Praying Together for Our Next Executive Minister

Dear CBWC Family,  
   
As we begin the significant process of selecting our next Executive Minister, we want to ask for your prayer support! It is important that we walk this road together as a family of churches, and so we need your prayers for God’s wisdom and direction at every step. Pray for God to lead us in this search process and that He would be working on the heart of the individual that is right for this calling.  
   
We also value your insight. If there are qualities, gifts, or kinds of leadership you believe will help our churches thrive in the years ahead, please share them with us. This is not about the past, but rather about seeking God’s heart for the future. You can send your thoughts to Shannon (Search Committee chair) at emsearchcommittee@cbwc.ca by September 15, 2025.  
   
Thank you for standing with us in prayer, for speaking into this process, and for your faithful commitment to God’s mission among us.  
 

With gratitude in Christ,  
The CBWC Search Committee 

Banff Pastors & Spouses Retreat–A Spouse’s Perspective

By Kyle Turner

I’ve had the pleasure of attending the CBWC Pastors and Spouses Conference a few times as a pastor’s spouse, and I have played bass on the worship team a couple times. This year, I have the added perspective of representing the BCY region as a CBWC board member.  

The CBWC has been part of my life for a long time. First Baptist Church Kelowna has been my home church since I was born and, through my church, we’ve been part of the association for as long as I can remember—back when it was still the Baptist Union and church softball was a big deal.

Growing up, I never thought I’d be attending the pastors and spouses conference, but the Lord works in mysterious ways. Regardless of where I thought I’d be, my wife Carlee and I are so grateful for the opportunity to be sent to Banff by our church.  

Banff is a place of fond memories for me. Carlee and I spent our honeymoon there almost 13 years ago and every time we return, just a month short of our anniversary, we are reminded of just how meaningful this mountain town is. Banff is a stunning place—there’s no better display of God’s creation, in my view, than the Canadian Rockies. And the Banff Springs Hotel is a masterpiece of architecture and engineering—a beautiful expression of the creativity and skill God has given humanity. As a carpenter and renovator, I have a unique respect for the craftsmanship it took to build this space. I could spend hours wandering its halls, and I often do. 

We’re big fans of Banff, and staying at the Banff Springs is something we wouldn’t normally be able to do on our own—so we’re incredibly thankful to the CBWC for making that possible. It truly is a gift. 

As a pastor’s spouse, I love the chance to take a week off to relax and explore. Even when I need to work remotely, it’s hard to complain when the “office” looks like this (see attached picture). Between disconnecting, getting a spa massage, reconnecting with CBWC friends and enjoying amazing food, it’s always refreshing and restoring. 

I also appreciate the flexibility to step in and out of sessions as I like. As an introvert, I value my downtime, but I’ve really enjoyed the speakers in recent years. It’s great that the CBWC brings in experienced leaders with fresh perspectives to enrich the conference. While I look forward to future conferences with the CBWC, I am sad to hear that our “tenure” at Banff Springs is ending. I will treasure the memories made here and continue to look forward to “touring the castle” with my wife and daughters whenever we pass through Banff. 

Registration is open for Banff 2025 until October 9. Sign up today at cbwc.ca/bpc 

Humans of the CBWC–David Vandergucht

David Vandergucht is a member of Argyle Road Baptist Church in Regina, SK, and also serves on the CBWC board. David was asked to sit on our Marketplace Panel at Assembly in June and the following reflections stem from that conversation.  

Hi, I’m David. I work in government as a water quality scientist. My work largely concerns understanding how water quality in the environment is changing over time and the role that humans play in that. At Assembly we were asked to discuss how we see our work fitting in with the Kingdom of God. 

I’ve never considered my work a calling—maybe that’s part of my personality, or part of how I think God speaks to me—but I’ve never had a sense that God has specifically made or called me to do this work out of all the other things He could ask me to do.

I do see my work as important work that uses the talents and gifts that God has given me, and I thank Him for providing work that feels meaningful and supports my family. I see my work as my way to live out 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12:  

“…and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”  

I see this as a bit different than working in full time Christian ministry, where the language of calling seems to fit better in my mind.  

While I don’t consider my work a calling, I have colleagues who do. Work that involves stewarding or caring for the environment seems to lend itself readily to a sense of calling even to those who don’t have a particular faith. I’ve found that scientists are often highly educated and motivated people who are happy to have meaningful work to do in the areas in which they’ve trained. This makes for very motivated and diligent colleagues and makes my work environment more encouraging because people care about what they are doing.  

In my approach to work, I consider Colossians 3:23 as applicable:  

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…”  

I consider doing my best as part of living out the Christian faith. I don’t think I stand out as especially motivated though, because my colleagues also find deep meaning in their work. 

Increasingly, I realize that caring for the earth is one of the key tasks that God has charged humankind with, and so I find that the outcome of my work has value in God’s Kingdom. I also see it as a responsibility to treat my colleagues, and those we serve, well. I see that as part of my Kingdom work.  

Government isn’t always an encouraging environment, but I try to do my best to be supportive as we work together to accomplish important tasks. 

Truth & Reconciliation in Canada

Lyle Blackbird is the Pastor of CBWC Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship in Winnipeg, MB. Here is some of his story as published in their summer newsletter. 

The Healing Journey 

 Luke 17:11-19 tells the story about a healing journey. It is about the 10 men with leprosy who were healed as they returned to the priest for verification of the cleansing. 

 Perhaps it was the same priest who exiled them in the first place.  

 Only one, a Samaritan, when he saw he was healed, turned around to thank Jesus. As part of their healing journey, they had to go back first. And one in particular had a personal experience. As he was willing to take the journey back, he noticed healing started to take place. It moved his heart, and he was thankful. 

I am also on a healing journey. I come from a family of three generations of Residential School Survivors; my mother and her siblings, her parents and her grandparents. Some went to Portage la Prairie and the rest to the Birtle school. We lost three of our relatives at the residential schools. My home was broken as well with a lot of violence and alcohol. My younger brother was adopted out and I haven’t seen him since. My mother died a violent death when I was 17. Her coping mechanism from all the pain was medicating herself with alcohol.  

 I am still broken by all of this—it is called transgenerational trauma. Here is how it works. When all the students came out of the residential schools and started their own families, they brought all the negative environment of the schools that was within them into their homes. It was an explosion of collateral damage fueled by collateral violence. The things they were not willing or able to talk about or deal with got unleashed on their children. 

I went back and visited the residential school that my mother and family attended. It is still standing, dilapidated and damaged. As I gazed upon the school, it conveyed a strong message that spoke the word “damages” to me. This word mirrored my personal and family damage inflicted upon us.  

 As I was leaving the grounds crossing a field, I couldn’t help thinking that perhaps I was walking on the burial places of my relatives. They were just children. As I continued to walk through the field, I saw little white butterflies all over the field everywhere which also spoke to me of the children. 

 For me, the way forward was the way back as well. I wasn’t able to go forward unless I went back, to try to reconcile all this. It has been said that it took generations to get to this point, and it’s going to take generations to come out of all this as well. This is why we have chosen to go back and address these issues with the Church, past and present, as well as harmful government policies that are still in effect today.  

 Reconciliation for me is a journey of healing for myself, my family and my church. We need to deal with this brokenness first, in order for any kind of reconciliation to take place.  

The journey continues…. 

 Pastor Lyle Blackbird 

To read the full newsletter—including photos and inspiring personal responses to the question “What does reconciliation mean to you?”—click here.

AiM Global Food Stories

Feeding Hope One Step at a Time 

All throughout the summer, groups have been gathering to get ‘Active in Mission.’ This fundraiser is all about Feeding Hope in our communities both locally and globally through food programming. So far this year we’ve raised over $62,000 in cooperation with Canadian Baptists across the country.  

We celebrate with Mill Bay Baptist Fellowship on Vancouver Island, who surpassed their fundraising goal! On August 4, a small but committed group from MBBF walked 10 kilometres in support of Active in Mission.  

“We enjoyed the time walking together,” says Mill Bay Pastor Tammy Klassen. “Shout out to retired CBM missionary Dorothy Sowden (not pictured) who did a lap of her block while still recovering from a hip replacement this spring. We ended the walk with a BBQ to celebrate.”  
 
Half of the funds raised from Active in Mission are distributed to partner ministries in several nations around the globe through Canadian Baptist Ministries. The other half is distributed to Canadian Baptist churches. What all the funding recipients have in common is a mission to address food insecurity. In the past, CBWC churches have received grants to support ministries like neighbourhood pantries and community gardens. 

To learn more about food security, check out this video from Canadian Foodgrains Bank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5ZN7BseNA 

While the time for summer fun may be drawing to a close, it’s not too late to participate in Active in Mission 2025! The donation page is still open: activeinmission.ca 

Sabbatical Leave: The Sacred Rhythm of Rest

One of the many ministry resources that the CBWC provides to its churches and pastors is our Sabbatical Leave Plan. It was originally approved by Assembly motion over 40 years ago, at which time funds were transferred from the CBWC’s budget to a Trust Account set up for this purpose. Even though this benefit has been around for decades, we have seen an increase in participation over the last several years.  

 Both professional development and rest are essential to the well-being of our pastors. The Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference and the Regional Pastors Retreats are only two examples of how the CBWC assists in professional development. It is also the responsibility of the local church to ensure pieces are in place to promote the mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of its pastors—as part of ongoing pastoral care. 

 The creation story depicts the importance of Sabbath. Genesis 2:2 reads, “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.” When we rest, we align ourselves with God’s sacred rhythm of rest. Sabbatical leave is not a vacation—it’s a time for spiritual reflection, prayer and reconnection with God. Rest is not a luxury—it is a necessity for sustainable life and ministry.  

 Following this pattern, a pastor may be eligible for Sabbatical Leave after seven (7) years of full-time service in the CBWC or its associated churches and following five (5) years in the particular situation where the sabbatical is approved. 

 Sabbatical leave is defined as any period of up to four months exclusive of vacation time. There are recognized benefits of pastors taking smaller sabbatical breaks more frequently (every second or third year) rather than waiting for a five-to-seven-year accumulation. Longer sabbaticals can increase the likelihood that a pastor may find it difficult to return to their former position; however, it also creates opportunities for other leaders to step up and may, in fact, strengthen the church’s leadership and resilience.  

 The Sabbatical Leave Plan is not considered a mandatory benefit. The application process starts with the local church contacting the CBWC office to set up a sabbatical account in the name of their pastor along with the first contribution. Contributions are received as follows: one half of one percent (.5%) of the pastor’s salary is deducted at source, matched by both the church and the CBWC for a total contribution of 1.5%. Contributions are held in a trust account in the name of the pastor, and each year, the CBWC adds accrued interest.  

