Our MCN Dispatch — October 15, 2025

[The original mailing has been edited slightly here and some missing links added.]

Hello Missional Friends,

Our Missional Church Network is here to encourage and support faithful Christian presence in the larger community. How should we engage most effectively? On what bases (foundational beliefs and commitments) do we choose to engage?

Let’s consider:

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power, love, and self discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

How do we appropriately address our fears, seek and use power, and practice love and discipline? There is much to consider.

But, please note that we are not here to promote a personal agenda or some private biblical interpretation. Rather we seek to build unity around certain foundational principles that are deeply rooted in scripture (and open for your comment and debate). We seek to build relationships, promote listening and understanding of one another, seek theological insights, and encourage maturation in wisdom. Through networking, rather than strong centralized leadership, we are all in this together.

In this newsletter, watch for:

  • The Christian Ethic of Service vs an Ethic of Control
  • Understanding Ideology in the context of Missional Outreach
  • Practicing Righteousness Before the World
  • Our Meeting with the Cardus Organization (our Canadian Christian think tank)
  • Other themes we follow.

Practicing an Ethic of Service

Evangelicals have been emerging more publicly in recent years. Many are abandoning the cloistered life within local churches and are choosing to express their views more publicly. How are we doing? To what degree has this change of style mostly focused on political involvement? As important as this may be, are there other ways to be publicly engaged?

We are deeply affected by US culture and its religious teachings. How do we feel about the role of Evangelicals in electing the latest US administration. (Here are some findings of views of American Evangelicals.)

In earlier MCN meetings we have featured views of Evangelical leadership such as Brian Stiller (former Director of EFC in Canada) and Walter Kim (Director of the American National Association of Evangelicals) who were lamenting the political distractions from our historic, biblical calling to be salt and light. Is Faithful Service now being replaced by the appeal of Power Politics?

We recently searched online databases with these questions:

  • Many see a major shift in Christian strategy away from an advocacy of service towards an aggressive stance against others, often incited by fear. Is this shift appropriate?
    How do Christian scholars view this new emphasis in the context of Christian witness to society?
  • What are the theological arguments that underlie these two approaches?

Our Copilot “quick search” yielded the following:

QS — Christian Ethic of Service vs Ethic of Control

Understanding Ideology

While most of us, if asked, will defend our perspectives and religious loyalties as biblical Christianity, what role is played by current competing ideologies? Are we even aware of how ideologies permeate our media, and how their effects subtly affect our attitudes and worldviews? Again, we’ve been using AI tools to search out books, articles, and summaries of perspectives.   (None should be viewed as “gospel truth” but are offered as useful prompt to careful reflection).

Here’s a brief description I found recently on “Ideology”:

Ideologies shape perspectives, inform policies, and guide movements. At their core, they tend to have a few fundamental elements:

    • Core beliefs – Every ideology rests on fundamental principles, whether about human nature, society, or governance.
    • Values – These define what adherents consider good, just, and desirable.
    • Goals – Ideologies offer a vision for the future, outlining what should be achieved.
    • Methods – They propose strategies or actions for achieving their ideals, whether through persuasion, policy, or revolution.
    • Narrative – A compelling story often ties these elements together, helping followers make sense of the world and their place in it.
    • Historically, ideologies have shaped everything from political systems to artistic movements.
    • Comparing the above with the nature of religions, are we not struck with similarities? Ideologies do function as “belief systems.”

So, in what ways may ideologies be a threat to our core Christian perspectives?

We are creating a webpage of resources relating on this theme. Your comments, critiques and suggested additions will be welcome.

Resources on Ideology and Its Potential Threat to Biblical Faith

Practicing Righteousness Before the World

Is it true that Jesus places righteousness at the center of the believer’s priorities?

As much as it may cause discomfort, publicly-known Christians are always watched by the world.

Scriptural references abound on the topic of Righteousness. How do we commonly react to the Call to Righteousness? Might we say with Paul: “Not that I have already attained, but I press onward…” Phil 3:12-14.

Scriptures are summarized here:

QS — Biblical Expectations for Growth in Righteousness

Our Meeting with the Cardus Organization

Without much lead time, we recently gathered some of our active network for a late morning coffee chat on the work of Cardus, our Canadian Christian thinktank. Lisa Richmond, serving in a senior role with Cardus, shared an overview and took many questions.

Ron Phillips, retired pastor of Argyle Baptist Church, prepared some notes and can be found here:

MCN Event — Cardus Visit with Lisa Richmond Sept 18, 2025

In our last News Dispatch, we identified some initiatives of Cardus, and we intend to bring more to your attention from time to time. Better yet, why not explore the website and sign-up for newsletters. Go to:

Imagination Toward a Thriving Society | Cardus [https://www.cardus.ca/]

But here are some timely Cardus contributions of relevance to many of us:

No Retreat on Advancement of Religion by Daniel Proussalidis | Convivium
(This relates to the potential loss of charity status by churches if the CRA initiative has success.)

Still Christian? What Modern “Christians” Believe | Cardus
(This analysis explores the degree our Christian label represents our theological beliefs?)

Finally, Cardus is holding a webinar, Oct 23 on Canadian funding of Christian (and other independent) schools. I see this as of major interest to those in Ontario. Saskatchewan receives generous government support, Ontario none.

But, those locally should note that James Farney, from our U of R Johnson Shayama Scchool of Public Policy is one of the presenters. Farney has recently published his book, Faith, Rights, and Choice: The Politics of Religious Schools in Canada.

You’re invited: The politics of religious and independent schools in Canada

Other themes we’re following

As time and effort allows, we want to continue highlighting developments relating to many of our MCN prime interests, such as:

  • Ministries and practical services to our Indigenous Community
  • Attending to poverty and increasing homelessness of “the least of these”
  • Clarifying the many positive roles for Christian involvement in politics
  • Our supportive relationships with Evangelicals, generally, through such groups as EFC, NAE, the World Evangelical lliance, and the Lausanne Movement.
  • Initiatives of our readers. Many of you are “missionally active” and we would like to feature your activities and perspectives.

Fall Programming

As Acting Coordinator, I’ve been personally swamped with other ministry responsibilities in recent weeks, hence the delay in sharing this latest Dispatch. I may share more of such another time.

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Ron Richmond
Acting Coordinator
Missional Church Network
306.591.3936
Ronald.Richmond@sasktel.net