Speakers include the writer of this month’s Good Idea, Lucas Burton, and three Directors’, present and past, of the Wycliffe College Institute of Evangelism, Jeremy McClung, Judy Paulsen and John Bowen.

In the midst of a rapidly shifting landscape of faith, the Canadian Church faces the task of communicating the unchanging message of the gospel in a changing culture. This challenge requires bringing the gospel into conversation with the questions, needs, and existential cries of our day—in a word, contextualizing our faith.

Contextualization refers to the process of communicating in ways that are clear and compelling in a given social and cultural setting.[1] Whereas our tendency in evangelism is to focus on explaining what the gospel is, contextualization requires that we also explain how and why the gospel is good news for the particular culture or people we are addressing.

A Masterclass from Paul

Paul’s ministry in Athens (Acts 17) is a masterclass in this practice. It offers a helpful framework that we can still use to contextualize the gospel today.

1. Examine

Luke tells us that while Paul was in Athens, “his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols” (v.16). Later, Paul addresses a group of Athenians, saying, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god’” (vv.22–23). Notice the key verbs in these verses. Paul saw, perceived, found—in other words, he was intentional about examining the world around him.

At the cultural level, contextualization begins when we give attention to the news, media, politics, art, traditions, celebrations, and customs in a given setting. At a personal level, it starts with curiosity about the person in front of us. What are they passionate about? What excites them? What burdens them? How do they spend their time, money, and other resources?

As with Paul’s ministry in Athens, this examination is ultimately aimed at uncovering the core values, beliefs, and assumptions of a given culture or person. In short, we are looking for idols—the objects of worship.

Despite recent trends in religious disaffiliation, we can be confident that Canadians are every bit as “religious” today as the Greeks Paul spoke to in the first century. Each of us anchors our security and significance in something— money, success, relationships—and we build our lives around it. Underneath this experience is a deep longing—for meaning, identity, etc. In the words of Bruce Marshall’s Father Smith: “the young man who rings the bell at the brothel is unconsciously looking for God.”^[2]

Instead of seeing the idols around us as nothing more than condemning evidence for the sinfulness of our culture or our neighbour, we ought instead to recognize these as entryways for the gospel.

2. Enter

Rather than examining Athens at a distance or waiting for people to come to him, Paul entered into his context by meeting people where they already were—whether in the synagogue or the marketplace (v.17)—and sought to reason with those he encountered.

Though he sought to persuade, Paul’s evangelism was marked by genuine dialogue and mutual exchange. In this respect, Paul followed the example of Jesus, who was known not only for preaching but also for the conversations he entered and, notably, the questions he asked people.

Too often the Church’s outreach has invited people to enter our world—namely, by coming to church services and programs—rather than entered theirs. While church gatherings should be a place of hospitality and welcome, faithful witness requires us to meet people where they are with a willingness to ask questions, listen, and mutually engage.

3. Engage

When Paul is given the opportunity to formally present the gospel in the Areopagus (vv.19–21), he begins within their context, and moves outwards to the uniqueness of Jesus.

By erecting an altar “To the unknown God,” the Greeks betray their concern that, despite worshipping a pantheon of gods, they might be missing something. It’s here that Paul anchors his presentation of the gospel: “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (v.23b). With this approach, Paul affirms the existential cries behind idol worship in Athens—namely, the desire to avoid judgment and find security and significance through knowledge of the divine—while tapping into the Athenians’ admission of ignorance.

As his message unfolds, Paul affirms and challenges the beliefs of Greek culture by connecting and contrasting them with the biblical story. In one instance, he contrasts the false gods of Athens with the true Creator God who “being Lord of heaven and of earth, does not live in temples made by human hands” (v.24). In another, he contends for God’s nearness and humanity’s identity as his offspring by quoting well-known Greek poets to support his point (vv.27–28).

Evangelism, as Paul models it, isn’t always about proving people wrong. Instead, we can affirm aspects of truth that appear in a culture’s or person’s beliefs, while helping people recognize inconsistencies and find the fulfillment of their intuitions in the biblical story.

4. Explain

After describing how the true God created people to seek him (vv.26–27a) and is close to us (v.24) despite not being confined to temples and idols made by human hands (v.27b, 29), Paul turns his attention to Jesus.

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (vv.30–31).

Here, Paul is explaining how and why the gospel is good news for his listeners. In light of what he has already described, we might summarize his message as: “The unknown God wants to be known, he created you to know him, he wants you to seek and honour him, and he has revealed himself to you in Jesus, who rose from the dead.”

In other words, the gospel fulfills the Athenians’ deepest longings. Their desires for transcendence and to avoid divine judgment are realized through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who reveals the Creator God and makes it possible for all people to know Him. Instead of groping for the divine amid the uncertainty of idol worship, the Athenians can turn to worship their Creator and be assured in their knowledge of him.

5. Entrust

Contextualization ends not with persuasion, but with entrusting the results to God. I am so grateful that Luke records a variety of responses to Paul’s message: some mocked, others were curious, and some believed (vv.32–34). 

As we seek to bear faithful witness to Jesus in our own context, we will encounter rejection. Yet when the gospel is made clear and compelling, some will want to hear more—and ultimately give their allegiance to Jesus. Despite the challenges of communicating eternal truth to a changing culture, by leaning into this practice, we will come to see more of the gospel’s goodness, beauty, and relevance to all of life.

For Reflection 

1. As you look at the culture around you, what values/themes/idols do you observe?
2. Do you see different themes in various subcultures you are in contact with? For example, what values do you see for specific age groups (e.g., Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, Gen Z, Gen Alpha)?
3. How could you start with one of these values or themes and explain the Good News of Jesus?

[1] See Elliot Clark’s helpful article “Faithful Contextualization in Missions” https://rtim.org/faithful-contextualization-in-missions/

[2] Marshall, Bruce. The World, The Flesh, and Fr. Smith, 108.

An increasing number of people who come to our worship services have no prior church experience. How can we make their visit as comfortable and beneficial as possible? Of course, practical considerations like a good website, clear signage, and warm greeters can help put them at ease as they enter the building, but their experience during the worship service itself is at least as important. If we want this time to be meaningful to them, we need to answer the three questions they are naturally asking:

1. What are we doing?
2. Why are we doing it?
3. How can I engage?

Regularly addressing these questions during worship can help our worship services become powerful tools for evangelism.

Question One: What are we doing?

The first question may be the most obvious one, but it is not necessarily the easiest. We need to explain what is happening in our service in words that a visitor can understand. This means identifying and replacing language that is only meaningful to insiders. For example, in some traditions it might be natural to begin the music with the invitation “Let’s worship the Lord!” Insiders know that this means “We’re all going to stand up and sing songs together that express praise, thanks, trust, etc. to God.” To an unchurched newcomer, however, that meaning is far from obvious.

Even more confusing is the invitation to “take the Lord’s supper” (especially since most people are taught that it’s not nice to steal food that isn’t yours!). The words “Communion” and “the Eucharist” are also meaningless to someone without a church background. Furthermore, there are so many ways of receiving the bread and cup that a concrete description of how it happens in a particular congregation can be very helpful even for those who were born and raised in the church. Who is allowed to participate? Do I come to the front, or are the bread and cup passed around? Will we take it all together, or as individuals? Will it be wine or grape juice? Describing the parts of a service in simple, clear, concrete language makes it more accessible to all visitors, churched or otherwise. Reflect: How would you describe what happens during each element of your service to someone who had never attended a church service before?

Question Two: Why are we doing it?

Once visitors can picture what we are going to do, they naturally want to know why we are doing it. This is where evangelistic efforts can be more direct, as we help them understand how the various elements of our service relate to Christian beliefs. How can we explain to a non-Christian why we celebrate Communion? Simply explaining “because Jesus instructed us to” or “to remember Christ and his death” isn’t enough. Both are true statements, but they don’t really get to the heart of the matter—the why beneath the why.

In my own tradition, I might say something like this:

“Christians believe that Jesus’s death was not a tragic accident, but something he freely chose, an important part of his mission. By offering himself in this way, he brought healing to the broken relationship with God that all humans are born into. So, as he taught us to do, we regularly celebrate that event by eating bread and drinking wine, which are symbols of his body broken and his blood poured out for our sake. Eating and drinking in this way reminds us that our very lives depend on him and his sacrifice.”

That’s not a perfect or exhaustive explanation, nor does it have to be. What is important is that it is given in language newcomers can understand, and that it helps them begin to understand the gospel.

Reflect: How would you explain to an outsider why we sing songs? Listen to a sermon? Recite the creed?

Question Three: How should I engage?

Regular attendees engage in a worship service as participants. They feel at home, and most can engage their hearts, minds, and bodies in the various parts of worship. Newcomers, however, primarily experience the service as observers, maintaining an emotional distance. Answering this final question is about inviting them to begin to connect with what is happening in a more personal way.

Once again, Communion is a good example. Many churches gently explain that this aspect of worship is reserved for members or baptized Christians. In other words, they clearly tell visitors how they can’t engage. But what if we were to go one step further, and cast a vision for how they can?

“Communion is open to all baptized Christians. But if that’s not you, if you’re visiting with us, or still figuring out what you believe about all of this, this is a good chance for you to do some reflection. Keep your eyes open. Watch what is happening as people go up empty-handed and receive a gift given out of God’s sheer generosity. Watch as they eat and drink and think about what that means on a spiritual level. This is the invitation of the Christian life, being acted out right here in a visible, tangible way. And it is an invitation that is being offered to you, one you should carefully consider.”

