cmAlliance.ca Magazine Spring 2009 by Devon Wagenaar

All覺ance

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

SPRING 2009

redeeming technology

Sowing Seeds of Sustainability George Durance on changes in Christian higher education

Impacting Canadian Culture With Christianity The power of broadcast technology as experienced by Lorna Dueck

Insights for Tough Economic Times Dr. Franklin Pyles on learning from the current financial turmoil

Spring 2009

FEATURES

Impacting Canadian Culture With Christianity A personal encounter with the power of broadcast technology

Making the World Smaller by Wade Paton

L’Institut Biblique V.I.E. en quête d’une vision renouvelée de Irene J. Alexander (en collaboration avec Jean Martin)

Institut Biblique VIE by Irene J. Alexander (in collaboration with Jean Martin)

by Lorna Dueck

Redeeming Technology for the Church Using the newest tools to connect with the culture by Scott Murley

At Risk in Central Asia Insights into the horrors faced by many living in this part of the world

DEPARTMENTS 5

Feeding Your Mind The Wonder of the Written Word

Impressions His Art Helps To Transform Lives

Alliance Converge Working Together to Send New International Workers

Perspectives Insights for Tough Economic Times

Practice of Prayer The Power of Corporate Praying

Your Church Using Technology to Build Community

Sowing Seeds of Sustainability

Your Church Kids Missions Fest

The commitment of our churches offsets these decadal changes in Christian higher education

World at Your Door Sharing Christ with Buddhists

Now You Know Four Pillars of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Anonymous

by George Durance

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Editorial

Allıance

A Resource for Transforming Canada and the World

cmAlliance.ca is the national publication of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. Founder A.B. Simpson President Dr. Franklin Pyles Editor Barrie Doyle Associate Editor Gladys Thompson Design Devon J Andrew Design Inc. Consultant Peter White All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Agreement No. 40064689 ISSN: 1918-4646 All articles are copyrighted by The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada except where indicated and can be reprinted only with written permission. Submissions Writer’s Guidelines are available at www.cmacan.org. Send electronic inquiries or manuscript submissions to magazine@cmacan.org. No responsibility is assumed to publish, preserve or return unsolicited material. For more information or reprint permission: contact Gladys Thompson, The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, 30 Carrier Drive, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M9W 5T7 Phone: 416.674.7878 ext 211 Fax: 416.674.0808 e-mail: magazine@cmacan.org

Distinctively Canadian Totally Alliance 4

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2009

The Death of Distance

n January 8, 1815 British and American forces engaged in battle in the Mississippi River delta near the town of New Orleans. Thousands died in the battle which was made even more tragic by the fact that both countries signed a peace treaty at Ghent, Belgium on December 24, 1814, meaning the battle was totally unnecessary. News of the Treaty of Ghent did not arrive in the Americas until February, more than a month later. Contrast that to today. Instant messaging, texting, emails, skyping and other technological advances mean the concept of distance is dead. No more are we able to hide at a retreat. No more are we able to spend time alone on a beach. Our cell phones, laptops, iPods and the omni-present Blackberry mean we are never alone. We can be found. We are not out of the communication loop. Where once one would be expected to respond to a letter in a couple of weeks, the expectation now is a couple of minutes. And woe betide the one who fails to respond immediately! But there is good news. Many of the technological advances enable churches to maintain personal, relational communication with individuals across town and around the world. Technology has also given us a wide variety of ways to communicate the Good News with people. In this edition we look at everything from the power of broadcast technology changing lives down to the power of Skype to keep international workers and churches linked. George Durance, President of Ambrose University College takes a look at the past decade in Christian higher education and we see how yet another Alliance person is making an ‘Impression’ on the community around him. As always we love hearing from you. Send your comments, agreements, disagreements by mail or email to: magazine@cmacan.org. Barrie Doyle

feeding your mind

The Wonder of the Written Word A testimony to the astonishing consequences of the greatest technological invention ever by Larry Thiessen

here is something undeniably wonderful about opening a new book, isn’t there? What will be learned? How will the story end? How will I change? The possibilities are endless. And for most readers, the simple act of turning the physical pages, whether in a quiet café, or some other favoured location, evokes special memories. It doesn’t seem possible that something electronic could ever be a suitable facsimile for the tactile sensation that books give. For that reason, the ‘age-old book’ can sometimes seem to be at odds with new technologies. In the late 1990’s, as a bookstore manager, I often heard the rhetoric that the electronic book would

soon make the physical book obsolete. With equal certainty we book-lovers hollered back, “No it won’t.” And the story continued. Let’s take a moment to think about books and technology. There is no question that the pace of technological change can make your head spin. Who can keep up? So much data flying around at such incredible velocity. In my experience, it is generally the speed of change, and not

the change itself, that makes us nervous. We wonder if we will ever be able to adjust to these changes. But when it comes to books, where would we be today without technology? Think back, to what could be argued, was the greatest technological breakthrough ever. As a book-lover, try to imagine life prior to the mid-fifteenth century. Truth be told it would have been hard to be a book-lover back then with books being handwritten,

It doesn’t seem possible that something electronic could ever be a suitable facsimile for the tactile sensation that books give

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The genie was out of the bottle, and knowledge and learning were set loose upon the masses often taking years to reproduce. A very few could even read and for those who could read, finding books was a challenge. Scholars would travel hundreds of miles to visit a library that might house twenty books. All that changed around the year 1440* with the invention of the printing press. With that invention (a.k.a. technology), multiple books could be printed and distributed at once. This breakthrough had such a powerful impact it is estimated that by the turn of the century, a mere sixty years later, 2,500 European cities had printing presses and there may have been up to 15 million books in print. Talk about the speed of technology! This technology changed everything, and not only in the fact that you could print books faster and make them more readily available. Literacy rates increased dramatically with new ideas being transmitted faster and farther. But like all technology, this printing breakthrough had a shadow side. Now it became more difficult to control ideas, as books and even small pamphlets could be produced easily and more affordably. Soon inventive, breathtaking, seditious, and even heretical ideas were flowing everywhere. The genie was out of the bottle, and knowledge and learning were set loose upon the masses. Fast forward to the 21st century and one can understand today’s struggle over the transmission of ideas. Now we can ‘go anywhere’ in a matter of seconds and read the thoughts and ideas of anyone. Now we can read a physical or electronic book, listen to an audio book, or catch a book summary on our MP3 players. We can even get ‘print on demand’ which in some ways is the

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modern version of the old way of printing out one book at a time. We might want to stop, or at least slow down, the onslaught of technological inventiveness, but we do well to remember where it all started and be grateful for all we have. So what’s next? So far there has not been any e-book standard, so the electronic format has been slower to gain traction than was prognosticated in the ‘90’s. But that will likely change and electronic formats will improve. Today, online chat groups have become a good way to keep a book going. Will these formats replace the good old-fashioned book? Hard to imagine that, isn’t it? But then I’m sure no one could have foreseen what would happen when the printing press was invented. Who knows, sometime in the future, we might have the books downloaded right into our minds! Wherever it goes, and whether or not the ‘good old hard copy book’ gets replaced, the good news is that today, there are still good books being written. Here are some new recommendations that you might want to ‘read, listen to, or download.’ Faith and Doubt by John Ortberg In this new book, Ortberg takes an honest look at the misgivings and uncertainties that often obscure our view of God. He candidly describes grappling with his own personal doubts and celebrates the ‘gift of uncertainty’ that can allow the right kind of doubt to actually deepen our faith and intimacy with God.

Home

by Marilynne Robinson

This beautiful novel follows Gilead for which Marilynne won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. It is a moving and healing book about families, secrets, and the passing of generations, about love and death and faith. An unforgettable embodiment of the deepest and most universal emotions. The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning Hold on tight as you discover the most powerful force in the universe: God’s furious longing for you. This ‘ragamuffin’ takes us on a journey to show us that there are no boundaries to where God’s love will take him in order to find us, embrace us, and take us home. Just remember, if technology brings change, what shouldn’t change is our desire to learn, think, discuss, and be challenged. No matter what format you use, you still have to discipline yourself to read (or listen). There is no getting around that. So go ahead, make time to pick up, plug in, download, and engage. There has never been a better time to ‘read’. Read on! Larry Thiessen lives in Calgary, Alberta and is the former manager of Christian Publications bookstores

* The historical record shows that the Chinese likely had some kind of moveable type as early as 1041 AD. Even so, most scholars regard Gutenberg’s 1440 version as the beginning of the printing press revolution as we know it.

impressions

His Art Helps To Transform Lives Internationally acclaimed performer is opening minds and hearts to the power of divine love by Sandy Reynolds

Not everyone was open to a dramatic presentation actually being the message

t happens far too frequently. After a performance in a local church, individuals will make comments like, “If I knew you were that good I would have brought a friend!” It’s an indication of the low expectations people have for dramatic arts in the Church. And it is something that professional actor, award-winning filmmaker and communication coach Jason Hildebrand finds frustrating and motivating at the same time. Hildebrand is good. He doesn’t mind pointing that out when speaking to pastors who are interested in having him perform for their congregations. He is not being arrogant. He works hard at his craft. Excellence is paramount to him. When Hildebrand graduated from university his goal, like many young actors, was to perform at venues such as the Stratford or Shaw Festivals or perhaps to make a name for himself in film or TV. But God had other plans. He was leading him to do a

one-man show on the life of David. “I went into working with the Church kicking and screaming,” said Hildebrand in a recent interview. During a year of procrastination, God removed all other options in his life and brought him to a place where he had nothing left to do but surrender to that call. After creating the show, Hildebrand began cold calling churches. It was often a tough sell. Churches that were using drama were mostly into the Willow Creek model of a topical skit that led into the sermon. Although their intentions might have been good, the weakness was they were often using dated scripts created for a different context, hoping it would somehow translate and be relevant in their own churches. Not everyone was open to a dramatic presentation actually being the message. Since The Life of David, Hildebrand has developed

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Photo by Darryl Chapman

It all comes down to communicating a message that burns so brightly it hits the back of the room

The Prodigal Trilogy Wins 2009 Jubilee Award The Prodigal Trilogy was awarded the top honour in the “Best Dramatic Short” category during the closing ceremonies at the fifth annual San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) on January 10, 2009. Jason Hildebrand received the Jubilee Award and gave his acceptance speech in front of an enthusiastic crowd of more than 2,400 people. The SAICFF is the premiere Christian Film Festival in the world. It exists primarily to encourage and reward Christian filmmakers who artfully communicate a distinctively biblical worldview through their film production.

