cmAlliance.ca Magazine Fall 2008

All覺ance

CM

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

living under the radar

Forced Out Because of Christ Authorities gave them five days to leave the country

Christian Engagement and Public Policy Insights from Preston Manning on building influence in the public square

Making Justice and Compassion a Reality Dr. Franklin Pyles on expressing the love of Christ as a lifestyle

fall 2008

Introducing the Sea to Sea Venture The final piece in the ‘people of the map’ puzzle

The Four S Venture identifies our call to the ‘least reached’ people groups around the world The Sea to Sea Venture focuses on our call to embrace our mission in this country What is your church doing to multiply over the next five years?

Fall 2008

FEATURES

Christian Engagement and Public Policy

DEPARTMENTS

Following Jesus’ guidance can go a long way in helping us succeed in this area

by Preston Manning

Making Justice and Compassion a Reality Dr. Franklin Pyles on expressing the love of Christ as a lifestyle

by Peter White

Under the Radar Strategies to deal with the challenges of operating with integrity in countries where sharing the Gospel is prohibited

by Ron Brown

Forced Out Because of Christ When the authorities found out they were given five days to leave the country they called home

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Feeding Your Mind Books That Make You Think

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Practice of Prayer Hearing God Speak

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Impressions Young Author Making an Impact

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Alliance Compassion The Love of Christ in Action

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Ministry Tracks Different Gifts, Different Work, Same God, Same Goal

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Your Church Présenter le Christ au Québec—à nouveau!

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Your Church Bringing Christ to Quebec—Again!

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Your Church When Reaching Out Hits a Wall

32

Your Church Taking the Message to Your Community

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World at Your Door Loving Our Muslim Neighbours

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Now You Know The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Anonymous

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Editorial

Allıance

CM

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 Dr. Franklin Pyles Editor Barrie Doyle 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 211 Fax: 416.674.0808 e-mail: magazine@cmacan.org

Distinctively Canadian Totally C&MA 4

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Another Way of Keeping Informed

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illy Graham famously once said The Christian and Missionary Alliance was one of the world’s ‘best kept secrets.’ Nevertheless, Prime Minister Stephen Harper recognizes our impact as profound. In a letter read to delegates at General Assembly this summer, he said: “The Christian and Missionary Alliance is emblematic of Canada as it is emerging—a diverse and compassionate society that embraces pluralism. I commend your dedicated work in communities across Canada and around the world. Your commitment to social justice is extending the reach of The Christian and Missionary Alliance by fostering service, community involvement and spiritual growth.”

Our President, Dr. Franklin Pyles, has called on the constituency to embrace our past as a ‘holiness’ movement and regain the fervor and love of God that holiness entails. Out of that will flow a true sense of love, justice and compassion to our communities and nation. And so Preston Manning, one of Canada’s leading political thinkers and former Leader of the Opposition, weighs in on how the church can engage public policy and why. Allied with that is an interview with Dr. Pyles as well as a piece that helps churches use the media to tell their story.

Canada has become a lightning rod for immigration. General Assembly has called on us to reach out to followers of the major world religions. This issue we look at Islam. What do they believe and how can ordinary Christians connect with ordinary Muslims?

The Alliance in Canada takes actions to reach out to the unreached peoples of the world. Ron Brown sets the rationale for these decisions in Under the Radar. The need for protection of people working in Creative Access Countries is highlighted by the story of two workers expelled from their field.

This year Quebec City celebrates its 400 th anniversary. What influence does evangelical Christianity have on this largely secular society now? And what influence did it have then? Bringing Christ to Quebec—Again! explains in both French and English.

There are other articles ranging from prayer to books that make you think. What you will not find is news.

This publication is designed to be a resource for the church—more practical than theological; more ‘how did they do it?’ than ‘what did they do?’ You will also find these articles on-line at www.cmalliance.ca with links and references to our video magazine Family Snapshots where you will find many ‘people’ stories connected with the material in this magazine. Different ways to keep informed. Happy reading.

Barrie Doyle

feeding your mind

Books That Make You Think A perspective and some suggestions to help you decide what to read next

by Larry Thiessen

T

his year over 300,000 English books will be printed in North America and added to the vast array of literature that grace the shelves of libraries, homes, offices and bookstores. The sheer amount of material available is beyond comprehension. With all this at our disposal, how does anyone ever decide what to read?

The many choices can be overwhelming. Most of us depend on recommendations from friends, trusted colleagues and periodicals.

And every once in a while we make the decision to ‘read a classic.’ Which makes me ask, “What is a classic and how did it become one?”

We use the word classic to describe all kinds of things. A car can be a classic. Something that identifies a generation, like a film or art work can be a classic. We sometimes just say, ‘that’s classic’ to describe some situation or person. Usually we think a classic is something old, or something that just stands out above the rest. At the very least it has stood the test of time and still has meaning.

When it comes to books, we wonder if there is a ‘top ten list of books that we should all read’.

With all the books in print it is hard to imagine that anyone could come up with such a list. I could try to list some classics here but I’m sure I’d miss the mark.

I’ve tried to read what others have called classics. I have to admit that while it felt good knowing that I was reading these great tomes, in the end I didn’t always ‘get it’. I didn’t see what

others were seeing. I felt lost actually.

So instead of trying to list the most important books to read, my premise here is that a ‘classic’ is any book that changes the trajectory of your thinking. When something so resonates inside our minds and souls that we think and act differently, it really is something special and something worth sharing.

But here is the caveat. Books that have changed you might not change the next person in the same way just like some of the old classics don’t do anything for me. So don’t be offended if your classic doesn’t become one for someone else.

With that as my background allow me to share with you a short list of some of the books that have been classics for me in the sense that they changed my thinking. These are books that are worth reading more than once.

Answering God

by Eugene Peterson I picked up this book many years ago, when I was into my ‘read through the Bible in a year’ phase. While reading that much of the Bible might be a good practice, this book brought me up short and showed me that the Scriptures can be (and should be) read slowly, contemplatively, musing over a passage for days, weeks, years if necessary—growling

over the word as Eugene translates Psalm 1. No one is being graded on who reads the most. It changed the way I approached my Bible reading and still resonates with me today.

Miz Lil and the Chronicles of Grace

by Walter Wangerin In this beautifully written autobiographical work, Wangerin tells the story of his life as a white, Lutheran pastor in a black inner city church.

The book is arranged such that you get one chapter set in his parish, with the next chapter set in his growing up years. What becomes so evident is that as a boy he always seemed to get what God was doing but as a pastor he rarely does. So many rich characters.

Such wonderful prose. This book should be required reading for every pastor (how about putting it on the ordination reading list!).

Sacred Journey

by Frederick Buechner Somewhere along the way I began to realize that just about every book I was reading had a quote in it from Buechner.

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And they were poignant quotes! I didn’t know much about him until one day a friend gave me the Sacred Journey which tells the early story of Buechner’s life up to his conversion.

I soon began to see why he is quoted so much as his understanding of life and faith is rich and compelling.

I have read this book over and over and read it aloud in more settings then I can remember.

Divine Conspiracy

by Dallas Willard Of all the books that I have read in the past twenty-five years, this one might have had the biggest impact.

Talk about changing the trajectory of your thinking!

It’s a weighty book indeed (truth is I had to take a couple of runs at it before I really got into it and it still took me six months to read). But once I got there my eyes were opened to a vision of the Kingdom like I had never seen before. I genuinely believe that it is the best book on what it means to be a Christ follower in the world.

The Source

by James Mitchner

Eugene Peterson once said that the mark of a great book is that it takes you in different directions as you are reading. You are reading the story but your mind is seeing other applications.

The Source was one of those books for me. It’s a vast fictional treatment of religion that spans thousands of years and it opened up my world and gave me a picture of God that so transcended anything I had thought before.

Sacred Romance

by John Eldredge/Brent Curtis This book was written before Eldredge became a big name so it flew way under the radar.

Truthfully I think this is his best work and it set the tone for us to realize that in the end the relationship that God has

Books that can be read over and over again with new insights gleaned each time

Hearing God Speak Hear God Sp e with us is a ‘sacred romance’ filled Hear with adventure. AfterSpeak reading this book my prayer became, God eak “may I live with my eyes wide Sp open and my heart unafraid.”

Hearing God God in the Alley Speak Hear

by Greg Paul I’m sure this God Spe ak book may never be considered Speak Hear a classic but it makes my list God Speak H because I have not been the eak Hearing same since I read it. Paul writes as an active pastor onGod the front lines Spea of inner city Toronto and he captures God our minds and heartsHearing with humbling stories of disenfranchised people.

Over the years I have Speak literally begged Hear people to read this one and still do e today. Be prepared to God be changed.Sp Speak Hear Looking back over this short list I doubt that any of these books would Sp be considered ‘classics.’

Not in the eak Hea traditional definition anyway. None Hearing God of them have been around that long, but these are some of the books that Speak Hear I would take if I was consigned to a desert island. Books that can be God ak read over and over again with newSpe insights gleaned each time. And Hear they made a differenceSpeak in me.

So in the end, a classic is God Speak H individual. If it changes (or challenges) your thinking for good, then it just Hearing might qualify. And aseak time changes, so do these classics. I firmly believe God Spea that I will read a few more this year.

Go ahead and launch out with one that I’ve recommended. I can’t guarantee that it will do the same for you as it did for me, but the next classic might be closer then you think.

Read on!

