cmAlliance.ca: Spring 2013 by The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Allıance

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

The Power of Prayer From Chaplain to Chie Devon Clunis’ journey to becoming Winnipeg’s top cop

Walking by Faith The power of prayer in Papua

Healing Prayer Biblical truths for finding wholeness

Spring 2013

Are we a movement? move•ment | 'moovm nt | e

n.: a diverse group of people moving toward a common vision.

Watch President David Hearn share the environmental vision for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada: www.cmacan.org/environmental-vision.

Photo Courtesy Lois Belsey

Contents Features 6 Walking by Faith –

Trampling on Snakes The power of prayer in Papua

11 Missional Baby Dedications

A clarion call to make a real difference in the world through bold, prophetic prayers

14 Prayer Makes Us One

Insights into a process that unites us to God in a union of wills

20 When God Says “No”

Biblical insights into an answer that is difficult to accept

Teen Challenge Connect

Education Explosion

Women recovering from addictions given a spark of renewed hope and purpose

Unprecedented growth of Alliance theological training in Quebec

30 A Dream, a Plan and a Prayer

On-Site With Insight Prayer

Healing Prayer

Interceding for your community one step at a time

Departments 18 Impressions

Blowing Away the Smoke

54 Now You Know

History of the Vision Prayer

Insights into understanding the biblical truths for finding wholeness of body, soul and spirit

48 Personnel

Growing Up Fatherless

24 Perspectives

How prayer and forgiveness helped him make sense of life

I-CAN-ROC

Insights into the making of this amazing learning experience

Personnel Updates The Perfect Pastor

13 Practice of Prayer Remember

47 Resources

Alliance-Generated Resources

SPRING 2013

His journey from a rural town in Jamaica to becoming Winnipeg’s top cop

Cover Photo Courtesy @Stothers Studio

Allıance

Editorial

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

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 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 Spring 2013

Cultivating an Environment

ision is collaborative. When Jesus called us to be fishers of men, he immediately created community. We can tend to individualize vision, but God intended us to share it, in community. In this issue of cmAlliance.ca, we focus on prayer. In the past, when The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada was seeking to define its vision and passion for the future, a Vision Prayer was developed. This Vision Prayer continues to guide us today. We pray, “O God, with all our hearts we long to be a movement of churches transformed by Christ, transforming Canada and the world.” In order to be this movement, I believe that we must cultivate an environment. I have been sharing my environmental vision for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada: To encourage an ENVIRONMENT that EMPOWERS the family of churches of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada and around the world to be a Christ-centred, Spirit-empowered and mission-focused movement in which God-given dreams, visions and passions can be unleashed with life-transforming power. I believe that God-given dreams, visions and passions will be unleashed with life-transforming power in our community. I believe that in order to be a movement of churches transformed by Christ, transforming Canada and the world, our environment must be one of empowerment. I believe that our movement will gain momentum in an environment of empowerment. May you be empowered and encouraged by this issue of cmAlliance.ca. May you be encouraged that we serve a God who “has undertaken our cause and expects to be called upon in every time of need, and will unfailingly be found faithful and all-sufficient” (A.B. Simpson, Walking in the Spirit). Blessings, Dave Hearn President

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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.

Impressed With L ayout and Content Thanks for featuring my books in the resource section of the recent edition of cmAlliance.ca! The magazine looks and reads well. I am impressed with the layout and content. —Grant McDowell

Enjoyed I enjoyed the Spring 2012 edition of cmAlliance.ca, especially the articles on Robert Jaffray and Women Ministers of the Gospel. —Marlene Neufeld

Many Thanks Many thanks for the Alliance magazine — it is good receiving news of the Alliance work. Thanks to all the contributors. May God continue to bless the Alliance and those who work in this organization. —Ardis Hollands (age 92)

A Heart Issue While I appreciate the article Why So Many Bible Versions?, I do take to task the comments that “the Bible is actually a very hard book to read” and “see if we can help people understand the complexity of the Bible.” Our problem is not that the Bible is difficult to read but that, for too many Christians, it is too difficult to carve out time to spend with God and listen to him speak. It seems we can find time for everything but God. The bigger issue is that people don’t read the Bible because they don’t want to have to change. So they just use the excuse that it is too hard to read. This is not just about knowledge of God but knowing him and that only happens as we are willing to spend time with him. I agree there are some archaic versions, but we shouldn’t blame the written prose for the reason people don’t live out the Word. It is a heart issue. —Neal Diamond

A Great Magazine Thank you for a great magazine! I read it cover to cover. We are now engaged in a major fight over Scripture. Is it God’s Word entirely? Do we have the liberty to neglect or silence passages that contradict our feelings or culture? The glory of God is at stake! Let us faithfully honour Scripture as God’s Word entirely. —Claude Noel

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FEATURE

Walking by Faith Trampling on Snakes

The power of prayer in Papua By Denise Lodge

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

ois Belsey grew up in Midland Alliance Church, Ontario, and she has wanted to be a missionary nurse for as long as she can remember. She cannot separate knowing the Lord as Saviour from wanting to be a missionary. She went overseas when she was 24 years old, spending time in Vietnam and Thailand. She was forced to leave both places before she went to Indonesia in January 1976. Lois has been an International Worker in Indonesia since then, working in the interior of Papua, a province of Indonesia. She has worked among tribal farmers of the mountains and nomadic peoples of the foothills and swamplands. She has begun youth, Sunday school and women’s ministries, church literacy and Bible schools; she has trained, equipped and sent health care workers and evangelists. Lois also translates resource books into Moni and Dani, local languages, as well as Indonesian, the trade language of Indonesia. Lois’ passion for caring for people and sharing Jesus’ message by meeting needs is evident in her life and work. She has seen the power of prayer in her life and in the lives of those with whom she lives and works. Challenges When asked what the challenges of her work are, Lois responds that the period in which she was living and working alone in the village in Papua was difficult; she had no one with whom to “pray or strategize.” Lois also faced spiritual challenges in the work; in the mid-1990s, Lois started teaching on spiritual warfare and experienced backlash in her personal health and wellbeing. She prayed, “God, is this what you want? Jesus sent disciples out two by two.” At one point, in 2001, faced with such questions, Lois almost stayed in Canada, but God directed her to return. In 2005, short-term missions teams started to visit, bringing Lois the partnership that she had been seeking. Then, “God brought Mary,” Lois says, speaking of her partner in ministry, Mary McElhone, who joined Lois in November 2008. Now, Lois and Mary together fight illness, headaches, bad weather and technological breakdowns of computers, phones, lawn mowers, generators and airplanes. Lois and Mary see these physical phenomena as indications of the battle in the spiritual realm. Joy Lois affirms that one of her greatest joys is “to see the women I’ve trained blossom in every way; they were downtrodden, not respected.” Lois has seen the women “entrusted with tasks such as caring for sick people.” Now, when Lois is asked to care for someone with an illness or to help deliver a baby, she sends them to the women who have been trained;

Photo Courtesy Lois Belsey

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as different as Papuan people may seem, the heart of the individual is the same

“the trust helps them to feel esteemed,” she says. “They know who they are in Christ.” Another joy that Lois shares is seeing the perseverance of local evangelists. “They stick it out,” she says; “they’re there, in the heat and the spiritual opposition, all the time, for the long haul.” Lois and Mary focus their ministry on the evangelists who are on the front line, living in the heart of villages that Lois and Mary visit. Lois and Mary minister in health, literacy, prayer and spiritual warfare.

Mary McElhone (left) and Lois Belsey

Praying for Papuans Lois shares that “as different as Papuan people may seem, the heart of the individual is the same, wherever; the needs of the heart are the same. “The root things you grapple with,” Lois says, “such as forgiveness, pride, greed, sexual sin, etc. aren’t different than what people grapple with in Papua. “Sin and God’s solution are the same everywhere,” Lois affirms. “You can pray for Papuan people the same way in

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

Photos Courtesy Lois Belsey and Mary McElhone

which you pray for yourself and other people around you,” Lois shares. “God’s call to everyone is the same. He calls us to walk in intimacy with him, to trust him with every part of our lives, to let him be God in the midst of the storms of our life and to let him be the big God that he is, every day.”

Praying about Everything Lois believes that God wants us to pray about everything. “Mary and I pray about leaky pipes, lawn mowers, computer and phone breakdowns, our dogs fighting and the weather, asking God for the rain to start and to stop,” Lois shares. Lois expects God to work, and “he does.” Lois cites Mark 11:24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Lois also believes that God expects us to be grateful when he answers. In Luke 17, after Jesus has healed ten people of leprosy, “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him . . . ” (Luke 17:15-16). Lois sees this principle of gratitude as an important aspect of prayer. Lois also believes strongly in prayer and fasting; before going into Tomosiga, one of the villages where Lois and Mary work, they prayed and fasted, and saw people change from having a spirit of grief and sadness to one of joy. They now make prayer and fasting a regular practice before ministry trips. “As you spend time in his presence,” says Lois, “you hear his voice speaking into specific circumstances.”

Mary asked him to lower the river; the next day, the river had lowered by a foot. Lois has also seen prayer at work in the life of her neighbour, who was pregnant. Her husband came to Lois late in the afternoon, reporting that his wife was bleeding and had been in labour since early morning. There is a 9:30 a.m. wind curfew in the area where Lois lives, which means that no planes can land or take off after 9:30. Lois asked God to replace the blood that her neighbour

People who pray from home are just as much a part of what is going on as those who serve on the front lines

Missions and Prayer A verse in 1 Samuel has impressed upon Lois the importance and value of people praying for international work and people in other parts of the world. “…The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike” (1 Samuel 30:24). For Lois, “People who pray from home are just as much a part of what is going on as those who serve on the front lines.” Not Seeing Results When faced with not seeing results to prayer, Lois relies on the sovereignty of God; she relies on his promise that “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). So, his answer, whether it is “yes or no or wait,” is always the best one. Seeing the Results of Prayers Lois has seen prayer at work in the lowlands of Indonesia; when the river is low, she and Mary pray for rain, so that men do not have to drag canoes on sandbars up or down the river. When the water is too high for the men to paddle by canoe up the river, they pray for the rain to stop. In one instance, God did not stop the rain, so Lois and

was losing, so that she would be able to make it to the next morning, when she could travel to the hospital for a C-section. God answered her prayer to replace the blood; the woman lived, but her baby died. Lois and Mary have seen a young boy in a coma return to his daily life after they prayed. Another boy had heart problems that resulted in pain and shortness of breath. He could not run and play with other children; after Lois and Mary prayed, he was completely healed, walking and playing over mountain trails again. Luke 10:19, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you,” is a truth that Lois wants the local evangelists to know, live with and demonstrate. This is a truth on which Lois “stands and lives.” In situations that look overwhelming, Lois knows that they aren’t, because “. . . in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Walking by Faith “God does not expect us to see the end of the picture,” Lois says. “He expects us to act in faith, pray and obey what he says. “Our response is not to see,” she says; “it is to do. “It’s up to him, not us. “We like to see all the time, but we don’t always.” Denise Lodge works in Communications for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

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••• A n i n s e pa r a b l e li n k b e t w e e n p r ay e r a n d m i ss i o n s The Apostle Paul was a great missionary who urged his fellow Christians to pray for him, linking the success of his ministry to the faithful prayer support of God’s people. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, he reminds us that “. . . many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” Maintaining a broad general interest in missions around the world can enrich our prayer lives. More specifically, we can pray regularly for at least one International Worker, narrowing in our prayer concerns for an individual or couple. Ask God to help you choose with whom to partner in prayer and commit yourself to that person or couple daily. Learn all you can about this person; read prayer letters or blogs to become familiar with his or her ministry. Keep your intercession fresh. You may wish to pray for certain aspects of the International Worker’s life and ministry on a dedicated day. You can use the following as a guide.

S u n day // P r ay fo r a g rowi n g r e l at i o n s h i p wi t h G o d, that it will be vibrant. Pray for a fresh

T h u r s day // P r ay fo r e ffec t i v e co m m u n ic at i o n, for perseverance and

filling of the Holy Spirit and for dependence on his guidance. Ask the Lord for victory over temptation, for joy in worship, prayer and Bible study as well as for discipline in character development.

encouragement for those learning languages, for fluency to effectively communicate the gospel message; for a growing love for people. Pray the International Workers will be able to adapt to their culture in which they are placed. Pray for those who translate, produce and distribute Christian print materials and information for radio and TV broadcasts and for other media that share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

M o n day // P r ay fo r p h ys ic a l, m e n ta l a n d e m o t i o n a l h e a lt h that will give them grace,

flexibility, wisdom and stamina to deal with difficult situations, demanding schedules and different climates. Pray that their whole family will experience God’s healing in illness and his comfort in culture shock, homesickness, loneliness, fear and discouragement; ask for joy in service. T u e s day // P r ay fo r s t ro n g fa m ily r e l at i o n s h i p s and strong marriages. Pray for

sexual purity and fidelity and for a healthy balance between home-life and ministry. Pray for the salvation and spiritual growth of their children as well as for safety and grace at school. Pray that their family life will serve as an excellent model for others to follow, for the families they have left in order to serve the Lord and for contentment, integrity and strong, healthy friendships for single workers. W e d n e s day // P r ay f o r f ru i t f u l m i n i s t ry,

that God will anoint their teaching, preaching, witnessing, counselling, nursing and other types of ministry. Pray for discernment, for the salvation of unbelievers, for the establishment of vibrant churches and for power against opposing forces. Pray that those on home assignment in Canada would encourage and challenge members of our congregations and that congregations in Canada would support Alliance workers.

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Fr i day // P r ay fo r s t ro n g t e a m r e l at i o n s h i p s

that allow open communication, clear understanding, humility, patience and unity with other team members, local believers, national church leaders, other Christian organizations and Alliance churches across Canada. Pray for a growing relationship between our churches in Canada and our workers around the world and that God will call people from our congregations to serve him in missions. S at u r day // P r ay fo r t h e co u n t ry o f s e rv ic e,

that God will help the leaders to govern well. Pray that people will be drawn to Christ, especially those suffering as a result of war, disaster, violence, persecution, politics, poverty, illness, illiteracy and hopelessness. Pray people addicted to drugs, alcohol, immorality, pornography, crime or those bound by materialism, unbelief and despair would find freedom and healing through Christ. Pray that believers facing persecution or opposition from families, friends and governments would have courage and strength to carry on.

E ach day ask God to help you pr ay intensely, intelligently and with the p ower of the Holy Spirit.