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2009

monologues or one-man shows based on the life of Job, A.B. Simpson, Herod and the prodigal son. A departure for him came when he adapted the bestselling book, Blue Like Jazz, into a solo multimedia theatrical performance. The project was heartily endorsed by the book’s author, Donald Miller. His drive to push the boundaries has more recently led into the realm of film. The Prodigal monologue is based on the Luke 15 parable of Jesus in the Bible. After performing it on stage for eight years, he felt it was time to make it into a movie. The Prodigal Trilogy film is a cinematic adaptation of his solo performance monologue. The film is scored by acclaimed Canadian composer and musician, Michael Janzen. After the film’s completion, Hildebrand prayed for direction. Based on the overwhelmingly strong feedback at the premiere, he began submitting the movie to film festivals. Since then, he has received affirmation that has been a testimony to the production quality, strong musical score and timeless story that transcends religious boundaries. His film was one of 25 semifinalists nominated from 250 submissions at the recently held San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. He was also given honorable mention at The Accolade Film Festival—a festival recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the top 25 film festivals to enter. Hildebrand and his wife, Sarah, have four children. He is committed to his local church, serving as an elder at Toronto Alliance Church, an inner city work that ministers to the marginalized. For someone who once resisted working with the Church, those doors continue to be opened to

him. BlueFish TV is partnering with Hildebrand to turn The Prodigal Trilogy into a small group resource. Each section of the film will be accompanied by a teaching time. They are in the midst of working out a distribution deal which should be in place by the time this article is in print. Actor, filmmaker and communication coach are three distinct hats and yet there is a definite theme that runs throughout everything Hildebrand does. It all comes down to communicating a message that burns so brightly it hits the back of the room. “I long to see people live in the fullness of what God created them to be. People are desperately trying to hear from God and I long to help them get in touch with what is going on inside of them. God has allowed me to be part of epiphany moments with people. “God uses art to transform lives. As Christians we should be on the forefront of the most creative things. If God gave us our lives and he is the creator then we should make the best art out there.” To learn more about Jason Hildebrand or order copies of his work, visit www.jasonhildebrand.com Sandy Reynolds is a freelance writer from Burlington Alliance Church in Ontario

alliance converge

Working Together to Send New International Workers How the Alliance family helps people journey along the path as they prepare to go to the nations by Ric Gilbertson

We are in an exciting new phase in our Canadian C&MA churches

ablo and Silvina Papávero are relatively new Canadians. They came here in 2002 from Argentina. Pablo is an accountant by profession and had been hired by a business in Edmonton. Upon arrival, they walked

out of the terminal and experienced their first taste of a bone-chilling winter day in their new country. Thankfully, they didn’t take the next plane back to Argentina! They quickly embraced their new country and found a great church home at Fort Saskatchewan Alliance Church. Fort Saskatchewan Alliance became not only a place of worship but provided a warm sense of community. Pastor Dan Harstad’s preaching and mentoring was also influential for their spiritual growth. As time progressed, it became obvious to the church family that God had gifted Pablo and Silvina and his hand was upon them. Both displayed a passion for sharing the message and love of Christ. In the fall of 2007, their life took a new turn. Lisa Clarke, International Worker to Mexico City, was in Fort Saskatchewan for her one-year home assignment. Lisa shared the need The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) had in Mexico

City for a couple who could work in the area of accounting as well as form part of a new church planting team. As Pablo and Silvina heard of this need, God began to stir in their hearts. They entered a time of prayer and seeking God to discern his calling. The pastoral team and the community of the church spoke into the Papáveros’ life. It became evident that God was calling them to leave Canada and head to Mexico. In July 2008, Pablo and Silvina, with their three children, arrived in Mexico City. Being fluent in Spanish, they were able to immediately move into their new ministries. Pablo serves as the regional accountant for Mexico and Latin America. Silvina, who is very gifted in children’s ministry, has begun to reach out to the many children in the section of the city where they live. Their gifts for evangelism are bearing fruit and, with another family and single person, they are beginning a brand new church.

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Both couples were part of Alliance churches that showed a passion to help identify their giftedness and then inspire them to find ways of fulfilling it

Another couple is currently studying Spanish in Costa Rica. They are preparing to join one of our teams in a Creative Access Country. They will finish their language studies in August and then head to their new country. They arrived at this point through a series of events God used to shape their lives. Both grew up in nurturing church communities where they were affirmed and encouraged. Prior to marriage, they both sensed God leading them to depart from Canada to serve as International Workers (IWs). They acquired tools that would not only help them enter their new country but also show the compassion of God in practical ways. After both had finished theological degrees, the husband completed a Master’s in Community Development and the wife, a Master’s in Linguistics.

help identify their giftedness and then inspire them to find ways of fulfilling it. The Apostle Paul paints an exciting picture of the heart of church life in Ephesians 4:11-12. We read: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare (equip) God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up . . . (NIV)” (equip and underlining are added). The word ‘equip’ conveys a particularly vivid and powerful picture. Equip was used in the culture of Paul’s day to describe the activity that coaches did to train Olympic athletes. Here is the picture portrayed—pastors, leaders, and other members of the Body of Christ are like coaches. One of their primary roles is to help each ‘athlete’ discover the ‘sport’ in which God has given them to excel. Coaches then provide an ideal training environment for their athletes. These couples had ‘coaches’ who believed in, counseled, inspired, and released them to excel in the sport to which God had called them. We are in an exciting new phase in

The Alliance Family of Churches chooses to work together in order to send International Workers What do these couples have in common? Well, obviously they have sensed God’s call to leave Canada and serve him where there are few Christians. However, they also had their sense of call birthed and matured by the church community. What happened in each of their lives shows how the C&MA forms a team to identify, call, and equip people interested in missions. Both couples were part of Alliance churches that showed a passion to

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our Canadian C&MA churches. I see signs right across the country of God stirring us up to recapture the picture Paul describes. Pastors, elders, leaders and others within the church community are actively seeking to help people identify their giftedness, then equipping, empowering and releasing them to serve God in their community, country, and world. Besides being nurtured by their pastors and local churches, both couples were also helped by the

Global Ministries Department. Global Ministries (GM) is the name given to the international extension of Alliance churches in Canada. The Alliance Family of Churches chooses to work together in order to send International Workers. GM provides the organizational structure to facilitate what God is doing in our churches and the people he is calling out from them. Recently, GM has embarked on a series of initiatives. One was the development of a new website packed with information to help people explore a possible calling to overseas work. Another was the formation of Converge—the official division of GM that oversees the mobilization and development of IWs with the C&MA in Canada. The purpose of Converge is to work together with local churches to send people like these two couples. The word serves as a metaphor. Just as various streams converge together to form a rushing river, so too God uses multiple means and people to help identify, call, and equip people to serve as International Workers. Those who are interested in pursuing serving God overseas are put in contact with the Converge team. The team walks alongside of people through the process of becoming IWs with the Alliance. Since 1887, the C&MA has been passionate about going to the leastreached people. God is raising up a new wave of people to go into the needy places of the world. This is a team process. Pastors, churches, GM, and Converge are committed to helping people journey along the path as they go to the nations. Ric and Ruth-Anne Gilbertson serve as national co-directors of Converge. For more information visit www.cmaconverge.com

FEATURE

Impacting Canadian Culture With Christianity A personal encounter with the power of broadcast technology

Photo by Darryl Chapman

by Lorna Dueck

Media, the strongest story teller in the culture, must tell of the narrative of God

roadcast technology changed my life. In more ways than I care to admit, I’ve been shaped through ideas that have flickered into my consciousness. Radios and televisions have carried a legion of voices that have affected the way I act; everything from gardening tips to Bible lessons, fashion ideas to family advice, traffic reports to the things I buy. A massive conglomeration of influence has had one originating source in my life—broadcast technology. We would not

recognize the world void of the broadcast voices and images that have shaped it. The most powerful in the world rise and fall through this technology. A botched TV interview with CBS evaporated the bubble of awe around vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. President Obama recruited from CNN when he went looking for a doctor to lead the nation’s health care strategy. But this story is about a more personal encounter with the power of broadcast technology. An old memory of a wardrobe consultant ripping through my closet comes to mind. “You have nothing that works for TV, nothing” was the conclusion. Or choking back tears in an orthodontist office because the smile I’d been born with was diagnosed as needing adaptation for TV consumption. Every missionary has legitimate sob stories of adapting

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Bottom line, it’s a God-sized challenge in hostile territory

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gruff voice, a lower tone than any girls my age, and after one bruising adolescent encounter over its uniqueness, my father comforted me with his insight that day: “Lorna, your voice is different than anyone else’s and God is going to use it for something special.” Naturally curious and naturally a storyteller, I wanted to become a reporter as soon as I discovered the profession. A Bible school professor made a referral for me to a radio station where he was on the board, and his influence and that low voice launched me into rural radio at Golden West Broadcasting in Manitoba. I quit broadcasting early into my first big market of Winnipeg. I was scared, my selfesteem shaken, and I retreated out of fear. One day, praying over job frustrations, I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to apply at a TV station in Brandon, Manitoba. I made a cold call, and at the end of a job interview that very same day, an atheist news director concluded he’d hired a ‘Bible thumper’, but he didn’t know why. In 1988, when it was time to be home raising two babies and journalistic work was in hiatus, I finally took time to listen to the media through eyes of faith. I thought there wasn’t much to be found about God in what I consumed, and I found myself praying “Lord, let me impact the media for you.” I interviewed Christians in action, published a few stories, and two cute toddlers tore the house apart while mom played at faith-based journalism. In 1994 while stirring spaghetti, a voice much deeper than mine phoned and asked me to pray about getting back into television. It was Rev. David Mainse, a pioneer in both broadcast technology and Christianity. He began his mentoring into my life as I served the next eight years as his co-host at the daily Christian telecast of 100 Huntley Street.