 It is recommended that a pastor seek sabbatical approval by his/her church at least six months in advance of the proposed leave, provided this is a benefit agreed upon in the terms of employment. The CBWC requires a copy of a Board motion supporting the pastor’s sabbatical leave and approval by his/her Regional Minister as part of the approval process.  

 It is critically important that the church and the pastor agree in advance on how the funds held in the pastor’s trust account will be disbursed. Will the funds be sent to the pastor, the church, or will it be a combination of the two? The CBWC recommends that the church pay at least 67% of the pastor’s salary while away on sabbatical leave, so consideration must be made by the church for the cost of bringing in itinerant speakers if there are no other staff members or laypersons who can fill in. At the same time, if the pastor is away for an extended period on educational leave, it may be that funds are best designated to the pastor to pay for course fees and travel expenses if away from home. Good communication in advance is paramount, so no one is caught off guard once sabbatical leave has started. We now require Board Chairs to sign off on the Sabbatical Withdrawal Application Form to ensure all are in full agreement.   

 Pastoral ministry can be emotionally, physically and spiritually demanding as pastors often carry the burdens of their congregants and communities, especially during seasons of profound change. Without a plan in place for intentional rest and renewal, the overall health of an entire church may be affected. For more information on the CBWC’s Sabbatical Leave Plan, please visit our website at www.cbwc.ca/churchtools or reach out to your Regional Minister.  

“And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!” – Thessalonians 5:12-13 MSG 

Carey Update on Timothy Hall

Timothy Hall, Carey Theological College’s second student residence building at the University of British Columbia, is now fully operational and fully occupied by 104 students. The new building offers a range of suites, from studios to three-bedroom apartments, along with thoughtfully designed shared amenity spaces. It significantly enhances our ability to accommodate students and provide them with a nurturing environment that fosters their academic and spiritual growth. 

Carey is grateful for donors who made this dream a reality, to the glory of God. The building project was started during the pandemic, when many other building projects were suspended or stopped altogether. It is a testament to the vision, careful planning, and most importantly, the faith of Carey’s Board, staff and development professionals that the building stands completed today.  

Looking ahead, I am excited about the growth that Timothy Hall will bring to our community. This new building will offer students enhanced opportunities to deepen their faith and academic knowledge in a vibrant Christian environment. Our vision for Timothy Hall is rooted in the words of 2 Timothy 2:2: 

 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 

We see this residence as a place where students will be ministered to and built up, becoming strong Christian men and women who are capable and mature in their faith, prepared to teach and disciple others. 

Timothy Hall will generate additional funds to support the growth of Carey Theological College. We remain committed to training pastors who can “preach the Word faithfully, in season and out of season; reproving, rebuking, and exhorting, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). 
 
We praise God for the continued growth of Carey and the opportunity to equip the next generation of leaders for His Kingdom. 

 
Rev. Dr. Colin Godwin 
President, Carey Theological College 

KURIOS: Discovering the Joy of Loving God With our Whole Self

“Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” 

In one sentence, that is what Kurios is all about: inviting young adults to discover the joy of loving our God with our whole person. 

 We intentionally and actively focus our discipleship on an integrative spiritual formation model, which means paying attention to all areas of our lives and bringing those together under the Lordship of Jesus. 

 We attend to our heart and our emotions, learning to feel them and embrace them as a gift for ourselves and others. Living in community opens us to depth and to the emotional vibrancy of relationships. Together we seek to experience God’s emotions toward us—and as we do, our hearts grow in love. 

 “I’ve noticed that since I’ve been home from Kurios, I’ve been just so much more confident in myself, more confident in God’s love for me and more confident in my ability to love others… I’ve been able to stand a lot taller. It’s been really amazing.”  

Grace, Kurios 2023-24 

 We attend to our souls, discovering a rhythm of forgiveness, freedom and healing as we practice gratitude and the awareness of God’s presence with us. Our daily prayer practice together shapes us. We listen to God through His Word made alive through the Spirit. As we do, our souls grow in love. 

 “My biggest takeaway would probably be being able to learn the importance of prayer and how prayer is a two-way street, not a one-way street with God, and how it is a conversation.”  

Mia, Kurios 2022-23 

 We attend to our minds, wrestling with Scripture and how to live it out in our world. We challenge each other’s ideas in respectful pursuit of truth and wisdom. We learn to critically examine the messages we are bombarded with in our culture and develop an understanding of both God’s story and our place in it as His precious children. As we do, our minds grow in love. 

 “One area that impacted me after Kurios was a love for books about theology and for reading about my faith. Before I went to Kurios, I only really had the Bible and, like, children’s books about Jesus and how much He loves me, which is great. But Kurios introduced me to books that deepened my faith and were more serious and grew a love in me for reading those.”  

Eva, Kurios 2021-22 

 We attend to our bodies – our “strength.” We seek healthy habits for our physical selves, learning together to eat well and finding enjoyable ways to be active. We rejoice in opportunities to serve others and discover God already at work. Living in Jasper inspires us to embrace the physical world and to get into the real world that God has made for us to enjoy and steward. We do all these activities as acts of worship. As we do, our strength grows in love. 

 “Work is worship.”  

Tanya, Kurious 2023-24 

  Sometimes people ask, “What’s different about Kurios?” We invite young adults to discover a different way of living, to find a rhythm of life that begins each day with community prayer, embraces the upcoming day as a gift to be enjoyed, and then ends each day with community prayer expressing our gratitude for all we have received. We actively arrange our pursuits to ensure attention to the whole person as created in the image of God, and we are invited to flourish as we respond to who God is and all God has done. 

  As we do, our whole selves grow in love for God and in love for others. 

 To find out more about Kurios for yourself, or someone you know, please follow this link!  The 2025/2026 cohort is still accepting applicants.  

From Hymns to Hotcakes: A Stampede Tradition

Once again, Calgary welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors, July 4-13, to what is billed as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”—the Calgary Stampede. The world-famous Stampede rodeo began in 1912, right around the same time that GoodTree Church (formerly Crescent Heights Baptist Church) was planted by members from First Baptist Calgary. While the first official Stampede breakfasts were held in 1923, the tradition of churches hosting them, like GoodTree Church, became more widespread in the 1950s. Since that time, Calgarians, including CBWC church congregations, have extended Western hospitality by hosting pancake breakfasts as an act of generosity and fellowship during the 10-day celebration. 

Longtime GoodTree Church member and historian, Ian Clarke, writes: “Many years ago, GoodTree Church (then Crescent Heights Baptist) joined in the fun by serving up a delicious Stampede Breakfast on the roadway in front of the church on the second Saturday of “Stampede week.” Each year, the road is closed to traffic and populated with the church’s tables and chairs. Throughout the morning, it is not uncommon for the church to serve over 400 hungry visitors who are also entertained by some lively western gospel music. Our Stampede Breakfast has become well known throughout the community, and a gracious neighbour has also provided a cash grant to help the church defray some of the costs. It is all great fun for the visitors and volunteers alike, as we display Christian generosity and community spirit in the final days of each year’s Stampede. This year our Breakfast was held on the morning of Saturday July 12th.” 

We are thankful for our churches who extend koinonia during the Calgary Stampede—a time for believers and seekers to connect, share stories, and bear witness to the surrounding community of love in action, one hotcake at a time.  

SERVE Impacting Whitehorse, YK for the Kingdom

In the Fall of 2019, preparation began for SERVE to be held in Whitehorse, Yukon, and then—just a few short months later—it would need to be canceled. For more than 5 years, people prayed that this opportunity might be possible again and, praise God, from July 6-12, 2025 more than 175 youth and leaders from 12 churches traveled to the Yukon to serve the community by being the hands and feet of Jesus.   

During the week, more than 4000 hours of service were poured into Whitehorse and the surrounding communities. Projects included “fire smarting,” day camps, painting, light construction, and much more. On the final day of the week, SERVE participants hosted a free BBQ and carnival in Rotary Park. One of the attendees commented, “My family and I moved to Whitehorse a while ago and haven’t really felt at home. Today is the first day we have felt like we were truly part of a community.”  

Another Whitehorse resident, who had a group of participants serving at her home said, “[They’ve been] picking weeds and stuff. It’s a lot of work, and it’s been helpful to have them. Oh my goodness, you guys have just made my day. Phenomenal!” 

Each evening the sanctuary at Riverdale Baptist Church was filled with the praise of His people. SERVE youth, sang, danced, played, prayed, heard from God’s Word and considered what it means to join God in what He is doing in the world.   

As a part of this call to SERVE our world, Canadian Baptist Ministries led an event on Thursday afternoon as a part of their Active in Mission initiative. Youth competed in 4 different games from countries around the world that are facing serious food insecurity. Getting active led them to want to take action, and they donated over $1,000 to provide food for those in our world who need it. If you would like to contribute to the SERVE 2025 Active in Mission Team, please visit activeinmission.ca/t/serve  

SERVE has had a profound impact on our participants. One youth reflected, “[It’s amazing] seeing everyone work together and to share a trait that we love Jesus and want to be like Him. We want to love others and just serve them, even if they don’t know Jesus and just, I guess, share His Gospel that way by showing His love through serving others.” Another participant added, “And it’s been really cool to get to know other teams from across Canada, work together and show God’s love to the people around us.” 

One youth reflected on the impact SERVE has had on her youth group, “I really enjoyed this week since we got to know each other a lot, and then we bonded a lot. It will make community service at our church better.” 

SERVE was only made possible this year by the tireless effort of the incredible members of Riverdale Baptist Church. On behalf of all this year’s SERVE participants, thank you for being wonderful hosts and serving us so that we could better serve the beautiful city of Whitehorse.   

Thank you, God, for the kingdom impact that took place during SERVE 2025 and for the legacy that it will leave in the city. 

Please consider having your church send a team to SERVE from July 5-11, 2026—which will be hosted by Brightview Community Church in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.  For more info visit cbwc.ca/serve. 

From Passion to Provision: Active in Mission

Pauline’s Journey to Food Security 

Pauline Kagendo, a 34-year-old mother of two from Giconjori village in Embu County, Kenya, is a powerful example of how communities can thrive when local strengths and passions are nurtured. Living on a small piece of land, Pauline always had an enthusiasm for poultry farming, but limited knowledge and resources made it difficult to succeed. She struggled to grow her chicken population, which left her feeling discouraged. 

