C.S. Lewis contended that shame prevents us from doing good – perhaps even more so than vice. Shame causes us to shrink back and go small. Shame can also cause us to try and go big to validate ourselves –…
The Bell: How beauty sets us free
Author: Ken Shigematsu
The Bell: An invitation written in the stars
The wonder and conviction that lead us to the King. Read Matthew 2:1-11 In the film Contact, there is an emotional scene where the astronomer Ellie Arroway, played by Jodie Foster, explains to her friend her decision to venture into…
The meaning of Easter
In late December of 2023 our family was visiting my wife Sakiko’s family at their home in Osaka, Japan. My mother-in-law took us out to dinner at one of her favourite restaurants – Pusan, a Korean restaurant. We all had…
Advent: Living Hope – may we, like Mary, play our part
Christianity Today has put together a digital Advent Devotional entitled Living Hope that includes daily devotional readings, weekly Bible studies and a Bible reading guide. Ken Shigematsu, senior pastor of Tenth Church, was invited to write one of the readings; it is…
The church’s role in creating systemic racism & how the church can dismantle it
We still live with the legacy of historical, heretical beliefs. But God can make us new. In 1882, Canada’s first prime minister John A. Macdonald said to the House of Commons, “I have reason to believe that the agents as a…
The power of gratefulness and humility
Ken Shigematsu has been chosen as the speaker for World Vision’s annual ‘Church Leaders Forum,’ which will take place in 14 cities across Canada this spring. He will address the topic From Surviving to Thriving April 25 at Cariboo Road…
Survival habits of the soul: three practices that help us feel loved & whole
Even though I’ve been out of school for many years, I still have nightmares where I am a student completely unprepared for a French or math exam. I feel the pressure to perform, like when I played competitive basketball and…
Give an invitation – the rest is in God’s hands
When in my early 20s, I was working in Tokyo for the Sony Corporation; I attended a small church with 30 to 40 people on a Sunday. The pastor was 80 years old and was looking for someone to pinch-hit…