cmAlliance.ca Magazine Fall 2010

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CM

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

Listen to Our Youth Through Their Lives Young people making a difference in their world

tion Reflecting God’s Crea Work of this young artist attracts the attention of Robert Bateman

Angel of Death Journey to notify the family of a soldier killed in action

Embracing Diversity Dr. T.V. Thomas on responding to the changing face of Canada

Fall 2010

Stories for Life Keep informed about Alliance happenings across Canada and around the world Alliance Alive is a DVD magazine sent to your church each spring and fall.

Now you can receive your own copy at home simply by requesting it!

See the impact the Canadian Alliance family has ministering in your community or amongst some of the least reached people. See stories that will move you, and stories that will make you think. Each edition features a mix of local and international stories suitable for individual, small group or congregational viewing.

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Contents Features 6 Moving Again!

Learning to be content while living a life of constant upheaval

10 Capturing the Hearts of Youth Powerful insights into what it will really take to reach the next generation

12 Bible Quizzing

A unique opportunity to involve teens in the systematic study and application of God’s Word

15 Growing Up Globally

17 Hearing God

How the Lord called me to the mission field in a powerful and dramatic way

18 First Nations Youth Come Together A pastor’s perspective on this opportunity for Native young people to gather, share and learn

19 Through Their Lives

How some of our young people are making a difference in their world

Departments Feeding Your Mind

8 Reading and the ‘Next Generation’

Impressions

30 Reflecting God’s Creation

MBA

22 Brave Heart at Work in Mexico

46 The Road Trip That Changed My Life 48 L’Assemblée Générale en Turquie…

49 General Assembly in Turkey

26 Angel of Death

54 The Work of International Missions

33 Catching the Wind of the Spirit

39 Personnel Updates

35 Nurture the Call

41 Embracing Diversity

50 Partnering Has New Meaning

37 The Discipling Strategy of Jesus

52 C&MA in Canada Vision Prayer

24 Stop the Traffic 28 Show and Shine at Beulah 44 The Ten Thousand Pound Surprise

Believing something better is possible, these young people have not given up on their country

For military chaplains, the most difficult task is notifying families of the death of a loved one An introduction to Sunder Krishnan’s new book on holiness Insights into how you can change a young person’s life forever

Insights into an initiative to streamline the process of connecting with overseas work Our Vision Prayer in nine of the languages spoken in our congregations

Now You Know Personnel

Perspectives

Practice of Prayer Your Church

Fall 2010

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FALL 2010

A very personal perspective on experiencing life as an internationally mobile kid

Editorial

Allıance

CM

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

Connecting With the Next Generation

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

T

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.

his is the fifth issue of cmAlliance.ca magazine and we are pleased with the reception it is receiving amongst Alliance people across Canada and around the world. Thank you for the very positive comments and feedback.

Thank you, pastors, for letting your people know about the magazine and handing it to them when it arrives. Thank you also to those pastors, lay people and International Workers who have taken the time to write articles, alert us to interesting stories, captured photos or otherwise engaged with us.

A new publication always struggles for recognition, so it is unusual that in our first year of entering, we were able to garner two awards from the Canadian Church Press Association.

Congratulations to David Chotka for winning second place in devotional articles and to our designer, Devon Wagenaar, for third place in article design.

Our theme this issue revolves around our youth. We have many talented young people in our congregations and we want to honour and appreciate them.

So take the time to read about Josh Tiessen’s burgeoning art career, ponder the enthusiasm and knowledge of those who take part in quizzing and appreciate the impact General Assembly in Turkey had on some of our youth.

Where are the young people taking us and how should we respond? Dave Brotherton’s article should give all of us pause for thought.

Some Canadian young people have made decisions already; they joined the military and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Read Andre Turcotte’s reflection as he describes his role as a military chaplain breaking devastating news to the family. It’s a fitting article for Remembrance Day. As always, we love hearing from you—whether you agree or disagree with the articles.

And we love discovering new contributors. Check out the writers guidelines on our website.

Barrie Doyle

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 Member of the Canadian Church Press

Distinctively Canadian Totally Alliance 4

cmAlliance.ca Fall 2010

awesome dude!

High Tech Missionary

Mailbox

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

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

LOVED THE MAGAZINE!

Hey Barrie, loved the magazine. Great quality.

—Brent Farquhar

Enjoyable reading I would like to thank you for the new Spring 2010 issue of the Alliance magazine. I have enjoyed browsing through its pages and reading most of the articles.

I enjoyed the one called A Promise of a Better Future about the international work in Niger, Africa. My first husband and I worked in Africa under the SIM for almost 35 years.

—Grace Miller

Staying in touch Though I have moved out of Vancouver, I am still a member of Tenth Avenue Alliance Church.

I would like to receive cmAlliance.ca at my address here in White Rock, since I don’t always make it to the city.

Thank you very much.

—B. Allinger

Real Connection Doesn’t Just Happen

“Jesus said to them again, peace be with you; as the father has sent me I also sent you” John 20:21

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cmAlliance.ca 5

FEATURE

Moving Again!

Learning to be content while living a life of constant upheaval

by Grace Kingsbridge*

B

acking into our driveway, the monster moving truck prepares to swallow up all our earthly belongings, transport them to our new home, and then deposit them there in formidable piles. I’m not in the belly of that truck, but I am fighting God, much like Jonah did. “Why do we have to move again, Father? Do we really have to go?”

Moving ought to be a breeze for me, considering that as a missionary kid and then an International Worker, I have moved thirty-one times in my forty-one years. But it’s much more like a hurricane in my life.

Even so, I am learning to be content in continually moving. I’m finding the strength to move again and again and yet again, and am learning how to say the hard goodbyes and deal with the inevitable stress.

Finding Strength Roots are important for us, or else a tumbleweed existence results, blowing us aimlessly from one location to another by winds of change and chance.

But what happens to our roots during a move?

Laszlo, a Hungarian friend, sketched me a picture once that deeply impacted my life. He drew a globe with a tree growing out of it, and said, “This tree has

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deep roots at this point on earth. Moving it to another place would be very difficult because its roots would have to be yanked up and torn out of the ground.”

Roots are important for us or else a tumbleweed existence results He then drew another picture of the world, with a semi-circle above it representing heaven. This time the tree was rooted in heaven, with its leaves and branches touching the earth. He said, “This tree’s roots are in its heavenly home, and the tree provides shelter, fruit and blessing to many on earth. When God wants this tree to move, he simply rotates the world beneath it, and the tree is easily in another location. There is little pain in the move, because the tree’s roots are in heaven.”

Abraham and Sarah learned well the lesson of the tree.

They were content to live in tents and move continually because they were looking forward to heaven, that city with a solid foundation (see Hebrews 11:10). Contentment comes when I, too, consider heaven as my true, stable home. And knowing that someday I will move to my ‘forever home’ gives me strength here for the many moves.

Saying Goodbye The strength to move is there, but what about the goodbyes? I agree with David Baer, a worker with Latin America Mission, who wrote in the Latin American Evangelist: “I hate goodbyes. I despise the pinched feeling in the face when you try not to weep publicly. It always seems like, somehow, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“I am hoping that someone someday will ask me, ‘What makes missionaries groan?’ I already have my answer prepared. It’s not material sacrifice. It’s not so much the new language. It’s not selling the car and riding the bus. It’s not learning a new diet. It’s the goodbyes.

“As for me and my house, we long for the day when the divisions and fragmentation of this life will be history.

When it won’t be necessary to raise kids away from their grandparents. When precious friends won’t get on the plane. When Grandpa won’t die. But until then, if you ask me why this missionary groans, I’ll tell you. It’s the goodbyes.”

Max Lucado, in his book No Wonder They Call Him the Savior wrote this about goodbyes: “Question: What kind of God would put people through such agony? What kind of God would give you families and then ask you to leave them? What kind of God would give you friends and then ask you to say goodbye?

“Answer: A God who knows that the deepest love is built not on passion and romance but on a common mission and sacrifice.

“Answer: A God who knows that we are only pilgrims and that eternity is so close that any ‘Goodbye’ is in reality a ‘See you tomorrow.’

“Answer: A God who did it himself.”

God is helping me to see goodbyes as he does, and to be content.

Dealing with Stress I’m learning to live with my roots in heaven and to say ‘See you later,’ instead of bitter, final goodbyes.

But no matter how I look at it, moving is stressful.

The crisply uniformed woman at the airport check-in counter raises her eyebrows and rolls her eyes as she observes the convoy of two parents, two teenagers, a toddler, a baby in a stroller, eighteen large suitcases and six carry-ons approaching her counter. I hold my breath as each piece is weighed, then cringe inside as she matter-of-factly charges us for our extra baggage and overweight fees.

We’re moving back overseas. Doesn’t she understand? No, probably not. But I am stressed, nevertheless.

When the mess of packing

surrounds me and I contemplate having to find a new church, new friends, new doctors, new stores, new everything, I feel overwhelmed. But if I open my eyes and ears, I see God reaching out his powerful arms to me and hear him tenderly say, “Come to me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Matthew 11:28; Psalm 46:4). In the stresses of moving, I find rest and contentment as I choose to focus on him and let him carry me.

My thirty-second move may be next summer, but I’m learning to be content with my roots in heaven, the ‘see-you-laters’ and God’s arms around me in the stress. After all, each moving truck and airplane takes me one stop closer to Home. *A pseudonym

Building a RAFT

Key elements of a healthy transition strategy David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken, authors of The Third Culture Kid Experience describe building a ‘RAFT’ (Reconciliation, Affirmation, Farewells, and Think destination) for healthy transitions. The first three of the four ‘logs’ in the raft deal with goodbyes and the fourth is the glue that helps to hold us together when the stress threatens to ‘unglue’ us.

Reconciliation is a vital first step in saying our goodbyes, as we seek to mend broken relationships and leave with no roots of bitterness or unforgiveness in our hearts.

Affirmation takes place when we speak or write those words of encouragement and thanks that we too rarely express. While Reconciliation seeks to heal our ailing relationships, Affirmation strengthens our healthy ones, all with the goal of leaving well.

Farewells mean taking the time to say goodbye, whether

formally in larger parties or informally to people, but also to places, pets and possessions.

Some people prefer to just leave without saying goodbye, but don’t realize that as a result, they will live with unresolved grief. The more we harden our hearts to goodbyes, the harder it becomes to open our hearts to new friendships.

Thinking destination keeps our focus clear when the stress of transition shakes our equilibrium. Throughout the sorting, packing and finishing last details, as well as the reconciliation, affirmation and farewells, we remember where we are headed and the positive things that await us at our destination.

If we build a RAFT each time we move, we will find moving much easier, and perhaps even enjoyable!

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feeding your mind

Reading and the ‘Next Generation’ Hopeful signs this foundational activity will remain prevalent in the years ahead

by Larry Thiessen

I

t’s probably a pretty good assumption that just about everyone reading this piece learned how to read sometime between the ages of five and seven.

We were already talking by then, but our brains were being rewired so that we could look at words and sentences and know what they meant.

This was something truly amazing. It wouldn’t be long before we could read entire books and venture to far-off lands in the process.

But for some reason, in many cases, somewhere along the way, our love of reading begins to tail off.

Not for everyone of course. There are many young people who are voracious readers after all, but the statistics point to the fact that, when

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it comes to reading as a pastime, many of us just lose interest.

And then we all begin to wonder if the ‘next generation’ will even be readers.

When I was selling books, the ongoing lament went something like this: “If we can’t get the next generation to become readers, what hope do we have?”

Yet, for all the consternation, there were not that many books available for the young reader.

I used to ask the publishers about this. Their answer was ironic. “We have to get young people reading but we can’t afford to publish books that do not have much sales potential.” Say again? A catch-22 is what I think they call that.

The reality is that young people are reading. Perhaps not the kind

of reading we prefer, but when you figure in all the text messages, Facebook entries, internet pages, and video game narration, it adds up to a whole lot of words.

I have spent my fair share of energy grousing about the fact that my own children did not read that much. My son would play video games for hours but hardly ever read a book.

Then one day I realized that the games he was playing had huge amounts of story to read between ‘levels’. He was following a story of sorts as he overcame one challenge after another.

It was then that I began to appreciate that ‘the next generation’ is actually better at narrative story than my generation. We were raised on learning the facts; they are being

And the next generation is all about new ways of thinking raised on understanding the larger story in which they find themselves.

I believe this is a good thing and something we all need to learn. After all, we are all part of a great story and when we can see that, we begin to realize we are adding our story to something larger than ourselves.

When it comes to the next generation of reading, the new electronic reading devices like the iPad, Kindle, Sony reader and others, are stealing the show. The ability to download and store hundreds of titles now in font sizes that even ‘old timer’s’ like me can read, is the story.

Just like my children can hardly remember a vinyl record, the leaders of tomorrow will wonder how we ever carted all those hard covers around. Whenever we are tempted to disparage the ‘next generation’ we need to remember that we were once the next generation. And the next generation is all about new ways of thinking.

When it comes to next generation thinking, you will want to take a look at: The Meeting of the Waters: 7 Global Currents That Will Propel the Future Church

by Fritz Kling

The community of Christians around the world is stunning in its scope and spiritual impact. In this new book, Fritz Kling identifies seven trends that are having an impact on today’s global church.

Equal parts travelogue, character study, and global documentary, this book is for anyone eager to make a difference in a changing world.

Must reading for a missions-minded denomination like the Alliance.

On the specific topic of the next generation, what do we do about the drift away from church that often happens to post-adolescents?

For that you can turn to: The Slow Fade: Why You Matter in the Story of Twenty-somethings

by Reggie Joiner Here is a discussion of the most overlooked and underdeveloped facet of the modern church—how to keep college-aged people engaged in faith. Many churches and families have programmed a youth ministry finish line at the twelfth grade.

They walk their seniors out the door, breathe a sigh of relief, and let them disappear for a few years. There is an assumption they’ll return to church later, as adults with young families. But many never come back. They become less and less involved in church and faith and, eventually, absent altogether— they slowly fade away. Facing critical decisions that affect the rest of their lives, college-aged people need a faith community more than ever. In The Slow Fade, a senior pastor, a college pastor, and a twenty-something rethink one-on-one mentorship as the way to end the slow fade.

Or if you just want to find out more about youth ministry issues, then you can review the work of Chap Clark— vice provost for master’s programs and professor of youth, family, and culture at Fuller Seminary. His books cover the gamut of youth and family issues. He also serves as director of the Student Leadership Project and Institute of Youth Ministry.

The next generation has always been a concern: will they continue in the ‘faith of their fathers’, will they become the next leaders, hey, will they even read! Yet, somehow, the great human story continues from generation to generation.

It may look a lot different than we are used to It may look a lot different than we are used to, but one thing we can be certain of—the grace of God will continue to lead us all onward. And I won’t be surprised if we’re still all reading something in the days ahead.

Read on . . .