FEATURE

Missional Baby Dedications A clarion call to make a real difference in the world through bold, prophetic prayers

By David Freeman

t was probably a winter Sunday morning in early 1844 in Cavendish, P.E.I., that Pastor John Geddie cradled an infant in his arms, baptized him with water and dedicated him to preach the Gospel. Two years later, Pastor Geddie left for the New Hebrides as the first missionary sent by the Canadian Presbyterians. Two decades later, in May 1865, Pastor Geddie preached a missionary message in Central Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Ont. While he was in the city, he visited the young boy he had dedicated, now pastor at Knox Church. Geddie reminded the young pastor of that dedication prayer and no doubt thanked God to see the fruit of his faith. That young pastor was Albert Simpson and not only did he become a preacher of the Gospel, he founded a missionary movement, The Christian and Missionary Alliance, that specializes in preaching the Gospel throughout the world. To be honest, I would love to have heard the prayer the pastor with a missionary heart prayed over Albert Simpson that winter morning in Cavendish. I somehow doubt that it was a normal, run-of-the-mill baby baptism kind-of-prayer. I believe it was a bold prayer, a missional prayer. It was, as it turned out, a prophetic prayer. More to the point, I wonder if I, as a pastor, have too often taken infants in my arms and prayed a

Photo Courtesy Dan Marritt

I would love to have heard the prayer that the pastor with a missionary heart prayed over Albert Simpson that winter morning

Spring 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

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Photo Courtesy Dan Marritt

Kids’ Prayers We celebrate these innocent and often insightful prayers from God’s precious children and our future leaders

Dear God, please help me to be a good girl. I REALLY mean it this time! Mackenzie, six years old Dear Father . . . No Mommy, I do it . . . Dear Father . . . Father . . . Hope Mommy feel better . . . Men! Skylar, two years old Teacher: “Children, close your eyes and bow your heads, then we will pray.” Jonah, four years old, bows his head, closes his eyes and exclaims, “Hey, who turned out the lights!” I want Jesus! Madison, two years old We’re so happy to be at church. We really want to go to heaven. Jacob, four years old I hope my brother has a safe snow board trip. Sami, five years old Please help me not to snore when I’m a grownup. Madelyn, five years old God, I love you SO much! Chelsea, five years old God could you please give me more Skylanders Giants and please fix my car. Ben, nine years old I pray that my school teacher is nice. Marcus, nine years old

Let’s ask that the parents will have the courage to prepare this child to make a difference in the world run-of-the-mill prayer of dedication. Yes, I have prayed that God will keep the child safe, and that the child will make a decision to follow Jesus. I have prayed that the parents will have wisdom in raising the child “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” But I have become convinced that such prayers are too tame. As pastors with missional and missionary hearts, it is not enough to pray that God will keep a child safe from harm. Let’s pray the child will be safe as they go to difficult and even dangerous places in the world. It is not enough to pray the child will follow Christ. Let’s pray this child will be instrumental in persuading others to follow Christ. It is not enough to ask the parents to have wisdom. Let’s ask that the parents will have the courage to prepare this child to make a difference in the world and let that child go wherever in the world God calls her or him. From now on, before I take a child in my arms for dedication, I am going to ask that God give me the prayer for that child God wants to answer. Thousands of people around the world who have come to faith in Christ through the ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance may have the baptismal prayer of a country pastor in P.E.I. to thank. I dare to hope God will answer one of my missional, dedicatory prayers in the same way.

I need forgiveness from God because I have hurt my sister a lot of times. Thank you God; I know you will forgive me. Brooke, nine years old

Note: The John Geddie Memorial Church is in New London, not far from Cavendish, P.E.I.

I need love and forgiveness from God and Jesus. Jenna, nine years old

Rev. David Freeman, BRE, MEd is Vice-President, Strategic Interface, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

Remember

practice of prayer

Rememb er

Photo Courtesy Olwyn Frey

Jesus is o u r H ea venly Ki On his bi ng, rthday t h e He help ang els s s me wh ing. en I ne He is th ed to sl e Sheph eep, erd and He i s o u w e are h r Father is sheep from He No matt . aven ab er what ove, we do, h e s And eve hows us his love. n throug h a l l o u r pa i n He is th , e One w ho will re m ain Very, ve ry c a l m . His King d o m is on And he no chart will alwa , ys be in my hear t!

lysha Frey loves the Lord. At eight years of age, her answer to any struggles she comes across is prayer. She prays out loud, a wonderful thing for her heavenly Father as well as her mother to hear. Alysha, who attends Bramalea Alliance in Brampton, Ont., had been extremely close to her grandfather, who died suddenly about three years ago. Since that time, Alysha has written her feelings on paper. One night Alysha had trouble falling asleep. She prayed aloud, asking God to help her. After about an hour, she prayed again, this time asking God to give her something positive to think about. She told the Lord that the longer she stayed awake, the more negative thoughts and fears crept into her mind. A short time later she fell asleep. The next day Alysha began writing. During the family reading time that evening, she asked her mom to read her prayer poem. Her mother’s heart rejoiced in the words that showed how much God was a part of her daughter’s life.

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FEATURE

PRAYER MAKES US

ONE Insights into a process that unites us to God in a union of wills

By Ben Elliott

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he high point of creation, according to the Bible, is the creation of humanity. Of course the entire world around us is diligent in trying to convince us that the whole story is much “flatter” than that, that there are no real “high points.” And if there are, they certainly aren’t us. Capstone of Creation But the Bible disagrees. Genesis 1-2 consider humankind to be the capstone of creation, created at its climax, given life by God’s own breath, and placed in a special position of honour and responsibility. Our human-ness is not random. We humans are designed after the pattern of Father, Son, and Spirit, who live and share an eternal life filled with joy and sociable pleasure. God’s life is love, is loving. We are created in just that image: the image of God; the image of love. It’s why “it is not good for the man to be alone,” why man and woman together are called God’s likeness and not either of them by themselves. It is why even the enemies of the Church would agree that we humans are at our best when we love. God’s life is reflected in our life; God’s love is reflected in our love. Somehow existing far past the bounds that we can imagine with our little word “eternity,” God’s love is active, particular, and intentional. His love is the root of his eternal decision to express his very own being as three Persons sharing one Divine Life. This love is the very life of God. It is his imprint. It is the stamp with which he has marked our nature. In creation, humanity is the apex because humanity is created in the image of God, the image of love. One and Three God is one. He is the Lord and there is no other; he can never be subdivided or multiplied or preceded; forever, he is only ever one God. God is one, but being one isn’t more important to his character than also being three Persons; he is never one first, and then only three later. God is one and three simultaneously. In many ways, it has become vogue to celebrate the idea of the Trinity as almost impossibly irrational, kept in the room, but pushed off to the edges of our Christian conversation and of our life together. Of course, the fact of God’s existence as Triune is difficult, but it is not a brutish difficulty. God is more like a lover, a mysterious and desirable spouse whose secrets are never fully unraveled but whose unsolvability is the very thing that amplifies the joy of loving and learning and the continuing desire of a lifetime together. The goal of doctrine then, at its best, is not to unravel the secrets of the Trinity, but to lead the Church like an unfolded letter of love, inviting us to behold God’s very self, as much as he chooses to reveal it to us. Our pastors and lay ministry shepherds are not

Perspectives on Prayer There is no wonder more supernatural and divine in the life of a believer than the mystery and ministry of prayer . . . the hand of the child touching the arm of the Father and moving the wheel of the universe. A.B. Simpson Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what he can do. Andrew Murray

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. Augustine

Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of his willingness. Martin Luther

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God. Oswald Chambers

Prayer honours God, acknowledges his being, exalts his power, adores his providence, secures his aid. E.M. Bounds

The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were on my knees. Brother Lawrence

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The happiness and work and suffering and hope and all the other things we experience right now shouldn’t be denied or swept aside

primarily instructors, but messengers carrying God’s own invitation and pointing out the paths to where and how he, and no other counterfeit lover, may truly be found. We do not know all his secrets, but he has revealed to his beloved (to us) that the Father always exists alongside the Son and the Spirit. Being one never comes first, neither does being three; one and three occur together and each aspect defines the other. God is the kind one that is always actively at work loving and sharing love; he is the kind of three whose interdependence is so complete that it cannot be contemplated except as a total unity. And so, reflecting God’s image to our neighbours is not fundamentally about being excellent individuals, it is about corporately instantiating the pattern of his own Tri-unity as he forms it among us. It is about embodying a kind of love that pours over its bounds to approach the weak and the outsider with care and attention, just as God himself, in Christ, approached us. Humanity is the high point because we have been created with the capacity to love, together. God’s image is clearest as we become together, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, members of one another. Truly being human, then, means residing in Christ and recapturing a human-ness that actually reflects God’s very own life. It means that, in the Church, we really are members of one another. We are still individuals; we are never confused or melded into one. But we are the kind of individuals that are increasingly only truly complete as we love and work together. We never cease to each be our own person, but at the same time, we are somehow mysteriously conjoined in such a way that we cannot be rightly contemplated except as one body, the head of which is Christ. When we think about what it means for us to have been created in God’s image, being one never comes first, neither does being three; our individual lives and our corporate lives occur together and each aspect defines the other. We are members of one another. When We Pray It doesn’t always appear so. In some respects, it doesn’t appear so at all. We in the Church are well practiced at disunity. And yet, headed by the one Christ, we are members of one another nevertheless. We are less divided than we think.

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Our present experiences are real. The happiness and work and suffering and hope and all the other things we experience right now shouldn’t be denied or swept aside. But they are not the most real. Colossians says that our “real life is hidden with Christ in God.” The life we are looking forward to possesses a reality in Christ which will incorporate and provide meaning for all the life we have lived thus far. Our most real life is yet to come. Right now, of course, the most real thing seems to be our disunity. Right now, it seems impossible that we could each be individual persons and yet simultaneously, truly, be one. But right now is not the most real thing. Except when we pray. When we pray, guided by God the Holy Spirit, we enter into God’s own presence and encounter Christ, our own most real life, right in the midst of the merely real. Prayer is, in part, the restful decision to deny the mundane and declare Christ, our life, as the most real thing. When we pray, Christ, our real life, invades the everyday. Our praying is connected to who we actually are. When we pray we accept God’s future action into our present lives. We do not yet steadily see this life to come, except in hope, but sometimes it breaks in and surprises us. We see it when the sick are healed, when the grieving are truly comforted, and when God provides cheer and courage to the weak. We see it when our hearts are stirred in genuine praise and thanksgiving, and when we experience God’s gentle assurance that he really can be trusted with our cares and with those we love the most. Our prayers make us otherworldly people, in the best sense of the word, as we ourselves are formed right now into the character of Christ, our life who is to come.

And although we see distance and disunity all around us in the Church, God forms us together into one body when we pray corporately and for one another. He does it, quietly, in all kinds of ways. Prayer for our enemies enables our forgiveness of them. I think it is one of God’s greatest miracles. Prayer for the unity of the Church gives God room to form us together as one body, even when it is impossible for us to imagine how. When we pray for the suffering Church throughout the world we acknowledge, in the presence of God, that we are members of them and they of us, and we are bound in a living and divine solidarity with them. We declare that our future life is a shared life alongside them, though we may never meet here in the merely real. When we pray for the housebound sick, for our International Workers and their families, or for those separated from us for some other reason, the collected church upholds the reality of the absent church in the very presence of God and invites him to form us together as one, even in spite of our physical separation. In asking for God’s special aid and care for these absent, we rest in our future restoration and declare that hidden reality into our largely unrestored present. When we pray for the lost, we open our hearts to welcoming them into our shared life together, and ask God to draw them to himself. When we pray together, we dwell together in our future, and invite God’s work to increasingly form us together as the one body of Christ. Prayer, especially corporate prayer, is sacramental of our unity. It is a place where God supernaturally transforms our merely real and creates the everlasting among us.

Ben Elliott is an Alliance International Worker teaching theology in Indonesia and the author of Accreditation Helps: An Introduction to the Theology of The Christian and Missionary Alliance

Perspectives on Prayer Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens the way for God himself to do his work in us and through us. Let our chief work as God’s messengers be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us. Andrew Murray

Prayer in the sense of petition, asking for things, is a small part of it; confession and penitence are its threshold, adoration its sanctuary, the presence and vision and enjoyment of God its bread and wine. C.S. Lewis Four things let us ever keep in mind: God hears prayer, God heeds prayer, God answers prayer, and God delivers by prayer. E.M. Bounds Prayer does not equip us for greater works—prayer is the greater work. Oswald Chambers We ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speak to him frankly and plainly, and implore his assistance in our affairs. Brother Lawrence I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk about, when I lie down and when I rise up. And the answers are always coming. Thousands and tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right and for the glory of God, I go on praying for it until the answer comes. George Mueller

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impressions

Blowing Away the Smoke

Photo Courtesy Isobel Stevenson

Equipping Bible teachers around the world while working from home

Isobel and William Stevenson

By Karen Stiller

sobel Stevenson, who attends Heritage Park Alliance Church in Windsor, Ont., may work from her home, but the impact of her editing and writing are felt around the world. In Africa, her editorial hand oversaw the production of the Africa Bible Commentary, the first onevolume commentary on the whole

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Bible written by African scholars for Africa and for the world. She is also excited to have helped produce textbooks such as African Christian Theology and African Christian Ethics that are being used by Bible college students across Africa. In Asia, she is involved in producing the South Asia Bible Commentary, written by scholars

from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. She has also led writing workshops in India and Malaysia at which scholars and pastors are given time and encouragement as they write for the people to whom they minister. She has had the joy of seeing books that were worked on at these workshops published in India, Nepal and the Philippines.

How does she manage this? It is through her association with Langham Literature, the literature branch of Langham Partnership International (LPI) and Langham Partnership Canada. This ministry was founded by the late John Stott to help the church in the Majority . . . works to World (formerly make sure known as the that Christian Third World) grow in depth, even as it leaders have grows in numbers. access to high Langham works to improve quality books theological by Western and education in the Majority World local authors providing to help them in by bursaries to their ministry enable theological students from Majority World countries to pursue PhDs in theology, nurtures biblical preaching movements around the world, and works to make sure that Christian leaders have access to high quality books by Western and local authors to help them in their ministry. Langham Literature—Isobel’s area—also provides writer’s grants to enable evangelical scholars in the Majority World to find the time and space to write books that will benefit the church in their regions.

