THE EFC UPDATE - 2016.11.15
Uniting Evangelicals to bless Canada in the name of Jesus
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IS PORNOGRAPHY A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE? EFC WEBINAR
What is the price of the widespread use of pornography to our society – especially on the developing brains of our young people? What can churches do? Register today at TheEFC.ca/Webinars to join us Nov. 23 as we tackle these questions with Julia Beazley, the EFC’s director of public policy, and Glendyne Gerrard, director of Defend Dignity. (This webinar was originally set for Nov. 16 but has been rescheduled for Nov. 23.)
ENCOURAGE YOUR MP TO HEAR ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY’S IMPACT
The EFC and Defend Dignity are raising awareness on Parliament Hill this month about the public health impacts of pornography – on sexual, emotional, psychological and relational health. The two groups are hosting several presentations by Cordelia Anderson, a public health expert, speaker and founder of the US National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation. Please call or email your MP to encourage them to attend the special Nov. 29 events for them using the talking points provided by the EFC. A separate event for the general public in Ottawa is being held the day before, Nov. 28; details on that at TheEFC.ca/Calendar and DefendDignity.ca.
ASK YOUR MP TO SUPPORT A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF VIOLENT INTERNET PORN
A vote is expected in the next few weeks on whether to ask the parliamentary health committee to study the impact of easily accessible, violent and degrading sexual images online. Support is growing across party lines for MP Arnold Viersen’s motion M-47, and the motion has a chance of passing in the House of Commons. The EFC offers a sample letter you can use to ask your MP to support this motion.
SWIFT RELEASE NEEDED FOR REV. HYEON SOO LIM
This week the EFC wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to encourage the Canadian government’s efforts to secure the swift release of Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, particularly in light of his worsening health. Rev. Lim, a 61-year-old pastor of the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, Ont., travelled to North Korea for humanitarian reasons and was arrested in February 2015 for “hate crimes against the state.” He was sentenced to hard labour in December 2015. Recently, he was hospitalized because of his poor health.
EMPOWERING YOUTH MINISTRY
Do you know someone who might benefit from a training event designed to empower anyone involved with youth ministry? The Canadian Youth Workers Conference is coming to Moncton (Nov. 25-26), Vancouver (Jan. 20-21), Saskatoon (Jan. 27-28) and Calgary (Mar. 3-4). Love Is Moving, the EFC’s youth and young adult initiative, is a national sponsor of these events, and the EFC’s Ben Porter will be at the Moncton one. Learn more about these events at www.CYWC.ca.
COMING EVENTS AT THEEFC.CA/CALENDAR
→ Entrepreneurial Leaders Conference, Toronto, Nov. 16
→ Promise Keepers Quest Conference, Toronto, Nov. 18-19
→ EFC Ambassador Neil Siemens at Northwest Community Church, Calgary, Nov. 20
→ National Restorative Justice Symposium, Halifax, Nov. 21-22
→ Rescheduled EFC Webinar: Is Pornography a Public Health Issue? Nov. 23
→ Vancouver Consultation City Summit, Nov. 24-25
→ CYWC Regional Youth Ministry Training, Moncton, Nov. 25-26
→ Promise Keepers Quest Conference, St. John’s, Nov. 26
→ The Impact of Pornography: Public Presentation, Ottawa, Nov. 28
Add your upcoming event for free.
ARE OUR DESIRES ALWAYS WRONG?
If we want something, is that a sign it’s probably wrong? Can the Holy Spirit change us to want more of the things God wants? Toronto writer Jen Pollock Michel won awards for a book she wrote on these questions, and now she’s written a short essay re-examining them in the Nov/Dec issue of Faith Today, Canada’s Christian magazine. Read her essay online or subscribe now to get a printed copy.
THREE CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
Limited-time offer! Canada’s Christian magazine lets you give two gift subscriptions free if you buy a third subscription for yourself or someone else! Get details at our 3for1 webpage or by calling toll-free 1-866-302-3362. EFC magazine subscriptions are great for all ages, since they include both Faith Today and our youth magazine, Love Is Moving.
NEED A GUEST SPEAKER FOR YOUR EVENT?
Invite an EFC speaker to your school, worship service, adult Sunday school class or other group.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
Get free resources to observe this annual November event at www.IDOP.ca. IDOP Canada is a partnership of ministries which raises awareness and encourages prayer for those who are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ. Although many churches observed this event Nov. 13, you can do it anytime. Spread the news using recent posts on the EFC blog (Who will you be praying for on November 13?) and on the Faith Todayblog (Why it’s so important to pray for the persecuted church).
NOW HIRING
Last week the EFC announced we are looking to hire our next executive vice-president. A job description has now been added to our online posting.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
→ EFC Presidents Day 2016
→ EFC blog post: How Roman Catholics see Evangelicals
→ TWU law school: The EFC responds to favourable B.C. appeal decision
→ Webinar recording: Why care about the freedom of other religions?
→ Must doctors support euthanasia? Help defend conscience rights Two research projects: attitudes toward missions, helping the post-highschool transition