Larry Thiessen lives in Calgary, Alberta and is the former manager of Christian Publications bookstores

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d Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing G ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak H practice of prayer eak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing HEARIN ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak H Hearing God Speak k Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK How applying these five principles helps us listen to and do what he wants d Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing Go ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hea k Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD S ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK g God Speak Hearing God Speak HEARING GOD SPEAK He ak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing HEARIN d Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing Go ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak H eak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing HEARIN ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hea aring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK Usually God doesn’t speak d Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing Go in our mother tongue ring God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hea k Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing HEARIN He gave directions to the factory; I was told to find ‘church-wrecker o one taught me how to do went with a sense of uneasiness.

Saul’ and pray for him (at risk of his it. No one taught me that N ring God Speak Hearing Speak Hearing God Speak He My mind said, “If you are not life) atGod the same time as Saul was told God actually communicated clear working, your job is to find a job.” that Ananias would pray for him to direction to his people, or that it Hearing God Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK My heart however, wasn’t listening receive his sight (see Acts 9:10-19). was possible to hearSpeak and then do to my head—it was getting more Apart from reading the Bible to exactly what God wanted done. g God Speak Hearing God Hear unsettled.GOD A lead-like SPEAK feeling came get generalSpeak direction, no oneHearing told And yet there were multiple into my spirit as I parked the car; me how to hear the Lord when the accounts in the Bible of ordinary ak Hearing God Hearing Hearing HEARIN it grew more disturbed with every direction wasn’t clear! God Sometimes Speak people not only hearing Speak God, but

by Rev. David R. Chotka

hearing God clearly! Paul and Barnabus were sent after the Spirit spoke at a prayer meeting (see Acts 13:1-3). ‘No name’ Elijah was sent to confront a king (see 1 Kings 17:1), hide and be fed by ravens (see 1 Kings 17:2-3) and find provision in a foreign land, because God ‘commanded’ a widow to feed him (see 1 Kings 17:9). Ordinary Ananias

two good choices required a decision, and I didn’t know which was best!

I had to get a job. My town had 22 percent unemployment and work was scarce. My parents ran a restaurant—but people were cutting out restaurant meals because there was no extra money. So when a man offered me a job driving a delivery van, it made sense to check this out.

step toward the door on the loading dock. I knocked loudly, and no one answered. Sensing relief, I returned to my parent’s restaurant.

The factory owner came back and asked why I hadn’t gone to the interview. When he heard about the door he laughed and apologized; the office had a vine-covered door tucked away in the back, so I Fall 2008

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Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing Go od Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing He you do in word or deed, do all in of the Lord Jesus, giving Spthe nameeak Hearing God thanks through him to God the Father (Colossians 3:15-17 NASB).

Hearing God Speak He The five principles are: Speak Hearing God Sp • The Word of God God• TheSpe Hearing Witness of theak Holy Spirit • The Workers in God’s Kingdom Speak Hearing God of God • The Worship • The Will of the Believer God Speak Hearing Go 1. The Word of God eak Hearing God Spea Colossians indicates that the Word should dwell in us richly. What Hearing God Speak He better way to discover what God wants than to saturate our souls with Hearing God Speak He his specific teaching!

If the Word within us is rich, so also will be the God Speak Go guidance that God sends.Hearing There are biblical principles that we should . . . no one told me how to hear the God Hearing God know.Speak Read the Gospels until their teaching is second nature. Study Lord when the direction wasn’t clear Speak Hearing the Epistles.

Immerse yourself in God S the prophets. Commit Scriptures to Speakreturned Hearing Speak Hearing HEARING school, but struggled to pay the bills. memory. There will be noGod specific Speak to try for the jobGod again.

The Holy Spirit was attempting guidance if we are disobeying the Once again my spirit became Speak‘heavy’, Hearing Spto communicate, eakto Hearing God ‘speak.’ Usually general principlesSpeak of godliness that Hearin with an increasingGod sense God doesn’t speak in our mother are ours for the learning. If this step of trouble inside—yet I could see Speakno reason Hearing God Speak Hearing Hearing God tongue. Rather God speaks by the God is notSpeak taken, then guidance is more to turn down honest presence and the absence of his difficult. Obey what you know. Then work. As I walked into the office, earingthe secretary Godgreeted Spe ak Hearing Speak Spea peace. This is what itGod means when God canHearing give specific steps toGod take. me cheerfully Paul indicates we should “let the and said, “Oh hello! You must be the SpeakmanHearing God Speak Speak Go peace of ChristHearing rule in our hearts.” God 2. The Witness of the HolyHearing Spirit coming for the delivery job.

We need to know the Bible’s Here God takes the general Word I was told you would be coming.

God Speak God Speak GOD SPEAK principles.

We also need toHearing cultivate we know, moves upon it by his Spirit Heari The job is yours;Hearing in fact you can ‘listening to the peace.’ In fact, five and makes it specific. The peace is start right away. Do you want it?” k Hearing God Speak Hearing God HEARING tests can help us ensure that ‘theSpeak will’ to ‘rule’ Hearing in our hearts. ‘Rule’ here is Every part of my inside was

battling with my mind, screaming not to take the job. Yet the work was needed. The pay was low, but there were no jobs to be had. So I said “Yes”, signed the contract, left the building—and felt like throwing up.

The next morning a call came from a different employer offering a 15 week job at $3.00/hour more than the job I took, but it was too late. What I didn’t know was that 15 weeks later, God would send me to seminary; the extra money would be needed to pay for the year. I did go to 8

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is clear and that we are listening to and doing what God wants. These classic spiritual disciplines, found in the devotional literature, can be located in a single Pauline text: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever

used in ancient Greek for ‘umpire’ or ‘referee.’ The peace of Christ then is to mediate or referee between two (or more) directions to help us determine whether we are ‘in’ or ‘out’ of the game. The peace ‘calls the decision.’ There should be a general sense of peace in a Christian’s life which comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit. Should this ‘peace/ presence’ become diminished, jarred, or out of kilter, ‘peace’, the referee, is saying “Wait. Test this one out.” If the ‘peace/presence’ is

od Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak God Speak Hearing HEARING God Speak Hearing earing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God consequences of the decision. There Word must be in harmony with consistently absent, God is saying will beSPEAKGGod ups and downs with each Speak“No.”Hearing God this decision. Hearing The sense of leading GOD If the ‘peace/presence’ grows Speak choice. Regardless of how one feels, in the soul of the seeker must be deeper as one considers a direction, there is a specific calling on each earingthisGod Hearing Speak God peaceful andGod clear. There should be a Hearing is a signalSpeak that God could be believer who has sounded out the consensus in unbiased third parties leading in this direction. It is best of the Lord. Thankfulness will peak Hearing God mind Speak Hearing (Workers)Hearing that both Word (the clear to keep this tentative;God since this isSpeak be the calling in the times when the subjective, there needs to be a further teaching of the Bible) and Spirit (God decision isGOD tough. “Whatever you do God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing SPEAK giving peace within) together are testing of this sense of leading. pointing in this direction. With these in word or deed, do all in the name d Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing Speak Hearing of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks three (Word, Witness and Workers) God 3. The Workers in God’s Kingdom through him to God the Father.” in place, the last steps can be taken.

Find people saturated in the Word od Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK Had I known about these five of God. Ensure they are open to the steps, discerning what God wanted 4. The Worship of God leading of the Spirit, and sensitive ak Hearing Speak SPEAK Hearin around that job would have been At HEARING this point, decide. ChooseGOD a to God’s flow ofGod peace. Place the much easier. While the process is direction. The outflow should be situations before them and pray earingtogether.

GodLet these Speak Hearing Hearing God not infallible—because everyone Speak “Psalms andGod hymns andSpeak spiritual be people with falls short of the mark—balancing songs”—praise, worship, and a no vested interest (i.e. if you are earingthinking GodaboutGod Speak Godmakes Speak these five tests together releaseGod of intimacy with God in all Hearing a new job,Hearing don’t pray the possibility of hearing and concerned. Even a heavy decision with the boss!). Let them ask probing od Speak Godshould Speak Hearing HEARING obeying God all the more likely. lead to a sense of rightness questions Hearing until they and you together that facilitates being able to worship come to a place in which the peace d Speak Hearing God Speak God Speak Hearing God in opennessHearing and joy. of Christ in their souls and yours is ‘ruling’, and indicating this decision Speakis ‘inHearing God God Sp eak 5. The Will ofHearing the Believer the game’ and ‘fair play.’

This Speak Once the decision is taken, believers is what it means to be ‘called in one k Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak set their will to live with the body.’ The general principles of the ng God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK d Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing ak Hearing HEARING God Speak Hearing God Speak od Speak Hearing God Speak Hearing GOD SPEAK in Ggg David Chotka is Lead Pastor,

Spruce Grove Alliance Church and

Chairman, Alliance Pray Team. He can be reached at david.chotka@sgac.net

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impressions

Young Author Making an Impact With her first novel now published this 13-year-old is busy working on a much anticipated sequel

W

hen most kids hit the annual summer break, there’s one thought on their mind—fun; fun at the cottage, fun on vacation, fun with their friends. But for 12-year-old Victoria Sprenger there was no question what it meant for her. Summer was time to “write” and write she did!

Victoria is now a published author. Her novel, The Underground League of Princesses, was published

by KfK Books (Kids for Kids Books) and launched in September 2008.

Victoria and her family attend Sheridan Park Alliance Church in Mississauga, Ontario.

“It was always in her,” says her mom, Valerie. “Vickie has always wanted to be a writer. Even when she was little, she wanted a diary to write in even though she couldn’t read yet.”

Victoria began writing the novel in June just after finishing Grade 6.

“It took most of the summer, but I really enjoyed it,” she said, adding she’s been writing stories “for around three or four years now” with lots more bubbling up inside her.

A supportive teacher at her school, Hillcrest Public, connected her with KfK. Victoria was invited to submit her book and on Christmas Day found out that the book would indeed be published.