There are also publisher’s grants to help Christian publishers in the Majority World publish books in local languages like Sinhalese, Tagalog, Nepalese and Amharic. “I love the fact that the books I’m working on will have a long-term impact and that I am able to use my editing skills to contribute to God’s work,” explains Isobel. “If you ask me what I do, I could say that I blow away the smoke that obscures the bright fire of an author’s thinking. Or I might describe myself as a professional idiot who has to find anything that could be misunderstood before the reader does.” Isobel is also a juggler of sorts, constantly managing multiple projects with numerous writers. The South Asia Bible Commentary, for example, “has dozens of authors from a wide range of denominations. There’s nothing else like it on the market now,” explains Isobel. “This commentary is intended for your average pastor, many of whom do not have much Bible school training. We are seeing the fruit of what Langham set out to do— build up churches and seminaries in the Majority World. Now the leaders we have helped to train are using their talents to write about and build up the local church.” Isobel also loves her work because she is always learning. “I learn something from every writer I work with. It’s humbling as you realize the pressures Christians outside the Western world are under—social pressures, enormous workloads, and a lack of things we take for granted, such as a reliable power supply. But despite all this, they find time to write. I am honoured that they are prepared to trust me with their writing.” Karen Stiller works with Langham Canada and is also Associate Editor of Faith Today. Check out her website at: www.karenstiller.com. For more information on Langham Canada, visit www.langham.org

from

Human trafficking. The problem is real. The problem is Canada’s. The problem is ours. As Christ’s followers we are called to restore hope and be life-changers. Dignity House is a second stage recovery house in Winnipeg for prostitutes coming out of an addictions recovery program. It provides women with a place to heal, learn basic life skills and experience the love of God.

Please support the National Women’s Ministries project to raise $150,000 in support of this house.

For more information, go to: www.allwomensministries.ca/#/ internatl-project

FEATURE

When God Says “No” Biblical insights into an answer that is difficult to accept ••• By David Chotka •••

here are times when God, the God of mercy, is moved, brimming over with compassion. He heard the groaning despair of a slave people whose hope was shattered. It had been 80 years from the systemic slaughter of their sons by order of the king. The text below speaks to the holy mystery we will address: And the sons of Israel sighed because of their bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob . . . Exodus 2:23b-24 NASB The answer was the call of Moses, the 80-year-old stutterer whom God sent with a walking stick to embarrass Egypt’s infrastructure. He was called to tell the powerful to use their power to heal and not to brutalize. Ironically, God had used a brutalized Hebrew named Joseph to heal that nation once before. Yet the freedom brought by Joseph’s wise deliverance had been turned into cruel chains for Joseph’s sons and daughters. Read the Good Book and you will find the answer. God raised up Moses to bring deliverance “by an outstretched hand and a mighty arm.” We read the accounts and are moved. If you know the Bible at all, you have heard of the answers to their prayers, funneled through the prayers of the stutterer with the stick: the ten plagues, the fiery and

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

cloudy pillar, the journey through the Red Sea, and the giving of the ten commands. Yet even in this answer we are left with the fact that there were 80 years when it seemed the answer would not come: children ripped from the arms of mothers, systemic violence built into the outrage of love, freedom ravaged by malicious bondage, and brutal acts of cruelty against those with no defence while slave-stock dads and moms, and sisters and brothers, watched in dumb despair, making “bricks without straw.” Two full generations passed while the intolerable was entrenched, stitched and woven into the fabric of life for the chosen people. Can’t you hear their searching cry? And yet, holy memory spoke to the mystery. Israel would remember what God had done in bringing them there: they were in that place by miracle. God had spoken to their ancestors. The Lord had brought them through the dreams, the betrayal, the sufferings and the elevation of Joseph, son of Jacob, who’s grandfather, Abraham, had travelled to a foreign land because his God commanded him. The supernatural had overlapped the ordinary. A vision was given to a 17-year-old, telling him that his brothers would bow down to him. In jealous rage, the bitter brothers handed this dreamer over to slavery. Yet God superintended the grief and birthed an answer to a catastrophic and greater grief not yet seen (deliverance from famine and starvation) through their cruel betrayal. It is impossible to avoid the hard teaching of the Bible. Here is what the Psalm writer said about what happened to a 17-year-old, whose only crime was to “brag on” a dream, when he was too naïve to know what the bragging might do: And he (God) called for a famine upon the land; He broke the whole staff of bread, He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They afflicted his feet with fetters, He himself was laid in irons; Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him. The King sent and released him, The ruler of peoples, and set him free . . . That he might teach his elders wisdom. Psalm 105:16-20, 22b NASB Israel, in cruel bondage in Egypt, was there in that place of bondage because their forebear, Joseph, passed through bondage to an answer, an unexpected answer, that had nothing to do with his deepest desires, and even less to do with the cruel and bitter jealousy of rival siblings. Every breathing pore in the lad cried out for deliverance.

Every breathing pore in the lad cried out for deliverance And every prayer for release took him into another disappointment. And through God’s “no” to Joseph’s prayer was borne a deliverance for a million souls, the saving of a nation (Egypt), and the birthing of another (Israel). There are many reasons why God says “no.” Moses “bluffed” a miracle (he struck water-bearing rock, claiming that he produced it, instead of speaking to the rock and having the water appear), claimed the credit for the answer, and stole the Lord’s glory (see Numbers 20:1-13). Godly leaders aren’t allowed to become “little gods” based on counterfeit miracles. So when he prayed to be allowed to go into the Promised Land, God said “No. Ask me no more. I have raised up Joshua, and you will die on this mountain” (see Deuteronomy 3:23-29). Yet most of us understand a “no” based on our sin. It is the other kinds of “no” that cause us to be confused. Even Jesus, and this was “God at prayer,” was given a “no” by God himself. God entered the human stream in Jesus. Moses himself, with Elijah, appeared to “God at prayer” to tell him about how he would die in a particular way (see Luke 9:28-31). He then spoke it to three disciples. And he didn’t want to die that way. He cried out in sinless perfection for God to shift the method. God said “no”. And in sinless perfection, Jesus asked a second time, as he sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. God said “no” again. And the Sinless One, in perfect harmony with the will of God, asked a third time—until the third “no” was given. Then, and only then, did our Lord submit to the “no” he had resisted. You see, the “no” was God’s “yes” for others, for a greater purpose. God says “no” for lots of reasons. It is ours to ask—to get down to the place in which we discern the will—and to say “yes” to the “no” of God. Rev. David Chotka is Chair of the Alliance Pray! Team, Lead Pastor of Spruce Grove Alliance Church in Alberta and author of Power Praying (PrayerShop: Terre Haute, 2009)

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FEATURE

t c e n n o C e g n e l l a h C n e e T ive g s n o dicti ose d a om r ur p f p g d n i n r ove pe a c o e h r ed en Wom of renew sp a r k By A

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hey say it takes a village to raise a child, but what does it take to raise a hopeless young man or woman out of the depths of addiction? What does that “village” or community look like? Family and friends play a huge role in the acknowledgement, support and recovery of an addicted person. As a community, we cannot deny that we have a vital role and responsibility to take care of “our” vulnerable men, women and children. A few years ago, in church, I heard about the Abbotsford BC Teen Challenge Women’s Centre which accommodates women students 19 –45 years of age. It is a one-year residential Christian program for those trapped in a life of paralyzing addictions. They were women just like me. In fact, I had experienced many difficult times in my life when I could have easily gone completely off the rails, but didn’t. Perhaps it was the reality that I had come close at times that gripped my heart. These women were not as fortunate. They had walked the hard road of physical and emotional abuse, childhood drug addiction, poverty, prostitution and many other hardships that I could not conceivably imagine. A seed was planted in my heart that day. A few months later, our women’s Bible study at Sevenoaks Alliance saw the opportunity to reach out in love to these women. We invited them to join us for fellowship and prayer. Meaningful times turned into deepened relationships and in 2011, a new outreach ministry was formed, Teen Challenge Connect. Through Teen Challenge Connect we have intentionally reached out and created opportunities for meaningful interactions. Women from our church pray for these residential students, go for walks, help with cooking, send encouragement cards and attend their graduations. Our seniors group took a bus full to have lunch, enjoy fellowship and continue building relationships. Our church has also supported BC Teen Challenge in practical ways through Christmas hampers and, most recently, through the generous provision of computer monitors to help bring technology to their education and life skills program. BC Teen Challenge students have become involved in our church as well. They have helped at our annual spring and fall “Clothesline” events, where free clothing is given to those in need. They have also prepared food for community outreaches like a Christmas dinner served to the lonely and less fortunate in our city. Most recently, the students participated in our fall kick-off, sharing their testimonies, entering a chili and borscht cook-off contest and serving up samples to our eager crowd. Teen Challenge Connect is about more than “doing” things together. Sevenoaks Alliance seeks the opportunity to establish relationships with the women that are built on love, trust and respect. With this solid foundation in place, we desire to have the immense privilege of being able to speak into their lives with godly influence.

Each of us has the power to make a difference in the lives of others Setting aside time to listen and journey with them in their walk blesses them with the love, compassion, wisdom and encouragement they need. Sharing our own life experiences and leading by example are also part of building and supporting the women of BC Teen Challenge. One day, we trust that they will return to their families and communities with a profound sense that they are supported, cared for and deeply loved by others. Such a sense of belonging within a community is a powerful agent of change. We are all part of a greater circle in life. Each of us has the power to make a difference in the lives of others. Each one of us can contribute to rebuilding and reshaping the broken people in our cities—one person at a time. It simply takes a genuine love of people and a heart of hope for restoration and change. Teen Challenge Connect at Sevenoaks Alliance is honoured to love and support the women of BC Teen Challenge in Abbotsford in purposeful and meaningful ways. Angie Appenheimer is a volunteer ministry leader for Teen Challenge Connect at Sevenoaks Alliance, Abbotsford, BC

en partenariat avec

French immersion students expected in september 2013 Une école de théologie évangélique au service de l’Église et de la société One-year minor or three-year degree (Bachelor of Theology) from Université Laval Join Quebec young adults for expÉrience 19/24 prereQuisites:

* High School plus 1 year * Satisfactory score on the TFI language test

www.ibvie.org Montréal, Québec

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perspectives

The Perfect Pastor Insights gained from a time of reflection and contemplation

By Shawn Vickar

••• During 2012, I entered a planned sabbatical of six months, which our church grants each of our pastoral staff every seventh year of ministry. Overextended, exhausted, and shortchanging my wife and children, I placed myself under the tutelage of a variety of authors and mentors, many of whom focused on soul care, personal spiritual formation, and the vocational call of the pastor. As a result of spending an extended period of time in such green pastures,

This person’s pace is set by the Lord’s agenda

completely disengaged from my “work” as pastor, I found myself (with the assistance of a wise counsellor) on a journey to rediscover and reshape my soul, myself, and my understanding of my vocation and calling. In the process, I was tasked with an assignment to reflect and write on the idea of being a perfect pastor (admittedly a flawed concept). The following thoughts are some of the reflections and lessons I am learning, as well as a picture of the qualities of life and ministry I am seeking to cultivate as I emerge from this sabbatical season. My hope in sharing these thoughts is to inspire and empower others in an age of burnout of ministers.

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he perfect pastor is not hurried The perfect pastor is a lover of the nor driven by the tyranny of the Word of God, whether walking with urgent, but rather has established people one-on-one, or in the pulpit rhythms in life of slowing down opening the Scriptures and making the pace enough to listen to what’s the life-giving Word of Christ going on inside, and what the Lord accessible in ways that are practical is saying in the midst of the activity. and alive. This person’s pace is set by The desired end is that Christians the Lord’s agenda for a work or can walk in confidence, having family day, a week heard the Lord speak to or a season, and the them, affirming a sense agenda is known of dignity, purpose, and This pastor is because room has Christ’s presence in their learning that been made for God homes, places of work, to speak slowly, and when at play. if there is any softly, and regularly This pastor is learning “perfect” at through times of the value and freedom of solitude and meditaserving so as to please all in being tion on his Word. the Lord rather than a pastor, it At the end of others—having seen too is in being the day, this person many times that the cycle wishes to say that of seeking praise from perfectly what God has anyone else inevitably one’s self assigned, has been fails to satisfy and is faithfully completed. flawed from start to finish. and secure When in a meeting Instead, this pastor in Christ or counselling session, looks to the Lord or when spending who, as Abba Father, time with staff, this promises to pour out his pastor, focused on the present immeasurable love into our hearts by and not rushed in conversation or the Holy Spirit. Further, by seeking thinking about what else must be God as Abba Father, this pastor hears done, is relaxed and attentive to the Lord speaking and affirming those involved in the meeting. personal identity as one who is With one ear tuned to heaven, dearly loved despite, and even in, and one on the work at hand, this one’s own shortcomings. pastor utilizes prayer as an internal This foundation of God’s conversation that gives shape to acceptance is what enables this words and actions. This is one who pastor to face conflict, speak truth seeks to become quicker to listen, when truth needs to be spoken, and both to God and people, and slower bring the compassion and love of to speak. God into the many scenarios being From genuine times of faced. introspection and conversation with In the end, this pastor is learning God and others, this pastor has the that if there is any “perfect” at all ability to journey with people—not in being a pastor, it is in being for them—as a companion, guiding perfectly one’s self and secure in others also on a spiritual pilgrimage, Christ — true to the personality, encouraging, exhorting, and feeding physicality, gifts, limitations, and them from a full tank within. life that God has given. When leading, this pastor does Rev. Shawn Vickar is Lead Pastor at so collaboratively, with conviction, Rockyview Alliance Church, Calgary, courage, and a willingness to take AB. Feel free to direct any comments risks to advance the Gospel in fresh to shawn@rockyviewalliance.com and creative ways.

