Connecting Points Magazine Fall 2018

CONNECTING POINTS | FALL 2018
PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK
BY DERRICK HAMRE, LEAD PASTOR
Gather | Grow | Serve | Go
There is an English colloquialism “playing with a full deck.”
It seems to indicate when someone is fully mentally alert
or not. One certainly wants to be “playing with a full deck”
and it would be disturbing if someone thought we weren’t!
I assume the roots of the saying go back to card playing,
something Pentecostals know nothing about. However, I anticipate
it is extremely important to play a card game with
all the important cards available to the dealer and players.
As plans come into place for the autumn season of
church ministry at Christian Life Assembly, I feel like we are
really “playing with a full deck”. All the key elements are
now in place to accentuate our mission to revitalize, disciple
and reach out in new ways. I’m very excited to see the arrival
of Pastor Mark Colwell in our Maple Ridge Campus. His wife
Jenni has become the new Kids Ministry and Family Ministries
Director in Langley. In addition to the Colwells, Pastor
Rob Bedard joins us to become the Serve Pastor. He is excited
to help us deepen our culture of volunteer-ism and to
bring leadership development to both volunteers and staff.
In the spring of 2017 the leadership of CLA released a
revitalized mission statement, “Joining God in transforming
our lives, neighbourhoods, nation and world”. For 80 years,
our mandate has been to bring Spirit transformation to people.
It’s the DNA of who we are and it gives us a clear roadmap
for the future. As important as the mission statement
was for staff, leaders, volunteers and congregation, we also
articulated a critical strategy. The fourfold ministry strategy,
how we were going to bring transformation, was pivotal. We
will work together to implement transformation by:
1. Gathering
2. Growing
3. Serving
4. Going
These four words represent the New Testament approach
to our Kingdom work. Each aspect of ministry had expressions
that both deepened the church and allowed it to
reach beyond itself into a culture in need. Each of these
strategies are cheerlead by a key pastor who is responsible
for developing the areas in all our expressions. Let me introduce
you to the strategy overseers who will work with me
to bring about Kingdom “fruitfulness”.
1. Pastor Marty Mittelstaedt – Gather
2. Pastor Mike Bidell – Grow
3. Pastor Rob Bedard – Serve
4. Pastor Steve Nicholson – Go
Take some time to hear from each of them in this magazine,
and they will be featured on our Kick off Sunday. They will
help CLA shape our future and accomplish our mission.
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