Once The Underground League of Princesses came off the presses, KfK held a book promotion event 10

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The Underground League of Princesses is set in medieval times and its awesome story provides great incentive for summertime reading adventure . . . You would think that Princess Erika always had fun—wearing the finest gowns, eating delicious food, visiting with her friends . . . BUT when she notices that her father the King is spending endless hours in his study, she wonders.

AND when she finds the secret . . .

at a historic venue in June, where Victoria, dressed as a princess complete with an encrusted tiara, did a reading from the book and signed autographs.

Said the publisher in a news release: “(Victoria’s) adventurous novel is action packed, provides a satisfying ending and yet leaves the reader yearning to read more about the Underground League and its leader Princess Erika. Vickie’s fictional characters are determined, striking and intelligent. These princesses are great role models.”

For many of the young people at Sheridan Park Alliance and at Hillcrest school, having a published author as a friend “is really cool.”

That reaction is the most common, Vickie says, followed immediately, by those who’ve read The Underground League, with the comment “are you going to do a sequel?” The novel has so engaged them that they’re itching to learn what happens next to Princess Erika. Victoria is now hard at work, at age 13, on a sequel.

Her school and church friends,

teachers and family have all encouraged her in her writing.

“Lots of people told me that I should (write the book),” she says. Her family encouraged reading with her Mom and Dad both noting that the house is filled with books.

“We read to her and her sister every night,” said her mother.

Kids for Kids Books describes itself as a company promoting the creativity of young people in the community. It works with elementary schools and libraries across Ontario to discover young talented writers, give them opportunities to showcase their work and help them achieve success.

For many churches, creativity and youth generally equate with musical ability and leading or participating in worship teams.

Meanwhile, other young people who are engaged in video or multimedia productions or, as in Victoria’s case, writing, go unknown and unrecognized. The community and commercial publishers are working hard to encourage young creativity. Can the church do less?

FEATURE

Christian Engagement and Public Policy Following Jesus’ guidance can go a long way in helping us succeed in this area

by Preston Manning

D

r. Franklin Pyles, President of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, has made justice and compassion a front and centre issue for the church in the coming years.

He is calling C&MA congregations to action in the local community as well as on the national and international levels.

Such a focus and calling raises the question: “How should Christians and Christian congregations engage in public policy debates and processes?”

Two Levels This question can be answered on two levels. If you were to ask it of a political consultant, he or she would list such activities as the following: Define the issue(s) with which you are concerned (poverty? foreign aid? the conditions of aboriginal peoples? tax equity? end-of-life issues?).

Define your positions on these issues, identifying what changes in existing public policies or laws you would like to achieve. Define the policy and decision-makers in government (federal? provincial? municipal? elected? unelected? candidates aspiring to election?) you need to influence. Seek opportunities to meet the

appropriate officials and politicians and present your case. Enter into coalitions with others likeminded to increase your influence. Organize and/or participate in public hearings and meetings, forums, talk shows, and media events to increase public support for your positions.

In other words, be persistent and skillful in using the tools democracy gives to us all to influence the public agenda—freedom of speech, freedom of association, and opportunities to persuade others to use their voices, positions, and votes to effect change.

But there is another level on which to address this question of how Christians should engage themselves in influencing public policy in the public square. Jesus himself addressed it when he gave instructions to his earliest followers as he first sent them out to do ‘public work’.

Jesus’ Guideline During the first year of his recorded ministry, Jesus taught his disciples in private while he himself conducted the public part of his ministry. His disciples accompanied him and

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This of course is again a loaded question, asked solely for the purpose of getting Jesus into serious political trouble

observed his public activities, but they themselves had little or no public role. (Believers first need to spend time with Jesus in private and in association with their fellow believers, becoming well grounded and instructed in their faith before stepping into the public square.)

Eventually, however, the day came when Jesus sent his disciples out to do ‘public work’ in his name—to cast out the spirits of evil, to heal the sick, and to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God. But before doing so, he gave them this explicit instruction recorded in Matthew 10: “Behold I send you forth as sheep among wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and gracious as doves.”

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Wise as Serpents As most Christians know, in the JudeoChristian Scriptures, ‘the serpent’ is the symbol of the devil—the personification of evil. So Jesus is saying in effect, “Be wise (shrewd) as the forces of evil.”

He himself demonstrated this wisdom on many occasions. One such occasion was when he was questioned by his opponents on the subject of taxes (a matter of public policy). “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” they asked him. The question is asked, like most questions raised by the media or your opponents in the political arena, not for the purpose of getting an answer but for the purpose of getting Jesus into serious political trouble.

If he answers “Yes”, he will alienate his own followers who hated Revenue Rome and its tax collectors with a passion. If he answers “No”, he will be in even worse trouble because to deny Caesar’s right to collect taxes was a crime (treason). So what does he do?

Notice firstly that he doesn’t answer right away. (Don’t feel compelled to answer loaded political questions immediately—and if you don’t know what to say, say nothing.) Instead, he asks if anyone in the crowd has a coin. When the coin is duly produced, Jesus points to it and asks a question of his own—“Whose inscription is this?”

“Caesar’s” they reply. To which he then responds with the shrewdness of the serpent, “So render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Brilliant, and shrewd. If he had said that in a scrum outside the House of Commons it would have made the evening news. It would have increased, not diminished, public respect for himself, his position, and his followers.

Gracious as Doves Wisdom in and of itself, however, is not sufficient to guide us through the opportunities and dangers that await the believer who seeks to express and practice his or her faith in the public arena. That wisdom must be expressed and

exercised in the right spirit—not threateningly but with the graciousness of the dove.

Believers who by their words and actions give the impression that, if only they had the power, they would force others to accept their position on some issue are not walking in the footsteps of Jesus. He invited people to follow him; he did not compel them to do so. He and his teachings were a threat to many in authority, not because he threatened them directly but because of his appeal to ordinary people.

Jesus didn’t just teach graciousness, he demonstrated it. He did so especially on an occasion when he was publicly challenged by his opponents on a question of sexual morality—the one issue where we, his modern followers, most often falter and discredit him and ourselves.

You will recall the story, recorded in John 8. His opponents dragged before him “ a woman taken in adultery.” Then they asked Jesus: “In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women, but what do you say?”

This of course is again a loaded question, asked solely for the purpose of getting Jesus into serious political trouble—just like many of the questions on sexual morality put today by hostile media and interest groups to people of faith who venture into the political arena.

How did Jesus handle it? Once again he didn’t answer immediately or impulsively—he took his time. But when he did answer, his response was a model of both shrewdness and graciousness.

First, just a dozen well chosen (inspired) words spoken in public—“He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone”—a shrewd rebuke of the antagonistic and judgmental spirit which motivated his interrogators.

And then, most importantly for us, some gracious words spoken in private to the unfortunate woman now left alone with Jesus. “Where are your accusers?” he asks.

“Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she replies. To which he responds—with the graciousness of the dove—“Then neither do I condemn you. Go now, and sin no more.”

Jesus knew what to say in private on such issues and what to say in public—something we need to learn. He also knew how and when to express understanding, grace, and mercy without compromising his convictions (that adultery was still wrong)—something we need to learn as well.

One wonders if his opponents had brought before Jesus two people “taken in a homosexual act”—for which the Mosaic Law proscribed the same penalty—whether Jesus would have responded in the same wise and gracious fashion. I personally think he would have—the question is, would we?

Following Jesus What is required of us to be able to speak and act in the public square, on public policy issues of concern to us as Christians and citizens, with the shrewdness and graciousness of our Master?

Knowledge will help—knowledge of our opponents and their objectives, knowledge of the broader audience, and the knowledge of faith inspired perspectives on the subject at hand—knowledge that comes through prayer (Solomon’s prayer for wisdom), study (after the example of Paul), discussion with fellow believers and authorities, and the inspiration/guidance of the Spirit of Christ.

But if the experience of Jesus’ earliest followers, as recorded in the New Testament, is in any way instructive, the most important thing is for us is to be in closer more constant fellowship with him—not just in private devotions and services with fellow believers—but out in the world—in the marketplace, in the prisons, in the hospitals, in the schools, in the ghettos, in the country clubs, in the media, and in the political arena—where Jesus himself continues to do his public work with the shrewdness of the serpent and the graciousness of the dove.

Preston Manning, a former Leader of the Official Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons, is currently President of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy.

The Centre (www.manningcentre.ca) offers a seminar program for people of faith on “Navigating the Faith/Political Interface”

If he (Jesus) had said that in a scrum outside the House of Commons it would have made the evening news Fall 2008

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FEATURE

Making

Justice and Compassion

a Reality

Dr. Franklin Pyles on expressing the love of Christ as a lifestyle

by Peter White

just ways that creates our need for a Saviour. People all over the world, throughout history, have suffered from injustice and it is the duty of the Church to speak to the world the Word of God and the demand of God that all people behave in a just manner.

A.ca: Where does compassion fit in?

FP: Compassion is part of justice, for it is unjust to ignore the need of another person. However, the needs of the world for food, clothing, clean water and health are so great that this area of action deserves to be treated by itself. We stand in a tradition of caring for people, of offering a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name, a tradition that includes Dorcas who sewed clothes for the poor and Paul who collected an offering.

Compassion is part of our calling as an Alliance.

Dr. Franklin and Gay Pyles

I

n his President’s Report to the 2008 General Assembly, Dr. Franklin Pyles spoke about the importance of justice and compassion to The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. cmAlliance.ca recently interviewed Dr. Pyles and asked him to share his thoughts about these two issues.

Alliance.ca: In your report you said that in today’s world there is a tremendous emphasis on issues surrounding the search for justice and the need to express compassion.

What are some of your thoughts on the issue of justice?