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Education

Unprecedented growth of Alliance theological training in Quebec By Gladys Thompson

“

e’ve been swamped over the past number of months by unprecedented opportunities and a major increase in registrations and students,” states Dr. Jean Martin, Director of Institut Biblique V.I.E. (IBVIE). This leadership training school for The Christian and Missionary Alliance, located in Montreal, has recently launched some strategic educational partnerships. A few years ago, IBVIE associated itself with l’École de théologie évangélique de Montréal (ETEM). Martin serves as academic dean of both schools. They now have a bilateral agreement with the theology department of Laval University in Quebec City, thereby insuring a university degree, such as a Bachelor of Theology, for their students. These partnerships have propelled leadership training within the whole Quebec evangelical community. Recently, three other evangelical schools have requested to enter into partnerships with IBVIEETEM —one to share space and libraries, another to share classes and professors and a third to join in the university arrangement with Laval. Presently, Reformed Evangelicals, Mennonite Brethren and Pentecostal schools are collaborating with the Alliance school. This is surely a new chapter for Kingdom work in Quebec. “Churches, pastors and students are attracted,

but we believe, especially, that our Lord is pleased,” explains Martin. One of the many positive results is the library. The 4,000 book IBVIE library jumped to 8,000 when it added ETEM’s books and then to 16,000 books with the newest school partner, Institut Farel. The quality and diversity of theological education is on the rise almost month by month as IBVIE adds new teachers. Students and future church leaders have options they never had before and far greater flexibility in course offerings. Most importantly, they have a context of Christian unity, grace and humility in which to learn what it means to serve the Kingdom in today’s world. IBVIE provides the Alliance family with a full Bachelor of Theology degree, a brand new young adults program, a teaching and administrative team more than five times the size of what it was just three years ago, as well as the possibility of launching a Master’s level program in the near future. “Because of partnerships, the Alliance is getting greater quality and quantity of theological education than it did in the past, for the same dollar, but we need new funding if we are to walk through all these doors,” Martin continues. Students and registrations more than doubled in 2012 to 45 students, with Alliance students accounting for at least 25 per cent of the total theology department of Laval University. Last year, the average student age was about 45 years. This year, 70 per cent of students are under 30! Registrations increased 125 per cent in September 2012 and another 10 per cent in January 2013. Martin jokes that

Students and registrations more than doubled in 2012

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FEATURE

with the highest number of full-time students ever, there is a lot more action, conversation, laughter and, at times, even running around in the halls! The school has recently launched an introductory 10-course, 30-credit undergraduate minor that introduces students to the Bible, theology, ministry and missions. This semester, nine students are doing a practicum in Montreal while others prepare for the first-ever overseas mission course experience in the spring. This same introductory certificate is being offered with a young adult profile called Experience 19/24. This program, unique in Quebec, is for a first year of university education for youth who will continue in other fields of study, including full-time Christian vocational ministry. Sonny Perron, a graduate of IBVIE, is a new Alliancelicenced worker serving in l’Église l’Oasis in Montreal. He is the first-ever student life coordinator, working eight hours per week mentoring the Experience 19/24 students. The school also has its first-ever prayer room. Students, teachers, personnel and pastors can meet with the Lord in a place of quietness. The school also offers a weekly luncheon with guest speakers sharing what God is doing both in Quebec and in other places. Administratively, IBVIE and ETEM have their first-ever recruitment software that permits them to closely follow potential students. Over the past year, three first-ever Open Door events have met with much success. In September, the school hopes to have its first-ever French immersion students from across Canada. In Montreal, they will connect with a culturally-alive, but spiritually-famished city. At IBVIE, they can earn a

minor in Bible and Ministry that is transferrable to any university in North America. Needless to say, they will also improve their French! “Lots of first-evers,” says Martin, “but we are especially committed to for-evers—investments that will produce eternal fruit.” With all these changes, IBVIE and its partner school, ETEM (Mennonite Brethren), continue to build around five key educational values: • Community — learning with others • Mentorship — learning from others • Faith connecting with society — learning for others • Adult education — learning built upon learning • Integration — learning to let truth transform

“I’m now hearing a rallying cry and an interest in leadership training that I was no longer hearing in Quebec. Faith and perseverance over the past decades are giving way to visible and abundant fruit. We are working with partners as never before. We are saying “yes” to change, even though we do not always fully realize where it will lead us,” concludes Martin. He invites readers to take a good look at what’s happening with IBVIE in Quebec by visiting their website at www.ibvie.org. And why not share this news with the French immersion youth you know! Gladys Thompson is Communications Coordinator at The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada’s National Ministry Centre and is Associate Editor of cmAlliance.ca

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churches ormed by Christ, ada and the world.

nary Alliance in Canada Vision Prayer

FEATURE

A Dream a Plan and a Prayer His journey from a rural town in Jamaica to becoming Winnipeg’s top cop

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

Devon Clunis Photo Courtesy @Stothers Studio

By Peter White

o one saw it coming. The media firestorm caught everyone—particularly the man who ignited the heated debate—by surprise. Devon Clunis, 48, is a 25-year veteran of the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS). On November 2, 2012, he was sworn in as the city’s 17th police chief. Clunis is not only a well-respected cop, he is also the police service chaplain and the city’s first chief of police who is a visible minority. The genesis of the controversy was his interview with ChristianWeek, a Winnipeg-based national news publication, which took place shortly after the announcement of his appointment as chief at the beginning of October. The mainstream media had a field day by reporting his suggestion of an unusual weapon in the fight against crime in Winnipeg—harnessing the power of prayer. That’s right—prayer. Keep in mind, Winnipeg has a very serious violent crime problem. It also has a distinction no city wants. In the summer of 2012, Manitoba’s capital was again named the violent-crime and murder capital of Canada. Many in the press saw the discussion of his faith and prayer as an abdication of responsibility. They reacted by mocking the chief, questioning his ability and criticizing his ethics. Arthur Schafer, an ethicist with the University of Manitoba, said, “I think it’s entirely inappropriate for a chief of police, in his role as chief of police, to be advocating prayer either to his colleagues on the police force or to the general public.” Winnipeg Centre MP Pat Martin expressed concern about the idea of prayer as a crime-fighting tool. “You have to welcome a more enlightened approach to criminal-justice issues, but if anyone thinks the power of prayer alone is going to make our streets safer, they’re deluded,” Martin is reported to have said during a telephone interview from Ottawa. The Winnipeg Free Press stated in an editorial: “It is understandable a devout Christian would see the hand of God at work in the world, that faith would be “foundational” to everything he does. Winnipeggers, however, are equally justified in expecting their new

police chief, Devon Clunis, would have a less supernatural plan for battling the city’s ignominious crime rate. “Now citizens are told acting Chief Clunis believes violent crime is not something that can simply be “policed away.” . . . But the police chief is not hired to engage in mass invocation for divine intervention.” For his part, Clunis was understandably disappointed that his attempts to bring the community together were twisted out of context. When asked by ChristianWeek about reducing violent crime in Winnipeg, this veteran of law enforcement suggested that you cannot simply “arrest crime away.” He followed up with: “What would happen if we all just

Everyone focused on his comments that encouraged people of all faiths to pray for peace in Winnipeg 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?” Everyone focused on his comments that encouraged people of all faiths to pray for peace in Winnipeg. What they all left out was the second, most important, part of the statement—that those prayers have to be followed by action. LifeLong Journey From the streets of Jamaica to becoming Winnipeg’s top cop is a lifelong journey even Devon Clunis would never have dreamed. “I’m driven by the experiences of a little boy who, at the age of 12, immigrated with his family to Canada in 1975, unsure of what the future had in store for him.”

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New Winnipeg Police Force Chief Devon Clunis gets sworn in officially by City of Winnipeg CAO Phil Sheegl at city hall 2012 BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

A little boy who was challenged by cultural upheaval; a little boy who was able to succeed because individuals purposefully set out to make a difference in his life. “We know that young people can clothe themselves with damaging images manufactured by pop culture. My image of who we are as people of colour was solidified when I watched the pivotal miniseries, ROOTS. I was in Grade 9. “Kids would tease me by calling me “Kunta Kinte,” the young African slave who was captured and brought to America. In spite of what he suffered, Kunta Kinte maintained his sense of pride and dignity. He refused to be broken. “As I watched that miniseries, the thing that dawned on my Grade 9 mind was, ‘Wow, we are a strong people. If we can survive that and still be here, I have a lot to be proud of.’ “I remembered thinking to myself, we don’t always have to be “the bad guy,” and I set out to exemplify that in my life. I determined I would do something to set an example for other children to follow.” Chief Clunis began his career with the WPS in 1987. He has served in all major areas of the organization, including uniform patrol, traffic, plainclothes investigation, community relations, organizational development and duty office, as well as in a number of

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administrative leadership roles. He has also overseen the growth of an in-house leadership development program for newly-promoted police officers. Clunis holds a degree in Divinity and is completing studies at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. When Clunis applied to be a Winnipeg cop, he did not set out to make any type of history. Initially, he wanted to crack the stereotype that police cruisers’ backseats were reserved for visible minorities. He also wanted to become a role model and make a difference by impacting the lives of young people in a positive way. “In this moment, I’m continuing to live my dream, my desire for making a difference,” he says. Role of Faith “My faith is foundational to everything that I do. For as long as I can remember, I have been a person of faith. Sunday in church was a regular thing for us as children,” says Clunis, who today attends Kilcona Park Alliance Church with his wife, Pearlene. So it should be no surprise that he gives God all the credit for his success. He claims he never asked God to make him a powerful person. Instead, he has consistently prayed that God would make him a leader who treats people with dignity, compassion and respect. From his perspective, the only reason he is in the position of chief

Without my faith, I wouldn’t have survived 25 years in the police service of police is because God is involved. Clunis knows that prayer works. In 1998, he says, “I had a little prayer just with myself to God saying, ‘You know, I wish you’d put me in a place in our police service where one day I will just have the opportunity to stand up and tell people there’s a God who truly cares about them.” Three weeks later, an officer he had never met approached him about the chaplaincy and asked if he would consider joining. “I said yes, and I’ve never looked back.” Fifteen years later, Clunis says he plans to continue as chaplain even as he takes on his new role. From his perspective, being a chaplain is one of the greatest ways he can serve the members of the force who, in turn, serve and protect the public. “Really, one of the most integral parts is just simply being there to have those informal conversations with people,” he says. “Somebody will simply come into your office; they’re having some real difficulties, whether it is family, medical or other issues, and they will say: ‘Would you pray for me?’ “I say, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it right now.’ Do you know the peace that brings someone just to be able to do that?” Clunis says with certainty, “Without my faith, I wouldn’t have survived 25 years in the police service.” He tells the story of working in the traffic division. It was a beautiful sunny day. Two little girls walking home from the swimming pool were run over and killed by a drunk driver at 2:30 in the afternoon. It was his scene. He had to deal with the situation. He went back to the station and something came over him, forcing him to leave. He then drove around in absolute silence for the rest of his shift, went home and checked on the status of his two little girls. They were fine. Then he broke down and started to cry uncontrollably. “I didn’t know what was happening to me. Why was I feeling this way?” The next morning, the crying began again so his wife invited their pastor over to talk. Clunis told him, “I am just so angry that this man has taken away two little girls, impacted the lives of these families and there is nothing I can do about it.” His pastor wisely responded, “Devon, there are things that you will see that you have absolutely zero control over. You just have to simply give them up to God.” Clunis concluded, “What has gotten me through so many difficult situations since then is knowing that,

regardless of what I see, God is ultimately in control.” As a person of faith, Clunis believes there is both good and evil in the world. He says, “Many people believe that if we put more officers on the street that that will be the resolution to crime. I don’t agree. In the physical sense, there is only so much you can do against evil. Some of these battles are spiritual battles and we have to ensure we engage in a spiritual way. Prayer is a very powerful weapon in the spiritual realm. “I believe if we have the entire community praying for one another and for our city, we will see improvement in the physical realm.” He continues, “If you are praying for your neighbour, I don’t think you’ll be out there hating your neighbour or fighting with your neighbour. Then, if you ask yourself what you can do to impact your neighbour’s well-being and you follow through, I believe great things can happen.” Anything Is Possible As a young Jamaican boy raised in a small rural town in a house with no electricity, Clunis believes that anything is possible. At his swearing-in ceremony on November 2, Clunis acknowledged that Winnipeg has an historic crime problem. He reiterated his belief that it is one that can and will be overcome if people recognize the potential they have in working together. He continued, “Anthropologist Margaret Mead has a quote which I believe applies to our present situation. She said, ‘Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.’ “I believe that one person can make a difference. But I also know what can happen when the power of one is multiplied by a group of individuals committed to a cause. “Together, we can make a difference and change the future of our city. My life is an example of individuals willing to make such a difference, and I believe we have the collective will to see real change happen in Winnipeg. “I believe something great is going to happen in our city in terms of the reduction of crime, and I believe it is something we can only accomplish if we do it together.” Since that memorable date, Chief Clunis has consistently expressed a determined vision to create a “culture of safety” in the city. With the right plan and commitments, he is convinced there will be a radical change in Winnipeg crime rates within the next five to 10 years. In fact, in his mind, Winnipeg has the potential to become one of the safest communities in the nation. “I am an individual who sees possibilities everywhere,” Clunis said. “I dream very positive dreams. I believe this will come to fruition if we simply stay on focus.” Peter White is an independent communication, media and adult education consultant

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FEATURE

On-Site With

Insight Prayer Interceding for your community one step at a time By Joel Black

ven though it was -20 C in downtown Winnipeg on January 1, 2011, twenty people from my church gathered at the front door of our building to prayer-walk around our community. That was the first of many prayerwalks our church has done over the past two years. Prayer-walking is simply “on-site praying.” We pray on the very location where we expect God to answer our prayers. Praying while walking the streets has proven to be a wonderful way to get to know our community and has helped our congregation feel more connected to our neighbourhood. One time, we sent some people out a week ahead. The purpose was to explore the area, introduce ourselves to our neighbours and let them know that on the following Saturday, a group of us would be walking around the neighbourhood and praying. We asked if it would be OK to pray for them and if there was anything in particular we could pray for. When we came to a massage parlour, we walked up the stairs and introduced ourselves to a lady who was at the window. She declined our offer for prayer but suggested, instead, that we pray for the women who were walking our streets at night. We knew about the massage parlour because it had recently been in the news, but we had no idea about the

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We pray on the very location where we expect God to answer our prayers

women who were on our streets at night! This gave us one more thing to pray for on the following Saturday. We have not always walked around as we prayed. Once we went to a nearby high school and met in the teachers’ lounge. On another occasion, we decided to stay inside our church building and walked through it while praying for the different ministries taking place within our four walls. Choosing a location with a vantage point looking out over the city is another way to pray without moving around. One day, I plan to pray for our community from the roof of our church building. We have even done prayer-walks while on bicycles—a prayer ride. These prayer rides gave us the opportunity to pray on a wider scale and to cover more ground as we

Prayer-walking is a simple way to continually fill the streets with prayer

stopped and prayed at strategic locations in the downtown core of our city. Prayer-walking can be hard, especially for people who are not used to praying in this way. When I lead prayer-walks, I want people to have a good experience and sign up to come again. Here are some tips I have found helpful: • develop “prayer prompts” or specific prayer requests to use throughout the walk; use these prayer prompts when you feel the group is having trouble coming up with things to pray about • anticipate the Devil’s interference and seek God’s protection in advance • encourage the prayer-walkers to keep conversation among themselves to a minimum • create a simple handout with prayer requests and even a map of the route you will be walking • walk the route ahead of time to gain familiarity with the area • learn about the neighbourhood and share your findings with the group so they can pray with informed hearts • choose a Bible passage to pray through during the walk • hold a short debriefing time at the end Prayer-walking is a simple way to continually fill the streets with prayer and intercede for your community one step at a time. Find more information and great resources on prayer-walking at www.waymakers.org.

Joel Black is pastor of enCompass Church, the English congregation of Winnipeg Chinese Alliance Church. Prior to this ministry, he and his wife were International Workers with the Alliance in Japan

Your Kingdom Come A Guide for Prayer-Walking Read Isaiah 65:17-25. Notice how God’s Kingdom is described. As you walk and pray, imagine the plans God has for your community. Picture it, not how it is now, but how it will look when God’s Kingdom comes in all its fullness. Use the following as a guide as you prayer-walk your community. 17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

As you begin your walk, celebrate God’s plan to create a new heaven and a new earth. Ask God to take delight in the people whose homes you are walking past. Pray for those suffering; ask God to remove their tears and ease their pain. “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

Pray for the young and the old. Pray for an end to infant mortality. Ask God to take care of the young mothers and to protect the infants. Ask God to comfort the elderly who are often living alone. Pray that they may live out their lives in good health.

