Sidewalk Skyline Podcast

God At Work In Canadian Cities

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Workplace Pastor (David Dwarka interview)

September 01, 2026 by Kevin Rogers in David Dwarka, Business, Canada, Chaplaincy, Mental Health, Mission Canada, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Urban Ministry, Burlington Ontario
Workplace Pastor (David Dwarka interview)
Kevin Rogers

The focus of David Dwarka's work is to provide spiritual and mental health support to employees in a workplace environment. As Mission Canada was praying about who could take over this opportunity to serve as a workplace chaplain, a role that was begun by a previous Mission Canada worker, David is the perfect person to step in to fill the gap... and this corporate setting is right in David's hometown of Burlington, Ontario.

As a licensed mental health professional and an ordained minister with the PAOC, workplace chaplaincy provides David with the opportunity to engage with people in two area of life that he values - their mental health and their spiritual wellbeing.

David knows the importance of reaching people right where they are, leaning into everyday conversations and interactions with a listening and supportive ear. With over ten years of ministry experience, he knows that it is often in moments of crisis that people realize the need to confidentially welcome someone into their challenging situations and troubling thoughts. Wellness and wholeness can result when wise counsel is intentionally sought out and occurs in a safe place and space. And when it does, home and family life improve, social relationships strengthen, and workplace challenges often lessen.

David values being able to journey with people, providing encouragement, empathetic listening, and being a sounding board for life's many challenges. David's heart is to help people discover what he has come to understand throughout his life: That God not only loves people, but He is interested in the details of their everyday life. David desires to see people living to the full, as God intended (John 10:10).

Mission Canada is thankful for workers who are welcomed into corporate workplace settings to engage employees in their time of need. Because, in that environment, everyone wins!

Links:

Mission Canada profile:

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/daviddwarka

September 01, 2026 /Kevin Rogers
Mission Canada, David Dwarka, Chaplaincy, Mental Health
David Dwarka, Business, Canada, Chaplaincy, Mental Health, Mission Canada, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Urban Ministry, Burlington Ontario
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Neurodivergence and Spiritual Formation (Teresa Stainton)

August 15, 2026 by Kevin Rogers in At Risk Youth, Disability, Intentional Community, Mental Health
Neurodivergence and Spiritual Formation (Teresa Stainton)
Kevin Rogers

Teresa Stainton is the Learning and Development Manager for Karis Disability Services – South District. In her session at Our City Windsor 2026 she brought an educational and practical perspective on how churches and ministries can better serve people experiencing neurodivergent conditions. This is a look at best practices and inclusivity.

Link:

Karis Disability Services

https://karis.org/

August 15, 2026 /Kevin Rogers
Teresa Stainton, Our City Windsor, New Song Church - Windsor ON, Karis Disability Services, Mental Health
At Risk Youth, Disability, Intentional Community, Mental Health
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Christian Psychotherapist is not an Oxymoron (Valerie Good interview)

February 01, 2026 by Kevin Rogers in Valerie Good, Urban Ministry, Mental Health, At Risk Youth
Christian Psychotherapist is not an Oxymoron (Valerie Good interview)
Kevin Rogers

Valerie Good is a graduate of Tyndale Seminary and a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists. She has been practising in the field of mental health for 20 years. Valerie currently works as a Clinical Supervisor in an accredited community mental health agency.

She and her family live in Bradford, just north of Toronto. Her husband Rob was the founding pastor of Promise Church until recently when he took a staff position at Heartland Community Church in Mississauga.


Rob Good and Promise Church interview:

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/rob-good-and-promise-church


February 01, 2026 /Kevin Rogers
Valerie Good, Rob Good, Mental Health, Bradford Ontario, Social Work, Gender Politics, At Risk Youth
Valerie Good, Urban Ministry, Mental Health, At Risk Youth
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Worldwide (Pastor Sam interview)

November 15, 2025 by Kevin Rogers in Canada, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Mental Health, Persecution of Christians, Religion & Spirituality
Worldwide (Pastor Sam interview)
Kevin Rogers

Today I am having a conversation with Sam, a pastor in Scarborough, chaplain at a Mental Health Forensic Unit and averaging three trips per year planting churches in India since 2019. In our conversation we talk about being a worldwide Christian and having ministry in three lanes.

November 15, 2025 /Kevin Rogers
India and Canada, Mental Health, Scarborough Ontario, Urban Ministry, Toronto
Canada, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Mental Health, Persecution of Christians, Religion & Spirituality
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The Workaholic Pastor (Panel discussion)

August 31, 2025 by Kevin Rogers in Karen Stiller, James Ellis III, David Dack, Micah Lang, Kevin Rogers, Mental Health, Religious Journalism
The Workaholic Pastor (Panel Discussion)
Kevin Rogers

On today’s episode, I have four guests that were contributors to a book entitled, “Dysfunction In The Name Of Jesus – Confronting The Idol Of Pastoral Workaholism”. As one who has pastored for all of my adult life and grew up in a pastor’s home, I can speak to the value of such a book and the need to guard the pastoral heart from the world that glorifies busyness.