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

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FEATURE

Capturing the Hearts of Youth Powerful insights into what it will really take to reach the next generation

A

cross our country we see the real possibility that the under 30-year-olds are a generation that can be passionately in love with Jesus, but not the church.

As much as we love the church, this shouldn’t be surprising. We see a culture that is looking at every organized institution with skepticism and distrust.

Within the Canadian Christian church culture, this isn’t all bad!

From my experience in youth ministry, I am positive this generation is not fighting against following Christ.

They are not leaning away from worship, ministry service, evangelism, the filling of the Spirit, or even holiness.

In fact, our youth ministries are full of kids engaged in following Christ with a fervor that is fresh and exciting.

This generation of Christ-followers is fighting against trite, inauthentic Christianity often seen in top-heavy institutionalized churches.

We share our pews with young Christians calling for severe correction. It is a cry for a grassroots spirituality that is authentic, true and transparent. They want to see a

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by David Brotherton

faith and a church more concerned about lives, following Jesus, and impacting a hurting world than it is about efficiency, systems, salaries and buildings.

What if this rebellion against our organized church is exactly what God desires? Maybe we need to re-visit how we do things and embrace some of the new ideas.

I, for one, am excited about this generational ‘problem’ because it sounds, to me, like the very heart cry of our Founder, A.B. Simpson. Simpson left his denominational hierarchy and moved to New York to begin a new work with new people to accomplish what his heart longed for.

Our young generation doesn’t need to repeat that history to follow the leading of Christ in Canada today.

Can’t we direct their energy towards re-shaping our churches rather than have them leave our churches to start something completely new elsewhere?

Many of us long to see God move like he did in the past. If we see God really busy in the lives of people, would we not want to be part of that?

Over the last few years we, in the Canadian Alliance, have been challenged to reignite fires in personal

We share our pews with young Christians calling for severe correction holiness, social justice and compassion, church planting and world missions.

These are all things our next generation will bite into and push further than we have ever seen. They just might be the issues that allow us to grab onto the hands of the next generation and swing them into leadership.

Let me explain.

Holiness // If you’re looking at this generation of young people and expecting them to pursue holiness the way we did… give up! They understand that outward behaviour is not a measure of holiness! They say no to legalism. They also say no to the concept of “freedom to do whatever I want.”

For this generation, discernment and obedience to the voice of Christ is the true measure of holiness. The question is not, “Where has holiness gone?” but, “Why did we define holiness like we did?” The next generation, more than ever, is refraining from doing things simply because someone says they are wrong.

For them, holiness is based on being set apart for Christ, hearing his voice and doing what he says. This life is extremely compelling to our young generation!

Social Justice and Compassion // These are among the clearest areas where the heartbeat of Christ is in sync with the beating hearts of our youth. They are likely to be the key points of revitalization for our churches and for evangelism today. They are primary entry points for this culture to engage spiritually and come face-to-face with the truth of Christ. These concepts are central to their culture and worldview.

If we want to paint a picture of a church that engages the next generation, then that church must centre on this in the same way justice and compassion were central in the life of Jesus. These concepts can be an avenue of effective evangelism, they can be a place of true discipleship and they can be a place of worship and ministry.

Church Planting // Whether we like the house church movement or not, it is one of the responses to the call for correction. Think about it: Intimate relationships, doing life together, centering lives on Jesus and living it all in a group context. Sounds like a church to me!

New churches might start in homes. And they might look very different. As with Simpson, this generation will not seek our permission or approval. They will go out and do this kind of church plant with or without us. Will we embrace this change?

Authenticity, variety, freedom and risk in church

planting. Those concepts are extremely compelling to our young generation!

World Missions // The world is smaller than it ever has been and getting smaller every day. Close communication and relationship with International Workers and mission fields is not only possible, it is critical.

For the last 20 years, we have been visiting mission fields and getting involved more than ever before; but this is changing too. This young generation is moving away from the parachute model of missions experience (where we drop in and fly out).

They are looking for long-term connections with specific ministries, people and causes. The FUSION partnership with Mexico City is a good example of relationships moving in this direction. We need to finish the transition from being consumers and contributors to becoming global influencers.

Do you think we’ve had good International Workers before? Wait until a generation, whose recreation involves high risk and adventure, comes into the picture. We could have the best workers ever!

Don’t tell me that the 15-25 age groups aren’t interested in spirituality! It’s part of the fabric of their generation! They are far more spiritually aware and open-minded than we ever were. A cause for them to pour their energy into is foundational to their culture.

From where I sit, we are on the verge of something fantastic. My plea is that the church today will choose to embrace the next generation, with all its uniqueness, in the same way we wanted our own dreams and longings to be embraced when we were that age.

God is good and he is preparing his Bride. He is not going to allow the Church to disappear because of one generation.

It has been said that if you are over 30 in Canada, then trying to understand today’s youth culture is like a new immigrant coming to grips with Canadian culture. As uncomfortable as that thought might be, lean into God and go with him. You’ll see, it is on the way up, not out.

All four of our priorities have the potential to really reach deeply into this generation of youth. Can we hear their cry? Will we embrace the change that is necessary?

Didn’t we call for change when we were young?

Let’s recapture the heart of A.B. Simpson. Let’s embrace the leadership and the energy of our youth and take the opportunity to do the things necessary to re-shape the church for reaching this generation.

Rev. Dave Brotherton is National Youth Director of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada and Associate Professor of Youth Ministries at Ambrose University College

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FEATURE

Bible uizzing

H

ang around many Alliance church youth groups for a while and you’re sure to hear the buzz about quizzing including when is the next tournament, who is the best quizzer, and who’s now got bragging rights in the districts.

For the uninitiated, quizzing is a challenge competition

The intense study leads the young people into asking questions and doing life-assessment. Non-Christian quizzers, brought into the program by a quizzing friend, have come to Christ.

Quizzers become more serious about their faith, and many have gone into Christian ministry with a solid understanding of the New The intense study leads the young Testament. Last spring, at the Canadian people into asking questions Midwest Finals, out of the many who responded to the closing message, 20 and doing life-assessment committed themselves to missions in the 10-40 window of the world. lighting biblical fires in Alliance youth.

Gay Pyles, a quizzing coach for 23 years, calls it “the Benefits to youth most exciting, fun and God-shaping experience a teen can Some parents might argue that their teen is struggling in have during the junior high and high school years!” school as it is and could not possibly do quizzing, even if Pyles identifies some of the ingredients that challenge there was the time. But Pyles responds that “Quizzing is our youth. “Intense Bible study, memorization, being part of exactly what your teen needs!” a team, traveling to tournaments, meeting other quizzers, Quizzing, she points out, teaches study habits, timethe competitions themselves—this is not a laid-back management and goal setting. And, besides, she says, activity.” young minds are so capable of memorizing; they just need Over her years as a coach, she has seen all kinds of to learn how. The benefits are also lifelong. “These verses quizzers ranging from the ‘social quizzer’ (How many can that get into the teen’s mind and spirit will return again you add to your Facebook account at this tournament?) to and again during adult life,” she adds. the driven ‘computer competitor.’ (The only way to explain it Jeremy Zacharias, youth pastor at McDiarmid Drive is his or her mind is like a computer.)

Alliance Church in Brandon, Manitoba agrees. He has “Where else do you have teens studying I and II observed firsthand what quizzing can do in the lives of Corinthians every week for a year as our quizzers did last his youth. year?” she asks.

“I’ve seen youth struggle, only to have their quizzing

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The Power of the Word friends rally around them in prayer. I’ve seen lives changed through worship and community. I’ve seen all-star quizzers humbly help struggling rookies and even give them their own trophies for inspiration! I’ve seen God’s Word studied, memorized and applied by youth who didn’t think they could succeed at anything!”

In fact, a few months ago, his church had to expand their normal two-hour quizzing night by an extra half-hour “because after prayer, Bible study and small group application, we didn’t have enough time to actually quiz!”

Zacharias took a group of eight non-quizzing youth to the final quiz meet in June and most of them, as well as a few others, will be joining the program in the fall.

Becoming leaders Quizzers have become student leaders. They lead by example in words, actions, faith and all of life. They are the first to welcome new youth, share a thought during a study or lead in various ministries including service and missions projects, Zacharias says.

Adult leaders have grown with the experience of sharing these life changes. They have become confident in their gifting and have grown in their own faith as they have encouraged and built up the youth towards both knowledge and maturity, creating a community of unity as well.

Megan Cochrane is an ex-quizzer and past coach.

For the last two years she has been McDiarmid Drive’s

Photo by Joshua Tiessen

The mission of quizzing is to see visible evidence of the application of God’s Word in the lifestyle of each participant.

The Word can cleanse our ways (see Psalm 119:9).

A

The Word that is hidden in our hearts may be used to keep us from sinning (see Psalm 119:11).

B

The Word gives us direction in life (see Psalm 119:105).

C

The Word can refute Satan and aid in dealing with temptation (see Matthew 4:1-11).

D

The Word can refute heresies (see I Peter 3:15).

E

The Word can help us in witnessing (see Acts 2:14-40).

F

We are told to study the Word to show ourselves approved of God, thus we can rightly divide the word of truth (see II Timothy 2:15).

G

The Word of God is the only offensive weapon in the Christian’s armor (see Ephesians 6:11-18).

H

Taken from the Canadian Midwest District Quizzing web site at www.cmdquizzing.org

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Photo by Joshua Tiessen Photo by Joshua Tiessen

Quizzing taught me to take the first steps in truly walking with God Quizzing Coordinator. She was asked how quizzing shaped and changed her.

She’d originally decided against quizzing when she began Grade seven. But she did attend the final quiz meet of that year. On the Saturday night of the final quiz of the season, there is often a period of praise and worship during which quizzers share. That Saturday created a huge change of attitude for her. She saw so many people her age getting up and telling others what God had done through quizzing that year, she desperately wanted to be a part of the program.

“Quizzing taught me to take the first steps in truly walking with God. As I delved into the Scriptures to memorize, I found God’s Word molding my life, directing and speaking to me, as well as coming to mind when a friend or family member had questions or was struggling.” She now watches with joy as the youth she coaches take steps to understand and apply the Scripture portions to their lives.

Tammy Wenham is a Grade 10 student at McDiarmid Drive Alliance. Her first reaction when she heard about quizzing was that she didn’t think it was right for her.

Once she stepped into the quizzing room for the first time, however, she knew she was doing the right thing.

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She says that God has shown her some “pretty awesome things” since she joined quizzing.

One thing she noticed particularly was how God was “making the verses stick” in her mind. She says she can still remember verses she memorized in quizzing some four years ago. She believes that not only has she gained friends through the quizzing program but, more importantly, she has also grown closer to God. There are approximately 900 youth quizzing with the Canadian Alliance this year. Four out of the six districts have participating quizzing team tournaments. Each district then sends one or two teams of five quizzers each to the International Quizzing Tournament, held either in the U.S. or Canada each summer.

For 2010, the international tournament was held at Ambrose University College in Calgary.

With information provided by Jeremy Zacharias, Youth Pastor at McDiarmid Drive Alliance Church, Brandon, Manitoba and Gay Pyles, quiz coach and wife of the President of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada For More Information If you would like to start a quizzing program in your church, contact your district coordinator: Western Canadian District

Sandy Hoppus sandy@ wcdquizzing.org

Canadian Midwest District

Tom Vincent

Central Canadian District

Kathy Duplessis k_duplessis@ hotmail.com

Eastern Canadian District

Evelyn Lemoine evelyn@cedarview.ca

tjvincent@yourlink.ca

FEATURE

A very personal perspective on experiencing life as an internationally mobile kid

by Bethany Love

Photo by Angela Love

Growing Up Globally “

W

here are you from?” That’s the question that plagues every third culture kid (TCK).

Third culture kids are individuals who spend a significant portion of their developmental years in a country other than their parents’ home country. The ‘third culture’ is therefore a weird mixture of both.

I was born in the United States, my parents and my passport are Canadian, I spent a majority of my childhood in the Philippines, and I moved over 20 times before I turned 20 years old. As a third culture kid, my answer to the initial question changes as many times as I am asked it.

I’ve moved to Canada four or five times now (I can’t even keep track of all our moves), but the first time we came back to Canada for a year-long ‘home assignment’ I did not think of this country as home. It bothered me that people would welcome me ‘home’ to Canada and act as if it was such a relief to be away from the Philippines, when I loved and missed the Philippines dearly.

When I moved back to Canada last, it was for an indefinite amount of time. What a great experience of loss

that move was for me, because, with that move, an identity was taken from me. I had never felt comfortable calling myself Filipino, but now I felt like I could no longer even legitimately call the Philippines my home.

And I certainly did not feel like I fit in with Canadian culture. What I experienced is called reverse culture The period of adjusting shock, which is the difficult to Canadian culture was process of re-acclimating to troublesome for me the culture with which one is supposed to be familiar.

The period of adjusting to Canadian culture was troublesome for me: shaking hands instead of hugging and kissing, using words that I thought were English but embarrassingly found out otherwise, experiencing shock at what I saw as aggressive behaviour by people whom I had always heard characterized as polite.

Matters were not helped by the fact that I looked like I belonged. A reoccurring wish I had was for my outside physical appearance to mirror my inner identity, not that I even knew what that would look like.

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I wanted to be a visual minority so that people would be less surprised about the fact that I did not belong. I felt like I did not belong anywhere, and was restless like I had never known.

I sought after ways to leave Canada: teaching ESL in Japan, doing a missions internship in Ecuador and Peru, taking an educational travel class to Ethiopia, Israel, and Jordan, and visiting friends in the Philippines. It was in these ‘escapes,’ as well as in friendships with other third culture kids and welcoming Canadians that I have become more comfortable with living in Canada.

There was a time in my life where the biggest struggle I had with God was whether or not I could stay in Canada my whole life if that was what he asked me to do. I had an interest in serving God overseas in some capacity, but I was concerned that I only had that desire because I wanted to leave Canada. Through much prayer, the counsel of wiser Christians than me, and a long-overdue surrender to God of my future global location, This feeling of not I was able to find peace belonging is common for about living in Canada. many third culture kids Canada became my ‘home-for-now.’ I was able to see it as an absolutely beautiful country with many terrific characteristics, and I was able to be grateful for the citizenship I held. It was at this time that I considered myself a successful interloper; even people who got to know me were surprised to hear that I grew up outside of North America.

However, even though I could fool others, I still felt like I did not belong anywhere, not to my passport country Canada, nor my adopted country the Philippines, nor even to some unknown future country I was sure God would take me to and that I would love. This feeling of not

Bendicio nes

They look at the heartwrench of goodbyes At the many tears I’ve cried, And the many that were too deep to shed.

They see that I don’t

cmAlliance.ca Fall 2010

Bethany Love, a recent graduate from Ambrose University College, is the daughter of Rick and Patti Love, former Alliance International Workers to the Philippines

by Karissa Gilbertson

People look at us and say, “How hard it must be!