21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.

Pray for job creation and lower unemployment rates in your community. 23 They will not labour in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.

Pray that these streets will become known as safe streets for children. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.

Ask God to bring peace and prosperity to your community.

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FEATURE

Healing Heal ing Prayer Prayer Insights into understanding the biblical truths for finding wholeness of body, soul and spirit By Ruth Ann Fraser

man is stricken with a rare neurological disease that will, over some unknown time, rob him of his ability to reason, speak, walk, or take care of his daily needs; a woman has cried out to God for a child and yet remains unable to conceive; a teenager’s parents are in anguish over the diagnosis of schizophrenia in their child who had held such promise; a gentleman in his 80s longs to regain his “normal” hearing; a young child has been diagnosed with leukemia. All these are situations that are quite desperate to the people experiencing them. And they come and ask for prayer. How do I respond? How would you? How does one even begin to pray in situations like these? And how can they be appropriately prayed with and for? Healing Prayer What is healing prayer? Is prayer for healing the same thing as healing prayer? I might suggest that they are perhaps not the same; that prayer for healing is “the ask” and healing prayer is the response of the Spirit of the Healing Christ that abides with those who believe. Perhaps I am “trying to catch the wind”; but I would suggest that healing prayer is much like the wind. Wind is mysterious, unseen, even powerful and yet it leaves very objective signs of its presence in its wake—whether that be a gentle breeze in the treetops or a violent, raging storm that can shear off a roof or collapse a building. Healing prayer is also mysterious, powerful and difficult to define, but some of its objective signs are: forgiveness, peace, love, hope, joy, wholeness. What we see in the ministry of Jesus is the highest example of healing prayer, where wholeness is affected in all the components of the person—body, soul and spirit.

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Many times, as suggested in Richard Beckman’s Praying for Wholeness and Healing, we look for an instantaneous healing that will transform all of our lives, and perhaps we are disappointed if this does not happen. Healing We tend to think of persons as made up of prayer is also distinct parts—body, soul and spirit—but these parts mysterious, are merely aspects of one whole person, and these powerful and parts are interacting all the time. So we are always on difficult to a road towards wholeness or away from it. Physical define health can affect both mental health and spiritual health. And spiritual health, brought about through healing prayer, can bring about health in the physical and mental parts of our being as well. Therefore, it is important to note that healing prayer is not in competition with medical science but is complementary to it. We recognize that God brings his healing grace through many means—medicines, herbs, surgery, nutrition, etc. I am reminded of a quote usually attributed to Augustine: “Without God, man cannot; without man, God will not.” This speaks to the interplay of God’s sovereignty and man’s choosing—choosing for instance, good health habits and wise counsel, while at the same time, holding fast to the truth that ultimately God is in control of what happens when we offer healing prayer.

Do not be anxious about any thing, but in e v ery situation, by pr ayer and petition, with thank sgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

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Pe r s pec ti v e s o n Pa i n a n d Su ffe ri n g We must learn to live on the heavenly side and look at things from above. To contemplate all things as God sees them, as Christ beholds them, overcomes sin, defies Satan, dissolves perplexities, lifts us above trials, separates us from the world and conquers fear of death. A. B. Simpson

Being angry with God is quite common. People frequently ask, “If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love for us, why didn’t he stop the thing that caused the pain?” This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between God and the hurting person. He seizes the opportunity to say, “God isn’t good, and he can’t be trusted.” However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satan—he is a liar and the father of lies. Joyce Meyer

As we practice the work of forgiveness we discover, more and more, that forgiveness and healing are one. Agnes Sanford

You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. A.J. Gordon

Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in his glory. Think of what he can do, and how he delights to hear the prayers of his redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things! Andrew Murray

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God is in control of what happens when we offer healing prayer Searching the Scriptures We are called to do what Jesus did. We believe in gifts of healing. And we acknowledge that we can only do this through the power of his Spirit working out the Father’s will in the lives of the people we touch and who come to us requesting prayer for healing. It is in the preaching and teaching of the Word that the Kingdom of God comes near and is made manifest in signs and wonders, in healing of body, mind and spirit. Therefore, we start by searching the Scriptures, especially meditating on those that relate to healing and asking the Spirit to give us an understanding heart that we might be discerning in our judgments and wise in our counsel (see 1 Kings 3:9). Listening When the person is in front of you asking for prayer for healing, listen well to “the ask.” Treat them as Jesus would, who, despite the pressing crowds and the many demands, dealt fully and completely with the person in front of him. It may mean that this will need a private space, take an extended time, or perhaps it might need a specific appointment (or more than one), or it may mean that others be invited to join in the prayer effort. In listening well to “the ask,” try to re-phrase it back to the person and clarify what it is that they are asking. Trust the Spirit of the Living God in them as well as in yourself. Like David, we can affirm “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant . . . So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you” (2 Samuel 7:27). God is already at work in them to will and to do his good pleasure. However, we also know that sometimes we ask amiss. How can we prevent that? First, call upon Jesus to be present with you and the petitioner. Second, examine your hearts together before God and ask forgiveness for sins, known and unknown; ask the Spirit to reveal any areas of bias, pride or disunity, any lack of love—that you might repent and be cleansed of any iniquity that would hinder your effective prayer (see James 5:16) and that you would be prepared to hear from Jesus, our Healer. Third, ask the Lord to fill you with his vast, unconditional love, that you might see the petitioner before you as he does and that you might reflect to this individual God’s grace, mercy and love. Last, listen for the still, small voice of the Spirit in your heart—perhaps the Spirit will bring a Scripture to mind, or will shed light on some aspect of the matter. Confirm this Scripture or image or thought

with the person requesting prayer. If it is not confirmed, then let it go. What if, in our listening to the Spirit of Jesus, our Healer, we do not hear anything? Do not run ahead of the Spirit; admit you are not hearing from God—ask the person requesting prayer if there is anything else that we should bring before the Lord. Sometimes, something else may come to light that needs to be put to rest. If nothing else comes, assure the individual that you will continue to pray with and for them and perhaps set up some time to meet again. We also run ahead of the Spirit when we insert our own thoughts, or perhaps what we have heard rumoured about the matter, even when we offer Scripture verses that go beyond what the person, themselves, have asked for. For instance, if someone comes asking for prayer for an incurable illness and what they have asked for is peace and comfort for themselves and strength for the journey, but we pray for a miracle. We need to consider carefully whether we have put our own natural desires and fears into the prayer or whether this is truly from the Father. The danger is that in going beyond what God has put in the petitioner’s heart to pray, we may, inadvertently, give the person a false hope and negate the Spirit who has placed in their hearts the prayer that is to be offered. That is why it is so important to listen well both to the person who is asking and to our Lord who is “able to do infinitely more than we could ask or imagine.” But leave that with God who sees the heart and is intimately aware of all the circumstances. Thy Will Be Done It is always right to pray “Thy will be done.” If that was what Jesus prayed as he faced his greatest time of trial, it is right that we should pray thus. We need to keep an eternal perspective; not everything—even though we ask and even though we have faith to move mountains—will be cured in this life; people will sometimes get more ill and they may die. However, the good news is that one can find wholeness without finding a cure; perhaps healing prayer might ready a person for that transition to our ultimate reality where “he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces . . . ” (Isaiah 25:8). Sometimes, in the midst of our pain and disease, and after the whys, what ifs, the cries and the pleas, we are silent before God and God is silent to us. Although we cry to the Father, sometimes it may seem like heaven’s doors are closed to our petition. For those to whom God is silent, our greatest gift may simply be to show God’s loving kindness to them, and with them, to watch and see what he will say (see Habakkuk 2:1). The eternal perspective reminds us of all the saints

who have gone to glory, who have not received the promise in this life, but who died in faith (see Hebrews 11:36–39). Margaret Manning, author of A Slice of Infinity, said it best: “And while we often see the significance of our time-bound events ‘through a mirror darkly,’ Christians continue to live each day in hope of that time that will come when all things are subject to him ‘so that God may be all in all’ (1 Corinthians 15:28).” Ruth Ann Fraser is a Registered Nurse and retired Parish Nurse

Recommended Resources Ruth Ann Fraser suggests that, in order to be effective in healing prayer, one also needs a theology of pain and suffering. Classic writers like Andrew Murray, A.J. Gordon, A.B. Simpson, F.F. Bosworth, as well as more recent contributors such as Keith M. Bailey, Agnes Sanford, Joyce Meyer, Francis MacNutt, and Leanne Payne have greatly benefited her personal study of healing prayer. The following materials were used in preparation of this article: Beckman, Richard J. Praying for Wholeness and Healing Speedwell Press 2003 For those interested in a deeper discussion of discernment, please refer to: Manning, Margaret. “A Slice of Infinity” RZIM January 15, 2013 Smith, Gordon T. Listening to God in Times of Choice Intervarsity Press 1997

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FEATURE

Growing Up Fatherless How prayer and forgiveness helped him make sense of life

By Gladys Thompson

hen Kevin Albright was a kid, his dad was the pastor of a dynamic church in Southern California. At nine years of age, Albright wanted to be just like him, until his life was ripped apart when a woman violently broke into their home. The woman beat Albright’s mom with a lead pipe and shot at her repeatedly, leaving her for dead. But nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered next; the father he idolized was the mastermind behind the murder attempt! In Finding My Father, Albright tells of a journey from the father who caused the scars to the One who heals them. The story is told from three perspectives. In the first, Albright takes the reader down a trajectory of emotions from a broken child growing up fatherless, carrying the wounds his father ripped across his soul. The second thread takes the reader through a horrific prison experience. While on an international business trip as an adult, Albright was thrown into prison, with no explanation, by a hostile government. He came face to face with prison gangs and terrifying captors, but most of all, with his past and his true Father. The third perspective exposes a spiritual battle and the amazing power of prayer. cmAlliance.ca recently interviewed Kevin Albright and asked him to share some of his thoughts on prayer and the fatherless.

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the greatest gift my mom gave me was praying for me every day Wa s yo u r m ot h e r a wo m a n o f pr ay e r?

Yes, she was. Growing up was tough, but the greatest gift my mom gave me was praying for me every day. As a kid, I didn’t realize the impact that would have on my life. As an adult looking back, I don’t think I would have survived my childhood without it. W h at ro l e d o yo u fe e l h e r pr ay e r s pl ay e d i n h e l pin g yo u “fin d yo u r Fat h e r?”

There are so many obstacles for fatherless kids to survive this life, with overwhelming statistics against us. My mom’s prayers created a spiritual wall around me; not that life was easy, but I had a layer of protection from the attacks of darkness. I realized as an adult just how big an impact that had on my life and that my Heavenly Father never left me, even when I drifted into darkness as a young adult. H ow lo n g did it ta k e fo r h e r pr ay e r s to b e a n s w e r e d?

I saw miracles in our lives often and I knew that God was God, but connecting with him in a personal way as my Heavenly Father was difficult as a fatherless child. I would say that some of her prayers were answered right away, while finding my Heavenly Father took a journey of years. Yet spiritual battles were being fought around me constantly that I couldn’t see. Those battles were often won because of a praying mom. There were many times when Mom prayed for our physical needs, such as when my leg was broken. Mom prayed and I was healed almost instantly. There was the time she prayed about a Christmas gift for my little brother, my older sister and me when she couldn’t afford any. A stranger came up to her one day and handed her

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some money, saying it was from God for her kids for Christmas, and then walked away. Then there was the daily prayer to break the curse of a fatherless home. It took many years and was a rough journey before she finally saw the rewards. Today, my siblings and I have wonderful families of our own. I now live the rewards of her faithfulness.

Yo u h av e g i v e n s o m e d e va s tati n g s tatis tic s a bo u t fat h e r l e ss ch il d r e n ( s e e sid e ba r ). H ow c a n t h e Ch u rch r e ach o u t to t h e s e yo u n g peo pl e?

It has been said that over 90 per cent of our social and economic ills can be traced back to broken homes. One fatherless generation breeds the next fatherless generation, as our society crumbles. Yo u n a m e d s o m e ways t h e D e v il t ri e s to The Church can truly change our world from the root k e e p us fro m pr ay in g fo r ot h e r s. W h at m us t cause of this epidemic. Among the statistics there is one w e d o to r e m a i n fa it h fu l i n pr ay i n g? seed of hope. The fatherless kids who survive and do Never lose sight of your Heavenly Father. This world well in life had one thing in common—there was a father is full of distractions. It says in figure who came alongside of them and Ephesians 6:12 that this life is became a mentor. Impact of Being a battle, not against each other, Find someone who is fatherless— Fatherless but against a spiritual realm of they are everywhere—and model what a darkness that is out to deceive and godly man is to them. Become a mentor U.S. statistics show that destroy us. and change someone’s life as you show growing up without a This battle must be fought them their Heavenly Father. This is father leaves scars with daily with a constant reminder of how they will ultimately find him, and the following social and who our enemy really is, and the how each of us can impact the next economic consequences. distractions he throws at us. There generation for Christ. is amazing power in prayer when 75 per cent of all adolescent H ow c a n t h e Ch u rch r e ach we connect with our Heavenly patients in chemical o u t to a d u lt s w h o a r e s till Father. Prayer is reaching into the abuse centres are t ry in g to d e a l wit h g rowi n g heavenly and connecting with fatherless u p fat h e r l e ss? the ultimate authority and power. Our fathers model a relationship Darkness has no power in our lives 85 per cent of all youth in that helps us make the transition to a when we are standing in the light prison are fatherless relationship with our Heavenly Father. with prayer. Satan’s only hope is to Without this, a connection to God in a try to distract us. 90 per cent of homeless personal way is very difficult. Churches and runaway children H ow di d a g ro u p o f pr ay in g can model this relationship that we so are fatherless m e n at B u r li n g to n Alli a n ce desperately need, even as adults. The Ch u rch h e l p yo u a n d Church needs to be a safe place to heal. 71 per cent of pregnant h ow w e r e t h e ir pr ay e r s It takes time to trust that God really teenagers are fatherless a n s w e r e d? does care about us, unlike what we felt I am not a morning person. from our earthly fathers. 63 per cent of youth However, I wouldn’t miss a We need to know that we are suicides are fatherless Saturday morning with these guys, accepted and that our Heavenly Father even though they meet at 5:30 a.m. will never leave us or abandon us as we 71 per cent of high school When I first arrived at the group, walk through the healing journey, even dropouts are fatherless I had just been released from the when we make mistakes. The wounds horrific prison experience and can heal, but there will always be a scar www.thefatherlessgeneration. allowed to return to Canada. I that remains. wordpress.com/statistics had many border, legal, and stress Many will require counselling; some issues that would take miracles to will require therapy, depending on what get through. they’ve gone through as a kid. All will As we prayed, one by one the miracles unfolded and need a safe place away from the darkness of the past. All numerous impossible things happened. I discuss many of need to know the unending love of our true Father. these in the book. We need a circle of believers who can come alongside God moved governments, provided transportation, and us and pray for us, pick us up when we fall, and drag us aligned schedules with courts and judges over the course back into the light when we stray into the darkness. If you of several months, which was nothing short of amazing don’t have a group like this, get one! God will change your to watch. life through it.