But Pauline’s story took a turn for the better when she connected with the ACC&S Embu Food Security Project, supported by Canadian Baptist Ministries and their partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The project built on what Pauline already had: her passion, resilience, and willingness to learn. Through the project’s training sessions, Pauline gained important knowledge in poultry care—from feeding and vaccinating to providing proper housing. 

 Within a year, Pauline was not only hatching and collecting enough eggs to feed her family but also selling the surplus. She began using manure from the chickens to improve her crop yields, helping her provide nutritious and diverse food for her family.  

 Through the Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) supported by the project, Pauline has also learned to save and access low-interest loans, building her financial confidence and enabling her to grow her business sustainably. 

 Pauline’s journey shows what’s possible when local people are equipped to build on their own assets, talents, and dreams. 

 Active in Mission is our chance to contribute to food security initiatives around the world like ACC&S Embu, as well as projects right here in Canada, as retired CBWC Pastor Clark Gietz explains in this brief video: 

CBWC Staff Lace Up for Active in Mission 

 This summer, CBWC staff is hoping you’ll donate or join the efforts with your own chosen activity. Whether you run, walk, cycle, swim or give, your efforts will raise vital funds for local and global food programs. 

 Our Regional Ministers have been putting on the miles during this Active in Mission campaign: Mark Doerksen goes for daily walks, Brian Louw recently ran a 10k, and Tim Kerber has been cycling up a storm, logging 470km on his bike in June alone.  

Brian Louw

Esther Kitchener

Communications and Development Director Louanne Haugan has been paddleboarding, and Executive Assistant Esther Kitchener spent her June holidays hiking over 200km on Vancouver Island. 

 “I’ve always cared a lot about food insecurity but had never found the mind space to ‘jump in’ on this fundraiser before,” says Senior Writer Hannah Hamm, who is participating in AiM for the first time this year. “I’m aiming to walk 500 km, and much of that will be in Italy! I can’t help but feel the huge privilege of a sabbatical trip to Europe while so many don’t have enough food to eat on a daily basis. As I explore a few epic new cities, and some different countryside than usual, my prayer will be that I can make a small difference by being Active in Mission.” 

 There’s still time to get Active in Mission and help Baptists Canada-wide reach our goal of $100,000! Donate or sign up today: activeinmission.ca. 

Between January and August this year, we are journeying through these reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, used with permission, by Carolyn Arends.  

The Lord’s Prayer was the theme of our Assembly this May.  

If you missed the first editions, you can find them in past issues of Making Connections: cbwc.ca/newsletters 

The universe in 57 Words–Part SEVEN

By Carolyn Arends

DAY SEVEN 

PETITION SIX 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

This portion of the Lord’s Prayer has given commentators the most fits over the centuries. Would God ever actually lead us into temptation, such that we need to ask him not to? 

 TESTS AND TEMPTATIONS 

Darrell Johnson helps clarify this seemingly confusing petition. He points out that pierasmos—the Greek word translated as “temptation” in Matthew 6:13—can also mean “test” or “trial.” When translated as “temptation,” it refers to a deliberate 

attempt to ensnare a person in something evil. But when the word is translated as “test,” it refers to something positive—the way gold is tested by fire to be both evaluated and refined. 

These two different meanings of pierasmos are seen in the first chapter of James. Verses 2–3 read, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” This passage points to the truth that we usually experience the most growth through the hardest stretches. 

 In verse 13, James cautions, “No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.” Here, using the very same Greek word, James is making it clear that it is never God’s intention to lead us into evil. 

 So why is pierasmos translated as “temptation” rather than “test” in Matthew 6:13? Perhaps because we’re tempted to misread our trials to mean that God is no longer with us or for us. Satan took this tack in the wilderness. But Jesus was too thoroughly acquainted with his Father’s goodness to fall for Satan’s lie that God could not be trusted in a time of trial. 

 When trials inevitably come, Jesus teaches us to pray that Satan won’t convince us that God has abandoned us. Johnson’s paraphrase of Matthew 6:13 reads, “Father, as you lead us to the test, do not let the test become a temptation, but rescue us from the one who seeks to destroy our faith, and work in us the same confidence in you that Jesus has.” 

 We see again why the first petition is for the hallowing of God’s name. Jesus knows the only thing that can defeat us is if we become permanently convinced that God is not good. 

 DELIVER US FROM EVIL 

 The final thing Jesus teaches us to ask for is deliverance from evil, which indicates that evil is real and we shouldn’t underestimate it. There truly is an enemy who would love to devour us. Remember, this enemy’s primary modus operandi is attempting to deceive us into thinking God cannot be trusted. 

 But if Jesus is realistic about evil, he is also utterly confident about its defeat. He knows we are not in some dualistic battle where good and evil are equal opponents and the outcome is uncertain. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. 

 As a church kid, I loved the special Sundays when missionaries on furlough brought reports. There is one visit I’ve never forgotten. 

 The missionary couple was stationed in what appeared in photos to be a particularly steamy jungle. One day, they told us, an enormous snake—much longer than a man—slithered its way through their front door and into the kitchen of their simple home. Terrified, they ran outside and searched frantically for a local who might know what to do. A machete-wielding neighbor came to the rescue, calmly marching into their house and decapitating the snake with one clean chop. 

 The neighbor reemerged triumphant and assured the missionaries that the reptile had been defeated. But there was a catch, he warned: It was going to take a while for the snake to realize it was dead. 

 A snake’s neurology and blood flow are such that it can take considerable time for it to stop moving even after decapitation. For the next several hours, the missionaries were forced to wait outside while the snake thrashed about, smashing furniture and flailing against walls and windows, wreaking havoc until its body finally understood that it no longer had a head. 

 Sweating in the heat, they felt frustrated but also grateful that the snake’s rampage wouldn’t last forever. At some point they had a mutual epiphany. 

 I leaned in with the rest of the congregation, queasy and fascinated. “Do you see it?” asked the husband. “Satan is a lot like that big old snake. He’s already been defeated. He just doesn’t know it yet. In the meantime, he’s going to do some damage. But never forget that he’s a goner.” 

 That story is a picture of the universe. We are in the thrashing time, a season characterized by our capacity to do violence to each other and ourselves. The temptation is to despair. We have to remember, though, that it won’t last forever. Jesus has already crushed the serpent’s head. 

 There is still a waiting. In some cases, the redemption and healing Jesus obtained for us on the cross may not come in fullness until we are face-to-face with our Victor—but come it will. Guaranteed. 

 One wondrous mystery is that although the end of the story has already been determined, God is still using us to write it. We have the dignity of causality. Because Jesus lives in us through his Spirit, we are called not just to anticipate the ultimate reign of his kingdom, but also to play a part in bringing it to fruition. 

 And so we live inside the prayer Jesus taught us. We affirm that the kingdom is at hand. We sign up for the revolution. 

 We ask God to do what only he can do—and to do it in and through us, even now. 

 Suggested song: “The Last Word (Love Was Here First)” 

Renovare.org/universesongs 

 The Lord’s Prayer 
(Dallas Willard Paraphrase) 

 Dear Father, always near us,   
may your name be treasured and loved,  
may your rule be completed in us— 
may your will be done here on earth  
in just the way it is done in heaven. 

 Give us today the things we need today,  
and forgive us our sins and impositions on you  
as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.  

 Please don’t put us through trials,  
but deliver us from everything bad.  

 Because you are the one in charge,  
and you have all the power,  
and the glory too is all yours—forever—  
which is just the way we want it!  
AMEN! 

 LIVING INSIDE THE SIXTH PETITION 

Do you face a temptation to doubt God’s goodness and the fact that he is with you and for you? As you pray for deliverance from evil and oppression, “pray back” God’s character as the Deliverer: 

• the One who freed Israel from Egyptian captivity
• the One who welcomed outcasts and healed the sick, freeing them from estrangement and illness
• the One who delivered us from death and decay on the cross

Use this last day inside the Lord’s Prayer to gather up the threads of all that you’ve explored throughout the journey. Be sure to journal anything you’ve heard from God, as well as the questions and petitions that remain. 

 To download the full resource: https://renovare.org/books/the-universe-in-57-words 

Excerpts used with permission from a book entitled 

the universe 
in 57 words 
SEVEN DAYS INSIDE THE LORD’S PRAYER 
By Carolyn Arends 

 This resource has been influenced by more authors, preachers, teachers, and fellow pray-ers than I can credit or even remember. But I am particularly indebted to the following works: Fifty-Seven Words That Change the World, by Darrell Johnson; The Lord and His Prayer, by N. T. Wright; The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard; Prayer, by Richard Foster; and Eugene Peterson’s “Jesus and Prayer” lectures for SPIR 604 at Regent College.  

Rooted in Relationship: White Rock Youth in Kenya

This past May, a group of students and leaders from White Rock Baptist Church in Surrey, BC, travelled to Kenya on a SENT trip with Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM).  

 For Youth Pastor Hannah Juras, it was never just about travel or service—it was about transformation, connection, and reimagining what it means to be part of God’s mission in the world. 

After a cancelled trip in 2020 and several years of decreasing global mission engagement, Hannah saw a growing need within the church.  

“We were looking for something deeper than just a trip,” she said.

“Our students were craving something that would stretch them.” Partnering with CBM offered a chance to rebuild global relationships and expand the students’ understanding of justice and service. 

 Over two weeks, the team was immersed in the ministries of CBM’s local partner, the Africa Christian Church and Schools (ACC&S), visiting Nairobi, Thika, and Embu. They saw first-hand the impact of initiatives focused on food security, mentoring vulnerable children, and walking with youth at risk. But more than any program, it was the people who left a lasting impression. 

 “The days spent with local youth were everyone’s favourite,” said Hannah.  

One unforgettable moment came after a youth-led church service. As it ended, White Rock students naturally dispersed into small groups with their Kenyan peers. They shared stories, laughter, and prayer; no adults needed, just presence.  

 “It was the definition of fellowship,” Hannah reflected. 

 The trip offered a meaningful moment in White Rock’s global engagement; one shaped not by charity, but by mutual transformation. “This experience helped our students ask big questions about what sustainable, holistic mission really looks like,” said Hannah. 

 In the end, it wasn’t flashy projects that left the deepest mark. It was quiet faithfulness: a community farm, a dedicated youth mentor, a shared meal. “Even something as simple as chicken farming can radically change a life,” Hannah shared. “I hope our students carry these stories forward, thinking creatively and faithfully about how God is calling them to live out word and deed.” 

You’re Invited: Banff Pastors & Spouses Conference 2025

Theme: Faith in Motion: Steadfast Discipleship in a Shifting World 
📅 Dates: November 10–13, 2025 
📍 Location: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB 
Registration is now open! 