Non-Christians might engage in a worship service in a variety of ways: by reflecting on the meaning of Christian beliefs, by beginning to open their hearts and ears to a God who is personally communicating with them, or by taking tentative first steps to express themselves to God through prayer or singing. But none of those things are necessarily obvious to them, so a little coaching and encouragement from the front can go a long way.

Reflect: How would you coach people who don’t know the songs or believe the lyrics to engage in a time of singing? What could be their mindset as prayers and creeds are said?

Bonus Benefits

Some of these questions might be answered on the website, in the bulletin, or on slides. But regularly addressing them from the front, during the service, not only helps visitors but has surprising benefits for regulars too. First, conducting every service as if newcomers are present sends the message that they should be, and is a powerful way of casting a vision for becoming a welcoming, inviting church. Doing this week after week may seem repetitive, but it is reassuring for regular attendees to know that if they invite friends, they will be consistently welcomed and cared for no matter the Sunday. Furthermore, giving down-to-earth accessible explanations for what we do in worship can be surprisingly instructive for those who have been attending church for a long time. Not only can this offer a fresh perspective on age-old traditions, but it also models how to talk about the Christian faith using non-insider language—an essential evangelistic skill in our post-Christian society.

Reflect: How might answering the “what,” “why,” and “how” questions for newcomers benefit regular attendees in your own context?

On a cold October Tuesday morning, the basement of the Community Church in Paris Ontario is a hive of activity, as staff and volunteers arrive for their morning shift at The Raw Carrot. Kristin, the site manager, welcomes everyone to the church’s commercial kitchen, and the team gets to work. One staff member and a volunteer are chopping vegetables while they share their latest news. Another staff member is busy measuring spices and other ingredients, pouring them into gleaming steel pots that he’ll stir and cook all morning.

By the end of the morning, delicious soup is cooling, and the afternoon shift of staff and volunteers arrive to pour it into packages and load the walk-in freezer with products destined for farmers markets, grocery stores, and special events in the area, before the dishwashing and cleanup begin.

Today they’ve made their Signature Carrot and Chicken Noodle soups, but other days they’re making special seasonal soups for monthly subscribers, and batch orders for church events. Other weeks, the team is mixing up granola and pancake mixes, all part of their growing catalogue of products. As they work, staff and volunteers share about their lives, and it’s not uncommon for the group to gather in prayer afterwards.

The work is sometimes slow, inefficient, and not always perfect, but that’s because the values of this caring and inclusive community come first. The Raw Carrot exists to provide meaningful employment and livelihood security to individuals on social assistance who want to, and can, work. Most often these are individuals with a disability or mental illness, who take on permanent, part-time paid jobs in a supportive real-world setting.

The Raw Carrot may operate as a social enterprise from the church basement, but as a ministry of the church it is seamlessly integrated with everything the church does upstairs and in the community. Some staff regularly attend worship, while others prefer the informality of the church’s community dinners, but all can say they have friends and colleagues who are part of Paris Community Church.

The church, part of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, provides a facility and covers some of the operating costs, since around 80% of costs are covered from product sales. It is also the Raw Carrot’s most reliable customer. Newcomers to worship are welcomed with a free bag of pancake mix. Once a month the church hosts a “Mug of Soup” Sunday where Raw Carrot products are served to the congregation after church, and newcomers who join the “meet the senior pastor” table receive a free bowl. Soup was served one evening at the latest Alpha course, and at the latest ministerial meeting for the town’s pastors. Many churches joke that the answer to every children’s story time question is always “Jesus!”, but at Paris Community Church, it’s clear that “soup!” is a close runner-up.

This unique ministry started with Amanda, a teenage nursery volunteer at Paris Community Church with a mild intellectual disability. An adult mentor, Rebecca, was impressed with her diligence, but knew high school graduation would be a hard transition away from community and would likely lead her to few job prospects and little social assistance. She helped her find and attend an employment training agency, but sadly, even after completing that program Amanda didn’t find employment. Rebecca began to realize that several marginalized people in their community, like Amanda, had the potential and desire to work, but barriers prevented them from contributing to most workplaces. Out of this experience, Rebecca and a co-founder created the Raw Carrot just over 10 years ago, and Amanda still works there today.

Upstairs in the church’s office spaces, Rebecca now leads The Raw Carrot “HQ,” a team that supports not only the Paris site Rebecca co-founded, but four other sites across Ontario, and one opening soon in Manitoba. This social franchise has clearly resonated with other churches and non-profits who have a vision for reducing poverty and marginalization.

As the ministry’s presence expands, so does its impact. One staff member from the Raw Carrot’s site in rural Innerkip, Ontario was recently baptized. She says, “I have been working at the Raw Carrot in Innerkip for five years. This has been a rewarding experience on many levels including my spiritual growth. I was fairly new to Christianity when I began working there, so being employed in a Christian-based business was and is very special to me. We start each day with a Bible quote and prayer which allows me to begin my day with the closeness of God. Many of the volunteers have helped me to learn about and draw closer to God. I have also had the opportunity to introduce a coworker to the Church and watch the Spirit grow within several of my coworkers. There is no doubt that God captains the Raw Carrot ship, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Many churches are laudably working to make their worship services and events—the attractional mode of church—more welcoming of and inclusive for those with disabilities who are spiritually ready to attend. This often happens through critical physical accommodations like ramps and accessible washrooms. But for those further afield, facing hunger, poverty, and lack of affordable housing, bigger barriers exist. The Raw Carrot is a way that the Church looks outward, seeking out such marginalized people in our communities, building lasting relationships, and creating dignified employment opportunities in a community that is itself a fresh expression of church.

The Raw Carrot is the missional mode of church. The Fresh Expressions movement defines this mode as a formative journey that starts with serving needs, before building community, then forming disciples, who can ultimately become a church right where they are. Raw Carrot sites may appear to be hosted by churches, but for many staff and volunteers, the Raw Carrot is the very definition of Christian community meeting their most basic needs with dignity and Christian love.

The Raw Carrot is actively expanding, and the organization’s Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Diane Talbot-Schoenhoff, welcomes contact from those interested in starting a site, selling its products, or supporting the ministry in other ways. You can visit them online to learn more: https://therawcarrot.com

Q. In verse 2 Jesus and his followers were at a wedding. What are the components (parts) of a wedding in your birth country?

Q. What food is served at a wedding in your birth country?

Q. What are the various roles (jobs) people have at a wedding? Verse 10 refers to those who “have had too much to drink.” What are the effects of drinking too much?

Q. How would your life be different if you could change water into wine?

Each week we include a question that a seeker might ask to help us think about the personal implications of Jesus’ words:

Q. These verses in John tell us the story of Jesus’ first miracle. What miracle would you like Jesus to do for you?

We have found that these personal questions naturally lead to spiritual conversations. Newcomers learn English while at the same time building friendships with fellow students and loving Christian volunteers. These kinds of questions invite honesty and vulnerability. When we speak honestly ourselves and express our own vulnerability, our immigrant friends respond in a similar manner. Over time, we are able to have comfortable and natural spiritual conversations.

 A Poignant Passage

 We know little about the history of this Ethiopian. He was likely forcibly castrated as a slave; it is also possible that he suffered an accident that resulted in castration. Least likely, he may have been born with what today would be called ambiguous genitalia. We simply don’t know. We do know that he had no say in his condition and no power to change the stigmatization that was inextricably connected to it, both within Judaism and in the broader Greco-Roman culture. Because of his physical deformity, he was also cut off from God. He was relegated to being part of a ridiculed and despised group. He would never have children to carry his name into the next generation. And he simply had no say in any of this.

Let’s now consider the passage the Ethiopian eunuch was reading.

Is it any wonder this passage caught his attention and resonated so deeply? While we can’t know what this man was thinking, we can guess why the Ethiopian asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” (8:34). How could Isaiah, a prophet of God, understand so deeply what this eunuch himself felt? Or did the prophet know another who was so despised and rejected, so wrongly judged and shamed? About whom was the prophet speaking?

Good News for the Suffering

 Philip’s response is summed up in one sentence in this story: “Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus” (8:35). Christians looking for a script for sharing the gospel will be disappointed, for Philip took quite a different approach: listening first, asking if help was needed, awaiting an invitation, and responding to a question only with what he knew about Jesus, the person who Christians throughout the ages have identified as fulfilling Isaiah 53. One who suffered at the hands of others. One who suffered humiliation. One for whom justice was denied. One whose life was taken from him.

And yet that was not the end of the story for the one written about by the prophet, as Philip must have conveyed. The resurrection of Jesus turned his humiliation and death upside down. What looked like a horrible defeat was revealed to be an ultimate victory. The victory of God. The good news. God, in Christ, had atoned for the sin of all the ages, and he was now reconciling the whole world to himself. I often wonder if Philip showed the Ethiopian eunuch a passage in Isaiah located just three chapters after the passage he was reading. If he did, it would surely be part of the good news that Philip spoke of that day. Isaiah’s long-promised Suffering Servant had come, and as a result everything had changed.

