Welcome to The Ember Blog
The Ember Blog is the online voice of the FURNACE Christian Fellowship, a house church in Canton, Ohio, where contemplative spirituality meets charismatic worship in the secret place of encounter with God.
What is the FURNACE?
The FURNACE is a community of believers rediscovering the ancient path of interior Christianity—the mystical union with Christ that the saints and desert fathers knew, combined with the fire and freedom of the Holy Spirit. We gather as a house church, creating intimate space for deep encounter with the living God in what Jesus called “the inner room” (Matthew 6:6).
We believe the church was always meant to be a furnace—a place of refining fire, transformative presence, and burning love. Here, contemplation and charisma aren’t opposites but dance partners in the life of the Spirit.
At the FURNACE, we believe the Christian life begins in the Inner Room, where Jesus invites us to shut the door and meet Him in secret. Teresa of Ávila called that place a furnace of divine love — where the soul, like wood placed into fire, is transformed until it becomes wholly flame.
Let’s be specific: the Inner Room is not a prayer corner in your spare bedroom. Rather, it is a mystical space within each believer set aside for communion with God. “The Kingdom of God is within.” This is the place where we abide with Christ. As Jesus said so clearly: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Our calling is simple: to be a people consumed by His presence, purified by His Spirit, and sent out burning with His love that we might bear much fruit.
We are Christ centered.
We are Spirit led.
We are charismatic.
We are mystic.
We are the FURNACE.
What You’ll Find at The Ember Blog
Through this Substack, we explore the depths of Christian spirituality that many modern believers have never encountered. Our weekly posts dive into:
The rich tradition of Christian mysticism and contemplative practice
The marriage of inner-room intimacy and Spirit-empowered living
Ancient spiritual disciplines for modern disciples
The biblical theology of union with Christ
Deliverance ministry and spiritual warfare from a contemplative perspective
Church history’s forgotten saints and their wisdom for today
Each post is crafted to take you deeper into the secret place where transformation happens—not through religious performance, but through genuine encounter with the God who dwells within.
Who Writes This?
The Ember Blog is written primarily by Scot Lahaie, Lead Pastor of the FURNACE Christian Fellowship, professor at Regent University, and author of the forthcoming book The Return to the Inner Temple: Reclaiming the Secret Places in Christian Discipleship. With a lifetime of walking the contemplative-charismatic path, Scot brings both scholarly depth and pastoral heart to exploring the interior life with Christ.
You’ll also find contributions from trusted guest authors—voices from within our fellowship and others who share our passion for the deeper currents of life in the Spirit.
Join Us on the Journey
If you’re hungry for more than surface-level Christianity, if you sense there’s a deeper well to drink from, if you’re curious about the mystical dimensions of faith that evangelical culture often overlooks—you’ve found your people.
Subscribe to receive weekly posts exploring the depths of life in Christ. Every article is sent directly to your inbox, inviting you deeper into the furnace of transformation.
Connect with The Furnace
Website: TheFurnaceCF.org
Sunday Gatherings: We meet weekly in Canton, Ohio (contact for location)
Deliverance Ministry: Available by appointment
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