A Word from Steve

Prone to leave the God I love

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 PST

Robert Robinson wrote: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.”

Anyone of us can testify to occasions when our walk “in Christ” doesn’t feel close and intimate. What do you do when the journey seems to have taken the wrong turn at the fork in the road? You seek help and support.

If you are feeling the need to talk confidentially to a Christian counselor about any spiritual, emotional, or marital concerns in your life before your concern becomes a crisis, please consider phoning the Clergy Care network hotline at 1-888-5-CLERGY (1-888-525-3749).

Fellowship National and several other evangelical denominations in Canada have partnered with Focus on the Family to provide professional Christian counselors to their clergy, missionaries, and chaplains and their spouses.

Your phone call is confidential. No one reports who contacts the Clergy Care hotline. Just phone and talk to a credentialed professional Christian counselor. Do it today.

Life and ministry can rob us of the “joy of our salvation”. Those who consistently experience soul-health receive the promise of James 1:12 (NIV):

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

The promise and prize of resisting temptation is the “crown of life”. This is understood as receiving God’s blessing over our life. When we consistently win over temptation, we live and enjoy life to the fullest.

Don’t let Satan get a foot-hold in your life by playing the shame-game or the blame-game. Be keenly aware where the enemy of our soul seeks to penetrate our heart. His game-plan is spelled out later in James:

DESIRE (James 1:14 NIV)

“…each person is tempted when … by their own evil DESIRE…”

Desires are not all evil. They’re good, even essential. But any desire to excess becomes destructive, bringing harm to our spiritual and emotional life. We can often be doing damage to our life while pursuing something good but to excess. Temptation is often a fulfillment of a legitimate desire but done in a wrong way or at the wrong time.

The second step in the Devil’s game plan is:

DECEPTION (James 1:14 NIV)

“…they are dragged away … and enticed.”

The words “dragged away” are a hunting term meaning “to be snared in a trap”. The word “enticed” is a fishing term meaning “to be lured by bait”. Different traps and bait work on different fish or animals. The devil knows the bait that works best in your life. You see, you desire, you start to nibble believing you’re smart enough to know when to pull back. The deception is hooked. This is a sign of spiritual immaturity.

The third step in the Devil’s game plan is:

DISOBEDIENCE (James 1:15 NIV)

“Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin…”

The Message paraphrases this verse as: “Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin!”

James moves from a fishing metaphor in verse 14 to a childbirth metaphor in verse 15. What begins in our minds gives birth to an action or a destructive habit. But it starts in the mind. And often what we initially flirt with is what we will eventually fall for. Marketing advertisers know this is a fact of life.

Desires lead to deception which leads to disobedience which ends up in:

DEATH (James 1:15 NIV)

“…and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to DEATH.”

Death is the final consequence of our tendency toward being “prone to wander”. Instead of receiving the crown of life, we receive death.

We all have free will. We have freedom to choose the narrow path or to wander from it. But, God has not given us the freedom to choose the consequences.

For the unbeliever it means separation from God.

For the believer it means broken fellowship with God.

The pastor and hymnist, Robert Robinson, penned these familiar words in 1757:

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love.”

But Robinson finished his thought and his hymn with a final promise:

“Here’s my heart, O take and seal it;

Seal it for thy courts above.”

In James 1:17-18 the Bible turns from sin and evil desires (vs. 14-16) to God’s goodness. Two things will help us from wandering:

THINK on whatever is “good and perfect” and remember our true IDENTITY for we are God’s “prized possession” (James 1:17-18 NLT)

God has adopted us into His family. The Bible has given us absolute assurance that God has sealed us as His children forevermore.

When those inevitable occasions in life seek to rob us of the joy of this reality, the Bible challenges us to refocus our thoughts (James 1:17) and remember we’re Kingdom kids (James 1:18).

This won’t make us immune from dark days, but it will give sufficient light to find our way back from our wanderings.

Diaspora Mission in a Changing World

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 PST

I attended the Baptist World Alliance Conference in July 2025. Along with 4000+ Baptists from 138 countries. An amazing gathering.

I enjoyed one workshop led by Rev Darrell Jackson, the principal of Whitley College in Melbourne, Australia. I want to share with you some interesting insights from Professor Jackson from his workshop entitled “Diaspora Mission in a Changing World”.

What changes define this moment in history? Could these changes help define how the Church conducts mission? Could the changes be reflected in the global movement of people entering Canada and our communities? Some have called this the “age of migration”.

In 2024 there were 304 million international migrants worldwide, which is one person in every twenty-seven.

The drivers of this movement include climate change, economic opportunity, conflict, and persecution.

Attempts to resist this movement include the construction of border walls and fences, the implementation of legal and policy restrictions, and the rise of various forms of nationalism including Christian nationalism.

It’s ironic that the more we try to stop migration, the more we underscore its transformative power. It’s somewhat paradoxical that the growing hostility towards migrants and resistance to migration merely serves to underscore the unprecedented and unstoppable impact of migration upon the communities, societies, and nations of our changing world.

Reframing the Conversation

So, lets pose another question: “What if we’ve been asking the wrong questions about migration and mission?”

Traditionally, we’ve tended to ask the question “How do we do mission BECAUSE the world is changing?”

Migration and diaspora aren’t challenges to overcome–we need to be comfortable with the possibility that they are, in fact, pathways to transforming how we do mission in Canada and beyond.

Four Dimensions of Diaspora Mission

Mission TO the diaspora: “Meeting people where they are”

When we talk about “Mission TO the diaspora,” we’re talking about where they’ve chosen to gather, rather than where they were born. Amazingly, most of these communities in Canada remain completely unengaged with congregations committed to following Jesus.

Geography is now an ally. Right now, in Los Angeles, you can access more Iranians in a few neighbourhoods than you could reach in most cities across Iran. In Melbourne, the Greek diaspora community is more concentrated and accessible than in many regions of Greece itself.

This is more than convenience–it’s an unprecedented opportunity. Entire communities who might be difficult to reach in their home countries are now our neighbours, shopping in our grocery stores, sending their children to our local schools.

In these situations, you don’t just show up with a megaphone and a tract. Cultural sensitivity isn’t optional–it’s essential. These communities carry their homeland in their hearts, alongside complex emotions of displacement, hope, and identity.

Authentic relationship-building is the bridge. Meeting people where they are. Not just geographically, but culturally, emotionally, spiritually. Diaspora mission isn’t about conquering territory. It’s about crossing the street with genuine love and stepping into someone else’s story.

The question isn’t whether the opportunity exists. The question is: are we ready to cross the street?

Mission AMONG the diaspora: “Living in the in-between”

But, what happens when you don’t just cross the street, you live on both sides of it simultaneously? This is mission AMONG the diaspora.

Imagine this: every morning, you wake up Korean. Every evening, you go to sleep Canadian. You bow to your grandmother while texting your college friends. You know the weight of han-the uniquely Korean concept of deep sorrow–and you also know the lightness of Canadian optimism. You are perpetually translating, not just languages, but entire worlds.

This is the reality for second- and third-generation diaspora communities. A constant identity negotiation: preserving the sacred traditions of their parents while embracing the possibilities of their new home. Is this a burden, or a ministry asset?

Well, this bicultural perspective doesn’t dilute the Gospel–it reveals dimensions of God’s character that monocultural communities don’t see.

In the in-between space, ministry doesn’t just happen. It transforms. And sometimes, the most fruitful missionaries are those who’ve learned to call two worlds home. This not just life in the gap–at its best, it’s bridging the gap. In multiple ways.

Mission WITH the diaspora: “Towards partnership in a mobile world”

What if the most effective global missionaries today aren’t necessarily the ones with seminary degrees? What if they’re nurses?

Consider a Filipino nurse in Dubai. She video-calls her family every Sunday. She sends money home monthly. She maintains WhatsApp friendships across three continents. She’s not just an immigrant–she’s a living, breathing transnational network.

Now, multiply that by millions. Filipino nurses work in hospitals worldwide. They’re not just moving money across borders – they’re moving relationships, ideas, spiritual relationships, and genuine care.

One nurse prays with a patient in London. She shares the need for prayer with a church in the Philippines. It travels to a prayer group in Singapore.

Diaspora Christians are creating new mission strategies, leveraging global networks in ways that traditional missionaries sometimes struggle to replicate.

It’s sustainable. There’s no reliance on foreign funding. It’s globally connected. It’s organic yet intentional. It’s professional yet deeply personal.

In a world where people, ideas, and influence move at the speed of

Visit the City of Eternal Spring: Let's go to Colombia

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 PST

Lord willing, I plan to visit Medellín, Colombia on November 6-16, 2026 and I’d like to take a group of Fellowship leaders with me. It’s an opportunity to expose our churches and church leaders to the possible partnership between your church and a church plant in Colombia. Please prayerfully consider coming on my next Colombia Vision Tour (CVT) on November 6-16, 2026.

Parkdale Baptist Church in Belleville, ON sent one of their mission team leaders last year and recently began a partnership with the Grace and Truth (“Gracia y Verdad”) church plant just outside Medellín. A short-term missions team went to Colombia in 2025 and Aaron Lalvani sent me the following report:

It has been an incredible journey working alongside El Redil Gracia y Verdad for the past year. In this short time, Parkdale has sent one adult team (November 2024) and recently a youth team (March 2025). The purpose of each of these teams was different. In the case of the adult team, building a close relationship with the current church members and families was an important objective. For the youth team it was leaning on the El Redil pastor’s remarkable Bible-training abilities and assisting with the building of a hydroponic garden lab.

The El Redil movement has been successfully planting churches for decades. As Parkdale Baptist Church focuses on our 2030 Vision of church planting in our communities, we believe there are opportunities to learn and grow with Gracia y Verdad.

In November 2025, I hosted another team of church leaders on a CVT and we saw the hydroponic project. Two more Fellowship churches began five-year church plant partnerships in Medellín, Colombia this past year.

Join me November 6-16, 2026 in Colombia

Fellowship International missionary Phil Webb and myself are hosting a Colombian Vision Tour (CVT) in November 2026 to expose Fellowship leaders to the possibility of partnering in the Medellín area. Our mission has worked for decades with The Federation of Baptist Churches in Colombia (Federación de Iglesias Bautistas de Colombia), within a network of 18 churches called El Redil (which means “the sheep fold”). They are planting churches and I hope some of our Fellowship churches will support them in this Gospel effort.

Please click here to get a fuller understanding of the vision and objective of this CVT.

Trip details:

What: Colombia Vision Tour

When: November 6-16, 2026

Where: Medellín, Colombia

Cost: $2,400 per person; includes flights to and from Colombia, and in-country accommodation, meals, and travel

Why: To visit church planting projects and consider a five-year partnership between your local church and an El Redil church plant. We will also visit with Fellowship International missionaries Diego and Claudia Cardona.

Hosts: Phil Webb and Steve Jones, along with in-country hosts Carlos and John-Jairo.

Registration: Contact Steve Jones (sjones@fellowship.ca). Registration and payment ($2,400) must be received by the August 1, 2026 deadline. Only ten leaders can go—first come, first served.

I hope to hear from you on or before August 1, 2026.

The Power of prayer and the Lord's supper in reaching people

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 PST

Fellowship Chaplaincy is a ministry of presence that demonstrates the love of Christ. Fellowship chaplains are an extension of our local churches, often in closed communities. They are “closed” in the sense that clergy and congregations are not permitted or are received poorly when they seek to connect. Pastors are not permitted to walk into a police detachment to minister, but chaplains are welcomed.

Here are a couple Fellowship chaplains and their stories. Please pray for them:

Resurrection Power on the Ocean

Sunday mornings on His Majesty’s Canadian ships are the best day of my week while deployed on naval operations in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is the day believers in Christ—and whoever else decides to wander into the chaplain’s Sunday service—meet. Life on board ship can be hectic for our sailors, and sleep scarce during training exercises. In fact, it is possible to go for days without seeing the sun on the upper deck as one is immersed in operational duties. However, the ship’s captain has allowed one hour to be carved out for sailors to meet together around God’s Word to find communion with each other and with Jesus, the Saviour of our souls.

As a deployed chaplain it is important to me to offer the elements of communion at the end of every service. It is here we can experience the words of the apostle Paul, “to know Christ and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

It is difficult to live for Christ in the military as members move often and find it hard to connect with a new church, or they fall into habits that are not honouring to Christ. But something changes on a deployment and many members look to renew their faith.

I remember travelling, during a week in Ukraine, to a group of sappers (combat engineers) and offering to share communion with anyone interested. A rough sergeant took me up on the offer and brought along one of his peers, a master-corporal. The master corporal said it had been a long time since he had taken communion. I was full of joy when this rough sergeant began to explain the Gospel and the meaning behind the symbols of the body and blood of Christ. This sergeant struggled with his faith, but meeting with Jesus and communing with Him brought a renewed strength to both him and me that day.

I remember several instances of sharing communion together on the Pacific. Sailors who were struggling to live out their faith back home were weeping with joyful repentance as they thanked Jesus for His body given and His blood poured out to make them new. To be able to sing Amazing Grace with them and then take up the very elements Christ gave to His church to “remember Him until the day He comes” is a powerful reminder of the power of Christ and His resurrection.

I am full of joy at the conclusion of every Sunday service on ship as I witness Christ invading strongholds of darkness and making a public spectacle of these strongholds each time a sailor confesses their love for Christ. To Jesus be the glory!

— Robert Schweyer is a navy chaplain currently based at CFB Esquimalt on Vancouver Island. He has deployed once to Ukraine in 2021 and once last year on the Pacific with HMCS Vancouver.

Resurrection Power Comes to the Margins

Since early 2024, Mission to the Margins’ (M2M) first year in Kitchener, prayer walking for our city has truly become the most important part of my week, so much so that I’m renaming it our weekly “Power Walk”. In our walks a small group of us gather together for about one hour. We walk various routes in the city. As we walk, we pray for those in need in our community and for the organizations serving the poor, those organizations attempting to see past the physical symptoms and to recognize that our struggle is “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

One spot that is special to us is a building that houses women who are coming from homelessness or shelter living. After meeting their staff, I confess I had low expectations in dropping my chaplain card off at one of the most secular organizations in the city! I thought my information would be tossed. However, four days later I had a call from a staff member to see if I would come and pray through the apartment of one of their residents. This one opportunity turned into several more such as, for example, painting a couple of apartment units and meeting one-on-one with women. Additionally, we run a monthly event we call “Low-Tech Ladies Night” where a small group of M2M volunteers bring snacks and non-screen activities to share. Conversations are sparked and friendships are formed with women who are often avoided.

Prior to the “Low Tech-Ladies Night” events we set aside a half-hour to pray. We recognize our inadequacy to meet the needs of these ladies who are trapped in cycles of addiction, and struggling with mental health, broken relationships, and broken hearts.

We especially recognize the Holy Spirit’s power to take what is dead and breathe in His life! We ask Him to move and make Himself known as we enter the building, and that He would, as the song says, “change the atmosphere.”

From the outset of our ministry, both residents and staff make comments like, “I love the energy you bring to this place”; “When you guys are here, this whole space changes”, or “You guys have the best vibes!”. We’re pretty sure that the Holy Spirit has a sense of humour being referred to as “energy” and “vibes” by these women who are far from Him, but we know that it is Him in us that they are sensing!

Please join us in praying that He would bring the women we work with to life and the power of Christ. As Romans 8:11 says, “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”

— Karen Bast is a community employee chaplain serving in Kitchener, ON, with Mission to the Margins who “exist to see the poor engage with the Gospel and the church engage with the poor.” Karen is passionate about going to places otherwise ignored or forgotten and pointing people in the direction of healing and spiritual wholeness available only through the work of Jesus Christ. Karen in married to James and they have three children.

THANK YOU, Rob and Karen

Karen and Rob serve as Fellowship partner chaplains with Mission to the Margins (M2M) and the Canadian Armed Forces respectively. They are an extension of our churches being the “hands and feet” of Jesu

Join me for the "Quebec Experience" coming this October 2026

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 PST

The Quebec Experience begins at a hotel near the Montreal Trudeau International Airport. We travel to Quebec City and spend two days in Old Quebec before returning to Montreal for one day. This guided tour will be characterized by great fellowship with other leadership couples, cultural discovery, relaxation, and a deepening understanding of Quebec’s spiritual reality. Historical vignettes will be shared at various points during the tour, as well as presentations of church planting and church replanting projects. As a participant, you will be invited to consider becoming a partner, as part of The Fellowship’s 7x7=1 formula. The cost for hotel accommodations and breakfasts, lunches in restaurants, along with in-province travel expenses is $2,000 per couple and $1,500 for an individual. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from Montreal, along with two dinners October 14 and 15. Contact Hugo Éthier (Fellowship Francophone Coordinator) to register ASAP, as spaces are limited: hethier@fellowship.ca. Deadline is August 1, 2026.

For further information, click here.

What you need to know:

When: October 13-17, 2026

Where: Montreal area and Quebec City

Hotels: 4-star quality with breakfast included

Hosts: Rev. Hugo Éthier, Fellowship Francophone Coordinator and Rev. Steven Jones, Fellowship National President

What: Multiple guided tours of historical sites with a guide

Why: Exposure to Fellowship church plant projects and opportunity to partner

Cost: $2,000 per couple; $1,500 per individual

Registration: To register contact Hugo Éthier at hethier@fellowship.ca. Only 12 participants may register. Registration closes on August 1, 2026 or when 12 participants have confirmed.

WHY Church Planting in Quebec?

Quebec is Canada’s largest mission field. The current reality is that our AEBEQ Region is a mature Region in the least-reached mission field in North America.

After six decades of ministry in Quebec there are 85 French-speaking Fellowship Baptist churches and about 9,000 believers in these churches. This is good news.

The stark reality is that the seven million Francophones living in Quebec, and the other one million living elsewhere in Canada, are largely unreached with the Gospel. Only 0.8% of Francophones identify themselves as evangelical Christians. Missiologists indicate that until the number of evangelical Christians within a people group reaches the 2-3% threshold, a church planting movement will struggle to maintain momentum and struggle to accomplish the entire mission task on their own.

However, the Region is mature in the sense that it is led by spiritually mature leaders. God has raised up some extraordinary and visionary leaders to advance the cause for Christ in this Region. Since 1971, the AEBEQ Region has been shepherding their growing ministry.

Our Funding Model

A few years back, Francophone ministry in The Fellowship moved from being funded through support for individual missionaries to strategic partnerships between English churches and new francophone church plants.

After 56 years, the French Mission formally drew to a close as a Fellowship National Agency on December 31, 2014 after ensuring each of its missionaries completed individualized transition plans.

Fellowship churches and individual donors from across Canada are now encouraged to engage in collaborative relationships with Francophone church plants through direct and strategic partnerships that could potentially involve the sharing of resources, work teams, and mutual prayer support. These strategic partnerships are brokered by Fellowship National and managed by the AEBEQ Church Planting Director.

Our immediate objective is clear: to improve and encourage engagement from our English-speaking churches and our faithful team of individual donors to continue in partnering with and funding Francophone church plants so that an even greater harvest of souls will be gathered in the years ahead! Our ultimate objective is to reach a point in Quebec where at least 2% of the population self-identify as evangelical, and the AEBEQ Region has sufficient strength to sustain and ensure the continuous multiplication of churches.

It is crystal clear that church planting in Quebec has been and will continue to be the most effective way to reach new people and new communities with the Gospel.

Our partnership strategy continues to focus primarily on Quebec where 84% of Canada’s Francophone population lives. It is our sincere hope and expectation that dynamic church planting partnerships will be developed between English-speaking congregations and/or individual donors and Francophone church plants across our nation.

The Plan: 7x7=1

Yes, we know…the math doesn’t work, but the plan will! It involves:

7 churches and/or donors – Fellowship National is responsible to prayerfully seek out and find churches or individual donors to partner with Regionally-approved Francophone church plants.

7 years – The AEBEQ (Quebec) Region has the responsibility to manage and encourage these partnerships between churches or individual donors and Francophone churches within their Region. These relationships will be in place for seven years with the possibility of a three-year extension.

1 Francophone church plant – Our partnership objective will be to see each Francophone church plant develop and mature into an autonomous, self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating local church to the glory of God!

See you in Quebec!

Pastoral couples, leaders, church staff, mission committees, or GO-team leaders are all welcome.

Come to Quebec for October 13-17, 2026 and learn about church planting in the most spiritually needy field in Canada. Be exposed to the needs and the immense opportunity to win Canadians to Christ who happen to speak French.

Don’t hesitate in joining, last year our Quebec Experience team was full before the August 1 deadline. Hope to hear from you soon.

Easter 2026 is finished - lets plan for easter 2033!

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 PST

I trust your Easter celebrations this past weekend were a blessing for you and your church family.

Easter 2026 is behind us, but what about Easter 2033? In just a short seven years the Church worldwide will be celebrating the 2000th anniversary of our Saviour’s death and resurrection. Celebrations worldwide are being planned now.

One such initiative is the “Acts 2 Movement” sponsored by the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) and the Finish the Task initiative led by Dr. Rick Warren.

BWA’s “Acts 2 Movement” featured

BWA’s President, Dr. Elijah Brown, has called on Baptists worldwide to commit to the “Acts 2 Movement”, a series of pathways toward seeking to “finish the task” before the 2000th anniversary of Christ’s resurrection in 2033 AD:

The 2000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Christ.
The 2000th anniversary of Pentecost and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on all believers.
The 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Church, Christ’s Bride.
The 2000th anniversary of the inauguration of the Great Commission.

Dr. Brown has called Baptist leaders worldwide to unprecedented collaboration by committing to one or more of the following “Five Paths” and five specific outcomes over the next several years (2026-2033):

Path #1: The Bible Path — Acts 2:42

Baptists collaborate and partner to complete the translation of God’s Word into the remaining 1,159 languages where no copy of God’s Word exists.

What if Fellowship churches raised $20,000,000 toward this effort? See acts2movement.org/paths/bible-path if you want to read more.

Path #2: The Witness Path — Acts 2:41

Baptists share their testimony with 450 million neighbours over the next eight years.

What if Fellowship constituents were to share 640,000 testimonies and witness 160,000 new believers enter our churches by 2033? Visit acts2movement.org/paths/witness-path if you want to know more.

Path #3: The Care Path — Acts 2:44-45

Baptists complete one billion acts of service (kindness) by 2033, showing compassion and care to their neighbours.

What if Fellowship believers were to accomplish 1,920,000 acts of service (kindness) by 2033? What would 500+ communities in our nation look like? See acts2movement.org/paths/care-path if you want to know more.

Path #4: The Freedom Path — Acts 2:47

Baptists stand boldly for believers worldwide suffering from religious opposition, discrimination, and persecution by signing a “Religious Freedom” covenant.

What if 25,000 Fellowship church members and leaders became signatories of the BWA Religious Freedom covenant by 2033? See acts2movement.org/paths/freedom-path if you want to read more.

Path #5: The Neighbour Path — Acts 2:46

Baptists become their neighbourhood chaplain – learning their neighbours’ names, praying for them, and obeying the Spirit of God when He directs them to say or do something.

What if, by 2033, 8,000 neighbourhoods, among our 540 local churches, had a Neighbourhood Chaplain praying and caring for the people in their community? Visit acts2movement.org/neighborhood-chaplain-network to learn more.

Imagine, in the next eight years (2026-2033):

$20,000,000 given toward Bible translation.
640,000 testimonies shared with 180,000 new believers.
1,920,000 acts of service (kindness) performed in 500 communities.
25,000 advocates for religious freedom.
8,000 neighbourhood chaplains involved in the ministry of presence in their community.

Go to acts2movement.org to read more.

Such an impact would surely make a difference in our communities and nation. Please pray about your involvement and your church’s involvement in the Acts 2 Movement to help see revival happen soon!

Think like a missionary this easter

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 PST

Easter is almost here—the Mount Everest of the Christian calendar. But does the rest of our world take notice?

I heard of a pastor who was sitting in a Chapters store reading and enjoying a coffee. Nearby were six university students hotly debating the question, “What was the Skipper’s name on the 1960s TV sitcom, ‘Gilligan’s Island’?” The pastor listened and finally leaned over and said, “I know what his name was.” They stared intently, waiting for an answer. Here was the occasion where this pastor might gain some value in their eyes and justify all the wasted time spent watching this mindless comedy. He said, “The actor’s name was Alan Hale and the character he played as Skipper did have a name which was shared in the pilot and two other episodes. His name was Jonas Gumby.” He smiled knowing he had impressed them. These six wide-eyed students responded in unison, saying, “You must be really old!”

The pastor went over and sat with the students and asked about their lives. By midnight, he had discovered that not one of them could identify the historical significance of Easter. Only two knew the real meaning of Christmas and the others wondered why anyone would celebrate the birth and death of a “mythical” Jewish carpenter. They continued the conversation until 2:00 am and exchanged emails.

As he parted with his new friends, he kept thinking, “Who is going to reach these people? What voice will they listen to? Their reality didn’t even include the possibility that Christ and His Church might have relevance to their lives. Who is going to speak to them?”

I also heard the story of Pastor Ted who ministered in Pandora, Ohio—a small village of 900 people living among corn fields. Twenty-five years before, this Mennonite Church had 50 people attending. Not bad for a village of 900—almost 5% of the village attended the church—but not enough to afford a full-time pastor. Pastor Ted was called to this small church after coming home from a four-year mission term in Holland. In twenty years the church grew to 700 members. The local school board contacts Ted each year to check on the church calendar so they would not be in conflict with their school activities. That, my friends, is influence.

Someone asked Pastor Ted, “What’s your secret to this kind of influence in your community?” He told them he had trained in seminary to be a missionary. All his courses had been about missions. He had arrived in Pandora not knowing how to be a pastor, but he knew how to be a missionary and sought to remove cultural barriers to the Gospel. He said, “Pastors need to stop thinking like pastors and think and act like missionaries.”

Canada is a pagan nation. Most are clueless about why Christians are celebrating the weekend of April 5th. Let’s think and act like cross-cultural ambassadors. Let’s pray together for many to experience the saving grace of Jesus this Easter.

"You Actually believe a man rose from the dead?!"

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 PST

Palm Sunday will be celebrated around the world this Sunday. I heard a story of a primary Sunday school teacher who asked her class what this Sunday represented. One little girl raised her hand and said, “It’s Palm Sunday!” The teacher said, “Wonderful. You’re correct!” The teacher then asked, “What’s the significance of next Sunday?” The same little girl raised her hand and said, “Next Sunday is Easter!” The teacher asked the class, “What’s Easter?” The same little girl said, “It’s the day Jesus rose up from the grave.” Before her teacher could say, “Wonderful. You’re correct!” the little girl continued, saying, “But if He sees His shadow, He’ll go back into His hole for another six weeks!”

Like a lot of other people in society, the little girl got it only partially right. We get a great chance over the next week to share the rest of the story.

In the Book of Acts we read, “After his suffering, he presented himself to them [the disciples] and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3, NIV).

One of the most “convincing proofs” of Jesus’ divine claims is His post-resurrection appearances.

I chat with unbelievers about the struggles they have with my Christian faith—issues like what the Bible says about homosexuality, evolution, or sex before marriage. I share graciously and carefully, and my friend struggles. What my friend doesn’t know is that I’m quietly thinking to myself, “Wait until he discovers that I believe a dead man actually rose from the dead!” He’ll think I’m crazy.

However, the Apostle Paul says that if this is not true, the faithful are fools (1 Corinthians 15). The resurrection remains one of the most “convincing proofs” for Jesus’ divine nature and assurance that He is our Saviour.

Here are the “convincing proofs” itemized in the New Testament. Let’s get the word out!

Convincing Proofs of Christ’s Resurrection

The visit of the women to the tomb of Jesus early Sunday morning.
Mark 16:1; Matthew 28:1, 5-8; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1

The earthquake and rolling away of the stone by the angel, and the fear of the Roman guards.
Matthew 28:2-4; Luke 24:4

Mary Magdalene and other women report to the apostles—Peter and John visit the empty tomb.
Luke 24:9-12; John 20:2-10

The appearance to Mary Magdalene and the message to the apostles.
John 20:11-18

The appearance of Jesus to the other women.
Matthew 28:9-10

“Some” of the guards report to the Jewish rulers.
Matthew 28:11-15

The appearance to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-22

The report of the two disciples, and the news of Christ’s appearance before Peter.
Luke 24:33-35; 1 Corinthians 15:5

The appearance to the astonished disciples (except Thomas); they’re given a commission.
Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25

The appearance to the disciples on the following Sunday night with Thomas.
John 20:26-31; 1 Corinthians 15:5

The appearance to seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
John 21:1-25

The appearance to 500 on an appointed mountain in Galilee and the Great Commission is given.
Mark 16:15-18; Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 15:6

The final appearance and Ascension.
Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8

He is Risen!

Looking for meaning this Easter

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 PST

Easter is approaching. In my opinion it is the most significant time of the year to share Christ. Although there is a lot of indifference toward faith issues in our society, at the same time there seems to be a lot of interest in spiritual things. Easter is one of the best times of the year to scratch where many in your community are itching.

I remember reading many years back that the mini-series, Jesus, was the first TV program to top the ratings over the hit Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. I watched that mini-series. Later, that same evening on Larry King Live, Larry had guest Deepak Chopra promoting his new book, How to Know God. Larry announced tomorrow’s guest would be Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham-Lotz, promoting her book, Just Give Me Jesus. At the same time, nine of the 10 top-grossing Hollywood films at the time all had spiritual overtones or supernatural themes (often evil spiritual themes). Some have said North America is experiencing a spiritual revival, however, this is the first time the Church has not been leading it. I doubt it. But there is interest. Just look at the interest the recent series, The Chosen, has generated in society.

There is no lack of spiritual hunger or thirst. People by nature are continuing to seek at least three things in an attempt to satisfy their spiritual cravings:

Transcendence

We are all looking for transcendence—that marvelous sense of wanting to know God, the mystical, the revered, the divine. We wish to solve the dilemma of the God-shaped vacuum in our heart that only God can fill and satisfy. Jesus’ core message appeals to the transcendent. Mark 1:15 (NLT) states, “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Jesus assures us we can know God. He made sure of that at the cross. In the movie Forest Gump, Forest is watching a Bob Hope Christmas special on television with his commanding army officer. Lt. Dan asks Forest, “Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?” Forest is a simple man who answers, “I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir.” People are looking for transcendence but will they find it in Jesus? Tell them. Show them this Easter.

Significance

Everyone needs to have a purpose for living—a reason to get out of bed each morning. Jesus addresses this in Mark 1:17 (NLT) saying: “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” A pastor was on a plane talking to his seat-mate, a CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation. He was a poster-child for the American dream. The pastor shared that his life’s work was to passionately share the love of Christ and connect people to Jesus and their incredible potential in Him. The CEO’s response was, “I would give anything to do something so meaningful!”

Community

Lastly, everyone needs someone. We need to be connected into meaningful relationships. The Church offers this to a world yearning for authenticity. Even Jesus needed a small group of 12.

The Trinity addresses these three needs:

The Father calls us to know Him which satisfies our need for transcendence.
The Son’s commission offers us significance.
The Holy Spirit’s comfort draws us into community.

The Church can offer all of this. The[FR1] very yearnings, deep in the hearts of the dear people in our cities, towns, and neighbourhoods, can be satisfied this Easter. Let’s all ask the Lord for one individual with whom to share these truths this next week. That’s a dangerous prayer. And one God loves to answer.

One of the Fellowship's great evangelists, Olive Copp

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 PST

Hang around the Fellowship long enough and you hear about Murray and Lorne Heron; Frank and Wilf Wellington; or one of our founders, Morely Hall or Professor W.S. Whitcombe, who were connected by their commitment to the North and reaching Francophone people for Christ.

One common connection between them and so many other early pioneers and architects of our Fellowship was Olive Copp. Hers is an extraordinary story that needs to be shared far and wide.

Our Fellowship Archive Coordinator, Lynda Schultz, came across Olive’s testimony while rummaging through the clerk’s records for First Baptist Church in Timmins, ON. Please ensure you keep your records safe and secure so we don’t lose these priceless stories of our past as Fellowship Baptists.

Here is an excerpt of Olive’s story, as told by Lynda Schultz:

“A young man by the name of Ian Cruickshank had sensed the call of God to take the Gospel to Timmins. Back then it was a gold mining community of about 10,000 made up of shacks without any comforts or conveniences and completely without a witness of any kind. Cruickshank regularly travelled to the town on the train from Toronto. In 1919, during the Spanish flu pandemic, he contracted pneumonia and died alone.

“Moved by the young missionary’s mission and untimely death, Olive said, ‘I must take Ian Cruickshank’s place.’

“Off to Timmins she went. She lived at her own expense, and though she had the means to do otherwise she determined to live as Ian had lived. Mrs. Holman wrote: ‘…she…lived in a poor room over a shack-like store with a tiny stove not adequate to the 40 below zero winters, living as frugally as possible, though possessed of means, duplicating as it were, the life of Ian Cruickshank’s privations. And so throughout her stay in the north at Timmins, Widdifield (North Bay), New Liskeard, Cobalt, Milberta (Temiskaming Shores area), and later Noranda and Rouyn, she laboured individually at her own expense in the same frugal way to give the Gospel. Up and down to every small hamlet where a train could be flagged to stop, she went individually visiting every shack along the railroad, and seeking to build churches in the towns now well-known but then only beginning.’”

Read the rest of Olive’s story here.

I look forward to meeting Olive in Glory and thanking her for her sacrificial service to the Lord. Are there any more “Olives” out there?

So little can mean so much in one child's life

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 PST

In a blog dated January 22, 2013, I told you about Puja and her three sisters. I’d like to tell to tell you the rest of the story. Read on—it will warm your heart:

Puja’s life in 2013

Imagine making a living on the side of a large, dirty, metropolitan street chopping up worthless pieces of wood into ten-centimetre lengths and selling them for ten cents a kilogram. You live under plastic, a blanket, or recycled tin on the side of a road or alley-way. Each morning you must dismantle your home because it’s on a sidewalk or in front of a store. Each evening you quickly reclaim your few square metres of real estate and rebuild your home.

I visited the slums of Kolkata, India recently and was overwhelmed by the contrasts. Range Rovers and Lexus SUVs slowly passed by the poorest of the poor as they cooked their evening meal on an open fire right in the streets. Scores of children came from everywhere to follow Fellowship International missionary, Jack Chen, Pastor Gus (Carey Baptist Church, Kolkata), Pastor Jonathan Stairs (Temple Baptist, Cambridge, ON), and myself.

Jack and Carey Baptist Church have a ministry to the families in this slum just a few minutes from the church. They minister to 148 families (including over 300 children). Their church hosted a Christmas dinner a week before my arrival, feeding 560 people. These families represent an estimated three million slum dwellers in the city of Kolkata. You see them everywhere—I mean everywhere.

Jack and Lorraine are committed to helping these people. The long-term solution is education for the children. The historic Carey Baptist Church hosts a daily after-school tutorial ministry to help students and there is a desire to find donors willing to support these children as they go to college. One year of tuition costs as little as $1,500.

While there we met Puja, Kanchan, Radha, and Lelita, sisters who live with an “auntie” on the side of the street and come to Carey Church’s tutorial ministry everyday. They all speak English and were a delight – warm, welcoming, and winsome. We met with them over several days and their smiles and laughter were contagious.

Their joy in the midst of such privations amazed me. They all have come to know Jesus as their Saviour and their spiritual life is vibrant. Puja finishes high school this spring and dreams of college next. Not sure how that will happen when she lives in a slum.

Puja’s Life in 2026

I recently talked to Fellowship International missionary Jack Chen who, along with his wife Lorraine, had a profound impact in Puja’s life while serving in Kolkata, India. Our missionary couple found support through FAIR and through Lorraine’s KHRIS (Kolkata Hope Rising In the Slums) ministries, and the trajectory of these four young women’s lives changed dramatically.

So little can mean so much in one child’s life

Brother Jack writes: “When my wife Lorraine found Puja literally on the streets, (for that’s where she lived in the slums of Kolkata), she was a young girl who had to drop out of school because she could not afford the school fees. With a little help from private tutors, Puja was able to finish high school through public exams where you just register for the Grade 10 exam and do all the preparations on your own. She came through with flying colours and has since gone on to finish her Bachelor of Arts degree through the Indira Gandhi National Open University distance learning program. Puja later completed her Master of Arts degree and would like to get her Bachelor of Education degree to qualify her for a teaching position.

“Puja’s younger sisters Kanchan and Lelita are also stories of God’s grace and providence. We helped them through their BA studies and both went on to complete a Hotel Management course which landed them entry-level jobs in the growing hospitality world of India. However, after seeing the limitations of their prospects in the work place, both sisters have decided to enroll in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program should the funds be available. It costs approximately $3,225 each for the two-year MBA program which is way out of reach for these girls who earn probably less than $300 per month. Lorraine’s project, KHRIS, will sponsor these two girls should the funds be available. Once complete, both girls could look at getting management positions in the hotel industry.

“God continues to look on this family with favour. In 2022 KHRIS was able to secure a nice one-bedroom apartment with an ensuite bathroom and regular water supply for Puja and her family. This is a HUGE step up from the tiny bamboo and plastic shack that was ‘home’ for Puja and her family for many years. Then in 2023 Puja got married to a young man who loves the Lord. Together, Puja and her husband Vilas founded the Joel Ministry, an organization that conducts evangelistic meetings in the villages!”

Please Give to FAIR’S Journey with a Child

Our current FAIR appeal, Journey with a Child, is raising funds to make a difference in the life of children who, like Puja, have come from extreme poverty and/or precarious background situations.

You’ve seen their faces—children too young to have that weary look of despair and hopelessness. Eyes reflect the soul. Some are empty. Others are full of pain and longing.

Through the Fellowship Child Sponsorship Program, FAIR’s mission is to bring the hope of the Gospel to hundreds of children and youth, always working with local churches, while providing essential support through shelter, food, education, health care, skills training, stability, and belonging, along with crucial spiritual support.

It costs $45 per month to sponsor a child through the Fellowship Child Sponsorship Program. FAIR is seeking to raise $300,000 through this appeal which represents approximately one year’s support for 555 sponsorships. Will you partner with FAIR in bringing hope back into the eyes of a child?

Please consider giving generously this Easter and change the trajectory of a child’s life.

Amazing News from Pakistan!

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 PST

I was talking to Fellowship International missionary Rod Black and heard the following amazing story. Rod and Donna served the Lord in Pakistan for many years. Hard years of sowing that is bearing fruit in these days. The Blacks represent so many faithful servants from Fellowship churches who left home for cross-cultural ministry in communities that are some of the most spiritually hostile to the Gospel. Read Rod’s story and be encouraged that our prayers are being answered.

“Someday in Heaven you will meet some very special friends of mine. They went from the USA to Pakistan as missionaries in the ‘50s—and yes, they went by boat!

“They raised families in a difficult setting—unpredictable electricity, no internet, and really bad roads. That team in the ‘50s worked tirelessly to see the Kingdom of God growing in rocky, hostile soil. Over the years the team dwindled as workers returned to the States for various reasons, and some outreach projects were closed.

“In the ‘80s a new wave of workers came from Canada and the States. That encouraged the team to revive outreach projects and begin new ones. At one time, there were 40 personnel in the Sindh province, and tremendous work was done in sowing seed and watering.

“Over the years, God called many of the original ‘50s missionaries home to glory, and the wave of ‘80s workers shrank due to children’s education, illness, and other reasons. By 2023 the number of personnel from the Fellowship and our partners in the States was zero. After 60 years of continuous ministry by dedicated personnel that I was honoured to serve with, the entire Church in Sindh still only numbered in the hundreds.

“We visited Pakistan in 2024, and we talked with our Pakistani colleagues who continued to work after the foreigners had to leave. Men who came to faith and were trained by foreigners from Canada and the States, are now working with passion to see the Kingdom come. Their wives who had been led to faith by their husbands are now sharing the faith fearlessly. These brothers and sisters are leading over 200 groups who gather each week for fellowship and worship. We heard stories of how people were being baptized and getting training to lead others—spouses, religious leaders, beggars, and tradesmen—counting the cost and paying the price for following Jesus.

“And over and over again, our brothers and sisters told us—we are building on what you and the other missionaries did before us. ‘Nothing we are now doing would be possible without the work that you all did.’ All those years. All those tears. Now bearing fruit.

“Those missionaries who came out in the ‘50s never got to see the amazing photos or hear the wonderful stories that we are receiving now every week. But the work is happening because of what they did through all those decades.

“Brothers and sisters—can I encourage you to keep on being faithful to our God and the ministry he has called you to? One clears the rocky soil, another plants, another waters, and still another harvests. And God gets the glory.”

Yes, God gets the glory. Thank you, Rod and Donna, for being faithful to God’s calling. We rejoice in what the Spirit of God is doing in the Sindh province in these days.

Please pray for believers in Pakistan and our Fellowship International missionaries serving throughout the world in some of the most difficult mission fields.

Family Virtues

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 PST

Today, February 16, is “Family Day”, a statutory holiday in Ontario, as well as in Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan. The government calculated the approximate cost of raising a child from birth to 18 years of age in a typical middle-income family in North America to be $160,140. That doesn’t include the cost of post-secondary education. I have three kids who finished university and I assure you—it affects your bank account. But $160,140 isn’t too bad if you break it down. It works out to $8,897 per year, or $741.39 per month, or $171.09 per week, or $24.44 per day, or $1.02 per hour. The key is not to look at it as a cost, but as an investment. Our investment will hopefully result in great dividends in the lives of our children.

Money aside, what qualities should we be investing in our children? For me, the following are five non-negotiables:

The first quality to build into our children is godly confidence.
- They feel good about whom God has made them.
The second quality to build into our children is character.
- Their decisions will honour God and their parents.
The third quality to build into our children is conviction.
- Their beliefs are rooted in God’s Word. There is a danger in raising kids with character, but no conviction.
The fourth quality to build into our children is competence.
- Help them learn their God-given gifts, talents, and skills, and give them opportunities to use and improve them.
The fifth quality to build into our children is compassion.
- Help them see with Christ’s eyes beyond themselves to the needs around them, in their neighbourhood and beyond.

I trust you’ll have a wonderful week with your family.

Fellowship Church Planting in Canada from 2010 to 2025

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 PST

Church planting needs to remain a priority within our movement of churches. At our Fellowship National Conference in November 2024, I challenged every Fellowship church to prayerfully consider a church-planting strategy. This is important whether your church is daughtering a new plant, or your church is supporting others in our Fellowship to plant churches.

In recent months I have been reminded of the importance of establishing churches:

In September 2025, I attended a FEB Central Church Planting celebration gathering where we heard of God’s blessing in the past, as well as current faith-filled plans for the future.
In October, our Fellowship Francophone Coordinator, Hugo Ethier, and I took a dozen folk on the “Quebec Experience”—a five-day tour of church-planting projects between Montreal and Quebec City. In the past ten years close to 100 partnerships between English Fellowship churches/donors and French Fellowship church plants (using the 7 x 7 = 1 formula) have resulted in ten new plants.

The next virtual tour takes places on March 5, 2026, from 1:00pm to 2:45pm, and the next Quebec Experience tour is scheduled for October 13-17, 2026. Contact Hugo Ethier at hethier@fellowship.ca for more information.

In October, Fellowship National subsidized our Fellowship Advance Network team so that the members could attend the Church Planting Canada Catalyze Conference in Alberta. Our Fellowship Regional church planting directors gathered with colleagues from across the nation to strategize as to how we might reach communities with a vibrant, gospel-centred church and engage people within their context.
In November, Fellowship missionaries, Phil Webb, Diego and Claudia Cardona, and I hosted a team of Fellowship church leaders and pastors in Medellín, Colombia to explore partnerships in church planting and humanitarian relief-development projects. Fellowship churches can enter into five-year partnerships to help plant Baptist churches in Colombia through short-term mission teams sent from their churches.

The next Colombia Vision Tour (CVT) is November 6-16, 2026. Email me at sjones@fellowship.ca for more information.

This past year, our Fellowship planted 11 new churches (one in the Pacific Region, one in the Prairies Region, seven in FEB Central, and two in the AEBEQ Region). Our Fellowship International missionaries helped support the planting of 13 new churches around the world this past ministry year (September 2024-August 2025).

Between 2010 and 2025 our Fellowship planted 143 new churches. The vast majority are still functioning and many are thriving. The following chart indicates the distribution by Region.

The Story of Henriette and Her Mission

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 PST

I visited a cemetery in Quebec during a tour (along the St. Lawrence River) of our churches and pastors. I was not previously aware of the details of the early Gospel advance in Quebec in the mid-1800s. It’s a fascinating story and here is a brief synopsis with a few photos I took at the location. I think you’ll find this interesting.

After a revival broke out in Geneva, Switzerland (1816-17), some adherents broke from the state Protestant church. These dissidents were persecuted by an 1824 law that could send them into exile. Henriette Feller left the official state church in 1827 and joined an Evangelical Missions Society in Lausanne after her husband’s death. This Society began sending missionaries to Lower Canada. In August 1834, Henriette left for Canada accompanied by Pastor Louis Roussy. In Sept 1836 she took up residence in Grande-Ligne (12 km south of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu) after being forced from several other places due to persecution.

The Earlier Years were Tough

Other Society missionaries lasted only a year before returning to Switzerland. During the 1837 rebellion in Quebec, Henriette fled, with some converts to the US, having been accused of being friendly with the British. But, the 1837 rebellion broke the grip that the Roman Catholic priests had on society and French Protestantism advanced. Henriette would say, “The time is come, Canada is open.”

Preaching locations opened along with schools, and the French-Canadian Missionary Society opened in Montreal in February 1839. Henriette endorsed their mission, but never joined them, due likely to her fierce desire to be independent of outside influence. She went on eight fundraising trips to the US, insisting that Pastor Roussy report on the Grand-Ligne church and school every few days. Students at the school affectionately called her “mother”.

From 1855 to her death in 1868, her health was very poor. However, it never stopped her from running the affairs of the mission, even from her bedroom. Throughout her 32 years of missionary service in French Canada, Henriette Feller settled the first Francophone Protestant community in Quebec, educated young people, sent gifted Francophones for higher learning, and established nine Protestant French churches with seven pastors shepherding them. There were approximately 900 members attending those churches.

In a conversation with Dr. Michael Haykin, one of Canada’s leading church historians, he said, “Steve, by the end of the nineteenth century there were about 50,000 French evangelical Christians in Quebec.”

I wonder what happened to this impact. Could it be that immigration to the States because of persecution in Quebec, fewer missionaries being sent to Lower Canada, poor leadership, and evangelistic apathy among the churches caused Grande-Ligne’s legacy to flounder in a couple of generations? Remember: the Christian Church is always one generation away from extinction.

Will we repeat history?

Then some young Bible students started leaving for Quebec in the 1930-40s. Pioneers like Wilf Wellington, Murray and Lorne Heron, Ernie Keefe, and others. French churches were started, the Fellowship’s French Mission was established, and approximately 100 churches were planted. Today, there are 85 French-speaking Fellowship churches in Quebec with about 9,000 believers – the largest French denomination in Quebec. It’s a wonderful story of God’s grace. But, only 0.8% of French Canadians identify themselves as evangelical Christians. Our work has only begun.

Missiologists tell us that nations or people groups with an evangelical population under 2-3% will struggle to sustain themselves without any outside help. Imagine our Fellowship churches and donors stopping our commitment in Francophone Canada now. At only 0.8%, we would likely repeat the late nineteenth century history. The great gains of these past 50 years might all but disappear in a single generation. We cannot let this happen! The time has come. French Canada is open!

Very few nations are sending missionaries to French Canada. As Canadians, the Lord has given us this divine responsibility. Please join me in praying for the salvation of Canadians—French Canadians.

Discover and Partner

Join Hugo Ethier and me on March 5, 2026 from 1:00pm to 2:45pm EST for a virtual Quebec Vision Tour (QVT). Connect with Hugo (hethier@fellowship.ca), Fellowship National Francophone Coordinator, for more information on the tour. You’ll meet some current church planters, and find out more about church planting in Quebec and how you and your church can support church planting in Quebec with a 7 X 7 = 1 partnership.

For additional information about 7 X 7 = 1 partnerships (7 churches for 7 years help plant 1 church in Quebec) you can also visit fellowship.ca/FrancophoneMissionVision.

Make a Difference in the Life of Child

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 PST

You can make a huge difference in the life of a child. The Fellowship Child Sponsorship Program is seeking to care for the holistic needs of children through ministries in Honduras, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka.

For as little as $45 a month, you can help care for a marginalized, and often traumatized, child.

Our current FAIR appeal is asking Fellowship Baptist churches and donors to give toward the children in our care.

As a Christ-follower your heart beats for what His does. You believe in what Jesus taught: “…whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12, ESV). In challenging economic times, practical reality often collides with what the heart tells us to do. What can we, as individuals, do? How can we, or our faith communities, stretch just a little further?

Your support of the Fellowship International missionaries working with these vulnerable young people is providing shelter, food, education, health care, skills training, stability, and belonging, along with crucial spiritual support, for hundreds of children and youth through Love Trust in Sri Lanka, Joy Foundation in the Dominican Republic, Clementia Life Centre and Cedar Home in Lebanon, and Casa Hogar in Honduras.

FAIR is seeking to raise $300,000 through its current appeal, Journey with a Child. This financial goal represents approximately one year’s support for 555 sponsorships. That’s around one child per Fellowship church. You, your family, friends, co-workers, and church can make a difference with a single donation. Pray about it, talk about it, apply faith to it, plan for it, give to it.

You really can change the life of a child and make a difference not only physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well.

May the Lord bless you as you give.

One Hundred and Forty People came to Christ!

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship Chaplaincy has grown from 27 to over 180 chaplains in the past dozen years. In 2024, our chaplains witnessed 140 professions of faith and 28 believers rededicating their lives to Christ. This past year, 2025, we witnessed 136 professions of faith through the work of our Fellowship chaplains.

The following stories from two of our Fellowship volunteer chaplains illustrate some of the ways that people are coming to Christ.

Resurrection Power at Work in Quebec

I thank God for the opportunity to hold a weekly meeting in a seniors’ residence in the chapel to teach the Word of God and pray. Over time, the number of those who initially participated with us gradually decreased as people realized we would not follow the Catholic rites. God made this happen so the only people who continued to attend were thirsty for the Word of God. We could now concentrate on the study of John’s Gospel as well as the plan of salvation. There was faithful attendance at all the meetings and a 93-year-old lady gave her life to Christ.

God also gave me the opportunity to make a few visits to the unit for people with cognitive impairment. On my first visit there, I was put in touch with a resident who had just learned of the death of one of his brothers. He appreciated hearing about God’s love for him. We prayed that God would help him get through this difficult time. I don't know what he remembered because of his cognitive impairment, but God’s plan was for me to have a ministry of presence to him.

A pastor, knowing that I was at ease visiting the terminally ill, contacted me. He asked me to accompany him on a visit with a Christian lady who had not been able to attend church for a long time due to being severely ill with cancer. We were able to pray with her and encourage her. She was reaffirmed in her faith and became optimistic at the idea of meeting her Saviour. Her husband, who was not a Christian, was amazed to see his wife forget her pain and be at peace. She was open and verbal about her relationship with Jesus Christ with him.

We then took some time with her husband because he was also going through a difficult time knowing that he was soon going to lose his wife whom he had loved for many years. We offered to have the pastor accompany him through this ordeal. He agreed and later that year joined the assembly. I was told a while ago that he had given his life to Jesus. We had supposed that God had called us to the lady’s bedside (and He had) but, in His wonderful plan, He led us to her husband’s heart as well. God always surprises us.

I have offered my services as a chaplain to hospitals and other seniors’ homes in the area but the fact that I am not Catholic closes doors. However, wanting to make Him known to all, God has convinced a few brothers and sisters of our assembly to join me in getting involved in the harvest by sharing the Gospel. After praying and putting on the full armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) we will sometimes go to parks. We feel the power of God guiding us to the people He wants us to talk to. His Holy Spirit gives us the right words to capture their interest and bring the Word of God to them. In the summer of 2024, 99 people agreed to receive a copy of John’s Gospel. The back cover of these Gospels includes the plan of salvation and the address of our church.

Please continue to pray for the chaplains in the province of Quebec as well as for our small evangelistic group. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Thank you and may God bless you!

Claude Joly is a volunteer Fellowship chaplain serving in the province of Quebec in the region of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and is a member of the Vaudreuil-Dorion Baptist Church.

Chaplaincy Boundaries are Unlimited

When my wife and I were newly married, about 20 years ago, we opened our home to a friend who needed a place to stay. It was a season filled with both blessing and challenge. My heart desired to support him while endeavouring to build a strong foundation with my new bride. Yet, as the days turned into weeks, I often found myself caught in a difficult tension. Both my wife and my friend longed for quality time with me, and I struggled to give fully to both. I wanted to be present for my friend in his struggles, encouraging him in his walk with Christ, while also investing deeply in my new marriage. Balancing those priorities was not easy, and, at times, I felt stretched thin.

Eventually, my friend and I moved to different provinces, and though we were no longer under the same roof, we stayed connected. As a chaplain, I am called to be present to those who are hurting, wherever they are. With my friend, this included answering those late-night calls. I longed to see him grow in his faith, and I did my best to encourage him. I shared Scripture, prayed with him, and reminded him of the hope we have in Christ. Despite my best efforts, it often felt like his growth was stagnant.

My friend was living in a rural area of New Brunswick. Unfortunately, he lacked a local body of believers to walk with him, love him in the day-to-day messiness of life, and to encourage him to love in return. Though I could offer words of truth and friendship from afar, it wasn’t the same as having brothers and sisters physically present to share burdens, rejoice in victories, and sharpen him in the faith. Without that vital community, it was hard for him to flourish.

At times, I felt discouraged. I wondered if my words made any difference. I prayed, asking God to surround him with believers who would genuinely care for his soul. I knew that what he truly needed was not just one voice of encouragement, but a family of faith to embrace him, walk with him, and help him grow.

Then, just recently, by God’s sovereign grace, something unexpected happened. Through TikTok (of all places) my friend encountered Christians whose passion for Jesus was contagious. I'm not sure how it all worked, but he joined Bible studies through the TikTok app. It reawakened his hunger for God. What my words over the phone could not accomplish, God did through this unlikely platform. My friend began to re-engage with his faith.

Looking back, I can see God’s hand in it. Though I often felt inadequate in my ability to come alongside my friend, God was never hindered. He was working all along, even through unexpected means, to draw my friend back to Himself. His story is not over and there are still many battles to be fought, but I am encouraged that the LORD is the best Chaplain, meeting the hurting, struggling, and spiritually needy right where they are.

Phil Anderson is a part-time Fellowship community employee chaplain working with PAXnorth, an urban church in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Phil’s ministry includes music coordinating, youth group leading, and small group leadership.

Please pray for our Fellowship chaplains

Is charitable status at stake for churches?

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 PST

The Federal government’s Finance Committee made a couple suggestions in December 2024 that would remove charitable status from pro-life ministries and churches (recommendations #429 and #430).

These recommendations are not binding but, if adopted, would make massive changes to the relationship between church and state. Christian and other religious groups have become engaged in the discussion and it seems doubtful the recommendations will be endorsed. But, once again, this latest episode underscores the importance of the church communicating to government that such a move is bad is public policy.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has been busy imploring government leaders not to remove charitable status. I received word from one of our pastors that after contacting his MP on this issue, his MP assured him “there are currently no measures before the House of Commons that would remove or restrict the charitable status of churches and other faith-based organizations.” The MP also stated that, “any recommendations… lapsed with the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the 45th Canadian general election.”

This is good news. However, this episode reminds churches and faith-based organizations we must remain vigilant.

The HALO EFFECT

The Fellowship conducted a “HALO” study in 2019 because of the concern that charitable status might be removed. A senate standing committee was studying the charitable sector in Canada and the word on the street was they were studying whether to change charitable and tax laws. Fellowship National and a few dozen member churches conducted a study (costing $60,000) to confirm this was a bad public policy move. We confirmed the significant socio-economic support churches provide to every community in Canada.

The average Fellowship church provides $785,922 of socio-economic support to their community each year!

I encourage you to read the HALO Report and discover what our churches are contributing on average to communities across Canada. This information should be provided to our civil magistrates as proof that removing charitable status from churches is bad public policy. I know of pastors who have provided this study to their mayor or council members to prove this very point.

Autumn 2025 edition of “Fellowship Religions Freedom WATCH newsletter”

The latest edition of our Religious Freedom Watch newsletter has been published and you can see it here.

This edition focuses on impending changes to MAiD, concerns with Bill C-373 (removing religious exemptions), Bill C-63 (the online harms act), prostitution law update, free speech and the recent Sean Feucht episode, growing antisemitism in Canada and more.

If you would like this newsletter emailed directly to you twice annually, contact reception@fellowship.ca and ask to be added to the mailing list.

Our Year to Abide!

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 PST

Our theme for 2026 is Our Year to Abide and our theme verse is John 15:4a (ESV):

“Abide in me, and I in you.”

This theme, Oue Year to Abide, underscores the importance of our unity in Christ and our unity with one another as we advance the Kingdom of God in Canada and beyond.

Unity is powerful and precious and we need to protect it. On Jesus’ last night before His death, He met with His disciples in the upper room and one of the primary things on His mind was the unity of His Body.

How might we ensure unity in the ministry of our local churches? Here are four quick tips:

Nurture an attitude of acceptance (Romans 13:1-23). The Apostle Paul is saying that we should not major on the minors. Don’t insist that everyone must agree; when there is a disagreement, we should ask ourselves “is this an essential area?” If it is, it’s worth a dispute.
Maintain a common purpose (1 Corinthians 1: 10). Purpose does produce church unity. That purpose needs to eb clearly communicated, and often. Purpose keeps the church focused and the by-product is unity.
Everyone needs to watch their tongue (James 3:1-12). Refuse to gossip. When you hear something, direct it to the appropriate person. If the concern has nothing to do with you, it’s not your problem, nor do you have any part to play in the solution. Walk away – its gossip.
Support your leaders (Hebrews 13:17). Churches are supposed to make their leaders’ job a joy. This results in a strong and unified church.

Unity, not uniformity, is critical to mission effectiveness. There will always be some tension between doctrinal purity and mission unity—church history teaches us this reality.

May we be ever mindful of pursuing orthodoxy as we “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, NIV)

Happy New Year! May 2026 be a stellar one for you, your family, your church family, and our wonderful family of faith.

Merry Christmas from The Fellowship National Staff!

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 PST

When royalty comes to town, humbleness is not usually one of the first thoughts that comes to mind. On one visit to North America, Queen Elizabeth brought 4,000 pounds of luggage (two outfits for each occasion), 40 pints of plasma, a kid-leather toilet seat, a hair dresser, two valets and a host of attendants. A brief visit from the queen can cost a host nation more than $20 million!

The arrival of Emmanuel, “God with us”, was in stark contrast to a typical monarch’s visit. In a manger, an animal shelter, ripped cloth and straw surrounded our King to keep Him warm.

We never grow weary of this story. Go and tell it to all who will listen.

From our Fellowship National Staff to you and yours we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

We’ll see you in 2026 and trust you will have a safe and blessed New Year. Our theme, as a Fellowship of churches in 2026, is “Our Year to Abide” and theme verse is John 15:4a (ESV): “Abide in me, and I in you.”

Have a blessed two weeks.

My One Sailboat Racing Experience

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 PST

I grew up on the island of Montreal and would spend much of my summers along the shores of Lac Saint-Louis. I have fond memories from my childhood of building rafts and venturing out into the lake. I remember the day when the police brought my younger brother home. He had been spotted building a raft with friends to venture out into the Lachine Rapids. He would never have survived that venture.

When I was a teen, my father and I were invited to enter a sailing race on our neighbour’s boat. The race took place on the picturesque Lake of Two Mountains. It was a beautiful sunny day with no wind. All sailors were on board enjoying the sun, but not the race. Our captain made a strange order to take our boat away from the pack. Other sailors thought we were quitting or drunk.

Slowly and methodically, we moved further and further away from the other boats. It seemed strange, but we obeyed our captain because we remembered his many racing victories. A good kilometre away from the other boats, we saw what our captain had seen long before: a wind was streaming across the lake and we were headed for it. The moment the wind hit us, the boat spun around and our captain yelled for all hands to hoist up the spinnaker sail and catch the full advantage of the wind. It was amazing. On a windless, sunny day, we were flying across the water toward the other sailboats still in lifeless formation going nowhere.

I was commanded to lean my body on one side of the boat to keep it from capsizing. I was hanging onto the hull with most of my body only a metre from the water rushing by me. The water looked so good… so cool on that very hot day. I thought I might put my hand down to cup just a little water to sip. However, my captain saw me and yelled not to touch the water or I would slow the boat down. My little hand? Slow down a 40-foot boat? But I obeyed, and on that day, we swiftly went past all the other sailing vessels.

Like our sailing race, if you faithfully and methodically follow the Lord in a way that goes against the flow of the world, the Spirit of God will so fill and control your life that you’ll always finish first when it comes to gaining new territory. What new territory do you need to gain? Victory over a habitual sin? A relationship reconciled? Debt-free living? Or Quebec entirely won for Christ? I learned on the Lake of Two Mountains that I should always obey my captain remembering to trust that He’ll keep me safe from the dark and dangerous undertows of life and direct me safely and victoriously into new territory.

The speed of light at Christmas

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 PST

I recently watched Oppenheimer once again, the award-winning movie about the making of the first atomic bomb.

The Christ of Christmas travelled from eternity, where time is not bound, to bring light amid the staggering darkness.

Prominent physicist and father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, once said, “The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person.”
Sarah, a Sunday school student, said, “Some people could not hear God’s whisper, so God sent Jesus to tell them out loud.”
Jesus’ own testimony is found in John 8:12 (NIV): “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In this extraordinary claim Jesus was boldly declaring that He was the Messiah. This is the second occasion that Jesus uses the familiar “I Am” formula (see Exodus 3:14) to assert His divine nature. The Messiah is referred to as the light in several Old Testament passages.

When Jesus shared these words, the Feast of Tabernacles was being celebrated within the Temple. Likely Jesus had been standing in the “Court of the Women” in front of the four great golden candelabras, each with four large golden bowls full of oil lit on fire. Observers claimed the light was so brilliant that it lit up all of Jerusalem.

Jesus stood in front of this great fixture and declared, “I AM THE LIGHT of the world.” The light emanating from the large candelabra was a symbol of the light their ancestors had been given by God to guide them on their dark journey.

Jesus now stands before us all stating that He is the promised Messiah, the Saviour, who acts as THE light to guide all spiritually lost people to safety.

During a Christmas pageant where Jesus was represented by a bright light bulb in a cradle, a little girl noticed the light bulb flicker and burn out. She blurted, “Who turned out Jesus!?”

Each of us has the potential to “turn off” Jesus in our lives. His light can make little transformative difference in our lives if we so choose. Let’s help others see The Light this Christmas.

Spiritual Orphans Lost in the Christmas Cosmos

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 PST

Have you ever heard of the writer Walker Percy? Philip Yancey introduced me to him in one of his books when he commented on the importance of Walker’s contribution as a Christian apologist.

After his death, Time Magazine (May 1990) wrote: “Name another voice in America writing who is as beguiling and civilized as Walker Percy.”

He was a medical doctor and scientific researcher-turned-writer (in his 40s) who wrote philosophical essays and six popular novels, all tackling the bleak and hopeless themes prevalent in the 20th century.

He became a Christian later in life and wrote of hope. The literary establishment wanted to ignore him and his supposedly outdated, quaint views and rally behind the bleak viewpoints of giants like Hemingway and Steinbeck, but they could never ignore his brilliance—his writing was too compelling.

Percy once wrote of this reality, saying, “The Christian novelist nowadays is like a man who has found a treasure hidden in the attic of an old house, but he is writing for people who have moved out to the suburbs and are bloody sick of the old house and everything in it.”

Many in our culture have moved out from those “past” beliefs and rally behind more “progressive” views within the culture-wars of our day.

In my opinion, this has also touched Christmas. Our culture continues to celebrate Christmas, but doesn’t necessarily give much thought to its origin. And if you keep your distance from your Saviour long enough, you begin to believe the lies people say about Him.

In one of Walker Percy’s essays entitled Lost in the Cosmos, he writes about one of his favourite themes: humanity as an orphan lost in the cosmos. He writes:

“… How can you survive in the cosmos about which you know more and more while knowing less and less about yourself—this despite 10,000 self-help books, 100,000 psychotherapists, and 100 million evangelical Christians?”

Modern man resembles a castaway on a deserted island trying to interpret the message found in a bottle, written in an unknown language. Like a prisoner in an isolation cell, straining to hear a code tapped out on the cell wall beside him.

The fact that the Gospel may not be as pronounced or embraced in our society as it used to be doesn’t negate the tremendous value of the message: that a baby born in a manger came to save humanity. It’s still the only message that brings hope and completely satisfies the hungry hearts of orphaned souls who are looking for peace.

The 17th-century novelist John Donne tells the story of early Spanish sailors who reached South America and sailed into the headwaters of the Amazon River. It was so immense that the sailors thought they were still continuing in the Atlantic Ocean. It never occurred to them to cup some water in their hands and taste that it was fresh water, not salt water. As a result, some sailors died of dehydration.

The scene of men dying of thirst while floating in the world’s largest body of fresh water is a fitting metaphor of our own age.

Our family and friends are spiritually starving to death as they hum along to the Christmas music playing at every shopping mall—Christmas carols heralding the Saviour of the world. So close, yet so far.

Learning a New Language

We’ve got to learn a new language: that’s hard work. Fourteen years ago I spent three weeks studying French at the University of Montréal. I was exhausted, and so often I felt like an infant trying to communicate. It was humiliating at times, but it’s a joyous experience when you realize you understand more, and are able to respond more effectively.

This Christmas, let’s learn to communicate the truths of Christmas in a new way, in a new language—a language that is not so foreign to our friends who often show indifference (or contempt) when they feel like they are one of our “projects” during the Christmas season.

Get the HELP you need today

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 PST

I encourage you to phone 1-888-5-CLERGY if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s desire for each of us to find adequate rest, saying in Psalm 127:2 (Message): “It is useless to rise up early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know that God enjoys giving rest to those He loves?”

Did you catch that? God enjoys it when we have a good rest. So, do something spiritual today… have a nap this afternoon? God is very clear about our need for rest. To ignore His fourth commandment is foolish. When we function outside the way God designed us, we are headed for trouble: spiritual, emotional, and physical burn-out. A Sabbath rest each week is commanded to rest the body, recharge our emotions, and refocus our spirit… sounds like a three-point sermon, eh?!

The Clergy Care Network (CCN)

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, please contact someone. I know there are resources available in each of our Regions to support you.

One such support is the Clergy Care Network (CCN). Fellowship National pays for two sessions of free phone counselling help and referrals to further resources for all personnel of The Fellowship including pastors, missionaries, and chaplains, along with their spouses and children. Access is FREE to you.

The number is 1-888-5-CLERGY.

CCN is provided by Focus on the Family and developed in conjunction with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Its purpose is to provide a listening ear. Pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families can access the CCN help line through email or by using a toll-free number. Callers can remain anonymous if they choose. The staff of the Clergy Care phone line can:

Provide initial counseling and crisis intervention.
If needed, provide a referral to a CCN-approved counselor in the area. However, please note that the cost of the additional counseling is the responsibility of the individual. This cost may or may not be covered by your group coverage; the Fellowship Health Plan does provide modest coverage for recognized counsellors with accepted credentials.
Introduce the caller to a retreat facility or treatment centre in the area.
Provide resources and advice to pastors regarding particular family counseling situations they face in their church.
Pray with the caller.

Your conversation is completely confidential. No one from your church or our National/Regional offices will know that you made a call.

Need some support? Make the call!

Mission and Vision shape our destiny

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 PST

Without access to my reading glasses, I’m in trouble. I feel blind. That’s why I have a couple of pairs in my office, and four cheap pairs sitting around the house. I need to find a pair anytime I need to read something. Clarity in my vision is essential if I’m going to be able to read.

The same is true in life. It’s also true in ministry. If my “vision” of a preferred future is clear, I’m going to be able to “read” the times with greater clarity, greater accuracy.

As an Association of churches we have two important identity documents that guide us on mission by declaring who we are, what we do, and what we believe:

Our Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith clearly identifies our foundational beliefs, while
Our Mission Statement, “We are the Fellowship” identifies our mission, vision, values, and strategies in accomplishing the everyday co-mission.

Our Mission: “We are a movement of churches making passionate disciples of Christ.”

Click here to view the document and watch a four-minute video introducing our mission as a Fellowship.

Mission direction for each Fellowship National Ministry

This past year all Fellowship National departments and ministries did a refresh of their ministry “Directional Documents”. These documents guide each of our ministries and clarify their mission, identity, and primary tasks.

I’d like to introduce you to each of our Fellowship National Directional Documents:

Fellowship International — “Gateway to the Nations”

Mission: Fellowship International exists to catalyze movements of disciple-makers in strategic populations by empowering nationals.

FAIR (Fellowship Aid and International Relief) — “Bringing the hope of the Gospel to people in need for the glory of God”

Mission: FAIR enables Fellowship churches and individual donors to alleviate human suffering and social injustice in the name of Christ.

Fellowship Chaplaincy — “Demonstrating Christ’s Love”

Mission: Fellowship Chaplaincy seeks to enable chaplains to demonstrate the love of Christ where people live and work.

Francophone Ministry — “Reaching Francophone Canada for Christ”

Mission: To establish new Francophone church plants and replants in Quebec and other French-speaking regions of Canada are brokered by Fellowship National and managed by Regions through direct and strategic partnerships.

Fellowship Foundation — “Partner for Kingdom impact”

Mission: The Fellowship Foundation exists to assist God’s people to respond generously by directing their charitable and investment intentions for the future funding of Fellowship ministries.

Fellowship Services Department — “Serving our constituency”

Mission: The Fellowship Services department provides financial and administrative assistance, and relevant resources to our Fellowship constituency, enabling them to remain on mission.

Fellowship Communications — “The voice of the Fellowship”

Mission: Fellowship communications ensures a unified voice that delivers a compelling message to our constituency.

These refreshed Directional Documents guide Fellowship National with clarity and intentionality, ensuring Fellowship National serves our member churches and Regions in meaningful partnership and mission advance.

These documents give our constituency a peek into who we are and why we do the things we do. They clarify our vision and shape our identity as a mission movement.

This Christmas, save someone from being victimized by sex-traffickers

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 PST

There are 1.2 million indentured people enslaved in the country of Bangladesh and many are caught up in the horror of being trafficked for sex.

But you can do something about it today. You can make a difference this Christmas!

FAIR, through their current appeal, Freedom | Bangladesh is partnering with a like-minded Bangladeshi Baptist denomination to tackle the scourge of sex-trafficking. Along with our existing partner, International Justice Mission (IJM), specialists in developing partnerships with civil authorities, the legal community, and evangelical churches to irradicate sex-trafficking and slavery; we are committed to completing 50 rescue missions, placing these young women and children in after-care programs, and jailing the perpetrators.

Our Fellowship participated in this same type of project in the Philippines five years ago and online child sex-trafficking plummeted. Our churches donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to this project. I visited the Philippines with Fellowship Pastor RJ Umandap (Crestwicke Baptist Church, Guelph, ON) to verify the success of the project. We were truly amazed as we visited the after-care homes, and talked to police, civil magistrates, the investigators, the legal team, and the girls themselves who had been rescued. This FAIR project was an amazing success.

Fellowship Church Planting in Canada
Domestic Church Planting in Canada is led by our Fellowship Regions
Year	Pacific	Prairies	Central	AEBEQ	Atlantic	Total
2010	1	-	3	-	-	4
2011	3	-	2	5	-	10
2012	2	-	6	2	-	10
2013	2	-	7	-	-	9
2014	-	1	2	2	-	5
2015	2	-	9	-	2	13
2016	2	-	2	1	-	5
2017	-

Let’s do it again in Bangladesh.

Please consider giving a generous Christmas gift to Freedom | Bangladesh. Encourage your church to host a Christmas offering toward this important appeal.

The goal is to conduct at least 50 rescues. The appeal target is $500,000.

I encourage you to read more and retrieve promotional material to share with your congregation or pass around to your friends and family. If we all give a Christmas Gift to Freedom | Bangladesh, we will reach $500,000 and rescue many young women and children from remaining victims of sex-traffickers.

Take a moment to watch the Freedom | Bangladesh video and consider passing it along to a friend.

Prayer for the delegates at FNC 2025

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 PST

I’m going to enjoy the next three days at our annual Fellowship National Conference in Toronto at the Delta Hotels and Conference Centre (November 3-5, 2025).

Our theme is “Fan the Flame” with speaker Dr. Bill Hogg who will be addressing the topic of evangelism in Canada and abroad. Bill is well known among us as an evangelist-statesman. I’m praying the Spirit of God will find receptive hearts to hear the messages.

15 Motions to be Voted Upon

We will gather to vote in two business meetings. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for our delegates as they discuss and vote on:

The 14 Articles of the revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith

Delegates (in-person and online) will vote during the business meeting on Tuesday, November 4 from 2:00-5:00pm on 14 motions, one per Article.

A motion proposed by 29 member churches

Delegates (in-person and online) will discuss and vote on Wednesday, November 5 from 11:00am-12:00pm on a motion proposed by 29 signatory churches.

Thank you for praying. I will send all our churches an FNC 2025 Report following our conference which will give the results, content, and feedback from our business meetings.

A Day of PRAYER for the Fellowship (November 9)

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 PST

Prayer is to be our first choice, not our last resort. “I’ve tried everything else to fix this problem… maybe I should pray about it?” Ouch, how many times do we catch ourselves behaving like this?

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6:13b (KJV): “For thine is the kingdom, and the POWER, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

God blesses us when we decide to depend on His power, rather than our own strength.

“You [God] bless all who depend on you for their strength…” (Psalm 84:5a, CEV).

God does not bless self-sufficient people.

God won’t bless the self-reliant.

Those are people who live their lives as if God does not exist. If we are not careful or intentional we can daily live like this as believers.

God blesses those who recognize they need His help. And God blesses those who expect, believe, and trust that God will help. God will give power—strength for the day.

What are you expecting God to do in your life? Are we expecting God to give us strength… to receive it, endure it, or dream it?

God blesses those who seek His Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is found wherever Jesus is allowed to act as King. That means, I allow Jesus to be sovereign over my heart and life. It means I make the Lord’s agenda my agenda. It means God’s plans become my plans.

God’s will becomes my will for my life. It means I don’t seek God to bless what I’m doing in life. I seek God to help me do what He is already doing. God promises to bless His Kingdom’s work.

The Fellowship’s DAY of PRAYER

Would you join me in seeking the Lord, asking Him to guide us as churches and God’s people to those things He blesses?

Our annual “Fellowship National Day of Prayer” is Sunday, November 9, 2025.

I’m asking every Fellowship Baptist church to spend some time in their November 9th worship service participating in the National Day of Prayer. This time could include some (or all) of the following:

A sermon on prayer
A prayer time for our churches and our ministry for the sake of the Gospel
A testimony
Information in your church’s bulletin on prayer requests for the Fellowship
Showing the four-minute-long “We Are the Fellowship” video which tells our story (to view the video, click here).

You can find more information on how to promote and conduct your “Fellowship National Day of Prayer” on Sunday, November 9th by clicking here.

May you, your church, and our movement of churches experience the blessing of God as we submit ourselves to His will and work.

Update on Fellowship National Strategic Plan

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 PST

We have now completed four of our five-year Fellowship National Strategic Plan (FNSP) called “Catalyze: Disciples making Disciples everywhere: 2021–2026 ”.

Our past year in review: September 2024 – August 2025

Our family of churches grew this past year. Five years ago (2020) we were 507 churches. We now total 541 churches as of June 2025 — Pacific: 103, Prairies: 28, FEB Central: 304, AEBEQ: 85, and Atlantic: 21.
Our Fellowship family planted 11 new churches in 2025—between 2010 and 2025 The Fellowship established 143 new church plants.
Our Fellowship International department appointed one new long-term career missionary and deployed two Launch mid-term missionaries. We currently have 92 Fellowship International missionaries serving in 23 fields.
Fellowship International missionaries witnessed 434 baptisms; 906 Discovery Bible Studies were established; 13 new churches were planted; 2,762 national leaders were trained in 519 training events; and 42 local churches in Canada were supported by our EPIC and Onside summer camp ministry with 4,847 child registrants, 288 professions of faith recorded, and 22 EPIC and Onside workers going on short-term mission trips to Colombia and Mexico.
Our FAIR department raised over $1,300,000 in donations toward appeals, projects, and development programs that helped alleviate human suffering around the world. Our local churches joined with FAIR in strengthening our Fellowship Child Sponsorship programs serving children across five locations in four countries, with a further 63 new child sponsors joining our growing sponsorship team. Thank you.
Our Fellowship Chaplaincy ministry appointed 21 new chaplains with 136 professions of faith recorded. We currently have 174 Fellowship chaplains serving in 16 different areas of ministry in closed communities (“closed” in the sense that churches and/or pastors are often not permitted to enter but chaplains are welcomed) throughout Canada.
Our Fellowship National Francophone ministry served our AEBEQ churches by establishing seven new partnerships this year to help support three French church plants in Quebec.
Our Fellowship Foundation has received over $32 million in estate legacies, direct gifts, and investment deposits as of September 2025 with a further $1,424,000 in pending legacy gifts added this past year. To encourage every church to invite our Fellowship Advancement Director, Gord Baptist, to do estate training in your church, we are excited to share that $7 million in the Fellowship Foundation will be going to our local churches in the years to come. Pastor, invite Gord to your church today!

A review of our “Catalyze” strategic plan: 2021–2025

To view Domestic and International Action Plans, click HERE and discover the outcomes related to:

DISCIPLING: Multiplication for mission
WORKERS: Recruiting for mission
PARTNERSHIP: Mobilizing for mission
EQUIPPING: Training for mission
RESOURCING: Providing for mission

God has been good. Seventy-eight churches planted among our 23 Fellowship International fields along with 1,302 baptisms and 5,118 national leaders trained since 2021. Fellowship International has recruited 13 long-term missionaries and nine mid-termers in the past four years, while Fellowship Chaplaincy has appointed 107 new chaplains during the same time.

This is just a taste of the favour that God has shown while our local churches remain on mission. Take a peek at the FNSP and be encouraged.

I hope to see many of you soon at our upcoming Fellowship National Conference (FNC 2025) in Toronto on November 3-5, 2025.

Gratitude is a vaccine, antitoxin, and antiseptic

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 PST

We celebrate Thanksgiving this coming weekend. I hope you will be thankful for more than the turkey and stuffing you’ll enjoy.

An attitude of gratitude is at the very heart of living a Spirit-controlled life. What evidence might we expect of an individual living a Spirit-filled life? Grateful or grace-filled believers are Spirit-filled believers. If we’re looking for the litmus test to help recognize whether a believer is living the victorious Christian life, we need go no further than discovering if they exude a spirit of thanksgiving. An attitude of gratitude tips off the true state of our spiritual health. The New Testament links this spirit of thanksgiving with living a consistent Christ-like life. Is this true of the Church today?

Paul writes: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful...” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, NIV) Does your church model the spirit of the age, or the spirit of Christ? If we are to experience daily victory over sin, the spirit of gratitude, as the Bible teaches, is pivotal to being consistently victorious. The Apostle Paul connects triumph with thanksgiving, saying in I Corinthians 15:57 (NLT): “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Did you catch that? Paul links gratitude to victory. Paul does the same thing in 2 Corinthians 2:14a (NLT), saying, “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession.” Victory and triumph are linked to nurturing a spirit of gratitude. Show me a devoted follower of Christ experiencing victory, and I promise you, you’ll discover a life permeated with a thankful spirit.

Gratitude is one of the greatest evidences that God is present and at work in the life of a believer. In a world where there are so many reasons to be ungrateful, so many reasons to complain, so many excuses to be critical, and so many ways to be cynical, the Spirit of God invites us on another path: The Way of Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, the doctrine of gratitude is too often relegated to the backburner of our lives, rather than being a cardinal mark, or badge, of our daily Christian walk. If the Holy Spirit is truly in control of our lives as Fellowship Baptists, then the spirit of gratitude will be a natural and normal part of our everyday lives, and that will change everything: how we treat our friends, our spouse, our environment; how we praise in our worship gatherings; how we pray; or how we spend our money. Everything changes—for the good.

A preacher once said, “Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.” It’s a vaccine in that gratitude prevents the invasion of a critical spirit. It is an antitoxin in that it prevents the effects of poison-like cynicism. And it is an antiseptic in that gratitude can soothe and heal a troubled spirit.

Let’s be thankful, for God’s glory and our benefit.

The Wonder of the Bible

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship theme for 2025 has been our “Year of the Bible” with the theme verse, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine…” (2 Timothy 3:16a, KJV)

The Bible remains #1
The Bible remains supreme in our world as the number one best-seller — being sold and distributed more than the Quran (1.8 billion Muslims); Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Vedas (one million Hindus); Tripitaka (376 million Buddhists); Guru Granth Sahib (23 million Sikhs); Torah, Talmud, and Hebrew Old Testament (14 million Jews); Kitáb-i-Aqdas (seven million Bahá’í); Āgamas, Sutras, and Puranas (four million Jainists); Kojiki (four million Shintoists); and the Avesta (20 million Zoroastrianists).

The Bible’s unity points to a single author

The Bible remains supreme in its unified harmony despite being written over 1500 years ago, by 40 different authors, on three continents, and in differing literary genres. In fact, the Bible’s amazing unity is irrefutable internal evidence of the divine planning and origin of the book. Its unity in the midst of its diversity becomes a compelling explanation of its divine authorship:

Many books
The Bible is a collection of 66 different writings, but they’re not viewed as a collection of many writings or books, but as one book, The Bible.

Lots of authors
The Bible’s 66 different writings were written by 40 different authors over a period of about 1500 years (circa 1450 BC to 100 AD). These authors varied dramatically — priests, shepherds, farmers, fishermen, tentmakers, doctors, poets, philosophers, statesmen, and kings. They were spread across generations with no precise idea their message would eventually be incorporated into a single book. Their only common claim was a belief they were being divinely inspired to write. Most other religious books are penned by one author based on a vision or special enlightenment claimed by one individual propagating their ideas. How does one determine the veracity of a single individual’s claim of having seen a vision, and then base their life on that one person’s claim?

Different locations and circumstances
The Biblical writings were composed over three continents — Asia, Africa, and Europe and written in three different languages — Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Again, unique among religious books.

The Bible was written by authors undergoing different situations in widely different cultures, political regimes, and regions. Written while in prison, a palace, a dungeon, in the wilderness, while traveling in peace, on military campaigns, while experiencing joy, sorrow, or even despair.

Multiple subjects and literary genres
The Bible covers every conceivable subject important to human existence, the nature of God, and our final destination. The Bible addresses this using multiple literary genres including: poetry, wisdom literature, historic narratives, sermons, letters, law, prayer, praise, and prophecy. It’s a religious book but also a work of beautiful literature that has indelibly impacted literature in the western world for centuries.

The wonder of the Bible
Try to think about any other book written over 1500 years by 40 authors from different continents and cultures, who largely never met one another to compare notes, writing in differing languages, different circumstances, subjects, and literary forms — and come up with a book with such unity and harmony.

With all these contrasts, what would you typically expect in one book? Likely something disjointed with conflicted messaging. Right?

But the Bible is not chaos — it’s supremely unified in all its diversity. Pointing to a single divine author.

2025 is the Fellowship’s Year of the Bible
In 2025 we chose to celebrate the Bible by accomplishing a few things, as follows:

The modification of our policy on “Marriage and Human Sexuality”. Delegates at FNC 2024 approved additions to our policy that strengthened our Biblical Understanding of gender.
Secondly, to approve the final Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith (AoF), prepared by a duly appointed AoF Team (two and a half year process), approved by our Fellowship National Council (February 25, 2025), and sent to FEBCC churches on March 12, 2025.
Delegates gather at FNC 2025 in Toronto to vote on 14 motions to approve (or not) the 14 Articles of the revised AoF. This business meeting occurs on November 4, 2025 at 2:00pm EST. This meeting will be available online for voting but I’m hoping you’re planning to attend FNC 2025 (November 3-5, 2025) at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre (Toronto) with special speaker: Dr. Bill Hogg, “Fan the Flame”.
And lastly, to continue the ongoing work of creating a resource tool, “Exploring our Faith”, that will accompany our revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. This tool walks through each AoF article answering over 100 questions, explaining theological concepts, defining terms, providing commentary, and leaving follow up questions to ponder.

Our “Exploring our Faith” resource tool allows Fellowship Baptists to use our revised AoF as a discipleship tool to help form and sharpen the doctrinal awareness and convictions of members of local FEBC churches.

The plan is to launch the “Exploring our Faith” tool at FNC 2026 (November 9-11, 2026) in Toronto.

Hope to see you at FNC 2025 – Register HERE today!

Thank God for our Bible!

Baptists gather in Brisbane to learn about the Acts 2 Movement

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 PST

Imagine experiencing a “taste of heaven” in your lifetime.

I recently attended the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) Conference (July 7-12) in Brisbane, Australia. A congress that has met every five years over its 120-year history, gathering Baptists from around the world. My “taste of heaven” was seeing, meeting, talking to, and praying with leaders from 134 countries – so many different races, languages, and cultures were represented. And every one a Baptist!

The week began with mini-conferences for NextGen, missions, and women’s ministries, along with tours of indigenous and Christian camping ministries. Our FAIR Director and I enjoyed the missions mini-conference, hearing from speakers on current global initiatives.

The BWA (representing 53 million Baptists worldwide across 138 countries) Conference began with a stirring address from Dr. Elijah Brown, BWA President, and ended with an inspiring call to mission from Dr. Charlies Dates, lead pastor of a Chicago church, followed by a performance from his 80-member choir.

The conference theme was “Living the Good News” and the focus was a call to Baptists worldwide to become:

An Incarnational Community
“Disruptable” Disciples
Freedom Pursuers
Anointed Proclaimers

Attendees met in smaller groups for workshops, and in the huge auditorium (over 4,000 in attendance!) to focus on the above goals through preaching, testimonies, amazing reports, Scripture reading in multiple languages, inspiring video stories, and anointed praise and worship – imagine hearing the didgeridoo played alongside a guitar and drums during musical worship!

BWA’s “Acts 2 Movement” featured

BWA’s President, Dr. Elijah Brown, called on delegates to commit to the “Acts 2 Movement”, a series of pathways toward seeking to “finish the task” before the 2000th anniversary of Christ’s resurrection in 2033 AD:

The 2000th Anniversary of the death and resurrection of Christ.
The 2000th Anniversary of Pentecost and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on all believers.
The 2000th Anniversary of the birth of the Church, Christ’s Bride.
The 2000th Anniversary of the inauguration of the Great Commission.

Dr. Brown called Baptist leaders worldwide to unprecedented collaboration by committing to one or more of the following “Five Paths” and five specific outcomes over the next nine years (2025-2033):

Path #1: The Bible Path — Acts 2:42

Baptists collaborate and partner to complete the translation of God’s Word into the remaining 1,159 languages where no copy of God’s Word exists.

What if Fellowship churches raised $2,000,000 toward this effort? See https://acts2movement.org/paths/bible-path/ if you want to read more.

Path #2: The Witness Path — Acts 2:41

Baptists share their testimony with 450 million neighbours over the next nine years.

What if Fellowship constituents were to share 720,000 testimonies and witness 180,000 new believers enter our churches by 2033? Visit https://acts2movement.org/paths/witness-path/ if you want to know more.

Path #3: The Care Path — Acts 2:44-45

Baptists complete one billion acts of service (kindness) by 2033, showing compassion and care to their neighbours.

What if Fellowship believers were to accomplish 2,160,000 acts of service (kindness) by 2033? What would 500+ communities in our nation look like? See https://acts2movement.org/paths/care-path/ if you want to know more.

Path #4: The Freedom Path — Acts 2:47

Baptists stand boldly for believers worldwide suffering from religious opposition, discrimination, and persecution by signing a “Religious Freedom” covenant.

What if 25,000 Fellowship church members and leaders became signatories of the BWA Religious Freedom covenant by 2033? See https://acts2movement.org/paths/freedom-path/ if you want to read more.

Path #5: The Neighbour Path — Acts 2:46

Baptists become their neighbourhood chaplain – learning their neighbours’ names, praying for them, and obeying the Spirit of God when He directs them to say or do something.

What if, by 2033, 8,000 neighbourhoods, among our 540 local churches, had a Neighbourhood Chaplain praying and caring for the people in their community? Visit https://acts2movement.org/neighborhood-chaplain-network/ to learn more.

Imagine, in the next nine years (2025-2033):

$2,000,000 given toward Bible translation.
720,000 testimonies shared with 180,000 new believers.
2,160,000 acts of service (kindness) performed in 500 communities.
25,000 advocates for religious freedom.
8,000 neighbourhood chaplains involved in the ministry of presence in their community.

Go to https://acts2movement.org/ to read more.

Such an impact would surely make a difference in our communities and nation. Please pray about your involvement and your church’s involvement in the Acts 2 Movement to help see revival happen soon!

Freedom

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 PST

Our next FAIR appeal is seeking to fund 50 rescue operations for delivering young women and children from the clutches of sex-trafficking in Bangladesh. All of this work will be done alongside sister Baptist churches in Bangladesh. Please read the following and pass this information along to your church, family, and friends.

At a recent Baptist World Alliance conference that our FAIR Director, Norton Lages, and I attended, we met with Rev. John and Ms. Molina who are the Executive Directors of a Baptist denomination (comprising 500+ churches) in Bangladesh. John serves as the president and Ms. Molina as the relief and development director. We’re happy to announce that our current appeal will be in partnership with this local church ministry along with specialists, International Justice Mission (IJM), who will provide the infrastructure to begin the rescue of young women and children caught in horrible circumstances. You’ll recall several years ago FAIR partnered with IJM in Philippines to do the very same thing. Our churches were incredibly generous at that time and we’re hoping and praying you will be generous once again to help churches in Bangladesh address this evil scourge.

Norton shares the following:

Lara* thought no one was coming.

At just 15 years old, she had been trapped in the dark world of sex-trafficking for six long months. Abused, exploited, and betrayed by a trusted neighbour, her childhood was stolen.

But then, freedom came.

A single courageous tip led authorities to Lara’s location. She was rescued in South Asia, brought into aftercare, and is now on the path to healing.

In Bangladesh, just like its neighbouring South Asian countries, thousands of children are still waiting in the shadows—desperate for someone to rescue them. Extreme poverty and systemic injustice make it all too easy for traffickers to prey on young children like Lara. Up to 50% of those trapped in the sex trade are children. Desperate families are deceived, and children are sold into horror.

There is no way out—unless someone intervenes.

The Freedom | Bangladesh special appeal is seeking to help start a new program and make 50 rescue operations possible. Each operation costs $10,000 and includes elements such as:

training local first responders
resourcing rescue operations
recruiting and training local lawyers, social workers, and other professionals

Through all of this, FAIR is integrating the local church into all aspects of the program. From rescue to rehabilitation, the church has a unique opportunity to care for survivors and see lives changed.

Freedom is possible. Rescue is real.

Will you join us?

Please be in prayer how you and your church might support this FAIR project and help raise the $500,000 to complete at least 50 rescues of young women and children in Bangladesh. Possibly consider a Thanksgiving Sunday or Christmas offering for Freedom | Bangladesh. To learn more about this appeal go to: fellowship.ca/freedom

Church bullies at FNC 2025?!

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 PST

Authoritarian leadership, bullies on social media, and power-hungry politicians are on the rise.

Fellowship National Conference 2025 is Coming!

I’ve invited Dr. Raymond Chiu, Assistant Professor of Business at Redeemer University, Ancaster, ON and member of North York Chinese Baptist in Toronto, to host a workshop at FNC 2025 entitled “Faithful Leadership in an Age of Authoritarianism”. He’ll address the issue of bullies that enter politics and even our churches, and the growing concern with Christians’ hearts being captured by and aligned to the aggressive nature of these leaders. Often the witness of The Church becomes compromised.

Dr. Chiu starts with Israelite biblical history along with a decade of research to untangle the nature of true godly leadership. I believe it’s a particularly timely topic in our time.

Make sure to register for FNC 2025 and check out Dr. Raymond Chiu’s workshop among many others.

Plan to attend FNC 2025 in Toronto and be present when our churches gather to vote for the revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. Don’t miss the vote on November 4, 2025 at 2:00pm.

How to Identify a Church Bully

Every church has at least one. Pastors, missionaries, and church leaders get beat up by them. They wreak havoc, cause division, distract churches from mission, and cause pastors to resign prematurely. Who am I describing? The church bully.

Dr. Thom Rainer outlines nine traits to be on the lookout for, and nine ways to deal with church bullies:

Nine Traits of Church Bullies

Church bullies typically must have an enemy to feed their insatiable appetite to fight. They are unhappy unless fighting some battle “for the Lord”. Often, we find these people in places of influence in the church.

Hopefully by investigating the traits of a “church bully”, we can recognize them before they cause dissension and damage.

They do not recognize themselves as bullies. To the contrary, they see themselves as necessary heroes sent to save the church from her own self.
They have personal and self-serving agendas. They have determined what “their” church should look like. Any person or ministry or program that is contrary to their perceived ideal church must be eliminated.
They seek to form power alliances with weak members in the church. They will pester and convince groups, committees, and individuals to be allies in their cause. Weaker church staff members and church members will succumb to their forceful personalities.
They tend to have intense and emotional personalities. These bullies use the intensity of their personalities to get their way.
They are known for saying, “people are saying.” They love to gather tidbits of information and shape it to their own agendas.
They find their greatest opportunities in low-expectation churches. Many of these church members have a self-entitled view of church membership. They seek to get their own needs and preferences fulfilled. They therefore won’t trouble themselves to confront and deal with church bullies. And the next issue is a direct consequence of this one:
They are allowed to bully because church members will not stand up to them. I have spoken with pastors and church staff who have been attacked by church bullies. While the bully brings them great pain, they experience even greater hurt because most of the church members stood silent and let it happen.
They create chaos and wreak havoc. A church bully always has their next mission ready. While he or she may take a brief break from one bullying mission to the next, they are not content unless they are exerting the full force of their manipulative behaviour.
They often move to other churches after they have done their damage. Whether they are forced out or simply get bored, they will move to other churches and continue the same bullying mission.

Nine Ways to Deal with the Church Bully

Thom Rainer moves from the descriptive to the prescriptive in the following suggestions. What can you do to prevent or stop bullies in YOUR church?

Fight bullying with the power of prayer. The most common targets of church bullies are the pastor and church staff. I encourage everyone in vocational ministry to ask humbly for people to pray for them daily. In two of the churches where I served as pastor, I had as many as 100 or more people committed to pray for me daily. They typically prayed for me for only two or three minutes each day at noon. Their intercessory prayers for me were brief, but they were powerful!
Seek to have an “Acts 6” group in the church. I am specifically referring to the manner in which the Jerusalem church dealt with murmuring and complaining. They appointed a group to take care of the widows who were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The seven who were appointed to the task were thus not only to do that ministry, but they were also to preserve the unity of the church. Churches need either informal or formal groups whose ministry is dealing with conflict, complaints, and dissension so that unity is preserved.
Have a high-expectation church. Higher expectation churches tend to be more unified, more Great-Commission-focused, more biblically defined, and more servant-oriented. Stated simply, high-expectation churches don’t offer an environment conducive to bullying.
Encourage members to speak and stand up to church bullies. Bullying thrives in a church where the majority remains in silent fear of church bullies. Bullies tend to back down when confronted by strong people in the church. We just need more strong people in the church.
Make certain the polity of the church does not become a useful instrument to church bullies. Many churches have ambiguous structures and lines of accountability. Polity is weak and ill-defined. Bullies take advantage of the ambiguity and interpret things according to their nefarious desires.
Be willing to exercise church discipline. Church discipline is a forgotten essential of many churches. Bullies need to know there are consequences for their actions, and church discipline may be one of them.
Have a healthy process to put the best-qualified persons in positions of leadership in the church. Bullies often are able to push around less qualified people who have found themselves in positions of leadership. There should be a spiritually and strategically designed process to choose and recruit people for key leadership positions.
Have a healthy process to hire church staff. For example, an egregious mistake would be the church’s hiring of a senior staff member without the enthusiastic support of the pastor. If the pastor and new staff member do not have good chemistry, a church bully can quickly pit one against the other. A unified church staff is a major roadblock for a church bully.
Encourage a celebratory environment in the church. Joyous churches deter bullies. They like somber and divi

No focus-the people perish!

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 PST

The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “the act of concentrating interest or activity on something.” The MacMillan Dictionary defines it as “the particular attention paid to something.” Webster’s Dictionary defines it as a “state or condition permitting clear perception or understanding.” Have you guessed what I’m describing?

It’s the definition of the word Focus.

The Bible says: “Where there is no focus, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV). Hmmm… not quite. The word we’re looking for is really “vision”, not “focus”, and this verse is not actually talking about the importance of a church, or association of churches, having a Vision Statement. The ESV translation actually hits closer to the mark, saying: “Where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint.” “Vision” here is referring to special revelation. The principle is that apart from following God’s Word, society will quickly dissolve into moral chaos.

However, I think it’s also accurate to say that whenever the Church does not focus on what God says is true and right, then its effectiveness in mission perishes.

News about the revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship’s Affirmation of Faith states that the local church is a “sovereign, independent body”. No argument there. Our autonomy is part of our identity as a fellowship of churches.

However, how is this autonomy supposed to work? Years ago, I ate lunch in Calgary with an elder from one of our Fellowship churches. Mike asked me if I knew what “autindiginy” meant. I had to admit I had never heard the term. He sent me the following in an email:

AUTINDIGINY, AUTINDIGINOUS:

A characteristic of the first-century church (which should also characterize the present-day church): Autonomous assemblies of believers where leadership was developed from within the body.

Although local bodies retained their independence, in practice there was a unity throughout the fellowship of churches in adherence to the gospel. This was fostered by an INTERDEPENDENCE.

Leadership giftings were developed indigenously, fulfilling the mandate of Ephesians 4 (every believer motivated to maturity). These gifts were recognized when they began to function, and leaders were appointed to public service by the apostles.

Does this characterize our fellowship of churches? Before you point fingers, ask yourself, “When was the last time I or my church did something for another local church or church leaders that brought no visible benefit to me or my church?” Interdependence…something to think about. Autonomous bodies functioning like they’re completely dependent on the Lord, but also on one another, to get the mission accomplished.

A revision to our Local Church Article

You’ll note that our revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith has sought to pick up this convictional nuance in the revised article on The Local Church.

The revised article states:

The Local Church

We believe that the universal church, the Body of Christ, comprised of all true believers in heaven and on earth, is expressed on earth in local churches. We believe a properly ordered local church consists of believers, baptized by immersion, who have been called out from the world, separated to the Lord Jesus; and voluntarily associated for the ministry of the word, the mutual edification of its members, the propagation of the faith, the observance of the ordinances, and the doing of good works. We believe it is a self-governing body responsible for exercising its own divinely awarded gifts, precepts, and privileges under the lordship of Christ, the Head and Chief Shepherd of the church. We believe that its officers are biblically qualified elders, who shepherd and oversee God’s flock, and deacons, who serve and support.

View the entire revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith here.

You’ll note that the revised article states: “We believe it is a self-governing body responsible for exercising its own divinely awarded gifts…”

Hope to see you at FNC 2025 for the VOTE

We gather on November 4, 2025 at 2:00pm to VOTE on 14 motions associated with each of the 14 Articles that comprise the revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. Come as a church delegate and participate in this historic vote. See you in Toronto from November 3-5 for “FAN the FLAME”. Register TODAY!

What about a Christian education in Canada?

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:00:00 PST

I completed my Regional conference tour across the country in June and heard good news about much, including our three partner seminaries:

Northwest Baptist College and Seminary in Langley, BC continues to actively service our churches through their Immerse program, a competency-based theological education model that immerses the students in church ministry while they are being trained and educated.
Heritage College & Seminary in Cambridge, ON just opened their impressive new seminary facility and are developing a new vision for ministry preparation and partnership with our local churches while continuing to run a robust internship program for senior students.
The Baptist Evangelical Seminary of Québec (SEMBEQ, Séminaire Baptiste Évangelique du Québec) in Montréal, QC recently launched a refreshed commitment to partner with our churches and Regions in the equipping and developing of leaders in our churches. SEMBEQ’s storied history has always been closely tied to the training of our pastors, missionaries, and chaplains.

Christian Education in Canada?

How important is Christian education in building faith-persistent young people? I attended an Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) gathering and I heard some interesting information on the subject.

In 1901 there were only 18 institutions of higher education in Canada. Today, there are many, with 96 universities and 1.8 million students.

By the 1930s only 15% of Canadians graduated from high school. This increased to 50% by the 1950s. Since 2001, Canada has ranked #1 among OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations with 63% of adults obtaining a university education in 2023 (the last year of available data).

In the midst of an increased emphasis on education in Canada, the Bible School movement took flight starting in 1885, battled through the Modernist Movement (early 1900s), plummeted in the 1960s, and is presently being deprived of oxygen in the early 21st century. Some 340 Bible colleges have been established since 1894 with 75% of them located in Western Canada. Today, many have closed or have merged to survive in a climate where Christian parents question the relevancy and economics of enrolling their children. About 70 post-secondary religious training institutions currently exist in Canada which includes seminaries as well as Bible colleges.

Today, Christian institutions need to be funded by higher tuition rates than their secular counterparts, and no public funding is available. Christian schools on average depend 2.5 times more on tuition fees than secular schools do. As a result, fewer Christian schools and colleges existed at the start of the 21st century.

Today, less than 20,000 students attend faith-based Canadian post-secondary schools, representing only 7% of all post-secondary students. An interesting and possibly comparable note is that evangelicals represent approximately 7.7% of the Canadian population.

This is all noteworthy in light of two major Canadian studies conducted in 2010 and 2018 by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and several other youth ministries.

In 2010, the Hemorrhaging Faith study discovered that two in three high school students left the church or their faith during their years in post-secondary education. The numbers are staggering. (Read the Hemorrhaging Faith study here.)

A few Western University professors admitted that a liberal arts education is likely only necessary for about 15% of the jobs available in the marketplace. I’m not against university education; all my kids have at least one degree. I’m also not against education being a means for growth and shaping minds. But, if a university education’s main purpose is not to prepare young adults (or young-at-heart adults) for the workplace, what is its main objective?

Some argue campuses have become places to pass along a new orthodoxy, new values, and a secular public confession, rather than gain the training for a vocation. University education develops a worldview.

So, should evangelicals run for the hills? Do evangelicals vacate the “public square” like we did in the early 1920s and for much of the 20th century? We retrace this course of action at our own peril. My hope is that the opposite happens. Evangelicals enter political office, remain teachers in the public system, write their local newspaper editor, join a political party, volunteer, and advocate passionately for issues like poverty, homelessness, protection of the unborn, end-of-life care, creation stewardship, addiction, and other important causes. Evangelicals must engage and remain a cause for good and blessing in our nation.

One last comment. In 2018, the Renegotiating Faith study discovered that students from evangelical backgrounds who attended at least one year of Bible college (or equivalent), enjoyed going to summer Christian camps as a teen, had a mentor in their life as a young person, or joined a Christian ministry within 30 days of starting university vastly increased their chances of faith-persistence. (Read the Renegotiating Faith study here.)

Christian parents need to either rethink where they send their kids for post-secondary education, or seek to ensure their kids’ faith journey is strengthened by helpful tools and practices so they will think Christianly amid the intentional indoctrination occurring on secular campuses across Canada. Something to ponder?

Global mission advance from 33 AD to 2025AD

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:00:00 PST

Ever wonder how many people throughout the world have committed themselves to Christ’s mission to evangelize the world? How many missionaries have been sent? What are today’s global resources for world evangelism?

I came across this information from the “World Christian Trends” work done by the William Carey Library and researchers David Barrett and Todd Johnson. I thought you might be interested:

Classification of Christian	33 AD	1000 AD	2025 AD
Nominal Christians	0	40 million	1.7 billion
Active Christians	10,000	5 million	880 million
Pastoral workers	200	88,000	5 million
Home missionaries	100	17,000	1.2 million
Cross-cultural missionaries	100	900	300,000
Missionaries serving in the “Christian” world	0	1,100	300,000
Missionaries serving in evangelized “Non-Christian” world	0	400	200,000
Missionaries serving in the “un-evangelized” world	0	300	50,000

Global Resources to complete the Great Commission

When it comes to resources to fulfill the Great Commission (to evangelize and disciple all nations) Christian resources do abound. This is a list produced from data collected in the early 2000s:

88 billion professing Christians
565 million professing Christians under 15 years of age
648 million practicing Christians
600 million weekly-worshipping Christians
45 million worship centres (local churches)
33,800 distinct denominations
4,000 foreign mission boards or societies
5,800 home-mission boards or societies
23,000 para-church agencies
400 medical mission agencies
5,500 Christian hospitals
30,000 Christian medical centres
170,000 elementary Christian Schools
50,000 Christian high schools
1,500 Christian universities
4,800 seminaries or theological colleges with 1.1 million seminary students
1 million ordained clergy (8% are women)
52 million full-time Christian workers
420,000 vocational full-time foreign missionaries
1 million home missionaries
26,100 new Christian book titles every year
12,000 major religious (Christian) libraries
7 million Bibles distributed each year
7 million New Testaments distributed each year
6 million Scripture portions distributed each year
3 billion Christian books printed each year
5 billion Christian tracts printed each year
4,000 Christian radio/TV stations
120,000 full-time personnel in Christian broadcasting
3,000 evangelistic mass campaigns each year
332 million Christians own a computer
845 current global plans for world evangelism
210 current global mega-plans for world evangelism
57 current global giga-plans for world evangelism

Impressive, but dig deeper...

Pretty impressive, eh? But the reality is that the vast bulk of these resources mostly benefit the “Christian World”. Even when it comes to foreign missions, 85% of personnel and money is devoted to “Christian” lands such as North America, Brazil, Kenya, etc.

The present annual cost of mission to Christian lands is $163 billion, which is more than seven times as much as the $250 million it costs to send approximately 10,200 foreign missionaries to frontier fields (i.e. countries where less than 1-2% of the population self-identify as evangelical Christian).

We certainly need to continue supporting home missions or missions to “evangelized” fields. A strong home base is critical to completing the Great Commission, but we must remain vigilant and intentional about still giving a fair share to missions in those tougher un-evangelized fields. I imagine many of our church mission budgets may not represent this reality.

Fellowship International Missionaries

Currently, a number of amazing Fellowship International personnel are looking for partners to enable them to go to those fields that are the least evangelized (less than 1-2% evangelical). I know many of our churches prayerfully consider financial partnership with new missionaries during budget discussions in the Fall. Please consider these folks.

Jesse Lam (Japan) fellowship.ca/lam
- Jesse serves as a musician ministering to musicians. Currently, he focuses mainly on his musicianship, his theological studies, and his mastery of the Japanese language.
ECM (Persian Diaspora) fellowship.ca/ecm
- *As this email/blog is being posted on the internet, I need to be cautious in communicating about this couple because of the nature of their ministry. Even mentioning that they minister among a “Persian” population can be sensitive in some settings. If interested, contact me and I can provide you with more details and perhaps even a photo for this couple.
Jacob and Rachel Hwang (Ahousaht, First Nation) fellowship.ca/jacobandrachelhwang
- The Hwangs deeply desire to see God plant an Ahousaht First Nation church among young people who are less impacted by history. Their major role is becoming spiritual parents until the next generation develops true disciples of Christ.
A dozen year ago I was listening to Dr. Charles Price who at the time was the pastor of The Peoples Church in Toronto, ON. He was speaking to a large group of pastors and something he said, I believe, bears repeating.

The Amalekites will come back to haunt you

In his message he asked us if we were Saul or David. The message was a home-run, hitting the heart.

Charles took us through several passages in 1 Samuel relating how much of Saul’s motivation for action or inaction was based on fear, rather than faith. He constantly took short-cuts in his private life and it took its toll on his public life. When nearing his death on the battlefield, he asked a soldier to finish him off. Interestingly, Saul asked the soldier who he was. The soldier told him he was an Amalekite. He obeyed King Saul, gave the fatal blow, and recounted the story to David (2 Samuel 1:1-16).

There is an irony in all of this. God had sanctioned Saul to destroy the Amalekites. But, Saul’s “enlightened” sensibilities did not allow him to fully follow through on God’s will. Eventually the people whom he was to destroy would kill him.

The point: If we don’t take care of our private life, it can destroy us. Hidden sin has a horrible way of finding us out. And Saul’s forbearance would return to haunt his descendants.

Five centuries later, Haman, the Hitler of the Persian Empire, sought to wipe out the Jewish race. Haman was a descendant of Agag (Esther 3:1), the king of the Amalekites. Five centuries further on, we discover King Herod trying to commit genocide among young Jewish boys by ordering the slaughter of boys less than two years old in an attempt to murder God’s anointed. King Herod was an Edomite and the Edomites were related to the Amalekites. Amalek was the son of Esau’s (that is, Edom’s) first-born son, Eliphaz.

Charles Price pointed out the irony. King Saul’s “enlightened” approach to following God’s will would not only destroy his own life, it would also bring untold grief to his people for generations to come.

When we choose to “fudge” on doing what we know to be true because of the expediency or convenience or enlightened “common sense”, we run the risk of not only harming our own life, but also the lives of our family, our church, the Christian community, and even our grandchildren’s grandchildren. A sobering thought.

Let’s all take care of our inner/private lives for the sake of Jesus’ reputation today and for generations to come.

The church as a well-watered garden

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 PST

Let me ask you a question. What is the oldest profession? I know what half of you are thinking right now! You’re wrong. The oldest profession is actually gardening. Adam and Eve began as gardeners and the world will end in an eternal gardened city.

Imagine with me the Church as a garden. The Church needs to be a green garden with peaceful spaces where parched people can find rest for their lives. One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 58:11 (NLT): “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”

People need nourishing green spaces in life to connect with God. But, there is a danger in thinking the Church’s mission is to solely be a lush, green garden. A safe green space for people to gather and grow and flourish spiritually. The reality is that we do not live in Heaven yet. We live in a fallen world surrounded by sinful people. And unless we tend our little garden regularly with care, the weeds of this world will invade our garden.

I read W.O. Mitchell’s book, “Jake the Kid”, years ago. It’s the story of a 12-year-old boy growing up in the Canadian Prairies during the 1940s. There is a line in the book that struck me. It went like this: “The Prairie will take over if your backyard don’t fight back.”

Our garden is not a playground. It’s a garden we must continually tend and fight for. It’s a green space surrounded by the ravages of war. A spiritual battle that is constantly “fighting back”.

So, our mission as local churches is not to build nice, lush, peaceful gardens to protect us from the battle, but, to use our gardens (churches) to prepare us to assault the beaches of our common enemy.

Fifteen years ago, my son, Alec and I took a trip together to visit the war memorials, mostly found in France. An awesome experience shared with my 18-year-old boy. We visited the beaches of Normandy where 81 years ago brave Canadian soldiers stormed Juno Beach.

On D-Day the allies established a beach-head and repelled the enemy further inland. But the war (the work) wasn’t finished in one day. They had another 11 horrifying months before their mission was complete. However, the beach-head on June 6, 1944 became a “green space” to rally the troops, re-equip the solders, and direct the army to continue inland.

This is what I’m picturing when I call the church to be a “well-watered garden” (Isaiah 58:11). Not a place to get comfortable and meet my needs. But, a green place, a stopping-off place to get refreshed and prepared to go back out into the battle and advance the beach-head inland for the sake of Christ. It’s not a playground out there. It’s a war zone where spiritual battle is taking place every day.

I know you know this. That’s why I love you for leading the charge. Spiritual orphans all around us are counting on us to lead the charge forward. Jesus, our Commander in Chief, once said to us, “GO!” (Matthew 28:19)

This summer learn about TLC living

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 PST

We’re into summer and I’m hoping most of us are getting some down-time or are about to get some. I’m off on vacation in July. Trust you are taking advantage of the summer months to get some R&R. You need it.

I once did a message entitled TLC Living. I used the well-known “TLC” or “tender, loving care” tagline to talk about overcoming the stresses of life.

Jesus summarized the secret to stress management in three insightful sentences found in Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV):

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus tells us to do three things when stressed – Come, Learn, and Take (TLC living). If we do these, our stress diminishes and our satisfaction increases. How?

Come to Jesus

Matthew 11:28 says:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

The first things Jesus says is, “come to me.” When you’re overloaded and need rest for your soul, go to Jesus. Soul rest is different than physical rest. It is rest from an overloaded mind–from worry, tension, guilt, fear, or bitterness. Who do you turn to when exhausted? Too many of us turn to food and many of us spell “food” c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e. Only Jesus can give us soul rest. The Prophet Isaiah tells, us that “those who trust in the Lord will find new strength,” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT). How do we get that “new strength”? “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace,” (Matthew 6:6, The Message). In other words, get alone. Stop acting. Stop thinking you can handle it. Come to Jesus.

Learn to trust Jesus

Matthew 11:29b (NIV) says:

“…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

If we’re to live at peace, then we must learn Jesus’ model and follow it. Learning is a process and many of us need to unlearn and relearn many things. Some things we learn with Jesus as our model are:

Gentleness is the antidote for the hurry in my life. We hurry, jump in, buy too soon, speak without thinking, and over commit. Gentleness stopped Jesus from pursuing every task and request.
Humility is the antidote for the selfishness in my life. Pride drives us to “more” and the result is overload. The secret is humility. Jesus lived a life of simple and humble obedience to the Father’s will. He didn’t worry or strive to please others. He only sought to please His Father.

The last step in Jesus’ stress management program is:

Take the control to Jesus

Matthew 11:29a (NIV)

“Take my yoke upon you…”

Jesus is not saying, take on more of a load. He is saying, find relief by going my way. A yoke is a wooden beam attaching two oxen that plough a farmer’s field. They work together, sharing the burden, to accomplish more than working alone. It was a tool of stress reduction. Share the load with Jesus and we find He has a stronger back than any of us. The yoke is also used by the farmer to direct the oxen team. When we are properly yoked to Jesus, He directs and controls our path. When we move in the same direction and at the same pace as Christ, we discover peace. All of us need a pace-setter because we all have a tendency to go too fast through life.

We think a vacation will ease the stress, but Jesus says, take on my yoke and discover that the antidote to stress relief is giving up control. Jesus wants to share our burden. He wants to become our pace-setter. It starts by accepting His invitation: “Come to me” (Matthew 11:28a NIV).

Whom shall I send? Lord, send me!

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 PST

As we go about sowing the Good News of the Gospel, what should we expect? As we evangelize in Canada, Poland, Japan, or Indonesia, what response should we expect?

When the Lord revealed Himself in a vision to Isaiah, in all His holiness and glory, Isaiah was so shocked that he pronounced a curse on himself, believing God would destroy him due to his own sin. After a seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips with a coal and said, “your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for,” God asked, “Whom shall I send?”

Isaiah answered, “Send me!”

God said, “Go!”

God then told Isaiah that the people will not respond.

Isaiah asked, “Okay, so how long do I do that for… a week or two?”

God instructed Isaiah to stay on mission no matter what because there was a remnant that would eventually be reached. (See Isaiah 6.)

Faithfulness and perseverance are critical for effective evangelism, according to the Lord. Jesus outlines what we should expect people’s responses to the Gospel to be in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13). The disciples thought that everyone would want to listen and join in on the Kingdom after hearing about it. Jesus burst their bubble. “People will treat you like they treated me,” the Lord warns in Matthew 13, 15, and 16 — and before His death, Jesus was treated with indifference and hostility in addition to being welcomed.

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus takes us from what we can see to what we must understand when it comes to our expectations concerning our evangelistic efforts. The “seed” (Gospel) will fall on different “soils” (human hearts):

Hard soil (vs. 4) represents the heart that doesn’t connect or care (vs. 19)
Rocky soil (vs. 5) represents the heart that receives the Good News but doesn’t count the cost (vs. 21)
Thorny soil (vs. 7) represents the heart that is double-minded and won’t give up the world’s lies (vs. 22)
Good soil (vs. 8) represents the heart that receives the Gospel and bears fruit (vs. 23)

A Couple of Reflections

Only one soil bears fruit.
The common theme of the receptivity (heart condition) of the first three soils is that they don’t bear fruit. But, in actuality, some growth does occur in all four soils. There is some response to the seed seeking to germinate but in three cases, the seed is ultimately rejected.

If this is what we can expect from the Gospel, then we’re going to need to learn to be faithful and persevere as we present it in winsome ways.
The soil determines the fruit.
Starting in verse 9, Jesus tells us He wants us to understand this parable. One thing He wants us to understand is that it is the condition of the soil, not the skill of the sower or even the seed itself, which is critical to our effectiveness in evangelism.

Once again, our faithfulness and perseverance are pivotal to the fruitful response of spiritual seekers.

We’re talking about Evangelism at FNC 2025

Our theme for FNC 2025 (November 3-5, 2025) is “Fan the Flame” with special speaker and evangelist Dr. Bill Hogg who will be challenging our delegates to double our efforts in reaching our nation for Christ. We also gather on November 4 at 2:00pm EST to vote on our revised Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. Hope to see you at FNC 2025.

Canada is too unique to be a 51st state

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 PST

There is a lot of talk these days toying with the absurd idea that Canada could become the 51st state of the USA. A silly notion. This week we celebrate Canada’s 158th birthday. Most Canadians think our country is pretty special. Studies commonly indicate that Canada is a nation to which many would like to move. We’re special. Often our identity is based on not being American. But are we truly unique?

Well, ask an American what a toboggan, a toque, or a knapsack are. Ask a Manitoban what a jam-buster, a bumper shine, garbage mitts, or matrimonial cake are. Ask any American what a loonie, a Timmy’s, a two-four, Crispy Crunch, Big Turk, or washroom are and you’ll get a puzzled look. A few months back, I asked a waitress in New Orleans for an extra “serviette” and she looked stunned. So, I said, “Oops, I mean napkin.” Ask anyone in Saskatchewan where to find Big Arm Bay, Eyebrow, Elbow, Knee Lake, Arm River, Head Lake, Skull Creek, Bone Creek, or Moosejaw, and any good, decent citizen in Saskatchewan will point you the way to the many places in their province named after body parts. Ask an American where Saskatchewan is…well, you know the response.

When astronaut Marc Garneau was a passenger on the shuttle Challenger in 1984, he brought along a puck and hockey stick. When Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk was the flight engineer on Soyuz TMA-15 in 2009, he brought his copy of “The Hockey Sweater” by Roch Carrier.

Canada is Unique

My point is that Canadian culture has many characteristics dissimilar to other nations – in particular to our cousins to the south. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not trying to insult the States. I admire much about our closest neighbours. But I’m also grateful for Canada’s unique place in the global neighbourhood.

Compare the national anthems of Canada and the US:

While Americans sing of “the perilous fight, ramparts, rockets, red glare, and bombs bursting in air”, Canadians sing of “standing on guard for thee.” Kinder, gentler talk when speaking about defending our nation. The States rank as the #1 nation for military power. Canada is #25, just after the Philippines and Australia.

The USA’s national anthem had its beginnings in 1814 as a poem entitled “Defence of Fort McHenry”, after an American lawyer witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships during the War of 1812. The Americans won that battle.

Canada on the other hand created and decided on its national anthem through a consensus, contests, and parliamentarian bills. Kind of sounds Canadian, eh?

The music and French lyrics of Canada’s national anthem were written in 1880 to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, originally a traditional feast day for the Nativity (birth) of John the Baptist. Currently, Saint-Jean-Baptist Day is a statutory provincial holiday in Québec on June 24th, officially a celebration of the Québécois identity, and unofficially known as “moving day”. It wasn’t until 1939 that our country settled on “O Canada” as our de facto national anthem, and it wasn’t made official until 1980. It took 100 years. Sounds very Canadian, eh?!

The English lyrics of the Canadian national anthem took longer to land on. A flurry of competitions in the early years of the 20th century came up with many possibilities. I read some of them and it’s interesting to note that God shows up in most of them.

• Thomas Bedford Richardson, a medical doctor from Toronto, wrote in 1906:
“O Canada! Our fathers’ land of old,
Thy brow is crown’d with leaves of red and gold,
Beneath the shade of the Holy Cross…
Almighty God! On thee we call…”

• Ewing Buchan, manager of the Bank of Hamilton in Vancouver, wrote in 1908:
“O Canada, our heritage, our love,
Thy worth we praise all other lands above…
At Britain’s side, whate’er betide,
With hearts we sing, ‘God save the King’…”

• Mercy E. Powell McCulloch won a national anthem contest for Collier’s magazine in 1909 with these lyrics:
“O Canada! In praise of thee we sing,
From echoing hills our anthems proudly ring…
Lord God of Hosts! We now implore,
Bless our dear land this day and evermore…”

After the failure of 14 bills dealing with the adoption of “O Canada” as our national anthem between 1962 and 1980, Parliament finally voted to adopt the version written by Robert Stanley Weir, penned in 1927 for the diamond jubilee of Confederation. Well, almost. Later, the government altered three lines from Weir’s original, most notably changing “O Canada, glorious and free” to “God keep our land glorious and free.”

Church attendance in Canada ....in the FEBCC

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 PST

In 1946, the weekly religious service attendance of Canadians was 67% of the population. Post COVID-19, I’ve seen stats indicating only 9% of Canadians attend weekly.

The Evangelical Population in Canada

Rick Heimstra, Head Researcher for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), of which the FEBCC is a member association along with 50 other denominations, reported that evangelical percentages in Canada have remained fairly static since confederation (1867). However in recent years numbers are dropping:

1996 12%
2003: 13%
2013: 10%
2015: 9%
2019: 6.4%
2021: 7%

Hiemstra reported that in 2003, 13% represented those classified as “evangelical affiliates”, however if you added the “evangelical aligned”, that percentage increased to 20-21%. The evangelical aligned represented some Roman Catholic and mainline people who aligned with evangelicalism.

By 2021, those classified as “evangelical affiliates” had dropped from 13% to 7%, but the “evangelically aligned” had dropped precipitously. Hiemstra reported the total percentage at 11%. Many churches, especially the Roman Catholics in Canada, are increasing their attendance numbers through immigration.

How is The Fellowship doing?

This past year our Regions sought to revitalize our efforts to retrieve statistics from our local churches. “Thank you” to the many churches who participated to give us a picture of our Fellowship of churches.

While your Region is seeking to retrieve these statistics from their churches for 2024, here are the stats from 2023. This is what the typical Fellowship Baptist church looked like:

• 526 churches (336 submissions)
• 147 weekly attendance
• 6 professions of faith
• 7 baptisms
• 67 in small groups
• 53% have discipleship strategy
• 81 serve in the local church
• $0 in leadership development
• $363,754 annual budget

As for domestic church planting, our churches, with the support of our Regions, planted nine churches in 2024. In 2011 during my first Presidential address at the Fellowship National Conference, I called us back to being a “church planting machine”. I’m grateful to God and overjoyed to tell you we’ve planted 132 new churches in the past 15 years. And the vast majority have survived, many are thriving, and some have planted their own church:

FEBCC Church Planting (from 2010 to 2024)

Pacific: 35
Prairies: 3
FEB Central: 73
AEBEQ: 18
Atlantic: 3

Total: 132

Fellowship Churches in 2025

Each June I discover how many local churches make up our Fellowship family. While we’re witnessing 132 births, we’ve also experienced some deaths – it’s all part of the church life-cycle.

Over a decade from 2015 to 2025 we’ve seen a modest increase:

**Total Fellowship Churches**
Region	2015	2025
Pacific	98	103
Prairies	31	30
FEB Central	269	302
AEBEQ	86	85
Atlantic	16	21
TOTAL	500	541

Praise the Lord for His Hand of blessing on The Fellowship across Canada and around the world. What a great God we serve!

Introducing the Fellowship International Church Partnership Booklet

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:00 PST

The mission statement of our Fellowship International department is:

“Fellowship International exists to catalyze movements of disciple-makers in strategic populations by empowering nationals.”

Since the beginning of our 2024-2025 ministry season (September 2024 to March 2025), our missionaries have supported the training of 1,145 national leaders in 338 training events, equipping them with the Ten Essential Elements principles of disciple-making leading to the planting of churches. Since September 2024, our missionary personnel have witnessed the establishment of 507 new Discovery Bible Studies, which have resulted in 297 baptisms and one new church planted.

We want to serve all 532 of our Fellowship Baptist Churches in accomplishing the global task before us. The best way to do that is through partnership.

This partnership can look like Fellowship International coming alongside of your church to help send one of your missionaries to the field, deploying one of your young adults on a mid-term mission experience for two months to two years through our LAUNCH program, supplementing your summer children’s outreach program through our EPIC + Onside ministry, or partnering with your church in sending your pastor and leaders to train national leaders through our LeadersFormation ministry.

You and your church can partner with these and other ministries or discover how Fellowship International, YOUR global missions team, can support you in fulfilling your mission dreams and initiatives.

Check out the new Church Partnership Booklet below to discover how churches can find support and enjoy help through partnership.

Discover the benefits of partnership for your church and learn the commitments your global missions department is hoping to make with our local churches.

If you have any questions or ideas, please contact Fellowship International Director Ben Porter at bporter@fellowship.ca or 519-821-4830 ext. 239.

Tell us how we can support you and your church. We exist to serve all Fellowship Churches across Canada. Take a peek at the partnership booklet and then contact Ben.

Dad, how do you talk to your wayward child?

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 00:00:00 PST

I looked up the definition for “fatherhood” in the Oxford Dictionary and discovered it was located between the words “fathead” and “fatigue”. I wonder if the Oxford Dictionary made a Freudian slip?

I once read of a father who was complaining he was tired. He blamed it on his age, blood pressure, and lack of exercise. But he said he discovered it wasn’t any of these things. He was tired because he was over-worked. The way he figured it (note that these numbers are from 2017):

The population of our country is just over 30 million.
7 million are retired.
That leaves 23 million to do the work.
There are 18 million in school and college.
That leaves 5 million to do the work
2 million are unemployed and 2 million are employed by the government.
That leaves 1 million to do the work.
100,000 are in the armed forces, leaving 900,000 to do the work.
There are 620,000 people in hospital and 279,998 in prison.
That leaves 2 people to do the work.

You and me.

Some days I can empathize with this dad. In a Faith at Home study a few years ago, fathers indicated that the top three reasons they struggle to live out their faith at home were:

Time and busyness: 24.7% of fathers indicated they were not really present when present at home
Lack of self-discipline: 12.6% of fathers admitted doing little faith modeling at home
Fatigue: 11.4% of fathers said they’re exhausted and go home to hide and rest

Dads need to be reminded of their critical role in the spiritual formation of their children. Study after study highlights the pivotal role fathers play in passing the faith on to their children.

In 1994, a Swiss survey discovered the critical factors when a person’s religion carried through to the next generation. The religious practice of the father was identified above all other factors. A LifeWay study concluded that if a child is the first person to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability that everyone else in the household will follow. If the mother is first, there is a 17% probability. But if a father is the first person in a household to become a Christian there is a 93% probability that everyone else in the household will follow.

Fathers are critical to their children’s spiritual formation. And what they say, the words they choose to use each day, is critical to successful spiritual formation.

They say there are 800,000 words in the English language. The average person uses 5,000 words a day. Some wives would love to get a couple hundred words from their husband on a typical day. But that’s for another weekly blog. The fact is:

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” Proverbs 18:21 (The Message)

Fathers choose every day what words they will use with their kids. It matters!

Talking to a Wayward Child

What kind of words should be used when talking to a wayward son or daughter? Listen to Job 6:14 (KJV): “A despairing man should have the kindness of his friend, even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”

The Bible is saying, if you have a child who is struggling spiritually, asking “Where is God?”, “Does God care?” or “Does God exist?”, what do they need in that moment? They do not need a father to turn on them because of their doubt, rebellion, and lack of loyalty. The Bible says they need to hear warm and sympathetic words.

Sometimes our kids are so beaten down by life it’s too hard to look up to God.

In that moment they need a word of encouragement, even sympathy. Words are a powerful tool to draw people back. We tend to be tough on a wayward son, when Jude 1:22 (Message) says: “Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith.”

Dad, remember the Old Testament story of the tower of Babel, a building project that God stopped because of humanity’s pride? The Bible tells us, “God opposes the proud” James 4:6 NIV). God stopped the project by removing their most powerful tool. Not their hammers or chisels or saws, but their words. Or, more specifically, their ability to understand each other’s words.

Dads can use words to build up or tear down.

As Father’s Day approaches, let’s all be reminded once again of the power dads have to change the course of their child’s life. Just the choice of words we choose to use makes a huge difference.

If you’ve owned a house for ten years you understand appreciation. And if you’ve owned a car for ten years you understand depreciation. Every time a dad “appreciates” his child, he adds value to him or her — we raise their value! A Christian father’s job is to help his kids recognize their supreme value in Christ.

Our Fellowship chaplains witnessed 140 professions of faith - Learn more!

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 PST

I hope you always sense your church is a safe place to do life together with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Unfortunately, not everyone feels this way about the church. They find the church unsafe. Not welcoming. Not loving. A bit institutional.

I find it interesting that some of our brand-new church facilities look more like warehouses than church buildings, whereas our brand-new homes are seeking to become more like chapels. An oasis away from the ravages of daily life. Architects have replaced dining rooms with “great rooms” with awe-inspiring “cathedral” ceilings. My dad had a large, beautiful, stained-glass window in his home. Our houses are becoming chapels. A place of peace and refreshment from the dry weariness of life.

Spiritual orphans should find our churches to be safe places. A place to be transformed and renewed. It will be in these safe places that we will be equipped and resourced to launch out and complete the “everyday commission” (Matthew 28:18-20) in the spirit of the “everyday commandment” (Mark 12:30-31).

Fellowship Chaplains demonstrate the love of Christ

One group of noble “peace agents” within our Fellowship are our chaplains. They are an extension of our local church ministry in areas that our churches do not often penetrate. Our Fellowship chaplains provide the “ministry of presence” in places where people are searching for peace. Our Fellowship chaplains provide safety while demonstrating the love of Christ in airports, hospitals, truck stops, police cruisers, prison cells, and within our armed services. We have 179 Fellowship chaplains, but I continue to hear in my travels of dozens of others (often pastors) who are recognized chaplains in nursing homes, hospitals, police departments, and emergency services.

They are often going into “closed communities” where clergy and church members are not permitted to enter. In our last fiscal year (September 2023 to August 2024) our Fellowship chaplains reported:

10,209 intentional encounters
6,189 purposeful conversations
3,241 discovering engagements
140 professions of faith were reported and another 24 rededications

Please pray for our Fellowship chaplains and the Fellowship Chaplaincy Leadership Team (CLT) who serve and support our chaplains:

Steve Jones, Fellowship Chaplaincy Director: sjones@fellowship.ca
Larry Freeman, Fellowship Chaplaincy Coordinator: lfreeman@fellowship.ca
Donald Rodier, Fellowship Chaplaincy Assistant Coordinator – Québec: donaldrodier@gmail.com
Ross Helgeton, Fellowship Chaplaincy Assistant Coordinator – Western Canada: revrh@telus.net

Become a Fellowship Chaplain

If you desire to learn more about becoming a Fellowship chaplain – please connect with someone on the CLT or check out Fellowship Chaplaincy at fellowship.ca/chaplaincy.

News from the City of Eternal Spring: Let's go to Colombia

Mon, 26 May 2025 00:00:00 PST

Lord willing, I plan to visit Medellín, Colombia on November 7-17, 2025 and I’d like to take a group of Fellowship leaders with me. It’s an opportunity to expose our churches and church leaders to the possible partnership between your church and a church plant in Colombia.

Parkdale Baptist Church in Belleville, ON sent one of their mission team leaders last year and recently began a partnership with the “Grace and Truth” (Gracia y Verdad) church plant just outside Medellín. A short-term missions team recently went to Colombia and Aaron Lalvani sent me the following report:

It has been an incredible journey working alongside El Redil Gracia y Verdad for the past year. In this short time Parkdale has sent one adult team (November 2024) and recently a youth team (March 2025). The purpose of each of these teams was different. In the case of the adult team, building a close relationship with the current church members and families was an important objective. For the youth team it was leaning on the El Redil pastor’s remarkable Bible-training abilities and assisting with the building of a hydroponic garden lab.

During March break this year a team of seven students and five adults were in La Ceja working with Gracia y Verdad (our partner church). … Using the teaching skills of the pastors, the youth went through four half-days of intensive Bible training using a 9 Marks program. The modules included: What is the Gospel? What is a Healthy Church? Missions and Leadership. The breakout sessions and discussion group conversations were remarkable. The youth enjoyed the teaching and commented on a deeper understanding of Scriptures and their roles within the church.

The Bible verse that forms our partnership is: Romans 1:10-12.

Join me November 7-17, 2025 in Colombia

Fellowship International missionary Phil Webb and myself are hosting a Colombian Vision Tour (CVT) in November to expose Fellowship leaders to the possibility of partnering in the Medellín area. Our mission has worked for decades with a Colombian association of Baptist Churches (FIBEC), within a network of 18 churches called El Redil. They are planting churches and I hope some of our Fellowship churches will support them in this Gospel effort.

Please click here to get a fuller understanding of the vision and objective of this CVT.

Trip details:

What: Colombia Vision Tour

When: November 7-17, 2025

Where: Medellín, Colombia

Cost: $2,400 per person; includes flights to and from Colombia, and in-country accommodation, meals, and travel

Hosts: Phil Webb and Steve Jones, along with in-country hosts Carlos and J.J.

Registration: Contact Steve Jones (sjones@fellowship.ca or 519-821-4830 x231). Registration and payment ($2,400) must be received by the August 1, 2025 deadline.

I hope to hear from you on or before August 1, 2025.

Join me for the "Quebec Experience" coming this October

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 PST

Québec is Canada’s largest mission field. The current reality is that our AEBEQ Region is a mature Region in the least-reached mission field in North America.

After six decades of ministry in Québec there are 83 French-speaking Fellowship Baptist churches and about 9,000 believers in these churches. This is good news.

The stark reality is that the seven million Francophones living in Québec, and the other one million living elsewhere in Canada, are largely unreached with the Gospel. Only 0.8% of Francophones identify themselves as evangelical Christians. Missiologists indicate that until the number of evangelical Christians within a people group reaches the 2-3% threshold, a church planting movement will struggle to maintain momentum and struggle to accomplish the entire mission task on their own.

Our New Funding Model

After 56 years, the French Mission formally drew to a close as a Fellowship National Agency on December 31, 2014 after ensuring each of its missionaries completed individualized transition plans.

Our immediate objective is clear: to improve and encourage engagement from our English-speaking churches and our faithful team of individual donors to continue in partnering with and funding Francophone church plants so that an even greater harvest of souls will be gathered in the years ahead! Our ultimate objective is to reach a point in Québec where at least 2% of the population self-identify as evangelical, and the AEBEQ Region has sufficient strength to sustain and ensure the continuous multiplication of churches.

It is crystal clear that church planting in Québec has been and will continue to be the most effective way to reach new people and new communities with the Gospel.

Our partnership strategy continues to focus primarily on Québec where 84% of Canada’s Francophone population lives; however, we will also focus on the other French-speaking areas of our country. It is our sincere hope and expectation that dynamic church planting partnerships will be developed between English-speaking congregations and/or individual donors and Francophone church plants across our nation.

The Plan: 7x7=1

Yes, we know…the math doesn’t work, but the plan will! It involves:

7 churches and/or donors – Fellowship National is responsible to prayerfully seek out and find churches or individual donors to partner with Regionally-approved Francophone church plants.
7 years – Fellowship Regions have the responsibility to manage and encourage these partnerships between churches or individual donors and Francophone churches within their Region. These relationships will be in place for seven years with the possibility of a three-year extension.
1 Francophone church plant – Our partnership objective will be to see each Francophone church plant develop and mature into an autonomous, self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating local church to the glory of God!

Join my next “Québec Experience” on October 14-18, 2025

Please click here to receive an invitation to come to the Québec Experience.

FAIR's FOUNDATIONS appeal in Sri Lanka

Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 PST

A few years ago I visited the Love Trust child development programs in Sri Lanka with Fellowship International missionary Ronald Jeyaseelan. It was an incredible experience. I visited two projects that are making a significant impact in a predominantly Hindu area and Buddhist region.

It was clearly apparent to me that our FAIR partnership with Love Trust was providing Gospel-centred, holistic care for the spiritual, educational, emotional, and physical needs of the children first, but also of their mothers. Ronald has well-trained missionary teams of nationals run the pre-schools, vocational programs for the parents, and training for local church leaders. I met a Love Trust-supported church planter in each community where the Love Trust facility was located.

Foundations FAIR appeal (May-August 2025)

This summer our FAIR appeal is seeking to raise $200,000 to assist Love Trust in:

Supporting preschool missionary team of nationals who teach and care for the children
Providing leadership training for local church leaders
Constructing and outfitting multi-purpose buildings in each of the three Love Trust locations

You and your church family can help build hope and grow the futures of many children and families in Sri Lanka.

Check out fellowship.ca/foundations to learn more information about how to engage, pray, and give to the current FAIR appeal.

Thank you for giving.

Introducing the FAIR Church Partnership Booklet

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 PST

Are you aware that close to 800 members of Fellowship churches have adopted children internationally from four different countries?

“Adopted” in the sense that sponsors are supporting a child in one of the Fellowship’s five Child Sponsorship ministries located in four countries: Honduras, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka.

Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR) is our primary avenue to help Fellowship Baptist churches bring Gospel hope to those in need around the world.

Click on the partnership booklet to discover more about these wonderful projects and programs and how you and your church can partner with FAIR, the Fellowship’s humanitarian relief, development, and justice department.. You can also learn about how your church can partner with FAIR to fulfill your church’s mission dreams and initiatives. FAIR exists to help our churches be on-mission.

If you have any questions or ideas, please contact FAIR Director Norton Lages at nlages@fellowship.ca or 519-821-4830 ext. 243.

On May 1st, FAIR will launch the Foundations | Sri Lanka special appeal. Please click here to find out more and consider a generous gift to help the ministry in Sri Lanka.

You can't take it with you!

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 PST

The month of May is called “Leave a Legacy Month” in Canada. Canadians are encouraged to leave a gift through their will or another planned-giving vehicle.

We’re encouraged to donate towards those ministries or organizations that we already support and have a meaningful attachment to. One development coordinator said, “It’s a way to make a tremendous impact and control what your legacy is.”

Our Fellowship created the Fellowship Foundation in 2015 and I have been very encouraged by many within our Fellowship family who have used it for direct and investment purposes along with legacy giving through their estate. In ten years our Foundation has grown to $31 million, of which more than $15 million is legacy gifts designated for a variety of Fellowship ministries including local churches (almost $7 million), Regions, seminaries, and National ministries. The following pie chart indicates the designations and percentages. These ministries will benefit from the foresight of donors for years and years to come.

A Couple Tips to Consider

Talk to your family about your wishes. These conversations may be difficult, but discussing this now will make decisions much easier for your loved ones in the future.
Get professional advice. A financial advisor can help you explore various legacy options.

I would encourage you to start by contacting our Fellowship Advancement Director, Gord Baptist at gbaptist@fellowship.ca or 519-821-4830 ext. 244, to find out more about legacy giving to our Fellowship Foundation. Gord can help you in designating your legacy to any Fellowship ministry and also help you get your Will prepared.

A Word from Gord

“If you are considering this step and would like more information, feel free to contact me. We will assist in helping you express your generosity by providing you with the means to distribute that which God has laid on your heart, and direct your legacy to the ministries that you are most passionate about. If you do not have a Will, we can provide the legal support to have one done for you quickly, easily, and with a legal cost that is affordable. Feel free to contact me and together, let’s complete your legacy to God’s Kingdom.”

During the month of May, please prayerfully consider leaving a legacy to the Fellowship through your Will. If you’ve been part of our Fellowship family for years, even decades, this would be a tremendous support to the faith-family you have served and loved for years to come. Think strategically when it comes to your estate. What have you highly valued all your life other than your children and other family members? For some, including a charity in your Will can actually increase the amount we leave to our spouse or children because of off-setting taxes.

Contact Gord and he can answer any questions you may have.

The Three Ironies of Easter

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 PST

Easter week has begun. May this week prepare you for Resurrection Sunday! He is Risen!

Several years ago I heard Dr. Don Carson speak about the peculiar ironies surrounding the work of Christ accomplished on the cross. I scribbled a few notes and sought to capture them in the following outline. Let’s prepare ourselves for Easter by peeking at three “ironies” surrounding the cross and the impact they have on our lives:

The man who is mocked as a King is the King!

(Matthew 27:27-31)

They stripped Jesus, and put a cloak on His blood-stained body, a stick in His hand to imitate a scepter, and a crown of thorns on His head. What a mockery. But for the first three centuries of the early church, they spoke of Christ as reigning from the cross. At face value that seems like an oxymoron, but it is the truth.

The man who is utterly powerless is all powerful.

(Matthew 27:32-40)

Jesus becomes too weak to even carry His own cross-beam. But Jesus tells us, unless you pick up your cross, you’ll not know the Kingdom of Heaven. Our cross is a symbol of our self-denial and death to self. Our empowerment to live the Christian life only occurs when we die to self. We find power in death.

The man who cannot save Himself can save you.

(Matthew 27:41-45)

Mary and Joseph named the baby Jesus, which is a Greek word. But the Hebrew equivalent is the name Joshua which literally means: Yahweh saves! God sent His Son to save sinners. But if He saves Himself, He cannot save others. This is another irony, one that kept Jesus nailed to the cross. Jesus cried out the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Psalm 22:1) so that you and I would never have to cry them.

Don’t let Easter pass you by this year without letting these wonderful ironies truly impact you once again.

How do you spell "forgiveness"?

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 PST

When the Moravian missionaries first visited the Inuit peoples, they struggled to find a word in their language for “forgiveness”. So the missionaries created a new Inuit word made up of 24 letters:

“Issu-magi-jou-jung-naimer-mik”.

The word has beautiful connotations, and literally translates to:

“Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-anymore”.

When it comes to forgiveness, this is the very attitude Jesus is looking for. In Colossians 3:13 (NIV) we read: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

As the Easter season approaches, it is important for us to keep this in mind. A genuine believer is familiar with both giving and forgiving. Jesus gave all He had and forgave all He could.

Why do you suppose it is important to both give and forgive?

Likely because it is very difficult to love one person while remaining angry or resentful toward another person. Bitterness divides the heart and chokes love from our system. It is toxic.

You say, “Wait a minute. You don’t fully understand what I’ve gone through. My father, mother, spouse, boss, teacher, friend, neighbour, coach, pastor, church treated me horribly. They need to pay in some way for what they did to me.” I agree.

But the truth is, Someone already did!

You say, “Hold on a second. They don’t deserve God’s unconditional love, unfailing grace, nor my forgiveness.” Again, I’m not going to disagree with you. But if they don’t deserve it…do you?

Before you pass judgement and demand payment, try to recall the last time you broke your word with the Lord. Likely, you need only think back to the past 24 hours. What was God’s response to your broken promise?

Max Lucado writes, “The key to forgiving others is to quit focusing on what they did to you and start focusing on what God did for you.”

Let’s all keep re-learning the importance of giving and receiving forgiveness. As we approach another Easter season, as we celebrate the cross and empty tomb, may the marvelous news of Christ’s forgiveness guide our actions in the days ahead.

Read the proposed Final Affirmation of Faith

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 PST

The Final Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith document was sent to our Fellowship churches and broader constituency earlier this month. We are almost two-and-a-half years into our journey to prayerfully consider the modification of our Affirmation of Faith.

Thank you to the 16-member AoF Team who have completed their task with excellence and humility.

Thank you to the thousands of Fellowship family members who prayed during our journey and the hundreds who took part in the process whether by completing a survey, attending a workshop or virtual Town Hall meeting, or sending your concerns and suggestions to the AoF Team.

Did you get a copy of the final proposed AoF?

Our churches received the final proposed AoF along with news of the multiple motions delegates will approve or not approve at FNC 2025 (Delta Hotel and Conference Centre, Toronto, ON).

If you did not personally receive a copy of the final AoF from the Fellowship National Council, let me encourage you to click here to see the final proposed AoF and covering letter from our Fellowship National Council.

There is already much endorsement for our proposed Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. In our first vetting of the AoF this past autumn 2024, our constituency voted over 90% for 8 of 14 Articles, over 80% for 5 of 14 Articles, and only one Article received below 80% at 78%. Our bylaws state the threshold to pass is 75%, and so, all 14 Articles would have been approved if we had a Business Meeting at FNC 2024.

Please pray for our movement of churches as we consider and pray for our upcoming business meeting at FNC 2025. I trust you’re planning to be in attendance at this historic Fellowship National Conference, FNC 2025: Fan the Flame (November 3-5, 2025). May God gain the glory.

Mending the Net

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 PST

When you think of a net, what do you picture? A fishing net?

The government’s social “safety net” is looking more and more tattered and torn. Budget cuts and departmental closures make life more tenuous for thousands of needy people.

This is a problem, but also an opportunity. The church has aIways sought to provide for and protect the poor and powerless. Daily, Christians have the opportunity to “mend the net the social safety net” through acts of kindness.

What should the church’s response be to the poor, marginalized, and abused? How did Jesus treat the poor and powerless?

Looking at chapter one of the Book of Mark, one could characterize Jesus’ overall ministry with one word: compassion. Christians are called to make a compassionate and caring difference in their community. In Mark 1:29-45, we watch Jesus care for, pray for, and touch one person at a time, making a profound difference in their lives.

Compassion Cares for the Needy (Mark 1:29-34)

Too often we suffer from “compassion fatigue syndrome” because we look at the immense needs of the masses rather than the individual. We don't bother bettering our community, doubting it would ever make a dent in the root problems.

If you wonder what a typical day in the life of Jesus looked like, Mark chapter one gives a glimpse. Healings, exorcising demons, teaching, praying, and traveling – all very exhausting. Caring for the needy can sap our energy quickly. We can become desensitized to the needs around us.

Do what Jesus did: He sought to care for the needs of the individual not just the masses. We can all care for an individual; their needs are not too great, nor are our resources too few.

On an exhausting day, Jesus showed exceptional sympathy and compassion by meeting individual needs, one person at a time.

Compassion Prays for the Lost (Mark 1:35-39)

Jesus’ fame grew as He healed the sick and exorcised demons. In Mark 1:35 we see Jesus flee His own popularity and the complications it brought to spend time alone with the Father. He pours out His heart, praying for the souls of men and women.

Jesus attached tremendous importance to prayer. Before every significant event in His life, we find Jesus in prayer — before the calling of the twelve disciples (Luke 6:12), before the feeding of the 5,000 (Mark 6:41), before raising Lazarus (John 11:41), and before the crucifixion (Luke 23:34) to name but a few.

Jesus begins the first of three evangelistic campaigns in the Galilean region by praying. ln His prayer He recognizes that He must leave the miracle-seeking multitudes to visit other places where His preaching could continue uninterrupted. While Mark 1:39 indicates He continues to perform miracles in other Galilean towns, Luke emphasizes that Jesus prayed and preached the good news of the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:42-43).

The miracles confirmed the message, but they were only secondary to Jesus’ primary task of sharing the Good News.

While Capernaum remained Jesus’ centre of operations (vv. 38-39), Jesus intimates He went to other towns because the Capernaum crowd desired the thrill of miracles and for their physical needs to be met but Jesus' greater desire was to meet people’s spiritual needs.

We too need to be careful of this balance. We need to pray for needs and act with compassion but not at the expense of praying for people’s spiritual needs, only rarely sharing the Gospel. Jesus asks us to be His hands and feet to the spiritually lost who need to hear His offer of salvation.

Compassion Touches the Powerless (Mark 1:40-45)

In Mark 1:40-45 we witness one of those occasions when Jesus exercises His compassion. The healing of a man with leprosy — a loathsome disease believed by first-century Jews to be punishment from God for sin in the victim’s life. The disease begins with little specks on the eyelids, spreads across the surface of the body, and eventually eats through inner tissue and vital organs. Death becomes a welcome deliverance for a leper.

Rabbis taught people not to be within two metres of a leper, and yet Jesus touched the diseased man. We read in Mark 1:41 (NLT), “Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him.” His compassionate reactions were in utter contrast to the conventional teaching and social norms of His day.

Jesus saw an individual; He was moved. He was empathetic and His empathy compelled Him to action. The sorrow of people became His sorrow. Jesus touched someone society deemed untouchable, and He calls us to do the same.

Who are the untouchables – the powerless, marginalized, and abused – of our society? The church cannot remain indifferent, paralyzed, or insensitive toward action.

Notice the leper’s plea, saying in verse 40 (NLT), “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” He knew Jesus had the power and resources to meet his need, but he was not sure Jesus was willing.

Our will is more often the problem than our power or resources in meeting the needs of the poor and powerless. Jesus’ response was immediate and direct: “‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’” (v. 41 NLT)

Start reporting the growing anti-Christian incidents occurring in Canada

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 PST

A new portal for reporting stories of anti-Christian prejudice and bias will soon be launched at evangelicalfellowship.ca/reportincident.

Discrimination and hate crimes toward people of faith is growing in Canada. Just watch the news and learn of growing anti-Semitism or attacks on Muslims. These faith communities are now intentionally tracking hate crimes and reporting trends to government officials and the media.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) is about to launch a new way of monitoring a new way of monitoring discrimination, hate crime, vandalism, and violence against Christians in Canada. Christians will be able to report incidents of anti-Christian behaviour and the EFC will track trends including the frequency and intensity of these incidents. This will provide EFC with the sound evidence needed to better advocate for religious freedom and to call civil authorities to follow through on their human rights obligations.