The story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts takes place among a series of stories about the sharing of the gospel with more and more outsiders. Philip seems to have been particularly called to this work. First we read about him preaching to the Samaritans. Next we learn about him discipling and baptizing Simon, who was formerly a sorcerer. This conversion is followed by him being sent to reach the Ethiopian eunuch, after which he was whisked away to the city of Azotus and then to villages and towns up the Mediterranean coast, until he finally reached Caesarea, where he settled. The church in Jerusalem may have been persecuted and scattered, but it was now reaching farther and farther out across the ancient world.

Loving God as the Starting Point

When churches think about how to encourage their members to share the faith, they often start looking for a new program or the latest resources in evangelism. Yet this story, and most other conversion stories in the Bible, suggests that evangelism begins with something else entirely: a deep love for God that results in a commitment to spending time with God. Our efforts to cultivate missional churches must begin with teaching our people that the Christian disciplines of silence, solitude, meditation, and prayer are the birthing ground for sharing the gospel with others. Philip’s amazing interaction with the Ethiopian eunuch began with hearing something, an instruction from an angel of the Lord.

In the West, these spiritual disciplines have often been viewed merely as the way we ourselves are fed in the faith, and so they have become disconnected from the church’s calling to share the gospel. But if we don’t see these disciplines as attending to God, how can we be attentive to God’s prodding, direction, and guidance in sharing the faith? The Ethiopian eunuch came to know about God’s amazing love for him demonstrated in the life of Jesus, the Suffering Servant, because Philip heard God’s direction. As we see in so many biblical conversion stories, and as we see in research on churches that are effectively reaching new people today, learning to listen for God’s direction is key. God most desires us to be a people of prayer. The Great Evangelist wants to teach and guide us, if we only make listening and speaking with him a priority, not just for our own sake but for the sake of the world God loves. As we seek to be a people who reach out with the gospel, our first question should be, Is this goal grounded in a deep love for God as evidenced in a commitment to prayer?

  Content taken from A New and Ancient Evangelism by Judith Paulsen, ©2024. Used by permission of Baker Academic.  

1. Display the fruit of the Spirit. We all have likely seen some uncomfortable posts from Christians online trying to share their faith or views but sounding more like a clashing cymbal than a loving voice. When we post online, above all else we need to consider how to do so with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Perhaps the last one is the most critical to mention. Sometimes the way to share our faith online is simply to demonstrate the restraint so many others seem to lack.
2. Remember: digital first, not digital only. We can use online platforms like Facebook or Instagram to connect with people, but it’s better to move into more personal ways to continue building trust and relationship. I’ve tried posting an invitation like, “Drop by Starbucks Monday from 8–10 a.m. I’ll be there and I’d love to see you!” I bring my laptop to do work between visits, but I often find people are so hungry for connection that my time is filled with conversations and opportunities to pray with people. Many are looking to turn their online chats into in-person connection if given the invitation, and sometimes a casual opportunity like this is less intimidating than setting up a formal one-on-one conversation.
3. Join neighbourhood forums. We can use apps like Nextdoor or Facebook to join or start a neighbourhood group to connect with those around us. It’s amazing how quickly that leads to opportunities to meet our neighbours’ needs and to see what concerns them most—and to share laughs, find out about local events and build trust that enables more meaningful conversation.
4. Consider chat rooms versus street corners. Some of the bravest among us may have tried door-to-door evangelism or street evangelism. Increasingly, people do not trust strangers on the street, but they are more open to having conversations with strangers online. Some of the most effective evangelists I know are seeing great fruit in chat rooms like JesusCares.com or ChatAboutJesus.com, where people are having real conversations, asking questions and accepting Christ. This could be a great way to offer your time each week to those seeking truth.
5. Start a YouTube channel. YouTube, which is owned by Google, is the second largest search engine in the world. People wanting to know how to roast a chicken, the history of electric vehicles, or whether the Bible is trustworthy are going to YouTube by the billions. A friend of mine who was a devout atheist began to explore Christian claims on YouTube, and actually gave their life to Jesus this year because of the platform. If you want to share your faith and enjoy talking to the camera (or are willing to learn how to), there is a huge strategic opportunity to answer questions, share your life, and interact in the comments with real people on this platform. Grab a friend and do it together!
6. Be your real self. My last encouragement is for us to be our true and authentic selves online when we post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok. We may start out by copying the voices of our most admired Christian leaders, but the best way to connect with an audience is for each of us to find our own voice—not just sharing the shiny parts of our experiences, but offering some of our real-life struggles and unpolished life with kids, work and messy homes. That builds trust, and it’s more sustainable if we don’t put on a persona. We can share Jesus by sharing ourselves.

Let’s be courageous! The online world is a new one to navigate, but if people loved by God are there, the people of God should also be there, demonstrating God’s love. He has planted us in this unique time in history to prayerfully leverage all the tools available to us to offer hope and life to a world struggling with loneliness, confusion, mental health challenges and unclear identity. Jesus is not just good news, but the best news in the world. So let’s become the best communicators of that message as we practice and live out our lives online and in person.

What to Pay Attention to in Your Worship Service

1. Invitation/Friendliness (Hospitality)

The experience of visiting a new church starts well before stepping through a doorway. Most of the time I have been invited by a friend. However, it can be quite a scavenger hunt to visit a church where you do not know anyone. Recently I found a church in a city in southern Ontario from their online posting and, while I was able to get to the correct neighbourhood without a problem, I had to walk most of the way around the block (following the sandwich boards and banners) to find their entrance in the back of an apartment building. I strongly recommend that you ask someone to test how easy it is for a stranger to find their way into your worship service or listen to the experiences of recent visitors. One of the most obvious things that affects a new visitor is the friendliness of the “regulars”. Our hospitality needs to be spiritually and relationally sensitive to the needs of the visitor, who comes to worship with expectations unique to their life experience. A few months ago, I attended a worship service in the Maritimes where I watched the office administrator leave the building to stand in the parking lot to wave in someone she had met that week. Her new neighbour had recently arrived in Canada, and she wanted the visitor to know she had a friend to sit with in this new community. How people relate to each other before, during, and after worship speaks volumes about the qualities of Christian community that have been nurtured over time in each particular church. But it is essential that this community is ready to open up and take in strangers and newcomers, even before they come in the door. Discernment questions: How challenging is it for someone to enter into the worshipping community? Do the folks at your church spontaneously welcome someone into church and do what they can to make them feel at home?  

2. Gospel-Shaped Community

Recently I visited Baptist, charismatic, Mennonite, and Presbyterian church plants that offered opportunities to reflect on what it means to enter into Christian community as part of the introduction to the Lord’s Supper. These short explanations of the meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus were directly linked to the themes of the Sunday morning. One of the ministers even offered a personal invitation to meet with anyone who wanted a follow-up conversation that week. Some experiences of congregational worship focus more on moral teaching than the message of salvation. However, I have experienced church worship services that are transformative because kerygma (proclamation) and didache (teaching) are intertwined. Love of God and love of neighbour are often just-below-the-surface themes of worship, and the ways they are present has an impact. I have interviewed people who started following Jesus after moving to Canada and they spoke about the importance of experiencing the community of faith during worship—the power of the spiritual and relational environment of a gospel-shaped people. The emotional ambience of a service, as well as the themes of the songs, prayers, and speaking, combine to create a collective experience of worship that is more than the sum of its parts. How people relate to each other before, during, and after worship speaks volumes to the qualities of Christian community that have been nurtured over time. Discernment questions: Acknowledging that the Gospel can be presented during worship through both words and actions, is the good news of Jesus clearly explained at some point in the service? Is an opportunity to interact with the good news offered during the Bible reading, as part of the sermon, or as an invitation to conversation, reflection, or prayer?  

3. Faith-full Intentionality

My biggest take away from a new church experience is always reflecting on why they did what they did together; what was their intent? Sometimes it is obvious; when a congregation offers Spanish, French, and English during worship we know something about who is being invited to participate. Often it is more subtle or nuanced; a certain way of wording the pastoral prayer, or how children are encouraged to engage, can speak volumes to a visitor. Leading worship is definitively more art than science; it is crafting a moment in time together where we experience God, share life with each other, and reflect on how the Holy Spirit is at work around us. Discernment questions: How does your church’s intentional faithfulness in worship sensitize people to the presence of the Holy God among you? How do you identify (and celebrate) the “fruit” that is nurtured by the environment of worship?  

How to Experience Someone Else’s Worship Service

One of the most effective ways to get better at welcoming visitors is to practice being a visitor yourself. Experiencing other churches and church traditions while travelling, or worship services that meet at a different time than your own, can be valuable learning opportunities. As a veteran church visitor, I have discovered that, in order to learn well, the most important thing to get right has been my attitude. When visiting churches, it is important to enter in genuinely curious about how the body of Christ is embodied in this place, at this time, among these people.

• I genuinely want to know why they do what they do, so my lack of familiarity is actually an opportunity to learn something. When I am authentically interested, often one of my new friends will explain to me why what I experience as strange or confusing has value for the people of this community.
• While I generally try to enter fully into the experience of worship, I do not need to turn off my spiritual and theological discernment. Often there are moments in a worship service when I realize that they have found a way to express something about God that many of us have neglected.
• There are other times when I leave with something on my heart that caused a “ping” on my spiritual/theological radar. I often pray for the church I have visited, and these moments can inform my intercession. I have to remember that, as a visitor, I may not fully understand all of the issues but I know God is present with them.

