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ISSUE 4 | VOLUME 48 | DECEMBER 2011
Leading a Globally Minded Church on Mission
this issue Leading a Globally Minded Church on Mission 1 An Overview of our Spiritual Learning Communities (Clusters) 2 Next Generation Ministries 2 Assistant Superintendent 3 BCYD Global Workers 3 Aboriginal Ministries 3 Women 2 Women 4 Children, Preteen and Family 4 District Superintendent 5 Bella Coola Blessings Coming & Going 6 University Christian Ministries 7 But God... 7 Happenings Around the District 8 District Calendar 8
EQUIPPED to do
His will
Hebrews 13: 20-21
Conference on the Ministry BC/Yukon District The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
March 12-14, 2012 Abbotsford Pentecostal Assembly details coming soon www.bc.paoc.org
by Derrick Hamre, Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Church, Kelowna and a member of the District Missions Committee
Ecclesiastically, we have to ask ourselves, what are we trying to accomplish? Cut through the platitudes and clichés. Do a gut check. What is the mission and how are we accomplishing it? There are a number of key aspects that will help our churches achieve high levels of effectiveness in outreach and missions. First, I think we need to be focused and deliberate. If we are guided by scriptural conviction, we may make the “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and world” our priorities. Being a missional church begins with being centred on biblical convictions and evaluating our progress on a regular basis. What kind of questions do we ask ourselves? Start with a geographic question; it’s a great place to begin. We should ask ourselves: “What’s our church doing in our community?; What are we doing to partner with other ministries and/or outreaches in our city?; What is the unique mission that we are called to and how are we funding and fuelling it?”. We don’t need to recreate the wheel. Look at ways the church could be the wind in someone else’s sails. Can we give funds, volunteer hours and/or our building and expertise to help others meet our community’s needs? In the same way, evaluate your mission as it relates to this province, nation and world. If you desire missional balance, you will ensure there are resources from your local church that are being poured into our District, special Canadian priorities (like aboriginal or francophone ministries), and global causes. Knowing that you are touching all parts of our world with prayer, encouragement, financial support and volunteers , it will help you sleep at night (better than melatonin for me). Second, seek help to increase your missional effectiveness. Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church says, “Facts are your friends”. Don’t be afraid to take a sincere look at what you are doing. Paul tells us that, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10), to give account for the
way we invested our lives. It seems to me that it’s better to do this on a regular basis in the here and now, than be surprised when we arrive in Glory. The evaluation should consist of what you’re doing in light of your mandate, as well as how well you are doing it. See the holes in the missional plan; observe the weak links or where there may be little effort. Then, set out to get help to shore those areas up or stretch into new territory. The District, your pastoral cluster or the creativity within your own team are great places to get more information about opportunities. Third, don’t ever stop believing that you can really change the world. As our people, our particular church in our geographic area is focused, working hard, evaluating and improving our mission – lives will be changed forever. Believe that God is able to do amazing things. Trust Him for more. Don’t ever give up on praying for increased favour, new opportunities and greater resources to touch your world. Prayers turn into action. Action grows vision. Vision fuels dreams and together with God we reach to do more. Because “rivers of living water” flow from your church, you will bless the world, change social structures and bring spiritual change. Don’t ever forget why God called you to ministry and planted the ministry you are in. He has plans and a purpose. Tap into that! The degrees between global and local are smaller than ever. You can make a difference in both the local area and around the world. Finally, always remember that our real measure of worth is not what we’ve retained, but what we have been able to release. Our churches are not reservoirs for personal comfort or blessing, but rivers of God’s blessing released into our world in order to bring Christ’s Gospel in word and deed. You may have a small church, but make a huge impact by your determined efforts to give and care. It’s not how big an enterprise we build that matters, but how many leaders we’ve equipped and released for His purposes. This is what discipleship and mentoring is all about. I pastored at a small prairie church and the building still looks the same today as it did three decades ago; but in reality, that small church has released key leaders into “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the world”. That church is a world changer. Page 1