EFC President, David Guretzki, said: “We believe this monitor is needed as anti-religious sentiment increases.” Evangelicals don’t often face violence or physical threat, but anti-evangelical commentary on the news and social media is commonplace with an attempt to remove and exclude a Christian worldview from public life. Local churches who apply for government grants discover they are flagged and reviewed due to their beliefs. A proposed Christian Law School at Trinity Western University was never established due to the efforts of a law society and the Supreme Court. There is documented evidence that Canadian university faculty proposed excluding applicants to medical school if they were conscientious objectors to practices such as MAiD or abortion. Our bastions of “free-thinking” have become ideological echo chambers.

Anti-Christian bias may come in the form of being looked over or not taken seriously but there is increasing anti-Christian sentiment that includes slander, libel, vandalism, and violence. Thirty-three churches have burned to the ground in Canada between May 2021 and December 2023 with twenty-four confirmed as arsons and only two ruled as accidental.

If you become aware of anti-Christian discrimination, hate, vandalism, or violence – I encourage you to report the incident at evangelicalfellowship.ca/reportincident once the service goes live.

To view the latest edition of the Fellowship’s Religious Liberty WATCH newsletter and learn more about recent religious liberty issues in Canada, click here.

We measure what matters: Fellowship stats from 2023

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 PST

We’ve all heard that “we measure what matters.” A carpenter measures twice before he cuts. Measuring is important. The Bible has a book called “Numbers”, and the Book of Acts regularly declares the Lord added to the church daily.

Measuring stats is not exciting work, but it helps us know a lot about our circumstances as an individual, church, or organization. It gives us a bench mark to start from – to develop a preferred future.

Last year our Fellowship Regions with Fellowship National’s support doubled our efforts to retrieve statistics from our local churches in a dozen areas. I was very encouraged when 336 (or 64%) of our 526 Fellowship churches submitted their stats for 2023. Thank you.

The typical Fellowship church is 176 people with an average weekly worship service attendance of 147 people, and experiencing six professions of faith and seven baptisms each year. See the full results here: Church Vitality Statistics: 2023.

It is time to measure our stats for 2024

Our Fellowship Regions will be contacting our local churches to retrieve statistics for 2024 in just a dozen areas. I’m praying you’ll make certain that your local church statistics are sent to your Region. I’m hoping 100% of our churches get involved this year. Please consider my request. Thank you.

Encounters of the Intentional Kind

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 PST

Over 170 Fellowship chaplains in 16 different contexts across Canada are serving as an extension of the local church – demonstrating God’s love to many who will likely never visit our local churches.

Last year our chaplains reported 136 professions of faith and over 9,500 intentional encounters with folks in our communities and workplaces. Here are some stories from some of our chaplains.

From Tragedy to Family Friend

For 15 years Larry Freeman served as a hospital chaplain and never knew from day to day who he would meet. One tragic event that led to a significant connection was the death of a young man in a snowmobile accident.

“I arrived at the hospital to help the family and ended up being asked to do the funeral. At the funeral, this young man’s siblings would not engage with me or even acknowledge me. They were angry at God and I was God’s representative. The father and stepmom, however, were very grateful for the care provided to them. Fast-forward a year later and I was in my office at the hospital when the phone rang. It was the father and this is what he said: ‘You walked with our family through a very dark period, and we are wondering if you would join us for a happier occasion. My daughter is getting married and we were wondering if you would do the service.’ I not only had the opportunity to do premarital counseling with her and her fiancé and then perform the wedding, but I have since performed the weddings for all of the siblings. Yes, the pain of losing their brother is still present at these events (one sister had an empty chair at her wedding where her brother would have been sitting), but they have welcomed me into their lives and this allows me the opportunity to continue to provide the ‘ministry of presence’ to them. Having grown up in a very messy marital environment, it was a privilege for me to be able to share with each of them God’s design for marriage, and lay the foundation on which they could build their own marriages.”

Larry Freeman serves as Fellowship National’s Chaplaincy coordinator: lfreeman@fellowship.ca

Student Chaplaincy in Cape Breton

“My name is Praveen Alluri and I am both newly arrived in Canada and a new chaplain, having taken up this calling in December 2023. This report outlines my experiences and progress over the past few months, specifically focusing on my work alongside university and high school students and my occasional street preaching efforts. One of the most significant milestones in my ministry occurred recently when God opened a remarkable door for me at a local high school. After months of prayer and persistent effort, I was granted the opportunity to conduct a Bible study for the students. This development is a testament to God’s grace, and the receptiveness of the students and school administration to embrace spiritual enrichment as part of their educational experience.

“The Bible study sessions have been incredibly well received. Students have shown a genuine interest in exploring the Scriptures and understanding how biblical principles can be easily applied to their daily lives. I am particularly encouraged by the growing number of attendees and their enthusiasm for deepening their faith.”

Praveen Alluri is a chaplain in education and lives in Sydney, NS: praveenalluri84@gmail.com

From Britain to British Columbia

Luke Hughes-Bunger and his family arrived in BC from England in March 2020 to pastor a Fellowship church. You’ll recall March 2020 was the start of COVID restrictions. The church struggled through the next two years, as many did, and Luke ended up leaving as their pastor. This opened the door to become a Fellowship chaplain in 2024 and continue to serve his community:

“Our town has a local charity – Friends of Hudson’s Hope. A few months after beginning my role as chaplain, God opened the door for me to become president. To my surprise, I was nominated by a member of the church we had left. One of the deacons at that church is the Vice President. The board of Friends is now evenly split between people from our church plant, people from our former church, and people outside of the church. Far from the messy divorce that could have followed, today we are closer than ever, and showing our community what true Christian unity is all about – celebrating our diversity while joyfully working together for the good of those around us.

“We also began work to plant a new church here in Hudson’s Hope, one that fit with the vision I originally felt called to pursue. Some will see this as division, but for me, I choose to look at it as multiplication. Our community only had one church with a clear identity or vision. Now there are two, each with a much clearer sense of who they are. Just 10 weeks after our first gathering, we had 22 people worshipping together in my front room and the church we had left was growing, too.”

Luke Hughes-Bunger is a volunteer community chaplain in Hudson’s Hope, BC: luke.bunger@mac.com

A Québec couple ask, Why?

“As a chaplain, when accompanying people, we often hear these troubling questions: ‘Why is this happening to me? Why is it him who is leaving first? Why hasn’t the Lord intervened?’

“For months, I followed a couple on the brink of divorce due to immorality. The wife kept asking, ‘Why, why, why?’ In the midst of her suffering, she didn’t understand the reason for it. She had experienced a radical conversion and believed that marrying this man was God’s will. Yet what she was experiencing within the marriage seemed devoid of meaning (2 Corinthians 5:7). After months of struggle, pain, follow-up, and prayer, the lady finally received the grace to forgive her husband. Today, this couple is invited to testify in various contexts about their journey and the fact that they both witnessed God’s grace.”

Eric Lanthier is a volunteer chaplain serving in media and lives in Gatineau, QC: interventionsstrategique@gmail.com

Consider supporting a Fellowship Chaplain

Larry, Praveen, Luke, and Eric serve as Fellowship chaplains thanks in part to the generosity of God’s people. They must raise all their personal support and currently, each of them needs more support.

If the Lord prompts you to consider becoming a part of their support and/or prayer team or you desire to send a one-time gift, please connect wi

Prone to leave the God I love

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:00:00 PST

Robert Robinson wrote: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.”

Anyone of us can testify to occasions when our walk “in Christ” doesn’t feel close and intimate. What do you do when the journey seems to have taken the wrong fork in the road? You seek help and support.

If you are feeling the need to talk confidentially to a Christian Counselor about any spiritual, emotional or marriage concerns in your life before your concern becomes a crisis; please consider phoning the Clergy-Care network hotline at: 1-888-5-CLERGY (1-888-525-3749).

Fellowship National and several other evangelical denominations in Canada have partnered with ‘Focus on the Family’ to provide professional Christian counselors to their clergy, missionary, chaplain and spouses.

Your phone call is confidential. No one reports who contacts the Clergy Care hotline. Just phone and talk to a credentialed professional Christian counselor. Do it today.

Life and ministry can rob us of the “joy of our salvation”. Those who consistently experience soul-health receive the promise of James 1:12 (NLT):

“God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

DESIRE (James 1:14-15 NLT)
“…each one is tempted when by his own evil DESIRES…”

Desires are not all evil. They’re good, even essential. But any desire to excess becomes destructive. Bringing harm to our spiritual and emotional life. We can often be doing damage to our life while pursuing something good but to excess. Temptation is often a fulfillment of a legitimate desire but done in a wrong way of wrong time.

The second step in the Devils game plan is:

DECEPTION (James 1:14 NLT)
“…he is dragged away and enticed…”

The word “dragged away” is a hunting term meaning to be snared in a trap. The word “enticed” is a fishing term meaning to be lured by bait. Different traps and bait work on different fish or animals. The devil knows the bait that works best in your life. You see, you desire, you start to nibble believing you’re mart enough to know when to pull back. The deception is hooked. This is a sign of spiritual immaturity.

The third step in the Devil’s game plan is:

DISOBEDIENCE (James 1:15 NIV)
“Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin,…”

The message, paraphrases this verse as: “Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin!”

James moves from a fishing metaphor in vs. 14 to a child birth metaphor in vs. 15. What begins in our minds gives birth to an action or a destructive habit. But it starts in the mind. And often what we initially flirt with, we will eventually fall for. Marketing advertisers know this is a fact of life.

Desires lead to deception which leads to disobedience which ends up in:

DEATH (James 1:15 NIV)
“…and sin when it is full grown, gives birth to DEATH”

Death is the final consequence of our tendency toward being “prone to wander”. Instead of receiving the crown of life, we receive death.

We all have free-will. We have freedom to choose the narrow path or wander from it. But, God has not given us the freedom to choose the consequences.

For the unbeliever it means separation from God.

For the believer it means broken fellowship with God.

The pastor and hymnist, Robert Robinson penned these familiar words in 1757,

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love.”

But Robinson, finished his though and his hymn with a final promise:

“Here’s my heart, O take and seal it;

Seal it for thy Courts above.”

In James 1:17-18 the Bible turns from sin and evil desires (vs. 14-16) to God’s goodness. Two things will help us from wandering:

THINK on whatever is “good and perfect” (James 1:17) and remember our true IDENTITY for we are God’s “choice possessions” (James 1:18)

God has adopted us into His family. The Bible has given us absolute assurance that God has sealed us as his child forevermore.

When those inevitable occasions in life, seek to rob us of the joy of this reality, the Bible challenges us to refocus our thoughts (James 1:17) and remember we’re kingdom kids (James 1:18).

This won’t make us immune from dark days, but it will give sufficient light to find our way back from our wanderings.

Join me on a ''working-vacation'' this Fall

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 PST

It was as early as 1930 that Stanley Wellington came from Ontario to Noranda, Québec to establish an English-language ministry in that town. Another work was started in Val-d’Or.

“These early pioneers immediately recognized the need for a French-language work in northwestern Québec. The mining communities were booming and people were moving into the area. In 1937, God sent Wilfrid and Edna Wellington to Val-d’Or to begin a ministry among the francophone population. Wilfrid began churches in Malartic and La Sarre as well, and later branched out into northeastern Ontario. At 70 years of age, he went overseas to plant a church in France. Such was the spirit of the early missionary pioneers to the region: Yvon and Marion Hurtubise, Murray and Georgia Heron, Lorne and Margaret Heron, and others. There was open persecution. Missionaries were arrested and Bibles were burned.” (Source: A Glorious Fellowship of Churches)

They persevered and the Gospel took root, spreading from the northwest to the rest of Québec.

The Story of Ernie and Betty Keefe

In our Fellowship history book, “A Glorious Fellowship of Churches” (p 116), the author tells the story of two of our Fellowship pioneers, Ernie and Betty Keefe. The Keefes would become good friends of my wife and me years later while on a Holy Land tour. In Ernie’s early ministry in the 1950s he visited a retired farming couple, Mr. and Mrs. Octave Tellier. He gave them Bibles and visited a few times, but was not sure if they enjoyed his visits because they were lonely or because they were hungry for the Word. Mr. Tellier at 72 years old asked his daughter if she had seen the young man with the Bibles in town. He hadn’t seen Ernie for a few months. He told his daughter, “Our church does not teach us the way to heaven but this young man seemed to have the answer. I fear that he has gone to another city to give out his Bibles and we will die without knowing the way to heaven.”

Ernie revisited the Telliers and led Mr. and Mrs. Tellier to Christ as well as their daughter and son-in-law. After the pioneer days of outreach in northwestern Québec, the French Mission was established in 1958. From 1958-2024 over one hundred churches were planted throughout Québec. The French Mission was retired on December 31, 2024 as the AEBEQ Region took up the responsibility to plant churches in one of the most spiritually needy places on the planet. Only 0.8% of French Canadians self-identify as evangelical Christians.

Church Planting in Québec from 2015-2024

From 2015-2024 our AEBEQ Region has planted nine churches with the help of Fellowship churches and donors across the country. Fellowship National Francophone Ministries still supports our AEBEQ Region in their church planting efforts by brokering “7x7=1” partnerships with Fellowship churches and donors across Canada. Today there are 71 established partnerships supporting church planting in Québec. The formula is simple. It’s bad math but a great formula for planting churches.

7x7=1 means seven churches/donors committing to support for seven years equals one new church plant established

How to get involved in Church Planting in Québec

1. Virtual Québec Vision Tour (QVT) — March 5, 2025
Join us for a virtual QVT on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 @ 1-2:45pm EST over Zoom. Our hosts, Hugo Ethier (Fellowship Francophone Coordinator) and President Steve Jones, will introduce you to the Québec church plant opportunity, tell you how to become involved, and introduce you to a few AEBEQ church planters. You’ll learn of a few current church plants needing prayer and financial support along with info on next steps. All in less than two hours.

If interested, please contact Hugo Ethier at hethier@fellowship.ca to attend on March 5, 2025.

2. The Québec Experience — October 14-18, 2025
The Québec Experience begins at a hotel near Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. From there, we travel to Québec City and spend two days in Old Québec before returning to Montréal for two days.

This guided tour will be characterized by great fellowship with other leadership couples, cultural discovery, relaxation, and a deepening understanding of Québec’s spiritual reality. Historical vignettes will be shared at various points during the tour, as well as presentations of church planting and church replant projects. Our guests will be asked to consider becoming a partner, as part of The Fellowship’s 7x7=1 formula: 7 partners for 7 years equal 1 church plant.

The cost for hotel accommodations and breakfasts, lunches in restaurants or hosting churches, along with in-province travel expenses, is $2,000 per couple ($1,500 for an individual). Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from Montréal, as well as their own dinners.

Contact Hugo Ethier to register ASAP, as spaces are limited: hethier@fellowship.ca

If you’re interested in more info or attending this “working vacation” please contact Fellowship Francophone Coordinator Hugo Ethier soon!

Be Passionate this Valentine's Day

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 PST

Valentine’s Day is this weekend so I want to talk about passion. No, not that kind of passion.

When events conspire to rob you of passion and the wind feels like it’s left your sails… what should you do?

A good place to turn to are the Scriptures. Satan is a serial killer. He seeks to extinguish our passion every day. Max Lucado spoke of the “agent of familiarity” that causes us to take things for granted. Lucado writes:

“The devil won’t steal your salvation, but he will make you forget what it is like to be lost.”

A decade ago a Gallup Poll identified that the #1 factor for credibility in any church is the passion of the pastor. The zeal of church leaders—whether pastor, elder, deacon, or Sunday school teacher—is critical for the welfare of the church. Passion is contagious!

What is passion? Can we define it? One definition describes passion as “An intense emotion compelling action. A strong DEVOTION to some object, activity, or concept.”

What does Holy-Spirit-fueled passion do?
- Passion changes me… my priorities.
- Passion changes lives… it rubs off.
- Passion increases my willpower.
- Passion makes the impossible possible.
- Passion protects me from wrong… a passion for God and for holiness is the greatest antidote against temptation.

How do we gain passion?
- Pray for it.
- Return to your first love… apathy is not a state of mind but a state of heart. Apathy derives from “without pathos” (passion) or having no love.
- Pursue your spiritual gifts.
- Build morale by pursuing achievable goals.
- Associate with people of passion.

How do we lose passion?
- Allow the precious to become ordinary.
- Canadian culture encourages passivity.
- We want acceptance or approval and passion both draws and repels others at the same time.
- Apathy and comfort-seeking increases with age.
- Having no purpose beyond ourselves.

We read in Romans 12:11-12 (NIV):

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

The Apostle Paul shares a plan to remain spiritually passionate. Notice he starts with “never”. This is a command, compelling us to maintain our “spiritual fervor”. This “fervor” is to be characterized by passion or “zeal”. How do we do this? Paul goes on to explain:

Be joyful. How?... By being “hopeful” because God is the God of the impossible.
Be patient. How?... By remembering God’s agenda doesn’t change despite our circumstances.
Be faithful. How?... By Constantly committing yourself to prayer.

These actions will help create and fuel our passion for ministry to be accomplished. The Apostle Paul planted churches throughout Asia and Greece because of his passion for the cause of Christ. I find it interesting no church was planted in Athens. Why? Paul found a people and culture characterized by consensus thinking, tolerance, and apathy. Everyone spoke their own mind, pluralism made every idea equal, and so, a statue to the unknown god was erected just in case they might offend one of their citizens.

Hmmmm… kind of sounds familiar, eh?!

Your AoF Team meet next week-pray

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 PST

We’ve been on a journey as an association of churches. For two-and-a-half years we have been seeking the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) concerning our current Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith (AoF).

Delegates at FNC 2022 approved the journey to begin.
An AoF Team was formed with our five Regional councils, three recognized seminaries, and National Council all approving representatives to the team.
The 14-member AoF Team presented a draft AoF to National Council and this was distributed to our churches on September 5, 2024.
This past Fall our constituency gathered to vet the draft AoF:
- Church boards filled out an AoF survey
- Two virtual Town Hall meetings were hosted to hear from our churches
- A three-hour gathering to discuss the draft AoF was hosted at FNC 2024
- And emails have been sent to the AoF’s team secretary sharing suggestions and concerns.
All of this feedback has been presented to our AoF Team for their prayerful consideration.

The AoF Team would covet your prayers next week, February 10-12, 2025

The AoF Team gathers in Toronto for three days to prepare a FINAL draft Affirmation of Faith, taking into account all the feedback provided by our churches and constituency.

Please be praying for our AoF Team. Consider making this February 10-12 meeting a matter of prayer in your church this Sunday.

Please pray for:

Safety for the AoF Team members as they travel to and from the meeting in Toronto from Vancouver to Halifax
A clear sense of the Spirit’s guidance in our deliberations
Wisdom as the team engages the suggestions and concerns of our churches and constituency
The team to know God’s favour in the completion of our FINAL draft AoF

Thank you for your prayer coverage.

Next steps:

After National Council approval, the final draft of the Affirmation of Faith will be sent to all Fellowship churches, likely in early March 2025
Churches will have from March to November 2025 to study the final draft AoF
Delegates at our FNC 2025 on November 3-5, 2025 in Toronto (Delta Hotel and Conference Centre) will gather to VOTE on the proposed Affirmation of Faith

Meeting needs in Colombia

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship has been ministering in Colombia for over 60 years. Fellowship International missionaries have served particularly in Medellín, Colombia for over six decades. The spiritual needs are great.

Fellowship International and FAIR are helping to establish partnerships with Fellowship churches to plant churches among an association of Baptist churches in Colombia called El Redil (meaning “The Sheepfold”). Fellowship pastors and church leaders can visit the field and discover the partnering opportunities.

As National President, I host an annual eight-day tour to visit Medellín, and the available church plant partnerships. Our next tour is in the Fall of 2025. Let me know of your interest.

The physical needs are also immense in Colombia

The FAIR Winter appeal (January to April 2025) is an opportunity for our churches and donors to give to the “Momentum” appeal. FAIR director, Norton Lages, explains about this exciting opportunity:

“Medellín, Colombia was once synonymous with violence and darkness—a city plagued by one of the most powerful drug cartels in history. The shadow of terrorism and corruption left its people in profound physical, emotional, and spiritual poverty. While progress has been made, many still live without hope for the future. But in the heart of this city, the light of the Gospel is breaking through.

The El Redil network of churches and church plants is bringing Christ-centred hope to Medellín. Like the Good Shepherd caring for His flock, these churches minister to the most vulnerable, the hurt, and the lost, through life-transforming programs that meet physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs. They are bringing Gospel hope to those in need! The transformation is undeniable. Praise God for the 10 FAIR projects that are opening doors, providing greater opportunity for Gospel proclamation. Lives are being restored, leaders are rising up, and Colombia, who once welcomed Fellowship missionaries, is now sending missionaries to share the Gospel in places like Québec. What God has done is amazing!

Yet the need is still great. Poverty, gang influence, and brokenness persist in many of Medellín’s barrios. FAIR’s Momentum Winter 2025 special appeal seeks to help your church fruitfully engage with this missionary opportunity while we together raise $200,000 to strategically empower El Redil churches to serve their communities. Your support can provide food for families, healing for abused women, mentorship for youth, and safe refuge for girls rescued from the streets. And all of this is happening from, with, to, and through the El Redil churches and church plants. We want this to also support the disciple-making efforts in your local church here in Canada. This is a perfect opportunity for planning a short-term mission trip to work with a church in Colombia and see great fruits of evangelism and disciple-making in Colombia but also in your church here in Canada.

Together, we can strategically join in what God is doing in Medellín. Let’s be the hands and feet of Christ, helping His light shine brighter in a city longing for restoration.

Learn more fellowship.ca/Momentum about how to engage, give generously, and encourage your church to pray earnestly. We are here to help you in any way we can. Thank you for partnering with FAIR to meet these urgent needs!”

Please prayerfully consider giving to Momentum as together we bring care to those in need in Colombia.

Revival in Boneyard Baptist Church

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 PST

One night, Jesus met with Nicodemus, a Jewish leader and a religious man. Nicodemus was born in sin, so he could not inherit the Kingdom of God. He was also blind to sin, so he could not see the Kingdom of God. He was bound by sin, so he could not enter the Kingdom of God. But, the Spirit of God breathed life into this religious man and he was born again. He was brought back to life from the dead.

There is a discipleship drought in our churches and the solution is found in Ezekiel 37:1-5:

Ezekiel sees a revelation (vv. 1-2)
Ezekiel receives a responsibility (vv. 3-5)
Ezekiel’s witness of a resurrection (vv. 6-8, 10)

In response to the anointed preaching and fervent praying of the prophet, the Lord chose to move in a powerful way. The dry bones are brought back to life. The astonished prophet watched the valley rattling and moving, as the bones began connecting, and then were covered in sinews, flesh, and skin. Finally, at the Lord’s direction, Ezekiel prophesies to the breath to “breathe on these slain, that they may live” (v. 9b). New birth, whether in people or churches, is a supernatural event! Ezekiel 37:10 (ESV) says: “…they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

But it’s not enough to just connect the bones. God also strengthened them sufficiently enough to stand, and to stand without the aid of crutches, splints, or a respirator. They were strong! We pray earnestly that many would come to faith, but also be strengthened by His Spirit and discipled by His Church, to stand and withstand. “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,” prays the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV), that believers might be, “strengthened with power through his Spirit in [their] inner being” (v. 16b), and “rooted and grounded in love, [that they] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that [they] may be filled with the fullness of God” (vv. 17b-19b). We pray for new birth, we pray for new disciples who make disciples, and for churches who establish new churches. We pray that the supernatural work of God might reanimate the bones of this valley and then move as a “great army” to the next valley and to the next and the next.

Verse 7 (ESV) notes “there was a sound and behold, a rattling…” Is there a “rattling” going on in Canada? In the Fellowship? Any signs of new life? Are there any places where the Holy Spirit might be “breathing”?

The Fellowship’s church planting story since 2010 is most definitely a sign of “rattling”.

Since 2010, our Fellowship Pacific Region has planted 35 churches. Our Fellowship Prairies Region has planted three churches. Our FEB Central Region has planted 73 churches. Our AEBEQ (Quebec) Region has planted 18 churches, and our Fellowship Atlantic Region has planted three churches. This comes to a total of 132 churches planted in the past 15 years. Previously, between 1990 and 2000 our Fellowship planted another 87 churches. Over the next 25 years, in many ways, we’ll look back on this period of our Fellowship as a time when we returned to our heritage as a church planting movement.

When it comes to church health, we’re hearing some “rattling” as well.

The story of our Fellowship Pacific Region is one of revitalization. After 30 years of a four-percent decline per year, leaders decided together that this was not acceptable, that this could not possibly be God’s desire for their Region. The result was a five-year partnership (completed in 2016), whereby a greater degree of collaboration and interdependence would occur among churches. The outcome is a “turn-around Region” that is no longer experiencing decline, but steady, healthy growth.

And to top this all off, this past year our Fellowship International department deployed nine long-term career missionaries from our churches, and our Chaplaincy department appointed 32 new Fellowship chaplains. These are recruitment records among our churches.

However, I would still contend that this is still the sound of the “rattling”, not the “thunder clap” of a marching army rising from the dry valley. As encouraging as all this fruit might sound, it still is only the “rattling”. The sound of a “reviving wind”, the Spirit of God is looking to envelop our churches with His “breath”. The “sinew, tendons, and muscle” growth has only started to happen—there are still lots of dry bones out there, still plenty of graveyards, and too many “Boneyard Baptist Churches”!

The Church Planting Story among Fellowship Baptists: 2010-2024

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 PST

I recently spoke at the Mission Conference at First Filipino Baptist Church in Toronto, ON (October 2024). It was a joy to be with them once again and see how this congregation continues to remain on mission since its founding in 1977.

The First Filipino Baptist Church story in Toronto, ON

First Filipino has influenced the birth of 18 church plants in its almost 50 years of existence. Impressive! Let me explain.

It began humbly in the summer of 1975 with four young adults gathering at the foot of Roncesvalles Avenue and Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto. The Bible study grew and by May 1977 they formed First Filipino Baptist Church. Their first pastor was Godfrey Catanus who later moved in 1982 to minister in the United States. His brother, Eliezer, became the lead pastor and served for 31 years, retiring in 2015.

I was the special speaker at their 40th Anniversary Service in the summer of 2017. After the service we went to a banquet hall where 700 people jammed together to celebrate God’s faithfulness and goodness. The 700 people present attended different Baptist Churches — all churches that had been planted by First Filipino during its 40-year history.

I sat down with some of their leaders during the banquet and mapped out on my paper serviette their “Church Planting Family Tree”. It blew me away when I considered what is possible when one church remains on mission.

In thirty-three years (1984-2017), First Filipino Baptist Church planted eight churches out of which another nine granddaughter and great-granddaughter churches were birthed—a total of 17 churches in three decades. And between 2017 and 2024, more plants have been birthed. What an inspiration to all of our churches! Here is their Church Plant Family Tree:

The good news is — the story continues:

The Fellowship Baptist Church Planting Story: 2010-2024

Since 2010, our local churches have remained on mission. Our five Fellowship Regions have sought to “double-down” on envisioning, resourcing, and courageously pursuing a dream for church planting in our country. I’ve been praying and trying to support our Regions to ensure our Fellowship movement might be a church planting machine!

Some of our local churches have caught the vision and with God’s help we have established 132 church plants form 2010-2024. God is so good!

Fellowship Church Planting in Canada

Domestic church planting in Canada is led by our Fellowship Regions

Year

Pacific

Prairies

Central

AÉBÉQ

Atlantic

Total

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Each year we prayerfully choose a Scripture verse to express our overall theme for the next year.

Our theme Bible verse for 2025 is 2 Timothy 3:16a (KJV): “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine…”
2025 is our Year of the Bible as an association of local churches across Canada and beyond through the ministry of our Fellowship International missionaries.
This next year, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and enabling:

We will complete our Affirmation of Faith (AoF) journey with a VOTE to confirm our amended AoF at our Fellowship National Conference (FNC 2025) in Toronto, from November 3-5, 2025 at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre near the Toronto International Airport.
Lord willing, the new amendments to our Policy Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality will clarify our Biblical understanding of human sexuality and continue to protect our clergy and churches from those who wish to attack a Biblical foundation for human sexuality.
We will complete (by FNC 2026) a draft of an AoF resource tool, explaining each of the AoF’s 14 Articles, which Fellowship churches can use for teaching doctrine and for discipleship within their congregation.
We will remain true to God’s Word with our pastors and Bible teachers instructing exclusively from the precious Word of God.

Join with me in thanking God for His Word during our Year of the Bible.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to the Fellowship Family

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship National Staff want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Exodus 3:13-14 captures an amazing exchange between God and Moses. Moses was told to refer to Jehovah as “I am who I am”. In John 8:58, Jesus referred to Himself as the “I am,” a not-so-subtle way of identifying Himself as divine. I am the Word, I am the Light, I am the Bread, I am the Door.

As the Word, Jesus came and spoke
As the Light, Jesus came to shine
As the Bread, Jesus came to satisfy
As the Door, Jesus came to save

Three wise men followed a star 2,000 years ago, bearing gifts for the Saviour.

The first gift was gold, a gift fit for a king. A humble, unassuming infant lying in a manager is the Lord of lords! Incredible.

The second gift was myrrh, a perfumed spice the ancients used to embalm the dead. This gift foretold Jesus’ end. The child starts in a cradle in a barn, only to end on a cross on skull-hill! Christmas without Easter does not complete the story.

The last gift was frankincense, which was used in the Temple to symbolize the prayers of God’s people reaching up to God. By its very nature, our need of prayer implies our need for a Saviour. We seek Him out because we are dependent on Him. Christianity is first and foremost a faith founded on a:

Person, not a philosophy
Who, not a what
Relationship, not some rules

Celebrate with our National team the wondrous story once again this Christmas!

Until my next “Word from Steve” in early January, have a joy-filled Christmas and New Year!

It took three Advent announcements to get noticed

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 PST

The word “Advent” means “coming”. The coming of the Lamb of Jehovah (first Advent) who will later come as the Lion of Judah (second Advent).

Some estimate that 40 billion people have lived on earth since creation. Currently, over eight billion people populate the planet. Sociologists, anthropologists, and other “-gists” sort humanity into endless categories. It is a sobering truth that our Creator sorts humanity in only two categories: the saved and the unsaved, the sheep and the goats, the wheat and the tares, the children and the enemies of God.

Only one Baby, the Christ of Christmas, can change this:

The Old Testament opens with man being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26)
The New Testament opens with God made in the image of man (Matthew 1:23)
The Old Testament opens with sheep dying for the Shepherd (Genesis 4:4)
The New Testament opens with the Shepherd dying for the sheep (John 10:11)

Between the covenants, one truth remains: humanity is in desperate need of a Shepherd, One who will save us from our spiritual depravity.

The Church through the centuries has developed a rich liturgy surrounding the “coming” Christ. The Advent season is a time to get ready for His appearing. A time to celebrate His coming.

A time to plan and change my attitudes and behaviour.
A time to anticipate God’s grace and blessing.
A time to cherish the Lord’s love and gift of salvation.

Historically, the Advent season is celebrated over four weeks. Week One emphasizes HOPE.

Three Hope-filled announcements before Christmas

Three people are given “Announcements of Hope” in the Gospels.

First Advent Announcement: Luke 1:5-25
The priest, Zechariah, would receive an announcement full of hope. He would have a son, his name would be John, and he would be the forerunner of the Messiah.

Vs. 7: It was a miracle as his wife, Elizabeth, had been barren.

Vs. 8: It was providential that Zechariah’s priestly division was on duty that day. Priests were so numerous that many would never officiate at the altar. The Roman-Jewish historian Josephus wrote that 20,000 priests lived at the time of Paul. King David had divided them into 24 divisions (1 Chronicles 24). Zechariah was a part of the division of Abijah, which would number approximately 850 priests. They were assigned by casting lots. By providence, Zechariah’s lot is cast. He is placed in the right place at the right time to hear God’s supernatural announcement of hope.

Vv. 11-13: The announcement was divine as an angel appears telling Zechariah not to be fearful. Verse 19 later identifies the angel as Gabriel. This is the first spoken message from Heaven in 400 years, a message of hope.

Vv. 13-17: The announcement was prophetic as Gabriel shares a six-fold announcement:

Vs. 13: Zechariah and Elizabeth would have a son
Vs. 13: The child should be named John
Vs. 15: John would be a Spirit-filled Nazarite (Numbers 6:2-6)
Vs. 16: John’s ministry would be successful
Vs. 16: John would prepare the way for the Messiah
Vs. 17: John’s ministry style would be similar to Elijah’s

Vv. 18-20: The response to the announcement is unbelief followed by a rebuke. Zechariah can hardly believe that his barren wife, now past child-bearing years, could have a baby. The angel rebukes Zechariah, making him mute.

Vv. 21-22: Because of Zechariah’s muteness, people immediately knew a spiritual encounter had occurred inside the temple. Many friends, family, and the devout waited for him to exit and pronounce the Levitical blessing.

“The Lord bless you and keep you…” (Numbers 6:22-27)

They all knew this would be the only occasion in Zechariah’s lifetime to do this important priestly duty. He had waited decades for his lot to be cast. They so wanted him to complete his priestly duty well. He exited and they awaited his blessing.

Instead, the old priest exited confused, dumb (silent), and in wonder. His wife was going to have a baby!

Vv. 23-25: The first Advent announcement closes in an atmosphere of rejoicing. Elizabeth celebrates her pregnancy.

Christmas is a time to rejoice, a time to celebrate.

Second Advent announcement: Luke 1:26-38

Gabriel visits Mary, who will be blessed among (not above) women.

Third Advent announcement: Matthew 1:18-25

The angel tells a “righteous” (vs. 19) and “obedient” (vs. 24) man to marry Mary and fulfill the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.

Three Announcements… One Objective

Three Advent announcements. Three supernatural encounters with an old priest, a young peasant woman, and a humble carpenter.

The common objective for each announcement was an attempt to prepare the way of the “coming” Christ, the Saviour of the world. May all of us take up this same attempt to prepare for the coming Advent season. A season of hope. A time to share the Good News that Jesus came to ensure salvation and a hope-filled future for humanity.

May this Advent season be an occasion to speak a hopeful “word in season” to a loved one, friend, neighbour, work colleague, or stranger.

Throw a Toonie into a Salvation Army Kettle this Christmas

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 PST

I rarely walk past a Salvation Army Christmas kettle without dropping something in… Why? Because I believe in their mission and I’m convinced they still believe in it, too. Their belief has turned into action for over a century (Salvation Army was founded July 2, 1865).

That’s actually quite a rare thing nowadays. Most organizations forget over time why they initially came into existence. Call it amnesia, call it pragmatism, call it stupidity… Mission drift is commonplace everywhere.

Pastor John Ortberg refers to this as following our “shadow-mission”. We all have a propensity to follow a shadow-mission. We might say our mission in life is to know Christ and make Him known to others, but, if we really, honestly look at the fruit from our life — and Jesus did say we would be known by our fruit — would our fruit (behaviour, values, attitudes, beliefs) really represent His Mission to “make disciples of all nations”, or would it represent our own personal shadow-mission?

Many Canadian Christians’ shadow-mission is to experience a pleasurable life and ensure their family is comfortable. Is that Biblical?

The interesting thing about shadow-missions is that they are often closely associated with our real mission. My shadow-mission is often only ten degrees off my real mission in life. For example, you’re a gifted preacher or teacher, and you feel fulfilled when others gain knowledge, inspiration, and wisdom from your teaching. But if your mission moves just ten degrees... now your mission for teaching has become an opportunity to expose your tremendous wealth of knowledge. Pride has set upon you and your shadow-mission has subtly taken over. What is your shadow-mission?

The interesting thing about shadow-missions is that churches can also have them…

“Choosing the easiest path since 1968.”

Regions can have shadow-missions…

“Avoiding conflict since 1985.”

Denominations can have shadow-missions…

“The Fellowship: celebrating mediocrity since 1953.”

Our churches can fall prey to an assortment of shadow-missions:

A Mission Amnesiac is a church that forgets the mission and seeks to pursue purposes other than Jesus’ mission. Over time, all organizations are susceptible to this.
Mission Misers are churches that act like a holy huddle, leaving spiritual orphans outside to fend for themselves. They huddle around the Gospel, enjoy it, celebrate it, write songs about it and memorize it — but rarely share it. They’re misers.
Mission Mimes are churches that become so ineffectual because their testimony is so poor in the community that it all but silences their witness.
Mission Mazes are churches who believe their mission is to be busy… so busy doing many things for Jesus that it is difficult to identify their singular, simple purpose as a ministry.
Mission Marionettes are churches who have become puppets controlled by outside programs or fads, or insider control-freaks… They chase after a shadow-mission and miss the mark.

Our shadow-mission can, over time, subtly lead us away from our primary mission, doing it so subtly we’re not even aware of it. The Bible says in Revelation 3:1b-2 (NIV), “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.”

How does this reality affect the church of Jesus Christ and accomplish the mission?

In the late 1800s in Britain, a group of Quakers who owned banks joined together to “maintain their purpose of serving God by supporting business that provided useful products and paid just wages.” Today the only vestige of its Quaker roots remains in the name of its morning management meeting which is still called “prayers”. The bank is Barclay’s of London. It followed its shadow-mission.

Another organization, started in 1863 in Switzerland, was founded by a “fervent evangelical and high-minded Calvinist”. One founder said his idea of the organization was a direct inspiration from God. Another founder said he had been guided by the example of the Good Samaritan to assist the war-wounded. Today, the Red Cross has 97 million volunteers and a revenue of 3.6 billion dollars (2010) per year, with its CEO earning $652,000 a few years back. Yet the organization has little overt Christian witness. It followed its shadow-mission.

Another familiar organization’s original mission was to be “a social organization of those in whom the love of Christ has produced a love of men: who shall meet the young stranger as he enters the city and take him by the hand.” At one time this Christian organization could boast that one in every six college students in the US attended one of its Bible studies. This organization sent student missionaries around the world and invented two Olympic sports: basketball and volleyball. But, few people would consider the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) an organization with an authentic Christian mission. It followed its shadow-mission somewhere along the way and rebranded itself as “The Y”.

However, another organization founded in the late 1800s in Britain stated its mission to be: “to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name.” Today the Salvation Army is the largest charitable organization in the world, and still continues to adhere to the founder’s mission. Its Gospel penetration and mission effectiveness continues because it was careful not to be tempted by its shadow-mission. Ninety percent of every dollar donated to the Salvation Army goes to support their ministries.

Let me encourage you to not pass a Salvation Army Christmas kettle this month without dropping some change in it. That’s right — every time you hear the bell of a Salvationist, it’s a “Pavlovian” moment to reach for your purse, wallet, or pocket full of change.

Consider it a moment to help others as well as celebrate a Christian organization t

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 PST

Oscar Wilde said, “I can withstand anything except temptation.” Some might say the only way to get rid of temptation is giving into it. In one of my favourite hymns, we sing:

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;”

All of us have experienced the seasons in our spiritual lives where our soul has felt particularly lean. A difficulty, disappointment, or depression has robbed us of the joy of our salvation.

If you are feeling the need to talk confidentially to a Christian counselor about any spiritual, emotional, or marriage concern in your life before your concern becomes a crisis, please considering phoning the Clergy Care Network hotline at 1-888-5-CLERGY (1-888-525-3749).

Your phone call is confidential. No one reports who contacts the Clergy Care hotline. Just phone and talk to a credentialed professional Christian counselor. Do it today.

All of us experience dry spells in life, often caused by trials and temptations which are a fact of life. Both deplete the inner life. It would be prudent for each of us to learn how to respond well to these recurring facts of life.

Trials are situations designed by God to help us grow to spiritual maturity.
Temptation is designed by Satan to cause us to sin and to hinder our spiritual growth.

Wise pilgrims learn to clearly identify both in life, benefitting from trials and not allowing temptation to rob one’s spiritual vitality. Those sojourners that consistently win over temptation with experience soul health and receive the promise of James 1:12 (NIV):

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

If you feel a need to talk to someone confidentially, phone 1-888-CLERGY today.

Report on Year 3 of Fellowship National's Five-Year Strategic Plan

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 PST

The ministries that Fellowship National navigates and stewards on behalf of our local churches has experienced another fruitful year. We give God all the glory.

Our Fellowship National ministry is currently in the fourth year of a five-year strategic plan entitled Catalyze: Disciples making Disciples Everywhere: 2021-2026.

Our Fellowship National Strategic Plan (FNSP) gives direction and guidance to the five departments of our Fellowship National ministry from year to year. Fellowship National exists to serve our local churches in:

International missions: Fellowship International department
Relief and development ministry: FAIR department
Chaplaincy ministry: Fellowship Advance Department (FAD)
Francophone ministry: FAD
Fellowship Foundation ministry: FAD
Pensions, health care plans, church mortgages, etc.: Services department
Promoting and uniting for mission: Communications department

You can click here to see the entire FNSP, or study the two Action Plans itemizing the International and Domestic outcomes.

We thank God for how He has blessed our ministry this past year:

- nine long-term Fellowship International missionaries appointed with 372 baptisms and 46 church plants recorded
- 32 Fellowship chaplains appointed with 136 professions of faith recorded
- Churches and donors generously gave over $1,393,935 toward FAIR appeals and development programs
- nine new Francophone church plant partnerships were established
- Fellowship Foundation grew by over $11 million in legacies

We give God all the glory as we continue to rest in His unfailing love. Let’s give praise today.

Help alleviate the suffering in Ukraine

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 PST

This Fall our current FAIR appeal, Stand by Me, is focusing on alleviating the suffering of those affected by the continuing conflict in Ukraine. Our FAIR Director, Norton Lages, explains further:

“As I travelled to Ukraine with Fellowship missionary Ben Taylor to connect with local churches and partners that are making a difference there, what most impacted me was how much the pastors and leaders were blessed by the encouragement we were there to bring. They were very blessed to hear from me about the desire of Fellowship churches to help in a meaningful way.

“Remember, it has been over two years since the war between Russia and Ukraine began. Many lives have been lost or drastically impacted by physical wounds or the loss of loved ones. Ukrainians have been displaced by the fighting and many have left the country to live as refugees in neighbouring countries and across the world. For the churches and organizations working to meet needs that a government focused on defending its borders can’t address, it has been a long war. The pastors, leaders, and workers are exhausted. They really need encouragement. They really need prayer. They really need our help.

“In February 2022, FAIR launched the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis emergency appeal. The response from Fellowship churches and FAIR donors was swift and left no doubt that caring for Ukrainians affected by the war was a priority. FAIR still receives donations for this need, and churches in Poland and Ukraine are still blessed by your care. THANK YOU!

“FAIR’s Stand by Me Fall special appeal is inviting you to partner with churches in Poland and Ukraine who are ministering holistically to the needs of displaced Ukrainians. The goal is to raise $1 million which will be used to support the local church in five strategic ways:

providing essentials like food, water, heat, and housing to those who have lost everything because of the fighting
family retreats for those experiencing trauma and loss
children’s camps and orphan care to help children heal from trauma
frontline ministries
strengthening the local church through counseling, training, and encouragement of leaders

“This is a big goal, but the need is great. Our God is awesome and we know He has a big heart for those who are suffering. We have seen what happens when FAIR donors and churches work together. With many hands giving joyfully, as they are able, we are confident the Lord will provide for this great need.

“One specific and very simple way you can involve your church is by giving a house to a Ukrainian family, as you may have heard about in the presentation at FNC. I was there with our missionary partner couple, Sergei and Svetlane, who will be sharing the Gospel with and discipling the families that receive this gift. The family can even send a personal thank-you video to your church. I hope this is a great opportunity to encourage your church to be on mission in Ukraine.

“Just as our awesome God stands with us and cares for us in times of trouble, will you stand with your brothers and sisters in Ukrainian and Polish churches through this appeal?”

Let us stand together with our brothers and sisters in need. You can learn more about this appeal at fellowship.ca/StandbyMe.

Pray for our delegates at FNC 2024

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship National Conference (FNC 2024) is happening this week (November 11-13) in Niagara Falls, ON at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel.

I hope you’ll remember to pray for the hundreds of delegates who will gather:

On Tuesday, November 12 from 2:00-5:00pm to discuss and give feedback to our draft Affirmation of Faith prepared by our AoF Team. Church boards have already given their feedback via a survey sent to our churches in September. Others participated in our two virtual Town Hall meetings (September 19 and 26) giving helpful feedback and suggestions. The vetting process continues on November 12 so please pray. No vote will take place on November 12th – it is just a discussion, with the vote to take place at FNC 2025 in Toronto.
On Wednesday, November 13 at 11:00am our delegates gather for our FNC Business Meeting where next year’s budget and National Council members will be voted on. Another very important business item will be the opportunity to vote on the Motion that National Council sent to our churches in September 2024.

The Motion: “To adopt the revised ‘Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada Policy Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality’ as presented.”

Our National and Regional leaders concluded that our Marriage and Human Sexuality policy statement (approved 2018) needed to be modified to more clearly define The Fellowship’s Biblical understanding of gender. The proposed modifications to the Policy were several additions, to ensure a more fulsome description of human sexuality.

The primary motivation for these proposed additions is to ensure continued adequate protection for our churches and clergy on this issue.

Our churches received these proposed additions and the Motion in early September 2024.

Thank you for praying. These are significant issues for which we will need to know the mind of Christ as we pray, deliberate, and decide. I’ll report on the outcomes soon after FNC 2024.

This decision may require follow-up action by your local church. If you adopted Fellowship National’s Policy Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality in your bylaws or constitution (which all churches were encouraged to do), you will need to consider adopting this second revision if it passes at FNC 2024. Further information and suggestions will be sent to all Fellowship churches following FNC 2024 on possible next steps to consider. Until then….

Can Christian ministry happen in an airport?

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 PST

From 1981 through to 1984 I was the Monday evening chaplain at the Toronto International Airport. I was a young seminary student fulfilling my mandatory Christian service requirement at Central Baptist Seminary. Founding Fellowship Chaplaincy Director and Senior Airport Chaplain Phil Phillips took a chance on a young seminary student who was also very young in the faith (only two years old). I walked the terminal of Toronto’s Pearson Airport talking to employees and passengers. What started as fulfilling my “Christian service requirement” became a weekly opportunity to provide a ministry of presence in a very needy environment. So many possibilities arose as I found ways to begin conversations and meet with travelers in our chapel. The experience left me with a profound appreciation for the ministry our Fellowship chaplains provide week after week, often in “closed” communities where local churches are not permitted to minister.

Mike Garabedian is our current senior chaplain at the Toronto Pearson International Airport. He leads an excellent team of chaplains in the chapels located in both Terminals 1 and 3. Every year I receive reports of dozens of people who have come to Christ through the ministry of our Fellowship chaplains demonstrating the love of Christ at the Toronto Airport.

I asked Mike to share a brief report on the work of our Fellowship chaplains at Pearson. My hope is you’ll commit to praying for our chaplains. Mike writes:

“When I was first introduced to Fellowship Chaplaincy in 2018, I was surprised by the variety of opportunities to serve in numerous different settings. There are nearly 15 different areas in all, each of them distinct in their own way. But what does an airport chaplain do? you might ask.

“Pearson International Airport is home to over 400 employers with approximately 50,000 employees serving 50 million travelling passengers each year. Part of my responsibility is to help oversee a team of 15 evangelical volunteers who provide spiritual care for the airport community. This leads us into all sorts of interactions with both employees and travelers, and even a few surprise guests. Here’s a breakdown of our efforts from last year (2023) to help provide you with some perspective:

Employees = 80% of our engagement:
- Within terminals = 60%
- Outlying buildings (including parking garage) = 15%
- Airside (including ramp and baggage) = 5%
Travelers = 15% of our engagement:
- Inbound, outbound, connecting = 12%
- Special (including international students and refugees) = 3%
Extraordinary = 5% of our engagement:
- Homeless = 3%
- Crisis = 2%

“Does it surprise you that we spend the vast majority (80%) of our time with the employees? Let me assure you—this is quite intentional. Most fruit in our ministry is produced with those we can follow up with. Airport Chaplaincy is a ‘ministry of presence’, which means we intentionally position ourselves to intersect with people at their point of deepest need. Then we aim to journey with these broken-hearted ones by pressing in with intercessory prayer and using their sufferings as the gateway for the Gospel.

“The best part is—we don’t wait for them to find us, but we go and seek them out. Praise God for the open door of opportunity for our chaplains to freely roam every corner of this vast mission field – a microcosm of the Greater Toronto Area – with people from every nation, language, ethnicity, and religious background under the sun.”

Consider supporting Mike Garabedian

Mike is a full-time employee chaplain who must raise all his own support just like our Fellowship International missionaries. Mike is one of about 25 other Fellowship employee chaplains who rely on our local churches and donors to support them in the ministry to which God has called them.

Mike is currently underfunded and needs some Fellowship family donors to join his personal support team. If the Lord prompts you to consider joining Mike’s team, please contact Mike (MikeG@pearsonchapel.com) directly or connect with David Dobson (ddobson@fellowship.ca ) to ask any questions about Mike, the Pearson Chapel Airport ministry, or how to start giving. David serves as our Donor Relations Coordinator and would be happy to connect with you.

Please consider joining Mike’s support team and consider visiting the chapels at Toronto, Montréal, or Halifax Airports where Fellowship airport chaplains serve.

Don't miss seeing Hezekiah's tunnel!

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 PST

This past summer I promoted an opportunity for artists to use their creative skills in the preparation of a major art installation entitled Re-imagining Hezekiah’s Tunnel. You may recall my blog and an article promoting this in our summer 2024 THRIVE magazine, Patron: Capturing the Arts.

Go see Re-imagining Hezekiah’s Tunnel, November 2-26, 2024

I’ve asked The Portage Arts Group director, James Tughan, to explain this unique creative experience:

THIRST

Re-imagining Hezekiah’s Tunnel

The Portage Art Group, the Golden Horseshoe’s faith-based art group focused on mental health and the arts, is mounting a major exhibition this Fall at the gallery in Oakville’s Queen Elizabeth Park Cultural Centre. This exhibition is wrapped around the idea of water (or the absence of it) as a metaphor for the life-giving creative process of artmaking. We are suggesting that this God-given process of imagination and artistry is reflected in the dynamic properties of water, its movement, its ability to bend light, to move objects and people, and basically sustain life itself.

In addition to works in painting, drawing and sculpture, we are mounting an unusual, interactive display in which we are constructing an aboveground section of Hezekiah’s tunnel. This water-bearing aqueduct was dug by Hezekiah during a time of siege against the city. The tunnel preserved the city’s water supply, connecting the Gihon Spring with the Pool of Siloam, also a place of healing in the time of Jesus.

We are suggesting that artmaking is the most therapeutic agent of healing in God’s good world, and we invite everyone to come see truly fine artwork from our artists this November. We are suggesting a reframing of Jesus’ encouragement to those who thirst in this life.

THIRST

Re-imagining Hezekiah’s Tunnel

Water, Artistry, and Mental Health

Saturday, November 2 to Tuesday, November 26

The Queen Elizabeth Park Cultural Centre Gallery, 2302 Bridge Rd. Oakville, ON

Reception: November 2, at 7:00pm

For more information contact James Tughan at: tughanj@gmail.com

I encourage you to support this wonderful artistic endeavour some time in November if you live or are visiting the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Maybe we’ll bump into one another during my visit to this art exhibition.

I remain prayerful our local churches will continue to find ways to capture the arts in their ministry life. Maybe a bus trip to Oakville, ON in November?

Meet some amazing missionary appointees

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 PST

The Lord has been blessing our Fellowship International department this year with some amazing missionary appointees from our churches. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to several career and mid-term mission personnel who are currently seeking to build their support team.

If there is any interest in knowing more about any of these choice servants, please contact our Fellowship International Associate Director, Byron Chae. I know he would love to speak with you and your church.

Name: Hugo Bergeron
Home church: Église Évangélique d’Aujourd’hui

Field location: Québec

Classification: Career

Ministry focus: Hugo has sensed the Lord calling him to serve as a missionary with a focus on developing catalyzing movements in Mauricie, QC where he lives with his family.

Missionary bio: fellowship.ca/dms/Bergeron

Name: Daniel and Isabelle Dupuis
Home church: Église Baptiste de l’Évangile de Val-d’Or

Field location: Québec

Classification: Career

Ministry focus: Ministering within the local church in Val-d’Or, QC Daniel and Isabelle are working to develop disciple-making movements by sharing the love of Christ, discipling those who are open to a relationship with Christ, and equipping and training disciples as they seek to impact the lives of friends, family members, and contacts around them.

Missionary bio: fellowship.ca/dms/Bergeron

Name: Jacob and Rachel Hwang
Home church: Departure Bay

Field location: Ahousaht First Nation

Classification: Career

Ministry focus: Jacob and Rachel desire to see God plant an Ahousaht First Nation church by raising a holy generation among young people who are less impacted by history. The Hwangs’ major role is becoming spiritual parents until the next generation grows true disciples of Christ.

Missionary bio: fellowship.ca/dms/JacobandRachelHwang

Name: Tim and Kelly Klaassen
Home church: Departure Bay Baptist

Field location: Nanaimo, BC and beyond

Classification: Career

Ministry focus: Missionaries and mission equippers to Nanaimo, BC and beyond.

Missionary bio: fellowship.ca/dms/Klaassen

Name: Jesse Lam
Home church: Japanese Gospel Church of Toronto

Field location: Japan

Classification: Career

Ministry focus: Though the music industry may be one of the most worldly or secular areas to start a catalyzing movement, it is also a silo that has influence over an entire modern culture. Jesse hopes that he can show that there is real hope, lasting peace, and deep love found in Jesus Christ to those who sing songs about seeking those very things.

Missionary bio: fellowship.ca/dms/Lam

Any one of these missionary appointees would be a wonderful addition to your church’s missionary family. Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting one of these Fellowship International missionaries starting in 2024-2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Byron.

First Nation YOUTH could impact their people!

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 PST

Two of the newest Fellowship International missionaries, Jacob and Rachel Hwang, are serving Ahousaht First Nation people in British Columbia.

Jacob, Rachel, and their children, live among the Ahousaht and have been well received. A local church has been planted and this summer they took the young people to a youth conference. With the help of four Fellowship Pacific churches, teens from Maaqtusiis and two additional Bands attended the Aboriginal Youth Conference (July 24-27), bringing the total number of youth and young adults to 54.

It is amazing that almost 80% of the youth in the village high school attend the camp. Jacob and Rachel are truly thankful for the results of this camp: youth experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, decided to give up their lives of addiction, believed and confessed Jesus as their Lord, and six of them were baptized. As this became known in the Ahousaht village, many youth confessed their faith through sharing their testimonies—it has already had a great impact on the entire village. Ahousaht is being restored by the next generation in the name of Jesus.

Jacob and Rachel ask us to pray: “Thank you to all who served with prayer and support to our young people, for allowing us to witness this grace together. A spiritual war has begun for the youth who returned home. Please continue to pray that they will grow well with the power and love of the Holy Spirit and be established as true disciples of the Lord.”

Please consider your local church’s future involvement in First Nation people in your Region and our country.

Peak Millennials are taking over...everything!

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 PST

In the most recent edition of our Fellowship National THRIVE magazine: Next Gen: Passing the Torch, I mention in my sidebar comments on page 3 that:

In this edition of Thrive, “Next Gen: Passing the Torch”, we celebrate the next generation of leaders, disciples, mobilizers, and change agents among us. There are a lot of Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Zs (born 1997-2010) leading the way and shifting the culture before us. It’s “so dope” (Millennial talk), “so dank” (Gen Z gibberish) that the largest demographic group in Canada today are those born between 1990-1994, called “Peak Millennials”.

In recent years our Regions have recognized this and responded with leaders to support ministry to the Next Gen. I’m grateful for Zach Yaciw in our Fellowship Pacific Region, Mike Racinsky in our FEB Central Region, Steve Cloutier in our AEBEQ Region, and Paul Smylski in our Fellowship Atlantic Region who are giving servant leadership to Next Gen ministry among us. Pray for these important leaders.

All authors in this edition are around 40 years of age or younger. Let’s hear from the next generation — not because they are the future of the Church, but because they are the Church today. I “passed” the “First Word” article to Mike Racinsky because I’m too “cheugy” (uncool/untrendy/old). This edition should be fun!

You can read THRIVE Autumn 2024 edition online.

Please take special note of my comment that “the largest demographic group in Canada today are those born between 1990-1994 called the “Peak Millennials”.

My own grown children were born during these years. On many occasions they have remained a mystery to me.

Who are Peak Millennials?

In a March 14, 2024 NY Times article written by Jeanna Smialek (a peak Millennial), she features a phenomenon occurring among those born between 1990-94. At every stage of their lives, this micro generation has stretched a societal system that was often too small to accommodate their demographic bulge – the Peak Millennials – with their outsized economic power (for some) but also their fight to so-called get ahead. The struggle has become so great that many are re-defining what it means to get ahead. They’re realizing they shouldn’t expect to get what their parents (the Boomers) had at their age. This is the new reality.

With this being the reality – how do they respond?

Typical characteristics of the Millennial generation in the workplace and within a church ministry context:

They value meaningful motivation. Motivated by creative work, making an impact on others, while improving their community, not necessarily for financial gain.
They challenge hierarchical status quo. They have to share their opinions and ideas while challenging their superiors. What is best for the organization comes from active listening and collaboration and listening to other point of views. They prefer a supervisor whom they can connect to as a mentor with frequent communication.
They have intuitive knowledge of technology. They grew up in the burgeoning technological bubble. The first generation to be technologically immersed and globalized online. They quickly adapt and embrace change, especially to technology.
They place an importance on tasks rather than time. This shows up in a desire to produce results and place a higher priority on the quality of a product, deliverable, or task-oriented output. They work towards an end with lots of flexibility in their schedule; toward attaining outcomes that allow other important things to occur outside of work.
They are passionate about learning. They adapt to change well due in part to an extraordinary passion to learn new things. They are curious with a desire to learn new skills and knowledge to develop and pursue their work and personal lives.
They are free-thinkers and creative. They grew up in a time of global transition from conventional methods to technologically advanced ways of working, living, and playing. They are often more imaginative and innovative in their problem-solving at work and in life.
They value teamwork and social interaction. They place importance on working within a team environment. Collaborating on projects, problem-solving, and embracing different points of view are very important while enjoying a social atmosphere. Embracing qualities like fun produce a relaxed and comfortable working environment.

For more information on Millennials and Peak Millennials (the church leaders in our midst) – Pastor Jeremy Norton, lead pastor of a Fellowship Pacific Church in Whitehorse, Yukon, Mountainview Church, has compiled a curated collection of links to help you explore the evolving landscape of church leadership, demographic shifts, and church attendance.

PEAK MILLENNIALS

Compiled by @PastorJeremyNorton, LeadBiblically.com.

In this curated collection of links, you can explore the evolving landscape of church attendance, demographic shifts, and societal trends shaping the Millennial generation, offering valuable insights into the intersection of faith and contemporary culture.

5 Church Attendance Statistics Every Church Leader Needs to Understand in 2024: https://careynieuwhof.com/church-attendance-statistics/
A New Chapter in Millennial Church Attendance: https://www.barna.com/research/church-attendance-2022/
Church attendance statistics - Patterns & emerging trends for 2024: https://www.subsplash.com/blog/church-attendance-statistics
Fertility in Canada, 1921 to 2022: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/91f0015m/91f0015m2024001-eng.htm
Millennials overtake baby boomers as dominant generation in Canada: https://globalnews.ca/news/10307412/millennials-baby-boom

Short-Term Missions team makes a Big Impact!

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 PST

Many of our local churches are getting involved in our Fellowship Child Sponsorship ministries located in Honduras, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka whether by becoming a child sponsor ($35/month) or sending Short-Term Mission (STM) teams to bless their adopted kids.

You can find out more by going to fellowship.ca/childsponsorship and learn how to become a child sponsor or establish a church partnership.

Westney Heights Baptist’s Youth Visit Casa Hogar

I asked Youth Pastor Bob Donald to give a report of the time his youth group spent this past July at our ministry location in Honduras, Casa Hogar, a home for marginalized children being cared for by Fellowship International missionaries Melodie Francis, and Rick and Ena Ward. I’ve visited a couple times; this is a very special place.

But I’ll let Pastor Bob share the story, here.

Consider a Short-Term Mission team for Summer 2025

Why not consider sending a STM team from your church next summer? You’ll need to start planning that now. Start by looking online at the child sponsorship ministry locations which our FAIR department supports. Contact FAIR Project Coordinator, Denise Wicks, at dwicks@fellowship.ca for more information.

Moving through dashed expectations

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 PST

All of us have expectations about our future lives, whether with our family, marriage, or ministry. This is natural and unavoidable. It’s what happens when you experience disappointments. Your expectations are crushed. This too is unavoidable.

When I turned 60 my youngest daughter asked me what I thought about my future. A life lesson to pass on. I told her:

In my 20s I learned to manage my dreams
In my 30s I learned to manage my time
In my 40s I learned to manage my priorities
In my 50s I learned to manage my energy
In my 60s I think I am going to need to learn to manage my expectations

Not much time left to see my dreams and priorities fulfilled. Expectations dashed. If we don’t get a handle on managing expectations – disillusionment and bitterness can follow. Getting old isn’t for cowards. So many unhappy seniors sit in our pews quietly living lives of sorrow because of dashed expectations. If you find yourself struggling and the “joy of your salvation” is weak, maybe it’s time to talk to someone.

An expectation has been dashed or derailed. My marriage needs a check-up. I’m stuck in a ministry that is unfulfilling or toxic. I don’t have a single real friend. Don’t wait—talk to someone.

Consider calling the Clergy Care Network hotline at 1-888-5-CLERGY (1-888-525-3749).

Fellowship National has partnered with Focus on the Family to provide counseling resources to our clergy, missionaries, chaplains, and spouses. Phone the number and you’re connecting to a professionally credentialed Christian counselor who can pray with you, provide an initial counselling session, offer resources, and make referrals to counsellors in your area.

Your call is completely confidential. No one reports your call to me or anyone else. Make the call.

If you want to read more about dashed expectations, I encourage you to read Luke Campbell’s excellent article found on Focus on the Family’s “Clergy Care” website, How changing expectations of ministry can help us avoid unnecessary pain. I hope it is a help to you.

The month of October is designated each year as “Clergy Care Month”. What is your local church doing in October to make certain your pastor(s) feel valued, loved, and cared for?

Trauma Care in Ukraine

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 PST

For more than 2.5 years we have watched the conflict going on in Ukraine. Our hearts are broken.

I have met displaced Ukrainians in our Fellowship churches as I visit from Sunday to Sunday. Our churches gave generously (over $2 million) to our past Ukraine appeal to help save and support the refugee exodus. I heard testimonies from Ukrainians themselves during my visit to Poland over a year ago – a grandmother who spent a month in an overcrowded bomb shelter with her grandchildren – terrified. Bombs landing day after day. While visiting my own barber I learned he was able to get his partner out of Ukraine and I sat listening to her share her story with tears.

The needs in Ukraine continue. How can you help?

Although the Ukrainian people continue to show great strength and fortitude in the face of uncertain and dangerous circumstances, there is an undeniable emotional toll. For the churches and organizations working to meet needs that a government focused on defending its borders can’t address, it has been a long war. The pastors, leaders, and workers are tired. They need encouragement. They need prayer. They need help.

In February 2022, FAIR launched the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis emergency appeal. The response from Fellowship churches and FAIR donors was swift and left no doubt that caring for Ukrainians affected by the war was a priority. FAIR still receives donations for this need, and churches in Poland and Ukraine are still blessed by your care. THANK YOU.

Although the initial urgency has subsided, and the war has shifted away from media focus, FAIR is still seeking to serve our brothers and sisters in Poland and Ukraine as they minister to those most in need. In partnership with Fellowship International missionaries Ben and Krista Taylor, FAIR has identified the greatest needs that local churches in Poland and Ukraine are uniquely placed and able to minister to.

Please consider hosting a Christmas or Thanksgiving offering for Ukraine relief.

FAIR’s Stand by Me Fall special appeal is inviting you to partner with churches in Poland and Ukraine who are ministering holistically to the needs of displaced Ukrainians. The goal is to raise $1 million which will be used for the purchase of physical aid (i.e. food, water, heat, medicine); counselling for those experiencing trauma; provision of family, children’s, and frontline ministries; and for the training, encouraging, and counselling of local church leadership.

Your church can be involved in a variety of ways:

Option #1: Give through a church offering
Option #2: Pray for Ukraine
Option #3: Send church members to serve
Option #4: Connect with a church partner

This is a big goal. But our God is awesome and we know He has a big heart for those who are suffering. This big ask is an opportunity for Canadians to stand with their brothers and sisters who are doing the hard work of serving in a time of war. To encourage them. To lift them up. To show them they are seen and cared for.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10 ESV)

Would you consider how the Lord is calling your church family to respond to the Stand by Me special appeal? Visit fellowship.ca/StandbyMe to learn more or give today.

Join an AoF virtual Town Hall Meeting

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 PST

You are invited to attend two upcoming virtual Town Hall meetings on September 19 and 26 (both from 1:00-3:00pm EST) hosted by our Fellowship National Council.

The latest AoF Report was sent to you on June 25th sharing the status of the draft AoF with a glimpse into what to expect.

The English draft Affirmation of Faith was sent to our English-speaking churches on September 5th, with the French version of the draft Affirmation of Faith following soon after to our French-speaking churches.

We need your feedback:

Each church board will be encouraged to complete a brief survey, which will accompany the draft AoF (deadline: October 15th)
All Fellowship family members will be invited to attend two virtual Town Hall meetings (September 19th and 26th)
All Fellowship National Conference delegates will have opportunity to comment (November 12th)

Affirmation of Faith Town Hall Meetings

The Chair of the AoF Team, Doug Blair, will be hosting the two virtual Town Hall meetings hosted on Zoom on September 19th and 26th, each from 1:00-3:00pm EST, as opportunities to note that, due to the challenges of a virtual setting and the number of people anticipated to be a part of the Town Hall meetings, there will likely be some limitations in the amount of feedback possible.) The first meeting (September 19th) will address the first seven articles of the draft AoF and the second meeting (September 26th) will address the second seven articles.

We plan to use an interactive tool (Mentimeter) to capture as much feedback as possible. Some time will be given for sharing verbal comments during these meetings, but note that more discussion time will be provided during the three-hour gathering at FNC 2024 (November 12th, 2:00-5:00pm).

Your Fellowship National Council promised a transparent process process (see Process for Change document) during our Affirmation of Faith journey. Your AoF Team hopes to hear from many of our constituency through the church board survey, interactive Town Hall meetings, and discussion at FNC 2024. Please plan to participate in one, two, or all three opportunities to share your feedback and suggestions. To register for one or both of the AoF Town Hall meetings on September 19th and 26th, click here.

We look forward to seeing you virtually on September 19th and 26th and live on November 12th at FNC 2024 in Niagara Falls, ON. Note that Zoom link(s) will be sent a day or two prior to the event.

Our Pearson Airport Chapel Ministry turns 45 years old

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship Chaplaincy ministry has grown to 170[FR1] chaplains in 2024…There were just 27 Fellowship chaplains in 2012.

Our chaplains witnessed 128 professions of faith in 2022, 121 in 2023, and currently our chaplains have seen 95 professions of faith so far in 2024. Their “ministry of presence” is making a tremendous impact as they minister to people in the marketplace and communities across Canada.

Toronto Pearson Airport

One location that has witnessed much fruit through the years is our Chapel ministry at Terminals 1 and 3 at the Toronto International Airport. Its humble beginnings, 45 years ago, originated with the recent arrival of a military chaplain from India, Philip Phillips. Over four decades, the ministry further grew under the watchful care of three gifted senior chaplains, Brian Fox, Peter King, and Mike Garabedian, and their team of chaplains and volunteers.

In the past two years Senior Chaplain Mike has witnessed the growth of his chaplain volunteer team from a few to a dozen servants. We thank God for His provision as they minister to many of the over 55,000 employees and over 140,000 passengers passing through the airport each day.

Let’s Celebrate Together God’s Faithfulness

You are invited to join in celebrating God’s provision these past 45 years on September 12, 2024 at Terminal One Pearson Chapel (beside the Tim Hortons and Domestic Arrivals gate).

An Open House will be hosted from 9-11am and 2-4pm with an interdenominational worship service at noon. There will be displays, music, a video presentation, refreshments, and special guests. Come join the celebration!

My TOP THREE Virtues in Life

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:00:00 PST

I was traveling in my car chatting with my son about an issue. I was “waxing eloquently” and sharing my frustration about this problem that I was dealing with.

Alec stopped me and reminded me of my “three virtues” in life. I knew I had done something right as a father when my son reminded me what I had been teaching him for years. Some time in my mid-twenties I decided I would live life guided by three prominent virtues. There are, of course, many other important virtues. I certainly seek to be honest and kind and many other things, but these three virtues I especially value. My boy reminded me to “suck it up buttercup” and look at my problem through the filter of these three virtues. Thank you, Alec… that’s my boy!

The big three are:

LOYALTY
GRATITUDE
COURAGE

Loyalty:

I believe loyalty is crucial in life. Loyalty to my Saviour, my wife, my children, my family, friends, staff, colleagues, nation and the everyday commission. I have told my staff through the years that if they ever hear something that I reportedly said about them that is cruel in nature, either the messenger is dishonest or they got bad information. I’m loyal to them.

One of the most crucial elements to nurture loyalty is being truthful and trustworthy. In Kouzes and Posner’s book The Truth about Leadership they write:

“The truth is that trust rules. Trust rules your personal credibility. Trust rules your ability to get things done. Trust rules your team’s cohesiveness. Trust rules your organization’s innovativeness and performance… trust rules almost everything you do.” (pg. 79)

“Building the structure of trust begins when one person takes a risk and opens up to another. If you’re the leader in the relationship, that person needs to be you. You need to ante up first.” (pg. 79)

Gratitude:

In a Christianity Today article, Dr. Michael Zigarelli, Dean of the School of Business at Regent College, wrote of an incredible discovery after studying 5,000 Christians. He found out that the one deciding characteristic that revealed whether or not a Christian would experience God’s love, joy, peace, patience (fruit of the Spirit) was GRATITUDE.

The research was rock solid. Here’s what he wrote:

“Gratitude does all this by setting a new thought context for processing our circumstances in life – a context of an abundant life. A context where everything we have is a gift. A context where we see clearly all that we really do have in life, and where we recognize that things could always be worse. Within this context, our view of the entire world is different and we are suddenly empowered to be the people God calls us to be – to more deeply love God, to love our neighbour, and to love our own lives.”

Courage:

I’ve been a “war buff” since I was a kid. I have a library of books and documentaries on war. My son and I have walked the beaches of Normandy and visited Vimy Ridge, Dieppe and other monuments in Europe. I heard stories of the bombings from my mom and dad who grew up in Britain during WWII. While pastoring, I loved visiting members who had experienced battle. I am fascinated by acts of courage and heroism. I have learned that courage is not the absence of fear, it’s acting despite that fear.

God told Joshua three times in the first chapter of the book of Joshua to “be strong and courageous”. That’s only the first chapter. God would tell Joshua again to be full of courage. Is courage important? God seems to think so.

In their book, A Leader’s Legacy, Kouzes and Posner write, based on their survey research of many people around the world, that courage is essential. Their seminal thought about personal courage is:

“It takes courage to realize your dreams and give meaning to your values. If you are going to leave a legacy of lasting significance, it’ll be the result of acting courageously. You can’t plan to be courageous, but you can choose to act that way. Courage is the virtue that makes all other virtues possible.” (A Leader’s Legacy, p. 132)

There you have it: “Loyalty, Gratitude, Courage”. Three virtues I’ve pursued and I believe have served me well.

As we consider life and ministry ahead of us – lets be mindful of virtues and values that we should adopt and pursue to bring glory to God.

Shalom, Mezuzahs, and a Peaceful Reminder

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 PST

Marilyn and I visited a little antique shop in Lisbon, Portugal once. I purchased an 18th-century French bronze plaque with a sculpted relief of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. It’s beautiful.

It reminded me of the “mezuzah” attached to the door frames of many conservative and orthodox Jews. In Israel I notice them everywhere. A mezuzah fulfills the “mitzvah”, or Biblical commandment, to inscribe the words of the Shema (the Jewish confession of faith) on the doorposts of your house (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Christians have Scripture plaques on their walls… frequently at the entrance of their home. So I put my new bronze plaque near my front door to remind me upon entering and exiting my home that I go with God’s peace. Quaint, eh?

First time I visited Israel, I noticed people greeting one another saying, “Shalom.” They shared the same blessing when they departed; again it was, “Shalom.”

The Meaning Behind the Meaning of “Shalom”

The Hebrew word “shalom” is translated 170 times in our English Bibles as “peace”.

I find it ironic that people in Israel, arguably one of the most unpeaceful places on the planet these past several months, would greet one another with “peace”. The word “shalom” basically means that something is “whole”, in the sense that it is “complete”.

In 1 Kings 9:25 the word is translated as “finished” or “made whole” in reference to the completion of the Temple.
In Genesis 15:16 the word is used in reference to the sin of the Amorites not yet being full, fulfilled, or complete.
In 1 Chronicles 29:19 David prays that his son Solomon might be given a perfect (shalom) heart to keep God’s commandments.
In 1 Kings 8:61 Solomon prays that God’s people would have a whole (shalom) heart and be wholly devoted to God.
There are 20 instances in the Bible where the word “shalom” is translated as “perfect”.

And so, one could conclude that a fundamental idea behind the greeting “Shalom” is a reminder of our relationship to God and being wholly devoted to Him.

Shalom means to be in “right relationship with God” before you start your day and exit your home. To be at peace with God. To live in shalom is to live a life of contentment, free of guilt, and experiencing abundance.

May you and your family experience shalom. My prayer is that we will know God’s peace: peace with God, the peace of God, and the peace that is beyond understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

May this peace be a foundation, rooting us deeply, wholly devoted to the Lord. Acknowledge God’s peace daily, often — with family and friends. Consider nailing a portion of God’s Word to your front door frame to remind you of God’s protection, provision, and peace. My hope is that thankfulness will blossom from our acknowledgement of God’s Shalom.

We Work for a Global, Intergalactic Enterprise with Outlets Everywhere!

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 PST

This Sunday, let’s all visit our churches with the intention of carefully looking at our church family. Stop a moment. Look carefully at the faces of your brothers and sisters and reflect on that believer as a beautiful image-bearer of God Himself. A child of God. The joyous expressed manifestation of God’s image.

“For we are God’s masterpiece,” the Apostle Paul declares, created anew to “do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

The Church, God’s children, is the beautiful bride of Christ. For generations, the Church has continued to make an amazing impact in our fallen world. Let’s never sell short what the Church can accomplish for good as we live surrendered lives and humbly step out to touch lives with the love of Jesus.

It’s too easy to complain about the Church. It’s made up of sinners who do stupid things. Let’s curb the temptation to criticize; rather let’s celebrate the Church and its wonders. So much good has been done in the Name of Christ in the past, present, and our collective futures. Start looking for it and rejoice in it!

A Modern-Day Description of the Church

My daughter sent me a video of a pastor explaining how he described the Church to a passenger he was sitting beside during a flight.

The passenger asked him, “So what do you do for a living?” We all know saying, “I’m a pastor” or “chaplain” or “missionary” can conjure up all kinds of thoughts, images, and misunderstandings. The walls often go up against any further conversation.

Listen to what he said to an airplane passenger about what he did for a living:

“I work for a global enterprise!”

She said, “Do you!?”

The pastor continued, “Yes I do, we’ve got outlets in every country of the world.”

She said, “Have you!!?”

The pastor continued, “Yes. We have hospitals, hospices, and homeless shelters. We do marriage work, we’ve got orphanages, we’ve got feeding programs, educational programs, and so much more.”

He continued, “We do all sorts of justice and reconciliation work. We basically look after people from birth to death and… we basically deal in the area of behavioural alteration.”

The passenger was dumbfounded and said, “WOW!!!”

So loud was her “WOW” that other passengers turned around and looked at the pastor and the passenger.

The passenger looked the pastor straight in his eyes and said, “What is your company called?”

The pastor smiled and said, “It’s called the CHURCH!”

He continued, “We are part of a global enterprise, but not only is it global, it’s intergalactic, because it includes everyone that has gone on before us.”

________________________________________

Let’s celebrate the wonder and beauty of the Church! Why not start this Sunday!

The secret to a long, healthy, and satisfying life?

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 PST

Study after study indicates that church-goers are happier, healthier, and more satisfied with life. I’ve been reading these studies and articles since the 1980s.

An American Medical Association study entitled “Association of Religious Service Attendance With Mortality Among Women” (first published in May 2016) discovered those who regularly attend church services have a better chance of living longer.

Isn’t that what the Bible says?

“My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.”

—Proverbs 3:1-2 (NLT)

The following is a commentary on the study from the Washington Post:

Over a 20-year span, the study surveyed a group of more than 74,000 female nurses, most of whom were Catholic and Protestant. At the end of 20 years, more than 13,000 of them had died. The women who went to religious services more than once a week, it turned out, were 33 percent less likely to be in that group who died, compared to those who never attended services.

Tyler VanderWeele, a researcher at Harvard J.H. Chan School of Public Health who co-wrote the study, said the effect diminished as the study participants decreased their service attendance. Those who attended services once a week saw their odds of dying go down 26 percent. For those who attended less than weekly, the odds of dying decreased 13 percent, VanderWeele said.

That led the study’s authors to a striking recommendation: “Religion and spirituality may be an underappreciated resource that physicians could explore with their patients, as appropriate,” they wrote. “Our results do not imply that health care professionals should prescribe attendance at religious services, but for those who already hold religious beliefs, attendance at services could be encouraged as a form of meaningful social participation.”

VanderWeele said that other studies have suggested a similar link between service attendance and decreased mortality, but his team aimed to prove that service attendance actually causes the better health outcomes. Because the nurses answered questionnaires periodically over a long timeframe, he said, the researchers were able to look at whether a change in service attendance led to a change in health.

They found numerous benefits associated with attending services. Women who started going to services then became more likely to quit smoking and less likely to show signs of depression, for instance — even when the researchers controlled for a long list of other variables, from age and exercise habits to income and other non-religious social engagement.

The effect of religious attendance, they found, was stronger than that of any other form of participation in a social group like a book club or a volunteer organization.

“We were a bit surprised, initially, by the magnitude of the findings,” VanderWeele said. He said they found a long list of positive effects: “Service attendance is increasing social support. Through social norms, it’s also decreasing the likelihood of smoking. Perhaps through some of the messages of hope, it’s decreasing depressive symptoms. Perhaps self-discipline, a sense of meaning or purpose in life — it’s not just one pathway.”

He continued, “I don’t think it’s one single reason that this effect is emerging. I think it’s that service attendance affects so many different aspects of life.”

More Resources on Living Longer, Healthier, More Satisfying Lives

1) Church-going is connected with better health:

Article by The Crimson – Churchgoing Correlated with Better Health

2) Churchgoers live longer:

Article by The Telegraph – The Secret of Long Life… Go to Church

Article by The Washington Post – Another Possible Benefit of Going to Worship Services: A 33% Chance of Living Longer

3) Churchgoers have lower risks of depression:

Article by The National Post – Attendance at religious services lowers risk of depression, study finds

4) Churchgoers have stronger marriages:

Article by Dr. Stoop – The Couple that Prays Together

5) Churchgoers have stronger families:

Article from Marriage & Religion Research Institute – Family Benefits of Church Attendance

So, make sure you gather with your church family this Sunday… and here’s to a long, healthy life together!

What percentage goes to reach the 1-2% unreached?

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 PST

I came across this information from the “World Christian Trends” work done by the William Carey Library and researchers David Barrett and Todd Johnson. I thought you might be interested:

Classification of Christians	33 AD	1000 AD	2025 AD
Nominal Christians	0	40 million	1.7 billion
Active Christians	10,000	5 million	880 million
Pastoral workers	200	88,000	5 million
Home missionaries	>100	17,000	1.2 million
Cross–cultural missionaries	100	900	300,000
Missionaries serving in the “Christian” world	0	1,100	300,000
Missionaries serving in the evangelized “non-Christian” world	0	400	200,000
Missionaries serving in the “un-evangelized” world	0	300	50,000

Global resources to complete the Great Commission

When it comes to resources to fulfill the Great Commission (evangelize and disciple) Christian resources do abound. This is a list produced from data collected in the early 2000s:

1.88 billion professing Christians
565 million professing Christians under 15 years of age
648 million practicing Christians
600 million weekly-worshipping Christians
3.45 million worship centres (local churches)
33,800 distinct denominations
4,000 foreign mission boards or societies
5,800 home-mission boards or societies
23,000 para-church agencies
400 medical mission agencies
5,500 Christian hospitals
30,000 Christian medical centres
170,000 Christian elementary schools
50,000 Christian high schools
1,500 Christian universities
4,800 seminaries or theological colleges (1.1 million seminary students)
1.1 million ordained clergy
5.52 million full-time Christian workers
420,000 vocational full-time foreign missionaries
1.1 million home missionaries
26,100 new Christian book titles every year
12,000 major religious (Christian) libraries
53.7 million Bibles distributed each year
120.7 million New Testaments distributed each year
4.6 million Scripture portions distributed each year
3 billion Christian books printed each year
5 billion Christian tracts printed each year
4,000 Christian radio/TV stations
120,000 full-time personnel in Christian broadcasting
3,000 evangelistic mass campaigns each year
332 million Christians own a computer
5,000 Great Commission computerized networks
845 current global plans for world evangelism
210 current global mega-plans for world evangelism
57 current global giga-plans for world evangelism

Impressive, but dig deeper

Pretty impressive, eh? But the reality is that the vast bulk of these resources benefit mostly the “Christian world”. Even when it comes to foreign missions… 85% of personnel and money is devoted to “Christian” regions such as North America, Brazil, Kenya, etc.

The present annual cost of missions to Christian lands is $163 billion compared to the $250 million to send approximately 10,200 foreign missionaries to frontier fields (countries where less than 1-2% of the population self-identify as evangelical Christians).

We certainly need to continue supporting home missions and missions to evangelized fields. A strong home base is critical to completing the Great Commission, but we must remain vigilant and intentional about still giving a fair share to missions in those tougher, unevangelized fields. I imagine many of our church mission budgets may not represent this reality.

Fellowship International missionaries who need your support:

Currently these amazing couples are looking for partners to enable them to go to those fields that are the least evangelized (less than 1-2% evangelical).

ECM* in cross-cultural ministry in the Hamilton/Toronto corridor: https://www.fellowship.ca/qry/page.taf?id=33&_dsfd_uid1=738 <
Wayne and Shirley Van der Merwe to Indonesia: https://www.fellowship.ca/qry/page.taf?id=33&_dsfd_uid1=671
Jacob and Rachel Hwang to First Nations, BC: https://www.fellowship.ca/jrhwang
Jesse Lam to Japan: https://www.fellowship.ca/qry/page.taf?id=33&_dsfd_uid1=788
Joshua Lee to First Nations, BC: https://www.fellowship.ca/jlee

The Law, Christians, and our Affirmation of Faith

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 PST

What authority does the Mosaic Law have on Christians today?

In recent months our duly appointed Affirmation of Faith Team has been busy preparing a draft Affirmation of Faith (AoF) for our churches to prayerfully consider. The draft AoF will be sent to our churches in early September 2024.

Our AoF team have appreciated the many comments made by our constituency related to suggested changes to our current AoF (which has not been modified since 1953) via the April 2023 survey and FNC 2023 delegate comments.

Two articles that have been of particular interest and discussion are the “Church and State” and “Civil Government” articles. Our recent experience through COVID-19 and government intervention has made this issue of particular relevance. I imagine we’ll experience some discussion on the floor of FNC 2024 related to this very current issue and the proposed draft articles addressing it. It should be fun.

During the vetting process while preparing the draft AoF, our AoF Team requested that several of our Fellowship professor-theologians make comments and suggestions. One prof who offered comments was Dr. David Barker of Heritage Bible College and Seminary (Cambridge, ON). His education and teaching career have been primarily focused in the Old Testament with special interest in the Psalms. I’ve deeply appreciated brother Dave for decades.

David recently sent me a brief word on the Mosaic Law and the Christian. I thought it germane to our current conversation, at least partially, as we deliberate and decide on an article for our future Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. I encourage you to read:

The Mosaic Law and the Christian

In my Introduction to the Old Testament class, I asked the students about how the Mosaic Law applies to the Christian today. The answers were fairly typical: we need to obey the ten commandments, some of the laws are directly fulfilled in Christ, others might give moral guidance (selective), but most are reflective of Old Testament times and have no real meaning or application to us today (e.g. What relevance does the prohibition of ploughing with an ox and donkey have for us now?).

I pushed back and asked about the sabbath commandment (commandment number four) and they admitted that in fact only nine of the ten commandments directly apply to us today. Then, I suggested that perhaps we should divide the Law into three parts – moral, civil, and ceremonial. The moral law applies, but the other two are either fulfilled in Christ (ceremonial) or is limited culturally to the Old Testament times (civil). This has been a standard approach to dealing with the Law, especially in Reformed thinking.

However, such an approach fails. No Old Testament Hebrew leader or citizen would ever have thought in these three categories. The Law was whole and one; all 613 laws. Furthermore, James says that if we break one of the laws we are guilty of violating the whole Law (2:10). This trichotomous approach is a western imposition on the sacred text to solve an applicational problem for Christians.

When I was in seminary I took a course in Leviticus where our professor talked about an approach to the Law that I have embraced, namely: form and function. In other words, all the forms of the Law are gone, fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17). So, we no longer bring animal sacrifices, we are free to enjoy a rare steak, and we can wear clothes of different cloths. But every law has a function or value or principle. While we are no longer bound to performing the burnt offering, a sacrifice expressing total dedication of oneself or one’s family, we are told to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). Christ is our sin offering and our guilt offering (2 Corinthians 5:21; cf. Isaiah 53:10). Mixing cloths in clothes had some kind of connection to sympathetic magic and fertility issues (as did mixing grains in fields). The value or principle is to stay away from pagan fertility cults and practices. We are not bound to a seventh-day sabbath, but we need to be sabbath-keepers in a non-legalistic or non-law-driven form (yes, Sunday is the “new sabbath” but many of us can’t set Sunday aside so we need to look for other expressions of sabbath-keeping throughout the week).

Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard say, “All of the Old Testament applies to Christians, but none of it applies apart from its fulfillment in Christ.” They state further:

First, we believe that God intends it [the Law] to serve as a paradigm of timeless ethical, moral and theological principles. In other words, the Law is more than a temporary dispensable cultural phenomenon… Christians who dismiss it as outmoded and irrelevant deprive themselves of the teachings God conveyed through it. They miss an additional resource for understanding what it might mean to be “Christ-like”.1

1Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, 3rd edition (Grand Rapids; Zondervan, 2017), 348, the textbook for my Hermeneutics course at Heritage Theological Seminary.

Join me in praying for our member churches as we continue our journey in considering modifications to our current Affirmation of Faith (written/approved 1953). Our draft AoF will be sent to churches in early September; opportunities to discuss the AoF draft will occur in September 2024 and at our upcoming Fellowship National Conference (FNC 2024) in Niagara Falls on November 11-13, 2024. Please pray.

Get the SUPPORT when you need it!

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 PST

You can’t keep charging without recharging. It’s so important to recharge your personal batteries.

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s desire for each of us to find adequate rest, saying in Psalm 127:2 (Message): “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he [God] enjoys giving rest to those he loves?”

Did you catch that? God enjoys it when we have a good rest. So, do something spiritual today… Have a nap this afternoon? God is very clear about our need for rest. To ignore His fourth commandment is foolish. When we function outside the way God designed us, we are headed for trouble: spiritual, emotional, and physical burnout. A Sabbath rest each week is commanded to rest the body, recharge our emotions, and refocus our spirit… sounds like a three-point sermon, eh?

THE CLERGY CARE NETWORK (CCN) — CALL 1-888-5-CLERGY

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, please contact someone. I know there are resources available in each of our Regions to support you.

One such support is the Clergy Care Network (CCN). Our National Fellowship pays for free phone counselling help for all personnel of The Fellowship including pastors, missionaries, and chaplains, along with their spouses and children. Access is FREE to you.

The number is 1-888-5-CLERGY.

CCN is provided by Focus on the Family and developed in conjunction with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Its purpose is to provide a listening ear. Pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families can access the CCN help line through e-mail or by using a toll-free number. Callers can remain anonymous if they choose. The staff of the Clergy Care Help Line can:

Provide initial counseling and crisis intervention.

If needed, provide a referral to a CCN-approved counselor in the area. However, please note that the cost of the additional counseling is the responsibility of the individual. This cost may or may not be covered by your group coverage; the Fellowship Health Plan does provide modest coverage for recognized counsellors with accepted credentials.

Introduce the caller to a retreat facility or treatment centre in the area.

Provide resources and advice to pastors regarding particular family counseling situations they face in their church.

Pray with the caller.

Your call is completely confidential. No one from your church or our National/Regional offices will know that you made a call.

Need some support? Make the call!

The prairie will take over if your backyard don't fight back!

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 PST

We’re enjoying the summer months and we’re busy in our yards mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, pruning the trees, and trimming the bushes. There is no end of gardening chores.

Let me ask you a question. What is the oldest profession? I know what many of you are thinking right now! You’re wrong. The oldest profession is actually gardening. Adam and Eve began as gardeners and the world will end in an eternal gardened city.

Imagine with me the Church as a garden. The Church needs to be a green garden with peaceful spaces where parched people can find rest for their lives. One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 58:11 (NLT): “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”

People need nourishing green spaces in life to connect with God. But, there is a danger in thinking the Church’s MISSION is to solely be a lush, green garden, a safe green space for people to gather and grow and flourish spiritually. The reality is we do not live in Heaven yet. We live in a fallen world surrounded by sinful people. And unless we tend our little garden regularly with care, the weeds of this world will invade.

I read W.O. Mitchell’s book, “Jake and the Kid”, several years ago. It’s the story of a 12-year-old boy growing up in the Canadian prairies during the 1940s. There is a line in the book that struck me. It went something like this: “the prairie will take over if your backyard don’t fight back!”

Our garden is not a playground. It’s a garden we must continually tend and fight for. It’s a green space surrounded by the ravages of war. A spiritual battle that is constantly “fighting back”.

So our MISSION as local churches is not to build nice, lush, peaceful gardens to protect us from the battle, but to use our gardens (churches) to prepare us to assault the beaches of our common enemy.

Fifteen years ago my son, Alec, and I took a trip together to visit the war memorials, mostly found in France. An awesome experience shared with my son at the time. We visited the beaches of Normandy where 80 years ago brave Canadian soldiers stormed Juno Beach.

On D-Day the allies established a beachhead and repelled the enemy further inland. But the war (the work) wasn’t finished in one day. They had another 11 horrifying months before their MISSION was complete. However, the beachhead, on June 6, 1944, became a “green space” to rally the troops, re-equip the soldiers, and direct the army to continue inland. This is what I’m picturing when I call the Church to be a “well-watered garden” (Isaiah 58:11). Not a place to get comfortable and meet my needs. But, a green space. A stopping-off place, to get refreshed and prepared to go back out there into the battle and advance the beachhead inland for the sake of Christ. It’s not a playground out there. It’s a war zone where spiritual battle is taking place every day.

I know you know this. That’s why I’m calling you to lead the charge. Spiritual orphans all around us are counting on us to lead the charge forward. Jesus, our Commander in Chief, said to us, “GO!” (Matthew 28:19)

The forgotten "O, Canada" stanza

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 PST

Several years ago I got a phone call from an Ipsos poll, asking if I might complete a short survey on the state of our nation; my opinions on Canada. I said yes.

After 20 minutes, the caller came to the last question: “What do you believe to be the greatest need in Canada today?”

I told her my answer would be something she had not heard from any of her previous (or future) callers. She told me she had heard it all.

I said, “Canada’s greatest need is a great spiritual revival.” That Canadians might turn their hearts and lives back to God through Jesus Christ.

There was silence on the other end. “Has anyone else suggested that yet?” I asked. She admitted my suggestion was the first she had heard of this need.

The greatest need. But few are talking about it. Even fewer are praying about it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CANADA!

This week we celebrate the 157th birthday of our blessed nation. Most of us will sing our national anthem at least once this week. “O, Canada” was proclaimed Canada’s national anthem on July 1, 1980, one hundred years after it was first sung on June 24, 1880. The chorus reminds us: “God, keep our land glorious and free!”

However, most of us never get a chance to sing our anthem’s fourth, less familiar stanza, which is quite moving:

“Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,

Hold our Dominion within thy loving care;

Help us to find, O God, in thee

A lasting, rich reward,

As waiting for the better Day,

We ever stand on guard.”

A Prayer for Canada

The very foundation and calling of Canada, as reflected in our anthem, is a call to reflect the glory and presence of God. May the words of our national anthem, “God, keep our land,” be reflected first in the churches of our land.

“Father, help us, Your children, to be salt and light in our country. Enable Your children to be examples of Your grace, mercy, and love.

Father, renew and embolden the Church in Canada to take its rightful place in our nation so that our nation may take its rightful place in our world.

Our nation’s greatest need is spiritual renewal.

Father, our plea is that You renew Your Church, chasten it, revive it again.

May Your bride become a radiant influence for godliness in our blessed nation.

Bend us, break us, do whatever necessary to bring Your glory to these shores.

For Your glory, and our great good.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

How Many Churches are in our Fellowship?

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 PST

Every year in June, after our five Fellowship Regional Conferences are complete, I share with you the current number of local churches that make up the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada. The most recent data is as follows:

Fellowship Pacific: 101 churches

Fellowship Prairies: 28 churches

FEB Central: 297 churches

AÉBÉQ: 83 churches

Fellowship Atlantic: 19 churches

Total: 528 churches

Regional Conference Reports

I asked our Regional Directors to give a brief recap of our Fellowship Regional Conferences this past spring (2024). They are as follows:

Fellowship Pacific Region – Penticton, BC (April 17-19, 2024)

Churches in the Fellowship Pacific Region gathered together on the shores of Okanagan Lake in picturesque Penticton, BC on April 17-19 for our annual Impact 2024 conference. The strategic choices of the venue, speakers, worship team, and video content all contributed to bringing our theme of Boldly Forward, Never Alone in a Post-Christian World, to life as we celebrated all that God has been doing through our Churches and partnering agencies! Our 220+ guests connected around the resort in restaurants, coffee shops, lobbies, and conference spaces; new friendships were formed and multiple churches brought their entire staff for a time of rejuvenation and team-building. Our speakers spoke of perseverance and hope even when our eyes struggle to see through the deepening fog that our world is in today. We were encouraged by stories of people taking bold steps through adversity and persecution; of putting aside things that divide; of meeting and loving people where they are at, just as Christ has done for us; and of engaging our next generation of leaders by demonstrating God’s plan for them in creative and meaningful ways.

Fellowship Prairies Region - Edmonton, AB (May 2-3, 2024)

We had an amazing time at our EQUIP 2024 Convention. Jeremy Norton was with us from our Fellowship church in Whitehorse and encourages us to stay on course through a good vision, among other encouraging, practical insights. Updates from National and Northwest Seminary were great. Always special to have this time together on a National level. We also shared a great time of what God has been doing among our churches within the Region and shared a rich time of communion together to close out our time. Thankful to God for His leading and guiding, for the chance to celebrate this past year and to eagerly anticipate what he has for us in the year ahead!

FEBCentral Region – Barrie, ON (April 16 AGM, April 29-30, 2024)

In FEB Central Region our Annual General Meeting was well attended as an online event. As a separate event on our 3rd annual STRONGER Conference focuses on equipping and inspiring leaders from all positions in FEB Central churches. The response from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive. We learned some ways to do it even better next time and leaders came away with more connections and equipping to serve the Lord in their local church. At the AGM & Conference the vision was shared that would see the FEB Central grow to over 500 churches reaching more than 100,000 souls! We are praying for the Lord to make this dream come true.

AEBEQ Region (February 3, June 8, 2024 AGM)

On Saturday, February 3, 2024, we came together – over 350 strong – as one family, united by faith, for our cherished yearly Summit. It was a day of rejoicing, reflecting and connecting, as we shared in the incredible ways God has moved among us, each story a testament to His grace and power. With the theme of “Unity in Diversity”, our gathering took on a special significance, echoing the profound need for togetherness in a world often marked by division. This concept isn’t just a lofty ideal; it’s a call to action, echoing the struggles of the Early Church in bridging divides between Jews and Gentiles. As pastor Brad Morrice aptly put it, “We can only witness such a miracle within a Church.”

Our hearts overflow with gratitude for the inspiring message delivered by our talented Québécois speakers:

“Unity and Diversity According to God” by Yanick Ethier

“The Current Need for Unity” by Francois Turcotte

“The Heart’s Obstacles to Unity” by Karl Fortin

“Do not Hinder Diversity” by Louis Bourque

In addition to these enriching sermons, our Summit provided practical workshops:

Building intergenerational relationships

Fostering multicultural leadership

Navigating doctrinal and convictional differences

Discovering leadership profiles within the Church

How our spirits soared during moments of worship led by Christian Frappier’s team from Eglise du Plateau Mont-Royal, accompanied by the gifted guitarist Jimmy Lahaie. Their melodies became the soundtrack to our unity and fostered a sense of unity within our spiritual family.

On June 8th we also gathered for our AGM.

Fellowship Atlantic Region – Charlottetown, PEI (May 10-11, 2024)

At this year’s regional conference delegates gathered for reports, plenary sessions and workshops. A highlight was the induction of Fellowship Atlantic’s new Regional Director, Tim Elmore who is moving with his family from his church in Stratford, ON to Atlantic Canada in June.

Tim shares from his first regional conference: “I think the highlight of our conference was the genuine desire for community among our churches. We had almost 150 in attendance and great participation. The tides are turning in the East.”

God is good. In His goodness He chooses to continue to bless our movement. While we have challenges, all our member churches do, I remain hope filled that our churches su

Bonhoeffer, Carey, and the Secret to an Effective Outreach Ministry

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 00:00:00 PST

Many Sunday mornings I find myself preaching in Fellowship churches. Tens, hundreds, even thousands of kilometres from home. My home church is Grandview, a Fellowship Baptist Church in Kitchener, ON. My pastor sees me enough Sunday mornings to prevent an elder visit.

When home, Marilyn and I get in our car Sunday morning and occasionally comment on how few in our neighbourhood are doing the same thing. So few seem to desire a church family to help support them in their spiritual growth. Why is that?

Many reasons, I guess. What should we be doing about it? We have developed meaningful relationships with many of our neighbours. My wife is amazing at this. She just cares for people and loves to chat. When we moved from our last neighbourhood, the neighbours hosted a farewell block party. I assure you the party happened because of Marilyn. One neighbour asked if Marilyn notified the family moving into our home that they are the designated Neighbourhood Caregiver. We have shared Christ with many neighbours in several neighbourhoods and have witnessed a couple conversions. God is good.

But still… so few are involved in a local church. I’m told about 20% of Canadians are going to church on a weekly or regular basis. Not so in the neighbourhoods I have lived in. What should we do? Be more missional, relational, prayerful? Yes, I suppose.

When asked this question, Dietrich Bonhoeffer had a blunt, but biblical answer. I’m going to throw it out there for your consideration. I read Eric Metaxas’ biography Bonhoeffer (an amazing read, by the way). On pages 291-292 we read:

“Practically speaking, it was difficult to know where to draw the line in proclaiming the Gospel. This question would come up in a very practical way for some of the ordinands who were dispatched to parishes not terribly interested in what they had to offer. It could be discouraging. Gerhard Vibrans was sent to a tiny village east of Magdeburg that seemed populated almost exclusively by dullards:

‘My parish of six hundred souls at Schweinitz is a very poor one; on average only one or two people go to church there every Sunday… Every Sunday, wearing my vestments, I make a pilgrimage through the whole village primarily to bring home to people that it is Sunday… The people try to comfort me by saying that I will get my salary even though no one goes to church.’”

He said that on Trinity Sunday no one at all showed up, “apart from the woman sexton.” Bonhoeffer’s response to Vibrans was simple, practical, and biblical: “If one village will not listen, we go to another. There are limits.”

He was echoing Jesus’ injunction to the disciples that they shake the dust from their sandals and leave a village where they were not welcomed (Matthew 10:14). But Bonhoeffer was not cavalier about it, and his heart went out to Vibrans, who had been about as faithful a servant as anyone could have imagined.

“Your loyal observance of our advice almost puts me to shame. Don’t take it too literally or one day you might get fed up with it.”

Bonhoeffer visited the village and preached there. He later wrote Vibrans and said that he should write his congregation “telling them that this is possibly the last offer of the Gospel to them, and that there are other communities whose hunger for the Word cannot be satisfied because there are too few workers.”

Hmmmm… an interesting approach to Gospel witness and outreach. Tell the people, “this is your last chance or our church is out of here.” Remember Jonah. He struggled to fulfill God’s calling to “go” because he thought it was casting pearls before swine trying to reach the Assyrians. But, in the end, he went and the people repented. And thankfully, Bonhoeffer did not want this pastor to take his advice “too literally”. Every person matters to God. Our job is to make sure our neighbours learn about this good news even if all we receive is their indifference in return. This kind of living takes perseverance, faithfulness, and DEVOTION.

This lifestyle choice isn’t always exciting, but it works. The father of the modern missionary movement, William Carey, left for India in the last decade of the 18th century and accomplished so much for God in the midst of hardship, persecution, and family tragedy. His perseverance and DEVOTION established a beach head for the Gospel in India in such a significant way. When asked what his secret was to his very effective ministry, Carey said he was a “plodder”. He did not see himself as particularly gifted, but he just kept at the task.

Titus 2:12b (NLT) declares that:

“We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”

“Devotion” might be the missing ingredient in our outreach efforts. Devotion to God, one another, and our neighbourhoods.

Finishing Well

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 PST

Fathers and mothers are different. I guess that’s why we celebrate them on different Sundays. Moms buy a lot of protective gear. Dads buy Band-Aids. Moms say, “You worry me too much!” Dads say, “Hey, don’t worry too much!”

Jesus loved like a mother, but taught like a father. Jesus coached by doing. He apprenticed through activity. He mentored by walking with His disciples. They watched Jesus do it. Then they did it with Jesus. And then Jesus watched them do it – sending them out in groups of 72, 12, and three.

This approach helped the disciples build character and finally finish well.

Years back, I read the news story of a pastor and his family driving along Interstate 94 in Wisconsin, when their minivan was hit by a piece of road debris. A large bracket had fallen off a truck in front of them. The pastor and his wife were up front while their six children rode in the back seats. The bracket hit the van’s gas tank and it burst into flames. The parents survived, one child was injured, and the other five children all died at the scene.

What became so memorable for me was the parents’ response to their beloved children’s death. It was reported that the mother said to the father:

“This is what God has been preparing us for all of our lives!”

That comment still gives me chills. And I assure you: that kind of response, that measure of trust, was not generated at the very point of impact. That kind of CHARACTER had been developing for a very long time. A deep abiding conviction that God can be trusted no matter what happens. It is this kind of character that enables us to finish well.

Joe Stowell has a term for the spiritual apathy he sees in so many men. He calls them “SMO Christians” – Sunday Morning Only Christians.

The issue is not so much our attendance pattern, but our pattern of behaviour revealing the lack of spiritual passion in our lives. We say one thing, but our actions speak louder than words. And our kids and grandkids are watching.

We’re prone to wander. To do stupid things we regret. We join the ranks of those who did something inconsistent with everything they said they believed:

Adam led the human race and ate from the forbidden fruit

Moses led God’s people and foolishly struck a rock

David led a nation and followed temptation and committed adultery

The top two things men (fathers) must constantly look out for, if any of us are ever to finish well, are pride and purity. Keep these two in check and much fruit follows.

Boast in the Lord, not in ourselves, and keep our pride in check. Rather than feeding our thought lives, keep thoughts captive, and live a pure life. Do this and we will come to the finish line and find Jesus greeting us with a smile.

Finish well, my friends. Finish humble and pure. And know that once in a while you may even “amaze” Jesus along the way.

Begin a Grandparent Ministry in Your Church

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 PST

I was recently told there are close to two million evangelical Christian grandparents living in Canada today. I had no idea.

How do these millions of Christians, who love their grandchildren, make an intentional and life-changing impact in the lives of their grandkids?

I recently learned of a new ministry in Canada seeking to support local churches with resources for Christian grandparents.

I asked the National Director of Legacy Coalition Canada, Len Friesen, to introduce you to this unique ministry.

“Legacy Coalition Canada is a ministry that is helping grandparents have a greater impact on their families. We help grandparents grow in their biblical role by offering resources and events, equipping them to grandparent with purpose. We seek to help connect the generations so they engage with one another in loving, trusting relationship, and encourage each other to wholeheartedly follow Christ. Deuteronomy 4:9b (NIV) says, “do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Culture is saturating our young people, our grandchildren with unbiblical ideas more than ever before. That’s why Legacy Coalition Canada is committed to equip Christian grandparents just like you and me to be intentional and focused on the most important thing—that is, passing on our faith to our grandchildren. Our reach through Legacy Coalition Canada simply is a fraction of what could or should be. Imagine thousands, hundreds of thousands of Christian grandparents leaning into their biblical calling, intentionally discipling their grandchildren, realizing their potential for spiritual impact. It is our prayer that our legacy of faith in Jesus Christ will outlive us in our grandchildren and the generations to follow. Please visit legacycoalition.ca/resources for more information.

“Legacy Coalition is helping grandparents have a greater impact on their families. We help grandparents grow in their biblical role through resources and events, equipping them to grandparent on purpose. We grandparent on purpose so our grandchildren’s grandchildren follow Christ. We create that impact by redefining grandparenting to align with what Scripture reveals. We convene the top leaders in Christian thought on grandparenting at the only national conference on grandparenting and make it available to churches to be simulcast in host sites across the country. We encourage and equip churches to launch grandparenting ministries in the local church through in-person, virtual, and digital seminars like Grandparenting Matters. This is a six-week video series that can be run during small group, or adult Sunday School. Another practical tool is through our free webinar called Grand Monday Nights where we have over 11,000 online guests every week. In these webinars, you will:

Get practical ideas and information on grandparenting

Learn how to nurture your grandchildren’s faith and overcome obstacles

Find encouragement through testimonies from other grandparents

“We run two Grand Camps in Canada, (legacycoalition.ca/events) where grandparents can come and spend the weekend learning, equipping, and encouraging them to engage with their grandchildren.

Check out our website legacycoalition.ca or email info@legacycoalition.ca for more information.”

I encourage you to check out this ministry to help support Christian grandparents in becoming more intentional in the discipling of their grandkids. There is nothing more important we can do than lead our grandkids to know and love the Lord!

The State of the Union on Discipleship Effectiveness

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 PST

Is your local church and/or ministry characterized by disciple-making?

This is our mission from our commander-in-chief: “Go and make disciples.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

A recent study, the largest study to date by Discipleship.org in partnership with Exponential (2020), sought to discover the current disciple-making culture in the USA.

I’m assuming we agree Canadian churches are different, however we share much with our cousins to the south. I believe we can learn some helpful data from this study.

The question at the heart of the study was, what percentage of evangelical churches have a disciple-making culture?

The researchers identified five disciple-making church profiles during their study:

Level 1: Subtracting from disciple-making efforts

Level 2: Plateaued or neither helping nor hindering

Level 3: Adding disciples by church programs

Level 4: Reproducing personal disciple-makers

Level 5: Multiplying personal disciple-makers

The Study’s Discoveries

Level 1: Subtracting Churches

These churches are not intentionally focused on getting others to know Christ and grow. These churches are numerically declining with 29% of churches in the USA fitting into this category.

Level 2: Plateaued Churches

These churches identify with Christ, but are not growing nor making disciples. These churches are numerically plateaued with 44% of churches in the USA fitting into this category.

Level 3: Adding Churches

These churches seek to advance disciple-making by being an attractional church, relying on gatherings such as preaching/worship gatherings, and other programs. They draw other disciples but rarely mobilize members to become disciple-makers. These churches are numerically growing by ADDITION with 27% of churches in the USA fitting into this category.

Level 4: Reproducing Churches

These churches are intentionally coaching church members to make disciples. People invest in people, leaders model, and disciples are made. These churches are numerically growing by reproducing themselves with less than 5% of churches in the USA fitting in this category.

Level 5: Multiplying Churches

These churches are unique wherein almost every church member and leader is making disciples who in turn make disciples who plant multiple churches. These Disciple-Making Churches (DMCs) multiply disciples, groups, and more churches; and are characterized by obedience-based disciples. These churches are flourishing worldwide, but not yet in North America according to the study’s researchers. But the researchers did discover some hopeful examples in the USA.

Summary of the Study

Fewer than 5% of churches have a reproducing disciple-making culture.

Does your church have a disciple-making plan or pathway?

An absence of churches with the kind of culture, values, and behaviour of flourishing DMCs found elsewhere in the world.

Does your disciple-making training (if it exists) train disciples to make disciples who also make disciples?

A lack of commonly understood basic definitions for terms such as discipleship, disciple, and disciple-making.

Is this a problem in your local church? Should we make the effort to study this and champion the creation of clear definitions and commonly understood language?

Go to the following link to see the full report:
http://discipleship.org/shop/national-study-on-disciple-making-in-usa-churches/

A Summary of Fellowship International’s Recent History

In 2012, Fellowship International adopted a fresh approach to advancing mission overseas. After a variety of iterations over the following few years, the Fellowship International department finally landed on our “Ten Essential Elements”. These guiding principles would direct our missionaries while working with national leaders in the promotion of obedience-based discipleship and the planting of Disciple-Making Churches.

Our missionaries continue to receive regular training and most have a personal coach supporting them while on mission.

In 2021, several new metrics were created to help us in ascertaining the effectiveness of this new approach. The outcomes have been encouraging with the hope for exponential growth in the future:

Ultimately, multiplying churches or DMCs are seeking to make Jesus’ relational style of disciple-making the core mission of the church. It is becoming the cultural identity of the church and made obvious in the church’s values, actions, and words. The church is praying for this; asking how every ministry, program, or strategy helps make disciples in relational environments (e.g. DBS) like Jesus. And these churches are led by pastors and leaders who are making disciples.

A lot to think and pray about.

Where are Christian Missionaries Serving?

Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 PST

If you were to guess how many “full-time” Christian workers serve the Church in our world, what would you guess?

According to the William Carey Library, World Christian Trends, there are 5.5 million “full-time” Christian vocational workers in the world. Of these 5.5 million pastors, evangelists, professors, missionaries, chaplains, etc., only 420,000 (approximately 7.6%) of these are “foreign” missionaries. Of the 420,000 missionaries, only 10,200 of these (approximately 2.4%) are involved with “pioneer” ministry, focused on unreached people groups.

At the turn of the 21st century, Christian mission looked like this:

“Unevangelized” world

10,200 foreign missionaries in service

$250 million (USD) per year to send these missionaries

26 closed countries

- 20,500 full time Christian workers in these countries

0.1% of all Christian literature

0.1% of all Christian media

“Evangelized non-Christian” world

103,000 foreign missionaries in service

$1.75 billion (USD) per year to send these missionaries

31 restricted-access countries

- 31 million full-time Christian workers in these countries

8.9% of all Christian literature

3.9% of all Christian media

“Christian” world

306,000 foreign missionaries to other “Christian lands”

$13 billion (USD) per year to send these workers

4,000 missionaries sent to 29 restricted-access countries

4.19 million full time Christian workers

91% of all Christian literature

96% of all Christian media

The bottom line is: the Fellowship family needs to get more involved in sending missions personnel and funding into trusted indigenous mission initiatives to the “unevangelized” world. It is vastly underfunded. Only $250 million (USD) of the more than $13 billion (USD) spent on Christian personnel goes to the most spiritually needy places on the planet.

What should our churches do about this as we consider our church missions budget this year? What should we do about it personally as we consider the many requests for our support? A sobering thought; one worthy of our time in prayer.

Igniting potential among students

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship International department has several workers, led by Mark Hymus and Justin Anderson, who support Fellowship churches in hosting world-class summer camps. Not all local churches have the capacity within their congregation to offer outreach camps each summer—this is where EPIC + Onside come alongside.

We need our entire Fellowship family’s support to provide funding for children’s scholarships and leadership development. Your church may host a camp this summer; will you prayerfully consider helping other churches to do the same?

I want to challenge you and your church to generously give to our summer appeal (May – August 2024), Igniting Potential which is focused on the EPIC + Onside ministry. It is an opportunity to invest in the lives of children and student leaders.

Igniting Potential Appeal

I’ve asked Mark Hymus to share about the EPIC + Onside ministry and the importance of the upcoming appeal:

“Over the past couple of years here in Canada, interesting trends have dramatically changed the landscape of our churches and communities around us. The demographics of our communities are becoming more diverse by the day, as the nations come to us. Another trend we continue to see is the growing number of people who have never heard the Gospel. Our Fellowship International department sends missionaries overseas to share the Gospel, but also sends domestic missionary workers serving in Canada reaching Canadians and new Canadians.

Introducing our EPIC + Onside Summer Camps

“At almost every camp we run at EPIC + Onside, there is a least one camper who does not know what the Bible is. At one camp, we had 37 children registered. As we started into our team talk, referencing the Bible, the kids started asking what it was. Intrigued, we asked some questions, and more kids began engaging. And so we asked, ‘How many of you have never heard of the Bible before?’ Seventeen kids raised their hands.

“While we know this proportion is not typical, it is sadly a growing trend. Many of the pastors we partner with have said about 50% of the families coming to our camps have never attended their church before.

“This makes the Igniting Potential appeal so essential and drives us at EPIC + Onside to press into two areas for which we are raising funds.

“First, our goal is to provide affordable programming below the cost of other camps. We never want money to hinder any family from hearing the Gospel. We are living in a country that now has unreached people, families, and large parts of communities that have never heard the Gospel. We want to partner with churches to engage these families, without money as an obstacle.

Send a Kid to Camp Fund

“Second, we believe in the training and discipleship of young leaders. Our EPIC + Onside summer camps are run by university and high school students, which provides summer employment as well as a ministry leadership experience. We want to invest into their lives, giving them amazing opportunities to grow. Our students are on the ground, sharing the Gospel and learning what it is like to do ministry with children from many different ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. These Next Gen leaders are engaging in biblical conversations with families that have never heard the Gospel. They will be more prepared to lead us in the future as this trend becomes the norm for all our churches and communities.

Leadership Development Fund

“We are aiming to raise $100,000 to catalyze positive transformation through leadership development and children’s camp sponsorships– an investment that fosters empowerment and contributes to a brighter future for everyone.”

Will you prayerfully consider how the Lord might guide you to give to this unique ministry opportunity? Together, we can assist more students in igniting their potential.

Jesus as a rooster or hen?

Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 PST

Do you remember when Jesus was described as a nurturing hen, rather than a puffed-up rooster? Why do you suppose that is?

I love this metaphor. It warms my heart. God’s character has thankfully been tinted by a “maternal” brush stroke.

This Sunday we honour our mothers and grandmothers. Their influence on children and families is critical. The impact of mothers on the worldview of children should never be understated. It’s massive.

Mothers are willing to do just about anything to protect and save their children.

I remember reading of a mother who was attacked and killed by a cougar while seeking to save her children. Nothing was going to stop her from protecting them.

We acknowledge that Scripture refers to our God in the male gender. However, the Scriptures also occasionally share allusions to God’s maternal-nurturing side of His character.

One of the best-known Scriptures concerning this is Matthew 23:37 (NIV), in which Jesus laments:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

We just celebrated Easter several weeks ago. This lament occurred as Jesus descended the Mount of Olives on His way to Jerusalem. It’s a week prior to His death. And He realizes that people who have heard His message of grace, mercy, and salvation will reject Him. Like the prophets of old, the masses will not respond.

But note that Jesus’ response to their rejection is not the crowing of a strutting rooster, but the cooing of a nurturing mother hen who wants to protect them from the destruction they bring upon themselves.

That was 2,000 years ago. Times have not changed. People still choose unbelief. Jesus’ response hasn’t changed. He still wants to protect as a mother rescues her children from a predator. Jesus wants to protect them from their own rebellion.

Their response is the same as throwing themselves into the mouth of the cougar. Jesus wants to rescue them from the jaws of death. The Lord offers life. Abundant life.

Just like any mother, Jesus is willing to give up His life for the life of His children. He wants to save His precious kids. Thank you, Jesus!

Make sure to send a message of love to moms and grandmothers this week. However, thank the Lord for His love as well.

The Status on Death in Canada

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 PST

Next month, on May 9, 2024, pro-life advocates will gather for the National “March for Life” on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

The theme is: I will never forget you.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Isaiah 49:15-16 (NIV)

Each day in Canada 300 women undergo an abortion. On that same day, our MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) law allows physicians to kill 15 Canadians. An insidious culture of death envelops our nation.

Canadians gather on May 9 to march for the life of the unborn, expectant mothers, the terminally ill, seniors, and the vulnerable. All who are particularly at risk within Canada’s culture of death.

Here are some recent statistics regarding abortion in Canada from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) who took over the compiling of abortion statistics from Statistics Canada in 2007:

MaiD in Canada

Both NWT and NU did not report any MAiD deaths

MAiD deaths increased by 31.2% between 2021 and 2022 and 32.6% between 2020 and 2021. Between 2019 and 2022 the annual growth rate was 31.1%.

There were 463 cases in 2022 (3.5% of all MAiD deaths) and 223 cases in 2021 (2.2% of all MAiD deaths) where MAiD was provided in cases where natural death was not reasonably foreseeable (this eligibility began in 2021).

There were only seven cases of self-administered MAiD in Canada which is legal in all jurisdictions except Québec. Québec witnessed the highest percentage increase year over year (2021–2022) of MAiD being provided (45.5%).

Forty Years with no Protection

Canada has had no law protecting the unborn since 1988. Dr. Henry Morgentaler, an immigrant, a survivor of the Holocaust, and an Order of Canada member (2008), successfully argued that the former abortion laws were unconstitutional. However, the court did not actually recognize a constitutional right to abortion. Only Justice Wilson recognized that abortion as a constitutional right. The abortion laws of the day were struck down because the “process” to obtain an abortion was declared unconstitutional. In fact, the rights of unborn children were acknowledged by the court. Justice Beetz wrote that the primary objective of the abortion law was, “the protection of the fœtus.” The protection of the life and health of the mother was an “ancillary” one, according to Justice Beetz’s ruling. He expressed that the protection of the unborn was a valid objective in Canadian criminal law, noting that the state’s interest in protecting an unborn child would become so compelling that the liberty rights of women must give way. However, he and the other justices noted that this decision belonged to Parliament, not the courts. Parliament has never filled the legal void left by the court in 1988.

The Bible on Life

The Bible has much to say about life and a clear condemnation of the taking of a life from the womb or a long-term senior’s residence (and everything in between).

From Prenatal to Postnatal

When Jeremiah and Isaiah reflected on God’s call on their lives, both referred to their call to serve God happening in the womb.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV)

“…the Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.” (Isaiah 49:1b ESV)

They heard God before they were born. There was no barrier from hearing God’s voice between prenatal and postnatal life. God sees life from the moment of conception.

From the Womb to the Tomb

The Psalmist reminds us that God is intricately involved in our lives from conception (womb) to our home-going (tomb), saying:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14 ESV)

Pregnancy Care Canada

Our FAIR department has partnered with Pregnancy Care Canada. We introduced the Fellowship family to PCC’s Executive Director, Dr. Laura Lewis, at our Fellowship National Conference in 2019.

I encourage you to go online to their website to seek resources to inform your church, your friends, and any women you know who are undergoing an unexpected pregnancy. May we all ensure that mothers and vulnerable seniors know that they “are not alone”!

Join the team, and train national leaders

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 PST

Ninety-five percent of pastors worldwide have no formal training (Joshua Project); therefore we need a church-based solution for leadership development.

Our Fellowship International department has one solution – LeadersFormation.

We partner Fellowship pastors and leaders as a team to train national leaders in countries where formal theological education is not available or possible.

We have the tools and the proven method. We provide you with the materials, training, and ongoing team support to effectively train a cohort of national pastors/leaders. Do you want to experience ministry in a cross-cultural setting?

Then prayerfully consider connecting with Fellowship International’s LeadersFormation Coordinator, Rev. Paul Harbourne. Paul also serves as Lead Pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in Collingwood, ON.

I recently asked Paul to comment on several LeadersFormation projects.

LeadersFormation Report

“LeadersFormation, a ministry of The Fellowship, has the blessing of being able to help meet the enormous need to develop leaders in areas of the world where the growth of the church is outpacing the development of church leaders.

“At a recent congress in Panama, I joined a group of 600 trainers of pastors from 73 countries and many training organizations that gathered for a week of challenge and encouragement. We were reminded of the startling statistic that almost 95% of pastors worldwide will receive no formal training or will be undertrained to be effective pastors. Imagine what Canada would be like if nine out of ten pastors never attended Bible college or seminary. It was encouraging to see others serving in similar ways as LeadersFormation. It was agreed that organizations like LeadersFormation are the key to meeting this need. I was also able to lead a workshop called ‘Leading and Serving a Congregation’ on two different days.

“We have recently completed projects in Nigeria and Dominica. These projects have brought several of our Fellowship churches and pastors together over a shared vision to train national pastors. The Nigeria group finished during the COVID pandemic with our Canadian pastors joining via Zoom when no one was flying anywhere.

“The Dominica project was recently completed with a great graduation celebration of these pastors in February. Pastor Dennis Campbell and Hannibal Muhtar were able to attend the graduation and encourage the pastors to keep engaged in training more leaders in their churches.

“Even now these 40+ pastors from these projects are taking what they learned and experienced and have started developing the next generation of leadership in local churches in their regions. What a blessing to see them continue with such excitement and passion.

“Currently we have three projects underway. The Kenya Project will conclude in 2024 and 21 more pastors will graduate at the end of the year! We need dozens more partners from our Fellowship churches to join with us to meet this incredible need and to make sure the Uganda and Philippines projects are successful. These 62 leaders are eager to learn and need our assistance.

“Our previous projects have seen hundreds of church leaders trained and passing along what they have learned to many hundreds more second-, third-, and even fourth-generation leaders. The task is unfinished and enormous. If you are interested in getting involved in a project or want more information about partnering with us, please email me at pharbourne@fellowship.ca.”

Thank you, Paul, for this encouraging report. Please consider contacting Paul to gain further information on being involved in this exciting ministry opportunity. Imagine spending a week in Africa or Asia or South America with a group of national pastor/leaders—training, coaching, and befriending some choice servants of the Lord. Contact Paul.

Lay a solid stone in your foundation

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 PST

The month of May is “Leave a Legacy” month in Canada. It’s a wonderful opportunity to lay a solid stone in your foundation and make sure the important things in your life are looked after when you are gone: your faith, your family, and the things that you are passionate about. Our Fellowship Advancement Director, Gord Baptist, can help you create a plan for your Will that considers each part of you life with care, concern, and dignity.

Gord has been serving our Fellowship for several years, visiting our churches, meeting one-on-one with ministry leaders and lay people, and hosting workshops. I’ve asked Gord to introduce himself and share how he can serve you in May or any other time.

After working for 36 years in the financial management field and sensing God’s leading, in 2016 I began my role as Fellowship Advancement Director. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of assisting countless people as they have tackled the often-challenging matters of financial investment and estate planning. I have come alongside pastors and ministry workers as they have sough guidance in order to be wise stewards with the funds God has entrusted to them.

Some ways I have served congregations is by speaking on subjects dealing with:

Estate Planning, Wills and Power of Attorneys, and ways to give

Debt Elimination and Budget Training

God’s Attitude towards Wealth

Retirement Planning for Pastors and Missionaries

As May is Leave a Legacy Month, I wanted to encourage you to consider your Will and Estate Plan. We can walk through a process that helps you understand your options; helps you create an effective tax strategy; and helps you plan well for yourself, your family, and the people and charities you care about.

Our partners at ADVISORS with Purpose are hosting webinars over the next couple of months that may interest you and your congregations. Please feel free to register and attend by clicking on the links below.

April 23, 2024, 8pm Eastern
Aligning Your Financial Goals with Your Spiritual Goals – Rev. Ray Borg

Are you struggling to align your financial and spiritual goals? Whether you want to reduce financial stress or cultivate a deeper understanding of biblical financial principles, this webinar is for you. In this webinar, you’ll learn about the relationship between faith and finances and the importance of prayer, discernment, and godly wisdom when establishing and following your financial objectives.
Link to register: https://calendly.com/awpwebinar/aligning-you-financial-goals-april-23

May 21, 2024, 8pm Eastern
Estate Planning – What Women Need to Know – Jan Kupecz

Planning your will requires individual strategies depending on your life, family, finances, and priorities. It is vital that women understand the special considerations for them. This webinar is specifically for women to discuss the questions and concerns affecting them and their families and help them shape their own legacies.
Link to register: https://calendly.com/awpwebinar/estate-planning-what-women-need-to-know-may-21

June 12, 2024, 8pm Eastern
Planning Well for Your Business – Chantel Gibbs

What are the specific planning items for business owners, and why is it essential to have a plan? This might include a shareholder agreement to address the death, disability, dispute, divorce, or departure of a shareholder. It might include thinking through an exit plan ahead of time. Are there potential buyers of the shares, or will the business be wound up on death or retirement? A plan is critical. This webinar will help you better understand the options and processes.
Link to register: https://calendly.com/awpwebinar/planning-well-for-your-business-june-12

I would welcome the opportunity to speak to your church or work with you personally. Freely contact me directly using the following:

Phone: 877-853-5537 Ext 224
Email: gbatist@fellowship.ca
Website: fellowship.ca/FellowshipFoundation

Let me encourage you to do what my wife and I have already done. Talk to Gord, possibly meet with him and help prepare your estate to reflect the values you lived by in life.

Tips on Improving your livestream experience

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 PST

For an institution known more for staying the same than making aggressive changes—local churches across Canada intentionally embraced innovation and technology in a brand-new way in early 2020.

COVID-19 arrived, government lockdowns were enacted, and our congregations were struggling to gather together. Most of our churches did not offer livestreamed worship services in March 2020. However, I was blown away by how quickly that changed. Our capacity for creative change to meet a felt need tore the stayed immovable image of our local churches to piece.

The debate, four years on among our churches, is whether to maintain livestreaming on our church websites. Pastor Paul Carter (Cornerstone, Orillia, ON) addressed this very question in our recent issue of Thrive, “The New Norm: A COVID-19 Postmortem”. In his article, “Is it time to shut down the livestream?” (p. 22), Paul addresses both sides of the discussion and offers some prudent counsel.

Tips for Livestreaming

For those churches continuing with livestreaming, you may be asking how you can improve your livestreaming experience. How can we improve the production value on a limited budget? Pierre Robidoux is a member of Ahuntsic Baptist Evangelical (a Fellowship church in Montréal) who worked for decades in broadcast production and engineering. I recently learned that he created a series of brief videos, available for free on YouTube, on how churches can improve their livestream media experience on a modest budget. Early videos explain the technology and later videos give good practical advice on steps to take. I’ve asked Pierre to introduce himself and tell you about his new video series:

I worked for a Canadian nationwide broadcaster in production, technical service, and engineering for more than 41 years. I am now retired. My prayer was and still is to be able to share my experience and expertise with churches of our Fellowship. In 2021 an unexpected opportunity presented itself to me: in response to requests for advice, I sensed an emergency, a need for streaming worship services on the Internet for our churches because of the COVID lockdown of houses of worship. Then, I quickly produced 15 videos on YouTube in English during the pandemic for the immediate benefit of churches, especially the smallest ones, with few resources. I now plan to update a few of those videos as well as translating them into French (soon).

My prayer is also that this would be only the first small step in faith-based productions for us and, more important, that this endeavour would not only be my project but a coast-to-coast collaborative journey for many. In my field, teamwork is not only a good idea, but also mandatory: it is the only professional way to achieve good quality content.

While no one is perfect and everyone is prone to make mistakes, here is a word of wisdom that I share with attendees when I give training: “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.” (Proverbs 18:9, NIV) And I add: never forget that you’re recording, producing, and broadcasting the most important message there is.

You can connect directly with Pierre through his email: probidouxeng@gmail.com

I hope Pierre’s practical advice will help support our churches in offering the best livestreaming experience possible.

Watch out when fatigue feels normal

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 PST

Right about now you’re realizing your New Year’s Resolutions have largely been forgotten. So I’m kindly reminding you.

One resolution I’m hoping is on your list is to take better care of yourself in 2024. We’re far too busy.

We live in a culture that is in a hurry. We can pack a pile of stuff into our schedules. Our society is obsessed with going faster. We buy products because their name indicates speed:

We ship thins with Federal EXPRESS.

We balance our cheque book using QUICKEN.

We even diet with Slim FAST.

So many things in our daily lives are biting at our ankles. Too many responsibilities. Far too many obligations to be carried out. The silly thing is, for many of us, we see the busyness as normal. We rarely have enough time to get everything done and that feels normal.

Jesus said in John 10:10 (NLT): “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” Some of us have misunderstood this verse. Jesus wasn’t referring to a “full” schedule in this verse. Jesus has something else in mind. He was speaking of a life characterized by “abundance”. Jesus certainly knew what it was like to be busy, even overwhelmed. Just a gentle reminder: you’re not a Saviour. Stop trying to act like one. The pressure will kill you; certainly it will make your life feel very unsatisfying in 2024.

One day, Jesus looked at a group of people who looked busy and tired and made them a promise: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)

Notice the phrase “watch how I do it”. I need to watch how Jesus lived life if I’m ever to experience the promised “abundance”. I need to think differently. One area to remember if I’m ever going to discover abundant living in 2024, is the need to constantly remind myself where I get my value.

Crumple up a 100-dollar bill. Then stomp on it and grind it in the dirt and you’ll discover everyone will still want it. It still holds its value. It has not decreased in value despite its treatment. No matter what happens to you in 2024, in ministry or your personal life, your value will not diminish. It may feel like a meat grinder this year, but know that your value to your Heavenly Father hasn’t diminished one bit. We never lose our value in God’s eyes. We always remain the apple of His eye. No matter what others say to you this year, it is His opinion that counts! “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” Matthew 6:26 (NLT)

Jesus is saying you matter to Him. We are very valuable. We are loved. We’re not more valuable or loved if we perform for His love. I stay super busy seeking value. If I do and go and achieve, I gain my value. God says, “Time Out!” I love you with a whole set of different rules. God’s love is not based on doing. There is nothing I can DO to make God love me more, and conversely, there is nothing I can do to make God love me less. God says we’re valuable not because of what we do but because of who we are. We seek to gain our value in life someplace it was never meant to be found. We put our value in a counterfeit. In my ministry. My marriage. My children and grandkids. My achievements. People’s favour. My health. My bank account.

But our value is found solely in the Lord. In an abiding, current and intimate heathenship with Jesus. Get this one right in 2024 and most everything else will fall into place quite nicely.

Flowers and the Stink of Death

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 PST

Easter reminds us there is victory over sin and death. Victory over the sting and stink of death.

Lazarus was one of Jesus’ best friends. He died and Jesus came to visit his friend’s graveside. Instead of laying flowers at the grave, Jesus yelled, “Lazarus,” and his friend rose from the dead. Several days of rot in the hot sun must have made an unbelievable smell.

Jesus used this event as an analogy to identify humanity’s spiritual condition. All humanity is spiritually dead and most don’t even notice the smell. We’ve been surrounded by the smell of spiritual death so long we’ve become accustomed to it. Thankfully, Jesus has not.

Jesus finds the stink of death unacceptable and so he calls out, “Lazarus! John! Joan! Arise!” Our task is not to get up, but to admit we’re dead. The only people who remain in the grave or remain spiritually dead are the ones who don’t realize or believe they’re dead. They never seem to smell the stink nor admit their need of God’s solution – another man’s death.

All of humanity is in desperate need of God’s grace. Grace is something we do not deserve nor merit. We are separated from our Heavenly Father and only Jesus’ death on a cruel cross is sufficient payment to bridge and heal our estranged relationship with God. We don’t deserve this kind of love but that is the very nature of grace. We don’t deserve it, but God gives it generously.

Without God’s loving kindness we remain spiritually dead. We smell. The rot of death envelops us.

In 16th-century Europe, ladies wore corsages and gentlemen wore boutonnieres to mask their own body odour. The common wisdom of the day was that bathing was not healthy and one could catch a deadly cold. Ladies rarely bathed and so, bouquets were brought into rooms in their manor homes and scented handkerchiefs were kept in their purses. All to cover up their body odour.

The captivating scent of the Gospel has the power to overcome the crippling stink of sin and spiritual death.

Easter is our reminder that Jesus’ life, freely given on the cross, is a testimony of His unbridled love for all of humanity. And His body reanimated and surging with vitality and life — resurrection life — is His testament to the power He offers each of us to know victory over sin and death.

I trust this week we will all be sharing the sweet message of Easter. May the Lord gain great glory as we share the Good News!

The Shadow of the Cross According to Holman Hunt

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 PST

Art is powerful. Whether a painting, a sculpture, a dance, a play, or a movie, art has the ability to move the soul and stir even the most hardened heart. We often understate its capacity to communicate deeply the truths of the Gospel.

Stand in front of one of Caravaggio’s religious-themed masterpieces and be prepared for sensory overload. I had to sit down and wipe my tears when I visited a show displaying his work

Easter is coming. So much art has depicted this critical event in human history. One of my favorites is Holman Hunt’s “The Shadow of Death.”

From 1870 to 1873, Holman Hunt traveled and lived in the Holy Land. He was a European master painter and storyteller who was determined, as he put it, “to do battle with the frivolous art of the day.” On the roof-top of his home in Jerusalem he finished painting what arguably could be his most loved painting. He entitled this exquisite work, which now hangs in the Manchester City Art Gallery, “The Shadow of Death”.

The painting depicts Jesus standing, stripped to the waist in His carpenter’s workshop in Nazareth. He has put down His saw and His eyes are lifted toward heaven with His arms stretching above His head. The evening sunlight streams through the front door and casts a dark shadow in the form of a cross on the wall behind Him. His tool rack hangs on that wall and forms the horizontal bar of the symbolic cross. The tools hanging there, the hammer and nails, are fateful harbingers of things to come.

“The Shadow of Death” depicts a cross-like shadow on a wall. But Jesus’ shadow of death would become a reality. Jesus’ death, in fact, is central to His mission. His own testimony was succinct and simple: “I’ve come to seek and save the lost.” (cf. Luke 19:10)

The cross represents for the believer that finished work so that we might be saved.

The Buddhist has his lotus flower.

The Muslim has his crescent moon.

And the Jew has his Star of David.

Christians have their symbol — the cross. An emblem associated with pain and death. It alludes to the shameful execution of common criminals. Also to the daily putting to death of our sinful ways.

Several years back a terrorist blew himself up among Jews celebrating the Passover in a large gathering. Twenty were killed and 100 were injured. A tragedy.

Two millennia ago, another Passover massacre occurred when a cohort of temple guards illegally seized Jesus. The judge condemned Him to death during a mock trial.

Jesus stood in an open gathering accused of blasphemy and was asked: “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63 NLT) Our Emmanuel, God with us, willingly sacrificed Himself not to kill, injure, or maim anyone, but to give us newness of life, eternal life!! His personal massacre became a message of hope for all of us!

Thank you, Lord Jesus. May we boldly proclaim this Good News this Easter to family, friends, and strangers. I’m going to give A.W. Tozer the last word:

“The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished… After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual experience the Presence of the living God.”

A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Calling All Artists!

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 PST

This is a unique and important ASK. Please read to the end.

As a fellow visual artist, I was intrigued by a request I received in recent months from professional artist, James Tughan, who was introduced to me by a dear Fellowship friend, Glenn Taylor.

James is Executive Director of “Portage”, an arts group made up of Christian visual artists and art educators. James attended a Fellowship Baptist Church for decades in southwestern Ontario and has taught art at Redeemer University and McMaster Divinity School, among other institutions. Check out James’ amazing work online. His current exhibit, “Nine Faces of Christ”, is inspiring.

Along with other Christian artists, James is embarking on a massive effort and we are invited to join them! I’ll let James explain this exciting project:

In February of 2023, after a couple close calls with two heart attacks and kidney failure, I found myself having to think about my own mortality, about the possibility of an imminent death. Hospitalization with all the attached tubes and inconvenient dress code was not a welcome antidote to all the creative work I dreamed of getting done as a Christian artist. I have so many dreams, about our work in the spirituality of artmaking in the Church, that remain unfulfilled. By that I mean helping the Church value and involve artists of all kinds again, in direct proportion to the artistry of Jesus Himself, and also helping Christians in the Church rediscover the emotionally therapeutic properties of creativity and artistry.

Laying in the ICU, I suddenly found myself thinking about King Hezekiah, surrounded by Assyrian armies, gravely ill, praying to God for 15 years so he could fulfill his calling to protect his people. The Lord honoured his request and what he hoped to do. He got well and got to work. While God protected the city, he dug a tunnel between the Gihon Spring and the Pool of Siloam, a mile-and-a-half long through very hard rock, dolomite, to help preserve the city’s water supply (2 Kings 18, 19 and 2 Chronicles 29). That tunnel aqueduct is still working today. I have walked it. It is a testament to a man’s faith turned creative and practical, in the realm of God’s provision.

The Portage Arts Group is a group of professional Christian visual artists and art educators, who have in common the love of artmaking as a therapeutic exercise indispensable to Christian community, biblical revelation, and allegiance to Christ the original Artist. We are guardians of visual language, with a special interest in mental health, education, and the beauty of the Canadian wilderness.

Our group, Portage, would like you to consider a simple idea: artists are part of God’s provision to His people, just as the Pool of Siloam was, a fact honoured by Jesus, by association, in His own ministry (John 4:14, 9:7-11).

The Thirst Project Concept
We are launching a touring exhibition that will recreate Hezekiah’s tunnel, using the metaphor of water moved between Gihon Spring and the Pool of Siloam. We are doing this both in visual art in different media, and in an engineered, fabric-based, above-ground tunnel maze. We are taking advantage of a common Old and New Testament theme of thirst, also used by Jesus Himself, asking the question: What do we thirst for, and where do we go to have it quenched and satisfied? This metaphor is as relevant to us in an age of brokenness and confusion in our culture, as it was (is) to the heat and desert of the Holy Land. As trauma survivors who became artists, we are also linking this quenching to the emotional healing made possible in relationship with Christ, as symbolized in the Pool of Siloam. We believe that the arts can be part of that healing process.

The ASK

I am asking YOU to get the word out to the artists, crafters, seamstresses, and creative types in your local church. I’m praying this will be an opportunity for our churches to esteem the creative people with in our congregations.

We Need Your Help
“This tunnel made up of customized fabric sections has been designed and engineered by James Tughan and Fellowship Baptist member Jim Huszti (of Georgetown’s Maple Avenue Baptist Church). We are inviting persons who love to sew to participate in helping us create sections of fabric that will be used to tell the incredible story of Hezekiah who sought God’s help in saving the water supply of the city in the face of Assyrian encirclement.

Important Dates
“In the lead up to the first show in November 2024, we need to distribute entry kits (brochures) and launch promotion starting in February 2024, receiving fabric entries by September 2024. Following the show opening in Oakville in November, we are looking for opportunities to use this display to interact with your faith community in Canada. Simultaneously, we will be displaying this exhibit in the ‘public square’ as a witness to the truth of Christ.

“We look forward to answering any questions you may have about this venture. I can be reached at tughanj@gmail.com. You can check us out at portagesemaphore.ca."

Thirst Project Brochure

Click here to discover further details on the Thirst Project including specifications on the panels, media that can be used, theme, and design ideas and deadlines.

I Have a Dream

I have a dream – that our Fellowship would be a movement that celebrated our artists. An association of churches that esteemed the wonderful creative types in our midst. I visited one of our churches a few months ago to preach and was thrilled to find special public space to showcase the visual art of their church members, with pieces changing each month.

Pastors, please take the time to send this email to the seamstresses, artists, and creative types in your church. Please send it THIS WEEK!

Our Summer 2024 THRIVE Magazine

The summer 2024 edition of THRIVE is entitled Patron: Recapturing the Arts, sharing stories how our local churches, global missions work, and seminary education is or should be capturing the arts as a means to advance mission. To re-capture the Church’s role as “patron of the arts” – let me encourage you to dream with me.

HEZEKIAH’S TUNNEL – a poem by James Tughan

I turn to the wall;
all the arrow-shaped dials
of my hospital gurney side-bars.
I’m wrapped in tubes, wires and intravenous lines
that feed and calm my racing heart: the Ketamine
voyage that dissembled me at the brink
of leaving this world.

I turn to the wall,
all the Assyrians are at the approaches to my city,
a world of images and dreams that feed
my soul and the village I inhabit, and
all the gateways passages I have not finished,
but where I toil extending the boundaries, in moving
the very edges of this world.

I turn to the wall,
and like Hezekiah, see a way through;
a tunnel of years through stone,
and a disease threatening my very heart. I see the grace
for His pathway for Gihon’s waters,
carved by His hands

to reach the pool of Siloam

Welcome Norton to the team!

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 PST

This week, our new FAIR Director, Norton Lages, begins his ministry with Fellowship National.

Welcome, Norton and Tati!

I wanted to give you an opportunity to greet and welcome Norton and Tati to our Fellowship National team. You can connect with him at nlages@fellowship.ca.

Norton is well suited to lead our relief, development, and justice ministry (FAIR: Fellowship Aid and International Relief), thanks to his past experience and his passion. The following is a brief bio of Norton and Tati.

Introducing Norton and Tati Lages

Norton Lages of Montréal, QC accepted the call to become our next FAIR Director commencing March 11, 2024. Norton is married to Tatiana (Tati) and together they followed God’s clear call nine years ago to leave Brazil to serve God in Québec. They have been church planters (with Église 21), and Norton was cofounder of Mission Québec and the Director of Development for AEBEQ.

Norton and Tati served with World Changers International and Metamorfose, two relief ministries working in impoverished neighbourhoods in Salvador, Brazil, along with serving on the Baptist World Alliance Human Rights Advocacy Committee working in areas of freedom and justice.

Norton is Brazilian by birth and a Canadian citizen. He is fluent in four languages—Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish—which is a tremendous asset as many FAIR projects are located in countries where these languages are predominant. He has a Master of Missiology (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, North Carolina), a Master of Business Administration (Salvador University, Salvador, Brazil), and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Communications in Marketing (Polifucs College, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil).

When asked what ultimate purpose he saw humanitarian ministry having among our Fellowship churches, Norton responded, “When it comes to mission, holistic or humanitarian ministry has the ultimate purpose of pointing people to Jesus: ‘Missions exist because worship doesn’t.’ (John Piper) It is the natural expression of the saints (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:7, 14) that invites people to glorify God. According to Matthew 5:16, people will see holistic or humanitarian ministry and give glory to the Father.

“FAIR enables Fellowship churches and individual donors to alleviate human suffering and injustice in the name of Christ. Different from an interdenominational faith mission agency, FAIR interacts exclusively with Fellowship churches for them to have opportunities to participate in existing projects with our missionaries and formal partners, and also to discover new ways (according to wise parameters and concrete possibilities) to glorify God by serving the poor and suffering worldwide. Our Fellowship churches’ culture, modus operandi, and theology will play a significant role in the way this interaction occurs.”

Join me in thanking the Lord for providing God’s servant to our FAIR ministry.

We encourage you and your church to welcome Norton and Tati via email at nlages@fellowship.ca.

Support for Your Church This Coming Summer

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 PST

It’s February and we need to begin planning for our summer ministry—children and youth summer camps and so much more.

Our Fellowship National ministry would like to support your church this summer if you wish.

Our EPIC + Onside ministry is specifically designed to help you prepare and offer summer sports camps for children in your community. I’ll let one of our EPIC + Onside Coordinators, Mark Hymus, share how you can receive this support:

“At the core of who we are, EPIC + Onside deeply desire to help churches connect to their communities. We do this in many ways but primarily through summer camps. Last summer, we had 5,400 registrations and witnessed 58 kids give their lives to Christ! So, what are the present and future demands that challenge those numbers from increasing?

“One of our top prayers and encouragements to our churches is that they would be seen as an essential part of their community. Our common discussion sounds something like, ‘If your church stopped meeting and closed its doors, would your community even notice?’ For churches to be engaging families with the Gospel, they must be recognized as an essential part of that community. Our prayer is that our camps, leagues, and other programs help make that a reality.

“When we think of the future of the Church [in Canada], we often hear about the number of pastors retiring in the coming years and the declining numbers of those going into ministry. Just as crucial as spreading the Gospel to every child, is the leadership opportunity and development happening in the young leaders within our churches. Our goal and prayer is that many of these students will:

experience God and,

lead our programs that will eventually, Lord willing, lead them to become pastors, missionaries, and leaders, not only in their community, but across the world.

“If you would like to partner with us in reaching your community and training young leaders, please reach out, so that we can talk with you and pray about what that could look like for your unique community.
EMAIL info@epicandonside.ca

“To continue to help churches reach their communities and develop young leaders, we need people and churches to partner with us financially. If you would like to partner with us in this way, you can easily do so through the Fellowship website, either for the General Fund, the “Send a Kid to Camp” Fund, or the Leadership Development Fund.

“To see more of what God is doing through the opportunities He’s given us, follow us on our socials (Facebook and Instagram) or email us (info@epicandonside.ca) to have a chat and hear stories of His good work!”

Let’s start praying that many children come to Christ this summer.

Fellowship Church Planting in Canada: 2010-2023

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 PST

If planting churches remains one of the best ways to ensure Canadians come to Christ, I would venture to say we should be encouraged as a fellowship of churches.

With the significant support of our Regions, our churches have planted 127 churches between 2010 and 2023.

God has been good. I want to also thank our Regional Church Planting Directors whom I have the joy of gathering with a few times each year to discuss best practices, share resources, and strategize plans. We’re grateful for the servant leadership of these directors:

Mike Mawhorter: Fellowship Pacific Region

Mark Breitkreuz: Fellowship Prairies Region

Bechara Karkafi: FEB Central Region

Steve Cloutier: AEBEQ Region

Brad Somers: Fellowship Atlantic Region

Fellowship National helps support our Regions in church planting by subsidizing several initiatives. Our Final Report of Fellowship National’s five-year Strategic Plan (2015-2020) reported that Fellowship National:

Supplied $186,177 in church planting grants to those church plants approved by our Regions

Brokered 65 partnerships between English churches across Canada with Francophone church plants in Québec (2015 to 2021), and support generated from this was $1,540,464 between 2015 and 2021

Significantly subsidized the sending of Fellowship domestic church planters to “Momentum” Canada’s premier biannual church planting training and equipping conference. Eighty thousand dollars was used over the past six years for training planters

During my first President’s Address at our Fellowship National Conference in 2011, I called on our churches and Regions to make the Fellowship a “church planting machine”. One of our Regional Church Plant Directors reminded me of my “call to arms” last year. I believe you heard my plea. Over 100 church plants in a dozen years. At our recent FNC 2023, I reminded our churches of this call back in 2011 and I made a new prophetic call. I asked Fellowship Baptist churches to move from:

Being committed to planting churches
to
Having a plan to plant churches

Please read what I shared with our delegates at FNC2023:

“Studies continue to support the reality that one of the best ways to win people to Christ is to plant churches. We are committed to church planting because we’re committed to winning spiritually lost people to Christ. BUT having a commitment and having a PLAN are two very different things. I may be committed to the idea of losing 25 pounds, but if I don’t agree to a specific plan, it’s probably never going to happen. My prophetic call to our pastors and churches is to develop a plan.

“Every Fellowship Baptist church develops a plan to be involved in the planting of a church either directly or indirectly—‘directly’ in the sense that your church is planting a daughter church, or ‘indirectly’ in that your church is supporting the planting of a new church through your Association or your Region.

“In my first President’s address in November 2011, you may or may not recall I declared, ‘The coffee break is over!’ – we needed to become a ‘church planting machine’. With the support of our Regions, our churches have planted 127 churches since 2010. So many wonderful stories of churches who caught the bug and experienced the joy, struggles, victories, and disappointments of church planting. However, this commitment is not universally true in all of our Fellowship churches.

“My ‘call to action’ is to move from a COMMITMENT to church planting to every Fellowship Baptist church having a PLAN for church planting. Start by talking to your Regional Church Planting Director while here at FNC – Todd, Mark, Bechara, Steve, and Brad.

“You may not be in a position to daughter a church at this point in your church’s history, but all of us can support church planting indirectly. Consider a partnership whereby your church supports and finances a church panting project in your Region, in Québec, or among some Arabic-speaking peoples. Start by making a church planting line item in your church’s missions budget in 2024.”

Oh, by the way, I’ve been addressing domestic church planting in this blog. Some other good news is that our Fellowship International missionaries helped establish 16 church plants in the fields where we serve in 2023. God is good.

The President's LOVE LETTER to The Fellowship

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 PST

This week we celebrate Valentine’s Day! I thought I would send you all a ”love letter” ...my epistle to the churches of the Fellowship Baptists in Canada. This is an abbreviated version of my President’s address at our recent FNC 2023. Please take the time to read it (about 15 minutes) and pass it on to other Fellowship Baptist friends. Happy Valentine’s Day!

“Here We Stand”
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
President Steven Jones address

Introduction:

Last evening we spent some time investigating the early values of our Association of Churches.