    James Watson (MDiv, PhD) had the privilege of visiting worship services as part of his 20-year career as a consultant and coach for church planting and congregational health. He carries these experiences forward as a 2024 Research Fellow at the Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research at Wycliffe College, where he is leading an in-depth research project on Canadian church planting. He is enjoying the opportunity to reflect on how the Holy Spirit is at work among the churches in Canada.  

1. The cognitive model views conversion as coming to believe a certain set of beliefs or doctrines. Education and argumentation are therefore essential tasks for the evangelist. Introductory classes and apologetics are especially important tools within this model.
2. The emotional model looks for an affective experience—a Damascus Road vision (like Paul) or a “heart strangely warmed” (like John Wesley). Evangelism, then, focuses on stirring up emotions that will lead the person toward Christ. Both modern experiential worship and traditional revival services focus on this aspect.
3. The volitional model primarily sees becoming a Christian as a decision to be made. Evangelism, therefore, targets the human will through persuasion. Billy Graham called for people to make a “decision” for Christ, and many evangelistic approaches of the last fifty years have likewise emphasized this aspect.
4. While the previous model focuses on the human side of the relationship, the supernatural model accentuates the divine. God does the quickening and regenerating by his own initiative, and this is what matters most. In this model, human evangelists are responsible for proclaiming the gospel, but the results are entirely in God’s hands.
5. The social model closely associates becoming a Christian with joining the church, so efforts centre around the convert’s incorporation into the community through social connection and entrance rites, especially baptism. The outreach efforts of many mainline churches are built around this communal component.

Each of these models captures one piece of what it means to become a Christian. However, we intuitively know that there is more to conversion than simply assenting to Christian beliefs, having an emotional experience, or encountering any one of the other aspects on its own. Looking at conversion as reconciliation can give us a more complete vision for what it means to become a Christian. This “relational model” incorporates all five elements of conversion—cognitive, emotional, volitional, supernatural, and social—into the wholistic process of forming a relationship with God. It also allows room for each of the above approaches to evangelism, giving them all a role to play in the larger objective. This framework can help individuals become more aware of the needs of those they are sharing their faith with. Evangelists can consider which aspects of a relationship with God are already developing in the other person, and which are missing. They can also identify the aspects of evangelism they gravitate toward—and ask for help in areas of weakness. For example, if someone has a strong emotional connection with God, they will likely emphasize this in their evangelistic efforts. However, if the person with whom they are sharing has intellectual questions, they can enlist the help of a friend who is interested in apologetics and the more cerebral side of Christianity. This way of looking at conversion can also help churches analyze their congregation’s overall strategy. Stronger and weaker areas can be identified, and efforts made to fill in missing gaps. For example, a church may welcome spiritual seekers effectively (social), offer a well-attended introduction to Christianity class (cognitive) and foster an environment for passionate worship (emotional). However, if they do not regularly call people to “repent and be baptized” or give opportunities to make a commitment to Christ, they will miss the important volitional aspect of the conversion process. Incidentally, this framework also helps to explain the effectiveness of the Alpha course, which gives attention to all five aspects. Just like a healthy marriage, a relationship with God is complex, multifaceted, and constantly growing. This is just as true at the beginning as it is at the twenty-fifth or fiftieth anniversary. Which aspects of your own relationship with God are strongest and weakest right now? How might God use your own growth and development in those areas (or others) to help those who are just getting started? How can you partner with those who are strong in different areas to create a more wholistic approach to helping people become Christians? [1] These five models are not necessarily exhaustive. They emerged as a way to organize the various perspectives I encountered while researching conversion for my MA thesis. While we are focusing here on Christian perspectives, they can also be helpful for categorizing secular scholarship on conversion. E.g., anthropologists focusing on changes in worldview are highlighting the cognitive element of conversion, whereas Freudian psychoanalysts view it as an emotional event.

Initiating

Initiating refers to the moment when two parties meet for the first time. While this phase is brief and superficial, it sets the tone for the relationship—and determines whether one is desired at all. The earliest stage of a relationship with God is similar. While individuals may have heard about God, and may even allow for the possibility of his existence, it is at this point they become personally aware of his reality. This may be through an initial sense of his presence, an answered prayer, or some other personally significant sign that he is there—and interested.

Experimenting

The next phase in human relationships, experimenting, focuses on gathering information about the other person—their hometown, occupation, hobbies, and other basic facts. This often takes the form of “small talk” which creates a sense of safety, opens paths for future conversations, and “auditions” the potential friendship. Individuals in this phase of the divine-human relationship are also experimenting: attending church, reading the Bible and other books, having conversations, and getting to know the basic facts about God and Christianity. As they begin to pray (sporadically and timidly), they may also have a sense that God is getting to know them as well.

Intensifying

In the intensifying stage, increasing self-disclosure leads to growing trust, vulnerability, and intimacy between two people. Insider vocabulary is developed and the relationship itself becomes a topic of conversation. Similarly, in a relationship with God this phase is characterized by intensified interest and an increasing sense that the relationship is two-way. Prayer and worship become more frequent and intimate, and the quest for God becomes more active and all-encompassing.

Integrating

The next phase, integrating, moves beyond information to transformation. As commitment grows, incompatibilities must be addressed and compromises made. Both parties must change so they can be more fully connected to each other. In divine-human relationships, this is the point at which questions of discipleship and commitment must be answered. Integrating God into a human life calls for change—repentance, obedience, and amendment of life.

Bonding

The final phase of relationship formation, bonding, refers to an official, public commitment to the other person. While this may include the declaration of formal statuses such as “dating” or “engaged”, the ultimate example of bonding is marriage. A clear parallel is baptism, which publicly acknowledges the relationship between the individual and God. Depending on the tradition, bonding could also include public testimony, confirmation, or being received into membership in a church.

Of course, there are clear limitations to the analogy between human and divine relationships: God is unlike any human partner, all-knowing and unbound by time. Furthermore, every relationship, whether it is with God or another human, is unique and cannot be forced into a universal pattern. Arranged marriages are a good example of a major variation where bonding occurs near the beginning of the relationship—perhaps something like infant baptism! The purpose of considering this model is not to list five discrete stages every Christian goes through during their conversion. Rather, it is a thought experiment that gives us a fresh way of looking at the ministry of reconciliation. Evangelists who operate out of this kind of framework focus on helping individuals engage, one step at a time, in their relationship with God. They are less likely to employ a one-size-fits-all approach and can cultivate a greater sensitivity to what is needed for relationship formation at any particular time. This framework can also help us understand why evangelism no longer works the way it did several decades ago. Then, most people gradually acquired a basic knowledge of God at church, school, and home, so that by the time they reached adulthood, most were past initiating and well into the experimenting phase. For many, only a brief burst of intensifying interest in God was needed before they were ready to commit their lives to Christ. Some approaches to evangelism such as revivalism capitalized on this by providing people who already knew about God an emotional experience (intensifying), a call to repentance (integrating), and a chance to be baptized (bonding), all in a short time frame. However, in today’s secular culture, many people have no knowledge of God whatsoever. Evangelism must start at the very beginning, helping them become open to and aware of God’s existence. Acquiring the kind of basic knowledge of God and the Bible that could have been assumed in the past might now take months or even years. Before they can seriously consider the invitation to follow Jesus, people need to have established enough of a relationship with God to know to what and whom they are committing. Evangelists today need to be in it for the long haul, ready to patiently walk people through these early stages of relationship formation before expecting whole-life surrender and baptism. While the Holy Spirit can (and sometimes does) short-circuit the typical conversion process, evangelists need to accept that helping people become reconciled to God will normally be a process that unfolds over time. It is a relational process in every way. It is also a holistic process, one that involves transformation of the mind, heart, will, and other aspects of human life. Next month, in the second part of this article, we will look at how an awareness of the multifaceted nature of conversion can also help us see evangelism with fresh eyes. [1] Mark L. Knapp, Social Intercourse: From Greeting to Goodbye (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1978), 35–40.

Becoming Christian can be complicated.

Sometimes we think that becoming Christian is simple, something that happens in a moment. While some respondents (16%) described their conversion as a single, life-changing event, most said it involved a process. Of these participants, 61% said the process lasted more than a year, and 30% said it lasted more than five years! What did this process of becoming Christian look like? We asked respondents to arrange the following seven elements according to the order in which they had occurred in their journey: attending church, sensing God’s presence, understanding the gospel, making a commitment, praying in their own words, experiencing God’s forgiveness, and having questions answered. We wanted to know if there was a common order in which people experienced their journey toward Christ. There wasn’t. Over a third identified church attendance as their first step, but other than that, no meaningful pattern emerged. Becoming Christian is often a convoluted and lengthy process. Evangelists need to understand this and be in it for the long haul.

Helping people become Christian can be (relatively) simple.

Christians often think evangelism is difficult, requiring special gifts, knowledge, and resources. But our research says this is not the case. First of all, it’s not surprising that relationships with Christians were really important for respondents. They indicated the importance of friends (40%), a spouse or partner (32%), a pastor or priest (19%), parents (13%), other family (12%), and even their own children (11%) in coming to faith. (This adds up to more than 100% because respondents could choose multiple options.) What did these people do to be helpful? The three most important things, according to our respondents, were that they demonstrated the love of Christ, invited them to church, and lived an attractive life. This is help that any Christian can give. However, despite the common truism “preach at all times; when necessary, use words”, helping people become Christians does involve talking. This is seen in the next three ways people helped: they answered questions, taught the practical aspects of the faith, and shared the gospel. While many could benefit from some training in these last three verbal aspects, the most important things we can do to help people come to faith are almost embarrassingly simple: love, live, and invite.