Since 1976, the CBWC has been incredibly blessed by the generosity of the Fairmont Banff Springs, which has provided deeply discounted rates so that pastors and their spouses can gather in one of Canada’s most breathtaking settings. Year after year, they have come from across Western Canada to experience renewal, community, encouragement, and rest. 

At this year’s conference, we will reflect on what it means to lead with steadfastness in a world marked by rapid cultural, social, and political shifts. As pastoral leaders, the call is not only to guide and teach, but to inspire the Church to respond faithfully and creatively to the challenges and opportunities of our times. 

When the world feels uncertain, it is natural to feel weary or to retreat. But God’s Word reminds us that His faithfulness and love remains firm—unchanged by shifting culture or circumstance. The Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference offers space to rest in that truth, to be spiritually refreshed, and to reconnect with fellow leaders who understand the weight and beauty of ministry. 

We hope you can join us as we explore and learn together with Rev. Dr. Lennett Anderson and Rev. Renee MacVicar. 

If your pastor or their spouse has never attended the Banff Pastors and Spouses Conference—this is the year to send them! 

NOTE: A 2024 poll of pastors and chaplains indicated that meeting in Banff remains a priority, though not necessarily at the Banff Springs Hotel, and not necessarily on an annual basis. In response to this feedback, Banff 2026 will be held at the Banff Park Lodge. Additionally, we will be shifting to a biennial (every other year) gathering schedule, alternating with the in-person Assembly. This approach supports both financial stewardship and deeper engagement with local ministerials. 2026: Banff, Online Assembly; 2027: Assembly, Regional Gatherings; 2028: Banff, Online Assembly 

Resources for Feeding Hope This Summer

We at CBWC have been participating in Active in Mission for several years because food security—or lack of it—can impact all of us.  

With Active in Mission, individuals and teams can choose an activity to raise funds for food security initiatives. Our national goal is to raise $100,000—half of which will be distributed to churches in Canadian Baptist denominations who are working to alleviate hunger locally. The other 50% will support food programming internationally, helping communities become more resilient with conservation agriculture and food-related, income-generating initiatives. 

Hunger in our world is a huge issue that can feel overwhelming, so we’ve put together some simple ways to start thinking and acting in ways that support food security—starting in our own hearts!  

– Gratitude and Prayer. Jesus instructed His followers to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” At Assembly this past May, Dr. Carmen Imes reminded us of this call to rely on God and to support one another when we need provision. This neat resource is a collection of table graces from around the world that can help us turn our eyes up to our Heavenly Father and consider His generosity to us. 

– Learning. Check out this video from Canadian Foodgrains Bank on Food Security. 

– Youth Engagement: CBM has created the Feeding Hope Challenge: a 2-hour, guided youth event to help the 12-18 year olds in your community learn about food security, fundraisers, participate in active challenges, and get to know the work of CBM around the world. Download the guide here. 

– Activity. It’s not too late to register your church, gather your team and get active to raise money. Get creative or keep it simple: West End Baptist Church in Nova Scotia is hosting a mackerel fishing event, Joe Bridi from CBM is cycling to work for 2 months, and NewGate Baptist in Calgary has mobilized their Run/Walk Club to raise funds. Here’s a 90-second instruction video on getting signed up. 

– Financial Support. Together, we’ve raised $445, but we’re not yet at our goal. Help us get there by donating at activeinmission.ca. Scroll down to the “Fundraisers” listing to find churches and individuals—as well as a team of CBWC Staff—to support.  

Thank you for Feeding Hope with us! 

Humans of the CBWC: Heather Leung

Heather Leung is an RN working in an Outpatient Diabetic Nephropathy  

Prevention Clinic, which is a fancy way of saying that she works with people who have diabetes with hypertension and/or chronic kidney disease. In short, her clinic consists of herself and a Registered Dietitian who meet with clients to help ensure their medications are working for them and whether any diet or lifestyle choices would be helpful to improve their diabetes or help slow the progression of loss of kidney function.  

Heather sat on a panel at our recent CBWC Assembly, and here are her answers to some very good questions:  

At the Big-Picture level, how do you see your work as contributing to the Kingdom of God? Do you see your work as a God-given calling? 

 “Naturally, healthcare is seen as the healing hands of God; serving others to provide comfort, especially when they are at their most vulnerable. On the frontlines, we exemplify Jesus by showing dignity & respect to the person we are attending to. I also see healthcare as the revelation of God through us, His created beings. When you think of the delicate intricacies of all that has to work in harmony in order for our bodies to function, it’s amazing! In my clinic, we spend a lot of time teaching people how not to conform to the ways of this world. People with chronic conditions do have to be quite cognizant of their dietary choices in order to maintain good health. Scripture tells us that though everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial.  As each of us is uniquely and wonderfully made, some who are susceptible to the ill effects of certain substances or behaviours need to learn, then, what permissible things are not beneficial to them. 

“God-given calling? I’m not sure if it was God’s calling, or more so His mercy towards me. I would say that I struggled with my work for many years, not feeling very purposeful or fulfilled with it. Maybe this is due to me coming into my faith later in my life, I don’t know— but God has certainly been transforming me over the years and brought me to this particular clinic using this particular skill set. It has led to me appreciating the work I do in helping people to achieve a good quality of life while also improving or maintaining their health. I feel that my spiritual gifts include helping and encouraging, and I certainly do both of these with my clients.” 

We live in a fallen world and that fallenness infects everything, including our places of work. What parts of our fallen world seem to uniquely show up in your line of work? 

 “Well, we all know how broken our healthcare system is, but what I will say is that greed can really show its face in healthcare. Like when treatments are developed to help but then twisted to cater to the vain of this world. For example, many people have likely heard of Ozempic—it’s been in the news and advertised more and more recently. First developed to help those with diabetes manage their glucose levels, it was then marketed for weight loss when it was observed how effective it was in this sense. But then celebrities started buying it all up and caused a major supply shortage for those who needed it for their diabetes care. 

 “Greed is evident in the fact that my work is evaluated on quantity and not quality. So for instance, I could spend a 2-hour appointment with a client and really explain to them their disease process and the effects of their diet and lifestyle on preventing further progression of kidney disease, explain their medications to them, what they are and how they are of benefit to them. I can empower them to make changes and alleviate their fears, yet that time spent with the client is seen as the equivalent of a 5-minute phone call where I might follow up with someone to say that their lab results are good and to keep taking the medications they are prescribed. 

 “I also see it in terms of the expectations from some people that they should get things for free or something should occur within their preferred timeline. I don’t say this to criticize everyone, but I do get frustrated with the amount of people I do see abusing our healthcare system.” 

 What are some everyday, practical things you do in your job to consciously demonstrate Jesus? Or to demonstrate the kingdom of God to fellow co-workers or clients? 

 “Firstly, I would say that during my morning commute, my prayer focus is asking to be a good steward of God’s love to those I’ll encounter for the day. I know that my clients feel the genuine concern that I have for their welfare because they’ve expressed as much to me. There are times when I’ve gone above and beyond for some of my clients; mailing out certain forms for them or even dropping off glucometer strips at one’s home. There are also the little things that I do, like asking permission to take their blood pressure, or have them step on the scale to get their weight. If I am physically touching them as part of my assessment, then I’m explaining what I’m doing and why. I set my computer aside, make eye contact, and actually have a conversation with the person in front of me—rather than sitting with my face in my computer and going through my assessment questions, just ticking off the boxes in their electronic record. 

 “In terms of my co-workers, I will say that I am blessed that some of the people we share office space with do identify as believers, and so talking about God is commonplace and hasn’t been criticized by those who do not consider themselves to be believers. Through comments from my co-workers, I know that the peace & confidence I feel because of God allows me to remain calm in times of stress and be flexible with sudden changes. It’s been commented on numerous occasions that the laughter I bring to our workspace and the kindness that I extend towards each of them is noted and appreciated.” 

Between January and August this year, we are journeying through these reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, used with permission, by Carolyn Arends.  

The Lord’s Prayer was the theme of our Assembly this May.  

If you missed the first editions, you can find them in past issues of Making Connections: cbwc.ca/newsletters 

The Universe in 57 Words–Part FIVE

PETITION FIVE  

‘Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors’.  

If you’re praying the Lord’s Prayer with a group of people, the fifth petition is where the recitation can get a little messy. Are we asking God to forgive our “sins,” our “trespasses,” or our “debts”?  

Each of these words gets at a different nuance of the same problem. I grew up with the “trespass” translation, and it’s helped me think about the ways I violate God’s loving rule. But lately I’m leaning into the language of “debt,” because it hints at how entirely in hock I am to the extravagant and unmerited goodness of God. Trevor Hudson likes to pray, Lord, I thank you that I am waking up to a day I have not made, to enjoy a salvation I have not earned.  

Greek scholars tell us that the words translated as “forgive” and “debts” in Matthew 6 are financial in nature; the petition is really a request to “clear the ledger.” Imagine walking into a bank where you owed an enormous loan and requesting that your debt be erased. The fifth petition Jesus teaches us might be the boldest one yet!  

NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS  

The fourth petition required us to recognize the fact that we don’t have what it takes to live a full life. Now, the fifth petition acknowledges the reality that we don’t have what it takes to live a righteous life.  

Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke suggests that it is helpful to think of “righteousness” as right relationship in four directions— with God, with each other, with ourselves, and with creation. All the wreckage in the world—and in our own lives—comes down to failures in loving in one or more of those relationships.  

Just like regular Eucharist can help make us aware of our dependence on Jesus for all we need to live a full life, a regular practice of confession can help wake us up to our dependence on Jesus for all we need to live a righteous life.  

And so Jesus bakes a frank confession into the first half of the fifth position. “Forgive us our debts,” we pray, confessing them and accessing their only remedy with one simple phrase. We are beggars at the bank requesting that our ledger be wiped clean, praying with shocking boldness because Jesus said we should.  

A CONTINGENT PETITION?  

But what do we make of the second half of the fifth petition: “For give us our debts . . as we forgive our debtors”? This is the only part of the Lord’s Prayer that seems to be in some way contingent upon us. And it’s the only petition that Jesus amplifies after instructing his followers how to pray. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,” he declares, “but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15).  

As I’ve wrestled with this part of the Lord’s Prayer, two things have come into focus.  