Dr. Franklin Pyles: The need for justice arises in all of our relationships as people, and in our relationship with God. It is that fact that we have not behaved in

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A.ca: How do justice and compassion interact with each other?

FP: As I just stated compassion is really part of justice.

That is, if I see someone naked and hungry, as the Apostle James (see James 2:15, 16) says, and say to that person “be warmed and filled” but do not actually give them food and clothing, is the love of God in me? And, because this is clear to us now from the Bible, not to care for this person is an injustice. Likewise, when people are oppressed, as are tens of thousands of children who are sex slaves, not to care about the injustice is also a lack of justice.

A.ca: How do justice and compassion connect with evangelism and worship?

FP: The easy thing to say would be that this is a way to attract people to Christ. But I would say this is part of Christ’s work for people, and that when we do acts of justice and compassion we are truly worshiping God. This is what the LORD said to Isaiah in chapter 58 when he called caring for the poor a true fast.

We must teach the true, biblical mandate for caring for people and our world A.ca: From your perspective, why is a greater emphasis on justice and compassion important in today’s world?

FP: It is always important and has always been addressed

by God’s people. What a heritage we have as Christians!

The early Christians denounced the Roman circus, Christians picked up the poor and needy and cared for them in monasteries in the Middle Ages, William Wilberforce fought against slavery, Amy Carmichael against child prostitution, and A. B. Simpson’s heart was broken when he saw the body of a baby girl floating down the Yangtze River at Wuhan and he asked “does no one care?” and was told that—if it was a boy they would care.

A.ca: In your report you said that the issues of justice and compassion are the mandate of the Church of Jesus Christ. Yet you fear that over the years our expression of justice and compassion has diminished.

Their importance has lessened in our church lives. Can you elaborate on your observation?

FP: We existed in a hiatus as evangelicals because we lived in fear of the social gospel. But the social gospel was an attempt to reinterpret the Gospel as only meaning justice and compassion for the people of the world, and the naïve belief that it could be achieved through the work of the church, thus attaining the Kingdom of God. The rejection of this false teaching was absolutely correct, but the rejection of the mandate to care for the poor was wrong. But now this is being recovered and health is returning to our churches.

A.ca: The issues of justice and compassion have captured the imagination of the emergent generation.

You referred to these as their clarion call. Why do you think these issues have become so important to them?

FP: Justice and compassion is the focus of the young generation for several reasons. First, the high level of communication has brought world needs before everyone through television. Now we see the multiplication of this communication.

Children are taught about many justice and compassion issues at school. Rock stars and movie stars take up specific causes and sometimes hold benefit concerts. Politicians run for office referencing

the world’s need. And, terrorists claim that they in turn are justified in their brutality because of injustice. So, who wants to be left out? Not many.

But our mandate must be different. We must teach the true, biblical mandate for caring for people and our world. This is a reason for engagement that will survive the fleeting interest of media and stars.

A.ca: How do you see justice and compassion becoming more prominent at the local church parish level? What are some practical, effective strategies churches can implement at the local level?

FP: The Parish concept is a way to set acceptable boundaries on our involvement in the community so that our involvement may be very deep and holistic.

I encourage churches to define a geographic and/ or demographic boundary which they realistically believe they can influence. When that has been

Perspectives

TM

on the World Christian Movement

“The mission oriented church of the 21st century will very likely be lead by laity who have graduated from the Perspectives course. So why not consider having a group of people from your church participate in a “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement” course offered in your area?"

Dr Charles Cook, Professor of Global Studies and Mission, Ambrose Seminary.

Check for a class near you www.perspectivescanada.org

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We need to show God’s love, not once, but as a lifestyle determined I encourage them to survey the area so that spiritual needs may be identified and so that justice and compassion needs may also be identified.

One church discovered that the children of the local elementary school were in need of fresh fruit.

The church now supplies that need for those children.

Another church has become the chaplain for a mall.

The list of opportunities to serve is almost endless if we will get out into the community and ask questions.

A.ca: In your report you suggested that by the year 2030 you wanted the C&MA to be recognized across Canada as a church that walks the talk, where justice and compassion is reality, not just theology. From your perspective what will things look like by 2030?

FP: In 2030 I believe that every church will know what it does to bring the presence of Christ into the lives of people around it, and that will include practical ministry and spiritual ministry. And I believe the people in the surrounding communities will sense the love of Christ from these congregations, even if they never ever attend.

A.ca: What are some of the key changes we have to make as a denomination to realize this vision?

FP: As stated above, we have to take the positive step of actually knowing what goes on in our communities, and listen to our communities, and respond to the needs that they express. There is no use at all talking about justice and compassion, we simply need to get out there and do it.

A.ca: What we are really talking about is a transformation of how we address these issues. What do you see as the biggest obstacle to overcome.

FP: The biggest hurdle is our own personal agendas.

For myself, I have a very busy schedule. But, I want to respond as my local church calls me to help.

And each of us must make this commitment.

A.ca: Who needs to take the lead on the ground at the local parish level?

FP: Of course the pastor and elders must take the lead. But, in every congregation there are people to whom the Lord speaks and he lays a burden and vision on their heart. So, if you are one of those people to whom the Lord has given a cry for a need around your church, speak up. Your elders may not have seen it for the Lord may desire you to be the one to point it out.

And, accept responsibility, for the church cannot move forward until people step out and say that they are willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus for this need.

A.ca: Do you have some final thoughts to share with our readers?

FP: Let us remember that love is not an abstraction, it is an action. We need to show God’s love, not once, but as a lifestyle.

Peter White is an independent communication, media and adult education consultant

You made the difference . . .

Thank you! … to the hundreds of Alliance churches and thousands of individuals whose prayers and generous financial gifts helped build Ambrose University College.

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alliance compassion

The Love of Christ in Action Our response to meet the needs of communities affected by these two natural disasters

by Joanne Beach

We were immediately able to provide them with funds as they sent teams to the affected area

T

he Christian and Missionary Alliance family across Canada has expressed great love for the people affected by natural disaster this year. As they were exposed to the needs of the communities affected by the Myanmar cyclone and the earthquake in China, hundreds of churches and individuals sent money to assist those that had lost everything. A priority for us was to resource local believers, enabling them to fulfill the mandate to love with action.

Cyclone in Myanmar After the cyclone, various Christian denominations in Myanmar, including The Christian and Missionary Alliance, joined together for relief efforts. They united in what they named the Myanmar Christian Committee for Cyclone Response (MCCCR). This is indirectly the fruit of Ric and Gail, International Workers from Peace Portal Alliance, who had built relationships with these denominational leaders over the last several years.

The government recognized the MCCCR as an organization that would help the victims of the cyclone, and they were given official permission to distribute aid. We were immediately able to provide them with funds as they sent teams to the affected area to deliver items like rice, plastic tarps for roofing, cooking pots, and mosquito nets.

We are also partnering with Canadian Food for the Hungry International (CFHI) and Samaritan’s Purse on a couple of specific projects.

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. . . motivates us to increase our commitment to proclaiming the love of Jesus through word and deed

These partners are working through the MCCCR to distribute material aid of rice, tarps, clean water, medical aid, school supplies, as well as fishing nets and small tools for income recovery.

CFHI is involved in training the MCCCR in disaster response, assessments, logistics, accounting and reporting. Our partnership with Samaritan’s Purse focuses on pond rehabilitation—most fresh water ponds in the delta area were spoiled by salt water from the tidal surges. It is essential that these communities have fresh water ponds for drinking and for their livelihood.

A recent report from a contact in Myanmar stated: “The way in which the various churches and para-church groups are pulling together in Myanmar is one of the most inspiring and encouraging acts I have been privileged to witness.”

Earthquake in China Our efforts in China have had the same response. One of our workers reported, “It is so amazing to see the Chinese from all over the country coming here and especially the Christian people coming wanting to help our team.” The team which started out with 35 volunteers now has over 100.

Our team, which had been involved in Community Health and HIV/Aids Education before the earthquake quickly transitioned 18

cmAlliance.ca Fall 2008

their focus to do first aid, distribute rice, oil, tarps, and medical supplies.

The team also gave out children’s care packages and is running day camps to enable children to engage in educational activities and regain structure to their days.

As well, they are addressing a great need for crisis counseling as they help kids and adults process the trauma and grief. This is done both through group counseling and through simply walking with them in their sadness.

Here is an excerpt from one worker’s prayer letter regarding their visit to a village in the hardest hit region: “Would you like to go with us up the mountain to pay our respect to our classmates and teachers?” the young people asked. What an opportunity to step into their world with open eyes, listening ears and compassionate hearts! They led us to terrace upon terrace of new graves made of cement half culverts. Each terrace had 30–40 graves, making the total of dead from this area nearly 400.

“This is my teacher,” a ninth-grade girl said while pointing to a grave.

“This friend was great at playing basketball,” another ninth grader said, pointing to another gray grave with a candle and some memorabilia at the headstone.

“This boy helped many girls get out before the building collapsed on him,” another youth told us, pointing to yet another grave.

I told them that there was a story in a favorite book of mine that says there is no greater love than when someone lays down his life for a friend. How I longed to explain who my friend is and how he had given his life for each of them.

Another member of our team found a man alone sitting in front of his wife’s grave. She was a teacher in one of the schools that had collapsed.

They had been married 20 years. Life looked hopeless. Our worker listened to this man and mourned with him.

As acts of compassion are done through the empowering presence of Christ, it is our prayer that the recipients of these actions will be drawn to the One whose love led him to lay down his life for them.

It is this conviction that motivates us to increase our commitment to proclaiming the love of Jesus through word and deed.