Photo by Darryl Chapman

to the field they are being called to, and mine are just a little easier to misunderstand. One of the most common was the dark night of the soul when I realized I was being asked to stand on national television and request people pay me to talk about Jesus. Surely the Gospel doesn’t require an on air donation ask? We might as well get this big obstacle out of the way right off the top because this is the common ground we enter on when we broach the subject of using broadcast technology to impact culture with Christianity. With an expensive and distant product, it’s hard to realize that broadcast donations are part of the Great Commission. Rates for talking to a television audience begin at the low end of $250 for a half hour with less than 3,000 viewers at a speciality channel, to $210,000 an hour in prime time on a major network; if, that is, you can negotiate for it to be sold. Those opportunities are rare. Thirtysecond TV commercials of your message range from $50 an airing on the smallest of networks, to $25,000 to be placed on the top networks in prime time audiences of 500,000. Then add the money needed to produce something that communicates. If you apply for tax credits (which can carry up to 30 percent of your producing costs) you get an idea of the standards in broadcast spending. For a tax credit supported message, you must be able to prove you have spent a minimum of $100,000 to create every half hour of content. Christians rarely spend that kind of production money on their message, but that level of investment is considered necessary for quality broadcasting. Little Mosque on the Prairie—which CBC is now selling in the U.S. and Europe, is a brilliant show where a mosque outshines a church on the Saskatchewan prairie. Its production value is over $200,000 for every half hour. Bottom line, it’s a God-sized challenge in hostile territory. For me this began very innocently. I had a

who build the message with their gifts and accountability and of course, there are those willing to share their story of Christ. It’s that miracle of grace, the amazing stories of God at work in human lives, that keeps us going in this. To see, as Dr. Eugene Peterson describes how Jesus walked on earth, “salvation narrated into being through conversation, personal relationships and compassionate responses.” Media, the strongest story teller in the culture, must tell of the narrative of God. It used to be we could count on people to go to church for that story, but truth is in my generation Canadians have seen church attendance drop from 70 percent of the population attending, to less than 17 percent. (Ipsos Reid 2006) More than ever we need spiritual conversations for lost people to discover they have a spiritual home in Jesus, and broadcasting needs more than ever for the family of God to take its place and tell their stories to its audiences. Lorna Dueck is host of Listen Up, a public affairs programme which seeks out Christian stories and responses to major news events. Lorna is a member of Burlington Alliance Church in Ontario

Photo by Darryl Chapman

It was there that I became hooked on using television to communicate the Gospel, not because we were such great broadcasters, but because over 1,000 people a day phoned the prayer line phone numbers that were put up at the bottom of the TV screen. I was stunned to think that any Christian activity could have that kind of response rate from the public, and I was often troubled with the stewardship that called for. Sensing a Holy Spirit move for new things, in 2003 my friends at 100 Huntley Street launched me into my own independent TV ministry of Media Voice Generation and Listen Up TV. I responded with a yes because I knew the broadcast market was not able to protect and promote Christianity on its own; the capitalism it thrives on doesn’t work that way. There were quite a few test ‘fleeces’ put out to see if this was really a God invitation; one of them was I wanted this media charity’s new governance to include my church family. When Dr. Franklin Pyles said he would be the founding Board Chairman of this venture, Media Voice Generation was launched. Listen Up TV grew from being a segment within 100 Huntley Street to becoming an independent show on eight networks, the largest being Global TV, where we purchase time on Sunday mornings across the country at 11 a.m. The goal is to speak to Canadians who are not in church, and bridge them to Christ through a discussion of news and current events. We look weekly for Christians involved in the news, for a biblical worldview to be taught through subjects Canadians are interested in. Our material has been duplicated into a column at The Globe and Mail and at CBC.ca, and we’ve pioneered a regular faith debate panel for web forums at globeandmail.com. A team of ten of us pray, plan, and produce a weekly half-hour show which is also broadcast on the web at www.listenuptv.com Wherever you start the story of bringing the Gospel into broadcasting, you’ll find an intricate web of Christian community. Like the invisible sound waves that permeate this technology, so it is with the network that launches evangelism into public space. I wish space could tell how many people make this possible and the mystery of how they are all called to play a part on a different day, a different hour, a different way. Words aren’t adequate to say thank you, but they all play their part. There’s a supportive spouse and family, a bevy of encouragers, intercessors and Christian disciplers, a donor who kicks it off, and then many more

The goal is to speak to Canadians who are not in church, and bridge them to Christ through a discussion of news and current events Spring 2009

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FEATURE

Redeeming Technology for the Church Using the newest tools to connect with the culture by Scott Murley

ave you ever spent a protracted period of time in a foreign country? If you have, you’ll have experienced culture shock. That vague, queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach that says, “I don’t belong here, I don’t understand what’s going on, no one understands me, I am alone.” Two weeks in a strange land is not really enough time to get one acquainted with culture shock. It takes a good six months to a year in a foreign land, driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road—with a different language thrown in for good measure—to fully appreciate what it’s like to be lonely and unable to communicate with those around you. The perplexing thing is, we can all communicate, we just don’t do it in the same language, or even on the same type of phone! Our parents call each other on land-lines, we talk to each other on cell phones, and our kids text each other in the back of the van. A phone is in use in each instance, but the mode of communication is vastly different. Can you imagine growing up in a strange land, where you understand no one, and everyone seems so weird—like they’ve just stepped off a spacecraft from another planet?

"Mr. Watson! Come quick, I need you."

My friend and his daughter got into a ‘discussion’ some months back. She was out at a youth event and the deal was if she needed a ride home, she’d call. There was no call, so my friend went to bed. The next morning, some old-fashioned husband/wife/daughter communication got going precisely because my friend’s daughter did not call in the manner expected. Turns out she ‘texted’ him—that’s text the verb, not the noun—and couldn’t believe he didn’t check his text messages while in bed. “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked. “But I texted you” came the response. They all still live in the same house . . . I think. Just because you’re using a phone, doesn’t mean people at the other end are connecting with you.

"Blessed are the cheesemakers." The Life of Brian – 1979 – Scene 2 As a child, my mother would call our wintery visits to Massey Hall our ‘evening to get cultured.’ Of course, the implication was that we were going to listen to classical music and thereby be raised higher. With me, I’m not quite sure the experiment worked. I don’t think anyone would argue that classical music is a type of communication, but it isn’t ‘culture’ per se. Art—whether that be music, the spoken word, drama, photography . . . which are all various types of communication—is informed by the culture in

Alexander Graham Bell

Culture is really a common basis of understanding, and you can’t force someone to appreciate something outside of their culture, no matter how much you happen to value it

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which it is conceived. Successful communicators know this, and use it to their advantage. Culture is really a common basis of understanding, and you can’t force someone to appreciate something outside of their culture, no matter how much you happen to value it. You can, however, make an effort to understand and value someone else’s culture. As communicators entrusted with getting a tremendously important message across, we should stretch to do so. A little bit of culture has the tendency to turn us into something new, which is why we need it to make cheese.

"I know only enough of God to want to worship him, by any means ready at hand."

The perplexing thing is, we can all communicate, we just don’t do it in the same language, or even on the same type of phone

Annie Dillard It is not enough to earnestly believe that the newest piece of technology will ‘really help us connect with the culture’, which it will, but content in the correct cultural context must be present as well. I believe in using whatever tool is at hand—with excellence—to help connect and drive the point home. In the work that I do, I am continually amazed by the number of people who are trained in the art of communication who use the wrong ‘phone’ when attempting to connect with a different culture. Christ, who was arguably the greatest Storyteller ever, never fell into this trap. He told stories with whatever tool was at hand to connect with his listeners. Cultural authenticity and content are keys and should be combined with choosing the correct ‘phone’ on which to place the call. We should not equate production values with connectivity, and we need to continually use the appropriate words, hardware, software, and environment, to draw our assemblies into Communion with the Most High. We must communicate with excellence in a culturally-relevant manner, to bring the family together in unified praise of him, and then perhaps to party together a little afterwards.

"Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words." St. Francis of Assisi

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

2010 March 16-20

Antalya, Turkey Retrace the path of the Apostle Paul Review our strategy to reach the unreached Renew your passion for the world

Scott Murley spends most of his time making people and technology live together peacefully. If you wish to respond to this article, please contact us at magazine@cmacan.org

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FEATURE

Making the World Smaller

This technology allows you to connect live and in real time with anyone anywhere by Wade Paton

As he spoke, a connection was made between life here and life there

have this habit. Maybe it is more of a routine than a habit. But regardless of which it is, it is something I do everyday. It goes something like this: Hotmail, TSN, ESPN, CNN International. These are the first four websites I look at to find out what is going on in the world. I noticed something interesting the other day as I entered the CNN International news home page. Beside each current story, in bold red type, was how long ago the story had been uploaded. Some stories were 14 minutes old. Others 38 minutes old. The one that stood out to me was a story that was 13 seconds old. Instant news. As the event is unfolding I am able to engage in the current happenings. I am able to enter into the story as it happens. A connection is made as the situation begins that keeps me interested in the story for a long time. This, in many ways, is like something that happened while I was on the pastoral team at St. Albert Alliance in Alberta. An opportunity arose for us as a church to have

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one of our Alliance workers speak at our Sunday morning services. Although not an uncommon occurrence in many churches today, the unique part was that he was only in Canada for a few days and then heading back overseas. What I remember so vividly was the ‘freshness’ of his stories. As he spoke he would say things like, “Three days ago I was in . . . and I saw God doing amazing things!” Or, “While I was on the plane over the Atlantic the other day, God spoke to me about the problems in . . .” As he spoke, a connection was made between life here and life there. We were entering into his stories as they were unfolding. The issues he was facing had not reached a resolution so we prayed together about the things that were current realities in his place of service. Memorable. Powerful. Engaging. The point of this article is to share with you how we have experienced these two things—the speed of Internet news and the power of current stories—at a fraction of the cost of flying someone to Canada from another part of the world. For us, Skype Video has opened up incredible opportunities to connect live, in real time, with those

Fast Facts About Skype

For us, Skype Video has opened up incredible opportunities to connect live, in real time, with those that pray for us and support us in Canada

Skype is software that allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service and to free-of-charge numbers are free, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing. It was created by two entrepreneurs and a team of software developers based in Tallinn, Estonia. The Skype Group has its headquarters in Luxembourg. Skype has experienced rapid growth in popular usage since the launch of its services in 2003. It was acquired by eBay in September 2005 for $2.6 billion. As of December 31, 2008 Skype had 405 million user accounts. Users may have more than one account, and it is not possible to identify users with multiple accounts. It was reported that 15,952,085 concurrent Skype users were online as of January 26, 2009. As of January 2009, Skype is adding about 30 million subscribers a quarter. Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

w w w.skype.com

We have been able to share the things that happened that very day with the people that are walking this journey with us that pray for us and support us in Canada. Skype is downloadable software that allows you to communicate, computer-to-computer, for free. With two computers equipped with cameras (one here and one there) we are able to have direct eye contact with our family, friends, and churches whenever it can be arranged. In fact, since we arrived in Thailand 18 months ago, we have spoken with our sending church, St. Albert Alliance, three different times. Twice we have shared in the staff devotional time and once during the Sunday morning worship service. We have been able to share the things that happened that very day with the people that are walking this journey with us. They pray for us. We pray for them.

Instant news. Fresh stories of what God is doing. Face-toface. Minus the agony and expense of overseas travel. Our encouragement to you is to try it out and see how it works. Small groups can invite an International Worker to one of their meetings. Families can have live conversation with people living overseas. Missionaries can invite people into their homes and gatherings for encouragement. Churches and pastoral teams can arrange services and events with this technology able to assist them in touching the world. It is a connection worth making. Wade Paton and his family are International Workers with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, serving in the Asian Spice region. He can be reached at wkpaton@hotmail.com

perspectives

Insights for Tough

Economic Times Dr. Franklin Pyles on learning from the current financial turmoil by Peter White

s the economic fabric of Canadian life unravels and reveals its many flaws, it seems everyone is trying to understand what went wrong and what can be learned from this experience so as to prevent a recurrence in the future. cmAlliance.ca recently interviewed Dr. Franklin Pyles, President of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, and asked him to share some of his thoughts on this subject.