One of the guests is Karen Stiller, who appeared previously on Sidewalk Skyline Podcast.

Links:

Book – Dysfunction In The Name Of Jesus

https://www.helwys.com/product/dysfunction-in-the-name-of-jesus/

James Ellis III

https://www.jamesellis3.com/

 

Karen Stiller

https://karenstiller.com/

 

David Dack

https://lemoorepres.com/our-staff

 

Micah Lang

https://www.gospelmattersblog.com/about

Karen Stiller interview – Living Holy In Downtown Ottawa

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/living-holy-in-downtown-ottawa-karen-stiller-interview

 

 

 

August 31, 2025 /Kevin Rogers
Ministry Vocation, Addiction, Mental Health, James Ellis III, Karen Stiller, David Dack, Micah Lang
Karen Stiller, James Ellis III, David Dack, Micah Lang, Kevin Rogers, Mental Health, Religious Journalism
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Revisiting Child of Woe (Maury Blair interview)

September 01, 2024 by Kevin Rogers in Maury Blair, At Risk Youth, Canada, Christianity, Kevin Rogers, Mental Health, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Street Ministry Worker, Substance Abuse, Urban Ministry
Revisiting Child Of Woe (Maury Blair interview)
Kevin Rogers

Years ago I read Maury Blair’s autobiography ‘Child Of Woe’. I was shocked at the severity of the child abuse he suffered from his step-father. How could a man be so filled with contempt for an innocent child and more miraculously, how could a child of violence grow up to be so compassionate and well-balanced?

In this episode I visited Maury at his kitchen table in Cambridge, Ontario as we revisited his faith journey and ministry. We walked on the streets of Paris, Ontario to see the old homestead, the church and the streets he lived on.

This is part one of two episodes.

Link:

Breakthrough Ministries

https://overcomingabuse.ca/


September 01, 2024 /Kevin Rogers
Maury Blair, Kevin Rogers, At Risk Youth, Teen Challenge, Toronto, Mental Health, PAOC, Paris Ontario
Maury Blair, At Risk Youth, Canada, Christianity, Kevin Rogers, Mental Health, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Street Ministry Worker, Substance Abuse, Urban Ministry
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Healed Of Schizophrenia (Josh Tamblyn interview)

August 15, 2023 by Kevin Rogers in Josh Tamblyn, Canada, Christianity, Kevin Rogers, Mental Health, Mission Canada, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Serve Campus Network, Substance Abuse, Urban Ministry, Burnaby BC
Healed Of Schizophrenia (Josh Tamblyn Interview)
Kevin Rogers

When it comes to medical conditions and healing, Christians hold a range of views from the intervention of doctors and medicine, alternative practices and healing that comes from God. I am not a doctor, so I would never give medical advice but would always encourage people to take a threefold approach to getting help.

First, we ask God for help in all things. Secondly, we investigate and utilize good medicine and thirdly we look at alternative methods when the first two are not yielding a result. Some will try alternative before mainstream and that’s their choice.

I bring this up today as we consider that the spiritual life of a person may be affected by physical and mental conditions. I believe that God heals, and today’s guest passes the test in my mind for a verifiable miracle from God.

Josh Tamblyn was healed of schizophrenia. We’re going to hear his story and also learn about his present involvement in ministry.

 

Links:

 

Mission Canada Profile Page

https://paoc.org/donate/joshtamblyn

 

University Christian Ministries

https://www.joinucm.org/

Serve Campus Network

https://paoc.org/serve-campus

Ministry Spotlight

https://youtu.be/LtTXs724Fpw

 

 

August 15, 2023 /Kevin Rogers
Serve Campus Network, Josh Tamblyn, Mission Canada, Mental Health, Burnaby BC, Summit Pacific College
Josh Tamblyn, Canada, Christianity, Kevin Rogers, Mental Health, Mission Canada, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Serve Campus Network, Substance Abuse, Urban Ministry, Burnaby BC
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Mental Health In Ministry (Sath Arulvarathan)

June 15, 2023 by Kevin Rogers in Sath Arulvarathan, Canada, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Urban Ministry, Mental Health
Mental Health In Ministry (Sath Arulvarathan)
Kevin Rogers

Sath Arulvarathan is a Registered Social Worker who has experience working in community and hospital mental health organizations. He is also involved in church planting.

Sath is skilled in supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, substance use, trauma, life transitions and relationship breakdown.

He believes that the relationship between the therapist and client is the foundation for any intervention to be effective, and works from a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and anti-oppressive perspective. A firm believer in the benefits of short-term counselling, Sath aims to support clients to develop the skills and self-understanding they need to live better.


Links:

Sath’s blog posts for Trinity Life Church, Scarborough

https://www.trinitylife.ca/people/sath-arulvarathan/

Toronto Church Planting Video:

https://vimeo.com/77222798

June 15, 2023 /Kevin Rogers
Sath Arulvarathan, Mental Health, Toronto, Our City Toronto
Sath Arulvarathan, Canada, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Urban Ministry, Mental Health
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