So whether in times of tragedy or among the poor and vulnerable in the countries we work, we are dedicated to loving people through acts of compassion both directly through our workers and indirectly through the gifts of the Alliance family across Canada.

Joanne Beach is Director of Alliance Compassion/Global Ministries and can be reached at beachj@cmacan.org

FEATURE

When the authorities found out they were given five days to leave the country they called home

J

une 4, 2007. Do you know where you were and what you were doing that day? For us it is a date we will not soon forget. It was our own personal 9/11. That was the day we were forced to leave a people and a nation we had called home for more than seven years.

In February 2000 we got on a plane and flew over ocean, mountains and desert to Central Asia, to live among a largely unreached Muslim people group of nearly 10 million. Our adopted people live in an area larger than France and Germany combined. And among these vast distances and large population only about 300 know Jesus.

We were asked by the C&MA to go there as International Workers (IWs) to work to see a church emerge among this mostly forgotten group of people.

The C&MA arranged for us to partner with Frontiers, a mission agency dedicated to sharing the good news with the Muslims of the world. And so we joined a Frontiers team and spent 3 ½ years learning two difficult languages.

During this time God blessed us with the opportunity of seeing two young men commit themselves to Christ. They would meet with us weekly (sometimes more often) to pray and read God’s Word. How exciting to see them grow in their faith and be baptized. Today, one of them is married to a believer and part of an underground church. Some good things are happening there.

However, the people live under a regime that allows for little actual religious freedom. All fellowships are underground.

Believers have been beaten, fined, and jailed for their faith. In light of these facts, is the risk worth Fall 2008

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“See I send you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves” it? Should we be endangering the lives of these locals (never mind the consequences for ourselves as IWs)?

Certainly these are sobering questions. Yet at the end of the day there is only one answer. As challenging as an earthly existence might end up being for those there who choose to follow Christ, they can then face whatever comes with an assurance of God’s love and presence and know that they will spend eternity with him. Compared to the rest of time spent separated from God the question becomes easy to answer. Of course we must go and tell.

As we go, we IWs take Christ’s words to heart, “See I send you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves.” This is not a character trait most of us grew up hearing many sermons on. We were challenged to read Scripture anew searching for biblical guidelines on things like how to answer questions. (Consider how Jesus often responded to questions. See also I Samuel 16 and how Samuel responded to questions about what he was doing.) We had to ready ourselves for the fact that all communication—whether through the postal system, e-mail, or phone—would be subject to other eyes or ears.

Practically on the ground with locals, this security situation meant we never used our home phone to call local friends. We tried to only have believers come to our home after dark. We didn’t associate in public with them. Local language Bibles had to be smuggled in and kept hidden. And then only given out once trust relationships had been established.

In the end, even with these cautions, we had to leave. A local believer we knew took a Bible on the train with him. In this nation to have a local language Bible is illegal. The police called him in for questioning. Under severe pressure, this young man named names. He told what he knew of us. It wasn’t

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long then until the police came looking for us.

After about five days of questioning, the police called me in again and gave us their verdict. I was guilty of the crime of “spreading religion.” What followed was a scramble to pack up our lives in just five days. Passing on business responsibilities, trying to sell our car, disbursing a home full of items, and most importantly, saying goodbyes kept us madly busy for those few days.

As word went back to Canada in those few days of what was happening to us, many of you prayed. Thank you! We felt God’s arms sustaining us and assuring us this was not simply the plot of evil men. He was sovereign and was still accomplishing his purposes.

In his goodness he gave us even a glimpse of that in those last days. Anna* was a local Muslim friend of my wife. She loved our two boys and clearly saw herself as an aunt to them. When the news came of our forced departure, she was crushed. She would come to our apartment to help pack and simply sit and cry on the bed. Previously, though warm towards us, she had been cool towards the Gospel.

However, as her heart broke she became softer. We were able to give many of our household goods to her but we had one special gift for her. We told her, “We have given you many things, but this is the most precious of all: God’s Word.” How it thrilled our hearts to have her come back to say goodbye and relate to us that she and her husband were reading and liked what they were reading.

Then our time was up. We had to get on the plane, leaving Anna behind. Leaving other believers imprisoned simply because they choose to follow Jesus. June 4, the day of our departure, is a date we will not soon forget.

Nor will we forget these Central Asian people who have become so dear to us. Our time there is done but our love and even more so God’s love for these people continues. * Name has been changed to protect identity.

These International Workers currently are on Home Assignment in Canada where they continue to keep in touch with their adopted people and speak in churches about the plight of the persecuted church. For the sake of those they left behind, they have asked to remain anonymous

ministry tracks

Different Gifts, Different Work, Same God, Same Goal The many new ways to become more intentionally involved in missions

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

F

or The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, adapting to the changing needs of missions is a critical component in its overall ministry. For us to enter difficult and often hostile places requires creativity and adaptation as we win people to Christ and establish Christ-centred churches.

Our desire to successfully plant and build the church among leastreached people groups requires building a strong and multi-gifted team of international workers. Our Global Ministries Department, therefore, has determined four Ministry Tracks to allow expanded opportunities for second career and early retirement people. These tracks also focus on the efforts of career international workers while helping them to continue and to expand their traditional roles.

For some time now we have been developing new workers and appointing them in these four ministry tracks, roles that are defined by their core work-related focus.

Church Ministry We are establishing churches among unreached people groups by sending people gifted in evangelism, church planting and leadership development.

These people are mostly prepared

through Bible college and seminary training, and are willing to learn the language and idiosyncrasies of another culture in order to establish the community of Christ. They start and develop churches and train national leaders who will eventually take over the church’s leadership roles. They may also work with Diaspora groups such as Chinese, Filipino, etc.

Compassion Ministry How can we talk about God’s love without demonstrating it through meeting the felt needs of people all over the world? Compassion ministries focus on caring for the physical and economic needs of poor, sick, marginalized and traumatized people, and lead to opportunities for evangelism and church planting. The Gospel is presented through word-in-action.

Marketplace Ministry So much of our effectiveness in reaching people for Christ depends on relationships. Where better to build those relationships than in the marketplaces of the world?

Marketplace international workers can go where more conventional international workers cannot.

These team members coordinate

their efforts in their professional workplace settings by leading co-workers or business acquaintances to Christ and then integrating them into the emerging church community being established by the mission team. Their career opens doors and sustains them financially as they serve God inter-culturally.

These people include business entrepreneurs, business management consultants, teachers, fitness instructors, soccer coaches and instructors for English as a Second Language.

Support Ministry Any team needs people with specific skills, training and background to enable the rest of the team to be free to do ministry.

Our teams include people who provide necessary support like bookkeeping, computer help and administration, as well as care and teaching of missionary children.

With the use of these ministry tracks, churches across Canada can identify various ways in which individuals can become more intentionally involved in missions.

For more information on current opportunities and how you can become involved, go to www.cmaconverge.com

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your church

Présenter le Christ au Québec—à nouveau!

Dans cette société séculière, l’historie de l’église renait avec des résultats encourageants

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L

orsque la Ville de Québec lança, en début d’année, les festivités entourant la célébration du 400e anniversaire de sa fondation, sa riche histoire a ramené à la surface un patrimoine évangélique oublié qui vient appuyer les efforts visant à déployer le Royaume de Dieu au Québec. Plusieurs des premiers colons étaient des protestants huguenots qui apportèrent avec eux, dans ce Nouveau-Monde, leur foi ardente.

Le Révérend Claude Noël, pasteur de l’Église de l’Alliance de Ste-Foy, raconte que ces colons Huguenots de la Nouvelle-France étaient présents dans toutes les couches sociales de l’époque.

Seigneurs, marchands, soldats aussi bien que paysans influencèrent ensemble l’histoire du Québec naissant.

Entre 1540 et 1629, sur les onze gouverneurs qu’il y eut en Nouvelle-France, six étaient huguenots.

Pierre Du Gua de Monts présida à la fondation de Québec. L’épouse de Samuel de Champlain, Hélène Boulé, était une chrétienne protestante dévouée qui influença grandement son mari et sa famille. Il nous

faut mentionner également les ‘filles du roy’, ces jeunes filles, dont plusieurs étaient protestantes, envoyées de France pour se marier et peupler la nouvelle colonie.

Les célébrations du 400e commémoreront ce passé oublié par une exposition au Musée de l’Amérique relatant cette influence. (6 mai 2008 au 22 mars 2009, Musée de l’Amérique française, Une présence oubliée: les Huguenots en Nouvelle-France).

L’Église catholique s’opposa durement à la présence protestante et la persécution s’accrut au même rythme que l’influence de l’Église de Rome augmentait. ‘‘Les conflits n’opposaient pas uniquement les français et les anglais, mais aussi les français catholiques et protestants.’’

Mgr François de Laval (fondateur de l’université Laval) fut l’un des porte-étendards en vue d’éradiquer la présence protestante (loi sur l’interdiction aux protestants de s’assembler). Les huguenots subirent aussi des pressions économiques par le boycotte ou le retrait de leurs entreprises. ‘‘Les franco-protestants furent chassés de la Nouvelle-

France alors que les anglo-protestants furent autorisés à y rester et ce, bien avant Montcalm et Wolfe.’’ Ce type de persécution s’est poursuivi jusque dans les années 1950 sous le gouvernement de Maurice Duplessis.

Très rapidement, la notion du catholique romain français et du protestant anglais émergea dans la culture québécoise et dura jusqu’à la ‘Révolution tranquille’ dans les années 1960. Le pasteur Noel souligne que cette notion est encore très présente dans le Québec postmoderne. La foi catholique romaine y est encore dominante bien que, pour plusieurs, elle soit surtout une réalité culturelle et historique plutôt qu’une foi réelle. ‘‘Nous désirons que les gens ici reçoivent la vraie foi catholique, Jésus-Christ pleinement adéquat.’’ Ceci nécessite un effort accru de la part des évangéliques pour influencer le Québec.