Why you suffer so much!

How much of the ‘GOOD STUFF” you are missing!”

But I look at my life, and can only say, “What a Blessing!”

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belonging is common for many third culture kids.

I remember one specific day in the Ambrose University College library, I was staring out the window (instead of studying) and praying silently to God, lamenting on the fact that I could lay claim to nowhere, when he hit me with such an obvious truth that I almost laughed out loud: heaven is my home. My identity is found in Christ. It is with him that I belong.

What a simple statement; any number of Christian leaders had told me that truth multiple times growing up, but I never really understood or realized that my relationship with Christ could fill the longing in my life for a place to call my own.

My life experiences as a third culture kid have given me a greater appreciation for my identity in Christ, and I long for the day when all who belong to him will worship God together in all languages. No one there will be out of place, no matter what his cultural background.

While I still believe that God is calling me to serve him in an overseas capacity in the future, I am content to live for him here and now, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and I am happy that I had the experience to grow up as a third culture kid.

belong in this world, That I’ve no place to call ‘My Home”.

But as I look back, all I can say is, “Why, what a Blessing!”

I’ve seen real poverty And I’ve seen true happiness I’ve felt the pain of a heart crushed, But I’ve felt the wonder of God’s healing touch.

My eyes have been opened.

God has softened my heart

I’ve met countless amazing people.

So again I say, “What a Blessing!”

I’ve seen gorgeous beaches, I’ve felt the thrill of jungle rains.

I’ve laughed with carefree Latins, I’ve swelled with joy at a child’s first prayer.

I’ve seen painful determination, I’ve seen what faith

in God can do, I’ve seen hope shining in dark eyes.

I’ve learned patience, And peace in midst of chaos.

I wouldn’t trade this for anything, Not any of the riches of this world.

So that is why I raise my eyes to heaven, thank God for his purpose, And for allowing me this Blessing.

FEATURE

Hearing God How the Lord called me to the mission field in a powerful and dramatic way

by Tyler Vanderveen

I

t happened while I was camping at Sylvan Lake with some church friends in 2009. The public beach was directly across the lake from where we were camped. Everyone else drove to the beach but I decided to take my kayak as it was such a beautiful day and it would only take me 45 minutes to paddle across.

It was on the return trip the Lord called me to the mission field in a very powerful and dramatic way.

Those who were driving back left well before me. I noticed a dark cloud on the horizon and left, hoping to get back to camp before the storm. I didn’t make it far before the wind picked up. I prayed, “Father, please hold back the rain and lightning until I make it to shore.”

Continuing on into the wind, the waves grew large and it became difficult to paddle. If I stopped rowing even for a second, the wind would push my little boat backwards. I was flipped out of my boat many times and was becoming very tired.

By the time I got about two thirds

across the lake, I was completely exhausted. Again I was tossed into the cold water but this time I couldn’t pull myself back into the kayak.

I cried out to the Lord, “I thought you had plans for me! I thought you wanted me to help people!”

I gave God an ultimatum—give me a sign he wanted me to get to shore and I would promise to surrender my life to him. If not, I was prepared to go to be with him in heaven.

Just as the words were leaving my mouth, the clouds parted and a sliver of sunlight shone from exactly where I was to the precise spot on the shore I was trying to reach.

The world faded around me; there were no waves or wind or cold.

There was nothing but the presence of God and I knew beyond all knowing that I was called to go overseas and do God’s work. I heard him say in a way that cannot be described that he would not let me die until he was done with me.

It was all I could think about.

I thanked my Saviour for

his mercy, love and promises. I managed to pull myself back into the kayak, completely exhausted. I could not lift my arms off my lap, let alone paddle into the wind.

I felt my soul welling up inside me and found myself singing praises and worshiping the Lord at the top of my lungs. It was then I felt strength in my arms and I could paddle tirelessly as long as I continued to sing and worship.

Two-and-a-half hours after I left the beach, I finally made it to the opposite shore. My friends were on the water’s edge waiting for me. They carried my kayak and helped me back to camp.

As my foot touched the gravel of our campsite the storm began again.

All I could do was smile and thank God for his love and I promised again to serve him all the days of my life.

Tyler Vanderveen, a member of Spruce Grove Alliance Church in Alberta, has been accepted at Ambrose for this Fall to begin training for the ministry

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FEATURE

h t u o Y s n o i t First NTaogether Come for e on this opportunity A pastor’s perspectiv learn to gather, share and le op pe g un yo e iv at N

by Ne ls on Ka iso

watu m

T

here are almost 200 different nations on earth plus all the dialects in any given nation. One of those people groups that will be represented in heaven is Canada’s First Nations people. Although many are broken and hurting, we see God doing remarkable things among our people.

One of the things he is doing is the annual gathering of the Native Youth Conference (NYC). I first became acquainted with the NYC in 2007, when the organizing committee graciously asked me to be their main speaker. I gladly obliged but, quite frankly, wasn’t expecting much. Most Native ministries are struggling to survive.

Knowing this, I would have been delighted if 75 people showed up.

Despite my low expectations, God was about to surprise me and stir my heart with the amazing potential and possibilities of Native youth.

That weekend, I was shocked to see

there were nearly 200 students in attendance, besides chaperones and volunteers. It was surreal to me.

I was encouraged and amazed at seeing what God had been doing at this conference, now in its 17th year.

It was clear that these youth wanted to be there. Many of them made great sacrifices to attend; groups travelled far distances across western Canada. In fact, one reserve had fully sponsored the involvement of their young people. They came from Bella Coolla, British Columbia—about a 20-hour drive away.

There were dual emotions happening to me that weekend.

Yes, I was impressed but I was also intimidated. I was in awe at seeing so many Native youth. And I was unsure how to respond to their needs in a meaningful way. What could I possibly say to them that would have a long-lasting effect?

God surprised me at every turn that weekend. Lives were changed.

Kids were reached. People were prayed for and many trusted Christ for the first time.

I was so moved by what took place that I joined the conference committee, offering to serve wherever I can to see God’s hand move among Native youth. It was so exciting; I just wanted to be a part of future Native Youth Conferences.

God is continuing to bless the NYC. More people from different communities are joining. More organizations are partnering with us prayerfully and financially. In fact, one encouraging partnership took place in 2009, when Camp Nakamun offered to host future gatherings.

We are looking forward to what God will continue to do through this new partnership.

The future is bright for Native youth. It’s a privilege to be a part of it.

Nelson Kaisowatum is Senior Pastor of First Nations Alliance Church, Edmonton, Alberta

> For more information on the Native Youth Conference, visit www.nativeyouthconference.ca

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FEATURE

Through Their Lives How some of our young people are making a difference in their world

Changing their worlds forever

What can you do to change your world—how can you make a difference within your sphere of influence?

It was this question that led to the beginning of an incredible two-year journey and the formation of the H.O.M.E. project. Our small group wanted to do something for God that was too big for us to accomplish, but was something that could happen only if he did it.

These thoughts were behind our dream of providing a house for a needy family These thoughts were behind our dream of providing a house for a needy family. A house is so much more than four walls and a roof. It is a place where a family can grow together and offers stability in the world of a child. It is a place for them to grow and thrive. We thought this would significantly alter their world and that would be a good place to start.

It was a long road, working through red tape and figuring out, realistically, how four teenage girls could raise enough money to buy a home for a family in need

in Calgary. Through our continued efforts to make this dream a reality, we came to be partnered with Habitat for Humanity and slowly saw our dream become real.

With the support of our church and Habitat for Humanity, our dreams became plans, and these plans led to various fundraising events and media coverage. The City of Calgary also came alongside and helped push our hopes further.

In the end, we, four teenage girls, raised more than $110,000 and were able to hand over the keys to a new home to a family of eight. However, it was not simply eight lives that were affected with the completion of this project.

There were countless individuals along the way that were impacted as they donated time, products and services to give this family a home of their own.

I truly feel blessed to have been a part of this project— to be able to build relations with the other girls who were a part of the team, to have had the opportunity to be a part of something that the entire city supported and ultimately, to change the worlds of six children and their parents.

Michelle Moody, a youth at RockPointe Church in Calgary, is now a student at Ambrose

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A powerhouse for the gospel

Helping the needy where they are

I wanted to get my youth involved in the Billy Graham Association gatherings in Saskatoon last year. This association provides training for student leaders to act as prayer counselors at the event.

After pushing my group to participate, I was disappointed when only one, shy, introverted student registered. I worked with him, as the Association needed each student leader to have a mentor. Over the course of this training, I really noticed him growing.

Once the big event rolled around, Will Graham did an altar call and the prepared leaders went to pray with students that wanted to accept Christ. A flood of people came forward and the prayer counselors were completely overwhelmed.

I fought off tears as I witnessed this once shy young man sharing his love for Christ with others After praying with a few students, things looked to be dispersing, so I began to leave. As I left the altar area, I glanced over and saw my student leading prayer over four other people as they accepted Christ. I fought off tears as I witnessed this once shy young man sharing his love for Christ with others.

Ever since that event, he has been a powerhouse for the gospel, leading more friends to Christ and always standing up for his faith.

Joel Cyr, Youth Pastor, Lawson Heights Alliance Church, Saskatoon, SK

I’m currently on a six-month water internship with Samaritan’s Purse Canada, installing filters in communities with little or no access to clean drinking water, training people how to use them and teaching proper health and hygiene principles.

I’m also riding motos, eating crickets, dancing on dried rice paddies, and exploring the heart of beautiful Cambodia.

I accepted Christ in 1998 at the Billy Graham Missions Conference in Ottawa, and am a member of the Ottawa Chinese Alliance Church. In August 2008, a good friend and I embarked on a week-long missions trip with STEM International to a village north of Santo Domingo to help rebuild homes ravaged by hurricanes.

This gave me the desire to help others in a developing country in a tangible way. I’d always been interested in helping within the community, but the lack of resources I saw on this trip opened my eyes to a new type of need in this world. I had seen, and could no longer be content at home when there could be so much more I could do.

Attending Urbana 2009, a missions conference of 16,000 participants in St. Louis, Missouri, brought an affirmation that I wanted to be out there, meeting the needy right where they are, just as Jesus did during his short but fruitful ministry.

I applied for an internship with Samaritan’s Purse, was accepted in April 2010, and came to Cambodia to help support and improve the health and hygiene curriculum for one of their partner organizations. I’ve grown to love the people, their mutual respect, as well as the joys and tribulations that arise with language and cultural barriers.

Andrea Lau, 24 years old, graduated with a M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa in 2010

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Joining forces creates unheard of unity

Love of relationships the driving force

I’ve been involved with short-term missions since 1996.

In the beginning, I was part of what I call ‘parachute’ missions. We would ‘parachute’ into (not literally) a place, do a work project, share testimonies and then ‘parachute’ out, never to return again.

We’d feel good about ourselves, pat ourselves on the back and learn some valuable lessons, but something was missing—relationships. Sure our teams had unity and worked well together, but we didn’t build relationships with the people we were serving.

God began to convict me about this. I began to reconsider why I did missions. For me it came down to five reasons: For a while, our youth group met once a month with a local Baptist church, for a youth worship service. As I spent more time with the other youth pastor, it became clear that we both had similar ideas about getting the groups together weekly instead of monthly.

After much prayer and consideration, we really felt the Spirit leading us on. This was clearly a work of God as this kind of unity was unheard of between churches here. We eventually approached two other major churches.

The results were amazing.

It became a clear Kids from all demonstration to the the churches Christian community that were able to we can work together come together and realize there were actually a pretty good number of believers in their school. It became a clear demonstration to the Christian community that we can work together, and that the resulting work was Kingdom-building as opposed to empire-building.

Together, our events are much better and the leaders are able to work more efficiently by sharing the work of vision, teaching and planning. We even made the front page of the newspaper with our fundraiser for Haiti relief.

Individually, we’d all been trying to accomplish the same task; we were pulling against each other instead of pulling together. This last year has been challenging but fruitful, and other churches have joined in.

We are trying, above all, to be led by the Spirit and hopefully catch the wave of his work.

Drake Farmer, Youth Pastor, Drayton Valley Alliance Church, Drayton Valley, AB

1 To fulfill the command to be witnesses to the ends of the earth 2 To pass the mantle of global missions to the next generation 3 To have missions awareness and support increase 4 To build relationships cross-culturally 5 To come alongside and minister ‘with’ local people as opposed to ‘for’ them Today, we’ve developed a partnership with a small Alliance cell church in Cuajimapla, Mexico. Our desire is to come alongside them and help them reach their community and then have them come alongside us to help us.

To build a partnership has been very fulfilling. It’s great to watch students go to Mexico and then come back and continue to serve here. Not only have they ministered in Mexico, but they’ve been challenged to develop a stronger prayer life, express greater faith, and community has greater value.

It’s fun to watch It’s great to watch and hear how students go to Mexico students have kept and then come back and in touch with the continue to serve here people we ministered with and ministered to. What excited me even more is that we are now sending interns to keep ministering and to seek whether or not God is calling them into full-time missions.

Today, students get involved with our short-term missions not because we are going to a warm destination or doing a cool project but because of relationships and a love for people.

Ray Perry, Youth Pastor, Stony Plain Alliance Church, Stony Plain, AB

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FEATURE

Brave Heart at Work in Mexico Believing something better is possible, these young people have not given up on their country

by Richard Reichert and Heather Hahn

M

exico is getting ready for a party. The nation’s highways are splashed with the invitation to the biggest fiesta in 200 years. ‘Route 2010’ signs announce the countdown to the bicentennial celebration.

Yet violence, corruption and a full-scale narco war litter the nation. Bad press aggravates the bad things that are going on. The country will need to put on a brave face as it prepares for their big birthday.

Some young people would prefer not to party, but to pray. On the 28th of each month, a huge youth rally gathers in downtown Mexico City at the San Hipólito Church to celebrate a mass to Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes. They come from the drug-ravaged poorer neighbourhoods of the city. They carry candles or statues of the saint.

They pray for family members in jail, for jobs, for the lost causes of their lives.

A lot of them are riding the wave of a phenomenon that brings together young people from the drug culture. An American priest, Father Frederick Loos, challenges them in raw street language to give up their habit. They pray for people killed in the violence.

At the end of the mass, they burn an offering of glue.

There are no illusions of a miraculous fix to the nation’s

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Photo courtesy Mexico Field files

The hope for Mexico may just be in its youth ills. But among the crowd of kids high on crack, there are sincere seekers, fervent faces mirroring the uneasiness that many feel for Mexico.

The hope for Mexico may just be in its youth. As the anniversary approaches, Christian churches around the country are accelerating their prayer emphasis. At one such meeting, some children confessed a catalogue of national sins that seemed to go on forever. Young people have no illusions about the state of their nation.

Heather Hahn is a Canadian International Worker who has lived in Mexico for ten years. She has gathered a group of Mexican youth who share her dream of a better Mexico. Their faith community is giving practical expression to their concern.

