Eclectic Christian

Welcome to Eclectic Christian.  As you may have noticed, Eclectic Christian has gone through some fairly significant changes.  We have a new look and we have added two new authors, Tim Melton and Joshua Hearne.  The information in this post was originally in the “About” page, but as that information is changing I wanted somewhere to keep my own introduction.  Hence this post.

My name is Mike Bell, and I am using this site to share my thoughts on a diverse Christian world.  I call this site Eclectic Christian, because that is truely what I am.  In my Christian journey I have learned to appreciate many different facets of Christianity.

• I have appreciated the emphasis on the written word of God from my days in Christian Brethren and Baptist circles.
• I have appreciated the emphasis on the Holy Spirit from my days in Christian and Missionary Alliance and Pentecostal Circles.
• I have appreciated the ability of the Christian and Missionary Alliance to find common ground with-in themselves on areas of doctrine with which all their members may not agree.
• I have appreciated the strong sense of history and interest in the early church that I have found among some of my Catholic friends.
• I appreciate the care for the disenfranchised and for the environment found in the United Church of Canada.
• I appreciate the fresh music that has been introduced to our worship services from the Vineyard churches.
• I appreciate the focus on the church year that I have found in Anglican churches that I have visited.
• I appreciate the salvation message that is being emphasized in a variety of evangelical churches.
• I appreciate the way that many Reformed churches have an emphasis on family.
• I appreciate the emphasis on church planting found within the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
• I appreciate the Missions emphasis that I find in my Christian Brethren, Brethren in Christ, and Alliance roots.
• I appreciate that it is possible for Christians of many different backgrounds to worship, pray, and study God’s word together as I found during my years in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

In short, I want to emphasize that which I find good about the way that others are seeking to follow Christ.

Although I am accredited to be a Pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, I work full time as an Internet Web Application Developer and Database Developer. Between work, and a busy family life, (wonderful wife and 3 kids) I manage to keep myself pretty occupied, so I will be blogging about twice a week.

The picture below is a view over the town of Dundas, Ontario.  (My house is a tiny spec in the center of the picture.)  I have a heart for Dundas and want to see the church of Dundas doing more to reach its community for Christ.

Dundas, Ontario