Have we even begun to take it for granted that the food on our table will be there, perhaps because we have worked so hard 18

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Alliance.ca: Although the Bible says nothing explicit about subprime loans, what does it have to say about such a crisis as we now face? Dr. Franklin Pyles: Perhaps the parable of the rich man who was satisfied with all that he had accomplished, who filled his barns and then decided to tear them down and build bigger ones, but who ignored the poor, opens the door for our thinking. The issue was not that he was successful but that he was successful for himself alone. This is highlighted by the words he uses when he talks to himself. “I” dominates the talk, and then he tells himself to “eat, drink and be merry.” Here is a man who feels that what he has accomplished in life entitles him to fulfill every desire. Across the world millions of people have been working hard at jobs, inventing new products, designing and marketing new concepts, and in so doing, they have created a world market that has lifted more people above the poverty

line than at any time in history— all to be celebrated. But, cold, evil greed enters as the uninvited guest at the banquet, ruining the party. Greed showed itself as borrowing more than could be afforded, based on the false hope that the economy would forever expand without limits, and in the willingness of economic leaders to place their companies, their stockholders, and ultimately the world, at risk for short term gain, not to mention the gradual but real ruination of the environment. We, like the rich man, have been foolish because we have made ourselves the centre of everything. The jobs, the good times, sometimes even mission trips, seem designed to answer one question: “what will I get out of it?” Self-fulfillment and selfesteem have been the watchwords with no expense seemingly too great to guarantee them. Now our greed and avarice have come back to bite us. And so we should remember that when the proud rich man patted himself on the back God said to

In the same way, we should earn money in order to live in a dignified but modest manner him “thou fool.” Perhaps we can hear this voice of God echoing through the daily TSX averages. A.ca: What alternatives are there to the self-centered lifestyle? FP: Christians are not going to live in a different economic system than everyone else; they are going to earn their living the same way that their neighbour earns her living. However, Christians can lead the way in change. I think the concern about the environment is a good example of how change can come about. Gradually people have come to the realization that cost effectiveness

cannot be the only consideration in making a choice between various models of energy production. In the same way, we should earn money in order to live in a dignified but modest manner. We should care for our family, but also be sure to help in caring for families around the world. We should care for our local church, but also be generous in supporting the church around the world. A.ca: How can we move from anxiety and fear to focus on the abundance of God? FP: We have all been working hard, making things happen, or so it seemed. We have given, and we have worked harder. But in the end, did we really trust the Lord for the provision of our needs. Perhaps it’s just me, but have I noticed that the practice of Christians giving thanks before their meal has begun to diminish? Have we even begun to take it for granted that the food on our table will be there, perhaps because we have worked so hard? And now what,

when hard work may not be enough? Dependence on our Father in heaven must be a habit of the heart. One of the benefits of tithing is to acknowledge that what we have is not our own, it is given to us to use wisely. And a benefit of giving thanks is to acknowledge that, hour by hour, it is the Lord who provides as a gift what we need to live, that neither our wage nor our food is owed to us. So perhaps the way out of fear and anxiety lies through our being generous and being thankful. During the Great Depression, many families helped others in any way they could. And Christians continued to give to their church and support missions. In fact, it was during the 30’s that we, as an Alliance, pushed into new territory. People continued to believe their lives were not summed up by the ‘bottom line,’ and so they continued to experience joy. Peter White is an independent communication, media and adult education consultant

What Is the GLOBAL ADVANCE FUND ? The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada primarily supports international workers and their ministries

through this fund. It provides both personal support in the form of salaries and allowances, as well as resourcing the necessary materials and equipment needed on the field in order to

share the gospel.

With your help, we are changing lives for eternity, responding to the command of Jesus to bring the gospel to the least-reached and to make disciples of all nations. Clearly designated donations may be made through your local Alliance church or directly to: THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE IN CANADA 30 Carrier Drive Suite 100 Toronto ON M9W 5T7

(GAF ) GLOBAL ADVANCE FUND

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Central Asia FEATURE

At Risk in

Insights into the horrors faced by many living in this part of the world

A “

ll I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air—with one enormous chair, oh, wouldn’t it be lov-er-ly?” In My Fair Lady, Eliza Doolittle is a young woman who sells flowers on the dirty streets of early 20 th century London to make a few pennies each day. Her face is smudged with dirt and her manners are uncultured, but she longs for a better life. She goes on in her song to wish for food to eat and warmth from the cold, time to rest, and someone to love and take care of her. Many people in Central Asia are at risk because they lack one or more of these basic things. Some are at risk from society’s traditions; others are at risk from nature, and still others from exploitation.

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Risk from Traditions

Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan “Let me go!” Gulmira* screamed, trying in vain to tear herself away from her captor’s vise-like grip. “I don’t want to marry you. I don’t even know you!” she sobbed in desperation. Gulmira had been invited to her fiancé’s parents’ home to meet his family and friends. After a party to introduce her to his buddies, she had gone to bed, looking forward to a peaceful night’s sleep. A rough hand over her mouth rudely awakened her. Strong arms forced her to move quickly out of the house. She tried

Kyrgyzstan’s practice of bride kidnapping is one that puts many young women at risk to resist, but to no avail. She begged the young man, one of her fiancé’s friends, to let her return to the man she loved, but he turned a deaf ear to her pleading. After traveling for many hours, they reached her captor’s home. His female relatives took her to the back room and forced the jooluk, or marriage scarf, on her head. She had no means of escape. To further discourage her, an older aunt lay down at the threshold of the home with a loaf of bread on her chest, warning that if Gulmira ever tried to cross over the threshold and escape, her life would be forever cursed. Gulmira knew that if she did escape and somehow find her way back to her parents’ home, they would not welcome her. In the Kyrgyz language, the worst word used to defame or curse someone is the word that means “one who is stolen and returns.” If a kidnapped bride returns home, she brings disgrace on her family, and is a financial burden to them the rest of her life, as no one will marry her. Kyrgyzstan’s practice of bride kidnapping is one that puts many young women at risk. Estimates show that “35-45 percent of married ethnic Kyrgyz women are married against their will as a result of bridekidnapping.” 1 The problem is much more prevalent in villages than in the larger cities, but the Kyrgyz pastor who shared Gulmira’s story said that even though his church is in a big city, they still have to be very careful. When they take evangelistic teams into the villages, they have to keep a close watch on the young women with them, so that no one kidnaps them.2 The pastor recounting the story of Gulmira said that, unlike many others, this story has a happy ending. After years of abuse by her alcoholic husband, Gulmira came to the Lord, and later her husband did as well. Today they are happily married and serving God in a local church. For so many other kidnapped brides, however, “happily ever after” is strictly a fairy-tale phenomenon.

Risk from Nature Tajikistan

“Wake up, children, hurry! It’s starting to rain again. We must get up to higher ground!” The frantic mother rushed her sleepy children higher up the steep, shadowy mountainside to a neighbour’s home. In order to understand this scene, we must first look at the ruggedly beautiful country of Tajikistan. For this 90 percent mountainous country, natural disasters such as flash floods, mudslides, avalanches and earthquakes are a constant threat. A Christian worker there was intrigued by the odd occurrence referred to

above. It took place in a mountain village. Each time it rained, day or night, the families living in the lowest part of the valley would quickly leave their homes and hurry to neighbours’ places on higher ground. “Why do you do this?” he asked one of the families. “Because the next heavy rain storm may cause a flash flood that will sweep all these lower houses away.” “Why don’t you just build a new home on higher ground?” “The reason is,” came the sad reply, “we have no money for building materials, and no one cares enough to help another family build. We cannot build a house with no resources and no help.” 3 Christian humanitarian aid personnel are working with village leaders in Tajikistan to find solutions to the housing crisis due to natural disasters.

Risk of Exploitation Human Trafficking

Roza, a young woman from Turkmenistan, was promised a good job as a nanny in Dubai. When she arrived, she was forced to work in a Russian brothel. “It was horrific,” she said with tears of shame and pain in her eyes. “I worked all night, every night, six days a week, and was beaten if I refused to perform.” After eight months of this torture, she escaped. But her brokenness remains.4 Human Trafficking is the lucrative business of coercing or selling people into slavery. According to the US State Department, of the 2.5 million trafficked slaves around the world, about 80 percent are female, around 50 percent are underage, and most are used for sexual purposes. Most of the victims are from Asia and Eastern Europe.5 Central Asia has an increasing number of human trafficking victims.6 Many are girls in their teens or twenties who are sent to the Gulf States in the Middle East. With stellar promises of well-paying jobs as waitresses, nannies, or models, for example, they are tricked into leaving all that is familiar and are forced into prostitution.7 Most have no hope of escape as their personal ID is taken from them, they are controlled by threats against themselves or their families, and they are paid little or nothing for their work, and are so filled with shame that even if they could break free, they fear rejection from their families.8 Two teenage girls from northern Kazakhstan were much more fortunate than Roza. The girls, one in grade 10 and the other in grade 11, were looking for a way to get away from home and have a more exciting life. They jumped at the chance to go abroad and make good money as waitresses. A woman met them in the

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country’s capital, Astana, and took them to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. There the girls discovered the plan for them to be sent to the United Arab Emirates to work as sexslaves in nightclubs. They appealed to the Uzbek police and were able to return home unscathed. The woman who had tricked them was heartbroken at the girls escape. Her plan was to bring these two unsuspecting girls to Dubai to exchange them for her own precious daughter who was enslaved there in the sex trade.9 Central Asian girls need to be freed from prostitution, to find healing in Christ and to either be accepted back home or find true jobs to support themselves. Not every person in Central Asia is directly at risk from bride kidnapping, imminent natural disaster or human trafficking. Many of these beautiful people live their lives in relative security. However, thousands

who are struggling today with these horrors need to know that there is hope and a reason to go on living. In My Fair Lady, the hard, self-centered Henry Higgins transformed Eliza Doolittle into an elegant, poised lady of society. The power of our Almighty God and his Gospel of grace and hope is incomparably greater. Through our prayers and personal involvement in his mission, he will transform the lives and circumstances of people like Gulmira, the Tajik family and Roza. How would he have you join him in this ministry of transformation? The author is an International Worker in Central Asia whose heart is burdened for the difficult issues so many people face in these countries. It is her desire to raise awareness in order to inspire people to pray, give and even become involved in working toward solutions

* Not her real name. 1

Reconciled to Violence: State Failure to Stop Domestic Abuse and Abduction of Women in Kyrgyzstan. Human Rights Watch Report, Volume 18, No.9 (D). September 2006.