They reach out regularly to the children of informal workers who have migrated to Mexico City to seek a living. Brave Heart is a group of youth volunteers who provide homework help for indigenous children forced to spend their lives on the street helping their parents eke out a wage.

Hahn grew into her understanding of how the gospel can speak into the life circumstances of these children as she sat on a street corner in Mexico City with a children’s Bible in hand. She describes her experience as a ‘great revelation.’

. . . that by doing the little things they will make a difference

Photo courtesy Mexico Field files

She adds, “They say that social injustice is a huge destructive monster, one that only dare be challenged through a community rooted in Christ.

Often I would find myself staring at the monster, its eyes gleaming with the atrocities of evil, only to become more discouraged.”

Christ lifted her eyes up to him and his justice through a community.

Originally, she’d go alone. Armed with a kids’ Bible, she would sit on a street corner and talk about Jesus Christ to a crowd of kids working on the street. Soon, university friends heard about what she was doing and wanted to help. They hadn’t had a revelation of Christ yet, but they had seen that scary monster roaming the streets.

So together they planned. They started acting out stories about Christ’s power over temptation, sickness and heartache. They began to hear kids thank God, and her university friends would join in. These volunteer workers heard about Christ’s baptism and decided it was time to make their own commitment.

They saw situations that hurt, and began to visit families and pray for them. They have seen God answer prayer. Missing children have been found, abuse of power Photo courtesy Mexico Field files

has been silenced and desperation has been turned into hope.

Had God not brought a group of university students along, Hahn might still be sitting alone on a street corner.

As youth are beginning to follow Christ, she is seeing an increasing measure of his power in convicting and convincing them of his love and forgiveness. As they work together, he has revealed himself to Hahn as the God of justice. He fights on their behalf and calls them in community to join in.

“With this greater revelation of Christ, we get gradual glimpses of the monster scurrying away down the street,” Hahn concludes.

As Mexico charts its future beyond its birthday, it will take an army of ordinary Mexican young people like Brave Heart, who believes that something better is possible—that by doing the little things they will make a difference.

The monthly mass to the patron saint of lost causes may be an indicator of the state of despair that exists among young people. But the baby steps of Brave Heart suggest there are some Mexican young people who have not given up on their country.

Richard Reichert serves with the Caribbean Ministry Team. Heather Hahn is a Canadian Alliance International Worker in Mexico City

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your church

Stop the Traffic Increasing awareness and raising funds to help combat this modern-day slavery

by Kirk Cowman

O

How can we engage effectively with this overwhelming problem and make a difference 24

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ften the problems of the world can seem so big we don’t know what to do. Human trafficking is one of these problems.

This year alone, 800,000 people will become victims of human trafficking, joining the 27 million people already living in this modernday slavery. How can we engage effectively with this overwhelming problem and make a difference?

In Calgary this year, over 1,000 people took action and got involved with solving this problem of human trafficking through Compassion in Action: Stop the Traffic.

Stop the Traffic is an initiative of RockPointe Church to help victims of human trafficking in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Costa Rica and in Calgary. The leadership team asked adults, youth and children to increase awareness of the problem of human trafficking within their circle of influence and to raise funds to advance projects in the five countries.

To accomplish the two central goals of increasing awareness and raising funds, a live parable of the talents (see Matthew 25:14-30) was held. People both within the church and from the Calgary area formed 75 small groups. An amount of $50,000 was divided among these groups.

Groups randomly received $500, $750 and $1,000.

Equipped with these funds, groups set out to hold events to inform others about human trafficking and raise money to help our partners. Groups sold T-shirts, ran garage sales, aerated lawns, held dinner parties, put on

benefit concerts, wrote letters to family and friends, held a car show and even shaved their heads!

While meeting together to plan their event, most groups also took time to study what Jesus has to say about poverty and helping the marginalized in the world.

Youth and grade school children even got involved in the initiative.

One grade school child asked for money as a birthday gift and gave it all to Stop the Traffic. Another child set up a lemonade booth during the community’s parade of garage sales and raised over $150. A teenager, who does not know Jesus, sold pizzas and raised $367.

A group of children painted pictures and their parents held an Art Show where the pictures were sold, raising over $10,000. When asked why they were doing this, kids responded that they wanted to help keep children in Cambodia in school so they wouldn’t become slaves.

Eight weeks after the funds were given out, groups were asked to come back together for ‘Celebration Sunday’ to share what God did in and through their groups as well as hand in the money they had raised.

Some groups met with great success while others struggled. In the end, groups multiplied their ‘seed money’ two, five and ten times! By the close of June, over $180,000 had been raised.

With 28 groups still to complete their fundraising events, it is likely that this amount will double.

RockPointe first ran Compassion in Action in 2007, when they focused on helping victims and those at risk of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. At that time, over half a million dollars

This has been an amazing time expanding our witness and the influence of the gospel was raised from the $50,000 given out to small groups.

This time, proceeds from Compassion in Action: Stop the Traffic will help: n Renovate a drop-in shelter for high-risk children in Ukraine.

This country is one of the top sources of child pornography and over 100,000 people will be trafficked there this year. n Fund New Hope Schools in Phnom Penh, Cambodia providing quality education to children of Vietnamese refugees who are at high risk of being sold into prostitution. n Fund a program to rescue and reintegrate the prostituted in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. Currently, there are 30,000 prostituted women living there. n Develop a shelter and daycare in Costa Rica for at-risk teenage mothers and their children. n Fund a program to work alongside

the Calgary Police Service and help prostituted women in downtown Calgary.

This has been an amazing time expanding our witness and the influence of the gospel. Group members had the opportunity to not only talk with their friends and Almost $ 2000 was raised by a group neighbours about the issue who held a scrapbook-a-thon of human trafficking, but also talk about what Jesus said about helping the oppressed.

Compassion in Action made it While the small group portion of possible for people to own a small Compassion in Action: Stop the Traffic portion of the immense problem of is drawing to a close, the initiative human trafficking. They now know will continue for the next three years. they can make a difference within As funds are dispersed, short-term their sphere of influence and within ministry teams will travel to each of the lives of victims around the world. our partners to help with their work.

Kirk Cowman, Pastor of Special Initiatives at In addition, group members will RockPointe Church in Calgary, Alberta, was continue to have opportunities for faith conversations with their friends Project Leader for Compassion in Action 2: and neighbours as they tell of what is Stop the Traffic. For more information go to www.stopthetraffic.ca being done with their donations.

Photo by Crystal Corcoran

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FEATURE

Angel of Death

Repatriation Funeral Convoy Highway of Heroes

For military chaplains, the most difficult task is notifying families of the death of a loved one.

With Canada’s military involvement in Afghanistan, these notifications have become too frequent. The news is always devastating for the family and friends of the deceased soldier. Captain Andre Turcotte, an Alliance pastor and chaplain, reveals the personal touch so needed and appreciated as chaplains fulfill this difficult role.

by Andre Turcotte

> The names and locations have been changed to protect the privacy of the families involved.

I

t was 3:40 in the morning, Friday, May 25, 2008, when the phone rang.

My wife, Andrea, awakened from a deep sleep, stumbled out of bed and picked up the receiver. She sleepily mumbled a response, trying to sound awake but struggling with the words. Through my own sleepy daze, I could hear the faint tone of an official sounding voice that asked, “Is Captain Turcotte there?”

My heart sank as I tried to imagine what had happened. I frantically went through my mind trying to think which one of my soldiers it could be. I struggled out of bed, trying not to sound as sleepy as I was.

“Padre, this is Lieutenant Colonel Clegget. We have lost one of our soldiers. Are you available to do the Next of Kin notification with me?” “Absolutely Sir,” I responded.

“Who is it?”

After a brief shuffle of papers he answered, “Corporal Jonathan Knight.” He told me there was some confusion with the soldier’s Next of Kin form and the military was still trying to confirm some details. All we knew was that his mother lived in either Orangeville or Alliston, Ontario.

With his promise to get back to me with more details as soon as possible, I said goodbye to Col. Clegget and began to organize myself for the coming day. Over the next hour-and-a-half, I prepared my uniform and received information updates. I located a booklet from some Next of Kin information training I had taken just months before. I wanted to review the process I was about to enter.

. . . the weight of what I was about to do sat heavy on my chest

As I read the words in the manual, the weight of what I was about to do sat heavy on my chest. My mind imagined the scene and I thought of what would happen when we said the dreaded words no parent would want to hear. The lump in my throat felt like a softball, but I knew we had a job to do and, regardless of how I felt, this was the time to step up and do my part.

At approximately 5:30 that morning, Col. Clegget confirmed our mission and we set a rendezvous point.

Half an hour later we were on our way to Alliston, where Cpl. Knight’s mother, the primary next of kin, lived. As we drove, we reviewed our training and decided who would say what, practicing the words out loud.

After what seemed like the longest drive in history, some 40 minutes later we arrived at the house and drove into the driveway. Taking a deep breath, we approached the house. Suddenly, the garage door sprang open and a man appeared. He was as startled as we were and for a moment we all just stared at each other, not sure what to do next. He broke the silence. “Oh! Can I help you?”

At this point, not knowing his relation to Cpl. Knight, we told him we had some news we needed to share with Mrs. Knight. All of a sudden, the reason for our presence

Ramp Ceremony Afghanistan

became very clear to him. His eyes widened like saucers and he breathed a deep “Oh NO,” and went storming into the house, frantically calling young Jonathan’s mother to wake her up. We found out later this man was Mrs. Knight’s fiancé.

He came back and led us into the living room. We waited.

Moments later, Mrs. Knight walked out in her housecoat, clearly having been wakened from a sound sleep. We gently invited her to sit.

“Mrs. Knight,” Col. Clegget said softly, “I’m sorry to tell you that your son, Jonathan, has been killed in Afghanistan.” Those words for her and her fiancé were like a second bomb, and in the time it took to speak them, her life had changed forever. She responded with what seemed like shock and total disbelief and, surprisingly, showed little emotion.

After an eternal pause, I broke the silence and asked if there was anything we could do to help, such as make some phone calls to other family. She politely declined but did, however, request that the military notify Jonathan’s father in British Colombia.

Once we had covered a number of other items and after some awkward conversation, we asked if there was anything else we could do. Her empty voice responded with a simple, “No thank you . . . actually, I think we just need some time by ourselves.” Respecting her wishes and feeling that she had the comfort and support of her fiancé, we expressed our regrets and left the home.

As we walked out of the house, I couldn’t help but feel like I had become the angel of death. To Jonathan’s mother and her family, Col. Clegget and I were the messengers of doom and likely the people they least wanted to be around.

On that day, the war became personal to me and the reality of what it meant changed my life forever. In the millisecond of time it takes for a bomb to explode, a soldier who’d started years before as a member of my own unit, had now become the latest casualty in a war half-aworld-away.

Rev. Andre Turcotte is Senior Pastor at Cobourg Alliance Church and chaplain with the Canadian Forces (Reserves)

For more information on how to become a military chaplain, call 1-866-502-2203 or visit http://www.cmp-cpm.forces. gc.ca/cfcb-bsafc/ps/rec/index-eng.asp

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your church

Show and Shine at B Annual event supports ministry that provides refurbished vehicles to those in need

O

utreach community ministries can be fun for all the participants. Beulah Alliance Church

in Edmonton, Alberta illustrates this concept with its annual Show and Shine event in support of its Christian Auto Ministry. Through this unique ministry, donated used-vehicles are accepted, inspected, repaired and provided to individuals who need one to earn a living for their families but can’t afford the cost of purchase. Several hundred people from the community attend the fundraising Show and Shine with more than 100 cars, trucks, motorcycles and snowmobiles on display for the enjoyment of all.

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Beulah

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Horizons Photography

impressions

Snow Leopards

Reflecting God’s Creation Young artist has a deep desire to produce work that communicates order and beauty

by Barrie Doyle

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His art is inspired within himself, a God-given talent he readily acknowledges

I

“ love painting and I want to reflect God’s creativity and the diversity of his creation.”

For 15-year old Joshua Tiessen, that viewpoint dictates not only the subjects of his various paintings, but his deep desire to produce artwork that is both positive and uplifting, drawing people’s attention to the God of creation. These are lofty goals for any artist, let alone a teen taking his first steps along a career path.

But add a massive amount of talent and you find a budding young world-class artist who is attracting the attention of one of this country’s most famous artists, Robert Bateman.

So much so that Bateman, himself, invited Josh to attend a week-long seminar at a retreat centre in British Columbia.

“You are indeed very good,” the renowned 80-year old artist told Josh.

“You would likely be the youngest person here, but judging by your talent, you would benefit from it.”

Such seminars are rare, Josh was told, and very few budding artists are invited to participate.

The teen showed his talent early.

His parents, Doug and Julie Tiessen, were International Workers with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, posted in Krasnodar, Russia. Josh was born in Moscow and lived in Russia until he was 10 before returning, with his parents and younger brother Zack, to Canada.

Unlike most young children, Josh didn’t want to waste his time with colouring books. “I wanted to do my own, right from the start,” he says.

His Russian nanny nurtured the first artistic stirrings. “She would hold up stuffed animals and taught me how to show perspective and shadings,” Josh remembers.

His return to Canada and Burlington (Ontario) Alliance in particular, found him in a midweek club at the church where his elective in art led to his ‘discovery’ by a local

artist, Valerie Jones.

Since then, Josh’s art has gained a widespread following with one-man shows in Hamilton and Burlington, culminating last winter in a monthlong show at the Burlington Art Gallery. He recently won the Best Overall award at a fine arts festival sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools International.

Many artists today, he reflects, are post-modern. “There are no rules. They show chaos and a world of randomness, hopelessness and despair.” He says his own art, in contrast “tries to communicate God’s order and beauty in the world, and give a sense of hope and joy!”

His art is inspired within himself, a God-given talent he readily acknowledges.

His paintings often begin with photos—either ones he has taken or is attracted to, he explained. As he examines the photo— of a landscape, of I enjoy working in acrylics because they a nesting swan or other natural scene— are so flexible and I can get some great the concept of the detail with them painting develops.

“I have the outline in my head. I know what it commissioned. “I enjoy working in will look like.” As his passion for the acrylics because they are so flexible piece develops, so does the intricate and I can get some great detail with and realistic depiction of nature in all them.” its glory.

Each painting is a major time Among his favourite works is one commitment. In all, Snow Leopards titled Snow Leopards. For Josh, the took Josh more than 80 hours to painting captures not only the beauty produce, while his current work, as and grace of the animals, but lets him yet untitled, is a 36”x48” depiction ponder some deeper meanings. of a horned owl against a prairie “To me, the leopard on the left landscape that is expected to take symbolizes people who are always more than two months to complete. looking to the future, while the one Incredibly, he squeezes his on the right represents those people painting into a busy, many-faceted who stay in the moment and stop to teenage life that includes school (he is enjoy it and ponder its beauty.” partly homeschooled and part-time in His earliest works were done a high school fine arts program), Bible in chalk pastel but for the past quizzing (he was a contestant in the three years he has concentrated on international quizzing tournament in acrylics and now produces between Calgary this summer), photography, five and six paintings a year—some and producing graphic art designs for

Horizons Photography

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Horizons Photography

Snow White

It is that sense of realism in his paintings that led admirers to compare him to Bateman his youth group at Paramount Drive Alliance in Stoney Creek, Ontario, as well as just ‘hanging out.’