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We can’t do life alone. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20 that where two or more gather in his name, he is there. Small prayer groups, like my men’s group, are the ones who will have your back when you step into this spiritual battle in which we live. He is our healer. B e t w e e n t h e ac t s o f yo u r fat h e r a n d t h e t r e at m e n t yo u h a d i n pris o n, w h at ro l e h a s fo rg i v e n e ss pl ay e d i n yo u r li fe?

I looked up my father in my 20s. I stayed in touch for about three years and then decided I didn’t want to have a relationship with him any longer. But before I could move on with life, I had to forgive him, or I would still be carrying that darkness today. When I encountered the prison experience, I had to do the same. Forgiveness is releasing the right to collect a debt. I was wronged and I will live with the emotional scars, but my Heavenly Father is the only one who can heal the wound and pay the debt. Forgiveness was setting someone free—me. W h y di d yo u d eci d e to w rit e t h is bo o k a n d w h at d o yo u h o pe yo u r r e a d e r s will g a i n fro m it?

The book started as a journal for my kids. I wanted them to know what a big part our Heavenly Father played in our lives. I wanted them to know that we are a family today

because of him. The guys in my men’s group encouraged me to put it in a book to share with others who are on this journey. I hope readers gain an understanding of the devastation the fatherless epidemic is causing, the connection between darkness and the rampant fatherlessness of humans, but most of all, the power of prayer. I believe readers will connect with my spiritual and emotional journey as they take their own journey to the One who heals them.

The Church needs to be a safe place to heal

Is t h e r e a n y t hin g e l s e yo u wo u l d li k e to s h a r e wit h o u r r e a d e r s?

I want to encourage them to take this journey and fight the good fight. I’d be happy to connect and answer any questions at the Finding My Father social media site www.findingmyfather.org. I’ll be praying for those reading cmAlliance.ca magazine. I’m also praying that God will raise up an army of spiritual warriors to impact our nation and heal the fatherless epidemic. Gladys Thompson is Communications Coordinator at The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada National Ministry Centre and Associate Editor, cmAlliance.ca

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FEATURE

I-

Insights into the making of this amazing learning experience

By Sarah Janne Dimabuyu

n August 2012, the I-CAN-ROC team from Church of the Living Hope in Winnipeg, Man. experienced a Spirit-filled adventure in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, Africa. Warm weather, papaya, coconut and mango trees, and chickens roaming around greeted us upon our arrival. Words are not enough to describe how I-CAN-ROC elevated our faith as we experienced God and his awesome power. This is a mere encapsulation of our mission highlights as well as an insight into what it took to make it all happen. The must-haves we had in this short-term mission trip are the seven Ps: prayer, purpose, people, papers, program, photos, and post-trip matters. Prayer Every team member had a personal prayer journey of seeking God’s will, waiting upon his leading, and responding to his commission. Besides praying for each other, each team member had at least a couple of prayer partners. We mobilized our church to pray. A special youth night provided avenues for worship, meditation, and intercession. Family and friends all over the world prayed with us. We had pre-trip, in-country, and post-trip devotions. We refused to be anxious, persistently praying with

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

thanksgiving in everything, and indeed, experienced God’s peace. Before going to the Republic of Congo (ROC), the team prayed that God would grant us a humble attitude, with a willingness to serve. So we gladly helped with cooking, washing dishes, and laundry. During the youth camp, some of us were even assigned to clean the squatty toilets. But most of the time, the Congolese gave us the least of chores, treating us as special guests and always letting us go first in line at mealtimes. Canadians are familiar with speed limits, so we were all shocked by how crazy driving is in the ROC. We were grateful for the power of prayer. Congolese manage to make four lanes out of two, passing over curbs, avoiding holes, and driving as quickly as possible. While traffic is stopped, some vendors walk on the streets and sell all sorts of stuff—briefcases, doorbells, heaters, maps, blenders, manicure sets, etc. Every ride was an adventure as well as a time of prayer. Purpose Our ultimate purpose was to glorify God in everything we did. Keeping this in mind motivated and encouraged us, knowing our labour in the Lord is not in vain. For this trip, we aimed to mould our own youth to become Christ-like by exposure to both local and global missions. We wanted to encourage and mobilize our church to live missionally, to intentionally send full-time workers, and to be an agent of transformation, especially to the Congolese, so their lives will also be glorifying to God. In Brazzaville, I was one of the three privileged ROCers who attended an evangelism class where I shared my heart’s desire to reach the unreached. It was a class composed of six Congolese young men who are learning how to witness for Christ. Congolese are passionate worshippers, from head to toe! They sing praise at the top of their lungs and dance to the Lord with all their might. They get up before dawn to spend time with his Word and to pray and then spend hours singing before going to bed. They sing and pray before eating, they worship and dance during break time. They worship through wearing their best dresses. They worship through giving. They worship through serving. They treat even the simplest things as gifts from God. We all could learn from their lives of worship, which is simply a response to God’s awesomeness. During the camp, about 60 young people from nine churches were able to attend. We had a quick session on how to share the Gospel using evangeball. Congolese love sports, especially soccer. And they love playing without shoes. Some of the guys in our group were able to share the Gospel with five Congolese men. They all prayed to receive Christ.

1. The ROCer ladies in Congolese traditional dresses with hostmissionary Mama Barb (U.S. worker); 2. Sharing testimony during evangelism class; 3. Sarah Janne Dimabuya with an orphan; 4. I-CAN-ROC team; 5. Children at an orphanage

People While it was the youth who envisioned this trip, the whole church supported us. There were at least three sets of people involved: the senders, goers, and receivers. Besides the spiritual support received, people in our congregation supported us in our fundraising efforts. Without them, we would not have been able to go. Every goer was an essential part of the team. We maximized every gift we have—music, language, administration, media arts, fundraising, research, teaching, serving, etc. While the senders send the goers, no mission can happen without the receivers. The receivers included our host-missionaries and the Congolese to whom we ministered. We kept communication open with our host. We also learned from them the diverse Congolese cultural and spiritual background that prepared us for relating with them. While in Brazzaville, it was such a joy to join with Anne Stephens, our International Worker in Brazzaville, via a Skype call back to our congregation during their Sunday morning worship. While we were able to provide a brief update on what we were doing in the ROC that day, our senders were also able to provide their own greetings and prayerful support to Anne “in person.”

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Papers Travelling abroad requires a bundle of legal documents, including a passport with a 6-month validity and a visa. For our visa application, a letter of invitation from the host International Workers was obligatory. Checking the travel advisory also helped us know other requirements. Every team member received orientation and necessary vaccines. Each of us also carried malaria tabs and any prescribed medicines had to be accompanied by its prescription. A few more documents we had were for minors travelling without legal guardians and documents for travel insurance. Program Besides stimulating excitement, having a glimpse of the ROC itinerary gave us ideas of what to expect and prepare. We looked forward to opportunities to share our testimonies and the Gospel, and knew that our main project would be a camp for young people from local churches. We raised funds, practiced French worship songs and conversation starters. Our team’s first assignment was to clean a storage room in the Alliance Bible School. Almost everyone’s initial reaction was, “How can we possibly tidy this dusty, disorganized, dark room?” Yet, after a few hours of fun lifting furniture, cutting wood and arranging boxes, the project was complete. On March 4, 2012, an arms dump exploded in Brazzaville. About 200 Congolese were killed and many

Own your own illustrated C&MA in Canada 125th Anniversary Timeline Banner (as displayed at Assembly 2012)

1850

Timeline 2000 Canada Historical nce in 0 195 & Missionary Allia The Christian 0 190 1992 the CMAC’s second president Dr. Arnold Cook becomes

1887 Alliance (Salmon is a vice-president) Simpson founds Christian Alliance (Fenton is a vice-president) and the Evangelical Missionary divine pastorate over issue of Salmon resigns Congregational work with William Fenton healing; begins independent first Alliance missionary William Cassidy of Toronto, to Japan to be sent, dies en route

(North-West) 1902 first district superintendent R. J. Zimmerman appointed Home, Toronto Founding of Bethany Workingmen’s 1903 Toronto at West Queen Street Mission, Local branch organized 1904 in Winnipeg, becomes dominant Local branch organized branch in Western Canada

1889 of the the Dominion Auxiliary Canadian Alliance becomes branches Howland, president). Local Christian Alliance (William Toronto, and Peterborough. organized in Hamilton, First church building dedicated to explain Alliance doctrine Simpson invited to Hamilton 1831 Birth of John Salmon (Scotland) 1843 Simpson (Bayview, PEI) Birth of Albert Benjamin

1882 ministry in Toronto Salmon begins healing Training Institute Tabernacle, Missionary Simpson founds Gospel 1885 healed Simpson and Salmon; Salmon First meeting between

1912 an official church First church organized as Alliance of the Christian and Missionary

1995 becomes Eastern and Central District half of Ontario) Eastern District (eastern half of Ontario) and Central District (western

1924 Toronto. Bible Institute opens in 22 September, Canadian as both a faculty member Oswald J. Smith serves

and a board member Institute opens in Edmonton 2 October, Great West Bible any Alliance body, to provide without the approval of Great West Mission workers for the Alliance’s

1912-19 factors cause Lack of leadership and other Alliance in Canada to crumble

1906 western ministry Harold Stephens begins founded; local branches Vancouver City Mission Victoria, and Calgary organized in Vancouver,

1890 Toronto Founding of Bethany Home,

1881 Simpson leaves Presbyterianism

1909 Tabernacle, Toronto Simpson dedicates Parkdale

1918 Death of Salmon 1919 of Paul Rader; A.W. Roffe Death of Simpson, presidency for all Canada becomes first full-time superintendent

1907 expropriated C&MA “mother church” Bethany Chapel, Canadian congregation loses its influence and demolished. Disheartened

1891 first ordination first constitution adopted, First church organized, Ontario Ottawa, and throughout Branches organized in Montreal, 1893 of (first permanent home of Dedication of Bethany Chapel Alliance in Canada), founding the mother church of the Institute Toronto Missionary Training Bethany Orphanage and

1895 Canada; Alliance meetings in Western Simpson conducts first founded in Brandon, MB first Western local branch 1897 Missionary Alliance Christian Alliance and International and Missionary Alliance; unite to form the Christian auxiliary and presidency elimination of Canadian

1998 agency; as the CMAC’s sending Formation of Global Ministries dollar against the U.S. dollar the weakness of the Canadian the move to Canadian factor to is a strong contributing Department CMAC and (U.S. C&MA) projects autonomy in missions. The to engage in many collaborative of Overseas Missions continue

1970 College (CTC) September. Canadian Theological CBC opens on the campus of

1925 divided into three districts: Canada east of Rockies Provinces), Western Canadian (Prairie and Quebec), Central Canadian (Ontario and Eastern Canadian (Maritimes) combine to form Eastern and Central Districts District Eastern and Central Canadian

1972 Alliance in Canada (1972)” The “Christian and Missionary Corporation” in C&MA circles) (known as “The Canadian from the Canadian government receives a formal charter

1929 Managers closes July. The C&MA Board of Canadian Bible Institute Great West Bible Institute,

1957 Institute changes Western Canadian Bible College (CBC) its name to Canadian Bible

1936 Pacific Northwest District, B.C., formerly part of the Canadian District becomes part of Western

1961 in North America First Chinese C&MA church established in Regina

1941 at Canadian Bible Institute, 1 October. Classes begin decided that the need Regina, the founders having overshadows the need for workers in Western Canada to abide by Alliance protocol 1945 changes its name Canadian Bible Institute Institute to Western Canadian Bible

1980 Assembly of the The First Biennial General Alliance in Canada Christian and Missionary 3-8) convenes in Winnipeg (June

1973 joins the The Canadian Corporation of Canada Evangelical Fellowship 1974 passes motions Second Tri-District Conference home ministries in favor of nationalizing

1963 formed Canadian Midwest District NWT) and parts of Ontario and (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, 1967 Chinese Alliance Formation of the Canadian Association) Churches Committee (now Regina: the first formal Tri-District Conference in districts to reflect attempt by the three Canadian respect to evangelism with on national goals, especially

2000 the CMAC’s third president Dr. Franklin Pyles becomes

1981 in Canada and Missionary Alliance 1 January, the Christian Sylvester is its first president, becomes a reality. Dr. Mel churches. and the CMAC has 238

1976 increasingly President of the C&MA opposed to Canadian autonomy

1983 St. Lawrence District formed

2007 College and Nazarene University Alliance University College University College unite to become Ambrose 2010 the CMAC has an average As of 31 December 2010 Sunday attendance of 84,000, and 129,000 members and adherents, 237 international workers

1979 formed (B.C.) Canadian Pacific District

1947 Canadian District The Eastern and Central will become purchases an estate that Glen Rocks Bible Conference

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cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

Photos Our digital cameras became great documentary tools, capturing mission-moments we wanted to remember. We printed church bulletin photos, sent thank-you cards, and created audio-visual presentations from our collections. It was interesting to note, though, that in the ROC, it is illegal to photograph government sites such as prisons and offices, as well as the presence of military personnel.

2003 from Regina CBC/CTS moves to Calgary

1978 passes a Third Tri-District Conference Canadian resolution calling for total except missions autonomy in every area

Available in the following sizes: Large banner 6’ x 30” @ $65.00 ea Extra Large banner 8’ x 30” @ $85.00 ea

more were injured and lost their homes. While visiting this site, we felt the pain and loss and were able to share in the experience with a local pastor who was there through it all showing God’s love and the hope that can be found only in him. At the first orphanage we visited, the children greeted us with a French song. We played games with them, and it was such a precious time. Some even cried and didn’t want us to leave. Seeing the kids in that condition was heartbreaking, especially because some of them have AIDS. Some parents had abandoned their children because of their illness. I wish we could have done much more for these children, but for now must simply take comfort in knowing that God is a father to the fatherless. It encouraged me to devote more time to taking care of orphans in the future. Four of us went to visit the prison with several Congolese and gave away Bibles, pamphlets, milk and soap. We prayed and sang worship songs in the local language with the prisoners. Their voices sounded heavenly. Shoe boxes of gifts arrived when we visited Vie Profonde, a church that hosts orphans twice a month. They teach Bible stories, songs and dances and bless them with treats and relief goods. It was delightful to see the boxes in array, ready to be given away. But the best part was seeing the orphans pray, recite Bible verses, sing and dance with wonderful smiles on their faces that melted my heart!