Report by Kyrgyz pastor (name withheld) in conference session, Social Issues in Central Asia, February 2005.

Personal interview with Tajikistan humanitarian aid worker (name withheld), March 2003.

Central Asia: Special Report on Human Trafficking. IRIN Humanitarian News and Analysis, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Ankara, October 21, 2003. http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=20782

Offman, Craig, MP takes aim at pedophiles with bill, National Post. Monday, October 29, 2007.

Central Asia: Special Report on Human Trafficking.

US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2007: Kazakhstan. Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. March 11, 2008.

The Salvation Army Fights Slavery in the Form of Human Trafficking. December 3, 2007. http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2007/12/03/the-salvation-army-fights-slavery-in-the-form-of-human-trafficking/

Fighting Against People Trafficking. Khabar Agency, Kazakhstan. December 1, 2008. http://www.khabar.kz/index.cfm?id= 50747

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2009

FEATURE Today we have an ability to deliver services in ways we could only dream about when I arrived in Regina

Sowing Seeds of Sustainability The commitment of our churches offsets these decadal changes in Christian higher education by George Durance

welve years ago I was invited to become the president of Canadian Bible College/Canadian Theological Seminary (CBC/CTS), our Alliance schools. Our family arrived in Regina, tired from an overseas move, but filled with a sense of anticipation. Because I was not a graduate of the schools, everyone and everything appeared new and strange. The first person I met (Velma Warnock) walked me down the hall, opened a door, and pointed to a desk in the middle of the room. “That’s your desk,” she said matter-of-factly. As I sat down in the large, presidential chair, I noted there was nothing cluttering the cherry stained desk in front of me and, when I pulled open a few drawers, I was nonplussed to discover they were empty. “Now what?” I thought to myself. Twelve years later, with a great deal of work still to be done and my departure from Ambrose imminent, the drawers are full, the desk covered, and I am still asking what can be done to strengthen our school and Christian higher education in Canada. The educational landscape looks very different today than it did on that warm July day in 1997 when we moved to Regina. On our Canadian campuses today there is a greater likelihood students will be carrying debt and working part-time; there is a heightened concern for institutional assessment and accountability; there is an increased need for schools to provide second language and remedial learning services; there is a more utilitarian attitude amongst students that focuses attention on education’s vocational ends; and there is less emphasis on learning for personal development. All of these are significant trends, but another one is even more important than the ones noted above. I am referring to the general decline of Christian higher education in our country.

The Association of Theological Schools recently circulated a bulletin that states, “For the first time in several decades, the head count enrollment reported by member schools of The Association of Theological Schools . . . declined [2007].” The report went on to say, “The decline was more pronounced in Canadian schools (6 percent) than U.S. schools (2.1 percent).” When I entered my first term as president, many schools were reporting growth, particularly those that had migrated to a university platform or otherwise adapted to the changing needs and aspirations of the traditional Christian market. Now enrolment trends are generally negative from Halifax to Vancouver. In 1999, we circulated a letter to Christian higher educational institutions in the Calgary region inviting them to help us create a centre for Christian higher education. Nine years later, three of those schools have closed and a fourth will shut its doors in April. Explanations for this decline range from unstable currency exchange rates to cyclical demographic factors. The problem with these explanations is that they

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reference recognized facts but they obscure more fundamental concerns and they leave schools poorly equipped to cope with reality. Two catalysts of change suggest to me that prospects for improvement are mixed. The first catalyst is technological innovation, and it is a double-edged sword. Today we have an ability to deliver services in ways we could only dream about when I arrived in Regina. At that time, we had unrealistic expectations of the emerging internet platform. Five years ago there was retrenchment, as many institutions found the experiment expensive and ineffective. Today, pedagogically more satisfying models exist.

We endure this financial strain because technological innovation delivers genuine benefits for the student Consequently, over the last year, we at Ambrose have gathered personnel and infrastructure which will enable us to deliver services in a timely, convenient manner to individuals anywhere. The first fruits of this investment will be available later this year. All this comes with a price, of course. Entire rooms and even buildings in large universities are now needed just to cool the servers. Add to this software, hardware, and maintenance costs and you have a perfect financial storm. We endure this financial strain because technological innovation delivers genuine benefits for the student. For example, all our new classrooms have the latest smart technology which makes every classroom a dynamic learning environment. Our library offers 55,000 full text titles in a database, which is 1000 times the number we had in 1999. This means our library is better resourced in this area than many

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larger public libraries were a few years ago. However, the explosion of information made possible by technological innovation makes specialization and compartmentalization inevitable. We appreciate this when we are undergoing brain surgery, but in the world of higher education it leaves small schools with their generalized curricula less attractive, even though students (and parents) appreciate the warm collegiality on campus and the spiritual tone. The fact of the matter is that small schools are increasingly unable to meet the expectations of the market. That is why CBC/CTS and the Nazarene University College chose to merge and that is why we continue to ask other schools to work together to collaborate with us. Partnerships and mergers will enable schools to acquire ‘critical mass,’ but few appear willing to accept the sacrifice this entails. As a consequence, schools disappear and a century of sacrificial giving and godly vision is relegated to the dustbin. The second catalyst of change has been the degrading of a cluster of values in the Canadian evangelical church. A few statistics illustrate the impact of the change without actually defining the cause. In a recent study (2007) undertaken by Ipsos Reid, we discovered that only about 6 percent of Canadians are able to name a school in the category of Christian higher education and only 47 percent of evangelicals can name such a school. Furthermore, all target audiences in the survey, including evangelicals, rated non-Christian institutions more highly than Christian. Our sector still scored top marks in areas such as class size, the mentoring role of teachers, and the presence of faith in the learning process. But, the sum of it is that Christian higher education is relatively unknown today and, if it is known, it is misunderstood.

How did we get here? Obviously this is not a decadal trend. Sixty years ago Christian higher education was an integral part of a vibrant evangelical community. In those days, when Canada was a quasi–Christian culture, students, with parental blessing, streamed to our schools to study God’s Word and ‘to find themselves,’ to use a completely anachronistic phrase to make the point. They thought it was essential to know God’s Word and to find his will if they were going to ‘find themselves.’ Today, in a noticeably less Christian culture, Canadian Christians have decided Christian higher education, with its emphasis on knowing God and his will, is not as important as it was in an earlier ‘Christian’ day. When these values are no longer paramount in our lives, a series of unintended consequences results, including, I would argue, a diminished view of Christian higher education. Thankfully, exceptions exist and Ambrose is part of a denomination that values and nourishes its school and encourages it to work collaboratively with others while developing new programs in Arts and Sciences as well as in Theology and Ministry. This means students in our school, regardless of their vocational interests and objectives, are challenged to think about God’s will for their lives and to pursue a personal knowledge of him and his handiwork in creation. I am grateful the general decline in Christian higher education has not extended to our school. The credit goes to the churches of The Christian and Missionary Alliance which, together with those of The Church of the Nazarene, made a courageous, strategic decision to re-launch their school as Ambrose University College and invest it with new resources and support. Recently Bernie Van De Walle, one of our professors, commented to me that we have an outstanding

group of students this year: “They are as spiritually motivated as any we have had.” Given the quality of students on our campus today and the determination of our churches to see renewal happen, I believe the seeds of positive change have already been sown. George Durance is President, Ambrose University College

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FEATURE

L’Institut Biblique V.I.E. en quête d’une vision renouvelée Ce programme de formation novateur est renouvelé afin d’attirer à elles les leaders chrétiens dont les Églises fragiles du Québec ont tant besoin pour être affermies de Irene J. Alexander (en collaboration avec Jean Martin)

BVIE est un modèle d’éducation théologique unique que l’Alliance Chrétienne et Missionnaire (ACM) a conçu précisément pour le Québec. L’institut forme des leaders au sein d’Églises locales qui intègrent vérité et expérience. Voilà à quoi correspond l’acronyme V.I.E. Chaque étudiant devient membre d’une cohorte et est jumelé à un superviseur individuel qui l’aidera à appliquer ce qu’il apprend en classe à son ministère et à rapporter en classe des questions

Dans le cadre d’un de leurs cours, les étudiants d’IBVIE organisent un événement lors duquel ils servent un repas aux itinérants dans un parc au centre-ville de Montréal. In the context of one of their courses, IBVIE students organize an event to serve a meal to the homeless at a park in downtown Montreal.

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issues de son champ d’application. IBVIE repose sur cet échange rapide entre ministère et théologie, qui se poursuit tout au long du programme de quatre ans. L’autre approche inhabituelle de l’Institut Biblique V.I.E. (IBVIE) a conduit ses dirigeants à vouloir sortir du moule traditionnel de l’éducation théologique et à rétablir l’Église locale en tant que partenaire actuel et essentiel dans la préparation des leaders du Royaume. Le but pour les Églises locales est d’identifier et de recommander des leaders

potentiels, de prier pour eux, de les aider financièrement et de leur fournir un contexte favorisant leur ministère. Bien que petit, ce collège biblique officiel de l’ACM au Canada exerce son influence, une vie à la fois. Margaret Rokas Dehms a dit : « J’en suis à ma quatrième année à IBVIE. Mon pasteur est diplômé d’IBVIE et neuf autres personnes de l’Église de Noyan y ont suivi des cours. » Un leadership d’équipe Les fondateurs et codirecteurs de cet institut novateur ont donné l’exemple en intégrant eux‑mêmes le travail d’équipe à leur leadership partagé. Jean (John) Martin, directeur du développement, et Jean-Yves Cossette, directeur de la formation, ont investi beaucoup de temps, d’énergie et de prière dans la création et la croissance de ce ministère stratégique. Formé au Canadian Theological Seminary (CTS) et doué pour la théologie, l’Écriture, les langues bibliques, l’implantation d’Églises et la pratique en Église émergente au sein de la culture québécoise,

M. Cossette sert de voix prophétique dans la famille d’Églises et a collaboré étroitement avec le district à l’exécution du plan stratégique de ce dernier. Également diplômé du CTS, M. Martin met son expertise à contribution dans l’éducation. En fait, IBVIE doit le modèle d’apprentissage par l’expérience qu’il a adopté surtout au doctorat que M. Martin a fait à l’Université Laval, à Québec. M. Martin se passionne pour la relation entre le faire, d’une part, et l’être et le savoir, d’autre part. Ses huit années de pastorat lui permettant de s’identifier aux Églises locales, c’est avec sensibilité qu’il les aide à mieux jouer leur rôle central dans l’éducation théologique et le développement de leaders. Des étudiants engagés Possédant des antécédents, des aptitudes et des objectifs professionnels différents, les étudiants d’IBVIE (dont la moyenne d’âge est de 40 ans) ont un même but : apprendre à mieux connaître Christ et bâtir son Église au Québec. « Le programme d’IBVIE a été une grande source