The early DNA that has shaped and molded our association, partnership, and collaboration together these past seven decades.

I identified four values and sought to associate them to David Bebbington’s Quadrilateral which was an attempt to define what evangelicalism actually is.

Our DNA as evangelical Fellowship Baptists is:

We are people of the Book

We value independence

We are committed to planting churches in Canada

We send missionaries to plant churches globally

You can read all about these inherent values in a book, our book, the second edition of “A Glorious Fellowship of Churches” which you received FREE as a delegate at this FNC2023.

Over 500 pages of our storied history from 1953-2023.

Our theme for FNC2023 has been: “Here We Stand”.

Let me ask once again; what do you think of when you hear this short statement: “Here We Stand”?

A rallying call to fill in the gap? A last stand before being slaughtered? A bold claim to be an immovable force?

“Here We Stand” is a cryptic message declared many years ago, but it is a reminder to stand our ground, a call to action, and a declaration to remain vigilant even in the face of fire!

“Here We Stand!” is a reminder of a time past – what we stood for and what we continue to stand for as an Association of Churches.

But it is also a cryptic prophetic call to remain vigilant, to muster our courage, remain resilient, and maintain our course as we enter uncharted territory into the next decade.

Once again let’s look at our common values, BUT view them in an ever-evolving fresh and new culture as churches.

A culture we need to consider developing as Fellowship Baptists.

This is my prophetic call, the sharing of my pastoral concerns for your prayerful consideration:

My First Call to Action:

Fellowship Baptists are People of PRAYER and the Book.

Biblicism is not enough.

Our churches are orthodox, but too many are powerless.

The Church in North America suffers from prayerlessness.

“The United Prayer Track of the AD 2000 Prayer Movement” was created, envisioned, resourced, led, and financed by evangelical leaders in the United States.

In October 1993 they called on intercessors worldwide to pray for the 10/40 Window. They hoped for a million intercessors and 22.5 million signed up to pray for a month.

Two years later in October 1995 they called on intercessors to pray and 37.7 million signed up.

Two years later in October 1997 and again in October 1999, the call went out and over 50 million intercessors joined together to pray for the 10/40 Window.

Although the Prayer Movement was created and resourced by leaders in the States – these leaders noted the vast majority of committed intercessors were from nations around the world – very few from the States, North America.

Move 25 years forward and if today is a typical day: 30,000 people came to Christ in China, 20,000 came to Christ in sub-Saharan Africa, and 10,000 came to Christ in South America.

How many came to Christ today in Canada?

The Church in Western democracies have seen plunging declines these past 25 years Why? One word: PRAYER.

Prayer is the engine – the fuel that will empower a movement of God among our churches and across our nation.

As leaders we must be teaching God’s Word, but equally important is a renewed emphasis to teach, equip, train, coach, and model what it means to be a praying disciple.

Last year I called you to join with your Québec brothers and sisters to pause at 10:02am each day and pray for workers to come to Québec to serve.

Evoking the message of Luke 10:2: “... the workers are few. Ask the Lord... to send out workers into the harvest...”

Please consider expanding this call to prayer to include your city, your Region, too, and our country.

At 10:02am each morning we stop and pray – calling on the Spirit of God to fill our churches with empowered disciples who are transforming our churches, cities, and country.

One last appeal for pastors:

Pastor, please consider bringing back the ol’ Pastoral Prayer in your morning worship service. We’re good at emphasizing private prayer and small group prayer, but corporate prayer is far less emphasized these days.

It’s not that no praying happens in our worship services, but they’re generally short, often ”feel good” prayers between praise packages – let’s be honest, prayer doesn’t get equal time with our preaching and praise singing.

What about those bold, robust, declaring into the spirit realms kind of prayers?

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) states: ”... the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds... arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God...”

Pastor, disciple your people on how and what to be praying for by standing each Sunday and praying boldly and humbly before them.

Not weak, emaciated, effeminate prayers about Aunt Martha’s bunions getting better, but praying against the darkness in your city.

We need to possibly consider getting a little ”imprecatory” in our praying.

Pastor, your weekly Pastoral Prayer is discipling, training, and coaching your people in how they should be praying against evil strongholds and lies in your city.

Praying against woke ideology in our schools, businesses that promote destructive behaviour; praying against the idols prevalent in believers’ lives, against the lies masquerading as truth and fueling the mental health epidemic among our young adults.

Our people need to see their pastor praying – involved in serious, ongoing, warfare praying.

I struggle to envision any hope-filled future for our churches and our country IF we don’t get more serious about prayer as churches!

Fellowship Baptist are people of PRAYER and the Book.

A Second Call to Action:

Fellowship Baptists value Interdependence and Collaboration

I mentioned we have valued independence and self-governance for the past 70 years.

I’m not suggesting tonight that we jettison the whole ”autonomy of the local church” thing. That is an important part of our history and it will remain so because it is Biblical.

Each of our churches have a God-given

Watch a brief video on how the Fellowship began

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 PST

Our first National Convention, that began the Fellowship Baptist story, took place at Cooke’s Church in Toronto on October 29, 1953. We recently created a brief video (4-5 minutes) that tells the story. Please take some time to check it out!

Consider passing this video on to your church family through your online bulletin or your church’s website, or show it in a worship service or at your membership class. It’s a great story to share!

New Fellowship Book

Fellowship National recently published the second edition of our Fellowship story in the book A Glorious Fellowship of Churches which tells our 70-year history from 1953-2023. It was edited by Dr. Michael Haykin, Phil Cotnoir, Lynda Schultz, and Robert Lockey and includes contributions from a host of other authors.

Go to our website at fellowship.ca/GloriousFellowship70thAnniversaryEdition to find out more information. You can purchase the book by contacting the Fellowship National office at: (519) 821-4830 x232 or office@fellowship.ca for $30 + shipping.

The Day Atticus Finch Became Public Enemy #1

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 PST

Ask my kids what dad’s favourite book is and in a split-second they’ll say in unison, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. I’ve read the book a bunch of times and listened to it on the Audible app. I got the movie, even the special anniversary edition. My kids bought me tickets to see the play at the Stratford Festival Theatre as a Father’s Day present. I have a t-shirt and ball cap with the words “To Kill a Mockingbird” plastered across them. I named my dog “Scout” after the female protagonist in the book. But my family put their collective foot down when I wanted to name our second dog “Jem”. (Sophie, you have Jessica to thank you for your beautiful name.)

There is just something about the story that grabs me by the throat and throttles me. Emotions deep within well up every time I see the movie. One of my favourite scenes involves Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer. He leaves the court room all alone after fighting for the life of an innocent black man who was falsely accused of raping a white woman in the deep south of Alabama in the 1930s. The entire court has been dispersed. Standing alone, Atticus collects his papers, turns, and, stoically carrying the burden of the day, he departs. He doesn’t notice that in the “coloured” section in the upper balcony of the courthouse, the entire black community stands waiting for him to leave. One black lady, standing with her peers, is caring for Atticus’ young daughter, Scout. She whispers to her, “Stand up, Scout. Your father is passing.” Gets me every time, without fail!

When I grow up I want to be just like Atticus Finch. In my opinion, he is definitely one of the greatest fictional heroes ever created.

Harper Lee chose to never write another novel after To Kill a Mockingbird. Wow! I can only imagine the other tales with which she could have gifted us.

So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that Lee’s only known earlier work was discovered and published in July 2015.

Harper Lee wrote Go Set a Watchman in the mid-1950s, using the same backdrop and characters of her Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s set 20 years after the tale told in Mockingbird in the same town adjusting to the turbulent times transforming mid-1950s America.

A publisher back in the 1950s looked at Go Set a Watchman and thought a story about her town and characters 20 years earlier might be more interesting. So Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird and everyone thought her first book was lost.

I read the book or, more accurately, I struggled through the book. Atticus wasn’t the same man. Beaten up by life itself.

Atticus Meets Critical Theory

What saddens me is that I can imagine that Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman is likely a far more popular novel today than To Kill a Mockingbird in our enlightened times. In a time of “white fragility”, “internalized oppression”, and “colourblind racism”, I imagine Atticus Finch might be viewed as a villain, not a hero.

Contemporary critical theory is based on the idea that society can be divided into dominant, oppressor groups and subordinate, oppressed groups along the lines of race, class, gender, sexuality, and other factors. In the book Is Everyone Really Equal? (Sensoy and DiAngelo), the premise is that every social group has an opposite oppressed group, and so sexism, racism, classism, and heterosexism are viewed as specific forms of oppression.

Target Group

Oppression

Agent Group

· people of colour

· racism

· white people

· poor/working class

· classism

· owning class

· women/transgender/queer

· sexism

· men

· LGBTQ+

· heterosexism

· heterosexuals

· non-Christian religions

· religious oppression

· Christian

· disabled

· ableism

· able-bodied

· immigrants

· nationalism

· citizens

· indigenous

· colonialism

· white settlers

Atticus is Public Enemy #1

No one argues that all the “isms” above are oppressive, evil, and deserve our disdain. Any one of us also might be found in both an oppressor group and an oppressed group. Intersectionality states that our identities are complex and should not be understood along a single axis alone. Taken to the ideological extreme, oppression is no longer just understood as acts of cruelty, violence, injustice, and coercion, but expanded to include society’s dominant group imposing social norms and traditional values that justify its own interests. And so oppression is not necessarily the injustice people suffer because of coercive power, but it could also be because of the everyday behaviours and norms of a perhaps well-intentioned civil society. These embedded practices, habits, and symbols oppress.

With this definition, Atticus Finch, could be understood as Public Enemy #1. What? Not my Atticus!

He’s white, upper-middle class (lawyer), male, older, heterosexual, able-bodied, citizen, and with a Christian orientation. He “checks” all the boxes. My hero becomes the enemy.

You need to understand the times

Let me encourage you to learn more about critical theory, intersectionality, and the basis of so much of this thinking. Remain uninformed at your own peril. I remain a novice but I’m seeking to learn.

A good place to start is reading Carl R. Trueman’s book, The Rise and the Triumph of the Modern Self. Carl is a theologian and historian (Westminster Theological Seminary) who weaves the history of ideas that led to the popular thinking of the early 21st century. Every thinking Christian should peek at this book.

Catch the Vision

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 PST

Thank you to the many who participated in our recent FAIR appeal (September-December 2023): Journey with a Child. Your generosity ad prayer support will make a world of difference in the lives of children in the development projects that our churches, through FAIR, continue to support. Thank you.

Catch the Vision

Our next major FAIR appeal (Fellowship Aid and International Relief) begins this month and concludes April 30th. Please prayerfully consider a gift toward one or more of the four projects being addressed.

I’ve asked our, FAIR Director, Dan Shurr to describe the projects and how you can pray and give toward these needs:

Jesus tells us in Mark 12:29-31 that the most important commandments are to love God with everything you have and are, and to love your neighbour the way you would want to be loved. But who is your neighbour? And how can you love your neighbour as yourself? FAIR’s vision is to be the primary avenue through which Fellowship churches and members engage in humanitarian aid and social development. We seek to help you love God while loving others in a global context; to be that agent of mercy and compassion for your global neighbour.

Through FAIR’s Winter 2024 special appeal, Catch the Vision, FAIR is highlighting four of the projects found in the FAIR Catalogue that are in particular need of help from global neighbours. The goal is to raise $160,000 which will be distributed between the four projects. Whether it’s supporting surgical training in Madagascar, increasing the capacity to help marginalized communities in Sri Lanka, vocational training in Pakistan, or supports for inmates in the MENA and Stan regions, each project brings both the truth of the Gospel and tangible love in action to those who benefit from them.

Would you prayerfully consider how the Lord is calling you to respond?

LEARN — We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about the Catch the Vision special appeal and each of the four projects which are being highlighted. You can also see how FAIR is seeking to support the work of the Fellowship International missionaries and nationals involved.

PRAY — Pray that many would seek to act as global neighbours through this appeal. Specific prayer requests for each of the projects can be found at the bottom of their catalogue listing.

GIVE — Would you prayerfully consider making a donation to the Catch the Vision appeal or one of the four projects it highlights?

Find support when YOU need it

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 PST

Let’s all start off the New Year fresh… refreshed.

The psalmist reminds us of God’s desire for each of us to find adequate rest, saying in Psalm 127:2 (MSG):“It is useless to rise up early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know that God enjoys giving rest to those He loves?”

Did you catch that? God enjoys it when we have a good rest. So, do something spiritual today… Have a nap this afternoon? God is very clear about our need for rest. To ignore His fourth commandment is foolish. When we function outside the way God designed us, we are headed for trouble: spiritual, emotional, and physical burn-out. A Sabbath rest each week is commanded to rest the body, recharge our emotions and refocus our spirit… Sounds like a three-point sermon, eh?!

THE CLERGY CARE NETWORK (CCN) — CALL 1-888-5-CLERGY

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, please contact someone. I know there are resources available in each of our Regions to support you.

One such support is the Clergy Care Network (CCN). Our National Fellowship pays for free phone counselling help for all personnel of The Fellowship including pastors, missionaries, and chaplains, along with their spouses and children. Access is FREE to you.

The number is 1-888-5-CLERGY.

CCN is provided by Focus on the Family and developed in conjunction with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Its purpose is to provide a listening ear. Pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families can access the CCN help line through email or by using a toll-free number. Callers can remain anonymous if they choose. The staff of the Clergy Care Help Line can:

Provide initial counseling and crisis intervention.

If needed, provide a referral to a CCN-approved counselor in your area. However, please note that the cost of the additional counseling is the responsibility of the individual. This cost may or may not be covered by your group coverage; the Fellowship Health Plan does provide modest coverage for recognized counsellors with accepted credentials. In 2024, Fellowship National is also adding a further $500/year coverage for counseling services. This coverage is being cared for privately by Fellowship National. Contact Gwen at gpifer@fellowship.ca for details.

Introduce the caller to a retreat facility or treatment centre in the area.

Provide resources and advice to pastors regarding particular family counseling situations they face in their church.

Pray with the caller.

Your call is completely confidential. No one from your church or our National/Regional offices will know that you made a call.

Need some support? Make the call!

The Fellowship's Year of Action

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 PST

A few years ago, Marilyn and I visited a little antique shop in Lisbon, Portugal. I purchased an 18th-century French bronze plaque with a sculpted relief of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. It’s beautiful.

It reminded me of the “mezuzah” attached to the door frames of many conservative and orthodox Jews. In Israel I notice them everywhere. A mezuzah fulfills the “mitzvah”, or Biblical commandment to inscribe the words of the Shema on the doorposts of your house (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Christians have Scripture plaques on their walls, frequently at the entrance of their home. So I put my new bronze plaque in my home to remind me upon entering and exiting my home that I go with God’s peace. Quaint, eh?

The first time I visited Israel, I noticed people greeting one another saying, “Shalom.” They shared the same blessing when they departed; again it was, “Shalom.”

The Meaning of Shalom

The Hebrew word “Shalom” is translated 170 times in our English Bibles as “peace”.

The word “Shalom” basically means that something is “whole”, in the sense that it is “complete”.

In I Kings 9:25 the word is translated as “finished” or “made whole” in reference to the completion of the Temple facility.

In Genesis 15:16 the word is used in reference to the sin of the Amorites not being yet full, fulfilled, or complete.

In I Chronicles 29:19 David prays that his son, Solomon, might be given a perfect (Shalom) heart to keep God’s commandments.

In I Kings 8:61 Solomon prays that God’s people would have a whole (Shalom) heart and be wholly devoted to God.

There are 20 instances in the Bible where the word “Shalom” is translated as “perfect”.

And so, one could conclude that a fundamental idea behind the greeting “Shalom” is a reminder of our relationship to God and being wholly devoted to Him.

Shalom means to be in “right relationship with God” before you start your day and exit your home. To be at peace with God. To live in Shalom is to live a life of contentment, free of guilt and experiencing abundance.

A NEW YEAR PRAYER

As we enter 2024 together, may you and your family experience “Shalom”. My prayer is that we will know God’s peace: peace with God, the peace of God, and the peace that is beyond understanding.

May this peace be a foundation, rooting us deeply, wholly devoted to the Lord in 2024. Acknowledge God’s peace daily, often — with family and friends. Consider nailing a portion of God’s Word to your front door frame to remind you of God’s protection, provision, and peace. My hope is thankfulness will blossom from our acknowledgement of God’s Shalom.

Each year I pick a theme verse for our Fellowship of churches. In 2024, I’ve chosen a verse reminding us to be busy doing acts of mercy, random acts, bold action.

Join me in making 2024 the Fellowship’s Year of Action: “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” I John 3:18b (NIV).

Our “Year of Action” will be a time:

We will love by our actions; advancing mission through our local churches, church plants, missionary Disciple-Making Churches, and Chaplaincy Encounter Prayer Plans.

We will love by our commitment to truth; advancing the Affirmation of Faith review process.

Any wise guys out there?

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 PST

Three wise men sought out Jesus. I wonder if there are any more?

My wife, Marilyn, and I visited Bethlehem during a trip to the Holy Land, and it was the biggest disappointment of our tour.

Our tour bus passed by unkempt homes and derelict cars as we drove along the main street. The gate to the nativity gardens was locked. We were told the priest had gone into town for a beer at a local watering hole.

We had such huge expectations for Bethlehem: romantic thoughts of sheep dotting the landscape, white-washed stones, and a beautiful church. Wow, were we disappointed.

Mary and Joseph entered Bethlehem and were also met with disappointment. No inn had a vacancy—only a modest animal stall was available. A small beacon of hope began to flicker that would soon burst into bright, beaming sunlight.

A Saviour was born a baby. God as a baby? It’s unbelievable to ponder. A helpless infant, unable to talk or hold his own bladder; it’s inconceivable. Only God could come up with this plan. Mohammed revealed himself as a prophet, Buddha as an enlightened philosopher, Moses as an appointed messenger, but only Jesus revealed Himself as God.

Jesus received gifts fit only for a king. Three wise men followed a star in search of a saviour and each humbly honoured Jesus with a gift. Each gift had a definite symbolic meaning:

Gold is a gift meant for royalty: the infant lying in the manger was the King of kings, the Lord of lords.

Myrrh, a perfumed spice, was used to embalm the dead: this gift foreshadowed Jesus’ death on the cross.

Frankincense was incense burned in the great Temple of Jerusalem: it symbolized prayer as smoke from the burning incense ascended on high.

Prayer, by its very nature, implies our need for communion with God. It speaks of our longing for relationship with our Heavenly Father. Christianity is first and foremost a faith founded on:

A person, rather than a philosophy

A who, rather than a what

A relationship, rather than rules

We get a chance this Christmas to share this wonderful truth with family, friends, work colleagues, school mates, and strangers. We get to introduce them to their Saviour, to help spiritually lost people understand that Christ was born in a cradle, only to die on a cross. Three wise men sought out Jesus. I believe there are still “wise” men, women, students, and children seeking him in 2023. People who want to give him a gift… their heart and life. Let’s go find them!

My blog will be back on January 8, 2024. I hope you have a blessed Christmas and New Year with your loved ones!

Jesus, the Light of Christmas

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:00:00 PST

What might be the speed of light at Christmas?

I once heard this somewhat mysterious statement: “If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?” (Scientist, Steven Wright)

Hmm… any physicists out there who want to take a crack at answering this question? I think I’ll pass. Would this scene characterize light, or darkness?

The Christ of Christmas travelled from eternity, where time is not bound, to bring light amid the staggering darkness.

The prominent physicist and father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, once said: “The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person.”

Sarah, a Sunday school student, said: “Some people could not hear God’s whisper, so God sent Jesus to tell them out loud.”

Jesus’ own testimony is found in John 8:12: “I am the light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In this extraordinary claim, Jesus was boldly declaring that He was the Messiah. This is the second occasion that Jesus uses the familiar “I Am” formula (Exodus 3:14) to assert His divine nature. The Messiah is referred to as light in several Old Testament passages.

When Jesus shared these words, the “Feast of Tabernacles” was being celebrated within the temple. Likely Jesus had been standing in the “Court of the Women” in front of the four great golden candelabras, each with four large golden bowls full of oil lit on fire. Observers claimed the light was so brilliant that it lit up all of Jerusalem.

Jesus stood in front of this great fixture and said: “I AM THE LIGHT of the world.” The light emanating from the large candelabra was a symbol of the light their ancestors had been given by God to guide them on their dark journey.

Jesus stands before us stating that He is the promised Messiah, the Saviour who acts as THE light to guide all spiritually lost people to safety.

During a Christmas pageant where Jesus was represented by a bright light bulb in a cradle, a little girl noticed the light bulb flicker and burn out. She blurted out: “Who turned out Jesus!?”

Each of us has the potential to “turn off” Jesus in our lives. His light can make little transformative difference in our lives if we so choose. Let’s help others see the light this Christmas.

Don't miss your rendez-vous with Jesus

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 PST

One of my favourite verses in Scripture is Isaiah 58:11 (NLT).

“The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”

Marilyn and I moved into a bungalow four years ago. It is surrounded by gardens, a pond, and mature trees. I love gardening. There is so much to do. We spent a lot of time sitting in our new surroundings, listening to the birds and watching the roses bloom. Resting in the serenity of my garden refreshes me. The Lord promises to make our lives like “well-watered gardens” characterized by beauty, colour, fragrance, tranquility, and life — life abundant.

In one of the low points of his life, the Apostle Peter needed a tranquil, safe place to be with the restorer of his soul. He needed a safe place — a place of sanctuary.

Peter had just denied the Lord publicly three times. He was devastated, empty, and spiritually numb. And so, he withdrew. He escaped from the pain and ran to Galilee to do something very familiar. In John 21:3, Peter tells the disciples, “I’m going out to fish,” and six other disciples followed. They run away with Peter.

However, Jesus met Peter on the seashore and called Peter to meet with Him. Peter was a broken man whom Christ was preparing to become a rock.

Jesus does a few things when we need to be spiritually restored. In John 21 we learn that:

Jesus built a fire. It was a safe place away from all the noise. Jesus wants to establish a quiet place for us to regularly meet with Him.

Jesus cooked a meal. It was a fish dinner to help replenish Peter’s strength. To help Peter refocus and gain perspective.

Jesus spoke comforting words. Jesus was Peter’s special friend. His words nourished and lifted Peter’s spirit.

It was twenty-five years ago this fall that Marilyn and I visited the “Holy Land” with a group of other pastors and their spouses. It was a life-changing experience quite frankly. Our guide took us to a rocky beach by the Sea of Galilee and we reflected on this story in John 21. We were given free time to meet with the Lord. It was a time of refreshing for me where I built a small altar of rocks to remember this occasion. I’ve often wondered if it is still standing.

We all need “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:10). Occasions for Jesus and His Word to speak into our heart and soul.

In this safe place, Christ’s words helped Peter to deal with his weariness, pain, and sense of shame in a healthy way. Peter’s spiritual life was refueled and refreshed. His life became a “well-watered garden” once again.

What words of comfort did you receive from Jesus today? If you missed time with the Lord today, make sure tomorrow morning you find a safe place to meet with Him and be replenished. Let your life be characterized as a beautiful, lush, well-watered garden. Please don’t miss your rendezvous with Jesus tomorrow.

Click here to view Steve’s Holy Land sketch book.

Status Report on Fellowship National's Five-year Strategic Plan

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 PST

Fellowship National is in year three of a five-year strategic plan.

Our five-year strategic plan entitled “Catalyze: Disciples Making Disciples Everywhere” spans the years between September 2021 to August 2026.

Imagine our Fellowship ministries being a catalyst for disciple-making in Canada and among the nations through partnership with our local churches and Regions:

Imagine over 70 newly appointed missionaries sent to make disciples.

Imagine 180 Fellowship chaplains serving in marketplace ministries and witnessing hundreds of professions of faith.

Imagine over $4.5 million raised through partnership with our churches and donors toward relief, development, and justice projects.

Imagine over 1,000 child sponsors caring for children in ministry locations in Honduras, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, and Sri Lanka.

Imagine new churches planted in Francophone Canada and the rest of Canada through the visionary efforts of our Regions and churches.

Imagine our Fellowship Foundation (est. 2015) growing to $16 million to help support future Fellowship Gospel initiatives.

Imagine dozens of equipping resources created and available for our churches, pastors, missionaries, and chaplains.

I encourage you to take a peek at the 12-page Fellowship National Strategic Plan and learn more about how Fellowship National hopes to facilitate our churches’ missional dreams and initiatives by supporting the sending of your missionaries, appointing chaplains, establishing Francophone church plant partnerships, alleviating suffering around the world, providing pension and health care to our clergy, and facilitating the generosity of God’s people through estate and legacy preparation.

Here you can find the FNSP 2021-2026 outcomes for Canada’s Mission and International Mission.

Please join our National Council and staff in praying that God might continue to do a good thing within the Fellowship over the next three years. To God be the glory!

Our Fears can Sting

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 PST

Our fears can sting!

Listen to this verse from Genesis 6:9 (NLT): “Noah consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with him.”

Do you long to walk in a close, tender, current, daily walk with God?

One of the greatest thrills of my life, when my three children were young, was coming home, opening the door, and seeing Katelyn, Alec, and Jessie running towards me for a hug. Daddy was home. That was 30 years ago. Now, only my dogs come running when I open the front door. And sometimes, they’re not too friendly.

We make God smile when we come running to love and trust Him. Noah trusted God completely. His faith was incredible: he built a ship based on a conversation he had with God. Read Hebrews 11:7 (MSG): “By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land...As a result, Noah became intimate with God.”

Am I saying, build a boat and you’ll be closer to God? Not likely. But, I am suggesting that trust has something to do with intimacy.

As a toddler, my son Alec struggled at bath time. He found it difficult to completely trust me. He hated water poured over his head and feeling the water stream across his face. I would tell Alec to put his head right back so I could pour the shampoo on, lather it up, and pour water to remove it. But, no matter how often he tried to trust his daddy, eventually, he would tip his head up and the soapy water would cascade into his eyes. The shampoo would sting his eyes and make bath time a misery.

His fear always seemed to overcome his trust. Our fears can sting. They can momentarily blind us from seeing the truth of God’s constant faithfulness in our lives.

To trust God is to believe that God knows what’s best for you, and trust has so much to do with opening the door to a loving, tender, and intimate relationship with God.

On-time Training for Ministry Workers

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 PST

Dealing with information overload is everyone’s challenge.

The Equip series, a new resource provided by Fellowship Chaplaincy, offers a response to this reality. Out of their training and experience, Fellowship chaplains have been invited to write brief introductory texts on relevant topics, focusing on the practical. These texts are narrated and put into a video format in both English and French. Averaging 8-10 minutes in length, Equip videos provide helpful information and guidelines to help initiate any ministry personnel in pertinent matters related to serving others. We’re so grateful for our trained chaplains who are more than happy to share their knowledge and experience with all who seek to be effective in their work with people both outside and inside our churches.

Fellowship Chaplaincy is pleased to provide the Equip series. Here are several videos in the series:

Confidentiality by Todd Riley (chaplain to firefighters, Mississauga, ON)

How to Listen by Larry Freeman (former hospital and long-term care chaplain, Owen Sound, ON)

Critical Theory 1 and 2 by Neil Shenvi (used with permission)

Loss and Grief by Shannon Pharoah (hospital chaplain, Guelph, ON)

Visit the Fellowship National website (fellowship.ca/EquipVideos) to view the Equip videos in both English and French. There will be a growing library of topics available in the months and years to come. While these brief videos were created to provide practical ministry advice to our Fellowship chaplains, they can also provide sound counsel for pastors, church leaders, and church members on topics helpful for the Church. Use them in your staff meetings, growth groups, mentoring ministry, or for individual edification.

I trust you will find them a helpful resource.

You're looking good at 70!

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 PST

Today we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of our Fellowship of churches at FNC 2023 in Toronto.

If you’re at FNC 2023 – I trust this will be a memorable experience for you as we look back and pray forward.

Our special speakers, Dr. Ed Stetzer and Dr. Michael Haykin, will be addressing our theme: “Here We Stand”. Standing for the truth of the Gospel as we continue to go and make disciples who make disciples.

Please pray for our National Conference as we gather together for worship and workshops along with discussion surrounding our Affirmation of Faith review. The AoF Team who is helping to navigate the three-year review process will be reporting on progress while the delegates vote on a Motion to broaden the scope of the revision task.

Please take a peek at our recent edition of THRIVE and learn more about our Fellowship’s past 70 years!

Thousands of kids hear the Gospel!

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 PST

Tomorrow, children across Canada will be on the streets looking to fill their sack with candy and treats. Not celebrating All Saints Day, but Halloween.

Our Fellowship International department provides a ministry to support our local churches in penetrating their community with the Gospel. Our EPIC and Onside ministry helps local churches reach children and their families in weekly programs, summer sports ministry, and short-term mission trips.

The ministry just finished a stellar summer supporting many of our Fellowship churches putting on excellent week-long summer programs.

I asked Rev. Mark Hymus, Coordinator of Partner Engagement and Development for EPIC and Onside, to tell us about the ministry:

Chances are, if you are reading this, your life has been impacted in some way by the Sunday School movement of the past. Maybe it was you, maybe it was your parents, maybe you got picked up by a bus, or maybe you helped teach the kids that came from the community every week to have fun and learn about the Gospel. I was recently having a discussion with Dwayne Cline, and he said, “I think this is the Sunday School movement of the future.” At first, I wasn’t sure what to think about this, but as I thought about it more, about all the kids from the community that would have never otherwise come to a church, would never have heard the Gospel, I understood what he was saying and could see the truth in it. We have a longer mission statement but in its root we say EPIC and Onside exists to connect churches to their communities and as we continue to partner with more churches, we are seeing more kids, who would otherwise never come to a church and never hear the Gospel, being connected with the local church.

Over the past year, it has been incredible to witness God’s work as EPIC and Onside collaborated with churches to provide over 15,000 meals to children in low-income areas. Additionally, we had nearly 6,000 kids participate in our camps, leagues, and other programs. We distributed over 300 Bibles and witnessed 58 children making the decision to follow Christ.

We invite you to join us on this journey, whether through prayer, as a church, or by providing financial support, as we continue to engage with a community that is continuously growing towards an unreached people group.

EPIC and Onside exists to help our local churches provide world-class kids’ outreach ministry. For more information, please go to epicandonside.ca or fellowship.ca/EPICandOnside and feel free to contact our two EPIC and Onside Coordinators, Mark Hymus (mark@epicandonside.ca) and Justin Anderson (justin@epicandonside.ca). They will both be attending FNC 2023 next week (November 6-8) in Toronto. Visit the Fellowship International display and chat with them.

How do Fellowship National and Fellowship Regions support our local churches?

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 PST

How do our Regional and National ministries support our local churches to fulfill all God intended them to be and do?

Several years back hundreds of Fellowship pastors and leaders were involved in the formation of an overarching mission document for our association of churches. The result was our “We are the Fellowship” mission document which briefly states our mission, vision, values, and strategy as a Fellowship of 527 local churches across Canada. You can see the document and a brief four-minute video describing this document here.

Our mission statement says we are:

“A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Our vision statement says:

“We serve together to ensure every church has unforgettable Kingdom impact.”

HOW DO WE HELP Churches Experience an Unforgettable Kingdom Impact?

What do our Fellowship Regions and National Fellowship do to help support our local churches on mission? A good question. This question was also tackled by our leaders. The outcome was a simple brochure entitled “Support for Fellowship Churches” that was prepared to communicate how both National and Regional are working together to support our local churches.

How does National support our five Regions in serving our churches?

Here are a few highlights:

Church planting: National highlights church planting God-stories in the Thrive magazine, website, and through other media. They also help to establish partnerships between Fellowship churches and Francophone church plants. Fellowship National gathers the Regional Church Planting Directors three or four times a year (they form the FAN team: Fellowship Advance Network) to share resources and best practices. National subsidizes a bi-annual church planter training conference.

Church health: Fellowship National provides access to a clergy-care hotline (1-888-5-CLERGY or clergycare.ca) for crisis member care of Fellowship pastors, missionaries, and chaplains. Church loans are also available to churches. National makes available pension and health care plans. Fellowship National gathers the Regional Church Health Directors three to four times a year (they form CHaT: Church Health Advance Team)

Leadership Development: Fellowship National celebrates leadership development God-stories through literature, on our website, and through social media. They also work with Regions to help facilitate the sharing of resources, information, and best practices.

How do our five Regions support our National Fellowship in serving our churches?

Highlights include:

Fellowship International: Regions provide opportunities for International department staff to meet with Regional clusters, associations, and groups of pastors when possible. They also assist with connecting missionaries to churches.

Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR): Regions help create awareness of FAIR projects and programs, and provide opportunities for the FAIR Director to meet with Regional clusters, associations, and groups of pastors. They also promote FAIR through Regional literature and during conferences, highlighting the humanitarian needs being met through FAIR.

Fellowship Francophone: Regions assist National in creating awareness of francophone church planting needs. They also provide opportunities for Fellowship National staff to meet with supporters in the Region.

Fellowship Chaplaincy: Regions help promote the need for chaplains and assist with recruitment. They also help in the credentialing of chaplains.

Fellowship Services: In addition to promoting healthcare and pension plans to churches, Regions also make this information available during new pastor/church orientation.

As we partner and collaborate together on mission, while sharing our common beliefs and values, may we continue to experience the “more fruit” that Jesus refers to in John 15.

What do women think about ministry engagement in a typical Baptist church? - Part two

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 PST

For the most part, most of our Fellowship of churches are classified as smaller churches (40–150 members).

I recently got some great stats on our Fellowship churches from a 2022 Canadian-evangelical “Small Church Survey”. Over 200 of the respondents to the survey were from the Baptist tradition.

Last week, I shared some statistics on my blog regarding who completed the survey and a description of a small church. I encourage you to look at the entire report prepared by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

I hope the following will whet your appetite to do so.

Description of Baptist Small Church Pastors

63% of respondents aged 18-54 chose local church pastoral ministry as their “first” career.

56% of respondents older than 55 chose pastoral ministry as a “second” career.

Average amount of time serving in current pastoral position, by age range:

Age

Years

25 – 34

2.7 years

35 – 44

6.1 years

45 – 54

8.9 years

55 – 64

12.7 years

65+

14.4 years

Clergy respondents’ highest level of theological education, by age range:

Aged 18-54

Aged 55+

Diploma/training

8

21

Bachelor’s degree

24

30

Post-graduate degree

81

45

Clergy respondents’ typical behaviour on their day(s) off each week:

Number of days per week

No emails or calls

Some emails or calls

Take emails and calls

2 or more days

20%

67%

13%

1 to under 2 days

24%

61%

15%

Less than 1 day

30%

40%

30%

No typical pattern

0%

67%

33%

Primary responsibility as a pastor of a small church:

- Preaching/administering the ordinances: 36%

- Equipping members for ministry: 21%

- Discerning God’s will for the church: 17%

- Leadership and vision: 10%

- Shepherding the congregation: 7%

- Other: 9%

Pastors’ perceived areas of ministry strengths and weaknesses:

Ministry Area

Strength

Weakness

Neither

Preaching

91%

4%

5%

Leading small groups

83%

7%

10%

Teaching adults

79%

7%

14%

Prayer

64%

18%

18%

Casting vision

59%

24%

17%

Visitation

55%

30%

16%

Counseling

53%

30%

18%

Leading worship

48%

33%

20%

Administration

42%

41%

17%

Working with youth

35%

35%

29%

Technology

41%

39%

20%

Working with children

29%

41%

30%

Pastors predicted likelihood of being in ministry one year from now:

- Very likely: 66%

- Likely: 22%

- Unsure: 6%

- Unlikely: 4%

- Very Unlikely: 2%

Engagement with National and/or Regional Offices

82% of respondents agreed (strongly: 40%, moderately: 42%) that people in their congregation know the denomination or association the church belongs to.

61% of respondents agreed (strongly: 27%, moderately: 34%) they have a “friend” in their Regional or National ministry centre.

40% of respondents agreed that they receive more reliable support from ministry networks than from their Regional or National office.

21% of respondents agreed (strongly: 5%, moderately: 16%) their denominational leaders are not very accessible in general, only in a crisis.

Female respondents on women’s ministry engagement in FEBC small churches

Only 15% of female respondents agreed (strongly: 5%, moderately: 10%) that their male ministry peers were more likely to accept them in their pastoral role than the congregation.

70% of female respondents agree it was difficult to access female ministry mentors.

35% of female respondents agreed (strongly: 5%, moderately: 30%) that they were often ignored or talked over by men in a room of ministry peers.

30% of female respondents agree and 70% disagreed that only denominational leaders could truly understand the challenges women face as women in ministry.

Networks that respondents participated in over the past 12 months:

Female

Male

Denominational training events

80%

67%

Ministerial training events

45%

36%

Small church network

30%

33%

Continuing education

30%

26%

Leadership conference

15%

14%

A big thank you to the EFC’s Head Researcher, Rick Hiemstra, for tweaking the survey results to supply these Baptist-specific small church survey results. Over two blogs, I’ve only given you a taste of what is available in the report. I encourage you to take a peek.

Some stats that describe a typical Fellowship church - Part one

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 PST

The majority of our Fellowship family is an association of small local churches seeking to be a faithful witness in their community.

SMALL CHURCH SURVEY

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) along with several partner denominations completed a survey among Canadian evangelical churches in 2022. I encourage you to read this informative analysis: Significant Church: Understanding the Value of the Small Evangelical Church in Canada. [FR1]

OUR DENOMINATION’S STATISTICS

The EFC’s head researcher, Rick Hiemstra, recently supplied me with specific statistics associated with small churches. Over 200 of the survey’s 569 respondents were from the Baptist tradition, including 64 from The Fellowship.

Here are some statistics to whet your appetite:

Who in our denomination completed the survey:

Distribution by province:

- BC: 27

- AB: 11

- SK: 7

- MB: 8

- ON: 78

- QC: 30

- NB: 14

- NS: 21

- PEI: 4

- YK and NU:

Marital status by gender:

Female

Male

Married

75%

97%

Single

10%

1%

Divorced

10%

0%

Separated

0%

1%

Widowed

5%

1%

Percent of adult congregation born outside of Canada:

- Less than 25%: 67%

- 25% to 49%: 14%

- 50% to 70%: 10%

- 75% or more: 4%

- Don’t know: 5%

Respondents’ highest level of education:

- Highschool: 45

- Certificate/Diploma: 33

- Bachelor’s degree: 75

- Doctorate: 6

- Other: 4

Description of a Baptist Small Church

Year the church was founded:

- 2010 – present: 26 churches

- 1980 – 2009: 37 churches

- 1950 – 1979: 47 churches

- Before 1950: 78 churches

- 1900 – 1909: 12 churches

*Special Note: The Fellowship planted 87 new churches from 1990 to 2000 and 106 new churches from 2010 to 2022.

Year the church moved into its current worship space:

- 2020 to present: 17 churches

- 2010 – 2019: 34 churches

- 2000 – 2009: 21 churches

- 1990 – 1999: 20 churches

- 1980 – 1989: 12 churches

- 1970 – 1979: 12 churches

- 1960 – 1969: 24 churches

- 1950 – 1959: 13 churches

- Before 1949: 50 churches

Characteristics that describe the church:

- Family-like: 75%

- Welcoming: 67%

- Faithful: 65%

- Community-minded: 38%

- Rural: 31%

- Cliquey: 14%

- Needy: 12%

- Insular: 8%

- Toxic: 5%

State of financial health:

- Excellent: 16 churches

- Good: 22 churches

- Tight but manageable: 20 churches

- Some difficulty: 3 churches

- Serious difficulty: 3 churches

Congregational community engagement in the previous five years:

- Fun outreach event: 56%

- Sent ministry team: 48%

- Food hampers: 48%

- Vacation Bible School: 47%

- Free meal program: 41%

- Public concert: 32%

- Thrift store/Food bank: 24%

- Evangelism ministry: 19%

- Local disaster relief: 13%

- Community survey: 3%

- Public Bible reading: 3%

Planned preaching or teaching topics on current issues for the upcoming year:

Male Respondents

Female Respondents

No plans

52%

45%

LGBTQ+

31%

25%

Racism

26%

45%

Abortion

17%

5%

COVID-19

15%

15%

Women in Ministry

14%

5%

Euthanasia (MAiD)

13%

5%

Residential School graves

11%

25%

Climate Change

10%

15%

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person attendance after lock-down averaged:

Attendance Range

Percentage of Churches

0 - 50

67%

51 – 100

26%

101 – 150

4%

151 +

2%

Next week I plan to share some further stats on Baptist small churches concerning church health, denominational engagement, and what women are saying about ministry involvement. Stay tuned…

Keep your ears open

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 PST

Thanksgiving weekend is coming!

Are you ready? Ready to eat turkey, ham, and pumpkin pie?

We have so much for which to be thankful. God is so good. I thought I would offer you something delicious as we anticipate our thanksgiving dinners—a healthy, heaping portion of God’s Word from Isaiah 55:1-3 (NLT):

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength [satisfaction]? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.”

Read those verses over three times and ask yourself what the Lord is encouraging you to pursue. Read them another three times and the Spirit of God will surely speak to you today.

So much in life drains us. We’re parched spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. What things are robbing you from your reservoir these days… those things that give you no strength? Big promises are made, but the outcome falls flat. No satisfaction. The solution is in verse 3: “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen and you will find life.”

Look and see that the Lord is good. On behalf of our entire Fellowship National staff and Fellowship National Council, I want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

The Fellowship's shared, unified Mission

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 PST

How would you describe our primary and singular mission as a movement of Fellowship Baptist churches? Why do we exist?

Everyone knows the world-famous scientist, Stephen Hawking, author of the bestseller “A Brief History of Time”. Steven Hawking could not speak. But he always had a lot to say. About a decade ago his name and prestige were borrowed for a scientific research institute in Kitchener, ON. Two hundred and fifty physicists gathered to dream about the “one singular theory” that explains the entire universe. It is being pursued in a multi-disciplinarian fashion with the “family of sciences” gathering to hash out the singular understanding of the universe.

The Fellowship is made up of many autonomous bodies spinning in their own orbits, however they exist with the gravitational pull of desire, longing, and heritage to fellowship together. We are local churches, associations, Regions, a National and international ministry all autonomous, but linked together in a beloved relationship to accomplish a SINGULAR mission. What is our singular theory that explains our very existence? What would you suggest is our movement’s “Unified Theory” or “Unified Mission” that makes sense of our little universe?

If science is searching for the “Unified Theory” for the universe, what would you say is our Fellowship’s “Unified Mission” as a Canadian and international mission movement? Could you describe it in a word, a phrase, or a sentence? We’ve described it in a phrase:

“We are the Fellowship.”

Several years back we conducted four major surveys, focus groups across the country, leadership retreats, and town hall meetings (from 2012-2014) to answer this very question. I tallied all the Fellowship pastors, leaders, and members involved in the three-year process. About 700-800 people were involved in some way.

Our Statement of Mission

The outcome: A Fellowship Direction Document (FDD), called “We Are the Fellowship”, was created and approved by Regional and National Councils stating the mission, vision, values, and strategic structure of the entire Fellowship movement. This document acts as a Statement of Mission for our Fellowship and serves as one of two identity documents alongside our Statement of Faith (which declares what we believe) in declaring who we are and what we do.

Our singular mission: The Fellowship (local churches, Regions, and National ministries) is

“A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ.”

This single phrase encapsulates the Fellowship’s “one singular theory”—our mission in a sentence. Check out the following four-minute video that wonderfully describes our mission, vision, and identity as an association of Baptist churches. Consider using this video in your membership class as a way to introduce new members to the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada, or as part of the upcoming Fellowship Day of Prayer on Sunday, November 12.

We Are the Fellowship video

1 in 3 Christian Marriages Experience Abuse

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 PST

Let’s address an often hidden reality in our local churches.

Abuse. Specifically marital abuse. Dr. Jack Taylor recently started a new ministry, “One-Heart Coaching”, a coaching and counseling ministry for Christian leadership marriages. Jack is no stranger to the Fellowship. A former Fellowship pastor, missionary to Africa, Christian counselor, author, and mystery novelist who makes his home in Vancouver, BC.

I asked Jack to address the sensitive subject in the following article:

Has COVID-19 ripped apart the façade of what happens behind closed doors in Christian homes or has it always been like this? Or, in these current times, has our understanding and definition of what abuse looks like broadened enough to include one out of every three marriages? According to the CEO of WINGS (Women in Need Gaining Strength), Lorrie Wasyliw, “the statistics are now the same for Christian or secular marriages when it comes to abuse.” Ninety percent of abuse is focused against women.

The United Nations defines violence against women and girls as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”. If this definition stands, then 51% of Canadian women will experience some form of violence after they turn 16 but only 14% will find the courage and strength to report it. Only one in five will turn to anyone outside the home for help.

According to Monarch Place Transition House, “Abuse is a pattern of behaviour used by an abuser to establish power and control over another person. Underlying all abuse is a power imbalance between the person and their abuser.” WINGS states on their website that “Psychological and emotional abuse are as damaging as physical abuse to a woman’s self-esteem. Forms of abuse include: excessive possessiveness, threats of suicide, threats of violence, threats of endangering children, restricting activities, isolation from family and friends, forcing degrading activities, verbal insults, put-downs, name calling, controlling money and decision making, threatening and/or harming pets, destroying personal property.”

MH, in a letter, explains her story. “Raised in a Christian home, I was immersed in a culture that taught Biblical truths and principles that created the framework for my life – how I looked on the outside, how I behaved, how I engaged the world around me, how I interacted with God, and fundamentally, how I thought…So, as a young woman, committing myself in marriage to a man, I believed as I had been taught— that marriage was a lifetime commitment and that no matter what challenges life presented, our faith in God’s sovereignty and His power would see us through. I was taught that my husband had ultimate authority in the home, and my role was to support him and defer to his authority when we could not agree. A good wife would meet his needs and by honouring him, she was honouring God.”

Wasyliw says that not all pastors preach clearly that God hates abuse and they don’t always make themselves approachable on the issue. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” is her mantra. One woman who approached her pastor was left with the thought that she needed to submit, bake more cookies, and provide better sex. The husband held a significant position in his church, was well liked and it was clear that the woman was not believed. “You never know what a person is capable of doing behind closed doors,” Wasyliw says.

“Family violence and abuse affects all levels of society. It involves all cultural groups, ages, economic classes, and religions. The younger and poorer are more vulnerable. Physical, verbal, emotional and sexual abuse is epidemic.”

MH says, “It took a very long time for me to understand that I was living with abuse and that God does not sanction it. When I reflect on my relationship with my former husband, I can see the red flags were there, the moments in the courtship that would have caused alarm in a more informed person. In fact, others tried to warn me that there was an inherent problem in the relational dynamic. However, I brushed off their concerns, nurtured my dreams, and marched headlong into marriage, committing it to God – just like so many others before me.”

A cycle of abuse often has three distinct phases—each abusive in its own way. There is often a phase of blow-up where harmful behaviour occurs. There is a phase of make-up where wrongdoing is recognized; guilt, regret, shame, and remorse are expressed; promises are made to reform or get help; and behaviour is modified with a lot of attention given. Then a phase of build-up starts where promises aren’t kept; excuses are made; bad behaviour is justified; blame is dispensed; red flags are ignored; focus is put on the abused partner’s behaviour; tension, stress, frustration, resentment, fear, worry, anger, loneliness, and hurt build up; and then unmet needs lead to another blow-up.

Numerous resources are available to help support caregivers when abuse arises. Raising awareness is crucial and websites like theraveproject.com or www.monarchplace.org will give a broader picture of what is involved.

MH notes that, “Awareness changed everything. I will never forget that day, the day when I felt another horror – the horror of recognition. I was a victim of abuse. I was not battered physically, but I had all the wounds and scars of decades of abuse. Finally, I had some clarity. The fog lifted and I was able to see how my actions would never elicit the response I longed for from my husband. He operated from one set of fundamental beliefs and I operated from another. I recognized that I had been living through cycles of abuse and I acknowledged that without changing his core beliefs, change would never happen. I appealed to my husband to get appropriate counselling. However, he could not own his abuse long enough to get the help he needed. I knew that until he recognized that his belief system dictated his behaviour and that his behaviour in his intimate relationships was abusive, he would not change. And, I did not believe that God required me to be a victim of abuse. I believed that God wanted something much more. I believed that my responsibility to my children and to my God was to create an environment where they felt safe and valued, a context where the individual was honoured and respected.”

Hidden secrets can create public pain in ways we don’t imagine. It is time for evangelicals to create places and spaces for healing, and hope for homes and families who for too long have lived in the shadows of fear and abuse.

Thanks, Jack, for sharing this sobering post. It is a keen reminder of our need to walk in Christ’s shadow as we not only encourage, uplift, and love our spouse, but seek to come alongside those in our congregations and circles of influence who may be struggling in their own marriages.

Sources:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/faqs/types-of-violence#:~:text=Violence%20against%20women%20and%20girls%20is%20defined%20as%20any%20act,public%20or%20in%20private%20life.

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Please pray for the children

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 PST

Since September 2019 our Fellowship of churches has been involved in the care of five development projects for children in four countries: Honduras, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka.

Over 400 members of the Fellowship family have already chosen to sponsor a child in one of these ministries, resulting in over 620 sponsorships.

This Autumn, the FAIR special Appeal is Journey with a Child, an opportunity for Fellowship folks to give to one or more of these projects or prayerfully consider sponsoring one of the children within the program. FAIR Projects and Promotions Coordinator Denise Wicks explains:

The Fellowship Child Sponsorship program provides holistic care that is designed to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable children and families in the world. Because the ministries serve children, they need outside help to make sure operations can continue as sustainably as possible or when new needs arise. That’s exactly what the focus of FAIR’s Journey with a Child Fall special appeal is.

FAIR is seeking to raise $200,000 to support the work of Casa Hogar (Honduras), Cedar Home (Lebanon), Clementia Life Centre (Lebanon), and Joy Foundation (Dominican Republic). Each ministry location was asked to share what they currently need to either increase the stability and sustainability of the ministry, or to empower the children as they transition to adulthood. Funds raised through this appeal will be equally divided amongst these locations. Through Journey with a Child, we are also seeking 100 new sponsorships for each location at $35/month ($420/year) to help provide stable funding.

We’ve all felt the impacts of inflation, and the ministries within the Fellowship Child Sponsorship program are no different. By supporting Journey with a Child and becoming a sponsor today, you can help ensure that children in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Lebanon continue to receive holistic care, giving them love for today and hope for tomorrow.

Casa Hogar (Honduras) is seeking to establish a continuing education grant fund to bless those children graduating from high school and moving on to post-secondary education. Cedar Home (Lebanon) is seeking to purchase and install rooftop solar panels to decrease their dependence on their diesel generator. Clementia Life Centre (Lebanon) and Joy Foundation (Dominican Republic) are both seeking to increase financial stability and will use funds raised towards their operational budget.

Thank you for considering how the Lord would have you participate in this impactful ministry. Our hope is that by 2026, we will have 1,000 Fellowship sponsors. Could you possibly be one of them?

Fellowship church members and pastors serving as Fellowship chaplains - a story.

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship Chaplaincy ministry has grown from 27 chaplains in 2012 to 143 chaplains to date.

Fellowship chaplains seek to “demonstrate Christ’s love while being an extension of the local church.” Our chaplains often minister in closed communities. Places where churches and clergy are not permitted to visit. A pastor can’t walk into a police station to minister, but a chaplain can.

While more than 50 Fellowship chaplains are generally involved in full-time chaplaincy, known as employee chaplains (they raise their own support) or partner chaplains (they work for an institution), the majority are volunteer chaplains, members of a local church who serve in their community as an extension of the local church. They are a group of highly committed servants who share Christ while extending compassion and care.

I’d like to introduce you to a couple of our volunteer Fellowship chaplains:

“For almost 35 years, I have been with the Lord. I am a passionate person and give 100% in all I do. I have always been involved in several ministries. As a mom of four and a teacher, I got involved in Sunday School ministry and Bible studies. I am very keen to share the wonderful Gospel message that has changed my life.

As a chaplain involved at our community store, I gave a “Discovering the Bible” workshop. I really appreciated the approach and so did my participants. For the past few years, I have been involved with my church's food bank. I do the registration and it gives me the opportunity to meet people and make connections.

Since there are many newcomers who speak Spanish, I decided to learn this beautiful language so that I could help these people learn French. I am trusting God that in the future I will be able to like to visit these families or maybe create a small conversation group in French.

At Christmas and Easter for the past few years, I have been giving DIY kits from the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) ministry to the families of the food bank. This spring, I am organizing an Easter party for the children of the families of the food bank and community store with the ministry of CEF.

I can see how God uses what He has put in me (a love for children, love of studies, strong ability to build relationships, ability to listen and show compassion, desire to share the Gospel) to serve Him and, if possible, lead people to Jesus by His grace. I let myself be guided by God and I expect Him for the future.”

— France Tousignant serves as a volunteer community chaplain in St-Hyacinthe, QC.

“I moved to Ottawa with my husband and one of our two daughters in summer 2019. I've been a stay at home mom and also enjoyed volunteering at my church and school over the years. When the pandemic happened, it was a time of real soul-searching for me, as my youngest daughter graduated from high school in 2020 and I found myself with a lot of time on my hands in a new city far from friends and family. I began asking God to show me what he wanted me to do.

I had already been drawn to the English as a Second Language (ESL) ministry in our church which serves newcomers to Canada. As a lover of travel, cultures, and geography I thoroughly enjoy meeting people from around the world and listening to and learning from them! We adapted to the pandemic by continuing our program on Zoom where we had people join locally and literally from around the world. During this time, I became the coordinator for the ESL ministry, and sensed God's answer to my question of what He would have me do with the excess time I had on my hands. His answer was: it's not what I do, but who I am that He (miraculously) loves and desires! This is the message that I hope to convey to others, especially those who may feel undervalued in our society.

We are thankfully now back in person at the local public library again, while continuing to offer Zoom to those who prefer or need it. On the advice and encouragement of our pastoral team, I decided to pursue chaplaincy last year. It's great being able to bring God's presence into a government/public setting like the library and connect with people in and outside of the classroom setting. I've been able to develop closer friendships with several students and I continue to meet with them and have been able to pray and share with them as well. I've also had the privilege of meeting with people in the community who are housebound.

My prayer is that I will be able to clearly share God's love and peace with everyone I meet, to continue to build relationships, and help people in any way I can. I know God will continue to guide my path and I look forward to where He will lead me in the future.”

— Dorothy Bouwman is a volunteer community chaplain in Ottawa, ON.

Our chaplains reported that in 2022 they were involved in:

Intentional encounters: 6,094

Purposeful conversations: 3,125

Discovery engagements: 931

Professions of faith: 128

In the first few months of 2023, our Fellowship chaplains reported 31 professions of faith and 24 rededications to Christ.

God is doing a marvelous thing among the ministry of our Fellowship chaplains.

Please consider promoting this ministry in your local church and discover the faithful volunteers who desire to enter into closed communities as an extension of your local church ministry. Chaplaincy is a strategic tool for community engagement and our Fellowship Chaplaincy Coordinator, Larry Freeman (lfreeman@fellowship.ca) would love to hear from you. Or you can go online to fellowship.ca/FellowshipChaplaincy to discover more.

I was Mrs. MacBain's "prayer project"

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 PST

This is the second part of a two-part “A Word from Steve” blog on prayer.

Last week we identified four of five Big Prayer Asks:

ASK the Lord to send labourers (Luke 10:2)

ASK the Lord to touch the hearts of people (John 6:44)

ASK the Lord to show us people of peace (Luke 10:5-6)

ASK the Lord that every stronghold be broken (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Today we look at one final Ask:

ASK the Lord for multiplication, not just addition

We read in the Book of Acts:
“Then the word of God spread and the number of disciples MULTIPLIED greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7 NKJV)

I was speaking at a leadership conference in Beirut, Lebanon with several other Fellowship pastors last fall, 2022. Lebanon has been rocked to its very knees in recent years through the Syrian refugee crisis, an explosion in Beirut that left 200 dead and 1,000 homeless, the COVID-19 pandemic, and hyper-inflation—I heard of one Christian couple living in Beirut whose retirement nest-egg of $1 million had devalued to less than $50,000 over 18 months during 2021-2022. It is heartbreaking!

But someone must be praying.

Two million Syrian refugees have entered Lebanon in the past seven or eight years—and Lebanon is a country of only four million people. Our FAIR department helped 80 Fellowship churches sponsor 245 Syrian refugees to come to Canada,132 having arrived in Canada by September 2019.

But just for a moment, imagine two million new arrivals in a country of four million in just a few years. Then imagine Canada having to care for 19 million refugees crossing our borders in the past seven years. It would bankrupt us! What I discovered in the leadership conference I attended in Beirut was that many of the pastors had been refugees only a few years beforehand and many were ethnically of Kurdish descent. A different language, culture, and religion—largely Sunni-Muslim among the Lebanese Maronite Catholics. I spoke with a pastor whose church had 700 members and had baptized 84 new Kurdish believers in 2022! In the past few years it is estimated that one quarter of 500,000 Syrian refugees are Kurds, and of this half million, it is estimated that 125,000 to 175,000 Muslim Kurds have come to Christ.

This is a bona fide MOVEMENT of GOD and I promised these pastors I would tell Fellowship Baptists across Canada to start PRAYING for this wonderful “time of refreshing”. All of these Kurds are refugees, and so many are still being sponsored in other countries. The hope and prayer is that these former Muslims will become a “spearhead” into the Islamic World, starting not an “Arab Spring”, but a glorious “Arab Summer” where the full light of the Gospel continues to penetrate in remarkable ways.

Please join me in praying for this Movement of God in Lebanon. Join me also in praying for a movement of God to penetrate the spiritual darkness in Québec. And join me in fervently praying for Canada. I asked a group of denominational executives, several years back, what they thought of when they thought about Fellowship Baptists in Canada. The consensus was we’re known as “People of the Book”. Our theme in 2023 is Truth: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 ESV). I was happy with that general description, BUT, my growing conviction is that it has resulted in knowledge-based discipleship when we actually need to pursue a discipleship model that results in obedience. The best thing to fuel this is the “Practice of Extraordinary Prayer”. We must get serious about praying and become not just “People of the Book”, but “People of PRAYER”. Fellowship Baptists must become a “House of Prayer”.

When I was 23, I was asked by my school, Central Baptist Seminary, to be one of three students to speak at the annual convocation. I was nervous, even frightened by the prospect. I was to preach last and end with a stirring call to action. I preached my young novice heart-out.

After my 12-minute message, I was told Mrs. Maime MacBain wanted to see me. Now I was even more nervous—what did I say wrong?

Dr. Hal and Maime MacBain were “Abrahamic characters” in our Fellowship movement. Dr. MacBain was instrumental in the formation of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada, and our first President in 1953. I met Mrs. MacBain and she looked intensely into my eyes. I can still remember the intensity, like I was the only one in the very crowded room, when she said, “Steve, that was some good preaching tonight. I am committing to pray for you everyday for the rest of my life.” I was floored, humbled, and not sure anyone could really keep a promise like that.

The MacBains attended my in-laws’ church while in their retirement. Mrs. MacBain often stopped Mom in the church foyer asking for prayer requests for my family. At every National Conference she spent time with me catching up and asking for prayer requests, always asking what I was preaching on over the next year.

Years later, I arrived at her funeral. I was late. Toronto traffic. I think I was the last person to walk to the front of the church auditorium to pay my respects as Mrs. MacBain lay in her coffin.

I felt Dr. MacBain’s hand on my shoulder before I heard his deep, rich voice: “You know, Steve, she prayed for you EVERY DAY for years and years—I know because I was there.” After her home-going, I received a handwritten note from Dr. MacBain committing to “pick up the baton” and continue to pray for me everyday until his homegoing. His note is pinned to my office corkboard to remind me I’m not in this battle alone.

I’m incredibly humbled that Mrs. MacBain chose to pray for me every day. I am so grateful and can only imagine how her prayers have influenced my life, my ministry, and my family.

She modeled a commitment to prayer that I find inspirational. My sense is that it will only be this kind of commitment to prayer that is going to make a difference in the Church and in our country in the days to come. Something to think about.

My name is Steve Jones – and I thank God I was Mrs. Maime MacBain’s “prayer project”.

Five Big Prayer Asks

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 PST

Thirty years ago the “United Prayer Track for the AD2000 Prayer Movement” called on prayer intercessors worldwide during the month of October, 1993 to pray together for the 64 nations within the 10/40 Window, that a movement of God might begin. The organizers in the US hoped for one million intercessors and they got 22.5 million to sign up.

Two years later for the month of October 1995 they called on intercessors worldwide to pray for the “100 Gateway Cities” of the world. The organizers were blown away when 37.7 million intercessors from 120+ nations signed up.

Two years later in the month of October 1997, intercessors gathered to pray for the unreached People Groups of the world and over 40 million signed up.

Two years later in October 1999, over 50 million intercessors worldwide gathered together to pray for a breakthrough in the 21st century.

Did anything happen? Did anything change? What has been going on the past two decades? If today has been a typical day, 30,000 people in China, 20,000 people in Africa, and 10,000 people in South America all came to Christ! And our Fellowship chaplains reported 128 professions of faith in 2022 with another 31 in January and February of 2023.

Is this all just a great big coincidence?

A prayer movement has inaugurated and fueled every great movement of God in history. We see this in Scripture, we see this in Church history. My hope is that the Asbury Seminary Revival of this past February 2023 is the beginning embers of revival fire. I’d love to see Gen Zs lead the way. The AD2000 Prayer Movement was envisioned, planned, strategized, and financed by leaders in the United States but consistently, North American believers largely chose NOT to sign up to become intercessors. We are a “prayer-less” Church and our breathtaking decline in influence and size over the past 20 years is the result.

What must we do?

We must intentionally choose to PRACTICE EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER to fuel a movement of God in Canada. We must adopt an attitude that trusts completely in the Lord and believes in His adequacy, not our inadequacy. We must become desperately dependent on the Lord. We must become intercessors—“go-betweens”—between a thrice-Holy God and spiritually lost sinners. We must die to self and unashamedly reintroduce Canadians to their Saviour. It will be in this safe place that we find serenity, peace, and courage amid the cultural storms and obstacles currently before us.

PRAYER is the FUEL, the POWER that will enable and mobilize any great movement of God.

As leaders we need to teach, equip, train, coach, and most of all, model what it means to be a praying-disciple. The prophet Ezekiel tells us in Ezekiel 22:30 that God is looking for those who are willing to stand in the gap for Canada. The hardest thing about praying is the small gap between thinking and preaching about prayer, and actually praying. Who will do the actual praying? A little prayer leads to more prayer, and neglecting prayer leads to more neglect.

Several years ago, I was in a morning meeting with several of our leaders from Québec. At two minutes after 10am, their phones and computers began to beep and set off alarms. I asked, what was this was all about?! They told me: “Luke 10:2 (NIV): ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” At 10:02 every morning throughout Québec, various devices remind Fellowship folks to pray for workers to come to Québec and help reap the awaiting harvest. And in the past few years I believe it has started, as I hear of English Canadians moving to Québec along with other workers from the US, France, French Africa, the Caribbean, and hopefully Colombia soon. An answer to our prayers!

Brother Richard Houle and others are navigating an intentional prayer movement in Québec with 297 intercessors each taking one hour each week to pray—some intercessor has the 3am time slot every Tuesday morning. These intercessors also meet in 14 different prayer groups each month to help strengthen their resolve along with days of fasting and prayer.

We have not because we ASK not.

What do we need to ASK for? Briefly, here are FIVE critical ASKS that need to happen:

ASK the Lord to send labourers: Pray Luke 10:2.

Canada, not just Québec, needs workers to reap the harvest. We need to see Fellowship Baptists get on mission, a movement of Gen Z (ages 14-24) and Millennial (ages 25-40) prayer warriors unleashed, thousands of new immigrants and refugees given freedom in our churches to show us how to reach spiritually lost people, and prayer that many African and Asian missionaries to Canada will help show us how to evangelize Canadians for Christ.

Secondly, ASK the Lord to touch the heart of people:

John 6:44a (NIV) states: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them...” Pray for the Spirit of God to be loosed in our cities and communities, and pray that our local Churches actually notice it.

Third, ASK the Lord to show us “people of peace”:

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them…” Luke 10:5-6a (NIV). Pray for those who are open and will help build bridges in your community to others who are open to hearing about the Good News!

Next, ASK the Lord that every stronghold be broken:

2 Corinthians 10:4-5a (NIV) states that: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God…” As leaders we model what it means to pray against the darkness. Not just “nice” pastoral Sunday morning prayers about Aunt Martha’s dental surgery this Thursday, but WARFARE PRAYING. Praying against the strongholds in our communities and country. Our people will learn what it means to pray against strongholds when they witness their leaders and pastors doing it regularly.

February last year (2022), I popped into one of our churches to visit their brand-new pastor whom I knew and wanted to hear preach. I learned that morning that he had invited Heritage Seminary professor Dave Barker to preach that Sunday and had given him a specific assignment to preach from one of the many imprecatory Psalms. I had to admit that I had not heard, nor preached personally, from many of these Psalms that curse and spit out accusations. But Putin had just invaded Ukraine a week before, and Dr. Barker shared some sound Biblical imprecatory counsel for Vladimir! Our people need to hear the whole counsel of God, and pastors and leaders need to regularly model praying strongly against the strongholds in our communities.

There is one more “big ask”, but we’ll address that in next week’s A Word from Steve.

PRAYER—the practice of extraordinary prayer is the key to seeing a spiritual breakthrough in our lives, our churches, and our country. Please consider a renewed commitment to prayer in your life today.

Addressing mental health in our local churches

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:00:00 PST

My home church hosted a conference on mental health this Spring and began a counseling ministry a few years ago that trains (over the course of two years) lay people in providing spiritual and mental care for hurting people.

Our churches are recognizing the growing need to provide help and support to believers in our churches and people in the community. I’m recognizing the importance the GenZ (age 15-25) generation places on mental health, and so, if your church isn’t addressing this now, it will be in the near future.

Fellowship Chaplaincy and Mental Health

Many of our Fellowship community chaplains are compassionately caring for people in our communities that are struggling with mental health concerns.

I’d like to introduce you to one of our Fellowship chaplains, Allan Gallant, who ministers alongside his wife Bonnie. They have been used of the Lord to begin a ministry that seeks to support churches in helping people within their congregation and community who are struggling with mental health. Whether it’s resources, seminars, or tools, AGORA Network Ministry exists to help the Church.

The Executive Director is Rev. Allan Gallant, a long-time pastor within our Fellowship. Allan shares his story:

God uses all things for our good and His glory!

After a stroke in 2017, I began my toughest battle: a mental health collapse which put me in a deep depression and thoughts of suicide. I was admitted to a mental health hospital where I received some help, but I still needed more. After I was discharged, I struggled again, and so, looking for help I went to a local church. The counsel I received was to just pray more, read my Bible more, and trust God more, and I would recover. I did not!

I felt afraid, alone, hopeless, and panicked – was I ever going to feel good again? Would I ever feel like myself again? God always has a plan, and whatever God permits, He will use to accomplish good for those He loves. In God’s providence, He led me to a Christian psychiatrist who was able to help me get back to a healthy spot and give me hope again. I still battle with a mental health illness, but I’m not scared of it any longer, and He who began a good work in me, will carry it on to completion.

“What now?” was the question my wife and I were asking once I was feeling better and I felt hope again. As a pastor and ministry leader, what did God want for us now? Well, He showed us that He wanted me/us to use our experience to help the Church understand the mental health conversation and the stigma that is so prevalent among the Christian community. When the Church didn’t know how to help me, it stirred up a passion in me to change that narrative. So, AGORA Network Ministries was born. A mental health ministry that exists to be a source of mental wellness resources, and supports for the Church for greater mental wellness.

Today, we are a not-for-profit organization, led by an amazing Board of Directors and a gifted ministry team (agoranetworkministries.com). AGORA is providing in-person and online ministry to literally thousands of believers in Jesus across Canada and other parts of the world.

Here is a testimony:

“AGORA ministries has given me the hope and the tools that I have needed to work through mental health issues that run in our family. It was reassuring to know that we weren’t the only Christians that were struggling with mental health issues and knowing that it is more common than we think. Thank you, AGORA, for giving us a support system that is so needed for those struggling with depression and the family members that are trying to support their spouse or kids going through depression.”

I thought my ministry days were over, but God had other plans. Would this ministry exist if I didn’t experience what I did? Most likely, but I am so thankful that God used me and my wife to show how God turns our ugliness into something beautiful (Romans 8:28-29).

Please contact Allan and find resources and support to help people within your church family.

The good news is our 140+ Fellowship chaplains serving in 16 different contexts (e.g. First Response, airport, military, community, etc.) are making a significant impact.

Fellowship chaplains reported in 2022 that they were involved in:

Intentional Encounters: 6,094

Purposeful Conversations: 3,125

Discovery Engagements: 931

Professions of Faith: 128

In the first few months of 2023 our Fellowship chaplains reported 31 professions of faith and 24 rededications to Christ.

Any Fellowship church member or pastor can become a Fellowship chaplain. Our chaplains seek to “demonstrate Christ’s love as an extension of the local church.” Find out more by visiting fellowship.ca/chaplaincy or contacting Fellowship Chaplaincy Coordinator, Larry Freeman, (lfreeman@fellowship.ca).

You think you're having a BAD day?!

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 PST

The more we seek to live for Christ, the more we should expect opposition. Expect problems, disappointments, and even hostility as you step out in faith.

If you’re currently experiencing some tough days, be encouraged—you’re in good company. The Apostle Paul battled opposition constantly. When he entered Jerusalem after completing his third missionary journey, he and his party presented the collection of experiences which they had gathered. Here’s what happened:

First, Paul experiences opposition from within the church. Rumours surfaced that he had rejected Judaism.

Second, some Jews who were visiting from Ephesus (and had witnessed Paul’s great success in Ephesus) denounce him and stir up the masses with a riot in the temple courtyard.

Third, Paul’s life is in jeopardy until a Roman commander, Claudius Lysias, saves him from the crowd and a scourging having learned of Paul’s Roman citizenship.

Fourth, the Sanhedrin denounces Paul and his claims, and plot to take his life, which causes Claudius Lysias to send Paul to Caesarea.

Fifth, confined in Caesarea while awaiting his trial, Paul defends himself and Christianity before the Roman governor, Felix. The governor refuses to release Paul, either in an attempt to avoid antagonizing the Jewish authorities or because he was awaiting a bribe on Paul’s behalf.

Sixth, Paul waits two years while in confinement in Caesarea until the new governor,

Festus, gives Paul a second hearing. Paul appeals to the Roman emperor and before being sent to Rome, Paul defends himself to Herod Agrippa II and his sister, Bernice.

Ministry has certainly its ups and downs. Seriously following Christ will mean opposition.

Ron Edmondson wrote Biblical examples of opposition found in some Old Testament characters. With which of these men and their stories do you currently identify most?

David: fighting a giant

Joseph: preparing for the future (even a bleak future)

Gideon: feeling like you’re in over your head

Moses: feeling overwhelmed with responsibility

Abraham: leading into the unknown

Noah: standing alone in obedience

Who do you currently relate to? All of these men experienced opposition and disappointment in the midst of their life and ministry. Consider discovering what they did in the midst of fighting a giant, or preparing for the future, or feeling like they were in over their heads. Overcome the opposition by learning from those who have experienced the same things you’re currently experiencing. Learn from some tried and true overcomers!

Consider a right relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:00 PST

Is your church engaged with an Indigenous ministry or people in any way?

If not, I’d like to encourage you to prayerfully consider involvement and advocacy.

A few years ago, at an EFC President’s Day (October 2020), I was reminded of and challenged by the “Reconciliation Proclamation” of 1995. Leaders of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and partner denominations had discussed the document several years earlier in Winnipeg, MB (2014).

I meet with our Fellowship Regional leaders several times each year and occasionally ask what engagement our local churches are having among Indigenous communities. I am encouraged by stories of compassion and care, but also concerned that so few of our churches are considering engagement.

Reconciliation Proclamation

I encourage you to read the Reconciliation Proclamation document prepared at a Sacred Assembly of Indigenous believers and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada in Hull, QC on December 6, 1995. (Note: When the proclamation was drafted, First Peoples were referred to as “Aboriginal”. Today in Canada, “Indigenous” is a more accepted name for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.)

Federal Parliamentarian Elijah Harper invited the EFC to participate in the Sacred Assembly in 1995 to articulate a vision of what a right relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples might look like. Much of the discussion was based on discussions that occurred in 1994 (West Saint Paul, MB) among 30 First Nation and Métis Christian leaders, and leaders from World Vision and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

It remains an aspirational document and a call to engagement among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians in general, and specifically among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Christians (Galatians 6:10).

You may not agree with everything contained in the Reconciliation Proclamation. I imagine most won’t agree with every declaration or sentiment. My hope in reading the document is that this won’t become an exercise in parsing and dissecting the wording, but an opportunity to see the bigger picture. Much work still needs to occur in our country on this issue some 28 years on (1995-2023).

How might the Church—better yet, YOU—seek to be a solution?

How might your local church engage? How can the members of your church get involved? How do we empower Indigenous members/adherents of our churches to address and teach our churches concerning long-standing grievances and injustices? What Indigenous Christian ministry could your church contact to learn more and prayerfully consider partnership? This issue is important. What would Jesus have me do?

Leaders who row in circles?

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 PST

Leadership is a tricky thing. It’s often hard for human beings to handle leadership; we too often abuse our authority. The prevalent view in our own society is that leaders should not be trusted.

Instead of condemning leadership, Jesus chooses to redeem it. He speaks of servant-leadership—Jesus defines leadership as servanthood. Author Robert J. Banks writes: “We often talk about servant-leadership, but we get Christ’s emphasis backwards. We mix up what ought to be the adjective and what ought to be the noun. Servanthood is the primary calling, and leadership is but one form that servanthood takes. So, we really should be talking about LEADING-SERVANTS.”

I like that definition of Christian leadership; church leaders are servants who happen to lead.

Jim Collins, in his book “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies”, said that many companies suffer from the “tyranny of the oar”. Too many companies choose to emphasize values over profit, or vice versa. Successful businesses seek to do both. They promote high values and great profits, but there is a constant tension between the two. It’s like a group of rowers lined up in single-file in a boat. If they do not apply the same amount of tension, the boat will go around in circles. If they pull evenly, the boat moves in a straight line to their direction.

The important thing is to recognize that there’s a tension that needs to be overcome in order for the boat to move forward smoothly.

Christian leaders need to be fully aware of the tension in leadership. Some may emphasize the importance of servanthood, listening, and seeking group consensus. However, if we emphasize the importance of leadership and we focus on vision, mobilizing people, and achieving goals, and don’t take servanthood seriously enough, then people can feel manipulated, driven like they’re being used. If the oars are not pulled in unison or with the same tension… the boat (or church) goes in circles.

So, what are some of these tensions that need to be mastered by leading-servants?

Christian leaders must be decisive but submissive.

Servant leaders must be resourceful but utterly dependent.

Church leaders must assert themselves while also dying to self.

Leading-servants must have a tough-minded sense of purpose as well as tender-hearted compassion.

This is the kind of leadership Jesus models and expects of His leaders. Our Lord wants us to model this to His children. This is the great privilege and struggle of every Christian leader.

When my son Alec was an infant, he taught me something extraordinary. His first word was “mommy”, but his second was “daddy.” Soon after, he referred to his grandfather as “dada”, and God was “dado.” Daddy, Dada, Dado. I recognized my son’s conception of his Heavenly Father would largely be based on his understanding of his earthly father. This is a huge responsibility every father must recognize.

This is the responsibility of every Christian leader: to get the tension right and emulate servant-leadership, Jesus’ style of leadership. How has your rowing been these days?

Entry strategies provide opening for Gospel engagement

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship chaplains reported 128 professions of faith in 2022. We’re hearing about the “more fruit” (John 15) Jesus referred to once again in 2023. God is so good.

Our chaplains reported that in 2022 they were involved in:

Intentional encounters: 6,094

Purposeful conversations: 3,125

Discovery engagements: 931

Professions of faith: 128

In the first few months of 2023, our Fellowship chaplains reported 31 professions of faith and 24 rededications to Christ.

Fellowship Chaplains’ “Entry Strategy”

Over 140 Fellowship chaplains are finding strategic ways to enter into intentional, authentic, and genuine relationships in the workplace and community. One “entry strategy” for several Fellowship chaplains is through food banks and community stores. One Fellowship chaplain, who also serves as our Coordinator Assistant in Québec, is Rev. Donald Rodier. A community ministry that began in 2005 has significantly grown in scope and impact. I’ll let Donald tell the story:

Donald Rodier

Did you know that about a dozen Fellowship chaplains in Québec are associated with food banks and community stores? Let me introduce you to one of those organizations.

It is through the initiative of members of the Evangelical Baptist Church of St-Hyacinthe that the CEM (Centre d’Entraide Maskoutain) was born and developed. Starting as a food bank in our basement in 2005, this ministry grew to become a non-profit organization in 2007. Then, the CEM opened a community store to offer furniture, appliances, beds, mattresses, clothing, toys, sporting goods, etc., at low prices.

The CEM opened other food banks and stores that were later entrusted to local churches to take over their management (Granby, St-Césaire, and Rivière-du-Loup). Profits from store sales serve also to support food banks that serve approximately 200 families per week. I myself receive much of my missionary support as chaplain of the CEM store.

The CEM assists many people in distress each year by furnishing their homes and offering clothing at low prices, or sometimes for free, whether they are residents or newcomers in precarious situations. These people certainly need spiritual healing, but caring for their material and emotional needs in a selfless way often creates the bridge of trust necessary for spiritual discussions.

The CEM also allows several people who need to do community or compensatory services to do so in our store. Some enjoy the experience so much that they stay after completing their commitment (as volunteers or employees).

Beneficiaries often suffer from various ailments and isolation. The food bank, which is located in the basement of our church building, then becomes for them a social environment that alleviates their loneliness, and allows them to be heard and enjoy fellowship. They discover a welcoming community that becomes a kind of second family. Moreover, several beneficiaries of the foodbank have become volunteers after experiencing this Christian atmosphere. CEM offers something different to this world.

In addition to blessing the vulnerable members of our communities, this ministry allows us to shine in the midst of our cities and change the way people perceive us. Moreover, several well-recognized organizations in the city esteem us, send us people, and work with us.

Being a major charitable organization in St-Hyacinthe, the CEM enjoys recognition from the city authorities and a very favourable reputation, which automatically reflects on the Evangelical Baptist Church of St-Hyacinthe because it oversees the CEM.

This ministry also has the potential to change the way we see the churchless and to develop a burden for them in us (see Matthew 9:36). In recent years, not only have many Christians found a place to serve their neighbour, grow, and be a witness in their community, but in addition to this, many of the new believers among us are the fruit of this wonderful ministry.

Exposure to the Gospel in action makes recipients likely to ask questions about faith and it regularly opens the door to evangelism. So, we frequently have the opportunity to present the hope of the Gospel to those people who are often broken by the consequences of sin. What a privilege; what a grace!

Matthew 5:16 (ASV) “Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (See 1 Peter 1:12 also.)

Find out More
If you are interested in Fellowship Chaplaincy, find out more at fellowship.ca/FellowshipChaplaincy or contact Larry Freeman, our Fellowship Chaplaincy Coordinator, at lfreeman@fellowship.ca

Consider taking a chaplaincy course (taught by Fellowship leaders/chaplains) this Fall 2023 at one of our seminaries: SEMBEQ in Montréal, QC or Heritage in Cambridge, ON.

Find out more about church planting on a QVT

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 PST

Since 2015, churches across Canada have entered into “7x7=1” church planting partnerships:

7 churches committing for 7 years to help support 1 church plant in our AEBEQ Region

Over 80 Fellowship partnerships have been instrumental in establishing seven French church plants since 2015. Thank you for your love and commitment toward one of the greatest mission fields in Canada. With only 0.8% of French Canadians self-identifying as evangelical Christian, spiritually this makes Canada’s eight million francophones one of the neediest people groups in all the Americas.

Find out how your church can become part of the solution

If you would like to learn how you and your church can get involved in helping to plant a church in Québec, Fellowship National has a couple ways to do this:

Live Quebec Vision Tour (QVT) (October 16-18, 2023):

I, along with Fellowship Francophone Coordinator Hugo Ethier, will be hosting a 48-hour visit in and around the Montréal area from 4pm on Monday, October 16 to 6pm on Wednesday, October 18. You pay your way to Montréal by train, plane, or automobile and we take care of all your other expenses: hotel accommodation, food, and travel. This Québec Vision Tour (QVT) is available to all individuals or churches seriously and prayerfully considering a seven-year partnership and who want to see the available church plants.

Go to fellowship.ca/FrancophoneMinistry to read more about partnering, to see the “Reaching Francophone Canada” manual, and to view some of the church plant profiles.

Contact me at sjones@fellowship.ca if you have questions or want to join our next live QVT on October 16-18, 2023. Deadline to join us is September 8, 2023.

Virtual QVT (November 30, 2023):

If you prefer a virtual experience from the comfort of your home, we are hosting a virtual Québec Vision Tour over Zoom on Thursday, November 30 from 1:00pm-3:00pm EST. Hugo and I will host this meeting, introducing you to a few AEBEQ church planters and opportunities for partnership.

Contact me at sjones@fellowship.ca if you have questions or want to join our next Virtual QVT on November 30, 2023. Deadline to join is November 16, 2023.

My recent visit into spiritual darkness

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:00:00 PST

I recently visited the Castros and Yingers, Fellowship International missionaries serving in Spain.

My visit was a reminder why we must continue to send missions personnel to Europe, including Spain.

Introducing the Castros and Yingers

Ken and Cathy Yinger have been befriending and seeking to win Spaniards in Jerez (pronounced “hair-reth”) de los Caballeros (meaning “knights”), a Templar town of 9,000, for the past nine years.

Ricardo and Ingrid Castro have been establishing Discovery Bible Studies first in Zafra (population 12,000) and recently they moved to the large urban centre of Seville in the Andalusia region.

The towns both couples serve in are located in the Extremadura (meaning “very hard”) region. Like everywhere in Spain, this region is stony ground. It’s “very hard” to reach Spaniards for Christ. It is a very Gospel-averse culture. Over 95% of Spaniards claim to be atheists, however there is still an unusually strong connection with the symbols associated with their Roman Catholic heritage. A kind of medieval Catholicism.

In the midst of this stony ground, the Yingers and Castros have developed hundreds of relationships. Their creativity in connecting with people, especially people of peace, is inspiring. Discovery Bible Studies have been established in several towns and now in the city of Seville. They have witnessed about a dozen baptisms, including Salva’s. I witnessed Salva’s baptism when visiting in 2016 and what a joy it was to visit him again—with his new wife—during my recent visit. He has become completely blind in recent years but remains strong in the Lord and is developing an online evangelistic ministry. Thank you, Lord, for Salva.

The Holy Week Processionals

I intentionally chose to visit our mission personnel during Holy Week and Easter weekend to witness firsthand the processionals that every town and city host daily during the week before Easter. I witnessed seven processions in Grenada, Jerez de los Caballeros, and Seville.

My first impression of these parades was a feeling of sadness. There seems to be a fatalism inherent in the processions — some parades lasting one hour while others last twelve hours. Sorrow is what the processions seek to portray, rather than the joy and celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Band members playing sombre music and “Nazarenos” wearing cone-shaped hoods walk slowly, some in bare feet, carrying lit candles or large crossbeams while dragging chains attached to their ankles. It looks a wee bit creepy.

Then a large gilded float with the crucified Christ aloft is slowly carried by dozens of young men, stopping periodically for rest breaks. Finally, at the end of the parade a float with a statue of Mary, who is sorrowful over her Son’s death, is met by people on the street reaching out to touch the float and genuflect. The “Virgin” is clearly the belle of this ball, the protagonist of this parade, not Jesus. Christ is the weak character within the drama acted out on the streets of every Spanish town and city during Holy Week.

I carefully watched the procession participants. Many were quiet and respectful, but mostly they were there to see the spectacle put on by the “Brotherhoods” each year. Each town has one or more Brotherhoods, not connected to the church, who raise funds and prepare for their Holy Week processional each year. You can sense the competition between Brotherhoods seeking to put on the best parade each Holy Week season.

Spaniards flock to their processional to see the spectacle, but just as important is the need to be seen. To not go to the town’s processional(s) is viewed as not being Spanish which can possibly result in losing face. This is an honour-shame culture with a seismic need to be respected. You observe the processions and you donate funds to the Brotherhoods who put on the processions, even though you don’t believe in any of the dogma or symbolism. This is quite extraordinary when one is reminded that the vast majority of Spaniards are atheists. The processions are cultural anchors within a postmodern-medieval society.

In the end it left me with feelings of sadness and confusion that well-educated atheists place so much importance, even veneration, on these annual cultural-religious observances. It felt like the circus had come to town.

The lasting impression was the need to call more faithful Fellowship family members to get involved in cross-cultural ministry in Spain and Europe. The spiritual darkness is vast, dense, and murky.

Is God calling you, a friend, or a church member to overseas ministry? Talk to us.

How many churches are in the Fellowship?

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 PST

I recently completed my tour across the country attending each of our Regional’ conferences or annual general meetings (AGMs). I was greatly encouraged by the reports and training offered, along with dozens of conversations I had with ministry leaders.

The following is a brief report:

Fellowship Pacific Region

103 Churches

Our BC/Yukon Region met in Nanaimo, BC for the Boldly Forward, Never Alone Impact Conference. Sixty-four percent of churches sent delegates to Impact. The conference featured TED Talk messages, panel discussions, and workshops. A new online platform called “The Commons” was introduced. The app provides a place for leaders from across the Pacific Region to connect for conversation, encouragement, training, and resource sharing. The goal is to have 20 affinity groups using The Commons app by 2024.

Regional Director, David Horita reported on the Region’s strategic plan: by 2028 Pacific churches will identify 2,500 trained leaders with 500 being under the age of 30, every church will be experiencing conversions, and 75% of churches will be healthy.

Other news from this past year was work done with seven church plants, coaching 14 church leaders, developing a team to serve Next Gen leaders, and supporting 15 churches looking for a lead pastor.

Fellowship Prairies Region

28 Churches

Our Prairies Region that serves churches in Alberta (18), Saskatchewan (4), Manitoba (5), and Northwest Territories (1) gathered in Edmonton, AB for their Equip Conference. Sixteen of 28 churches sent delegates.

David Horita and Krista Penner, staff from the Fellowship Pacific Region, presented a tool called EQ Bootcamp that they use in their Region which helps ministry leaders become more self-aware to better manage themselves and those they shepherd.

Regional Director Mark Breitkreuz reported on the outcomes of their current strategic plan including the status of financial support from Prairie churches to the Region: 13 churches gave 2-3% of their budget while 14 churches gave 0-1% of their budget to the Region. Mark also shared that 64% of the churches had experienced staff shifts since the pandemic.

The conference delegates ended their time together sharing in testimony and gathering to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as sister-churches.

FEB Central Region

294 Churches

Our Ontario and English-speaking churches Québec churches gathered in Barrie, ON for their Stronger Together conference. The conference started with news that FEB Central’s Regional Director, Rick Buck, was on extended sick leave with Tom Haines serving as interim RD until Rick returns.

It was reported that a record number of churches sent delegates to Stronger Together. The conference featured keynote speakers, a panel discussion, workshops, affinity group discussions, and an interesting game called, “The Bible OR Taylor Swift”.

Interim Regional Director Tom Haines took delegates into the Book of Acts to call our churches to mission. He reported on the ongoing church planting efforts of FEB Central and the need to fill 37 lead pastor vacancies — double what is typical for FEB Central.

AEBEQ

83 Churches

Our AEBEQ Region conducted their AGM on Zoom. Well over 100 delegates participated, representing a majority of our churches. Louis Bourque, the Regional Director, gave a report sharing current outcomes from their strategic plan, news concerning a current legal case, the Church’s need to continue reaching Quebeckers for Christ, a special emphasis to reach the next generation, and much more. Louis mentioned the National President would undergo an examination following their AGM to discover how much he understood after 2.5 hours of listening to French. I’d give myself a solid D+.

Fellowship Atlantic Region

19 Churches

Our Atlantic churches gathered in Great Village, NS for one of the largest conference gatherings in years. Interim Regional Director Rev. Andrew Swanson led an important business meeting which approved a new five-year strategic plan, “Charting a Course”, with a fresh mission and vision for the Region:

Mission Statement:
“Fellowship Atlantic enables churches to fulfill the mission of Jesus by fostering church health, developing church leaders and supporting church planting.”

Vision Statement:
“Fellowship Atlantic envisions a future where the ministry impact of our churches reaches everyone in Atlantic Canada.”

The Atlantic Region’s plan comprises a strategic partnership with our FEB Central Region and with Fellowship National over the next five years. Pray for our Atlantic Region as they search for a new full-time Regional Director and partner with FEB Central in the training and coaching of their leaders.

It was a joy to experience all our Regional Conferences this Spring — so good to see so many of our colleagues fellowshipping together after a couple years of lockdowns. I am grateful to see our church numbers have increased by 20 churches since pre-COVID. We were 507 churches in 2020 and we are 527 churches in 2023.

Join me in visiting Colombia this Fall 2023.

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:00:00 PST

I would like to invite you for a week-long visit to Medellín, Colombia from November 10-20, 2023.

I’m hoping to show Fellowship leaders an opportunity to enter into a five-year partnership to help support church planting within a church association we have been involved with for close to four decades.

In 1988, Fellowship International missionaries, along with some Colombian nationals, were instrumental in starting the first EI Redil (“Sheepfold”) church plant. The movement has since grown to 17 churches. This Baptist association of churches is currently led by Fellowship International missionaries Diego and Claudia Cardona.

The Project

Our Fellowship International department desires to support the EI Redil churches in a five-year project to plant 10 further church plants. We prayerfully hope to see dozens of Fellowship churches enter into “1 + 1 x 5 = 10” partnerships to accomplish this mission project.

1 + 1 x 5 = 10

A “1 + 1 x 5 = 10” partnership is: 1 FEBC Church adopting 1 EI Redil Church Plant for 5 years so that 10 churches might be planted.

The Plan

Would you like your church to benefit from an international, cross-cultural church planting experience? Entering into a “1 + 1 x 5 = 10” partnership opens a five-year journey, that includes short-term mission teams visiting Medellín, preparing resources for ministry with your adopted EI Redil church plant, inviting members of your new Colombian church family to visit and be trained or coached by your church members who possess special skills or knowledge (e.g. finances, medical, drama, music, sports, crafts, etc.), and so much more.

Take a moment to read about the purpose and expectations of joining an EI Redil Church Plant partnership. The Colombian Vision Tour manual will inform you and answer many of your questions.

The Next Colombia Vision Tour (CVT) - November 2023

Date: November 10-20, 2023 (leaving the evening of November 10 and returning afternoon of November 20)

Location: Medellín, Colombia, visiting the church plant locations in urban settings and small towns along with relief-development projects which prepare the soil for future church plants.

Cost: $2,100 CAD which covers flights, travel, food, accommodation, and a couple of tourist outings, and subsidizes a leadership summit.

Hosts: Steve Jones and Fellowship International missionaries Diego and Claudia Cardona, and Phil Webb.

Accommodations: While in Colombia you will stay in the home of an EI Redil church member.

Food: Breakfast in your host home; most lunches and dinners at restaurants and church plants we visit.

Ministry: Participants will have an opportunity (if they desire) to preach in a local church and/or train pastors and leaders at a leadership summit.

Tourism: We will visit at least two attractions, possibly the 650-step climb up EI Peñol, along with some shopping.

Deadline: You must confirm joining the next CVT in November by September 8, 2023 or sooner. There are only seven spots available. Only one spot is available per Fellowship church unless there is extra space after September 8th.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate in contacting me at sjones@fellowship.ca

Who's discipling our children? Report from the Canadian Family Formation Study

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:00:00 PST

This Sunday we celebrate our fathers and grandfathers. How is Christian faith shared from one generation to the next?

What support does the local church provide? In 2019, 17 Canadian ministry organizations and denominations, including the Fellowship, partnered with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s Centre for Research on Church and Faith (CRCF) to discover answers to these questions.

The Fellowship financially supported the multi-year study and had a representative on the study team. Rev. Mark Hymus was our representative who also serves as the Fellowship’s coordinator for EPIC and Onside, a sports/arts ministry helping our churches to host outreach camps for children. Eighty children made professions of faith in our church camps during the summer of 2022.

The CRCF prepared a 245-page report entitled “Parenting Faith” to present the findings of this uniquely Canadian, Evangelical family study—a report that indicates what helps and what hinders the transmission of faith from this current generation of parents to their children.

The research conducted by the CRCF involved interviews with Canadian evangelical pastors, parents, and family ministry experts, as well as surveys with 1,217 parents representing 3,041 children across Canada. The report identifies the cultural influences and parental priorities that are currently shaping how beliefs and faith-related behaviours are adopted or rejected by the next generation.

You will likely be surprised by the seismic shifts in how parents of this generation view and carry out their role as shapers of faith in their children’s lives, as compared to the previous generation and their own parents.

73% of surveyed parents believe it is essential to offer their children religious choices without any pressure.

64% of surveyed parents indicated they were concerned that their children will experience religious persecution in Canada in their lifetime.

Notably, the consensus among ministry experts within the study was that parents were ill-equipped and rudderless in their approach to faith formation with their children. Parents, by contrast, tended to say that given more time and resources they would not change anything about how they currently do faith formation with their children. Most often, parents relied on peers and podcasts for help, with very few finding help from parenting courses offered by their local church. However, the majority of parents saw the church as a partner in the faith formation of their children while reserving the role of final arbiter of doctrine to themselves, not their church.

Five Key Formation Principles

The report identified five key ways in which we can help children know Jesus and know themselves as His:

Rest in being a child of God.
Help children understand identity as a gift, not a quest.

32% of respondents said their parents required unquestioning obedience in matters of faith

73% of respondents said their role in faith formation is to offer their children religious choice(s) without pressure

Keep faith fit.
Teach and model faith exercises that keep a child’s relationship with Jesus strong.

99% of parents survey respondents agreed that their role in faith formation is to teach and model their faith

Mind the gaps.
Use transition times between activities to intentionally talk about Jesus with your child.

Most common times to talk were bedtime, dinner time, and while driving together

Plant them in church.
Help your child grow relationships in the church.

49% of respondents said they value their church for its community

15% of respondents indicated they expected their children to make a decision about their religious identity AFTER the age of 18

16% of respondents said they don’t know when to expect their child to make a decision about their religious identity

Read the digital menu.
Know what digital content your child is consuming so you can help them digest it.

64% of respondents said they enforced daily internet time limits for their children

Over 75% of parents said their child had a personal social media account by the age of 15

For more information, you can download the full “Parenting Faith” report (245 pages) at theEFC.ca/ParentingFaith.

What did we learn from the recent Asbury Revival?

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 PST

I was having lunch with several other denominational presidents. Three of them led evangelical families in close theological alignment with Asbury Seminary.

I am certain you’ve heard and read about the revival that began during a chapel service at Asbury Seminary in February 2023. This came as such encouraging news.

From my Holiness Movement Friends
I asked my friends, “What have you been hearing from your people who have visited the Asbury revival?” All three knew denominational leaders and friends who had visited in recent days. All reports indicated it was a genuine “quiet” movement of God. In fact, one of my denom–friends more of the Holiness tradition said he was glad to hear some of his clan were turned away when they arrived with banners, tambourines, and ram horns. No spectacles at these renewal gatherings – just quiet, introspective, desperate, confessional times with the Lord.

From a Charismatic Friend
I also met with an old friend who served with me in a Fellowship Baptist Church but now leads a more Holy Spirit-focused movement of churches. One of his leaders went to Asbury to “experience” the revival. He arrived just in time as the auditorium doors closed to anyone over 25 years of age. This revival was servant-led by GenZs for GenZs. I’m so hopeful for this next generation (born between 1997–2015) who may have left the church (only 24% attend church) but are open to healthy spiritual practice that is both genuine and authentic. They are looking for something that is real and works.

My old friend sent me this word:
“I met with the leaders of our movement. Our President told us of their experience visiting Asbury College. They drove nine hours to get there and then queued for five and a half hours to get in just before the auditorium was packed. He was weeping as he talked about the wonderful presence of Father God in the room. He characterized the focus of the worship on Jesus and holiness as the meeting transitioned. There was no prayer ministry team; rather, each person is allowed to experience individually.”

From a Close Friend
A dear friend who also served with me in times past sent me an article he found most helpful.
Written by a student from Asbury University, it is an insightful blog on the Asbury revival that I found helpful:

“I come from a spiritual background that has left me weary of hype in a culture of spectacle. I’ve grown tired of disintegrous representations of divine work but it is clear God is moving in a surprising and transformative way. However, when you think of ‘revival’, what comes to mind might not be what’s happening. To quote Professor McCall, a theology professor at Asbury Seminary, ‘what we are experiencing now – this inexpressibly deep sense of peace, wholeness, holiness, belonging, and love - is only the smallest of windows into the life for which we are made.’

“The movements of the spirit in western evangelicalism always exist in the middle of a cultural moment. A generous interpretation of these movements reveals unique traits for each one. For example, fervor for the great commission at the Mt. Hermon Conference, overwhelming joy in Toronto Outpouring, zeal for the lost in Brownsville Revival, acts of healing at the Kansas City awakening, and manifestation of tongues at the Azusa Street revival. In each move of the spirit, God clearly manifests in a specific way for that generation. I find it interesting that God would mark this outpouring with:

A tangible sense of peace for a generation with unprecedented anxiety.
A restorative sense of belonging for a generation amidst an epidemic of loneliness.
An authentic hope for a generation marked by depression.
A leadership emphasizing protective humility in relationship with power for a
generation deeply hurt by the abuse of religious power.
A focus on participatory adoration for an age of digital distraction.

“It feels as if God is personally meeting young adults in ways meaningful to them. My generation was formed differently than previous generations and so the traits of this revival are different than revivals of old. The new outpouring is not the signs and wonders nor zealous intercession nor spontaneous tongues nor charismatic physicalities not the visceral travail. It is marked by a tangible feeling of holistic peace, a restorative sense of belonging, a non-anxious presence through felt safety, repentance driven by experienced kindness, humble stewardship of power, and holiness through treasuring adoration.

“It is important to reflect on the words of Jesus: ‘no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.’

“I don’t want to make the mistake of trying to fit this new work into old paradigms. The new wine cannot be understood with the old expectations of revival. As the revival has grown, people attempt to evaluate and participate from their old expectations. You cannot keep new wine in the old wineskin; or it may cause disappointment, disillusionment and divisiveness. In humility, we must receive the new wine with an open hand without trying to force this spiritual movement into our well-intended but old expectations of renewal. We must strive to humbly participate, appreciatively celebrate, and intentionally respond to this surprising work of the spirit with openness and hunger.”

From the Witness of History
I’m actually very attracted to the form which this revival took – no spectacle, just lots of genuine introspection.

It reminds me of the visit a young coal miner, Evan Roberts, had with his pastor prior to the 1905 Welsh Revival which impacted multiple countries and continents. A worldwide revival.
He sensed the Lord calling him to share what became known as the “Four Points”. His pastor wouldn’t give him access to his pulpit on Sunday, but allowed the young man to address the faithful who came to the mid-week prayer meeting. Evan Roberts shared the following:

The Four Points

Is there any sin in your past that you have not confessed to God? – On your knees at once. Your past must be put away, and yourself cleansed.

Is there anything is your life that is doubtful? – Anything that you cannot decide if it is good or evil? Away with it. Have you forgiven everybody? If not, don’t expect forgiveness for your own sins. You won’t get it.

Do what the Holy Spirit prompts you to do. – Obedience-prompt, implicit, unquestioning obedience to the Spirit.

A public confession of Christ as your Savior. – There is a vast difference between profession and confession.

Christians worldwide were revived. Unbelievers by the tens of thousands came to Christ in Wales. So many rough Welsh coal miners came to Christ that the mules and donkeys that carted the coal out of the mines stopped moving. They could no longer understand the cleaned up language of their masters’ commands. No more profanity in the coal mines. Journalists in New York City raced on horseback between prayer/revival meetings, to count the total attendance of congregants visiting the churches every evening. Church attendance was front page news in the Big Apple in 1905.

Save money and receive great service

Mon, 29 May 2023 00:00:00 PST

Do you like saving money?

There are a number of partnership programs the Fellowship Services department provides to help Fellowship church members save money.

The Fellowship offers competitive healthcare and pension plans that churches can participate in to provide important benefits to church employees. We offer programs to benefit our Fellowship churches with Brokerforce providing church insurance, Baptist Builders providing financial assistance to churches involved in small capital projects, a church loan program to offering churches financial assistance, and a Plan to Protect partnership enabling our churches to receive a 10% discount on Plan to Protect materials.

Today, I want to highlight a couple of programs that are not just for our churches and pastors, but can be beneficial to all our Fellowship church attendees:

D.L. Deeks Insurance Services Inc.
Deeks has been insuring members and supporting the Fellowship for over 14 years. Through this unique partnership, members and adherents of Fellowship Baptist churches benefit from preferred rates on their personal auto, and property insurance. Customers benefit from the purchasing power of our church membership across Canada which secures the best competitive rates. The insurance coverage is underwritten by the largest insurance company in Canada with their 24/7 claims network. When successful, this program helps individuals save on their personal insurance while helping support the ministry advancement of The Fellowship. Don’t keep it a secret—the growth of this program happens best through word of mouth, so please share it with your family and friends.

Enterprise/National
We have a partnership with Enterprise and National that provides vehicle rental discounts across all their locations throughout Canada and around the world. This program is available to all Fellowship pastors, church members, and adherents. Set up an Emerald Club account and link it to our corporate account by referencing our account number: XVC1173.

Car rentals rates have significantly increased since the pandemic, so check out this partnership program available to all Fellowship church members. I recently became an Emerald Club member and the savings have been significant — 30% or more! Also, as a member you don’t stand in line to get your rental vehicle — you go to the special “Emerald Aisle” at Enterprise/National, pick out your car and find the keys waiting for you in the vehicle, saving money and time.

I also want to underscore the critical importance of all church staff and missions personnel being enrolled in a pension plan to prepare for the future. If you’re not in a pension plan check out the Fellowship’s plan with SunLife. I’ve been a plan member for 37 years and I’m very pleased with the results. Currently my Fellowship pension plan has grown by 9.8% over the past three years and 8.1% over the past five years despite walking through a pandemic and financial downturn in recent years.

If you have any questions on the Fellowship’s partnership programs, please go to our website (fellowship.ca/FellowshipServices) or contact our Fellowship Services director, Rob Cole at rcole@fellowship.ca to find out more.

What will retirement look like for you?

Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 PST

A good plan can start years in advance.

Do you know what your retirement might look like?

We need to stay on mission. Why not consider doing this while adding some adventure in your life?

I recently connected with Denise Wicks, one of FAIR’s Projects and Promotions Coordinators and she mentioned a need you could prayerfully consider. I’ll let Denise explain:

“FAIR is asking you to consider choosing international retirement ministry as a volunteer Fellowship International missionary, partnering with a career missionary on the field. Curious yet?

In Canada, once you turn 65, you’re eligible for Old Age Security. That’s also a common age that workplaces use as their minimum retirement age. Although many look forward to retirement, we know that most 65-year-olds have lots of energy and passion to redirect. The Bible also clearly communicates that God calls us to serve and proclaim the Gospel at all ages (David, Timothy, and John come to mind).

Some retirees find a calling through volunteering or part-time work within their community. Maybe it’s too hard to put away the dream of becoming a ‘snow bird’. That was the case for Fellowship International missionaries Rick and Ena Ward. Rick had dreams of retiring to the beach some place warm after they both ended successful careers in the military. Instead, the Lord redirected them to Casa Hogar in Honduras — nowhere near a beach! They joyfully serve there half the year, supporting the work of Fellowship International missionary Melodie Francis and the staff at the children’s home.”

Rick and Ena recently sat down with Denise to share about what international retirement ministry looks like for them, and why they chose it for their “occupation after vocation”. Watch this video to hear firsthand from the Wards.

Are you interested? Contact FAIR or Fellowship International to find out more.

Empowering the Nations

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 PST

So much of global ministry is empowering nationals to be on mission with the best biblical practices available.

Our Fellowship International department has adopted ten critically important principles to help fulfill the Gospel mandate: “To make disciples who make disciples.”

One of these essential principles is the training and empowering of national leaders.

This summer (May-August 2023) our Fellowship International appeal gives each of us an opportunity to generously contribute to the training and empowering of leaders on the fields our Fellowship International missionaries are seeking to influence and impact with the Gospel. I’m hoping you and your church will prayerfully consider giving a gift. Fellowship International director, Ben Porter, shares some insight on this summer appeal:

“Fellowship International’s desire is to empower ordinary people with the authority of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit in order to see God’s ‘Kingdom come’ here on earth.

This summer we are partnering with four of our missionary units, and with you, our partners, to do just that through the summer appeal Empowering the Nations. We are seeking to raise $60,000 to assist the following missionaries in their ministries:

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Bechara and Roula Karkafi have a vision to see a church of disciple-makers planting churches of more disciple-makers for God’s glory. In each of the seven countries they are currently working, ambassadors have been appointed to lead this movement. Someday soon, they hope to be in 24 countries across the MENA region seeing this vision come to life.

In Colombia, Diego and Claudia Cardona minister through the Granizal Soccer Tournament. Granizal is an impoverished sector affected by violence, and through the Granizal Girls’ Soccer League, they provide humanitarian aid and preach the Gospel of reconciliation with a heart to make disciples who make disciples.

In Western Africa, Richard Flemming works with Jerry. He and his team operate Save an Eye, Save Lives, a medical evangelism project that provides access to pharmaceuticals, ophthalmologists, and physicians to several communities. Those who attend the clinic are given the opportunity to hear the Gospel, some becoming disciple-makers themselves! The vision is that within 20 years, they will see 1,500 house churches planted and this region of the nation transformed for God’s glory.

In Indonesia, Edwin Karwur and his team are working in the ‘Spice Islands’. With a population of 1.4 million people, the island is home to 25 unreached people groups. This year, a team will travel to the area to provide encouragement, training, and resources to the local churches. Through these ongoing partnerships, their vision is to empower the local church to create a sustainable disciple-making movement that will spread throughout the island."

Please prayerfully consider partnering with our missionary team through the Empowering the Nations appeal.

Mothers and Mental Health

Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 PST

What do motherhood and adolescent mental health have in common? Apparently, quite a bit.

Dr. Lisa Miller is a clinical psychologist who has been studying the close relationship between spirituality or religious values and health, particularly mental health.

She has specifically studied mother-teenage daughter relationships where both share a religious belief. She has discovered that if the shared spirituality reached back into the daughter’s formative years, there was an 80% protective chance of emotional illness among families who are high-risk for depression. She claims that spiritually-connected teens are 40% less likely to abuse alcohol or other substances, 80% less likely to engage in unprotected sex, and 60% less likely to suffer from depression than teens who are not spiritually oriented. She writes “In the long run, we think religiosity will confer a protective effect against all kinds of disorders.”

Her work has focused on the cognitive effects and even neuro-physiological effects of religiosity among teenagers. This is certainly not my field, but I found the doctors’ conclusions fascinating.

Mother’s Day

This Sunday, we honour and celebrate our mothers and grandmothers. Their role in raising up the next generation of adolescents is so critical — absolutely essential.

The apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV) says, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

The Apostle Paul trained Timothy, who trained others who would continue the process to succeeding generations. Christian parents are in the work of disciple-making.

Patek Philippe, the Swiss luxury watchmaker, is more than 180 years old. The company is Geneva’s oldest independent family-owned watch manufacturer, and its long-term perspective is reflected in its iconic slogan: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation.” This can be said for the Gospel as well. God has entrusted it to us to pass it on to the next generation. Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7 ESV) The Gospel is a trust which God has given to us to pass on to others and down to the next generation.

What a tremendous privilege and responsibility Christian mothers have to pass on the faith to their children. Let’s celebrate their work this Sunday.

Get confidential counsel, free anytime

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 PST

There is a ministry available to ministry workers associated with our Fellowship that you should be aware of. Fellowship National pays a membership fee to make a counselling ministry available for all our clergy families, including pastors, church staff, chaplains, missionaries and their spouses and children. We are one of 10 Canadian church groups that partner to make this available.

The Clergy Care Network is a ministry of Focus on the Family Canada. The Fellowship partners with this ministry to make a toll-free phone line available (1-888-5-CLERGY) for ministry personnel to connect with Master’s level, professionally trained Christian counsellors. This phone contact is free for Fellowship workers and their families. Your call will be kept confidential. No one from your church or our National/Regional offices will know that you made a call. You can even choose to remain anonymous to the counsellor if you wish.

Christian counsellors will counsel, pray with you, provide resources, and give referrals to professionals in your area, among other things.

There are other resources available on the Clergy Care Network website, such as archival information for pastors, pastor’s spouses, pastor’s kids and missionaries’ kids, along with information on special retreats for clergy couples and families.

You might want to sign up for Focus on the Family’s monthly “Focus on Pastors” email newsletter. Go to their website to sign up.

Call 1-888-5-CLERGY

I recently spoke with one of the Clergy Care Network counsellor assistants and asked four questions. Keeping strict confidentiality, she assured me Fellowship clergy and their spouses are currently using the toll-free line to seek counselling. Typical help offered during these calls has included: offering resources such as books or online resources; referrals to other organizations or counsellors; psycho-education on issues such as boundaries, addictions, and abuse; developing safety plans when needed; exploring alternative ways of handling problems/issues; applying Scripture; and prayer, which occurs with virtually every caller.

Pastors and their families have unique challenges with seasons of extreme stress and spiritual oppression. Our Fellowship National ministry is a sponsoring member of this counselling service so that you can receive confidential help when you most need it.

Please make use of the Clergy Care Network by phoning 1-888-5-CLERGY.

The value of graduation from Disney University

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 PST

Often there is a lot of talk about the importance of “vision” and “mission” when it comes to the life and ministry of a local church; but what about values?

I enjoyed a leadership development gathering a few years back at Disney University, located at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Disney claims that values are the most critical thing to care for. Your vision may change, but your values often do not, so you’ve got to get them right.

I was blown away when I toured the Disney parks asking employees (from fun ride operators to cleanup crews) what Disney’s core values were—without exception every employee could share how these values directed their daily mission and fulfilled Disney’s ultimate vision.

Without values, any organization suffers.

The Story of Dr. Goldberg and Bruno

I grew up in a small, largely English-speaking suburb of Montréal. We lived a five-minute walk from a corner drugstore and a grocery. I remember walking up Pine Beach Boulevard as a young boy fetching bread or milk for my mom. Mr. Goldberg ran a very efficient little pharmacy and convenience store. My mom knew him well. The grocery store was next door and the proprietor was Bruno. The paint on the wooden meat enclosures was chipped, and he still threw sawdust on the floor to keep the flies down. I’ve never seen that since. Each store, side by side, had its weaknesses and its strengths. But as the 1960s ended and the 1970s began, Mr. Goldberg noticed the needs of customers were changing. More customers wanted to get in and out of the store quickly, rather than chatting with the proprietor. Others wanted a greater selection of merchandise, and so some of his customers were leaving and going to the newly opened Dorval shopping mall. None of us had seen anything like it before. The age of the shopping mall had begun. Mr. Goldberg must have sensed the dissonance and interpreted it as an ultimatum for change. Bruno kept throwing sawdust on the floor.

Mr. Goldberg chose to survive and even thrive despite the new shopping mall. We no longer asked for our Life Saver candy rolls from behind a counter; Mr. Goldberg had installed a self-serve candy counter. My brothers and I were in confectionary heaven! He hired another pharmacist so prescriptions could be dispensed quicker. Bruno, on the other hand, kept throwing sawdust onto the floors of his dimly lit grocery store.

By the mid-1970s when we moved from Montréal, Bruno’s grocery store was bankrupt while Mr. Goldberg’s drug and convenience store was flourishing.

Why did one business thrive while the other failed?

Mr. Goldberg demonstrated how an organization can refocus its values on the original impetus for its success. Values are those expressed or understood truths that direct how we’re going to operate on a daily basis. They demonstrate how we’re going to fulfill our mission and vision—whether we’re going to value honesty or innovation while we fulfill our mission as a pharmacy or grocery.

Our values should support us in focusing on mission. Fulfilling our original purpose is worth an interruption or even suspension of familiar ministries, programs, and even values. Churches are faced with a similar dilemma. Like Bruno, we can persevere in our comfortable ministry habits but the result will be churches closing in record numbers across Canada.

The United Church of Canada have staff members whose job is to sell the thousands of empty church buildings they have. Even our own Fellowship of churches has planted well over 200 new churches since 1990, but we have remained an association of about 500 churches over the past 30 years. Churches close.

What do our values say about our eagerness to fulfill mission? Are we willing to face reality, possibly giving up some sacred cows, for the glory of God? The values we carefully choose will help or hinder us in this noble cause.

Let’s get our values right and thrive.

Complete the Affirmation of Faith Survey today

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 PST

At our 2022 Fellowship National Conference in November the delegates voted overwhelmingly in favour of National Council’s motion to begin a three-year process to review our current Fellowship National Affirmation of Faith. An Affirmation of Faith (AoF) team was formed to serve our fellowship of churches by carefully and prayerfully stewarding the process.

I encourage you to read the “Process for Change” document. The AoF team will carefully follow this prescribed process. An AoF Report will be sent to our churches twice a year to update the Fellowship constituency on the process. Click here to see the first AoF Report and be introduced to your AoF team.

Last week, a survey was sent to solicit input on the current Affirmation of Faith. The deadline to complete the survey is April 30, 2023. This survey can take as little as ten minutes, or longer if you wish to write comments and suggestions.

If you are a member of a Fellowship church, please spend a few minutes right now to complete the Fellowship’s “Affirmation of Faith” survey. If you did not receive the email with the link to the survey, please email reception@fellowship.ca to have the link sent to you.

For pastors and church leaders, please consider sending the survey email to members and leaders within your church so they can complete the survey.

Every attempt is being made to make this an open and transparent process. I encourage you to let your voice be heard and complete the Fellowship’s AoF survey today!

Is equity-loss considered a blessing?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:00:00 PST

I trust you experienced the full blessing of the past Easter weekend. Who wants to be blessed by God? I see that hand.

Jesus claims in John 10:10 that His purpose “is to give life in all its fullness.” Our lives are supposed to be “full” of God’s blessing. So, what does it take to be blessed by God? Why does it seem that some people are blessed by God more than others?

Jesus shares three secrets about receiving God’s blessing in Matthew 6:13b (KJV): “For thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.” Note the three words or three keys to unlocking the abundance of God’s blessing in our live:

We must first seek God’s Kingdom. God blesses those who seek His Kingdom and God’s Kingdom is found wherever Jesus is allowed to act as King. When I make Jesus sovereign over my heart, life, agenda, values, priorities, and plans, then God’s will becomes my will and I receive this blessing. When I finally figure out it’s not about God blessing what I do, but God helping me to do what He blesses, then I’ll know His abundant blessing. God blesses whenever I put Him first.

Secondly, Matthew 6:13 talks of depending on God’s power if we’re ever to experience His blessing. We depend on God’s power, not our own, and God blesses. God doesn’t bless self-sufficient, self-reliant people. God blesses those who recognize they need God’s power (help), which takes faith—and Jesus loves to respond to our faith. Paul writes, “Those who have faith are blessed…” (Galatians 3:9, NASB). So, the more I depend on God, the more God blesses.

Lastly, Matthew 6:13 talks of living for God’s glory. All of us need to decide who’s going to get the credit in life—us or God? The Psalmist reminds us that, “He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.” (Psalm 115:13 NLT). God blesses those who fear Him and seek to bring Him glory.

So if you want to be blessed by God, you have to become “bless-able” by seeking first His Kingdom, depending on His power, and making sure He gets the credit.

My wife Marilyn and I have moved more times than I care to remember. On six of those occasions we needed to sell and purchase homes. We made money on our first home and it set us up for a false sense of “equity envy”. The next few house sales, we lost money, lost equity. The real estate market didn’t cooperate much in a few of our moves. I remember asking the Lord, “Why?”

I asked, “Lord, what happened to your blessing as we sought to obey your calling?” I remember the Spirit of God telling me after our first equity loss, “Hey dummy, (that’s God’s “pet-name” for me) did you ever think I wanted you and Marilyn in the neighbourhood to serve and share Christ, rather than to increase your equity?”

Tom and Cindy were our new neighbours. We loved them and shared Jesus. We planted the seed and several years after we moved away, we heard that they both came to Christ and were attending a strong evangelical church in London. We lost equity during our move to the Belleville area, but our neighbours came to Christ.

I thought of blaming God for our financial loss, but unknown to Marilyn and “Dummy”, God was making our moves spiritually profitable. God’s blessing is not always clear or obvious, but God promises to bless. Are you looking for God’s blessing? You may not be looking in the right place. Does my obedience obligate God to bless me? Jesus does promise “life to the full” (John 10:10), but is that “fullness” always to be understood as the “fullness of joy” or is there such a thing as the “fullness” found in suffering? So much blessing in life can be found in trials, difficulties, and problems. Can my obedience be a call to sacrifice? Can we view sacrifice as a blessing? Before you answer those questions, think about the Cross.

Trust you had a wonderful Easter this past weekend. God’s blessing is unbelievable.

The Easter Missionary

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 PST

Easter is the Mount Everest of the Christian calendar. But, does the rest of our world take notice?

I heard of a pastor who was sitting in a Chapters bookstore reading and enjoying a coffee. Nearby were six university students hotly debating what the Skipper’s name was on the 1960s TV sitcom, Gilligan’s Island. The pastor listened and finally leaned over and said, “I know what his name was.” They started intently waiting for an answer. Here was an occasion where this pastor might gain some value in their eyes and justify all the wasted time spent watching this mindless comedy. He said, “The actor’s name was Alan Hale and the character he played as Skipper did have a name which was shared in the pilot and two other episodes. His name was Jonas Grumby.” He smiled knowing he had impressed them. These six wide-eyed students responded in unison, saying, “You must be really old!”

The pastor went over and sat with the students and asked about their lives. By midnight, he had discovered that not one of them could identify the historical significance of Easter. Only two knew the real meaning of Christmas and the others wondered why anyone would celebrate the birth and death of a “mythical” Jewish carpenter. They continued the conversation until 2:00 am and exchanged emails.

As he parted from his new friends, he kept thinking, “Who is going to reach these people? What voice will they listen to? Their reality didn’t even include the possibility that Christ and His Church might have relevance to their lives. Who is going to speak to them?”

Years back I heard the story of Pastor Ted who ministered in Pandora, Ohio – a small village of 900 people living among corn fields. Twenty-five years before, this Mennonite Church had 50 people attending. Not bad for a village of 900 — almost 5% of the village attended the church — but not enough to afford a full-time pastor. Pastor Ted was called to this small church after coming home from a four-year mission term in Holland. Twenty years later, his church grew to 700 members. The local school board contacted Ted each year to check on the church calendar so they would not be in conflict with their school activities. That, my friends, is influence.

Someone asked Pastor Ted, “What’s your secret to this kind of influence in your community?” He told them he had trained in seminary to be a missionary. All his courses had been about missions. He had arrived in Pandora not knowing how to be a pastor, but he knew how to be a missionary and sought to remove cultural barriers to the Gospel. He said, “Pastors need to stop thinking like pastors and think and act like missionaries.”

Canada is a pagan nation. Most are clueless about what Christians are celebrating this weekend. Let’s think and act like cross-cultural ambassadors. God is a missionary-god and Jesus was our first cross-cultural ambassador. Let’s model and minister with the Spirit of Jesus in mind. This week, let’s pray together for many to experience the saving grace of Jesus this Easter.

"I'm convinced a man actually rose from the dead."

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 PST

Palm Sunday will be celebrated around the world this Sunday. I heard a story of a primary Sunday school teacher who asked her class what this Sunday represented. One little girl raised her hand and said, “It’s Palm Sunday!” The teacher said, “Wonderful. You’re correct!” The teacher then asked, “What’s the significance of next Sunday?” The same little girl raised her hand and said, “Next Sunday is Easter!” The teacher asked the class, “What’s Easter?” The same little girl said, “It’s the day Jesus rose up from the grave.” Before her teacher could say, “Wonderful. You’re correct!” the little girl continued, “But if He sees His shadow, He’ll go back onto His hole for another six weeks!”

Like a lot of other people in society, the little girl got it only partially right. We have a great opportunity over the next few weeks to share the rest of the story.

We read in Acts 1:3 (NIV), “After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

One of the most “convincing proofs” of Jesus’ divine claims is His post-resurrection appearances.

I chat with unbelievers about the struggles they have with my Christian faith—issues like what the Bible says about homosexuality, evolution, or sex before marriage. I share graciously and carefully, and my friend struggles. What my friend doesn’t know is that I’m quietly thinking to myself, “Wait until he discovers that I believe a deceased man actually rose from the dead!”

However, the Apostle Paul says that if this is not true, the faithful are fools (1 Corinthians 15). The resurrection remains one of the most “convincing proofs” for Jesus’ divine nature and assurance that He is our Saviour.

Here are the appearances, itemized in the New Testament. Let’s get the word out about these “convincing proofs”:

Christ’s Resurrection Appearances

The visit of the women to the tomb of Jesus early Sunday morning.
(Mark 16:1; Matthew 28:1, 5-8; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1)

The earthquake and rolling away of the stone by the angel, and the fear of the Roman guards.
(Matthew 28:2-4; Luke 24:4)

Mary Magdalene and other women report to the apostles—Peter and John visit the empty tomb.
(Luke 24:9-12; John 20:2-10)

The appearance to Mary Magdalene and the message to the apostles.
(John 20:11-18)

The appearance of Jesus to the other women.
(Matthew 28:9-10)

Some of the guards report to the Jewish rulers.
(Matthew 28:11-15)

The appearance to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
(Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-22)

The report of the two disciples, and the news of Christ’s appearance before Peter.
(Luke 24:33-35; 1 Corinthians 15:5)

The appearance to the astonished disciples (except Thomas) and the giving of a commission.
(Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25)

The appearance to the disciples on the following Sunday night, including Thomas.
(John 20:26-31; 1 Corinthians 15:5)

The appearance to seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
(John 21:1-25)

The appearance to 500 on an appointed mountain in Galilee, and the giving of the Great Commission.
(Mark 16:15-18; Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 15:6)

The final appearance and Ascension.
(Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8)

He is Risen!

When a Church Member Wants Medically Assisted Suicide

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 PST

Barbara has been an active member in your church for 12 years. She loves Jesus.

She got sick this year. It’s terminal. The pain has been increasing.

Her daughter sends you an email inviting you to “mom’s send-off” this Thursday at 3:00pm at the local hospital.

What do you do? What do you say? Do you go?

The Current Landscape

Between 2016 and 2020, over 20,000 Canadians sought medically assisted suicide. Bill C-14 passed into law on June 6, 2016 making this legal. In 2019 there were 5,425 medically assisted deaths in Canada, representing 1.9% of all deaths. In 2020, the number increased to 7,383 deaths or 2.4% of all deaths in Canada – an increase of 36% over just one year. The trend continues.

This month, March 2023, people with mental illness alone and mature minors were to become eligible for medically assisted death. This eligibility was due to a change in the law in 2021, a two-year delay was applied which has recently been extended for further consultation.

If our pastors and chaplains have not had to deal with the realities surrounding someone seeking medically assisted suicide – they will soon.

What is a servant of God to do? How do you shepherd the patient’s family, especially when some family members do not agree with the dying wishes of their mother?

What should you do or say?

I asked several colleagues within our own Fellowship family to weigh in on this subject and share some counsel. I asked it to be practical. I hope these suggestions and comments are helpful:

One pastor turned to Scripture:

“I have had two Christian men at my church ask me about MAiD; both were in late stages, cancer and ALS. My approach was not to argue but to agree that because medical science was the only reason they were still alive it didn’t seem unreasonable for them to consider medical science as a way of ending their life. Then I read John 21:18-19 to them and pointed out that the goal of a Christian is to glorify God in everything – especially our death, that the primary factor for each of us as we die is – how can I glorify God in this death? Neither man opted for MAiD, but I think it was primarily the influence of their wives.”

One Fellowship chaplain shared his practice:

“When invited, I have decided to be present at the hospital. However I will not be in the hospital room where the lethal meds are being administered. I will sit in the hospital hallway or waiting room outside the ‘treatment’ room with other family members who disagree or are struggling with their family member’s decision to end their life. After the death has occurred, I enter the room seeking to minister to the family.”

One Fellowship pastor has had two experiences:

“I’ve only had two MAiD situations involving individuals on the fringe of our community. In one family the husband informed his family that he had called for a MAiD administration. They chose to be with him and to share memories of their happiest times before his final hour. They didn’t inform me until he was gone. I supported by listening without judging. During the second situation, the husband wrestled with how to respond to his wife’s request for MAiD after her years of cancer suffering. He brought me the forms and we discussed what it meant to finish well, to care for those who were suffering, to make decisions without regret, to trust God, and to take time for family with every minute we have. Although his wife had signed the forms she chose not to submit them and she was given comfort meds which gave her an extra 10 days to say farewell to her grandkids etc. I spent a lot of time with the husband comforting him in his grief and listening to his conflicting emotions. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it is right.”

One theology professors in a Fellowship seminary shares some counsel:

“This is a tough one, and while I have my theological take on the matter, the pastoral one is much more difficult. One thought that comes to mind is one similar to the abortion issue. In my view we lose our voice in speaking against these things unless we are prepared to actively and intentionally care for those affected. We can be shrill about abortion but unless we put caring structures in place as the Church and churches, our voice becomes muffled. The same with MAiD. While in principle I see this as morally wrong, unless we are prepared to ensure that our brothers and sisters who are affected deeply by the things that push people toward MAiD are cared for and given the supports needed, and that we actively participate in the complexities of folks and family members who are suffering, our protest speech becomes muffled, even silenced. This means time, effort, and money on the part of churches to provide the care and the structures needed to provide compassionate and legitimate options to MAiD. We can’t just punt this away based on our moral and theological understanding of the issue, and stand in judgment on those who proceed with this. In my view, part of the gospel is this kind of care.”

One Fellowship pastor offers a pastoral concern:

“Among the many realities brought about by MAiD, the biggest one for me is the looming opening of the restrictions on MAiD in the area of mental health. I counsel many who struggle with depression in its many forms and with a broken medical system (one psychiatrist in my region has a six-year—yes, year, not month—waiting list) and lack of other support, those already struggling with suicidal thoughts now have a medically affirmed way to end their life. For those in the throes of deep darkness, this seems like light and a solution, especially because many struggle to actually go through with their carefully crafted plans despite their despair. Now, they can seemingly cleanly and easily end the heavy weight and seemingly endless imprisonment. Hope is a powerful thing (Romans 15:13) and its absence is as devastating as its presence is a blessing. As a pastor and Biblical counsellor, giving hope has always been a matter of life and death, but now, perhaps as never before in Canada, even more so. I continue to pray against this culture of death which appears as compassion but is only masquerading as such. God give us grace and mercy.”

One Fellowship pastor will treat MAiD like any other suicide:

“I have put intentional thought into this, but unfortunately, I don’t have a lot to offer. I have not had to deal with this situation. In fact, I’ve never had to pastor a suicide (thank God!) though I have pastored several attempted suicides. As a result, I’ve not had to wrestle deeply with these matters.

“However, I can offer these reflections:

I don’t think we should approach MAiD any differently than other suicides. The remaining comments are made in light of that.

If I’m asked to come in prior to someone dying, my focus will be to convince the person in question that their life has value and they should not end it. I would make my priority clear upon invitation, in case they want to un-invite me.

If I’m asked to conduct the funeral, I would accept. I accept pretty much every funeral invitation I can since I think they are such great opportunities for the gospel. If the family wanted to characterize it more positively than I would, I wouldn’t try to convince them otherwise. But I would steward my influence and voice to reflect my views (note

Ask and you will receive?

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 PST

Things not working out the way you thought? You have not because you ASK not.

Some say don’t pray because God is sovereign. How does that work?

God is sovereign over the “end” and also sovereign over the “means”, or the journey taken toward the outcome. God is completely sovereign over the entire process from start to finish and my praying partners with my sovereign God toward the outcome.

That’s why I ASK – I’m in partnership with a sovereign God.

The Golden Prayer Promises of the Gospel

As a young believer I was given a list. I recently came across the list of seven promises that struck a chord in my soul early in my faith walk. It bears repeating. (All emphases mine.)

“Whatever you ASK in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13 (ESV)

“If you ASK me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:14 (ESV)

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ASK whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 (ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ASK of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” John 16:23 (ESV)

“…whatever you ASK the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16 (ESV)

“Until now you have ASKED nothing in my name. ASK, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24 (ESV)

“In that day you will ASK in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ASK the Father on your behalf…” John 16:26 (ESV)

One common thread in these verses – nothing happens until you ASK.

A doctor's surprising Prescription for getting well

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:00:00 PST

We all know prayer makes an impact. We all know we should pray more. How do we put a punch in our prayers?

In many ways I’m still a novice when it comes to prayer. I suppose that’s why the disciples came to Jesus one day and asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” We all need to be life-long students when it comes to prayer.

How do I make my prayers more effective? Do you wonder if your praying makes a difference? I remember an occasion when I was reading through Acts, about how King Herod Agrippa killed James but imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:1-3). I imagine the church in Jerusalem had an all-night prayer vigil for both of these apostles. I quietly thought: why did God spare Peter, but not James? I’m sure the church had been praying for James, too.

John Wimber of the Vineyard Movement was preaching at a conference only days before his own death from cancer. The topic given to him was: “Do you still believe in healing even though you’re dying of cancer?” Wimber said, “Through the years I, and others, have prayed for thousands of people to be miraculously healed. Honestly, most were not; but through the years some were. What I know is in every case, prayer helped. God used prayer to comfort, to encourage, for strength and faith, or to lift spirits. In every case, praying helped.”

Some scientists took this even further in a research project studying the “effect” of prayer on patients. A famous study by Dr. Randolph Byrd of the University of California followed 400 cardiac patients. Dr. Byrd distributed half the patient’s names to people across the United States and asked them to pray for the patient. Neither the cardiac patients, doctors, nor nurses knew about these solicited prayer warriors.

All 400 patients got the same state-of-the-art medical care, but only half were being earnestly prayed for by unknown prayer partners. The results were astounding. Researchers discovered that of those who were prayed for:

They were far less likely to develop congestive heart failure,

They were five times less likely to require antibiotics,

They were three times less likely to need diuretics,

None of the 200 patients ever needed a breathing tube,

Very few developed pneumonia or required CPR, and

None of the 200 died!

One researcher looking at the meticulous study said: “If the therapy being evaluated had been a new drug, it would undoubtedly have been heralded as a medical break through.”

I’m not suggesting we should only pray and never go to the doctor, but let’s recognize that God invites us into the process, encouraging us to become intercessors. I understand that “intercession” is composed of two Latin words: inter- (between) and cedere (to go). So, to intercede is to be a “go-between”, standing between a person and their need: between a sick person and their health, between a sad person and their peace of mind, between an unrepentant sinner and a just God.

To be more effective in our praying, some of us have to become better “go-betweeners”.

Recovering Sacrament in the Baptist tradition

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 PST

How important is baptism to Baptists? One of the Fellowship’s most esteemed Church historians, Dr. Michael Haykin, asked this question in his book, Amidst Us our Belovèd Stands: Recovering Sacrament in the Baptist tradition.

Traditionally, our Fellowship’s view is that baptism and the Lord’s Table are “ordinances”. However, do they still receive the same level of importance in our local churches today? Our tradition views the Lord’s Supper in the “memorialist” understanding of Scripture, and baptism as an act of obedience. Few of us have viewed these ordinances as “sacraments” or any means of providing grace.

Dr. Haykin addresses the views of 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century Baptists on the subject. He especially points out C.H. Spurgeon’s view on the subject—you may be surprised.

I have attached Pastor David Daniels’ review of Dr. Haykin’s book (David has been a friend and colleague within the Fellowship for decades), as a means to whet your appetite. You might agree. You might disagree with the motion of “sacramentalism” associated with our two ordinances – but, may this discussion only underscore our need to continue to emphasize the importance of obedience through baptism and regular participation in the Lord’s Supper.

To view David Daniels’ review, CLICK HERE.

There is No Action without a Plan

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:00:00 PST

Prayer is not ultimately about getting answers, but about letting God change me.

My prayer life is a tool for God to guide, instruct, and conform me to become more like Christ. The use of Scripture in prayer is a wonderful way to allow God to do this in my life. My mentor-coach is a master at this – weaving Scripture in and through his prayers as he prays for my life and ministry. Scripture should be used in our praying because it often clarifies and provokes our prayers. Every prayer request should be preceded by what God says in His Word. God’s Word in our prayer life changes us. Our prayer life becomes less about sharing problems with the Lord than identifying solutions promoted by our communion with the Lord.

A Prayer Plan

Few years back I had Rev. Sunder Krishnan talk to our Fellowship chaplains about our prayer life. He shared some insightful and very practical ideas about prayer. Here is a synopsis of his teaching.

You must have a plan. Without a plan your prayer life will sink to the lowest ebb of vitality. If you don’t plan a vacation, it generally sinks to a “staycation” at home watching TV. Have a plan:

Establish a quiet place

Your location should minimize the invasion of the visible and audible. A busy location provides too much stimuli which removes you from experiencing a sacred space. Going to the same quiet place over and over again begins to take on a fragrance, aroma, and taste of safety during your sacred time with the Lord.

Establish an alert time

Different people have different rhythms in life. However, it is not the time of day you meet with God that matters – it’s a question of your alertness and giving God the firstfruits.

Set aside a block of time

Scripture gives no instruction on the allotment of time; however Jesus did say, “Could you not pray with me for one hour?” Maybe a good place to consider. Consider the following when it comes to time:

It should be long enough to be meaningful. You drive from Calgary to Banff and Jasper and this five-hour drive takes ten hours with all the stops and hikes to take in the full grandeur and beauty. Then it’s back to Calgary and you feel pressed for time so you race past all the mountains, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and feel joy when you finally see the boring flat lands outside of Calgary. It takes time to fully “take it all in” when in prayer.

It should be short enough to be manageable. One theologian said: “Many only pray for five minutes and find prayer boring; it’s boring because we only give it five minutes.”

Guard the appointment

Satan won’t tell you not to pray, but he’ll tell you you’re too tired to get up early to pray. Put a Scripture verse on the “snooze button” on your alarm clock or smart phone. Be careful that your daily “to do” list doesn’t hinder you from praying.

Have some tracks to run on

It’s a well-known fact that the discipline of structure precedes the delight of spontaneity. A concert pianist may look spontaneous, but this is only possible because of the discipline of daily practice. A meaningful prayer life takes discipline.

A 40-minute track

Clear the deck (three minutes): Hand stuff over to God. Be authentic. Share your schedule for the day. Share your struggles.

Thanks and praise (four minutes): List all the things you’re thankful for over the past 24 hours.

Seek the Spirit’s guidance (three minutes): Pray Scripture to the Lord, sing a psalm, and invite the Holy Spirit into your prayer time.

Read an assigned Scripture passage (10 minutes): Follow a plan so you don’t have to hunt and decide. A plan ensures you read the entire Bible – even Leviticus. Read until the Word becomes a voice.

Mark what Scripture provokes prayer (10 minutes): Don’t read Scripture primarily for information but also to allow God to speak to you and you to Him.

Exhortations or Commands to action (five minutes): Pray for strength, courage, and opportunity to do/act.

Commit your day to God (five minutes).

I trust these practical insights and suggestions from brother Sunder will be a help in managing a meaningful prayer life.

Join the Team

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 PST

I want to introduce you to some of our Fellowship International missionary appointees. Each is currently prayerfully seeking to build their prayer and support team. I am hoping your church will consider partnering with one or more of these amazing servants.

ECM in Hamilton and GTA
ECM’s ministry focuses on cross-cultural evangelism and discipleship among a MENA people group that ECM have seen are increasingly more open to the Gospel. ECM have a vision and ministry plans to engage this people group with the Gospel through disciple-making movement strategies in partnership with local churches.

They are praying for more churches and individuals to join them in God’s call to disciple in their mission field. Please join them through a monthly gift of support by visiting fellowship.ca/ECM or sending us an email to learn more at international@fellowship.ca. *Names and details have been omitted because of security concerns.

Ovi and Lili Gardos, Romania - Evangelical Baptist Church of Rosemont, Montréal, QC

Ovi Gardos and his wife, Lili, have been part of a church planting program since 2013. In the last few years, they were convicted of the call to serve as missionaries in Romania as the country is becoming secularized, and there is a deep need for Gospel saturation. They have a vision to cultivate the discipleship multiplication culture that will reproduce more disciples and church plants. To learn more about Ovi and Lili’s ministry or become a ministry partner, please visit their profile on our website and watch their video: fellowship.ca/gardos.

If you have any questions, you can contact Ovi at ogardos@fellowship.ca .

Byron Chae, Candidate Coordinator – Springvale Church

Byron Chae serves as Candidate Coordinator with Fellowship International. Byron provides leadership to pre-field training and is responsible for recruiting new personnel. He is passionate about sharing Jesus and loves seeing God raise more workers for the plentiful harvest. He is married to Hanna, and they have 3 children – Samuel, Kayla, and Nathan.

If you have any questions, you can contact him at bchae@fellowship.ca.

Thank you for praying for these servants of the Lord. Please consider financially supporting them in 2023.

A model for Mission Advance

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 PST

These are exciting days in global missions. In 1980, there were 1,800 known evangelical mission agencies sending 70,000 missionaries. Today, we know of 4,000 evangelical mission agencies that are sending 250,000 missionaries (figures from the Global Network of Missionary Structures). The Korean church has plans to send 100,000 missionaries over the next 20 years. The Philippine and Chinese churches both have similar goals.

How many people groups will need to be reached?

The Finishing the Task network, launched in 2003, has focused on the unreached people groups with a population over 100,000 who have not been engaged with the Gospel.

In 2003, there were 639 groups in this category. In 2010, all but 86 of these groups had been engaged. The network is now working on plans to engage those groups which have a population of 50,000 or greater. Rick Warren is the new executive Director of the Finishing the Task network. Could it be that we are getting close to accomplishing Matthew 24:14 (NLT):

“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”

Our own Fellowship International ministry has sent out more than 300 Fellowship International missionaries from our churches in the past 60 years. We rejoice that hundreds more have been sent by Fellowship churches with other mission agencies over those same 60 years.

Our mission and vision refreshed

Fellowship International retooled itself five years ago (2017) with a new approach to training and coaching our missionaries for mission.

I’d like to introduce you to the Ten Essential Elements – principles that help develop a Disciple-Making Multiplication pathway for local church mission advance.

Any church can adopt these principles as a means to train, coach, and mentor believers into becoming intentional “missionaries” in their community.

I encourage you to click here to watch our Fellowship International Director, Ben Porter, explain the principles.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate in contacting Ben Porter (bporter@fellowship.ca), Byron Chae (bchae@fellowship.ca), Richard Flemming (rflemming@fellowship.ca), or Mark Naylor (mnaylor@fellowship.ca).

Together for Freedom

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:00:00 PST

Gary Haugen, the CEO of International Justice Mission said,

“The poor don’t have much in the way of money or possessions to steal so it turns out that the most profitable thing to steal is the whole person.”

What do you think of when you hear the word “slavery”? Most likely, an image involving a plantation in the southern United States or a Caribbean island comes to mind. Although this is not inaccurate, and is certainly part of the history of slavery, it’s far from the current reality. Although it may look a little different and it’s hidden from public view, slavery, especially in the form of sexual exploitation, is just as present today. In fact, today’s technology makes sexual exploitation even easier.

Just as there are many names for modern-day slavery, it looks different in various parts of the world. In the Philippines, children are sold or tricked into online sexual exploitation. Victims are forced to create pornography sold to people in Canada, the US, and Europe. In Canada, vulnerable women and children are trapped and forced to sell their bodies. Whether within the border of Canada or across the world in the Philippines, victims are separated from community and support systems to prevent rescue. This is done so that slave owners can make money from their victims’ suffering for as long as possible.

Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” Luke 4:18 (NIV).

Just as Jesus came to bring freedom from the sin that chains us, we are called to help bring justice for the captive and set them free. IJM and BridgeNorth are already doing this work, but they need your help. Through FAIR’s Together for Freedom special appeal, we’re asking you to participate in four ways to help bring freedom to those in today’s slave trade in the Philippines and Canada.

LEARN – There are many ways for you to learn about modern-day slavery. For information, visit fellowship.ca/togetherforfreedom.

PRAY – Pray that God would bring freedom to the sexually exploited around the world.

GIVE – FAIR is seeking to raise $150,000 through the Together for Freedom appeal. Funds raised will help support the vital work of IJM and BridgeNorth. Half will go towards the rescue and rehabilitation of children trapped in online sexual exploitation in the Philippines through IJM. The other half will help BridgeNorth advocate for women trapped in sexual exploitation and rehabilitate those seeking to escape and start a new life.

ACT – Contact FAIR to find out how you can get involved in advocating for these very real issues within your community, and help bring an end to human trafficking.

Would you join with us today to support the end of slavery, to stand Together for Freedom?

Join a virtual FAIR event on February 22, 2023 and March 28, 2023:

Register HERE for the February 22, 2023 virtual trip with IJM to the Philippines and discover their rescue ministry for children being trafficked. Our churches and donors raised a quarter of a million dollars in 2020 to fund this work – see what is happening.

Register HERE for the March 28, 2023 virtual event with BridgeNorth and discover their advocacy ministry to women caught in sex trafficking in Canada.

Thank you for considering FAIR’s Together for Freedom appeal and making a difference in the lives of children in the Philippines and women in Canada.

Everyone loves a Party!

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 PST

Our AEBEQ (Québec) Region is celebrating their 50th Anniversary as a Region on Friday, February 3, 2023. I’ve heard that over 700 people are attending the celebration to remember the storied history of the Fellowship’s work in reaching French Canadians.

At FNC 2022, I challenged delegates to set their smart phones to buzz at 10:02am and stop to pray for Québec. Why 10:02am? It’s a nod to Luke 10:2 and the need to PRAY for workers for the coming harvest. Why not set your smart phone to 10:02am right now?

Next opportunity for a Québec Vision Tour (QVT)

Since 2015 we have offered QVTs to pastors and leaders of Fellowship churches to begin 7x7=1 partnerships.

7 partners (churches or individual donors) commit for 7 years to help support 1 French church plant in Québec

Over 70 partnerships have been established in the past seven years. I would like to offer you an opportunity to join one of my exposure tours over the next several months, as follows:

March 7, 2023: Virtual QVT (1:00-2:00pm EST)

A Zoom gathering in which you will learn of a few current church plants and other information. Please reply to this email if you are interested in joining this Zoom gathering.

April 20, 2023: QVT En Route (TBA)

A live meeting (two hours) hosted by myself and Sergei Li (Fellowship Francophone Coordinator) just prior to the Pacific IMPACT Regional Conference in Nanaimo, BC. More details to follow if you indicate your interest.

May 29-31, 2023: QVT Live (48 hours in Montréal)

You get to Montréal by plane, train, or automobile and Sergei and I host a tour of several current church plants on location. Meet the church planter, visit the community where the plant is being established, and get a “feel” for the area. You pay your way to Montréal and Fellowship National pays all other expenses for your 48-hour visit to the Montréal area. More details to follow if you indicate your interest.

50 Years of Blessing – 200 Years on Mission

Join me in celebrating with our Fellowship churches in Québec as we celebrate 50 years of God’s blessing. But also remember that mission advance has been going on for 200 years in the mission field we call Québec.

A History Lesson

After a revival broke out in Geneva, Switzerland (1816-17), some adherents broke from the state Protestant church. These dissidents were persecuted by a law (1824) that could send them into exile. Henriette Feller left the official state church in 1827 and joined an Evangelical Missions Society in Lausanne after her husband’s death. This Society began sending missionaries to Lower Canada. In August 1834, Henriette left for Canada accompanied by Pastor Louis Roussy. In September 1836 she took up residence in Grande-Ligne (10 miles south of Saint-Jean) after being forced from several other places due to persecution.

The Earlier Years were Tough

Other Society missionaries lasted only a year and returned to Switzerland. During the 1837 rebellion in Québec, she fled with some converts to the USA, accused of being friendly with the British. But, the 1837 rebellion broke the grip that the Roman Catholic priests had on society and French Protestantism advanced. Henriette would say, “The time is come, Canada is open.”

Preaching locations opened along with schools and the French Canadian Missionary Society opened in Montréal in February 1839. Henriette endorsed their mission, but never joined them, due likely to her fierce desire to be independent of outside influence. She went on eight fundraising trips to the USA insisting Louis Roussy report on the Grand-Ligne church and school every few days. Her school students called her “mother”.

From 1855 to her death in 1868, her health was very poor, however, it never stopped her from running the affairs of the mission, even from her bedroom. Throughout her 32 years of missionary service in French Canada, Henriette Feller settled the first Francophone Protestant community in Québec, educated young people, sent gifted Francophones for higher learning and established nine Protestant French churches with seven pastors shepherding them. There were approximately 900 members attending those churches.

Dr. Michael Haykin, one of Canada’s leading church historians, said to me, “Steve, by the end of the nineteenth century there were about 50,000 French evangelical Christians in Québec.”

I wonder what happened to this impact. Immigration to the States because of persecution in Québec, fewer missionaries being sent to Lower Canada, poor leadership and evangelistic apathy a couple of generations the Grande-Ligne’s legacy had floundered. Remember, the Christian church is always one generation away from extinction.

Will we repeat history?

Then some young Bible students started leaving for Québec in the 1930-1940s. Pioneers like Wilf Wellington, Murray and Lorne Heron, Ernie Keefe, and others. French churches were started; the Fellowship’s French Mission was established in 1958 and approximately 100 churches were planted. Today, there are 79 French-speaking Fellowship churches in Québec with more than 10,000 believers – the largest French denomination in Québec. It’s a wonderful story of God’s grace. But, only 0.8% of French Canadians identify themselves as evangelical Christians. Our work has only begun.

Missiologists tell us that nations or people groups under 2-3% evangelical will struggle to sustain themselves without any outside help. Imagine our Fellowship churches and donors stopping our commitment in Francophone Canada now. At only 0.8%, we would likely repeat the late nineteenth century history. The great gains of these past 50 years might all but disappear in one single generation. We cannot let this happen! The time is come. French Canada is open!

Very few nations are sending missionaries to French Canada. As Canadians, the Lord has given us this divine responsibility. Join me in praying for the salvation of Canadians — French Canadians.

Please join me on one of our next Québec Vision Tours (QVT) on March 7, April 20, or May 29-31, 2023.

Thank God for the Henriette Feller’s of the church. Have we got any more out there?

How many Baptists live in Canada?

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:00:00 PST

How many Baptists have lived in Canada over the past 150 years? I thought you might like to know:

Year

Population Count

Percentage of Canadian Population

1871

243,714

2.2%

1881

296,525

2.7%

1891

303,839

2.9%

1901

318,005

3.0%

1911

382,720

3.5%

1921

421,730

4.1%

1931

443,341

4.2%

1941

484,465

4.8%

1951

519,585

5.2%

1961

593,553

6.0%

1971

667,245

6.8%

1981

696,850

7.0%

1991

663,360

6.6%

2001

729,475

7.4%

2011

635,840

6.3%

Of special note: the Baptist population has increased steadily for 140 years in Canada, up until the 21st We saw a decline in the early 2000s. It will be interesting to see the stats from the past decade when made available. Are we increasing or declining?

Evangelicals in Canada have been declining in number over the past 25 years. Census data over the past three decades indicate:

1996: 12% Evangelical vs 23% no affiliation

2003: 13% Evangelical vs 23% no affiliation

2013: 10% Evangelical vs 36% no affiliation

2015: 9% Evangelical vs 40% no affiliation

2019: 6% Evangelical vs 50% no affiliation

2021: 7% Evangelical vs 45% no affiliation

We still have much to do in Canada for the sake of Christ. Join me in praying for our country and its great spiritual need.

2023: The Fellowship's "Year of TRUTH" (John 17:17)

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 PST

2022 was cast as The Fellowship’s “Year of JOY” (Zephaniah 3:17). After experiencing a two-year pandemic, we rejoiced in being able to gather together and experience some of the “much fruit” Jesus promised in John 15. Some highlights over the past couple years (September 2020-August 2022):

15 new career Fellowship International missionaries appointed

55 new Fellowship Chaplains appointed

82 professions of faith in 2022 through our Onside outreach ministry

35 new Francophone church plant partnerships

$3.99 million in FAIR donations

$6.3 million in legacy and investment in our Fellowship Foundation

16 new church plants in 2022 with 122 new church plants between 2010-2022

We have much to rejoice over. God is good. And God has blessed the ministry of our local churches in so many ways.

However, we also sense there are hairline fractures in the progress of the Church in Canada. The exponential rise of secularism. COVID-19 exposed the suspicions we already had concerning the depth and breadth of discipleship in our churches. The mass exodus of young adults, with 2 out of 3 millennials raised in our evangelical churches leaving the past decade. There have been extraordinary leadership failures and documented church abuse cases flooding social media. Surveys on Biblical literacy in the Church is discouraging.

In the “State of Theology” 2022 survey conducted by LifeWay and Ligoniers, the news is pretty staggering:

65% (or two thirds) of Evangelicals AGREED that everyone is born “innocent in the eyes of God”, and so, the Biblical concept of original sin is called into question.

Universalism is the next natural step when 2/3 of church attendees hold this diabolical view of the human condition.