Josh was also a participant when the church celebrated the arts during a recent worship service, developing a piece of art as the morning service evolved.

The fact that modern art is considered avant-garde and ‘in’ while his own photo realistic style is ‘out’ as far as mainstream galleries are concerned, is not an issue for him. Rather, he delights in not only showing the beauty of God’s creation, but also in reflecting the image of

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God in human creativity. His artwork is now on show on his own web site (www.joshtiessen.com).

It is that sense of realism in his paintings that led admirers to compare him to Bateman and who urged him to contact the artist himself. “I sent him a letter in the fall of 2009,” he recalls, “and I asked him some questions.”

Nobody was more surprised than Josh to receive an answer, let alone an invitation to visit with and receive guidance from the master of photo realistic art himself. He shyly acknowledges that it is indeed

a great honour and opportunity, but one he is looking forward to. “Awesome” was the way he described his reaction.

He is looking ahead to his future and career—he only has 1 1/2 years of high school left—mindful not only of Bateman’s encouragement and kind words, but of his admonition to “take a ‘meal ticket’ course at university and paint your little heart out in your spare time!”

It’s a caution Josh takes to heart.

But art will always be a major part of his life.

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

FEATURE

Catching the

Wind of the Spirit

by Sunder Krishnan

As part of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada’s ongoing emphasis on holiness in our personal lives and the teaching of holiness in our churches, we have joined efforts with Rev. Sunder Krishnan of Rexdale Alliance Church in Toronto and WingSpread Publications in the United States to develop a special book and DVD series Catching the Wind of the Spirit. Alliance churches in Canada can order the set at half the regular retail price.

See the ad on page 55 for ordering details.

Following are excerpts from the book’s Introduction.

I

n an article in the magazine Leadership, pastor and author John Ortberg observes that as Christians today, we too often find ourselves laboring under the mistaken notion that our life of faith here on earth is little more than an interlude to our eventual transport to heaven.

He writes, “We are content with conversion when God is calling for transformation. Rather than expecting the kingdom of God to revolutionize lives today, we hope it will happen in heaven tomorrow. Somewhere along the line we swapped out Jesus’ gospel—through Him we can be transformed into citizens of the kingdom of God right now, today—for a gospel of heaven’s minimum entrance requirement.”

As a pastor, I consider it one of my primary

responsibilities to encourage believers in this process of personal transformation into the likeness of Christ.

And like the Apostle Paul as he ministered to the church at Galatia, the intensity of this responsibility is like the “pains of childbirth” (Galatians 4:19) as I labor in prayer and the Word to see Christ formed in those individuals to whom God has personally called me to minister.

I want to take this birthing analogy a step further as we explore the process of being conformed to Christ’s image, because it is crucial to understand that this transformation has nothing to do with some sort of selfimprovement program, or a set of activities that we must add to our lives and schedules. In fact, it is from beginning to end a work of God’s Holy Spirit in us.

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A Cooperative Effort It is through the overshadowing and controlling power of the Holy Spirit that we are redeemed and Christ is formed in us. But just because it is the work of the Holy Spirit does not mean we have no part in this process of transformation. It is a cooperative work, and I don’t know of a better analogy to illustrate this than the example I once read of three different water vessels: a rowboat, a raft, and a sailboat.

The propulsion of a rowboat requires someone in the boat to pick up the two oars and put a significant amount of effort into moving the boat through the water.

Without that person rowing, the boat will go nowhere.

A raft, on the other hand, requires no effort at all from its passengers. They can sit and do nothing, while the waves propel the vessel along. Unfortunately, since the raft lacks any effective means for steering the craft, its passengers find themselves completely at the mercy of the waves for whatever random direction they may find themselves headed.

Unlike these first two vessels, a sailboat relies on both the force of the wind and the skill of its pilot for successful navigation. The pilot supplies no power at all to propel the vessel forward. That comes from the wind. But if the pilot does not hoist the sails and position them properly, that readily available wind will never be harnessed to steer the vessel’s chosen course.

The wind and the sailboat are a picture of the cooperation between the Holy Spirit and the willing believer who seeks to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. That is why I have entitled my book Catching the Wind of the Spirit. It is the Spirit of God who performs this vital work of progressively transforming each of us into the image of our Savior and Lord. But in order to be effectively steered and directed by the Spirit, it is important for us to embrace the handful of spiritual disciplines that we will discuss in this book: worship, Scripture meditation and study, prayer, confession, fellowship, service and giving. They are, if you will, the sails that will manifestly aid us in steering our course toward conformity to Christ’s image.

A Word of Warning In a survey a few years back Christian researcher George Barna found that there are an estimated forty-five million individuals in North America who claim to be born again based on two basic convictions: they believe that a personal commitment to Jesus Christ is important, and they believe they are going to heaven because they have confessed their sins and received Him as Savior. In other words, they have satisfied what they believe are heaven’s minimum entrance requirements. But Barna’s survey also found that the lifestyles and values of the majority (about 66 percent) of these “born again” individuals are really not much different from those who claim no faith in Christ.

If you find yourself among this grouping of people,

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who call themselves Christians but whose lives don’t clearly reflect the character of Christ, then I must confront you with a sobering possibility: perhaps you need to take a very close look at your spiritual condition.

Is it possible that you really aren’t born again after all?

Please hear me out.

Scripture is clear that those who are truly born again through faith in Christ will experience a radical change in their lives

A Radical Change Scripture is clear that those who are truly born again through faith in Christ will experience a radical change in their lives. While we could spend several pages citing chapter and verse, just one book, John’s First Epistle, offers overwhelming evidence of the dramatic transformation that we can expect from those who have truly been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ: n

They are freed from the habit and bondage of sin They have overcome their love (and lust) for the things of this world n They are seeking daily to know and love God, to keep His Word, and to live in a Christ-like manner n They have an active love for others, and seek for ways to serve as God’s hands extended to those around them n

The logic of Scripture ruthlessly demonstrates that if you consider yourself a born-again Christian and yet you are not finding yourself progressively, consistently being transformed into the likeness of Christ—nor, indeed, do you have any great desire for such a transformation—then there is a distinct possibility that you have never been truly born again of the Spirit of God. Taking the First Step The book takes us beyond this false notion that there is a “minimum entrance requirement” that is sufficient to get us into heaven, and exploring how each one of us can move effectively from the new birth to spiritual maturity, which is nothing less than being conformed to the image and nature of Christ.

However, just as it is not possible for a child to grow inside a woman’s womb without conception taking place first, it is absolutely impossible for anyone to catch the wind of the Spirit and grow in the likeness of Christ without first being truly redeemed through faith in Christ.

That’s the place to begin.

Rev. Sunder Krishnan is Senior Pastor, Rexdale Alliance Church, Toronto

Nurture the Call Insights into how you can change a young person’s life forever

by Ron Brown

I

t was 9:45 Sunday morning and I was on my way to the pastor’s office. As a high school senior, this felt somewhat akin to heading to the principal’s office.

Questions abounded—What would this conversation be about? Had I done anything recently that merited this meeting?

I later learned that Pastor Melvin Sylvester made it an annual practice to have a serious conversation with each of his church’s high school seniors to talk about their future. His intended take-away from that session was that each senior would have Christian vocation on his or her mind, along with all the other career options they had in front of them.

That session with the pastor, the shepherd of souls, served to make space for the questions—Might God want me in full-time Christian ministry? And if he does, how should I best prepare?

So there I was—17 years old, in the pastor’s office, having him look me in the eye and ask me serious and pointed questions. My answers would determine how I would spend the rest of my life.

Various events had led up to that meeting in Mel Sylvester’s office. Sylvester, himself, had been shaped for the ministry by significant input from influential people in his life. His mother, who was raised in The Salvation

Army in Calgary, had birthed two daughters. She then prayed to her heavenly Father in the words of Hannah, “If you give me a son, I’ll covenant to raise him as best I can, to be your servant.”

Sylvester had not known that story and we can only imagine his great surprise when, many years later, he heard his mother, visiting him in the very first church he pastored, tell this story to a Sunday school class.

Some years after his mother’s prayer, one of the early church planters of the Alliance in Western Canada, a woman named Mavis Anderson, had noticed young Sylvester in the church at Beaverlodge, Alberta. One day when Anderson ran into him at a youth rally, she said, “Melvin, you need to go to our Alliance School in Regina (Western Canadian Bible Institute). I believe God has great plans for you and it needs to start with Bible school.”

Two years later he enrolled. (Forgotten Voices: Women in Ministry in The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, by Barbara Howe.)

Mel Sylvester had also been impacted by Gerald McGarvey, a young missionary candidate doing home service in Beaverlodge, who would encourage him and friend, Neill Foster, to always speak to students.

McGarvey said, “Covet students for the Lord and for the ministry.”

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We need to recognize the gifting of God in the next generation

The influence of his mother, the encouragement of Anderson and the challenge by McGarvey shaped Mel Sylvester, but there were other notable influences in his life who mentored him along these same lines.

There was Rev. Lowell Young who came one time for a week of meetings when Sylvester was pastoring in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Young’s philosophy was to begin recruiting full-time workers in churches and to meet with Grade 12 students and challenge them to Christian vocations.

He saw great value in being able to say, with integrity, “I see potential in you,” and then challenge them to prepare for ministry. Lowell Young felt that affirming youth was huge. It was the pastor who should be proactive in this way.

Sylvester remembers an old quote from the Alliance Witness (now alife): “Missionaries are made at home.” This truth motivated him and his wife Marion to encourage each of their children to know God’s will for their lives.

There was never pressure to enter the ministry but there was always encouragement to know and follow God’s will for each of them.

Not surprisingly, Sylvester made the affirmation of students a part of his ministry. One day, this decision to affirm caused him to have a coffee with What are you going to Ben Elliott, a college do with your life? freshman. He said to Ben, “I feel prompted to tell you that you seriously need to consider vocational ministry.” (Elliott and his wife are currently International Workers in Indonesia.)

Others besides Mel Sylvester have had this ministry of affirmation to young people in their worlds. In 1977, Miriam Charter, a French teacher in the Calgary public system, was deeply involved in the ministries of Foothills Alliance. One Sunday morning, after the service, a

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number of elders and Pastor Gordon Fowler spoke with her in the lobby of Foothills saying, “What are you going to do with your life? We’ve been watching you and want to affirm your giftedness. If you want to go to seminary, we’ll help with the finances.”

Charter recalls, “I remember going out to my car that morning and thinking I’d explode—these men thought I had gifts for ministry! I began, immediately, to look into CTC (as it was then) in Regina.” Dr. Charter has gone on to hold a variety of ministry positions in Eastern Europe and North America.

In Myra Brown’s baby book, her mother wrote, “We gave Myra to God before she was born and we pray she will be a missionary.” Brown grew up with this sense of destiny; she never considered anything else. Her time in Africa with Global Ministries spanned nearly 30 years.

While we are hard-pressed to find a ‘missionary’ call defined in Scripture, there is sufficient narrative in both Testaments to show a pattern of God leading women and men into a life of Kingdom service—part-time for some, full-time for others. Mission history, including that of our Alliance family, is also replete with examples of God’s leading individuals, young and old, into Christian vocation.

As we move beyond Antalya, this is clearly the time to move with renewed intention, to nurture the call of God in our family of churches and in the networks where God has placed us. We need to recognize the gifting of God in the next generation and be much more alert to the nudging of God’s Spirit to speak to those in our church who should be considering Christian vocation, those who should begin preparing for Kingdom service.

While we understand the teaching of the priesthood of all believers, we also know that it seemed good to the Antioch church leaders and the Holy Spirit to set aside two individuals for special vocational ministry. It is clear from Scripture that God’s plan is for some to become pastors, International Workers or evangelists.

Are there young people in your network who could benefit from your influence? Call them aside, look them in the eye, and say with integrity, “I see great potential in you. Have you considered training to become a pastor or International Worker?”

I’m so grateful that 43 years ago my pastor, Mel Sylvester, was nudged by God to set the missional trajectory for my life.

Dr. Ron Brown, who worked for three decades in Africa with Global Ministries, is a missions coach with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, based in Calgary

practice of prayer

The Discipling Strategy of Jesus His method is utterly simple, powerfully effective and potentially world-transforming

by David Chotka

T

hey were all quite young by our standards.

That was because anyone who made 45 was old in that society. Most were dead by 50.

So Jesus chose disciples who were just getting started in life. Peter, James and John, well, they would have been from 18-to-24 or so. Jesus (who was 30-31 at the time) picked 12 and trained them for two of his three-year ministry.

Then, 11 of those 12 went on and transformed the inhabited world with his teaching, living his life, empowered by his Spirit, but most especially, employing the same methods.

It is the method that is most intriguing. You see, Jesus deliberately prayed before he acted. In fact,

John’s gospel tells us that he could do nothing unless the Father showed him (see John 5:19, 30). After a night of prayer, the Father showed him his leader core—and they were young.

If you have been to Sunday school, you know the texts: One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, who he also designated apostles (Luke 6:12-13).

He appointed 12 . . . that they might be with him and that he might send them out . . . (Mark 3:14 ).

Those 12 were so intrigued by the prayer life of Jesus that they asked him to teach them how he did it (see Luke 11:1). They had seen prayer before, but

never prayer that had the effect that Jesus’ praying did. It is said that Moses’ face shone after he prayed through a forty-day fast a second time (see Exodus 34:29), but Jesus’ prayer life was more profound— because it was (and is) transferable.

He was transfigured, raised the dead, healed the sick, and taught unearthly truth. Then God ordained his crucifixion, raised him to life and so set our future hope into motion. Now his Spirit is given to us—and we receive his prayer life and the calling to complete his ministry.

The root of everything that Jesus did was his prayer life.

The method of earthchanging that Jesus used was his discipling strategy.

What did he do?

He picked teenagers and young adults, and taught them to pray (and obey) like him.

He brought them close to him to ‘be with him’, to become just like him—to do the things he did by developing a relationship with God like he had. He taught them, but this was not prayer like others taught.

Prayer for Jesus was a two-way communication This was a vital dynamic prayer of encounter; this was prayer that clearly heard the voice of God, discerned the action of God and then entered into it, accomplishing wonders to the astonishment of all. Prayer for Jesus was a

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two-way communication.

In fact, Jesus not only prayed, but he refused to act unless he had a clear, direct leading, a command from God for every action.