En plus des efforts d’évangélisation des dernières années, les évangéliques du Québec, l’Alliance incluse, ont élaboré un projet spécial pour rejoindre les québécois lors des célébrations du 400e. Plus de

Bringing Christ to Quebec—Again!

In this very secular society, evangelical church history is repeating itself with encouraging results

W

hen Quebec City launched its 400 th anniversary celebrations earlier this year, long forgotten historical facts about the impact of evangelical believers on the province’s extended history emerged and reinforced current evangelical efforts to spread the good news of Christ to the province. Many of the early settlers were evangelical Protestants—the Huguenots—and they brought their strong faith with them to the new world.

Rev. Claude Noel, senior pastor of the Alliance church in Sainte-Foy (Église ACM de Saint-Foy) says the Huguenot colonists came from all walks of life—the nobility, merchants and soldiers as well as peasants.

Together they greatly influenced early Quebec history.

From 1540 to 1629, out of the eleven governors of New France, six were Huguenots. One of them, Pierre Du Gua de Monts, supervised the founding of Quebec.

Samuel de Champlain’s wife, Hélène Boulé, was a devout Protestant who had a great influence on her husband and family. We must also mention the ‘filles du roy’ (daughters of the king), young ladies, many of whom were Protestant, sent from France to accelerate the colonisation by marrying the settlers and having children.

The 400 th anniversary celebrations commemorate that forgotten past with an exhibition at the Musée des Amériques (May 6, 2008 to March 22, 2009, Musée de l’Amérique française, A Forgotten Presence: the Huguenots in New France).

The Catholic Church strongly opposed the Protestant presence and persecution grew as the influence of the Roman Church increased.

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Mais comment partager une foi de convictions et d’absolu dans une société qui n’en a plus 400 000 copies d’une édition spéciale de l’Évangile de Jean ont été distribuées dans la grande région de la Capitale Nationale et au-delà. Des activités publiques, tels des concerts ou du théâtre, ont été présentées par des artistes francophones et anglophones. ‘‘Le 400e de Québec représente pour nous une des plus grandes opportunités de partager l’Évangile depuis Expo 67 à Montréal,’’ affirme le pasteur Noël. Au moment d’écrire ces lignes, on note certaines confessions de foi et une centaine de personnes qui ont manifesté de l’intérêt à approfondir le message de l’Évangile.

Du même souffle, l’Alliance chrétienne et missionnaire au Québec est engagée dans une vision stratégique visant à atteindre le Québec contemporain. À une époque où être canadien français signifiait

être catholique romain, de nos jours, beaucoup se sont éloignés de cette foi, affirme le pasteur Noël. Ceci ouvre des portes d’opportunités dans la vie des gens qui cherchent des réponses à leurs besoins spirituels.

Mais comment partager une foi de convictions et d’absolu dans une société qui n’en a plus? La société québécoise ne reconnaît plus à une seule religion le monopole des valeurs et de la vérité ni ne leur laisse le droit de dicter les valeurs sociales. Nous croyons que l’Église peut redevenir un mouvement d’influence pour le Royaume de Dieu au Québec en reflétant de manière holistique les valeurs de Christ.

Les Églises de l’Alliance du District St-Laurent ont combinés leurs efforts d’évangélisation au Québec avec de nombreux groupes ou dénominations, incluant les

Catholics and Protestants,” Rev. Noel said.

Powerful priests such as Francois de Laval (founder of Laval University) were soon involved in removing the Protestant influence (such as laws forbidding Protestants to gather). They suffered economic pressures, businesses were taken away and Catholic citizens were urged to boycott Protestant enterprises.

“They were kicked out of New France. English Protestants were allowed to stay—this was before Montcalm and Wolfe—but French Protestants were forced out,” he explained. And this kind of persecution continued, he noted, well into the 1950’s under the provincial government leadership of Premier Maurice Duplessis.

Soon the pattern that French equals Roman Catholic and English equals Protestant reflected Quebec culture; it was a pattern that lasted until the 1960’s and the ‘Quiet Revolution.’ That pattern, he said, still permeates Quebec even in the post-modernist society. The Roman Catholic faith is still predominant albeit, for many, as a cultural and historical reality rather than a faith reality.

“But we want the people here to receive the REAL catholic faith, the universal all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ,” Rev. Noel said. That means increasing efforts by evangelicals to impact Quebec.

Along with evangelistic efforts in recent years, evangelicals in Quebec, including the Alliance, developed specific outreach projects allied to the 400 th anniversary celebrations. More than 400,000 copies of a special edition of the Gospel of John were distributed in the Greater Quebec region. Public events were held featuring both French and English musicians and drama groups.

“For us, this was the biggest opportunity to share our faith since Expo 67,” he declared. At the time of writing there had been many professions of faith as well as more than 100 other individuals who expressed interest in understanding more of the Gospel as a result of the events.

At the same time, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Quebec is engaged in strategic planning efforts to impact Quebec society.

Where once to be French Canadian was to be Roman Catholic, Rev. Noel said, now many have drifted away from

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catholiques romains. ‘‘Nous voulons les atteindre, leur présenter Christ, les influencer vers le Royaume de Dieu. Dieu nous demande de briller de façons nouvelles et créatives. Nous devons être ouverts à Sa volonté.’’

Le révérend Francis Pearson, directeur du District St-Laurent, mentionne que les Églises recherchent activement des moyens créatifs et contemporains pour atteindre la société québécoise et déployer le Royaume de Dieu. Actuellement, Dieu place des passions pour rejoindre la société dans le cœur des chrétiens de nos Églises afin de rejoindre leur contemporain en étant et faisant une différence. Plus d’une trentaine de vision-passions ont ainsi été semées; que ce soit par l’implantation d’Églises traditionnelles ou non, par des ministères de compassion ou de justice sociale.

C’est tout simplement ‘‘wow’’!! Dieu sème des passions! Jésus a dit : Comme le Père m’a envoyé, moi aussi je vous envoie (Jean 20.21). Nous voulons être des Églises envoyées qui vont vers les masses ayant besoin de la grâce restaurant globale que Jésus-Christ

Plusieurs des premiers colons étaient des protestants huguenots qui apportèrent avec eux, dans ce NouveauMonde, leur foi ardente

the Catholic faith. This opens doors in many individual lives as they seek answers to spiritual needs and issues.

But how do we share a faith of convictions and absolutes to a society which has none? The Québécois society no longer recognizes any one specific religion as having the upper hand on truth and it does not allow religion to dictate social values. The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada believes that the Church can again become an influential movement in advancing God’s Kingdom in Quebec as it reflects the values of Christ holistically.

Already the Alliance churches in the St. Lawrence District have joined forces with numerous groups and denominations, including Roman Catholic, in evangelistic efforts across the province. “We want to reach out to them, to present Christ to them, to influence them towards God’s Kingdom,” Rev. Noel said. “God is asking us to shine in so many new and different plans and ways. We must be open to his leading. We want to contact them and share our faith with them. Then we’ll leave it to God.” Rev. Francis Pearson, District Superintendent for St.

Lawrence District, notes that churches in the district are actively seeking fresh, creative ways to impact Quebec society and deploy God’s Kingdom. “God has placed a passion in the heart of our churches to reach their milieu and be and make a difference,” Rev. Pearson said.

So far over thirty visionary projects have been sown, whether through church planting (traditional or cutting edge), or compassion and social justice ministries.

He added, “We want to be a sent movement of churches—sent to the masses in need of the restoring grace that Jesus brings. We long to reflect Christ’s values with compassion and authenticity in all spheres of life so that the church can gain back the right to be heard and have an influence.”

For this year in particular, “Je me souviens” (I remember) is more than a phrase on a license plate.

It is a remembrance of those pious Huguenots who built, at a great price, the foundation of this nation.

apporte. Nous aspirons à refléter les valeurs de Christ avec compassion et authenticité dans toutes les sphères d’activités de la société afin que l’Église retrouve le droit d’être entendue et redevienne une influence.

Je me souviens … de ces pieux huguenots qui posèrent à grand prix les fondations de ce pays.

Pour plus d’ information sure l’ impact du christianisme au Québec, consultez l’ édition Automne 2008 de « Portraits de famille »

For more information on the impact of Christianity in Quebec, see the segment in the Fall 2008 edition of Family Snapshots

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your church

When Reaching Out Hits a Wall Follow this church as their efforts to obey Christ’s call pits them against City Hall

By Mardi Dolfo-Smith

It was an amazing experience that helped us understand and purify our motivations for doing this ministry

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istorically and theologically the role of the Church is to reach out to the less fortunate and disadvantaged. Heeding Jesus’ own words, we attempt to provide a cup of water in his name, showing the care and compassion of Christ.

But today’s society, governments, and regulatory bodies are more and more defining how, when and where organizations—including churches— can and cannot act. It sets up conflict between societal understandings of the historic and continuing role of churches and the role of authorities.

When those conflicts do occur, there is an increased media scrutiny of the situation as well as of the church. In Vancouver, our church found out just how true that is.

Tenth Avenue Alliance is a church reaching out and helping in its community. It has run two outreach programs: Oasis, a drop-in lunch program for the under-employed for the last 10 years and Out of the Cold (OOTC) a dinner/sleepover in the church gym for the last four years. Out of the Cold and Oasis seek to serve Jesus, caring for ‘the 30

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least’ in our community by providing healthy meals and shelter. OOTC and Oasis staff and volunteers care for guests practically, spiritually and emotionally, offering respect to those guests as well as a place of welcome and community. Staff and volunteers refer guests to other community resources such as counselling, housing, drug and alcohol rehab.