Evangelism should be aimed at churchgoers too.

Another common misconception our research exposed was the idea that evangelism is something that happens outside of the church. For many people, starting to attend worship services was an important—and often early—part of the process. Churches should be ready to welcome newcomers who are still journeying toward Christ. But perhaps even more significant are the 8% who described themselves as active in church and the 26% who indicated that, before their conversion, they had mistakenly thought they already were Christian. As important as it is to bring the good news to the world around us, it’s likely that some of the harvest is already sitting in the pews.

Not everyone who becomes Christian is on a quest for God or forgiveness.

Sometimes Christians assume that non-Christians all live with burdensome guilt or emotional emptiness that sends them on a search for God. This was certainly true for some of our respondents: 30% were wondering about the meaning of life, 27% were curious about God and Christianity, 15% struggled with shame, and 11% with guilt. Almost half (47%) said they had a sense that something was missing. Not everyone, however, had a “felt need” that led them to Christ. Although they could select as many options as they wanted, most respondents did not choose the above options to describe their previous life. In fact, 20% described their pre-Christian life as marked by contentment. This seems to indicate that many people became Christians not because they went looking for God, but because God came looking for them—often through their friends and family. They accepted the gospel simply because they believed it was true, not necessarily because they had been on a quest for meaning. Awareness of “felt needs” can be helpful in contextualizing the gospel, but evangelism that is exclusively focused on this misses those who don’t feel a need for the gospel.

The best resource is the oldest.

Besides relationships and churches, what other kinds of ministries, programs, or resources were helpful in the process of becoming Christian? We asked about all kinds of things that are usually thought of as evangelistically effective: Christian television, radio, websites, books, music, youth groups, camps, campus ministries, and classes like Alpha. While they had influenced some people, none of these options were chosen by more than 9% of our respondents, and most were chosen considerably less. When it came to helpful non-personal resources, the one that came out on top by far was “reading the Bible” (30%). This lines up closely with the 28% of people who said that one of the things their friends or family members did for them was help them to understand the Bible. This is a gentle reminder to those who think of the Scriptures as old-fashioned, difficult to understand, or even potentially offensive: God still speaks through this book. Evangelists and churches should find ways to introduce non-Christians to the Bible, the oldest and most effective written resource we’ve been given. Our research offered a number of other insights that are helpful to churches and individuals who want to become more effective at evangelism. You can access the full 20-page pdf report by clicking the link below to learn more about:

• the background of our respondents who became Christians
• what they value most about the churches they attend
• how churches supported their newfound faith
• how their lives have changed since they became Christians

The task of evangelism can seem daunting and complex. The call of Jesus to preach the gospel and to make disciples can intimidate even the boldest of believers. If the Great Commission is the task, how can believers evangelize in a way that is simple and relevant to the individuals we are seeking to reach? As those who seek to proclaim this gospel message, we can take comfort in the fact that we are not alone in this endeavour. God is the ultimate evangelist and God is at work in the lives of those who don’t know Him yet. In Luke chapter 19 we read that Jesus encountered a man named Zacchaeus, a Jewish tax collector who had sold his soul in the service of Rome. He was an unredeemable person in the eyes of the Jewish religious leaders and many of his fellow Jews. But when he encountered Jesus, Zacchaeus heard from him statements that affirmed his personhood and his worth. From that point, everything in his life changed. However, God was at work in Zacchaeus’s life even before Jesus spoke to him. Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus, and he even climbed a tree in the hope of getting a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by. Jesus then honoured Zacchaeus by eating with him (at his house!) and Zacchaeus responded by promising to make up for the wrongs in his life. Zacchaeus found God and “Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost’” (Luke 19:9–10 NIV). Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and Jesus is good at his job.  

God the Evangelist

Scripture highlights the evangelistic heart of God and describes God’s methodology when it says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV). The heart of God is that none would perish. The methodology is allowing time. God is giving people time to be impacted through direct intervention and through other people. In Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit is poured out, and miraculous things begin to happen. It is the dawn of a new age as God launches into evangelistic mode. God is now at work upon, with, or within, all people. God the Evangelist also partners with believers (like with Peter in this chapter) to bring in the harvest.  

The Role of the Evangelist (and Our Role)

The Holy Spirit took an active role in leading the Apostle Paul to Macedonia, to the city of Philippi for the conversion of Lydia. Although Paul initially had different plans, God had in mind an exact time and an exact place for that encounter. Paul’s role was to be open, sensitive, attentive, and obedient to the Spirit’s direction. If God’s heart is that none would perish, and if God is giving time for people to respond, our role is to be open, sensitive, attentive, and obedient to the work that God is doing. If God is the Evangelist, then our prayer for “daily bread” should include, “Lord, show me where and with whom you are working. Help me to fulfill your Great Commission by recognizing you at work in others.” God may well change our plans as the Holy Spirit directs the agenda. As we encounter others, learning to ask simple questions and offering prayer can be an effective way to engage with them. These questions could include, “Has God ever tried to get your attention?” or “If God was real, what methods would God use to connect with you?” If someone is going through a difficult time or looking for wisdom, we could respond by offering prayer (as opposed to just promising to pray for them). An offer to pray could be as simple as, “I am a believer in Jesus. Would you mind if I prayed with you right now for help in your specific circumstance?” Following up, you could then ask them what they felt God did in response to the prayer.  

A New Season and a Simple Approach

One of my mentors recently stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has “ripened the harvest.” He meant that people are now open to talk about spiritual things. I decided to test his observation. Last summer I spent several days walking through a local park. As I walked, I asked the Lord to show me who needed prayer. I would walk up to various individuals and say, “Hi, my name is Steve, and I am a Christian. Is there anything that I can pray to God for you today?” To my amazement, over 50% of the people invited me to pray for something specific and had short conversations with me. Not one person all summer long was derogatory in their refusal! Those who asked me to pray shared real issues that they had been struggling with. Many had already cried out to God asking for help. Others stated that no one had ever offered to pray for them before. People were looking for God. About ten years ago, a person phoned me with the news that her brother was in a nearby hospital. The doctors expected him to die very soon. She asked if I would go and share the gospel with him. I accepted and drove to the hospital. On the way, I rehearsed my evangelistic spiel (the Romans Road scriptural approach and the Bridge illustration of the gospel). I prayed as I entered the hospital and the Lord spoke to me very clearly. He said, “Extend forgiveness to him.” In my twenty-minute conversation with him I felt like I was prevented from sharing my gospel pitch. Finally, I shared with him the statement that God had communicated to me. On my drive home, his sister phoned me, and she was angry that I had “failed” to share the gospel. I wondered, “Lord, did I really hear from you or have I failed my mission?” Two days later I received a call from the sister, and she was in tears. Her brother had passed away, but a day earlier his daughter had come to visit him. He told his daughter that a minister had “extended forgiveness” to him the day before. They found a Gideon Bible in the hospital nightstand, read it, and both accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Needless to say, both the man’s sister and I rejoiced on the phone that God is good at evangelism and that He can work through anyone. Who might God already be speaking to among your friends, family, and neighbours? How might God be asking you to join in His work of drawing people to himself? Let’s be people who are open, sensitive, attentive, and obedient to the work that God is doing.

More Than I Bargained For

Here are some of the strangest situations I found myself in, planting churches in urban Singapore (a city with the same geographic size as Toronto, but with close to six million people packed in):

1. Planting a church with just me and another disciple, then watching this plant grow quickly to twelve people before we took it to the next stage.
2. Having people suddenly join the church because they had an encounter of some sort with Jesus. (Someone saw an angel behind me. I didn’t see anything. But I told her, “Let’s talk about Jesus!”)
3. Holding praise and worship in an open downtown area, with people joining in as they walked past our loud rag-tag group.
4. Walking around campus (forcing myself, actually!), chatting with different people along the way about Jesus. Prayer walking was a norm. Looking for God-coincidences was a norm.
5. Chatting with classmates and colleagues and finding that, at unpredictable times, the conversation would turn to Jesus. Out of ten such conversations, four people decided to attend sessions of the Alpha Course, and out of those people three of them attend churches today. Another three of the original ten later committed their lives to Jesus, crediting the initial conversations we had on campus as playing a key role in their conversion.
6. Performing an exorcism (a casting out of evil spirits).
7. Helping a woman who was being harassed and threatened by her boyfriend. We accompanied her to the nearest police station, staying with her until the wee hours of the morning.

At that time, I didn’t know anyone else who had experience in church planting. It just wasn’t something we talked much about in church circles! I knew how to bring the people in, but after that I had to shift and learn how to manage the church lest I get overwhelmed. Throughout that time, I went from being a middle school/high school teacher to becoming a Head of Department and subsequently going into private teaching. In retrospect, I unwittingly stumbled upon the beautiful privilege of bi-vocational church planting. In all honesty, when I was living it, it seemed like a thankless task—I was waiting for the church to get its act together and have enough income to support me. But done well, bi-vocational church planting brings its own joys and challenges. In some ways, it overlaps with traditional church planting, but it is a spiritual service of its own. Perhaps you’re a bi-vocational church planter who feels unwanted, because you’ve got to both shepherd the sheep and support yourself through your livelihood. I hope you draw encouragement from stories like mine—God doesn’t always call the equipped, but he equips the called.  

