cmAlliance.ca: Fall 2013

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A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

FALL 2013

Mission-Focused THE IDENTITY OF THE CHURCH

Miracle at Sea Twenty days adrift in the South Atlantic

s Sixty Years in Mission Kingdom impact of this diligent servant

Strengthening Our Role New approaches for reaching the most neglected in the world

GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE IN CANADA “THIS ASSEMBLY WILL BE A DEFINING MOMENT FOR US AS A MOVEMENT” — PRESIDENT DAVID HEARN

July 2–6 | 2014

Ottawa Convention Centre Ottawa, Ontario Come early to celebrate Canada Day in our nation’s capital Attend valuable pre-Assembly seminars focused on discipleship and coaching Opportunities to worship, connect, learn, explore resources and be encouraged // President David Hearn’s first President’s Report // Unveiling of the Strategic Plan // Report on the Commission on Biblical Unity within Theological Diversity

Christ-Centred. Spirit-Empowered. Mission-Focused.

Contents

37 Nurturing Personal Wellness

Features

38 Sending Our Workers into

8 Miracle at Sea

How one woman’s faith overcame extreme circumstances while adrift in the South Atlantic

12 A Mighty Movement of God Experiencing ministry like we have never seen before nor since

14 Sixty Years on the Mission Field The Kingdom impact of this diligent servant of the Gospel

17 Missions as a Family Affair

Powerful multi-generational stories giving evidence of God’s presence over the years

20 Real People, Real Transformations Stories from around the world of how God is using our workers

22 Step Up, Step Out

How one man became a global Christian caring for God’s people wherever they are

24 Home Keeps Moving

A glimpse into the extraordinary lives of several of our International Workers’ children

28 Five “S” Movement: A Global Strategy Toward the least-reached and under-engaged people groups

A tool to encourage our workers to pursue a transcendent vitality of life with God

God’s Harvest Fields

How the Alliance determines where to go, when to go and who will go

40 Connecting People With Places Insights into a process of discerning God’s direction for those interested in serving internationally

42 Understanding God’s

Heart for Missions

An exciting interactive course that looks at our world from his perspective

43 Extending the Kingdom

Through Faith-Filled Risk A challenge to include holy boldness and daring innovation in all we do

44 God’s Vision for My Life Ignited How effective short-term missions experiences resulted in permanent personal change

46 Enlighten | Educate | Equip Freshen up your library (or tablet) with these missions resources recommended by Alliance leaders

47 Say That Again!

How active language learning for local integration is the beginning point of ministry in a new culture

30 Strengthening Our Role in

God’s Global Mission

34 Mentoring New

International Workers

Through a ripple effect lay leaders learn from our workers then practise what they learned

35 Returning to Canada on

Home Assignment

Insights into the challenges of transitioning back to the country they once knew

36 Repaying Their Gift to His Country This South Korean missionary has a specific call to minister to First Nations communities in Canada

Departments Justice and Compassion

48 Embracing God’s Rescue Plan

Now You Know

54 Financing the Alliance Vision

Personnel

50 Personnel Updates

Perspectives

7 Mission and Discipleship Realigned

FALL 2013

Thoughts about new and innovative approaches for reaching the most neglected in the world

Allıance

EDITORIAL

CM

cmAlliance.ca is the national publication of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada.

Founder A.B. Simpson President Rev. David Hearn Associate Editor Gladys Thompson Copy Editor / Copy Writer Maria Scorgie Editorial Assistant Debra Marritt Design Devon J Andrew Design Inc. Consultant Peter White All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Agreement No. 40064689 ISSN: 1918-4646 All articles are copyrighted by The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada except where indicated and can be reprinted only with written permission.

Submissions Writer’s Guidelines are available at www.cmacan.org. Send electronic inquiries or manuscript submissions to magazine@cmacan.org.

No responsibility is assumed to publish, preserve or return unsolicited material.

For more information or reprint permission: contact Gladys Thompson, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, 30 Carrier Drive, Suite 100 Toronto ON M9W 5T7 Phone: 416.674.7878 ext. 202 Fax: 416.674.0808 e-mail: magazine@cmacan.org Member of the Canadian Church Press

Distinctively Canadian Totally Alliance 4

cmAlliance.ca Fall 2013

A Single-Hearted Love for People

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n a sermon entitled Our Trust, A.B. Simpson articulated in simple yet powerful terms God’s specific call to The Christian and Missionary Alliance. One of the defining markers of this movement was our commitment to go to the most difficult places of the world to reach the most neglected.

Simpson declared, “This movement stands for a commitment to reach the most neglected fields, to avoid the beaten tracks of other labourers, to press on to the regions beyond and instead of building upon another man’s foundation, to preach the Gospel where Christ has not been named.”

Today that passion still beats in our hearts. Whether to the nations of the Muslim world or the most neglected in our own neighbourhoods, we are called to be a fearless people on mission with an unstoppable God! Simpson’s desire to “give Jesus speedily to a lost world” inspires our imagination and innovation as a mission-focused movement.

In this issue of cmAlliance.ca, you will be stirred by stories and articles that affirm our passion to be a movement on the front lines. You will catch the heartbeat of Brem Frentz, our Vice President of Global Ministries, as he shares his vision for new and innovative approaches for reaching the most neglected.

Your imagination will be stirred as you read Gerald Hogenbirk’s article on how we determine the places to launch new ministries. Your own missional passion will be challenged as you read the story of Jonathan Kaan, a pioneer church planter who was willing to risk everything to reach those who had not heard of Christ.

This is our DNA as an Alliance movement. Simpson stated it this way: “This movement stands for a spirit of self-sacrifice, adjustment, adaptation and single-hearted love for people. We are called to a spirit so possessed with one supreme object to gain men and women for Christ that it sweeps over every other consideration in its over-mastering purpose of love.”

My prayer is that as you read this magazine, you will be captivated once again with a “single-hearted love for people” that will compel you to risk it all for a needy world.

Blessings, Dave Hearn President

“

CHRIST WAS MISSION-FOCUSED

Go and make disciples of

“

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

all nations...

Matthew 28:19

Mailbox

To submit a letter, write to magazine@cmacan.org or cmAlliance.ca, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, 30 Carrier Drive, Suite 100, Toronto ON M9W 5T7. Letters may be edited for space, clarity and style.

Submissions constitute permission to use. Include your name, city and province.

R ADIATES A VITAL AWARENESS I have just finished devouring the Spring edition of cmAlliance.ca, and the June Momentum insert, and have found their articles and updates to radiate a vital awareness of Spirit-led teaching and activity . . . God is at work! Keep reporting it. These two documents also seem to have a tighter, simpler presentation which clarifies their content. Congratulations!

As I read these Alliance publications, I sense that God is renewing many of us, giving breakthroughs in key areas and bringing us back to the essentials of dependence on the written Word of God and on the indwelling Spirit of God. Bless him!

—Shelley Ryan

GREATLY CONCERNED The Spring 2013 issue (of cmAlliance.ca) featured an article, A Dream, a Plan and a Prayer, which highlighted Winnipeg’s Chief of Police, Devon Clunis. I am greatly concerned that the article supported his comment which stated: “What would happen if we all just truly —I’m talking about all religious stripes here — started praying for the peace of this city and then actually started putting some action behind that?”

The article made it clear that the media focused on the ridiculous idea of prayer and missed the part about action. What our magazine failed to do was focus on the ridiculous idea of encouraging anyone to pray to any other god.

I preached in our Alliance church this Sunday, and spoke from 1 John 4:1-3 in which we are warned to “test the spirits . . . ” If we are not praying to the God of the Alliance, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then we are praying to a demon, a false god. Out of respect for the magazine, I did not use the article as an example.

I am sure Police Chief Clunis is a sincere brother in the Lord, but I believe his thinking needs to be corrected and we need to apologize to our readers in order not to mislead them. Otherwise I will have to apologize publically to my congregation for this article.

—Kyle Hunter

SO MUCH INFORMATION Well, you have done it again. As a mission leader for a small country church (Iona Christian Fellowship Church), you provided so much information I do not know which one to use first . . . A BIG THANK YOU! —Elsie Hutchings

CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION My wife and I have enjoyed the latest edition of cmAlliance.ca (Spring 2013) and especially appreciated Ben Elliott’s article, Prayer Makes Us One, on the role of corporate prayer.

We value the setting of the context of prayer with reference to our nature in the image of God expanded by the Trinitarian nature and inter-penetrating relationship within the Godhead.

Ben’s closing paragraph caught our attention. We felt we knew what he was saying, but we each struggled with the use of the adjective “sacramental” with “of our unity.”

It seems to us that the phrase needs adjustment, such as “corporate prayer has sacramental significance for our unity” or “corporate prayer is a sacramental expression/function of our unity.”

—John D. Wilson

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WHOLE FOCUS ON PR AYER Thank you for the Spring 2013 edition of cmAlliance.ca, with the whole focus on prayer. At our Alliance church in Vegreville, Alta., we have just entered into a “Prayer Focus” and I was excited to receive, and sit down with, this issue. Within minutes, I grabbed my Bible, red pen and ruler, and began looking up and underlining the Bible verses used in each article.

We were going to hand out copies of this edition to just our “prayer warriors” but we have since ordered more copies for our whole congregation.

Isaiah 65:17-25 (page 35) is definitely a passage we will be using as God leads us into a “Prayer Walk” ministry!

—Darryl Crocker

PRAYER SUGGESTIONS This weekend is the Ignite Global Prayer event in Midland, Ont., focusing on their Seamless Link International Worker, Lois Belsey.

I had asked Lois to send me prayer requests . . . I’m waiting on those now (because she’s travelling to the lowlands and back) and I’m always aware that their Internet access is less than perfect.

So today, I picked up the new cmAlliance.ca magazine. I noticed it’s about prayer. And what is the first article? A three-pager about Lois and the work in Papua with pictures, followed by a whole page of prayer suggestions with a quote from 2 Corinthians. PTL! —Marcus Verbrugge AN UPLIFTING MAGAZINE Thanks for an uplifting magazine…

Good to read how the Lord works in different ways and different places!

—Diane Gendron

Alliance work teams serve around the world, combining faith and works. We show the love of Jesus not only through prayer and spiritual impact, but also through hard work and productive effort.

International Work Projects Mexico - Jan. 18 - Feb. 1, 2014 - to pour 3rd floor of Atizapan Short Term Ministry Center Guatemala - Mar. 1 - 15, 2014 - to tile third floor of National Church office in Guatemala City Mexico - Mar. 29 - Apr. 12, 2014 - to enlarge boarding school/orphanage in Guayacavo (Copper Canyon) Mexico - Oct. 2014 - Return to Atizapan S.T.M. Center to continue working on third floor

TRIP COSTS Approximately $2,500 - $2,800/person

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Art Wiens - Coordinator

Check for other international work project opportunities as they become available.

For more information contact: Art Wiens – International Work Project Coordinator T: 306.949.0183 or C: 306.536.0802 · Email: wsw@sasktel.net

perspectives

Mission and Discipleship Realigned Insights into a transformed understanding of these concepts which places the purpose, practice and power with God

BY LEN HJALMARSON

in Christendom, our lenses for thinking about Church became inward lenses.

We thought a lot about programs and services for members, kind of like a “Christian club” way of seeing the Church. When we did think about mission, we tended to see it either as something for foreign service or David Bosch as a program of the Church. We viewed it as one spoke on a wheel and not as the n the mid-1990s, I listened to hub, not the reason for our existence, Denver pastor, James Ryle, speak not an expression of our identity as a about the Great Commission. He sent people. used a careful interplay of words: But nothing has changed “If we are in sub-mission to Jesus, since Abraham. We are blessed we will get per-mission to go on to be a blessing. The Church is an co-mission with him.” Looking back, organization that exists for the James was connecting discipleship sake of its non-members. In this and mission. we reflect the very inner life of the What is the relationship between God who is a loving community, discipleship and mission? In the and who overflows with love into last generation, we didn’t make the the world. God is on a mission, as connection very well, not in theory David Bosch wrote: “It is not the or in practice. There are some Church of God that has a mission in historical reasons for this, but the the world; it is the God of mission biggest reason may simply be that who has a Church in the world.”

GOD IS ON A

MISSION It is not the Church of God that has a mission in the world; it is the God of mission who has a Church in the world.

I

Mission is not a program of the Church—it is God’s life in us and the movement of the Spirit in the world. Mission is not an attribute of a healthy church, it is an attribute of God. It is our task to faithfully partner with him.

Discipleship does not exist apart from mission. Rather, discipleship gets its traction from mission.

Mission powers discipleship. When this alignment is lost, discipleship becomes distorted into an internal “self-improvement” reality.

Discipleship gives mission a telos—a purpose and end goal.

We share the Good News so that people can know Christ, and have life in his name. This is much more than membership in a local church. Jesus did not say, “I came that they may have church, and have it more abundantly!”

The goal of mission is to bring healing and redemption to all creation. Discipleship, then, imparts the attitudes, relationships and skills necessary to live a life of wholeness in the world. Connected to Christ and in harmony with one another, we are a new social reality, a sign and a foretaste of the Kingdom of God. Len Hjalmarson, DMin, is an adjunct professor at Tyndale Seminary and resides in Kelowna, BC

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FEATURE

MIRACLE AT SEA How one woman’s faith overcame extreme circumstances while adrift in the South Atlantic

BY GLADYS THOMPSON

It had been nearly three weeks on the raft and Ethel could feel her energy draining away. After sleepless nights and constant watchfulness over the four children in her care, she felt so helpless, so outnumbered.

Could her faith hold out before it, too, cracked and gave way to the reality of their situation?

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T

he alarm shrieked and the dreaded cry was heard: “Torpedo on the starboard bow!” Ethel Bell had been in that very spot just moments earlier.

A second torpedo sealed the fate of the ship.

Less than two minutes later, the West Lashaway disappeared.

The ocean came up to meet her, the suction of the sinking ship dragging her down. Then, arising through a haze, Ethel was able to breathe again. The haze was, in fact, oil covering the sea with a thick scum; it was stuck in everyone’s hair, face and clothes. She was astonished to see her two children swimming toward her.

Nineteen people piled onto a raft, salvaging anything useful. Ethel was the only woman on board, accompanied by her own children, the two now-orphaned children of another missionary family, and a number of the crew.

Rations, they were told, would be four ounces of water a day, two in the morning and two at night, with half a tin of pemmican each or a ration of chocolate, malted milk tablets and crackers.

PERILS AND PRAYER For 20 days, under the furnace of the sun and the chill of rain, these victims of World War II came to know gnawing hunger, choking thirst and tormenting nightmares.

Sharks swam two feet away, always there—just waiting for an arm or a leg to slip into the water.

Never for a moment did Ethel question God’s presence with them. She had experienced his love and goodness on too many occasions to doubt him now. Thoughts of family and friends praying for her never failed to uplift and encourage her.

Many times over the next three weeks she reflected on her past. While in her 20s, she was in a sanitarium in Gravenhurst, Ont., suffering from tuberculosis. As the daughter of Rev. Albert Roffe, a superintendent of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, she believed the Lord would heal her, and he did! She then headed to the mission field, later marrying George Bell and serving by his side in French Sudan.

George and Ethel had four children, two of them twin boys. At almost a year old, the twins took sick, dying within minutes of each other. Then, when on furlough, George was killed in an accident while returning from a missionary conference.

In 1938, with her two children, Ethel again sailed for Africa. Now, four years later, with the outbreak of war, they had to be evacuated. Ethel, along with 13-year-old Mary and 11-year-old Robert, had boarded the freighter, West Lashaway, to head home.