A Warning against “The Secular Loop”  

First, I think Jesus is cautioning us not to place ourselves in what theologian John Stackhouse calls “the secular loop.” Consider the passages earlier in Matthew 6, where Jesus warns against giving to charity or praying purely for show. In both cases, folks who have removed God from the equation and are seeking human approval have already “received their reward” (Matthew 6:2). In other words, if we want to operate solely on the human level and leave God out of it, he’ll let us—at least for a while.  

When we refuse to forgive, Stackhouse argues, we appoint ourselves ruler and judge, supplanting God and once again choosing to operate on a purely human level. That may be one reason why our own unforgiveness prevents us from receiving the forgiveness we ourselves so desperately need—we’ve cut the God who forgives out of the equation.  

This applies, by the way, even to withholding forgiveness from ourselves. “I’ll never forgive myself” is an atheistic statement, because it appoints the self as ruler and judge.  

A Concern for Relational Wholeness  

Ruth Graham, wife of evangelist Billy Graham, was asked, “What is the secret to a lasting marriage?” Given the idealistic light in which we saw her husband, her answer surprised me.  

“Forgiveness.”  

Jesus knows we have no shot at staying in relationship with one another without the power of forgiveness. He also knows unforgiveness hurts us more than the perpetrator. As Marianne William son famously put it, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.” 

So it makes sense that Jesus, the Lover of our Souls, would include a deep concern for relational wholeness—with God, with each other, and with ourselves—into this petition.  

 BUT WHAT IF I CAN’T FORGIVE?  

Maybe you’ve been treated so wrongly and been wounded so deeply that the idea of forgiving the perpetrator seems obscene. What should we do when forgiveness seems impossible?  

Many people have experienced horrific harm and lasting trauma. Jesus knows this. He sees what happens and does not take it lightly. He knows it takes time to access painful memories and work through anger. Even after taking these steps we may still have ill will in our heart for the perpetrator. The inner sense of having truly forgiven someone can’t be forced—it’s a gift from God. Our part, after doing what we can to grieve the offense, is to take a step of faith to say, “I’m willing. I’m willing to be willing. I choose to release the person as best as I am able.”  

God will do something beautiful with whatever opening we give him. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we place ourselves in harm’s way or remain in toxic relationships. Rather, forgiveness is a journey toward abdicating the judgment seat and being released from the bondage of resentment.  

Arriving at the ability to forgive someone is a process—sometimes a slow and painful one. But where I used to think it was something God demanded of us, I see now that it is something he longs to give us. So we pray the first half of the fifth petition, recognizing our deep need for right relationship. And then we pray the second half, giving God permission to cultivate forgiveness inside of us, however long it takes. As with all the other petitions, we’re asking God to do the good and beautiful things that only he can do. 

 Suggested song: “Willing” renovare.org/universesongs  

LIVING INSIDE THE FIFTH PETITION  

Consider praying through this liturgy for confession:  

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.  

Then read Psalm 103:10–12 as assurance of forgiveness:  

[The Lord] does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. 

To download the full resource: https://renovare.org/books/the-universe-in-57-words 

Excerpts used with permission from a book entitled 

the universe 
in 57 words 
SEVEN DAYS INSIDE THE LORD’S PRAYER 
By Carolyn Arends 

 This resource has been influenced by more authors, preachers, teachers, and fellow pray-ers than I can credit or even remember. But I am particularly indebted to the following works: Fifty-Seven Words That Change the World, by Darrell Johnson; The Lord and His Prayer, by N. T. Wright; The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard; Prayer, by Richard Foster; and Eugene Peterson’s “Jesus and Prayer” lectures for SPIR 604 at Regent College. 

Summer Hospitality

By Hannah Hamm

During the long, hot days of a Canadian summer, many of us have the opportunity to consider opening up space for others, literally or emotionally. Perhaps we are inspired to invite some friends or neighbours over for a simple BBQ; Invite the church family for a picnic on the lawn or at the beach; Maybe plan to share a cold drink together after a long, hard day working the land; Provide a simple meal for a local firefighter and their family, or a co-worker.  

However you are inspired to gather, take heart in knowing that your Creator modelled hospitality from the beginning and smiles when we follow His example.  

Food and drink, when shared, carry with them a certain positive power for connection. Jesus knew this, and we can all agree He participated in some beautiful culinary interactions. From the wedding feast to the fish fry on the beach, and everything in between, Jesus brought depth and meaning to the word ‘hospitality’.  

Before you decide that I’ve set the bar too high by citing Christ as an example, remember that no one, especially not God, expects perfection or even a certain level of talent. Offer what you can, knowing that whatever is offered with generousity of heart is blessed. 

A quote from Shauna Niequist to inspire you: 

‘Many of the most sacred moments in my life–the ones in which I feel God’s presence most profoundly, when I feel the goodness of the world most arrestingly–take place around the table. Something extraordinary happens when we slow down, open our homes, look into one another’s faces, and listen to one another’s stories around the table.’ 

Some good advice I’ve received over the years with regards to hosting: 

• Leave some of the prep for your guests to join in on as they arrive. Including them makes them feel less guilty for being ‘pampered’. 

• If conversation isn’t a particular gift of yours, consider having some question cards available to kick things off. ‘If you could travel to any time or place, where would you go?’ or ‘What are some food memories you have?’ 

• Though it’s true that common wisdom suggests one shouldn’t try out a new recipe for guests, I think that ignoring this one can model vulnerability and a willingness to fail. Kick that desire to get everything perfect to the curb…. 

Some great book recommendations in case you actually do have more time and space during summer and want to engage these ideas more:  

Henri Nouwen’s book ‘Reaching Out’ traces the thread of hospitality through understanding God’s hospitality to us, our hospitality to ourselves, and then–and only then–hospitality to others. https://henrinouwen.org/read/reaching-out/ 

Shauna Niequist’s book ‘Bread and Wine’ is full of stories of hosting and feasting (including great recipes). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16182601-bread-and-wine 

A personal recipe recommendation that I’ve found is always a crowd pleaser, and can be served hot or cold, is from the Pioneer Woman, Potato Basil Fritatta. (follow the link for recipe and instructions)  

And two recommendations from our own Louanne Haugan: 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Prepare the dressing by putting all dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake well. Give it a taste and adjust if needed. 

Drain and rinse the black beans and place in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the diced red peppers, red onion, corn, jalapeño pepper and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine.  

 This is a great recipe to prepare in advance. I like to keep the dressing and salad ingredients refrigerated, tossing 15 minutes before serving. This is a bright, colourful salad that pairs well with barbecued chicken thighs (or any protein).  

INSTRUCTIONS: 

In a zip lock bag, combine marinade ingredients. Add the chicken thighs and toss with the marinade to coat. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours (4-6 hours is ideal). Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 15 minutes prior to grilling. Grill chicken on medium high heat for 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until chicken registers 160 degrees F. Transfer to a plate or cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes. Enjoy! 

New Education Grants at CBWC Foundation!

The Foundation has recently established two NEW grants for people training in ministry. We are committed to supporting the core values of the CBWC, and “Cultivating Leaders” is in our sweet spot! We have long had grants for pastoral training, and these two new grants are designed to engage additional needs within the CBWC community. 

Firstly, we introduce the Chaplaincy Grant to provide financial support to accredited CBWC chaplains for continuing education and professional development. Funding is available at $500 per course, up to an annual maximum of $2,000. 

Secondly, we introduce the Undergraduate Ministry Training Grant, which provides financial support to students pursuing theological training at an undergraduate level. Funding is available up to $500 per credit, up to an annual maximum of $2,000, with a lifetime maximum of $6,000. 

The Foundation has the privilege of making training grants available because of faithful stewards who made it a priority to “endow” legacy gifts to the Education Fund, namely a few key seed planters, namely George Segerstrom, Laura Kelly, Jack & Catherine Farr, Herb Grabowski and Lynn Symington. If you have a heart to grow CBWC ministry now or in the future, talk to us! We would be overjoyed to help you leave a legacy of ministry support. 

For more information on receiving a grant or leaving a ministry legacy, please contact Christine Reid at creid@cbwcfoundation.ca or call (403) 930-7004. 

Assembly 2025–On Earth as It is in Heaven

We are grateful to have had a chance to connect face-to-face with many of you at our 2025 Assembly in Calgary May 22-24, as well as at the Ordination Examination Council on May 21. There were more than 300 in attendance representing 87 CBWC churches. 

Take a look at some of the highlights from our time together: 

Here is your CBWC Board for the coming term, as voted at Assembly: 

President: Jeff Gullacher, Vice-President of Planning: David Vandergucht, Vice-President of Personnel & Programme: Shannon Barnes-Girouard, Vice-President of Finance: Laurel Auch 

MSR Region: Setri Dzivenu, Allan Santos, Juli Wells 

BCY Region: Richard Currie, Fay Puddicombe , Kyle Turner,  

HRT Region: Lorraine Hernaez, Crystal Peters, Joel Russell-MacLean 

Outgoing President Joshua Goetz praying for new President Jeff Gullacher 

Humans of the CBWC: “Farm Grandpa” Clint Rousell

How does the long-serving Maintenace Manager of a small Baptist church in Saskatchewan end up receiving monthly royalties from YouTube? I recently visited with Clint and Elaine Rousell to find out!  

It all began during the infamous year of 2020. As Asquith Baptist Church wrestled with how to stay connected with their congregation during the lockdown, they had the idea to provide bird house kits, which families could make at home. Amazingly, this ended up connecting with not just the church families but with the whole Asquith community as well. What started out as 75 became 250 birdhouses. The church posted it on their Facebook page, and anyone who wanted one could just reply with the number needed for their kids. People came to pick them up where they were left in a large bird house, so it was basically contact-free. Clint Rousell recorded a video giving the building instructions, and this became his first foray into YouTube “fame.”  

Click here for link to the birdhouse video from 2020. 

Fast forward to 2023. The church was having an issue with condensation and Clint, as the building manager, decided to make a video explaining how to handle the problem. You can watch this video where Clint demonstrates how to install an insulation dam to stop ice buildup in the eaves of the church here.

It so happened that Clint’s grandson, Nicolas Rousell, purchased an old Massey 165 tractor, which needed a lot of work. The two of them spent a lot of time together working on the tractor and videoing their progress. This resulted in a YouTube series which received, and continues to receive, many hits! You can check out the Farm Grandpa YouTube channel here.

Clint reports that the process of taking a personal phone video and translating it onto the YouTube platform is a lot of work. He has relied heavily on his grandson and a friend of theirs, Jan—who also has a YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@saskdutchkid (Incidentally, Jan’s family also attends Asquith Baptist Church).  