These ministries have brought life to our church, have increased the diversity of our worshipping community (as many guests end up becoming part of our Sunday services and other programs) and

are the only ministries in our church with a waiting list for volunteers!

In 2005, we applied for a development permit in order to build an addition to our existing building. During this process, the Planning Department of the City of Vancouver became aware of Oasis and OOTC. They decided these programs were outside of the scope of the church land use permission and required us to seek an additional permit to use our property for social service.

We did not agree with the assessment that feeding and sheltering the poor was something separate from our other ministries. For us, caring for the needy is within the historic practices of ‘church usage’ both locally and worldwide. Reluctantly, however, we applied for the social services permit and the planning department began to process it.

In the spring of 2006, due to construction issues, the entrance for program guests changed from the alley behind the church to the front entrance on Tenth Avenue.

This sparked a negative response from several neighbours who felt threatened by the presence of

It enabled our church to become known in our city as a community that puts our faith into action our guests. The issue exploded as a few concerned neighbours spearheaded a campaign against the church and its programs.

They posted and distributed leaflets about us, contacted the media, and complained to City Hall. Two fiery neighbourhood meetings were held followed by a development permit board meeting.

Although a handful (50 or so) of our neighbours was against the church’s outreach ministry, many others came out to support us and some even volunteered to help at the programs.

Despite the opposition from some neighbours, a conditional permit for the programs was granted. The conditions included developing a management plan in consultation with the neighbourhood, the exterior monitoring of the block for potential problems, and some minor building upgrades. The process of getting the permit was slow and painful with many consultations with the City and neighbours. And we, at Tenth, continued to have concerns about the precedent that was being set by us even applying for the permit.

In the spring of 2007 a diverse group of faith communities, including conservative and liberal protestants, Roman Catholics, Jewish groups, Muslims and Sikhs joined together to call the city government to stop the practice of requiring faith communities to seek social service permits to care for the poor.

As this issue and the faith community protests hit the media, our church received national TV, radio and newspaper coverage. It

was an amazing experience that helped us understand and purify our motivations for doing this ministry. At the staff and elder level we constantly reassessed our call to care for our neighbours in need to make sure we were doing the ‘right’ things for the ‘right’ reasons.

In July, after three years of arguing with the City of Vancouver, city counsellors unanimously agreed that churches do not need social service permits to serve the poor and we were released from the need to continue the application process.

Even though this was a tough process for us that took many staff and volunteer hours, it served to unite our church in our call to care ‘for the least’. It enabled our church to become known in our city as a community that puts our faith into action and inspired us, as a church, to believe that God can use our community to impact our city and beyond.

It is our hope in the future to continue to listen to God’s call for us to care for the least. Plans are already in the works to take on new issues, including addressing the vulnerability of prostituted and trafficked women and children.

Desert Sand: So Little, So Much 1. Help to break the cycle of AIDS by assisting orphans and single parents.

2. Provide resources for a library which will serve university students.

3. Increase care by helping to replace physiotherapy equipment, improve access for wheelchairs, and provide medications.

4. Help in the development of an elementary school with a focus on values education.

5. Provide equipment for a youth centre.

GOAL

$150,000 They have so little.

We have so much.

Our little gifts can become much!

Mardi Dolfo-Smith is Executive Pastor at Tenth Avenue Alliance Church in Vancouver See Mardi Dolfo-Smith tell the Tenth Avenue story as part of the General Assembly President’s Report. An edited video of the President’s Report is included in the Fall 2008 edition of Family Snapshots

For additional promotional material check out www.allwomensministries.ca If due to unforeseen circumstances the funds cannot be disbursed in accordance with the project goals, funds will be re-designated to another approved project. Please note 80% of project funds go directly to the field while the remaining 20% is used for video production and administration of National Ministries.

your church

Taking the Message to Your Community Strategies to help churches communicate effectively in today’s world

by Barrie Doyle, APR

Our challenge is to define the church in the marketplace

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he Apostle Paul was one of the first strategic-thinking publicrelations practitioners. He knew how to deliver his message. He understood that to reach Athens— and therefore other parts of the world—with the Gospel, he had to communicate with a skeptical, unknowing, yet influential audience.

He used the media vehicle of his day—public speaking—to engage that audience in a provocative way (see Acts 17).

Today’s church needs to adopt ‘Acts 17 thinking’ in delivering its message: Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever, and God’s redemptive plan is just as valid and available today as it was 2,000 years ago. But communications 32

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methods and tools change.

No longer can we remain in our comfortable pews and pulpits, expecting our target audiences to

come in and listen. We must use media outlets the public respects.

Society is media-influenced and its attitudes are shaped by the evening news and monologues of late-night comedians. Special-interest groups, lobbyists and coalitions have learned to package their message for the media, persist in their attempts, are not discouraged if some don’t accept their message and they celebrate those who do.

The church must do likewise.

The Challenge It’s all about public relations (PR), though some in the church quiver at this idea. To them, it smacks of puffery and publicity, more akin to Hollywood than the cross.

But PR is shaping perceptions,

Make Your Story Newsworthy If a church is to penetrate the media with news, it must recognize the media’s perspective. Here are 10 characteristics that make stories newsworthy. Use them as a filter and ask yourself how many of these aspects are embodied in your story. The more there are, the better the coverage. n

It’s news when it is new. Look for a fresh angle, something that’s a first. an unusual aspect. What makes this different from anything else the media have covered? n Names make news—the more well-known the name, the better. This can be individual or corporate. n Your news item affects many. A city-wide event affects more than a church-wide event. n The news item will happen in the future. People are always curious about upcoming events. n Conflict makes news. Any issue that creates discord will involve a news aspect. Sports events also fall into this category. Don’t be surprised, therefore, when inter-church conflict hits the media radar. n Confidential information makes news. Don’t be surprised when the media get hold of it. n News often involves mystery. Most crimes fall into this category, but you can have fun with this by creating other kinds of mystery. n Children and youth are special news characteristics. Any item or event involving children is bound to attract media interests. n Romance makes news. Is a particularly effective Marriage Encounter session running in your church? n Find

Moving into the societal stream opens the church to increased scrutiny redefining image and creating positive reactions to Christians and our message, as well as to a specific church and its actions.

Our challenge is to define the church in the marketplace.

PR adds depth and breadth to ongoing communication efforts.

It provides a broader audience than our community outreach events. It engages other minds than those within the sound of the pastor’s sermon.

A key aspect of any PR program is to develop a strategic, effective, ongoing relationship with major media outlets in the community— regardless of whether they agree with the message. The media are simply channels to reach a

target audience, and this applies whether one is proclaiming the realities of Christianity or launching a major event.

It means stepping outside our comfort zones and understanding who the media are, how they operate and what they need. Armed with that knowledge, we can fashion our message to meet those needs.

Moving into the societal stream opens the church to increased scrutiny. Government bodies, corporate entities and celebrities are viewed with a jaundiced eye; it will be no different for the church.

Whether the scrutiny is deserved or not, the microscope will be on us.

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. . . reinforce the church and Christians as credible, proactive and concerned

awareness of the spiritual, ethical and moral issues facing society.

They reinforce the church and Christians as credible, proactive and concerned community members.

The Message Advertising doesn’t cut it anymore because people are inundated with advertising. Ads are increasingly dismissed or ignored, so major corporations are building brand names and images based on PR strategies. In a word, believability.

News stories in media outlets that are based on sound PR strategies create third-party endorsement—and thus credibility— in the eyes of the audience.

Does this mean the media will always run a story the way we want or give us positive coverage?

No. Their job is to tell stories the larger audience finds interesting.

Sometimes we won’t like the tone of a piece. We might not appreciate the alternative viewpoint reflected in the article. We won’t approve of being lumped with other faith groups that we may consider non-Christian.

But coverage is worth the cost.

In 2002 her husband’s tragic death, coupled with a military uprising and the siege of an MK school, catapulted the C&MA and missionary Denise Golding onto the media stage. By engaging the media in a way that met their needs (a well-attended news conference, fact sheets and other PR tools), the C&MA developed a story that made positive headlines from coast to coast. And God received the glory.

This year Tenth Avenue Alliance Church faced bureaucratic pressures 34

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from city officials in Vancouver. The media immediately picked up on the issue of church compassion versus city regulations and the church became the centre of a media blitz.

Local TV and newspaper articles placed the church front and centre in the community. Capable handling of the story by church officials

enabled city residents to gain a full and positive image of the church.

The Apostle Paul did it right. Can we do less?

Barrie Doyle APR, author of the book The Media and the Message, is Director of Communications, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Ideas for Creating News n Theme

an event around a specific or topical news item. For example, the Olympics, Thanksgiving, Canada Day or local festivities. n Anniversaries make news. Is your church or organization celebrating a significant anniversary (1, 5, 10, 25)? Create fun anniversaries—the 17-month anniversary of the first outdoor baptism, for example. n Conduct surveys among congregants or community members and report the results. The poll should be generic enough to appeal to a mass audience and yet specific enough to tie to the church. n Seek speaking engagements with nonchurch audiences like service clubs and chambers of commerce. Choose a topical subject and tell the media in advance.

Give them a prepared text of the talk. n Plan concerts or special events that impact the community in a non-evangelistic way. Look for unique venues or settings. Quebec’s 400 th anniversary celebrations provided a tremendous opportunity for outreach music and drama events. n Organize seminars on subjects of interest to the public such as health, parenting and education and invite the media to cover it.

world at your door

Loving Our Muslim Neighbours Insights into how best to respond to the needs of people God is sending us

by A Canadian Friend of Muslims

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ou are the friend I can share most openly with, because I trust you more than I trust friends from my own country. . . . Thank you for all you have done for my children. . . . I know you are a kind person who cares about other people. . . . Wherever I am in the world, I will always remember what you have done. . . . I feel so much strength coming into me when you pray. . . . These are comments from Muslims whose lives have been touched by a Canadian Christian friend.