Each day on the raft, Ethel held daily devotions with the children, telling Bible stories, memorizing Scripture, singing hymns and praying while most of the men from the crew listened intently. Ethel revelled in the glory of the daybreak over the vastness of the ocean and at

WEST LASHAWAY The West Lashaway was a 424’ cargo ship. On its last voyage it was laden with tin, copper, palm oil, latex, cocoa beans and an assortment of exotic birds and animals

NEVER FOR A MOMENT DID ETHEL QUESTION GOD’S PRESENCE WITH THEM night she watched the stars, praising God for this beauty spread across the heavens.

Hardly a day passed that they did not see a rainbow, bringing a message of hope from the Creator himself.

“See, children,” she would say, “that rainbow is God’s message of hope to us. God takes our tears, like raindrops, and by the sunlight of his love he turns them into something beautiful.”

Sometimes it rained, which helped greatly with the water supply. Minnows swam in the raft at their feet, making a raw meal for the starving survivors.

DISASTER STRIKES Once a severe storm lasted through the night, tossing the raft like a feather, but no one fell overboard. Several times the bos’un shouted, “You folks that believe in prayer had better pray now, ‘cause this raft’s breaking up.” But the raft held.

No one suffered from a cold; no one got seasick. These divine interventions, says Ethel, were too many and too varied to be glossed over as mere coincidence.

After drifting for a week, death struck—not once, but twice. Internal injuries led the Captain and a shipmate to their death. Ethel was asked to say a few words,

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mean a night of shivering cold. Ethel prayed and not a drop of rain fell.

Note: To learn more about Ethel and her

THE RAFT The raft as seen by HMS Vimy on the day of rescue

SAVED AT LAST The raft survivors came to that never-to-be-forgotten morning of September 18, 1942 when they were aroused by the cry, “Convoy!”

“Never ‘til my dying day shall I forget the sight. There on the horizon was a line of five great merchant ships, shepherded by two destroyers of the Allied Nations.

We were right in their path, and there did not seem the slightest possibility of their missing us,” Ethel stated.

A shell screamed over them, hitting the water nearby.

It was quickly followed by another and, with sickening terror, the survivors realized they were being fired upon!

Ethel again called on God to save them. Someone cut down the mast, frantically waving it. The crew of the destroyer then realized these were not enemies and ceased firing. Sixteen shots had been fired, and not a

family’s experience, check out • In Peril on the Sea: The Story of Ethel Bell and Her Children

by Robert Bell and D. Bruce Lockerbie. Christian Publications 1996 • Adrift: The Story of Twenty Days on a Raft in the South Atlantic

“MRS. BELL, ONE NIGHT WHEN I WAS SCARED, I LOOKED UP AND SAW A LIGHT OVER THE RAFT! THAT LIGHT WAS YOUR FAITH — IT SAVED US!”

by J.H. Hunter.

Zondervan 1943

committing their bodies to the deep blue sea.

Ethel declared, “The Lord gave me patience and grace of endurance to sit in practically one position until our tribulation ended. Occasionally I would stand up and try to lift one foot, then the other, but even this became too painful; my feet and legs were so swollen with sores from long immersion in salt water.”

One day a plane spotted them, dropping a container of food. For the first time in 14 days everyone had enough to eat. Soon a ship appeared on the horizon, but couldn’t see the raft. With sickening pain, the survivors watched it leave, wondering, “When will rescue come?”

The drinking water situation was looking grave. One morning a dark cloud appeared in the distance. Ethel prayed for rain. It came, filling their water kegs and washing their faces and hair in a refreshing stream. Then it stopped and the sun shone until their clothes were dry again.

That night clouds appeared again. If it rained it would

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single one hit the raft!

In a few moments, HMS Vimy drew alongside, the sailors helping them aboard. They were fed, provided with First Aid and taken ashore to Barbados.

Ethel was hospitalized, sleeping for three days and three nights. Men from the crew came to thank her. One testified, “Mrs. Bell, one night when I was scared, I looked up and saw a light over the raft! That light was your faith— it saved us!” He found the Lord as his Saviour.

On October 30, 1942, Ethel Bell and her two children arrived at her parents’ home in Toronto.

Audiences were eager to hear her story. “The acid test of our faith,” Ethel stated, “is never found in the easy-going, comfortable ways of life, but in the great emergencies, the times of storm and of stress, the days of adversity, when all human aids fail.”

Gladys Thompson, Communications Coordinator at The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada’s National Ministry Centre, is Associate Editor of cmAlliance.ca

THE DEVASTATING TOLL OF WAR An estimated 35 million people lost their lives in World War II, both directly and indirectly. Millions more suffered injury, deprivation and mental anguish. The Alliance family was not spared.

There are many accounts of official Alliance workers suffering perils and hardships as a result of this war: • Four Alliance missionaries suffered death by violence.

• Four died in Japanese prison camps, and two died after release from afflictions that were either caused or aggravated by prison conditions. Three of these missionaries were from the Eastern and Central Canadian Districts: ° Rev. Franklin Grobb developed acute appendicitis while in a Japanese camp. Delays in carrying out an operation resulted in death from peritonitis two months before the end of the war. ° Dr. Robert Jaffray, a diabetic, succumbed to the effects of inadequate and inappropriate prison diet one month before the armistice. ° Rev. Ernest Presswood survived prison camp in a weakened condition. Six months later, in Borneo, he died of pneumonia.

Information taken from Rebirth by Lindsay Reynolds

A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE Each year, at 11 a.m. on November 11, we pause to remember the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, our country during times of war, conflict and peace. More than 1,500,000 Canadians have served our country in this way, and more than 100,000 have died, giving their lives so we may live in peace.

Wars have touched the lives of all Canadians—some killed in action, some wounded and thousands who have returned but are forced to continue the rest of their lives with the scars of war. Some stayed in Canada, serving in factories or volunteering with service organizations.

Often we take our freedom for granted. Those who went off to war believed these values were being threatened. By remembering their service and sacrifice, we recognize that they fought to preserve our tradition of freedom.

By remembering those who served, we recognize that they willingly endured hardship and fear so we could live in peace. It is up to us to ensure that their dream comes true.

W E W I L L R E M E M B E R T H E M.

FEATURE

A MIGHTY MOVEMENT OF GOD Experiencing ministry like we have never seen before nor since

BY ARNOLD COOK

W

e arrived in Lima, Peru in 1975, two years after the birth of “Lima’s Encounter with God” (in Spanish: “Lima al Encuentro con Dios” and referred to as the LED movement).

The LED was a high-profile attempt to reach people for Christ in the capital city of Lima, with a population of nine million. Special meetings were held every two weeks for 15 consecutive months. Hundreds came to Christ and were discipled into churches.

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When we left Peru in 1978, there were four churches. Today there are 68 Alliance churches in Lima, and 377 across the country, many of which are sending missionaries around the world.

Alliance missionaries have worked in Peru since 1925, focusing on the rural population. But a seemingly unrelated event occurred in the country.

An American Alliance industrialist, Robert G. LeTourneau, had his contract with the Peruvian

government revoked due to government change in the late 1960s, locking his funds in the country. Being a missionsminded man, he sent his son, Roy, to Lima to see if those funds could be used by The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) in Peru.

Roy met a Canadian Alliance missionary, Kenn Opperman, and a vision was born for reaching Peru with aggressive evangelism. LeTourneau loaned money to build a four-storey Christian Education building on a strategic property in the heart of Lima. Later, funds became available to construct a large church, seating 1,100, alongside the Christian Education building. And, as they say, “the rest is history.”

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH After being in ministry for 15 years in Canada, Colombia and Argentina, we were accustomed to seeing God bring people to Christ in ones and twos. But regularly in Lima, we saw two and three hundred people confessing Christ as Saviour every WE SAW month!

TWO AND Every night for two weeks, dozens of men and women responded to the THREE preaching of evangelists invited from HUNDRED neighbouring Latin American countries.

This huge spontaneous response to the PEOPLE Gospel was invigorating.

CONFESSING Local church leaders taught discipleship classes several nights for CHRIST AS the following two weeks. Not everyone SAVIOUR who professed faith attended these classes, nor did all those who took the EVERY classes follow through to baptism. But MONTH many, many did. And the churches grew exponentially.

One large church built two baptismal tanks into their platform. Before closing each baptismal service, this same invitation was given: “All those who desire to be baptized at the next baptismal service please come forward.”

Consistently, 50-70 people would respond.

CRITICAL ISSUE The LED team called an unusual meeting for the leaders and a couple of missionaries to deal with a crisis. The issue? “The response to the Gospel is so great, we are having problems keeping up with the discipling of new believers. Our question is: Should we stop evangelizing in order to catch up with the discipleship?”

I was fervently praying, “O God don’t let them stop evangelizing!” After much debate, a key Peruvian leader spoke up: “God is blessing evangelism—we must keep going!” And they moved forward with the monthly evangelistic meetings, finding better ways to disciple the new believers.

God’s people generously gave their tithes. Many outreach programs began: Christian education, youth

ministries and feeding programs for children in difficult communities, to name a few.

I was establishing Bible Studies by Extension, countrywide. I hoped for an enrolment of 500 students by the end of our term, but we had 500 within a year and a half! A beautiful working environment prevailed. No one asked, “Who’s calling the shots?” Work was a joy—everyone busy discipling new believers.

RARE EXCEPTION What makes Lima’s Encounter with God (LED) so unique?

In my research of “historical drift” and “the renewal of Christ’s Church,” I have noticed a pattern: These special divine visitations powerfully impact a Christian movement for a brief generation. Occasionally, this spiritual impact continues into the second generation, but very rarely does it significantly influence the third generation.

But as I reflect on our brief visit to the 40 th anniversary of LED, I see evidence of a rare exception. This powerful visitation of God seems to be moving into a third generation of the C&MA church in Peru as it shares the Good News to the lost peoples around the world.

This is amazing! To God be the glory.

Dr. Arnold Cook served many years as an International Worker, was Vice President/Personnel and Missions, and a past president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada and the Alliance World Fellowship. He is currently a Missionary-at-Large.

God’s love is . . .

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FEATURE

SIXTY YEARS ON THE MISSION FIELD

BY WILSON KAAN

The Kingdom impact of this diligent servant of the Gospel

Rev. Jonathan Kaan Photo Courtesy Wilson Kaan

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n October 2012, I had the honour of accompanying my dad, Rev. Jonathan Kaan, to the joyous 25th anniversary celebration of Adelaide Chinese Alliance Church in South Australia. He planted that church in 1987. During our visit, we witnessed the great work the Lord has done and continues to do.

By the grace of God, Dad has spent the past 60 years travelling around the world and planting Christian and Missionary Alliance churches on four continents: Asia, North America, Australia and Europe. He ascribes, “This is my Father’s world.”

HIS EARLY YEARS As a toddler, Jonathan lived with his grandmother after his birth parents died. The two lived in a small dark and dingy hut that was frequently invaded by mice and other little creatures. But even in their dreary home, the young boy was always tucked into bed by his grandmother who sang, “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears . . . ” When Grandmother was no longer able to raise him, she took Jonathan to the nearby orphanage run by an American missionary, Ruth Hitchcock, and two German missionaries.

During the Sino-Japanese war, Ruth, now his mother, and her two German sisters did all they could to provide for the hundreds of orphaned children, but war and political instability ravaged China in the early 1930s. Many times they were forced to risk everything and shepherd their frightened flock of children further into the interior.

Peace was gradually returning to the nation following World War II when Ruth spoke tenderly to Jonathan, “Guo Hing (the name she affectionately called him), it is time for you to find a way to support yourself, perhaps by packaging some basic medicines and travelling to the rural areas. While selling those medicines, you can share the story of Jesus with the people.”

Sometime after, Jonathan became a student at the Alliance Bible Seminary in Wuzhou, Guangxi, China.

It was from here that Dr. Robert A. Jaffray, a pioneer missionary, led his students in missions work throughout Southeast Asia. His successor, Dr. William Newbern, encouraged his students to do the same.

As the bamboo curtain was drawn in 1949, the seminary students and professors relocated from the mainland to Hong Kong, a British colony. Jonathan and his wife-to-be, Huilan, were part of the first class who made the transition and graduated in Hong Kong.

IN SOUTHEAST ASIA The newlyweds, Jonathan and Huilan, arrived in Haiphong, Vietnam, a bustling French port, in 1952. The Kaans established a small congregation and Huilan gave birth to me, their firstborn son. They named me Weixin, meaning “by faith only,” because of a traumatic birth experience.

On July 21, 1954, Vietnam was partitioned into North and South, forcing thousands to flee from North Vietnam to Saigon in the south. The young Pastor Kaan led the entire church and his small family on an epic journey of faith by sea.

THERE IS HARDLY A DAY THAT GOES BY WITHOUT HEARING GUN SHOTS, A WEEK THAT GOES BY WITHOUT A FUNERAL

Church in Vietnam 1969 Photo Courtesy Wilson Kaan

Overwhelmed by the recent arrival of refugees from the north, Saigon was not an easy place to establish a ministry. However, Jonathan and Huilan’s classmates, Rev. and Mrs. Philip Loh, had already founded a church in the Chinese district of Saigon and invited them to join the ministry at Cholon Chinese Alliance Church.

In 1959, they opened a new church on Luong Nhu Hoc Street in Cholon. During the Vietnam War, this church ministered to locals, refugees and street children, and an orphanage and day school were established.

Dad summed up the overall Vietnam experience in his diary: “There is hardly a day that goes by without hearing

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gun shots, a week that goes by without a funeral, and there will always be empty seats at each of our family tables.”

FROM EAST TO WEST In October 1970, the entire Kaan family of nine left Vietnam for Hong Kong where we were granted a one-month visa. Then we again became refugees and stateless people.

In January 1971, I was accepted at Toccoa Falls Academy in the U.S. My mother, Huilan, accompanied my six siblings to Taiwan to live with her parents. My father, Jonathan, went alone to Montreal, Canada.

Quebec in the early 1970s was a hotbed of activism.

Nationalism was on the rise. Soldiers filled the streets.

There were demonstrations and counter-demonstrations.

With his family settled safely in Taiwan, my dad eagerly took on church planting work in Montreal.

In 1971, the Chinese Alliance Church was established with the help of a German-speaking Lutheran Church who offered the use of their sanctuary for free. This Alliance church later ministered to the physical and spiritual needs of thousands of diaspora Chinese (refugees and immigrants).

In 1992, the congregation of the Montreal Chinese Alliance Church moved to a new location. Five daughter churches for the Chinese community have since been birthed from this mother church.

For political and economic reasons, many Asian families moved to Toronto in the 1970s, which provided opportunities for Dad to plant Alliance churches in Toronto, Ottawa and Detroit.

FROM NORTH TO SOUTH During a sabbatical year, and with the full support of the church in Montreal, my parents travelled south to Australia in February 1986. Shortly after landing, they reunited with an old acquaintance in Perth who introduced them to a number of families in the Chinese diaspora community. On Easter Sunday 1986, the Chinese Alliance Church of Perth was established, followed by churches in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.

At the recent reunion at Adelaide Chinese Alliance Church, Dad and I met an elderly woman who remembered him well as a young pastor in Haiphong, Vietnam. She used to live across the street from the church. Although she and her siblings did not attend the church, she told us how my father made such a deep

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impression on her life. Dad and I rejoiced to learn that she, her children and her children’s children are all following the Lord!

Retirement gave Dad the opportunity to be with my sister, Dorcas, and her family at their new posting in North Africa. Fellowshipping with other nationalities Kaan Family 1968 and living among Photo Courtesy Wilson Kaan the Muslim people gave him a new perspective into world missions. “New opportunities to learn new lessons,” he pondered as he walked along the tranquil shores of the Mediterranean.

THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD Many lives have been blessed through the 60 years of Rev. Jonathan Kaan’s ministry with The Christian and Missionary Alliance. As God’s servant, he has been faithful and full of fervour. He fearlessly carries the message of the cross to those who will AS GOD’S SERVANT, hear God’s voice and DAD HAS BEEN answer his call in their own lives.

FAITHFUL AND FULL At age 87, Dad OF FERVOUR takes daily walks on the golf course greens in Aylmer, Que., breathing in the fresh cool air.

He reflects upon God’s goodness and grace toward him— during childhood, Bible school, the dark days of war, and his sojourn years, and through it all, his beloved wife and family who shared the journey with him.

With gusto he sings, “This is my Father’s world . . . though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet . . . The Lord is King, let the heavens ring! God reigns: let earth be glad!”

And he whispers, “This is indeed my Father’s world.

Thank you, Father, for entrusting me with a small slice of it.”

Note: All of Jonathan’s seven children are involved in church ministry; one son, along with his wife, is serving as an International Worker in the Silk Road Region; a daughter and son-in-law pastor an Alliance church in Canada.

Rev. Wilson Kaan is lead pastor at Saskatoon Chinese Alliance Church, SK, treasurer and vice president of the Alliance World Fellowship and serves on the Board of Directors for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

FEATURE

Missions As A Family Affair Powerful multi-generational stories giving evidence of God’s presence over the years I am a missionary, a missionary kid, a missionary niece and a missionary grandchild. The stories I heard around the supper table as a child often involved jungles, tigers and communists, but they always concluded with God’s mighty power.

Welcome to our dinner table, and may these family stories confirm your trust in our ineffable God!

BY BONNIE BURNETT

Because he loves us When Grandma and Grandpa began their language studies in Vietnam in 1918, it was soon apparent that Grandpa’s tone-deafness would always affect the way he spoke Vietnamese. Indeed, as the years wore on, his language was never all that great.

One day, a new missionary overheard some men laughing over something Grandpa had mispronounced. In her loyalty she bristled, “If he speaks so poorly, why do you come to hear him preach?!”

They turned to her with astonishment and replied, “Because he loves us.”

I’ve never forgotten that lesson! No matter how weak (or strong) we are, it is the love of God flowing through us that touches hearts and draws people to Christ.

He is faithful Sometime during their years overseas, my Grandma inherited a castle in Scotland. As missionaries, however, they could not afford it, so they sold it and put the money into their mission work.

My young mom, watching this, asked, “Why don’t you put some of that money aside for when you retire?” Her father answered, “Sweetheart, I will use

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Bonnie’s grandparents, Ed and Marie Irwin

what is in my hand to serve the Lord now, and when we get to retirement, he will take care of us.”

Sure enough, Grandpa died not long after retiring, but my Grandma lived the rest of her life in Toronto on a small pension and yet was able to give money away each month.

When we are faithful to him, we can count on his faithfulness to us.

Heeding God’s warnings Uncle George tells the story about a trip into the villages. Following a trail down into a valley, he had not gone far when he heard a rustling in the tall grass beside him.

Suddenly, onto the path in front of him, a king cobra slid out and stopped, eyeing him. Uncle George froze.

Minutes passed. Finally, the snake slid away and with pounding heart, Uncle George continued on his way.

Shortly after that, he heard another rustle in the grass and out came another cobra! This one stayed even longer before it, too, slithered away.

It suddenly occurred to Uncle George that the Lord was warning him, so he turned around and headed back up the ridge. As he reached the top, American planes flew in and bombed the valley floor. Had he continued, he would have been right in the bombs’ path.

The Lord often uses Uncle George’s cobra story to remind me to look for his hand in the details of everyday.

Hard lessons learned

to life, encountered angels and were even chased to church by balls of fire.

My mom recounts that one day as she watched, she said to the Lord, “I have followed you all my life. Why haven’t you allowed me to experience miracles like these?”

He answered her, “Helen, child, you know me. You don’t need proof of who I am. These people, though, need to see this to understand me.”

He knows each of us. He knows what it will take for us to see him, and he wants to walk in intimacy with us.

What a great God! And what a blessing to grow up in a family whose stories breathe with his presence. May the next generation grow up to love the God they see in the stories you and I have told.

Bonnie Burnett is an International Worker serving alongside her husband, Derek, in Thailand

Derek and Bonnie Burnett with their family

My dad often talks about the year they returned home for a six-month furlough. As he packed, Dad felt God telling him to pack his library and take it with him.

He argued with the Lord, however, because Dad had a large library filled with valuable books and it SOMETIMES GOD’S didn’t make sense to PLAN DOES NOT pack it up and ship it, just to bring it all back in SEEM SENSIBLE AT six months!

THE BEGINNING To his lifelong regret, he did NOT obey.

Vietnam fell during our furlough time, and Dad never was able to replace the invaluable library of books he had lost.

Sometimes God’s plan does not seem sensible at the beginning, but in the end, we must admit that his wisdom is higher than ours. We will never regret obeying him.

He knows each of us In the years before Vietnam fell, the country experienced a church-rocking revival. People came back

Ed and Marie Irwin with their daughter, Helen, Bonnie’s Mom Photos Courtesy Bonnie Burnett

SHARING THE VISION AND WORK OF MINISTRY

Seamless Link is a partnership between an International Worker (or couple) and a Canadian Alliance church or cluster of churches to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They work together through prayer, funding, communication and possible site visits.

The main goal is to build relationships between churches and International Workers, to truly share in the vision and work of ministry.

Bonnie Burnett’s grandparents were called to join a team bringing the Gospel to an unreached people group. They were held up in prayer and sent by local Alliance communities of faith, with the dream of a strong, independent and missionminded church movement in Vietnam. By God’s grace and through his power, a century later, great celebrations were recently held with thousands of Vietnamese believers who display the fruit of gospel ministry.

We still long to see this happen among the peoples of the world who have little or no access to the Good News about Jesus. Alliance churches identify, equip and send those whom God has called with an audacious vision to plant churches among those with little or no chance to hear the Good News. One effective way churches and International Workers can share this common vision is through the Seamless Link Covenant.

Derek and Bonnie Burnett recently entered into three Seamless Link Covenants with churches in their home district. These churches and the Burnetts are working together to see “a community of faith comprised of the nations and committed to reaching the nations by helping others become fully devoted and developed followers of Jesus Christ in Phuket, Thailand.”

For more local information about the Seamless Link Covenant, contact the Seamless Link Advisor in your area: Canadian Pacific District Steve Foster 250-667-4827 Western Canadian District Ron Brown 403-265-7900 Tim Mackenzie 403-443-2034 Canadian Midwest District Shauna Archer 306-586-3549

Central Canadian District Marcus Verbrugge 905-962-8077 Eastern Canadian District Stephen Ford 647-342-6834 St. Lawrence District Lorilee Jespersen 418-833-7983

FEATURE

REAL PEOPLE, REAL TRANSFORMATIONS Stories from around the world of how God is using our workers

O

ur International Workers are making personal sacrifices to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to people around the world. They are so grateful for the continuous contribution members of our Alliance churches make through prayer support, practical assistance and financial donations.

Here is a glimpse into some of the magnificent ways God is moving through the influence of our workers.

CARIBBEAN SUN REGION

Christ Transforms B* generally did not allow unbelievers to receive a micro-loan, but Ricardo’s wife asked for an exception for her husband. Ricardo was a drunk and often gambled at the cock fights, so it was quite a risk for B to let him have a loan. But he took the chance—and it has totally paid off.

Ricardo was so humbled that God would entrust him with the money that he stopped drinking and gambling. He started going to church and eventually came to Christ.

During the past eight years it has been amazing to see him grow in maturity. He started as a small group leader with a number of unbelievers.

Two of them accepted Christ. He did so well that he ended up taking on a second outreach group. Recently, Ricardo was sent out to pastor a church.

SILK ROAD REGION Christ Saves

At age 22, I opened my own disco bar with a large sum of money I borrowed. Every night was like Saturday Night Fever. My life became nothing but a big lie.

Every month I had to pay an amount equal to the average salary of one year just toward the interest on the loan. To help me out, a local gang gave me heroin, free of charge, to sell so I could repay the loan. That did it.

For 17 years it was drugs, alcohol and crying for help, in and out of a psychiatric hospital nine times. I stopped using heroin but was killing myself with alcohol. I was so depressed, I couldn’t leave my apartment for three years. I tried to kill myself.

Then I entered Rainbow Rehab, not really believing anything could be done for me. What I first noticed was the smiles of the people who warmly welcomed me with open arms. I saw life and love in their eyes.

I knew I wanted to be just like them.

The elders told me that help comes from God. I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and make me a new person—and it happened!

From that morning, my life started to be so happy. Jesus saved me. He is teaching me how to love more.

Sometimes my life is so beautiful I think it is a dream.

Then Christ reminds me, “Oh, no, Jana, you’re not dreaming. Finally you found that you belong to me.” THANK YOU, JESUS!

I ASKED JESUS TO FORGIVE MY SINS AND MAKE ME A NEW PERSON

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DESERT SAND REGION Christ Rescues

Village children were playing near a well (with only a few inches of water) when a fouryear-old boy fell in. The other children ran for help and a crowd gathered.

One after another, six men were lowered into the well to retrieve the little boy, but the intense heat caused each one to faint. All six were pulled out of the well unconscious, leaving the boy behind, presumed to be dead.

Then Beau and some believing friends came along.

“This was Satan’s work,” Beau said, and offered to go into the well to rescue the boy who had been down there for about two hours.

Beau was afraid at first, but then Jesus took away his fears. He got into the well and it was fresh and cool—there

AS SOON AS HE FINISHED PRAYING, PEOPLE CALLED OUT THE LITTLE BOY’S NAME AND HE OPENED HIS EYES was no heat at all. He tied the unresponsive boy to a rope and he was lifted out of the well.

Kneeling beside the boy, Beau prayed in Jesus’ name.

As soon as he finished praying, people called out the little boy’s name and he opened his eyes and his family took him home.

Beau has since had the opportunity to explain his faith to a group of people in that village. An elderly man who witnessed the miracle now believes in Christ.

ASIAN SPICE REGION Christ Cares

One day, Bob was out for lunch with a local pastor when this fellow pastor received a phone call, asking if his church was interested in moving to a new location.

He was not, but mentioned he knew our church might be interested. Several months later, we moved into our first location that was a full-time rental rather than a Sunday-morning-only rental.

Bob sensed God directing him to open a “Nations Learning Centre” to reach out to the migrant workers and refugees. The call to this new ministry coincided with moving to our new location, and in January 2013 we launched the centre.

Recently, Bob had coffee with our friend, R*, who spent many years as an International Worker in Bangladesh.

He and his wife partnered with us at the Nations Learning Centre and their language skills have helped greatly with the Bengali men who had been mistreated and displaced to Penang.

R just returned from a trip to Bangladesh. There, he met the families of six of the Bengali men from the Nations Learning Centre. Once the families got past their suspicions, they were amazed to see pictures of R with their sons.

One mother, in particular, was weeping as she looked at the picture of her son. The families asked R to continue caring for their boys. R connected these families with his coworkers who now have new contacts within this Burmese community in Bangladesh—an open door nobody could have ever expected.

A new location that coincided with a new ministry vision. The right people in the right place at the right time. Displaced men being ministered to, and now their families in Bangladesh having connections to people who will introduce them to Christ. WOW!

ONE MOTHER WAS WEEPING AS SHE LOOKED AT THE PICTURE OF HER SON

*These names have been omitted to protect their identity Paintings Courtesy Kim Peters, International Worker, Spain

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FEATURE

STEP UP STEP OUT How one man became a global Christian caring for God’s people wherever they are

BY ANDREW WIERENGA

W

alking into church one Sunday morning, I noticed a display monitor listing some opportunities to serve. What caught my eye was a project in Mexico City where concrete experience was required.

After the service a good friend of mine, who had owned a concrete finishing company for 30 years, asked me if I had seen this project. Less than five minutes later we were committed to going.

In February 2012 we were off to Mexico City to join a team of 12 from Western Canada. We did everything from “soup to nuts,” as we cleaned up, prepared concrete, carried concrete, finished concrete, set steel, built shelves, did a little plumbing, some electrical, a little engineering and a host of related jobs to keep the project moving.

It can only be described as a “God thing” that 12 men could come together in Mexico City and, within hours of being introduced to the site and project, all find their place. Much could be said about the bonds that were formed between the men and the local people who fed us, worked beside us and worshipped with us.

The opportunity to worship with the local churches was truly unforgettable.

Imagine a service that starts at 11 a.m. and,

A team erects a cross at the Alliance church in Aruba

YOU WILL BE SURPRISED AT WHAT GIFTS COME TO BLOOM WHEN PLANTED IN DIFFERENT SOIL after much singing, dancing, eating and baptizing, finishes at 7 p.m. What an experience!

After my time in Mexico City I determined that, if health and wealth allowed, I would go on at least one of these projects each year. As a result, I found myself in Aruba for two weeks in January 2013 as part of a team of five.

In Aruba we first had to learn how to work in temperatures of 34 – 38°C. In Mexico City we mostly built,

ALLIANCE WORK TE AMS ON MISSION For the past 28 years, Alliance work teams have served around the world in practical ways by helping with construction, renovations and ministry projects.

Over the years, projects were sourced when needs were presented by our International Workers. However, with the relocation of many workers into secure regions, we have transitioned to working with national churches in many areas.

Alliance work teams participate in hands-on tasks including block laying, cement work, plumbing, electrical, welding, painting and tile setting.

It is not mandatory to be a specialized tradesperson, although we Helping to construct the Artizipan Alliance Church certainly do welcome them.

On one of our last trips to the Copper Canyon of Mexico, we were able to assist in the distribution of food to 235 Tarahumara Indian families. What a fulfilling and rewarding experience!

I am grateful to those who have taken vacation time from their jobs, and for all of the retirees who

but in Aruba we mainly renovated, adding to an existing building bought by the Chinese Alliance Church. We installed new doors and fixed old doors, raised a fence to make the property more secure and constructed a cross to stand as a symbol of God’s grace.

Some people have asked me what it was like on these teams. The answer should really be given face-to-face; words fall short of describing my experience.

What I have learned is that everyone has something to offer and by listening to each other we can all celebrate God’s grace. He supplies our every need and more. I have seen this in the form of equipment, building supplies and expertise always being there when needed.

I urge everyone who has thought about doing something like this to step up and jump in. You will be surprised at what gifts come to bloom when planted in different soil, and how, when you step out, the gifts God has given you can be used in a new environment.

Andy Wierenga attends Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton

A team member helping out at the Artizipan Alliance Church in Mexico City

have taken vacations with a purpose, to minister on construction teams.

Although it may be outside your comfort zone, the blessings far outweigh the fears that may arise from the very thought of stepping out in faith to serve those in another country.

Along with the cross- ALTHOUGH IT MAY cultural experience, BE OUTSIDE YOUR you will benefit greatly from the COMFORT ZONE, friends you make THE BLESSINGS FAR both on the team as OUTWEIGH THE FEARS well as those whom you are serving.

I highly recommend that you consider joining one of our Alliance work teams and letting God use you in a very practical way to serve others.