He did not merely speak to God, but he heard God, interacting with him, back and forth until the fellowship (and/or the assignment) was complete.

It was the hearing of what God wanted done that constituted the basis of his ministry. Jesus taught the 12 to do this.

The method he used is utterly simple. He mentored young Peter to hear the voice of God—and obey (and the conversations between Jesus and Peter are some of the most instructive and warmly human accounts we have from the gospels).

He also brought three young adults with him to

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learn together.

Peter, James and John were there when a) he prayed to raise a little girl from the dead; b) when he prayed about his future, talked with Moses and Elijah and was transfigured before them; and c) when he was praying in death-anguish in Gethsemane. While entering the anguish, he asked them to pray with him—and to pray not to enter temptation. Even in death-grief, he was teaching them to pray like he did.

And he worked with nine more ‘20-somethings’ in the same way. There were 58 others in the group called ‘the 70’, who, when they didn’t make the 12, continued to follow him. Then Jesus required them to watch and learn and do, even as he did.

Jesus and Crowd Jesus + 70 Jesus + 12 Jesus + 3 Jesus + 1 Jesus and God

His method was to reduplicate his life of knowing God, and then to teach one, three, 12 (and perhaps 70?) young people to do the same. Then he sent them out two by two to practice what they had learned. They would report the results of their ‘imitation of Christ’ to him as the apprenticeship continued.

You can see the method in the accompanying diagram. Here we have Christ hearing God. He teaches the one, the three, the twelve, the seventy— and occasionally, he taught the crowds.

What is most instructive to remember is that most of Jesus’ time was given over to instructing teenagers and young adults.

This means that God believes in teenagers and young adults. God sent his Son to spend enormous amounts of his time with them.

In fact, during his ministry, most of his earthly time was spent with them.

What was astonishing to notice is that by doing this, he gave them (and us) a method that could be easily reduplicated.

Here it is: 1. Develop your prayer life to hear God (without this step none of the others apply).

2. Ask the Lord to lead you to teenagers and young adults to learn to hear the Lord with you.

3. Mentor one, three and 12 at a time in how you hear and obey the Lord.

4. Hear and obey God in front of them.

5. Send them out to do the same, and report the results back to you.

6. Celebrate the successes, correct the failures.

Laugh together.

7. Have them find one, three and twelve, and have them start at 1) above . . .

8. Then start again at 1) above yourself . . .

So who are you mentoring in the things of God? Ask the Lord to show you who— and pour yourself into that one until s/he can do the same with another.

That was Jesus’ method.

We would be wise to imitate it.

Rev. David Chotka is Chair of the Alliance Pray! Team, Senior Pastor of Spruce Grove Alliance Church in Alberta and author of Power Praying

Personnel Updates

personnel

Personnel Updates The following personnel changes are as reported by the district offices for the period from February 1 – July 31 (deaths from January 1 – June 30), 2010

Field Assignment

Trepanier and family in May. Niger: Dr. Ace and Cecilia Cheung and family in July. n Venezuela: Rev. Stanley and Rosa Leung and family in July. n

Panama: Michael and Esther Kwan, pastoring Panama Chinese churches and assisting in mission projects.

n

Returning to the field following Home Assignment: n Cambodia: Rev. David and Patti Ens and daughter in June. The Ens are involved in student ministries. n Ecuador: Rev. Rich (IM)* and Elisa Brown and family, in July. The Browns are involved in youth ministries. n France: Janet Sing in July. Janet is involved in church ministries. n Germany: Rev. Gerald and Dorothy Hogenbirk in July. The Hogenbirks are the Canadian Regional Developers for the Silk Road Region. n Guinea: Rev. Daniel and Melodie Ibsen in May. The Ibsens are involved in church ministries. n Mexico: Lois Franklin in June. Lois is involved in church ministries. n Senegal: Cori Ibsen in July. Cori is involved in support ministries at Dakar Academy.

Home Assignment Congo: Anne Stephens in March for eight months.

n

On one-year Home Assignment: n Cambodia: Rev. Bill and Ilana Lobbezoo and family in June. n Indonesia: Rev. Frank and Marie (IM)* Peters, in June. n Mexico: Rev. Kurt and Kim Peters and family in May. n Niger: Daniel Marineau and Sophie

New Workers

Thornhill, ON: Mohabat Alliance Church n Toronto, ON: Toronto Christian Alliance Church n

Personnel Changes Algera, Rev. Auke, Lead Pastor, Mission Alliance Church, BC n Baker, Greg, Associate Pastor at Beulah Alliance Church, Edmonton, AB n Barabash, Rev. Gerard, Chaplain with the Canadian Forces, Edmonton, AB n Buckle, Rev. Darryl, Pastor of Connection Ministries and Life Formation, Redwood Park Church— Thunder Bay Campus, ON n Cha, Jong-O, Volunteer Korean Ministry Pastor, Sevenoaks Alliance Church, Abbotsford, BC n Chan, Rev. Gerald, Interim Pastor, Ottawa Chinese Alliance Church, ON n Chan, Rev. Henry, Lead Pastor, Richmond Capstan Alliance Church, BC n Cheung, Rev. Titus, Interim Pastor, Richmond Chinese Alliance Church, BC n Cyr, Rev. Ken, Lead Pastor, Maple Park Alliance Church, Quesnel, BC n Downey, Rev. Kevin, Youth Ministries Pastor, Chilliwack Alliance Church, BC n Enns, Jeff, Senior Pastor, Bolton Alliance Church, ON n Farquhar, Rev. Brent, Assistant District Superintendent, Central Canadian District n Hardy, Ralph, Pastor of Children’s Ministry, Sevenoaks Alliance Church, Abbotsford, BC n

Carroll, Scott, Senior Pastor, The Gathering Point, Lantz, NS n Chan, Kevin, Pastor of Discipleship Ministries, Bayview Glen Church, Toronto, ON n Ching, Maria, Assistant Children’s Ministry Pastor, Toronto Chinese Alliance Church, ON n Guther, Kerri, Elementary Education Coordinator, Cedarview Alliance Church, Nepean, ON n Mok, Raymond, Lay Pastor, Richmond Hill Mandarin Alliance Church, ON n Munoz, Hernando, Associate Pastor, Primera Iglesia Alianza Hispana, Toronto, ON n Ngan, Howard, Assistant Pastor, North Toronto Chinese Alliance Church, ON n Roth, Vanessa, Pastor of Ministry Development, Tenth Avenue Alliance Church, Vancouver, BC n Sanchez, Uriel, Associate Pastor, Primera Iglesia Alianza Hispana, Toronto, ON n Shi, Peter, Assistant Pastor, Mandarin Ministries, Scarborough Chinese Alliance Church, ON n

New Churches Calgary, AB: Springbank Community Church n Scarborough, ON: Hakka Alliance Church n

*IM-C&MA-U.S. international worker

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Ho, Paulo, Missions Intern, North Edmonton Alliance Church, AB n Ho, Pheobe, Children’s Pastor, North Edmonton Alliance Church, AB n Hoeppner, Rev. Roland, Interim Pastor, Elkford Alliance Church, BC n Kang, Dan, Associate Pastor, Living Hope Christian Fellowship, Courtney, BC n Langman, Rev. Greg, Special Assignment, Eastern Canadian District n Li, Jane, Chaplain at the Alberta Hospital regions, Edmonton, AB n McAuley, Rev. Darryl, Associate Pastor of Ministry Development, McDiarmid Drive Alliance Church, Brandon, MB n McGregor, Rev. John, Senior Pastor, Glencairn Alliance Church, Regina, SK n Mien, Tye Teik, Lay Pastor, Vancouver Chinese Alliance Church—Fraser Lands campus, BC n Moore, Rev. Aaron, Lead Pastor, Penticton Alliance Church, BC n Morrison, Kimberley, Pastor of Women’s Ministry, Peace Portal Alliance Church, Surrey, BC n Nasser, Rev. Sam, Senior Pastor, Mohabat Alliance Church, Toronto, ON n Peters, Lisa, Director of Small Group Ministries, St. Albert Alliance Church, AB n Pett, Rev. Dave, Senior Pastor, Paramount Drive Alliance Church, Stoney Creek, ON n Pierce, Ken, Pastor of Small Groups and Discipleship, Tenth Avenue Alliance Church, Vancouver, BC n Poonnoose, Cherian, Senior Pastor, Milestone Alliance Church, SK n Schnell, Joel, Associate Pastor, Nanaimo Alliance Church, BC n St. John, Christian, Lead Pastor, Crossroads Community Church, Sechelt, BC n Weselake, Rev. Nathan, Lead Pastor, Portage Alliance Church, Portage la Prairie, MB n Wigmore, Jason, Youth Pastor, n

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Milestone Alliance Church, SK Willms, Rev. Ray, Community Pastor, Portage Alliance Church, Portage la Prairie, MB n Wong, Dr. Arch, Dean of Theology, Ambrose University College, Calgary, AB n Wong, Isaac, Senior Pastor, Newbern Memorial Chinese Alliance Church, Vancouver, BC

With the Lord

n

Ordinations Ji, Rev. Kevin, Assistant Pastor/ Mandarin Ministries, Westside Calgary Chinese Alliance Church, AB n King, Rev. John, Lead Pastor/ Chinese Congregation, Deer Park Alliance Church, Red Deer, AB n Neilson, Rev. Mark, Pastor, Children and Family Ministries, Deer Park Alliance Church, Red Deer, AB n Payne, Rev. Richard, Senior Pastor, Marwayne Alliance Church, AB n Regier, Rev. Barry, Pastor of Community Ministries and Congregational Care, Heartland Alliance Church, Sherwood Park, AB n Tonner, Rev. David, unassigned n Walter, Rev. Bryan, Youth Pastor, Southgate Alliance Church, Edmonton, AB n Wegreen, Rev. Gerry, Senior Pastor, Fairview Alliance Church, AB n Wilms, Rev. Rob, Pastor/ Community Life, Rockyview Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n Wilson, Rev. Michael, Care Ministries Team Leader, Beulah Alliance Church, Edmonton, AB n Wong, Rev. Jacob, Pastor of Mandarin Ministry, South Edmonton Alliance Church, AB n Yang, Rev. Dave, Pastor/Student Ministries, Cochrane Alliance Church, AB n Yee, Rev. Vernie, Pastor of English Ministries, Edmonton Living Fountain Alliance Church, AB n Young, Rev. Brad, Small Groups Associate, First Alliance Church, Calgary, AB n

Quigg, Milton, July 25, 1930 – May 17, 2010 Milton was born in Ottawa to Harold and Beatrice Quigg and accepted the Lord at eight years of age. Milton became a Chartered Accountant and worked in public accounting for 10 years. Then God called him to go to New York City where he served faithfully at the head office of the C&MA for 26 years as Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Vice President of Finance.

After the Alliance in Canada became autonomous from the U.S., he moved to Toronto and served as treasurer of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. He faithfully filled the position of Vice President of Finance until his retirement in 1995.

Milton is remembered for his deep love for the Lord, his passionate desire to follow God and to serve the church, his wholehearted devotion in embracing the doctrine of the deeper life in Christ, his faithfulness to God’s call upon his life and his heart for missions.

He is survived by his loving wife Grace; children Janet, Stephen and John; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

perspectives

Embracing Diversity Insights into how to best respond to the coming dramatic changes in the Canadian population

by Peter White

C

anada is already one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world.

But things are about to change significantly over the next twenty years says Statistics Canada.

According to projections they released in March 2010, the proportion of visible minorities in this country is set to explode. Driven largely by immigration, their report suggests the face of Canada will have changed dramatically over half a century.

In 1981, about one million Canadians—five percent of the population— identified themselves as visible minorities and about 5.3 million visible minorities were counted in the 2006 census. By 2031, up to 14.4 million people in Canada could be a visible minority, accounting for one-third of the population.

In Canada’s two biggest cities, Toronto and Vancouver, the white European majority will, by 2031, become the new visible minority against the majority darker-skinned people.

Rev. Dr. T.V. Thomas, originally from Malaysia, is an Alliance evangelist and directs the Centre of Evangelism and World Mission in Regina.

Since 2008, Dr. Thomas has served as the Multicultural/Intercultural Ministries Consultant to The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada (C&MA). cmAlliance.ca recently interviewed Dr. Thomas and asked him to share some of his insights into how the C&MA can best respond to such a tectonic shift in the composition of the Canadian population.

Alliance.ca: Given the expected growth in visible minorities, what must the C&MA do to address this unprecedented diversity?

Dr. Thomas: Short of a Holy Spirit Revival sweeping across the country, the future of the Church in Canada is directly dependent on the discipling of visible minorities.

The C&MA needs a concerted and collaborative effort at national, district, local church and personal levels to embrace this unprecedented opportunity God has afforded us.

The mandate of our Sea to Sea (5th S region) initiative includes reaching Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.

A clarion call needs to be made to Alliance people to believe God for more workers and the infusion of new funds to reap the ripening harvest across the nation. I believe if

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One of the keys for congregations is to enthusiastically embrace Christian hospitality Develop Right Skills

Rev. Dr. T.V. Thomas

the flame of faith is stoked, the spirit of sacrifice is inspired and the call to obedience to the Lord is issued, Alliance people and congregations will accept this challenge.

Most people have grown up in mono-cultural environments. Now, we live and work with people of many cultures. Therefore, we need to learn how to relate sensibly and appropriately with them.

Most of the cultures of the world are far more relational than the individualism in the West. We need to provide regular and incremental skill development training to increase intercultural competence for every Christian.

Ensure Right Understanding

Alliance.ca: What do you recommend local Alliance churches do to build bridges to this growing diverse population?

Dr. Thomas: There are four things they must do right before moving forward.

Embrace Right Vision

To engage in any effective ministry, one must both exegete the Bible and exegete the culture and society. Just as our International Workers need to missiologically look at the target groups they are trying to reach in a cross-cultural situation, we must do the same with our increasingly multicultural, multi-ethnic, multinational and multilingual neighbourhoods. It is key to know who your neighbours are.

Cultivate Right Attitudes

We all know how important attitudes are to life, relationships and ministry. Right attitudes are foundational to bridge-building.

The congregation needs to develop loving and welcoming attitudes to ‘strangers.’

One of the keys for congregations is to enthusiastically embrace Christian hospitality as a vital spiritual principle of Christian life and ministry.

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It is important to know who your neighbours really are. Focusing on just the physical features of a person does not reveal fully who they are. It is important to know the person’s national, cultural, ethnic, religious, linguistic, educational, socio-economic and generational backgrounds.

Learning about the worldviews of different cultures, religions and generations helps in communicating the gospel contextually.

Alliance.ca: The C&MA has 166 congregations representing 16 ethnic or language groups across the country. What are the advantages of new ethnic church starts as a strategy for dealing with the expected influx of immigrants?

Dr. Thomas: We should be grateful to God that more than one-third of our congregations are nonmainstream society churches. Not too many denominations can claim such a high ratio. This existing diversity of congregations adds to our credibility for greater diversity.