Institut Biblique VIE Seeks Fresh Vision This innovative training program is being renewed so as to attract much-needed leaders to strengthen the fragile churches of Quebec by Irene J. Alexander (in collaboration with Jean Martin)

nstitut Biblique VIE is a unique model of theological education that The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada designed specifically for Quebec. The school is dedicated to training church leaders who integrate truth and experience. That’s what the VIE acronym (which translates ‘life’) stands for. Students, who are joined to a cohort, have individual field supervisors who coach them in applying classroom learning to practical ministry and in bringing questions from the field back to the classroom. This rapid back and forth between ministry and theology is the backbone of IBVIE and happens throughout the student’s four-year program. The other unusual approach is the way Institut Biblique VIE (IBVIE) leaders have sought to break out of the traditional mold of theological education and re-establish the local church as a present and essential partner in the preparation of Kingdom leaders. The goal is for local churches to identify, recommend and pray for candidates with

leadership potential, to help students financially and to provide a supportive context for ministry. Though small, this official Bible school of the C&MA in Canada is making an impact, one life at a time. Says Margaret Rokas Dehms, “I am a fourth-year student at IBVIE, my pastor is a graduate, and nine others from the Noyan church have taken courses.” Team leadership The founders and co-directors of this innovative school have intentionally modeled teamwork in their shared leadership. Jean (John) Martin, Director of Development, and Jean-Yves Cossette, Director of Academic Affairs, have poured much time, energy and prayer into the pioneering and growth of this strategic ministry. Equipped by his Canadian Theological Seminary (CTS) training and gifted in the areas of theology, Scripture, biblical languages, church planting and emerging church practice within Quebec culture, Cossette has been a prophetic voice within the Church family and worked

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d’encouragement pour moi, nous dit Michel Savard, qui s’attend à obtenir son diplôme en mai 2009. Résultat : je peux maintenant mieux servir le Seigneur dans mes responsabilités actuelles et futures. » Grâce à une entente unique conclue avec la faculté de théologie catholique romaine de l’Université de Montréal, 90 p. cent des étudiants d’IBVIE obtiendront un certificat en théologie pratique de cette université, en étudiant dans les locaux d’IBVIE. Ils devront travailler quatre ans avec acharnement pour réaliser le programme à temps partiel, une véritable gageure pour ceux qui jonglent avec travail à temps plein, famille et ministère. Prenons, par exemple, le diplômé d’IBVIE Serge Breault. On aurait pu dire que ce propriétaire de ferme laitière, père de cinq enfants et pasteur laïc d’une petite Église, en avait déjà plein les bras. Confiant que Dieu lui donnerait la grâce et la force supplémentaires nécessaires, M. Breault s’est pourtant engagé à réaliser le programme d’études. « J’ai eu bien des défis à relever, nous dit‑il, mais

Dieu m’a aidé à lui confier toutes mes responsabilités. Je me rappelle m’être rendu en classe un soir. Ma famille, toujours d’un grand soutien, m’avait aidé dans mes corvées. J’ai dû laisser un employé récolter le soja tout seul. J’ai dit à Dieu : “Tu es aux commandes.” C’est difficile, mais bon, d’être poussé à la limite. Je recommencerais n’importe quand. » « IBVIE m’a aidé à faire le lien entre la théorie et la pratique », dit le diplômé Mathurin Boignan, qui possédait déjà un doctorat en sociologie avant d’étudier à IBVIE. « Je mets déjà ma formation en pratique en tant que pasteur de l’Église du Berger, à Québec. » Une vision renouvelée La transformation de vies individuelles est formidable, mais avec un total d’environ 150 étudiants pour la première décennie d’existence d’IBVIE, c’est trop peu de vies transformées. Soucieux de combler le besoin pressant d’implanter plus d’Églises au Québec et de former des leaders laïcs et des ouvriers accrédités, IBVIE et le District

With varied backgrounds, abilities and vocational objectives, IBVIE students share one common purpose: to know Christ and to build his Church in Quebec closely with district leadership in its own strategic plan. Also a CTS graduate, Martin contributes an expertise in education. In fact, the experiential learning model adopted by IBVIE is in great part the fruit of his PhD degree earned at Université Laval in Quebec City. Martin has a passion for connecting doing to being and knowing. With his eight years of pastoral leadership, he has brought sensitivity to how the local church must grow into its central role in theological education and leadership development. Committed students With varied backgrounds, abilities and vocational objectives, IBVIE students (whose average age is 40) share one common purpose: to know Christ and to build his Church in Quebec. “The program has been a big source of encouragement to me,” says Michel Savard, who expects to graduate in May 2009. “As a result of IBVIE, I am now better equipped to serve the Lord in my current and future ministry responsibilities.” Ninety percent of IBVIE students are pursuing the University of Montreal Certificate in Practical Theology,

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thanks to a unique arrangement with the university’s Roman Catholic Department of Theology. All courses are taken at IBVIE. It takes four years and lots of hard work to complete the part-time program —no small task for those who are juggling full-time jobs, families and ministries. Take IBVIE graduate Serge Breault as an example. Some would have said that the dairy farmer, father of five and lay pastor of a small church had a full plate. However, trusting God to give an extra measure of strength and grace, Breault took on the commitment of completing the program. “There were a lot of challenges,” he says, “but God helped me entrust my many responsibilities to him. I remember going to class one evening. My family, always supportive, had pitched in to do chores. I also had to leave a hired hand alone to combine the soybeans. I said, ‘God you’re in control.’ Being stretched is hard, but I think it’s good.” He adds, “I would do it over again any time.” “This school helped me connect theory and practice,” says graduate Mathurin Boignan, who before launching into IBVIE already had a PhD in Sociology. “I am already applying my training as I pastor the Du Berger church in Quebec City.”

Saint‑Laurent se sont efforcés ensemble de réaligner stratégiquement la vision et l’approche de l’institut sur la vision et la mission de la famille d’Églises du Québec. Le but d’IBVIE : mieux outiller les Églises locales, les amener à mieux jouer leur rôle dans la formation de leaders, collaborer avec des réseaux d’Églises et les dynamiser, mieux servir les Églises du district de langue anglaise et autres et offrir plus de façons de développer des leaders. Le programme actuel, de niveau universitaire, exige un engagement excédant les capacités de plusieurs candidats au leadership qui seraient ouverts à d’autres options d’apprentissage. Face au nombre croissant de ministères d’évangélisation qui naissent dans les Églises de l’Alliance partout dans la province, le directeur du district Saint‑Laurent, Francis Pearson, et le Réseau de Direction du District aspirent à une multiplication encore plus grande des leaders formés et encadrés. « Une chose semble claire, nous dit M. Martin : Dieu dit encore qu’il faut former les leaders d’aujourd’hui et

Fresh vision The transformation of individual lives is great, but with a total of about 150 students in IBVIE’s first decade, the number of lives transformed is still too small. Burdened with the desperate need to plant more churches in Quebec and with the sobering lack of lay leaders and accredited workers, IBVIE and the St. Lawrence District have been toiling together to strategically realign the vision and approach of the school with the vision and mission of the family of churches in Quebec. The goal is to further equip and involve local churches in their leadership training role, to partner and empower church networks, to better serve the district’s churches that speak English or other languages and to offer a greater variety of pathways to leadership development. The present program operates at a university level and requires a commitment that is beyond the reach of many leadership candidates who would welcome

de demain dans le contexte de l’Église locale. Tandis que le district élabore des stratégies pour amener les Églises locales du Québec à participer encore plus à la maturation et à la multiplication de l’Église, le volet formation de l’ACM au Canada consacré au Québec s’aligne encore mieux sur ces partenaires. » Un ministère renouvelé pour l’Institut Biblique V.I.E. devrait émerger cet été, tandis que les leaders d’IBVIE et le district cherchent humblement la face de Dieu afin d’obtenir une vision renouvelée des moyens pour attirer et outiller une nouvelle génération d’ouvriers capables d’affermir les Églises fragiles du Québec. Irene Alexander est une ouvrière de l’ACM qui œuvre en milieu de travail près de Montréal. On peut la joindre à l’adresse irene.alexander@sympatico.ca Jean (John) Martin, ancien pasteur et implanteur d’Églises pour l’ACM, est directeur du développement à l’Institut Biblique V.I.E. On peut le joindre à l’adresse martinj@ibvie.org

other learning options. With a growing number of outreach ministries being birthed in Alliance churches across the province, St. Lawrence District Superintendant Francis Pearson and the District Executive Network yearn for an even greater multiplication of trained and coached leaders. “One thing seems clear,” says Martin. “The goal of shaping and training leaders in the context of the local church is still the voice of God for today and tomorrow. As the district strategizes to make Quebec local churches even more central in the maturation and multiplication of the Church, the training arm of the C&MA in Canada for Quebec will align itself even closer to these partners.” A renewed ministry for Institut Biblique VIE should begin to emerge this summer as leaders from IBVIE and the district humbly seek God’s face for a fresh vision of how to attract and equip a new generation of workers to strengthen the fragile churches of Quebec. Irene Alexander is a C&MA worker who serves in marketplace ministry near Montreal. She can be reached at irene.alexander@sympatico.ca Jean (John) Martin, former C&MA pastor and church planter, is Director of Development for Institut Biblique VIE. He can be reached at martinj@ibvie.org

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practice of prayer

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PROFOUND TRUTHS FROM GOD’S WORD THAT MERIT REFLECTION PRIOR TO WORLD WEEK OF PRAYER

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The Power of Corporate Praying by David Chotka

All must be utterly convinced God wants something done, and this is not merely something a couple of people think would be useful

ost believers in Christ are aware of the amazing promises related to prayer that our Lord has given to us in his Word. However, at the same time as we know them to be true, we have little idea just how very much has been placed within our grasp. Perhaps a story would make the point. In 1986 a jeweller by the name of Roy Whetstine went to a gem show in Tucson, Arizona. His two sons had each given him $5.00 hoping their dad might find them something for their rock collections at home. On a whim, Whetstine went into an area in which amateur dealers were selling their wares. He saw a display box with attractive stones marked $15.00 each. Inside the box was an egg-shaped brown/black stone about the size of a small potato. Whetstine picked up the stone, examined it and said, “You want $15.00 for this?”