Art Wiens, International Work Project Coordinator, attends Rosewood Park Alliance Church in Regina, SK. He has been involved with work teams since 1985 and as coordinator since 2002

Some members of the work team in Aruba

FEATURE

Home Keeps Moving A glimpse into the extraordinary lives of several of our International Workers’ children

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M

issionary Kids (MKs) do not grow up in the culture of their parents. They tend to bounce back and forth between Canada and their home country, sometimes two or three countries. They are “visitors,” not immigrants, to the familiar culture of their friends. As a result, these children face some very unique situations.

As you read their thoughts about how they are dealing with their circumstances, keep in mind that each one represents hundreds of people who are able to hear the Gospel because of the commitment and work of their parents.

Challenge of Belonging

“Hello! Where are you from?”

Before I answer, I ask myself: Where should I start? How much time do they have? Do they even care?

“Hi, my name is Daniel, and I’m from Canada.” But that’s not the full truth! What about the other countries where I have lived, the different cultures that comprise who I am?

Maybe home is where my passport says I’m from.

But which of my passports should I choose? Canadian?

American? Maybe home is Hungary, where I was born. But I lived in four different cities and five different houses in Hungary and attended three different schools.

Maybe home is Kazakhstan, the country where I did most of my schooling. But is Kazakhstan—a land of gorgeous mountains, painted trees, random gas pipes, horse hotdogs, fermented camels’ milk and burning garbage—really my home? I lived in six different houses in Kazakhstan. And should I even mention that I am going to

university in Indiana?

I can easily identify with the people in Hebrews 11:13 who are “foreigners and strangers on earth.” There is no place on earth where I truly belong. There is one place, however, that I can call home without feeling cheated: Heaven.

No matter where God has me move on this earth, I am always rooted in Heaven. Heaven is my true home. Heaven is the place where one day I will live and belong.

—DANIEL F., 18 YEARS OLD

Daniel, May 2013

Getting Used to Spices

I have attended Sahel Academy since Kindergarten. In Grade 3, I went to school in Canada during Home Assignment.

Sahel is an English-speaking school, but we have French class, French being the national language. We have all of the subjects that a school in Canada would have.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, crafting, doing origami and more.

Locals add chili peppers to flavour sauces. I’m getting used to the spice and love the flavour. These sauces are eaten with bread, pasta, couscous or rice. I don’t usually eat African food; I mostly eat western food. I have great interest in food and hope to be a chef one day.

Many people wonder if I prefer Niger or Canada. I can’t decide. Niamey is a very inspiring place that has become one of my homes.

—ELISE C., 11 YEARS OLD

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Life Is Different in Canada There are new experiences each time we return to Canada. We are currently living in a small farming town in Ontario and our boys have noticed the big fields, the big tractors and the spring smell of hauling manure. Back home in Asia, the tractors are as small as garden tractors here and the fields are the size of Canadian backyards.

The boys are also being introduced to the Canadian culture of plastic cards— debit cards, credit cards, health cards, driver’s licenses and loyalty cards—a huge change from the culture back home that deals almost exclusively with cash. And we noticed that advertisements focus on the monthly payments rather than on the total price. In one flyer, we couldn’t find the total price for the contractor to build a sun room, only the monthly price. Lots of changes.

MESSAGE FROM AN INTERNATIONAL WORKER ON HOME ASSIGNMENT

Hot Weather and Fruit Loops

I am in Grade 3 and have been living in Jakarta, Indonesia for three and a half years. Indonesia is boiling hot. Instead of not being able to go out for recess when there is a big snowstorm, here we can’t go out for recess when it is too hot.

School here is hard because there are not many jobs in Indonesia but lots of people. So kids are really competitive to get the best grades possible.

I loooooove to eat pizza. And guess what? I still get to eat pizza here. But I miss eating my favourite cereals like Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops. Sometimes we can buy Fruit Loops but the small box costs $10! This year, for the first time, they have made a new Indonesian brand of Fruit Loops—I can’t wait to try them!

My favourite Indonesian food is chicken satay. But I also really like donuts from Jco (kind of like Krispy Kreme or Tim Hortons).

There are lots of street dogs.

Once I was taking a shortcut home after school. I was in the trees when a dog saw me and began barking.

Then about four other dogs started

I KNOW THAT GOD WANTS US HERE SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THE LIGHT OF JESUS WITH OUR INDONESIAN FRIENDS surrounding me. I was terrified. Then a nice Ibu (the Indonesian word for “Mrs.” or “lady”) came and chased them all away with a stick.

There are a lot more insects in Indonesia. One time after it rained, tons of cockroaches came up our sink drain and me and my mom had to kill them all. I think there were nearly 100! Because I live here I am not afraid of any Canadian insects anymore.

Although I miss Canada and our family and friends, we still have fun and I know that God wants us here so that we can share the light of Jesus with our Indonesian friends. Come visit!

—BLAISE E., 8 YEARS OLD

Helping Build Stronger Houses

I have lived in Canada for three years. I have lived in Niger for six years. I go to a Christian school named Sahel Academy. I finished Grade 3 in the beginning of June.

In Niger, most of the houses have guards in case people climb over the wall around our house. We have a swing guard, a day guard and a night guard. A swing guard is a guard who guards our house if the day guard or night guard is sick or has a day off.

We make and sell bracelets, bookmarks and “Scoobidoos.” We do this because some people in Niger live in houses that aren’t that strong and when there are big sandstorms sometimes their houses fall down. If we give them mats, they can build stronger houses. We have, with God’s help, succeeded in helping three of the neediest families.

I’m glad I’m in Niger. Even though it is hot here, I get used to it and it does not usually bother me.

—IYLA C., 9 YEARS OLD

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Loving the Culture

Though some people think living in Mexico is dangerous and isolated, it's not like that at all.

Almost everything is eaten with tortillas and meat.

Most Mexicans' diets don't include a lot of fruit or vegetables, which is strange, because one can buy fresh fruit all year round for cheap. You rarely see a meal without chili. Whether it’s in the main dish or set on the table for YOU RARELY you to put on yourself, there is always some kind of spice.

SEE A MEAL I could go to a public school WITHOUT but all my classes would be in Spanish. Yes, I speak CHILI Spanish; however, I feel more comfortable doing my school work in English. Sometimes the education levels of Mexican schools aren't as high as in Canada. For those reasons, I go to a very small MK school, about an hour from where I live. A hired driver takes me and my siblings to school and back every day.

My school isn't actually a school building, it's a house, and there are around 15 students. There are only six teens in high school. It's very different, but I enjoy it. It feels more like a family than a school.

In Mexico City where I live, the worship isn't very different from what people in Canada are used to. Of course it's in Spanish, but most of the songs are ones you would recognize. If you go a little outside the city, the worship is different.

I used to be a part of a bigger worship group for a bigger church (about 50 people) until my parents and some other missionaries felt called to start an international church. Since I play guitar and I was the only one with history in a worship group, I was asked to lead worship.

If I was asked what my favourite thing about Mexico is, it would be hard to choose. I really enjoy the food and the language.

I would have to say my favourite thing is the culture. It is very family based.

These are just a few differences between Mexico and Canada. I hope you found it interesting to learn a bit more about a different culture.

FAST FACTS ON OUR KIDS International Workers’ children (18 years and under) as of June 30, 2013:

100 C H I L D R E N 55 B OY S A N D 45 G IR L S 11 AT T E N D B OA R D I N G S C H O O L

S I L K ROA D R EG I O N 30 C HIL D R EN, AV ER AG E AG E 10 Y E A R S C A R I B B E A N S U N R EG I O N 24 C HIL D R EN, AV ER AG E AG E 11 Y E A R S D E S E RT S A N D R EG I O N 23 C HIL D R EN, AV ER AG E AG E EIG H T Y E A R S A S I A N S PI C E R EG I O N 23 C HIL D R EN, AV ER AG E AG E 14 Y E A R S

No Free Playgrounds One of the challenges our team families face is that if you want to do something safe and fun with your children, you have to pay wherever you go. There are no free playgrounds here. This gets costly and it becomes a challenge to find things to do with the children. Please ask our Father to give our team families some creative and innovative things to do with the kids.

TAKEN FROM AN INTERNATIONAL WORKER’S PRAYER LETTER

—ARIANNE E., 15 YEARS OLD

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Five “S” Movement

Toward the least-reached and u

C A N A DA Population: 35.8 million People Groups: 248 Least-Reached Peoples: 43 Present Focus: new immigrants Churches: 431 Licensed Workers: 1,611 Inclusive Membership: 129,452 (as of Dec. 31, 2012)

A FRIC A Population: 1.06 billion People Groups: 3,695 Least-Reached Peoples: 990 Present Focus: North, West and Central Africa International Workers: 41 Total People Groups being impacted: 20+

S O U T H A N D CE N T R A L A M E RIC A / M E XICO Population: 561 million People Groups: 1,474 Least-Reached Peoples: 96 Present Focus: Mexico/Caribbean/Venezuela International Workers: 44 Total People Groups being impacted: 17

O God, with all our hearts we lon transformed by Christ, transfo

Christ-Centred. Spirit-Emp

Joshua Project, www.joshuaproject.com; C

t: A Global Strategy

under-engaged people groups

L E A S T- R E ACH E D PEO PL E S 2% E VA N G EL I C A L A N D L E S S T H A N 5% C H R IS T I A N A D H ER EN T

= LESS THAN

A SI A / AUS T R A LI A MI N US CE N T R A L A SI A Population: 3.759 billion People Groups: 6,901 Least-Reached Peoples: 5,672 Present Focus: East and Southeast Asia International Workers: 90 Total People Groups being impacted: 40+

E U RO PE / RUSSI A / A R A BI A N PE NI N SU L A / CE N T R A L A SI A Population: 1.155 billion People Groups: 1,623 Least-Reached Peoples: 384 Present Focus: Europe/Arabian Peninsula/Central Asia International Workers: 79 Total People Groups being impacted: 30+

ng to be a movement of churches orming Canada and the world

powered. Mission-Focused.

C&MA stats projected as of Sept. 1, 2013

FEATURE

STRENGTHENING OUR ROLE IN GOD’S GLOBAL MISSION Thoughts about new and innovative approaches for reaching the most neglected in the world

AN INTERVIEW WITH BREM FRENTZ

BY GLADYS THOMPSON

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IN OUR UNIQUE TIME IN HISTORY, WE DO NOT WANT TO MISS WHAT I SENSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES THE CHURCH HAS EVER HAD TO PENETRATE DARKNESS

S

ince the call to Abraham in Genesis 12, God has invited his people to be on mission with him. cmAlliance.ca recently interviewed Rev. Brem Frentz, asking him to share his thoughts on missions, particularly since his appointment as Vice President of Global Ministries in January 2013.

W H AT IS G LO BA L MINIS T RIE S A N D W H AT IS YOU R RO L E?

Global Ministries is the department of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada tasked with serving our national movement of over 400 churches to complete the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) with the passion of our founder, A.B. Simpson.

My role, along with my wife, Donna, is to provide the lead coordination for all of our global efforts.

This must be in response to and in communication with our churches, given our missional DNA and the fresh emerging vision of our churches.

S I N C E CO M I N G I N T O T H IS RO L E, W H AT H AV E YO U L E A R N E D T H AT H A S S U R P RIS E D YO U?

not in line with the heart of God, as well as enormous conviction that we all need to respond mutually to what God is saying at this moment to this generation of people.

My vision is to help create a responsive Global Ministries environment that is desperate for God and his Kingdom purposes and is committed to establishing this needed trust, both in God and in each other.

In Global Ministries, we wish to work together with others in partnerships of like-mindedness. We cannot do the work alone.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING ALLIANCE GLOBAL MINISTRIES TODAY?

It has surprised and blessed me to enter into a process which I believe God has prepared to shape us for our next chapter. While I knew that President David Hearn’s vision captivated my own heart, I have learned that there is a high level of expectation that God will do something very unique among us.

Many groups have caught the vision to make a significant impact at this unique time in history—yet the coordination for this has not been sufficiently tapped. We Canadians suffer from this inertia, and to a large degree indifference, while the opportunities for transformational efforts are beyond comprehension.

When I started as an International Worker nearly 24 years ago, there was a movement of very well-trained, highly motivated and focused individuals, usually coming from strongly supportive families who were committed from a deep sense of calling to a lifestyle and lifetime of career missions.

Today, our world is flat and accessible. Here in Canada, our families are fractured like never before. We live in bigger homes with unprecedented affluence, yet with less conviction in what is right and what is wrong. We have greater demands on our time and short-term commitment to most things. We are collectively responsible for this. The corollary is that we also have unprecedented needs that only God, by his Spirit, can address and transform.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR GLOBAL MINISTRIES WITHIN THE ALLIANCE CONTEX T?

W H AT A R E S O M E O F O U R N E W I N I T I AT I V E S A M O N G U N R E AC H E D P E O P L E G RO U P S?

Vision is most dynamic and impactful when it grows within a community that cries out to and listens to God. There needs to be deep foundational trust.

This wells up when people are thirstier after God than anything else. I long for healthy levels of selfawareness, creating a holy dissatisfaction for all that is

Fifteen years ago, our missional efforts largely reflected bringing the finishing touches to pioneer movements which, after several generations, had grown to become indigenous entities overseen by growing and maturing national churches.

Today, again, we are focused as a movement on

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Ages of our workers (by decades): Age 70+

2 33

Age 60-69

70

Age 50-59 56

Age 40-49

2

pioneering efforts among the least-reached and underengaged people groups in most of the places where we are active and where God’s Spirit had led us to go.

We penetrate the darkness among nomadic people groups; former communist peoples in Central Asia, East Asia and elsewhere; Arab peoples in various contexts; the working-class Taiwanese; into Spain, yet also among secular Venezuelans; Mexicans; North African peoples; as well as our diaspora efforts among the Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Iranian, with the list being added to continually.

T H E R E S E E M S TO B E A R E N E W E D V ISIO N FO R H O LIS TIC MI N IS T RY W IT HI N T H E A L LI A N CE. H OW D O E S T H AT R E L AT E TO G LO BA L M I NIS T RI E S?

There definitely has been a renewed focus on holistic ministries. It foundationally reflects our emphasis to be integrated around the whole need of those with whom we engage. I believe that holistic ministry has always been in the DNA of our movement.

Jesus cared for all aspects of the people to whom he reached out and touched—body, soul and spirit—and so do our International Workers. Global Ministries has a ministry track for development work, but only the message of the Gospel can transform a heart.

W H AT A R E S O M E PR AC TIC A L A N D E FFEC TI V E S T R AT EG I E S LO C A L CH U RCH E S C A N I M PL E M E N T TO E N CO U R AG E T H E I R G ROW T H A N D SU PP O RT O U R I N T E R N ATIO N A L WO R K?

Where prayer is strong and of an intercessory nature, effective strategies will be birthed at the local church. We can never do anything until we pray.

Local churches need to thoroughly assess the needs of their communities to better understand the unique demographics, dynamics and realities around them. If we will intentionally engage our communities and be Jesus’ agents of transformation, we will become a mature church—an appealing place for all generations to find authenticity and a place to discover and use our gifts.

Building friendships with international students

32

are Male

47

Age 30-39 Age 20-29

43%

57%

are Female

cmAlliance.ca Fall 2013

as of July 1, 2013

should be on everyone’s agenda. They will be the influencers and power brokers back to their birth countries.

Short-term ministries overseas should be engaged only after there are already efforts to first engage one’s own community.

H OW A R E O U R I N T E R N ATIO N A L WO R K E R S A N D T H E I R MI NIS T RI E S FU N D E D?

Simply put, a large portion of the Global Advance Fund is used to get our workers onto the missions field and provide a cost-of-living allowance for them while they work there. Funds are raised by our churches in Canada for this purpose.