Global missiologists are convinced that church planting is the most effective evangelistic strategy. New immigrants are often more receptive to the gospel and initiating a church planting

movement among them is strategic.

The reality is many ethnic groups in Canada are considered an Unreached People Group in their country of origin. So many ethnic groups have no church among them or are ‘under-churched.’ In some ethnic groups, there could be a critical number of believers among the immigrants who could be a beachhead for church planting.

Alliance.ca: What are some of the challenges of such a church planting strategy?

Dr. Thomas: The first missing resource is the lack of adequately trained ethnic leadership who could pioneer church starts. Secondly is the lack of sufficient financial resources to invest for three to five years to have sustainable results.

Some groups are more resistant to the gospel than others, e.g. Sikhs and Muslims. This calls for a long-term investment with persistent bridge-building, sowing, watering, cultivating and networking among immigrants.

Thirdly is the challenge of developing lay leaders for evangelism, discipleship and pastoral care.

Alliance.ca: What happens with second and third generation adults and families within ethnocentric churches?

Dr. Thomas: Undoubtedly, this is one of the critical, unresolved issues that emerges after we establish flourishing ethnic churches.

Usually a greater culture clash exists between the first and second generation immigrants than in the typical Caucasian family. This results in a Generation Gap. The second and sometimes third generation lives in two worlds—at home with their ethnic family and at school/office with their Caucasian

friends. They are trying to identify with and be accepted by the majority culture, while ensuring loyalty to their ethnic roots and traditions.

These younger generations are more Canadian in their worldview preferences and find the ethnic church service and sermon led by a first generation immigrant pastor as irrelevant. They also do not respond to the traditions and cultural biases of the leadership of the immigrant generation.

They find the older generation to be too autocratic and lacking in sensitivity, creativity and adaptability. As a result, a significant number of them are bailing from church involvement, creating a marked exodus from ethnic churches.

Alliance.ca: What can be done to deal with this issue?

Dr. Thomas: I believe it is strategically important that intentional multicultural churches be planted at least in major cities where the second and third generations of various ethnic churches would find a common home for fellowship, instruction, worship and ministry. But, we need to raise up transcultural leaders to lead such congregations.

Alliance.ca: What must homogeneous Alliance congregations do if they want to become more multicultural?

Dr. Thomas: Many churches in Canada, with ethnic people in the pews on Sunday, have become multicultural churches passively and not strategically. They were the beneficiaries of immigrants coming through friendship ties to members.

Some came because of attractive church programming for their children or youth.

What is ideal is that church leadership would intentionally transition the church to become a multicultural church. Such transition is a very delicate process.

To avoid confusion and divisions, the process must include several steps and be monitored with the utmost care and prayer.

I believe the first step, after the leadership’s decision to intentionally transition, is to lay a biblical and theological foundation for a multicultural church through preaching and teaching. Change in a Christian’s attitude and behaviour is best achieved through well-informed scriptural convictions.

Alliance.ca: What are some values a multicultural church should possess?

Dr. Thomas: Here are seven core values. I believe a multicultural church: n Practices loving inclusion of all peoples and cultures by valuing and respecting them. n Chooses to provide dignity to all and maintains zero tolerance to partiality. n Demonstrates agape love by giving preference to others over oneself. n Celebrates diversity and unity rooted in the Holy Spirit. n Stresses that a person’s primary identity is in Christ and that it will no longer lie in one’s ethnic/racial communities, social class, gender, national origin or any other values, attitudes and beliefs that do not originate from Scripture.

First and foremost, believers are citizens of the Kingdom of God. n Develops transcultural leaders who are able to work beyond their cultures and make decisions factoring in other cultures. n Blossoms to become a glocal church that is involved in holistic mission globally and locally.

What is ideal is that church leadership would intentionally transition the church to become a multicultural church

Alliance.ca: In your role with the C&MA, what have you learned that has surprised you?

Dr. Thomas: The awareness of the magnitude of the true opportunities and the challenges of reaching New Canadians has permeated the hearts and minds of many Alliance church leaders.

I believe two factors have been catalytic in shedding light and stirring-up excitement.

First, seeking to implement the Sea to Sea initiative has sparked valuable dialogue resulting in the exploration of action plans to reach Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in our land.

Second, holding General Assembly 2010 in Turkey has ignited a new passion in the Alliance constituency for the ‘strangers’ among us and distant people groups overseas.

The younger generations of Caucasian Canadians feel comfortable worshiping together in a multicultural and multi-ethnic context. Such a congregation may be a welcome point for the Kingdom for the huge un-churched and de-churched Canadian population.

And perhaps God is raising up second and third generation immigrants to uniquely influence and impact Canada with the gospel.

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

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your church

The Ten Thousand Pound Surprise A stunning example of the rewards to a church building bridges into its community

by Trevor Dunham

W

hat does ten thousand pounds look like to you?

Four or five cars? An elephant, or maybe two?

The amount of food collected for a food bank in a single day by a dedicated group of Christ-followers?

Until recently, I would have said number one or maybe number two (although I didn’t actually know how much an elephant weighs) but certainly not number three.

I now stand corrected.

Rosewood Park Alliance Church in Regina, Saskatchewan recently experienced an overwhelming outpouring of generosity in response to its food drive for the Regina Food Bank. A little more than 10,000 pounds of food was collected.

The food drive started as a vision amongst the Rosewood staff and leaders.

The church had been working on the 40 Days of

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Community program and they saw the food drive as a way for the entire church to reach out into the community at the conclusion of this program.

Over the last several years, Rosewood has been working at building bridges into its surrounding communities in Northwest Regina. Jesus told the Church to go into the world and to teach, evangelize and help those in need (see Matthew 25 and 28).

With this food drive, the church hoped to partner with the community and to spearhead another new way to help those who needed it the most.

Rosewood Park, through

various avenues, has been opening its doors and hearts to members of the Northwest Regina community for a number of years. It is their deep desire to provide services the community needs, as well as wants, and not simply services those in the church believe they should want.

For example, the church promotes the Alpha Marriage Course within the same community of 20,000 homes canvassed for the food drive. Couples who want a strong and healthy loving relationship are invited to attend.

An intimate dinner setting is provided, as is course material applicable to any level of marriage relationship. Dozens of couples, including many from this community,

have benefited from participating in the course.

Not only does the church want to provide programming that reaches out into their community, but also to make services available to the community, without asking for anything in return.

The church has put on a car show and burnout competition aptly named Holy Smoke and an annual Community Fall Festival.

Last year, the festival created a carnival-like atmosphere, provided food to over 1,100 individuals from the community and fireworks—all free-ofcharge.

This year attendance is expected to double for the festival finale—a professionally orchestrated, full audio and visual fireworks display.

It became apparent, part-way through the day, that they were not going to have enough room in the barrels provided

Rosewood is continually searching for new ways to connect with people in its community.

To begin work on the most recent relationship bridge project, the church leadership posed several questions to the Regina Food Bank. “When is food the most scarce at the food bank? What would be the best time for our church to organize a drive that would be of greatest benefit to your organization?”

Their answer: Late spring and early summer.

The church then set about creating the best possible scenarios for this initiative to be successful.

For several weeks, paper bags were distributed to members of the community through the local newspaper. Citizens were encouraged to collect food and either drop the bags off at one of three locations that were willing to partner with the church, or leave their bags outside their homes on Saturday, May 29 for pick-up.

Mapping out routes and

finding drivers to canvass over 20,000 homes in a single day is no simple feat but they were up to the task. May 29 came and 8:00 a.m. saw more than 50 people gathered together to hit the town beneath threatening rain clouds and to begin to collect what would become the largest, single-organization food drive in the history of the Regina Food Bank.

Shortly after the start, bags began to pour into the gymnasium at Rosewood.

Food was sorted and loaded into the back of the seemingly all-too-large truck provided by the food bank. Most of those involved in the outdoor work didn’t need a shower by the end of the day, because of all the rain, but this did little to dampen their enthusiasm.

It became apparent, part-way through the day, that they were not going to have enough room in the barrels provided by the food bank. They filled the original food barrels, asked for more, filled them

and then had to fill crates and boxes until there was no more room for the food collected.

Between 50-60 people brought in over 10,000 pounds of food in ten hours. That’s an average of close to 200 pounds of food each person hauled down rain-sodden streets into trucks and trailers and then into a gymnasium to be sorted and wheeled out to the larger truck.

In the end, they didn’t really know how many people their efforts helped and most of the people receiving the food will never know it came from the sweat and dedication of

this group of church-goers.

They do know, however, that another bridge has been built. Both leaders and businesses were willing to partner with the church. And people in their community went out of their way to assist them to help others.

Building bridges to and relationships with their local community continues to be a vision for Rosewood Park Alliance Church. Its recent 10,000 pound surprise is a great example of how that plan is working.

Trevor Dunham is Office Administrator at Rosewood Park Alliance Church in Regina, SK

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mba

The Road Trip That Changed My Life In the face of this humanly impossible task the reality of missions hit home

by Michel Houle

Before Antalya have always been happy to be part of a movement of churches with a reputation for doing missions and proud that a family from our church, the Marineaus, were serving overseas with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada.

I

Missionary reports and stories have always been of interest to me, especially hearing how God was powerfully working in other places in the world. They would make me hopeful that we would see revival among our own people.

But somehow these stories and reports always remained far from my own reality like the television images of parched lands where people suffer of starvation. I would turn off the TV and find myself watering my grass, with a big glass of ice water in my hand. They were stories and images completely disconnected

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from my everyday life here in Montreal.

Until Assembly 2010, overseas missions work just didn’t connect with my experience or my calling. I was called to preach the good news to those of my own cultural heritage and this was already a stretch for me.

I didn’t need to look far to find a lost people needing salvation; I just had to step out my front door here in Quebec. The Quebecois’ response to the gospel is comparable to that of people in the Muslim world.

With this perspective, I have to confess that when the Marineaus told me

of their desire to move to Niger as International Workers, my initial reaction was one of grief.

How could we afford to lose trained workers in the spiritual climate of Quebec? However, I respected that their call was from the Lord, even if it was with a heavy heart that I watched them leave.

During the Assembly Road Trip General Assembly in Turkey was a great time of listening to messages, reports, testimonies and moving stories from our workers around the globe. The passion and conviction they exuded

were contagious, and it was wonderful to hear of God’s work elsewhere in the world. I could even identify with some of their experiences in places that were spiritually dry like Quebec.

After Assembly, we left for a road trip to Niger. It was there that the reality of missions hit home!

Finally, I really tasted and felt what it was like to live as an International Worker, exposed to heat and desertlike conditions, in the midst of chronic poverty and sickness, seeing those around me held captive in spiritual darkness.

This was no virtual world on TV or far-off

< Michel and Lise Houle in Niger

To follow the Lord is to serve and to serve is to love

stories on a Sunday morning. This suffering was right here in front of me. Having the privilege of clean water, and using it to water my grass? This was a crime against humanity—at least against the precious people I met in Niger.

I asked many of our workers in Niger what kept them there. Their answer was simple and to the point. “These people are spiritually lost. We don’t always like living in Niger, but we love the Nigeriens!”

I could see the nationals loved them too. I was privileged to observe a number of sincere friendships between our workers and those around them, despite differences in language, culture and social status. They work to do good because they sincerely love and are loved in return.

We can count on our fingers the number of Nigeriens who have come to the Lord after many years. It would be easy to lose hope in the face of the humanly impossible

task of leading a Toureg person to the Lord. But our workers are consecrated, self-sacrificing, patient, faithful and persevering in the face of trials, giving their lives in love.

Moving Beyond Antalya When I returned from Niger, a verse struck me in a way that it had never done before, “. . . and the poor have the Gospel preached to them . . . ” (Matthew 11:5 NASB). This was how Jesus answered John the Baptist’s question of whether he was the Messiah or not.

The poor now have a face and a name to me.

Halima, the Marineau’s Nigerien friend who is now corresponding with my wife Lise, has become an honorary member of our church in Dollard and is on our list of families in need. Preach the good news to the poor is how Jesus would still want his ministry, through the Église ACM de Dollard, described today.

To follow the Lord is to serve and to serve is to love, dying to oneself and giving one’s life for others. It is true in Niger; it is true in my own life.

International Workers for me are now those who love the world so much they give their own lives so those they love will believe in Christ and will not perish but have everlasting life.

I no longer think in terms of physical boundaries and geographical and cultural limits. It is no longer Quebec first, and the world after, if and when we can. Jerusalem,

Judea, Samaria and the ends of the world are no longer a chronological or geographical agenda.

What Christ is trying to tell me is that there are no longer any limits, no longer any borders, no barriers to the gospel . . . that the church has no boundary to stop its growth, no limitations to its calling.

Rev. Michel Houle is pastor of Église ACM de Dollard in Montreal La version française de cet article se trouve à http:// cmalliance.ca/sortidemacoquillep2888.php

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mba

L’Assemblée Générale en Turquie…

Une aventure qui a changé ma vie par Laurie Angers

Une opportunité C’était l’Assemblée Générale 2010 . . .

J’y suis allée, j’en suis revenue; en d’autres mots, j’ai ramené une expérience qui a marqué ma vie.

Dieu m’a donné une opportunité, je l’ai saisie, et le résultat m’amène ici, dans le magazine de l’Alliance.

Dès le début, Dieu avait un plan.

Depuis que je suis toute petite, je rêve de voyager et d’accomplir de grandes choses. À l’âge de 8 ans seulement, j’avais planifié me rendre à l’université et devenir scientifique. Je voulais me marier à 18 ans et avoir trois garçons.

Faire un ‘plan’ pour bien organiser sa vie est une habitude qui nous interpelle tous en tant qu’humains. Toutefois, toujours, Dieu fait les choses autrement et il prévoit quelque chose d’encore meilleur que nos idéaux.

J’ai grandi dans une famille chrétienne où mon père était pasteur dans une église de l’Alliance Chrétienne et Missionnaire au Québec. Cette année, j’ai eu la chance de l’accompagner en Turquie, pour vivre ce qu’est la mission.

Au départ, je n’avais absolument aucune idée de ce qu’était l’Assemblée Générale, et même après quelques explications, je ne me sentais pas

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plus concernée. Cependant, moi qui aime l’aventure et la découverte, c’était l’occasion rêvée de goûter à une autre culture. L’idée m’a donc vite accrochée et comme je sentais que Dieu m’interpellait par ce voyage, j’ai ramassé mon argent. Dieu planifie.

Pour moi qui suis aux études, récolter le montant nécessaire pour y aller était quelque peu impossible.

Pourtant, pas une seule fois il ne m’est venu à l’esprit que je n’irais pas.

Je savais que Dieu allait pourvoir.

Beaucoup de personnes m’y ont aidé, par le biais de mon église, mais également par des personnes que je ne connais même pas. Quand il s’agit de sa volonté, Dieu organise tout.

