Summer Teaching Series: Why Church? | NOW AVAILABLE

What’s the church all about? Why does God gather his people this way? Can we really speak of “mystery” in a postmodern age? And what do we do when the church messes up?

Starting this summer, three Canadian pastors from three different churches in Ontario and Quebec are exploring these questions together in a new six-part series called: 

Why Church? Making Sense of the Mess and the Mystery. 

Do you have new people showing up with questions about the church? Do you sense that some area of your church’s ministry is stuck, tired, or has lost focus? Maybe you just have some gaps in your summer teaching schedule. We would love for you to make use of all six messages, show one on a Sunday as a conversation starter, or work a few of them into your own series about this always-relevant topic. 

We have produced and filmed all six messages which are now available at the link below!

SERIES SUMMARY:

In a post-institutional and post-Christian environment here in Canada (and in the wake of many church scandals or dysfunction) many might wonder why or whether the church has relevance going forward. This series will be honest about the mess and the mystery, but attempt to also name the beautiful and essential centrality of the church in our lives with Jesus.

TOPICS:

A MYSTERY WE CAN’T IGNORE - Dom Ruso

THE CHURCH AS FORMATION - Tyler Tavares

IT’S A FAMILY MATTER - Vijay Krishnan

UNHOLY WATER, FLAT BREAD & FAKE WINE - Vijay Krishnan

THE CHURCH AS A MOVEMENT - Tyler Tavares

LIVING TRUTH IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD - Dom Ruso

This series was developed in collaboration with and initially preached at The Well, Cobourg Alliance and the180 from May 12-June 16.

SPEAKER BIOS:

Vijay

Vijay Krishnan is the Lead Pastor here at The Well. He and his wife Jennifer were part of a group who “planted” The Well in 2005 and in 2009, Vijay left his career in business to join the pastoral staff.

Growing up as a pastor’s kid, the church was a part of life from the beginning. It was there that he met his Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. The church provided opportunities to form friendships that have lasted for decades, learn about spiritual gifts and abilities, and receive guidance from the generation ahead. However, during his university years and subsequent corporate work experience, Vijay discovered that for most people, the church was an obstruction (not a pathway) to finding God. He heard story after story of individuals who were sincerely seeking God but encountered hypocrisy, hurt, irrelevance and boredom. This discovery wrecked him. He resolved that if I ever had a chance to be a part of a church community that was able to authentically (though not perfectly) introduce people to Jesus, he would jump in with both feet. God provided that opportunity at The Well.

Vijay, Jennifer, and their three sons are privileged to be a part of what He is doing in, and through, The Well.

Dom

Born and raised in Montreal, Dom's early faith experiences came from going to a Roman Catholic Church and later experiencing an added understanding of his faith within a Protestant context. The richness of this upbringing led to numerous questions which eventually drew Dom to making a commitment to follow Jesus and pursue pastoral ministry. Beginning as a youth pastor, Dom was blessed to pour into the lives of youth who were thinking about deep life questions. This taught Dom how important it is to create room for the next generation. Following this opportunity Dom found himself leading university students and young adults in diverse settings.  In this context Dom recognized his passion to teach the Bible and the need to grow in his understanding of the story of Christianity and its rich and complex history. This led him to complete an M.A. in Early Church Studies at Concordia University and most recently completed a PhD in Historical Theology (Wycliffe College, UoT).  Dom finished his studies while working as a teaching pastor and a lead pastor in different churches. This taught him the importance of providing relevant teaching for those unsure of, or unfamiliar with the Christian faith. 

Dom's creative approach to visionary leadership impacts every area of the180. Dom is also focused on developing and cultivating a healthy culture at the180. This happens through leadership meetings and in one-on-one conversations. Also, Dom regularly partners with different churches who believe in our vision and who have a deep love for the province of Quebec. Dom's passion for teaching and exploring the Biblical text for a 21st century context shapes our Sunday gatherings and our overall vision. 

Tyler

Tyler is the Lead Pastor at Cobourg Alliance Church in Cobourg, Ontario. From California to Illinois to Maryland—with a brief stint in Kuwait before landing in Kentucky—Tyler has lived in many places but now calls Ontario “home”. Tyler came to faith early in life which led to an interest in deepening his relationship with God. He has a B.A.in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College in Illinois, an Mdiv at Asbury Theological Seminary and is on his way to becoming a PhD candidate in Theology at Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. Tyler is a husband and the father of three and loves getting to know people, exploring faith, drinking any kind of coffee and is grateful to God for giving him the chance to contribute to the life of the local church.

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