to the Realities of Western Christianity in Decline.” In The Globalization of Christianity: Contexts and Consequences for Christian Life and Ministry, ed. Steve Studebaker and Gord Heath, Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2015.
“Sculpting a Lesson.” In Let Those who Can, Teach. ed. Stanley E. Porter, Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2013.
“The Local Church: Postmodern Possibilities.” In The Church Then and Now. ed. Stanley E. Porter and Cynthia Long-Westfall, Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2012.