Un apprentissage À mon arrivée, j’ai compris que j’arrivais dans un tout autre monde.

Les gens qui y vivent sont de la tête aux pieds immergés par la loi qu’impose leur religion. Bien que laïque, la Turquie demeure un pays qui est, qu’on le veuille ou non, sous l’emprise de l’Islam.

Là-bas, j’ai découvert beaucoup de choses sur leurs pratiques religieuses. À mon grand étonnement, j’en ai aussi retiré du bien. Tous les jours, ils doivent exécuter plusieurs rituels pour assurer leur salut. Ils ont une grande ardeur à vouloir faire ce qui est écrit dans le Coran. Pour ma part, j’en reviens à dire que l’ardeur qu’ils ont, je me l’approprie. Non pas que ce soit une ardeur motivée par le légalisme, mais un zèle rempli d’amour et de liberté pour celui que j’appelle mon Seigneur.

Une révélation Au cours de mon séjour là-bas, j’ai eu la chance d’assister à des tables rondes, des conférences et des ateliers

sur les missions. C’était toute une expérience de me retrouver entourée de centaines de personnes qui étaient là pour la même raison. J’ai rencontré plusieurs personnes : des pasteurs, les travailleurs internationaux, des délégués, des directeurs de district, des journalistes. En vérité je le dis, je n’ai jamais autant bien compris le travail que les ouvriers de Dieu font.

En y réfléchissant, tous ces hommes, toutes ces femmes, ont sacrifié leurs rêves, leurs plans pour accomplir celui de notre Roi, en consacrant leurs vies à son service. J’ai été particulièrement touchée de voir à quel point œuvrer était pour eux une question de logique, de bonheur absolu. Être présente m’a donné un point de vue intérieur de l’Église; non pas locale, mais mondiale. C’est alors que je me suis demandé où je me situais, moi Laurie Angers, dans le royaume de Dieu. Il n’y a pas de place, pas de position, ni de rang. Nous sommes tous égaux en Christ, parcourant la même route et les mêmes combats.

Moi, 16 ans, je comprends aujourd’hui comment je peux contribuer dans le monde. Je me garde au service de Dieu à temps plein. Suis-je appelée ? Nous le sommes tous, mais à différents endroits pour de différentes fonctions.

Revenant de là-bas, je lance une exhortation à tous les jeunes de mon âge : vous voulez vivre ? Vivez pour Christ, sortez de votre confort, parlez à tous ceux qui veulent entendre, et deux fois plus à tous ceux qui ne veulent pas entendre.

On a de l’impact, on a un potentiel à donner. La génération qui s’en vient est entre nos mains. Agissons.

Que la paix et la grâce de Dieu vous soient accordées.

Laurie Angers viens de Gatineau, Québec

General Assembly in Turkey An adventure that changed my life

by Laurie Angers

An opportunity It was General Assembly 2010. I went there, I returned. God gave me an opportunity, I seized it. I brought back an experience which marked my life.

Since early childhood I have dreamed about traveling and achieving big things. When I was 8, I had a plan to attend university to become a scientist. I wanted to get married at 18 and to have three boys. To create a ‘plan’ for organizing your personal life is a practice which challenges us all as humans.

However, as always, God does things differently and he prepares something much better than our best.

I grew up in a Christian family; my father pastors a church with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Quebec.

This year I had the opportunity to accompany him to Turkey, to experience missions firsthand.

At first, I didn’t have a clue what General Assembly was all about. Even after some explanations, I did not feel much more knowledgeable.

However, loving adventure and discovering new things, this was the occasion I had dreamed about to experience another culture.

When it is within his will, God takes care of the details The project quickly stuck with me and, as I felt God’s challenge through this venture, I raised my money. Being a student, collecting the amount necessary was seemingly

impossible. However, it never crossed my mind that I would not go. Many people helped me, both from my church and people I do not even know. I knew God was going to provide. When it is within his will, God takes care of the details.

A learning experience Upon our arrival, I realized I was in a very different world. People who live there are immersed from

head-to-toe within the law imposed by their religion. Although referred to as secular, Turkey remains a country which is under the influence of Islam.

While there, I discovered many things about their religious practices. Every day they must carry out several religious rituals. They have a great zeal to accomplish what is written in the Koran. As for me, I want that zeal for myself. Not zeal carried out through legalism

but zeal motivated by love and freedom for the One I call my Lord.

A revelation During my stay I had the privilege to attend round tables, conferences, and workshops on missions. It was quite an experience to find myself surrounded by hundreds of people who were there for the same reason.

I met pastors, International Workers, delegates, district superintendents, and journalists. In all honesty, I must say I never had a clearer understanding of the ministry accomplished by God’s workers.

Think about it. These men and women have sacrificed their dreams and their plans and devoted their lives to his service. I was particularly touched to see at what point serving God was just so logical, and an absolute delight.

At that moment, I wondered where I stood personally, me, Laurie Angers, for God’s Kingdom.

It’s not a question of situation, or high position, or rank. We all are equal in Christ, traveling the same road and fighting the same fight.

Here I am, 16 years old, now understanding how I can contribute in the world. I keep myself for full-time service for God. Am I called? We all are, but at various places for various functions.

I now exhort all young people of my age: you want to live? Live for Christ. Leave your comfort zone, proclaim the good news to all those who want to hear it, and twice more to those who do not. We are influential, with so much potential to give. The coming generation is within our hands. Let’s act now.

Laurie Angers is from Gatineau, Quebec

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FEATURE

Partnering Has New Meaning

by Keith Pickerill

Insights into an initiative to streamline the process of connecting with overseas work Connect: to unite or associate with others in relationships Partner: a person who shares or takes part with another or others Source: Concise Oxford Dictionary

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rom the outset, The Christian and Missionary Alliance has been a body that wanted to connect people—to connect them first and foremost to God, and secondarily, with compassion and justice, to each other.

In Canada, we have sought to do this at the local level— reaching out to the community—and internationally, through our overseas ministries. As a family of churches, we seek to identify, call, equip, and deploy International Workers from among our congregations and we believe that this is a collaborative effort involving many— International Workers, local churches, pastors, and districts as well as Global Ministries. Sending workers overseas is a partnership and our new Seamless Link concept reflects that reality.

Although the terminology Seamless Link may be new to our church family, the idea of partnering together in sending apostolically-gifted people is not.

Paul and Barnabas formed a close relationship with the church at Antioch and were known for their faithfulness and fruitfulness. God called them out from their home church and sent them to “where the foundation of Christ had not yet been established.” Paul and Barnabas heard God’s calling.

The members of the church and their leaders also saw and affirmed God’s calling upon Paul and Barnabas. Acts 13:3 shows that the church family ‘laid hands’ on them and ‘sent them off.’ ‘Laid hands’ is a powerful expression of the church’s blessing and prayer for those God has called out of their midst.

The verb ‘sent off’ was often used during the first century for the process of provisioning a ship before setting sail for a long journey. Contained in the phrase is the idea that the church at Antioch was committed to Paul and Barnabas, and ‘provisioned’ them with encouragement, as well as financial and logistical support.

God primarily calls people within the context of the local church. The church itself plays a key role in

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identifying these individuals and calling out giftedness.

As the Alliance, we have also chosen to develop a system that represents the international expression of all our churches. This aspect of the Alliance is the Global Ministries (GM) Department and represents the combined resources and desires to reach out internationally.

Thus, sending an International Worker is actually a partnership between the International Worker, his or her local church, and Global Ministries. In this partnership, we see a very strong relational connection, an organic interdependence that we have chosen to call the Seamless Link.

Through the Seamless Link we are attempting to capture the relational connection seen in the church of Antioch. We call this connection a Seamless Link relationship. At the same time, our former District Missions Consultants are This Covenant allows the transitioning into local church to speak into new titles and the overseas work roles as Seamless Link Advisors that more properly reflect their new function within the Alliance family.

Seamless Link has led us to consider the way our partnerships and relationships work together. And we certainly want to see them become deeper, more meaningful and lasting.

Frankly, our ability to maintain current ministry is limited because of the old paradigm whereby local churches are seen merely as the funding base and little, if anything, else! By developing deeper relationships that provide for more meaningful ongoing church engagement in overseas ministry, we can become a movement of churches that, together, expands our overseas work and grows and strengthens the local church at the same time.

Relationship Formalized July 18, 2010 was an exciting day for the Westlock Alliance Church family as we formalized our already existing relationship with Dan and Melodie Ibsen. We have always seen the Ibsens as an extension of our church’s ministry and this agreement makes that formal.

We are excited to be able to help them financially and practically by sending ministry teams as they launch a training program (WAVE—West Africa Vision Expedition) for potential new International Workers. We know from experience that people who have an opportunity to visit the field and see the work being done, and what is yet to be done, are changed forever.

We are excited about what this covenant will do for us, for the Ibsens, for future International Workers, and for the people of Guinea who have not yet had a chance to respond to the good news.

Rev. Wayne Neumiller is Senior Pastor, Westlock Alliance Church, Alberta

Photo courtesy Westlock Alliance Church

To do this we are strengthening our sending process through the following new policies: n Effective July 1, 2010, all newly appointed International Workers, whether they are self-funded, partially-funded, or fully-funded, will have a formal, written Seamless Link Covenant before beginning their assignment. n Similarly, from July 1, 2011, all existing International Workers will have a formal, written Covenant. This will be done during their next home assignment and before returning to their field assignment.

Within both groups, the Seamless Link Covenant will be signed by at least one Canadian Alliance church, the International Worker(s) and a Seamless Link Advisor.

This Covenant allows the local church to speak into the overseas work through participation in ministry planning, evaluation and monitoring.

The Covenant will outline the level of church engagement with the team of workers ministering within the ‘Least-Reached People Group’ (LRPG). That ‘Team Plan’ will include activities, goals, responsibilities, and a comprehensive, consolidated budget, covering a specific period of time and renewed jointly, between all parties, until completion.

In addition to field work, the Covenant sets out ministry and goals within the local church by the International Worker during home assignment. And it engages all partners to commit to prayer for their shared ministry.

Covenants also allow a number of churches to link strategically within a comprehensive LRPG Team Plan through the unique role of an International Worker.

Finally, Seamless Link incorporates cluster ministry.

As we develop this Seamless Link approach, the input we receive from our churches and International Workers during the current two-year pilot phase will be critical.

It is our sincere desire that Seamless Link become a grassroots movement that serves us well toward achieving the challenge God has given us as laid out in our Vision Prayer. We can do no less.

Keith Pickerill is Executive Director of the Seamless Link Department of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada For more information, please go to www.seamlesslink.ca or contact your district Seamless Link Advisor

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FEATURE

The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Vision Prayer Here is our Vision Prayer in nine of the many languages spoken in our congregations across this country

ENGLISH O God, with all our hearts we long to be a movement of churches transformed by Christ, transforming Canada and the world.

Translate into Khmer (Cambodian) “O God, with all our hearts we long to be: a movement of churches transformed by Christ, tKHMER ransforming Canada and the world.”

(Cambodian)

«{®BHGg†eGIy cit†eyIg`e®skX¬anya"gx¬Sg cg'Vnclnaénkarp¬as'E®b dl'®kumCMnMueyIgTSgGs' enAkñüg®beTskaNada nigdl'elakiy_TSgmUl edaysar®BH®Kis†».

FARSI FRENCH Ô Dieu ! De tout notre cœur nous aspirons à être un mouvement d’Églises transformées par Christ, et transformant notre nation et le monde.

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The following is a list of how many Canadian ethnic congregations we have:

VIETNAMESE

Kính lạy Đức Chúa Trời, với tất cả tấm lòng, chúng con ước ao được trở thành một phong trào của những Hội Thánh được biến đổi bởi Đấng Chist, để thay đổi Canada và thế giới.

3 Asian 73 Chinese 2 Cambodian 1 Inuit

FILIPINO

“O Diyos, buong puso naming ina-asam na maging kilusan ng mga simbahang binagong-anyo ni kristo, maging kaparaanan tungo sa ika-pagba-bagong-anyo ng Canada at ng buong mundo.”

SPANISH

Oh Dios, de todo Corazón anhelamos ser: Un movimiento de iglesias Transformadas por Cristo, Que transformen a Canadá y al Mundo

15 French 4 Haitian 1 Japanese 5 Korean 1 Muslim 9 First Nations 19 Filipino 2 English in Quebec 2 Iranian (Farsi) 6 Spanish 1 Punjabi

CHINESE

神阿, 我們全心全意地渴望成為: 一 群被基督所更新改變, 而去更新改變 這個國家和全世界的教會, 以致形成 一個運動.

21 Vietnamese 1 Persian

KOREAN

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now you know

The Work of International Missions

by James R. Foster

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or nearly 125 years, the churches of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) in Canada had remained partnered in their overseas missions initiatives with the churches of the C&MA in the U.S.A. This relationship changed somewhat in 1997 when, for strategic reasons, our leaders decided that the work of the Canadian International Workers would be best served under a Canadian leadership team, while still remaining vitally linked in ministry with our family of U.S. Alliance churches.

Since making that decision, Canadian Alliance International Workers have been served and supported through the Global Ministries team based in the National Ministry Centre in Toronto. The Global Ministries Leadership Team continues to assist them to do ministry effectively among unreached peoples.

The Global Advance Fund supports the cost of our International Workers and has been jointly funded by our family of Alliance churches in Canada for many years. Most of the expenses of doing international ministry are covered through donations to various designated funds called the Approved Specials List. You can obtain more information on any of these by contacting the National Ministry Centre.

In our effort to succeed in the work of international missions, as of June 30, 2010, Global Ministries serves: n 248 International Workers n 45 countries n 4 regions (Silk, Sun, Sand, Spice) Alliance missions initiatives The following are examples of recent Alliance missions initiatives among the least-reached peoples in the Four S regions: • • • • • • •

2005 – Asian Spice 2005 – Desert Sand 2007 – Caribbean Sun 2007 – Asian Spice 2010 – Silk Road 2010 – Silk Road 2010 – Asian Spice

- church planting initiative - two church planting initiatives - church planting initiative - church planting initiative - business as missions initiative - evangelism initiative - international church planting initiative

Over the years, it has been frustrating for some to see so many of our ‘frontlines’ listed simply by region and the workers involved just by initials.

But as churches and their members commit to engage with any one of these ministries and choose to become a Seamless Link partner, they will have greater access to more details.

We encourage you and your church to become strategic partners with these teams in Alliance missions.

Rev. James R. Foster is Vice President, Global Ministries for The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

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We encourage you and your church to become strategic partners with these teams in Alliance missions

A self-directed learning program for ministry development Helping you Form character that is Christ-like Increase knowledge that is biblical Develop competency that is relevant

A national initiative In cooperation with each district and Global Ministries In partnership with Ambrose University College

Watch for information from your District and Global Ministries for more details on how you can participate

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