Why bother sending missionaries or make disciples if everyone is innocent and going to Heaven?

48% (or half) of Evangelicals AGREED that God changes, and so, His truth claims “evolve & adapt” to the changing times. Besides not being Biblical—why would anyone want to trust this type of god?

26% (or one quarter) of Evangelicals AGREED that the Bible contains “helpful myths” and should not be taken literally.

This rising disbelief in the Bible’s truth claims helps us to understand why many Evangelicals in North America, particularly millennials, believe that religious faith is a subjective experience rather than an objective reality.

38% of Evangelicals AGREED that religious belief is a matter of Personal Opinion; not Objective Truth.

It’s no wonder we’re witnessing Evangelicals and their Churches moving in directions we didn’t think possible a generation ago, where:

58% (or half) of Evangelicals AGREED that God accepts the worship of all World Religions – particularly the three Abrahamic Faiths.

37% (or one third) of Evangelicals AGREED that gender identity is a matter of personal choice despite an individual’s biological sex at birth.

And 28% (or one quarter) of Evangelicals AGREED that the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behaviour does not apply today.

It is for this reason I prayerfully designated 2023 our Year for Truth and chose John 17:17 (ESV) as our theme verse: “Sanctify them in the truth; your Word is truth.”

This theme will be reflected in my weekly blogs, our national magazine THRIVE, our National Conference in 2023, and in our careful journey together to consider our Affirmation of Faith which has served us so well for seven decades. How do we remain true to God’s Word and not be tempted to stray into one of two ditches while travelling on the “narrow road”? The two ditches are Isolationalism and Judgmentalism.

Let me briefly share these two Pastoral Concerns:

I pray we chose not to isolate ourselves by removing ourselves from society as our culture becomes increasingly hostile to the Gospel. Will we be willing to be misunderstood, even maligned, because of our orthodox Biblical beliefs, values, and behaviours? Will we isolate ourselves or will we boldly engage, speaking the truth in love?

Secondly, I pray we not choose to become overly judgmental with the broader evangelical family in Canada, some of whom have begun to align themselves with overtly progressive views and agendas. Will we embrace a less than courteous neo-fundamentalist posture where we attack, berate, and virtue-signal, or will we unashamedly continue to proclaim Biblical truth and remain good neighbours within the family?

My pastoral concern is—while we remain vigilant and don’t capitulate—that we don’t slip into either of these two extremities: becoming indifferent to societal engagement by isolating ourselves, or becoming grumpy, disagreeable cousins only known for what we’re against and not what we’re for! Both extremities exude a “defeatist” spirit, a subtle acknowledgement that we have lost — that we are in fact on the “wrong side of history” as our detractors accuse. And it’s an unsavoury acknowledgement that we’re being marginalized and squeezed to the periphery of society – treated suspiciously and not taken seriously as equal players in Canada’s great “pluralistic” experiment – within pluralism we have an equal voice.

---

Do we still believe Jesus is the Hope of the world? Canada’s great Hope? Then let’s be reminded that Jesus said in Matthew 16:18b (ESV), “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Together let’s remain unashamed of a Gospel that is unquestionably counter-cultural.

Together let’s continue to believe the power of the Gospel to transform spiritual orphans.

Together let’s stop viewing current social trends as roadblocks, but rather as opportunities for mission.

Together let’s promise one another that we’ll envision bold, impactful ministries in our neighbourhoods.

Together let’s redouble our efforts in making disciples who make disciples – embracing the principle of multiplication, not just addition.

Together let’s remain advocates for the downtrodden, the poor, the marginalized, and the despised.

Let’s continue to tell the truth in the spirit of Jesus:

A spirit that remains

Merry Christmas from the Fellowship National Staff

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 00:00:00 PST

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! I’m so very grateful that you are all part of our great Fellowship family.

May this Christmas be a wonderful time for you and your family. May cherished memories be made and opportunities to share the Good News arise. The greatest gift we might give anyone is, of course, our Saviour.

This Christmas, why not consider giving a Christmas gift to a loved one from our Fellowship FAIR catalogue? It’s an amazing way to give a gift that keeps on giving. Why not check out these practical humanitarian relief projects online at fellowship.ca/FAIRCatalogueProjects?

May we experience afresh the “wonder” of the gift of our salvation through Christ Jesus alone… this Christmas.

Love to you all,

Steven

P.S. You won’t hear from me until January 9, 2023. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s break.

Our 2023 Fellowship theme verse is:

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 (ESV)

From the Cradle to the Grave

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 PST

How much does God love you?

Can anything separate us from Christ’s love?

How long will God’s love endure? Just how patient will God be with us?

Does God really love us FOREVER? Not just when I’m good but when I’m bad? How does God feel about me when I snap at my kids, roar at my wife, bellow at the traffic, and even mumble a curse to God when life is not working out the way it’s supposed to?

How does God feel about me then?!

Do you ever wonder if you’ve crossed the line? Maybe this past week?

Jesus spoke far more about the evil of lying, gossiping, and a critical spirit than He ever did about murder, stealing, or adultery. So what about your constantly critical spirit?

Have I drifted too far?

Waited too long?

Slipped too much?

Can anything separate me from the love of God?

God answered the question before we ever had a chance to ask it.

He answered when He lit the sky with a star to announce His one and only Son.

To prove the full extent of His love, He stepped away from His throne, removed His robe of light, and wrapped Himself in human skin.

The very light of the universe loved us so much that He entered a dark, wet womb.

He whom angels worship was willing to place himself beside the placenta of a peasant.

Can anything make me stop loving you? God asks.

Watch me learn your language, watch me take my first steps, watch me feel your pain, watch me meet your needs.

That is God spilling milk at the table, falling over as He walks for the first time, crying out as He scrapes his knee, and bellowing when His hammer catches His thumb.

You wonder if God loves you?

You’ll find your answer on a splintered cross on a rocky hill in the shape of a skull. That is God dangling, nail–stabbed, and bleeding, covered in spit.

That is your SIN He is experiencing. That is your DEATH He is dying.

Can anything separate you from God’s love?

Christmas assures us that God’s love is inexhaustible and Easter makes certain we never forget this truth.

May each of you have a very Merry Christmas!

Spiritual Orphans Lost in the Christmas Cosmos

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 00:00:00 PST

Have you ever heard of the writer Walker Percy? Philip Yancey introduced me to him in one of his books when he commented on the importance of Walker’s contribution as a Christian apologist.

After his death, Time Magazine (May 1990) wrote: “Name another voice in America writing who is as beguiling and civilized as Walker Percy.”

He was a medical doctor and scientific researcher–turned-writer (in his 40s) who wrote philosophical essays and six popular novels, all tackling the bleak and hopeless themes prevalent in the 20th century.

He became a Christian later in life and wrote of hope. The literary establishment wanted to ignore him and his supposedly outdated, quaint views and rally behind the bleak viewpoints of giants like Hemmingway and Steinbeck, but they could never ignore his brilliance—his writing was too compelling.

Percy once wrote of this reality, saying, “The Christian novelist nowadays is like a man who has found a treasure hidden in the attic of an old house, but he is writing for people who have moved out to the suburbs and are bloody sick of the old house and everything in it.”

Many in our culture have moved out from those “past” beliefs and rally behind more “progressive” views within the culture-wars of our day.

In my opinion, this has also touched Christmas. Our culture continues to celebrate Christmas, but doesn’t necessarily give much thought to its origin. And if you keep your distance from your Saviour long enough, you begin to believe the lies people say about Him.

In one of Walker Percy’s essays entitled Lost in the Cosmos, he writes about one of his favourite themes: humanity as an orphan lost in the cosmos. He writes:

“… How can you survive in the cosmos about which you know more and more while knowing less and less about yourself—this despite 10,000 self-help books, 100,000 psychotherapists, and 100 million evangelical Christians?”

Modern man resembles a castaway on a deserted island trying to interpret the message found in a bottle, written in an unknown language. Like a prisoner in an isolation cell, straining to hear a code tapped out on the cell wall beside him.

The fact that the Gospel may not be as pronounced or embraced in our society as it used to be doesn’t negate the tremendous value of the message: that a baby born in a manger came to save humanity. It’s still the only message that brings hope and completely satisfies the hungry hearts of orphaned souls who are looking for peace.

The 17th-century novelist John Donne tells the story of early Spanish sailors who reached South America and sailed into the headwaters of the Amazon River. It was so immense that the sailors thought they were still continuing in the Atlantic Ocean. It never occurred to them to cup some water in their hands and taste that it was fresh water, not salt water. As a result, some sailors died of dehydration.

The scene of men dying of thirst while floating in the world’s largest body of fresh water is a fitting metaphor of our own age.

Our family and friends are spiritually starving to death as they hum along to the Christmas music playing at every shopping mall—Christmas carols heralding the Saviour of the world. So close, yet so far.

Learning a New Language

We’ve got to learn a new language: that’s hard work. Several years ago I spent three weeks studying French at the University of Montréal. I was exhausted, and so often I felt like an infant trying to communicate. It was humiliating at times, but it’s a joyous experience when you realize you understand more, and are able to respond more effectively.

This Christmas, let’s learn to communicate the truths of Christmas in a new way, in a new language—a language that is not so foreign to our friends who often show indifference (or contempt) when they feel like they are one of our “projects” during the Christmas season.

Launch helped Jerusha discover God's will

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 PST

Are you or do you know someone who might benefit from a mod-term cross cultural missions experience?

Our Fellowship International department has a ministry opportunity perfect to meet this need.

Fellowship International’s “Launch” ministry recently received a significant refresh.

What is Launch do you ask? Fellowship International’s Candidate Coordinator, Byron Chae explains:

“Launch is a mid-term missions program that deploys individuals into cross-cultural ministry for up to two years. This program gives individuals the opportunity to develop while serving and to actually discern God’s direction for their lives and engagement in God’s mission. Launch also provides ministry training and mentorship by our Fellowship International missionaries.”

If you have any questions, go online to www.fellowship.ca/Launch and/or contact Byron at bchae@fellowship.ca.

Launch may be just the opportunity to give needed direction in the life of one of your young adults in your local church. This was the case in Jerusha’s life.

I recently had lunch with a few of our missionaries and learned that Jerusha Ricketts (from City Centre Baptist Church, Mississauga, ON) went to Medellin, Columbia through our Launch program to serve with Fellowship International missionaries Diego and Claudia Cardona. The experience so impacted her life that she was appointed as a career missionary this year. Jerusha is currently building her support team and I know she would love for you to connect with her - go to https://www.fellowship.ca/ricketts to learn more about Jerusha and her future ministry in Colombia.

Abby Cline in Dominican Republic

On Sept 2, 2022 our newest Launch short term missionary, Abby Cline, was sent to our FAIR partner orphanage in Dominican Republic for a couple months caring for the 75+ orphans in this home. Abby assisted our Fellowship International missionary, Helene Hwang, teaching English to pre-school and public school children. Abby’s dad pastors James North Baptist Church in Hamilton. Those pictured in the photo are Mike Garabedian (Fellowship Senior Chaplain at Pearson-Toronto Airport), Aimee, Abby and Dwayne Cline with Byron Chae (Fellowship International Candidate Coordinator) gathered for Abby’s commissioning service.

Get the word out about Fellowship International’s Launch ministry for people wanting a cross cultural experience for 1-2 months to two years. Maybe you should prayerfully consider Launch?

How to help a Ukrainian family resettle in Canada

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship churches and donors have been incredibly generous during our FAIR emergency appeal for Ukrainian refugees. Since March 2022 we have raised $1.7 million toward the care and resettlement of refugees in Europe. However, we now have an opportunity to help Ukraine refugees resettle temporarily in Canada during the cold winter months. FAIR Project Coordinator, Denise Wicks, explains this opportunity:

“In response to the waves of Ukrainian refugees that have fled the invasion of their country, the Canadian federal government announced a special program to provide safe harbour. The Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website states that ‘Ukrainian nationals and their family members can apply for a temporary resident visa to travel to and stay in Canada temporarily.’ Between March 17th and October 26th, 645,000 Ukrainians have applied through this program, and 338,000 of them have been approved. In other words, the equivalent of 1% (or more) of the population of Canada will be arriving all across the country in the coming winter months.

“FAIR Director Dan Shurr recently spoke with the AEBEQ Region’s Refugee Ministry Coordinator, Antoine Houle, about the need for churches to step forward to help resettle Ukrainian families. Because Ukrainians are given fast-tracked visitors’ visas, they don’t have access to the same resources available to refugees. Antoine shared that the most urgent need is housing:

“‘We (AEBEQ) don't require any financial commitment for this project (from the church) as the Canadian government doesn't [require it] in the case of a Ukrainian family.

“‘Accommodation is definitely essential to help a Ukrainian family moving to Canada. Each family comes with different resources, so housing doesn't have to be fully funded. However, it is definitely a game changer for most families if someone from the church can provide a free basement, apartment, or simply a room for a few months to help the family land on their feet upon arrival, and take some time to settle and find a job.’

“If you’re interested in getting your church family involved in helping Ukrainian families resettle in Canada, contact FAIR to learn more about how to get started.”

Please pray about how God would have you respond to this opportunity and contact the Fellowship’s FAIR department if you are able to temporarily accommodate a needy person or family this winter.

Why Pray on our Fellowship Day of Prayer this Sunday?

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 PST

Historically, every spiritual awakening began with a movement of intercessory prayer that precipitated the Church being renewed and scores of people coming to Christ. If this is actually true, why aren’t we praying?

This Sunday, November 20, 2022, we are calling on all Fellowship churches to spend time in their worship services to PRAY for our Fellowship for:

Our churches’ allegiance to Christ and His Word

Our leaders to shepherd our movement on mission

Our missionaries and chaplains to demonstrate Christ’s love

Our men and women to be models of godliness in their families and communities

Our teens and children to love Jesus with all their strength

Our country and its need to turn back to God

A.T. Pierson said, “Every step in the progress of missions is directly traceable to prayer. It has been the preparation for every new triumph and the secret of all success.”

The word “intercession” is a compound word made up of two Latin words: inter (between) and cedere (to go). An intercessor is a “go-between”. To stand between a cancer victim and death, to stand between a lost soul and Almighty God. Ananias was an intercessor (see Acts 9). Prompted by God he prayed for the Christian-killer named Saul. And because of his intercession the “scales” fell from Saul’s eyes and he became Paul.

Is intercessory prayer happening in your life or your church? There are no fewer than 11 revival movements in the Old Testament. While each revival is unique, a common factor preceding each revival was that God’s people gathered together in prayer. Look at the Biblical record:

Exodus 32-34 – Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp and required everyone who sought the Lord to meet him there.

1 Samuel 7:5-6 – Samuel required all of Israel to gather at Mizpah where they fasted and confessed their sins.

2 Chronicles 15:9-15 – Asa gathered the people in Jerusalem to enter into a covenant to seek the Lord with all their hearts and with all their souls.

2 Chronicles 20:3-13 – Jehoshaphat gathered the tribes of Judah, and the people fasted and sought the Lord.

2 Chronicles 23:16ff – Jehoiada made a covenant with all the people, that they should be the Lord’s people. They then proceeded to cleanse the land of evil.

2 Chronicles 30:5ff – Hezekiah and the other leaders established a decree requiring all the people to gather for the celebration of the Passover. Fourteen days were devoted to seeking the Lord.

2 Chronicles 34:31-33 – Josiah gathered the people to enter into a covenant with the Lord to walk in all His ways.

Ezra 6:16-22 – Zerubbabel led the people in seven days of separating themselves from the impurity of the nations and pledging themselves to seek the Lord.

Ezra 8:21-23 – Ezra proclaimed a fast at the River Ahava for the people to humble themselves, put away their sins, and seek the Lord.

Nehemiah 8-10 – The people assembled in front of the Water Gate where the Law of Moses was read by the hour and an agreement was made in writing to put away sin and to seek the Lord with all their hearts.

Joel 1:14; 2:12-17 – Joel gathered the people to return to the Lord with all their hearts with fasting, weeping, and mourning. They were required to rend their hearts and not their garments.

Our Québec Region has been praying for several years for revival in their churches and province. Almost 200 intercessors have committed to pray one hour each week, and to fast and pray once per month. At 10:02am each day, smart phone alarms across our Québec Region buzz, reminding the faithful to pray for workers to come to Québec (see Luke 10:2).

My prayer is that the rest of our Fellowship family will join and become an “army” of intercessors praying for revival in Canada. To use or watch video prayer requests from our National staff please follow us on social media @thefellowshipCa

Why not start this Sunday during our Fellowship National Day of Prayer?

Bill C-7 and Bill C-11 and other prayer concerns

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 00:00:00 PST

From Bill C-11 (internet regulation) to proposed changes to Bill C-7 (MAiD Law) to potential tax changes affecting pro-life organizations. These topics and more can be found in the latest edition of the Fellowship’s “Religious Freedom Watch in Canada” bulletin.

Click HERE to download the Fall 2022 edition of this bulletin written by leaders within our own Fellowship family.

We need to be aware. We need to pray. We need to act.

Survey results from post-COVID-19 studies

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 PST

Where is the Church in Canada heading? This blog is the third in a series of three blogs over the past three weeks. You may want to look at the previous two before peeking at today’s blog, “A Word from Steve: Survey the results from post-COVID-19 studies”.

Recently, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s head researcher, Rick Hiemstra, shared some survey research with our National and Regional directors, particularly statistics and insights related to church trends coming out of the pandemic. The surveys were conducted in September 2021 in partnership with Maru (a polling company) and EFC, involving 3,025 Canadians 18 or older and representing every region, age, and gender in Canada.

Here are some of the findings:

4 in 5 Canadians had almost no connection with church worship services during the pandemic

Those who never attend a worship service jumped from 55% pre-COVID-19 to 71% during COVID-19

Among self-identified evangelicals, those who never attend a worship service jumped from 22% pre-COVID to 37% during COVID-19

About one third of evangelicals admitted their attendance (virtual) dropped during the pandemic – only 1 in 10 said it increased.

Looking across various generations (Silent, Boomer, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z), worship service attendance dropped during COVID-19. However, Gen Z (18-26) are the most frequent worship service attenders during COVID-19 among all generations with 27% indicating attendance 2-3 times or more per month. Because we expect young people to be the ones who transition out of faith, Maru polled another 3,000 Canadians and discovered the same result, and this is true in U.S. surveys as well.

Maybe online media is a more natural place for 18-26-years-olds to “do church”, or possibly God is doing a new thing with this new generation?

We had two years of getting out of the habit of physical church attendance – when were people planning on returning?

Among those who attended a worship service 2-3 times or more per month – they indicated they plan to continue virtual attendance (7%) or that they will never physically return (9%).

On vaccine requirements, evangelicals had slightly different opinions among themselves as well as with all Canadians:

“Lockdowns mandated by health authorities have been reasonable and necessary to protect Canadians.” All Canadians: 52% strongly agree, 10% strongly disagree; Evangelicals: 50% strongly agree, 19% strongly disagree.

“Vaccine passports are a reasonable way to function during the pandemic.” All Canadians: 55% strongly agree, 13% strongly disagree; Evangelicals: 47% strongly agree, 19% strongly disagree.

“The danger posed by COVID-19 does not justify the limitations on personal freedoms during the pandemic.” All Canadians: 18% strongly agree, 47% strongly disagree; Evangelicals: 30% strongly agree, 41% strongly disagree. *Add in the figures for moderate agreement and disagreement and you discover a near 50/50 split among Evangelicals.

“Governments and employers should accommodate those who do not want a COVID-19 vaccine.” All Canadians: 19% strongly agree, 39% strongly disagree; Evangelicals: 30% strongly agree, 31% strongly disagree. *Two thirds of Evangelicals think vaccine passports were a good idea compared to nearly four fifths of all Canadians.

“No one should be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine in order to keep their job.” All Canadians: 20% strongly agree, 41% strongly disagree; Evangelicals: 31% strongly agree, 34% strongly disagree. *Add in the moderately agree and disagree and you discover a near 50/50 split among Evangelicals.

What have we learned?

The pandemic was an instrument to help indicate the health and resilience of our local churches. We discovered how exhausting it is to navigate in the midst of uncertainty and a lack of unity due to outside forces. How do we remain united on mission during the tough times? We learned there is need for greater maturity when dealing with differences of opinion and conviction on non-primary and even secondary issues. We discovered that evangelical Canadians are generally more concerned about the limitations of personal rights than the average Canadian, possibly due to concerns for religious liberty rights. We discovered that about 15-20% of our people disappeared post-COVID-19, some still attending virtually but many walking away entirely. We discovered that Gen Z (18-26) were our most resilient worship attenders between pre- and post-COVID-19. How do we address the new “virtual reality” and accommodate this in our future ministries?

A big THANK YOU to Rick and EFC for doing the “heavy lifting” in conducting these recent surveys and helping us to better understand the current landscape.

We are shaped by what has our attention

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:00:00 PST

Where is the church in Canada heading? A good place to start to discover this is understanding where we’ve recently come from.

Last week’s blog, “Look in the rear-view mirror before driving forward”, I introduced you to the preamble of an address Rick Hiemstra, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s (EFC) head researcher, recently made to some of our Fellowship National and Regional leaders. His task was to share the findings from three recent surveys on trends occurring in the Evangelical Church in Canada. I found his preamble very helpful in understanding the future. Rick’s synopsis of where “we’ve come from” in recent decades helps make sense of where “we’re going”. You really should read last week’s blog at fellowship.ca/AWordfromSteve before reading today’s blog to gain the full weight of Rick’s argument. Trust you enjoy the read:

Cultural Change: Getting our Attention

“In the early 1990s we had the beginning of the missional church movement which looked to Lesli Newbiggin for inspiration. This missional church movement wouldn’t really coalesce until a decade later, but it grew out of a conviction that what we were doing wasn’t working.

“We were not paying sufficient attention to what people were paying attention to. We are shaped by what has our attention. I have been chronicling the shifting of place, community, and time. High school, post-secondary school – massive competition for attention – television, and then Big M Drug Mart reconfigured Sunday. Sunday evening services disappear a decade later and it barely was commented on by anyone.

“The really big changes were yet to come. In the mid-1990s the Blackberry bursts onto the scene as a pager on steroids for the wealthy businessperson. ‘Crackberrys’ is what they were affectionately called because people were addicted to them. In the early 2000s, fast, reliable, and somewhat affordable internet became available and with it came social media. A new expression, ‘the network effect’ was coined to describe the phenomenon where platforms like Facebook reached a tipping point and grew simply because they were big.

“In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone which was quickly followed by the first Android phone. We reached a tipping point because the smartphone connected people directly into these super networks where everyone wanted to be because of the network effect. And if the network effect wasn’t enough, tech giants like Google hacked our biology to harvest and sell our attention to advertisers micro-slice by micro-slice.

“We are formed by what has our attention.

“Evangelicals have always been early technological adopters. We were early into radio, television, and the internet and social media. Too often though, we naively said, ‘technology is just a tool.’ Jewish philosopher Neil Postman in his book Amusing Ourselves to Death warned us that anything television touches turns into entertainment. He famously said that the evening TV news is a show, a morality play. The news items are what happens to you if you’re a bad person and the commercials are what happens to you if you’re a good person. Evangelicalism ran into television, and we took a beating from the legacy of televangelists. They elevated celebrity personalities while weakening the authority of local pastors. They harvested attention and defined us, taking our reputations with them when too many of them fell.

“We didn’t think critically about television, and then social media came along and we initially thought we would move our communities online and expand our reach. We forgot that scale changes what a thing is. A church of 40 and a church of 4000 are both churches, but they are not the same thing.

“Miller’s Law says that conversation is only possible in a group of about seven or smaller. If the group is larger than that, only seven will participate and the rest will become an audience.

“Social media is a feed. A feed has a frame. All attention is focused on the frame. What is outside of the frame doesn’t exist. If you want to know the power of that frame, try taking a teenager’s smartphone from them as punishment (that smartphone is a little rectangular frame). If they act like they’re dying, it’s because they are. If you’re not in the frame you don’t exist. The network effect draws all in, and if you aren’t there you disappear.

“Robin Dunbar said that nobody can maintain relationships with more than 150 people. Others have said that number should be a little over 200 but not much higher. Nevertheless, it is common to have 1,000 or more ‘friends’ on social media. How do 1,000 friends get your attention?

“So, with social media we all become attention seekers because we’re all trying to get into that frame. Some do it by creating interesting content. Some do it by being trolls. Some do it with porn. Some people sext because disappearing online is worse than the shame they risk from sexting. We are divided into our online tribes because in your tribe you know what to say to get a ‘like’, so it’s easier to exist there. You don’t seek understanding, you seek attention. It has warped our ability to be human – even the good ways of being human.

“The point is that after our big social and cultural transformations that created youth culture, and the common experience of post-secondary education, and the disruption of the Sunday Sabbath, phones came in to glean the edges of our attentional fields.

“And then came COVID-19 that nearly obliterated what was left of Christian social life pushing it into a Zoom format that didn’t have the power of the network effect to hold us. It gutted our conversational timing so that we now constantly interrupt each other, and it created such toxic polarizations in our congregations that our pastors are wounded and exhausted, and we are jumpy and touchy. Many of our children disconnected during COVID-19 and parents followed them away from Zoom church to the video game on the parallel screen.

“So where does this leave us? We have just assumed that the church has slid more and more into irrelevance because of culture. We try harder and harder to find new ways of doing church. Eugene Peterson said, ‘The pastor’s responsibility is to keep the community attentive to God’ (‘Working the Angles’, p. 2). He’s right, but I would add this. The community also keeps the community attentive to God. In this sense we pastor each other.

“Insurance companies, Statistics Canada, and researchers of all kinds know that regular worship service attenders – let’s reframe that as people who give God and other believers more of their attention – those people are different. I can bury you under the studies that bear this out.

“If you want to see where the Church is vibrant in Canada today, look at New Canadian churches, immigrant churches. Talk to them and you won’t find much difference in their doctrine (although they tend to find Caucasians a bit theologically liberal). What you will find is that they love to be with each other and their love for God is mutually reinforcing.

“At the risk of being simplistic, I think our growth and health is not found in this or that innovation. It is going to be found in disciplining our collective attention. Our attention has been whipsawed and then eroded for the better part of a century. That the Church is still here is testimony to the life-changing power of Christ. I don’t think we’ll see things turn around

Look in the rear-view mirror before driving forward

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 PST

Where is the Church in Canada heading? A good place to start in discovering this is to understand where we’ve recently come from.

I recently had the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s head researcher Rick Hiemstra address many of our National and Regional Directors on the findings of three major surveys completed by the EFC. Fascinating stuff. However, what Rick shared as a preamble to the survey’s finding was also helpful.

Over the next four weeks I want to share Rick’s synopsis of where we’ve come from in recent decades to help make sense of where we’re going. You may not agree with all he says, but I believe you’ll recognize much of it as influencing where we’ve come from and impacting our future.

The following is from Rick’s notes in his presentation to some of our National and Regional Directors. I hope you’ll take the time to read it:

Cultural Change: A question of getting our attention

“The Canadian Protestant consensus of Victorian Evangelicalism started to split apart in the late 1800s with the modernist controversies, and then with the social transformation brought about by two world wars and the Great Depression.

“The reconstruction in Europe and Japan after the Second World War had a parallel ‘reconstruction’ here at home in Canada we often miss.

“The Massey commission was a Royal Commission that was called to address the twin threats of Communism and American cultural imperialism.1 The report came down in 1951 and it recommended using education and other cultural vehicles to curate the ‘tastes of Canadians’. So out of the Massey Commission we got CBC television. Prior to the 1951 report we had CBC radio but not CBC television. This is where the National Film Board was started. This is where Canadian content requirements–Can-Con–were introduced. But the most significant change from the Massey Commission was a massive investment of money in universities and colleges by the federal government.

“The Commission very intentionally set out to curate the cultural tastes of Canadians and to form their character, and education and culture-making were their tools.

“It is sometimes easy to forget that prior to this, Canada was mostly rural, and that compulsory education was a collection of unrealized regional policies. In 1950 only about half of Canadian adults had graduated from high school. Prior to this there were literally hundreds of Evangelical Bible colleges, Bible Institutes, and Bible schools in Canada (Bruce Gunther has put the number at about 340 with the first one opening in 1885). Canada had universities prior to the 1950s but these were finishing schools for the country’s elite. The investment in secular higher education that flowed from the Massey Commission created competition for our Bible colleges and seminaries that hadn’t been there previously.

“Post-secondary education changed the formative influences for many of our children. Many people travelled to college and university, leaving their home churches, and forming their influential friendships somewhere else.

“It wasn’t just higher education. Compulsory education only started to fulfill its promise in the 1950s when most young people started attending high school. High school created ‘youth culture’ and the church responded to youth culture by creating the youth group.

“Youth group was Friday nights; high school was five days a week. That imbalance and other cultural currents starts to turn the tide.

“Where people lived changed. They no longer grew up generation after generation in the same place with the same people. We created new social groups in high school, college, and university. These competed with our own finishing schools of Bible Colleges, Bible Institutes, and seminaries.

“New influences like television–remember the Massey Commission and the creation of CBC television–started to create a common mass culture. Evangelicals were viewed as peripheral culture. In many cases our denominations were subsumed under ‘other’ categories on the Canadian census.

“Church attendance crested in Canada around 1963-1964. That is in absolute numbers, not just percent of the population. Interestingly, that is when the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada was formed. Mainline churches saw a precipitous decline from this point onwards.

“The 1960s and 1970s saw the unravelling of colonialism and with it our western church’s confidence in the mission’s movement that had often expanded along with the colonial powers. The first Lausanne conference was called in 1974 by John Stott and Billy Graham to address this declining confidence in global missions. It was here that the idea of unreached people groups was introduced by Ralph Winter neatly solving the colonial problem because by going where no one had gone before, you, by definition, were not going where the colonial powers had gone before.

“In the early 1980s the plummeting cost of air travel created the short-term missions movement. This was also the time of the church growth movement, and if you look at church attendance stats, you’ll see, paradoxically, that the church seemed to hemorrhage people fast while we were trying most strenuously to do church growth.

“April 24, 1985 in R. v. Big M Drug Mart, The Lord’s Day Act was struck down opening the way for Sunday Shopping.2 This radically transformed work, shopping, sporting, and other calendars. It created Sunday competition for churches where there had been little.

“Then in the 1990s you had the beginning of the missional church movement which looked to Lesli Newbiggin for inspiration. This missional church movement wouldn’t really coalesce until a decade later, but it grew out of a conviction that what we were doing wasn’t working.

“We were not paying sufficient attention to what people were paying attention to. We are shaped by what has our attention. I have been chronicling the shifting of place, community, and time. High school, post-secondary school – massive competition for attention – television, and then Big M Drug Mart reconfigures Sunday. Sunday evening services disappear a decade later and it barely was commented on by anyone. The really big changes were yet to come.”

We will continue Rick’s insights in my blog next week. Remember, this was Rick’s preamble before presenting future church trends from recent surveys. It is always wise to look in the rearview mirror before driving forward.

1 Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, “Report of the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, 1949-1951” (Edmond Cloutier, Printer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, 1951), https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/massey/index-e.html.

2 https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/43/index.do

Thankful my debt has been paid

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 PST

On the second Monday of each October, all Canadians are asked to be thankful. However, the Scriptures instruct that all spirit-filled Christians should always be thankful.

A thankful heart is at the very heart of what it means to be a spirit-controlled believer.

In December of 1914, the famous inventor, Thomas Edison, stood before his great laboratories in West Orange, New Jersey. His laboratories were engulfed in flames and in one night he lost $2 million-worth of equipment and the record of much of his life’s work. Edison’s son, Charles, was frantically running around trying to find his father, only to find him standing before the blaze with the fire’s wind blowing through his white hair. Charles later wrote about how his heart ached for his father at that moment. He was no longer a young man; everything had been destroyed. How could he possibly replace all his life’s work? His father spotted him and quickly instructed him to fetch his mother, because she would never see such a spectacular fire again.

The next morning as they walked through the devastation, the now 67-year-old Edison said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God! We can start all over again!”

What an amazing perspective on life. Edison lived life with a quiet, thankful spirit despite the circumstances.

We have so much to be thankful for as God’s children. I’m thankful for God’s grace. Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) tells us: “God saved you by His special favour when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Thank God that He chooses to give me what I need, not what I deserve. My debt was paid in full by someone else. God is so good. My bank allows me to roll my credit card’s debt into the next month, with some interest of course. Thank God He doesn’t act that way towards me!

What do you suppose the debt on a year-old sin might actually cost? Will God let me pay off today’s sin next month, or maybe next year? Suppose you went to the bank to pay off your credit card and the bank teller tells you that a Steven Jones has paid it off and has instructed the bank that he will continue to pay the balance each month…forever. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? I know Steven Jones well; that’s never going to happen.

However, God’s GRACE does this for those who have become His children. Isn’t that something for which to be thankful? Psalm 103 starts by sharing a whole shopping list of things God does for us because of His grace. Aren’t you thankful God doesn’t give you what you deserve? Instead He gives you what you need…His grace! Thank you, Jesus.

Good Bones and the Health of Boys

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 PST

Cedar Home’s director, Karim Anayssi is a Fellowship International missionary who has been serving in Beirut, Lebanon for the past decade with his wife Rita and their two daughters.

Cedar Home is a ministry that cares for abandoned newborns, as well as orphaned and disadvantaged Syrian, Palestinian, and Iraqi refugees, and stateless girls in Lebanon: go to https://www.fellowship.ca/lebanoncedarhome to find out more about this ministry.

“Good Bones”

It has been on Karim’s heart for many years to provide a special home for boys in Beirut. A great number of boys become unskilled and unemployed young men in Lebanon. A Cedar Home for boys could be used by the Lord to change this trajectory in so many boys’ lives.

Our current FAIR appeal (September-December 2022), Good Bones, is seeking to raise $150,000 to complete a significant renovation of a building which, Lord willing, will become this home for boys.

I’ve asked our FAIR director Dan Shurr to describe the project and the Good Bones appeal:

“Often throughout the past year, when Karim Anayssi, one of our Fellowship International missionaries in Lebanon, would drive through his neighbourhood in Beirut, he would see Mohammed, a teenage boy, standing next to the community garbage bins. As people would drop off their garbage and recycling, he would sort through each bag looking for anything of value. He told Karim that this is the ‘job’ given to him by his dad – sorting through garbage to help provide for the family. He was no longer in school, he wasn’t learning any valuable skills, he was not being prepared to thrive once he [becomes] an adult, and so this is all he could do. In Lebanon, this situation is all too common.

“According to a report issued by the UN, in 2021 about 82% of households in Lebanon now live under multi-dimensional poverty considering dimensions such as employment and income; access to healthcare, education, public utilities; and housing. With extreme levels of inflation and high unemployment rates, families who used to be able to save and plan for their future now struggle to find enough food to eat each day. This has left young boys and teenagers in a precarious position.

“Karim and his wife Rita see the hundreds of thousands of boys who are in need, and they want to do their part to help. They not only have a vision, but many of the resources needed to do this. They have organizational and people knowledge from their ongoing work directing Cedar Home for girls, many contacts including mentors and potential staff, the property and the foundations of the old Cedar Home building, [and] a positive reputation in the community. The time to start is now. Once the building and staff are ready, they plan to train 100 teenage boys a year. As Karim would say, ‘I see these boys as the church of the future. They are not only doing vocational training, providing meals and sharing the gospel—I see this as church planting, as heart work.’”

Please prayerfully consider giving to the Good Bones project. A Christmas offering would be most appreciated.

I am visiting Beirut, Lebanon this week and will have more to share about this project in the coming days. Click here to donate!

Get trained to train National Church Leaders

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 PST

We’re looking for “a few good leaders”! Fellowship leaders willing to invest into the lives of fellow pastoral colleagues in countries in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. Are you interested?

Fellowship International’s indigenous leadership development ministry is led by our LeadersFormation Coordinator, Rev. Paul Harbourne. Paul pastors Fellowship Baptist Church in Collingwood, ON and has been involved in training church leaders in Africa for many years. Paul would like to talk to other Fellowship leaders who sense God’s call to train and coach national leaders. Fellowship pastors have been trained with LeadersFormation’s leadership development tools and curriculum, and have served leaders in Honduras, El Salvador, Dominica, Philippines, Kenya, India, and other countries.

LeadersFormation has recently received a significant refresh with the use of an excellent training curriculum from our partner, Harvesters International.

I’ll let our Fellowship International department convey some of the changes and fresh vision for this storied ministry:

“In LeadersFormation's 20th year of equipping pastors around the world, God has blessed them with an exciting new partnership with Harvesters International. Both ministries aim to provide church leaders with training and support that would otherwise be unavailable to them in their remote communities, so this collaboration may just be a match made in heaven!

“While living in Honduras in 2002, Hannibal founded LeadersFor (now known as LeadersFormation) when he saw the need for leadership development in the local church. He quickly realized that this need went beyond Honduras; the majority of leaders and pastors in churches around the world did not have access to seminary or Christian coaching. Since then, LeadersFormation has set up projects in Asia, Africa, and Central America to meet this need for churches globally.

“Through the new partnership with Harvesters International, LeadersFormation hopes to expand their reach to more churches and nations. As Harvesters International establishes churches in remote parts of the world, LeadersFormation will work alongside their new church plants to equip and empower their leaders. LeadersFormation plans to continue their model of training: within three to four years, visiting pastors from Canada train the local leaders so that they have the tools and resources needed to disciple and reproduce leaders in the future.

“Since LeadersFormation joined the Fellowship International family, it’s been incredible to witness the doors that God has opened for this ministry. Director Ben Porter shares, ‘It is amazing how God continues to bless Fellowship International. This partnership with Harvesters International will be an impactful tool for years to come.” Propelled by a united God-sized vision, we hope to see many church leaders and churches flourish in this new chapter of LeadersFormation.

“LeadersFormation needs coaches for on-field training, in additional to churches that can partner in raising funds for these life-changing projects. If you or your church has a heart for equipping leaders around the world, please visit fellowship.ca/LeadersFormation.”

Are You Interested?

If this has “whet your appetite” to find out more, let me encourage you to look online at fellowship.ca/Leadersformation to read more about the LeadersFormation ministry and/or contact Paul Harbourne (pharbourne@fellowship.ca) soon and begin your journey in developing national leaders overseas.

William Wallace on courageous pastoral leadership

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 PST

In the movie Braveheart, William Wallace sought to lead his countrymen against the British Crown in an attempt to gain Scotland’s independence.

In the film, William Wallace challenged the aristocratic leaders of Scotland saying, “You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom... men don’t follow titles, they follow courage… And if you would just lead them to freedom, they’d follow you. And so would I.”

That is one of the best descriptions of spiritual leaders I’ve heard: those who exist not for themselves but for those whom they serve; who seek to present spiritual freedom, liberty in Christ; and who do it with COURAGE!

I believe pastors need to act like surgeon generals, with the care and healing touch of a surgeon but also modeling the courageous heart and mind of an army general. Care and courage, shepherd and rancher, and priestly and prophetic duties need to be carefully stewarded by our pastors. However, it is becoming harder and harder for our pastors to fulfill their courageous, prophetic role. They are shot out of the saddle for stepping out in courageous leadership. The result is that many are struggling, some are leaving the ministry, several are being dismissed from their churches, and many are walking around with open wounds. We rarely talk about it.

In Zechariah 13:7 (NLT) we read: “Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I [the Lord] will turn against the lambs.” If our churches continue to strike out against their shepherds, the Lord will turn against the lambs and judgement will fall upon these churches. There are many reasons why this is happening. Both pastoral leaders and local churches need to take their share of the blame. Pastors need to fear God more than the people they lead, and churches need to truly release courageous pastors to lead. But even a military general finds it difficult to lead when his army has lost sight of its mission and purpose for existence.

A peacetime army struggles with boredom, insubordination, petty competition, inertia, and selfishness. A wartime army is characterized by courage, discipline, chain of command, mobilization, and selfless acts of heroism.

Churches that act as if we are at peace within a spiritually hostile world will generally strike out if their leader suggests that ministry could be done another way. Over time, the result is ineffectual ministries led by wounded leaders.

What is the answer? I think we can start by daily praying for pastors and leaders within our Fellowship family. Renewal, purpose, and courage must start with our leaders. October is Pastor Appreciation month; I encourage you to join me in praying for our spiritual leaders in Canada and beyond our borders throughout the month. Let’s pray that the “bride” will stand as an army for Jesus’ sake.

Vision for the Future!

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 PST

Without access to my reading glasses I’m in trouble. I feel blind. That’s why I’ve got a couple in my office and four cheap pairs sitting around the house. I need to find a pair anytime I need to read something. Clarity in my vision is essential if I’m going to be able to read.

The same is true in life. It’s also true in ministry. If my “vision” of a preferred future is “clear”, I’m going to be able to “read” the times with greater clarity, greater accuracy.

WeAretheFellowship.ca Directional Document

In 2013 we adopted a document as a Fellowship that serves as a directional document for our entire Fellowship including our local churches and Regional and National ministries. It shares the mission, vision, values, and strategy for our movement of churches. It clarifies who we are, what we do and how we demonstrate who we are.

Let me encourage you to watch the brief We Are the Fellowship video and consider showing this video to your leaders, on Sunday, November 20, 2022 for the “Fellowship Day of Prayer”, and/or during your upcoming membership class. This is an excellent way to help inform our churches that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves.

Fellowship National Strategic Plan: 2021-2026

In 2021, Fellowship National unveiled their ministry focus and goals in a strategic plan entitled, “Catalyze: Disciples making disciples everywhere”. This is another document that seeks to bring clarity to a faith-filled and preferred future. Let me encourage you to look it over by going to: fellowship.ca/Catalyze20212026 . I hope it will encourage you and your church to consider partnering with Fellowship National on mission.

How to get a LIFT in your step

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 PST

It’s Labour Day Monday. A day we commemorate “work” in Canada. I know most of our 510 churches are gearing up for a busy season of ministry. This is that time of year when leaders, directors, and coordinators go looking for willing workers to serve in our local churches. Together we go further, sustain longer, and accomplish more.

In the next few weeks we’re going to be looking above as we see Canadian geese going south for the winter. They will be flying in the familiar “V” formation. There is a reason for their formation flying. It enables them to go farther, sustain longer, and accomplish more.

Scientists have discovered that as each goose flaps its wings, it creates an up-lift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds a flying range at least 71% greater than if each bird flew on its own.

People who share the workload can get where they’re going more quickly and easily. They travel on the thrust of one another. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of having to go it alone. The smart goose gets back into formation to benefit from the lifting power of the bird in front.

The moral of the story? If we all had the sense of a goose, we would work together.

I trust the ministry recruitment drive in your church over the next few weeks will encourage your heart. May you experience a lift within your church family.

Meet Grant and hear why he's serving in Quebec

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 PST

I recently bumped into a young missionary in Québec who senses God’s call on his life to reach French Canadians for Christ. With only 0.8% of French Canadians self-identifying as evangelical Christian, Québec remains one of the most spiritually needy places on earth. I believe it is our duty to reach Canadians for Christ—I know you agree—and so, I hope you’ll join me in praying and strategizing to reach Canadians who happen to speak French.

Several weeks back I invited you to join me on my next Québec Vision Tour (July 18th blog, “The Spiritual Need is Staggering”) on October 17-19, 2022. You get yourself to Montréal and I care for your hotel, meal, and travel expenses, and for 48 hours will we visit several church plants. My hope is you and/or your local church will join a “7 x 7 = 1” partnership, i.e. 7 churches or individuals partnering for 7 years to establish 1 French church plant.

I still have room for my October 17-19, 2022 QVT—only about six spaces left. I need to hear from you on or before September 15, 2022 if you desire to join the team on October 17-19. Contact me at sjones@fellowship.ca if you have any questions. You drive, fly, or take the train to Montréal at your expense and I care for your expenses during the 48-hour tour.

Introducing Grant Nelson

Back to the young missionary to Québec. I asked Grant to briefly share his story—why he got involved in Québec and share in mission to reason French Canadians to Christ:

“When I graduated from university in 2015, my goal was to be a French Immersion teacher on Vancouver Island. Things have shifted a little bit in seven years which was mainly due to my summer plans after graduating. I knew that the Fellowship had connections with Québec so after going on the website I found a young adults program that fit my schedule perfectly. It allowed me to practice my French, grow in my faith, and share Jesus’ love with those I met.

“It was an impactful summer to say the least. So much so that I decided to come back the following summer (as I taught during the school year), and the following year, until finally in September 2019 God convinced me to move to Québec to serve the people there full-time. As a young adult, I had a lot of flexibility and heart for those in Canada who are disconnected from the Gospel. Québec was a great match! After doing an internship with Église Connexion, which is a few hours outside of Montréal, God put on my heart the needs of young people in the province. Instead of returning to the classroom, I decided to dive in as a missionary to serve as one of the leaders of the Academy (a young adults discipleship program that runs two days per week throughout the school year), and lend a hand at my local church with youth group and Sunday School. I am thankful for the opportunity to invest in the lives of young people and to see them understand the depths of the Gospel. I grew a lot in the summer of 2015 and it is a privilege now to give back. I hope and pray that this next generation of Quebeckers would choose to pursue Christ so that the Gospel might go forth to all the neighbourhoods of Québec and beyond.”

Thank you, Grant, for heeding God’s call on your life. You’re an encouragement for us all.

Remember, there is still room in the October 17-19, 2022 Québec Vision Tour. If interested, contact me today or before September 15, 2022.

There is also a Virtual QVT being offered on November 29, 2022 (1:00-2:45pm), a Zoom gathering where you meet with Sergei Li (Fellowship Francophone Coordinator) and a few of our Québec church planters. Contact Sergei (sli@fellowship.ca) or myself if interested.

Dr. Barker on Preaching the Cursing Psalms

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 PST

Several months back I slipped into Crestwicke Baptist Church in Guelph, ON on a Sunday morning to see and hear their new Lead Pastor, RJ Umandap, who is a great friend of The Fellowship.

To my surprise, RJ wasn’t preaching; he had invited Dr. David Barker, a professor from Heritage Seminary, to speak from an imprecatory psalm. David is an avid student of the Psalms. I had to admit I hadn’t heard an imprecatory psalm preached in a very long time, if ever. But, this Sunday was just a few weeks past Putin and his armies invading Ukraine! Dr. Barker presented a “cursing” psalm with great insight and sensitivity.

I’ve known David for over 30 years, and so I asked him to write on why he thinks we need to preach the imprecatory psalms. He sent me the following:

“Marcion, a second-century AD theologian, rejected the OT (and some of the NT) because he viewed it as ‘pre-Christian’ or ‘less-than-Christian’. The question needs to be asked as to whether the church has continued this thinking by avoiding lament psalms in general and rejecting curse (imprecatory) psalms in particular. In both the liturgies of mainline churches as well as in the Scripture reading practice of evangelical churches the following section of Psalm 139 is commonly left out (a confession made to me by a worship leader in one of our Baptist churches):

            If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
                        Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
            They speak of you with evil intent;
                        your adversaries misuse your name.
            Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
                        and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
            I have nothing but hatred for them;
                        I count them my enemies. (vv. 19-22, NIV)

“To omit this section and other ‘psalms of violence’ in our rhythms and practices of prayer and worship does the following:

It refuses to affirm the authority of the Bible. Yes, these psalms are poetic and hyperbolic, but that is part of what it is to affirm all Scripture as ‘God-breathed’.

It disobeys the Apostle Paul’s instruction to sing the psalms; and there does not seem to be an exception for the supposed ‘less-than-Christian’ ones. In fact, he used imprecation himself (Galatians 1:8-9), as did Jesus and other NT writers.

It removes the voice of the victims of violence and makes them/us ‘speechless and apathetic in the face of the overwhelming power of their suffering’ (Erich Zengler, A God of Vengeance? [Westminster John Knox], 85).

It marginalizes a voice of worship when the Apostle Paul said of God, ‘“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord’ (Romans 12:19 (NIV) quoting Deuteronomy 32:35).

It fails to recognize the multi-faceted nature of God’s character described in both violent and anti-violent texts found in both Testaments.

It fails to embrace the Abrahamic Covenant, ‘I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse’ (Genesis 12:3, NIV) as a legitimate inheritance of the church (Romans 4:16-17; Galatians 3:29).

“So, when it comes to ISIS and other movements that propagate terror, violence, and brutality, a voice of worship of God is:

            Arise, O LORD!
                        Deliver me, my God!
            Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
                        break the teeth of the wicked. (Psalm 3:7, NIV)

“Yes, we refer vengeance/justice/judgment back to God. No, it is not a prayer for personal vengeance (Jesus’ teaching to love our enemy [cf. Proverbs 25:21] comes into play here).

“Marcion was declared a heretic because of his view of Scripture. I wonder if we have unwittingly allowed Marcion back into the Church.”

Hmmmm… food for thought for this Sunday’s sermon topic, maybe?

One of my dear friends recently confided to me that he has begun praying the imprecatory psalms when praying for particular elected officials in our nation. I smiled. I thought he was joking. He didn’t smile. He was serious.

The Antidote to your Anger

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 PST

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live in a world where chocolate had no calories, or procrastination was a virtue? Or your teens loved to clean their room? Or men experienced the labour of childbirth, at least once? Wouldn’t it be great to live in a perfect world? The problem with this idea is that, quite frankly, one person’s dream world may be another’s nightmare.

We don’t live in a perfect world, and so we get frustrated, disappointed, and angry. Ministry and church life is full of these things. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 14:29 (NIV), “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” It’s wise to be patient when dealing with imperfect people. The New Living Translation renders the same verse this way: “Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.”

I guess patience is really all about being slow to anger.

Legendary baseball manager Billy Martin was famous for his short temper. He tells the story of accompanying Mickey Mantle to the ranch of one of Mickey’s friends. Mantle told Billy to stay in the car while he went to gain permission to go hunting on his friend’s ranch. Mantle’s friend said yes, but asked a favour. He had a mule in the barn who was old and blind—would Mickey mind shooting it for him? He didn’t have the heart to do it himself. Mickey came back to the car pretending to be angry. Slamming the car door, he told Billy his friend had said no to hunting on his property. Mantle then declared he was going to his friend’s barn to kill his mule. Billy watched Mickey stomp off to the barn with his rifle. Mickey aimed at the mule and fired, and immediately heard two other gun blasts. He turned around to find a furious red-faced Billy Martin yelling, “We’ll show that friend of yours—I just killed two of his cows!”

Unrighteous anger can be contagious, infectious, and almost always destructive. Learning patience is the key. If anger is a learned response, then we can unlearn it. I can learn to be patient. Patience is the antidote to anger.

When it comes to anger, I can repress it (stuff it down), suppress it (ignore it), express it (which sometimes is manifested in the form of outbursts), or confess it.

Admit your anger to God, to yourself, and to a trusted confidant. Confession is the antiviral that prevents anger from poisoning our souls. It’s not the best option, it’s the only option.

CLERGY CARE HOTLINE

The Fellowship, in partnership with Focus on the Family and other denominations in Canada, provides a confidential clergy care hotline for pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families. If you need to talk to a Christian counsellor and desire anonymity, call 1-888-5-CLERGY.

This ministry is completely confidential. No one within Fellowship National or Regional staff learn who calls.

However, each quarter I do receive a report on the top ten issues being addressed in the calls. Last quarter I learned that anger was in the top ten. I encourage you to use this resource as a support to you in your ministry.

Why I love the Blues!

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:00:00 PST

I recently listened to a group of Ukrainian believers, refugees living in Poland, who sang a hymn in a worship service. I almost lost it. Tears came to my eyes. The melancholic sound of their singing reminded me of their recent pain and also their hope. It was very moving.

I find this melancholy in one of my favourite genres of music, the blues. I close my eyes and listen for the pain and hope open in equal measure.

I crossed one more thing off my “bucket list” several years ago with my daughter. We went to hear and experience B.B. King (and Lucille) live in concert. For someone who has loved blues music for decades, it was a treat to hear the “King of Blues”. Mr. King was 88 years old at the time, and passed away soon after.

I imagine some of you have no appreciation for the blues, so you’re wondering why this music grabs me at the inner core of my being. The blues offers an expression of life. I sat in my church small group over twenty years ago and a police officer shared that life is tough. Life is often hard, frustrating, a struggle. I retorted that I thought he had it all wrong: life was easy and free. Twenty-five years on, I’ve concluded that he was right. I’m not suggesting that life isn’t filled with joy, amazingly fun, and full of incredible experiences—it is. But, overall, this old sinful world is not Heaven. It doesn’t feel like home, and I’m homesick. I long to go home where I know I’ll experience joy unspeakable.

Like other forms of folk music, blues and Gospel music come from the experiences of everyday life.

“The blues was born behind a mule,” said the great Mississippi Delta bluesman, Muddy Waters. Blues was born in the mud—the tough places of life. It was born initially in the nineteenth century during time of the Reconstruction Era and racial segregation laws. It was born out of struggle. The lyrics often speak of the struggles that life throws our way. We’ve all experienced curveballs in life.

And blues artists, like B.B. King, and Gospel singers, like Mahalia Jackson, sing songs that are real, raw, and relevant to the human condition.

I still have a smile on my face when I listen to B.B. King. His music resonates with my heart; it’s authentic.

In some ways, I hope our praise music does the same. While pointing God’s people to the Lord, we sing of the struggles of life and the hope only Jesus brings, while feeling a bit “homesick” for the glory that awaits each of us.

I guess that’s why blues and Gospel music are such close cousins in the musical library of American music.

Next time you hear the blues, I hope it reminds you of me…and I hope you’ll pray for me. Thanks.

Praying that Packs a Punch

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 PST

We’re nearing the end of the summer break. I hope you have experienced some rest this summer.

A busy ministry season in our local churches is about to begin. Ministries start up again; recruitment is number one on our agendas.

My encouragement to you in the business? Do not forget to pray. Especially pray for your pastor.

Famed leadership guru Peter Drucker asserted that aside from being the president of the United States, the most difficult jobs to have in North America today are:

University president

City hospital administrator, and

Pastor of a local church

Admittedly, I was surprised reading that but, I’m assuming this leadership guru to corporate North Americans knew the landscape well. Knowing the terrain as well as Drucker did, gives this statement weight. The church is one of the most leadership-intensive enterprises in society. The work of the church is building and redeeming lives, which is an intangible process. You never know when you’ve actually accomplished this work. The workers are all VOLUNTEERS who can simply leave when disciplined or called to commitment. Even when recruiting workers, the church leader cannot offer monetary incentives or benefits. The best he can do is promise them work without pay, time away from their families, and IF, things go according to Scripture, they will know suffering as part of their reward. Now there’s a benefit/reward package. At times pastors feel alone in the midst of the spiritual battle. They need our prayers.

Moses needed Prayer

Moses was one of the greatest spiritual leaders who ever lived. He spoke to God face-to-face (Exodus 33:11). Yet, STILL, HE COULD NOT DO IT ALONE!! He, too, needed support and encouragement for the enormous responsibility that was his. Aaron and Hur recognized his need and helped him. Many in our churches need to recognize the need and come alongside their pastor and pray fervently for him. Ministry is not a one-man show, but a team effort. Many in our churches need to start partnering with their pastor, especially in PRAYER. For the sake of your pastor’s spiritual/emotional health and the sake of the church’s well-being, pray.

In Peter Wagner’s book, “Prayer Shield”, he writes, “I’m personally convinced that the following statement is true: ‘The most under-utilized source of spiritual power in our churches today is intercession for our Christian leaders’.”

Preachers need Prayer

Dr. Wilbur Chapman often told of his experience when he went to Philadelphia to become a pastor of Wanamaker’s church. After his first sermon, an old gentleman met him in front of the pulpit and said, “‘You are pretty young to be pastor of this great church. We have always had older pastors. I am afraid you won’t succeed. But you preach the gospel and I’m going to help you all I can.’

“‘I looked at him,’ said Dr. Chapman, and said to myself, ‘Here’s a crank.’

“But the old gentleman continued, ‘I am going to pray for you that you may have the Holy Spirit’s power upon you and two others have covenanted to join with me.’”

Then Dr. Chapman related the outcome. “I did not feel so bad when I learned that he was going to pray for me. The three became 10, the 10 became 20, and the 20 became 50, and the 50 became 200 who met before every service to pray that the Holy Spirit might come upon me. In another room the 18 elders knelt so close around me to pray for me that I could put out my hand and touch them on all sides. I always went into my pulpit feeling that I would have the anointing in answer to the prayers of the 219[FR1] men. It was easy to preach, a real joy. Anybody could preach with such conditions. And what was the result? We received 1,100 into our church by conversion in three years, 600 of which were men. It was the fruit of the Holy Spirit in answer to the prayers of those men. I do not see how the average pastor, under average circumstances, preaches at all. Church members have much more to do than go to church as curious, idle spectators to be amused and entertained. It is their business to pray mightily that the Holy Ghost will clothe the preacher with power and make his words like dynamite.”

What an incredible impact a church can make when its people pray! Have you ever thought of the potential for your church if you committed to pray for your pastor and church often? Imagine what would be accomplished. How many lost people saved — and saved people transformed? How many pastors would remain in ministry and not flare out, drop out, or burn out? Think about it. Better yet, pray about it.

Pastors need Prayer: October is “Pastors appreciation month”

In a couple months we all have an opportunity to share our appreciation for our shepherds. Hopefully we do this all year round. However, can I encourage you to start thinking and praying what you might do for your pastor(s) during the month of October? Start praying about it today. Bless you.

What I saw at the Ukrainian border

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 PST

I recently returned from a visit to Poland and the Ukrainian border (June 16-23, 2022).

I visited with three other members of our National staff. Our objective was to observe what has occurred on the ground with the partner churches and agencies we’ve been working with to evacuate thousands of refugees over the past few months. Our teammate, Luc Tétreault has already visited on two other occasions to help coordinate and support the work.

Our Fellowship International missionaries, Pierre and Hanna Jutras, and Ben and Krista Taylor have done a remarkable job of representing our Fellowship of churches on the ground in Poland – giving of themselves in selfless and sacrificial ways. A big shout-out to the Taylors and Jutrases!

We spoke with the Ukrainian Baptist Union President and Vice President to get some understanding of the situation among their Baptist churches. We learned that 450 of the 2,500 Baptist Union (BU) churches are located in occupied territories. Two-hundred-and-fifty BU pastors (of a total of 2,000) are without a church because their members have had to flee the area due to the war, and 40 church buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged. The Baptist Union is seeking to supply a modest “salary” of $300 per month to the affected pastors and to try to reunite pastors with their families. In the occupied territories, new civil authorities (Russian allies) are picking up pastors and taking them away to be beaten. Many pastors in this area have had to flee which means they have been separated from their families for months.

Our team heard many stories of loss, trauma, and desperation, however, among the Ukrainian believers we met, we also noted their steadfast faith and hope in Christ. In many ways our emotions moved quickly from sorrow to inspiration while we heard refugee stories. Like the grandmother who spent a month in a public bomb shelter with 100 other citizens listening daily to the bombs dropping. She has nothing to go back to – her house is destroyed. Or the mother who almost lost her 15-year-old daughter on the train station platform in the flood and panic of refugees boarding the train. Or the young Christian mother and wife who sullenly asked for prayer for her young husband who recently was called up by the Ukrainian Army for service. One missionary mentioned to me that 200 Ukrainian soldiers were dying daily and many more are being maimed and injured. An especially moving moment was listening to a small congregation (50-60) of Ukrainian refugees sing a familiar hymn in their own language – there was stirring melancholic sound in their singing – you couldn’t help but weep. This war is horrific and heart-breaking.

Our team met with church and mission agency leaders whom FAIR has been in partnership with while evacuating and caring for refugees in the opening months of the war (February – May). The heroic and selfless efforts of our partners was inspiring. We met Daniel and Lydia of Camp Arka – whom Pierre and Hanna Jutras know well – who took in 950 refugees. We met Pastor Yanick and elder Sergei whose church in Łódź is caring for 50 Ukrainian refugee families. A short-term missions team from our Fellowship Pacific Region served this church in Łódź in the early days of the refugee evacuation.

We spent time in Zamość (60 km from Ukrainian border) with Pastor Sylvek whose church took in 750 refugees. Ben and Krista Taylor have been especially busy serving this church with Ben transporting refugees from the border to churches to be housed, and also transporting food and supplies to church hostels in Poland and into Ukraine to other church partners.

Hrubieszów is just several kilometres from the Ukraine border. We visited a partner church in this town that has evacuated and cared for 650 refugees. Luc, one of our teammates, had served refugees at this church on previous visits to Poland in recent weeks.

We also visited with mission agency partners who have been instrumental in purchasing and trucking food and supplies to refugees throughout Poland and into Ukraine.

FAIR has supplied funding to these evangelical local churches and evangelical mission groups to ensure food and supplies get to where they are most needed. I was constantly impressed by the resolve and compassion but also fatigue emanating from the leaders we met. Our own Fellowship International missionaries have been remarkable. Poland has been incredibly hospitable and the small evangelical Church in Poland (0.02% of the population) has been “punching above its weight” for months. I’m hoping Poles will take notice and curiously seek out why these evangelicals sought to care for so many refugees.

Please pray with me that the Polish and Ukrainian (7-8% evangelical) Church will be refined and revived through this ordeal. Thank you for giving. Our Fellowship family has been generous with over $1.2 million donated already, but we need you to give again. To meet further needs on the ground, we will need further funding – please consider giving to FAIR’s Ukraine Emergency Appeal by going to fellowship.ca/UkraineRefugeeCrisis.

The Spiritual Need is Staggering

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 PST

One of the neediest spiritual places on the planet is the province of Québec. With only 0.8% of French Canadians self-identifying as evangelical Christians, this is one of the lowest percentages of any people group in the world. Few missionaries are being sent to Québec to win French Canadians to Christ. The spiritual need is staggering.

This is why Fellowship National remains committed to establishing partnerships between English churches and/or individual donors and the starting of church plants in Québec. I believe we have a God-given responsibility to reach Canadians for Christ and church planting is one of the best ways to accomplish this task.

Consider a Partnership

Prayerfully consider a partnership with a new Québec church plant. Enter into a:

7 x 7 = 1 partnership

As a local church or individual donor, you enter into a 7-year partnership with 7 other donors to help support the establishment of one church plant in Québec. The partnership includes prayer and financial support along with possible visits to your partner church plant over seven years. You’ll watch your partner-plant grow and mature, and, Lord willing, become a self-governing and self-sustaining local church. My hope is English and French Fellowship folks will experience the love and joy of working on mission together.

Visit Montréal in October

Our Fellowship Francophone Coordinator, Sergei Li, and I host Québec Vision Tours (QVTs) several times a year. We host different types of QVTs:

Live QVT: You come to Montréal and we visit several church plant locations over two days

Virtual QVT: You meet some church planters online in a two-hour ZOOM gathering

QVT Enroute: You come for a two- to three-hour in-person gathering to hear about church planting in Québec. These gatherings are generally scheduled close to the scheduled Regional conferences.

Our next Live QVT is
October 17-19, 2022

You get yourself to Montréal by train, plane, or automobile at your cost and then I care for your expenses for the two-day exposure tour. We stay at a Fairfield Marriott hotel, and enjoy good food and great fellowship with other Fellowship pastors and leaders while we travel to locations together.

This opportunity is open to pastors and church leaders who are prayerfully considering the possibility of partnership.

Next Step?

Go online to fellowship.ca/ReachingFrancophoneCanada to read more about the Fellowship’s francophone ministry.

Email Sergei or myself if you’re interested in attending our October 17-19, 2022 QVT in the Montréal area. Numbers are limited so commit early. If you’re interested in our next Virtual QVT (November 19, 2022 @ 1-3pm EST) please contact us at:

Sergei Li: sli@fellowship.ca

Steve Jones: sjones@fellowship.ca

Grab a Grenade for Your Grab-Bag

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 PST

A Fellowship pastor and friend told me that when his wife went to Bible college as a young woman, her father, who was a pastor, gave her a going-away gift: he gave his daughter a revolver to keep in her purse. Ouch!?

I’m not suggesting we need guns—after all, we’re Canadians. But, I do suggest we need to learn to operate other God-given weapons to successfully battle spiritual strongholds (II Corinthians 10:4-5). I would contend that the spiritual battle is most often a battle in our minds. The way we think determines the way we act; thoughts from Satan are called temptation. Which thoughts are we going to act on, Godly thoughts or temptation? The Scripture speaks of a defiled mind, a darkened mind, a puffed-up mind, and a reprobate mind.

The Bible speaks of the spiritual weapons available to the follower of Christ to do battle with Satan for their thought-life:

The first weapon is truth.
“You will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, NIV)

Truth sets us free from lies. Truth directs us to freedom. What we think eventually determines how we act; our behaviour can bring us joy or destruction.

The second weapon is humility.
“‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:6b-7, NLT)

The more we humble ourselves before God, the more power we will experience in our lives. Our mind will be far less cluttered by all the plans and schemes. Humility squeezes out the self, and the Lord is all that remains.

The third weapon is faith.
“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” (I John 5:4, NLT)

Trusting Christ means putting your faith in Jesus’ enabling power to overcome those strongholds attacking your mind. Intentionally choose to exercise faith.

The last weapon is praise.
King Jehoshaphat led his army against the enemy
with his choir marching out front. They went into battle singing.
(II Chronicles 20:15-22)

Praise is a weapon to help keep your mind focused on the Lord. It’s difficult to lust after a beautiful woman when you’re praising God.

Protect your mind. Our thought life is critical to winning the battle. We need to treat our spiritual life more like an action movie than a romantic comedy.

Speed, Noise, Wisdom, and your Soul

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:00:00 PST

In over 35 years of vocational ministry experience I’ve never seen more tired and fatigued ministry colleagues. I noticed it again at my annual visit during our five Regional conferences this past spring.

Years ago I heard some good advice from a colleague. He shared some wise counsel on caring for our “soul”:

1. In a world of extreme SPEED, find places to go SLOW.

There is a “hurried sickness” that is depleting and robbing us of stamina. In Eugene Peterson’s book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, he reminds us that too many want to be spiritual, but not many want to sustain it. That’s hard work.

2. In a world of excessive NOISE, find places to be QUIET.

We live in a “talkative” world and it impacts our inner stillness and ability to hear from the Lord. Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that “real silence, real solitude only comes as the consequence of spiritual stillness.”

3. In a world of enormous SELECTION, find occasions to choose WISELY.

Choosing from many options and possibilities can tempt us from choosing the best. Be careful not to chase the merely good things that might actually threaten the state of your soul.

NEED a listening ear? Call 1-888-5-CLERGY

Fellowship National, in partnership with several other Canadian denominations and Focus on the Family, provide a confidential hotline for pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families to call and talk to a licensed Christian counselor. The call is completely confidential.

If you’re needing some help. A listening ear. Not certain who to contact. Not ready to share your story with another leader yet. Then please call the hotline at 1-888-5-CLERGY.

Others are calling

During the COVID pandemic the top concerns shared by ministry couples to the Clergy Care Network hotline were as follows:

2019

2020

2021

Marriage conflict

Marriage conflict

Counselling referral

Anxiety

Burnout

Anxiety

Counselling referral

Church conflict

Marriage conflict

Emotional/verbal abuse

Anxiety

Church conflict

Family issue

Family issue

Burnout

Spiritual Issue

Emotional/verbal abuse

Family issue

Burnout

Counselling referral

Mental health issue

Pornography

Separation/divorce

Trauma

Church conflict

Spiritual abuse

Grief/Loss

Spiritual abuse

Grief/Loss

Depression

Other Clergy Care Resources

What does a recent Canadian study reveal about clergy resilience?

www.evokecounselling.ca/_files/ugd/cf58e9_d4110da04d1446d5bd9747082d41595e.pdf

Ministry Leader Resources

Focus on the Family confidential clergy call line: https://clergycare.ca

Focus on the Family Ministry Leader retreats: https://kerithretreats.ca

Articles on Mental Health:

https://clergycare.ca/2019/05/24/hello-anybody-home

https://clergycare.ca/2019/05/23/ten-top-symptoms-of-emotionally-unhealthy-spirituality

https://clergycare.ca/2019/

Making a difference in Madagascar

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 PST

I wanted to share some follow-up news on a recent FAIR appeal this past autumn 2021. Our Out of the Waiting Room project was wonderfully embraced by so many of our local churches and faithful FAIR donors across Canada. We exceeded our target of $150,000 which will allow us to train more future surgeons in Madagascar.

I asked Paul Hildebrand, one of our FAIR Project Coordinators, to share recent news on this appeal:

“When FAIR launched the Out of the Waiting Room appeal in the fall of 2021, I was encouraged by the excitement and support from across the Fellowship to help launch this new ministry in Madagascar. The need for surgeons throughout the African continent has been on the heart of Fellowship International missionaries Dr. Jesh and Julie Thiessen for many years. And so, in 2021 they and their children moved to Madagascar to join the Good News Hospital, their partner PAACS (Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons), and FAIR to launch this new ministry. The vision for this team is to train Malagasy mission-minded surgeons to be skilled and compassionate surgeons who know Jesus and love to make Him known to their patients. In Madagascar, there are only 100 surgeons serving the entire country with a population of 26 million people so the need for more surgeons is acute.

“This ministry is intended to make a real difference in the lives of people. Recently Dr. Jesh met with a former patient — an 18-year-old mother who had come for a follow up appointment in the clinic. Months earlier someone had tried to kill her with a machete and she arrived at the hospital in a terrible state. Dr. Jesh spent four hours working to reconstruct one of her hands with nine tendon repairs, a wrist fracture, and addressing nerve damage, while one of the residents worked on some of her other injuries. At the time, they didn't think she would make it but there she was in the clinic for her checkup wearing a huge smile. She is neurologically normal, can move her fingers and hand more and more each day, and she has no pain. She shared how her young child is doing and Dr. Jesh reminded her how sorry he was for having to cut her long-braided hair during surgery. She laughed and said, ‘tsy maninona,’ which means ‘no problem’. Praise God!

“As of May 11, FAIR had received $257,225 for this appeal! This incredibly generous response allowed Dr. Jesh Thiessen and his colleagues at the hospital in January to start training two residents, Tefy and Rado. Five years from now, they will have completed their surgical training to be able to practice surgery independently in Madagascar. Being trained in Madagascar is extremely beneficial because they will know how best to work with the limited equipment, staff, and facilities that are the norm in their country.

“In the words of Dr. Jesh Thiessen, ‘It has been an incredible privilege to see God work through this campaign. Thank you for this incredible success! Here at the hospital, we are honoured to have officially launched the PAACS [Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons] surgical training program as scheduled. This coincided with the opening of our new operation rooms and ICU. We now have two surgical trainees in the program who love God and want to impact their community through surgery.

They are currently learning emergency C-sections which is one of our greatest immediate needs. It is so refreshing not just to be operating to heal patients, but also to pass on a skill and specialty to the next generation of surgeons. Thank you, fellow Canadians, for your generosity. Thank you for impacting the health of women and children. Thank you for being generous with your finances. Thank you for empowering us to positively impact health and surgical care in this poor region of the world for Christ!’”

I thought you’d be encouraged to hear this good news. We have done a good thing which will have a lasting impact for decades to come. Please keep praying for Fellowship International missionaries, Dr. Jesh and Julie Thiessen and their children as they serve the Lord in Madagascar.

How many churches in the Fellowship in 2022?

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 PST

I recently crossed the country visiting our Regional conferences. Three were LIVE while two remained virtual.

It was a joy to spend time face-to-face with many of our church leaders. We talked about how they and their local churches were doing post-COVID. I heard from a lot of tired brothers who remain hopeful for good days ahead now that we’re getting out from under lockdowns and restrictions. I also heard that many of our folks have chosen not to return. I’d guess many of our churches have returned to 60-85% of their pre-COVID Sunday morning attendance.

The photo on the right shows the announcement of the new NorthWest Seminary President, Dr. Barton Priebe at the Pacific Regional Conference.

News from the Regional Conferences

In most of the five Regional conferences I heard about VISION – a prepared future. I found it inspiring to hear one of our Regional Directors declare the plans they were considering for the future was a hill he was willing to die on.

In all of our five Regional conferences I heard about leaders getting healthy. Our Atlantic Region’s conference was exclusively on this important theme.

In each Regional Conference I was able to thank our churches and donors for their generosity towards our FAIR Ukraine Refugee Crisis emergency appeal. I mentioned the amount received from the local churches in each Region. It has been extraordinary to see the generosity of the Fellowship family during this appeal. I am currently in Poland at the border of Ukraine to witness our efforts in caring for refugees.

How many churches in the Fellowship?

The chart below lists the current number of churches in each Region.

Region

Number of Churches

Fellowship Pacific

97

Fellowship Prairies

28

FEB Central

284

AEBEQ

79

Fellowship Atlantic

17

I trust you will be encouraged as together we rejoice in what God has accomplished and what He continues to do in and through us as a Fellowship of churches.

The merits of trust

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 00:00:00 PST

This Sunday is Father’s Day. I looked up “fatherhood” in the dictionary and found the word between “fathead” and “fatigue”. Mmmmmm…I wonder if Webster’s is trying to tell us something?!

I wanted to briefly talk about one of the most important things we do as fathers. We help develop trust with our children through responsibility.

Nothing brings the best out of our children, or anyone for that matter, more than entrusting them with responsibility. It tells them that you believe in them. In the oft misunderstood parable of the shrewd manager, Jesus has this to say about the principle:

“Whoever can be trusted with a little can also be trusted with a lot. And if you cannot be trusted with things that belong to somebody else, who will give you things of your own?” (Luke 16:10a and 12, NCV)

This is one of the most important skills a father can pass on to his children – teaching them how to be responsible. We live in a culture full of irresponsible adults. Why? They never learned responsibility as children.

So, how do we learn to be responsible? Simply, we learn to be responsible by somebody trusting us with responsibility. Parents are responsible to pass on responsibility to their children. Too often, parents want to hold on too tightly, or be overprotective. When you really think about it, overprotection is a form of mistrust. We overprotect and subtly communicate that our children are incompetent or unreliable. As children mature, parents must be willing to give away responsibility to them. This is a basic life skill that must be learned early.

Children respond to responsibility. In fact, they often love it and thrive on it. If we continue to treat our kids like babies, there is a good chance that we will be cleaning up some of their “dirty diapers” well into adulthood. When we take responsibility FOR people, we take it AWAY from people. Today we call that being co-dependent and it is not healthy.

Our children need to feel the consequences of their own actions if they are ever to learn about responsibility. They must REAP what they SOW. Think back, for just a moment, to those occasions in your childhood which you remember with fondness. I’m certain several of those memories will be when your mom or dad, uncle, teacher, neighbour, or Sunday School teacher entrusted you with a responsibility. You accomplished it and were praised! Children respond incredibly well to responsibility! Everyone inherently wants to TRUST and to be TRUSTED.

I trust our churches will get a chance to honour our fathers and grandfathers this Sunday.

Sucking the Life out of Your Staff

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 PST

The greatest asset we have in ministry is people; nothing comes even close as a near second.

One of our Fellowship International missionaries sent an article to me by Scott Cochrane. He shared the top 15 proven ways to suck the life out of your staff. Often because leaders are either unaware or are just engaging in bad leadership behaviour, church leaders can seem to go out of their way to discourage and dampen their staff’s motivation. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but check off the ones you may be guilty of.

When someone complains about a staff member, always assume the complainer has a legitimate beef. Take the complainer’s side when you meet with your staff person.

Never drop by a staff member’s office (except when you want something).

Never attend their ministry gatherings.

Make them jump through hoops before approving their request to attend a conference.

Don’t show up at staff parties and functions. (If you must, show up late and stay for just a few minutes).

Withhold information.

Don’t involve them in leadership conversations, unless it’s specifically about their department.

Constantly compare them to their counterpart running “that great ministry in the church down the street”.

Don’t answer their emails or voicemails. If you must respond, take a very long time to do so.

Impose significant change on them without seeking their input.

Set high expectations for results without providing the necessary resources.

Never give them a shout-out in “big church”.

Avoid showing interest in their lives outside the office.

Make a big deal about small mistakes.

Make a small deal about their big ministry wins.

The fact is that no team has ever coasted toward being a passionate, driven team means creating that type of team takes time, purposeful effort, and determination. Are you a leader diligent enough to build that kind of team among your staff and volunteers? I believe the Lord will honour your efforts to build up and edify your greatest resource… your people!

The Ukraine Refugee Crisis Update

Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 PST

Thank you to so many who have given to the Ukraine Refugee Crisis emergency appeal so far. We have raised a significant amount that is all going towards Ukraine refugees being cared for by our missionaries and churches in Poland where they are being given shelter, food, supplies, and help to exit to safety.

Our Fellowship International missionaries, Pierre and Hannah Jutras, and Ben and Krista Taylor are working with an extensive network of churches in Poland and Ukraine to bring relief to hurting people. Each day they deliver shipments of food supplies to the border so that Ukrainian church partners can then deliver them to their communities. The church partners then return to the border with groups of people fleeing the conflict. While the outpouring of support and generosity have been enormous so far, the needs have not stopped.

Here is what our FAIR team has to say about the ongoing crisis: “The response to the Ukraine Refugee Crisis appeal has enabled us to provide care for those coming to Poland to escape the war. This crisis has been a catalyst for the local church to work together in ways that it never has before and funds contributed through this appeal are very much part of that. As the Church has been modeling the love of Christ to refugees in such practical ways, they have seen their efforts multiplied as the Gospel is being received and believed.

“Now that the massive wave of refugees coming out of Ukraine has slowed, the focus is turning more to longer-term settlement and meeting their needs for months or years, and evangelism.

“Fellowship International missionary Ben Taylor recently outlined some of the challenges that refugees will be facing, which are also areas for us to bless them through this FAIR appeal. He writes:

“‘We don’t know what “long-term” means. How does a mom with three kids take care of herself; provide for rent, get an apartment or place to live… There have been some public helps monies set aside to help the Ukrainians find things like housing and food. All the trains and buses across Europe are free to Ukrainians to help get them around, but integrating is going to be much harder for them. Polish, being a Slavic language, is in a similar language group a lot closer to home, but if they go to France, Germany, Italy, Greece, there’s going to be a much larger culture divide and that’s much harder for them to integrate. We’re also seeing that a lot of people don’t want to go further than Poland because they’re moms with kids.’”

Fellowship International Associate Director, Luc Tétreault, who has experience in caring for refugees in crisis, has had the opportunity to visit our missionaries in Poland multiple times recently to offer guidance, support, and care for both missionaries and refugees alike. Watch an update from Luc here.

To stay updated and understand more of what the experience has been like in Poland, please follow us on social media where we post regular updates. On Facebook @thefellowshipCa and Instagram @thefellowshipca

There are two major ways in which you can help in this crisis: through prayer and giving.

Pray that God would bring peace to Ukraine.

Pray for the safety of those fleeing Ukraine.

Pray for encouragement and wisdom for the Jutras and Taylor families as they seek the most effective ways to provide relief to those who have escaped to Poland.

I also ask you to consider if you are able to give generously to the Ukraine Refugee Crisis emergency appeal between May and August 2022 so we can continue to support those in need. You can go to: fellowship.ca/UkraineRefugeeCrisis for more information and details on how to give.

A Prayer Movement has Begun!

Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 PST

We do not fight against flesh and blood. Our battle is against principalities and spiritual darkness. Victory will only be won in PRAYER.

In recent years a prayer movement was started and is sustained by 297 people currently praying for Québec 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I first became aware of it a few years ago when I started to hear the alarm go off on the Smart Phones and matches of our AEBEQ (Québec) leaders. What I noticed was their alarm buzzers occurred at the same time, 10:02am.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2 (ESV)

Our Fellowship family in Québec are praying for missionaries to come to Québec to help in the mission of reaching French Canadians for Christ. God has been starting to answer this prayer in recent years with missionaries arriving from English Canada, USA, Brazil, and Europe.

The Prayer Movement in Québec

To empower this vision, a 24/7 prayer movement was started and navigated by Pastor Richard Houle. Currently,

297 people persevere in prayer each hour of the week

These prayer warriors meet monthly in 14 prayer small groups

Each prayer warrior commits to one day (9am-4pm) of fasting and prayer for Québec

A Prayer Movement in Canada

Our family of churches in the AEBEQ (Québec) Region are desirous to invite their English brothers and sisters in the rest of Canada to join this growing team of prayer warriors.

Join them in praying for:

New workers to come to Québec to help our Fellowship churches and church plants

The need for revival to occur within the Evangelical Church in Québec

To see spiritual renewal and passion return to many Christians, a return to their “First love”

To see fruit from witness and bold evangelism once again

Steps are being taken to get all the current information concerning this prayer movement translated into English. An English website will be launched by Autumn 2022 explaining expectations and how to join. I wanted to give you a “heads up” on what is coming.

Fellowship prayer warriors, arise! We battle first against spiritual forces in Québec, and my hope is that this prayer movement grows to the rest of Canada. Our nation is in desperate need of intentional, concentrated, and empowered prayer in these last days.

If you’re thinking of joining a Québec Vision Tour (QVT) to see firsthand, on the ground, church plants in Québec or thinking of joining a “7x7=1” partnership, consider joining my next QVT on:

May 30-June 1, 2022

October 17-19, 2022

You get yourself to Montréal and I will pay for expenses over the next 48-hour tour. Contact sjones@fellowship.ca for more information.

The dangers of "progressive" Evangelicalism

Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 PST

I recently read an article by Tim Keller that I believe deserves wider reading. It is the first of four essays on the decline of the church in North America. The first two are complete and two more are coming in 2022.

You can read them at: quarterly.gospelinlife.com/the-decline-of-evangelicalism

https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/decline-and-renewal-american-church-the-decline-of-the-mainline/

Here is my synopsis of Keller’s first essay entitled “The Decline and Renewal of the American Church - Part One”. I hope it whets your appetite to read more:

The decline of mainline Protestantism throughout the 20th century occurs after 200 years of growth since the Colonial days. The Episcopal Church numbered 3.4 million in the 1960s and 1.6 million in 2019, while the Presbyterians (Keller’s Clan) were 4.25 million in 1965 and 1.25 million in 2020.

Dean Kelly’s critique (1970s) of the mainline church is their adoption of a therapeutic view of the human condition and political action with no “large-scale cosmic meaning” to help face life, death, and suffering–this automatically caused their decline.

J. Gresham Machen, in “Christianity and Liberalism” (1923), proposed that mainline Protestantism started shedding its historic Christian roots and beliefs to accommodate the acceptance of science as the authority, seeking to rescue Christian principles by making them “symbols” which de-supernaturalized Christianity and removed its distinctiveness. Mainline Christianity proposed “self-salvation”, or salvation by words, which only sublimates the gospel into a form of legalism. Machen believed this would be a “lethal blow” to the mission of the Christian Church.

George Marsden’s critique (in “The Twilight of the American Enlightenment”, 2014) of the optimism of the 1950s recognized the significant growth of the mainline church because of the common values, beliefs, and moral standards which everyone adhered to. But Marsden proposed it actually caused an inherent doubt with materialism, turning North Americans into conformists rather than self-determining, self-fulfilled, and asserting individual freedom. Individualism and autonomy becomes a law unto itself and is viewed as the only way to self-fulfillment.

David Riesman (“The Lonely Crowd”) called people to being more-asserting and self-determining, rather than letting their family or “sub-community” (i.e. church) dictate their values, beliefs, and purpose in life. However, Marsden asked, if we free ourselves from the restrictions of traditions or expectations, what do we replace them with?

Walter Lippman in his “Essays in Public Philosophy” (1955) questioned his fellow liberal colleagues who were trying to build a “public consensus” based on principles after destroying the very foundation these principles had been built on (Judeo-Christian ethic). The principles of North American values and beliefs were not established by science, but originally based on “transcendent moral standards and a universal order”. With no objective moral order there is no ground or foundation for a public social order: Lippman did not see the possibility of a “social common life” in society on this basis. Our values had been established by Christians who believed the Bible and Enlightenment thinkers who believed in “natural laws”: without this, one’s view of what is unjust can become another person’s belief that killing a race of people is just. Liberal society turned on Lippman as they viewed him as a defector from the liberal cause.

Reinhold Niebuhr turned on Lippman, too. This prominent mainline Protestant thinker of the 1950s proposed that miracles were not possible. He claimed our standard of truth was not revelation, but secular “practical” reason. Niebuhr believed the Bible didn’t determine what was night and wrong – the secular view determined what was right and wrong in the Bible. The irony is that Niebuhr sought this thinking as a means to preserve a public voice for Christianity in society. In his view, science dictated truth, not revelation (Bible), but this view made Christianity and the Bible optional and dispensable. You can find all this in society without the Church.

The end of cultural conformity – Martin Luther King’s approach to protest was based on an objective moral belief, however, future civil right leaders (e.g. for women’s and LGBTQ rights) use his methods but not his philosophical framework. Identity politics grounds justice claims not in objective moral order, but within an individualism that dismantled traditional values and caused warring factions to turn in on themselves.

Therefore the call for “progressive Evangelicalism” among growing number of Evangelicals is dangerous – progressive views destroyed mainline Protestantism in the 20th century and could harm Evangelicalism in the 21st century.

I know that was a long synopsis, but I hope it has whet your appetite to read more.

I have invited Sam Allberry to address some of this in our upcoming Fellowship National conference (FNC2022) on November 14-16, 2022 in Niagara Falls, ON. Hope you’re planning to attend.

God as a spurned parent or jilted lover

Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 PST

Imagine God as a jilted lover or a distraught father. Not the typical symbols we think of when we think of our Heavenly Father, but we find these illustrated in the book of Hosea.

Years back I read a book by Philip Yancey called Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud, which dealt with these analogies and I found them fascinating. Here are some scattered thoughts.

The book of Hosea is about spiritual adultery. You cannot escape the fact that this Old Testament book is about Israel’s constant love affair with other gods! God gives humanity His gift of love and we constantly throw it back in His face, whoring after other pleasures and distractions.

Mysteriously, three-quarters through the book we find a remarkable passage about parenting. For ten chapters, God talks about being a spurned and jilted lover, jealous for our affections, and then in chapter eleven (vv. 1-4) God begins to reminisce: “When Israel was a child, I loved him… taught them to walk.” (CEV)

Like a doting parent, the Lord remembers when He taught His children to walk. Is there ever a more exciting time for a parent than watching their child take their first steps?

But in chapter 11, vv.7-8, God says, “My people are determined to reject me for a god they think is stronger…. I can’t let you go. I can’t give you up.” (CEV)

After ten chapters of an R-rated story of prostitution and betrayal, God now uses the metaphor of a child who thumbs his nose at his dad. His dad just can’t give up on him.

God wants us to feel what He feels when His love is not returned. Two of the most profound relationships humans can experience are marriage and parenthood. When your child turns his back on you and you’re waiting for him to return home but it’s past 3 am, that’s how God feels. Or your spouse cheats on you and it’s the third time despite your forgiveness on each occasion, that’s how God feels.

God likens His love, in the book of Hosea, to the love between two lovers or between a father and son. He wants us to understand how He feels when we act like a serial adulterer or a rebellious teen.

In these metaphors, God is teaching us about dependence and submission. What defines a child-parent relationship better than dependence? An infant is completely dependent on her mother for her every need. On the other hand, two lovers reverse this relationship dynamic. Two lovers are completely free, but choose to give that freedom away by submitting to one another. A healthy marriage is one of submission to one another, voluntarily, out of love. In an unhealthy marriage, submission really becomes a power struggle.

God uses these two metaphors to underscore the necessary balance we must possess in our relationship with God: it’s a balance of dependence and submission. And when we get unbalanced, the result is pain, distance, and loneliness.

The prophet Hosea chased after his unfaithful wife, Gomer, because his love was true. Her serial adulteries didn’t stop him. Her shameful behaviour and thoughtless distractions did not convince him to give up.

God continues to chase after each of His kids, you and me, despite our waywardness. Thank God for this truth. But God’s experience does, to some degree, depend on me… will the Lord experience joy or pain in my relationship with Him?

The Federal government's plan for Pro-Life groups

Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:00 PST

This Sunday we all seek to honour our mothers and grandmothers. We should. They brought us life and love. Someone once said, “The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom.”

However, the pro-life cause recently received news that the current federal government plans to scrutinize pro-life organizations to discover if they offer “dishonest counseling” while caring for clients. Those organizations deemed to be doing so will potentially lose their charitable status. In the Prime Minister’s mandate letter to two of his Cabinet ministers (December 16, 2021), the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Equity, he directed them to begin the scrutinizing process (I read the mandate letter online).

Fellowship National sent a letter to the PM and two Ministers in February expressing our concern with this action due to the lack of clear definition of what is considered “dishonest counsel” along with concern with how the government’s view might migrate to the beliefs and values of our pro-life local churches. I encourage you to become aware of this recent decision by the federal government and be praying especially for our newest Fellowship partners.

Our Partner: Pregnancy Care Canada

In 2019 our Fellowship joined hands with PCC, established in 1997, in a formal partnership with hopes that this alignment might encourage more Fellowship churches and donors to get involved in the protection of the unborn.

“PCC’s mission is to be a Christ-centred national organization dedicated to upholding life by equipping pregnancy care centres and local communities with resources, education, and support to compassionately serve those challenged by an unexpected pregnancy.”

Each pregnancy care centre affiliated to PCC must agree to their “Commitment of Care and Competence” statement. In 2020, dozens of centres across Canada reported:

31,717 men and women accessed help at a PCC-affiliated pregnancy care centre (158,883 since 1997)

7,015 clients received materials and supplies such as diapers, formula, and clothing (182,998 items since 1997)

1,624 clients were supported through parenting programs (31,733 since 1997)

624 women requested and received support after their abortion (9,810 since 1997)

What you and your church can do

Our Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR) department has identified one particular strategic initiative to emphasize in our formal partnership with PCC. That is the starting of new pregnancy care centres across Canada. Without pregnancy care centres located in communities, the unborn remain at risk.

We encourage churches and donors to seek more information at pregnancycarecanada.ca and consider a donation toward this noble endeavor. Go online and download PCC’s “Essentials Manual: Essentials to starting a Pregnancy Centre” or download their FAQ and clarification booklet (6 pages).

The manual is a time-tested, step-by-step guide to help you and your church(es) navigate the many processes and decisions required to see a care centre become a reality in your community. It all starts with just ONE person and maybe that person is you!

Lastly, please pray for the PCC’s Executive Director, Dr. Laura Lewis and Chair of Directors Rev. Doug Blair, as they guide this critically important ministry during potentially turbulent times when the federal government has decided to unduly scrutinize all pro-life organizations.

Best practice for faith formation in Canadian families

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:00:00 PST

A group of family and children’s ministry leaders came together in October 2019 with a growing concern that discipleship wasn’t happening in the home. After that meeting, sixteen partner organizations, including the Fellowship, formed the Canadian Evangelical Family Faith Formation Study (CEFFFS) and commissioned the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s research team to study the state of faith formation in Evangelical families across Canada. The Fellowship has provided funding and a representative to serve on the CEFFFS team (Rev. Mark Hymus).

The CEFFFS aims to learn about families’ needs by asking ministry leaders and parents to reflect on different aspects of home and faith life to understand barriers and drivers to supporting children’s faith. The research team interviewed family ministry experts that were nominated by CEFFFS partners and conducted 41 in-depth interviews (10 of which were Baptist) with mothers and fathers who identify as Evangelical and have children in the home.

In the interviews, parents provided a portrait of their daily rhythms and family spiritual life. They answered questions about their understanding of family, their role as parents in faith formation, what they desire for their children’s future, and what faith formation activities occurred in the home. Preliminary findings suggest that parents tend to frame faith formation as education or moral development. Connecting faith to the person of Jesus was seldom mentioned.

The research team is continuing to analyze the results from these interviews and will be conducting a nationwide survey in Spring 2022. The team will be sharing a more concrete report next year trusting that Canadian families will be blessed by this research and will grow stronger because of it.

I have asked our Fellowship representative, Rev. Mark Hymus, to make an initial presentation of the CEFFFS’ work in a workshop at our Fellowship National Conference (November 14-16, 2022), but let me share a few of the CEFFFS’ early discoveries here:

Initial Highlights from the CEFFFS Study Team

The average age of children in the families interviewed were junior high students.

They discovered parents were not “at sea” on their kids’ faith formation, while pastors were less confident that parents were doing well at the faith formation of their children.

Twelve percent (12%) of parents interviewed said they would not change anything about the faith formation practices with their children.

An initial discovery recognized that the new approach of Evangelical parents today is giving their children their own religious choice with no pressure to choose. They expose their kids to Christianity as well as other religions.

In a previous survey (“Renegotiating Faith”) it was discovered that kids follow their faith into adulthood most often when they are closely attached to childhood faith/religious practices. Therefore, adopting a passive approach to the faith formation of their children doesn’t ensure their kids will keep their faith.

In Spring 2022, the CEFFFS team are conducting two major surveys based on the findings they have already discovered. And so, there is more, much more, to come!

Learning to Become Bless-able

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 PST

Who wants to be blessed by God? I see that hand.

Jesus claims in John 10:10 that His purpose “is to give life in all its fullness.” Our lives are supposed to be “full” of God’s blessing. So, what does it take to be blessed by God? Why does it seem that some people are blessed by God more than others?

Jesus shares three secrets about receiving God’s blessing in Matthew 6:13b (KJV): “For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.” Note the three words or three keys to unlocking the abundance of God’s blessing in our live:

We must first seek God’s Kingdom. God blesses those who seek His Kingdom and God’s Kingdom is found wherever Jesus is allowed to act as King. When I make Jesus sovereign over my heart, life, agenda, values, priorities, and plans, then God’s will becomes my will and I receive this blessing. When I finally figure out it’s not about God blessing what I do, but God helping me to do what He blesses, then I’ll know His abundant blessing. God blesses whenever I put Him first.

Secondly, Matthew 6:13 talks of depending on God’s power if we’re ever to experience His blessing. We depend on God’s power, not our own, and God blesses. God doesn’t bless self-sufficient, self-reliant people. God blesses those who recognize they need God’s power (help), which takes faith—and Jesus loves to respond to our faith. Paul writes, “Those who have faith are blessed…” (Galatians 3:9, NASB). So, the more I depend on God, the more God blesses.

Lastly, Matthew 6:13 talks of living for God’s glory. All of us need to decide who’s going to get the credit in life—us or God? The Psalmist reminds us that, “He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.” (Psalm 115:13 NLT). God blesses those who fear Him and seek to bring Him glory.

So if you want to be blessed by God, you have to become “bless-able” by seeking first His Kingdom, depending on His power, and making sure He gets the credit.

My wife Marilyn and I have moved more times than I care to remember. On six of those occasions we needed to sell and purchase homes. We made money on our first home and it set us up for a false sense of “equity envy”. The next few house sales, we lost money, lost equity. The real estate market didn’t cooperate much in a few of our moves. I remember asking the Lord, “Why?”

I asked, “Lord, what happened to your blessing as we sought to obey your calling?” I remember the Spirit of God telling me after our first equity loss, “Hey dummy, (that’s God’s “pet-name” for me) did you ever think I wanted you and Marilyn in the neighbourhood to serve and share Christ, rather than to increase your equity?”

Tom and Cindy were our new neighbours. We loved them and shared Jesus. We planted the seed and several years after we moved away, we heard that they both came to Christ and were attending a strong evangelical church in London. We lost equity during our move to the Belleville area, but our neighbours came to Christ.

I thought of blaming God for our financial loss, but unknown to Marilyn and “Dummy”, God was making our moves spiritually profitable. God’s blessing is not always clear or obvious, but God promises to bless. Are you looking for God’s blessing? You may not be looking in the right place. Does my obedience obligate God to bless me? Jesus does promise “life to the full” (John 10:10), but is that “fullness” always to be understood as the “fullness of joy” or is there such a thing as the “fullness” found in suffering? So much blessing in life can be found in trials, difficulties, and problems. Can my obedience be a call to sacrifice? Can we view sacrifice as a blessing? Before you answer those questions, think about the Cross.

Trust you had a wonderful Easter this past weekend. God’s blessing is unbelievable.

The Story of Max Kolbe

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 PST

I want to say three words which I know will encourage you this week. “He is risen!” I trust you are preparing your heart for the Passion Week as we celebrate with our church families the wonderful news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This week is the Mount Everest of the Christian calendar. Thank you, Jesus, for coming, dying, and rising!

Several years ago a judge in Rome was quoted saying that Jesus’ trial was a mockery of justice. He felt it necessary to correct the injustice and declare Jesus innocent. Two thousand years ago another Roman court found Jesus guilty, accusing him as a deceiver, fake, and fraud.

Imagine yourself in a court room back then, seeking to discover the truth about Jesus’ guilt. Who might be called to testify about the truth of His identity?

Our first eye-witness might be John…aka “the Baptist”. “John, what do you think about Jesus?” and his answer: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b, NIV). Our second eye-witness is Peter…aka “the Fisherman”. We ask: “Peter, how did you respond when Jesus asked who you thought He was?” Peter’s answer is recorded for us in Matthew 16:16, NIV: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” We would hear the testimony of Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:14), a Centurion (Mark 15:39), a fallen angel (Mark 1:24), and even God the Father who testified of Jesus, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17, ESV).

But, what will be the testimony of the many people we will meet and greet this week? Some of whom will hear you preach the Good News this weekend. No one can remain neutral when it comes to Jesus. Jesus’ own testimony of this fact is found in Matthew 12:30 (NLT): “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” We have the Words of Life. Let’s make sure we do some “testifying” this week. Did I just hear an “Amen!” in cyberspace?

The Story of Maximilian Kolbe

Saviours always make a lasting impression. On July 31, 1941, a man escaped the Auschwitz death camp. In reprisal, the Nazis ordered that 10 prisoners die. One man who was chosen cried out in despair, saying he had a wife and children. His name was Franciszek Gajowniczek. A priest named Maximilian Kolbe (aged 47) spoke up and offered to take the place of this man. The Nazis led Kolbe and the other nine prisoners to an underground bunker to be starved to death. The priest led the men singing hymns. One prison guard said it was like visiting a chapel each time he entered their prison cell. Finally on August 14, 1941, the Nazis killed all 10 with a lethal injection.

Thirty years later a survivor of Auschwitz described the effect of Kolbe’s action: “It was an enormous shock to the whole camp. We became aware that someone among us in this spiritual dark night of the soul was raising the standard of love on high. Someone unknown, like everyone else, tortured and bereft of name and social standing, went to a horrible death for the sake of someone not even related to him. Therefore, it is not true, we cried, that humanity is cast down and trampled in the mud, overcome by oppressors and overwhelmed by hopelessness. Thousands of prisoners were convinced the true world continued to exist and that our tortures would to be able to destroy it. To say that Kolbe died for us or for that person’s family is too great a simplification. His death was the salvation of thousands… we were stunned by his act, which became for us a mighty explosion of light in the dark camp.”

Forty-one years later, on October 10, 1982, 150,000 people met in Vatican City including the Pope, 26 Cardinals, 300 Bishops and Archbishops, church leaders, and tens of thousands of the faithful. They had gathered with Franciszek Gajowniczek and his many children and many more grandchildren to celebrate the life of Maximilian Kolbe. They called his life and especially his death a great VICTORY. So many had been SAVED by one man. An entire family, two entire generations were born because of a saviour. Francis spent the rest of his life telling about the man who died so he might live. He died on March 13, 1995 at 93 years of age, having spent the last 54 years telling anyone and everyone who would listen about his saviour.

Let’s never grow weary in telling the story of our Saviour…over and over again! Bless you as you remain faithful.

Let me know how your Easter weekend went…especially if you witness anyone coming to Christ—I never grow tired of hearing those stories, too!

Surprising the Devil

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 PST

“He is Risen! He has Risen indeed!”

Easter is soon upon us. The Mount Everest of the Christian calendar.

The day our Heavenly Father “pulled a fast one” on the devil. Isn’t that how John Calvin described it?

When I was a kid growing up in Montréal, my brothers and I feared going into Mrs. Pyke’s backyard when we kicked our soccer ball over the cedar hedge. All of us grew up with a “Mrs. Pyke” in our community. Mean and grumpy. She ate crushed glass for breakfast. It was a covert mission, planned with precision, before my brothers and I ventured into her yard to grab our lost soccer ball. Stealthily, we tiptoed on her grass and too often we heard her voice bellow.

Her yard was a big piece of land behind our backyard. When she put it up for sale my parents bought it. My mom used her maiden name, on the legal documents, because we knew Mrs. Pyke would never sell it to those little rascals, the Jones boys. Oh, the surprise on her face when the sale was final and Greg, Chris, and I jumped freely on our new territory. We were excited when dad started ripping out the cedar hedge between our backyard and our new expanded soccer pitch. I felt the same euphoria years later watching the Berlin wall getting knocked down.

Imagine the surprise on the devil’s face when he realized killing Jesus would not support his plan, but open up a new plan for all those “rascals” on earth needing a Saviour. Imagine the joy in Heaven when that “wall of partition” was knocked down and ripped out so we might venture on the new terrain called “Salvation”. Just imagine!

I never grow tired of hearing stories of people whose lives have been transformed by the Gospel. May some new stories be made this Easter!

In defense of Denominations!

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 PST

Some say we’re in a post-denominational age!

Why this may be the case or when it started is a matter of great dispute. Some critics celebrate its demise while others work hard to breathe new life into an old wineskin. It is certainly true that most committed Christians today care little or nothing about denominational identity or allegiance. The significant growth of non-denominational or independent churches over the past 40 years attests to this trend. A trend that continues.

At the start of this blog I also want to make clear that I am not addressing this topic because I believe the FEBCC (Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada) should be considered a denomination. Historically we have referred to ourselves as an “association” or “fellowship” of churches without many of the denominational “accoutrements”. Whether we refer to the fathering of sister churches as denominations, associations, or networks, it is true that their primary purpose is to draw like-minded churches together to share a common affirmation, vision, and mission. Should we continue to defend these “tribal” communities? This is what I hope to address and I covet your consideration and feedback.

So why defend the future of denominations?

Most pastors in North America still believe a vital connection to a denomination is an important thing. In a recent Lifeway Research survey (2020), over 1,000 pastors were surveyed with 78% of believing it vital to be a part of a denomination. However, 63% of them believe the importance of this connection to a denomination will diminish in the next 10 years. Only 20% of pastors disagreed that denominational connection was vital. These same pastors also stated that 77% of their congregants believed the same.

The same survey was conducted by Lifeway in 2010 and virtually the same percentages were discovered. Seventy-seven percent of pastors agreed that connection was vital and 62% believed this would diminish in the next 10 years. It is interesting to note that the desire for a vital connection to a denomination has not diminished among pastors. And the 2020 survey indicated younger pastors (aged 18-44) were more likely to agree than those 65 and older (83% versus 74%) that denominational connection was vital. An encouraging sign and hopeful future trend.

So what good can denominations provide?

Here are several points to consider and not in any particular order:

Denominations, associations, or networks of local churches can provide a form in which Christians and churches can live out their particular affirmations, diversities, and faithful possibilities for Christian living, worship, and doctrine. Christians, like all humans, tend to gravitate toward those of like-minded convictions and practices. Denominations provide this. For example, some believers like to primarily kneel in their worship services while others prefer to dance.

Denominations provide a forum for Christians to affirm that the Church is more than just their local expression of it. We are part of a much greater whole and our formal connection to other churches celebrates this ecclesiological truth. Denominations are not to be sectarian, in the sense that they believe they are the only authentic church; instead denominations allow Christians to celebrate our unique eccentricities without breaking our unity as the Church. Our diversity doesn’t necessarily mean brokenness within the Body of Christ.

Denominations provide accountability. I was preaching at a Fellowship church recently and met a Christian who was visiting the church for the first time. I asked why she chose this church. She had heard good reports, but the main reason was that it was a member of a denomination. She wanted to be part of a congregation that was accountable to other believers.

Denominations allow local churches to accomplish more than they could alone. The combining of resources and the mutual sharing of vision allows a larger group to pool resources and advance mission in significant ways. As one scholar states, “Non-denominational (independent) churches are living off the theological capital of more established Christian traditions” (Dr. Plantinga Pauw).

Denominations provide an opportunity for necessary doctrinal correctives, a kind of “peer review” where a needed challenge or correction ensures fidelity to God’s Word. In a spirit of humility and respect this occasionally means the forming of a new Christian community. Heretical sects and cults have departed from historic Christianity because no “peer review” was offered to provide theological correction.

Without denominations—what is the alternative? Every congregation acting totally independent would seem to just be denominationalism universalized. No accountability with other bodies nor the wise pooling of resources. Or secondly, the enforced union of all congregations into a single denomination. An enforced ecumenical alternative. This was the situation in which Luther found himself in 1517 and his only choice was to be excommunicated from the only “legal” state church available, and establish a separate church. When the Lutheran Church became spiritually cold and formalistic, the Pietists tried reforming it but were excommunicated and formed a separate body. The alternatives to denominationalism are actually frightening to contemplate. It’s not that contemporary denominations cannot be improved, but that the obvious and realistic alternatives are worse.

The Future of Denominations?

In the future, whether you call it a denomination, an association, or a network—I’m convinced denominations are here to stay and that is a good thing for the flourishing of the Church. God will bless groups that remain on mission even though the “form” may not have been God’s preferred choice. Which begs the question…

Is denominationalism what God intended? The simple answer is “no”. It seems to deviate from what Jesus instructed His disciples in His high priestly prayer. Jesus said, “Father, make them one even as you and I are one.” In a sense, denominationalism is evidence that the body of Christ on earth is broken. Our division indicates our sinfulness. There are 45,000 denominations in the world. However, I believe we would agree that this unity doesn’t mean the Church of Jesus Christ needs one world headquarters to be spiritually united. As one scholar suggests, there can be such a thing as “reconciled diversity” (Roger E. Olson).

We all agree denominational life should no longer be taken for granted—it must be defended. And while I claim denominational life will survive and, in my opinion, should survive, that doesn’t mean no change nor improvement is needed. What needs to happen in the near future may actually feel like a death before we can ensure survival, and flourish into the future. No denomination is sacred and doesn’t deserve to exist if it doesn’t remain on a mission serving the local church.

But until Jesus returns and finally gives us unquestioned clarity on those secondary

Get onside with Onside this summer!

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 PST

Anyone who claims that their local church is committed to evangelism, but is not committed to kids or youth ministry just doesn’t get it.

Billy Graham’s Evangelistic Ministry has been telling us for decades that most North Americans come to Christ before their 18th birthday.

Child Evangelism Fellowship’s (CEF) ministry is currently working in almost 200 nations. That’s amazing! Even more amazing is that CEF reported that five million children made professions of faith in their “Backyard Bible Clubs” during one summer of ministry.

I found some interesting information and statistics in a back issue of a CEF newsletter. CEF states the importance of evangelism to kids and youth. The reality is that 19 of 20 Christians come to Christ before the age of 25. After 25, the odds against someone coming to Christ increase dramatically.

The evangelist D. L. Moody was once asked how the night’s meeting had gone. “We had two and a half conversions,” he replied.
“You mean two adults and one child?”
“No,” Moody said. “Two children and one adult. The adult only has half his life left.”

Shortly before his martyrdom at age 95, Polycarp said, “Eighty-six years have I served the Lord.” Likely, he was converted at his mother’s knee.

Billy Graham was converted as a teen. Matthew Henry was six, Isaac Watts was nine, W. A. Criswell was eight, and Stephen Olford was seven.

They were not only saved from their sin, but the results of a sinful lifestyle in their teenage years. As former Youth for Christ President Jay Kesler once said, “any evangelism after high school isn’t evangelism; it’s really salvage.”

Some say children who make early professions of faith often struggle with assurance, thinking, “I wasn’t really sure of what I was doing when I was seven.” However, could it be that the individual explaining the Gospel may have not been sure of what they were doing?

None of us knows or understands the full salvation story upon conversion—children or adults. The criterion for salvation is not a seminary degree, but a willingness to believe and receive God’s gift of salvation.

The great British Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon once said, “Out of a church of 2,700 members, I have never had to exclude a single one who was received while yet a child. Teachers and superintendents should not merely believe in the possibility of early conversion, but in the frequency of it.”

Why would church leaders believe that we should wait or be cautions to influence young minds? Advertisers don’t wait. Advocates of cultural engineering in our schools don’t wait. Predators online don’t wait, nor does Hollywood.

So what are we doing to win children and youth to Christ?

Get onside with Onside Athletics this Summer

Our Fellowship acquired a new outreach ministry in 2020 to support our churches. It’s called Onside Athletics.

Onside Athletics comes alongside our local churches and their community through sport by providing the best sporting experience for every family. Sport is an effective tool to engage children and families with the Gospel.

Whether on a rink, a soccer pitch, or gymnasium, children and families are being introduced to Christ and disciple in their relationship with Jesus.

If you’re thinking of starting an outreach ministry to kids in your community, our Fellowship Onside Athletics team will be a great resource and support to you in successfully launching your ministry this summer or fall. Go to fellowship.ca/OnsideAthletics to find out more about the types of camps that can be set up at your church featuring such sports as ball hockey, baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, and lacrosse, we well as art camp and Epic camp.

Jesus says it plainly: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14, KJV)

That is a double imperative, as strong a statement as Jesus can make it. Not only to allow them to come to Him, but also to not forbid them.

You say your church is not doing much outreach these days—then start with outreach to kids. It’s a wonderful door into your community.

Obey your Captain and you'll finish well

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 PST

I grew up on the island of Montréal and spent much of my summers along the shores of Lac-St-Louis. I have fond memories from my childhood of building rafts and venturing out into the lake. I remember one day the police bringing my younger brother home. He had been spotted building a raft with friends to journey out into the Lachine rapids. He would never have survived that trip.

When I was a teen, my father and I were invited to enter a sailing race on our neighbour’s boat. The race took place in the picturesque Lake of Two Mountains. It was a beautiful sunny day with no wind. All sailors were on board enjoying the sun, but not the race. Our captain made a strange order to take our boat away from the pack. Other sailors thought we were quitting or drunk.

Slowly and methodically, we moved further and further away from the other boats. It seemed strange, but we obeyed our captain because we remembered his many racing victories. A good kilometre away from the other boats, we saw what our captain had seen long before: a wind was streaming across the lake and we were headed for it. The moment the wind hit us, the boat spun around and our captain yelled for all hands to hoist up the spinnaker sail and catch the full advantage of the wind. It was amazing. On a windless sunny day, we were flying across the water toward the other sailboats still in lifeless formation going nowhere.

I was commanded to lean my body on one side of the boat to keep it from capsizing. I was hanging onto the hull with most of my body only a metre from the water rushing by me. The water looked to good… so cool on that very hot day. I thought I might put my hand down to cup just a little water to sip. However, my captain saw me and yelled “no!” because if I touched the water I would slow the boat down. My little hand, slow down a 40-foot boat? But I obeyed and on that day we swiftly went past all the other sailing vessels.

Unlike our race, if you methodically follow the Lord in a way that goes against the flow of the world, the Spirit of God will so fill and control your life that you’ll always come first in terms of gaining new territory. What new territory do you need to gain? Victory over a habitual sin? A relationship reconciled? Debt-free living? Québec entirely won for Christ? I learned on the Lake of Two Mountains that I should always obey my Captain because I remember He’ll keep me safe from the dark and dangerous undertows of life and direct me safely and victoriously into new territory.

My actions can affect my grandkids' grandchildren

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 PST

How might my actions today affect the life of my grandkids’ grandchildren? Hmmm…let me give an example of when this actually became a reality.

Look at the life of King Saul, a hero who became a zero. After studying his life in the book of I Samuel, you discover how much Saul's motivation for action or inaction was based on fear rather than faith. He constantly took shortcuts in his private life and it took its toll on his public life. Sensing his imminent death on the battlefield, he asks a soldier to finish him off. Interestingly, Saul asked the soldier who he was. The soldier tells him he is an Amalekite. He obeys the king, gives the mortal blow and retells the story to David (cf. II Samuel 1:1-16).

There is an irony in all of this. God had sanctioned Saul to destroy the Amalekites. But Saul's “enlightened” sensibilities did not allow him to fully follow through on God's will. Ultimately, the people whom he was to destroy would kill him instead.

Five centuries later… Haman, the Hitler of the Persian Empire, sought to wipe out the Jewish race. Haman was a descendant of Agag (Esther 3:1), the king of the Amalekites. Saul's forbearance would come to haunt his people years later. Five centuries further, we discovered King Herod tried to commit genocide among young Jewish boys by ordering the slaughter of boys less than two years old in an attempt to murder God's anointed. King Herod was an Edomite and the Edomites were related to the Amalekites. Amalek was the son of Esau’s (Edomites’) firstborn son, Eliphaz.

There is an irony here. King Saul's “enlightened” approach to following God’s will would not only destroy his own life, it would also bring untold grief to his people for generations to come.

When we choose to “fudge” on doing what we know to be true because of expediency or convenience or enlightened “common sense”, we run the risk of not only harming our own life, but the lives of our family, our church, the Christian community, and even our grandchildren's grandkids. A sobering thought.

Let's all take care of our inner/private life for the sake of Jesus’ reputation today, and for generations to come.

What authority does God's Word have over me?

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 PST

When a person walks into a Fellowship Baptist Church or bumps into a Fellowship pastor, missionary, or chaplain, one of my hopes is that the person will meet a leader or group of people who believe the Bible is God’s Word, without reservation. The Bible remains under attack, and I’m concerned.

Theologian Wayne Grudem defined inerrancy this way: “The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact.” (Systematic Theology, pg. 90)

The issue surrounding inerrancy is not merely a matter of precision, but of truthfulness. If we deny inerrancy, we fall into many problems:

If there is error, God is a liar, for He said there is no error.

If there is error, we lose trust in God.

If there is error, we subtly make humanity’s reasoning power the standard of authority.

If we say there are small details that are in error, can we be sure the large doctrines are free from error?

The Bible does say something clearly about its own authority:

“The Lord’s promises are pure.” (Psalm 12:6 NLT)

“Every word of God proves true.” (Proverbs 30:5 NLT)

“For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth.” (2 Samuel 7:28 NLT)

Many more Scriptures speak of the Bible’s authority. With an admission of error, how does its authority hold up?

Wayne Grudem writes: “The authority of Scripture means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.” (Systematic Theology, pg. 73)

My steadfast hope remains that any visitor to our local churches would discover among the people of God a confidence that we are reading God’s very own words when we open our Bibles each week.

Fellowship Churches Caring for Afghan and Syrian Refugees

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 PST

In September the Fellowship’s FAIR department launched an emergency appeal to help care for recent Afghan refugees fleeing their country due to the Taliban take-over. We are grateful for those who have participated in this appeal. To date, $108,943 has been received to help care for these refugees. Thank you!

A handful of years ago FAIR, in partnership with the Christian & Missionary Alliance, encouraged Fellowship churches to consider sponsoring Syrian refugees coming to Canada. To date, at least 80 Fellowship churches have participated in this endeavour, sponsoring about 245 Syrian refugees.

For one Fellowship church, Oceanview Community Church in Ladysmith, BC, they are only now welcoming their Syrian refugee family to their community.

Oceanview Community Church’s process was delayed by COVID but they hope to welcome this family very soon. Pastor Darin Phillips sent me an audio clip of a local radio station’s (99.9FM “The Lounge”) story on Oceanview’s journey in sponsoring this Syrian Refugee family. I encourage you read about the story here: https://www.thelounge999.com/2021/11/05/local-church-clearing-final-hurdles-to-bring-syrian-refugee-family-to-the-mid-island/

Our FAIR team was telling me that when the Afghan refugee crisis began, many churches contacted them about how they could help. Since then, numerous churches have either started the refugee sponsorship process or are supporting other churches who are supporting refugees.

I realize that many of us do not know what is currently available from FAIR. Below are a couple of these opportunities.

Sponsor a refugee through FAIR’s partner organization, the Christian & Missionary Alliance:
Since The Fellowship is a partner denomination with the C&MA, this allows Fellowship churches to apply for refugee sponsorship under the privileges that C&MA’s Sponsorship Agreement Holder status confers. The C&MA also provides counsel during the discernment and application process, as well as access to refugee sponsorship training, resources, and supportive network opportunities.

Support Afghan refugees with FAIR’s partner organization, the Afghan Church of the GTA:
The Afghan Church of the GTA along with a retired Fellowship International missionary couple are sponsoring many Afghan refugees. FAIR has created an emergency appeal to help raise funds to enable this community to support many refugees who will soon arrive in Toronto.

If you have any questions about this, please contact FAIR.

The State of Church Health in our Fellowship

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:00:00 PST

I meet with our Regional Church Health Directors a few times each year to discuss best practices, share resources, and strategize plans. I'm very grateful for our directors; please join me in praying for them:

Mike Mawhorter: Pacific Region

Phil Webb: Prairies Region

Bob Flemming: FEB Central Region

Jean-Philippe Lapierre: AEBEQ Region

Danny Barrett: Atlantic Region

In a recent conversation with our Church Health Directors, I asked about the general health of our 500+ churches. Their rough estimate was as follows:

Healthy or promising: 50-55%

Plateaued or stable: 25-30%

Declining or dying: 20-25%

While these percentages were based on our best educated guestimates rather than a firm data, the reality is that we have much to do to support our local churches in returning to health and vitality.

Church Health Resources/Services are Available

Each Fellowship Region has tools and services available to support our churches toward good health. Whether church consultations, EQ boot camps, cluster groups, webinars, the vitality pathway, cohort training, and more. Our Regions want to help. Our churches must decide to seek out their help.

I thought I'd feature one Region, FEB Central, and ask their Church Health Director Bob Flemming and Church Ministry Consultant Steve Adams to share.

A word from Bob —

“Accomplishing the task of making disciples and fulfilling the Great Commission calls for churches to be spiritually healthy. Leadership, laity, and ministries need to be operating, as the saying goes, ‘on all eight cylinders’. The truth is that finding that synergy and ministry cooperation within a church can be challenging. Mission drift is a reality, thus the capacity to make disciples suffers. A Church Consultation (a popular tool) assists a church to take stock of things, discover areas of weakness, and hear prescriptions of how to address them and move forward. This diagnostic process is more than just data and analysis. It offers specific direction enabling churches to make the necessary mid-course corrections, sharpening their effectiveness to build Christ's Kingdom in their own community and beyond. We are grateful to Fellowship Pacific and David Horita (Regional Director) who came and trained us on this tool almost 10 years ago.”

A word from Steve —

“While pastoring at Forward Church [Cambridge, ON], I was constantly coaching other pastors and church boards who had a sense that their church could have greater Kingdom impact. I had an increasing sense that God was calling me to be a servant to the Church and not in the Church. In my new role, I love meeting leaders who are wrestling with structure ideas, and processes that would allow them to do and be all that God has for them. As we enter new, post-COVID realities we see immense opportunities that if embraced, can assist and accelerate our mission markedly. Often I am finding there is ‘low hanging fruit’ in most churches that needs to be picked. This can include operational issues, staff alignment and culture, or unnoticed unreached opportunities. Being a businessman and owner prior to ministry also gave me several practical skills that I've been able to utilize. In the last year, an unintended consequence of my involvement has been to increasingly help churches in assessment and pastoral search. We need to get this right. Having hired over 100 ministry staff in the last 25+ years, I know there is no reason for churches to make the same mistakes I have! I love the Church and I love pastors. I want to see stronger ministry marriages to see supernatural fruit.”

Fellowship Church Planting in Canada: 2010-2021

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:00:00 PST

If planting churches remains one of the best ways to ensure Canadians come to Christ, I would venture to say we should be encouraged as a fellowship of churches.

With the significant support of our Regions, our churches have planted 106 churches between 2010 and 2021.

God has been good. I want to also thank our Regional Church Planting Directors who I have the joy of gathering with a few times each year to discuss best practices, share resources, and strategize plans. We're grateful for the servant leadership of these directors:

Todd Chapman: Fellowship Pacific Region

Mark Breitkreuz: Fellowship Prairies Region

Tom Haines: FEB Central Region

Steve Cloutier: AEBEQ Region

Brad Somers: Fellowship Atlantic Region

—

Fellowship National helps support our Regions in church planting by subsidizing several initiatives. Our recent Final Report of Fellowship National’s five-year (2015-2020) Strategic Plan reported that Fellowship National

Supplied $186,177 in church planting grants to those church plants approved by our Regions

Brokered 65 partnerships between English churches across Canada with Francophone church plants in Québec (2015 to 2021) Francophone church planting revenue exceeded $1,540,000 between 2015 and 2021.

Significantly subsidized the sending of Fellowship Church Planters (couples) to “Momentum“, Canada's premier biannual church planting training and equipping conference. Eighty thousand dollars was used over the past six years for training planters.

Photo: Fellowship church planting couples gather together for Momentum (October 2021).

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During my first President's Address at our Fellowship National Conference in 2011, I called on our churches and Regions to make the Fellowship a “Church Planting Machine”. One of our Regional Church Plant Directors reminded me of my “call to arms” during this past year. I believe you heard my plea. Over 100 church plants in a dozen years. To God be the glory. Let's thank the Lord, and continue this strategic work together.

The new Sindhi New Testament

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 00:00:00 PST

On a trip to Venezuela to visit our missionaries, we visited a mountain that overlooks the city of Caracas.

We saw a sign warning pedestrians to be careful of slippery pavement when wet. We read the sign and our team burst out laughing. I took a photo for your viewing enjoyment. Translating is a tricky thing. “When Wetting Lippery Ground”?

Our very own Mark Naylor and his translation team have been busy translating the Bible into the Sindhi language for 30 years. I have visited Mark and his three-man translation team while visiting Shikarpur, Pakistan. I want you to join with me in celebrating a significant accomplishment.

Mark and Karen Naylor have been Fellowship International missionaries for more than three decades. This past autumn, Mark completed a huge task: the translation of the New Testament into the Sindhi language. Mark and his translation team first completed the Old Testament in 2007, but we rejoice that the New Testament is now available in a translation that is “clear and understandable”, which “resonates with the cultural and religious norms”. It is a Sindhi translation geared to the distinct Hindu and Muslim subcultures prevalent in the Sindhi province, Pakistan.

I encourage you to click here to read a full explanation of this monumental task over 30 years.

Thank you, Mark and Karen, for being our ambassadors among the Sindhi people. God's Word in their language brings great missional promise for years and decades to come. Be prepared to meet believers in Glory who will thank you for providing God's precious Word in their mother tongue. We celebrate this wonderful event and give God all the glory!

Mark serves as Coordinator of International Leadership Development (CILD) for our Fellowship International department and Northwest Baptist Seminary, Langley, BC.

FAIR is building a Home in Honduras

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 PST

I had the joy of visiting FAIR children's home in Honduras a few years ago. Fellowship International missionaries Melodie Francis and Rick and Ena Ward are caring for a large group of Honduran children and teens. It is an amazing ministry which has been one of four featured child sponsorship projects since 2019.

Part of my week at the Casa Hogar home was spent painting a mural outside the boys’ room. When they discovered I was an artist, they wanted a T-Rex on the wall to greet the boys as they entered their room. My helper all week was eight-year-old Gabriel who helped paint, clean, and fetch me brushes and paint.

This is an amazing ministry. A loving, Christ-centred home to care for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of these children. A ministry our Fellowship family can be proud of.

Our Winter/Easter FAIR appeal (January-April 2022) is raising funds to expand Casa Hogar's reach. I'll let our FAIR Director, Dan Shurr, explain:

“Can you imagine, at Casa Hogar, Honduras, 29 children and staff living together in one building? That can be challenging. Just imagine all of these children and teens using the same space for meals, school, homework, and personal time while also dealing with their own unique trauma and psychological needs!

With a vision and plans in place to provide a better arrangement, FAIR has launched a new fundraising initiative with a goal of raising $150,000 that will improve the quality of care and education for everyone.

This includes the construction of a new building for the teens to call home, the renovation of the existing home where the rest of the children will continue to live, and enable staff to specialize their work responsibilities. We want each child to be given the best opportunity possible to heal, learn, and grow to become the thriving adult they want to be as they live at Casa Hogar in a growing home.

Please consider how your financial gift can make this dream a much-needed reality. Please pray for the staff and children at Casa Hogar, a truly growing home.

Go to fellowship.ca/GrowingHome to see further information along with promotional literature and a brief video to use in your church.”

Dan and I are hoping you will prayerfully consider giving a generous gift to the “Growing Home” appeal.

By the way, we’re also looking for Fellowship churches to partner closely with our Casa Hogar home. Currently, Fellowship churches in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia have a special relationship with Casa Hogar, sending teams to Honduras to help. Why not talk to Dan Shurr about this opportunity. We also need missionaries to serve in this ministry. Are you interested? Do you know someone or a couple who might be a good candidate? We’d love to hear from you.

Drive three hours and you won't see a church

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:00:00 PST

During my tours in the province of Québec, visiting our churches and pastoral/church leaders, I am constantly reminded of the great spiritual need in Québec. During a tour, I was driving on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River between Trois-Rivières and Québec City, and learned there is only one known evangelical church between these two cities. Think about that for a moment. That would be similar to having no evangelical witness between Vancouver and Hope, BC; Calgary and Edmonton, AB; Winnipeg and St. Boniface, MB; Toronto and London, ON; or Halifax, NS and Sackville, NB. Between two large cities…a couple of hours apart and NO church…no evangelical witness. This is Québec, my friends. I found my heart breaking as I drove past towns, cities, and villages of 5,000 to 15,000 people with absolutely no gospel witness.

Québec remains Canada’s most significant mission field with only 0.8% evangelicals (only 0.3% in Montréal). Very few on the planet are sending missionaries to Québec. There must be such a thing as “theology of proximity.” Québec is close. Québec is our neighbour. Québec is all of our responsibility as Fellowship Baptists.

Next virtual Québec Vision Tour: February 24, 2022

I would like to invite you to our next virtual Québec Vision Tour (QVT) on Thursday, February 24, 2022 (1:00-2:45pm EST).

Our Fellowship Francophone Coordinator, Sergei Li (sli@fellowship.ca) and I (sjones@fellowship.ca) will be your hosts on a ZOOM call.

You will be informed of the church planting work being done in Québec, and introduced to a few church planters and their vision for church planting in a few locations in Québec. We’re asking you and/or your church to prayerfully join a 7 x 7 = 1 partnership. The math doesn’t add up but the formula works:

7 (partners) x 7 (years) = 1 (French church plant)

Please consider this request and respond to sjones@fellowship.ca or sli@fellowship.ca with your interest. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

The Weight that Slows You Down

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 PST

I can’t believe I ate the whole thing! Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are over and many of us stood on the weigh-scale this past week. Gulp! Why do I love turkey stuffing so much?! It’s time to shed some weight as we begin the new year. But is that the only “weight” we need to be careful of?

Listen to Hebrews 12:1b (NLT): “…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”

Many of us are being hindered by a “weight” that we have not adequately dealt with. In fact, we have gotten used to it. We’ve stopped seriously battling it and it is “slowing us down” (Hebrews 12:1). For a few of us it has meant a dead stop in the growth and progress of our spiritual life. God says focus on it, and then get rid of it. It may be a habit, a hobby, a past-time, or even a relationship that we need to get rid of. If we’re going to dedicate ourselves wholly to God, it will mean we will have to dump some excess weight. A lot of things are not necessarily wrong in our lives, but they’re also not really necessary. A lot of things keep us from our best.

What’s weighing you down? What do you need to get rid of so that your dedication to God might be complete? Be bold. Be humble. Be proactive. May 2022 be the year you gain victory over that area of sin that consistently weighs you down.

The Fellowship's Theme Verse for 2022: Zephaniah 3:17

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:00 PST

Theme Verses

2012: Romans 15:13 – Our year of hope

2013: 2 Corinthians 5:7 – Our year of faith

2014: John 13:35 – Our year of love

2015: Luke 19:10 – Our year of outreach

2016: Titus 2:12 – Our year of devotion

2017: Colossians 2:7 – Our year of discipleship

2018: Romans 12:12 – Our year of prayer

2019: John 4:34 – Our year of mission

2020: Hosea 12:6 – Our year of renewal

2021: 1 Corinthians 1:10 – Our year of collaboration and unity

2022: Zephaniah 3:17 – Our year of joy

Each year I ask the Lord to guide me to a Scripture theme verse for the year ahead for our movement of churches.

It is often a surprising process in picking the most appropriate Scripture verse.

For 2022, our verse is Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV) during our year of JOY!:

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

After a couple years of navigating a pandemic, lockdowns, restrictions, vaccines, fear, strong opinions, frayed relationships, and friendly fire, it is time to concentrate on “the joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

The children of Israel were never known for perfect behaviour. They had been in exile and separated for many years from the Lord. However, when they reunited they were reminded they were His. His beloved. They mattered to Him. They mourned due to their failures to uphold the Law. When Ezra read the Scriptures, the people were confronted by their shortcomings and were sorrowful. Their lies and behaviour had not been aligned with God’s Word. Instead of being condemned, they were instructed to celebrate because of the “joy of the Lord”.

God is love and love covers a multitude of sins. This brings joy that strengthens us because:

“God is in your midst” – enjoy His presence

“[he] will save” – rest in His offer of salvation

“he will rejoice over you with gladness” – experience His grace

“he will quiet you by his love” – know his peace

“he will exult over you with loud singing” – bask in the knowledge that He joyfully sings over you 24-7

We declare 2022 to be our Year of JOY!

Stop seeking happiness; seek to gain JOY. Happiness is external; joy is internal. Happiness is based on chance; joy is based on choice. Happiness is based on relation to good chances; joy occurs in relationship to Christ. The word “joy” and its variations is found 330 times in the New Testament, while “happiness” is only found 26 times.

Find JOY in Jesus in 2022 and make sure to spread the joy.

“I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow.” John 15:11 (NLT)

We gain joy when we focus on giving rather than receiving. When we focus on healing, not hurting. When we focus on God’s power, not our problems. These kinds of attitudes and behaviours help make life much sweeter, less sour.

May 2022 be our “Year of JOY” as a Fellowship family. The memories of exile and isolation will hopefully become faint as we gain strength because of our joy in the Lord.

Merry Christmas from our Fellowship National Staff

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 PST

On behalf of our Fellowship National Staff, I want to wish our entire Fellowship family a very Merry Christmas!

Praying that you all have a safe and memorable time with family, friends, neighbours, and your church family over the Christmas and New Year season.

May you experience the JOY of Christmas and experience an opportunity to share the Good News to someone in need of a Saviour.

Gifts, Symbolism, and Seeking "Wise" People this Christmas

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 PST

My wife, Marilyn, and I visited Bethlehem during a trip to the Holy Land, and it was the biggest disappointment of our tour.

Our tour bus passed by unkempt homes and derelict cars as we drove along the main street. The gate to the nativity gardens was locked. We were told the priest had gone into town for a beer at a local watering hole.

We had such huge expectations for Bethlehem: romantic thoughts of sheep dotting the landscape, white-washed stones, and a beautiful church. Wow, we were disappointed.

Mary and Joseph entered Bethlehem and were also met with disappointment. No inn had a vacancy—only a modest animal stall was available. A small beacon of hope began to flicker that would soon burst into bright, beaming sunlight.

A Saviour was born, a baby. God as a baby? It’s unbelievable to ponder. A helpless infant, unable to talk or hold his own bladder; it’s inconceivable. Only God could come up with this plan: Mohammed revealed himself as a prophet, Buddha as an enlightened philosopher, Moses as an appointed messenger, but only Jesus revealed Himself as God.

Jesus received gifts fit for only a king. Three wise men followed a star in search of a saviour and each humbly honoured Jesus with a gift. Each gift had a definite symbolic meaning:

Gold is a gift meant for royalty: the infant lying in the manger was the King of kings, the Lord of lords.

Myrrh, a perfumed spice, was used to embalm the dead: this gift foreshadowed Jesus’ death on the cross.

Frankincense was incense burned in the great Temple of Jerusalem: it symbolized prayer as smoke from the burning incense ascended on high.

Prayer, by its very nature, implies our need for communion with God. It speaks of our longing for relationship with our Heavenly Father. Christianity is first and foremost a faith founded on:

A person, rather than a philosophy

A who, rather than a what

A relationship, rather than rules

We get a chance this Christmas to share this wonderful truth with family, friends, work colleagues, school mates, and strangers. We get to introduce them to their Saviour, to help spiritually lost people understand that Christ was born in a cradle, only to die on a cross. Three wise men sought out Jesus. I believe there are still “wise” men, women, students, and children seeking him in 2021. People who want to give him a gift… their heart and life. Let’s go find them!

The Speed of Light at Christmas

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 PST

I once heard this somewhat mysterious statement: “If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?” (Scientist Steven Wright)

Hmm... any physicists out there who want to take a crack at answering this question? I think I’ll pass. Would this scene characterize light, or darkness?

The Christ of Christmas travelled from eternity, where time is not bound, to bring light amid the staggering darkness.

The prominent physicist and father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, once said, “The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person.”

Sarah, a Sunday school student, said, “Some people could not hear God’s whisper, so God sent Jesus to tell them out loud.”

Jesus’ own testimony is found in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In this extraordinary claim, Jesus was boldly declaring that He was the Messiah. This is the second occasion that Jesus uses the familiar “I Am” formula (see Exodus 3:14) to assert His divine nature. The Messiah is referred to as light in several Old Testament passages.

When Jesus shared these words, the Feast of Tabernacles was being celebrated within the temple. Likely Jesus had been standing in the “Court of the Women” in front of the four great golden candelabras, each with four large golden bowls full of oil lit on fire. Observers claimed the light was so brilliant that it lit up all of Jerusalem.

Jesus stood in front of this great fixture and said, “I AM THE LIGHT of the world.” The light emanating from the large candelabra was a symbol of the light their ancestors had been given by God to guide them on their dark journey.

Jesus stands before us stating that He is the promised Messiah, the Saviour who acts as THE light to guide all spiritually lost people to safety.

During a Christmas pageant where Jesus was represented by a bright light bulb in a cradle, a little girl noticed the light bulb flicker and burn out. She blurted out, “Who turned out Jesus!?”

Each of us has the potential to “turn off” Jesus in our lives. His light can make little transformative difference in our lives if we so choose. Let’s help others see the Light this Christmas.

After the Aftershocks in Haiti

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:00:00 PST

This past August, Haiti was hit by another devastating earthquake. Sixty-seven kilometres west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit killing 2,000 and injuring over 12,000 people.

A few years ago, I traveled to Haiti along with FAIR Director, Dan Shurr, and Associate Director, Norman Nielsen, to tour the development project in which FAIR and Église Baptiste Emmanuel de l’Ouest de l'île (Pierrefonds, QC) were partnering. This food security project was making a difference in the lives of 800 students in a primary and high school by providing them with a nutritious meal, which helped them to concentrate better on their studies. During my visit I witnessed the devastation from the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Years later, the devastation and debris was still visible.

In 2010, our Fellowship churches and donors raised over $600,000 toward relief and development projects in Haiti.

Shortly after Haiti’s recent August 14, 2021 earthquake, our FAIR department, in partnership with Tearfund Canada, made an appeal to our Fellowship family. While we are most grateful for the generosity of our churches and donors, I’m hopeful you’ll consider giving a donation this Christmas for this FAIR appeal. I’m praying our churches and donors can exceed $100,000 in gifts toward relief and development in Haiti.

I’ve asked Dan Shurr to describe the situation on the ground and explain why/how you can give before Christmas.

“On August 14th a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit southwestern Haiti. Over 100 aftershocks have been reported since. On August 17th, Tropical Depression Grace brought significant rains to communities devastated by the earthquake, increasing risk of mudslides and flooding.

“The Situation — Since August 14 over 2,200 people have died and another 12,000 injured. Over 800,000 people in the southwestern regions of the country have suffered devastation. Right now, 650,000 are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance.

“Funding — Our partner, Tearfund Canada, is part of a collaborative response alongside the Canada Foodgrains Bank matching donated funds on a 1:1 basis.

“The goal is to raise $1 million over a one-year period from August 2021 to August 2022.

“Work on the Ground — To ensure an effective, efficient, and sustainable response, we are working alongside of a network of Reformed churches in the southwestern, rural areas where no other agencies are at work.

“Needs assessments have been completed by teams identifying three key areas:

Temporary shelter – tarps

Clean water – aqua tubs

Emergency food – rice and oil

“Planned Future Response:

Emergency phase – until week six

Early recover phase – six weeks to six months

Recovery phase – seven to twelve months

“Please pray for teams distributing needed items. Prayerfully consider a financial gift to help this year-long recovery effort to reach the one-million-dollar goal. Your part will go a long way to help alleviate human suffering in Haiti.

“Thank you for giving and praying for a great relief effort in Haiti!”

Thank you for prayerfully considering a gift before Christmas. May the Lord bless you for being a blessing.

Introducing the "Equip Series"

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 PST

Dealing with information overload is everyone’s challenge.

The Equip series, a new resource provided by Fellowship Chaplaincy offers a response to this reality. Out of their training and experience, Fellowship chaplains have been invited to write brief introductory texts on relevant topics, focusing on the practical. These texts are narrated and put into a video format in both English and French. Averaging 10 minutes in length, Equip videos provide simple handles to help initiate any ministry personnel in pertinent matters related to serving others. We’re so grateful for our trained chaplains who are more than happy to share their knowledge and experience to all who seek to be effective in their work with people both outside and inside our churches.

Fellowship Chaplaincy is pleased to launch the Equip series with the following five videos:

Confidentiality by Todd Riley (chaplain to firefighter, Mississauga, ON)

How to Listen by Larry Freeman (former hospital and long-term care chaplain, Parry Sound, ON)

Critical Theory 1 and 2 by Neil Shenvi (used with permission)

Loss and Grief by Shannon Pharoah (hospital chaplain, Guelph, ON)

Visit the Fellowship National Website to view the Equip videos in both English and French. There will be a growing library of topics available in the months and years to come. While the videos were created to provide practical ministry advice to our Fellowship chaplains, these brief videos will provide sound counsel for pastors, church leaders, and members on topics helpful for the church. Use them in your staff meetings, growth groups, mentoring ministry, or for individual edification.

I trust you will find them a helpful resource.

Introducing out newest affinity partner, Waybase

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 PST

Many would declare that “data information” is the new treasured commodity in the twenty-first century.

How do we dream, plan and execute mission without the best information available? Where do you go for the information? How do we utilize the most productive information available?

WayBase

Fellowship National and our Regions recently agreed to a formal partnership with WayBase, a data software ministry established in 2018 that exists to bring the church together to make a greater impact for good. WayBase was created to enable Canadian Christian ministries and believers to work together more effectively to improve the lives of people, communities, and the world.

The ministry’s focus is to create an “impact network” by offering easy to use data-empowered digital tools while providing analytical insights while also highlighting current mission initiatives that we can collaborate with rather than duplicating in our local communities. WayBase exists to help increase the church’s impact as we work together in Canada.

National Director, Tim Day

Many of you know Tim, the founder and Director of National Engagement for WayBase. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Tim for 25 years and saw him in action in his early years (1990s in Belleville, ON) as he sought to draft the community of faith together to be on mission in a city.

I am grateful for our new partnership with WayBase and asked Tim to share his hopes in how WayBase might increase your missional impact as a local church.

“I’m not sure which Seminary you attended, but last I checked most didn’t offer a course on how to survive a pandemic let alone pastor a church through one.

“The global pandemic has disrupted almost every aspect of our churches, our local communities, and our world. Many leaders are asking, how does God want the Church to respond so that we can move into the future with a fresh vision?

“WayBase launched with a mission to connect and organize Christian ministries to work together for good, through our website and mobile app.

“With over 32,000 Canadian ministry listings and detailed demographic data, the WayBase website helps pastors understand their local communities and find new opportunities to work together for good and advance our shared mission.

“WayBase also highlights important causes Christians can support, and makes it easier to connect with these causes locally and globally.

“Through our national survey, we discovered that 95% of Churches don’t have a mobile app. Many pastors expressed how hard it’s become to meaningfully connect with their people during the week, and how using social media to bridge this gap often feels like a miss or compromise.

“This fall, WayBase launched Engage: a new mobile app to help churches connect with their people and mobilize them for action so they experience their faith and daily discipleship in a new way.

“Our team at WayBase is excited to partner with The Fellowship, to help more churches discover opportunities for partnership, research and understand the needs in their areas, and engage their people in new and meaningful ways.

“This has been a difficult time for so many pastors and leaders as they try to navigate the challenges of this pandemic. But I hope that we can see the opportunity before us to advance the mission of Christ in new and creative ways.

“We look forward to working with each pastor to find out how they can use the WayBase platform to serve their church in their mission.”

—Tim Day, Director of National Engagement

Why Contact WayBase?

Our formal partnership with WayBase allows our National, Regional, and local churches access to current information. Our membership allows our Regions and local churches to discover free information or at reduced rate for deeper information and analysis.

Where should we establish new church plants?

What ministries already exist in our community that we can join rather than begin and possibly duplicate/compete?

What are the current demographics in your community in a variety of areas?

These and many other reasons may motivate you to connect with WayBase. As a Fellowship local church or Region, you have special access due to our National membership.

My hope and prayer is that you’ll take a few moments to watch an introductory video and check out the WayBase website soon and discover how this ministry tool might support your church’s mission in your community.

He had Blood on His Rubber Boots: The Fellowship Family

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 00:00:00 PST

I wanted to share an important thing I learned about our “Fellowship” in 1990 through a very personal story.

Marilyn and I were serving in youth ministry at Wortley Baptist in London, ON and were a bit tired after a busy season of ministry and decided to take a last-minute trip to the Caribbean just after Easter. Our daughter, Katelyn was 11 months old at the time.

We arrived in Freeport, Bahamas at suppertime so we went to a nearby Pizza Hut from the airport. We ate a great cheese pizza. But, that night Marilyn got a stomachache. We thought it was the cheese. It wasn’t. The pain subsided and came back over the next couple of days. The night before we were to leave, I had to get her to the hospital. At 3:00 a.m. I got her to a very modest “M.A.S.H.” unit-type hospital. Our baby was dehydrating as Marilyn was struggling to breast-feed her. I had to leave Marilyn for a brief spell while trying to find something with which to hydrate Katelyn. Leaving Marilyn at the moment was, hand down, the more fearful I’ve ever been in my life.

By the time I got back, her appendix had burst and she had undergone emergency surgery without my consent. She told me later they wheeled her into the operating room and a surgeon stood over her. She was in a delirious state and remembers the anesthesiologist wearing big rubber boots coated with dry blood. During her week of recovery in the hospital, Marilyn remembers the cockroaches (the size of kittens) crawling up her I.V. pole and patients pouring their colostomy sacks into the communal sink they all shared to brush their teeth. My wife is a nurse, this was difficult. You get the picture! To make a long story short, all finished well and the Bahamian people treated us like royalty. Every day “church folk” visited Marilyn in her hospital room and sang her hymns. The Methodist ladies on Monday, the Baptist on Tuesday, the Pentecostals on Wednesday, and so on. When they found out we were a pastoral couple, they cared for us beautifully. As for Katelyn, I tried formula … I tried Pablum … but, finally, in desperation, I popped some coins in the hotel soft drink dispenser and weaned my daughter off of mother’s milk, on watered down “Bahama Mama Goombay Punch”. Yes, “mawn” … five fruit juices in one!

I could “wax eloquent” right now and challenge you with a study on trusting in God’s faithfulness, protection, and provision in the midst of adversity. And I certainly did learn a lot about that. Although I failed in many ways.

But the lesson I learned about our “Fellowship” in April of 1990 is that we are an amazing FAMILY. Yes … family.

Piles of people around Canada and world-wide were praying for Marilyn during those ten days of convalescing in Freeport. And before the days of texting and smart phones we got phone calls and greeting cards weeks after the incident. In fact, at the next National Convention in Winnipeg in November 1990, several of you stopped to ask how Marilyn was doing. Each of you reported that you had been given the news and brought it to your prayer meetings for weeks. A couple of you were from BC. Imagine that … BC brothers praying for an “Easterner” like me?! God is good!

I learned we are a FAMILY … and we cannot take it for granted. WE are precious to the Lord. WE are precious to one another.

Fellowship Day of Prayer

Let me encourage you to spend some time on Sunday, November 14, 2021 praying for our Fellowship Family. Maybe its five minutes or maybe it’s more. Make sure to remind your church family that they are part of something much bigger than themselves. You can go here to access some resources for this special annual day of prayer for our Fellowship movement. Consider showing the brief “We are the Fellowship” video, which gives an excellent overview of who we are and what we do as an association of more than 500 churches.

Family is a precious thing. Too often we forget or ignore this. Please consider thanking the Lord today for our Fellowship family. We are stronger together.

Swallow Guilt and Your Stomach Keeps Score!

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 PST

I want to briefly talk to you about hanging onto guilt. I once read that if you swallow guilt, your stomach keeps score. My motivation comes from a conversation I had several years back with one of our Regional Directors. He had just came back from a church planting conference. It had a capacity crowd of thousands and 95% of the crowd was under the age of forty. During one of the sessions the speaker spoke on the trouble with pornography and those in ministry. The novel thing about the talk, according to our Regional Director, was the approach of the message. There was an admission up front that he knew many of these young pastors were regularly viewing porn. No apologies were made. He was straight up and blunt about it.

I’m not going to talk about porn involvement today except that we should not be viewing it.

However, I do want to briefly talk about the guilt associated with it. Guilt damages relationships, it destroys my confidence, it drags me into the past. Guilt causes us to get stuck in the past. We’re always looking backwards. It’s like driving a car looking in the rearview mirror all of the time. Guilt cannot change our past any more than worry can change our future.

God doesn’t want our guilt to paralyze us. And so, our Lord offers us forgiveness. The promise of 1 John 1:9 is for everyone: “If we confess our sins…He is faithful and just (the Phillips paraphrase uses the word, “reliable”) to forgive us…” To receive God’s forgiveness all I need to do is believe and confess. There is no sin, no guilt that God will not forgive. God’s character makes him utterly “faithful” and “reliable” in forgiving us.

But, there is a step that identifies the men from the boys. To overcome porn usage you will need support. The Bible tells us in James 5:16 (NLT): “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other…so that you may be healed.”

Confession to God is good, but confession to a trusted believer maybe necessary to successfully overcome guilt. The context of James 5 is talking about physical healing. Doctors will tell you that our bottled-up guilt makes us ill. Someone has said: “We’re only as sick as our secrets”. The secrets we hold onto make us sick.

However, when we risk being honest to a trusted believer, feelings of freedom seep into our life. This is God’s method of overcoming guilt. Obviously, make sure your confidant is a mature, godly, and trusted believer. I have counseled with many dear people after almost 30 years of pastoral ministry. On some occasions someone would say:

“Pastor Steve, I’m about to share something with you that I’ve never told anyone else in my life”.

The moment I heard those words I would be excited. Not because I was going to hear something really “juicy”. No. Because at that moment I knew they were finally going to experience relief from all that guilt.

The secret you want to conceal the most is the one you need to reveal the most because it’s the one that will heal you the most. Confession and accountability to a trusted friend will release us from the guilt that has gripped us for years.

Clergy Care Hotline

Need to talk to someone? Fellowship National provides a confidential hotline (1-800-661-9800) through the Clergy Care Network. A qualified Christian counselor will take you call. Other resources (including retreats) are available through partnership.

Don’t wait another day, call 1-888-5-CLERGY or visit their website for more information.

Biblical Authority and Capitulating to Culture

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 00:00:00 PST

Several years ago I had a conversation with a pastor colleague who espoused that my orthodox view on hell was flawed, that churches must become affirming, that abortion was not inherently wrong, and devout believers of other religions would be welcomed into Heaven. God would receive anyone universally who were devout in faith. Just be the best Muslim you can be.

When I sought to point out Scripture that contradicted his views, he dismissed the authority of Scripture. On another occasion someone stated to me that Noah’s story didn’t have to be true to support their faith. It was likely myth, but that didn’t lay waste to their faith. I didn’t have the heart to point out that Jesus clearly believed Noah’s story to be a factual historical reality (Matthew 24:37, Luke 17:26). If Jesus was incorrect on the facts of this footnote in history; where else did He get it wrong?

The Authority of Scripture

The cultural shifts today seem to be occurring at breakneck speed. It’s breathtaking to watch and try to take it all in. What is disconcerting is the speed to which so many friends within the evangelical church are espousing views once considered unorthodox. I would humbly posit that a growing weariness and disbelief in Biblical authority is the culprit.

When I mentioned to my friend that his views were no longer strictly orthodox he challenged me saying his views could not be classified as heretical because with a clear conscience he could sign The Apostle Creed and Nicene Creed.

While I affirm that these two creeds largely capture what is Biblical and what it is to be Christian I did respond with a question: “When did signing a creed make someone a devoted follower of Christ?”

These creeds were based on the authority of Scripture. If you question Biblical authority, it follows suit you should challenge the supposed truth statements deposited in any creed.

J.I. Packer defined Biblical authority as: “The Christian principle of Biblical authority means, on the one hand, that God purposes to direct the belief and behavior of His people through the revealed truth set forth in Holy Scripture; on the other hand it means that all our ideas about God should be measured, tested and where necessary corrected and enlarged by reference to Biblical teaching.”

What the Bible says about Scriptural Authority

What does the Bible say about its own inherent authority over our faith and practice as Christians? How does Scripture classify itself? How does Scripture describe degrees of doctrine? Does the Bible mention areas of freedom and debate? Here is a reminder of four general categories applied to Scripture:

1. Sound Doctrine

1 Timothy 1; 1 Timothy 6:2-5, 2 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 2:14-19; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:1

Christians are to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and “teaching [of] sound doctrine” (Titus 1:9). Sound doctrine is the standard by which all other teaching is measured. What qualifies as sound doctrine is its priority and clarity in Scripture, how it bears on the character of God, the defense of the Gospel and its impact on the church.

