VITALITY (Spring/Summer 2018)

thrive-magazine.ca
thrive / 3
Along with the significant influx of new Canadians who are often far more open
to hearing the Good News as they transition into their new country and environment,
an opportunity to leverage the Gospel in Canada among immigrants is
presenting itself now.
Our churches need to be guided by several principles in our church planting
efforts:
1. Churches best create churches.
CHURCH
ATTENDANCE
HAS DECLINED
FROM 70% IN
THE 1950S TO
15% IN 2006...
• Planting churches is best accomplished by local churches multiplying
themselves, whether that be a mother church, association partnership,
or “Antioch” church * .
*
An Antioch church is a proven multiplying local church in our AÉBÉQ
(French) Region.
2. Churches best create leaders.
• Leadership is vital. Leaders are best developed through mentoring and
ministry training done in the context of the local church, whether that
be through internships, cohorts, or our Immerse program * .
*
Immerse is a church-based theological educational model founded in our
Pacific Region and adopted/modified in our AÉBÉQ (French) Region.
3. Churches best make disciples.
• Studies and surveys consistently show that church planting is the most
effective way to win the spiritually lost, and the church is God’s chosen
instrument for making disciples.
In this edition of THRIVE, you will learn about the efforts of Fellowship church
planters and missionaries in Canada and beyond. Also featured are the efforts to
revitalize many of our local churches as we reintegrate the Great Commission
DNA back into our movement of churches.
Our theme verse for 2018 is Romans 12:12 (NIV):
“Be joyful in HOPE, patient in AFFLICTION, faithful in PRAYER.”
The church remains the greatest HOPE of our nation. Consider spending time in
daily prayer for the church health (vitality) and church planting (multiplication)
efforts of our movement.
Steven Jones is President of The
Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist
Churches in Canada. Follow Steve on
Twitter @FellowshipSteve