Immediately the dealer cut the price to $10.00. Whetstine went home with his purchase and had it appraised. The brown/black rock was in fact a 1,905 carat Star Sapphire worth $2.28 million US (in 1984 dollars). I suspect the fellow who sold him the stone regretted his failure to appreciate what he had in his hands! Move this into the spiritual realm and we discover our path is strewn with precious stones whose value is beyond measure. As we prepare for the World Week of Prayer, one simple word from the teaching of Christ has more value than the undervalued stone Whetstine found. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered in My name, I am there in their midst (Matthew 18:19-20 NASB). We would be hard-pressed to find a more powerful promise, based on the unlimited treasures found in the phrase ‘anything they ask’. This promise is vast beyond human imagining. We need to take this promise of Christ and claim it for ourselves. Let’s be clear. It is imperative that we pray together. Praying apart in the hidden place was something

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Jesus practiced in his ministry and asked for us to do. However, praying together is something he requires us to do in order to see the unlimited power of God released, and to open earth to heaven’s influence. There are conditions in this expansive prayer. Most of God’s promises work this way. He initiates, but we must respond. The first condition is that there be a minimum of two believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have taken the decision to ensure their lives belong completely to the Lordship of their Saviour. This is what it means to pray into the ‘name’. The name of Jesus is not just a string of syllables uttered like a magic charm. The name is the character, nature, personality and the presence of God himself. Within God’s character lies the key to God’s power. It must be made clear here then that to ‘gather in his name’ is to do far more than merely meet in a room with some ideas about what might be helpful. Rather, it is to enter into the character of Jesus Christ himself, and to do this together. Sin issues must be dealt with, confessed and surrendered. Nagging troubles and doubts must be taken to the cross of Christ and left there. Sharing life together around the things of God must take centre stage. Once it is clear that both (or all) believers are ‘in Christ’ singly, and ‘in Christ’ together as far as they are aware,

World Week of Prayer May 3 –10, 2009

You are invited to join as the Alliance churches in Canada unite in our World Week of Prayer. Specific prayer requests, including the following, will be available from your local Alliance church.

the second condition must be met. They must be agreed! All must be utterly convinced God wants something done, and this is not merely something a couple of people think would be useful. Jesus’ power doesn’t flow around what is merely ‘nice.’ Jesus’ presence, power and promises are manifestly present to a mutually submitted gathering of focused believers who make God’s glory their only agenda. This is what it means to ‘gather in his name.’ Jesus’ power is released through profound unity between the pray-ers. Without this kind of agreement, we have no power in our praying together. The best this can do is to kindle the faint hope that perhaps our single prayers might be effective when we say them aloud with someone else in the room. Our asking and agreeing together must not merely be an asking after some need. Rather our asking must be an urgent appeal to the Lord of the universe that God himself must intervene around an agreed issue for the Lord’s glory. It is filled with urgency, a demand that this prayer must be answered— for the name and the reputation of God himself is at stake. Those who utter this prayer together must be prepared to do anything or sacrifice anything in their power to be a part of the answer—and if it is beyond their resources, to surrender anything

May 3 Overview of Global Ministries May 4 Silk Road May 5 Caribbean Sun May 6 Desert Sand May 7 Asian Spice May 8 Canadian Ministries May 9 Alliance Churches in Canada and Quebec Missionaries May 10 Support Ministries and Training

However, praying together is something he requires us to do in order to see the unlimited power of God released that God asks of them to see it done. This is the prayer of agreement: Mutual submission around the Word of God, in the presence of the Spirit through the name of Christ the Lord. Without this kind of agreement, the Star Sapphire is merely a $10.00 rock. There is a profound truth that merits reflection as we pray during the World Week of Prayer. God has ceded his very own glory to us! What happens to God’s people then has a direct bearing on God’s own reputation. Our corporate walk as believers together reflects upon how the world perceives the power and the glory of God. The ancient word spoken to Solomon at the dedication of the temple makes clear that a corporate asking, based on a corporate recognition that the many need to turn to the Lord for help, with the many turning away from anything

they know has wounded their walk with God, moves the very heart of God. Based on this kind of agreement together, God himself will enter into the human stream and answer the cry of the hearts of those who are utterly focused on him. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NASB). Determine in advance to pray this way! David Chotka is Lead Pastor, Spruce Grove Alliance Church and Chair of the Alliance Pray Team

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your church

Using Technology to Build Community A good church website is a powerful tool to help fulfill the Great Commission by Gladys Thompson

ost church growth today comes from the 18-to-18 range—people from 18-years-old to families with 18-year-old children—and they are the most frequent internet users of any demographic group. They’re more apt to use the internet to find your church than to look in the yellow pages or newspaper. And if you don’t have a website, they may not even know you exist!

Who are you trying to reach? A church website must communicate with three different groups, each with its own needs and expectations. n

Members – They want details about upcoming events, to listen to a sermon or find Bible study notes. They may want to see photos of a recent event or contact information for pastoral staff or group leaders. Members only content, like a church directory or business meeting minutes, should be in a private members section. n Christians looking for a new church – Families relocating to new cities often make their ‘first cut’ church list before moving. People interested in changing congregations want to know your church’s beliefs, worship style and activities. n Non-Christians – Faithhighway.com says the church website is the #1 outreach tool, perfect for people wanting information anonymously. Online sermons and photos of services and events go a long way toward making them feel secure about a first-time visit. They want to know you understand their problems and there is an unconditional welcome waiting for them.

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With a high percentage of potential visitors viewing your website before they visit your church, you can’t afford a poor quality one.

What makes a good website? Design How you present your ideas is as important as the ideas themselves—an uncluttered design with a layout directing attention to the most important information. Get ideas from other sites targeting the same type of audience, using a pleasing balance of graphics, text and ‘white space’. Things to avoid include distracting blinking text, animated pictures, background music, garish colours, run-on pages, scrolling text and pop-up messages. Most people prefer to look at pictures of people, not buildings; people actively enjoying church activities, not head-and-shoulder shots of your pastor or church staff. It can be helpful to include a photo of the inside and outside of your church, but always include people in the shots. Include identifying captions with your photos, such as the name of the event. It’s not necessary, and possibly unsafe, to identify the people. If you have many photos of an event, they should be placed on a special ‘pictures’ page so people can choose whether or not to view them. Be sure to learn about the different image formats, resizing and how to compress images so they don’t increase the load time of your pages. This is especially frustrating for those with dial-up connections. If images

are in any way blurry, grainy or distorted, they look unprofessional, reflecting badly on the website as a whole. Helpful Links

Graphics

www.istockphoto.com www.sxc.hu www.cmalliance.org/resources/ missions/peoples.jsp

Layout and Design www.alistapart.com/topics/design www.oswd.org www.freelayouts.com www.greatchurchwebsites.org

Content

www.ied.gospelcom.net/ v ideo-outreach.php www.ied.gospelcom.net/ church-site-design.php www.wordsearchmedia.com www.solutionsonvideo.com www.faithvisuals.com/content www.thoushaltlaugh.com www.squidoo.com/ministryvideos www.web-evangelism.com/church www.faithhighway.com

With a high percentage of potential visitors viewing your website before they visit your church, you can’t afford a poor quality one

Navigation A basic menu, with obvious page titles, helps visitors navigate to the most useful sections of your site. If it is difficult to find information, the visitor will get frustrated and leave, generally within five seconds. Avoid vague or churchy phrasing. Calling the Youth Ministry page Quest Outreach may work for your members, but visitors may miss learning about your dynamic youth ministry. Interactivity Interactive elements separate the web from other media. It helps your visitors to participate, not just spectate. This can be done through such things as message boards, real-time feedback, blogs, etc. Functionality Visitors to your church would be surprised and disappointed if you turned them away for a silly reason. Yet many church websites do exactly that, requiring visitors to have a certain ‘plug-in’ or a high-speed Internet connection. Access to Flash, RealAudio or Adobe Acrobat Reader should be provided if they are needed for your pages. The site must work quickly and well, with active links, etc.

GI S TO TER DA FO R Y FO - SE SPR R F E O IN UL UR G M LD W O ET EB DU AIL SIT LE S S! E

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Calgary, AB ambrose.edu

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04/02/2009 3:50:15 PM

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Some visitors may even listen to online sermons but never attend your church

Content Visitors judge the values and programs of your church from your website. You’ll turn them away with poor spelling and grammar and ‘upcoming events’ that are two months old! They want answers to basic questions about your beliefs and church life. Service times, driving directions and contact information should be in plain view. Church is scary to unchurched people. Provide information about what to expect when they visit, perhaps by using a virtual tour. Mention your services (type of music, how long, typical order of service, what to wear, childcare). But don’t use churchy terms, such as ‘contemporary worship’. Tell them about everything from parking to the warm welcome they’ll receive. Then, when they do visit, be sure they actually feel welcomed! Invite people to contact you either by email or phone with any questions they may have and be sure to check for, and respond to, messages regularly. Offering to pray for site visitors’ needs can also be strategic, if you can do this with integrity and appropriate privacy. Many church websites tell a lot about churches and staff—but not how to meet Jesus. You may want to offer a link such as “What is the meaning of life?” or “Finding real fulfillment”, which do not sound preachy yet show non-threatening spiritual content. Some visitors may even listen to online sermons but never attend your church. People are interested in people. You may want to include some ‘meet our members’ pages with brief informal profiles about their lives, jobs, hobbies, etc. This could be done through text, audio or video. Jesus used stories with a message, leaving people to go away and think. It is possible to write a page on your site which brings out a parable or allegory. For instance,

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an article about restoring cars could suggest that just as old cars need new engines, we need something new in our lives. This could then be linked to a page which explains the Gospel in a meaningful way. If neighbours visit your home, you don’t start preaching at them. Similarly, any link to a church’s doctrinal statement is probably not appropriate on the homepage. Create a “What we believe” page which contains a simple explanation, avoiding Christian jargon. Then you can provide a link to the Statement of Faith on the National Ministry Centre website for those who are interested. Some other things you might include: answers to problems (many non-Christians still look to a minister for help with problems of life), children’s corner, games and competitions, humour, community news and activities, sermon summaries and Bible studies. Let your visitors see the ‘bigger picture’ of the Alliance by linking to specific pages on your district’s website and the National Ministry Centre (www.cmacan.org).In this way, you can take advantage of material already provided through your denomination.

Who should be involved? There is a common misconception that a ‘techie’ is the ideal person to make a church website. But making a good website requires a range of skills including artistic design and technical abilities. In truth, few people have both, which is why there are so many truly ugly church websites. Although control of the site may be in the hands of a committed administrator with an actual job description, that person does not need to do everything. There could be many gifted people in the church who could take photos, provide videos, handle email advice, writing, etc. If nobody in your church is technical enough to take on the webmaster role, you could use a pre-designed template system. A larger church site can benefit from Content Management—a system whereby different people have permission to update content within a site, without reference to the webmaster.