May this story inspire you to show up in the world with the gifts you’ve been given. All of us are uniquely equipped to share goodness and love; the possibilities are endless. Ministry happens both inside and outside of the walls of our church buildings and often looks like everyday stuff; even tractors and eavestroughs.  

Two Stories of Hope for World Refugee Day

Hopes dashed and then restored… 

The CBWC has worked with groups outside of our churches for sponsorship when we both have the availability and know that the refugees will be fully cared for upon their arrival. We recently had an Eritrean family who had been sponsored by another organization. Their application was approved, biometrics and security checks completed, and the family was just waiting for their travel arrangements to be made, when the Sponsorship Agreement Holder [SAH] in Calgary withdrew their sponsorship for unknown or clear reasons. The Eritrean family was understandably greatly distraught with this news.  

The co-sponsoring group contacted the CBWC and asked if we would take on their sponsorship and assured us that the funds were in place. We agreed, and on April 26 of this year, the family arrived safely in Calgary. 

The sponsors have helped them settle with housing and their essential needs, and then quickly helped them to connect with a church community for additional emotional and spiritual support.  

It is great that we can partner with other churches and organizations to help displaced persons find a home and new opportunities for peace and security in Canada.  

Faye Reynolds, CBWC Refugee Coordinator 

An inspiring church vision shared for a decade… 

Since 2016, our church has been on an inspiring journey, sponsoring refugees, sparked by the civil war in Syria. This mission began at a Canadian Baptists of Western Canada (CBWC) meeting when we learned about the urgent need to support Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Our elders soon decided we couldn’t ignore this call; we had the resources, and as I told them, I didn’t want to face Jesus knowing we chose a healthy bank balance over helping a family in need. 

Since that decision, we’ve sponsored a Syrian family, two individuals from Ukraine, a family from Pakistan, and, most recently, a family from South Sudan. Our partnership with Refugee Bridge has greatly facilitated these sponsorships by connecting us with families in need and helping us raise funds. 

Our latest sponsorship is a mom named Margaret and her five children: Kodwel, Emmanuel, Mary, Nancy, and Samuel from South Sudan. Margaret’s sister is a member of our congregation. Sponsoring them has been an adventure filled with challenges and joys. 

Early on, Margaret faced arrest in her refugee camp when officials learned she had family in Canada. To secure her release, we had to navigate complex international financial transfers to pay bail. We then relocated the family to Kampala, Uganda, providing housing and covering their expenses while awaiting sponsorship approval. 

Sending money internationally proved challenging. Banks in Uganda primarily serve the wealthy, due to security issues—prompting us to use mobile money transfers via cell phone carriers. Unfortunately, international transfer services repeatedly blocked us after learning the funds came from a church. Frustration peaked until a heartwarming conversation occurred—Margaret’s children affectionately called me “Uncle Mikel” during a WhatsApp call. This sparked an idea; I started marking transfers as money sent to “family,” easing the process significantly. 

Welcoming Margaret’s family at the airport was unforgettable. Church members described greeting them as one of their life’s most joyful and emotional experiences, full of tears, laughter, and hugs. 

This sponsorship journey has profoundly impacted our church, shifting our focus outward. Though our congregation isn’t large, God has consistently provided whenever financial support was needed. Sponsoring refugees requires a one-year commitment, both financially and in helping families integrate into Canadian life. This mission has revitalized our community, particularly our retirees, who eagerly assist with transportation and navigating Canadian bureaucracy. One memorable example was a church member who had just finished chemotherapy yet enthusiastically hosted a Ukrainian refugee, declaring, “I’m not dead yet!” 

Sponsoring refugees has been an incredible blessing, deepening our faith and reinforcing our trust in God’s provision. It reminds us of our calling to welcome and care for those in need, reflecting the heart of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 “For you fed Me when I was hungry, gave Me drink when I was thirsty, welcomed Me as a stranger, clothed Me when in need, cared for Me when sick, and visited Me in prison.” 

Mikel Laurie, Highlands Baptist Church, Calgary, AB 

The universe in 57 words–part FIVE

By Carolyn Arends

Between January and August this year, we are journeying through these reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, used with permission, by Carolyn Arends.  

The Lord’s Prayer was the theme of our Assembly this May.  

If you missed the first 4 editions, you can find them in past issues of Making Connections: cbwc.ca/newsletters 

PETITION FOUR  

Give us this day our daily bread.  

The phrase ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ acts as a fulcrum in the middle of the Lord’s prayer. The first three petitions keep us focused squarely on God—his name, his kingdom, his will. We pray that heaven may increasingly invade our earthly experience.  

Now, with our hearts and minds calibrated Godward, Jesus invites us to lift up our earthly needs—for sustenance, for forgiveness, and for deliverance—to our Father in heaven.  

It starts here: Give us this day our daily bread.  

WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN BY “DAILY BREAD”?  

Once again, we see Jesus’ genius for packing a universe of meaning into a single phrase. At least four implications can be teased out of this request for “daily bread.”  

Basic Needs  

The Greek word that gets translated as “daily” in the Lord’s Prayer is epiousios. It’s a peculiar term not found in any other Greek literature or any part of the Bible other than the Lord’s Prayer. Its exact meaning has been debated for centuries. Is Jesus talking about actual bread? Or is he employing a purely spiritual metaphor? Given that ousious means “sustenance” and epi is an intensifier, we might say that Jesus is referring to “super-sustenance.” With that meaning in view, Origen and other early church fathers assumed that Jesus primarily had spiritual resources in mind.  

Then, a century ago, an archeological dig uncovered a fifth-century Egyptian papyrus that contained several instances of the word epiousios. As it turns out, the papyrus was a shopping list, and the word epiousios was written next to a variety of grocery items.  

I took a course with Eugene Peterson where he reported this discovery with an immense amount of glee. He asked us to imagine a mother sending her son to the market with the admonition, “Don’t get me that day-old bread; get me the fresh stuff—the epiousios bread!” We can be certain, Peterson concluded, that when Jesus used that word he was referring to something as basic as the day’s groceries.  

So the first thing Jesus is teaching us with this petition is that we should ask God for the earthy, everyday things we need to live—from food to shelter to meaningful work and relationships. If we might wish to operate in a more spiritualized state, the fourth petition cuts through our pretensions and reminds us that we never outgrow petitionary prayer.  

Not only does Jesus teach us to ask God for the basics we need to live, he urges us to do it daily. Like the Israelites who had to rely on God for manna each day, Jesus is inviting us into a rhythm of simple, steady God-dependence. The idea is not to come to him now and then, when our needs exceed our resources. It’s to live every day—every hour, every minute—in a state of trusting reliance on God’s provision.  

For those of us who worry and plan and crave control, Jesus offers a simple training program for a different way of living. “This then,” he tells us, “is how you should pray: Give us this day our daily bread.”  

The Eucharist  

With a request for “daily bread,” Jesus gives us the words to ask not only for the food we need to survive physically, but also for “the bread of life” (John 6:35). “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life,” Jesus told his disciples (John 6:54).  

Then, in the upper room, he taught them how to partake. Every time we gather around the Lord’s table, we’re participating in one of the wondrous ways God answers the fourth petition—by giving us Jesus, the Bread of Life we need to truly live.  

The Eschaton  

The prophets before Jesus were fond of imagining the age to come as a lavish, sacred meal with God. So, reverberating in the request for earthly bread is a third implication—the anticipation of a wedding feast that will never end. Listen to how the vision is cast in Isaiah 25:6–8:  

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples  

a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines,  

of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.  

And he will destroy on this mountain  

the shroud that is cast over all peoples,  

the sheet that is spread over all nations;  

he will swallow up death forever.  

Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,  

and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,  

for the Lord has spoken.  

“Give us our daily bread,” Jesus teaches us to pray, “now and forever.”  

Justice for the Poor  

Finally, we cannot pray the fourth petition with our whole hearts without thinking about the world’s poor—those who don’t have enough provision for today. Once again, the Lord’s Prayer draws us out of ourselves and into God’s care for the world, signing us up for the revolution by inviting us to seek practical ways we can participate in the kingdom work of liberating the oppressed and feeding the hungry.  

Suggested song: “Everything We Need (In the Morning, Lord)” renovare.org/universesongs  

LIVING INSIDE THE FOURTH PETITION  

The petition for daily bread reminds us of our profound poverty— what Eugene Peterson calls “the condition in which we don’t have what we need to live a full life.” There are many layers to our poverty—and to God’s willing provision. Consider praying through each of these layers, lingering on the areas where you sense the greatest need.  

1. Physical bread: Basic sustenance so our bodies can operate 
2. Everything necessary for functioning in the world: shelter, sleep, clothing, community, meaningful work, art, beauty, laughter, sustainable economy 
3. Everything necessary for living in the kingdom: the Holy Spir it, scriptural understanding, local church community, courage, wisdom, discernment, justice, the “fruit of the Spirit” 
4. Jesus himself: the Bread of Life 

The petition for daily bread also reminds us of the profound poverty—material and otherwise—that exists both locally and globally. Pray through the list above again, this time with the world’s hungry in view, seeking the ways in which God wants you to participate in this aspect of the coming of his kingdom.  

To download the full resource: https://renovare.org/books/the-universe-in-57-words 

Excerpts used with permission from a book entitled 

the universe
in 57 words
SEVEN DAYS INSIDE THE LORD’S PRAYER
By Carolyn Arends 

This resource has been influenced by more authors, preachers, teachers, and fellow pray-ers than I can credit or even remember. But I am particularly indebted to the following works: Fifty-Seven Words That Change the World, by Darrell Johnson; The Lord and His Prayer, by N. T. Wright; The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard; Prayer, by Richard Foster; and Eugene Peterson’s “Jesus and Prayer” lectures for SPIR 604 at Regent College. 

 Partner Spotlight: Summer at Hopehill

It’s true: we only get one summer each year. For most of us, it’s a beautiful season of sunshine, flowers, rest, warmth, and relaxation. It’s a shame to miss out on a summer, whether due to too much bad weather, a busy schedule, unplanned busyness. What’s your plan for the summer of 2025?  

Here at Hopehill, we have a few things in store.  