Benefits of Bi-vocational Ministry

A stable source of income for your family and that you’re connected to the missional environment you’re in.

This is important because this immediately takes care of one of the crucial needs of life for you to last the distance. It also frees your family to serve alongside you, especially if your spouse and children also have the heart for ministry. But more importantly, it allows you to have your workplace/industry as the seedbed for your church. Your colleagues are people whom you can minister to and touch, people who may never otherwise step into a church. For some, this can be their first contact with Christ who is in you. The workplace thus becomes an arena for incarnational ministry, where people experience Jesus even before they step into a church building. Ministering to colleagues gives you important experience needed for discipleship. The everyday events of the workplace can be useful anecdotes for preaching, given the right setting and timing. Your work allows you to be present in your world. It removes the ivory tower many clergy find themselves trapped in and allows you to bring a fresh perspective consistently about how the Scripture comes alive in everyday life.

Allows you to set an example of giving.

People joining a new church plant rarely start out as faithful tithers. Often, you as the pastor set the example for sacrificial giving. The fact that you’re bi-vocational (not drawing a salary) and a major giver to the new church plant allows you to speak about tithing freely. It reduces the degree of friction you might have with other donors who may want the church to go in a different direction.

Sometimes allows you to set boundaries about your personal time and to practice active discipleship.

“Necessity is the mother of invention”. Nowhere is this truer than in church planting ministry. If you’re like me, being bi-vocational while seeing your church grow quickly immediately leads to a crunch for time. This can sometimes mean church members are willing to be more active, taking up the slack that you’re not able to because of the demands of your other work. This can also create opportunities for apprenticeship, since more hands are needed for the work which God is calling you to do. Church plants require everyone to pitch in.

 Challenges of Bi-vocational Ministry

It can be hard to find the balance between church demands, work, and family.

Church planters are not always the best in setting boundaries. For many church planters who love serving in ministry, balance does not come easily. It’s even tougher for those who are married with children, for they need to juggle family responsibilities with their outside job and ministry. It took me three tries before I started to find a sweet spot between the demands of my ministry and my work. If you are a bi-vocational church planter, the flexibility of your paid work setting matters. It is also helpful to have a separate ministry cell number, to enable you to have a better sense of work-ministry balance.

Requires certain gifts of leadership and knowing how to deploy the right people in the right leadership positions.

This was something which took me some time to learn. It feels exciting to be everywhere all at once and trying to do every ministry well, but that is a recipe for burnout. Instead, it’s advisable to form a team as soon as you can, and to pray for the right personnel who can help push the church in the right direction. In my inexperience I tended to take on far more than I should have, and soon I had a growing church which placed growing demands on my time, but which did not necessarily have the finances to support the amount of time I was spending on the church.

It is quite important to be able to balance people’s expectations with whatever stage the church is in. For instance, my experience in Singapore taught me that the demands for governance are usually quite high. Not all church members understand that it is important for processes to evolve. Financial accountability, checks and balances, and some other best practices need to evolve according to how large the church is at a given point in time. Some people may want more activity than you can manage, and sometimes church plants suffer from unfair comparisons with larger churches.

Another difficulty experienced in bi-vocational church plants is that even though discipleship and apprenticeship may be key priorities for you, they will not necessarily be shared by your whole congregation. Furthermore, not all church members will immediately have the strengths you want. In the initial stages of planting, it’s important to allow people to test out ministries in order to uncover the gifts that they have. At times it is better to allow someone new to serve, even though they may not be that proficient, especially if they are willing to serve joyfully. It might mean not having everything as perfect as we church planters would want! 

Growth needs to be intentional.

Because I started bi-vocational ministry in my early twenties, my progress was slow. I simply did not have the networks of church leadership and expertise that others who started later in life had. Almost immediately I had the “baby church” on my shoulders and it took time before I could get the advice that I needed in order to grow as a leader. Attending seminars and conferences was also challenging because it either reduced the amount of time I could spend earning an income, or it reduced the amount of time I could spend focusing on the church plant. Most church planters will tell you that taking courses one at a time at a seminary is an option, but they still experience the tension of submitting assignments on time and having that next ministry call or work call which then they need to juggle with family needs. Having said that, Stephen Covey’s advice to “sharpen the saw” rings especially true for a church planter. Don’t ignore your own need to grow and learn.

Hard to find the time to network with other church planters.

Finding friends and colleagues who are doing what you do is really crucial, and so this needs to be highly intentional. In today’s context this seems to be a bit easier than when I started, as more excellent church planting networks, which enable planters to get to know and support one another, are starting to surface. Having the right colleagues who will support you, pray with you, and at times simply allow you to let off steam, is crucial.

With these different challenges, why would anyone persevere in the task of being a bi-vocational church planter? It’s the same reason people take up church planting to begin with—because they see a need which current established churches do not meet, and they are willing and able to listen to God’s direction to meet it. Church planters are people who know that Jesus has promised to build His Church (it’s His anyway—Matt 16:18) and that the gates of Hades will never prevail against it. May God strengthen all who are called to church planting for the task ahead, and may you serve in this important and rewarding form of ministry with eyes wide open. [1] Conscription at that time for Singaporean men was 2.5 years, prior to university.

Relationships!

We are a family, they say. We are really close. We care about each other. We are there for each other when someone is hurting. Whatever discussion this topic raises, it always comes back to the same thing. The heart of small-church life is relationships, and we love it that way. In June of 1978, Billy Graham came to Toronto. In many ways it was an event at the opposite end of the small-church–large-church spectrum. Rev. Graham preached for four nights in the old Maple Leaf Gardens and four nights in the CNE stadium. As a very young Bible college student, I had the privilege of participating in those meetings. Approximately 209,000 people attended the meetings and just over 9,000 people made a commitment to Christ over the course of those eight days. It was a wonderful experience, but those days are gone. No longer do crowds flock to evangelistic meetings. We live in a culture in which many people think of “evangelical” as a bad word. Church attendance is down, and a larger percentage of people claim to have “no religion.” How do we share the gospel in what many people label a post-Christian society? Throughout most of the last century, people in Canada either attended church on a Sunday morning or suffered a measure of guilt that they were not there. Today people have much more diverse religious backgrounds than they did in the twentieth century. They also approach church attendance with a very different mindset. Today the question that Christians must answer is one of relevance. What possible difference would church make in my life? If Christians are going to have an impact on people today, there is only one way they will be able to do so. They must build relationships with them. They must earn the right to share their faith. The tried-and-true methods of the past, such as large-scale evangelistic events, are neither tried nor true in our current culture. It is important to note that the greatest strength of the small church corresponds exactly with the most effective way to reach people with the gospel. In these times, maybe it is not the large church, with its many staff members and expensive programs, that is best equipped to reach people. Maybe it’s the small church, which has relationships at its core.  

Inside the Church

It makes total sense for any church to build around its strengths, so every program that a small church runs should be built around relationships. This is true of children’s programs, the morning service, Bible studies, and whatever else a church might decide it is called to do. Karl Vaters, in his book Small Church Essentials, suggests that to connect with people in the wider community, small churches need to learn to do church from their buildings rather than in their buildings. He suggests that “in addition to keeping our doors open, we need to look for places where their doors are open so that we can start new relationships and nurture friendships where they are, instead of insisting they do it our way.”^[1] This advice should play right into the hands of small churches, especially those in small communities. A worthwhile goal for a small church in a small town is to have a member serving on each of the committees and service clubs working for the betterment of the community. So why doesn’t this happen more often? One of the weaknesses that holds back many small churches is that while they see their relationships as a strength, those relationships are often limited to each other. The members do care for each other. The coffee time after the service is filled with conversation and often laughter. If someone from within the church family is in need, the members rush to meet that need. But that is sometimes as far as it goes.  

And With the Stranger

They are not equally loving to the stranger who comes on a Sunday morning or the neighbour who lives beside them. A woman was visiting a relative in Toronto and decided that she would visit the small church down the street. She enjoyed the service, but after it was over, she wanted to talk with someone, anyone, and so she remained in her seat waiting for someone to come over and greet her. No one came. She continued to wait, and while there were lots of conversations going on all around her, none of them included her. Slowly people left until only the pastor remained, and he was heading to the coat rack to put on his jacket. Finally, she exited without having spoken to anyone. While this may be an extreme example, it illustrates the weakness from which many small churches suffer. Relationships can be the strength of the small church, but they can only have an evangelistic impact if the church intentionally commits to making relationships with new people—those who are beyond the present church family, who visit the church or who share their community with the church. In summary, if you are a large church wanting to reach new people, figure out how to be small, in terms of building deeper relationships for the sake of mission. Learn from your small-church sisters and brothers. And if you are a small church, make sure that your strength in relationships doesn’t become your weakness in terms of your calling to share the gospel with new people. ^[1] Karl Vaters, Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles For Leading A Healthy Congregation Of Under 250 (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2018), 231.