2. Disputable Matters

Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8:11-16

These are theological concerns where Scripture is silent or the issue is one of opinion or personal preference. Occasions where a theological issue is supported by an acceptable Biblical hermeneutic but comes to a different conclusion than yourself. We’re not to judge the “weaker” brother over a disputable matter (Romans 14:13) so that the weaker brother might not “stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:13). We are always to ensure that our conscience is clear when determining a personal position on disputable matters (Romans 14:5-8; 1 Corinthians 8:12).

3. Unsound Doctrine

1 Timothy 1; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Titus 1:9

Believing Christians can espouse unsound doctrine. This occurs when a disciple of Christ strays far enough from a matter of sound doctrine (in belief or behaviour) that they need to be corrected. However, they should not be considered a false teacher, heretic, or apostate. Some Scriptures explicitly name unsound doctrines like 1 Timothy 1 which states perjury, lying, and slave trading to be unsound belief and behaviour. Paul’s rebuke to Peter falls within this category (Galatians 2:14).

4. Heresy

1 Timothy 1; 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 4; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 2:12

Heresy tears at the very foundation of the Gospel. Also known as false teaching and blasphemy in Scripture, heresy is described as “shipwrecking the faith” and being “handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1). They have “abandoned the faith”, teaching what they’ve learned from deceiving spirits and demons (1 Timothy 4) and denying their sovereign Lord bringing swift destruction on themselves (2 Peter 2).

My hope and prayer is that our Fellowship of churches (and leaders) will be ever vigilant to defend Biblical authority. This is the “linchpin”* that prevents the church from capitulating to our culture and allow further drift among those who self-identify as evangelical Christians.

*linchpin: one that serves to hold together parts of elements that exist or function as a unit, as a whole.

Introducing Fellowship National's Five-Year Strategic Plan: 2021-2026

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 00:00:00 PST

Recently our Fellowship National Council approved our Fellowship National Strategic Plan (FNSP).

Our five-year strategic plan is entitled: “CATALYZE: Disciples Making Disciples Everywhere” and spans the years between September 2021 to August 2026.

Imagine our Fellowship ministries being a catalyst for disciple-making in Canada and to the nations through partnership with our local churches and Regions:

Imagine over 70 newly appointed missionaries sent to make disciples.

Imagine 180 Fellowship chaplains serving in marketplace ministries and witnessing hundreds of professions of faith, baptisms, and people being discipled.

Imagine over $4.5 million raised through partnership with our churches and donors toward relief, development, and justice projects

Imagine over one thousand child sponsors caring for children in projects in Honduras, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka.

Imagine new churches planted in Francophone Canada and the rest of Canada through the visionary efforts of our Regions and churches.

Imagine our Fellowship Foundation (est. 2015) growing to $16 million to help support future Fellowship Gospel initiatives.

Imagine dozens of equipping resources created and available for our churches, pastors, missionaries, and chaplains.

FNSP: 2021-2026

I encourage you to take a peek at the 12-page Fellowship National Strategic Plan and learn more about how Fellowship National hopes to facilitate our church’s missional dreams and initiatives by supporting the sending of your missionaries, appointing chaplains, establishing Francophone church plant partnerships, alleviating suffering around the world, providing pension and health care to our clergy, and facilitate the generosity of God’s people through estate and legacy preparation.

Please join our National Council and staff in praying that God might continue to do a good thing among Fellowship Baptists over the next five years. To God be the glory!

Praying for our Fellowship Family

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 00:00:00 PST

On the second Sunday in November each year we host “The Fellowship National Day of Prayer”. I invite you to join us for our next day of prayer, scheduled for Sunday, November 14.

This is a day to pray for our Fellowship of churches, our pastors, missionaries, chaplains, local church leaders, seminaries, National and Regional staff, and council members. It is also a day to pray for mission advance in Canada, our Gospel push into the nations, and a focused time to pray for religious liberty in our nation and for our political leaders.

Pray for the Fellowship

Pray in your Sunday worship gathering for our Fellowship. Send out prayer prompters to your small groups or to all your church members. Consider showing the four-minute video, We are the Fellowship as a way to introduce or remind us why we are “A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ”.

Whatever you choose to do, do it! Don’t let November 14, 2021 pass by without praying for our growing Fellowship family,

Be Satisfied this Thanksgiving

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 PST

Thanksgiving weekend is coming! Are you ready? Ready to eat turkey, ham, and pumpkin pie?

We have so much for which to be thankful. God is so good. I thought I would offer you something delicious as we anticipate our thanksgiving dinner. A healthy, heaping, helpful portion of God’s Word from Isaiah 55:1-3 (NLT):

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink – even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk – it is all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength (satisfaction)? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.”

Read those verses over three times and ask yourself what the Lord is encouraging you to pursue. Read them another three times and the Spirit of God will surely speak to you today.

So much in life drains us. We’re parched spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. What things are robbing you from your reservoir these days … those things that give us no strength? Big promises are made, but the outcome falls flat. No satisfaction. The solution is in verse 3: “listen and keep our ears open”.

Look and see that the Lord is good. On behalf of our entire Fellowship National staff and Fellowship National Council, I want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

The Day Atticus Finch Became Public Enemy #1

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:00:00 PST

Ask my kids what dad’s favourite book is and in a split second they’ll say in unison, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. I’ve read the book a bunch of times and listened to it on the Audible app. I got the movie, even the special anniversary edition. My kids bought me tickets to see the play at the Stratford Festival Theatre as a Father’s Day present. I have a t-shirt and ball cap with the words “To Kill a Mockingbird” plastered across it. I named my dog “Scout” (RIP: April 2019) after the female protagonist in the book. But my family put their collective foot down when I wanted to name our second dog “Jem”. [Sophie, you have Jessica to thank you for your beautiful name.]

There is just something about the story that grabs me by the throat and throttles me. Emotions deep within well up every time I see the movie. One of my favourite scenes involves Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer. He leaves the court room all alone after fighting for the life of an innocent black man who was falsely accused of raping a white woman in the deep south of Alabama in the 1930s. The entire court has been dispersed. Standing alone, Atticus collects his papers, turns, and stoically caring the burden of the day he departs. He doesn’t notice that in the “coloured” section in the upper balcony of the courthouse, the entire black community stands waiting for him to leave. One black lady, standing with her peers, is caring for Atticus’ young daughter, Scout. She whispers to her, “Stand up, Scout. Your father is passing.” Gets me every time, without fail!

When I grow up I want to be just like Atticus Finch. In my opinion, he is definitely one of the greatest fictionalized heroes ever created.

Harper Lee chose to never write another novel after “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Wow! I can only imagine the other tales with which she could have gifted us.

So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that Lee’s only known earlier work was discovered and published in July 2015.

Harper Lee wrote, “Go Set a Watchman” in the mid-1950s, using the same backdrop and characters of her Pulitzer Prize winning “To Kill a Mockingbird”. It’s set 20 years after the tale told in Mockingbird in the same town adjusting to the turbulent times transforming mid-1950s America.

A publisher back in the 1950s looked at “Go Set a Watchman” and thought a story about her town and characters 20 years earlier might be more interesting. So she wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird” and everyone thought her first book was lost.

I read the book or, more accurately, I struggled through the book. Atticus wasn’t the same man. Beaten up by life itself.

Atticus Meets Critical Theory

What saddens me is that I can imagine that Harper Lee’s, “Go Set a Watchman” is likely a far more popular novel today than, “To Kill a Mockingbird” in our enlightened times. In a time of “white fragility”, “internalized oppression,” and “colourblind racism,” I imagine Atticus Finch might be viewed as a villain, not a hero.

Contemporary critical theory is based on the idea that society can be divided into dominant, oppressor groups and subordinate, oppressed groups along the lines of race, class, gender, sexuality, and other factors. In the book, “Is Everyone Really Equal?” (Sensoy and DiAngelo), the premise is that every social group has an opposite oppressed group; and so sexism, racism, classism, and heterosexism are viewed as specific forms of oppression.

Target Group

Oppression

Agent Group

· people of colour

· racism

· white people

· poor/working class

· classism

· owning class

· women/transgender/queer

· sexism

· men

· LGBTQ+

· heterosexism

· heterosexuals

· non-Christian religions

· religious oppression

· Christian

· disabled

· ableism

· able-bodied

· immigrants

· nationalism

· citizens

· indigenous

· colonialism

· white settlers

Atticus is Public Enemy #1

No one argues that all the “isms” above are oppressive, evil, and deserve our disdain. Any one of us also might be found in both an oppressor group and also an oppressed group. Intersectionality states that our identities are complex and should not be understood along a single axis alone. Taken to the ideological extreme, oppression is no longer just understood as acts of cruelty, violence, injustice, and coercion, but expanded to include society’s dominant group imposing social norms and traditional values that justify its own interests. And so oppression is not necessarily the injustice people suffer because of coercive power, but it could also be because of the everyday behaviors and norms of a perhaps well-intentioned civil society. These embedded practices, habits, and symbols oppress.

With this definition, Atticus Finch, could be understood as Public Enemy #1. What? Not my Atticus!

He’s white, upper-middle class (lawyer), male, older, heterosexual, able-bodied, citizen, and with a Christian orientation. He “checks” all the boxes. My hero becomes the enemy.

You need to understand the “times”

Let me encourage you to learn more about critical theory, intersectionality, and the basis of so much of this incredible thinking. Remain uninformed at your own peril. I remain a novice but I’m seeking to learn.

A good place to start is reading Carl R. Trueman’s book, The Rise and the Triumph of the Modern Self. Carl is a theologian and historian (Westminster Theological Seminary) who weaves the history of ideas that led to the popular thinking of the early 21st century. Every thinking Christian should peek at this book. I just heard my pastor quote Trueman in a recent sermon. “Way da’ go, Bob!”

Our Christmas FAIR Appeal Reveal!

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:00:00 PST

Please let me express my gratitude to so many within the Fellowship family who regularly give to the five or six FAIR appeals we host each year. Our FAIR (Fellowship Aid and International Relief) department seeks to involve our churches and donors in relief, development, and justice projects through a variety of means, namely:

large project appeals (two per year)

mini-appeals (to support relief work with one of our Fellowship International missions or partner mission agency)

emergency appeals

FAIR catalogue (go online to discover dozens of specific relief projects)

child sponsorship program: help a child for $35/month in:

Honduras (Casa Hogar children’s home)

Lebanon (Cedar Home for girls, and Clementia Life Centre for Syrian refugee children

Sri Lanka (Love Trust program for children)

Fall FAIR Project for Madagascar

Each year we hope you and/or your church will consider giving to FAIR’s Fall appeal. I will let our FAIR Director, Dan Shurr explain this year’s appeal:

What would you do if you needed emergency surgery, or if it was your child who needed surgery? You would go to a hospital. But what about places where medical facilities and services are scarce?

Recently Mina* arrived at the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara, Madagascar, needing emergency care. As any curious young child does, she would put things in her mouth. Two days earlier, Mina had put a battery in her mouth and before her parents could stop her, she swallowed it! The battery became lodged in her throat and she and her frantic parents began the long journey to the hospital. Because of the urgency of the situation and with the girl in a great amount of pain, the medical team began working to get the battery out. Two hours later, success! Patience and determination paid off; Fellowship International missionary, Dr. Jesh Thiessen and the hospital’s surgical team were able to remove the battery from her stomach, despite the lack of proper instruments. Soon, Mina and her grateful parents were able to return home.

In Madagascar, there are only 100 surgeons serving a population of 26 million people. Through a new partnership, FAIR is excited to help launch this new Christian surgical residency program to train Malagasy junior doctors to be skilled and compassionate surgeons who know Jesus and love to make Jesus known to their patients.

You can learn more on our website and by watching this video.

Thank you for your generous gift. Please consider a Thanksgiving Sunday or Christmas FAIR offering this year.

*the young girls name was changed to Mina to protect her privacy.

Have a blessed week,

Our One Singular Unified Mission

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 PST

How would you describe our primary and singular mission as a movement of churches? Why do we exist?

Everyone knows the world famous scientist, Stephen Hawking, author of the best seller, “A Brief History of Time”. Steven Hawking can’t speak. But he has a lot to say. About a decade ago his name and prestige was borrowed for a scientific research institute in Kitchener, ON. Two hundred and fifty physicists gathered to dream about the “one singular theory” that explains the entire universe. It is being accomplished in a multi-disciplinarian fashion with the “family of sciences” gathering to hash-out the singular understanding of the universe.

The Fellowship is made up of many autonomous bodies spinning in their own orbits, however, existing with the gravitational pull of desire, longing, and heritage to fellowship together. We are local churches, associations, Regions, a National and international ministry” all autonomous, but linked together in a beloved relationship to accomplish a SINGULAR mission. What is out singular theory that explains our very existence? What would you suggest is out Movement’s “Unified Theory” of “Unified Mission” that makes sense of our little universe?

If science is searching for the “Unified Theory” for the universe, what would you say is our Fellowship’s “Unified Mission” as a Canadian and international mission movement? Could you describe it in a word, a phrase, or a sentence?

“We are the Fellowship”

Several years back we conducted four major surveys, focus groups across the country, leadership retreats, and town hall meetings (2012-2014) to answer this very question. I tallied all the Fellowship pastors, leaders and members involved in the three-year process. About 700-800 people were involved in some way in the process.

The outcome, a “Statement of Mission” for our Fellowship; a directional document that joined our “Statement of Faith” (What we Believe) in declaring “who we are” and “what we do”.

Our singular mission: The Fellowship (local churches, Regions, National Ministries) is:

“A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ”

This single phrase encapsulates the Fellowship’s “one singular theory”; our mission in a sentence. Check out the following four-minute video that wonderfully describes our mission, vision, and identity as an association of Baptist churches. Consider using this video in your membership class as a way to introduce new members to the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada.

We Are the Fellowship VIDEO

Maybe show the video at the upcoming “Fellowship Day of Prayer” on Sunday, November 14.

“Our Statement of Mission”

From 2012-2014 a Fellowship Direction Document (FDD), called “We Are the Fellowship”, was created and approved by Regional and National Councils stating the mission, vision, values, and strategic structure of the entire Fellowship movement. This document acts as our “Statement of Mission” to serve alongside our “Statement of Faith”. These two documents act as our identity documents, telling us and others what we believe, who we are, and what we do.

The Art of Fostering Interdependence

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship’s “Statement of Faith” states that the local church is, “a sovereign, independent body…” No argument there. Our autonomy is part of our identity as a Fellowship of churches.

However, how is this autonomy supposed to work? I ate lunch in Calgary several years ago and sat with an elder from one of our Fellowship churches. Mike asked me if I knew what, “autindiginy” meant. I had to admit I had never heard the term. He sent me the following in an email:

AUTINDIGINY.AUTINDIGINOUS: A characteristic of the first century church (and should characterize the present day church). Autonomous assemblies of believers where leadership was developed from within the body.

Although local bodies retained their independence, in practice there was a unity throughout the fellowship of churches in adherence to the Gospel. This was fostered by an INTERDEPENDENCE.

Leadership “giftings” were developed indigenously—fulfilling the mandate of Ephesians 4 (every believer motivated to maturity). These gifts were recognized when they began to function and were appointed to public service by the apostles.

Hmmmm…does this characterize our Fellowship of churches? Before you point fingers, ask yourself, “When was the last time you or your church did something for another local church or church leaders that brought no visible benefit to you or your church?” Interdependence…something to think about. Autonomous bodies functioning like they’re completely dependent on the Lord, but also on one another to get the mission accomplished. Yes, something to ponder while we eat our “Wheaties” tomorrow morning.

A Meaningful Last Word

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 PST

This past year the Fellowship family gave over $2.5 million in legacy gifts to the Fellowship (churches, Regions, National, seminaries, etc.) through estate preparation.

Estate planning is important and I’m hoping you agree. We can help.

Your Will is the last statement you will ever make. Therefore, you want it to be a meaningful, well thought out last word.

With over 60% of Canadians living without a Will and many with one that needs review, the potential for billions of dollars to disappear for use in the Lord’s work is a reality. God owns all our stuff. We are only managers. The question becomes, “What should a Christian estate plan look like?”

The Fellowship partners with ADVISORS with Purpose ® in order to connect our churches, leadership, and donors with qualified financial specialists. Experts who will help our Fellowship family plan a Will that reflects their faith, values, and desires.

ADVISORS with Purpose ® is a non-denominational Christian ministry organization committed to serving donors, charities, and ministries to release more resources for God’s Kingdom. This partnership works much like an outsourcing arrangement where we now have Christian planned giving specialists working for you, helping you through a strategic, estate-planning process. This service is provided at no cost to you or our churches. There are never any obligations, and the estate advisors will never sell any product. We know that the help received from them will further your desire to be found a faithful steward of all that God has entrusted to you. Let me ask: does your Will incorporate your faith and your values? Will the legacy you leave reflect the life you lived? If you have even the slightest doubt, I urge you to connect with our friends at ADVISORS with Purpose ® and speak with one of their estate specialists.

You can learn more by visiting the Fellowship’s website here. You can also call ADVISORS with Purpose ® at 1-866-580-9319 or email them at plan@advisorswithpurpose.ca.

We all need a Will. Without it, someone else will decide how to administer and distribute your estate, either to your heirs, taxes, or charities. Without a Will, nothing can go to charities. Having a well-planned Will has multiple benefits. It ensures your dependents will not experience difficulty in the execution of your Will, taxes will be kept to a minimum, and charities will benefit from your generosity after you’re gone.

Estate planning is often an overlooked area of charitable giving. However, it can have significant impact on the long-term sustainability of our local churches and the work the Fellowship does in communities across Canada and around the world.

If you have any questions, contact ADVISORS with Purpose ® or connect with the Fellowship’s Advancement Director, Gord Baptist (gbaptist@fellowship.ca; mobile: 519-673-9837) and he will provide you with further information, answer your questions, or support you in taking your first steps in preparing or refreshing your Will. Don’t wait! Make contact soon.

Wise Words from the Trenches

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 PST

Each of my kids attended the Capernwray Torchbearers Bible school in Austria. A great experience. Before they left I wrote them a note with a bunch of “wisdom sayings” I thought they might benefit from. I thought you might enjoy some of these. Some make for good sermon titles?

Our faith

You are God’s masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)

We have the cross because will-power failed.

Fear makes us faithless. Faith makes us fearless.

You get to choose everyday how much God chooses to bless you.

Prayer is the secret to gaining inner-peace.

Speak words aloud against Satan.

You’re never more human than when you act like Jesus.

Serve God or you’ve missed the whole point of life.

God’s Kingdom is wherever the Lord is permitted to reign and rule in your heart.

Our relationship

Surround yourself with exceptional people.

The blame-game is a short-sighted way to accuse and excuse.

People are more important than plans.

Act and usually the feelings follow.

Life without people is no life at all.

Don’t confuse manipulation for motivation.

Dreamers and discouragers are both contagious; choose who influences you.

If you want to soar with eagles, stop running with turkeys.

On decision-making

Fish where God is already blessing.

Learn from other people’s failures.

Calculate the cost before committing.

Anyone can make a quick decision, few consistently make wise decisions.

What you decide now determines what you’ll do when confronted by temptation.

We struggle because too often we would rather appear wise than be wise.

Pride stops us from asking advice, humility helps us to ask.

There is a price tag attached to every decision.

Ponder before promising.

Decisions determine destiny and define us.

On life

Find, keep, and learn from mentors, dead and alive.

Be insatiably curious about everything, but focus on a few things.

Seize the big moments with force multiplies.

Manage always to fall forward.

Let the things that break Gods heart break yours.

Too often we change when we feel the heat rather than see the light.

Don’t waste your pain.

Perfectionism paralyzes your potential.

The journey really is just as important as the destination.

A lot of things in life are not necessarily wrong, but not are they really necessary.

There is grace in giving but also in receiving.

Manage money or it will manage you.

It is easier to get into something than get out (ie, schedule, debt etc..).

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.

I picked up many of these saying from others. Many from friend and mentor, Dr. Roy Lawson. I trust you will put them to good use. Be blessed.

Visit the Salvation Metaphors of Rome

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:00:00 PST

A decade ago Marilyn and I visited Rome, Italy and enjoyed several long walks through the amazing ruins and relics found throughout the ancient city. Because most (if not all) of us will not be able to enjoy a European vacation this summer, I thought I might encourage you with a vicarious tour of one European city. Yes, your welcome!

We visited the Forum in the centre of Rome, we walked the Appian Way where the Apostle Paul walked. We visited four locations in the Forum that had particular metaphorical significance in the New Testament. While Jesus used the metaphor of the “Kingdom” in the Gospels, the New Testament writers used four metaphors more familiar to the Roman culture.

Justification

Roman rule was symbolized by an enormous “court house” where multiple court cases would be tried in a massive marble edifice with honeycombed ceilings, marble floors, and frescoes painted on the plaster walls. The Romans lived by clearly defined, codified laws. The New Testament writers used this “legal metaphor” to teach the truth about “justification”. Christians are justified by faith. A legal term that instructs that the faithful are made “just” because of Christ’s advocacy.

Propitiation

While walking through the Forum you can’t help but see a lot of temples. If you’re not careful you might trip over one. In the photo you see the temple to Saturn (left) and Vespasian (right). The New Testament writers use the “propitiation metaphor” because it was so familiar in Roman life and the ancient world. People sought to appease the pantheon of gods. The spirit of God directed the New Testament authors to teach that this work is not our work. We will never successfully appease our Heavenly Father. What we cannot do, God has done. We are favourably inclined toward our Heavenly Father because of Christ’s atonement, not our work. This was a new twist on a familiar, ancient concept.

Redemption

While in the Forum we walked past a few marketplaces. The “agoras” where the Apostle Paul used to sell his tents and evangelize. The photo is “Julius Caesar’s” marketplace, a place of business built on two levels where later his ashes were buried in the Temple of Venus (notice the columns). Romans came to this marketplace to purchase food, merchandise, or even to buy a slave.

The New Testament writers use the “redemption metaphor” to teach that we have been redeemed (purchased) from our bondage and enslavement to sin and Jesus was the price tag!

Reconciliation

On the fringes of the Forum, scattered among the ruins, were the palatial homes of the wealthy and also the apartment blocks of common Romans. By Paul’s day, the Roman family was in ruins. The photo pictures a common Roman residence where families lived. The New Testament writers use the “reconciliation metaphor” to give hope. People lived dysfunctionally, experiencing conflict in their relationships every day. However, followers of Christ have been adopted into God’s family through the Son’s work on the cross. Once estranged from our Heavenly Father like spiritual orphans, we are “one in Christ”. Praise His Name!

Jesus used the “Kingdom” metaphor, but, the New Testament authors used Roman institutions such as law courts (justification), temples (propitiation), and marketplaces (redemption), and their homes (reconciliation) to describe the beauty of our salvation in Christ.

Our salvation could be described metaphorically in so many other ways in the twenty-first century. I trust you are encouraged today because you are a child of God. God is good…so good!

Life in Lebanon One Year after the Beirut Explosion

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 PST

It has been one year (August 4, 2020) since the large Beirut explosion in the harbour area of the city in Lebanon. The explosion caused at least 207 deaths, left over 7,500 injured, and 300,000 homeless with damages topping $15 billion (US).

On top of this, Lebanon is navigating a Syrian refugee crisis, a pandemic, government corruption, and civil unrest. It is a country in crisis.

FAIR Relief Appeals

In response to the Beirut explosion on August 4, 2020 our FAIR department developed a plan and got the word out to our churches and FAIR donors. In very short order our Fellowship family donated $87,950 toward funding the immediate care needs of the injured and homeless in the city. Later in the Fall of 2020, our FAIR Christmas appeal Weathering the Storm raised relief funds for a number of COVID-19 related projects among the fields our Fellowship International missionaries serve, including Lebanon. Another $139,468 was raised to care for the immediate needs of people effected by the pandemic.

Fellowship International Missionaries in Lebanon

I recently asked our Fellowship International missionaries serving in Beirut to briefly comment on what they’ve been seeing and doing on our behalf to meet the needs of many families

Karim and Rita Anayssi (home church is Willowdale Baptist, Toronto, ON)

“Three days ago I got a call from a Lebanese mother living in Nabaa (north of Beirut) asking me to take her three-year old twin boys as she has no food or place to stay!

“[You can] walk anywhere in Lebanon and randomly ask the question: “how is everything going?” and almost everyone’s answer will be “dead!” But most sadly, the majority believe that even any hope for a better future in Lebanon is dead!

“In response to the economic crisis and Beirut blast the Cedar Home* launched a relief distribution ministry (food and medication) targeting 270 individuals, and that number grows daily. But how do you restore hope and replace death with life? It was simple, through sacrificial love, providing sacrificially, never saying we’re out, and choosing to stay beside the hurting when we know they can’t leave.”

[*Cedar Home is a special home for girls in Beirut run by Karim and Rita. Fellowship Churches can partner with this ministry and send short term teams to serve.]

Bechara and Roula Karkafi (home church is Greenbelt Baptist in Ottawa, ON)

While we are following God’s call to disciple all nation, we are witnessing, as a family, a great Godly miracle taking place in the Lebanon/Middle East/North Africa region. The reality is Lebanon has been hit with a pandemic, a 1.5 million refugee crisis, a massive explosion, and an economic meltdown. BUT, through the ministries the Lord had entrusted us by HIS GRACE to serve and lead (such as Hope for Beirut, serving more than 750 families each month; Clementia Life Centre*, serving 101 Syrian refugee kids and their extended families); Bread For All, reaching out to more than 300 Syrian and Iraqi refugee families in need weekly) and CPMs and DMMs [FR1] groups (partnering with eight churches) we are witnessing dozens of converted people from Islamic and Christian backgrounds coming to Christ! And in order to follow up with the newly converted disciples, we launched the Stronger Together Plus project where we have 22 young converted Muslim leaders (planters) who have been equipped, coached, and trained in this program to serve and lead the newly converted disciples! We want to praise the Lord with you for all that He is doing by His grace and for His own glory!!!

*Clementia Life Centre is a primary school program for Syrian refugee children. Fellowship churches can partner with this ministry and send short-term teams or mid-term missionary-teachers to serve.

Fellowship Child Sponsorship program:

Anyone in the Fellowship family can sponsor one of the children that benefit from our Cedar Home and Clementia Life Centre. For just $35/month you can make a huge difference in the holistic care of a child. Join the over 400 Fellowship friends who have joined since September 2019 in making a difference in the lives of these children!

THANK YOU for giving a FAIR Share

I trust our mission personnel’s brief reports about their relief efforts in Lebanon has encouraged you. Our Fellowship family is making an impact in this country. Because of our generosity giving, thousands of families, children, orphans, and the elderly are receiving food and other immediate needs on a regular basis one year after the Beirut port explosion. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need.

We Were Created by God to Sail the High Seas!

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 00:00:00 PST

I hope you were encouraged or challenged in your devotions this morning.

Every last one of us believes a prevailing church is God’s gift to all of us. The health of our churches whether in Canada or beyond is the hope of the world.

We need to be pursuing church health, not church growth; only then will we see growth. A vision of church health needs to be constantly presented to our churches because vision often leaks. I used to share “vision vignettes” from time to time in churches I pastored. They were brief challenges or stories or parables that crystallized our vision of church. Why do we exist?

I thought I might share one of these vignettes as a tool for you to use if you wish. I trust it is helpful.

Vision Vignette: The Harbour

Imagine with me the Church as a safe, picturesque harbour. Why do we visit these beautiful harbours that dot the coastline of our Atlantic and Pacific provinces? Why does Peggy’s Cove get a million visitors each year? I suppose it’s because of what we expect to find. We visit quaint harbours because:

We’re going to meet friendly fishermen who’ll take us out fishing in their charter boats.

We’re so impressed by their amazing tales of being on the sea.

Our kids need to learn about our past and the heritage of the early days of Canadian history.

We hope to stare into the beautiful blue sky and sea and feel a bit of wonder.

We hope to drop a few bucks into the souvenir shops and bring something home from our visit.

These, quite frankly, are similar things to which we are looking for in our church:

We hope to meet people who are smiling and friendly and we’ll possibly go to lunch with.

We’re hoping to hear the great Bible stories and principles of Scripture told in “tales and yarns” that are interesting and relevant to our daily lives.

We want our kids to learn of our faith within ministries specifically designed for them.

We hope to sense God’s presence and feel some wonder and awe … at least once in a while.

We expect to be asked to drop a few dollars in the offering plate on a regular basis

The Church and a costal harbour are a lot alike. But, what’s the danger of the two being so similar? When the storms hit those quaint little harbours, these coves are churned up, and vicious waves tear up the coastline and anything else in the harbour. The most dangerous place for a boat during a storm is to be anchored in the harbour. There is a great likelihood that the boat will be damaged or completely destroyed. During the storm the boat needs to lift anchor and launch out to sea. The harbour is the last place it wants to be.

The Church, as a boat in the harbour is a wonderful, picturesque analogy. It’s a place to weigh anchor, get supplies, get resurfaced or plug up any holes in its haul, patch up the sails, fill up the tank, repaint or stain the chipped, cracked surfaces. But, a boat that sits in the harbour for the whole of its life is a very sad sight. The harbour, in fact, robs it of its purpose for being created and built. No boat was ever designed to sit in a harbour, but to go out into the open sea. And the next gale-force storm will prove just how dangerous it is for a boat to sit in the harbour. It may be destroyed.

We come to church because it is a safe harbour. We get resupplied, refurbished, resurfaced, and replenished emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. But we don’t go to a harbour to stay put. We visit the harbour to get resources and be prepared to go out to sea. Our mission is OUT there not IN here! In fact, if all we do is stay in harbour, our harbour may become our undoing. If all our Christian experience is just going to church and not actually involved in the mission out there, then dry rot will set in and the next inevitable storm will cause you to cave in spiritually. We were made, created, and designed by God to sail the high seas. To be involved in the mission to spread the Good News. We were not designed to sit comfortably in a safe harbour, chatting on deck with our friends who are also sitting comfortably on deck in the harbour. Safe harbours look pretty with their beautiful boats, all cocked in a row, but look beyond the boats and out-buildings and you’ll see a lot of rot. Seek the high seas and you’ll feel you are doing what you were created for.

God bless you as you continue to present a vision of health among our Fellowship here in Canada and around our world. May we all put a smile on Jesus’ face as we hoist our sails and capture the full force of the Spirit.

God seemed to be further and further away and even absent

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 PST

I hope you always sense your church is a safe place to do life with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Unfortunately, not everyone believes this about the Church. They find the Church unsafe. Not welcoming. Not loving. A bit institutional.

I find it interesting that some of our brand new church facilities look more like warehouses than church buildings. Whereas, our brand new homes are seeking to become more like chapels. An oasis away from the ravages of daily life. Architects have replaced our dining rooms with a “great room” with awe-inspiring “cathedral” ceilings. My dad even put a large beautiful stained glass window in his home. Our houses are becoming our chapels. A place of peace and refreshment from the weary dryness of life.

One group of noble “peace agents” within our Fellowship are our chaplains. They are an extension of our local church ministry in areas where our churches do not often penetrate. Our Fellowship chaplains provide the “ministry of presence” in places where people are searching for peace. They provide safety while demonstrating the love of Christ in airports, hospitals, truck stops, police cruisers, prison cells, and with our armed services. We have 128 Fellowship chaplains, but I continue to hear in my travels, of dozens of others (often pastors) who are recognized chaplains in nursing homes, hospitals, police departments, and emergency services.

News from our Fellowship Chaplains

Mike Garabedian – volunteer senior chaplain at Toronto Pearson International Airport

I can’t begin to describe the feeling I’ve experienced these past four months at the helm of Toronto Pearson’s Aviation Interfaith Ministry (AIM). The word “exhilarating” would not be an understatement! Of course, we’ve had to navigate quite a few COVID-19-related challenges that are unique to an international airport setting, but there’s just so much goodness to praise the Lord about that I’d rather focus our attention on those highlights with you instead!

Two Praise Items

Contacts — Since December 16, we’ve been blessed to make over 90 new contacts, receive 120 prayer requests, conduct over 40 counseling sessions, 50 worship services, and 80 Bible meditations with both employees and passengers of the airport community. We also counted close to 200 devotionals and 400 topical booklets leave the chapel in that same time span, besides a handful of Bibles and other related literature.

Volunteers — Isn’t it just like the Lord to open doors we can’t open and orchestrate circumstances that are beyond our control? In less than four months, we’ve been blessed beyond words to recruit two strong volunteers and we are in talks with a third candidate to join our team and assist us with the work in both terminals.

Two Prayer Items:

Website — Keep us in your prayers as we work to develop a website for this ministry in order to better connect with both travelers and airport employees in this digital age — to reach many who currently struggle to stay connected with us due to limitations on gatherings and varied work shifts in a 24/7 environment.

Relations — Pray also that the Lord will continue to strengthen our relations with both the airport authorities and our colleagues in an inter-faith setting.

Rob Schweyer – military chaplain currently on deployment in Eastern Europe

COVID-19 cases growing exponentially among the general population and Russia building up forces along the border of this Eastern European country.

It’s one thing to read this in news headlines but altogether something else when one is deployed with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in this situation. My goal is to earn the trust of our soldiers by being present with them whatever the circumstances might be. I am humbled that I am able to participate in ministry in this unique way.

Our deployment is primarily a training mission to help train the security forces of our host nation. Our soldiers are well-equipped to lead the training and demonstrate best practices to help prepare the host nation to maintain their independence.

As the chaplain, I have freedom to travel to the various training centres to offer support and encouragement to our members as they are away from home for this deployment. I also have unique opportunities to meet with the military chaplains of this host nation and build relationships and discover community outreach opportunities.

The Dark Side of COVID-19 by Serge Caron – volunteer chaplain in Granby, QC

Worry, fear, darkness, guilt, deliverance; this is the COVID-19 sequence that my wife and I experienced.

Worry: In early November 2020, some muscle pain and unusual fatigue led me to be tested for COVID-19. Surprise! Despite my efforts to avoid contact, the test result was positive, but no further harm was done. Later, a member of my Bible reading group, and then my wife Mona, and three other people my wife had contact with, all tested positive as well. Only one of us, our friend Daniel, needed to be hospitalized. Nevertheless, we thanked God for limiting the spread to only this small group.

Fear: In the days after being diagnosed with COVID-19, my wife and I became very tired, with fever and severe headaches. A week later, we were both bedridden for 20 hours a day and could hardly move without experiencing great difficulty in breathing. Fear took hold of us.

Darkness: Two weeks passed without any improvement. God seemed to be further and further away and even absent despite the prayers and support of church members. Our spirits tipped to the dark side without the sense of God’s Presence.

Guilt: We learned that our friend, Daniel, had passed away from the disease. I now struggle with the feeling of guilt.

Deliverance: Finally, God gave us hope through the support of our doctor and a nurse. After a few more weeks of rehabilitation we began to regain our strength. To Him be the glory.

What COVID-19 Didn’t Do To Me by Maria Diaz – employee community chaplain in Toronto, ON

Even though I was the first one from our church to contract COVID-19, the virus didn’t take away my joy to celebrate in my heart and mind, Jesus’ birth at Christmas during my quarantine.

COVID-19 could not create anxiety or fear in my heart because God’s people were constantly praying to the Lord for my recovery. I believe He answered their request and the Lord kept me alert and resting in my armchair. On one occasion, at 2:00 a.m., I experienced a sudden, violent, non-stop coughing episode. I cried to the Lord for His help, and I did not only experience His presence, but the cough stopped instantly, and I didn’t cough again! COVID-19 could not stop God’s people and my non-believing neighbours from providing me with meals, constant care, and genuine concern. His love was so evident during this critical time; I am so grateful to Him. And now, are the doors open to witness to my non-believing neighbours? Yes! I thank the Lord for His grace and care during this COVID-19 experience. To Him be the glory! (Isaiah 35:10; 40:31)

Thank you for praying for our Fellowship Chaplains serving across Canada in over 15 different venues. Their ministry of presence is demonstrating Christ’s love to many far from God. They need our prayers.

The Church's Response to Bill C-7

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 00:00:00 PST

Parliament passed Bill C-7 into law on March 17, 2021. This new bill amends Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) law (passed June 2016) and expands euthanasia to people not dying in the “reasonably foreseeable” future, by removing some critical safeguards for people at the end of life such as a ten-day reflection period before their medically assisted death. Starting March 2023, the MAiD law will allow medically assisted suicide for people suffering from mental illness alone.

The amendments also requires the formation of a parliamentary committee be formed to review the MAiD law, studying issues such as medical-assisted death for mature minors, advance requests, mental illness, the protection of Canadians with disabilities, and the state of palliative care in Canada.

Every national disability group in Canada voiced objections to Bill C-7. Most faith groups did the same. The Fellowship was a signatory to a Canada-wide faith community letter sent to the federal government declaring our concern. Even United Nations human rights experts voiced concern stating Bill C-7 amendments would “be contrary to Canada’s international obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil the core right of equality and non-discrimination of persons with disabilities.”

Despite the ground swell of dissent and requests to rewrite sections of the proposed amendments, the federal government (with senate ascent) not only passed Bill C-7, but added further provisions to extend the bill’s reach even more. Many would argue it is easier to access assisted-death in Canada than receive quality palliative care or receive social supports for Canadians suffering from disabilities, chronic illness, and mental illness. Should it be easier to end life than get the support needed to live life in Canada?

The bill passed with little dissent in parliament. Vulnerable Canadians face new risks; the mentally ill and the disabled may choose death over life. Life is precious. Life is sacred. People have inherent dignity regardless of illness or disability. They need to know they are loved and not alone. What is the Church’s response to Bill C-7?

A journalist for Christianity Today recently interviewed me on the passing of Bill C-7. I invite you to read her article for more information. When asked what my thoughts were concerning the bill’s recent amendments, this is what I shared:

1. Love your neighbour

Those of us who believe life is sacred need to intentionally reach out and support our neighbours in our community, especially those most vulnerable. We must share the hope God gives in practical, tangible ways. To introduce ourselves to neighbours who suffer from disabilities or mental illness and assure them that embracing life is better than succumbing to our growing culture of death. We must touch lives before people feel there is no other alternative than hastening death.

2. New church ministries

Our local church’s need to expand outreach efforts to the vulnerable in our communities. Developing a parish mentality that reaches seniors, the disabled, and emotionally unwell not only in our church but in our community. Our churches might consider partnership with Christian ministries already doing this. One of our Fellowship churches has a Fellowship chaplain who serves as a “parish nurse”, extending care to their church and community.

3. Conscience protection

Our Fellowship of Churches must lobby provincial governments to ensure conscience protection for our doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical practitioners who are unable, for religious and/or conscience reasons, to participate or refer patients for medical assisted dying.

4. Senior-care policy

Our Fellowship churches must lobby government for more robust senior-care policy. Our recent pandemic has indicated that our current long-term elder care policy is wanting. Many amazing caregivers have given so much of themselves to the care of elderly Canadians, but they need more resources to do the work. In the early months of COVID-19, 69% of COVID deaths were among senior Canadians, whereas senior deaths were approximately 40% in most other developed western nations. A serious review is necessary. The Church can help.

The reality is Bill C-7 will allow many more assisted deaths. In Ontario, assisted deaths grew from 189 in 2016 to 5,631 in 2019. For all of these Canadians a “reasonably foreseeable” death was imminent. With the passing of Bill C-7, many more Canadians with no pending death can choose suicide. Those people making that decision are some of the most vulnerable in society. This cavalier approach to life will ultimately harm our nation. The church must respond.

The prairie will take over if your backyard don't fight back

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:00 PST

We’re in the middle of summer and we’re busy in our yards. Mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, pruning the trees, and trimming the bushes. There is no end of gardening chores.

Let me ask you a question. What is the oldest profession? I know what half of you are thinking right now! You’re wrong. The oldest profession is actually gardening. Adam and Eve began as gardeners and the world will end in an eternal gardened city.

Imagine with me the Church as a garden. The Church needs to be a green garden with peaceful spaces where parched people can find rest for their lives. One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 58:11 (NLT): “The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”

People need nourishing green spaces in life to connect with God. But, there is a danger in thinking the Church’s MISSION is to solely be a lush, green garden, a safe green space for people to gather and grow and flourish spiritually. The reality is we do not live in Heaven yet. We live in a fallen world surrounded by sinful people. And unless we tend our little garden regularly with care, the weeds of this world will invade our garden.

I read W.O. Mitchell’s book, “Jake and the Kid”, several years ago. It’s the story of a twelve year old boy growing up in the Canadian prairies during the 1940s. There is a line in the book that struck me. It went something like this: “the prairie will take over if your backyard don’t fight back”

Our garden is not a playground. It’s a garden we must continually tend and fight for. It’s a green space surrounded by the ravages of war. A spiritual battle that is constantly “fighting back.”

So our MISSION as local churches is not to build nice, lush, peaceful gardens to protect us from the battle, but to use our gardens (churches) to prepare us to assault the beaches of our common enemy.

Twelve years ago my son, Alec, and I took a trip together to visit the war memorials, mostly found in France. An awesome experience shared with my 18-year-old boy at the time. We visited the beaches of Normandy where over 75 years ago brave Canadian soldiers stormed Juno Beach.

On D-Day the allies established a beach-head and repelled the enemy further inland. But the war (the work) wasn’t finished in one day. They had another 11 horrifying months before their MISSION was complete. However, the beach-head on June 6, 1944 became a “green space” to rally the troops, re-equip the soldiers, and direct the army to continue inland. This is what I’m picturing when I call the Church to be a “well-watered garden” (Isaiah 58:11). Not a place to get comfortable and meet my needs. But, a green-place. A stopping-off place, to get refreshed and prepared to go back out there into the battle and advance the beach-head inland for the sake of Christ. It’s not a playground out there. It’s a war zone where spiritual battle is taking place every day.

I know you know this. That’s why I’m calling you to lead the charge. Spiritual orphans all around us are counting on us to lead the charge forward. Jesus, our Commander in Chief said to us “GO!” (Matthew 28:19)

Our Fears Can Sting

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:00:00 PST

Listen to this verse from Genesis 6:9 (NLT):“Noah consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with him”.

Do you long to walk in a close, tender, current, daily walk with God?

One of the greatest thrills of my life, when my three children were young, was coming home, opening the door and seeing Katelyn, Alec and Jessie running towards me to hug me. Daddy was home. That was 25 years ago. Now, only my dog comes running when I open the front door.

We make God smile when we come running to love and trust Him. Noah trusted God completely: his faith was incredible; he built a ship based on a conversation he had with God. Read Hebrews 11:7 (The Message):“By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land...As a result, Noah became intimate with God”.

Am I saying, build a boat and you’ll be closer to God? Not likely. But, I am suggesting trust has something to do with intimacy.

As a toddler, my son Alec struggled at bath time. He found it difficult to completely trust me. He hated water poured over his head and feel the water stream across his face. I would tell Alec to put his head right back so I could pour the shampoo on, lather it up, and pour water to remove it. But, no matter how often he tried to trust his daddy, eventually, he would tip his head up and the soapy water would cascade into his eyes. The shampoo would sting his eyes and make bath time a misery.

His fear always seemed to overcome his trust.  Our fears can sting. They can momentarily blind us from seeing the truth about God’s constant faithfulness in our lives.

To trust God is to believe that God knows what’s best for you, and trust has so much to do with opening the door to a loving, tender, and intimate relationship with God.

Going on an Activity Diet

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 PST

Summer is often a time to slow down and reflect a bit on the past year of life and ministry. If we don’t, we run the risk of missing what the Lord is wanting to teach us. We can stop hearing God, feel more stress, become less productive, and lose our joy in the midst of busyness. Job 9:25 (NIV) tells us: “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy”. What a lousy way to live life. Busy, busy, busy, but no joy.

Go on an ACTIVITY DIET

Often we are more active in the summer and some of us seek to shed a few pounds we gained during the winter months. A regular diet seeks to limit the intake of food. An “activity diet” is intentionally limiting our intake of activities. Experiencing what it feels like to have a “sane” schedule. Why not consider writing a, “Don’t do list”? Most of us have our, “To do list”. Maybe call it your, “What matters most list”.

By the way…how often does: “Tell my spouse I love her/him,” or “Give my kids a hug today,” get on our “To do list”? We often say “yes” to things that matter less and make little time for those things that really matter.

If we don’t slow down by choice, circumstances will kick in and force us to slow down or possibly stop. Like a hospital bed. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 51:10 (The Message): “God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life”.

“Begin” afresh this week. If you’re feeling overloaded…slow down. Our culture continues to message us to “go for it, get more, be better”. Make a counter-cultural decision to slow down. Start to enJOY, rather than, endure it. Put simplicity and sanity back into your schedule. Seek balance, rather than, burn out.

I invite you to pray with me:

“Father you know I needed to hear this today. I’m tired of living with a deep sense of overload. Today, I want to take the first step. I need a new manager for my life. I need you Jesus. I commit myself afresh to you. Help me to become more balanced. Help me to trust you more. Help me to live out your daily plan for my life”. Amen

Remember, in times of refreshing (Acts 3:19) there is revival. Once again, my beloved friends…I call you back to your first love (Revelation 2:4). Know that you are loved.

Consider Calling CCN

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:00:00 PST

Summer officially starts TODAY! I trust you have some plans to get away and get some rest and relaxation! It’s so important to recharge our batteries. You can’t keep charging without recharging.

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s desire for each of us to find adequate rest, saying in Psalm 127:2 (Message):

“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”

Did you catch that? God enjoys it when we have a good rest. So do something spiritual today…have a nap this afternoon. Tell your board chair Dr. Steve told you it’s okay. Yes…my tongue is firmly in my cheek as I write these words, but the principle is sound. The principle is Biblical.

God is very clear about our need for rest. To ignore his fourth commandment is foolish. When we function outside the way God designed us, we are headed for trouble. Spiritual, emotional, and physical burn-out. A Sabbath rest each week is commanded to rest our body, recharge our emotions, and refocus our spirit…sounds like a three point sermon, eh?!

THE CLERGY CARE NETWORK (CCN)

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, please contact someone. I know there are resources available in each of our Regions to support you.

One such support is the “Clergy Care Network” (CCN). Our National Fellowship pays for free phone counseling help for all personnel of The Fellowship including pastors, missionaries, and chaplains. Access is FREE to you. The number is 1-888-5-CLERGY. CCN is provided by Focus on the Family and developed in conjunction with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Its purpose is to provide a listening ear. Pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families can access the CCN helpline through e-mail or by using a toll-free phone number. By using the toll-free number, you can remain anonymous if you choose. The staff of the Clergy Care Helpline can:

provide initial counseling and crisis intervention

if needed, provide a referral to a CCN-approved counselor in the area. (However, please note that the cost of the additional counseling is the responsibility of the individual. This cost may or may not be covered by your group coverage.)

introduce the caller to a retreat facility or treatment centre in the area

provide resources and advice to pastors regarding particular family counseling situations they face in their church

pray with the caller

Make sure to reach out for help if needed. Your call is completely confidential.

Don't be like Homer

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 00:00:00 PST

This Sunday is Father’s Day. So I looked up the definition of “fatherhood” in the dictionary and I found the word “father” between “fathead” and “fatigue”. I thought the dictionary was saying more than I really wanted to know. There are lot of models in society claiming the true example of fatherhood. The macho model, mask model, or milk-toast model. But these men are often “fatheads”.

Our culture is suffering from a manhood identity crisis. Are there any alternatives to help men? We need not go further than our Bible. In God’s Word, we find God’s model for manhood. A man’s greatness should be determined less by the value of their wealth than by the wealth of their values.

The Apostle Paul gave special commendation to two men whose values modeled what God expects of men. The two men were Timothy and Epaphroditus. In Philippians 2:20 (NLT), Paul writes of Timothy, saying: “I have no one else like Timothy…”. He was a rare catch and treasured by Paul. Whereas in Philippians 2:29 (NLT), Paul writes to Epaphroditus: “…give him the honour that people like him deserve”. What made these two men so valuable in the Apostle Paul’s eyes? Pastor Rick Warren gives some helpful hints from Philippians 2 on the values God values when it comes to Biblical manhood.

A man should be categorized by COMPASSION (Philippians 2:20-21). God is looking for men who will put relationships before results … people before profit. Getting the job done is less important than coming alongside others (i.e. fathers and their kids) and getting the job done together.

The second value that God is looking for in men is CONSISTENCY (Philippians 2:22). Men who will put character before conformity. Men who are not afraid of standing alone of being counter cultural. In Philippians 2:22 we read “… Timothy had proved himself”. The word “proved” (dokima) means you have been accepted after being tested. The character of a man is tested daily. Will you bend under pressure? We all reap what we sow when it comes to consistent character.

A third value is COMMITMENT (Philippians 2:25-27). The Apostle Paul calls Epaphroditus a “true brother, “faithful worker,” “courageous soldier,” and “your messenger” (Philippians 2:23). A man committed as a son to his family, a worker to his mission, a soldier to his army and a disciple to his cause. God is looking for men who are more interested in putting the cause of Christ before their comfort, even if that means sickness and possible death (Philippians 2:27).

Lastly, God is looking for men to exercise COURAGE (Philippians 2:29-30). Men who will put service before security. Epaphroditus “risked his life for the work of Christ” (Philippians 2:30). Paul says to “honour” men like that. God wants men to be “risk” takers and to step out in faith in our service for the Lord. If men are not “offering themselves as living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1) then we have missed the whole point to life.

Timothy and Epaphroditus were two ordinary men who lived sold out for Christ. They modeled these godly values and the Apostle Paul’s testimony of each of them was: “I have no one else like Timothy…” and, “… be sure to honour people like him”.

I hope this could be said of each of us. It’s not too late to start becoming a man that people, especially our children and grandkids, can honour. Happy Father’s Day!

How do our Regions and National Ministries Support our Churches

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 PST

How do our Regional and National ministries support our local churches to fulfill all God intended them to be and do?

Several years back hundreds of Fellowship pastors and leaders were involved in the formation of an overarching mission document for our association of churches. The result was our “We are the Fellowship” mission document which briefly states our mission, vision, values and strategy as a Fellowship of 500+ local churches across Canada.

You can see the document and a brief four minute video describing this document here.

Our mission statement says we are: “A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Our vision statement says: “We serve together to ensure every church has unforgettable Kingdom impact.”

HOW DO WE HELP Churches experience an Unforgettable Kingdom Impact?

What do our Fellowship Regions and National Fellowship do to help support our local churches on mission? A good question. Several years back this question was tackled again by our leaders. A simple brochure, entitled “Support for Fellowship Churches” was prepared to communicate how both National and Regional are working together to support our local churches, as follows:

How does National support our five Regions in serving our churches?

Here are a few highlights:

Church planting: National highlights church planting God-stories in the Thrive magazine, website, and other media. They also help to establish partnerships between Fellowship churches and Francophone church plants.

Church health: National provides access to a clergy-care hotline (1-888-5-CLERGY or www.clergycare.ca) for crisis member care of Fellowship pastors, missionaries and chaplains. Church loans are also available to churches. National makes available pension and health care plans.

Leadership Development: National celebrates leadership development God-stories through literature, website, and media. They also work with Regions to help facilitate the sharing of resources, information, and best practices.

How do our five Regions support our National Fellowship in serving our churches?

Highlights include:

Fellowship International: Regions provide opportunities for International department staff to meet with Regional clusters, associations, and groups of pastors when possible. They also assist with connecting missionaries to churches.

Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR): Regions help create awareness of FAIR projects and programs, and provide opportunities for the FAIR Director to meet with Regional clusters, associations, and groups of pastors. They also promote FAIR through Regional literature and during conferences, highlighting the humanitarian needs being met through FAIR.

Fellowship Francophone: Regions assist National in creating awareness of francophone church planting needs in their Region. They also provide opportunities for Fellowship National staff to meet with stakeholders in the Region.

Fellowship Chaplaincy: Regions help promote the need for chaplains and assist with recruitment. They also help in the credentialing of chaplains.

Fellowship Services: In addition to promoting healthcare and pension plans to churches, Regions also make this information available during new pastor/church orientation.

As we partner and collaborate together on mission while sharing our common beliefs and values, may we continue to experience the “more fruit” that Jesus refers to in John 15.

One short step away from true Worship

Mon, 31 May 2021 00:00:00 PST

I was 22 years old and visiting my friend at Moody Bible Institute during Moody’s “Founder’s Week”, a week of great preaching and challenge.

I was only three years old in the faith, and 20 months into my Seminary education.

We sat together in Moody’s auditorium listening to Alan Redpath preaching from Acts chapter two, verse 12: “They stood there AMAZED and perplexed, ‘what can this mean?’, they asked each other.”

“Amazed”… by what?

By Spirit-controlled, Spirit-empowered, passionate disciples of Christ. Dr. Redpath declared “you get a person amazed, and you’re only a short step away from worship!”

I remember that prophetic message like it was yesterday, and that was almost 40 years ago. Where did followers of Christ get that kind of power to impact and transform their community? Redpath claimed the secret was found in the “secret place”. Time alone with God.

Redpath was a British ex-pat, part of the Keswick tradition along with Stephen Olford, pastoring the Historic Moody Bible Church when a Moody professor named A.W. Tozer contacted him. He invited him to meet him daily at a park in the very wee hours of the morning for prayer.

Redpath said, “It was a bit early for me, but when I went, I found Tozer lying face down on holy ground in concerted prayer”.

Tozer’s been dead for six decades (died May 12, 1963), but they’re still re-publishing the man’s books – maybe because he lived the secret and most of us are trying to vicariously discover it through his books. For too many of us, prayer is supplemental rather than fundamental to our lives and ministry. If we want to see the Mission accomplished we must recommit ourselves to becoming desperate for communion with the Spirit of God. Without it, we’re only playing games.

Isaiah 62:6 says, “You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest”. If we want to see God’s power raining down on our churches, then let us give God no rest from our intercession.

In his book, “The Knowledge of the Holy”, Tozer writes this in his chapter on the self-sufficiency of God:

“Almighty God, just because He is almighty, needs no support. The picture of a nervous, ingratiating God, fawning over men to win their favour is not a pleasant one; yet if we look at the popular conception of God, that is precisely what we see… so lofty is our opinion of ourselves that we find it quite easy, not to say, enjoyable, to believe that we are necessary to God. Probably the hardest thought of all for our natural egotism is to entertain that God does not need our help. We commonly represent Him as a busy, eager, somewhat frustrated Father, hurrying about seeking help to carry out His benevolent plan to bring peace and salvation to the world.”

Although very humbling… we must come to the brutal realization that we worship a self-existent, self-sustaining, self-sufficient God who:

Does not need me.

Does not need my church.

Does not need you.

Does not need Fellowship Baptists.

Does not need our plans, programs or buildings.

All that we have created (and let’s even argue that we’ve done it all for God’s glory) could burn up and turn to dust… and God would still make a great, grand and glorious Name for Himself among the nations.

God doesn’t involve us in His grand global plan to win the nations because He actually NEEDS us. God involves us because He LOVES us. And until we really come to terms with this – recognizing it’s in the “secret place of prayer” that we gain any power to accomplish the mission – then we will continue to be frustrated in our attempts to fulfill God’s purposes. We’ll miss the mark.

News from the Trenches

Mon, 24 May 2021 00:00:00 PST

We have a growing group of ministry workers representing our Fellowship in the marketplace. In 2013 we had 27 Fellowship chaplains; today we have over 120. More than half are “volunteer” Fellowship chaplains who give several hours each week to the “ministry of presence”. These amazing Fellowship chaplains are pastors and other men and women from our churches who serve in senior’s homes, hospitals, prisons, truck stops, military bases, airports, food banks, sport teams, community centres, media outlets, among first responders, and other places.

I get a chance to hear some of their stories each month in our chaplain zoom gatherings. In this blog, I want to introduce you to a few of our amazing volunteer chaplains.

Introducing Al Litchfield

"It has been my privilege to serve as chaplain for the Stirling Fire Department located in Stirling, AB. Our firehall is manned by 20-25 unpaid volunteers. One of my main responsibilities as chaplain is to provide assistance in the area of critical incident stress management (CISM). This is an ongoing ministry, which involves being available following incidents to debrief and assist in the process to normalize reactions. In order to build trust and familiarity, I attend the weekly training nights and I have assisted in training classes and events, and I have also taught some classes related to CISM. This also involves “getting down and dirty” along with the others. In the event of a major incident, I will be called out to be on-scene in a support role.

Over the past two years, I have also been involved in the formation of the Alberta Association of Fire Chaplains. A number of us felt the need to build a resource for fire chaplains across our province in order to provide mutual support, a vehicle for standardizing qualifications, job descriptions, and role training opportunities. We are also involved in promoting the need for departments to consider recruiting chaplains for the well-being of their firehalls."

— Al Litchfield serves as a volunteer community and first response chaplain in Raymond, AB

Introducing Jazmine Lawrence

“My name is Jazmine Lawrence and I became a Fellowship chaplain in 2020. The role simply affirms what God had already been calling and equipping me for: talking and praying with people I sincerely care about! I'm a part-time student in the MDiv program at Heritage Theological Seminary, which satiates my craving to wrestle with questions about reality. I once thought my permanent reality was brokenness and pain, physically and emotionally, but Jesus has been healing me! I yearn for others to know Jesus and have reason to trust in Him forever! Another Fellowship chaplain, Danielle Presseault, had already broken ground to make chaplaincy an integral part of our church's ministry (Greenbelt Baptist Church, Ottawa, ON). She paved the way for a fast start, as we began an ESL Bible study via Zoom with “folks-come-friends” who are new to Canada. I also do regular phone calls and home visits to talk and pray with people, whether from our church or not. It has been the joy of my life to see people come to know Jesus, be awed at the love of God made visible in Scripture, take communion for the first time, get baptized, and experience Jesus’ healing and freeing them from deep wounds."

— Jazmine Lawrence is a volunteer community chaplain serving in Ottawa, ON.

Restricted but not Restrained

“Well, what a year this has been. I'm sure it's one that will often be talked about in future years. Yet through it all God has been with us. Psalm 63 was my personal theme passage of scripture this year, 'God's unfailing love is better than life itself'. What a promise to help us navigate the way forward day by day!

Elaine and I had the privilege of delivering bags of groceries to needy families for several months through the pandemic. This was a special initiative through Community CARES Youth Outreach in Sydney Mines, NS. Ministry in the community continues to move forward. Hope House continued through the pandemic to help women with recovery and a new way of life.”

— Lloyd Johnstone with Island Business Ministries, North Sydney, NS

“As you know, the prison doors have been closed to our ministry during this pandemic, but I have been able to persevere in my food bank ministry while closely following their internal rules. About three weeks ago I met Josée there, and she told me that she was experiencing demonic manifestations in her home, which put her into a panic! I assured her of my prayer support and that we would deal (with God's help) with that terrible situation. A team of pastors was sent to that home where they prayed for the deliverance and exorcism of that dwelling. Praise the Lord, for the manifestations have stopped and we were able to present the Gospel to her!”

— Daniel Gagné is an employee chaplain community/corrections, Granby, QC

“Since COVID, my activities at the long-term care facility have practically stopped. At any rate, I had to stop because I had sprained an ankle and for three months I could hardly do anything. However, recently I contacted an elderly man I was visiting before the pandemic and as I am not allowed to visit him at this time, I told him that I would call him regularly and he was very happy to know that he was not forgotten.”

— Marcelle Ratelle is a volunteer hospital chaplain, Rivière Rouge, QC

Retirement

October 2020 — Glen Eagleson, military chaplain with the Fellowship for 12 years (St. John's, NL and Halifax, NS) A friend told Glen, "Retirement is a man-made thing. Now God can use you at His willing time. The real thing is He has trained you just for this time of life." Flash — Glen was recently asked to serve part-time as a military chaplain at a local base in Nova Scotia.

December 2020 — Carol Bell, community Fellowship chaplain for four years (Grandview Baptist Church, Kitchener, ON)    A couple of years ago I asked Carol to send me a prayer request for herself and this is what she wrote, “Pray that I will continue to grow in character and closeness to Christ and find places to be used well by Him in the years ahead.” Let's ask the Lord to honor that request and use Carol wherever the Lord leads her.

December 2020 — Peter King senior chaplain at Toronto Airport for 21 years (Toronto, ON). Peter is one of our longest serving employee chaplains. In spite of COVID restrictions, a small reception was held at the airport to mark the occasion for which Steve Jones was present. On behalf of the Fellowship, Steve thanked Peter and his wife, Rosemarie, for the many years of faithful and fruitful service in this ministry. Steve also announced that beginning in January, Mike Garabedian would be our new Senior Chaplain at Pearson! Welcome Mike!

Become a Fellowship Chaplain

Please prayerfully consider if Fellowship Chaplaincy might be your way to minister in your community. Any Fellowship pastor or church member can apply. Check out our website and/or contact our Fellowship Chaplaincy Coordinator, Larry Freeman at lfreeman@fellowship.ca.

Get involved in a Disciple-Making project

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:00:00 PST

I would like to invite you to prayerfully consider partnering with Fellowship International through the God-Sized Task special appeal. Fellowship International is seeking to come alongside our mission personnel to help advance the task of making disciples who make disciples.

I will let our Fellowship International Associate Director, Luc Tétreault tell you more:

“In 1900, approximately a third of the world’s population self-identified as Christian. Today, in spite of the influence and impact of past missionary efforts, this percentage has not changed even though the world’s population has quadrupled! In fact, over 40% of those on this planet have never heard the Good News, and more than two billion people don’t know anyone who knows Jesus.

“Those statistics sound bleak and the work daunting! Yet God continues to raise up an army of missionaries and national workers who passionately love Him and are seeking to make Him known. In the case of nationals who work alongside Fellowship International missionaries, they are well-positioned to reach the unreached within their culture. They are culturally, linguistically, and geographically close to large groups of people who are spiritually-separated from Christ and have little or no exposure to the gospel.

“We are seeking to raise $60,000 to be used to provide training, ongoing coaching, and support to these committed national disciple-makers.

“Training others is a good thing; but when those we train, train others, who in turn will train others, this is how the work will be accomplished.”

Thank you for considering this appeal. Please visit the appeal page to make a donation today. Or consider an offering at your church, especially if your church supports someone within our Fellowship International missionary family. May God bless you as you give.

March for Life this Week

Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00:00 PST

This week (May 13) pro-life advocates gather for the National March for Life gathering in Ottawa and also online.

The theme is “you are Not Alone!” You can visit their website for a video invitation.

Each day in Canada 300 women undergo an abortion. On that same day, our new MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) law allows physicians to kill 15 vulnerable Canadians. An insidious culture of death envelopes our nations.

Forty Years with no Protection

Canada has had no law protecting the unborn since 1988. Dr. Henry Morgentaler, an immigrant, survivor of the Holocaust, and Order of Canada member (2008), successfully argued that the current abortion laws were unconstitutional. However, the court did not actually recognize a constitutional right to abortion. Only Justice Wilson recognized that abortion was a constitutional right. The abortion laws of the day were struck down because the “process” to obtain an abortion was declared unconstitutional. In fact, the rights of unborn children were acknowledged by the court. Justice Beetz wrote that the primary objective of the abortion law was “the protection of the foetus.” The protection of the life and health of the mother was an “ancillary” one, according to Justice Beetz’s ruling. He expressed that the protection of the unborn was a valid objective in Canadian criminal law, noting that the state’s interest in protecting an unborn child would become so compelling that the liberty rights of women must give way. However, he and the other justices noted that this decision was Parliament’s decision, not the courts. Parliament has never filled the legal void left by the court in 1988. I invite you to take a look at Joshua Tong’s helpful article on this.

The Bible on Life

The Bible has much to say about life and a clear condemnation of the taking of life from the womb or a long-term senior’s residence.

From Pre-Natal to Post-Natal

When Jeremiah and Isaiah reflected on God’s call on their lives, both referred to their call to serve God happening in the “womb”.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4-5 ESV)

“…the Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.” (Isaiah 49:1 ESV)

They heard God before they were born. There was no barrier from hearing God’s voice between prenatal and postnatal life. God sees life from the moment of conception.

From the Womb to the Tomb

The Psalmist reminds us that God is intricately involved in our lives from conception (womb) to our home-going (tomb), saying:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

Pregnancy Care Canada

Our FAIR department has partnered with “Pregnancy Care Canada”. We introduced the Fellowship family to PCC’s Executive Director, Dr. Laura Lewis at our Fellowship National Conference 2019.

I encourage you to go online to their website to seek resources to inform your church, friends, and women who are undergoing and unexpected pregnancy. May we all ensure that mothers and vulnerable seniors know that they “are not alone!”

Nations are fashioned on the laps of Mother

Mon, 03 May 2021 00:00:00 PST

This Sunday we celebrate our mothers and grandmothers. For those of us who have a mother … umm … that’s all of us, we treasure them.

About 3,500 years ago a princess found a treasure she had wanted for so long. She found a baby in a basket by the side of the river bank. The treasure was a Hebrew infant. The familiar story is found in Exodus 2:1-10.

Moses was the infant. His father was a Levite named Amran and his mother was Jochebed, meaning “Yahweh is glory”. His mother was a slave working for the Egyptian Pharaoh. Slaving in the fields or brick yards, while in her last trimester, she would have worried that her unborn child might be a son. A previously passed edict declared all newborn Hebrew sons would be killed. Bravely opposing the Pharaoh’s edict, Moses’ parents release their son in a basket, down a river, believing in God’s protection and providence. Their incredible act of faith would be declared by God for all posterity in the Heroes’ Hall of Faith passage. Check out Hebrews 11:23.

“It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.”

An ordinary mom, acting in an extraordinary way to protect her little boy. Then, becoming his nurse-maid and preparing and shaping him to be attuned to God’s call in his life. Someone has said the destinies of nations are fashioned on the laps of mothers. At first reluctant, Moses would respond to God’s call (Exodus 3:10).

“So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

A son, a treasure left on the riverbank by a mother trusting in God. This treasure would become a saviour to his people.

Fifteen hundred years later a similar incident takes place. A young mother and her husband escape to Egypt with their newborn son because another king threatened to kill their little boy. Another mother protects her son and raises him in a godly home preparing him for His ultimate calling.

While there are many similarities that can be made between these two treasures and these two mothers, it is clear that Moses came to be a deliverer of the Hebrew people, while Jesus came to be a redeemer of all people.

Jesus came to be our Saviour. This is the greatest treasure we can share with family, friends, colleagues, and strangers this week.

An estimated $4 billion in lost treasure is scattered throughout the United States today. There is buried loot from thieves who never retrieved it, misers, hoards, ship wrecks or gold mines full of gold which prospectors hid before dying. The Jesse James gang buried $1 million in gold in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma — none of it has been found. A Wells Fargo stagecoach was robbed of $250,000 in gold and the thieves hid them in the murky waters of Mud Lake, Idaho. Three of the gold bars were hauled out in 1902, the rest uncovered. During the American Civil War, $5 millions in gold was stolen from Emperor Maximilian of Mexico and buried near Castle Gap, Texas, never to be found again. People now are searching with old maps, secret hints, and metal detectors. You’re probably planning your summer vacation right now!

So many are trying to find that elusive treasure in life and they are coming up empty. Let’s be vigilant in taking every opportunity to share the treasure found in Christ. People, although unaware, are counting on us to help them to discover the treasure found in knowing Jesus.

When Shepherds need support

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:00:00 PST

Several of our National Fellowship staff phoned almost 300 of our pastors in the early months of the pandemic. Our desire was to discover how our pastors and churches were doing. We heard concerns, many overwhelmed with going online, but so many shared encouraging stories of mission advance. We prayed with our clergy and I shared your stories in eight of my weekly blogs. Six months later my team made another round of calls to our pastors. The tone was a little different. We debriefed, shared our concerns and prayed. Many more of our pastors communicated they were tired and dealing with more conflict. Our National staff have hosted zoom gatherings twice a week for our missionaries and once a month for our chaplains in an attempt to support one another.

It certainly feels like the effect of the virus will continue well into 2021. I’m hearing colleagues commonly refer to “COVID-fatigue”. I’ve been talking to some of our shepherds who have sought support through sick-leave and sabbaticals. This is real. And many of our shepherds need to reach out for help.

There is a ministry available to ministry workers associated with our Fellowship of which you should be aware. Our Fellowship National ministry pays a membership fee to make counselling ministry available for all our clergy families, including pastors, church staff, missionaries, chaplains, and their spouses and children. We are one of 10 Canadian church groups that partner to make this available.

The Clergy Care Network is a ministry of Focus on the Family Canada. The Fellowship partners with this ministry to make a toll-free phone line available (1-888-5-CLERGY) for ministry personnel to connect with Master’s level, professionally trained, Christian counsellors. This phone contact is free for Fellowship clergy and their families. Your call will be kept confidential. No one from your church or our National/Regional offices will know that you made a call. You can even choose to remain anonymous to the counsellor if you wish.

Christian counsellors will counsel, pray with you, provide resources, and give referrals to professionals in your area, among other things.

There are other resources available on the Clergy Care Network website, such as archival information for pastors, pastor’s spouses, pastor’s kids, and missionary kids, along with information on special retreats for clergy couples and families.

You might want to sign up for Focus on the Family’s monthly “Focus on Pastors” email newsletter. Go to their website to sign up.

I spoke with an assistant of one of the Clergy Care Network counsellors and asked a few questions. Keeping strict confidentially, she assured me Fellowship clergy and their spouses are currently using the toll-free line to seek counselling. Typical help offered during these calls has included: offering resources such as books, online resources, referrals to other organizations or counsellors; psycho-education on issues such as boundaries, addictions, abuse; developing safety plans when needed; exploring alternative ways of handling problems/issues; applying scripture; and prayer, which occurs with virtually every caller.

During this year of virus and vaccines and our need to protect ourselves, I hope we will also pace ourselves and be vigilant in our own “self-care”.

Call 1-888-5-CLERGY as a first step for support if you’re feeling too much stress or fatigue these days.

My Life as a Well-Watered Garden

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 PST

One of my favourite verses in Scripture is Isaiah 58:11 (NLT).

“The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”

Marilyn and I moved into a bungalow a year ago. It is surrounded by gardens, a pond, and mature trees. I love gardening. There is so much to do. We spent a lot of time sitting in our new surrounding last summer and autumn, listening to the birds and watching the roses bloom. Resting in the serenity of my garden refreshes me. The Lord promises to make our lives like “well-watered gardens” characterized by beauty, colour, fragrance, tranquility, and life — life abundant.

In one of the low points of his life, the Apostle Peter needed a tranquil, safe place to be with the restorer of his soul. He needed a safe place — a place of sanctuary.

Peter had just denied the Lord publically three times. He was devastated, empty, and spiritually numb. And so, he withdrew. He escaped from the pain and ran to Galilee to do something very familiar. In John 21:3, Peter tells the disciples, “I’m going out to fish” and six other disciples followed. They run away with Peter.

However, Jesus met Peter on the seashore and called Peter to meet with Him. Peter was a broken man whom Christ was preparing to become a rock.

Jesus does a few things when we need to be spiritually restored. In John 21 we learn that:

Jesus built a fire. It was a safe place away from all the noise. Jesus wants to establish a quiet place for us to regularly meet with Him.

Jesus cooked a meal. It was a fish dinner to help replenish Peter’s strength. To help Peter refocus and gain perspective.

Jesus spoke comforting words. Jesus is Peter’s special friend. His words nourished and lifted Peter’s spirit.

In this safe place Christ’s words helped Peter to deal with his weariness, pain, and sense of shame in a healthy way. Peter’s spiritual life was refueled and refreshed. His life became a “well-watered garden” once again.

What words of comfort did you receive from Jesus today? If you missed time with the Lord today, make sure tomorrow morning you find a safe place to meet with Him and be replenished. Let your life be characterized as a beautiful, lush, well-watered garden. Please don’t miss your rendezvous with Jesus tomorrow.

April 12 is Grilled Cheese sandwich Day and more

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 00:00:00 PST

The month of April is known for many special occurrences.

The best known is April 1st, April Fool’s Day. April 2nd is National Autism Awareness Day, and April 3rd is Find a Rainbow Day. The second week of April is called the Garden Week and week three is Organize your Files Week. I think we should all recognize week four, National Karaoke Week.

April is also known as National Kite Month, Poetry Month, Humour Month, Stress Awareness Month, and Lawn and Garden Month.

Leave a Legacy Month

Today I’d like to remind us all that April and May are considered the “Leave a Legacy” months. The income taxes have been filed and it’s an appropriate time to discover whether our will and estate plans are up to date. We can help you with that.

Your will is the last statement you will ever make. Therefore, you want it to be a meaningful, well thought out last word.

With over 60% of Canadians living without a will and many with one that needs review, the potential for billions of dollars to disappear for use in the Lord’s work is a reality. God owns all our stuff. We are only managers. The question becomes, “What should a Christian estate plan look like?”

The Fellowship is Partnered with ADVISORS with Purpose

The Fellowship partners with ADVISORS with Purpose in order to connect our churches, leadership, and donors with qualified financial specialists. These are experts who will help our Fellowship family plan a will that reflects their faith, values, and desires.

ADVISORS with Purpose is a non-denominational Christian ministry organization committed to serving donors, charities, and ministries to release more resources for God’s Kingdom. This partnership works much like an outsourcing arrangement where we now have Christian planned-giving specialists working for you, helping you through a strategic, estate-planning process. This service is provided at no cost to you or our churches. There are never any obligations, and the estate advisors will never sell any product. We know that the help received from them will further your desire to be found a faithful steward of all that God has entrusted to you. Please permit me to ask: does your will incorporate your faith and your values? Will the legacy you leave reflect the life you lived? If you have even the slightest doubt, I urge you to connect with our friends at ADVISORS with Purpose and speak with one of their estate specialists.

You can learn more by visiting the Fellowship’s website. You can also call ADVISORS with Purpose at 1-866-580-9319 or email them at plan@advisorswithpurpose.ca

We all need a will. Without it, someone else will decide how to administer and distribute your estate, either to your heirs, taxes, or charities. Without a will, nothing can go to charities. Having a well-planned will has multiple benefits. It ensures your dependents will not experience difficulty in the execution of your will, taxes will be kept to a minimum, and charities will benefit from your generosity after you’re gone.

Estate planning is often an overlooked area of charitable giving. However, it can have a significant impact on the long-term sustainability of our local churches and the work the Fellowship does in communities across Canada and around the world.

Global Missions to the 1-2% Unreached

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 00:00:00 PST

Ever wonder how many people throughout the world have committed themselves to Christ’s mission to evangelize the world? How many missionaries have been sent? What are today’s global resources for world evangelism?

I came across this information from the “World Christian Trends” work done by the William Carey Library and researchers David Barrett and Todd Johnson. I thought you might be interested:

Classification of Christians

33 AD

1000 AD

2025 AD

Nominal Christians

0

40 million

1.7 billion

Active Christians

10,000

5 million

880 million

Pastoral workers

200

88,000

5 million

Home missionaries

100

17,000

1.2 million

Cross–cultural missionaries

100

900

300,000

Missionaries serving in the “Christian” world

0

1,100

300,000

Missionaries serving in the evangelized “non-Christian” world

0

400

200,000

Missionaries serving in the “un-evangelized” world

0

300

50,000

Global resources to complete the Great Commission

When it comes to resources to fulfill the Great Commission (evangelize and disciple) Christian resources do abound. This is a list produced from data collected in the early 2000s:

1.88 billion professing Christians

565 million professing Christians under 15 years of age

648 million practicing Christians

600 million weekly-worshipping Christians

3.45 million worship centres (local churches)

33,800 distinct denominations

4,000 foreign mission boards or societies

5,800 home-mission boards or societies

23,000 para-church agencies

400 medical mission agencies

5,500 Christian hospitals

30,000 Christian medical centres

170,000 elementary Christian schools

50,000 Christian high schools

1,500 Christian universities

4,800 seminaries or theological colleges (1.1 million seminary students)

1.1 million ordained clergy (8% are women)

5.52 million full-time Christian workers

420,000 vocational full-time foreign missionaries

1.1 million home missionaries

26,100 new Christian book titles every year

12,000 major religious (Christian) libraries

53.7 million Bibles distributed each year

120.7 million New Testaments distributed each year

4.6 million scripture portions distributed each year

3 billion Christian books printed each year

5 billion Christian tracks printed each year

4,000 Christian radio/TV stations

120,000 full-time personnel in Christian broadcasting

3,000 evangelistic mass campaigns each year

332 million Christians own a computer

5,000 Great Commission computerized networks

845 current global plans for world evangelism

210 current global mega-plans for world evangelism

57 current global giga-plans for world evangelism

Impressive, but dig deeper

Pretty impressive, eh? But the reality is that the vast bulk of these resources benefit mostly the “Christian world”. Even when it comes to foreign missions… 85% of personnel and money is devoted to “Christian” lands such as North America, Brazil, Kenya, etc.

The present annual cost of missions to Christian lands is $163 billion compared to $250 million to send approximately 10,200 foreign missionaries to frontier fields (countries where less than 1-2% of the population self-identify as evangelical Christians).

We certainly need to continue supporting home missions and missions to “evangelized fields”. A strong home base is critical to completing the Great Commission, but we must remain vigilant and intentional about still giving a fair share to missions in those tougher un-evangelized fields. I imagine many of our church mission budgets may not represent this reality.

Fellowship International missionaries who need your support:

Currently these amazing couples are looking for partners to enable them to go to those fields that are the least-evangelized (less than 1-2% evangelical).

Adam Pietrantonio (long-term/career) to Japan

Ebi and Carolyn Meraji (long-term/career) intercultural

Dr. Jesh and Julie Thiessen (long-term/career) to Madagascar

Wayne and Dr. Shirley Van der Merwe (long-term/career) to Indonesia

Andrew and Tanya Rokeby (long-term/career) to Japan

Kevin and Micaela Miller (long-term/career) to Pakistan

Please prayerfully consider how you or your local church might come alongside any one or more of these missionaries in prayer and financial partnership. Thank you.

Easter and the Stink of Death

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 00:00:00 PST

Easter reminds us there is victory over sin and death. Victory over the sting and stink of death.

Lazarus was one of Jesus’ best friends. He died and Jesus came to visit his friend’s graveside. Instead of laying flowers at the grave, Jesus yelled, “Lazarus”, and his friend rose from the dead. Several days of rot in the hot sun must have made an unbelievable smell.

Jesus used this event as an analogy to identify humanity’s spiritual condition. All humanity is spiritually dead and most don’t even notice the smell. We’ve been surrounded by the smell of spiritual death so long we’ve become accustomed to the smell. Thankfully, Jesus has not.

Jesus finds the stink of death unacceptable and so he calls out “Lazarus”, “John”, “Joan”, “Arise!” Our task is not to get up, but to admit we’re dead. The only people who remain in the grave or remain spiritually dead are the ones who don’t realize or believe they’re dead. They never seem to smell the stink nor admit their need of God’s solution – another man’s death.

All of humanity is in desperate need of God’s grace. Grace is something I do not deserve nor merit. We are separated from our Heavenly Father and only Jesus’ death on a cruel cross is sufficient payment to bridge and heal our estranged relationship with God. We don’t deserve this kind of love but that is the very nature of grace. We don’t deserve it, but God gives it generously.

Without God’s loving kindness we remain spiritually dead. We smell. The rot of death envelops us.

In 16th century Europe, ladies wore corsages and gentlemen wore boutonnieres to mask their own body odour. The common wisdom of the day was that bathing was not healthy and one could catch a deadly cold. Ladies rarely bathed and so, bouquets were brought into rooms in their manor homes and scented handkerchiefs were kept in their purses. All to cover up their rancid body odour.

The captivating scent of the Gospel has the power to overcome the crippling stink of sin and spiritual death.

Easter is our reminder that Jesus’ life, freely given on the cross, is a testimony of His unbridled love for all of humanity. And His body reanimated and surging with vitality and life — resurrection life — is His testament to the power He offers each of us to know victory over sin and death.

Let us say it together: “He is Risen. He has Risen indeed!”

Think Like a Missionary this Easter

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 00:00:00 PST

Easter is the Mount Everest of the Christian calendar. But, does the rest of our world take notice?

I heard of a pastor who was sitting in a Chapters store reading and enjoying a coffee. Nearby were six university students hotly debating the question, “what was the Skipper’s name on the 1960s TV sitcom, Gilligan’s Island?” The pastor listened and finally leaned over and said, “I know what his name was.” They started intently waiting for an answer. Here was an occasion where this pastor might gain some value in their eyes and justify all the wasted time spent watching this mindless comedy. He said, “The actor’s name was Alan Hale and the character he played as Skipper did have a name which was shared in the pilot and two other episodes. His name was Jonas Grumby.” He smiled knowing he had impressed them. These six wide-eyed students responded in unison, saying, “you must be really old!”

The pastor went over and sat with the students and asked about their lives. By midnight, he had discovered that not one of them could identify the historical significance of Easter. Only two knew the real meaning of Christmas and the others wondered why anyone would celebrate the birth and death of a “mythical” Jewish carpenter. They continued the conversation until 2:00 am and exchanged emails.

As he parted from his new friends, he kept thinking, “Who is going to reach these people? What voice will they listen to? Their reality didn’t even include the possibility that Christ and His Church might have relevance to their lives. Who is going to speak to them?”

I also heard the story of Pastor Ted who ministered in Pandora, Ohio – a small village of 900 people living among corn fields. Twenty-five years before, this Mennonite Church had 50 people attending. Not bad for a village of 900 — almost 5% of the village attended the church — but not enough to afford a full-time pastor. Pastor Ted was called to this small church after coming home from a four-year mission term in Holland. In twenty years the church grew to 700 members. The local school board contacted Ted each year to check on the church calendar so they would not be in conflict with their school activities. That, my friends, is influence.

Someone asked Pastor Ted, “What’s your secret to this kind of influence in your community?” He told them he had trained in seminary to be a missionary. All his courses had been about missions. He had arrived in Pandora not knowing how to be a pastor, but he knew how to be a missionary and sought to remove cultural barriers to the Gospel. He said, “Pastors need to stop thinking like pastors and think and act like missionaries.”

Canada is a pagan nation. Most are clueless about what Christians are celebrating the weekend of April 4. Let’s think and act like cross-cultural ambassadors. Let’s pray together for many to experience the saving grace of Jesus this Easter.

A Spiritual Revival Not Led by the Church

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 00:00:00 PST

Easter is approaching. In my opinion it is the most significant time of the year to share Christ. Although there is a lot of indifference to faith issues in our society, at the same time there seems to be a lot of interest in spiritual things. Easter is one of the best times of the year to scratch were many in your community are itching.

Some have said North America is experiencing a spiritual revival, however, this is the first time the Church has not been leading it.

There is no lack of spiritual hunger or thirst. People by nature are continuing to seek at least three things in an attempt to satisfy their spiritual cravings.

1. Transcendence

We are all looking for transcendence: that marvelous sense of wanting to know God, the mystical, the reverence, the divine. We wish to solve the dilemma of this God-shaped vacuum in our hearts that only God can fill. Jesus’ core message appeals to the transcendent. Mark 1:15 states, “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Jesus assures us we can know God. He made sure of that at the Cross. In the movie Forrest Gump, Forest is watching a Bob Hope Christmas special on television with his commanding army officer. The army officer, Lt. Dan, asks Forrest, “Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?” Forrest is a simple man who answers, “I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir.” People are looking but will they find it in Jesus? Tell them. Show them this Easter.

2. Significance

Everyone needs a purpose for living – to have a reason to get out of bed each morning. Jesus addressed this in Mark 1:17 saying: “Come, be my disciples and I will show you how to fish for people!” A pastor was on a plane talking to his seat-mate, a CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation. He was a poster-child for the American dream. The pastor shared that his life’s work was to passionately share the love of Christ and connect people to Jesus and their incredible potential in Him. The CEO’s response was, “I would give anything to do something so meaningful!”

3. Community

Lastly, everyone needs someone. We need to be connected into meaningful relationships. The Church offers this to a world yearning for authenticity. Even Jesus needed a small group of twelve.

The Trinity represents these three needs:

The Father calls us to know Him which satisfies our need for transcendence.

The Son’s commission offers us significance.

The Holy Spirit’s comfort draws us into community.

We can offer all of this. The very deep yearnings in the hearts of the dear people in our cities, towns, and neighbourhoods can be satisfied this Easter. Let’s all ask the Lord for one individual with which to share these truths this next week. That’s a dangerous prayer, one God loves to answer.

Jack's Story of God's Goodness in India

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 00:00:00 PST

I was recently talking to Jack Chen, one of our Fellowship International missionaries, serving in India. Jack and Lorraine (whose home-going was just a few years ago) have served in the Kolkata region for many years in leadership development through the Fellowship’s “Leaders Formation” ministry and humanitarian relief work with support from our Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR) department.

His news was so encouraging that I thought you would like to hear what the Lord is doing. I’ll let Jack share the news himself:

“With 161 million in Bangladesh and 91 million in West Bengal and a miniscule Christian population of 0.6%, the 252 million Bengali-speaking people constitute the most unreached people-group in our world today.

In Bengal there are 41,000 villages with hardly any Christian witness. The need for trained leaders is great.

On January 4, 2014, Steve Jones and I celebrated with nearly 110 Bengali leaders who graduated as the first batch of pastors, lay leaders, evangelists, and church planters to complete our Fellowship’s LeadersFormation leadership development program.

“How did we get this far?”

In Phase one, we recruited 55 selected pastors and leaders to come into Kolkata three times a year to complete the leadership development course of “The First Principles”. One pastor was murdered for the faith, two dropped out for various reasons, and 52 faithfully completed the course and graduated.

In Phase two, we spread out to five locations over the entire state of West Bengal, taking the training to the areas that needed trained leadership the most. Over 80% of all pastors and leaders have less than a Grade 10 education and hence do not qualify for admission to Bible College. Of the 150 individuals who registered, 124 completed the course and graduated in November and December 2019.

Phase three started on January 4, 2020, with 124 graduates committed to train 536 new leaders and pastors. The fruit over the last five years has been amazing — 44 new churches planted and nearly 500 new believers baptized. The five locations have become hubs to reach out to the villages around them.

“A 'Macedonian Call' to “Come here!”

“While in one of the villages, I received a phone call from a young man who practically cried out, “Come on over and help us!” This young man, Pintu, is a young leader with a team that gives oversight to over 50 house churches. He and his team of leaders are largely untrained and are part of the 536 being trained in Phase three.

“I was invited to speak at their annual Christmas rally. That was a Christmas to remember! An estimated 8,000 people came by bus, trucks, scooter, auto rickshaws and even bullock carts to celebrate the birth of Christ! After an evangelistic message proclaiming the Christ of Christmas, I gave an invitation for people to receive Christ. Half the crowd raised their hands and repeated the sinner’s prayer to receive Christ into their lives. Now Pintu and his fellow leaders have a huge follow up job to do!

On Mission During the Pandemic in India

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone economically, and the church has not been exempt, the Gospel is still being preached by our cohort leaders and pastors. Just in the month of November (2020), two of our leaders reported they baptized 52 new believers in village ponds! Another 35 took baptism classes in order to be baptized at Christmas 2020. All of these new believers have come out of another religion. Persecution from their families and neighbours will certainly befall some of these new believers.”

Humanitarian Relief work with FAIR and KHRIS

The Fellowship’s FAIR department has partnered with our Kolkata Hope Rising in the Slums (KHRIS) project. Fellowship churches have given to this project before. Jack provides an update:

“KHRIS continues to bring great hope to slum kids who deeply desire to better their lot through the opportunity to complete their education and thus find a way to get out of the slums where they currently live. Two of the girls, Puja and Nisha Paswan, have completed their BA degrees. Nisha is currently enrolled in her MA degree course! Two others are in college while a third is completing her hotel management course. An exciting development is the acquisition through long-term lease and outright purchase of two apartments to accommodate two families who are living away from the slums for the very first time in their lives!

Nothing expresses the joy and gratitude we feel in this great ministry of training leaders and showing the love and compassion of Christ better than the smiles from the Paswan sisters, the first family to benefit from FAIR’s KHRIS Rising Hope Fund.”

For more news of Jack’s work and ministry in a difficult part of the world, you can request his newsletter by sending an email to jackf_chen@hotmail.com

What a joy to hear the good news of the Gospel being advanced among a people where only 0.6% self-identify as Christian. I have met the sisters, Puja and Nisha. When I met them six years ago, their home was a makeshift tarp-tent on the side of a congested street in Kolkata. They proudly took me through their “home” and offered me tea. They got connected to Jack and Lorraine through the after-school tutoring program held at Carey Baptist Church (William Carey founded this church). Our FAIR appeal funds helped them complete high school, then college, supplied proper housing, prepared them for a career and, most importantly, offered them Living Water. They are both joyful Christian women thanks to many Fellowship churches supporting FAIR’s KHRIS appeal. Thank you for giving!

Encouraging Fruit from the Past Five Years

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 00:00:00 PST

I thought you might be encouraged to learn the fruit of the five-year partnership between our local churches and our National Fellowship.

Looking Back

Our national ministry just completed a five-year strategic plan (2015-2020) entitled, “20/20 by 2020”. God has done a good thing among our churches in international and domestic ministry.

Here are some highlights from the full 12-page Final Report of our “20/20 by 2020 Fellowship National Strategic Plan”.

20 long-term (career) missionaries appointed

25 mid-term and 26 short-term missionaries appointed

84 chaplains appointed

36 Francophone church plant partnerships established

FAIR department established: raised $3.6 million for relief and development and justice issues

Fellowship Foundation established: raised $7.1 million

our Regions and churches plant 74 churches in Canada

our missionaries are involved with nationals in planting 31 new churches internationally

and more…see the Final Report.

Looking Forward

We just completed a five-year strategic plan. We will soon begin our next plan, entitled: “Catalyze: Disciples Making Disciples Everywhere”. This Fellowship National Strategic Plan (FNSP) for 2021-2026 will guide our national ministries in how to serve our local churches over the next five years in international, humanitarian, Francophone, chaplaincy, and service ministries. Glory to God.

The latest research on "Nones" or the Religiously Unaffiliated

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 00:00:00 PST

With the widespread growth of the religiously unaffiliated of “nones” in Canada over the past few decades, it is becoming increasingly important to understand this group if in fact we better learn how to reach them for Christ.

A “Pew Research Centre” 2019 survey addressed the attitude and behaviour of the “religiously unaffiliated” in 34 countries. The share of religiously unaffiliated varies widely across many countries from Japan (51%), South Korea (49%), and Australia (45%), to Turkey (3%), Kenya (2%), and India (less than 1%). Canada (32%) and USA (27%) continue to see the religiously unaffiliated grow in numbers. Currently the “nones” are the fastest growing category in Canada.

Approximately 16% of the global population in 2020 refer to themselves as religiously unaffiliated, meaning they identify as atheist, agnostic, or describe their religion as “nothing in particular”.

Social Views Affected

For many, their unaffiliated status often links them to specific social and political views. For example, religiously unaffiliated adults are more accepting of homosexual behaviour in society than religiously affiliated people. For instance, in South Korea, 60% of religious “nones” say homosexuality should be accepted by society, compared with 30% of religiously affiliated adults. A significant gap of 30% between the two groups. In Slovakia the gap is the widest at 34% (religiously affiliated: 38%; religiously unaffiliated: 72%)

The gap is much smaller in Canada at 15%; with 95% of the “nones” acceptance of homosexuality in society to the 80% of religiously affiliated who agree,

Political Views Affected

It is also interesting to note that those who identify with the religious “nones” place themselves more frequently on the political left. The Pew Research Centre’s survey identified people’s ideology as either conservative (right), moderate (centre), or liberal (left).

This difference was most pronounced in Spain, where 47% of the ideological left, compared with just 19% identified with a religion. A 28% spread. The gap between the two groups entered into double digit territory in many countries like: Canada, USA, France, UK, Italy, Australia, Germany, and Sweden. In Canada, 39% of the religiously unaffiliated and only 13% of the religiously affiliated identify with the political left, a 26% gap!

Concern over maintaining religious liberty is also affected by religious affiliation. This was especially true in seven of the 34 countries surveyed. Religious “nones” were less concerned with their citizens being able to participate in religion freely—Argentine, Australia, Hungary, Mexico, Czech Republic, South Korea, and Slovakia.

The Future of “Nones” in the World

Across the 34 countries surveyed in 2019, the share of religious “nones” varies quite a bit.

Less than 1% (religious “nones”) in India, Lebanon, Indonesia, Nigeria, Philippines, and Tunisia.

About three in ten in the USA (27%), Germany (30%), Spain (31%), and Canada (32%)

Roughly half the population in South Korea (49%), Japan (51%), and the Czech Republic (53%)

In 2015 approximately 1.17 billion people identified as religiously unaffiliated in the world. According to projection this percentage will only increase marginally to 1.2 billion by 2060. It is believed that religious affiliation will grow faster, while religious “nones” are expected to fall from 16% to 13% of the global population by 2060.

May our churches do their part by remaining on mission, understanding better the religiously marginalized and reaching them for Christ. Let’s pray the religious “nones” category stops growing in Canada, due in part to our evangelical zeal.

I have worshipped God in the AGO

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 00:00:00 PST

I have worshipped God while visiting the Louvre in Paris, the Tate in London, and the AGO in Toronto.

This is how I began my blog, “A Word from Steve”, last week. I mentioned that our Creator God loves His children to create. God stood back each day of creation, paused and mentioned it was “good”.

Art does this for humanity. Art can cause us to pause and spend a moment identifying the “good”. Pausing a moment and possibly catching ourselves in a positive place of worship.

As an artist I have thought about this often. Why do I love to paint? Why do I create? My hope is my art reflects (often poorly) the beauty God has created.

Last week I mentioned that, “art can elicit hope”. Take a peek here to read my brief argument from last week.

Today I want to expand on this by suggesting that

Art can challenge ideas

Art conveys personal experiences

Art can heal

Art can transform

1. Art can challenge ideas

Challenging ideas that society says is the truth, the norm, or politically correct. Art can poke holes, pose questions, and make light of common misconceptions held dear in our culture. Images can speak volumes.

Art can serve like a drip of water that drips and slowly wears away the edges of an idea or exposes the untruth beneath. The artist who happens to be a follower of Christ desires to articulate the world the way God sees it. Speaking truth into ideas about justice, pain, compassion, and many other topics, art can often say things not easily said out loud, revealing the truth of things without using words. Words often muddle up any chance of inquiring or seeing things in a different light. When people use words we often end up in a debate or even worse, conflict. Art causes you to pause in your own thoughts and possibly question society’s or your own perceptions of a thing.

2. Art conveys personal experiences

Art conveys personal experience into a very powerful language. Art can, in fact, elicit strong reactions or help you recollect forgotten memories.

Words can be quickly lost. Try to remember what the preacher said. Or your spouse, boss, parent, sister, or friend. A work of art can memorialize a moment. You view the piece, pause, and ponder, and the piece memorializes the moment with language that allows you to go back to the piece again and again, and allow it to continue to speak in a familiar way. Occasionally it says something different to you, largely because you’re experiencing different circumstances each time you visit the art piece.

I can see Rembrandt’s “Prodigal Son” painting over and over again, experiencing it differently each time, namely due to my current life experience. Art is powerful.

I believe good art should be understood as a part of God’s “common grace”. We see God’s common grace all around us. Common grace can even be implicitly seen in the works of artists hostile to the Christian faith. I’ve seen it. The artistic unwittingly point to a good God.

3. Art can heal

It elicits memories and gives occasion for pause and re-thinking of pain. Art therapy is extensively used to help heal people.

4. Art can transform

The process of creation often feels like a metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. There are often many false starts. My garbage pail beside my easel gives testament to this truth. But then your brush lifts off the paper and you see it — pure inspiration. I love those moments. It’s like you’ve exploded from the cocoon and the transformation results in something beautiful, something good.

Christian artist Makoto Fujima wrote, “Art is an inherently hopeful act; an act that echoes the creativity of the Creator”.

And so, my hope is our churches will release our artists: visual, musical, dance, multimedia, film, craft, sculptors, and others, to show us how to more fully worship our Creator God.

Join me in celebrating the arts and the many talented artists who are part of our church families. They are teaching, leading missional communities, mowing the church lawn, caring for the book-keeping, serving on leadership boards. Imagine if they were valued and released to use their artistic calling to bless our faith community and the many neighbours in our towns and cities. I believe life would be sweeter, more beautiful, joyful, and we might find the mission would be advanced. Please consider releasing artists in your church.

I have worshipped God in the Louvre

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 00:00:00 PST

I have worshipped God while visiting the Louvre in Paris, the Tate in London, and the AGO in Toronto. Let me explain.

God is a Creator God and He loves to create. After each day of creation, God paused, stepped back, and mentioned it was “good”.

Art does that for us. It can point out the “good”. Art has the capacity to make us pause. In art museums around the world I have spent countless hours pausing, often catching myself worshipping. Not a piece of art like a physical idol, but it points me to the wonder of our Creator God. It elicits in me wonder and awe over God’s creation. I have given praise to God in the McMichael Gallery and Musée d’Orsay. If you gave it half a chance, you would too.

Why I Create

Some of you know I’m an artist. A novice at best. But I love to paint. Why? Art speaks an aesthetic language that says things that words struggle to say. My hope is my art reflects (poorly) the beauty God has created. The creating and appreciating of art can do many things. Here are a few.

Art can elicit hope:

When I see something beautiful, I get hopeful. In a sense, the ontological argument for God’s existence is an argument for perfection and beauty that points to an original perfection. God is that perfection and everything else in creation is contrasted in degrees of beauty to that perfect Being.

All beauty points to God in my opinion. That is partly why I’ve chosen to be a landscape artist. God’s canvas is nature. I fail miserably to capture that beauty, but occasionally I see a glimpse of what I’m looking for in my work. It’s exciting when that happens.

The 18th century art critique, John Ruskin, believed all art should communicate an understanding and appreciation of nature. Art should communicate truth above all things. I agree with Ruskin.

If art can elicit hope, and our beautiful world is but a glimpse into the landscape of Heaven, then my hope is my art dimly mirrors the hope of Heaven.

A few years back I met with a graphic designer who loves the Lord. His graphic design firm was helping us to redesign our website and national magazine rebranded as “Thrive”. I talked with this wonderful artistic businessman about the look and feel of our magazine. What identity did we want to reflect? I finally said, “I want our magazine to be beautiful”. He smiled and our animated talk stopped immediately. He understood. I don’t think he ever heard a client say that before. Beauty points to what God said was “good”.

Further Thoughts on Art in my Next Blog

Next week I’d like to share a few more personal thoughts on the importance of art that helps us to:

Challenge prevalent ideas

Convey personal experiences

Heal

Transform

Ultimately, my hope is that our churches will release our artists: visual, musical, dance, multimedia, poets, playwrights, craft, sculptors, and others to show us how to more fully worship our Creator God.

Listen carefully to N.T. Wright:

“In my experience the Christian painter or poet, sculptor or dancer, is regularly regarded as something of a curiosity to be tolerated, humoured even, maybe even allowed to put on a show once in a while. But the idea that they are, or could be, anything more than that — that they have a vocation to re-imagine and re-express the beauty of God, lift our sights and change our vision of reality, is not even considered.”

God has given us a calling. I believe my artistry is a calling with which I am to glorify God with. My hope is our churches might make a home for believers that believe God’s call on their life is to be an artist. “Let my people go — let our artists free!”

Have you had a C.O.V.I.D. Moment?

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 00:00:00 PST

We have been navigating through the coronavirus pandemic for 11 months now. Have we learned anything?

Steve Brown of Arrow Leadership poses some good questions to help us see the constraints and limitations of our present restrictions as an opportunity to gain new insight or approach to ministry, I thought you might benefit from asking these questions among your family, team, or leaders:

Could there be a pre-existing issue God wants you to address? Sometimes God can use constraints to focus us on priority issues we need to address before we are ready or able to receive more provision.

How could you reframe your thinking about your constraint? What would happen if you moved from, “we can’t because…” to, “what if…” thinking? Identify the question that frames your goal in light of your constraint. Is there opportunity in this constraint?

Whom could you engage or learn from to help you think outside the box of your constraint and circumstances? Who is facing the same problem? How could you collaborate?

How can your constraint or weakness be an opportunity for God to demonstrate his sufficiency and for you to depend on him in a deeper way? (2 Corinthians 12:9)

How does prayer fit into your constraint? Prayer helps break our self-sufficiency and brings us and our limitations to Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord who provides.

Seizing an Opportunity

One of our Fellowship International missionaries, Mark Buhler, mentioned how social isolation was affecting the folks he was trying to reach in the Vancouver area. Mark is seeking to train churches in our Pacific Region to reach new Canadians in a very diverse city. He is finding people from other ethnicities are especially finding the social isolation difficult. Mark mentioned he had a great conversation with a man from an Iraqi background: Mark’s new friend said he had a vision of Christ once and desired another encounter. He was discouraged as nothing had happened. Mark told him it was amazing because most people never have this experience even once. Mark mentioned, “God obviously has some plans for you”.

I’ll let Mark tell you the rest of the story:

“We agreed to meet and he called me the following week for coffee. It was a fascinating visit detailing his upbringing in the midst of war and chaos in three Middle Eastern countries. He said he really wanted to learn about “Jesus of the Bible” so more plans were made. Just before Catherine and I left on holidays, we met again with an Egyptian Christian brother who was able to communicate more effectively in Arabic than I. At the same time, I was able to connect him to a local pastor in an Arabic-speaking church. When I called my new friend last night, he said he was just returning from church and had also enjoyed a wonderful Bible study a few days previously. He was so happy and said “I understood everything!”

A series of coincidences? I think not! This was a C.O.V.I.D. moment: CHRIST ORCHESTRATING VERY INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS!

Chaplain encounters with People of Peace

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 00:00:00 PST

COVID restrictions continue with little light at the “end of the tunnel”. For how long?

Do you remember the 1970s song, “The King is Coming”, by Bill and Gloria Gaither? The words of the song seem prophetic today:

“The marketplace is empty No more traffic in the streets All the builders’ tools are silent No more time to harvest wheat Busy housewives cease their labours In the court room no debate Work on earth is all suspended As folks consider COVID’s fate…” (Okay, so I edited the ending…)

Fellowship Chaplains Keep Busy

Our Fellowship chaplains have remained busy finding creative ways to continue ministry in the lives of people they connect with at work and in the community. Our chaplains serve many in society who are considered essential service workers, and so, their ministry of presence continues. Here are some of their recent stories:

Len Reimer — Truckstop chaplain, Woodstock, ON

“With the exception of three weeks (March 25th to April 14th), the Woodstock Ministry Centre has been open through the pandemic and the Lord has been faithful to the ministry. Traffic has slowed down a bit so many of the contacts we make happen where the drivers are: in the parking lot, by the fuel bar, in the laundry room, or in the plaza. We’re also keeping in touch via telephone, texting, internet, etc.

We asked ourselves: “how can we reach out to our drivers in this difficult time? How can we meet some of their practical needs, and show them that people care and appreciate all they are doing?”. Someone came up with the idea of making up thank you 'snack packs' to give to our drivers. In April we had one driver stop by the chapel and we had 36 encounters with drivers in the parking lot/plaza. The first words the driver that came into the chapel said were, “Is it ever good to see you here!” In May we had 21 visitors to the chapel and 85 encounters with drivers in the parking lot/plaza. I took some 'snack packs' and headed for the parking lot. The first diver to whom I offered the pack said, “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.” I had many opportunities to meet drivers and speak words of encouragement to them.

In June we had two visitors to the chapel and 210 recorded encounters with drivers in the parking lot/plaza area. We handed out many 'snack packs' and all were well received; some even said, “God bless!” I handed a 'snack pack' to a driver sitting in his truck. He was on the phone but paused and asked, “Are you the people who give away Christmas stockings?” When I said yes, he said, “There is someone who wants to talk to you,” and he handed me his phone. It was his wife, and she thanked us for the Christmas stocking. What an encouraging encounter — praise the Lord!

In total, we gave away well over 250 'snack packs'. They were well received and so appreciated.”

Russ Buckerfield — Hospital/Hospice chaplain, Huntsville, ON

“Serving as a volunteer chaplain to our local rural hospital has been rewarding and a privilege each time I go. When the pandemic hit, I took a step back and re-evaluated whether I should continue to do visitation. While our hospital board deemed chaplaincy an essential service, my wife Cheryl and I had our six-year-old grandson, who has respiratory issues, living with us during weekdays due to the lack of daycare and summer camps. In addition, Cheryl had thyroid cancer several years ago and the resulting surgery had paralyzed her vocal chords resulting in breathing difficulties, I did not want to put either of them at risk.

After sitting on the sidelines for the months of March and April I was being challenged that our ministry is one of presence and I was not present. We prayed and discussed the situation as a family and I met to talk with the senior chaplain at the hospital. We determined that with the proper safeguards in place (PPE), the risk to my family was low. I met for an orientation at the hospital to learn the

Beware of Elephants on the road: Our FAIR appeal

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship opened the new field of Sri Lanka in 2018 with our Love Trust mission partner and Fellowship International missionary, Ronald Jeyaseelan. It has also been a joy to serve one of our Fellowship churches, “Seeker Christian Fellowship”, who give strategic support to two major relief and development projects, one in a predominantly Buddhist region (Tissa project) and the other in a predominantly Hindu region (Batti project).

Both projects host ministries to children (relief and education), vocational training for the parents, small medical clinics, and church planting initiatives.

I visited these projects in the south and east-central regions of Sri Lanka a couple years ago and was so impressed by the level of organization and community impact for the Gospel being made in these largely unreached regions of Sri Lanka. I was thrilled to hear our FAIR department was making “Love Trust” their winter FAIR appeal. I commend to you this ministry and encourage you and your church to give a generous donation. Possibly make this your church’s special Easter offering?

Our FAIR director, Dan Shurr will give you the details of our current FAIR appeal:

Heart of the Village

"Through the “Heart of the Village” special appeal, FAIR is partnering with Ronald Jeyaseelan and his team on the ground in Sri Lanka. The goal is to raise $85,000 to expand the holistic nature of the Love Trust Fellowship child sponsorship ministry to include the mother. Funds raised through the Heart of the Village appeal will be used in three interconnected areas of expansion designed to improve the building and maximize the impact on the lives of both mother and child:

Area one is the planned renovations to the existing building, which includes the addition and outfitting of a large recreational/church space, prenatal care room, and vocational training room as well as improvements to the preschool facilities. Area two is acquiring the resources and labour related to the launch of a prenatal education and food support program for pregnant women, and vocational training to empower the women of Lindula to increase their income and ability to support themselves and their families. Area three of the Heart of the Village appeal is the provision of support to the Love Trust Fellowship Child Sponsorship program at all three Sri Lanka locations as it transitions to being funded by sponsors.

FAIR believes that by supporting and empowering the pregnant women of Lindula, especially those who have been outcast, we are investing in two lives. Through the Heart of the Village appeal, we are inviting you to be the global “village” that helps raise up marginalized mothers and their children. We also encourage you to consider committing to longer-term support for Love Trust by sponsoring a child ($35 per month). Would you prayerfully reflect on how the Lord is calling you to respond to this appeal?"

One Last Word from Steve

On my way to the Batti project our vehicle passed through a national park and drove past a family of wild elephants. A memory I’ll never forget. They stood on the road before us, staring us down, as we cautiously and slowly navigated around them. Upon arrival, so many children and parents came to greet us.

Grace Academy and Preschool, in the Batti project (Central-east coast one hour from Batticaloa) is a Tamil Hindu area. There are approximately 400-500 families being impacted by this project. The people are largely internally displaced people due to the years of civil war and all are part of the lowest Hindu caste (day labourers). The Love Trust ministry is making a big impact. Children are being educated, parents are receiving vocational training (sewing and computer training). The facility hosts a simple medical clinic and a church planter continues to establish a local church in the community with brother Ronald, Muralee, and David giving overall servant leadership to the entire project. Please prayerfully consider giving. Bless you.

Unity Precedes Being on Mission

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 00:00:00 PST

last week my blog introduced our Theme Verse for 2021 : 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)

Our Year of Collaboration and Unity

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Theme Verses

2012: Romans 15:13 — Our year of hope

2013: 2 Corinthians 5:7 — Our year of faith

2014: John 13:35 — Our year of love

2015: Luke 19:10 — Our year of outreach

2016: Titus 2:12 — Our year of devotion

2017: Colossians 2:7 — Our year of discipleship

2018: Romans 12:12 — Our year of prayer

2019: John 4:34 — Our year of mission

2020: Hosea 12:6 — Our year of renewal

2021: 1 Corinthians 1:10 — Our year of collaboration and unity

Last week my blog mentioned my longing to see our churches remain united while we continue the tricky work of navigating our church ministries in the midst of COVID restriction. The devil seeks to use these circumstances to divide, conquer and make us ineffective.

Our unity is essential if we are to experience mission advance in our communities, our country and globally through our missionaries.

I’d like to address the importance of two qualities essential if mission is to be effective among our churches.

The Importance of Peace and Unity

We are part of the same family — God’s family and that changes everything.

The world doesn’t share in this extraordinary oneness, community, and love.

It is our ability to love one another and journey together that makes such an impact and witness to a watching world.

Our unity as brethren is one of our potent evangelistic tools to see spiritually lost people come to Christ.

Jesus calls us to the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20, to go into all the world to make disciples

To accomplish His mission, we must all pursue two thing first:

The First is PEACE

The Hebrew word “shalom” is translated 170 times in our English Bible as “Peace”. The word “shalom” basically means that something is “whole” in the sense that it is “complete”. In 1 Kings 9:25 the word is translated as “finished” (or made whole) in reference to the completion of the temple. In Genesis 15:16 the word is used in reference to the sin of the Amorites which was not yet “complete”. There are 20 instances in the Bible where the word is translated as “perfect”. In 1 Chronicles 29:19, David prays to Jehovah, “and give to my son, Solomon, a ‘perfect’ (shalom) heart to keep your commandments”. In 1 Kings 8:61 Solomon prays that people of God would have a “shalom” or “whole” heart, or wholly devoted heart for God. And so, the fundamental idea behind the word “shalom” is a wholeness or completeness in your relationship to God. Shalom means to be in a right relationship with God, in essence, to be at peace with God. And so, to live in “shalom” with God is to live a life of contentment and abundant living that is free of guilt and is at one with God. This can only be found in Christ. Every last one of us, as Christian leaders, are in the business of brokering peace: with God and ourselves. This peace leads to unity and ensures our wholeness, our completeness, our oneness in Christ and our inseparable bond to one another. This wholeness is manifested in our oneness in Christ, our unity.

The Second is UNITY

The Fellowship National’s motto slogan is SERVE, UNITE, THRIVE. We will not thrive until we unite. One of my essential tasks as president is to protect and guard the unity of our movement. What is unity supposed to look like? Let’s look at Jesus’ Word on Unity in John 17:20-23. In John 17, Jesus is looking for his children to exercise dependence on God, and interdependence on one another. In His “high priestly prayer” He declared this:

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (NIV)

In verse 20-23 there are two sentences that talk about unity. We notice unity is the result of our dependence on God and our interdependence on one another. Both sentences end almost identically with, “that the world may know and believe that You sent me”. So unity has a purpose, and objective to win the spiritually lost. Unity communicates to the spiritual lost community. The parallel construction of the two sentences in the Bible is spectacular. Verse 21 reads “that they all may be one...that they may be in us...that the world may believe”. Verse 22-23 reads, “that they may be one...that they may be brought to complete unity...that the world may know...that you sent me”. Each clause in each sentence starts with the demonstrative pronoun, “that”. This is often called a purpose (“hina”) clause in the Koine Greek New Testament. In fact, Jesus uses 19 purpose clauses in John 17. In John verse 20-23 there are six in these two sentences. Jesus’ over-emphasized point in these clauses is that the church’s purpose is to be characterized by unity as a means to help the world “know” (verse 23) and “believe” (verse 21). Unity has a purpose, an objective, a mission: to win the lost.

Let’s move to the Apostle Paul’s word on unity (Ephesians 4 NIV):

“1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

In a Reader’s Digest article I read, “What is a Good Tree?”. It explained that the roots of trees liked to touch one another. A substance of fungus helps link roots of differing species of trees. An entire forest is linked together. If one tree needs access to water, or nutrients or sunlight...the other trees share. This linkage is the means for all trees to share and mature. In Ephesians 4:1-6; the apostle Paul, talks about unity, specifically the origin and character of our unity.

The Origin of our Unity is Rooted in the Trinity (verse 4-6)

Paul identifies the seven great unities of the Christian church. Unity does not happen because of good structure and programs, but a rooted connection to the Father, Son and Spirit.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

We note the person of the Holy Spirit bringing unity. We see the person of Christ and His ministry of unity. We see the person of the father and His work of unity. We all have the same paternity unifying all of us.

I have two brothers

Our Year of Collaboration and Unity

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:00:00 PST

Each year I ask the Lord to guide me to a scripture theme verse for the year ahead for our movement of churches. It is often a surprising process in picking the verse. For 2021, our scripture verse is 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV) during our year of collaboration and unity:

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Theme Verses

2012: Romans 15:13 — Our year of hope

2013: 2 Corinthians 5:7 — Our year of faith

2014: John 13:35 — Our year of love

2015: Luke 19:10 — Our year of outreach

2016: Titus 2:12 — Our year of devotion

2017: Colossians 2:7 — Our year of discipleship

2018: Romans 12:12 — Our year of prayer

2019: John 4:34 — Our year of mission

2020: Hosea 12:6 — Our year of renewal

2021: 1 Corinthians 1:10 — Our year of collaboration and unity

Why this verse and the theme of collaboration and unity in 2021?

At least three reasons:

“Agree with one another” vs 10 (a)

Please join me in praying that we’ll experience an “agreeable” spirit as we continue collaboration conversations with two other Baptist groups: The General Baptist Conference (BGC), and the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC). How might we better collaborate and partner together to do a more effective job at reaching Canadians for Christ in the years to come.

“No divisions” vs 10 (b)

Please join me in praying that the current process to complete National Fellowship’s next five year strategic plan (FNSP: 2021-2026) will proceed without “division” I hope to finalize this Fellowship National Strategic Plan by the summer of 2021. A final report summarizing the highlights and outcomes of our FNSP : 2015-2020 will be included in the winter 2021 edition of our THRIVE magazine. I believe you’ll be encouraged to read what our churches have accomplished for God’s glory!

FNSP: September 2015 — August 2020 “20/20 by 2020”

FNSP: September 2021 — August 2026 “Catalyze: Disciples Making Disciples Everywhere”

“Perfect unity” vs 10 (c)

Please join me in praying for our local churches as they continue to navigate the difficult realities of ministry in the midst of COVID restrictions and circumstances. The devil seeks restriction and circumstances. The devil seeks to divide us, but “God is for us” (Romans 8:31). I have heard from pastoral leaders about the strong opinions being expressed by congregants on how to address every detail of church life and ministry in the midst of the pandemic. After ten months of constant decision-making, creativity, and pivoting, many leaders are getting tired. Division is a possibility especially when we’re suffering fatigue.

Next week I’d like to address further the importance of UNITY if we are ever going to effectively remain on MISSION. Until then…

Have a Good Laugh before Christmas

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:00:00 PST

I thought I’d send you a couple jokes to put a smile on your face. Feel free to use them over the Christmas break. With all the busyness and stress of the season, I hope you take a moment to laugh out loud!

I know many of you are looking forward to all the delicious goodies that many of us enjoy at Christmas. Turkey, ham, sweets, etc., etc.

A man dies and as he’s getting a tour through Heaven, he meets a man with something under his arm. He asks his guide what the man has under his arm. “Well, he’s a Catholic and that is his missal,” the guide responds. He meets a second man with something under his arm. The guide says. “Well, he’s an Anglican and that is his common prayer book.” He meets a third man with something under his arm. The guide says. “Well, he’s a Baptist, and that is a casserole!”

And for those who say men don’t remember what their dear wives want for Christmas, here is a story to debunk that mythology:

A couple were Christmas shopping. The shopping centre was packed and as the wife walked around, she was surprised to discover that her husband was nowhere to be seen. She was quite upset and worried because they had a lot to do, so she called him on her cell phone to ask where he was.

In a quiet voice he said: “Do you remember the jewellers we went into about five years ago, where you fell in love with that diamond necklace that we couldn’t afford, and I told you that I would get it for you one day?”

The wife choked up, started to cry and said: “Yes, I do remember that shop.”

He replied: “Well, I’m in the hardware store next door!"

I hope you laughed, or at least chuckled.

May you and your family experience a most memorable and blessed Christmas. Let’s never become so accustomed that we miss the mystery of this wonderful time of year. Jesus in the cradle; may it put a smile on your face!

You won’t hear from me for a couple weeks over the Christmas and New Year’s break. Stay safe.

From your Fellowship National staff to you, your family, and church family, may you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Pax Romana and the Gospel good news!

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 00:00:00 PST

Are you ready for Christmas? Purchased all of your Christmas presents?

I heard of two women standing in front of a department store window with a large display of the manger scene. All the figures were there including the baby Jesus. One of the ladies looked at her friend and said, “Look at that, the church trying to horn in on Christmas now!”

With all the busyness, preparation, and vast commercialism surrounding the season, some forget Jesus was the One who started it all.

I wonder what Jesus thinks about the way we celebrate the Christmas season. All the rich food, chocolate and racing through the shopping malls bedecked in festive face masks. So different from the first Christmas.

Our Savior was born in a cattle stall—an animal feeding trough in very humble circumstances. Does He have any relevance today?

Well, let’s think about that.

He was born to an unwed mother in a violent regime, just like half of the world’s population today.

He was born in Asia, just like half of the world’s population today.

He became a refugee in Africa as a child, where we find half of the world’s refugees today.

He actually has a lot in common with much of humanity today.

He was born under Emperor Caesar Augustus during a peaceful time in Rome’s violent history. The peace was largely due to the very able, and sometimes ruthless leadership of Augustus. He borrowed a Greek word to describe this: “Pax Romana”. The word was “Gospel or Good News”. He believed he was ushering in a new world order, an era that would spread the light of justice and the Roman way of life. He believed his enlightened empire would last forever.

Meanwhile, in an obscure corner of his empire, a little Baby was born without much notice at all.

The historians missed His birth completely, except for a few wise astronomers visiting from the East, which is now the modern day Middle East. All other politicians and dignitaries missed the birth announcement altogether.

We know about this Baby because of four books written about Him years after His death. These same four biographies also borrowed the Greek word “Gospel” to describe the story of a Baby. And, like Augustus, they used the term to describe the new world order this baby’s birth would inaugurate. Not a kingdom of this world, but a Spiritual Kingdom that would reign in the hearts of humanity itself. And it all stemmed from the very humble beginnings of a Baby in a manger, in the little town of Bethlehem

Everyone loves a good story, the Good News really is good news.

A Christmas Gift that Keeps on Giving

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 00:00:00 PST

I had the privilege of visiting our Fellowship International missionaries (Melodie Francis, Rick and Ena Ward) in Honduras at the Casa Hogar children’s home a couple years back. It was a joy to see our mission personnel interact with the many children and their Honduran caregivers. In recent years I also visited with our missionaries caring for children at Cedar Home (Karim and Rita Anayssi) and Clementia Life Centre for Syrian refugee children (Bechara and Roula Karkafi) in Beirut, Lebanon, along with a visit to Sri Lanka to visit two development projects (Ronald Jeyaseelan) for children and their families.

A year ago our Fellowship began a “Child Sponsorship Program” to help care for these children. My wife and I began sponsoring little Gabriel, a boy who chose to be my art assistant as we painted a large mural together on a wall outside one of the boy’s bedrooms at Casa Hogar in Honduras. What a joy it was to get to know Gabriel. He is also a very skilled soccer player.

A Christmas Gift that Keeps on Giving

Would you consider sponsoring one of these children in Honduras, Lebanon, or Sri Lanka as a gift to a loved one this Christmas? We are looking for 665 Sponsorships at $35/month. This would be a very meaningful gift for a family member or friend and could change the life of one of the children our missionaries have the privilege of caring for.

Next Steps in Becoming a Partner

Let me introduce you to Denise Wicks, Projects and Promotion Coordinator for our FAIR department. She will give you further information and next steps in joining our Fellowship’s “Child Sponsorship Program”. Here is what she has to say,

“When you sponsor a child through the Fellowship Child Sponsorship program you are doing so much more than sending $35 every month. That is because that money has a huge impact on the child and their location. For the children, it means food, shelter (for our residential programs), emotional support, education, friendship, community, and most important of all, the opportunity to have a relationship with our living God who loves them. However, that’s not all. Being a child sponosor also impacts the community. Whether it’s helping friends of the children, providing support for parents, or simply being able to purchase from local businesses, each of the ministries provides new avenues for blessing the needy and sharing the Gospel. So, if you’re looking for a Christmas gift that keeps on giving, check out the Fellowship Child Sponsorship program webpage here (fellowship.ca/ChildSponsorship), or learn about the four ministry locations here (fellowship.ca/locations).”

Why not get some Christmas shopping out of the way and sponsor a child who could use your help this Christmas?! Thank you!

Church Planting and the Conversion Story in our Fellowship

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 00:00:00 PST

We are living in amazing times. If today were a typical day, 30,000 people came to Christ in China, 20,000 in Africa and 10,000 in South America. If you take that “much fruit” of known conversions happening DAILY in the world and divide it by 24, we discover that about 3,000 people are coming to Christ HOURLY around the globe.

What was the apex of growth in the days of the early church with 3,000 coming to Christ on the day of Pentecost, is now an HOURLY occurrence, not a DAILY occurrence. We live in “fruitful” times.

Fellowship Church Planting in Canada

I meet up with our Fellowship Regional Church Planting Directors several times each year to pray and strategize to better support our local churches and Regions in the establishing of church plants across our country. The team just completed an analysis of church planting in our Fellowship over the past decade. It is encouraging news as between 2010-2020 our Fellowship planted 102 new churches. Not all survived but the vast majority did. Here are the results:

Year

Pacific

Prairies

FEB Central

AÉBÉQ

Atlantic

Total

2010

1

-

-

-

1

2

2011

2

-

3

1

-

6

2012

2

-

4

1

-

7

2013

2

-

5

1

-

8

2014

-

1

2

2

-

5

2015

2

-

11

-

2

15

2016

2

-

6

1

-

9

2017

-

1

7

1

-

9

2018

3

-

5

4

-

12

2019

-

1

11

3

-

15

2020

2

0

9

3

0

14

Total

16

3

63

17

3

102

This is good news. Wonderful news. And many more Fellowship churches are strategically considering how to multiply themselves via church planting, satellite congregations, or multiplying through Discovery Bible Studies.

However, before we get too encouraged, recognize that the EFC’s 2020 survey on evangelical growth in Canada shared some sobering news. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada surveys our nation about every five years. The EFC recently discovered that the evangelical population of our nation dropped from 7.7% to 6.4% over the past five years. The largest decrease to occur since the second World War. This is not good news. We are not reproducing ourselves.

A few years back, with the help of a friend more inclined than I when it comes to discovering statistics, we sought to discover how many Fellowship Baptists it took to produce one new believer. Here is our “unscientific” estimate.

How many come to Christ each day in Canada?

The Fellowship is a movement of 507 churches from coast to coast. Our latest statistics, based on 429 churches, indicate that on any given Sunday approximately 80,700 people show up to a Fellowship church. However, since only a certain percentage of our people are present on any given Sunday due to sickness, vacation or apathy, likely the true number of Fellowship Baptist church-goers is closer to 135,000. Our statistics indicate that approximately 2,141 people came to Christ in our churches in one year. We can get our average either by:

Total number of churches (507) divided by total number of conversions (2,141) equals 4.2 conversions per year in each Fellowship church

Total number of Fellowship believers (135,000) divided by total number of conversions (2,141) equals 63. It takes 63 Fellowship Baptist believers to produce one new believer

Hmmmm…. So if the Fellowship is typical of other Canadian evangelical denominations or movements, then somewhere between 100-120 people are coming to Christ on a daily basis in Canada. I pray that you’ll join me in asking the Lord of the Harvest for many, many more. Could we start praying for 1,000 a day? Imagine 1,000 Canadians coming to Christ each day – that’s 365,000 a year; 1.1 million in just three years; 10.1 million in ten years. In a country of 35 million….this would revolutionize our nation!

This Christmas, thousands of Canadians will hear the Gospel…the real reason for the season. Let’s pray that many will respond to their Saviour and make Jesus their Lord! Can I get a “witness” out there in cyber space?!

Are you concerned about Bill C-6 and C-7?

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 00:00:00 PST

The new federal parliament is looking at two pieces of legislation that should concern you and our churches.

The Conversion Therapy Bill is Reintroduced

The federal government has re-introduced former Bill C-8 (October 1, 2020) which was squashed after parliament was prorogued.

The Conversion Therapy Bill (now Bill C-6) offers so broad a definition of conversion therapy (therapies for Canadians wishing to exit homosexual practice) that it could criminalize Bible teaching or religious instruction on human sexuality.

Conversion therapy is defined broadly as: “a practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, or to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour”.

The new Bill (C-6) would create five new Criminal Code offences which includes offences to those who might “repress or reduce” someone’s homosexual behaviour. The Justice Department has indicated this would not criminalize family members, doctors, school counselor, faith leaders, and pastoral counsellors from “providing support (not defined) to persons struggling with their sexual orientation, sexual feelings or gender identity”.

Previously, when Justice Minister Lametti was asked if it would be legal for religious leaders to speak about homosexuality, he mentioned it was an open-ended and exploratory conversation. Adding, “What is covered (in the bill) by this legislation are practices that attempt to changes one’s orientation towards a predefined goal”. The qualifiers being used by the Justice Minister are murky, undefined, and not included in the legislation. Would a sermon or Bible study be viewed as a “practice” that seeks to order someone’s sexual choices based on religious conscience?

The EFC and other faith groups are voicing concern over Bill C-6. The EFC recently sent a letter to the Justice Minister, click HERE, sharing our concerns with Bill C-6. You can go to the EFC’s website to view some prepared resources, click HERE, for you and your church to share your personal concern with this new legislation. Prayerfully consider contacting your Member of Parliament and Prime Minister today.

New changes to the MAiD law in Bill C-7.

Bill C-7 was introduced to the new parliament on October 5, 2020. This bill is expected to move fairly quickly through parliament; the Justice Minister hopes by December 18, 2020.

The major change to the existing MAiD law (a new law passed in 2016) allows Canadians to seek assisted death when they are not dying or their death is not imminent. The new bill would remove the need for “reasonably foreseeable” death as a requirement for assisted suicide and euthanasia. The bill will remove the “ten day reflection period” between the request for assistance and the date of death. The bill also redefines the requirement of a person to be able to “consent” at the time of their death. While also setting additional conditions for assisted suicide for those who are not dying.

Unfortunately, recent statistics indicate a sizable majority of Canadians are in favour of opening the MAiD law to include these progressive measures. And so, the sanctity of life voice in Canada receives another body blow as the culture of death continues to creep across our landscape. Click HERE to read more about it and how I, as Fellowship President, on behalf of the Fellowship, signed a letter opposing Bill C-7 which was sent to the Prime Minister, Justice Minister and Parliament.

The EFC (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada) has further information on Bill C-7 on their website. Prayerfully consider contacting your Member of Parliament and Prime Minister soon.

Is there a Doctor in the House?

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:00 PST

Is there a doctor in the house?

Our Fellowship International department has partnered with WorldVenture for decades in the running of the Shikarpur Christian Hospital, a maternal health care facility for mothers and babies.

Currently there is a desperate need tor a doctor to serve at the hospital. Do you know someone who might consider this opportunity? Please consider passing this urgent need to your local church, friends, colleagues, and family contacts. The need is critical and we would like to hear from you soon!

Luc and Denise Tétreault served at the hospital for a few years. Luc now serves as our Fellowship International Associate Director. I’ve asked Luc to give further details concerning this opportunity and how to get further information concerning the position and next steps:

“Quality medical care is scarce in this rural area. The Shikarpur Christian Hospital is seeking an obstetrician/gynecologist and a pediatrician to join their team. Other physicians with experience in these fields or a willingness to learn may also apply. Opportunities to share your faith with patients and their families are abundant. Because of the cultural reality of this area of Pakistan, female applicants or an older male would be preferred. For new graduates, we may be able to provide help in covering your student loan.”

The Shikarpur Christian Hospital (SCH) started as a clinic by Dr. Mable Bruce in the early 1950s with the first building built in 1969. A second wing was built in the 1970s, and the last wing was constructed in 1989. The hospital has two large patient rooms (12 beds in each) along with a patient wing with 12 private rooms. About 50 patients visit each day along through the outpatient department. There is a labour room, delivery room, and two surgical theatres where c-sections and other surgical procedures are performed. Dr. Priscilla Carpenter (WorldVenture) has served at SCH for several decades along with the nursing director, Joanna Beeler (WorldVenture), who leads a team of midwives and Pakistani nurses.

There are other missionary team members who are involved in discipleship of the patients and relief and development projects in the community. The work and ministry of SCH is significant. Please think of someone you can send this email to. The current need of a doctor at the hospital is critical. Thank you.

Daily Hoist Up the White Flag

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 00:00:00 PST

Is there anything really serene in surrender? The Random House dictionary defines serene as, “calm an unruffled”. However, when we think of surrender we think of beaten soldiers in battle or sports teams that have lost all hope. Our culture has romanticized victory in the face of certain defeat. But it rarely happens. We are taught to hate to lose. Random House defines surrender as, “giving up, to abandon or relinquish hope.” The word “surrender” has been given a bad rap in the English language. Surrender doesn’t sound very “calm or unruffled” in its understanding in our culture.

Isn’t it typical for Jesus to be so counter-cultural when He talks about surrender? When defining surrender, Jesus flies in the face of conventional wisdom. He sees tremendous victory in surrender. His words on the subject are found in Mark 8:35 (NIV): “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses (surrenders) their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

In other words, in losing we gain. Serenity can only be found in surrender. The calm, unruffled, contented life we seek can only be found when we give up control. Hoist the white flag. Decide to follow His plan, rather than my plan. Sometimes that’s really important to remember when I want to quit—quit my job, my marriage, my church, my mission field, my faith.

When I accept God’s plan rather than my own, it may mean accepting the things I cannot change or control. There are many things in life I cannot change or control. I have to learn to accept these things as part of God’s “good” plan. This is what it means to live a surrendered life. It’s hard.

How do I not get frustrated or want to quit because of something or someone that seems unchangeable? Worry and resentment never work. Feeling guilty never changed the past. Getting angry is absolutely futile. None of these will give us a single ounce of serenity. The only thing that works is surrender—learning to be satisfied with God’s plan. Read Philippians 4:11-13 and we see that Paul “learned” to be content. It doesn’t come naturally to serial sinners, but surrendering will save me from years of bone-crunching bitterness.

If we want to experience serenity in life and ministry, we’ve got to be able to honestly say, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done!” Being at war with God will keep us from the serene life. So, hoist the white flag. Surrender. Surrender to God’s will no matter the circumstances. In surrender we’ll find serenity and contentment.

Upcoming FNC 2020 and Fellowship National Day of Prayer

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:00:00 PST

Are you joining us this Wednesday, November 4, 2020 from 2-4pm for FNC 2020?

Our Fellowship National Conference is going virtual but you must register. Registration is free. Click here to do so.

Participants will hear exciting reports (via video) outlining how God is at work within our Fellowship, and our special speaker, Dr. Don Carson, will provide a challenge from the Word. There will also be some required business. I hope you’re planning to join us.

Let me also invite you to FNC 2021 on November 8-10, 2021, in Halifax, NS with special guest Dr. Ed Stetzer. Mark this in your calendars now.

International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the Persecuted Church

I hope some of you were able to commemorate this special day yesterday. This annual reminder encourages us to pray and act on behalf of the thousands of Christian brothers and sisters who are being persecuted for no other reason than the name of Christ. While this special day of prayer focused on Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Yemen, they are but only a few among dozens who persecute their countrymen because of their faith.

On October 14, 2020, our Fellowship National Council instructed their President to sign a declaration calling China to stop their persecution of the Uyghur people, an ethnic Muslim minority people living in China. Millions have been persecuted by displacement, re-education privations, torture, and execution. Some are calling this genocide.

Please pray for the persecuted; especially our own “household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Fellowship National Day of Prayer

Just a reminder, too, of our upcoming Fellowship Day of Prayer this coming Sunday, November 8th. You can find helpful resources (here) to provide your congregation with key requests from our National, Regional, and International ministries across Canada. Thank you for joining us for this special prayer focus.

Navigating the Waves: Phone the Hotline

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 PST

The storms of life are inevitable and they can “rock our boat” causing doubt, disappointments, and even depression.

In Matthew 8:24 (NLT) the disciples found themselves in one of those inevitable storms with their boat rocking: “Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.”

It starts with an unexpected “storm” and then the overwhelming “waves” that then start pouring into the “boat”. Then, we look for help and we see Jesus “sleeping”.

The Storm

The disciples found themselves in a boat in the Sea of Galilee. A lake which is only 14 miles by two miles in width and surrounded by mountains making it the perfect wind tunnel to funnel storms off the neighbouring Mediterranean Sea. These storms could catch even a seasoned professional fisherman off guard and unaware. The disciples were in the midst of one of these unforeseen storms.

The one certainty of life that we can hold onto is the ‘un-certainty’ of it all. Life will hurl storms at us through unexpected problems, crises, and disappointments. What are we doing to prepare ourselves?

The Waves

These were big waves and the scene would have been frightening for the disciples. When the waves started to enter the boat the disciples were fearful.

There will be overwhelming circumstances in life that cause us to feel like we’re sinking and when these circumstances pile up, we can’t handle them, we become overwhelmed and we panic.

Recent studies indicate that people in ministry often find themselves in this place. A major North American survey of pastors (by Dr. Richard J. Krejcir) indicated that:

89% of pastors considered leaving the ministry

75% felt unqualified to lead a church

35-45% leave ministry most often after the five year mark

33% admitted ministry is hazardous to their family

70% of church leaders admitted they have no close friends

In a Focus on the Family survey they discovered 150 pastors in Canada leave the ministry each month. From time to time I remind you of the “Clergy Care” Hotline which the Fellowship pays for, so pastoral couples, missionaries, and chaplains have somewhere to confidently turn to for support.

In a recent report to me (I am never told who phones but I receive reports on the issues being called in about), the top issues were marriage crisis, wayward children, porn addiction, and church conflict. Our very own Fellowship Healthcare Plan indicates that our members top ranked medication needs were 1. Blood pressure 3. Depression 6. Gastrointestinal and ulcer issues 19. Stress and insomnia issues. These two surveys also indicate that 70% of North American pastors battle with burn out, fatigue, or depression.

The Boat

The disciples sought to fend off the storm and waves but their boat was inadequate. This was a fierce storm that was too large for their small boat. If they had been on a cruise ship they would have been fine.

Our own resources can seem insufficient while in a predicament — my emotional tank is inadequate, my bank account is insufficient, and we worry and get overwhelmed.

In our story in Matthew 8, we find Jesus just having ministered to thousands of people and now He is getting some much needed rest. He needs to rest because thousands are waiting for His arrival on the other side of the lake but the disciples see him sleeping and feel very much alone. They panic asking, “Who is going to wake up Jesus?”

But then we look to Jesus and we wonder if He might be sleeping while we’re in our predicament. We’re in a storm and the Lord is having a cat-nap. “Jesus don’t you see what is happening in my life?” “Why don’t you do something about it?” “My health, my job loss, my pain, my marriage, my wayward kids; do you not see what’s happening?”

Life at times can feel overwhelming and IF we’re not intentionally taking care of our soul, our inner life, these feelings can cause a spiritual, emotional, or psychological crisis in our life.

I was sitting in a pastor’s office waiting for the worship service to begin and I did what I always do, I spied out the books on his bookshelves in the office. And like a moth perilously attracted to the light, my eyes fixed on one book: Phillip Yancey’s “Disappointment with God”. I’ve been there, you’ve been there.

One year, my youngest daughter attended my birthday dinner and during the meal she mentioned that when her friends gather for a birthday meal they ask if there is any insight they had learned the past year that all of them could benefit from. Great idea. I thought for a moment and said, “In my 30s and 40s I learned to manage my time. In my 50s, I needed to learn to manage my energy (I got these two insights from a good friend). But on the eve of entering my 60s, I think I’ll need to learn how to manage my expectations and the grief associated with it.” What I meant was, it’s a time when you start to realize not everything you planned is going to happen or happen in the way you thought it would. Not everything worked out the way I thought it would and that is probably not going to change.

What do we do with the disappointment? The grief? It can cripple us emotionally and spiritually. But before that happens reach out to someone.

Our Fellowship has partnered with Focus on the Family Canada to offer a Clergy-Care Hotline for all our pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their spouses and children. If you’re feeling duress, contact this hotline at: 1-888-5-CLERGY and speak confidently to a professionally licensed Christian counselor.

For more information click HERE.

Would you die for your vision?

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:00 PST

Thousands have been marching on our city streets despite coronavirus restrictions. It is thrilling for some while putting a fearful chill in others. A whole generation of “woke” warriors chant a vision of a new society. Many are sincere while others seek an opportunity to promote their ideological agenda in a violent way. With an American election only weeks away and a Canadian federal election potentially on the horizon, none of us can escape the multiple visions of a preferred future being hoisted upon us.

Vision is a powerful thing. Every movement starts with a clear caption that propels and captures people’s attention. It starts with a vision. The movement is sustained by a continued reminder and commitment to the vision.

The same is true in our churches. However, the reality is that vision constantly “leaks”. It’s the first thing to leak out of our churches. People with busy lives quickly forget why the church exists. Many slip into the lie that the church exists for me.

Any vision that comes quickly or unanimously through committee consensus will be a vision that may be approved, but not necessarily owned. And if it isn’t owned, brother, it isn’t going to happen.

Vision is a painting. I’m a water colour artist. Vision is a painting of a scene that produces passion or emotion in people. It is a preferred future that inspires, brings hope, and with God’s help, comes into being.

The Apostle John on Ownership

In John 10, we listen to Jesus tell the story of the hired-hands who cared for the sheep. When a pack of wolves came looking for a rack of lamb, guess who went running for the hills – the hired-hands! The owner knew the sheep by name and would risk his life for his lambs. Owners do whatever it takes to propel the mission and vision forward. Owners are willing to die for the mission they own.

Which begs the question—do I give assent to Jesus’ mission, applaud it, or do I own His mission?

One Day on “Bloody Sunday”

Six hundred people crossed a bridge in Louisiana marching to Montgomery, Alabama in March 1965 to tell the governor that blacks should be able to vote. On the other side of the bridge stood many racist police officers with attack dogs, clubs, and tear gas. These people stopped, looked at the police, the teeth, the clubs, and they all did a “gut check”. Do I really own this vision, because it’s likely going to mean getting in harm’s way? Today we know this event as “Bloody Sunday”. A nation realized change was coming because some people were willing to die for a vision of a preferred future. The Civil Rights movement followed this blood bath.

Vision leaks amid weak leadership

Vision leaks. This is a fact. It’s inevitable in church and any organization. Most people get their ownership cue from their leader. They are willing to take a bullet as long as the leader is willing to take the first bullet. Most won’t settle for the “hired-hand” lowball vision that costs little. This vision birthed by leaders asking people to own what they themselves are not willing to pay for. Most want to own something that costs dearly. Jesus is one example. Salvation cost Him glory. Imagine a divine being becoming a baby unable to neither feed Himself nor hold His own bladder. It cost Him His blood at Calvary. Our people wait for a leader with a vision that is costly. Are you a hired hand or an owner?

What is the debt owed on a one-year old sin?

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 00:00:00 PST

On the second Monday of each October, all Canadians are asked to be thankful. However, the Scriptures instruct that all spirit-filled Christians should always be thankful.

A thankful heart is at the very heart of what it means to be a spirit-controlled believer.

In December 1914, the famous inventor, Thomas Edison, stood before his great laboratories in West Orange, New Jersey. His laboratories were engulfed in flames and in one night he lost $2,000,000-worth of equipment and the record of much of his life’s work. Edison’s son, Charles, was frantically running around trying to find his father, only to find him standing before the blaze with the fire’s wind blowing through his white hair. Charles later wrote about how his heart ached for his father at that moment. He was no longer a young man; everything had been destroyed. How could he possibly replace all his life’s work? His father spotted him and quickly instructed him to fetch his mother, because she would never see such a spectacular fire again.

The next morning as they walked through the devastation, the now 67-year-old Edison said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God! We can start all over again!”

What an amazing perspective on life. Edison lived life with a quiet, thankful spirit despite the circumstances.

We have so much to be thankful for as God’s children. I’m thankful for God’s grace. Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) tells us: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Thank God that He chooses to give me what I need, not what I deserve. My debt was paid in full by someone else. God is so good. My bank allows me to roll my credit card’s debt into the next month, with some interest, of course. Thank God He doesn’t act that way towards me!

What do you suppose the debt on a year-old sin might actually cost? Will God let me pay off today’s sin next month, or maybe next year? Suppose you went to the bank to pay off your credit card and the bank teller tells you that a Steven Jones has paid it off and has instructed the bank that he will continue to pay the balance each month…forever. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? I know Steven Jones well; that’s never going to happen.

However, God’s GRACE does this for those who have become His children. Isn’t that something to be thankful for? Psalm 103 starts by sharing a whole shopping list of things God does for us because of His grace. Aren’t you thankful God doesn’t give you what you deserve? Instead He gives you what you need…His grace! Thank you, Jesus.

Strike Down the Shepherd, the Sheep Scatter!

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 00:00:00 PST

The month of October is “Pastor Appreciation month”. How is your church showing appreciation for your pastor(s) and church staff? It’s not too late.

Our shepherds have been trying for seven months to shepherd us in ways none of us could have expected. I’m hearing fatigue in the voices of many pastors. One colleague mentioned he was suffering from “decision-fatigue”. Every ministry needs to be offered (or ended) in a new way with multiple decisions needing to be made. This is a time for courageous leadership. No one said it would be easy.

In the movie Brave Heart, William Wallace sought to lead his countrymen against the British Crown in an attempt to gain Scotland’s independence.

Mel Gibson as William Wallace The actor playing William Wallace spoke to the aristocratic leaders of Scotland saying, “You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom... men don’t follow titles, they follow courage… And if you would just lead them to freedom, they’d follow you. And so would I.”

That is one of the best descriptions of spiritual leadership I’ve heard – those who exist, not for themselves, but for those whom they serve; seeking to present spiritual freedom, liberty in Christ, and doing that with COURAGE!

I believe pastors need to act like surgeon generals, with the care and healing touch of a surgeon but also modeling the courageous heart and mind of an army general. Care and courage; shepherd and rancher; priestly and prophetic duties need to be carefully stewarded by our pastors. However, it is becoming harder and harder for our pastors to fulfill their courageous prophetic role. They are shot out of the saddle for stepping out in courageous leadership. The result is that many are struggling, some are leaving the ministry, several are being dismissed from their churches, and many are walking around with open wounds. We rarely talk about it.

In Zechariah 13:7 (NLT) we read: “Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I [the Lord] will turn against the lambs”. If our churches continue to strike out against their shepherds, the Lord will turn against the lambs and judgement falls upon these churches. There are many reasons why this is happening. Both pastoral leaders and local churches need to take their share of the blame. Pastors need to fear God more than the people they lead, and churches need to truly release courageous pastors to lead. But even a military general finds it difficult to lead when his army has lost its mission and purpose for existence.

A peacetime army struggles with boredom, insubordination, petty competition, inertia, and selfishness. A wartime army is characterized by courage, discipline, chain of command, mobilization, and selfless acts of heroism.

Churches that act as if we are at peace within a spiritually hostile world will generally strike out if their leader suggests that ministry could be done another way. Over time, the result is ineffectual ministries led by wounded leaders.

What is the answer? I think we can start by daily praying for pastors and leaders within our Fellowship family. Renewal, purpose, and courage must start with our leaders. Please join me in praying for our spiritual leaders during “Pastor Appreciation month”. Let’s pray that the “Bride” will stand as an army for Jesus’ sake.

WWHD: What Would Henriette Do?!

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 00:00:00 PST

I’m hosting a virtual QVT (Quebec Vision Tour) on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 1-2:30pm (EST). I would love to invite you for a Zoom gathering with other church leaders to learn more about partnering with French church planting in Quebec. In 90 minutes you’ll:

meet several Quebec regional leaders and church planters,

be introduced to several church plant projects that are hoping to partner with your church,

learn how you and your church can start a 7x7=1 partnership

If interested please reply here and our QVT hosts (Sergei Li and myself) will be in touch with you soon.

The Spiritual Need in Quebec is Still Significant

Quebec remains one of the greatest regions of spiritual need in Canada and all the Americas,with only 0.8% of French Canadians identifying as evangelical Christian. You can drive two or three hours in any direction of that province before finding any evangelical churches. Imagine driving from Vancouver, BC to Hope, BC, or from Calgary, AB to Edmonton, AB, or from Winnipeg, MB to Brandon, MB, or from Toronto, ON to Waterloo, ON, or from Halifax, NS to Lunenburg, NS and not seeing one evangelical church. This is Quebec, the spiritual need is staggering.

The Early Years Were Tough

A few years back I visited a cemetery in Quebec that told the story of a Gospel advance in Quebec starting in the mid-1800s. It’s a fascinating story and here is a brief synopsis with a few photos I took at the location. I think you’ll find this interesting.

After a revival broke out in Geneva, Switzerland (1816-1817), some adherents broke from the state Protestant church. These dissidents were persecuted by a law (1824) that could send them into exile. Henriette Feller left the official state church in 1827 and joined an Evangelical Missions Society in Lausanne after her husband’s death. This society began sending missionaries to Lower Canada. In August 1834, Henriette left for Canada accompanied by Pastor Louis Roussy. In September 1836 she took up residence in Grande-Ligne (10 miles south of Saint-Jean, QC) after being forced from several other places due to persecution.

The Earlier Years were Tough

Other Society missionaries lasted only a year before returning to Switzerland. During the 1837 rebellion in Quebec, she fled with some converts to the United States, accused of being friendly with the British. But, the 1837 rebellion broke the grip that the Roman Catholic priests had on society and French Protestanism advanced. Henriette would say, “The time is come, Canada is open.”

Preaching locations opened along with schools and the French Canadian Missionary Society opened in Montreal in February 1839. Henriette endorsed their mission, but never joined them, due likely to her fierce desire to be independent of outside influence. She went on eight fundraising trips to the United States insisting Louis Roussy report on the Grand-Ligne church and school every few days. Her school students called her “mother”.

From 1855 to her death in 1868, her health was very poor, however, it never stopped her from running the affairs of the mission, even from her bedroom. Throughout her 32 years of missionary service in French Canada, Henriette Feller settled the first Francophone protestant community in Quebec, educated young people, sent gifted Francophones for higher learning, and established nine Protestant French churches with seven pastors shepherding them. There were approximately 900 members attending those churches.

The Fellowship’s own Dr. Michael Haykin, one of Canada’s leading church historians, once said to me, “Steve, by the end of the nineteenth century there were about 50,000 French evangelical Christians in Quebec.”

I wonder what happened to this impact. Immigration to the United States because of persecution in Quebec, fewer missionaries being sent to Lower Canada, poor leadership, and evangelistic apathy among the the churches, and in a couple of generations the Grande-Ligne’s legacy had floundered. Remember, the Christian church is always one generation away from extinction.

The Fellowship’s Early Years in Quebec

Some young Bible students started leaving for Quebec in the 1940s and 1950s. Pioneers like Wilf Wellington, Murray and Lorne Heron, Ernie Keefe, and others. French churches were started, the Fellowship’s French Mission was established and approximately 100 churches have been planted. Today, there are over 80 French-speaking Fellowship churches in Quebec – the largest French denomination in Quebec. It’s a wonderful story of God’s grace. But, only 0.8% of French Canadians identify themselves as evangelical Christians. Our work has only begun.

Missiologists tell us that nations or people groups under 2-3% evangelical will struggle to sustain themselves without any outside help. Imagine our Fellowship churches and donors stopping our commitment in Francophone Canada now. At only 0.8%, we would likely repeat the late nineteenth century history. The great gains of the past 50 years might all but disappear in one single generation. We cannot let this happen! The time is come. French Canada is open!

Very few nations are sending missionaries to French Canada. As Canadians, the Lord has given us His divine responsibility. Please join me in praying for the salvation of Canadians – French Canadians. And consider joining on October 21, 2020 at 1:00 pm for a virtual “Quebec Vision Tour”. Reply here and join my Zoom gathering.

Thank God for the Henriette Feller’s of the church. I am hoping we have others in Canada with a heart to reach French Canadians for Christ.

Weathering the Storm

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 00:00:00 PST

It is reported that the coronavirus pandemic will likely launch a further half billion more people into crippling poverty.

It is tough in Canada but it is even tougher in many developing countries. For this reason our FAIR department is launching: Weathering the Storm (September – December 2020), an appeal that is best described by our FAIR Director Dan Shurr.

“FAIR has been working with many Fellowship International missionaries to meet the needs of their communities during the worst of the pandemic. Through the Weathering the Storm appeal, FAIR is seeking to raise $80,000 to support their work. Funds will be used towards the purchase of food baskets and cooking essentials. In cases where deemed appropriate, rent or income support and resources for families to get back on their feet may be provided.

“Currently identified missionaries and fields include Diego and Claudia Cardona (Colombia), Karim and Rita Anayssi and Bechara and Roula Karkafi (Lebanon), Edwin and Helmi Karwur (Indonesia), Ronald Jeyaseelan (Sri Lanka), the Walls (France), stranded international students in Canada, and in the area surrounding Shikarpur Christian Hospital (Pakistan).

“FAIR is also inviting you to take part in the Weathering the Storm appeal through faithful giving. By prayerfully and wisely sharing your resources, you can help some of the most vulnerable during these challenging days.

