Comments for Missional Canadian

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Christine

Christine — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:52:03 +0000

Hey, I just want to type a bit here after reading Brent’s post. I, too, have worked with Aboriginal children and families, now for almost 15 years, and have cared for and nurtured a number of FASD children. I am still involved in many of their lives.
Over the years I have greived much over/for these children, and their families – their past/history… etc. I have wrestled with the whole idea of alcohol, etc. I went through a time were I COULD NOT have a drink of any type of alcholic beverage,- did not even want to see a bottle of any kind and if I did, wanted to throw it to smash it!-because I was so upset about the effects of alcohol on these children and their LIVES! I believe the bottom line is- it boils down to choice!, and the individual God given freedom to choose. So how do we choose wisely?!?
I believe what is most needed is healing, education, and an emphasis on the fact that we do have choices to make in life. I try to teach the children I have an influence on to chose healthy! If we talk openly about the vulnerablity/ perhaps ethnic suseptability with the children/youth/ young adults… they are more likely to be able to make a healthy choice when it comes to their own desicion around consumption of alcohol. There is now a whole new teaching on pregnancy and alcohol consumption… something very new, but crucial at stopping FASD! Again-education! I believe the more real and open we are about this, the less influence alcohol will have. The other thing I believe is very important is accepting responsibility for choices made. If we make a poor choice, lets accept it, forgive and move forward. Jesus is all about wholeness and forgivness, and we need to be proactive in taking responsibilies for our lives and our futures. So lets teach the children well… give them the tools they need to live healthy/make healthy choices. Alexander Graham Bell didn’t invent the phone so someone can scamm an old lady out of her Visa limit, nor so that someone else can make obscene or harassing calls, yet these things occur, and to some people more vulneralbe than others. Some use tools wisely… some use tools for murder weapons or to commit other crimes. Lets love and teach, our children (all!)well!, and that may mean explaining some realities of their own make up and vulnerabilities, in a culture were greed is rampant. Lets give them a sense of belonging, of self respect/esteem, and ‘pride’ in who they are socially and spiritually;
Lets empower them in practical ways, through spiritual teaching/guidance, and by the Holy Spirit, to do great things… to be creative… and inventive!, rather than hand over their personal power to LIVE… to a bottle, a pill, cigarette, or greed, etc. Lets do our best!, and leave the rest to God. I don’t like beer, but then, I do like a glass of good wine. And, I do like a good story!

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Brent Austring

Brent Austring — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:00:21 +0000

Cool story Doug, interesting… being involved in First Nations ministry for almost 20 years, there’s no balanced view of beer there! It’s all or nothing. Abstinence or Alcoholic. My son works with FASD kids and adults who are chronic criminals, largely due to the brain injuries they received inutero. I’ve gone into rooms to clean up after suicides and the atmosphere was always thick with the smell of one thing – alcohol. Now I know that biblically it is not a sin to have a drink… but there are ethnic groups which are physiologically more susceptable to drunkenness and addiction. (I didn’t previously believe this) I’ve seen the damage done by the abuse of alcohol, both in the white and aborignal community. To model and promote a responsible approach to any alocohol consumption is a no-brainer, but it needs to be done with sensitivity that we’re not all Irish!
Also tragic what happens when the oringinal compassionate approach of the founders of the company are replaced down the road by the profit motive. I have been run off the road in the rain forest of west Africa by Guinness trucks, which had penetrated their product into areas the gospel of Christ hadn’t. Addiction was rampant there. How strange is it that I was travelling with a mission org. founded by the same Guiness family?

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Doug Doyle

Doug Doyle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:10:49 +0000

Thanks Jarret for one of the more intelligent comments added this post!

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Jarret

Jarret — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:05:19 +0000

I Like Beer

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Doug Doyle

Doug Doyle — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:39:21 +0000

Hey Ewan … appreciate your insight there! Thanks.

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Duncan

Duncan — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:24:54 +0000

Told your hiring Buckle was genius..;-) Nice Buck. Plus great read Doug..you expressed it well. And now you have a theological basis to enjoy your next Guiness with. If someone doesn’t like Guiness are they still a Christian..or is it a milk-meat issue…

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Ewan Duffy

Ewan Duffy — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:44:19 +0000

Lets just look the other way about how only Protestants were managers in Guinness, a practice that continues until relatively recently and was duplicated in other Irish organisations, including the State owned Irish Life and An Bord Trachtala (the Irish Trade Board).

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by Christine

Christine — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:10:35 +0000

It seems to me this is another example of applied Christianity, vs head knowledge. He truly lived out the idea of Christian service!! He will have had a great impact on the Kingdom!!! To God be the Glory!

Comment on Perhaps St. Guinness? by jeremy

jeremy — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:59:09 +0000

Thank you for such a comprehesive overview of the book. It is unfortunate that I do not like Guinness, but perhaps some mercy can be extended to some ice cold Budweiser. Somehow the title is not as good…God and Bud! Ah well summer is on its’ way!
Godbless you for your kingdom work,up North and arround the world.

Comment on Why Missional Canadian? by Louella Gould

Louella Gould — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:32:25 +0000

Dear Doug,
I loved your panorama vision encased in the simple but powerful meanings given aboe of Life! Passion! Adventure! Thank you for gracing this Alliance Family with such ongoing and growing leadership! I enjoy your blog.
As the day is coming when those over 55+ will outweigh the number of children in Canada (a stat Canada I read) there is room in our missional passion to reach,inspire, and utilize this needy and highly potential group of Canadians. Keep fanning the flame of your calling! — Louella Gould