Interim Staff

Organizers of a one-day conference in Burlington hope to spur Christians to practical action in the culture wars.

Equipping Christians for the Public Square will hold its first annual Ignite Our Culture conference at the Crossroads Centre on Nov. 13 from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. in hopes of motivating people to become more involved in the political realm and in their communities to make a stand for traditional values.

Rev. Tristan Emmanuel of the EPC Centre told The Interim that his organization has assembled local and national speakers to get Christians “motivated and active in our culture.” The EPC Centre did so after Emmanuel found that “far too few Christians are taking an active role in our culture.” He identified several reasons for this seeming apathy, including a lack of leadership from the pulpit, poor teaching from pastors and a sense of hopelessness or irrelevance. He hopes that the Igniting Our Culture conference will address these issues.

In the morning, participants will have a choice of workshops and information sessions, including hearing Phil Lees of the Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Coalition on how to be a more effective local activist, Senator Ann Cools on how to lobby MPs and senators, Oakville lawyer Herman Faber on what Christians need to do to protect themselves against such secular legislation as hate crimes law and Interim editor-in-chief Paul Tuns on what happens when the public becomes inattentive to what’s happening in politics.

In the afternoon, there will be two presentations. Cools will examine the impact of Canada’s divorce law on marriage and the fallout for fathers. Cornelis Van Dam, theologian at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, will deliver an apologetic for marriage.

Emmanuel will present two devotionals during the day and embattled Christian printer Scott Brockie will be the master of ceremonies.

Emmanuel promises that those who attend “will hear a different message, that there is no contradiction between Christ and culture.” He said the presenters will give talks that “practically motivate Christian participation in our culture.”

The cost of the event is $49.95 (tax included) and will include lunch.