However, funding for most ministry costs comes from other channels like Work Specials, Approved Specials and Outfit Funds.

In recent years, Seamless Link covenants have been established between either a single International Worker or a married couple and one CANADA HAS or more Alliance churches in Canada.

GIVEN US A The main idea is that together we can RICH AND share in the vision of reaching particular BLESSED regions and people with the love of Jesus OPPORTUNITY Christ. Along with prayer and other TO BE A commitments, it is an opportunity to provide BLESSING TO special funding for unreached people THE NATIONS group needs and the ministry of our International Workers.

Our Alliance churches are known throughout Canada as being some of the most generous churches in missions giving.

Total Active International Workers: 210 Support/Compassion Ministry

1 28

Support Ministry

30

Marketplace Ministry Compassion/Marketplace Ministry

2 30

Compassion Ministry Church/Support Ministry

2

Church/Compassion Ministry

3

Church Ministry

114

Rev. Brem Frentz and his wife, Donna

as of July 1, 2013

W H Y S H O U L D O U R LO C A L CH U RCH E S I N V E S T I N I N T E R N ATIO N A L M ISSIO N S?

HOW ARE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS SELECTED? BRIEFLY, WHAT QUALIFIC ATIONS DO YOU LOOK FOR?

It is clear from a biblical perspective that we are commanded by Jesus to intentionally focus beyond our own context.

Canada has given us a rich and blessed opportunity to be a blessing to the nations. We can never lose our resolve to go in obedience to God’s request until every people group has heard the message of the Gospel and a Kingdom expression (church) has been established among every socio-linguistic ethne (people group). This is at the heart of being Alliance.

We are always looking for people who are committed to growing in Christ-likeness and who have been affirmed by their church leadership after being observed in ministry.

My greatest desire is to see those who are teachable in spirit and seek to live with integrity; these people can always be shaped for effectiveness in missional work.

We always look for willingness to grow, as seen through educational pursuits. Good education usually ensures a level of focus and a commitment to be disciplined, which is a great attribute for serving people.

I always look to see if a person has a sense of God’s call upon them. The Converge office within Global Ministries guides people through the application process and preparation journey.

AT W H AT P OI N T WO U L D T H E A L LI A N CE L E AV E A MISSIO N FI E L D?

We intend to leave a nation or a people group only after the Church has been soundly established and local Christ-followers are able to give leadership for its continued growth. It is wise not to stay too long lest dependency on outside resources weaken the foundation and missional expression of the body of Christ.

IS T H E N U M B E R O F PR E PA R E D C A N DI DAT E S K E E PI N G PACE W IT H T H E N U M B E R O F R E TI RI N G I N T E R N ATIO N A L WO R K E R S?

In addition to our 210 recognized International Workers, we have over 40 global Alliance professionals who work in partnership with our global strategic efforts. But it saddens me that in an unprecedented era of opportunity, our numbers have decreased over the past decade.

The average age of our International Workers is almost 49. I would love to see this statistic change dramatically— with a huge increase of workers coming from our millennial generation. I would also love to see growth in our churches through people coming to faith from our communities and not just with transfer growth from other churches.

The work we engage in is difficult, but God has asked us to go to these places. It is our collective prayer and desire to work with our Alliance churches to see this corner turned on our watch. With God’s grace we can do this!

I F S O M EO N E IS I N T E R E S T E D I N S E RV I N G I N A L LI A N CE MISSIO N S, W H AT S H O U L D T H E Y D O?

The first thing is to pray that God will take this interest from a curiosity to a desire. It is always a great idea to talk to a godly and trustworthy leader from your church. Have them ask you questions and pray with you.

Your church may even have avenues for involvement in mission activity in your own community. This should definitely be explored.

Contact our Converge office. Starting a conversation can move the process into one of clarity where careful guidance is given.

D O YO U H AV E A N Y FI N A L T H O U G H T S YO U WO U L D LI K E TO L E AV E W IT H O U R R E A D E R S?

I really appreciate this opportunity to share parts of my heart with you. God is always on the move! In our unique time in history, we do not want to miss what I sense are some of the most amazing opportunities the church has ever had to penetrate darkness and be God’s catalyst for his transformational work, to be further advanced as we endeavour to bring back the King of kings and Lord of lords. By God’s grace, these are going to be amazing days of service for us as a worldwide movement!

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FEATURE

MENTORING INTERNATIONAL WORKERS NEW

Through a ripple effect lay leaders learn from our workers then practise what they learned

I

t was around the time of the 2006 FIFA World Cup that When we found Haus des Herrn, this desire was granted. we first visited a church in Mannheim, Germany called One day we asked Ralph and Ruth if they would mentor Haus des Herrn (“House of the Lord”). Ralph and Ruth us. We wanted to return to Central Asia to serve in mission.

Shareski had planted the church 10 years earlier. We But we knew we could not do this alone; we needed help loved the open and joyful atmosphere of and preparation. the worship service; I describe it as We met regularly with Ralph and “authentic.”

Ruth. Their helpful questions made N NH E I M , G E RM A N A M Y A formal structure was it easier for us to make good not present in the church decisions. With much love service; opportunities and patience on their part, were allowed for the values we had seen many to participate lived out in their church in leading, which I became our values: noticed the young being a worshipping, people did gladly. biblical, loving, Ralph and Ruth growing and sending had created a place community. where it was easy In the summer of for people to use 2011, we were sent out their God-given gifts

by Haus des Herrn to and to enter in with live for the Kingdom passion. of God in the Caucasus Long before this, Region, between the Black we had returned to and Caspian Seas. One of Germany from our time the first steps we took was in Kyrgyzstan with several to initiate a regular meeting desires in our hearts. We dwelt centred on worship and fellowship. on Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in Through these meetings, the the Lord and he will give you the desires foundation is being laid for putting into of your heart.” practice all of the values we learned from our We took this word of God and the sending church. yearnings in our hearts seriously. One of This anonymous couple, lay leaders in the Haus des these desires was to find a church that could Herrn church, was recently sent out as International later send us out in mission, which displayed Ralph and Ruth Shareski Workers by the church values we could replicate wherever we went.

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FEATURE

RETURNING TO CANADA

ON HOME ASSIGNMENT Insights into the challenges of transitioning back to the country they once knew

BY LINDA DOELL

A

pproximately every four years International Workers (IWs) and their children leave the mission field and return to Canada on what we call “Home Assignment.” We process disappointments in leaving as well as apprehensions of returning, but have IN MANY hope because of re-established relationships.

Here is a peek into our minds to provide WAYS you with a window of understanding, insight CANADA to support IWs in prayer, and knowledge to walk with us when we return.

WILL NOT With mixed emotions we wonder: Will FEEL LIKE you want to know what God is doing in our country? Will we have more than a twoHOME minute window to share our story with you?

ANYMORE Conversations may be awkward at first but we hunger for real connection; we thirst for deep discussions.

In many ways Canada will not feel like home anymore.

We know life has gone on without us. We are now the outsiders, needing time to process cultural shock. And when we leave to return to our mission field, we will relive our grief of saying “Goodbye” all over again.

When we return to Canada, we come face-to-face with what we left behind. We realize that during our time away, we have had a loss of family communication—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. As our parents age, we wish we could have more time with them. Sometimes family members are in crisis and we’re in anguish when we cannot be there.

We often miss our favourite foods and styles of clothing.

We’ve lost our cultural identity, realizing that neither Canada nor our new country takes precedence. We may miss our belongings, items that had memories attached to them. We feel the loss of financial control—not having enough to save for the future, for weddings, emergencies or technological replacements.

There is also so much we have gained. God has given us the opportunity to be an extension of our Alliance Church in Latin America. We love the people and are excited about the chance to serve them.

When we return on Home Assignment, our desire is to build stronger relationships with our Canadian churches and learn how we can better work together in partnership.

We eagerly hope to catch up with the changing Canadian culture, walk alongside our family and friends, enjoy their companionship and celebrate special occasions as time permits.

So, even though we have faced the absence of some of life’s blessings, we have gained much more by experiencing God in a depth our family may never have known in Canada.

Linda Doell is an International Worker serving alongside her husband, Curtis, in the Caribbean Sun Region

HOME ASSIGNMENT EXPLAINED

•••••••

Home Assignment is a regular part of an International Worker’s service with Global Ministries. Usually after four years in the field, a worker returns to Canada for a one-year Home Assignment.

During this time, International Workers connect with their home and cluster churches. It is also an opportunity for personal refreshment, renewal, retooling and reporting on how the Lord is building his Church overseas; enlisting support for their ministry work; and preparing for further service.

For all, or a portion, of the time between July 1 – December 31, 2013, forty-four International Workers will be in Canada on Home Assignment.

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FEATURE

W

Repaying Their Gift to His Country This South Korean missionary has a specific call to minister to First Nations communities in Canada

BY KAREN STILLER

Photo Courtesy Changsub Kim

36

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hen Changsub Kim stood at a cemetery for missionaries in his home country of South Korea, he was struck by the number of tombstones for Canadian missionaries laid to rest in his country.

One cluster of gravestones in particular moved him. They were for an entire Canadian family who had all died in South Korea 100 years ago.

“We saw their devotion. We prayed at the gravestones and said, ‘we will repay you, your life. We go to Canada to repay your gift to our country,’” says Changsub. “We still have a lot of gratitude to the Canadian church. We want the Canadian church to be blessed by their previous efforts.”

Changsub Kim and his wife, Jina, are a blessing indeed—and their efforts are deeply entwined with Regina Korean Alliance Church.

Changsub is a missionary with SIM South Korea (connected with SIM Canada), with a specific call to minister to First Nations communities in the Regina area.

“When I was studying at Briercrest [College and Seminary], I met a lot of First Nations ministers. I had a passion for the First Nations people,” explains Changsub. He saw the similarities of needs and situations with work he had done with the underprivileged in South Korea. “They lack finance; they often lack family support, educational support. They are the poor of the urban area.”

Changsub’s identity as a self-described “poor immigrant” has not been a barrier to the Aboriginal Peoples he works with—far from it, it’s been an open door.

The open doors and financial backing provided by Regina Korean Alliance have also helped Changsub’s ministry. The church provides space and refreshments for the Bible studies Changsub leads with his First Nations friends. The church extends an invitation for his Bible study groups to attend their traditional Korean festivities.

Changsub and Jina divide their time between duties at the church and ministry among First Nations. They work with youth, lead Bible studies, engage in mentoring and Changsub occasionally preaches.

It is Changsub’s heart’s desire that the Korean community he serves in his church, which helps empower his ministry WE STILL HAVE A LOT among First Nations, will grow increasingly OF GRATITUDE TO THE multicultural as the First Nations community sees CANADIAN CHURCH the church as a potential spiritual home.

“I can break down the stereotype of the white man’s Christianity. I am a visible minority. I am an immigrant. I live in a small house. My English is not correct. They think that this pastor is not like the high priest; he’s like a normal person, he’s a poor immigrant, but he has faith, and he wants to be a friend with us.”

“Running a program is easy for me,” says Changsub. “But to help even one person is amazingly hard. One guy said to me, ‘You are not perfect. You are in need. So you can easily be friends with the people you want to help.’”

For Changsub, a South Korean missionary sent to Canada, friendship is what it’s all about.

Karen Stiller is Associate Editor of Faith Today. Check out her website at: www.karenstiller.com

FEATURE

PERSONAL WELLNESS

A TOOL TO ENCOURAGE OUR WORKERS TO PURSUE A TRANSCENDENT VITALITY OF LIFE WITH GOD

BY JUDITH WIEBE

I

f we are completely honest, many of us have experienced times in our lives when we are doing ministry on autopilot, rather than ministering out of the overflow of a vital, transcendent love relationship with God. Extensive research has been done on causes of attrition among workers from many mission groups. The primary reasons are not tough living conditions or learning difficult languages, but rather problems in their own spiritual life and conflict with other workers.

In 2008, the Wellness Plan for all International Workers (IWs) was implemented, based on The Greatest Commandment: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these (Mark 12:29-31).

The Wellness Plan invites goal setting in the areas of heart, soul, mind, strength and relationships. The first section is called “Love the Lord your God.” We emphasize two things here: receiving God’s love and expressing love to God. Many of us, including those in vocational ministry, find it easier to tell others that God loves them than to receive God’s love for ourselves.

In David Benner’s book, Surrender to Love, he suggests a simple little exercise: Imagine God thinking about you. What do you assume God feels when you come to mind?

The answer to this question may provide a clue as to how freely we are able to receive God’s love. According to Benner, “disappointment” and “anger” are common answers. It may take a bit of soul work before we come to the place where we are assured that God’s thoughts toward us are filled with unconditional love, delight and joy.

The Wellness Plan section on loving God with our entire mind focuses on thought life, as well as cognitive and vocational growth. We ask IWs to include a professional development goal. Global Ministries provides each worker with approximately $500 a year for professional development. These funds can be used for books, online courses and conferences—resources to enhance their crosscultural ministry.

In loving God with all our strength, IWs are encouraged to set a goal for physical health.

Many live in settings where they face higher risks because of environmental factors or poor healthcare, so we encourage them to be proactive in caring for their health and wellbeing. Sabbath-keeping and rhythm of life are appropriate goals to include in this section.

While all IWs are required to have a Wellness Plan and to update it at least once a year, they are not required to share it with their team leader or anyone in authority over them, but we do ask them to have a personal accountability partner.

Being transformed into the image of Christ is a lifetime process for all of us. It

BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST IS A LIFETIME PROCESS is our hope and prayer that the Wellness Plan will be a helpful tool for our workers to be intentional in pursuing a transcendent vitality of life with God. Judith Wiebe is Director of Member Care for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

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FEATURE

Sending Our Workers into God’s Harvest Fields How the Alliance determines where to go, when to go and who will go

BY GERALD HOGENBIRK

I

n 1905, our Alliance founder, A.B. Simpson, stated, “This movement stands for a commitment to reach the most neglected fields, to avoid the beaten tracks of other labourers, to press on to the regions beyond and instead of building upon another man's foundation, to preach the Gospel where Christ has not been named.”

The Apostle Paul said, “It has always been my ambition to preach where Christ was not known, so that . . . those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand” (Romans 15:20-21).

In general, the missionary task of the Church has been largely accomplished: 1) THIS LEAVES THE among people groups whose languages are HARDEST LANGUAGES, relatively easy to learn; 2) within the major responsive people groups of the world; 3) THE LEAST RESPONSIVE in nations where political systems do not PEOPLE GROUPS, resist or prohibit the spread of the Gospel and the establishment of churches; and 4) THE MOST RESISTANT in regions where the climate is not SOCIO-POLITICAL too severe.

This leaves the hardest languages, the REGIONS AND THE least responsive people groups, the most HARSHEST CLIMATIC resistant socio-political regions and the harshest climatic areas in the world.

AREAS IN THE WORLD NEED FOR SENSITIVITY God’s Spirit initiates movements. There is a time for every people group. We try to be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is doing and where. We try to be flexible enough to change, move and follow his leading. We ask, “How can we be God's servants to help this work develop?” We seek to be aware of the changing geopolitical and social realities within given countries and people groups, determine points of need, and see if we have people with the right heart and necessary abilities to help.

We can never do the job alone. The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada has been entrusted with resources and vision. Together with other groups of

ch e Bea oann esy J C o u rt P h o to tt e B sy C o le C o u rt e

ne Lo ui e ur te sy An Ph ot o Co

BECOMING INVOLVED If you have a heart for an under-reached people group, please contact Converge, our mobilizing and development department, to guide you with next steps.

