Montreal Update
Greetings Community Baptist Church!
In the past month we have been focusing primarily on getting to know the people in our new congregation. As you may remember we were previously working with the downtown Montreal location of Church 21 where I helped them establish a children’s ministry, developed richer scripture reading and liturgical presentations, preached, taught, and oversaw all things in the church related to hospitality such as coffee, lighting and greeting. I also planted a new city group in the Villeray area of Montreal that is now 20-30 people which is potentially enough to be a church plant! The two who are leading it now, Areni & Simon, are competent and capable to care for the spiritual and practical needs of the group. Will you please pray that city group develops into a church plant? Please also pray that God will send more men called to be pastors, evangelists, teachers, and church planters to Montreal.
Now that we are with a new Church21 location we are helping it become more rooted and established in the fundamentals of community, service, and unity. Before the pandemic Church 21 was located in a movie theatre but due to the pandemic the elders decided it would be better for the people if we split into smaller area-based churches.
So now Church 21 has a location downtown Montreal, on the west side of Montreal, on the south side of Montreal, and off-island across the river in the southern shore of Montreal. We are working at the one on the “south shore.”
Although all of the people are established and it is part of a bigger picture It is very much so like a church plant in that it needs to find its bearings and it aspires to develop into more church plants. My responsibilities predominately include people right now. I am striving to pastorally care for all of the individuals in the church and at the moment that consists of simply getting to know them and praying for them.
We are spending most of our time being hospitable and having people over. We take time to listen to them, get to know them and pray for them and we believe that doing so will yield the fruit of them overflowing in love to be hospitable, evangelize, and make disciples themselves.
I am currently discipling 4 men in the church and striving to encourage men to get involved in discipleship relationships. Once I see more established I will be periodically checking in with each group to make sure they are doing well and encouraging one another to live holy lives and be lights in their context. Personally, I am sincerely convinced that all other good fruit will come from these roots of discipleship relationships growing deep. I believe that the south shore location has the capacity to grow from its current 30 person average attendance to 2 church plants of 30 each in the next year. I find this expectation highly realistic. We will rest in the Holy Spirit of the living God to work while we strive to make disciples who make disciples.
Please pray for salvations to come to the south shore. Since we have moved here getting to know the new church members has been a beautiful experience but I sense myself growing weary of christian relationships and burdened to be sharing the gospel. Please pray for the people I am meeting in my neighbourhood, at Crossfit, and in my weekly activities. Pray that God will show me who to invite over and spend time with. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with them.
Finally, please pray for our family. Madison is 7 months pregnant with our 4th child - its a boy! - and she is due on August 31st. She is having physical difficulties that make life very uncomfortable and difficult. Please pray for her body, mind, and for a safe delivery. Thank you for the love that you show us. May God bless you ten fold. I am praying that your church is united in love and grace and an exemplary light to the nations.
In the past month we have been focusing primarily on getting to know the people in our new congregation. As you may remember we were previously working with the downtown Montreal location of Church 21 where I helped them establish a children’s ministry, developed richer scripture reading and liturgical presentations, preached, taught, and oversaw all things in the church related to hospitality such as coffee, lighting and greeting. I also planted a new city group in the Villeray area of Montreal that is now 20-30 people which is potentially enough to be a church plant! The two who are leading it now, Areni & Simon, are competent and capable to care for the spiritual and practical needs of the group. Will you please pray that city group develops into a church plant? Please also pray that God will send more men called to be pastors, evangelists, teachers, and church planters to Montreal.
Now that we are with a new Church21 location we are helping it become more rooted and established in the fundamentals of community, service, and unity. Before the pandemic Church 21 was located in a movie theatre but due to the pandemic the elders decided it would be better for the people if we split into smaller area-based churches.
So now Church 21 has a location downtown Montreal, on the west side of Montreal, on the south side of Montreal, and off-island across the river in the southern shore of Montreal. We are working at the one on the “south shore.”
Although all of the people are established and it is part of a bigger picture It is very much so like a church plant in that it needs to find its bearings and it aspires to develop into more church plants. My responsibilities predominately include people right now. I am striving to pastorally care for all of the individuals in the church and at the moment that consists of simply getting to know them and praying for them.
We are spending most of our time being hospitable and having people over. We take time to listen to them, get to know them and pray for them and we believe that doing so will yield the fruit of them overflowing in love to be hospitable, evangelize, and make disciples themselves.
I am currently discipling 4 men in the church and striving to encourage men to get involved in discipleship relationships. Once I see more established I will be periodically checking in with each group to make sure they are doing well and encouraging one another to live holy lives and be lights in their context. Personally, I am sincerely convinced that all other good fruit will come from these roots of discipleship relationships growing deep. I believe that the south shore location has the capacity to grow from its current 30 person average attendance to 2 church plants of 30 each in the next year. I find this expectation highly realistic. We will rest in the Holy Spirit of the living God to work while we strive to make disciples who make disciples.
Please pray for salvations to come to the south shore. Since we have moved here getting to know the new church members has been a beautiful experience but I sense myself growing weary of christian relationships and burdened to be sharing the gospel. Please pray for the people I am meeting in my neighbourhood, at Crossfit, and in my weekly activities. Pray that God will show me who to invite over and spend time with. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with them.
Finally, please pray for our family. Madison is 7 months pregnant with our 4th child - its a boy! - and she is due on August 31st. She is having physical difficulties that make life very uncomfortable and difficult. Please pray for her body, mind, and for a safe delivery. Thank you for the love that you show us. May God bless you ten fold. I am praying that your church is united in love and grace and an exemplary light to the nations.
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