I've seen researchers pray for good data but...

what happens when prayer is your data? Not all the information used for church decision-making is easily measured or quantified. Take prayer for instance. Many church leaders regularly use prayer as an information seeking tool in determining the will of God for their churches. Is it really information seeking? Well consider this true story I recently heard:Stoneridge Fellowship Church was faced with a dilemma. They were building a new facility and had already sold their existing property. There were unexpected construction delays and after a couple of extensions, the new owners wanted the keys to their building. Where does a congregation of 500 go to find a room? It sounds like the beginning...

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Bad news from La Bonne Nouvelle

On June 20, 2009 La Bonne Nouvelle bookstore in Moncton closed after 75 years serving both the French and English evangelical communities. It surprised me; they were such a part of the evangelical community though it shouldn't have been unexpected. Christian bookstores have been closing all over Canada particularly since the collapse of major Canadian distributer R. G. Mitchell last year. They join the ranks of small bookstores of all stripe and persuasion some with even longer history (e.g. The Book Room) who just can't compete in the new economy. When I was a boy there were three evangelical christian bookstores within walking distance; alas now there is one (if I cared to walk that far!)....

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