If you are headed to a country for work purposes for an extended period of time, please be in touch with Converge to see if we have a team there that could be of support to you.

If you have a desire to serve God overseas, please begin the conversation with Converge to determine the best way to prayerfully move forward. There's nothing better than the

right person, with the right gifts and talents in the right place at the right time.

But wait! There are many least-reached people groups in your neighbourhood, workplace or school, right here in Canada. You don't have to travel or move away. You can befriend your neighbour, colleague or classmate. Learn their culture—perhaps even their language—and begin to dialogue with them.

You can choose a country or a people group on which to focus your prayers. Perhaps there is an International Worker you would like to pray for and support.

Together we can reach the most neglected peoples with the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ.

P h o to

like-minded message, mission, purpose and passion, we seek to reach a people group for Christ. We strive to work with and through existing national churches. Where they do not exist, we begin with the hard work of building bridges to people in a variety of ways.

We work in countries where we have developed qualified team leaders to guide, encourage and develop other workers.

We try to develop team leaders who are theologically and missiologically trained, spiritually developed with strong Christian character, and able to cope with the changing world around them.

Once we have team leaders who can nurture and encourage others, we look for people with a heart to join the team. We highly value grassroots individuals who are involved in ministry and the marketplace in a variety of areas to round out the team. We look for people not only from Canada but from other national Alliance churches and, at times, from other agencies with a similar vision.

Rev. Gerald Hogenbirk is Canadian Regional Developer for the Silk Road Region

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FEATURE

CONNECTING

PEOPLE PLACES WITH

Insights into a process of discerning God’s direction for those interested in serving internationally

BY RIC GILBERTSON

P

icture yourself standing before a rushing waterfall. As you look upward, you notice that numerous smaller streams feed into the upper part of the falls. The streams gradually flow together, rush and merge, and then converge to form a mighty cascade.

Converge is the name we have chosen for the Candidate Mobilization and Development office for Global Ministries within The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada (C&MA). The word “converge” presents a picture of how the Alliance in Canada chooses to work together to identify, call, equip and then send out new International Workers.

It serves as the nexus point, streaming together individuals with a sense of global calling, their local churches, Global Ministries and the International Workers already serving across the globe.

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TYPICAL SCENARIO An individual or a couple begins to sense God’s call to leave Canada and serve globally. They enter a time of searching and seeking God’s direction for their lives. The local church plays a vital role in nurturing this growing sense of direction. Their pastors and elders walk with them, providing guidance and opportunities to serve and grow.

At the same time as these individuals are in a season of discernment, teams of C&MA International Workers are actively serving in various regions of the world. The leadership team for Global Ministries is always strategizing new opportunities and praying that God will raise up “workers for the harvest” (see Matthew 9:37–38).

Converge serves those with a sense of global calling by engaging in timely conversations,

providing helpful information and connecting candidates with opportunities to serve globally. We serve pastors and elders by informing them how they can be involved in sending and equipping.

We serve the family of Alliance churches in Canada by providing a clear channel of communication and a process to enter ministry with the C&MA globally. We serve existing International Worker teams by linking them with

CURRENT CONVERGE CANDIDATES Over 100 people are currently in the initial

n

discernment process

Candidates represent a wide range of ethnicities,

n

ages and professional backgrounds

In any given year, we see a spectrum of new

n

workers ranging in age from late 20s to early 60s

GOD FAST-FORWARDED MY LIFE I have recently begun to see a theme in my life, one which I believe isn’t necessarily unique to me. The theme is this: our God is a God of disruptions. Perhaps you can relate.

Sometimes beautiful, always timely and often beyond our comprehension, these disruptions and changes bring us closer to God than our preconceived plans and understandings ever could.

Recently I graduated from Ambrose University College, and while I have both a calling and a passion for international ministry, for some time I had thought my service overseas would be years down the road.

potential new workers.

Together we desire to facilitate God’s calling and then “flow together” so that the right people cascade to the right places at the right time, thereby being mighty channels for God’s living water!

Rev. Ric Gilbertson is Co-Director of Alliance Converge, alongside his wife, Ruth-Anne

2013 CANDIDATES 27 N E W C A N DI DAT E S A R E E N T E RI N G T H E MISSIO N FI E L D I N 2013 n Three singles and 12 married couples > Six are in their 20s > 11 are second career (they have served in other areas before becoming International Workers) > Eight will be part of the Global Ministries Apprentice Program > 100 per cent have already had short- or long-term global experience > They will be serving in all four ministry tracks: church, marketplace, compassion and support ministry n 13 children, from five months to seven years of age, will be transitioning with their parents; they are called TCKs (Third Culture Kids)

Keeping It

Real

the

global vault

However, I currently find myself completing paperwork to go overseas under the Global Apprenticeship Program.

This is the opposite direction I believed myself to be going only four short months ago.

The directors of Converge, Ric and Ruth-Anne Gilbertson, have been a blessing by walking alongside me in this journey. Through countless hours of conversation, prayer, laughter and tears, they have helped me to discern what it is that God is leading me into.

For this, I am beyond grateful, and walk forward encouraged, joyful and hopeful even in the midst of great unknowns.

Jonathan Watland is a candidate preparing for an apprenticeship in January 2014

Canadian Alliance Biography Project Powerful mini-biographies of real people who have journeyed in mission in the real world making a real difference for Christ.

Read their stories on our website www.globalvault.ca

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FEATURE

Understanding God’s Heart for Missions An exciting interactive course that looks at our world from his perspective

BY RON BROWN

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an you picture yourself in a group of people, engaging in nine fascinating lessons together and, when it’s all over, realizing you aren’t the same person you were at the beginning of the study? Kairos is an interactive course designed to educate, inspire and challenge Christians to participate meaningfully in world Christian mission.

Alycia from Calgary explains, “Kairos not only brings back the balance of a ‘blessed to be a blessing’ Christian lifestyle, but also plants and revives a desire to be missionally intentional in reaching the unreached nations of the world.”

The Kairos course appeals to a variety of adult learning styles through prayer for unreached peoples, growth-point peer discussion groups, short lectures and video teaching, and special cross-cultural activities.

Chris, who pastors in Saskatchewan, describes the mission course as, “a simple and practical way to understand, be challenged and integrate the Great Commission into each believer’s life.”

Kairos, borne out of the well-known Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course, was compiled in the Philippines by Living Springs International to help engage the Filipino church in world Christian mission.

Since 1994, thousands of Filipinos have participated in Kairos. The Philippines now ranks as one of the top

missionary-sending countries in the world.

Kairos, in the meantime, has spread to 40 other countries and in 2013, it reached Canada.

Alliance Seamless Link Advisor, Tim Mackenzie, recently completed the Kairos course. “I’ve come to a distinct ‘bend in the road’ in my mindset. I’ve been spending too much time concerned with things that don’t matter much, and far too little time engaged in what will last for eternity, but now I’m seeing things and people THE KAIROS through a different lens.”

COURSE WAS A Dr. Ray Downey says, “The Kairos course was a gameGAME-CHANGER changer for me. I must confess FOR ME that as a ‘been-there, done-that’ retired International Worker, I was quite content to let a younger generation carry on with God’s mission in the world. Taking the course re-ignited my passion for personal involvement in seeing God’s rule triumph among all people groups on the earth.”

Dr. Ron Brown is Seamless Link Advisor for the Western Canadian District and a missions coach based in Calgary. He is on both the Perspectives Canada and Kairos Canada Facilitation Teams.

For more information visit: www.kairoscourse.ca

RANIMEZ VOTRE PASSION POUR LA MISSION Kairos est un cours extraordinaire qui inspire, instruit et challenge du début à la fin. L’approche variée et dynamique utilisée réussit à nous communiquer une passion pour la mission et pour toutes les nations.

Les enseignements élargissent

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considérablement notre vision du monde en nous faisant comprendre le cœur de Dieu pour tous les groupes ethniques. Et enfin, nous ne sortons pas de là sans avoir été mis au défi de faire plus et mieux en lien avec cette priorité divine. C’est

une formation révélatrice qui non seulement équipe et enflamme le participant, mais qui a aussi le potentiel de même ranimer le zèle d’une église entière!

– Sonny Perron

FEATURE

EXTENDING THE

KINGDOM THROUGH

FAITH-FILLED RISK A challenge to include holy boldness and daring innovation in all we do

BY HEATHER HAHN

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esus arranged an adventure that ensured his disciples would be risk-takers. He told them, “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals. . .”

(Luke 10:3-4). The disciples had to leave everything behind and go where it was difficult—a strategy involving personal risk and much trust in Christ.

I have a love-hate relationship with risktaking. I love the adrenaline rush of seeing inroads made to communities previously not open to the Gospel. I love hearing people tell their stories of beginning to walk with Jesus. But it is oh so difficult to release my control because I want to determine the outcome of each risk.

One day I ventured into an arcade to visit a young man I had been concerned about.

His eyes were swollen and as he described his problems, I knew God had placed an opportunity in my lap to risk being “uncool” in an arcade by praying for his healing. I decided to take the risk and we prayed together right there in the midst of arcade commotion.

Taking risks for the Kingdom of God starts small. It’s about me placing myself in situations where I am forced to trust in him.

Years ago I was counselled, “Take the road that causes you to trust God more.” It’s never just happened that I’ve been on that road; it’s always been a crisis of will, a decision I’ve had to make.

Typically, people remember me by the title “Tsubbi,” which in a local dialect means, “the one from the other side of the world.” When I

BUT JESUS CALLS HIS DISCIPLES TO BE DIFFERENT

remind them I’m just like them in so many ways, they smile and say, “That’s great, Tsubbi.”

I don’t want to be different. I don’t want to stick out. I want to fly under the radar, unnoticed. But Jesus calls his disciples to be

TAKE THE ROAD THAT CAUSES YOU TO TRUST GOD MORE different, to stand out as they demonstrate the values of God himself. Being a risk-taker means to be different, to stand up and to stand out because of my identification with Christ.

In the history of the Alliance, we find many people who took risks, who during their lifetime looked foolish to others but whom God honoured greatly. This is a critical part of our history and risk-taking has never been more important.

In fact, the president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, David Hearn, states that risk-taking is one of the five unique environmental factors that serve to stimulate transformation and sustain our movement.

So let’s embrace a bold and daring faith as a community, starting with you and me choosing roads that cause us to trust Christ more.

Heather Hahn is an International Worker in Mexico City.

She's currently involved with La Fuente church plant and leads their compassion work, Brave Heart Ministries Heather Hahn loves sharing life with a Brave Heart family Photos Courtesy Heather Hahn

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FEATURE

God’s Vision for My Life Ignited

How effective short-term missions experiences resulted in permanent personal change

BY RICHARD REICHERT Reflecting on his short-term missions experience

I

Photos Courtesy Richard Reichert

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f you are looking for a place to take a short-term missions team, they say location is everything. It isn’t.

Like me, you can have your first short-term experience in Saskatchewan. You can fall in love with other cultures in Saskatchewan. You can be called to missions in Saskatchewan.

When I moved to northern Saskatchewan I was not thinking about a mentor, but a missionary lady to India from my home church invited me to experience missions.

Gloria had been my Sunday School teacher. She was mentoring me MY CULTURE years before I figured that out.

OF MISSIONS A long-standing mentor who WAS BRED BY can help process the experience MY PARENTS, of a short-term missions trip is WHO INVITED indispensable.

MISSIONARIES Gloria passed me a copy of Jim Elliot’s Shadow of the INTO OUR Almighty in high school. My HOME

BUILDING BLOCKS OF SHORT-TERM MISSIONS Some ideas to better ensure these experiences transform the lives of participants

By Richard Reichert Reflecting on his experience as an International Worker

passion was fuelled by reading. The urge to explore the frontiers of cross-cultural exchange grew with every page I read. I knew I had to open that door.

My culture of missions was bred by my parents, who invited missionaries into our home. God was working in my parents’ hearts, softening and making them pliable to send their son to the nations. This is how the vision grew—incrementally, through people very close to me.

SHE WAS MENTORING ME YEARS BEFORE I FIGURED THAT OUT There is no substitute for the sense of adventure that living outside our comfort zone affords. That’s why Dad allowed his teenage son to ride 5,000 miles on a motorcycle for a Campus Crusade ministry training event. There was more “motorcycle” than “ministry.”

Dad knew all along, but he had the good sense to say nothing because he also knew there would be just enough “ministry” to whet my appetite for more.

The last piece of the puzzle was buying the plane ticket.

Now it all came together: location, a mentor, parents and faith community on board and lastly, adventure. I had to see for myself. I had to experience that final frontier.

This spring, I reconnected with my mentor, Gloria, in Saskatoon, Sask., following my heart attacks. “God wastes nothing,” she reminded me. One more succinct and timely intersection with a youth she has been mentoring for 50 years. She has fulfilled the final condition for effective short-term missions to result in permanent personal change. She is still caring for me. She is still engaged. The job did not stop just because I developed from a short-termer to an International Worker.

Dr. Richard Reichert is an International Worker in the Caribbean Sun Region. He has worked with short-term teams for 34 years and participated on teams prior to that

Before buying the plane tickets, we need to make sure the building blocks for shortterm missions are in place—close-to-home experiences, proper training, ongoing mentoring and practical ministry, to name a few.

I believe in the Body. We work best through a healthy faith community that understands the value of short-term missions, is prepared to support the endeavour in every way and has a concrete follow-up plan.

If participants check their own visions at the door of the airport terminal and come humbly to serve, they are more likely to have a transformational experience. Most International Workers know which short-termers have come to serve and which ones have come with a personal agenda, just while waiting for them to exchange money at the airport.

International Workers have some tried and true principles which have been built into their cross-cultural DNA over time. We believe in building teams and working as a team. We believe in submitting to the authority of our team leaders, our country leaders and our national church leaders.

We take time with orientation, daily debriefing, evaluations, closure and post-experience follow-up. Lately, we have been adding “Sabbath-keeping” to the experience. People need to consciously slow down to let their spirits catch up to their bodies.

I believe there are people who still care enough to explore the larger world and that God is still calling people to the nations.

If they don’t come, they won’t be exposed, challenged and called. That prospect is unbearable—more lost people—but the alternative is unthinkable: more culturally inbred and self-serving people.

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FEATURE

Freshen up your library (or tablet) with these missions resources recommended by Alliance leaders

Enlighten Educate Equip We are called to be a mission-focused movement. This fall, explore some missionfocused resources recommended by individuals who provide leadership and support to each of the Five “S” regions.

Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton When we see people in obvious need, our gut reaction is often to try to help them. That is a fantastic response. However, how often have we taken the time to discern whether our assistance encourages a long-term solution or a mere short-term fix, which actually hinders long-term resolution or even diminishes the dignity of the person? Robert Lupton does a great job of walking us through his history of working with people in need and some significant lessons he has learned along the way. Toxic Charity is well worth your time.

— Mark and Paula Jones, Canadian Regional Developers, Asian Spice

Sovereignty, Suffering and the Work of Missions by Steve Saint For the past few years, we have used the video, Sovereignty, Suffering and the Work of Missions, to teach a session on risk and suffering at Pre-Departure Orientation, when new International Workers are equipped, blessed and sent. We highly recommend this resource, which was recorded at the Desiring God 2005 National Conference. The entire video can be downloaded free-of-charge at www.desiringgod.org.

— Richard and Merinda Enns, Canadian Regional Developers, Desert Sand

The Facilitator Era by Tom Steffen Let’s not get left behind as Christ’s Church moves into the next era of global mission.