“Secure donations to the Weathering the Storm appeal can be made online at: fellowship.ca/WeatheringtheStorm”

The Fellowship’s Child Sponsorship Program

September marks one year since the launch of the Fellowship Child Sponsorship program. In the past 12 months, we have seen 79 new sponsors commit to 116 sponsorships. This means that we only need 365 more sponsorships to reach our goal of 665 — which will mean the ministries are sustained by sponsors. Sponsors are giving monthly or annually in support of the holistic ministries at one or more of the four program locations (Casa Hogar in Honduras, Clementia Life Centre in Lebanon, Cedar Home in Lebanon, and Love Trust in Sri Lanka). You can find out more about the Fellowship Child Sponsorship program or sponsor a child by visiting fellowship.ca/ChildSponsorship

Please prayerfully consider giving to these opportunities to alleviate some suffering in the world.

The toughest job in Canada?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 00:00:00 PST

We’re nearing the end of our summer break. I hope you have experienced some rest this summer.

A busy ministry season in our local churches is about to begin. Ministries start up again, and recruitment is number one on our agendas.

My encouragement to you in the business – do not forget to pray. Especially pray for your pastor.

The famed leadership guru, Peter Drucker, has said, “Not taking into account the US President’s job, the most difficult jobs to be in today in North America is:

A university president’s position

A city hospital administrator’s position

And the position of pastor of a local church.”

Admittedly, I was surprised reading that quote but I’m assuming this leadership guru to corporate North Americans, knew the landscape well. Knowing the terrain well as Drucker did, gives this statement weight. Bill Hybels has said, “Most lay people have no idea how difficult it is to run a church.” The church is one of the most leadership-intensive enterprises in society. The work of the church is building and redeeming lives, which is an intangible process. You never know when you’ve actually accomplished doing this works. The workers are all VOLUNTEERS who can simply leave when disciplined or called to commitment. Even when recruiting workers, the church leader cannot offer monetary incentives or benefits. The best a shepherd can do is promise people work without pay, time away from their families, and IF this goes according to scripture, they will know suffering as part of their reward. Now there’s a benefit/reward package! At time pastors feel alone in the midst of the spiritual battle. They need our prayers.

Moses needed prayer

Moses was one of the greatest spiritual leaders who ever lived. He spoke to God face to face (Exodus. 33:11). Yet, STILL HE COULD NOT DO IT ALONE! He, too, needed support and encouragement for the enormous responsibility that was his. Aaron and Hur recognized his need and helped him. Many in our churches need to recognize the need and come alongside their pastor and pray fervently for him. Ministry is not a one-man-show, but a team effort. Many in our churches need to start partnering with their pastor, especially in PRAYER. For the sake of your pastor’s spiritual/emotional health and the sake of the church’s well-being. Pray.

In Peter Wagner’s book, “Prayer Shield”, he writes: “I’m personally convinced that the following statement is true: ‘The most under-utilized source of spiritual power in our churches today is intercession for our Christian leaders.’”

Preachers Need Prayer

Dr. Wilbur Chapman often told of his experience when he went to Philadelphia to become a pastor of Wanamaker’s church. After his first sermon, an old gentleman met him in front of the pulpit and said, “You are pretty young to be a pastor of this great church. We have always had older pastors. I am afraid you won’t succeed. But you preach the Gospel and I’m going to help you all I can.”

“I looked at him,’ said Dr. Chapman and said to myself, ‘Here’s a crank."

“But the old gentleman continued, ‘I am going to pray for you that you may have the Holy Spirit’s power upon you and two others have covenanted to join with me.’”

Then Dr. Chapman relayed the outcome. “I did not feel so bad when I learned he was going to pray for me. The three became 10, the 10 became 20, and the 20 became 50, and the 50 became 200 who met before every service to pray that the Holy Spirit might come upon me. In another room the 18 elders knelt so close around me to pray for me that I could put out my hand and touch them on all sides. I always went into my pulpit feeling that I would have the anointing in answer to the prayers of 219 men. It was easy to preach, a real joy. Anybody could preach with such conditions. And what was the result? We received 1,100 into our church by conversion in three years, 600 of which were men. It was the fruit of the Holy Spirit in answer to the prayers of those men. I do not see how the average pastor, under average circumstances, preaches at all. Church members have much more to do than go to church as curious, idle spectators to be amused and entertained. It is their business to pray mightily that the Holy Ghost will clothe the preacher with power and make his words like dynamite.”

What an incredible impact a church can make when it’s people pray! Have you ever thought of the potential for your church if you committed to pray for your pastor and church often? Imagine what would be accomplished. How many lost people saved – and saved people transformed? How many pastors would remain in ministry and not flare out, flare out or burn out? Think about it. Better yet, pray about it.

Pastors need prayer: October is “Pastor appreciation month”

In a couple weeks we all have an opportunity to share our appreciation for our shepherds. Hopefully we do this all year round. However, can I encourage you to start thinking and praying what you might do for your pastor(s) during the month of October? Start praying about it today. Bless you.

How to get a lift from labour!

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 PST

Yesterday was Labour Day Monday, a day we commemorate “work” in Canada. I know most of our churches are gearing up for a busy season of ministry. This is that time of year when leaders, directors, and coordinators go looking for willing workers to serve in our local churches. I imagine it’s going to be a recruitment season unlike any other this year! While many of our churches continue to offer ministries online, tech-savvy church members are going to have to step up. We are in this pandemic together and we must support each other so that we remain vibrantly on mission. The fact is we are better together. Together, we go further, sustain longer, and accomplish more.

In the next few weeks we’re going to be looking above as we see Canadian geese going south for the winter. They will be flying in the familiar V formation. There is a reason for their formation flying, as it enables them to go farther, sustain longer, and accomplish more.

Scientists have discovered that as each goose flaps its wings, it creates an up-lift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

People who share the work load can get where they’re going more quickly and easily. They travel on the thrust of one another. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of having to go it alone. The smart goose gets back into formation to benefit from the lifting power of the bird in front.

The moral of the story? If we all had a sense of a goose, we would stand together.

I trust the ministry recruitment drive in your church over the next few weeks will encourage your heart. May you experience a lift from your “virtual” church family.

Host an "Undie Sunday" To Bless Your Community

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:00:00 PST

When it comes to outreach initiatives, “Undie Sunday” has to be one of the most creative I have heard about in recent years.

I had contact with Pastor Terry Ciona of Pleasant Valley Church (Brantford, ON) and learned that their “Undie Sunday” (an undergarment drive to supply essential products for those in need within their community) was actually only one of 20 community outreach initiatives they conducted this past year during their 20th anniversary as a church. I will let Terry tell the story:

“Pleasant Valley Church recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, with a small change. For most birthdays or anniversaries, gifts are received. Pleasant Valley reversed that and instead gave 20 additional acts involving loving and serving the local and global community in its 20th year of ministry. Twenty acts in the 20th year. 20 in 20.

“The church annually does many community-loving initiatives like an undergarment drive (UndieSunday.ca), as well as collecting footwear (BarefootSunday.ca).

“The church responded creatively, generously, and overwhelmingly to the 20 in 20 challenge. From a Back to School BBQ and Bash to helping with a neighbourhood movie night in the park, to overseeing community gardens, to a free garage sale, the church blessed her neighbours. And, by the end of the year, it surpassed its goal of 20 initiatives!

“The church’s love is changing the neighbourhood, and it’s changing the church!

“2020 doesn’t have to be just another year. It can also be a church-changing challenge.

“For more details on community-loving suggestions, please contact Pastor Terry Ciona here."

I love these ideas that touch our communities in creative, caring, and practical ways. Since hearing about Pleasant Valley’s “Undie Sunday” initiative, I have heard about another Fellowship church who also hosted an “Undie Sunday,” too. Do we have anymore?!

Did the Grinch Steal Easter? COVID Stories, part 7

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 00:00:00 PST

Some look for “Christmas in July”, well why not “Easter in August?”

I came across the poem below and thought we all needed a “smile” as the summer starts to draw to a close. Please, put your feet up and enjoy.

“How the Virus Stole Easter” — a Poem by Kristi Bothur (with a nod to Dr. Seuss)

Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began,
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry ‘boo-hoo’.

“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”

“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And what happened then?
Well…the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one,
Or two or more people needing hope in this night?
Will you share the source of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty – but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that –
Let it start a revival.

Theme Verse for 2020: Hosea 12:6

Each year I prayerfully choose a theme verse for our Fellowship family. For 2020 I sensed the Spirit of God leading me to Hosea 12:6 during our “Year of Revival”. I continue to pray for a mighty movement of God among our churches, leaders, and members. Please join me.

“But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always”. Hosea 12:6 (NIV)

Who knew God would providentially allow the coronavirus to slow us down and wisely find time to “wait” on the Lord. In our waiting may we “return”. Return to our first love (Revelation 2:4), recognize all our frantic doing only masquerades as true spirituality.

May 2020 be the year many of us wait and return to the Lord with a life revived.

The Gospel Can Penetrate Any People Group, Even in Canada!

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 PST

I wrote a weekly blog this past September (2019), “A Diaspora at our Doorstep,” and it got some encouraging feedback: stories of ministry to the many immigrants visiting our local churches.

In recent months I have visited three of our churches on a Sunday morning and spoken with several Iranian-Canadians who have come to faith in Christ over the past few years. During the transition of entering a new country and making it home, their curiosity about the Christian faith has introduced them to Jesus. As one dynamic Iranian new believer told me, “I would never have heard about Jesus back in Iran.” Whether that is true or not, that was her experience.

Let us hear from one of our pastors and our FEB Central Director on ministry to the Persian community in our local churches:

“Hi, Steve! I believe there is a huge open door for ministry to people who are new to this country. We see many of them every single week at WBC! You mention in your blog about ministering in nations where missionaries would never be allowed to go. One such nation is Iran.

"Here in Toronto, we have a thriving and growing Persian population and we are seeing new Iranian people coming to our church almost every week. We had a baptismal service on June 30, 2019 and baptized ten people, five of whom were Iranians new to Canada and/or seeking permanent residency. We have scheduled another baptismal service for November and already there are more Iranians wanting to be baptized.

"Some of their stories are just incredible. One man came to Christ through Jesus appearing to him in a dream. When he told his family that he had become a follower of Jesus, his whole family disowned him, including his wife, who divorced him. He told us it was all worth it to know Jesus! These are the ones who will grow in the Lord and bring people of their own nationality to the Lord in the coming years!

"Please keep informing our churches (especially the mono-cultural majority) that there is an incredible blessing of richness and variety in store for our churches when we seek to reach out beyond those who are ‘the same’ as us!”

—Pastor Bruce Jones, Willowdale Baptist Church, Toronto, ON

“Thanks, Steve….an encouraging blog on the diaspora coming to our doorstep in Canada. God is definitely at work, especially among the Persian community. I am seeing it first-hand as I travel to our churches.

"For example, Pastor Brent Dunbar at Snowdon Baptist Church (Montreal, QC) has baptized 16 Iranians since 2017. Other churches, like First Baptist Church (Waterloo, ON) and others, have active Persian outreach ministries. I just spoke this past Sunday at a Persian Bible Club in London, ON, and 45 were in attendance. These ministries touch my heart.”

"Thanks to Bruce and Bob for the encouragement seen through the lives transformed by the Good News. I would love to hear from you and learn about other stories of Gospel advance among the nations at our doorstep."

— Bob Flemming, Regional Director of FEB Central

COVID Stories, Part 6

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 00:00:00 PST

How do you minister to people while physical-distancing along with other restrictions?

Recently, our Fellowship Chaplaincy member care coordinator asked our Fellowship chaplains (currently 109 chaplains across Canada): “Has there been a particular story of how God has used you during these days of isolation?”

Here are several responses to encourage you that care and compassion come in many creative forms.

Bradford Sign Business Transitions to Producing Protective Shields:

A member of our Fellowship church in Bradford, ON owns a sign business (eSIGNS Canada) and was recently featured in their local newspaper (May 12, 2020) for having shifted his business from signs to manufacturing protective shields for retail businesses and other applications. I wanted to applaud Gary Brickell for his efforts in serving his community in a needy time. His company is now working at 150% to fill the orders. Gary comments, “Many businesses have approached us to build custom fitted barriers, so we engineered an elegant single system solution that adapts to virtually every counter, from dental counters to auto service shops.”

Darkness is my Closest Friends: Talk to Someone

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 00:00:00 PST

You have been ministering to people for five months during these unprecedented days of uncertainty. It may have taken a toll on you emotionally and spiritually. If you need to talk to someone privately, there is a Clergy Care Hotline for you. Phone today — 1-888-5-CLERGY.

There are times when life can feel dark. “Darkness is my closest friend.” This cryptic line is found in our Bible. I’m grateful that God’s Word is so real and honest.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 88: 18(b), “Darkness is my closest friend”. I was reading Psalm 88 and forgot how depressing it was. Psalm 88 is written by Heman, a Hebrew name meaning “faithful”. But when I think of a “HE-man”, I think of a naturally tough, stoic, man of true grit. Heman doesn’t come across this way in Psalm 88 at all. He underscores the reality of a “dark night of the soul”. He’s a man suffering from a spiritual depression, as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones called it.

God doesn’t always give answers to our suffering. There are not always happy endings. Verse 1 is the only positive verse in the entire Psalm. The psalmist reiterates that when we suffer, prayer connects us to the Lord. Psalm 88: 1-2 (NLT) says: “I cry out to you by day, I come to you at night… Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry.”

The point is, do not allow darkness to silence our conversation with the Lord. Behind the shifting sand hides an anchor chain that connects us to God — that is prayer.

Read the line in William Cowper’s hymn, “God moves in a Mysterious Way”: “Behind a frowning providence hides the smile of God.” Joseph testified of this assurance in Genesis 50:20 (NLT): “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good…” Joni Eareckson-Tada shares that a friend said to her, soon after her diving accident, a truth statement that has kept her hopeful for well over 50 years since being paralyzed and in constant, chronic pain: “God permits, what He hates, to accomplish what He loves.”

A dear friend of mine, Andrea Mahaffey, has suffered some dark days. She and her husband John have served two Fellowship churches over 35 years and have experienced the ups and downs of pastoral ministry. Please take a moment to watch Andrea’s testimonial video HERE and discover if you can relate to her pain in days gone by.

Too many of us have written our life’s script based on past hurts, suffering, and disappointments. But this is not Jesus’ script for each of us. It never has been. Jesus has a preferred future for each of us. One that has hope and meaning and purpose. We learn about this in an interesting story found in John 9:1-2 (NLT):

“As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. ‘Teacher’, his disciples asked Him, ‘Why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?’

We think with our twenty-first century sensibilities: “What are they talking about?” But in their culture it made a lot of sense. The commonly held belief of the day was that anyone with a disability received it due to their own personal sin. For example, when Job’s life fell apart, the response of his friends was, “What have you been doing wrong?” The disciples learned the man had been blind from birth, so how could he have sinned in the womb — it must have happened because of his parent’s sin!

The result is this blind man became an outcast due to his parents’ sin. In this shame-filled world 2000 years ago, this blind man did what all blind people did to live — he begged. The script of his life was one of rejection. His life was defined by societal shame and pain. However, the point of Jesus’ story has very little to do with the man’s blindness.

The power of God had also made the deaf hear, the lame walk, the dead come back to life, the waves calmed, and 5,000 being fed. The point of the story, according to Jesus, is reported to us in verse 3b: “He was born blind so that the power of God could be seen in him!” And this same power is available to each and every one of us today!

If you are suffering or feeling overwhelmed today, let me encourage you to talk to someone.

Our Fellowship has partnered with Focus on the Family Canada to offer a Clergy Care Hotline for all our pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their spouses and children. If you’re feeling duress, contact this Hotline at 1-888-5-CLERGY and speak confidentially to a professional, licensed, Christian Counselor.

For more information check out the website: clergycare.ca.

COVID-19 Stories, Part 5

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 00:00:00 PST

Chaplaincy is often referred to as the “ministry of presence”.

How do you do “presence” when COVID-19 protocols restrict you from meeting with people?

Our Fellowship chaplains have remained busy these past few months. They have found innovative ways to continue their “ministry of presence” among those they shepherd and care for.

Here are several recent testimonies to encourage you: Our Fellowship Chaplaincy member care coordinator recently asked our chaplains, “Given the current situation in what ways have you been able to connect with the people you serve in your chaplaincy work?” Click HERE to read their responses:

Please join me in praying for our Fellowship chaplains, many who remain on the “front lines” ministering to people during our shared experience with COVID-19.

Abortion in Canada, Support Bill C-233

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00:00 PST

Have you noticed that abortion is in the news again? We must be coming close to a federal election.

Abortion rights were debated in the Conservative leaders English debate in mid-June. Angus-Reid polled Canadians this past year regarding their views on abortion. Whereas LGBTQ rights and doctor-assisted suicide continue a progressive trend upwards in the minds of Canadians, abortion remains divisive in Canada. (See my article on this evolving trend within Canada in the Fellowship’s recently published, “Religious Freedom Watch Bulletin”.

Bill C-233 against sex selection abortion

In June, MP Cathay Wagantall, put forward a private member’s Bill which discourages discrimination on the basis of sex and prevents medical practitioners from performing an abortion solely on the basis of a child’s genetic sex. Canada has had no law governing abortion since 1988.

The bill addresses any action that deliberately seeks to eliminate one particular sex before birth. Often females are eliminated. A research report published in 2016 provided strong evidence suggesting that induced abortions are happening in Canada. One article estimates that about 4,500 female fetuses were not born over the past 22 years (CMAJ Open 2016, 4(2) E 116-123).

This practice is inconsistent with Canada’s commitment to protect the equal rights of all genders and end discrimination on the basis of genetic sex. The very idea of aborting a female fetus because she is a girl is repugnant.

Prayerfully consider supporting the private member’s bill C-233. The EFC (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada) has some further information on their website, including a template letter to use and send to your MP and our Prime Minister.

Why Not support PCC?

Last year our FAIR department began a partnership on behalf of our churches with Pregnancy Care Canada (PCC), formerly known as CAPSS (Canadian Association of Pregnancy Support Services). Our objective is to further educated and equip Fellowship churches in how to reach out and resource women needing pregnancy support during the challenge of an unexpected pregnancy.

Through this partnership, resources can be made available to you and your church. The “Healing Conversations” booklet is a resource available to help believers speak into the lives of post-abortive women in a meaningful way. Churches may also choose to host a “Life Conversations” seminar with PCC’s help. These seminars help participants respond with accurate information, compassion, and hope. I encourage you and your church to donate to PCC so they can continue their good work.

I continue to find it remarkable that Canada remains one of the few developed nations with no abortion legislation. There is no protection for Canadians in utero. May God have mercy on us all.

COVID-19 Stories, Part 4

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 00:00:00 PST

We continue to hear from our churches about their experiences during our shared COVID-19 experience. Here are several more stories to encourage you:

Our “El Redentor” church, a Spanish Fellowship church that meets in Vancouver, BC has been broadcasting their worship services since 2007. With COVID-19 they were already prepared for a growing online audience. Pastor David Rodriguez told us that they currently have 122,000 people subscribed to their YouTube channel. Over the past 13 years they have had almost 24 million views of their online worship services and one sermon preached several years ago, has received 2.1 million views in the Spanish-speaking world.

I encourage our churches to continue to resource their online presence as an effective means to continue to reach people with the Gospel.

Northlife Fellowship Church in Fort McMurray, AB was hit by the coronavirus, an oil crash, and then a massive flood that devastated the city’s downtown core. The church was flooded with devastating effects. Pastor Mark Usher reported that their soup kitchen, located in the basement of their church building, was flooded. With the help of church members, other churches in the area, and funding from an emergency FAIR appeal, the soup kitchen is currently running out of a trailer (provided by someone) in the church’s parking lot with several freezers provided by another nearby church and over $10,000 raised from among our Fellowship family. You can still give by donating online [click here].

Pastor Patrice Major of our church in Valleyfield, QC shared that in February 2020 the majority of their church family was organized into 13 small groups. To motivate church members participation, Patrice encouraged church members to participate by saying, “What would happen if an epidemic hit?”! A month later the COVID-19 pandemic became a reality and these new small groups became the critical means by which the church family has connected with one another. We may have a prophet in our midst?!

Two churches in our Pacific Region have sought to be a blessing within their community by distributing food. The “Gleaners Ministry” in Vernon, BC closed down during the pandemic. They turned over all their unused vegetables to our Emmanuel Church in Vernon who set up a trailer in their church parking lot to distribute food to needy families. Our church in Sooke, BC has a food bank and a nearby property where they have a thriving community garden project. Last year, they cultivated 5,500 lbs of vegetables which were distributed through their food bank. They have been providing healthy food to needy people during these uncertain days.

Two Fellowship churches in Granby, QC have been gathering together for a number of months. It started when our “Le Flambeau” Church was devastated by a fire last year and needed a place to meet. They gather with another Fellowship church in town. The two lead pastors have been sharing the preaching during COVID-19 and there is interest in making this a permanent arrangement. Pastor Serge Caron is also a Fellowship chaplain who serves at a local corrections institution. Contact with the prisoners has been difficult but he and Fellowship chaplain Adrien St. Jean visited a local half-way house for ex-inmates. The authorities expected a couple prisioners would visit them in the institution’s parking lot with social distancing restrictions being enforced. Instead all the residents went out to visit Serge and Adrien, excited to see their chaplains.

Carla Bellamy is the Life Groups Coordinator at Springvale Baptist Church in Stouffville, ON. She recently shared about the outreach efforts of one of her small groups, saying, “A group of families pooled their resources and bought a bunch of potted mums from someone who had ordered them for their store but then had to close due to COVID-19. This group of 14-15 families made notes, attached them to the flowers, and “secretly” left them on doorsteps throughout their neighbourhoods letting them know that they were loved and being prayed for during this scary time. This was early on in the lockdown so people were very unsure about what might happen locally and globally. These families asked themselves: what would it look like if Christians across our country believed that God had empowered them with his Holy Spirit to be witnesses in the very place where they live? Imagine how God would transform our communities if together we endeavoured to make Jesus known among our neighbours by praying, seeking, inviting, sharing, and investing. As the Church gives itself for the cause of global missions, may we not forget that fulfilling the Great Commission means not only crossing the world but also crossing the street. The response was overwhelming!”

Thank you to all our churches who have been seeking to reach into their communities during these days with COVID-19.

Stories of Conversions

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 PST

Here are some more stories from our churches during our shared experience with COVID-19.

Mini-Revival at Westlock Baptist, AB

Pastor Carson Cole is busy. In Alberta they have allowed churches to gather in groups (smaller than 15) during the week. Carson has been able to counsel people who have been watching their worship service online. They also celebrated the church’s 70th Anniversary on the front lawn of the church with social-distancing in place. This celebration included the renewal vows of a married couple which was covered by the local Global News station.

The result has been professions of faith with testimonies of new believers being shown during their online services. Pastor Carson is working hard and rejoices that six new believers are waiting to be baptized.

Young Mom Loses her Daughter to COVID-19 in Strathroy, ON

Pastor Alan Self shared an incredibly emotional story. One of Bethel Baptist’s members has a prayer ministry. They call people and pray with them. One of their prayer contacts was a young mom whose daughter was infected with the coronavirus and died. During the crisis, the mother came to Christ and was able to lead her daughter to the Lord before her death. Later, this mother and father connected with Bethel’s prayer warrior, listened to a sermon together, and following the sermon the father came to Christ. In the middle of brokenness this couple have been redeemed. Let us keep praying for them as a Fellowship family. Just imagine the grief they are facing.

God Continues to Move in Chibougamau, QC

Our Fellowship church in this northern Quebec town was established over 40 years ago by one of our precious pioneers, Gabriel Cotnoir, a dear godly brother. It has known its struggles.

A year ago I shared in my A Word from Steve blog about a movement of God in this town. One of the charter member couples of this church, Christian and Sylvie, were overjoyed by the conversion of their son. He was a local bar owner who was soundly converted, and later visited the local First Nations Band Council to apologize for all the pain and suffering he and his tavern had caused among their families through the years. He is now a deacon and is being discipled by John Francis, one of our retired pastors and Fellowship International missionaries (Spain and Honduras).

God is still moving in Chibougamau. During our shared COVID-19 crisis, a woman came to Christ and is now in regular attendance at their Zoom prayer meetings and Sunday services. Her sister is a believer and is thrilled to join her newly converted sister in these online services.

God is touching lives everywhere and Chibougamau may not be the end of the line, but you can see the end from this town!

Family Members are Coming to Christ

Pastor Don Schuiling of Richmond Baptist, BC shared the joy of one of his church members leading two of their sisters to Christ during the COVID-19 pandemic, sisters who have been indifferent to the Gospel for years.

God is bringing families together in Christ. God is good.

A Pastor’s Nephew Comes to Christ in Baie-Comeau, QC

For those of us who have been praying for family members, often for years and decades, to come to Christ, here is an encouraging story of hope:

Pastor Jean-Pascal Besrest has been praying for his nephew’s salvation for 40 years! He just came to Christ during the COVID-19 crisis and Jean-Pascal has the joy of discipling this new child of God.

Keep praying, my friends, for your children, grandchildren, parents, and extended family. It is never too late.

We rejoice in the “much” fruit (John 15:5,8) that the Lord is blessing us with in these days of COVID-19. Please feel free to send me your stories. I would love to hear about others who have come to Christ during our shared experience with this pandemic.

Thank you.

Who Turns Off the Lights by 2050?: Evangelical Affiliation Dropping in Canada

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:00:00 PST

Two recent major surveys share some disturbing current trends in Canada.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) published their initial findings from their recent Church and Faith Trends analysis of Canada, and Angus Reid published findings on Canadian’s current feelings about social issues, such as doctor-assisted dying, gender equity, and abortion.

Let me share some of the findings and comment on what this might mean for local church ministry in Canada.

EFC Church and Faith Trends in Canada

About every five years, the EFC does a survey of faith trends in our nation. In August 2019 a poll was conducted with over 5,000 Canadians over the age of 18. Religious affiliation and church attendance were part of the survey. Study after study does show that church attendance positively impacts people’s spiritual and emotional health, while increasing people’s giving and volunteerism. What did EFC discover?

Christian Affiliation: Half of Canadians (50%) say they are either agnostic, atheist, or spiritual but not religious. This is a significant increase over the past 30 years. This is the largest “religious” block currently in Canada. Only 43% of Canadians indicated some kind of Christian religious affiliation. Just a few decades ago, that percentage hovered in the mid-70%.

Church Attendance: Today, 11% of Canadians attend a weekly religious service (includes all religious traditions, not just evangelicals). This is down from 67% in 1946 and 30% in 1996. Is this the younger generation not bothering to go to church? Apparently not. Among the “Silent Generation” (1925-1945), 62% indicated they went to a weekly church service before they were 12, but only 19% attend today. What are the trends of other Canadians?

Canadians

Weekly Attendance at 12 yrs of age

Weekly Attendance
Today

Silent Generation (1925-1945)

62%

19%

Boomers (1946-1964)

53%

11%

Gen-X (1965-1981)

33%

10%

Gen-Y (1982-1996)

26%

11%

Gen-Z (1997-2012)

22%

9%

Source: http://www.faithtoday.ca/Magazines/2020-Jan-Feb/Not-Christian-anymore

The new normal in Canada is no religious service attendance over a 12-month period. In fact, there are at least eight times more Canadians who never attend a religious service in a given year than there are those who attend one, two, or three times a month.

Among Canadians who attended a religious service on a monthly basis when they were 12, over three-quarters attend less often today.

In 2015 I heard the trusted Canadian sociologist, Reg Bibby, share some current church and faith trends in Canada. He mentioned that evangelical affiliation in Canada between the years of 1871 and 2011 was:

1871:     8%
1900:     8%
1951:     8%
2011:     8%

The EFC indicated in their 2015 survey that evangelicals were 7.7% of the Canadian population. But the recent 2019 survey indicated Evangelical affiliation has dropped to 6%. Why the significant drop after historically being approximately 8% of the Canadian population since Confederation (1967)?

More analysis of the data is now being completed by the EFC. We will need to wait and see. But could it be these “affiliation” trends have something to do with the different ways people “do” church today? Technology may have skewed our understanding of the true numbers of evangelicals in Canada, with so many not showing up Sunday mornings.

Is this news all doom and gloom? Not at all. Sociologist Rodney Stark wrote much on religious affiliation and concluded that religion is not dying. The need for it persists. What is changing is the list of “suppliers of religion.” Evangelicals have historically been innovators, change-agents, the entrepreneurial branch of the church. We experiment, try new approaches, maintain the message, but play around with our methods. Culture is changing exponentially fast these days. Have we kept pace?

Ultimately, in spiritually lean times God has shown up with times of refreshing, revitalization, and revival. As EFC’s main researcher, Rick Hiemstra, wrote: “God has moved sovereignly to work revival in the past, and we should have every expectation He will do so again. Surely God loves Canada at least as much as He loved Nineveh…?”

Let us continue to press forward, our eyes firmly fixed on Him!

Conversion Stories During COVID-19, Part 3

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 PST

Steve here….In Acts 28:30-31 we learn that the Apostle Paul was in “self-isolation” for two years while under house arrest in a rented home. The Scriptures are clear – he found ways to continue his mission to spread the Gospel. He spoke to Jewish leaders (Acts 28:17, 20, 22-24 TLB) and “some believed, and some didn’t.”

Most of us have witnessed or heard about the significantly increased viewership of our online worship services, from 2,000 viewers out west in Bonnyville, AB for their Easter service, to 1,500 viewers out east in Saint-Georges, QC for their online services. We hope more people are hearing the Good News through this pandemic. Are any responding?

I have been hearing a few stories and want to share them with you for your encouragement:

Virtual Community in Small Group Ministry

I heard from one of our churches out west who went virtual for their small group ministry. Participants were encouraged to invite other family and friends online. Over several weeks of Zoom meetings, they rejoice that six new members have made professions of faith.

Air Canada Employee Comes to Christ

Peter King, our senior Fellowship Chaplain at the Toronto Pearson Airport, sent me this wonderful testimony recently:

“An Air Canada employee who was placed on furlough due to the coronavirus pandemic reached out to our ministry by phone. As it turned out, “K” had misplaced her copy of a typewritten prayer that I had given her many years ago – one that had brought her much comfort. Yet what a joy it was for me to “follow up” with this lady by explaining the Gospel to her and leading her in a prayer of faith to accept Christ as her personal Saviour!”

Neighbour Finally Comes “to” Church

A woman who attends our Fellowship church in Whitehorse, YK has been witnessing to, and inviting her neighbour to church for five years, with no success. But the neighbour started to watch their online services during the COVID-19 crisis. Pastor Jeremy Norton was excited to announce she has given her life to Jesus, along with another pre-teen. Wonderful news!

Police Detective Investigates Christ

I heard from Pastor Karl Fortin from our church in Plessisville, QC during a video report. He was excited to share that a police detective recently came to Christ by watching their online services. The police officer wrote, “I’ve had an incredible week. I feel such a joy that I cannot describe. A joy so different, which I have never felt before. I accepted the Lord in my life, I’ve asked Him to forgive my sins and my way of life. I used to believe I was the lord of my life, but now I confess that the Lord is my King.” Pastor Karl asks for prayer for this new believer as they start to disciple him online. Karl also asks for prayer for three non-believers who are regularly watching online.

Dozens Come to Christ Among our Church Plants

In conversation recently with FEB Central’s Church Plant Director, Tom Haines, he shared some wonderful news. Here is Tom to tell you about it:

“I asked our church planters to share with me how many conversions that they had seen happen since the pandemic began. Five church planters got back to me in time for writing this brief update.

“One of our church planters, Leul Declarado, said something like this: ‘When you are feeling attacked the best defence is a great offence, so during this time we have doubled our effort in evangelism. We are doing more video calls, phone calls, text messages, and delivering of flyers. We are also offering help to our neighbours by buying groceries and other things they need and, most importantly, by offering prayer and counselling. The result of this evangelistic effort has been that locally, two entire families have trusted Christ, as well as four other individuals. Outside our community, but connected online, there have also been four other families who have trusted Christ: Two in southern Philippines, one in Italy, and one in Detroit, Michigan.’

“Among the other four church plants that responded, there were several other individuals and families that have also trusted Christ as a result of greater evangelistic effort. The total so far from these five church plants is 41 new followers of Christ who are being discipled. They represent people near and far, young, and old, married, and single. God is at work!”

What Have We Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis?

Have we learned anything as things get back to normal, whatever normal means post-COVID-19? Did we learn anything about amplifying and leveraging our approaches to get the Good News out there more widely? When I first read Tom’s emails, I got emotional! I rejoice in what the Lord is doing. People are unsettled in these uncertain times and a little more open to spiritual conversations. Most people are not going to come to our Sunday worship services, lady’s outreach events, youth groups or Alpha dinners. This in no way minimizes their importance or effectiveness. Many nets need to be used to draw in those ready and interested to hear about Jesus.

When our churches agree that their Sunday morning attendance may be 200 in the seats, but 2,000 online….it should change the way we think about reaching and serving our community. As people take their first steps in their renewed spiritual interest, most will not make that “first step” into our church facilities nor our church programs; most will make that “first step” online. Our churches must consider continuing a robust and intentional online presence from now on. Just thinking out loud….

When the Apostle Paul experienced “self-isolation” for two years, it was not a time to hide and be silent. He used his chains and rented house in a creative approach to become a platform to share Jesus. We should too!

A few weeks back I was talking to Pastor Steve Sheane from Bramalea Baptist, Brampton, ON and he was rejoicing that a Hindu man had just come to Christ that very week, due to their online presence.

We rejoice in the “much” fruit (John 15:5, 8) that the Lord is blessing us with in these days of COVID-19. Please feel free to send me your stories. I would love to hear about others who have come to Christ during our shared experience with this pandemic. Thanks.

Keep calm and keep social-distancing,

Mother Teresa Could Have Used a Hotline: 1-888-5-CLERGY

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 PST

Listen to this tormented person:

“They say people in hell suffer eternal pain because of the loss of God. In my soul I feel just that terrible pain of loss – of God not wanting me – of God not being God – of God not really existing (Jesus, please forgive my blasphemies – I have been told to write everything)…. What do I labour for? If there be no God – there can be no soul. If there is no soul then Jesus….You also are not true….Heaven, what emptiness – not a single thought of Heaven enters my mind – for there is no hope.”

Mother Teresa was spiritually tormented for most of her life. This was all hidden from the public until her journals were published in 2007, ten years after her death. Apart from a five-week reprieve in 1958, what has been called her “dark night of the soul” lasted from 1948 until her death in 1997, just shy of 50 years. The lack of peace in her soul has puzzled people.

The official Roman Catholic interpretation, which Teresa later adopted, was that she was chosen by God to especially identify with the sufferings of Jesus; what Roman Catholic mystics call the “dark night of the soul.”

I personally struggle to reconcile this reality with biblical assurances of peace upon salvation: Romans 5:1 “….since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God….”

And yet Mother Teresa could write: “I am told God loves me, and yet the reality of darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.”

Some would simply conclude that Teresa had religion, but not a true relationship. She had no assurance, no confidence in the Father’s love, because she was not redeemed. That could be the case, but contrary to popular opinion Roman Catholic theology actually allows for some measure of confidence in knowing and experiencing God’s love.

Mother Teresa knew of God’s love in her head, academically, but her experience seemed to be largely devoid of it. In 1961 she wrote, “…the place of God in my soul is blank…. the torture and pain I can’t explain.”

Malcolm Muggeridge wrote a tribute to Teresa, saying, “We do have reason to question if her ‘dark night of the soul’ was really from God, or rather from either a tragic story of depression, or an attack from Satan, or both.”

This does not resolve the fact that here was a woman who dispensed so much light despite her inner darkness.

I have read of giants of the faith who suffered with emotional and spiritual pain. Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote a book entitled, “Spiritual Depression.” I have met believers suffering with tremendous emotional pain. I have met clergy struggling to see anything good happening in their lives. The struggle is real.

I would like to introduce you to Fellowship chaplain Allan Gallant. Allan and Bonnie are no strangers to our Fellowship. They have pastored in several Fellowship churches. A few years back Allan suffered a debilitating stroke that radically changed both their lives. Allan suffered a difficult depression. Please watch the following testimonial video and listen to what God taught Allan and Bonnie in this dark time. https://vimeo.com/427759651 I would also encourage you to visit their website (https://www.agoranetworkministries.com) to discover more about their ministry, Agora Network, which seeks to help the local church better minister to those suffering with mental, emotional, and spiritual illness.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or even suicidal, please talk to someone today. Our Fellowship has partnered with “Focus on the Family Canada” to offer a CLERGY-CARE hotline for all our pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their spouses and children.

If you are feeling duress, contact this hotline at: 1-888-5-CLERGY and speak confidentially to a professionally licensed Christian counselor. For more information, click here.

More COVID-19 Testimonies from Our Leaders, Part Three

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 00:00:00 PST

People are tuning into our online worship services these days. How might we leverage this as an opportunity to invite virtual guests to our churches when we start to gather again?

Our Foundation Director, Gord Baptist, recently connected with a Fellowship church member who was updating his will and leaving a legacy to his church and the Fellowship. Gord asked the gentleman how things were going at his church.

He reported his sister, who does not know the Lord, had started watching his church’s online worship service. On her second Sunday she wrote in the live chat room that it was so good to be connected to a church once again. Her brother is thrilled.

The following are other stories, your stories, of what God is doing. Enjoy!

Two years ago, during the Fort McMurray fire that devastated the city, over 1,000 residents temporarily moved to Bonnyville, AB. Our church in Bonnyville, with Pastor Dave and his team, were asked by city officials to help with the logistics of caring for all these people. I visited Bonnyville Baptist at that time, and the church had become the community hub, a warehouse for people to come for food, clothing and assigned homes in which to live. Their credibility with city officials is so significant that Bonnyville Baptist has once again been asked to coordinate the food distribution efforts for the unemployed within their community. Alberta has not only been hit by COVID-19, but by the crash in the oil market as well.

Many pastors mentioned that life has become busier during the coronavirus. One pastor has started meeting twice a week (by Zoom) with his board to address the care issues within their congregation. One board gave their lead pastor a week off due to fatigue.

Many pastors asked for prayer for the doctors and nurses in their congregations who are fighting on the front lines of this crisis. One church of 300 said they were keeping in touch with the 19 doctors and nurses in their congregation.

Pastor Mark of NorthLife in Fort McMurray, AB is discovering that their people are more serious about maintaining a closer walk with the Lord and avoiding sin during the crisis.

Many pastors are creating brief video devotionals for their church family...some weekly, others daily. My wife and I have been watching some of these and are being blessed. I am hearing from pastors I have known for years but never heard teach. We have some wonderful shepherds!

Pastor Steve of Forward Church, Cambridge, ON mentioned that they launched an “Everything in Our Place” online service, which allows people to log on to provide a service and others to request a service.

Reaching Out into the Community

Two of our missionaries in Spain, Cathy Yinger, and Ingrid Castro, have been busy making medical masks for their local hospitals. My wife, Marilyn, has fabricated many masks for family and friends, but mostly for Guelph General Hospital and a local veterinarian’s staff.

Pastor Don of Westney Heights, Ajax, ON mentioned that their church prepared care packages for hospital workers and first responders, including lip balm, energy bars, hand lotion, etc.

Pastor Aaron of Emmanuel Baptist, Vernon, BC mentioned a special financial gift that allowed them to provide 40 “well stocked hampers” to needy families.

Pastor Mark of Stoney Creek Baptist, London, ON said that during the crisis they took up an offering ($9,100) toward health supplies for a ministry their church is supporting in Togo, Africa to help people overseas hit by the pandemic.

Pastor Jack of Faith Baptist, Vancouver, BC told of how they discovered the local Sikh temple and Muslim mosque were closed during the COVID-19 crisis. They are preparing Halal meals and taking them to their Muslim neighbours as an act of Christian love, to build relationships and share the Gospel.

Both Pastor Bob of Grandview, Kitchener, ON and Pastor Steve of Forward, Cambridge, ON spoke of their churches making health masks and dropping them off at some Kitchener and Cambridge health care facilities.

Pastor Will at Northstar, Quesnel, BC mentioned a lady from their sister church in Williams Lake, BC who was in hospital in Quesnel. While there, she met a lady who lives in Quesnel who was very anxious about her illness and future. The Christian woman put this lady in touch with her pastor and the pastor in Quesnel. Both pastors are now ministering to her and praying she will one day trust the Lord.

Last Word

God is doing a good thing among our churches and missionaries worldwide. We have heard back from many of our servant-leaders that they are busier than ever. Please take time to rest and refuel. Self-care is essential if we are all going to get through these interesting days together.

Building a Church in ONE Week!

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:00:00 PST

This past summer an event occurred that beautifully illustrates what can happen when our Fellowship of churches work together. We are much stronger together!

A Fellowship Quick Build

In the following pictures, you will see the newly constructed building for the Open Arms Church in Parrsboro, NS. Fellowship Baptist friends came from all over Atlantic Canada and other parts of Canada to help build this facility in a week.

I asked pastors Steve Adams and Doug Lake to tell you their story. Steve is the Lead Pastor at Faith Baptist in Great Village, NS who mothered this daughter work, while Doug is the church planter who launched this new work with a small team.

The Importance of Partnership

Steve Adams:

“Back in 2014 when we began to move on the Lord’s prompting to see a church planted in Parrsboro, NS, we immediately recognized we needed partners. We knew that though the Lord was clearly calling us to do this, we would not be able to do it by ourselves, nor should we.

“Five years later, more than 40 new people have professed faith in Christ and are now part of the family called Open Arms Church in Parrsboro, NS. The church has a choice property with a very functional facility constructed. The building is in the drywall stage these days, but as of yet, no borrowed monies have been required.

“Open Arms now has their documentation along with their membership and expanded leadership in place. They have established ministries complete with their own vision and strategies and culture. They have their charitable status and do their own banking. They are an established church, well position in the community for future ministry and growth.”

The Birth of a Church

Doug Lake:

“In September 2019, over 70 people (brothers and sisters in Christ and some community members) representing 10 churches, joined us to frame up and board in the 6,800 square foot building in six days! Then, in October, with the help of our Redbank, South Carolina brothers, the building was watertight. Our mother church, Faith Baptist in Great Village,NS continues to send people to help on a regular basis.

“The inside framing is complete with roughed-in wiring and plumbing inspected and approved. Inside insulation to outside walls is almost complete. Currently, vapour barrier is going on all the flat ceilings, so we can blow in insulation. Our crew is now small, but we are moving in a forward motion!

“None of this would be possible without our extended body of believers who want to see the Kingdom of God proclaimed to the ends of the earth. Many have given financially, and this is greatly appreciated, as our congregation is made up of new believers. Paying as much as we can now helps us to sustain and operate our ministries and building without a huge mortgage. Many people have given hands-on help. Time is precious, so thank you for your dedication and help to further God’s Kingdom. You have lifted a burden from a small congregation through both finances and labour.

“Then there is the prayer support! If our Lord is not the one we depend on, we just go through the motions. Thank you for your prayer support that gives God the glory. It is our privilege to serve Him as we further the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know we are not alone in our mission.

“We are excited to see what the building will look like by our deadline of June 30, 2020. This completed space will help us to be a sustainable church in our community in order to reach more people with ministry, be a family-friendly space, and be a place our congregation can call home!

“Call me – come visit, let me show you our church family home. Please continue to remember and pray for us. We are so grateful for you and your love and support. To God be the Glory!

“Please take some time to view the pictures at https://www.openarmsparrsboro.ca/church-build.html. They also tell the story!”

We Are Stronger Together

A couple years ago I shared the news of a Quick Build in Madoc, ON. It was a wonderful story of faith being exercised, and the church working together.

The Fellowship family partnered together again to support this new church in Parrsboro, NS in a big way. Our Fellowship helped raise the funds for this new church plant, raising $617,480 from the mother church (Faith Baptist, Great Village, NS), the Fellowship Atlantic Region, Fellowship National, and the Open Arms Church family as well.

Let’s shout a collective “Amen” in praise to our great God and Saviour!

More COVID-19 Testimonies from our Leaders (Part 2)

Mon, 25 May 2020 00:00:00 PST

Pastor Godfrey of Thousand Islands Baptist (Brookville, ON) sent me a poem written by one of his church members who is principal of a Christian school. She wrote it for her students. I like it and wanted to share it with you:

Dear Lord,

Protect us, keep us safe.

As worries happen, find a way

To wrap us in your peace and calm

And keep our loved ones safe from harm.

God protect our Nans and Pops —

Those whose health is poor, and stop

The virus from its spread and spoil

And heal those quick in pain and toil.

Cover those who work front line

The doctors, cashiers, restaurant kind

Who show up every day to give

Their safety up so we can live.

We ask you Lord to give wisdom pure

To those working to find a cure

For treatment, vaccines and the like

Keep them strong and in the fight.

We know dear Lord, You are in charge

You take our burdens small and large

With You we have nothing to fear

And in this truth we end this prayer.

The following are stories, anecdotes, and testimonies of some of the things happening in our churches while we experience together how to do church during the COVID-19 crisis:

CARING for the Church Family

Pastor Barton of Central Baptist (Victoria, BC) said the city deemed their food distribution ministry as an essential service to lower income folks in downtown Victoria. They changed the way they prepared the food, but continued the neighbourhood ministry. The response has been “extreme gratitude”.

I spoke to two pastors in Ontario and Alberta who were in the midst of selling, or about to build, church buildings. One pastor said they shut down the whole process for now, while the other is going ahead. Both asked for prayer for a smooth transition during this major “curve in the road.”

Some spoke of the difficulties of grief after losing a family member and not being able to adequately gather. One of our Fellowship International missionaries in Europe lost her father, and a Fellowship chaplain from Montreal, QC lost his mother, both to the virus. A pastor in Quebec spoke of the struggle of losing parents (not from COVID-19) out of province. His family are finding this time at home challenging.

Pastor Solomon of Oakridge Baptist (BC) mentioned he was thrilled to see members in his church family take personal initiative to purchase groceries and other necessities for needy members of their church.

Pastor Greg of Calvary Baptist (Edmonton, AB) mentioned the city of Edmonton opened up the Expo Centre for the homeless in the city. A number from his church are helping out at the Centre. Greg mentioned that Christian groups that have never worked together are now serving together for the first time.

REACHING into the COMMUNITY

Pastor Jordan of Revelstoke Fellowship Baptist (BC) mentioned that a lot of people from the community are tuning in Sundays for their online service. The result has been greater courage among those within the congregation as they are now being identified as followers of Christ.

Pastor Ed of Springvale Baptist (Stouffville, ON) shared that a church staff member has Facebook parties with 40-50 people who are not followers of Christ. They gather to listen to their live-streamed worship service. She writes, “Each Sunday I have had 50 people watching… unchurched people. Yeah, God is working! Can’t wait to see what ministry will look like when this is all done. God is going to do big things. Can’t wait to be part of it.”

Pastor Randy of Courtney Fellowship (BC) mentioned that the church’s ministry to 40 kids and their families shut down when the school across the street from the church closed. However, the principal from the school contacted the church to see if they could help 10 families who have been struggling during the crisis. He prays their acts of love will be seen as coming from the Lord.

Pastor Josh of Calvary Baptist (Guelph, ON) launched an initiative called, “Letter to the Community”. Church members wrote and hand-delivered notes to hundreds of homes in their neighbourhood letting them know that the church was here to help if they were in need. Some have contacted the church for assistance. The church also provided gift cards to doctors and nurses in a local clinic to help purchase food and snacks, and they also sent a large assortment of coffee supplies to a local long-term care facility to bless the senior-care workers.

Pastor Steve of Forward Church (Cambridge, ON) said they are involved in a city-wide outreach with ten churches. It’s called “Need help, Get help”, a neighbourhood caring initiative. It started by placing “door hangers” on the doors of homes throughout the city with a message of hope saying the church is here for you. A lot of follow-up has already taken place. They hope to impact 10,000 homes with this initiative.

Last Word

I’ve heard from many leaders who are finding ways to collectively thank their community’s health care and essential workers as a local church. Whether by gift cards dropped off at hospitals, or fabricating masks and gowns, honking horns at specific times each day, or, like the churches in Sarnia, purchasing space in the local newspaper to post a THANK YOU to all the workers serving their city. Well done!

A Meaningful Last Word Before I Go

Mon, 18 May 2020 00:00:00 PST

Your Will is the last statement you will ever make. Therefore, you want it to be a meaningful, well thought out last word.

With over 60% of Canadians living without a Will and many with one that needs review, the potential for billions of dollars to disappear for use in the Lord’s work is a reality. God owns all our stuff. We are only managers. The question becomes, “What should a Christian estate plan look like?”

The Fellowship recently partnered with ADVISORS with PurposeTM in order to connect our churches, leadership, and donors with qualified financial specialists. Experts who will help our Fellowship family plan a Will that reflects their faith, values, and desires.

ADVISORS with PurposeTM is a non-denominational Christian ministry organization committed to serving donors, charities, and ministries to release more resources for God’s Kingdom. This partnership works much like an outsourcing arrangement where we now have Christian planned giving specialists working for you, helping you through a strategic, estate-planning process. This service is provided at no cost to you or our churches. There are never any obligations, and the estate advisors will never sell any product. We know that the help received from them will further your desire to be found a faithful steward of all that God has entrusted to you. Let me ask: does your Will incorporate your faith and your values? Will the legacy you leave reflect the life you lived? If you have even the slightest doubt, I urge you to connect with our friends at ADVISORS with PurposeTM and speak with one of their estate specialists.

You can learn more by visiting the Fellowship’s website here. You can also call ADVISORS with PurposeTM at 1-866-580-9319 or email them at plan@advisorswithpurpose.ca.

We all need a Will. Without it, someone else will decide how to administer and distribute your estate, either to your heirs, taxes, or charities. Without a Will, nothing can go to charities. Having a well-planned Will has multiple benefits. It ensures your dependents will not experience difficulty in the execution of your Will, taxes will be kept to a minimum, and charities will benefit from your generosity after you’re gone.

Estate planning is often an overlooked area of charitable giving. However, it can have significant impact on the long-term sustainability of our local churches and the work the Fellowship does in communities across Canada and around the world.

COVID-19 Testimonies from our Leaders (Part 1)

Mon, 11 May 2020 00:00:00 PST

There is a ministry in the States that is seeking to think through what ministry may look like during and after COVID-19. They have indicated that the disruption to ministries may happen in three phases:

Disorientation (March-May)

Reorientation (June-August)

New Orientation (September-December)

The question is whether we want to go back to a pre-COVID-19 normal, or use this opportunity to allow God to create a new normal.

The Fellowship National ministry team and I have been contacting our pastors, missionaries, and chaplains and to hear about the new normal. We wanted to hear about the creative ways we are facing this crisis.

The following are stories from our Fellowship leadership sharing how we’re seeking to care for our church families and our communities:

CARING for the Church Family

Almost every church we’ve contacted has moved their worship service online. Pastor Paul of South Delta Baptist (Delta, BC) mentioned they are also recording their service and creating and distributing CDs to those who have no access to social media.

Pastor Jordan of Revelstoke, BC mentioned they have been recording their weekly service at a different out-of-doors setting each week. Jordan gives a book to the first member to guess where he is located. I visited our church in Revelstoke several years ago and the area is a small piece of heaven.

Several pastors mentioned doing visits to people from the sidewalk, maintaining physical-distancing. Different pastors referred to these as “Lawn Visits,” “Doorstep Testimony,” and “Doorway Devotionals.” My own pastor and his wife came by our home and dropped off a couple Starbucks goodies… Thank you, Pastor Bob and Eleanor!

Every pastor, missionary, and chaplain we’ve contacted is connecting daily with people by phone and/or online. Many churches have divided up the congregation with staff, church leaders, and members phoning their church family every two to four weeks. One church has seniors phoning seniors. Pastors in another church phone six people a day, and then ask those people to phone several people. Most reported this is working well.

Pastor Jonathan of Maple Ridge Baptist (BC), shared a story that hit national news and went viral on social media. A couple’s wedding plans were ruined by COVID-19. The guest list dropped to 50, and then to just their parents in a livingroom. The church learned of this disappointment and, without the couple’s knowledge, came to the house and gathered on each side of the street near the bride’s parents’ home where she was getting married. They cheered and honked the horns of their cars as the couple’s limo left her parent’s home. The couple were so thrilled by this show of love they stopped the limo, got out, and had their first dance on the street. Pastor Jonathan was thrilled by this show of support, saying this was, “the church just being the church.”

Pastor Tim of Memorial Baptist (Stratford, ON) mentioned he hoped that the women reached by their counseling service and Young Mothers’ ministry will continue to connect with them. Their counseling service continues online during the current crisis.

REACHING out into the Community

Pastor Paul of South Delta Baptist (Delta, BC) mentioned there are two main community pages in their area, the “Tsawassen Loop” and “Ladner Landing.” They were asked to broadcast their online Easter service in the community pages. They hope this will open further spiritual conversations with people. Paul is finding people are generally more open to talk about spiritual matters during our current crisis.

Pastor Dave of Bonnyville Baptist (AB) was overjoyed when they had over 2,000 views for their online Easter service… their regular church attendance is 300. Pastor Patrick at Bramalea Baptist (Brampton, ON), and Pastor Sylvio (Saint-Georges, QC) are experiencing the same increased online viewership.

Pastor Donald of Temple Baptist (Sarnia, ON) mentioned the virus is bringing churches together in his city. Pastors are becoming closer friends. The evangelical ministerial meets weekly on Zoom for encouragement and prayer. The churches hosted a city-wide Zoom prayer meeting and over 200 showed up… more city-wide prayer meetings are being planned. The local mosque called Donald twice to discover what Temple is doing to help in the community to learn how they might better support the community. Who knows where this connection might lead in the future.

One church mentioned that their small groups ministry is inviting spiritual seekers to listen in on their weekly group meetings. To date, six people have indicated a profession of faith. My own church, GrandView Baptist (Kitchener, ON) has started an online Alpha group on Sunday evenings. In a recent conversation with FEB Central’s Church Planting Director, Tom Haines, he rejoiced that their church planters have reported 18 professions of faith since the COVID-19 lockdown started. God is doing a good thing!

Pastor Andrew of Shenstone (Brantford, ON) mentioned his church had prepared care packages and delivered them to people in need in his community.

Last Word

Thank you to everyone for your continued commitment to the care of the family of God and your community in these uncertain times. God is using our churches and our servant-leaders in creative ways to touch peoples’ lives.

Thank you.

I leave you with this last testimony:

One of our Western pastors asked for prayer for “unity” in his church. He mentioned he has folks at both ends of the physical-distancing spectrum. Some who are extreme “physical-distancers” and others who are “anti-vaccers” (opposed to vaccinations) who question whether or not the coronavirus is even real. He has been pointing out to everyone that our real unity is in Christ, not based on our positions concerning the COVID-19 crisis. Good counsel for us all.

Introducing Disciple-Making Movements (DDMs)

Mon, 04 May 2020 00:00:00 PST

A few years back our Fellowship International department made a paradigm shift in the way we are challenging and training our global missionaries to do mission. I believe we can learn a lot in Canada from the disciple-making movement (DMM) principles being adopted for ministry by our missionaries.

Here are the core principles, values and behaviours of DMMs:

DMM Overview of the 10 Guiding Principles

What you win them with, is what you win them to.

Each group is a place in which the conviction of the Holy Spirit is experienced at a personal level through engagement with the Word of God in the context of a small group of seekers/learners

The Word of God is the foundation. Confidence in the Word is established and matured, and Scripture is the gateway for establishing the priesthood of believers.

Dependency on God.

Prevailing prayer – significant prayer teams are established by the missionary. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Find people of peace.

Church function without church form – establish impact groups.

Gratitude which leads to worship

Support which leads to intercession

Knowledge is subservient to practice.

Obedience-based Bible study done in a DBS (Discovery Bible Study)

Utilize a simple, repeatable pattern to follow each week

Write out the passage

Write out the passage in your own words

Basic questions that reinforce the Gospel:

Who is God?

What does He do?

Who is humanity?

What do I do?

Three “I will statements” are asked at the conclusion of the study that demonstrate practice/obedience

Priesthood of the believer.

God uses His Word to speak to us, we do not require a teacher to prepare what we must learn each week

Nascent evangelism.

Plan to share; who do I know that would benefit from knowing what I have learned?

Discipled to conversion (rather than convert and then disciple).

Accountability.

the following week the DBS the group facilitator asks forms of these questions:

Tell the group about your “I wills” from the last study

Did it work?

Why or why not did you get it done? (hindrances)

Did you attempt to share what you learned with anyone? How did that go?

Then the above pattern is followed

New groups are formed rather than adding people to existing groups.
Note: It is highly recommended that believers and seekers not be mixed since believers seem unable to resist teaching seekers. It is recommended that the group initiator meet with anyone who has additional questions at a separate time and place.

Some food for thought when thinking about how to reach Canada with the Gospel. New approaches are needed if we are gong to reach thousands, rather than dozens, for Christ.

Who is in your Wheelhouse?

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 00:00:00 PST

The stats are daunting… just under 47,000 cases in Canada as of April 26, 2020 (as reported by the Government of Canada here). Mental health experts are populating social media with ideas and steps to care for your mental health. Why? Isolation affects us. Cases of suicide are up. The Mental Health Crisis Line number, 1-866-996-0991, is being posted everywhere.

A Story about a Nurse

Let me share two dramatic responses to COVID-19 from Italy, a country that has been rocked to its very core in recent weeks.

In late March, a nurse named Daniella Trezzi and a priest named Giuseppe Berardelli died. Ms Trezzi was a 34 year old registered nurse who died after learning she had been infected by the virus. She had been working in the ICU of a hospital in Milan caring for very sick COVID-19 patients. The thought that she may have spread the coronavirus to other patients before she learned she was a carrier was too much for her. She tragically committed suicide.

Tens of thousands of medical workers across Europe have contracted the virus. Currently, one in eight of Spain’s COVID-19 cases are medical care workers. Remember to pray for our medical care workers. They are experiencing unbearable stress, helplessly watching COVID-19 patients die alone.

I live in Fergus, ON. It’s a town founded by Scottish immigrants in the 19th century. For the past seven weeks, a local bagpiper plays tunes in the town square daily, in honour of our medical care workers and the mental health of all Fergians. I know, some of you think the pipes cause mental health issues. You are misguided! The piper takes requests online. Imagine tunes by the Beatles and Queen played by a bagpiper along with all the other Scottish standards.

What if our musicians stepped out of their back door regularly to play live to their neighbours. How might that soothe the anxiety of so many?

A story from Gerry Kraft

Gerry gets my weekly blog, “A Word from Steve”, and he replies back from time to time to keep in touch. Gerry is no stranger to many of us as a former Fellowship pastor and Director of Outreach Canada for many years.

Recently, he sent me a story that wonderfully shares the antidote to the mental anxiety and fear people are experiencing during these uncertain times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

“When I was pastoring in Campbell River, I had a good friend (a commercial fisherman) with whom my eldest son commercially fished for several years. We had friends visiting and I arranged for him to take us all out on his large sein fishing boat. It was the kind of boat that would put out a big net and circle around and close in to trap the salmon.

It was a pretty nice day and he decided to take us north of Campbell River, through what is called “the narrows”, up to Port Neville. It was great fun. We saw whales and eagles and enjoyed being on a big 60’ long boat.

The boat had a huge fishing hole, a cabin, a wheel house (steering station) on the main deck and a flying bridge where you could steer from up on top so you could see more. Our experienced captain was up on top and we and our guests stayed in the cabin and lower wheelhouse where we could be out of the wind.

Going was great as we were going with the wind and the tide. Coming back wasn’t so easy.

Many boats have sunk in this area over the years because of ripple rock that was in the middle of the channel and created uncertain water flow. In order to pass safely, you needed to know the currents and what was happening under the surface of the water. Our captain was well experienced and lived on the water all of his life. So we were as safe as we could be in his care.

To navigate the water safely with a deep hull boat, you need to come up inside the back eddy and then head out up current and wind at just the right angle to be safe. It is important that you have only one captain so that he can guide you through the troubled waters.

What we did not know was that the steering station in the wheelhouse was primary and would take over control whenever it was touched. We were heading up the channel and all of a sudden, I knew we were headed for trouble. I called up to my friend and he was frantically trying to control the boat. He did not know that one of our guests was not trusting him and was in the wheelhouse trying to steer the boat to where she thought it should go. Out in the center of the channel where there was a rock that she could not see.

When our captain found out why he could not control the boat, there was some pretty strong language. We did make it, but not everyone who goes through there does.

What is the point of me sharing this story?...Our world is in a critical storm. For many, it is life or death relating to their health. For many more, they face the loss of their jobs, businesses, retirement funds, and life as it once was. We are in a storm that is going to change things for a long time.

Question: when in a storm, who do you want to guide you through it?

For me, I want my Father or someone who has been there before. Someone with lots of experience. Someone who is positive. Someone who can guide me to safety. What I do not want is someone thinking they know better than the experienced Captain grabbing for control; willing to risk everyone else’s lives because they think they know what is best.

Question: who is in your wheelhouse?”

A Story About a Priest

In mid-March, a priest, Don Giuseppe Berardelli (72 years old) died of the coronavirus. His death was front-page news in Italy, because he made the ultimate sacrifice with his death. His beloved parishioners had purchased him a respirator because the device is in such short supply in Italy. Father Berardelli gave up his respirator for a younger COVID-19 patient whom the priest did not know.

None of us can know the true spiritual state of Mr. Berardelli. My hope is that his faith was placed in Christ alone despite the confusion taught in his faith tradition. But his actions remind me of Jesus’ comment in John 15:13.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

His response was so different than others. What made him make the ultimate sacrifice? His hope was in something more sure than this “terra firma”. His confidence compelled him to model an “agape”-type of love. Let’s do the same as the Church shines in the midst of these uncertain days.

Gift, Loan, Subsidy: Addressing the Financial Ripple Effect on Churches this Summer

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:00 PST

I was on a Zoom call with 40 evangelical denominational leaders the other day discussing COVID-19 and the Church’s response within Canada.

Among other things discussed was the financial effect our current crisis will have on the local church in the short- and long-term. A few leaders mentioned that some of their churches had already laid off their pastor. That same week I connected with our five Fellowship Regional Directors to discuss the same subject matter.

Several weeks ago I shared about a survey that was taken reflecting the views of 1,573 pastors, most of them evangelical (posted March 27). They were asked about a variety of subjects related to the COVID-19 crisis. [Click here to view the full report.] When pastors were asked how confident they were about finances, all recognized the coming challenges. Most pastors also admitted we have not experienced the full ripple effects of COVID-19 on church giving.

When asked, “How prepared is your church financially to face the crisis?” the responses were:

52% admitted it would be tight but they would manage by reducing expenses without too much pain

20% responded that finances are not a significant concern

7% reported they would likely have to cancel or delay key upcoming initiatives

14% admitted the likelihood of significant cuts including pay cuts and layoffs

6% admitted that if the crisis lasted more than a few months they would be in financial trouble. This percentage is likely to grow as giving potential slows down in the historically slower summer months.

Smaller churches seemed to indicate a greater degree of concern. In fact, of those who replied that their church might have to close, 53% were pastors of churches under 50 members.

In light of these initial findings, I thought I should inform you of some Federal government subsidies and loans available to non-profits, including churches. You may already be aware of these programs [as of the April 16th, the time of production of this blog post]. Our Regions have been getting the word out. [Note that some of this information is changing.

Temporary Wage Subsidy
This program is for small businesses including non-profits and registered charities, which means our churches can definitely benefit from this.
Basically it relates to payroll deductions; the church would calculate the payroll the same as before, but when they go to submit the deductions owing to the government they can reduce the amount of the deduction by up to $1,375 per employee for up to a total of $25,000 per church over the period between March 18 and June 20. You can find further explanation HERE.

Canada Emergency Business Account
To ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need to see them through the current challenges, the Government of Canada is announcing the launch of the new Canada Emergency Business Account, which will be implemented by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC).
This $25 billion program will provide interest free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 virus. This will better position them to quickly return to providing services to their communities and creating employment. Small businesses and not-for-profits should contact their financial institution to apply for these loans.
To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $20,000 to $1.5 million in total payroll in 2019. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25% (up to $10,000).

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
The Government of Canada has established the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy which, once the bill has passed into law, will provide a 75% wage subsidy to eligible employers for up to 12 weeks retroactive to March 15, 2020. If a company (including not-for-profit organizations) has had a reduction in revenues by more than 15% in March 2020, and 30% for the following months, they can receive up to 75% of the amount of remuneration paid up to a maximum benefit of $847 per week per employee. (For more information and/or to see if your church qualifies for this subsidy, CLICK HERE.)

Churches Supporting Churches
Occasionally I hear an encouraging story of a Fellowship church coming alongside a sister church and helping them financially. For the past five years I’ve had the joy of partnering over 75 English-speaking congregations in four Fellowship Regions with French-speaking church plants in our AÉBÉQ (French) Region. The partnership is for seven years, which includes financial support along with other kinds of resources. This partnership has been instrumental in establishing the planting of about a dozen church plants in our AÉBÉQ Region. From my seat, this has been incredibly gratifying to watch. Imagine your church coming alongside another sister church during the COVID-19 crisis and helping them financially for the next three to six months. This could possibly be a church in your neighbourhood, your Association, or Region? What an encouragement it would be to temporarily lift the burden and give them a leg-up. Something to think about? Pray about?

One interesting find in the survey was that half the pastors requested content on how to maximize online-giving. This is not so much a reflection on a concern for finances, but a recognition that many of our church members are just learning how to give online. This crisis will likely change the way the faithful give forever.

WWLD: What Would Luther do During the Pandemic?

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 00:00:00 PST

Do you recall using phrases like “physical distancing,” “self-isolating,” or “flattening the curve,” before February 2020? Yet they are in common use today. COVID-19 has made a remarkable imprint on our lives and possibly our culture for years to come.

However, epidemics and pandemics are not new to our world, nor is the church’s response to them. Vivian Nutton, a historian of medicine, writes that from the 14th to 18th centuries, “A town would experience an epidemic of plague approximately every decade, and a serious devastation once in every generation.

Mass disease outbreaks were part of people’s lives for all recorded history. The outbreak caused by the bubonic plague had a fatality rate of 60-90%. The Black Death started in October 1347 in Sicily and over the years spread, killing almost one-third of Europe’s population — more than 20 million people. The COVID-19 fatality rate is approximately 1-3%.

Some Christians responded to these devastations with “flight theologies,” exploring what might be a Christian’s responsibility: to help the sick or flee a diseased town. The great reformer, Martin Luther, shared his thoughts in a letter to a pastor, Johann Hess. Hess had asked the question, “…is it proper for a Christian to run away from a deadly plague?” Hess had to write twice before getting an answer, as Luther had been too ill to reply to the first letter. Luther had also lost family members and friends, including some of his own children, to sickness.

What Would Luther Do?

In 1527 a plague hit Wittenberg, the town where Luther lived and taught at the university. While classes were wisely moved to an unaffected town, Luther refused to leave. He chose instead to care for the sick, and he and his wife, Katherina, transformed their home into a hospital. His advice was tempered by the fear and potential consequence that the disease might take him. For Luther, response to the epidemic was an occasion to exercise faith and turn from sin, namely one of our chief sins, selfishness, that turns first to self and then to the health and safety of others. Luther regarded the epidemic as a time of temptation that would test and prove our faith and love. He wrote, “…our faith in that we may see and experience how we should act toward God; our love in that we may recognize how we should act toward our neighbour.”

Luther calls on Christians in 2020 to resist the temptation to flee, and instead contribute to the physical and spiritual care of those in our community who are most vulnerable, sick, self-isolating or dying. In a time without widespread institutional healthcare, Luther called Christians to a divine obligation to fill the gap.

The Christian’s Response

Today we have extraordinary healthcare measures available for the sick, however the vast majority of us do not have special training to participate on the medical front lines. In fact, we should not show unnecessary heroics and become infected, thus becoming part of the problem, so what should be a Christian’s response to COVID-19?

Respond to Accurate Information

Do not believe the hysteria on social media and be careful of mass misinformation from journalists. For Christians, truth is uniquely important. Each of us have a responsibility to find and rely on accurate sources of information. Dismiss sensational, hysterical, or manipulative news sources.

Listen to our public health experts. Inevitably their recommendations will not be perfect (this virus is an evolving news story), but they will give us the best counsel to follow toward long-term safety.

Practice physical-distancing and self-isolate when necessary. We must all participate in flattening the epidemic curve of this spreading virus. No health system in the world will be able to handle a massive influx of sick patients. In Canada, many hospitals are already operating near 100% capacity, with most of their beds in use. There are not enough respirators to go around, and doctors throughout the world are having to make the heartbreaking choices about who is to receive scarce resources. Lives may be lost because we chose to go on an unnecessary errand, or trip, and spread the virus.

My wife, a retired registered nurse, was recently contacted by the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA). They requested that she reapply for active RN status in the event she is needed for hospital duty during the growing pandemic. Name me one other occasion when this has happened in Canadian history? Possibly not since WWII.

Respond with Compassion and Prayer

Lastly, we are called to exercise compassion to the sick and needy and pray for our authorities as they steward this unprecedented time in our history. May the Lord show his mercy. May the church shine brightly. May many turn to God for comfort, peace and hope.

On the 500th Anniversary; a Painting Speaks a 1,000 Words

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 00:00:00 PST

The Renaissance age produced some of the greatest art humanity has ever created. I have looked into “Mona Lisa’s” eyes in the Louvre, peered up at Michelangelo’s “David” in Florence, and marveled at Caravaggio’s (my favourite Renaissance painter, btw) “The Entombment of Christ” in the Vatican. For art lovers, the experience is similar to summiting Mount Everest. Art emotes tremendously deep feelings.

For many art lovers, Raphael’s “The Transfiguration” is considered the greatest of the Renaissance paintings. April marks the 500th anniversary of the completion of this masterpiece, and I want to take a few minutes to introduce it to you.

Raphael was commissioned by Cardinal Medici (later Pope Clement VII) to paint the altarpiece in 1516.

His last painting was his greatest; his last attempt to offer the world the light of the Gospel over the darkness of sin and death.

“The Transfiguration” Explained

The painting is a beautiful scene of Jesus bathed in moonlight, floating above a mountain (traditionally Mount Tabor) with darkness, evil, and hopelessness below.

The upper registry of the painting depicts the transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13), while the lower half depicts the failed attempt by the apostles to exorcise a demon from a boy (Mark 9:14-29). Raphael brilliantly depicts two consecutive, but distinct, biblical narratives to contrast the redemptive power of Christ over the sinfulness inherent in humanity.

Why Bathed in Moonlight?

Let’s spend a few moments pointing out what is going on in the painting:

Jesus, the Christ, the “anointed” Messiah, in a white robe (signifying purity) is moonlit and glowing. In Raphael’s day, afflictions like demon possession and epilepsy were equated with the moon and understood as a kind of “moon-sickness.”

Moses is to the right of Christ and Elijah is to the left. The two figures left of Elijah are Justus and Pastor, who share the same religious feast day as the “Feast of the Transfiguration” (August 6). Atop the mountain are three prostrate figures, James, Peter, and John, dressed in robes symbolized by the traditional colours for faith, hope, and love.

In the lower registry of the painting, things become a lot darker.

At midlevel and to the far left is Judas Iscariot with the four apostles, Philip, Andrew, Simon, and Thaddeus. They are all looking and pointing to a young boy to the right. In the lower left corner of the painting is Matthew, wearing a blue robe. The Apostle had also written of the transfiguration story in Matthew 17:1-9. Matthew is at eye level with the viewer and serves as the interpreter of the scene. His job is to tell the audience what is going on.

Matthew the Storyteller

Renaissance painters often used this creative device to help viewers see important cues in a painting: a beckoning hand pointing to the focus of the painting, a facial expression, or forbidding glance to express danger or displeasure. Matthew is the storyteller for the audience.

Matthew points to the boy, no longer prostrate and writhing in distress, but standing with his mouth open and pointing to Christ, depicting the departure of the demonic spirit.

Left of the boy is a woman kneeling while bathed in divine light. Raphael rendered this woman in a classic “serpentine pose” with her shoulders and hips moving in opposition to one another. Leonardo da Vinci used this same device in his famous 1504 painting, “Leda and the Swan.” The serpent-like symbolism, along with the surrounding darkness and the contorted twisting of the other characters around her, conjure up a sense of the demonic.

Matthew, the storyteller, points to the woman as she humbly kneels before the glorious healing of the demon-possessed boy. Demonic power is no match for the glorious power of the transfigured Christ. The boy, free of the demon, stands as he points to Christ.

In the midst of darkness comes the light.

In the midst of fallenness comes salvation.

In the midst of brokenness comes healing.

In Hebrew, the artist’s name, Raphael, means “God has healed.” Many art scholars agree that Raphael joined these two scenes (Mark 9:2-13 and Mark 9:14-29) in his final painting as his final testament to the healing power of Christ.

Jehovah-Rapha, the God who heals! May we share in Raphael’s wonder while we reflect once again on the familiar, but glorious work of our risen Saviour. God is good.

Offering Hope During the Pandemic

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 00:00:00 PST

I recently heard from one of our Fellowship missionaries in Pakistan. In an email to fellow missionaries serving there, he wrote:

“We do understand that in all of this God has not departed and left us to our own. We are people of ultimate hope and God is not going to abandon us. May God use this to cause us and many others to look to Him.”

During this time of upheaval and uncertainly, a good place to look is to Him. Our hope rests only in Him.

A couple of years ago, I was attending a Fellowship staff prayer day. I was in a spiritually lean time due to life’s burdens, and God met me in a remarkable way through a Psalm we had shared earlier in our morning worship time:

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.” Psalm 42:5-6 NIV

I realized that I had been subtly putting my hope in other things. My hope is in Jesus — only Jesus. This verse continues to sustain me when my heart inevitably starts to wander.

In times of uncertainty, we can become fearful. God understands. The Bible has many reminders of Him telling His children not to be afraid.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 ESV

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV

Instead, God calls us to be courageous. He calls us to respond in faith and be a witness for Him; to reach out to someone with a word of comfort and encouragement.

Our hope is not found in this world. Augustine reminds us in his writings that hope is found in Christ and the world to come, saying: “As we are saved by hope, so we are made happy by hope. Neither our salvation nor our beatitude is here present, but we ‘wait for it’ in the future, and we wait ‘with patience,’ precisely because we are surrounded by evil which patience must endure until we come to where all good things are sources of inexpressible happiness and where there will be no longer anything to endure.”

Although our security, hope, and happiness are not found in this present world, it is this very hope that propels us to respond to this world, this pandemic, with hope, not fear.

Our attitude toward COVID-19 should be marked by hope and peace, not hysteria and panic.

“Do not be anxious about your life….Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul…” (Matthew 6:25, 10:28 ESV)

We should not comfort ourselves with false information that drives us to selfishness, or panic that causes us to hoard face masks (that health professionals desperately need), soup cans, and toilet paper. We are called to be a light in our society; a light on a hill, obvious to everyone. Our job is to help our neighbours when they are sick; to support business people and help keep our economy going; to support, rather than criticize, our public health practitioners and government officials as they seek to address this crisis with wisdom and compassion. Their recommendations may possibly be imperfect, but we should pray for them.

One Fellowship pastor wrote saying he was asking his people to believe that when we think about the pandemic of 2020, we will recall a time when our church pulled together, got to know each other even more in virtual ways, and got on mission in our community.

Most of us are looking one or two weeks down the road during this pandemic. Let’s also look one and two years from now. How do we want to remember our behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020?

What might God want us to DO during the pandemic?

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 00:00:00 PST

A little over a week ago my wife mentioned that over 350 people had died in Italy on one day (March 15) from the COVID-19 virus. The seriousness of this unprecedented time seemed to sink even deeper in my gut upon hearing this sobering statistic. That was just one day, in one country. A developed country! The statistic represented someone’s mother, grandfather, child, friend, baby. Lost forever. Oh Lord, what are we to do?

I heard from one of our own Fellowship International missionaries in Europe this week. He said they were confined to their home but were using Zoom to remain connected. He wrote, “This unusual situation opens doors for interesting discussions about spiritual matters. Since Monday I’ve had opportunities to share my hope with three non-Christians. People around us are anxious and destabilized. I believe God in His mercy wants to STOP US from our frenetic way of life to speak to us. We need to be recentred on what is essential. “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6: 33).”

My wife and I were out the other day and she pointed out a random sign that said, “Be still”. Marilyn mentioned to me she thought that was good counsel for all of us in these days of uncertainty and upheaval. “Be still and know I am God” (Psalm 46:11). In our stillness we should find and experience peace. A peace beyond the common understanding of those around us. But stillness doesn’t necessarily mean inactivity. Most of us would agree this pandemic is an opportunity for the Church to shine.

A friend of mine, who happens to be another denominational leader in Canada, recently wrote saying he and his wife were sending hand written notes to 20 of their immediate neighbours. I thought it was a brilliant idea and hope some of us will consider doing this as well. Here is what they wrote:

“Hello! We are your neighbours, (insert your names), and we live at (insert your address). In light of the fact that some of us may get sick during the COVID-19 virus pandemic and we may have to stay home, we wanted you to have our phone numbers. Please call or text if we can help in any way. If you run out of supplies or need groceries picked up or dropped off at your door, we are happy to help as much as we are able. We are all in this together! You are not alone! Our phone numbers are (insert your cell numbers).”

One of my wife’s friends posted on FaceBook, her willingness to care for two school-aged children, free of charge, during the two-week extended March break (in Ontario) when parents are desperately scrambling for child-care and they are still required to go to work.

Let’s get creative. Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus while we take care of our neighbours and one another. Stay safe out there.

I'm a Grandparent; What I Need to Learn!

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:00:00 PST

I recently became a granddad for the first time. I didn’t think it possible to love anyone as much as I adore my granddaughter. Issy smiles and I melt.

I recently heard of a ministry to help grandparents better care and minister to their grandchildren and parents.

Bob and Denise Dobson attend a Fellowship Church in British Columbia. Bob is no stranger to our Fellowship. He and his brother, David, have served in leadership in our Fellowship for decades.

The Dobsons lead a ministry, “Intentional Spiritual Grandparenting,” that serves the local church by training believers on how to influence, nurture, and impact their grandchildren. I have asked Bob to comment on this ministry:

“Grandparent” is a verb…

“’Papa, can you help me to become a better Christian?’ my eleven-year-old grandson asked me as I was recently driving him to his hockey game.

“Grandchildren are facing pressures every day from a hyper-connected digital world. Their peers are often at odds with biblical truth. Many experience life doubly hard, navigating loneliness, self-image doubts, and relationship breakdowns in an all too often hostile world. Unlike ourselves, they’ve been born into a world with strong cultural messages that threaten to distort and destroy faith in Christ.

“God has raised up a new ministry for my wife, Denise, and myself: Intentional Spiritual Grandparenting. Through regional seminars and local church sessions, we speak on how to influence, bless and nurture your grandchildren for lasting impact – leaving a legacy for generations to come.

“Grandparents are an important part of any and all family units. They provide history, wisdom, and a connection to the past, as well as the ability to share lessons learned with current and future generations. Grandparents are uniquely positioned and have a Biblical mandate to spiritually influence our grandkids. If we don’t teach and disciple our grandchildren, someone else will.

“In our seminars, we investigate how to ensure our faith in Jesus Christ will live on in our grandchildren and the generations that follow. We learn how the intentional involvement of grandparents in their grandchildren’s spiritual development is harmonious with Scripture. We share a common motivation and passion that our grandchildren will follow Jesus Christ.

“The seminar covers…

-what the Bible says about grandparenting

-reaching the heart of your grandchild

-overcoming the barriers of distance (geographical, relational, and spiritual)

-becoming an intentional Christian grandparent

-how to give a spiritual blessing to your grandchildren

“Feedback from the participants comment that they leave the seminars with new inspiration, urgency, the realization of their full potential to pass their life experience forward, and a new mandate to ‘write the signature of God across the souls of their grandchildren.’

“By the way, you need to know that the answer to my grandson’s question was, ‘Absolutely!’“

We plan to invite Bob and Denise to our next Fellowship National Conference (November 2-4, 2020 in Toronto) to present a workshop on how this ministry might serve our local churches. But don’t necessarily wait until November to find out more. Contact Bob at robert@familylifecanada.com or 604-970-0362, and consider inviting Bob and Denise to conduct a Grandparenting Seminar at your church. One Fellowship church did exactly that and I asked their pastor, Rod Heppell from Sardis Baptist Church, to comment on the experience:

“As a pastoral staff, we were planning a sermon series on relationships addressing marriage, singleness, parenting, the usual, when we decided to also talk about grandparenting. We had never done this before but felt it was a significant topic that needed to be talked about and maybe too often gets overlooked. I had heard about an ‘Intentional Spiritual Grandparenting’ seminar taught by Bob and Denise Dobson, and so invited them to come and present this to our church family. It was excellent!

“The content of the seminar, and the way in which Bob and Denise address sensitive topics in a nonthreatening manner, makes this an outstanding presentation. Biblically rooted in principals found in Deuteronomy 4 and Psalm 78, Bob inspires grandparents to consider how they could leave a spiritual legacy for the next four to five generations!

“The response was amazing! Grandparents commented that they had never realized the significant role they play in passing on their faith to their grandkids. Others had never thought about how they could bless their kids and grandkids with a spiritual blessing. Some learned how they can close the relational gap that exists between them and their grandkids. The seminar is filled with many practical ‘how-to’s’ for becoming an intentional spiritual grandparent, and covers a wide range of issues and situations facing grandparents today. Every grandparent will benefit from taking this seminar. From a pastor’s perspective, it was very beneficial for my congregation.”

Chaplains Connect Churches to their Community

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:00:00 PST

Fellowship Chaplaincy just experienced a handover a few months back. While I serve as Fellowship Chaplain director, giving overall leadership to this growing ministry (we have grown from 27 to 106 chaplains in the past five years), there is an Advisory Council and other National staff who do much of the work to support our amazing chaplains.

I’d like to publically thank Thomas Hopkins, who served as my Associate since 2012. He stepped down in January 2020. Before leaving, he was asked to comment on some “takeaways” he has become aware of while working with our Fellowship chaplains. I thought they were insightful, and so wanted to share them with you:

Here are three key “takeaways” from my time working with Fellowship Chaplaincy:

The passion of our chaplains — in spending time with you, our chaplains, it is easy to recognize your passion for bringing the presence of Christ to the lost, especially those who are located in hard-to-reach or closed community settings.

The creativity of our chaplains – this applies both in areas of ministry and in day-to-day serving. I have witnessed a great deal of creativity in my time interacting with you. I encourage you to continue being creative as you minister to those you are called to reach.

The need for this ministry in our country — With fewer Canadians going to church and being raised in Christian homes, the need to reach these difficult settings grows more important by the day. We need more chaplains connecting our churches to their communities and workplaces to help reach our nation.

To our chaplains, I want to say keep pressing on as you serve, even in the face of adversity, loneliness, and spiritual warfare. Your work is vital and you are making an impact in our country. Thank you for being an inspiration to me!

Thank you, Thomas, for your service to our Fellowship chaplains.

Introducing Larry Freeman, our new Fellowship Chaplain Coordinator

Larry began his ministry in January of this year. He is no stranger to many of the Fellowship family in the FEB Central Region where he served as a Fellowship pastor and chaplain for many years. We asked Larry to briefly introduce himself to the entire Fellowship family.

My name is Larry Freeman and I am the new part-time Chaplaincy Coordinator (taking over for Thomas Hopkins so that he can go back to his 'real' job). I’ve been connected with Fellowship Chaplaincy for over 20 years, serving on the former Chaplaincy Board and also functioning as a chaplain.

My chaplaincy connection began when, as a new pastor in Parry Sound, ON, I was looking for ways to connect within the community. This led to involvement with the local hospital, Ontario Provincial Police detachment, volunteer fire departments, ambulance services, local funeral homes, the local Legion, the local jail, and many other opportunities. As you can see, I didn't quite fit the mold of a 'normal' chaplain as I crossed over into many of the areas where our chaplains serve. After over 11 years of doing both pastoral and chaplaincy ministry concurrently, the point came when I had to make a choice as to which one I would commit. An opportunity arose to become a full-time chaplain at our local hospital and an adjoining long-term care facility. Although this was my full-time job, I was still seen more as a community chaplain, being called upon to help people in a variety of ways through many different avenues.

After serving as the hospital/long-term care chaplain for almost 15 years, I felt it was time for something new. I retired from that role and the Lord opened the door to take on this role with the Fellowship.

On a personal note, I have been married to my wife Judy for over 37 years, I have four married daughters and we have been blessed with six grandchildren to date, four granddaughters and two grandsons.

— Larry Freeman serves part-time as Fellowship Chaplaincy Coordinator.

If you have any questions about Fellowship chaplaincy or becoming a chaplain, please contact Larry at lfreeman@fellowship.ca

Praying God-Sized Prayers

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 00:00:00 PST

I have a prayer accountability partner whom I have learned much from over the years. I love when my friend spends time praying over me. In his praying, he spends much time repeating Scripture. It is a powerful way to pray. In a small book he wrote, “22 Life Lessons on Prayer,” he asks the question, “Do I regularly express faith in my prayers using Scripture to do so?” (page 35). Thank you, Tim, for being my prayer buddy.

In a recent conversation with our Fellowship International Director, Dave Marttunen, he mentioned a book he recently read about prayer, which asks the reader to petition for God-sized specific prayers. The book is, What Are You Trusting God For? by Gregg Hinzelman. I’ll let Dave tell you more about the book:

“I recently read one of those books that gave me a slap, but with ‘tons’ of encouragement. It is an easy read and possesses many insights from the author’s life. The title, “What Are You Trusting God For?” is as evocative as the author’s life stories. Author, Gregg Hinzelman, lives what he writes – and you meet him as a prayer warrior.

“Without referencing James’ exhortation…’you have not because you ask not’….the writer appeals to the reader to start asking God-sized specific prayers.

“His insight into why we don’t pray zeroed in on the primary issue: we really do not want God to control our lives. Yet, we know this: until we surrender (as often as needed until He is where He deserves and desires to be for our good and His glory), we struggle with less. It is true, isn’t it? Our individual and collective experience shouts out that is true! We must surrender our pseudo sense of control to God. We can easily give lip service to the truth that we know God is always in control but, in this case, surrender means so much more than acquiescing to His authority. Surrender means that we choose God to be in charge willingly, purposefully, and with heartfelt submission. I surrender to His leadership and to His values.

“All this from Gregg’s third chapter. We need a reminder like this from time to time. Prayer is the means to everything God wants done and wants us to do.

“Hinzelman reminds us, “The more we give God control in our lives, the more useable we become…”

“One of the saddest commentaries on how poor surrender leads to big disappointment, dissatisfaction, and frustration is located in the life of Samson. He was like a superhero with remarkable strength. The biblical record demonstrates how much he did, and how little self-discipline he developed. The summary lines, that he avenged more through his death than in his life, should disturb us. Samson had God’s presence and power, but lacked God’s control. I think that war is one many, if not all of us, fight – if not frequently, at least from time to time. Surrender remains hard until we value His power at work in us more than our power at work for Him. We believe and practice the Gospel – apart from me you can do nothing.

“Let Hinzelman’s words coach you on to some practical steps.

Keep a prayer journal – Use a numbered list and pray for these on rotation: 1s on one day, 2s on the next day…some things are E for every day. It makes the list manageable, and he advises that when a request is answered, write “thanks” and add another request in the next list.

Pray specific prayers.

Find a prayer partner (prayer for each other, pray together now and then).

Be audience-specific (pray for your neighbours by walking through the neighbourhood; for those in a prayer group, pray for what they need and ask).

Commit to corporate prayer – join with others to pray.

Ask God to give you a great vision of what to trust Him for.

Become a prayer mobilizer.

“I hope I have wetted your appetite to choose a book on prayer and read it. If you only read one this year, make it this one. In my opinion, it is excellent. As I read it, I felt helped to consider and advance my prayer life by taking some steps to improve it.”

It is Time to Ditch the "E" Word?!

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:00:00 PST

The word “evangelical” can mean many things to many people. Should evangelicals be asking themselves whether the word is still relevant at the start of the twenty-first century? Recently, I was chatting with a pastor buddy and mentioned that our Baptist churches had a major schism in 1927 during the modernism movement, and evangelicalism was “born again.” I’m concerned another schism is on the horizon, maybe in 2027?

Ask a typical person on the street what they think of when they hear the word “evangelical,” and you will likely receive a negative answer. The common media portrayal has negative connotations. Others have reduced evangelicals to the right-wing republican arm of American politics; a Christian sector, a group that rants about what they are against….anti-gay, anti-trans, anti-abortion, anti-climate change, etc.

Ask a typical evangelical in a church in the Western world, and we might be surprised how supposed insiders describe what it means to be evangelical. In a British study (2016) of millennials, 32% of young adults who consider themselves evangelical would never use the word when describing themselves. Another 37% of self-defined evangelical millennials said they would only use the word occasionally to describe themselves. One respondent commented, “The word frightens off non-Christians…who assume the word has something to do with TV evangelists who ask for money.” Another simply said, “The term makes me cringe a bit, I think it’s quite cheesy.”

My personal concern is the need nowadays to have to define terms. I have become convinced we are not all talking precisely about the same thing when we mention common “evangelical” terms, beliefs, and values. Our passion must be for the “euangelion” alone – the good news that Jesus saves, only Jesus, and the message that says there is more than this, abundantly more.

The eighteenth and nineteenth century revivals saw a shaking of the dead orthodoxy of Protestant churches. These spiritual reformers, like Wesley, Whitefield and Finney, were labelled disparagingly as “enthusiasts.” Civil society and its church was disturbed by the extravagance the evangelicals displayed.

The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw a decided theological swing to the left, resulting in civil society and the church embracing what many call the social gospel. Adherents such as Machen, Henry, Ockenga, and others, defined evangelical tenets, while practitioners such as Stott, Lloyd-Jones, Graham, Bright, and others, popularized the truth statements of evangelicalism. The result is a global movement from several tens of millions of adherents in the late nineteenth century to an estimated 630 million evangelicals in the early twenty-first century. In 1900 there were approximately 10 million evangelical Christians on the continent of Africa (10% of the total population), and by 2000 the number had exploded to 360 million, or 50% of the continent’s population. This is likely the single most significant cultural and spiritual shift among human beings at any time in history.

However, success has its problems. The brand. Our identity. What does it mean to describe yourself as evangelical in 2020? One adherent uses the word, “atonement,” but does he mean what you think he means? Another describes herself as a progressive evangelical. Are we talking about the same things when we use time-honoured “evangelical words?”

Many of us have heard of David Bebbington’s four point description of the qualities that define evangelicalism:

Biblicism – a particular regard for the Bible,

Crucicentrism – a focus on the atoning work of Christ on the cross,

Conversionism – the belief that human beings need to be converted,

Activism – the belief that the gospel needs to be expressed in effort.

Are we all on the same page as evangelicals anymore? Should we ditch the word, “evangelical?” Does the word no longer easily and clearly define who we are? Is the term totally meaningless in 2020?

Personally, I love the word. The evangel. The Gospel. The Good News all captured in a single word: “evangelical.” Rather than ditching the word, I would prefer reclaiming it; stuffing it with such Biblical orthodoxy and orthopraxy that when people on the street hear the word “evangelical Christian,” what comes to mind is an image of “good news people” living transformed lives characterized by abundance and joy. The outpouring of our lives should be a passionate desire to share this Good News. Never forget, the Good News really is good news. Everyone likes to hear good news. Today we declare together that we are “enthusiasts”.

Are you ready to ditch the word, evangelical? If so, why?

How to Get INVITED into Your Community

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 00:00:00 PST

Most of our churches are trying to discover ways to penetrate their community with the Gospel, while Fellowship chaplains are being welcomed and invited by the community to enter. This seems to be a new reality in the twenty-first century.

One long time church planter (30+ years) recently became a Fellowship chaplain. He mentioned he has been surprised by the open door he receives in the community because his title is now chaplain, not pastor. Rob Schweyer is featured in this email. Rob served churches and our Fellowship Pacific Region, but admitted his opportunity for Gospel advancement has significantly increased since becoming a military chaplain.

It is for this reason I continue to challenge Fellowship pastors to formally become “volunteer” Fellowship chaplains, to help enable your presence in your community.

The following are stories/reports from three of our Fellowship chaplains.

Philippe Coulidiati is a nursing home chaplain in Montreal, QC.

Philippe is a full-time pastor and a volunteer chaplain. He, along with a member from his church, visit Francis in a long-term care facility every other week. A number of years ago, Francis suffered a debilitating stroke that left him almost entirely paralyzed (he communicates through a computer). Philippe told me that he visits Francis because he doesn’t want him to say that God has forgotten him! This heartbeat for people is truly inspiring!

Rob Schweyer serves as military chaplain to troops stationed in Petawawa, ON. (robert.schweyer@forces.gc.ca)

“After 20 years of local church ministry in the Fellowship Pacific Region, never would I have thought I'd be standing at attention outside my barracks at basic training while a 30-something berated me for improperly folding the corners of my bed. “What on earth am I doing here at basic training for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)?” I remember watching the news a few years ago when my heart was tugged toward military chaplaincy. As I heard about the various mental health issues that were surfacing in the lives of these brave men and women I asked God to be with them and bring healing, hope, and peace through Christ. Little did I know then that God was going to call ME to be one of His instruments to bring this message as a CAF chaplain.

“I have discovered a vital ministry working as a chaplain. I meet with soldiers who bring anxieties, relationship troubles, loss, grief, addictions, questions about purpose, and other critical concerns. The most important part of my job is to offer a ministry of presence to the soldiers. The more I connect with them in their environment, the more fruitful my ministry is. I get to be part of their training exercises, sleeping in small military tents (or none at all), travelling by foot (sometimes up to 20 km while packing my 100 lb rucksack) or military vehicle, serving them food, offering field services, or just walking within the unit and talking with them. The chaplain is often the first person a distressed soldier talks to and they have an incredible opportunity to provide support and be part of the process to help a soldier find ongoing professional help.

“I can't believe I get to do this job. It's an incredible privilege to make a difference in the lives of these soldiers who sacrifice so much for others. There is a shortage of CAF chaplains and within the next few years, as a large number of chaplains are set to retire, the shortage will increase. The need is great, the opportunities are incredible, and the ministry is effective. I would love to have a coffee or phone call with any of my brothers and sisters who might be interested in this ministry.

Shannon Pharoah serves as a volunteer chaplain at Guelph General Hospital, Guelph, ON:

“I have been a Fellowship chaplain for two years. I currently work as a Faith Community Nurse at Calvary Baptist Church (Guelph, ON), which has allowed me to connect with individuals and families both within our congregation as well as within our community. Upon being recognized as a chaplain, I began my volunteer experience at Guelph General Hospital, where I have served the hospital community as a spiritual care provider. This has given me many opportunities to share Christ’s love with families who are struggling with a variety of health issues. Most commonly, I have been invited to pray over and support families during end-of-life experiences. Several months ago I conducted a funeral for an elderly gentleman; his family was so encouraged by my compassion and sensitivity to their loss. His granddaughter expressed appreciation for the time I spent just prior to the service, and prayed for the family. She stated, “This was the most memorable moment for me at my grandfather's funeral.” Three months later his daughter passed away and the family personally invited me to once again pray for the family. They shared with me that they were moved by the personal touch I expressed at their father's bedside, and they wanted to experience that again. As a result, I was asked to conduct the funeral service of their sister. Sharing in the losses with this family through being present in life's frail moments, allowed me to affirm Christ's love and extend the Good News of Jesus Christ in the midst of sorrow. “

Please join me in praying for the more than 100 Fellowship chaplains serving the Lord in 15 different contexts, including the military, hospitals, communities, first responders, airports, nursing homes, sports, media, etc.

Halo Report: What if Fellowship Baptists No Longer Existed?

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 PST

What would happen if our Fellowship Baptist churches ceased to exist? What would it cost Canadian society to replace the programs and services our local churches provide to the wider community?

We sought to measure that reality this past year. A faith-based research firm conducted a study of our movement of churches to discover our halo impact on communities throughout Canada.

What is Halo Impact?

Discovering the halo impact of a local church is quantifying the measureable economic value a congregation contributes to its immediate community. The study quantified the monetary value of the goods and services our churches provide that the market does not price. The study sought to acknowledge that there is a socio-economic benefit that faith groups provide to communities. The study provided the “hard numbers” created by “soft assets” that help prove the value of churches to city halls and our community. While value is never just about money, our Halo Impact Study allows us to underscore our inherent value to society through this one lens.

The Fellowship’s Halo Impact

A general study of 442 of 507 Fellowship Baptist churches was conducted in June 2018. A more rigorous surveying of 26 Fellowship churches took place between September 2018 and May 2019. These churches were from the following Fellowship Regions:

Fellowship Pacific: 7 churches

Fellowship Prairies: 2 churches

FEB Central: 11 churches

AÉBÉQ: 5 churches

Fellowship Atlantic: 1 church

Here are some of the outcomes discovered from our Halo Impact Study:

The annual halo impact of the average Fellowship church is $785,922.

One church in FEB Central contributed $11 million in socio-economic benefit to their community in one year.

Our churches contributed a total of $415 million in socio-economic benefit in local communities last year.

The average Fellowship worshipper contributes a halo impact of $5,739 each year.

For every $1 spent by a Fellowship church, there is an impact of $2.68 in their community.

The 26 churches studied had expenditures of $29,153,592 contributing an annual halo impact of $78,060,796 in their communities.

Fellowship churches provide 5.9 times more socio-economic impact than they would if they lost charitable status and started paying property taxes.

The “direct spending” in the communities of the 26 churches studied made up 28.14% of the congregation’s total halo impact.

Of the 442 churches studied, 347 were urban churches (total halo impact of $374 million) and 95 were rural churches (total halo impact of $40 million).

There are 30,000 religious organizations in Canada with 20 million members (Canada has a population of 37 million) contributing $6.8 billion dollars each year.

Canadians who attend a religious service weekly, contribute 215 volunteer hours per year, or a total of 579 million hours valued at $15.6 billion in (free) services to their communities (based on “The Canada Board of Commerce” stats of $27/hour).

We can conclude that the Fellowship provides a significant lift to thousands of Canadians inside and outside our churches. The Halo Impact Study revealed that our churches provided $415 million of (free) service to our communities this past year. This is a huge socio-economic benefit to Canadian society that is often hidden and rarely appreciated by the media or city hall. We need to do a better job getting the word out in an environment where people of faith are being more and more marginalized and silenced in the public square.

For more information, click here to view the Halo Impact Report, a four-page document that summaries the results of the Halo Impact Study. Feel free to copy and distribute to those in your congregation.

Let's Experience Unforgettable Impact in 2020!

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:00:00 PST

Where there is no vision, the people perish (Hosea 4:6a). Vision based on God’s Word is mandatory.

In Don Cousins’ book, Experiencing Leadershift, he states, “Virtually all (church) vision statements say they want to reach lost people for Christ. But only 10% of those same churches have a viable strategy to fulfill vision.”

Yes, vision is mandatory, but it is not enough. On May 25, 1961, JFK stated, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”

Wow, what a vision. What a clear picture of a preferred future that appeals to all people; a vison that clarifies the direction in which a nation needs to move for a decade. I was a kid when my dad and I watched Neil Armstrong step on the moon in July 1969.

However, a lot happened between stating the vision in 1961 and its fulfillment in 1969.

As an association of churches, our mission and vision is stated in a direction document entitled, “We are the Fellowship.” I encourage you to click here to see the document that states our Fellowship’s overarching mission, vision, values, and strategy statements. Click here to watch a brief video that explains the Fellowship’s mission and vision.

This document acts as our Statement of Mission to help identify “who we are” and “what we do’ alongside our Statement of Faith.

This document states our entire Movement’s vision: “We serve together to ensure every church has unforgettable Kingdom impact.”

But just like a church with a vision statement but no plan to implement it, how does our Fellowship of churches intend to experience “unforgettable Kingdom impact?”

One word: PARTNERSHIP.

Each of our Regions have partnership documents that formalize our collaborative efforts together as churches.

Each of our Fellowship National departments have directional documents that share how our local churches can enter into partnership with our international, relief and justice, chaplaincy, and francophone ministries.

In fact, PARTNERSHIP is the “unforgettable Kingdom impact” of the Fellowship’s vision statement. The following are the Vision Statements of:

Fellowship International:
"Fellowship International personnel work strategically among under-reached and unreached peoples to catalyze ‘disciple-making movements’ (DMMs) and promote leadership development by partnering with nationals for evangelism, social justice, business and relief initiatives to advance the Kingdom of Christ.”

FAIR:
“Partnering to alleviate suffering and facilitate social development: FAIR seeks to be the key channel through which Fellowship churches provide humanitarian aid in Christ’s name.”

Fellowship Francophone:
“Fellowship Baptist churches and donors will establish collaborative relationships with francophone church plants until French Canadians self-identify at 2-3% evangelical Christian (currently 0.8%).”

Fellowship Chaplaincy:
“Fellowship Chaplaincy will be a dynamic extension of the local church resulting in transformed lives…in partnership with our churches.”

My hope and prayer is that the VISION expressed in the previous statements will inspire you and our churches to want to PARTNER; to collaborate and accomplish more together than we could ever do by ourselves. We are stronger together!

Are Changes to Euthanasia in Canada Coming Soon?

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 00:00:00 PST

The new Parliament has been in session for several weeks. Many believe the euthanasia and assisted suicide debate will be returning for discussion.

Following a court decision in Quebec in September 2019, Parliament will need to decide whether to change the MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) law that was passed in 2016. I would encourage you to check out EFC’s overview of the law on their website.

What Has Happened?

The lower court in Quebec struck down a key safeguard in the Truchon decision (September 11, 2019). Justice Baudouin removed the requirement (in the Federal law) that a person’s natural death be “reasonably foreseeable” in order to be eligible for assisted suicide by a medical practitioner. The lower court suspended its decision until March 2020, allowing Parliament time to rewrite the legislation to reflect the Quebec Justice’s decision. After March 2020, the MAiD law will be interpreted differently in Quebec.

Views of the Five Federal Parties Related to the MAiD law

Currently, the Liberal government is a minority government so will be seeking the affirmation of other federal party MPs to pass this legislation. Prior to the October 2019 federal election, PM Justin Trudeau said he intends to relax the law and bring it in line with the Quebec court’s ruling. Jagmeet Singh of the NDP criticized the current MAiD law and wants to remove the restrictions. A Green Party spokesperson confirmed that their party would allow advance directives and would amend the law in light of the Quebec court ruling. Yves-François Blanchet of the Bloc said the Quebec court ruling was clear, and steps will be taken. Before he stepped down as leader of the Conservative party, Andrew Scheer said he would appeal the Quebec court decision to the Supreme Court of Canada in order to clarify the boundaries within which Parliament can legislate; however the window for appeal has passed, and this is no longer an option.

What Can You Do?

In light of wide acceptance by all Federal parties, except the Conservatives, to expand access to euthanasia and remove further safeguards, there is every likelihood the House of Commons will be debating this soon.

This is a concern for all who hold life as sacred and precious.

The proposed new law may make additional changes expanding suicide assistance to the disabled, those with psychological illnesses, to mature minors, or to others not competent to make a decision, but made an advance request. These “progressive” measures may be made without including conscience protection provisions for doctors, nurses, paramedics, or ambulance attendants.

Reach out to your MP and our Prime Minister asking them to develop legislation that safeguards and protects the life of the vulnerable. If not, it would seem this is the next step in the development of a society that loses sight of the precious value of life, and applies further added pressure on Canadians living with disabilities to end their lives rather than supporting them to live.

Help End Sexual Exploitation of Children in the Philippines

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:00:00 PST

In Winter 2017, many of our churches and donors gave generously toward the Rebuilding Innocence (Philippines) FAIR appeal. This appeal, sought to raise funds to establish an after-care program for young children being rescued by FAIR’s partner organization International Justice Mission (IJM) from online sexual exploitation in the Philippines.

Because of the incredible response received through this appeal, the Fellowship was able to give over $230,000 towards this need.

FAIR Director, Dan Shurr, and his wife Karen were invited to visit the Philippines and see the work that IJM is doing to rescue children from online sexual exploitation. It was an impactful trip for both of them.

The current FAIR appeal, Rescue Me (Philippines), is a further opportunity to impact the lives of children being exploited in this way. I’ll let Dan explain further and give details on how you or your church might participate:

“There have been a few times in my life that I’ve been privileged to witness the Lord moving in a big way. One of these was how he worked through Fellowship churches and donors to respond to the Rebuilding Innocence (Philippines) appeal. It was a powerful reminder of God’s heart for the lost, broken, and oppressed; but especially for the innocence of children.

Through FAIR’s partnership with International Justice Mission (IJM), I had the opportunity to visit the Philippines. While I was there, I saw a small part of the work being done to rescue and rehabilitate children from cybersex trafficking. It was very difficult to learn about the depth of hurt that these young survivors have been through. But my time in the Philippines showed me that it isn’t the hurt or the abusers that have the last word. God does.

He is working through IJM and the Filipino justice system to seek out and rescue victims.

He is helping survivors heal through the aftercare program that Fellowship churches and donors helped build.

He is bringing hope to the hopeless and light to the dark places.

The aftercare system is established, and IJM is ready to rescue more children.

This winter, I invite you to consider supporting the Rescue Me appeal and help end sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines. The goal is to raise $135,000 to fund 14 rescue operations. There is often more than one child being exploited in a targeted location. That means that each operation has the potential to see freedom brought to several children and at the same time, expose the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The need this appeal represents is ugly, but we’re proud to take part in the work to address it.

Join with me and pray that the Lord will stir up generous hearts towards this appeal so that cybersex trafficking would be eradicated within our lifetime and that no more children will have to suffer this way.”

Dan Shurr,

FAIR Director

Learn more about the Rescue Me (Philippines) appeal here.

Watch the Rescue Me appeal video here.

We’re asking you to consider sending a generous gift towards this significant need. It’s tragic that this is happening to children in our world. Please become a small part of meeting this big need.

What Do You SEE when You SEE Your City?

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 00:00:00 PST

Each year I pick a theme verse for our Fellowship family.

For 2020, I chose Hosea 12:6 (NIV): “But you must return to your God, maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.”

Last week I introduced this verse to you, reminding us how the Kingdom values of justice, mercy and humility actually direct our daily lives.

What makes them special? Why might God reduce his “Kingdom values” to these three? They really are not a list, but a system by which we live our lives. What are the three?

Justice (Hebrew=Mishpat). This is the idea of rectitude or virtue, someone’s moral virtue. Rectitude describes a person’s right living, correct judgement, and making fair choices. It describes a person who displays consistent integrity. Justice is the collective effect that naturally occurs when many people choose to live virtuous lives of integrity.

Mercy (Hebrew=Chesed). This is a rich word packed with meaning, and most often translated in the Old Testament as “loving kindness” (newer Bible translations) or “grace” (older Bible translations). The word also alludes to a “steadfast devotion” or “loyalty” or a “covenantal love.” Chesed describes the spirit in which we are to administer justice.

Humility. This third Kingdom value is stated in Micah 6:8. I Peter 5:5 tells us to “clothe ourselves with humility,” which is an act of our will! Hosea 12:6 mentions “waiting,” while Matthew 23:23 mentions “faithfulness.” Both “waiting” and “faithfulness” are virtues closely related to “humility,” in that both relate to our subservient view of ourselves under God. Humility is the prevailing virtue common to all three words.

A brief peek into Matthew 9 helps us to see these three Kingdom values in action. What does the Gospel in action really look like? What might a church on mission seek to emphasize and prioritize in the allocation of its time, talent, and treasure? If a church is serious about Gospel advance in its community, region, and beyond, what might it look like? What would it be doing?

In Matthew 9:35-36, we learn that Jesus visited a city where he was teaching and preaching:

“Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

The first thing Matthew tells us is, “He saw” and “felt great pity.” What do we see when we look at our city? Jesus SAW people without a “Shepherd.”

The people had “problems”, a word that the NIV translates as “harassed,” which is a koine Greek word that literally means “to be skinned,” an incredibly violent word. Jesus describes these people as needing help, or “helpless”, a word that literally means “to be thrown down,” once again a violent description of how we should see people! Amidst this violent description, Jesus’ response was “pity” or, as the NIV says, “He had compassion on them.” Again, this word’s literal definition is akin to our word for “guts”, coming from the Greek word that translates as “spleen” in English.

What Jesus saw caused his guts to be upset. He empathized and he felt their hurt. Broken by their brokenness, Jesus moves and prays for the workers of the Gospel to also show pity and compassion. But he also prayed that they would take action: “So pray to the Lord…ask him to send out more workers into his fields.” (Matthew 9:38)

Christ was moved, and the result was a movement!

In 2020, together let’s “return to (our) God, maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.” Hosea 12:6 (NIV)

Seek Love and Justice in 2020

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 00:00:00 PST

Happy New Year! I trust you had a wonderful time with family and friends during the Christmas season.

Each year I pick a theme verse for our Fellowship family. For 2020, let us be mindful of Hosea 12:6: “But you must return to your God, maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.” NIV

As human beings, we often revert to lists of values or virtues, when describing how to live the best life….the best Christian life. But no list is ever the same. Some lists become quite long because we do not want to miss anything.

You see these lists on posters, websites, screen savers, Instagram memes, and corporate mission statements. If they are not short, we forget them. Three or four words seem to be our limit, like the Fellowship’s three values: “Serve, Unite, Thrive.”

The Bible gives glimpses throughout its pages on those virtues that best embody “Kingdom values” that should guide and direct our daily lives:

God calls us to “justice, mercy and humility” in Micah 6:8 (NIV): “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” NIV

In Hosea 12:6 (NIV), God has called us again to “justice, mercy and waiting,” saying “But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.”

In Matthew 23:23 (NIV) Jesus calls us to: “justice, mercy and faithfulness,” speaking of the hypocrisy of the religious establishment. Addressing the Pharisees, Jesus says, “….but you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness…”

There appears to be three fundamental, or cardinal, virtues found in each of these three Bible verses. Apologist, Ravi Zacharias, pointed out that these three similar virtues seem to be God’s consolidation of all he taught Israel in terms of how they were to live their lives. They are three…a Trinity.

But what makes them special? Why might God reduce His “Kingdom values” to these three? They really are not a list, but a system by which we live our lives. What are the three?

Justice (Hebrew=Mishpat). This is the idea of rectitude or virtue, someone’s moral virtue. Rectitude describes a person’s right living, correct judgement, and making fair choices. It describes a person who displays consistent integrity. Justice is the collective effect that naturally occurs when many people choose to live virtuous lives of integrity.

Mercy (Hebrew=Chesed). This is a rich word packed with meaning, and most often translated in the Old Testament as “loving kindness” (newer Bible translations) or “grace” (older Bible translations). The word also alludes to a “steadfast devotion” or “loyalty” or a “covenantal love.” Chesed describes the spirit in which we are to administer justice.

Humility. This third Kingdom value is stated in Micah 6:8. I Peter 5:5 tells us to “clothe ourselves with humility,” which is an act of our will! Hosea 12:6 mentions “waiting,” while Matthew 23:23 mentions “faithfulness.” Both “waiting” and “faithfulness” are virtues closely related to “humility,” in that both relate to our subservient view of ourselves under God. Humility is the prevailing virtue common to all three words.

You will note that in the centre of our Trinitarian triangle graphic is the word “courage.” All three core Kingdom values are linked together by courage: A “moral courage,” which comes from our faith in God, and a “moral courage” that drives us to live out these core values even when they are “counter-intuitive” to our fallen nature and “counter-cultural” in our broken, spiritually hostile society. Knowledge of these core values is not enough.

The courage to do them is what counts, whether that is: (a) doing what is right (integrity/justice); (b) admitting when I am wrong (humility); and (c) caring when ignoring is much easier (loving kindness). This all takes tremendous courage on a daily basis!

The beauty of these three core Kingdom values is that any combination of them provides a ‘system of virtues” that should guide a devoted follower of Christ.

For instance, combine both integrity/justice with loving kindness and the result is authenticity and trustworthiness, among other virtues. People like this are honest, loyal, and trusting, which is the glue for healthy relationships. The Beatitudes refer to this as being “pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8) or sincere, transparent, and authentic.

Combine loving kindness with humility and the result is generosity and respect, among other virtues. People like this are generous in spirit and attitude, and are caring, courteous, respectful, thoughtful, and understanding. When someone’s ego is not in the way, it makes for greater openness, receptivity, cooperation, transparency, and a desire to be a peacemaker. In the New Testament there is a koine Greek word, “macrothumia,” which embodies this idea of being “generous in your thinking.”

Stephen Covey, in his famous book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” sought to capture this in the term, “abundant thinking.” This type of thinking is a mental attitude that sees the world in a way that is not restrictive, but cooperative. It does not fear loss. It sees life from a “win-win,” not “win-loss” vantage point. The Beatitudes refer to this as being “merciful” (Matthew 5:7) and being a “peacemaker” (Matthew 5:9).

Lastly, combining humility with integrity/justice results in meekness, among other virtues. People like this are teachable, assured, obedient, patient, and restrained. In the New Testament, the koine Greek word, “prautes” is a picture of a war horse in battle under restraint. All the wildness is still there, but it is under complete control. Some call this “true grit,” a person of stellar character, very competent, with much tenacity. The Beatitudes refer to this in Matthew 5:5 (NIV) as “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Justice, mercy, and humility are Kingdom values closely tied to Gospel penetration and advancement. They are core behaviours that direct the means by which we accomplish the end. Our ultimate end and purpose is to make disciples of Jesus Christ; to accomplish the Great Commission in the “spirit” of the Great Commandment.

Merry Christmas from the Fellowship National Ministry Centre!

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship National Staff want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Exodus 3:13-14 captures an amazing exchange between God and Moses. Moses was told to refer to Jehovah as, “I AM WHO I AM.” In John 8:58, Jesus referred to Himself as the “I AM,” a not so subtle way of identifying Himself as divine. I am the Word, I am the Light, I am the Bread, I am the Door.

As the Word, Jesus came and spoke.

As the Light, Jesus came to shine.

As the Bread, Jesus came to satisfy.

As the Door, Jesus came to save.

Three wise men followed a star 2000 years ago, bearing gifts for the Saviour.

The first gift was gold, a gift fit for a king. A humble, unassuming infant lying in a manger is the Lord of Lords! Incredible.

The second gift was myrrh, a perfumed spice the ancients used to embalm the dead. This gift foretold Jesus’ end. The child starts in a cradle in a barn, only to end on a cross on skull-hill! Christmas without Easter, does not complete the story.

The last gift was frankincense, which was used in the Temple to symbolize the prayers of God’s people reaching up to God. By its very nature, our need of prayer implies our need for a Saviour. We seek Him out because we are dependent on Him. Christianity is first and foremost a faith founded on a:

Person, not a philosophy

Who, not a what

Relationship, not some rules

Celebrate with our National team the wondrous story once again this Christmas!

Until my next “Word from Steve” in early January, have a joy-filled Christmas and New Years!

It Began with a Star!

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 00:00:00 PST

It all began with a star.

Marilyn and I visited Bethlehem in November 1998. It was probably the biggest disappointment of our two-week Holy Land tour. Our bus passed unkempt homes and derelict, burnt out cars on the streets. The gates of the Nativity Gardens were locked. Our guide sent for the priest in town, but he would not come back to open the gates. He was on lunch. The visit left me disappointed.

Two thousand years earlier, a young couple followed a star to this little unknown village. Their visit to Bethlehem also started as a disappointment. There were no vacancies in any inn or hotel.

However, an animal stall was made available. A makeshift maternity ward awaited them and a small beacon of hope began to flicker, for in this stall the Saviour would be born.

God as a baby?! It is quite unbelievable to ponder: God, as a helpless infant child, unable to talk, eat solid food, or even hold his bladder. It is so inconceivable that only God could imagine it.

If you or I had been part of the planning committee preparing for the Saviour’s birth, we would have presented Him as a valiant, charismatic hero born in the likes of the great imperial city of Rome, not in some little back-water, never-heard-of town like Bethlehem.

God chose humble beginnings. He would grow up in simple surroundings, but he would make some extraordinary claims of Himself. He would claim His divinity. Mohammed revealed himself as a prophet. Buddha was a self-proclaimed philosopher, while Moses was an appointed messenger and law-giver. Only Jesus declared to be God in the flesh, the Emmanuel.

Jesus referred to Himself as the “I AM,” a not so subtle way of identifying Himself as divine. God had come to town to feed the spiritually hungry and heal the spiritual sickness we all suffer from as spiritual orphans.

“I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35). Only He can satisfy our spiritual hunger pangs.

“I am the Life” (John 14:6). Not a life but the life, the source of all life who offers meaning and purpose in life.

“I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). Jesus claimed He had authority over death and would give us life eternal. On four occasions in the Gospels, Jesus demonstrated He had this authority with the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Matthew 9:23-26, raising the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12-16), the raising of Lazarus (John 11:43), and His own death and resurrection.

Join me in praying that during this Christmas season other friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues, and schoolmates will hear:

“Young man, I say to you, get up!”

“Lazarus, come out!”

May others receive the greatest Christmas gift of all, Jesus’ offer of salvation. Point others to the Star!

The Hidden Message of the Song, "The 12 Days of Christmas"

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:00:00 PST

Do French hens, gold rings, and milking maids have anything to do with Christmas?

Is it possible a beloved Christmas carol might have a deeper, hidden message?

England was a place of religious intolerance and persecution in the sixteenth century. For the next 300 years, people who refused to join the state church developed creative ways to teach their children beliefs dear to the free church. Many used lyrics and song to teach and indoctrinate.

The popular song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” is actually an insurgent, rebel, diatribe against the tenants and teaching of the religious overlords of jolly ol’ England. The song is about a generous benefactor who loved to give. (James 1:17-18). His name is never used other than He is “my true love” referring, of course, to God.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas”

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…a partridge in a pear tree.

The first gift of this Christmas song is a partridge, a small bird. The original gift of Christmas is Jesus, sent to earth from God. The partridge was known as a valiant bird, willing to fight to the death to defend its young. The pear tree represents the cross

On the second day…two turtledoves.

For hundreds of years, Jewish families used turtledoves as offerings to God. The gift of two doves is a reminder of the sacrifice offered for Jesus by Mary and Joseph. (Luke 2:22, 24)

On the third day…three French hens.

French hens were valuable poultry during the sixteenth century – only the rich could afford them. These costly birds symbolized the three valuable gifts given to Jesus by the wise men; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

On the fourth day…four calling birds.

Like birds calling out with loud and distinctive voices, the four Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John called people to faith in Jesus as their Saviour. (John 20:31)

On the fifth day…five golden rings.

Gold rings are among the most valuable and treasured of all gifts. The five golden rings represent the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books, written by Moses, were treated with great reverence and considered to be worth far more than gold. (Deuteronomy 34:10, 12)

On the sixth day…six geese a-laying.

In many cultures, eggs symbolize new life. Six geese laying eggs become reminders of the six days of creation when God, by His Word, brought forth life on earth. (Genesis 1:1, 31)

On the seventh day…seven swans a-swimming.

Seven swans symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Just as baby swans grow and change from “ugly ducklings” into beautiful and graceful birds, so do God’s children grow and change when they use their gifts to benefit other Christians. (Romans 12:5-6)

On the eighth day…eight maids a-milking.

The eight maidens milking represent eight unique teachings of Jesus, the Beatitudes, which nurture and strengthen us much the way milk nourishes a child. (Matthew 5:3-10)

On the ninth day…nine ladies dancing.

The nine ladies remind us of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit produced in the lives of God’s children. Just as these ladies dance joyfully, so can every Christian rejoice over the life-changing fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

On the tenth day…ten lords a-leaping.

Lords were men with authority to command people’s obedience and symbolize God’s ten basic laws, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:3-17)

On the eleventh day…eleven pipers piping.

Eleven pipers represent the eleven apostles who were chosen by Jesus and remained faithful to Him. Like children joyfully following a piper, the disciples followed Jesus. They piped an everlasting tune of great joy – the salvation message of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. (Romans 6:4)

On the twelfth day…twelve drummers drumming.

Just as drummers beat out a loud, steady rhythm for marchers to follow, so the twelve points in the Apostle’s Creed sets forth the beliefs of those who call themselves Christians.

Just as this beloved song seeks to share the Good News story of Christmas in a creative and innovative way, may we all this Christmas intentionally seek to share the old Christmas story in a creative and winsome way.

Enjoy this wonderful season of the year. And, make sure others see your joy — like the “lords a-leaping?” It has been a long time since I saw a pastor or deacon leaping for joy!

Peace for the Persecuted this Christmas

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:00:00 PST

It is ironic to note that a season known for “peace on earth” is experiencing more turmoil and bloodshed with each passing year.

The PEW Research Centre and other religion watch groups indicate that the persecution of Christians worldwide is on the rise. In a July 2019 report, the Centre published a ten-year report (2007-2017) on the growing rise of religious intolerance in 198 countries, with greater restrictions on religious freedom throughout our world, especially against Christians and Muslims.

The report highlighted:

Christians are the most harassed religious group in the world, facing persecution in 143 countries. Muslims face persecution in 140 countries and Jews in 87 countries.

Most harassment occurs in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.

The number of highly-populated countries like China and Russia, who impose “high” or “very high” levels of restrictions, rose from 40 to 52 countries over the decade.

Europe saw the biggest increase in restrictions, with its scores doubling over the decade of the study.

The Americas saw the fewest restrictions, however, government limits on religious activity increased significantly in 16 of 28 countries in this region.

The USA scored 0.0 in 2007, but increased to 4.0 by 2017 due to growing religious intolerance.

Highest restriction levels were found in China, Iran, Russia, Egypt, and Indonesia.

Lowest restriction levels were in South Africa, Japan, Philippines, Brazil, and South Korea.

Only 26 countries (13%) in our world “generally treat all religious groups the same.”

Picture of Asia Bibi taken from Voice of the Martyrs

https://www.vomcanada.com/pk-2019-09-26.htm

In 2011, Salmaan Taseer, the Punjab governor (Pakistan) was assassinated (shot 27 times) because of his support for imprisoned Christian, Asia Bibi, falsely accused and charged with blasphemy. Blasphemy laws in Pakistan continue to target religious minorities. She was finally freed after spending years on death row due to a dubious charge of blasphemy. Upon her release, the Punjab governor and the only Christian cabinet minister were killed due to their support of Bibi’s release. In 2019, Asia Bibi was settled in Canada with her family under an assumed new identity.

The son of the slain governor, Shaan Taseer, urged his countrymen to continue fighting for religious freedom, sharing these prophetic words:

“The troops of history will march on and I have no doubt that the blasphemy laws of Pakistan, like the Jim Crow laws, the Apartheid laws of South Africa, like the Nuremberg laws of Nazi Germany, will take their rightful place in the dust-bin of human history. When that day comes, and I hope it will be in my lifetime, we may want to ask ourselves what we did to help those who suffered under this law.”

Let’s celebrate “peace on earth and good will to all men” this Christmas by doing something to fight for religious freedom in our own country, and to fight against persecution (especially of Christians – Galatians 6:10) of the religiously oppressed worldwide.

Learning to Loiter with Intent

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 00:00:00 PST

First responders are the only brave people I know who run toward, rather than away from, a fire or armed conflict.

We have many Fellowship chaplains who minister to police officers, fire fighters, and paramedics. Some are in full-time employment while others are pastors who also serve as volunteer chaplains in their community police or fire detachments. Here are a few of their stories:

Aaron Groat

Chaplain with Halton Regional Police

Oakville, ON

“My journey as a chaplain for the Halton Regional Police began in the spring of 2017. It started as an invitation to meet with a sergeant and have a conversation. Little did I know that they had been watching me for some time and had decided to ask me if I would be interested in coming on board as their new service chaplain for District 2 and District 3 in the Region.

“I was issued some protective equipment and told I could get started. But where?

“The job of a police service chaplain has been described as to ‘loiter with intent.” You are not a police officer, nor will you ever be and that makes the task of chaplain very difficult in a law enforcement environment. You are there to be supportive, encouraging and, if need be, talk about issues that they are dealing with. This requires a lot of trust.

“You need to understand that with police I was a “them” and not a “we.” For officers, everyone is a “them” and only rarely do you become a “we.” Moving to a “we” means inclusion and that is a tough place to get to. Building trust is part of the equation and that takes time. I also needed to demonstrate that I was for the police and not simply a silent bystander.

“How was I going to build trust with the officers? Little did I know that God was moving to help me build that trust beyond anything I could ever imagine.

“One night while on patrol with a platoon in Oakville, we got a call for an alleged impaired driver who needed to be stopped. As we approached the car, the driver pulled away and slowly came to a stop in the corner of the intersection. The driver was commanded to exit the vehicle and told he was under arrest for suspected impaired driving. The driver became combative and refused to comply with the officer’s orders. The officer requested assistance from me and the suspect was apprehended. The officer was relieved and very grateful for the assistance given.

“What happed next was something that only God could have orchestrated.

“That night I had earned a little bit of ‘street creed.’ What that meant was that God opened doors for me to move a little bit closer to the “we” side of law enforcement life. That evening I was able to talk and meet the officers in a fresh and meaningful way. The rest of the night was spent entering into their lives and encouraging them. It was unbelievable how God opened those doors and I will forever be grateful for the way that He can use me to build relationships and show the love of Jesus. The next day I woke up to emails from the Chief and my Inspector who were checking in on me and thanking me for my involvement. I’m still building trust over time, but in that one event, God moved the ministry along further than I could have ever imagined.

“I am looking forward to continuing this ministry of ‘loitering with intent’ and seeing what God does as I journey from “Them” to maybe one day, a “We.”

—Aaron Groat serves as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Burlington, ON

Aaron Groat with a Halton Regional Police superintendent

Todd Riley

Chaplain with Toronto Fire Services

Toronto, ON

“My name is Todd Riley and I am blessed to pastor Islington Baptist Church. I have also served as a volunteer chaplain with the Toronto Fire Services for the past 10 years.

I am chaplain for the West Command of the Toronto Fire Services.

“I visit about 21 fire halls (there are four different shifts). I visit, ‘shoot the breeze’, make myself available for whatever the fire fighters want to talk about and am involved in more formal ways; I do funerals, weddings, various public events (Remembrance Day services, Fire Fighter graduation services, memorials). In my role, my goal is to share Christ with whomever will listen, as the Lord leads.

“I am also part of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Crisis Team. When things go ‘sideways’ for firefighters, the EAP will respond to provide emergency first aid (psychological).

“Please pray for clear opportunities to share Christ and that I would be found faithful in my role.”

Jim Turner

Surrey, BC

“I have been providing care to the police community for 36 years, and 18 years on salary with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and on contract with three other police agencies. This gives me access to over 8,000 police officers for spiritual care.

“My professional life began in our family business, which was Nanaimo Bottling Ltd. and was the manufacture and distribution of soft drinks. I learned the business from my father and was taught to think for myself and resolve problems. I learned the business from the bottom up.

“In 1972, after selling the family business, my wife Shelley and I were married and I was called to ministry and began my Bachelor's Degree at Northwest Baptist Theological College. While at college I served as Student Pastor and then Assistant Pastor at Richmond Baptist Church. A year after graduating, Shelley and I moved to Dunbar Heights Regular Baptist Church as pastor.

“In May of 1982, I went for a ride with a member of the church I was pastoring. Little did I know how that ride would change the future course of my life. I felt a connection that night with the policing community that continues to this day. Speaking internationally on the care of police, a trip to the FBI for a project to help lessen the number of police suicides, and 22 years of training in various settings (all relating to the policing culture and how to stay current with the fast pace of change)!

“Still the trust of the policing personnel and the willingness to be able to be “present” in times of need for great people is my honour and continues to drive me even 36 years later.”

— Jim Turner has served as chaplain to the police since 1982. He lives in Surrey, BC.

Thank you for praying for our Fellowship chaplains. When you see a fire engine, police cruiser, or ambulance race by you, consider praying for those chaplains seeking to give spiritual support to our first responders.

Please Pray for FNC 2019!

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 00:00:00 PST

Hundreds of delegates have arrived in Niagara Falls, ON for Fellowship National Conference 2019 (FNC2019).

We have gathered to hear from the Lord during our praise times and time in the Word. We have come to hear reports of God’s work and be further informed through valuable workshops, many sharing the common theme of this year’s conference: Soul Care.

We will address the theme of the spiritual care of our lives; to look in our hearts and discover if we have lost our “first love.” Our special speaker, Rev. Sandy Willson, will delve into this theme in three messages over our 48 hours together.

Sandy Willson

They are:

Tuesday morning:
“Amidst Pastoral Turmoil, A Soul at Rest” – Matthew 11:25-30

There are many attacks upon the souls of pastors and their wives. How do we find our own peace and joy amidst the chaos? Jesus has an answer for us.

Tuesday evening:

“Amidst Worldly Passions, A Soul on Fire” – Matthew 22:34-40

While temptations swirl around the pastor and his family, Jesus calls us to a full, undivided service to Him alone.

Wednesday morning:

“Amidst Death and Destruction, A Soul that Endures” – Matthew 16:21-28

Will we make it to the end? How? Jesus teaches His disciples how to minister for the long haul.

Please pray for our delegates and staff as we gather for this important annual gathering.

Ever been hit by a shadow!?

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 PST

Ever been hit by a shadow? Did it hurt?

I received the phone call I had been waiting for. Jack was in his hospital bed and the doctor was giving him very little time to live.

The elders of my church had spent a lot of time with Jack in recent weeks. He had been struggling with the news of his own imminent death. Initially he was frightened. Although he was a believer, he struggled through the normal issues that any of us would if we were to face our own death.

I sat with Jack. This once robust mid-50 year old was thinned out and pale. His lips were stretched and parched. His skin draped over bones like umbrella cloth between spokes. The cancer had taken away his appetite, his strength, and now his days.

However, the cancer had not touched his faith.

I leaned up close and whispered: “Jack, the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need.”

His eyes kind of opened as he welcomed the words.

“Jack, He lets me rest in green meadows, he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.”

His eyes closed and you could note a sliver of a smile.

Then I whispered Psalm 23:4: “Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”

Jack’s eyes remained closed but his thinned out fingers curled around mine and I know the Lord was wonderfully caring for my friend.

The KJV translates verse 4: “… I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.”

Shadows are scary things. When my eldest daughter, as a young girl, was asked to go to the freezer in the basement to get a loaf of bread, she always asked for someone to accompany her.

It wasn’t the freezer that frightened her. Nor the basement or furnace room. It was the shadows.

Someday a shadow will stretch across your life. All of us experience shadow moments. When those inevitable occasions occur, remember three things:

Shadows are always bigger than reality.

Our fear is always bigger than our problem. The opposite or underside of faith is not doubt, but fear. Gain perspective. Gain God’s viewpoint when a shadow hits you.

Shadows cannot hurt you.

Ever been run over by a shadow? There is a great difference between the shadow of a truck and actually being hit by the truck itself. Shadows are only images without substance. They can scare you but they cannot hurt you.

There is no shadow without a light source close by.

When you feel alone. You’re in a valley and darkness surrounds you; know that God is near. A shadow casting across a valley is a clear indication that there is a light source nearby casting the actual shadow. Stop looking at the shadow and focus on the light. Face the light and note that the shadow will immediately fall behind you. The shadow won’t seem large nor menacing any longer.

Life will have valleys and shadows. An old Arab Proverb says: “All sunshine and no rain makes a desert.” If we never experience the shadows, we’ll eventually dry up. It takes good times and bad times. Bright times and dark times to mature as a person. Life is a mix of pleasure and pain, success and failure, victory and defeat, mountain tops and valleys. Valleys are not a bad things. They create opportunities to experience shadows. There will never be an absence of shadows in life. Learn to focus less on them and more on the presence of your Shepherd.

Teen Alpha Course Results in Eight Baptisms

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 00:00:00 PST

I recently heard some great news from pastor Darin Phillips at Oceanview Baptist in Ladysmith, BC.

Darin’s church has a very active presence in the local public high school. The church has a sandwich and fruit program along with other community building events for the 600 students. This connection helped nurture some incredible momentum for their Teen Alpha program. Pastor Darin shares:

“Our Teen Alpha Program ran from mid-October to May. We ran 24 weeks of programming centred around the New Teen Alpha series. The Alpha program is officially 13 weeks but we integrated service projects, off-site events, and celebration parties throughout the year. A series of other relevant topics were tagged on at the end by the request of the students because they “just didn’t want it to be over”.

“We met in our home on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. which coincided with the second service at our church. It was perfect timing for both churched and unchurched teens. They walked, biked, scootered, drove, and even skateboarded to our home each week! I left the door open to our home when I went to church at 8:45 a.m. each week and teens would be in our home even before I arrived back, welcoming me home!

“We started with 18 teens and six college/adult facilitators, however we quickly grew to over 30 teens and more leaders!

“Food was always a “centrepiece” of the morning and it was a highlight for me to try to make enough of it each week. We had a food theme each week and integrated the seasons and the blessings of sustenance that God provides for us.

“SO MUCH JOY was in our home each Sunday morning. Hearts and stomachs were filled and overflowing. No holes were left open in terms of relational, spiritual, and physical needs. It was a time and place where the Holy Spirit was so present and so real to all of us.

“Eighteen Teen Message Bibles were given out after Christmas and the teens LOVED them. In April, eight teens and one college student decided to be baptized in the summer and the result was one big celebration on the beach July 21st in Ladysmith. What a glorious morning it was! Praise our God.”

A big shout-out to the Oceanview Baptist church family in being a blessing to their community and their local high school. Let’s all be mindful of the hundreds of youth ministries throughout our Fellowship churches reaching students for Christ.

"God Permits What He Hates to Accomplish What He Loves"

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 00:00:00 PST

Joni Eareckson-Tada shared some helpful reflections on the fiftieth anniversary of her diving accident. Many have called it “Joni’s Ten Words”, and she writes:

“Back in the '70s, my Bible study friend Steve Estes shared ten little words that set the course for my life: ‘God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.’

Steve explained it this way: “Joni, God allows all sorts of things He doesn't approve of. God hated the torture, injustice, and treason that led to the crucifixion. Yet He permitted it so that the world's worst murder could become the world's only salvation.”

In the same way, God hates spinal cord injury, yet He permitted it for the sake of Christ in you—as well as in others.”

The Ministry of Presence

All followers of Christ are called to the “one anothers”.

Love one another (John 13:34-35)

Be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:29-32)

Carry the burdens of one another (Galatians 6:1-10)

Offer hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:7-11)

Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)

Accept one another (Romans 15:1-7)

Forgive one another (Colossians 3:13)

The very presence of Christ is seen and witnessed by people when God’s children actively live out the New Testament’s “one anothers”.

Fellowship Chaplains Living Out the “One Anothers”

Over 100 Fellowship chaplains are acting as the “hands and feet” of Jesus in our communities. Here are just three brief stories from chaplains Sharon Bowler, Carol Bell, and Larry Freeman:

“I am a chaplain attached to New Life Community Church in Grimsby, ON. I was welcomed into the role of church chaplain. I am on call for our church to serve both the church and beyond. I have a monthly ministry at Deer Park Villa in Grimsby, ON where residents from all faiths (and no faiths) and their caregivers attend, and a number of wonderful volunteers from our church have started coming out to serve the seniors there. Several of us designed and made a Dignity Quilt for the Home. This will be used to cover the bodies of deceased residents as they are taken from the facility during a brief service called a Dignity Walk. Pray that the quilt will touch and comfort many families in the years to come.”

— Sharon Bowler

New Life Community church and Deer Park Villa (Grimsby, ON)

“I serve in a half-time position with my home church, Grandview Baptist, overseeing pastoral care. So much of my chaplaincy role blends into my role with the church family at the moment.

Over the past two years I’ve had the opportunity to come alongside a family that is loosely connected with our church. There were critical mental health struggles with chronic depression and suicide ideation. Through a long span of time of offering ongoing visits, prayer and support, a relationship of trust and mutual respect developed. Several months ago, this family experienced the loss of a young adult child to suicide and I was invited to officiate the funeral.

Supporting the family through this time as they deal with this complex grief has become a great learning experience for me. I have been stretched to seek out more information and education about grief support and lean on all that I have learned in the past from my CASC (Canadian Association for Spiritual Care) training. Above all, to be trusted as someone that can hear and help bear the deepest hurts and sorrows, has been most humbling and gratifying. It also is a reminder of how critical the need is for healthy, self-care in the midst of supporting so many hurting people. We can only bear others' burdens when we have enough emotional strength in ourselves to do so.”

— Carol Bell

Chaplain Grandview Baptist Church (Kitchener, ON)

For the last 15 years, Larry Freeman has served full-time as chaplain at the West Parry Sound Health Centre and Lakeland Long Term Care. He was asked to share his thoughts on how to help people in times of great loss. While each situation is different, Larry shares the following thoughts.

“You receive a call to help a family who has just lost a loved one. What do you do? First, get as much information as you can. Name of deceased, name(s) of family members or others that are there, any information available about what happened. Then, introduce yourself to the family and explain why you are there (to provide support, help make calls, get drinks, view the body, wait with them until support system arrives).

Seek to build relationship – ask about their loved one (in the case of a spouse, how they met and how long they were married, etc.).

Don't presume they want something 'religious'. Ask if they are connected to a faith community. Ask what they would like you to do to help them.

Help them with next steps. Often they feel overwhelmed, especially if this was sudden and unexpected. The ONLY decision they need to make right now is what funeral home to use; the funeral home will help them with everything else (some funeral homes even offer assistance with government and insurance forms).

Don't be in a hurry to leave. Stay until they have gone. Check with staff that they are fine and ask if there is anything you can do to help.

Chaplains call it the 'ministry of presence', not 'ministry of prayer or preaching'. Because Christ is in us, our presence brings Christ in. We are there to provide care to them because God cares for them. Keep in mind the process – one sows, another waters, another reaps.”

Welcome to Larry as Our Newest Member of the Fellowship Team

On September 1, 2019 Larry started a part-time position as the Fellowship’s Chaplain Coordinator. He will serve our more than 100 Fellowship chaplains while recruiting and shepherding future chaplains. Please pray for Larry as he supports Steve Jones (Chaplain Director) and Richard Flemming (Chaplain Member-Care Coordinator) in the stewardship of a ministry that is seeking to be an extension of the local church in the places where people live and work.

"Who you gonna' vote for on October 21st?!"

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 00:00:00 PST

After weeks of media bombardment from all of the federal political parties….we go to the polls this coming Monday (October 21).

In a July 2, 2019 blog, I sought to point out that religion is a key factor in making “pro-social” citizens, meaning citizens who seek the good of others. Generally they cost society much less, and they are generally far more generous and on average do more volunteer work in their community. [Click here to go to my full “President’s blog” on the subject].

Voting is one other important way Christians seek the good of those around us and our country. It is a critical way we contribute to the proper welfare of Canadian society. We can consider God’s desire for righteous governance and call to justice (Romans 13) when we participate in the election process.

This Sunday, please pray for our country and encourage, better yet, challenge, your members to get to the polls on October 21st and vote.

It is completely inappropriate to publically promote or oppose any one candidate or party. However, local churches are free to provide information on issues of interest or concern that flow from biblical teaching, as long as the church does not link its views to any political party or candidate. A church is also allowed to publish how all members of Parliament voted on a given issue, as well as provide the publically stated platforms of all the Federal parties on specific issues, even issues typically important to people of faith and the church. It is important to note that any listing of their views or voting must include all the candidates or federal parties, not just one or two.

Issues such as religious freedom, abortion, immigration, euthanasia, palliative care, education, adoption, free-hate speech, environment, prostitution, sexuality and identity can be published. Other issues could be added.

Here are a couple of on-line sites to investigate and gather this information:

Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s Federal Election Kit.

Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada Election Guide

Wanting to give full disclosure, ARPA Canada is a Christian political advocacy organization whose mission is to educate, equip, and encourage Christians to political action and to bring a biblical perspective to our civil authorities.

The following chart is the work of ARPA Canada seeking to summarize the party platform or views of the major federal parties on some of the issues of special interest to evangelical Christians:

Guidance on what a church can do, inside or outside an election period, from the Canadian Income Tax Act:

Publish on its website or social media platforms, or otherwise distribute to the public, the policy positions of all political parties or all candidates, or their responses to policy questions.

“This is the case even if it is obvious to an audience that one or more of the parties or candidates share or oppose the views of the charity.

The charity must present the information in a neutral fashion, so that no political party or candidate’s policy position or response is singled out, favourably or unfavourably. For example, a charity cannot:

Put red “X”s next to the policy positions of a political party that differ from those of the charity, and green checkmarks next to the policy positions of a political party that align with those of the charity

Tell people to vote for the party whose response most closely matches the views of the charity on an issue

“Hold candidates’ debates, provided all candidates are given an equal opportunity to present their views and answer questions.

Generally, the CRA expects a charity to invite all candidates to any debate or forum it organizes. If a charity limits the number of candidates it invites, the charity must be able to show it has a rationale that it applies consistently, to show it is not supporting or opposing any particular candidate or political party.

If one or more candidates decline an invitation to a candidates’ debate, the CRA does not consider the debate to oppose or support a candidate or political party solely as a result of this circumstance.

Provide information to its supporters or the public on how all the Members of Parliament or the legislature of a province, territory, or municipal council voted on an issue connected with the charity's purpose.

However, a charity must not single out the voting pattern of any particular political party or candidate on any issue.”

Join me this Monday in visiting your polling station and vote!

Gratitude is a Vaccine, Antitoxin, and Antiseptic

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 00:00:00 PST

We celebrate Thanksgiving this coming weekend. I hope you will be thankful for more than the turkey and stuffing you’ll enjoy.

An attitude of gratitude is at the very heart of living a Spirit-controlled life. What evidence might we expect of an individual living a Spirit-filled life? Grateful or grace-filled believers are Spirit-filled believers. If we look for the litmus test to help recognize whether a believer is living the victorious Christian life, we need go no further than discover if they exude a spirit of thanksgiving. An attitude of gratitude tips off the true state of our spiritual health. The New Testament links this spirit of thanksgiving with living a consistent Christ-like life. Is this true of the church today?

Paul writes: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be….ungrateful.” (2 Timothy 3:1-2) Does your church model the spirit of the age, or the spirit of Christ? If we are to experience daily victory over sin, the Bible teaches that the spirit of gratitude is pivotal to being consistently victorious. The Apostle Paul connects triumph with thanksgiving, saying in I Corinthians 15:57: “How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Did you catch that? Paul links gratitude to victory. Paul does the same thing in 2 Corinthians 2:14, saying: “But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ’s triumphal procession.” Victory and triumph are linked to nurturing a spirit of gratitude. Show me a devoted follower of Christ experiencing victory, and I promise you, you’ll discover a life permeated with a thankful spirit.

Gratitude is one of the greatest evidences that God is present and at work in the life of a believer. In a world where there are so many reasons to be ungrateful, so many reasons to complain, so many excuses to be critical, and so many ways to be cynical, the Spirit of God invites us on another path: The way of thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, the doctrine of gratitude is too often relegated to the backburner of our lives, rather than being a cardinal mark, or badge, of our daily Christian walk. If the Holy Spirit is truly in control of our lives as Fellowship Baptists, then the spirit of gratitude will be a natural and normal part of our everyday lives, and that will change everything: How we treat our friends, our spouse, our environment; how we praise in our worship gatherings; how we pray or spend our money. Everything changes, for the good.

A preacher once said, “Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.” It’s a vaccine in that gratitude prevents the invasion of a critical spirit. It is an antitoxin in that it prevents the effects of poisonous-like cynicism. And it is an antiseptic, for gratitude can soothe and heal a troubled spirit.

Let’s be thankful, for God’s glory and our benefit.

What Happens when the Caregiver Needs Care?!

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 00:00:00 PST

What happens when the shepherd needs the shepherding; when the caregiver is the one needing to be cared for?

The mission statement for Fellowship Chaplaincy is:

Fellowship Chaplaincy seeks to enable chaplains

to demonstrate the love of Christ where people live and work.

Our Fellowship Chaplaincy ministry has grown from 27 to over 90 chaplains in the past four years. They are doing a remarkable job of offering spiritual care and pastoral support to countless thousands of people.

However, what happens when a health crisis inflicts the chaplain? The following two stories from Fellowship chaplains testify to redeeming our pain for spiritual transformation and Gospel advance:

Lessons Learned From My Heart Attack

“On April 12 as I was putting a lock on my locker and turning to follow my friend out to the pool deck for a kilometre swim at the Boys and Girls Club, I remember nothing as apparently I dropped to my knees due to a heart attack.

Talk about, “Location, location, location!” By God's mercy, I was in a place where there were individuals equipped to respond immediately. A defibrillator and the latest training were put to the test, and I was the grateful recipient. This picture of us was taken three weeks after my heart attack, just after a ceremony of commendation to the on-duty lifeguards.

As I look back now, I am amazed at God's Hand through the whole incident. I am thankful to God and all the people who have assisted me in this journey. I don't understand why but I trust the Lord through it all and praise Him for whatever His purpose.”

— Andrew Plumridge serves as chaplain at the London Health Sciences Centre,

the Boys and Girls Club, and the Ark Aid Mission in London, ON.

Andrew Plumridge (centre) with Jason (left) and Danny (right),

two lifeguards honoured by the EMS team.

New Adventure in Mission!

“Over the last few months, my wife, Bonnie, and I have been praying and seeking God in understanding our next role in His Kingdom. Just recently, I have been accepted as a Chaplain with The Fellowship where I will be demonstrating the love of Jesus to those in the downtown core of the city of St. Catharines, ON. Our hope is to network with the city to engage in the huge need of homelessness and mental health.

For the last 32 years, my wife and I have been involved in pastoral ministry. Pastoring and sharing God's Word was my delight and calling, however, on July 7th, 2017, my life changed when I suffered a stroke. Our world was rocked and I became the patient and my wife became the caregiver. No longer was I the shepherd, but I was now the sheep that needed caring, comfort, and reassurance. I was the patient that needed medical care and medications. Something very strange to me. The stroke did leave me with paralysis in my speech. I had to learn to talk again and learn how to process sentence structures. It was challenging at times and scary. I thought I would never be able to speak or preach again, but God, in His goodness, gave me my speech and voice back, but not like it was before. Also, I suffered a severe mental health disorder that led us to birth a new ministry called AGORA Network Ministries which seeks to equip, educate and engage the local church to the mental health stigma inside its walls.

My wife and I are excited about this new chaplaincy role and look forward to what God is going to show us and do through us. This is a new role for us but we are confident that God has led us and will provide the necessary funding and people to partner with us to make this a possibility.”

—Allan Gallant is the Director of AGORA Network Ministries, St. Catharines, ON.

Allan Gallant

Our Fellowship is a member of a Focus on the Family ministry called Clergy Care Network, a hotline for clergy (pastors, missionaries and chaplains), and their families to phone a professional Christian counsellor free of charge. Fellowship National has paid the fee.

Your phone call is completely confidential and you will be referred to a licensed Christian counsellor in your area, if you need further follow-up care.

Clergy Care Network

Phone: 1-888-5-CLERGY

If you or your family is in crisis, your marriage is struggling, you have spiritual doubts or feel depressed due to your ministry burdens, don’t delay. Find the care necessary to help you thrive once again. Call 1-888-5-CLERGY.

New Child Sponsorship Program

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 00:00:00 PST

Exciting things are happening in the National Ministry Centre! This Fall FAIR is launching a new venture and Dan Shurr, our Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR) Director, tells us about this opportunity:

“The Fellowship, through FAIR, is committed to making a difference in the development of the whole person, with the priority of providing an opportunity for children and youth to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour and to grow to model Him in their lives as Kingdom people.

This fall, FAIR is entering into a new era through the launch of the Fellowship’s Child Sponsorship initiative. By providing for the educational, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of vulnerable children and youth, lives will be changed.

Currently working in four locations, Fellowship International personnel provide assistance to vulnerable children:

Casa Hogar (Honduras) — a residential program providing a secure family environment, food, clothing, medical care, education and mentoring for abandoned, orphaned, and abused Honduran children and youth. Fellowship International missionary Melodie Francis oversees this ministry.

Cedar Home (Lebanon) — a residential program providing shelter, clothing, food, education, medical care, and mentoring in a family atmosphere to at-risk girls from Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian backgrounds. Fellowship International missionaries Karim and Rita Anayssi oversee this ministry.

Clementia Life Centre (Lebanon) — a non-residential program providing education and a meal to refugee children, and relief/aid to their families. Fellowship International missionaries Bechara and Roula Karkafi oversee this ministry.

Love Trust (Sri Lanka) — three centres providing non-residential pre-school and after-school programs and a nutritious meal for more than 100 impoverished children and youth. Fellowship International missionary Ronald Jeyaseelan oversees this ministry.

There are two ways you can be involved with us:

First, consider partnering with us through the Journey With a Child appeal. From now until the end of 2019, FAIR is seeking to raise $80,000 which will be used to establish a solid foundation as the child sponsorship program is launched. These funds will provide for field oversight, finances to operate the various locations until sponsorships are established, and other start-up costs. This short-term appeal will ensure long-term stability for this program.

Secondly, prayerfully consider sponsoring a child. Each sponsorship is only $35 a month and will make a significant impact. We are seeking 665 sponsors to journey with a child. Your financial partnership will enable the healthy and holistic development of a vulnerable child. [For additional information on child sponsorship, we encourage you to visit: www.fellowship.ca/ChildSponsorship.

By showing love for a child today, you can give them hope for a better tomorrow.”

I join Dan in encouraging you to prayerfully consider how the Lord would have you and your church partner to help “one of the least of these” (Matthew 25:40-46).

