President's Blog

The Difference Between a Movement and a Monument

A “movement” happens when core values are owned and become transformative. A “monument” happens when we continue to record what used to happen here.

Since 1953, our churches have freely associated behind an affirmation of faith (click HERE) that answered the question, “What do we believe?” This document has served us well.

But four years ago our Fellowship of churches adopted a directional document called, “We Are the Fellowship”, that answered the questions, “Who are we?” and, “What do we do?”

Over a three year period and with the involvement of over 700 Fellowship leaders via surveys, gatherings and a task force, we agreed on our Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategy. All compiled in the Fellowship Directional Document. This document is not an exclusive “National” document. This document serves the entire Fellowship just as our Affirmation of Faith seeks to do. “We Are the Fellowship” is an identity document for local churches, Regions, and National.
We state that our Mission is “A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ”.

Ed Stetzer on “Movement”

I heard Ed Stetzer talk on “movement” a few years back. He declared ten elements needed to start and fuel a “movement”:

1. Prayer — ask God to change us.
2. Intentionality — be intentional about being movemental.
3. Sacrifice — No change happens without giving something up.
4. Reproducibility — movements occur when small things grow rapidly because they are reproducible.
5. Theological integrity — hold firm and be passionate.
6. Incarnational — be on mission in your community.
7. Empowerment — movements occur when the “clergification” of the church occurs… laity is empowered, we are all missionaries.
8. Charity — speak well and act generously toward other Christian groups.
9. Scalability — will your structure serve or hinder the movement? Structures must change and resize easily.
10. Holism — seek proclamational as well as societal (holistic ministry) transformation.
                                                          — Ed Stetzer at EFC Presidents’ Day (Oct. 28, 2015)

Fellowship VALUES

Our movement makes disciples. We want to be a disciple-making movement in Canada. We have hitched ourselves to seven values that will support and drive us to effectively pursue this mission. I encourage you to become familiar with our values:

We unite together in:
1. Radical submission to God’s Word resulting in Biblical proclamation and personal transformation.
2. Fervent prayer resulting in growing dependence on God.
3. Committed interdependence resulting in collaborative participation.
4. Strategic leadership multiplication resulting in equipped and empowered leaders.
5. Bold innovation resulting in culturally-relevant ministry.
6. Mutual accountability resulting in measurable Kingdom growth.
7. Active compassion resulting in mercy, relief, and justice.

Take a peek at the four minute “We Are the Fellowship” video which explains our mission and values.