Some time ago, Ralph Winter brilliantly identified three eras of modern missions: William Carey focused on the coastlands; Hudson Taylor focused on the inlands; Donald McGavran and Cameron Townsend focused on unreached peoples. Now, with a fourth era that concentrates on planting and multiplying churches among every people, Steffen offers a groundbreaking work in missions theory and practice. The Facilitator Era combines a readable narrative with a global tour of 16 recent, relevant case studies.

— Murray and Michelle Derksen, Canadian Regional Developers, Caribbean Sun

Bold as Love by Bob Roberts In Bold as Love, Bob Roberts, pastor of Northwood Church in Dallas, Texas, relays his personal journey, and that of his church, in the context of the biblical mandate to love our neighbours. He points out that, “For the first time in history, the whole world is showing up everywhere and changing the neighbourhood.” He sees this as a great opportunity for every Christian to be a missionary, to tell people from all over the world about Jesus. This book gives great insight into how this can— and must—be done.

— David Freeman, Vice President, Canadian Ministries

Future of Christianity Trilogy by Philip Jenkins The Future of Christianity Trilogy includes God’s Continent, The New Faces of Christianity and The Next Christendom. Jenkins’ scholarly and readable works provide a stirring overview of the state of Christianity worldwide and the trends that will affect the way in which we engage with the worldwide body of Christ. The implications are significant for how we, in Canada, will find our role among Christ’s global Church to do our part to reach the nations for him!

— Gerald and Dorothy Hogenbirk, Canadian Regional Developers, Silk Road

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FEATURE

Say That Again!

How active language learning for local integration is the beginning point of ministry in a new culture

T

he clutch on our vehicle was beginning to slip. I went to the mechanic and tried to explain the problem.

Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to say, “The clutch slips under a heavy load.” Instead, I pointed to the clutch pedal and said, “This piece has a problem.”

The mechanic stared at me and smiled, having no idea what I was talking about. After a few more failed attempts at using words, I resorted to charades, acting out the problem with childish noises and hand gestures in a desperate attempt to explain the issue. It was very humbling, but eventually he understood.

Language learning is an essential part of being an International Worker. Without the language, we cannot talk with our neighbours, speak to a store clerk, read a sign, write an email or fill out government forms. We strive to become part of a new culture so that we can share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This requires words. Words for questions. Words for greetings. Words of instruction.

Words of encouragement. And nothing speaks more deeply to a person than having a conversation or hearing a story in their own language.

Learning a language is a full-time job. For two years, International Workers focus on learning the language.

They study all day, every day. Ministry will come, but the language must be learned first.

Some International Workers are gifted at learning languages and pick them up easily. Others faithfully struggle, day after day, to grasp the language. Some languages are easier to learn than others. Spanish can often be learned in less than a year, while Chinese or Japanese can take two or more years. And for many International Workers, they must learn two

languages—the trade language of the country and the local language or dialect of the area in which they live.

As with any student, we are tested on our progress.

Sometimes the tests are simple: if you go to the market

LEARNING A LANGUAGE IS A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE to buy a cucumber and you come home with a cucumber, then you are doing well. But formal tests are also used to evaluate our progress.

Learning a language is a very humbling experience.

The week I learned to count in the local language, my youngest son was learning to count in English in his Kindergarten class. It is humbling to be learning the same material as our children.

We continue to find ourselves in humorous situations.

Last year I walked into a bank and asked to withdraw $150,000 cash (we live in a cash society). The bank teller was stunned. I should have said $15,000, but it didn’t come out that way.

Don’t forget to pray for your International Workers.

Pray that they will have fluency in the language so that the Gospel will be clearly communicated to the least and the lost.

Written anonymously by an International Worker in the Asian Spice Region

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justice and compassion

EMBRACING GOD’S RESCUE PLAN Chhavy serving the cake at a family celebration

How we can share what God has given us with refugees to Canada Photo Courtesy Chhavy Jeffs

BY MARIA SCORGIE

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oming home. It’s one of the best feelings.

Today has been frustrating at work and all you want is to arrive home and enjoy a home-cooked meal. You’ve been camping for a week and all you can think of is a hot shower and returning to your normal routine.

Home is a safe place where you belong. At least it should be.

But a refugee doesn’t have the option of coming home. A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. Where can refugees go? Who can they turn to for help?

GOD’S RESCUE PLAN Our Heavenly Father has a rescue plan: “God sets the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6). And he uses real

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families as part of his plan, like our church families.

Churches sponsoring refugees is a significant way by which God sets the lonely in families. In fact, churches are the single largest source of refugee sponsors in Canada.1 Alliance churches have been sponsoring refugees for decades.

We can join in God’s rescue plan for refugees by welcoming them into our country, our church. We can help move them from danger to safety.

From despair to hope. From violence to peace. From death to life.

Many Canadians are alive today because they or their parents found refuge here. April Pitman is one such Canadian. April sits next to me at The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada’s (C&MA) National Ministry Centre. She wouldn’t be here if it

weren’t for the Alliance church family.

April’s mom, Chhavy Jeffs, became a refugee at age 25. On April 17, 1975, Chhavy was driven from her family home in Cambodia at gunpoint.

Stripped of her hair, her glasses and her dignity, she was forced to do hard manual labour with only one bowl of porridge to sustain her each day. One fall night in 1979, Chhavy and her family escaped on foot to a refugee camp in Thailand, running for seven nights and hiding during the day.

When Kingston Alliance Church heard about Chhavy’s family, they partnered with other churches in Kingston, Ont., including Bayridge Alliance, to sponsor her and 23 family members to Canada.

“They gave everything of themselves,” says Chhavy of the church who took her family

shopping each week for groceries, enrolled them in English classes and introduced them to Canadian culture by taking them tobogganing and skating.

to feel at home once again and are highly motivated to settle into school, jobs and the community.

LEARN MORE So what does it take to join God’s REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP rescue plan for refugees? Here are We have been given a great gift two ways to find out more. to live in a safe and abundant First, Alliance Justice and nation, and it’s not for keeping it to Compassion would love to answer ourselves. Are we not blessed to be your questions and explore how a blessing to all peoples on the earth your church family can sponsor (see Genesis 12:1-3)? refugees. We can connect you with In 2012, the C&MA became Alliance churches that have already a Sponsorship Agreement had the blessing of sponsoring Holder (SAH) with the refugee families. Contact Government of Canada. us at alliancecompassion@ The goal is Alliance churches can cmacan.org. to integrate apply to the National Second, you can Ministry Centre to meet refugee families a family into become a refugee sponsor, by visiting group homes Canada so either as a single church designed to help establish or as a group of churches. refugees in Canada. Once that they As an SAH, the hear a refugee’s life can establish we Alliance is responsible story, our hearts begin to themselves to ensure that each case soften toward the plight is carefully screened independently of seeking a safe place to and assessed for the belong. Once we begin to as quickly sponsoring church. build relationships with Refugees must qualify for refugees, we will start to as possible entry under Canada’s laws understand and welcome before they can come into them into our family. the country. The process includes What words would Chhavy share a detailed application, interview with an Alliance church considering and medical and security checks, sponsoring refugees for the first with an average processing time time? “You are completely changing of 18-43 months—plenty of time to someone’s world. You are exhibiting get organized as a church body. A the attributes of God: love, kindness, sponsoring church can either choose generosity. The actions of the church its own refugee by name (like in showed us how awesome God is.

Chhavy’s case) or select from refugee None of this could have happened profiles referred by the Canadian without him.” visa office.

Chhavy, now a Canadian citizen, In sponsoring a refugee family, says, “Still to this day, we call them church members collaborate as a brother, sister, mother, father. They body in a variety of ways to provide are our family.” full support for one year, including Maria Scorgie is Copy Editor/Copywriter at supplying living expenses, helping The Christian and Missionary Alliance in in the search for employment and Canada’s National Ministry Centre enrolling children in school.

The goal is to integrate a family into Canada so that they can McKinlay, Christine. “Welcoming the establish themselves independently Stranger: The Canadian Church and the as quickly as possible. Just like Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.”

Chhavy’s family, refugees want Diss. Ryerson U, 2008. Paper 104.

MAKING REFUGEES FEEL WELCOME As you learn more about the need for refugees to be welcomed into our own families, consider some simple ways you can begin loving refugee families right now.

ARE YOU: • A homemaker?

Take a refugee shopping.

Point out how to find good deals or provide a ride home.

• A student?

Include refugee peers in your social activities.

• A vehicle owner?

Offer rides to those who come to your church or school. Offer to help refugees move into their new home.

• A

house owner or apartment manager?

Take a risk and accept a refugee family even when they cannot come up with first and last month’s rent.

• An employer?

Offer work to refugees so they can support their families.

• A teacher or tutor?

Refugees would love help in learning English.

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personnel updates

Personnel Updates

The following personnel changes are as reported by the district offices, and compiled by Debra Marritt, for the period January 1, 2013 – June 30, 2013.

NEW WORKERS n Buggie, Dan, Lead Pastor, Jane and Finch Missional Community, North York, ON n Chan, Bryan, Pastor of Chinese Youth Ministries, Richmond Chinese Alliance Church, BC n Cheng, Alex, Assistant Pastor, North Richmond Alliance Church, BC n Doan, Vinh, Youth Pastor, Foothills Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Guther, Daniel, Student Ministries Pastor, Cedarview Alliance Church, Nepean, ON n Grieger, Chris, Worship Arts Director, Kilcona Park Alliance Church, Winnipeg, MB n Gauthier, Adam, Interim Pastor, Spruce Grove, AB n Gillespie, Garrett, Associate Pastor, Kentwood Alliance Church, Red Deer, AB n Ibsen, Kathleen, Special Ministries Worker, Portable n Jakiwchuk, Mike, Associate Pastor, Kilcona Park Alliance Church, Winnipeg, MB n Kehler, Chris, Executive Pastor, Portage Alliance Church, Portage La Prairie, MB n Klassen, Logan, Associate Pastor, Shaunavon Alliance Church, SK n Krause, Sam, Youth Pastor, Kilcona Park Alliance Church, Winnipeg, MB n Lacey, Travis, Pastor of Student Ministries, Heritage Park Alliance Church, Windsor, ON n Lafaut, Laurel, Chaplain, Langley, BC n Leung, Chung, Associate PastorYouth/Young Adults/Family,

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Burnaby Alliance Church, BC McGill, Beth, Interim Pastor of Children’s Ministry, Peace Portal Alliance Church, Surrey, BC n Norton, Tristan, Pastor of Youth Ministry, McDiarmid Drive Alliance Church, Brandon, MB n Pequin, Tiffany, Children’s Pastor, Calgary Chinese Alliance Church, AB n Rincon, Graciela, Associate Pastor, Community Spanish Alliance Church, Scarborough, ON n Roberts, Greg, Community Life Pastor, Bayridge Alliance Church, Kingston, ON n Sawatzky, Jonah, Pastor of Worship and Outreach, Territorial Drive Alliance Church, North Battleford, SK n Sawatzky, Karla, Director of Children’s Ministries, Territorial Drive Alliance Church, North Battleford, SK n Tancongco, Odie, Assistant Pastor, Saskatoon New Life Community Fellowship, SK n Wang, Daniel, Pastor of Mandarin Ministry, South Edmonton Alliance Church, AB n Wong, Symon, Assistant PastorCantonese Congregation, Vancouver Chinese Alliance Church - Knight Street, BC n Zhai, David, Assistant Pastor, Vancouver Westside Alliance Church, BC n

NEW INTERNATIONAL WORKERS TO THE FIELD n Cambodia: Mike and Cindy Schmidt (Apprentices), Marketplace Ministry, in August. n Germany: Jordan and Rachael Culp

(Apprentices), Support Ministry (Black Forest Academy), in August. n Guinea: Katie Bowler (Apprentice), Compassion Ministry, in July. n Spain: Ernie and Marilyn Klassen, Church Ministry, in August. n Spain: Roupen Zetelian and Lena Asdourian, Support Ministry, in August. n Taiwan: Albert and Elaine Lu, Church Ministry, in August.

FIELD ASSIGNMENTS Indonesia: Lois Belsey, Church Ministry, in March. n Indonesia: Ben and Kari Elliott, Church Ministry, in July. n Mexico: Victor and Betty Chin, Church/Compassion Ministry, in August. n Taiwan: Thu and Hanh Nguyen, Church Ministry, in April. n Thailand: Derek and Bonnie Burnett, Church Ministry, in July. n

Concluding or Retiring from the Field: n Cambodia: DeLeeuw, Maria concluded her service with Global Ministries June 30. n Cambodia: Ko, Samantha concluded her service with Global Ministries June 1. n Guinea: Munn, Trevor and Cindy concluded their service with Global Ministries July 31. n Mexico: Clarke, Lisa concluded her service with Global Ministries July 1. n Mexico: Kliewer, Nathan and Sandra concluded their service with Global Ministries July 31. n Taiwan: Nguyen, My and Dao (Apprentices) concluded their service with Global Ministries July 31.

personnel INTERNATIONAL WORKER PERSONNEL CHANGES n From Mexico to Spain: Pablo Papavero and Silvina Oliva, Support Ministry, in August. n From Netherlands to El Salvador: Anne Louie, Church Ministry, in August (Language study in Costa Rica).

HOME ASSIGNMENTS n Cambodia: David and Patti Ens, in July (Church Ministry). n Costa Rica: Murray and Michelle Derksen, in June (Support Ministry). n France: Janet Sing, in April (Church Ministry). n Germany: Hans and Ruth Fung, in June (Support Ministry). n Ghana: Marion Dicke, in May (Support Ministry). n Ghana: Richard and Merinda Enns, in May (Support Ministry). n Malaysia: Robin and Kerry Mahoney, in June (Support Ministry). n Mexico: Rick and Susan Kilbrai, in July (Church Ministry). n Mexico: Stan and Ruth Nilsson, in June (Support Ministry). n Niger: Lisa Rohrick, in June (Compassion Ministry). n Poland: Don and Betty Orr, in July (Church Ministry). n Republic of the Congo: Gary and Sharon Howell, in June (Church Ministry). n Republic of the Congo: Anne Stephens, in June (Church Ministry). n Spain: Maida Anderson, in July (Support Ministry). n Thailand: Mark and Paula Jones, in June (Support Ministry).