A Diaspora at Our Doorstep: New Approaches to Outreach?

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 00:00:00 PST

In the next dozen years the rate of “visible minorities” in Canada will almost double.

Here are the stats:

Location

2006 (Actual)

2031 (Projected)

Canada

18%

31%

Toronto

42%

63%

Vancouver

41%

59%

Calgary

21%

38%

Ottawa

19%

36%

Montreal

16%

31%

Winnipeg

15%

27%

Saskatoon

6%

13%

Halifax

8%

12%

Source: KCI Philanthropic Trends Quarterly, 2011

The cultural origins of this new population and by generational status:

Origin

First Generation

Second Generation

Asian

69%

26%

African

62%

31%

Latino

58%

33%

Caribbean

48%

42%

Oceanic

37%

38%

European

15%

20%

Source: Stats Canada 2016

The top ten countries of birth of recent immigrants to Canada:

Philippines

15.60%

India

12.10%

China

10.60%

Iran

3.50%

Pakistan

3.40%

USA

2.70%

Syria

2.50%

UK

2.00%

France

2.00%

South Korea

1.80%

Other Countries

43.70%

Source: Stats Canada 2016

The World at Our Doorstep

A new phenomenon is occurring in Canada and in other western countries where the church is not flourishing like those in the southern hemisphere. People of different ethnic and religious backgrounds are arriving as immigrants, migrants, or refugees, all seeking a safe haven.

A diaspora movement is happening now and our churches must respond to this new reality. Rather than join the growing xenophobic band wagon, churches and mission-minded followers of Christ must see this new and growing reality as an opportunity for mission. The current diaspora movement is proving to be the next era in missions.

It is estimated that 214 million people worldwide now live outside their country of birth. Between 1988 and 2012 the number of permanent residents in Canada has increased from 150,000 to 250,000 with projections to grow. Currently there are 1.1 million Muslim people living in Canada with projections of triple the growth (through immigration and larger family size) in the next 20 years. God is sending the World right into our neighbourhoods!

What is the Church’s Response in Canada?

Do we react with fear, or a response characterized by faith? The Bible is in many ways a book about diaspora people. God has historically used the migration of His people to fulfill His plan. The Jews in Exodus and the first Christians in the book of Acts are two examples. God works in and through diaspora to grow the church. God’s strategy is to disperse people to other nations and then prepare them to receive and proclaim the Gospel, which then transforms their new identity into becoming a diaspora for Christ. We have a worker serving migrant workers in BC. He has led Mexicans to Christ who then go back home to small villages, where no missionary would ever visit. As a result, families are being won to Christ and local churches are being established in rural Mexico.

In recent years a whole “Diaspora Theology” has been formed to address the new demographic realities of Canada. The church is learning new lessons concerning:

Ministry to diaspora peoples or outreach from Christian Canadians to immigrants, refugees and new Canadians.

Ministry through diaspora peoples or outreach from diaspora Christians to their own ethnic group.

Ministry beyond diaspora peoples or outreach from diaspora Christians to other diaspora groups.

The current influx of the nations at our doorstep is a huge opportunity for the church to love and win people for Christ. Diaspora people, especially from the most difficult places on earth to send missionaries, are being won to Christ in unprecedented numbers after arriving in Canada. I heard of three Muslim women converted to Christ through two of our new church plants. The trauma of displacement to a new country often creates a spiritual awakening and sensitivity as immigrants and refugees orient themselves to their new surroundings.

Immigrants need to know where God is when all their familiar landmarks have changed. They are looking for a possible new identity that integrates both the old (home country) and the new (new nation). They need to find safe people – new friendships – and safe places to discover practical help as they navigate their adopted nation. The local church can provide all of this as it realigns its mission to capture our new demographic realities.

How might Fellowship Baptist churches be agents of grace to the diaspora people? What is your view of immigrants – even illegal immigrants? Is God concerned for those people? What call to action does God have for each of us?

One-Quarter of Us Are Discipling Someone

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 00:00:00 PST

The church today exists in a growing hostile environment, (but that is) no big surprise. Jesus promised that.

The important question we need to investigate is whether the church in Canada is sufficiently healthy enough to meet the challenging needs ahead of us. In a few previous blog posts (back in January, 2019) I mentioned that I am hearing the “rattling;” some signs of revitalization among our local churches. However, an army we are not. There are still a lot of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) in ‘dem Boneyard Baptist churches.

How healthy are we?

In a BARNA study a few years back on the state of discipleship, there was some sobering news. The study was conducted with interviews of 833 pastors and 2,013 Christian adults. Here were a few of the discoveries about our spiritual health:

An encouraging sign was that 52% of Christian adults “definitely” believed the church was doing a good job of helping people to grow spiritually, with another 40% saying the church was “probably” doing a good job.

However, church leaders were far more pessimistic. Only 1% said the church was doing “very well” at discipling young believers, and 60% said churches were “not doing well” at discipling.

The encouraging thing is that 77% of practicing Christians indicated a desire to see “growth in their spiritual life.” In fact, 23% (1/4) indicated they were currently discipling someone and 94% of pastors said they were discipling someone.

25% of believers wanted their spiritual growth to happen via a small group, 40% wanted to grow all alone, and another 16% preferred to be discipled one-on-one.

The critical thing coming from this study is the need for the local church to develop a discipleship pathway; an intentional approach to ensure the developing of disciples who make disciples.

Disciple-making does not happen by accident. It must be intentional. If given three minutes to share your church’s intentional discipleship pathway plan…could you do it?

Reading the Book of Philippians Only Takes 17 Minutes!

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 00:00:00 PST

What is the most common excuse for not reading Scripture on a regular basis?

“I just don’t have enough time!”

However, we fill our schedules with what we value and hold in high esteem. In a recent conversation with someone I care about, I mentioned that they need to be in God’s Word regularly if they are ever to hear from the Lord. This person has been struggling not so much with the existence of God, but with the personal nature of God. They feel distant from the Lord. Reading and meditation on God’s Word is the prescription.

Reading many of the 66 books of the Bible does not actually take that long. You can gain a ton of wisdom in an hour and a half by reading through Proverbs. Almost half of the books of the Bible take less than 30 minutes to read, based on a slow reader’s speed of 100 words per minute. That is one episode of your favourite program on Netflix or BritBox.

To encourage all of us to recommit ourselves to reading and meditating on God’s Word, I have listed each book and the estimated time to read it. Thanks to the work of Chance Faulkner, reading the Bible in one year is an attainable goal when you look at these times:

Shortest to Longest

3 John – 219 words, 2.2 minutes

2 John – 245 words, 2.5 minutes

Philemon – 335 words, 3.5 minutes

Obadiah – 440 words, 4.5 minutes

Jude – 461 words, 4.6 minutes

Titus – 659 words, 7 minutes

2 Thessalonians – 823 words, 8 minutes

Nahum – 855 words, 8.5 minutes

Haggai – 926 words, 9 minutes

Habakkuk 1,011 words, 10 minutes

Jonah – 1,082 words, 10 minutes

2 Peter – 1,099 words, 10 minutes

Zephaniah – 1,141 words, 10 minutes

2 Timothy – 1,238 words, 12 minutes

Malachi – 1,320 words, 13 minutes

Joel – 1,447 words, 15 minutes

1 Thessalonians – 1,481 words, 15 minutes

Colossians – 1,582 words, 16 minutes

1 Timothy – 1,591 words, 16 minutes

Philippians – 1,629 words, 16 minutes

1 Peter – 1,684 words, 17 minutes

James – 1,742 words, 17.5 minutes

Song of Songs – 2,020 words, 20 minutes

Ruth – 2,039 words, 20 minutes

Micah – 2,118 words, 21 minutes

1 John – 2,141 words, 21 minutes

Galatians – 2,230 words, 22 minutes

Lamentations – 2,324 words, 23 minutes

Ephesians – 2,422 words, 24 minutes

Amos – 3,027 words, 30 minutes

Hosea – 3,615 words, 36 minutes

2 Corinthians- 4,477 words, 45 minutes

Ecclesiastes – 4,537 words, 45 minutes

Zechariah – 4,855 words, 48 minutes

Esther – 4,932 words, 49 minutes

Hebrews – 4,953 words, 50 minutes

Ezra – 5,605 words, 56 minutes

1 Corinthians – 6,830 words, 68 minutes

Romans – 7,111 words, 71 minutes

Nehemiah – 8,507 words, 85 minutes

Daniel – 9,001 words, 90 minutes

Revelation – 9,851 words, 98 minutes

Proverbs – 9,921 words, 99 minutes

Mark – 11,304 words, 113 minutes

Job – 12,674 words, 126 minutes

Judges – 15,385 words, 153 minutes

John – 15,635 words, 156 minutes

Joshua – 15,671 words, 156 minutes

1 Chronicles – 16,664 words, 166 minutes

2 Samuel- 17,170 words, 171 minutes

Matthew – 18,346 words, 183 minutes

Acts – 18,450 words, 184 minutes

2 Kings – 18,784 words, 187 minutes

Leviticus – 18,852 words, 188 minutes

Luke – 19,482 words, 194 minutes

1 Kings – 20,361 words, 203 minutes

1 Samuel – 20,837 words, 208 minutes

2 Chronicles – 21,349 words, 213 minutes

Deuteronomy- 23,008 words, 230 minutes

Numbers – 25,048 words, 250 minutes

Isaiah – 25,608 words, 256 minutes

Exodus – 25,957 words, 259 minutes

Ezekiel – 29,918 words, 299 minutes

Psalms – 30,147 words, 301 minutes

Genesis – 32,046 words, 320 minutes

Jeremiah – 33,002 words, 330 minutes

(Source: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/roundtable/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-read...11/26/2018)

Recently I heard from two Fellowship churches who hosted a sermon series challenging their congregation to read the New Testament in 30 days. Another church preached each book of the Bible Sunday by Sunday, over the course of one year.

Why not consider doing something similar in your church, small group or personal life this next year?

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Joshua 1:8 NIV

October is PASTOR Appreciation Month

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 00:00:00 PST

What do you plan to do to encourage your pastor and their family? Hopefully you do this all year. However, the month of October is typically a great month to honour your pastor’s family in some intentional and tangible way. What are you doing this year?

Here are some things I’ve heard done by local churches and members in churches:

A kind greeting card that includes a gift certificate

Words of encouragement sent by email, text, or Facebook

Commitment to praying daily for your pastor

A baby-sitter coupon to be redeemed for an evening or weekend away (only trusted friends of the pastoral couple should offer this)

Homemade meals and/or desserts brought to their home

A silent offering taken to bless the pastor’s family

Gift of a “date night,” a trip away, or a large purchase, like a needed new appliance.

Flowers sent to the home of your pastor

Catered lunch, goodies, or fruit basket sent to the church office for the entire church staff

Gift of a gym membership for a year

Repair of your pastor’s car, house, or fence

There are so many other ways you can tangibly show your appreciation. Prayerfully consider and do it.

During Pastor’s Appreciation Month, I want to remind Fellowship pastors, missionaries, chaplains, and their families, that Fellowship National is a member of a Focus on the Family ministry called, “Clergy Care Network.” This is a hotline to phone a professional Christian counselor, free of charge. Fellowship National has paid the fee to make this available to you.

Clergy Care Network
Phone: 1-888-5-CLERGY

Your phone call is completely confidential and you will be referred to a licensed Christian counselor in your area, if you need further follow-up care.

If you or your family is in crisis, your marriage is struggling, you have spiritual doubts, or you feel depressed due to your ministry burdens, don’t delay. Find the care necessary to help you thrive once again. Call 1-888-5-CLERGY

Anywhere from 150 to 250 phone calls are received each quarter by the Clergy Care Network. The top identified concerns are: anxiety, communication, conflict, separation or divorce, family issues, infidelity, ministry issues, stress, burnout, and counselor referrals. In one given quarter of 154 calls, 85 were from clergy, 66 from the spouses of clergy, and a few from the children of clergy.

Do not delay. This referral phone call system is completely confidential. Get the help you need when you need it. When the caregiver needs care, he/she needs to reach out for help.

How Does Religion and Ethnicity Affect Giving in Canada?

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 00:00:00 PST

What does religion have to do about giving? Apparently a lot!

A 2011 online survey of 4,200 Canadian donors conducted by Cygnus found that those under 35 who were actively religious gave on average five times more than donors in their age group who were not.

A Dr. Berger conducted this survey and also tracked how religion affects giving to “secular” causes. The pattern she found has been mirrored in European research. Using data from the National Survey of Giving in 2000, she found that:

Jewish Canadians did 72% of their giving outside their synagogue

Roman Catholic Canadians gave 59% of their giving outside their church

Protestant Canadians, the biggest givers overall, gave 25% of their giving outside their church

This last group doubled the secular giving of Canadians with no religious affiliation.

According to Stats Canada in 2010, 93% of religiously active people had given money to one or more charitable or non-profit organizations. Their annual average donation was $1,004. In comparison, 83% of donors who attended religious services less often, or not at all, had donated in 2010. Their average annual donation was $313. In other words, Canada loses when church attendance declines.

Immigration and Giving

Based on the same 2010 Stats Canada report, close to six in 10 (63%) immigrants say they relied on faith-based groups in Canada to help form a community and network after they arrived in the country:

Material assistance (job, place to live, language training)

15% from a religious, faith-based group

34% faith-based group somewhat involved

Found a community and social network

22% from a religious, faith-based group

41% faith-based group somewhat involved

Discovered a spiritual home during transition into Canada

27% from a religious, faith-based group

38% faith-based group somewhat involved

Immigrants discover that places of worship or faith-based groups are often the first and most important contact in their new country. These people help file the difficult paperwork, deal with the red tape, raise the funds, find an apartment, and ferry them to appointments, while providing a circle of support during the transition.

The logical outcome is that immigrants are generous donors to religious organizations. They are much more likely to give to a local church, mosque, temple, or synagogue than those born in Canada. On average, they give a larger proportion of the money they donate to religious organizations. They are almost twice as likely to say they donate because of religious obligations. (Source: “30 Years of Giving in Canada,” Foundation Rideau Hall, Imagine Canada)

Countries of birth of recent immigrants to Canada (2016):

%

Recent immigrants

100.0

Philippines

15.6

India

12.1

China

10.6

Iran

3.5

Pakistan

3.4

United States

2.7

Syria

2.5

United Kingdom

2.0

France

2.0

South Korea

1.8

Other countries

43.7

(Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016)

2011 Religion and Immigration Giving Case Study

Abbotsford-Mission: Vancouver’s Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. In one year they hit their target of $13 million. Tax-filers in Abbotsford on average gave $610 per annum. This is impressive, considering the median income was a modest $46,490 per household. The median Canadian average donation was $260 per person.

Ask people why Abbotsford is so generous, and many will tell you it is in the heart of the Bible belt of BC. Based on a 2014 Abbotsford Church Research Project by Outreach Canada, there were 95 churches in Abbotsford. There are also long-established Sikh, Muslim, and Jewish communities in Abbotsford who give.

Hugh Franklin of Abbotsford’s Food Bank said: “There’s a faith base and there’s multiculturalism, people coming from abroad and knowing what it’s like to not have a lot to start off with.”

The takeaway is this: religious affiliation is both a driver and indicator of the average Canadian’s giving pattern and coupled with ethnicity (immigrants), along with religion, could mean far greater generosity than many might realize. This is something to consider as we look at giving among our local churches.

Problems with the "F" word?

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 00:00:00 PST

There is a dreaded “F” word and it is FAILURE. None of us like it. Many of us fear it. Some of us are crippled by it.

Christian counselor, Gary Collins, wrote in his “People Builder’s Blog” (April 2011):

“Using data from ‘several hundred thousand managers from every industry sector,’ the authors (of a Harvard Business Review study) identify three broad categories of dysfunctional reactions to failure.

Blaming others involves finding fault, failure to admit any responsibility, and refusing to learn from feedback or constructive criticism.

Denying blame is marked by an unwillingness to admit that failure has occurred or a denial that oneself or one’s team was involved in any way. There is no openness to discussing or learning from what others see as failure.

Blaming oneself involves excessive self-criticism and harsh judgment that sometimes leads to seeing failures as bigger than they are or to “analysis paralysis” where self-blamers refuse to learn, forgive themselves, and move on.”

Have I failed? Definitely. Have you failed? Yes. Failure can be simply making mistakes like turning down a one-way street by accident. The consequences can be destructive. But failure can also be the consequence of envisioning a new approach to ministry, navigating the steps forward, only to end in failure and disappointment.

Both Abraham Lincoln and Peter Drucker have been credited with the quote:

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

These two high octane leaders are underscoring the truth that leaders lead organizations, businesses and churches into the future. To do that, leaders need to learn to respond and be fortified by failure. Failure is not a task-master, it is our teacher.

Seek to embrace failure as a consequence of risk-taking. I prefer to call my work as a leader “calculated” risk-taking.

Many say failure is an inevitable “cul-de-sac” on the road to success. Good leaders learn to retrace their steps when they meet barriers and try, try again.

When is failure good? When I can learn from it and move forward. They say Teddy Roosevelt was always leaning forward as he walked. Failure is acceptable if we have worked hard with pure motives and accept that this will not be our only attempt.

However, a mistake is not acceptable if your action is sinful. Legitimate mistakes happen because of carelessness, being distracted, or the context changes beyond our control. You pour salt, instead of sugar, in your coffee. You mis-type a web address and end up on an inappropriate website….”oops!” But sin (moral failure) is more than a mistake. It is a deliberate choice to act, knowing it is wrong.

I can take personal steps to overcome my failure(s) in my ministry. Wise leaders admit when something has failed, learn from it, make changes, and move forward. However, sin separates us from God and is spiritually fatal. We cannot fix that. Only God offers a path forward.

In both cases, we must pursue another “F” word, FORGIVENESS. Failure and forgiveness are often inseparably linked in the pursuit of the future. Yes, another important “F” word…..

A Classic Word on the WORD

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 00:00:00 PST

In recent days, there has been a lot of discussion in the virtual world regarding the authority of the Old Testament.

I thought it might be helpful to hear from one evangelical scholar who has been a blessing to the church in Canada for decades.

J.I. Packer

J.I. Packer wrote “Fundamentalism and the Word of God” 60 years ago. It is a classic — a timeless work of theology that continues to speak to our day.

Recently, I read Chance Faulkner’s attempt to squeeze out the best of Packer’s quotes from chapter 3 entitled, “Authority”. This is Packer at his best.

“The problem of authority is the most fundamental problem that the Christian Church ever faces. This is because Christianity is built on truth: that is to say, on the content of divine revelation” (42).

“We must expect to find error constantly assailing the truth; Christendom will always be a theological battlefield. But in that case the Christian’s most pressing need in every age is to have a reliable principle by which he may test the conflicting voices that claim to speak for Christianity and so make out amid their discordant clamour what he ought to believe and do” (43–44).

“The proper ground for believing a thing is that God says it in His written Word, and a readiness to take God’s word and accept what He asserts in the Bible is thus fundamental to faith” (48).

“Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, who claimed divine authority for all that He did and taught, both confirmed the absolute authority of the Old Testament for others and submitted to it unreservedly Himself” (55).

“As well as endorsing the principle of biblical authority in its application to others, the Lord submitted to it Himself. He read the Old Testament as the word of His Father” (56).

“In life and death … our Lord devoted himself to fulfilling the Scriptures” (58).

“The gospels assure us that the historic Israelite belief in the divine authority of the Old Testament was the foundation of Christ’s whole ministry. He challenged current interpretations of Scripture, but shared and endorsed the accepted view of its nature and status as an authoritative utterance of God” (58).

“The question, “What think ye of the Old Testament”, resolves into the question, “What think ye of Christ? And our answer to the first proclaims our answer to the second” (59).

“If we reject [Jesus’] attitude to the Old Testament, we are saying in effect that He founded Christianity on a fallacy” (60).

“To undercut Christ’s teaching about the authority of the Old Testament is to strike at His own authority at the most fundamental point” (61).

“Others tell us that the final authority for Christians is not Scripture, but Christ, whom we must regard as standing apart from Scripture and above it. He is its Judge; and we, as His disciples, must judge Scripture by Him, receiving only what is in harmony with His life and teaching and rejecting all that is not. But who is this Christ, the Judge of Scripture? Not the Christ of the New Testament and of History. That Christ does not judge Scripture; he obeys and fulfills it. By word and deed he endorses the authority of the whole of it. Certainly, He is the final authority for Christians; that is precisely why Christians are to acknowledge the authority of Scripture. Christ teaches them to do so” (61).

“To deny the normative authority of Scripture over the Church is to misconceive the nature of Christianity, and in effect, to deny the Lordship of Christ” (68).

“Christ rules, as Jehovah rule, by the written Word… Those who acknowledge the Lordship of Christ are bound to accept the principle of biblical authority” (68).

Scripture authority is under attack once again in our age. This time, not so much from outside but within the evangelical church. We do well to revisit some of the ‘classic’ works on the subject while reading some of the newer books on Scripture authority.

Remember IJM "Freedom Sunday"

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 00:00:00 PST

Slavery remains a very real threat in the 21st century. Hostile treatment of the poor and marginalized is still very prevalent in most corners of our world.

Our Fellowship is in formal partnership with IJM (International Justice Mission) through our FAIR (Fellowship Aid and International Relief) department. All our churches could partner with IJM by focusing on “Freedom Sunday” on September 22, 2019, a Sunday of special prayer for those enslaved around the world.

I’ve asked our FAIR Director, Dan Shurr, to explain further and share tools and resources to help you plan your special “Freedom Sunday” in September.

Dan writes:

“Last September we invited our Fellowship churches to join a global movement in prayer to bring about an end to slavery. Last year 18,426 churches from around the world participated, representing 52 countries. This year we are once again encouraging you and your church to join IJM’s “Freedom Sunday” on Sunday, September 22nd.”

For more information click here.

IJM Canada will provide resources for churches such as:

Sermon Resource:A package that contains suggested scriptures, a variety of IJM client stories each with a unique casework and regional focus, a sermon outline, a sample sermon script as well as helpful tips and suggestions for crafting a high-impact Freedom Sunday message.

PowerPoint Presentations: Customized PowerPoint presentations to accompany your Freedom Sunday message that correspond with the different client stories.

IJM Client Videos:Client videos to show on Freedom Sunday that accompany the stories in the sermon outline. What could be better than hearing part of the story told by the client themselves?

Prayer and Liturgy Resource: Justice-centred prayers and liturgical resources from various Christian traditions.

Micah Six Eight Worship Song: Teach your congregation a new song about justice by Canadian singer and songwriter, Brian Doerksen. This includes a PowerPoint deck with lyrics, a lyric video, song sheets and chords, and a message from Brian Doerksen.

Social Media and Web Shareables: Share about Freedom Sunday and build momentum on your social media using these shareables and web banners.

Promotional Flyer:Print and distribute these to your congregation to share about the vision and mission of Freedom Sunday.

Start Praying Now for October's Federal Election

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 00:00:00 PST

We have an important Federal election coming in October. How might we prepare for it?

I recently learned of a prayer initiative hosted by the ministry called Leading Influence. One of our Fellowship pastors, Charlie Lyons, recently moved from pastoral ministry (Riverside Baptist, Huntsville, ON) to become the Chaplain at the Ontario Legislature to minister to MLAs and their families.

Charlie Lyons

Charlie told me about the “Pray Canada” campaign, with the hope that Fellowship churches and people will join in. I will let Charlie explain it to you:

“As a Fellowship pastor and Fellowship Partner Chaplain, I know it’s very likely that September is pretty much the last thing on your mind with summer now in full swing. However, that’s when the first ever Pray Canada election prayer campaign launches. The vision is simple: to mobilize 100,000 Canadians to ask God to give us men and women to lead our nation through whom He will accomplish His plans and purposes for our nation.

“Leading Influence (the organization behind this initiative; leadinginfluence.com) isn’t partisan, political, or issue driven; there’s no secret agenda to vote someone in or someone else out. We believe that God has prepared people across the political spectrum to serve our nation in government and in opposition, and our prayer is that all of them are elected!

“The prayer campaign starts September 8 and will run through until Election Day on October 21. On each day of the campaign, we will post a daily video prayer on our website and deliver it by email and on social media.

“Ordinary Canadians from every part of our country will be assigned Scriptures and themes and provided with a recorded prayer.

“Furthermore, the vision is to have at least one church in every Electoral District across Canada. We are asking five things of our partner churches (we provide all the resources for the first four):

Commit to promote the Pray Canada vision prior to September 8 in your church and among your ministry colleagues.

Use your church and/or personal social media reach to share the daily videos and general promo material.

Consider hosting a community candidates’ forum that addresses issues of concern to the faith community.

Host a community Prayer Gathering on the Sunday night prior to the election.

Share in the cost of making this happen. It’s true that you don’t have to ‘pay to pray’ but, as you can imagine, there are significant costs required to pull off a national campaign of this magnitude. We are asking local churches that partner with us to consider a gift of at least $200 to help fund this campaign….a small investment from many churches can potentially have resounding, eternal returns as God’s purposes are accomplished through the prayers of tens of thousands of His people throughout Canada!

“As Fellowship Baptists, we would clearly hold to “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving [being] made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.’ We do this not only because it is commanded, but so that we “may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way,” and because “this is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour.” [I Timothy 2:1-3]

“With a thoughtful and well-executed strategy such as Pray Canada, how can we not embrace the vision and get on board with living out this Scripture in such a practical way?

“Please prayerfully consider registering your church on the Pray Canada site: leadinginfluence.com/praycanada/

“If you have any questions, please let me know and I will be happy to answer them. I can be reached at charlie@leadinginfluence.com.”

Parliament building, Ottawa, ON

Let’s all prayerfully consider joining this prayer campaign. We are a dozen weeks out from the election and six to seven weeks from the start of this Pray Canada campaign…don’t delay…join today.

7x7=1 is Lousy Math, but the Partnership Formula Works!

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 00:00:00 PST

French Canadians continue to be one of the largest unreached people groups in all of the Americas. With over 7 million in Canada and only 0.8% self-identifying as evangelical Christians, the spiritual needs are staggering. They remain the largest mission field in Canada.

Let me tell you about a recent story in one church plant in Plessisville, QC.

Both Pastors Peter Erratt (Red Deer, AB) and Karl Fortin (Plessisville, QC) tell their stories below.

Karl and Peter

Peter’s Story:

“I just wanted to briefly share with you a story of friendship, thanks to our Fellowship National strategy of connecting churches across our country. In 2014, I accepted an email invitation to fly out to Quebec and tour around for two days to meet Fellowship friends in various locations of the province. I was prayerfully sent by our church leadership to look for a strategic partner for our church in Red Deer, AB. It was on this trip that I was introduced to some new friends, Steve Cloutier and Karl Fortin of Plessisville, QC. In 2015, we signed the 7-year partnership agreement between our two churches, and our relationship has grown from strategic partners to family friends. In 2017, I flew my family (my wife and four girls) out to Plessisville to partner with them in their ”j’aime mon voisin” summer ministry outreach. It was during this time that Karl and I saw our families serve together and become friends, and we felt blessed and thankful. Since then we have had the opportunity to connect various times over the past few years, and each time we are encouraged and thankful to know each other. We just spent a whole week (January 2019) with Karl and his wife, Naomi, and their four girls here in Red Deer. I have to say, I never thought we would gain such good friends when I accepted the invitation to go to Quebec over six years ago. I just wanted to thank the Fellowship for connecting our two families and our two churches. We have become not only good partners in ministry, but our relationship has developed into a great friendship.”

Peter Erratt with his family

Karl’s Story:

“The Vision Tours Steve Jones has organized to pair English Canadian churches with Quebec church plants has not only made church planting in Quebec more possible, it has also set the stage for partnerships to evolve into relationships. Through that, beautiful friendship can emerge. This is what I feel has happened between Peter’s family and ours. At first Peter and I would connect at conventions. That connection was then strengthened with trips to Alberta and hiking in the Rockies! Then we integrated our families into our relationship (Peter and I each have four girls who are close in age), and the connection has been really good on that level, as well. As we were getting ready to leave Red Deer in January after visiting the Erratts, my girls were pleading to move to Alberta! This relationship is good for our churches, as it is a great testimony of bridging the gap between Quebec and the rest of Canada. However, it is also incredibly good for me as I get a great friend with whom I can serve God on the same project, but from a different perspective. I am thankful for God’s grace and how he has orchestrated the friendship between the Erratt and Fortin families.”

Karl Fortin with his family

How to Get Involved: 7x7=1

While the AÉBÉQ Region has matured and the Fellowship French Mission dissolved, the spiritual needs of Francophone Canadians are still staggering. They remain one of the least-reached people groups in the world….and they are right next door.

Old Quebec City, QC (Wikipedia)

Because of our proximity and history, the Fellowship of churches and our faithful donors from across our nation have a unique responsibility and opportunity to support church planting among Francophones. It is crystal clear that church planning in Quebec has been, and will continue to be, the most effective way to reach new people and new communities with the Gospel.

Our partnership strategy continues to focus primarily on Quebec, where 85% of Canada’s Francophones live, however we will also focus on the other French-speaking regions of our country. It is our sincere hope and expectation that dynamic church planting partnerships will be developed between English-speaking congregations and/or individual donors and Francophone church plants across our nation.

The Plan: 7x7=1 Yes, we know…the math doesn’t work, but the plan will! It involves:

*7 Churches and/or Donors — Fellowship National has the responsibility to prayerfully seek out and find churches or individual donors to partner with Regionally approved Francophone church plants.

*7 Years — Fellowship Regions have the responsibility to manage and encourage these partnerships between churches or individual donors and Francophone churches within their Region. These partnerships will be in place for seven (7) years, with the possibility of a three (3) year extension.

*1 Francophone Church Plant — Our partnership objective will be to see each Francophone church plant develop and mature into an autonomous self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating local church to the glory of God!

Join my next “Quebec Vision Tour” on October 7-9, 2019. Twice annually I take a dozen pastors and church leaders to Quebec on an exposure tour. Over 48 hours they visit seven to eight church plant locations (meeting the church planter and launch town) and get a good idea of the massive spiritual needs among Francophones. They are Canadians who speak French, and most are entering a Christless eternity.

The QVT team in Montreal on June 3-5, 2019

My prayer continues to be that every Fellowship church might partner with our predominant “Samaritan” (Acts 1:8) people groups, Francophones or First Nation peoples. I recognize that there were poor connotations associated with Samaritans in Jesus’ day. All I mean by the use of the term is people who are in our society, but are “distinct” from within the culture.

If interested, click here and take a few minutes to watch a brief video describing a “Quebec Vision Tour” (QVT) experience.

Please pray about supporting the mission in Quebec. Consider joining me on my next QVT on October 7-9, 2019. I need to hear from you soon….first come, first served.

How Many Churches in the Fellowship

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 00:00:00 PST

Each year I give you the current number of local churches that make up our Fellowship of churches.

We have completed all five Regional Conferences and you’ll read reports below from each of our Regional Directors.

As of this week, our Fellowship numbers are:

Report from Fellowship Pacific

All In: Individual . Team . Mission - That was the theme of Impact 2019 (the conference name) which took place in Delta, BC on April 24-26. With a focus on relationships, Impact took on a whole new look and feel that allowed pastors and delegates more time to connect with each other. The atmosphere was energized and fun as guests enjoyed an opening celebration reception to kick off the next two days. They were treated to a great time of worship, and stories from eight different speakers (including Jon Thompson of C4 Church in Ajax, ON) who brought the theme to life with their personal stories of being “All In” for Christ as individuals, as part of a team, and “on mission” in their communities and beyond. Focus groups for small, medium, and large churches provided some excellent resources and information for our churches. Impact 2019 wrapped up with a meaningful time of worship and communion which reminded us that being “all in” means, “…we must carry out all that God requires (Matthew 2:15).”

David Horita, Regional Director Fellowship Pacific

Greeters at South Delta Baptist Church

Jayson Oldham leading worship

Report from Fellowship Prairies

Our Regional Conference (Equip 2019) took place on May 2-3 at West Edmonton Baptist Church. We had a great time together anticipating what our future holds, while reflecting on God’s goodness to us currently. A panel of some of our new church planters, along with one of our Colombian church planters, was both inspiring and informative. We have seen God adding to our Region through some church plants recently, and are intentionally focusing in this direction going forward. This information and encouragement was helpful to process what involvement might look like as we move ahead in this area. We are grateful to God for another great year!

Mark Breitkreuz, Regional Director Fellowship Prairies

President Steve Jones at Equip 2019

Panel of some of our church planters

Report from FEB Central

Held at Forward Church (Cambridge, ON) and with an attendance over 300, this year’s FEB Central ‘Recharge’ conference was an encouragement to all who attended. Mike Bullmore, Pastor of Crossway Community Church in Bristol, WI spoke on “The Sufficiency of the Word in the Life of the Church.” Max Oates (City Centre, Mississauga, ON) led worship, and we enjoyed a special presentation by Heritage’s choral group directed by Doug Thomson. Five workshops were offered and one that attracted special attention was ‘Handling Public Backlash to Church Sexual Ethics’. It was about the experience of one of our churches when a human sexuality discipline case went viral on social media. The insights and lessons shared were timely and extremely helpful – a workshop all of our churches would benefit from hearing. This year’s recipient of the Eagle Award, who received a standing ovation, was Pastor Don Perkins. Don has endeared himself to so many and over five decades has discipled and mentored countless individuals for the Lord. Another highlight was welcoming 10 new churches, eight of which were church plants that have now achieved full autonomy. In addition to our formal gatherings, we were enriched through informal times of eating, connecting, and networking together. Yes, in one way or another, we left Regional conference feeling ‘Recharged’!

Bob Flemming, Regional Director FEB Central

Regional Director Bob Flemming praying for the pastors of 10 churches

that became members of the Fellowship this year

Pastor Don Perkins, Eagle Award recipient

Report from AÉBÉQ

The Sommet 2019 is a new initiative from AÉBÉQ which joins two of our best events: our annual Congrès and the conference “Un pas plus loin.” This new way of organizing this event came from a thoughtful reflection. We wanted to reach a significant number of the members of our churches and interest them in the mission in Québec. More than 200 people participated and we believe the number will increase in the years to come. Everyone agrees, this event was a divine success!

Louis Bourque, Regional Director AÉBÉQ

Presentation on church planting

Members from the church in Le Plateau (Montréal, QC) were presented

Norton Lages, main speaker

Report from Fellowship Atlantic

Fellowship Atlantic’s Regional Conference was held at Crossroads Baptist Church near Truro, NS on May 10 and 11. Our Region consists of 19 churches; 17 of those were represented at our conference this year, a new record. The theme was church planting, and Brad Somers (PAXnorth, Halifax, NS) was keynote speaker. He connected the early church planting formulae from Acts 2-17 with modern-day planting. We heard verbal reports from every one of our attending churches. Crossroads’ hospitality was great. National representation included Steve Jones, Dan Shurr, and Richard Fle

Advancing Religion in Canada Provides an Outstanding ROI to Canada

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 00:00:00 PST

The social and financial cost to Canada would be immense if Canada were to view charities as not providing a high return on society’s investment through the tax system.

Religious values move people away from self-interest toward civic engagement. Study after study proves this. Religion is likely the most powerful corrective to the “individualism” prevalent in current Canadian culture. And for this reason, we must vigilantly protect religious freedom in Canada.

John Pellowe, Executive Director of CCCC (Canadian Council of Christian Charities), recently shared a report to a Senate Committee studying potential changes to the charitable sector in Canada. I found much of his report compelling and want to share some “tidbits” from his presentation.

He made a persuasive case for the immense prosocial impact the religiously “very committed” (defined as attending religious services weekly) make on our country. Religious practice increases civil engagement, economic output, and social infrastructure, while producing excellent citizens. Religion impacts every aspect of life in Canada in a positive way. Here are just a few of the social impacts:

The rate of marital breakdown among the very committed (14%) in comparison to the non-religious (33%).

Only one-third of Canadians volunteer and the majority are the “very committed” religiously. About 10% of Canadians accounted for more than 75% of all volunteer hours. These prosocial behaviours are taught, modeled, practiced, and reinforced in church life as we commit ourselves to “love our neighbour” in society.

Stats Canada has consistently shown that 20% of the “very committed religiously” fund 75% of all donations to religious charities and more than 20% of donations to secular charities.

Eighteen Canadian social surveys revealed that the “very committed” give more to secular charities than do the “non-religious” or anyone else. The median donation was double or providing 40% of all funds raised by secular charities. The non-religious gave 30% of all donations given to secular charities.

Sociologist, Kurt Bowen, stated that if everyone in Canada gave like the “very committed,” charitable donations would rise from $5 billion to $12 billion per annum. Bowen states: “Without the very committed, all Canadians and our network of charities and non-profit organizations would be much diminished.”

The fact remains, advancing religion in Canada provides an outstanding tangible ROI (Return of Investment) in Canada. The ROI is clearly seen in the empirical evidence. For those who believe that the tax concessions given to churches and donors is unfair and a drain, a case is easily made to prove the contrary. A cost-benefit analysis proves otherwise.

In a 2017 analysis of 16 churches, the ROI was calculated determining the “lost” municipal property taxes in comparison to the socio-economic benefits contributed to the community from each of these 16 churches. The result was a return on investment that is 12 times higher than the lost taxes. The fact is, those taxes are not lost but an investment. Canada’s investment in religious charities through our tax system provides an outstanding return on investment to all taxpayers, reducing the burden taxpayers would otherwise have to pay to continue the differing social benefits in their communities that churches currently provide.

Let’s pray our Federal government remains convinced that it is good public policy to remain committed to the “very committed.”

Will the Federal Government Re-Commit to the Very Committed?

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 00:00:00 PST

Changes to Canada’s charitable laws are likely coming in the future. In January 2018 the current Federal government formed a Senate Committee to investigate the charitable sector in Canada. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s (EFC) President mentioned to me and others that other western nations who have done something similar have made significant changes to their charity laws.

The Senate Committee was to submit their report in December 2018. According to the online Senate Parliamentary Record, the special committee met December 10, 2018 but no report was forthcoming. However, on March 18, 2019 the special committee convened and heard from the Canadian Council of Christian Charities’s (CCCC) Executive Director, John Pellowe, on “The Impact of the Advancing Religion Charitable Sub-Sector in Canada.” John presented a report on the benefits religious life gives to the overall social and civil life of Canada.

I thought I would share some of the interesting stats and insights shared:

John’s premise was to suggest and give evidence that “very committed religious people are markedly more likely to have prosocial attitudes and behaviours than non-religious people, as a group.”

Canadian sociologist, Reginal Bibby, was quoted: “People who don’t believe in God can be good. But people who believe in God are more likely to value being good, enhancing the chances that they will be good.”

A Canadian sociologist, Kurt Bowen, summarized his research of 20 years of surveys by Statistics Canada, declaring:

“The ‘very committed’ religious (attend worship services weekly) put distinctly high value on the importance and quality of their relationships, in comparison to the non-religious.” They value:

Very Committed

Non-Religious

Belonging

Friendliness

Kindness

Forgiveness

Generosity

Concern for Others

69%

80%

85%

73%

71%

80%

53%

63%

71%

43%

42%

58%

The stats indicate there is a clear relationship between good citizenship and one’s religious commitment. Therefore, institutions (like local churches) that develop prosocial citizens provide an important public benefit to Canada.

Kurt Bowen write, “There is a gentleness among the “very committed” that sets them apart from other Canadians.”

They care about justice, but are careful to pursue justice in lawful ways. The very committed are twice as likely to support a boycott or attend a legal demonstration as the non-religious. Across six forms of anti-social behaviour, the “very committed” strongly disapproved of these behaviours. Bowen concludes: “The common thread underlying these findings on both protest and permissiveness is that religiosity is intimately linked to civility.” Religion has a big impact on Canadians when it comes to viewing the importance of community and acting civilly in society. The benefits to Canada are immense.

Knowing there is a God external to me whom I am answerable to, convincing me the world does not revolve around me, helps to focus my worldview on others, not just on myself. Religion provides an immense public benefit to Canada. Canada would be significantly diminished if religious charities and places of worship were to disappear due to changes to current charitable laws and tax practices that have been a wise investment in the social fabric and well-being of our country.

Keep praying that all government officials remain committed to the “very committed” in our country.

The Traits of a Flourishing Congregation from a Major New Canadian Study, Part Two

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 00:00:00 PST

Last week I introduced you to a new Canadian research study on what defines a flourishing church.

Sociologist Dr. Joel Thiessen of Ambrose University, and other academics, completed an initial exploratory study interviewing 109 church leaders face to face, and another 66 individuals within nine focus groups made up of Catholic, mainline, and conservative Protestant leaders. This study has led to a further study whereby Dr. Thiessen and his team are surveying hundreds of Canadian congregations.

The current completed study concluded they could not anticipate a single shared definition or perception of what constitutes a flourishing congregation, however this first exploratory study did discover points of convergence and divergence.

Here are the common traits of flourishing congregations in Canada:

Organizational Ethos:

Clear self-identity: Congregations are clear on who they are, where they come from, and where they are going. They are clear on their central mission.

Leadership: Congregations thrive with strategic leadership by creating congregational ownership to the group’s identity, vision, and mission via leadership development.

Innovation: Congregations flourish when they take risks, experiment, and think and act entrepreneurially. They must be willing to let go and change. Interestingly, this topic was never raised by Catholic leaders and among mainline Protestant leaders, openness to innovation was sometimes motivated out of desperation due to decline.

Structure and Process: Organizational structures, processes, systems, and governance were viewed as means to an end – the attracting, retaining, and spiritual growth of people (disciples).

Internal Factors:

Discipleship: A congregation’s sign of flourishing was its ability to:

“Make disciples” – the process of people living in relationship with Jesus, who make other disciples (evangelical comment)

“Discipleship is living out holistically the Christian identity and life…” (mainline comment)

“…a well thought out and planned liturgy, culminating in the Eucharist to facilitate people’s experience with God.”… (Catholic comment).

In all three cases, discipleship is a reference to a transformed life.

Hospitable Communities: Congregations flourish when they offer a “home” to those inside and outside the church where people are known in a safe, loving, and accepting community.

Engaged Laity: Congregations flourish when congregants are regularly involved in the life of their local church. Differing faith groups measured involvement in varying ways. Catholic leaders emphasized attendance at mass, while conservative Protestant leaders added behaviours such as tithing and prayer.

Diversity: Congregational diversity surfaced as a perceived indicator that a congregation was flourishing. By diversity, leaders singled out: race, social class, age, gender, and sexual orientation to those in the pew and those in leadership.

As one Catholic leader put it, “it’s the only place where the poor and rich, healthy and unhealthy, young and old, educated and uneducated, can sit beside each other. When any one of these feels excluded, I don’t think it’s a flourishing congregation anymore.”

Mainline Protestants spoke most strongly about diversity and embracing the LGBTQ community. In fact, some mainline readers criticized conservative Protestants for saying they are open to the LGBTQ community, but limit full involvement in their local congregation’s ministry.

III. Outward Variables:

Congregations that flourish must be outward focused in at least one of the following areas:

Evangelism: Conservative Protestants spoke most favourably of people needing to get “saved”. Catholics spoke of “new-evangelization” or the re-evangelization of those who identify as Catholics but have fallen away from the faith. Mainline Protestants conveyed ideas of reaching out and getting involved with our neighbours, but “not walking down manipulative, shallow ways of relating to people [to] shove it down their throat…”

Neighbourhood Involvement: Congregations that flourish have a community impact, are community-minded, and seek to benefit the community. They ask themselves, would our community notice if we were no longer here? If we only care for ourselves rather than go and gather, we’re a social club, not a church.

Partnerships: Flourishing churches seek partnerships participating with other congregations within their denomination, outside it, or with other religious faith groups or various secular agencies.

Summary:

Catholic (40% of Canadians), mainline (16%), and conservative (10%) Protestant leaders appear to share the following views on the cause of a flourishing congregation:

Self-identity

Strategic leadership

Structure and process

Hospitable community

Neighbourhood involvement

Partnerships

Supernatural discourse

However, Catholic, mainline, and conservative Protestant leaders differently prioritized the cause and effect of a flourishing church in the following areas:

Innovation

Discipleship

Engaged laity

Diversity

Evangelism

Numeric emphasis

These variations can be attributed to areas such as theology, polity, organizational structure, and demographic realities. These distinctions serve as the important boundaries that mark “our” tradition from “their” tradition. For example, Protestants valued innovation, whereas Catholic leaders did not. Mainline Protestants framed their need for innovation against the backdrop of their numerical decline. Evangelism and discipleship emerged across all three traditions, but especially among conservative Protestants. Nowhere were differences most noticeable along theological traditions than on the topic of diversity, the only occasion where strong accusations were voiced between the three traditions.

These findings are from the first exploratory study. Dr. Joel Thiessen and his team are currently completing a second, larger study surveying hundreds of local churches in Canada.

Stay tuned for more information on what makes a flourishing congregation.

The Traits of a Flourishing Congregation from a Major Canadian News Study, Part One

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 00:00:00 PST

How might you describe a flourishing local church? A congregation that is alive and thriving.

A major study asking this very question is being conducted in Canada. Sociologist, Dr. Joel Thiessen of Ambrose University and other academics have completed an initial exploratory study which has led to a larger study of hundreds of local churches across the country. I encouraged many of our churches to participate in the second study several months back.

I wanted to give you some of the findings from their exploratory study report published in the “Springer Review of Religious Research.”

The first study asked Canadian Catholic, conservative and mainline Protestant leaders how they would define what constitutes a flourishing congregation. Their findings were drawn from interviews (109 face to face), and focus groups (nine groups with 66 individuals), and data from leaders across Canada. The study wanted to gather the perceptions, narratives, and experiences that church and denominational leaders hold about flourishing congregations.

There was some wide divergence between the faith traditions, urban and rural churches, liberal and conservative theology, large and small congregations, among other things, however, several common themes did surface within the differing Christian faith families in Canada.

The study captured these common themes within three overarching domains:

Organizational Ethos or the “hardware” (strategy and structure) and “software” (style, systems, staff and shared values) of the local church. Four distinct ethos surfaced:

Clear self-identity

Leadership

Innovation

Structure and process

Internal factors or the initiatives, demographics, and realities that primarily pertain to those within the congregation. Four distinct factors surfaced:

Discipleship

Hospitable communities

Engaged laity

Diversity

Outward variables or the activities that link these within the congregation to those outside the congregation in the community. Three distinct variables surfaced:

Evangelism

Neighbourhood involvement

Partnerships

There was divided opinion on whether flourishing necessarily means numeric growth. The importance of numerical growth seemed to be directly related to the influence the consecutive church growth (1960s-70s), church health (1980s-90s), and missional church movements (2000s) have had on the leader being interviewed. Also there was some difference in describing the supernatural impact on flourishing churches among the differing faith traditions especially between those mainline Protestants who espouse liberal theology and conservative Protestants and conservative Catholics. Lastly there was difference of opinion among the faith groups when referring to diversity. Conservative Protestant and Catholic leaders referenced the importance of ethnic and socio-economic diversity while many mainline Protestant leaders reference diversity based on sexual orientation.

Despite these differences, the study discovered seven major common themes, among the three faith traditions, concerning what makes a flourishing congregation:

Self-identity

Strategic leadership

Structure and process

Hospitable community

Neighbourhood involvement

Partnerships

Supernatural discourse

Next week, I’ll spend more time describing each of these common traits as we discover what defines a flourishing local church.

Fellowship Pastors Training Pastors Overseas

Mon, 27 May 2019 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship International department is partnering with Fellowship churches and pastors to get involved in the training of pastors and leaders in churches around the world. You could get involved in the Fellowship’s “LeadersFormation” ministry led by our Coordinator Hannibal (Hanni) Muhtar.

What is LeadersFormation?

Hanni Muhtar, LeadersFormation International Coordinator

Due to limited resources, pastors in a number of countries around the world have had no opportunity for theological education. LeadersFormation is a ministry of The Fellowship that promotes a joint effort of churches across Canada who are partnering with churches in other countries to provide leadership training and development where it is either unavailable or not possible. In the last two decades LeadersFormation has trained hundreds of church leaders in a number of countries while our own churches have benefited from both the partnerships and the training they facilitate.

LeadersFormation Stories

Facilitating and More in Nigeria

(report by Pastor Mark Farrow, Stoney Creek Baptist, London, ON)

Facilitators from Canada lead the sessions and help participants complete one manual per visit. They have the opportunity to see benefits just as Mark Farrow and Hanni Muhtar did in the town of Owerri. Mark shares,

“We were able to finish the book Passing On Your Beliefs with time to spare on Thursday. Many of the men seemed to be quite challenged by the Word of God’s charge to men to be the spiritual leaders in their home and to be actively training their children to pass on the faith. Several shared positive testimonies of what God had been teaching them, and they were all very encouraging. It was also a blessing hearing many of their stories of the spiritual opposition they have faced (and continue to face) in the planting of their churches and how God continues to show Himself stronger time and time again. It was beautiful. The stories were like stories straight out of Acts. I praise God for what He’s doing in southeastern Nigeria!”

Mark Farrow and a Nigerian pastor

And there were unexpected highlights for the team:

“In Owerri on the way back, the security guard who checked my bag saw my Bible and asked me to pray for him right then and there. The security guard beside him paused checking the bag of the person beside me and bowed her head along with us. Then the final security guard, who saw and heard everything, asked me to pray for him! When I pray in those situations, I always preach the Gospel in my prayer. Join me in praying for these guards.”

Nigerian pastors studying together

Beyond the four days of working with participants, how else do our facilitators get involved locally?

“I would highly recommend any facilitator that (participates) to plan to stick around for the National Conference of the TETMI churches. It was fantastic getting to see several of the men in a different setting (outside the “classroom”), being pastors to their church families. And it was great to be able to meet their wives and children! I spoke three times over the three days and it was an absolute blessing!”

Growth in the Philippines

(report by Pastor Ian Smith, Mayerthorpe Baptist, AB)

This project consists of two cohorts, one based in Ormoc, Leyte and one in Banga, Mindanao. Pastor Ian traveled to the Philippines along with his family, and took Jason Eklund, one of his elders, as well as Jason’s family. Jason has been trained as a LeadersFormation facilitator.

Jason Eklund facilitating a training session

The Philippine cohort has been in operation since 2015 and students are at the point where they are involved in the actual facilitation of the sessions. Ian shares, “The participants handled 95% of the facilitation time and overall they did a very good job. In fact I was surprised by the engagement of certain leaders.” They were able to ask key follow-up questions and had the opportunity and skill needed to challenge fellow students on their responses.

After gathering together over the last four years, it is an encouragement at this stage to see how much students have advanced since they first began to participate in the program. Ian writes, “I could see growth in them since May 2018, and when I think back to 2015 it is almost unbelievable that this is the same group. They continue to do well.”

Pastor Ian Smith with pastor Edsil

And just as with other projects, there is more to the week than just facilitating. Ian continues, “The Eklund family visited a sponsor child they support through Compassion Canada. I was privileged to preach four times during the Ormoc week and again in a church in Banga. As well, our team was invited to a couple of birthday parties being celebrated within the church family. We also visited Lake Sebu as tourists for a few hours before we began the co-hort.”

In the Banga cohort, the work of facilitating has its highs and its lows. It was a great encouragement for Ian to see one particular student excel in his ability to facilitate the cohort and to engage his classmates in in-depth discussion. However, students are still needing some prompting for deeper questions that bring about more in-depth discussion.

These two cohorts graduate this year and several of the participants are planning to continue mentoring others.

Kenya

(by Paul Harbourne)

In May 2018 we had the initial session of the latest LeadersFormation Kenya project in the town of Kisii in the western part of the country near Lake Victoria. We were blessed with a good group of 23 passionate church leaders from three different areas of the country gathering at the St. Vincent Centre to begin our learning together. The participants quickly blended and for that we were thankful as many had met for the first time. We had some very in-depth and, at times, animated discussions as the group worked through the issues of baptism and Christian liberty. We had an excellent spirit of questioning and explanation as we came to the biblical truths on the issues. What a blessing to see this dynamic develop so quickly.

Cedric Shibuyanga, Regional Coordinator

Much of this would not be possible without our Regional coordinator Cedric Shibuyanga who lives in Kenya and understands culture and language so very well. He can quickly clarify concepts that get lost in translation and has become an invaluable partner and a dear friend.

Cedric has already planned to check in on each group in their home areas bef

Paying it Forward

Mon, 20 May 2019 00:00:00 PST

Are Canadians generous? Depends who you ask.

In recent years we have seen some unfavourable trends in charitable giving within Canada. Giving is down among every age group with only one-fifth or 20% of Canadians donating to charities. Studies show that if you have not given in the past, it is unlikely you will begin unless you make it a priority (2015).

The average annual donation per Canadian has decreased from $365 to $343 from 2006-2015. More alarming is Canada’s donors are changing what they give. Canadians aged 55 and older collectively donated $6.4 billion to charity in 2015, almost double the $3.5 billion given by Canadians aged 25-54. This reality is also due to the more discretionary cash that older Canadians have to give. But that is not universally true. Giving habits are changing among a large millennial demographic.

As government funding dwindles, donors in the older age groups “age out”, we potentially lose charitable status in Canada. As churches and charities neglect to focus on millennial donors, there will be funding gaps in the near future among churches and faith mission organizations.

So what are donors giving to these days? In the 2018 Global Trends Giving Report (click here to read the report), the following was discovered:

May is Leave a Legacy month in Canada

Canadian Christians typically give more than the average Canadian. As stewards rather than owners, we give faithfully and generously. We are conduits, rather than hoarders of God’s blessing to others. We seek to give cheerfully as an investment to advance the Gospel cause. We can do this in our lifetime as well as beyond the grave through wise estate planning.

During the month of May, I’m encouraging our Fellowship family to think strategically about leveraging their good deeds well into the future by giving a legacy to our Fellowship Foundation.

Our Foundation began in 2015 and has grown to almost $6 million in direct gifts, legacies, and investments. See the pie chart to discover where generous donors have designated their legacy gifts to benefit Fellowship local churches, Regions, schools and national ministries.

Legacy Gifts and the different Fellowship Ministries

Please prayerfully consider a legacy in your will toward the Fellowship foundation. Consider contacting Gord Baptist to learn how you might do this.

A Word from Gord Baptist

Gord Baptist

“If you are considering this step and would like more information, feel free to contact me. We will assist in helping you fulfill your generosity by providing you with the means to distribute that which God has laid on your heart and direct your legacy to the ministries that you are most passionate about. If you do not have a will, we can provide the legal support to have one done for you quickly, easily, and with a legal cost that is affordable. Feel free to contact me and together, let’s complete your legacy to God’s Kingdom.”

Gord Baptist is Fellowship Advancement Director and can be reached HERE

Every day is an Audition

Mon, 13 May 2019 00:00:00 PST

Occasionally I’m asked what the difference is between the work of Fellowship chaplains and our pastors. In the manual, “The Work of the Chaplain”, Paget and McCormick state:

“It is important to keep the two roles (pastors and chaplains) distinct. Chaplains are, ‘providing a credible spiritual service and pastoral support as they bring the presence of God into the workplace’.

“A chaplain is essentially a spiritual representative attached to a secular institution. They are expected to serve the spiritual and emotional needs of others.

“A chaplain is one who formally serves as a recognized spiritual provider in a ‘particular’ context that is not generally accessible to the public, including pastors. As chaplains bring Christ’s presence into the workplace the Lord opens doors for them to provide, ‘credible spiritual service and pastoral support’ to those who may or may not be intentionally seeking help.”

Some News from a couple of our Chaplains

Danielle Presseault: Community Chaplain

Currently, 17 of our 88 Fellowship chaplains are female. Chaplain Danielle is a “community chaplain” in the Ottawa, ON area. She is also a mother, and wife of pastor Kevin Presseault of Greenbelt Community Church (a Fellowship church).

I will let Danielle introduce herself and her chaplaincy ministry to you:

Danielle Presseault, community chaplain

“I serve as a chaplain in the Beacon Hill community, and am a member of a committee which specifically reaches out to the Jasmine Crescent neighbourhood, a community paralyzed by a long succession of violent crimes. Working alongside the local resource centre team (police, child and youth workers, the city councilor, as well as Jasmine Crescent neighbours) we seek to help restore hope in the community.

“Initially, there had been pushback from local stakeholders as to whether or not to allow the Christian community onto the team, as there were concerns about proselytization, but God brought down one wall after another. I am now just another member of the team who is relied upon as part of the puzzle offering services, support, and hope.

“Free space in the Ottawa Public Library has been generously offered to provide spiritual care and counselling right where the people are – in their community. I have begun a partnership with volunteers so that Beacon of Hope can offer ESL classes, paint workshops, and seniors groups, also in partnership with the library.

“I’ve also hosted a small Bible study in the Library using video resources from RightNow Media which is being made available to us by Greenbelt Baptist Church. We are seeing people gain a greater understanding of who God is and how that makes a difference in their lives.

“Our prayer is that God would give Beacon of Hope Chaplaincy favour in the community and that the people He wants us to reach or meet the needs of would be receptive to the activities and services offered. We want to build a positive and warm rapport with whomever God brings.

“I have been sincerely amazed by our volunteers and their willingness to share their gifts with our community! I have also been in awe of God and how He has connected us to so many beautiful people. Our weekly ESL and Bible study, entitled Spiritual Rhythms, are just a couple of ways I remain connected to our community.”

(Captain) Alexander Krause: Military Chaplain

I visited with Alex in Winnipeg in November 2018. As a military chaplain with the Canadian Armed Forces, Alex is required to be credentialed through his Church Association. Alex will be completing his MDiv Studies and beginning a two-year internship with Bethel Baptist Church in Winnipeg, MB. Pastor Arden Boville will have the joy of coaching this godly man for two years as he prepares for chaplaincy ministry in the armed forces.

In a recent phone conversation, I learned from the “Baptist Rep.” on the Canadian Armed Forces Chaplains Council that the fastest growing group among new chaplain recruits are “evangelicals”. Alex and several new Fellowship military chaplains have a ministry of presence among the soldiers they serve.

I will let Alex introduce himself to you:

(Captain) Alexander Krause, military chaplain

“My name is Alexander Krause and I joined Fellowship Chaplaincy in 2015. I am a military chaplain and am currently studying at Providence Seminary within the Masters of Divinity program.

“This past year, I have had the opportunity to minister in Winnipeg with some fellow believers. We try to go into the city once each week and distribute sandwiches to the needy and pray for those who are open to us doing so. I have talked with many homeless people and have had the opportunity to tell them about Christ's love for them.

“Please pray that God would continue to reveal himself to me and that I would seek him through my studies as I work toward completing the MDiv program at Providence Seminary.

Take Aways – Fellowship chaplain one-liners collected from visits with them

May is Canada's Respect Life month

Mon, 06 May 2019 00:00:00 PST

The month of May is a time when pro-life ministries and organizations especially, double their efforts promoting the life of the unborn in Canada. This week, on May 9, many pro-lifers are traveling to Ottawa to lobby the federal government and the rest of Canada through the “March for Life” campaign.

One-third of hospitals in Canada perform abortions. They perform two-thirds of the abortions in the country. The other third is performed by doctors in public and private (for profit) clinics. Some 97,254 abortions occurred in Canada in 2005. In one year (July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018) 385,777 babies were born in Canada—do the math. One in five pregnancies are terminated by abortion in Canada. Doctor-assisted death (suicide) has increased exponentially since it became legal in June 2016. We live in a culture of death promoted and sustained by a radical view of individual rights.

In 2016 the Canadian birth rate was 1.6 babies per mother. Experts state the sub-replacement fertility rate in any country must be 2.1 children per woman to sustain the country’s population. Without a robust immigration program, Canada’s population will decline due in part to the culture of death prevalent in our country.

There has been a new attack on the unborn in recent months. This should concern people of faith committed to sanctity of life issues.

Summer Jobs and Pro-Life Ministries

By now you’ve heard that the attestation was removed from the federal government’s Summer Jobs funding program. What happened and how has it affected faith groups from receiving public funding?

Employment minister Patty Hajdu wrote this concerning the federal government’s constitutional mistake:

“While the government had tried to make it clear the attestation wasn’t targeting ‘beliefs or values’, some people were still confused and uncomfortable.”

Her explanation inferred that the citizen’s “confusion” was the fault of overall public ignorance. The federal government’s claim is that it was misunderstood. This, of course, is not true. Every major media outlet (newspapers) in the country called them out for being constitutionally off-side. Also, most faith-based groups saw past the federal government’s feigned effort to distance themselves from their extremist, abortion values.

While many politicians, including the Conservative party of Canada, and several Christian organizations, were quick to claim a victory, it is clear that removing the value attestation was a step forward in eliminating any eligibility for funding of any organization whose core mandate is viewed (by the Employment Ministry) as hindering the reproductive right (code for abortion rights) of women. They would become ineligible for any public funding.

Global News noted this, saying:

“Now groups that work to undermine those [abortion] rights or that promote discriminations simply won’t be eligible for funding.”

The Fellowship’s National Council mentioned their concerns in a January 2019 letter to our churches. Many view this new reality as being just as bad as the attestation, especially for pro-life organizations. The federal government is saying you can be pro-life, but you can’t get public funding and the government wants you to keep quiet about your views that hinder women’s “reproductive rights”.

21-week-old Human Fetus

Once again, let me say it among the chorus of well-informed Canadians, abortion is not a Charter right. This is not hear-say nor a private opinion, this is a fact. The current federal government seems to intimate this is not a fact. As some like to say, facts don’t care about our Prime Minister’s feelings. The fact is abortion is widely available in Canada (since 1988) not because of a law (or right), but due to the absence of one. In 1988 the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the 1969 law as unconstitutional and gave Parliament one year to institute a new law. Parliament tried, failed and seemingly gave up. Canada is one of only a few countries in the world with an enduring legal vacuum when it comes to abortion. God have mercy on us and the successive governments that are hoping (happy) to ignore this reality.

Choice42.com: A Pro-Life Organization

I encourage you to check out the choice42.com website and videos on YouTube . This pro-life organization was started by some Fellowship friends. Laura Klassen has been featured in several brief videos produced by “Choice 42” (choice four-two, not choice forty-two; clever eh?!)

I love their brief video, “The Magical Birth Canal”. I encourage you to click here to watch this “tongue in cheek” approach to unmasking the insane thinking related to when a baby becomes a baby affording human rights.

This pro-life organization is looking for friends and allies. Please check their website by clicking here .

How do we continue to speak up for life in a culture of death? How do local churches speak up or come alongside pro-life organizations like local crisis pregnancy centres and give them a lift? Good place to start the discussion.

You can't take it with you!

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 00:00:00 PST

The month of May is called, “Leave a Legacy” month in Canada. Canadians are encouraged to leave a gift through their will or another planned-giving vehicle.

We’re encouraged to donate towards those ministries or organizations that we already support and have a meaningful attachment to. One Development Coordinator said, “It’s a way to make a tremendous impact and control what your legacy is”.

Our Fellowship created the Fellowship Foundation in 2015 and I have been very encouraged by many within our Fellowship family who have used it for direct and investment purposes along with legacy giving through their estate. In less than four years our Foundation has grown to almost $6 million, of which $3.32 million are legacy gifts designated to a variety of Fellowship ministries including local churches, Regions, schools, and national ministries. The following pie chart indicates the designations and percentages. These ministries will benefit from the foresight of donors for years and years to come.

Legacy Gifts and the different Fellowship Ministries

A Couple Tips to Consider

Talk to your family about your wishes. These conversations may be difficult, but discussing this now will make decisions much easier for your loved ones in the future.

Get professional advice. A financial advisor can help you explore various legacy options.

I would encourage you to start by contacting our Fellowship Advancement Director, Gord Baptist at gbaptist@fellowship.ca, to find out more about legacy giving to our Fellowship Foundation. Gord can help you in designating your legacy to any Fellowship ministry and also help you get your will prepared.

A Word from Gord

Gord Baptist

“If you are considering this step and would like more information, feel free to contact me. We will assist in helping you fulfill your generosity by providing you with the means to distribute that which God has laid on your heart and direct your legacy to the ministries that you are most passionate about. If you do not have a will, we can provide the legal support to have one done for you quickly, easily, and with a legal cost that is affordable. Feel free to contact me and together, let’s complete your legacy to God’s Kingdom.”

Gord Baptist is Fellowship Advancement Director and can be reached at:
519-821-4830, extension 244 – fax: 519-821-9829 – gbaptist@fellowship.ca

During the month of May, please prayerfully consider leaving a legacy to the Fellowship through your will. If you’ve been part of our Fellowship family for years, even decades, this would be a tremendous support to the faith-family you have served and loved for years to come. Think strategically when it comes to your estate. What have you highly valued all your life other than your children and other family members? For some, including a charity in your will can actually increase the amount we leave to our spouse or children because of off-setting taxes.

Contact Gord and he can answer your questions.

The Elephant in the Room: A crisis in our day!

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 00:00:00 PST

Forty-four thousand people daily flee their homes. More than 10 million are stateless, living a life deprived of identity, education, healthcare, the possibility of work or the freedom to move about.

A Crisis in our Time

According to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) close to 70 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced from their homes. Almost 26 million of these have been forced to seek refuge in other countries. Half of these are young people under 18 years of age. Many have overstayed their welcome in their host countries. As illegals they move from place to place, hiding from authorities, fearing jail or deportation back to their homelands to face even greater hardship, and possibly death.

For countries close to the epicenters of the conflicts that have resulted in these forced migrations, the challenges of handling an influx of refugees can be overwhelming. For example, Lebanon has a population of six million people, almost a million and a half of which are refugees. Not only does this have a serious impact on the resources needed to look after those crossing the border, but it also threatens to upset the balance of power that maintains the uneasy peace between political factions within the country.

The UNHCR website notes: “In Lebanon, life is a daily struggle for more than a million Syrian refugees, who have little or no financial resources. Around 70 per cent live below the poverty line. There are no formal refugee camps and, as a result, Syrians are scattered throughout more than 2,100 urban and rural communities and locations, often sharing small basic lodgings with other refugee families in overcrowded conditions.”[1]

Two Fellowship International Missionary Families

Two ministries supported by our Fellowship and staffed by Fellowship missionaries, Cedar Home and the Clementia Learning Centre, deal with the realities of the situation on a daily basis as they seek to provide for refugee children and their families.

Cedar Home in Beirut, Lebanon

The Anayssi Family

Fellowship International missionaries Karim and Rita Anayssi direct a Christian home for young girls, many who are Muslim and several who are Syrian refugees, all who are experiencing the love of Christ. Karim is looking for partnership with Fellowship churches to care for these girls.

Clementia Learning Centre in Beirut, Lebanon

Bechara and Roula Karkafi

Fellowship International missionaries Bechara and Roula Karkafi give direction and care for a Christian school specifically designed to minister and educate the thousands of Syrian refugee children living in Beirut. Clementia Learning Centre is looking for partnership with Fellowship churches to help care for these poor children.

God’s Word on the Care of Refugees

As Canadians, we understand immigrants. Almost all of us come from immigrant stock. But somehow welcoming refugees feels like the “elephant in the room” — too big and too scary to talk about much less deal with. The “elephant” often seems threatening. Its presence engenders fear. Its needs makes demands on our time, our money, our energy, our patience, and even on our faith.

But as believers, we can’t ignore “the elephant.”

“…the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, who shows no partiality…He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Isaiah 58:6, 7)

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The king will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you have done for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:37-40)

The Elephant in the Room: Our Response?

A few of our Fellowship churches are engaged in helping the aliens, wanderers and strangers in our world. In fact, it was in response to an expressed desire of some of our churches that the Fellowship, through FAIR, formed a partnership with the Christian & Missionary Alliance in 2015 to facilitate their wish to engage in refugee sponsorship.

African Elephant

But “the elephant” is still daunting. How do you tackle something that big?

How do you “eat an elephant?” You know the answer: “One bite at a time.”

Which in our context would mean one refugee, or refugee family, at a time.

And that’s refugee sponsorship.

“The need is urgent!” writes a member of one of our Fellowship churches involved in sponsoring refugees. “The situation for the refugee families I know of in Turkey has only grown less hopeful with the UNHCR completely leaving Turkey and the U.S. accepting extremely few refugees. That is, almost hopeless apart from private refugee sponsorship.”

If each one of our 500+ churches across Canada sponsored one refugee family, we’d still only be taking a small “bite” out of the “elephant”. But it would be a good beginning.

Visit: https://www.fellowship.ca/CMA for more information on FAIR’s partnership with the Christian & Missionary Alliance as together they seek to help our churches through the process involved in sponsoring refugees. Contact us for further information at fair@fellowship.ca.

The Fellowship is all of us as believers and imitators of Christ, working together on that “elephant” just one “bite” at a time, and knowing that in following the Lord’s command a blessing always follows:

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-drenched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:9-11)

Ideas on how to corporately celebrate Easter

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 00:00:00 PST

The following are some fresh ideas on how to celebrate Easter with your church family from some of our colleagues. Enjoy.

“One of the most memorable Good Friday services in my memory was one we planned two years ago. The service followed a dramatic thread called, ‘Living Last Supper’. Thirteen of our guys were situated on stage at a long, low table (similar to da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ painting). Throughout the service, each disciple, in turn, came to the front of the platform and shared a monologue of their own perspective of Jesus. Judas betrayed Jesus, and exited. Jesus led everyone (congregation as well), in the Lord’s Table. A very impactful and moving experience.”

— Lee Brubacher, Worship Pastor, West Highland Baptist, Hamilton, ON

“I have been part of a Maundy Thursday foot washing service as well as a Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service. Both were powerful experiences for us as we thought about Christ’s service in the midst of suffering and how Christ’s candle was the only one in the darkness. We also did a Maundy Thursday midnight watch service at my first church.

At Temple, we have had musicals on Easter weekend and had a Passion Art gallery where the artists from our church submitted art that reflected Easter. Our Good Friday services are also a highlight every year!”

— Jonathan Stairs, Lead Pastor, Temple Baptist, Cambridge, ON

Man Painting a Door

“I get someone to build me a mock door and I paint it while I preach about the first Passover. When I am done the sermon, people have to walk through the door to pick up their communion bread and cup. I have had people come to Christ as they listen and take part in communion like this.”

— Phil Webb, Fellowship International missionary, Colombia and Edmonton, AB

“We decided that a great way to celebrate Easter and going from death to life, old to new, lost to found — would be to share stories of those in our church community who were willing to share their struggles and victories. We then had them boil down their story into a few short words with the ‘old’ on one side of a large cardboard sheet, and the ‘new’ or ‘victory’ on the other side of the sheet. This was a great way to show the power of the Gospel in the lives of our church family and was one of the highlight services we have had at West Park in the last years. Things that were shared, were (before) loneliness, (after) in community, or (before) addicted to pornography, (after) free from sexual bondage. Very powerful images.”

— Corey Brown, Worship Pastor, West Park, London, ON

“We use the arts. We have a large contingent of young girls and teen girls that are taking tap/ballet/jazz at our local dance studio. A few years ago we decided to choreograph a worship dance (ballet style) to the worship song, ‘I Will Rise’ as part of our Easter services. It was beautiful and struck a chord with people in the congregation that respond to the arts. The feedback was, ‘Thank you so much for using the arts—that spoke to me this morning in a different way than a sermon or worshipping in song. As I watched—it felt like more of a prayer.’

“Four years ago for our Good Friday service we had a local artist paint live on stage as I preached. I had given the artist my Good Friday sermon 3 weeks before which allowed her time to sketch out themes and concepts. As she painted on stage the eyes of the congregation were glued to her as they listened to the gospel being proclaimed.”

— Darin Phillips, Lead Pastor, Oceanview Church, Ladysmith, BC

“We started the Good Friday service with all lights on and all curtains opened (like a typical service at Grandview). The first piece of our service was a welcome and a reading from Matthew 26:17-35 (the Last Supper). Following the Scripture reading we sang a song that emphasized that Scripture passage. Then we read from Matthew 26:35-56 (Jesus in Gethsemane) and responded with a song related to that passage. We proceeded to bounce back and forth between song and Scripture, through the Gospel of Matthew. Each time a passage of Scripture was read (and we moved closer to the Crucifixion), the lights became more dim until the whole room was dark as we read about the crucifixion of Christ (Matthew 27:45-54). After reading this passage, nothing was said. We left the room in a state of darkness and awkwardness (is the service done?) much like the uncertainty and awkwardness the disciples must have felt. After wrestling with the awkwardness, a few people began to leave in silence and others followed until the room was empty.

“Then, on Easter Sunday, we began with the room in darkness. The first song we sang was, ‘Death was Arrested’; a song that begins with the hopelessness of man, ‘alone in my sorrow… and dead in my sin… lost without hope… no place to begin…’ The song ends with hope in Christ, and when we sang the lyric, ‘but then Jesus arose with our freedom in hand,’ the lights flashed on and the curtains were opened! Symbolizing and emphasizing the hope and life that Christ gave his followers when he conquered death in His resurrection!

“This effect caused people to appreciate the awkwardness and hopelessness seen on the cross which then helped people appreciate, all the more, the power of Christ over death and the life He gives us, as we celebrated His resurrection during the remainder of the service!”

— Jacob Elliot, Worship Pastor, Grandview Baptist, Kitchener, ON

“On Good Friday we gave everyone a large iron spike when they came in. During the service when we talked of Jesus having taken away our sins, the ushers came up to collect the spikes. They passed metal bowls up and down the rows to collect the spikes, then poured the spikes into metal pails. A CD (Kiriye Elieson, "Lord, Forgive") was playing as we did this. It was very impacting.

“On Easter Sunday we had the two biggest guys in the church dress all in white and stand by a cardboard tomb. Two women came up the aisle asking each other (in a Mennonite-Yiddish accent!) how they would open the tomb. The worship team began singing, ‘Hear The Bells Ringing’ by Second Chapter of Acts and it was timed so that when the ladies reached the front, the words rang out, ‘the angels up on the tombstone said He was risen, just as He said!’ Then as they pointed to the back, the women rushed out as the team sang, ‘quickly now go tell His disciples, that Jesus Christ is no longer dead!’ Then we all stood to sing the chorus together, ‘joy to the world! He is risen! Hallelujah!’ That was wonderful!”

— Rod Black, Fellowship International missionary, Pakistan and Edmonton, AB

“We purchased enough hot cross buns from our local bakery (best on the Island in most people’s opinion) for 250 people on Easter Sunday. Our services are 9:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m., and then 11:00 a.m. – 12:20 a.m., so the 40 minutes in between allows us e

How do You Spell Forgiveness?

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 00:00:00 PST

When the Moravian missionaries first visited the Inuit peoples, they struggled to find a word in their language for “forgiveness”. So the missionaries created a new Inuit word made up of 24 letters:

“Issu-magi-jou-jung-naimer-mik”.

The word has a beautiful connotation, meaning:

“Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-anymore”.

When it comes to forgiveness, this is the very attitude Jesus is looking for. In Colossians 3:13 (NIV) we read: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”.

As the Easter season approaches, it is important for us to keep this in mind. A genuine believer is familiar with both giving and forgiving. Jesus gave all He had and forgave all He could.

Why do you suppose it is important to both give and forgive?

Likely because it is very difficult to love one person while remaining angry or resentful of another person. Bitterness divides the heart and chokes love from our system. It is toxic.

You say: “Wait a minute. You don’t fully understand what I’ve gone through. My father, mother, spouse, boss, teacher, friend, neighbour, coach, pastor, church treated me horribly. They need to pay in some way for what they did to me.” I agree.

But the truth is, Someone already did!

You say: “Hold on a second. They don’t deserve God’s unconditional love, unfailing grace nor my forgiveness.” Again, I’m not going to disagree with you. But if they don’t deserve it…do you?

Before you pass judgement and demand payment, try to recall the last time you broke your word with the Lord. Likely, you need only think back to the past 24 hours. What was God’s reaction to your broken promise?

Max Lucado

Max Lucado writes: “The key to forgiving others is to quit focusing on what they did to you and start focusing on what God did for you.”

Let’s all keep re-learning the importance of giving and receiving forgiveness. As we approach another Easter season, as we celebrate the cross and empty tomb, may the marvelous news of Christ’s forgiveness guide our actions in the days ahead.

Trends in Fellowship Church giving...the Added Value in Partnerships

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 00:00:00 PST

I recently studied the giving patterns of our local churches toward Fellowship National ministries and our Fellowship Regions.

There was good news and bad news. I thought you might be interested in learning about some of the data regarding relevancy and added value.

Some of you may be saying, “We don’t partner because we see no relevancy or added value inherent in our relationship with our Regional or National ministries.” I beg to differ. Our Regional and National ministries’ sole existence is to support our local churches to mission effectiveness. I am more convinced of this than any time in my life. I encourage you to take another look.

The proof is in the growing spirit of interdependence in our Fellowship at large. Our Regions are experiencing this. One of the fruit of this reality is the remarkable number of churches being planted in shared partnership in our Regions. Our National ministry has seen record numbers of missionaries and chaplains being appointed. It has been very gratifying to see our local churches coming to their Region and National ministries looking for partnership, support, and help. We exist for our local churches. We love the church.

Where Your Heart is, Your Wallet Will be Also?

Our Fellowship Association of churches is currently about 510 churches. The chart below is the giving results of 500 of our churches based on what churches gave to their Region and National ministries in 2017:

2017 Church Giving Survey Results

A Few Observations from 2017

29% of our churches did not support their Region.

43% of our churches did not partner with any National ministry.

58% of our churches invested more than $1,000 with their Region.

46% of our churches invested more than $1,000 with National.

14.2% (71) of our churches invested nothing in their Region or National.

The purpose of this blog is not to make any comments, conjectures, or conclusions. I’ll let you do that. I’m just giving you the data and asking you whether we’re satisfied with our current reality.

A Humble Suggestion for Next Step(s)

If your church supports neither your Region nor any National ministry (ie. missionary, FAIR appeal/project, chaplain, National staff member, etc). Why? Please consider talking to us. Let’s discover a path forward together. We want to be in partnership together.

Prayerfully consider a modest increase of support to your Region in 2019. All our Regions are very busy serving our churches on very modest resources. If your church has received help from your Region, consider supporting them so they can better help another sister church.

Prayerfully consider having your church partner with one of the National ministries in 2019 where there is a fit, or talk to us about helping your unique mission initiative.

Consider personally leaving a “legacy” to the Fellowship’s Foundation, especially if you’ve been a part of the Fellowship family for decades.

FAIR's Fresh Start Project

I thought long and hard before writing this “Word from Steve”. Whenever you talk about money you’re sure to be misunderstood. However, I thought it important you know the results of this recent study. We generally support what we value. Now, back to you…

Fellowship Churches Partner Together to Feed the Hungry

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 00:00:00 PST

I’m always encouraged when I hear stories of our churches reaching out into their community with the love of Christ. I’d like you to hear how a few of our churches in Quebec are being the hands and feet of Jesus to the hungry in their communities.

I have visited this ministry but I’ll let pastor Donald Rodier (who also serves as a Fellowship chaplain) explain the CEM ministry. Richard Flemming (Fellowship Eastern Coordinator) recently visited Donald and the CEM ministry and had this to say:

“I love to see how churches are engaging their people in meaningful service to their communities. On a recent trip to Quebec, I had the opportunity to sit down with Donald Rodier and hear about the ministry of CEM. This is an impressive ministry! Now, operating out of three churches in three different communities, CEM has figured out how to distribute food to needy families in a caring and dignified manner. Each week, a small army of volunteers, some from the church and some from the community, faithfully give of their time and energy ensuring that the operation runs smoothly. At the same time, Donald, and others on his team concentrate their efforts on providing the families with a safe environment where they can see and hear the love of Christ in action. This is a wonderful marriage of word and deed and we can learn a lot from their experience!”

Centre D’entraide Maskoutain (CEM) ministry

Donald Rodier - Fellowship pastor and chaplain

Pastor Donald Rodier and a large team care for the needs of many people on a weekly basis in their community. Lives are being nourished and transformed. See Chaplain (pastor) Donald being interviewed with a CEM client who became a new believer because of this ministry in the following video (click here). Listen in as Donald explains about the ministry:

Volunteers with CEM ministry

“It was at the initiative of members of our Church (the Evangelical Baptist Church of St-Hyacinthe) and within it, that CEM (Centre d'Entraide Maskoutain) was born and developed. Initially, with the status of food bank, in the basement of the church, in 2005, this ministry turned into a charitable organization in 2007. Subsequently, CEM extended to other areas of the province of Quebec.

“Today, CEM has three branches (St-Hyacinthe, Granby, and Rivière-du-Loup). Sales profits from the three used furniture, clothing, and sundries stores, and even from a new furniture store, provide a variety of services, including food banks, serving more than 400 families each week.

“CEM assists many people in distress each year with free furniture and clothing (totaling approximately $18,000 in 2018). In addition, about 100 people who receive a community service order from the court or who have to do compensatory work, do so in our stores. Some enjoy the experience so much that they stay after completing their hours of work. We also receive students who do internships within our organization.

“Many beneficiaries suffer from various ills and isolation. CEM becomes for them a place of social reintegration, breaking their solitude and offering them listening. They discover a welcoming community that even becomes a kind of family for some. In fact, many non-believing beneficiaries are now working as volunteers, thus becoming witnesses of our love for God and our neighbour.

Volunteers sorting through food

“This ministry allows us to shine in our communities and change the way people see us. Moreover, we have gained the trust of several recognized organizations in the city which are now our partners and/or use our services.

“This ministry has allowed us to change the way we see unbelievers and develop compassion for them (Matthew 9.36). In recent years, not only have many Christians found a place to serve, grow and be a witness in their community, but on top of that, many of our baptized people are the fruit of this wonderful ministry.

“We continually have the opportunity to present the hope of the Good News to those people who are often broken by the consequences of sin.

Community members attending a CEM ministry event

“Christmas becomes the culmination of our year of ministry. We take advantage of this special time to do activities that allow us to present the Gospel: free meals, children's gifts, special presentations for all, including a portion of the Scriptures and a presentation of the Good News.

“CEM is here to love and restore the dignity of people. Together CEM sows hope.”

www.centredentraidemaskoutain.org

Donated items used by CEM ministry

Sobering Realities about "Wacky Tabacky"

Mon, 18 Mar 2019 00:00:00 PST

Each day I pass a store called, “Wacky Tabacky” on my way into the Fellowship Ministry Centre. It reminds me that times have changed.

On October 17, 2018 recreational use of cannabis became legal. As the first G7 nation to legalize recreational use, there has been no precedent for best policy practices for provincial, municipal, or other public or academic institutions. The Federal government put close to $100 million over six years in the Health Canada 2018 budget for cannabis public education, awareness, and surveillance.

Canadian universities face a dilemma. Katie Gross, Dean of Students at Brandon University, mentioned in a Maclean’s magazine article (November 2018) that, “no help from the Trudeau government” was sent to her. She said, “I would have loved to have seen the government say: ‘Here is a package of material. Here are the best ways to inform your faculty and staff of harm-reduction strategies for your students’. We did not receive that yet.”

Cannabis Policies in Universities

Canadian universities are busy formulating policies in the wake of the legalization of recreational use of pot. The policies vary from campus to campus. Brandon University is viewed as a “no-toking university” which fits within the more restrictive Manitoba provincial policy which prohibits cannabis use in all public spaces. However, Edmonton’s bylaws permit smoking on sidewalks and in some parks, therefore, the University of Alberta’s cannabis policies are equally liberal. The U of A permits smoking and vaping of cannabis products in safe, accessible locations on campus. Under the Cannabis Act, Canadian universities must provide safe areas for students to use legally obtained “medical marijuana”. It will be another eight months before any form of cannabis consumption can occur in our schools or public places as authorities weigh the liabilities and other risks.

University Campus

It feels a little like the “Wild Wild West” as municipalities and schools seek to come up with the best policies to mitigate harm while allowing citizens to claim their right to consume pot. Should other “public spaces” be preparing policies for their institutions? Many are doing that and most often closely follow their local or provincial guidelines and bylaws. What about churches?

Cannabis Policies for Churches?

Do local churches have policies on the use of alcohol, designated smoking areas, or use of medical marijuana? Should churches?

Fellowship Church

One Fellowship church, West Highland Baptist in Hamilton, ON chose to make a public statement (not a policy per se) to their congregation this past October 2018. The pastors and elders thought it important to clearly speak about their views concerning this new public policy. They have heard mostly only appreciated from their church family concerning this statement.

In the event you would like to learn more about West Highland’s statement, contact West Highland at westhighland@westhighland.org and ask for their “Statement on the Legalization of Cannabis”. West Highland’s lead pastor, John Mahaffey, will make a presentation on this subject during a workshop entitled, “Responding Biblically to the Legalization of Marijuana”, at the upcoming FEB Central Regional Conference on April 8-9, 2019.

Interesting days, eh?!

Canadian Bible Colleges are Disappearing at our Peril

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:00:00 PST

How important is Christian education in building faith-persistent young people? At a recent Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) gathering I heard some interesting information on the subject.

In 1901 there were only 18 institutions of higher education in Canada. Today, there are many, with 96 universities and 1.8 million students.

By the 1930s only 15% of Canadians graduated from high school. This increased to 50% by the 1950s. Today, Canada ranks #1 among OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations with 53% of adults obtaining a university education.

In the midst of an increased emphasis on education in Canada, the Bible School movement took flight starting in 1885, battered through the Modernist Movement (early 1900s), plummeted in the sixties and is presently being choked of oxygen in the early 21st century. Some 340 Bible colleges have been established since 1894 with 75% of them established in Western Canada. Today, many have closed or have merged to survive in a climate where Christian parents question the relevancy and economics of sending their children. About 70 post-secondary religious training institutions exist in Canada which includes seminaries as well as Bible colleges.

Today, Christian institutions need to fund their school with higher tuitions than their secular counterparts. Nor is any public funding available. Christian schools on average depend 2.5 times more on tuition fees than secular schools. The result is fewer Christian schools and colleges exist at the start of the 21st century.

Today, less than 20,000 students attend Canadian post-secondary faith schools representing only 7% of all post-secondary students. An interesting and possibly comparable note is that evangelicals represent approximately 7.7% of the Canadian population.

This is all noteworthy in light of two major Canadian studies in 2010 and 2018 conducted by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and several other youth ministries.

Hemorrhaging Faith Study

In 2010, the Hemorrhaging Faith study discovered that two in three high school students left the church or their faith during their years in post-secondary education. The numbers are staggering. (Go to the Hemorrhaging Faith study by clicking here.)

A few Western University professors admitted a liberal arts education is likely only necessary for about 15% of the jobs available in the marketplace. I’m not against university education; all my kids got at least one degree. I’m also not against education being a means for growth and shaping minds. But, if a university education’s main purpose is not to prepare young adults (or young at heart) for the workplace, what is its main objective?

Some argue campuses have become places to pass along a new orthodoxy, new values, a secular public confession, rather than gain the training for a vocation. University education develops a worldview.

So, do evangelicals run for the hills? Do evangelicals vacate the “public square” like we did in the early 1920s and for much of the 20th century? We retrace this course of action at our own peril. My hope is the opposite happens. Evangelicals enter political office, remain teachers in the public system, write the local editor, join a political party, volunteer and advocate passionately for issues like poverty, homelessness, protection of the unborn, end of life access, creation stewardship, addiction, and other important causes. Evangelicals must engage and remain a cause for good and blessing in our communities.

Renegotiating Faith Study

One last comment. In 2018, the Renegotiating Faith study discovered that students from evangelical backgrounds who attended at least one year of Bible college (or equivalent), enjoyed going to summer Christian camps as a teen, experienced a mentor in their life as a young person, and started attending a Christian ministry within 30 days of starting university, vastly increased their chances of faith-persistence. (Go to the Renegotiating Faith study by clicking here).

Christian parents need to either rethink where they send their kids for post-secondary education or seek to ensure their kids’ faith journey is vitalized by helpful tools and practices so they might think Christianly amid the intentional indoctrination occurring on secular campuses across Canada. Something to ponder?

Best Practices for Faith Persistence among Millennials

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 PST

In a large Canadian study, Renegotiating Faith, conducted by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and others, there is some encouraging news amidst many concerns related to the faith persistence of millennials.

This recent study (Autumn 2018) was a follow up to the 2011 study, Hemorrhaging Faith, which documented that one in three high school students raised in Christian homes dropped out of church and often from the faith after entering the work force or receiving university or college education.

This new study, Renegotiating Faith offers some good news and explains why some young adults stick with their faith and what best practices churches can adopt to ensure this happens more frequently.

The study found evidence of the importance of the local church in the discipleship of young adults, especially when they are also networking with others, churches, and para-church ministries.

A couple of discoveries in the study was the profound influence older church mentors have in the discipleship of our young people. In fact, these young adults who were mentored or disciple one-on-one were three times more likely to connect with a new church or campus ministry upon leaving their parents’ home and bound for post-secondary education.

Young adults who had been to Christian camps as a teen were roughly three times more likely to connect with a campus ministry and two times more likely to join a new church.

Those young adults who sustained Christian friends or more precisely, faith-reinforcing friendships, were more likely to experience faith persistence.

The study also indicates that those who took a gap year to pursue a one-year discipleship program were more likely to attend religious services while away from home.

Young adults who went straight into post-secondary studies following high school fared worse in all measures of faith persistence.

Interestingly, any young adult whose home church intentionally seeks to connect their teens to a new church, discovered there was a three times better chance they’ll connect with the new church.

And roughly three-quarters of young adults who do connect with a new church do so within the first month of starting their new school. Timing does matter. However, only three in 10 youth ministry workers or pastors indicated a ministry plan in their church to make this happen.

Group of kids at Christian camp

Best practices to ensure faith persistence:

Mentoring or discipleship as teens

Attend Christian camp

Faith-reinforced friendships

Discipleship program during gap year

Connecting in first 30 days of school transition

These are some helpful things local churches could do to develop ministries that help ensure greater faith persistence among our millennial believers.

I have an OFFER you Cannot Refuse

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 00:00:00 PST

Québec is Canada’s largest mission field. The current reality is that our AÉBÉQ Region is a mature Region in the least-reached mission field in North America.

After six decades of ministry in Québec there are about 80 French-speaking Fellowship Baptist churches and about 9,000 believers in these churches. This is good news.

The stark reality is that the other six million Francophones living in Québec and the other one million living elsewhere in Canada, are largely unreached with the Gospel. Only 0.8% of Francophones identify themselves as evangelical Christians. Missiologists indicate that until the number of evangelical Christians within a people group reaches the 2-3% threshold, a church planting movement will struggle to maintain momentum and struggle to accomplish the entire mission task on their own.

Le Château Frontenac

However, the Region is mature, in the sense that it is led by spiritually mature leaders. God has raised up some extraordinary and visionary leaders to advance the cause for Christ in this Region. Since 1971, the AÉBÉQ Region has been shepherding their growing ministry.

Our New Funding Model

A few years back, francophone ministry in the Fellowship moved from missionary-support to strategic partnerships between English churches and new francophone church plants.

After 56 years, the French Mission formally drew to a close (December 31, 2014) as a Fellowship National Agency after ensuring each of its missionaries completed individualized transition plans.

Fellowship churches and individual donors from across Canada are now encouraged to engage in collaborative relationships with francophone church plants through direct and strategic partnerships that could potentially involve the sharing of resources, work teams, and mutual prayer support. These strategic partnerships are brokered by our National Fellowship and managed by the AÉBÉQ Church Planting Director.

Our immediate objective is clear: it is to improve and encourage our English-speaking churches and our faithful team of individual donors to continue to engage in partnering with and funding francophone church plants so that an even greater harvest of souls will be gathered in the years ahead! Our ultimate objective is to reach a point in Québec and the other French-speaking Regions of Canada where at least 2% of the population self-identify as “evangelical”, and the AÉBÉQ Region “has sufficient strength to sustain and ensure the continuous multiplication of churches.”

Streets of Québecbec City

Because of our proximity and our history, our Fellowship of churches and faithful donors from across our nation have a unique responsibility and opportunity to support church planting among francophones. It is crystal clear that church planting in Québec has been and will continue to be the most effective way to reach new people and new communities with the Gospel.

Our partnership strategy continues to focus primarily on Québec where 85% of Canada’s francophones live, however, we will also focus on the other French-speaking regions of our country. It is our sincere hope and expectation that dynamic church planting partnerships will be developed between English-speaking congregations and/or individual donors and francophone church plants across our nation.

The Plan: 7x7=1. Yes, we know…the math doesn’t work, but the plan will!

* It involves: 7 churches and/or donors – Fellowship National has the responsibility to prayerfully seek out and find churches or individual donors to partner with Regionally-approved Francophone church plants.

* 7 years – Fellowship Regions have the responsibility to manage and encourage these partnerships between churches or individual donors and Francophone churches within their Region. These relationships will be in place for seven (7) years with the possibility of a three (3) year extension.

* 1 Francophone church plant – Our partnership objective will be to see each Francophone church plant develop and mature into an autonomous, self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating local church to the glory of God!

Join my next “Québec Vision Tour” on June 3-5, 2019

Twice annually I take a group of pastors and church leaders to Québec on an exposure tour. Over a period of 48 hours, participants visit seven or eight church plant locations (meeting the church planter and launch team) to get a good idea of the massive spiritual needs among Francophones. They are Canadians, who speak French, and most are entering into a Christless eternity.

If interested, take a few minutes to watch a brief video describing a “Québec Vision Tour” (QVT) experience – click here.

Please pray about supporting the mission in Québec. Consider joining me on my next QVT on June 3-5, 2019. I need to hear from you soon…first come, first served.

Outreach Efforts Overseas

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 00:00:00 PST

I thought you would be encouraged to hear about some stories of ministry from our Fellowship International missionaries. These are good news stories:

Pakistan

It is difficult to share Christ in this country. Last year one of our veteran missionary families was told by the government they had two months to leave the country. After 20 plus years of ministry and no explanation, this was a shock. Our mission’s personnel live in difficult circumstances, but God remains faithful and the church continues to grow. Our personnel have been involved in Family Camp through the years. Here is one story, the testimony of one Pakistani mother who attended a family camp recently:

“When my husband said we were going to a family program, I was extremely worried; who knows what kind of environment it will be? My husband said they are not of our religion (those at the camp where we would be going), so I made a lot of excuses so that we could not go. But my husband and children really wanted to go.

“The first day went by with a lot of shame and fear, and I only enjoyed it a little bit. But by the second day it seemed like everyone were brothers and sisters; they were like friends and people we’ve known for a long time – I received a lot of love.

“I say my daily prayers and used to believe that only our fellow religious people are good and worthy and that all others are blasphemers. But coming here to this camp, I felt like I was in my own home or together with my own relatives. I have learned fundamental things about family life, even though I am a teacher at a government school.

“I will tell my relatives and friends that the followers of Jesus Christ are people of love. We hope we will receive an invitation to the next camp. I will bring my girlfriends’ families with me.”

Spain

Our Fellowship International personnel serving in Spain live in a region called Extremadura (which, in English, means “very hard”). The ground is stony, but they have experienced some very encouraging signs of spiritual thirst. Here are a couple recent stories told by our missionaries themselves.

Cookies turn to conversation with a “person of peace”:

“November 13, 2018 was International Kindness Day, so I baked some cookies to deliver to friends and neighbours. There are too many details to share here, but the best part was the reaction of the owners of a nearby bookstore, a married couple with whom we’ve chatted from time to time. At the precise moment I walked into the shop with my basket of cookies, they had been talking about inviting me to be the guest storyteller at the bilingual school’s Christmas celebration. They were surprised, to say the least, to see me arrive just then! The secretary of the parents’ association was in the store at the same time. To summarize, the couple asked if they could meet for coffee with us and some of their friends (including the secretary and her husband) so they could hear us talk about our “stuff” (and that’s how they put it!). They would plan the place and time and do the inviting. On December 1st, we met for the first time and they chose the coffee shop of some other friends of ours who are also, we believe, seeking Truth. We were able to share about how God led us to Spain and why our faith is based on the Truth of the Word of God rather than tradition. They were very open and want to meet again. We believe this couple are “persons of peace”. Please pray that they will schedule another gathering and that a regular time to meet will be set up.”

A Book begins a friendship with an Apollos:

“Early in December 2018, we received a call from the Catholic radio station that covers all of Extremadura, requesting an interview about the book I wrote about marriage. The interviewer asked very good questions and we were pleased by how it went. About 10 days later, we received an email from someone who lives in a town about two hours away. He had heard the interview and wanted to purchase seven copies of the book. You may remember that last fall, I had travelled to pray in every town and village in Extremadura. The town this man lives in was the one that I decided I wanted to return to. So, the decision was quickly made that we’d go to his town to meet him and deliver the books in person. We spent several hours with him. He happens to be the Catholic priest of this parish. Could he be the Apollos we’ve been praying for? He was very open about his frustrations with the empty ritualism of his people and his desire to see them have a real encounter with Jesus. It was an amazing conversation that went on for several hours as he showed us the town. He’s a very nice guy and we feel this is the beginning of a friendship. We feel God is up to something special and amazing! Pray for Kingdom advances!”

Fellowship International missionaries seeking partners

Thank you for praying for our Fellowship missionaries around the world. Currently, we have four career missionaries looking to go to their field in 2019/2020. They are looking for churches and people to become a part of their support team. Please prayerfully consider this:

Bechara and Roula Karkafi to Lebanon; sent by Greenbelt
Church, Ottawa, ON

Kevin and Micaela Miller to
Pakistan; sent by Calvary Baptist Church, Edmonton, AB

Adam Pietrantonio to Japan; sent by Church of the City, Guelph, ON

Wayne and Shirley van der Merwe
to Indonesia; sent by Westsyde Fellowship, Kamloops, BC

Making the Main Thing the Main Thing!

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 00:00:00 PST

Our mission as a Fellowship movement of churches is to make passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. Are we accomplishing our mission?

In the latest winter edition of the Fellowship’s THRIVE magazine, we investigate this topic in “WALK: Disciple Making Movements”.

I strongly encourage you to click here to check out this important edition of THRIVE.

Read about what a Disciple-making Movement (DMM) is and learn about some encouraging signs on the mission fields where our Fellowship International missionaries live and serve. Our Fellowship International department has adopted the principles of DMMs to advance the gospel.

Read about three case-studies on how to adopt a multiplying disciple-making pathway as a local church.

I found Pastor Spencer Adams of Church of the City (Guelph, ON) especially helpful:

When Jesus said to His disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” He wasn’t inviting them to attend a class or purchase a curriculum. It was an invitation to share in His everyday life—to eat at his table, follow where He went, and minister alongside Him. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, He commissioned His followers to do with others what he had done with them. That same commission rests on us today

This is what we, at Church of the City, aim to accomplish through missional communities: men and women applying the truth of the Gospel to everyday life. In order to accomplish this, missional communities explore three Gospel identities. First, because of our adoption by God the Father, we are now the family of God. Missional communities ask, “How will we live as the family of God?” Second, because Jesus promised that the same Spirit that empowered His ministry would live in us, we believe that we are missionaries sent out in the power of the Holy Spirit. Missional communities ask, “Where are we being sent to demonstrate the Gospel in word and deed?” Finally, because even after Jesus’ death and resurrection some of the disciples were still doubting, we recognize that being disciples of Jesus is a lifelong apprenticeship. Missional communities ask, “What are our next steps in our apprenticeship to Jesus?”

On the most practical level, this looks like a lot of meals shared together, men and women committing to Gospel-centred accountability over the long haul, parties and celebrations that include Jesus followers and those far from God, and tangible displays of the Gospel in our neighbourhoods.

Our Fellowship Pacific Region reports in our latest THRIVE magazine that every church in their region will intentionally implement a discipleship plan by 2022. Why this massive goal? Because they discovered only a small percentage of their churches (BC/Yukon) had a plan and even fewer were implementing one.

I encourage you to read our current THRIVE magazine and consider what you and your church is doing to make disciples who make disciples.

Results from Fellowship Religious Freedom Survey

Mon, 04 Feb 2019 00:00:00 PST

The times are “a changin’”, as Bob Dylan once sung. The secularization of Canada and the subtle establishing of a secular public confession continues:

School prayer banned in 1988

Abortion without legislative protection since 1988

Gay marriage institutionalized in 2005 by Bill C-38

Doctor-assisted suicide legalized in 2016 in Bill C-14

Non-binary transgender expression enshrined in the Federal Human Rights Code since June 2017 in Bill C-16

Ontario’s Bill 89 in 2016 which will undoubtedly make Christians seeking to foster or adopt children much more difficult to do

The Federal government’s “Summer Jobs Attestation” this past Winter 2018 declared that faith groups must attest to a specific belief to receive public funding is a most unfortunate progression in the season in which we currently find ourselves

Trinity Western University’s loss at the Supreme Court this past June 2018 was a significant blow to religious freedom in our land.

Same-Sex Marriage

It is because of this that our Fellowship National Council has planned a Communication campaign this year to make our churches and leaders more aware of what is at stake regarding religious freedom in Canada.

Religious Freedom Survey Results

You’ll receive further blog reports from “A Word from Steve” and Religious Liberty Communiques. This past Fall our Fellowship National office hosted a “Religious Freedom Survey”. Almost 20% of our churches responded; 88% of the respondents were our Lead Pastors. Here is a snap-shot of what we are saying on the subject:

Fully 78% of you believe limitations to religious freedom will increase over the next 20 years. Some examples of churches that have already experienced a limitation on religious freedom are:

11% have lost government funding.

16% have received threats of harm to church staff or damage to their facility.

2.5% have been involved in lawsuits for alleged hate speech.

22% indicated people in their church have lost their job to the above issue.

12% have been censored by social media platforms like Google, Facebook, or Twitter.

17% were deemed ineligible to provide foster care.

89% of us believe our churches will lose government funding.

98% of us believe our churches will suffer future lawsuits due to alleged hate speech.

100% of respondents believe our churches will lose charitable status.

Facebook Google Twitter

A December 2018 senate Committee on the Charitable Sector in Canada may possibly be suggesting some of these very same things.

When asked in the survey what Fellowship National might do to practically support our churches in protecting religious freedom in Canada, the top five responses were:

74% responded: Inform our churches on resources available for children and teens on Biblical sexuality. If someone wishes to take our new policy and develop some kids or teen tools…

72% responded: To help churches know how they can get involved.

65% responded: Suggest a local church strategy to protect religious freedom in Canada.

63% responded: Provide a list of key resource people to inform and equip our churches.

55% responded: Send updates and calls to action to our churches.

Become a Religious Freedom Church

We are looking for local churches who will become our first Fellowship Religious Freedom local churches. These are churches who will seriously consider their involvement in the religious liberty fight in Canada; churches who will assign a leader or team to identify, plan and implement attempts to influence our culture; churches who will put some of their resources behind this endeavor, sharing tools, documents, resources, lessons learned, and finances to continue battling the current negative trajectory in Canada related to religious liberty. If interested, please contact Steve or your Regional Director.

The most important thing we can be doing is pray. Pray for our country. Pray for our churches to remain salty. Pray for our civil authorities. Pray for righteousness in our land. Stay tuned for more updates.

Compassionate Care of Children in Honduras

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00:00 PST

Our churches have remained committed to the social and spiritual welfare of children in our communities and around the world. Many times in recent years our FAIR appeals (Fellowship Aid and International Relief) have addressed the need to care for children, whether that be children victimized by cybersex trafficking in the Philippines, educating Syrian refugee children in Lebanon, feeding hungry school children in Haiti, or ensuring safe maternal care in the DR Congo. These appeals continue to be very well received and funded by our churches and donors. I thank you.

Our latest FAIR appeal seeks to care for children in Honduras. The current “Casa Hogar” children’s home is in critical need of one-time gifts along with donors who will commit to monthly support that will address the needs of these children. I will let our FAIR Director, Dan Shurr explain more.

“The streets can be a dangerous place for children anywhere. In Honduras this is especially true. Predators abound, particularly in poor neighbourhoods where children are left on their own to fend for themselves as best they can. Some children are abandoned. Some are orphaned. All lack the basic necessities to eat, to be safe, to get a good education or medical help. Most of all, they don’t know about a Heavenly Father who loves them as no one else ever could. Casa Hogar was established to help meet the needs of abandoned, abused, and orphaned children and to provide them with a place to call home.

Boys in Honduras

But a new chapter is being written in the story of Casa Hogar. Over the past months negotiations have been ongoing between FAIR and Casa Hogar’s mother organization, Vida Y Libertad, in Spain. Lord willing, FAIR will be assuming much more responsibility for the home and its ministry. We are launching the Fresh Start project this month to raise $110,000 needed to make provision for this change, provide bridge funding to support the children until the sponsorship program is fully in place, and to put a roof over a play area, making it accessible in any kind of weather.

The child sponsorship program currently in development will guarantee the sustainability of Casa Hogar for the future, and will be uniquely designed to meet the needs of the children in the home. Two hundred and fifty sponsors giving $35 monthly will provide for the needs of the children currently at Casa Hogar. The program will become the model upon which other child sponsorship programs will be built, each one tailored to its specific setting and need. This exciting addition to FAIR’s ministry is expected to be launched in the Fall of 2019.”

Children Playing

Thank you Dan. This is the first of future child sponsorship appeals. We need 250 sponsors to join the team to meet this critical need. Please prayerfully consider this request; we need to hear from you soon. Thank you.

Revival in Boneyard Baptist Church

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 00:00:00 PST

One night Jesus met with Nicodemus, a Jewish leader and a religious man. Nicodemus was born in sin, so he could not inherit the Kingdom of God. He was also blind to sin, so he could not see the Kingdom of God. He was bound by sin, so he could not enter the Kingdom of God. But, the Spirit of God breathed life into this religious man and he was born again. He was brought back to life from the dead.

Today, we conclude my “President’s Address” from FNC2018 in November 2018. The past couple of weeks we’ve investigated the discipleship drought in our churches and the solution from Ezekiel 37:1-5:

Ezekiel sees a revelation (vv. 1-2)

Ezekiel receives a responsibility (vv. 3-5)

Today we’ll investigate the outcome of this kind of preaching and praying in vv. 6-10:

Ezekiel’s witness of a resurrection (vv. 6-8, 10).

In response to the anointed preaching and fervent praying of the prophet, the Lord chose to move in a powerful way. The dead bones are brought back to life. The astonished prophet watched the valley rattling and moving, and “dem bones” began connecting: the toe bone connected to the foot bone, the foot bone connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone connected to the leg bone, and to the knee bone, the thigh bone, the hip bone.

“Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones. Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around!”

James Johnson’s famous spiritual, made more famous by the Myer Jubilee singers in 1928, helped to popularize Ezekiel’s vision and underscore the supernatural work of God. New birth, whether in people or churches, is a supernatural event! Ezekiel 37:10 (ESV) says: “…they live and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army”.

But it’s not enough to just connect the bones. God also strengthened them sufficiently enough to stand, and to stand without the aid of crutches, splints, or a respirator. They were strong! We pray earnestly that many would come to faith, but also be strengthened by His Spirit and discipled by His Church, to stand and withstand. “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father”, prays the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV): in that believers might be, “strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being” (vs 16b), and “rooted and grounded in love, [that you] may have strength to comprehend” (vv 17b-18a), and “be filled with the fullness of God” (vs 19b). We pray for new birth, we pray for new disciples who make disciples and churches who establish new churches. We pray that the supernatural work of God might reanimate the bones of this valley and then move as a “great army” to the next valley and to the next and the next. Verse 7 notes there, “was a sound and behold, a rattling…” (ESV).

Is there a “rattling” going on in Canada? In the Fellowship? Any signs of new life? Are there any places where the Holy Spirit might be “breathing”?

The Fellowship’s church planting story since 2010 is most definitely a sign of “rattling”.

Our Fellowship Pacific Region has planted 11 churches. Our Fellowship Prairies Region has planted three churches. Our FEB Central Region has planted 48 churches. Our AÉBÉQ (Quebec) Region has planted 11 churches, and our Fellowship Atlantic Region has planted three churches. This comes to a total of 76 churches planted in the past eight years. Previously, between 1990 and 2000 our Fellowship planted another 87 churches. Over the next 25 years, in many ways, we’ll look back on this period of our Fellowship as a time when we returned to our heritage as a church planting movement.

When it comes to church health, we’re also hearing some “rattling” as well.

Our FEB Central Region has identified and classified 23 churches as “turn-around churches” in the past five years. This means that churches who were on the descending end of the “Church Life Cycle” are now in varying stages of good church health.

The story of our Fellowship Pacific Region is one of revitalization. After 3o years of a four percent decline (-4%) each year, leaders decided together that was not acceptable; this could not possibly be God’s desire for their Region. The result was a five year partnership (which was completed in 2016), whereby a greater degree of collaboration and interdependence would occur among churches. The outcome is a “turn-around Region” that is no longer experiencing -4% decline, but a healthy 7% growth annually on average among its churches. This is remarkable, in that this is not happening in most Evangelical circles in Canada today.

And to top this all off, this past year our Fellowship International department deployed nine missionaries from our churches, and our Chaplaincy department appointed 18 new Fellowship chaplains. These are recruitment records among our churches.

However, I would still contend that this is still the sound of the “rattling”, not the “thunder clap” of a marching army rising from the dry valley. As encouraging as all this fruit might sound, it still is only the “rattling”. The sound of a “reviving wind”—the Spirit of God is looking to envelope our churches with his “breath”. The “sinew, tendons and muscle” growth has only started to happen; there is still lots of dry bones out there; still plenty of graveyards, and too many “Boneyard Baptist Churches”!

When I started in my role as Fellowship National President in mid-2011, we were a movement of churches numbering 507. Seven years later we are 510 churches from coast to coast to coast. Seventy-six church plants were established in that same time frame, and yet we remain the same number of churches across our nation. Obviously, there has been some death. Some dry bones succumbed. Death is a natural occurrence, even among churches, sometimes even for good reasons.

But if our birth rate only keeps pace with our death rate, you do the math. We need to follow Ezekiel’s lead and pray for a resurrection. Church leaders in three mainline Protestant denominations woke up this morning to start their work day as real-estate agents trying to sell off 5,000 closed church buildings. The church does not have a mission, the mission has a church. Are we joining in with God on mission? Are we allowing Him to “breath” on us and bring “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:19)? We’re just starting to hear the “rattling”.

Every Fellowship Baptist church needs to discuss, identify, and implement and intentional Discipleship Path for every one of their current members and the ones who will be won. We need this intentionality, so that the “sinews, tendons, and muscles” might grow strong, so w

Denominations Become Real Estate Business, Rather Than Mission Movements

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 00:00:00 PST

Under the heat of the scorching sun the bones were sapped of all moisture. They were absolutely useless. One step away from dry dust. Behold – what do you see when you see the state of the church in Canada today? Could Canada be characterized in the same way? A land of dry bones.

Today, we continue my “President’s Address” from FNC2018 in November. Last week we clearly stated the discipleship drought in our churches and the dry bones found in the pews. The problem was outlined in last week’s blog; the solution follows from Ezekiel 37:3-5: “And he said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.’”

Recent surveys and studies indicate the Canadian church is shrinking. One of the starkest indicators is the exponential growth of the religiously dissatisfied in Canada, often referred to as the nones, or those expressing no religious affiliations. The Canadian average is 24% indicating no religious affiliation and this grows to 29% on average among those born between 1987 and 1989 – the millennials. In BC it’s even worse with 44% on average indicating no religious affiliation. The trending is bad across the country.

Last week we investigated in vv.1-2, that:

Ezekiel sees a revelation.

Today we will investigate what Ezekiel did while looking at the devastation in the valley:

Ezekiel receives a responsibility in vv.3-5.

The nation of Israel was defeated and saw no way out of their captivity. There was no hope for the future. They were merely existing in Exile in a foreign land. Ezekiel saw their hopelessness and was moved by it. In verse 3 the Lord asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel says, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Or in other words, “When it comes to you, Lord, anything is possible!” Even dead and dry bones can live again: “Just say the word!” But the Lord says to Ezekiel, “No, you say the word!” You speak to these bones. Act in obedience and do what the Lord tells you to do.

Ezekiel’s vision should cause us to pause and look at our own land

The dry bones of lives that exhibit no spiritual life, lost in sin with no means of escape. Churches that are so spiritually sapped and dry that they have become useless to the Lord. Slowly being pounded into dust by the constant waves of secularism, distraction, and apathy. Churches that have forgotten they’re supposed to be on mission. In fact, some have forgotten what the mission is. Now they’re only seeking their own survival.

A few months ago I heard a report about three mainline Protestant denominations who are currently seeking to sell almost 5,000 church building due to closures. It was heartbreaking to hear, knowing that at one time these were vibrant witnesses who lost their way. Denominations are becoming real estate business, rather than mission agencies.

Is the Evangelical church in Canada doing any better?

It actually is, but the trends don’t point to a future of tremendous vitality. Church health and church planting barely keep up with the national birth rate. And so, a visitation of the Spirit of God needs to invade our typical Boneyard Baptist Church, or we could be closing many churches in a generation or two.

What is the solution?

The Lord spoke to Ezekiel and told him what needed to be done. He had a responsibility to be on mission with God to reignite and revitalize these “dry, dead bones.”

“Can these bones live” (v.3). “O Lord God, you know.”

This responsibility rests upon the preachers of our churches, and I’m not only talking about the clergy.

Ezekiel’s first responsibility was to:

A. Preach (37:4 ESV): “Prophecy over these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.” Like any fellow follower of the Most High God, Ezekiel was to preach life into these dead dry bones by preaching the Word of God. The level of death and desolation represented by these dry bones in the valley must have made Ezekiel initially feel his assignment was utterly futile. But God’s Word is more powerful than our plans and methodologies.

The prophet and preacher Isaiah reminds us of this in Isaiah 55:11 (ESV) saying: “So shall my Word be that goes out from my mouth: It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” God’s Word penetrates “joint and marrow … [and the] thoughts and intents of the heart” according to Hebrews 4:12. God’s Word will infuse truth, infuse life, into these dry bones.

For the past few years I have been meeting with our five Regional Directors discussing and considering best practices to revitalize the 30+% of our congregations that are not exhibiting mission-effectiveness. They find themselves on the descending side of the church life cycle, feeling dry and struggling to turn the ship around. But there is some good news on this front in every Region. Signs of health are showing in all our five Fellowship Regions, though we still have lots of work.

One of the critical reasons why revitalization is happening is because of what Ezekiel is commanded to behold or look for, found in verse 5 (ESV): “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” Until the Spirit of God breathes new life into these dry bones, our preaching will be in vain.

B. Ezekiel’s Second Responsibility is to Pray (v.5): Ezekiel had preached the Word of God to these dry bones. They seemed to appear to be alive, but they remained dead. They needed to be touched by God before they were fully alive. Ezekiel was commanded to pray that God might breathe on them and reanimate these dead corpses.

One of the seven reality principles of the Experiencing God discipleship toolkit is to look, watch, behold, and engage wherever God is already clearly working. Revival, revitalization happens when we join in where God is already doing a work of grace. Pray and ask the Lord to show you where He is breathing new life into dry bones. Join in with God’s purposes by not only preaching with urgency, but also praying with fervency. And let the outpouring of the Spirit of God bring life to dry and lifeless people and churches who have lost their way and have forgotten their purpose in life.

Next week we’ll investigate Ezekiel 37:6-10 and discover the result of this kind of preaching and praying. The insights we’ve learned so far is as follows:

Ezekiel saw revelation (Ezekiel 37:1-2)

The insight: Ask God to show you what he sees. What is breaking God’s he

Listen for the RATTLING in 2019 (Ezekiel 37:7)

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 00:00:00 PST

I recently heard a church planter say, “Our future is in the harvest”. That got me to thinking: If we have no harvest, do we have a future? What are our churches doing to ensure we have a future harvest?

So started my address at our Fellowship National Conference (FNC2018) this past November. I spoke about what I was seeing across Canada in these days. We investigated Ezekiel 37 and the valley of dry bones. My hopeful message was the “rattling” I was hearing among the dry bones.

A young 25 year old must have been thinking just how lean his future seemed as he and his people were marched into exile.

Ezekiel was a preacher’s kid who was taken to Babylon in 598 BC with King Jehoiachin, who had only enjoyed his coronation, becoming king three months previously. Thousands of the finest and most promising citizens of Judah who had not been left for dead in a brutal battle in a valley were taken into exile to Babylon.

Ezekiel’s name means “strengthened by God”. There is little doubt his repeated visions over his 20 years of faithful ministry were used to challenge and strengthen God’s people.

In Ezekiel chapter 37 his vision of a valley full of dry bones is a message specifically for the nation of Israel. Verse 11 mentions: “the whole House of Israel” (ESV). The nation is dead but God promises it will come back to life and bring glory to God.

So, is Ezekiel’s vision a word for the church today?

The church in Sardis was described in a similar way in Revelation 3:1: “…I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Like Ezekiel we too are surrounded by the dead. Everywhere there is existence of decay. It dominates our cities, our counties and our country. Our task is to spread the message that the dead can live again. God is in the restoration business. The conditions that surround us, should sober us, cause concern, and stir us into action. Ezekiel’s vision was shocking, even gruesome! A valley full of bleached white, scattered bones; this is the remnants of the nation of Israel.

So, in this growing hostile environment, what is the solution? We believe the hope of the world is Christ and the platform to deliver this hope is the local church. Is the local church healthy enough to stem the tide? In 2015, the Barna Group completed a significant study on the state of discipleship. Let me briefly share several findings from this large study on the state of discipleship health in the church today. While listening to these stats, ask yourself: Is there sufficient evidence to indicate that the Canadian church is healthy enough to address the growing indifference and even hostility toward the church?

Barna’s study involved the interviewing of 833 pastors and 2013 Christian adults:

An encouraging 52% of Christian adults definitely believed the church was doing a good job of helping people to grow spiritually, with another 40% saying the church was probably doing a good job.

However, church leaders were far more pessimistic. Only 1% said the church is doing very well at discipling young believers, and 60% said our churches are not doing well at discipling.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Edinburgh Mission Conference of 1910, four conferences were held in the four cities of: Edinburgh, Boston, Tokyo, and Cape Town. At each conference, just eight years ago, the overwhelming concern was the lack of discipleship in churches as a universal worldwide problem.

The Cape Town conference produced a document referred to as The Cape Town Commitment (2010). One commentator writes: “The Cape Town Commitment (2010) uses the language of confession, lamentation, and repentance more than 25 times referring to the scandal of the shallowness and lack of discipleship in churches.”

The encouraging thing is that in Barna’s 2015 study, 77% of practicing Christians indicated a desire to see growth in their spiritual life. In fact, 23% or one quarter indicated they are currently discipling someone and 94% of pastors said they were discipling someone. 25% of practicing Christians wanted their spiritual growth to happen in a small group while 40% wanted to grow all alone and another 16% would prefer to be discipled one on one with someone.

The picture is not an encouraging one. There remains so much our churches could do to help people grow spiritually. Very few Fellowship churches have developed a clearly defined Discipleship Pathway or Process. The result is a lot of spiritual dryness in the pews.

Ezekiel looked over the valley and he saw death. In verses 1-2 of chapter 37, Ezekiel sees a revelation. He looked over the valley and he saw death. The bones pointed to death. Many Bible commentators believe Ezekiel’s vision was the scene of the aftermath of a great battle. A valley filled with the bones of his own countrymen after their battle with Babylon. Thousands of Jews never receiving a proper burial (a horrific thought to a Jew), were left to rot where they fell, this was death on a massive scale.

What do we see in our own communities?

We see the living dead, the spiritually dead, sheep without a shepherd. The Fellowship’s mission statement declares that we are, “A movement of churches making passionate disciples of Jesus Christ.”

“Lord, open our eyes. Help us to see the devastation, help us to not become so familiar with the stink of death that we remain half-hearted in our work of making passionate disciples.”

John 4:35 (KJV) reminds us: “Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest.” The word behold used in the ESV and KJV is a dramatic way to say look; look carefully and feel the immensity of the moment. Look carefully and see what the Lord is doing, and will do. Behold the mighty deeds of the Lord are at play, at work. Look! We must see the world as it really is: dead.

But in Ezekiel 37:7 (ESV) we read: “And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a great rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.”

Next week we’ll investigate the rattling that is going on in our land. Some encouraging signs of health and Gospel advance in our Fellowship of churches and the Evangelical church in general in Canada.

Merry Christmas from the Fellowship!

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 00:00:00 PST

He attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD where he supported the Biblical doctrine of the trinity. There is a rich tradition that speaks of his commitment to Christ despite much persecution and threats of martyrdom.

Stories abound of his compassion and shepherding character that compelled him to love and care for children. He became well known for giving gifts to young children, gifts that would symbolize God’s ultimate gift…our Saviour.

Nicholas would somehow morph into today’s Santa Claus and largely be forgotten. Born of wealthy parents in 280 AD in the small town of Patara in Asia Minor, his parents died in an epidemic when he was very young. But, they had instilled in Nicholas a strong faith.

He was later made Bishop of Myra and imprisoned for his faith by Roman Emperor Diocletian and later released by Emperor Constantine. Stories abound about his generosity and compassion. He begged for food to feed the poor, gave a girl’s dowry to marry her future husband, but the best known story is the disguise he wore while giving gifts to the poor children. He gave away everything he owned and died penniless.

Poets and writers have written strange things about him. Clement More gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. Thomas Nast illustrated him as big and fat wearing a red suit trimmed with fur. Others renamed him Kris Kringle, Belsnickle, St. Nick, Pelznickel, Father Christmas, Père Noël, Babbo Natale, Kanakaloka, Julenissen, Ded Moroz, Kerstman, and Santa Claus.

But most important Nicholas possessed the self-giving character of Jesus…. Their love would touch the whole world.

We celebrate Jesus, not Santa, at Christmas. We rejoice that our Saviour was born in a cradle to later die on a cross offering all humanity the gift of salvation.

On behalf of the entire Fellowship National staff, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2019!

Merry Christmas from the Fellowship National Staff

You won’t receive “A Word from Steve” for a couple of weeks. We will connect once again on January 7, 2019. Happy New Year!

Babette's Feast...A Parable of Christmas

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:00:00 PST

Some of us may over-eat this Christmas…some of us will remember the 1970s ad: “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!”

In the story of “Babette’s Feast” we discover a beautiful parable of the wonders of Christmas. It was written by Danish writer, Karen Blixem who spent 1914-1931 in British East Africa (Kenya) farming a coffee plantation. She is best known for her book, “Out of Africa”, which was made into the 1985 film, “Out of Africa” starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. She returned to Denmark and began writing under the pseudonym, Isak Dinesen and wrote, “Babette’s Feast”. I watched the film adaptation a few years back and was deeply drawn into this parable of God’s wondrous grace at Christmas.

This is a longer blog than normal, but let me tell you the story:

The story is set in an impoverished fishing village off the coat of Norway. The movie locates it in a coastal village in Denmark. The streets are muddy, the roofs are thatched, the village is poor, and the people follow an elderly white-bearded austere Lutheran pastor. The villagers of Norre Vosburg renounce all worldly things, and so they wear black clothing and eat a steady diet of boiled cod and a gruel made of boiled bread and ale.

They met on the Sabbath and sang songs of the “New Jerusalem”, while enduring, even tolerating their life on this earth. The old pastor had two beautiful daughters named Martine (named after the great Reformer, Martin Luther) and a younger daughter named Philipa (named after Luther’s brilliant disciple, Philip Melonchton). The villagers used to attend church just to feast their eyes on these two radiant beauties.

One day a dashing young cavalry officer saw Martine and he wanted to marry her, but she resisted his advances, for she only wanted to care for her aging father. The cavalry officer later married a young aristocrat.

On another occasion the greatest opera singer of the day, a Frenchman named Achille Papin, heard Philipa singing one day and wanted her to come to Paris with him to make her a star. She and her father refused the offer and Papin left dejected.

Fifteen years passed. The old pastor is dead and the two sisters are still unmarried and have attempted to carry on their father’s harsh and austere mission. The little church had splintered due to conflict, and only a few still attend the Sabbath worship services, while the two sisters continue to boil bread for the toothless elders of their church.

One night during a terrible storm the two sisters heard a knock at their door. A woman collapsed at their doorway exhausted, speaking no Danish. She had escaped from Paris during the Civil War. Friends and family had been killed. All she had was a note from the opera singer asking them to kindly take her in. The note said: “Babette can cook.”

They took her in and Babette becomes their cook and housekeeper, and for 12 more years she boils cod and makes gruel for this devout group of Lutheran followers. No one ever talked to Babette of her past life. It came as a great surprise to Martine and Philipa when Babette received her first letter from Paris after living with them for 12 years. Apparently, one of Babette’s friends had continued to purchase her a lottery ticket each year and she had finally won. She had won a windfall of 10,000 francs.

The two women thought Babette would leave them, but much to their surprise she did not.

They had been talking about a celebration to commemorate their father’s 100th anniversary of his birth when Babette’s letter arrived.

Babette requested she be allowed to make the meal for the celebration party. She had never asked a favour in 12 years…now she pleaded.

The two women agreed, but it was secretly agreed among their little religious order that no one would comment or gain pleasure from the meal Babette would create.

One might imagine that a steady diet of boiled cod and gruel would have killed their taste buds anyway.

Babette ordered the groceries and many exotic delicacies arrived.

Amazing sights never seen in this austere village were seen. Work men pushed wheel barrows loaded with crates full of small birds, a cow’s head, truffles, pheasants, other strange creatures, even a huge, live tortoise snaking its head around as it was carried into the kitchen.

On the snowy evening of December 15 the party began! They sat down to a table full of china, silver ware, candles and evergreens. Even the dashing cavalry officer, now a general and over 30 years older, was there. While the villagers tasted these strange dishes one after another they never said a word nor changed their grimed-faced expressions. Babette wondered why they were not enjoying it!

The General, on the other hand, was overcome by the culinary wonders and explosive tastes that passed his lips. He raved about the meal over and over again during the feast. But, something began to happen. The villagers began to enjoy the wondrous feast placed before them. Undeserving of so great a gift lavished before them, they began to warm up to the occasion.

Their blood warmed, their tongues loosened, and they began to speak of the old days. Two brothers confessed to one another and were reconciled. Two women who had not spoken to one another for 10 years began smiling and talked to each other. One little lady burped and a brother next to her yelled: “Hallelujah!” They all laughed…this had not happened in years!

Heady with the moment, overwhelmed by the wondrous gift of the sumptuous meal the General rose to make a speech.

The story ends with old parishioners holding hands around the village fountain and singing lovely songs of their faith. It is really a COMMUNION scene of rejoicing in God’s goodness and grace.

Babette’s feast had opened the gate, but grace had strolled in among a grim-faced group for the first time in years.

The AUTHOR writes: “They felt [for the first time] as if they had indeed had their sins washed white as wool.”

The final scene takes place in the kitchen. Babette sits among pots, pans, carcasses, bones, grease, empty bottles and vegetable trimming. She looks as exhausted as she had 12 years previous on the night she arrived in the storm. She is completely spent looking as exhausted as Jesus might have looked while hanging on His cross. Martine and Philipa complement her on the meal and say they will greatly miss her when she returns to Paris. Babette looks at them and says she doesn’t plan to return to Paris, for she has spent the full 10,000 francs on the meal they had just eaten. The women are immediately jolted by the news of the cost. They had done nothing but let Babette live with them and be the housekeeper and cook, their servant in effect. And now she lavishes this undeserved gift on them!

The cod and the gruel eaters are just beginning to understand the riches of turtle soup and pheasant under glass.

Isak Dinesen

How much is your Congregation worth?

Mon, 03 Dec 2018 00:00:00 PST

How much is your congregation worth in services to your community? Have you ever thought about that? You should.

A Senate Committee has been studying Canada’s Charity Sector since January 2018. They are to give their report sometime this month. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has mentioned that every Western nation that has done a similar study comes back with significant suggested changes to how government treats charities and religious places of worship.

Churches paying property tax, donors not receiving annual receipts, clergy losing their house allowance benefit, and much more is being considered.

Currently, the Church in Canada has very little quantifiable data that indicates the real added-value our churches have on our communities. We know this is true, but the hard data is very scanty. The Town Council, in each of our cities, need to hear how our churches make a significant socio-economic impact on the community. If they choose to tax churches, impeding them from continuing to offer helpful ministries in the community, what would it cost the city to offer these same services. Sometimes money does talk…loudly.

The Halo Project

Our Fellowship has embarked on a study to discover the socio-economic impact the average Fellowshup church has on its community.

Halo Canada will be conducting surveys this Autumn with some of our churches across Canada. A cross section of diverging churches have been chosen by our five Regions including city, suburban, and rural churches along with small, medium, and large churches. The objective is to discover our “Halo project” on a community.

Recent Halo Projects in Canada

In a recent Toronto Halo project of just ten congregations, it was discovered they offered the equivalent of $45.4 million dollars of services to their communities in one year.

In a Halo Canada Project where 30 congregations were studied, it was discovered they offered the equivalent of $69.8 million dollars of services or an average Halo effect of $2.3 on each community. In this study the median attendance of each congregation was 100 with a total of 12,535 worshippers attending these congregations. CLICK HERE if you want to read more about the benefits of Halo project Study.

The Fellowship’s HALO Project

Sphera Research conducted a brief study of the Halo effect of the average Fellowship Church in June 2018. We discovered, using CRA data collected from 420 Fellowship Churches, that our national Halo estimate totals of $417,300,000 (urban: $379.2 million and rural: $38.1 million).

We decided to go deeper by conducting a controlled study to the socio-economic benefit our faith communities (churches) are making on Canada. This will become quantifiable evidence for the federal, provincial, and municipal governments as they make decisions concerning the charitable sector in Canada. Our Fellowship Halo Project should be complete in the spring of 2019.

Our Halo researcher mentioned that the average property tax bill on the average congregation in Canada could be in the range of $150,000 per annum. This would adversely affect many of our churches in offering many ministries to their communities. For some congregations, it would close their doors for good.

WHY DO WE NEED THIS INFORMATION

The times are changing! Let’s never get distracted from accomplishing our primary mission (making disciples). However, we need to address the society we live in and its growing Christian- amnesia. Civic authorities need evidence, hard data, that the church in Canada is making a huge impact on our communities. Last year the Halo effect of the charitable/church sector in Canada was $17.7 billion in socio-economic benefit. That is equivalent to 1.1% of Canada’s GDP. Next to the federal government, religious institutions are the largest land holders in Canada at $16.7 billion with $4.2 billion revenue raised through donations.

Charities and churches make a massive impact in Canada. Our politicians need to hear about the good deeds that happen daily without using a single tax dollar from government coffers. The Fellowships Halo Project will be a tool to help communicate this truth.

Immerse: A home grown Fellowship success story

Mon, 26 Nov 2018 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship family have historically recognized three Theological institutions in our 60+ year history:

SEMBEQ in Montreal, QC

Heritage in Cambridge, ON

Northwest in Langley, BC

They have served our churches well for decades training our future pastors, missionaries, church planters, chaplains, along with church staff and leaders.

Much ink has been spilled in recent years on how best to train these leaders and the transitions theological institutions must consider. I have had the joy of watching our school, Northwest, attempt a grand experiment which is currently bearing “much fruit”. I recall the day I sat down with President, Kent Anderson, who shared what he, our Fellowship Pacific Regional Director, David Horita, and others were planning. An approach to theological education that was church-centric and competency-based. That was seven years ago … much has happened since then.

The Immerse Story at Northwest

President Kent Anderson told the Immerse story in this past year in Northwest’s publication. He shares the recent positive recognition that Association of Theological Schools (ATS) (the accrediting body) indicated toward the Immerse experiment.

Kent Anderson, President of Northwest Baptist Seminary

I thought it deserved a broader audience, and so, the following is part of Dr. Kent Anderson’s article:

Northwest exists to serve our churches. Nothing drives us like our passion to be helpful to the churches God has called us to serve.

For that reason, it was deeply encouraging to be invited to participate in a recent ATS conference in Orlando, Florida on churches and their denominational contexts. Seminaries were invited to participate for free as long as they brought their seminary president, their board chairperson, and their denominational leader. It was our particular honour to be asked in addition to bring a “case story” – essentially an invitation to tell the story of Northwest’s relationship to Fellowship Pacific. David Horita, Dennis Wasyliw, and myself were pleased to agree.

There were three case studies presented. The first was from a network of mainline denominational schools, describing profound administrative malfunction. The second was from a large Eastern Orthodox seminary that had experienced years of public scandal in its relationship with its churches. Clearly our story was going to have a different tone.

When we were introduced toward the end of the meetings, it was suggested that the conference organizers wanted to leave the crowd with a positive story. “We want to leave you with a hopeful instance of a school that has got it right with its relationship with its churches.” After an introduction like that it was pretty cool for David, Dennis, and me to stand up and tell our story.

It is significant to me that when the Association of Theological Schools looked across North America in search of a school that has done well in serving its churches, that they identified Northwest. Of all the accomplishments that we could speak of in recent years, I am most pleased by this. We can do more – and we will – but I am encouraged by this affirmation that we are on the correct course.

What was it that ATS observed in us that would cause them to single us out for excellence in servicing our churches?

Obviously, the Immerse program caught their attention, but it was the origin story of the program that impressed them most. Most seminaries understand their need to serve churches, but Northwest took that interest to another level. We determined that if we really wanted to be effective in serving churches, we would have to do this with our churches. We knew that it would not be good enough for us to simply tell the churches why we knew best what was good for them. We would have to actually listen to the churches and work collaboratively to design something that everyone could own with equal levels of commitment.

This meant that we had to let go of some things. We could not control the outcome if we truly wanted to achieve something different than what we had offered in the past. The seminary institution had to matter less to us than the value of the church. Seminaries have always seen themselves as service organizations – committed first and foremost to the church, and we had been no exception. Yet this kind of commitment proved easier to affirm than to practice.

The development of Immerse required months of deep dialogue with Fellowship and pastoral leaders. It was not going to be enough for the faculty to tell the church what outcomes mattered. These things had to be mutually discerned. The conversation was sometimes painful as we listened to one another, inching toward an eventual shaping of a set of outcomes that everyone could affirm and pursue with passion.

Dr. Kent Anderson
President, Northwest

The results over the past couple of years have been encouraging. Students studying in Immerse’s church/competency-based theological education model are graduating students that walk the stage who are already involved in long-term pastoral placements within our Fellowship churches. This is the strength of school and Region working in close collaboration.

Immerse is Spreading

Over the past of couple years our theological school in Quebec, SEMBEQ, formed a partnership with Northwest to begin their own iteration of Immerse among our French-speaking churches and students.

Fellowship International, our own mission, has also formed a partnership with Immerse with our first two students, preparing for missionary service to Japan and Pakistan. Let me introduce you to:

Adam Pietrantonio, appointed for service in Japan.

Kevin and Micaela Miller, appointed for service to Pakistan

Fellowship International has also adopted Immerse among the churches we work with in Colombia and there are hopeful plans to see Immerse established with our missionaries serving in Lebanon.

The power of a dream given life via collaborative partnership which results in multiplication. To God be the glory!

The Parable of the Three Trees

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 00:00:00 PST

Have you ever heard of the “Parable of the Three Trees”?

Once upon a time, three young trees were planted close to one another. They matured together, sharing sunshine, minerals and water. They shared their dreams and aspirations with one another.

They all aspired to become huge and live for hundreds of years. There is a sequoia redwood tree in Northern California called “the president” that is close to 300 feet tall. Its trunk is 27 feet in diameter, and it’s 3200 years old. Another redwood close by, named “General Sherman”, is even larger.

The three trees continued to dream big dreams about the impact each would make in the forest. But one day a lumberjack cut all three trees down before they could make the impact they had aspired to.

One was carved into a feeding trough, the other into a boat bench, and the third into a cross beam. They were disappointed. They had become such ordinary things that would make no significant or discernable impact in their world. They got depressed.

But soon after that, they discovered why they had been formed into these ordinary objects. Each would be of service to a carpenter — a carpenter who would be their master. The feeding trough would become a manger in which the Christ child would lay. The boat bench would become a pulpit for Jesus to preach atop, while in a boat, for the thousands who heard the beatitudes. And the cross beam became the beam that our Saviour would be nailed to in order to redeem all humanity.

These three trees never imagined their aspirations for greatness would turn out this way. Their disappointment turned to joy.

As we mature as followers of Christ, often we need to let go of our dreams, goals, values, priorities, and desires — our spiritual maturity is dependent on it.

We strive to be a treasure chest, full of jewels, money and riches. But God is calling us to be a feeding trough full of nourishment to satisfy the soul of those seeking Jesus.

We set our sights on attaining the heights of the mast of a great sailing ship, to be noticed for miles around. But God calls us to the lowly service of a service bench that people can lean on. They never notice the bench, but they always appreciate that it’s there.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that greatness is found in worldly significance. The three trees found importance in ways they had never imagined.

Greatness is found in lowliness. In fact, God tells us that He opposes the proud. Significance is discovered in humility.

This is the way of the cross. Embrace the Lordship of Christ in your life.

What dream, value, misplaced priority, or goal is hindering your walk towards Christ-likeness? Let the Great Carpenter carve your offering into something even greater than you aspire to. He loves to use ordinary objects to do extraordinary things!

Pray for FNC2018: What's a DMM?

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship family is celebrating at FNC2018! Our Fellowship National Conference (FNC) is happening early this week in Richmond, BC…very close to beautiful Vancouver.

Our conference title is: “Saturate your World” and the theme is discipleship!

Our two keynote speakers will be addressing the discipleship need in churches today. Jeff Vanderstelt will be talking about establishing missional communities in our churches that reach out to our community. Paul Watson will be sharing the principles necessary to create a disciple-making movement from his book, “Contagious Disciple Making”.

I have been praying for months that this FNC will make a spiritual impact on our leaders.

Fellowship International adopts DMM model

Two years ago our Fellowship International department made an important decision. They would shift from seeking to establish church planting movements in specific regions of the nations we served, to establishing disciple-making movements (DMM) in these same nations where our missionaries live and minister.

This does not mean our missionaries no longer plant churches. Their primary focus will be to establish disciples who make disciples who collectively become local churches.

This past August most of our Fellowship International missionaries gathered in Poland for a week to receive further training on DMMs by their director, David Marttunen. I was there too. It was an inspiring time with our mission’s personnel leaving with a new approach / model to win many to Christ.

Fellowship International - Poland Summit 2018

A Testimony

One of our missionary couples serving in Spain are especially excited by the early results that occurred among their seekers and young believers by adopting the DMM principles. Here is a brief testimony:

We praise God for the things we’re learning about the work of disciple-making. Our task (and yours) is to make disciples who will make disciples. For us, this means teaching pre-believers what they will need to know to become obedient disciples of Christ when they allow Jesus to be their King. It also means equipping our group of believers to do the same and allowing God to establish His church. In preparation for our Summit in Poland with other Fellowship International personnel, we were asked to read Contagious Disciple Making by Watson and Watson, and Spent Matches by Roy Moran. We decided to put into practice one of the lessons we learned. During the three gatherings of our group before we left to go to Poland, we used the simple question outline for “Discovery Groups” described in Spent Matches and our group responded very well. It’s like the light finally came on, that the Great Commission is their mandate, too! We are anticipating that at least one new group will begin soon and be led by Salva.

We are thankful for Fellowship International’s Poland Summit. We are thankful for our leadership who is encouraging all of us to take seriously Jesus’ command to make disciples who are taught to obey everything He has commanded us (not just to know more stuff) (see Matthew 28:19-20). It was an inspiring and encouraging week.

Will YOU start a Disciple-Making Movement in Canada?

Can I let you in on a secret?

I invited Paul Watson and Jeff Vanderstelt to better expose our pastors and church leaders to the principles outlined in their books. How do we create disciples who automatically make disciples? The multiplication principles.

What our Fellowship International mission is exposing our “international” missions personnel to, which they are embracing, needs to be prayerfully and soberly considered by our “domestic” missionaries…namely, our pastors and local churches in Canada. Will disciple-making movements start in every Region of our needy nation in the years to come?

Pray for FNC2018. That the Spirit of God might move us to even greater effectiveness in the advancing of God’s Kingdom in Canada and beyond.

A Japanese Baptism in Typhoon Waters

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 00:00:00 PST

There are places on this planet where there are very few followers of Jesus. Japan is one of those places. Our mission, Fellowship International, has been sending missions-personnel to Japan for decades.

Currently, Rob and Kathryn Fleming, Steve and Jacquie Willson, and Chris Evangelista are in Japan with another new appointee seeking to go after his deputation goals are met. Please pray for Adam Pietrantonio.

Adam Pietrantonio

The Flemings in Japan

A recent prayer newsletter from Rob and Kathryn caught my eye. A couple paragraphs capture a sense of ministry in Japan and the reason why we need to keep sending Fellowship folk from our churches to Japan. I’ll let the Flemings speak to this:

Kathryn and Rob Fleming

“We visited Hitachi Hope Church (this was our church plant from 1995-2005) last month. I (Rob) still go there to preach/teach once a month. The church is an average-sized Japanese church of 20-25 souls, with no pastor, as are 20% of churches in Japan. A single mom named Maiko will be baptized as soon as the big Pacific baptismal tank warms up in July. The average Japanese church has one baptism every five years or so.

“We also met with Rutsu, one of our Hitachinaka Oasis church members (our work from 2005-2014). Mrs. Fujieta followed her kids to oasis house church outreach in 2008, believed in Jesus along with her sister and children, and has continued in her journey. “She does not “go to church” as we think in the western tradition. She lives her faith, leaving for work 30 minutes early to be sure to have her Bible reading/prayer time, asking God to lead her every step of the day. Dependence on morning Buddhist idolatry has been replaced with the Bible and Jesus, and she has regular times of encouragement with another believer, where Rutsu serves as Mrs. Fujieta’s mentor. That was not what we had in mind when we came to Japan 25 years ago, but it is, I think, a more natural expression of faith for Japanese than our western “go to church” expectations.

“We left behind two very different communities of faith in Jesus when we moved to Tokyo. But we continue to minister to Hitachi Hope Church and the remnants of Hitachinaka’s Oasis Church.

Maiko’s Baptism

A baptismal service is a big event in Japan. Japanese believers will see few believers baptized in their life-time. Our Fellowship International missionary, Rob Fleming, had the joy of baptizing Maiko this past July. He sent me her testimony which she read on the beach by the Pacific Ocean prior to being immersed. In fact, Maiko and Rob were immersed several times as the baptism occurred the day after a typhoon. The typhoon-generated waves made things a little rough.

Maiko and her daughter

I read Maiko’s moving testimony and I thought you would love to read it. So I received permission. Please enjoy, pray for Maiko and the Hitachi Church, and give God all the glory.

Maiko’s Testimony

“ ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ – Matthew 11:28-30

“I am Maiko, and this passage led me to believe in Christ.

“I started to believe in God right around the time when I gave birth to my daughter in Canada. At the time, my partner and I did not get along, he hurt me often, and did not help out with the pregnancy at all. I had no help because I did not have any Japanese friends and did not know God’s teachings. Every day was tough and agonizing. It was about that time that an organization called, ‘I’m Not Alone’ reached out to me. This organization offered me used baby clothes, gave me tips on how to raise my child, and took care of me during and after my pregnancy. They also offered something similar to counselling as they would listen to my concerns. Around that time, Linda, one of the members of the organization told me about a church that was near by and gave me a Bible. Although I had been to church a few times since arriving in Canada, it was not because I believed in God, but rather because I was curious and because my friends were going.

“Although my partner and I separated after I gave birth, I constantly blamed myself saying, ‘How could I have possibly chosen someone who was so helpless? Did I make a mistake giving birth? How am I going to support myself in the future?’ I thought to myself, ‘I am such a haphazard, stupid woman for giving birth to a baby outside of marriage.’ Linda said, ‘God will forgive you, even if you can’t forgive yourself. Even if no one else forgives you, God will always be by your side and will forgive all of your wrongdoings. If God will forgive you, why would you need anyone else’s forgiveness?’ In this moment I felt God’s mercy for the first time and cried. Although I had never really read the Bible deeply, I felt God’s mercy. I soon began to study the Bible, and upon reading the passage mentioned above, I became a Christian. Since then, whenever I have run into problems, I always look for answers in the Bible’s teachings. Through God’s mercy I have gained peace, and by following God’s Word, my life has completely transformed.

“Before this, if someone mentioned that they were a Christian, I would look down on them thinking, ‘You actually believe in God? Why?’ But now things are different. When I heard from Rob about a church in Hitachi where I lived after returning to Japan, I thought that I would go. God was present even when I was changing jobs. I had thought of quitting my previous job many times because it made me too busy, but I did not quit because I had faith that God was going to give me a sign of when I should resign. Then one day my boss decided to take maternity leave and said, ‘You should probably resign now.’ There could not have been a clearer sign for me, so I decided to submit my notice of resignation. I ended up applying for a new job before my resignation date and was accepted, which allowed me to transition into my current job without being unemployed. “My current work environment is wonderful. Even when I am not in control of things, my life has become much smoother as a Christian.

“There is another passage that I really like. ‘Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?... For the

The Fellowship's "Sowing the Seed" project blesses Pygmy evangelists in D.R. Congo

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:00:00 PST

Last year our Fellowship celebrated the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in a number of ways. We:

celebrated at our annual Fellowship National Conference;

created a 14-Day Bible Engagement Project and asked our churches to host three weeks of sermons and studies thanking God for His Word; we

hosted a cross-country appeal, “Sowing the Seed”, where more than $60,000 was raised to buy Scriptures to give to students in Dondon, Haiti;

Arabic Bibles were purchased and distributed among the thousands of Muslims living in the Ottawa area; and

Bibles and study materials were purchasedfor indigenous pastors, evangelists, and missionaries in D.R. Congo, many of whom do not own a Bible due to poverty.

Students receiving French Bibles in Haiti

I want to thank the many donors and churches that generously gave to our “Sowing the Seed” project. I had the joy of handing out Bibles to Haitian teens and children earlier this year. It was a thrill.

Missionaries to D.R. Congo, Apollo and Lois Midigo have been able to use “Sowing the Seed” funds to give Bibles to pastors in the Goma region. Thank you. Recently, I heard another story of how our “Sowing the Seed” appeal blessed a group of Pygmy evangelists in D.R. Congo. I thought it would encourage you.

Fellowship International missionaries, Richard and Brenda Flemming, are serving the church in D.R. Congo helping them to catalyze mission mobilization and establish a disciple-making movement. This has begun among a group of new Pygmy believers. They are treated very poorly and marginalized in their own nation, but are finding hope in Christ.

I asked Richard to share what is happening:

“In August of 2016, I flew into the city of Inongo, D.R. Congo for a week of training with some 25 Pygmy ‘evangelists’. These ‘evangelists’ were functioning as pastors, though they possessed little theological training and none had Bibles. I thought that the names of the churches they represented were odd (Church 21, Church 34, Church 65, etc.), until I discovered that the figures indicated the number of kilometers they were from the city!

“I was there to help them understand how to share the Gospel in such a way as to minimize, if not eliminate altogether, the threat that syncretism poses for listeners. In their context, syncretism would refer to the mixing or uniting of the Gospel with traditional animistic beliefs, a widespread problem in that part of the world.

“I was invited to give this training by Jacques and Rose Maylala, a Congolese pastoral couple serving with the Baptist Church in Kinshasa who for years had been helping these Pygmies. They immediately understood the value of the training and committed themselves to translate the studies into Lingala (my materials were in French).

Rose Maylala with some of the Bibles and songbooks

“This past August, Jacques and Rose returned to Inongo and spent a week with these same Pygmy ‘evangelists’ teaching them how to communicate (in Lingala) the beginning Bible studies of the, ‘Creation to Christ’ series (a part of the Firm Foundations series made available through Ethnos [formerly New Tribes Mission]), underscoring the principles combatting syncretism. There are 26 lessons in this version of the series, so lots left to translate, but Jacques and Rose are so happy to see these Pygmies receive the grounding in Scriptures they so need and want.

“However, the Pygmy ‘evangelists’ received more than just the training. Thanks to last year’s Fellowship project, ‘Sowing the Seed,’ Jacque and Rose received funds that enabled them to purchase Bibles for these Pygmy ‘evangelists’ as well as songbooks for their churches. Now, thanks to those who participated in this project, Pygmies in the Congo are receiving sound teaching from God’s Word. This is the partnership of missions at work, to God’s glory!”

Jacques Maylala teaching the first lesson in the ‘Creation to Christ’ series of Bible lessons

Bibles and songbooks

Rose Maylala teaching Pygmy evangelists

Keep praying for Richard and Brenda Flemming and Apollo and Lois who are serving the Lord as Fellowship International missionaries in D.R. Congo. Our current FAIR appeal, “Labour’s Refuge”, is seeking to raise $120,000 to build a maternal birthing clinic in a rural region in D.R. Congo. This project is a story that reaches back to the 1930s and some of our Fellowship Churches. I encourage you to CLICK HERE to find out more, watch a brief video and donate generously. What a great Christmas gift!

Richard and Brenda Flemming

Apollo and Lois Midigo

Revival in our Church in Chibougamau!

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 00:00:00 PST

Quebec remains one of the toughest mission fields in North America. With only 0.8% of the seven million francophone Canadians self-identifying as evangelical Christians, it remains one of the most spiritually-needy people groups in all of the Americas.

Our churches (80) in our AÉBÉQ Region are plowing into stony, often hostile, ground.

I recently heard exciting news of a time of spiritual renewal in our most northern church in north-central Quebec. Chibougamau is not necessarily on the edge of civilization, but is definitely next door.

Our church in Chibougamau was a thriving group of believers in the 1970-80s, but, has struggled in recent years with only a very small faithful group seeking to keep the torch lit in this spiritually-dark region.

I recently heard from Pastor Jean-Phillipe Lapierre who pastors in Alma, about 300 kms south of Chibougamau, that a major spiritual break through occurred this past summer.