1. Liane Ross, our horticultural therapist on staff, is already working with residents to make good use of our 60 plus community garden plots.  Vegetables. Flowers. Fragrances. Gardens happen because we plan them.
2. Luciano Pepe joins us as a summer intern to work on our property needs—fixing, cleaning, serving, and helping residents. He’s an SFU student. It’s his second summer with us.  
3. We have several outdoor music concerts planned for warm summer afternoons and evenings. Residents love them.  
4. July 12 is our annual summer festival where residents, their families and friends can enjoy hot dogs, ice cream, fun games, music performances, and tons of socializing.  
5. Travelling—some of our staff have family in Alberta, Northern BC, and Vancouver Island. Summer means road trips to connect with family. Many people come here to connect as well.  
6. Hopehill’s mission is to provide low cost, affordable housing to low-income seniors, “in Jesus’ name”.  If you know someone who could be served by our efforts, have them contact office@hopehill.ca.  About 1/3 of our 400 residents are people of deep, vibrant, Christian faith. About 1/3 are like much of Canada—secular, even angry towards the church—and about 1/3 come from regions of the world where Christianity is a western religion, not theirs.  
7. Finally, here is the link to our latest Hopehill update video.

Jamey McDonald 
On behalf of the Hopehill Team
Vancouver, BC    

ACTIVE IN MISSION 2025 IS HERE!

This June through August, we invite you to get active and get creative to raise funds and awareness for food security projects here in Canada and around the world. Whether you walk or run, paddle or pedal, skate or swim, your motion has meaning because ‘to serve a volleyball is to serve a meal’ with Active in Mission!  

Hear firsthand what funds like this can do, from AiM Grant Recipient FBC Saskatoon:

Over the past two years we’ve raised over $155,000—and you can help us do even more. Register your team today and join us in Feeding Hope. 

• Register – Build or join a team of people who will help feed hope in local and global communities. activeinmission.ca/signup  

• Choose a Date – We’re dedicating the entire summer to AiM! Your team can choose a timeframe from June to August that works best for you! 

• Fundraise – Invite your community to support you financially. 

• Get ACTIVE! – Walk, run, dance, bike, swim, rollerblade, horseback ride, or kayak. Take photos and videos and post on social media using #ActiveinMission 

Humans of the CBWC

Seeding into the tall stubble preserves moisture and provides nutrients

Our farm was established in the Carmangay area of southern Alberta in 1963 when I was just a baby. My father purchased land that had experienced significant erosion over the years due to European farming practices that didn’t transfer well to some of the sensitive wind-blown southern prairie soils. Preserving and turning this land into productive farming soil has been an important goal of our farm ever since. Dad’s early efforts were dominated with growing crops more suited to our area and trying to find better ways to control weeds without burying the protective surface plant material through tillage. 

In 1999, we began attending Faith Community Baptist Church in Claresholm, which was pastored by Dennis Stone at the time. As we learned more about our new-found faith, it was meaningful to see that the goal of creating productive land for our farm was part of our much bigger calling, as Christians to be good stewards of the resources given to us by God. One of a farm’s most important assets is its land, so over the years we have continued to try to learn about good farming and stewardship practices and adapt our methods accordingly. Today we grow a variety of diverse crops in rotation and build soil health by continuing to avoid tillage which disrupts its delicate ecosystem. New innovations in farm equipment also allow us to leave behind most of the plant material from the crop, which preserves moisture and nutrients. These practices have vastly increased the life and productivity of our soil. 

We love the farm lifestyle and are proud to be part of the agricultural community, so it was an honour to recently receive an award to recognize our farm’s stewardship and conservation efforts. The Orville Yanke Award was created in memory of a man I got to know in the 80’s and 90’s when I was a board member of the Southern Alberta Conservation Association, which he chaired. He had a lifelong passion for soil conservation, and our farm has benefitted from his mentorship and that of others like him. None of our three children will be taking over our farm, but our goal is still to leave behind fertile, productive land so that its value for growing healthy food will continue for many generations to come. 

Read the full story here, as published in the Lethbridge Herald this Spring.  

https://lethbridgeherald.com/news/lethbridge-news/2025/02/18/carmangay-farmer-recognized-for-soil-conservation-efforts/   

FBC Vancouver–’Heart for the City’ Project

One hundred and thirty-eight years ago, on March 16, 1887, a group of Baptists gathered to found the very first Baptist church in the fledgling city of Vancouver. Naturally, they called it First Baptist Church of Vancouver. It was scarcely a year younger than the city itself, which was formally incorporated on April 6, 1886. One hundred and fourteen years ago, First Baptist Church commemorated the opening of a beautiful Gothic Revival-style church building at the corner of Nelson Street and Burrard Street in the heart of downtown Vancouver. At that time, it was the city’s largest religious building, with a sanctuary that had capacity for 900.  

Fifteen years ago, First Baptist Church began dreaming about how to faithfully steward their place and resources in order to continue to participate in the work God was doing and would continue to do in Vancouver. That dreaming led to the implementation of a project called ‘Heart for the City’. 

The Heart for the City (HFTC) project combined several elements of FBC’s missional vision, including a development agreement that resulted in a restoration and seismic upgrade of the church’s heritage buildings, an expansion of the church’s community and ministry space, a new 7-storey condo building and a new 57-storey tower known as The Butterfly.  

The “heart” of this project was to ensure the safety and longevity of FBC’s historic building for generations to come and to meet some of the city of Vancouver’s expressed needs around housing and social services.  

Through a long process of listening to representatives from the city and the community, exploring different options with the church’s neighbours and prayerful discernment, the church entered an agreement with Westbank Corp to complete the project; Westbank contracted Bing Thom Architects (now Revery Architecture) to design the project. That process was wonderfully led by Dr. Darrell Johnson (Senior Minister at FBC at the time of the project’s inception) and many others. Most recently, Pastor Justin Kim (Lead Pastor of Staff and Strategic Development at FBC), along with congregation members Steve Milos and Fred Liebich, has spearheaded the church’s side of the HFTC project.  

Some key features of the HFTC project include: 

• 7-storey building with 61 units; 41 units are exclusively dedicated to affordable housing, helping to address the crisis around affordability in downtown Vancouver.
• Full-time, 37-space childcare facility for infants and toddlers; this will be run in partnership with Wind & Tide, a well-regarded Christian childcare provider with over 35 years of experience. This helps to address the city’s shortage of affordable childcare and is supported by a grant from the ChildcareBC New Spaces Fund. This fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the 2021-2022 to 2030-2031 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
• Expanded kitchen and purpose-built spaces for our Street Ministries program to better serve the city’s vulnerable populations.
• A counselling centre and programs to support mental health and wellness; this will be run in partnership with Burnaby Counselling Group.
• Multi-purpose spaces for ministry uses, including spaces for ESL classes, parenting workshops, day camps for children and youth, and programs for older adults and retirees.
• Refreshed and upgraded historic sanctuary with a capacity of 875, and a beautifully restored, two-storey hall for church events such as concerts, children’s productions, conferences, and other events. 
• An integration of “old” and “new” architectural designs that celebrate the historic heritage of the church and draw attention to its present vitality. One of the design themes that runs throughout the whole project is the shape of organ pipes. The sanctuary pipes themselves have been cleaned and restored; the organ pipe shape is reflected in the pillars of the galleria space that connects the heritage site with the new podium site, and the shape of The Butterfly towers also evokes organ pipes.

The congregation officially moved out of its building in April 2021, but the last Sunday worship service in that building was actually in March 2020 due to the global pandemic. In the past five years, FBC has worshipped and gathered in 30 different locations in downtown Vancouver and across the city.  

Despite the challenges associated with this extended period of displacement, God’s grace has been evident in the resilience of the congregation, the dedication of the pastoral team and leaders, and in a renewed sense of interconnection with the community and partner organizations. There is great excitement around the re-opening of the building and the celebrations to follow.  

FBC will begin holding Sunday services in its building in May, with a dedication and commissioning service set for May 25th at 2:30pm. All CBWC pastors and anyone interested, especially those in the BCY Region, are warmly invited to join the May 25th celebration.  

Throughout its history, First Baptist Church has sought to be a people who proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and work for the flourishing of the whole city. We at FBC hope and pray that the conclusion of the Heart for the City project, and the beginning of the next season in the life of the church, continues that legacy of missional presence. God has been, and still is, good!  

We look forward to celebrating God’s provision and goodness throughout this season. We look forward to bearing witness to Jesus’ transforming power. We look forward to welcoming our community to come and join us as we serve Jesus in downtown Vancouver and beyond. 

Drew Melton, D.Min. 

Lead Pastor – Preaching and Vision 
The First Baptist Church of Vancouver 
drewm@firstbc.org 

Between January and August this year, we are journeying through these reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, used with permission, by Carolyn Arends.  

The Lord’s Prayer is the theme of our Assembly this May.  

If you missed the first 3 editions you can find them in the past issues of Making Connections here.

The universe in 57 words–Part FOUR

By Carolyn Arends 

PETITION TWO  

Thy kingdom come . . . on earth, as it is in heaven.  

If we’re going to pray “Thy kingdom come,” we’re going to need to understand what Jesus means by kingdom.  

HOW JESUS DESCRIBES HIS GOSPEL  

Jesus’ public ministry began with his proclamation, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17).  

Once again, we hear Jesus using prophetic language unmistakable to the Jewish ear, signaling that he is the fulfillment of long-awaited promises. But if the kingdom “has come near” in Matthew 4, why does Jesus teach us to pray for it to come in Matthew 6? It will help us to look closely at four key words in Matthew 4:17—repent, kingdom, heaven, and near. 

Repent 

For any of us who grew up in the hot, scary shadows of brimstone pulpits, the command to repent causes an involuntary shudder. But the Greek word is metanoeo, which is more invitation than threat. It means “to change your mind,” or “to reconsider.”  

Reconsider what? According to Jesus, everything you thought you knew about reality. Why? Because the kingdom of heaven is near.  

Kingdom  

A kingdom, Dallas Willard points out, is a region where a ruler has domain—the place where whatever he or she wants done, gets done. God’s kingdom, then, is “the range of his effective will”—the place where what God wants done comes to pass. 

Thus, God’s kingdom is the invisible but very real realm where God reigns, and it’s characterized by love, truth, justice, goodness, and wholeness. It’s a wonderful place to be. The apostle Paul testifies that “the kingdom of God is . . . righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).  

Heaven  

While Jesus often speaks of the “kingdom of God,” in Matthew’s Gospel we find him emphasizing that this kingdom is also the “kingdom of heaven.”  

Most of us think of heaven as somewhere “out there,” the place where God watches from a distance and we will one day join him. But for the biblical writers, heaven is close. The “first heavens” is a term used to describe the earth’s atmosphere. So when Jesus describes the invisible realm that God inhabits, he lets us know it’s not only “out there,” but also as near as the atmosphere surrounding our bodies. God’s kingdom is so close that “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).  

