Klaassen
Tim and Kelly
Significant Dates:
· Appointed to serve in 2024.
Tim and Kelly Klaassen were both called into missions separately as young teens. Their respective churches had vibrant mission programs supporting many overseas missionaries; often Tim and Kelly benefitted from hearing firsthand reports from missionaries being hosted in their parent’s homes overnight.
Tim and Kelly met while studying at Northwest Baptist College and graduated in 1993. In 1994 they were married and, keen to begin their new married life in pursuit of building the Kingdom of God together through missions overseas, they applied to Fellowship International. Due to their young age, Fellowship International asked them to wait, and gain some life experience in church settings within Canada.
They write, “For most of our 30 years of marriage we have raised three boys and served in Fellowship churches as pastor and wife — from Victoria to Port Hardy and many points in between on Vancouver Island. We’ve served in Nanaimo at Departure Bay Church as lead pastor from 2001-2024.”
Having raised their children and gained some life experience they reapplied to Fellowship International and were appointed as missionaries and mission equippers to Nanaimo, BC and beyond.
Kelly co-owns a local artisan retail shop with her sister where they have weekly opportunities to share the love of Christ in action, with prayer and introductions to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Tim will continue to lead their church and other churches and faith organizations in abiding in Christ, praying for the lost, and going out into the harvest, whether in neighbourhoods, workplaces, or public spaces, including Nanaimo’s local university.
They write: “Joining Fellowship International allows Tim to devote his full time to equipping churches in living out our Gospel mandate of Matthew 28, Acts 1, and 2 Corinthians 5 — making disciples, and being witnesses and ambassadors for Christ Jesus, all with the presence and power of Jesus through His Holy Spirit. The Father longs for all people to come to a knowledge of Himself and He has chosen to use His Church as instruments for this mission (Matthew 24:14).
“We are grateful that the LORD has put this calling on our hearts and for Fellowship International providing us the opportunity to serve with them for the glory of God.”