Post-Trip Matters No mission trip ends when the team comes home. Our team gathered for evaluation and a special day at church to report and give thanksgiving to God and our senders. Other post-trip matters included debriefing and vaccination follow-through. This was an amazing learning experience! I highly recommend other church groups plan their own shortterm trips to bring honour and glory to God as well as encouragement and support to our Alliance workers around the globe. Sarah Janne Dimabuyu is involved in the children’s, youth and young adults discipleship ministry at Church of the Living Hope, Winnipeg, MB

resources

Alliance-Generated Resources

Boundary Stones

(Gasp) I Have an Idea!

Finding My Father

Jokes, Quotes and Anecdotes

This is a refreshing look at how the ancient book of Proverbs relates to modern everyday life. It began as a personal exploration as Judy daily wrote her thoughts and reflections on Proverbs in her journal. She says, “I think a lot of times, as Christians, we tend to overlook the invaluable amount of wisdom and knowledge that’s in Proverbs, and it basically exploded for me when I was studying it.” Boundary Stones is mainly meant for Christians who sometimes feel defeated in life and are struggling to find their way back on the road again. Judy Hiebert has been married to her husband, Menno, for 38 years and is semi-retired. They have been attending Morden Alliance Church in Manitoba since 1990.

This is a collection of playful little stories focused on God’s ideas that have helped make the author’s home lively and alive in Christ, instilling truth and deep values built on a love for Christ and the family. The book has three components to it; each chapter begins with Scripture which envelopes the chapter full of unique ideas and traditions with a purpose. The stories are infused with favourite family recipes which reflect back on the ideas. This book won third place in the parenting category of the 2012 Christian Choice Book contest. Stephanie has been a long-time member of Living Hope Alliance Church in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Although written especially for citizens with seniority, people of all ages enjoy it. In fact, this book is in the hands of people on six continents and continues to be in constant demand. The 218 pages are filled with a compilation of jokes, information, inspiration, poetry and senior trivia, gathered from far and wide over the years. It is not offensive nor does it downgrade older people. Some people have used this book as a tool of evangelism and pastors to seniors find it an asset as well. Author Phil Callaway says it is a “volume of pure joy.” Allen Powles, who ministers to seniors at Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton, Alta. says, “You will thoroughly enjoy this treasure chest of senior’s wit and wisdom.” Dan Goldsmith is a retired Alliance pastor living in Abbotsford, B.C.

Available in paperback from your local Christian bookstore or online at: chapters.indigo.ca amazon.com abebooks.com

Check it out on Facebook. Available in paperback from your local Christian bookstore or online at: amazon.com xulonpress.com

His father had been the pastor of a dynamic church in southern California and Kevin wanted to be just like him when he grew up. One day a woman broke into their home, beat Kevin’s mom, repeatedly shot her and left her for dead. Kevin eventually learned his father was behind the whole attack. This begins Kevin’s “journey from the father who caused the scars to the Father who heals them.” Based on a true story, Finding My Father is told from three intertwined perspectives—Kevin’s traumatic childhood, a horrific prison experience and a paranormal battle for his soul. A member of Burlington Alliance Church in Ontario, Kevin speaks and writes on fatherless issues, the spiritual battle behind this destruction of society and the attack on our churches. (See article beginning on page 40).

By Judy Hiebert

By Stephanie Gladysz

By Kevin Albright

Available from your local Christian bookstore or online at: chapters.indigo.ca amazon.com westbowpress.com crossroads.ca

By Daniel Goldsmith

This book is available from your local Christian bookstore or online at: amazon.com xulonpress.com

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personnel updates

Personnel Updates

The following personnel changes are as reported by the district offices for the period from August 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013 (deaths from July 1 to December 31, 2012).

New Workers: n Abdelmasih, Hany, Senior Pastor, Alliston Alliance Church, ON n Bachelder, Jessica, Director of Children’s Ministries, North Toronto Chinese Alliance Church, Richmond Hill, ON n Crowe, Trevor, Senior Pastor, Barrhead Alliance Church, AB n Do, Luan, Associate Pastor, Hamilton Vietnamese Gospel Church, ON n Driese, Dan, Associate Pastor, Crossings Community Church, Acton, ON n Epp, Bradley, Associate Pastor, Stettler Alliance Church, AB n Esau, Ruth, Associate Pastor, First Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Friesen, Barb, Youth Pastor, Outlook Alliance Church, SK n Gillespie, Garrett, Associate Pastor, Kentwood Alliance Church, Red Deer, AB n Guther, Daniel, Student Ministries Pastor, Cedarview Alliance Church, Nepean, ON n Haggith, Chris, Church Planter, Western Canadian District, AB n Haight, Aaron, Worship Arts Pastor, Westgate Alliance Church, Saskatoon, SK n Karman, Debra, Part-time Pastor of International Ministries, Toronto Alliance Church, ON n Koh, Josh, English Congregation Pastor, Vancouver Chinese Alliance, Knight Street Church, BC

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Kwan, Nathan, Missionary Apprentice, Toronto Alliance Church, ON n Law, James, Associate Pastor, South Edmonton Alliance Church, AB n LeFave, Jonathan, Youth Pastor, Toronto Alliance Church, ON n Ma, Guanghui, Pastor, Newmarket Chinese Alliance Church, ON n Olson, Tim, Youth and Young Adults Pastor, Sevenoaks Alliance Church, Abbotsford, BC n Pattinson, Emma, Children’s Pastor, Cochrane Alliance Church, AB n Peitsch, Cheryl, District Director of Women’s Ministries, Canadian Midwest District, Regina, SK n Pettigrew, Jon, Pastor of Student Ministries, Pacific Community Church, Surrey, BC n Reid, David, Associate Pastor, Oliver Alliance Church, BC n Rincon, Graciela, Associate Pastor – Spanish Community, Primera Iglesia Alianza Hispana, Toronto, ON n Rino, Angelo, Senior Pastor, New Covenant Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Rushinka, Brent, Associate Pastor, Drumheller Alliance Church, AB n Ruskowsky, Fred, Assistant Pastor, Sturgeon Alliance Church, Gibbons, AB n Schroeder, Jason, Pastor of Youth and Small Groups, Surrey Alliance Church, BC n Stregger, Mary, Director of Children’s Ministry, Fort St n

John Alliance Church, BC Trudel, Michelle, Children’s Pastor, Grande Prairie Alliance Church, AB n Vader, Spencer, Associate Pastor of Youth, Toronto Alliance Church, ON n Verboom, Thomas, Youth Pastor, Southgate Alliance Church, Edmonton, AB n Vincent, Stephen, Pastor of Prayer and Community Extension, Erindale Alliance Church, Saskatoon, SK n White, Andrew, Youth Pastor, Erin Village Alliance Church, ON n Wiebe, Jenn, Children’s Pastor, Pacific Community Church, Surrey, BC n

New International Workers to the Field n Costa Rica/Mexico: Victor and Betty Chin, Church Ministry, in August. n Indonesia: Terry and Sandy Dyck, Church Ministry, in November. n Venezuela: Marten Angers and Nadia Robitaille Angers, Church Ministry, in January. Field Assignment n Guinea: Michel and Denise Dubé, Church Ministry, in August. n Japan: Don and Carol Love, Church Ministry, in July/August. n Indonesia: Mary McElhone, Compassion Ministry, in January. n Malaysia: Bob and Karin Thorne, Church Ministry, in July/August. n Mexico: Heather Hahn,

personnel Church Ministry, in August. Mexico: Andrew and Claudia Martens, Church Ministry, in July. n Senegal: Cori Ibsen, Support Ministry, in August. n Spain: Kurt and Kim Peters, Church Ministry, in July. n

Concluding or Retiring from the Field: n Persson, Derek and Karla concluded their service with Global Ministries September, after five years of faithful service in the Silk Road region. n Su, Lynn concluded the Global Ministries Apprenticeship Program in August, after two years of service in Ghana. n Wiens, Darrell and Katrina concluded their service with Global Ministries December 31, after four and a half years of faithful service in the Asian Spice region. n Wintemute, David and Donna retired from their service with Global Ministries December 31, after 32 years of faithful service in Colombia and Mexico. International Worker Personnel Changes n Frentz, Brem began his new role as VP/Global Ministries in January. n Frentz, Donna is working alongside her husband in a volunteer capacity. n Jones, Mark and Paula began their new role as Canadian Regional Developers/Asian Spice in January. Home Assignment On Seven-Month Home Assignment: n Niger: Tim and Brenda Tjosvold, in December. On One-Year Home Assignment: n Germany: Gerald and Dorothy Hogenbirk, in October. n Japan: Doug and Carol Woon, in December.

Personnel Changes n Abbott, John, Ministerat-Large, ON n Audige, Steevens, Former Worker n Aupperle, Rick, No credentials n Bacon, Candice, Former Worker n Beach, Lee, Unassigned n Bergen, Roslyn, Former Worker n Bissell, Melodie, Ministerat-Large, ON n Boda, Matt, Senior Pastor, RockPointe Church, Calgary, AB n Boldt, Wayne, Unassigned n Brigham, Andrew, Unassigned n Brown, Andrew, Unassigned n Brown, Stewart, Former Worker n Brucks, Brad, Unassigned n Cameron, Doug, Unassigned n Campbell, Jack, Samaritan’s Purse n Carroll, Scott, Ministerat-Large, ON n Chan, Grace, Former Worker n Chapman, Mark, Ministerat-Large, ON n Cheung, Titus, Former Worker n Chiu, Matthew, Senior Pastor, Scarborough Chinese Alliance Church, ON n Christison, Curtis, Unassigned n Clarke, Henry, Worker Emeritus n Claxton, Rob, Former Worker n Collins, Harold, Former Worker n Cossette, Jean-Yves, No credentials n Coutts, Darcy, Unassigned n Coutts, Jon, Lead Pastor, Richmond Alliance Church, BC n Coutts, Stu, Worker Emeritus n Cowie, Mary Ann, Unassigned n Delemont, Brian, Unassigned n Dimnik, Jason, Pastor of Student Ministries, Cochrane Alliance Church, AB n Dirk, Bruce, Former Worker n Dolfo-Smith, Mardi, Discipleship Pastor, North Shore Alliance Church, North Vancouver, BC n Dorey, Terry, Former Worker n Dunbar, Dan, Ministerat-Large, AB n Engler, Hardy, Former Worker n Epp, Joy, Former Worker n Erhardt, Jason, Unassigned n Fernandez, Laurence, Former Worker

Foster, Jim, Unassigned Fraser, Ruth Ann, Unassigned n Friebel, Kelvin, Interim Assistant Pastor of English Ministries, Regina Chinese Alliance Church, SK n Gilmore, Glenn, Unassigned n Goldsmith, Dan, Worker Emeritus n Gould, Bob, Unassigned n Gould, Louella, Unassigned n Gray, Jan, Children’s Pastor, Yarrow Alliance Church, BC n Grunau, Floyd, Ministerat-Large, ON n Gust, Leighton, Former Worker n Habacon, Ricardo, Unassigned n Hamm, Randy, Marriage Mentoring Coordinator, Tenth Avenue Alliance Church, Vancouver, BC n Harper, Ivan, Unassigned n Hathaway, Rhona, Director National Alliance Women’s Ministries, The C&MA in Canada n Hearn, David, President, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, ON n Henry, Jonathan, Unassigned n Herrod, David, Unassigned n Huynh, Tan Tai, Minister-atLarge, New Life Vietnamese Alliance Church, Brossard, QC n Ip, James, Former Worker n Jolicoeur, Paul, PT Director Student Ministries/PT Director of Engagement, Newmarket Alliance Church, ON 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 Kornelson, Laura, Former Worker n LaRonde, Mark, Former Worker n Latifzadeh, Afshin, Former Worker n Lee, Jessica, Assistant Pastor, Burnaby Alliance Church, BC n Lee, Simon, Senior Pastor, Richmond Chinese Alliance Church, BC n Lim, Adrian, Unassigned n Lim, Kevin, Leadership Coach, Eastern Canadian District, Whitby, ON n n

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MacGillivray, Bill, Senior Pastor, Parkside Alliance Church, Lacombe, AB n Magnus, Dieter, Senior Pastor, (New Venture), Dartmouth, NS n Maguire, Hugh, No credentials n Mapa, Ricky, Former Worker n Marineau, Daniel, On-Loan n Marlatt, Cyril, Former Worker n Maughan, Michael, Lead Pastor, Nanaimo Alliance Church, BC n Maxwell, Jordie, Former Worker n McAlpine, Tim, Apprentice Church Planter n McCombs, Myrna, Former Worker n McGregor, Andrew, Senior Pastor, Flin Flon Alliance Church, MB n McLean, Laurie, Minister-at-Large n Mellott, Irene, Unassigned n Milanowski, Ivy, Assistant English Pastor to Youth and Children, Toronto Jaffray Chinese Alliance Church, Scarborough, ON n Mills, Darrell, Pastor of Organizational Health and Discipleship, Summit Community Church, Richmond Hill, ON n Morrison, Norm, Former Worker n Murray, Iain, Youth and Young Adult Pastor, First Alliance Church, Scarborough, ON n Murray, Willie, Worker Emeritus n Naytowhow, Kelly, No credentials n Neilson, Mark, Former Worker n Ng, Edward, Unassigned n Ngan, Howard, Unassigned n Ngo, Thi Ngoc Suong, Worker Emeritus n Nguyen, Minh, Unassigned n Peachey, Tom, Unassigned n Peat, Heather, Unassigned n Pederson, Dwayne, Site Pastor, RockPointe Church, Calgary, AB n Perron, Sonny, Assistant Pastor, Eglise ACM de Dollard, Ile-Bizard, QC n Pickerill, Keith, Former Worker n Pyles, Franklin, Minister-at-Large n Regehr, Jim, Transition Pastor n Reid, Heather, Children’s Ministry Pastor, Kamloops Alliance Church, BC n Reimer, Art, Former Worker n Rempel, Janelle, Unassigned n Robertson, Doug, Former Worker n