Conclusion Make your website an important part of your ministry. Choose a simple, easy to remember domain name. Encourage your members to understand the relevance of the site, pray for its effective outreach, and make it known to others. Those members who have blogs or other types of sites can use them to give your church a higher profile. And be sure your website address is included on all church stationery and publications. With a well-designed, interactive, functional website, you can clearly communicate your vision, activities, and, most importantly, the message of Jesus Christ 24/7 year-round. Gladys Thompson is Communications Coordinator at The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada National Ministry Centre

your church

Kids Missions Fest This local church event helps children better understand the world’s need to know Christ by Denise Cameron

understand the world’s need to know Christ and what they can do to help make that happen.

ow do we impart cross-cultural thinking to our Canadian children today? This was one question that kept running through my mind as I transitioned from International Worker to Children’s Pastor at Paramount Drive Alliance Church. Looking at various children’s curriculums, I noticed many were fairly good at introducing ‘community thinking’, which helps children to look outside their world, but they didn’t consistently help them look beyond our Canadian borders. Process So one of our church members and I got together, brainstormed ideas and developed an action plan for 2008-2009. We felt that if we were going to teach our children to think beyond the Canadian borders, we needed to be intentional. The activities in our action plan included missionary visits to our classes and a soccer ball project we ran during our summer Vacation Bible School program. It resulted in our sending 110 soccer balls to Peru. We also put together a shortterm team to help organize and run a Missions Festival in October 2008. The purpose of these activities was to cause our children to look outside their world into the cultures and religions of children around the globe. We wanted them to

Festival The team goal for our Missions Festival was to help the children begin to understand some of the cultures and religions of the world and learn that Jesus is the way, truth and life. We wanted them to come to know that Jesus loves the nations of the world and wants every nation to be with him in heaven. We invited six International Workers to come and share their experiences. We set up six different learning stations and children walked through each one during the course of the evening. Each International Worker was

on the floor. The children sat around the map and heard the message of Jesus. We then prayed that children around the world would hear Jesus’ message too. Response We were excited about the number of children that attended the Missions Festival. Our children’s excitement for what they had learned throughout the evening was such a blessing. Not only did they run up to their parents exclaiming “this was the best!” they also told their friends who couldn’t come, they missed out on the best evening ever! The missionaries’ response was encouraging. They enjoyed the time teaching the children about their culture and its religion and felt a similar night would be good for adults. Those adults who came for a time of coffee and fellowship enjoyed walking

Our children’s excitement for what they had learned throughout the evening was such a blessing encouraged to share a short story about their country and its religion. The children completed a scrapbook page at each station for that religion. These were then collated and bound into a book each child took home. Their scrapbook pages included T.H.U.M.B. Prayer Cards from NavPress, as well as information already prepared and glued on the pages giving further insights of the different religions and how to pray. We prayed that this book would be used in their homes as a tool for teaching the children about other cultures and praying for the nations of the world. The last stop was a large map

through the stations and interacting with our missionaries. My continued prayer is that we will always be intentional in teaching our children about the nations of the world that Jesus loves so much. We’re now gearing up for our next project . . . the persecuted church. Denise Cameron is Director of Children’s Ministries, Paramount Drive Alliance Church, Stoney Creek, ON For information on T.H.U.M.B. Prayer Cards visit http://www.navpress.com/ store/product.aspx?id=9781600061196

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world at your door

Sharing Christ with Buddhists Insights into the challenges of reaching out to those with a very different worldview by Grace Jordan

Buddhist cultures are not so easily persuaded or quick to follow the rational reasoning that is second nature to a Westerner

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nderstanding the impact the gospel message has had on our own lives and motivated by the goodness of God, we rush to take our doctrine and practices to those who have not had the benefit of our learning and experience. We imagine it is like ‘boy meets girl’. If we can just get them together, the magic will happen. A good product meets a need and ‘bingo’, we have a connect. A hunger meets an appetite; a thirst finds an oasis. It makes sense—to a Western mind. And there it ends. Buddhist cultures are not so easily persuaded or quick to follow the rational reasoning that is second nature to a Westerner. So after years of missionary endeavour with little to show for our labours*, we are still looking for the East meets West solution, the meeting ground where understanding can produce good fruit and satisfy a thirst. Early missionaries to the Buddhists followed this approach too. In 1813, Adoniram Judson, the first missionary to Burma, boldly pronounced the power of the Church of Jesus to supplant the thousands of temples and places of idolatrous worship that he found on arriving in Burma. On his death, he left a church of close to 8,000 members which by 1961, after almost 150 years of missionary work, recorded a dwindling membership of 5,300.1 The prophetic pronouncement

was not fulfilled in Judson’s time and waits to be harvested. More recently, Dale Jones 2 relates his belief that if the Scripture and its teachings were translated well and printed in the highest quality, that unbelievers would quickly understand and turn to Christ. Imagine his shock when his Cambodian students were unable to answer the simplest questions in their carefully prepared workbooks. He adds, “In the course of time I have all but abandoned using any of the materials we had so meticulously produced.” 3 Why is it that after so many years of ministry to Buddhists, fruitful harvesting shows little return for the great efforts and finances poured into this field? Sadhu Sundar Singh gives us a window of understanding. As he sat with his friends on the platform of an Indian train station, a fainting Brahmin priest was hurriedly carried from an overheated, crowded third-class carriage. In horror, he waved away a cup of water that the Anglo-Indian stationmaster was trying to give him. He would not pollute his lips with a common cup even to save his life. When his companion reappeared from the train with the Brahmin’s own brass bowl, he drank greedily, clutching it and gulping the life saving water. The weakened man revived and continued his train ride. Sadhu concluded, “That’s what

I am always telling my Christian friends. We are offering Christianity in a Western cup and India rejects it. But when we offer the water of life in an Eastern bowl, then our people will recognize it and take it gladly.” 4 If you have need of further proof that our current ways of reaching people from a Buddhist background are in need of an overhaul, consider that you are visiting with a friend with whom you have built up a good relationship. This friend, Bo, asks you who this man Jesus is. He has heard about him but wonders and wants to know more. After some time of explanation and background you come to the pinnacle of joy—John 3:16 and share this Good News with Bo. Bo listens with Asian politeness and makes no reply, for here is what he has heard: For God (he does not exist) n so loved (that’s a passion to be extinguished) n the world (need to be detached from it) n that he gave his only begotten son (no substitute is possible for Karma) n

that whosoever believes in him (self-effort alone delivers one’s soul, not faith) n should not perish but have everlasting life (the goal is to reach nirvana [death and escape] not continue in the life and suffering forever). n

Unless Christians can share the gospel message in terms that Buddhists can understand and appreciate, confusion and misunderstanding will result.5 Grace Jordan, a pseudonym, is an Alliance worker who has studied Buddhism and has a burden for Buddhist peoples at home and abroad

Practical Tips Here is some of what we have learned to more effectively witness to Buddhists: 1. Love your Buddhist neighbours and relate to them as friends 2. Learn about their culture and see as they see; think as they would think 3. Live out a holy life before them with purity, integrity and the joy of Jesus 4. Tell them ‘your story’ with Jesus and how he daily intervenes in your life 5. Open your home so they can draw near and watch Jesus in you as you relate to your elderly parents, children and everyday situations 6. Be patient. Go for the long haul and never give up. Their souls depend on you

Buddhist Numbers n There are approximately 1.2 million Buddhists in Canada (2007 census) representing 3.6 percent of the population There are an estimated 500-750 million Buddhists in the world (the estimate spread exists because of the unknown number of Buddhists in China where government persecution has suppressed and driven them underground) n The first Buddhists arrived in Canada in 1788—Chinese immigrants aboard a ship that landed in British Columbia n

(* The Gospel, which has readily been accepted by animistic and tribal people living within Buddhist societies, has borne minimal results among pure Buddhist cultures.) 1

Wagner, Elizabeth. Tearing Down Strongholds Prayer for Buddhists, 1988 Christian Literature Crusade

Edited by Paul H. De Neui. Communicating Christ Through Story and Song Orality in Buddhist Contexts. Moving Towards Oral Communication of the Gospel

Ibid. p 175

The Evangelization of the TB Peoples in Central Asia, Keith Miles p 74

Sharing Christ in the Tibetan Buddhist World, Marku Tsering p 8

Experiences from Cambodia by Dale Jones, p174, William Carey Library, 2008

Spring 2009

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now you know

Four Pillars of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada A.B. Simpson

Born in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Albert Benjamin Simpson moved as a child to Chatham, Ontario. After seminary training he pastored in Hamilton, Ontario before moving to Louisville, Kentucky and later, New York City. Moved by a deep desire to see the lost brought to his Saviour and Lord, Simpson began a mighty evangelistic movement. His New York church blanched at the thought of ministering to the lost and marginalized of the late 1800’s society. Simpson resigned. His life, revolutionized by the Holy Spirit, reflected his passion for the poor, the homeless, the disenfranchised and lost at home and abroad. He was led to create two movements—an association to evangelize in North America and a missionary alliance to send workers around the world. In 1887 they joined and The Christian and Missionary Alliance was born. In 1981, with full blessings, the Canadian arm of the Alliance formed as a separate denomination in Canada.

John Salmon

A Scottish born orphan and sailor, Salmon was living a life far from God when his captain placed a tract before him. In a small enclosed sail locker, Salmon gave his life to Christ. Within a few years, after seminary training in Cobourg, Ontario, he became a pastor, first in Montreal, then in Toronto. Moved by the Holy Spirit, he left his Toronto pastorate to reach out to what he called ‘the least, the last and the lost.’ In the late 1800’s he met A.B. Simpson and a lifelong friendship and partnership was formed. With Simpson, Salmon ministered across Canada and around the world, spearheading the new work of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Dr. Robert A. Jaffray

Robert Jaffray was the son of the wealthy Toronto publisher of the Toronto Globe (forerunner of today’s Globe and Mail) who had visions of his newborn son one day taking over the newspaper and becoming publisher. God had other plans. As a young man, Robert was called to be a missionary and after an early encounter with A.B. Simpson, he was assigned to south China in 1897. There he soon became a prominent missions thinker and strategist, leading the Alliance work in China, helping found the Wuzhou Bible School in Hong Kong (later the Alliance Seminary), as well as becoming an editor and writer for many Chinese language publications. He prayed constantly over maps and globes for the lost peoples of Asia. Although war threatened, he returned to China for mission work. In 1942 he was arrested and imprisoned by the Japanese. He died in a prison camp in 1945 shortly before the Japanese surrendered.

A.W. Tozer

American born Aiden Wilson Tozer was ordained in The Christian and Missionary Alliance in 1919. He served pastorates across the United States including 30 years in Chicago. But he also became known as a writer with a wider evangelical audience. He authored more than 40 books including two now recognized as Christian classics: The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy. He was also editor of Alliance Weekly now called Alliance Life. Tozer’s writings continue to influence Christians around the world and his books are still best-sellers. Tozer’s final pastorate was at the Avenue Road Church, in Toronto, Ontario. From there, his sermons and writings greatly impacted Canadians in the post World War II years.

cmAlliance.ca Spring 2009

Stories for Life Keep informed about Alliance happenings across Canada and around the world Alliance Alive (formerly known as Family Snapshots) 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. Order your FREE subscription today: orders@cmacan.org

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