The Desire to Win
By Mountain Standard Regional Minister, Dennis Stone
Originally posted on February 5th, 2021
Okay, I just tweeted, “The desire to win gets in the way of healthy dialogue.” That is a paraphrase from the book: “Crucial Conversation Tools For Talking When Stakes Are High”. Out of all the thoughts I’ve seen, heard or read this month, this one has struck a cord with me.
In my work I deal with policy writing, conflicted individuals, politicized debate, stereotypes, and conversations with various levels of potential conflict. The tensions or potential tensions continue into relationships with family, neighbours and friends. Fear is behind all of this.
We will never see an end to tension. I think some believe that somewhere in the past or somewhere in the future, even before Jesus returns, that there will be a time of no stress, no conflict, and no infighting. That kind of self-talk will drive us bonkers. At some point we need to realize and accept that conflict will always be with us …‘until death do us part’.
If we are only observers of others in a squabble, it may be easier to see through to the individuals’ motivations. That is not always the case. We become experts at hiding our real motivations …the outcome we really want. It is this desire to come out on top and win that complicates us in a battle. When we ourselves are in an argument, we usually convey only aspects that help our side. Our own desired ends may even be hidden to ourselves. Perhaps we just want validation, affirmation, or an action that will help us get to another goal we have for ourselves.
Scripture says that ‘the heart is deceitful’. Perhaps we should acknowledge this more readily. We are often blind to what is stirring the pot, what is making us agitated, or what gets us riled up. Looking back each one of us can see the plots where we were on the wrong side of a discussion. That would be several times over for me personally.
May God help us to see more clearly where we need to repent, apologize, calm down, grant grace, and start from scratch. God says we are to love our enemies. If we could even get a small slice of that in our hearts in conflicted situations, we could likely come out honouring God more and living with outcomes more easily.
Your co-worker in the conflict,
Dennis
Update on Adventure Day Camps
By Pastor Ashley Winke
For the last 22 years Adventure Day Camps has been ministering to children from Sherwood Park Trinity Baptist church and our surrounding community of Strathcona County. Though it has taken on different forms throughout the years, it has always provided campers with week-long day camp experiences that include a wide variety of fun activities and meaningful ministry time with worship time and interactive Bible lessons. Every year we see children and their families impacted by the relationships they form at camp and by the truth of God’s word that is planted in their hearts.
In 2021, we have smaller numbers of campers due to Covid-19, but we’ve taken the opportunity to re-structure camps to allow for more weeks of camp to run throughout the summer, and we’ve included a week of camp for preschoolers and kindergartners. Also, we’ve looked for ways to maximize every opportunity to pour into our youth leaders who come to serve in Adventure Day Camps to maximize their leadership growth. Later this summer, we plan to do pop-up camp activities at playgrounds around Sherwood Park to minister to kids in our surrounding neighbourhoods. In these ways Adventure Day Camps continues to serve the vision of cultivating leadership, investing in relationships and engaging in mission in our community. We are excited for all that God has in store for the next 20 years and more!
Trinity Preschool has now been serving the families of Strathcona County and Trinity Baptist Church for over 20 years. We have a fully-licensed, thriving program that runs from September to May for 3 and 4-year-olds that engages them in ima play and learning and instills truths of God’s word and love for each child in their hearts.
Welcome to Two New Pastors in MS Region
Garry Koop is the new lead pastor at Westview Baptist Church. His wife’s name is Kimberley and they have two adult daughters. For the last 20 years, Garry has been actively involved in ministries within the Evangelical Mennonite Conference and with the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec. He comes to Calgary from Steinbach, Manitoba. Garry has his Doctorate in Ministry from Northern Baptist Seminary and also studied at Tyndale College, University and Seminary. Garry has been a featured guest speaker at Bible camps, retreats and conferences.
We welcome Garry to his new calling in Calgary and look forward to having this new colleague in our midst.
Hanneke Boersema is the new Children and Families Minister at Westview Baptist Church. She is joined by her husband Ryan and children Keira and Naomi. Hanneke received her Bachelor in Applied Theology in Belgium and a Master of Educational Science while living in the Netherlands. She brings over 20 years of experience as a Child and Education Specialist, Religious Teacher and Pastor of Families and Children. We warmly welcome Hanneke to the CBWC!
This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Want to tell us how great we’re doing? Or how terribly? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca