We’ve put together this collection of links and resources to help you further explore Christian faith.

Bible readings and other stuff:

• If you’re new to the bible, or just looking for something different, this website offers a variety of reading plans and personal reflection guides.
• We love The Bible Project. We’ve learned a lot about the context in which the Bible was written, and that has increased our understanding of scripture

Music:

• Since it started in 1998, Next Church as produced three albums. We have cds of the first two available for free in our Sanctuary. Our third album ‘Ramshackle Redemption’ is available online.
• We have some favourite Christian musicians whose music we like to sing on Sundays. Here’s a few we recommend checking out:
  • • Liz Vice
  • • The Sing Team
  • • John Mark McMillan
  • • Gungor
  • • Josh White / The Followers
    • The Brilliance
    • Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• We also have a Next Church YouTube page, that features videos of the Next Church Band/Ramshackle Redemption, it also has a playlist with 100 songs that we’ve sung at Next over our last 20 years as a church.

Christian books we’ve studied:

• • In 2017-2018, as a church, we studied the book Faithful Presence by David E Fitch. This book explores how we the church live out mission through seven foundational disciplines practiced in three different settings or “circles.”
  • In 2016, we studied a book called Surprise the World by Michael Frost as part of our sermon series.
  • In the early 20-teens, several Study Circles read The Prodigal God by Tim Keller, and it had a big impact on Nexters.
  • Other books studied by Circles includes Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments of Decolonization by a variety of contributors; Inspired by Rachel Held Evans; Run with the Horses by Eugene Peterson

• Here’s a list of some authors we recommend:
  • • Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
  • • Nadia Bolz-Weber
  • • NT Wright (aka Tom Wright)
  • • Rachel Held Evans
  • • Shane Claiborne
    • Tim Keller

Children’s and Parenting material:

• • At Next, we are very fond of the Jesus Storybook Bible. We’ve recently discovered this children’s devotional by the same author and illustrator Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing.
  • Some of our smaller children also use the Jesus Calling Bible Storybook; and our older children use the Action Bible.
  • Children Thriving is the website of our friend Val Michaelson. She has spent the last 20+ years focused on helping children thrive in life and faith. Val also put us onto the book Sticky Faith.
  • We also recommend Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, as well as Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Jr, to help parents talk to their kids about online Porn. Talking about it before they are exposed is a key way to prevent this becoming a problem. Learn more about the impact of porn on children and teens by watching the documentary Over 18.

SOCIAL ISSUES

Indigenous Rights:

• • Canadian Christian organization Kairos works to bring reconciliation between the church and Canadian Indigenous peoples. Visit their website for more information: https://www.kairoscanada.org/what-we-do/indigenous-rights. If you get an opportunity, we strongly encourage you to participate in their Blanket Exercise. We participated as a church in 2017, and it was a powerful experience.
  • Our Elder, Sue Lyon, participated in a multi-church project to end Corporal Punishment in Canada. This project was a response to the Call to Action #6 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). To learn more about this, read the statement.

Internet Porn (Information and Support):

• • Fight the New Drug is a non-religious and non-legislative organization that exists to provide individuals the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding pornography by raising awareness on its harmful effects using only science, facts, and personal accounts. Visit their Get the Facts page to learn why this isn’t a moral issue, but that porn has a serious impact on our brains, relationships and our world.
  • Strength to Fight is a Canadian faith-based organization who is committed to education and awareness about the growing problem of Porn Addiction. Here’s a link to their favourite resources: https://strengthtofight.ca/resources/
  • Also check out the book: Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain by William M. Struthers