I’ll let Jean-Phillipe tell you about it:

Last July 21st the church at Chibougamau had the joy of “celebrating” five baptisms, in collaboration with the Pentecostal church which had two more baptisms, for a total of seven baptisms. Two of the persons are brothers in their 40s, who were part of the Sunday School when they were children. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness in drawing souls to yourself after 30 years of sowing. Our brother Christian Laroche and his wife Sylvie Cauchon (Chibougamau) have (had) the joy of seeing their two sons (Patrick and André), and one of their son’s children take some big steps in their faith in Jesus and take part in the life of the church.

Among these new conversions, there was a drug pusher, who was well known in Chibougamau. Another is the owner of a bar (Patrick) along with his wife. They have now put a “For Sale” sign on the bar and they want the building to be sold for some other type of business. Patrick is someone well-known in town and he has already shown that God has gifted him as an evangelist. Among the conversions that God has given him, his meat supplier confessed Jesus Christ last summer.

Recently Patrick gave his testimony at an evangelical church on the First Nations (Indian) reserve, and before some crowds (around 400 persons). He publicly asked for forgiveness for all of the pain that his bar has caused on the First Nations reserve. He exhorted the people not to go to those kinds of establishments any more. The testimony of Patrick was received with open arms in the First Nations community as an evidence of the power of God, real and true. Patrick offered a message of humility and peace, which was welcomed and used power by God. The conversions among the First Nations (people) are multiplying.

- Pray with urgency, dear brothers and sisters! Our church at Chibougamau is being visited on Sundays by the visitors that these new believers are inviting.
- Pray that God will continue to breathe upon the hearts of these new believers so that they will develop a thirst for the Word.
- Pray that the conversions will continue to multiply.
- Pray for the brothers and sisters who have the task of welcoming and accompanying these new (believers) in their early steps in the Christian life.
- Pray that that the bar will now be used for a new purpose to the glory of God. Pray for the two deacons responsible for the church (Danny St Croix and Christian Laroche).
- Pray that God will send a pastor/worker into the harvest at Chibougamau.

I invite you to share this news with many others.

In Brotherly love,
Jean-Phillipe Lapierre
Regional Co-ordinator

Please start praying for our believers in Chibougamau as they continue to reach out to friends and family in their community. And please continue praying for our churches in Quebec as they seek to advance God’s Kingdom in an often difficult mission field.

Some encouraging news is that five Fellowship churches, elsewhere in Canada, have partnered with five French church plants in Quebec this year. Please prayerfully consider your church’s need to discover how you can strategically help more church plants in our largest mission field in Canada. Click on the link here to read how your church can begin a 7x7=1 partnership. Contact me at sjones@fellowship.ca if you have any interest or questions.

Marijuana is Legal in Canada Starting this Week

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 00:00:00 PST

Recreational use of marijuana will become legal in Canada on Wednesday, October 17. A task force was appointed in June 2016 to advise the current federal government on the framework for a new law governing marijuana use. Bill C-45 was created and passed with senate endorsement coming June 20, 2018.

Pot will hit the streets via licensed stores in a mix of private, licensed, and government-run facilities. Consumers have started to note new stores popping up for weeks. Large and small grow-ops have been created through private and public funding and the stock market is promising massive returns to those investors who buy pot-stocks.

You need to be 19 to purchase weed (18 in Quebec and Alberta), but “edibles” will not likely hit the market until 2019. Warnings will be placed on packaging especially for pregnant mothers, and where you can smoke or consume pot will be regulated. How to police that will be interesting to watch. Bill C-45 was tabled and is an attempt to give new powers to police including harsh penalties for driving under the influence. I’ve see MAAD advertisements seeking to get the word out on driving under the influence. Police are still waiting for approval from Ottawa for devices that can be used to administer road side screening.

How Should Christian Canadians Respond?

What are Christians to think and do about Bill C-45 and the legalized recreational use of marijuana on the streets, parks, and public places of our cities and towns?

There is a lot of peer-reviewed studies on the use and effects of pot on human beings. There is a mix of reviews on the risks associated with this drug. Many Canadians are already legally using marijuana for medical purposes. Encouraged by their doctors to ingest the drug for relief from a variety of chronic conditions including nausea associated with chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, HIV-AIDS, and neuropathic pain. I do not believe we should have an issue when this drug is administered by an approved medical practitioner. Your opinion may differ. Health Canada states the number of patients registered to use medical marijuana has increased from 477 in 2002 to 37,359 in 2013. After October 2017 the numbers will likely increase exponentially.

In a Faith Today article (December 2016), Allison Barron interviewed and quoted two individuals who are responding to the news of legalized pot in two different ways. I quote from Allison’s article:

“Priscilla Hollands is a 39-year-old Canadian Christian, and a patient who uses marijuana medically. She says it has improved her quality of life after being diagnosed with arthritis.

“‘It has helped tremendously with my pain management due to severe rheumatoid arthritis,’ she says. ‘As long as I have cannabis, I do not need any narcotic pain killers.’

“Hollands believes, ‘We need to have an honest discussion within the Christian community and [with] our children about its benefits to those who are suffering. Sick Canadians need safe access to this life-giving plant.’

“She points to the financial difficulty of acquiring medical marijuana, and hopes for the laws to change so Canadians can grow their own.

“‘I am forever grateful to God for His marvelous creation,’ she said. ‘The day I discovered that cannabis had so many therapeutic benefits to my chronic condition was an answer to prayers.’

“André Schutten is director of law and policy at the Association for Reformed Political Action Canada and he is not as enthusiastic as Hollands about the upcoming laws. He is concerned about the negative effects marijuana can have on users.

“‘There are strong links between regular marijuana use and psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia,’ he says. ‘THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) has proven [to have] negative effects on the nerve cells in the brain where memory is formed.’

“Schutten is worried that legalizing marijuana sends the message, particularly to youth, that the drug is fine to use. ‘The law is a teacher, and legalization sends the wrong message.’

“Schutten says while marijuana may have use medically, that is not what is driving the legalization. ‘I know of some good Christians who use it as a pain reliever or as treatment for certain ailments on prescription. However, the vast majority of people arguing for legislation are not looking to legalization for a medicinal reason, but rather a libertine, recreational reason.’”

One fact seems to be underscored in study after study. Marijuana does affect brain development especially in users under 25. It can cause addictive behavior. On October 17, 2018, tens of thousands of teenagers and young adults can legally purchase pot and be profoundly affected by an addictive drug. Thanks to the Federal government’s premise that it is impossible to police this pervasive drug, so let’s tax it and make money on another societal behavior that harms young people.

In 2019 be forewarned of news stories of the rise in pot-related car accident deaths, toddlers taken to hospital after accidentally ingesting edible pot products like brownies and gummy bears, and the designated pot-smoking area on Parliament Hill for MPs and PMO staff. “O Canada, glorious and free!”

Steve Jobs on Life and Mission

Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:00:00 PST

Steve Jobs died seven years ago on October 5, 2011. Whether you like him or not, the man had a seismic impact on how we communicate with one another. I recently came across several of his best known quotes and found them interesting. I thought you’d like to read them:

On VISION

“You can’t just ask customers what they want, and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”
— Interview with Inc. magazine, 1989

On MISSION

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”
— Interview with the Smithsonian Institute, 1995

On FOCUS

“Design is not just what it looks like; design is how it works.”
— NY Times article about the iPod, 2003

On TEAM

“My model for business is the Beatles. They were four guys that kept each other’s negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts.”
— 60 Minutes interview, 2008

On LIFE

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me” [At his death his net worth was $10.2 billion].
— Wall Street Journal interview, 1993

“Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
— Stanford Commencement Address, 2005

Is Religious Freedom Disappearing in Canada?

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 00:00:00 PST

Today, in Ottawa, a Canadian National Religious Freedom event, hosted by David Anderson is occurring. Government, media, and denominational leaders are gathering to continue the conversation related to the growing concern that religious, conscience, and assembly rights are being infringed upon in Canada. Please pray for this assembly and our political leaders who are seeking to seriously address this issue in Parliament.

2018 has been a tough year for people of faith. Several battles were lost:

The Supreme Court’s decision against Trinity Western University (religious freedom).

An Ontario ruling against five doctors stating they must refer patients to doctors who will help them commit suicide despite the recognition (in the judge’s brief) that this does infringe upon their religious rights otherwise enshrined in the Charter (religious and conscience rights).

Ontario’s “bubble-zone” around abortion facilities preventing peaceful pro-life activity near any clinic (assembly rights).

The Summer Jobs Attestation fiasco where approximately 1,500 churches, groups or other organization were refused public funding because they could not “attest” (agree) with the Federal Government’s ideological bias (conscience and religious rights).

The list could continue. People of faith should not only be concerned, we should get ACTIVE. Sitting on our hands is no longer an option.

The Fellowship’s Religious Freedom Communication Campaign (2018-2019)

Our National Council wants our churches and leaders to know more about the realities occurring in our country related to religious freedom and the infringement of Christians’ Charter Rights (religious, conscience, and assembly rights).

A Communication Campaign has been created and will occur between October 2018 and June 2019 to better inform our churches. Your National Council is convinced our pastors, leaders, and churches are not adequately informed on all that is happening on this front.

Over the next several months we will seek to inform you with current and timely information on the subject matter. Our prayerful hope is that our churches will do something with this information. Pray and get ACTIVE.

Expect several blogs on the subject in my weekly, “A Word from Steve”.

Religious Freedom will be addressed at our Fellowship National conference (FNC2018) in Richmond, BC in November.

A brief SURVEY on the subject will be sent soon…please…please…take 10 minutes and participate in this SURVEY.

A few info-brochures will be sent to you over the next nine months.

Our spring Thrive magazine will address Religious Freedom issues exclusively, you can look forward to receiving, “ALONE: Christian Amnesia” in the new year.

As Fellowship President, I am helping to host two denominational leaders gatherings addressing this very subject (October 2018 and April 2019). Action items to follow.

We’ll end our Communication campaign with a possible fund raiser during the spring/summer of 2019 to support a potential legal challenge surrounding the Summer Job Attestation.

As a Fellowship, we sent $10,000 to the legal defense fund of the CCCCs (June 2018), however further funding may be needed if a court challenge occurs. Stay tuned for more.

We live in interesting days when there is the possibility of regular demands to conform to state-approved beliefs and/or values… “to get “x” you must affirm that you believe what the state believes”. Interesting days ahead.

Building a Maternity Clinic in Rural D.R. Congo

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 00:00:00 PST

Imagine giving birth to your baby and there is no doctor or medical care close by. This is the case in many places in our world. The FAIR department (the Fellowship’s humanitarian relief ministry) launched an appeal this month to help build a maternity health clinic in rural D.R. Congo. It’s actually the result of a remarkable story. I’ll let our FAIR Director, Dan Shurr, tell the story and give you the project details:

Dan Shurr, FAIR Director

The D.R. Congo has a long history of being the focus of missions work. Several churches, now members of the Fellowship, sent out missionaries to this field in the 1930s; Gordon and Edna Chambers (and later his second wife after Edna died in childbirth), and Larry and Dorothy Dolby. As a result of their work for the Lord, two mission stations were established in Shakenge and Tonu. In the 1960s, missionaries were forced to leave the Congo after independence was declared and the resulting conflict threatened their lives. However, the Tonu station still exists to this day and is run by Congolese staff. Basic medical care is available as well as an extremely outdated birthing hut for expectant and labouring women from the surrounding area. The closest “alternative” to the birthing hut in Tonu is in Kinshasa, a two-day drive through rural dirt roads, where vehicles frequently get stuck.

Tonu Birthing Chair and Medical Staff

Road to Tonu

With the lack of up-to-date medical facilities and supplies in Tonu, it’s not uncommon for women and/or their babies to die in childbirth. Through the Fall 2018 Appeal, Labour’s Refuge, FAIR hopes to change the outlook for the women in this region of the D.R. Congo. By replacing the current birthing hut with a state of the art birthing clinic, the outlook for expecting women and their newborn babies will be significantly improved. Construction of the new facility will be done in partnership with CBCO (Communauté Baptiste du Congo Ouest) as well as a Canadian work team led by the Chambers’ children who were born in the D.R. Congo.

We’re very excited to be able to offer this opportunity in supporting both the humanitarian and evangelical work that’s happening in the D.R. Congo. Through this unique mixture of past and present coming together, Labour’s Refuge has the potential to impact the lives of many with the love of Christ. We hope you’ll partner with FAIR in bringing excellent care to the women and children of Tonu through this appeal.

This FAIR appeal runs from September through December 2018. Would you and/or your church consider a Christmas or Thanksgiving offering for Labour’s Refuge this year? You can learn more about this appeal, watch the video, download promotional resources or donate here.

On the eve of celebrating the birth of a baby this Christmas, why not prayerfully consider giving to a maternity clinic in D.R. Congo? May God bless you as you generously give.

Millions Watch a Fellowship Chaplain Interviewed on a T.V. Documentary

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 00:00:00 PST

Fellowship chaplains are ministering in areas where the church and clergy are not always permitted to connect. We call them “closed-communities”. A pastor or believer are not free to enter a police station and share the love of Christ. A Fellowship chaplain can.

In the past four years our chaplaincy ministry has grown from 27 to 79 chaplains. The growth has been incredible. Our chaplains are involved in a ministry of presence, seeking to demonstrate the love of Christ to many who would never visit a church. Peoples’ lives are being touched. Over 50 employees and passengers at the Pearson (Toronto) Airport Chapel came to Christ last year due to the ministry of our Fellowship airport chaplains.

I receive good news like this all the time from our Fellowship chaplains. Here are a couple updates from Guy Gravel and Wil Seppenwoolde:

Guy Gravel, Prison Fellowship Chaplain
News from the Prison

Guy Gravel is a prison chaplain in the Joliette Institution (Federal prison): “I have been chaplain of this establishment for two years now. I am witnessing the power of God and His faithfulness. During the past year, we have seen the number of volunteers related to pastoral care multiply (from five to 30). These volunteers, who are affiliated with churches in Lanaudière, come to do activities in the prison and testify of their faith. Others come for detainees who have been allowed to go out to attend worship or religious activity in the area. In 2017, we made more than 300 of these outings. Since February 2018, the number of Escorted Exit Permits has dramatically decreased, for various reasons beyond my control.

Documentary of the TV mini-series “Unité 9”

“Last October 2017, a researcher from the popular TV series, UNITE 9 contacted me to make a document on the work of a chaplain in prison. I accepted with a lot of hesitation and reluctance, because from a one-hour interview they would only keep a few minutes and I was afraid that most of what I wanted to communicate would be cut out. So I solicited prayers that God would guide me. I then met with Danielle Trottier (author of the UNITE 9 series) to express to her that I wanted to sensitize churches and communities of faith to the needs of women who are turning to God. To help integrate them in their new faith and accompany them to reintegrate in the society.

“The documentary was broadcast on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at 8 p.m. at the ICI Radio-Canada station. I am grateful for the film crew. I believe they translated my intentions and the needs that I wanted to communicate. I am told that over a million viewers have seen the documentary and not a day goes by without my receiving requests from volunteers or churches who wish to get involved in this work of reconciliation. Thank you Lord!

“Please pray that I remain attached to God as Joseph was in his time … even in times of difficulties.”

Wil Seppenwoolde, Nursing Home Fellowship chaplain

“When I first started the end of January things were in rough shape, 16 individuals had passed away since early November and attendance at Christian functions was low. I had a few faith-filled residents who made it a priority to attend what was offered. Well, God has certainly brought about change in my long-term care home. I started by offering a real bible study on Tuesdays, I put out a few tables and placed large print New Testament Gideon Bibles at each place setting. We began by walking through the first chapter of the Gospel of John verse by verse. I brought in a complete study Bible and for some of these folks, it seems that they have never linked the Old to the New Testament or vice versa. They now come each week eager to learn more.

“Our Friday afternoon hymn sing began in a lounge on our second floor. Having spent many years in the Church of Christ, an Acapella fellowship, I can typically belt out a tune on key. The numbers began to grow as we simply went page by page through our songbook. I usually talk about a song and some of the meanings when I know them. We grew enough that we had to move to the chapel, now we are needing to move to the Ground Hall as we are once again bursting at the seams.

“God has taken this once shy young man, taught him how to be comfortable in front of people, and a heart for those who are in the final leg of their journey here on earth. To God be the glory, I serve a God who began grooming me for this role decades ago, and then patiently but consistently prodded me until I accepted the role He has chosen for me. God is good all the time.”
—Chaplain Wil

Enrichment Gathering for Ontario Chaplains

On October 25, 2018 Ontario Fellowship Chaplains will gather for an enrichment seminar for training, fellowship, and prayer. Our special speaker is Rev. Sunder Krishnan who will be speaking on “Soul Care”, addressing the prayer life of a chaplain.

Please continue to pray for our Fellowship chaplains as they minister, often alone, in settings our churches are often not permitted to connect with or touch. Their “ministry of presence” is touching lives with the love of Christ.

Please also consider supporting one of our Fellowship chaplains. Several must raise their own personal and ministry support and many are under-supported. Contact thopkins@fellowship.ca if you are interested.

If you would like to become a Fellowship Chaplain, start by clicking here to read more about the ministry and the steps to joining our growing team.

Please PRAY for three Fellowship International missionaries recently deployed

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 00:00:00 PST

Our Fellowship International department recently deployed three families to Pakistan and Quebec. It continues to be a joy and privilege for our International department to come alongside our local churches and support them in the sending of their missionaries. I asked Dave Martunen, our Fellowship International Director to introduce you to these choice servants and the task they have before them:

Qazis to Pakistan

In mid-September 2018, Jamila and Nadeem Qazi will be commissioned from Parkland Fellowship BC, to Karachi, Pakistan. They are a proven, and in my estimation, a fearless pair of disciple-makers. Moving into a community that has little knowledge of the Gospel, Jamila and Nadeem will use hospitality, children’s programs, stories, Bible reading, songs, English teaching, and parties as doorways into their neighbours' lives so that they can share Jesus with them. Their lives and actions will stir up opposition. In the past, local religious leaders have told their neighbours to chase them out of the area. However, the community folk, citing the Qazis’ good works and the many benefits given to their children, turned the religious leaders away! Both Jamila and Nadeem have stories of loss and suffering that have marked their lives. What shines through them both, with undimmed power, is the hope of knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour. The Qazis embody the motto, Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God!

Nielsens to Quebec

Eric and Valerie Nielsen along with their two children, Zachary and Julia, relocated to Saint-Jérôme, QC, in early July this year. Eric completed his studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2015. He then took up an internship in their new home church, Maple Avenue Baptist in Georgetown, ON. Under Pastor James Seaward’s leadership, Eric was focused on young adults and his passion to make disciples among college and career-aged people in Montreal was affirmed. To fulfill this vision Eric and Valerie will first acquire French language through a tutor in Saint-Jérôme. Eric and Valerie have raised a strong support team among their families, friends, colleagues, and Fellowship churches in Ontario. This couple will serve as catalysts to form disciple-makers. Canada’s open immigration means that Francophones from all over the world have made Montreal their home. The nations are in our neighbourhoods! As people come to Christ, we envision that by supporting AÉBÉQ, our French-speaking Fellowship Region, we will see their work serve as an incubator for disciple-making movements among Francophone nations around the world.

Middletons to Quebec

Chris and Sara Middleton, and their two boys, Jude and Ethan, have deployed to Quebec after eight years in our Fellowship International office. Chris and Sara served separately and then together (after their marriage) in Turkey for eight years by using creative methods to present the Gospel and then to disciple Turks. A series of events resulted in their return to Canada. Both Chris and Sara nurtured an open desire to return to disciple-making initially believing that this would mean an eventual return to Turkey. However, as they prayed, and pursued counsel, the Lord opened their hearts to Quebec. They see themselves as formed by God to support disciple-making movements in Quebec by coming alongside Fellowship leaders and Francophone disciple makers. Our Quebec Region has asked that Chris and Sara assist them to orient missionaries who are being sent into their Region from all over the world. In order to form effective partnerships, Chris and Sara will be part of a team focused on orienting new missionaries into the Region and culture of Quebec. Chris and Sara are uniquely qualified to facilitate these outcomes. Right now they are committed to acquiring French language. To make that a reality, the Middletons purchased a home in the greater Montreal area, relocated their family to Quebec at the end of June, and will begin language acquisition. They, too, have a strong partner base from among their families, friends, and Ontario Fellowship churches. The Middletons embody the motto: Just because you can’t do everything, don’t fail to do something.

Thank you to the many churches and donors who have generously supported these three families. Please be mindful of praying for them in the months and years to come.

Soul-Care Prevention from Burnout

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 00:00:00 PST

Today is “Labour Day”, when we pay homage to all the hard working people of our nation. But too much of a good thing can be a problem. Burnout is a problem in the church.

In a survey conducted by Dr. Richard J. Krejcir, he discovered 90% of pastors stated they are frequently fatigued and worn out. In a Focus on the Family survey, 80% of pastors were discouraged in their role as pastor. In both surveys, 70% of pastors admitted to not having any close friends.

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion and/or low satisfaction.

The occurrence of burnout among pastors in North America is increasing, and ministry (job) satisfaction is one of the strongest predictors of burnout; only second to personality factors such as not having good personal coping mechanisms, an overwhelming desire to please others or inability to differentiate self from role.

A couple years back several Canadian denominational leaders were interviewed and all expressed concern regarding a future clergy shortage among evangelical churches. Everyone is seeking ways to keep pastors healthy, particularly young pastors. Surveys consistently show that younger pastors ranked their job satisfaction lower than older pastors. How do we keep younger pastors from burnout and losing them from decades of fruitful service in pastoral ministry?

Thom Rainer spoke at our FNC 2015 in Gatineau, QC. His research and practical advice to pastors and churches is legendary. In a brief article, From Burnout to Vision, he shares 12 ways pastors went from burnout to effectiveness. He spoke to 17 pastors who had experienced burnout and later re-engaged into exciting ministries.

Thom asked them what they did to reverse their dark spiral of burnout? He tabulated their answers and formed them into the following dozen behaviours:

Spent more time in prayer and the Word.

Dreamed again.

Stopped comparing.

Developed relationships with non-Christians.

Moved my focus from the negative to the positive.

Learned to have fun.

Ended draining relationships.

Expressed gratitude regularly.

Spent more time doing things that energized me.

Got in better physical shape.

Made a commitment to have a greater servant spirit.

Began to pray for my community.

1-888-5CLERGY

Our Fellowship offers, in cooperation with Focus on the Family, a service to all Fellowship pastors, missionaries, chaplains and their families. Clergy can phone the “Clergy-Care” hotline (1-888-5CLERGY) to get help. A confidential call to a qualified Christian counselor who will be happy to talk to you for two to three calls before referring you (if necessary) to a Christian counselor in your area. Our Fellowship Health Plan also has some coverage for counselor fees as well.

Don’t delay. If you are in some prolonged distress, start by making a confidential call to 1-888-5CLERGY. We are responsible to manage our soul-care…make the call. Click here to get more information about the Fellowship Clergy Care ministry.

Should we stop using Words like "Born Again, Saved or Converted"?

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 00:00:00 PST

John Newton penned these familiar words:

“Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I’m found,
Was blind but now I see.”

These lyrics, sung in churches and stadiums, have sought to capture the saving work of Christ in the life of an individual sinner saved by grace. But, words like “saved, converted or born again” get bad press these days. Should we use them?

I won’t weigh in on this question specifically. I suppose other words could easily be used. However, one of the key tenants of evangelical Christianity is the conviction that “conversionism” is a necessity.

Conversion is a concept found throughout the New Testament. The gospel writers used the Greek words “metanoia” (to change your thinking, to repent), “epistrephein” (to turn back), the “new birth” (1 Peter 1:3) and “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). All these terms sought to describe people turning from their former loyalties to a new allegiance with Christ.

This “turning” looks different with different people, but an identifiable turning is clearly experienced. Augustine’s “light of confidence” over a process toward monasticism, Luther’s sudden conversion after years of inner struggle, Wesley’s heart being “strangely warmed” after years of religion, thousands responding at Billy Graham crusades and the “belonging” before “believing”, that seems to happen at Alpha and Christianity Explore local church dinner meetings. All have in common the reality of turning and changing one’s allegiance. Let’s never forget the necessity to call people to change, not just a decision.

In recent years, Willow Creek (Chicago) and Bill Hybel’s admission that a new emphasis of “making disciples, not just decisions," was necessary (in their REVEAL book) sparked much thought, studies and books. A good emphasis on our call to “make disciples”, not converts has occurred. The Engel’s scale emphasized the process many people are in towards a decision. Missional Communities were a means to go to the people and engage them in that process. Evangelism has become or is becoming the natural outflow of your daily life in Christ. Not just a tool, even of ministry. None of these are bad, but better used in a life lived in community.

In this development and understanding of the process to conversion, and the critical nature of discipleship in the local church; is there a possibility that “conversionism” is being pushed out? Do we lose the language because we see the discipleship failures of the late 20th century? Hmm…

I still remember hearing one of my pastor friends (thanks John) say in a sermon: “If you’re not sure when you decided to become a Christian, maybe it’s because you’re not. Surely such a life-changing event would be memorable!” Good counsel.

The decision may happen over time or in an instant, but it must happen.

FNC 2018's Theme is DISCIPLESHIP

Register for our upcoming Fellowship National Conference (FNC 2018) by clicking here. This year we will be in Richmond, BC from November 12 to 14.

Our speakers, Jeff Vanderstelt (Missional Communities / SOMA) and Paul Watson (Disciple-Making Movements) will certainly challenge all of us in the work of “making disciples”. We will also be voting on two important documents at FNC 2018; our new “Marriage and Human Sexuality” policy and a new Bylaw, Article 15.1, which defines the authority of all national documents. The wording for these policies will be sent to all Fellowship churches in September.

Steps to Building a Strong Leadership Board

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 00:00:00 PST

The local church ministry season is about to pick up… September is about to appear. I thought I’d share some counsel on best practices for church leadership Boards.

The health of a church Board is essential for maintaining church health. Most of the following is borrowed from the BoardSource paper, “The Board Building Cycle.”

Board members are often in short supply. But the job of building a church Board is more than just filling slots. It is also about being strategic about the composition of who should be on the Board. Is the individual passionate about Jesus, the mission He has called us to accomplish, and deeply committed to our church’s vision? How are we constantly identifying and cultivating these potential future candidates? The “nominating committee’s” role is not just to fill the slots, but also to ensure the Board continuously strives to be as effective as it can be with the best leaders.

BOARD ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES

The governing Board of any local church should be thinking about accomplishing the following:

Establish Direction:
- Develop and maintain focus on mission and vision.
- Establish strategic direction.
- Delegate authority for organizational management.
- Articulate, safeguard, model, and promote organizational values.

Ensure Resources:
- Develop policies related to the generation of financial resources.
- Ensure that the necessary resources are made available for implementation of the mission.
- Ensure that the organization has the leadership needed at both the staff level and the Board level.

Provide Oversight:
- Establish financial policies and ensure accountability.
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and ethical standards.
- Monitor progress toward strategic goals and evaluate outcomes.

INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES

- Attend all Board and committee meetings and functions, such as special events.
- Stay informed about the organization’s mission, services, policies, and programs.
- Review agenda supporting materials prior to Board and committee meetings.
- Serve on committees and offer to take on special assignments.
- Make a personal financial contribution to the organization.
- Inform others about the organization.
- Suggest possible nominees to the Board who can make significant contributions to the work of the Board and the organization.
- Keep up-to-date on developments in the organization’s field.
- Follow conflict-of-interest and confidentiality policies.
- Refrain from making special requests of the staff.
- Assist the Board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities, such as reviewing annual financial statements.

—Adapted from “Six keys to recruiting, orienting and involving non-profit
Board members” by Judith Grummon Nelson, BoardSource, 1993

Good governing Boards do not just happen. Boards must be intentional. Wise leaders spend time not just doing the work of the ministry, they also spend time and attention on the training and equipping of current and future Board members. Good Boards need to work to become great Boards. Below is an example of a nine-step Board Building Cycle. Good Boards will ensure they are regularly taking steps to strengthen their performance at each step of the cycle.

The Board Building Cycle

Step 1: Identify the needs of the Board: the skills, knowledge, perspectives, connections, etc., needed to implement the strategic plan. What do you have? What is missing?

Step 2: Cultivate sources of potential Board members and identify individuals with the desired characteristics. Ask current Board members, senior staff, and others to suggest potential candidates. Find ways to connect with those candidates, get them interested in your organization, and keep them informed of your progress.

Step 3: Recruit prospects. Describe why prospective members are wanted and needed. Explain expectations and responsibilities of Board members, and don’t minimize requirements. Invite questions, elicit prospects’ interest, and find out if they are prepared to serve.

Step 4: Orient new Board members both to the organization and to the Board explaining the history, programs, pressing issues, finances, facilities, bylaws, and organizational chart. Describe committees, Board member responsibilities, and lists of Board members and key staff members.

Step 5: Involve all Board members. Discover their interests and availability. Involve them in committees or task forces. Assign them a Board “buddy.” Solicit feedback. Hold everyone accountable. Express appreciation for work well done.

Step 6: Educate the Board. Provide information concerning your mission area. Promote exploration of issues facing the organization. Hold retreats and encourage Board development activities by sending Board members to seminars and workshops. Don’t hide difficulties.

Step 7: Evaluate the Board as a whole, as well as individual Board members. Examine how the Board and chief executive work as a team. Engage the Board in assessing its own performance. Identify ways in which to improve. Encourage individual self-assessment.

Step 8: Rotate Board members. Establish term limits. Do not automatically reelect for an additional term; consider the Board’s needs and the Board member’s performance. Explore advisability or resigning with members who are not active. Develop new leadership.

Step 9: Celebrate! Recognize victories and progress, no matter how small. Appreciate individual contributions to the Board, the organization, and the community. Make room for humor and a good laugh.

Steps 1-4 of the “Board Building Cycle” addresses the need to replenish the Board with the best people possible:

Identify what the Board needs.

Cultivate potential new members.

Recruit the ones that best fit the profile.

Orient members to effective service.

Steps 5-9 of the “Board Building Cycle” addresses the ongoing best performance of the Board:

Involve all members of the Board.

Educate members about your church.

Assess the Board’s performance.

Rotate responsibilities and membership.

Celebrate accomplishments.

I trust this brief study on Board recruitment and performance helps your church experience a great ministry season.

The One Action that best Represents Love

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 00:00:00 PST

If love is more an action than a feeling, what action best represents one’s love for another?

The “love chapter” (1 Corinthians 13) declares that love is kind; it does not envy; it is humble, respectful, and patient. The ultimate test of my ability to do all of these is found in a single act.

When someone hurts me, how do I respond? Do I keep a grudge, seek revenge, or get bitter? 1 Corinthians 13:5(b) says that our love should “keep no record of wrongs”.

One husband said, “When my wife and I get into an argument, she gets historical.” His friend said, “You mean hysterical”. The husband responded, “No, I mean historical. She brings up the past!”

The ultimate test of my love is whether I will FORGI VE. Forgiveness gets abused and misused; there is a lot of faulty thinking around the Biblical concept of forgiveness. Take the following test to see how well you grasp the concept:

Forgiveness Quiz

T

F

1.

A person should not be forgiven until they ask for it.

2.

Forgiving includes minimizing the offense and pain caused.

3.

Forgiveness includes restoring trust and reuniting the relationship.

4.

You have not really forgiven until you’ve forgotten the offense.

5.

When I see someone hurt, it’s my duty to forgive the offender.

Carefully read these statements and you’ll agree that each is false according to Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness.

To demonstrate true Biblical forgiveness, we are going to need to ignore our right to get even.

Romans 12:19 (NLT) says: “Dear Friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord”.

Many of us feel that if we give up our own right to get even, then somehow that is unfair — you’re right! It is unfair. But who said forgiveness is about fairness? Was it fair for Jesus to go to the cross? Thank God, the Lord does not treat us fairly. Instead, He treats us graciously… and he promises that one day He will settle the score and make all wrong right.

If we don’t do this we fall into the trap of bitterness. Like a cancer, it will eat us from the inside out. You become miserable and make others around you miserable.

In Simon Wiesenthal’s book, “The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness”, the Austrian Nazi hunter tells his own story in the first half of the book. He was pulled out of his Nazi concentration camp, brought to a hospital and into a room with a lone SS officer lying in bed near death. The SS officer spoke of the atrocities he had done to the Jews. He thought they were all gone until the nurse mentioned there were still some in the camps. The SS officer was burned beyond recognition and near death. He asked Simon to forgive him on behalf of all Jews. Simon quietly left the hospital room, never saying a word. He then asked if he had done the right thing. The second half of the book is comprised of the answers he received from people who responded to his question. People of faith, politics, philosophy, and great thinkers responded, and, except for a few Christians, all agreed that he had done the right thing in not forgiving the monster that lay dying in his hospital bed.

Had Simon done the right thing? I can’t imagine being in his predicament, being asked to forgive a fanatical Nazi with the blood of innocent Jews on his hands.

Some of us have been deeply hurt. I don’t want to come across as insensitive or to minimize the wounds that others carry. The hurt, rejection, abuse, and betrayal that some have lived through is horrendous.

But, the only way to get on with life in a healthy way is to forgive. The ultimate test. It’s the only way to get over the hurt. Do it because God forgave you — He expects this of His children, and the alternative is miserable.

The #1 Reason why Believers attend Worship Services!

Mon, 06 Aug 2018 00:00:00 PST

Christianity Today reports, “Researcher found that 82% of Protestants consider a sermon’s Biblical lesson as a major factor that draws them to worship services.” Another 80% of these same worship-goers said they valued sermons that connect faith to everyday life.

Churches spend a lot of time on the quality and excellence of a lot of things in congregational life. But do we spend adequate time on the one thing most people show up for Sunday by Sunday?

It should not surprise anyone that people are especially hungry for truth in our current post-truth, post-facts culture. People are finding it harder than ever to identify fact from fiction, fake news from real, and reality from conspiracy. People are thirsty for what Scripture promises… the truth that is Christ Himself.

Ed Stetzer pointed out that one mega church has started to “beef up” its teaching in response to unchurched people asking for it. Ed writes, “In other words, those for whom sermons were being dumbed down for aren’t dumb. They are interested in the truth or else they’d be out golfing.”

The Church will never win the entertainment battle. So stop trying. Gathering for worship isn’t ultimately about us anyways. We gather to be instructed, admonished, equipped, and encouraged.

To do this takes hard work. Preparing Biblical, deep, practical sermons resting firmly on the authority of Scripture requires a lot of study, imagination and prayer. There are no short cuts.

If preachers consistently take short cuts, their churches too often become “a mile wide but an inch deep.”

Let me encourage you to study hard, write, wrestle, prevail, pray and remember the measure of judgement applied to preacher-teachers. A sobering thought that must drive the preacher to depend upon the Lord.

Preaching God’s Word. Foolishness to the worldly wise. However, still the most powerful way to change and transform the hearts and minds of truth-hungry people.

One church's response after the Toronto terrorist attack

Fri, 03 Aug 2018 00:00:00 PST

On April 23, a terrorist plot in Toronto resulted in human misery and loss of life. I contacted Pastor Bruce Jones of Willowdale Baptist Church the day after the event. This Fellowship Church is very close to the location of the terror incident.

Bruce wrote back:

“It has been an absolutely surreal time over the last few days… so many interviews and opportunities to share the love of Christ. We have opened the doors of the church since we’re so close to Olive Square; the ground zero of the situation. Coffee, tea, snacks, food, conversation, a warm, dry place… it has been well used and we’re trying to set things up to keep it open for a few more days.”

“Someday, maybe I can give a more detailed response. Suffice it to say, it’s been heavy and exhausting, but we can tell that God is up to something at Yonge and Finch. Thanks for your prayers; we need them more than you know!”

“Blessings in Jesus, Bruce”

It’s been a few months since the terror event. So I contacted Pastor Bruce to comment on what happened. What did he and his church learn from this tragic event?

I’ll let Bruce comment:

“When a deeply hurting person drove a rented van onto the sidewalk just steps away from our church on April 23rd, taking the lives of 10 people and severely altering the lives of 16 more, the Willowdale community was just like any other community in the mega-city of the GTA… bustling and self-focused, yet relatively secure and unconcerned with safety issues any more complex than walking unscathed across the very congested streets.

“As the immensity of the tragedy reverberated around Canada and the world, however, folks living and working near the main artery of Willowdale — Yonge Street from Sheppard Avenue on the south to Finch Avenue on the north—quickly realized that life was never quite going to be the same again. Our church (Willowdale Baptist — just steps south of Yonge and Finch) made the decision to open our doors to the growing number of people drawn to a make-shift memorial in Olive Square, a 30 second walk from our door. People were visiting this site to sign letters of condolence, lay flowers, light candles, pray and cry for the lives affected. This tiny greenspace became the headquarters for the city and country’s grief for weeks to come. News and camera crews cluttered the area and the site became a place of pilgrimage for hurting people.

“We simply put out a sandwich board sign near Olive Square alerting the people to the fact that we were open to attend to some immediate needs — a warm and dry place, washrooms, hot drinks, prayer, a quiet place for reflection and/or to talk to someone who cares. When we opened the church lounge, we had no idea if we could handle the needs or would have enough coffee or enough caring ears to make any difference at all. That’s where the Lord took over!! Within an hour of opening the church, I met a couple of blue-shirted blessings who identified themselves as ‘Rapid Response Chaplains’ from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. They had arrived on the scene that morning, sure that their training in Critical Incident Stress Management and their skills in sharing the Gospel could be of benefit. They were simply looking for a place to ‘set up shop’. We accepted their offer with thanks and for the next full week we had six trained chaplains operating out of our building! In addition, the Family Life Centre of Tyndale University sent various professional Christian therapists who met with folks needing counsel — a couple of them brought trained therapy dogs who helped to create safe spaces for people to open up. Other trauma counsellors and Christian workers were drawn to the area, playing an important role in the first steps of dealing with the grief of the community.”

“The challenge now is to continue the care started in late April, taking opportunities to present the Gospel of Christ to those who need to respond to His love. A member of our church who works at Yonge Street Mission has started a grief support group. In addition, one of our associate pastors, working with a group of other pastors and Christian leaders, created the ‘We Love Willowdale’ team which has spearheaded the interdenominational Christian response to the tragedy, beginning with a stirring worship walk down Yonge Street just days after the attack. As a church, we have seen an increase in the number of hurting people coming through our doors on Sundays and throughout the week which has provided us with many discipleship opportunities.”

“In the weeks following the event, we keep coming back to a couple of scriptures — Genesis 50:20, where Joseph tells his brothers that something they had meant for evil, God meant for good, for the saving of many lives… and Romans 12:21, ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’! God is working, even through tragedy!”

                          —Pastor Bruce Jones, Willowdale Baptist Church

A big thank you to Pastor Bruce, his pastoral staff, and the Willowdale Baptist family who represented so well Christ’s love and compassion.

Lessons Learned from Sailing

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 00:00:00 PST

I grew up on the island of Montreal and spent much of my summers along the shores of Lake Saint-Louis. I have fond memories from my childhood of building rafts and venturing out into the lake. I remember one day the police bringing my younger brother home. He had been spotted building a raft with friends to venture out into the Lachine rapids. He would never have survived that venture.

When I was a teen, my father and I were invited to enter a sailing race on our neighbour’s boat. The race took place in the picturesque Lake of Two Mountains. It was a beautiful sunny day with no wind. All sailors were on board enjoying the sun, but not the race. Our captain made a strange order to take our boat away from the pack. Other sailors thought we were quitting or drunk.

Slowly and methodically, we moved further and further away from the other boats. It seemed strange, but we obeyed our captain because we remembered his many racing victories. A good kilometer away from the other boats, we saw what our captain had seen long before: a wind was streaming across the lake and we were headed for it. The moment the wind hit us, the boat spun around and our captain yelled for all hands to hoist up the spinnaker sail and catch the full advantage of the wind. It was amazing. On a windless sunny day, we were flying across the water toward the other sailboats still in lifeless formation going nowhere.

I was commanded to lean my body on one side of the boat to keep it from capsizing. I was hanging onto the hull with most of my body only a meter from the water rushing by me. The water looked so good… so cool on that very hot day. I thought I might put my hand down to cup just a little water to sip. However, my captain saw me and yelled not to touch the water or I would slow the boat down. My little hand, slow down a 40 foot boat? But I obeyed and on that day we swiftly went pass all the other sailing vessels except one.

Unlike our race, if you methodically follow the Lord in a way that goes against the flow of the world, the Spirit of God will so fill and control your life that you’ll always come first when it comes to gaining new territory. What new territory do you need to gain? Victory over a habitual sin? A relationship reconciled? Or debt-free living? I learned on the Lake of Two Mountains that I should always obey my captain because I remember he’ll keep me safe from the dark and dangerous undertows of life and direct me safely and victoriously into new territory.

One of Canada's Best Kept Secrets

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 00:00:00 PST

The Joshua Project continues to do essential research on the unreached people groups of the world. Started in 1995, the project continues to discover the number of evangelicals among the 16,508 identified people groups of the world. Among the 236 countries of the world, 6,686 of the people groups are classified as “unreached”. How does the Joshua Project define whether a people group (16,508) or ethnic group (9,803) is reached or unreached? There are five classifications:

Description

Criteria

People Groups

Population

% World Population

1. Unreached

Few evangelicals and few who identify as Christian. Little, if any history of Christianity

· Evangelicals less than 2%

· Professing Christians less than 5%

7,090

3.1 billion

41.5%

2. Formerly or falsely reached

Few evangelicals but significant number who identify as Christian

· Evangelicals less than 2%

· Professing Christians more than 5% but less than 50%

1,179

272 million

3.6%

3. Minimally reached

Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith

· Evangelicals less than 2%

· Professing Christians more than 50%

1,704

535 million

7.1%

4. Partially reached

Evangelicals have a modest presence

Evangelicals more than 2% and less than 10%

3,791

2.1 billion

28.3%

5. Significantly reached

Evangelicals have a significant presence

Evangelicals more than 10%

3,256

1.5 billion

19.6%

Table reproduced from https://joshuaproject.net/global/progress, current as of June 12, 2018.

Let’s briefly look at one of these classifications more closely.

Classification #2: Formerly or Falsely Reached Peoples

“Formerly or Falsely reached peoples” who identify as Christian but there are few evangelicals.

- Formerly reached people groups inherited Christianity. Their forebears may have been Biblical Christians, but today, individuals make no commitment to Biblical faith. Western Europe is an example of this reality. Christianity is mostly inherited and mainly disregarded as many Europeans are agnostic or atheist.

- Falsely reached people groups are individuals where Biblical Christianity never seriously impacted or entered the people group. The “Christianity” that was accepted was distorted and quickly synchronized. And so, there are tribal groups in Mexico that are totally “Christian”, but highly mixed with animism, tribal religion, and basically unrecognizable as Biblical Christianity.

This is Quebec

The classification defined above describes Francophone Canadians (7.8 million), with only 0.8% self-identifying themselves as evangelicals. Their low evangelical percentage and high professing Christian percentage has actually inoculated many against the Gospel; often even becoming hostile to the Gospel.

Many think they know Christianity, but they only know a distorted caricature of the real thing. French Canadians need to be re-introduced to Biblical Christianity. They must meet and witness devoted followers of Christ in their communities.

It is for this reason the Fellowship’s AÉBÉQ (French) Region asked our Fellowship International ministry to send workers to Quebec. Two couples have heard the call and need you and our churches’ partnership and support.

Introducing the Nielsens and Middletons

Eric and Valerie Nielsen will be moving to Quebec to make disciples and help plant Gospel-proclaiming churches in Montreal with impact on the world. They will serve alongside other leaders, providing supportive leadership within a core team of new French-speaking church plants in Montreal, disciple believers, and build up future leaders for Gospel impact.

Chris and Sara are moving to Quebec this summer as Fellowship International missionaries to catalyze disciple-making movements among Francophones. As they serve they will also be filling the role of field leaders for this new mission field for Fellowship International (recruiting, mentoring, and leading Fellowship International personnel in Quebec).

Please prayerfully consider support of the Nielsens and/or Middletons who will be missionaries among a “formerly reached people group” — Canadians who happen to speak French.

To find out more about the Nielsens and/or Middletons click here.

QUEBEC VISION TOUR (October 15-17, 2018)

Twice annually I take pastors, leaders and donors to tour Quebec church plants for two days. It’s an opportunity to see the huge spiritual need and consider partnering with a French church plant for several years. If interested, check out this video and contact me here

How many churches in the Fellowship and Regional conference reports?

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 00:00:00 PST

Over the past couple months I have crossed our country, participating in the Fellowship’s five Regional conferences. I am always encouraged by the stories I hear about God’s goodness in our local churches.

Our Pacific Region shared their vision to start 30 church plants by 2022.

The Prairies Region reported an 18-month old Calgary church plant whose attendance already exceeds 200.

FEB Central reported dozens of church plants with a vision to plant 300 by 2030.

Our Quebec (AÉBÉQ) Region envisions 30 new plants.

Fellowship Atlantic reported one of its three church plants has baptized over 30 new believers since beginning two and a half years ago. God is so good!

How many churches in the Fellowship?

Each July I share the current number of local churches that make up our Fellowship of churches. This year’s numbers are:

Region

Number of Local Churches

Atlantic

20

AÉBÉQ

80

FEB Central

276

Prairies

28

Pacific

98

Total

502

Regional Conference Reports

Fellowship Atlantic Regional Conference

May 11-12, 2018
Lunenburg, NS
Interim Regional Director

The Atlantic Regional conference was held at Faith Baptist in Lunenburg, with 70 in attendance, representing 16 of our 20 churches; a record high percentage. Our theme was Church Health, encapsulated in the word ‘Revitalization’. Three main speakers from the Region approached this title from (1) the role of history, (2) the role of prayer and the Word and (3) the impact of revitalization in the world around us. Workshops were offered in other time-slots. The business session, national and international presentations, and church planters rounded out the 24 hours of content. The times of fellowship around meals and snacks were treasured by all the attendees.

AÉBÉQ Regional Conference

June 7-8 2018
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
Regional Director: Louis Bourque

The grace of God for our beautiful province was once again demonstrated at our convention which took place on June 7th and 8th. More than 160 people were present, including 92 delegates from 44 churches. Our communications team produced several inspirational videos and our reports broke new ground this year. We presented “Mission Québec”, a collective based on shared values and contributing to the movement of the Gospel in Quebec and the French-speaking world. By the same token, we launched the first magazine under the name “Mission Québec”. To God be the glory!

FEB Central Regional Conference

April 16-17, 2018
Scarborough, ON
Regional Director: Bob Flemming

Despite the snow, ice storms, and freezing rain that showered our area, our FEB Central Regional Conference had near record attendance this year.

Sam Allberry's topic of Jesus, Sexuality and the Good News of the Gospel was relevant and timely as increasing numbers of churches navigate the waters of gender identity and same-sex attraction. For those interested in his sessions you can click here to access them. We also featured a panel discussion to address some common questions in the area of LGBTQ, and hosted four unique workshops designed to equip you as you serve in your church.

God is on the move in our Region. We were encouraged by church planting updates from Tom Haines, Darryl Dash, Bechara Karkafi, and Mike Thiessen, and had the opportunity to pray for the church planters.

Our conference was also a time of celebration. I had the opportunity to express our appreciation to Godfrey Thorogood, Bob Parks, and Heather McKenzie for their service with our Region, and we warmly welcomed Tim Strickland as Leadership Development Director.

We are stronger together, and I'm so thankful that we had the opportunity to gather in Toronto this year to worship and pray together, and to build one another up.

A special thank you to Morningstar Christian Fellowship for being such generous and gracious hosts.

Fellowship Prairies Regional Conference

May 4-5, 2018
Edmonton, AB
Regional Director: Mark Breitkreuz

At this year’s Equip, the theme involved looking beyond our walls as it pertains to ministry. We narrowed our focus on this by addressing the subject of sexual exploitation, and the effects of pornography on society. This also affects those within our walls, so it had the double blessing of helping give us some tools to minister to "our own". This year was one with continued optimism, as we had staff from a recent church plant in Saskatoon with us for their first Equip. To hear and tangibly see God at work is an encouragement to all, and we celebrate the addition of them to the Fellowship family.

Fellowship Pacific Regional Conference

April 26-27, 2018
Chilliwack, BC
Regional Director: David Horita

The Pacific IMPACT Regional Conference was well attended. A new Vision Statement was presented along with reports on their vision goals for 2022. The new Vision Statement:

“To innovatively develop relationships and resources that propel every Fellowship Pacific church to be accountable to their gospel mandate.”

By 2022, the Fellowship Pacific Region seeks to train 2,500 new leaders, have $1.1 million in capital funds available to help plant 30 new churches with more funds pending for this faith goal, and to see all Fellowship Pacific churches have a discipleship plan in place.

The delegates also voted on several Constitutional and Bylaw revisions and announced the Region was giving gifts totalling $1 million to several of their camps and other ministries. The conference ended with an outdoor BBQ, western style.

The Fellowship's latest response to the Summer Jobs Attestation

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:00:00 PST

We just celebrated Canada Day. We remain the envy of the world. Since the 1990s the United Nations has ranked Canada one of the best countries in the world in which to live.

But times are changing! As our nation moves from predominantly “Christian values” to “Charter values”, the results are in the daily headlines along with new government bills and policies. Here are several from the past few decades:

School prayer banned in 1988 (Ontario)

Abortion without legislation since 1988

Gay marriage institutionalized in 2005 (formerly Bill C38 which became law)

Doctor-assisted suicide legalized in May 2016 (formerly Bill C14 which became law)

Non-binary, trans-gender expression enshrined in the Federal Human Rights Code in June 2017

Hindering people of faith from fostering or adopting children because of their traditional views on human sexuality (formerly Bill 89 which is now chapter 14 of the Statutes of Ontario, Ontario in June 2017)

Loss of Religious Freedom in the Trinity Western University (TWU) Law School Supreme Court loss in June 2018

Recreational use of pot will be legalized in October 2018

An impending Senate Standing Committee report on the “charitable sector” due December 2018.

These represent just some of the intentional ideological shift that is occurring in these perilous times.

What is our response to all this?

Charter values rather than Christian values are reshaping our nation.

Equality rights continue to trump religious rights again and again

Fellowship National Council move to Action

In recent months the EFC (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada), CCCC (Canadian Council of Christian Charities), and CLF (Christian Life Fellowship) have partnered together to address the Federal Government’s “Summer Jobs Attestation” (SJA) issue. I helped host a retreat (April 2018) of 25+ evangelical Christian Executive Directors to meet with the Presidents of the EFC, CCCC, and CLF. Presentations and discussion occurred on the Summer Job Attestation issue as part of a larger ideological shift in our Nation. What is our response? The Fellowship’s National Council, in their meeting May 14-15, 2018 agreed to formally join the EFC, CCCC, and CLF’s efforts in lobbying our Federal government on rescinding the “attestation” statement next year.

The CCCC recently asked Christians across the nation to donate to their Legal Defence Fund in light of an impending legal battle. Our Fellowship sent $10,000 in early June with assurances of potential further funding to come. We are watching this issue carefully, and if necessary, will be appealing to our local churches and donors in 2019 for further funding toward this legal challenge. Stay tuned for more details starting in Fall 2018.

Let us be praying for our Nation. We certainly do not want to be distracted from our primary mission (“making disciples”/Matt. 28:18-20). However, these days do seem to be watershed moments for the protection of religious and conscience rights of all Canadians, particularly people of faith. I’ll keep you posted in the months to come.

Packed out Gospel concert in Spain

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PST

In recent years, two Fellowship churches have sent two missionary couples to Spain through Fellowship International. In fact, to a region in Spain which has very little Gospel witness. The Extremadura (“very hard” in English) region has no Gospel witness in many of its cities and towns.

Ken and Kathy Yinger (Knollwood Baptist, London, ON) and Ricardo and Ingrid Castro (d’Ahunsic, Montréal, QC) are making a difference in Spain. Mission groups have started in several towns with new and established believers. I had the joy of seeing Salvo, a new convert, baptized in a public pool with town’s people watching in amazement. These people had never seen anything like it.

In the town of Zafra, the Castros recently undertook a large creative outreach event. A sold-out Gospel concert.

I’ll let Ricardo Castro share what happened:

“After months of intense work, the Gospel concert became a reality! We give thanks to the Lord because during the entire process of preparation, we saw His hand in everything from the response and perseverance of the people, to the many doors that God opened among the local civic authorities.

“We want to emphasize that the majority of singers were local people who do not yet know Christ. Many of them were touched by the lyrics of the songs and the biographies of the composers that were presented during the rehearsals. We have seen our network of contacts multiply tremendously! During the concert, the transitions between the songs consisted of dramatizations of the lives of people like John Newton and Horatio Spafford, who told the audience their stories of their experiences of faith.

“The mayor of the city of Zafra had told us that we were not allowed to “proselytize” and we respected his decision. However, it was one of the choir members who wrote the script of the dramatizations. His heart having been touched by the songs, he began to do his own research. When he showed us the script, it was a clear presentation of the Gospel. This man was so moved that he wanted to act out the life of Spafford (“It is Well with my Soul”) during the concert! We will be having dinner with him and his wife soon, so please pray that the Lord opens his eyes, so that he not only understands the truth of the Gospel, but also opens his heart to Christ as his Saviour.

“I also want to mention another man who has agreed to meet with me to read the Bible together. He was the one who directed the weekly rehearsals (Don came from France one weekend per month.) He told us that he would like to begin an organization, so that the choir can continue! This would be a great answer to prayer, because we would be able to continue our work with this group and even include new people. After all, the objective of everything that took place was to develop relationships in order to have more opportunities to share Christ.

“The choir members were so enthusiastic, that every ticket sold out, 360 seats! There were a number of people that were standing outside, unable to get a ticket. We want to express our appreciation to Don Grigg, who directed the choir with enthusiasm and contagious energy! The whole theatre was singing along at times. Also, we want to thank the group of singers from France who came to sing in the concert along with the Spanish members of the choir. Their participation was a huge help.”

Keep praying for the Castros and the Yingers as local churches are established throughout the Extremadura region of Spain. If the Lord is calling you to cross-cultural ministry overseas, please pray about joining the team in Spain. Fellowship International is actively looking for missionaries to send. You can contact Fellowship International Associate Director Luc Tétreault HERE for more information.

Consider supporting the Cultivating a Community FAIR Project

Unemployment is rampant in Spain. The Castros and Yingers frequently encounter people and families struggling due to under-employment. One way to address this need has been FAIR’s Cultivating a Community project. Through the funds raised for this project, the Castros are overseeing the establishing of a community garden to meet this need in a practical and sustainable way. Please click HERE to find out more information and prayerfully consider giving a gift toward Cultivating a Community. Thank you.

Freedom from slavery is possible worldwide!

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PST

On September 23, 2018, I would encourage you to make a special focus on slavery in your church.

Sunday, September 23, 2018 is “Freedom Sunday”, developed and promoted by the Fellowship’s justice partner, International Justice Mission (IJM).

What if slavery no longer existed in the world and the church was the reason? IJM believes God has a plan to end slavery and it begins with God’s people. Join with other Canadian churches in a global movement to end slavery. Bring your influence, prayers, and resources to help rescue and free every child, woman, and man trapped in violence.

It is estimated that 40 million people are caught in slavery today. On Sunday, September 23, 2018, help your church family learn what slavery looks like in the 21st century. Help your church learn what it looks like to “seek justice and defend the oppressed” in our world.

Visit the IJM website (click here) and watch a brief video (in English only). Join this worldwide movement as a freedom partner in the fight to end slavery!

Drugs, Burn Out and Clergy

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PST

October is “Pastor Appreciation Month.” I would encourage members of churches to find ways to encourage their pastoral team all year round. However, let me encourage your church to be intentional this October in blessing your pastor(s) and their family.

Why? Pastors are struggling in Canada

Recent studies and surveys are indicating this. In an EFC article, based on current research, the following was stated:

Most common threats to pastoral well-being is too many time demands, criticism, conflict, and loneliness.

Full time pastors average 51.7 hour work weeks.

Burn out is more common among younger and unmarried pastors.

50% of surveyed pastors rated their stress level at 7 out of 10.

French language pastors ranked themselves lower in overall satisfaction.

CLERGY CARE HOTLINE
1-888-5CLERGY

Our Fellowship is in partnership with several other Canadian evangelical denominations with Focus on the Family. We pay an annual fee that enables Fellowship pastors, pastors’ spouses, and children along with Fellowship International missionaries, Fellowship Chaplains and their families to phone the CLERGY CARE HOTLINE (1-888-5CLERGY) and get a qualified Christian counselor on the phone. You’re allowed two to three phone calls before being referred to a Christian counselor in your area. And our Fellowship Health Plan does have some coverage for counselor fees.
Your call is completely confidential. National or Regional leaders have no idea who calls. However, I did recently ask the service what the top reasons were for the enquiries. They were as follows:

Marriage crisis

Rebelling/prodigal children

Struggles with pornography

Church/leadership conflict

Identity crisis through loss of ministry or retirement

Spiritual crisis

The #1 ranked medical condition needing medication in our very own Fellowship Health Plan are medications for high blood pressure. Depression medication is ranked #3.

Thom Rainer on Burn-Out Prevention

Thom spoke at our FNC 2015 in Gatineau, QC. He is a prolific writer on the church and clergy. In an article “From Burn Out to Vision,” he shares 12 ways pastors went from burnout to vision. He spoke to 17 pastors who had experienced burn out who later re-engaged into exciting ministries after getting healthy. Thom asked them what they did to reverse their dark spiral of burnout. Thom tabulated 12 answers which were most common to all pastors. Things such as:

Spent more time in prayer and God’s Word.

Stopped comparing.

Developed relationships with non-Christians.

...among other things.

One stood out for me — expressed gratitude regularly.

One pastor wrote: “I dealt with impending burnout by committing to handwrite five letters of gratitude a week. It was amazing to see how my vision began to restore when I took the focus off me and expressed gratitude to others.” That is good medicine.

Let’s reach out to our pastors and their families, especially in October. Start planning how to make October a special month for your pastor(s) and their family. And remember pastor, it is your responsibility to take care of yourself. You can do it better than anyone else.

The Difference Between a Movement and a Monument

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PST

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.

Leaving a legacy

Mon, 28 May 2018 00:00:00 PST

Gord Baptist loves what he does. His job as the Fellowship Advancement Director is to help facilitate generosity. His first day on the job was January 1, 2016 and the official launch of our Fellowship Foundation was in March 2015. Gord has been busy!

Our Fellowship Foundation’s MISSION is, “Helping God’s people be generous”, and the VISION is, “Connecting faith with finances”.

In three years the Fellowship Foundation has grown to $4.7 million in gifts, estate legacies and investments. Believers who love the Fellowship have designated their legacies toward the following:

How Can You Get Involved?
Visit www.fellowship.ca/Foundation for more information about the Fellowship Foundation and contact Gord Baptist here to discover more about:

1. Giving a legacy to the Fellowship ministry of your choice.
The month of May is “Legacy Month”. We can help you in the preparation of your Will or help update your existing Will.
2. Make an investment in the Foundation.
Fellowship churches and ministries have already invested $1.9 million in our Foundation. The administration fee is only 1% per annum.
3. Give a gift of cash or a gift in-kind to the Foundation.
There are many innovative ways to do this. Contact Gord for more information.
4. Host an estate or debt-retirement seminar.
Gord can host a seminar at your church or speak in a service to help train your people on Biblical stewardship.
If you have not updated your Will or are like the 50% of Canadians who have no Will, please consider contacting Gord. He is here to serve the Fellowship family.

Church Planting among Arabic-speaking Canadians

Mon, 21 May 2018 00:00:00 PST

This past Autumn I attended Momentum, Canada’s premier church planting Conference. It was a joy to see over 50 Fellowship church planters attend and gain insight and training for the task. These are exciting days when it comes to church planting in our Fellowship. Our five Regions are currently supporting our churches in the planting of close to 40 church plants. Future projections for future Fellowship church plants is very encouraging.

Our Spring/Summer 2018 edition of Thrive magazine, “Vitality: Sowing Life in Parched Ground”, is all about these church plants and “turn around” churches. You can read these stories online.

Two new Arabic-speaking Church Plants

By 2031, Statistics Canada reports that 30% of the Canadian population will be made up of visible minorities. Statistics Canada also reports that 63% of the population of large metropolitan areas like the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Vancouver will be made up of visible minorities. To read the whole report, click here.

The 2011 Census found that there are 1.1 million Muslim people living in Canada, with projections to triple in the next 20 years. God is sending the world into our neighbourhoods.

Faith Baptist Church (Oakville, ON) is located in a city that has an Arabic-speaking population of 4,635, or 2.4% of its population according to the 2016 census.

City Centre Baptist Church (Mississauga, ON) is located in a city that has an Arabic-speaking population of 29,900, or 4.1% of its population (2016 census).

Both churches already have congregations made up of people from diverse ethnic groups. This has inspired them to reach out to the growing population of Arabic-speaking immigrants in their cities.

Both City Centre Baptist (Pastor Deric Bartlett) and Faith Baptist (Pastor Les Clemens) want to meet this growing diversity by planting new churches to reach predominantly Muslim people.

Faith Baptist and City Centre Baptist Need Our Support

As a Fellowship family, we have an opportunity to partner with our two sister churches in starting these church plants in the near future.

Between May and August 2018, Fellowship National will be receiving donations for the Establishing New Roots appeal. We are seeking to raise $60,000 ($30,000 for each church plant) to help spread the Gospel to Arabic-speaking peoples in Oakville and Mississauga.

Please consider your part in making these church plants happen. You can learn more here, or prayerfully consider making a gift towards Establishing New Roots.

Pastor on Ride along Makes an Arrest!

Mon, 14 May 2018 00:00:00 PST

Aaron described it as “loitering with intent”. I found that interesting. Pastor Aaron Groat recently became a Fellowship chaplain in 2017. Aaron serves as lead Pastor at Calvary Baptist in Burlington, ON, but became a volunteer Fellowship chaplain as a means to be on mission in his community. Our full-time and part-time (volunteer) Fellowship chaplains are entering the “closed communities” in our towns, villages, and cities in order to demonstrate the love of Christ.

We commonly call it the “ministry of presence”, but I was intrigued by Aaron’s catch phrase when describing his ministry as a police chaplain. He called it the ministry of “loitering with intent”.

I recently heard from Aaron about what happened on one of his early “ride-alongs” with an officer. Chaplain Aaron strapped on a protective vest, sat in the police cruiser and assured the officer he would not be in the way. The officer assured Chaplain Aaron that he might be needed. During the ride along, chaplain Aaron assisted the officer in an arrest.
I’ll let chaplain Aaron tell the rest of the story:

The Journey from "Them" to "We"
“My journey as a chaplain for the Halton Regional Police began in the spring of 2017. It started as an invitation to meet with a Sergeant and have a conversation. Little did I know that they had been watching me for some time and had decided to ask me if I would be interested in coming on-board as their new service chaplain for 2 and 3 District in the Region. Basically, that covers Burlington, Oakville and Headquarters and all the units that run out of those locations. I was replacing a well-known and respected chaplain named Hans Hamer, who had passed away due to cancer four years earlier. They were big shoes to fill but God seemed to be opening doors for me to reach out and care for the men and women in law enforcement in Halton Region.

“I was issued some protective equipment and told I could get started. But where? The job of a police service chaplain has been described as to ‘loiter with intent’. You are not a police officer, nor will you ever be, and that makes the task of chaplain very difficult in a law enforcement environment. You are there to be supportive, encouraging and, if need be, talk about issues that they are dealing with. This requires a lot of trust.

“You need to understand that with police I was a ‘them’ and not a ‘we’. For officers, everyone is a ‘them’ and only rarely, do you become a ‘we’. Moving to a ‘we’ means inclusion and that is a tough place to get to. Building trust is part of the equation and that takes time. I also needed to demonstrate that I was for the police and not simply a silent bystander.

“How was I going to build trust with the officers? Little did I know that God was moving to help me build that trust beyond anything I could ever imagine.

“One night this past summer, while on patrol with a platoon in Oakville, we got a call for an alleged impaired driver who needed to be stopped. As we approached the car, the driver pulled away and slowly came to a stop in the corner of the intersection. The driver was commanded to exit the vehicle and told he was under arrest for suspected impaired driving. The driver became combative and refused to comply with the officer's orders. The officer requested assistance from me and the suspect was apprehended. The officer was relieved and very grateful for the assistance given.

“What happened next was something that only God could have orchestrated.

“That night I had earned a little bit of ‘street cred’. What that meant was that God opened doors for me to move a little bit closer to the ‘we’ side of law enforcement life. That evening I was able to talk and meet the officers in a fresh and meaningful way. The rest of the night was spent entering into their lives and encouraging them. It was unbelievable how God opened those doors and I will forever be grateful for the way that He can use me to build relationships and show the love of Jesus. The next day I woke up to emails from the Chief and my Inspector who were checking in on me and thanking me for my involvement. I'm still building trust over time, but in that one event, God moved the ministry along further than I could have ever imagined.

“I am looking forward to continuing this ministry of ‘loitering with intent’ and see what God does as I journey from ‘them’ to maybe one day, ‘we’.

I love this picture of one of our pastors hanging onto an impaired driver and assisting a police officer in making an arrest. Let’s be praying for our Fellowship chaplains as they continue their ministry of presence, or “loitering with intent”, among police, first responders, hospitals, nursing homes, soldiers, airport passengers, truck stops, sports teams and more.

Consider joining Fellowship Chaplaincy as a full-time or volunteer chaplain. Go to www.fellowship.ca/AboutFellowshipChaplains for more information on how to join. This would be an ideal way for many pastors or church leaders to volunteer in their community; ministering in places otherwise closed to clergy and the community.

Getting Used to the Stink of Death

Mon, 07 May 2018 00:00:00 PST

Mother’s Day is this Sunday. I hope we’re all planning to celebrate the mothers and grandmothers within our church families and communities.

A pastor heard another pastor preach a sermon on mothers. He started by saying, “You know the happiest days of my life were spent in the arms of another man’s wife!” The congregation gasped!

He quickly added, “It was my Mother!”

The pastor liked the joke, and so, the following Mother’s Day Sunday he started his sermon with: “You know, the happiest days of my life were spent in the arms of another man’s wife!” His congregation gasped. But he froze, forgetting the punch line, he blurted out “And I cannot remember who she was!?”

I doubt any of us would ever forget our mother. Mothers make such an indelible impact on our lives. They are instrumental in developing our beliefs, values, and skills in life. A mom’s role is critical in helping a child to gain a world view that will bring purpose and meaning in life. What purpose might be worth passing on to a child?

The Bible says true meaning in life is found in a relationship with God.

Mothers are willing to do most anything to PROTECT and SAVE their children. In 2013, I recall hearing of a young mother in Oregon who was mauled to death by a cougar who was seeking to attack her daughter. Nothing was going to stop her from protecting her child.

We often acknowledge that God is our Heavenly Father, and while the Scripture speaks of God in the male gender, the Scriptures also share some allusions of God having a maternal side to His character.

One of the best known Scriptures on this is when Jesus was descending the Mount of Olives on His way to Jerusalem, a week prior to His death on a cruel Roman cross. He laments, saying in Matthew 23:37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”

Jesus knows people all too well.

Although people have heard the message of God’s love, grace, mercy, and salvation over and over again, they still do not respond.

Jesus’ response is not the response of a puffed-up ROOSTER but a nurturing HEN who wants to protect people from the destruction they bring upon themselves. That was 2,000 years ago. Times have NOT changed.

People still don’t want to believe despite the truth about Jesus.

People still choose to willfully disbelieve.

The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 3 about our spiritually lifeless state. Spiritually lost people have “no understanding” of God and they do not “seek God.” Like spiritual cadavers they have “turned away” from God and their “throats are like open graves” (vv. 11-13). Their response is like throwing themselves into the cougar’s jaws.

On Mother’s Day, many local churches will give the gift of a carnation to each mother. They are beautiful; they smell nice for a day or two. But the carnation is dead. It died the moment the florist cut its stem. If you wait long enough you see it wilt. No matter what you do, you’ll never bring life to the carnation. The flower is dead.

The spiritually-lost are dead. They are the spiritually-walking dead. Cut off from their Heavenly Father, dead spiritually and utterly incapable of making themselves spiritually alive. A dead flower has no life. A dead body has no life. A dead soul has no life.

Jesus could not stand the idea of spiritual orphans rotting and dying for their sin. Just like a young mother hen willing to give up her own life for her chicks, Jesus came to rescue us.

"Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God; He gave us new life in Christ.” Ephesians 2:5

One of Jesus’ best friends, Lazarus, lay dead in his tomb. Jesus yells: “Lazarus”, and his dead friend rises from the dead. The stink of four days of rot must have been horrible in the hot Judean sun.

The human race is dead. Dead in their sin and they don’t notice it. We’ve been in the smell so long we’ve grown accustomed to the stink. But Jesus has not! The Lord cannot stand the smell.

Spiritually-lost people don’t need to try to get up, but admit they are dead. The only ones who remain in the grave are the ones who don’t think they’re dead.

Why have I shared this?

More husbands will show up this Sunday for their wife’s sake than any other Sunday on the calendar. For God’s sake… preach the Gospel and point spiritual orphans to the Heavenly Father they are currently estranged from. Let me know what happens, ok?

Shoe Soles Touch Souls in Honduras!

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 00:00:00 PST

Many of our Fellowship churches have been involved in supporting a special home in Honduras. Casa Hogar is a safe and loving home for street kids. Fellowship International missionary Melodie Francis has been caring for the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of these at-risk children since 2005.

This past summer, Fellowship Baptist Church in Drumheller, AB decided to work with FAIR (Fellowship Aid and International Relief, our humanitarian and social justice ministry), and involved the children in their VBS in an opportunity to bless the children at Casa Hogar.

I’ve asked Wendy Fletcher, Fellowship Baptist’s VBS Director, to share their story with you. Read on… it will encourage you.

Lace up Honduras VBS Campaign

“This summer (2017) our church (Fellowship Baptist Church, Drumheller, AB) engaged our community in a “Deep Sea Discovery” through a week-long VBS. Our town, deep in the heart of dinosaur-land, has a population of approximately 8,000. Our goals were simple: prepare, in faith, to share the Gospel with children and the families that God would bring in His name. We gathered supplies, cut-out fish, marketed, decorated, trained a wonderful group of volunteers and prepared.

“An important part of that preparation was to invite the families from our community who would attend VBS to become involved monetarily in a global outreach initiative as a part of our daily “Kids Helping Kids” segment. However, first we needed a project...

“When we sat down with FAIR’s Associate Director, Norman Nielsen, to pick his “FAIR” brain for opportunities to help kids financially, the idea of raising money for Casa Hogar in Honduras (a house-home for children who are rescued from the streets) resonated with us. Our aim as a church and community would be to raise funds during VBS towards the purchase of three pairs of new shoes for 45+ children that reside there. I started to calculate the cost...approximately $1,600 for all three pairs...in one week...in our small church...in our small town. I was certain it was a match for our global outreach initiative, one that would engage the children, however, as much as I loved the idea, I wondered if we could complete our goal.

“Speaking to the VBS leaders...they were game. We started to pray. We called the project, “Lace Up Honduras!” and mounted the sign in our former sanctuary, now the deep sea! We rigged-up an old fence post in a bait bucket filled with sand to tie a shoelace around it each time $10 was given towards the cost of the shoes. We sent out letters of invitation to the parents of pre-registered children to be a part of our project and made a cool video promoting and informing the families that would come that week. We were ready and asking God to do great things!

“One big and new decision regarding involvement in the project was to invite/challenge our church body to a “Top-it-Up Sunday” on the Sunday directly following our VBS program. One observation we’ve made regarding the church’s connection with VBS is that for those who are unable to volunteer during the BIG week there is limited connection to how God has moved. We hoped the opportunity to play a part in the VBS project financially would connect the church to those who attended. So, we gave the church two weeks’ notice to plan, pray, and prepare for what they might give to this project above their own giving.

“Throughout the week of VBS... my faith grew. God gave us 50 children, some churched, others not, to love on and share the Gospel with. They came with their quarters, loonies, 20 dollar bills...each day they were given an opportunity to walk to the front and place their offering into a treasure chest. By Wednesday our community raised $284...by Thursday they raised (wait for it...) $882 (WOW!) and by the end of Friday we had raised over $1,200!! I was breathless and so proud of the kids and their parents! It was beautiful.

“On Sunday, our “top-it-up” offering was taken in that same old treasure chest by our dear church family …. I am blessed to report that together we raised $1,900 and all the children at Casa Hogar will receive their three pairs of new and much-needed shoes.

“Our church, our team, our community who participated in this effort were all blessed and encouraged. We look forward to seeing what God will do in summer 2018!”

Thank you, Wendy, the kids, and the Fellowship Baptist Church family in Drumheller for blessing the kids of Casa Hogar. We’re so grateful that you stepped out in great faith. God loves it when you do this.

May your example inspire other Fellowship churches to get involved through our FAIR ministry and bless others through dozens of relief and development projects available online. Click here for more information. If you’re looking for a VBS summer camp project to provide for children this summer, why not go online and check out our FAIR catalogue here or contact our FAIR Director Dan Shurr here or Associate Director, Norman Nielsen here.

The Middletons are on the Move!

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 00:00:00 PST

I would like to introduce you to Chris and Sara Middleton. They made a big decision recently, with the Lord’s leading, and our Fellowship International ministry affirmed this decision.

After serving at the Fellowship National Ministry Centre for over 8 years, they are on the move. Until recently, Chris’ role has been with Fellowship International, mobilizing new missionaries and helping our local churches in the area of short-term mission work. Before that, Chris and Sara served with Fellowship International as missionaries in Turkey.

Lord willing, they will be moving to Québec this summer to serve in our mission field next door. Québec is the largest under-reached people group in all the Americas. Only 0.8% of Francophone Canadians self-identify as evangelical Christian. The spiritual needs are immense. I commend the Middletons for obeying the Lord in this big decision, and joyfully recommend them to you and your church for support.

I’ll let Chris briefly explain their sense of calling to Québec and how they will be serving among our Fellowship Francophone churches:

"When Sara and I came home from Turkey in 2009 we weren't sure if God might ever lead us back out to serve cross-culturally. We knew that God had brought us home for a reason and we have enjoyed these years of training and mobilizing new missionaries for the harvest. Over the 8.5 years that we have been serving in the Fellowship International office we have wondered and prayed about the Lord's leading for the future.

“Over the last year we have felt a strong burden and desire to return to the mission field. As we prayed together with a small discernment team we really sensed the Lord's leading to Quebec. Sara and I are excited and a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of packing up our family of four and moving to Quebec to serve as catalyzers of disciple-making movements (DMMs) and field leaders for Fellowship International's newest field. We are looking forward to working in partnership with our Fellowship French Region to communicate the hope of Christ to a people group that is in great need and has little access to witnesses of the Gospel in their midst. We know that this transition will not be easy. We will need to work hard to become conversant in French, to dig in and begin to understand the Francophone Quebecois culture, and to discern how to share the good news of the Gospel in ways that will be heard and understood. We also know that we don't do this alone."

You can find further information about Chris and Sara by requesting a copy of their profile here. Make sure to share it with your church’s mission team!

The Middletons, like any other Fellowship International missionary, must form their personal partner support team. They already have an engaged team, however, they are in need of several other supporting churches and/or individual donors before they can leave for Québec. Would you prayerfully consider how you can support the Middletons? If interested, contact Chris HERE or the Fellowship International Associate Director, Luc Tétreault here.

Do You Have a 30-Second "Vision" Elevator Speech?

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 00:00:00 PST

Author, John Kotter, probably the most respected voice in the world on organizational change, says that most change efforts fail. A major reason for this is that leaders under-communicate the vision by a factor of ten!

According to Kotter:

“Employee members will not make sacrifices, even if they are unhappy with the status quo, unless they believe that useful change is possible. Without credible communication, and a lot of it, the hearts and minds of the troops are never captured.” (Kotter, 1995)

Vision is critical to mission getting done.

Vision is a painting. I’m a water colour artist. Vision is a painting of a scene that produces passion or emotion in people. It is a preferred future that inspires, brings hope and, with God’s help, comes to being.

The Apostle John on Ownership

In John 10, we listen to Jesus tell the story of the hired-hands who cared for the sheep. When a pack of wolves came looking for a rack of lamb, guess who went running for the hills — the hired-hands. The owner knew the sheep by name and would risk his life for his lambs. Owners do whatever it takes to propel the mission and vision forward. Owners are willing to die for the mission they own.

Which begs the question – do I give assent to Jesus’ mission, applaud it, or do I own His mission?

One Day on “Bloody Sunday”

Six hundred people crossed a bridge in Louisiana marching to Montgomery, Alabama in March 1965 to tell the Governor that blacks should be able to vote. On the other side of the bridge stood hundreds of hateful, racist police officers with attack dogs, clubs, and tear gas. These people stopped, looked at the police, the teeth, the clubs, and they all did a “gut check”. Do I really own this vision, because it’s likely going to mean getting in harm’s way. Today we know this event as “Bloody Sunday”. A nation realized change was coming because some people were willing to die for a vision of a preferred future. The Civil Rights movement followed this blood bath.

Vision leaks amid weak leadership

Vision leaks. This is a fact. It’s inevitable in church and any organization. Most people get their ownership cue from their leader. They are willing to take a bullet as long as the leader is willing to take the first bullet. Most won’t settle for the “hired-hand” lowball vision that costs little. This vision is birthed by leaders asking people to own what they themselves are not willing to pay for. Most want to own something that costs dearly. Jesus is one example. Salvation cost Him glory. Imagine a divine being becoming a baby unable to neither feed Himself nor hold His own bladder. It cost Him His blood at Calvary. Our people wait for a leader with a vision that is costly. Are you a hired-hand or an owner?

Create a vision that is short and clear. Then communicate it like crazy. A leader’s responsibility is to articulate the organizations mission and vision. If a church member rambles on for a few minutes trying to state the vision, then your vision statement is too long. It must be an “elevator speech” that church members can give between floors in an elevator. Tell me your vision in 30 seconds or less. Ready? Go! If you can’t do it, work on the vision. If you can, start telling the vision in every way you can!

The LIFE-CYCLE of a Typical Church in Canada

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 00:00:00 PST

Church Consultant George Bullard talks about the typical life-cycle of a church in North America. He said, “The average church that makes it seven years will have a life span of 80 years.” The actual closing of churches is more common than you might think. Our own Fellowship member churches have numbered around 500 for the past two decades. Many churches have been planted during that time, but many churches have also closed, and so our net gain is minimal. This is not ideal.

For another example, the Assemblies of God (USA), had 8,443 churches in 1965. Forty-five years later there were 12,371. But during those 45 years, they closed 8,153 existing churches and planted 12,049 resulting in a net gain of 3,928 churches. The closing of churches is very common.

Needs a Mountain:

This church, as it nears “adulthood” or “maturity”, needs to climb a new mountain together. It needs some fresh vision or the church will decline over the next 3-5 years.

Needs an Intervention:

This church has lots of structure but less and less movement. Its traditions can/may choke out its life and reason (mission) for being. This church needs a Church Consultation, with an outside party to develop some prescriptions to help redirect it back on mission. If not, the church will die sooner than later.

SO WHAT IS MY POINT?!

I recognize these are sobering words. Some declare we’re called to “faithfulness” and that’s it. I certainly cannot disagree. However, this declaration only gets it half right. The Bible calls the church to “faithfulness and fruitfulness.” Lives that are won, discipled, transformed, and multiplied in others. Our church stats indicate we are experiencing only modest outcomes. What are we to do with that knowledge? I visit global fields where church planting movements stagger the imagination. But this is Canada. So we believe it cannot happen here?

We all love the church, the very bride of Christ. It is precious.

Certainly, we want to present Christ, His Bride as a healthy, vibrant expression of what He called us to be and do. Then let’s talk about it. Be honest about the “state of the union” of our churches and know that our Region and Fellowship National exist to help our local churches keep on mission.

Local Church Consultation

Our Fellowship Regions have a ministry whereby they come alongside of a Fellowship church and consult and coach. The “Church Consultation” takes place over a weekend with key leaders and members in your church. Several “prescriptions” are identified and steps are determined for the church over the next 1-3 years. This intervention has been used by the Lord to help dozens and dozens of our churches pursue missional health.

Our FEB Central and AÉBÉQ (Quebec) Regions are currently testing a new church health tool, “Congregational Vitality Pathway” (CVP), which I believe has great potential to help revitalize many of our churches. The CVP is not a program, but helps prepare a church for intentional strategic ministry planning; helping local churches to pursue the marks of a “healthy missional” church. “Health” is defined as pursuing Christ and “missional” is defined as pursuing Christ’s priorities in the world. I look forward to seeing the fruit of this church health tool.

Global – Mission Consultation

Fellowship National has a ministry that supports Fellowship churches who desire a consultation and coaching on their global mission initiatives. Similar to “Church Consultations”, a staff member(s) from our Fellowship International department comes alongside your mission and church leaders over a prescribed period of time to help re-envision “your” specific global mission plan.

Why not have an honest conversation about the health of your church and what steps you can take to improve the “mission environment” this coming year. These two consultations are available as tools to help support you in pursuing mission health.

The Three Ironies of Easter

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 00:00:00 PST

The Holy week begins culminating on Easter Sunday, “He is Risen!”, “He has risen indeed!”

A few years ago I heard Dr. Don Carson speak about the peculiar ironies surrounding the work Christ accomplished on the cross. I scribbled a few notes and sought to caption them in the following outline.

Let’s prepare ourselves for Easter by peeking at three “ironies” surrounding the cross and the impact they have on our lives:

The man who is mocked as a King is the King!

(Matt. 27:27-31)

They stripped Jesus, put a cloak on his blood-stained body, a stick in his hand to imitate a scepter with a crown of thorns. What a mockery. But for the first three centuries of the early church, they spoke of Christ as reigning from the cross. At face value that seems an oxymoron, but it is the truth.

The man who is utterly powerless is all powerful.

(Matt. 27:32-40)

Jesus becomes too weak to even carry his own cross-beam. But Jesus tells us, unless you pick up your cross, you’ll not know the Kingdom of Heaven. Our cross is a symbol of our self-denial and death to self. Our empowerment to live the Christian life only occurs when we die to self. We find power in death.

The man who cannot save Himself can save you.

(Matt. 27:41-45)

Mary and Joseph named the baby Jesus; a Greek word. But the Hebrew equivalent is the name Joshua which literally means: Yahweh saves! God sent His Son to save sinners. But if He saves Himself, He cannot save others. This is another irony. One that kept Jesus nailed to the cross. Jesus cried out the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1), so that you and I would never have to cry it aloud.

Don’t let Easter pass you by this year without letting these wonderful ironies truly impact you once again.

Reactions to the Resurrection

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 00:00:00 PST

I recently watched the movie, The Case for Christ on Netflix. The story of journalist-turned-pastor, Lee Strobel, who journeyed from atheist to Christ-follower. His book of the same title and follow up books have sold more than 14 million copies. The movie was actually pretty good.

Easter is the Mount Everest of the Christian calendar and an opportunity to share the cap-stone of the Christian faith: the resurrection. Lee Strobel set out to disprove the resurrection, but became convinced of its truth. What other reactions to the resurrection do we find in Matthew chapter 28?

The guards fear (vv. 4, 11, 15)

The women’s joy (vv. 1, 5-9)

The Chief Priests’ deception (vv. 11-14)

The disciples’ obedience (vv. 10, 16-17)

The Lord’s commission (vv. 18-20)

Our co-mission this Easter is to “go”. Go and tell. Make disciples. Testify what we know about those who actually saw Jesus after His resurrection. The evidence is significant:

Resurrection Witnesses and Testimonials:

The visit of the women to the tomb of Jesus early Sunday morning. Mark 16:1; Matt. 28:1, 5-8; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1

The earthquake and rolling away of the stone by the angel; and the fear of the Roman guards. Matt. 28:2-4; Luke 24:4

Mary Magdalene and other women report to the apostles – Peter and John visit the empty tomb. Luke 24:9-12; John 20:2-10

The appearance to Mary Magdalene and the message to the apostles. John 20:11-18

The appearance of Jesus to the other women. Matt. 28:9-10

“Some” of the guards report to the Jewish rulers. Matt. 28: 11-15

The appearance to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-22

The report of the two disciples and the news of Christ’s appearance before Peter. Luke 24:33-35; 1 Cor. 15:5

The appearance to the astonished disciples (except Thomas) and they’re given a commission. Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25

The appearance to the disciples on the following Sunday night… with Thomas. John 20:26-31; 1 Cor. 15:5

The appearance to seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. John 21:1-25

The appearance to 500 on an appointed mountain in Galilee and the great commission is given. Mark 16:15-18; Matt. 28:16-20; 1 Cor. 15:6

The final appearance and Ascension. Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8

And those who are convinced of Christ’s resurrection, this promise:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Do you believe this?

- John 11:25-26

The Good News really is good news!

It's 8:00 a.m... How do You Prepare for Worship?

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:00:00 PST

How do you prepare yourself for worship? What, if anything, do you do to get yourself ready before the Sunday worship service?

In his book, “Stress Fractures”, Chuck Swindoll remembers a time when the demands of ministry were unbearable. He eventually brought his “hurry-up” pattern of living from his office to his home. At dinner one evening his youngest daughter wanted to say something important to him. In a hurry she said, “Daddy, I-wanna-tell-you-something-and-I’ll-say-it-real-fast!” Swindoll sensed Coleen’s frustration and said, “Honey, you can tell me and you don’t have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly.” Swindoll says he’ll never forget her response: “Then please listen slowly.” Hmmm…. Sound familiar?!.

What do you do to prepare for worship? Worship should speak paramountly about our response to God. And God is certainly worthy of our worship.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God which is your spiritual worship.” – Romans 12:1

I recently asked some Fellowship worship pastors from our churches how they personally prepare themselves before a worship service. I received some great insight and solid practical suggestions. Please take the time to read the counsel of some of our “official worship prompters”. I hope you’ll consider something you read for your own life starting this week:

“I personally try to “soak” in the Scripture focus and worship themes for our services by reflecting and meditating in prayerful exchange with God multiple times throughout the week. I also spend considerable time to practice and rehearse the planned elements (musical, technical, transitions, etc.) so that I feel free to lead in a way that allows me to fully engage in worship rather than just execute a plan. I also choose to protect myself from late nights before our corporate worship services so that I am physically rested and renewed.”

—Steve Cottrell, Calvary Baptist, Oshawa, ON

“The way I personally prepare before a worship service is by…. spending time in prayer meditating on the text we are focusing on that Sunday and thinking through the movement of the service to make sure I am prepared to communicate clearly the progression of worship in that service. It is a delight to be reminded by each other of who we are in Christ and what his character is and to pray for each other and for the people who will gather.

—Sarah Quartel, Forward Baptist, Toronto, ON

“The way I personally prepare before a worship service is twofold. The first thing I do is ensure that I have spent sufficient time in prayer and with God the night prior and/or the morning of the service. This helps to centre me, and it ensures that my focus is in the right place. I also make sure that, as a team, we spend time in prayer together prior to the service, so that we have the proper focus going into the service. The second thing I do is to ensure that all the practical details have been looked after as thoroughly as possible. This, of course, is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly, but it allows me to place my focus where it must be, on the worship of Jesus.”

— Patrick Timney, Bramalea Baptist, ON

“…I also spend time in prayer, being thoughtful of Jesus’ grace over my sin, and being thoughtful of the gift that I have to be able to lead His people in my local assembly. Then we as a team of worship leaders (tech and music) participate in a devotional time which is usually a Psalm that I have chosen to settle our hearts on God’s character.”

— Corey Brown, West Park Baptist, London, ON

“I know this seems like a no-brainer – but my Sunday morning begins on Saturday night. It’s been a priority since I started leading worship 20 years ago to begin the preparation process on Saturday evening. My wife and I have a standing arrangement that we do not book anything on Saturday night – we often turn down invitations to events and dinners for the sake of preparing ourselves for Sunday morning. Although I have chosen the music and plan the service a week in advance, and had our time of musical rehearsal on Thursday evening, the Saturday evening is still critical to my preparation. This often includes going through the order of service, any notes I have on transitional “words of worship” between songs, some prayer time, etc. My wife and I may watch a TV show together – and then I’ll make sure my clothes are ready to go and I am in bed early.”

— Paul Turner, Emmanuel Baptist, Barrie, ON

“The way I personally prepare before a worship service is by getting to the church building at least a half hour before anyone else. We typically practice at 7:30 on a Sunday morning, so early mornings can be difficult. However, when I’ve been able to give myself at least 30 minutes of quiet time with the Lord, before people show up, and chaos of work begins, I find I am much more energized, patient, and focused as I serve the church on a Sunday morning.

— Jacob Elliot, Grandview Church, Kitchener, ON

“The way I personally prepare before a worship service is by having 15 minutes of prayer time with the praise team, sound technicians, and individuals from our church prayer team. Sunday mornings are incredibly busy for me, so we schedule 15 minutes of prayer (30 minutes before the service) to help us take our focus off accomplishing the task of music ministry and instead to focus on the why of music ministry, and the who (God) of music ministry. I can lead with peace and joy when I have given the outcome to God and have fully committed the service to His Will.”

— Daniel Dayton, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Bloomfield, ON

“The way I personally prepare before a worship service is by praying over and meditating on the day’s Scripture text, walking through the sanctuary picturing the congregation’s faces and situations, carefully aligning my thoughts and heart to the worship service’s “takeaway” of the day, then recounting that to the team and reminding them to point to Christ in an encouraging way before a time of team prayer.”

—Dan Salmon, Westney Heights Baptist, Ajax, ON

“The way I personally prepare before a worship service is by thinking about and praying for the people that I will be leading. It is easy to make things all about me, especially in worship ministry, but it’s paramount to contemplate how everything will best serve the congregation. This includes new people walking into church for the first time, students and young people in the service, families and children, old faithful saints that have been worshipping here long before me. Throughout my preparation I want to be asking, “How can I bless them and point them to Jesus most effectively?” and praying, “God, open their eyes to see the beauty of the Gospel in a new and fresh way through this service.”

— Luke Cuthbert, Summerside Church, London, ON

“Preparing for a worship service is a week-long process for me. My best preparation times are at the piano, worshipping by myself. I find that if

Art Classes as a Creative Fundraising Tool

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 00:00:00 PST

I recently learned of a wonderful way in which one FAIR donor was seeking to raise funds for our Fellowship humanitarian and relief appeals. I’d like her to explain, but first…

Our current FAIR appeal is called Brightening Smiles. We are seeking support for our mobile dental clinic in Cambodia. Oeut and Nhep Pech have cared for thousands of patients in rural villages in Cambodia, hundreds have come to Christ, over 50 dental students have been converted and four churches have been planted since 2007. Their ministry has been extraordinarily fruitful!

The FAIR mobile dental clinic receives no funding from the Cambodian government. I visited them a few years back and watched Nhep and dental students do extractions, fillings, and other dental procedures. Each patient also received a clear presentation of the Gospel. It was a fascinating day of practical Gospel penetration in a very remote Cambodian village

A FAIR Easter Offering

Would you consider an Easter offering for this FAIR appeal? Either yourself personally or your church? To find out more and get access to promotional materials like a poster, bulletin insert and video for Brightening Smiles, visit www.fellowship.ca/BrighteningSmiles.

A Creative Way to Support a FAIR Appeal

I heard from Averil Smith (Lansing Avenue Baptist Church, Sudbury, ON). She and her husband Mark serve on the pastoral team at Lansing. She is a busy mother of two and an artist. She decided to use her artistic skills as a means to fundraise for future FAIR appeals. I asked Averil to explain:

“At the Fellowship National Conference in 2016, I heard about the Philippines: Rebuilding Innocence project and my heart was deeply troubled. Back in my hotel room, taking in the amazing view of Niagara Falls, I began to dream. I had attended a few social painting events in Sudbury and thought it would be fun to teach a class myself. Would people really pay to spend an evening painting with me? Could I help alleviate some of the pain and suffering of these children? With the full support of my husband, and the encouragement of my adventurous sister and some enthusiastic friends, The Paint FAIR Project was born.

“I hosted painting parties in my home every Monday evening in February, “the month of love,” to introduce people to the concept of step-by-step painting instruction in a social setting. Participants paid $30 to attend; $5 covered the cost of supplies and $25 was given as a charitable donation to FAIR.

“Over the year I taught twenty-seven parties, ranging in size from two to 30 participants, including children all the way up to seniors. Together we raised $5,000 for various FAIR appeals. In addition to raising funds, we also spread awareness about FAIR and the plight of the people it supports, enjoyed fellowship, and created beautiful art.

“FAIR is on the front lines bringing the Gospel and hope to some of the world’s deepest needs. Please consider the resources God has placed at your disposal: talent and time, people and passion. What will your project be?”

https://www.facebook.com/paintFAIRproject/

Thank you Averil, for using your God-given talent to bless so many children in the Philippines. So many more of us could follow Averil’s example and mobilize many more people in giving to future FAIR relief, development, and justice projects. Please start today by thinking how to encourage others to give to our current Easter appeal, Brightening Smiles.

Thank you for generously giving.

One Church Gives Their January Offering to Another Church

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 00:00:00 PST

I recently had one of those moments when I had to carefully re-read an email to discover if I had read it correctly.

One Fellowship church had just sent their entire weekly offerings, for the month of January (2018), to another Fellowship church in need. Grandview Church (Kitchener, ON) sent Ecclesia Church (St. Jérôme, QC) $107,350.70. Yes, you read that correctly.

A few years back, Grandview entered into a partnership with this young church in Québec, an hour north of Montréal. Some of you have heard me challenge you to enter into a “7 x 7 = 1” partnership. Seven partners for seven years to establish one French church plant. In the past three years, 110 partners across Canada have partnered with church plants in Québec. It’s a wonderful story for which we praise God.

A Word from Pastor Bob and Pasteur Jacob

I asked Pastor Bob MacGregor (Grandview) and Pastor Jacob Mathieu (Écclésia) to comment on this recent “love gift”:

Grandview Church sanctuary

“Grandview is one of many churches that have partnered with sister churches in Quebec. Our particular partnership is with Ecclesia in St Jerome. This young congregation stewards a strategically located, but badly rundown, facility in this spiritually-needy city. Their vision and “crazy” faith has reminded our fifty year old congregation what it was like to be on mission for God, a mission that must always be renewed. While at National Conference in November 2017, some of our leaders had breakfast with Pastor Jacob Mathieu. We learned that our partners had grown weary in their good work and that renovations were stalled due to funding. Our elders took it personally and soon found ourselves infected with the same “crazy” faith we saw in them. We announced on Sunday that all offerings received in the month of January would go to Ecclesia. The total amount given was $107,350.70. The announcement was met with tears of joy and shouts of praise in both of our congregations. This is fun!”

— Pastor Bob MacGregor of Grandview (Kitchener, ON)

“‘Our elder board voted to give all our January offering to Ecclésia,’ said the Chair of the Mission Board to me over the phone a few weeks before Christmas. ‘That might represent up to $80,000’. That’s when I stopped breathing. ‘We see God moving in St. Jérôme and we want to help you finish your building project.’ Ever since we had started our construction project to transform the old REX theatre into a city outreach centre I had never doubted one bit that it was an amazing opportunity to reach the 10,000 student population that live and study there and much more. However, after two years of fundraising and construction, and still $195,000 to go, many in our church, including me, were starting to get discouraged. That phone call from Grandview was like the voice of Haggai and Zechariah to me and our leadership team: ‘You guys finish the job. This is not a human endeavour: the living God is drawing Québécois to his Son, Jesus Christ!’ I still cannot find the words to praise God for the love He pours in English- and French-speaking hearts towards the lost sheep of Canada. All to His glory!”

— Pastor Jacob Mathieu of Ecclesia (St. Jérôme, QC)

I love this story. I wanted you to know about it. This is an example of the Fellowship family working together to advance God’s Kingdom in Canada and beyond. We are stronger TOGETHER. This story models our Fellowship National motto: “SERVE, UNITE, THRIVE”. United together in mission, we serve one another, and thrive in winning the lost to Christ.

My dream has been, since we changed the Fellowship paradigm in francophone ministry in 2015, to see English and French Canadians love one another. We’ve not done a very good job at that as Canadians. But, in Christ, we can model a new way. It has been very gratifying to see so many churches and donors in Ontario, Alberta, and other places enter into Seven year partnerships to see French churches planted in Canada’s biggest mission field, Quebec.

My Next Québec Vision Tour is June 4-6, 2018

Join in with Grandview and Ecclésia and enter a partnership with a new church plant. Twice annually I take leaders or donors on a 48-hour “Québec Vision Tour” (QVT). You get yourself to the Montréal Airport and I care for your accommodation, travel, and food for two days traveling to seven to eight French church plants. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will direct you to the church plant He wants you or your church to begin a partnership and growing relationship with over the next seven years.

The next QVTs are June 4-6, 2018 and October 15-17, 2018. Contact me if interested, and I’ll send you more information. Please watch the brief video (click here) to learn more about joining my next QVT.

Conscience Campaign Against Doctor-Assisted Death

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 00:00:00 PST

Compelled speech, value attestations, and religious rights thrown under the bus seem to be in our Nation’s headlines on a weekly basis these days.

I heard recently on the radio that several doctors lost their bid in an Ontario Court to not be compelled to refer patients for doctor-assisted suicide. In June of 2016, Canada’s MAID law enshrined doctor assisted death as the right of every Canadian. Some doctors fought for the right not to participate nor refer patients to other medical practitioners who would assist in their patient’s death. These doctors lost their fight. The judge admitted their “religious rights” were being violated for the greater good of society. My heart sank.

A Call for Conscience Campaign (February - March)

This should concern us all. Physicians and medical practitioners no longer (at least in Ontario and possibly elsewhere in Canada) have freedom of conscience or religious rights to refuse participation in assisting people to end their lives. Their rights should be defended.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) with the Coalition for HealthCARE are calling on all people of faith to a “Conscience Campaign”, especially in Ontario, in February and March 2018.

The following plea comes from the EFC:

Today in Ontario:

Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other caregivers are compelled to participate in euthanasia against their moral convictions, by providing an effective referral for their patients. Euthanasia advocacy groups are threatening court action against faith-based hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices unless they allow euthanasia on their premises. Only a third of the population has access to adequate palliative care, which leaves many without real choice on end of life issues.

Please take the time to review a short, three-minute video that introduces you to physicians and nurses who are being forced to choose between their conscience and their careers.

How you can help:

Pray.
Ask your church members to pray for this campaign. We need the Lord to intervene so that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care workers will be able to continue caring for patients, without being compelled to act against their deeply held beliefs. Pray for our province and our country to uphold freedom of conscience and religion.

Write.
Encourage your congregation to write to your MPP and to the candidates for the 2018 Ontario election. You can write to your MPP now using the web site www.canadiansforconscience.ca/Ontario. While the EFC has already expressed our concerns to the government, it is helpful and compelling when Christians at the grass roots level demonstrate their deep concern about this issue, as well.

Engage your community.
The Coalition has developed free resources to equip your community to participate, including announcements, bulletin inserts, and more. The resources are available here. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Cameron, the Campaign Support Worker for the 2018 Ontario Call for Conscience Campaign at kcameron@cmdscanada.org, (647) 228-5411.

Please prayerfully consider what your part might be in February - March 2018 in this “Conscience Campaign”. Consider how you might be engaged. Pray about it. Don’t remain silent. Thank you.

The Humble Hear His Voice!

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 00:00:00 PST

There is a scene in the movie “Gandhi”, where Gandhi, a young lawyer in South Africa, is walking a boardwalk with a white clergyman. Walking and talking together in public was against all proper societal decorum in the Apartheid state. During their chat, a young man accosted them for being together. His mother yells from her upstairs window and the ringleader leaves the two friends alone.

As they continue their walk, the clergyman exclaims their “good luck”. Gandhi is surprised by this view of what just happened and says, “Good luck? I thought you were a man of God.” The clergyman replied, “I am, but I don’t believe God plans His day around me!” The audience around me laughed at the comment. It’s a common attitude that in everyday life, God isn’t really interested in giving us divine guidance in the little stuff of life.

The Bible’s record shares a very different reality. Over and over again we read of God choosing to plan His day around those He chooses.

In one of my favourite passages of Scripture, 1 Samuel 3:1-10, we learn of God speaking to a young boy. Young Samuel lay on his cot in the Temple when he hears someone call his name. He rose and ran to his old master, Eli, thinking he had called him. However, the third time young Samuel comes running to Eli’s side, thinking he had been beckoned by his master, Eli realizes what’s been happening. He tells Samuel to tell the voice, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And so begins one of the most remarkable relationships our Heavenly Father would ever have with one of His children.

God was heard clearly by an innocent, humble child. God’s voice is best heard by the humble.

Moses probably holds the all-time record for lengthy conversations with God. Why Moses? The possible clue is found in Numbers 12:3 which says, “Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth”. There is an obvious close connection between his humility and his close working relationship with God. Wisdom literature tells us, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” (Proverbs 29:23), while the Psalmist (David) in Psalm 25:9 writes, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” Pastor A.T. Pierson was personal friends with C.H. Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, George Muller (wrote his biography), C.L. Scofield, Adoniram Judson and he was the elder statesman of the Student Missionary Movement that influenced thousands of the early 20th Century. He commented on Psalm 25:9, saying:

“Humility is a real preference for God’s Will. Where this holy habit of mind exists, the whole being becomes so open to impression that, without any outward sign or token, there is an inward recognition and choice of the Will of God.

“God guides, not by a visible sign, but by swaying our judgment. To wait before Him, weighing candidly in the scales every consideration for or against a proposed course…. Is a frame of mind and heart in which one is fitted to be guided; and God touches the scales and makes the balance to sway as He will.

“BUT OUR HANDS MUST BE OFF the scales, otherwise we need expect no interposition of His IN OUR FAVOUR.”

What this 19th Century Bible commentator is saying is God’s preferred vehicle of choice in making His Will known, His “still small voice”, is a humble follower of Christ. A believer who displays a meek mind and life. A mindset that God can “sway judgment” or open up to His “impressions” or “tip the scale” and make His voice clear.

God loves to speak to the unassuming, the humble:

An 80 year old shepherd with a speech impediment becomes a nation builder. A teenage shepherd, the kid brother, who becomes a nation and Kingdom-builder. Some uneducated fisherman from a back water Roman province who become spiritual Kingdom builders.

God’s tendency is to clearly inform the unpretentious, those who are careful to not tip the scale. The humble hear his voice.

Ministry in Communities Closed to the Church

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 00:00:00 PST

What community in Canada is closed to the church? There are actually many communities in Canada where Christians are not permitted to freely enter and engage with the residents. Have you guessed? They are the police stations, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, military bases, fire halls, school campuses of our nation.

It is becoming more difficult for clergy to enter these communities to be the hand and feet of Jesus. However, over 70 Fellowship chaplains seek to provide the presence of Christ on a daily basis in these closed communities across Canada.

I recently heard chaplain Garry Francis talk about this reality in his own ministry as a police chaplain. Listen to the special access our chaplains receive in places the church or clergy no longer have the privilege of access.

“As a police chaplain I’m given a badge and an ID card which gives me “access” to people and places that are “out of bounds” for the majority of our population. I consider it an exceptional opportunity and a tremendous honour to have access behind the division/headquarters counters/doors and beyond the “blue line” to access the hearts and minds of the people in those restricted areas.

“Here are some of the places God has opened up and has given police chaplain’s access:

Access to the division as a divisional chaplain, Access to their police jurisdiction headquarters, Access to any division or headquarters across the entire country (the police brotherhood), The platoons in their division, The staff sergeant – the “gate keeper” for the platoons on the road, The people who care for specialized units in their division (major crime, drugs, sex crimes, school, community, fraud, etc.), The staff – maintenance, administration, clerical, etc., The command – Inspector and Division Superintendent,

“Here are some of the unique circumstances that police chaplains have access:

To offer assistance to officers at ball games, concerts, traffic, parades, etc., To offer assistance to officers behind “police tape” or in “a controlled scene” (never access to an active scene) if one is trained for Critical Incident Stress Management, Police chaplains also have unique access to offer assistance to airport security because their “badge” is recognized while going through airport screening/ scanning.

“The Great Commission encourages us to preach the Gospel at home, beyond our home, and to the uttermost parts of the world… as police chaplains “the badge” gives us access to people and places in restricted areas everywhere we go.”

Our Fellowship Chaplaincy ministry is home to 72 chaplains seeking to demonstrate the love of Christ in their ministry of presence.

If you are interested in chaplaincy, or know someone who might be, please take a peek at our website at www.fellowship.ca/Chaplaincy and contact Thomas here for more information.

Several of our pastors became “volunteer” Fellowship chaplains this past year as a means to be credentialed, so they might access differing closed communities in their neighbourhood.

Put a Smile on the Face of Your Worship Leader!

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 00:00:00 PST

Remember the occasion when David introduced the Ark back into Jerusalem. What was his response?

He strips and dances before it and one of his wives is disgusted. In her mind his behaviour was not befitting a King.

David’s response is he doesn’t care what she thinks. He even warns he might become even more undignified worshipping Jehovah. Indirectly, he was stating I’m not thinking about you when I’m worshipping God. I’m thinking only of God. If my passion in praise is offensive to you, that’s your problem, not mine.

Now, David did not have the privilege of those New Testament passages that talk about limiting our freedom for “weaker” brethren. Regardless, the principle is sound. As I worship, my first and foremost thought should not be what others think of me, but what God thinks of my heart.

I asked some of our worship leaders what was the thing they loved most about leading God’s people in praise and worship. The thing that makes you smile. Seeing the response of God’s people, what brings you joy….gratitude. Listen to what our “worship prompters” said:

“The thing I love most about leading God’s people in praise and worship is…”

“…it prepares people for a week in the trenches. Often people come in with the burdens of the week – you can see it on their faces. As we worship, God gives us a bigger perspective. Often we see tears as people reflect on the love and grace of God. As we leave the worship service, we are set for another week... out there in the world!”

—Gary Sharpe, Forward Baptist, Cambridge, ON

“…seeing and hearing God’s people worship together. Whether that is them belting out a Gospel song with passion and unity, or reflecting on Jesus and His cross during communion in silent contemplation. Seeing and hearing people respond to God’s grace is why I do what I do.”

—Luke Cuthbert, Summerside Church, London, ON

“…the hush right after a moment that has declared the Holiness, Righteousness, and Glory of the Triune God. There is something about the quietness of God’s people in a moment of awe and adoration that gets me every time. It’s a sacred obligation and trust we have as worship leaders to lead people into the Presence of the Lord.”

—Don Salmon, Westney Heights Baptist, Ajax, ON

“…hearing God’s people praise His Name in full-voice, and with full hearts. I can lead an awesome praise team with great guitar, epic drums, and stirring piano, but nothing compares to the people of God, joined in one voice, lifting up the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That moves my heart in the most wonderful way.”

—Daniel Dayton, Emmanuel Baptist, Bloomfield, ON

“…seeing the look on people’s faces when they “get it”. While everyone in the congregation is typically looking at the projection screen or the band, as a Worship Pastor, I often have the privilege of looking out at the body of Christ. There are few things more satisfying to me than pouring my time and energy into thoughtfully planning a Christo-centric service, then stepping back, listening to the church sing praise to God, and watching faces light up as they reencounter the deep love of Jesus Christ!”

—Jacob Elliot, Grandview Church, Kitchener, ON

“I love the opportunity to see the transformational power of the liturgy in people’s lives. Whether it is through a corporate prayer, a song, a time of confession, or reciting the apostles Creed – it’s neat to see people respond to the historical and biblical components of corporate worship and be shaped as a body.”

—Paul Turner, Emmanuel Baptist, Barrie, ON

“…playing my part by being able to help our people realize that they haven’t left God’s presence, that in corporate worship we refocus, resettle and readjust our minds and hearts to be aligned with our created purpose, to Love God and enjoy His pleasure for us as we sing, think, pray, and reflect together.”

—Corey Brown, West Park Baptist, London, ON

“…that it is a picture to me of the future, eternity spent in worship and in God’s presence. We have been created for community with one another and with God, and lifting our voices together in song, in prayer, in reading of God’s Word together as we worship, fosters a sense of community and belonging that we simply cannot experience on our own.”

—Patrick Timney, Bramalea Baptist, ON

“…being able to encourage, strengthen, and urge each other to fix our eyes on Christ! Worshipping in community has this unique place in our lives which we can remind each other of the Gospel and how it applies to our lives with a freedom that many people struggle to have outside of this setting because of personality, awkwardness, barriers, etc.”

—Sarah Quartel, Forward Baptist, Toronto, ON

“…the blessing and privilege to be a part of a biblical calling that God has used and continues to use to help prompt, encourage, focus, and support his people as they raise their songs and prayers together. I’m blown away by the many times and ways that God chooses to use our efforts (despite our weakness) to invade our gatherings with his transcendent glory and transform us for his purposes. It’s an amazing experience to see God at work as His people seek to glorify Him in praise and worship. However the thing I love best is when God chooses to intersect our corporate worship in such a powerful and moving way that clearly has nothing to do with human effort.”

—Steve Cottrell, Calvary Baptist, Oshawa, ON

“…seeing Psalm 108 come to pass in our congregation. As the Spirit of God spiritually “awakens the dawn” in people’s lives, I have the privilege of experiencing hundreds of voices raised in praise. I know that I am doing my part in facilitating the worship of God, and the encouraging of people.”

—Lee Brubacher, West Highland Baptist, Hamilton, ON

“I love most the moment when we as a church collectively forget ourselves, together enraptured by a tiny glimpse of the beauty of our Lord and Saviour, God and King. To be used by God to effectively point people to Jesus. Worth living for.”

—Ben Smith, Bonnyville Baptist, AB

Praise our great God without any thought of yourself, only the Lord. I’m not suggesting you dance like King David, but I am suggesting you give your all in your next worship service. Consider the joy you might give your worship pastor, more importantly, consider the joy you might offer the Lord!

Mobile Dental Clinic Leads to Church Planting

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 00:00:00 PST

Imagine a tooth extraction under the shade of a tree in 30 degrees Celsius and 100% humidity. A few years back I had the privilege of watching Fellowship International missionaries Oeut and Nhep Pech during one of their mobile dental clinics in rural Cambodia. Professional dental care was administered to dozens of people with the Gospel clearly presented. Several patients received Christ that day. A national pastor was later assigned to visit and disciple these new believers in the hope that a new church might be planted. The Pech’s ministry has been very effective.

Our current FAIR appeal, Brightening Smiles, Winning Hearts, seeks to resource the Pechs to continue their ministry. Let me allow FAIR Associate Director, Norman Nielsen, explain the appeal, the goal, and how you can get involved:

Brightening Smiles, Winning Hearts

Rural Cambodians have little to no access to dental services, making oral hygiene an issue for many. Through Fellowship International missionaries Oeut and Nhep Pech, Cambodians can have access to free dental care, courtesy of FAIR's mobile dental clinic.

While this ministry has focused on providing Cambodians the dental care they so desperately need, it has also taken every opportunity to effectively share the love of Christ with patients and their families. Since arriving in Cambodia in 2007 and launching FAIR’s mobile dental clinic ministry, the Pechs have helped 8,638 patients — 414 of whom have placed their faith in Jesus. Of the students who serve as a part of the dental staff, 54 have come to know Christ. Without the clinic, these people would never have heard the Gospel!

Vong Doeun and his wife Los Horn were among the first patients treated by FAIR's mobile dental clinic when the ministry started in Bosknor, Cambodia. They came to the clinic for dental treatment and, while waiting the prescribed 30 minutes after the procedure, they heard the Gospel for the first time. They invited Oeut and Nhep back to their home and introduced them to the rest of their family. After only two visits, both Vong Doeun and his wife, as well as two of their children, accepted Christ! Vong Doeun, who had been severely disabled from injuries he sustained in the 1970s during the reign of dictator Pol Pot, became instrumental in the spread of the Gospel in the area of Bosknor. A home-church gathering was held at their home each week until the number of believers exceeded the space available and a church building was built. God used Vong Doeun and his family to expand His Kingdom, displaying His strength through weakness.

Not only has this ministry been instrumental in leading many people to Christ, it has also facilitated the planting of three churches across Cambodia, each of which has a Cambodian national serving as pastor. In this country that has been so ravaged by war, churches are few and far-between. The goal is to plant two new churches in the next few years, a goal which cannot be met unless the Pechs are able to continue ministering through the mobile dental clinic. FAIR is seeking to raise $80,000 which will go towards purchasing much needed medical supplies enabling rural Cambodians to receive the dental treatments they desperately need and, at the same time, introducing them to Christ. Something so seemingly simple as receiving dental care is having an unbelievable impact on Cambodians. Please prayerfully consider how the Lord would have you respond to this appeal.

A Vistion of Church as a Green Garden and War Zone

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 00:00:00 PST

Do you remember this historical vision communication?

On May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy said, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” By July 1969 the vision was completed with Neil Armstrong standing on the moon. Vision must be short, sweet, and memorable. But vision is mandatory if mission is ever to be completed.

While serving as a pastor, I shared “vision vignettes” from time to time. They were brief challenges, stories and parables that succinctly crystallized the vision or mission of our church. Answering, why do we exist?

Here is one of those vision vignettes:

“Let me ask you a question. What is the oldest profession? I know what half of you are thinking right now! You’re wrong. The oldest profession is actually gardening. Adam and Eve began as gardeners and the world will end in an eternal gardened city.

Imagine with me the Church as a garden. The church needs to be a green garden with peaceful spaces where parched people can find rest for their lives. One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 58:11 (NLT): “The Lord will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”

People need nourishing green spaces in life to connect with God. But, there is a danger in thinking the church’s mission is to solely be a lush, green garden. A safe green space for people to gather and grow and flourish spiritually. The reality is that we do not yet live in heaven. We live in a fallen world surrounded by sinful people. And unless we tend to our little garden regularly with care, the weeds of this world will invade our garden.

I read W.O Mitchell’s book, “Jake and the Kid”. It’s a story of a twelve year old boy growing up in the Canadian Prairies during the 1940s. There is a line in the book that struck me. It went something like this “The prairie will take over if your backyard don’t fight back.” Our garden is not a playground. It’s a garden we must continually tend and fight for. It’s a green space surrounded by the ravages of war. A spiritual battle that is constantly “fighting back”.

So our mission as a local church is not to build nice, lush, peaceful gardens to protect us from the battle, but, to use our gardens (churches) to prepare us to assult the beaches of our common enemy.

My son Alec, and I, took a trip together to visit the War Memorials, mostly found in France. An awesome experience shared with my boy. We visited the beaches of Normandy where 70+ years ago brave Canadian soldiers stormed Juno Beach.

On D-Day the allies established a beachhead and repelled the enemy further inland. But the War (the work) wasn’t finished in one day. They had another 11 horrifying months before their mission was complete. However, the beachhead on June 6th, 1944 became a “green-space” to rally the troops, re-equip the soldiers and direct the army to continue inland.

This is what I’m picturing when I call the church to be a “well watered garden” (Isaiah 58:11). Not a place to get comfortable and meet my needs; but, a green place, a stopping off point, to get refreshed and prepared to go back out there into the battle and advance the beachhead inland for the sake of Christ. It’s not a playground out there. It’s a war zone where spiritual battle is taking place every day.

I know you know this. That’s why I love you for leading the charge. Spiritual orphans all around us are counting on us to lead the charge forward. Jesus, our Commander in Chief, once said to us, “GO!” (Matthew 28:19)

Leadership author, John Kotter wrote:

“In every successful transformation effort that I have seen, the guiding coalition develops a picture of the future that is relatively easy to communicate and appeals to people. A vision always goes beyond the numbers that are typically found in five year plans. A vision says something that helps clarify the direction in which an organization needs to move. Sometimes the first draft comes mostly from a single individual.”

That individual is you. The leader, in consultation with others. It is the responsibility of leaders to cast vision. It is a dereliction of their duty not to state clearly, simply, often, and memorably…. The preferred picture of the future. Go cast vision!

One Year to Pray

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 00:00:00 PST

During my address at our Fellowship National Conference (November 13-15, 2017) I introduced our theme verse for 2018 by reminding ourselves we live in troubling times.

We have a God and Gospel of hope, however our hope is in the context of trouble, and so, we must PRAY! Our theme verse for 2018 is Romans 12:12 (NIV) during our year of prayer:

“Be joyful in HOPE, patient in AFFLICTION, faithful in Prayer”

The following is the last point I made during my FNC address:

“The 17th Century Poet and novelist, John Dunne once told a story of early Spanish sailors who reached South America. They sailed into headwaters of the Amazon River, an expanse of water so wide, so immense, that the sailors presumed it was just the continuation of the Atlantic Ocean. It never occurred to them to drink the fresh water below them for they assumed it was the salty Atlantic. As a result, some of the sailors died of thirst.

“The scene of the men dying of thirst as their ship floated into the world’s largest single source of fresh water is a perfect metaphor for our age: a society thirsty for meaning but dying of thirst, spiritually speaking, because of its head-strong refusal to receive their Saviour.

“We are living in one of the greatest nations in the world… ranked #1 by the UN since 1994. Like other favoured nations we got this way because of the preeminent Christian foundation many of our founding fathers embraced and Christianity flourished for 100 years. (1867-1967). Christian mission and influence still floats everywhere in Canada today, but millions would rather die of thirst than drink from the Living Water. On this, the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, we need to take Luther’s advice and PRAY.

“This is a year of Anniversaries in Canada:

375th Anniversary of Montreal (May 17th, 2017) ($1 billion price tag)

150th Anniversary of Canada (July 1st, 2017 ($500 million price tag)

100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April), and

it was 100 years ago when the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings was reconstructed after the great fire of February 1916.

“On July 2 1917, Prime Minister Sir. Robert Borden dedicated the grand new Centre Block. The peace tower is the Centre Piece and is a vibrant symbol of Canadian Values. In the reconstruction, scripture verses were inscribed throughout the Peace Tower.

Over the east window is Psalm 72:8 – “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea”.

Over the south window is Psalm 72:1 – “Give the King thy judgments, O God and thy righteousness unto the King’s son” (KJV)

Over the west window is Proverbs 29:18 – “Where there is no vision the people perish.” (KJV)

And seven more Bible verses are carved into the Centre Block’s Memorial Chamber into the Peace Tower. Scriptures, carved in stone, permanent reminders, accessible for all to see in the very centre of our democracy. I imagine many MPs likely to see this today as politically incorrect in an age of “Charter-values” rather than “Christian Values”. But we must remain vigilant reminding our Nation that permanent peace can only be found in Christ. The largest of the 53 Carillon Bells that ring across Ottawa from the Peace Tower is a 10,000 kg bell, installed in 1927 named the “Bourbon”. On the bell is inscribed Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill to men.” I imagine some of our MPs have plans to melt down the Bourbon Bell. But do not let this dissuade us from continuing to ring loud and clear the Gospel across our nation. Displaying Jesus and the Spirit of Christian love so brightly that people see their Saviour. In my July 1st weekly blog, “A Word from Steve”, I encouraged us to pray for our Nation on our 150th Birthday. You’ll see that prayer on the screen. Would you kindly stand and join me in this prayer. A declaration to love our country back to God:

“A Prayer for Canada

“Father, renew and embolden the Church in Canada to take its rightful place in our nation so that our nation might take its rightful place in the world. Father, help us, your children, to be salt and light in our country. Enable your children to be examples of your grace, mercy and love. Our nation’s greatest need is spiritual renewal. Father, our plea is that You would renew your church, chasten it, revive it again. May your bride become a radiant influence for godliness in our blessed nation. Bend us, break us, do whatever necessary to bring your glory to our shores. For your glory and great good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Joyful in Hope….

Patient in Affliction….

Faithful in Prayer….

Join me in making 2018 our year of prayer.”

Merry Christmas from the Fellowship!

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 00:00:00 PST

He attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD where he supported the Biblical doctrine of the trinity. There is a rich tradition that speaks of his commitment to Christ despite much persecution and threats of martyrdom.

Stories abound of his compassion and shepherding character that compelled him to love and care for children. He became well known for giving gifts to young children. Gifts that would symbolize God’s ultimate gift…our Saviour.

Nicholas would somehow morph into today’s Santa Claus and largely be forgotten. Born of wealthy parents in 280 AD in the small town of Patara in Asia Minor, his parents died in an epidemic when he was very young. But, they had instilled in Nicholas a strong faith.

He was later made Bishop of Myra and imprisoned for his faith by Roman Emperor Diocletian and later released by Emperor Constantine. Stories abound about his generosity and compassion. He begged for food to feed the poor, gave a girl’s dowry to marry her future husband, but the best known story is the disguise he wore while giving gifts to the poor children. He gave away everything he owned and died penniless.

Poets and writers have written strange things about him. Clement More gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. Thomas Nast illustrated him as big and fat wearing a red suit trimmed with fur. Others renamed him Kris Kringle, Belsnickle, St. Nick, Pelznickel, Father Christmas, Père Noël, Babbo Natale, Kanakaloka, Julenissen, Ded Moroz, Kerstman, and Santa Claus.

But most important Nicholas possessed the self-giving character of Jesus…. Their love would touch the whole world.

We celebrate Jesus, not Santa, at Christmas. We rejoice that our Saviour was born in a cradle to later die on a cross offering all humanity the gift of salvation.

On behalf of the entire Fellowship National staff, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2018!

You won’t receive a “Word from Steve” for a couple of weeks… we will connect once again on January 8, 2018. Happy New Year!

The Movie ARRIVAL and the Advent Season

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:00:00 PST

I love movies. I studied film-making while in Art College before I was persuaded, by God’s call into the ministry. Other than the inspirational power of a single extraordinary communicator speaking live and passionately to a crowd, I believe film is the second most powerful communication medium in our world. I’m convinced of its emotive, cerebral, transcendent power.

I watched a movie a year ago which I watched again recently. It was even more inspiring the second time. The movie, Arrival, by French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, explores so many cool questions about life. WARNING: it’s a Sci-Fi flick, but I encourage you to watch it anyway.

He delves into eternal themes as we “terra firma” creatures grasp our time-bound world. The film got me asking, “How does the majority of our society, as professing secularists, deal with the transcendent and supernatural as they listen to “Joy to the World, the Lord has Come!” while Christmas shopping in their local shopping mall?”

Villeneuve touches on diverse themes such as time, sanctity of life, foreknowledge, and free will. Is reality predetermined? And if I could know the future, would that be helpful or make life a drudgery as I walk, step by step, toward the end?

This is the Advent season. Jesus arrived in a cradle, and played out His role on earth knowing His future. How hard would that be?—forever showing compassion, and kindness to the same ungrateful creatures who would one day nail you to a cross.

There are no Christ-figures in the movie Arrival, but there is Christlikeness. The main character (played by Amy Adams) chooses to sacrifice and love even though she sees the pain ahead. She chooses suffering ahead. In some small infinitesimal way the film alludes to the agonies Jesus must have felt in His incarnation; knowing His suffering awaited, but choosing to show up anyway “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrew 12:2).

Brett McCracken, “Christianity Today” magazine film critic, writes:

“Arrival is a perfect film for Advent, the season when we contemplate the mystery of an eternal God taking on temporal form “in the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4). It’s a film that helps us approach the incarnation with fresh insight and appreciation, an invitation to revisit a familiar story and consider again the mysteries the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, a beckoning to go back to Bethlehem and see it with fresh eyes. Who knows? Perhaps, in the words of Eliot, “to arrive where we started / and know the place for the first time.”

I encourage you to read McCracken’s critique of the movie, “Arrival” by clicking here.

First Filipino's Church Planting FAMILY TREE

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 00:00:00 PST

I recently attended the Momentum Church Planting Congress in Montreal. Our Fellowship sponsored 53 church planters to be there and take part. Fellowship National hosted a Fellowship Night during the conference and 60 of our leaders showed up. A sweet evening together!

Our Fellowship Regions and churches are currently involved with 35 church plants. There are still others in the gestational phase of being established. God is so good!

First Filipino Baptist Church Multiplication

Back in the early summer I spoke at the 40th anniversary of First Filipino Baptist Church (FFBC) in Toronto. After the morning service we went to a large banquet hall to continue the celebrations. I was surprised to see over 700 people there. They came from multiple churches that have all been birthed from this one church. Honestly, I was blown away! With the help of some of the pastors present, I started to map out the church planting family tree of this one Fellowship Baptist Church on my serviette. I quickly ran out of room. It’s amazing to see, and God gets all the Glory!

FFBC started with four young adults gathering at the foot of Roncesvalles Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard during the summer of 1975 in Toronto. The Bible study grew and two years later (May 1977) they formed First Filipino Baptist Church. Their first pastor was Godfrey Catanus who moved to the USA as a missionary in 1982. His brother, Eliezer, became the lead pastor and served 31 years, retiring in 2015.

From 1984-2017, First Filipino Baptist Church planted eight churches out of which nine granddaughter and great-granddaughter churches were born… a total of 18 churches. They honoured the four founding believers at the Celebration Banquet… all still attend the church. Pastor Henry Manansala of North Victory Baptist Church, one of the daughter churches of FFBC sent me the attached Church Plant Family Tree. Take a peek!

First Filipino and its daughters and granddaughters have much for which to thank God. Our Fellowship has much to be grateful for as dozens of new church plants have been established in recent years. Please be regularly praying for our church planters and their young churches.

Fall Update

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 00:00:00 PST

News on the VOTE (FNC 2017), Day of Prayer, and Bible Engagement Project

I wanted to give you an update on our recent FNC 2017 (Fellowship National Conference) held in Toronto from November 13-15, 2017. We had a very important VOTE on our Membership – Baptism issue… Keep reading to learn more.

November 5-19 — #TheGreatestBook

It was good to hear from some of you and your local churches who participated in our Fellowship Bible Engagement project, #TheGreatestBook. In an age where Bible illiteracy is so prevalent it’s our hope that this brief reminder underscores the need for the Fellowship family to be in God’s Word regularly. Study after study shows that regular Bible reading and study significantly impacts a believer’s spiritual maturity.

Comments received from #TheGreatestBook participants include:

“We attend at First Baptist Church in Timmins. My family and I have been reading the 14 day Greatest Book devotional for our family bible time each night. Thank you for taking the time to share this resource with Fellowship churches. The reminder to focus on God’s Word is both essential and rewarding. Thank you!”

— Nathan Kring

“Steve, thanks for presenting the greatest book initiative, and for the provision of the excellent resource materials. Our people are using the 14 day devotional, and hearing a three week sermon series on why and how to read the Bible. A most excellent challenge which should slow down and maybe even help reverse the troubling downward trend of neglect of this most excellent Word.”

— Roy Sommerville, Pastor, Queensway Baptist (Etobicoke)

If you and your church missed getting involved in our Bible Engagement Project from November 5-19, why not consider doing it sometime in 2018? All the resources and tools for the two-week project are available at www.thegreatestbook.ca where you’ll find #TheGreatestBook 14-day devotional, sample sermons, and age-appropriate Bible studies for children, teens, and adults. All resources are written by leaders within our Fellowship family.

November 13-15 — FNC2017

Our National office has plans to send our churches a full report of FNC2017 in early 2018. In brief, our National Conference in Toronto was very well attended with 166 churches and 379 delegates and other attendees registered. The theme, 500 and Beyond, sought to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Our speaker, Dr. John Neufeld of Back to the Bible Canada, did an outstanding job pointing us to the scriptures that instrumentally reformed the church in the 16th century, with a special call to preachers and teachers to preach the text boldly.

We spent time in praise and prayer together, hearing great reports of mission advancement. Fellowship International and Fellowship Chaplaincy reported a record recruitment year and FAIR (our humanitarian relief department) announced a new organization partnership with BridgeNorth, a ministry to the sexually exploited in Canada. We gained practical insights in workshops, heard from OMF’s Executive Director Jon Fuller on current mission practices in Canadian churches, and from Trinity Western University's Carson Pue on their very public religious freedom court battle with the provincial Legal Societies of BC and Ontario. TWU will defend their case on November 30 through December 1 at Canada’s Supreme Court… we are encouraged to pray on Sunday November 26 in our churches for religious liberty in Canada. All this was capped off with a great banquet and laughs with the improv troupe The Fidgets.

OUR MEMBERSHIP VOTE

In the middle of FNC2017 we gathered together in a business session for discussion and a VOTE of our Membership-Baptism issue. We have been dialoguing on this issue for three years. At FNC our delegates voted on “National Council’s MOTION”… 451 votes were cast (79 were remote votes) and the result was as follows: YES – 53% NO – 47%. The motion failed as it required a two-thirds threshold. A second “member’s Motion” was discussed but later withdrawn by the mover and seconder.

November 19 — Fellowship Day of Prayer

I hope you and your church took advantage of our annual Fellowship Day of Prayer. I’d love to hear back from some of you on what your church family did to focus on the Fellowship in prayer on Sunday, November 19. If you missed this opportunity, why not consider scheduling another Sunday worship service or other gathering.

Caring for Orphaned Girls in Beirut, Lebanon

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 00:00:00 PST

Many have experienced a short-term missions (STM) experience. Today, I’d like to share some of my own personal experiences from a recent trip to Lebanon as well as the STM experiences of Willowdale Baptist (Toronto, ON), and newly appointed Fellowship International missionary, Kim Doro (City Centre Baptist, Mississauga, ON).

Karim and Rita Anayssi and their girls have been Fellowship International missionaries since 2011 serving at the Cedar Home in Beirut, Lebanon as Executive Director. Cedar Home is a not-for-profit Christian orphanage caring for girls ages 3-16 who have lost at least one parent. The home provides a family atmosphere with spiritual, physical, educational, and emotional support for girls.

When I visited Cedar Home during my recent trip to Lebanon, I was so impressed! By the facility itself, the evident love between the girls and care-givers, and the vision Karim has for further growth and impact. Karim shared the stories of Baby Lucas — a newborn found in a blanket at the front door — and Syrian refugee sisters (ages 5 and 6) who were recent arrivals. This would be a great ministry for many of our Fellowship churches and donors to get involved with. I’d love to talk to you about it.

The Anayssis’ sending church is Willowdale Baptist (Toronto). Recently, the church’s Executive Pastor, Ben Porter, and an STM team visited Cedar Home.

We asked Ben to comment on their trip:

“From May 29th to June 12th, I had the opportunity to lead a short-term mission team from Willowdale Baptist Church which served in Lebanon. We spent months praying, planning, and fundraising. God opened many doors to bring this ministry opportunity to fruition.

“The team came together at Cedar Home in Lebanon. We spent much time building relationships with the 15 girls who live there. We led games, crafts, devotionals, worship and prayer times. God loves these girls so much and though they come from rough backgrounds, they were so loving and caring. God is using Karim and Rita to save these girls’ lives. The vision for expansion and the favour God has poured out on this ministry is nothing short of remarkable. I definitely got the sense that the Holy Spirit is moving through Cedar Home.

“With hearts filled, and eyes needing to be dried, we said good bye for now to all those at Cedar Home with the hope that we will return soon.

“Please keep Karim and Rita in your prayers. God is moving through His people all over the world! I want to thank the Fellowship International staff for their guidance and wisdom in making this life-changing mission trip possible.”

In September 2017, Kim Doro was sent by City Centre Baptist (Mississauga, ON) to Cedar Home. She is serving for several months as a mentor and tutor to the girls in the home as a mid-term missionary. Kim’s story is unique in that she grew up at Cedar Home and is now going back to love the girls. We asked her to tell her story…

“It was many years ago when I first entered the doors of Cedar Home. Just a few days before my mother's death, at four years old, my two sisters and I were left to be cared for by strangers. I remember well how I hated that place and the people there. In that same place I spent my childhood and adolescent years. During the early years, many times I swore to myself that once I left Cedar Home, I would never return or want anything to do with it.

“However, in that same place, I was introduced to my Lord and Saviour — the best gift anyone has ever given me. I learned about His true and unconditional love. Although I swore never to return, something within me started to feel different. I knew the impact that place had on my life and at one point I said: "Well, there is a possibility... one day! Maybe one day after I retire and have nothing else to do".   I did not realize how soon that day would come.

“ At the beginning of this year, during a very challenging time in my life, I kept asking the Lord about the reason for all those challenges. One word was always the answer — MISSION. I struggled for awhile with the Lord and where I felt He was leading me. I prayed more, asked more questions, and asked for different signs. To my amazement, the answer never changed and the reassurance of what He was asking of me was becoming clearer. God was asking me to retire early, go back to Cedar Home, and work with the girls.   WOW! I was astonished! My life was turned upside down! Talk about when God wants your full attention, complete surrender and unconditional obedience! At that point I asked God to give me peace and courage to take a leap of faith. Sure enough, He showered me with what I needed; I stood one Sunday in awe of His work in my life and I surrendered all to Him!

“Here I am after more than 40 years, and am looking forward to going to that same place to serve among the girls using the gifts that the Lord has given me. This time I am willingly going. I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me, believing that I will be blessed beyond measure.”

Please be praying for Karim, Rita, and Kim as they continue to serve at Cedar Home and impact the girls for Christ.

If you have any interest in connecting or getting involved with Cedar Home, please contact our Fellowship International department. We would love to talk to you about this ministry or any other short-term mission’s initiative you might be thinking about.

The Vote, Bible Engagement Project, and Day of Prayer

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 00:00:00 PST

FNC 2017 has begun! Hundreds of delegates from our churches across Canada have arrived for our Fellowship National Conference (FNC) in Toronto.

Online Live Streaming and Voting at FNC 2017

This year we are voting on the Fellowship National Council’s motion below; an issue we have been discussing and debating for three years:

“To change section 4.1(a)(ii) in the Fellowship Bylaws from “Demonstrates agreement with the Affirmation of Faith” to “Demonstrates agreement with the Affirmation of Faith. The definition of baptism as ‘the immersion of the believer’ (in the Ordinances Article) and the definition of a local church as a ‘company of immersed believers’ (in the Local Church Article) are intended to describe the normative practice of baptism and the resultant nature of the church. Notwithstanding those definitions, it is recognized that MEMBER churches may choose, in exceptional circumstances to practise believers’ baptism where an individual cannot be physically immersed or to accept into membership an individual baptized as a believer by another mode.”

In the event member churches were not able to send delegates to FNC 2017, an opportunity to register remote delegates was given to our Fellowship constituency. While it is too late to register voting delegates, please be in prayer as our Fellowship family discusses and votes in the Tuesday afternoon (November 14) business session.

The Fellowship Bible Engagement Project: #TheGreatestBook

We’re right in the middle of our Bible Engagement Project #TheGreatestBook (Nov. 5-19) and I am hoping you and your church are involved in this endeavour. For the past 18 months we have been promoting involvement in #TheGreatestBook as a way to encourage all Fellowship Baptists to be in God’s Word daily.

I have a favour to ASK:

I would love to receive some brief testimonials from those who benefited from this Fellowship Canada-wide project. I plan to share these in a future Word from Steve blog. Ways to share:

Post on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) — use #TheGreatestBook and @FellowshipNatl to join the conversation. Send me your feedback — Send me a line or two about your personal or your church’s experience (click HERE). Replies that make it to me before November 30th will be considered for an upcoming Word from Steve blog post. By the way, if you missed participating in the #TheGreatestBook project in November, I encourage you to pick another two week/three Sunday period of time which fits your schedule. The study toolkit, sample sermons and promotional resources and video are all available at www.thegreatestbook.ca

Fellowship Day of Prayer

Just a quick reminder that our Fellowship Day of Prayer is coming up this Sunday, November 19. This is one Sunday where all Fellowship churches are encouraged to pray for our movement of churches — church health, church planting and leadership development — along with our Regional National ministries — international, humanitarian relief and social justice, francophone, and chaplaincy ministries.

We are stronger together and all success is due to our collective commitment to prayer. Thanks for praying for our amazing Fellowship family this Sunday (November 19).

Immediate HELP When You Need it!

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 00:00:00 PST

October was Pastor Appreciation Month! I hope we thanked our pastors on Thanksgiving weekend and that they got some much deserved rest on the long weekend, too. It’s so important to recharge our batteries. You can’t keep charging without recharging.

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s desire for each of us to find adequate rest, saying in Psalm 127:2 (Message): “It is useless to rise up early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know that God enjoys giving rest to those He loves?”

Did you catch that? God enjoys it when we have a good rest. So do something spiritual today… have a nap this afternoon? God is very clear about our need for rest. To ignore His fourth commandment is foolish. When we function outside the way God designed us, we are headed for trouble: spiritual, emotional and physical burn-out. A Sabbath rest each week is commanded to rest the body, recharge our emotions and refocus our spirit… sounds like a three point sermon, eh?!

THE CLERGY CARE NETWORK (CCN) CALL 1-888-5-CLERGY

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, please contact someone. I know there are resources available in each of our Regions to support you.

One such support is the Clergy Care Network (CCN). Our National Fellowship pays for free phone counselling help for all personnel of The Fellowship including pastors, missionaries and chaplains, along with their spouses and children. Access is FREE to you.

The number is 1-888-5-CLERGY.

CCN is provided by Focus on the Family and developed in conjunction with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Its purpose is to provide a listening ear. Pastors, missionaries, chaplains and their families can access the CCN help line through e-mail or by using a toll-free number. Callers can remain anonymous if they choose. The staff of the Clergy Care Help Line can:

Provide initial counseling and crisis intervention. If needed, provide a referral to a CCN-approved counselor in the area. However, please note that the cost of the additional counseling is the responsibility of the individual. This cost may or may not be covered by your group coverage; the Fellowship Health Plan does provide modest coverage for recognized counsellors with accepted credentials. Introduce the caller to a retreat facility or treatment centre in the area. Provide resources and advice to pastors regarding particular family counseling situations they face in their church. Pray with the caller.

Your call is completely confidential. No one from your church or our National/Regional offices will know that you made a call.

Need some support? Make the call!

Curabitur tincidunt

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 00:00:00 PST

Curabitur tincidunt aliquam tellus sit amet molestie. Vestibulum feugiat in leo id pellentesque. Integer fermentum elit sit amet urna convallis, sed cursus ligula luctus. Morbi malesuada scelerisque ipsum, non rutrum sem. Praesent gravida elementum tincidunt. Vivamus rhoncus id urna eget maximus. Vestibulum cursus rutrum metus eu porta. Nunc ut nulla facilisis, malesuada mauris eget, pellentesque lorem. Proin eu enim sapien. Duis vitae lectus at velit imperdiet viverra.

Increase Mission Collars Using a Free Grant Program

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 00:00:00 PST

I was chatting with Pastor Chris Kovacs of West Highland Baptist Church, Hamilton, Ontario about a novel way to help fund the advancement of the Gospel worldwide.

I thought it deserved a broader promotion and so I asked Chris to share this opportunity with you:

“As pastor of outreach at West Highland Baptist in Hamilton I am always looking for ways to further the outreach in our city as well as to strengthen our mission’s impact around the world. Our city is becoming more religiously and ethnically diverse while at the same time becoming more secular. The world’s population is growing faster than our mission’s budget. Our goal to go to ‘all nations’ seems to be pulling away from us. Are there any resources that can help?

Last year a ministry colleague approached me with a unique opportunity to increase our impact both at home as well as abroad. On behalf of our church he applied to Google for their AdWords Grant program –which any CRA registered church is eligible for. The grant is substantial and gives free online Google advertising to one website. To ensure maximum use he developed a website for our local outreach initiatives which also had a Polish language gospel component. The Polish language portion was to support our mission work in Poland. It contains articles to help seekers understand the Gospel and answer some basic questions they might have. You can think of it like a web-based online Alpha program. With the Ad Grants program our church is able to advertise across our city any outreach event we put on as well as our regular Sunday Services. We have used these ads to promote our summer VBS, music camps, sports camps, Christmas concerts, Father’s Day car shows, Alpha programs, Easter plays. In slightly over a year we have passed out over 1,200 e-invitations to our programs in Hamilton. Since this is in the Google Ad Grant program it did not cost us anything and supplemented our regular advertising.

As good as that is, it is in the Polish component that we are seeing benefits — national in scope. Having run the Polish ads in Poland for almost five months we have spent over $50,000 (in free money) to pass out 60,000 web articles across the Polish-speaking world explaining the Gospel and answering questions. Because of Ontario’s diversity some of those were passed out in the Greater Toronto Area, but the majority of articles were read in Poland. Our next step is to see if we can develop a network of pastors across Poland who can follow up with people who write in on the site. This has the potential to not only bolster the local ministry of the missionaries we support in Poland (Fellowship International missionaries Ben and Krista Taylor) but can create a movement across the country.

Google supports over 100 languages and they developed the grant program so that charities can “share their story with audiences all over the globe”. If we as a Fellowship coordinate our efforts we could share the Gospel story in these languages and the nations they represent, increase our impact in our communities all while using a grant program that is a free service. If, as a pastor, you have the same concern for local outreach and global missions as I do, why not take a look at how we are using this grant and see if it can fit in your church’s ministry toolbox? I’d be happy to explain it further to you.”

Let me encourage you to find out more about this by contacting Chris at chriskovac@westhighland.org.

Freedom of Religious Assembly (Bill C-51) in Canada

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 PST

In this blog I wanted to comment on the current legislation (Bill C-51) being considered by our Federal Government considering religious assembly protections. The consequences could be very real in how Christians and clergy conduct themselves within the “public square”.

Freedom for Religious Assembly in Canada (Bill C-51)

On June 15, 2017, Bill C-51 was introduced to the federal government with four objectives relating to our current criminal code in Canada:

Clarify and strengthen the laws of sexual assault. Remove obsolete or duplicate offences. Remove or amend provisions now found unconstitutional by the courts. Provide a statement ensuring every Government Bill describes how the Bill may impact the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The clause that the church in Canada should be concerned about is Clause 14 of Bill C-51. It eliminates a law that protects clergy and a law that protects the assembly of religious worship services.

Currently, Section 176 (1) of the criminal code protects clergy from prevention of performing religious duties including travel to perform those duties. A wedding, preaching, hospital visitation, communion?

Section, 176 (2) broadens this protection to anyone participating in the religious service by criminalizing the intentional disturbance or interruption of the religious service. Disrupting a worship service, vandalism, and public protests due to opposition to church dogma? Bill C-51 eliminates both these laws. Bill C-51 will be reviewed by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in the fall of 2017 when Parliament resumes sitting.

What’s at Stake? One could argue these two sections are outdated in the 21st Century or that other current laws will cover these concerns. However, if an individual were to silently protest, with a placard stating “politely” his concern for your church’s beliefs, he would be in his legal rights. Not charged for “uttering threats” or “forcible confinement” by stopping a pastor from going to preach at his church. There is conduct that would no longer be considered criminal if sections 176 (1) (2) were removed.

To learn more click HERE for information from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), or HERE for information from the Gospel Coalition.

Soon the EFC will be intervening in a Supreme Court case that determines whether the courts have the right to weigh in on the disciplinary process of membership decisions of churches and other faith communities. Should our government make determinations on matters of theology and religious practice?

What’s at stake? Does a former member of a church have legal recourse for undergoing church discipline, violating religious belief and practice? Should government have jurisdiction over the internal decisions of churches and their core beliefs which are closely tied to these beliefs? What if a pastor or member declared their sexual orientation had changed since affirming their local churches statement of faith? The story continues…

an Important Day to PRAY!

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 00:00:00 PST

On Sunday, November 19, 2017 all churches and friends of the Fellowship are encouraged to gather for prayer. This is an opportunity for our churches to lay aside some time in their worship service (or other venue) for prayer for our Fellowship churches, Regions, missionaries, chaplains, pastors, church planters and National/Regional staff. A pastoral prayer, several folks leading in prayer, or breaking into prayer huddles are all ways you can participate.

I would encourage you to watch the excellent We Are the Fellowship video (4 min) that introduces the mission and vision of our movement of churches and how our Regions and National Ministries support our local churches. Also available on the same site is a copy of our Fellowship Directional Document (FDD) which serves as our statement of faith as an entire movement. This document clearly identifies who we are and what we do as local churches.

WE ARE THE FELLOWSHIP VIDEO

You can find both the FDD document and video at www.wearethefellowship.ca.

I hope we will all gather together on Sunday, November 19, 2017 to PRAY together. Asking the Lord to open the windows of Heaven to bless our churches as we advance the Gospel in Canada and beyond.

A Declaration for Persecuted Christians

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 00:00:00 PST

A historic Summit focused on the unprecedented scale of increased persecution of Christians worldwide called the global Church to prayer and action.

Over 600 delegates (150 being victims of persecution) from 130 countries gathered in Washington, D.C. in May 2017. Some bore scars of their beatings and torture. Each had a story to tell from countries where following Christ is perilous.

They gathered at the first ever “World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians.” The Summit’s purpose was five-fold:

To show solidarity with all who suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ. To call attention to the plight of persecuted Christians. To pray for those in political authority To learn from one another how to persevere amid suffering. To “recommit ourselves without reservation to the Lord Jesus.”

DECLARATION on the Persecuted Church Worldwide

In the closing session of the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians, a final declaration was created; calling all followers of Christ to pledge solidarity in spirit and action with fellow believers worldwide who suffer for Christ’s sake. The declaration is meant to be a catalyst for individual believers, local churches, and governmental agencies to take action after a decade in which persecution of Christians globally has increased at an accelerated pace reaching unprecedented levels.

The final portion of the DECLARATION is a call to action. It reads:

“Let us declare our allegiance with all who suffer for Christ’s name and pledge to make the following commitments:

We Pledge to promote awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide and work to help in their hour of need. We Pledge to pray unceasingly, urging other believers throughout the world to pray for those being persecuted, that the whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless (1 Thessalonians 5:17, 23-24). We Pledge to provide practical assistance, whenever possible, to the persecuted church (Philippians 2:4). We Pledge to work with individuals, organizations and government agencies, encouraging them to act as advocates on behalf of the persecuted because of their faith in Christ Jesus (Proverbs 31:8-9). We Pledge to follow the Biblical mandate to comfort and edify one another so that we exemplify Christ’s love and transforming power, even in the midst of hardship (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We Pledge to strengthen the worldwide witness of the church around the world through biblical proclamation – evangelism – and to do so boldly, unapologetically and without compromise (Mark 16:15; Romans 1:16).

Persecution is increasing, but the Church’s witness to the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ will never be extinguished. We pray for our fellow Christian believers, wherever they may be found. We claim the Lordship of Christ and watch for that day when He will return and reign as King of kings forever, and we pray for that promised day when, as that cherished hymn of the faith declares, “the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.”

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day…”   (Ephesians 6:12-13).

IDOP Sunday is November 12, 2017

Please consider praying for persecuted Christians worldwide in your local church on Sunday, November 12. Consider this call to action….

FAIR and Operation Mobilization respond to Hurricanes Irma and Maria

FAIR is responding to the devastation in the Caribbean Islands after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Funds raised will be used to support relief efforts, enabling the local church to distribute much needed supplies such as water filters, tarps, and hygiene kits. Cleanup and rebuilding efforts will also be supported since many homes and livelihoods were destroyed after the Islands were hit by the two category 5 hurricanes.

Many of the hardest hit areas are currently unreachable by roads. Join us in praying that relief supplies will make a significant impact in the lives of those who need help and that volunteers distributing aid will be able to effectively share the love of Christ with hurricane survivors.

Watch the VIDEO to see how FAIR’s partner organization Operation Mobilization is responding to the need in one of the hardest hit islands – Barbuda.

Religious Freedom and Conscience Freedom in Canada

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 00:00:00 PST

There is a lot of legislation currently being discussed that concerns Christians in Canada today. Much of it will have far reaching consequences and impact on the church in our nation.

Here are a couple updates with some links. These are not exhaustive — just a taste to whet your appetite to discover more:

Religious Freedom in Canada (Trinity Western University court case)

In the Fall of 2017, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), will be intervening before the Supreme Court of Canadian two cases involving TWU (Trinity Western University) of Langley, BC. Previously, the EFC intervened in court cases in BC, Ontario, and Nova Scotia against the provinces’ Law Societies. The Societies were unwilling to accredit TWU’s proposed law school, thus denying law students of TWU to practice in their province due to the university’s “Community Covenant”. Two of the three provinces lost their court cases, however, the BC and Ontario cases are being heard by the Supreme Court.

They argue the University’s “Community Covenant”, which includes a requirement to abstain from sexual intimacy outside of heterosexual marriage, deprives students, including the LBGTQ community, from access to education from TWU.

What’s at stake? If TWU loses this autumn, all Christian organizations may be denied public accreditation because they uphold Biblical principles and beliefs. The Supreme Court’s decision will have far-reaching consequences.

Personal Conscience Freedom in Canada (Bill C-14 MAiD Law)

Doctor-assisted suicide (death) and euthanasia is now legal in Canada. The Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Law allows competent, consenting adults in advanced stages of irreversible declining health to commit suicide. The BC Civil Liberties Association has filed suit saying the law is unconstitutional and too restrictive. Doctor-assisted suicide should be available to anyone (children/teens?) who suffer from chronic illnesses that may not cause their untimely death.

This past June 13-15, EFC and other Christian groups intervened in support of five doctors and the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada. These doctors are challenging Ontario’s requirement that all medical practitioners perform the medical service (suicide) or refer the patient to someone who will perform it, thus violating their conscience and personal belief system. Many doctors of faith believe referring patients for suicide is no different morally or ethically than committing the act themselves. Ontario’s policy requires doctors to violate their conscience or lose their job.

What’s at stake? Those in society who are particularly vulnerable, the aged, or living with disabilities, are concerned that any protection under the law may vanish, possibly leading to the abuse or misuse of MAiD.

Click HERE for a full brief of what was shared on June 13-15, 2017.

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