God’s Initiative As we watch the number of Muslim immigrants to Canada grow past 750,000, we are compelled to ask, “Regardless of the reasons motivating Muslims, what is God up to in all of this?” His motive is spelled out, “ . . . so that [they] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him” (see Acts 17:26-27).

God is bringing Muslims from countries where they would be persecuted or even killed if they became followers of Jesus. Here we have freedom to share the Good News of Jesus, and they have more freedom to respond.

What a new challenge for the Body of Christ across Canada.

Our Response Many Canadians feel unsettled, unsure of how to respond. For those of us who love Jesus, the response he is asking of us is clear, “Do not exploit the foreigners who live in your land.

They should be treated like everyone else, and you must love them as you love yourself” (see Leviticus 19:33-34).

When Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, he demonstrated that the neighbour God calls us to love is NOT just the person next door who may be similar to us in race, religion or culture. The

neighbour in Jesus’ story was from an ethnic group hated and looked down on by the man he sacrificially loved.

The neighbour God calls us to love is anyone, from any race or religion, who comes across our path with a need God will empower us to meet.

God is sending us a lot of new Muslim neighbours who need to ‘taste’ Jesus’ love through us. How can we begin to respond, both individually and as a church?

Lord, Open Our Hearts Put very simply, we honestly tell God how empty we are, how unable we are to respond to his commission to love our Muslim neighbours.

He already knows, but we need to agree with him. Then we can give him permission to give us HIS love for Muslim people. We invite him to open up our hearts to these new neighbours.

Lord, Open Our Eyes We can also ask God to open our eyes: to see the specific

Ask God what he has given you that he is calling you to share individuals he is asking us to love and to see how they need to be loved.

When we moved to an area with a significant Muslim population, we asked God to give us divine appointments—to lead us to people he wanted us to meet. He did, in his usual creative ways. I met one Muslim woman through a hair appointment; another was walking in my neighbourhood.

One family we met by taking the initiative to phone them and introduce ourselves after we heard about their need. We had no idea we would immediately bond because of factors we had in common. But God knew. Recently we have reconnected with Muslim friends we had not been in touch with for quite a while.

You may meet Muslims at work, in school, through your children’s activities, in your neighbourhood or through programs. Not all contacts turn out to be long term relationships. We are just called to seek to love wherever Jesus sends us

and to leave the results with him.

As Jesus leads us to Muslim acquaintances, we need him to open our eyes to see how best to meaningfully love them. Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes not.

Many Muslim immigrants need help with their English. Children often need help with their homework.

Immigrants and especially refugees often need an advocate— someone to go to government or legal or medical offices with them or to help them fill out forms. They may need help in finding agencies for job assessments or job hunting, or in writing their resumé.

Many women are lonely and would love to have a trustworthy woman friend who is willing to get to know and enjoy them and who can help them understand Canadian life. They place a high value on relationships and hospitality.

Men often need help in finding work. They may come with education and professional experience but become frustrated or depressed when they can only find menial jobs.

Parents become concerned for their children when they see the low morals among Canadian youth.

They look for help in parenting their children who are caught between two cultures.

Spiritual needs are pervasive. Even

Muslims in Canada Many Canadians think Muslims are all Arabs, when in fact, the majority is not. They come to Canada from many countries including Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Middle Eastern countries, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan.

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if they are devoted to performing all the rituals required in Islam, Muslims live in an atmosphere of fear—fear God will make something bad happen to them, fear of the spirit world, fear of curses and the evil eye, fear of the time of death.

Lord, Open our Hands Allowing God to open our hearts and our eyes, we are ready to take action—to open our hands as we ask God how he wants to use us as a loving neighbour.

Ask God what he has given you that he is calling you to share.

Is it coming alongside as a friend?

An ability to teach or tutor? The gift of prayer? Advocacy? Support and encouragement? Providing furniture for newcomers? Giving funds for ministries? Job search help? Showing appreciation for their culture? Offering hospitality?

Working with a team of other believers to provide services?

Inviting them to participate in special celebrations such as Christmas?

Praying with them when they share a concern? Helping with income tax returns? Of course the deepest act of love is sharing the Good News of Jesus through both actions and words as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Love will be sensitive to the culture and lifestyle of the Muslims we befriend. Muslims vary in their adherence to Islamic rules and traditions. You can ask your friend about his practices. It is important not to offend their sense of morality.

In my experience, women need not wear a hijab, but must dress with extra modesty. Many Muslims will only eat halal meat products.

Women need to build friendships only with women, and men with men.

In fact, it is best to never greet someone of the opposite sex by extending a hand for a handshake.

This offends some. Wait and shake hands only if they extend their hand first. These are a few basic guidelines. You can easily learn more specifics by reading Christian literature available on relating to our Muslim neighbours.

Lord, lead us together Teaming up with other believers brings the gifts of the Body together.

Small groups can become prayer partners for individuals who have a Muslim friend. Prayer is foundational for every step!

It’s been neat to see how a Muslim friend has been loved by different Christians in different ways. I met Sara through English as a Second Language (ESL). She left ESL for full-time studies, but our relationship continued. She often asks me to pray for her.

Her son was loved by volunteers from two different churches at a five day camp. Others loved by giving financially so camp could

Muslim Numbers n

Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world Approx. 1.3 billion Muslims around the world n Approx. 750,000-800,000 Muslims in Canada n 6-7 million Muslims in the United States n Arab Muslims make up 15 percent of total n Islam is one of the world’s three monotheistic religions (believing in one God); Christianity and Judaism are the other two n

Source: Journalist’s Guide to Islam, Council of American-Islamic Relations Canada

be highly subsidized. A man is tutoring this son. Another man took her husband’s resumé to support him in finding a job. A number of individuals bring Jesus’ love and light to this family by praying for them.

Imagine this being repeated thousands of times across Canada! Imagine the light of Jesus shining brighter and brighter in their communities!

Someday, individuals from every Muslim background ethnic group of earth will be found in

heaven, shouting praises for their salvation to God and to Jesus, the Lamb (see Revelation 7:9, 10).

Won’t it be exciting to see some of the Muslim neighbours we have loved standing among us?

For More Information Fellowship of Faith for the Muslims www3.sympatico.ca/ffm.toronto/mfm.html Answering Islam www.answering-islam.org Muslim Canada www.muslim-canada.org

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now you know

The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada Who we are We’re people like you, seeking the best for our families, our city, our nation and the world. We want to bring glory to God by winning others for Christ and mentoring them in their new-found faith.

We’re Christian because we believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. We’re Missionary because we’re committed to reaching people worldwide with the Gospel. We’re an Alliance of believers from various backgrounds working together to help each other and make our world a better place to live.

The cross

The pitcher

The laver

The crown

Our Logo Our logo is made up of four symbols. n The pitcher symbolizes Christ our Healer. It contains oil to anoint the sick for healing. n The cross typifies Jesus Christ, our Saviour. He died on a cross for our sins and only through him can we be made right with God. n The crown stands for Christ our Coming King. He will personally come back to this earth again and reign forever. n The laver illustrates Christ as our Sanctifier. The laver was like a big basin used in God’s temple in the earliest years. It represents the daily cleansing from sin by the Holy Spirit’s power.

In a nutshell n Within the Alliance worldwide there are more than four million members and adherents, participating in over 14,000 churches in 81 countries. n Every two minutes someone comes to faith in Jesus through Alliance ministries. n As of Dec. 2007, there were 57 Canadian Alliance international workers in Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia; 35 in Latin America; 40 in Africa; 83 in Asia; and 11 serving in Quebec or working with new Canadians. n More than 118,000 members worship in 424 Alliance churches across Canada.

Carrying out our mission Pastors, administrators and lay delegates from local churches meet every two years for General Assembly, the highest legislative body of the Alliance in Canada. Policies approved by General Assembly are administered by a Board of Directors and put into practice by the National Ministry Centre staff and district offices. The national leadership consists of the President and three Vice-presidents responsible for Global Ministries, Strategic Interface as well as Finance and Operations.

Here at home Canada is divided into six districts. Each one has a District Superintendent and staff who provide resources and guidance for local churches in areas of church growth, leadership training, Christian education, missionary conferences, multicultural ministries, pastoral care and church planting.

Our work involves multicultural ministries, church education, ministries to men and women, chaplaincy and parish nursing. Each church is distinct, with diverse ethnicities and worship styles.

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Converge identifies, challenges and develops a new wave of international workers to be sent out by the Canadian family of Alliance churches

Is God nudging you about the

possibility of serving outside of Canada? We desire to journey alongside you as you explore what these nudges imply for your life and future. We will help you listen to God's call, hear what others see in you, examine your gifts and preparation, and then match them with current needs.

Contact Ruth-Anne Gilbertson converge_cmacanada@swissmail.org Frances Choi choif@cmacan.org

www.cmaconverge.com

THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE IN CANADA

K

eep informed about Alliance happenings across Canada and around the world. Each church receives a copy of Family Snapshots in the Spring and Fall. In each edition you’ll see the impact the Canadian Alliance family has from coast to coast as well as around the world. Don’t miss out. Borrow this DVD magazine from your church library or pastor. If you would like a personal subscription, contact communications@cmacan.org.

www.cmacan.org

SNAPSHOTS

a video magazine for the Canadian Alliance Family

30 Carrier Drive Suite 100 Toronto ON M9W 5T7

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40064689