Phil Reinders on a Shared Rule of Life, Recovering Ancient Paths, and Being a Missionary to Canada
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In today’s episode, Phil Reinders invites us into a pastoral journey shaped by a deep conviction: Canada is his mission field. Drawing from decades of ministry across Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, Phil reflects on what evangelism and discipleship look like in a culture that has rapidly shed its Christian memory.
We explore why many people today are drawn not to novelty, but to the ancient paths of Christian formation, and how historic practices, when lived communally, can form resilient disciples in a fragmented age. At the heart of the conversation is Habitus Community, a shared rule of life community designed to strengthen local churches by helping ordinary Christians practice a coherent way of life with God. This conversation is an invitation to pastors and leaders who are longing for deeper formation, sustainable rhythms, and a renewed love for the local church.
In this conversation, Jason and Phil explore:
Why Phil understands his calling as being a missionary to Canada, and what that means in a post-Christian culture,
The hunger for ancient Christian practices in a world that promises freedom but delivers fragmentation,
How a shared rule of life can form ordinary disciples through daily, weekly, and communal rhythms,
The origin and vision of Habitus, and why community is essential for spiritual practices to endure,
Rediscovering love for the local church, not as an ideal, but as a gift God uses to form us.
Phil speaks with clarity, humility, and a deep love for the Church. His reflections invite pastors to slow down and believe that faithfulness, lived together, still bears worthwhile fruit in our time.
Phil Reinders
Phil Reinders lives in Toronto (gratefully a Blue Jays fan, reluctantly a Leafs fan) and has served the Canadian church for over 30 years across Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. He is married to Betty (38 years) and is the proud dad of Owen (23) and Lily (20).
Phil currently serves as Lead Pastor of ClearView Church in Oakville, Ontario. He teaches in the Doctor of Ministry program at Tyndale Seminary, where he focuses on spiritual formation, and is the founder and leader of the Habitus Community, a dispersed community shaped by a shared rule of life.
A lifelong student, Phil holds degrees from Acadia University (DMin), Regent College (ThM), Calvin Theological Seminary (MDiv), and Calvin College (BA). He is the author of Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year and writes a Substack newsletter called Why Not Be a Saint? Phil loves words, good coffee, music, film, photography, and the slow, meditative practice of baking sourdough bread—much to the amusement of his family.
Show Notes
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