Near  

When Jesus says that the kingdom has come near, he is announcing the incredible news that God’s kingdom is now accessible in a new way. In Jesus’ first recorded words in Mark’s Gospel, he prefaces this announcement with the dramatic phrase “The time is fulfilled” (1:15). The implication is that with Christ’s earthly arrival, history has reached a crisis point. Everything has changed. The kingdom of heaven has begun to break into earthly existence like never before. As Trevor Hudson likes to say, ‘Jesus is now announcing the availability of another kind of life’.  

But here’s the rub. As real and available as God’s kingdom is, there are still, for now, competing kingdoms. In fact, part of what makes us human is the fact that each one of us has a personal kingdom— “a realm,” Willard says, “that is uniquely our own, where our choice determines what happens.” We always have the option to align our little kingdoms either with God’s kingdom or with the kingdoms of this world.  

That’s why, with this second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray for the kingdom to come more fully into our lives, our neighbourhoods, our churches, our governments, every corner of our world—until God’s reign is as complete in us as it is in heaven. We’re asking him to supplant the competing kingdoms that operate in our individual hearts and in our collective systems. And once again, we’re asking God to do what only he can do.  

There is, of course, a dissonance we sometimes feel between the peace and wholeness of God’s kingdom and the discord and death of this world. Chris Hall calls this an “Overlap of the Ages”— we live in this Present Evil Age even as we begin to participate in the Age to Come.  

What should we do when we experience this dissonance— when we find ourselves “groan[ing] inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23)? According to Jesus, we should pray for the kingdom to come, trusting that God is incorporating our prayers and lives in his ongoing mission to restore and redeem all things. 

 Suggested song: “We Come” renovare.org/universesongs 

PETITION THREE 

 Thy will be done . . . on earth, as it is in heaven.  

The third petition that Jesus teaches us flows naturally out of the second. When we begin to see what it means for God’s kingdom to come, why wouldn’t we want the effective range of his will to extend further and further throughout the earth?  

Lisa Koons, a leader in the 24/7 prayer movement, was asked how Christians could possibly pray together during a divisive political season. “We pray sweeping prayers, prayers we can agree on, while leaving the outcome to God,” Lisa answered. Even if we have very different theories about what God’s will might look like in a given situation, our hearts can be united in our desire for his will to be done.  

So Jesus gives us a compact petition that can embrace every need, every longing, every complex issue, even our disparate ways of seeing the world: Thy will be done.  

HOW DO WE KNOW GOD’S WILL?  

Years ago, I toured as an opening act for Rich Mullins. There was something about Rich’s music that stirred up people’s deepest longings. I loved overhearing conversations at the autograph table; they often turned serious and urgent.  

More than once, a fan asked Rich how to discern the will of God. Rich would listen, and then offer an unexpected perspective.  

“I don’t think finding God’s plan for you has to be complicated,” he’d begin. “God’s will is that you love him with all your heart and soul and mind, and also that you love your neighbor as your self. Get busy with that, and then, if God wants you to do something unusual, he’ll take care of it. Say, for example, he wants you to go to Egypt.” Rich would pause for a moment before flashing his trademark grin. “If that’s the case, he’ll provide eleven jealous brothers and they’ll sell you into slavery.”  

When I find myself wrestling with life decisions, I think of Rich’s Egypt Principle. It makes me laugh, and then it asks me to get down to the serious business of determining which of my options allows me to best love God and other people. Such an approach reminds me, once again, that my life with God is personal but never private. It usually rules out certain possibilities, while affirming—even creating—several others.  

Sometimes, once I’ve narrowed down my alternatives in light of the Great Commandment to love God and other people, the determinative “jealous brothers” do show up. A scholarship comes through at one school and not another. A job offer is escalated or rescinded. Other times, however, I’m left standing at the junction of several seemingly reasonable pathways, miserable with uncertainty. If only Rich were around to dispatch further wisdom!  

It’s when I reach those loggerheads that I am once again grateful for the passive, imperative verbs Jesus teaches us. Ultimately, the third petition is much less “Tell me your will so I can do it” than it is “Please do your will in me.”  

What’s more, as helpful as this prayer is when I don’t know what to do, it’s even more essential when I do know what God is asking of me, but I’m unable to align my will with his. “Even when you can’t be willing to do what God is asking,” a friend often reminds me, “you can be willing to be willing.” The third petition invites me to move from a position of willfulness to willingness, giving God an opening to begin to complete his will in me in the way only he can.  

HOW DO WE LIVE GOD’S WILL?  

The Jesus who teaches us to pray the third petition is, of course, its perfect model. “My food,” he once told his disciples, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work” (John 4:34).  

It’s worth noting that Jesus’ way of doing his Father’s will often seemed to defy productivity models and baffle his disciples. He seldom took the fastest way anywhere, preferring circuitous routes that gave him more time on the road with his friends. He was eminently interruptible, particularly by children and outcasts. And he had a tendency to slip away at seemingly inopportune moments to pray.  

It’s a tragedy, Eugene Peterson used to say, when we end up doing “Jesus things” in a way that Jesus would never do them. More than once I’ve participated in an evangelistic event where the behind-the-scenes volunteers were treated like cogs in a machine. We’ve all seen debates over right doctrine turn ugly. And I wince when I remember the times I let my graduate studies in theology—a path on which I was clear Jesus was leading me— turn into an obsessive quest for grades at the expense of time with my family.  

So as we pray this third petition, it’s important to remember we are asking for God’s will to be done not only in what we do, but also in how we do it. We’re asking the Holy Spirit to teach us how to do Jesus things in the Jesus way.  

Suggested song: “Father, Thy Will Be Done” renovare.org/universesongs 

To download the full resource: https://renovare.org/books/the-universe-in-57-words 

Excerpts used with permission from a book entitled 

the universe 
in 57 words 
SEVEN DAYS INSIDE THE LORD’S PRAYER 

By Carolyn Arends 

 This resource has been influenced by more authors, preachers, teachers, and fellow pray-ers than I can credit or even remember. But I am particularly indebted to the following works: Fifty-Seven Words That Change the World, by Darrell Johnson; The Lord and His Prayer, by N. T. Wright; The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard; Prayer, by Richard Foster; and Eugene Peterson’s “Jesus and Prayer” lectures for SPIR 604 at Regent College. 

Ministry Partner–Carey Theological College

Carey’s Administrative Board with President Colin Godwin at the Groundbreaking 

Carey’s Timothy Hall Nearing Completion  

Carey Theological College’s second Christian student residence building at the University of British Columbia is nearly ready to welcome students home.  

“We are nearing the completion of Carey’s 104-bed building project, Timothy Hall—a milestone made possible by the dedication of our entire community,” says Danielle Ma, Carey’s Administrative Assistant (Design, Marketing & Communications). “From generous donors who placed their trust in us, to staff who worked tirelessly, construction teams who persevered, and the countless prayers that supported us along the way, this achievement is the culmination of collective effort.”  

May 2024

Timothy Hall as of April 2025

The new building will accommodate 104 additional students and offer a range of suites from studios to three-bedroom apartments, along with thoughtfully designed shared amenity spaces. 

Find out more about Timothy Hall here: https://www.carey-edu.ca/ubc-student-residence#Timothy-Hall 

Heart Smart HR

Creating a Safe Environment for Those Who Serve and Work in Your Church 

It may seem unfathomable that, as Christ followers, churches could be unsafe places to work and volunteer—especially since Jesus’ command to “love one another as He has loved us” is central to our faith. Yet sadly, every-so-often, we will hear a story from a pastor or volunteer of mistreatment or bullying in their church setting.  

Churches, like other organizations, should have antiharassment/bullying policies in place to help protect both staff and volunteers from abusive behavior. Some reasons why these policies are important for churches are:

1) they cultivate a safe and respectful environment and ensure everyone feels valued as individuals created in God’s image; 2) they address informal power dynamics: and 3) they speak to legal requirements—churches, as employers, are required to provide a safe work environment, and antiharassment policies help accomplish this.  

Employers are required to update their workplace harassment policies and procedures to clearly set out: 

• how incidents or complaints of workplace harassment will be investigated and dealt with; 

• the measures and procedures for workers to report incidents of workplace harassment to a person other than the employer or manager/supervisor, if that individual is the alleged harasser; 

• how information obtained in the course of the investigation will not be disclosed, unless disclosure is necessary for the purposes of investigating or taking corrective steps with respect to the incident or complaint; and 

• how a worker who has allegedly experienced workplace harassment, as well as the alleged harasser will be informed of the results of the investigation and of any corrective action to be taken. 

These policies must be posted in a conspicuous place in the workplace and must be reviewed annually. 

While this may all seem obvious, churches are a melting pot of personalities, ethnicities and generational divides, and it is important that volunteers feel safe and supported. The Canadian Centre for Christian Charities (CCCC), in an article about motivating and caring for volunteers, shares some insights from Ruth Esau, former pastor at Centre Street Church Calgary and Founder and President of Inspired to Lead. Ruth encourages churches, when working with volunteers, to: 

1. Value people more than task: Each person has intrinsic value, regardless of abilities, for we have all been made in God’s image. Why do we so often treat volunteers as a means to an end? Valuing people for who they are more than for what they can do for us is a foundational, biblical principle.  

1. Develop a process that loves and equips people: If churches just hand volunteers a task and don’t take the time to equip them well, the volunteer may feel abandoned and ineffective. Leaders may find themselves checking up on their work because they feel they can’t trust them to do it themselves, when the real issue is poor training and leadership. Mistrust almost always leads to conflict.  

1. Ensure volunteers are serving in community: Serving in community helps volunteers think beyond themselves and experience the multiplied accomplishments that teamwork brings. Volunteers need to know they are part of a team and not serving alone.  

1. Put more into your volunteers than you take out: A great starting point for this is to regularly affirm them for who they are and not just appreciate them for what they do. When leadership culture in an organization becomes focused on serving volunteers and pouring into their lives, they (the volunteers) will be the ones who catch the vision and accomplish the mission.  

In addition to these practical methods of caring for, protecting, and inspiring your volunteers to the mission of your church, you might want to consider drafting a Community Covenant Policy. This type of policy clearly lays out guidelines expected for all staff and volunteers. It is a commitment with each other, before God, to live and work in a manner worthy of the calling received from Jesus Christ so that—working together in community—you may fulfill His purposes for your ministry. A sample Community Covenant Policy is provided for members by the CCCC on their website. 

When churches are committed to creating and maintaining a respectful and safe environment for all who serve, work, and worship, congregations come alive, people grow deeper in their faith, and Christian witness in the community is strengthened. 

“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.”  –– Galatians 5:13-14 NLT