PERSONNEL CHANGES n Alton, David, Unassigned n Ardell, Steve, Former Worker n Aupperle, Rick, On-Loan (Choices organization) n Adamczyk, Mike, Chaplain-OnLoan, Colorado Springs, USA n Bacon, Candice, Former Worker n Barrun, Jeof, Former Worker n Beh, Andy, Youth Pastor, Richmond Capstan Alliance, BC

Bergen, Roslyn, Former Worker Bissel, Melodie, Former Worker n Bissel, Scott, Former Worker n Boldt, Wayne, Unassigned n Bon-Bernard, Aaron, Associate Pastor, Harvest Hills Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Boone, Donna, Unassigned n Braun, Doug, Unassigned n Braun, Stan, Unassigned n Breitkreutz, Gudrun, Unassigned n Brown, Andrew, Unassigned n Brown, Rob, Unassigned n Brown, Stewart, Former Worker n Bucks, Brad, Unassigned n Burnett, Scott, Former Worker n Champagne, Rodger, Former Worker n Chan, Derrick, Former Worker n Chan, Grace, Former Worker n Cheng, Stephen, Unassigned n Cheung, Titus, Former Worker n Chu, Anna, Former Worker n Clarke, Henry, Worker Emeritus n Clarke, Tim, Unassigned n Claxton, Rob, Former Worker n Collins, Harold, Worker Emeritus n Cook, Bruce, Associate Pastor, Grande Prairie Alliance Church, AB n Corbin, Kris, Youth Pastor, Beaverlodge Alliance Church, AB n Davenport, Mark, Pastor of Care, Redwood Park Church, Thunder Bay, ON n Deguire, Gerald, Former Worker n Delamont, Brian, Interim Pastor, First Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Denis, Kim, Former Worker n Derksen, Nick, Former Worker n DeVries, Derek, Senior Pastor, Transcona Alliance Church, Winnipeg, MB n Dirk, Bruce, Former Worker n Dunham, Brad, Worker Emeritus n Engler, Hardy, Former Worker n Epp, Joy, Former Worker n Ewing, Jay, Associate Pastor, Tenth Avenue Alliance Church, Vancouver, BC n Faria, Carla, Former Worker n Fedorak, Al, District Superintendent, Canadian Midwest District, Regina, SK n Fernandez, Laurence, Former Worker n Ferreira, Mike, Minister-At-Large, n n

Marcoux Road Bible Church, Alexandria, ON n Foster, Jim, New Ventures Coach, Eastern Canadian District, Whitby, ON n Freeman, Ron, Unassigned n Friebel, Kelvin, Interim Assistant Pastor of English Ministry, Regina Chinese Alliance Church, SK n Gagnon, Michael, Senior Pastor, Eglise ACM de Rimouski, QC n Goldsmith, Dan, Worker Emeritus n Gonzalez Garcia, Bruno, Former Worker n Gordon, Bruce, Former Worker n Gould, Bob, Interim English Pastor, North Toronto Chinese Alliance Church, Richmond Hill, ON n Graham, Sean, Former Worker n Green, Louise, Former Worker n Green, Ray, Former Worker n Grunau, Floyd, Minister-AtLarge, Markham, ON n Guardacosta, Maureen, Unassigned n Guldemond, Brad, Unassigned n Guo, Jason, Unassigned n Gust, Leighton, Former Worker n Habacon, Ricardo, Unassigned n Haensel, Robin, Unassigned n Hendriquez, Bethuel, Unassigned n Henry, Jonathan, Transition Pastor, The Pas Alliance Church, MB n Herman, Susan, Unassigned n Ho, Edward, Former Worker n Hodge, Bonnie, Associate Pastor, Fort McMurray Alliance Church, AB n Holmberg, Stephanie, Assistant Pastor, Midland Alliance Church, ON n Hooge, Doug, Unassigned n Houghton, Brad, Former Worker n Hunter, Rae, Unassigned n Johnson, Val, Unassigned n Kedge, Jim, Unassigned n Kim, Brian, Former Worker n King, John, Former Worker n King, Sing-Yui, Worker Emeritus n Klauke, Sarah, Children’s Pastor, Rosewood Park Alliance Church, Regina, SK n Ko, Samantha, Unassigned n Kornelson, Laura, Former Worker n Krahn, Farrah, Former Worker n Lam, Stephen, Unassigned n Latifzadeh, Afshin, Former Worker n Lee, Jessica, Assistant Pastor, Burnaby Alliance Church, BC

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Leung, Vicky, Children’s Ministry Pastor, Westside Calgary Chinese Alliance Church, AB n Lim, Adrian, Unassigned n Lutzer, Meldon, Former Worker n Ma, David, Former Worker n Ma, Marian, Former Worker n MacGillivray, Bill, Senior Pastor, Parkside Alliance Church, Lacombe, AB n Maddigan, Debbie, Former Worker n Magnus, Dieter, Former Worker n Mapa, Ricky, Former Worker n Maxwell, Jordie, Former Worker n McAlpine, Tim, Apprentice Church Planter n McNarry, Brian, Interim Lead Pastor, Grand Valley Community Church, Brandon, MB n Mellott, Irene, Unassigned n Milanowski, Ivy, Assistant English Pastor, Toronto Jaffray Chinese Alliance Church, Scarborough, ON n Mills, Darrell, Pastor of Organizational Health and Discipleship, Summit Community Church, Richmond Hill, ON n Mok, Raymond, Former Worker n Morrison, Kimberley, Former Worker n Mounanga, Désiré, Church Coach and Leadership Development, St. Lawrence District, QC n Neilson, Mark, Former Worker n Ng, Vincent, Unassigned n Ngo, Thi Ngoc Suong, Assistant Pastor, Ottawa Vietnamese Alliance Church, ON n Nguyen, Minh, Unassigned n Naytowhow, Kelly, Former Worker n Oakman, Clint, Chaplain n Parkman, Rob, Unassigned n Peat, Heather, Unassigned n Pederson, Dwayne, Site Pastor, RockPointe Church, Calgary, AB n Peters, Scott, Former Worker n Reimer, Art, Former Worker n Rempel, Janelle, Unassigned n Rysavy, Julaine, Former Worker n Pickerill, Keith, Former Worker n Ringo, Polin, Former Worker n Rios, Jeremy, Associate Pastor, Burnaby Alliance Church, BC n Roffey, Jason, Former Worker n Schmeichel, Arni, Unassigned n Schroeder, Jack, Worker Emeritus n

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Sears, Jeff, Unassigned Sensenstein, Jeff, Associate Pastor, Owen Sound Alliance Church, ON n Sherbino, Michael, Unassigned n Smith, Chris, Senior Pastor, The Bridge, Winnipeg, MB n Smith, Dave, Former Worker n Snowsell, Doug, Senior Pastor, Churchill Alliance Church, MB n Suh, Inho, Former Worker n Sylvester, Blaine, Former Worker n Tam, Bernard, New Venture Apprentice, Midtown Alliance Church, Toronto, ON n Thorlakson, Catherine, Former Worker n Tjart, Don, Worship Pastor, Deer Park Alliance Church, Red Deer, AB n Tran, Minh, Senior Pastor, Langley Vietnamese Alliance Church, BC n Tsai, Steven, Former Worker n Wall, Michael, Unassigned n Weston, Alex, Unassigned n Wiebe, Bob, Interim Pastor, Selkirk Alliance Church, MB n Wiebe, Marlene, Former Worker n Willoughby, Frank, Unassigned n Wilson, Howard, Former Worker n Wintemute, David, Worker Emeritus n Wintemute, Donna, Worker Emeritus n Wong, Donny, Former Worker n Yao, Joshua, Former Worker n n

AMBROSE FACULTY n Alford, Dr. Aaron, Assistant Professor of Biology n Buchanan, Rev. Mark, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology n Fach, Rev. Terry, Campus Chaplain n Iremadze, David (PhD Candidate), Associate Professor of Business n Jaspar, Don, Vice President Operations n Schwartz, Dr. Linda, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science n Sutantoputra, Dr. Aries, Assistant Professor of Business n Tso, Dr. Marcus, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies (Chinese Program) n Young, Dr. Terry, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology

NATIONAL MINISTRY CENTRE n Freeman, David, Vice President, Canadian Ministries, Toronto, ON (change in designation), August 1 n Gerrard, Doug, Executive Vice President, Toronto, ON, August 1 n Linnen, Mike, Director of Seamless Link, Toronto, ON n Lorimer, Paul, Vice President, Finance, Toronto, ON (change in designation), August 1 ORDINATIONS NN Baker, Rev. Greg, Beverly Alliance Church, Edmonton, AB NN Berkan, Rev. Brad, Southridge Community Church, Lloydminster, AB NN Berry, Rev. Trevor, Crossroads Church, Medicine Hat, AB NN Bisnett, Rev. Josh, Shawnigan Alliance Church, Shawnigan Lake, BC NN Brammer, Rev. Ryan, RockPointe Church, Calgary, AB NN Brodie, Rev. George, Chilliwack Alliance Church, BC NN Cha, Rev. Jong-O, Sevenoaks Alliance Church, Abbotsford, BC NN Diamond, Rev. Joel, Erindale Alliance Church, Saskatoon, SK NN Fung, Rev. Gus, Edmonton Chinese Alliance Church, AB NN Gaw, Rev. Matthew, South Gate Alliance Church, Calgary, AB NN Greer, Rev. Stafford, Portage Alliance Church, MB NN Hall, Rev. Penelope, Cedarview Alliance Church, Nepean, ON NN Ho, Rev. Paulo, North Edmonton Alliance Church, AB NN Hodson, Rev. Bill, Moose Jaw Alliance Church, SK NN Hsu, Rev. Moses, Westwood Alliance Church, Coquitlam, BC NN Johnson, Rev. Matthew, Coquitlam Alliance Church, BC NN Jones, Rev. Raymond, Heritage Park Alliance Church, Windsor, ON NN Klassen, Rev. Kathy, First Alliance Church, Scarborough, ON NN Lysholm, Rev. Jeffrey, Dawson Creek Alliance Church, BC NN Magnus, Rev. Matthew, Warburg Alliance Church, AB NN Parkman, Rev. Robert, Outlook Alliance Church, Outlook, SK

personnel NN

NN

NN

NN

NN

NN

NN

Pierce, Rev. Ken, Tenth Avenue Alliance Church, Vancouver, BC Remigio, Rev. Amador, New Life Alliance Church, North Vancouver, BC Schnell, Rev. Joel, Nanaimo Alliance Church, BC Smith, Rev. Eunice, Richmond Alliance Church, Richmond, BC Tarney, Rev. Russell, Southgate Alliance Church, Edmonton, AB Truong, Rev. Thich, Rockyview Alliance Church, Calgary, AB Whitaker, Rev. Keith, North Shore Alliance Church, North Vancouver, BC

NN

Wiebe, Rev. Len, Father’s House, Vancouver, BC

NEW CHURCHES Dartmouth, NS: New Hope Community Church NN Milton, ON: Eagle Wings International Church NN Richmond, ON: Pathway Church Kanata NN Scarborough, ON: Community Spanish Alliance Church NN Scarborough, ON: South Scarborough Chinese Alliance Church NN Scarborough, ON: Toronto NN

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Simpson Mandarin Alliance Church Stouffville, ON: In2One Community Church

CLOSED CHURCHES Dartmouth, NS: City Heights Church NN Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent, QC: Eglise ACM de Deschaillons NN Kanata, ON: Iglesia Hispana de Ottawa NN Lantz, NS: The Gathering Point NN North Vancouver, BC: Cove Community Church NN Thornhill, ON: Jubilee Alliance Church NN

With the Lord Deaths from January 1, 2013 – June 30, 2013

Craig, Helen Elsie, January 6, 2013 Mrs. Craig was the beloved wife of Rev. Orlin Craig of Victoria, BC, who retired from service with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in 1988. Helen had a special love of music. She was a devoted mother and cherished grandmother.

administrator and then president.

This was followed by a period as associate pastor, then executive pastor, at Pacific Community Church in Cloverdale, BC, principal at InVision Coaching and Consulting Services, and executive administrator for the C&MA Canadian Pacific District.

Bob’s deepest joy was to be invited into a person’s life or place of work, and asked to help them see what God had placed before them as they lived out their God-given calling.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, his daughter, Barb, of Regina, his son, David, of Fredonia, New York and his son, Tim, of Regina, as well as his grandchildren.

n

Rose, Dr. Robert Arthur, March 5, 2013 Bob Rose was born in Hanna, AB, on March 7, 1943. He grew up as a “pastor’s kid” in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. He obtained his B.Sc., M.A. in Psychology, and Ph.D. (Educational Administration).

Bob worked in Christian higher education and church administration, serving with the Alliance for 43 years. He served on the faculty of Canadian Bible College/Theological Seminary in Regina, SK., later becoming the

n

Smith, Rev. Cecil Marvin, December 6, 2012 Cecil Smith was born in Edmonton, AB, on March

n

12, 1931. He met his wife, Eunice, in Regina, SK, while attending the Canadian Bible Institute. After graduating and pastoring for a couple of years in Saskatchewan, they left for the mission field in 1956.

Following 27 years of service in Ecuador, Cecil and Eunice were redeployed to Mexico where they ministered for another 14 years. This was followed by a short period as interim pastor at Cedarview Alliance Church, Nepean, ON and as a missionary-at-large.

Cecil is remembered by his loving wife of 60 years, as well as his son, Gordon, and family from Calgary, AB, his daughter, Judith Henry, and family from Winnipeg, MB, his son, Benjamin, and family from Melbourne, Australia, and great-grandchildren, cousins and countless friends.

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now you know

Financing the Alliance Vision How ministry on the front lines is supported

BY PAUL LORIMER

T

he Global Advance Fund (GAF) approved by Alliance leadership and was established to help finance approved by the Board of Directors. the vision of the Alliance. It has a If GAF income is below budget, three-fold practical purpose: to fund GAF expenses also need to be below missions, to fund ministry in Canada budget. We can’t spend more money and to fund educational ministry. than we receive. About 60 per cent The GAF primarily supports of the GAF budget is for salary and missions: about 70 per cent of benefits. When the expense belt its funds are provided to Global Ministries. A significant portion International Workers of the remaining GAF finances essential missionary support Supported by the Global services. For example, finance staff Advance Fund at the National Ministry Centre receives GAF donations, pays 173 are fully funded International Workers’ allowances 28 are partially funded and expenses, administrates the pension plan and so on.

9 are self-funded The Alliance provides a cost of living allowance (“salary”) for almost (as of July 1, 2013) all of our International Workers. This is very different from most missionary organizations, in which workers tightens, there’s an impact on the are usually required to raise their number of total workers who can own financial support. The Alliance be supported, which especially decided to provide International affects new potential workers.

Workers with fixed allowances so they can Source of Funds The Alliance focus more on ministry The primary means of decided and less on fundraising. giving to the GAF is through the local Alliance to provide Annual Budget church. Many churches International have an offering envelope The Alliance holds a denomination-wide designation line for the Workers General Assembly every Global Advance Fund, with fixed two years. The GAF budget with no other means allowances is reviewed by several of automatically giving Assembly committees and to it. Unless funds are so they can is approved by General designated to the GAF on focus more Assembly. Between the offering envelope, no biennial Assemblies, funds would come from the on ministry the GAF budgets are churches in this group to and less on developed with input support Alliance missions. fundraising from all departments, Other churches use a

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unified budget where a percentage of general fund offerings automatically go to the GAF. For example, my home church “tithes” 10 per cent of general fund offerings to the GAF, and makes other mission donations. That decision commenced when the church plant began.

For donors who may not be connected with an Alliance church, or for others who wish to contribute directly to The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), here are some other giving options: n

monthly pre-authorized donations sending a cheque n credit card donations through the C&MA in Canada website n

Another option is to use the self-mailer insert found in the centre of this magazine.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Details of giving options are provided on our website, www.cmacan.org/give, along with links to information about the Global Advance Fund and about the lives that have been transformed

by Jesus. You may also contact the National Ministry Centre by email (info@cmacan.org) or by phone (416.674.7878). Your specific inquiry will be directed to the most appropriate person for a response.

Paul Lorimer, CPA, CA, RPA, is Vice President, Finance at The Christian and Missionary Alliance National Ministry Centre

Riding to Bring Hope

PUT YOUR LOVE IN MOTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR THE INNER CITY Love in Motion is a cycling and motorcycle tour across Canada which aims to bring hope to vulnerable and hurting people in many of our communities. As a family of Alliance churches right across the country we’re raising awareness and funds for projects targeting complex and diverse issues like poverty, youth violence, family breakdown, and the challenges for newcomers to Canada. Please join us Summer 2014

Visit the website to see all the bicycle and motorcycle routes and ways you can give or call the Love in Motion Canadian Director Matt Campbell for info at: 1.416.529.0023

JUSTICE AND COMPASSION ARE NOT JUST WORDS. 2013–2014 GIFT CATALOGUE

www.justiceandcompassion.com

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