Radical Welcome Mats

The Anglican Parish of New Germany, located in the centre of Christmas tree country in Nova Scotia, has been working hard to help people connect to their neighbours. Each Thursday the small congregation hosts a morning Community Café in St. John in the Wilderness Hall, which they always keep festively decorated. A team of ministers (laity and ordained) extends down-home hospitality with delicious baked goods, fruit, and fair-trade coffee. Inspirational scripture verse cards are placed on each table, alongside fresh flowers.   New Germany does not have a coffee shop, so the church hall has become the hub for community connections. An average of 30 people show up each week, most new residents who have purchased houses, hobby farms and cottages in the county. Two regular attendees are a Korean couple, who moved in after living in Toronto and Dallas. Another pair—she from Ontario, he from Australia—purchased an old farmhouse nearby. Their first visit they discovered a babies and toddlers group and decided to join because she was pregnant. After the child was born, the Café hosted a community party to celebrate.   One missional leader describes the Community Café as a “lifeline” for those who have few or no local family connections. Workshops, farmers’ markets, free meeting space, and craft sales are offered during the Café gathering too. There is no charge to attend Thursday mornings. Free-will donations cover the cost of refreshments, and the remaining money is used to support a local family at Christmas time. Building on the attendance of the Community Café, leaders invite patrons to attend a monthly Café Church in the same space. The congregation’s ukulele group leads music worship.   Missions such as these occur all over the Maritimes. On the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, a passionate missional leader keeps an eye out for “Sold” signs in her Sheet Harbour neighbourhood. When she sees a moving truck, she delivers soup and other homemade goodies to unpacking residents. During pandemic restrictions, she invited a group of these new neighbours to a driveway party, complete with lawn chairs, lemonade and cookies. In Sydney, northern Nova Scotia, 3,500 international students attend Cape Breton University. Many of them hail from hot countries and arrive unprepared for chilly winters. One minister takes carloads of students shopping to help them choose snow boots, parkas and toques for when the snow flies. Another missional leader in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, is working with a team to host free monthly meals for international students at Holland College. Their aim is to build relationships, serve, and hopefully offer spiritual care to (and possibly worship with) these newcomers.  

Listening and Sharing

Creating caring environments and offering generous hospitality to newcomers is one of the first steps to sharing the love of Christ; it is authentic faith in action. It is reported that Teddy Roosevelt said, “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” Intentionally listening to the needs of these new residents, especially related to their spirituality and curiosity about faith, will help ministers to shape and host opportunities for seekers to connect with Christianity.   Jesus was in the habit of sharing meals and relaxed time together with his companions. He included outsiders in his circle and invited them to follow the Way of Love. His disciples witnessed and experienced his authentic compassion and grew an openness to hear his transformational teaching about God and Good News.   Christ is our home. How can we find ways to practically live Christ and create “home” for people who are new to our neighbourhoods? In what ways can we intentionally hold safe and generous space for those who are seeking genuine connection with others and with the Holy?

Advice on Church Planting Today

In light of these tough conditions under which we labour, I humbly offer these few bits of advice on church planting today:

1. Have a good team. Don’t do church planting (or any ministry for that matter) alone. Make sure you have people working with you that you can be accountable to and who will support you. This is so important. Ideally, find people who have very different gifts from your own, but who are similar in terms of their faith, goals, and focus. Ensure your mission or purpose statement is crystal clear, and make your identity as a church together transparent. Find as many lay leaders as you can to join and support you. Train and disciple them. Whenever people leave (given the high cost of living in Victoria, this regularly happens to us!), be sure to train up two new people in their place. Retreat together, share life together, build trust and accountability with one another. Survey the various giftings of your group and build your mission around that.

2. Pray. Prayer is the first thing to do in the morning and the last thing to do at night. Pray alone, pray with your leaders, pray with your wider church community—pray without ceasing! Saturate every meeting with prayer and set aside special times to pray for a particular purpose or need. I’ve been surprised by how common it is for churches to motor ahead with a sudden inspiration before stopping to pray. Whenever you can, invite God into your daily activity, and seek His wisdom as often as possible. Lift up each other’s needs and ask for God’s provision for the hard work ahead.

One thing that the pandemic took from the Church was the joy of mutuality, and times of prayer are often when that is most felt. When we re-gathered, prayer was the thing our leaders were most hungry for, alongside times of worship. Be sure to pray for your leaders to encourage them and to further their ministry.

3. JESUS. You need him, so stay close! Sometimes we get so lost in the work that we neglect the One who sent us. Make sure that you set aside regular times to be with the Lord and enjoy His presence. Since the pandemic, I’ve taken up a regular regime of daily walking, sometimes multiple times a day, to be alone with God, to pray, and to marvel at His creation. Thankfully, living on the west coast, I will never run out of good routes.

4. Bring a friend. At our church plant, The Table, we learned this principle about three years ago. One of our team members gave ( and continues to give) a majority of his time to new missional experiments, and often when he started something it initially had a good response. But when there was no one else to share the work with, it stagnated and he was never free to move on to new projects. So, we made a new rule: for every new idea, he had to find two people to partner with him in order to make it happen. To this day, if he can’t find people that like the idea enough to join him, we don’t do it. A co-worker, Josh Wilton, often says, “there are a million good ideas, but it doesn’t mean that you have to do all of them.” Having this litmus test of finding other leaders to participate helps weed out the ideas that are not for us, at least not for right now.

This also means that if you are lean on resources, whether it be money or people, you focus your best resources on the best idea. Each year as you discern the work God has for you to do, brainstorm all possibilities, then whittle the list down to two or three ideas and see if there are people willing to commit to any of them. Your best ideas will rise to the top as people choose to commit to them.

And be sure to save the ideas you don’t try this year for the future! Keep a running list of things you would love to do and wait to see if God sends you the right leaders to make it happen. We had long wanted to do a meal-based evangelism course, and after several years of waiting, God sent a cookbook author into our community. We knew the time was right. She loves the chance to cook for groups of people and her meals are stunning—what a gift! Thanks to her presence in our midst, we can now host the course we’ve dreamt of for several years because she is part of our leadership.

5. Rest. Even Jesus took naps. If the season of COVID-19 taught us anything, it taught us that we never know what tomorrow brings, but it helps to be well-rested. Church planting too often leads to burnout. We start thinking there is no one else in the world that can do the work we do, and we fail to trust that God will take the responsibility for building His own church. He will provide the people and means necessary. Over-extending ourselves is a waste of our energy and is to believe the lie that the church only grows based on our human effort.

This past summer I took a sabbatical. At the time of planning, I didn’t even really feel like I needed it, but it turned out to be the perfect time to get away. This meant I was pre-empting my own need by making provision for rest for myself and my family. My time away helped lower any anxiety I had about what would happen to our church post-COVID-19; because I wasn’t at work to do anything about it, I just had to trust that Jesus was looking out for things. Taking times of rest means that we submit to the refreshing truth that God is the Lord of the universe, and we are not.

6. Don’t get too ahead of yourself. Plan for the next twelve months, then reassess. Too often in ministry we get too far ahead of what’s before us and we waste our energy. Right now, the Church is in an extremely uncertain position due to COVID-19, so we shouldn’t plan long into the future anyway. Short-term planning allows us to reassess and refocus as needed, rather than commit ourselves to an eventuality that may never happen. This also provides some checks and balances along the way as we embark upon new projects. Be sure to gather with your team and decide what fruit you need to see in order to keep committing to your work.

Our church plant has learned a hard lesson on this front. We have made a few attempts at launching a second site for our church with mixed results. Year by year, we kept trying to push forward without seeing much fruit being produced as a result. Finally, we agreed as a team that we simply don’t have enough leaders nor enough commitment from new members to make this a live possibility for now. For the time being, we have put this dream on the backburner and hope that God might revive it in the future. The old saying that “we make plans and God laughs” is very true. We cannot assume that things will go according to our plans, so be sure to leave lots of room for God to bring clarity and sharpening of purpose.

Church planting isn’t an easy calling. Yet it is one of the most rewarding, whether you are the main initiator or a member of the team. Each of these positions is necessary to make ministry happen. Focus yourself on finding that team to partner with—pray for God to provide the people you need, and then invest in relationships with those people. Ultimately, the past two years have taught me to stay close to Jesus and to wait on Him. It is a miracle when anyone, much less a non-believer, comes to Christ. And when Christians mature in their faith and draw closer to Jesus, that is a miracle, too. Everything in our culture is distracting and dissuading people from doing just that, so marvel at the miracles that happen in your midst. Christ is building his church—praise God!

* * * * *

Most Christians affirm that it’s important for their church to share the faith. But many also think someone else is better suited to that task than they are.

• Some think evangelism is the job of pastors, who have theological training
• Some think it is best done by especially gifted communicators known as evangelists
• Some think it requires someone who has great answers to tough philosophical questions
• Some think it can only be done by someone who knows the Bible far better than they do
• Some think it must be done by people whose lives are way more holy than their life is

But what if we believed that God is already calling people all around us back into relationship with himself, and we are all called to participate in that work of reconciliation? What would happen if all Christians across Canada believed that, just as they are, they could be used by God to help someone take steps toward him? There is plenty of data that indicates there are many people across Canada with spiritual questions and longings who would be very open to exploring faith issues, if they were just invited by a friend to do so. In fact, a public opinion poll conducted by Angus Reid in 2017 found that roughly 30% of the Canadian population self-identified as ‘privately faithful’.[1] This group was made up of people with no connection to any faith community or sacred texts, but they reported believing in God, praying to God, and wanting their children to learn about faith through a recognized faith community. This poll suggests there are over ten million such people in Canada. If we cared about reaching such people, how might we do it? The final proposed experiment in our tripart series of articles is something churches can work on together. They can intentionally offer several evenings specifically geared to helping explorers and seekers address some of their spiritual questions and longings, requesting that their church members invite people in their lives with no connection to a faith community to attend these evenings with them. That last bit is key. Data indicates people are much more likely to come to something offered by a church, or even something held in the home of a church member, if they personally know someone there.