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2013

Rody, Tyler, Associate Pastor of Children and Youth, Lawson Heights Alliance Church, Saskatoon, SK n Rohrick, Randy, Lead Pastor, Westshore Alliance Church, Victoria, BC n Ruten, Woodrow, Transition Pastor, Nipawin Alliance Church, SK n Rysavy, Julaine, Former Worker n Schroeder, Jack, Worker Emeritus n Searles, Michelle, Former Worker n Sensenstein, Jeff, Associate Pastor, Owen Sound Alliance Church, ON n Shoemaker, Ken, Unassigned n Sichangwa, Simon, Former Worker n Sit, Simon, Senior Pastor, Calgary Chinese Alliance Church, AB n Siu, George, Unassigned n Stawski, Kris, PT Director of Equipping, Newmarket Alliance Church, ON n Tam, Bernard, Unassigned n Tempel, Caroline, Student Ministries, Yarrow Alliance Church, BC n Temple, Edward, Executive Pastor, Foothills Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Thom, Brian, District Superintendent, Canadian Pacific District, BC n Timgren, Liz, PT Coordinator of Children’s Ministries, Newmarket Alliance Church, ON n Tran, Minh, Senior Pastor, Langley Vietnamese Alliance Church, BC n Tze, Tim, English Ministry Pastor, Burnaby Alliance Church, BC n Van Reeuwy, Ryan, Senior Pastor, Milden Alliance Church, SK n Welsh, Nathan, Unassigned n Wiebe, Marlene, No credentials n Willoughby, Frank, Unassigned n Wilson, Howard, Former Worker n Wintemute, Dave, Unassigned n Wintemute, Donna, Unassigned n Wong, Ming, Unassigned n Yoon, Paul, Senior Pastor, K/W Vietnamese Alliance Church, Kitchener, ON n Zacharias, Jeremy, Associate Pastor, Meadow Lake Alliance Church, SK n

Ambrose Faculty n Smith, Gordon, President, Ambrose University College, Calgary, AB Ordinations Benty, Rev. Michael, Dawson Creek Alliance Church, BC n Busse, Rev. Tim, Kamloops Alliance Church, BC n Chan, Rev. Pak, Toronto Simpson Chinese Alliance Church, ON n Cheng, Rev. Perry, North Richmond Alliance Church, BC n Cheung, Rev. Jason, Richmond Chinese Alliance Church, BC n Ewing, Rev. Jay, Mountainview Alliance Church, BC n Knight, Rev. Rob, Cobourg Alliance Church, ON n Lam, Rev. Alan, Calgary Chinese Alliance Church, AB n Lee, Rev. John, Winnipeg Chinese Alliance Church, MB n MacIntosh, Rev. Tim, Heritage Alliance Church, BC n McAlpine, Rev. Tim, Apprentice Church Planter, Calgary, AB n Reynolds, Rev. Gordon, Gregory Drive Alliance Church, Chatham, ON n Siebenmorge, Rev. Phil, Maple Ridge Alliance Church, BC n Tye, Rev. Teik Mien, Vancouver Chinese Alliance—Fraser Lands Church, BC n Wall, Rev. Michael, Moose Jaw Alliance Church, SK n Wiens, Rev. Will, Vernon Alliance Church, BC n Wong, Rev. Ming, Unassigned n Yen, Rev. Peter, Toronto Simpson Chinese Alliance Church, ON n

New Churches n Calgary, AB: New Covenant Alliance Church n Regina, SK: Good News Chapel n Thornhill, ON: Agape Vietnamese Alliance Church Closed Churches n Prince George, BC: Bridges Community Church n Richmond, BC: Faith Alliance Church

personnel

With the Lord Deaths from July 1 to December 31, 2012

Cottrell, Paul David, September 9, 2012 Growing up in a Christian home, Paul accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour at a young age. His primary interest and giftedness was in music, which led him to pursue a Bachelor of Sacred Music degree at Canadian Bible College which he completed in 1995. During his college years he also spent a year in the Philippines serving as a missionary student. Paul was called to serve as the Worship Pastor at North Shore Alliance Church, North Vancouver, BC, where he quickly discovered a love for leading worship and became very excited about growing the music and worship arts program. This led to the development of musical and technical teams, choirs, orchestras, and special musical productions. It was also at North Shore Alliance where Paul met Wendy and they married in 1997. They were blessed with two boys, Cooper (8) and Gavin (7). Paul will be remembered by family and friends for his kind, sensitive and compassionate heart.

on Sundays at Hope Mission, founded by her parents. This began a lifelong musical career and was the beginning of a life dedicated to ministry as well as a deep compassion and concern for others. Later in life she taught music and English at Canadian Bible Institute in Regina, SK. Following her marriage, Dagmar ministered alongside her husband, Rev. John Cunningham, in pastoring several churches. After their official retirement, Dagmar was an invaluable partner with her husband in visitation and seniors ministries at Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton. Dagmar had a gift for detail and also managed the Alliance Villa for 10 years during this time. She continued to entertain seniors with her music until shortly before her death. Dagmar was predeceased by her loving husband of 58 years, Rev. John Cunningham in 2002, son, Jim, in 1994 and brother, Paul, by a few months. She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her son, Paul, and his family as well as grandsons and her brothers, Ross and Wray, as well as many other relatives and friends.

Cunningham, Dagmar, September 15, 2012 Dagmar Cunningham, a long-time resident of Edmonton, AB, passed away peacefully into the presence of her Lord and Saviour at the age of 92. At the age of 10, Dagmar played the piano for services six nights a week and three times

Jespersen, Rev. Joseph, July 29, 2012 At the age of 70, Rev. Joe Jespersen passed away at home with his family at his side and went on to his Heavenly home. One of the most important decisions Joe ever made was to give his

life to Jesus Christ as a teenager. He served the Lord faithfully in First Nations Ministry in Fort McMurray and Edmonton, AB. Joe is survived by his wife, Carolyn, of 37 years, children, Paul and Marcia, four grandchildren and numerous other relatives and friends. He was predeceased by his son, Darcy. Llavore, Ronald, December 20, 2012 Ronald Llavore was full-time associate pastor at South Vancouver Community Church in Vancouver, BC, since May 2012. He served there as part-time associate pastor prior to that as well as at Family Christian Alliance Church in Vancouver. Born in 1971, Ronald studied marine transportation, intending to work on a ship and travel the world. But this was not to be as he felt the calling of the Holy Spirit to pastor and he responded by going to the Alliance Biblical Seminary (now Alliance Graduate School) in the Philippines. Subsequently he pastored at New Life Alliance Church in Manila. Ronald and his wife came to Canada in 2004 and became active in the church, leading prayer ministries, Bible studies and helping those who had immigrated to Canada. Ronald’s life verse was Acts 20:24: “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of

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telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” He shared this verse with everyone every chance he could and he lived it! Ronald is survived by his wife, Joan, and three children, Johannah, Josiah and Micah. Matheson, Katherine, November 16, 2012 Jessie Katherine “Kaye” Matheson peacefully entered the presence of her Lord at the age of 94 years. She ministered alongside her husband in church ministry in Alberta as well as at the Canadian Bible College/Canadian Theological Seminary in Regina, SK. Her life was characterized by her strong faith in Jesus Christ and her loving service to her family. She will be remembered by Lloyd, her loving husband of 70 years, and by her seven children, Ray, Joyce Grunau, Mora Bundy, Gerry, Marion Ratzlaff, Ruth Dirks, and Dave. She was grandmother to 17 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.

McClelland, Rev. Ronald B., December 9, 2012 Rev. Ron McClelland grew up in Manitoba and served five years with the RCMP in British Columbia before entering the Christian ministry in 1973, after becoming a fully devoted follow of Christ in 1972. He worked with Campus Crusade for Christ for almost 10 years in the seventies and the nineties as well as pastoring Alliance churches in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. He also served as senior pastor of Steele Heights Baptist Church in Edmonton for five years. A Memorial Service was held at St. Albert Alliance Church in Alberta. Ron will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Vicki, four daughters, Brenda, Bonnie Paton, Becky and Barbara, as well as extended family.

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Mitchell, Dr. David, August 4, 2012 At the age of 82, Leonard David Mitchell entered the presence of the Lord. He had served with the Alliance for 23 years, first in West London, then Midland and Kingston, ON. This was followed by eight years as a minister-at-large. David was the beloved husband of the late Delphine Mitchell and father of Fiona, Helen Gulliver, Alison Nanda and Ian, as well as numerous grandchildren and other relatives.

Munro, Rev. Richard, August 15, 2012 Rev. Richard Munro passed away peacefully at the age of 90 into the presence of his Lord and Saviour. He had served as senior pastor at Terrace Alliance Church, BC, as well as Lethbridge Alliance Church, Hanna Alliance Church and Cochrane Alliance Church, all in Alberta. He was also a minister-at-large for the Western Canadian District from 1986-98. Richard was predeceased by his beloved wife, Doris, in 2007. He is survived by his three sons, John, Ross and Gordon, as well as their families. He was loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Nesimiuk, Ric, October 21, 2012 Richard Bruce Nesimiuk was born and raised in Alberta, where he married his wife, Gail, in 1969. Ric and Gail worked with CAMA Services in Thailand for four years and later returned to South East Asia in 1996 to work with Food for the Hungry, where they developed their love for Myanmar and the Burmese people. Ric will be greatly missed by his wife, Gail, children, Kara and Marlea, his grandchildren and extended family. He was predeceased by a son, Bryan, in 2008.

Neufeld, Mary, August 22, 2012 Mary Neufeld was born in the Ukraine and called home to be with her Saviour at the age of 88 years. She was a wonderful artist and incredible seamstress. Her gifting was discovered later in life and her paintings were awesome works of art. She served alongside her late husband in church ministry for over 40 years, including four years as assistant pastor at Vernon Alliance Church, BC. She will be lovingly remembered by her chosen daughter, Elaine Leeuw, two grandchildren, four siblings and numerous extended family members. She was predeceased by her husband, Ernest David (Ernie) Neufeld, two brothers and a sister.

Perret, Rev. Roland, October 15, 2012 Rev. Roland Perret went home to be with the Lord at the age of 91. He became a career missionary with the Alliance in 1949 and spent 27 years serving the Lord in India. He is survived by his wife, Nita, of 18 years, three children, Merrill, Sharon Foster and Robin, as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and sister, Lenore McKee. He was predeceased by his first wife of 48 years, Betty, in 1994. The funeral service was held at Westside Alliance Church, Kelowna, BC.

Peters, Rhoda, August 21, 2012 Rhoda Valerie Peters was embraced by the loving arms of Jesus, happily reunited with her late husband, Bob. She will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her children, Jeremy, Maria McGregor, Curtis and Jeanette Wiens as well as her adoring grandchildren and other extended family and friends. Her life was characterized by a profound faith in Jesus Christ and wholehearted love for family and friends as she

personnel served alongside her husband in ministry for 26 years with the Alliance in Regina, Estevan and Moose Jaw, SK, as well as in the Canadian Midwest District office.

Norman is survived by his wife, Regina, of Nanaimo, daughters, Andrea Taylor and Kristine Neil, as well as their families. Young, Debra Lynn, December 19, 2012 Debbie Young was born and raised in Regina, SK, and was active in the Hillsdale Alliance youth group until she moved with her family to Calgary, AB. She assumed a leadership role in the youth group at First Alliance and was known for her desire and ability to include everyone. This became a pattern that lasted her whole life. Debbie served alongside her husband, Terry, at Southview Alliance, Calgary, AB, Mission Creek Alliance, Kelowna, BC and First Alliance, Calgary. She also led and served in several areas of ministry including small groups, women’s ministries, music and Camp Chamisall. Debbie’s greatest joy came

from her family. She is survived by her husband, Rev. Terry Young, two sons, Bradley and Jonathan, and their families, all of Calgary, her parents, Gerald and Glendyne Loewen, two sisters, as well as extended family.

Seib, Norman, October 2, 2012 Norman Seib was educated in psychiatric nursing in his early years in Saskatchewan, followed by work in the life insurance industry and health care administration. He then worked in church administration at Circle Drive Alliance Church, Saskatoon, SK, which he considered his calling. His ever encouraging presence and leadership formed strong friendships as he lived out his Christian faith. Norman had a positive and thankful attitude, even throughout his difficult struggle with cancer. He inspired many people throughout his life with his wise and timely words. His faith and loving relationships with family and friends truly defined his life.

Zimmerman, Rev. Elven, December 20, 2012 Rev. Zimmerman of Slave Lake, AB, entered the presence of the Lord at the age of 92. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Selma, nine children, Dennis, Lillian Franklin, Leslie, Sharilyn Mayston, Jerry, Fern Peryk, Terry, Jim and Torrey, 22 grandchildren and 45 greatgrandchildren, a brother, John, and several extended members of the family.

Correction: In the Fall 2012 issue: Mary Lou Cook is Harold Catto’s surviving sister (not daughter).

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. Psalm 48:14

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now you know

History of the Vision Prayer A powerful and energizing invocation for a future ordained by God

t Assembly 1996, then President Arnold Cook called The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada to take a fresh look at its goals beyond the year 2000. He addressed this in the form of three questions: 1. Given the cultural pressures of “religious pluralism” in Canada, what are the critical theological issues upon which we must stand firm? 2. What are the areas of “biblical risk” we must take to remain current with our times, yet anchored to the Rock? 3. What definition describes the kind of denomination we are becoming?

The Board of Directors appointed a Strategic Vision Task Force to assess the situation and propose a strategy for guiding the Alliance into the new millennium. Following a series of surveys, listening activities and consultations, one of the concerns was the inability to articulate a purpose as a rallying cry. Dr. Reginald Bibbey, a sociologist from the University of Lethbridge, was asked to assist in developing a strategic vision statement. He

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stated that the key to the Alliance’s “ongoing and increased effectiveness would seem to lie primarily with its willingness to transcend its boundaries and reach out and minister to Canadians with the same vitality it has shown in its ministry to people around the world.” George Bullard, a strategic leadership coach for Christian organizations, was asked to lead the process of looking for a vision and passion for a preferred future. Among the questions to be answered were: What do we want to be? What will we do now? n What timeline do we need for this transformation? n What about a prayer initiative? n What will motivate us?

and the members. One member prayed while another began taking notes, realizing the words of that prayer were what they were looking for. When they reported back to the larger group, George Bullard called it an “aha moment.” In all his past experiences, he had never seen a vision statement become a prayer. With just a little “fine tuning” to the wording, the Vision Prayer, as we know it, became the basis upon which was built the resolve for transformation and renewal among the Canadian Alliance constituency.

n n

The Guiding Coalition of this Strategic Vision Task Force presented a report outlining what the Alliance in Canada was committed to: glorifying God, Scripture, Christcentred living, churches, responsible evangelism, missions and prayer. The team pushed the process forward with various ideas and proposals until landing on what seemed right with the Holy Spirit

Vision Prayer O God, with all our hearts we long to be a movement of churches transformed by Christ, transforming Canada and the world. By your grace and for your glory, • Renew and empower us through a fresh encounter with yourself • Release us to be strategic in service, Kingdom-connected in practice, passionate in pursuit of your mission and mercy • Use us to fulfill your purpose for Canada and the world

TOGETHER WE CAN END PROSTITUTION IN CANADA

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Justice and compassion are not just words. 2012–2013 Gift Catalogue R e q u e s t Y OU R c o p y TO D AY AND BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION

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