Trials, joy & perseverance – a talk with Dan Scott
by Westminster
When Dan was a child he watched his house burned to the ground in an act of arson. The next morning his father read James 1:2-3 to him and his siblings: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” He then led them in a prayer of thanksgiving and sent them off to school.
This episode of The Word at Westminster is a talk with Dan Scott, the national Moderator of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. Pastor Ruttan and he discuss what it means to think about trials as pure joy, and how the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
They discuss:
- What it was like to witness his childhood home in Woodbridge burn to the ground
- His father’s example and devotion
- How his trials have shaped him
- The difference between joy and happiness. “Lots of us rely on happiness, but joy is more bedrock stuff.”
- What it means to persevere
- Wisdom for getting through our current trials
- Habits that tether you to God in a storm
- A word to people barely holding on
Before it begins, here is a bit more about our guest.
Dan is the minister at St. John’s, Bradford, Ontario and an associate professor at Tyndale University where he previously served as Vice President and Academic Dean. During his term as Dean, Tyndale was ranked number one for student satisfaction in the university issue of Maclean’s magazine.
In 1987, his adventurous spirit took him to China where he taught ESL to academics. Upon returning to Canada in 1989 after the T’ienanmen crisis, he served on the pastoral staff at Knox Church, Toronto.
His leadership has connected the church to the wider community, including through special-needs camps, a twinning project between local schools and First Nations schools, as founder of the Bradford Ministerial, as a hockey and soccer coach, and by integrating community groups into the life of the church.
Dan has served as moderator of the Presbytery of Oak Ridges, as ecumenical observer on behalf of The Presbyterian Church in Canada to the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s Council of Presidents.
Dan is a father of 3, grandfather of 3, and is a life long fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs!
This podcast is a also published at The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan.
Enjoy!
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