Resources for Churches

There is a wealth of free or very inexpensive downloadable resources that churches can use for these evenings. Here are four that we recommend:

1. Christianity Explored

https://www.christianityexplored.org/ This ten-session course uses a series of videos to help people engage with scripture so they can explore such questions as: Who is Jesus? Why did he come? Why did Jesus die? What was his resurrection about? What is grace? What is a Christian? The website also provides a series of short videos that address some of the most difficult questions people pose about the existence of God, suffering, evil and good, religion, and what God has to do with our lives today. A discussion group focused on these short videos could be another great way to spark conversation that addresses people’s questions. https://www.christianityexplored.org/Groups/276317/Home/CE_ORG/Tough_Questions/Tough_Questions.aspx  

2. Nua

https://nuafilmseries.org/ or https://nuafilmseries.org/nua-film-series-registration-form. Nua, which means “new” in Irish, is a series of short films produced by Scripture Union Ireland. These 15-minute free downloadable films address such questions as: How did we get here? Jesus: fact or fiction? What about the resurrection? What was Jesus really like? Why do I like Jesus, but struggle with Christians? How can you say that God is good? Has the Church caused more harm than good? What’s Jesus got to do with me?  

3. Jesus the Game Changer

https://www.olivetreemedia.com.au/jesus-the-game-changer/ This ten-part documentary series explores how the life and teachings of Jesus changed the world and why it matters. Each film touches on how Jesus changed the way the world viewed issues such as equality, forgiveness, women and children, democracy, care, leadership, health, wealth, and science. The series includes footage from all over the world as scientists, theologians, political leaders, financial leaders, historians, and biblical scholars from many different cultures are interviewed.  

4. The Alpha Course

https://alphacanada.org/ This course is one of the most widespread and popular courses aimed at helping people explore Christianity. The fifteen video sessions (three of which are usually run as part of a weekend retreat focused on the person and work of the Holy Spirit) allow people to address questions such as: Is there more to life than this? Who is Jesus? Why did he die? How can I have faith? How and why should I pray? How and why should I read the Bible? How does God guide us? How can I make the most of the rest of my life? How can I resist evil? Why and how should I tell others? Does God heal today? What about the Church?  

5. Christian Foundations

https://www.wycliffecollege.ca/christian-foundations Unlike the courses profiled above, this resource is not a film series. Instead, it uses a workbook format that includes short narratives, discussion questions, and a variety of interactive exercises to help people explore questions such as: How can I know and serve God? What is the story of Israel? Who is Jesus? What do Christians believe? Why are there so many sorts of Christians? How can I grow in my faith? What is my part in the kingdom of God? Some churches have used these workbooks as a baptism prep program, as a resource preparing teens or adults for confirmation, as a small-group resource to better ground Christians in the faith, or as a tool for one-on-one discipleship.   Clearly, there is a wealth of resources for churches to use and adapt to their context, to help the many people around us who are interested in exploring the Christian faith. As we head into 2023, may every church across Canada commit to intentionally reaching such people, helping them take steps toward becoming followers of Jesus Christ. [1] Angus Reid Institute Public Interest Research, Canadian Public Opinion Poll, 2017. A Spectrum of Spirituality. Published April 13^th, 2017, at http://angusreid.org/religion-in-canada-150/

  My favourite memory from Supper Club occurred just before Christmas 2019. We were all gathered, quite literally in an upper room, around a very large dinner table. There were about 30 of us. The food stretched far enough that everyone had just about enough. A box of chocolates went around, and I watched as each person in this diverse, eclectic group selected the chocolate they wanted. Feeding people always warms my heart. Some of these particular people had experienced rejection at the hands of the Church—so what else could we do other than pass them a box of chocolates? A little chocolate-covered blessing was given and received. Welcome to Supper Club in the Diocese of Montréal (pictured above).   Supper Club is our experiment in Dinner Church ministry. It has been operating one way or another for more than five years now and has continued to evolve over time. This ministry has given us a compelling example of how rewarding it is to create a community around dinner and conversation and, along the way, to learn what the Church can be.  

Dinner

Serving dinner is at the heart of many missional initiatives. The Dinner Church movement began from a missional impulse to connect with unchurched and de-churched people, and from a desire to rediscover the agape meal of the New Testament. In the Diocese of Montréal, Supper Club meets once a month over dinner and conversation. It is a community that was durable and compelling enough to take us through the isolation of COVID. The food itself is an important part of the equation and is worth paying attention to. As our Supper Club community tends towards younger adults in Montréal, the food is always vegan and locally sourced. This might be different if you are working with young families, for example, where you likely want to serve child-friendly food. Think about the food you serve and the people you are serving and align the food offering with their values and lifestyles. In the same way, decide if you or a team of people will prepare all the food or if you want to include your participants in food preparation and make that part of the whole event. Sometimes a lot of life can be shared, and community built, while chopping onions. The point behind all this eating and drinking is that Jesus spent time with people eating and drinking. It helps form community and creates a relaxed atmosphere in a way that isn’t possible for a coffee hour after church. It is a way of giving a gift to people rather than demanding something from them. A hot dinner shared together is a beautiful way to care for people, and it can provide a framework for great conversations about life, God, and Jesus. And please pass the bread.  

The Art of Gathering

Our Supper Club did not come into being because we put up a sign somewhere. It took, and continues to take, regular, persistent work on the part of our leaders to gather and keep this community together. This coordination includes phone calls, social media posts, and emails. Persistence is the key. This is an important lesson from our Supper Club experience we want to extend to the wider church, particularly applicable in any situation where we continue to try to attract people to church, yet despair if they do not come. This community was gathered together and nurtured by some very intentional actions on the part of its leadership, and this work should not be underestimated.  

An Open Space, an Evangelistic Space

There is no one pattern for Dinner Church, so what is the difference between a Dinner Church and a potluck supper in the parish hall? This difference lies in its purpose. You will gather, check in, sing songs, listen, share and eat but all around a focused purpose. You can create any purpose you want for your event, depending on the kind of people you are in contact with. Supper Club draws together a mix of people, including established Christians who are looking for something different and a conspicuous number of people who have left established Christianity for various reasons. Your conversations will explore life, faith, God, and Jesus, but from a much wider perspective than some might find comfortable. But that is Supper Club. An open space, over a glass of wine and dinner, a wide-open conversation. Those of us who are integrated into the Church sometimes need to refrain from correcting others and instead open our ears to what is being said. When you do that, you discover something powerful, missional, evangelistic. For when you listen, you discover that people need to work out their faith verbally and explore their beliefs in a non-judgmental environment. This is the evangelistic power of Dinner Church. Let people talk it out, but do not correct them. When you suspend judgement and listen, you hear the stories of people being chased out of Church because they are gay, or of people losing the faith of their childhood and searching for a new one. You hear about rejection. You hear of bitter disappointments, and prayers gone unanswered. I have learned so much about why people leave the Church and give up on faith. These are essential stories for us to hear and make space for in our community, and Sunday morning is not the right time for them. It can feel like a risk to allow these stories. But people need to spread their spiritual and theological wings and begin to figure out faith for themselves. Sometimes the best response to whatever people wish to share is a simple one: pass the chocolates. This is why it is important that Supper Club is church and not only a gathering of friends for dinner. Our conversations have a focus. But unlike Sunday morning church, Supper Club creates a space for people to express themselves and begin to work out just what it is they believe. Give them that space and watch what the Spirit can do.  

But What About the Liturgy?

I am regularly asked whether Supper Club has a liturgy. The answer is: sometimes. We do have music, we do pray, and we eat. We check in with each other. We have celebrated the Eucharist, but Supper Club style, simple, stripped down, around the dinner table. We’ve told Godly Play stories and wondered together. The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination. Some expressions of Dinner Church do use liturgies, but the focus tends to be on sharing the stories of Jesus in creative and open-ended ways. Instead of preaching at people, we engage with people. Keep that in mind when you plan your expression of Dinner Church. Remember that it IS church, indeed is a way the very first Christians met. But it is not a formula you just repeat over and over again.  

A Measure of Success

It is never easy to measure the success of a missional event, but at our last gathering before COVID there were so many of us crammed around the table we thought we would run out of food (we didn’t!). We cannot be said to be creating new Anglicans or getting them to take envelopes, though some do find Supper Club compelling enough to support it financially. And some have found their way into Church, each in their own way. But we have created a community which has been a source of refreshment to some and belonging to all. I see the greatest measure of its success in my own life. After the COVID lockdown was declared, we immediately met online in the now-ubiquitous Zoom space and ate “together”. We just wanted to be together in any way we could. I even cooked vegan food for myself, in keeping with our ethos. I wanted to keep in contact with these people, I needed to. For somewhere along the line this eclectic group of people became my friends, people whom I valued deeply and needed in my life. When I had an accident, broke my ankle and ended up having surgery, I wanted them to know. For this is my community too. And in the fullness of time, someone passed the box of chocolates to me. I chose a caramel crème. I will always be grateful to Supper Club for what they teach me about all that church can be.